Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 134

Ninth Dragon Chronicles (134)

“You can’t reach them?”

“That’s right. We haven’t heard from the Daeryeong Extermination Squad that went to Shandong Province. There are rumors of a major battle between martial artists in Shandong Province, and we suspect there might have been a fight between the Daeryeong Extermination Squad and the Nine Dragons Unit.”

Bae Dong-seong frowned at the report from Man Jang-seong, the leader of the Hongryeong Annihilation Squad.

“If the Daeryeong Extermination Squad was defeated, doesn’t that mean the Nine Dragons Unit’s strength is greater than we thought?”

Elder Lee Jeok-saeng, who had accompanied them from the Jinryang Temple, spoke. Song Deok-hoo, an elder from the Gongmyeong Temple who had also come to provide support, added with concern.

“Although Namgung Cheong-ya has a peculiar personality, he is not a liar. If there was no involvement from the Namgung Clan, as he stated, we need to approach the Nine Dragons Unit with caution.”

“There are no confirmed reports that the Daeryeong Extermination Squad was defeated. Only that a battle occurred…”

“If there’s been no news until now, we should operate under the assumption that they were defeated.”

Bae Dong-seong seemed certain that the Daeryeong Extermination Squad had been defeated and wore a displeased expression.

“I heard there were only twelve of them. How could a hundred men be defeated by so few? Weren’t they part of the Black Tortoise Unit of the Righteous Sky Alliance?”

“That’s correct. They were the ones who were defeated by our alliance in Chongqing and retreated.”

“Even if they have grown remarkably in a short period, they shouldn’t be able to wipe out the entire Daeryeong Extermination Squad.”

“Isn’t it possible that the Namgung Clan’s daughter helped them? If what the third son of the White Horse Society said is true, she possesses martial prowess comparable to one of the Hundred Great Masters [a ranking of the top martial artists].”

“The Nine Dragons Unit Leader could have joined the fight as well. If what the third son of the White Horse Society said is true, then two people with martial prowess comparable to the Hundred Great Masters fought together, which would have made it difficult for the Daeryeong Extermination Squad.”

Bae Dong-seong agreed with the two elders and fell into thought.

“We might struggle with just our forces. If the Namgung Clan’s daughter is in danger while fighting us, the Sword Saint and Sword Dragon might join the battle.”

“That’s right. We need to request support from the alliance to prevent them from helping at all.”

The leader of the Hongryeong Annihilation Squad, Man Jang-seong, felt displeased, as if the elders were ignoring him and his squad, but he couldn’t show it.

“Who should we call to keep the Sword Saint in check?”

Even though he didn’t pay much attention to Namgung Jin, the Sword Dragon, one of the Ten Dragons and Eight Peaks [esteemed martial artists], the Sword Saint was different and couldn’t be taken lightly.

“If it’s Wi So-bong, the Sword Saint will concede a point.”

“Sa Blood Crimson Flower Wi So-bong? Wouldn’t that be a bit dangerous?”

“The Sword Saint is among the top masters of the Hundred Great Masters. To fight against him, we need a master of similar caliber from our alliance, but it won’t be easy to call them.”

“Indeed.”

No one in the martial world can simply order those included in the Hundred Great Masters of the Martial Realm.

The Demonic Cult might be able to because of their strict hierarchy, but it’s not easy for the Sa Blood Alliance or the Righteous Sky Alliance unless it’s an order from the alliance leader.

Even if it’s an order from the Righteous Sky Alliance leader, they can refuse if they don’t want to, so in reality, using those included in the Hundred Great Masters of the Martial Realm is only possible when the conditions are met.

“Wi So-bong has a relationship with the Sword Saint, so he will likely come if we ask for help. And the Sword Saint won’t be able to move easily if it’s Wi So-bong.”

“Will the Sword Saint stay still because of his past relationship with Wi So-bong when it comes to matters related to his family’s daughter?”

“Even so, he will likely try to resolve the matter amicably through negotiations, not by using force.”

“Wi So-bong…”

While Bae Dong-seong was contemplating whether to call Sa Blood Crimson Flower Wi So-bong, Man Jang-seong spoke.

“What if they don’t come here and continue to attack sects related to our alliance while traveling through other provinces?”

“Sama Chief will discuss that issue with the Righteous Sky Alliance. We will publicly declare it to our evil sects, and the Righteous Sky Alliance will also declare the Nine Dragons Unit Leader as a public enemy and ask for cooperation in arresting him, so he won’t be able to just go around killing people.”

