Chapter 34
Chapter 34
“What are you talking about? I let you win?”
Even though Youngho deliberately raised his voice, Namgung Cheon’s eyes did not waver in the slightest.
‘I thought my acting was perfect?’
It seemed that was not entirely the case.
‘I shouldn’t have crossed swords with him after all…….’
He should have simply forfeited. Had he known Namgung Cheon would notice, he would have. But Youngho decided to feign ignorance to the very end.
“I fought you with everything I had, Young Hero. Are you looking down on me right now?”
“Can you swear it upon the honor of a martial artist?”
“Of course!”
The honor of a martial artist. Once that was invoked, Namgung Cheon seemed at a loss for words and cleared his throat before glancing at Zhuge Lianhua.
Zhuge Lianhua let out a deep sigh and looked at Namgung Cheon with an expression that seemed to say, ‘What am I supposed to do with this fool?’
Having caused the situation, Namgung Cheon avoided her gaze. Even though she knew that once she said this there would be no turning back, Zhuge Lianhua opened her mouth anyway.
“Would it be alright if I examined your pulse?”
When Zhuge Lianhua asked Youngho in a slightly trembling voice, Youngho’s expression hardened with anger.
“You must know how disrespectful that question is to a martial artist, Miss.”
This was bad. Whether it was an act or genuine, he was furious. It seemed there was no way to determine Youngho’s physical condition right now.
They had already doubted him after he swore upon a martial artist’s honor. How could they press him further?
“If that was all you wished to say, then I will take my leave.”
Just as Youngho, wearing a displeased expression, opened the door to leave—
“Please wait a moment.”
When Youngho turned back with an irritated look that clearly said, What now?, Namgung Cheon spoke with certainty.
“I believe we must examine your pulse after all.”
“The physician already said I suffered significant internal injuries. You heard him.”
“No. A seasoned martial artist can deceive at least one physician.”
“And what could I possibly gain by deceiving you?”
It was sound reasoning. Though Youngho’s words were filled with lies, even Zhuge Lianhua could not immediately think of a rebuttal to his logic.
Namgung Cheon also believed there was no argument against what Youngho said. And yet, he was convinced Youngho was lying.
‘What I felt at that moment was no illusion.’
When swords crossed, one could tell. One could gauge the depth of the opponent’s power and how strong they truly were.
No matter how he tried to hide it, he could not conceal it from Namgung Cheon’s eyes…
‘I have no choice but to let him go.’
To corner someone based solely on suspicion was not something a follower of the Righteous Path should do.
In the end, Namgung Cheon bowed his head toward Youngho.
“I apologize.”
“It’s fine. I will take my leave now.”
Still openly displaying his displeasure, Youngho turned and retraced his steps.
After leaving the area occupied by the Orthodox Sect members, Youngho did not head toward his companions but instead walked far away from the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering grounds.
It was deep into the night, and wherever he went, few people were in sight. Eventually, Youngho arrived at a secluded alley.
There was no apparent reason to come to such a remote place, but Youngho continued forward nonetheless.
“Come out.”
At some point, he stopped walking and stared into empty space as he spoke.
“Come out while I’m still asking nicely.”
It was far too quiet. In a place like this, there should have been at least the faintest presence, yet at this moment it was unnaturally silent.
“Did that bastard Baekcheong send you?”
When no answer came, Youngho roughly raked a hand through his hair in irritation and said,
“If you won’t come out, then I’ll come to you.”
At that moment, his body dissolved into the shadows. It was a level of stealth that even a first-rate assassin might struggle to achieve.
The assassin barely had time to be shocked at Youngho suddenly appearing before him before instinctively leaping backward.
Easily tracking the assassin’s movement, Youngho slashed at his wrist.
Slice.
Though the wrist should have been severed, it remained intact. Seeing the assassin’s hand still attached, Youngho curved his lips into a sinister smile.
“Where did you come from?”
“…….”
The assassin’s level was higher than expected. He was likely sent by a rather formidable organization. Yet the assassin said nothing, merely staring at Youngho in silence.
“If you’re going to kill yourself, at least tell me whether you’re from the Slaughter Heaven Sect.”
“…….”
The assassin likely believed he had shown nothing, but Youngho saw it clearly—the slight tremor in his fingers the moment the Slaughter Heaven Sect was mentioned.
“It doesn’t matter. I can just kill you and check for the tattoo.”
“How do you know that?!”
How could he possibly know?
The Slaughter Heaven Sect was a sect that produced assassins.
Only its members knew its location; outsiders had no knowledge of it whatsoever.
More importantly, every member bore the sect’s tattoo engraved upon their body.
However, that tattoo could not be seen without a special method. There was no way to identify someone as a member of the Slaughter Heaven Sect through ordinary means.
So how—how could this brat, not even of coming-of-age yet, know the sect’s secret?
Originally, he was supposed to capture and abduct him alive. But the difference in their abilities was clear. In that case…….
The assassin threw down a smoke bomb and moved to flee—
Slice.
Before the smoke bomb could even explode, Youngho moved and cleanly severed the assassin’s neck.
Thud.
The strike was so clean that the assassin’s body collapsed without even registering pain.
“Now then, shall we check?”
To reveal the Slaughter Heaven Sect’s tattoo, a special medicine was required.
The ingredients were not particularly expensive, but the formula was so complex that even the slightest error in the mixture rendered it impossible to produce.
So Youngho devised his own method. He poured his refined internal energy into the headless corpse.
Like a physician examining a patient’s pulse, he slowly and meticulously inspected the assassin’s body. Soon, a faint pattern began to surface upon the assassin’s neck.
“It’s definitely the Slaughter Heaven Sect.”
