Chapter 227: Countering a Scheme with a Scheme (1)

Chapter 226 – Countering a Scheme with a Scheme (1)

Boom!

As the qi condensed in Eon Yang-geol’s fist exploded, a sound like a thunderbolt detonating rang out.

“Keugh! Kill that man!”

“Kill the Eon Clan Leader!”

Unorthodox martial artists ground their teeth, eyes burning with fire as they rushed in.

However, Eon Yang-geol did not care and charged toward the enemies.

“Bring it on, try me!”

Clang! Clack! Ting!

Amazingly, Eon Yang-geol was blocking the incoming sabers and swords with his bare body. Consequently, his upper body garments were tattered like rags.

Even so, the wounds inflicted by the blades were minimal.

Occasionally, someone with deep internal energy left a deep laceration on Eon Yang-geol’s forearm, but it was not a fatal wound.

Eon Yang-geol busily unleashed Eon Family Fists even as he dripped blood.

Boom! Boom!

The unorthodox martial artists struck by the Eon Family Fist had their clothes burst open as they flew away like kites with broken strings.

Generally, their internal organs were ruptured in a single blow, causing them to vomit blood and die, or lose consciousness on the spot.

That was how strong the Eon Family Fist was.

‘Indeed, as the Jiangling Divine Art improved, it has also become much easier to execute the Eon Family Fist!’

Eon Yang-geol thought as he looked down at his tightly clenched fists.

This was all thanks to Namgung Cheon.

Thanks to the clue Namgung Cheon had provided, Eon Yang-geol had been able to further develop the Jiangling Divine Art, and accordingly, the Eon Family Fists could become even more powerful.

However, it was regrettable that time was insufficient.

If only he had solved that clue a bit earlier, Eon Yang-geol might have been able to master the Jiangling Divine Art to completion.

Nevertheless, even this could be considered a great development.

‘However…’

Eon Yang-geol smashed the head of an unorthodox martial artist and turned his head.

Looking down from the watchtower, the situation of the Eon Clan Estate was absolute chaos itself.

In the place where retainers gathered to train, laugh, and chat, curses and screams were rampant, and corpses were piling up as sword fights broke out repeatedly.

The place for eating was a battlefield, and the place for sleeping also turned into a battlefield.

The residence, which should be the most peaceful, had turned into a mess like a stirred hornets’ nest.

In addition to that, there were ruined and collapsed pavilions, and pavilions that were burning.

Furthermore, because the number of enemies was too large, the martial artists of the Eon Clan Estate were losing their lives one by one, which was even more distressing.

No matter how much he had developed the Jiangling Divine Art, if this many enemies flooded in all at once, there was no way to block them.

Just when he thought he had blocked one large wave, an even larger wave rolled in, making it difficult to even keep his senses.

“Ah! The history of the Eon Clan is being severed in my generation.”

Eon Yang-geol felt the strength drain completely from his legs.

Suddenly feeling sorry for his son, he missed Eon Ho-ryang.

However, they say that when the mind reaches its limit, it connects; didn’t he suddenly hear his son’s voice from somewhere?

“Father!”

At first, he only thought he was hearing hallucinations because he was exhausted.

However, Eon Ho-ryang’s voice was becoming clearer and clearer.

“Father! I have brought the writing left by Namgung Cheon!”

At the mention of ‘Namgung Cheon’, Eon Yang-geol flinched and turned around.

It was strange that the name Namgung Cheon was more welcoming even though his son was running toward him.

Just then, Eon Yang-geol, who used the Eon Family Fist to send an unorthodox martial artist flying as he threw himself at him, saw his son climbing up the watchtower.

Behind him, the cadets and Paeng Jeok-ho followed. The cadets were in a terrible state, probably because they had fought a desperate battle.

“The writing left by Namgung Cheon? What does that mean?”

When Eon Yang-geol grabbed his son and pressed him, Paeng Jeok-ho stepped forward and handed over a small piece of paper.

“Namgung Cheon left this for my son. It seemed he left it in preparation for when the situation became difficult.”

“Let me see!”

Eon Yang-geol practically snatched the paper from Paeng Jeok-ho’s hand and read it.

You should use that. I am in favor. Shouldn’t we survive first?

Eon Yang-geol furrowed his brows and flinched.

