Chapter 225: Shake Up (5)
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“Manor Lord, it is an urgent report.”
“Urgent report?”
Doubt colored Yang Cheon’s face.
White Rat’s expression was stark as usual. However, the aura he was embracing was causing waves. He seemed to have been quite surprised.
“What kind of news is it?”
“The Clan Head of the Murong Clan, Murong Jun, is said to have entered Hunan.”
“…Clan Head Murong?”
Yang Cheon’s eyes flashed.
Originally, the Murong Clan was a family that took root in the desolate Liaoning Province, in the east even from the northernmost part of the Central Plains.
Three hundred years ago, after the Blood Cult Rebellion broke out, they migrated and settled in Hunan Province.
In other words, it meant that the Black Dragon Manor, a Unorthodox coalition, and the Murong Clan, a wing of the Six Great Clans, were coexisting in Hunan Province.
Because the places they were located were so far apart, there would be no immediate clashes, but it was clear that conflict would be unavoidable when expanding their influence in the future.
“If it is Clan Head Murong, he should be in the Murim Alliance?”
“That is so.”
“In this situation, he suddenly crossed over to Hunan? Did they say what the reason was.”
“I could not find out the reason. However, seeing that he has no companions and his speed of going south is relaxed, it seems he has business to drop by his main family.”
“Hmm.”
Yang Cheon stroked his beard.
‘Clan Head Murong.’
He had investigated the greatest martial families of Jianghu in detail, the Six Great Clans of the current generation, which were originally the Seven Great Clans. He had investigated them one more time especially right before establishing a base in Hunan.
‘The Murong Clan is strong.’
There was no particular ranking in the Six Great Clans. It was quite different from the fact that among the Nine Sects One Gang, Shaolin and Wudang were by far called the best.
However, Yang Cheon knew. That among the current Six Great Clans, the Murong Clan belonged to the most dangerous axis.
If the Nine States Myeong Clan had been well and alive, it might be different, but the best among the current martial families were Murong and Namgung. However, Namgung had the Sword Emperor, so their fame and influence were mighty, and the Murong Clan’s actual influence itself was large.
‘It is a faction that can sufficiently become a danger.’
To put it bluntly, if Yang Cheon stepped forward, even the world’s Murong Clan would have a hard time enduring easily.
The state of those who put their names on the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats was like that. They were transcendents who could face a great sect alone.
However, the seat of a leader is heavy; if they move privately and suffer harm, a huge problem arises in the organization.
In other words, on the premise that Yang Cheon did not step forward personally, the Murong Clan was a military power that even the current Black Dragon Manor could not ignore.
Yang Cheon, who had been quietly lost in thought, opened his mouth.
“He is going south alone without even an attendant?”
“That is so. At least on the surface, it seemed he had no attendants.”
“It seems he is indeed on his way to his clan.”
“The probability of that is very high.”
“Hmm.”
Quiet interest arose on Yang Cheon’s face.
“Clan Head Murong… Clan Head Murong…”
Moving without attendants could be interpreted as meaning that he did not yet know of the Black Dragon Manor’s existence within Hunan Province. Because if he knew that, there was no way he would step forward with such great audacity.
“White Rat, what do you think?”
“…”
“I am saying, isn’t he a truly coveted prey?”
White Rat bowed his head.
“He is, but…”
He trailed off, unlike himself.
Yang Cheon smacked his lips.
“Are you saying it is still too early after all?”
“I think so.”
“No, your words are correct. This manor’s strength is still weak. If I just make up my mind, there is nothing I couldn’t catch and kill, but there is no need to make an unreasonable move.”
“That is so.”
Yang Cheon nodded.
“I understand. Tell the subordinates separately. Not to clash.”
“I receive the command.”
“However, you will have to continuously observe Clan Head Murong’s movements.”
“Of course.”
“You may leave now.”
White Rat, who bowed, left the Black Dragon Manor.
“Heo, that is.”
Yang Cheon tapped the armrest.
“To have to endure for the future with a prey I can eat just by reaching out my hand right in front of me.”
It was endlessly regrettable.
