Chapter 447
Swoosh.
The swift warship cut through the water, moving forward in silence.
The Water Dragon Stronghold’s pirates rowed their oars mechanically, their lips tightly sealed, while Mu Song stared stiffly ahead, his expression unyielding.
“What a mood,” I thought, clicking my tongue internally as I surveyed the surroundings.
Currently, there were four warships heading towards Dongting Stronghold.
The atmosphere aboard, however, was worlds apart from when we had sailed to Hubei.
The cause of the shift was the new faces aboard—ones we hadn’t encountered before.
“The Zhuge Clan and the Wudang Sect.”
These two prestigious factions, who dominate Hubei, had filled the four warships with their disciples.
From a single glance, it was evident they were elite warriors chosen in preparation for any potential bloodshed. Each of them exuded skill and capability.
And at the center of this formidable gathering stood two men.
“The wind feels particularly strong today, doesn’t it, Lord Zhuge?” asked the Taoist elder, his voice steady.
Zhuge Pung replied nonchalantly, “There’s no need for concern. Winds like this will only make our task easier.”
“How so? I’ve heard of dozens of ships sinking in gentler winds than these.”
“While the skill of the crew is certainly important, warships like these—symbolic of the Yangtze River Waterway League—are fundamentally superior to other vessels. They harness the wind, becoming even more powerful.”
“Though I’ve heard tales of these warships, my limited experience has left me ignorant of the details. A lifetime spent in the martial world feels like wasted time.”
“You’ve mostly stayed within the Wudang Sect’s sacred grounds, so it’s understandable. By the way, regarding the matter you mentioned last time, might I inquire how it’s progressing?”
“The Sect Leader himself is working with our disciples to address it. In my stead, they’ve sent a useless old Taoist like me to accompany this venture.”
“Useless? Elder Xuan Kong Jin’s presence is akin to having a thousand troops by our side,” Zhuge Pung said with genuine respect.
The elder, known as Xuan Kong Jin, bore a patched robe and a worn sword with pinewood patterns hanging from his waist. His reputation was no mere flattery.
In the Wudang Sect, his status was comparable to, if not greater than, Zhuge Pung’s.
After all, unlike Zhuge Pung, who had yet to turn sixty, Xuan Kong Jin had already made his mark during the Great Cataclysm, an esteemed master of the previous generation and a disciple of the former Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect.
“And he’s also one of Wudang’s legendary grandmasters.”
Xuan Kong Jin was known to have reached the pinnacle of Wudang’s supreme technique, the *Tai Chi Enlightened Sword*.
Zhuge Pung’s deferential tone in addressing him was a mark of respect—an exception to his usual manner.
Well, almost an exception. One person here, as always, remained unaffected.
“He’s grown quite a bit, hasn’t he?” remarked Jeok Cheon-Gang, the Fire King, with a smirk.
“Indeed. His growth is evident—his beard is now snow-white,” I muttered, half amused.
“The last time I saw him, he was barely thirty. Time truly flies. These once-tender fledglings have all grown to lead their sects and clans.”
“‘Tender fledglings’? At thirty, isn’t it more like a fully feathered rooster?” I retorted.
Jeok Cheon-Gang’s glare flared like twin torches.
“Do you wish for all your feathers to be plucked?”
“No, not at all, sir!”
Getting incinerated on the deck of the warship by the Fire King was not on my to-do list. I quickly waved my hands in surrender, stealing a cautious glance at him.
“By the way, might I ask—how old are you, exactly?”
“…Old?”
I quickly rephrased, knowing his sensitivity to age.
“Then, your esteemed age?”
“Age?”
Seriously, for someone over a century old, what more does he want?
I asked bluntly, “How many years has it been since you last counted?”
“After turning a hundred, I stopped counting.”
“So the last time you counted, how old were you?”
“Five thousand years ago. Satisfied?”
Nearby, Cheongpung, who was perched at the bow like a child on a holiday outing, exclaimed, “Wow! Five thousand years!”
“Does that boy not understand the concept of skepticism?” I muttered.
“That’s just how he is. By the way, I must say, you’ve aged far better than expected,” I added, half in jest.
Jeok Cheon-Gang gave me a pointed look.
“Want to know more?”
“Not at all, sir.”
Truthfully, I was curious, but judging from his expression, it seemed wiser to let it be.
Jeok Cheon-Gang’s usual annoyance about his age aside, the turbulent waves and strong winds seemed to irritate him even more.
“When will this damned piece of wood finally stop?” he grumbled.
At that moment, as if in response to his complaint, the “damned piece of wood” accelerated further.
Splash!
Water erupted high into the air as the once-stable warship rocked violently from side to side.
Cheongpung let out an excited cheer, while Hyeok Mu-jin and Gong Gi-bang screamed as if reliving a past trauma.
Even Moon Kyung, who had been calmly maintaining his composure, subtly grabbed the railing upon noticing others watching.
And Jeok Cheon-Gang?
“Ughhh! Ughhhh!!”
The Fire King, of all people, let out cries that contradicted his fearsome nickname.
I couldn’t help but think how his wide-open eyes would make for a perfect advertisement for double eyelid surgery.
