Chapter 40

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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**

After hearing the report of the returned minions, the Danyang Sect Master dismissed his subordinates and smiled nastily.

“Hehehe. They say the Wudang Sect has arrived.”

At the Danyang Sect Master’s words, a voice came from within the shadows.

“It is not just the Wudang Sect. The Tang Clan and the Beggars’ Sect are also here. The one next to the Wudang Sect’s young Taoist was the Tang Clan’s Third Young Master. And the beggar next to him was a Beggars’ Sect disciple.”

He had thought that the three people mentioned by the minion were all from the Wudang Sect, but that did not seem to be the case.

From the Sichuan Tang Clan to the Beggars’ Sect.

They were illustrious names incomparable to the name of the Danyang Sect. However, the Danyang Sect Master was not that frightened.

The men in the shadows.

And it was because of the existence of ‘that person.’

He was merely surprised.

“Indeed, everything is just as predicted.”

This was because this mysterious faction, which had introduced him to his teacher, ‘that person,’ and supported him with money and poison, had foreseen the current situation from beforehand. Of course, the Danyang Sect Master had been half-doubtful, but reaching this point, he had no choice but to believe it.

Allowing the Wudang Sect and the Cloud Sword Hall to choose the time of the battle, and deciding the battlefield to be the mudflat, were also ideas that came from their heads.

“Tomorrow at midnight. The Wudang Sect and the Tang Clan will lose their young elites.”

“Is ‘that person’ also coming this time?”

At the Danyang Sect Master’s question, the shadow swayed faintly. It was a nod of the head. At that sight, the Danyang Sect Master smiled nastily and nodded back.

“Hehehe. With this, the Wudang Sect’s position in the Hubei Murim will also be greatly shaken.”

Of course, it was a good thing for the Danyang Sect, and for him.

**

Gold-Knot Wandering Beggar read all the reports brought by the Chibi Branch Leader and asked back.

“Is there any basis for this?”

“Well… it is because Old Man Yang, the oldest in our branch, said it…”

“Didn’t you say Old Man Yang’s mind has been coming and going for a few years now?”

“Yes, well, that is true, but… if the rumor is true, doesn’t it mean everyone out on the mission right now will be in danger?”

Just as the Chibi Branch Leader said, if what Old Man Yang saw was true, it was right to halt the ongoing operation immediately. Not only was it dangerous with their current strength, but it was even more so because the young elites of the three sects who had gone out to perform the mission were all promising individuals in their respective sects.

However, the problem was.

“With the kids in the Chibi Branch, can you verify the person Old Man Yang saw again?”

“By when…?”

“What do you mean by when? Today, of course. The matter is to be decided tomorrow at midnight, so should we verify it after the mission is over?”

“…How can we, at our level, recognize a martial artist who has reached the Transcendental realm? It’s impossible. It’s impossible.”

Since the Chibi Branch Leader’s words were also correct, Gold-Knot Wandering Beggar let out a groan and rubbed his chin.

‘This is tricky.’

To simply dismiss it as the nonsense of a senile old man, the contents of the intelligence were too heavy, but to suspend the mission based on poorly supported information, the Wudang Sect’s reputation would be severely damaged.

Since they had already promised to protect the Cloud Sword Hall and fight a battle against the Danyang Sect under the watchful eyes of the public, stopping was impossible.

“This is truly a checkmate.”

If it were simply a matter of a small-to-medium unorthodox sect like the Danyang Sect throwing a tantrum, it would not have been a problem, but because the current incident was not that simple.

In the first place, during the pillages by the Green Forest bandits that occurred sporadically in various places, if they had quickly noticed the intention of the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest’s Great Sage Who Drives Spirits, the situation would not have turned out like this, but the recipe for the imitation of the Immortal Ruiner had already passed to the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest.

At this point in time, when intelligence that the imitation poison was also being passed to numerous black path unorthodox sects was coming up from all over the world, the reason the Danyang Sect drew attention was not because of who used the poison, but rather because the target they used it on was a problem.

The Cloud Sword Hall, a branch of the Wudang Sect.

