Chapter 391 Axe-Destroying King (2)

“Elder!”

“How could this happen…”

The cries of the subordinates echoed around.

Voices of concern, voices unable to hide their shock, voices denying this situation.

At some point, all these sounds stopped reaching his ears.

Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang was truly dumbfounded by this situation.

‘…Ha.’

It was even disheartening.

The person before him was not an opponent who could be called a formidable foe.

He was simply a monster incarnate.

Until now, only one person had ever overwhelmed him like this.

The current Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader.

‘Is this even possible?’

He is one of the Six Heavens, called the pinnacle of the current martial world.

That’s why it was understandable.

But wasn’t this guy a hostage from the righteous faction who had to fight for his life trapped in the Corpse Blood Valley just a few months ago?

He had heard rumors that his martial talent was exceptional enough to come out top of the Corpse Blood Valley, but he thought that at most, he would be at the late-stage Earth Master level.

How could he become such a monster in such a short time?

This growth rate was enough to inspire fear.

Ho Tae-gang looked at Mok Gyeong-un’s face.

-Flinch!

For a moment, chills ran down his spine.

He thought he wouldn’t be too excited since he had overwhelmingly subdued someone who could be called one of the Eight Stars, but he didn’t expect to be looked at with such emotionless eyes.

‘…It’s different.’

There’s a saying that you can know a person by looking into their eyes.

The moment their eyes met, Ho Tae-gang felt fear and terror from a human being for the first time in his life.

It wasn’t from a momentary display of spirit or aura.

It was like a creeping chill rising up.

This being was fundamentally different on a genetic level.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been looking at him expressionlessly, opened his mouth.

“It seems you’ve calmed down a bit now. Shall we talk then?”

-Tak!

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately released his hand from Ho Tae-gang’s neck.

Though he hadn’t held it for long, having his throat squeezed naturally led to coughing.

“Cough, cough.”

Seeing Ho Tae-gang like this, his subordinates hesitated, holding their weapons, unable to decide what to do.

They too were martial artists, so their judgment wasn’t poor.

They weren’t foolish enough to recklessly charge at someone who their lord, who had reached the realm of a sect leader enough to receive the title of one of the Eight Stars, couldn’t even properly face.

However, as subordinates, they couldn’t just leave their lord in this state, so they felt frustrated by the situation.

At this moment, Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang, having caught his breath, spoke.

“…I’ve lost. No, I was no match from the beginning.”

It was so overwhelming that he didn’t even have any lingering attachments.

The outcome had already been decided.

However,

“Haa.”

Ho Tae-gang let out a sigh.

What he had originally planned was now out of reach.

[Mok Gyeong-un. He told us to bring that guy. Of course, if he resists during the process, whether cutting off an arm or half-crippling him, that’s left to Axe-Destroying King’s judgment, he said.]

These were the words relayed by Mo Yak, Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s confidant.

To this, Ho Tae-gang had planned to fulfill Na Yul-ryang’s wishes and then gain his trust to implement a strategy of suffering a flesh wound.

“Are you disappointed?”

“It’s not because I lost.”

There was no way to explain it.

To dispel Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s suspicions, he had left the watchers who followed them alone, but now this would surely reach his ears.

‘Ah, Jong-hyeok. Jong-hyeok.’

The path to avenging his son was getting further and further away.

It was then.

“Ugh.”

“Keu.”

Groans were heard from somewhere.

Then, the sound of something being dragged across the ground was heard.

Everyone’s gaze, including Ho Tae-gang’s, turned in that direction.

‘!?’

There, they saw someone wearing a mask with strange patterns dragging two masked individuals by their hair.

The moment Ho Tae-gang saw the masked man, his eyes flickered.

‘That guy…’

Although he was concealing his qi, Ho Tae-gang could instinctively guess that the unfamiliar masked man had surpassed the wall and reached the Transformation Realm.

Was there such a person in the organization?

As he wondered, the masked being, no, Ma Ra-hyeon, brought the two people and presented them before them.

“I’ve done as ordered, my lord.”

‘My lord?’

At these words, not just Ho Tae-gang but even Shadow Clan Leader Hwan Ya-seon’s eyes widened.

