Chapter 154 : An Unexpected Bargaining Chip
Chapter 154: An Unexpected Bargaining Chip
“I’ll take them. All five!”
It was an unbelievable feat of control—his internal energy did not affect the people he was holding at all and was restricted solely to his throat.
Because it was so difficult to understand how such a thing was possible, the Shaolin Abbot had been staring with a shocked expression. At Yul Han’s words, he hurriedly composed himself.
Then the Shaolin Abbot smiled.
“A superb choice.”
Of course, the Cult Leader was full of dissatisfaction.
“Ah! Why?”
Yul Han smiled at the sulking Cult Leader.
“I have somewhere to use them. I ask for your understanding.”
Seeing Yul Han even bow his head, the Cult Leader eventually backed down.
The Shaolin Abbot—who had even taken on the burden of retrieving the Shaolin’s lost(?) Great Reversion Pill—left the island together with Unyeon Dharma King and Shaolin’s Younger Generation Talent, wearing a surprisingly light expression compared to everyone else.
Once Shaolin had departed, the Cult Leader asked,
“Judging by how they didn’t ask about the remaining three pills, it seems they already know where those are.”
“The Zhuge Clan.”
At that answer, the Cult Leader recalled what Yul Han had said before—that he had briefly visited the Zhuge Clan to settle something.
“Could it be that time…?”
“Yes. I had no choice but to withdraw back then, but now I have a justification. So I should visit them again.”
“Do you think the Hundred Paths brats will just sit still? Stirring up those Zhuge bastards with only the Shaolin Abbot’s condition might be a little dangerous.”
“If it becomes dangerous, I’ll ask Senior Brother for help.”
At Yul Han’s unexpected reply, the Cult Leader’s eyes widened before curving into crescents.
“Y-You will?”
“Yes. I trust only Senior Brother.”
“T-Then! With this Senior Brother here, what’s there to fear! Turn the whole place upside down. If those bastards start acting up, I’ll smash all their heads!”
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
Seeing Yul Han grin at him, the Cult Leader’s mouth stretched into a wide smile.
Watching the scene, Iron Demon shook his head.
He simply couldn’t understand how someone stronger than himself saying he trusted him could make the Cult Leader that happy.
Well, there was a nickname the Cult Leader had within the Bright Cult.
‘A fool for his junior brother.’
Everyone in the Bright Cult knew it.
In fact, many believed that if the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult said, “Give me the position of Cult Leader,” the Cult Leader would reply without hesitation, “Of course!”
That was how absolute the Cult Leader’s affection for the Vice Cult Leader was.
The warm and friendly(?) atmosphere ended in an instant.
Because of the price presented by the young lady from the Namgung Clan, who had come looking for the Azure Dragon Sword King and the Younger Generation Talent.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said me. I’m offering myself.”
The appearance of the woman saying that was truly shocking.
Her hair looked like it hadn’t been washed for days—clumped together with dirt and bits of leaves tangled inside, wildly disheveled. Her face was covered in dark grime.
And throughout the entire conversation, she kept scratching herself here and there.
With a deeply furrowed expression, the Cult Leader leaned his chair further back and asked,
“Did you look in a mirror today?”
“No.”
“Did you wash your face?”
At the Cult Leader’s question, the woman spread out her fingers as if counting, then showed her yellow teeth in a grin.
“I washed fifteen days ago, so I still have fifteen days left.”
“W-What do you mean left?”
“Fifteen days left before I wash again.”
People of the Central Plains didn’t wash often mainly because clean water was scarce.
Some even believed that the development of tea culture came from boiling water due to the lack of clean water.
So bathing once a month like this young lady wasn’t unheard of.
But washing one’s face was different.
Even in areas lacking water, people washed their faces once a day.
You didn’t even need perfectly clear water for that.
And her teeth!
They were so yellow that one almost wished she would stop smiling and showing them.
“Ah! Now even I feel itchy.”
The Cult Leader scratched himself all over while talking.
Yul Han gave a bitter smile and asked the young lady,
“Did you truly come representing the Namgung Clan?”
“I told you I did.”
“I despise those who lie. I would rather cut off their heads than do business with them. I’ll ask again. Did you really come representing the Namgung Clan?”
“No matter how many times you ask, my answer is the same. I came representing Namgung.”
Seeing Yul Han’s eyebrow twitch at her reply, the young lady continued.
“Of course, if you’re asking whether that was an official decision of the Namgung Clan, then I would have to say no.”
Yul Han’s twitching eyebrow finally settled.
“Then you came of your own accord?”
“That’s right.”
“If that’s true, then calling yourself a representative doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“It does. Because aside from me, Namgung will not send any envoy for negotiations.”
In other words, they had decided to refuse the negotiation.
It seemed Yul Han wasn’t the only one surprised.
“Then you’re saying your people decided to just let them die?”
“They were people who stepped forward knowing they would die anyway. That was the clan’s decision.”
Yul Han was somewhat surprised by the Namgung Clan’s cold and resolute decision.
But the Cult Leader simply nodded.
“Well, if it’s those Namgung bastards who have the blood of snakes and the tongues of immortals, that’s perfectly believable.”
Despite the blatant mockery toward the clan she was born and raised in, the young lady merely shrugged.
Yul Han asked her,
“What reason made you overturn the clan’s decision and even offer your own body as the price?”
“Because I cannot watch my older brother die.”
“Older brother?”
“Namgung Chang-yeon. That’s the name of the Namgung Clan’s Younger Generation Talent you’re holding. He’s my only brother.”
