Chapter 170: Strategies That Reach the Heavens
Early July
Seoha Village, in Sinhyeon
The carriage carrying Yeon Jeokha and his group entered the village. Jin Seolha, seated beside the driver, Lee Sa, looked around with curious eyes.
The thought that they had finally reached their final destination, Seoha Village, filled her heart with excitement. When she left Zhengzhou, she never imagined things would turn out this way. No one in the Justice Alliance could have predicted it.
"We’ve finally made it here!"
Since they had decided to part ways in Seoha Village, their mission was complete. Although she was curious about what might happen at Daebyeol Stronghold, she didn’t want to risk her life by attending. If they were caught and lost their lives, all the efforts of the past six months would be in vain.
On the other hand, she was concerned about Yeon Jeokha, but only to a certain extent. Since the incident with Eun Wol, her feelings towards him had changed slightly. She no longer felt that special affection, merely seeing him as a decent person.
A few days ago, Namgung Yeon told her the truth about that day. Even so, she no longer felt the same excitement as before. Everything seemed muted. Perhaps it was for the best. A heroine of the Justice Alliance and the Grand Inspector of Nokrim were not compatible.
Maybe she had matured, as she recently found herself more interested in Namgung Cheon, the Blue Cloud Swordsman. She saw in him the figure of a true great hero. If the Namgung Family hadn’t been destroyed, she wouldn’t have even considered it.
However, now Namgung Cheon was like any other martial artist. No one mentioned the Five Great Families anymore. Although people still referred to them as the Namgung Family, it was merely out of courtesy.
The carriage came to an abrupt halt, pulling Jin Seolha out of her thoughts. Turning her head, she first saw the sign for the Muhak Inn.
Jin Seolha agilely jumped out of the carriage and entered the inn with the group. It was midday, and the inn was quiet.
Yoo Geunsik joined two tables to create a space for them. Shortly after, the waiter took their order and left. From that moment on, the atmosphere filled with a strange tension.
After a while, Seol Chasu stood up and said:
"Young Master Yeon, you’ve made a great effort to get here. If it were possible, we would have accompanied you to the end, but we cannot. On behalf of the Justice Alliance, I thank you."
Yeon Jeokha, feeling slightly uncomfortable, waved his hand dismissively.
"Come on, it’s not that big of a deal. You’ve all worked hard too."
Shim Tong, the Old Dao of Nine Heavens, spoke with an annoyed expression.
"Young Master, are you really going alone? If it’s about escaping, I’m quite good at that too."
"No, no. Take good care of the money we’ve gathered. If you lose even a single coin…"
Yeon Jeokha glared at him with threatening eyes. Finally, Shim Tong stopped insisting. He knew that protecting the money they had accumulated was an important task.
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Daebyeol Stronghold, Hwang Mountain
Around 3 PM
Yeon Pagang, the Phantom Assassin, hurried towards the Samwang Pavilion.
"Sir, Yeon Jeokha has left Seoha Village."
The Boss, Lee Moojin, the Bloody Assassin, nodded gravely.
"And his companions?"
"They also left Seoha Village but took different paths. It seems they only accompanied him to that point."
Yang Soran, seated to the side, sneered.
"Hmph! It seems he’s coming alone."
"Does he know we’re waiting for him and yet he’s coming alone?"
Lee Moojin couldn’t understand it.
"Some of them are good fighters, but they don’t compare to the Demon Warriors. They probably thought they would just be a burden. How long does it take to get from Seoha Village to Hwang Mountain?"
"At most, half an hour."
"If that’s the case, we’ll find him before nightfall."
Lee Moojin turned to Yeon Pagang.
"Go keep an eye on the surroundings of the fortress. If you see anyone suspicious, report immediately."
"Yes."
Yeon Pagang left immediately.
Once his subordinate had left, Lee Moojin glanced at Yang Soran. The strange stories about the end of the Demon Warriors lingered in his mind.
"By the way, I heard a strange rumor..."
"A rumor?"
Yang Soran already had an idea, but she pretended not to know.
"They say the Demon Warriors who died at the hands of Yeon Jeokha turned into something strange. Do you know anything about that? It’s said you fought against him."
The Three Great Heaven Warriors also looked at Yang Soran. They too had heard strange stories about the death of Dae Ryeok Gui and were very curious.
Yang Soran gave a bitter smile. It was a question she preferred to avoid, but seeing the atmosphere, she had no choice.
"Sooner or later, you’ll find out, so I’ll tell you. Yes, the rumor is true. The Demon Warriors turn into monsters upon death. They’re not ordinary monsters, but demonic creatures."
She recounted what she had seen with her own eyes.
"They transformed into dragons and serpents upon death. The witnesses called them Demonic Dragon and God of Thunder. Whatever they were, one thing is clear: they were no longer human. So, take care of your own lives."
"Wow...!"
Lee Moojin’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
The rumors were true, and hearing this directly from Yang Soran left him stunned.
Then, Musanggui from Eunha Manor cautiously spoke up.
"We also heard that Dae Ryeok Gui came back to life in a strange way. It’s terrifying to think that the results of our great technique could be like that."
