The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 53

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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 53
Thud-thud-thud-thud—!
“Please, General, we must hurry!”
“Bah! I’m already doing my utmost! Any faster and the horses pulling this carriage will collapse from exhaustion!”
“But still….”
“Enough! This is the limit, I tell you!”
Neigh—!
The four-horse carriage thundered recklessly down the mountain path.
From within, a middle-aged man wearing a scholar’s cap pulled low shouted urgently to the martial artists escorting the carriage outside.
The martial artists guarding the carriage also furrowed their brows as they urged the horses forward with all their might.
“Just a bit further and we’ll reach Namgung Clan territory! I’ve already sent word in advance, so we only need to rendezvous with those waiting for us!”
“And where exactly did they say they would meet us?”
A martial artist riding alongside the carriage posed the question.
The middle-aged man in the scholar’s cap wiped the sweat from his brow and answered.
“All of Anhui Province in Myeong is their core territory! Once we reach Tanggu County, the closest to Cheonjung City…!”
Whistle—
Clang—!
The middle-aged man’s words from within the carriage never reached their conclusion.
A sharp whistling sound pierced the air.
Almost simultaneously, the white-haired martial artist beside the carriage drew his blade and swatted an arrow from the sky, roaring out a warning.
“We’re under attack!”
“Attack! Everyone, form the Six Dragon Formation!”
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh—!
The mounted martial artists swiftly encircled the carriage and drew spears they had secured at their horses’ flanks.
At the same moment, from a side path along the road the carriage traveled.
From the left path, hundreds of mounted soldiers came thundering forward into Old General’s line of sight.
“How dare you….”
The white-haired general’s eyes widened fiercely as he fixed a menacing glare upon the attackers.
Yet his presence alone could not force them to retreat.
In the meantime, the enemies rapidly closed in and began unleashing arrows toward the carriage.
Clang-clang-clang-clang—!
Crash-clang-clang—!
Hundreds of arrows streaked past.
Among the martial artists protecting the carriage, a dozen or so were knocked from their horses and sent sprawling backward.
The white-haired general, his face twisted with fury, swung his blade and shattered dozens of arrow shafts embedded in the carriage in a single sweeping motion, growling menacingly.
“Who are you wretches to dare block the path of the Seventh Princess! Reveal your identities!”
The mysterious group launching the assault.
They had already blocked the road ahead of the carriage and spoke with casual ease.
“It seems our commander Go Seok has not heard the latest rumors. Are you unaware that the Seventh Princess is already a severed thread?”
“What use has a martial artist for such politics? We simply act according to our orders, nothing more.”
Clop—clop—
The Old General rode forward on horseback, positioning himself between the attackers.
All three hundred of the unidentified assailants wore masks that revealed only their eyes.
The figure standing at their forefront—clearly their leader—had a distinctly base and cunning gleam in his gaze. He stared at the carriage behind the Old General and sneered.
“To think merely thirty men could hold back a force ten times their strength. Truly admirable loyalty. But as you can see from how things are unfolding, it is already too late. We have complete control over this entire area. There is no escape.”
“Escape? A laughable notion. If we simply break through the brigands before us, the path will open. What is there to fear?”
“Inspector Go! Must you truly invite such calamity?”
Ssshhhhh—
The aura emanating from the Old General’s entire body was far from ordinary.
The masked leader’s voice, which had been mocking moments before, began to tremble with increasing pitch.
“In-Inspector Go. It is not too late even now. If you would simply handle the Seventh Princess’s affairs first… or rather, if you would merely pretend to be overwhelmed and surrender the carriage to us, my superiors could arrange a position of even greater standing for you…”
“No discussion!”
A blue aura rippled along Go Seok’s blade.
In the same instant, he kicked free from the saddle and shot forward like a beam of light.
“This damned old fool! Do you truly not comprehend the tide of the world?”
The masked man shouted, gesturing rapidly.
The martial artists positioned with bows in the rear hastily nocked and released their arrows.
Whissshhh—
Hundreds of arrows descended upon Go Seok and the carriage with a sharp whistling sound.
Yet Go Seok’s blade never faltered, moving with elegant precision and devastating speed.
Thus a tempest of blood was unleashed.
The battered Seventh Princess and her entourage managed to meet up with the Namgung Clan who had come to receive them.
* * *
Ilhyang felt the cold bite of winter’s chill as he stroked Geumok’s fur, which draped around his neck like a scarf.
“An incident? I have heard tales of the Five Dragon Stronghold, but was there another matter?”
I had learned from Gui Yun-gaek Ho Sam on the first day of boarding the ship that the Five Dragon Stronghold, located downstream on the Liu Chang River, had submitted of their own accord.
Those fellows had been considerate enough to surrender before initiating any attack.
As such, I had no intention of confiscating their private holdings.
This was a different matter from the Blood Wolf Faction and Yan Wang Faction, who had arrogantly attacked first.
Gong Jeol-gang lowered his head to whisper again quietly, but then his eyes met those of people slowly descending from the Nataryongwang.
His mouth fell open in shock.
“Gasp! Master! How in the world did they…?”
“Hmm? Now that you mention it, there should be some familiar faces.”
“Those monsters—aren’t they from the Demonic Sect and Thunder Lightning Sect? Wait! Those are from the Blood Cult and Beast Sect… and isn’t that the current elder of Cheonsa-ok!”
Watching astonishment, fear, and then a hint of familiarity bloom in succession across Gong Jeol-gang’s eyes.
