Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 57

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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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#057

 

Hwangbo Cheongeuk, the Iron Guard leader of the Hwangbo Clan, couldn’t believe the current situation.

 

He had been leading the Iron Guard to resolve friction with Nokrim and was on his way back.

 

The method had been quite brutal – an entire mountain stronghold belonging to Nokrim had been wiped out.

 

-Within Shandong Province, everyone must follow the laws of the Hwangbo Clan.

 

He had been on his way back after making that meaning clear.

 

The Iron Guard, elite warriors of the Hwangbo Clan, had tasted blood and were quite excited. So when they received orders to mobilize the Hundred Heroes, they even felt secretly pleased.

 

Since there was quite a distance to their destination, they had hurried their movement, but they encountered an unwelcome guest two days away from the assembly point.

 

The youth in his late teens blocking their path had unbelievably appeared wearing the sacred artifact of the Lord of the Hwangbo Clan.

 

Even so, he thought the opponent was reckless.

 

No matter how threatening the Bihuang Fist Technique was to martial artists using fist techniques, it only had effect when it made direct contact.

 

‘We just need to avoid everything and subdue him.’

 

He believed they could execute this very simple method. But that wasn’t the case.

 

‘Would I have won if he didn’t have the Bihuang Fist Technique?’

 

Only after all the Iron Guard members had fallen did such thoughts occur to him.

 

‘He’s unbelievably strong.’

 

Hwangbo Cheongeuk thought.

 

‘A genius, or perhaps rejuvenation.’

 

He didn’t look like he had undergone rejuvenation, so he must be a genius.

 

That genius was now pressuring him.

 

Thud! Thud!

 

Every time the youth who had revealed his name as Ja-gang-cheon stepped forward, heavy vibrations traveled through the ground.

 

‘Profound internal energy.’

 

Considering his age, it was an astonishing achievement. Moreover, it was purer than any energy Hwangbo Cheongeuk had ever encountered.

 

It was the same feeling he had when he crossed palms with his opponent during his sparring match with Shaolin’s Na Hanseung long ago.

 

This wasn’t something that could be achieved simply through fortuitous encounters like spiritual medicines. Since spiritual medicines were given to direct descendants of the Hwangbo Clan, Hwangbo Cheongeuk knew their effects well.

 

“Kuk!”

 

As he was admiring Ja-gang-cheon’s skills, the Bihuang Fist Technique was waiting in front of the fist he reflexively extended.

 

He hastily withdrew his hand and overcame the crisis, but cold sweat ran down his back.

 

‘This is a disaster.’

 

He was also wearing gauntlets.

 

They were iron gauntlets designed to catch most sword blades with his hands. But even with these, he couldn’t clash with the Bihuang Fist Technique.

 

This was because the thorns called haelyongho, a unique feature of the Bihuang Fist Technique, were extremely thin and became hard as needles when they reacted to internal energy, piercing through thin iron armor.

 

This was why the Bihuang Fist Technique was the ultimate weapon for martial artists using fist techniques.

 

‘I need to create distance first.’

 

But he had been thinking this from the beginning.

 

‘His footwork and movement techniques are truly marvelous.’

 

It was truly ghostly movement technique.

 

When advancing, it was heavy and solid, but when retreating or dodging, it was light as a feather.

 

He approached with swaying movements, retreated like a shadow, and struck like thunder.

 

‘And those eyes.’

 

What surprised Hwangbo Cheongeuk most was Ja-gang-cheon’s emotions.

 

Even he, who had grown up in the martial arts world, felt fear, terror, hesitation, and ominousness.

 

These were emotions any human would naturally have, and shaking them off in battle was a lifelong assignment given to martial artists.

 

Could one display their full abilities?

 

This depended precisely on the elimination of those emotions.

 

‘Cold and calm.’

 

A teenage youth was accomplishing this. And the moment he acknowledged this, the shadow of misfortune struck.

 

Bang!

 

Finally, Ja-gang-cheon’s fist struck his solar plexus powerfully.

 

He had struck down the crossed arms with his right hand and his left hand had penetrated through.

 

It was the result of the advance that had been coming heavy and honest suddenly becoming fast.

 

‘Was even that part of his plan?’

 

Even the straightforward attack he had initially admired had been arranged for the final strike.

 

“Kkeuk.”

 

Finally, the Iron Guard leader of the Hwangbo Clan met his end along with five of his members.

 

“Whew.”

 

Unlike before, Ja-gang-cheon didn’t leave immediately but caught his breath for a moment.

