Sword God Reborn

Chapter 83 : Before You Get Hit, You Have to Strike First.

"Are you all better?"

"Well, I have no trouble moving."

"Then let's go."

"Are we finally going home now?"

"No, Chongqing."

Neung-heo's expression crumpled. His gaze turned to Gwak Cheon-hu, who was next to him. A sharp voice came out.

"It's you, isn't it? You're the one who enticed him to go to Chongqing, right?"

Gwak Cheon-hu pointed at Cheon Mubaeck as if he were dumbfounded.

"Is this person someone who would go just because I enticed him?"

"That's true. My lord, why Chongqing?"

"A connection with the Blood Ghost Valley has been found."

"Don't tell me those strange guys who annihilated a sect by themselves are that Blood Ghost Valley..."

"There's a high probability that they're related."

"Damn it. Are those guys spread all over the Central Plains?"

"They might be."

Looking at Cheon Mubaeck, who answered calmly, Neung-heo felt a creeping sense of foreboding crawl up his skin.

'These Blood Ghost Valley bastards...'

Following Henan, Shaanxi, and then Anhui and Chongqing.

Looking at the map of the Central Plains, their range of activity was extremely wide.

"Are these guys a single force?"

At Neung-heo's question, Cheon Mubaeck opened his eyes wide as if he were surprised.

"Neung-heo. For the first time, I don't regret bringing you along."

"Shit. You can see it at a glance. Huh? Even the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families only have influence in the province where they are located. But to be active across provinces like this..."

"If it's a single force, it's an absurd level."

"If so, does that mean it's enormous?"

"Right."

Cheon Mubaeck looked down at the map of the Central Plains.

Traces and connections of the Blood Ghost Valley had been found in as many as four provinces.

For a single organization to cause incidents across four provinces was not an easy thing, considering the vast Central Plains.

Of course, it was not entirely impossible.

Because in the martial world, numerous groups that had wielded influence over the entire Central Plains like this had appeared from time to time.

"It makes sense if it's a cell organization."

"A cell organization..."

Cheon Mubaeck pointed to the provinces where traces of the Blood Ghost Valley had been found one by one.

"They're all unrelated."

The guys who had attacked Shaolin in Henan, and the incidents that had caused a bloodbath in Anhui and Chongqing.

They were not closely related incidents. To the point where they would look like separate incidents if one did not know about the Blood Ghost Valley.

"There's a high probability that it's this. If they're divided into cell organizations to the point where even the members of the same organization might not know each other, except for a few high-ranking officials, then they can be active over a wide area."

"Eum."

"If so, it won't be easy for us to track them either."

"...Then these guys called the Blood Ghost Valley. What's their purpose?"

Gwak Cheon-hu narrowed his brow and interrupted.

Cheon Mubaeck flinched for a moment and then shook his head.

"I don't know."

"..."

Cheon Mubaeck narrowed his eyes as if he didn't like it.

"There's no consistency. The fact that they spread the plague using the Blood Demon Sect. The fact that they annihilated the sects in Chongqing and Anhui. The fact that they attacked Shaolin. The fact that they stole Shaolin's offerings... Eum?"

In an instant, Cheon Mubaeck stopped talking.

He had discovered an unexpected point in the thought that had flashed through his mind.

How much time had passed?

Cheon Mubaeck, who had been lost in thought for a long time, smirked and got up from his seat.

"Get ready."

"Did you find something out?"

"I'll have to check first. But still, the guys who caused the incident in Chongqing. There's a high probability that they're the guys from the Blood Ghost Valley."

Neung-heo tilted his head.

Because it was a voice that was almost full of conviction.

Although he did not know what blind spot he had discovered, if Cheon Mubaeck's expression was that confident, it was practically a sure thing.

When Cheon Mubaeck got up from his seat, Neung-heo was startled and asked.

"What is it? Are you going already?"

"No. I have something to do."

"Something to do?"

"I'll be back from Zhongnan."

"...What other trouble are you going to cause?"

"Trouble, I'm just going to have a little talk."

Cheon Mubaeck turned and went out.

Neung-heo, for some reason, sighed, thinking that something was going to happen again.

