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Chapter 57: I Am the Master
At first, Yang Mugi, the Divine Division Leader of the Hwayang Chamber of Commerce, felt deceived.
Contrary to the rumors that described them as "terrifying," the bandits of Five Peaks Mountain turned out to be nothing much.
It was enough to make him wonder, "Have I been paying tolls to these useless individuals all this time?" He felt embarrassed.
However, their fighting spirit was worthy of recognition.
But in a serious fight, fighting spirit does not determine the victory in a bloody battle between the Chamber of Commerce and Nokrim.
The fight ended with the Chamber of Commerce's victory before a quarter of an hour had passed.
They killed five bandits and captured fifteen prisoners.
Despite the great victory, his heart was uneasy.
The bandits were brazenly bold.
Even after being captured, the incompetents maintained defiant looks as if to say, "Do you think this will end like this?"
They were completely different from the previous bandits, who fled without looking back.
Upon arriving at the fortress, they encountered a completely different scene.
It was more like a small village hidden in the mountains than a bandit's lair.
He would never have imagined seeing children playing happily in the Nokrim fortress.
Hwang Dongyeop approached him while he stood there in shock.
"Master Yang, do you think the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain have fled?"
"I don't think so."
So far, it's known that at least five groups from the Chamber of Commerce have challenged Five Peaks Mountain, but none have reached the inner fortress.
"It can't end so easily."
Judging by the prisoners' attitude, the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain were surely in the fortress.
At that moment, an old man appeared.
Judging by his pale face and unsteady walk, it seemed he didn't have much time left to live.
Yang Mugi and the Five Heroes of Luoyang approached the old man.
The old man stood in front of the warriors from the Chamber of Commerce. Shim Yanggak, known as the Immortal Sword Demon, smiled tremulously and said:
"Hehe, where do you come from?"
Yang Mugi slightly frowned.
The old man was trying to appear friendly with his smile, but it irritated him.
"I am Yang Mugi, the Divine Division Leader of the Hwayang Chamber of Commerce. And these are the Five Heroes of Luoyang, disciples of Prestigious Sects. Where are the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain?"
Yang Mugi emphasized "Prestigious Sects" and "Luoyang" as a warning. Fortunately, the old man understood.
"Ah! Prestigious Sects. Could you introduce us to these young masters?"
Relieved, Yang Mugi introduced the Five Heroes of Luoyang.
"…Especially, this lady is the daughter of the Uicheon Sect Leader, Lee Yeonik. And this young one is the sister of the Waryong Swordsman."
So please, cooperate or flee.
Did Shim Yanggak understand Yang Mugi's silent message?
Shim Yanggak looked surprised at Lee Somin.
"Is your father really Lee Yeonik, the Virtue Swordsman?"
Lee Somin responded with a haughty face.
"Yes. And who are you? Where are the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain?"
"This old man... is called Bangtong. The Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain will be coming down soon."
Shim Yanggak didn't dare reveal his true name, so he called himself Bangtong.
"Coming down?"
"Yes, they went to receive their seventh brother at the highest peak of Five Peaks Mountain."
"Hmph! Receive? Haven't they fled? Or are they waiting for us with a trap?"
"No, they went up to receive their seventh brother."
While the two were talking, Yang Mugi pushed the merchants to a corner.
He feared they might get hurt during the battle.
Just as they finished preparing for combat, ten men and women appeared at the entrance.
Exactly ten.
Yang Mugi and the Five Heroes of Luoyang knew they were the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain.
Yang Mugi couldn't help but sigh in secret.
The Ten Heroes were lined up on the left and right with a boy in the middle, just like Hwayang in Jeokpungchae. No matter how you look at it, it was a stance of desperate resistance.
As the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain approached, Yang Mugi looked at the old man, expecting him to introduce the Five Heroes of Luoyang in their place.
"Old man, hurry up and say something."
Yeon Jeokha frowned upon seeing the bandits tied up in a row.
Hwang Yomyung, known as the Poisonous Wanderer, shouted with a swollen face.
"Brother Yeon! Yang Mugi of the Hwayang Chamber of Commerce came with these crazy people and did this to us! Sorry for dishonoring the name of Five Peaks Mountain!"
Yeon Seolju gritted her teeth.
She had spared those bandits because she didn't want to dirty her hands, but they were being insolent. They would continue until the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain knelt.
"These guys won't cry until they see the coffin..."
Yeon Seolju's hand moved to the hilt of her sword.
At that moment, Hwang Dongyeop gently grabbed her arm.
He indicated that she shouldn't act yet.
To be honest, Hwang Dongyeop shared the same feelings as Yang Mugi. He didn't feel capable of handling the consequences if Lee Somin got hurt during the fight.
Shim Yanggak approached Yeon Jeokha and bowed.
"Brother Yeon, these are Yang Mugi of the Divine Division of the Hwayang Chamber of Commerce and the Five Heroes of Luoyang, known as young prodigies. Among the Five Heroes of Luoyang, there is the daughter of the Uicheon Sect Leader, so please be careful with them."
Yeon Jeokha tilted his head, puzzled.
As a young man newly emerged in the world of Murim, he was unfamiliar with the power of the Seven Great Sects.
"Uicheon Sect Leader?"
"Yes, the Uicheon Sect Leader is known as the Virtue Swordsman and is a considerable master. It is said that he is as strong as the Three Elders of Nokrim."
"Who are the Three Elders of Nokrim?"
"They are the three strongest warriors of Nokrim after the Heaven Destroyer Demon Lord. Although now they are retired, and it's not easy to find them."
