Chapter 198
Chapter 198
“……So you’re saying you want to know information about the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance?”
“Yes.”
Yoon Seojeong spoke to the beggar in front of her.
“Please guide me to the Branch Leader.”
“Huh, well.”
The beggar let out a snort at Yoon Seojeong’s audacious attitude.
“I’m the Branch Leader. Thanks to that, I’m spared the trouble of guiding you.”
Despite the sarcastic tone in the beggar’s voice, Yoon Seojeong did not care. She simply stared at him silently.
Under her gaze, the beggar wordlessly poured tea.
The teacup, cracked here and there, looked as though it might shatter the moment it was picked up.
However, Yoon Seojeong had far more important matters than something like this, so she ignored it and spoke.
“I want to know about the Martial God from fifteen years ago.”
“Hearing you ask that, are you a young junior? How about we introduce ourselves first? I’m Gwangryeol.”
“I’m Ju Yunhui.”
The intelligence network of the Beggars’ Sect was by no means inferior to the Hao Sect. Knowing this, Yoon Seojeong deliberately gave a false name.
Even so, would they fail to realize I’m Master’s disciple?
There was no way for her to know that.
Yoon Seojeong quietly stared into Gwangryeol’s eyes. They were not deep like the abyssal sea of Youngho, but they were seasoned eyes carrying years of experience, making them difficult to read.
And Gwangryeol was thinking the same thing.
She feels young just from her gaze, but she’s not ordinary.
Although he looked like a typical beggar, Gwangryeol was a genius who had reached the Five Energies Returning to the Origin at the age of forty.
Ten years later, the man confirmed as the next Branch Leader was none other than Gwangryeol. Yet even someone like him could not take his eyes off the woman before him.
Sharp.
Yoon Seojeong’s infinitely sharp presence prevented even Gwangryeol from letting down his guard.
As expected… the Lord’s disciple?
Gwangryeol already knew the woman in front of him was Youngho’s disciple.
After all, Youngho had never hidden Yoon Seojeong’s existence to begin with.
Gwangryeol spoke to the disciple of the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance, who concealed a blade within her beauty.
“I already know that you’re Yoon Seojeong, disciple of the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance, so there’s no need to use a false name.”
“Then tell me.”
Yoon Seojeong asked calmly, as though her identity being exposed did not matter.
“What exactly happened to my master fifteen years ago?”
“You’re young, so you’re impatient.”
“Please just tell me.”
Yoon Seojeong frowned in displeasure. Despite her fierce expression, Gwangryeol only grinned, revealing yellowed teeth as though he found it amusing.
“You should first say what information you want.”
“I don’t have time for games. I need to know what incident my master faced fifteen years ago.”
“An incident… Well, young people might think of it that way.”
Yoon Seojeong glared sharply at Gwangryeol. Even under a gaze that made one’s knees weaken, Gwangryeol merely smiled slyly.
“It’s not exactly hidden information anyway. Give me one nyang of gold and I’ll tell you.”
Yoon Seojeong was surprised by the cheaper-than-expected price, but soon hardened her expression. Taking out a piece of gold from her sleeve, she handed it to Gwangryeol.
In return, he placed a tightly rolled document into her hand.
“You can read it now if you like.”
Without hesitation, Yoon Seojeong unfolded the document.
Soon after seeing the words written on it, she asked in a bewildered voice.
“……What is this?”
“You’ll understand if you keep reading.”
Gwangryeol answered lightly.
Guigok Sect, Gongmu Pavilion, Homeng Sect, Guyubang, Gaeryong Taebang……
Yoon Seojeong quickly read through the characters.
What she discovered was that everything written here were names of sects that had now been completely exterminated.
Most were sects from the Unorthodox Faction, but here and there were also sects that had operated within the Orthodox Sect.
Looking at the nearly one thousand sect names with trembling pupils, Yoon Seojeong spoke in a calm voice.
