Chapter 189

Chapter 189 - To the Hometown (1)

"What did you say?!"

Muk Bi's eyes widened.

"The general manager of this matter?"

"More precisely, should I say the hidden real power?"

Yeon Ho-jeong said awkwardly.

"In actual practice, I will take on the role of the chairperson, but the Successor of the Beggars' Gang is going with us anyway. Probably the highest title will fall to the Successor of the Beggars' Gang."

"That's not the problem right now!"

"Then what is the problem, you rascal."

Worry colored Muk Bi's face.

"Didn't you say the Combat King Yang Cheon is a monster that even your father can't do anything about?"

She now knew enough about the Murim world.

Even for her, it was difficult to imagine the combat power of a peak master she hadn't seen directly. However, to say he was a master that even Yeon Wi, one of the top masters she knew, found hard to handle, it was impossible not to be worried.

However, what she was truly worried about was something else.

"Even so, I have to go."

"I'll grant that you might go. But you said the Murong Clan Head is commanding the operation?"

That was it. That was exactly the part Muk Bi was worried about.

Over the past time, Muk Bi had witnessed countless things Murong Jun had done next to Yeon Ho-jeong. Although she didn't think he was as bright in strategy as Yeon Ho-jeong, wasn't he a sufficiently dangerous person?

"If the Murong Clan Head sets his mind to it...!"

"He won't do it this time."

"Yes?"

"He won't target me this time at least. Of course, he might play some tricks."

"Are you sure?"

"I think so."

In other words, it meant he couldn't be absolutely sure. It was natural since even the great Yeon Ho-jeong under heaven couldn't see through Murong Jun's mind clearly.

A troubled look cast over Muk Bi's face.

"If you just say you won't do it this time..."

"I said I would do it."

"Yes?"

"Originally, it was an operation that didn't assume me. I directly asked the Murong Clan Head. That I would go there."

"...Why?"

"There are many reasons. I thought I could reduce unnecessary sacrifices and move much more flexibly."

"Is that really all?"

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

"Of course, that's not all."

Muk Bi didn't ask further in detail. If he was going to let her know, he would have let her know before she asked persistently.

However, she wanted to confirm one thing.

"I will go too."

"No."

"..."

"I can't take you on this operation. Take a rest for the time being."

"Why?"

"Both you and I, our characteristics are too distinct. By annihilating the Black Path factions, rumors about you must have spread widely in that neighborhood."

"That's the same for you, Young Master Yeon."

"I am quite good even without holding an axe."

"..."

"Your fist combat skills are decent enough to look at, but not to the extent of using them in a moment when your life is in danger. If you make a mistake, your life will really fly away."

"Being dangerous was the same for the countless real battles I've experienced so far."

"The degree is different. Suppressing a village fire and jumping into a place where a forest fire broke out are problems on a different level."

Seeing him say it to this extent, it seemed it was truly dangerous.

Yeon Ho-jeong said with a serious face.

"However, there is a role I want you to take on."

"...What is it?"

"It's a matter where I don't know how much time it will take. There are too many variables."

"..."

"But in the final moment, we have to escape Yang Cheon's territory. I suspect there's a high probability it won't be a leisurely escape or a secret flee."

"..."

"When I think the matter is roughly concluded, I will immediately request support. I want you to participate as part of that support unit."

Muk Bi's eyes shook.

She could tell. In reality, she didn't necessarily have to be part of the support unit.

Yeon Ho-jeong was currently persuading her. Normally, he would have unhesitatingly spat out words that would nail her heart, but he was asking her to remain as the support unit.

Muk Bi, who stared blankly at Yeon Ho-jeong, sighed.

"When do you depart?"

"It's not certain yet. I heard at the earliest in seven days, at the latest within fifteen days."

"Seven to fifteen days..."

Muk Bi nodded her head.

"I understand."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for, Young Master Yeon?"

Yeon Ho-jeong said with a truly regretful face.

"I'm sorry for asking a rare demon who got a taste for blowing off people's heads to endure..."

Thwack!

"Keok!"

Yeon Ho-jeong staggered. It was because he got hit properly in the abdomen.

"You, you bastard hit me, just now?!"

Muk Bi snorted with a popping sound.

"Go and definitely die!"

"That damn bastard!"

Muk Bi stomped her feet with thudding sounds and went into her quarters. It seemed she was thoroughly disgusted by Yeon Ho-jeong's tactless joke.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was continuously rubbing his stomach, smirked.

"Brat, she seems to be worried though."

For a moment, he frowned.

"But when did she train like that again? Ah, damn it, it hurts to death. I really almost threw up, right?"

Fist combat aside, he couldn't not say that the power of her fist alone was great. It was this much even with a normal strike, so if she made up her mind and thrust it, it would be at a level to split a rock.

Sitting on the flat wooden bench, he let out a deep sigh.

"Huu, there's no time to rest with this."

Actually, this was correct.

Since the Three Cults of Fanaticism were vigilantly aiming for the Central Plains, he had to move without rest. Definite preparation against the enemy's invasion, such as reinforcing and concentrating military strength, was necessary.

Yeon Ho-jeong composed his mind.

'Perhaps with this matter, the Orthodox Path Murim could be tied into one.'

If there was definite evidence that Yang Cheon was connected to the Three Cults of Fanaticism.

If that happened, even without him specifically speaking, everyone would turn their eyes to the Outer-territorial Region.

'If only that happens, there would be nothing more to wish for.'

Of course, the Unorthodox Path would also have to be tied into one. Even just that task was not an ordinary hardship.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was deeply engrossed in thought, scratched his head vigorously.

