The air outside the auction arena didn't carry the freshness of the night; it smelled of iron and impending rain.
Namgoong Shuo exited the hall with the jade box clutched tightly, his four elite guards forming a diamond formation around him.
The "ordinary" crowd parted like the Red Sea, their faces pale. They knew that the victory of the Namgoong Sect was merely the signal for a hunt to begin.
From a high balcony, Tae Yun watched them leave. He turned to Soo-bin and Branch Manager Liang. "Stay here with the guards. Do not leave the Union's protection until the sun rises."
He slipped away into the shadows, the Veil of the Nameless activating with a faint shimmer.
The Gate of Slaughter -
The Namgoong party was intercepted just a hundred meters from the Azure Gate.
The Iron Mountain Sect and the Golden Crow Union's mercenaries had blocked the road.
Elder Mu Tian stepped forward, his massive saber carving a deep groove in the cobblestones.
"Namgoong Shuo," Mu Tian growled. "Leave the box, and you might live to see tomorrow."
The fight erupted with a roar. Namgoong Shuo revealed his true power as a Peak Master, his blue Qi-slashes bisecting mercenaries in streaks of light.
Nearby, the City Lord watched from a distance with his guards. Despite his desperation for that medicine, he remained still. He was a man of honor, and he knew that provoking the Namgoong family would bring ruin to his city.
But Shadows moved,
Lady Xue Lan struck like a phantom, her attacks precise and venomous.
Yan Luo, the Wandering Blade, slipped through gaps in the formation, his killing intent sharp enough to cut air itself.
The diamond formation began to fracture.
Suddenly, the Poison Master's hidden "gift" on the jade box activated. Namgoong Shuo stumbled, coughing black blood. As Shuo's Qi heated the air, the toxin entered his lungs.
the "invincible" formation began to crumble under the weight of the toxin and the combined assault.
Tae Yun arrived at the scene, but thanks to the Veil of the Nameless, he was a ghost. He walked through the blood-soaked battlefield, and no one "saw" him.
He stopped, his eyes fixed on Namgoong Shuo.
[Wise Man's Eye: Activating]
He observed the flow of the Namgoong Imperial Sword Style used by Shuo. He saw the flaws in the execution and the hidden potential of the lineage.
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[SYSTEM NOTICE]
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[Namgoong Sword Style] has been analyzed.
Optimizing...
Optimized version [Heavenly Sword of the Void] is now available.
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Just as Elder Mu Tian's massive saber swung down to crush the weakened Shuo, Tae Yun flicked a single pebble from the ground.
CRACK—!
The pebble hit the saber with the force of a falling meteor, shattering the heavy blade into a thousand jagged pieces.
The entire battlefield froze. Peak Masters looked around in terror, sensing a presence they could not see.
Tae Yun stood ten feet away. He realized that if the Namgoong representative died here, the clan's main army would likely raze Azure Gate in retaliation.
The Appearance of the Sword God -
Under the cover of the veil, Tae Yun's body shifted. He transformed into the legendary Sword Saint, one of the many characters that he had in the game, a rugged, white-haired elder with a frame like a mountain. He allowed his presence to become visible.
The air in the street turned cold as the "Old Man" stepped into the light.
The Wandering Blade, Yan Luo, seeing the distraction, tried to sneak-attack Shuo to snatch the box.
Sword Saint (Tae Yun) didn't even draw a weapon. He simply made a horizontal slash movement with his bare hand.
A formless, invisible blade of pressure sliced through the air.
"Thud."
Yan Luo, a First-Rate master, fell in two pieces. Mu Tian and other First rank martial artists became numb, they were shaken to the core. The rest of the martial artists retreated in horror.
"Stand," the Sword Saint (Tae Yun) commanded Shuo. "Get in the wagon."
The Namgoong guards hurried Shuo into the carriage. As they sped toward the city exit, they met the Namgoogn sect elite backup squad, they were waiting for any kind of distress signal if any problems erupted.
Tae Yun realized his intervention had prevented these warriors from turning the city into a graveyard.
The Silent Healing -
Inside the wagon, Sword Saint (Tae Yun) touched Shuo's back, pretending to circulate energy while the Lotus Band absorbed the black poison.
Namgoong Shuo felt a mountain of warmth and watched in awe as the "Old Master" effortlessly undid a Poison Master's work. His breathing stabilized, and the black veins on his neck receded.
"He used an invisible blade... and he knows our style better than our elders..." Shuo thought, his heart filled with a respect bordering on fear. He assumed this was the Flying Crane Merchant Union's hidden trump card.
Once the poison was completely gone, Namgoong Shuo stood and bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the floorboards.
-"This junior... thanks the Great Senior for saving my life and the honor of the Namgoong Sect. I shall never forget this grace."
Sword Saint (Tae Yun) gave a short, silent nod. Shuo thanked him one last time and left with his squad, the wagon disappearing into the night.
By the time Tae Yun returned to the inn as himself, the city was in shock.
The Wandering Blade was dead, the Golden Crow Merchant Union was in hiding, and the legend of the White-Haired Sword Saint was born.
The City Lord's guards were busy clearing the bodies, but they handled the area with extreme care, fearing the "Old Man" might still be watching.
For the whole city The Flying Crane Merchant Union had just become the most untouchable power in Azure Gate.