Reincarnation of the Cloud Dragon - Chapter 52

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This chapter is translated by Falnar Novels Team.
Support us by reading on our official site: https://falnarnovels.com
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Chapter 52.
Yun Cheon’s eyes grew dark and fathomless.
So Ryong felt a chill race down his spine as he sensed the killing intent that lurked within that terrible silence.
‘Here it comes!’
Yun Cheon drew his leg back slightly, the weight of his ink-steel cold-iron boots shifting beneath him.
Then he stamped the earth.
Boom!
Yun Cheon’s form shot forward like an arrow.
In an instant, the distance collapsed beneath a lightning-swift footwork technique.
Riding that momentum, his leg—laden with full body weight—tore through the air in a devastating rotation.
Whirlwind Kick.
A technique born from sparring with Chuk Mu Gwang, now amplified by the crushing weight of the ink-steel cold-iron boots—a leg strike of devastating power.
It descended like a colossal battering ram splitting the heavens themselves.
The same kick that had once shattered the gates of the Black Dragon Gang.
So Ryong instinctively crossed his arms into a defensive stance.
“Ugh?!”
The Black Dragon Adamantine Body—pushed to its absolute limit. Yet before such overwhelming force, technique and defense alike became meaningless.
Crack!
A dull, sickening sound of rupture echoed through the Training Ground.
So Ryong’s arm bones screamed in agony as they buckled, and the merciless rotational force drove straight into his abdomen.
“Aaaargh!”
So Ryong’s massive frame was hurled ignominiously through the air.
He flew beyond the Combat Platform and into the spectator stands, where he crashed and tumbled several more times before finally skidding to a halt.
Boom!
Dust rose in clouds as So Ryong lay embedded in the ground, unable to move for a long moment.
Then came the silence.
“….”
The roaring crowd fell deathly quiet, as if doused with cold water.
A single blow.
One kick.
That one strike had sent a master ranked 100th on the Feng Yun Ranking flying like crumpled paper.
An overwhelming gap in power.
Even Chui Geom Yi Mok, who had been watching, jolted to his feet as if suddenly sobered.
‘…Damn. That’s… the real deal.’
As the crowd remained silent, So Ryong stirred in the distance where he had fallen, struggling to rise.
While all watched in silence, a shadow writhed within the dust cloud.
It was So Ryong.
“Nngh….”
He rose unsteadily, managing to lift his upper body with great effort.
Crimson blood dripped steadily from the corner of his mouth, and his abdomen throbbed with a pain that felt like it might tear him apart.
‘Damn, I nearly died there….’
So Ryong swallowed every curse that rose to his throat.
That wasn’t a human kick.
It felt like being struck by an iron pillar.
Yet even through the searing pain of fractured bones, So Ryong’s mind raced with frantic calculation.
‘If I collapse shamefully here, it’s all over. I must maintain at least a shred of dignity!’
So Ryong forced his trembling legs to support him and arranged his expression into one of grim resolve.
Then, slowly and with utmost reverence, he knelt before Yun Cheon.
It was not the degradation of a defeated man.
It was a posture meticulously orchestrated to resemble the awe a martial artist feels before a true master.
“Formidable…! In all my years… I have never faced such a master…!”
So Ryong pointed at Yun Cheon with blood-stained hands, his voice booming across the arena.
“The outcome is decided!”
His cry echoed through the Training Ground.
“I, So Ryong of the Black Dragon Gang, acknowledge my defeat!”
With that declaration, time seemed to resume, and the crowd erupted in roars.
“Roooaarrr―!”
“Incredible! That youth has defeated So Ryong!”
“In a single strike! A monster has appeared!”
The spectators were in an uproar.
Yalü Hee, who had won her wager, wore a triumphant smile, while those who had lost money struck the ground in frustration.
The atmosphere was one of universal exultation at the birth of a new powerhouse.
The match seemed to conclude in Yun Cheon’s perfect victory.
Yun Cheon indifferently adjusted his disheveled robes.
The task was complete.
‘With such a spectacle, I’ve secured the 100th position.’
The troublesome affair was finished.
Now I only needed to wait for the Feng Yun Ranking to update.
He turned without hesitation to descend.
That was when it happened.
So Ryong’s resonant voice seized Yun Cheon’s ankle once more.
“By the laws of the Black Dragon Gang!”
Yun Cheon’s footsteps froze.
So Ryong, who had been kneeling, suddenly sprang to his feet and approached Yun Cheon.
