Chapter 188: Encounter

“It’s something left behind by a Sword Immortal who was active long ago. Lord Mu-hwi had been waiting for the right moment to smuggle this out from the very beginning.”

Yong Mu-hwi had never truly served the Divine Dragon Clan Head.

He had simply entered his ranks, biding his time while pretending to obey, all to seize the opportunity to secretly take away what they were after.

“There are two things the Dragon Emperor of the Heavens sought from the Thousand Sword Family. One is the martial arts manual that the young lady now possesses, and the other is the clan’s divine treasure, the World-Creating Sword. Because the Dragon Emperor of the Heavens personally intervened, we couldn’t spirit away the sword. But the sword art could be taken. You must deliver it, young lady.”

With anxious eyes, Yong Seo-hee looked at Jeok Tae-ryung.

“It will be extremely difficult. Evading pursuit won’t be easy either. That’s why I need your help. You’re someone unknown to the world—that’s the reason the elder sent me to you.”

Just as Jeok Tae-ryung said, there was no one more suited for escape than Yong Seo-hee.

She had only recently returned home; most wouldn’t even know she existed yet.

“I’ll go greet Grandfather and tell him—”

Jeok Tae-ryung shook his head before she could finish.

“There’s no time. You must move immediately. The pursuers looking for me may already be nearby.”

Jeok Tae-ryung took out a black cloak from his inner robe.

“Use this. It will conceal your traces and presence. All other routes are too dangerous. You must go either to the Beast King Sect or the Tai Chi Sect.”

“What about you, Uncle?”

“I plan to wander around and throw them off. I’m not the only one acting as bait.”

Jeok Tae-ryung pulled out another martial arts manual identical to the one he had just handed her.

“Lord Mu-hwi made this copy for me. My subordinates and I will buy you time, so escape safely. The Sovereign Family will move as well, so it won’t be easy. Please take care of yourself.”

At the word “bait,” Yong Seo-hee’s eyes widened.

“You don’t need to worry too much. I won’t be caught easily. Have you forgotten? In our family, the only one who could ever catch me was you, young lady.”

Even as he spoke of something so dangerous, Jeok Tae-ryung’s tone was calm and light.

Tears welled up in Yong Seo-hee’s eyes at the sight.

“It’ll be fine, so please don’t worry too much. Now, young lady, I will convey your grandfather and Lord Mu-hwi’s words.”

When Jeok Tae-ryung brought out a small artifact, Yong Seo-hee straightened her posture.

【My beloved granddaughter Seo-hee, I’m sorry to burden you with this the moment you returned home.

What you must do from now on is incredibly dangerous.

But there may be eyes of the Divine Dragon watching others, so I had no choice but to entrust this to you, who recently returned.

I’m sorry—this foolish grandfather has placed too heavy a burden on you.

Seo-hee, you must leave the clan. Stay safe, and let us meet again.

I’m sorry… and I love you.】

Yong Seo-hee bit her lip hard as emotion surged up in her chest.

Then came her uncle Yong Mu-hwi’s deep voice.

【Seo-hee, I heard you’ve returned home. You must resent me and your brothers by now. One day, we’ll clear up the misunderstandings.

Don’t think of anything else—just live healthily.

I don’t know what will happen from now on, but let’s meet again.

See you later, my beloved youngest daughter.】

At the last words, tears streamed down Yong Seo-hee’s cheeks.

Yet even in her grief, she gathered her resolve and did not break down.

Clenching both fists tightly, she decided to carry the martial arts manual she’d just received—for the sake of the family who had always shown her nothing but kindness.

“I’ll do it. Uncle, please be careful.”

“Don’t worry, young lady. Then, until we meet again.”

Both Jeok Tae-ryung and Yong Seo-hee knew—it was their last farewell.

But neither voiced that thought aloud.

Donning the cloak Jeok Tae-ryung had given her, Yong Seo-hee left the house.

The guards weren’t strict, and with the cloak concealing her, it wasn’t difficult to slip away unnoticed.

After leaving the residence, Yong Seo-hee traveled for a long while before transforming into a dragon and riding the Wind Path.

Her destination was the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect.

As she accelerated along the Wind Path, Yong Seo-hee suddenly thought of Jang Woo-hyun.

But she quickly shook her head, erasing that thought.

‘No. It’s too dangerous.’

Though Jang Woo-hyun was strong, this incident involved the Dragon Emperor of the Heavens—one of the Six Heavens—and two of the Three Great Clans: the Divine Dragon Clan and the Sovereign Clan.

