Chapter 79 :

Chapter 79. The Black Flame Dragon Leaping Over the Gate (7)

The branch leader of the Martial Alliance’s Hangzhou Branch could not hide his shock while listening to the report.

“Twin Curtain Stronghold has been eliminated?”

The first gate of this Martial Academy exam was a hellish test for branches across the entire country.

That was because they had to observe over four thousand mountain strongholds one by one, determine who subjugated which stronghold, and check whether any first-rate experts or Martial Academy graduates had been involved in the process.

Fortunately, in the Zhejiang Province area, aside from three of the strongholds among the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds, there were not many medium or small-scale mountain strongholds, so they had been able to handle their work more leisurely than other branches.

Of course, there had been a small unexpected event as well.

Bongjim Stronghold, which had been identified as the weakest stronghold among the four thousand, had cooperated with a nearby stronghold called Guung Stronghold and launched a counterattack against the Gyeryong Merchant Guild, startling the alliance members.

But now, he had heard that Twin Curtain Stronghold, which they had been observing only as a formality, had suddenly been subjugated.

“Was there perhaps a peak expert hidden among them?”

“According to the report, although the examinees’ martial arts levels are high, they are not at the level that would require registration with the Martial Alliance.”

“Then what? Are you saying the Martial Alliance or the Mount Hua Sect joined forces to subjugate Twin Curtain Stronghold?”

Powerful forces sometimes gathered their own disciples together and mobilized hundreds of people.

It was a method that made reverse use of the limit of one hundred people that each person could mobilize.

Even so, Twin Curtain Stronghold was a thousand-man force formed from the combination of two mountain strongholds.

An ordinary sect would have to send ten disciples just to match the numbers.

“That is not the case either. They say the number of people was fewer than twenty.”

“......”

“I know it sounds impossible. That is why I thought it would be best for you to go there yourself, Branch Leader.”

And so, when the branch leader personally arrived at Mount Tianmu, he could not close his mouth at the sight before him.

The enormous, lush Mount Tianmu had been burned completely black, hundreds of corpses were piled here and there halfway up the mountain, and even at the village entrance, the blood spilled by the corpses had formed a small stream.

“What in the world is this··••.”

As the branch leader trailed off, unable to continue speaking, the alliance member who had been managing Mount Tianmu approached.

“The men who identified themselves as examinees brought the hostages down from Mount Tianmu, then launched a fire attack.”

“That makes no sense. Because of the forest growth, there are many springs, so it should be difficult for the fire to spread.”

“That is true. However, the moment the examinees carried out the fire attack, an enormous wind blew, and the oil barrels they had installed in advance all over the mountain exploded, causing a mountain fire to spread rapidly across all of Mount Tianmu.”

“......”

Come to think of it, he remembered a report from two days ago saying that mountain fires had broken out on dry mountains because of a sudden wind.

“They used the wind? A natural disaster?”

At that moment, people who appeared to be examinees approached.

One had a body as enormous as Mount Tai, and one looked ordinary.

The enormous one, like Mount Tai, stood still with his arms crossed and arrogantly raised his chin, while the ordinary one respectfully cupped his fist.

“I heard you came from the Martial Alliance’s Hangzhou Branch.”

“That is correct. Are you the ones who subjugated Twin Curtain Stronghold?”

When the ordinary one looked behind him instead of answering, the people standing behind the Mount Tai-like man brought over two corpses covered with straw mats.

“They are vicious men called the Golden-Faced Buddha Saber and the One-Eyed Blood Axe.”

“......”

An alliance member hurriedly approached, lifted the straw mats, examined them here and there, then soon nodded.

They were indeed the chiefs of Twin Curtain Stronghold.

“Are you truly saying that you subjugated Twin Curtain Stronghold?”

“It is as you see.”

“Twin Curtain Stronghold is one of the leading Green Forest forces within Zhejiang Province. I simply cannot believe that only you people accomplished this.”

No sooner had the branch leader finished speaking than the face of the Mount Tai-like man distorted heavily.

Then, was he not raising his internal energy?

“.....Hup.”

“Kuh.”

“What kind of internal energy is•••••.”

Along with his martial uniform swelling as though it would burst, a powerful wave of energy stretched out as if choking their breath.

It was only simple fighting spirit without even any killing intent mixed in, but it was enough to make them feel stifled, as though they were being crushed under a giant rock.

