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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Even after Namgung-Woo declared his intention to expand the Azure Sky Group, they remained at Mount Hwang for several more days.
By the time Zhuge Pan had recovered enough to wield his martial arts again, a rumor swept through Mount Hwang and Yi County.
The Wayseekers of the Mist had successfully escaped the Imperial Court’s encirclement.
While Martial Governor Han Won-chun and the Mosan Sect Daoists were in hot pursuit, and it was too early to declare the campaign a failure, but it was clear that the Imperial Court’s authority had weakened.
“So it’s come to this…”
Zhuge Seon-ah felt a dark cloud descend over her, obscuring her vision.
She had known it was inevitable, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
“The Imperial Court acted too openly. They had to make a grand show of force to salvage their pride, but it backfired.”
“Giving sorcerers time and space to prepare reduces the chances of victory. The Mosan Sect was there to counter them, but…”
Yang Jeong and Peng Ha-ryeong expressed their regret.
“Mu-geuk’s absence is truly felt.”
“The Greatest Warrior Under Heaven?”
“Indeed. If he were still with the Imperial Court, they wouldn’t have needed such a large-scale operation. They could have just located the Wayseekers and sent Mu-geuk to take care of them.”
“Someone like that couldn’t have died so easily. He’s younger than Emperor Gwang-geuk, so it’s ridiculous to say he passed away from old age… maybe he really ascended to immortality?”
“Enough idle chatter. That’s not what’s important right now.”
The Imperial Court had lost its leverage over the Murim.
The elephant, once shackled by the Imperial Court, finally realized it was free.
All that remained was to break the flimsy fence and escape.
“We need to go to Wuhan.”
The fuse had been lit.
The question was, how long was it?
How far had the flame traveled?
Since they didn’t know, it was safer to reach Hubei Province, the future battlefield, as quickly as possible.
“But Boss, it hasn’t been a month yet, like the Guya Workshop Master said.”
“If we wait a month, who knows what might happen?”
The Hwangsan Sect, once considered one of the Nine Great Sects, had weakened.
If even their Sect Leader had heard the news, the leader of the Banun Clan, a sect comparable to the Nine Great Sects, would surely know as well.
They must have finished their preparations by now.
“We leave immediately.”
But he wouldn’t give up on the sword.
“What? Did the Guya Workshop offer delivery? I’ve never heard of that…”
“I didn’t ask the Guya Workshop. I asked someone else.”
The two monks who had visited him earlier.
They had made a request, and in exchange, he had asked them for a favor.
“I made a deal with Hwaseong Temple.”
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The distance from Yi County in Southern Zhili, where the Hwangsan Sect was located, to Wuhan in Hubei Province, where the Zhuge Family resided, was considerable.
Farther than from Seoul to Busan.
But for martial artists who could cover hundreds of li in a day, it was a manageable journey. [1 li = 0.5 km]
“We can arrive in ten days if we hurry.”
Their group hadn’t grown much.
Only two people had joined their original four.
One was Zhuge Seon-ah, the client and a member of the Zhuge Family.
The other was…
“Is it really okay for a monk to join something like this?”
It was Geum-shin, the warrior monk from Hwaseong Temple.
Yang Kwai’s gruff tone sounded almost like a challenge.
“Our karma lies in killing. I’ve heard that even monks kill the yokai from the Ghost Gates, but we sometimes kill people too.”
Geum-shin responded with a hearty laugh, befitting a monk.
“Haha, our Hwaseong Temple worships the Netherworld Master.”
“Netherworld Master?”
“Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.”
“I know that! I was just thinking for a second! Can’t you wait?”
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had descended into hell to save all beings, vowing not to achieve Buddhahood until all beings in hell were saved.
People respectfully called him the Netherworld Master.
“If we kill the wicked who deserve hell, we’re sending them into the arms of the compassionate Netherworld Master. Why would I object to that?”
“…So, it’s okay to kill bad guys?”
Yang Kwai’s face contorted in confusion.
Was that… right?
“Guiding the wicked to enlightenment is our duty as warrior monks.”
“But Master, what if they’re not wicked?”
“There’s no unorthodox martial artist who hasn’t committed evil deeds, so we can fight them without hesitation. And if they’re righteous martial artists, we just treat it as a sparring match and knock them unconscious. That’s why we use blunt weapons.”
