Chapter 225 : Branch Leader Myeong Gujeong (2)

Chapter 225: Branch Leader Myeong Gujeong (2)

Bukri Chang had a hidden motive in trying to present Bukri Sehee in advance to that man named Sam Taegong.

He believed that, with Bukri Sehee’s beauty, she would capture Sam Taegong’s interest, and that to have her, Sam Taegong would surely keep his promise.

Thinking that he could forge a strong alliance with the Heavenly Demon Sect through this, Bukri Chang didn’t hesitate to send his daughter to become that old man’s concubine.

Deuksang also kept a wary eye on the middle-aged man idly playing with mountain birds atop the carriage.

“I’ll take care of that one.”

Though Deuksang spoke with determined eyes, Yong Hwarin shook his head.

“Branch Leader, you must issue orders to the Blood Green Unit. Leave that one to me.”

Deuksang slightly frowned.

His expression clearly conveyed, “A brat like you can’t handle him.”

Deuksang didn’t put much stock in Yong Hwarin’s exaggerated tales of valor.

Though he respected Yong Hwarin, who had skills and was even called “big brother” by the Young Cult Leader, he never truly believed Yong Hwarin was a master superior to himself.

When it seemed Deuksang wouldn’t back down, Yong Hwarin yielded.

“Then, please take care of him.”

Baekseom was silently surprised to see Yong Hwarin so easily give in to the Branch Leader’s command.

‘What? What’s he thinking?’

Baekseom looked toward Branch Leader Deuksang.

He was the one who had observed Yong Hwarin’s martial prowess more closely than anyone else.

So he knew that for Deuksang to take on the most dangerous opponent was tantamount to throwing away his life.

“Branch Leader.”

Deuksang looked down at Baekseom.

Being larger in build, Deuksang was a full head taller than Baekseom.

“It would be best to leave that one to Young Master Yong.”

At Baekseom’s words, Deuksang’s face slightly hardened. But since the words came from his most trusted subordinate, he asked for a reason.

“Why?”

“May I speak plainly?”

“Speak. When have you ever not spoken plainly?”

Baekseom was a loyal subordinate known for always speaking candidly.

And Deuksang valued him highly. If Baekseom’s opinion was correct, Deuksang was willing to set aside his own convictions.

“I fought alongside Young Master Yong at the Kirin River against the warriors of the Heavenly Demon Sect. There, Young Master Yong used Protective Energy to crush them. He broke through a siege of dozens using only that Protective Energy.”

“That was true?”

Deuksang had already heard the tale from his subordinates and scoffed inwardly.

Saying someone that young could wield Protective Energy? That was the kind of nonsense that’d get you mocked as insane. So he had dismissed it as exaggerated storytelling.

But Baekseom wasn’t one to lie—he was rigidly upright. That made it impossible to doubt.

“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Pardon me, but can you maintain Protective Energy for even two hours, Branch Leader?”

Deuksang was also a martial artist capable of manifesting Protective Energy.

However, the duration of that energy barely lasted the time it took to count to ten.

“Two hours? Are you serious? Maintaining Protective Energy for that long requires at least three full Cycles of cultivation. Minimum three Cycles.”

Deuksang barked the words directly at Baekseom’s face, but Baekseom didn’t even blink.

That alone told Deuksang Baekseom was telling the truth, leaving him in stunned disbelief.

“It’s true, then.”

“That’s why you must leave him to Young Master Yong. For Young Master Yong to even say he’d face that man means he’s strong enough.”

“So you want to fight him yourself even more, huh?”

Baekseom’s eyes darkened.

The Branch Leader had this stubborn pride that sometimes stopped him from retreating when it was the wise choice.

Baekseom let out a long sigh.

He could only hope that Young Master Yong wouldn’t actually accept Deuksang’s decision at face value.

Yong Hwarin looked at Deuksang’s hardened profile and spoke.

“When attacking, don’t go for a frontal assault. Use hidden weapons to reduce their numbers first.”

