Chapter 371: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (12)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 371: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (12)
“I am Gu Cheolun.”
The air in the room grew heavier the moment he spoke.
That simple introduction was all it took.
He hadn't infused his voice with Qi, nor exerted any pressure on the atmosphere. His sheer presence alone dominated the space, and his sharp gaze made everyone feel its weight.
Murmurs rippled through the room as he took his seat at the front.
\- Gu Cheolun… isn’t he the Tiger Warrior?
\- Tiger Warrior? You mean… the Lord of the Gu Clan of Shanxi?
He was the greatest young prodigy of his generation, once hailed as a Heavenly Dragon. He had served as Captain of the now-defunct Heavenly Dragon Army and was now the Lord of the Gu Clan of Shanxi. It was also said he had once been counted among the Hundred Masters of the Central Plains, though that was in the past. Rumor had it he was far weaker now than in his prime.
These days, however, a different title had eclipsed that of the Tiger Warrior. It belonged to a martial artist whose name had spread across the Central Plains and Henan: the Lesser King of Hell, Gu Yangcheon. He was the young prodigy who had helped thwart the ambush at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, and one of the key reasons this gathering of the Orthodox Faction was taking place. Having outgrown the title of 'young prodigy,' he had earned a new one.
The man seated before them was none other than the father of the Lesser King of Hell. Not long ago, he had been better known as the father of the Sword Phoenix, but his son's recent fame had overshadowed even that.
Those who knew a bit about Gu Cheolun whispered among themselves after thinking of the Lesser King of Hell.
\- Like father, like son, huh?
How could a tiger give birth to a dog? It was no surprise—a monster could only sire another monster.
Though some now called him a toothless tiger, a relic hiding away in Shanxi, those who had witnessed Gu Cheolun in his prime thought differently. And now, here he was. Many in the room felt overwhelmed by his presence, even without him using his Qi. For those who remembered his glory days, the weight of his past alone was enough to instill pressure.
It was Tang Cheongi who finally broke the silence following Gu Cheolun’s introduction.
“It has been a while.”
Decades had passed since they last met.
Afterward, Moyong Tae, wearing a clearly dissatisfied expression, cautiously introduced himself.
“…Good to see you.”
Moyong Tae obviously wasn’t fond of Gu Cheolun. It had been like this ever since their youth. As fellow Young Prodigies, they had crossed paths often, even clashing during Moyong Tae's days as the White Dragon. The Dragons and Phoenixes tournament had existed back then, too. But Moyong Tae had long buried those memories; his loss had been so humiliating he preferred to forget it altogether. To make matters worse, his older sister had pursued Gu Cheolun after falling for him, which only deepened Moyong Tae's discomfort.
Because of that,
…Like father, like son.
The thought made Moyong Tae feel as if his insides were set aflame.
For the sake of his precious daughter, he restrained himself, but he had no intention of forgiving the bastard known as the Lesser King of Hell.
I might have let it slide if it had only been about my daughter,
But according to the rumors, the boy had many girls around him. Hearing this infuriated Moyong Tae, but he forced himself to stay calm. No matter what he heard, he needed to see the truth with his own eyes.
Truthfully, Moyong Tae’s opinion had wavered slightly after meeting the 'rotten bastard' for one simple reason: despite his average looks and the Gu Clan's characteristically fierce expression, which made him seem somewhat intimidating, an astounding number of beautiful girls surrounded him.
And yet, my perfect, precious daughter is infatuated with someone like him?
Something was wrong. Moyong Tae was sure of it.
There was one explanation for his daughter's obsession: her unique condition, which only the Lesser King of Hell seemed capable of curing. Moyong Tae didn’t know how the boy managed it, but the truth had been confirmed when he sent the Moyong Clan’s Elders and doctors to investigate. This was why he held back. He could endure it, even as his daughter fell for the scoundrel in the process. As long as she could be saved or find happiness, he was willing to endure anything.
