Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 28

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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 28

Creak—.

Late at night, the door of Chwiweoljeom opened.

Inside the empty inn, the servant who had been cleaning glasses alone looked up toward the sound.

A single figure standing at the door with moonlight at his back.

It was Namgung Cheon.

The servant, no—Pyoyang, the Anhui branch leader of Haowen Clan, stopped what he was doing and stood up.

“You’ve arrived.”

Words spoken as if he had been waiting.

Namgung Cheon nodded silently and naturally took a seat.

Across from him, Pyoyang personally brought tea utensils and sat down.

Since their last meeting, Pyoyang had been watching every single move of Namgung Cheon without missing a detail.

From cleaning up Anhui Province’s underworld in one sweep to placing a new chess piece called Jinquanpa at its center.

Everything was a shocking course of action that far exceeded his expectations.

‘When he first came, I thought he was merely an agent moving according to Namgung’s will.’

It was a miscalculation.

His way of handling affairs was far too different from the Namgung Clan’s methods that he knew.

Selecting useful individuals from the Heterodox Faction and establishing them as new leaders.

What Orthodox Faction young master would make such bold and efficient moves?

And now that same Namgung Cheon had come to Haowen Clan again.

Pyoyang looked at Namgung Cheon with meaningful eyes as he poured tea and spoke.

“What brings you here this time?”

Namgung Cheon got straight to the point.

“Sable Alliance’s Sipbangjin. I want to know the location of Black Wind Division, which guards the north.”

“…!”

Pyoyang stared at Namgung Cheon with wide eyes.

Sipbangjin.

The defense system and foundation of power that only Sable Alliance’s leadership could know about.

How could this man know that name?

‘No, that’s not what’s important.’

Pyoyang’s mind began racing rapidly.

How long had it been since he settled affairs in Anhui, and already he was turning his blade toward Sable Alliance?

It was an incomprehensible course of action by common sense.

“Young Master, as you know, touching Black Wind Division is the same as making all of Sable Alliance your enemy.”

Pyoyang warned of the danger as diplomatically as possible while gauging Namgung Cheon’s intentions.

But there was no change in Namgung Cheon’s expression.

He was simply waiting for an answer.

Faced with those unwavering eyes, Pyoyang thought of two possibilities.

‘First, the young master has blind faith in his own martial prowess.’

The arrogance of a young supreme master who feared nothing in the world.

The possibility that he couldn’t gauge the height of the massive mountain called Sable Alliance.

If that were the case, this information would become poison leading him to destruction.

And Haowen Clan, which provided that poison, would not remain unharmed either.

‘Second, the young master sees something I cannot see.’

The possibility that he had his own plan to survive making Sable Alliance his enemy, or even gain something more.

And his recent actions clearly pointed to the latter.

He had never once made a move that failed.

Pyoyang made his decision.

An information broker was ultimately a merchant.

And merchants, after all, naturally earned the most in the most dangerous places.

“Understood. However, the price for that information will be considerable.”

Unlike before, demanding payment for information was to make clear that this was a life-or-death gamble.

But Namgung Cheon answered without hesitation.

“That doesn’t matter. However, I’ll pay after personally confirming the information is accurate.”

At those words, Pyoyang was momentarily speechless, but soon nodded.

“Yes, please wait a moment.”

Pyoyang returned shortly with a small letter.

He handed the letter to Namgung Cheon and said.

“Please memorize it and return it to me. I’ll destroy it.”

Namgung Cheon unfolded the letter and quickly scanned the map and contents inside.

Having confirmed everything in the blink of an eye, Namgung Cheon lightly infused internal energy into his hand holding the letter.

Whoosh—!

Flames erupted from his palm, instantly turning the letter into a handful of ash.

“…!”

Pyoyang’s pupils shook violently at the sight.

‘Sammaejinhwa!’

The flame of internal energy that could only be produced by condensing inner energy to the extreme.

To display that Sammaejinhwa so easily, which even supreme masters couldn’t perform with ease!

Leaving behind Pyoyang, who had frozen in shock, Namgung Cheon stood up.

And before leaving through the door, he briefly stopped and spoke quietly without looking back.

“I hope the relationship between you and me, Branch Leader, remains unchanged in the future.”

“….”

On the surface, pleasant words.

But what lay beneath was.