Geum-shin tapped the staff on his back.
He was now using the two halves of the staff broken by the Black Sword Devil as twin short staffs.
“…Boss, are you sure this monk is alright? He sounds like a fallen monk.”
“Even the Shaolin monks aren’t this… extreme.”
“Wait a minute. Hey, Master! You’re not a fallen monk, so is it okay for you to join another organization while still belonging to Hwaseong Temple?”
“Young Lady Peng is also a member of the Peng Family and the Azure Sky Group. It’s similar. I’ve already received permission from Senior Monk Hang-wi, so there’s no need to worry.”
Yang Kwai and Yang Jeong were speechless.
What could they say to a monk who openly declared it was okay to kill the wicked?
Besides, Geum-shin’s joining was Namgung-Woo’s decision.
It wasn’t their place to question it.
“Boss, I trust your judgment, but are you really sure? Hwaseong Temple has some powerful martial artists.”
“It’s fine. Senior Monk Hang-wi asked me to do this.”
Hang-wi held considerable authority within Hwaseong Temple, similar to Jeong-gwang’s position in the Hwangsan Sect.
Just as Jeong-gwang was of the same generation as the Hwangsan Sect Leader, Hang-wi was of the same generation as the Hwaseong Temple Abbot, one rank below the Head Monk.
Since all the monks of the Head Monk’s generation had passed away, Hang-wi was a highly respected elder.
“And it’s customary for our Hwaseong Temple monks to travel the world and gain experience. Just as the Netherworld Master descended into hell, we wander this hellish world to save sentient beings.”
Geum-shin added that the Hwaseong Temple monks had been helping the Zhuge Family because they had encountered them by chance while returning to the temple after their pilgrimage.
“That’s enough explanation. I’ve confirmed his skills, and he’s agreed to follow our rules while he’s with the Azure Sky Group. That’s sufficient.”
Namgung-Woo settled the matter of the new recruits.
They focused on reaching Wuhan.
Zhuge Seon-ah could predict enemy attacks to some extent.
With Namgung-Woo’s ability to spread his senses over a vast area, the possibility of being ambushed was practically zero.
Geum-shin followed Namgung-Woo and Peng Ha-ryeong more easily than Yang Kwai, whose protective Qi had greatly improved with his increased mastery.
He used the Dharma Seeking Ocean Crossing movement technique, a technique meant for monks seeking enlightenment across the sea.
Watching Geum-shin ahead, Yang Jeong muttered,
“Another Peak Realm expert…”
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They rushed towards Wuhan like a whirlwind.
Eight days.
That’s how long it took them to reach Wuhan from Mount Hwang.
It was only possible thanks to the exceptional prowess of Peng Ha-ryeong and Geum-shin, both outstanding even among early Transcendent Realm experts, and the Yang brothers’ unique ability to receive power from them and Namgung-Woo without suffering any adverse effects.
“Let’s go straight to the main house. Squad Leader Pan probably sent a message, but they must be worried.”
“Alright.”
Even after traveling together for days, Namgung-Woo still addressed Zhuge Seon-ah formally.
It felt like he was drawing a line between them, emphasizing their employer-employee relationship, which saddened her.
But she hid her feelings and led the way with a determined stride.
“Wait.”
Shortly after entering Wuhan, Namgung-Woo stopped them.
He heard whispers around them.
They hadn’t had time to properly inquire in the villages they passed through, rushing as they were, but he had sensed an unsettling atmosphere.
What he had suspected as they passed through Huanggang County, practically next door to Wuhan, seemed to have come true.
He approached a man who was sharing gossip.
The man flinched as Namgung-Woo, with his imposing physique, approached and stammered,
“W-who are you?”
“Just one question.”
He would find out when they reached the Zhuge Family estate anyway, but there was no need to wait.
“What happened to the Zhuge Family?”
The man, apparently a gossip-monger, relaxed as if he understood and raised his voice.
“Has the news spread already?”
Just as he was about to demand payment for information, he recognized a face behind Namgung-Woo.
His face paled, and he shouted,
“The Banun Clan declared war on the Zhuge Family!”
The world suddenly darkened as a cloud obscured the sun.
That cloud was the dark cloud of war.
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