Chapter 419 : Eum Sajeok in Peril

Chapter 419: Eum Sajeok in Peril

By the timing of it, Third Young Master’s body should have already exploded.

However, the explosion was delayed—suppressed by the Third Young Master’s own martial prowess overwhelming the Explosive Phosphorus Palm.

Yet because that same Third Young Master was now in close combat with the masked woman, Jong Seok had stepped in to help her.

If he didn’t, the masked woman could also get caught in the blast and be injured.

Fortunately, Elder Masa, having recovered from his internal injuries, joined in to prevent the Third Young Master from getting any closer to the masked woman.

Jong Seok, aiming to separate them from her, gathered the Black Death God Light Poison Technique into both hands and hurled it toward the Second and Third Young Masters.

“Hurgh!”

Knowing that the Black Death God Light Poison Technique was no trivial poison art, the Second and Third Young Masters quickly leapt back.

And just as the Second Young Master stood beside the Third, the latter suddenly turned his head toward him.

“Second Brother!”

Startled by the urgent tone in the Third Young Master’s voice, the Second Young Master looked at him.

“Get... get awa—!”

BOOM!

Before he could finish his sentence, the Third Young Master’s body exploded and engulfed the Second Young Master.

But by then, Jong Seok had already noticed the abnormal signs in the Third Young Master’s body and sent a telepathic warning to both of them.

The three had already retreated ten jang away by the time the Third Young Master’s body exploded.

A grief-stricken cry rang out belatedly.

“Aaaaargh!”

The explosion of the Third Young Master blew off the right ribcage of the Second Young Master.

Since no one had expected the Third Young Master to self-detonate, the Second Young Master hadn’t even raised his protective energy.

“Ta-hat!”

The masked woman didn’t miss the opportunity—she let out a light warcry and extended her body forward in a fluid leap.

“That’s...!”

As Masa gasped, Jong Seok answered,

“Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Step.”

He couldn’t possibly not know—it was a movement art often used by his sworn brother, Yong Hwarin.

“She’s not only using the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, but also the Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Step...”

Closing in with the Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Step, the masked woman unleashed Rising Dragon Movement, striking the Second Young Master in the neck, who couldn’t move due to his overwhelmed qi.

“Even Rising Dragon Movement...?”

The two looked at each other, fixating their attention on the masked woman.

Those three martial arts were all representative techniques of the Heavenly Central Sect.

In short, no one outside of the sect should be able to use them.

And if she were truly from the Heavenly Central Sect, there’d be no reason to wear a mask.

Masa, scanning the battlefield littered with flesh and limbs, muttered,

“Still... Young Master Jong’s Black Death God Light Poison Technique is terrifyingly strong. To take care of both of those masters at once…”

Not one to give compliments easily, Masa’s praise filled Jong Seok with pride.

“This technique, once mastered, allows me to control the detonation timing myself.”

“Good heavens. If that’s true, then the Black Death God Light Poison Technique deserves to sit atop the poison arts. No—among all martial arts, it might even be in the top five.”

As he spoke, Masa noticed Jong Seok’s injuries and scolded him.

“But your wounds are deep. What will you say to Young Master Yong if something happens to you? I’ll check the inner treatment hall. You should go and get treated first. She’ll probably go with you, so don’t worry.”

At Masa’s words, the masked woman nodded.

Jong Seok believed the two of them could handle any enemies still left inside and made his way to where Hong Ayul was.

Sure enough, not long after the two entered the medical wing, a scream rang out.

Soon after, Masa came out carrying Dong-oh on his back, followed by the masked man and woman.

One of the Three Jade Elders, once proudly proclaimed by Young Master Il, had met his end in an unremarkable treatment hall.

The masked man, who had fought inside against the First Young Master, bore wounds all over his body.

The intensity of that battle with the First Young Master was evident without words.

As Masa set Dong-oh down to one side, his eyes caught the emblem engraved on the lower hems of the masked man and woman’s black clothing.

He hadn’t noticed during the heat of battle, but now that there was a moment of calm, it was visible.

‘A white emblem... of the Demon King.’

It was the mark of a Demon King with two horns on either side of the head—colored white.

‘White-Faced Demon King. So they’re from one of the so-called Three Secrets of Murim...’

In Murim, there had long existed three sects known as the Three Secrets of Murim for their mysterious movements and origins.

One was the Ihwa Palace, another was Poison Valley, which had recently clashed with the Greatest Sword Under Heaven.

The last was the mysterious sect bearing the emblem of the White-Faced Demon King, whose affiliation—orthodox or unorthodox—was unknown.

‘But for them to use the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword... Something’s not right. Could there be a connection between the White-Faced Demon King sect and the Heavenly Central Sect?’

Unable to draw a firm conclusion, Masa kept silent despite recognizing the emblem.

“We’ve suffered considerable damage ourselves.”

Deung Hwaun was unconscious, and Jong Seok was heavily injured.

Masa bowed his head to the masked man.

“Had it not been for you two, we would have died in their place. You’ve granted us a great debt of life. May I ask your names?”

The masked man shook his head at Masa’s question.

“I’m sorry.”

Though curiosity burned in him, Masa didn’t press further—he couldn’t bring himself to demand answers from those who had saved their lives.

No, there was no need to hear their answer.

Masa realized who the masked man was only after hearing his voice.

‘So he was the White-Faced Demon King…….’

The two masked figures approached Deung Hwaun and handed over several medicines.

They were Golden Wound Medicine and other remedies good for sword injuries.

There were even rare medicines for treating internal injuries.

