Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 357

The Nine Dragons Gate’s gatekeeper frowned as he examined the disciples of the Taegeuk Gate.

‘These are faces I don’t recognize…’

Having interacted with the Taegeuk Gate many times, he had memorized the faces of their key disciples.

“Are these also warriors of the Taegeuk Gate?”

The gatekeeper spoke to Hang Yeo-il.

“They are.”

Hang Yeo-il briefly concealed his tension and said,

“They are new disciples of our Taegeuk Gate, so their faces might not be familiar.”

“New disciples, you say?”

Until now, the warriors who had accompanied the Taegeuk Gate on their visits to the Nine Dragons Gate were always their key members.

But now they’ve brought new recruits?

The gatekeeper’s gaze narrowed further.

“They are my especially cherished disciples, and…”

Hang Yeo-il spoke, now completely relaxed.

“They are secular disciples who have recently descended from Mount Wudang.”

“……!”

The gatekeeper’s eyes widened.

“Secular disciples of Wudang, you say?”

Wudang, which had been so closed off it was almost sealed.

When they opened their doors and reappeared, many were astonished.

-Indeed, it is Wudang.

It was because they felt that Wudang’s name was not in vain, that Wudang’s disciples possessed outstanding skills, and that their swords were so sharp they could be called the best of the silver.

Even so, Wudang had not engaged in much interaction with anyone except the Hwa and the Nine Great Sects.

“They have mastered the sword of Wudang?”

Even if they were secular disciples, the gatekeeper seemed curious to see such disciples of Wudang.

“That is so.”

Hang Yeo-il’s words, filled with pride, added to his credibility.

“It is an honor to meet you.”

The gatekeeper greeted them with a cupped fist salute.

However, the gatekeeper’s expression did not change much.

A slight suspicion.

And a hint of apology.

“However, due to current circumstances, it seems difficult to allow entry into the Nine Dragons Gate.”

“What do you mean?”

“I cannot go into detail due to internal matters, but there is an order from above to restrict entry to those whose faces are not known…”

The gatekeeper spoke with an apologetic expression.

“Are you saying you don’t trust this Hang Yeo-il?”

Hang Yeo-il frowned as he said this.

“I, Hang Yeo-il, the sect leader of the Taegeuk Gate, vouch for their identities. To treat the disciples of the Taegeuk Gate like this, does the sect leader know about this?”

The gatekeeper might have been intimidated by Hang Yeo-il’s mention of the sect leader, but.

“I apologize. It is the sect leader’s order…”

Rather, the gatekeeper’s firm stance surprised Hang Yeo-il.

Swoosh.

Hang Yeo-il’s eyes turned to look at Yi Rown and the others behind him.

He had a look that showed he was determined to resolve the situation himself, but.

“…….”

A strange atmosphere permeated Yi Rown’s group.

Thud, thud.

Warriors were approaching.

It was a moment where their determination to force their way through was also faintly visible.

“Oh, isn’t that Sect Leader Hang?”

At that moment, one of the Nine Dragons Gate’s warriors approached and greeted them with a cupped fist salute.

“Great Hero Wi!”

Hang Yeo-il greeted him with delight.

“I greet Great Chieftain Wi Jin-cheol!”

The gatekeepers and the warriors of the Nine Dragons Gate immediately greeted the approaching warrior with cupped fist salutes.

It seemed that Wi Jin-cheol was a high-ranking warrior of the Nine Dragons Gate.

“What is the matter that you are keeping such a distinguished guest waiting here?”

“That is…”

“I came to show the disciples of the Taegeuk Gate the Nine Dragons Gate, but I was informed that entry is not possible due to the circumstances of the Nine Dragons Gate.”

Wi Jin-cheol frowned at Hang Yeo-il’s words.

“It is true that there are internal matters within the Nine Dragons Gate, but…”

Wi Jin-cheol cast a narrow gaze at the gatekeeper.

“Is it right to keep the sect leader of the Taegeuk Gate waiting like this?”

