Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 121

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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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Chapter 121

Dongjeongho, shrouded in thick water mist.

“Huff, huff…”

Rough breathing pierced through the fog.

Hair matted with blood and sweat, martial robes torn in places, and a blade dripping with blood.

Hyeok Muhwi moved forward with difficulty.

‘Is this the end?’

Hyeok Muhwi steadied his blurring vision and looked around the riverbank.

With the White Lotus Sword Sect’s help, he had escaped the forest, but the relentless pursuit continued even after that.

He ran day and night without rest.

Wounds tore open and healed repeatedly as he finally reached this place, Dongjeongho.

Stagger.

His legs gave out.

Hyeok Muhwi forcibly supported his collapsing body and leaned against an abandoned boat.

The cold touch of wood traveled up his spine.

‘Father…’

He closed his eyes.

In the darkness, the figure of his father, Hyeok Gwi Gwang, flickered before him.

That teaching to break rather than bend.

He had struggled to uphold that teaching, but this was as far as he could go.

He trembled with rage at his own powerlessness.

That’s when it happened.

Thud thud thud thud—!

The sound of hoofbeats shaking the earth could be heard.

“…!”

Hyeok Muhwi’s eyes snapped open.

Had the last remaining ones come to finish him off?

He gritted his teeth and gripped his Hyeollin blade tighter.

Even if he died, he would take at least one more with him.

Black shadows charged through the mist with fierce momentum.

Hyeok Muhwi gathered his last remaining internal energy.

His blood-stained eyes glared at the approaching shadows.

And then.

“Soryeonju-nim!”

A familiar voice.

A cry close to a scream shook the riverbank.

The man at the front leaped from his horse and ran toward Hyeok Muhwi.

“Soryeonju-nim!”

It was Akmugyeol.

“Daeju… you came.”

Hyeok Muhwi lifted his head with difficulty.

His unfocused eyes turned toward Akmugyeol.

“I’m late…”

Akmugyeol’s voice trembled.

He immediately examined Hyeok Muhwi’s condition.

Deep cuts, a body covered in burns from the backlash of the Hyeolyeom-do Technique.

It was a horrific state with not a single uninjured spot to be found.

“We need to get out of here first.”

Akmugyeol said urgently.

“I’ve arranged for a boat. If we cross the river, we can shake off the pursuit. So hurry…”

Akmugyeol tried to support Hyeok Muhwi.

But Hyeok Muhwi shook his head and pushed away his hand.

“It’s useless.”

Hyeok Muhwi gave a bitter smile and gestured with his eyes toward the darkness surrounding the riverbank.

Swish—. Clang clang.

The sound of reeds rustling, feet stepping on sand.

And even the chilling sound of metal clashing.

Shadows that appeared to be twice the number of the Black Wind Division emerged through the mist.

Those in red martial robes surrounded the left side of the riverbank, while spear-wielding figures sealed off the right side without gaps.

The Hyeongrang Group and the Spear Demon Unit.

Two of the Sable Alliance’s Sipbangjin had appeared simultaneously.

“Hah, even the Spear Demon Unit came.”

Hyeok Muhwi muttered in a self-deprecating voice.

Thump, thump.

Two men walked out, cutting through the encirclement.

Dokgo Jeok, the Hyeollangdaeju with long red hair flowing down.

And Jang Son Pae, the Spear Demon Unit leader with a massive spear slung over his shoulder.

Both looked down at Akmugyeol and Hyeok Muhwi with leisurely expressions.

“It’s been a while, Black Wind Division Leader.”

The Hyeollangdaeju opened his mouth with a fishy smile.

“To meet like this.”

“…How dare you bastards.”

Akmugyeol ground his teeth and drew his blade.

“To point swords at Soryeonju-nim—are you truly plotting rebellion!”

At Akmugyeol’s sharp rebuke, the Spear Demon Unit leader sneered.

“Rebellion, you say. We’re merely following the laws of the Alliance.”

He pointed his spear tip at Hyeok Muhwi.

“Gunsa-nim’s order to eliminate the traitor who tried to devour the Alliance while the Master was absent. Isn’t that the law of the Alliance?”

“Shut up! How dare a mere Gunsa…”

“Times have changed, Daeju.”

The Hyeollangdaeju cut him off.

“Following the profitable side. Isn’t this the true way of the demonic path?”

He raised his hand as if he had no intention of continuing the conversation.

“Everyone, prepare to attack.”

Clang clang clang!

Hundreds of weapons simultaneously aimed at Akmugyeol and Hyeok Muhwi.

Killing intent surged like waves, constricting their breathing.

