Chapter 187
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: The Inhuman Path (1)
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“I am late in greeting my benefactor. My name is Yeo Sangrin.”
Her skin was so pale that it was difficult to read her complexion. However, the faint flush of color on her lips suggested her condition wasn't poor.
“I heard the general situation from my brother. I don't know how I can ever repay this kindness.”
Seo Ryang shook his head.
“It was a transaction, so you don't need to worry too much about it.”
His informal tone was blunt, yet it didn't feel offensive.
Straightening her back, she looked at Seo Ryang.
‘He’s huge.’
His already large frame seemed two, even three times bigger than it actually was.
It was because of the presence he exuded. Even though his body was not in a normal state, the aura emanating from him was as heavy as a great mountain.
A peculiar light entered Yeo Sangrin’s eyes.
‘The martial arts of a grandmaster. The Heavenly Plane.’
In the Northern Sea, the Heavenly Plane was a state equivalent to the Central Plains' Hwagyeong or the Pinnacle of Demonic Arts. The names were different, but when one reached the apex, things became similar; the saying that all paths lead to one didn't come from nowhere.
She did not hide her feelings.
“You are incredible. You appear to be around the same age as my brother, yet you have already attained the Heavenly Plane, no, the Pinnacle of Demonic Arts.”
Standing to one side, Yeo Ganghui let out a dry cough. Though famed as the foremost talent of the Northern Sea, he was still somewhat lacking compared to Seo Ryang.
“It just sort of happened. But let's put that aside.”
Seo Ryang gazed at Yeo Sangrin with narrowed eyes.
Yeo Sangrin felt a strange sense of tension.
“You’ve learned a rather fascinating martial art.”
“Pardon?”
“I was in too much of a rush back then to notice. It's certainly a formidable art… but it feels somehow incomplete.”
Yeo Ganghui remained composed, but Yeo Sangrin was startled.
Even if one reached the Heavenly Plane, it was impossible to see through the martial art she practiced without being well-versed in the Northern Sea's martial studies. To be precise, one couldn't discern the characteristics of the art.
A chill ran down her spine at his sharp insight.
“You can see even that?”
“Well, just a bit.”
Seo Ryang shrugged.
“In any case, you should rest more. It seems those Beast Palace bastards messed with your upper dantian quite a bit. Unlike the other dantians, the upper one is prone to causing trouble. If you don't rest properly, it can suddenly collapse even when you feel fine.”
Seo Ryang turned around.
“Rest.”
With that, Seo Ryang left the room.
Yeo Ganghui glanced at Yeo Sangrin.
“Just as the Third Young Master said, you should get more rest. You mentioned you've been sleeping less lately.”
“Brother.”
“Yes?”
“Did the Third Young Master also see through your Glass Potential Grand Art?”
Yeo Ganghui silently nodded.
Yeo Sangrin found herself shaking her head.
“He truly is a remarkable person.”
“It’s not just that his martial arts are strong. His insight, which penetrates the very essence of martial studies, is on another level. It’s a mystery how someone not yet thirty could possess such knowledge and perception.”
“I know what you mean.”
Yeo Sangrin sighed.
“I’m sorry.”
“What do you have to be sorry for?”
“You pushed yourself too hard because of me.”
Yeo Ganghui shook his head.
“It was to save my own flesh and blood. It was something I had to do.”
“There was a lot of talk in the palace, wasn't there?”
“Of course.”
Yeo Ganghui didn't try to comfort her with sugar-coated words. She would find out eventually anyway, and he knew his sister was much stronger than she looked.
“But it’s fine. We were bound to take a different path from the Three Palaces anyway. It’s not something I should say as the Young Lord of the Ice Palace, but facing them alone would be difficult.”
“That’s true.”
“In many ways, joining hands with the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon was the best option. Besides, I rescued you safely, didn't I? You could say things worked out well.”
“…”
“Why? Is something bothering you?”
“Brother.”
“Yes?”
“Did you also tell the Third Young Master the truth about the Glass Potential Grand Art?”
Yeo Ganghui shook his head.
“I did not.”
“You should.”
Yeo Sangrin’s expression was incredibly serious.
“If even half the rumors are true, I believe the Divine Cult is a group we should never ally with. But you, brother, joined hands with the Third Young Master as an individual before forging a pact with the Cult. Since things have come to this, I think it’s best to solidify that relationship.”
“…There’s something I need to discuss with you about that as well.”
“Pardon?”
A complex expression crossed Yeo Ganghui’s face.
* * *
“You summoned me.”
“Yes.”
Seo Ryang took a letter from his robes and handed it to Jang Chu.
A look of confusion appeared on Jang Chu’s face.
“What is this?”
“Return to the Cult first. And give this letter to the Grand Marshal.”
“The Grand Marshal, you say?”
“That’s right.”
Not the Cult Leader, but the Grand Marshal.
Jang Chu was curious about the reason but didn't ask. