Chapter 138 : Bloody Battle Aboard the Ship (1)

Chapter 138: Bloody Battle Aboard the Ship (1)

“Master, please take this. It’s a top-grade pill.”

“Isn’t this just fake medicine made of flour?”

“You’re joking, so it looks like you’re not going to die anytime soon. Hurry up and take it, then focus on circulating your Qi. We’ll guard you.”

Master Gak Un was in no position to refuse and swallowed the pill as it was.

Afterward, he saw Yong Hwarin appear and immediately began circulating his Qi.

With most people, that would have been reckless, but if it was Yong Hwarin, one could feel at ease even in a situation like this.

The two old men in red robes looked over those who had appeared on the ship and spoke in hoarse voices.

“What brings the offspring of prestigious clans to a place like this? Do you think it’s acceptable to recklessly barge onto someone else’s ship?”

At that, the most hot-blooded of them all, Shangguan Joyoung, stepped forward and spoke.

“Who do you think you are to dare kill a Luohan monk from Shaolin!”

The face of the elder in red, Baek Yeom, slightly twisted.

“You brat, watch your tongue!”

He lightly flicked one hand, and from that force alone, Shangguan Joyoung was hurled into the air and crashed down.

Thud!

Fortunately, he didn’t seem too injured and quickly sprang back to his feet.

The group was momentarily speechless, shocked by the elder’s overwhelming technique.

They also realized how carelessly they had let their guard down against those who had nearly killed a Shaolin Luohan.

“Brats without manners only understand pain. Still, if they’re of noble birth, shouldn’t we at least show them some respect?”

A young man stepped forward with a sweeping motion and spoke in a loud voice.

“Hey there, young friends. You barged onto this young master’s ship and made a fuss, but seeing who you are, I’ll let it go this time. Leave that monk and be on your way.”

He spoke so pompously, as if he were the emperor himself.

He looked to be around the same age as them, yet kept calling them “young friends” and “brats,” irritating the sharp-tempered Seomun Yuwon, who muttered under his breath.

“That brat talks like he’s the emperor’s younger brother or something. And he looks like a half-eaten dumpling.”

At that, the young man’s brow twitched.

Upon closer inspection, the youth did indeed have a round face and pale white skin like a dumpling. His master had once even nicknamed him ‘Dumpling’ when he was younger.

Because of that, he hated being called a dumpling more than anything.

“I was going to let it slide since you’re sons of powerful families, but this won’t do. Red-Clothed Twin Demons, teach them a lesson. Break a few bones if you must.”

“But Third Young Master, isn’t that a bit—”

“We already killed a Luohan from Shaolin, what’s there to worry about now?”

The Red-Clothed Twin Demons looked a bit troubled.

Those still inside the ship were shocked by what they heard.

The Red-Clothed Twin Demons were former masters of the Demonic Path who had each held one of the seats in the Three-Three Demonic Absolutes.

Among them, Baek Yeom Demon had committed so many killings that he had been listed as a public enemy of the Martial World. Because his beard was often dyed red with blood, he was also nicknamed the Crimson Flame Demon.

These vicious men showing such obedience to a young man made the others all the more curious about his identity.

But Yong Hwarin was even more surprised by how the Red-Clothed Twin Demons called the young man "Third Young Master."

‘Could it be that he’s the very Third Young Master that the Demonic Master and Deung Hwaun spoke of? The likelihood is high. If he has the Red-Clothed Twin Demons as guards...’

Even Baek Yeom Demon couldn’t be unaware of the young heirs of the great clans.

Killing one or two might not matter, but if he killed more than half the heirs of the Twelve Great Martial Clans, he’d be turning the entire Martial World into his enemy.

Now was not the time to go to war with the great clans of the martial world.

The Third Young Master knew that as well, which was why he only instructed them to break bones.

Normally, he would’ve resolved the situation with a single order to kill.

“I’ll say it again—leave quietly, and no harm will come to you.”

Master Gak Un, who had finished circulating his Qi, stood up and spoke.

“Benefactors, I suggest you withdraw.”

Master Gak Un knew that their martial arts were too powerful for even the heirs of the great clans to handle.

Above all, the fact that the so-called Third Young Master hadn’t even lifted a finger yet was the most terrifying part.

He didn’t want to lose the future pillars of the martial world here for no reason.

But the heirs of the great clans didn’t back down, relying on their numbers.

“Hmph! The ones who should be leaving are you! If you withdraw quietly, we won’t hold you accountable either!”

Instead, Seomun Yuwon mocked them, further twisting Baek Yeom Demon’s expression.

“As the Third Young Master said, it seems we need to break something to knock sense into you lot.”

As the Red-Clothed Twin Demons charged, the heirs of the great clans all engaged in battle.

The Three Killers and Three Heroes still stood by Master Gak Un’s side as if guarding him, while Pang Giyok and Yong Hwarin remained where they were.

The Third Young Master clicked his tongue in disappointment when he saw the Red-Clothed Twin Demons failing to gain the upper hand against the combined assault of Shangguan Joyoung, Shangguan Mijong, Namgung Soomyung, Seomun Yuwon, Seomun Seoseol, Jegal Cheongyeong, and Danmok Gyeol.

Jegal Yohye, unable to use martial arts, had fallen back and was observing the situation.

The young disciples of Mount Hua also didn’t jump into the fray recklessly, instead keeping a close eye on things.

“I was supposed to meet an important guest here today, but thanks to you all, it’s ruined. You’ll have to take responsibility!”

At that moment, a ship twice the size of Yong Hwarin’s slowly approached.

As if in response to his words, a loud voice rang out from the vessel.

