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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Breaking away from the confrontation between the Wudang Sect and the Banun Clan, Namgung-Woo raced towards the Zhuge Family estate.
With each stride, the surroundings blurred.
‘I have to hurry.’
He understood the meaning of the explosion.
How could he not?
With his enhanced senses, he could smell the acrid gunpowder and see the rising smoke.
The Zhuge Family’s defenses were breached.
Now, it was down to individual combat.
Peng Ha-ryeong, Geum-shin, Yang Kwai, Yang Jeong – all strong enough to hold their own, but the Banun Clan was different.
‘Gunpowder… are they allowed to use explosives so openly in the Murim?’
He’d ask the Zhuge Family or Peng Ha-ryeong later.
He spread his senses, taking in the chaotic mix of energies.
His accelerated thought processes quickly filtered through them and searched for the ones he sought.
‘They haven’t regrouped. Three together, two separate… Ha-ryeong is with Zhuge Seon-ah.’
Not just them.
The Zhuge estate was in chaos, with skirmishes breaking out everywhere.
The Zhuge Family members were putting up a valiant defense, but they were being pushed back.
Most of their opponents had mismatched Qi, indicating they were Banun Clan members.
But in one area, he sensed a familiar, powerful energy.
Myeol Seom-ma and his Myeoljin Sect disciples.
Branch Leader Neung-un, one of the two Transcendent Realm experts in the Zhuge Family, along with Family Head Zhuge Chong, was clashing fiercely with Myeol Seom-ma.
He didn’t sense the Black Sword Devil’s Qi.
He must have been tasked with diverting the attention of the righteous factions elsewhere in Wuhan.
‘Ha-ryeong is my priority.’
Geum-shin and the Yang brothers weren’t facing particularly dangerous opponents.
The three of them could handle it.
But Peng Ha-ryeong and Zhuge Seon-ah were in a different situation. They were facing too many strong opponents.
‘I need to get there… what?’
Just as he was about to increase his speed, he sensed a sudden surge of energy.
It was comparable to Branch Leader Neung-un’s or Myeol Seom-ma’s.
If it was an enemy, Peng Ha-ryeong and Zhuge Seon-ah were in grave danger.
He tried to use a technique he hadn’t fully mastered yet: Shrinking the Earth to Inches, the ultimate movement technique.
He hadn’t reached that level yet, but by combining it with his Thousand Li Courtyard…
He channeled Ethereal Void Divine Qi from his upper dantian, directing it towards his legs, then released control just as it reached his solar plexus.
‘An ally?’
The expert he had perceived as a threat was protecting Peng Ha-ryeong and Zhuge Seon-ah, holding back their enemies.
They were safe, for now.
But there was still a chance the expert might turn on them, so he didn’t change course.
He arrived just as the expert finished off the surrounding enemies.
“Stop.”
He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
The man turned and faced him.
He looked to be in his thirties or forties, but given the age-defying effects of high-level cultivation, he could be over fifty.
He had a striking, bold face.
No signs of demonic or unorthodox cultivation.
He fought unarmed.
Judging by the blood on his hands, his primary martial art was fist-based.
The man asked,
“Who are you?”
“I’m their protector.”
“Is that so? Then you must be the young hero, Nam Woo.”
“You know me?”
Namgung-Woo’s demeanor shifted, his controlled Qi sharpening.
Seeing this, Peng Ha-ryeong rushed over.
“W-wait! He’s an ally!”
“You know him?”
“Well, sort of…”
“You don’t know me? That’s a new experience.”
The man’s tone was more amused than offended.
Zhuge Seon-ah continued Peng Ha-ryeong’s explanation.
“This is Hero Yi Ho-yeong, the Yellow Dragon.”
“Yellow Dragon? Ah, one of the three Transcendent Realm mercenaries?”
The Wanderer King, the Yellow Dragon, and the Undefeated Wanderer.
The three strongest among the countless mercenaries in the Murim.