“So-called members of the Martial Alliance under heaven suspect someone who worked for the people’s livelihood, without even thinking of subjugating Twin Curtain Stronghold themselves?”

The Mount Tai-like man strode forward and stretched out his hand with enough force to pluck out a neck in one move.

The branch leader could not believe that although he too had trained in martial arts all his life, he was being pushed so miserably by someone who still looked young.

He tried drawing up his internal energy with all his might, but unlike his will, his body would not move.

“Please stop. You’ll frighten them.”

At that moment, the ordinary one lifted a deep black sword, still in its sheath, and blocked the Mount Tai-like man’s hand.

“It would be better for the Martial Alliance too if rotten bastards like these had their necks snapped.”

“If you do that, you won’t even be able to set foot in the Martial Alliance.”

“......”

The Mount Tai-like man, who seemed as if no words would work on him, listened to the ordinary man’s words and slowly withdrew his pressure.

But he did not withdraw all of it.

He merely returned to his place, crossed his arms, and glared.

He was showing that if something happened, he was ready to leap out at any moment.

“As you can see, thanks to this person’s vast internal energy, we were able to subjugate Twin Curtain Stronghold without much difficulty. Moreover, heaven helped us as well.”

“......”

The branch leader tried to say something, then stopped and began watching the Mount Tai-like man’s expression.

His own sect was also a great sect that would not be looked down on anywhere, but if he died here and now at the hands of that Mount Tai-like man, then what use would the power of his sect be?

That fear had taken hold of him.

“If necessary, you may investigate further. We also have a schedule that requires us to stay here a few more days.”

The Mount Tai-like man cut in.

“Of course, if you do, I will make sure you cannot return on your own feet.”

“Ah•••••• Please stay still for a bit. Why do you keep butting in!”

“•Aren’t those bastards suspecting us?”

“No, what kind of outrageous words are those to members of the Martial Alliance! Apologize immediately.”

“Hmph! Originally, I was going to start by breaking one arm from each of them, so let’s consider that settled.”

The alliance members unknowingly touched their own arms.

“••••Ahem, a-anyway, first tell me your identities. O-only then can we investigate or do anything else.”

The Mount Tai-like man tilted his head crookedly and stared fiercely.

In the end, the ordinary man stepped in between them and spoke.

“This person is Bang Duchil.”

“Reincarnation of Xiang Yu!”

“Myth of Lu Bu!”

Exclamations burst out among the Martial Alliance members.

It was because they had already heard many rumors about Bang Duchil.

“Kuh••.. I-I see. Then what about you?”

“Ah, I am Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.”

“....”

“....”

Unlike when Bang Duchil was introduced, the atmosphere sank coldly as if cold water had been poured over the place.

The branch leader, who barely managed to open his mouth, continued speaking with difficulty.

“Are you•••••• that Black Flame Dragon Jin Sowoon?”

“••••Yes, that seems to be what people call me.”

The man named Jin Sowoon nodded as if displeased, and the branch leader immediately looked behind him and shouted.

“Hey! Bring the gate tokens! Now!”

“Y-yes! I have brought them.”

“If you saw it with your own eyes, you should have simply given them the gate tokens. Why call me over as if this were some great matter! My apologies, Young Hero Jin! My subordinates have not yet been properly educated.”

Jin Sowoon and Bang Duchil could only tilt their heads at the sudden change.

#

Damn it. Damn it.

Why were evil deeds I had never committed gradually being spread as rumors?

I found the Hangzhou branch leader’s sudden change in attitude strange, so while receiving the gate tokens, I quietly asked about it.

The story that came back was absurd.

[Phew, we do not do idiotic things like Gong Seokchan.]

Gong Seokchan was the branch leader of the Martial Alliance’s Yueyang Branch.

When I rescued people from Maling Plateau, he had come to me with resentment because the honor of Yong Soa, who had fled alone, had been buried in the ground.

At that time, I had thought the matter was resolved well because Namgung Jinmyeong and Cha Seokdu, the lord of Four Emperors Peak, had stepped forward.

But would you look at this.

After everything was over, members of both righteous faction and dark faction sects, centered around Namgung Jinmyeong and Cha Seokdu, officially raised objections to the Martial Alliance.

If it had been objections from only the dark faction sects, the Martial Alliance would not have cared.

