Chapter 236: The Namgung Clan Is in My Hands (6)
Chapter 235 – The Namgung Clan Is in My Hands (6)
The Branch Leader glared and demanded.
“I asked what you said.”
It was a sharp interrogation, but Paeng Su-hyeok was not one to back down.
“I said it’s dogshit! It’s pathetic how you ignore the fire right at your feet just to mind your damn procedures! By the way, who are you?”
“You…! I am the Branch Leader of this place!”
“Ah…”
Only then did a look of frustration wash over the cadets’ faces.
The watching gate guard quickly bowed his head and stepped forward.
“Branch Leader. These are the cadets I mentioned just now. This person right here is the Young Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, who is known as the Divine Dragon of the Jianghu…”
“What Divine Dragon of the Jianghu? Nowadays, every dog and cow walks around hearing themselves called a dragon.”
“What did you say?”
Unexpectedly, the person who flared up in protest was none other than Paeng Su-hyeok.
The other cadets also looked strangely at Paeng Su-hyeok, who was so overcome with anger.
Paeng Su-hyeok panted, his shoulders shaking.
“Every dog and cow? Even so, this guy won the Joint Conference! And he saved his own clan from crisis! And does someone who just folds his arms upon hearing news of a clan in crisis have the right to say such words… mmph, mmph!”
Yun Jong-seung quickly stepped forward to cover the mouth of Paeng Su-hyeok, who was firing off words without hesitation.
After all, in a situation where they had to borrow horses, wasn’t the Branch Leader the one holding the key?
So there was nothing good about repeatedly provoking his temper.
The Branch Leader snorted and said in a cold voice.
“Seeing how you ignore procedures to this extent, you fellows might even be fakes!”
“No, you’ve been talking nonsense since earlier… mmph, mmph!”
“If you feel wronged, come back tomorrow after dawn.”
When the Branch Leader tried to walk away heartlessly, this time the gate guard Song Myeong quickly stepped forward.
“Branch Leader! They are not fakes! Cadet Namgung Cheon here is without a doubt the Young Patriarch of the Namgung Clan. We can guarantee that!”
“Namgung Cheon. But do you also know the others?”
“Huh? That is…”
“What if this cadet named Namgung Cheon has been bribed by the fakes he came with?”
“How could…!”
“No, you’ve been babbling nonsense since earlier, if that’s not dogshit then what… mmph! Mmph…!”
By this point, the gate guards even fell to one knee and said politely.
“Branch Leader! We are also from the Namgung Clan. It is difficult for us to ignore that the Namgung Clan is in trouble. Please trust us and lend us horses…”
“Oh dear, why are you all acting like this? Who said I wouldn’t lend them? I am telling you to come tomorrow because there are procedures.”
“But if we fuss over procedures in an emergency like this…!”
“Silence! Because it is an emergency, we must follow procedures!”
Since the Branch Leader was so adamant, there was nothing more the gate guards could do.
At this rate, wasn’t it just opposition for the sake of opposition?
In the midst of all this, Namgung Cheon only narrowed his eyes and watched the situation.
Finally, he caught the steps of the Branch Leader, who was about to go inside.
“Indeed, the Branch Leader has a thorough personality. Was it perhaps the Alliance Leader who ordered such strict procedures?”
“You know well. This is an instruction that came directly from the Alliance. So, you know what you must do, right?”
“Yes, I think I do.”
“Good. Then since today’s business is finished, come back tomorrow.”
“You, you…!”
Paeng Su-hyeok’s eyes were now about to roll back.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon’s voice abruptly cut in.
“Instead of coming back tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
As the Branch Leader turned around, furrowing his brow, Namgung Cheon smiled and continued.
“I think there might be another way.”
“What?”
At that moment, Namgung Cheon swung the Emerald Silk Sword, sheath and all, and accurately struck the crown of the Branch Leader’s head.
Whack!
“…”
“…”
Instantly, not to mention the gate guards, even the cadets gasped in shock and stood with their mouths wide open.
Thud…!
The Branch Leader’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed with foam at his mouth.
Namgung Cheon slung the Branch Leader over his shoulder and looked at the gate guards.
“You all heard him, right? The Branch Leader said he will go with us for thorough verification.”
“Yes… yes?”
The gate guards, who had replied hesitantly, quickly shut their mouths as they belatedly caught the underlying meaning.
The two spoke with determined expressions.
“Understood.”
“Please save the Namgung Clan!”
Namgung Cheon nodded.
“We will. Where is the stable?”
“I will guide you.”
When Song Myeong spoke, Jin So-hong stepped forward and handed each of the two men a heavy pouch of money.
Peering inside the pouches absentmindedly, the two widened their eyes.
“You do not need to give us such things…”
“Oh, put it away. For old times’ sake.”
Jin So-hong smiled and walked away.
* * *
Haa!
Clang! Slash!
As sparks flew in the dark, a man in black fell, his body flipping over.
Having just left the courtyard and entered an alleyway, Namgung Hwa quickly looked back and shouted.
“Everyone, this way!”
Receiving her instructions, the servants held their breath and moved their steps quickly.
She grabbed the shoulder of the last running servant and said.
“First, go to the Mount Huang Tavern and take care of yourselves. Those guys won’t go that far.”
The Mount Huang Tavern was a place whose business rights the Namgung Clan had recently reclaimed. Whatever the enemy’s purpose was, she judged that they would not strike the Mount Huang Tavern just to harm servants who did not even know martial arts.
“Understood. But what about you, Young Lady…”
“Don’t worry about me. For now, I must help Father.”
“Understood. Please take care of yourself!”
The servant bowed and quickly ran along the alley with the others.
Confirming that they had disappeared into the darkness, Namgung Hwa turned back with a sharp gaze.
