Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 140

Ninth Dragon Chronicles (140)

The Fire Flame Sect, a heretical sect in Gansu Province, was burned to the ground. Not only were the martial artists of the Fire Flame Sect killed, but also the sect leader, Song Cheon-min, was found among the dead.

Even more shocking than the destruction of the Fire Flame Sect was the discovery of the corpses of White Gu-jeong of the Shadow Serpent Fist and Cho Seol-yeon of the Bloodless Flower.

This caused an even greater uproar in the martial arts world [Murim]. White Gu-jeong and Cho Seol-yeon, two of the Hundred Great Masters, had died simultaneously. Rumors spread that the Nine Dragons Guild Leader was involved in the destruction of the Fire Flame Sect and the deaths of the two masters. This caused the sects belonging to the Demonic Faction to tremble with anxiety.

“Are we going to be targeted by the Nine Dragons Guild Leader too?”

“I know, right? I don’t know why they provoked the Nine Dragons Guild, who was doing just fine, and caused this mess.”

The sect leaders of the small and medium-sized sects belonging to the Blood Oath Alliance complained, complicating the Blood Oath Alliance’s calculations.

They had thought that even though the Shadow Serpent Sect and the Blood Serpent Sect had been destroyed, the Blood Oath Alliance could quickly resolve the situation if they stepped in, but that was not the case.

They realized their simple thinking had been a big mistake.

As the backlash from the sects belonging to the Blood Oath Alliance grew, the Blood Oath Alliance could no longer afford to just sit back and watch.

“Now that we have publicly declared it, shouldn’t we mobilize all the sects belonging to our alliance to find them?”

“Even if we find them, isn’t that a problem? Three of the Hundred Great Masters have been defeated. The Nine Dragons Guild Leader is a master who two people couldn’t beat. Even if the martial artists of the small and medium-sized sects find such a master, can they even approach them, let alone fight them?”

The alliance leader of the Blood Oath Alliance, Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors, the chief manager, Sa Ma-maeng, and the heads of the Twelve Great Families were gathered to share their opinions, but while there was a lot of talk, no clear solution was emerging.

That was because Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors was the only one who could guarantee victory against the Nine Dragons Guild Leader and Nangong Su-yeon, who had defeated the Hundred Great Masters. The matter wouldn’t be resolved unless he stepped forward.

“What’s the point of catching them after so many sects have been sacrificed? If our strength weakens that much, the Righteous Heaven Alliance or the Demonic Cult will not just stand by and watch.”

“Then what do you suggest, Clan Head Jong Ha-woon?”

“At this point, I think we should admit that our Blood Oath Alliance has been defeated in the fight against the Nine Dragons Guild and stop the conflict.”

“What are you saying? Are you saying we should bow our heads to the Nine Dragons Guild!”

Jin Chung-yeong, the head of the Jinryang Four Clan, shouted.

“I’m not saying we should bow our heads, but that we should stop this meaningless fight.”

“What do you mean there’s no justification? Didn’t they destroy the sects belonging to our alliance?”

“Wasn’t it a natural action for the Nine Dragons Guild Leader to take, since the Shadow Serpent Sect and the Blood Serpent Sect tried to take the Nine Dragons Guild’s business and target the Nine Dragons Guild Leader’s life first?”

“What?”

As Jin Chung-yeong, the head of the Jinryang Four Clan, raised his voice, Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors mediated between the two.

“Clan Head Jin, please calm down for a moment.”

“How can I not be upset when you’re saying we should admit our defeat? The martial arts world will laugh at us.”

“Sometimes it’s not bad to prioritize practical benefits over face.”

“What benefit will we get if we admit defeat?”

When Baek Mu-gi asked, Jong Ha-woon replied.

“I heard that the Nine Dragons Guild does not belong to the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

“That’s right. I confirmed it through a conversation with Zhuge Tak.”

Chief Manager Sa Ma-maeng replied.

“Even though there is a daughter of the Nangong Family in the Nine Dragons Guild, the Nangong Family said she is an outcast. It seems they have a friendship with Jongnam [a sect], but the Righteous Heaven Alliance has clearly drawn a line. Wouldn’t we be able to bring the Nine Dragons Guild to our side if we try?”

At the word ‘side,’ the heads of the Twelve Great Families shook their heads with negative expressions.

“Are you really saying that the Nine Dragons Guild has no relationship with the Nangong Family and Jongnam?”

“Wouldn’t it be okay? They are not making enemies. Among the sects belonging to our alliance, there are sects that maintain friendships with sects belonging to the Righteous Heaven Alliance, and some of you here have friendships with famous figures of the Righteous Faction, don’t you?”

