Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 83

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

Chapter 83

Chongwan glared intensely at the unidentified man who had blocked his strike.

The face revealed beneath the bamboo hat was merely that of a young man barely past twenty.

However, the aura emanating from him was unmistakably that of a transcendent master.

‘Was there such a person?’

Chongwan’s mind raced rapidly.

Since he was accompanying Namgung Seon, he must be from the Namgung Clan.

‘No, identity doesn’t matter right now.’

What mattered was one thing.

Kill him and slaughter everyone present in this place.

The moment killing intent froze in Chongwan’s eyes.

Swish—!

The flexible sword moved bizarrely, piercing into Namgung Cheon’s blind spot.

An extreme variable sword technique where the trajectory changed ceaselessly through unique elasticity and wrist movements.

It was a threatening strike that revealed the true value of the flexible sword.

To the watching eyes, the blade already appeared scattered into dozens of afterimages.

However.

“Mere tricks.”

Namgung Cheon immediately raised Mukhon and.

Crack—!

Brought it straight down.

A domineering strike that would crush any irregular techniques with overwhelming force.

Crash!

Chongwan sneered at the simple attack that pressed down with only internal energy and brute strength.

‘How clumsy. Trying to overcome softness with hardness.’

Chongwan’s wrist bent flexibly.

Swirl!

The flexible sword that seemed about to clash head-on writhed like a snake, instantly coiling around Mukhon’s blade.

Simultaneously, the flexible sword stuck fast to Mukhon.

It was the Absorption Technique, a method of rotating internal energy around a weapon to make surrounding objects stick to it.

Chongwan didn’t miss the moment when the swords became entangled and roughly yanked.

Thud.

Namgung Cheon’s center tilted forward.

Seizing the opportunity, Chongwan pushed the flexible sword he had been pulling like a spring.

“Die!”

The flexible sword’s elasticity exploded as it charged toward Namgung Cheon’s neck like a viper.

An unpredictable trajectory.

Namgung Cheon hastily leaned his upper body back, but Chongwan’s sword charged faster.

Slash!

The chest of his black martial robe was torn lengthwise.

“…”

Namgung Cheon stepped back and readjusted his grip on Mukhon.

Though his chest was cut, Namgung Cheon’s eyes showed no wavering—they were eerily calm.

Chongwan’s brow furrowed.

Normally, after confirming such a gap in skill, one would be intimidated.

But instead, he took another step forward.

Crash!

Another simple and brutish strike exploded forth.

Chongwan scoffed.

‘Foolish bastard. Still doesn’t understand that force won’t work!’

Clang!

Chongwan avoided direct confrontation again and swung his flexible sword.

In that brief moment when the blades met, heavy vibrations traveled along Mukhon.

Chongwan skillfully rotated his internal energy to deflect the impact and again aimed for his opponent’s opening.

Swish, slash!

This time it was the shoulder.

The sword passed by, cutting only the martial robe by a hair’s breadth.

But Namgung Cheon paid no heed and swung his sword again.

Crash!

“Ugh, this brutish fool…!”

A stubborn sword strike like bringing down an iron club.

Chongwan let out an annoyed groan and again bound Mukhon with his flexible sword.

‘Let’s see whether you tire first or I do.’

His opponent continuously wasted strength while he deflected with minimal force.

The outcome was already as good as decided.

Had another dozen or so exchanges passed like this?

Clang—!

It was the moment when swords entangled and separated once more.

‘…?’

Chongwan’s complexion hardened.

Something was strange.

Just now, in the instant he deflected his opponent’s sword and tried to counterattack.

‘Am I getting tired?’

His wrist felt heavy like waterlogged cotton.

‘No, that can’t be.’

He didn’t have the kind of stamina that would tire from just this level of combat.

As he swallowed his bewilderment and tried to draw up his internal energy again.

Chongwan felt his spine grow cold.

Rumble—

From his dantian to his fingertips, the circulation of internal energy that should move in perfect unison felt like it was catching on something.

Like thick mud mixing into clear valley water, the flow of his internal energy had become sluggish.

‘Could it be?’

Chongwan’s gaze fixed on the jet-black sword Namgung Cheon was holding—Mukhon.

Only then did Namgung Cheon speak quietly with a sneer.

