Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 216

Nine Dragons Chronicle (216)

The King of the Underworld

Tang Mun-soo, the head of the Tang family, was at the Heungchin Royal Residence, bowing to Natalpasha, admitting his mistake, and begging for her forgiveness.

“It is clearly our family’s fault that there was a misunderstanding and a threat was made. I have nothing to say, even if I had ten mouths. I will accept any punishment you give.”

Tang Mun-soo bowed deeply to Prince Heungchin, Ju Young-guk. Even if his family had some influence in the martial world, how could it compare to the Heungchin Royal Residence?

“Since he admits his mistake and asks for forgiveness, shouldn’t we forgive him?”

Ju Young-guk asked Natalpasha.

“It is not I who forgive, but the people of my kingdom and my bodyguards who do.”

Natalpasha’s words and thoughts were too profound to dismiss her as a mere child.

“We are fine. This misunderstanding has been resolved, and that is enough for us.”

“Alshad, do you really think so?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“What about the others?”

“We also think the same as Captain Alshad.”

“Okay. I understand. Then I’ll take care of it.”

Natalpasha listened to their opinions and said to Ju Young-guk.

“Everyone is kind and says that resolving the misunderstanding is enough. However, I intend to receive compensation from them.”

“Compensation?”

“The warriors of the kingdom are heads of households, children, and siblings. We must deliver condolence money to the families who will hear the news of their deaths.”

Ju Young-guk had a satisfied smile on his face, as if he really liked Natalpasha, who spoke so clearly.

“So, how much do you intend to receive?”

“For the dead warriors, two thousand gold coins each; for Alshad, who lost his arm, one thousand gold coins; and for those who were injured, five hundred gold coins each as mental compensation.”

Ju Young-guk thought it was reasonable and asked Tang Mun-soo.

“They say they will consider it settled if you provide this compensation. How will you accept it?”

“Of course, we must provide compensation. We are simply grateful for the Princess’s grace.”

“Then do so. Bring the compensation money to the Royal Residence by tomorrow.”

“I will.”

Tang Mun-soo hurriedly left.

“Natalpasha, after receiving the compensation tomorrow, the warriors of this Royal Residence will escort you to the Perdan Kingdom, so please be aware of that and stay at the Royal Residence.”

“Yes, Your Highness Prince Heungchin.”

It was a big incident, but fortunately, it seemed to be resolved well, and Prince Heungchin, Ju Young-guk, sighed in relief.

‘If I entrust work to Hwa-rin twice, the country will be destroyed. From now on, even if there is something to entrust to Hwa-rin, I must be extremely careful.’

Before he could finish his thought, he heard a sound from outside announcing that Hwa-rin had come to visit.

“Your Highness, Ju Hwa-rin, the Dragon Lord of the Nine Dragons Manor, has come to see you.”

“Let him in.”

As the door opened and Hwa-rin entered, Natalpasha smiled brightly.

“It seems the matter has been resolved well.”

“Yes, I decided to receive compensation, and with that compensation, I will distribute it to the families of the dead warriors, Alshad, and the bodyguards.”

“You did well. A ruler should always think of and care for those below them before themselves in order to be respected.”

“It sounds like you’re saying that for me to hear.”

“How could that be, Uncle?”

“Come and sit down.”

Hwa-rin sat down, and Ju Young-guk asked Natalpasha to leave.

As Natalpasha left the reception room with her bodyguards, Ju Young-guk began to scold Hwa-rin.

“If you were going to handle the matter, you should have done it quietly. Why did you cause such a commotion? Do you know how many people died?”

“I didn’t kill them. I only destroyed their dantian [energy center] so they couldn’t cultivate their inner energy.”

“Then who killed so many people?”

“A man called the Poison King used poison arts to kill me. He knew that the Tang family’s warriors would also be poisoned, but he still used poison arts, so the damage was so great.”

“Is that what you’re saying?”

“That’s the truth. He can administer poison and also absorb poison, so he thought that after killing me, he would absorb the poison from the poisoned Tang family warriors and save them.”

