Chapter 212

Chapter 212

Zone Seventeen. Waterway Strongholds’ base.

“First Stronghold Leader, how do you intend to take responsibility for this!”

“Because of your scheme, didn’t we lose the boat we built!”

“Huu.”

So noisy.

Puuuuuk!

At the appearance of another stronghold leader chattering in front of him, Yeongonha frowned for a moment and quietly caressed the harpoon in his hand before raising his internal energy with lightning speed and stabbing down with the harpoon. The harpoon deeply embedded through the foot with a bursting sound, as if spearing a fish.

“Keuaaaaaak!”

“Does Yeonryang Stronghold Leader see me as a close friend? Raising your voice in front of me.”

“What the hell are you doing……!”

“I let it slide several times when you were spouting off just because we’re fellow Waterway Strongholds, but do you think you’re on par with me? Is that it?”

“Th-that’s not…….”

“I can kill a stronghold leader right here. Yeonryang Stronghold Leader. Replacing the head of one minor stronghold isn’t difficult for me. Should I test it?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“There’s no problem with the plan. I’ve also prepared countermeasures for times like this. I’d appreciate it if you don’t speak of this matter going forward.”

Looking at Yeonryang Stronghold Leader closing his mouth at his own cold voice, Yeongonha let out a deep sigh and ground his teeth. Though he said there’s no problem with the plan as he just stated, his pride didn’t forgive it.

‘Baek Riyun. Uicheonmun Master.’

He knows what kind of person he is. He can’t not know. How many Waterway Strongholds brothers became wandering ghosts at those hands?

Of course, he doesn’t harbor any particular feelings toward those brothers. However, it’s also true that Baek Riyun inflicted massive damage on the Waterway Strongholds. That capability must be acknowledged.

That’s why he extended his hand for cooperation. Though the Waterway Strongholds are stronger than anyone in water, they’re weak on land, so as the Waterway Strongholds, they would have to accept enormous casualties to catch the Water Dragon. Rather than bearing such risk, he tried to navigate this situation by bringing in a strong person.

The thought of possibly being betrayed?

Of course he had it. Neither he nor Baek Riyun would properly trust each other. After catching the Water Dragon, they’d try to discard each other after use.

Nevertheless, he considered the odds of winning high. If not fighting on land, but in water, the Waterway Strongholds were strong enough.

But what about the current situation?

‘The boat was stolen.’

The boat for catching the Water Dragon was stolen. If it had only been that, it wouldn’t have become such a troublesome situation.

What’s truly important is that he joined hands with Daesageom. Two strong people who can’t easily determine victory even if dragged into water have joined hands.

The plan hasn’t completely fallen apart, but it’s an unfavorable crack. If things continue like this, the Waterway Strongholds might actually be hit with backlash.

“St-Stronghold Leader.”

“What.”

As Yeongonha continued his thoughts, he frowned at the voice heard from beside him and turned his gaze. The appearance of a subordinate carefully asking while approaching close.

“Shouldn’t we pull out even now? No matter how killing each other is forbidden in the opening ceremony, th-that, after the opening ceremony ends, Daesageom and Uicheonmun Master will…….”

“It’s not allowed.”

“But Stronghold Leader.”

“Don’t you know what’s at stake in this opening ceremony?”

At Yeongonha’s cold voice, the subordinate who swallowed hard bowed his head. Because there was something among the prizes here that had to be secured no matter what.

“A divine weapon artifact. Sea Dragon Jade.”

A spherical jade like a wish-fulfilling jewel, said in legend to be created when a sea dragon cherishes it for a thousand years.

The Sea Dragon Jade, known to allow one to rapidly accumulate water energy just by possessing it, actually has one more hidden function. Those who know that best are none other than the Waterway Strongholds’ people. 

The reason the Imperial Palace can’t subjugate the Waterway Strongholds is also because of this Sea Dragon Jade.

“The one who possesses the Sea Dragon Jade can manipulate water currents through certain sorcerous techniques.”

“Yes…….”

No matter how much the Waterway Strongholds show strength in water, they can’t compare with the Imperial Palace. To compare with the Imperial Palace, you’d need to bring at least the Murim Alliance or Sado Alliance, or perhaps the Demonic Cult.

