Chapter 223: Spreading The Name (1)

“Look there!”

“No. That side!”

Chachachang!

The sound of clashing metal filled the sky. Blue sparks flew across the darkness from where the sailors were looking.

They were faintly visible, but it only made the watchers guess how fierce the fight was.

Looking at this sight, the escort warriors yelled.

“Woahhhh!!”

“Warrior So Wonhwi is fighting the Blood Demon!”

They were all, of course, rejoicing.

“I-It looks like he defeated the pirates too!”

They believed that this fight caused the pirates to retreat. Actually, there was no clear reason why they would believe it, but it was likely because they had no choice but to have faith and excitement at So Wonwhi.

He was a hero-like figure.

“Ah! Look up!”

At that moment, something fell through the sky by the ship’s mast in a flash of silver. It wasn’t just falling, more so rushing to the ship.

“Woah!”

“Move!”

The sailors moved quickly to avoid being touched by the unknown silver flash, but something else came in to block it.

Chang!

Two swords clashed at a distance from the ship. It was the Blood Demon Sword and the Iron Sword.

One of the more skilled warriors managed to recognize them and shouted.

“It is the South Heavenly Iron Sword!”

“Did it stop the Blood Demon Sword?!”

Anyone could see that Iron Sword was protecting the ship from Blood Demon Sword. Perhaps due to this sight, the sailors looked excited.

“Warrior So Wonhwi is protecting us!”

“Come on! You are doing great!”

“So Wonhwi! So Wonhwi!”

Before they even realized it, the sailors and escort warriors were all cheering for Wonwhi. They believed that they would only be able to escape when the Blood Demon was defeated.

They thought this even though the Blood Demon didn’t damage their ship in the slightest. It was just their prejudice against the Evil Faction.

Chachachachang!

The Blood Demon Sword and Iron Sword fought over the ship and then flew back into the sky. The watchers could not take their eyes off the two swords.

And then, a faint scream.

“Kuak! Blood Demon, you bastard.”

And then a smaller voice.

“So Wonhwi. You are no match for me. Get lost.”

Even though the sailors were unsure of who was speaking, the escort warriors with some martial arts knowledge could hear the conversation. Their faces became dark.

From what they could hear, it was apparent that So Wonwhi was being pushed back.

At that moment, one of the warriors shouted.

“Ah! Look over there!”

A person was falling towards where the man pointed. As the figure came closer...

“Warrior So!”Nnêw n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com

It was So Wonhwi!

The falling So Wonwhi hit the sail that had been slightly spread out, lessening any potential fall damage he may have taken.

Many of the escort warriors went to where he fell.

They saw So Wonwhi’s pale and bloody face and asked.

“I-is Warrior So alright?”

“The injuries seem a bit serious?”

So Wonhwi coughed.

“Cough... Cough... is everyone alright?”

He was injured, but the man was worrying about them? This amazed all the warriors.

“We are all safe!”

“All thanks to Warrior So.”

Of course, not everyone was immediately elated. A few of the escort warriors asked anxiously,

“What happened to the Blood Demon?”

“Were you wounded by him?”

It seemed that they were concerned that Wonwhi was attacked by the Blood Demon and that they would be next. Wonwhi then replied.

“Cough cough... he really is someone with amazing martial arts. There is no way I can do anything with my current skills. He wounded me internally and then vanished.”

“He vanished?”

“I don’t know. When I got hit by his attack, I was lucky enough to touch his chest. Maybe he, too, was injured.”

Hearing this from So Wonhwi, the faces of the escort warriors brightened.

If that was true, the Blood Demon vanished because he received an injury. The people around Wonwhi cheered.

Ho Jin-gak, head of the merchant union, pushed himself through the warriors and bowed.

“Warrior So! Thanks to you, everyone was able to escape. Thank you.”

“I was just doing my job as a guest to an assigned escort service group.”

“No way. If you hadn’t defeated those pirates and fought off the Blood Demon, who among us would even be alive.”

“The young master’s words are correct. This is all thanks to Warrior So.”

“Right! All thanks to you!”

“Woahhhh!!”

Seeing them all cheering, So Wonhwi waved his hand and said,

“You seem to have misunderstood. It wasn’t I who defeated the pirates.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I arrived, the pirates were hastily sailing away already.”

This confused everyone as Ho Jin-gak asked,

“What do you mean?”

“When I arrived on the ship, I found that all of them, including the leader of the Beggars Union, had collapsed. At that moment, the Blood Demon was also there, so I thought that he must have fought off the pirates. However, he told me not to misunderstand his actions. So how should I even consider his words?”

