First-Rate Warrior Stirring Up a New Wind (1)
Three art practitioners were dispatched from the Murim Alliance through the Yueyang branch.
The people gathered at Maling Plateau looked at them with expectant eyes, then could not hide their disappointment.
Two youngsters who had only just shed their downy hair, and one middle-aged man.
Moreover, when they learned that these were not the people who had installed the Murim Alliance’s formations, but personnel who had managed formations, they grew even more enraged.
“Are you saying this is everyone?”
The people currently gathered at Maling Plateau, regardless of whether they belonged to the righteous faction or the dark faction, were confronting the Murim Alliance’s Yueyang Branch Leader.
From the righteous faction’s perspective, the dark faction members should have been irritating, but under the shared premise that they were victims, they no longer distinguished friend from foe.
“For now, we intend to first determine what kind of formation it is, then dispatch additional personnel.”
“Then what about Yong Soa? I heard he survived that place and left. Where is Yong Soa?”
“After Hyeoncheong finished reporting to the Murim Alliance, he returned to the main mountain because of an urgent matter.”
“What! Is there truly something more urgent than five thousand people dying right now?”
Namgung Jinmyeong’s fists trembled.
How could those who could be called sworn allies behave like this?
“Hyeoncheong also said he could not truly identify what kind of formation it was, so even if he came, he likely would not be of much help.”
The Murim Alliance’s Yueyang Branch Leader desperately tried to excuse himself, but everyone who understood already knew.
Wudang Sect’s most precious talent.
Wudang Sect’s unparalleled rising star.
They were trying to prevent such a person from bearing responsibility for having left five thousand people behind and survived alone.
“Among the people who went inside, there are members of the Maosan Sect. I heard of it. If it is them, they must have been able to identify what kind of formation it was.”
“…Hyeoncheong said no such thing.”
It was a chain of unresolved talk.
At this rate, they would only repeat the same words endlessly.
“Bring that bastard Yong Soa here immediately!”
“…”
The Yueyang Branch Leader lowered his head and only rolled his eyes around.
“Do you not know that if this matter ultimately ends in tragedy, Hyeoncheong, the Wudang Sect, and the Murim Alliance will also have to pay the price?”
“…Well.”
Though the Yueyang Branch Leader was terrified by the repeated pressure, he continued speaking.
“The Murim Alliance’s position is that because this was not part of an official mission from the start, it cannot take responsibility. They said that sending art practitioners is merely courtesy toward allied friends, and that responsibility lies with the people who entered inside…”
“What did you say!!”
“Furthermore, they said that how Hyeoncheong and the Wudang Sect handle themselves is not a matter for the Murim Alliance to interfere in.”
“Where did that statement come from? The Council of Elders? The Intelligence Department?”
“…It is the Murim Alliance’s decision.”
Having lived his entire life as a member of the Namgung Family, Namgung Jinmyeong had never once experienced such helplessness, so the anger he felt was even greater.
Namgung Jinmyeong moved and headed toward the place where the Maosan Sect’s art practitioners were gathered.
Upon hearing the news of this place, the Maosan Sect had sent ten people as support.
They had already arrived several days ago and were studying the formation.
“How is it?”
“…The entrance is merely an ordinary natural formation. But considering that five thousand people entered and could not come out, perhaps this is an advanced trap.”
“Can it be broken from this side?”
“The axis of the formation does not exist on this side. It is such a large formation that its size cannot even be estimated from outside.”
“So, ultimately, there is no way to rescue them.”
“Yu Jiryang is a disciple with skills excellent enough to be counted among the best in our sect. Seeing that even that child cannot come out from inside…”
“Hyeoncheong… no, Yong Soa is said to have come out of this place. How do you think he came out?”
“…I suspect he may have used momentary destructive power.”
“Destructive power?”
“If the place they were in was close to the outside and had not fully entered the formation’s influence, then by causing a brief burst of destructive power, one could temporarily open the gate of the formation. But for that level of destructive power, one would need at least three hundred years of internal energy or something like a Thunderbolt Bomb.”
