Chapter 108
While the righteous sect alliance’s martial arts masters were fighting the Changjiang Waterway Alliance at Dongting Lake, five giant ships were docking in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province.
After the giant ships anchored at Nanjing Port, five-hundred robust men equipped with various types of weapons came ashore. They were dressed as they pleased, having no care for formalities. Anyone could tell from the gruff aura they were giving off that they were the Four Seas Gang pirates.
It was unusual for the Four Seas Gang, the activities of which mainly revolved around the sea, to come to Yangzhou with such a large group. They immediately headed to the manor of the Great Sima Family, which had been absorbed by the Great Huangfu Family as a branched-out subsidiary family. The Great Huangfu Family now managed their territory in Jiangsu Province through the Great Sima Family.
The Four Seas Gang planned to attack the Great Sima Family. The Great Huangfu Family had only assigned two martial squads to that subsidiary family, reaching a total of two hundred people. Despite their inferior numbers, however, the two martial squads were composed of the elite forces of the Great Huangfu Family, one of the Seven Great Families. Hence, even if the Four Seas Gang had twice as many pirates, they couldn’t guarantee victory.
Nevertheless, the Four Seas Gang pirates did not seem worried at all. After all, two of the Three Dragons of the Four Seas were with them. The Three Dragons of the Four Seas were Absolute Realm masters known as the Four Seas Gang’s strongest martial artists. Five of the Four Seas’ Ten Supreme Commanders—Upper Peak Realm masters each in charge of one of the Four Seas’ Ten Great Warships—were also with them.
With the Three Dragons of the Four Seas and half of the Four Seas’ Ten Supreme Commanders marching with them, the Four Seas Gang pirates had no reason to be afraid of the Great Huangfu Family’s elite martial artists no matter how strong they were. An hour later, the Four Seas Gang pirates arrived at the Great Huangfu Family’s subsidiary branch. Not bothering to even devise a plan, they simply stormed into enemy territory and destroyed anything and anyone they could see.
The Great Huangfu Family’s martial artists responded in perfect order to the invasion of the Four Seas Gang pirates. Fewer in numbers but stronger in terms of foundations and skills, they gained the upper hand against the Four Seas Gang pirates. However, the tables turned as soon as the Dragons of the Four Seas and the Four Seas’ Supreme Commanders joined the battle. With them in the forefront, the Four Seas Gang pirates gained momentum. The Great Huangfu Family’s warriors fought hard until the very end. However, unable to make up for the difference in power, they were completely wiped out.
After annihilating the Great Huangfu Family’s subsidiary branch, the Four Seas Gang returned to Yangzhou Port and headed to the base of the Great Namgung Family’s subsidiary family in Nanjing. They immediately attacked the Great Namgung Family’s subsidiary branch as soon as they arrived, giving their opponents no time to prepare. The Great Namgung Family’s subsidiary family fought hard as well, but they eventually met the same fate as the Great Sima Family.
The Four Seas Gang suffered more than two hundred casualties against the two families’ subsidiary branches. However, annihilating the elite forces of two of the Seven Great Families was a feat great enough to justify their losses. After wiping out the two subsidiary branches, the Four Seas Gang began to head deeper into the continent via the Changjiang River instead of leaving Nanjing by sea.
They were now heading to Wuchang in Hubei Province.
* * *
After the battle, the righteous sect alliance’s martial arts masters headed to Yueyang. Despite their victory, they couldn’t help but feel down. Not only did the upper brass of the Changjiang Waterway Alliance manage to escape, but Elder Tang Jin-Ho of the Sichuan Tang Family also drowned.
“Elder Tang’s death is unfortunate, but we have to discuss matters regarding the Changjiang Waterway Alliance’s superiors, who got away.” Zhuge Long sounded distressed.
“Don’t we have to find them first before we can do something about it?” Great Monk Gong Seon commented.
“That’s exactly right. For now, the first thing we have to do is track them down,” Zhuge Long replied.
“This is just my hypothesis, but they will most likely join up with the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulin,” Mu-Gun said.
“That’s their most probable move. They can’t do anything on their own under the current circumstances.”
“What we have to think about is what they plan to do once they have joined up with the martial arts masters of the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulin.”
“Do you have any guesses?”
“They’ll probably attack the Great Zhuge Family.”
“The Great Zhuge Family?”
