Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 73

Nine Dragons Chronicle (73)

The scene was devastating.

The righteous martial artists who pursued the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad suffered a crushing defeat at Daechuk County and retreated.

The number of martial artists who died in Daechuk County exceeded one hundred. Including those who fell victim to them at Hyeonjeong Mountain, over two hundred martial artists had lost their lives to the members of the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad.

Moreover, the chaos was amplified by the deaths of Dang Chun-mun of the Dang Family, Mu-jin of Cheongseong, and Hwa-jeong of Emei, who were considered leaders of the group, along with the heads of small and medium-sized sects.

Ultimately, they had no choice but to retreat from the battle against the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad, their morale broken.

In the end, they could only return to the Sichuan branch of the Righteous Heaven Alliance as defeated soldiers, and news of their defeat shook the Sichuan martial world.

Since the righteous factions traditionally held strong influence in the Sichuan martial world, the victory of the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad greatly empowered the evil factions.

Judging that the righteous factions of the Sichuan martial world would lose face if they let the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad get away, Dang Chun-min, the head of the Dang Family, personally led the Dang Family Flying Dragon Squad, considered the elite force of the Dang Family, out of the Dang Family. The Cheongseong and Emei sects also dispatched the Cheongseong Swordsmen and the Subduing Dragons and Vanquishing Demons Squad, considered the elite of their respective sects, to Chongqing.

Coincidentally, an order was issued to the Sichuan branch to send support to Chongqing to help annihilate the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad, so they gathered righteous martial artists from the Sichuan martial world and dispatched them to Chongqing.

The number of martial artists gathered in this way reached three hundred. Although the martial artists from the Dang Family, Cheongseong, and Emei were not numerous, their martial prowess was so great that even the members of the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad could not easily dismiss them.

This rumor spread throughout Sichuan in an instant, and it took less than three days for the rumor to reach even the nearby capital.

The sudden battle between the Blood Faction Alliance and the Righteous Heaven Alliance caused the attention of the martial world to focus on Chongqing, and even high-ranking officials of both the Blood Faction Alliance and the Righteous Heaven Alliance were quite taken aback by this turn of events.

“This is quite something.”

In the grand hall, the heart of the Blood Faction Alliance, the Blood Emperor Baek Mu-gi, the leader of the Blood Faction Alliance, sat on the highest seat, with the heads of the Twelve Great Families, the foundation of the Blood Faction Alliance, to his left and right, and the elders of the Blood Faction Alliance beside them.

Facing Baek Mu-gi, Sama Maeng, the strategist of the Blood Faction Alliance, stood up and explained to them what had happened in Sichuan.

“We sent the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad to destroy the Eulji Family, who betrayed our alliance, and we sent the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad under the guise of the Henan Province Blood Demon Sect to conceal this. However, we have not yet received a report from them explaining why the battle occurred in Sichuan, so the situation is not yet clear.”

“So, you’re just standing by?”

“No. We have dispatched an investigation team to Sichuan and sent agents from the secret intelligence unit to Sichuan and Chongqing. We plan to determine the cause based on what they find out. And we request permission to dispatch the Scarlet Spirit Blood Demon Squad to Chongqing.”

At Sama Maeng’s words, Baek Mu-gi narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Why? Is it because of the Righteous Heaven Alliance’s counterattack?”

Jin Chung-yeong, the head of the Jinryang Family, one of the Twelve Great Families, asked.

“Yes. When we sent the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad to Chongqing, the Righteous Heaven Alliance must have taken some measures to protect the Eulji Family.”

“That’s right. The reason we could afford to be so confident was because the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad would join the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad around the time they attacked the Eulji Family, hitting the Righteous Heaven Alliance from behind.”

Everyone nodded.

“But according to the rumors, the fact that the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad is heading to Chongqing instead of Shanxi Province means that there is a problem with Baek Sa-yeong, the leader of the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad, and the squad leaders who can issue orders.”

“Why do you think so? Couldn’t they be heading to Chongqing because they are being pursued?”

“Before they left, we gave orders to Baek Sa-yeong and each squad leader. We told them to enter Sichuan, attract their attention, move around, and then cross over to Shanxi Province. After that, they were to take advantage of the lapse in surveillance to move from Shanxi Province to Chongqing and join the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad.”

Baek Mu-gi nodded and spoke.

“So, you’re saying that Baek Sa-yeong and the squad leaders are dead, so there is no one to carry out the initial orders, and the remaining members are moving to Chongqing to join the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad?”

“Yes. Since the ultimate goal is to join the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad, there must be some members who know the mission to join the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad, and I expect that the surviving members gathered their opinions and entered Chongqing instead of Shanxi Province.”