“You’re saying… my master destroyed all of these sects?”
At her question, though she tried to sound composed, Gwangryeol’s eyes gleamed strangely.
“He didn’t just destroy the sects.”
“What do you mean?”
“It should say below.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“We also know the Martial God isn’t a bad person, but unfortunately, there are quite a few people on our side who resent him……”
Gwangryeol grinned.
“After cutting off the Heavenly Demon’s head, the Martial God eliminated everyone who tried to target him for nearly three years. Literally eliminated them. That’s why the Orthodox Sect calls him this.”
“Stop.”
“A butcher.”
BANG—!
The moment she heard the final word, the last strand of reason remaining in Yoon Seojeong’s mind snapped.
Instantly shattering the table, she glared at Gwangryeol with chilling eyes.
The anger felt within that coldness was fiercer and hotter than ever.
Her eyes, mixed with killing intent and fury, flashed dangerously.
Under the chilling gaze that made it feel as though death was approaching, Gwangryeol lightly clenched his fist.
Did I provoke her too much?
Regretting that he had crossed the line, Gwangryeol spoke to Yoon Seojeong.
“I merely told you the information you asked for.”
“And you’re not going to explain why you deliberately said it so provocatively?”
“You said you couldn’t believe it.”
With a playful smile, Gwangryeol gulped down the cold water beside him.
“Ahh!”
Cold water, my foot—it was lukewarm. But it was enough to clear Gwangryeol’s mind.
“I’m sorry for provoking you. But I was really curious.”
“About what?”
Even when the icy reply came back, Gwangryeol only laughed heartily as if he liked it.
“I wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of person the disciple of the Lord—who’s surrounded by such terrifying rumors—is like!”
Yoon Seojeong’s eyebrow twitched.
Not missing the subtle change in expression, Gwangryeol hurriedly spoke.
“It’s a compliment! I may not know exactly about fifteen years ago, but I do know the rumors about the Lord now.”
“I hope you give a wise answer.”
Sensing the presence of Beggars’ Sect members secretly forming an encirclement, Yoon Seojeong transmitted her voice to Jongpal.
—Secure an escape route.
—Yes.
Once Jongpal’s presence quietly disappeared, Yoon Seojeong focused on Gwangryeol again.
Under her ominous gaze, Gwangryeol’s body trembled.
If I don’t give a good answer now, I’ll die.
Sensing the future instinctively, Gwangryeol displayed the social survival skills he had honed over decades.
“Everyone who had direct contact with the Lord evaluated Youngho positively. For example, they said he was like a senior in life. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Sword King, but even he said he gained enlightenment thanks to the Lord…”
“And?”
“Anyway, they say he’s a good person.”
Satisfied with the answer, Yoon Seojeong nodded as if she had expected it.
Having successfully appeased her, Gwangryeol let out a sigh of relief.
“And you?”
“Hmm?”
“What do you think?”
It was a sharp question that flew at him the moment he relaxed, but Gwangryeol answered without hesitation.
“He’s a pitiful person.”
“….”
It was only a single sentence, but Yoon Seojeong unconsciously agreed with it.
“Don’t complain about the quality of the information. It’s something that doesn’t really matter whether you know it or not.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Hmm?”
Seeing Gwangryeol’s curious gaze, Yoon Seojeong spoke with an indifferent expression.
“It may be shocking, but the fact that I’m my master’s disciple doesn’t change.”
It sounded like a vow.
A disciple’s vow that no matter what happened, she would never abandon her master.
No matter what mistakes he had made, or what mistakes he might make, she would believe in him.
At Yoon Seojeong’s unwavering words—close to blind faith—Gwangryeol could not continue speaking.
For some reason, something deep in his heart felt warm.
Because it seemed that the girl before him possessed something he himself did not.
“Branch Leader!!”
BANG—!
At that moment, a Beggars’ Sect member burst into the room, throwing the door open violently.
