The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 199

Heavenly Alliance Fortress (9)

Mukcheon Guild Leader, Yeongmyeong, was deeply displeased.

He wasn’t thrilled about attacking the Heavenly Alliance Fortress with the Lightning Sword Clan, and the fact that the Lightning Sword Clan had its own master irked him even more.

Especially the fact that all decision-making, including the execution of the operation, rested with him.

“How rude. A mere babe.”

“I’ve lived longer than you. Don’t bother trying to use your age to impress me.”

Yuseongwu deactivated the artifact that was altering his appearance and swept back his hair.

His impression changed instantly, revealing Yuseongwu’s true face instead of ‘Hyeonwol’.

Yeongmyeong frowned when he saw his face.

Even though the Demonic Sect was the least informed in the intelligence war between the Heavenly Alliance Fortress and the Demonic Sect, the Mukcheon Guild Leader was sensitive to external information.

Yuseongwu’s face was famous, so Yeongmyeong recognized him.

“What business brings a Korean martial artist to China?”

“I’ve come to destroy the Martial Alliance. They started the fight first.”

“I know your scale. You’re foolishly thinking of destroying the Heavenly Alliance Fortress with that small number?”

“So, does it seem small now?”

Yeongmyeong couldn’t easily answer his question.

Just how many strong individuals had gathered here?

After sending his subordinates to gather information, he learned that the Demonic Sect had subjugated numerous forces while advancing from Xinjiang [a large, autonomous region in northwest China] to the Heavenly Alliance Fortress, and the coalition of unorthodox factions was also a force to be reckoned with.

Even if only these two groups gathered, they could tear down the outer walls of the Heavenly Alliance Fortress.

Inside the Heavenly Alliance Fortress, a faction called ‘Pacheon Gate’ was at odds with the Martial Alliance and preparing for war.

“Could it be that Pacheon Gate is……!”

Yeongmyeong suddenly realized something and stared at Yuseongwu with wide eyes.

Pacheon Gate.

A ridiculous story about a sect with the determination to destroy the heavens seizing control of the Heavenly Alliance Fortress.

But if the person in front of him was the leader of Pacheon Gate…

The ridiculous story might not be so ridiculous after all.

“I’m not the leader. A child from the Seomun Family is the leader of Pacheon Gate. I’m just assisting them.”

“So, you’re the de facto power. Yuseongwu.”

“That’s not wrong.”

Yuseongwu sat down opposite Yeongmyeong and continued.

“What you want to discuss is what to do after destroying the Martial Alliance. I’ll answer you now. We’ll only take what we need and leave. We’ll roughly take their medicine warehouse.”

“Does that mean you’ll leave everything else to be swept up?”

“Yes. Our goal is to destroy the Martial Alliance anyway. You can take care of the secondary things. I’ll also finish negotiating with the Demonic Sect to avoid any disputes.”

“Your generosity is excessive.”

“That’s because I don’t think of you as such bad people. Don’t you want to live as free people? It’s a world of the survival of the fittest… but still, don’t go overboard with your tyranny. Mukcheon Guild Leader, you should be able to do that.”

Yeongmyeong could only nod his head as if he were possessed by Yuseongwu’s words.

If the Heavenly Alliance Fortress were to fall, how much could they take from within?

They could certainly get their hands on things that were so enormous that they couldn’t even imagine.

But Yuseongwu in front of him promised to only raid the medicine warehouse and return.

It didn’t make sense that he would give up so many interests.

“Why are you going so far?”

“Is there a reason? They started the fight, so I’m accepting it.”

To be exact, it was because they tried to harm his family, so he was retaliating.

Yuseongwu discussed a few more things and then got up from his seat.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes. I’m thinking of visiting the Demonic Sect while I’m out. What’s Batory doing?”

“I’m not sure. I often don’t see him.”