“That makes sense. But if Baek Sa-yeong and the squad leaders died, then a great expert from the Righteous Heaven Alliance must have provided support, but there were no rumors about that, were there?”

“That’s why I was relieved, but now that I think Baek Sa-yeong and the squad leaders have been defeated, I think I was complacent.”

“Has an expert we don’t know appeared?”

“That’s what I’m expecting, but before that, I’m focusing on the three martial arts that appeared in Shanxi Province.”

“Three martial arts?”

“The Sixteen Slaughtering Sword Techniques, the Heavenly Flower Dance, and the Small Number Divine Art.”

The conference hall buzzed at Sama Maeng’s words.

The first two martial arts were understandable, but the last one, the Small Number Divine Art, was not a martial art that could be simply overlooked.

“Did you say the Small Number Divine Art?”

Even the Blood Emperor Baek Mu-gi was surprised and asked again.

“Yes. According to a report from the Eumsa Gate [a minor demonic sect] in Shanxi Province, the elders and martial artists of the Eumsa Gate were defeated by the Small Number Divine Art.”

“Why are you only saying this now?”

“I reported it before. At the time, the leader was busy due to the expansion of the Demonic Cult, so the report must have been postponed.”

“Hmm…”

“And since then, there have been no reports about the Small Number Divine Art, so I temporarily forgot about it due to other matters.”

“But why are you bringing it up now? Are you saying that they killed Baek Sa-yeong and the squad leaders?”

“Not that, but I want to raise the possibility that experts we don’t know have emerged into the martial world amidst the expansion of our alliance and the Demonic Cult, and the Righteous Heaven Alliance consolidating its internal affairs.”

“Experts we don’t know?”

When the Blood Emperor Baek Mu-gi spoke, everyone fell silent. The silence made the heads of the Twelve Great Families look at each other, and the glances led to another long silence.

Sama Maeng, sensing the atmosphere, broke the silence and spoke.

“Our alliance has also strengthened its forces without us knowing. We have surpassed the forces we lost when we destroyed the Betrayer Sect thirty years ago, and we have made great progress in terms of power and martial prowess.”

The Blood Emperor Baek Mu-gi nodded.

“This is probably the same for the Demonic Cult and the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

“So, what are you trying to say?”

“We need to create chaos.”

“Chaos?”

“That’s right. That’s the only way the experts they’re hiding will reveal themselves. They need to show themselves even once so we can gauge the power of the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

Everyone agreed with Sama Maeng’s words.

“If we do that, will they show themselves?”

“That’s what I’m expecting. Right now, the Righteous Heaven Alliance is probably forming a force to deal with the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad and the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad and sending them to Chongqing.”

“That’s right.”

“If we send the Scarlet Spirit Blood Demon Squad here, they will have to quickly replenish their forces.”

“So, to quickly send the guys who can deal with the Scarlet Spirit Blood Demon Squad to the scene, they have no choice but to send the experts they have hidden or are raising?”

“We hide our power and use our revealed power to make the enemy reveal their hidden power?”

The head of the Jinryang Family asked.

“That’s right.”

“If the Scarlet Spirit Blood Demon Squad leaves the alliance, it will be caught in the Righteous Heaven Alliance’s intelligence network.”

“We can divide the members and send them out of the alliance.”

“How?”

“There is a merchant group that brings food to the alliance every day. And there are merchant groups that bring alcohol and food ingredients to the inns and brothels in the alliance.”

“Are you saying we should disguise ourselves as them and send them out?”

“That’s right. It’s only a day or two for us, but it will create a difference of more than five days from the Righteous Heaven Alliance’s perspective.”

Baek Mu-gi thought it made sense and nodded.

“So, the Righteous Heaven Alliance has no choice but to hurry, and to reduce that difference, they have no choice but to send experts.”

The Blood Emperor Baek Mu-gi looked at the heads of the Twelve Great Families and the elders. He met their eyes one by one and asked their thoughts, and the heads of the Twelve Great Families agreed, but the elders could not give a clear answer.

“News of the conflict between us and the Righteous Heaven Alliance must have reached the Demonic Cult as well. If so, they will not just stand by and watch. There are five martial arts groups that can move within our alliance. If three of them are concentrated in Chongqing, there are only two martial arts groups left to block the Demonic Cult’s movements, and even if only four of the Twelve Demonic Legions enter the Central Plains, we will suffer great damage.”

Usually, the Demonic Cult moves with one Demonic Legion, two Demonic Shadows, and ten Demonic Soldiers.

So, if four of the Twelve Demonic Legions move, fifty-two Demonic Cult experts will be moving.

