Chapter 115 : Divine Thief (3)
Chapter 115: Divine Thief (3)
The day the Divine Thief had announced his visit.
It was an exceptionally dark night, with thick clouds completely blotting out the moonlight.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sudden ringing of the alarm bell tore through the once tranquil night air.
Standing guard at the entrance to the Supreme Harmony Palace, Namgung Jun and Heo Il immediately turned their heads.
The alarm bell, infused with internal energy, seemed to be coming from the direction of the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.
“Do you think it's the Divine Thief?”
“It's hard to say. If it really were the Divine Thief, he wouldn't be discovered so easily.”
Namgung Jun spread his perception widely toward the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.
Although it was quite far from here to the Sword-Releasing Pavilion, it was possible because, after reaching the peak of the Absolute Peak Realm, both the range and precision of his perception had become far sharper.
His expanding perception finally reached the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.
As Namgung Jun slowly broadened his senses, his lips stiffened into a straight line.
For a brief moment he sensed the familiar presences of the Heavenly Sword Hall alongside the Wudang disciples.
Beyond them, however, unpleasant presences multiplied like swarming insects.
The countless presences caught within his perception were in complete chaos.
They constantly moved, gathered together, and scattered apart.
It was clearly the midst of an intense battle.
“I can sense a considerable amount of demonic energy. It's a surprise attack by the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult.”
“Either the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult obtained information about the notice, or we cannot rule out the possibility that the Divine Thief and the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult were working together from the beginning.”
As if preparing for a possible battle, Heo Il drank from his liquor gourd as he answered.
The Divine Thief was unquestionably a member of the unorthodox factions.
Because of that, he never hesitated to cooperate with the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult or the Eight Great Evils whenever necessary.
Sometimes the Divine Thief approached them first.
At other times, members of the unorthodox factions requested his assistance when they needed his abilities.
‘If the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult deliberately mobilized the Divine Thief to divide Wudang's forces defending the main mountain?’
After considering that possibility, Namgung Jun looked toward the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.
Though it was merely a judgment based on his perception and therefore not entirely accurate, for now it appeared that the Heavenly Sword Hall was firmly holding the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.
“There hasn't been any request for reinforcements from the Sword-Releasing Pavilion. We should remain at our posts.”
“Indeed. If we move recklessly, we'll only expose an opening for the Divine Thief.”
Namgung Jun reviewed Wudang's current deployment once more.
Lee Se-ha had reinforced the Hall of True Martial Arts with three Heavenly Sword Hall members who excelled in movement techniques.
All the remaining Heavenly Sword Hall members had been stationed at the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.
It was to guard the Hall of True Martial Arts, which the Divine Thief was most likely to target, while also fulfilling Wudang's request to protect the main mountain.
‘And Senior Heo and I are defending the Supreme Harmony Palace.’
That was why Namgung Jun had made a separate request to Lee Se-ha after taking Heo Il's words seriously.
As a result, the two of them had been assigned neither to the Hall of True Martial Arts nor the Sword-Releasing Pavilion, but to the Supreme Harmony Palace.
‘Whatever hidden circumstances there may be, Wudang Mountain has now descended into chaos. The Divine Thief should make his move soon.’
Namgung Jun turned his body toward the opposite side and looked in the direction of the Hall of True Martial Arts.
It remained silent.
Apparently nothing had happened there yet.
If the Divine Thief appeared at the Hall of True Martial Arts, Lee Se-ha had promised to send a signal immediately.
That meant everything was still fine.
Tap.
At that moment, hurried footsteps came from the direction of the Supreme Harmony Palace.
Turning his head, Namgung Jun saw a second-generation disciple running out from the palace.
He did not know the disciple's Daoist name, but he was the second-generation disciple who attended to Hyeonmang, whose arms were impaired by his injuries.
He was also the one who had brought dinner earlier to Namgung Jun and Heo Il, since neither of them could leave their posts guarding the Supreme Harmony Palace.
“What is it?”
At Namgung Jun's question, the second-generation disciple answered between heavy breaths.
“Martial Uncle Hyeonmang instructed me to check on the situation at the Sword-Releasing Pavilion! Please continue guarding this place, Young Heroes!”