The loud noise made Gwangryeol, who had been lost in thought, frown.
“What is it?”
The Beggars’ Sect member took a moment to steady his breathing before raising his head.
“Please don’t be shocked when you hear this.”
“Stop talking nonsense and tell me the information you brought.”
“It seems the Martial God has caused an incident. A support request came from the Murim Alliance.”
“….”
When Gwangryeol fell silent, the beggar awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“Uh… I meant don’t be too shocked. You can be moderately shocked…”
“…Wow.”
“Pardon?”
The beggar answered Gwangryeol’s mutter like a fool.
“Bring every single damn beggar here right now!”
Having momentarily lost his mind from shock, Gwangryeol suddenly roared.
“We have to erase all traces within the next two shijin!”
Even as he issued orders, Gwangryeol’s hands moved busily.
“What’s the scale of the damage?”
“Roughly around a hundred people.”
“They’re alive?”
“They say he left them all alive.”
“I heard he’s been sparing people lately, but I still can’t believe it.”
Yoon Seojeong listened blankly to their conversation.
Spared them? Who? Master caused an incident?
Her mind went completely blank.
Still unable to regain her senses, she grabbed Gwangryeol by the shoulder.
CRACK!
She gripped him so hard that the sound of bone breaking echoed from his shoulder.
Ignoring Gwangryeol’s expression twisted in pain, she asked without blinking.
“Where?”
“That hurts… could you let go first?”
“Where?”
WHOOM—!
A powerful shockwave of qi burst from Yoon Seojeong’s body.
Sensing that her presence was far from ordinary, Gwangryeol pointed in a direction.
“If you keep going straight that way, you’ll find it. The Murim Alliance Leader is there too, so it should be easier to spot.”
BOOM—!
The moment she heard everything, Yoon Seojeong immediately set off.
She ran so fast that spiderweb-like cracks spread across the ground where she stepped.
Seeing the floor shattered like glass, Gwangryeol sighed wearily.
“Let’s just put the damage on that young lady who just left.”
“Who the hell was that woman?”
“The Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance’s disciple.”
“…Really?”
“As far as I know.”
Knowing Gwangryeol’s information was always accurate, the beggar screamed in despair.
The location of the incident was not far from the Beggars’ Sect branch.
Arriving at the scene in an instant, Yoon Seojeong called out to Youngho in a trembling voice.
“Master—!”
But the words did not finish.
Before her eyes was a horrifying scene.
People whose limbs had all been severed crawled along the ground, repeatedly muttering words referring to someone.
“Butcher….”
“We have to kill the monster…!”
Even with their hands and feet cut off, they struggled violently.
Their grotesque appearances were disturbing, but Yoon Seojeong’s gaze did not go toward them.
Her gaze was fixed on the center of the carnage.
On the back of a man wearing a purple robe soaked in blood.
“Master!”
Yoon Seojeong shouted as she ran toward Youngho.
Hearing her voice, Youngho slowly turned around.
She reached him in an instant and threw herself into his arms.
Youngho caught her reflexively. After a moment of confusion, he tried to smile calmly.
Seeing her master trying to smile as if nothing was wrong made Yoon Seojeong’s heart ache.
Without realizing it, she spoke in a trembling voice.
“You don’t have to force a smile.”
Youngho’s lips trembled for an instant.
“You’re struggling. You’re exhausted.”
Looking straight at him, determination shone in Yoon Seojeong’s eyes.
“I learned about your past.”
“…I see.”
Youngho replied in an emotionless voice.
And Yoon Seojeong realized something.
Within that emotionless voice was fear.
It was like looking at a frightened child.
That was why she looked at her master with even colder eyes.
To show that she herself was calm—more rational than ever.
Hiding the strange heat burning inside her heart, Yoon Seojeong infused internal energy into her voice so her master would never forget.
“No matter what happens, no matter what happened in the past, I will always be on your side.”