Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 123
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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 123
The Black Council Hall after everyone had withdrawn.
All that remained in the pavilion was Ryeonju sitting on the Taesaui and Samu Ryun standing below him.
“Is this enough?”
Ryeonju spoke first.
Samu Ryun bowed respectfully and answered.
“Yes. Thank you for granting my unreasonable request.”
Ryeonju let out a snicker.
“Not at all. Thanks to you, I had an entertaining spectacle. To think those who call themselves clan heads and sect leaders would tremble like that.”
He raised his hand.
Dark red energy rippled from his fingertips.
“Over just one little shell.”
“It was an incomparable performance.”
Ryeonju spoke with an indifferent expression.
“That’s the kind of work I do. But…”
Ryeonju’s eyes narrowed.
“Hyeokgwigwang… was he truly not found?”
At that question, Samu Ryun’s gaze wavered.
Then he bowed his head deeply and answered.
“…I apologize. I confirmed with my own eyes that he entered Heukrang Dong, but when I checked again, he had vanished without a trace.”
That day.
The preparations had certainly been perfect.
Hyeokgwigwang had taken the bait he offered, and had entered seclusion for this purpose.
But there was nothing inside Heukrang Dong.
As if no one had ever entered or left.
“Vanished…”
Ryeonju muttered as if finding it interesting.
“To disappear without dying. Even evading our Association’s information network.”
“…”
After a moment of silence, Samu Ryun raised his eyes to look at Ryeonju, or rather the being wearing Ryeonju’s shell.
“He hasn’t shown himself in Tianxia for ten years. He’s certainly either dead or in a state where he cannot reveal himself. Otherwise, that arrogant one would never be this quiet. Jeongsa-daejeon cannot be stopped.”
“But what if the sect leaders and clan heads catch even the slightest hint and refuse to move?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Madness gleamed in Samu Ryun’s eyes.
“I’ve already spread rumors that the Namgung Clan is gathering warriors and preparing for war. This will reach them as well. In the end, they’ll have no choice but to draw their swords.”
“Hmm…”
Ryeonju stroked his chin.
Then he let out a deep sigh and quietly mentioned a name.
“Geomhwang. Be careful of him. He’s been tracking our Association for a long time. If you’re careless, everything could be exposed.”
At the warning tone, Samu Ryun bowed deeply.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Then I’ll return now. Report as soon as news arrives.”
With those words, the being in Ryeonju’s form vanished as if melting into the darkness.
The empty Black Council Hall.
Left alone, Samu Ryun slowly walked toward the Taesaui.
The chair without its master.
A smile crossed his lips as he ran his fingertips along its cold armrest.
“Soon… this seat will be mine. When that happens…”
Veins bulged on the back of his hand as he gripped the armrest.
Those who held the nine provinces in their palms and manipulated them.
‘I’ll finally become a true member of the Association.’
In the empty pavilion, Samu Ryun’s eyes gleamed with uncontainable greed.
* * *
“…”
Akmugyeol’s pupils trembled finely.
Why would Namgung Cheon, who was supposed to be in Gwiju, appear here?
And with…
‘Surochai and even Janggang Gyoryong…’
It was an incomprehensible situation, but one thing was certain.
Namgung Cheon’s sword was not pointed at him and Soryeonju.
In that case.
Thud.
Akmugyeol stood beside Namgung Cheon and pointed his sword at the enemies.
At this action, Namgung Cheon spoke quietly.
“This is the first time we’re fighting together.”
“…It’s the first time in my life I’ve stood beside the Orthodox Faction.”
Namgung Cheon smiled faintly.
Then he looked at Jang Gwang, who was still standing on the boat.
Silent pressure to see it through to the end once he’d made his choice.
Jang Gwang sighed so deeply his shoulders shook, then commanded his subordinates.
“Let’s go.”
Waaaah!
The river bandits pouring from the boats covered the riverbank.
The rear of the encirclement formed by Hyeolrangdae and the Spear Demon Unit instantly crumbled as chaotic battle began.
“How dare these river bandits!”
Hyeollangdaeju roared and gripped his sword.
But Akmugyeol blocked his path.
“Your opponent is me.”
“Seeking death with an injured body!”
Clang!
The fight between the two began with Hyeollangdaeju’s first strike.
Dark red blade energy and blood-colored sword energy collided, sending sparks flying.
As the duel between the two began, Changgwidae-ju adjusted his grip on his long spear and stared at Namgung Cheon.