Paeng Jeok-ho and Paeng Su-hyeok swallowed their dry saliva and watched Eon Yang-geol’s reaction closely.

For their part, they thought Eon Yang-geol might know the meaning of this writing, but if Eon Yang-geol also wore a bewildered expression, it would be a real disaster.

Fortunately, Eon Yang-geol did not look puzzled. Instead, he looked at Paeng Jeok-ho with a dark expression.

“Did he really give this to Paeng Su-hyeok?”

“Yes. Do you know what it means? What on earth is ‘that’ referring to here?”

“Strange. Why did he give it to you instead of my son?”

Paeng Su-hyeok shrugged his shoulders.

“That guy is occasionally scatterbrained. Perhaps he temporarily got confused because both of us are built large and are brave.”

“Is that something to be confused about?”

“Well. Normally it isn’t, but he was originally a somewhat strange guy anyway.”

At Paeng Su-hyeok’s reply, Paeng Jeok-ho asked pressingly.

“Anyway, what is important now is what ‘that’ referred to here is! Is it really true that if we use it, we can get through this crisis?”

“Hmm.”

For some reason, Eon Yang-geol only groaned and did not reply easily.

Eon Ho-ryang, who was watching from the side, grew anxious and stamped his feet.

“Father! There is no time for this! If you know, please tell us quickly!”

Judging by his reaction, Eon Yang-geol clearly seemed to know something.

However, for some reason, he did not seem to want to open his mouth easily.

Even in the midst of this, the estate was being devastated, so Eon Ho-ryang was burning with anxiety.

“Father! Hurry…!”

“Calm down. This is not something that can be decided easily!”

When Eon Yang-geol let out a sharp voice, Eon Ho-ryang could no longer press him and swallowed his words.

Paeng Jeok-ho stiffened his expression and asked.

“Eon Clan Leader! What on earth is it that makes you hesitate so? I do not know what it is, but surely it cannot be weightier than preventing the extermination of the Eon Clan?”

“Hmm. That is true, but…”

“Eon Clan Leader! If so, let us use it quickly! At this rate, not only the Eon Clan but also our clan will find it difficult to avoid the disaster of clan extermination!”

Then, Eon Yang-geol snapped his head up.

“If so, are you also in favor, Patriarch Paeng?”

“That is why I am asking what on earth it is! Whatever it is, our clan and the Eon Clan are already in the same boat! The downfall of the Eon Clan is the downfall of the Paeng Clan, and the salvation of the Eon Clan is the salvation of the Paeng Clan! When a fire has broken out on our feet, we cannot leave the nearby well and go draw seawater, can we? Whatever it is, let us use it!”

When Paeng Jeok-ho spoke resolutely, Eon Yang-geol nodded as if he had made up his mind.

“Understood. Follow me! Ho-ryang, go bring your mother and come to the cliff storehouse!”

“Yes, Father!”

After Eon Ho-ryang left and Eon Yang-geol led the way, all those on the watchtower began to follow behind him.

Of course, even while moving through the estate, countless enemies appeared to block their path, but the martial power of Eon Yang-geol and Paeng Jeok-ho alone was enough to clear the way.

Having reached the base of the cliff, he stopped in front of a massive iron door. Just then, Eon Ho-ryang arrived with his mother, Yang Suk-jeong.

Yang Suk-jeong also possessed considerable martial arts, so she had just come from fighting a fierce battle.

Yang Suk-jeong approached Eon Yang-geol.

“Dear, you are safe!”

“I am fine. More than that, dear, the situation is very bad right now.”

“I know. Fortunately, the Paeng Clan martial artists are here, which is a great help to our clan.”

When Yang Suk-jeong spoke as if mindful of Paeng Jeok-ho, Paeng Jeok-ho bowed his head slightly in return.

“Those are right words. However, at this rate, we will not escape the disaster of clan extermination.”

“What do we do now?”

“Namgung Cheon left this.”

When Yang Suk-jeong saw the words written on the paper, her expression stiffened.

“Do you really intend to use that?”

“What is your opinion, dear?”

“Well. I think that if we are careless, the reputation our clan has built up until now could crumble.”

“That may be so. However, isn’t it better than suffering the disaster of clan extermination?”

“That is true, but…”

“Moreover, Namgung Cheon was in favor. And Patriarch Paeng here is also in favor.”

