Book 26 Chapter 10

Surrounding a house (包圍)

-Namgung Sang, Awakening

Eek!

A cloud of white smoke billows from the body of Namgung Sang, who is reclining on his bed, his eyes closed. Breathing in and out silently. If you weren't listening closely, you wouldn't even realize he was breathing at all. He was in the midst of a Yun Qi practice.

There are two women who look at him nervously. One is Jinryung, his fiancée, and the other is Liu Eun-kyung, his wannabe concubine. Jinling had been dismissive of Ryu Eun Kyung's outrageous ideas and behavior for some time, but at this moment, there was a common emotion in their eyes. They were both worried about the Southern Palace.

Qin Lie's complexion was much better than it had been when she collapsed from exhaustion, for she had already finished the Yun Qi Exercises before the Southern Palace Master.

The white aura that had been emanating like a dense mist was absorbed back into his body. The color began to return to his pale face, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"You're awake, sis!"

Liu Eun Kyung exclaimed as she saw the Southern Palace statue open its eyes in a prone position. Qin Lie was standing guard outside the window, her eyes very sharp and her face tense.

"What do you think, Sang?"

Qin Lie turned his head toward the South Palace and asked.

"That's fine. You seem to have recovered."

"I'm sorry."

If he hadn't pushed himself so hard, Namgung-san wouldn't have been injured to this extent. That's what's bothering him.

"I'm fine, but didn't you use up a lot of Qi too?"

The fight was almost tangential.

"I took the 'Heavenly Heart Dan' you gave me and I'm fine, I think I'm at least sixty percent recovered."

Nan Gongsang prioritized the recovery of the Qin Ling's inner qi over his own. He even refused to let her practice Yun Qi first. That's why he only entered the Yun Qi after her Yun Qi practice was complete. It was then that she gave Qin Lie the Heavenly Heart Dan, saying it would help her recover. In fact, the Heavenly Heart Pills given to Qin Lie were a secret medicine that the Sega had told her not to use unless it was an urgent emergency, and even the Southern Palace Master only had one. Although Qin Lie had been told that he had several, the one he had eaten was not the Heavenly Heart Dan, but the much less effective Nourishing Dan. Of course, it was much better than nothing, so he ate it and cried, but his energy still wasn't recovering as much as he thought. When he said that he had recovered by more than half, he was actually lying to reassure Qin Lie.

"What's the situation out there?"

Namgungsang asked, not bothering to conceal his unhealthy state.

"We're completely surrounded."

There was a tension in Qin Lie's expression as he cast his gaze out the window again. Outside, a barrier was now set up by a hundred and twenty warriors. All of them were glaring at the thirteenth dormitory, where they were staying. Not long after the emergency decree was issued, the Thirteenth Dormitory had been completely surrounded by the martial artists of the Heavenly Palace. The other Heavenly Martial Academy delegates, who had been caught unawares, had all taken up defensive positions under the orders of their leader, the Southern Palace Lord, and the standoff had been going on ever since.

"Well, at least they're not swooping in."

Liu Eun Kyung stared at the Southern Palace statue with a look of unease on her face. This was probably the first time she had ever encountered such a quasi-war situation, which made her feel even more embarrassed and anxious.

"Don't worry, Liu Sojae. They're not going to barge in right away. They're only detaining us for now because they're not sure if the Heavenly Martial Academy's envoys are our accomplices or not."

"But……."

In fact, being surrounded by enemies on all sides is a nerve-wracking situation in itself. It's not for nothing that the old saying "four sides of a coin" was invented. They were currently imprisoned in a man-made prison.

What's more, the mental pressure on the besieged is incomparable to that of the besiegers. If this goes on long enough, there will come a moment when the cracks will be exposed and they will collapse. When that happens, it's all over.

"But if they knew we were in here, wouldn't they come right in?"

Namgungsang, Qin Ling, and Liu Yun were definitely trespassers who had entered this place illegally. Right now, outside, the Three-Sworded Sword Qinghe and the Earth Dragon Bai Muyoung were blocking their search, claiming that no such person was here, but there was no telling how long that would last.

