Chapter 364: Chapter 364
“Ma Jang-gang… If it is Ma Jang-gang…”
A man muttered.
Was there anyone in this place who did not know that name?
The sun of the vagabonds who newly emerged as the Black Sabre Association collapsed. Therefore, he was given the title of Vagabond King, but he was an expert who disappeared at some point and vanished without a trace.
He had heard that his appearance could be confirmed in the Hunan Dan Family, but those who did not know the truth accepted it merely as a joke.
Because the very fact that the world’s Vagabond King was under someone was ridiculous.
Yet, the Vagabond King who actually appeared before their eyes was saying himself that he was a person of the Hunan Dan Family.
“I am Paeng Do-ung, the Leader of the Heavenly Dao Association. It is an honor to meet the people of the Hunan Dan Family, whom I have only heard of in stories.”
At that moment, Paeng Do-ung clasped his hands lightly and stepped forward.
Speaking quite politely, it seemed he had curiosity about the Hunan Dan Family and did not think the stories they created were all fiction.
There is no smoke without fire.
No matter what the Hunan Dan Family did, because they had overcome it until now, stories about them were spreading.
There was no benefit to turning red-faced with such people.
However…
“But is it only three people?”
At that moment, there was someone who first spat out the words Paeng Do-ung wanted to ask most. It was none other than Tang Jung-ak.
He quietly looked at the three and frowned.
‘Isn’t the Gentleman Sword or the Demon Heaven Lord here?’
In truth, those two were the ones he wanted to see most.
How great must their skills be to spread their names across this entire Central Plains in an instant? If that strength was indeed real, he wanted to bring them to the Sichuan Tang Family no matter how much it cost.
“The others are in the village below. We are merely scouting.”
“…Is that so?”
Tang Jung-ak nodded with a displeased gaze.
This was because he was curious about the reason for sending them first. Although they were the ones who requested help, there were people here who held their own positions in the Murim Alliance as well as the Heavenly Dao Association.
Considering that, a master should have naturally come.
However, excluding Ma Jang-gang, there were no people who seemed particularly remarkable.
“We came all this way, so why is his expression like that?”
“What?”
Tang Jung-ak was not someone who would fail to hear that whisper muttered into Gwon Mu-jin’s ear. His gaze turned fiercely toward Jang Sam-tae.
The gaze of a venomous snake, looking ready to devour the opponent immediately, flashed.
Jang Sam-tae flinched, but soon stared back at him confidently.
“No, did I say anything wrong? We also came here risking our lives!”
“You fellow! Do you know who I am to babble so recklessly?”
“Do you know who I am?”
Jang Sam-tae stepped forward confidently and fanned his chest. Seeing his confident behavior, people wondered if he was a fairly renowned master whose face was unknown.
“This body is none other than Lord Jang Sam-tae, a servant of the Hunan Dan Family!”
“…….”
“…….”
The faces of Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang turned bright red. They clutched their heads as if at a loss for words, and even turned their heads away to avoid locking eyes with the people in front of them.
It was not once or twice that they felt embarrassed because of Jang Sam-tae, but this time was different.
They had an intense desire to crawl into a rat hole.
“Uhahaha, a servant? So they sent a servant here? The Hunan Dan Family Head has done something truly grand.”
Tang Jung-ak’s absurd laughter spread ringingly. Hearing it, several people frowned.
When the arrival of Ma Jang-gang and Gwon Mu-jin instead of the Gentleman Sword or the Demon Heaven Lord was already insufficient, sending a servant of the family as support-they thought this was a treatment clearly disregarding the Heavenly Dao Association.
“Who on earth is that bastard?”
Jang Sam-tae asked, frowning. Since the behavior of the snake-like fellow was also like a snake’s, he simply did not like it.
Looking at him, Gwon Mu-jin spoke briefly.
“He is the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Family.”
“Where?”
“The Sichuan Tang Family.”
“…You mean that place swarming with venomous snakes?”
“Yes.”
At that single word, Jang Sam-tae was left speechless. As if at a loss for what to say, he glanced at Tang Jung-ak.
When the two locked eyes, Jang Sam-tae grinned.
“Hehehe.”
“What a foolish fellow.”
Tang Jung-ak looked down at Jang Sam-tae with a haughty gaze and clicked his tongue.
“Uh, do not corner him so much. The Dan Family Head must have also had his thoughts in doing so.”
At that moment, someone slowly revealed himself. It was Seonjin, looking somewhat more haggard than when first seen. Although he had already lost his vitality due to losing his dantian, his gaze was still sharper than anyone else’s.
Indeed, he was someone who could be called a master representing the orthodox path.
Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang showed their respects to him.
“Yes, yes, I am glad to see you are also doing well.”
Seonjin let out a hearty laugh.
That smile shown before those who might have once been enemies was infinitely benevolent, giving the feeling of looking at a Buddha.
Seeing Gwon Mu-jin, who had been an enemy, and Ma Jang-gang, who had been in a position so low that he could not even look at his face properly, bow their heads toward Seonjin showed that the virtue he had accumulated was by no means small.
“Yes, how was the situation?”
“It is difficult. Since search parties have already gathered nearby, we believe it is only a matter of time before they raid.”