Although the number is not that large, even the weakest ten Demonic Soldiers among them are transcendent experts who have surpassed the pinnacle, so it was not easy for the Righteous Heaven Alliance or the Blood Faction Alliance to deal with them.

It is known that the people one Demonic Legion brings with them are enough to deal with most of the martial arts forces of the Blood Faction Alliance or the Righteous Heaven Alliance.

If four such Demonic Legions appear, even the elite martial arts forces of the Blood Faction Alliance would be hard-pressed to deal with them.

The elders of the Blood Faction Alliance spoke, worried that the Demonic Cult might move.

“The Demonic Cult is currently focused on merging the martial forces of the borderlands and the outer regions, so they will not come to the Central Plains for the time being.”

Sama Maeng spoke with conviction.

“What if the Demonic Cult comes to the Central Plains?”

“They are people who live in the delusion that they can take over the Central Plains by force at any time. If they were willing to endure some sacrifices, they would have already come out.”

“Then?”

“They will try to keep our alliance or the Righteous Heaven Alliance in check with the forces of the borderlands and the outer regions until they move directly and destroy one of us.”

“Hmm…”

“The Demonic Cult is simply burdened with facing our alliance and the Righteous Heaven Alliance at the same time. Of course, that arrogance will ruin the Demonic Cult, but what is clear is that the Demonic Cult will not come to the Central Plains until they integrate the forces of the borderlands and the outer regions.”

The Blood Emperor Baek Mu-gi, who had been listening quietly, agreed with Sama Maeng’s opinion and decided to do as he wished.

“Do as the Chief Manager wishes. And you must achieve the desired goal.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

* * *

“Did you hear the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“There’s a big commotion in Sichuan right now. The Blood Faction Alliance’s Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad and the righteous martial artists of the Sichuan martial world clashed, and the righteous martial artists suffered great damage.”

“Is that true?”

“You have no idea. I heard that more than two hundred people died.”

The events in Sichuan were also reported to the Hwasan Assembly [a gathering of martial artists] being held at the Hwasan Sect.

“So, is that why they sent all the people from the evil faction sects out of Hwasan yesterday?”

Since there was a possibility of clashes due to the youthful spirit of the members, the Hwasan Sect first sent the later generation disciples belonging to the evil faction down the mountain gate for each other’s safety.

“That could be it. There are many people here from Sichuan, after all.”

“Then does that mean the war with the Blood Faction Alliance has begun?”

“I don’t know. But after hearing the story, it seemed very serious. There’s also talk that the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad is targeting the Eulji Family in Chongqing.”

“Then this is not the time to be here.”

“What are we going to do if we go?”

“We still have to lend a hand. And what is the reason for learning martial arts?”

“Stop it. If you meddle, you’ll die a dog’s death before you even see the light of day.”

There was a man who joined the conversation, and it was Sa Do-jun.

“You have to know who you’re up against before you jump in. You have to fight against the Nine Dragons Death Blood Squad and the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad, which are composed of top-notch, pinnacle experts. Do you think a young later generation disciple like us can even properly wield a sword against those guys? Maybe if we were the Ten Dragons and Eight Phoenixes [referring to exceptionally talented disciples].”

The two men glared fiercely at Sa Do-jun.

“It’s advice for you guys. We just need to listen to our seniors and grow step by step. That’s the shortcut to longevity.”

Sa Do-jun gave the two men advice, not advice, and then left the spot.

“Is it time for me to go down Hwasan now? The fact that that friend left Hwasan with a substitute must be related to what’s happening in Sichuan.”

Sa Do-jun knew that Hwa-rin in Hwasan was a different person. However, he knew that the person acting as a substitute was also stronger than him and was the same kind of person, so he didn’t pay any more attention to it.

“If I go down to Chongqing now, a lot of fun things will happen.”

A faint smile appeared on Sa Do-jun’s lips.

“Then shall I go say goodbye to Lady Namgung Yeon-ah before I leave?”

Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]

Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]

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Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] In a tempestuous night, amidst the clash of steel and the roar of thunder, a palace estate becomes a battleground. Blood spills as palace guards relentlessly hunt intruders, their mission shrouded in deadly secrecy. A desperate cry pierces the storm—a palace maid's plea for her son, Zhu Hualin, the emperor's hidden ninth child. Born under a veil of scandal, Hualin's very existence is a threat, marked for elimination by the ruthless Empress. Witness a mother's ultimate sacrifice as she ignites a saga of intrigue, resilience, and concealed destinies. Plunge into this captivating prologue, where mercy is a dangerous currency, and the fate of a secret prince hangs precariously in the balance. Years drift by, and the question looms: will Zhu Hualin rise as a tyrannical force, or will he embrace wisdom and justice to become a true ruler?

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