Still, a lump of fortune had just rolled in on its own feet, so how great was that. For now, it seemed he had to be satisfied with obtaining a good talent.
It was then.
Duwoong!
‘…?!’
Yang Cheon’s face hardened.
He looked down at his chest.
Duwoong. Duwoong.
His heart suddenly began to beat violently.
Srrrk.
Opening his collar, he examined his chest.
In the center of his chest, a golden palm print was stamped. The wounds he suffered ‘back then’ had all healed, but this palm print alone still remained.
Yang Cheon’s eyes deepened.
“…Evil Lust.”
A memory he did not want to recall.
He closed his eyes and examined his inside.
‘There are no abnormalities.’
That was right. His internal organs, as well as his blood circulation, blood vessels, and blood points were all normal.
However, Yang Cheon felt an unknown discomfort. Like this, there were times when his heart thumped without him realizing it.
The reason could not be known. If there was an abnormality in his body, he might understand, but that was not it either.
‘Are you still lingering on the match from back then?’
Then again, it is a debt that must definitely be repaid.
Yang Cheon, who smiled bitterly, opened his mouth.
“Bring out alcohol. The one sent from the Outer-territorial Region.”
With the feeling of chewing a gallbladder, he should burn his will while drinking the alcohol that bastard sent.
* * *
“What is it? What happened?”
Pae-yul looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.
“Are those bastards the ones?”
“They are.”
“But why are these things…?!”
Tang Sang-ah shouted.
“Now is not the time to leisurely chat! They have already entered within twenty zhang!”
Fast.
It was a light yet aggressive movement technique. It was not just trying to scare them, but a momentum to really kill.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
‘Where did such strong ones come from?’
Among them, there was not a single master comparable to Yeon Ho-jeong, Pae-yul, or Tang Sang-ah.
However, there were over forty peak masters alone, and even those weaker than them had no lack to sufficiently be called first-rate. Let alone, looking at the killing intent they bloomed all over their bodies, they were definitely ones who had experienced countless real battles.
It is not easy for an average sect to send this level of military power. It was something possible only if it was at least a sect making a name for itself in one province.
In other words, the military force they encountered was no different from a single sect attacking them.
‘Murong Jun.’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s pupils slowly dyed red.
‘Why? Was there a need to go out of his way to do this?’
Tang Sang-ah shouted urgently.
“Army Commander!”
Paaaaaak!
At that moment, Yeon Ho-jeong rushed out with a terrifying momentum.
Yeon Ho-jeong, spewing out killing intent as hot as fire, the long spear in his hand had already created a rust-green vortex.
Buaaaang! Peo-eo-eok!
“Keuaaak!”
“Aaaaak!”
Terrible screams rang through the forest.
A forward strike, it was a destructive flash full of silk reeling force. The bodies of three charging from the front were torn to shreds by the spear technique creating a gust, and the limbs of two swept away flew into the sky.
Kuuuung!
The foot stomp shaking the heaven and earth was matchlessly hearty whenever heard.
It was not as full of power as the advance of the Sovereign Tiger, the White Tiger’s Sovereign Step. However, the footsteps of the Divine Dragon creating a vortex in the lake carried a flexibility like flowing water and a mysterious aura.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s spear spewed fire.
Peo-eok! Peo-eo-eok!
The fiercely driving long spear swept three zhang to the left and right.
It was a destructive spear technique that stabbed and whirled, smashing everything. It was unfolding the Azure Dragon Qi, the Three Forms of the Dragon Flock with spear arts.
The Azure Dragon Qi was originally a martial art focused on evasion and counterattack rather than offense.
However, Yeon Ho-jeong’s state was too high to be limited only to the characteristics of the martial art. He had the skill to sufficiently pour out powerful attacks even with the martial arts of the Azure Dragon Qi.
‘It’s strange.’
While focusing on subduing the rushing enemies, Yeon Ho-jeong could not shake off his doubt.
‘It’s the deed of a third party who knows about this operation? There’s no way. This is definitely a picture intended by Murong Jun. It is certain that all of these are people deployed by Murong Jun.’