“Don't worry.”
Just as the second-generation disciple hurried past them, Namgung Jun suddenly felt a sense of incongruity.
He could not identify exactly what was wrong.
Nevertheless, the instincts he had honed as a martial artist stirred.
‘Hm?’
It was not the first time this had happened.
It had occurred on several occasions before.
Each time a martial artist reached a higher realm, the instincts they had cultivated grew sharper, allowing them to perceive the underlying principles.
Especially for peerless masters who directly communicated with the natural energies, such intuition often approached the level of foresight itself.
Like this, a martial artist's intuition would sometimes issue warnings without any prior sign.
‘Could it be?’
Namgung Jun did not ignore the sudden warning from his instincts.
Even in his previous life, that intuition had allowed him to overcome or avoid countless crises.
“Wait...!”
Just as Namgung Jun urgently turned around to stop the second-generation disciple who had already passed them—
Swoosh!
A sudden tearing sound through the air cut off his words.
Within his blue eyes, wreathed in lightning, was already reflected the back of Heo Il as he lunged forward.
Sliding across the stone ground with his left foot, Heo Il closed the distance and thrust his sword toward the disciple's back.
Startled by Heo Il's sudden action, Namgung Jun instinctively reached for his sword hilt.
He had no intention whatsoever of stopping Heo Il.
He trusted that there had to be a clear reason behind attacking the second-generation disciple.
Just before Heo Il's sword could slash across the disciple's neck—
Clang!
The disciple's figure suddenly blurred like smoke.
Heo Il's shoulders shook violently as he was blasted backward.
The second-generation disciple had turned around with an uncanny movement to evade the sword before immediately counterattacking with a wave of his hand.
As Namgung Jun drew the Azure Star Sword and stepped forward, his eyes widened.
‘That movement!’
He could not identify the martial art exactly.
One thing, however, was certain.
It was absolutely not Wudang's movement technique.
Whoosh!
The second-generation disciple did not stop after merely counterattacking.
He instantly caught up to Heo Il, who had been driven backward, and thrust out his right hand, wrapped in faint qi.
Both his movements and his attacks were astonishingly swift.
It was as though merely forming the intention caused his internal energy to respond immediately.
‘Fast.’
The moment Namgung Jun saw the disciple move, he also launched himself forward.
Even so, he was clearly slower in terms of explosive speed.
Left with no alternative, Namgung Jun unleashed the sword wind of the Heavenly Wind Sword Art to force the disciple back.
Crash!
The sword wind carved a long furrow through the stone ground as it swept forward.
Lightly retreating to avoid the sword wind, the second-generation disciple glanced at Namgung Jun before quietly looking back at Heo Il.
“So you didn't suddenly lose your mind and attack a Wudang disciple... Then... could it be that you saw through my disguise? No... that shouldn't have been possible.”
Coughing up a mouthful of black blood, Heo Il slowly straightened his bent back.
The face that emerged wore a grotesquely twisted smile.
“So it seems. How remarkable. Your Disguise Art and Bone Shrinking Art truly lived up to their reputations, and your imitation of Wudang's unique mannerisms was flawless. Your performance as a Wudang second-generation disciple was truly perfect.”
“I know that much myself. Not a single person in Wudang noticed me. Yet how did a mere wretch like you discover my identity?”
As the disguised disciple asked with genuine curiosity, Heo Il burst into laughter.
“It seems you've left very deep traces upon my mind. Or perhaps I should call it fear. The moment I saw you, I found it difficult to breathe. I wanted nothing more than to flee this place immediately. Even though your current appearance isn't your real face.”
“What?”
“Master... you should have treated me just a little better. If only the fear and scars engraved into my body and mind had faded even slightly, I never would have recognized you.”
Heo Il slowly raised the sword arm in his right hand.
His scar-covered arm trembled so violently that it was plainly visible.
Even the sword in his hand shook.
“After enduring years of torture disguised as instruction under you, I suppose I became like a dog trained through beatings. Merely having you approach me made my body react. It screamed at me to run.”
Though Heo Il continued speaking as though vomiting the words out, his voice itself remained calm.
