Chapter 221: Strange Feelings (2)
Chapter 220 – Strange Feelings (2)
“What is the matter that you are making such a fuss?”
When Paeng Jeok-ho chided with a serious expression, Paeng Su-hyeok glanced at Namgung Cheon and spoke.
“A letter has arrived saying that the reinforcements sent from the Shandong Yue Clan were wiped out by the Black Mist Valley martial artists!”
“What?”
Paeng Jeok-ho shouted in surprise, and Namgung Cheon also turned back in surprise.
This was certainly no ordinary matter.
Paeng Jeok-ho asked urgently.
“Then what about other places? What happened to the Hwangbo Clan?”
Like the Yue Clan, the Hwangbo Clan was also a family based in the capital of Shandong. Although their support was somewhat later than the Yue Clan, they had also sent news that they had dispatched reinforcements.
Paeng Su-hyeok spoke, huffing as if his anger was flaring up just thinking about it.
“Those bastards cannot even be called martial artists!”
“What does that mean?”
“They say they are turning back after hearing the news that the Yue Clan’s martial artists were wiped out.”
“Wh-What?”
“They say they will return after carefully examining the situation and reinforcing their personnel again.”
“No, what kind of nonsense is that? We are on the verge of dying right now!”
Was that not different from telling a dying fish that it would be released into the sea if it just endured for three days?
Namgung Cheon, who was only listening quietly, narrowed his brows and opened his mouth.
“It seems the Hwangbo Clan has no intention of stepping forward.”
“Sigh! Do they not know that if this place collapses, the next turn will be Shandong Province?”
“They must know. But they probably think that the Martial Alliance will add their strength by then, and since the Yue Clan and Hwangbo Clan are close in Shandong, they will be able to hold out.”
“Those foolish bastards! To leave a stream that is easy to cross and wait for the river to flood!”
“Calm down first. I think we need to meet Clan Leader Eon and talk more.”
“Indeed! Let’s go!”
As Paeng Jeok-ho was about to stride away, Namgung Cheon shook his head.
“No, you remain here and study, Clan Leader.”
“Wh-What?”
Paeng Jeok-ho, who was about to flare up thinking he was mocking him without understanding the atmosphere in this situation, shut his mouth upon seeing Namgung Cheon’s stiff expression.
For some reason, Namgung Cheon’s expression was serious as never before.
“It is important to realize the profound meaning of the Hunyuan Thunder Divine Art even a little before the enemies strike in. If it is real combat, you will do it enough to be sick of it shortly. Now is the time to study.”
“A fire has fallen on my foot right now, and you are telling me to recite Buddhist prayers!”
“If you recite that prayer well, you will handle three or four in a single blow instead of one. If so, it would be far more valuable than adding a head to a useless discussion.”
“Sigh. Are you speaking seriously?”
“Of course I am serious. Would I mock you in this situation, saying that since Clan Leader Paeng is stupid, it’s useless for you to join the meeting?”
It was so specific that it really felt like mocking!
“Don’t worry and concentrate. If possible, I would like to recommend closed-door training. Your Hunyuan Thunder Divine Art is already in a mature state. Although achieving great success in a short time is difficult, there will surely be a clear result.”
“But the enemy will strike shortly.”
“Normally, during exams, things enter your head best when cramming.”
Paeng Jeok-ho let out a faint groan. How did he end up being scolded to study at this age?
He even felt a bit miserable for some reason, but Namgung Cheon quickly grabbed his hand and spoke.
“Clan Leader Paeng. The future of Hebei depends on your hands!”
“Hmm. Hebei in my hands…”
“Of course. Absolutely! Indeed.”
“Cough! I understand. I will concentrate more on training, so Su-hyeok, you go in my stead.”
“Yes, Father.”
Namgung Cheon felt relieved inwardly seeing Paeng Su-hyeok reply with a determined expression.
‘I’m glad they are a father and son easy to handle.’
However, the words Namgung Cheon spoke were not completely empty words.
