Chapter 182: Subduing the Martial Exalt Union
In the Baekryeon Hall, the grand conference chamber of the Martial Exalt Union.
Kwaaang!
All of a sudden, a massive explosion resounded.
“Why is no one stepping forward at all?!”
Departnt Head Yongbi spoke as he slamd his fist onto the table, his voice filled with pent-up rage.
With a long, narrow table shaped like a 丨 at the center, the warriors of the Martial Exalt Union were seated on both sides according to rank.
Yet despite Yongbi’s neck veins bulging as he vented his fury, the expressions of those watching were sunken coldly, devoid of any emotion.
“After the Union Leader was captured by Tang Sewoon, he still hasn’t returned!”
The last confird sighting of Gong Taemun was that, after his battle with Sewoon, he had lost consciousness and been taken captive.
Three days had passed since then, yet not a single additional piece of news had arrived.
Yongbi wanted nothing more than to imdiately gather the union warriors and attack Sewoon and the Sichuan Tang Clan forces that were currently dominating Guizhou.
But just like now, no one was willing to follow his will.
“So what do you suggest we do?”
At that mont, an elder of the Martial Exalt Union, arms crossed, asked indifferently from across the table.
“Of course we go and find him! The Union Leader! The master of our Martial Exalt Union!”
“Hah. And who exactly is the master of the Martial Exalt Union?”
“…What do you an by that?”
“Listen, Deputy Head Yong. Leader Gong is our representative. He’s not our master.”
“!!”
“The Martial Exalt Union was, from the start, an alliance without an owner. Even the na has ‘union’ in it, doesn’t it?”
Yongbi was rendered speechless by the elder’s absurd words.
But whether he reacted or not, the elder continued speaking without a hint of emotion.
“If he died, then that was simply the fate of the Union Leader. Leader or not, a life is fleeting by nature. Did you join the Martial Exalt Union without even understanding that?”
Most of the union mbers gathered in Baekryeon Hall nodded as if they agreed.
Only Yongbi failed to do so, his eyes widening.
“Is that really sothing you should be saying right now?! The Union Leader eliminated the previous leader to protect the Martial Exalt Union, then went to et Ho Daewon and ended up like this! And yet you…!”
“Our duty is to protect the Martial Exalt Union, not the Union Leader. If Tang Sewoon turns his blade toward us, then we deal with him then.”
“What kind of nonsense is that! Don’t tell
you’re all afraid of the Tang Clan?!”
“…What?”
The unorthodox sects that had been called the pillars of Guizhou were being wiped out one after another.
When news spread that even forces allied with the Tang Clan had reached as far as the Beast Palace, the unorthodox factions were unable to hide their shock.
With the true face of the Sichuan Tang Clan and Tang Sewoon—who had even crushed the Qingcheng Sect—being fully revealed, the situation had beco dire.
Yongbi knew it as well.
His words were spoken only out of desperation to save Gong Taemun.
The martial artists of the Martial Exalt Union were not the sort who would retreat simply out of fear of such things.
“Hoo. I understand your feelings, having served Gong Taemun your whole life. You may follow Gong Taemun, but we follow the Martial Exalt Union.”
“……!”
“Our path is solely ‘martial arts.’ Even if one dies to an enemy, unless it was through an ambush or so despicable sche, there is no reason for us to move.”
Emotional reasons such as vengeance were not, to them, even the slightest justification to act.
“If the Union Leader returns, we welco him. If he doesn’t, then that’s all there is to it.”
“…….”
As Yongbi’s complexion turned deathly pale, the elder added one more line in that opening.
“That is the Martial Exalt Union. If an enemy cos, we fight. Those who leave are gone, and those who remain stay.”
The air in the hall sank unbearably heavy.
And then, at that very mont—
Kwaaaang—!
A trendous explosion echoed, incomparable to the sound of the table breaking.
“…!!”
“What the—!”
An explosion powerful enough to make the ground tremble. Everyone, including Yongbi and the elder, sprang to their feet.
–Enemy!!
–Enemies have infiltrated!!
The noise that followed made it clear.
Chaos had erupted outside.
Pabat!
The warriors inside propelled their bodies forward, pushing their movent arts to the extre.
Fierce whirlwinds scattered as they rushed, and in an instant, they arrived at the main gate of the Martial Exalt Union, where the explosion had occurred.
“Guhh…”
“Ugh!”
“…!!”
There lay shattered gate doors scattered in pieces, and Martial Exalt Union warriors sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.
Yet what truly shocked Yongbi and the others was not that sight.
It was the identity of the intruder who had dared trespass upon the Martial Exalt Union’s territory—soone utterly unexpected.
Swaaaa!
Staring blankly at the man whose entire body was surging with destructive energy—
“…Union Leader?”
Yongbi murmured in a dazed voice.
That was right. The one who had smashed the main gate of the Martial Exalt Union and subdued its subordinates was none other than Gong Taemun, who had vanished without a trace.
Why was the Martial Exalt Union Leader destroying his own ho, the Martial Exalt Union?
As everyone stood frozen in shock—
“Please, go ahead.”
Gong Taemun, disregarding their gazes entirely, turned his body and paid respectful courtesy toward soone behind him.
Step, step.
“They say that in the jianghu, you have to start by making a big scene. Only then do you at least get the chance to draw your sword.”
A young man who looked no more than barely past his coming-of-age, clad in a dark green martial uniform, stepped forward and spoke.
Chwaaaa!
Yet no one dared look down on him for his youth.
With his appearance, a formidable pressure poured out, stinging every inch of exposed skin and choking the air itself.
“So I gave it a good, loud try right from our first eting. Well then, what do you all think?”
Tang Sewoon spoke with an air of relaxed confidence.