However, the Waterway Strongholds have never been subjugated by the Imperial Palace. The reason is one.

Because the Waterway Strongholds possess the Sea Dragon Jade.

“For the past several decades, our Waterway Strongholds have used the Sea Dragon Jade’s function to submerge the Imperial Palace’s subjugation forces. Don’t you know?”

“Yes.”

Around the Waterway Strongholds’ main stronghold. The rapids that constantly swirl and suck in boats though it’s clearly a river are a type of sorcery cast through the Sea Dragon Jade.

Countless sorcerers attached themselves to dispel that sorcery. However, attempts were meaningless. As long as water currents are being manipulated with the Sea Dragon Jade, there’s no way to do anything from the outside.

That should have been the case.

“If they can manipulate water currents with the Sea Dragon Jade from the outside, the Waterway Strongholds’ defense crumbles. Then do you know what happens?”

“The Waterway Strongholds are finished. For us to continue existing, the Sea Dragon Jade must not fall into anyone’s hands.”

The reason Yeongonha, who’s positioned at the very top even within the Waterway Strongholds’ hierarchy, specifically came to this life-threatening Sado Alliance opening ceremony is also for such a reason. To prevent the Sea Dragon Jade from falling into anyone else’s hands who might recognize its value. Thus to secure the Waterway Strongholds’ safety.

“No matter how advanced their martial arts, it doesn’t matter. This is the sea.”

“The opponent is a Water Dragon. If we truly can’t crush them head-on, we just need to drown them when they clash with the Water Dragon. Though we’ll have to accept quite a bit of damage in catching the Water Dragon…….”

Even so, it would be better than the plan going awry. If we disassemble the boat on the sea and attack them together with the Water Dragon, those who fell into chaos will quickly self-destruct.

“Stro-Stronghold Leader.”

“Stop stammering. There’s no need to be scared. Their goal is the Water Dragon. They won’t do something foolish like coming to strike us before that.”

“That’s not it. Stronghold Leader……!”

“……? If not that, then what.”

At the voice of his subordinate heard from behind him, thick with fear, Yeongonha frowned and turned around. And at that moment, Yeongonha met yellow eyes.

It’s a Water Dragon.

“……It should be at the outskirts, why?”

At a considerable distance yet closer than before, Yeongonha, who met the Water Dragon’s eyes staring directly at them, muttered blankly then suddenly lowered his gaze.

Where wave meets wave and shatters into foam.

“Throw the planks a bit faster, will you! We’re going to get caught!”

“The old man doesn’t even look back. If we go faster, the Water Dragon will turn back.”

Those who had stolen the boat and disappeared were crossing the sea.

“……What are they doing?”

Without even a boat, just stepping vigorously on planks spread on the sea.

Generally speaking, qinggong is often said to be the study of making the body light, but if you dig into it in detail, that theory is a bit different.

That’s natural. Unless you cut something off or remove it, no matter how much you use internal energy, the body’s weight doesn’t suddenly increase or decrease. Even the Thousand Catty Drop is called Thousand Catty Drop, but it’s actually a technique that moves the center of gravity as far down as possible to make balance easier, isn’t it?

If footwork that moves short distances quickly uses concentration of force, qinggong that must continuously move long distances uses dispersion of force. Light enough that even grass doesn’t break when stepping on it, and wide enough to spread force to reduce burden—that’s qinggong. 

For those who can even step on water like that, stepping across and crossing footholds placed far apart on water wasn’t particularly difficult.

Especially if there are several people.

Chak! Chakchak!

“Skillful.”

Looking at the wooden boards smoothly spreading in front of him, Daesageom’s appearance expressing admiration made me smirk. No matter how skilled, they probably haven’t seen such a scene easily.

“I’ve done it before.”

“You’ve done it before?”

“It’s a strategy I came up with when I went to subdue yokai in Hainan. I needed to approach quickly because they ran away when they saw boats carrying martial artists. What I prepared then was these wooden boards.”

Light and easily swayed. There’s virtually no weight to speak of.

Even so, buoyancy isn’t weak. Though unstable because the weight is light, when reaching a level like Daesageom’s or mine, we can convert all that instability into lift that floats our bodies. Unless they’re people who monstrously maintain their center, reaching this level would also be a distant matter.