"So the big brother is right, this is dangerous.

There was no way we were going to get any traction or support. It was clear that we were doomed.

'If we don't cut an escape route before then…….'

So I had to complete the task that my big brother had entrusted to me. It was the only way to break the current situation of complete isolation. Besides, he was the head of this Heavenly Martial Academy's mission after all. It was one of his responsibilities to ensure their safety.

"Will Sansan be okay?"

"Don't worry, Sansan will be fine, he's been like that since he was a kid, always desperate, always trying his best, except when the faucet is running, he can't turn it off."

"Yeah, she's really scary when she gets angry, and she's usually pretty calm."

"When all the good guys are wiped out in this powerhouse, then you can think about it again. I'm your brother, but I can't help you when you're really on your way out."

"Hoo-hoo, Sansan said you were his sister."

Qin Lie smiled knowingly. If you remain tense, your spirit will not be able to withstand it.

"No way, that's your argument, and I'm your brother!"

Namgungsang pouted and said. It was an attitude that he would never admit. They had been fighting over this for twenty years already, and there was still no resolution.

"Hoohoo, how come my brother and sister are so alike……."

"Not the same, never the same, who says they are the same?"

Namgungsang protested vehemently.

"That's exactly how it is, except that Sansan has a habit of not looking around sometimes, and I'm worried about him. He's bad at ambushes and stuff……."

Sansan tended not to think much about it because he didn't want to be left behind.

"That's certainly a concern. But don't worry, I have Hyun-woon with me."

Jinling was a little skeptical.

"Can I trust you, Hyun-woon, hasn't he been a little too quiet lately? He seems unmotivated for some reason."

Lately, I haven't felt the same sense of urgency. I felt like I was struggling with something, but I didn't feel like I had solved it yet.

"Don't worry, I know him well, I'm his competitor. His true skill is not this good. Even if he didn't show it outwardly, he wouldn't have neglected to train inwardly. We've only scratched the surface of his prowess."

"Do you think so?"

"He's a quiet man, but he's a boiling lava beneath the surface. Don't be fooled by his seemingly easygoing demeanor. Hyun-woon trains harder than anyone else, and if the martial art he's secretly practicing is completed…… I can't guarantee a victory either."

"Can I trust you?"

"He's one of the strongest competitors I've ever recognized, and I believe in him."

"I'm not going to comment further if you say so."

But the worries in her mind didn't go away so easily.

Of course, Namgung-san is not without his own concerns. Although they were supposed to be at odds, they were brother and sister by blood. And Hyun-woon was the closest friend he'd ever had to anyone who'd crossed the sura field with him.

"Hyun-woon, sister, I'm asking for Sansan!

All he could do now was trust his sister and his friend.

* * *

During the brief commotion, Hyun-woon glanced at Namgungsansan and breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a surprise, but they had managed to escape unharmed.

I quickly administered first aid, then gave him a quick blast of air to stabilize his ragged breathing. There were no broken bones. But something heavy had hit her. If she hadn't blocked it quickly, she would have been fatally injured. However, although Nangong Shanshan had managed to parry the blow in a move that did not shame the name of the Nine Dragon Seven Peaks, the sudden change in stance had distorted her qi, and in that state, she had received a series of powerful impacts that had shattered her sword.

'If this is how it's going to be, I'll never be able to forgive a country for letting you be a guiding light in life.

Just as Hyun-woon was thinking that, Namgung Sansan woke up.

"What happened to me?"

"Are you okay, Sansan? You've been attacked, but you know better than I do what you've been attacked by."

She shook her head.

"Something heavy hit me and stirred my blood, but I don't know what it was, it was like some kind of memorization… By the way, who the hell memorized me?"

She sounded like she would never let up. This was not her will to be broken by a single blow. She would be fine no matter what he said. So Hyun-woon said.

"…King of the South Seas."

Nangong Shanshan's eyes widened.

"No way, that's ridiculous, I just knocked that fat guy out, didn't you see that?"

"He's a fake, we've been fooled, the real one has been with us all along."

"What does that mean?"

