readsfreenovel Chapter 263 : When Everyone Becomes an Adult
Chapter 263 : When Everyone Becomes an Adult
Fwoosh—!Crimson flames were fiercely burning the massive main gate and walls of the Myriad Gold Manor.
The martial artists employed by the Myriad Gold Manor, the martial artists who had come to subjugate it, and even those who had come merely to watch all stared blankly at the scene.
It felt unreal.
To the people of the Central Plains, the Myriad Gold Manor had always been that kind of existence.
A symbol of the Central Plains’ gold veins, and together with the Imperial Palace, one of the firmest pillars supporting the world.
And yet, a young man barely past his coming-of-age years had casually turned that Myriad Gold Manor into a sea of fire, then spoke in a calm tone.
“Let’s go.”
Only then did the martial artists snap out of it.
Hyeon-un, Tang Tae-san, Moyong Cheon, and Seomun Jeok issued orders to the martial artists under them.
Following their commands, the martial artists of the Orthodox Faction raised their blades high and surged forward to subjugate the Myriad Gold Manor.
A vast estate built of gold was collapsing beneath steel.
“Stop them! They’re pampered brats raised too gently! Don’t let even one of them inside!”
Bright Moon Saber, called the right hand of the Wanderer King, shouted thunderously. Martial artists of the unorthodox paths generally looked down on Orthodox Faction martial artists.
Aside from a small number of experts, they had very little real combat experience, mere ornamental flowers who played at ranking matches among themselves within the safest fence in the world.
Wanderers, like wildflowers of the wilderness, were convinced that Orthodox Faction martial artists could never be their match in real combat.
Bright Moon Saber leapt lightly from atop the collapsing wall. His movements were clearly different from those of the Orthodox martial artists.
With an extremely primal and simple trajectory—almost closer to the Black Path—he closed the distance to his enemy in an instant.
Black hair whipping in the wind, Bright Moon Saber charged and swung his broad saber toward Seomun Ak.
True to his alias, the wide blade carried clear moonlight as it cleaved toward Seomun Ak’s neck.
Startled, Seomun Ak wrapped himself in Vermilion Fist Qi.
He had not yet fully reached peak mastery and could not wield it flawlessly, but in such a dangerous fight, conserving strength would only lead to greater loss.
‘Hah, this little brat is already using Qi Projection.’
Bright Moon Saber admired him inwardly even as he twisted his lips. As expected, Orthodox brats obsessed over what looked impressive.
Considering his age, the level of his Fist Qi was indeed remarkable, but a wanderer staking his life on real combat would have chosen maximally efficient Fist Qi, not such an overextended display.
The price of bravado was brutal. Unlike their sparring games, mistakes in real combat led straight to death.
In a brief instant—
Bright Moon Saber withdrew his saber and kicked upward. It was an intuitive, simple movement rarely seen among Orthodox martial artists.
Seomun Ak was flustered, but as expected of someone not entirely lacking in real combat experience, he immediately stepped back half a pace and prepared for close combat.
That was when it happened.
Fall back completely.
It was the most familiar voice in his life.
His body reacted before his mind. Having feared and respected the owner of that voice his entire life, it was only natural.
In the space Seomun Ak retreated from, a heavy crimson-yellow Fist Qi settled into place.
With a face and build similar to Seomun Ak’s, movements even more alike, and fist techniques far more refined, there was only one such man in the world.
Seomun Jeok’s Crimson Wheel Fist Qi compressed the air as it poured down upon Bright Moon Saber.
KRRRRAAAAAANG—!
Bright Moon Saber, who had been kicking while underestimating Seomun Ak, hurriedly swung his broad saber.
Their energies collided head-on, producing a deafening explosion that shook heaven and earth.
Bright Moon Saber was pushed back helplessly, but quickly regained his balance and fixed his gaze on Seomun Jeok.
“That’s quite a decent fist technique. Hwangbo Clan, perhaps?”
Though he knew full well, Bright Moon Saber deliberately mentioned another clan known for fist arts. The Seomun Clan and the Hwangbo Clan were rivals in fist techniques, with neither holding clear superiority.