But the silence did not last long.
Sreung!
“Do you think we’d have any special impressions? All you need to do is pay the price for your cris.”
The elder and all the mbers of the Martial Exalt Union drew their weapons at once.
“…Union Leader, why on earth…?”
At that mont, Yongbi, still in shock, spoke to Gong Taemun.
The other martial artists of the Martial Exalt Union all turned their gazes to him as well.
Gong Taemun answered simply.
“I now follow a master who is not the Martial Exalt Union.”
“……!!”
At those words, the temperature of the space changed.
The martial artists looked at one another, and so could not even open their mouths, staring with eyes that could not believe what they had heard.
“You say you follow him… what do you an by that…?”
At Yongbi’s words, Gong Taemun stared straight ahead and spoke quietly.
“I was defeated. I felt a difference so vast that I had no choice but to acknowledge it. And I received teachings so blessed that I could follow him as my master.”
Sssaa.
An icy silence descended once more.
Sreung!
At the sa ti, Yongbi drew his sword.
There was no longer any wavering left in his eyes.
Seeing that sight, the elder spoke in a cold voice.
“Union Leader, surely you’re not telling us to bow our heads to that man?”
“Of course not. That is rely your choice.”
Gong Taemun glared at the elder and slowly finished his words.
“I will simply suppress anyone, whoever they may be, who tries to harm my master.”
Seeing Gong Taemun brimming with loyalty, the warriors of the Martial Exalt Union let out hollow breaths.
“…Don’t tell
the Tang Clan even used mind-seizing techniques?”
“Sorry, but I don’t have the unpleasant hobby of brainwashing bearded n.”
“Then what on earth did you feed him to make him like that?”
The implication was whether so eye-watering bribe had been given.
At those words, Tang Sewoon stepped forward.
With both hands clasped behind his back, slowly.
“More precisely, I didn’t feed him anything. I showed him.”
With eyes tinged with amusent, he swept his gaze over everyone of the Martial Exalt Union who now surrounded him.
“To a true martial artist, the martial path he wished to see.”
“……!”
“You’re the sa. I’ll engrave it into your pupils as well.”
“…What?”
“Hm, are your brains all muscle too? You don’t understand unless it’s said plainly.”
Tang Sewoon slowly curled his finger.
“It ans I’ll trample every last one of you, one by one, until all your will to fight disappears.”
“Attack—!!”
Pabat!
The mont Sewoon finished speaking, the enemies surged toward him in a black tide.
“Now then, show at least half the worth of Gong Taemun.”
At that instant, the first enemy rushed in like lightning and hurled a fierce punch at Sewoon.
Swaeak!
True to his alias, Diamond Fist, a heavy blow like swinging a lump of iron ca flying toward Sewoon’s temple.
Kuuung!
Yet Tang Sewoon simply stepped forward a single pace toward the incoming strike—
And struck beneath the man’s elbow with his open palm.
“?!”
Kwaang—!
With the explosive sound, Geumcheom’s arm bent in midair at a place it should never bend, his balance collapsing as he rolled across the ground.
Thud.
“……!!”
He finally lost consciousness.
They had not even exchanged several moves. He had been subdued in a single strike.
“Next.”
Yet Tang Sewoon, with an expressionless face, spoke to the enemies rushing at him.
Tadat!
The second was a martial artist wielding twin maces the size of human heads.
Despite the grotesque weapons, he was a recognized expert, fad for fast martial arts that embodied the principle of speed.
Hwiik!
The man spun as if gliding through the air, unfolding techniques with movents reminiscent of autumn leaves swept by the wind.
Tang Sewoon did not interfere, allowing his opponent to fully complete his technique.
But at the very mont it was completed—
Chwaat!
“?!”
With a single step forward, he crashed in and shattered the man’s balance with absurd ease.
Swaeak!
Sewoon, moving like a storm, lightly kicked up the opponent’s ankle.
Dududuk!
“-!!”
With a horrific cracking sound, the opponent spun several tis in midair like a top before collapsing.
Slamming into the ground and twitching, he rolled his eyes back and fainted, just like the previous martial artist.
Without even catching his breath, Sewoon said,
“Next.”
Those who had been charging now sensed sothing was wrong and froze like stone statues.
Yet even in this urgent situation, Yongbi and the elder—both evaluated as second only to Gong Taemun in martial might within the Martial Exalt Union—were unable to join in.
Kwa-reureung!
Kwaaaang!
[“Union Leader, are you truly serious?”]
[“Of course. If it were
until two days ago, I would have thought the sa as you. But not now.”]
Although the two were launching a combined attack against Gong Taemun right beside him, they were unable to suppress him easily.
As the fierce battle continued, the two glanced at one another and let out low groans.
No—rather, the two were being pushed back.
‘…What on earth happened in just two days?’
He was swifter, and more precise, than two days ago.
Gong Taemun’s blade carried sharp, formless waves, completely dismantling every technique the two unfolded.
It had been an absolutely impossible sight just two days prior.
Kwaang—!
“Keuk!”
At that mont, Yongbi’s form finally collapsed under Gong Taemun’s single strike.
Everyone’s eyes widened.
Gong Taemun had been toying with his opponents.
One might think he had been taught so sinister art or demonic technique, yet the aura pouring from his entire body was no different from usual.
But there was one difference.
‘He evolved to an absurd degree.’
The martial arts he displayed had risen by an entire level—
No, at least two or three levels higher in realm.
Thud.
Starting with Yongbi, they fell to their knees one after another, bowing their heads.
That day, every sword of the Martial Exalt Union was broken in Sewoon’s hands.
Moved solely by martial arts, they accepted a new master.
And those swords would now all point in a single direction—
Naly, they would move according to Sewoon’s will.
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