Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Kwaaaaaaa—!

The violent killing intent erupting from Youngho’s entire body continued to grow denser.

The sight of Youngho, exuding a presence that could well be called the incarnation of Asura itself, was a calamity in human form.

Youngho grinned.

“I already noticed that the Blood Ghost Hall Master was here.”

“That’s impossible!”

When Hanryeong blurted out as if in a fit, Youngho chuckled lowly.

“Honestly, I had been wondering why you hadn’t attacked me until now, but that question’s been answered.”

Youngho looked at Hanryeong with eyes sunken coldly.

“It was because of the Blood Ghost Hall Master. Outwardly, my martial might is known to be at the very end of the Master Level. Your cowardly caution in pulling in the Blood Ghost Hall Master saved you once.”

Hanryeong had likely contacted Danpung to learn more details about Youngho. At that time, Hanryeong must have realized it.

That Youngho’s martial might was far stronger than what had been known.

In truth, Youngho and Danpung had met during the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering. So Danpung told Hanryeong exactly what she had seen then.

She said it seemed he had entered the Transcendent Peak Master level, but she could not see clearly. And now, Danpung bitterly regretted stepping forward herself.

‘I can’t see anything at all?’

She could not gauge Youngho’s realm whatsoever. No—was Youngho even truly here? His very presence felt faint somehow, repeatedly disrupting her concentration.

‘Could it be the Transformation Realm?!’

If so, it would make sense. The Transformation Realm was that profound a realm. And yet, that was precisely why it made no sense at all.

‘Is it possible to reach the Transformation Realm before even coming of age?’

She did not know. Though she had once been confident in her knowledge, at this moment Danpung’s mind had gone blank, as white as an empty wall.

As her face turned pale without a trace of blood, Youngho smiled coldly.

“Why did you side with that bastard Hanryeong? You wouldn’t have suffered any harm if you had simply stayed out of it.”

“…….”

“You look like a nun on the outside, but you’re nothing more than a fox.”

Youngho’s frigid words pierced Danpung’s body like daggers.

“……You are an existence that will shatter order.”

“I know.”

“So… pardon?”

“I said I know.”

For an instant, Danpung wondered if she had heard him correctly.

“Do you understand what it means to shatter order?”

“Should I explain it in the words of ordinary people? Or tailor it to your philosophy?”

“The latter.”

“Order is exactly what it sounds like. You’re a pathetic wench who clings to strict discipline and believes things must go exactly as you think.”

“What are you—!”

Just as Danpung was about to shout, Youngho unleashed a Lion’s Roar.

“Silence!”

Kuuung—!

A fierce shockwave spread, cracking the pavilion in all directions, causing everyone present to tremble involuntarily.

“What you call order isn’t order—it’s control. All you want is to control and dominate people!”

Youngho looked at Danpung with open contempt, as if staring at filth.

“I want to kill you right now, but I’ll hold back for the moment. Your judgment isn’t mine to pass—it belongs to Master.”

Speaking in a tone as cold as the blade winds of the Northern Sea, Youngho’s ghostly gaze gleamed ominously as he asked,

“Will you surrender?”

“…….”

As if in response, Danpung assumed a stance. Seeing the firm conviction in her eyes, Youngho let out a deep sigh.

“So you insist on taking the troublesome path….”

Boom!

Youngho kicked off the ground powerfully and charged at Danpung like lightning.

“I’ll finish this quickly.”

Kwaang—!

The moment Sword Force and Fist Strike collided, a violent shockwave thundered through the area.

“Cough!”

After exchanging only a single blow, Danpung was helplessly driven back, vomiting a mouthful of dark red blood.

‘W-What is this…?’

Youngho’s refined internal energy was still circulating within her body.

Even now, his internal energy continued to gnaw at her insides, and in order to resist it, she raised her own internal energy to its utmost limit.

Youngho released an overwhelming presence and said,

“At least that’s fortunate. Thanks to the formation you set up to capture me, it seems the others won’t suffer any damage.”