Yun Cheon’s brow furrowed.
‘Does this wretch still have something left?’
So Ryong spread his arms wide toward the crowd and declared solemnly.
“The Strong Are Revered! This is the law of our sect and the iron code that the Black Dragon Gang has upheld!”
At his eloquent proclamation, the spectators fell silent once more.
So Ryong’s eyes gleamed with intensity.
This was the moment. The opportunity had arrived.
“The Black Dragon Gang can only be led by the strong! Whoever defeats me, So Ryong, has the right to sit upon this gang’s throne!”
Yun Cheon’s eyes widened.
A terrible premonition flashed through his mind.
‘Surely this bastard isn’t…?’
So Ryong bowed deeply toward Yun Cheon and bellowed with resonant clarity.
“I hereby declare before the heroes and righteous ones of the martial world!”
“…?”
“In accordance with the Black Dragon Gang’s laws, I shall elevate Yun Cheon to the position of Black Dragon Gang Leader!”
Yun Cheon turned around with an expression of utter disbelief.
What did I just hear?
But So Ryong, as if following a rehearsed script, drove the final nail home.
“The position of Black Dragon Gang Leader, long vacant, has finally found its true master! All members of the Black Dragon Gang, show proper respect to our new leader!”
The Black Dragon Gang’s planted supporters scattered throughout the audience erupted in cheers as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
“Huzzah! Long live the Black Dragon Gang Leader!”
“A new leader is born!”
“Leader Yun Cheon! Leader Yun Cheon!”
In an instant, the Training Ground filled with voices chanting Yun Cheon’s name.
Yun Cheon’s face turned rigid.
This was a development he had never anticipated.
‘…I thought this fool was just trying to line his pockets through gambling, but instead he’s elevating me to Black Dragon Gang Leader?’
Yun Cheon gazed down at So Ryong’s crown with cold eyes as the man remained bowed.
So Ryong kept his head lowered with solemn dignity, but a satisfied smile played at the corners of his unseen mouth.
‘Brother, whether you like it or not, there’s nothing to be done. The water has already been spilled.’
From the beginning, So Ryong had never intended this scheme merely to pocket loose change.
The position of Black Dragon Gang Leader had been vacant for a long time.
When the previous leader disappeared, the superior internal cultivation technique was lost to history, leaving only the hollow shell of external martial arts—the Black Dragon Iron Body.
This was why So Ryong had humbled himself as ‘Acting Leader’ and declared he would yield the position to whoever defeated him.
‘Today, I’ve finally achieved the Black Dragon Gang’s long-cherished dream!’
Of course, this was a shallow yet cunning calculation: install a genuine master in the leader’s seat as a figurehead and shield, then step back as second-in-command to reap the real benefits.
‘Hehehehe… Until now, the true masters avoided this backwater gang’s leadership position. But this brother is different! Now, while he’s still young and ignorant of the world’s ways, is the perfect opportunity!’
He was still young, and his martial prowess was superhuman.
There was no more perfect asset for the Black Dragon Gang’s banner.
A hollow laugh escaped Yun Cheon’s lips.
“Ha….”
So this was why the fool had orchestrated such a grand spectacle.
Before countless spectators, So Ryong had driven the final stake through the ground by invoking ‘law’ and ‘the supremacy of strength’—now it would be awkward for Yun Cheon to simply back out and refuse.
At that moment, Chui Geom Yi Mok, who was overseeing the match, sent Yun Cheon a discreet transmission of inner energy.
[Hehehehe… You didn’t see this coming, did you?]
[…I’ve been outmaneuvered. A fox in a bear’s skin, this one.]
“Well… I’m also indebted to that fellow because of a drinking debt. Regardless, as the arbiter, I’m simply doing my duty. Don’t hold it against me.”
Yi Mok lifted Yun Cheon’s hand high into the air and made his declaration.
“The victor is the warrior of the Demonic Way Hall, Yun Cheon!”
Now it became clear that inviting Chui Geom Yi Mok, a renowned elder master, as the arbiter was all part of a calculated scheme.
“With this, Warrior Yun Cheon has defeated So Ryong, the leader of the Black Dragon Gang, and inscribed his name upon the Feng Yun Ranking!”
“Roaaaaar!”
“Furthermore, in accordance with the laws of the Black Dragon Gang, I hereby proclaim before all heroes of the martial world that he has officially become the new leader of the Black Dragon Gang!”
