Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 087. General of the North (3)
“The guys remaining at the branch must have suffered quite a bit.”
Un Wol-hyang muttered while looking at the triumph road that was luxurious beyond compare.
Silk laid out neatly along the road, five-colored flowers embroidering it, and even luminous pearl fragments shining softly here and there.
It was hard to believe that this was created in a single night.
“It is flashy, to an excessive degree.”
Dam Jeok-san muttered while narrowing his forehead. Living as a disciple of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle, he had seen quite a few victory ceremonies. But this was flashy enough to be counted on one hand even among them.
“Yes, there will definitely be talk behind our backs.”
Un Wol-hyang laughed with a smirk and answered his words. There would be denunciations not only from the Righteous Heaven Alliance, the Unorthodox Alliance, and the Imperial Army, but also from within the Martial Sovereign Castle.
“You just have to make that talk disappear, Martial Nephew.”
However, those were mere things that would fade if Dam Jeok-san proved his performance and skills. Rather, contrasted with the previous distrust and suspicion, he would shine even more brightly.
“I will try.”
Dam Jeok-san answered with a faint smile. For some reason, the closer the Northern Branch got, the heavier the weight on his shoulders seemed to become. Even though he had clearly stopped a conspiracy that would have plunged half of the Central Plains, beyond the North, into misery.
‘……Since I made up my mind to become the Castle Lord, it is a natural thing.’
That seat of power was originally something that could only be won through ceaseless struggle. His Master, and his Master's Master, became the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle in that way.
It went so far that the Ming Cult Leader of that time told the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle that the name of Heavenly Demon suited him better than himself.
If it is a fight that cannot be avoided, there is no choice but to enjoy it.
“Martial Aunt, may I go ahead?”
“Of course. This is a stage for you.”
As soon as her words fell, Dam Jeok-san unfolded his movement arts and cut across the silk-covered road. His figure turned blurry, and the surrounding scenery repeated the cycle of receding and approaching in an instant.
“Fast.”
It was none other than the Sword King Namgung Gwan who spat out words of pure admiration upon seeing him.
“Most martial artists who have just jumped over a stage do not realize the limit of the power they can exert. So, setting aside other things, it takes quite some time to unfold movement arts with full power. However, it seems the Monster Repelling Squad Leader is not like that at all.”
He approached the Sword Venerable before one knew it and opened his mouth.
“He should do at least that much.”
To fight for the Castle Lord's seat of power. The Northern Heaven Sword Venerable swallowed the rest of her words. It was a fact known to the whole world that the successor struggle of the Martial Sovereign Castle was fierce, but still, it was not a subject to blabber about carelessly in front of outsiders.
“The Young Family Head received a life-saving grace from Squad Leader Dam. This is not a grace that can be repaid so simply.”
However, Namgung Gwan continued the story nonchalantly, even while knowing Un Wol-hyang's intentions clearly.
“What are you trying to say?”
Un Wol-hyang lowered her eyelids slightly and glared at the Sword King. A silent pressure to stop beating around the bush and get to the main point.
“Haha, good. I do not intend to simply discuss human duty. The whole world probably knows. That the successor of this family had her life saved by the Third Young Master of the Martial Sovereign Castle.”
That meant the Namgung Clan was in a position where they could no longer remain an idle spectator in the Martial Sovereign Castle successor struggle.
The Eldest Young Master's faction would have no choice but to suspect the Namgung. Thinking that they might have made some kind of secret agreement with the Third Young Master Dam Jeok-san.
If they wagged their tails at the Eldest Young Master, they might be able to dispel that suspicion.
“However, I would rather die than act so ungratefully.”
The Sword King spoke with a hearty smile on his wrinkled lips.
Namgung Gwan could not pride himself on having always made righteous decisions. As long as he led a huge clan, he inevitably had to stain his hands with blood and filth.
However, at the very least, he had lived without making shameful decisions. That was the pride he possessed as the master of the Namgung, and the conscience he cherished as a swordsman.
“So I will make it clear. I, Namgung, will surely grant whatever request my daughter's benefactor makes. If he asks for a request that absolutely cannot be granted…… well, I will take that to mean he wants this old man's head.”
