Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 160

The Three Kings’ Disciple (161)

160

He hesitated.

Jang So-young stopped, unable to take another step.

“…”

She didn’t know how many times this had happened already.

“The Heavenly Sword of Cheonji [a martial art technique] is nothing special.”

Cheong In-woo mocked her as he watched her.

He knew that the reason she, the best of Jeomchang [a martial arts sect], was hesitating was because she was intimidated.

Clench.

Jang So-young bit her lip, unable to refute Cheong In-woo’s words.

The deeper she went, the worse it became.

Whoosh.

The immense power within the rushing wind.

The will within that power was directly conveyed.

It was frightening.

Even though she had gained the power to represent Jeomchang through her harsh training, she was still afraid.

‘Even though I touched something I shouldn’t have…’

By chance, she had discovered a secret chamber within a gate that had opened in Jeomchang’s territory.

She had poured more than 30% of Jeomchang’s forces into obtaining the Heavenly Demon’s secret manual from that place.

Even though she had touched that power for the sake of Jeomchang’s future, despite being the successor of the righteous sect, the reality was that she was afraid of both Lee Ro-woon and this place.

Clench.

She bit her lip so hard that blood seeped out.

Snicker.

Cheong In-woo laughed as he watched her.

“Well, everyone has a similar reaction.”

Jang So-young looked at him at his words.

There was something she could gather from his words.

“Are we not the only ones?”

It sounded like there were others who had reacted this way.

Smirk.

But Cheong In-woo smiled and gave a different answer.

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped since it’s only half.”

“Half?”

“It’s true that the power you have is not complete.”

Jang So-young’s trembling stopped.

Her eyes also changed.

Being intelligent, she had already finished thinking.

‘Incomplete power.’

And the person she was about to meet was the owner of this power.

Even Cheong In-woo, who called her junior sister.

If so.

‘Guidance.’

It was an opportunity to transform this incomplete power into a complete one.

Even with half the power, she had become the best of Jeomchang, and until she met Lee Ro-woon and saw the power Cheong In-woo had hidden, she had thought she could become a One-Hand [a legendary martial arts realm] herself.

If such power became complete.

“In the end, even the expressions you make are the same.”

It was unimaginable.

“Even though the master in front of us is someone the righteous sect would hate and reject…”

Cheong In-woo said, as if amused, and walked forward.

“You all immediately accept everything at the mere thought of becoming stronger.”

The duality of a martial artist.

It showed how hollow the name of the righteous sect was.

‘Well, I’m no different.’

He had no intention of blaming them.

Cheong In-woo and Jang So-young continued to move into the cave of unfathomable depth.

Finally, Jang So-young trembled at the energy she felt.

But this time, it wasn’t just Jang So-young.

Shudder.

Cheong In-woo’s body also trembled slightly.

Their trembling was not from fear or dread.

Swoosh.

It was from excitement.

Light shone from deep within the cave.

Before they knew it, the ground they were standing on was a beautiful, lush green meadow.

“Is that the Heavenly Sword of Cheonji?”

A man with a sturdy build sat on a rock and spoke.

Jang So-young’s eyes widened as she saw his face.

“Hong… Gae?”

Hong Gae.

He was known as the second disciple of the current Beggars’ Sect leader, and although he was the second disciple, his martial prowess was said to be higher than that of the first disciple.

“Amitabha.”

Jang So-young turned her head at the voice and couldn’t help but be even more surprised.

“Blood Monk… Geumgak…?”

He was also a well-known master of Eun [a region or country].

Jang So-young looked at the faces of several others and then closed her mouth.

Each one of them was a master she couldn’t ignore.

She was called the best of Jeomchang, but they were masters who had already spread their fame in Eun.

They were all gathered, looking at Jang So-young.

“Is she a new junior sister?”

Jang So-young couldn’t see the owner of the voice.

Her eyes were fixed on the center of the meadow.

Smirk.

Everyone smiled as they looked at Jang So-young.

They had been the same.

His upper body was bare.

His upper body was fully exposed.

His body, which was not large but not small, had firm muscles as if drawn with a brush.

Jang So-young’s gaze moved up.

In his long white hair, there was a young face that didn’t match.

A beautiful man who was captivating to look at, as if he would steal one’s reason.

“That’s him.”

Cheong In-woo took a step back and said.

“Our true master…”

The martial artists who were famous in Eun bowed to him with respect.

“The Martial King.”

***

Shudder.

Dang Hwa-young suppressed her trembling hand.

“…”

She bit her lip and looked out the window.

People were moving busily, but there was peace within them.

“Hoo.”

She took a breath, and her trembling finally stopped.

“What have I done?”

She said to herself.

“I…”

She was born and raised as the successor of the Dang family.

She had faced many hardships and adversities, but she had eventually become the young head of the Dang family.

She thought she had finally gained the power to change her destiny.

Trickle.

But it wasn’t.

“What does it mean to be the young head?”

A puppet who knew nothing.

She thought she had finally broken out of her shell and come into the world, but that place was just another shell.

She had tried to save Lee Ro-woon, but instead, she had put him in danger.

“It’s the same as before.”

She had been saved.

Dang Hwa-young wiped away her tears and stood looking out the window for a long time, thinking.

And finally, she seemed to have come to a conclusion, her eyes filled with determination.

‘Ro-woon.’

She didn’t know what had happened to him or how it had happened.

All she had heard was that he was imprisoned in Hwasan [a mountain or region] and forced to do labor, and that he had died.

She didn’t know how these sudden situations had come about or how he had obtained that power.

“Is there anything you need?”

As she left the room, an Eunha warrior asked Dang Hwa-young.