With an uncomprehending expression, Namgung Sansan asks. It's not unreasonable, Hyun-woon assured her, and hoping she wouldn't be shocked, he told her the truth.

"My ex-husband, he was the real King of the South Seas."

"That… that can't be……!"

Namgung Sansan couldn't help but be surprised.

"But it's true, he's been deceiving us, and it's my fault for not seeing that."

Hyunwoon's heart sank at the thought.

"Why is that your fault? Isn't it technically my fault for not blocking that attack? I'm sure the Big Brother feels the same way: raiding is for the weak, but being raided is even weaker."

It was a very Bi Ryuyeon thing to say, but it didn't work for Hyun-woon now.

"No. It was my fault for not recognizing the enemy's hidden strength. It was my job to watch your back when you were fighting. It's not unusual for anything to happen in enemy territory… I let my guard down, and you got hurt. I can't forgive myself any more than he can."

"What, what does it have to do with me accidentally getting attacked and you? What does it have to do with me, me getting hurt and you? It's self-inflicted."

For some reason, Namgung San San's face was red. Hyun-woon was so serious. It was rare for her to see him in such a serious state.

"Sansan, even if you don't care, I do. This has nothing to do with you."

I didn't know if it mattered or not.

"Help me up," he says, "because I'm not going to be happy unless you give me a punch for tricking you."

Hyun-woon stops Namgung as he tries to push himself up.

"Stay still for now. If you move, the wound could get worse."

"Phew, this isn't even a big deal."

She tries to get up again, but Hyun-woon pushes her back down. As a result, their faces were naturally very close. The moment she realized this, her face turned as red as coal on a fire.

"What is this, this, this, this, this, what are you doing, Hyun-woon?"

Her tongue is slightly twisted in protest.

"I'll fight him."

Hyun-woon's expression remained serious. There didn't seem to be much movement.

"This is my fight."

Hyunwoon shook his head.

"It's my fight, too. Isn't it okay to leave it to me?"

"I'm not okay, don't look down on me, I'm stronger than you."

He was breathing heavily, clearly unable to contain his anger.

"Of course you're stronger than me, so shouldn't you give me a chance to be stronger by giving me some hands-on experience?"

"Hmm…… do you really think I'm stronger than you?"

"Of course, let me get in shape. San San, if you do all the work, I won't have to do anything, and I should have some achievements to show off when I meet the big brother, right?"

Namgungsansan pondered for a moment, wondering if she should accept or reject his suggestion. But his deliberation didn't last long. It was hard to say no to someone who had come this far.

"Okay, but if you don't fight it, you're a grater."

"Thank you."

Hyun-woon stepped forward, sword dangling.

King Nanhai had risen from his seat and was standing before him.

His piercing gaze is fixed on the King of the South Seas. Their gazes clash and spark in the air, but the will in Hyun-woon's eyes is unimpaired.

Yes, it has nothing to do with Namgungsan Mountain.

This was something he was going to do on his own terms, and he was going to see it through to the end.

"Yuyuzhaic is out of business for a while, so I must take you down."

Hyunwoon declared proudly.

After moving the Namgung Sansan to one wall, Hyun-woon faced his ex-husband again.

"You will be dealt with by Shaman Hyun-woon, a member of the Heavenly Mighty Dragon."

Hyun-woon said, pointing the tip of his sword at his former soul.

"Hao, I've heard of you. Among the Nine Dragon Seven Peaks, a collection of the Heavenly Martial Academy's young cultivators, there is an entry for a martial artist called Yue Long. Are you the Yue Sword Hyun Yun?"

"Yes. It's amazing that you would recognize such an unknown monk."

Hyun-woon was slightly surprised that he knew about her.

"Information is a trader's weapon. You can't do business unless you're well versed in both black and white information. Basic, basic."

I said with a nonchalant tone.

"That's great."

Hyun-woon stuck out his tongue in honest admiration. The author knows about him, and he knows nothing about him, so the odds were stacked against him from the start.

"But I thought I heard that pterosaurs only swim in ponds and never fly?"

He was referring to Hyun-woon's quiet period without much action.

