Chapter 190: The Great Inferno Battle (6)

Listening to Namgung Il-jun’s request, Cho Un-hwi frowned deeply.

“Why should I go?”

“The other instructors are exhausted from intense battles.”

Looking around, he saw people meditating and recuperating all over the clearing.

“Moreover, there’s no one who reads the terrain as well as you.”

Instructors could read maps and terrain, but no one could identify enemy entry and exit points and find narrow paths with a single glance.

‘Recognizing it at a glance is practically impossible.’

Only someone with renowned tracking skills or a mysterious expert could do it.

“We need the exceptional skills you showed when rescuing the disciples.”

“If it’s not me…”

He thought of someone else out of reluctance, but no one came to mind.

‘Damn it.’

He hated troublesome tasks.

Namgung Il-jun quickly added.

“The disciples in other locations are in danger. Most importantly, I’m worried because we’ve lost contact with Yong-ho.”

“Yong-ho…”

“He was with Instructor Ja-gyeom and Senior Instructor Eo Jeong-geun.”

Now he understood why Namgung Il-jun was so anxious.

“Even our contact with the White Sword Squad from our family has been lost. It’s an emergency.”

Seeing him bow his head, Cho Un-hwi glanced sideways.

There, Wang Woo nodded slightly.

[It’s a chance to find your wife.]

It seemed Wang Woo had subtly encouraged Namgung Il-jun.

‘Uncle Sima is indeed good at behind-the-scenes work.’

Thinking this, Cho Un-hwi reluctantly agreed.

“Alright. But.”

I won’t do it for free.

“I have a condition. You must grant me one request later.”

“Are you trying to make a deal in an emergency?”

“Can’t you make such a promise in an emergency? This is a life-threatening situation.”

Namgung Il-jun furrowed his brow.

“That’s…”

He didn’t expect him to agree easily.

‘He doesn’t know what kind of unreasonable demand I might make.’

He was probably worried about what outrageous request this strange man would make.

‘But he can’t refuse.’

As expected, after several changes in expression, Namgung Il-jun nodded heavily.

“Alright. But it must not harm the Namgung Clan.”

“It won’t harm the Namgung Clan.”

The Namgung Clan, that is.

Though slightly irked by the implication, Namgung Il-jun added another condition.

“And it must not go against justice and righteousness.”

“Of course.”

“Good. I accept. Please take care of it, Temporary Instructor.”

Seeing him bow deeply, Cho Un-hwi smirked.

‘Got him. A big catch.’

Looking at him like prey caught in a spider’s web, Cho Un-hwi licked his lips inwardly.

***

Not long ago.

Led by Namgung Musan, the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad was racing toward their destination.

“Master! It’s an ambush!”

*Thud thud thud thud.*

Hearing the shout of the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad, Namgung Musan’s eyes twitched.

“An ambush?”

Who would dare disrupt the Namgung Clan?

“Push through.”

He thought little of it, but Namgung Musan soon found himself greatly alarmed.

*Boom!*

With the sound of thunder bombs, a dozen horses running ahead were thrown into the air.

*Crackle!*

True to their elite reputation, the riders of the Namgung Clan kicked off their horses and landed gracefully.

But not all were safe.

*Thud! Crack!*

Some couldn’t handle the momentum and fell headfirst with their horses.

“Scatter!”

At the shout of the White Sword Squad leader guarding the master, the horses, which had been moving in a line, scattered and formed a large formation of three columns.

*Boom! Boom!*

With more explosions and fire pillars rising, the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad, having abandoned their tight formation, skillfully maneuvered their horses to avoid the blasts.

*Thud thud thud thud.*

Their movements were almost acrobatic.

Though they escaped the immediate danger, Namgung Musan, still in the carriage, clicked his tongue.

“Have our movements been exposed?”

Beyond his extended senses, countless presences were closing in.

“I can’t tell where the leak came from.”

They were supposed to meet with the Murim Alliance contact carrying the Blood Tear Stone just ahead.

The fact that they were waiting here meant the contact’s movements had likely been leaked to the Heavenly Destruction Society.

“The Murim Alliance’s handling is disappointing.”

Thinking this, Namgung Musan felt the intense heat approaching and drew his sword.

*Tap.*

Tapping the floor of the carriage with the scabbard, he calmly drew his sword and slashed the roof.

*Flash!*

As the roof was sliced off, Namgung Musan leaped into the air like a flying bird.

*Crackle! Boom!*

As he soared three feet high, he felt the carriage that had been racing moments ago explode in flames below him.

*Swish! Thud thud!*

Flipping in mid-air, Namgung Musan stepped on the debris of the exploding carriage and leaped again, his eyes gleaming.

“Who dares challenge the banner of the Heavenly Spear Clan!”

With a thunderous shout, Namgung Musan unleashed a fearsome aura, raising his sword.

*Woooooo.*

Though he might not reach the level of the Sword King.

*Rumble.*

The immense internal energy of the three generations of the Namgung Clan, honed over hundreds of years, radiated a colossal presence.

– Emperor Sword Technique.

First move. Emperor’s Manifestation.

*Swish.*

As he swung his sword in mid-air, extending it in all directions.

*Boom boom boom boom!*

The ground exploded where the sword energy passed, turning the charging crimson figures into a scene of blood and gore.

***

*Tat tat! Tat tat!*

Racing through the mountain path, Namgung Il-jun glanced at Cho Un-hwi running beside him, surprised.

“Are you really okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Running with lightness techniques all day isn’t easy.”

That was why he insisted on a small advance team.