“I want to meet Ro-woon.”

At Dang Hwa-young’s words, their faces frowned.

Only then did Dang Hwa-young realize her mistake.

She recalled Lee Ro-woon’s position and how they thought of him.

“I would like to meet the master of Eunha.”

She said again.

Lee Ro-woon was no longer her hero or friend from the past.

He was standing in a place far above her.

“Blood… Guild member is currently busy.”

“You can speak comfortably.”

She already knew that he was Jincheon [a title or name] and called the Blood Demon.

“What the guild member wants…”

The warrior continued.

“Is it urgent?”

“No. It’s not. I just wanted to let him know that I want to see him.”

Dang Hwa-young smiled bitterly.

‘Who is protecting whom? Who is guarding whom?’

Lee Ro-woon, who was standing too high compared to herself, who was neither the young head of the Dang family nor anything else.

Dang Hwa-young, who was about to go back into her room, looked to the side.

“We greet the guild member!”

The Eunha warriors quickly knelt and shouted.

“Ugh.”

The languid voice of distaste was more than welcome.

The owner of the voice looked at Dang Hwa-young and said.

“Do you have something to say?”

“That’s…”

Just as Dang Hwa-young was about to say something.

“That’s good. I also had something to ask you.”

The languid voice came closer and said.

* * *

-It failed.

The reason Lee Ro-woon had left his seat for a while was to find Cheong In-woo and Jang So-young.

Now that it had been confirmed that Cheong In-woo had some connection with his master, he thought he could find his master’s location by checking his every move, but.

-He told me not to waste time on useless things. I have nothing to say.

He said that he had been caught by Cheong In-woo and sent back.

‘Well, that’s to be expected.’

He had felt Cheong In-woo’s growth.

Jang So-young would also be formidable to others.

If he were to follow them, it would be better for Lee Ro-woon himself to move, but even that was difficult.

Thud.

After the day he created the black sun, it had become difficult to control his power.

They wouldn’t miss that slightest sign.

That was why he had left his seat for a while, and when he returned, he looked for Dang Hwa-young.

“You speak first.”

“You speak first!”

Lee Ro-woon and Dang Hwa-young spoke at the same time.

Unlike Dang Hwa-young, who was flustered.

“The Dang family is almost entirely in charge of manufacturing Eun’s divine weapons?”

Lee Ro-woon opened his mouth without hesitation.

Dang Hwa-young was initially flustered.

“…”

Then she closed her mouth.

Lee Ro-woon in front of her.

‘Blood Demon, Jincheon.’

The titles that called him.

She knew that Lee Ro-woon was the Lee Ro-woon of the past.

She had felt it in the changed appearance from the time she had spent with him, and there were also Cheong In-woo’s words.

Even if that wasn’t the case.

‘That look in his eyes.’

In the past, Lee Ro-woon’s eyes were cold.

But she knew the warmth hidden deep within them.

It was the same now.

His languid eyes were cold, but there was a hint of warmth within them.

But if he was the Blood Demon and Jincheon now.

‘Is it okay to tell the Dang family’s story to the Blood Cult?’

What if Lee Ro-woon was just being used?

Complex thoughts filled her head, but.

“That’s right.”

Dang Hwa-young composed herself and said.

After all, she had seen the Black Lion King by his side.

He probably already knew some of the Dang family’s circumstances.

“The Dang family manufactures 80% of Eun’s divine weapons.”

“And that grade is Eun-grade?”

“It’s Eun-grade, but…”

Dang Hwa-young said, ignoring the swirling emotions.

“We also have artisans who can make Gold-grade divine weapons.”

She even said things she didn’t have to.

“Of course, it’s not easy, but we make one or two a year.”

At that, Lee Ro-woon nodded and said.

“The Soul Devouring Pill.”

At that name, Dang Hwa-young flinched.

‘The Soul Devouring Pill.’

It was an open secret in Eun.

There were many things that martial artists were crazy about.

Things called opportunities, among them were divine weapons that could not be seen again, and secret manuals of former masters.

But above all, there was one thing that many martial artists looked forward to and yearned for.

‘Elixir.’

An elixir that increased internal energy and raised one’s realm just by consuming it.

Elixirs were treasures among treasures, created by using the inner core of divine beasts or spiritual creatures, or through special manufacturing methods that took a long time.

The Soul Devouring Pill was also like that.

A type of what was called an elixir.

But the reality was completely different from the traditional elixirs of Eun.

“Does the Dang family have the manufacturing method?”

Just by consuming it, one could gain half to one gapja [a unit of time, roughly 60 years] of internal energy.

The Soul Devouring Pill, which gave the internal energy that one could only obtain after thirty to sixty years of circulating energy, could be called an elixir of the ages.

An elixir that allowed a third-rate martial artist who had just learned martial arts to have internal energy similar to that of a Hwagyeong [a martial arts realm] master.

But its side effects were also great.

“…”

It was difficult to raise one’s realm after consuming it.

One could become a Hwagyeong master in an instant, but further growth was impossible.

Also, one of the secrets was.

“I heard the Dang family made it.”

That it was an elixir made from monsters.

A secret among the Dang family’s secrets.

Dang Hwa-young, who had been biting her lip, said.

“That’s right.”

The Dang family also made it.

Even though it was a statement that was no different from a huge announcement, Lee Ro-woon just nodded languidly.

He asked again.

“I heard the Dang family is also well-versed in medicine.”

Since they mainly dealt with hidden weapons and poison, it was natural that their medical skills would develop.

“Is the Soul and Spirit Physician, a member of the Dang family?”

At the words that followed, Dang Hwa-young’s eyes widened.