And truthfully,
She’s happy.
It had been so long since he had last seen his daughter truly happy, and even longer since he had seen her smile so radiantly. He believed this was the right path. This is why he held himself back against the Lesser King of Hell.
He had heard the bastard was engaged to another girl, but his daughter had told him he planned to break it off for her. After hearing this, Moyong Tae was even willing to help with the engagement, as the Moyong Clan would soon be allied with the Gu Clan regardless. Everything he did was for his daughter. Having lost his wife, Moyong Tae saw his daughter as his entire world.
However,
…He had other women around him besides my daughter?
The very thought made him grit his teeth. He’d seen it clearly back then. The girls sitting around the table where Moyong Hi-ah was seated…
It was full of girls.
And every single one was just as beautiful as his daughter. Though Moyong Tae believed his daughter was the best, he had to admit the others were stunningly beautiful as well. Those girls had their eyes fixed on the door, as if eagerly awaiting the Lesser King of Hell.
Among them, one girl in particular caught Moyong Tae’s attention: a lady with bluish-white hair and blue eyes. Her posture and attire alone made it clear she was a blood relative of the Namgung Clan. To Moyong Tae’s knowledge, the Namgung Clan had only one daughter, known as the Sword Dancer. As the rumors claimed, she was strikingly beautiful and had achieved an impressive level in martial arts, but none of that mattered to Moyong Tae. The Sword Dancer was engaged to the Lesser King of Hell, and from what Moyong Tae observed, their relationship seemed much better than his daughter had described.
This meant,
He has no intention of breaking off his engagement. He’s just toying with my daughter.
Crack.
Moyong Tae clenched his fist tightly. If the table hadn’t been made of stone, it would have shattered instantly.
Did he fool me back then too?
He was reminded of their first meeting on the street. The Lesser King of Hell had guided him when Moyong Tae asked for directions. Moyong Tae hadn't known who he was then, but the bastard had responded as if oblivious to the fact the story was about himself. He’d even gone so far as to suggest Moyong Tae break the bastard's arms and legs.
He toyed with me the entire time, knowing exactly what was going on.
Moyong Tae was certain. The bastard had insulted him.
He briefly wondered if his judgment was clouded by bias, but dismissed the thought immediately. He had never been fond of that bastard's Clan.
Once this meeting is over…
Moyong Tae planned to visit the Lesser King of Hell afterward. His daughter had begged him not to, insisting she would handle it herself, but Moyong Tae could no longer restrain himself. He had no plans to kill him—as tempting as the thought was, it simply wasn’t an option. Instead, he planned to 'fix' that bastard's brain as a 'Senior,' though the process might involve some violence.
As Moyong Tae sheathed his sword in his mind, trying to cool his emotions, a voice spoke—one belonging to someone he despised even more than Gu Cheolun or the Lesser King of Hell. It was the Dao King, Peng Jeowoo.
“It’s been quite some time since we last gathered. Why don’t we discuss a rumor I’ve recently heard?”
“With all due respect, I’ve heard your son has been making quite a name for himself lately.”
Moyong Tae wondered what rumor Peng Jeowoo was referring to, though it was unsurprising that it involved the Lesser King of Hell.
“You must be proud to have a son like him, no?”
Peng Jeowoo smiled as he spoke, but Gu Cheolun turned his head and fixed him with a piercing stare. His fierce gaze made his expression appear icily sharp.
“He simply did well.”
Gu Cheolun replied in an indifferent tone, as though entirely unbothered.
Peng Jeowoo’s eyebrows twitched slightly, as if unsatisfied. Undeterred, he pressed on.
“Surely he has some powerful backing. After all, he’s still just a child.”
Tang Cheongi and Moyong Tae immediately recognized the intent behind Peng Jeowoo’s words. Though the Lesser King of Hell was currently the talk of the martial world, the title of the greatest Young Prodigy and the Heavenly Dragon of this generation belonged to none other than the Young Lord of the Peng Clan, Peng Woojin. Peng Jeowoo was trying to elevate the Gu Clan's image while ensuring his own clan maintained the higher position.
