Chapter 72: Chapter 72
Disciplinary Hall Master Chu Pung-gae.
Seven white knots fluttered behind his back as he ran, surrendering his body to the wind just like his name.
Disciples of the Beggars’ Sect indicated their status through their respective knots.
From the knotless White-Robed Beggars to the One, Two, and Three-Knot Beggars who ran in the field.
Even reaching just a Four-Knot Beggar, the level of a branch leader, allowed one to hold wealth and power unfitting for a beggar. Even officials of the imperial palace respected Four-Knot Beggars, and they held their heads high within the Martial Alliance.
Beyond the Five-Knot and Six-Knot Beggars thereafter, the Seven-Knot Beggar was the highest rank a disciple of the Beggars’ Sect could ascend to through individual ability.
Even the Sect Leader and his successor, the Eight-Knot Beggar, did not treat the Seven-Knot Elders lightly. It was a position only five individuals could attain even within the Beggars’ Sect, which belonged to the Nine Great Sects and One Clan.
Naturally, they were the supreme masters of the Beggars’ Sect, and were individuals who stably placed their names among the Hundred Great Masters of the Martial World.
Speaking of the Hundred Great Masters, there was a subtle tendency for them to appear weak. However, selecting only the top ten people from each of the Nine Great Sects and One Clan alone amounted to one hundred people.
Furthermore, considering they ranked within one hundred among all martial artists, including the Demonic Cult, the Evil Sects, and the Five Great Clans, there was no need to even speak of their skill.
Chu Pung-gae’s expression was grave. In addition to his skill, he was a man possessing an extraordinary ability.
‘The scent leads toward the direction of the Zhuge Clan.’
There were truly many descriptions attached to Chu Pung-gae.
Elder of the Beggars’ Sect, Disciplinary Hall Master of the Martial Alliance, premier tracker, and so on…
Among them, the title that undoubtedly represented him best was Mad Dog. Once he bit, he did not let go. With his constitutionally keen sense of smell, he tracked people by scent.
Thus, displaying his ability, the place he arrived at was none other than the Zhuge Clan.
“Troublesome.”
Gazing at the main gates of the Zhuge Clan, Chu Pung-gae let out a sigh. The place where grand gates should rightfully stand, fitting for one of the Five Great Clans, was completely empty.
Had it perhaps suffered an outside attack?
If so, was it related to Cheon Woo-jin’s scent leading here?
Moreover, amid the chaotic atmosphere, there was an unnatural silence. Someone was deliberately silencing the clan’s family members.
When his thoughts reached that point, Chu Pung-gae immediately stepped into the empty gates of the Zhuge Clan and shouted.
“It is Disciplinary Hall Master Chu Pung-gae. Excuse my intrusion.”
* * *
Chu Pung-gae’s eyes, having entered the Zhuge Clan, shone sharply like hidden weapons.
The expressions of the martial artists were awkward.
On the ground, there was blood that had not yet been wiped away.
Among those hastily hiding inside pavilions, he saw someone limping.
‘Something is happening here.’
The Mad Dog of the Martial Alliance caught the scent.
The stench of those who lied reeked strongly.
Chu Pung-gae grabbed one person and asked.
“Did something happen in the clan? If you wish, I can immediately communicate with the Martial Alliance and send reinforcements.”
“N-No. Nothing happened.”
Fundamentally, the martial artists of the Zhuge Clan were clever.
Even though orders had not yet been handed down, all of them hid the situation and blocked information on their own.
However, in Chu Pung-gae’s eyes, the incongruity occurring throughout that series of actions was plainly visible.
“What is that blood?”
“Ah, during sparring…”
“Did the gates also blow up during sparring? Martial artists of the Zhuge Clan, not even the Hebei Peng Clan?”
“Yes, well…”
The martial artist nodded his head. He wanted to escape Chu Pung-gae’s sight as quickly as possible. Yet the grip of the Mad Dog biting his arm showed no signs of opening whatsoever.
“Um, Hall Master. I am sorry to say this, but there is an order from the Family Head, so I must…”
“The Family Head? Or Elder Zhuge Seong?”
“…Ahem, what are you trying to say?”
