Chapter 259: Chapter 259

“Ugh…”

“Oh dear…”

“Blech!”

“Cough, cough!”

The next morning.

The four men, who had been carried back to the clan by the disciples of the Haomin Sect, were still rolling around on the ground, unable to wake up from their drunkenness. Abandoned like trash in a corner of the clan, they lay sprawled out, unable to even enter their rooms.

The vomit they had spewed out drenched the surrounding area.

If Dan So-mi had not been sent to Hong Won-chang’s house early in the morning, it would have been a sight too unsightly to show anyone.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. How could you drink that much?”

“Blech!”

Jang Sam-tae crawled on the ground and dry-heaved.

Although there was nothing left to come out, he felt like he could not soothe his stomach unless he did at least this.

Dispersing the intoxication with internal energy would have been the cleanest way, but they still could not forget Dan Woo-hyun’s warning.

“I’m… I’m sorry, blech!”

“Sp… Spare me…”

“The… The government office, th-that, business…”

They had drank all that enormous amount of alcohol.

When they vomited, the courtesans caught it in buckets, and then fed them alcohol again, forcing every drop of alcohol in the gisaeng house into their bellies.

It would have been more comfortable to be tortured instead.

“What foolish fools…”

Sa Do-hak also clicked his tongue as he looked at them.

If they had just told him and left, nothing would have happened. Dan Woo-hyun was not of such a rigid personality either, so if they had said they wanted to drink together as men, he would have readily permitted it.

That was the same for Namgung Cheon and Sa Do-hak as well.

Those guys had called them old men and all, but in reality, what would old men do by squeezing themselves between young guys?

In the end, it was they themselves who had caused this incident without thinking.

Ma Jang-gang, Gwon Mu-jin, and Hong Won-chang shot looks at Jang Sam-tae as if they wanted to kill him.

If only they had not fallen for his coaxing… They felt such belated regret, but regretting what could not be undone changed nothing.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun stood in front of the half-dead Jang Sam-tae.

“So, how does it feel to have had such a heavy drink because of the skeleton?”

“Hic… I-I am sorry…”

“I am sorry for being so old and decrepit.”

“Hic…”

Thorns were pricked in every single word Dan Woo-hyun spoke. Jang Sam-tae seemed to have drunk particularly a lot, and judging by his state, he seemed to have thoroughly scratched Dan Woo-hyun’s nerves.

When Dan Woo-hyun turned around nonchalantly and sat on the veranda, Mae-hyang, who had been watching, finally crept up to Jang Sam-tae’s side.

“Are you okay?”

“Ugh, I’m… dying…”

“Sigh, why did you do that in the first place?”

Saying that, Mae-hyang held out a large bowl. She placed it down in front of Jang Sam-tae with a grin, as if she had brought honey water.

“Drink it all up. It will still help.”

Looking at Mae-hyang who sighed again with a “goodness,” Jang Sam-tae’s eyes welled with tears. While his mind and body were being exhausted by Dan Woo-hyun’s torment, she looked like an angel.

With an deeply moved expression, he picked up the bowl and gulped it down.

“Pfft!”

Soon, the contents spilled out of Jang Sam-tae’s mouth.

Seeing how Mae-hyang, who stood in front, lightly dodged it, she seemed to have expected it from the start.

“You crazy wench! This is fire liquor, isn’t it!?”

“Hohoho.”

Mae-hyang burst into giggles.

What Jang Sam-tae had just drunk was undoubtedly fire liquor. Since she had prepared a particularly strong one, the alcohol would hit him hard in a moment.

Sure enough, Jang Sam-tae’s face was already turning red.

“Was it good? Was it nice going to the gisaeng house? I heard you were very excited?”

Mae-hyang, who was smiling brightly, poked the flank of Jang Sam-tae, who was flailing about due to the alcohol, with her finger.

Namgung So-hye, who had been quietly watching the situation, turned her gaze away.

She resolved that she must never become that kind of woman.

At that moment, Zhuge Un slowly approached and stood before Dan Woo-hyun.