“That means he had one of the two.”
“Is not three hundred years of internal energy something that only appears in legends?”
“I understand. Please put in a little more effort.”
“I can only apologize for being unable to help.”
Namgung Jinmyeong ground his teeth.
If he could only know what exactly had happened inside, he would at least feel somewhat relieved, but Hyeoncheong, who knew the situation inside, had fled to the Wudang Sect through the Murim Alliance.
Any warrior who lived in the murim world knew that there were moments when their life would be in danger.
But that did not mean they could easily accept such an absurd death.
“San.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Take the Azure Dome Corps, the Great Swallow Corps, and the Thunderbolt Corps and go to Wudang immediately.”
“…”
He could understand the Azure Dome Corps and Great Swallow Corps, but the Thunderbolt Corps was the Namgung Family’s most elite strike force.
They were beings who should not cross the walls of the Namgung Family unless the very survival of the Namgung Family was threatened.
At the order to move such a force, Namgung San’s face turned deathly pale.
Was he planning to wage war against the Wudang Sect?
“If they do not hand over Yong Soa, pass through the Sword-Surrendering Pond.”
Telling him to pass through the Sword-Surrendering Pond without putting down his sword ultimately meant telling him to engage in armed conflict.
“Right now, the only place in the murim world that can demand the truth from Wudang is the Namgung Family.”
“…”
The Wudang Sect was not the only problem in this incident.
Next, they would raise an issue with Beggar Gang, and then they would raise an issue with Haomun.
Haomun might not be a problem since it was a sect that moved between the righteous and dark factions, but the other two were sects among the Nine Sects and One Gang.
This matter would not end with mere words.
‘In the worst case, the Murim Alliance will certainly step in.’
Even so, Namgung San could not say the words circling in his head.
His father, Namgung Jinmyeong, could not possibly be unaware of that.
Perhaps this was something that had already been discussed with his grandfather, Azure Emperor Divine Sword.
‘The situation is too bad.’
If it had ended only as Namgung Seonhwa’s problem, they would not have gone this far.
But with the collateral line’s matter added on top of it, that rage had grown twofold, threefold.
“Are you afraid?”
“No!”
“…I am afraid.”
“Pardon?”
“I do not know if I can forgive myself for making the situation like this.”
Namgung Jinmyeong was blaming himself more than anyone else.
“Father…”
“When I think about what that young child must have experienced inside there, my heart feels torn apart.”
“I will definitely bring Yong Soa back.”
“…”
Instead of answering, Namgung Jinmyeong looked at one darkened wall of the cave.
“Even if we bring that child back, will we be able to save Seonhwa…”
It was a self-mocking question directed at no one in particular.
Instead of giving a rash answer, Namgung San also looked at the same place as Namgung Jinmyeong.
Then.
“Huh?”
He wondered if he had seen wrong.
Inside the cave, dozens of torches already lit the cave as brightly as day.
But.
“Father, did you see that?”
The black shadow was wriggling.
“I-I saw it!”
At the same time as Namgung Jinmyeong shouted, the Maosan Sect’s art practitioners studying the formation hurriedly retreated.
They feared the formation might devour people.
However, instead of rushing at people, the black shadow wriggled and suddenly pulled wide open to both sides.
Then, from between those shadows, it spat out a person who looked more like a skeleton than a human.
On that person’s back was a woman who was likewise gaunt.
Namgung Jinmyeong and Namgung San shouted at the same time.
“Seonhwa!”
“Namgung Seonhwa!”
Behind the person carrying Seonhwa, a group carrying people who also did not look to be in good condition was coming out in a line.
Strangely, they walked by watching the steps of the person at the very front, and even after entering the cave, they kept their heads lowered.
When Namgung Jinmyeong and Namgung San received Seonhwa, the man who had stood at the front spoke in a cracked voice.