Gwon Mu-jin replied.
The opponent had many members. Thus, they had the advantage of rapidly narrowing the search range. On the contrary, the people in this place did not exceed twenty or thirty at most.
They tried to deceive the opponent’s eyes by scattering here and there, and judged that moving in small numbers was most efficient compared to moving in a large group.
However, that became the cause of their trouble, leaving them tied up in this place now.
“Where did all the other fellows go?”
“…Silence.”
Ignoring the muttering Jang Sam-tae’s words, Gwon Mu-jin frowned. There is a saying that if you just stay still, you will get by. However, Jang Sam-tae absolutely never stayed still, and that was the problem.
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“Hahaha, everyone is working hard at other places to ensure this place is not discovered.”
Huh? Jang Sam-tae’s gaze turned.
At the place he was looking, a man who looked like the young version of Namgung Cheon was letting out a hearty laugh.
Even without trying to identify the opponent’s identity, he immediately grasped that the people of the Namgung Family were gathered right there, and that he was the current head of the Namgung Family.
“But once we leave this place, where should we go?”
“How should I know?”
“…….”
Jang Sam-tae shook his head.
He knew nothing.
In the first place, Namgung Cheon or Sa Do-hak had not personally taken action, and they had not received other orders either. Since the only word they had was to move together if they met during scouting, it was a troubling situation for Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang as well.
“Those who sent them also have no thoughts.”
Tang Jung-ak frowned and voiced complaints. They had sent people blankly without any thought. This was strictly an act of ignoring the Nine Sects and One Gang as well as the Heavenly Dao Association, and further, looking down on the entire orthodox Murim.
“It cannot be helped. We will escort Monk Seonjin out, so you fellows distract them.”
In the end, there was only one way to escape this situation. Someone had to become bait, and they would slip away stealthily using that gap.
Although their level was low, seeing that they came all the way here without any issue, they seemed outstanding in moving stealthily. In that case, Tang Jung-ak’s thought was that there would be no ones more suitable for this task than them.
“…….”
However, Ma Jang-gang, who was listening, wore a dumbfounded expression.
Although he said distract them, it was no different from telling them to be bait. It meant they would live if lucky and die otherwise, which was equivalent to telling them to sacrifice themselves.
The moment even Gwon Mu-jin wore an absurd expression.
“Ah! This should work. We will take all the other people out, so why don’t you distract them? Seeing as your skills are better than ours and your background seems grand.”
“What?”
“I mean we will take them out. If someone has to die, you should die.”
Jang Sam-tae waved his hand and wore a bothered expression. He seemed to pay no mind to the sight of Tang Jung-ak, whose face was turning bright red.
Those watching the situation widened their eyes.
A servant of the Hunan Dan Family.
A mere servant was talking back to the great Tang Jung-ak.
How big must his liver be for him to do that?
“Hehehe.”
“Haha, lunatic.”
Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang laughed under their breath.
It was Tang Jung-ak, of all people.
Even before the figure of the Sichuan Tang Family, whom even the Namgung Family could not treat carelessly, and further the Family Head himself, his coarse talk did not vanish at all.
“You fellow! Do you wish to die!”
Boom!
The energy of the angered Tang Jung-ak spread in all directions. Due to the characteristics of martial artists who did not care much about a mere servant dying, he looked ready to pour out hidden weapons and kill him immediately.
However, the one who blocked the path between them was none other than Namgung Yong.
He stepped in, extending his sword hilt between the two.
“Family Head Tang, calm down. What solution will come from getting angry?”
“…….”
Tang Jung-ak glared at Namgung Yong.
The gazes of the two clashed in the air.
Tang Jung-ak was highly displeased with Namgung Yong blocking his way, while Namgung Yong could not just stand by and watch his character of recklessly ignoring and looking down on others.
The two, who had clashed with each other since childhood, were checking each other knowingly or unknowingly.
Thump!
At that moment, a loud sound was heard.
The vibration spread in an instant, stimulating their bodies.
The moment they realized it, everyone’s eyes turned sharp.
“The formation… has been broken.”
Paeng Do-ung let out a sigh and clicked his tongue. Since the Hyeongmun Sect, the Blood Heaven, and the martial artists who crawled under them were gathered together, no matter how much they set up formations, they could not hold out for long.
Under such circumstances, because they only fought with each other, this happened.
“Found them!”
Piiiiik!
Soon, a signal flare was shot high into the sky along with the sound of a whistle. It was something that happened the moment they saw the large cabin revealed as the formation broke, and the people inside it.
No one could suppress them.
“We are in a difficult situation. Haha.”
Seonjin took in all of the situation and let out a sigh.
The enemies around here seemed to be somewhat weak. He was certain of this seeing that they did not rush in immediately even if they had a bit of confidence in their skills.
If so.
“Let’s break through.”
There was no one who opposed Seonjin’s decision.
Since they were already discovered, it was something they had to carry out. Also, escaping Mount Hyeongmun was impossible without breaking through them.
One by one, the eyes of the masters gathered here changed. An will to never bow before the likes of the Blood Heaven was visible.
“Damn it! I knew it would be like this! All because of that venomous snake!”
Jang Sam-tae grumbled and clenched his fists.
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