Even after seeing the terrifying attacks unfolded by a rare spearman, they did not stop.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
“Uaaaaa!”
“Kill them all! Kill them!”
“Do not retreat!”
It was a momentum like they would foam at the mouth.
The faces of the enemies rushing in while screaming were full of unhideable fear. They felt fear at Yeon Ho-jeong’s merciless martial arts.
Even so, they rushed in. Blooming a more fierce killing intent than before.
‘I can tell that these bastards are ones sent by Murong Jun just by looking at the carriages and carts back there. If a third party intervened, there would be no reason to just leave that amount of wealth. If they were going to take it, they would have taken it already.’
They didn’t simply meet bandits, nor did a third party intervene. He could not understand it at all.
Yeon Ho-jeong quickly examined the faces of the warriors.
‘Fear, nervousness, anger, killing intent…’
In a moment that split an instant into an instant.
An unusual light flashed in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes as he examined the emotions surfacing on the enemies’ faces one by one.
‘Hope?!’
That was right. They were definitely rushing in harboring hope. Even though it was obvious they would die if they attacked first.
It was such an unexpected emotion that he thought he saw wrong for a moment.
‘Just what are these bastards…’
It was then.
Peobeobeobeobeok!
Ten daggers accurately embedded into the foreheads of the warriors who had reached right in front of Yeon Ho-jeong’s nose.
“Be careful!”
Flash!
Three warriors collapsed in front of Pae-yul’s brilliant Strong Sword. It was not Diancang’s martial arts, but an extremely practical move putting strength and speed at the forefront.
“Hey! What are these bastards?”
Pae-yul shouted while swinging his sword.
“This is different from what was said?!”
It was then.
‘…!!’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
‘Probably not.’
There was a thought that suddenly came to mind.
‘Murong Jun, could this son of a bitch?’
Jjeo-eo-eong!
The blade of one warrior struck down aiming for Yeon Ho-jeong’s head.
If he had not instinctively raised the spear shaft to block it, his head would have been split. It was truly a perilous moment.
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at the warrior who attacked him with shaking eyes.
The two eyes of the warrior were fully bloodshot. It seemed he was determined to kill him somehow.
‘…God damn it.’
Probably not, it couldn’t be.
However, their skill and urgency, the coexistence of unmatched emotions of killing intent and hope added certainty to the thought that suddenly came to mind.
Yeon Ho-jeong gritted his teeth.
Countless words flashed through his head.
Mission, circumstances, pity, denial.
“Hey! Yeon…!”
Kwaaang!
Along with an ignorant foot stomp, Yeon Ho-jeong let out a shout.
“Euaaaap!!”
Kwareureureureung!
A dozen warriors were pushed to the rear by a strike roughly swung horizontally.
It was a martial art of monstrous strength. He didn’t stab them to death but struck them with the spear shaft and pushed them away, it was truly a power to pull up mountains and an aura to cover the world.
Yeon Ho-jeong shouted.
“Be careful!”
Words not to call his name. It meant to prepare for an unforeseen situation.
Wooooooong!
Explosive power colored the long spear.
“Heup!”
Kwaaang!
The spear strike causing a gust turned the earth into a mess.
It was a technique that fundamentally blocked movement by overturning the ground rather than directly striking the enemy. Pouring powerful martial arts into suitable topographical features, the warriors in the front collapsed like falling leaves.
Jiiiing! Jiiiiiing!
Rust-green radiance repeated flickering from Yeon Ho-jeong’s entire body.
It was an endlessly mysterious aura. The majesty covering all directions was sufficient to be called a Grandmaster of a Generation.
Yeon Ho-jeong shouted.
“Stop!”
Udeuk!
The warriors stopped in their tracks without realizing it.
Their bodies reacted first, not their heads. That was how shocking Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial arts were.
But that was also for a moment.
The killing intent coloring their two eyes became even more terrible than before. They had entirely given up on life.
Yeon Ho-jeong shouted again.
“Wait a moment! I must hear your story first…!”
Paaaaaak!
Now they didn’t even scream. As if giving up everything, they just rushed in crazily while blooming a murderous momentum.
Dejection arose on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
“…God damn it!”