Chapter 294: Chapter 294

“What on earth is this…”

Hwangbo Won, the Family Head of the Hwangbo Family, trembled all over.

The moment he saw Hwangbo Yeong’s mangled appearance, shock and horror swept over his entire body.

Although considerable time had passed, Hwangbo Yeong’s appearance remained in that exact state, except for the swelling having gone down slightly.

It was an utterly wretched sight, to the point that he thought she might no longer be able to live a life as a woman.

Hwangbo Won gnashed his teeth.

“Did you say he is Ma Cheon-gun!?”

“Yes.”

“Our Hwangbo Family… has been treated too excessively!”

Boom!

The spot where Hwangbo Won was standing exploded.

It was a sight indicating how enraged he was.

Soon, his murderous gaze turned toward his son.

“Gather the family members. I must go there directly!”

“Ah… Understood.”

Bowing his head, Hwangbo Gwon hurriedly walked out.

Normally, he would have resolved to seek revenge, but his face was somehow filled with anxiety.

Yet, since he could not disobey his father’s words, from Hwangbo Gwon’s perspective, he had no choice but to follow.

“Tsk tsk.”

Several people were watching that appearance.

There were those sending gazes full of interest at the back of the quickly disappearing Hwangbo Gwon.

Especially Tang Jung-ak, the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Family, who practically held the leadership of the Heavenly Dao Society, turned his head and looked at Tang Mun-hye.

“So, how did he seem when you saw him?”

“Do you mean the one called Ma Cheon-gun?”

“Yes.”

A member of the Dan Family, which had recently been called the best family in Hunan.

He could be said to be one who was praised as one of the newly emerged rising stars, capturing the gaze of the Martial World.

Tang Jung-ak was not hasty or foolish like Hwangbo Won.

He also trusted the insight his daughter possessed.

“He is strong. Though they said he is comparable to the Seven Stars, the reality is…”

“Since he probably did not show everything, he is comparable to the Five Emperors…?”

“Yes.”

Tang Mun-hye tightly shut her lips.

Comparable to the Five Emperors?

No, she was thinking that he might even be one of the Five Emperors who had hidden his identity.

It was an impossible thing for people comparable to the Five Emperors to suddenly appear.

‘A mask…’

That he wore a mask to avoid revealing his face only added to her suspicion.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

“No. I do not.”

Tang Jung-ak nodded.

Although there was something suspicious, he did not seem to think for a second that Tang Mun-hye was hiding something.

“The possibility of him joining our side…?”

“It seems unlikely.”

Looking at Tang Mun-hye shaking her head, Tang Jung-ak frowned. Because if they recruited such masters into the Heavenly Dao Society, they might reap a greater benefit than joining hands with the Prince of Geum’s estate.

However, seeing her say it was impossible, it seemed there was indeed something.

“The Hwangbo Family and the Hunan Dan Family… who do you think will win?”

“I think it is like striking a rock with an egg.”

“Hmm…”

Checking Tang Mun-hye’s gaze, Tang Jung-ak let out a groan.

The egg was a word referring to none other than the Hwangbo Family.

‘Then does it mean the Hunan Dan Family is even more grand than the power the old Namgung Family once possessed?’

Since that was also an unpleasant matter.

Tang Jung-ak’s worries deepened.

* * *

“Then does it mean they are definitely those who have reached a realm similar to the Seven Stars?”

Seon Jin, the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance, muttered quietly.

The members of the Nine Sects and One Gang in front of him were seen nodding. Having investigated from multiple angles, he realized it was not a baseless rumor.

The Hunan Dan Family, which appeared out of nowhere, was shaking even the Martial Alliance.

“At this time when the movements of the Unorthodox Faction are unusual… new masters…”

“First, we looked into the identity of the one called Gwimyeonja… but nothing came out. We suspect he is someone who deliberately appeared wearing a mask to participate in the Martial World tournament.”

“It is certain that Ma Cheon-gun and Gentleman Sword are members of the Hunan Dan Family. Though we cannot know about the one called Gwimyeonja…”

“Our Beggars’ Sect verified it, but it seems the information that Gwimyeonja is related to the Hunan Dan Family is not yet confirmed.”

Stories about the masters who emerged in this Martial World tournament slipped out from everywhere.

The fact that must be verified first was who the existence called Gwimyeonja was.

Since he had appeared out of nowhere and shown abilities comparable to the Seven Stars, it was natural that attention was drawn to him more than others.

However, it was impossible to know who he was, where he belonged, or if he was even a wanderer.

Though someone suggested he might be a member of the Hunan Dan Family, they had never heard that anyone had seen someone like Gwimyeonja in the Hunan Dan Family until now.

The Beggars’ Sect was also unable to contain its wonder.

“What are you fellows doing?”

Just then, the door swung open and a beggar revealed himself.

The moment they looked at his grimy appearance, groans were swallowed all around as they bowed their heads.

Whether it was out of respect for him, not a single person opened their mouth.

On the other hand, Seon Jin, the Martial Alliance Leader, looked at him gladly and smiled.

“Hahaha, have you come?”

