Light Novel: Volume 22 Episode 9
Manhwa: N/A
Tap, tap, tap!
Footsteps echoed throughout the streets of Duchang.
The martial artists of the Snowflake Sword Squad were roaming the streets in groups of threes and fives, stirring up the area.
The Snowflake Sword Squad was confident they could easily find Do Yeonsan and Eunyo. However, the abilities of the two were beyond their imagination.
Twenty of the Snowflake Sword Squad’s warriors had sustained significant injuries from the two, yet they still failed to capture them.
The sequence of events was enough to bruise the pride of the Snowflake Sword Squad.
Among them, the one who had his pride hurt the most was Ahn Ji-san, the leader of the group.
Even though he had acted personally himself, he was still injured by the combined attack of the two.
In his long career, Ahn Ji-san had never felt such shame.
Fueled by rage, Ahn Ji-san led the Snowflake Sword Squad, but the movement of the Snowflake Sword Squad unexpectedly provoked and stirred many of the warriors staying in Duchang.
Apart from the Snowflake Sword Squad, quite a number of warriors were residing in Duchang, and they were startled by the commotion and rushed outside.
“What’s going on?”
“Who are these guys making such a mess?”
“It’s the Snowflake Sword Squad.”
Several warriors frowned upon recognizing them.
They recognized the identity of the Snowflake Sword Squad.
The Snowflake Sword Squad, a group composed of warriors loyal to Namgung Seol, had lost quite a bit of popularity in Duchang over the years.
Being enchanted by a mere woman and reduced to mere escorts, their posture of walking around with their chests puffed out irritated many.
This led to numerous conflicts.
However, the sheer number of the Snowflake Sword Squad prevented anyone from raising their voice against them.
“Hey! What are you looking for in the middle of the night?”
One of the warriors who had come outside asked the Snowflake Sword Squad. The addressed member of the squad frowned and replied,
“Mind your own business, go back inside.”
“What?”
“Get lost.”
“You son of a…!”
At that moment, the warrior became enraged, causing him to swung his fist at the member of the Snowflake Sword Squad.
The Snowflake Sword Squad member, who was already on edge from being toyed with by Do Yeonsan and Eunyo, swung his sword with all his might in return.
Swoosh!
His sword sliced through the martial artist’s throat.
The martial artist collapsed, and red blood splashed across the street.
Witnessing this, the eyes of the other warriors flipped in rage.
“Those bastards killed Abok.”
“Son of a–!”
“Kill them! Those bastards!”
The enraged martial artists immediately charged forward and pounced on the Snowflake Sword Squad warriors.
“What the hell?”
“Those baseless bastards…!”
The martial artists of the Snowflake Sword Squad were taken aback by the resistance from the warriors. However, retreating was not an option their pride would allow.
Clang!
The martial artists and the Snowflake Sword Squad clashed.
The fight that started in the back alleys soon spread to the entire city of Duchang.
“What’s this?”
A man watched the scene unfold with an incredulous expression.
Wearing a cloak against the wind, the man was Jang Ja-ryang, the leader of the Ten Thousand Sword Squad.
Having received orders from Namgung Wol, Jang Ja-ryang had immediately rushed to Duchang. Upon his arrival, he witnessed the Snowflake Sword Squad fighting with the warriors.
Since everything was already too chaotic when he arrived, he have yet to understand the situation fully.
Jang Ja-ryang ordered his subordinates.
“Split up and find out what’s going on. Figure out why these fools are fighting with the warriors.”
“Yes!”
The Ten Thousand Sword Squad replied before scattering in all directions.
Left alone, Jang Ja-ryang muttered,
“Damn it. This is ridiculous.”
His language was more reminiscent of a street thug than a peak-level martial artist.
And indeed, that was his background.
Although he was currently serving as the leader of the Silver Lotus Society’s Ten Thousand Sword Squad, he was originally a wanderer in Jianghu.
But being a wanderer didn’t mean he lacked a prestigious background.
He had trained in swordsmanship at the esteemed Mount Hua Sect.
However, he found life at Mount Hua suffocating and unbearable, so he asked to be expelled.
Normally, expulsion would mean sealing one’s martial arts, but the Mount Hua Sect did not do so.