“Anyway, be careful. We need to leave boards for the return trip too. If we run out of boards, we’ll have to run directly on the sea…… Damn!”

Swaeeeeek!

While rattling off words of concern, I suddenly felt tremendous internal energy from above my head and hurriedly leaned my body backward. My body tilting and half-diving into the sea, and a massive water bullet passing over it.

“It’s quite angry.”

“What on earth did you do to make it chase so frantically?”

“Nothing much. Can you see what I’m holding?”

“That, what…… Mm.”

Daesageom, who confirmed the appearance of a fist-sized orb grasped in the massive Water Dragon’s hand, let out a groan.

“A wish-fulfilling jewel? Don’t tell me you took that…….”

“Searching for the reverse scale would take too much time, so well, when it comes to enraging a dragon, there’s nothing better than this, right?”

According to legend, if an imoogi cultivates for a thousand years, it holds a wish-fulfilling jewel and becomes a dragon to ascend to heaven, doesn’t it?

That statement conversely means the wish-fulfilling jewel is more important to a dragon than anything else. Without a wish-fulfilling jewel, an imoogi can’t become a dragon, and an imoogi that doesn’t become a dragon can’t ascend to heaven.

“For a martial artist, it’s like someone stabs a blade into your dantian and runs away. Wouldn’t you be furious?”

“I would be.”

“That means there’s nothing better than this for provocation. Well, the provocation seems a bit excessive though.”

Even so, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, we’re not the ones fighting the enraged Water Dragon.

“It’s becoming visible.”

Paang! Paaaang!

At the appearance of the island visible in the distance, I accelerated and shot my body forward. People hurriedly lifting harpoons or nets while looking this way in surprise. However.

“Left!”

“I’ll take the right.”

Too late. In an instant, I and Daesageom, who closed the distance, simultaneously drew the swords at our waists.

Soon, the path opened wide.

Kung!

“Wh-what…….”

As I landed on the ground and raised my internal energy, First Stronghold Leader Yeongonha blocked the front while holding a harpoon and ground his teeth. Shock and fear gradually rising.

“Didn’t I tell you to catch the Water Dragon and bring it?”

“I caught it. And alive and fresh too.”

“Are you in your right mind?”

“Unfortunately, completely in my right mind.”

Not just a small river, but the idea of running across the sea.

Of course, it’s not actually easy. Not the difficulty of the idea itself, but once you fall into the sea, the probability is high you’ll never return. For a Water Dragon that manipulates wind and rain, cooking one martial artist who fell into the sea wouldn’t be difficult. At that point, planks or anything else becomes meaningless.

But that’s the story if you fall.

“A martial artist is essentially someone who walks on blade edges.”

“You can’t become a martial artist if you fear danger.”

I only did it because I could.

“If you want to catch the Water Dragon, catch it yourself.”

Looking at the Water Dragon approaching from far away, I smiled faintly and took a step back. And at that moment.

The Water Dragon moves a bit farther from the island.

Wait.

“The Water Dragon is turning back.”

“It seems it has no intention of coming to the island.”

At Daesageom’s words, I blinked. Certainly it looks enraged, but as if saying that’s enough now, the Water Dragon slowly turning its body.

“……Mm. We can’t have it leave like that.”

With an expression of utter bewilderment, Yeongonha gripped his harpoon firmly while sneakily turning his steps toward the sea. As if he’d prevent us from leaving this island even if it meant death.

‘……We’ll be isolated on the island at this rate.’

We could annihilate them on land. But in water, it’s not easy. Perhaps we might not be able to do anything and be isolated on the island.

What to do?

Looking at the planks that don’t have many left, I frowned and also raised my internal energy. And at that moment, a clear voice heard from behind me.

“I suppose I should help.”

Heugseon-nangnang

For a brief moment.

The world is covered with black silk. As if stretching infinitely, black silk woven with internal energy covered the sky and groped beyond the horizon. And the scene visible the next moment.

Kwaaaaaang-!!!

What on earth.

While the shocked water bandits were different, I felt a strange discomfort and groped for my sword hilt. An unbelievable scene unfolding before my eyes.

Kiaaaaaaa-!!!

The Water Dragon that had been disappearing beyond the horizon instantly appeared before our eyes and burst into fierce cries.

Caught in the black silk.