Chapter 204

Everyone stared in shock.

Only Kang Mujin looked unimpressed as he muttered,

“Did you learn the Return-to-Origin Revival Art?”

“Oh? How do you know that martial art? It isn’t from this world. Could you be...?”

Kang Mujin nodded.

Meanwhile, the red-haired old man’s wounds were already almost completely healed.

“Heh heh heh. Well, now. Should I be happy to meet you?”

“No need. I have no ties to that place anymore.”

“No ties? That sounds suspiciously like you’re implying betrayal.”

“Not betrayal. It would be more accurate to say I found a new heaven.”

“A new heaven? You think this new heaven of yours is greater than the Lord of Heaven?”

“Probably?”

“Heh heh heh. Foolish. Truly foolish.”

The red-haired old man swept his gaze around the area, then smirked.

“Were you worried those little brats might overhear us? You put up a sound barrier.”

“There’s nothing good about them hearing this.”

“Who are you?”

“None of your business... You’re from White Horse Heaven, aren’t you?”

“You know about White Horse Heaven?”

The red-haired old man visibly flinched at the name.

“Of course I do. Red-Origin Divine Demon.”

“So you really do know us.”

Kang Mujin scratched his chin.

“What the hell? More of you crossed over than I expected. Just how many came through?”

“And who are you? If you know us, you must have some connection to us.”

Kang Mujin smirked.

“My rank is higher than yours. So stop wasting your strength and cooperate nicely.”

“I’ll decide that for myself!”

SWIIIIISH—

The whip came tearing toward him.

SHAAK—

Kang Mujin split it cleanly in two.

At the same instant, he flashed past the red-haired old man.

CLACK—

He calmly straightened as he slid his sword back into its sheath.

FWOOSH—

Blood erupted from the red-haired old man’s body as though surging backward through his veins.

His body slowly crumpled.

THUD—

The black-haired and white-haired old men stared wide-eyed at what had happened in an instant.

“Red! What are you doing?! Get up!”

“Stop screwing around!”

No matter how loudly they shouted, the red-haired old man didn’t move.

Realizing something was wrong, the black-haired and white-haired old men rushed toward him—

Only for Kang Mujin to block their path.

“And where do you think you’re going? I asked who ordered you to take those kids.”

“Move!”

WHOOOOOM—

A tremendous surge of power blasted from both hands of the white-haired old man toward Kang Mujin.

KWAANG! KWAANG! KWAANG!

A deafening explosion erupted, and thick smoke swallowed the area.

The white-haired old man grabbed the fallen red-haired man and shook him violently.

“Get up! Snap out of it!”

He shouted desperately.

Then Kang Mujin’s voice came through the smoke.

“Waste of time. Even the Return-to-Origin Revival Art can’t heal a body that’s been cut in half.”

At Kang Mujin’s explanation, the white-haired and black-haired old men glared at him with murderous intent.

“Fine! Then we’ll do the same to you!”

The white-haired old man charged.

Kang Mujin smirked.

The Five Directions Divine Demons.

They were never a match for him.

Even if all five attacked together, they still wouldn’t be enough.

And now one of them was charging him alone.

It was almost laughable.

Just as Kang Mujin moved to deal with the white-haired old man—

He noticed something strange about the black-haired one.

“Let’s see how you like losing something precious to you!”

CRACKLE—

An enormous amount of condensed qi gathered in the black-haired old man’s hand, enough to seem as though it could swallow the world.

Then he hurled it straight toward Hwangbo Sang, Namgung Gang, Paeng Cheon, and Zhuge Hyeon.

The three conscious young men could only stare blankly at the rapidly approaching force.

“Die, all of you!”

At this rate, they truly would.

But there was one thing the Five Directions Divine Demons had overlooked.

Kang Mujin wasn’t the only one here.

CLANG!

Jin Muryang stepped forward and casually smashed aside the condensed qi the black-haired old man had fired.

The black-haired old man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Don’t worry about this side. Hurry up and clean up over there.”

At Jin Muryang’s words, Kang Mujin smirked and released what he was holding.