This was because Jang Ja-ryang’s talent was exceptionally outstanding, and his contributions to Mount Hua Sect were remarkable.
Moreover, Jang Ja-ryang’s master actively protected him, allowing him to leave the sect safely.
In return, Jang Ja-ryang donated a significant amount of money to Mount Hua Sect every year.
Thanks to this, he was able to continue his activities safely even after being expelled from the sect.
Living as a wanderer for a long time naturally made his disposition rough and cruel.
It was then.
A man appeared before Jang Ja-ryang.
The man with dull and rugged skin was none other than Ahn Ji-san, the leader of the Snowflake Sword Squad.
Jang Ja-ryang recognized Ahn Ji-san immediately.
“Oh, if it isn’t the playboy young master.”1
“Who are you calling playboy young master?!”
Ahn Ji-san bristled in response.
“If you’re chasing a girl’s ass, then what are you if not a playboy?”
“Jang Ja-ryang!”
Ahn Ji-san shouted in anger.
Just as Jang Ja-ryang recognized him, Ahn Ji-san also knew Jang Ja-ryang.
They had met once before, long ago.
Even then, they hadn’t gotten along very well.
It was because their goals were too different.
At that time, Ahn Ji-san was following Namgung Seol, and Jang Ja-ryang was seeking out the strong to become even stronger.
Naturally, Jang Ja-ryang challenged Ahn Ji-san to a duel. However, Ahn Ji-san refused his request for a duel on the grounds that it would inconvenience Namgung Seol.
Their confrontation never happened, leaving a long-standing grudge between them.
Jang Ja-ryang taunted,
“Have you improved your martial arts much since then? I’m sure you didn’t have much time to train since you’re busy escorting that woman.”
“Watch your mouth, Jang Ja-ryang!”
“Let me ask you something. What business do you guys have here, when you would usually be chasing that woman’s ass like a pack of dogs?”
“A pack of dogs?”
“Well, if you don’t like that, I can call you wolves instead.”
“Jang Ja-ryang!”
“I know that’s my name, so just answer the question. What are you stirring up in Duchang for?”
“Get lost. Don’t bother with things that don’t concern you.”
“Ha! Why don’t you just answer me while I’m still asking nicely?”
Jang Ja-ryang’s eyes turned cold.
Ahn Ji-san’s expression stiffened in response.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Yes! I’m threatening you.”
“Do you think it’s okay to make enemies of the Snowflake Sword Squad and Lady Namgung Seol?”
“Jeez! You sure talk a lot. Anyway, those who only chase after women also talk too much. Just flapping their lips.”
“You—!”
Ahn Ji-san’s anger exploded at Jang Ja-ryang’s taunting.
Swoosh!
His sword, which had been at his waist, shot out like lightning.
“Heh! You should have come at me like this from the start.”
Jang Ja-ryang chuckled as he drew his sword.
Clang!
Sparks flew as their swords clashed in mid-air.
Ahn Ji-san was skilled in fast swordplay. Coincidentally, Jang Ja-ryang’s main martial art was also fast swordplay.
Both men sought extreme speed.
Clang! Clang!
Their swords clashed more than a dozen times in an instant.
Normally, a duel between fast swordsmen would end quickly.
The problem was that their martial prowess was evenly matched.
That’s why the fight did not conclude easily.
The fight between Jang Ja-ryang and Ahn Ji-san became the catalyst.
The Ten Thousand Sword Squad, which had scattered to gather information, began to seriously fight against the Snowflake Sword Squad.
“What?”
Namgung Seol’s face twisted upon receiving the report belatedly.
She had not anticipated that the situation would escalate so much in her efforts to capture Do Yeonsan and Eunyo.
The Snowflake Sword Squad was fighting not only the Ten Thousand Sword Squad but also other martial artists who had entered Duchang.
Even though the Snowflake Sword Squad was composed of outstanding martial artists, they were absolutely outnumbered.
It was impossible to fight ten hands with just one.
The Snowflake Sword Squad was no exception.
Their martial prowess was obviously great.
This was because Namgung Seol had selected only the best of the best from among the martial artists who followed her. But even they had clear limitations.
“For him to deploy the Ten Thousand Sword Squad… Is this how it’s going to be?”
She bit her lip as she thought of Namgung Wol.