Chu Pung-gae let out a hearty laugh. His lips curled up refreshingly, revealing glistening yellow teeth.
Because that appearance was truly like looking at a mad dog, the martial artist of the Zhuge Clan groaned inwardly.
“Have you seen Cheon Woo-jin?”
“Pardon? Who is…”
“Cheon Woo-jin, the fugitive of the Martial Alliance. He came here, didn’t he?”
It was just as the martial artist’s head was turning increasingly white.
Clap.
A man grasped Chu Pung-gae’s wrist.
Chu Pung-gae looked at him with a subtle smile.
“Oh, Division Head Zhuge. It has truly been a long time. Well, is it worth living after leaving the tedious Martial Alliance?”
“Ahem, how could the time spent as a division head in the Martial Alliance be tedious? Have you also been well, Hall Master? First, please release this child’s arm. He is a child with a frail constitution.”
Chu Pung-gae stared silently at the man he was holding, then gently loosened the strength in his hand. Handprints remained on the man’s collar.
“Hahaha, my apologies. It is because I am still overflowing with vigor.”
“N-No, it is fine.”
The man who had been caught by Chu Pung-gae bowed his head with an expression of having survived, then fled.
“Hall Master, why did you come so suddenly? If you had informed us in advance, we would have prepared.”
“Haha, what preparations are needed to welcome a beggar? What else would I have come for? I came on business of the Alliance.”
Zhuge Hu, who had formerly served as the Earthly Righteousness Division Head of the Martial Alliance, wore a smile.
“Indeed, you must have. Then I shall guide you. If it is Alliance business, the clan will also cooperate wholeheartedly.”
“Guide, you say. To whom will you guide me?”
Zhuge Hu’s eyebrows twitched.
The meaning behind Chu Pung-gae’s words was obvious.
Rightfully, if a prominent figure of the Martial Alliance visited, it was proper to guide him to the Family Head. However, it was a situation where Elder Zhuge Seong handled all major and minor affairs.
Zhuge Hu erased his displeased expression in a fleeting instant and said with a returning smile.
“I am truly sorry to say, but the Family Head is currently unwell. I will first guide you to the Elder.”
“As expected.”
Chu Pung-gae burst into a hearty laugh as if he had known it all along. At that sight, Zhuge Hu exhaled deeply, collected himself, and guided him.
* * *
The place Zhuge Hu guided him to was the Family Head Hall.
Specifically, the small martial arts training ground there.
It was the very place where Zhuge Seong had unfolded a formation to trap Cheon Woo-jin.
Zhuge Seong could not leave this place for the time being. It was because he himself was one of the components forming the formation.
He welcomed the unwelcome beggar while sipping tea prepared by a servant.
“Haha, Chu Pung-gae, it has truly been a long time.”
“To use the training ground of the Family Head Hall. It is just like Elder Zhuge Seong after all.”
There were barbs in his words.
Yet Zhuge Seong’s expression did not change in the slightest.
If he were swayed by this level of psychological scheming, how could he be called an elder of the Zhuge Clan?
“I am always grateful for the Family Head’s benevolence. I heard you came pursuing a fugitive of the Martial Alliance? First, sit.”
Chu Pung-gae sat facing Zhuge Seong with natural movements.
“Is there no wine?”
“Regrettably, I am abstaining from alcohol. Though I could bring some out if you desire.”
Zhuge Seong let out a smirk.
Drinking alcohol while maintaining a formation dispersed one’s internal energy.
Chu Pung-gae stared at him silently, then shook his head.
“What taste is there in drinking alone? Never mind.”
Having said so, Chu Pung-gae picked up a dried persimmon, chewed on it, and continued speaking.
“What you heard is correct. I am pursuing a fugitive of the Martial Alliance. Because letting my subordinates handle it dragged on endlessly, I had no choice but to step forward myself.”
“Haha, the standards of the Disciplinary Hall martial artists are by no means low. The fugitive seems to be quite a master.”
“A master indeed. He is a master the likes of whom even I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“If you speak to that extent… what, did even the Alliance Leader flee?”
The two burst into laughter at the same time.
It was a truly irreverent remark, but one could even insult the Emperor when behind his back.