“Hmm…”

“He acted recklessly, trusting in his reputation, and that’s the tragedy that occurred.”

Ju Young-guk wore a displeased expression.

He was thinking that since the Tang family, which was responsible for the righteous sects of Sichuan, had become like that, the Sichuan martial world would not have a peaceful day in the future.

“You could have handled it quietly enough. Why did you make such a big deal out of it?”

Ju Young-guk scolded.

“Unless it’s a battlefield, if you’re stronger than them, shouldn’t you show the demeanor of a strong person?”

“Uncle, for me, it’s more important to ensure the safety of my people than to show the demeanor or composure of a strong person.”

“What?”

“Composure of a strong person, demeanor? That’s only possible when I’m alone. There are over seven hundred people working at the Nine Dragons Manor. If they retaliate with clumsy mercy, the people working at my manor will be hurt or killed.”

Ju Young-guk looked at Hwa-rin.

“The martial world I experienced is like that. If I am weak, not only I but also those around me will be in danger.”

“So, you’re going to kill everyone indiscriminately and take the path of a tyrant who suppresses with force?”

“Tyrant, benevolent king, demon king! Those things are not important. The safety of the people around me must come first, and after that, it’s not too late to do good deeds, show kindness, consideration, and sacrifice.”

Ju Young-guk listened to Hwa-rin’s words and realized that killing people was not due to a habit ingrained in him from the battlefield.

“So, how many more people are you planning to kill in the future?”

“I defeated the Poison King, who is one of the Ten Great Masters of the Martial World. That means I have become one of the Ten Great Masters of the Martial World, and now there are only a handful of people in the martial world who can point a sword at me.”

“So, is it over now?”

“I don’t know, but the martial world will definitely think of me differently than before, and they will carefully consider attacks, conspiracies, and schemes against me.”

Ju Young-guk nodded.

“Karma is like a yoke that I must bear. The heaviest karma among evil deeds is said to be killing. So, I hope you will be careful when using your hands in the future.”

“I will.”

Looking at Hwa-rin bowing his head, Ju Young-guk saw the image of the current emperor in him.

“You rascal, martial artists are also the Emperor’s people. You must remember that you have a duty to guide them well.”

* * *

Hwa-rin left the Heungchin Royal Residence after being scolded by Ju Young-guk, feeling displeased.

“I should have been praised for handling the matter so cleanly.”

Hwa-rin left the Heungchin Royal Residence and walked down the main street, grumbling to himself. He felt intense killing intent and fighting spirit from all directions.

At the same time, countless hidden weapons filled the air, flying towards him.

Hwa-rin sensed the energy of the hidden weapons rushing towards him and dodged.

Whoosh!

“Agh… Ugh… Agh… Keuh-euh-euk.”

Because it was a main street with many people, when Hwa-rin dodged, the hidden weapons flew towards the innocent people walking on the street, piercing their bodies.

“It’s a fight! Run away!”

The people walking on the main street hurriedly scattered in all directions, hiding inside nearby buildings, and the people who were hit by the hidden weapons also struggled to escape the battlefield.

As Hwa-rin appeared in another place, a group of martial artists appeared and threw hidden weapons at Hwa-rin as they leaped towards him.

Dozens of people appeared from all directions, throwing hidden weapons, so there was no place to run.

A faint smile appeared on Hwa-rin’s lips as he moved his hands. As he moved forward, the hidden weapons flying towards him from the front disappeared into thin air as if by magic.

Whoosh!

Numerous hidden weapons were embedded in the spot where Hwa-rin had been standing.

“I’ll return them.”

As soon as Hwa-rin finished speaking, he spat out hidden weapons from the air, and the speed was like light, as if he were shooting hidden weapons using a fire tube [ancient rocket launcher].

He absorbed the hidden weapons that were aimed at him into his space pocket [a technique to store items in a different dimension] and returned them.

The martial artists who appeared were hit by the speed of the hidden weapons, their bodies floated into the air, flipped over, and fell to the ground, each with their chest pierced.

All of them were warriors from the Tang family.

“Attack!”

