Chapter 84
Chapter 84
It was silent.
The moment Muyeon stepped inside the Training Ground, that was the first thought that crossed his mind. Why was it so silent?
No—why could he feel nothing at all?
“What are you doing? Hurry and follow.”
While his mind was elsewhere, Youngho was already standing right in front of him. Youngho strode straight toward the man seated at the center of the Training Ground.
Startled, Muyeon hurried after him.
Youngho dropped Hanryeong and Danpung, whom he had been holding in both hands, onto the ground and spoke.
“Shall I explain the situation?”
“That will not be necessary.”
Cheonung rose slowly from his seat as he spoke.
“Who is the child beside you?”
“He is an acquaintance who assisted when I killed the Poison Demon.”
“So you are Muyeon?”
“Yes, Alliance Lord.”
At some point, Muyeon had already formed a fist-and-palm salute and bowed his head respectfully to Cheonung.
“Hm… I heard your tracking skills and your ability to dismantle formations are quite remarkable.”
“I am still lacking.”
“Youngho, what do you think?”
“In the future, no one will be able to match Muyeon in his field.”
At Youngho’s calm tone, Muyeon looked at him with widened eyes.
As if he had never expected such words from him.
Ignoring Muyeon’s gaze, Youngho continued. What he was saying now was nothing but the truth.
“Even if he were deployed to the field immediately, he would not be a hindrance—he would likely distinguish himself instead.”
“To that extent?”
“Yes.”
Under Cheonung’s gaze, Muyeon gradually felt a growing burden, yet he maintained as composed an expression as possible.
Drip.
The cold sweat trickling down from his chin, however, was beyond his control.
“If you say so, Youngho, then his ability must be considerable. What do you think?”
Though Cheonung had addressed him suddenly, Muyeon responded in a calm, measured voice, as if he had practiced this thousands of times.
“I will not disappoint you.”
“Good. You may go now.”
“Understood.”
He did not argue. He merely followed what was said. Muyeon did nothing rash.
After offering another bow, he left the Training Ground.
Cheonung stared at the spot where Muyeon had stood for a moment before speaking.
“You have brought quite a promising talent. Quick-witted, too. The sort Cheongsol would favor.”
“I have already entrusted the new talent to Chief Aide Cheongsol.”
“Come to think of it, Cheongsol was pleased lately, saying he finally had time to drink tea… That was because of you?”
“You could say that.”
“What mischief have you been up to beyond my sight?”
“Nothing much. I merely paid a visit to the Slaughter Heaven Sect. Though it was no more than something akin to a Branch Hall.”
“The reason?”
“They sent assassins a few times. And it is not in my nature to sit idly by.”
“Are the ones you brought from there called Black Shadow and Yeongmong?”
“So you already knew.”
“Did you think Shadow would not report to me?”
“Of course not.”
Cheonung looked at Youngho with a displeased expression for a moment before speaking again.
“I knew this Hanryeong would cause trouble, but he truly caused it in grand fashion.”
“Indeed. At the very least, he should not have drawn in the Blood Ghost Hall Master.”
For Cheonung, the intrusion of a third party into a duel between successors was an extremely unpleasant matter.
However, he had stated that intervening without attacking—merely protecting—was permissible.
Without at least that degree of protection, one of the successors would surely end up dead without anyone knowing.
Cheonung spoke in a voice laced with coldness.
“Though he is no longer the Blood Ghost Hall Master.”
At some point, a faint Killing Intent that even Youngho failed to notice had settled in Cheonung’s eyes.
After a brief silence, Youngho spoke.
“May this disciple offer one piece of advice?”
“What is it?”
“I believe it would be best to kill the former Blood Ghost Hall Master.”
“The reason?”
“Keeping someone who would stab you in the back does not seem to suit Master’s disposition.”
Cheonung laughed pleasantly, as though he had heard something amusing.
“Indeed. That is not an action I would take.”
Cheonung placed his foot on Danpung’s neck as she lay collapsed.
Crack!
Applying force to his leg, he snapped Danpung’s neck bone, then looked back at Youngho as if nothing had happened.
“And what do you intend to do with this Hanryeong?”
“This disciple will follow Master’s judgment.”
For a brief moment, Cheonung’s lips trembled.
Youngho knew well how much Cheonung cherished and cared for his disciples.
Even when Hong Gakjeong and the others had died, Cheonung must have swallowed his tears in silence.
Such was the nature of the Unorthodox Faction—and Cheonung had lived his entire life by that code.
That was why Youngho left Hanryeong’s punishment to Cheonung. It had been Cheonung who killed Hong Gakjeong, and it was likewise his role to punish Hanryeong now.
After staring at the sky in silence for a moment, Cheonung spoke.
“Throw him into the Underground Prison at once. Until I say he may come out, do not give him a single ray of light. And for two days, he is not to drink even a mouthful of water.”
Considering Hanryeong had attempted to recruit Danpung, it was a rather light punishment—so light that one might expect Youngho to object.
But Youngho said nothing. He merely met Cheonung’s gaze.
There was no longer any suspicion toward Youngho. No—more accurately, there was no longer any worry.
Since the day Youngho had returned to the Unorthodox Alliance, Cheonung had worried for his safety.
He had thought Youngho was still an unripe fruit. Yet the one standing before him now was no fledgling.
He was a Junior Disciple, yet not merely a Junior Disciple.
A paradoxical and contradictory impression—that was Cheonung’s fleeting thought about Youngho.
