Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Slice! Slice!
Horyeung’s rapid sword strikes severed the Jiangshi’s head before it could even take a step.
Absurdly fast yet practical, his sword guarded Muyeon with only the bare minimum of movement, without a single wasted inch.
“Still not done?”
“Can’t you see I’m working as fast as I can? By the way, why are the Jiangshi coming toward us? The brats didn’t get taken down, did they?”
“Do not worry. The Young Master already dealt with the others and is protecting Hosan and Chowon.”
“Oh, really? Your damned master is ridiculously strong. He killed that monster that quickly.”
“He is not a monster.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Horyeung unconsciously grinned, anticipating the expression Muyeon would make.
“They are monsters. From the Poison Demon’s shadow, another one with strength comparable to his suddenly jumped out.”
Muyeon broke into a cold sweat as he spoke.
“Your monster of a master is seriously… Wait a second. Did you just call your master the Young Master?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“……How old is that guy?”
“Mind your manners.”
“……How old is that gentleman?”
“He turned eighteen this year.”
“……Ah, is that so?”
Muyeon thought he had spoken casually, but Horyeung heard it—the faint tremble in Muyeon’s voice.
From Muyeon’s perspective, such a reaction was only natural.
‘Eighteen? Eighteen years old? Just how?’
How could someone obtain such Martial Might at merely eighteen?
He had known the man was strong. And when the sword aimed at his own throat had been blocked, he had realized the Young Master was far superior to him.
It was astonishing enough that he had killed the Poison Demon, but eighteen? No, beyond that—another opponent comparable to the Poison Demon had appeared, and he had killed that one as well?
‘How in the world am I even still alive?’
To Youngho, Muyeon must have been nothing more than a fly that could be erased with a single flick.
‘His very nature keeps changing. I can’t even grasp what kind of person he is.’
Resolving to treat Youngho with the utmost respect from now on, Muyeon began dismantling the Formation at a rapid pace.
“……Damn it!”
A curse slipped out involuntarily. Forgetting his usual composure, Eon Pyeong trembled violently as he gnawed at his nails.
“I must think of a way.”
Watching the woman before him dismantling the Formation, Eon Pyeong ground his teeth.
‘If not for that Stench Ghost!’
If Muyeon had not been here, he would have found some way to escape. But because of Muyeon’s presence, he could not move and had no choice but to control the Jiangshi to obstruct her.
Yet even that did not go as he pleased, all because of that old veteran.
‘If that bastard hadn’t taken the antidote!’
When the old man swallowed the antidote as though he had known there were Poison Jiangshi here, Eon Pyeong had thought it was mere bluff.
He had assumed it was simply water with altered color.
‘There really is no poison in him!’
With every breath, he should have been inhaling the Poison Jiangshi’s toxins, yet the old wolf-like man showed no sign of being poisoned at all.
At this rate, the Formation being dismantled was only a matter of time. And the moment it was undone…
Eon Pyeong shuddered. As though he could see straight through the interior, the boy was staring directly at him.
‘I’ll be killed by that monster…!’
Yeonhui and Cheongsal.
Cheongsal, as a shadow operating in the dark, had no title. But Yeonhui bore the title Poison Demon.
Even the Tang Clan of Sichuan, renowned throughout the world for poison, could not disregard the Poison Demon’s toxins.
How, then, had someone like that died so futilely? He could not understand. The boy before him did not even seem like the same species—aloof and arrogant, he merely gazed in this direction.
This Formation weakened significantly the moment he himself moved. And if it weakened, the Stench Ghost would immediately break through it.
Once that happened, the Formation disguised as a wall would collapse in an instant.
It was a true dilemma. And even as Eon Pyeong hesitated, time flowed on relentlessly.
After a little more time passed, Muyeon finally dismantled the Formation and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“It’s done!”
The moment Muyeon shouted in triumph, the wall shimmered like a mirage and began to fade.
At the same time, Eon Pyeong’s concealed figure slowly emerged. The instant he was revealed, he lunged toward Muyeon.
Bang!
“Cough!”
But Horyeung was not one to allow that so easily. Subduing Eon Pyeong effortlessly, he turned to Youngho.
“Young Master. What shall we do with him?”
“We should take him with us for now.”
“Is that why you told me to bring rope?”
“Yes. I told you to bring it just in case, but should we simply cripple his Dantian?”
“I believe that would be the surest method.”
“No. Let us leave that decision to someone else. One never knows how things will turn out. Just tie him up with the rope.”
“Understood.”
Without delay, Horyeung bound Eon Pyeong tightly with the rope. Then he pressed his Acupoints, stiffening his entire body.
Groaning in pain, Eon Pyeong spat out,
“Ugh! What do you intend to do with me!”
“You look like you might be useful, so we’re taking you along for now. If you turn out to be unnecessary, I’ll send you off without pain. So rest easy.”
After issuing a casual death threat, Youngho ignored Eon Pyeong’s pale face and proceeded deeper into the Underground Passage.
Muyeon and the rest of Youngho’s party, who had finished their Circulation and Regulation of Qi, followed behind.
Dragged along by Horyeung, Eon Pyeong’s mind raced furiously. After calculating endlessly—almost rivaling the Zhuge Clan—he arrived at a simple conclusion.
‘I must not prove my usefulness.’
If he appeared utterly useless, that monster would surely kill him. If he were allowed to live, he would inevitably reveal far too much.
‘If it is for the sake of the Clan!’
Now that suicide was no longer an option, being killed was the only remaining path.
Just as resolve filled Eon Pyeong’s eyes, words that should never have been spoken left Youngho’s lips.
“The Jinju Eon Clan.”
“……!”
He could neither speak nor move. But Eon Pyeong felt his face stiffen and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hide the violent tremor in his pupils.
“I had heard that the Demonic Cult handles Jiangshi as well. Is there any chance the Jinju Eon Clan is involved here?”
“Are you speaking to me?”
Perplexed by the lack of a subject in the question, Horyeung voiced his confusion. Youngho merely chuckled.
“Yes. Let’s say I am talking to you for now.”
“In that case, the possibility that the Jinju Eon Clan is involved here is infinitely close to impossible, but not nonexistent.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Their desire for research is excessively strong. Especially when it comes to knowledge about Jiangshi. If the Demonic Cult created a Jiangshi tempting enough for the Jinju Eon Clan……”
For an instant, Horyeung’s eyes gleamed faintly.
“They would grasp hands with the Demonic Cult without hesitation.”
“Speaking from experience?”
“That is correct.”
“I see. Then let us hope the Jinju Eon Clan is not involved here.”
A chilling smile curved at the corner of Youngho’s lips.
“If they do not wish for the name Jinju Eon Clan to vanish from history.”
After those words, silence fell for a while. Horyeung sensed that Youngho was plotting something, and the others, too, said nothing under the heavy atmosphere.
As they went deeper underground, something resembling a bizarre mechanism came into view.
“Just by looking at it, it seems we have to activate this mechanism to enter.”
Horyeung pointed at Eon Pyeong as he spoke.
“Shall I release this man’s Acupoints?”
“No. We can just break it.”
“Is that possible?”
“I’ll take a look.”
Youngho placed his palm against the wall and poured Internal Energy into it. Soon, he failed to hide his flustered expression.
“Are these lunatics? No, they are lunatics—but are they truly insane lunatics?”
Seeing Youngho flustered so rarely, Horyeung grew curious and likewise injected Internal Energy into the wall. Before long, he could only mirror Youngho’s reaction.
“Utter madmen.”
“Exactly.”
“What is it? You two are whispering among yourselves.”
At Muyeon’s words, Youngho and Horyeung turned their heads and replied.
“Why are you still here?”
“Why are you still here?”
Seeing the two speak so indifferently, Muyeon bristled.
“Hey! You never told me to leave! I thought I still had work to do!”
“Oh, is that so? Then you can leave now.”
“The commission is not finished yet, client.”
At Muyeon’s abruptly changed attitude, Youngho let out a short chuckle.
“Enough. Excessive curiosity only shortens one’s lifespan.”
“You never know. There might be traps ahead.”
“That is a fair point. But no matter how cautious a person is, they would not place a trap right at their own doorstep. They would only injure themselves.”
“I do not need the remaining commission fee.”
“Do I look like someone desperate for money? I am telling you this for your sake.”
“So what? Planning to kill me to keep things quiet?”
“No. I am telling you not to come any further if you value your life.”
“Hm…… Client, shall I tell you something interesting?”
“What is it?”
“I am different from ordinary wandering warriors.”
“I know. It would make no sense for a mere wandering warrior to be at the Master Level.”
“Exactly. I want information. From information no one needs to information everyone wants.”
“That would be quite dangerous without any backing.”
“I have my own method.”
“That must be how you have survived until now.”
“I could even return the entire commission fee.”
“I told you already. I am not desperate for money.”
“Then what do you want? No—just how dangerous is it?”
Youngho smiled faintly, as if Muyeon’s behavior amused him.
“You already know, don’t you? No. You can roughly guess, can’t you?”
“I have no idea.”
“If you want to see that badly, then come in and do not regret it. If you end up in danger and wish to come under me, come through the Gold-Blood Hall.”
“You are exceedingly considerate.”
“Of course.”
“So? Can you tell me now why you were so shocked?”
Muyeon had been certain that beyond this wall lay either powerful Jiangshi of an entirely different caliber than Poison Jiangshi, or an enormous number of Jiangshi the Demonic Cult had amassed so far.
However, the words that came from Youngho’s mouth were not what she had expected.
“This wall is Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.”
“……What?”
“I said this wall is Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. Even if Horyeung and I join forces, we cannot cut it.”
“……How thick is it?”
“A little less than one Zhang.”
“Are they insane lunatics?”
“Exactly.”
Meanwhile, upon hearing Youngho and Muyeon’s words, Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon could not suppress the twitching of their fingers.
‘Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron? Something this large?’
‘If a sword were made from this……?’
Just imagining it felt pleasant, but the owner of this Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron was not them. Thus, the two suppressed their excitement that had reached its peak.
Of course, to others’ eyes, the way their hips still wriggled was plainly visible.
“Can you operate this?”
“……I will take a look.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Muyeon examined the mechanism carefully.