novelraw Chapter 202 : Chapter 202
Chapter 202 : Chapter 202
Chapter 202. The One Who'll Be Struck by Lightning and Die (2)
"...You know Paeng Daecheol?"
Hwangbo Ak nodded at my question.
"I happened to meet him while wandering the world looking for a decent opponent to duel."
Hwangbo Ak rubbed his thick arm and said.
"I had a really hard time because of that Thunder Qi of his. Every time his Thunder Qi touched my gauntlets, there was a tingling sensation. He was a guy who was no fun to fight at all."
"Where? Where on earth did you meet him?"
I couldn't figure out how this guy had found someone that even the beggars of the Beggars' Sect couldn't find.
"There was a peculiar mountain in the north. The local people called the summit Thunder Dragon Peak. It was a strange mountain where lightning would strike the summit almost every other day. So people said they wouldn't even go near that mountain."
"The north could mean Shandong, Hebei, or Shanxi. Which one are you talking about?"
I had roamed all over the Central Plains in my past life, but I had no memory of hearing about such a mountain.
"None of the three. To be precise... I think I went a little further north from the border of Hebei and Shanxi at that time."
I felt my energy drain away.
"It was outside the Central Plains."
The Thunder Disaster was hiding on a mountain outside the Central Plains, not within it.
Hwangbo Ak laughed heartily, as if he had misunderstood my words.
"Hahaha. It's not grand enough to be called outside the Central Plains. It was a mountain not far from the border."
"When did you meet him?"
"Hmm. I think it's been about a year."
"Then, he might have already moved to another place."
A sense of urgency welled up, thinking I should depart immediately just in case.
"Hahaha. He's probably still there right now. Because he's a cowardly fellow."
"A coward?"
The Three Disasters were the strongest and craziest villains in the martial world.
To think that one of them, the Thunder Disaster, was a coward.
"What was it he said? He vowed not to take a single step out of that mountain until he completed his martial arts. To complete his martial arts without any duels or life-and-death battles. Isn't that a cowardly thought? Hahahaha."
It was a line of thought befitting a man who only knew how to fight.
Well, I did agree with the idea that one could get stronger faster through real combat.
"So, what kind of man was he? Was he a piece of trash who killed people for fun as he pleased?"
"If he were that kind of person, he would have died at my hands long ago. Hahaha. He was just a guy who was quietly training."
Then, as if remembering something, Hwangbo Ak let out a faint exclamation.
"Ah! He did make some weak-willed comment about how his Thunder Qi was so unruly that it was difficult to calm down. Tsk. To put it nicely, he was quiet. To put it badly, he was a cowardly and weak-willed person."
As I listened, one possibility came to mind.
Could it be that the future Thunder Disaster went mad while training that Thunder Art?
The Three Disasters were all crazy people.
The Blood Disaster was born crazy, and the Lust Disaster went mad due to an unfortunate environment.
And I began to think that perhaps the Thunder Disaster went mad because of his martial arts.
"I'll have to visit that place before he goes mad."
It seemed I would have to first visit that place called Thunder Dragon Peak as soon as Nam Geon and Junior Sister Choyeon recovered.
At that moment, Dang Sopyeong, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head and asked.
"But Brother Hwangbo, didn't you say you were on a dueling journey? Then why did you go to a mountain that no one visits?"
"I just went there because I had a good feeling. Hahaha. Since no one goes there, who knows? I might get to pick up some spiritual medicine."
A hollow laugh almost escaped at Hwangbo Ak's answer.
How should I put it?
He was a lucky fellow in various senses.
***
A few days later. Around the time when Junior Sister Choyeon and Nam Geon's injuries had almost fully healed.
A few carriages arrived at the manor.
They were people from the Twin Heroes Alliance.
It seemed the Beggars' Sect Leader had properly relayed our news.
Among those who came, there was a somewhat familiar face.
Though I had no idea why that woman was with the Twin Heroes Alliance.
"Gung Seola of the Great Cloud Merchant Group greets the Great Hero Ghost Sword!"
The Great Cloud Merchant Group, with whom I had formed a connection when we attacked the Danmok Clan.
The daughter of that place, and the woman who held affection for Nam Geon.
Even at this moment, after finishing her greeting to me, she was glancing at Nam Geon.
Nam Geon lowered his head in embarrassment and curled up his body.
The problem was that his body was too large to be hidden just by doing that.
I asked her on Nam Geon's behalf.
"But what brings you here, Miss Gung?"
At my question, Gung Seola's gaze finally turned back to me.
"Ah. Actually, our Great Cloud Merchant Group decided to join forces with the members of the Twin Heroes Alliance a few days ago."