“Is that the same as this?”

“What’s the difference? Isn’t it important to take the lead?”

“Taking the lead…….”

“What does it matter if they are friendly with the Righteous Faction, and what does it matter if their relationship with our Demonic Faction is bad? If they belong to the Demonic Faction, will they side with the Righteous Faction in the Righteous-Demonic War?”

Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors nodded, thinking it made sense.

“Even if we have a conflict with the Righteous Heaven Alliance, wouldn’t it be a great help to us if the Nine Dragons Guild doesn’t side with the Righteous Heaven Alliance?”

Chief Manager Sa Ma-maeng also positively accepted Jong Ha-woon’s words.

Making friends would be more helpful than creating a powerful enemy.

“And if the Nine Dragons Guild Leader leaves his base and travels around the Central Plains, attacking the sects belonging to our alliance, we will have no choice but to be defeated.”

“So?”

“I’m saying it would be more beneficial to keep an eye on the Nine Dragons Guild.”

When Jong Ha-woon finished speaking, silence flowed through the alliance leader’s hall. They were thinking about what would be most beneficial.

Their silence lasted longer than expected, and Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors watched this scene.

“Wouldn’t it be a bit much for us to officially admit defeat? How about we meet the Nine Dragons Guild Leader privately and talk?”

Perhaps it was a natural conclusion.

If the Nine Dragons Guild Leader’s arrows were aimed at their families, would they be able to stop them? Considering this, it would be more beneficial for the Blood Oath Alliance and the Demonic Faction to try to appease the Nine Dragons Guild Leader rather than continue to confront him.

However, admitting it externally would hurt their pride, so they proposed meeting secretly and having a conversation.

Others seemed to have no complaints about this proposal.

“Then the problem is who will meet the Nine Dragons Guild Leader…….”

“I’ll meet him.”

Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors spoke before Sa Ma-maeng could finish speaking.

“If the alliance leader steps forward…….”

“If we are to meet secretly, have a conversation with him, and gain benefits through negotiations, shouldn’t at least someone who can fight and win against him step forward?”

“That’s true, but.”

“Then let’s do that. I haven’t done much as the alliance leader, so I’ll take this opportunity to bring good results for the alliance. I personally seem to have a connection with the Nine Dragons Guild Leader, so I’ll step forward and finish this matter.”

Sa Ma-maeng couldn’t figure out what Baek Mu-gi was thinking, but he thought that at least if he stepped forward, he could resolve the matter amicably.

“What do you mean by connection?”

“It’s not a direct relationship, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“I understand. Then I will find out where the Nine Dragons Guild Leader is as soon as possible.”

“No. I’ll move myself.”

“You mean the alliance leader?”

“Even if you find him and tell me the information, wouldn’t it be useless if he moved somewhere else? So I’ll go out into the martial arts world myself, find him, and resolve the matter.”

“However.”

“Do that. More than that, when we meet him, shouldn’t we concede what we can concede and get what we can get?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll discuss that issue with the clan heads and decide. And let the word spread in the martial arts world that I have stepped forward myself.”

“Why is that……?”

“Wouldn’t that prevent the Nine Dragons Guild Leader from attacking other Demonic Faction sects? And the daughter of the Nangong Family will be with him too.”

It also meant that if the Nine Dragons Guild Leader wanted to face him, he couldn’t do it alone, so they should gather together.

“Still, for the alliance leader to step forward himself…….”

“Isn’t the alliance’s honor more important than my pride? If there are parts that are blocked during the conversation, we have to suppress them with force, and we can gather the Nine Dragons Guild’s forces in one place, so it will be easier for me to step forward and handle the matter. So, clan heads, please don’t worry too much.”

The heads of the Twelve Great Families slightly bowed their heads to Baek Mu-gi. It also meant that they respected his decision.

“Then let’s continue the meeting.”

They talked about what they would give and take when they met the Nine Dragons Guild Leader, and they obtained a result that everyone could be satisfied with. With that result, Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors left the Blood Oath Alliance and came out into the martial arts world.

* * *

“I’m going crazy.”

Hwa-rin had not expected at all that Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors would step forward himself.

Hwa-rin had no choice but to return to the Mount Hua Sect when he heard that Baek Mu-gi, the alliance leader of the Blood Oath Alliance, had left the Blood Oath Alliance to confront the Nine Dragons Guild Leader.

“I told you, why did you go around beating up the Demonic Faction sects so recklessly? How can a person not know ‘moderation’?”