The person who gave the attack order was none other than Tang Mun-soo’s younger brother, Tang Mun-gu, the leader of the Dark Heaven Unit, which could be said to be the Tang family’s main force.

He had visited the Righteous Heaven Alliance with Tang Mun-soo this time, leading the Dark Heaven Unit, and after hearing the news of the Tang family, he led the Dark Heaven Unit to find Hwa-rin for revenge.

The warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit rushed towards Hwa-rin, and Hwa-rin was not going to let them be.

-So, you’re going to kill everyone indiscriminately and take the path of a tyrant who suppresses with force?

Ju Young-guk’s words came to mind.

“You are the one who taught me that way of survival, Uncle.”

Hwa-rin took out a sword from the air and faced the warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit who were rushing towards him.

Boom.

Avoiding the sword that cut through the air, Hwa-rin’s sword moved. Hwa-rin’s actions were relentless, and there was no mercy in his hands.

Shu-wuu-wook!

He spat out hidden weapons from the air, attacking the warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit, preventing them from even approaching his back.

This was possible because he had mastered the Two-Mind Skill [a technique to split one’s focus], which allowed him to divide his thoughts into several parts.

“Keuaaaak!”

Although the Dark Heaven Unit was the Tang family’s main force, they were no match for Hwa-rin.

Wherever Hwa-rin’s sword passed, blood flowers bloomed and spread into the air.

The people who had fled to the surrounding buildings trembled with fear as they watched this scene. If they hadn’t seen the Dark Heaven Unit attack Hwa-rin first, Hwa-rin might have been called a vicious god of slaughter or a demon who enjoyed killing.

Even now, his sword did not know how to stop, and every time he moved a step, the warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit were spraying blood and falling.

“King of the Underworld…”

One person who was watching this scene unknowingly uttered the words as he looked at Hwa-rin’s appearance, referring to the king of the underworld, the one who rules death.

The people around him nodded as if they agreed with the words.

Looking at his current appearance, he was like the King of the Underworld who rules death. No, he was the incarnation of the King of the Underworld.

“Keuaaaak!”

Hwa-rin alone could not handle a hundred warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit, and dozens of them had fallen. Nevertheless, Hwa-rin was standing there in perfect condition, without a single drop of blood on his clothes.

The remaining warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit hesitated at this heterogeneous appearance that was so different from the current situation. No, they were afraid, and no one could think of moving.

“You cruel bastard!”

Tang Mun-gu said to Hwa-rin.

“You crazy bastard, did I attack you first? You guys came in droves like this to kill me. And then, when I kill you, I become a cruel bastard? Then should I just die for you? Don’t talk nonsense and come in.”

Hwa-rin spoke to Tang Mun-gu as if he was dumbfounded.

“Why, are you afraid to fight me now?”

“What?”

“Do you think the world revolves around you?”

“Didn’t you attack the main family first?”

“Then have you never attacked other sects first? Have you ever falsely accused and killed someone who is innocent? You guys do that, but I can’t?”

“We are fair and just…”

“You’re talking nonsense. Even the Demonic Cult, if they think from their own perspective, their actions are fair and just.”

“Don’t compare us to the Demonic Cult.”

“Bullshit… ask the people over there. If there is anything different between you and the Demonic Cult.”

Hwa-rin said, pointing to the people who had fallen from the hidden weapons of the Dark Heaven Unit and the people who had fled to the surrounding buildings.

“You guys are no different either. To be honest, the Demonic Cult is just stuck in the Cheonsan Mountains [a mountain range]. You guys oppress those around you just because you have a little power, and you are worse than the Demonic Cult. And are you just going to keep talking? If not, come in.”

Hwa-rin beckoned to Tang Mun-gu.

The warriors of the Dark Heaven Unit were just looking at each other, and no one could think of moving.

“Then I’ll go in. After killing you all, I’ll go to the Tang family and make them pay the price for trying to kill me.”

“You…”

“I’ll pay back everything tenfold, whether it’s kindness or grudges. So, the Tang family will be very tired in the future. I’m going to pull out even the pillars today.”