It was a remark that strangely separated himself from the clan. Perhaps it meant that if Dam Jeok-san was defeated miserably, he would at least keep the family in existence. Un Wol-hyang read between the lines but did not bother to point it out.
If the Sword King under Heaven staked his name, that was enough.
“Why are you telling me that?”
What she questioned was a slightly more fundamental issue. Why he was telling her that he would support Dam Jeok-san.
“My daughter must have already conveyed the message to the Monster Repelling Squad Leader. Furthermore, in my view, it seems the Sword Venerable made up her mind a long time ago.”
“……I will protect my martial nephew even if I have to risk my life. However, whose side I stand on in the successor struggle is another matter.”
Un Wol-hyang slowly spat out the thought she had when she met Dam Jeok-san again.
“But…… yes, now I am thinking that there is no one to inherit that damn seat of the Castle Lord if not for my martial nephew.”
From some moment, she had been thinking that. And the moment she sculpted that into language in front of the Sword King right now, the thought became a conviction.
“Kuhaha, I have the same thought.”
Namgung Gwan answered with a loud laugh, as if finding something very satisfying.
Who is the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle? That is a grave matter that could decide the fate of not only the inside of the castle but also the entire Central Plains, and furthermore, the world under heaven.
The Lords of the Martial Sovereign Castle were transcendents infinitely close to being Number One under Heaven for generations, and they were always the swords that annihilated the enemies of the Central Plains and the shields that protected the Central Plains.
“Don't you feel the General's presence slowly? She is extremely angry. Her hands will not be gentle.”
“Still, he will endure. No, he will overcome it.”
Un Wol-hyang muttered while touching her chest.
The spot where the sword wind Dam Jeok-san emitted brushed past was still eerie. Of course, that wind could not even cut the hem of her clothes.
‘That is because my martial nephew is far weaker than me.’
If by any chance Dam Jeok-san was a martial artist of the same rank or slightly lower level than her…….
That single blow would have overturned even their life and death beyond the direction of the match. Dam Jeok-san found that path even in a situation where he was overwhelmingly disadvantaged.
So no matter how viciously that old woman, the General, handles her hands, he will find a way out.
* * *
The sky of the North adjacent to the Demonic Realm is always dark and gloomy.
It has been hundreds of years since it lost the once brilliant light and sank into gray. The martial artists defending the northern front line had also long abandoned the expectation that they could regain the brilliant light.
However, there are certainly dreamers who have not abandoned that vain dream.
BOOM!
The old woman who slammed her crescent blade into the earth watching the Monster Repelling Squad approach, the General of the North Jin Ryeo, was also one of them.
She blocked the path where the triumph procession would approach alone, her pure white hair fluttering.
FLARE!
Soon, a brilliant halo rose behind her back. A golden halo even more ancient and elegant than the golden armor only Imperial Family members could wear.
It was the aftermath of a partial manifestation of her domain, ‘Bright Light Peach Blossom Spring’.
From the time she was an Imperial Princess until now, Jin Ryeo had always dreamed. That the Demonic Realm would be completely covered by the golden waves of the Imperial Family, and the Jin Clan Imperial Court would stand tall as the ruler of the world under heaven again.
Because she pursued it with obstinacy and madness even while knowing it was a vain wish, her domain was always full of light created by that madness.
Step, step.
At the lead of the group, there was a young man wearing armor emitting blue auspicious energy.
Delicate and sensitive features that would look like a woman at a glance if not for the broad shoulders and tall height. Two swords carried crossed on his back.
It matched the description of Dam Jeok-san she had received.
He approached her without any sign of shrinking back even after seeing the intense glow the General emitted.
“Ho-oh.”
Then, an exclamation mixed with curiosity flowed out of her mouth for the first time.
‘He endures this?’
At least his acting skills are a pass. Does that mean he has the minimum qualifications to pretend to be a hero? Jin Ryeo looked at Dam Jeok-san thinking such cynical thoughts. She had absolutely no intention of withdrawing her suspicion yet.
“As an official who has been granted the post of General by the Emperor's legitimate edict, I ask. Warrior who has left the Emperor's shadow, reveal your identity.”