'Shit. I'll have to run away to Chongqing quickly.'

* * *

'It was beautiful.'

Jeon-hyeon sat cross-legged and was lost in thought.

In his mind, a single memory was constantly replaying.

'The Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero.'

The duel with Cheon Mubaeck at the duel stage a few days ago.

All the process, movement, and result of that time.

It did not disappear from his mind. On the contrary, the more time passed, the more the memory became clearer.

At first, it was just painful.

'It was a brutal defeat.'

It was the most humiliating and terrible defeat in his entire life.

Although he had joined hands with the Plum Blossom One Sword, Gukbo, and had even launched a joint attack, the result was disastrous.

A complete defeat.

The rumor had already spread throughout the Shaanxi martial world.

-The Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero has defeated the Zhongnan Wind Sword and the Plum Blossom One Sword!

-Even though they joined hands, they could not defeat the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero!

A large crowd had gathered for the duel that day. The rumor had spread in an instant.

Even without that, the reputation of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero had been soaring.

On top of that, when the result of the duel was delivered, the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero had stood tall as the most famous person in Shaanxi.

Would it be just Shaanxi?

The rumor was spreading to the nearby provinces.

Already, the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families were talking about the name Cheon Mubaeck.

Because the appearance of a master they had not expected at all was truly shocking.

Moreover, there were even talks of whether he was worthy of being listed among the hundred great masters.

'The hundred great masters...'

Jeon-hyeon let out a hollow laugh without even realizing it.

The hundred great masters.

A name he had not been able to obtain even while being an elder of Zhongnan.

Of course, the hundred great masters was not an exact ranking. But the fact that there were talks of whether his name was on it or not was enough to confirm Cheon Mubaeck's reputation in the Central Plains.

And when he recalled that his age was not even twenty.

So he was frustrated.

The afterimage that became clearer the more he tried to shake it off from his mind.

The red flame that poured from Cheon Mubaeck's sword and the cruelly beautiful plum blossoms.

The sword that flashed in the midst of it, every time he recalled it, Jeon-hyeon's body trembled.

But as time passed, the more he replayed it, Jeon-hyeon felt a sense of wonder rather than fear and frustration.

'How can a sword be so beautiful?'

A sword should be powerful and hegemonic.

It should draw out the maximum power it can exert.

'A sword is a means.'

It is a means to become strong.

He had learned that way, he had felt that way, and he had wielded his sword that way.

The hegemonic path.

He had thought that was the only secret for Zhongnan to surpass Mount Hua in Shaanxi and to stand tall.

But Cheon Mubaeck's sword...

'It was beautiful. Truly.'

It was stuck in his mind like a fire seal.

The movement, the gait, the hand gestures, the sword path of that time.

All of it, became clear in his mind.

Jeon-hyeon's blank gaze turned from the sky to the front.

'I also, want to draw a beautiful sword.'

A pure desire stirred.

It was not the original desire to stand on top of people by standing tall with a sword.

Just a simple desire to imitate the beautiful sword he had seen, even a little.

The focus returned to his blurry eyes.

'Cheon Mubaeck...'

He was walking. A strong light burned in his focused pupils.

* * *

"What, you want to have a match?"

As soon as he reached the pavilion where Zhongnan was staying, Jeon-hyeon blocked his path.

But Cheon Mubaeck tilted his head at Jeon-hyeon's pupils.

'Look at this.'

Cheon Mubaeck knew those kinds of eyes well.

'Did he realize something in the meantime?'

It was the eyes of when one was on the verge of enlightenment. It was also the most dangerous moment, and it was also a moment to advance one step further if one overcame it.

'He'll be one step ahead of Gukbo.'

Although Gukbo had also learned something from this duel, it was not a dramatic enlightenment.

On the contrary, his momentum had been completely crushed, as if he had felt a sense of frustration.

On the other hand, Jeon-hyeon's eyes were completely different.

'Is it an innate desire?'

A disposition that pursues the hegemonic path.

If that desire is expressed in a good way, it can also bring about such a rapid development.

"What brings you here, young hero?"

Jeon-hyeon's tone was quite polite, unlike before.

Cheon Mubaeck turned his head slightly and looked at the pavilion.

