Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 273
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Chapter 273: So, What’s Important?
The Great Swordmaster, Namgung Byeok, quickly retreated to avoid danger.
The Fire Dragon dissipated into the air after a fierce struggle.
After this exchange, Namgung Byeok’s expression became even graver.
His opponent’s martial skill was so impressive that he had to step back while advancing.
The confident expression of Kang Sangpi, the Heavenly Blood Demon, also faded.
Despite using two consecutive techniques of the Fire Dragon Demonic Swordsmanship, he had failed to wound Namgung Byeok.
Since perfecting the Fire Dragon Demonic Swordsmanship, he had never encountered such a formidable opponent.
Both were secretly impressed by each other’s martial skills when suddenly, something massive pierced through the smoke and crashed into the ground.
Boom!
The thick smoke shook.
It was the Demonic Dragon that should have been in the sky.
The Demonic Dragon, which had been obscured by the smoke, had fallen.
Namgung Byeok’s expression brightened.
“Phew! Look at this smoke. Why did they start a fire on an untouched mountain? Uncle? Are you here?”
“You’ve arrived just in time. That old man is the Great Demon General, Kang Sangpi, known as the Heavenly Blood Demon.”
Namgung Byeok pointed at Kang Sangpi as if gossiping.
In moments like these, Namgung Cheon resembled his father.
Upon hearing the word “uncle,” Kang Sangpi immediately recognized Yeon Jeokha’s identity.
The relationship between Yeon Jeokha and the Namgung Family was well-known even within the Yoomyung Cult.
“Are you Yeon Jeokha?”
Kang Sangpi’s interest shifted from Namgung Byeok to Yeon Jeokha.
At present, the Yoomyung Cult’s greatest enemy was Yeon Jeokha, so it was only natural.
Yeon Jeokha picked up the sword lying on the ground and walked toward Kang Sangpi without hesitation.
He showed no respect for the title of Great Demon General.
“Old man, why did you set fire to an untouched mountain? Why didn’t you just escape quietly? Did you light the fire to take everyone down with you?”
“Idiot. Who set the fire? Oh! Now I understand, it was you who started the fire.”
Kang Sangpi was enraged by Yeon Jeokha’s brazen lie.
Yeon Jeokha laughed and said:
“Why are you acting surprised, old man? Bad things are always attributed to the dead.”
Kang Sangpi stared at Yeon Jeokha in disbelief.
He was implying that he intended to erase all traces.
He couldn’t believe that someone would be so shameless to say that to his face, considering he was a Great Demon General.
Meanwhile, Yeon Jeokha continued to approach until he was just a few steps away from Kang Sangpi.
They were at a dangerously close distance, even for martial arts experts.
At this range, formal techniques were practically useless.
Both remained silent, watching each other with sharp eyes.
They could perceive even the slightest twitch in each other’s eyebrows.
When their concentration reached its peak, time seemed to stop.
The smoke and background noise disappeared from their perception.
Almost simultaneously, both extended their swords.
At this distance, any formal technique would be a death sentence.
Therefore, their sword techniques were improvised from the start.
Clang, clang, clang…
Yeon Jeokha blocked his opponent’s attacks, looking for any opening to counter.
Kang Sangpi did the same.
The exchange of blows unfolded at an invisible speed.
Yeon Jeokha’s sword, imbued with the Nine Heavens Energy, glowed with a white light, while Kang Sangpi’s sword, the weapon of a Great Demon General, gleamed like the night.
The contrast between white and black showed that their styles of swordsmanship were opposites.
Clang…
After an intense exchange, both momentarily distanced themselves.
Despite putting in all their effort, their breaths remained as calm as at the beginning.
Namgung Byeok watched Yeon Jeokha with newfound respect.
While Kang Sangpi’s skill was well-known, Yeon Jeokha’s progress was astonishing.
The two launched at each other once more.
At that moment, even a falling leaf could be a threat.
Namgung Byeok struck a small acorn-sized stone with the tip of his sword.
Whoosh!
The stone flew toward Kang Sangpi’s ankle.
Kang Sangpi hastily lifted his foot to avoid the stone.
“Damn…!”
Cursing Namgung Byeok, Kang Sangpi hurriedly withdrew.
In the brief moment when he diverted his attention from Yeon Jeokha’s sword, his shoulder was cut.
“How dare you…!”
Kang Sangpi looked alternately at Namgung Byeok and Yeon Jeokha, trembling with rage.
Since beginning his career in martial arts, he had never been injured in this way.
And to think that someone known as one of the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks would use such a dirty trick.
“Oh, don’t worry. I just cleared the ash with a stone. Yeon Jeokha, I’ll take care of the Demon Warriors. Just keep him occupied until I’m done.”
“Yes!”
Yeon Jeokha responded enthusiastically as Namgung Byeok disappeared into the smoke.
As soon as Namgung Byeok left, Kang Sangpi whistled loudly.
Then, without looking back, he dove into the smoke.
As soon as Kang Sangpi disappeared, Namgung Byeok reappeared.
“Oh? Weren’t you going to face the Demon Warriors?”
“How could I know where they are? I just wanted to deceive Kang Sangpi.”
“Oh! I thought you were serious.”
“Do you think I would abandon a formidable opponent like the Heavenly Blood Demon and flee?”
“I see. So, where is everyone?”
Yeon Jeokha looked around.