In such conversations, both sides usually walked away with some satisfaction. But Gu Cheolun broke the norm with an unexpected response, his gaze locked on Peng Jeowoo.
“The clan did nothing for him. Everything he has, he earned on his own. I contributed nothing to his success, nor did the clan.”
His tone was deadly serious. Those around him couldn’t help but marvel at how decisively he ended the conversation, leaving Peng Jeowoo in an embarrassing situation. As expected, Peng Jeowoo’s expression darkened.
Tang Cheongi observed this and sighed inwardly.
That thick-headed brute hasn’t changed a bit, even at his age.
Everyone was being respectful to each other as Lords, but from time to time, Peng Jeowoo showed how dumb he really was.
He wasn’t this bad the last time we met.
Even back then, Peng Jeowoo’s mind seemed more muscle than intellect, but it appeared to have worsened over the years—so much so that Tang Cheongi wondered if Peng Jeowoo had sacrificed his brain for his talent in martial arts. To be precise, this behavior had grown worse ever since his son, Peng Woojin, began making a name for himself.
Regardless of the topic, it was clear this conversation was heading toward a fight if left unchecked. Just as Tang Cheongi was preparing to intervene, Peng Jeowoo spoke again.
“Congratulations, if that’s really the case… but isn’t it odd? I could have sworn things weren’t like this in the past.”
Thud.
The atmosphere in the room sank. He was referring to when the Peng and Gu Clans broke their engagement.
“People outgrow their immaturity with age, and I’m glad to see it. Your son seems to have matured into a better man.”
Everyone was well aware of how the Lesser King of Hell had broken off the engagement by speaking harshly to the Peng Clan’s daughter.
“Perhaps he deeply regrets his past mistakes, as he seems to be doing well with another girl now. It’s nice to see.”
Flinch.
It wasn’t Gu Cheolun who reacted, but Tang Cheongi and Moyong Tae. Peng Jeowoo was crossing a line. His comments veiled references to rumors of the Lesser King of Hell’s supposed lustful nature—a 'hero who was fond of beauty,' surrounded by many girls, including the daughters of Tang Cheongi and Moyong Tae. Peng Jeowoo had brought up the one topic everyone else had been carefully avoiding.
“A man with talent is bound to have many girls around him… It just goes to show how remarkable your so—”
“Lord of Peng. How about you stop there.”
Moyong Tae spoke, unable to hold back any longer.
“Can you really afford to go on any further?”
“Why wouldn’t I? I’m not saying anything inappropriate.”
Moyong Tae felt a wave of disgust as Peng Jeowoo responded with a smug smile.
“Ah, now that I think about it, your daughter is the renowned Snow Phoenix. I hear she’s quite the talent.”
“Lord of Peng.”
“It makes sense, doesn’t it? People gravitate toward those of similar caliber. That must be why the Snow Phoenix is with the Lesser King of Hell.”
Moyong Tae’s expression hardened with every word.
“And the Tang Clan’s Poison Phoenix too… such a shame. If our clan’s engagement with him hadn’t been broken, then—”
Just as Moyong Tae, consumed by anger, was about to rise from his seat,
“You’re being loud.”
Swoosh…
The room fell silent at the sound of those few, cold words. The tone was dense and frigid.
Peng Jeowoo froze momentarily before responding.
“…What did you just say?”
It was Gu Cheolun who had spoken. He calmly sipped his tea, ignoring the question.
Peng Jeowoo’s tone sharpened, anger seeping into his voice.
“I asked you—what did you just say?”
Gu Cheolun finally turned his gaze back to him, unperturbed.
“I said that you are being loud.”
“Are you addressing me right now?”
“You’re the only one making noise in this room. Is there someone else I should be addressing?”
Gu Cheolun spoke as if it were obvious.
