Chapter 189: Chapter 189
“What? Ten Nights Sect?”
Heavenly Ear Beggar let out a hollow laugh.
It was an absurd claim.
While other factions of the Five Imperial Sects might, the Ten Nights Sect would never commit such an act.
Who was the Ten Nights Sect Leader?
The Ten Nights Sect Leader was more cunning and cruel than any master he had ever seen.
He was absolutely not someone sloppy enough to concoct such a transparent scheme.
‘Especially that guy, he is not one to do something like hiding a Murim Public Enemy.’
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who briefly recalled the cynical and cold gaze of the Ten Nights Sect Leader he had seen in passing in the past, glared at Manbyeonggoe.
“Do not spout nonsense.”
His voice slightly raised.
“He is not a sloppy person. Are you trying to escape the situation by selling the name of the Ten Nights Sect Leader now?”
At the itemized refutation that immediately followed, Manbyeonggoe slightly shrank his neck.
The title of Ten Nights Sect Leader was like the sky to an Unorthodox faction member like him, an absolute name that could not be defied.
Especially since he was a Murim Public Enemy, if he dragged in the unrelated Ten Nights Sect Leader and it was revealed to be a lie, the aftermath would be on a completely different level from ordinary things.
Heavenly Ear Beggar glared at Manbyeonggoe.
“Do you think I am crazy enough to sell the name of the Ten Nights Sect Leader?”
Manbyeonggoe spoke, hardening his expression.
He was already pushed to the edge of a cliff.
Now that he had revealed that the Ten Nights Sect hid him, they had become mortal enemies.
‘No, the Ten Nights Sect will ignore me.’
The result was obvious.
It was clear that they would shut their mouths and consistently feign ignorance, saying they had no relationship with him.
‘If so, the reason they left me alone in Sayu Valley and departed… could it be that they noticed beforehand that these people would come?’
His eyes grew cold.
Thinking calmly, something was strange.
Was there a reason to suddenly leave Sayu Valley, leaving only him behind?
There was nothing in particular.
But the fact that they left meant…
‘Did they already intend to abandon me?’
Manbyeonggoe’s face distorted.
At the same time, the slight hesitation that remained as a handful quickly disappeared.
“It is definitely the Ten Nights Sect.”
“…Hah, do you expect me to believe that now?”
“I also saw the Ten Nights Sect Leader in person.”
Unlike his confident expression, Manbyeonggoe’s voice was trembling. That was likely due to the underlying fear slowly crawling up.
‘It is not a lie.’
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who read the trembling voice, eyes, and expression, narrowed his forehead.
He was the Grand Supreme Elder of the Beggars’ Sect.
It was his job to read the psychology of countless people as they intertwined.
For someone like him, reading the emotions and psychology of a guy cornered to this extent was the easiest thing of all.
However, the more he realized that fact, the more he could not help but fall into a self-contradiction.
‘The Ten Nights Sect Leader hides a Murim Public Enemy? That meticulous guy? That can’t be. No, but it doesn’t seem like a lie.’
His eyes pierced through Manbyeonggoe.
Thanks to being fed internal injury medicine and having Golden Spear Medicine applied, he seemed to have an easier time speaking, but he was still a severely injured person whose life was in danger.
‘This guy is not one to keep trust even at the cost of his life.’
He had only met Manbyeonggoe twice.
Even those meetings were very short, but Heavenly Ear Beggar clearly saw Manbyeonggoe’s nature.
A selfish guy whose own life was more important than anything else.
Such a guy did not look like he would lie with death right before his eyes.
If so, then his words were true.
In an instant, his head became complicated.
‘Why? The Ten Nights Sect would do something that puts them in danger? Could someone have disguised themselves as the Ten Nights Sect Leader? And the possibility that this guy was deceived?’
All sorts of questions continued to spring up, and his mind was tangling up like a skein of thread.
‘Since he is not a definitive guy, it’s more complicated.’
If he belonged to the Ten Nights Sect or definitely had no relationship, he would have known immediately.
