Chronicle of the Silver Dragon - Chapter 49
An enormous rumor had spread in Shaanxi.
It was the story that Ma Tae-ak, the Black Lion Great Sword of the Demonic Sect and one of the Three Unrivaled Under Heaven, had killed the heirs of Chugajang and Jeonggajang, two of Shaanxi's Ten Great Families.
As if that weren't enough, there was also news that Ma Tae-ak was heading toward their main estates to annihilate both Chugajang and Jeonggajang.
Because of that rumor, the Orthodox families and sects of Shaanxi were thrown into an uproar.
Besides them, the Demonic Sects also couldn't hide their bewilderment at the sudden movements of Ma Tae-ak, the supreme ruler of the Demonic path.
However, it was the Demonic Sect's information organization, Haomun, that had spread this rumor quickly. They said that the younger generation of the Orthodox faction had insulted Ma Tae-ak and the Demonic Sect, enraging him.
If the Orthodox faction had the Beggars' Sect, the Demonic Sect had Haomun.
The Beggars' Sect was slightly superior in gathering information, but Haomun was overwhelmingly better at spreading it.
If the Beggars' Sect was a den of beggars, Haomun was a group of countless lowly thugs.
Of course, there were experts in Haomun as well.
Anyway, lowlifes were more advantageous than beggars when it came to spreading information.
"Isn't Ma Tae-ak the one they said was as strong as Elder Un Wonnam?"
As expected, Jehwa tilted her head and asked upon hearing the rumor, and Sawollin nodded.
"Yeah. Anyway, Orthodox scum are a problem wherever you go."
"Not all Orthodox factions are like that."
I Seolhye frowned and spoke at Sawollin's words.
She, too, was somewhat aware that she belonged to the Orthodox faction.
"Wouldn't it be better to stop him? Division won't be good before the fight against the Blood Cult."
"How could we stop him? You and Jehwa might not know, but... the Black Lion Great Sword Ma Tae-ak is one of the three strongest people in the Central Plains Murim."
"Hmm... really?"
"It won't be good if it splits like this..."
When I Seolhye spoke with a worried face, Sawollin replied nonchalantly.
"Well, the Murim Alliance and the Saryeon Alliance will handle it properly."
"But... isn't Chugajang here in Chang'an, where we are?"
"..."
At Sawollin's nonchalant words, I Seolhye spoke with a serious face.
"Then that means Ma Tae-ak is coming here."
As I Seolhye muttered with a grave expression, Sawollin's expression also turned serious.
"Innkeeper, liquor here!"
Just then, a young man entered the inn and began asking for liquor in broad daylight.
With a huge greatsword strapped to his back... aside from his fairly handsome appearance, he looked like an ordinary martial artist.
Hong Yuhwa looked at that young man and said in a listless voice.
"He's already here, that human called Ma Tae-ak or something."
"Huh? What?"
"He probably has strength similar to that old man called Un Wonnam, right? That human ordering liquor over there, he's strong enough to almost match that old man."
"W-what?"
"Where?"
At Hong Yuhwa's words, Sawollin and I Seolhye's gazes turned toward the man who had just ordered liquor.
Ma Tae-ak also seemed to have heard Hong Yuhwa's words, looking at Jehwa's group with a surprised expression.
Ma Tae-ak's gaze, which had briefly examined Jehwa's group, turned to Jehwa, and Jehwa also looked at Ma Tae-ak.
When their eyes clashed in the air, Ma Tae-ak's face gradually began to harden.
"Hey, you there... you!"
Ma Tae-ak put down the liquor bottle he was drinking and called out to Jehwa with a stiff face.
"Huh?"
At that call, Jehwa looked at Ma Tae-ak with a puzzled expression.
"You... are you... really human?"
"..."
Ma Tae-ak asked, breaking out in a cold sweat. Just like Un Wonnam, Ma Tae-ak had also felt the tremendous aura that Jehwa unconsciously emitted.
"If I'm not human, then what?"
"True... what else could there be in this world besides humans."
At Jehwa's words, Ma Tae-ak let out a hollow laugh and spoke.
"You... how old are you?"
"Eighteen."
"..."
Seeing Jehwa speak so confidently, Ma Tae-ak was at a loss for words.
"Are you lying?"
"I'm not lying."
Jehwa puffed up her cheeks at Ma Tae-ak's words.
"You possess such inhuman power and you're saying you're only eighteen? Are you telling me to believe that right now?"
"Yeah, I'm eighteen, so you have to believe it."
"..."
Ma Tae-ak looked at Jehwa with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, then sighed and spoke.
"Fine, you're eighteen."
Looking at Ma Tae-ak, who was sighing deeply, I Seolhye asked.
"But, are you really going to annihilate Chugajang?"
"You..."
"Ah... so..."
"I know you're a child of the Kunlun Sect... but are you perhaps Un Wonnam's disciple?"
"Huh? How did you..."
I Seolhye's eyes went wide as she looked at Ma Tae-ak, who had pinpointed it accurately.
"Well, you feel similar to that guy. Anyway, it's surprising that he took a disciple."
Ma Tae-ak looked at I Seolhye with an expression of renewed interest, then smiled and spoke.
"Are you asking if I'll annihilate Chugajang? Of course. They picked the fight first, so I have to answer."
"But they did it without knowing it was you, Lord Ma Tae-ak... You could let it go..."