I found myself inescapably crowned with the title of Black Dragon Gang Leader.
“Black Dragon Gang Leader Yun Cheon! Black Dragon Gang Leader Yun Cheon!”
The roar shook the very heavens.
My eyes grew distant and cold.
So Ryong’s shallow scheme—using me as a shield while retreating to the position of second-in-command.
‘…But this isn’t bad at all.’
I couldn’t remain forever as merely a blade of the Inspection Bureau or a warrior of the Demonic Way Hall.
To strike at the heads of the Demonic Cult’s leadership in the long term, I would need power and influence.
‘A position beyond the reach of the Demonic Cult’s main headquarters. A den of ruffians that no one pays attention to. As a base, it’s actually perfect.’
I quickly calculated my position.
And I willingly decided to step into So Ryong’s trap.
It was the moment my objective crystallized—to tear apart this hollow shell of the Black Dragon Gang from its very foundation and reshape it into my own force.
My cold, indifferent gaze swept past So Ryong, who lay prostrate beneath my feet, and surveyed the crowd that had gathered like clouds.
In stark contrast to my quiet, icy resolve, the area around the Combat Platform had already descended into absolute pandemonium.
Cheers welcoming the Black Dragon Gang’s new master shook the very air.
“A single strike…! He shattered the Black Dragon Body Technique with just one blow!”
“How is a monster like that only ranked 100th on the Feng Yun Ranking? It makes no sense!”
But the shock and acclaim soon began to transform into something far more primal—the bestial instincts of the crowd.
“Wait… if someone were to defeat him, wouldn’t that mean gaining both the 100th position on the Feng Yun Ranking and the seat of Black Dragon Gang Leader simultaneously?”
The eyes of the countless warriors who had been waiting to challenge So Ryong now blazed with greed as they fixed their gaze upon me.
At that moment, Chui Geom Yi Mok, who had been overseeing the bout, let out a low chuckle and threw fuel onto the fire.
“If anyone here objects or wishes to challenge the new leader, step forward now!”
The crowd responded, beginning to stir with violent energy.
“Challenge after seeing that monstrous kick? I couldn’t!”
“No, wait—he must be exhausted now. Isn’t this our chance?”
“That’s right! Challenge the new leader instead of So Ryong and take that seat for myself!”
Countless drifters began to encircle the Combat Platform like a pack of starving wolves.
Taking advantage of the chaos, So Ryong attempted to slip away behind the Combat Platform.
The ceremony of succession was complete; he intended to dump the troublesome challengers on the ‘new leader’ and make his escape.
Tap.
But I was faster.
I reached out casually and caught So Ryong by the back of his neck as he tried to flee.
“Where do you think you’re going, So Ryong.”
“…!”
So Ryong spun around in shock.
Yun Cheon’s eyes held no trace of amusement.
“How could I abandon you and leave, my lord? I merely intended to return to the Black Dragon Gang and prepare to support your leadership….”
“Stay right here and don’t move an inch. You haven’t forgotten the oath, have you?”
“Of… of course not!”
Yun Cheon’s hand clamped down firmly on So Ryong’s shoulder.
The chill he had planted the night before spread through So Ryong’s shoulder with a sharp, tingling sensation.
“Since those words came from your mouth, you’ll face every challenger here yourself.”
“Wh… what?! But my lord…!”
“I’ll go to the Black Dragon Gang first. If anyone defeats you, then they’ll have earned a chance to challenge me.”
“M… my lord!”
So Ryong’s secret scheme—to bind Yun Cheon to the Combat Platform while he slipped away to the Black Dragon Gang—had been completely seen through.
So Ryong’s face turned ashen.
Yun Cheon didn’t forget to address Yi Mok as well.
“Elder Chui Geom, once today’s matches conclude, please visit the Black Dragon Gang. I’ll offer you a drink.”
“Tsk, tsk… that sounds rather like a threat to persecute an old man if I don’t come. I suppose I have no choice but to visit the Black Dragon Gang.”
In the end, So Ryong was left standing alone on the Combat Platform, his face twisted in anguish.
“Hey, former gang leader! Fight me!”
“To challenge the new leader, you’ll have to get through me first, won’t you?”
Excited challengers hungry for the gang leader’s position surrounded So Ryong.
So Ryong broke into a cold sweat and let out a desperate cry.
“Fine, fine! Come at me one at a time, you bastards!”