“W-Water. Fo-Food…”
Startled, people quickly handed over the food and hidden alcohol they had on them.
The man shoved things into his mouth without knowing who had given what, chewed them for quite a while, then swallowed them down in one go.
“Puha, I almost died.”
At that moment, as if on cue, shouts erupted from every direction.
Among the five thousand people thought dead, the first survivor had appeared.
#
With Jin Sowoon’s appearance, the Murim Alliance’s Yueyang Branch Leader tried to separately question Jin Sowoon, saying they would investigate what had happened inside, but Namgung Jinmyeong and the dark faction experts did not stand by.
“You said the Murim Alliance had no responsibility!”
“B-But…”
“Right now, I am barely holding onto my reason because my daughter survived. Do not make me more disappointed in the Murim Alliance.”
At Namgung Jinmyeong’s sharp warning, the Murim Alliance people could not step forward carelessly.
The first survivors had appeared, but everything was not over.
There were still thousands of people left inside.
“That is the Infinite Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Formation?”
When the legendary formation that had vanished three hundred years ago appeared again, the Maosan Sect’s art practitioners were greatly shocked.
Moreover, they could not hide even greater surprise at the words that followed.
“You can find the routes of the Infinite Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Formation?”
The Maosan Sect’s art practitioners, who had heard the story, could not easily believe Jin Sowoon, who had led the survivors out.
“I confirmed it.”
Yu Jiryang, who had grown gaunt beside him, said.
With even Yu Jiryang’s words added, they could no longer doubt it.
“But how…”
“The Maosan Sect’s art practitioners had been calculating the formation’s routes from the beginning. In the middle of that, that bastard Yong Soa interfered…”
Renowned elders of the murim world, transcending righteous faction and dark faction, had all gathered, but everyone’s heart was united in resenting Yong Soa.
“Then how did you get out when the route calculations were not finished?”
At the Maosan Sect art practitioner’s question, Jin Sowoon continued answering while putting porridge into his mouth.
It was porridge boiled with jerky from the encampment outside the cave.
Jin Sowoon was already on his tenth bowl.
“I calculated the rest alone inside.”
Even after hearing it, it was a situation hard to believe.
“You… did you not say you were a disciple of the Taeul Sect?”
When the Maosan Sect art practitioner suddenly brought up the Taeul Sect, the dark faction experts who had been listening nearby each spat out a word.
“Damn it! What does the Taeul Sect have to do with anything here!”
“Idiots, are you seriously fussing over someone’s background even now!”
“Exactly! If he can bring our disciples out from there, we should bring him even if he is from the Demonic Cult, not just the Taeul Sect.”
As if agreeing with them, Yu Jiryang said,
“Martial uncle. We do not have time for this. Even now, people are dying inside.”
“…Y-Yes. Ah, and I apologize.”
Under the dark faction experts’ fierce pressure, the Maosan Sect art practitioner eventually took one step back and looked at Namgung Jinmyeong.
Namgung Jinmyeong asked Jin Sowoon again.
“Is there anything to be careful of on the way out?”
“If they follow my footsteps exactly, they will not lose their way inside the formation. However, if they take even one wrong step, they will be trapped inside the formation.”
“It will not be easy for the people inside.”
“That is why I only brought out ten people at first.”
“What is the maximum number you can lead out?”
“The time a single route is maintained is roughly fifteen minutes. To be safe, it would be best to go in and out with no more than twenty people at most.”
“The Namgung Family will prepare warriors.”
“Our Four Emperors Peak will also provide warriors. They will be better than righteous faction riffraff.”
“You must have heard the name of our Black Snake Gang.”
Everyone wanted their own warriors to be sent in first.
“You must think carefully. If you take a wrong path even once, you will never be found again inside the formation. I have gone in and out several times, but I have never once met anyone who entered the formation first.”
At Jin Sowoon’s words, the people who had been stepping forward fell silent.
In the end, Namgung Jinmyeong asked again.
“Then what would be best?”