“Daeju.”

Hyeok Muhwi called out quietly.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Survive.”

Hyeok Muhwi said as he struggled to rise.

“There’s no need for the Black Wind Division to die a dog’s death too.”

Though staggering, he gripped his Hyeollin blade and tried to step forward.

But.

Step.

Akmugyeol blocked his path.

“I cannot allow it.”

“Stand aside. That’s an order.”

“I cannot comply.”

Akmugyeol was resolute.

He turned his back to Hyeok Muhwi and pointed his blade toward the enemies.

“As long as I draw breath, I will not allow anyone to harm even a single hair on his head.”

Behind him, the Black Wind Corps members silently gathered.

The Black Wind Corps numbered just over a hundred.

They were outnumbered, and already exhausted to their limits from the grueling forced march from Gwiju all the way to Honam.

However.

Clang!

All of them drew their weapons in unison.

“Foolish bastards.”

The Hyeollangdaeju clicked his tongue.

“Even when given a good opportunity, you kick it away. Fine. Then I’ll grant your wish.”

He issued his command with a sneer.

“Kill them all.”

Leave not a single one alive.

* * *

The Yangtze River shrouded in fog.

Jang Gwang’s boat glided forward, cutting through the white mist so thick one could barely see an inch ahead.

Standing at the bow, Namgung Cheon quietly gazed down at the wine cup in his hand.

The gray sky reflected on the rippling wine.

“It’s quiet.”

Namgung Cheon spoke softly.

Honam.

The location of the Sable Alliance’s main headquarters.

Normally, countless members of the Heukdo should have been crisscrossing the riverbank, engaged in everything from smuggling to various clandestine activities.

But there was no one.

Except for the fleet led by Jang Gwang.

“Isn’t that natural? Right now Honam is like walking on thin ice. The rumors must have already spread. Rumors about you and the Sword Emperor.”

Jang Gwang, who had been chewing dried meat beside him, continued while downing his drink.

“Besides, those Sable Alliance bastards – even though they looked fine on the surface, they were already rotting from within, ready to burst.”

“Ready to burst?”

At Namgung Cheon’s question, Jang Gwang opened his mouth.

“Young master, do you know why the Sable Alliance is called one of the Four Hegemons of Tianxia?”

“Because of their numbers, I suppose.”

“Half right, half wrong. You can’t be called a hegemon simply by having numbers. It was possible because there was ‘power’ that bound those rabble together as one.”

Jang Gwang’s eyes grew serious.

“Hyeok Gwi Gwang, the Blood Flame Blade Emperor. That monster unified the heterodox factions across all of Junghwon by crushing them with force. But what about now?”

Jang Gwang gestured with his chin toward the other side of the river.

“The tiger is holed up in his den and won’t come out, while a single fox cub is playing king.”

He was referring to Gunsa, Samu Ryun.

Namgung Cheon nodded.

The Demonic Cult had also been a place ruled by the logic of power.

He knew better than anyone how the Seven Great Demonic Families and countless demons behaved when there was no absolute power like Cheonma.

“When there’s no master, the dogs bark.”

“It would be fortunate if they only barked.”

Jang Gwang held up three fingers.

“The reason the Sable Alliance is so massive is because the subordinate groups under them are enormous. Among them, there are the top ones.”

Jang Gwang folded his fingers one by one as he recited.

“The Iron Hegemon Gate of Honam, the Illusion Secret Gate of Gangseong, and the Ocean Might Gate of Gwangdong down south.”

The Three Gates of the Heterodox Path.

Though under the Sable Alliance’s banner, they were massive sects that were essentially independent forces.

“Add the Three Families of the Heterodox Path to that, and they’d easily make up half of the Alliance’s total strength. But what’s their characteristic?”

Jang Gwang raised one corner of his mouth.

“Their pride reaches the heavens. They only bowed their heads because they feared Hyeok Gwi Gwang’s blade, but they don’t even glance at a desk-bound strategist like Gunsa. When Gunsa tells them to come and go, they don’t even listen with one ear.”

Namgung Cheon’s eyes narrowed.

“…I see.”

It meant the current Sable Alliance had a deformed structure where the head and body moved separately.

Gunsa Samu Ryun was the head, but the limbs – the Three Gates and Three Families – wouldn’t listen to him.

All he could freely command were the Alliance’s direct Ten Directions Corps and the scraped-together Heukdo members.

‘For someone with strong desire for power, this would be an unbearable situation.’

The fact that he thought he had seized control of the Alliance, but in reality was nothing more than a puppet.

Namgung Cheon spoke.

“So he wanted war.”

“War?”