The Wanderer King was widely acknowledged as the strongest, but the Yellow Dragon was the most respected.
The “hero” in his title perfectly described him.
He was more like a wandering knight than a mercenary, earning the respect even of righteous martial artists who usually looked down on mercenaries.
Yi Ho-yeong smiled warmly.
“I was going to observe the situation before intervening, but now there’s no need. Using gunpowder in a Murim conflict is outrageous. The Banun Clan has crossed the line.”
His initially light tone grew heavy with anger and resolve.
His emotions affected the surrounding Qi.
A true mark of a Transcendent Realm expert.
“But it seems you have somewhere to be. Why don’t you leave this to me?”
“…Thank you for your help.”
“It’s my duty. And I’m happy to help a promising young hero and the Zhuge Family in their time of need.”
“I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”
Yi Ho-yeong shook his head.
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. It was a natural reaction.”
He dismissed Namgung-Woo’s earlier display of hostility.
“Well then.”
“…Wait!”
It was Zhuge Seon-ah who stopped him as he turned to leave.
She had called out instinctively but now seemed unsure what to say.
She looked like a startled animal, and he found himself reaching out to pat her head.
He realized his mistake the moment he felt her soft hair under his palm, but it was too late.
He stroked her hair a few times before withdrawing his hand.
“Don’t worry. I’ll complete the request.”
“I… I want to go with you…”
“Wait here.”
“…Okay.”
She lowered her head, with her hands clasped together.
He couldn’t see her face, but the tips of her ears, visible beneath her hair, were bright red.
Peng Ha-ryeong, observing them, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and a bitter smile formed on her lips.
“Go ahead, Oppa. We’ll be waiting.”
“Yes. I’ll leave them to you, Hero Yi.”
“Likewise.”
As Namgung-Woo walked away, Yi Ho-yeong murmured with a smile,
“How I envy… youth.”
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Dongfang Huo blocked the lightning bolt that struck from a clear sky.
A Taiji symbol appeared in the air.
The Taiji Reverse Void Method.
A complete inversion of the Wudang Sect’s core principles, embodying the principle of shattering hardness with softness, not overcoming it.
The technique, blurring the line between spell and martial art, neutralized the lightning and dispersed its energy.
It was a Flash of Divine Light, executed flawlessly, though not at full power due to the element of surprise.
The force of the attack, deflected by the Taiji Reverse Void Method, was redirected back at its source.
Whirr!
Namgung-Woo twisted his body in mid-air and dodged the reflected energy.
Dongfang Huo, having used the Taiji Reverse Void Method at its limit, chose to create distance rather than follow up with another attack.
Without pausing, Namgung-Woo attacked again, following Flash of Divine Light with Thunderclap and Trailing Clouds.
The same combination that had battered Li Zi-long now targeted Dongfang Huo.
“Your internal energy is monstrous! Did you consume a Grand Return Pellet?”
But Dongfang Huo was different from Li Zi-long.
Li Zi-long was skilled in both spells and martial arts but lacked real-world experience.
Dongfang Huo, on the other hand, was a seasoned veteran.
He moved gracefully, as if stepping on clouds.
Using the renowned Wudang Sect movement technique, Ladder to the Clouds, he ascended into the air.
Namgung-Woo didn’t pursue.
He dispersed the Heavenly Thunder True Qi he had gathered and channeled Sky Vault True Qi from his middle dantian.
A quick victory was impossible against this opponent.
The Sky Vault Great Evolution Divine Art was more suitable for a prolonged fight.
But this action gave Dongfang Huo the confirmation he sought.
“Unbelievable…! That True Qi, those techniques! There’s no doubt! No doubt!”
He burst out laughing in disbelief.
As Zhuge Chong gathered his remaining True Qi, preparing to attack Dongfang Huo with Namgung-Woo, and as Namgung-Woo began his Infinite Steps, Dongfang Huo spoke.
“You… you’re a Namgung.”
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