Chapter 291: Path of the Wild Beast (1)
“Manor Lord.”
“Mmm, have you come?”
Yang Cheon formed a faint smile.
In front of him was Murong Lotus Flower, dressed in dark red attire and revealing a restrained beauty.
“Right, what is there to report?”
“Here it is.”
Murong Lotus Flower placed a few documents on the floor in a polite posture.
Yang Cheon flicked his finger.
Wuuung.
A light wind seemed to blow, and before she knew it, the documents were caught in Yang Cheon’s hand.
It was a sight she had seen several times, but Murong Lotus Flower felt wonder and fear anew.
‘This is the state of the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats.’
He levitated and brought over documents dropped at a distance of well over three zhang with a single light hand gesture.
As expected, it was an incredible operation of internal energy. It was a martial art so amazing that even the word incredible might be considered a discourtesy.
‘Even if it were a person and not paper, he would lift them lightly. I can feel that level of confidence.’
With that level of strength, if he just made up his mind, it seemed he could snap a person’s neck without even touching them.
It was not a power permitted for humans. There must be a good reason why the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats were called the suns of the Murim.
‘Could I really reach such a state as well?’
Murong Lotus Flower’s eyes burned with ambition.
After a while.
“You handled it well.”
“Thank you.”
Yang Cheon formed a satisfied smile.
“Indeed, a talent worthy of the Murong Clan Head sending with confidence. Then again, if he didn’t have fair confidence, he wouldn’t have readily sent his own flesh and blood either. I was half in doubt, but you proved yourself well in less than three months’ time.”
“Thank you.”
It was a compliment from the Combat King under heaven. Nevertheless, Murong Lotus Flower was calm.
“However.”
“……?”
“As expected, you fail to show the unconventional work processing and insight on the level of the former Head of the Information Department.”
Murong Lotus Flower’s face slightly hardened.
She knew who the former Information Department Head that Yang Cheon spoke of was.
‘Yeon Ho-jeong!’
In that moment, Murong Lotus Flower felt a fierce hatred and jealousy surging up from deep within her chest.
She knew. She must not tell Yang Cheon the fact that the person was Yeon Ho-jeong. If she did, let alone her father, even she would not survive by Yang Cheon’s hand.
However, as expected, whenever she received such an evaluation, the impulse to just blurt it all out suddenly surged.
‘How dare he!’
Yang Cheon was not a person who was simply excellent in martial arts alone. He was definitely a person superior to her in all aspects, including knowledge and discerning eyes.
However, she did not want to admit it. That she was inferior to Yeon Ho-jeong. She wanted to think that Yang Cheon’s discerning eyes were wrong only regarding him.
Of course, she also knew. That this was merely an evaluation originating from jealousy.
Saying that Yeon Ho-jeong was inferior to her was an act of insulting Yang Cheon and her father. There was no way the discerning eyes of these two people would be lower than hers.
‘Just what aspect of that bastard deserves such high evaluation?’
An outstanding brain, bold work processing.
She also acknowledged that Yeon Ho-jeong was an uncommon genius. However, when she looked at it, there were surprisingly many people with that level of ability.
Even so, what was the reason only Yeon Ho-jeong uniquely received high evaluations? Did Yang Cheon and her father really see something special that she could not see?
“Is your pride wounded?”
It was Yang Cheon who saw through Murong Lotus Flower’s feelings at a glance.
Murong Lotus Flower quietly exhaled.
“That is right.”
Yang Cheon smiled.
She didn’t tell clumsy lies. He liked that side of Murong Lotus Flower.
Murong Lotus Flower was an outstanding talent. However, she cared about the surrounding reputation, and she was also jealous when there was someone better than her.
The universal appearances that most people show could be seen in Murong Lotus Flower. Despite that, the reason Yang Cheon liked her was because she frankly admitted her shortcomings and had the ambition to fly higher.
Negative emotions such as anger, jealousy, and disgust could also become the driving force for growth if filtered correctly. It was one of the reasons Yang Cheon resolved to make great use of Murong Lotus Flower.
“Do not try to compare yourself to him. It is said that beauty is ill-fated, but due to his overly outstanding talent, he lost his life at the hands of your father.”
“…….”
“What’s important is not the ability itself, but whether you can embrace the ability you have and grow. From that aspect, you are actually much better than the former Information Department Head.”
Murong Lotus Flower smiled bitterly.
‘If I think like that, I am definitely below him.’
She did not need to deceive Yang Cheon. So to speak, it was an environment where she just needed to prove her ability with all her might.
Yeon Ho-jeong was different.
He had to deceive Yang Cheon, coordinate the Murim Alliance’s operations, and even escape at an exquisite timing.
Yeon Ho-jeong captivated Yang Cheon even in such an environment. Leaving such a strong impression in an environment where he couldn’t show all his abilities meant that she didn’t even reach the tips of Yeon Ho-jeong’s toes yet.
‘Right, let’s admit it. I haven’t entered the realm of a genius yet.’
To become a true genius.
Just to show an outstanding appearance even in the realm where monsters run rampant, she would have to study more and train more tenaciously.
“Either way, you also show results beyond my expectations. In that short time, you pulled up a dying silk business to this level. It is an impossible achievement for an ordinary person.”
“Thank you.”
Yang Cheon nodded.
“As I promised before, I will make you the Group Leader of the Information Department of the Black Dragon Manor.”
Group Leader of the Information Department.
