Chapter 316

Chapter 316

Seopung Geomho, Nam Jeon is strong.

That’s actually something easily deduced if you know that Nam Jeon is seventy this year and has a renowned name. Originally, having a renowned name means you’ve been active in Gangho extensively, and extensive Gangho activity inevitably accumulates debts and grudges, and the fact that you’ve survived to seventy despite accumulating many debts and grudges means you’re strong.

Though he didn’t ascend to the seat of Sipcheon, if you picked thirty highly reputable masters from Jeongpa, Nam Jeon would be included somewhere at the tail end. Needless to say, a master of Jeongpa Murim who has accumulated numerous experiences and overcome hardships and adversity.

In this Gangho, there are few martial art forms Nam Jeon hasn’t seen, and strange incidents he hasn’t experienced are rare. If there’s even the slightest characteristic, Nam Jeon’s excellent insight won’t miss it.

Yes.

It surely should have been that way.

“What.”

Until now.

Du-du-duk!

“What on earth is this!”

Energy resembling red thread burrowed into people’s bodies. Would it look like this if you extracted thread from blood and connected it to people?

Those who had been running around trying to avoid the threads while resisting were pierced by threads one by one and went limp like dolls. And at that sight, Nam Jeon gulped down his throat.

“What on earth is this…!”

It’s martial arts he’s seeing for the first time in his life. No, is it even martial arts in the first place?

At the martial arts in a form beyond normal bounds, Nam Jeon raised his sword and drew up his Naeryeok. And at that moment, the martial artists all turned their heads toward Nam Jeon in unison.

“…Creepy.”

Would it feel like this to watch a Gangsi practitioner manipulating Gangsi?

“Come!”

As Nam Jeon swept down his arm where goosebumps had formed and raised his sword while speaking, those bound by threads all began charging toward Nam Jeon at once. And Nam Jeon beginning to strike them down one by one with the flat of his sword.

Owol Punggeom

The sword body danced brilliantly.

Befitting a sword technique said to be modeled after the five winds that visit each season, the smoothly bent sword strikes immediately became a cold wind and surged forth. Sometimes becoming a heavy typhoon, sometimes becoming a strong wind pressing the entire body—Nam Jeon’s sword.

“Did you think you could overwhelm me with numbers!”

The numbers quickly dwindled.

As if it had been decided that way from the start, over twenty people among those pierced by red threads fell outside the arena and became unable to fight, eliminated by Nam Jeon and those not pierced by threads. Those who collapsed unconscious when the threads were cut.

“Cut the threads of Naeryeok! If you just cut the threads, they’re neutralized!”

“Understood!”

As Nam Jeon’s words spread, the numbers dwindled one by one. Those swept away without even being able to put up much resistance, as it was a group of low-level martial artists gathered in the first place.

The anomaly occurred around that time.

“A bit more interestingly.”

The moment Ilnachar spread her fingertips, the movements of those being controlled drastically changed.

“Keu-a-a-a!”

Shrieks burst forth.

A martial artist who until just moments ago had been listlessly waving his sword like a will-less doll spewed blood light and wildly swung his sword with suddenly changed movements. Sword Qi rapidly shooting out.

Yacha Chuhon Sword

Jeongnanga

“Do you think you can defeat me with just this much!”

“Who knows?”

Though they became stronger, it’s not to the degree he can’t handle.

Thinking that and taking a step forward, Nam Jeon turned deathly pale at the momentum he suddenly felt. Attacks already extending toward him.

Yacha Chuhon Sword

Jeongnanga

Yacha Chuhon Sword

Jeongnanga

Yacha Chuhon Sword

Jeongnanga

Yacha Chuhon Sword

Jeongnan…

“Heo-eok.”

Truly a feeling like being chased by a wolf pack.

Kwa-deu-deu-deu-deuk!

“You ba-astard!”

Nam Jeon, who avoided the crimson flashes stabbing from all directions with Naryeotagon, burst out in an old voice while grinding his teeth.

“That blood-colored Sword Qi. Bizarre and monstrous martial arts! You’re a remnant of Hyeolgyo!”

“You just realized?”

“I’ll kill you and comfort the souls of the comrades who died to Hyeolgyo!”

After Ilnachar burst into laughter as if it were laughable and confirmed she was clenching her hand again, Nam Jeon infused dense Sword Kang into his sword. And.

Owol Punggeom

Daepungnang

Soon, the supreme technique of Owol Punggeom that Nam Jeon takes pride in unfolded, and the moment the martial artists controlled by Ilnachar all charged toward Nam Jeon at once.

“Stop-!!!”

A lion’s roar burst from Geomseon’s mouth, and the bound martial artists all collapsed to the ground.

Thud!

“Young friend, step back.”

“Maengju! You don’t know who that person is! She’s a Hyeolgyo remnant!”

“Calm yourself, Seopung.”

At Geomseon’s appearance rapidly using Heoggongdambo to descend and speak, Ilnachar, who had been watching the situation with arms crossed for a moment, showed a strange smile.

“Outside interference—isn’t that against the rules?”

“Heo-heo. Against the rules?”

“It’s fine as long as you don’t cause loss of life, right?”

“Seopung that friend there would have no harm. But what about the martial artists you’re controlling? Wouldn’t they also be harmed?”

“Aha. You care even about these consumables? How inefficient.”

“They’re pillars of Murim more important than your life.”

“I wonder.”

As Ilnachar shrugged as if she couldn’t agree and took a step back, the Hyeolju that had been extending vanished from the air as if melting away.

“Victory… goes to you, Ilnachar.”

“Don’t call me Ilnachar. Hyeolgyo doesn’t even exist anymore, so what Ilnachar?”

