Chapter 46
Tension hung thick in the manor.
The Hebei Peng Clan Patriarch, Unhindered Saber Immortal Peng Woo-deok.
The Huangbo Clan Patriarch, Thunderclap Fist Venerable Huangbo Gi.
With two of the Orthodox Faction’s greatest masters suddenly appearing, everyone fell silent and waited for them to speak.
But Eun Yak-byeok was the first to break the silence.
“Have you all gone mad? How dare you climb over another sect’s walls so casually?”
“Kwahaha! Don’t be angry, Lust Venerable! I told you I’d pay for all the damage.”
“Hoho… I’ve done nothing wrong, you know? Saber Immortal said he was coming, so I just tagged along for a stroll.”
“That’s right, Fist Venerable! A little fresh air now and then is good for the body, isn’t it?”
“Hohoho.”
Unlike the Saber Immortal and Fist Venerable, who were chatting cheerfully, Eun Yak-byeok was so irritated that a vein stood out on her forehead.
‘How did they find out? Has someone breached our intelligence network…?!’
She was already locked in a fierce underground intelligence war with the Beggars’ Sect, and now people she hadn’t accounted for had shown up. Eun Yak-byeok was utterly bewildered.
Whether or not they knew how she felt, the uninvited guests leisurely looked around the manor.
“As expected, the Hao Sect has quite a lot of money.”
“Indeed. More importantly… which one of you is Dokgo Jin’s daughter?”
“!!”
As Peng Woo-deok’s gaze fell on Wi Ilcheong and his companions, their knees went weak and their spirits were instantly suppressed.
‘Is this the aura of an absolute master…?!’
Wi Ilcheong stepped forward, bearing Peng Woo-deok’s overwhelming aura and shielding Eun Gwan-yeong and Dokgo Ryeong behind him. Interest flickered in Peng Woo-deok’s eyes.
“Hmm… You’re a man with quite a bit of spirit. So the title ‘Lewd Demon’ was meant as an insult, was it?”
“Thank you… Guh…!”
As Wi Ilcheong struggled to endure Peng Woo-deok’s mighty aura, his body sank lower and lower. Then Peng Woo-deok said something strange.
“Young man. Have you ever considered learning the saber?”
“…Pardon?”
“You look like a swordsman. What a pity. A man should wield a saber, if you ask me.”
The overwhelming aura from a moment ago vanished, and Peng Woo-deok approached Wi Ilcheong with a smile.
“Think about it, young man. A sword… it lacks a certain boldness, doesn’t it?”
“W-what do you mean…?”
“It should be like this!”
Whoosh!
Peng Woo-deok’s saber swept through the air, and a clean whistle of wind rang out.
“It lacks the satisfaction of a good cut. A man ought to possess noble aspirations, but shouldn’t he also have a weapon suited to them?”
“I… I suppose so.”
“And what is a weapon suited to a man? The saber! That weighty feel in your hand, that clean strike. What’s the point of all that cowardly stabbing and blocking? A man should attack and only attack! Isn’t following one path the way of a true man?”
“…”
When Wi Ilcheong was too dazed to answer, Peng Woo-deok’s enormous aura came crashing down on him once more.
“Don’t you agree?”
Under Peng Woo-deok’s dreadful inner energy, Wi Ilcheong’s face twisted in pain.
“Guh… Guh…! Y-yes… I agree…!”
“Then you’re a saber artist too. Throw away that sword.”
“…Pardon?!”
“What are you waiting for? Throw it away. I’ll teach you the saber.”
“B-but…”
“Now, now! Are you going to make a promise and then go back on your word?”
“…”
Watching all of this from the side, Dokgo Ryeong clicked her tongue.
‘…Crazy bastard.’
This was why she hated Peng Woo-deok.
That lunatic acted as if he’d die unless he proved the saber was the greatest weapon in the world. He forced everyone around him to learn the saber and went on and on until they admitted it was the best weapon.
He was endlessly friendly to saber artists, speaking to them like family, but he was particularly nasty to swordsmen and never hesitated to use force when he felt like it.
‘And here’s a martial artist acting like some street thug.’
She couldn’t stand him.
And, like Dokgo Ryeong, there was someone else who couldn’t stand him.
“…Please withdraw your aura, Saber Immortal.”
“Lust Venerable. I’m having a conversation with this man…”
“If forcing someone into submission counts as a conversation, then I’d like to have a little chat with you, too.”
Eun Yak-byeok made no effort to hide her killing intent as she levitated her seven-stringed qin.
“Funeral dirges aren’t my hobby, but I do know how to play one. What will you do?”
“Hoho… Your fist-and-foot techniques are fearsome, Lust Venerable.”
“…”
The Fist Venerable, who had been quiet until then, suddenly stepped forward. Eun Yak-byeok’s lovely brows furrowed.
“…Isn’t it a little early for senility, Huangbo Clan Patriarch?”
“Judging by how sharp your tongue is today, the rumors going around must be true, then?”