Despite the blatant provocation, Seomun Jeok smiled leisurely and said,
“Bright Moon Saber, do you have children?”
“Nonsense. Creating such a weakness is stupidity for a martial artist.”
“Then you wouldn’t know. Raise a delinquent brat of a child and spend a lifetime worrying over him, and most schemes become laughable.”
Seomun Ak, who had been moved by his father’s stylish entrance, made an awkward expression. It was unclear whether that was an insult or praise.
Regardless, Seomun Jeok glanced back at the delinquent he had raised and said,
“Go to your friends. Stick especially close to Seong-un or that ill-mannered chef. And don’t trust Sword Dragon if you can help it. He’s extremely calculating—if things turn dangerous, he’ll trip you and run.”
Seomun Ak sincerely admired his father’s insight, while Moyong Cheon’s sword strikes nearby grew oddly more irritable.
Soon, Seomun Jeok turned back to face Bright Moon Saber. Even so, he sent one more Voice Transmission to Seomun Ak.
Look around you.
With that, Seomun Jeok and Bright Moon Saber clashed. Their Fist Qi and Saber Flux erupted in continuous booms and flashes like fireworks.
Seomun Ak followed his father’s words and briefly took in the surroundings.
Jin Seong-un’s first sword strike had acted as a signal flare, drawing in martial artists from clans and sects waiting along the lower Yangtze River, who now poured into the war.
Hundreds of martial artists slashed endlessly, the metallic clangor nearly deafening.
Death-rattle-like groans, battle cries steeling resolve, curses hurled while shouting to kill—and even desperate pleas to be spared when fear took hold.
‘So this is war.’
The Clan Head of the Moyong Clan continued fighting while keeping his eyes on Seomun Jeok. Bright Moon Saber’s martial prowess was formidable; he stood ready to intervene at any moment.
The same was true of Bright Moon Saber’s subordinates. All of them fought while keeping their nerves stretched taut.
Elder Tang Tae-san scattered poison and daggers like a battlefield demon, massacring enemies without mercy, while Elder Baek Un-geom passed overhead like the wind and said to Seomun Jeok,
“Seomun Jeok, you take responsibility for Bright Moon Saber.”
After speaking, Elder Baek Un-geom surged straight into the Myriad Gold Manor. Those who blocked or interfered were instantly cleaved in half by the Songmun Ancient Sword.
Everything flowed chaotically.
Yet everyone moved swiftly, without the slightest hesitation, as if each already knew their role.
Seomun Ak found war profoundly strange. He had experienced many fights before, but this was his first time seeing so many martial artists collide head-on in open war.
He now understood why his father had told him to look around.
As he took in the sight of war, anger surged within him. It wasn’t just his naturally fiery temper—it was that this war felt irrational.
Countless pools of blood and corpses covered the ground. Some were wanderers whose faces he did not know; others were people from clans he had known since childhood.
Yet Ha Joo-myeong, the greatest mastermind of the war, had not even shown his face. Even that so-called Inner Chief Steward had vanished somewhere the moment the fighting began.
“You X bastards.”
Seomun Ak spat the curse.
He was angry—furious.
Whether it was righteous anger or not, he didn’t know. Seomun Ak had never been a deeply contemplative man.
He began charging madly through the main gate. He kept running, smashing faces and ribs of the upstart bastards blocking his way with his fists.
All kinds of blades grazed his waist, side, and shoulders.
In his extreme agitation, he barely felt the pain.
Only when clotted blood peeled away between his clothes and skin with a sticky sound did he realize he had been cut.
Entering the outer grounds of the Myriad Gold Manor, he spotted Moyong Hyeon among the many fighters.
Though his martial prowess was lower than Seomun Ak’s, he was strangely sharp-minded and continued fighting calmly.
Moyong Hyeon glanced at Seomun Ak and recoiled in shock.
“Damn, you got this ugly?”
“……”
It sounded like pure criticism, but it was simply the most accurate description. Seomun Ak’s face was twisted red like a vicious demon.
An inexplicable anger had been clogging his chest all this time.
He grew irritated when he was cut, and even more irritated when he beat someone to death.
