noveldepot Chapter 435 : Namgung Yu and Hwae Ungyeong in Crisis (1)
Chapter 435 : Namgung Yu and Hwae Ungyeong in Crisis (1)
Chapter 435: Namgung Yu and Hwae Ungyeong in Crisis (1)
Demonic Master spoke to Hyang Byeok, who stood blankly.
“From here on, you’ll handle this place, Chief Hyang. If this task ends well, you’ll be promoted to Chief Superintendent.”
In the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Chief Superintendent was a position wielding immense authority—not only overseeing intelligence but also managing internal affairs.
In the past, this role was second only to the Three Taegongs in power.
Hyang Byeok reflexively bowed and replied.
“Understood.”
It was a natural reaction, given that Eum Sajuk’s aura felt as overwhelming as that of a Grandmaster of a major faction.
Hwae Ungyeong hadn’t spoken much with Namgung Yu before.
However, during their escort mission for the Southern Sky King’s procession, they were able to converse a great deal.
That was possible because the two shared a common topic of interest.
“You’re saying Young Master Yong said that?”
Hwae Ungyeong looked at Namgung Yu with surprised eyes and asked.
“I’m telling you, he did. At that time, he told me there was no reason a woman and a man couldn’t be friends, and that he’d call me ‘Ah-yu.’”
Namgung Yu explained while recalling how Yong Hwarin had called her ‘Ah-yu.’
“To be honest, I used to believe that men and women couldn’t be friends. But seeing how Hwarin didn’t care about that at all made me think he was really special.”
Though she was speaking excitedly, there was a hint of melancholy in Namgung Yu’s eyes as she said it.
‘Ah… even though she became friends with Young Master Yong, she still hasn’t let go of her feelings for him.’
This was precisely why it was difficult for men and women to be just friends.
Once one of them began harboring romantic feelings, that friendship inevitably cracked.
Friendship involved no sense of possession, but love did.
‘She’s been suppressing those feelings all this time.’
Namgung Yu spoke of Yong Hwarin with liveliness, but whenever the thought that she was merely his friend crept in, a faint emptiness showed through.
Because she was in the same position, Hwae Ungyeong could empathize with Namgung Yu’s emotions.
Hwae Ungyeong believed she had a deep bond with Yong Hwarin in her own right.
He had saved both her and her father’s lives, and protected the Heavenly Sea Trading Company. Because of that, she believed no one had a stronger connection to him than she did.
But contrary to her expectations, their relationship hadn’t progressed at all.
Yong Hwarin had always treated her as a merchant, not a woman.
What she had taken for granted slowly turned into disappointment and regret.
Yet, there was nothing about her that allowed her to call herself ‘his woman.’
That fact pained Hwae Ungyeong the most.
Despite having so many chances to become closer, she hated her own dullness and foolishness that kept her from truly connecting with Yong Hwarin.
So, deep inside, she began pushing him away.
Around him were always beautiful women with martial prowess far beyond hers.
That made her shrink back, unable to draw near.
She only treated him as the savior of her life—someone she would give even her life to aid.
‘He’s just the man who saved my life.’
That was how she had watched over Yong Hwarin—until she saw Namgung Yu, whose heartache ran even deeper than her own. That sight left her heart aching.
“Thankfully, I heard that the Heavenly Central Sect managed to block the Daebyeol Sect Alliance’s assault, so I feel relieved.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Miss Hwae. Hwarin surely won’t forget your help either.”
Namgung Yu praised Hwae Ungyeong for delivering the Heavenly Central Sect’s martial uniforms to the Southern Sky King’s Division.
“I only returned a small part of what I received from him.”
The two of them left the inn and resumed their journey toward the Heavenly Central Sect.
They hastened their steps, eager to help.
Namgung Yu stopped walking when she sensed something strange in the silence—so still even the birds weren’t singing.
“Let’s stop here for a moment.”
Seeing Namgung Yu tense up, Hwae Ungyeong signaled the escorts behind them.
The escorts, composed of warriors from the Bloodgreen Battalion, immediately assumed a defensive formation.
Some of them scattered into the surroundings to scout the area.
However, those who dispersed never returned.
Seeing that, Namgung Yu was convinced that there were enemies lying in ambush, though she didn’t know who they were.
“It seems the remnants of the Daebyeol Sect Alliance have come. Prepare yourselves—this may turn into a battle.”
Hwae Ungyeong nodded.
Namgung Yu infused her voice with qi and shouted.
“Come out!”
When their ambush was exposed, Cheong Geommin twisted his lips.
The fact that they had been discovered so easily wounded his pride.
But more than that, Namgung Yu’s keen senses unsettled him.
As Cheong Geommin emerged from the forested hill, Namgung Yu threw him a cold glare.
“You may be affiliated with the Namung Alliance and even part of the Wudang Sect’s branch family, but I can’t understand why you’d resort to such disgraceful tactics.”
“Honor doesn’t put food on the table, does it?”
“You think you can still survive in Murim after this? Do you think the Orthodox Murim will let the Muhuomun be? No—even your main family won’t let you off.”
“Hahaha, seems like the poison’s taken full effect. But it won’t matter if no one makes it out of here alive.”
“You think someone like you and the likes of the Muhuomun can handle me?”
“Ahahah! Just because you’ve been hanging around Yong Hwarin, don’t go thinking you’re like him! Maybe Yong Hwarin could be trouble—but you? You and those with you, I can handle with just my own forces.”
“Oh yeah? Then let’s see you try.”
Namgung Yu drew her venomous sword. Long ago, in a battle alongside Yong Hwarin against the Celestial Demon Ghost King, she had come to understand the power of poison swords.
That’s why she wasn’t afraid, even with many enemies around.
Cheong Geommin began to change his mind.
