The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Surviving in the Martial Realm as a Mage: Episode 48
“They’re moving, Lord.”
“Keke, could they have noticed we’re coming?”
“It’s possible.”
The Lord of the Cheonlang Squad, one of six military forces under the Heavenly Blood Sect.
Seventh-rank Swordmaster Hong Sun-won stared ahead while fidgeting with his fingers.
He was calculating how to crush the prey they were hunting the moment they collided, throwing everything into the assault.
At that moment, the Vice-Lord of the Cheonlang Squad standing beside him, Sixth-rank Swordmaster Hwang Cheon-ak, examined the compass in his hand while tilting his head repeatedly.
“Hmm? Something’s odd.”
“What do you mean, odd?”
“The life signatures have become extremely faint since a moment ago.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
In response to Hong Sun-won’s question, Hwang Cheon-ak glanced at the palm-sized compass he held.
He moved his feet swiftly as he spoke.
“It seems they’ve employed some technique we’re unaware of.”
“Will there be any problem tracking them?”
“No, sir. Fortunately, the Blood Temperature Compass is functioning properly, so tracking shouldn’t be an issue. However, the signature has grown so faint that if the distance increases further, I cannot guarantee success. This is a phenomenon I’ve never witnessed before. I believe we should report this to the Elders later.”
“Troublesome opponents indeed.”
“Kekeke, if we capture them and drag them back, won’t we discover what technique they used?”
Wi Baek-hon, who served as the assault captain of the Cheonlang Squad, interjected abruptly, but Hong Sun-won shook his head.
“We don’t have time to waste on unnecessary matters. We have no idea how many other groups are converging on this place.”
“Then shall we handle them swiftly as before and simply recover the resources before departing?”
“Yes. Ideally, I’d like to end this pursuit quickly as well, but….”
Hong Sun-won trailed off and looked toward Vice-Lord Hwang Cheon-ak, who shook his head.
“Their movement speed exceeds ours. Even keeping up is precarious.”
“If we increase our pace further here, we might struggle to exert our full strength when we collide.”
“Keke, I’ll simply lead the vanguard and handle them all. There’s no need for you or the Vice-Lord to intervene. Didn’t you say there are only four of them? Just send the advance unit….”
“That won’t do.”
The opposition numbered merely four.
In comparison, the Cheonlang Squad had thirty-five members.
At first glance, deploying the entire unit to track them seemed wasteful of resources.
“Dealing with them isn’t all there is. Unnecessary flies might swarm in. We’re not alone here.”
As the upper echelon had informed beforehand.
This time, the secret realm of the desert called Sahyeol was the largest in recorded history.
While this meant the probability of encountering enemies within would decrease.
‘Which is precisely why we must end it decisively the moment we meet.’
We couldn’t allow miscellaneous groups wandering about to acquire the spirits or treasures within the secret realm.
Since the realm’s resources were limited, eliminating competitors as quickly as possible was advantageous.
“Hmm, the other units are earning their keep as well, I presume?”
This time, the Heavenly Blood Sect had dispatched four military forces.
Typically, one or at most two armed factions were secretly dispatched to a secret realm, but the Saheol Secret Realm had not followed this protocol.
‘Because it became known throughout Tianxia.’
Since all manner of rabble would inevitably swarm the place, the Heavenly Blood Sect had simply made the decision to throw all their reserve forces at it without restraint.
‘It was regrettable.’
In fact, from Hong Sun-won’s perspective—he who had grown from Grade 6 to Grade 7 Inspector through the rewards and contribution points earned from raiding the Mansizong Secret Base last time—
the leadership’s handling of this matter did not sit well with him.
‘Since we’re the same faction, I can’t exactly attack other units.’
What bothered me was that the number of comrades with whom I had to share limited resources had increased.
Though they had scattered in different directions across a wide area, ultimately I would need to sweep through the entire interior.
In the end, there was no choice but to distribute the resources.
‘I should hope the others have poor luck.’
In truth, from the leadership’s perspective, they had deployed all reserve forces to prevent any unforeseen incidents from occurring within their own ranks.
But Hong Sun-won felt their concerns were unnecessary.
‘With the Blood Sense Plate, what were they worried about?’
The Blood Sense Plate was a perfect tracking device.
Since the Blood Sense Plate perfectly marked all humanoid life forms, if there were many enemies, I could simply avoid them.
And when the time was right, I could rush in and finish them off.
‘But they have considerable endurance.’
More than an hour had passed since I began tracking them, yet the distance between us had not closed.
Could they be Murim practitioners?
That was quite possible.
Judging by how they maintained this speed over such a long distance, the probability that they were Murim practitioners rather than mages was high.
‘How dare they, without a shred of fear….’
A secret realm of this scale would have many gaps and openings besides the official entrance.
It seemed they had poked around here and there until fortune favored them and they managed to enter the realm.
‘Which is precisely why they must be captured and killed.’
Not even Celestial Watchers, but mere criminals targeting the realm’s spiritual creatures and resources.
It was a waste of resources.
Just as Hong Sun-won’s eyes gleamed and I tightened the reins of pursuit,
a subtle change occurred in their movements.
“Their speed has clearly dropped.”
“Krahaha! It seems they’re exhausted!”
Hong Sun-won nodded in acknowledgment.
Even for those of us trained in Soft Body Technique, this pursuit had been quite grueling.
Maintaining this speed, in this heat, for such an extended duration—
it certainly drained a person’s stamina rapidly.
“Hold on just a bit longer. I’ll let you taste blood.”
“Hehe, I shall take the lead.”