Not Head, not Deputy Head, but Group Leader.
Considering her age, it was also an unconventional appointment, but thinking of Yeon Ho-jeong, it was a position that was lacking by a long shot.
However, Murong Lotus Flower no longer thought of Yeon Ho-jeong. Her anger and jealousy remained the same, but she must do her best in the position she stands. She did not forget that.
“In fact, considering the ability you have shown, there wouldn’t be much lacking even if I promoted you to a Deputy Head level instead of a Group Leader. However, as you know, you are a person who will leave the Manor someday. There are still many burdensome aspects to entrust you with a higher position.”
Murong Lotus Flower understood Yang Cheon.
“I will do my utmost for the Manor Lord.”
“Right, please take care of things well from now on too.”
“Yes.”
Yang Cheon fixed his posture and sat up.
“Since the topic has already been brought up, I am thinking of giving you an order.”
“Please give your command.”
“Before we knew it, the new year has passed. It means the day to elect the Murim Alliance Leader has come right in front of our noses.”
Murong Lotus Flower’s eyes shone.
Yang Cheon smiled.
“There is no one who knows that you belong to our Manor. Since all information related to you has been fabricated and blocked, not a single person, not even the Honored Guests of the Murim Alliance, will know.”
“Yes.”
“Go to the Murim Alliance.”
“……!”
“Go and deliver my gift to your father.”
“……Understood.”
“One more thing.”
Yang Cheon’s eye glint spat fire.
“As much as you can, extract all information that is beneficial to the Manor.”
Murong Lotus Flower’s eyes wavered.
“Manor Lord.”
“I know. Even looking at your father, that is not something that should be done. In other words, I am not telling you to secretly extract information behind your father’s back.”
“Then……?”
“I will send a letter to your father. The two of you ponder it well and send us information along the line that won’t be too dangerous to send.”
Murong Lotus Flower slightly swallowed her saliva and spoke.
“Forgive my presumption, Manor Lord. From what I heard from my father, I know that support at the Alliance level is to start after my father becomes the Murim Alliance Leader.”
Yang Cheon’s lips curled up.
“What if the Murong Clan Head fails to become the Murim Alliance Leader?”
“……?!”
“Then wouldn’t I be completely wasting my hard-earned money?”
“……!”
“Do not say that such a thing will not happen. You never know with human affairs. Even if not just me but everyone under heaven helps, if luck doesn’t follow, it’s hard to sit in such a position.”
“How can that be?”
“The head of an organization with the size of the Murim Alliance is not a position one can sit in simply because they have the strength and ability. Such a position can change the destiny of the world.”
“……Destiny.”
“To sit in such a position, something beyond ability is needed. Something that cannot be explained in words.”
“…….”
“I don’t know when it will be, but you will also come to know it in the future. How important that something which cannot be explained by logic is. I said luck, but even the word luck cannot explain it perfectly.”
Yang Cheon’s eyes sank low.
“There are many outstanding guys in the world. There are many geniuses, monsters, and peculiar guys.”
“…….”
“However, the pinnacle is always one.”
Murong Lotus Flower’s eyes wavered fiercely.
‘The pinnacle is one…….’
A story that could be considered nothing special if thought so.
However, those words of Yang Cheon shook Murong Lotus Flower’s heart strongly to a strange degree.
Yang Cheon nodded.
“The gift to send to your father is still being prepared. Since you will also need mental preparation, you can think of the departure as ten days from now.”
“……Understood.”
“You may go now.”
“Yes.”
Murong Lotus Flower left the great hall with a pounding heart.
Yang Cheon, who rested his chin on his hand, smiled faintly.
“Conversations with youngsters are thus not fun, and at the same time, they are exciting.”
Conversations with people who don’t match one’s caliber are bound to cause fatigue. In that regard, Murong Lotus Flower was still far lacking as a conversation partner for Yang Cheon.
However, if it’s a conversation with a youngster with infinite potential for development, it’s a different story. Yang Cheon saw great potential in Murong Lotus Flower, and he also saw through that if she was well comforted and encouraged, her development speed would be faster than anyone else’s.
If she grows without any mishap in the future, Murong Lotus Flower will definitely become a great talent and take charge of one axis of the world.
‘Right, that is if she grows without any mishap.’
It was then.
Flinch!
Yang Cheon inadvertently put his hand to his chest.
‘……Mmm.’
The corners of his eyes trembled slightly.
‘I feel terrible.’
It was a sensation he had not felt before. That sensation was spreading to his whole body from the golden handprint imprinted on his chest.
Like a tingling feeling similar to when blood that wasn’t flowing suddenly circulated all at once.
This sensation was too faint to be called pain, and too clear to brush off lightly.
“Evil Lust Cult Leader.”
Tssssss.
At the absolute master’s killing intent laying low, the fire illuminating all directions shook madly.
“Right, I thought there wouldn’t be help without a price. But I didn’t know you would try to swallow me whole.”
Yang Cheon laughed coldly.
“Wait. I don’t know about other miscellaneous grunts, but as for you, the Evil Lust Cult Leader, you alone I will definitely drop into the abyss of despair.”
He doesn’t get hit twice. The reason being, what he gets hit with once, he returns tenfold.
That was precisely Combat King Yang Cheon, the Number One Fighter under Heaven recognized by the Murim world.
Yang Cheon, who had been stroking his chest for a long time, soon smacked his lips.
“By the way, when are these damn disciples coming?”