Of all people, it was a Murim Public Enemy whose words were hard to believe.
Heavenly Ear Beggar shook his head largely.
What would be the point of agonizing over it?
Rather than that, getting information from the Manbyeonggoe bastard in front of him was important now.
Heavenly Ear Beggar frowned and asked.
“Then why did the Ten Nights Sect take you?”
“…They asked to make a deal with me.”
“A deal?”
“They said that if I infiltrated as the Chief Steward of Sayu Valley and took control of the inside, they would hide me from the eyes of Jianghu. And I…”
Swallowing his hind words, Manbyeonggoe glared and let out an agitated voice.
“At the time, I had no choice. I had to do so in order to live.”
His entire body trembled finely.
Once he became a Murim Public Enemy, he had nowhere to set foot in Jianghu, no, the Central Plains.
Even if he wanted to go to the Outer Realms, if the information spread in the meantime…
It was certain that he would not escape death.
Heavenly Ear Beggar’s forehead narrowed even more.
Judging from the reaction Manbyeonggoe was showing now, it was certain that it was all true.
However, doubts still remained.
“How can I believe that?”
“I only told the truth. And I have no evidence to prove those words, or anything like that.”
“So it could be a lie in the end.”
“Isn’t that why I said it?”
Manbyeonggoe’s voice was calm.
“That there would be nothing to get from me.”
It was a cool-headed statement. And an accurate statement.
Manbyeonggoe knew his position.
Being discarded if there was no use value.
He was exactly that level of a card.
And Manbyeonggoe accepted that position and never crossed that line.
And that was the reason he had hidden well for a long time even while committing evil deeds.
‘Although I made a mistake just once.’
Manbyeonggoe bit his lip.
His insides were bitter.
‘Damn it! Who would have known that the little kid was the granddaughter of the Illusion Shadow Sect Leader!’
It was so unfair.
Just as usual, to test out a newly acquired weapon, he cut down a passing little kid.
However, that was a blunder.
The little kid was the granddaughter of the Illusion Shadow Sect, which had reach not only in both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions but also in the military.
When his granddaughter went missing, the Illusion Shadow Sect Leader unleashed his connections and wealth to find him.
Because of that, his tail was caught.
‘Damn it. If only that little kid hadn’t unnecessarily hovered in front of me and caught my eye.’
He ground his teeth inwardly.
The little kid who ruined his peaceful daily life was incredibly resentful.
‘I should have thrown her as fish food!’
Around the time he was inwardly spitting out his pent-up anger.
‘The Ten Nights Sect Leader… I don’t know who he is, but he’s cunning.’
Cheon-hwi, who was listening to their conversation, stroked his chin. Unlike Heavenly Ear Beggar, who still held some doubts, Cheon-hwi thought that the words Manbyeonggoe said were correct.
That was simple.
Since Manbyeonggoe was a Murim Public Enemy, even if it was revealed that they had hidden him, it was easy to immediately cut off the tail.
No matter how much he directly revealed the truth, it would be easy to dismiss it as nonsense, saying, ‘You believe the words of a Murim Public Enemy?’
‘And it’s easy to take in guys who have lost a place to go.’
From the perspective of the Ten Nights Sect, Manbyeonggoe was someone who could be used very comfortably.
Of course, if it failed, they would be suspected like this.
‘That much is worth bearing.’
Cheon-hwi thought as if it was natural.
Moving while taking risks was the fate and the required duty of those who led a sect.
However, this also had very little risk.
If it succeeds, the faction expands, but if it fails, they only receive suspicion?
‘Because it’s a good opportunity.’
His thoughts differed from Heavenly Ear Beggar.
And such a minute difference in opinion was divided by whether one had ever been the head of a massive sect and led it.
‘Then it seems their conversation is over.’
Cheon-hwi, who was watching Heavenly Ear Beggar lost in thought, approached Manbyeonggoe.
“…!”
Manbyeonggoe flinched and turned his gaze toward the direction where Heavenly Ear Beggar was.
However.
‘…Damn it!’