“Could the three of you… spare some time for a moment?”

“Sure.”

Dan Woo-hyun nodded as he looked at Zhuge Un, who carried a solemn atmosphere.

* * *

“Namgung So-hye… Namgung So-hye, you say?”

The Alliance of Heavenly Justice.

At the center of it, Jin Gu-ak, the clan leader of the Guangdong Jin Clan, swallowed a groan as he listened to the story told by his daughter and her friends. The Namgung Clan, which remained confined in Anhui and did not come out.

He knew that they had no room to pay attention to other things since they were in the middle of rebuilding their ruined clan. Thus, until now, most of the Eight Great Clans did not think much about the Namgung Clan.

It was because they thought that since they had already lost the Sword Emperor, had fallen, and many of their masters had died, they would not be of any help in terms of combat power.

“Was that child really in Luoyang?”

“There is no mistake.”

Jin Yeonhwa clenched her fists, grinding her teeth with a somewhat resentful expression.

The Namgung Clan could not even belong to the Eight Great Clans now, so thinking about how she was beaten by Namgung So-hye, a direct descendant of such a place, made her feel resentful.

“Why… in Luoyang…?”

“That… I do not know well.”

“I suppose so…”

Jin Gu-ak recalled the rumors circulating in Luoyang recently. What about the Gentleman’s Sword, what about the Demonic Heavens Lord, and since many incidents and accidents were happening near Luoyang, there was more than one thing that bothered him.

“What do you think?”

When Jin Gu-ak turned his gaze, Tang Jung-ak, the clan leader of the Sichuan Tang Clan who had been silent until now, let out a groan.

“Hmm, what did her state look like?”

“It was not good.”

Upon hearing Jin Yeonhwa’s words, Tang Jung-ak directed his gaze toward Hwangbo Gwon.

Seeing him also nod slightly, it seemed unmistakable that she did not look like a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan, which had once been a pillar of the Eight Great Clans.

“Many things have been happening there recently… and some people say they saw Zhuge Un. Perhaps they are hiding there.”

At the words of Peng Do-woong, the leader of the Alliance of Heavenly Justice and the clan leader of the Hebei Peng Clan, Tang Jung-ak fell into thought without replying. Although it could be a simple martial journey, he could not help but be bothered.

‘In the first place, that child… went missing when the Namgung Clan fell and has not revealed herself until now.’

Tang Jung-ak glanced at Tang Mun-hye.

She still kept her mouth tightly shut without saying anything. Whether it was for her friend or because she had no interest, Tang Mun-hye rarely opened her mouth.

“Is Namgung preparing to fly high once again?”

Tang Jung-ak spat out those words with a chuckle.

In an instant, there were those who frowned here and there. While Tang Jung-ak might not care about the revival of the Namgung Clan since he was originally on good terms with the existing clans, the other clans were not like that.

If they soared again, their own power would weaken by that much.

That was something they could not tolerate.

“For now, let us keep an eye on them. There is a more important matter than that.”

Peng Do-woong moved on without bringing up the story of Namgung So-hye anymore.

With just that, the atmosphere of the Hwangbo Clan and the Guangdong Jin Clan sank coldly.

Since their children had returned after being beaten, they could not be in a good mood.

But the trend had to be followed.

The story coming out now was a more important matter.

“Murong Hyeok-mun has appeared. And a request for cooperation has come from the Martial Alliance.”

“I heard that a considerable number of victims have already occurred… is that correct?”

“So it seems.”

Snorts could be heard from various places. As expected, the Martial Alliance was a place that could not run without the Eight Great Clans. Since their forces split, he had not seen them do their job properly.

“I believe everyone feels the same about not wanting to grant their request… but as you know, the Murong Clan was a pillar of the Eight Great Clans. This matter is by no means unrelated to us.”

Peng Do-woong’s single remark pierced the hearts of the clan leaders like a dagger.

It was they who had put forward Murong Hyeok-mun as the alliance leader, and that was ultimately the decisive reason that led him to the path of ruin.