"......Don't tell me, it is because of Nam Geon?"
She smiled faintly at my question.
"My father, the head of the merchant group, is a merchant. He is not someone who would decide on a matter of this magnitude based solely on my personal feelings."
"Hmm. Then why did you suddenly join hands with the Twin Heroes Alliance?"
"For the prosperity of the merchant group."
To summarize her story, it was like this.
The reason for the marriage talks with the Danmok Clan in the first place was because they needed martial power.
Martial power to protect their goods from mountain bandits and members of the Underworld.
So, this time, they chose the Twin Heroes Alliance instead of the Danmok Clan.
They would offer travel expenses or meals as a reward to those who roamed various places performing chivalrous deeds.
In return, since they traveled to various places, they would request that they join their trade routes as a side benefit.
Furthermore, as the rising generation of the Twin Heroes Alliance cleaned up the mountain bandits and Underworld members, the trade routes were bound to become safer.
Of course, this was just a pretext.
"For that reason, I was able to persuade my father."
Gung Seola, who said that, smiled shyly and glanced at Nam Geon again.
A small laugh escaped my lips.
"Well then, it seems we will be seeing each other often from now on."
"Yes. I look forward to working with you, Great Hero Ghost Sword!"
"We look forward to working with you as well. As you may know, we can clean up the trash, but it is not easy to help those who have been harmed by the trash."
"You don't have to worry about that. That's why I brought the carriages in the first place."
After saying that, Gung Seola began to give various instructions to the guards and the rising generation of the Twin Heroes Alliance who had come with her.
Dang Sopyeong, who had been watching the scene for a moment, grinned and approached her.
It seemed he was about to say some strange nonsense again.
And my prediction was spot on.
"Miss Gung. May I ask you something?"
"Please, feel free to ask."
"That man over there, Brother Hwangbo. What do you think of him?"
That Dang Clan guy's hand was pointing at Hwangbo Ak.
"Hmm?"
Hwangbo Ak, who had been engrossed in his training alone, tilted his head and then snorted.
"Hmph. A woman who hasn't learned a single martial art."
As if his interest had waned, he resumed his training.
That Dang Clan guy whispered, so no one else would hear.
"Doesn't Brother Hwangbo over there look quite dependable too?"
At that, Gung Seola shook her head and replied in a small voice.
"His physique is similar to Young Master Nam's, but he is completely different. If Young Master Nam is a dependable king, that person is, how should I put it, like the vanguard of a battlefield. And not a vanguard who leads his subordinates, but one who just charges ahead recklessly on his own."
Thanks to my improved hearing, I heard every bit of that small whisper.
The way she recognized Nam Geon's strengths at a glance, and now this. It was to the point where I wondered if she had a talent for reading faces.
But it was something I couldn't just let slide.
I flicked my finger and sent a stream of qi toward the back of Dang Sopyeong's head.
THWACK!
"Ack!"
I spoke to the guy who was groaning while holding the back of his head.
"Stop with the useless nonsense and get ready to leave."
To think he would induce gossip about others.
He was a guy with a talent for earning a beating.
***
After leaving the affairs of Sahong to the Twin Heroes Alliance and Gung Seola, we left the village.
Our destination was, of course, the Thunder Dragon Peak that Hwangbo Ak had mentioned.
We left Sahong in Jiangsu, headed for Shandong, and from Shandong, we continued north and entered Hebei.
From Hebei, we moved northwest, and near the border of Hebei and Shanxi, we crossed the northern border.
After traveling for another two days.
"That's the mountain."
We had finally arrived near our destination.
No sooner had Hwangbo Ak pointed at the mountain peak than a bolt of lightning struck down.
As if it were a truly absurd sight, that Dang Clan guy let out a hollow laugh and said.
"They call it Thunder Dragon Peak. It's a really good place to train the Thunder Art."
"Hahaha. Brother Healer, that's why I told you. The guy who lives there is a crazy bastard who's dying to get struck by lightning."
"Didn't Brother Hwangbo also climb that mountain to eat some spiritual medicine?"
"Hahaha. Isn't it the law of nature that you have to risk your life to become stronger?"
"That sounds like something that Jin guy would think."
"Hahaha. That's why I like Brother Jin."
Hwangbo Ak, who was having a crazy conversation, glanced my way.
"In that sense, how about a round of dueling today? Brother Jin."
"I have business on that mountain, so I'll pass today."
"Heheheh. Then today, I'll have to have a duel with that Paeng Daecheol fellow for the first time in a while."
Hwangbo Ak ran toward the mountain with an excited face.
Since he knew the way, we also followed behind Hwangbo Ak.
