Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 82

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#082

‘Think.’

My mind raced rapidly.

I had seen the three Sadoryeon members die.

Gangbi’s full-power strike had only left a thin scratch on Ha Song’s palm.

I had even seen the three patients get cut down as they tried to flee.

Force wouldn’t work.

It never could have worked from the start.

Ha Song alone, that monster, was already impossible to handle, and there were at least fifty more martial artists of second-rate level or higher.

In this situation where even seven leaders of the Baekdo Alliance were present, no matter how washed up they might be, there was no way to win through fighting.

My gaze turned toward Sword Master Hwirong.

He was lying with his back against the cliff.

His eyes were covered with chains, his hands clasped behind his head in a completely carefree posture.

Even in this hellish situation of consecutive executions, he lay there without moving a muscle.

‘…Will it work?’

I gripped what was in my chest.

I had brought it just in case.

But I never thought I’d use it like this.

Moreover, the current situation happened to be related to the Cult Members, which was Sword Master Hwirong’s reverse scale.

‘…If it’s that.’

I recalled my experiences from my previous life.

The first thing I did under the Dark Emperor was memorize the mechanisms, history, and customs of every family in the martial arts world. That much was basic if I wanted to survive a thousand missions.

The destroyed Kunlun Sect had guarded the north, preventing the Demonic Sect from invading the Central Plains.

Since they had devised devices and martial arts solely for hunting demons over long years, their mechanisms were extremely vicious, and their twisted obsession with catching demons had been stained with madness, using any means necessary.

Even the Jegal Family acknowledged that they were deeply impressed by their mechanisms.

Because of this, to break through the Jegal Family’s mechanisms, one had to know Kunlun. I thoroughly memorized and collected information on other sects’ minor habits, terrain, and characteristics to deal with them, but among them all, I had dug into Kunlun as if chewing it down to the bone.

“Brother.”

Cheongwun, who had noticed something, spoke.

“You’ve thought of some method right now, haven’t you?”

Cheongwun’s face was pale from the tightening encirclement.

But even in the midst of this, he had read my calm demeanor with his quick perception.

“There is one thing.”

I said while looking at Sword Master Hwirong.

“I don’t know if it’ll work. I’m trying my best to think, but even I think it’s crazy. And there’s no time.”

I swallowed.

“Half an hour. No, even just a quarter of an hour… I need time.”

“Please try.”

Cheongwun said firmly.

“I’ll somehow manage that time.”

“You?”

“As you probably guessed from the formation, unlike Brother Gangbi who was a martial artist at Flying Red Palace, I was a strategist.”

“…”

“I can’t do it for long, but half an hour. No matter what happens, at least that much—”

Cheongwun’s eyes trembled.

Then, as if making up his mind, he bit his lips.

“I’ll somehow manage it. If that doesn’t work, I’ll throw my body at it.”

“…Understood.”

I gritted my teeth.

I stepped forward.

“Hm?”

Ha Song looked puzzled.

“That pale-faced guy. Begging for your life? Did you come to negotiate?”

“Would you spare me then?”

“As if.”

“Then let me talk with the leaders behind you. Tools that only serve others should step aside.”

“…”

Ha Song’s atmosphere changed completely.

“Ho. Finally our Boatman seems ready to say something.”

The Geoggyeong Sect Leader chuckled.

“Sorry, but since you’re guilty of colluding with Cult Members, we can’t spare you easily. Unless, what, do you have conditions good enough to change our minds?”

“Conditions? I have them. Of course I do.”

“…You do?!”

The Baekdo Alliance leadership brightened.

They were a declining group.

Of course, even without that, they would use today’s incident as an excuse to extort something somehow.

But there was still some risk of making an enemy of the Namgung Family.

If additional risks could disappear and they could even gain certain cooperation, they wouldn’t refuse.

The Baekdo Alliance leadership urgently gestured to Ha Song.

I faced them and thought.

It didn’t matter if they figured it out later.

Time to deliver.

I just needed to buy time.

I felt dizzy just from standing up.

With cold sweat and a pale face, I curled up the corners of my mouth.

“…Don’t be impatient and listen carefully. This is going to be a bit long. Got it? There’s no rush anyway. We’re completely in your grasp.”

“Fine, so hurry… hurry up and speak!”

The Haesa Sect Leader shouted, his body heating up.

I took a deep breath.

I shouted with all my strength.

[With pride facing ten thousand waves, hot blood shines like that red sunlight.

-With spirit confronting countless surging waves,

Boiling blood shines like that crimson sun.]

“…What the hell is that?”

“Has he gone mad?”

The Baekdo Alliance leaders murmured.

Ha Song was dumbfounded.

“What kind of nonsense is this now? Did you go crazy from fear?”

“Everyone be quiet!”

The Geoggyeong Sect Leader shouted.

“Didn’t he say to listen to the end? Would he joke around in this situation?”

I ignored all that confusion and shouted even louder, word by word, clearly.

[Though ten thousand people point fingers, I am not ashamed of my path.

-Even if ten thousand people point and condemn, I do not shame my way.

[Gonryun Wiensa Bunhon Wima Myeol

-Kunlun dies for grace, and burns souls to destroy demons.]

“What the… This bastard. Something about the content.”

Ha Song frowned and raised his iron mace.

It didn’t matter.

I looked only at Sword Master Hwirong and shouted the final words.