“Are you saying you will circulate the martial arts warrant [an official order for arrest]?”

“Will the Namgung Clan stay still? The Namgung Clan being branded as the family of a public enemy is something the Namgung Clan will also be branded with.”

“That’s something the Righteous Sky Alliance will take care of. For now, contact the alliance and ask them to send Wi So-bong.”

* * *

“To think that our alliance is experiencing such difficulties due to an unexpected family, it seems we’ve been living too comfortably.”

In the Sa Blood Alliance’s main hall, the alliance leader, Sa Hwang Baek Mu-gi, the chief Sama Maeng, and a woman were seated together. The woman was Sa Blood Crimson Flower Wi So-bong.

She was in her mid-forties, but she looked as young as her late thirties.

She was also called Crimson Flower because she always wore pathologically red clothes, and martial artists feared her, calling her Sa Blood Crimson Flower, because the place she passed was said to bloom with flowers of death.

“I apologize. I will contact the sects affiliated with our alliance and have them reform.”

“Inform Wi So-bong about the Nine Dragons Unit Leader.”

Sama Maeng informed Wi So-bong about the Nine Dragons Unit Leader, Hwa-rin.

He combined the information given by Bae Dong-seong, the information obtained by the intelligence department, and the information obtained from the Hao Gate to inform Wi So-bong about the Nine Dragons Unit Leader and the people around him.

“There may be some exaggeration, but if it’s true, he’s quite remarkable. If he’s twenty-six years old, is he just past his prime as a rising star?”

In the martial world, rising stars are considered to be between eighteen and twenty-five years old.

Hwa-rin was twenty-five years old when he was discharged from the military, and now that a year has passed, he is twenty-six years old this year.

Although he is twenty-six years old and has passed his prime as a rising star, he is still considered a rising star in the martial world.

“Since he is not someone who has been active in the martial world for long, it is safe to consider him a rising star. However, he spent five years in the special environment of the military, which is different from the martial world, so he may be more dangerous than a typical martial artist.”

Wi So-bong nodded. She clearly knew the differences between martial artists and soldiers, so she didn’t take Hwa-rin lightly.

“Then, are you saying that I should go to Shanxi Province and kill him?”

“The Namgung Clan’s daughter is on the Nine Dragons Unit Leader’s side.”

“Are you talking about Namgung Su-yeon?”

“That’s right. The Sword Saint is currently in Shanxi Province.”

Wi So-bong’s expression changed subtly when she heard the words Sword Saint.

“Elder Bae Dong-seong is saying that if a fight breaks out and Namgung Su-yeon is in danger, the Sword Saint may interfere in the fight, which could cause difficulties.”

Wi So-bong nodded as if she understood.

“If the Sword Saint intervenes, there’s no point in me going. Elder Bae Dong-seong knows very well that I am no match for the Sword Saint.”

“Elder Bae Dong-seong probably knows that as well. However, even if we send a master who can match the Sword Saint, which is unlikely, it will cause problems.”

“What do you mean?”

“Elder Bae Dong-seong is currently the leader, but would a martial arts master of the Hundred Great Masters try to follow Elder Bae Dong-seong’s orders?”

He thought it was unlikely that those with strong pride would do that.

“Then, are you saying that I was called because you thought I would move under Elder Bae Dong-seong’s orders?”

“Of course not. However, Elder Bae Dong-seong thought that you would understand the relationship between you and the Sword Saint and would restrain the Sword Saint without being explicitly told to do so.”

“That may be the case, but I’m starting to feel a little upset.”

“Aren’t you secretly pleased?”

Wi So-bong glared at Baek Mu-gi’s words.

“Okay, I’ll go. I can tolerate it to some extent, but I can’t stand being ordered around as if you’re going to use me as a subordinate.”

“You just need to stick close to the Sword Saint. We will send others as well besides you.”

“Others?”

“If he possesses martial arts comparable to the Hundred Great Masters, as Bae Dong-seong reported, then those who are currently out there may be in danger. We will send three or four martial arts masters of the Hundred Great Masters to independently search for the Nine Dragons Unit Leader and kill him, so don’t worry about anything else and just stick close to the Sword Saint.”

Wi So-bong’s smile was beautiful when she heard that she just needed to stick close to the Sword Saint.

“Okay, I can do that much.”

* * *

“Kuaaaak!”

Late at night, a scream echoed through a manor.