“Finally noticed, have you.”

“You… bastard!”

Chongwan’s eyes turned red with bloodshot veins.

There was no longer time to calculate or deliberate.

Considering the time needed to eliminate evidence.

‘If I don’t kill this bastard right now, I’ll be the one who dies.’

Rumble!

Ferocious energy burst from Chongwan’s entire body.

“Die!”

Swish swish swish!

The flexible sword began dancing madly.

A frenzied dance that seemed ready to grind up everything in the pavilion—pillars, tables, and walls alike.

Every technique that could be performed with a flexible sword filled the pavilion.

Crash! Smash!

Pottery and furnishings shattered as fragments poured down like rain.

Truly a storm.

It was a deadly sword net unfolding in a narrow space with nowhere to escape.

But Namgung Cheon instead stepped forward toward that sword net.

Wooooong—!

Mukhon let out a cry.

And.

Cloud Sea Barrier Heaven .

Dark blue sword energy burst from the blade, spreading in all directions.

Kwagwang! Kwang!

The sword net filling all sides scattered with sparks the moment it touched the dark blue sword energy.

“Uuuuk!”

Chongwan gritted his teeth.

The sword was heavy.

Each swing felt sticky like being trapped in a swamp, and his internal energy leaked out like water from a broken jar.

Moreover, his opponent’s aura was gradually devouring the entire pavilion.

‘I must break through!’

Chongwan squeezed out his last strength with a scream-like battle cry.

“Kraaak!”

Kung! Crack!

The floorboards beneath his feet shattered, unable to withstand the force.

Simultaneously, his soft sword gleamed with a bluish light as it shot forward in a straight line.

A thrust that abandoned technique and concentrated all power into a single point.

However, Namgung Cheon had already read its trajectory.

‘It’s over.’

The cloud sea cleared.

And the destructive thunder that had been hidden behind it shook the pavilion.

Kugugung!

Dark blue energy shot up in all directions along Mukhon’s blade.

Namgung Cheon kicked off the ground.

Kwang—!

With an explosive roar, his body became a bolt of lightning and shot forward.

The following flash .

Heaven Thunder Shakes Sky .

Chongwan’s soft sword collided head-on with Mukhon.

Kwagwagwang—!

The shockwave that erupted in the narrow pavilion tore away all the windows and doors.

Simultaneously.

Chaenggang!

The soft sword, said to be as tough as silk thread, broke and fell to the ground.

“Ah…”

Chongwan’s eyes shook as he gripped the broken sword hilt.

And the dark blue lightning that filled his vision.

Seoreok—!

With a chilling tearing sound, terrible pain erupted.

“Keuaaaak!”

Thud.

Chongwan’s severed right arm fell to the ground with a heavy sound.

Fresh blood gushed from the cut surface, staining the floor.

Kukung.

Chongwan rolled on the ground, writhing in agony.

“Uuk, uuk.”

Chongwan crawled on the ground with a face twisted in pain.

Namgung Cheon approached the writhing Chongwan without even wiping the blood-soaked Mukhon.

And he pressed the cold sword tip against Chongwan’s throat.

“Uk…”

Chongwan’s screams stopped abruptly.

“Speak.”

Namgung Cheon continued his questioning in an infinitely cold voice.

“How far does this matter extend?”

“…”

Just as Chongwan, paralyzed with fear, trembled his lips.

Kugugugugung—!

The sound of hundreds of footsteps shaking the earth came from outside the tattered pavilion.

Namgung Cheon turned his head while keeping the blade pressed to Chongwan’s neck.

Through the gaps of the shattered door, hundreds of flickering torches came into view.

And at that moment.

Kwang!

The door of the Byeolchae burst open as if breaking.

“You bastard! How dare you try to kill Woe Chongwan before my very eyes!”

An old man wearing an infinitely splendid golden robe burst out with a fierce shout.

* * *

“…Not a single guard.”

Jegal Hyeon, who had arrived at the main gate of Taeju Trading Guild, spoke quietly.

Beyond the wide-open main gate, only silence lingered, with not even a common guard in sight.

Cheonui Daejoo Wunhak spoke with a hardened expression.

“They all seem to have gathered inside.”

At those words, Namgung Hwi gripped his sword hilt as if to break it.