Youngho’s constant sneer caused Danpung’s chest to burn as if set aflame.

After a single exchange, she dropped to her knees, coughing up stagnant blood, yet Hanryeong did not move an inch, as though already a corpse.

Seeing Hanryeong staring at him with bloodless face and unblinking eyes, Youngho openly mocked him.

Like a king gazing down upon his subject from a throne, Youngho looked at Danpung with lofty dignity and said,

“Will you continue?”

“Eek!”

Unable to restrain her rising fury, Danpung launched a lightning-like punch.

Paaang!

With a sharp sound slicing through the air, her fist shot toward Youngho.

Thud—!

Wretch!

But at some point, Youngho had moved. His sword sheath struck Danpung squarely in the pit of her stomach.

“Uweeegh!”

As she vomited blood as though retching up her stomach’s contents, Youngho spoke without a trace of pity.

“If you’re going to continue, stand up.”

The gap between them was undeniable. There was no longer any reason to fight. And more than anything…

Thud.

Before she could even answer, Danpung’s body collapsed limply.

“Tch.”

Youngho clicked his tongue once and then spoke.

“What do you intend to do, First Senior Brother?”

Jeonghyeon stared at Youngho with bloodshot eyes, as if unable to believe the carnage before him.

After regaining a measure of composure, Jeonghyeon drew a deep breath and said,

“I will abstain. I am not so foolish as to fail to know my place.”

“A wise choice.”

At that moment, Youngho’s body silhouette vanished.

Disappearing so swiftly that none present could follow, he reappeared directly before Hanryeong.

Hanryeong’s eyes widened in shock at Youngho’s sudden appearance—but before he could even react, Youngho shattered his dantian.

Boom—!

A thunderous explosion rang within Hanryeong’s body, as though a Lightning Bomb had detonated. Only Hanryeong could hear it.

Coughing up blood, Hanryeong collapsed unconscious.

Youngho brushed off his palms and said,

“It’s over.”

“Are you certain it is acceptable not to kill him?”

At Jeonghyeon’s question, Youngho replied in a tone as if wondering why he fussed over trivialities.

“It’s fine. He won’t be able to use martial arts anymore anyway.”

“You are careless.”

“I merely anticipated Master’s intentions in advance.”

Having finished speaking, Youngho slowly closed his eyes and sensed the surrounding energy.

“At this level, I can just break it.”

Though in time someone would come to dismantle the formation, Youngho had no intention of waiting.

Jet-black Hardened Force gathered along his sword. Just as he was about to swing it down with full force—

Wooooong—!

Within Youngho’s senses, the formation vanished.

“Hmm?”

Jeonghyeon also seemed to feel it and was about to speak to Youngho with a puzzled expression when—

“Why is it so hard just to enter a house?”

A woman looked at Youngho with an irritated expression and said,

“Long time no see.”

“You are…?”

Youngho did not hide his astonished expression.

“Mad Dog?”

“It’s Stench Ghost! No, more importantly, my name is Muyeon, you bastard!”

Muyeon protested indignantly, but Youngho lightly ignored him and said,

“Why are you here?”

Muyeon’s face instantly twisted into a scowl.

“You told me to come!”

“No, at first you acted like you wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to come! But what was I supposed to do when those Demonic Cult bastards kept targeting me?!”

“Ah….”

Thinking back, Youngho remembered that Maeryeong had handed his information over to the Demonic Cult. At the time, Muyeon’s information must have been passed along as well.

Youngho’s face darkened as sudden anger welled up.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just remembered something unpleasant. Anyway, impressive that you’re still alive.”

“Pure luck.”

“I suppose so. When the Demonic Cult moves, dying is the usual outcome.”

“…….”

Muyeon glared at Youngho silently.

“To be honest, that’s true. I’ve got nothing to say.”

Youngho snickered.

“But why are you here?”

“I came because of you. Of course I’d look for you.”

“Oh, so that’s why you came here?”

“Yeah. But what kind of house has such a complicated formation set up?”

“How long did it take you to break it?”