"Hmph! The Murim is a place where you must think at least three times before acting. Moreover, I'm not angry at what they did to me; I don't like their rotten mental state."
Ma Tae-ak frowned.
"These days, the Blood Cult is moving actively. It's an atmosphere where another Orthodox-Demonic Blood War could break out at any moment... Yet even in such a situation, those trash were yapping like that. Even if a war breaks out, it's obvious they'll be of little help with that kind of mental state."
I Seolhye was at a loss for words as she looked at the sneering Ma Tae-ak.
"That aside... you seem to be Saheuk's great-granddaughter..."
"You know well."
"No matter how the world is these days, it's quite rare to see the Demonic path and Orthodox moving together."
Sawollin smiled as she looked at Ma Tae-ak, who had an amused expression.
"What does Demonic, Orthodox, or whatever have to do with anything? If you like each other, you get along."
"That's true."
Ma Tae-ak snickered at Sawollin's words and downed his liquor.
"It's been a while since I laughed like this."
Having said that, Ma Tae-ak sprang up from his seat.
"Where are you going?"
"Let's meet again next time. I'm off to take care of business."
After that, Ma Tae-ak left the inn.
"It seems he's headed to Chugajang?"
As Hong Yuhwa spoke with an amused face, Sawollin and I Seolhye let out deep sighs.
It seemed his foul temper still needed venting, even if his mood had improved.
***
Ma Tae-ak, who had been walking toward Chugajang with a relaxed expression, tilted his head shortly after.
"Huh? You..."
"It's been a while since we last met."
"Oh, Sin Jangho."
Ma Tae-ak called out to the small boy before him with a pleased face.
The boy's name was Sin Jangho. His identity was a former supreme expert of the previous generation of the Huashan Sect, and the only expert of Huashan who had achieved Rejuvenation.
"Have you come to stop me?"
"It's a chaotic world. The Murim Alliance will officially apologize... Please endure as an elder of the Murim. Is it not enough that you already killed the heirs of Chugajang and Jeonggajang?"
"They are the ones spouting such nonsense. Shouldn't I at least see what kind of faces their parents have?"
Ma Tae-ak snorted lightly at Sin Jangho's words.
"Please endure."
"Ugh—how do guys who have no interest in the secular world always show up to stop me whenever I'm about to start something?"
Sin Jangho sighed as he looked at Ma Tae-ak, who was muttering with an annoyed expression.
"If Senior Ma Tae-ak moves wrongly, it becomes noisy enough for us to take interest, so it can't be helped."
"Tch!"
Now that Sin Jangho had stepped in like this, it would be difficult to move any further.
He had planned to end it in an instant before Sin Jangho intervened, but Sin Jangho had moved faster than expected.
"Ah, how annoying..."
As Sin Jangho let out another deep sigh while looking at Ma Tae-ak, who was revealing his displeasure... his face hardened stiffly.
Not only Sin Jangho, but Ma Tae-ak's face hardened as well.
"What is this?"
When Ma Tae-ak muttered with a stiff face, Sin Jangho answered.
"W-what in the world..."
"It's coming from Chugajang!"
Ma Tae-ak shouted.
"Kraaaack!"
What was happening at the place Ma Tae-ak and Sin Jangho arrived at was a one-sided massacre.
"Ahahahaha!"
There, a man with dark blue hair was tearing apart the warriors of Chugajang while laughing.
"Die! Kwahaha! All of you die!"
Looking at the man causing a one-sided massacre with a joyous expression, Sin Jangho roared fiercely.
"You bastard!"
And without hesitation, he swung his sword at the man. Along with his swing, plum blossoms began to engulf the man.
"Huh?"
Kwagagagang!
Seeing that, the man who had been causing the massacre smirked and lightly waved his hand. Then, the countless plum blossoms vanished.
"Hoo? This one is different from the other vermin?"
The man looked at Ma Tae-ak and Sin Jangho with an amused expression.
"Hey, why are you doing what I should be doing?"
Ma Tae-ak frowned and spoke as if reproaching the man.
"Hoo? Was this place your prey? My apologies for that."
The man made an apologetic expression and smiled, then his eyes flashed shortly after as he spoke.
"As a sign of apology, I'll kill you!"
Kwagagagagang!
Along with that, a terrifying dark blue energy engulfed the surroundings.
***
"Huh?"
"What? Is it an earthquake?"
Sawollin and I Seolhye tilted their heads in puzzlement at the faint tremors spreading out.
"This is..."
Hong Yuhwa's face hardened stiffly, and Jehwa looked toward Chugajang with an expressionless face.
"Heukhwa!"
When Hong Yuhwa called Heukhwa with a stiff expression, Heukhwa instantly stood behind Hong Yuhwa.
Sawollin and I Seolhye were startled by Heukhwa, who had appeared suddenly.
"Who is that?"
"The Demon Count, Burik Bemdajeu."
"That Bemdajeu bastard? Tch! You mean that crazy bastard?"
"The human called Ma Tae-ak and the human called Sin Jangho are currently fighting him in the place called Chugajang."
"How is it?"
"The humans are at a slight advantage. The human called Ma Tae-ak has strength that not only matches but surpasses the Demon Count."
"I know that. Anyway, this is our business, so let's step in."
Jehwa smiled as she looked at Hong Yuhwa, who had spoken thus, and said.
"Sorry, I'm a bit busy. I'll go take care of it quickly and come back."