Jegal Hyeon silently nodded at Wunhak’s words and took the lead crossing the main gate.

At that moment.

Kugugugugung—!

The earth shook as grayish-white fog shot up from all directions.

It was the Eight Trigrams Bewildering Formation that blocked intruders’ vision and paralyzed their sense of direction.

The entire manor was instantly filled with fog, but Jegal Hyeon didn’t even twitch an eyebrow.

“First, we need to clear away this troublesome thing.”

Pat!

Jegal Hyeon unfolded his white feather fan and shot internal energy toward the front.

Pure white energy shot from the fan tip, passing through the fog to pierce a single point in midair.

Jjeeoook!

With a tremendous tearing sound, the thick fog vanished in an instant.

“…!”

Lady Namgung Rin’s eyes widened greatly.

Unlike Namgung Hwi or Cheonui-dae who seemed familiar and calm, she couldn’t close her mouth.

‘That massive formation… with a single strike?’

To neutralize a massive bewildering formation with just one gesture.

It was divine skill that was hard to believe even seeing it with her own eyes.

“Let’s go again.”

At Jegal Hyeon’s words, the group rushed toward the Byeolchae like a gale once more.

And they arrived at the Byeolchae.

“Ah….”

A sigh escaped from Namgung Hwi’s lips.

What unfolded before their eyes was a surreal scene.

Hundreds of warriors formed a massive circle, surrounding something in layers upon layers.

A siege formation where spear tips and blade edges stood densely packed as if to pierce the night sky, reflecting moonlight while emanating a chilling murderous aura.

At the very center stood Namgung Cheon.

“….”

He was clearly surrounded by hundreds of enemies.

Yet strangely, to the eyes of the Cheonui Hall members, it seemed as if Namgung Cheon was the one surrounding the hundreds instead.

This was due to the ominous energy radiating from Namgung Cheon’s entire body.

An overwhelming presence that transcended the high and low of martial prowess.

That crushing sensation flowed entirely from one person—Namgung Cheon.

Watching this, a deep smile crossed Jegal Hyeon’s lips.

No matter how strong one’s martial arts or how great one’s courage, being surrounded by hundreds of enemies would naturally cause instinctive shrinking or wariness.

‘This would be an unavoidable natural law for any human who desires to live.’

But in Jegal Hyeon’s eyes, Namgung Cheon showed none of such petty emotions.

‘Remarkable.’

After watching Namgung Cheon for a moment, Jegal Hyeon soon shook his head slightly.

‘This is not the time for admiration.’

Snap.

He folded his white feather fan with a sound.

Then, taking his gaze off Namgung Cheon, he looked toward an elderly man in golden robes standing nearby and spoke.

“Guild Master Jin, that’s enough.”

At those words, the guild warriors parted to both sides.

Then the elderly man in golden robes, Jin Taejoo, the owner of Taeju Trading Guild, approached Jegal Hyeon.

As soon as Jin Taejoo faced Jegal Hyeon, he hastily turned his gaze to point at Namgung Cheon and shouted.

“Strategist! What in the world is this barbaric act? How could the Third Young Master of Namgung do this so brutally to our Woe Chongwan….”

Just as Jin Taejoo’s words were about to continue.

Swish—.

Namgung Cheon pushed Mukhon a little deeper.

“Urgh!”

Blood trickled down from Woe Chongwan’s throat.

A precarious situation where just a little more penetration of the blade would sever his windpipe.

“Your tongue is long.”

At Namgung Cheon’s indifferent voice, Jin Taejoo’s mouth snapped shut.

A smile once again played around Jegal Hyeon’s lips.

There was a reason behind Namgung Cheon’s actions.

‘He won’t give up even an inch of initiative.’

In that case.

‘I should play along with his rhythm.’

Swift resolution. Strike directly at the enemy’s blind spot.

Jegal Hyeon hardened his expression and asked Jin Taejoo.

“Getting straight to the point, I’ll ask. Eunuigye. Did you know about it? And is that bizarre reckless behavior the will of the entire Taeju Trading Guild?”

His eyes narrowed.

“If so, our alliance will erase Taeju Trading Guild from this Hanam Region. Even if it leads to confrontation with Sangdocheon.”

“…!”

Jin Taejoo’s eyes shook violently.

