The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 194

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully – 195

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully 195

Celestial Alliance Fortress (3)

*Whoosh.*

The captured Namcheong Sword vibrated, raising a blue flame.

Yeongmyeong laughed softly and triggered an explosion that overturned the surroundings.

The vortex of blue flames devoured the oxygen in the atmosphere, gradually increasing in size. When the flames reached the sky, the vortex disappeared.

Revealed inside was Baek Woo-hyun, badly burned, and Yeongmyeong, who was unscathed.

Those belonging to the Mukcheon Association cheered, while the black swordsmen of the Lightning Sword Clan stared at the blackened Baek Woo-hyun with pity.

As Yeongmyeong smirked, about to speak, the blackened Baek Woo-hyun stood up and plunged the Namcheong Sword into the ground.

Then, the soot fell from his body, revealing his unharmed appearance.

“Not yet.”

Rumble…

At Baek Woo-hyun’s murmur, the sky suddenly darkened.

Everyone in the area looked up, sensing something unusual.

“W-What is this….”

“What’s going on?!”

The villains of the Mukcheon Association looked up at the sky, bewildered.

The black swordsmen of the Lightning Sword Clan cheered as they saw lightning flash in the gathering dark clouds.

They didn’t know exactly what was happening, but that blue lightning was definitely Baek Woo-hyun’s doing.

“Here it comes….”

At the sudden change in the weather, Yeongmyeong raised his flames again. Simultaneously, countless lightning bolts began to fall from the sky.

Numerous lightning strikes arced and struck down.

It was like divine punishment.

Yeongmyeong dodged the lightning strikes several times and approached Baek Woo-hyun.

“You’re playing petty tricks!”

Yeongmyeong reached out his palm, intent on finishing the fight.

Baek Woo-hyun smiled as he watched the approaching hands, which moved like two dragons drawing strange curves.

“It’s not over yet.”

*Kwaaaang—!!*

A bolt of lightning struck Baek Woo-hyun.

The lightning, carrying hundreds of thousands of amperes from the sky, engulfed him, dyeing his entire body with blue electricity.

“Are you trying to commit suicide!”

Yeongmyeong, dodging the lightning that fell in front of him, frowned.

Unceasing lightning.

Baek Woo-hyun was buried in lightning, and within it, he glared at Yeongmyeong with eyes brighter than the lightning.

Yeongmyeong took a step back, then looked down at a strange sensation.

*Splash—*

There was a puddle of water there.

A suspicious puddle that hadn’t evaporated despite his flames or Baek Woo-hyun’s lightning.

As the lightning subsided, Baek Woo-hyun, holding the electric Namcheong Sword high, muttered.

“Do you know about electric eels?”

Yeongmyeong’s gaze darted from his feet to Baek Woo-hyun.

The puddle at his feet was connected to where Baek Woo-hyun stood.

The moment he realized it, Yeongmyeong tried to pull his feet away.

But he couldn’t outrun the speed of light.

The moment Baek Woo-hyun plunged the Namcheong Sword into the puddle at his feet, blue lightning raced through the water.

A powerful current surged through Yeongmyeong’s entire body.

A current comparable to lightning, from his toes to the top of his head.

As if on cue, lightning fell from the sky and enveloped Yeongmyeong.

“Kuaaaaaaak—!!”

At the same time as Yeongmyeong’s scream, the atmosphere shifted.

The black swordsmen of the Lightning Sword Clan, who had been on the verge of death, cheered, while the villains of the Mukcheon Association cried out for their leader.

“Association Leader! Association Leader!”

“Association Leader! Are you okay!”

“Finally, the Association Leader is going to die!”

However, contrary to that last guy’s wish, the Association Leader walked out of the lightning, smoking and struggling.

His face was full of anger, but he no longer rushed at Baek Woo-hyun.

Baek Woo-hyun stuck his sword into the ground and caught his breath on one knee.

Both were in similar condition.

If they continued, there was no guarantee of victory for either side, and it would only end with someone’s death.

In the process, he would suffer fatal injuries…

If he suffered fatal injuries and went into recovery at a time when he needed to grow his power, the Celestial Alliance Fortress would become uncontrollably large.

Yeongmyeong, the Mukcheon Association Leader with a broad perspective, closed his eyes for a moment, opened them, and declared.

“Warriors of the Mukcheon Association, listen. From today, the Lightning Sword Clan and the Mukcheon Association will be allies. Treat them as equal warriors and do not fight.”

“Association Leader! What are you talking about!”

As if nothing had happened, voices erupted from the warriors of the Mukcheon Association.

“Silence—!!”

Yeongmyeong silenced them with a shout and continued.

“Because the Lightning Sword Clan and the Mukcheon Association share the same goal.”

“The same goal…?”

“Warriors of the Lightning Sword Clan, listen!”

As if responding to Yeongmyeong’s words, Baek Woo-hyun stood up with difficulty and shouted.

“From today, the Lightning Sword Clan will work together with the Mukcheon Association! To destroy our long-time enemy, the Celestial Alliance Fortress!”

Celestial Alliance Fortress.

When that name was spoken, the warriors were swept away by a wave of excitement.

The current China had become a Murim world [martial arts world] divided into villains and orthodox sects, a standard created by the Celestial Alliance Fortress for control.

Warriors who did not belong to the Celestial Alliance Fortress were labeled as ‘villains’ and excluded.

Even though they were just free people who wanted to live freely.

There might have been a better way, but the Celestial Alliance Fortress chose that method for complete control.

Therefore, everyone in this place, labeled as villains, harbored resentment toward the Celestial Alliance Fortress.

