Chapter 102
The Mado master and disciple bowed their heads and ate their food, while Tang Yunseol put down her chopsticks.
She was displeased with the treatment of the Elder's Hall.
She complained to Nangong Zhao.
"He is the Honored One of the Household of our family. To lock him up in the Lighting Pit means to look down on the Tang family."
"Impersonating the Alliance Leader's disciple is not a small matter..."
As Nangong Zhao was speaking, Baekji's voice was heard from somewhere.
"I told you I didn't do it!"
Baekji said as he entered the tavern.
"The elder just assumed it. I am innocent."
Tang Yunseol's face lit up.
"Huh? Honored One, what happened? You're already free?"
"...Did you escape from prison?"
Baekji sat down at one side of the dining table and said, "There was no one guarding."
Since he had locked everyone up in the prison, it was true.
"Ha... escaping from prison... the crimes are piling up."
Nangong Zhao muttered blankly. He had run around trying to save Baekji and had barely found a way to block it...
To escape from prison.
"I told the Chief Military Advisor, so I could have come out tomorrow. But to escape from prison... why make things bigger."
"I didn't commit any crime, so why should I be there? If the Elder's Hall has something to ask, tell them to come here."
"Ugh..."
Baekji picked up his chopsticks with a face that said it was no big deal.
He took a bite of the stir-fried meat and said, "Food is indeed delicious when it's made right away."
"Don't take the Elder's Hall lightly. It's a place where the imugi of the 'Nine Great Sects' and the 'Five Great Families' are gathered."
"I don't take it lightly. I don't even want to see it if possible."
Baekji changed the subject.
"That's not what's important. I found out why the Blood Fiend came in person. He came to collect the 'Blood Blood Demonic Art' that Tang Tian'e had learned."
"He's going to collect the 'Blood Blood Demonic Art'?"
The military affairs department was putting all its efforts into the operation to capture the Blood Fiend.
Although it was not Nangong Zhao's jurisdiction, he could not help but be interested.
"He's going to burn Tang Tian'e's fresh blood. Tang Tian'e is half out of his mind, thinking his neck will be cut. If he dies like that, his soul will be sucked out, and he won't even be able to be reincarnated. Looking at what he's done, it seems he won't be reborn as a human in the next life... but it seems he still wants to be reincarnated."
"If the Blood Fiend rushes into the Martial Alliance, he will surely be caught. Don't look down on the military affairs department."
Nangong Zhao said with confidence.
The head of the 'Secret Shadow Division' had reported that Heukgo and Dongcha had noticed the surveillance.
Shangguan Ming, who had received the report, had immediately sent Tang Tian'e to the Elder's Hall's Lighting Pit as the Elder's Hall had requested.
Instead, he had used the military affairs department's prison as a trap to catch the Blood Fiend.
He had activated all the mechanisms and had laid a strict ambush.
Baekji shook his head.
"You don't know? The brats who have learned the 'Blood Blood Demonic Art' resonate with each other. No matter how well you hide Tang Tian'e, the Blood Fiend will be able to find him."
"What? Is that true? How do you know that?"
"Huh? How do I know that?"
Baekji himself tilted his head as if he were curious.
Nangong Zhao's heart became impatient. If Baekji's words were true, Shangguan Ming's operation would be in vain.
"I have to go."
Nangong Zhao, who was about to stand up, looked at Mado and Baekji.
If he were to catch the 'manifestation realm' master, the Blood Fiend, there would be sacrifices.
Baekji and Mado...
If the two of them stepped forward... it would be a great help in catching the Blood Fiend.
But he soon gave up the thought.
'The affairs of the Alliance must be handled by the Alliance.'
But his mouth moved on its own.
"In the past, there was a bounty on the Blood Fiend... was it a hundred thousand taels? It's been a long time, so it might have gone up..."
At the sound of him muttering to himself, Mado's eyes sharpened.
"...If I catch that brat... you're saying they'll give me money?"
Baekji, pretending not to hear, showed an unexpected reaction.
'Even a chicken instead of a pheasant...'
Just then, Baekji said, "Bounty hunting is something that only corrupt wanderers do."
