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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The negotiation was successful.
The attackers released the Zhuge Family captives, and Namgung-Woo and the righteous martial artists agreed not to pursue them.
While some might have been tempted by the prospect of glory and reward, the Black Sword Devil and Myeol Seom-ma were infamous Transcendent Realm experts of the unorthodox faction in the Hunan-Hubei region.
Having achieved their objective, there was no reason for them to risk their lives unnecessarily.
On their way back, Jeong-gwang breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Namgung-Woo.
‘If it weren’t for him, things would have been disastrous.’
Even Jeong-gwang, a top expert of the Hwangsan Sect, had little chance of defeating the Black Sword Devil or Myeol Seom-ma alone.
And even if he managed to hold one of them back, what about the other?
While the warrior monk Geum-shin had fought valiantly, he was clearly outmatched.
‘On the other hand, that young man… Nam-Woo, was it?’
His skill against the Black Sword Devil was remarkable.
Considering his age, Jeong-gwang felt no envy, only awe.
He now understood why the Peng Family had assigned such a valuable direct descendant to him.
‘They must be trying to secure him as a son-in-law.’
Even though the Peng Family was renowned for their saber techniques, skill like his transcended the choice of weapon.
After confirming that Hang-wi was tending to the injured Zhuge Pan, Jeong-gwang quickened his pace.
“Sir Nam.”
Namgung-Woo turned his head.
“Taoist Jeong-gwang? Do you need something?”
“’Taoist’ is too much. Please, just call me Jeong-gwang.”
“As you wish.”
“How do you plan to return? Are you heading straight north, back to the Guya Workshop?”
“Do you have a suggestion?”
Sensing Namgung-Woo’s understanding, Jeong-gwang cleared his throat.
“Ahem, returning to the Guya Workshop is fine, but the Zhuge Family members are injured, both externally and internally. Mount Hwang is closer than Mount Guhwa or the Guya Workshop. It wouldn’t hurt to stay there for a while and recover before returning.”
“Mount Hwang?”
“Yes. We have hot springs on Mount Hwang, excellent for healing internal injuries and restoring the body.”
Hot springs.
He still had time before the one-month deadline given by the Guya Workshop, and the Zhuge Family members needed time to recover from their injuries.
He understood Jeong-gwang’s sudden friendliness, but there was no reason to refuse.
Jeong-gwang, Hang-wi, Zhuge Pan, and Zhuge Seon-ah were all waiting for his decision.
He felt their respect and trust. A sense of responsibility and pride swelled within him.
This was the feeling of leadership.
It wasn’t bad.
Similar to how he felt when he first became the guild leader of the Namgung Family in Chu-rok Murim.
‘I need to get used to this.’
In Chu-rok Murim, his guild members had left the game shortly after he became the leader.
But here, more and more people would follow him.
Now, as the leader of the Azure Sky Group, and perhaps even in the future, leading an even larger force.
He made his decision.
“Let’s go to Mount Hwang.”
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The journey to Mount Hwang was much easier than their previous travels, thanks to the Hwangsan Sect members’ familiarity with the area.
Zhuge Seon-ah, exhausted, was being supported by Peng Ha-ryeong.
The righteous martial artists were also tired from their frantic rush to the rescue, so their pace was slow enough for her to keep up.
Now that the pursuit was over, she felt a renewed sense of energy.
With her mind at ease, her remaining True Qi began to heal her body.
But despite her relief, her mind was racing.
And among her many worries, the most pressing one concerned Peng Ha-ryeong.
“Hey, Ha-ryeong.”
“Yes?”
“Are you… engaged or something, to that Great Hero?”
“Huh? Oh, no, nothing like that.”
Her flustered denial and blushing cheeks only deepened Zhuge Seon-ah’s suspicion.
While they weren’t particularly close, they had known each other since childhood, and Zhuge Seon-ah had even stayed with the Peng Family for a while.
Her Sensory Acuity gave her a deep understanding of others.
To her, Peng Ha-ryeong’s denial seemed to emphasize the truth.
“You call him ‘Oppa’ though?”
“W-well… he’s older than me, so…”
“Really?”
“…He doesn’t know.”
While “Oppa” was generally used to address older males, when used by a woman, it could have a more intimate connotation.[1]
But Namgung-Woo was unaware of this custom.
