Chapter 181 : Conflict of the Namgung Clan
Chapter 181: Conflict of the Namgung Clan
Yul Han asked the Monk Demon who was holding him back.
“Why is that?”
“Are you leaving the Mad Tyrant Divine King behind?”
Perhaps because their hometown was the same northern steppe, despite having lived in different eras and even belonging to different factions, after becoming Possessed Martial Artists, the relationship between the Mad Tyrant Divine King and Monk Demon had grown quite close.
Because of that, Yul Han tilted his head at Monk Demon’s question about taking care of the Mad Tyrant Divine King.
“Who is the Mad Tyrant Divine King?”
“He’s the one shoved into a corner in the Closed-Door Training Grounds……”
After saying that, it turned out there was no one who hadn’t been smashed into a corner after colliding with Yul Han.
The difference was that only the Mad Tyrant Divine King was still breathing.
After hearing that explanation from Monk Demon, Yul Han replied.
“Bring him.”
As if afraid he might change his mind, Monk Demon dashed off the moment the order was given.
While he went to retrieve the Mad Tyrant Divine King, Yul Han ended up stuck for a while at Zhuge Giyeon’s confinement chamber.
It was an awkward silence—Yul Han had no choice but to wait, and Zhuge Clan Head and Zhuge Giyeon could only wait for him to leave.
Soon, Monk Demon came running back with the Mad Tyrant Divine King on his back, and without hesitation, Yul Han left the Zhuge Clan.
Watching Yul Han’s group grow distant, deep despair settled across the Zhuge Clan Head’s face.
But only for a moment…….
“Clan Head……”
“Silence! I will never leave you alive and whole!”
At the Zhuge Clan Head’s furious shout, the clan’s experts rushed in as if drawn by it.
He ordered them to imprison Zhuge Giyeon once more.
Her punishment would be decided by convening the Council of Elders.
The incident that had just occurred within the Zhuge Clan had to be explained somehow.
And the Zhuge Clan Head intended to pin everything on Zhuge Giyeon.
Whether she knew it or not, Zhuge Giyeon sat motionless in her confined room, eyes closed, without the slightest movement.
At the Vice Cult Leader’s residence, a commotion broke out.
Because those who called the Vice Cult Leader they revered “Master” had arrived.
There were twelve of them.
Their realms were considerable.
One at the Manifestation Realm, three at the Transcendent Realm, and the rest were all at the Supreme Peak.
Of course, that didn’t mean those who had been training at the Vice Cult Leader’s residence were inferior.
This side had four at the Manifestation Realm and six at the Transcendent Realm.
Not only that, even the Thirteen Bloods who hadn’t yet reached the Transcendent Realm were all at the Supreme Peak.
And that was with Mahwa absent on the Cult Leader’s orders, and the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon away leading the Crushing Faction into a government battlefield for training.
Even so, chaos erupted—because of the issue of titles.
‘Master.’
Iron Demon and Ghost Demon were problems, but the most intense reaction came from Pageuk, who called Yul Han “my lord.”
“What gives you the right to call my lord ‘Master’?!”
“He’s our Master, so we call him Master! Who are you to call our Master ‘lord’?!”
“He’s my lord!”
“He’s our Master!”
As both sides bickered like children fighting over a toy, Iron Demon suddenly jumped in.
“Don’t be ridiculous! He’s our Vice Cult Leader!”
As Iron Demon shouted, Ghost Demon and the Thirteen Bloods cheered him on.
At that sight, Yul Han shook his head and let out a sigh—when an unexpected voice reached his ears.
“He’s my junior brother!”
At the sudden shout, everyone was stunned.
The ultimate claimant of ownership had appeared.
“C-Cult Leader!”
Iron Demon’s shocked voice was drowned out by the Cult Leader’s rough tone.
“If you don’t want to die, shut your nonsense! Han belongs to me!”
With the Cult Leader appearing and displaying a strange sense of possessiveness, everyone fell silent.
Judging by his fierce expression, it felt like he would really charge at them if anyone said anything else.
In the end, that day’s ownership dispute ended with the Cult Leader’s victory.
“Lululu.”
Humming as he walked, the Cult Leader was followed by Yul Han, who asked,
“Are you that pleased?”
“Of course.”
At the sight of the Cult Leader even shrugging his shoulders, Yul Han smirked and asked,
“Then what do you plan to do about my marriage?”
“You planning to get married?”
At the Cult Leader’s brightened expression, Yul Han shook his head.
“No. I’m not.”
“Why not? The most beautiful woman in the world is right beside you!”
“What kind of marriage would someone like me have…… I’d be punished for it.”
“What’s wrong with you!”
The Cult Leader shouted as if angry, and Yul Han gave a bitter smile.
Now, Yul Han knew it himself.
Just as the Cult Leader expected, he too had feelings for Namgung Hee-yeon.
He was a man—there was no way the most beautiful woman under heaven wouldn’t look beautiful to him.
Still, he thought it wasn’t right.
His body and soul were different—how could he live carefree and marry?
There was no guarantee that, just as he had awakened in this body, the original owner’s soul wouldn’t suddenly return one day.
That was why, until then, he intended to do his utmost to complete what he had planned.
Of course, he couldn’t completely stop his gaze from drifting toward Seogak.
It was the same now.
Even though he knew that Pageuk had already rushed to Seogak that morning to report everything in detail, he was still heading there himself to inform Namgung Hee-yeon.
Watching Yul Han drift away as if avoiding his nagging, the Cult Leader soon smiled.
Because he realized Yul Han was heading toward Seogak.
“That brat. Acting like he doesn’t have feelings……”
Even so, the hesitation—he thought it was because of what had happened fifteen years ago.