Indeed, if Paeng Jeok-ho realized the meaning of the Hunyuan Thunder Divine Art even slightly, it would be a great strength.
That one person alone could raise their entire combat strength by more than twenty percent.
When Namgung Cheon and Paeng Su-hyeok entered the Clan Leader’s hall, the leadership of the Eon Clan was already gathered and holding an emergency meeting.
“Welcome, Young Hero Namgung. Young Hero Paeng.”
“I have heard the general news. When is the Blue Wave Corps dispatched by the Martial Alliance expected to arrive?”
“That has become difficult. They say there is some problem with the Blue Wave Corps, so they will reinforce their strength and set out.”
At that, Paeng Su-hyeok, who was listening, flared up and shouted.
“No, what kind of nonsense is that? Have they all gone mad? This place is in immediate danger!”
“I am also frustrated.”
Eon Yang-geol muttered with a sigh.
Namgung Cheon fell quietly into thought.
It was certainly strange.
There was only one thing here that appeared natural.
That the reinforcements sent from the Yue Clan were wiped out by the Black Mist Valley martial artists.
However, the subsequent response of the Hwangbo Clan or the Martial Alliance was not natural.
This strange sense of incongruity.
‘Indeed, this is the feeling I had when dealing with that old snake…’
Should he call it an instinct of having lived a lifetime as a fugitive?
He felt some sort of conspiracy.
In any case, they could not just sit and wait for a guest who would not come.
Namgung Cheon quickly asked.
“What about the Beggars’ Sect? Are they also not coming?”
“No. The Beggars’ Sect will arrive soon. However, it seems it will take about two days.”
“That is fortunate, at least.”
While all the strength related to the Martial Alliance had backed out, only the Beggars’ Sect was still reaching out to help.
In this way, his suspicion increasingly tilted toward certainty.
‘Since that old snake of an Alliance Leader wouldn’t have been able to move even the Beggars’ Sect.’
Namgung Cheon nodded and continued.
“What about the movements of the Black Mist Valley?”
“It seems they will arrive in Jinzhou by this evening.”
“The next two days will be the crisis.”
Eon Yang-geol’s expression stiffened hard.
“It seems the strength of the Black Mist Valley is greater than thought. The news is that they called themselves the Black Mist Alliance.”
“Black Mist Alliance.”
“It seems they have gathered quite a few unorthodox scoundrels.”
“Hmm.”
Namgung Cheon let out a groan and fell back into thought.
If it was Ryu Nan, he could certainly do so.
Although it was somewhat novel that a man who seemed to have no interest in the secular world had moved.
“For now, let’s strengthen our guard and prepare for the evening. Now we must do our best and wait for heaven’s will, right?”
At Namgung Cheon’s calm words, Eon Yang-geol nodded.
“You are right.”
He admired him once again inwardly.
Even though the shadow of death was about to cover the Eon Clan Estate, how could he be so composed? On the other hand, his own son Eon Ho-ryang seemed to hide fear in a corner of his heart, and Paeng Su-hyeok still seemed angry at the Yue Clan and Martial Alliance that had turned back.
Only Namgung Cheon was no different from usual.
‘He is indeed a talent.’
Eon Yang-geol expressed his gratitude to Namgung Cheon anew.
“Thanks to listening to your words, I can have hope today. Thank you once again.”
If not for Namgung Cheon, wouldn’t there even be no Paeng Clan martial artists right now?
If so, the Eon Clan would have had to fight a desperate battle against the enemy in complete isolation.
‘It is terrible just to think about.’
Namgung Cheon smirked and replied.
“Why thank me for that. And the Eon Clan has a hidden card.”
“What does that mean?”
When Eon Yang-geol wore a puzzled expression, Namgung Cheon chuckled and waved his hand.
“Hey, why act like that between us.”
What kind of relationship do we have?
No, more than that, what is he talking about?
Eon Yang-geol, who had a blank face for a moment, suddenly winced.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Namgung Cheon, who was smiling simple-mindedly.
‘Could it be…?’
However, he soon shook his head.
No way.