Jin Ryeo asked with golden light flames blazing from the crescent blade.
It was a high-handed posture as if she would cut him down right away depending on the answer. However, Dam Jeok-san approached her slowly without shrinking back this time as well.
This time, Jin Ryeo's eyebrows twitched. Her voice contained internal energy deep enough to cause internal injuries to an ordinary person who had not reached the Ultra-Peak.
However, Dam Jeok-san was continuing to approach as if he had suffered no damage.
She frowned and focused the senses she had only used to be conscious of Un Wol-hyang and the Sword King until now on Dam Jeok-san.
Entry into the Ultra-Peak. Her intuition gave such an answer. But strangely, the thought occurred that it was not everything.
‘Is this side the natural one?’
How could a kid who lost his dantian merely a few years ago already be an Ultra-Peak master? There must be some harmony beyond understanding behind it.
She had intended to beat him to a pulp and humiliate him. She decided to change her mind a little. To the side of digging into what kind of trick he used.
Not a single grain of intention to acknowledge Dam Jeok-san as a martial artist existed in Jin Ryeo yet.
Around the time Jin Ryeo's eyes narrowed.
“I am Dam Jeok-san.”
The young man swept back his hair and opened his mouth.
“As you said, I am merely a warrior of the North. I feel the path I have walked or complicated master-disciple relationships have little meaning. Since I stand before you solely to prove myself as a single martial artist.”
“Ha, you are very arrogant.”
Not mentioning his master-disciple relationship was practically a declaration that he would not consider the fact that she was an Imperial Family member and a General very heavily either.
If she was a woman whose life's sole purpose was the eternal light of the Imperial Family, she should be furious.
But strangely, killing intent did not boil deep in her dantian.
No, going further, she felt pleasant. How long has it been since she saw a greenhorn with such bad manners?
It seemed to be the first time excluding that guy's Martial Aunt, Un Wol-hyang.
The greenhorn who pounced on her arrogantly. That greenhorn became a Sword Venerable who stood shoulder to shoulder with her before even a few years passed.
Right, that greenhorn was not despicable enough to fabricate facts that did not exist. Perhaps, just perhaps. A small expectation arose in her heart.
Although Jin Ryeo was criticized as an old woman full of obstinacy for the Imperial Family, she also knew. That eventually, more strong people were needed to overturn the Demonic Realm and purify the world.
There was no reason for her to nip the bud of a younger generation martial artist with shining talent. Rather, she would bring him in and raise him, not destroy him.
Of course, she had to verify if that light was real.
“Good, greenhorn. I will play along with your tune. This old woman's name is Jin Ryeo. I swear solely on my name. If you endure my ten moves, I will acknowledge all your achievements and petition the Emperor to bestow a reward corresponding to them.”
She took one abrupt step toward Dam Jeok-san and said.
“However, if you cannot endure and are defeated……”
What on earth would she demand? The audience focused on her words with their ears pricked up.
“Serve in the Imperial Army for three years.”
The following words were truly shocking. Considering Dam Jeok-san's status as the Third Young Master of the Martial Sovereign Castle, it was an nonsensical condition, but apart from that, there was no precedent for the General making such a demand.
Jin Ryeo had a rigid and blunt personality who never spoke empty words. For such a woman to say she would bring the successor of the Martial Sovereign Castle into the Imperial Army. It meant he was a talent she wanted to ‘possess’ even if she had to bear any political burden.
Even in the case he could not endure ten moves.
‘To think she evaluated Dam Jeok-san that highly.’
This, if he endures, it will be worth watching. Within the heads of the elders including Sword Addict and Blood Death Lord, abacuses began to spin rapidly.
However, the General seemed to have absolutely no interest in such things.
“Do you agree?”
She looked only at Dam Jeok-san.
“Of course.”
Dam Jeok-san also accepted it without an inch of hesitation.
Soon after.
Jin Ryeo's crescent blade drew a huge golden semicircle and rushed toward Dam Jeok-san.
And at the same time, her left foot began to move lightly.
From the first move, an attack where it was difficult to distinguish which side was a feint and which side was real flew in.
“First move.”
She, who threw a very difficult problem at Dam Jeok-san, muttered in an indifferent voice.