Heavenly Ear Beggar was lost in thought.
His chest, where the wound had been sutured with Golden Spear Medicine and cloth, throbbed.
Ssuuk…
At that time, Cheon-hwi abruptly held out his hand.
And on that hand, there was a pill.
“What is this?”
As soon as Manbyeonggoe confirmed the elixir, he gulped down dry saliva and opened his lips.
“…That is the Soul Losing Pill.”
“Is that all? You also know very well that this is not what I am asking.”
“What do you… Keuheok!”
Cheon-hwi trampled his chest.
The wound that had barely been recovering with the Golden Spear Medicine was torn open again in an instant.
Blood started seeping out again.
“Kkeuaaaak!”
A scream spread in all directions.
However, Cheon-hwi spoke calmly as if he couldn’t even hear such a scream.
“I remember telling you to just answer the question.”
Cheon-hwi’s eye light shone softly.
“…!”
Manbyeonggoe’s eyes glared open.
The moment he met his eye light, the raging pain disappeared and instead, an overwhelming sense of fear dominated his entire body.
“Wh-When one consumes the Soul Losing Pill, one can momentarily use Innate True Qi. Because of that, it gnaws away at one’s life, but one g-gains a higher level of accomplishment.”
Manbyeonggoe hurriedly moved his mouth.
It was an irresistible force.
He was not strong enough to go against that overwhelming presence.
Neither in martial prowess nor mentally.
“The energy that was eroding the Upper Dantian?”
Manbyeonggoe’s eyes became as large as a flower lantern.
“H-How did you…”
“I can see it well with my eyes.”
Listening to Cheon-hwi’s words as he pointed to his eye with his index finger, Manbyeonggoe swallowed his saliva again.
“They said that if one continues to consume the Soul Losing Pill, Evil Qi will erode the Upper Dantian and one will l-lose their rationality. Then in the end, one becomes worse than a young child’s intelligence, so th-they said they could use them a-anytime!”
“Evil Qi invades the Upper Dantian, huh… It’s almost similar to Gu Poison.”
Cheon-hwi opened his lips while looking at the elixir.
“Who made it?”
“I-I do not know.”
Cheon-hwi put strength into his foot again.
“Keu, keok! I-I really don’t know! Wh-What I know is all… Keok!”
As he continued to answer that he didn’t know even while vomiting blood, Cheon-hwi lifted his foot and spoke.
“So you fed it to the Valley Lord on purpose. To put Sayu Valley under your command.”
“Th-That is correct.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be just that. Later on, when you run away from the eyes of the Ten Nights Sect, you could use him as a throwaway card. That’s why you thought it was an opportunity and eagerly handed it over.”
“…!”
Manbyeonggoe’s eyes widened.
His words seemed as if he had clearly seen right through his inner thoughts.
“Why? Am I wrong?”
“Th-That’s co…rrect. The Ten Nights Sect is not a place that can be continuously trusted, so I also tried to prepare… separately.”
“Now you’re singing quite smoothly.”
Cheon-hwi put the elixir back in.
“Ah right! By the way…”
Cheon-hwi half-opened his eyes.
At the same time, a terrifying murderous intent poured only on Manbyeonggoe and constricted him.
“Why did you attack the Hwayu Escort Agency?”
“Th-They did it on their own authority.”
“The reason?”
“Th-That, I also don’t really…”
As Cheon-hwi was about to raise his foot.
“I-I do have a guess!”
Manbyeonggoe, who had already turned pale from several bouts of pain, tightly closed his eyes and shouted.
“What is it?”
“It is highly likely that they did it to take away the commercial rights of White Ghost Castle that the Hwayu Escort Agency recently took!”
“The commercial rights of White Ghost Castle?”
Cheon-hwi snorted.
“What. I thought they were trying to swallow Shaanxi itself whole by striking the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect, but they were doing that bullshit just to get the scraps of White Ghost Castle?”
“…!”
Manbyeonggoe’s mouth gaped wide at Cheon-hwi’s extraordinarily bold words.
At that time, Cheon-hwi continued his words.