Although she wanted to escort the servants safely to the tavern, she was worried about those who would be fighting to the death in the estate right now.
As she entered the back gate, a man in black charged at her with a yell.
“Die!”
However, Namgung Hwa stepped smoothly using her footwork and evaded the enemy’s sword strike. At the same time, she unleashed joint-lock techniques to break the enemy’s wrist and tripped him directly.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Without hesitation, Namgung Hwa drew her sword and stabbed the fallen man’s heart.
Squish!
Convulsing once, the man in black soon went limp.
‘Where is Father?’
Namgung Hwa quickly moved her steps.
One noteworthy thing was that the manor was relatively intact.
Looking at the enemy’s numbers, they had clearly invaded with the determination to exterminate the clan, but almost none of the pavilions were collapsed or broken.
‘If extermination were the goal, they would have set fires. Then what is their purpose? If there is a reason they cannot burn down the pavilions… could it be?’
At that moment, a thought flashed through her mind.
Namgung Hwa was soon convinced.
‘They are looking for something!’
If so, what is it?
As expected, it did not take long for her to think of something.
‘The Demonic Pill Valley elixirs!’
Namgung Hwa snapped her head around reflexively.
She could not be sure if the enemies knew the location of the Demonic Pill Valley elixirs, but first, she had to protect that place.
Because once they found the Demonic Pill Valley elixirs, the pavilions would instantly become piles of ash.
Tap!
Having finished her thoughts, Namgung Hwa kicked the ground and ran quickly.
However, before she could even advance a few chang, she came to a sudden halt.
Swish!
A ray of light flying through the darkness!
Clang!
As a clear metallic sound rang out, Namgung Hwa staggered back. Immediately after, before she even had a chance to regain her balance, another man in black lunged at her.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Namgung Hwa spun like a top in an instant and deflected the incoming sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In an instant, four men in black surrounded Namgung Hwa.
However, the martial arts of a direct descendant of the clan like her were by no means easy to deal with.
Even in the dark night, the blade she wielded emitted a blue light. The sword path she drew sparkled as if she had sprinkled the Milky Way.
This was a phenomenon that occurred as the Namgung Clan’s sword qi was scattered in the darkness.
If the Mount Hua Sect’s sword art belonged to the most magnificent during a fight in broad daylight, there was nothing as magnificent as the Namgung Clan’s sword art during a fight at night.
Mount Hua flutters flower petals during the day.
But the Namgung Clan scatters starlight at night.
Just then, the surrounding men in black swarmed one by one, gradually pressing Namgung Hwa.
Even in the midst of this, Namgung Hwa dealt with the enemies one after another with a balanced posture.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Slash! Slash!
“Argh!”
“Aaargh!”
Metallic sounds and screams harmonized.
Whenever starlight was scattered from the blade, streams of blood sprayed up, dyeing even the sword qi crimson.
Namgung Hwa wielded her sword frantically.
Around her, the wounded men in black collapsed one after another.
However, as the men in black gradually increased in number, Namgung Hwa also began to be driven into a defensive position.
“You wench! Let’s see how long you can hold out!”
“Beat that persistent bitch to death!”
Namgung Hwa did not even have the energy to reply.
The enemies were too numerous.
Then, at some point!
Swish!
Oh no! Wasn’t one of the fallen men in black wielding a dark saber upward?
“Ha!”
Namgung Hwa gasped and quickly retreated, but she could not completely avoid the surprise attack.
Slash!
“Ugh!”
As the blade sliced past her flank, Namgung Hwa slid backward and barely came to a halt.
Shhh!
Only then did the men in black approach, their eyes gleaming sharply.
“Bitch…”
“You should have died quietly.”
“Hmph! I won’t die at your hands.”
Clutching her sword tightly, Namgung Hwa barked fiercely.
At her fierce reaction, the men in black looked slightly intimidated.
“Let’s see if you don’t die!”
Just as one of the men in black charged with a shout, Namgung Hwa grit her teeth, spun her body, and drew her sword horizontally.
Slash!
Although it was a simple movement, the entire process was extremely smooth and rapid.
In the end, the man in black who was charging with his sword was sliced across the stomach and collapsed on the spot.
“That idiot…”
One of the men in black clicked his tongue and scolded his fallen comrade. He looked around and said as if giving an order.
“Attack all at once!”
“Hyup!”
Instantly, the men in black scrambled to charge.
It was just when Namgung Hwa was about to raise her sword without even being able to stop her bleeding.
Whoosh!
A dark wind brushed past her, and a dark shadow appeared, throwing a palm strike at a man in black.
Bam!
Along with the sound of tearing flesh, the man in black screamed and was blown away.
“Aaaargh!”
Crash!
There were also many men in black who collided with him and fell.
“Who…?”
Namgung Hwa stared blankly at the back of the shadow that had suddenly appeared.
The shadow slowly turned around.
“The Mount Huang Yun Clan has come to help the Namgung Clan. Our clan’s martial artists have already been deployed throughout the manor and are currently fighting.”
“Ah… Clan Leader Yun!”
“Save the thanks for later.”
Answering with a twist of his lips, Yun Cheom-san looked back at the men in black and sneered.
“How despicable. Bullying a woman by relying on numbers. If so, shall we also push back with numbers?”
The moment his words fell, ten martial artists dropped down behind Yun Cheom-san as if falling from the sky.
The men in black who were about to charge at Yun Cheom-san hesitated and began to retreat warily.
Just then, a group of men in black ran around the corner of the pavilion.
The number was approximately…
“Five, ten, fifteen… there are more than… twenty?”
A somewhat flustered voice escaped Yun Cheom-san’s mouth.
He slowly shuffled over to Namgung Hwa’s side and laughed awkwardly.
“Uh… there are… a bit more than I thought?”