The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 201

Swordmaster Wants to Live in Peace – Episode 203

Celestial Alliance Fortress (11)

“What will you do?”

With the Demonic Cult Leader and the Mukcheon Assembly Leader backing him, Seomun Young-il repeated his question to the Murim Alliance.

Retreat or fight—that was the choice.

However, the Murim Alliance, bound by its own pride, had no intention of backing down.

To retreat out of fear would make them a laughingstock.

In the end, the Murim Alliance chose war over retreat.

“Such a foolish choice…”

As the Murim Alliance members drew their swords, radiating a murderous aura as if ready to charge, Heuksa-hyang casually waved her hand.

Instantly, jet-black energy materialized in the air, raining down in the shape of swords.

An energy filled with pure malice, utterly devoid of mercy, descended upon the Murim Alliance.

It was like a natural disaster.

No one could escape the rain of sword energy; even S-class divers [individuals with extraordinary abilities] and those at the Hwagyeong level [a high level of martial arts mastery] could only barely deflect it.

Most of the Murim warriors who had gathered to confront the Pacheon Clan were either pierced and killed by the sword energy or left crippled.

Emboldened by the Demonic Cult Leader’s display of might, which inflicted near-total annihilation with a single gesture, Seomun Young-il raised her sword and shouted.

“Charge! Let’s give those greasy bellies a stab!”

At her command, the Pacheon Clan warriors surged forward as one, and the Demonic Cult and Unorthodox Faction warriors also began their charge.

On the Murim Alliance side, the remaining S-class divers stepped up, only to be met by S-class divers from the opposing side.

More than ten S-class divers clashed in the center of the Celestial Alliance Fortress, sending shockwaves rippling outwards.

The ground crumbled, and vibrant energies swirled in the sky, creating a chaotic storm.

Even a single S-class diver could reshape the terrain.

But with more than ten engaged, the entire Heavenly District began to be utterly devastated.

Buildings collapsed as they were struck by those sent flying, and deep gouges were carved into the ground.

Warriors known by various epithets collided, etching their power into the very stars.

Heuksa-hyang, who had been wielding power as easily as handling children, without even drawing a sword, scanned the battlefield.

‘I don’t see him.’

Where could Yoo Seong-woo be at a time like this?

She didn’t need to ponder long to reach a conclusion.

He probably started a separate skirmish while making his way towards the Murim Alliance’s main base.

Having reached that conclusion, she propelled herself into the air and flew directly towards the Murim Alliance’s main base.

Seeing this, Yeongmyeong also leaped up and followed towards the Murim Alliance, and the Murim Alliance divers, noticing their departure, hurriedly pursued them.

The void created by the sudden exit of so many S-class divers from the battlefield was quickly filled.

It was filled by the three S-class divers who had been waiting in the rear.

Sparks crackled.

A masked figure emerged from the shadows.

A martial artist in a black robe appeared, clapping his fists together.

“It seems this is the first time the three of us have fought together like this.”

“Now that you mention it, it is.”

“There’s hardly ever been a reason for it! Well, shall we get started?”

“What is Master doing?”

“He said he had something to confirm and went to the Murim Alliance.”

“Then we should quickly take care of this and chase after him.”

Baek Woo-hyun muttered before charging forward.

Adorned with blue lightning, he became a streak of lightning, tearing across the battlefield.

Moving at incredible speed, he instantly plunged into the midst of the fighting S-classes, inflicting fatal wounds and wreaking havoc.

As those caught off guard by Baek Woo-hyun’s sudden assault retreated, Choi A-yeon emerged from the shadows, wielding daggers.

Her attacks, targeting vital points, forced her opponents to move erratically, exacerbating their injuries.

Those whose movements were hampered were then dealt with by the Pacheon Clan, the Unorthodox Faction, the Demonic Cult’s S-classes, and Yuwol.

As the battle raged on, a figure frantically ran from the rear of the Pacheon Clan, shouting.

“E, everyone, run! Run away!”

It was Jegal Cheon-hwa.

People questioned Jegal Cheon-hwa’s sudden appearance and desperate cry.

Why should they run when the battle seemed to be turning in their favor?

As they ignored her warning and tried to resume fighting, strange phenomena began to occur in the area around them.

Space itself was distorting.

The world around them was being sucked inwards, as if converging to a single point.

Soon, a black hole expanded, devouring everything in its path.

People knew exactly what this was.

Something inextricably linked to divers.

‘The Abyss’ had manifested before them.

The Abyss, expanding rapidly, swallowed everything in the area with its immense gravitational pull.

Then, reaching a size comparable to an average building, it abruptly stopped expanding.

As if nothing had happened, it remained eerily silent.

***

Yoo Seong-woo, having headed to the Murim Alliance, suppressed his presence as he meticulously searched every corner of their main base, trying to locate the Murim Alliance Leader, Cheon Woo-gong.

He was certain that Cheon Woo-gong hadn’t escaped, yet he was somehow evading detection.

Yoo Seong-woo could usually sense even the faintest presence.

“Another spell?”

If someone could erase their presence to this extent, could it be the same person who set up the spell formation during the Seomun Clan’s family head election?

There was no concrete connection, only speculation, but Yoo Seong-woo’s intuition told him there might be a link.

If that were the case, Cheon Woo-gong would be hiding in a place designed to suppress his presence.

‘Underground, then.’

There wasn’t a single person above ground.

He had been suppressing his own presence as a precaution, but he hadn’t encountered anyone while searching.

In the process, he had discovered a medicine warehouse and an armory, which he had promptly emptied into his subspace bag as a bonus.

Yoo Seong-woo retraced his steps, searching for a way to access the underground.