“Yes, I have come, you bald monk. By the way, what are you doing?”

Everyone wore an awkward expression at that single statement.

There was no way the Beggar Emperor, who could catch even a small sound miles away, had not heard the conversation they had shared until now. Yet what was his intention in asking?

“From what I heard, it was a story about the Hunan Dan Family, correct?”

“Yes. If they are masters of that level, naturally to the Martial Alliance…”

An elder of Wudang cautiously brought it up.

It was a time when even one more strong power was needed. Because since they had parted ways with the Heavenly Dao Society, they had to possess a strong power to fill that gap.

Therefore, from the Martial Alliance’s perspective, they had to immediately send people to pursue recruitment intentions.

However, for some reason, the beggar who suddenly appeared, Bang No-baek, frowned.

He sat down in an empty seat and looked around the assembly.

A smirk hung on the corner of his mouth.

That smile was somehow bizarre, seeming to overpower the minds of the people.

“Do not touch that place.”

“Yes?”

“Did you not hear me? I said do not touch it.”

Looking at those who still did not understand, Bang No-baek let out a sigh. Although he could not contain his frustration because he could not explain the reason directly, he could not just leave them be either.

“Do you… know that place?”

“Yes, I know it. Because it is the most dangerous place in the world. So if you want to live in peace, do not touch it.”

Bang No-baek’s words dug into everyone’s ears.

* * *

Even in a situation where the entire Martial World was noisy like that, the Hunan Dan Family was a place that did not care in the least and remained just like usual.

No matter what they planned where or whether someone approached or not.

It was peaceful there, and rather seemed even quieter.

A man was watching the Hunan Dan Family from a long distance. He hid his body in the bushes and suppressed even his presence as much as possible.

An unknown conflict was harbored in the man’s eyes, and no matter how many times he made up his mind, his steps would not easily move.

‘Since that terrifying fellow is there…’

Swallowing dry saliva, he looked at the Dan Family residence again.

Partly because he had completely suppressed his presence, he could not easily read the situation inside.

It was because he instinctively knew that there was a terrifying master inside, and if his energy leaked even a little, he would be caught in an instant.

‘Why did I come here.’

The man swallowed dry saliva.

In fact, he had come as if possessed by something. He thought he had seen a woman, but even that memory was blurry, so he could not recall it well.

Only killing the enemies in front of him and coming here remained in his head.

Why on earth did he come to this place?

The man sincerely pounded the ground in regret.

He could have just folded up his entire life and started a new one in a quiet countryside instead.

The moment he swallowed a groan and conflicted once again.

“What are you doing?”

A voice was heard from behind.

Startled, the man hurriedly turned around. Because he had deadened all his five senses and suppressed his momentum, he had not even realized that someone was approaching.

Not only that, but he had suffered a significant loss of internal energy while coming here, and because he could not perform meditation properly, he had not even recovered it.

Yet, even so, to think he had felt nothing until such a young child approached.

The man looked at the child with a bewildered gaze.

At the same time, he sprang up from his seat in fright.

“A… A tiger!”

Beside the child, a huge, pure white tiger and another small cat-like animal were visible.

Grr.

Though it let out a short growl, it snorted with an indifferent expression, as if it had no particular intention of attacking a person.

“Ah, it is fine. White Tiger does not bite people.”

“No matter how I look at it, it looks like it has already eaten a few people…”

White Tiger licked the blood on its lips.

It had disappeared somewhere for a moment and then returned, and it seemed it had hunted in the meantime.

Dan So-mi wiped White Tiger’s lips with her sleeve.

“Clean, right?”

Grr.

White Tiger rubbed its head against Dan So-mi’s body with a satisfied expression. Judging only by that behavior, it looked like seeing a large cat rather than a tiger.

Just then, a small meow was heard.

As the man looked to the side, a palm-sized pure white cat hopped up and sat on the man’s shoulder.

“Ah! It must like you, Mister!”

“Does… does it look that way?”

“Yes!”

Cold sweat trickled down the man’s face.

Although he immediately realized they were no ordinary animals, the strong murderous intent felt the moment it sat on his shoulder felt like a threat that it would slice off his neck if he did anything foolish.

Though such small beasts would be nothing to him once his internal energy returned, from the perspective of the man who had lost most of his power, it was a life-threatening crisis.

‘It is not that I failed to feel that child’s presence. I did not feel it because I was swept up by these beasts’ momentum.’

The man sucked in a breath and held his breath.

What on earth kind of place was the Hunan Dan Family, that even such spiritual beasts lived and mingled together?

Just then, a rustling sound was heard from behind.

“…”

Hurriedly turning his head, the man stared wide-eyed at the person who appeared.

He was startled without realizing it by the appearance of the man, who looked familiar but somehow felt foreign.

“…Gwon Mu-jin?”

“C… Castle Lord?!”

Gwon Mu-jin sucked in a breath, looking at the person in front of him.

The reliable appearance of the past was nowhere to be seen. His emaciated body looked as if he had not even eaten properly for a long time.

The moment he looked at his gaunt face that had lost all energy, Gwon Mu-jin trembled without realizing.

What on earth had happened!

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