“Then, what should I call you?”

“Jeokyeo.”

“An unexpectedly pretty name.”

“Oh my, thank you. It’s a name I came up with myself.”

“This match goes to Jeokyeo’s victory. Any objections?”

“…I cannot accept it, Maengju.”

“Seopung, if it had continued like this, you would have died.”

“…”

“You pulled out all your power, but that girl still has plenty to spare. I don’t think you’re someone who doesn’t know what that means.”

An overwhelming gap.

“Keu-euk.”

At Geomseon’s eyes looking at him as if asking whether he truly couldn’t acknowledge it, Nam Jeon ground his teeth and lowered his sword.

“…I acknowledge it.”

“You decided well. Then, today’s preliminaries end with this. And.”

Fierce eyes.

Feeling the shooting hostility on his skin, Geomseon quietly sharpened a blade in his mental image and turned his gaze toward Ilnachar.

“You’ll need to follow me.”

“…”

“I have many things to ask. You may refuse, though.”

If she refuses, he can’t guarantee her life.

Feeling formless blades densely covering her surroundings, Ilnachar grinned.

“By all means.”

Everything was according to plan.

***

“Even Jeokyeo has arrived.”

A secluded area of the martial stage.

Baek Riseon, who had been watching Jeokyeo being half-dragged in by the Murim Alliance Leader while fanning himself with his Seobseon, wore a faint smile and put away his fan. The plan proceeding smoothly.

‘Jeokyeo cannot side with Heukya.’

Why did Jeokyeo, why did Hyeolgyo first join hands with Heukya?

It was entirely to become yokai. It was to become yokai through the overwhelming amount of Yoryeok that Heukya possessed.

Originally, that action of wanting to become yokai would have simply ended in failure. Unlike Hyeolgyo followers’ speculation, humans becoming yokai was never something that could be done by accepting Yoryeok. It was impossible without experiencing a shock great enough to deny oneself and overturn one’s essence.

However.

‘It settled nicely as planned.’

Jeokyeo nevertheless succeeded in becoming a yokai. Why? Because Heukya helped? Or because Jeokyeo had such outstanding aptitude?

All wrong.

Because Baek Riseon.

No.

‘I’ helped, it was possible.

“Having succeeded in becoming a yokai, Jeokyeo is never on Heukya’s side.”

Heukya’s purpose is clear. To destroy humans and furthermore destroy yokai. To put an end to this world’s history itself.

But Jeokyeo’s wish is the exact opposite. Jeokyeo’s aspiration is to live as an eternally immortal existence superior to humans. Jeokyeo doesn’t wish for either human or yokai destruction. If humans are destroyed, she can’t be a superior existence, and if yokai are destroyed, she too will meet death.

“Jeokyeo has no choice but to do her utmost to stop Heukya. She’ll try to fulfill her calling by leaking Heukya’s information.”

Heukya, who in the original history would have broken through Uichang’s defense line with overwhelming power, will now be somewhat restrained. Because I made it that way.

“About a week from now. It’s been long.”

Sangwi will arrive soon. It means that yokai as massive as Mount Tai that represents the world’s will arrives here.

Sangwi will arrive here, pass Uichang to reach Beijing, and ultimately destroy the Daebongin.

“It’s been a long time.”

I’ve been waiting only for this moment for thirty-two years. Since knowing Hyeolgyo’s scheme, knowing Heukya’s scheme, and thinking to use it—already thirty-two years.

“No matter how I think about it, I can’t live at a loss.”

Bursting into laughter, I checked the future. Because there mustn’t be even an inch of error.

“Heukya must not be left alone.”

Seven hundred twenty-some futures were erased by preparing for Heukya.

If things continue like this, Heukya will destroy Beijing’s Daebongin. Because that’s Heukya’s ordained destiny.

Therefore, Heukya must not be killed here. The Daebongin’s destruction is a confirmed future, and even if Heukya is dealt with here by some method, the Daebongin will only be destroyed by other means.

“It’s right to leave things so the Daebongin can be destroyed, but so the aftermath can’t be handled.”

If the Daejeon hadn’t occurred.

Magyo would have been destroyed without any response to the sudden uprising, and the gathered forces wouldn’t have been even half of half of what they are now. Three hundred seventy-two futures were erased to reach this ‘branch.’

“After destroying the Daebongin, more ‘branches’ will be created.”

How many ‘branches’ have I passed through until now?

I’ve passed through one million seven thousand eight hundred twenty-five branches. The reason was simple. Because they weren’t the desired future.

In some futures, humans who repelled the yokai invasion survived.

In some futures, only yokai survived and humans perished.

In some futures, both humans and yokai all perished. Foreseeing that future I couldn’t even reach, I’ve been chewing over it.

To find just the last branch.

I only want that.

“It’s thanks to you, Un-ah. Thanks to you moving according to my will, the current situation was created.”

What would Baek Riyun say if he saw the future that will unfold?

He’s such an unpredictable younger brother that I can’t confirm what he’d say. Maybe he’ll comply, maybe he’ll resist.

That guy who still follows me completely while only holding memories from childhood.

Since he values trust above all else, he might get angry at me. Because what I’m trying to do ultimately betrays that guy’s trust.

However,

“The final act is not far off.”

The end is not far off.

What proceeds ahead will be for those who prepare. Those who crouched without preparing will all be weeded out.

I’ll merely move for the end I’ve prepared.

U-deu-deuk!

“…Hmm.”

A sound reaching my ears.

Looking at the Seobseon broken from failing to control my strength and my palm bleeding profusely from being stabbed by Seobseon fragments, I laughed and shook off my hand before melting into my shadow.

There was no pain.

As always, because it wasn’t permitted to me.