He had done this kind of thing before, so it didn’t take long to find a hidden passage leading underground from the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

“Isn’t this a bit cliché? Hiding a door under a carpet…”

The underground entrance, revealed by lifting the carpet, was tightly sealed.

Geometric figures and strings of characters, painted in white, covered its surface.

It appeared to be a formation designed to prevent intrusion, but…

“Hmph.”

Yoo Seong-woo inserted his iron sword into the gap of the entrance and unleashed his energy.

With a resounding crash, the entire entrance was blown apart.

The resistance offered by the spell inscribed on the entrance was surprisingly weak.

Having forced the entrance open, he peered down the long staircase leading underground.

“Looks like everyone’s down there.”

Now that the door was open, he could sense things he hadn’t been able to feel before.

Cheon Woo-gong and the others were all gathered below.

As he was about to descend, the ceiling suddenly shattered, and Heuksa-hyang dropped in.

“Yoo Seong-woo.”

“Why break the ceiling when there’s a door?”

“I couldn’t find the door.”

She couldn’t find the door, so she broke through the ceiling.

It was perfectly reasonable logic.

Yoo Seong-woo understood and started down the underground stairs.

Her goal was also the Murim Alliance Leader and his cronies, so there was no need for further explanation.

She followed Yoo Seong-woo down the stairs.

“Demonic Cult Leader, is that guy behind you your lackey?”

“Lackey?”

“It means subordinate.”

“No.”

“L, let’s go together!”

It was Mukcheon Assembly Leader, Yeongmyeong, who hurriedly chased after them.

Yoo Seong-woo was curious as to why these crazy individuals had abandoned their own subordinates to come all the way here, but…

He decided not to ask.

“Mukcheon Assembly Leader, are you a stalker?”

“…Are you two planning to take all the delicious parts for yourselves?”

“No, I was just trying to take care of the rotten parts in advance.”

“Cheon Woo-gong, I will kill him with my own hands. Hand him over.”

Yeongmyeong followed behind Heuksa-hyang, demanding to be allowed to kill the Murim Alliance Leader himself.

He had heard the gist of it from Baek Woo-hyun, but it seemed the Unorthodox Faction also harbored a great deal of resentment.

“That guy is mine.”

Heuksa-hyang, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Yoo Seong-woo realized that both of them had rushed here with the intention of killing Cheon Woo-gong.

At this rate, they seemed about to start fighting over who got to kill Cheon Woo-gong right there on the underground stairs, so he offered a solution.

“Let’s divide him into three equal parts. I also have business with him. The head is mine, the upper body is the Demonic Cult Leader’s, and the lower body is the Mukcheon Assembly Leader’s.”

“Why do I get the lower body?”

“Because you came the latest. Or I can take the Alliance Leader, the Demonic Cult Leader can take Jegal [likely referring to Jegal Woong-ju, the strategist], and you, Assembly Leader, can take the rest.”

“Ugh… I have no choice but to settle for the lower body.”

Heuksa-hyang seemed satisfied with the upper body.

At least she would be able to pluck out his heart with her own hands.

Yoo Seong-woo, having agreed to divide the Murim Alliance Leader into three parts with the Demonic Cult Leader and the Unorthodox Faction’s leader, suddenly increased his speed.

Because an ominous energy was gradually intensifying from below.

Heuksa-hyang and Yeongmyeong also accelerated, and the three of them soon arrived at the depths of the underground.

The first thing that hit them was the overwhelming stench of blood.

Focusing his vision, he saw two figures standing there.

As Yoo Seong-woo revealed his presence and walked forward, the two turned to face him.

“…Hyeon-wol, have you come to kill me? And the Demonic Cult Leader and Yeongmyeong are here too; it’s been a while.”

“Cheon Woo-gong! This body has come to tear your lower half apart!”

“Why the lower half… but it doesn’t matter. You’re all going to die here anyway. And so will the fools above.”

Standing next to Cheon Woo-gong, trembling, was the Murim Alliance’s strategist, Jegal Woong-ju.

Behind them, complex spells flashed with red light, covering the walls.

In the center of the spells, a woman floated in the air, unconscious.

Yoo Seong-woo narrowed his eyes, examining the woman, then scoffed in disbelief.

“Dang Young-young.”

She looked exactly like the photo that the Dang Clan’s head had shown him, a picture of his daughter before she left for the Murim Alliance.

No wonder she hadn’t returned home; it seemed she had become deeply involved with the Murim Alliance.

“Not Young-young, but Yeongjeop.”

Cheon Woo-gong corrected Yoo Seong-woo and continued.

“I will make her a god. And then I will enjoy eternal life by her side….”

“Nonsense! There’s no way a human can become a god! No matter how much you use black magic through human sacrifice, in the end, a human is still a human!”

Yeongmyeong refuted his words, flames erupting from his hands.

He was unaware that there were two people standing next to him who had achieved godhood in human bodies.

“Assembly Leader, stop. If you approach rashly, we don’t know what will happen.”

Heuksa-hyang stopped Yeongmyeong, who was about to charge forward.

Yoo Seong-woo agreed.

What Cheon Woo-gong was saying seemed absurd, but the energy emanating from the spell centered around Dang Young-young was undeniably divine.

Approaching without understanding the nature of that power would be suicidal.

Yoo Seong-woo assessed the power emanating from the spell and asked.

“How many did you sacrifice? There are only a little over twenty corpses here; that’s not enough to draw out this much power….”

“You seem to be knowledgeable about this kind of power. Hyeon-wol… an invader from the outside.”

“Answer the question.”

At his question, Cheon Woo-gong revealed a gruesome smile and replied.