novelraw Chapter 155 : Chapter 155
Chapter 155 : Chapter 155
Chapter 155. Not at this moment, at least.
The Sword Saint, Gong Ryung-ja.
A native of the Mount Zhongnan Sect, he is acclaimed as an unprecedented swordsman in the history of the sect.
After his great performance during the last Righteous-Demonic War, he was appointed as the Righteous Heavenly Alliance Leader and has since reigned as the master of the Righteous Heaven.
His martial arts proficiency was in the Mysterious Realm, beyond the Realm of Transformation, so it goes without saying that it was difficult to find his match under the heavens.
‘Incredible.’
Seeing the Sword Saint, Jin Cheon was purely and unselfishly impressed.
That intense aura emanating from him… the Sword Saint looked as if a legendary divine sword had been personified.
Regardless of his inner thoughts, regardless of what vile and dirty deeds he committed behind the scenes, the majesty of a man who had walked the path of martial arts, honing his skills his entire life, was truly tremendous.
“No one, not a single one, will return alive.”
The Sword Saint's declaration was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, sufficient to overwhelm the surroundings.
It was to the extent that even the warriors of the Rakshasa Troupe, the top military group of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, flinched in reaction.
‘I thought it wouldn't be easy, but to think the Sword Saint himself would step forward.’
Thinking so, Jin Cheon took a step forward.
The appearance of the Sword Saint was unexpected for Jin Cheon as well.
He had expected the Righteous Heavenly Alliance to respond quickly, but the Sword Saint's appearance was faster than he had thought.
“It’s been a while.”
Jin Cheon casually stepped forward.
“You baaaastard…!!!”
The Sword Saint ground his teeth at the sight of Jin Cheon.
The anger contained in his voice was truly enormous.
It was as if he was facing a lifelong enemy, a mortal foe.
Which, in fact, he was…….
“Do you remember me? We met once about seven years ago.”
Jin Cheon jeered at the Sword Saint.
Seven years ago.
The two had met just once.
When Jin Cheon had won the martial arts tournament held at the Heavenly Martial Academy, the one who had personally praised him and offered words of encouragement was none other than the Sword Saint.
The words of encouragement the Sword Saint offered at the time were truly simple and clear.
‘Congratulations on your victory.’
The reason the Sword Saint had offered such a short congratulatory message was because Jin Cheon had won by defeating a prodigy from the Mount Zhongnan Sect.
As the Sword Saint and the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior Jang Guk-pyeong already had a very awkward relationship, it was impossible for Jin Cheon to be viewed favorably.
“I should have eliminated you long ago and uprooted the seed of evil. If I had known you would betray the Righteous Heaven and become a pawn of the Demonic Cult to run rampant like this, I would never have let you live.”
“Keuk.”
Jin Cheon snorted.
The nerve of this guy, it was truly laughable.
“You spew bullshit so well. For someone who commits all sorts of vile acts behind the scenes.”
“What did you say?”
“Is that something a bastard who created the Demonic Prison to kidnap, imprison, and torture his political enemies to steal their martial arts should say?”
Jin Cheon deliberately spoke in a loud voice for all to hear.
“Shut your mouth, you bastard!”
The Sword Saint shouted, imbuing his voice with internal energy.
“The Demonic Prison is a prison for locking up the great demon heads who have learned vile demonic arts! How dare you spread such absurd rumors to throw the world into chaos!”
“Is that really so?”
Jin Cheon grinned, then subtly gave an order with a jerk of his chin.
At that, the prisoners of the Demonic Prison, especially those from the Orthodox Faction, began to get out of the carriages one by one and started to denounce the Sword Saint.
“You son of a bitch! I am a disciple of the Wudang Sect, so why am I a great demon head who has learned vile demonic arts!”
“You fucking bastard! I'm from the Tang Clan Fort, what demonic arts did I learn for you to spew such bullshit!”
The prisoners from the Orthodox Faction revealed their origins, names, and aliases as they hurled curses at the Sword Saint.
It was not a simple denunciation, but a blood-soaked resentment, and also anger.
The resentment of those who were suddenly kidnapped, tortured for years, had their sect's martial arts stolen, and were even used as subjects for human experiments for martial arts research.
And…….
“Amitabha! Then, is this old monk also a demonic practitioner who has learned demonic arts?”
Great Monk Gongheo stepped forward.
“……!”
The Sword Saint could not bring himself to brand Great Monk Gongheo as a great demon head.
Not only was Great Monk Gongheo a figure of higher seniority than the Sword Saint, but he was also a person who received the respect of the entire world before his disappearance.
Was that all?
“Alliance Leader, do you intend to call me a great demon head who has learned demonic arts as well?”
The Taiji Divine Dragon Unhyeon stepped forward, dragging his pained body.
At that, the situation was reversed.
As Great Monk Gongheo of Shaolin and Unhyeon of the Wudang Sect stepped forward, the warriors of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance began to stir.
“G-Great Monk Gongheo, how could he!”
“Isn't that clearly the young hero, Taiji Divine Dragon Unhyeon?”
It was only natural for the warriors of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance to be confused.
They had come with the purpose of responding to the Demonic Cult's invasion, but to think that the missing figures of the Orthodox Faction were with them?
Furthermore, that the Sword Saint had created a prison called the Demonic Prison and had been kidnapping and imprisoning figures of the same Orthodox Faction?
“Halt!!!”
The Sword Saint's voice, filled with profound internal energy, burst out like a clap of thunder.
“Swords of the Righteous Heaven! Do not be deceived! This is merely a trick of the vile demons! It is a scheme to slander our Alliance and sow discord! Those are not the real warriors of the Righteous Heaven! They are merely demons of the Demonic Cult who have used disguise arts! Do not hesitate! Attack and execute them! Do you understand!”
After shouting so, the Sword Saint drew his sword and charged at Jin Cheon.
“Today, I will execute the future great demon head and set right the laws of the Righteous Heaven!”
The Sword Saint rushed towards Jin Cheon at a fearsome speed.
‘He’s coming.’
Jin Cheon also drew his own sword and faced the Sword Saint.
Just as the confrontation between Jin Cheon and the Sword Saint was about to unfold.
“Stop!”
An old Daoist who appeared suddenly blocked the Sword Saint's path.
“……!”
The Sword Saint stopped his attack on Jin Cheon and leaped back.
The white-haired old Daoist.
Wearing the unique Daoist robes of the Wudang Sect, he was a transcendent being who had reached a lofty realm as high as the Sword Saint.
The Sword Immortal.
The greatest master of the Wudang Sect, a figure said to rival the Sword Saint in prowess.
A grin appeared on Jin Cheon's lips.
Thanks to the Sword Immortal's timely appearance, he would not have to fight this disadvantageous battle.
* * *
The Sword Immortal was not alone.
The Wudang Sect.
Since its establishment by the founding patriarch, Perfected Person Sam-pung, it has always competed for the top position among the Daoist sects, and currently, after the decline of Shaolin, it has taken the position of the Mount Tai and Big Dipper of the Murim.
Several hundred Daoists from that Wudang Sect were with the Sword Immortal.
“Would you care to explain what this situation is?”
The Sword Immortal asked the Sword Saint.
“How is it that my disciple is with the figures of the Demonic Cult.”
“Sword Immortal, do not be deceived by their words. They are vile followers of the Demonic Cult. How can you believe their words.”
The Sword Saint could not dare to treat the Sword Immortal carelessly.
Their martial arts proficiency was similar, so a fight was certainly possible.
However, the Sword Immortal was a senior of one generation above the Sword Saint, and was a figure respected by the martial artists as much as Great Monk Gongheo.
No matter how much he was the Righteous Heavenly Alliance Leader, he was not an opponent he could treat carelessly.
“This is all their trickery. First, listen to my word……”
“Silence.”
The Sword Immortal coldly cut off the Sword Saint's words.
“Surely, you don't intend to deny that that child over there is my disciple?”
“That's not what I meant……”
“Truly disgusting.”
The Sword Immortal seemed to have no intention of listening to the Sword Saint's words from the beginning.
“Yes, you were always like that. You wouldn't shy away from any means to achieve your goals.”
“……”
“At that time, the situation was so urgent that I couldn't stop you, but to think you would receive your karma like this. I knew you had a desire for power, but who would have known you would commit such a vile act?”
At the Sword Immortal's rebuke, the Sword Saint could only keep his mouth shut, unable to say a word.