[Gonryun Adang Jagang , Choehu Ilin Hangma Suhyeop

-If you are a Kunlun man, you must become strong on your own, and even the last person must stand against demons and protect the ravine!!!]

Silence flowed.

The murmuring of the White Dao Alliance leadership stopped. Ha Song’s iron mace also stopped.

And-.

“…What are you.”

A single word pierced through the silence.

Sword Master Hwirong was still lying down.

His head remained propped up with his fingers interlocked.

But in the midst of it all, he muttered.

From beneath his fallen hair.

A faint golden light seeped out, looking at me coldly.

“How do you know those words.”

“Sword Master Hwirong! Do you recognize this?!”

I pulled out a small plaque from my chest.

A palm-sized plaque with golden patterns carved on a black background.

“Kunlun’s Faith and Righteousness Treasure Plaque. A token given when a Kunlun person receives a favor from another that must be repaid with their life. When this is presented, it’s proof of an oath that any Kunlun person must repay that favor!”

This was originally what Head Dang Mujin had given me just before leaving the Sacheon Party.

He handed me the Faith and Righteousness Plaque, saying it would be more useful to me than to him in Sichuan.

This was the method I had thought of.

Using all the knowledge I acquired in my previous life and everything I possessed to move Sword Master Hwirong.

This was the only way out I could think of.

“….”

Sword Master Hwirong remained silent.

I said.

“Not long ago, on my way to the Sacheon Party, I saved an old man who was being chased by bandits. He said he was from a Kunlun branch family that had been destroyed. He said that although he avoided the destruction by not being at the main mountain, it became a lifelong guilt, so he was wandering around the remote Sichuan region even in the Central Plains.”

“Nonsense. You probably just picked up the Faith and Righteousness Plaque on the road.”

It was a voice as low and cold as frost.

“Kunlun was destroyed long ago. No one’s left. I’m the only one. All the direct descendants are dead, and the branch families erased Kunlun’s glory and scattered to survive. Where are you spouting such worthless lies. And I’m disappointed. What were you trying to do.”

Sword Master Hwirong adjusted his hair and chuckled.

“You tried to escape this railing with such worthless lies?”

“Then I would have only presented the Faith and Righteousness Plaque and wouldn’t have known the Pasa Myeolma Chuljeong Gyeol I mentioned earlier! You know it. That this plaque is real! You’re just avoiding it!”

“….”

“You’re just too lazy to face the past. And you say what I said is a lie, but then check with the Sacheon Party head later! That old man said he stayed at the Sacheon Party before leaving, so if you ask the Sacheon Party, you can know the truth!”

I threw it with all my strength.

“…I can’t believe it.”

Sword Master Hwirong turned over.

“…I can’t believe it or not.”

It was like the tone of someone who had a happy dream muttering when they woke up in the morning.

“Kunlun was destroyed long ago. Now you’re saying that even though it’s a branch family and not direct descendants, you showed kindness to a Kunlun person and received a Faith and Righteousness Plaque?”

“Then would you believe it if we do this?!”

I took a step closer.

“Kunlun main mountain. When you enter through the main gate, there’s Qingfeng Pavilion on the left! It’s the sect leader’s residence. If you go around behind it, there’s a small pond, and next to that pond is a rock with an inscription. Pasa Myeolma , Hodo Gangho . Break evil and destroy demons, protect the way and guard the martial world. The place where Kunlun’s spirit is carved…!”

The body of Sword Master Hwirong, who had turned over, gradually stiffened.

“To the right of Qingfeng Pavilion is the path to the Cultivation Cave. One hundred and eight steps. At the end is the entrance to the Forbidden Cave, and on the left wall of the entrance are carved the names of past sect leaders. A sect leader would always sit there looking down below. Your last name there is…!”

“Stop.”

Sword Master Hwirong’s voice lowered.

“I told you to stop.”

One side of his hair was lifted.

Burning golden eyes were looking at me.

For the first time, emotion was mixed in his voice.

And for the first time, he was looking at me.

I said.

“I told you. I heard it from a Kunlun branch family disciple. Faith and Righteousness Plaque? You could pick it up. You could receive it from someone else. But would you know even things like this? There!”

This is the last.

If even this doesn’t work…!

I pulled out a pair of black rings from behind my back.

“This is the last. The Ebony Dragon Bracers that old man gave me. Artifacts of the Gonryun Sect!”

This was improvisation.

It was just something I did habitually according to my master’s will that you should always hide one of your best moves, not something I intended.

But thinking about it,

Sword Master Hwirong had never once seen these Ebony Dragon Bracers, which were artifacts of Kunlun.

Then, to overcome that stubborn fool, I’ll use everything…!

“Those are…?”

The faces of the White Dao Alliance leadership hardened.

“If those distinctive ebony dragon engravings… does that mean they’re really Gonryun Sect items?”

“Y-yes.”

The sect leader of Mount Xing Sect, who also had close ties with Taoism, said.

“Those distinctive willow patterns and ebony dragon engravings are… could they be Kunlun items that are hard to obtain these days? Moreover, if they’re Ebony Dragon Bracers, weren’t they artifacts used by sect leaders in Kunlun…!”

Murmuring spread among the White Dao Alliance leadership.

I shouted loudly.

“None other than Sword Master Hwirong Seo Ganghyeok! You would know! Are these fake?! And are you saying all of this I’ve presented is fake?!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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