 

“That makes thirty, doesn’t it?”

 

Over the past three days, he had ambushed the separately moving Hundred Heroes six times and as a result had dealt with thirty men.

 

“I think I’m pushing myself too hard as well.”

 

The fights had been overwhelming. Occasionally there were those who used weapons instead of fist techniques, but they hadn’t posed much of a problem.

 

The real problem was the long travel distances.

 

Since his method involved predicting movement routes and ambushing, he had no choice but to push his lightness skill to the limit.

 

“Shall I move to the next stage now?”

 

Having made his decision, Ja-gang-cheon went to a large tree in a nearby forest.

 

“Uncle. It’s finished.”

 

As his words ended, a small man in his thirties came down from the tree.

 

“You’ve dealt with the Iron Guard leader?”

 

“Yes. Now please scout out just one more location close to the assembly point.”

 

“Isn’t that too dangerous? By now the Hwangbo Clan must have noticed the attacks. Not only will they be heavily on guard, but they’ll have formed pursuit teams to capture you, Lord.”

 

“That’s exactly why I’m going.”

 

The man wanted to hear more explanation, but he couldn’t.

 

“Well, I received orders, so I have no choice but to follow.”

 

“Please be sure to tell Sister Yeon-hee I’m grateful.”

 

The man belonged to Hao-mun.

 

This was the fourth Ha-o-mun-do he had met while conducting ambushes.

 

They monitored the Hwangbo Clan’s movements in each region and informed Ja-gang-cheon of predicted routes when he requested.

 

“You know this isn’t official Hao-mun business, right?”

 

“Yes. I know.”

 

“You must succeed. Cheon-o Danju’s life is also at stake.”

 

Hao-mun never took one side unilaterally in such conflicts.

 

Even though there was justification that the Hwangbo Clan had ignored Hao-mun as mediator, providing information for ambushes in all-out war carried different weight.

 

Normally in such situations, Hao-mun’s way would be to profit from the middle, but Cheon-o Danju Yeon-hui had chosen to fully support Deungmyeong Manor.

 

However, this wasn’t Hao-mun’s official course of action, but was proceeding through her personal connections.

 

“If we win, it becomes Hao-mun’s official position, and if we lose, it becomes Sister Yeon-hee’s transgression.”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

He couldn’t help but think it was a truly practical yet cruel organization.

 

“Don’t worry. We’re going to win.”

 

“I believe so too. The fact that you’ve succeeded in all ambushes so far is already beyond calculations. I’ve decided not to make judgments.”

 

When Ja-gang-cheon smiled slightly, he told Ja-gang-cheon of one location.

 

“South of the assembly point Jeseong, there’s a small village called Mi-ga Village. Find a man named Wang Dong-myeong there. He’ll be in a house with old medicinal herbs placed on the roof, so it shouldn’t be hard to find.”

 

Informing him of another intelligence source was the man’s role.

 

“Then I pray for your safety.”

 

“You too, Uncle.”

 

Ja-gang-cheon received the next information and left the forest.

 

***

 

Jeseong was a village located a day’s distance from Jiao-nan along the Guando route.

 

It was a place where merchant guilds and caravans traveling from the coast to inland would briefly rest, though it wasn’t particularly large in scale.

 

However, today Jeseong had gathered an unusually splendid array of figures unlike usual.

 

It was precisely the Hundred Heroes formed by the Hwangbo Clan. And when the new Lord of the Hwangbo Clan arrived in the evening, the atmosphere reached its peak.

 

But that atmosphere was so ominous that the village residents were frightened enough to hide inside their homes.

 

“How many people have arrived?”

 

“Sixty in total. We confirmed the last attack nearby and formed a pursuit team, but couldn’t catch them.”

 

“Forty people were taken down? What exactly were you doing while getting beaten like that!”

 

When Hwangbo Taejin first received the report, it was ten people. But in just three days, it had become forty.

 

What was most absurd was that the last attack occurred just two hours away from the assembly point.

 

“The Gangho unit that had been dispatched to the north was attacked while coming to the assembly point. The elite warriors of Shandong Trading Company who were on guard belatedly joined the pursuit, but they were also taken down.”

 

In the end, even the pursuit team was defeated at the last moment, resulting in ten more deaths.

 

Crack!

 

The armrest of the chair Hwangbo Taejin was gripping crumbled to powder. He had applied excessive force, unable to contain his anger.

 

‘This is my official first move.’