“He’s not doing his job properly. Then prepare well, and let’s see each other later. Mukcheon Guild Leader, I hope you’re doing well too. You’ll be very busy when the Heavenly Alliance Fortress falls, so get plenty of rest.”

“…Hmph.”

Yeongmyeong snorted and closed his eyes. Yuseongwu chuckled and slapped Baek Woo-hyeon on the back before disappearing.

“…That freaking hurt.”

***

After finishing his business with the coalition of unorthodox factions, Yuseongwu headed straight to the Demonic Sect’s base nearby.

The Demonic Sect was more extravagant than the coalition of unorthodox factions.

Black and red tents were lined up, and the Demonic Sect Leader’s large and ornate palanquin [a covered litter or carriage, often luxurious], which appeared to be his, was the epitome of splendor.

It was decorated to announce the Demonic Sect Leader’s dignity, so there was no need to wander around looking for him.

Yuseongwu looked for Choi Ayeon first anyway.

“It’s been a while.”

She, who had been dozing off on a makeshift bed inside the tent, hurriedly got up at the sound of the voice and wiped the drool from her mouth.

Then, she looked around and beamed when she found Yuseongwu.

“Guild Leader!”

“It seems you’ve done well. You pulled the Demonic Sect out of Xinjiang without being late.”

“It’s all thanks to Ms. Schua Nel. We were about to be late, but Ms. Schua Nel solved it.”

“Schua Nel? She’s capable. So, where is Schua Nel?”

“She’s probably in the tent next door.”

Yuseongwu headed to the tent next door with Choi Ayeon.

As he walked in, lifting the cloth hanging at the entrance, there was Schua Nel, rolling around on a makeshift bed and tapping away at a small electronic device.

“Internet! Internet! I love it so much! Ehehehehe…….”

Perhaps it was good that the internet was working near the Heavenly Alliance Fortress, her fingers didn’t stop moving.

So much so that she didn’t even notice anyone around her.

Yuseongwu sat down on her as she was and muttered.

“Kkeuaek!”

“It seems Schua Nel isn’t here. Did I come at the wrong time?”

It was just past midnight…….

It felt like something was wriggling under his butt, but Yuseongwu didn’t care.

Schua Nel punched Yuseongwu wildly, but soon her fists gradually slowed down as she got tired.

Only then did Yuseongwu get up from his seat and say.

“How long have you been there?”

“From the beginning! You crazy bastard!”

“I didn’t see you because you’re small.”

“I thought my insides were going to burst…….”

Schua Nel, who had escaped from Yuseongwu, sat on the makeshift bed and let out a sigh of relief.

It was her first time being crushed under a man’s butt, and she almost suffocated to death.

She almost made it into the top ten of the stupidest deaths for an elf.

“I heard you did a good job bringing the Demonic Sect. I’ll praise you.”

“Was that praise just now? I’d rather die than receive that kind of praise twice.”

Yuseongwu ruffled her hair wildly at Schua Nel’s sarcasm and said.

“I’ll buy you whatever you want when we return home.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Really. I’ll buy you as much as you’ve worked hard. There’s not much left, so work harder.”

“Okay.”

Having seen Schua Nel’s okay face, Yuseongwu headed straight to the Demonic Sect Leader’s palanquin with Choi Ayeon.

It was almost the size of an entire studio apartment that had been moved.

He left Choi Ayeon standing there and headed alone to the Demonic Sect Leader’s palanquin.

After suppressing his presence and entering the palanquin, the Demonic Sect Leader, Heuk Sahyang, who was sitting cross-legged in the middle with her eyes closed, caught his eye.

Feeling his presence, she moved her lips.

“Is that Yuseongwu?”

“Yes. It’s been a while, Demonic Sect Leader. How long has it been since I saw you in Europe?”

“Not much time has passed. What brings you here? I heard you’re doing something very flashy inside the Heavenly Alliance Fortress…….”

Yuseongwu plopped down opposite Heuk Sahyang, who was exuding a strange atmosphere, and said.