“Where the hell is Ha Joo-myeong?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Then who would know?”
“No one, probably. But wherever he’s hiding, Jin Seong-un will find him.”
Seomun Ak nodded.
Having watched Jin Seong-un for a long time, he knew he was that kind of man. No matter how Ha Joo-myeong tried to hide, Jin Seong-un would catch him.
“Then we just need to find Jin Seong-un.”
“Do we need to?”
Moyong Hyeon said as he looked toward one side of the sky. Seomun Ak followed his gaze and let out a hollow laugh.
A massive pillar of fire was roaring skyward. Anyone near that place would be pitiful.
“Let’s go.”
At Seomun Ak’s suggestion, Moyong Hyeon shook his head.
“This is my position. Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom went inside, so I’ll block the other bastards from getting in.”
“Then where’s my position?”
Seomun Ak thought Moyong Hyeon was extremely unpleasant, yet he still acknowledged that the man was smart.
Moyong Hyeon thought for a moment, then said,
“Wouldn’t it be fine if you stayed near me?”
Seomun Ak’s eyes widened.
At that moment, his father’s words came to mind.
He’ll trip you and run.
Seomun Ak glared at Moyong Hyeon and said,
“You crazy bastard. Do you think I’d fall for that?”
“What the hell are you saying, you lunatic.”
Seomun Ak immediately began running toward the inner manor, where a pillar of fire was soaring skyward.
Moyong Hyeon shook his head as if looking at a truly insane man, then muttered softly to himself,
“Seriously, his instincts are on the level of a beast.”
Leaving the disappointed Moyong Hyeon behind, Seomun Ak continued pushing deeper inside. As the enemies’ caliber steadily rose, the wounds on his body increased as well.
Amid flames raging on all sides, Seomun Ak threw a punch.
KRRRRAAANG—!
He shattered the broad saber charging at him with his fist, then immediately swung his elbow and crushed the opponent’s ribs.
That was when it happened.
“Seomun! Duck!”
Seomun Ak instinctively bent his waist.
At the same time, a hidden weapon narrowly skimmed over his head.
Had he remained standing, his head would have been pierced, killing him—or at best, leaving him a halfwit for life.
Seomun Ak turned toward the voice that had saved him.
“Huh, Hwangbo Sang? What brings you here?”
Hwangbo Sang, the eldest son of the Hwangbo Clan.
Their clans were rivals, so they were not on particularly good terms, yet seeing him on the battlefield felt oddly welcome.
“Our Hwangbo Clan also decided to assist this time! Well, to be honest, it’s not because of some grand cause—we’re owed a bit of debt by the Myriad Gold Manor, so the elders seem to have decided accordingly.”
Hwangbo Sang scratched his head awkwardly with a thick hand no less robust than Seomun Ak’s as he spoke.
Like the Seomun Clan, the Hwangbo Clan was a family that wielded domineering fist techniques based on their innate physical strength.
“Is that so? Good.”
Unlike before, Seomun Ak felt no particular emotion toward Hwangbo Sang.
He did not know whether it was because he had grown overwhelmingly stronger, or because they shared a common enemy.
“Let’s go. This war won’t end until we beat that bastard Ha Joo-myeong to death.”
“Agreed.”
Soon, the two burly men charged side by side across the battlefield.
As they ran, it was as if Hwangbo Sang’s words were being proven—quite a few martial artists of the Hwangbo Clan could be seen rushing toward the inner manor.
‘It’s disgustingly huge.’
Seomun Ak disliked how vast the Myriad Gold Manor was. After all, he had recently learned all too clearly how they piled up their wealth.
Even so, he thought the war might end more anticlimactically than expected.
Of course, the orthodox and unorthodox experts hired by the Myriad Gold Manor were numerous and powerful—but those who had come to subjugate it were formidable as well.
Starting with the Seomun Clan, the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Wudang Sect, the Moyong Clan, and even the Hwangbo Clan had joined forces.
That was when it happened.
A massive gust surged past Seomun Ak’s back. It was not mere wind, but a saber wind imbued with sharp intent.
The saber wind butchered martial artists.