When the Huangbo Clan Patriarch provoked her by bringing up the baseless rumor that she couldn’t forget the night she’d spent with Wi Ilcheong and had chased after him for a while, she didn’t let it slide.
“Oh my, if I’d told the Alliance Leader about it, you would’ve lost your title as Fist Venerable at once. You certainly have a way with words for someone who talked his way into that title.”
“Would you care to find out?”
“Haa… I do like the title Lust Venerable, though.”
Rumble!
As Huangbo Gi wrapped himself in lightning energy, the sound of thunder rang out once again.
Tension mounted, and it felt as if a fight could break out at any moment.
Peng Woo-deok was the one who broke the deadlock.
“Kwahaha, I’m joking. Just joking.”
“Hah… Hah…!”
“It’s a shame to see a promising young man waste his time on a mere sword, so I got a little carried away. Kwahaha! Sorry, Lust Venerable. Fist Venerable, you can put away your lightning too.”
“Saber Immortal! I’ll fight that woman to the death today—”
“Huangbo Gi.”
Peng Woo-deok called his name coldly.
“Put away your lightning. We didn’t come here for a fight, did we?”
“…”
Caught off guard by the cold look Peng Woo-deok gave him, Huangbo Gi hurriedly withdrew his inner energy.
“Kwahaha, well, well. I’m sorry. I’ve gone and upset the Hao Sect Leader for no reason.”
“…If you know that, then please leave at once. I don’t want any more trouble.”
“I’ll take care of what I came for, then leave. If I have to go right now… Hmm, perhaps I’ll head to Tianjin for a visit this time. Kwahaha!”
“…”
Saying he would go to Tianjin, where the Beggars’ Sect had its headquarters, was tantamount to revealing Dokgo Ryeong’s whereabouts.
Though Peng Woo-deok’s veiled threat irritated her, Eun Yak-byeok couldn’t refuse his request.
“…I’ll have the girls prepare refreshments.”
“I’d prefer some liquor.”
“…Yes. Gwan-yeong, show them to the private room.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Kwahaha! Fist Venerable, care to have a drink too?”
“…Yes. I suppose I should.”
“Very well. Since Lust Venerable asked me to go in first, I’ll behave myself for now…”
Peng Woo-deok’s gaze landed squarely on Dokgo Ryeong.
“Don’t run away, daughter of Dokgo Jin.”
“…Shit.”
“Kwahahaha!!”
As Peng Woo-deok laughed with Huangbo Gi and headed through the hole he’d smashed into the brothel, Eun Yak-byeok put a hand to her head.
“…This is driving me crazy.”
“…”
“Young Master Wi, are you all right?”
“…Yes, I’m fine. But…”
When Wi Ilcheong turned around, he saw Eun Gwan-yeong, her face deathly pale.
“I… I thought I was going to pee myself….”
“…Peng Woo-deok is a pain in the ass, but his inner energy is terrifying. Think of it as a valuable experience, Gwan-yeong. You may run into people like them often from now on.”
“Hiiiing…”
“Hurry after them and show them the way.”
“…Yes…”
Eun Yak-byeok watched Eun Gwan-yeong’s retreating back, then turned to Dokgo Ryeong.
“…Do you have any idea why they might have come here?”
“Shit… How should I know? That lunatic does whatever he wants…”
“They’re the patriarchs of the Five Great Clans. They’re not so idle that they’d come here for no reason.”
“Huh?”
“…”
When Dokgo Ryeong looked completely lost, Eun Yak-byeok spoke to her through voice transmission.
[It’s true that Peng Woo-deok showed up at the Guest’s place at all hours, but he always had a clear purpose when he came.]
“…?”
[The Shura Rakshasa Saber Art.]
“Ah…”
Only then did Dokgo Ryeong understand.
There had been only one saber artist whose name had ever been etched into the history of the martial world.
Saber-Wielding Yama Ju Jang.
He’d spent his whole life in hiding. No one knew who his master was, where he learned the saber, or how he’d lived. But there was one reason the martial world remembered his name.
He had defeated the Heavenly Demon of his era and stopped the Demonic Cult’s advance.
With its Heavenly Demon defeated and its power diminished, the Demonic Cult retreated once more to the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains. The martial world praised Saber-Wielding Yama Ju Jang, but he went into seclusion again, and no one knew what became of him after that.
The Mad Demon Dokgo Jin possessed the martial arts of a figure all saber artists dreamed of emulating. For a saber fanatic like Peng Woo-deok, that was reason enough to cling to Dokgo Jin at every opportunity.
“…I have a bad feeling about this.”
“About what?”
“If he’d come alone, I could’ve understood it. But the Huangbo Clan Patriarch came with him. This doesn’t feel right…”
“…Didn’t they just come to hang out together since they live next door to each other?”
“Haa… Guest, even if they talk like that, they’re patriarchs of the Five Great Clans. Did you think they got those positions through gambling?”
“They got their positions by birth order, so isn’t that more or less the same?”
“…”
Seeing that Dokgo Ryeong genuinely believed what she was saying, Eun Yak-byeok shook her head.