“Lord of Gu…!”
Peng Jeowoo shot to his feet, his anger flaring. More accurately, he tried to.
Slam-!
“…!”
In the end, Peng Jeowoo couldn’t stand. Gu Cheolun had stopped him, his hand pressing firmly down on Peng Jeowoo’s shoulder.
“Wha…”
Shock spread across Peng Jeowoo’s face. Gu Cheolun had a fairly large physique, but it wasn't comparable to Peng Jeowoo's. The Peng Clan was renowned throughout the Central Plains for their unmatched physical strength. Yet, Gu Cheolun effortlessly held him down.
Gu Cheolun addressed the stunned Peng Jeowoo.
“Peng Jeowoo.”
“…!”
“It seems you’ve forgotten the lesson I taught you in the past.”
Gu Cheolun’s expression remained unchanged, his voice calm, yet he now addressed him by name.
“How dare…!”
\- I clearly told you not to bark.
Gu Cheolun spoke to him telepathically.
\- Even at your age, it seems you haven’t outgrown that pathetic habit.
“…You bastard…”
Peng Jeowoo strained to stand, but the crushing weight on his shoulder pinned him in place. He couldn’t comprehend how this was happening. Rumors claimed the Tiger Warrior’s prime was long behind him.
\- Do you wish to relive your past humiliation, even now as a Lord?
The words dragged Peng Jeowoo back to his youth, when he had visited Gu Cheolun, then the Heavenly Dragon. That day, Peng Jeowoo had insulted Gu Cheolun’s grandfather, and Gu Cheolun hadn’t uttered a word in return. Instead, he had responded with his body, showing Peng Jeowoo what it meant to hit an unyielding wall. The molar Peng Jeowoo lost that day never grew back; Gu Cheolun had used his flames to sear shut the hole after extracting it. It remained one of the most humiliating memories of his life.
Craaack.
Furious, Peng Jeowoo tried once more to rise, but Gu Cheolun’s arm remained immovable. Instead, his grasp grew stronger.
\- Peng Jeowoo.
“Ugh…”
His voice dripped with killing intent, emotion held behind a quiet tone meant for Peng Jeowoo alone.
\- You shouldn’t try something you can’t handle. Have you not realized yet?
Just as Peng Jeowoo was about to unleash his Qi, unable to restrain himself any longer,
\- If you use that now,
\- Your son will inherit the title of Lord of Peng… effective immediately.
Peng Jeowoo’s entire body stiffened as if turned to stone. His son becoming the Lord meant Gu Cheolun was going to kill him right there.
\- Is that what you want?
“…”
Peng Jeowoo thought. Did Gu Cheolun really believe he could get away with killing him within the Murim Alliance’s territory? As the thought passed through his mind, he clenched his fists and ground his teeth. He was already certain he would lose. His seething Combat Qi, his unrelenting pride, his desperate need to break free from his humiliating past… many things urged him to stand, but in the end, he didn’t let his pride take control.
“…”
Peng Jeowoo loosened his body. He gave up.
After confirming this, Gu Cheolun immediately retrieved his hand and resumed sipping his tea as though nothing had happened. But Moyong Tae and Tang Cheongi understood what had occurred in that brief moment. Peng Jeowoo’s deeply humiliated expression was far too obvious to miss.
As the Lords wondered how to lift the mood,
Slide.
The entrance door slid open, and someone stepped inside: a middle-aged man with bluish-white hair, wearing a blue outfit. He was the last Lord of the Four Noble Clans to arrive—Namgung Jin, the Azure Heavenly Sword of the Namgung Clan.
“Oh, it seems like I’m the la- “
Namgung Jin’s cheerful demeanor faltered, his brows furrowing as he stepped into the stifling atmosphere. Noticing the mood, he broke the silence.
“Well, how should I put this? It feels as though someone’s just been scolded in here.”
Namgung Jin said this as a joke, but there wasn’t anyone who denied his words.