After running up the steep mountain path for another two shichen.
A short distance from the lightning-ravaged summit.
Beyond the bushes, a narrow flatland appeared, and behind the flatland, the entrance to a cave was visible.
Hwangbo Ak stepped onto the flatland and shouted toward the cave.
"Paeng guy, are you still alive!"
But there was no response from inside the cave.
At this, Hwangbo Ak furrowed his face and said.
"Damn it. It seems that bastard really went to get struck by lightning."
The word lightning brought an ominous thought to mind.
"Didn't lightning strike just a moment ago?"
My companions wore expressions of disbelief.
Soon after, led by Hwangbo Ak, they all dashed toward the summit.
When we arrived at the summit, an absurd sight came into view.
A man who looked to be around the same age as Hwangbo Ak. The man, who appeared to be Paeng Daecheol, was standing still on the summit with a large blade raised high.
"Paeng guy! What on earth are you doing here!"
Despite Hwangbo Ak's shout, Paeng Daecheol responded with his blade still raised.
"Can't you see! I'm waiting for the lightning!"
"This crazy bastard is finally desperate enough to want to get struck by lightning and die!"
"If you don't want to die, mind your own business and get the hell out of here!"
It was an amazing sight.
Even though he was talking with Hwangbo Ak, anyone could see that he was crazier than Hwangbo Ak.
But the real show was yet to come.
He gets struck by lightning while doing that and goes crazy, becoming the Thunder Disaster?
It was a terrifying thought just to imagine.
"Hey! You could fall into qi deviation and go mad because of the lightning! So just come down!"
At my shout, Paeng Daecheol furrowed his face and shouted.
"I already missed one, so I'm barely holding back the urge to destroy everything, so why have you all come here in a group to interfere again!!"
Just as I was contemplating whether I should subdue him and drag him down.
A flash of light blinded me.
The sound came later.
BOOM!!
My ears were ringing because of the incredibly loud explosion.
I was almost blinded by the light, but in that brief moment, I saw it clearly.
The sight of lightning striking the blade that Paeng Daecheol held aloft.
"Damn it."
Swallowing my apprehension, I opened my eyes.
A terrifying sight came into view.
A colossal Thunder Qi crazily racing through Paeng Daecheol's entire body's blood vessels.
"Kuaaaaaaaahk!!"
And the sight of Paeng Daecheol screaming and swinging his blade in all directions.
Even though the lightning had already struck, the sound of thunder continued to be heard.
CRACKLE.
BOOM!!
Every time he swung his blade, a massive amount of Thunder Qi shot out from it in all directions.
The way the Thunder Qi was raging inside Paeng Daecheol's body looked similar to Wi Mugyeol's black imugi, just a different color.
"That, that crazy bastard has finally gone mad."
While Hwangbo Ak was shaking his head, I unleashed my movement technique at full power and rushed toward him.
SWISH!
As the distance closed, Paeng Daecheol, who was swinging his blade wildly, shouted and swung his blade at me.
"Kuaaaaaaaah!!"
I unleashed the Moonlight Coiling Sword toward the Thunder Qi that was emitted with the shout.
A tingling sensation was felt through the energy that touched my sword screen.
I could see why Hwangbo Ak had cursed.
I channeled my energy more strongly and pushed back the Thunder Qi as I advanced.
The distance closed in an instant.
A peculiar sight came into view.
He was swinging his blade and emitting Thunder Qi.
I naturally thought that he was channeling Thunder Qi into his blade.
But upon closer inspection, that wasn't it.
On the contrary, the blade was also channeling an enormous amount of Thunder Qi into Paeng Daecheol.
A sight where the blade seemed to be the main body and Paeng Daecheol the host.
A thought crossed my mind.
At what was practically point-blank range, Paeng Daecheol swung his blade.
At that moment, I swung the Master's Blade to meet it.
I wasn't trying to clash with it.
CLANG!
With a metallic sound, I deflected his blade.
Paeng Daecheol's posture broke.
I struck the blood vessels on the wrist of his left hand, which held the blade.
THWACK!
Aiming for the moment his hand lost its strength, I snatched the blade with my left hand.
Immediately after, something unexpected happened.
Paeng Daecheol, who had been in the middle of a seizure, came to a halt.
It wasn't that he had come out of qi deviation.
He literally stopped.
It wasn't just Paeng Daecheol. The flow of the entire world stopped.
And in that frozen world.
"Hoh. To summon me. What a curious fellow you are."
An old man who looked like an immortal was looking at me with an interested expression.
It was a situation similar to when I had met the old master Sun Moon Divine Sword before I died.