The thought of breaking the noses of those arrogant bastards who claimed to be the only chosen ones was appealing.

“…Please take care of me from today.”

“I should be the one saying that.”

Joining hands for a common goal.

It was a significant moment.

As if to signify the alliance, Yeongmyeong reached out his hand to Baek Woo-hyun, and Baek Woo-hyun shook it, forming an alliance.

The Lightning Sword Clan, which had gathered all the small and medium-sized black swordsmen, and the Mukcheon Association, which had devoured the Four Evil Heavens and become the top villainous group.

It was the moment when the two giant forces of the villains joined hands.

***

The Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] convened an emergency meeting.

Jegal Cheon-hwa had disappeared from the Murim Alliance’s underground prison, and the investigation revealed that the incidents at the Wudang and Mount Hua sects were not coincidental.

The exact mastermind was still being investigated, but the prevailing hypothesis was that it was a figure from the villains or the Demonic Cult.

Attending the meeting were Murim Alliance Leader Cheon Woo-gong, Great Strategist Jegal Woong-ju, the leaders of the Nine Sects, and the heads of the Five Great Families.

Although a few were absent, the fact that most attended indicated the importance of the matter.

“…I have no excuse. I should have watched her more closely.”

Jegal Woong-ju apologized.

Jegal Cheon-hwa was his granddaughter. He had silenced the events in the research lab and imprisoned her as punishment for covering up the attacker.

But she had disappeared without a trace, using some method.

Jegal Cheon-hwa was a strategist of the Murim Alliance, possessing a wealth of information.

No matter who she fell into the hands of, it would be a significant loss to the Murim Alliance.

“You need to explain how this happened. The Wudang sect has closed its doors, and the Mount Hua sect has not responded at all since the leader was replaced. There are signs that several related businesses are collapsing.”

“……”

“It hasn’t been long since Seonryong Taesa of the Emei Sect died at the hands of that bastard… At this rate, the Thousand Area of the Celestial Alliance Fortress will be a mess.”

“……”

“There is also the fact that the factory area in the Sea Area was attacked. Is this related to this incident? I heard that there are two wandering mercenaries who came to the Sea Area.”

“……”

“You don’t want to suggest that those two attacked the factory and crippled the Wudang and Mount Hua sects, do you?”

The sect and family leaders spoke loudly.

There was no discussion about martial arts, only about their respective interests and businesses.

Cheon Woo-gong, the Murim Alliance Leader, listened quietly and then spoke.

“How long are you going to talk about business? This emergency meeting was convened to catch the monster who crippled Wudang and Mount Hua.”

“…T-That’s right.”

People quieted down under the pressure emanating from Cheon Woo-gong.

“The information obtained using the Beggars’ Sect system was limited. It is a being from outside the Celestial Alliance Fortress, and there is a high possibility that he is related to the villains or the Demonic Cult.”

“Did they take Jegal Strategist too? Alliance Leader.”

“It seems so. The only traces left in the underground prison were the neatly cut locks. Other prisoners were also interrogated, but no one saw anything. If he is skilled enough to use that much stealth, then perhaps….”

“The assassins of the villains! The Killing Spirits, they’re still alive!”

Killing Spirits (殺靈) [assassins].

In the past, when the Lord of the Four Evil Heavens ruled the villains, he raised assassins to secretly eliminate those who opposed his will.

They were called ‘Killing Spirits’ and were like limbs that faithfully followed the will of the Four Evil Heavens.

All the Killing Spirits supposedly died when the Mukcheon Association devoured the Four Evil Heavens, but they had no way of knowing for sure.

Just like those who sit comfortably in the city and engage in armchair discussions have no way of knowing the situation on the ground.

When the name Killing Spirits was mentioned, people overreacted.

Because many orthodox figures had died at their hands.

Jegal Woong-ju cleared his throat and spoke, addressing the expectant gazes.

“Calm down. It hasn’t been confirmed that they are Killing Spirits. And if they were real Killing Spirits, why would they attack the Celestial Alliance Fortress? Their enemy is not the Murim Alliance but the Mukcheon Association.”

At his words, those who had finally calmed down sighed deeply.

It was already difficult enough to manage their businesses and the Abyss Blood [a mysterious resource], but they were annoyed that they had to pay attention to more and more things.

Cheon Woo-gong looked around at them and couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

Those who are called family heads, those who are called sect leaders….

Cheon Woo-gong said.

“Since Wudang and Mount Hua have fallen, there is no guarantee that other sects will not suffer the same fate. For the time being, we have no choice but to reduce external activities, repeat investigations, and wait until the situation improves.”

“What are you talking about? Alliance Leader. Are you saying that we have to tremble in fear of bastards we don’t even know?”

Pengmun, the head of the Habuk Peng family, retorted.

He was already angry that the factory in the Sea Area had been attacked, and the suggestion that they should hide from unknown enemies touched a nerve.

Seeing that some people nodded in agreement, Cheon Woo-gong sighed inwardly.

“I will form a subjugation squad. Waiting passively until things calm down doesn’t suit my temperament.”

“…Do as you please.”

Cheon Woo-gong gave up on the Peng family.

Whether they formed a subjugation squad and wandered around or not… they wouldn’t listen even if he told them not to.

It was also an opportunity to get rid of the Peng family.

Thinking about who to put in the next Peng family head position, Cheon Woo-gong said.

“Anyway, the Murim Alliance will eradicate the monsters, so I hope you don’t do anything stupid.”

The emergency Murim Alliance meeting ended, and the Great Strategist and Cheon Woo-gong, who remained in the meeting room, spoke.

“Great Strategist, summon the Yeongjeop [special forces].”