Back then, too, a female disciple of the Orthodox Faction.
And now, again, the daughter of an important Orthodox clan—the Namgung Clan.
It was understandable that Yul Han would be afraid.
And it all felt like his own fault.
“I shouldn’t have done that back then……”
The regret he had repeated tens of thousands of times slipped from the Cult Leader’s lips once more.
As he watched, Yul Han stepped over the threshold of Seogak.
For some reason, instead of Pageuk, Namgung Hee-yeon was sweeping the yard.
He didn’t know why it irritated him, but he hurriedly snatched the broom and began sweeping as he asked,
“Didn’t Pageuk sweep?”
“He swept two shijin ago. But since so many leaves keep falling……”
At her answer, Yul Han realized.
It was the very end of autumn.
The time when leaves clinging to trees fell helplessly.
“I see.”
“I was actually planning to come and thank you. Thank you.”
Namgung Hee-yeon bowed politely, but something about it didn’t sit well with Yul Han.
It felt like she was thanking a complete stranger.
‘A stranger? Well… I suppose I am.’
He knew.
That he had come to like her.
And he knew how frustrating it was that he kept refusing to admit it.
Still…….
Suppressing part of his heart, Yul Han stated the reason he had come.
“We’ll be leaving for the Namgung Clan tomorrow. Would you like to meet him before you go?”
At his question, her face brightened—then gradually darkened.
And she shook her head.
“No. It’s fine. Just knowing he’s alive is enough.”
“He’s the one who sold you off, yet you still care that much about his safety?”
At Yul Han’s question, a small smile formed on her lips.
“Honestly, I am upset. But it saved my brother’s life, so I can’t resent him entirely.”
He found himself understanding her complicated feelings a little.
And for some reason, it made him resent the Namgung Clan Head.
“Shall I cut off a piece of him and send it?”
He was startled at himself—he hadn’t been this kind of person before. Maybe he’d been influenced after staying too long in the Bright Cult.
Namgung Hee-yeon looked at him with wide eyes, then smiled like a crescent moon.
“No. I’d just be grateful if you send him back safely.”
Then she bowed again—so deeply it almost seemed her head might touch the ground.
“I will.”
For some reason, his voice turned cold as he replied, then he stomped off.
Namgung Hee-yeon watched him with a flustered expression.
Meanwhile, Hwayeong, who had been sitting by the entrance watching them, shook her head.
“The Vice Cult Leader and you both… you’re really frustrating people.”
“Pardon?”
Not understanding, Namgung Hee-yeon turned to her, and Hwayeong replied,
“The Vice Cult Leader isn’t someone who wouldn’t notice me sitting here. Yet he didn’t even acknowledge me. From the moment he stepped over that threshold, his gaze was fixed on you. What do you think that means?”
“Because I was sweeping?”
“Is he someone who ever cared about something like that?”
“Then why?”
“Didn’t you promise the Cult Leader you’d seduce him?”
“I… I did.”
As Namgung Hee-yeon answered, slightly blushing, Hwayeong said,
“And yet you can’t even realize the feelings of the man who’s come to like you?”
“L-Like me?”
At her shocked wide eyes, Hwayeong spoke as if exasperated.
“Would the Vice Cult Leader have nothing better to do than rescue the Namgung Clan Head of the Orthodox Faction?”
“Th-that was because of your marriage proposal……”
“I’m grateful, sure. But do you really think he’d go that far just for me?”
The Vice Cult Leader wasn’t someone who wouldn’t know Hwayeong liked him.
Just looking at how Mahwa had rushed to her and he followed immediately, it was obvious.
Yet even after seeing her suffering at the Golden Flower Manor, he had never visited again after the Golden Flower Manor Bloodshed.
Put harshly, it meant he didn’t really care about her feelings.
Put kindly, it meant he had no feelings for her.
And yet that same man went in and out of the Orthodox Faction and rescued the Namgung Clan Head—for her marriage?
Even if the man she liked hadn’t been Namgung Hee-yeon’s brother, Namgung Chang-yeon, would he still have acted?
If Namgung Chang-yeon had no interest in her, would he still have moved?
Hwayeong didn’t know how the Vice Cult Leader justified his actions to himself—but she was certain it wasn’t for her.
He wanted to look good to Namgung Hee-yeon.
As Hwayeong poured out these thoughts, Namgung Hee-yeon listened with wide, astonished eyes.
Vitality began to return to the Namgung Clan.
Because the Clan Head and elders who had been captured had returned.
Though it bothered them that it had been done by the Vice Cult Leader of the Bright Cult, the safe return of the Clan Head overshadowed everything.
Even the Clan Head himself seemed quite shaken by being rescued by the Bright Cult.
The problem was…….
“That is unacceptable!”
“If it’s because I was saved by the Bright Cult, then I can simply step down as Clan Head.”
“Why would you repay kindness with enmity?!”
At the Azure Dragon Sword King’s emotional shout, the Clan Head replied,
“Uncle. We are of the Orthodox Faction. If we form a marriage alliance with the Bright Cult, do you truly not know how the others will see us?”
“It’s not the Bright Cult—it’s the Golden Flower Manor.”
“Do you think anyone will see it that way?”
“If you thought that, you shouldn’t have sent Hee-yeon in the first place!”
At those words, finally spoken aloud, the Clan Head looked at the Azure Dragon Sword King with shaking eyes.
The Azure Dragon Sword King continued,
“It was a step we took ourselves. I won’t say we made the wrong first move. But at the very least, let us not become a Namgung Clan that contradicts itself.”
At his words, the Clan Head could not respond for a long time.