To face them was perilous for anyone, even within the Central Heavens Murim.

“I told you, it’ll be fine.”

“It’s the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult and the Radiant Light Sect. It won’t be easy.”

Mak Ya-wol looked at Maeng Ye-ju as though frustrated.

“Ye-ju, who am I?”

“…You are the Baekmu Society’s Great Hero, Mak Daehyeop.”

“No, not that. Have you forgotten who I am?”

Mak Ya-wol tapped the chained sickle hanging from his waist.

“I’m the Baekmu Society’s Heavenly Chain Pye-an.”

The Baekmu Society named their nine strongest representatives after the Dragon’s Offspring—the Yongsaengguja.

Pye-an.

A mythical beast said to resemble a tiger—this was the alias Mak Ya-wol was known by throughout the Central Heavens Murim.

“Ryeom knows too, doesn’t he?”

Seo Ryeom was also one of the Baekmu Society’s nine strongest, bearing the name Cho-do.

“And over there, we have Daeseong as well.”

Following Mak Ya-wol’s gaze, Maeng Ye-ju turned her head.

There sat the Great Monster, Wind-Passing Great Sage, treating his wounds with the help of the Antlered White Mask.

“The Antlered White Mask can’t use his full strength because he’s constantly maintaining Daeseong’s summoning, but he’s still one of the Ten Elders of the Radiant Light Sect.”

Aside from those in hiding, each of them possessed strength equivalent to the top masters of the great sects.

In fact, the Antlered White Mask had even represented the Radiant Light Sect during the Ten Sects Assembly.

“And over there, our leader is no less than Daeseong or me.”

Mak Ya-wol pointed toward one side.

Jang Woo-hyun, who had recently sparred with Mak Ya-wol, was examining the chained sickle technique with curiosity.

He had attached threads of Qi to Dragon King’s Scale’s blade, swinging it as if it were a chained sickle itself.

Jang Woo-hyun dominated space, moving his blade as freely as his own limbs, yet still controlling each movement manually.

“I’ve never seen a person like him before.”

Whenever he saw a certain level of martial arts, he would immediately mimic it—flawlessly at that.

Then, he would refine it in his own way, discard what was unnecessary, and begin training anew.

After observing him for several days, it was clear that Jang Woo-hyun continued his basic training with utmost diligence. Jin Ha-un following his example was only natural.

After dueling with the warriors of the Fighting Ghost Unit, Jang Woo-hyun would even ask those far weaker than himself if something piqued his curiosity.

To the martial artists of the Baekmu Society, who were obsessed with martial arts and the pursuit of strength, Jang Woo-hyun was an incomprehensible man.

“With a strange leader like that, we can’t possibly be called weak. The ones who should be nervous are the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult and the Radiant Light Sect.”

Even though the Antlered White Mask couldn’t exert his full power, on the surface, the group’s current strength was comparable to the top five masters of a great sect moving together.

Even the Ten Sects and Three Clans would find it difficult to block such a force.

– Power capable of breaking through the front gate of a great faction within the Central Heavens Murim.

That was how Mak Ya-wol currently assessed the strength of Jang Woo-hyun’s group.

“And another thing.”

Mak Ya-wol glanced around, then whispered while pointing to Cho-su, who was approaching Jang Woo-hyun.

“Honestly, Cho-su scares me the most.”

Cho-su, tirelessly modifying the Floating Stronghold with various Dharma Treasures, looked like a man consumed by madness. Because of that, Mak Ya-wol was somewhat unnerved by him.

“Now think again—are we really in danger with people like this?”

Mak Ya-wol’s words made Maeng Ye-ju realize she had been worrying too much.

Their group’s strength was anything but weak. Even the Ten Sects and Three Clans would struggle to mobilize such power.

‘Right, just the Wind-Passing Great Sage alone is excessive power.’

Though his strength now differed from before, she still got chills remembering their first meeting. That monster sitting beside them was indeed terrifying.

Because Jang Woo-hyun always spoke so casually, Maeng Ye-ju had unconsciously underestimated their strength.

Her gaze turned to Jang Woo-hyun, who was speaking with Seo Ryeom.

“Captain, shouldn’t we at least have a name?”

“What kind of name?”

“We’re moving together, so we should have one.”

Seo Ryeom had been suggesting they name their group for a while, but Jang Woo-hyun hadn’t responded—he didn’t see the need.

They weren’t gathered for a particular purpose, nor formed as an organization. The Fighting Ghost Unit and the Wind-Passing Great Sage were merely following him because they sought thrilling battles.

