Chapter 326 : Facing Soyonghwa (1)

Chapter 326: Facing Soyonghwa (1)

Soyonghwa glared at the two of them.

‘Did that bastard notice something?’

Judging by how he let Mae Yeongyeong go so easily, it seemed he was merely wary rather than certain.

Soyonghwa stared silently at Mae Yeongyeong and the disguised Yong Hwarin before speaking to the middle-aged man.

“Bring the musician.”

“Yes, Little Valley Lord.”

The middle-aged man exited through the back door.

‘If I move here, we’ll be exposed. Should we just escape like this?’

Thinking it best to get out of the Jinyang Inn first, Yong Hwarin stood up.

“Young Maeh, shall we go for a walk?”

Mae Yeongyeong pulled Yong Hwarin’s waist even closer and nodded.

“Yes, Lord. The air inside the inn is quite stuffy.”

The two immediately noticed that Soyonghwa was watching them closely as they stood up.

–Once we’re outside, entrust your body to me. We need to escape.

–Yes, Lord.

Even as she responded via telepathy, she unknowingly called him "Lord" again, blushing afterward.

She had fallen into the act without realizing it herself.

Yong Hwarin and Mae Yeongyeong walked slowly toward the door.

That was when it happened.

“You!”

Mae Yeongyeong turned toward the voice.

One musician was pointing at Yong Hwarin and nodding.

“Lord, I think we’ve been found out.”

At those words, Yong Hwarin wrapped his arm around Mae Yeongyeong’s waist and was about to dash forward—

Thud!

Suddenly, the roof collapsed, and black-clad figures dropped down.

They blocked the entrance and windows, drawing their swords.

“Did you take the Bundle from the musician Urak?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

As Yong Hwarin answered, Soyonghwa gave the order.

“Seize him!”

At those words, the black-clad figures charged at Yong Hwarin.

At that moment, Mae Yeongyeong grabbed a chopstick from the table and threw it toward a pillar.

Thunk!

As the chopstick embedded into the pillar, the surroundings suddenly changed.

Swaaah—

Soyonghwa shouted as the interior of the inn transformed into a dense forest.

“It’s a formation! No one move!”

If one moved without knowing what kind of formation it was, it could lead to disaster.

“It’s the Flowing Forest Palace Formation. It’ll hold them off for a short while.”

Yong Hwarin hadn’t expected Mae Yeongyeong to know of a long-lost grand formation.

The Flowing Forest Palace Formation was one that continuously generated illusions, forming nine palaces. It could only be broken by escaping all nine routes.

Soyonghwa clicked her tongue at the suddenly changing formation.

“She deployed a formation in that short moment?”

In fact, the reason she had approached Mae Yeongyeong earlier was because she noticed her moving around the inn with chopsticks, doing something suspicious.

But she hadn’t imagined that she was laying down a formation.

Soyonghwa let out a dry laugh as she looked at the shifting formation.

“Set the inn on fire.”

At those words, Yong Hwarin and Mae Yeongyeong flinched in shock.

Fire was certainly the most effective way to break a formation, but with so many people inside the inn, they didn’t expect her to go that far.

‘So this is how demonic cultivators treat life so lightly.’

Yong Hwarin shuddered at the cruelty of the demonic practitioner.

“Lord, what should we do?”

Mae Yeongyeong still unknowingly called him “Lord.”

“Hm, dispel the formation.”

Mae Yeongyeong knew that if fire was set to the inn, dozens of people would burn to death, so she quietly unraveled the formation.

As the formation dissolved, Soyonghwa smiled faintly.

“Righteous sect bastards really do love playing the hero.”

As the formation disappeared, Yong Hwarin and Mae Yeongyeong were revealed once more.

The guests inside the inn were lying flat on the floor, trembling in fear, terrified that they might be killed amidst the chaos caused by martial artists.

“Are you members of the Muhwa Group?”

The middle-aged man asked Yong Hwarin.

“That’s right.”

Mae Yeongyeong answered in his place.

Creak—

Soyonghwa pulled out a chair and sat down.

“How did you know the royal records were here? That was information only the Sect Leader of the Northern Sea Sect knew.”

“You’re underestimating our tracking skills.”

Mae Yeongyeong responded rather well to the question.

“You think this Young Master is a fool. I already know that the Muhwa Group’s tracking was shaken off. Speak. How did you find out? Depending on your answer, you may live or die.”

Soyonghwa had the composure of someone who believed these two were already rats in a trap.

Mae Yeongyeong spoke.

“First, let the people in the inn leave.”

Soyonghwa shook her head.

“That won’t do. Depending on your answer, the people in the inn may become hostages. Righteous sect scum hate seeing innocent people die the most, don’t they? They’ll even risk their own lives for complete strangers. Personally, I quite enjoy that hypocritical side of theirs.”

Mae Yeongyeong bit her lip.

She realized words wouldn’t be enough to deal with this opponent.

–What do we do?

She asked Yong Hwarin.

Indeed, when righteous sect members fought against demonic practitioners, these moral differences made it extremely difficult to suppress them.

No matter how skilled one was, there was no way to respond effectively to these tactics.

–Leave it to me. I have a plan.

Yong Hwarin knew that the best move in situations like this was to provoke the opponent’s pride.

Soyonghwa was the Little Valley Lord of Dark Echo Valley, one of the pillars of the Three Demonic Heavens. People like her often had stronger pride than even those of the righteous sects.

