Surviving as the Heavenly Demon’s Concubine - Chapter 63

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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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That was it.

What Riser had reflexively bitten into wasn’t the poison-neutralizing bead, but the emergency Gwari that the Swordmaster had handed her.

‘No wonder I couldn’t expel the poison even after biting the poison-neutralizing bead!’

She belatedly spat out the Gwari and switched to the poison-neutralizing bead, but it was far too late.

Umun Gwoe clicked his tongue at that pathetic sight and said.

“This master doesn’t carry around antidotes. I’ll guard you for half an hour, so detoxify yourself with your own skills during that time.”

What kind of poison master doesn’t carry antidotes around.

Riser grumbled inwardly and briefly criticized the man’s lacking professional consciousness.

If she could have had other thoughts during her breathing meditation, she would have badmouthed him longer, but it was regrettable that she couldn’t.

Meanwhile, the man stood guard while quietly observing Riser’s face.

‘That little thing already created such poison.’

How shocked he had been when he saw the sword trees of Geomsu Jiok instantly rust as if they had been struck by hundreds of years in a single moment.

It was nothing short of a chilling spectacle that could be called a disaster.

Once that death-like reddish-brown mist passed through, even a million-strong army would become defenseless civilians who had lost their weapons in an instant.

Who would have thought that the one who unleashed such terrifying poison mist that could determine the outcome of wars would be a young girl not even twenty years old.

Not only that, but she boldly attached her own name to it and proudly displayed it as 【Dang Ri-seo’s Red Refining Mist】, which was truly astounding.

‘The Dang Family sent quite a useful child, indeed.’

The man smiled with a fishy grin.

* * *

The Cheonryeon Palace Orthodox-Sapa Small Battle that took place in Geomsu Jiok unfolded with the overwhelming superiority of the Sapa martial world.

“Are we winning this?”

“I think so!”

This was a development that even the Sapa Girls themselves hadn’t anticipated.

Generally, when the Orthodox Faction and Sapa had similar numbers, the Orthodox Faction would usually take the advantage.

Due to the Orthodox Faction’s atmosphere of picking up talented orphans from childhood and raising them with sincere devotion, Orthodox martial artists were often skilled individuals one by one.

On the other hand, Sapa martial world preferred the typical ‘sheep led by a lion’ strategy.

They would make naturally gifted martial artists or fierce strongmen who had picked up suspicious demonic arts somewhere their leaders, while below them, a motley crew gathered without context would swarm and charge in.

Though it might seem crude at first glance, it was a strategy that showed sufficient effect against common people who knew no martial arts.

It also had the advantage of being able to quickly expand the influence of their power due to large numbers.

There was the disadvantage that just one or two Orthodox practitioners who could wield swords could easily raid a small mountain stronghold, but wasn’t that because those mountain stronghold people were weak? As long as it wasn’t me, it didn’t matter.

‘Are we actually incredibly strong?’

Kim Minji, a prospective concubine from Nok-rim Sibpal-chae, felt her blood boiling.

Since entering Cheonryeon Palace, the Sapa Girls had been somewhat intimidated.

Their backgrounds seemed too lacking to stand shoulder to shoulder with the daughters of martial arts families who had grown up eating all the good elixirs in the world, or disciples of major sects who were said to select and raise only geniuses.

Things like how much money they had stolen at once or at what age they first entered prison only became badges of honor when among Sapa members.

In the wider world, the Sapa Girls’ criminal tales were nothing more than misfortune competitions that evoked sympathy from listeners.

Because of this, they had been living with their guard up to avoid being looked down upon by the Orthodox girls.

But how could this be? Looking at it now, wasn’t Sapa martial world much stronger in actual combat!

“Let’s go! Comrades! Let’s show those weak Orthodox young ladies what we’re made of!”

“Waaaaah!”

Kim Minji, fully excited, unleashed one of Nongrim’s supreme techniques, the Short Axe Blade Technique.

Fierce and simple blade strikes shattered the surrounding sword trees with a crash as they rushed toward Namgung Yeonhwa.

“How dare you!”

Namgung Yeonhwa gritted her teeth.