"Sleeping dragon, a sleeping dragon is useless, is that what you say? But today you will be lucky enough to see that sleepy dragon on the rampage."

"Well, I'm more interested in how much the dragon's life is worth to you, the merchant."

"The price of a dragon's life… you'll have to see for yourself."

Phew!

Before his words could fall, a terrifying flash of light whizzed past his ears. Something with wind-piercing power had just tried to take his life. If he hadn't instinctively ducked his head to the side, he would have been killed instantly.

"What the hell was that……."

Then Hyun-woon realized that the coin he had been bouncing and playing with earlier was gone.

'shoot[彈]…….'

What the former soul had just done was undoubtedly an extremely powerful move.

The South Sea King smirked at Hyun-woon, who was slightly frozen by his incredible shooting skills.

"It's worth your life, at least a nickel."

And so the fight between the two began.

"The price of a life?"

"I don't like freebies. I believe that when you get something, you have to pay for it, and that goes for a person's life as well, so I don't retrieve a coin once it's been flipped."

It was a very unusual habit for someone who was so obsessed with making money.

"You want to buy a life, pay the price. Then I'll sell it back to you."

"Did you say you were going to sell it back?"

"Of course. Your lives are already mine."

Phew!

His right thumb snapped and there was a flash of light.

It was literally a flash of light.

Something flashed, something flew.

An unexpected surprise.

Ting!

Something struck Hyun-woon's sword and bounced off.

"Gah! Hyun-woon!"

Namgung San San let out a short, involuntary scream.

Burrrrr!

Shen Yun's sword vibrated fiercely, as if struck by a heavy mace. The vibration made the air tremble and didn't subside for a while. Hyun-woon gritted his teeth as the pain threatened to tear his grip.

"What the hell was that?

It was only sheer luck, or the instincts that had been honed in the torture of hell, that prevented it from happening. Hyun-woon's body shifted his sword almost unconsciously, and the flying thing met his blade and bounced away.

In the distance, you hear the wall behind you burst open with a "pop!" but you can't bring yourself to turn around. You focus all of your attention on trying to figure out what you just blocked, and you adjust your posture and focus your mind so that your body is ready to react at any moment.

I had only glimpsed it a moment ago, but I vowed to see it clearly next time.

"Ho-ho, did you stop my 'matchmaking'? You're quite an expensive fellow."

He seemed genuinely impressed. As if he was surprised that he hadn't finished his opponent with a single blow.

"What was that, some kind of memorization?"

Hyunwoon asked, trying to keep his mind off the other side.

"Memorization, not that sort of thing. I told you, I've already bought your lives. There's only one means of transaction required to buy them, isn't there?"

"Are you sure…… is money?"

The South Sea King laughed in amusement.

"Money, of course. For reference, that was a coin, but your life is worth more than a coin's worth of doors."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I have a big deal of a lifetime. I can't back out."

"What deal, what deal, do you mean, you're going to swallow this whole skyscraper?"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. A merchant must know the size of his vessel. Or rather, the size of his pocket. In that context, a trader must know what his pocket can and can't do. A pocket isn't big enough to buy an entire pagoda. Of course, the more risk you take, the more likely you are to get a high return, but there are times when you want to go all in."

"So that's what you're doing, kidnapping a woman, and the Forbidden Jade Leaf of the Martial Blind Sect? That's certainly high risk, but do you really think you can get away with it?"

"Kidnapping? I don't know about that. I don't want to know. It's probably a misunderstanding."

He wasn't surprised to hear that the Murimblind Lady had been kidnapped.

"Misunderstanding? Who would believe such a ridiculous excuse? My godfather said that a tradesman is nothing but a cheating rat when he loses his credibility."

"Rats, that's not a nice thing to say, and if anyone hears it, they'll think I'm telling them a lie, but for the sake of this organization's credibility, you're going to have to die here. There is someone who wants to buy your lives. Don't worry, I'll pay you generously for your lives."

"You won't be able to save my life, because I won't sell."

"You're too young and too dark about the world. Money is everything in this world. There's nothing it can't buy, even if it's a man's conscience or his life."

There was no hesitation in the South Sea King's words.