The opponent was none other than the Murim Alliance’s strategist.

The words he spoke were both a declaration and an execution by the alliance.

It meant they would never end it as empty words.

He briefly squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.

And.

“You, you damned bastard! What kind of scheming have you been up to! Eunuigye? Can’t you immediately explain what the hell that is!”

Jin Taejoo shouted angrily at Woe Chongwan.

“…?”

An astoundingly quick change of attitude.

Then Jin Taejoo looked at Jegal Hyeon with an expression dripping with grievance.

“Strategist, I went to inspect branch offices in other regions and only just returned this morning. What kind of sinister plot has that bastard concocted? Eunuigye—I’m hearing this name for the first time!”

“Hah.”

Mockery tinged Jegal Hyeon’s lips.

It was an extremely blatant tail-cutting operation.

Among those present, there was no one who couldn’t see through Jin Taejoo’s scheme.

But the situation wasn’t that simple.

‘It’s also true that Jin Taejoo was away for over a month, and it’s also an undeniable fact that he returned this morning.’

There was no immediate evidence.

Though the circumstantial evidence was clear, if Jin Taejoo was determined to extract himself, there wasn’t enough justification to bind the entire guild.

Then, Jin Taejoo added as if driving in a nail.

“Strategist, I will immediately expel that bastard from the guild. I’ll leave his punishment to the alliance. Also….”

Jin Taejoo let out a deep sigh.

As if trying to suppress deep anger.

Words followed, emotions firmly suppressed.

“Our Taeju Trading Guild deeply acknowledges responsibility and will suspend all commercial activities for the next six months. I will notify Sangdocheon identically.”

“…!”

A shocking declaration essentially equivalent to the closure practiced by martial sects.

Interest flickered in Jegal Hyeon’s eyes.

‘Six months… He’s willing to cut his own flesh.’

For a massive guild like Taeju Trading Guild, a six-month gap was tantamount to a bankruptcy crisis.

Competing guilds would rush in like hungry wolves to tear apart their territory, taking advantage of the gap in support and management.

It was truly a bone-cutting price.

But Jin Taejoo chose survival even while bearing that massive loss.

Having finished speaking, Jin Taejoo’s gaze slowly turned toward the blood-soaked Woe Chongwan.

It was a quiet stare without a single word, but those eyes were demanding a clear answer.

Take it with you.

“….”

Woe Chongwan’s jaw trembled.

‘I’ve been abandoned.’

But there was no other way.

Especially now that even the alliance’s strategist had come.

Creak.

Woe Chongwan gritted his teeth hard enough to damage his gums.

And barely parted his trembling lips.

“…That’s correct. It was something I did alone.”

At Woe Chongwan’s confession, Jegal Hyeon looked at Namgung Cheon.

A silent signal that this was enough.

Namgung Cheon gazed for a moment at the sword he had pointed at Woe Chongwan’s throat, then withdrew it.

Swish.

Click.

The sound of the jet-black blade entering its sheath echoed unusually loudly.

Using that sound as a signal, the waiting Cheonui Hall members moved in perfect unison.

Woe Chongwan and Joja Geon, along with the implicated branch managers and regional heads, were bound and dragged away one after another.

As the chaotic situation was resolved in an instant and silence returned once more.

“Young Master.”

Jin Taejoo approached Namgung Cheon with a servile smile, as if nothing had happened.

“I will never forget this kindness…”

“Kindness? You’re gravely mistaken.”

Namgung Cheon cut off Jin Taejoo’s words without mercy.

He took another step closer to Jin Taejoo.

As the distance between the two men closed until their breaths could touch, Namgung Cheon whispered quietly.

“People always misunderstand. They think cutting off the tail is enough to escape from crisis.”

Beneath his bamboo hat, Namgung Cheon’s cold gaze was directed at Jin Taejoo’s face.

“But what was cut was only the tail, while the body and head still remain intact. The fact that the tail was severed…”

A sneer appeared at the corner of Namgung Cheon’s mouth.

“Only means it’s now time to cut off the body and head.”

“…”

All color drained from Jin Taejoo’s face.

Namgung Cheon brushed past the frozen Jin Taejoo and threw out one final remark.

“Remember this well.”

Next time, I’ll come to cut off the head, not the tail.

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