Reaper of the Drifting Moon Chapter 526
Changsu was a town a few hundred li south of Lake Poyang.
Although less well known than its neighbors, Changsu was quite a large city.
Located between Poyang Lake and the Jade Mountain, it had a scenic location and was on a major highway, so many people traveled to Changshu every day.
The most influential sect in Changshu was the Jade Flower Gate.
It was founded in Jade Mountain and moved to Jangsu as the times changed. This was because Jade Flower Gate, neither a Taoist nor a Buddhist order, had little to gain from Jade Mountain.
As a significant city, Changsu naturally attracted many people.
And where crowds gathered, power was inevitably found. The Jade Flower Gate, slowly claiming such power, emerged as the dominant sect in Changshu.
The influence in Changsu was by no means small.
The Jade Flower Gate disciples infiltrated the courier stations, merchant associations, and trading posts in the city, seizing key positions.
Naturally, the influence of Jade Flower Gate was strongly felt in these guilds and other entities.
And thus, Jade Flower Gate became the power-holder in Changsu.
Cho Mu-Yang, the head of Jade Flower Gate, lived worry-free as the ruler of Changshu.
In Changshu, there were none to challenge his authority, and his ambitions were not vast.
He was content as the ruler of Changshu and had no desire to exert his influence beyond the city.
By keeping his ambitions local, he avoided needless conflicts.
The problem arose recently.
“The issue is the Kangho Great War. That damned Kangho Great War…”
Cho Mu-Yang muttered, seated in his study.
The occurrence of the Kangho Great War was not a problem in itself. He could simply choose not to participate.
The real issue was the location of the tournament.
“Of all places, it had to be Poyang Lake…”
The distance from Poyang Lake to Changshu was merely a few hundred li.
Moreover, the main road to Poyang Lake ran directly through Changshu.
A significant number of those participating in the Kangho Great War stopped by Changsu on their way to Poyang Lake.
Of course, the martial artists who stayed in Changsu were all excited about the Kangho Great War, strutting around as if they were about to become heroes.
Their presence disrupted the city’s atmosphere.
The local martial artists were, inevitably, influenced by this.
Many of the martial artists in Changsu belonged to the Jade Flower Gate, and a handful of them set off for Poyang Lake, intending to demonstrate their prowess.
The departure of these martial artists was not of great concern.
In life, there are always a few hotheads who do not know the ways of the world and run riot. But they seldom live long.
There was no need for him to worry about the martial artists who had willingly entered the fray.
What concerned him were the two invitations in his hand. One had come from the Silver Lotus Hall and the other from the Golden Heavenly Hall.
“Really a dog’s life,”
Cho Mu-Yang furrowed his brows.
He had expected that one day he would be forced to make a choice, but now that it was a reality, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
The content within the invitations was straightforward. They were calling him to join their fight.
Joining the Goldenly Heavenly Hall would make him an enemy of the Silver Lotus Hall, and siding with the Silver Lotus Hall would put him against the Goldenly Heavenly Hall.
This was a predicament for Cho Mu-Yang, who harbored no great ambitions.
Whichever side he chose, the peace he had enjoyed so far would be lost.
But he also couldn’t refrain from making a choice.
Neighbouring sects had already been visited by envoys from both sides, and they too had been forced to choose.
If the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall were just alliances of minor factions, Cho Mu-Yang would not have had to worry about this.
The problem was that both factions were backed by some of the most powerful sects in the world.
In essence, the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall were proxies in a war between these great powers.
Whatever choice Cho Mu-Yang made, he would inevitably incur the hostility of those on the opposing side.
It would be fine if it was just hostility, but if he makes a wrong move, the Jade Flower Gate under his leadership could be forced to close its doors.
“Hu!”
The more he thought about it, the more he sighed.
He was angry at the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall for forcing him to make such an extreme choice.
With the lives of the Jade Flower Gate members hanging in the balance, his decision was not one to be taken lightly.
His head was spinning.