"Damn it, for now, let's fold up complex thoughts. It's time to focus on the immediate matter."

At that time, a blunt voice was heard.

"I didn't know the immediate matter would be such a matter."

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled bitterly. He had already felt his father's presence.

"Have you come?"

"Yes."

Yeon Wi asked straightforwardly.

"You intruded as the core of this matter?"

"That is so."

Yeon Wi was silent for a while.

Yeon Ho-jeong was inwardly nervous. His father too had changed very much from the past, but a person's fundamental nature doesn't change easily. It wouldn't be strange at all if a scolding flew his way.

Like that, half a shijin passed.

"Since I gave one, I said I would take one back. But looking at it now, rather than taking it back, it is like you suddenly jumped into the enemy's maw."

"How could that be."

"What do you mean?"

"I intend to use that maw well to bite off the enemy's flesh. If it was anyone other than me, I felt like they would be eaten before they could even bare their teeth."

"..."

"Of course, besides this, there was something I had to bring."

"What was that?"

"A member of the Tang Clan."

Yeon Wi's eyes sparkled.

"If it's a member of the Tang Clan?"

"I intended to take away one of the Tang Clan members who was in the same boat with Murong Jun."

"Is that something possible?"

"Of course. Well, I couldn't make them change their mind right away, though."

It was an unexpected remark.

Seeing this, his son's head definitely seemed to be outstanding. Setting aside whether such a method would actually work, the direction of his thinking itself was different from his own.

Yeon Wi sighed.

"You should have at least told me in advance."

Yeon Ho-jeong slightly lowered his head.

"I am sorry. I have nothing to say about this matter either."

"Huu."

He must have also felt frustrated.

The head of the first independent mobile unit of the Murim Alliance? That was, of course, something to be congratulated on.

However, no matter how glorious the position was, once entering a combat unit, one couldn't help but experience more real battles than anyone else.

Some say. As a martial artist, gaining more experience is rather something to be happy about.

Yeon Wi also agreed with those words. However, a person's heart doesn't only move according to reason like that.

Yeon Ho-jeong was his child. Aside from the child learning greatly, being constantly deployed in life-threatening matters was not something to be welcomed as a parent.

And if, like now, on top of being deployed in a more dangerous operation than any other time, it was a situation where even an ally's betrayal had to be kept in mind, he couldn't help but be even more worried.

"I heard the Successor of the Beggars' Gang (Beggars' Successor) is joining you."

"Yes. I hadn't even thought of it."

Yeon Wi nodded his head.

"I had many conversations with the Successor of the Beggars' Gang over the past time. Although he is not without frivolous aspects, having experienced him, he is a person with a deep heart and much affection. Not to mention his abilities."

"That is so."

"To have such a talent joining you, it is fortunate in the midst of it all."

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

"I will return safely. Do not worry."

"How could I not worry."

Yeon Wi looked up at the sky.

Soon the sun would rise to the middle of the sky. There was still time left until the meeting.

'Danger... danger, huh.'

Yeon Wi closed his eyes.

His son was going to a place of death, yet there was nothing fitting he could pack for him. Although he was a guy whose abilities were already outstanding, it was a parent's heart to want to pack even a little more for him.

"You will leave the axe behind, right?"

"That is so."

Yeon Wi turned his body.

"Follow me."

The place the father and son headed was none other than the empty lot where he had a spar with Master Kong-kong.

Yeon Ho-jeong looked around the surroundings.

'It has changed.'

It seemed someone had continuously done rough training here over the past time.

The scenery was completely different from what he saw back then. The ground was tamped and the broken or cut trees were cleared, but the traces of fierce battle couldn't all be covered.

'Hmm?'

For a moment, an odd light flashed in Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes.

'That is...?'

A gruesome trace was left on the stump of a cut tree.

The stump full of a dozen stab wounds looked like it would crumble even with a light tap. The trace itself was nothing great, but the penetration of true qi that entered through that trace was immense.

'Penetrating Sword Force... It's an amazing level. Seeing that, it seems he created such a trace in a single strike.'

If that sword strike had hit a person's body?

'The sword force that entered through the stab wounds would have torn the nerves of the whole body and shattered the five viscera and six bowels to pieces.'

It was a martial art gruesome beyond compare.

What was more surprising was the familiarity felt from the trace of that sword strike.

"Yes, your father did it."

Yeon Wi said, as if reading Yeon Ho-jeong's mind.

"While cultivating the Iron Sword Great Extension, I did training to maximize the killing power of the sword."

Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes shook.

"It is a martial art uncharacteristic of Father."

"It is. And at the same time, it is not."

"Yes?"

"What I pursue is the martial art of the Middle Way. The Middle Way is soon connected to the Ten Thousand Martial Arts. If one knows how to wield an elegant Living Sword, one must also know how to wield the most terrible Killing Sword in the world."

"...!"

"I intend to also embrace the path of that Ominous Killing, which I have tried hard to turn away from until now."

"...Is that so."

It was amazing.

Just by changing his mindset, he could unfold such a terrifying sword technique. It was the martial path of a Sword Person who had started to climb toward the peak, transcending the level of forming his own school.

Yeon Wi asked with a particularly stiff face.

"You've had quite bloody spars with your father over the past time, haven't you?"

"I did. Since I even used killing strikes."

"You did. However, this father has never once used a sincere killing strike against you."

"..."

"I intend to use it today."

Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes shook once again.

Wuuuuuuung.

A beautiful light-green radiance bloomed from Yeon Wi's fingertips.

"I will not draw my sword. However, for a moment, I will consider you an enemy deserving to die and engage in the bout."

"...!"

"Prepare yourself. I'll tell you in advance, I will do it with all my strength."