Chapter 201: Chapter 201

“Excuse me… why is it so quiet?”

The daily life of the Hunan Dan family was always noisy. It was partly because of the fights between Sa Do-hak and Namgung Cheon, but also because of the sound of Dan So-mi’s laughter as she ran around the yard.

Those sounds were precisely what made up the Hunan Dan family.

Therefore, Zhuge Yeon frowned at the quiet atmosphere of the family. Since it had been noisy every single day after she entered this family, the silence even made her feel anxious.

“Everyone went out.”

Hoyeon Ji laughed, shaking a small liquor bottle in her hand. Her expression brightened, as if he wanted to enjoy this relaxation that he had not felt in a long time.

“Are you drinking starting from the morning?”

Looking at Hoyeon Ji, Zhuge Yeon sent a displeased look. Since she was drinking alcohol from the morning, she seemed to dislike seeing it.

Hoyeon Ji stretched her body against the pillar of the narrow veranda.

“I can’t help it. Since they said we could rest a bit today. I don’t have anything in particular to do…”

“Sigh… So where did all these people go?”

“They went out.”

A familiar voice was heard from behind.

It was Zhuge Un, who appeared with a disheveled look as if he had just woken up.

His appearance was somewhat haggard, which was due to him discussing with Hong Won-chang all night to clean up after the ruined Chu Gate Family.

“They went out?”

“Yes, seeing as they rode a carriage, they seemed to be going out to play somewhere.”

For a moment, Zhuge Yeon frowned.

If they were going together, they should have all gone together; why did they leave her behind? She felt upset, as if they were discriminating against her.

She let out a sigh.

“I will have to say something when they return.”

“Hahaha, you seem to be upset.”

“No, I’m not?”

With a pouty expression, Zhuge Yeon turned her head.

It was not like that. She was just annoyed for a moment.

At that time, Hoyeon Ji, who was quietly looking at the two of them, tilted her head.

“They went far away.”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

“I said they went really far away? I heard they won’t return for a few months.”

“Uh?”

A dumbfounded sound came out of Zhuge Un’s mouth. He had not heard anything about them leaving the house empty for several months.

If it was such an important matter, shouldn’t they have given a word in advance?

“Where did they say they were going?”

“I didn’t hear… but anyway, they told me to convey to Family Leader Zhuge to take good care of the family.”

Thud!

Zhuge Un had an expression as if he had been struck on the back of the head.

It was the same for Zhuge Yeon.

She looked around with a hollow expression.

The manor without people was far too wide.

Not to mention cleaning, no matter what they did, the fewer the people, the harder it would inevitably be.

To think that only the three of them had to guard this wide manor without a single servant?

She was already feeling bleak about the future.

“Were we abandoned?”

Zhuge Yeon’s voice drove a dagger into Zhuge Un’s heart.

* * *

“The Chu Gate Family…”

Man Hu-ryang chewed on his lips and smiled ridiculously. The Chu Gate Family was a place that the Myriad Gold Merchant Group had been backing up for a long time.

Chu Mun-won’s ability was of considerable help to Man Hu-ryang, and the funds coming in from Hunan were also not small. The cutting off of the funding source of such a place was indeed a big blow.

If so, should he send his subordinates now to reclaim Hunan again?

Man Hu-ryang, who was contemplating that, shook his head.

He was not stupid enough to start a fight he could not win. Moreover, even if the timing was a bit early, the downfall of the Chu Gate Family was already predestined.

It was because he knew that since his lord, that person’s enemy was there, they were by no means an easy opponent.

The moment he let out a small sigh and shook his head again.

“You thought well.”

A voice was heard.

It was merely a short sentence, but there was no way not to know who said it.

Man Hu-ryang, who got up from his seat, hurriedly bowed his head and looked at the ground.

As if even looking at the face was impious.

“Sit.”

“Yes…”

“Sometimes you must know how to boldly discard things. Because you have that side, I keep you by my side. Do you know?”

“Yes. I know.”

At the Blood Demon’s question, Man Hu-ryang replied while catching his breath.

Lest he make a mistake or a slip of the tongue, his body was extremely tense, and his hands were politely placed on his knees without moving.

“May I ask one question?”

“What is it?”

“The Black Wind Archdemon… when will his sword reach Hunan?”

“Hahaha! Well. Since he is a hasty person, he will move as soon as he recovers his strength.”

Hearing the hearty laughter of the Blood Demon, Man Hu-ryang forced a smile.

He also knew the strength of the Black Wind Archdemon. How terrifying would it be if the power of such a person reached Hunan?

However, he was still an incomplete vessel. Therefore, he also worried that the vessel might break before it was completed.

“…By any chance, what if that person in Hunan moves first?”

“Well… if that happens…”

The Blood Demon paused for a moment and pondered.

It was true that the Black Wind Archdemon’s power was strong, but compared to the Blood Demon and Dan Woo-hyun, who held and shook the world a thousand years ago, it was a drop in the bucket.

In the current situation where he had not recovered his original strength, he would be even less of a match.

“He will be trampled, ruined, and broken. Thoroughly…”

Even while saying such words, the Blood Demon smiled.

As if such a thing would absolutely never happen.

Man Hu-ryang could not understand that point.

