The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 90

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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 90
“So Hyuncheon Sect has finally collapsed, then?”
“Yes. With Jeongmyeong Jonja, the sect leader, dead, there’s no way around it. Aside from Jeongmyeong Jonja, who was the Hyuncheon Castle Lord, they only have disciples at the mid-stage of the Immortal Celestial Realm beneath him.”
“Tsk, then they’ll lose their base soon enough. Can’t be helped. But have you identified the culprit?”
“According to the testimonies of several elders, the sky clearly opened across the entire region that day. However, who executed this Opening Heaven technique remains unknown.”
“Sigh, this is troublesome.”
The day Hwa Shin-gi, the Hyuncheon Castle Lord and Celestial Watcher, died alongside Jeongmyeong Jonja.
The sky opened across the entire Hyeontcheon Holy City, and the entire region became perfectly isolated from the outside world.
This was a power that only Celestial Watchers of Hapdogi rank or higher could execute.
Hapdogi-rank Celestial Watchers were so few in number that they could be counted on one hand even in the Immortal Celestial Realm.
Everyone initially thought the culprit would be identified quickly.
However, as the investigation progressed, the Hwa Shin-gi-rank Celestial Watchers found themselves busy reading the moods of the Hapdogi elders instead.
“Hmm, it seems the one behind this must be an elder from the Demonic Sect Alliance. Otherwise, why would anyone lay a hand on a junior of the Jeongzong? And the location is far too convenient. Isn’t it precisely the buffer zone between Jeongzong and the Demonic Sect Alliance?”
Hyuncheon Sect was positioned right in the middle between the Demonic Sect Alliance and Jeongzong forces, which is why its market had grown far larger than other regions.
Celestial Watchers from both the Demonic Sect Alliance and Jeongzong came over and conducted business in Guso Market.
As a result, it had become the most vibrant market in the surrounding area.
“The location certainly made this incident far more complicated. The Demonic Sect Alliance is now arguing that their faction should take over Hyeontcheon Holy City entirely.”
“How ambiguous. The culprit might be an elder from the Demonic Sect Alliance, yet they’re the ones benefiting? This doesn’t add up logically.”
“However, we cannot completely reject their claims. The reason we were able to seize Hyeontcheon Holy City in the first place was because they argued that regions originally belonging to the Demonic Sect Alliance should be alternated between us, which is only fair.”
“But times have changed. What if we simply let the strongest sect in the region take it? Don’t we have any capable sects near there?”
“Coincidentally, all the other sects except Hyuncheon Sect are roughly equivalent. Because Jeongmyeong Jonja managed things so thoroughly, there’s no place with any particularly strong faction standing out.”
“This is driving me mad. I don’t know whose strategy in the Demonic Sect Alliance came up with this, but it’s truly exquisite. It’s almost admirable.”
At this rate, they would lose one base to the Demonic Sect Alliance.
Circumstantially, suspicion fell almost certainly on the Demonic Sect Alliance.
Yet this was a stratagem they could only endure helplessly.
“Come to think of it, it was the Demonic Sect Alliance who suggested creating the Joint Investigation Headquarters at the conference. That’s suspicious too. Now that I think about it, even if we find the culprit, we can’t announce it, can we?”
“True. Who would have the audacity to go directly to a Hapdogi elder for interrogation? Even if they were the real culprit, if the elder publicly denies it, that’s the end of it.”
Hapdogi rank was literally a living natural disaster.
There was no one in the Immortal Celestial Realm with the courage to dare offend a senior of such a level.
“In fact, even now, everyone is reluctant to investigate for fear of displeasing the elders. The Joint Investigation Headquarters exists in name only.”
“What can we do? When something like this happens, only the underlings die. Just pretend to investigate diligently. Anyway, time will drag on and it’ll all fade away. Don’t step forward yourself either. There’s nothing to gain from being praised for doing well there.”
“I’ll keep your words in mind, Senior.”
“Tsk, only Hyuncheon Sect ended up unfortunate.”
Thus, the tremendous incident that occurred in Hyeontcheon Holy City fell into an unsolved mystery.
“Somehow, we must prevent that region from falling to the Demonic Sect Alliance. Think of a way.”
Hwa Shin-gi, the Celestial Watcher, fidgeted at his direct senior’s words before finally lowering his head to respond.
“…I-I’ll look into every possible method.”
“Good. It doesn’t seem like it’ll end with just losing that one region. You know? The movements of the Demonic Sect Alliance lately have been anything but ordinary.”
The people of the Immortal Celestial Realm never imagined that a Hapdogi-rank great demon had crossed the dimensional barrier to cause such an incident.
* * *
“Suddenly… return to the capital? What do you mean by that?”
“…A crisis has emerged within the Imperial Palace, Your Highness. Prince O, who recently completed his enthronement ceremony, has tragically passed away.”
“What do you mean… Did he have some underlying illness?”
Princess Yugaye.
Even as she asked the question, a terrible suspicion seized her heart, and it plummeted like a stone.
Here at the Black Dragon Faction’s outpost.
Living as a guest on Sungwha Island, she had been completely cut off from external information and knew absolutely nothing about the current state of the Imperial Palace.
‘Could it be… did he actually assassinate the Emperor? Already? No, surely not?’
Several months ago, Princess Yugaye had…
…commissioned the Black Dragon Master to kill the Emperor.
The Black Dragon Master had readily accepted the request on the condition that she open the path to the Upper Realm for him.