Unlike sword techniques, influenced by talent, lightness techniques don’t allow shortcuts.

To run far, fast, and long, one needed the internal energy to support it.

But now, even Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim and the other instructors were lagging behind.

“We’ll follow after meditating.”

“This is embarrassing.”

“It’s quite shameful.”

Even the elite members of the Inspection Department were panting heavily.

Only Baek Ri Seon-ho and Mo Yong-ju managed to keep up.

But what about this man?

‘He’s been running all day, yet he doesn’t seem to be sweating.’

Curious, he asked, and received a simple answer.

“Being from a country sect, I’ve always been confident in my stamina.”

Seeing his lightness technique, it made sense.

Usually, internal energy is channeled through the Yongcheon point in the soles to propel the body far and fast.

But this strange creature used his lightness technique in a way he had never seen.

Instead of running gracefully, he would push off the ground with his hands or bounce off rocks if needed.

It was more like watching a wild animal than a human.

‘He’s incredibly versatile for someone from a country sect.’

What he admired most was his leadership.

Even the disciples, who were from much more prestigious backgrounds, and the instructors subtly acknowledged his authority.

‘Leading the charge and changing the flow of battle isn’t easy.’

Now, nothing he did seemed strange.

Instead, he had become someone Namgung Il-jun considered essential to keep close.

“Stop here.”

Running like the wind, Cho Un-hwi suddenly stopped and rummaged through the nearby grass.

“There are traces of someone staying here.”

“You noticed that already?”

“There are two people. Their steps are light, suggesting they are martial artists.”

“You can tell that too?”

His tracking skills were almost supernatural.

As he muttered to himself, Cho Un-hwi, who had been touching the grass, spoke.

“But their steps are uneven, suggesting one of them is injured.”

“Can you tell where they went?”

“West. They changed direction from here.”

Hearing this, a member of the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad exclaimed.

“There’s a hideout of our clan ahead. It’s a place we use when injured during missions.”

“It might be our people.”

“It seems likely.”

Namgung Il-jun looked at Cho Un-hwi with renewed respect.

He still didn’t like his cocky face, but a part of him couldn’t help but feel admiration.

‘I understand why Elder Wang Woo wanted to pass on the Kunlun Sect’s legacy to him.’

Starting martial arts late was unfortunate, but he was too talented to give up on easily.

“Leave markers for those following and let’s move on. If there are injured, we can’t waste time.”

But when they arrived at their destination, a grim scene awaited them.

“…They’re all dead.”

“We were too late.”

Near the hideout, they found two cold bodies.

Their arms and legs were charred, indicating a fierce battle.

“Yeonghwa. Why are you lying here?”

“Ugh. Wake up.”

As they mourned their fallen comrades, Namgung Il-jun looked at the two and bowed his head heavily.

“They were members of the squad guarding Yong-ho.”

It was horrifying that he might be in danger, but the code left by the dying men was even worse.

– Engaged in battle. Master Namgung. In critical condition.

It was a development he desperately didn’t want to believe.

***

“Haha.”

After toying with the Sword Saint and landing a blow on the Namgung Clan’s master, the Eight Heavenly Apostles’ Jeokmu-gyeong was in high spirits.

“To be able to move after being hit by the Solar Yang Palm, he’s worthy of being the Namgung Clan’s leader.”

It was a shame he couldn’t finish him off due to the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad’s resistance, but he didn’t mind.

The Solar Yang Palm was a martial art of extreme yang.

Once struck in the heart, the victim would writhe in agony as their body burned from the inside.

“All that’s left for him is sweet death after intense pain and despair.”

But Jeokmu-gyeong’s mood soured when he heard the news from the Red Flame Squad.

“The sacrifice has escaped…”

“Sorry, Apostle!”

“The Red Flame Squad I trained was defeated by young brats… How should I take this?”

As he raised his foot to crush the head of the trembling subordinate, the Red Flame Squad leader, Yang Kang, stepped forward.

“There was a mistake.”

“Mistake? Are you saying there was a mistake in my personal involvement?”

As the temperature in the room soared, Yang Kang quickly prostrated himself and shouted.

“Assassins intervened.”

“Assassins?”

“Judging by the wounds, each person was killed with a single strike.”

“Assassins capable of cleanly killing the Red Flame Squad…”

“…I suspect it’s the same people who attacked the Invisible Sword Hall.”

“I had forgotten about them.”

Recalling the massacre at the Invisible Sword Hall, Jeokmu-gyeong clicked his tongue.

“With the Namgung Clan almost in my grasp, unexpected pests are causing trouble.”

“Give me the Red Flame Squad. I’ll personally extract their blood.”

Seeing his fierce voice, Jeokmu-gyeong smirked.

“You seem confident.”

“They left traces while carrying out their assassination. I can burn such careless assassins in an instant.”

“tsk tsk. So the rat has shown its tail…”

Licking his lips with his red tongue, Jeokmu-gyeong pulled a small stone from his robe.

*Swish.*

The tiny stone, no bigger than a grain of rice, gleamed sinisterly between his thumb and forefinger.

“There’s not enough blood to offer to the Awakening Stone. Make sure there are no mistakes.”

“Of course.”

“Take ten squads of the Red Flame Squad.”

*Thud.*

Catching the Awakening Stone thrown into the air, Jeokmu-gyeong’s eyes gleamed.

“Kill the unbelievers and soak the altar with blood.”

Only then will I.

“Open the heavens of the Heavenly Destruction Society!”

At his shout, everyone prostrated themselves and shouted in unison.

“Yes, my lord!”