Attacking a Wudang Sect branch in the middle of Hubei was equivalent to picking a fight with the Wudang Sect.

Even if they had been supplied with poison by the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest, it did not mean they would back them up to the end, yet the Danyang Sect had struck the Cloud Sword Hall.

It was something difficult to do unless there was another backer comparable to the Wudang Sect besides the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest. But here, even the name of a specter who died a long time ago suddenly popped out.

‘It is unusual. It is unusual!’

Rolling his eyes for a moment, Gold-Knot Wandering Beggar quickly worked his brain.

‘First, I will drag in all the real deals nearby.’

As soon as he finished his calculations, he opened his mouth.

“Very well. First, you guys, as soon as the Danyang Sect bastards assemble at the mudflat near Hong Lake, charge in immediately, search every corner of the buildings, and find the evidence.”

“What about you, Branch Leader?”

“I have something else to do. If anything happens to me, send the clues you find directly to the main headquarters.”

“…Yes.”

At Gold-Knot Wandering Beggar’s solemn words, the Branch Leader was startled and then nodded his head. Without even turning his eyes to the Branch Leader, Gold-Knot Wandering Beggar hurriedly moved his steps.

**

Beyond Chibi’s West Gate is the famous Hong Lake.

The vicinity of Hong Lake is mostly a mudflat at this time of year.

Because the soil, having absorbed the water that had flooded during the summer, became mud and showed high viscosity, it was not an easy space for ordinary commoners to move their steps.

In other words, it meant that not a single human shadow could be seen except for us and the Danyang Sect disciples. Moreover, it was now midnight. As the moon and stars in the sky were unusually dim today, it was a night when the surrounding darkness was even deeper.

However, those including me, Tang Jong-hyeok, Yang So, and the Cloud Sword Hall disciples were those who had practiced the internal cultivation of the orthodox path.

There was no one who could not distinguish between friend and foe due to the darkness of the night.

In addition, the mudflat here was different from environments such as a well-paved blue-stone floor or a neat training ground. If one made even a small mistake, even an expert who had reached a higher level of achievement would not be able to avoid a stray blade.

In other words, it was a terrain that smiled upon the Danyang Sect, whose numbers were large but quality was low.

‘They intend to surround and annihilate us.’

As if proving my thoughts, I examined the faces of the Danyang Sect disciples whom I faced upon arriving at the mudflat. No fear was seen.

They had murderous expressions, confident of their own victory.

Moreover, warriors of exceptional presence detected by the sensitivity of the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition were mixed in here and there.

I looked back at Tang Jong-hyeok and Yang So.

Tang Jong-hyeok and Yang So also nodded slightly.

It seemed clear that, just as we thought, the Danyang Sect was a minion of the Six Great Evils. Otherwise, there was no way there could be five more experts who looked as strong as the Sect Master.

This was even more strange since ordinary unorthodox sects were usually maintained by the strong martial power or leadership of their sect master.

In other words, it fit exactly as predicted.

“Strike!”

In addition to the fierce momentum of the rushing bastards, those who seemed as strong as or even stronger than the Danyang Sect Master attached themselves to me, Tang Jong-hyeok, and Yang So.

Thanks to this, the Cloud Sword Hall disciples ended up dealing only with ordinary Danyang Sect disciples.

Up to this point was expected, but…

‘Hmm?!’

Tang Jong-hyeok and Yang So struggled unexpectedly against the encirclement of the men dressed in black and those among the Danyang Sect disciples whose presence seemed outstanding.

The reason for this was.

Although the iron fan brandished by Tang Jong-hyeok followed the routine of the Tang Clan’s secret Blood Butterfly Fan, the enemies skillfully avoided it as if they knew the weak point of the Blood Butterfly Fan, and struck, aiming for the gaps between his breaths.

“Hup!”

Seeing Tang Jong-hyeok being double-teamed by two men in black, I immediately occupied the opponent’s flank using the Flowing Cloud Movement Skill, and then pushed the opponent away with the striking method of the Tai Chi Chuan’s Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane.

“This guy is from the Wudang Sect!”

