Chapter 109

Chapter 109
## Chapter 109: The Bloody Conflict of the Yangtze (1)

“The situation is resolved.”

Despite being the center of every stunned gaze on the vessel, Cheol Woo remained perfectly composed.

He accepted the dry attire provided by Manchu, pulling the clothes on while gesturing toward the floating remains of the aquatic mammal with a smirk.

“The creature nearly threw me for a loop, but as you can witness, the conclusion was decisive.”

“Well executed.”

Sima Geon offered a strained, breathless laugh in response.

Neutralizing the opposition was expected, but even he hadn’t anticipated an assault led by someone mounted on a dolphin.

“Those river pirates are surprisingly resourceful. Had I sent my companion here, the outcome might have been less certain.”

Hearing this, Noe Jeon’s expression soured with irritation.

“That’s nonsense. Against mere river thieves? You’re making me sound far less capable than I am.”

Cheol Woo simply nodded toward the dead animal.

“Could you have managed that beast?”

“I…”

Noe Jeon faltered, his retort dying in his throat.

The idea of engaging a dolphin in combat was absurd. It was an affront to logic, and any rational person would have avoided such a bizarre encounter if given the choice.

“One of those low-life pirates was using it as a mount, striking from its back. Honestly, it disoriented me initially. I mean, who goes through the trouble of domesticating a creature like that for war?”

The onlookers found themselves nodding in reluctant agreement.

“But do you know who I am? I’m—”

“That’s enough.”

Seeing that Cheol Woo was about to launch into a self-aggrandizing monologue, Sima Geon intervened.

“Everyone needs to get below deck. Their initial gambit failed, so the next wave will be a total assault.”

“Listen to the man, keep moving! Don’t just stand there waiting to get hit by a stray arrow!”

As Sima Geon gave the order, the captain added his voice to the command, and the passengers hurried into the safety of the interior.

“Captain, you should seek shelter as well.”

“I have to stay at the wheel. Without a helmsman, we’ll never reach the banks.”

“Understood. We’re counting on you.”

While Sima Geon spoke with the captain, Cheol Woo shook the water from his hair like a wet dog and chimed in,

“Say, Boss, is it really necessary to keep the ship in motion?”

“What are you implying?”

“Even if we push forward, it doesn’t look like we’re going to bypass their blockade.”

“We have no choice but to attempt it. They have the advantage of numbers, and there could be more specialists among them. If we reach the shallows, we can survive even if the hull is compromised.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

The captain agreed with Sima Geon’s logic and took his position.

Sima Geon surveyed the deck.

Aside from the captain, two sailors, and the party led by Neung So Hwa standing further off, the deck had been cleared of non-combatants.

“They aren’t backing down.”

Noe Jeon noted the lingering presence of the other group. Cheol Woo let out a dismissive grunt.

“They seem to have an inflated sense of their own importance. Let them stay.”

Though Cheol Woo acted indifferent, Noe Jeon recognized the competitive spark in his eyes.

‘I see! Hearing that she might surpass the North Heaven Sword Demon has clearly piqued his pride.’

The North Heaven Sword Demon had once defeated Cheol Woo. Since Sima Geon had ranked Neung So Hwa even higher, Cheol Woo was naturally itching to prove himself.

—

“The mission was a failure.”

Watching the merchant craft through a crude long-distance glass, Ga Hyu gave a somber report.

While leaders like Yoo Ak and Cho Su had braced for this after the warnings from Yu Wol, the rest of the crew were visibly shaken.

The White Dolphin Squad’s total annihilation in their own element—the water—was a shocking precedent.

“What is our next move?”

“There is no debate—signal the full fleet. Envelop them and end this now.”

“I will take the lead.”

Deung Cheol, who had been simmering with rage, gripped his heavy axe and roared his intent.

“Proceed.”

Yoo Ak gave his consent. He was concerned that Deung Cheol’s thirst for revenge might lead to recklessness, but few could match the man’s raw martial prowess.

“They are attempting a breakout!”

At Ga Hyu’s shout, Yoo Ak focused on the merchant ship. Indeed, it was pivoting its prow toward the shoreline.

“Searching for dry land, are they?”

“Do they honestly think they can pass? Not with Cheon Rang Do standing in their path.”

Cho Su shook his head in disbelief.

Song Bo of Cheon Rang Do—a high-ranking elder who wielded immense power within the Yangtze Waterway Alliance—was famous for his uncontrollable malice.

“They won’t get through that line.”

Yoo Ak concurred.

However, Yu Wol, listening nearby, felt a sense of impending doom.

‘They are drastically underestimating the threat.’

The image of the Heavenly Sword Ship being split like a piece of firewood haunted her. She knew she had to intervene.

“They might actually succeed. We must close the distance immediately.”

Her interruption drew scowls from the other captains, but Yoo Ak, who held her in high regard, simply dismissed their annoyance.

“Speak freely. I was going to pursue them regardless, but you wouldn’t be this insistent without a reason.”

“Do you recall my report from last night?”

“Remind me.”

“I told you that during the escape from Hong Ik Bang, a single blow from that man decimated the pursuing vessel. I haven’t seen anything that terrifying since—”

Yoo Ak raised a hand to silence her.

“I remember. If you’re bringing it up now, you must be truly worried. But you’re missing a key detail.”

Yoo Ak pointed toward the ship obstructing the path.

“That isn’t a minor vessel like the one at Hong Ik Bang. That is Cheon Rang Do. They may not stop him completely, but they won’t fall without a fight. Song Bo is a hothead, but he isn’t weak.”