Hwan Ya-seon was also seeing Ma Ra-hyeon for the first time, and he too realized that this person, whose martial prowess couldn’t be gauged by qi sense, was stronger than himself.

But for such a person to call Mok Gyeong-un ‘my lord’, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

Where did he gather such a powerful subordinate?

Then Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang sighed and opened his mouth.

“Now there’s no turning back.”

Since even the watchers sent by Young Master Na Yul-ryang had been captured, the plan was completely ruined.

Looking at him filled with disappointment, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“What do you mean there’s no turning back?”

“It’s complicated to explain…”

“Is it because you failed to gain his favor by defeating me in front of Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s watchers?”

“You?”

What is happened is this guy?

How does he know about his plan?

Come to think of it, earlier he had told him not to be swayed by Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s machinations.

Does he know something?

As he wondered, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and then approached the two masked individuals captured by the masked Ma Ra-hyeon.

“Isn’t this rather fortunate?”

“What?”

What does he mean by fortunate?

This had distanced him from getting closer to Na Yul-ryang, who might be the real culprit behind his son’s murder.

What is happened could be fortunate about this…

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Ho Tae-gang’s eyes wavered.

“It seems you’ve understood.”

“……”

He certainly understood.

Originally, he had planned to use Mok Gyeong-un as a sacrificial lamb to show that he had clearly fallen out with them.

But there was no need for that now.

Although it was humiliating to be defeated, he had shown injury and disgrace in front of the watchers.

If this reaches Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s ears, he might try to keep him even closer.

He would think that Ho Tae-gang would be even more at odds with them to avenge this humiliation.

However,

“Haa.”

Ho Tae-gang, who had thought Mok Gyeong-un was right, let out another sigh.

“What’s wrong?”

“If it was before these guys were captured, it would have gone as you said. But now that they’ve been captured, how can we deceive anyone? Are you saying we should spread rumors that I was directly injured and defeated?”

Of course, that was one way to do it.

However, the watchers here had heard their conversation, so they would all have to be killed.

If they killed everyone and then spread rumors, would it really have a big effect?

It might only raise more suspicion.

But then,

“There were three watchers. As per my lord’s orders, one was let go, so there’s no need to worry about that.”

At Ma Ra-hyeon’s words, Ho Tae-gang was puzzled.

He was sure he had sensed only two following him.

“Three… you say?”

“He didn’t follow you but had infiltrated this place first. And though he had mastered some special martial art that concealed his presence…”

Ma Ra-hyeon glanced at Mok Gyeong-un.

Mok Gyeong-un had told him the location of the third watcher and ordered to just threaten him and let him go by a hair’s breadth.

Ho Tae-gang let out a deep sigh at this.

Indeed, Young Master Na Yul-ryang wouldn’t have just attached noticeable people.

Yet to detect such a person in such a short time and make the judgment to deliberately let him go, this guy’s insight was as extraordinary as his martial prowess.

‘Two died and one was let go, making it even more plausible.’

Ho Tae-gang stood up, holding his broken arm.

“I owe you a debt.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I can’t do that. I barged in here causing trouble without asking for understanding about the plan in advance, and even ended up owing a debt, so I must…”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something. I haven’t said I’m letting you go yet.”

“What?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, wariness rose in Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang’s eyes.

If this monster-like guy was determined to do something to him, there was nothing he could do about it.

Then Mok Gyeong-un suddenly turned his head and spoke to the watchers subdued and forced to kneel by Ma Ra-hyeon.

“Do you want to live?”

‘!?’

At his sudden words, the watchers’ eyes wavered.

Judging from the flow of the conversation, they had thought they couldn’t keep their lives and had given up.

But suddenly being asked if they wanted to live, they couldn’t help but waver.

On the other hand,

“What do you mean by letting them live?”

These people had already heard their conversation.

If they were to be released in this situation, they would surely go to Young Master Na Yul-ryang and report everything.

If that happened, the strategy of suffering a flesh wound would truly fail.

‘Could it be?’

At that moment, Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang frowned as he looked at Mok Gyeong-un.

He had thought it was too benevolent to not only let him go after barging in on his own but also to help ensure the strategy of suffering a flesh wound would succeed.

But now he realized that wasn’t the case.