“The Changjiang Waterway Alliance and the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulin would certainly refuse to back down without getting any results after combining their forces. Realistically, they can only aim for the Great Zhuge Family right now.”
The Great Zhuge Family had a relatively weaker force among the Seven Great Families, having only two Absolute Realm masters in their ranks. Combined, the Changjiang Waterway Alliance and the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulin had three Absolute Realm masters and ten Upper Peak Realm masters. Judging from that alone, their forces would have a good chance of winning against the Great Zhuge Family.
“We should muster up a plan to support the Great Zhuge Family.”
“I think it would be better for the Wudang Sect to send reinforcements to the Great Zhuge Family, considering they’re geographically closer than the others. We should also split the people here and send some of them to the Great Zhuge Family,” Mu-Gun suggested.
“If you do that, the Great Zhuge Family will not forget your grace.” Zhuge Long thanked them.
In truth, Zhuge Long really wasn’t that worried about the Changjiang Waterway Alliance and the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulin attacking the Great Zhuge Family. At the Great Zhuge Family headquarters, they had installed a formation called the Forbidden Soul Destroyer Array. Once triggered, even an Absolute Realm master would have difficulties surviving it. It was the reason the Great Zhuge Family still hadn’t fallen even once despite many demonic clans gaining power in murim.
Zhuge Long doubted the Changjiang Waterway Alliance and the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulin could break through the Forbidden Soul Destroyer Array. However, he also had to consider the possibility of the Nine Celestial Demons Sect, which was supporting their current opponents, having figured out a way to break through it.
Unable to put his full faith in the Forbidden Soul Destroyer Array, Zhuge Long welcomed the help to prepare for the unlikely event of a problem arising. The representatives of the Nine Prominent Sects, which were based in Hubei Province, Henan Province, Shaanxi Province, and Sichuan Province, volunteered to help the Great Zhuge Family.
Compared to the Seven Great Families, the Nine Prominent Sects’ home base was relatively closer to Mount Longzhong, which was where the Great Zhuge Family was located. Hence, they decided to help the Great Zhuge Family first before returning to their homes. Meanwhile, the Baek Sword Sect and the other families from the Seven Great Families prepared to return home since their bases were in the opposite direction. Divided into two groups, the righteous sect alliance’s martial arts masters headed to Yueyang together and, upon reaching Sanshui Road, took different paths.
The Nine Prominent Sects’ martial arts masters headed toward Sichuan Province, while the Seven Great Families’ martial arts masters headed toward Wuchang. The Great Ximen Family, the home base of which was in Changsha, headed straight back to Changsha from Yueyang. Upon arriving at Wuchang, the members of the Baek Sword Sect and three of the Seven Great Families, including the Great Namgung Family, decided to spend a day at the Wuchang Sword Sect first before returning to their respective homes.
While at Wuchang, Mu-Gun and Namgung Hyun-Ah visited the Yellow Crane House, a popular hotspot, under Hyun-Ah’s insistence to go together. She said that it would be foolish to come all the way to Wuchang and not even take a look at the Yellow Crane House. Mu-Gun was not particularly curious because he had already been to the Yellow Crane House several times in his previous lives. However, he had no choice but to accompany Hyun-Ah due to her stubbornness.
Mu-Gun was fond of Hyun-Ah. If he wasn’t even slightly attracted to her, he would not have gone with her no matter how stubborn she was. Spending time with her showed Mu-Gun her unique charm. Hyun-Ah was full of confidence in everything she did, and she was really cheerful. Her charm was different from So Yeon-Hwa and Dan Seol-Young’s.
Most importantly, Hyun-Ah was extremely beautiful. She had a somewhat alluring gaze, though not to the point of being overboard. That was what attracted Mu-Gun’s heart. If she was not a lady of the Great Namgung Family, Mu-Gun would have embraced her long ago. Her affiliation eliminated all possibilities of him getting involved with her.
He shouldn’t have given her any affection, but Mu-Gun was also human, so things did not work out as well as he wanted. Having lived for many years through his eight reincarnations didn’t make any difference.
“We will have to go our separate ways by tomorrow.” Hyun-Ah sounded depressed.
The three great families, including the Great Namgung Family, were going to leave Wuchang tomorrow. However, the Baek Sword Sect group planned to stay for a few more days because Mu-Gun still had to visit the East Lake Vault here, which was where he deposited some of his money in his previous life. Since he was already here, he thought he might as well look for the money he had left behind.