Practicing his martial arts always helped clear his tangled mind.
Once he had worked up a sweat, he was sure things would become a little clearer.
Cho Mu-Yang reached for the sword hanging on the wall.
Its name was Golden Emperor.
The name of the sword was elegantly engraved on the hilt.
It was a renowned sword that had existed for hundreds of years.
It hadn’t been long since he acquired the Golden Emperor, but every time he held it, he felt a sense of peace.
Just as Cho Mu-Yang was about to begin practicing with Golden Emperor,
“That sword, it looks good.”
Suddenly, a deep, eerie voice echoed through the air.
Cho Mu-Yang, startled, turned his gaze towards the source of the voice.
This was Cho Mu-Yang’s residence
At this late hour, even his disciples did not dare to stir. Thus, the voice of a stranger was all the more shocking.
Where he looked, he saw an old man who resembled a wolf.
His grey hair was so bushy it was hard to tell when he had last combed it, and he had a long beard that reached down to his chest. He wore a grey martial arts uniform that had been worn and washed countless times. Strangely, a sword hung from his back.
He looked no different from a common beggar seen on the streets, yet, Cho Mu-Yang couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the old man.
Cho Mu-Yang questioned the old man.
“Who are you, old man? How did you manage to enter this place? There should have been guards.”
“If you’re referring to the guards, I recommend you replace them.”
“What do you mean?”
“They are as useful as scarecrows. How can such individuals protect such a precious sword?”
“Sword? Are you referring to Golden Emperor?”
“Yes. You seem unfit to possess it. Therefore, hand it over to me.”
“Harrumph!”
In a sudden moment, Cho Mu-Yang roared like a lion.
Only then did he realize that the old man sought Golden Emperor.
“I don’t know where you heard about the ‘Golden Emperor’, but you should turn around and leave. This sword is not for the likes of you to covet.
“Heh, heh! You are repeating my words. That sword is too precious to rot away through mere training.”
The old man stepped towards Cho Mu-Yang.
As he approached, Cho Mu-Yang’s eyes fluttered nervously.
He tried to gather his inner strength to counteract the old man’s energy, but his body shook like a willow tree.
The pressure emitted by the old man was simply immense.
‘Just who on earth is he?’
Cho Mu-Yang desperately racked his brains. But it felt as if his mind was empty, with no thoughts or ideas coming to him.
Ultimately, he gave up thinking and drew the Golden Emperor from its scabbard.
Swish!
The hidden blade of ‘Golden Emperor’ revealed itself, shedding a dark light.
The old man’s eyes widened momentarily.
“Indeed, a fine sword.”
Greed filled his eyes.
It was too fine a sword for a martial artist like Cho Mu-Yang to own.
‘Golden Emperor’ was more than just a legendary sword. It was beyond that.
One would not know unless they had wielded it, but once they did, they would understand how useful such a fine sword could be.
The old man knew this fact, having wielded the sword on his back.
He stroked the hilt of the sword on his back with his fingertips.
The two characters “Gong po” (工布) could be felt at his fingertips.
Three treasured swords, made by the legendary craftsman Gu Yazawa and Gan Jang .
Among them was Taeea, Longyuan, and this Gongpo, which was known as one of the ‘Three Great Swords’.
This was the famed sword ‘GongPo’ that he had once taken from a boy named Soma.
Before he acquired Gongpo, the old man always carried half a dozen swords on his back.
This was because his immense internal energy would often cause his swords to shatter, thus necessitating a surplus.
But now, it was different.
Gongpo was strong and sharp enough to withstand his internal energy. This allowed him to unleash his martial arts without fear of the sword breaking. However, having used Gongpo extensively, he feared that it might soon wear out.
He again felt the need to prepare an extra sword.
Even if Gongpo did not break, having a spare would undoubtedly make him feel more secure.
At that moment, he heard news of Cho Mu-Yang possessing a famed sword called ‘Golden Emperor’.