‘But did the Black Dragon Master actually kill the Emperor?’
Was such a thing even possible in reality?
Princess Yugaye tried desperately to deny the thoughts flooding her mind.
She simply could not believe it.
In truth, when she had entrusted the Black Dragon Master with this commission, she had harbored no great expectations.
‘No matter how renowned a master may be in Kangho, the Imperial Palace has its own formidable protectors.’
Byeok Gonggong and General Na.
The Imperial Palace was home to no fewer than two Hwagyeong-level masters.
And what of the formation protecting the Imperial Palace itself?
Maintained at tremendous expense, the Imperial Palace’s formation completely barred unauthorized intruders.
“The Black Dragon Master apparently walked in boldly during the morning court audience and assassinated His Majesty. The reports say he carried out the deed openly, in full view of all the ministers and officials.”
“…What?”
Princess Yugaye was struck with such overwhelming shock that the world spun before her eyes.
She had heard the words clearly enough.
Yet her mind could not process them.
It would have been barely conceivable for him to sneak in and assassinate the Emperor.
But to storm in during the Emperor’s own morning court and kill him?
And in full view of all the assembled officials?
“What in the heavens was that man thinking, making such a spectacle of it!”
Having cried out loudly for a moment, Yu Ga-ye tilted her head as another thought suddenly occurred to her.
But how was such a thing even possible in the first place?
“What of the guards? What were the Eolim Army and the Geumui Guard doing? And surely there were the Emperor’s own personal bodyguards as well.”
Ma Scholar.
Princess Yugaye’s tutor in the literary arts, and by some twist of fate, the middle-aged scholar from Hanrim Academy who had managed to survive this long by clinging to Princess Yugaye’s coattails.
Ma Seon-ryong, a scholar with no connections or backing within the Imperial Palace, continued speaking while repeatedly wiping his forehead with his sleeve, unable to hide the tremor in his voice.
“In the process of attempting to stop the Black Dragon Master, Byeok Gonggong and numerous Geumui Guard warriors were killed. Furthermore, after the Black Dragon Master assassinated His Majesty, he reportedly declared on the spot that if anyone dared trouble him again, he would obliterate the Imperial Palace entirely.”
“…Ah!”
Princess Yugaye was so startled that she let out a gasp and collapsed into her seat.
The world grew distant before her eyes, and her legs gave way beneath her.
For a moment, the surroundings felt distant, as though I were walking through a dream.
My head spun.
“Your Highness! Are you well?”
“Water… bring me water.”
The Servant who had endured this journey alongside me hastily poured water into a teacup and offered it.
Princess Yugaye drew in desperate breaths to steady herself, then drained the entire cup in one gulp.
Gulp, gulp—!
A hasty display that would never have been seen under normal circumstances, unbecoming of her station.
But this was no time for such propriety.
Once the dizziness had subsided, the Princess squeezed her eyes shut and asked.
“Then why does the Imperial Court summon me?”
“It is said that few direct descendants of the Imperial bloodline remain. Those who survived have publicly declared they have no interest in the throne.”
“What? Why on earth?”
Were these not the same bloodline members who, until recently, had been clamoring to become Emperor?
They had relentlessly hurled crude accusations at one another across all channels, never ceasing their fratricidal struggle.
And now?
“Perhaps this too is because of the Black Dragon Master?”
“That would appear to be the case.”
When the Imperial Court’s emissary had come and delivered such words to Ma Seon-ryong, even he had thought the Emperor’s incentives were quite formidable.
To employ deception to such an extent.
He had marveled at the Emperor’s audacity and cunning.
But then, through General Go Seok, another message had arrived, and upon verification, he had nearly fainted in shock.
Everything the Imperial Court’s emissary had said was true.
“The Black Dragon Master is said to be a monster beyond the capacity of even the Imperial Court’s supreme masters. This is a letter sent directly by General Na In-gyeol.”
“Give it here.”
Yu Ga-ye received the letter with trembling hands and read through it.
Once she had finished reading, she exhaled deeply.
“I must return to the Imperial Palace.”
The reason the other bloodline members had declined the throne was actually obvious.
Princess Yugaye, who remained within the Black Dragon Faction.
They believed she was the true force behind the monster known as the Black Dragon Master.
If Yu Ga-ye were to move the Black Dragon Master once more?
Even an Emperor could not escape death.
‘They must have feared becoming the next target.’
But did they know?
The very Princess Yugaye who had set the Black Dragon Master in motion was now terrified of the situation unfolding.
That small snowball the Black Dragon Master had cast.
Was rolling down the hillside, creating a massive avalanche.
As the Servant hurried about preparing at her command.
Yu Ga-ye, who had been sighing heavily, turned her head to the side and asked a question.
“General Go Seok, what is your assessment of this account’s credibility? Surely this isn’t some deception?”
“…The Black Dragon Master I witnessed possessed a strength far beyond my capacity to fathom.”
“Then you’re saying the Black Dragon Master is truly a monster that even General Na In-gyeol cannot contend with?”
Princess Yugaye’s voice trembled faintly.
She had made an unreasonable request to the Black Dragon Master without much expectation.
Perhaps that had been…
The moment she awakened the true black dragon slumbering in the depths of the sea, one that had remained coiled and dormant until now.
“General Na In-gyeol is not a man to speak falsehoods in such matters.”
A statement that effectively acknowledged the Black Dragon Master’s monstrous nature.
Princess Yugaye closed her eyes once more.

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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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