‘Is he trying to control me by using this to gain a weakness?’

Otherwise, there would be no reason to say such things to the watchers in front of him.

Then, one of the watchers hurriedly pleaded with Mok Gyeong-un.

“P-Please spare my life! If you do, I’ll keep everything I’ve seen and heard here absolutely secret.”

Then the other watcher shouted, not to be outdone,

“Please, if you just spare our lives, we’ll keep our mouths shut tight.”

Their desperate desire to live was almost pitiful to see.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been staring at them blankly, smiled faintly and said to them,

“There’s no need for that. If you leave here alive, I’d like you to deliver a message to Young Master Na Yul-ryang.”

At these words, everyone was bewildered.

Deliver a message? What is happened was he talking about?

Was he asking them to relay something?

“W-What message…”

“It’s nothing much, just relay these words exactly.”

“……”

“If he doesn’t want to die, tell him to come himself and bow his head.”

‘!!!!!!!’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the expressions of everyone who had been bewildered hardened.

They had been wondering what kind of message he wanted to deliver, but hearing this, they couldn’t help but be shocked.

This was literally a provocation and a declaration of war.

With the Society Leader’s condition critical, Na Yul-ryang was currently the most likely successor candidate.

Moreover, many followed him even if just for legitimacy.

For Mok Gyeong-un, who was merely a hostage from the righteous faction even if he had become the Shadow Clan Leader’s disciple, to say such things to someone like that, Na Yul-ryang and his followers would surely be greatly angered.

“Hwa…”

Shadow Clan Leader Hwan Ya-seon, who almost called Mok Gyeong-un the incarnation, quickly caught himself due to others’ attention and showed apology through his eyes as he called his name.

“Gyeong-un. That might be too hasty a judgment. Even if we were fully prepared it would be one thing, but to provoke the Young Master like this right now and give him justification…”

“Ah! I forgot.”

“What do you mean?”

As he was saying this, Mok Gyeong-un approached one of the watchers, stroked his hair, and said,

“Deliver this message too.”

“W-What…”

“If I end up going to him, tell him it will be like this.”

“Like this, what do you mean…”

-Crack!

“Kek!”

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un’s five fingers pierced into the watcher’s skull.

In that state, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed the watcher’s shoulder, then gripped his skull and lifted it up.

-Kwa deu deuk!

With that, the watcher’s skull was torn from his body.

At this terribly gruesome sight, some turned their gaze away, while others frowned, not knowing what to do.

The earlier words alone were provocative enough, but if this too was delivered, how would Young Master Na Yul-ryang react?

He would surely be enraged and might try to settle this by any means necessary.

Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang, who had been looking at Mok Gyeong-un with a hardened face, opened his mouth.

“…What is happened are you trying to do?”

“I’m giving you a choice.”

“A choice?”

“Yes, depending on your choice, I’ve prepared a path that might be annoyingly long and roundabout, and another that might be a bit rough but is an extremely short direct route.”

What is happened is this guy talking about?

A long roundabout path and a short direct route?

He himself had been part of his son Ho Jong-hyeok’s faction under the second young master Jang Neung-ak, and was trying to take revenge on Young Master Na Yul-ryang through a strategy of suffering a flesh wound to avenge his son.

But no matter how strong this guy’s martial arts were, wasn’t he just the Shadow Clan Leader’s disciple?

Why on earth would he do such a thing…

-Tak!

It was then.

The sound of a presence was heard from somewhere.

Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang turned his head.

Someone revealed themselves there.

That someone was,

“Young Master Jang Neung-ak?”

It was Jang Neung-ak, the Society Leader’s second disciple.

Seeing him appear suddenly, Ho Tae-gang hesitated for a moment before trying to make a fist-palm salute.

However,

-Pak!

At that moment, the second young master Jang Neung-ak knelt on one knee towards Mok Gyeong-un, put his hands together, and paid respects first.

What’s more, his next words brought even greater shock.

“My Lord!”

‘!!!!!!!’

At that moment, everyone present lost their words in surprise.

They all doubted their own ears.

Did Jang Neung-ak, the Society Leader’s second disciple and a successor candidate like Na Yul-ryang, just call Mok Gyeong-un ‘My Lord’?