But when every involved sect, including the Namgung Family, Hengshan Sect, and Maosan Sect, raised issues with the actions and response of the Martial Alliance’s Yueyang Branch,

And further raised issues with the Martial Alliance’s handling of the matter, the Martial Alliance had no choice but to be embarrassed.

Because of this, everyone belonging to the Yueyang Branch, including the Martial Alliance’s Yueyang branch leader, had been removed from office and dismissed, returning to their sects or hometowns. Even those involved within the Martial Alliance had reportedly received disciplinary action one after another.

The problem was that, because of this incident, strange rumors about me had spread.

Rumors like I was the joint successor of the righteous faction murim and dark faction murim, or that I was an illegitimate child of the Namgung Family who had learned martial arts at Four Emperors Peak, or that I was a monster created by an alliance of outer-region sects to bring down the Martial Alliance.

“I heard your skill was unusual, and it seems you had such a background.”

Bang Duchil, who had been listening to the story beside me, nodded, and I shouted sharply.

“Don’t say something so ridiculous. What joint successor? What are you talking about?”

“If not, then not. Why are you getting angry? Seeing you get that angry, it seems something is pricking your conscience. Then perhaps, as an illegitimate child of the Namgung Family, at Four Emperors Peak•·•·•”

“No!”

“I do not look down on illegitimate children. That is not something they chose for themselves·•••••.”

“I said no!”

Baek Soryeong, who had been giggling beside us, spoke.

“Still, that is a relief. Now there is no mountain stronghold on Mount Tianmu.”

I shook my head.

“It probably won’t turn out that way.”

“Yes? Why?”

“Mount Tianmu is the easiest and safest road connecting Anhui Province and Zhejiang Province. Moreover, to pass through Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, one must go through Mount Tianmu. I do not know for certain, but among those belonging to the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds, someone who wants to establish their own mountain stronghold will appear again.”

“Ah......”

“.......”

While Baek Soryeong nodded, Bang Duchil remained heavily silent.

“For now, please take these.”

I handed four of the eight gate tokens I had received from the Hangzhou branch leader to Bang Duchil.

Bang Duchil stared blankly at the gate tokens, then soon asked Baek Soryeong.

“Soryeong.”

“Yes, darling.”

“Would it be all right if I did not become an alliance member of the Martial Alliance?”

“Yes?”

“I felt it while doing this. It seems the Martial Alliance is not my path.”

He, too, was still only a young man who had barely passed twenty, so he could not understand everything in the world, but even taking that into account, the justice of the Martial Alliance he had seen was not very pleasant.

“Then......”

“I will try pursuing the way of the Green Forest.”

Bang Duchil looked at Mount Tianmu, which was now practically stripped bare.

“The way of the Martial Alliance does not reach the common people. But the way of the Green Forest directly touches the common people. If I establish the way of the Green Forest, would far more people not be able to live peacefully?”

“...Darling.”

“Instead, I promise you. I will become the king of the Green Forest and make you my queen.”

At Bang Duchil’s resolute declaration, Baek Soryeong smiled and spoke.

“Darling, I already think of you as a king. Wherever you go, I will go with you.”

Baek Soryeong and Bang Duchil embraced each other deeply.

It looked as if a huge bear was holding a fish in its arms.

Perhaps it had been destined to turn out this way after all.

Maybe becoming the Green Forest Alliance Leader suited Bang Duchil far better.

He was not someone suited to a place like the Martial Alliance, where complicated schemes and politics went back and forth.

Just as I was about to tactfully step away, Bang Duchil spoke to me.

“You.”

“......?”

“You should walk the way of the Green Forest with me as well.”

“Yes?”

“Twin Curtain Stronghold is made of two mountain strongholds, is it not? Together with me, the way of the Green Forest·••••.”

“Don’t say something so ridiculous. What are you saying to a disciple of a prestigious orthodox sect?”

“••..•Calling the Taeul Sect a prestigious orthodox sect is••••··.”

“Are you asking to fight me?”

After thinking for a moment, Bang Duchil nodded and spoke.

“Then become sworn brothers with me.”

At the bolt from the blue, I shouted angrily.

“A righteous faction member who is brothers with the Green Forest Alliance Leader? Just thinking about it is horrifying.”

“Ho, do I have the look of someone who will become the Green Forest Alliance Leader?”

“......”

His words were so absurd that I, unlike myself, even lost my reason.