“Isn’t it fun? The sight of the Heavenly Alliance Fortress, which has maintained its steadfastness for a long time, wavering like a candle in the wind.”

“…Certainly, no one has ever done such a thing before. Especially if the opponent is the Heavenly Alliance Fortress.”

Heuk Sahyang slowly opened her eyes.

What was in her eyes was deep darkness.

From the energy that was different from when he saw her before, Yuseongwu could guess what Schua Nel had done to move the Demonic Sect.

But since it wasn’t something Yuseongwu cared about, he turned off his nerves and said.

“I just came from the coalition of unorthodox factions. I finished discussing when to destroy the Heavenly Alliance Fortress. I also told them what to hand over.”

“You’ve come to tell us that too.”

“Yes. The Demonic Sect should also take what they can and return. I’ve told the unorthodox factions, so don’t bother fighting.”

“What reason would there be to fight with such people?”

“I wonder.”

It wasn’t a very believable statement.

Still, he had no choice but to trust Heuk Sahyang for now.

“The Cheonma Shin-gyo [another name for the Demonic Sect] has not forgotten your grace. We will repay you by assisting as much as possible in this matter.”

“I’m going to go to the Demonic Sect later and plunder more, so be prepared.”

“…Okay.”

Heuk Sahyang, who had been reborn as a true Cheonma [a powerful demonic figure], had never felt fear coming here.

However, the moment she heard Yuseongwu’s words, her tension soared.

Wouldn’t an enormous deficit be coming to the Cheonma Shin-gyo…….

Yuseongwu read Heuk Sahyang’s energy and chuckled before getting up from his seat.

“The signal will be sent from inside the Heavenly Alliance Fortress. Just wait until then.”

“Okay.”

“The signal will be easy to recognize… don’t bother clashing with the unorthodox factions.”

“Who do you take me for as a child? The way you talk is like you’re appeasing children.”

“Everyone looks like a kid to me.”

As Yuseongwu, who said that, was about to leave, Heuk Sahyang opened her mouth.

“Perhaps, when the Heavenly Alliance Fortress’s gates are destroyed, could the Cheonma Shin-gyo be at the forefront?”

“I don’t really care about that. The one who comes quickly is at the forefront, so do as you please.”

“Is that so.”

“Ah, and…….”

Yuseongwu slowly looked at Heuk Sahyang again.

What Schua Nel had done had completely turned her disposition upside down.

When he saw her before, she at least had some human qualities left.

Now, she was closer to a being who had escaped from humanity.

Not someone who had transcended humanity through reflection and trials, but someone who had forcibly stripped away the shell of their mind.

“It’s a spirit that doesn’t fit the standard. If you don’t balance your body and mind, you’ll be devoured by your mind someday. Maybe your body will explode, poof.”

“…It’s something I’ll take care of.”

“If you know it well, I have nothing to say. Then let’s see each other later.”

Yuseongwu, who finished speaking, really disappeared from the palanquin.

Heuk Sahyang, who was left alone, closed her eyes again and fell into meditation.

She herself understood painfully what problem Yuseongwu had told her.

With Schua Nel’s help, she had accepted the spirituality of the previous Cheonmas from the spirit world and was reborn as a Cheonma.

But this was a kind of transcendence.

The spirituality of the Cheonmas led her mental world to a higher place…….

‘The completeness of the body was insufficient.’

Perhaps because she had accepted the spirituality that overflowed the vessel, her current state was like a bowl filled with water to the limit of surface tension.

If she lost her balance even a little, she would spill out as it was…….

-Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill…….

-The essence lies in death. As a demon god, make everything equal with death…….

-Blind the eyes of those who walk the path, and pull out the intestines of those who fill their bellies…….”

The voices of the previous Cheonmas’ spirituality swirl in her head.

She accepted them, suppressed them, and closed her eyes even more strongly.

Hoping that the swirling voices would all disappear someday.