Soon nodding his head, Chu Pung-gae instantly erased his laughter and spoke.
“No, it is a low-ranking Alliance member named Cheon Woo-jin. Belonging to the Black Tortoise Squad where the eldest daughter of the Zhuge Clan is Vice Squad Leader.”
“Haha, why would…”
Zhuge Seong’s expression also turned grave along with his.
The two disliked each other.
Chu Pung-gae disliked Zhuge Seong because he was sinister inside, while Zhuge Seong disliked Chu Pung-gae because his madness was unpredictable.
Thus, the two prominent figures who disliked each other conversed about this and that while hiding their emotions, until…
“Did you hide him?”
Chu Pung-gae played an aggressive move. When one abruptly transitioned into the main point amidst elusive talk, a reaction was bound to occur in the opponent.
Chu Pung-gae threw the aggressive move and observed Zhuge Seong.
However, Zhuge Seong’s expression showed no disturbance whatsoever.
“Me? Why would I hide a fugitive of the Martial Alliance?”
“Then did you kill him?”
“You man! What disastrous nonsense are you uttering!”
“Indeed. It is truly a disastrous matter. Fortunately, you know that as well, so that is a relief amidst misfortune. Therefore, hand over the fugitive quickly.”
“…”
Chu Pung-gae glared at Zhuge Seong.
Zhuge Seong did not avoid that gaze either.
The tea table placed between the two began to tremble faintly, and soon the vibration spread throughout the entire room.
Zhuge Seong was not a man who had become the clan’s practical power solely through strategy. Fundamentally, he was one chosen by a daughter of the Hebei Peng Clan. The Hebei Peng Clan revered strength.
“Did you obtain the Alliance Leader’s permission? Searching the Zhuge Clan without evidence will result in severe backlash. You have age on you as well. You are no longer in your youth, so shouldn’t you act with more caution now?”
“How old was I again?”
Chu Pung-gae picked his nose.
Blatant contempt gathered in Zhuge Seong’s eyes.
“If you do not return immediately, I will officially issue an expulsion order and protest to the Alliance.”
Zhuge Seong was confident.
There was no evidence that Cheon Woo-jin was here.
There was no chance the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation would crumble.
It would take a fairly long time for Chu Pung-gae’s suspicions to vanish, but there was nothing that bastard could do right now.
Chu Pung-gae also knew that fact.
“Well, the only evidence I have is my intuition.”
Chu Pung-gae brushed off his clothes and stood up. In an instant, the room’s trembling subsided.
He picked up another dried persimmon from the tea table, shoved it into his pocket, and continued speaking.
“If by any chance you hid Cheon Woo-jin, or he died, or even if not, if a connection to the recent events of the Black Tortoise Squad is uncovered, you will die by my hands.”
“Hahahaha! Is it permissible for one called a hall master of the Martial Alliance to spout such reckless talk? It is so absurd that only laughter comes out.”
“It is no joke. I will drag you by your hair into the marketplace and beat you thoroughly with a club until you die. Just like slaughtering a dog on the dog days of summer.”
Chu Pung-gae bared his yellow teeth.
Zhuge Seong once again recalled that the person standing before him was a mad dog. There was no need for a noble person like himself to deal with such a son of a bitch.
“What talk of the dog days of summer from someone who hasn’t even mastered the Dog-Beating Staff Technique? In any case, safe travels.”
Having said so, Zhuge Seong spoke toward the outside.
“Escort the Disciplinary Hall Master out properly. Ah, pack plenty of dried persimmons for him. He seems to be very fond of them.”
It was insulting phrasing, but Chu Pung-gae chuckled and took a step forward. He had caught the scent. That fellow was definitely connected to this incident. Once he bit, he did not let go.
First, after returning to the Martial Alliance, he planned to teach him persistently through torment why he was called the Mad Dog.
Just as he placed his hand on the door handle with that thought in mind.
Boom!
It trembled once.
Chu Pung-gae turned his head. It was the training ground right next to where he was conversing with Zhuge Seong.
Rumble!
The vibration continued. This time, the entire building trembled.
Zhuge Seong’s face turned stark white.
“Look here. What on earth is…”
Just as Chu Pung-gae was about to say something, dark murky blood erupted from Zhuge Seong’s mouth.