I shook my head and spoke softly.
“We shall introduce our accompanying friends once we enter the main hall. First, let us hear the important reports.”
“Yes, understood.”
As I climbed into the carriage that had been prepared in advance, I sent a message through magic to the Ice White Horse Army waiting in the rear.
The message conveyed that they should wait here, and once I sent word, they were to follow on horseback.
So it was.
“This prisoner treatment is rather shabby.”
I heard Bing Baek Ma-gun Gu Sang-hak’s quiet grumbling, but I brushed it aside lightly and turned my gaze away from the carriage window.
Gong Jeol-gang, who shared the carriage with me, was gazing anxiously out the window with startled eyes.
‘Well, I’ve heard that Cheonsa-ok took quite a beating from the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.’
Among all the Celestial Watchers factions, the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was the strongest.
In the Lower Realm alone, it was an overwhelmingly dominant force.
Not just the Blood Cult, which normally carried itself with great swagger.
Even the elder-class Celestial Watchers from Cheonsa-ok and Mansizong rarely dared to assert themselves before the name of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
It wasn’t merely because of Bing Baek Ma-gun, a master of the Transformation Realm.
Rather, they instinctively feared the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect as an organization itself.
‘This one or that one—they don’t seem all that different.’
Of course, this was purely my perspective.
To Gong Jeol-gang, who hailed from Cheonsa-ok, each Celestial Watcher descending from Nataryongwang appeared to be either on par with him or at a higher tier.
And seeing them alongside the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, he couldn’t hide his astonishment.
‘Where did he bring together such monsters as a group?’
Then, upon reflection, I recalled that my Master was a person who defied all common sense, and only then did I regain my composure.
“I-I apologize, Master. Actually, someone came from the Namgung Clan.”
“From the Namgung Clan? Because of compensation?”
“No, they came with a request.”
“A request, you say.”
For a moment, bewilderment crossed my face.
Did they even know what this line of work actually entailed before making such a request?
Of course, I had intended to establish a transport and logistics business.
But if they wanted me to continue the water banditry that these associates had been doing before, what was the point?
A look of exasperation flickered across my features.
But the next moment, I became curious about what exactly they had requested.
“What did they request?”
“That is….”
Gong Jeol-gang opened his mouth with a somewhat troubled expression.
“They asked me to protect someone.”
“Someone? From the Namgung Clan?”
“Yes.”
I gazed out the carriage window before tilting my head in confusion.
It simply didn’t make sense.
The Namgung Clan was a family so powerful in influence and strength that it was called the greatest house under heaven.
Yet they were requesting protection for someone?
“What’s the story behind this person?”
“The Namgung Clan said they couldn’t confirm the identity until we accepted the request, but there was actually a rumor circulating recently in Kangho.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“What rumor?”
“A major incident occurred within the Imperial Palace, and as a result, numerous imperial princes and princesses either died or fled. Among those who escaped, there’s a rumor that the Seventh Princess sought refuge with the Namgung Clan.”
“Reject that request.”
Ilhyang shook his head with a resolute expression.
There was no reason to entangle myself in such troublesome affairs.
It wasn’t out of fear or dread.
It was simply that the matter would inevitably become a nuisance.
Gong Jeol-gang nodded obediently.
“Understood.”
Since Gong Jeol-gang had expected Ilhyang to refuse, he offered no further commentary.
“Is that all?”
“No, sir. The Namgung Clan brought compensation. They brought a Great Restoration Pill.”
“Oh! Isn’t the Great Restoration Pill supposed to be even rarer than the Carefree Pill?”
“Yes, Master.”
Not long ago.
I had been willing to pay dearly for a Carefree Pill to transcend the Fourth Circle.
Yet now I had obtained a Great Restoration Pill, a higher grade than that.
When I needed it, I couldn’t obtain it, but now that I no longer needed it, I had acquired it—the irony drew an involuntary bitter laugh from me.
Click—
Gong Jeol-gang retrieved a small wooden box from his sleeve.
The Great Restoration Pill was contained within.
Not only recognized by the Murim sects.
But also by the Immortal Sects—the finest elixir under heaven.
“Put that away.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s not for me to consume. You should take it.”
All of Gong Jeol-gang’s movements halted momentarily.
“This disciple must have misheard.”
“You heard correctly. That pill is meant for you to consume.”
“M-Master. The Great Restoration Pill is one of the rarest treasures in the Lower Realm.”
“I know.”
I gazed at my stammering elderly disciple for a moment, then chuckled softly.
“It would be pointless for me to consume it now. After a bit more preparation, it’s right that you take it.”
“Master….”
Deep emotion welled up in Gong Jeol-gang’s wrinkled eyes.
To think he would relinquish the Great Restoration Pill so readily.
Then, as I shrugged my shoulders, a thought suddenly occurred to me, and I asked.
“By the way, what did the Namgung Clan say they would provide as compensation?”
A request to take someone in.
Judging by how things had unfolded, it seemed to be a request to take in the troublesome bomb known as the Seventh Princess.
What could the price possibly have been?
It was merely pure curiosity.
I harbored no particular expectations.
Just a light question to change the subject.
But then.
The answer that came back shook Ilhyang’s resolve.
“It is a dharma artifact known as the Seven Treasures Silk Radiance.”
“A dharma artifact? Isn’t it an artifact?”
A spark of light flickered across Ilhyang’s previously listless eyes.

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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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