He could not shake off the feeling that the Blood Demon, who recognized only one person as his greatest rival and was drawing in or even creating countless strong people to deal with him, seemed to look down on that rival.

If not that, was it because he knew that person too clearly?

“Then, shouldn’t we send Murong Hyeok-mun to shake him up so he cannot move?”

“No, that fellow does not move. Unless the tip of the blade comes right in front of his nose. Because he knows that nothing poses a threat.”

“Is it… confidence?”

The Blood Demon nodded.

That person who was called the Martial God knew very well himself how much his power was.

Thus, even if someone made some plot, he would snort and watch, then ravage the opponent by playing with it.

That must be the reason why Dan Woo-hyun did not move immediately, even though the name of the Black Wind Archdemon was brought up.

“Then… if the Black Wind Archdemon recovers his strength and fights that person, do you think there is a chance of winning?”

“It will be a good fight… provided that everything that fellow has shown so far was his sincere effort.”

The Blood Demon left those words and narrowed his eyes half-closed.

* * *

Rattle, rattle-

From Hunan, they crossed Chongqing at once and went over to Sichuan. Despite moving quickly along the main road, the reason it took a considerable amount of time must be because of the distance.

Although it was late at night, the carriage moved without stopping.

Since Sichuan Province was not very far away, they judged that it would be better to stay there rather than camping out.

“But is it really alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“That… bringing So-mi along.”

Jang Sam-tae looked back with an anxious gaze while holding the reins. Concern was cast in his eyes looking at Dan So-mi, who was sleeping soundly in Dan Woo-hyun’s arms.

It was a path heading toward Cheonzan, of all places.

What Dan Woo-hyun would do there was clear to see. Also, since even Sa Do-hak was grinding his teeth, the Demonic Cult would be turned upside down, and thoroughly so.

It weighed on his mind that they were bringing Dan So-mi to such a dangerous place.

“Are you saying something will happen?”

“That’s…”

‘Since you are going, there’s no way it won’t happen, right?’

He wanted to ask back like that, but he could not bring himself to spit it out. He just turned his head to look straight ahead and shut his mouth tight.

In that situation, a chuckle was heard.

It was Dan Woo-hyun’s ridicule.

“Do not worry. What you are thinking of will not happen…”

‘Yeah, right…’

Jang Sam-tae did not believe Dan Woo-hyun’s words in this kind of matter.

If it were other things, he was a person who could be sufficiently trusted, but it was because there were many times when he did not see a good outcome when Dan Woo-hyun directly stepped forward to resolve some matter.

“By the way, what is the reason for not bringing Family Leader Zhuge?”

Namgung Cheon asked back, tilting his head with an odd expression. It was a path heading toward Cheonzan, of all places.

Zhuge Un’s strategy would be helpful, not a hindrance.

In such a situation, was there a reason to deliberately leave Zhuge Un behind?

“The matters of the Chu Gate Family and the Hunan Merchant Group have not been perfectly sorted out yet. Someone was needed to clean up the aftermath.”

When he sent a look asking why he was asking the obvious, Namgung Cheon burst into a hearty laugh. It was enough to leave such a matter to Hong Won-chang or Geum Eun-hak.

Since it was an easy matter that could easily be done with their abilities.

“Is that really all?”

Namgung Cheon looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a strange gaze.

It did not seem like he left Zhuge Un behind for merely such a reason. Since Dan Woo-hyun would know better than anyone how useful his brain was.

Dan Woo-hyun’s mouth opened once again.

“I want him to draw their attention.”

Instantly, the atmosphere sank coldly.

Even Namgung Cheon, who had been laughing heartily, stiffened his expression.

The bitter sneer hanging on the corner of Dan Woo-hyun’s mouth; the moment they saw that smile, although it was slight, they unconsciously fell into the abyss.

Not to mention Namgung So-hye, who was dozing off, Gwon Mu-jin, Ma Jang-gang, and even Jang Sam-tae broke into a cold sweat and had terrified expressions.

In particular, the surprise of Namgung Cheon and Sa Do-hak was greater.

Although they were the ones who prided themselves on having seen many aspects of Dan Woo-hyun until now, the side he showed now was of a different level.

It was as if they caught a glimpse of his true heart.

“What… does that mean?”

Namgung Cheon opened his mouth with difficulty.

It was because he first felt that he had to soften this atmosphere. That thought was correct, and Dan Woo-hyun’s momentum subsided in an instant.

“Originally, a sword is threatening only when it directly points at the opponent. Thus, until now, I have left it alone and let it slip away.”

Namgung Cheon and Sa Do-hak understood very well what that meant.

Although they said there was nothing as threatening as an invisible blade, until that sword directly stabbed the neck, it was no different from a dull sword that had not even been sharpened properly.

No matter how much one honed and honed the blade, a sword was originally useless unless it stabbed.

It did not give the slightest threat to an opponent whom the sword did not reach.

And those who moved only when a threat directly reached them meant they were that confident in their skills and could break any trap.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was talking like that, stroked the head of Dan So-mi, who was sleeping softly.

“But this time… I plan to break that sword before it reaches.”

The weight of that one sentence pressed down on everyone’s shoulders.

“Thoroughly.”

Dan Woo-hyun smiled gently.

It was an infinitely benevolent smile, but somehow it brought a shiver.

Unconsciously, there were those who were seen trembling.

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