Seeing those arrogant Sapa scoundrels acting so triumphant made her feel like her insides were turning upside down.

‘Damn! The situation is too bad!’

Though they were in a disadvantageous position, the Orthodox girls had their own arguments.

While it was generally true that the Orthodox Faction was stronger than Sapa with equal numbers, that was only when they were truly randomly gathered.

The Sapa Girls in Cheonryeon Palace were talents among talents handpicked from each faction, so their individual martial prowess wasn’t particularly inferior.

Moreover, though the numbers were similar, the Orthodox side had lost their core forces Peng Guyeon and Ak Yeonbi. (The two had been excluded as they had passed the Swordmaster’s test through the previous Dosan Jiok field study.)

Peng Guyeon’s absence, who used domineering blade techniques suited to Geomsu Jiok’s terrain, was a particularly painful point.

“Yeonhwa! Below!”

At Moyong Hye’s sharp voice, Namgung Yeonhwa leaped high.

Sure enough, a flexible sword whipping like a whip coiled around the spot where she had been like a snake.

“Tch.”

Dam Mokryeon, a girl from the Salt Merchant Guild, clicked her tongue as if it was regrettable.

“A cowardly ambush! Do you still call yourself a martial artist?”

The Orthodox girls, accustomed to fair and square duels, burst into indignation and praised the Sapa girls’ underhanded yet effective attacks.

“Technically, I’m a salt merchant.”

Like most dynasties in history, the Geon Dynasty also prohibited private salt production.

The Salt Merchant Guild, a faction of private salt producers who risked their lives to make salt, was a wealthy and massive criminal organization.

“So what? That’s perfect then.”

But there was no way the Orthodox girls would be satisfied with such a shameless answer.

“If you’re not a martial artist, then there’s no need to kill you honorably!”

Moyong Hye shouted while wielding her twin swords as if dancing.

When an all-offense swordsmanship that paid no attention to defense unfolded from her fingertips, Dam Mokryeon exclaimed in surprise and retreated.

“Stop right there! Coward!”

Dam Mokryeon did not stop. No matter how successful the Salt Merchant Guild was, it wasn’t easy to face the twin sword techniques of the Moyong Family, descendants of the Yan Dynasty’s royal line.

After confirming her complete retreat, Namgung Yeonhwa said to Moyong Hye.

“Go back now. We agreed that sects using heavy swords would take the lead.”

“But we keep getting pushed back!”

Moyong Hye exclaimed without thinking, then closed her mouth.

Even if she didn’t want it, the leader of the Orthodox Faction was always the Namgung Clan as usual, so she knew that saying they were only being pushed back would burden Namgung Yeonhwa.

“Hmm. We do need a method that can change the tide of battle.”

Namgung Yeonhwa fell into thought.

The Sapa Girls were greatly active, using simple and fierce blade techniques or unfamiliar weapons unique to Sapa to strike unexpectedly in unpredictable ways.

Among the Orthodox sword schools opposing them, the Namgung Clan was supreme among families, and the Mudang Sect and Hwasan Sect would compete for the lead among sects, but…

‘Mudang Sect’s flexible swordsmanship and Hwasan Sect’s illusory swordsmanship are disadvantageous due to the terrain.’

Geomsu Jiok was terrain with many obstacles that couldn’t be ignored.

Mudang Sect’s flexible swordsmanship, which deflected or reversed the opponent’s force, required sword paths that drew the taiji symbol. In terrain like Geomsu Jiok with many small obstacles, there were bound to be restrictions.

Hwasan Sect’s illusory swordsmanship, which confused enemies with diverse movements, was the same.

With many cover objects, the enemy’s vision was limited, and the number of possible attack routes was also limited, making it even more difficult to confuse them.

It would have been better if Peng Guyeon or Ak Yeonbi were here. The absence of those two was repeatedly regrettable.

Since there was no clever solution, for now there was no one particularly reliable except for Namgung Yeonhwa and the Young Girl from Zonnam.

“At times like this, usually…”

It seemed like they had turned the tables with some innovative method.

Namgung Yeonhwa closed her eyes tightly and recalled the old stories told by her grandfather and great-grandfather who had been Martial Alliance Leaders.

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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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