Scholar Demon Venerable

"What? You know who has the manual?"

A slightly larger man who was in the same seat, his eyes widened.

As big as he was, his voice was also loud, so everyone's attention was focused.

"Shh."

The skinny man put his finger to his lips and gave a warning.

The big man also realized his mistake and lowered his voice.

"Which bastard got the manual? Who got the Heavenly Circle Sword Art?"

"Hey, you know Hyeokryeon Manor, right?"

"Kaifeng Hyeokryeon Manor? You mean the place that went bankrupt a while ago?"

"That's right. They say the son of that place, Hyeokryeon Hui, found it while looking at old books in a used bookstore. But they say he's hiding somewhere in Shangqiu."

"Really?"

"That's right. It's information from the Beggars' Sect. They say that because of that, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, the madman Yeom-ak, has also come to Shangqiu."

"Damn it, if even the leader of the Beggars' Sect has come, we're screwed."

"Don't be disappointed yet. Not many people know that fact yet. Besides, I heard he was injured. Who knows? You might find a guy who's about to die in some corner."

"That's true. Then let's go find him right away."

"The food is here, so let's eat and go."

Swoosh.

The sound of people getting up one by one was heard from here and there. Among them, there were also those who had gotten up in the middle of their meal. They hurriedly paid and left the inn.

The people who had been talking a little while ago also finished their meal in a hurry and left the inn.

Similar things to what had happened in the inn were happening simultaneously in various places where people gathered in Shangqiu.

Men in groups of three and five went around and spread rumors that were not rumors. Sometimes merchants would talk and spread them, and sometimes martial artists would talk and make the rumors bigger.

-A person named Hyeokryeon Hui has obtained the Heavenly Circle Sword Art and is hiding in Shangqiu.

-He is injured, so if you just find him, you can get the manual.

It was all a rumor that Cheongun had ordered the Black Sword Gang to spread.

Thanks to the efforts of the leader of the Black Sword Gang and his subordinates, it didn't even take half a day for the rumor to spread.

* * *

An unexpected spark fell on the Provincial Military Command, which was in charge of the security of Shangqiu.

Martial artists were roaming around and looking for someone.

As the fierce-looking people walked around armed, the ordinary commoners trembled in fear.

The commoners submitted a petition to the Provincial Military Command, which was in charge of the security of Shangqiu. Thanks to that, an emergency was declared in the Provincial Military Command, which was in charge of security.

"Where is it this time?"

A middle-aged man sitting in a chair in the center of the meeting hall put one hand on his forehead and let out an irritated voice.

"This time it's the west gate. It's the Lingbao Manor next to the Xiantian Manor."

The man sitting in the center was the Provincial Military Commander in charge of the security of Shangqiu.

Since Shangqiu was a prefecture, a garrison of one wei was installed. The Provincial Military Commander, who commanded over five thousand soldiers, held the military power of this Shangqiu, and he had a headache because of this incident.

"West gate?"

"Yes."

The Provincial Military Commander asked the reporting Command Adjutant again.

"Is the person the martial artists are looking for Hyeokryeon Hui of the Kaifeng Hyeokryeon Manor?"

"Yes, they say he obtained a martial arts manual from a used bookstore in Shangqiu."

"I also heard that someone had obtained a martial arts manual. But is that rumor true?"

"It seems so. Otherwise, there is no reason for the martial artists to make such a fuss."

At the adjutant's words, the Provincial Military Commander let out a sigh.

"Why did a manual have to be discovered?"

He muttered to himself with a displeased expression.

He was not in a good mood because Shangqiu, which had been peaceful, had turned into a marketplace.

A well-built Command Comrade who was next to him added a word with a face full of doubt.

"But it's strange."

"What is?"

"The rumor is spreading too fast. As if someone had intended it."

At the Command Comrade's words, some of the people gathered here nodded their heads.

The Provincial Military Commander made a "川" shape on his forehead again and put his hand on it.

"Keung."

A groaning sound flowed out of his mouth on its own.