"Ah!"
Yeon Jeokha nodded, not giving it much importance.
Shim Yanggak added one more word.
"Actually, his father, the Supreme Sword of Uicheon, Lee Euijeong, is even more formidable. He is considered one of the ten strongest masters in the world, just like the Heaven Destroyer Demon Lord."
Yeon Jeokha understood that Lee Euijeong was comparable to the Heaven Destroyer Demon Lord and scratched his neck.
"So, are you saying not to treat them harshly because they have Lee Euijeong behind them?"
"You could get into trouble if you offend the Supreme Sword of Uicheon."
"Tch, it seems some are born lucky. Damn. How enviable. They have good parents and receive good treatment wherever they go. Some of us weren't even treated well in our own homes…"
Yeon Jeokha sighed deeply.
Yang Mugi and the Five Heroes of Luoyang were experts in both internal and external techniques.
Of course, they could clearly hear the conversation happening about fifteen meters away.
Lee Somin's face turned all sorts of colors.
Never before had anyone spoken about her that way.
"How dare they…!"
"Sister, calm down. It's an obvious provocation tactic from the bandits. Don't fall into their trap."
Although she said that, Yeon Seolju's expression was not much different from Lee Somin's.
Lee Somin was furious because they spoke of her family, while Yeon Seolju was angry out of jealousy.
Both in the previous fortress and here, all she heard about was the Uicheon Sect.
No one recognized Waryong Manor.
Even the renowned Namgung Family had recognized Waryong Manor.
While the two young women boiled with anger, Yang Mugi stepped forward.
"I've heard of the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain. But today is the end of your misdeeds. I, Yang Mugi of the Divine Division of the Hwayang Chamber of Commerce, along with the Five Heroes of Luoyang, are here to…"
"Brother, keep quiet for a moment. I'm dealing with something complicated now."
Yeon Jeokha interrupted Yang Mugi.
Furious, Yang Mugi was about to leap forward.
At that moment, Yeon Seolju, who had been waiting, quickly stepped forward.
"You, insolent brat! You keep talking as if you're not afraid of anything! I'll see if your skills match that sharp tongue!"
With a snap, she drew her sword and raised it like lightning.
The brilliant, ascending technique was Flying Dragon Ascension.
Amazement slipped from the lips of the Five Heroes of Luoyang.
That sword technique was always impressive.
So far, whenever Yeon Seolju drew her sword, someone fell.
They thought there was no way a mere bandit, still young, could withstand that technique.
For his part, Yeon Jeokha was also surprised.
The technique was very familiar to him.
Who would have thought he would encounter the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship this way?
He quickly stepped back and blocked Yeon Seolju's sword path with his short sword.
Step~
In the blink of an eye, Yeon Jeokha had moved out of the sword's reach and shouted.
"Who are you?"
"I am Yeon Seolju, the Swordmaiden of Waryong Manor and a member of the Five Heroes of Luoyang. Are you afraid now?"
"You!"
Yeon Jeokha gritted his teeth.
How could he forget that name?
Yeon Seolju was his half-sister from a different mother.
Now that he looked closely, her childish face was still recognizable.
In an instant, the faces of Yeon Mubaek, Yeon Seungbaek, Baek Miju, and Yeon Mudok flashed through his mind.
The memories he had been trying to forget flooded his mind.
He remembered how his half-siblings bullied him and the abuse from his aunt Baek Miju.
The days he spent locked in the storage room.
And the warriors of Waryong Manor complaining about his resistance.
Filled with anger, without even being aware of it, the energy of the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One rose from his Dantian.
Whiiiing.
On a windless day, a whirlwind formed around Yeon Jeokha.
Yeon Seolju's haughty face paled.
Who wouldn't be scared to see a whirlwind of energy right in front of them?
Yeon Jeokha's eyes shone with intense fire.
He looked like a Lord of Hell descending before them.
Terrified, Yeon Seolju abandoned the idea of fighting and retreated.
At that moment, Yeon Jeokha's figure disappeared with a strike.
Yeon Seolju, with her eyes wide open, looked around, but a tremendous dark energy fell from the sky. It was as if the sky was collapsing.
"Kyah!"
Yeon Seolju's scream echoed through Five Peaks Mountain.
Yeon Seolju fell to the ground, powerless.
Lee Somin, horrified, ran to help Yeon Seolju.
But Yeon Jeokha, now completely furious, showed no mercy even to Lee Somin.
After the Heavenly Dragon Dance, he unleashed the Dragon and Tiger Windstorm.
The Nine Heavens Swordsmanship, deployed with the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One, was different from that of Waryong Manor. Everywhere his sword passed, it was distorted by swirling winds.
Finally, when his sword drew an arc over Yeon Jeokha's head, the whirlwind transformed into a great dragon.
Within the whirlwind, a dragon figure swirled.
It was the same dragon technique that once defeated the Sage of Heaven and Earth.
Crack.
With his sword, the whirlwind descended to the ground.
"Kyah!"
Lee Somin covered her head with her arms. Her scream was even longer and sharper than Yeon Seolju's.
The sword energy, in the form of a dragon, spiraled around her body. Her clothes and hair flew in pieces with the dragon's wind.
Yang Mugi and the Five Heroes of Luoyang couldn't move a finger.
Faced with such overwhelming force, they had lost the will to fight.
Yang Mugi could barely breathe.
"We're finished..."
He now understood why caravans never managed to subdue Five Peaks Mountain and why the rumors about the Sage of Heaven and Earth faded away.
A monster... lived on this mountain.