‘A warning. Never speak of the transaction details to anyone.’

Pyoyang let out an awkward laugh and opened his mouth.

“…How could there be any question of that.”

* * *

Leaving Hefei, Namgung Cheon headed straight for Gangeo where Black Wind Division was located.

During the day he traveled silently, and when pitch-black night fell, he stopped in secluded forests or by riversides.

Whoosh—.

By the riverside where moonlight scattered like silver powder.

Namgung Cheon’s form suddenly began to move.

He was facing his most fundamental problem.

‘Namgung’s Floating Cloud Movement Technique pursues stable movement.’

It was perfect footwork for executing the heavy techniques of Celestial Boundless Sword Technique, but too straightforward to contain the ever-changing Cheoncheon Myriad Forms Style.

‘Therefore, I must draw upon the movement techniques from the Cheonma Secret Manual.’

Dozens of movement techniques flashed through his mind.

The first that came to mind was the Wind Riding Movement Technique of Wind Spirit Gate, which had existed in Qinghai in the past.

The Taoist principle of reading the flow of wind with one’s body and entrusting oneself to that flow to become one with nature.

This had aspects that were connected to the gentleness of Floating Cloud Movement Technique.

‘Using Floating Cloud Movement Technique as the framework and adding the principles of Wind Riding Movement Technique as flesh.’

He concentrated his consciousness, executing Floating Cloud Movement Technique while simultaneously flowing his internal energy according to the wind’s current.

Swoosh—!

His form glided much lighter and faster than before.

He could barely feel any friction with the ground.

Was it a success?

But Namgung Cheon shook his head.

‘No. This is merely a faster movement technique.’

The speed had increased, but the trajectory of movement itself was still straightforward.

It was far from the irregular movements that Cheoncheon Mansang Style demanded.

‘Change is needed.’

He recalled another movement technique.

The Phantom Mirage Steps of the Illusion Pavilion , an assassin organization that had once existed in Gansu long ago.

The core technique of Phantom Mirage Steps was to create afterimages by subtly releasing internal energy.

He moved again.

He attempted to blur his form by adding the principles of Phantom Mirage Steps to the swift movements that combined Floating Cloud Movement and Fish Wind Movement.

Whoosh—!

In an instant, his body wavered like a heat haze, creating faint afterimages.

However.

“…Urgh!”

As he forcibly tried to mix three different principles, the internal energy flowing through his meridians collided with each other.

‘Their foundations are different.’

He collapsed by the riverside, breathing heavily.

It was natural for it to collapse when trying to forcibly stack radical changes on top of a stable foundation.

‘The method is wrong. Simply combining them won’t work.’

The problem was particularly in using one movement technique as the framework.

The moment one became the center, the others would inevitably become subordinate and lose their true colors.

‘I must become the framework. My will, my Cheoncheon Mansang Style must become the central axis of all movements.’

He closed his eyes.

And recalled the three wills of his sword, the Cheoncheon Mansang Style.

The will to cover everything like sea of clouds.

The will to pierce through everything like heavenly thunder.

The will to shine even in darkness like moonlight.

‘My movement technique only needs to embody these three wills. Floating Cloud Movement and Phantom Mirage Steps are merely tools to express that will.’

He stood up again.

And took his first step.

This time, he didn’t try to execute a specific movement technique.

He moved his body thinking only of the sea of clouds.

Then his body naturally found the optimal method.

For smooth movements, the footwork of Floating Cloud Movement naturally unfolded, and the internal energy application of Fish Wind Movement was added to ride the wind.

The two movement techniques didn’t forcibly mix, but naturally harmonized under the single purpose of sea of clouds.

Next, he thought of moonlight.

Within the stable flow of sea of clouds, he added the will to hide his body.

Then his body found the answer once again.

While maintaining the flow of sea of clouds, he separated only part of his internal energy to create afterimages using the principles of Phantom Mirage Steps.

Whoosh—!

There was no pain of twisted meridians like before.

Faint afterimages repeatedly rose like mist following his form and then disappeared.

‘The main body follows the smooth and stable flow of sea of clouds, while the afterimages show radical and irregular movements.’

Stability and radicalism finally began to harmonize within a single movement technique.

Swoosh—!

His body became a streak of afterimage crossing through the forest.