“Cough!”
Zhuge Seong fell forward, supporting himself on the floor. Blood continually burst forth from his mouth.
‘The formation…’
Because a massive shock was inflicted upon the formation, damage had rebounded onto him as one of its components.
Fundamentally, shocks occurring inside the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation rarely leaked out. Even so, for there to be a shock of this magnitude meant that an unimaginably colossal collision was occurring inside.
‘However, he can never come out. Never.’
Zhuge Seong swallowed the blood with all his might and flailed his hand toward Chu Pung-gae.
“Get lost at once. It is a personal chronic illness.”
First, it was critical to dismiss that fellow. If that bastard caught the scent and targeted him, things would become exhausting going forward.
Zhuge Seong waved his hand, telling him to get lost, but Chu Pung-gae did not take even a single step.
Zhuge Seong raised his head and looked up at Chu Pung-gae’s face.
“…What madness.”
The eyes of the mad son of a bitch gleamed with insanity.
He had bitten down. He had sensed that something was about to happen.
“Hey, I told you to get lost!”
“I don’t want to.”
“…!”
Zhuge Seong desperately tried to steady his violently agitated internal energy.
However, it was a meaningless effort.
Suddenly, an explosion occurred on an entirely different scale from the previous two vibrations.
KABOOM!!
* * *
After three shocks, the formation shattered.
All seven Life Gates and one Death Gate collapsed.
Cobweb-like fine cracks appeared in the dark air, and their range gradually expanded in the end.
As the murky dark energy tore the formation apart, bright light leaked through the fissures.
Through the parted gap, the scene outside became visible.
Disciplinary Hall Master Chu Pung-gae and Elder Zhuge Seong.
Cheon Woo-jin walked out between the parted fissures.
“T-This cannot be…”
Zhuge Seong looked upon that spectacle with disbelief in his eyes.
Beside him, Chu Pung-gae slapped his knee in triumph.
Cheon Woo-jin’s expression was merely dry. There was no emotion whatsoever.
Because he had attempted to silence a rising star of the Righteous Path by murder, he was someone who deserved to die even by the standards of Master White Elder. Because he had attempted to kill Cheon Woo-jin himself, he was someone who deserved to die even by the standards of Master Black Elder.
It was rare for anyone to satisfy the criteria of both masters at the same time, yet the elder of the Zhuge Clan had accomplished that difficult feat.
“Look here! Member Cheon!”
The Disciplinary Hall Master called out in delight.
However, there was no reason to answer.
Cheon Woo-jin raised the Crescent Moon Staff dangling downward.
Against a villain who had crossed the line, guidance and reform with the Crane Feather Fan were unnecessary.
Cheon Woo-jin kicked off the ground and rushed forward.
“Uh, wait…!”
The Disciplinary Hall Master extended both hands in great astonishment. The white energy hovering around both of his hands rotated in resonance with each other. It created a pattern resembling dragon scales.
The esoteric art of the Beggars’ Sect, the Seventeen Dragon Subduing Palms.
Along with the Demon Subduing Palm of Shaolin, it was called one of the two great palm techniques under heaven.
Energy carrying the spirit of a soaring dragon poured forth.
However, Cheon Woo-jin did not slow his speed in the slightest. Dumbfounded by that sight, Chu Pung-gae ultimately withdrew his energy.
‘What a crazy bastard!’
Evaluated as crazy even by a mad dog, Cheon Woo-jin swung his Crescent Moon Staff. The trajectory of the Crescent Moon Staff traced an ink-colored half moon.
Directly in the center of that trajectory lay Zhuge Seong’s head.
Thwack.
A hollow sound, unfitting for the death of the practical power of the Zhuge Clan.
His head burst open, splattering blood in all directions.
A red rain drawn with blood and flesh splattered across the walls on all sides.
Cheon Woo-jin shook off the Crescent Moon Staff in the air and sheathed it.
“…”
Silence.
A fairly long silence flowed.
Chu Pung-gae wiped the blood splashed on his face with his hand.
With incredulous eyes, he looked between the fugitive Cheon Woo-jin and the headless practical power of the Zhuge Clan.
“Y-You, you…”