“Thank you.”

The two masked figures nodded in response and disappeared from the scene.

“Strange people. But using the martial arts of the Heavenly Central Sect… that is odd.”

Masa thought their identity might raise questions and thus kept secret the fact that they belonged to the Three Secrets of Murim.

‘I should let Young Master Yong know about this later.’

While treating Jong Seok, Hong Ahyul spoke.

“Thank you.”

Jong Seok turned his head at her unexpected words.

“What do you mean?”

“You saved Lady Deung, didn’t you?”

“Ah, but why would Miss Hong thank me for that? Lady Deung is a member of the Heavenly Central Sect. She's like family to us.”

Hong Ahyul blushed at those words.

Now that she thought about it, she wasn’t in a position to thank Jong Seok.

Seeing this, Masa looked at Hong Ahyul.

‘Did Miss Hong perhaps catch on?’

Otherwise, her words would be hard to understand.

‘No, probably not. Something must have happened during the fight.’

Afterward, seeing Hong Ahyul's expression unchanged, Masa averted his gaze.

“We must leave here quickly. Now that they're dead, the Heavenly Demon Sect will not stay silent. It's best we return to the Heavenly Central Sect at once.”

Masa stood up, carrying Deung Hwaun in his arms. Jong Seok also carried Dong-oh on his back.

Hong Ahyul looked at the unconscious Deung Hwaun and Dong-oh with a pitiful gaze.

“Say that again. Did you just say you and Young Master Eum shared a chamber?”

At Hyang Byeok’s words, Hyang Uun made a flustered expression.

She found it odd that her father, who knew of her promiscuity well, was so surprised.

“Well, Father, you’ve always told me to claim one of the three successors for myself, so…”

She tried to excuse herself, but Hyang Byeok was already lost in thought.

“Father, what’s wrong?”

Hyang Byeok looked as if he was about to say something, but shook his head.

‘No… if I tell my daughter, things might get tangled. Who should I consult?’

Resolving to first confirm his own hypothesis, Hyang Byeok stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“There’s something I need to ask Young Master Il.”

As Hyang Byeok hurried out of the room, Hyang Uun tilted her head.

“What’s the big deal? Is it really that strange that I shared a chamber with the Third Young Master?”

Not knowing what was going on, Hyang Uun squirmed at the thought of her hot night with Eum Sajeok.

*

Visiting Yang Gwak, Hyang Byeok asked in a businesslike tone.

“I have a few questions regarding the report.”

As the head of Unmil Pavilion, which managed information within the Heavenly Demon Sect, Hyang Byeok sometimes investigated past missions for public records.

Knowing this, Yang Gwak responded earnestly.

“Please ask.”

Hyang Byeok began with questions about the Great Young Master to avoid suspicion.

“Where was the Great Young Master when the Twelve Masters of the Absolute Peak Swords were attacked?”

Thinking Hyang Byeok was investigating Ok Girin’s faults, Yang Gwak eagerly answered to diminish his standing.

“I see. And what martial arts did the Third Young Master use in the cave?”

He asked casually, and Yang Gwak replied after some thought.

“He used swordsmanship.”

“Swordsmanship?”

Hyang Byeok found it odd that Eum Sajeok used swordsmanship in a life-or-death battle against Blood Demon Castle experts in the cave.

‘Young Master Eum’s known specialty is Yin Spirit Cold Ice Art. A remarkably powerful Yin Art. He’s made significant progress in that, so why would he suddenly use swordsmanship he hasn’t practiced?’

Even as Yang Gwak criticized the Great Young Master, Hyang Byeok was lost in thought.

‘Moreover, that Yin Spirit Cold Ice Art is a Dual-Mind Inner Art—he can only perform intercourse with women who possess a strong Yin nature. Otherwise, he’d fall into qi deviation. But my daughter doesn’t have strong Yin qi. Yet he supposedly shared a bed with her?’

No matter how reckless his daughter was, she wouldn’t go around bragging about having a night with someone she didn’t sleep with.

‘Suspicious. This needs to be investigated. The martial art he used in an emergency wasn’t his usual one, and he supposedly shared a bed with a woman who lacks strong Yin qi. Something’s off.’

His long-honed instincts as the head of Unmil Pavilion were sounding an alarm.

‘Eum Sajeok might not be Eum Sajeok.’

The moment that thought struck him, he realized he couldn’t keep it to himself.

‘I must inform Lord Yi Taegong, who holds Eum Sajeok in high regard.’

Even though Yang Gwak was rambling about Ok Girin's faults, none of it mattered to Hyang Byeok now.

*

“What brings you here?”

Yi Taegong asked, surprised by Hyang Byeok’s rare personal visit.

Normally, the head of Unmil Pavilion would send messages through subordinates rather than come in person.

“It’s regarding the recently returned Young Master Eum.”

“Did something happen to the Third Disciple?”

Yi Taegong asked indifferently.

“It seems… Young Master Eum has changed quite a bit.”

Yi Taegong frowned at those words.

It was an extremely dangerous thing to say.

“Changed? I didn’t sense any change when he came to greet me. No, aside from the fact that he’s made significant progress after his departure.”

Yi Taegong assumed Hyang Byeok was just envious of Eum Sajeok’s advancement.

“I mean, the person himself seems to have changed.”

Yi Taegong asked in a grave tone.

“Do you understand the weight of what you’re saying?”

“I do. That’s precisely why I’m reporting this in person.”

“Go on. Tell me what made you think that way. But if your reasons are baseless, you’ll be punished.”