At the same time, a huge silhouette tore between the two men with a momentum that seemed capable of cutting even the wind itself.
The speed was hard to track with the eyes, yet the domineering aura emanating from that broad back made it impossible to pretend not to know its identity.
Hwangbo Sang spoke.
“It’s the Saber King, isn’t it? It seems the Hebei Peng Clan is also lending its strength to the subjugation of the Myriad Gold Manor!”
The Clan Head of the Hebei Peng Clan—the Saber King.
The greatest bladesman of the age, and one of the Twenty-Seven Stars of the World.
Seomun Ak recalled what Lee Seowon had said earlier at the inn.
It’s possible the Hebei Peng Clan sided with the Myriad Gold Manor. This is information sent by Elder Byeok of the Beggars’ Union.
Seomun Ak turned his head and looked at Hwangbo Sang.
Hwangbo Sang was also looking at him.
In that instant, Seomun Ak realized that the Hwangbo Clan had come not to help them, but to aid the Myriad Gold Manor.
“You insane bastard.”
Seomun Ak unleashed Fist Qi toward Hwangbo Sang. Hwangbo Sang responded by igniting his own Fist Qi.
KRRRRAAAAANG—!
The two were blown apart in an instant.
Seomun Ak intended to subdue Hwangbo Sang immediately. Unlike before, he had already stepped into the threshold of peak mastery, and someone like Hwangbo Sang did not feel threatening.
At the same time, three martial artists of the Hwangbo Clan took positions around Seomun Ak. All three had reached mature peak mastery, making it clearly excessive for him to face all four at once.
So he said,
“As befits the Orthodox Faction, let’s settle this with a duel.”
“But this is war, isn’t it, Master?”
Hwangbo Sang said with feigned regret. His expression showed no regret at all. If anything, he looked pleased to be able to deal with the thorn-in-his-side Seomun Ak here under a perfect pretext.
As the Hwangbo Clan martial artists steadily closed in, Seomun Ak worked his mind furiously.
Should he try persuading them again? Say there was a misunderstanding? Kill at least one of them for sure…?
After weighing various thoughts, Seomun Ak made his decision.
“Is this all of you? To face me, who has reached peak mastery, at the very least your Clan Head would need to come.”
As he spoke, Seomun Ak began igniting enormous Fist Qi in both fists.
However, the two fists were not aimed at the enemy—they were facing each other.
Since they too were fist-technique martial artists, they knew exactly how dangerous Seomun Ak’s action was.
He intended to detonate the Fist Qi against itself and turn the surroundings into utter devastation.
“You madman!”
Seomun Ak slammed his fists together. At the same time, Hwangbo Sang and the Hwangbo Clan martial artists leapt backward.
They forgot all sense of dignity and rolled across the ground. To survive the Qi shockwave, one had to flee as far and as low as possible.
Yet even after they rolled three full rotations each, no explosion followed.
Startled, Hwangbo Sang hurriedly lifted his head to check. Seomun Ak was already far away.
“S-So despicable! We must catch him!”
Hwangbo Sang hurriedly pursued Seomun Ak, with the martial artists who had rolled alongside him following close behind.
Seomun Ak was not fleeing out of fear. He had seen the Saber King head inward, and he was worried about the friends who would be inside.
Ahead, Jin Seong-un finally came into view—along with the Saber King exchanging blows with him.
“Jin Seong…!”
They were drawing closer.
They were moving at a speed several times faster than Seomun Ak running toward them.
Seomun Ak turned and sprinted back. The Hwangbo Clan martial artists chasing him initially looked confused, but upon spotting the clash between the Saber King and Jin Seong-un, they turned and ran back as well.
KAGAGAGAGANG—!!
Each time their blades collided, the air screamed as if being torn apart.
All the surrounding roof tiles were pulverized into dust, and ferocious Qi shockwaves spread in all directions, stinging Seomun Ak’s skin.
It was truly beyond the heavens.
A disaster site where one did not even dare to consider intervening.
‘Stay next to Jin Seong-un?’
Seomun Ak realized something.
Even fathers do not know everything.
When a man becomes an adult, he inevitably learns that truth. For Seomun Ak, that moment was now.