Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 380
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 380
The fingers of the Beggar Sect members continued to move across the map.
“Cheongrin of the Haepung Sega. She was in Seo-ju City and Nam-yang Province.”
“Jangjin of the Cheongryeon Chamber. He was at the border of Wol Kingdom.”
“Shin Cheolsan of the Noeho Sect. He was in Nam-yang Province and at the Wol Kingdom border.”
“Il-hwa of the Bi Yeon Gak… She was present in all three locations.”
Nothing in this world occurs without reason.
Seol Woon-hwi spoke.
“These five are the ones.”
Silence fell.
Cheon Su-gang murmured while studying the list.
“…Two hundred seventy-three narrowed down to five. And with clearly overlapping reasons at that.”
He looked at Seol Woon-hwi.
“You… are truly remarkable.”
“Does it appear so?”
“…If others had witnessed this moment, they would have immediately understood how you made the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance one of the three great powers of the Central Plains.”
“I appreciate the praise, but time has been lost more than anticipated.”
“….”
“We must apprehend them now.”
Cheon Su-gang hesitated for a moment.
Clearly, he knew nothing of the organization called the Hwan-myeong Group.
Yet he did not dismiss Seol Woon-hwi’s words lightly.
And now the list had been completed in this manner, had it not?
It was proof that this was not baseless talk.
Then the characteristics of the Hwan-myeong Group could also be correct.
That was the problem.
What would happen if they retaliated against the Beggar Sect?
The Hwan-myeong Group’s targets were limited to nations, not the Martial World. But if that were to change…
They would become a most troublesome organization, and the Beggar Sect would face greater danger than any other force.
Even if the truth were revealed later, the number of Beggar Sect members who would perish in that process would be countless.
Seol Woon-hwi understood this as well.
“The Beggar Sect received an information fee from me and provided only information.”
“…You….”
“Let us leave it at that.”
Cheon Su-gang nodded.
“And I will need the locations of those five.”
“I will give them to you.”
“Thank you, Senior Cheon.”
Having paid the price and received the locations of the five, Seol Woon-hwi emerged outside with Namgung Won Yang.
She asked him.
“What will you do?”
Seol Woon-hwi spoke.
“Inform Mak So-hong of the current whereabouts of the four, excluding Il-hwa.”
“Understood. I’ll do that.”
As Namgung Won Yang turned to leave, Seol Woon-hwi’s voice reached her from behind.
“And.”
She turned her head.
“Bring Il-hwa directly to me yourself. She’s at Chwi Hyang Gak.”
Namgung Won Yang’s expression brightened at those words.
This was a test Seol Woon-hwi was giving her—and an opportunity to prove herself.
“What if someone tries to interfere?”
“Kill them all. I’ll take responsibility.”
“Understood.”
* * *
Chwi Hyang Gak was among the most renowned pleasure houses in Geonkon Castle.
The moment Namgung Won Yang stepped inside, every eye in the vicinity turned toward her.
It was inevitable.
Though she wrapped herself in black garments, even they could not conceal her beauty.
“That… that woman…”
“I’ve never seen her face before…”
Whispers rippled through the establishment.
Namgung Won Yang paid them no mind and surveyed her surroundings.
The second floor.
A woman leaned against the railing, tilting a wine cup to her lips.
Though she wore a veil, the description matched the intelligence she’d received from the Beggar Sect.
‘That’s Il-hwa.’
She ascended the stairs.
Upon reaching the second floor, even more gazes descended upon her.
Namgung Won Yang walked forward in silence and stood before Il-hwa.
Il-hwa set down her wine cup and lifted her gaze.
“Who are you?”
Her voice was soft.
“I do enjoy the company of beautiful women, but not tonight.”
“I’m not particularly fond of such things either.”
“Is that so? What a pity.”
Namgung Won Yang spoke quietly.
“My master wishes to see you.”
“Master?”
Il-hwa let out a soft laugh.