“I, I apologize. But the sect leader’s order…”

“Even if it is the sect leader’s order, the Taegeuk Gate and the Nine Dragons Gate are like comrades who have shared life and death.”

Wi Jin-cheol said firmly.

“Open the gates and receive our guests.”

“…….”

The gatekeeper seemed to hesitate at Wi Jin-cheol’s words.

“Hurry.”

But when Wi Jin-cheol’s order was given again,

“We have committed a discourtesy.”

The gatekeepers began to open the gates of the Nine Dragons Gate.

“Please, come in.”

Wi Jin-cheol stepped forward to guide Hang Yeo-il, and thus, Yi Rown and the others were able to enter the Nine Dragons Gate.

Thud.

As they moved forward,

Hang Yeo-il felt a slightly strange atmosphere.

‘Was he always like this?’

Wi Jin-cheol was indeed a promising talent in the current Nine Dragons Gate, a warrior who was making a name for himself.

He had also become familiar with the Taegeuk Gate through various relationships, but.

-I am Wi Jin-cheol of the Nine Dragons Gate.

He had always been so rigid, but to be so kind.

Just as Hang Yeo-il was feeling grateful,

Swoosh.

Wi Jin-cheol turned around and made a cupped fist salute.

“I have been waiting.”

His greeting was not directed at Hang Yeo-il.

“You’ve worked hard.”

It was Ha Se-min.

* * *

Wi Jin-cheol.

He was a member of the Black Market.

The reason why he, who had been just an ordinary warrior, had suddenly shown rapid growth and made a name for himself, and the reason why his unremarkable sword had begun to become sharp.

“I greet the Black King.”

It was the result he had obtained by joining the Black Market.

“……!”

Hang Yeo-il looked surprised.

Choi Ye-seul and Oh Jin-kyung also showed considerable surprise.

That a key warrior of the Nine Dragons Gate was a member of the Black Market.

In contrast, Yi Rown had a calm expression.

“How did this happen?”

Oh Jin-kyung asked Ha Se-min.

“The Black Market is everywhere.”

Ha Se-min replied with a smile.

“Investing in and nurturing those who are valuable is the work of the Black Market. Warrior Wi is just one such case.”

“I am always grateful for your help.”

The Black Market, which collects, manages, and sells information in the shadows of Asia.

They also did not hesitate to invest.

They invested in useful warriors or those seized by desperation, nurturing them and making them key figures.

In the future, that investment would return to the Black Market in the form of wealth and information.

Wi Jin-cheol was the same.

“If we had such a card…”

Oh Jin-kyung seemed to be asking if they wouldn’t have needed to borrow the name of the Taegeuk Gate if Wi Jin-cheol had been available.

“It is basic to prepare multiple options.”

Ha Se-min said as if it were obvious.

“Also, revealing Wi Jin-cheol could be a great loss for us. We had him on standby for the worst-case scenario; originally, we intended to enter using only the name of the Taegeuk Gate.”

It was a reason that was somewhat understandable.

“So, how is the situation here?”

Ha Se-min asked Wi Jin-cheol.

“It has been strange for the past few days. They are acting as if they are hiding something, and they are restricting outside access.”

“Have you found anything out?”

Wi Jin-cheol shook his head.

“It seems that only the sect leader and the elders know something. Nothing is reaching us.”

Wi Jin-cheol bowed his head with an apologetic expression.

In the end.

“It means we have to find out ourselves.”

“I am sorry.”

Ha Se-min shook his head at Wi Jin-cheol’s words.

“Is the internal map of the Nine Dragons Gate ready?”

“It is here.”

“You have marked the places we need to find, right?”

“That is correct.”

The preparations were complete.

Now it was time to split up and move.

“It would be good if Great Hero Wi could guide us.”

“Then…”

Hang Yeo-il, who was next to them, finally seemed to come to his senses and barely opened his mouth.

“It would be good if you moved with this person.”

Ha Se-min pointed to Yi Rown.

“…….”

A complex emotion was reflected on Hang Yeo-il’s face.

Until just now, he had not known their identities, but.

‘Black King, Black Market.’