“First, receive support from twenty peak warriors. Not from different groups, but people who have matched their coordination in ordinary times as well. And when they first enter with me, they should carry food in, and when they come out, they should bring twenty patients out first. Please prepare physicians on both sides of the cave so they can be treated immediately upon coming out. Then prepare the next warriors to go in and continue rotating this.”
“That does seem best.”
Namgung Jinmyeong and the dark faction experts listening nodded.
“But in that case, will you not have to keep going in? Will you be all right?”
Among those who had survived and come out, Jin Sowoon was no exception when it came to being in the most exhausted state.
Moreover, perhaps because of how much blood he had shed inside, the martial uniform that should have looked blue was soaked with blood and had turned black.
“From now on, it is a fight against time. To save even one more person, we cannot delay for even a moment.”
“Understood.”
At the same time as those words were spoken, people began moving in perfect order.
#
The dark faction experts went to Yueyang, forcibly woke nearby physicians, and carried them on their backs to Maling Plateau, while the righteous faction experts went to the inns and taverns of Yueyang, used every ingredient available to make food, and transported it to Maling Plateau.
Starting with the Namgung Family’s Thunderbolt Corps, twenty people entered carrying food on their backs, and after quite some time, they came out again with one survivor each on their backs.
People, regardless of righteous faction or dark faction, treated whoever their hands could reach and devoted themselves to recovery. When corpses came out, they were taken to command so someone connected to them could be found.
“Are you all right?”
Because nearly ten thousand experts were moving in unison, there was no shortage of hands.
However, the greatest worry was Jin Sowoon.
Since coming out of the Soul-Extinguishing Formation, the person entering the Soul-Extinguishing Formation the most was also Jin Sowoon, and since it was already the third day that Jin Sowoon had been going in and out of the Soul-Extinguishing Formation without sleeping a wink, he looked to be in even worse condition than when he had first emerged.
“I am fine. If I circulate my energy for a moment…”
It was always like this.
He filled the lack of sleep with brief breathing circulation.
But to the warriors’ eyes, that appearance could only seem pitiful.
Experts who had reached the peak might be able to endure a month without sleep with ease, but how could a disciple of the Taeul Sect be in the same position as them?
Unable to keep watching, Namgung Jinmyeong took out a wooden box from his robe.
“Eat this and circulate your energy.”
“What is this?”
“It is a Great Swallow Divine Pill.”
“What? How could I take something this precious…”
“Precious? Compared to you saving our family’s people, this is nothing. The real repayment will be made later. For now, eat this first and replenish your strength. I am sorry, but right now, the only person who can save the people inside is you.”
When Namgung Jinmyeong stepped forward like that, the dark faction experts could not stay still either.
“The elixir of our Black Snake Gang probably will not suit the Daoist heart method you have learned, so take this instead. It is called Purple Fire Orchid. You know what Purple Fire Orchid is, yes?”
“It would have been nice if I could give you the Four Emperors Pill of Four Emperors Peak, but that is a pity. Just in case, I bought a Clear Heart Pill from the black market, so please accept it.”
“Have you heard of Profound Yang Water? Originally, my sect had gathered it to make an elixir…”
“This is Nine-Leaf Divine Herb…”
“This is Heaven and Earth Grass.”
Where had they all hidden such elixirs so carefully?
Before anyone knew it, elixirs and pills had piled up in heaps before Jin Sowoon’s eyes.
None were great enough to be compared with the Great Swallow Divine Pill, but they were enough to help restore his vitality right away.
From then on, instead of eating food, Jin Sowoon filled his stomach with elixirs and entered the formation.
And so, four more days passed.
Just as even the experts were growing exhausted in the days where day and night continued without pause,
the last survivors finally appeared.
“This is the end.”
“A total of four thousand two hundred eighty people have survived and returned.”
As soon as the command center’s announcement ended, people embraced one another without distinguishing righteous faction or dark faction, and their shouts shook heaven and earth.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
No comments yet. Be the first to leave a review!