“I serve no one. And I have no idea who your master is.”
“There’s no need for you to understand.”
Namgung Won Yang stepped forward.
“Simply follow me.”
“And if I refuse?”
“That’s not an option.”
Il-hwa regarded Namgung Won Yang with an enigmatic gaze.
“How curious. This place lies on the periphery rather than the heart of the Central Plains, yet here you are commanding such a beautiful woman as your subordinate… that’s truly rare enough to count on one’s fingers.”
Namgung Won Yang’s voice turned glacial.
“Not long ago, thirty martial artists from the Hwan-myeong Group were slain in Yang Ling-ju.”
“….”
“Recently, I’ve heard that even Hyeol Mu, who held the position of Hwan-myeong Master, has fallen.”
That was the moment.
A fleeting instant.
Truly the briefest of moments.
Yet Il-hwa’s fingers trembled ever so slightly.
The hand gripping the wine cup stiffened, just a fraction, ever so minutely.
Namgung Won Yang’s eyes narrowed.
I had learned, following Seol Woon-hwi.
How to read the subtle reactions of a person.
The gaze of one who speaks falsehood.
The body of one concealing fear.
Il-hwa spoke with an unwavering voice.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“….”
“The fact that you mention Yang Ling-ju…”
Il-hwa rose slowly to her feet.
“Surely the master you speak of isn’t Seol Woon-hwi, is it?”
Namgung Won Yang did not answer.
She merely spoke quietly.
“Let’s go.”
“What if I refuse?”
“I said that’s not an option.”
As Namgung Won Yang’s hand moved toward her sword hilt, Il-hwa let out a soft laugh and glanced around the room.
“I have a proposal for everyone here.”
Her voice carried across the entire second floor.
“I’ll give five gold coins to anyone who stops this woman.”
A murmur rose through the crowd.
“Five gold coins?”
“That’s quite a sum…”
Several men rose from their seats.
They were all martial artists.
One of them chuckled and spoke.
“This isn’t difficult at all.”
“Right. It’s just stopping one woman.”
“And for five gold coins at that….”
Namgung Won Yang looked at them and spoke.
“My master said that if anyone tries to stop us, you may kill them all.”
“…What?”
“Do not stake your lives for five gold coins.”
The men burst into hollow laughter.
“This woman is completely insane.”
“We put down gold coins, so why is she running her mouth?”
Namgung Won Yang shook her head.
“I am not running my mouth.”
“…What?”
“I have been speaking continuously.”
Namgung Won Yang’s eyes gleamed with intensity.
“I am offering to spare your lives.”
In an instant, killing intent radiated outward in all directions.
The entire second floor froze.
Namgung Won Yang drew her sword.
“I will offer no further warnings.”
The men’s faces hardened.
From their perspective, Namgung Won Yang was a martial artist of the Five Energy Harmonizing Origin realm.
The martial artists below that realm naturally retreated or sat back down.
But two were not among them.
Both were martial artists in the early stages of the Five Energy Harmonizing Origin realm and possessed their own confidence. At first glance, she seemed beatable, and moreover, this was no longer a fight over five gold coins.
It had become a matter of pride staked on five gold coins.
The Two Unnamed Warriors, having judged it thus, leaped from their seats.
Simultaneously.
Namgung Won Yang moved as well.
She laid her sword horizontally.
She drew in the cool energy of the empty air.
Lone Army Traversing Heaven.
The sword swept once.
Whoosh—
A single line of sword energy instantly fractured into dozens.
The eyes of the two charging martial artists widened.
Sword energy poured down from all directions.
The first martial artist hurriedly swung his sword.
Crash—!!
I blocked several, but the rest grazed my arm and shoulder.
“Ugh!”
The second warrior crouched and dodged, but his thigh was cut.
“Hah.”
Namgung Won Yang did not stop, and neither did the warriors.
Wounds of this severity would not kill them.
If anything, they pressed forward with even greater ferocity.