“Then, we will organize a pursuit team for Murong Hyeok-mun.”

“Simultaneously with that, we must capture that fellow, Man Hu-ryang.”

At that moment, Tang Jung-ak, who had his eyes half-closed, muttered as he looked at the clan leaders.

Although it was clear that Man Hu-ryang was the one who had corrupted Murong Hyeok-mun so much, his whereabouts were still unknown and he could not be found.

The Eight Great Clans intended to collect that debt without fail.

“Very well. Then we will gather information on Man Hu-ryang separately, and make it our top priority to grasp the movement path of Murong Hyeok-mun. Everyone, please organize the core masters of each clan.”

The clan leaders nodded calmly at Peng Do-woong’s decision.

* * *

“Is that true?”

“There is no mistake.”

Namgung Cheon’s face hardened as his body trembled.

Although he had thought that such a thing might happen someday, when it became a reality, his head was aching from his own mistake.

“So, is that guy going around breaking everything?”

However, Sa Do-hak asked, brushing it off nonchalantly.

Although he knew that Namgung Cheon and Murong Hyeok-mun had been friends since childhood, Sa Do-hak and Murong Hyeok-mun had no notable relationship.

In the first place, just hearing the name Sa Do-hak made Murong Hyeok-mun busy running away in fear.

Therefore, in Sa Do-hak’s mind, Murong Hyeok-mun was in a state worse than a passing dog.

“Based on various circumstances, it seems unmistakable. I do not know well whether he has fallen into deviation… or if there is another reason…”

“Haha…”

Namgung Cheon let out a sighing laugh.

He should have killed him back then.

Refusing Dan Woo-hyun’s words and keeping him alive even while being ridiculed by Sa Do-hak was bringing late regrets now.

The bloodbath that started in Kunlun was said to have spread even to innocent minor sects.

It was said that he cut down carrying-sword martial artists without mercy, and though they only kept it hushed up secretly, the current martial world was greatly shaken due to just this one man, Murong Hyeok-mun.

“I must have told you that you would regret it…”

“…”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s single remark, Namgung Cheon became a mute who had eaten honey.

As one who walked the orthodox path, sometimes even enemies must be forgiven.

Namgung Cheon had learned so since childhood.

To think that such petty justice would bring about this kind of disaster.

Namgung Cheon, fallen into self-reproach, held his forehead.

“Fortunately, he does not seem to be heading toward the Namgung Clan.”

“But he is coming to Luoyang?”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s question, Zhuge Un gave an awkward smile and nodded.

Murong Hyeok-mun was moving toward Luoyang as if drawn by something.

Whether it was the information from the chief of the Haomin Sect or combining the information obtained from the Beggars’ Sect, this was an unmistakable fact.

“That is fine. I like the fact that he comes looking for me even if I do not go.”

“Perhaps his purpose is…”

Zhuge Un glanced at Dan Woo-hyun.

Seeing that Murong Hyeok-mun, who had smashed Kunlun, did not go to the Namgung Clan, it made him think that his purpose might not be Namgung Cheon or the Namgung Clan, but Dan Woo-hyun.

Because he had heard that the one who subdued Murong Hyeok-mun was indeed Dan Woo-hyun.

“It is the remnant of that guy again.”

Slurp.

Taking a sip of tea, Dan Woo-hyun smiled despite himself.

He had completely shattered his dantian, and it was a state where he could not survive for two days even if he managed to stay alive there.

Nevertheless, if he came looking to avenge his grudge, only one person’s method came to mind.

‘It is a persistent connection even in death.’

Dan Woo-hyun clicked his tongue and set down the teacup.

“Leave him be for now. I do not want to pay attention to a blade that does not even pose a threat.”

No matter how much a blade was tempered and sharpened, if it did not reach, it was no different from a dull knife.

The reality was that no matter how many tens of thousands of times Murong Hyeok-mun’s sword was tempered and sharpened, it would never become a threat to Dan Woo-hyun.

On the other hand, Namgung Cheon’s face was not very good.

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