"......"
Everyone fell silent at his words.
The atmosphere grew tense, and Jade Buddha let out a laugh.
"Don’t think too much about it. For a demonic technique, it doesn’t have that many side effects, does it? Our leader will discuss this with the Great Demon Generals, and we’re sure to have good news."
Yang Soran quickly changed the subject.
"Jade Buddha is right. For now, let’s just focus on killing Yeon Jeokha. He’s not an easy opponent. Some of us might lose our lives."
Yang Soran’s words made Lee Moojin’s eyes widen.
"Is that Grand Inspector’s skill really that high? Is he so formidable that even the Demon Warriors fear for their lives?"
"Yes. His skill already surpasses that of the Leaders of the Seven Great Sects and the Five Great Families. If we join forces, we can kill him, but there will be sacrifices. And also..."
Yang Soran paused.
She was debating whether to say the next part, but ultimately decided it was necessary.
"It’s best if we watch out for each other. If someone dies and turns into something else, we might not be able to distinguish between friend and foe. Let’s not allow anyone to take advantage of a Demon Warrior’s death. If we do, we’ll all be used and end up dead."
The Three Great Heaven Warriors and Lee Moojin didn’t fully understand her last words.
Take advantage of a Demon Warrior’s death?
Confused, Lee Moojin asked.
"How can a Demon Warrior’s death be an opportunity?"
"The Demon Warriors turn into something much stronger upon death. If someone uses it as an opportunity and doesn’t stop it, we’ll all die the same way."
"They turn into something stronger than the Demon Warriors?"
"Yes. They become much stronger."
"You mean Yeon Jeokha has killed these creatures?"
"Yes, he did it with ease. That’s why I said there would be sacrifices."
Lee Moojin and the Three Great Heaven Warriors’ faces turned serious.
If Yeon Jeokha’s skill was that high, some of them might die.
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From Seoha Village to Hwang Mountain (Huangshan) is only a half-hour distance.
Yeon Jeokha knew this. There was still plenty of daylight left when he saw a large mountain.
He thought he had finally reached Hwang Mountain and mentally prepared himself.
He climbed the mountain with great tension. But something was wrong. He didn’t see anyone until he reached halfway up the mountain. It was only when he got to the top that he realized his mistake.
"Damn it! This isn’t the mountain."
He must have gone off course at some point.
The sun was setting, painting the clouds behind the mountains red.
Frustrated, Yeon Jeokha gathered his energy and shouted with all his might from the summit.
"Hey! Where is Hwang Mountain? Where is Daebyeol Stronghold?"
Only the echo answered; no one responded.
"If Old Shim finds out, he’s going to bother me a lot..."
He couldn’t hide it. He should already be fighting at Daebyeol Stronghold. But here he was, lost on the wrong mountain, delaying his return.
"This is crazy."
He wouldn’t reach Daebyeol Stronghold today.
He didn’t know where he was, so he would have to find a village and ask again.
Disheartened, Yeon Jeokha retraced his steps. When he was about to leave the mountain, the sun had already set.
He debated whether to camp alone or keep moving.
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Daebyeol Stronghold, Hwang Mountain
Lights were lit throughout the fortress.
Lee Moojin and the Demon Warriors waited in the courtyard, eager to confront Yeon Jeokha.
They didn’t want their subordinates to know about the fight, so no one was allowed to leave their rooms.
They were prepared, but Yeon Jeokha didn’t appear, and the wait was becoming unbearable.
Imsan-gwi, who was guarding the entrance, asked Lee Moojin.
"Ah! He should have arrived by now. Did he flee?"
"If he had, our men would have reported it. They said he was heading to Hwang Mountain."
Yang Soran, with a sly look, said:
"Even though he’s young, he’s a cunning fox. He’s probably waiting for us to get tired before showing up at dawn."
Lee Moojin frowned.
"Are you saying we have to stay awake until dawn?"
"If you don’t want your throat slit while you sleep, yes."
"This is ridiculous. Does a Grand Inspector use such petty tactics?"
Lee Moojin, who was expecting a fair fight, was puzzled.
The Demon Warriors, including the ever-mocking Jade Buddha, were already exhausted.
Time passed slowly for them.
When 9 PM passed, another unexpected problem arose.
The firewood was starting to run low.
Finally, Lee Moojin had to call Yeon Pagang, who was in his room.
Yeon Pagang and his men piled wood in the courtyard and left.
The Demon Warriors stayed awake all night.
At dawn, Lee Moojin, with bloodshot eyes, looked at Yang Soran.
"If he hasn’t arrived by now, isn’t he coming?"
"Didn’t you say he was heading to Hwang Mountain?"
"Ugh!"
Lee Moojin groaned.
His men said he was heading to Hwang Mountain, so he should have arrived.
Even Jade Buddha, usually calm, was uneasy.
"I think we’ve already fallen into his trap. The leader said fatigue is an invisible poison. We’re already poisoned. We don’t know when he’ll attack, so we can’t rest. He’s a master of strategy."
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