Can he say such a thing with the mouth that has taken a large sum of reward money for catching Bai Renguang and the others?
"You have to act in a way that befits the 'Heaven-Shattering Divine Saber'."
At Baekji's words, Mado lowered her gaze and ate her food.
I want to open that brat's head and see...
Nangong Zhao sighed inwardly and turned his body.
"I'll go with you."
Tang Yunseol stood up to follow.
Mado's eyes followed Nangong Zhao's back.
* * *
"You've entered the Elder's Hall, but your words seem to be getting longer."
Nangong Zhao went to find Shangguan Ming as soon as he returned to the military affairs department.
Shangguan Ming was in the Elder's Hall.
'This is... I'll miss the Blood Fiend at this rate.'
The operation to capture the Blood Fiend was directly commanded by Shangguan Ming. Since Nangong Zhao was out on an inspection mission, he had no authority to intervene.
Nangong Zhao went to find the first military advisor, Bai Xianyou, and explained the situation.
Bai Xianyou was troubled.
"We can't move the ambush personnel to the Elder's Hall's Lighting Pit now. It's difficult for the military affairs department to carry out an operation in the Elder's Hall... and there's no guarantee that the Blood Fiend will come that way."
Nangong Zhao also could not be sure.
If he believed Baekji's prediction and withdrew the military affairs department's ambush, he could be in for a big loss.
"Then I will watch the Elder's Hall's Lighting Pit. If the Blood Fiend appears, I will immediately raise a signal flare."
Bai Xianyou nodded and then, seeing Tang Yunseol who had followed Nangong Zhao, lamented, "I don't know what the Elder's Hall is thinking. To hold the Chief Military Advisor at a time like this. They say they have to reinvestigate the case of the overthrow of the Tang family head or something..."
"What do you mean?"
Tang Yunseol was startled.
To reinvestigate what had happened in the Tang family.
"It seems Miss Tang did not know. The elder of the Tang family has sent a petition to the Elder's Hall. It seems he is claiming that he has nothing to do with Tang Tian'e."
"How can that be when there is clear evidence that the elder conspired with Tang Tian'e..."
"Do you think the elders are interested in the affairs of the Tang family, which is a thousand li away? They are doing it because they want to exert their influence on the Tang family in any way they can."
"..."
While Tang Yunseol was dumbfounded, Nangong Zhao stood up and said, "First, we must deal with the urgent matter. The Blood Fiend could appear even tonight."
* * *
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
Baekji said to Mado.
Mado's indifferent gaze turned to Baekji.
"..."
"The Yang-Bai Merchant Sect... it's a very good place to live. If you go up the back mountain, there are many medicinal herbs."
"Who do I have to kill?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"I can't follow you for the rest of my life."
"I know that too. A brat to kill will appear soon. Until then, eat well and build up your strength."
"..."
"Umm. Shall we go see the 'River Frost Performance Troupe'? I know the female protagonist, so she'll be happy to see us."
"I don't need it."
As Mado stood up and went to the guest room, Cho-hye followed.
"Hmm. With that kind of personality, can she even get married?"
Baekji muttered.
"But was I not able to get married?"
Whenever he saw a woman, he wanted to set them up for marriage.
Shang Yiqing for Yang Soryeong, Nangong Zhao for Tang Yunseol...
Who would suit Mado?
'Did I live alone before my 'rejuvenation'? But how on earth did I achieve 'rejuvenation'? It doesn't seem to be something that can be achieved just by having high martial arts.'
After fighting with Mado, he realized.
No, after meeting the Alliance Leader, he knew for sure.
'Rejuvenation' is not something that can be achieved just by having high martial arts.
'It's clear that I ate something. First, let's go back and think about it.'
As his identity before his 'rejuvenation' leaned towards the Demonic Cult, he felt uneasy loitering around the Martial Alliance.
It was clear that the Elder's Hall would bother him, saying he had impersonated the Alliance Leader's disciple and had received a bribe.
'Those despicable brats.'
He wanted to deal with them right away, but now was not the time.
It was a bit of a pity that he could not catch the Blood Fiend himself.
But if he fought to catch that brat and his 'rejuvenation' was revealed.