Dodging splashes of water, I shouted towards Mu Song, “Senior! Can you slow down a bit—”
“That won’t be possible.”
Mu Song cut me off sharply. Standing firm on the rocking deck like it was solid ground, he raised his hand and pointed ahead.
“Do you see it?”
What did he mean?
I narrowed my eyes, following his gesture. Channeling my internal energy, I focused my vision.
And then I saw it.
A narrow passageway barely wide enough for two warships to squeeze through.
And beyond it, a fierce whirlpool spinning like a blade.
Crash!
A massive log, caught in the whirlpool, shattered under the pressure, its splinters striking a towering rock beyond the vortex before disintegrating.
“Is that… even a river?”
A sight both awe-inspiring and chilling.
Everyone aboard the warship understood the true nature of the terrifying whirlpool ahead.
“Cheonryeong Falls!”
Someone screamed the name, almost as if in fear.
Yes, that was Cheonryeong Falls.
It was a natural phenomenon that turned the Water Dragon Stronghold’s Dongting into an impregnable fortress, swallowing countless lives and ships over the years like a ravenous beast.
Jeok Cheon-Gang, looking as if he would pass out at any moment, declared, “Turn the ship around! I’d rather fight in the Great Cataclysm again than cross that thing!”
Gong Gi-bang and Hyeok Mu-jin, their faces pale as death, chimed in almost incoherently.
“Senior Mu Song! Please, save us! I’d rather beg for scraps in a gutter than face this!”
“Leader, thank you for everything. I think I’ll quit being a martial artist. I’ll go back home and sell silk.”
“…Your soul seems like it’s already been sold,” I muttered, though I wasn’t exactly fearless myself.
As the enormous whirlpool loomed closer, I felt like a helpless ant falling into a death trap.
“Damn it. First, we’ll be smashed to bits against the rocks, then flushed away like waste down a drain.”
Faced with the overwhelming fear of nature’s raw power, even the system and my peak martial arts seemed utterly useless.
If someone were to throw me into the Yangtze River, I might manage to swim out. But if I were to get caught in that whirlpool? It would be over.
“Hoo… Hoo…”
A large, firm hand rested on my shoulder as I tried to steady my breath.
“Kid.”
I had to look up to see the tall, imposing figure of Jin Wi-gyeong, his expression calm and composed.
“Don’t worry about anything.”
His composure was almost inspiring, making me feel an instinctive urge to call him “Big Brother.”
Even Jeok Cheon-Gang, who had a pathological fear of water, was reduced to a trembling mess, and as someone who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, even I felt uneasy. Yet Jin Wi-gyeong, far less skilled than us, showed not a hint of fear.
This is what makes him the Big Brother and the Young Leader of the family, I thought.
“Big Brother…”
“Yes.”
Jin Wi-gyeong nodded, a faint smile on his face.
“Even in death, our brotherhood will remain eternal.”
“…What?”
“Our departed parents feel so close. It’s as if they’re beckoning us from the Cheonryeong Falls.”
“…Father is still alive, isn’t he?”
“It’s been so long since we last heard from him. Let’s just assume he’s dead.”
Big Brother’s logic was… unique, to say the least. Declaring our very-much-alive father dead just because he disappeared.
“Damn it…”
Looking around, most of the others seemed halfway detached from reality, entrusting themselves to the rhythm of nature’s relentless force.
With a shred of hope, I turned to Mu Song.
“Um, Senior Mu Song?”
“Sorry, it’s too late to stop.”
Slam! Crack!
“…Oh, for real.”
Mu Song nodded grimly. “Hold on tight. My crew and I will do our best.”
“Do your best? What do you mean by that?”
“You think Cheonryeong Falls is something ordinary? Even I have only crossed it three or four times back when I visited Hubei to meet my uncle. We just have to rely on the warship and the skills we’ve honed over the years.”
“Wait, wait. So you’re a Cheonryeong Falls rookie?”
“I don’t know why you’re bringing up Liu Bei now, but yes. I’ve rarely left Sichuan since becoming a Branch Leader, so I’m not exactly familiar with this.”
Well, damn. That checks out. His words struck like a blow to the face.
I managed to squeeze out a weak protest. “Why are you telling us this now?”
“Zhuge Pung told me not to mention it to anyone.”
What?
I turned my head sharply, glaring at the disciples of the two major factions, who were visibly tense in the center of the warship. And there, in the middle of them, stood Zhuge Pung, grinning through the spray of water.
“A strategist leads his allies and deceives even his own. Now that we’re all riding the tiger, let’s see this through to the end!” he laughed.
Is this guy serious?
Everyone, including me, was left speechless, while Jeok Cheon-Gang completely lost it.
“That conniving bastard!”
I had seen Jeok Cheon-Gang angry before, but this was on another level entirely. However, just as he was about to charge at Zhuge Pung, Mu Song’s urgent shout rang out.
“Hold on tight!”
At that moment, the warship was caught by the gaping maw of Cheonryeong Falls’ whirlpool.
Boom!
The world spun into chaos as the warship was flung forward.