Along with the shout, a black-robed warrior with a presence comparable to the Danyang Sect Master surrounded me, bringing five Danyang Sect disciples with him.

Furthermore, the weapons they positioned were all at locations that could exquisitely intercept the routines of the Supreme Clarity Free Hand.

Additionally, around Yang So, who was brandishing the Beggars’ Sect’s secret Dog-Beating Staff, two men in black were pressing him. He, too, was unable to display his power compared to his martial prowess.

In an instant, goosebumps broke out on my back.

‘They knew in advance that our Wudang Sect, the Tang Clan, and the Beggars’ Sect would come here?’

Thinking inductively, that was a reasonable thought.

If I thought one step further from there?

‘They picked a fight because they had grasped our strength and were confident of winning.’

Perhaps even the act of crowding into the inn where the Cloud Sword Hall disciples were and causing trouble felt like a planned event.

It was a situation where we thought we had lured the opponent and opened the battle, but rather it was the opposite.

And just like that thought.

“Muhahaha! Stupid orthodox bastards!”

The Danyang Sect Master was pushing the Cloud Sword Hall disciples hard with hands flushed crimson.

Even though he was suspected of having used poison, the Danyang Sect Master was at a level equal to the Cloud Sword Hall Master. It looked difficult for the disciples of the deceased Hall Master to handle.

I immediately glanced at the enemies surrounding me.

The bastards did not bother to strike first.

They knew very well that they would be at an advantage just by dragging out time.

I did not know how thoroughly they knew the martial arts of the Wudang Sect, but…

‘Do they know this as well?’

I took a step of the Slender Willow Flutter, the Brownian stride.

The sensation of the mud sucking in my feet was unfamiliar, but rather, thanks to the floor with a low coefficient of friction, the unique unpredictability of the Slender Willow Flutter came alive.

In that way, a strong rotational force wave was applied to the steps as light as clouds in the sky.

“Huh?!”

As if surprised, the pupils of the enemies dilated.

‘They do not know the Slender Willow Flutter.’

Because the Slender Willow Flutter was a footwork technique created by me and my senior brothers, it was a footwork force that few had learned even within the Wudang Sect.

Just like that, I dug into the chest of the Danyang Sect disciple who was brandishing a spear.

Crack!

Loaded with centrifugal force, a single straight punch of Advancing into Emptiness, Leaving the Temple smashed his breastbone.

Immediately after the death of one person, the formation shook.

The gaze of the man in black also wavered.

He was confused because the martial arts I used were completely different from ordinary Wudang Sect martial arts.

“Strike!”

Ultimately, following the shout of the man in black, the Danyang Sect disciples rushed at me all at once.

I aimed for that gap and entered.

This time, I stamped my foot with the Cloud-Climbing Step.

Thump.

The man in black leading the Danyang Sect disciples took a middle stance and immediately predicted my path. Around him, the weapons of the Danyang Sect disciples chaotically blocked my way.

At that moment, I twisted my toes. A momentary improvisation. It was an application of the Beggars’ Sect’s Drunken Eight Immortals Steps.

“Huh!”

As the great broadsword of the Danyang Sect disciple, which was swung directly to cut my neck, grazed past my hair, his upper body was exposed just like that.

The Danyang Sect disciple’s shoulder caught on the fingertips of the Tai Chi Chuan’s Grasp the Bird’s Tail. Due to inertia and action-reaction, the Danyang Sect disciple’s shoulder was dislocated.

“Aaargh!”

The fallen guy rolled on the mudflat. Indeed, except for the fact that they knew our martial arts in advance, the ordinary disciples of the Danyang Sect were at best at the level of the Body Cultivation Stage, opponents of a single strike.

Remaining before me, who had defeated all the Danyang Sect disciples in a single breath, was only the man in black with a stiffened face.

“How can a monster like you exist with Wudang Sect martial arts… it is utterly absurd.”

Wudang Sect martial arts are representative of those whose time of achievement is late even among the martial arts of prestigious orthodox sects. If another Wudang Sect disciple of my age had faced them, it would have been difficult to withstand them. I could tell how much the opponent had prepared for this moment.