If by any chance it was revealed that he was from the Demonic Cult...
He himself would also be put on the list of public enemies of the martial world.
'I have to disappear quietly.'
He did not want to live at odds with the Central Plains martial world, having gained a vibrant life through his 'rejuvenation'.
* * *
"Is that strange? There's no one guarding. The Honored One was right."
The Elder's Hall's Lighting Pit, which was dark, was quiet.
There was no light.
"It's originally a remote place, and since there are usually no prisoners... the security is lax. Who would dare to break into the Elder's Hall?"
"But it's strange that there's no one guarding at all."
In Nangong Zhao's eyes, the lock that Baekji had bent came into view.
He could tell what had happened without even seeing it.
"It seems... Baekji has caused trouble."
"What?"
"Look there. The only person who could bend a lock like that is that brat. Probably... the warriors who were on guard are locked up in the Lighting Pit."
"..."
Tang Yunseol could not say anything. From the circumstances, it was true that Baekji had escaped from prison.
'If this becomes known, the Honored One will be in trouble...'
"First, we must check if Tang Tian'e is safe."
Nangong Zhao approached the Lighting Pit door.
Although it was a thick iron door, since the arm-thick iron lock was bent, he was at a loss as to how to open it.
Tang Yunseol, looking around anxiously, whispered in a low voice, "Will the Blood Fiend really come this way?"
In the poison pouch she was fiddling with was Samseoksa.
Although the name was 'sand', it was actually iron powder coated with poison.
Since it was a deadly poison that dug into the flesh, even a master could not take it lightly.
"I don't know, but..."
Nangong Zhao, who was about to answer that they had to be prepared, cut off his words and stared at a place in the darkness.
"What is it?"
Four people appeared from the darkness.
"Why are you here?"
Unexpectedly, it was Huang Shuyun, Won Ilhae, Zhao Yun, and Bi Yangyeon, who had been assigned as the squad leaders of the southern inspection team.
Huang Shuyun let out a fishy smile and said, "I was wondering why the team leader was so busy... so you were enjoying the night with such a beauty."
'These brats?'
Nangong Zhao's eyes narrowed.
They had been arrogant at the morning meeting, and it seemed they had finally conspired and had come to find him.
The reason was obvious.
They were saying that they could not accept him as the team leader, so he should step down on his own.
"I am on a mission right now. Let's see each other tomorrow."
"A mission? What mission would a military affairs department investigator have at the Elder's Hall's Lighting Pit?"
Huang Shuyun asked, as if he had no intention of backing down.
Nangong Zhao sighed inwardly.
"Are you trying to commit insubordination?"
"Hmph. Are you telling me to listen to the orders of a person who was just fiddling with a brush in the back while our 'Dragon Chasing Brigade' was suffering on the battlefield?"
Quan Yihai answered bluntly.
He was the deputy leader of the 'Dragon Chasing Brigade'.
Since he had risen to the position of deputy leader at a young age, his pride was high.
Nangong Zhao sighed inwardly again.
What battlefield...
He knew full well that they had just been catching third-rate Black Path gangs.
Huang Shuyun said, "I'll be direct. We would like you to step down from the position of team leader."
Nangong Zhao looked at the four people one by one and then asked, "Is that the will of all of you?"
"That's why we came together, isn't it?"
"If I refuse?"
"You will have to prove your skills. If you can defeat the four of us, we will cleanly submit."
"I really don't know what you're relying on to do this."
Insubordination in the Martial Alliance was a serious crime.
Nevertheless, the reason why they could conspire and come in a group was because they all had strong backgrounds.
Although they could not match the 'Five Great Families', they were families that reigned as local hegemons in their own right.
"The only thing I believe in is this fist."
Quan Yihai said, holding up his fist.
Nangong Zhao shook his head, but he knew how they felt.
When he himself had entered the 'peak', it was as if he had the whole world.
Although these brats looked like brats, they were at the 'peak' in their own right.
"Alright. Tomorrow..."
As Nangong Zhao was speaking, he turned his head.
"Watch out!"
He saw Tang Yunseol shouting and throwing the Samseoksa towards the darkness.
(End of Chapter)