By this point, considering that the situation was unusual, Paeng Jeok-ho quickly stepped forward and asked.

“Please tell us now! What on earth is that!”

“Indeed. Patriarch Paeng, you still do not know what it is. Then see it for yourself and decide. Seeing is believing.”

Eon Yang-geol locked eyes with Madam Yang and nodded slightly.

They seemed to have made up their minds.

Turning around, Eon Yang-geol took out a key made of dark iron from his bosom and turned it in the lock.

Watching this process, Paeng Jeok-ho felt curiosity in his heart as he observed.

‘What on earth is in this old storehouse? Is it filled with Thunderbolt Bombs of immense firepower?’

If so, it would be somewhat ambiguous to call it a clever move.

Using Thunderbolt Bombs would be good for annihiling a large number of enemies, but the opponent had already penetrated to the deepest parts.

Might not the Eon Clan Estate be blown away entirely?

Clank!

When the door finally opened, Eon Yang-geol glanced around and quickly stepped inside.

The others also entered the storehouse one after another.

As soon as Paeng Jeok-ho entered the iron door, he felt a chilly energy and rubbed his forearms.

Perhaps because it was a storehouse carved out of the inside of the cliff, the air was completely different from the outside.

As they walked down the stairs for a long time feeling that chilly energy, light leaked out.

Opening the iron door that appeared soon after and entering, an astonishing landscape unfolded before their eyes.

“Gasp!”

“Argh!”

Not only Paeng Jeok-ho but also the cadets and Eon Ho-ryang who had come along retreated in great shock.

Amazingly, what filled the underground storehouse were stiffened corpses. Whether treated with special chemicals, they exuded a medicinal fragrance so strong that it made the nose sting.

“Th-This is…!”

“You must be well aware that the Eon Clan used the Jiangshi Art from ancient times.”

“But wasn’t the Jiangshi Art abolished long ago? That is why you joined the orthodox Martial World!”

“Yes. However, the Jiangshi Art is our clan’s long tradition. It is not of a nature that could be eliminated overnight.”

“S-Such a thing…!”

“Of course, we had no intention of using this from the beginning. It was merely prepared for a day like today. Having somehow known, Namgung Cheon seems to be talking about this.”

“Hmm…”

Paeng Jeok-ho fell into deep thought, groaning as if his shock had not subsided.

Certainly, if the Jiangshi packed tightly into this storehouse joined the fight, they could turn the tide of the battle.

However, if they did that, the Eon Clan might be ostracized by the Martial Alliance, hearing the infamy of having dabbled in the evil Jiangshi Art again.

It was truly a problem either way.

Eon Yang-geol suddenly crossed his arms and took a step back.

“I will follow Patriarch Paeng’s opinion. Hasn’t the Paeng Clan belonged to the orthodox Martial World since much longer than our clan? So, if you judge that our clan must not use the Jiangshi Art, we will rather suffer the disaster of clan extermination than use it.”

“Dear!”

“Father!”

In an instant, Madam Yang and Eon Ho-ryang shouted simultaneously, but Eon Yang-geol did not budge.

Instead, Paeng Jeok-ho looked at the Jiangshi with a troubled expression.

‘Eon Clan Leader has subtly dragged me in. In this case, even if the Eon Clan releases the Jiangshi, it cannot be said that our clan is free from responsibility.’

Truly, now, like it or not, they were in the same boat.

For a moment, Paeng Jeok-ho felt as if he had been struck on the back of the head.

‘Ah…! Perhaps that is why Namgung Cheon left that paper with Su-hyeok?’

If he had given that paper to Eon Ho-ryang, the Eon Clan Leader would have made all the decisions in the first place.

However, by delivering it to Paeng Su-hyeok, wasn’t he now in a position where he had no choice but to participate in this decision?

Whatever decision they made, the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan would now share the same fate.

‘Namgung Cheon, you are truly cunning. But I like that boldness of yours!’

Paeng Jeok-ho chuckled and spoke with a firm expression.

“Let us use it! Eon Clan Leader! We must survive first!”

“Understood!”

Eon Yang-geol finally replied with force.

* * *

Ryu Nan frowned and asked.

“What do you mean? So what did you give them?”

Namgung Cheon grinned.

“Well, you don’t need to know that much. Soon, you guys are all going to die.”