Chapter 206: Conspiracy (1)

"You’re talking while deploying movement arts—Young Master Yong, the more I see you, the more extraordinary you appear."

The Demonic Master spoke with genuine admiration. Back at that age, he himself hadn’t been able to speak while performing movement arts.

Movement arts was a high-level ascending martial art that required constantly channeling qi from the dantian to both Yongcheon Points and expelling it without interruption.

Some assumed movement arts was a technique that anyone with enough internal energy—whether a dog or a cow—could display, but it was far from an easy martial art.

On top of that, he was internally astonished seeing Yong Hwarin stretch a whole jang further than himself every time he stomped his foot.

With each leap extending five jang, the phrase "like a bird" felt perfectly apt.

That was the result of mastering the Dragon Claw Five Fingers he had learned from the Demonic Master, and then fully unblocking the capillaries in his fingers and toes.

Whereas in the past he had only deployed movement arts through the Yongcheon Points, now he was utilizing the true qi surging through six blood channels. That made the power and momentum completely different.

Additionally, since he possessed the internal energy of the Three Gaps of the Demonic Master, he no longer needed to control his breathing while using movement arts.

"And yet, Elder, you’re speaking too, aren’t you?"

"Hahaha, well, I’m an old man."

He almost added, ‘With age and experience, that’s only natural,’ but decided to stop himself.

Baekseom, who was following behind, had not yet reached a stage where he could speak while performing movement arts.

‘He may look like a pale scholar, but his strength is monstrous.’

To Baekseom, Yong Hwarin didn’t seem human.

The awe-inspiring scene he had witnessed back at the manor still remained vividly etched in his retina.

The sight of one-third of the roof being blown away by nascent qi was something he had never seen in his life.

He had never heard of anyone in their mid-twenties unleashing nascent qi.

Sometimes legends spoke of the Five Emperors of the Martial World manifesting nascent qi in their youth, stories that sounded too fantastical to be true—but that was something only the Five Emperors could have accomplished.

If that legend were true, then it meant Yong Hwarin had the potential to become one of the Five Emperors of the Martial World in the future.

The Demonic Master spoke in a quiet voice.

"I’ve had my eye on Eum Sajeok ever since he started coveting those divine items. He’s been gathering them under orders from his master. You’re aware of these senior brothers, aren’t you, Young Master Yong?"

"Yes, I’ve fought his senior, First Young Master Yang Gwak, before."

"From what I’ve observed, each of them has been moving under different orders, but Eum Sajeok paid particular attention to collecting the items. At one point, he even contacted Ihwa Palace to propose an alliance. And in return, he tried to offer my daughter as a sacrifice."

At that moment, Yong Hwarin, upon seeing the Demonic Master radiate killing intent while recounting the story, shifted Eum Sajeok onto his other shoulder.

He had sensed that the Demonic Master might impulsively attack Eum Sajeok with a lethal technique and acted cautiously.

Realizing his own error, the Demonic Master withdrew his gaze from Eum Sajeok.

"Young Master Yong, are you aware that the items Eum Sajeok is trying to gather are connected to the Four Great Divine Items?"

Yong Hwarin responded as if he already knew.

To act completely ignorant would have been more suspicious.

"Yes. I heard about the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword from the Reverend Arhats of Shaolin and about the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm from the three heroines of the Jeong Family Manor. Through them, I began to vaguely realize the items they’re seeking are related to the Four Great Divine Items."

"I had the same thought, so I scoured not only the Sword Records of the Martial World, but also countless Murim anecdotes and chronicles. Yet I found nothing linking any sects or martial arts to the Four Great Divine Items."

The Demonic Master had secretly investigated the divine items Eum Sajeok was collecting out of growing interest. His plan was to secure the Four Great Divine Items first and use them as leverage to negotiate for the release of his daughter, whom Eum Sajeok was holding hostage.

But he found no records, no sects, no incidents related to the Four Great Divine Items.

That led the Demonic Master to suspect that these items might be the sacred relics of the Heavenly Demon Sect, and so he visited Black Kill Sword Wonho.

He cast the Soul Reaping Art on Black Kill Sword Wonho and extracted information about the Four Great Divine Items.

Black Kill Sword Wonho had exceptional mastery in disguise technique, stealth technique, and throwing technique. Because he had been tasked with stealing the Four Great Divine Items, he knew comparatively more about them than his position would normally allow.

What he had extracted from Black Kill Sword Wonho was utterly shocking.

“Then I came to learn one thing…”

The Demonic Master opened his mouth to speak but abruptly closed it again.

They had arrived at the inn that Eum Sajeok had mentioned.

The inn was easy to find, even without Eum Sajeok’s directions.

There wasn’t a single proper house around the inn.

“That’s the place?”

Eum Sajeok, his pressure point sealed, couldn’t speak and only nodded.

Yong Hwarin thought Eum Sajeok was surprisingly obedient.

In truth, Eum Sajeok had a reason for not refusing Yong Hwarin’s commands.

He had once witnessed Ihwa Fairy Man Inhwa fall victim to Yong Hwarin.

Seeing Man Inhwa with both ears gone had shocked him so much that he dropped a cup of premium Dragon Well Tea.

And after hearing the full account of how Man Inhwa had been subdued, he resolved never to become a hostage to Yong Hwarin.

Because of that memory, Eum Sajeok was terrified that disobedience might lead to losing his ears or nose, just like Man Inhwa.

“Young Master Yong, I’ll go and bring back that informant.”

As Baekseom stepped forward, Yong Hwarin turned to Eum Sajeok and asked,

“Who is the informant?”