“I already gave those orders.”

The carriage was now passing through the ambush zone.

As Yong Hwarin nodded, Deuksang gave a few hand signals, issuing commands to his subordinates.

The assassins who had climbed the trees selected their targets and loaded their water weapons.

Myeong Gujeong suddenly seized the two birds playing in his hand.

Crack!

The two birds were crushed to pulp in Myeong Gujeong’s grip.

Bukri Haeng frowned at the sight of blood dripping from Myeong Gujeong’s hands, while Bukri Sehee turned her head away in disgust.

As Myeong Gujeong straightened his upper body, he met Bukri Haeng’s gaze and gave him a soft smile.

Then he wiped the blood off his hands against a sack of rice.

Until now, Myeong Gujeong had radiated the aura of a scholarly bookstore owner. But now, that aura had flipped, and he exuded the presence of a wild beast.

“Is it because we’re transporting rice? There are too many rats.”

As soon as the man on the carriage sensed his presence, Deuksang gave the order to attack.

“Strike!”

At Deuksang’s command, the assassins simultaneously unleashed water weapons and hidden weapons.

Without hesitation, Yong Hwarin also fired large needles in succession.

In an instant, the warriors escorting the carriage collapsed to the ground.

However, those who had reached a certain level of mastery managed to evade the assassins’ hidden weapons.

“Assassins! Be careful!”

The surviving warriors formed a defensive formation and gathered.

As the white-robed Blood Green Unit launched an all-out assault on the warriors, Cheong Geonmin shouted.

“Don’t let a single one of them leave alive!”

Jeok Gwang and Cheong Geonmin roared loudly to rally their men, yet they themselves stayed in the rear.

They blended in among the guards they had brought.

They were playing it safe, knowing that a meaningless death could come easily in a place like this.

Yong Hwarin wore a mask just like the assassins of the Blood Green Unit, wary of being recognized.

The subordinates of Cheong Geonmin and Jeok Gwang were struck down one after another by the Blood Green Unit assassins.

However, the warriors of the Dark Heaven Guard under Lee Yung fought on equal footing with the Blood Green Unit, making it difficult to determine a victor.

As Myeong Gujeong swiftly cut down two Blood Green Unit assassins charging at him and looked around for his next prey, Deuksang dropped from the sky.

Whooong!

At Deuksang’s first sword strike, Myeong Gujeong furrowed his brow.

Jjeoong!

When Deuksang’s sword clashed with Myeong Gujeong’s, a ringing sound echoed like metal smashing against metal.

With that single exchange of swords, both immediately assessed each other’s level.

‘This won’t be easy.’

Feeling the tremor transmitted through his hand, Deuksang gripped his sword tighter.

He had blocked Myeong Gujeong’s Penetrating Art with his qi, but not completely.

That meant his own qi was of a lower mastery than Myeong Gujeong’s, which made him cautious.

However, as the Guardian First Commander of the Hidden Saint Cult, Deuksang refused to accept being outmatched by some nameless warrior without even an alias.

Deuksang infused his sword with killing intent and swirled it smoothly, as if drawing a picture, toward the calmly gazing Myeong Gujeong.

This was Deuksang’s signature sword art: Calligraphy and Painting Sword.

Like wielding a brush to write calligraphy or draw a painting, the motion was indistinguishable from that of a scholar-artist.

The mystery of Calligraphy and Painting Sword extended even to Baekseom—it was a graceful yet forceful sword art.

Myeong Gujeong, encountering the unique sword art for the first time, let out a breath of admiration.

“Oh! What a peculiar sword art!”

The technique was mysteriously elegant, as if Judge’s Pen technique had been transformed into swordsmanship.

But it lasted only a moment.

As Myeong Gujeong flicked his sword, Deuksang’s Calligraphy and Painting Sword scattered like ink dripping from the brush of an artist trying to paint.