Leaving So Ryong’s anguished screams behind, Yun Cheon walked leisurely toward the Black Dragon Gang.
* * *
Threading through the crowd on the path to the Black Dragon Gang.
Yalü Hee had somehow caught up with him.
“Suddenly a gang leader? Don’t tell me you orchestrated all this?”
“…No. I didn’t anticipate this either.”
Yun Cheon answered with a bitter smile.
Originally, I had planned to secure my ranking on the Feng Yun Ranking and slip away, but I got caught up in So Ryong’s scheming.
But it was already spilled milk.
‘…At this point, having a foothold isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’
With that thought, Yun Cheon’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
Before the main gate of the Black Dragon Gang.
Piles of rubble and shattered fragments of the gate lay scattered, blocking the entrance.
It was the trace of my forceful entry the night before.
Yalü Hee’s eyes widened as she asked.
“This… you did this?”
“…First, I’ll need to repair the gate. I never imagined I’d become the gang leader….”
In the end, I had destroyed the Black Dragon Gang’s main gate with my own hands.
Yalü Hee shook her head slowly as she spoke.
“I was wondering what you did last night… so you smashed through the gate and forced your way in? No wonder So Ryong can’t stand up to you.”
I stepped over the debris of the shattered gate and entered.
But the real problem lay inside.
“…Sigh.”
A deep sigh escaped my lips.
A space too shameful to even call a Training Ground.
Instead of training equipment, it was filled only with the remnants of last night’s drinking bout.
The stale stench rising from broken bottles, overturned tables laden with drink, dice scattered across the floor….
Seeing that spectacle, I clicked my tongue.
“Tsk, is this a faction or a tavern?”
My eyes grew cold and sharp.
Standing at the center of the Black Dragon Gang, I spoke with a ringing voice.
“Everyone, assemble!”
Shortly after, the Black Dragon Gang members shuffled forward hesitantly.
But their condition was pathetic.
“Ugh… my back.”
“Oh, my legs….”
Every last one of them had bandages wrapped around their limbs or was hobbling about on crutches.
I surveyed them with a furrowed brow.
“Not a single one in decent condition. Is this the full extent of our forces?”
One member answered with a whimper of grievance.
“It’s just… yesterday the gang leader hit us so hard….”
“….”
“The members who are still fine went to the inn earlier to prepare for today’s Combat Platform tournament….”
I sighed and examined the members closely, but not a single one showed signs of proper martial training.
At best, they were merely imitating the Black Dragon Body Technique that So Ryong had taught them.
As things stood, the Black Dragon Gang was nothing more than a street gang.
“From today onward, the Black Dragon Gang will change. Those without the resolve to change are free to leave immediately.”
The members stirred at my cold declaration.
“How… will we change, sir?”
“Are you going to increase our earnings like the previous leader did?”
“…I will teach you proper martial arts.”
The members’ eyes widened in astonishment.
Martial arts instead of money?
Then, from the direction of the collapsed gate, a raucous laugh echoed.
“Hahaha. So that bastard So Ryong put on a flashy show, but it was all rotten inside. Say, isn’t this stepping in shit?”
It was Chui Geom Yi Mok.
He had come to collect on his promise of free drinks, and upon seeing the deplorable state of the Black Dragon Gang, he doubled over with laughter.
“What could you possibly accomplish with this rabble? It would be faster to cast them all out and recruit anew.”
“Those without the resolve to change will be expelled. However….”
Clang—!
A heavy metallic sound reverberated through the Training Ground.
The stone beneath cracked under such tremendous weight.
“Gasp…!”
“Did… did he really fight the Gang Leader while wearing something like that?”
The gang members’ jaws hung agape.
“Whoever possesses the resolve to transform will be trained thoroughly.”
As silence fell over the assembly, I made my declaration.
“From this moment forward, the Black Dragon Gang’s ‘business’ is finished. No more challenge fees, lodging charges, or drinking sessions.”
My words sent the gang members into shock.
“B-but, Gang Leader! How are we supposed to eat?”
I cut off their objections with a single stroke.
“From today onward, the Black Dragon Gang is no longer street thugs or ruffians, but a legitimate faction of the martial world. I will handle the finances.”
Authority resonated in my voice.
“Your only task from now on is one thing.”
“W-what is that?”
“Training. From sunrise to sunset.”

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This chapter is translated by Falnar Novels Team.
Support us by reading on our official site: https://falnarnovels.com
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