“So what you’re saying is, the Ten Nights Sect manipulated Sayu Valley from behind to take over the power that White Ghost Castle had, is that it?”
“Th-That is correct.”
“And then they touched the Hwayu Escort Agency to keep them in check as they gradually expanded their faction?”
“That is… probably the case.”
“Oho, look at these guys? They touched the Mount Hua Sect for just such a trivial thing?”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
For a fleeting moment, a Ghost Fire flared up in his gaze and then quickly disappeared.
“Ke, kek!”
The moment Manbyeonggoe, who saw that, was about to have his breath choked, Cheon-hwi swiftly turned his body around.
“Keuk!”
Then, Manbyeonggoe let out a groan.
It was because the momentum that had been assaulting him disappeared, and the pain rushed in belatedly.
“Ugh… ”
Manbyeonggoe, who was making groaning sounds, looked at Heavenly Ear Beggar and struggled to move his lips.
“Wh-When is the t-treatment…”
At those words, Heavenly Ear Beggar, who had been lost in thought, came to his senses and nodded his head.
“Do not worry. Because I keep my promises.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar skillfully tore a cloth.
‘Is it stopping the bleeding first…?’
Thinking that he was going to wrap the slightly opened wound with the cloth, Manbyeonggoe let out a sigh of relief and struggled to open his hands.
But at that moment.
“Keok!”
Heavenly Ear Beggar shoved the cloth into the mouth of Manbyeonggoe, who was collapsed on the floor. After that, he firmly tied his mouth with another long torn piece of cloth so that it couldn’t even move slightly.
It was a binding technique formed from the experience of a long life in Jianghu.
“…Eueup, eup!”
Manbyeonggoe’s eyes glared wide.
His gaze was glaring at Heavenly Ear Beggar as if asking what kind of act this was.
“I will treat you as promised. Because you must not die here.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar grinned.
“Shouldn’t you meet with the bereaved families of those who suffered because of you in the prison?”
“…?!”
Blood vessels popped in Manbyeonggoe’s eyes.
It was clearly visible to Manbyeonggoe’s eyes what kind of state he would suffer if he met with them.
Especially if he met the Illusion Shadow Sect Leader.
“Eueup! Eueup!”
Just as Manbyeonggoe, who felt goosebumps starting from his spine, was about to struggle.
Tuk.
Heavenly Ear Beggar pressed Manbyeonggoe’s sleep acupoint.
After that, he looked at Cheon-hwi and spoke.
“Just as I said earlier, I will take charge of this guy.”
“Do as you please.”
Cheon-hwi spoke without even giving a glance to Heavenly Ear Beggar and Manbyeonggoe.
He had already obtained all the information he could get anyway.
And even if there was more information, since Heavenly Ear Beggar said he would pass it on.
There was nothing to regret at all.
‘Anyway, there are things I have to do soon.’
Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
By attacking Sayu Valley, it was the same as declaring war against the Four Hegemons of Shenzhou.
Because didn’t they gather a while ago and join forces?
But now Sayu Valley had been exterminated?
They had no choice but to move.
‘Once it is known to Jianghu that Sayu Valley has collapsed, they will start moving in earnest.’
What would happen now was one of two things.
Either they surrender.
Or wage an all-out war.
And Cheon-hwi naturally thought it was the latter. Because they too, like Sayu Valley, would be manipulated by a backing faction behind them.
‘Because there’s no way those guys would advise surrendering.’
Cheon-hwi’s eyes half-opened.
However, that was also brief.
‘Well, that’s a matter for later, for now, I should take the Flying Sword Squad and the Fire Spirit Squad…’
The moment Cheon-hwi was about to take a step.
“Martial Uncle!”
“Junior Martial Brother!”
Right on time, the Flying Sword Squad and the Fire Spirit Squad, led by Jeok-geom and Cheon-hyang, were running over, seemingly having finished all the clean-up of Sayu Valley.
Seeing them, Cheon-hwi smiled.
“Shall we head back to the Mount Hua Sect?”
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