"Is the great elder here?"

"My master is in his quarters."

"Yes, I came to see that person."

"..."

Jeon-hyeon looked at Cheon Mubaeck for a moment and then said.

"Young hero."

"What."

"Be careful of Elder Dan-hu."

"..."

"My master and Elder Dan-hu... have not given up on the Primordial Root Scripture. I heard that you will be leaving Mount Hua soon. Be careful at that time."

Cheon Mubaeck stared at Jeon-hyeon.

"Why are you telling me that?"

"...I don't know. Just, I feel like I should."

"Are you betraying the will of your sect?"

It was a sight that could not be imagined from the Jeon-hyeon who had been backed by the prestige of the Zhongnan Sect just a few days ago.

Jeon-hyeon shook his head with a bitter face.

"To achieve a result, one does not choose the means. Although that was the will of Zhongnan, I feel that it is wrong now."

"Is that all?"

Cheon Mubaeck grinned.

Jeon-hyeon flinched for a moment. The moment he met Cheon Mubaeck's nonchalant gaze, he felt as if he were standing in front of him, completely naked.

That's how much Cheon Mubaeck's gaze seemed to see through him.

"Isn't it that you're trying to put me in your debt?"

"Such..."

Cheon Mubaeck smirked.

"Although Mount Hua is also secular, Zhongnan is more suitable for a secular sect than a Taoist sect. They're calculating in whatever they do. Aren't you trying to put me in your debt and then ask for something later?"

Jeon-hyeon could not answer.

A sense of shame washed over him. His face turned red.

Complete goodwill? Where would there be such a thing? Of course, it was true that he had some goodwill. But he could not deny Cheon Mubaeck's words.

Soon, Jeon-hyeon shook off his shame and said calmly.

"That's right. My master and Elder Dan-hu are thinking wrong. Even if the Primordial Root Scripture is important, is it more important than the relationship with you?"

Jeon-hyeon's eyes sparkled.

Jeon-hyeon, who dreamed of becoming a great elder after being an elder, and then the future sect leader.

His judgment was sharp.

'At an age not even twenty, this much martial prowess. A genius who will become the number one in the world in ten, twenty years.'

Jeon-hyeon had abandoned his jealousy.

No, he had no choice but to abandon it. Jealousy and envy arise only when there is a certain difference.

Jeon-hyeon had keenly felt it with his body. The gap that he could not win even if he cooperated with Gukbo.

That was not just a simple gap, but it was as if there were a wall between them.

The Primordial Root Scripture?

'It's important. But.'

Is it important enough to make an enemy of the future number one master in the world?

Jeon-hyeon had his doubts.

His master was also a great person. Although his likes and dislikes were divided, he was undoubtedly a great martial artist. Even if Elder Dan-hu was venting his anger at Cheon Mubaeck, who had ruined his disciple, it was hard to understand why Zhong Li-hong was doing so.

'It means the Primordial Root Scripture is that important.'

But Jeon-hyeon shook his head.

The master is the older generation.

On the other hand, he is the next generation.

In other words, it meant that he was the generation that would walk the martial world in the generation when Cheon Mubaeck would become the number one master in the world.

When he became the sect leader of Zhongnan, what if he met Cheon Mubaeck as an enemy?

'What a terrible thing.'

So Jeon-hyeon had personally sought to improve his relationship with Cheon Mubaeck.

Cheon Mubaeck had also read such thoughts of Jeon-hyeon.

'Good judgment.'

Although his desire was still stirring, if it was expressed in a good way.

'Whether it's the Blood Ghost Valley or not, it will be helpful at any time.'

Cheon Mubae-ck just smiled at such intentions of Jeon-hyeon.

"I'll take the advice gratefully."

"You must be careful. Elder Dan-hu is a master of martial arts as strong as Cheonghyeonjin. Even you..."

"So I came now."

At Cheon Mubaeck's nonchalant answer, Jeon-hyeon flinched for a moment.

And soon his gaze turned to Cheon Mubaeck's waist.

A real sword with a flashy decoration.

"Before you get hit, you have to strike first."

Cheon Mubaeck smiled eerily.

(End of Chapter)