‘Senior Heo.’
Listening to Heo Il's emotionless voice was almost unbearable for Namgung Jun.
It did not sound calm.
It sounded utterly exhausted... and utterly terrified.
“You... Those scars on your hand...”
The expression of the Divine Thief, still disguised as the second-generation disciple, gradually brightened.
It was the innocent smile of someone who had found an old toy he had once lost.
“So you're one of the disciples the Azure Sky Society stole from me. Yes... Heo Il! Hong Jun was left-handed, so I mostly tormented his left hand.”
“You don't even recognize your own disciple's face, and you distinguish us like that?”
Even as Heo Il's face hardened, the Divine Thief continued speaking.
“Still, I'm curious. How did you know my objective was the Supreme Harmony Palace and wait here?”
“You always sought to steal the greatest treasure. The secret manuals of Laddering the Clouds and Chasing Clouds, Tracing Stars that Wudang expected you to target... they are not the greatest treasure.”
Heo Il spoke with absolute certainty.
“Wasn't your true objective the divine relic said to contain Zhang Sanfeng's final insights and martial arts, the Purple Mottled Bamboo Slips?”
A smile slowly spread across the Divine Thief's face.
“Only half correct, but your deduction was remarkably sharp. I suppose you really were my disciple. It seems you learned more than just martial arts and divine techniques by my side.”
Hearing the Divine Thief's familiar habit of calling miscellaneous skills 'divine techniques,' Heo Il once again became certain that the man before him was indeed his former master.
Meanwhile, the second-generation disciple's face slowly began to writhe.
He was releasing both the Disguise Art and Bone Shrinking Art, returning to his original appearance.
Crack.
Before even a single breath had fully passed—
The Wudang second-generation disciple had vanished.
In his place stood a gaunt old man with his hands clasped behind his back.
Between the countless wrinkles that resembled the bark of an ancient tree, his eyes overflowed with insatiable greed.
He looked like a greedy merchant who had grown old without ever knowing satisfaction.
Had the Divine Thief himself once been tortured by his own master in exactly the same way?
His right arm was likewise covered in scars.
Though time had faded them, they remained visible.
Combined with his wrinkles, the sight was utterly grotesque.
It was the Divine Thief's true appearance.
His eyes, glittering with greed, fixed themselves upon Heo Il.
They were not the eyes of someone looking upon a disciple he had not seen in years.
“Since we've met again, this works out nicely. I should kill you before I leave. At last, I'll reclaim one of the disciples whose life the Azure Sky Society stole from me.”
The instant the Divine Thief's arm blurred—
The Azure Star Sword, wrapped in lightning, descended like a cloud toward the lower body.
Four consecutive sword strikes slashed toward both of his legs.
The Divine Thief lightly avoided them all, stepping through the air as though walking on empty space.
“You've been irritating me for quite some time. Seeing that blue lightning qi... you must be the Azure Star Sword.”
After glaring at Namgung Jun, the Divine Thief clicked his tongue with a smile.
“Regardless, there is no one currently on Wudang Mountain capable of stopping me. As for Black Cloud Flowing Wanderer... that girl excels only with the sword.”
The gray qi surrounding both of the Divine Thief's hands gradually deepened.
Though it appeared unchanged to the naked eye, Namgung Jun did not miss it.
‘Despite how it looks, the density of that qi has become far greater.’
Had his senses not been sharpened, he would have assumed the qi flowing from the Divine Thief's hands was exactly the same as before.
It appeared to be a technique focused on concealment and luring one's opponent into lowering their guard.
Anyone who judged the power of the Divine Thief's attacks solely by the size or color of his qi would likely pay dearly for it.
‘The Divine Thief. His miscellaneous skills and movement technique are so extraordinary that they overshadow everything else, but the level of the hand art he cultivated is clearly...’
As Namgung Jun cautiously raised his sword to the middle guard, the Divine Thief leisurely stepped forward.
“Come to think of it, Black Cloud Flowing Wanderer also helped destroy the Flying Sparrow Gate. I'll steal your head and toss it at her feet.”
Before anyone realized it, the Divine Thief had already closed the distance and was reaching out toward Namgung Jun's neck.