Even while passing between trees at fierce speed, not a single leaf brushed against his garments.

Stop.

Soon his steps halted before a cliff.

‘It’s not complete yet.’

But after long effort, he had succeeded in laying the first cornerstone of his own movement technique.

‘And…’

Namgung Cheon’s gaze turned toward below the cliff.

A massive manor sleeping peacefully under the moonlight came into view.

On the surface, it looked like just an ordinary wealthy merchant’s manor.

But Namgung Cheon could feel it.

The massive torrent of power swirling beneath that tranquility.

‘There’s also a place to test it.’

A faint smile crossed his lips.

* * *

Before the massive gate, Namgung Cheon slowly revealed himself from the deep darkness.

The guard watching the gate immediately drew his sword.

Shing!

“Who goes there!”

At that sight, Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘I came to the main gate specifically to show courtesy.’

There was no need to politely ask those who didn’t know how to treat guests to open the door.

‘Then let’s end the courtesy here.’

He lightly kicked off the ground as if the blade pointed at him didn’t matter at all.

Thud—!

Namgung Cheon rose lightly like a bird taking flight.

His form soared in a parabolic arc toward the wall several zhang high.

“Intruder!”

The guards cried out in alarm and blew their horns.

Shrill—!

The sharp sound of horns echoed throughout the entire manor.

And the moment Namgung Cheon crossed over the wall.

Swish swish swish—!

Hidden mechanisms inside the wall activated, and hundreds of arrows and projectiles covered him like a dense net!

‘Now this is more like a proper welcome.’

Namgung Cheon’s form moved at a strange angle in midair.

Swoosh—!

His body glided through the pouring projectiles like swimming.

Thud.

Namgung Cheon’s form lightly landed inside the wall.

The moment he landed, torches lit up simultaneously in pavilions from all directions and Black Wind Corps members poured out like a swarm of bees.

“Kill him!”

With the leader’s shout, sword blades rushed from all directions.

But Namgung Cheon didn’t draw his sword.

‘I’ll just play with them moderately until Akmugyeol comes out.’

His form moved strangely once again.

He seemed to charge straight ahead, then scattered leaving afterimages, and appeared several zhang ahead in an instant.

“He’s a master! Deploy the Black Death Sword Formation !”

The Black Wind Corps members’ movements changed in perfect unison.

The members instantly formed a circular formation centered on Namgung Cheon.

The energy rising from the tips of their swords connected with each other, beginning to constrict Namgung Cheon like one giant trap.

‘A formation technique.’

Swoosh—!

As he dodged the sword from the front, another flying sword from behind aimed for his back.

Simultaneously, swords attacked from both left and right in a coordinated assault.

There seemed to be no gap to escape through.

However, a leisurely smile still hung on Namgung Cheon’s lips.

‘Every formation has a core.’

He heightened all his senses to the extreme.

And.

‘Found it.’

Among dozens of sword blades, a single sword showing slightly different movement.

The formation leader that held the center of the formation and directed the starting point of all attacks.

At that moment, Namgung Cheon’s body shot forward.

His target was singular.

“Block him!”

The member standing at the formation’s head shouted urgently.

He hastily withdrew his sword to block, but Namgung Cheon’s hand blade rushed in faster.

Thud.

The member who was lightly struck on the neck lost consciousness and collapsed.

The movement of the Black Death Sword Formation, having lost its center, crumbled like a lie.

Not missing that opening, Namgung Cheon knocked down several more, and just as the commotion reached its peak.

“You bastard!”

The door of the main residence opened roughly as a man with a deeply furrowed expression came rushing out.

It was Akmugyeol.

Namgung Cheon, who had just knocked out another Black Wind Corps member, stopped in place.

Then Akmugyeol roared with internal energy.

“Everyone fall back!”

At those words, the Black Wind Corps members who had been charging fiercely reluctantly sheathed their swords and cleared a path.

“You’ve come out.”

At Namgung Cheon’s nonchalant remark, Akmugyeol’s anger exploded.

“How dare you, in a place like this!”

A roar filled with killing intent.

Even at Akmugyeol’s roar, Namgung Cheon casually dusted off his hands and spoke.

“We’re acquainted, yet you seem to be acting too distant.”

Then he slowly approached Akmugyeol and continued speaking.

“I came because I have something to discuss. Something very good for both of us.”

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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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