The Command Adjutant said as if to help his superior, the Command Comrade.

"I think so too. There have been one or two suspicious things in the past few days. Think about it. The time it took for the martial artists to come running after hearing the rumor is too short."

"So you guys are saying, this manual-related incident might have been manipulated by someone. Is that what you're saying?"

"That's right."

Several people answered at the same time.

Even when the Provincial Military Commander thought about it, it was full of strange things.

As he was worrying, his subordinate generals came up with their own countermeasures.

"We need to release the soldiers and quickly restore public order."

"We need to restrict the entry of martial artists. Let's close the city gates."

"We need to contact the Provincial Military Command right away and ask for reinforcements. In particular, we need soldiers who have learned martial arts."

"How about contacting the martial arts sects? There are several sects in this Shangqiu, and since the leader of the Beggars' Sect has come, it would be a good way to ask the Beggars' Sect for help."

They were all right words. If it were normal, the Provincial Military Commander would have followed their words right away.

But this time, he could not follow their words.

"I understand what you guys are saying. But isn't it a problem of martial artists? So we can't release soldiers on a large scale in the city."

At the unexpected words, the military officials made a surprised expression.

He was a Provincial Military Commander who was famous for being good at military strategy. But to try to take a step back in such an urgent situation.

A young centurion who was sitting in the last seat stood up abruptly and said as if to argue.

"General, why?"

"Originally, the government and the martial world do not interfere with each other."

"What do you mean? General, that's just a justification. It's a custom that only applies when they don't touch the ordinary commoners. In a chaotic situation like this..."

"Stop! I understand, so let's stop here for today."

The Provincial Military Commander waved one hand and gave an order for everyone to leave.

Although the young centurion had something more to say, he had to be dragged out by the hands of his senior centurions.

Everyone left, and the adjutant and the comrade remained.

The Command Adjutant asked cautiously.

"Senior Brother Yanyu. Is there something else?"

"Keung. Is it obvious?"

"Yes, because you would not have forgiven the guys who harm the commoners if it were normal."

The Provincial Military Commander in charge of the military power of Shangqiu was from the Bai family of Yuncheng, which was located at the foot of Mount Baiyun in Jiangxi Province. The Provincial Military Commander's name was Bai Yanyu, and the Command Adjutant and the comrade were also from the same family.

The Bai family, known as the Jiangxi Bai family, was the family of the absolute master Bai Yunlong, who had once made a name for himself in the martial world. Although it had been a long time, and the family's power had declined a lot, it was still a martial family that represented Jiangxi Province.

"Senior Brother, please tell me. What happened?"

The comrade asked as if urging.

"A Pacification Envoy came to see me."

As the Provincial Military Commander sighed and said, the two made a surprised expression.

The comrade asked again as if to confirm.

"You mean Lee Cheongun, who imprisoned the Provincial Military Commander of An'ok?"

"Yes, that guy showed me the Provincial Military Commander's seal and told me not to mobilize soldiers for this incident."

At his words, the two's faces contorted.

Then he couldn't even argue with Bai Yanyu. If it was an order given with a seal, it was the same as a superior's order, so he had to follow it.

The Command Comrade nodded his head as if he understood.

"So you were just groaning."

"Yes, do you think I want to just watch this situation?"

"There's nothing we can do. It's an order from above. But we can't just completely let go, can we?"

The Command Comrade said bluntly, as if he were still dissatisfied.

Bai Yanyu also agreed with his words.

"I'm thinking, but I can't move rashly. They say this incident is related to the rebellion that happened in Kaifeng. That's why I'm worried."

"Hah, if it's a rebellion, we'll have to prostrate ourselves."

The adjutant, who had been quietly listening to the two's conversation, said. As if agreeing with the adjutant's words, Bai Yanyu sighed and said lowly.

"Let's think a little more about how to handle this."

"Yes. Then we will keep the soldiers in check. In particular, I am worried about our nephew."

"Yes. That guy, he might cause trouble, so turn him to the garrison guard. Don't let him out at all."