“Die!!”
The blades of both warriors thrust toward Namgung Won Yang simultaneously.
Namgung Won Yang raised her sword.
And swung it.
Howling at Heaven Under Moon.
Crash—!!
The sword energy stretched forth like a wolf howling at the moon.
It was no mere sword energy.
From the sword’s starting point to its endpoint.
The very qi in the empty air detonated.
Boom—!! Boom—!! Boom—!!
A chain of explosions.
The first warrior was engulfed in the blast.
His entire body was torn asunder, blood erupting outward.
“Ahhhhh!!”
The second warrior barely rolled aside to escape.
But his left arm was already shredded by the explosion.
He gritted his teeth and rose.
Even without one arm.
He could still fight.
The moment he grasped his sword with his remaining arm and charged forward.
Namgung Won Yang’s blade blazed with light.
All of my internal energy erupted at once.
Tremendous power scattered like stars across the night sky, then converged into a single point.
That which had been gently wreathing the blade.
Cold Star Breaking Sky.
The sword descended.
“W-wait…!!”
The man raised his sword to block.
Screech—!!
The blade split in two.
And.
Boom—!!!
The entire area where the man had stood erupted in a violent explosion.
Blood and flesh scattered in all directions.
Silence fell.
Namgung Won Yang lowered her sword.
Everyone around her had frozen in place.
Their faces were etched with terror.
That was when it happened.
Tap—
Footsteps echoed.
Turning her head, she saw Il-hwa fleeing.
Namgung Won Yang spoke quietly.
“If you take even one more step from where you stand now.”
Il-hwa’s footsteps halted.
“I will shatter those legs and drag you before my master.”
Il-hwa slowly turned around.
Cold eyes gleamed from behind the veil.
“…Impressive.”
“…”
“But don’t be mistaken.”
Il-hwa tore away her veil.
The revealed face was unexpectedly ordinary.
“I reached the Five Energy Harmonizing Origin long ago.”
She laughed softly.
“You only just ascended to it, didn’t you?”
I paid her no mind.
Namgung Won Yang walked forward slowly.
One step.
Two steps.
Il-hwa spoke.
“Listen well. Stop right there.”
Her hand moved toward her waist.
“If you take even one more step trying to capture me, I will kill you—”
Before she could finish, Namgung Won Yang kicked off the ground.
Crack—!!
The floor shattered as her body closed the distance to Il-hwa in an instant.
Il-hwa’s eyes widened. Faster than expected. No—simply fast.
She desperately threw herself to the side.
Whoosh—!
Her movement technique was as light and swift as a swallow in flight.
Swallow Shadow Flying Heaven Step.
The secret technique of Bi Yeon Gak, which was annihilated long ago.
But Namgung Won Yang’s sword was already precise and relentlessly pursuing her.
Azure String Shadowless Sword Technique.
First form.
String Sound Formless.
Whoosh—
It appeared as one strike, yet three swords moved simultaneously.
One was real.
Two were false.
Like the sound of azure strings, they rang in her ears and dizzied her.
Il-hwa hastily extended her hand.
Dozens of silver needles poured from her sleeve.
Falling Flower Shadowless Needle.
Beautiful as falling petals, yet those hidden weapons stretched toward her without shadow.
Boom, crash—!!
They burst apart in midair with a thunderous explosion.
“What… what is this?”
For Il-hwa, bewilderment was inevitable. From her perspective, Namgung Won Yang’s sword had extended in three directions—one real and two false—yet even the needles that had flown toward the false strikes had all detonated.
It would have been strange not to be flustered.
‘… Not false strikes, but all three were real? Was she guiding me to see it that way?’
As befitted a martial artist of Five Energy Harmonizing Origin, she grasped the mechanics, but not the principle behind them.
That her swordsmanship was of extraordinarily high caliber—that was the extent of her understanding.
Here, Il-hwa should have discerned one more thing.
Namgung Won Yang’s nature.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————