“You’re as arrogant as the rumors say.”
Changgwidae-ju Jang Son Pae.
He was a master who competed for the top position in spear techniques even within the Sable Alliance.
The energy emanating from his entire body, having reached the pinnacle of the transcendent realm, sharply cut through the surrounding air.
Swoosh.
Namgung Cheon took a step forward with Mukhon hanging loose.
“Your tongue is as long as your spear.”
“You bastard!”
Jang Son Pae’s spear instantly shot toward Namgung Cheon’s forehead.
Clang—!
The blue energy gathered at the spear tip became a streak of light and rushed forward.
In response, Namgung Cheon moved his head to dodge the spear blade while raising Mukhon vertically.
Screech!
The spear shaft and sword blade clashed, creating a bone-chilling friction sound.
Jang Son Pae didn’t immediately retrieve his spear but shifted his weight backward and flicked the spear shaft.
The spear shaft bent like a bow, then used the recoil to strike at Namgung Cheon’s side.
Crack.
Namgung Cheon quickly executed footwork to dodge that trajectory.
‘Precise.’
He was certainly on a different level from those he had faced so far.
Precise spear techniques carved into his bones through countless repetitions.
Among all those he had fought, this was quite a high-level expert.
“Do you plan to only dodge!”
Jang Son Pae spun his spear and unleashed a series of attacks.
Extreme Advance Ghost Spear, First Form.
Ten Thousand Blood Mountain Pierce.
Hundreds of spear shadows swept over Namgung Cheon like a storm.
An ultimate swift spear technique where it was impossible to distinguish what was real and what was illusion.
Namgung Cheon swung Mukhon to deflect the pouring spear tips.
Clang! Clash! Kang!
But at the same time, the distance between the two gradually increased.
‘A battle between sword and spear ultimately depends on distance.’
The spear trying to utilize the advantage of distance and the sword trying to close that gap.
A gap of one zhang becomes a fortress wall protecting the spearman.
Jang Son Pae used the elasticity of the spear shaft to continuously thrust and swing without giving Namgung Cheon a chance to break through.
One inch longer, one inch stronger.
The martial principle that the longer the weapon, the stronger it becomes.
Jang Son Pae was utilizing this principle to its extreme.
The spear tip aimed for his chest, then suddenly swept his ankle, then fell from above his head.
Namgung Cheon’s eyes narrowed.
‘The attacks don’t cease.’
Jang Son Pae’s hand movements gripping the spear shaft were peculiar.
His front hand served as an axis to control direction, while his rear hand continuously rotated the spear.
Each rotation of the spear shaft generated rotational force that added to its destructive power.
During dozens of exchanges of offense and defense, Namgung Cheon couldn’t break through to Jang Son Pae’s inner range even once.
Jang Son Pae’s spear technique blocked Namgung Cheon’s path in all directions like a dense net.
But this was exactly what Namgung Cheon had intended.
‘Next will be one step to the left.’
Swoosh!
Jang Son Pae’s spear rushed exactly as Namgung Cheon had predicted.
His eyes read every movement of the spear charging at him without rest.
The trembling of the spear shaft, and even the speed and direction of the spear.
‘I can see it.’
The talent of Hundred Weapons Body began to deconstruct Jang Son Pae’s martial arts.
“I’ll end this!”
Jang Son Pae shouted as he pulled his spear back to its limit.
A killing blow with all his internal energy concentrated at one point.
Extreme Advance Ghost Spear, Third Form.
Extreme Swift Heaven Pierce.
The spear blade rushed in a straight line.
Normally, this would be a situation where one should dodge or deflect it with a sword.
But Namgung Cheon twisted his body while extending his left hand.
Swoosh.
The spear blade cutting through the air grazed past Namgung Cheon’s side by a hair’s breadth.
And at the same time.
Thwack!
His palm, rippling with blue energy, grasped the thrusting spear shaft.
“…!”
Jang Son Pae’s eyes filled with shock.
To catch his full-power spear with bare hands, not even a weapon.
“You bastard!”
Jang Son Pae urgently exploded his internal energy and twisted the spear.
Then Namgung Cheon put strength into the hand gripping the spear shaft and pulled Jang Son Pae toward himself.
“Gasp!”
The distance advantage the spearman had built up crumbled helplessly.
Jang Son Pae’s body, having lost its center, was helplessly dragged along.