“Didn’t even take half a quarter-hour.”

“As expected of the Mad Dog.”

“It’s Stench Ghost!”

Muyeon let out a deep sigh.

“Anyway, who are those people?”

He gestured at Danpung and Hanryeong lying sprawled carelessly.

“The woman lying there is the Blood Ghost Hall Master. And that guy is my Senior Brother.”

“Ah….”

It made no sense at all. Who would believe that the people lying here were the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance’s disciples and the Blood Ghost Hall Master?

But Youngho did not care.

“Since you made it this far, you already know my identity, right?”

“I found out about the existence of the Flame Dragon not long after you left Luoyang.”

“Rumors sure travel slowly.”

Ignoring Muyeon’s grumbling, Youngho hoisted Hanryeong up.

“Did you greet Master? If you’d given my name, you could’ve met him.”

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

“……If it were you, would you want to have a private conversation with the Alliance Lord?”

“Yes.”

“……Annoying bastard.”

Holding Danpung in his other hand, Youngho gave Jeonghyeon a brief nod.

“We’ll meet again later.”

“……Very well.”

Youngho stepped out of the pavilion with Muyeon, while Jeonghyeon stood for a long while, replaying what had just occurred in that narrow space.

Looking at Jeonghyeon’s face reflected through the pavilion window, Youngho muttered,

“……He might be useful.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Anyway, we’re going to see Master now. If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to.”

“No, I’m coming.”

“You sure?”

“If I go back home, I need to enter with you so I don’t attract suspicion.”

“You sound like you’ve already been there.”

“I have. But they treated me like an enemy and were about to draw their swords at any moment.”

“Oh really? Then come along.”

On the way to Cheonung’s Training Ground, Youngho and Muyeon talked at length.

From the recent state of the Martial World to the growth of Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon.

Muyeon stared at Youngho with amazement, unable to believe that Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon had reached Master Level.

But when he heard that Horyeung had undergone Bone-Marrow Reforging, Muyeon could not hide his shock.

As they chatted idly, the two arrived in front of Cheonung’s Training Ground.

Muyeon’s voice carried unmistakable tension at the thought of soon meeting Youngho’s Master and the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance, Cheonung.

“……Are we going in?”

“No. First, we check your belongings.”

“I’ve got a lot of dangerous stuff.”

“Then take them out for now.”

“What about your sword?”

“I’m a disciple.”

“Bullshit. I know the ecosystem of the Unorthodox Faction better than you think.”

“I’m joking. I got permission.”

Youngho answered indifferently, and Muyeon gradually relaxed at his nonchalance.

“Fifth Young Master. And the person beside you is…?”

“He’s with me.”

“Then, one moment.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the guard immediately began inspecting Muyeon’s belongings.

Before long, the guard found a suspicious item in Muyeon’s sleeve and spoke with a hardened expression.

“What is this?”

“Thousand-Li Tracking Incense.”

“We will hold onto it for now.”

The guard placed the Thousand-Li Tracking Incense into a storage box and continued the inspection.

“And this…?”

“Night Pearl. Isn’t it obvious?”

“I don’t understand why you’re carrying something like this….”

“Everything has its uses.”

Thinking Muyeon one of the more peculiar people he had seen recently, the guard continued searching.

“Ah, those are documents.”

“Why are they inside your clothes…?”

“Oh, that’s poison.”

“Why are you carrying that?!”

“I carry it around normally.”

For nearly half a quarter-hour after that, all sorts of strange items kept emerging from Muyeon’s clothes.

Even Youngho looked exasperated at the guard’s exhausted face.

“Given your profession, I’ll let the documents slide, but why are you carrying a hairpin?”

“Sometimes it becomes a weapon. You wouldn’t understand the heart of the weak, being as strong as you are.”

“Oh really? Then we’re going in for real now.”

“Huh? Hey, wait—!”

Youngho pushed Muyeon in the back with his foot.

Muyeon shot him a resentful glare.

But Youngho paid no mind and followed him into the Training Ground.