For an ordinary person, it was an unthinkable idea. To channel internal energy into a corpse rather than a living body…
Unless one was truly insane, such a thought would never even cross their mind.
Of course, not just anyone could accomplish this either. Only someone who had reached the extreme of the Transformation Realm in the control of energy, like Youngho, could use such a method.
Moreover, investigating this way left no trace that the Slaughter Heaven Sect’s member had been identified. The tattoo remained visible for less than a Quarter-Hour.
It was confirmed that he belonged to the Slaughter Heaven Sect. In that case, what remained was…….
“There’s nothing else to do. I might as well go take the Grand Reversion Pill.”
Even if he were to seek out the Slaughter Heaven Sect immediately, Youngho in his current state could not handle the sect alone.
Although the standard might have seemed strict, in the Jianghu, strength was law. If he could not suppress the Slaughter Heaven Sect with his own power alone, then for now, lowering himself was the correct answer.
Of course, things would be different if he accepted another’s help, but as for Baekcheong, he wanted to kill him with his own hands, without relying on anyone.
Perhaps because he had been unable to take revenge personally before the Regression, that resentment still lingered in his heart.
It was an entirely personal reason, yet Youngho felt no shame.
‘I just need to become a little stronger…….’
He could only hope that this Grand Reversion Pill would allow him to break through the wall.
Seeing Youngho return, Horyeung approached him and said,
“How was it? Your private talk with the young lady?”
At Horyeung’s teasing tone, Youngho let out a small chuckle.
“Do I look like that kind of person to you?”
“No one knows what life may bring.”
“Well, that’s true.”
After all, he himself had not known he would undergo Regression.
Swallowing those last words, Youngho looked at Sopyung, who was cheerfully pouring liquor down her throat, and said,
“Why can she drink so well?”
She still hasn’t passed out? And she doesn’t even have internal energy?
Horyeung stared at Sopyung and spoke as though his teeth were grinding.
“I had no idea Sopyung could hold her liquor like that. Jongpal tried to compete with her in a drinking match and already passed out.”
“What a shame. I missed such an entertaining sight.”
“Indeed.”
“Horyeung, haven’t you loosened up too much lately? You’re supposed to be guarding me.”
“I’m not sure I even dare to guard you, Young Master.”
Though spoken playfully, Horyeung’s words were sincere. His original identity had been with the Gold-Blood Hall. He had even been sent as a watcher to monitor Youngho.
But now that Youngho had become stronger than him, Horyeung could only observe rather than guard.
Perhaps because he had grown unexpectedly attached through their conversations, now that only a negative relationship officially remained, Horyeung felt deeply uncomfortable being here.
Sensing this, Youngho smirked.
“What are you so dissatisfied about? You’re my person anyway.”
“Even so, I am someone who faithfully follows the Branch Hall Master’s orders.”
“Has that Branch Hall Master even contacted you lately?”
“Huh?”
Come to think of it, the frequency with which Yeo Jeonghye asked him about anything had decreased significantly. Or rather, more precisely…….
“Was I abandoned?”
“No, I bought you. They didn’t abandon you—they sold you.”
A hollow laugh escaped him. He did not particularly feel betrayed. After all, he had been the first to betray in his heart.
“So what kind of grand gift did you offer to acquire me?”
“Hm? Aren’t you overestimating yourself?”
“I was the Unit Leader of the Blood Wolf Unit.”
“And what of it? Just a Unit Leader.”
“I wonder how pleased Elder Hyeok would be to hear those words.”
If Elder Hyeok, who had trained in blood and sweat to become a Unit Leader, heard that, it would not have been strange for him to foam at the mouth and charge at Youngho.
“So, does your heart feel a little lighter now?”
“My sense of guilt has eased somewhat.”
“You can let go of even more. I already concluded things amicably with the Branch Hall Master.”
“…Since when?”
“About a year?”
“……That’s quite a long time.”
“It is.”
As he watched Horyeung’s expression brighten more than expected after hearing this, Youngho thought,
‘As expected, he’s worth it.’
His character, his ability—everything suited Youngho’s taste. It felt as though bringing Horyeung over had been a masterstroke.
And so Youngho decided.
‘I’ll raise this one to the Transformation Realm.’
For now, Horyeung was only at the mid-to-late stage of the Transcendent Peak Master level, but if it were him, he could probably forcefully elevate Horyeung’s realm upward.
‘Of course, not right now.’
There were too many things that needed to be done first.
As the festival came to an end, people began leaving the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering one by one.
“I shall see you at the next Dragon–Phoenix Gathering.”
“Yes. I, too, look forward to the next.”
Youngho maintained his ever-present business smile as he greeted people. It looked slightly awkward, but his handsome features concealed it.
“It’s finally over, right?”
Horyeung shook his head at Youngho.
“There are still a few people remaining.”
“Let’s just go.”
“As you wish.”
Strangely, several Junior Disciples of the Orthodox Sect had come to exchange farewells with Youngho.
He did not know why they would specifically come to greet him, but at least, as Horyeung said, if he had left a bad impression, they would not have come at all. Youngho chose to take it positively.
“Youngho.”
Just as another voice called out to him and he was about to flee—
“The Alliance Lord summons you.”
“What?”
“The Alliance Lord…….”
“No, I heard you. Right now?”
“Yes.”
“But why are you the one delivering the message? You’re not in a position to be running errands.”
Danpung, the Blood Ghost Hall Master and a woman known in the Murim as the Mad Monk, smiled.
“It’s because I’ve taken an interest in the Fifth Young Master.”
Danpung smiled like a young girl.
Though her outward appearance was that of someone around forty, knowing her true age, Youngho nearly gagged.