Click.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon’s empty right hand, having sheathed Mukhon, caught the middle of the spear shaft.
Whoosh!
The spear that had instantly lost its initiative completely passed into Namgung Cheon’s hands.
Before he could even recognize that his weapon had been stolen, Jang Son Pae met Namgung Cheon’s cold eyes.
Namgung Cheon opened his mouth with a sneer.
“This is how you use a spear.”
The spear in Namgung Cheon’s hands began to dance in bizarre trajectories.
Extreme Advance Ghost Spear, Ten Thousand Blood Mountain Pierce.
It was the same technique Jang Son Pae had displayed moments ago.
But the Ten Thousand Blood Mountain Pierce manifested from Namgung Cheon’s hands was distinctly different.
Crack!
Hundreds of spear shadows spewing blue lightning covered Jang Son Pae’s entire body.
“Hup!”
Jang Son Pae raised his protective energy with a battle cry.
Boom boom boom!
Explosive sounds like falling lightning erupted continuously.
The lightning-infused spear shadows mercilessly pounded Jang Son Pae’s energy.
Jang Son Pae’s body was visibly pushed backward.
‘This is… really my martial art?!’
To think the technique he had refined his entire life could produce such devastating power in another’s hands.
Self-loathing and fear crushed Jang Son Pae’s heart.
“Now I’ll finish this.”
Namgung Cheon struck the spear shaft hard against the ground and used that elasticity to soar into midair.
Cheoncheon Ten Thousand Forms Style, Heaven Thunder Shock Spear.
A strike descending vertically from the air.
Blue lightning condensed on the spear blade poured straight toward Jang Son Pae’s brow.
“Kraaaah!”
Jang Son Pae squeezed out all his remaining power and pushed at the air with both hands.
A final palm force prepared for mutual destruction.
Boom!
But Namgung Cheon’s spear tore through the palm force and pierced straight through.
Thunk!
The spear blade pierced through Jang Son Pae’s palms, penetrated the center of his chest, and embedded deeply in the ground.
“Guh… huk.”
Jang Son Pae’s eyes trembled convulsively, then soon stopped shaking.
Namgung Cheon immediately pulled out the embedded spear shaft.
Splurt!
Namgung Cheon, leaving the spurting fresh blood behind, turned his head to look toward Akmugyeol.
Perhaps due to his injuries, Akmugyeol was being pushed back by Hyeolrang Daeju’s fierce assault, maintaining a precarious defense.
‘I need to finish this quickly.’
Namgung Cheon lightly spun his spear a few times.
His shoulder, having perfectly grasped the spear’s center of gravity, pulled back to its fullest extent.
The muscles throughout his body tensed taut like a bowstring.
And then.
Swoosh—!
The spear shot forth like blue lightning.
“…!”
Hyeolrang Daeju, who had been unleashing a fierce assault on Akmugyeol, couldn’t react to this.
Thunk!
The spear shaft pierced through Hyeolrang Daeju’s throat.
Fresh blood spurted forth with an explosive sound, scattering through midair.
The spear shaft didn’t stop, penetrating through Hyeolrang Daeju’s body and embedding itself deep into a thick pillar of the riverbank behind him.
Thud!
Hyeolrang Daeju’s body convulsed several times while hanging from the pillar, then went completely limp.
The deaths of Changgwi Daeju and Hyeolrang Daeju.
The noise that had filled the riverbank instantly subsided.
The enemies who witnessed their leaders’ gruesome deaths began to slowly step backward.
“The, the leaders are….”
The enemies began to flee in droves.
The Black Wind Division and the boatmen pursued them, continuing their merciless slaughter.
‘It’s over.’
Namgung Cheon casually wiped his blood-stained hands on his clothes.
Then he turned his head to look at Hyeok Muhwi.
“….”
Hyeok Muhwi was supporting himself on Hyeolrindo, staring at Namgung Cheon with a dazed expression.
At the man who had pulled him from death’s threshold—no, who had completely torn apart the death that surrounded him.
Namgung Cheon slowly walked toward him.
The blood pooled on the ground stuck to the soles of his shoes, making sticky sounds.
Namgung Cheon stopped in front of Hyeok Muhwi.
Without saying a word, he extended his rough hand.
A strange light flickered in Hyeok Muhwi’s eyes as he stared blankly at that hand.
Namgung Cheon quietly opened his mouth.
“Let’s go together.”
His eyes flashed with killing intent.
“To the Sable Alliance headquarters.”
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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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