Eum Sajeok pointed at his mouth, requesting the point to be unsealed. The Demonic Master, standing nearby, immediately punched him.

Thud!

The blow was so strong that Eum Sajeok’s head was thrown back.

“Write it on the ground!”

As the Demonic Master vented his long-restrained frustration, Yong Hwarin simply watched. If the middle-aged Demonic Master beat Eum Sajeok too much, it could interfere with the Demonic Master’s soul overtaking Eum Sajeok’s consciousness. He considered intervening.

Fortunately, after one punch, the Demonic Master calmed himself, and Yong Hwarin let out a breath of relief inwardly.

Eum Sajeok wrote on the ground.

‘Innkeeper.’

As soon as Eum Sajeok scribbled the words, Baekseom vanished from the spot.

Not long after, Baekseom returned, dragging along a chubby middle-aged man.

“W-what is the meaning of this? Even if you are martial artists, there are still rules. This is outrageous!”

The innkeeper, dragged in by Baekseom, trembled as he spoke. To any onlooker, it would seem he was truly terrified.

The Demonic Master grabbed Eum Sajeok’s hair and yanked his head up.

“Take a good look at this bastard!”

“Gasp!”

The innkeeper, who had been trying to feign ignorance, involuntarily inhaled sharply upon seeing Third Young Master Eum Sajeok.

“Listen here, fat belly. Just answer what we ask and you’ll live. But if you lie, I’ll slice off your head without hesitation. There are plenty of others who can talk in your place.”

Yong Hwarin was reminded of the first time he met the Demonic Master.

The Demonic Master had always had a habit of calling plump people “fat belly” and belittling them.

“Ask me anything.”

Fat Belly, seemingly resigned, rubbed his hands together as he replied.

“I want to hear about Miss Namgung Yoo.”

As Yong Hwarin asked, Fat Belly rubbed his hands like a fly.

“It’s a message that arrived not long ago. Fresh information, like just-steamed dumplings.”

As he dragged out his words in the typical merchant tone, the Demonic Master slapped his cheek.

Smack!

“This time it’s your cheek, next time it’ll be your neck.”

“Ack! Understood! I received word that Miss Namgung Yoo is fleeing with the Division Leader of the East Evil Division.”

Having someone with a demonic disposition nearby certainly made things efficient.

In cases like this, orthodox sects would waste time arguing back and forth with informants to extract information.

They avoided methods like torture or crushing bones and sinew.

Once the informant resisted, the Demonic Master’s ability to crush morale saved them time.

“Where is she fleeing to?”

“I heard she’s fleeing toward the lower stream of the Kirin River.”

Yong Hwarin thought they must be escaping in the direction of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

Kirin River was a large river found about ten li south of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

It was the largest stream among the rivers of Zhengzhou that flowed into the Yangtze River.

Namgung Yoo only had three escorts with her.

The thought that she must be facing great danger by now made his heart race.

“Elder, please return via this path to the Sky Ocean Merchant Union and join up with the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect.”

The Demonic Master stared at Yong Hwarin for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“I will go as well. You and your daughter have helped me so far—now it’s time I help you.”

“But Elder, Jeong Mae and Eum Sajeok are both important. I need you.”

“Let me repay the debt I owe you.”

Indeed, even in this kind of situation, the Demonic Master was true to his nature as a Demonic Practitioner.

Rather than rationally assessing the situation, he prioritized his emotions and acted impulsively.

However, I felt a warm emotion from the Demonic Master.

The fact that there was someone willing to disregard everything and step up to help me—such things had a way of warming the heart.

“Kirin River isn’t far from the Sky Ocean Merchant Union. Leave Eum Sajeok and Jeong Mae at the Sky Ocean Merchant Union. By the time I meet Namgung Sojeo, you should be able to rejoin me. That is how you can help me.”

Because what I said wasn’t wrong, the Demonic Master reluctantly nodded.

“Understood. I’ll leave my daughter and this brat with the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect and head out first.”

The Demonic Master used Movement Arts and vanished in an instant before my eyes.

I turned my gaze to Baekseom.

“I’ll have to rely on you once again. Will that be alright?”

Baekseom replied calmly.

“The Division Leader ordered that if Young Master Yong ever requests assistance, I am to obey without question.”

“Thank you. Then let’s head for the Kirin River. Before that, please send my companions to the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.”

At Baekseom’s signal, the assassins carrying Gam Heum and Go Ram on their backs followed after the Demonic Master.

I watched them disappear, then used Movement Arts to shoot forward.

Baekseom gave instructions to a subordinate.

“Tell our division members within Jeongju to assemble near the lower reaches of the Kirin River! Also, during the assembly, if there are any who pursue people from the Namgung Clan, kill them without exception!”

Once the subordinate vanished, he spoke toward the empty air.

“The Division Leader said that the reason Young Cult Leader and the Youngest Young Master are still alive is thanks to Young Master Yong. He is the one whom they call Orabeoni and Hyung-nim. He is the one you must protect with your lives. If anything happens to Young Master Yong, you will never again be able to look into the faces of the Young Cult Leader or the Youngest Young Master. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Though no one could be seen, a heavy voice resounded from all directions.

“Seongchung (聖忠)!”

It was the sound the Hidden Saint Cult members made when responding to orders.

Baekseom drew his sword and firmly stabbed it into the back of the intelligence agent, who was groveling on the ground.

“Keuk!”

“Be grateful that I’m letting you die without pain.”

If the agent wasn’t killed, their operations would be exposed—there was no choice but to silence him.

Baekseom wiped the blood off his blade and leapt into the air.

“Let’s go!”

Moments later, dozens of figures followed after Baekseom.

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