“Then let’s just stick with ‘Fighting Ghost Unit.’”

“Hah! That rotten name should be thrown away. What’s so good about reusing something filthy and shameful like that?”

After using the name “Fighting Ghost Unit” for so long, Seo Ryeom was now casting it away like trash.

While he was cursing the name with a blank expression, Cho-su approached the two.

“Are you finished yet?”

“Almost. I just dismantled one Annihilation Thunder Cannon to create an energy source. Now we just need to obtain the Moon Spirit Tree.”

The Moon Spirit Tree was a special wood that grew by absorbing yin energy, often used as material for creating Dharma Treasures.

Cho-su’s plan was to combine the Moon Spirit Tree and the giant’s wooden hull with the Mokryeong Tribe’s core to enable full mobility of the Floating Stronghold.

Since an enormous amount of Moon Spirit Wood was needed to link the entire Floating Stronghold together, the group was traveling to acquire it.

“Brother Cho, that massive Dharma Treasure was called the Annihilation Thunder Cannon? And you just broke it apart?”

“I thought we might need more energy, so I dismantled one. The cannon’s core holds immense power.”

“Captain, you heard that, right?”

“What about it?”

“He sacrificed a Dharma Treasure for us. I can’t just let that pass. We must honor the fallen treasure.”

“……”

Jang Woo-hyun quietly watched Seo Ryeom, curious to see what nonsense would come next.

“So how about naming ourselves after the destroyed treasure—‘Annihilation Unit’? Since you said we’d face True Immortals, there’s no better name than that.”

So that was what he’d been thinking about this whole time—the group’s name.

“That’s too much.”

Jang Woo-hyun shook his head. A name that meant “to annihilate immortals” sounded too grandiose.

“These things are supposed to sound exaggerated.”

Seo Ryeom kept insisting it was a good name, while Jang Woo-hyun kept refusing.

As their petty argument continued, one of the Fighting Ghost Unit’s warriors standing guard outside entered.

“Captain, you’d better come see this.”

By now, the members of the Fighting Ghost Unit had started calling Jang Woo-hyun their new captain. Everyone acknowledged his leadership.

Jang Woo-hyun stopped speaking with Seo Ryeom and stepped outside, the others following behind.

On the flattened roof of the Floating Stronghold, which Cho-su had reforged,

Jang Woo-hyun and the rest gazed toward a distant city.

“Looks like someone fought there.”

The place in sight was Cheongwol City, famous for its Moon Spirit Tree production. As someone mentioned, a massive battle had taken place—nearly one-third of the city had been obliterated.

“But why is the city in ruins?”

“Did they fight inside it?”

“Could’ve been attacked from outside. Anyone familiar with that place?”

The Baekmu Society had members from various backgrounds, so they asked among themselves if anyone knew about Cheongwol City.

“That used to be where the Cheongwol Sword Sect was based, but it seems they’re gone.”

“Cheongwol Sword Sect? A sect that settled within the city?”

“Yeah. They were tied to the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult. Who could’ve done this?”

“I heard cultivators have been rampaging through the Murim lately—maybe it’s them? A lot of people in that city must’ve died.”

While they spoke, the Floating Stronghold drew closer to the city.

Jang Woo-hyun frowned as he took in the destroyed sight.

‘Just one person.’

Now that they were close enough, he could tell. A single expert with overwhelming power had done this.

And he wondered, ‘Did they really need to go this far?’

Someone that strong could’ve easily subdued the city’s martial artists without such destruction. Yet they had deliberately blown away a large portion of it.

Countless innocents must have died or been injured. Jang Woo-hyun’s expression hardened.

It was inevitable that people might be hurt or killed—this was the Murim, after all.

But that was meant to happen between martial artists. Ordinary people should never be caught in the crossfire. That was Jang Woo-hyun’s creed.

“Someone’s coming.”

Mak Ya-wol was the first to speak, but everyone already sensed the presence approaching the Floating Stronghold. Seeing the newcomers, the Fighting Ghost Unit warriors grinned.

Three people were flying toward them on Flying Apparatuses, not bothering to conceal their auras—instead, they flaunted them.

An overwhelming, tyrannical pressure radiated in all directions.

A weighty, oppressive force that pressed down on everything.

Any martial artist with weak cultivation would suffocate just being near it.

There was only one group that exuded such a presence.

The home and origin of all demonic practitioners under heaven—

Demon Gathering Hall.

Those who walked the path of demons had come seeking Jang Woo-hyun’s group.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep