novelraw Chapter 233 : Treasure Map (3)
Chapter 233 : Treasure Map (3)
Chapter 233: Treasure Map (3)
Ssssh.
The surrounding air abruptly changed.
And it was only natural that it did.
The weight carried by the name “Heavenly Demon,” which had scorched the martial world to the ground without regard for orthodox or unorthodox alignment, was simply that immense.
However, the first to regain his composure was none other than Seun.
Swish.
Seun slowly swept his gaze around.
Within the silence, the inner thoughts of the countless people inside the inn—eyes rolling restlessly—were laid bare before him.
—What did that bastard just say?
—Did he say Heavenly Demon? That Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult?
—If it’s a Treasure Map… then everything belonging to the Heavenly Demon could be sleeping within it!
—If he gives half to whoever helps him… that means obtaining half of the Heavenly Demon’s legacy…!
—No, wait! If we kill that bastard and take the Treasure Map, we get everything!
—If I slaughter everyone here and claim it myself…!
Greed and desire blazed in everyone’s eyes, evoking the image of a deep swamp capable of swallowing a person whole.
In contrast, Seun’s eyes sank coldly and quietly, like Perennial Ice Crystal from the North Sea.
‘A bunch of brainless fools.’
When one became blinded by desires far greater than one’s station, the reality right in front of them was easily distorted.
One had to examine everything with a mind settled like a calm lake.
Seun subtly turned his head to check Seol I-rang, who was seated across from him.
Flinch.
Clear shock and confusion surfaced in Seol I-rang’s pupils when their eyes met.
Her reaction made it obvious that she was startled by the sudden appearance of yet another Treasure Map.
‘She’s not deceiving me. She truly didn’t know.’
Seun quickly reached that conclusion.
The reason was simple.
Thump, thump.
Not only could he hear Seol I-rang’s heart pounding in his ears, but after ascending to the Extreme Manifestation Realm, his Physiognomic Eye—refined to the point where it could pierce through another’s inner thoughts and mental state—confirmed it.
‘It makes no sense logically. Even counting all memories before regression, the Heavenly Demon’s Treasure Map never appeared even once.’
No matter how many times he retraced his memories, such a history had never existed prior to regression.
Before regression, among all martial world factions, the one that had dug deepest into traces of the Heavenly Demon was none other than the Blood Cult.
As they swept across the Central Plains, the ones they feared most were neither Sword Emperor Yoo Jinhak, nor the White Path Union, nor the Half-Blood Alliance.
‘It was the possibility of a future Heavenly Demon suddenly appearing, along with remnants of the Demonic Cult.’
Yet while the Blood Cult washed the Central Plains martial world in blood, the Demonic Cult never revealed itself even once—nor did any item like the Treasure Map before their eyes ever surface.
‘And yet now, twisting the flow of history itself, that man suddenly appears—.’
What in the world was his true identity?
Seun’s gaze settled on the mysterious man who was enduring the killing intent-filled stare of Seo Dong-tak, the Lord of Mount Taiho.
The pitiful guise of a shabby slash-and-burn farmer he had been acting earlier was now completely gone.
He had a fairly handsome face, but his sharp eyes gave off a cold impression.
Sssss!
When he fully released the aura he had been deliberately suppressing—
It was neither orthodox nor unorthodox.
A gray, neutral aura—like the Middle Path—radiated with vast and majestic power.
Seun’s eyes narrowed slightly.
‘A being I’ve never seen before. That means he’s merely an ordinary man who failed to leave any mark on history.’
Just as Seun was sinking into contemplation—
“You filthy worm! How dare you reveal my possession at will!!”
Seo Dong-tak roared.
His face flushed red and blue, fury surging all the way to the top of his head.
Shing!
The Green Forest bandits blocking the escape routes tightened their grips on their weapons.
Yet the mysterious man showed not the slightest sign of retreat.
Rather, as if making sure everyone heard, he raised his voice with bulging veins.
“Shut your mouth, you vicious brute! Since when did this item ever belong to you?!”
“You bastard, you dare—!”
“Brothers, hear me well! This Treasure Map is an unclaimed object that our Plain Moon Sword Sect obtained at Mount Li two days ago! But the bandits of Red Tiger Stronghold discovered this fact and assaulted our sect! Everyone except me was slaughtered! And now this man intends to kill even me and steal the item outright! Tell me—doesn’t such an atrocity deserve heavenly retribution?!”
“Shut your mouth, Ge Cheon-wi!!”
It was an appeal filled with heart-wrenching grief, as though he were coughing up blood, yet Seun maintained a cold composure and sent a telepathic message to Myeong.
[Do you know the Plain Moon Sword Sect?]
[Hmm, I’ve heard of it.]
[What kind of place is it?]
[If I recall correctly, it was a Middle Path sect maintaining a rather ambiguous level of influence in Shanxi Province. Shanxi itself had long been under the control of the Moyong Clan, so even within the Rogues’ Guild there wasn’t much information.]
Even Myeong possessed little knowledge about the Plain Moon Sword Sect.
[Hmm… after the Ice Palace seized Shanxi, they likely left the province entirely and were relocating to establish new ground in Shaanxi Province. It seems they discovered the Treasure Map during that journey…]
A strange glint appeared in Seun’s eyes.
Only now could he roughly grasp how events had unfolded.
When the North Sea Ice Palace completely seized Shanxi and began committing horrific acts, the Plain Moon Sword Sect decided to abandon their homeland.
They safely crossed the border and were passing through the foothills of Mount Li in Shaanxi.
That was when, by sheer chance, they obtained a miraculous encounter—the Heavenly Demon’s Treasure Map—and that marked the beginning of the tragedy.
‘Another major bandit stronghold stationed at Mount Li, the Golden Wolf Twin Axes, confirmed the Treasure Map and went berserk with greed, assaulting the Plain Moon Sword Sect. Everyone except this man was annihilated, and the sole survivor is him.’
The entire sequence of events had been laid out.
On the surface, it made sense.
But…
‘That’s precisely why it feels like a story that’s been too neatly constructed.’
Why did his instincts scream such discomfort?
Seun looked at Ge Cheon-wi with eyes full of suspicion.
Boom!
At that moment, Seo Dong-tak stomped heavily and charged forward.
“Fine then! I’ll rip off your head and avenge my brothers!!”
At this point, he intended to resolve it through force.
His savage momentum was like a massive white tiger lunging at its prey.
Ge Cheon-wi did not simply stand there and take it.
Shing!
He drew the sword hidden beneath his clothes and leveled it forward.
“I’ll split you in two!”
Whooom!
Seo Dong-tak snorted and brought his great axe crashing down like lightning.
But—
Kkaang!!
Kurrurur!
“……!”
“!!”
That attack never landed.
Three figures flying in like streaks of light blocked the axe mid-swing.
Soaked in blood to the point that both the spearheads and shafts looked dyed crimson, three death-spears stopped the axe with pinpoint precision.
“You filthy bastards!!”
Seo Dong-tak bared his teeth and roared.
At that, all three members of the Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts sneered.
As their alias suggested, the Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts were spear-wielders formed of three brothers.
“Brother Seo.”
“Listening to the child’s story, it’s simply too pitiful.”
“To try to steal even the last keepsake from someone who lost both family and fellow disciples—no matter how unorthodox one may be, isn’t that crossing the line by far?”
“You dare…!”
Kurrurur!
Enraged by the Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts’ insolence, Seo Dong-tak unleashed the Green Tiger Heaven-Shaking Qi that had forged his reputation.
The inn trembled as if struck by an earthquake, yet ignoring it, the Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts turned toward Ge Cheon-wi.
“Child.”
“Y-yes.”
“If we help you, is it truly as you said—half for us?”
“O-of course!”
“Heh heh, very well. Listen well, everyone!”
“Anyone who bullies this pitiful child—”
“Must first kill the three of us!!”
The martial artists gathered in the inn merely exchanged glances, swallowing their breaths.
Everyone coveted the Heavenly Demon’s Treasure Map, but their realms were clearly inferior to those men.
Just as the situation was about to devolve into a clash between the Green Forest bandits and the Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts—
“Hah! Where do you dare attach the name of ‘gentlemen’! You’re nothing but three dogs barking while sniffing for bones!”
The group of scholars seated right beside Seun abruptly sprang to their feet, declaring their entry into battle.
“Which bastard dares bark nonsense?!”
“We’ve only been observing until now, but we cannot let this pass!”
“We cannot stand by and watch the chaos that will engulf the martial world if the Treasure Map falls into the hands of unorthodox scoundrels!”
“Ge Cheon-wi! Come with us! Our Zhongnan Sect will protect you!”
Seun’s judgment had been correct.
Those men disguised as scholars were Daoists of the Zhongnan Sect.
Yet despite their lofty words, their intentions hardly seemed pure.
‘Their eyes are filled with nothing but greed as well.’
Just as Seun, feigning disinterest, lifted the cup of water before him—
Contrary to his calm demeanor, the situation spiraled rapidly out of control.
“These donkey-nosed Daoists have truly lost their minds!!”
“Anyone who interferes will be slaughtered without exception!!”
“Ge Cheon-wi! Come to us at once!”
Those who sought to kill.
Those who sought to protect.
Those who barged in.
And countless wolves baring their fangs, waiting for an opening.
At the center of the chaos, even Ge Cheon-wi seemed utterly unsure of what to do, visibly wavering—
“Now!”
“Huh?!”
Suddenly, the youngest of the Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts, the Lone Bamboo Ghost, hoisted Ge Cheon-wi onto his shoulder.
Screeech!
At the same time, as if waiting for that moment, the second brother, the Net Bamboo Ghost, hurled something onto the inn’s floor.
And then—
Kwarurung—!!
Kwaaang!
A blinding flash erupted before their eyes, followed by a massive explosion.
It was a concealed Explosive Wall Pellet.
The surroundings were utterly devastated.
Coughing, Seo Dong-tak slowly surveyed the area.
“……!”
Not a single Green Forest bandit blocking the exits remained intact.
All of them had been reduced to mere handfuls of blood and mangled flesh.
“Aaaargh!! You bastards!!!”
After witnessing the carnage, Seo Dong-tak roared in fury, his face turning scarlet.
Yet his rage was not because his subordinates had died meaningless deaths.
“You dare flee!!”
The Bamboo Slaughter Three Ghosts and Ge Cheon-wi had vanished without a trace.
Bang!
Kicking off the ground, Seo Dong-tak burst out of the inn like a lightning strike.
“Everyone, chase them!!”
“We cannot let them escape!!”
The second group to move was the Zhongnan Sect’s Daoists.
They too vanished swiftly, unleashing their Divine Movement Arts in pursuit.
“T-this is no time to hesitate! Send word to the sect!!”
“Hah! A man only dies once anyway! The Heavenly Demon’s legacy will be mine!!”
“Out of the way!! Everyone move!!”
Tudududud!
One after another, the martial artists in the inn followed suit, disregarding the difference in realms as they unleashed their full movement arts.
The inn, moments ago packed to the brim, was emptied in an instant.
Leaving behind the innkeeper slumped on the floor with a hollow expression—
“This feels like it’s going to get messy. What are you planning to do?”
Myeong scratched the back of his head as he spoke to Seun.
Seun slowly rose from his seat.
“What else would I do?”
Shrrrk.
Threads of Heavenly Net shimmered brilliantly around his fingers, glinting in the sunlight.
“First, we get our hands on the map.”
And thus, the Treasure Map pursuit battle began.