Fortunately, he was not far from Changshu, where the news had come from, so he hurried over without a second thought.
The old man spoke.
“My name is King Gujin.”
“You… you’re the Wolf King?”
It was then that Cho Mu-Yang recognized the old man’s identity.
The Wolf King, King Gujin.
One of the Eight Constellations, a martial artist as ferocious as a wolf.
He had caused many troubles, but his martial arts skills were so formidable that no one could control him.
“Are you really the great Wolf King, King Gujin?”
“I don’t know about ‘great’, but I am King Gujin.”
“Why would someone of your stature covet Golden Emperor?”
“There’s nothing more wasteful than a pearl necklace on a pig’s neck. Every artifact deserves an owner that matches its quality.”
“Are you calling me a pig now?”
“If not, prove it to me.”
“Very well! Even though you are a member of the Eight Constellations, I cannot tolerate such an insult.”
Cho Mu-Yang infused energy into Golden Emperor. The sword shone brighter, radiating its existence.
Despite Cho Mu-Yang’s fierce determination, King Gujin chuckled.
“Heh! There was once another fool who dared to challenge me like you are doing now.
However, he was quite dangerous. I wonder about you.”
“Silence!”
Cho Mu-Yang bellowed and executed the Shadowless Demon Subduing Sword, a renowned martial art.
Whoosh!
Even though he saw the Golden Emperor flying towards him, King Gujin did not avoid it.
He had no reason to refuse a duel that was offered on a silver platter.
Cho Mu-Yang collided with King Gujin with all his might.
Boom! Boom!
Successive explosions echoed around the Jade Flower Gate, shaking it like an earthquake.
“What’s going on?”
“What is this?”
Startled martial artists who were sound asleep came rushing out.
They quickly realized that the commotion was coming from Cho Mu-Yang’s residence and ran over. But, upon arrival, they were met with a bloody corpse.
It didn’t take long for them to realize that the corpse belonged to Cho Mu-Yang.
“No way!”
“Master!”
The disciples embraced Cho Mu-Yang’s body and cried out in despair.
＊＊＊
Flap!
A homing pigeon gracefully landed on Sal-no’s hand.
The well-trained bird folded its wings and entrusted its body to Sal-no.
Sal-no untied the small tube tied to the homing pigeon’s leg.
Inside the tube was a tightly rolled note.
As Sal-no read the note, he furrowed his brows.
“Tsk!”
“What’s the matter?”
A man approached Sal-no. He was Thunder Eye, a member of the Ten Blood Assassins.
In response to Thunder Eye’s question, Sal-no silently handed over the note.
After reading it, Thunder Eye snickered.
“Well, it’s the same old story……”
“That’s the problem.”
“Why so?”
“It means that the world is in such chaos that such things are commonplace.”
The note detailed the events happening around the Poyang Lake area.
It described how many people died that day and which martial artists had fought each other.
But the most shocking news was that the leader of the Jade Flower Gate in Changshu had been killed by someone.
Thunder Eye looked at Sal-no with a cold gaze.
“Are you suddenly feeling compassionate? Why are you uncharacteristically sentimental?”
“You might feel the same when you realize that your death isn’t too far off.”
“Tch! I’d retire before becoming so sentimental.”
“Retire?”
“You can’t be an assassin forever.”
“Are you dreaming of a normal life too?”
“For now, yes.”
“Good luck with that.”
Thunder Eye’s eyebrows twitched at Sal-no’s sarcastic tone, but he quickly hid it with an
indifferent look.
“Well, thanks to someone, my retirement will be postponed.”
“Are you excited too?”
“Not exactly excited, but I am somewhat attracted.”
“Well, any assassin’s heart would be pounding.”
“Do you really think it’s possible?”
“Haven’t you experienced it?”
“Well……”
Thunder Eye grimaced.
He had a lot to say, but he knew it would only make him look ridiculous.
Thunder Eye looked at the Sol Family Pavilion.
The man who had defeated him was there.
“Well, he was damned strong.”
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