“We’ve lost an ally, Young Master Wi.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“…Would you sit in with us?”
“Me?”
“Yes. We need to even up the numbers, at least. Would you fight alongside us if it came to that?”
“I will.”
“…Are you insane?”
Dokgo Ryeong stared in disbelief as Wi Ilcheong readily agreed.
“No… You’ll die if you fight them, won’t you?”
“But you’re asking for help. Could this be the kind of love we were talking about earlier?”
“Are you in love with the Hao Sect Leader?”
“I told you, didn’t I? I said I love her.”
“No, shit… I don’t think that’s what this is…”
“I don’t think so either. Still, I’m grateful for your help. Young Master Wi, would you go in first? And explain the situation to Miss Baekri as well.”
“…Yes. Miss Dokgo, let’s continue this conversation another time.”
“No, shit. There won’t be a next time… Mmph!”
Before Dokgo Ryeong could say anything more, Eun Yak-byeok covered her mouth.
“I’ll send someone to fetch you shortly, Young Master Wi.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Mmph! Mmmph!!!”
When Wi Ilcheong entered the brothel as well, only Eun Yak-byeok and Dokgo Ryeong remained in the manor.
“Haa… Guest, please try to read the room.”
“No, shit. Why should I?”
“How am I supposed to face the Saber Immortal and Fist Venerable alone?”
“What about that lecher? If he fought the Saber Immortal, he wouldn’t last ten moves. Maybe fifty against the Fist Venerable? That bastard will die!”
“I need those fifty moves.”
“And you’re telling him to risk his life for that?”
“Yes. Young Master Wi is the sort of person who would risk his life if I asked him.”
“…I don’t like it.”
Dokgo Ryeong frowned.
“That bastard thinks he’s in love with you, and you’re taking advantage of him, aren’t you?”
“Oh my, how romantic. A man who risks his life because he thinks he loves me.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Then what would you do? Would you protect me, Miss Dokgo?”
“Grr…!!”
“See? You have no answer. I’m simply coming up with the best solution available to me.”
“Shit. Shit, shit!”
“Hehe, you’re so cute when you throw a tantrum like a little child.”
“Kyaaaah!!”
“Let’s go inside for now. We need to hear what they have to say before we know what’s going on.”
Calming the rampaging Dokgo Ryeong, Eun Yak-byeok headed into the brothel.
Watching her go, Dokgo Ryeong seethed with anger.
‘I don’t like this… I don’t like any of them.’
“…Do I have to wear this?”
“Yes, you do.”
“…Shit.”
“You should cut down on the swearing, too. If you offend the Saber Immortal, everyone but you will die.”
“That bastard won’t mind if I swear at him.”
“That’s true. But he’ll take his irritation out on everyone around him. Please think a little about my life, too.”
“You were going on about funeral dirges a minute ago…”
Grumbling at Eun Yak-byeok, Dokgo Ryeong nevertheless put on the clothes that had been prepared for her.
The fluttering garment was so feminine that it made her irritation flare.
“Oh my, you know a lot about women’s clothing, too.”
“Shut up. Is this good enough?”
“Hehe, you look lovely. Shall we go up?”
“Haa… I hate having to wear something like this into a battlefield…”
“If that place is a battlefield, Miss Dokgo will certainly die. You should hope it isn’t.”
“…Shit.”
By the time they reached the private room on the brothel’s top floor, Wi Ilcheong was already waiting there.
Listening to the hearty laughter and the courtesans’ giggles coming from inside the room made Dokgo Ryeong seethe again, but she calmly steadied herself.
“Then… shall we go in?”
“Let’s.”
“Yes, let’s.”
As Eun Yak-byeok opened the door, the courtesans’ laughter stopped.
“You may all leave now.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
The laughter from moments ago vanished, leaving only silence. Peng Woo-deok spoke with a hint of regret.
“This is why I don’t like the Hao Sect… They’re so shameless about putting on an act.”
“Oh my, those girls worked for every coin they were paid.”
“Aiyah… Tsk, tsk. Even so, a man can’t help imagining they’re laughing for his sake.”
“Then perhaps you should pay a little more. I’m sure they’ll put that much more heart into it.”
“That sounds good to me, kwahaha!”
Peng Woo-deok laughed and drained his cup.
Eun Yak-byeok, Wi Ilcheong, and Dokgo Ryeong sat across from Huangbo Gi and Peng Woo-deok.
“So… what brings you here today?”
“There’s no need to put it that way. We’re just visiting the neighborhood, aren’t we, Fist Venerable?”
“That’s right. We came for a stroll, and to have a look at our future daughter-in-law.”
“…Pardon?”
Eun Yak-byeok imagined the worst possible scenario.
“Listen here, daughter of Dokgo Jin.”
“…Why are you calling me…?”
“Would you become my daughter-in-law?”
“…”
Dokgo Ryeong looked at Peng Woo-deok as he spoke so calmly, then let out a hollow laugh.
“Hah… Are you crazy?”