It was the story of the Baihu Zhang who was sitting in the last seat.

He was also from the same Bai family as them, and he was a master who had already reached the peak level before he reached his coming-of-age. Of course, he was a talent that the family cared about.

After the Command Comrade and the adjutant left, Bai Yanyu, who was left alone, put his head in his hands again and was lost in thought.

It was a thought about Cheongun.

'At the age of coming-of-age, he has already surpassed the super-peak realm. Should I have had a match with him?'

Although he was now a body tied to the government, he still had a lingering attachment to the martial world.

If it weren't for the will of his ancestor Bai Yunlong, who had told him to live without crossing Jiangxi Province, he might have gone out to the Central Plains long ago.

But now he had aged enough to put forward his young vigor.

So he had thought his heart had cooled, but it seemed it hadn't gone that far yet.

'I'll have to go and see him soon.'

* * *

As Shangqiu became more and more chaotic, the resentment against the Provincial Military Command, which was in charge of security, grew.

The only fortunate thing was that the forces located in Shangqiu had united and had begun to protect the commoners.

The problem was that it was not enough to stop the tyranny of the martial artists who had flocked in too many numbers.

"I heard a thief has entered this place. We will conduct a search, so please cooperate."

"What is this? Are you guys even government officials?"

A group of martial artists had flocked in front of the Lu family manor at the west gate.

The Lu family manor was a fairly large place, and it was a manor built by Lu Zhongjing, who had once made a name for himself as the Yiqi Great Hero.

"If you don't get out of the way right now, we will hold you responsible for the crime of hiding a traitor."

"What? You guys! So aren't you asking if you guys are government officials?"

"What does it matter if we're not government officials when we're catching a villain?"

"What kind of nonsense is that!"

A confrontation with no retreat continued.

A martial artist who was watching the two's argument intervened in the conversation.

"Something's suspicious. They're just saying they'll search, so why are they blocking like this?"

"That's right! It's really suspicious, so let's just attack!"

Now, dozens of martial artists were growling at the Lu family manor, which was blocking the way firmly.

But the warriors who were guarding the Lu family manor could not move out of the way. Because an order had fallen from above to block unconditionally.

"Don't be ridiculous. Since you guys are not government officials, how can we move out of the way?"

Cheongun and the Jinyiwei were watching their fight from a distance.

Cheongun, who was looking at the entrance of the Lu family manor with indifferent eyes, asked Xiong Tian.

"Are you saying that place is suspicious?"

"Yes, we have searched most of the other places several times. We have not been able to look at that Lu family manor even once."

"Really?"

"The Yiqi Great Hero is stubbornly holding out."

If he had received the title of Great Hero, he was a person who should be respected. It meant that he had done things to be respected and had acted with benevolence and righteousness. If it were normal, he should have believed his words.

But even when Cheongun looked at it, there was a suspicious side.

"If he is not here, I will personally apologize. So proceed."

Xiong Tian gave a military salute and then gave an order to his subordinate.

"Push through!"

"Yes!"

The Jinyiwei who had received the order quickly ran somewhere.

After a while, dozens of people appeared on the side of the Lu family manor. At a glance, they were fierce-looking people.

"Why are you still loitering at the entrance?"

Zhang Jun put on an air of importance, leading dozens of warriors of the Black Sword Gang.

Since the Black Sword Gang was quite famous, it was also well-known in Shangqiu.

"Leader Zhang, you've come."

"Well, if it isn't Leader Yang of the Iron Sand Gang."

The two, as if they knew each other from before, exchanged light greetings.

The Iron Sand Gang was also a gang belonging to the evil faction and was located in Qixian, next to Kaifeng.

"Leader Yang, is there any need to drag it out?"

"I was just about to start anyway. Hehehe."

The two's gazes were simultaneously focused on the ones who were blocking the entrance.

Then they shouted as if in a chorus.

"Push through!"

"If they block, attack without mercy!"

(End of Chapter)