Wagering one’s life for pride and honor—such a tendency was even more intense among high-ranking demonic practitioners than among the martial artists of Baekdo Murim.

Even if she was a demonic practitioner, someone of that standing would uphold promises for the sake of reputation and dignity.

“I’d like to make a deal.”

When Yong Hwarin stepped forward, Soyonghwa smiled faintly.

“Bold of you. To try and negotiate with me, even as you stand before this Young Master. Don’t you think I could just kill you and take the records?”

Yong Hwarin smiled.

“So the Little Valley Lord thinks I’m a fool.”

Yong Hwarin pulled a book from inside his robe.

Then, he tore out the last page of the Royal Consort Records and ignited it with Samadhi True Fire.

Fwoosh!

The fire, summoned with internal energy, devoured the paper in an instant.

“If you try to take this book by force, I’ll burn it with Samadhi True Fire.”

“Impressive.”

Samadhi True Fire was an ability only possible for those who had surpassed the Master Level.

If someone could unleash Samadhi True Fire, not even Soyonghwa could subdue them within ten seconds.

In that span, the book could very well be reduced to ashes. So, Soyonghwa resolved to endure a little longer.

“Before we talk about the deal, let me ask one thing. How did you know the Royal Consort Records were here?”

Still curious about this part, Soyonghwa pressed the question.

Yong Hwarin already had a prepared answer from the moment he received the question.

“If you think about it, it’s simple. This book is something the Martial Flower Lord devoted a great deal of time to translating. Do you think she would have left it unprotected? She applied Ten-Thousand-League Pursuit Incense to it so it could be tracked no matter who stole it.”

“There’s a flaw in your logic. If that’s true, then why didn’t anyone find it when the Sect Leader of Bukyangmun hid it here?”

“We did chase it all the way to Jinyang County, but we lost the scent when it suddenly started raining today.”

“Ah, so that’s what happened.”

No matter how strong the Ten-Thousand-League Pursuit Incense was, if it rained, all scents were bound to be washed away.

“After that, we investigated the Sect Leader’s trail and came here.”

Soyonghwa’s questioning had been intended to uncover how the Royal Consort Records were found, so she could block that method. Now that she knew Ten-Thousand-League Pursuit Incense was used, she believed removing the scent would be enough to secure it.

Now visibly more composed, Soyonghwa asked quietly.

“Very well, let’s hear your proposal.”

Yong Hwarin held the Royal Consort Records and spoke.

“Isn’t it true that the Little Valley Lord wants to read the part about achieving Sword Unification?”

“That’s right.”

Upon hearing that, Yong Hwarin tore the book in half.

“What are you doing?”

The moment Soyonghwa’s killing intent spread throughout the inn, the people inside, who were pressed flat against the floor, let out groans.

“The part I just tore is the one that details the method for achieving Sword Unification.”

Holding the other half, Yong Hwarin continued.

“This part discusses miscellaneous arts of the Ghost Clan. I will give you the Sword Unification portion, and in return, I want two things.”

“Speak.”

“First, let everyone in this inn go outside and promise not to use any assassins against them.”

“The second condition?”

“After we fight for ten seconds, the winner takes the remaining half. Once ten seconds have passed, you must let us go.”

At those words, Soyonghwa burst into laughter.

“Uahaha! Do you really trust me?”

Yong Hwarin nodded.

“Of course. I don’t believe the Little Valley Lord of Dark Echo Valley would break a promise. You’re not some petty thug—I trust in your dignity. Aren’t you someone who seeks to reign over the Murim? I believe the Little Valley Lord is indeed that kind of person.”

“Haha, well, I don’t know if I should be pleased or offended by your flattery. Still, you certainly have a talent for putting me in a good mood. Fine! I accept your proposal.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man standing behind stepped forward to stop her.

“Little Valley Lord, now is not the time to make such a promise.”

“Oh, Guard Oh! Do you think I can’t last ten seconds against that man?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Silence! This is a matter of honor for the Little Valley Lord of Dark Echo Valley! It’s not your place to speak. If he defeats me, then I must honor the agreement. That is the worth of the name Dark Echo Valley!”

“My apologies.”

Guard Oh stepped back under Soyonghwa’s piercing words.

Yong Hwarin nodded.

‘Indeed. At the very least, the Little Valley Lords of the Three Demonic Heavens don’t act like petty criminals. Those who lead the Demonic Path must possess the charisma and mystique to embrace their followers. That’s what gives them their dignity.’

Not all Demonic Path practitioners were the same.

Even if they were cruel and ruthless, they carried themselves with a different level of dignity compared to ordinary demonic practitioners.

“Very well, throw it. I shall keep my promise!”

“Send them out first.”

“How dare you…”

Guard Oh glared at Yong Hwarin as if he wanted to kill him for leading the situation into their disadvantage.

Soyonghwa gave the command to her subordinates.

“Let them all out!”

The people inside the inn were so terrified they couldn’t even look at the martial artists and trembled in fear.

“Wait! Speak not a word of what you’ve seen and heard here until your dying breath. If you fail to comply, no one who was here will be allowed to live!”

To Soyonghwa’s harsh threat, the people answered in crawling voices.

“Yes, understood…”

Once even the cooks and the Jeomsoi had left the inn, Yong Hwarin handed over the torn half of the Royal Consort Records.

He infused it with internal energy as he threw it.

Yong Hwarin used precisely the strength of one Cycle Completion Stage martial artist.

This was to make Soyonghwa believe that he had reached the Master Level.