The only person who could have sent the Ten Thousand Sword Squad to Duchang was her brother, Namgung Wol. His actions now was as good as him baring his hidden fangs towards her.
She had not expected Namgung Wol to openly become her adversary like this. The reaction was several times more intense than she had anticipated.
“So, he doesn’t want to just hand over the Silver Lotus Society.”
She thought it wouldn’t be easy. But seeing such a strong backlash, it seemed the path ahead would also be difficult.
“It doesn’t matter, though. He’ll eventually hand over the Silver Lotus Society to us.”
She was confident.
Confident in her lover Lee Geumhan, confident in the current situation, and confident in the future.
Namgung Wol, on the other hand, had none of that.
He organized and led the Silver Lotus Society only out of opposition to the Golden Heaven Society and Jang Mugeuk. Although it was a remarkable feat, its limits were clear.
A stronger leader was needed to make the organisation soar to greater heights.
“Only Geumhan can end the current turbulence.”
Namgung Seol had not the slightest doubt in her belief. That’s why, no matter what adversity came, she had no intention of retracting her decision.
“First, we need to find those lovers.”
All this trouble had happened because of them.
She needed to find them to discover what was the reality behind the feeling that made her uncomfortable.
“I’m sure they haven’t left the city yet.”
Even though the Snowflake Sword Squad was distracted by the Ten Thousand Sword Squad and other martial artists, the encirclement had not yet collapsed. Therefore, the chances of those young lovers slipping away were not high.
Namgung Seol pondered deeply.
Where would she hide if she were them?
“I’d avoid places with lots of people watching, like a guest house. I’d also avoid houses where families live. Ideally, it should be a place where one can block the gaze of outsiders while still being free. On the other hand, it should be a place that absolutely won’t arouse suspicion, a place that can catch them off-guard.”
Namgung Seol closed her eyes, recalling if there was a place that met all the conditions she had laid out.
After racking her brain for a while, she realized that such a place did exist.
And it was very close to her.
Namgung Seol’s gaze shifted beyond the large inn to a small shrine visible in the background.
A shrine, being a sacred place where ancestral tablets are kept, is somewhere even the most unprincipled person would tread carefully.
That’s why even the warriors of the Snowflake Sword Squad have left the shrine untouched as they raided the entire city of Duchang.
In fact, the inn in front of the shrine was entirely rented out by Namgung Seol and the Snowflake Sword Squad.
Because it was so close to their lodging, they hadn’t even considered searching it.
Namgung Seol herself hadn’t suspected the shrine until she thought about it calmly.
She walked towards the shrine.
The Snowflake Sword Squad couldn’t follow her because they were busy blocking the Ten Thousand Sword Squad. Still, her steps were unwavering.
Even though she led the Snowflake Sword Squad, she did not rely heavily on them.
Even without them, she was still strong.
From a young age, she had learned the swordsmanship of the Heavenly Guardian Association, and as she grew older, she traveled the world, perfecting her martial arts.
She was a martial artist before she was a woman, and she was a complete swordswoman in her own right.
Namgung Seol trusted herself, not the Snowflake Sword Squad.
“Stop right there.”
A warrior from the Ten Thousand Sword Squad blocked her path.
Clearly aware that he was facing Namgung Seol, he couldn’t help but be cautious. That’s why he warned her first.
However, despite his warning, Namgung Seol did not stop.
“I said stop.”
It was at that moment the warrior warned her again.
Hiss!
Suddenly, a chilling sound of breaking air echoed.
At the same time, a line of blood was drawn across the neck of the warrior who was warning her.
“Huh?”
The warrior touched his neck with his hand.
Drip!
Instantly, blood flowed from the line, soaking his hand.
With a look of disbelief, the warrior stared at his blood-soaked hand.
“What…?”
Thud!
The warrior’s body fell backward.
Namgung Seol, swinging her sword to flick off the blood, muttered,
“So annoyingly noisy. Gives me a headache…”
What she hated the most was pointless chatter.
Namgung Seol, without giving another glance at the dead warrior from the Ten Thousand Sword Squad, continued walking towards the shrine.
Upon reaching the shrine, she swung her sword.
Slash!
With a chilling slicing sound, the door of the shrine was cut through.
Namgung Seol then whispered,
“Come out. I know you’re hiding here.”
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