But there were no signs of life, only dense smoke.
“As the fire spread, it seems everyone began to descend. If you hadn’t set the mountain on fire, things would have been much worse.”
“Uncle, I didn’t set the mountain on fire.”
“Don’t worry. I’m the one who ordered everything, so don’t worry too much.”
“But Kang Sangpi said he started the fire.”
“Yes, yes. Let’s go find the others.”
Namgung Byeok dismissed Yeon Jeokha’s words and hurried forward.
It wasn’t difficult to find the members of the Heaven and Earth Alliance.
Just further down, the experts of the Vermilion Bird Division and the Human Division were grouped together.
When Namgung Byeok appeared, Seonu Dam ran towards him.
“I knew you’d be alright. When the enemies retreated with the whistle, we knew everything was under control.”
“Are these all the survivors?”
Namgung Byeok frowned as he looked around.
There were forty from the Vermilion Bird Division, sixty from the Human Division, and five sorcerers.
Of the 220 members of the Heaven and Earth Alliance who had set out, nearly half had died.
At that moment, Seonu Dam addressed Yeon Jeokha.
“Young Master Yeon, it seems many headed in that direction. How was it?”
“There were three Demon Warriors and about sixty cultists.”
“Namgung Byeok, did you hear? We were lucky to survive with so few casualties. There was a Great Demon General and seven Demon Warriors on Five Peaks Mountain. If Namgung Yeon hadn’t started the fire, how many of us would have survived?”
Namgung Byeok couldn’t refute.
Although he understood they had been lucky, his heart was still heavy.
“I will recommend the removal of the Grand Strategist as soon as I return to the alliance. This was almost a suicide mission.”
Jang Haeun of the Wudang Sect, who joined the conversation late, added.
“I won’t overlook this either.”
Though some Demon Warriors had retreated, there was indeed a Great Demon General present.
The Grand Strategist’s information was either flawed or deliberately concealed.
Seonu Dam and Jang Haeun believed the latter.
As night fell, as Namgung Yeon had predicted, it began to rain.
The experts of the Heaven and Earth Alliance set up camp near Five Peaks Mountain to spend the night.
The rain stopped the next morning.
Yeon Jeokha stepped out of the tent and observed the mountain washed by the rain.
The peak, which had been hidden by smoke the day before, was now clearly visible.
Though burned, the mountain remained majestic.
As he watched in awe, a sorcerer approached him.
It was Lee Hwaseon.
“I hold no grudge against you, Young Master Yeon.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, you did a good job.”
Lee Hwaseon quickly changed the subject.
She felt guilty for writing a report accusing Yeon Jeokha and the other of starting the fire.
Though the result was good, both would still be punished in some way.
“I did what I could. Breathing in so much smoke has upset my stomach.”
“Ah! Because of the fire…”
“The cultists of the Yoomyung are terrible. I don’t understand why they set the mountain on fire.”
“The fire…”
“The Heavenly Blood Demon said he started it.”
“What?”
Lee Hwaseon was dumbfounded.
She knew he hadn’t started the fire, so she didn’t understand why he was saying that.
“I heard it from the Heavenly Blood Demon himself. He said he started it.”
“Ah! I see…”
Lee Hwaseon was confused.
Yeon Jeokha quickly walked away, leaving Lee Hwaseon puzzled.
“Sister!”
“Are you already up?”
Namgung Yeon greeted him with a smile.
“Yesterday, I came up with a good idea.”
“About what?”
Namgung Yeon smiled as she looked at him.
She had grown accustomed to his sudden and strange ideas to the point that their absence would be boring.
“About the fire on the mountain.”
“What about it?”
“We should say we didn’t start it. That way, people will be confused and won’t be able to blame us.”
“It’s a good idea, but…”
“What’s missing?”
“People who want to blame someone will do so with even the slightest hint. So confusing them won’t prevent them from blaming us.”
“Really? Then it’s no use saying we didn’t do it?”
“Not entirely, but…”
“But what?”
“If it keeps happening, people will start doubting your words. They’ll think that if it happened before, it could happen again.”
“So, it’s better not to lie?”
“Exactly.”
“Wow. In Nokrim, lying is necessary.”
“Then lie only when you’re in Nokrim.”
“Oh, that’ll work!”
Yeon Jeokha laughed, and Namgung Yeon asked:
“How long do you plan to stay in Nokrim?”
“……”
Yeon Jeokha looked at Namgung Yeon without responding.
She spoke as if she knew he would have to leave Nokrim someday.
Few consider Nokrim as their final destination.
Most of the bandits in Nokrim dream of gathering enough money to leave the mountain and live like ordinary people.
Pung Yeoncho, Tak Gomyung, Lee Cheolsan, Han Chaeyeon, and Ha Sobaek were like that.
Even Shim Tong, whose heart was in Nokrim, dreamed of owning a tavern.
“Does it bother you that I’m in Nokrim?”
“They say there are no doors on the Great Path. Whether in Nokrim or not, it doesn’t matter.”
“Then, what’s important?”
“Unshakable faith. Hope for the future. And…”
Namgung Yeon left the sentence unfinished.
“And what else?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Namgung Yeon’s face blushed.
Yeon Jeokha looked at her fascinated for a moment before quickly turning away.
The burned mountain was covered by white clouds.
The clouds reminded him of Namgung Yeon.
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