A bloodbath occurred at the Yeongsa Sect’s manor, located in Henan Province. The Yeongsa Sect was an evil sect affiliated with the Sa Blood Alliance and was a top-tier sect in Henan Province.

In the past, the Blood Evil Sect, the Jeokji Gate, and the Onsu Sect were also located in Henan Province, so the Yeongsa Sect did not have much power. But after they were destroyed by the Nine Dragons Unit, the evil sects tried to gather strength around the Yeongsa Sect. It was during this time that they were attacked.

The intruders were cruel. They killed not only the martial artists of the Yeongsa Sect but also the non-martial family members and children, and then set fire to the manor’s buildings.

The masked men crossed the walls of the Yeongsa Sect and annihilated it in less than half an hour before setting it on fire and leaving.

The next day, Henan Province was in chaos.

The Yeongsa Sect, which had been thriving, was annihilated overnight, so the weaker evil sects were anxious and didn’t know what to do.

As the evil sects declined in Henan Province, the merchants who had been watching the situation began to align themselves with the righteous sects rather than the evil sects to find a way to survive.

After this incident occurred in Henan Province, similar incidents occurred in Shanxi and Shandong Provinces, and the martial world became turbulent. The sects belonging to the evil faction condemned these indiscriminate attacks by the Nine Dragons Unit and sent letters almost every day, designating him as a public enemy of the evil faction and forming a capture squad to capture and kill the Nine Dragons Unit Leader.

The Sa Blood Alliance realized that the situation for the evil faction was becoming increasingly unfavorable and declared the Nine Dragons Unit Leader as a public enemy of the evil faction.

After that, they publicly announced to the martial world that they would hold a meeting with the Righteous Sky Alliance to pressure the Nine Dragons Unit Leader to reveal himself, but his whereabouts could not be found anywhere.

* * *

“So, you’re saying that they made it look like we did something we didn’t do and made me a public enemy of the evil faction?”

Hwa-rin left the Namgung Clan in Anhui Province with Dong-chun and came to Shanxi Province, while Namgung Su-yeon went to Jiangxi Province with the Nine Dragons Battle Squad.

Hwa-rin met Mi-ok at the Nine Dragons Inn and listened to the story, but he was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t speak.

“It seems a little different from the way the Unit Leader has handled things so far, so we are also investigating on our own.”

“So, do you have any clues?”

“The bodies were burned, so we can’t say for sure, but we found traces of demonic arts on the bodies.”

“Demonic arts? Then, are you saying that the Demonic Cult is involved?”

“We can’t say for sure. It’s a very dangerous judgment to conclude that the Demonic Cult is involved just because they used demonic arts, so we are currently looking into it from various angles.”

Hwa-rin recalled the Demonic Cult’s Shadow Serpent who had visited the Nine Dragons Inn in the past.

“Are there any people among the righteous or evil factions who have mastered demonic arts?”

“Of course. In addition, there are quite a few people among those imprisoned in the Righteous Sky Alliance and the Sa Blood Alliance who have mastered demonic arts.”

“Then, it could be something that the righteous or evil factions have planned.”

“We can’t say for sure either. However, we are keeping the possibility open.”

Hwa-rin’s thoughts became complicated.

“Whether it’s the Demonic Cult or not, it seems they’re trying to eliminate me and take over the Nine Dragons Inn with this opportunity…”

“There must be people among the merchants, government officials, or soldiers who have mastered demonic arts, right?”

“That’s right.”

After thinking for a while, Hwa-rin decided that Namgung Su-yeon and the Nine Dragons Battle Squad who had gone to Jiangxi Province might be in danger, so he should inform them and have them return to Shanxi Province.

“Lee Protector!”

When Hwa-rin called Lee Do-moon, he appeared beside him like a ghost. Lee Do-moon bowed to Hwa-rin, but Mi-ok didn’t seem surprised, as if she couldn’t see Lee Do-moon.

“Go to Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province now and tell Su-yeon to return with the Nine Dragons Battle Squad and wait at the Mount Hua Sect.”

Lee Do-moon disappeared silently, just as he had appeared.

“I heard that the Demonic Cult has emerged to establish a foothold in the Central Plains. Have you identified their location?”

“That’s right.”

“Tell me.”

After hearing the information about the Demonic Cult members active in the Central Plains from Mi-ok, Hwa-rin nodded. Then, he looked at his hand and smiled faintly.

“Demonic arts, huh.”