“…And what will you do about the First Senior Brother?”
At Cheonung’s question, laden with many emotions, Youngho met his eyes with a steady gaze and replied.
“If possible, I intend to spare him.”
For a brief instant, relief seemed to surface in Cheonung’s eyes.
“…Very well. You may go.”
“Yes.”
Youngho slowly stepped out of the Training Ground.
‘His thoughts must be quite complicated.’
The reason Youngho had survived before the Regression was because Cheonung had sheltered him.
Of course, the fact that Cheonung’s other disciples had underestimated Youngho had also played a part, but it was Cheonung’s protection that had kept him alive.
That was an undeniable fact. It was thanks to that protection that Youngho had survived until the end and become the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance.
When he stepped outside the Training Ground, Muyeon, who had been waiting, spoke brusquely.
“Why did you take so long?”
“Our master–disciple relationship is particularly special.”
“Anyway, that makes me one of your household now, right?”
“You could say that. And let me tell you one thing—there will be people watching you for a while. I don’t know how closely they’ll pry, but don’t get overly sensitive and provoke them first.”
“Why?”
“Are you going to say that to my Master as well?”
“…Fine, you bastard.”
The two bickered as they headed home.
On their way back, having bought a few pieces of taffy, Youngho suddenly frowned.
“What is this? Why are there so many presences around the house?”
Muyeon clicked his tongue in disbelief.
“Just how far do your senses reach?”
“Quite far. Let’s run.”
In an instant, Youngho’s body silhouette vanished. Muyeon groaned.
“Damn it, he’s a pain to keep up with.”
Watching Youngho’s form shoot forward like a ray of light, Muyeon let out a deep sigh and chased after him at full speed.
Kwoooooom—!
A violent yet razor-sharp Killing Intent brushed against Youngho’s skin. It was so fierce that his hands tingled, and it showed no sign of settling.
An ordinary person would have hesitated to enter. Naturally, such common sense did not apply to Youngho.
He flung the door open roughly and stepped inside.
“What are you all doing?”
Those who had been confronting one another while releasing Killing Intent turned their heads toward him one by one.
Divided evenly across the courtyard as though drawing a line down the middle, they all snapped their heads toward him simultaneously.
“Fifth Young Master?”
“How is the Fifth Young Master here?”
“Young Master!”
Looking at the men who seemed ready to draw their swords—or who had already drawn them—Youngho spoke calmly.
“I asked what you’re doing.”
At his composed tone, one man shouted angrily.
“How dare you be here!”
“Horyeung.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Horyeung, who had already sheathed his sword again, answered respectfully.
“For a moment, protect them.”
“Yes.”
With cold, sunken eyes, Youngho looked at the unfamiliar faces before him.
“I’ll ask one more time. What are you doing in my house?”
Under his icy gaze, one of the men stiffened before flushing red and shouting.
“You insolent—!”
Kugugugugung—!
The moment the man spoke, an overwhelming aura burst from Youngho’s entire body. It was not Killing Intent, but the sheer force of his presence.
Like the dignity of an emperor before whom none could rebel, it caused everyone present to swallow dryly without realizing it.
Crack, crack!
The door Youngho was gripping began to split.
Crash!
It was not just that. Everything touched by his presence began to fracture.
Cracks formed in the roof, teacups shattered instantly, and even the furniture began to split apart little by little.
Cracks spread, and at times things burst apart. Though he had taken no action, the sheer weight of his presence felt enough to crush them to death. The man hurriedly opened his mouth.
“…Please forgive my rudeness.”
“If it happens again, I’ll take one of your limbs.”
“…Understood.”
Satisfied at the man’s subdued demeanor, Youngho smiled faintly.
“So, who are you?”
“…We are the direct escort unit of the Second Young Master.”
“Is that so? Then you may leave.”
“What do you mean—?”
“Hanryeong’s Dantian has been destroyed. I don’t know who did it, but it was done quite neatly.”
“What are you saying?!”
Perhaps because he had just felt Youngho’s aura, his voice was noticeably smaller than before.
“Just as I said—he’s become a cripple. Master has locked him in the Underground Prison, so that should tell you enough.”
“I cannot believe that!”
“Then go ask the Blood Ghost Hall. That falls under their jurisdiction.”
The man’s mind began racing at high speed.
‘The Second Young Master was defeated? No, more importantly, how is the Fifth Young Master here? He was supposed to die.’
Having reached a conclusion, the man glared at Youngho with Killing Intent in his eyes.
“…Did you kill the Second Young Master?”
At those unexpected words, murmurs spread among everyone present.
Among them, the conversation between Kang Hosan and Hyeon-gang stood out.
“It’s just like you said, hyung. The Second Young Master is dead. I didn’t think he’d die this time…”
“That’s our Young Master for you.”
Seeing the Asura Squad Members react as though Hanryeong’s death were only natural, the man glared at Youngho with bloodshot eyes.
“You bas—!”
Slash!
The instant he tried to charge at Youngho, his body suddenly collapsed.
‘What just happened?’
He had clearly moved his legs, yet somehow his face was already against the ground.
“I told you, didn’t I? There wouldn’t be a next time.”
At Youngho’s words, the color drained from the man’s face. Slowly, he looked down toward his legs.
One of them had been cleanly severed.
Hot blood soaked into the ground. A dizzying pain, as though his leg were being seared by fire, stabbed into his mind.
“Gaaahhh!”
The man screamed in agony, and Youngho stared down at him with a smile like that of a malevolent ghost.