At So Wonhwi’s words, everyone had a strange expression.

As if they all had their own guesses.

“Why, though?”

Ho Jin-gak, who was silent, then mumbled.

“Actually, Warrior So...”

So Wonwhi’s eyes shone as he looked at Ho Jin-gak as the latter began explaining the events that happened before they passed out.

I left the ship and returned while riding on Iron Sword.

Instead of giving it to Cho Seong-won, I handed it to an elder.

“A keepsake from the union leader.”

The elder who received it mumbled in confusion.

“What kind of life would it have been if he stayed on the ship....”

He looked genuinely sorrowful. Judging by his age, he must have spent many years with the Beggars Union leader.

Ui Gu-saeng turned around and presented the stick to Cho Seong-won with both hands.

“Accept this.”

Cho Seong-won, who looked sad, pretended to be surprised.

“Elder, how can....”

How awkward.

Right.

Fortunately, no one from the Beggars Union seemed to share my thoughts. It was strange to care about such detailed minute feelings when trying to appoint a new leader.

The elder then said.

“It is natural for you to succeed in the position of leader. Take this.”

His words were echoed by the others.

“Take it!”

In response, Cho Seong-won pretended to be against it but took the stick as if he had no choice.

-You kept your promise.

I did.

After taking his revenge, Cho Seong-won was now back where he belonged.

No, he had received more than that.

Now that he had become the leader of the Beggars Union, I had control of the most information in Murim.

I wanted to smile, but I didn’t show it outright.

“Come over and gather up.”

Hearing the elder’s order, the other members of the Beggars Union gathered and crossed their hands. They put them on their chests and, one by one spat on Cho Seong-won.

“Spit!”

-Uh? Why are they spitting on him?

Ah...

I think I’ve heard of this. I was told that this was a custom of the beggars when a new leader was appointed.

I think it was a symbol to show that the head of the beggars should look the worst. Well, beggars were beggars, after all.

“Kuak!”

In the meantime, what was with that man trying to collect the spit?

I was frowning when Sima Young said,

[Young lord. Can you come over?]

In response, I looked at the Beggars Union.

After the spitting was done, they each spoke some words about defending the sect, and it seemed like they were doing other necessary things to appoint a new leader. It seemed it would take time, so I followed her.

I went down to the shore and saw Song Jwa-baek and Song Woo-hyun, who had been missing from the ship.

I had wondered idly if the twins had decided to just follow Hwang Hye-joo, but it didn’t seem like it.

‘Uh?’

But another person was lying there. I noted that half of their body was burned and tanned.

“This one is?”

Song Jwa-baek answered.

“After disembarking, I went around to look for other ambushes and found this one crawling out of the water.”

Ahh...

This one was quite amazing.

Did they make it all the way here on their own after being caught in the explosion?

Sima Young saw my surprise and said,

“But this man hasn’t died yet.”

Hearing this, I approached the corpse-like Jang Mun-ryang. The man’s condition was severe, but it seemed like he would survive.

‘Does he not have the ability to recover?’

Judging from his body, he could surely recover from this, yet oddly the burns did not heal.

‘Uh?’

No.

I moved closer to get a better look. It wasn’t that the burns were not healing, but they were healing too slowly.

Was it not noticeable due to its slowness?

“Ugh. He seems to be getting better.”

Song Jwa-baek said this as he finally noticed it. It was as if the recovery didn’t happen before this.

Pss...

The tanned skin was falling off his body. The recovery speed was getting faster, and Sima Young pulled out her sword from its sheath.

“If he is recovering, then should I cut him down?”

“No. Wait.”

If he was recovering, I could just seal his dantian and question him. With his strength, he should hold a high position in his organization.

“Woohyun, hold his arms and legs.”

“You will seal his dantian?”

“Yes.”

Hearing this, the twins moved to secure the man’s arms and legs.

Following up, I put my hand on his dantian.

Because of the swift recovery, even a broken dantian would recover, so I decided to simply seal it.

The moment that my qi was about to make contact with his dantian.

Jang Mun-ryang began to struggle.

The twins holding his limbs were even pushed back.

Puak!

“Kuak!”

The man’s eyes, nose, and mouth expressed clear pain at the blow.

Ahh... just the sight of it made me sick.

“What the hell!”

Song Jwa-baek was enraged, and his eyes turned red as he rushed forward.

There was no time to stop him.

As Song Jwa-baek rushed forward and kicked him, the man shrank down and shouted.

“D-do not hit. Mun-ryang is in pain when you hit him.”

‘...?!’