“What comes around, goes around. Going your separate ways with people you meet throughout your life is only natural, is it not?”
“You don’t seem to be sad at all about going separate ways with me,” Hyun-Ah said with a tear in her eyes.
“It’s a shame, but I can’t stay with you, Lady Namgung.”
“If you really want to, you can keep being with me.”
“We don’t always get what we want. No matter how much you want something, sometimes, this world simply won’t let you have it.”
“Well, I don’t think so. You cannot get it because you don’t desire it enough. If you really wanted to, you would be able to do everything. Likewise, if you really want to be with me, what’s stopping you, Young Master Baek?”
“For as long as you’re a part of the Great Namgung Family, I can’t form a relationship with you.”
“I don’t understand why you cannot be together with me just because I am part of the Great Namgung Family. Do you perhaps have a personal grudge against our family?”
“Whether we like it or not, our relationship will inevitably form a political relationship with the Great Namgung Family. I do not want that.”
“I honestly still don’t understand, but I’ll accept your reasoning because you’re subjected to your own opinion, Young Master Baek. That being said, if I cut off my connection with the Great Namgung Family, will you no longer refuse me?”
“I don’t want you to abandon your family because of me, Lady Namgung.”
“That’s how much I like you, Young Master Baek. Moreover, if I have to get married anyway, the person I will have to rely on for the rest of my life is my husband, not the Great Namgung Family.”
“But do you think you can leave your family just because you want to? Even if your feelings are sincere, the Great Namgung Family will not accept your decision. Even if they do, that begs the question of whether you can really turn a blind eye to matters regarding the Great Namgung Family until the very end.”
“They will naturally try to change my mind at first. However, they are bound to give up as long as I remain resolute. Since ancient times, parents have always had a soft spot for their children. Moreover, no matter what happens to the Great Namgung Family, I will not ask anything from you, Young Master Baek. I can’t say the same for myself, but the Great Namgung Family has the power to get through anything on their own.”
Mu-Gun was surprised by Hyun-Ah’s bold and confident remarks. He never thought that she would be this determined. With her looking only at him and only him, Mu-Gun could no longer reject her feelings.
“I have told you this before, but I have already given my heart to a few women.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s much better to share you with other women than to lose you, Young Master Baek. I don’t know any of the women you have given your heart to, but if you give me your heart as well despite their existence in your life, it means that you like me better than them.”
“Not necessarily.”
“But it’s true that you have feelings for me. You won’t deny that, will you?”
“In all honesty, I do have feelings for you, Lady Namgung.”
“That’s enough for me, then. Perhaps it would be better for me to be together with someone who does not want my background, like Young Master Baek. If you did not have faith in yourself and instead wanted to rely on the power of your in-laws, I would be the one to hate you first.”
Mu-Gun chuckled in response.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I just think you’re really true to yourself.”
“So, what is your answer, Young Master Baek?” Hyun-Ah stared at Mu-Gun, who was resting his chin on his palm.
Mu-Gun met Hyun-Ah’s gaze. His heart fluttered when he looked into her eyes, which had a subtle sexiness to them. He wanted to have her in his arms so badly. Deciding not to nitpick over the fact that she was a lady of the Great Namgung Family, he admitted his feelings for Hyun-Ah. He no longer cared about anything else.
“I desire to have you in my arms right now, Lady Namgung.”
Hearing Mu-Gun’s response, Hyun-Ah stared at Mu-Gun with a surprised expression.
“I do not embrace a woman unless it’s someone I really like.” Mu-Gun chuckled.
“But aren’t we progressing too fast? We haven’t even kissed yet.”
Mu-Gun rose from his seat, surprising Hyun-Ah further. Mu-Gun leaned in and kissed her.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Now that we’ve kissed, I think we can progress further.” Mu-Gun smiled at Hyun-Ah.
“Now that I’ve thought about it, you’re quite the sly man.”
“A man is as sly as he likes his other half. Shall we?”
Mu-Gun held Hyun-Ah’s hand and led the way to an inn near the Yellow Crane House. Rather than shaking off Mu-Gun’s hand, Hyun-Ah followed his lead instead. She would be separating from Mu-Gun tomorrow, so she wanted to establish a clear-cut relationship with him now. As soon as they found an inn, they booked and entered a guest room. Not long after, they began to covet each other’s lips, paying no regard to who took the lead.
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