The moment he heard those names, he realized that this man was the Black King who had changed his face.

The problem was the rumors and the truth about the Black King.

He was the king who oversaw and controlled the Black Market, but currently….

-Blood Cult.

He belonged to the Blood Cult’s subsidiary, the Silver Moon, and served the Blood Demon.

And.

Gulp.

Judging by the looks of it, Yi Rown was their leader.

“Ho, perhaps…”

He seemed to be the Blood Demon.

Ha Se-min, noticing what Hang Yeo-il was asking, shook his head and said,

“It would be better for you not to listen, in many ways.”

“I, I will keep that in mind.”

Hang Yeo-il nodded with a pale face.

* * *

Hang Yeo-il was walking through the Nine Dragons Gate, tense.

Beside him were the disciples of the Taegeuk Gate who had come with him, but all his attention was on one person.

“…….”

It was directed at Yi Rown, who was walking silently.

‘That man… the Blood Demon.’

The hottest name in the current Silver Moon, and a terrifying name.

The thought that the Blood Demon was this very person made him feel dizzy.

He had only thought it was a request from the Wudang sect leader, but he never imagined that the Blood Demon would be involved.

Moreover.

‘Why…’

The fact that Wudang had a relationship with the Blood Cult was not easy to believe.

“There’s no need to be nervous.”

Yi Rown said to Hang Yeo-il.

“If we only find out what we need to know, it won’t particularly harm the Taegeuk Gate.”

“…….”

“If necessary, I will protect the Taegeuk Gate.”

Hang Yeo-il could not easily answer Yi Rown’s words.

Meanwhile, Yi Rown was examining the Nine Dragons Gate.

‘The world is half-mixed up.’

The Nine Dragons Gate had the appearance of a huge manor.

What was surprising was that the inside of the Nine Dragons Gate’s manor was larger than it appeared from the outside.

This meant that the world of the Nine Dragons Gate and this manor were partially mixed.

A special type of world he had seen in the Philippines.

-An open-type world.

He thought it was probably a type of that.

That might be why the Nine Dragons Gate was putting so much effort into guarding its gates.

“I heard that the Nine Dragons Gate doesn’t have a higher power.”

At Yi Rown’s words, Hang Yeo-il nodded.

He had already resigned himself and was only thinking about completing this task well.

“Yes. It doesn’t. It is one of the few large sects that has grown without any backing.”

A sect that was larger and more impressive than the Taegeuk Gate, which had Wudang behind it.

“Did they receive support from the Assembly?”

Yi Rown had already heard the gist of it from Ha Se-min, but he was confirming it again.

“I know that they haven’t received much support from the Assembly either.”

“I see.”

Yi Rown’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The warriors of the Nine Dragons Gate who were passing by.

‘There’s something here.’

There must be a reason why these people, who didn’t seem to have anything special, had grown so rapidly.

And as Yi Rown thought.

‘Kunlun is behind them.’

He had a feeling that Kunlun was supporting the Nine Dragons Gate, even though they had not revealed themselves.

If so.

‘If I know the Nine Dragons Gate, I can learn about Kunlun.’

The Nine Dragons Gate would become a gateway to Kunlun.

‘The warriors’ inner energy is quite good.’

If they didn’t have much support from the Assembly, they wouldn’t have received the Assembly’s special elixirs either.

He didn’t think that all of them had built up their inner energy in a conventional way.

Moreover.

Zing.

The strange energy he had felt upon entering the Nine Dragons Gate.

He was constantly bothered by that faintly felt energy.

Thud.

Yi Rown stopped in his tracks.

“What is it?”

Hang Yeo-il asked Yi Rown, flustered.

“I found it.”

Yi Rown’s eyes were glowing gold.

“Yes?”

Hang Yeo-il asked, bewildered, but Yi Rown’s eyes were fixed on one spot and did not move.

Thud.

Yi Rown took a step forward.

“W, wait a moment!”

Hang Yeo-il tried to stop Yi Rown in a hurry, but Yi Rown, who had already started moving, was unstoppable.