Originally, he planned to vent his anger by killing the two of them,
but he realized revenge alone wouldn't be enough.
Not long ago, he had heard news that the Daebyeol Sect Alliance was driven back without even managing a proper attack, and it made him change his mind.
‘I should take them hostage to secure safety for myself and the main sect.’
He hadn't expected the Daebyeol Sect Alliance to collapse so absurdly easily.
Even if his own forces pulled out, he thought the remaining members would regroup and harass the Heavenly Central Sect. But to hear the war ended in a single blow—he was dumbfounded.
In that sense, it was truly fortunate he had pulled out at the right moment.
“Leave the two women alive—kill the rest!”
As Cheong Geommin gave the order, the warriors of the Muhuomun attacked.
Though they were outnumbered, Namgung Yu and the Bloodgreen Battalion fought evenly against the Muhuomun warriors.
Had their numbers been similar, the Muhuomun warriors wouldn't have survived.
Even as the elite of the Muhuomun, they couldn't handle a bunch of escorts—it enraged him.
“You useless fools!”
More than anything, as Cheong Geommin’s cherished subordinates were taken down one by one by Namgung Yu’s venomous sword, he shouted out.
“Brother Jeok! Attack now!”
Cheong Geommin had devised a tactic with Jeok Gwang in advance: a pincer strategy using a feint and surprise attack.
But at the sudden shout of his name, Jeok Gwang, who was hiding in the forest, rose to his feet.
“If you call out my name like that, the ambush loses its effect. I didn’t know he was this stupid.”
Jeok Gwang looked at Cheong Geommin with an exasperated face.
Still, now was the time to fight.
“All units, assist the Muhuomun in wiping out the enemy!”
As the warriors of the Songcheon Sect joined the fray, the Bloodgreen Battalion began to be pushed back.
Though Namgung Yu swung her venomous sword and struck down enemies, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Unless she was cutting down three or four with every strike, taking one or two at a time wasn’t going to balance the numbers.
Once the warriors of the Songcheon Sect joined the fight, they began launching coordinated attacks, and the Bloodgreen Battalion warriors started dying one by one.
As two hours passed, the fifty or so escorts had been reduced by half.
Gritting her teeth, Namgung Yu said,
“I’ll hold this place. Miss Hwae, you must escape.”
Yong Hwarin had personally entrusted her with the escort mission, and Namgung Yu wanted to protect Hwae Ungyeong even if it cost her life.
She believed that was the only way to repay Yong Hwarin’s trust in assigning her that task.
However, Hwae Ungyeong shook her head.
“I will not run.”
“Why not?”
“If I live and you die, how could I face Young Master Yong?”
“Throwing your life away over something like that is foolish.”
Namgung Yu scolded her, but Hwae Ungyeong asked in return,
“If I die and only you survive, could you face Young Master Yong? Isn’t that why you’re risking your life to protect me?”
She struck right at the heart of it, and Namgung Yu had no reply.
Neither of them wanted to disappoint Yong Hwarin more than anything else.
To them, that was a fate more terrifying than death.
“They say a merchant dies for money, a warrior dies for honor, a child dies from curiosity, and a woman dies for love. I used to think that was nonsense… but maybe it’s true.”
At Namgung Yu’s words, Hwae Ungyeong smiled faintly.
There wasn’t a trace of fear on her face.
Having lived close to death for a long time, Hwae Ungyeong accepted such moments calmly.
She thought of her life as a bonus—so she had nothing to regret.
“Then stay behind me. I’ll carve a path out.”
Namgung Yu charged straight toward where Cheong Geommin and Jeok Gwang stood.
The only way to escape now was to kill those two.
“Anyone who blocks my path dies!”
As Namgung Yu radiated the resolve of a warrior and mercilessly cut down the enemies in her way, Hwae Ungyeong watched her in awe.
‘She truly is a woman worthy of being Young Master Yong’s companion.’
How many women could dive into such a battle without even a sliver of fear?
‘Aside from the Three Slaughter Three Chivalries, probably none.’
Suddenly, Hwae Ungyeong smiled faintly, remembering the Three Slaughter Three Chivalries, who loved battle more than eating.
For some reason, Namgung Yu overlapped with the image of those three.
As Namgung Yu cut down the warriors of the Songcheon Sect and drew closer, Jeok Gwang roared,
“You bitch! You’re mad to throw your life away!”
Jeok Gwang charged toward the oncoming Namgung Yu.
But Cheong Geommin backed away.
He knew exactly what kind of woman Namgung Yu was.
Jeok Gwang, on the other hand, didn’t know her and dismissed her as just another sword-wielding woman.
“Brother Jeok! Fall back! Let the subordinates handle that wench!”
But Jeok Gwang cursed back at him.
“You dumb bastard! Scared of a woman like that? No wonder you ran from the Heavenly Central Sect without a fight.”
There wasn’t a single thing he liked about Cheong Geommin.
But soon after, Jeok Gwang realized why that arrogant Cheong Geommin had told him to fall back.
With a sword infused with poison, Namgung Yu attacked using the Namgung Clan’s secret art—the Limitless Sky Venom Sword Technique—and Jeok Gwang realized he couldn’t block it with his own skill.
He hadn’t expected Namgung Yu’s sword techniques to be this refined.
Even when she had cut through subordinates, he had thought she was simply winning thanks to her venomous sword.
“Damn it!”
Just as he turned to flee, Namgung Yu had already slipped in from his right flank.
Startled, Jeok Gwang looked to the side—only to see Namgung Yu grinning at him.
Just as he found that smile dazzling, his vision blurred.
A cold sensation touched his neck, and as he instinctively reached for it, he felt his head falling beneath his own hand.
‘Damn it…!’
And just like that, Jeok Gwang’s final words became a curse.