As Charge Commander Wi Baek-hon opened his mouth, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent,
Hong Sun-won quietly nodded in agreement.
To lead young warriors in their prime, I had no choice but to push forward those with the momentum to drive the unit ahead.
It was the only way to maintain the squad’s morale and keep their edge sharp at all times.
‘Besides, now that I’ve reached 7th-rank Swordmaster, I have no choice but to ascend to an elder position eventually.’
Before that, I had to transfer all authority to Unit Commander Hwang Cheon-ak.
Unit Commander Hwang Cheon-ak had worked in tandem with Charge Captain Wi Baek-hon for so long that I trusted he would handle things well.
‘It’s not my concern anymore. This mission will be my last anyway.’
Hong Sun-won deliberately ignored the slight lapse in the unit’s discipline.
While lost in such idle thoughts.
The distance to the target rapidly closed.
Then, at some point.
“Huh?”
The trace of the target I’d been tracking on the blood-heat detector suddenly vanished.
The red dot had disappeared.
“What in the—!”
As Unit Commander Hwang Cheon-ak let out a startled cry.
A sense of danger rapidly flooded through my mind as I led the charge ahead.
“Damn fools! Abandon the target immediately and redirect the search to the surroundings!”
“Yes, understood.”
When Hwang Cheon-ak abandoned the target he’d been pursuing and began searching the surroundings anew.
Something in the distance was rapidly approaching this location, caught on the blood-heat detector.
“A… half a shi’s distance. Multiple enemies.”
…We’d been had.
Only then did I realize that the targets who had vanished from the blood-heat detector moments ago had lured us to this location.
They had dared to use themselves as bait to draw us in.
“How many targets have been newly detected?”
“…Approximately fifty, sir.”
“The numbers are respectable, at least.”
I spoke to my agitated unit members in a deliberately calm tone.
In moments like this, the commander had to remain composed above all else.
Indeed, my composed demeanor allowed the entire Cheonlang Squad to quickly regain their stability.
“What is their speed?”
“Comparable to ours, sir.”
“Then they’re likely Murim practitioners.”
“How dare mere Murim practitioners——.”
Even if we faced Murim practitioners head-on, we would not lose even against three times their numbers.
The elite warriors of the Cheonlang Squad had mastered Yeon-che Technique, an advanced cultivation method.
It appeared superficially similar to the martial arts of Murim practitioners, but it operated on an entirely different level of sophistication.
“Everyone, take your positions. We will annihilate them here and move on.”
“As you command.”
As the awakened elite warriors of the Cheonlang Squad swiftly deployed their formation, the Slaughter Grand Array, in the clearing of the desert.
The distance between us and the enemies rapidly closed.
Before long, their figures came into view.
And then.
Hong Sun-won swallowed a low breath without realizing it.
“The Martial Arts Alliance….”
“Well, well! Who do we have here! The Blood Cult, no less! What brings such esteemed guests to grace this humble place with their presence?”
A massively muscular middle-aged man approached from directly ahead, his laughter booming and unrestrained.
Strapped across his back was a massive greatsword, larger than a grown man.
Seeing it, Hong Sun-won’s composed face gradually twisted into something grotesque.
“Hmm? Now that I think about it, we’ve crossed paths before, haven’t we? Delighted to see you, absolutely delighted! You remember me, don’t you?”
“….”
The Azure Dragon Faction Master of the Martial Arts Alliance.
The pride of the Hebei Peng Family and a supreme master.
Peng Tian-yu, the Tyrant of Overwhelming Strength.
Why in the world was this troublesome bastard here of all places?
“But what was your epithet again? I’m sure I’ve heard it before. So….”
“That one’s the Slaughter Demon Blade of the Blood Cult.”
Beside Peng Tian-yu.
An elderly man, barely five feet tall and covered in wrinkles.
As he muttered continuously, his lips moving, Peng Tian-yu slapped his own forehead and spoke.
“Ah, that’s right! That was it! Dammit! I would’ve remembered it without you telling me, Elder!”
“No time for this. Finish him quickly and let’s go, you fool.”
Hong Sun-won’s gaze never wavered from the elderly man beside Peng Tian-yu, rather than Peng Tian-yu himself.
‘Of all people, that old demon had to be here….’
Gao Shiji, the Terrestrial Demon.
The sole leading sect belonging to the Orthodox Sects.
The common enemy of all other orthodox leading sects.
The Sect Master of the Moshan Sect.
Meeting him in a place like this couldn’t be explained away as mere bad luck.
In crude terms, this situation was.
‘Completely screwed.’
There was no way to escape.
If it had been only Peng Tian-yu, I could have broken through this situation somehow.
Some casualties would be unavoidable.
But I was confident I wouldn’t lose.
Now that I had become a seventh-rank sword master.
As long as the opponent wasn’t a master at the Transformation Realm, I could crush them without difficulty.
‘But this won’t do.’
I had to retreat.
Peng Tian-yu alone was already troublesome enough.
With the Moshan Sect’s Sect Leader standing beside him offering support,
defeat was nearly inevitable.
‘I couldn’t have escaped in the first place.’
Moshan Sect Leader Gao Shiji.
If Yuk Ji-no-goe, as the Orthodox Sects would call him, had set his mind to pursuit,
Hong Sun-won’s options for escape would have been extremely limited.
“Your eyes are starting to wander? That won’t do—absolutely not! You came here on your own terms, but leaving is a different matter entirely!”
Peng Tian-yu spoke with irritating glee as he unsheathed his broadsword and gripped it firmly, taking the lead.
The air around us began to vibrate with tension.

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