There was no way Namgung Cheon had thought that far, right?
Since only a very few in the Eon Clan knew of that.
Eon Yang-geol coughed dryly once more and spoke to the people.
“Now, in any case, this evening will be the crisis, so let’s prepare with our wits about us.”
“We will follow your will, Clan Leader!”
The leadership responded, cupping their hands in unison.
* * *
A starry night.
A man stood tall on a hill on the outskirts of Jinzhou.
A man with half-white hair and a faint smile on his lips.
At first glance, he looked quite young, but on the other hand, it was a face with maturity as if he had experienced many years.
He looked at the Eon Clan Estate, which lit up brightly below the cliff in the distance.
“We have arrived.”
“The Paeng Clan is currently residing with the Eon Clan.”
At the report submitted by a subordinate next to him, Ryu Nan chuckled.
“I know that. What about those cadets?”
“Still staying at the Eon Clan Estate.”
“I see. Namgung Cheon, was it?”
“Yes.”
“The son of Jin Cheon-rang. I wanted to see his face once, so this is good.”
His soft voice seemed to flow like music on the night wind.
However, the subordinate reporting next to him could not even look at Ryu Nan’s face properly.
Because he knew well that behind that beautiful smile, a heartlessness enough to make one shudder was embedded.
“What about the messenger preparation?”
“We fed him the Explosive Extermination Gu and finished brainwashing him by applying black magic.”
“Good, then send the gift.”
“Accepting orders!”
The subordinate turned around with the reply.
Surprisingly, behind him, a countless number of black-clad men stood densely.
When he gestured with his chin, one of the black-clad men in line nodded and ran somewhere.
* * *
If there was one characteristic of the Eon Clan Estate, it was that it looked like a decent fortress rather than a single family’s estate.
The walls were high enough to be called fortress walls, and the main gate was also grand beyond compare.
Also, since there was a watchtower on the main gate, those visiting here for the first time often mistook it for a fortress before seeing the plaque.
This was also due to the nature of the Eon Clan, which had long stayed between orthodox and unorthodox.
In any case, for that reason, it could be said that there was no better condition to defend and fight.
However, if the opponent pushed with human-wave tactics, any impregnable fortress was bound to collapse easily.
Now was exactly such a situation.
The crowd slowly approaching the Eon Clan.
Although the exact number could not be grasped because they were all wearing black, just by the thick killing intent transmitted since earlier and the number of torches splitting the darkness, one could guess it was a massive headcount.
Gulp…!
Eon Yang-geol, who stood on the watchtower of the main gate, swallowed hard and glared at the slowly approaching torches.
At some moment, when the torches stopped, the night wind blew hard as if waiting. Immediately after, someone shouted from the enemy camp.
“We will send a messenger, so the Eon Clan receive him!”
The next moment, a dark shadow began to run in a flurry toward the Eon Clan.
“Aim!”
At Eon Yang-geol’s command, the archers standing on the walls simultaneously drew their arrows on the strings.
Eon Yang-geol glared with furrowed brows, and a martial artist whose entire body was in ruins shouted as he ran in a flurry.
“Do not shoot! Do not shoot! I am a martial artist from the Yue Clan!”
“……!”
Eon Yang-geol winced and widened his eyes.
He was certainly a martial artist wearing the martial robe of the Shandong Yue Clan.
“Was there still someone alive!”
Just as he was about to shout in surprise to open the gate.
Namgung Cheon, who narrowed his eyes, spoke callously.
“Shoot.”
“What?”
“You must shoot.”
“Calm down, Jianghu Divine Dragon. That man is not an enemy. He was held captive by them and is now running as a messenger, is he not?”
“Shoot anyway.”
“Sigh! Jianghu Divine Dragon, you…!”
However, Namgung Cheon did not wait any longer. Instead, he snatched the bow of the archer standing next to him, set an arrow in an instant, and drew the string.
Twang!
In an instant, the arrow leaving the string flew at rapid speed, splitting the darkness.
Everyone nearby watched the flying arrow with shocked faces.