THUD—

The white-haired old man collapsed to the ground, drenched in blood.

At the sight of him falling, the black-haired old man began trembling all over.

Then he screamed as though spitting out a curse.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

His gaze suddenly shifted to Jeok Wigang, who stood alone some distance away.

At least I’ll kill that bastard.

With that thought, the black-haired old man launched himself at Jeok Wigang.

Jin Muryang muttered,

“Oh dear. Of all people...”

The black-haired old man seized Jeok Wigang and quickly surveyed the others.

He needed to determine whether this man was important to them.

Though even if he wasn’t, it didn’t matter.

He could simply use him as a shield and escape.

But their reactions were strangely lukewarm.

Apparently, this man wasn’t important to them at all.

Then again, now that he thought about it, it was strange that Jeok Wigang had been standing apart by himself.

Anyone could have seen that he might become a target.

The black-haired old man forced his qi into Jeok Wigang’s body.

“Stay back. I’ve planted Heavenly Explosion Qi inside this man. The instant it detonates, this entire place will be blown away. If you want to save those children, take them and leave.”

Even after he said that, there was practically no reaction.

If anything, only the promising young disciples of the Five Great Families were panicking.

“Hmph! Fine. Get blown to pieces for all I care. The moment I take my hand off him, the Heavenly Explosion Qi will detonate within one finger-snap—about seven seconds.”

He released Jeok Wigang and tried to launch himself away.

CLACK—

“Hm?”

He had clearly used his lightness arts.

Yet he hadn’t moved an inch.

“What?”

He turned his head.

Jeok Wigang had him by the clothes.

“What the hell? Let go!”

Time was ticking.

It was going to explode any moment.

Was this damned bastard trying to drag him down with him?

He chopped down with a knife-hand to cut through his own clothes.

WHUMP—

There was only a dull impact.

The fabric didn’t tear.

He was losing his mind.

He even wrapped condensed qi around his hand.

Having to use condensed qi just to cut through a piece of clothing was ridiculous.

But this was hardly the time to complain.

Jeok Wigang was about to explode.

And the blast was powerful enough that even the man who had planted it wouldn’t escape unscathed.

WHUMP—

“W-what?”

A mere scrap of cloth had withstood condensed qi.

For a moment, the black-haired old man wondered whether Jeok Wigang’s clothes had been woven from Heavenly Silkworm Silk.

“Let go of me!”

Panic seized him.

But he couldn’t attack Jeok Wigang directly.

Any impact could trigger the explosion immediately.

Cold sweat ran down his back.

Was he really about to die to his own attack?

“When is it supposed to explode?”

“What?”

Come to think of it—

The detonation time had already passed.

Did I make a mistake?

Thank heavens.

Of all times to make a mistake, fortune had truly smiled on him.

He let out a sigh of relief and looked at Jeok Wigang.

“Now let go.”

“Don’t want to.”

CRACK—

The black-haired old man’s fist slammed directly into Jeok Wigang’s face.

“Aaaagh!”

A scream tore from the black-haired old man.

The man who had thrown the punch was the one writhing in pain.

“What the hell? I’m the one you hit. Why are you the one screaming?”

The black-haired old man felt so wronged he could die.

What is this?

Why does it hurt me?

He looked at his hand.

His fingers were bent grotesquely out of shape.

Did I just punch a diamond?

No, even punching a diamond shouldn’t have mangled my hand this badly.

What the hell is this monster?

“I have a lot of questions for you, but there are too many eyes here. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”

He couldn’t go.

Every instinct screamed that he must not go.

But he couldn’t get away.

He couldn’t cut the clothes, and trying to wrench himself free by force didn’t move Jeok Wigang even slightly.

It felt as though he were floating helplessly inside a nightmare.

“Come on.”

He struggled with everything he had to keep from being dragged away.

It did nothing.

Everyone watched as the black-haired old man was hauled off across the ground.

The promising young disciples of the Five Great Families in particular could only stare blankly, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.

“You look shocked.”

Kang Mujin’s voice snapped them back to their senses.