No one had pointed it out, assuming he knew.
At first, Peng Ha-ryeong, seeing his lack of reaction, had hoped he felt the same way.
But over time, she realized the truth.
Being so close to him, she couldn’t miss it.
He genuinely didn’t understand the implication.
“He’s… a bit lacking in common sense, let’s say.”
“Ah… I see. The type who’s obsessed with martial arts and oblivious to everything else.”
Zhuge Seon-ah looked at Peng Ha-ryeong with a mixture of pity and understanding.
Then, she paused.
She remembered her friend, burdened by her younger sister’s illness, rarely smiling.
The friend who had been willing to sacrifice her own happiness for her sister, searching for a way to cure her.
She had never seen Peng Ha-ryeong so radiant, her face practically glowing.
“Ye-ryeong… is she better?”
“Yes, she is.”
“That Hero did it?”
Peng Ha-ryeong simply nodded, her gaze softening as she looked at Namgung-Woo.
‘She’s truly in love…’
Her own fleeting attraction to him when he had rescued her seemed insignificant in comparison.
Peng Ha-ryeong’s feelings were deep and genuine.
‘…He seemed so dependable.’
She had felt a momentary desire to stay by his side.
The boundless sky he had shown her.
Even though it contained stormy skies filled with thunder and lightning, and the cool, quiet sky of night, it had been comforting.
Unaware of the subtle envy in Zhuge Seon-ah’s gaze, Peng Ha-ryeong changed the subject.
“So, what happened to the Zhuge Family? What was that attack about?”
“…You know what happened in Beijing, right?”
“Of course. I was there.”
Her proud declaration surprised Zhuge Seon-ah.
“You were there?”
“Yes. With Oppa.”
“Ah… he was there too. But why haven’t I heard about it? He’s so strong…”
“He doesn’t like being too famous.”
Hidden Dragon.
The great Peng waits for the storm to take flight.
Perhaps even the chaos in Beijing wasn’t enough of a storm for him.
Zhuge Seon-ah looked at him with wonder, then continued.
“The Imperial Court was shaken. The Martial Governor went to Shandong. And then, the Banun Clan made their move.”
With no one to hold them back, the Banun Clan launched their long-planned offensive against the Zhuge Family.
“For now, it’s just skirmishes over territory, but we know what they’re truly after. It’s not just land. It will inevitably escalate into an all-out war, a fight for survival.”
A shadow fell over Zhuge Seon-ah’s face.
How many would die?
How many would be injured?
The Banun Clan was strong, comparable to the Nine Great Sects.
They clearly outmatched the Zhuge Family in terms of military might.
They had gathered all sorts of individuals, from righteous and unorthodox factions, even from beyond the borders.
Only the strongest could survive within their ranks, so every member was at least a Peak Realm expert.
Even the Huashan Sect, the strongest of the Nine Great Sects, would struggle against them without their Transcendent Realm expert, the Taohua Sword Immortal.
But the Zhuge Family wouldn’t surrender without a fight.
Just as she had sought help from the Guya Workshop, others were carrying out missions in preparation for war.
To find allies, to secure support from the Murim Alliance, to protect the Zhuge Family.
“This attack was part of the Banun Clan’s plan to hinder us.”
The Black Sword Devil Jeong Po.
Myeol Seom-ma Jeori-ryung.
They were Transcendent Realm experts recruited by the Banun Clan, who had begun strengthening their forces earlier than the Zhuge Family.
The Black Sword Devil, with his disciples, the Black Sword Unit, and Myeol Seom-ma, the leader of the Extinction Gate Sect, were more than just individual recruits.
Deploying them here demonstrated the thoroughness and ruthlessness of the Banun Clan’s preparations.
“So, the Banun Clan hasn’t made a direct move yet?”
“They’re waiting.”
For the final blow.
For undeniable proof that the Imperial Court could no longer control the Murim.
This bought the Zhuge Family some time.
How long, they didn’t know, but they were safe for now.
“So… Ha-ryeong.”
She paused, her chapped lips parting.
She clenched her fists and lowered her head.
‘Is this right? Should I even ask this?’
Suppressing a mix of guilt, desperation, hope, and self-loathing, she forced out the words,
“…Can you help us?”
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[1] They used “Gēge” (哥哥), remember?
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