The Supreme Who Rules the Boundless Sky - Chapter 81
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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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Spear Heaven Martial Emperor Episode 81
It couldn’t be helped.
That killing intent flowing from Namgung Hyeok.
It was so intense that facing it head-on would make one’s legs give out.
Even for Heon Won, who had been a water bandit for over twenty years, it was unbearable.
‘Damn it. What should I do…’
It was when Heon Won was worrying with a pale face.
“It’s Namgung Hyeok.”
“He’s walked out on his own feet.”
Then three people stepped forward.
They were the experts dispatched from the main base of the Yangtze Water Bandits.
They glared at Namgung Hyeok with gleaming eyes.
They seemed completely unaffected by the killing intent Namgung Hyeok was emitting.
“Ho.”
Namgung Hyeok grinned as if amused.
“There are some decent ones among you after all.”
“Sorry, but you’ll have to die here.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen.”
Thud!
Two more companions were added to Namgung Hyeok’s sides.
They were Namgung Jihak and Baek Yeonhu.
They raised their swords and kept the three experts in front in check.
“Let’s take one each. Would that be alright?”
“No problem. It’s been a while since I’ve fought water bandits.”
“I’m fine too. I’ll show Lord the power of the Fire Sword Faction.”
The two said this and rushed forward.
“Stop them!”
With urgent voices, two experts collided with them.
Clang!
Namgung Jihak’s Azure Sky Limitless Sword Technique fiercely pressured the water bandit from the main base.
He gritted his teeth as if struggling against an unexpected strong enemy.
But no matter what he did, the situation didn’t change.
Namgung Jihak grinned as if amused and pressed his sword attack.
The water bandit from the main base was instantly pushed back to the edge of the boat.
“Haaaah!”
On the other hand, Baek Yeonhu was evenly matched with his water bandit.
Though he had spoken confidently, he didn’t seem capable of overwhelming the water bandit yet.
He gritted his teeth and struggled to somehow subdue his opponent.
But his opponent also fought back with all his might, refusing to be pushed back.
“Only we remain.”
Namgung Hyeok raised his sword and spoke to the remaining opponent. He made a troubled expression and exchanged glances with the leader behind him.
Soon the leader and another warrior stepped forward.
“You’re going to fight three against one? Good choice.”
“This leisurely attitude of yours ends here and now.”
The warrior from the main base said this and thrust his spear.
Whoosh!
A spear strike cutting through the wind.
Namgung Hyeok immediately raised his sword and deflected the spear strike.
Meanwhile, the leader and another warrior on both sides penetrated from left and right.
Thunk!
“Kugh!”
“What!?”
But then it happened.
A long iron arrow pierced the shoulder of the one who was about to thrust his sword from Namgung Hyeok’s right side.
It was an arrow shot by So Yeon, who had been watching the situation from afar.
“Tch.”
She clicked her tongue as if frustrated that she had aimed for the head but missed.
The water bandit wounded in the shoulder retreated in frustration and hid among the other water bandits.
But So Yeon’s arrows pursued him with relentless persistence.
As if the arrows had eyes, her arrows continuously penetrated through the water bandits.
Finally.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
“Kyaaaah!”
“Wi! Heon Wi!”
The water bandit called Heon Wi died with agonizing screams.
“You damn bastards!”
The water bandit leader charged at Namgung Hyeok in fury.
Namgung Hyeok chuckled as if incredulous.
“Why are you angry? You were the ones who attacked first, weren’t you.”
“Shut up! How dare you kill my brother!”
“So he was your brother. Don’t worry. I’ll send you to the same place soon. You can have your brotherly reunion then.”
Namgung Hyeok said this and gathered the energy of the Sacred Fire Divine Art.
Terrifying energy condensing at the sword’s tip.
It burst forth in an instant along with a slashing strike.
It was Explosive Flame Annihilation, the fifth technique form of the Sacred Fire Ultimate Sword.
Kwaaaaang!
“Kugh!”
The water bandit from the main base died instantly, and the leader caught in the explosion was sent flying backward miserably.
Namgung Hyeok placed his sword at his throat and asked.
“I’ll ask you one thing. If you answer properly, I promise to send you off comfortably without pain. Why did you chase me? Do you have some personal grudge?”
The leader spoke tremblingly with a fear-stricken face.
“There’s a bounty on your head. There’s no other reason besides that.”
“A bounty?”
Namgung Hyeok asked back as if puzzled.
“Yes. It’s a bounty set by the Yangtze Water Bandits themselves. I don’t know why they set it. We just attacked you aiming for the huge sum of one hundred taels of gold…”
“Hmm. I see. Understood.”
Namgung Hyeok instinctively realized that the water bandit before him had given proper information. Probably nothing more would come out even if he pressed further.
“I’ll send you off comfortably as promised.”
“W-wait!”
“The pain will be little to none.”
Slash!
His sword cut the leader’s throat so fast it was invisible.
The leader seemed unaware that he had been cut until the moment he died.
Thud.
His body collapsed to the floor.
Namgung Hyeok sheathed his sword without a single drop of blood on it.
The scene was already cleaned up.
Namgung Jihak had long since killed his opponent and was in the middle of eliminating the remaining stragglers.
Baek Yeonhu was also breathing heavily as he fought the remaining enemies, having somehow managed to defeat an opponent who had been evenly matched with him.
With Ho Young and Jeon Wook running wild, and So Yeon’s barrage of arrows pouring down…
Two of the water bandits’ ships fell into their hands in an instant.
The remaining one fled with its tail between its legs, fearing it might be their turn next.
Namgung Hyeok confirmed they were fleeing and raised his fist.
“We are victorious!”
“Waaaaaaah!”
The escort warriors on the distant merchant ship let out enthusiastic cheers.
They were completely captivated by the divine prowess shown by Namgung Hyeok and his party.
“We’ve unexpectedly gained some nice side income.”
Namgung Hyeok said this and used the prisoners to steer the ships. Soon, the two vessels were able to reach the city on the other side.
* * *
Namgung Hyeok immediately disposed of the newly acquired ships.
The ships themselves were quite useful, but storage would be a problem even if they kept them.
Rather than docking them at the harbor and paying storage fees, it was better to sell them at a fair price in advance.
What they could obtain this way was several hundred silver taels.
Adding the money received as bounty for turning the water bandits over to the authorities and the money stored in the bandits’ ships, they earned nearly twelve hundred taels.
For a single battle, they had truly earned a large sum of money.
“Why would the Yangtze River Water Bandits put a bounty on Lord?”
“Well. It’s still hard to be certain. There’s too little information.”
“I think it’s probably related to The Sect forces.”
“What’s your basis?”
“Because there were no such incidents until we took the river last time. But after Lord defeated The Sect bastards, a bounty was placed.”
“Hmm. That’s certainly true. The timing is quite coincidental.”
“Brother Jeon Wook. Then are you saying the Yangtze River Water Bandits are related to The Sect?”
“Probably quite likely. Even if they’re not their main camp, there’s at least a possibility they’ve joined hands.”
Namgung Hyeok watched his comrades actively exchanging opinions and fell into thought for a moment.
Namgung Jihak, who was beside him, asked with a stern face.
“The Sect… are you talking about The Sect that I know?”
“Yes. It’s probably correct.”
“Why would those bastards target you?”
“Do you remember when the Huangshan Branch Leader’s daughter and son were kidnapped last time? That was The Sect’s doing.”
“…!”
Namgung Jihak seemed quite surprised. But soon he nodded as if understanding.
“I see. So they were targeting you then. Indeed, from The Sect’s perspective, they would want to kill you, the current owner of Sacred Fire.”
“…How much do you know about me, Uncle?”
“I know quite a bit. I’m probably the one who knows the most in the Namgung Family.”
Indeed, Namgung Jihak had given off an atmosphere of knowing something from the first time he saw Namgung Hyeok’s martial arts. Though they hadn’t had a proper conversation about it since then, it wouldn’t be strange if he knew his identity.
“When you wander Jianghu for ten years, you hear about countless legends from various places. The Sacred Fire Sect was exactly that kind of thing. Moreover, it was easy to obtain information. Among things dismissed as legends, it was something that existed until relatively recently.”
Namgung Jihak smiled bitterly.
“Of course, I didn’t know you would inherit that legacy. Could you explain how it happened?”
“My mother was a descendant of the Sacred Fire Sect.”
“…!”
Namgung Jihak’s eyes widened in surprise. But he soon nodded as if understanding.
“I see. Sister-in-law was…”
“And my maternal uncle was the heir of the Sacred Fire Sect. When I was dragged into war, I met him and became his successor.”
“Then now he is…”
“He has passed away.”
“I see.”
Thinking it was a sensitive topic, Namgung Jihak didn’t ask further.
Namgung Hyeok also seemed unwilling to talk more about it and closed his mouth.
“More importantly, if we go just a little further, we’ll reach our destination, Jade Mountain. Let’s hurry.”
The party increased their speed in case there might be pursuit.
They were able to reach Jade Mountain in less than three days.
“This is it. Please follow me.”
Perhaps happy to return to his hometown, Baek Yeonhu volunteered to guide them.
The party followed his guidance toward the inner part of the village. But something felt ominous about the atmosphere.
“What’s this?”
About fifty villagers were trembling anxiously, unable to do this or that.
They brightened up when they saw Baek Yeonhu.
“Y-Yeonhu! You’ve returned! Who are those people with you?”
“This is the heir of the current Sacred Fire.”
“That means…!”
The villagers widened their eyes and bowed respectfully.
Namgung Hyeok stopped them from making grand greetings and asked.
“More importantly, what’s happening? The inner part of the village seems noisy.”
“Well, there’s been a problem.”
“A problem?”
“The Ha Family has come.”
“What did you say!?”
Baek Yeonhu shouted in surprise.
This was the same for Namgung Hyeok and the rest of the party.
Why would the Ha Family come here?
“Please guide us!”
The party headed deep into the village following the villagers’ guidance.
There, over a hundred warriors were confronting about fifty warriors. Among them were those bearing the Ha Family’s emblem.
“Hmm?”
The Ha Family representative, who had been confronting the villagers and saying something, turned around.
Namgung Hyeok recognized who he was, having seen him before.
It was Ha Jinhyeok, the second son of the Ha Family.
“Namgung Hyeok?”
He also recognized Namgung Hyeok and showed a puzzled reaction.
“Why are you here?”
“That’s what I should be asking. What business does the Ha Family have in this place?”
“Hehe. Naturally, to take these people in.”
Ha Jinhyeok answered boldly without hiding anything.
Namgung Hyeok’s eyebrows twitched at this.
“You’re going to take these people in?”
“Since you came here, you must know what their identity is, right? Then you’ll understand quickly. Some warriors from the Salt Island faction have already agreed to come under our Ha Family.”
“…!”
Completely unexpected words flowed out.
Ha Jinhyeok spoke mockingly to such Namgung Hyeok.
“So we intend to take in the Fire Sword faction under the Ha Family name as well. These people would be better off belonging under us rather than under the tail end of the Ten Great Families like your Namgung Family. Hehe…”
Namgung Hyeok didn’t respond to those words and looked at the Fire Sword faction gathered there.
Among them, a middle-aged swordsman who appeared to be the representative looked at Baek Yeonhu and asked.
“Yeonhu. Have you decided to acknowledge that person?”
“Yes, Father. This person is truly the genuine heir of Sacred Fire.”
Baek Yeonhu answered confidently.
And that was the moment.
Baek Yeonhu’s father, who had been holding his head high against Ha Jinhyeok, knelt on one knee before Namgung Hyeok.
“Baek Ya of the Fire Sword Faction pays his respects to the master of the Sacred Fire.”
“…!”
Ha Jinhyeok’s laughter abruptly stopped at the sight.
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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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