Nangong Su-yeon poured out her nagging at Hwa-rin, who had returned to the Mount Hua Sect.

“No, I just killed them because they came to kill me, and I couldn’t die.”

“Who would believe that? You went to find those two people and killed them because I said I defeated the Hundred Great Masters, didn’t you? Who doesn’t know that?”

Hwa-rin made an aggrieved expression and looked at Dong-chun. But there were blue bruises here and there on Dong-chun’s face.

“Dong-chun, please tell me. Did I go to find them?”

“I don’t know, except that Guild Leader sometimes disappears at night.”

“Hey, when did I ever!”

“Didn’t you do that last night too, and the night before the fight with White Gu-jeong and Cho Seol-yeon?”

“Do you want to die?”

When Hwa-rin revealed his killing intent, Dong-chun shrank his body as if a turtle was hiding its neck.

“Look, I knew this would happen. How can you act like a child even after eating so many years?”

“No. Really no.”

“No, you left traces every night, telling me to go find you. Did you think I wouldn’t know your tricks, Guild Leader? Anyway, you can’t stand seeing others do better than you.”

Hwa-rin made an aggrieved expression, but he shook his head as if he couldn’t help it.

“Don’t worry! I’ll take this opportunity to defeat Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors and gain a higher reputation in the martial arts world.”

“Do you think the Four Emperors is a name he won by playing mahjong at a mahjong table? Even if you are the Guild Leader, it seems difficult this time. So if you meet the Four Emperors, beg him.”

“Dong-chun, you…….”

“Just do it! I know you’re strong, Guild Leader, but the opponent is Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors, one of the strongest in the martial arts world. The person my grandfather told me to be more careful of than the Demonic Cult’s Heavenly Demon is Baek Mu-gi of the Four Emperors.”

“What do you take me for?”

Hwa-rin shouted, but Nangong Su-yeon didn’t listen at all.

“If I tell you to do it, just do it! How many people are under your command, Guild Leader, and you’re trying to act as you please!”

When Nangong Su-yeon shouted even louder, Hwa-rin’s voice disappeared. From then on, Nangong Su-yeon’s storm of nagging was unleashed, and those who were listening to it looked as if they were watching a wife scolding her husband.

“Turn a crisis into an opportunity…….”

“What opportunity when we’re about to go bankrupt before we can turn a crisis into an opportunity? So this time, beg him, and if that doesn’t work, run away to the Nangong Family no matter what.”

“Why to the Nangong Family?”

“Because Grandpa is there, and if you and Grandpa fight together, you’ll be able to win.”

Hwa-rin felt a little섭섭 [seopseop – a feeling of disappointment or regret] at Nangong Su-yeon’s words, but he didn’t show it because the opponent was the Four Emperors.

‘Well, since he’s said to be stronger than the Sword Demon, he’s definitely stronger than me.’

He barely faced the Sword Demon, who was evaluated as the weakest among the Ten Great Masters.

If his bluff and bluster hadn’t worked, he might have been seriously injured by the Sword Demon’s sword.

‘If I had even a chance to give up an arm or a leg to the Sword Demon and win, it would be impossible for the Four Emperors.’

Although they were classified as the same Ten Great Masters, Ilmaihwang, that is, the Heavenly Demon, the Four Emperors, and the Sword Emperor, were known to be one level higher in strength.

“Are you listening to me?”

Nangong Su-yeon’s voice broke Hwa-rin’s thoughts. Then Hwa-rin covered his ears with both hands and 시전 [sijeon – cast a spell] ‘I can’t hear you’.

“I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you.”

따아악! [Ttaaak! – sound of a slap]

A cheerful sound rang out in the hall, and Dong-chun looked back and forth between Hwa-rin and Nangong Su-yeon with surprised eyes.

“If I’m worried about you, at least pretend to listen.”

Hwa-rin touched his head with his hand and grumbled at Nangong Su-yeon.

“Where else is there a guy who listens to your story as much as I do? Now that we’re talking about it, I used to eat and drink with your Guild Leader to take good care of you.”

“So what?”

Hwa-rin, who had lost his words for a moment, answered in a low voice as if his voice was crawling inside.

“No, I just did.”

“Anyway, stay with me this time. Dong-chun, you stay here and protect the family.”

“Guild Leader, even if it’s the Four Emperors, will he rush into the Mount Hua Sect?”

As soon as Dong-chun’s words were finished, Hwa-rin’s eyes changed.

“Why?”

When Nangong Su-yeon, who had noticed Hwa-rin’s change, asked, Hwa-rin looked at Dong-chun.

“Anyway, that mouth is the problem.”