Furthermore, what I could tell was that the factions of the Six Great Evils did not only cooperate.

Even though I already had a history of clashing with the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest and the Ghost Immortal Valley—of course, none of the Ghost Immortal Valley crowd had returned alive—they did not know me at all.

“Where did you come from? The Chaotic Heaven Green Forest? Or the Black Society Alliance?”

The guy who had snorted when I mentioned the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest changed the rhythm of his breathing for a brief instant at the name of the Black Society Alliance.

“Don’t go anywhere and hold dominoes. Though it will be hard to hold them in the future anyway.”

With those words, I reached out my hand.

**

“Muhahaha! Is this the extent of the orthodox martial arts you bastards boast of!”

The Danyang Sect Master burst into a wild laugh and swung his palm.

Along with a clashing sound, the sword of the Cloud Sword Hall disciple that collided with his palm was pushed back instead. Even though it clashed with the sword, only a small scratch was made on the Danyang Sect Master’s palm.

It was because the internal power loaded on the Cloud Sword Hall disciples’ swords was dispersed by the Danyang Sect Master’s hot-yang energy.

“Hehehe. We used poison? There is no need to even use poison on you bastards.”

Full of confidence, the hand he swung again ended up striking the youngest disciple, who had the weakest martial arts among the Cloud Sword Hall disciples.

“Cough!”

“Junior!”

A senior brother supported the youngest, who had collapsed while coughing up blood. From that sight, the Danyang Sect Master felt an unspeakable euphoria. Because those whom he would not have even dared to look at ten years ago were now kneeling before him.

However, the Danyang Sect Master had no time to finish off the Cloud Sword Hall disciple.

“Sect Master! Over there!”

“Huh?!”

The men in black who had boasted that they would deal with the Wudang Sect, the Beggars’ Sect, and the Tang Clan were all collapsing and groveling on the ground without exception.

‘What is this!’

Since those who were confident that their analysis of the three sects’ martial arts and weak points were already complete were in such a state.

The survival instinct accumulated from rolling around in the black path for over thirty years was telling the Danyang Sect Master.

“-Run away.”

Looking at the three people approaching him, the Danyang Sect Master immediately shook his sleeve slightly. It was that very mysterious poison that had enabled him to defeat the Cloud Sword Hall Master.

However, he did not know.

“-It is a poison that has neither smell nor color, making it difficult to even confirm the presence of poisoning.”

That the same poison as the one in his sleeve was also in the bosoms of the men in black who had handed him the poison while saying so.

And.

“You dare use poison in front of the Tang Clan?”

As the snorting man brandished his iron folding fan,

“Huh?!”

The poison he had secretly scattered through his sleeve was heading right back toward himself.

‘I’m screwed!’

He immediately tried to turn around and flee. However, even that was not easy. Because the highly viscous mud kept catching his feet. On top of that, a hand that reached out at a timely moment caught the Danyang Sect Master’s shoulder, and

“Aaargh!”

Along with a snapping sound, both shoulder joints were dislocated. Spattering mud, the Danyang Sect Master was sprawled out on the mudflat.

“Heugh. Heugh.”

The Danyang Sect Master, gasping with pain, wriggled his entire body as if to escape somehow. However, the more he did so, the more strongly the muddy ground pulled him in. Before long, he gave up moving and exhaled a shallow breath. Because it was so painful, saliva dripped from his mouth.

The young man with a cold expression looking down at that sight folded his fan and spoke.

“Young Brother Yeon. Have you not learned the acupoint-striking art?”

“Yes. It is because I have never learned finger techniques.”

“That turned out for the better, then.”

The remaining Danyang Sect minions were frightened by the sight of their leader collapsing so futilely, and were slowly backing away.

Looking at them, the Danyang Sect Master shouted.

“Save… Save me! Save me! Please…”

“Where are you looking and talking? The ones holding your lifeline are us.”

Despite the words of the cold young man holding the fan, the Danyang Sect Master was staring intently at a man mixed among his disciples, and

The moment that man stepped forward, color returned to the Danyang Sect Master’s face.

And.

Splat!

The Danyang Sect Master’s head burst open.

It was in an instant.