Yu Wol’s face remained a mask of concern, causing Yoo Ak to laugh.

“As I said before, I am eager to see this man you fear so much. Signal the drums!”

Following Yoo Ak’s order, Ga Hyu signaled a drummer.

**Dung! Dung! Dung!**

As the rhythmic thunder rolled across the Yangtze, the ships of the Waterway Alliance lunged forward as one.

—

“The swarm is moving.”

Sima Geon watched the pirate fleet close in.

Their own vessel had completed its turn and was picking up speed toward the shore.

“What about that one?”

Cheol Woo pointed to the ship anchored squarely in their path.

Despite the general attack signal, that specific ship stayed put, confident that its position alone was an impassable wall.

Sima Geon’s response was short and cold.

“We go through it.”

The distance between the two hulls vanished rapidly.

Alliance vessels were closing in from the flanks, but they weren’t the primary concern.

“We’re going to hit them!”

As the gap closed to less than twenty zhang, the captain shouted in terror.

A barrage of arrows began to fall like a winter storm from the enemy ship. Yet the blockade held its ground, prepared for the impact.

“Don’t panic, Captain! Just keep us steady. It seems these fools didn’t get the memo about what happened to the Hong Ik Bang fleet. They never learn.”

Cheol Woo grabbed a sturdy piece of a broken mast and shouted.

The captain opened his mouth to protest but went silent.

Sima Geon, who had been standing back, suddenly sprinted toward the bow and launched himself into the air.

His inner circle had seen this feat before and remained calm—though Manchu’s eyes were wide with anticipation.

The captain, the sailors, and the women preparing for a boarding action could only watch in stunned silence as Sima Geon defied gravity. Even Neung So Hwa’s composure wavered.

As he soared through the air, the internal energy of the Three Venerables One Heart Technique surged from his core.

**Woooong!**

The air hummed with power as the Heavenly Demon Ring transformed, the massive edge of the Heavenly Demon Sword manifesting in his grip.

“That’s the weapon…!”

Neung So Hwa gasped as Sima Geon reached the peak of his leap and brought the Heavenly Demon Sword down in a devastating vertical arc.

A colossal wave of blade energy, carrying his entire spiritual weight, crashed toward the blocking pirate vessel.

“Impossible!”

Song Bo of Cheon Rang Do looked up and saw his death descending.

It was a strike designed to cleave the very horizon.

He had laughed at Yu Wol’s warnings to avoid a direct confrontation, thinking she was merely making excuses for her own incompetence. Now, he saw the terrifying truth.

‘She didn’t exaggerate—she didn’t describe it nearly enough!’

There was no room for evasion.

To protect the pass—and his own life—he had to meet the strike.

Song Bo gripped his black blade, marked with the insignia of a wolf, and unleashed his most powerful defensive technique against the incoming energy.

**Kwa-kwa-kwang!**

The sheer force of the collision sent Song Bo flying backward. He coughed up blood, his internal organs rattled by the pressure.

He had managed to save the ship at the cost of his own vitality. The deck around him was shattered, but the vessel remained afloat, unlike the total destruction at Hong Ik Bang.

But the assault wasn’t finished.

As Sima Geon began to drop after his strike, the mast fragment Cheol Woo had thrown earlier passed beneath his boots.

Using the wood as a temporary platform, Sima Geon leaped again. He descended like a vengeful deity, swinging his blade a second time.

“No!”

Song Bo, slumped against the railing, watched in horror before closing his eyes.

Dozens of pirates rushed forward to shield their leader, but none could stand against the Thunderbolt Fury Blood Sword that erased everything in its trajectory.

**Kwa-kwa-kwang!**

Repeated bursts of blade energy hammered the pirate ship without mercy!

The vessel Song Bo had tried to protect began to disintegrate under the weight of the blows.

“Hold on to something! Impact imminent!”

Cheol Woo shouted with glee.

The merchant ship, maintaining its momentum, slammed into the wreckage of the pirate vessel.

**Kwaduduk!**

With the sound of groaning timber, the already ruined ship was pulverized, its remains scattered across the waves.

In the moment of collision, Sima Geon—who had touched down briefly on the enemy deck—leaped back to his own ship, landing exactly where he had started.

The entire exchange had taken only a few heartbeats.

Cheol Woo and Noe Jeon exchanged a satisfied look and gave a thumbs-up.

“That was amazing, Brother!”

Manchu yelled, his face glowing with worship.

Even though he had witnessed Sima Geon’s power before, it never failed to leave him breathless.

While Manchu cheered, others were paralyzed by the display.

“My Lady…”

Jin Rim whispered to Neung So Hwa, her voice shaking with adrenaline.

“I am aware.”

Neung So Hwa replied with a grim nod.

She knew exactly what her subordinate was thinking.

Keeping her eyes locked on Sima Geon, she spoke softly.

“I have to retract my previous assessment.”

“What do you mean? You said…”

“I said he was equal to my Master. I was wrong. I believe… he might actually be the stronger of the two.”

It is said that true mastery cannot be hidden from those who also walk the path.

Neung So Hwa had seen the depth of Sima Geon’s true power, a level of strength that remained invisible to the common eye.

‘Incredible.’

She looked down at her hands.

Her fists were clenched so tight they were damp with sweat.

She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart, then turned her gaze back to Sima Geon.

A new, intense fire burned in her eyes.

A flame that others would recognize as the spirit of a true warrior.