“Who would’ve thought our meeting place today would turn into such a fiery battleground? But I don’t mind this either.”

It was a woman’s voice.

Standing at the bow of the ship, dressed in white martial robes, was a woman whose presence was strikingly beautiful.

“What should I do? Shall I lend a hand, Third Young Master?”

The young man called Third Young Master smiled warmly and replied.

“If the Pear Blossom Fairy is offering help, I can only be grateful.”

The battle between the heirs and the Red-Clothed Twin Demons began to tip with the arrival of this new powerful force.

In that moment of distraction, two or three were unable to block Baek Yeom Demon’s palm strikes and were thrown back.

With the previously even fight now tipping unfavorably, Mount Hua’s disciples Poong Imso, Sa Jeokwoo, and Ho Cheongun joined the fray.

“Well now! So Mount Hua’s children were here too?”

With their fierce and dazzling swordplay, the Mount Hua disciples restored balance to the battle.

Still, Pang Giyok and Yong Hwarin didn’t move and kept their eyes fixed on the approaching ship.

Yong Hwarin had his gaze locked solely on the young man called Third Young Master.

Pang Giyok, too, seemed to sense that he was the most dangerous man there and focused more on him than on the Red-Clothed Twin Demons.

“Who is this Pear Blossom Fairy?” Yong Hwarin asked.

Jegal Yohye responded to his question.

“There’s only one person in the martial world known as the Pear Blossom Fairy—Ihwa Palace’s Young Mistress, Man Inhwa. Ihwa Palace rarely appears in the martial world, but to reveal themselves so publicly like this... it's strange.”

Ihwa Palace was one of the so-called Three Great Secret Sects of the Jianghu.

Its existence was known, but its location and scale remained a mystery.

However, whenever one of Ihwa Palace’s elites ventured into the martial world, they stirred great commotion with their overwhelming martial prowess.

“That only means the young man’s identity is far from ordinary—since she came to meet him,” Yong Hwarin said.

Jegal Yohye nodded in agreement at Yong Hwarin’s words.

“Do you know anything about him?”

For a moment, Jegal Yohye felt as if she were being handled like an informant, which made her angry, but she held her emotions in check—this was no time for pride.

“There’s nothing on him even in my clan’s information network. For someone capable of having the Red-Clothed Twin Demons as guards, he must be extraordinary. We might learn more by investigating those two.”

In other words, even Jegal Yohye, with all her intelligence resources, didn’t know who this Third Young Master was.

The woman called Pear Blossom Fairy gave a command to her subordinates.

“Take care of all the trash on the Third Young Master’s ship.”

At her words, those dressed in blue martial robes dropped down onto the ship where the Third Young Master stood.

Seeing them, Pang Giyok spoke.

“Hwarin, I’ll take care of those. As for that man—you’ll have to be the one to face him.”

Pang Giyok had realized that the Third Young Master, who stood unshaken even on a ship rocking from the battle, had greater skill than himself.

The only people standing firm on the ship right now were the Third Young Master and Yong Hwarin.

It was only possible thanks to the immense improvement in martial skill Yong Hwarin had achieved after meeting Namgung Bi.

Pang Cheollyeon followed Pang Giyok and said,

“Be careful.”

She hadn’t expected her first conversation with Yong Hwarin to be like this.

But now that they were facing enemies, she drew her sword and grinned.

The once-shy girl before Yong Hwarin was now transforming into a blood-hardened warrior.

Watching her, Yong Hwarin smiled faintly.

In some ways, he liked that kind of personality in a woman.

“Please, the three of you look after Giyok and Cheollyeon.”

At those words, Jeong Suji flared up.

“Hmph! Do you think we’re the kind of people who just do what Master Yong says and back off when told?”

But before her words had even finished, Jeong Minji rushed in to assist Pang Giyok in battle, making Jeong Suji pout.

“Sister really has no pride…”

But when Jeong Daji joined the fight too, she had no choice. Jeong Suji shot a glare at Yong Hwarin before moving toward the warriors from Ihwa Palace.

Even so, as heirs of prestigious clans, they weren’t outclassed by their opponents.

If they had been, the Red-Clothed Twin Demons would’ve already crushed them.

The only people not fighting on the ship now were the Third Young Master, Yong Hwarin, and Master Gak Un.

Master Gak Un shouted,

“Young donor, hand over the White Tiger Demon-Slaying Sword!”

The man called Third Young Master shook his head.

“I can’t do that. Do you know what I went through to obtain it? If you want it, you’ll have to take it from me.”

He behaved as if the battles around him had nothing to do with him at all.

As Gak Un began to step forward, Yong Hwarin stopped him.

“Master, leave that man to me.”

Master Gak Un looked at Yong Hwarin and replied,

“This is a matter concerning my sect. How could I ask you to handle it just because I’m unwell?”

“With your current condition, you wouldn’t be able to endure even a few seconds against him.”

Yong Hwarin pointed it out bluntly, and Gak Un frowned.

“Even so…”

As Gak Un stubbornly persisted, Yong Hwarin simply walked toward the Third Young Master.

“Master Yong…”

Gak Un couldn’t continue insisting out of pride, not in a situation like this, and quietly stepped back.

As Yong Hwarin approached the Third Young Master, he spoke.

“So you’re the bastard they call the Third Young Master?”

The young man smiled faintly, amused by Yong Hwarin’s harsh tone from the first words.

“We’re the same breed, it seems.”

“How dare you compare me to your dog of a self? Don’t say that sort of thing anywhere else.”

Yong Hwarin began to speak in that usual, infuriating tone of his.