Only then did the young men give him martial salutes and offer their thanks.

“Thank you. We owe you an enormous debt, sir.”

“What debt? I stepped in because it would’ve been a pain in the ass if that one got kidnapped.”

Kang Mujin jerked his chin toward Zhuge Hyeon, who was still unconscious.

“We’re sorry. This is...”

“Forget it. I saw everything from over there.”

The three swallowed dryly at the words saw everything.

“No need to get nervous. I don’t particularly care.”

“Th-thank you.”

Kang Mujin walked over to Zhuge Hyeon and gave his body a couple of light taps.

“Gahk!”

Zhuge Hyeon shot upright.

When he came to and found Kang Mujin standing in front of him, he tilted his head.

“Master? What are you doing here?”

“I came out for a drink and happened to see you heading this way.”

“D-did you happen to see me fight?”

Kang Mujin grinned and ruffled Zhuge Hyeon’s hair.

“You did well. You’re finally starting to look like a man.”

Zhuge Hyeon’s face flushed at the praise.

“Thanks for standing up for your master.”

“Of course!”

Zhuge Hyeon turned to Namgung Gang, Hwangbo Sang, and Paeng Cheon.

“So? What do you think of my master?”

“He’s the best.”

“I’m sorry. Just like you said, your master really is the best.”

Receiving a proper apology at last put Zhuge Hyeon in an excellent mood.

“But... that man who was standing over there earlier... Who was he?”

“The man I serve.”

The three of them stared in surprise, while Zhuge Hyeon, who had no idea what had happened, merely looked confused.

Namgung Gang asked again,

“I heard you were the Zhuge Family’s martial arts instructor. Is that man also from the Zhuge Family?”

“No. He is my lord—and my elder brother.”

“What?”

But Jeok Wigang looked far younger than Kang Mujin.

“W-wait! What do you mean, Master? You have a lord?”

“I’m sorry. Perhaps the reason I ended up staying with the Zhuge Family was so I could meet my elder brother again. I think I’ll have to leave and follow him now.”

“I-I’ll come too! I still have so much left to learn from you!”

“You’ve already [N O V E L I G H T] learned everything.”

“No! Please let me come with you! I’m begging you!”

Zhuge Hyeon bowed his head.

Kang Mujin looked troubled.

Just then, Jin Muryang walked over with a grin.

“Why not take him?”

“Think my elder brother will allow it?”

“Probably. There’s already a promising young disciple from the Tang Family staying with us. From the look of things, these brats are all part of some gathering for the Five Great Families’ younger generation.”

Zhuge Hyeon looked at Jin Muryang.

“A promising young disciple from the Tang Family? Do you mean Tang Un?”

“Yeah. Him.”

“Come to think of it, he said he couldn’t attend this gathering because he had something important scheduled.”

Zhuge Hyeon looked back at Kang Mujin.

“I’ll ask first. If he gives permission, you can come with us.”

“Thank you.”

“But you need to get proper permission from your family as well.”

“Yes!”

“Good. Then let’s go.”

Kang Mujin was about to leave with Zhuge Hyeon when Namgung Gang called after him.

“C-could we receive instruction from you as well?”

“Instruction?”

“Yes! The way you used the sword earlier was so beautiful... I know this is shameless of me, but if you would teach me even a single move, I would be honored to learn it.”

“I would like to learn as well. If there is anything you want from me, I’ll do whatever it takes!”

“Please teach me a move too!”

With Hwangbo Sang and Paeng Cheon joining in, Kang Mujin looked increasingly troubled.

“Take them all. Elder Brother will love it.”

“Love it? What do you mean?”

Jin Muryang sent him a voice transmission.

“He’s preparing for White Horse Heaven. He’s been making a huge fuss about how the Central Plains’ younger generation needs to get stronger. Tell him you’re bringing promising young disciples and he’ll be delighted.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think their families will actually allow it?”

“That’s their problem. Why do you care?”

“Fair point...”

Kang Mujin turned to the three young men.

“If you can get permission from your families...”

“Thank you! We’ll go get permission right now!”