‘Unbelievable! Hidden Saint Cult's martial arts are so profound they've spread across many martial families of the murim, becoming Supreme Martial Arts. On top of that, the Calligraphy and Painting Sword is a Supreme Martial Art bestowed only to the Guardian Corps within the Hidden Saint Cult. And yet he blocks it effortlessly and even presses forward.’

Deuksang had devoted his life to training in the Calligraphy and Painting Sword, which he received when he became the Guardian First Commander of the Hidden Saint Cult.

That sword art had mesmerized him with its profundity and grace in swordwork.

As one must spend a lifetime learning to paint, so too had I honed my swordsmanship.

But when I failed to inflict any harm on Myeong Gujeong, Deuksang drew out even more of his qi.

The thought that he would be at least on par with Myeong Gujeong shattered without mercy, leaving only a prickly pride on edge, flailing in defense with startled eyes.

That pride was enough to make him cast aside even the notion of death.

Baekseom kept glancing over at Deuksang fighting Myeong Gujeong.

Even Baekseom could no longer deny that Myeong Gujeong surpassed his superior Deuksang in martial prowess.

When Baekseom started moving to assist Deuksang, Yong Hwarin swiftly intervened.

“I will go. Please lead the squad, Baekseom.”

Yong Hwarin had already sensed that Deuksang would not be able to handle Myeong Gujeong and had been closely observing the fight.

“Thank you.”

Yong Hwarin drew three large needles from his waist and slipped them between his fingers.

Then he began taking down the Dark Heaven Guard warriors near Myeong Gujeong, one by one.

“Kh!”

At first, Myeong Gujeong didn’t pay much attention, but as more of Lee Yung’s subordinates were slain each time Yong Hwarin flicked his fingers, Myeong Gujeong’s gaze began to shift from Deuksang to Yong Hwarin.

That was precisely what Yong Hwarin intended.

He purposely targeted the enemies surrounding Myeong Gujeong to draw his attention.

“Bukri Hero, take care of this one.”

When Myeong Gujeong called out to Bukri So, the latter nodded without complaint.

Bukri So knew that Lee Yung found Myeong Gujeong formidable, so he too recognized that Myeong Gujeong was no ordinary figure.

Knowing that Myeong Gujeong was a martial artist who surpassed him, Bukri So obediently followed his command.

“Sect Leader, please stay here.”

The warriors of the Bukri Clan were surrounding Bukri Haeng and Bukri Sehee as they entered the fray.

Even so, the assassins were not using lethal assassination arts on them, so they responded without desperation.

Pipiping!

Three large needles fired from Yong Hwarin’s fingers, and three Dark Heaven Guard members near Myeong Gujeong collapsed without even letting out a scream.

Seeing this, Myeong Gujeong unleashed a wave of sword qi, forcing Deuksang to fall back.

“Ugh!”

Deuksang had to retreat three steps and twist his body several times to dissipate the sword qi.

And he didn’t pursue Myeong Gujeong as he passed by.

Deuksang’s heart wanted to chase and keep fighting Myeong Gujeong, but his body recoiled in fear and stopped him.

“Damn it!”

Deuksang gritted his teeth, humiliated by his wounded pride, but had no time to tend to it as Bukri So charged in.

“You dare to play games with your fingers. I’ll have to sever that wrist so you won’t try such wicked tricks again.”

Myeong Gujeong growled toward the masked man whose aura was too subtle to read.

But upon seeing Myeong Gujeong, Yong Hwarin immediately recognized him as the branch leader of Woohak Bookstore—Myeong Gujeong—from his past life.

Even in his previous life, Yong Hwarin had loved books and often visited the book-filled Woohak Bookstore.

He remembered Myeong Gujeong’s dignified appearance back then, like that of a noble scholar.

‘So you were a man of the Heavenly Demon Sect all along.’

As Myeong Gujeong revealed his aura, Yong Hwarin felt a suffocating pressure.

‘He’s the strongest opponent I’ve faced yet.’