At her answer, Yul Han looked toward the Cult Leader.
“What? You’re not thinking of accepting, are you? The girl’s admirable and all, but what would you even do with a woman who looks like that?”
“Senior Brother once said he wanted to get married…”
“Hey! You can still say that after seeing that face?!”
“I know you’re not someone who judges only by appearances. So please consider it seriously.”
“Even if I consider it seriously, it’s the same. She’s not my type. If you want to accept the deal, don’t even think about dragging me into it—you take responsibility.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“But…”
“Let me be clear. You can’t hand her over to someone else either! If you’re not going to take responsibility yourself, then absolutely not! This is an order from your Senior Brother!”
As always, the Cult Leader emphasized the authority of being a Senior Brother, not the Cult Leader.
Yul Han stared at him quietly.
“That pitiful look won’t work on me!”
At the Cult Leader’s firm words, Yul Han smiled bitterly.
Meanwhile, Iron Demon carefully studied the Vice Cult Leader’s eyes.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see what was pitiful about them.
‘Where exactly is the pitiful look in those murderous eyes?’
Unaware—or perhaps uncaring—about Iron Demon’s doubts, Yul Han turned his gaze to the woman after hearing the Cult Leader’s firm refusal.
Even though the matter of her fate was being discussed openly right in front of her, her eyes did not waver.
Yul Han observed her with curiosity.
Then he noticed something.
Her fists were clenched so tightly that all the blood had drained from them.
Only then did he realize how much courage she had gathered and how desperately she was enduring the situation.
“Very well. I’ll take responsibility.”
The Cult Leader had been nodding along, but suddenly snapped his head toward Yul Han.
“You’re really accepting?”
“I think I will.”
“Hey! That thing’s poisoned bait. You know that, right?”
“I know. A woman with almost no signs of martial training arrived here faster than the Shaolin Abbot—even though Shaolin is closer. Of course I know.”
“Right. Those Namgung bastards tried to settle it using just that girl.”
In other words, the Namgung Clan hadn’t simply refused to negotiate.
They had sent this woman forward as a bargaining chip.
They even wrapped it up nicely—presenting her as a younger sister sacrificing herself for her brother.
Otherwise, as Yul Han said, a woman with no martial arts could never reach the island this quickly.
Unless a master from the Namgung Clan had carried her the whole way.
Even though she could roughly infer the situation from their conversation, the woman’s expression did not change.
Which meant…
“You already knew?”
At Yul Han’s question, the young lady answered,
“The clan decided not to negotiate. My uncle, the Deputy Clan Head, would never volunteer to bring me here otherwise.”
“The Deputy Clan Head with that flashy title—Imperial King Sword Technique? Yeah, that bastard would starve his own children if the clan decided everyone should starve. If he personally brought you here, then it’s certain.”
Ignoring the Cult Leader’s grumbling tone, Yul Han asked,
“May I ask why you still came despite knowing all that?”
“Because once the clan made that decision, nothing I did would change it. And… my brother’s life truly matters to me.”
Yul Han looked at her again.
She did not avoid his gaze.
Even seasoned martial artists struggled to meet the murderous aura in his eyes.
But this woman did not look away.
Eventually, Yul Han broke eye contact and ordered Iron Demon,
“Bring him here.”
A moment later, Namgung Chang-yeon appeared together with the Azure Dragon Sword King.
His eyes widened.
“H-Hee-yeon!”
At Namgung Chang-yeon’s shocked voice, the woman smiled sadly and bowed to the Azure Dragon Sword King.
“This niece greets Great-Granduncle. My name is Namgung Hee-yeon.”
“Don’t tell me they…?”
The Azure Dragon Sword King’s eyes trembled.
Namgung Hee-yeon spoke calmly.
“I stepped forward of my own will. Please do not worry.”
“Y-You…”
Unable to finish his words, the Azure Dragon Sword King gritted his teeth.
Namgung Hee-yeon turned her gaze to her brother.
“Are you alright? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
“Why did you come here!”
“What? Should I just let you die?”
“That’s right! If I stepped forward to die, then I should die!”
“If you die like that, do you think I could live well?”
“Then what about me?! Do you think I could live well after letting this happen to you?!”
“You must live better than anyone else! If you’re thinking about me, then you must. Why even ask something so obvious, Brother?”
“H-Hee-yeon!”
“You’re the only man left in our family. Do you know what that means? Don’t ever say to me again that the clan won’t lose its line because it still exists!”
Namgung Chang-yeon and the Azure Dragon Sword King could not respond to her resolute words.
Then the Cult Leader spoke indifferently.
“Your acupoint seal should already be released. In about half a Gak, you’ll be fully recovered. Leave quietly right now. If you cause trouble, I won’t sit still—even if my junior brother says otherwise. Remember that.”
It was practically a threat.
The Azure Dragon Sword King looked furious for a moment, but soon shook his head.
He had learned painfully in the last fight that no matter what he did, he couldn’t do anything against that man.
He slowly turned and gazed at Namgung Hee-yeon.
Then he struck Namgung Chang-yeon’s sleeping acupoint when the latter resisted leaving.
As Namgung Chang-yeon collapsed, the Azure Dragon Sword King caught him and hoisted him onto his shoulder.
Then he said to Namgung Hee-yeon,
“I will personally teach him and take responsibility for him. That will be how I repay your grace.”
“Thank you, Great-Granduncle.”
Namgung Hee-yeon bowed politely.
The Azure Dragon Sword King glanced at her one last time before departing.
With the unconscious Namgung Chang-yeon slung over his shoulder.