 

He had lost 40% of his personnel before even starting the operation.

 

What was even more absurd was that they hadn’t even found the person who carried out the attacks.

 

“Not a single survivor.”

 

Despite sacrificing forty people, they had gained no information whatsoever. They could only assume the missing had been attacked.

 

“My Lord. There’s no need to think about it in a complicated way. For now, think of the greater cause, and the damage can be dealt with later.”

 

At the elder’s advice, Hwangbo Taejin calmed his excitement.

 

“The reason they’re desperately carrying out these attacks is because they judged there’s no chance in a frontal battle. There’s no need to be swayed by their intentions.”

 

“That’s right. Deungmyeong Manor will still be in its place.”

 

Hwangbo Taejin decided not to think about it in a complicated way.

 

“Call back all the pursuit teams. We head to Deungmyeong Manor at dawn tomorrow.”

 

After all, they would be able to see the culprit behind the attacks once they reached Deungmyeong Manor.

 

Hwangbo Taejin believed he had made the wisest choice with cold rationality.

 

It was early dawn.

 

Dozens of human shadows approached Deungmyeong Manor.

 

Was it because they had lost 40% of their comrades?

 

Those who arrived in front of Deungmyeong Manor did not hide their anger.

 

“Attack. Don’t leave a single person alive.”

 

When the awaited command from their Lord was given, the warriors simultaneously leaped over the walls.

 

Under the dim light of dawn, sixty shadows descended upon Deungmyeong Manor.

 

To release their extreme anger, they quickly began searching for people.

 

However, Deungmyeong Manor was strangely quiet.

 

‘Could they have abandoned the manor?’

 

It was difficult to accept logically.

 

‘If this happens, the people who followed them will be in danger.’

 

All of Jiao-nan was under the influence of Deungmyeong Manor.

 

Among them, everyone knew what the Donghai Merchant Guild meant.

 

If Deungmyeong Manor disappeared like this, it was obvious who the next target would be.

 

It was around the time when his dejected feelings were turning into anger.

 

“My Lord. Someone is here.”

 

Who would have thought those words would be so welcome?

 

The opponent also appeared from behind the guest quarters without hiding.

 

Watching him walk confidently toward them, the people of the Hwangbo Clan all made strange expressions without exception.

 

A blue robe containing a clear aura with cloud-patterned embroidery on the sleeves.

 

“Jinmyeong of the Wudang Sect pays respects to the seniors of the Hwangbo Clan.”

 

The person who even performed a respectful bow was Jinmyeong, the Baeui-geom of the Wudang Sect.

 

He was someone whose name came up first when discussing the later generation’s rising talents, a prodigy called the future sect leader of the Wudang Sect.

 

“What brings Baeui-geom here?”

 

It was as absurd an encounter as finding Deungmyeong Manor empty.

 

“Could you first reveal your identity?”

 

“I am Hwangbo Taejin, who has assumed the temporary lordship of the Hwangbo Clan.”

 

“Ah! So you’re the new Lord. I recently heard about the dispute between Deungmyeong Manor and the Hwangbo Clan and came to mediate it. Since I know what misunderstanding exists between the two sides, how about withdrawing at this point?”

 

“Have you heard what happened to my father?”

 

“I am aware of that process as well.”

 

Though he didn’t explain, it implied ‘It was the Hwangbo Clan’s fault, so don’t use that as justification.’

 

“No matter how I think about it, this isn’t something for the Wudang Sect to interfere with.”

 

“I have a deep friendship with Ja-gang-cheon, the Lord of Deungmyeong Manor.”

 

“What kind of relationship?”

 

“He’s like a real younger brother to me.”

 

He was none other than the Wudang Sect’s greatest rising talent of the later generation.

 

Though he had barely passed his coming of age, he was someone who couldn’t be treated carelessly.

 

However, there was too much at stake to back down.

 

As his first move as Lord and having started with the justification of revenge, he absolutely could not stop.

 

Moreover, they had sacrificed as many as forty people to get here.

 

No matter how prestigious the Wudang Sect was, this wasn’t a situation that could be stopped by a single young man.

 

“Should I consider Baeui-geom’s statement as the official position of the Wudang Sect?”

 

“This is my personal matter. The elders of the Wudang Sect are unaware of this.”

 

“Are you playing games with me right now?”

 

A mere disciple was trying to stop the Hwangbo Clan Lord’s revenge, and it wasn’t even the opinion of the entire Wudang Sect.

 

It was so absurd that he was left speechless.

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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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