He knew all too well that against the Sword Immortal, unlike others, useless wordplay would not work.
“You piece of trash.”
After saying so, the Sword Immortal took a step.
The place where the Sword Immortal's steps stopped was, as expected, in front of his disciple, the Taiji Divine Dragon Unhyeon.
“I greet… I greet you, Master.”
Unhyeon bowed deeply to the Sword Immortal.
“Yes, my disciple.”
The Sword Immortal embraced Unhyeon.
“I'm sorry. This master was too late. I wandered the entire world in search of you, and to think we would finally meet like this.”
“Master, I apologize for causing you worry. Please receive my bow.”
“How can you offer a bow with that unwell body. Stop, stop.”
The reunion between master and disciple, which took place after nearly ten years, was truly touching.
‘Master…….’
It was to the extent that even Jin Cheon was reminded of his master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior.
‘Still, I saved him in time. If I had been a little later, he would have died.’
In Jin Cheon's memory, Unhyeon was scheduled to die of illness in the Demonic Prison around next year, so being freed now was nothing short of a godsend for him.
If things had gone as they were, he would have met his death in the Demonic Prison and would not have been able to meet his master, the Sword Immortal…….
“Who was it… that made you, my one and only disciple, like this.”
“The Righteous Heavenly Alliance… it is the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.”
Unhyeon answered, and the Sword Saint's face froze over like frost.
If it were Unhyeon's claim alone, he would have somehow pushed the narrative that a figure from the Demonic Cult was using disguise arts to deceive people.
However, now that the Sword Immortal had appeared, it was impossible to claim that Unhyeon was a follower of the Demonic Cult.
Others might not know, but how could a master not recognize his own disciple?
Moreover, if that master was the Sword Immortal, then there would be no room for doubt that Unhyeon was the real Taiji Divine Dragon Unhyeon.
“The Righteous Heavenly Alliance… kidnapped all of us, including me, and imprisoned us in a place called the Demonic Prison… and stole our sect's martial arts.”
“How did you get out?”
“As you can see, the figures of the Demonic Cult saved us.”
“Heo.”
“Master, although the Demonic Cult has been our enemy for hundreds of years, not at this moment, at least. My enemy now… is not the Demonic Cult, but the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.”
That statement by Unhyeon was very decisive.
“How dare you!”
The Sword Immortal spun around and glared at the Sword Saint.
“You made my disciple into this state and still dared to wag that three-inch tongue of yours!”
Simultaneously, nearly three hundred disciples of the Wudang Sect drew their swords in unison, the Pine Pattern Ancient Swords that were like the symbol of the Wudang Sect.
With things having come to this, the Wudang Sect and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance were as good as enemies, so it would be no exaggeration to say that a bloody battle could break out right here and now.
And Jin Cheon did not miss this opportunity.
“I greet the Sword Immortal.”
Jin Cheon clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute to the Sword Immortal.
“I am Jin Cheon, the Seventh Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“Yes, you were Guk-pyeong's disciple, weren't you.”
The Sword Immortal recognized Jin Cheon and nodded his head.
He too had heard the rumors about Jin Cheon and was not unaware that he was the disciple of the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior.
“How did the Great Hero's disciple come to be in the Demonic Cult.”
“Doesn't looking at those trashes over there answer that question.”
When Jin Cheon gestured with his chin towards the Sword Saint and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance warriors, the Sword Immortal nodded as if it was understandable.
“Indeed. That would be so. With the state of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance being like this, even if he were his disciple, he couldn't help but be disgusted.”
“It was not my intention, but I found out their true nature early and escaped, so I hope the Sword Immortal will refrain from mentioning my master.”
“I won't say anything special, so you don't have to worry. Although you have defected to the Demonic Cult, my relationship with Guk-pyeong was not bad.”
Saying so, the Sword Immortal subtly revealed his favor towards Jin Cheon.
It was due to his connection with Jin Cheon's master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior, the fact that he had saved his disciple, and the fact that they shared a common enemy in the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
- What are you going to do about this? Now that you've made an enemy of Wudang?
Jin Cheon's heart-voice echoed in the Sword Saint's mind.
‘This damn bastard!’
The Sword Saint wanted to tear Jin Cheon, who was smiling at him over the Sword Immortal's shoulder, into shreds and kill him.