“The reason Samu Ryun made risky moves to drag in the Namgung Clan and tried to start the Great War between Orthodox and Heterodox.”

Namgung Cheon’s gaze turned coldly serious.

“He intends to turn his blade inward.”

“…!”

Jang Gwang’s eyes widened.

Namgung Cheon continued.

“Limbs that won’t obey must either be cut off, or forced to move by any means necessary.”

What if a massive external enemy like the Namgung Clan invaded?

The Three Gates and Three Families could no longer stand back and just watch.

“Drive everyone into the Great War between Orthodox and Heterodox, make them all bleed. When their forces weaken, then move the Ten Directions Corps to completely seize control of the Alliance.”

A cold sneer crossed Namgung Cheon’s lips.

The idea of establishing discipline even if it meant burning down the entire house.

It was utterly vicious.

“Hah…”

Jang Gwang clicked his tongue.

“I thought he was crazy, but to think it was to that extent. To crave power while cutting away his own flesh.”

“Those blinded by power originally don’t consider consequences.”

Namgung Cheon emptied his wine cup.

Samu Ryun’s actions made sense now.

His attempt to raise private soldiers through Gwimyeon-gye.

And moving the Ten Directions Corps to gradually bring heterodox factions and Heukdo groups under complete subjugation one by one.

All of it had been groundwork to create his own complete Sable Alliance.

‘I don’t know what happened to the Blade Emperor, but if he was eliminated…’

One final obstacle would remain.

Hyeok Gwi Gwang’s only disciple and blood relative.

Soryeonju Hyeok Muhwi.

‘As long as he lives, Gunsa will forever be nothing but a proxy.’

Then what Samu Ryun had to do was clear.

‘He must kill Hyeok Muhwi.’

Namgung Cheon set down the wine cup he held onto the table.

Thud.

“Have we arrived?”

At Namgung Cheon’s question, Jang Gwang gazed through the fog and nodded.

“We’re almost there. That place where you can faintly see lights is Dongjeongho. We need to pass through here to take the waterway that leads to Jangsa.”

Namgung Cheon’s gaze turned toward Dongjeongho shrouded in darkness.

And soon his eyes narrowed.

“Get ready.”

“Hmm? Already thinking of getting off?”

“No.”

Namgung Cheon’s hand moved toward Mukhon at his waist.

His pupils gleamed brightly in the darkness.

“I’m telling you to prepare to receive guests.”

“Guests, you say… Gasp.”

Jang Gwang stopped mid-sentence and swallowed his breath.

A terrible yet familiar smell mixed with the fishy scent of water, irritating his nose.

“…Is that the smell of blood?”

A thick scent of blood was being carried through the fog.

“A bloody wind right upon arrival.”

Jang Gwang gripped his curved blade with a hardened expression.

Soon the fog gradually lifted, revealing the scenery of the riverbank.

Under the dim dawn light.

Dozens of corpses were scattered throughout the riverbank.

And among those corpses, figures in red martial robes could be seen surrounding someone in layers.

“Hyeolrangdae? And… the Spear Demon Unit is there too.”

Jang Gwang muttered.

And at the center of the encirclement.

A man covered in blood, desperately wielding a red blade.

“…Soryeonju, that must be Hyeok Muhwi.”

Namgung Cheon quietly called out the name.

It was as expected.

Gunsa had finally drawn his sword.

And beside him.

“…!”

Another group was facing off.

Those in black martial robes – it was the Black Wind Division.

A situation on the verge of explosion.

Namgung Cheon’s eyes narrowed.

After thinking about something for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“Ram into them.”

At the sudden words, Jang Gwang tilted his head.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m telling you to ram the boat straight into the riverbank.”

Jang Gwang’s eyes widened.

“Are you crazy? The boat will be destroyed!”

“Didn’t you ram it into the riverbank just fine a few days ago?”

After pondering for a moment, Jang Gwang opened his mouth.

“…Will you pay me?”

At those words, Namgung Cheon pulled out a promissory note from his travel bag.

“Is this enough?”

A broad smile spread across Jang Gwang’s lips.

“How could there be any question, customer?”

Jang Gwang shouted to his subordinates.

“Increase speed! We’re ramming at full speed!”

“Boss?!”

“Just do it when I tell you! Ram into them!”

Boom boom!

The drum sounded.

Swoooosh—!

Seven boats cut roughly through the water, increasing their speed.

Namgung Cheon stepped up onto the railing.

The riverbank rapidly approaching.

“Since I came to overturn the game…”

A strange smile played around Namgung Cheon’s lips.

“A rough greeting would be most fitting.”

—————
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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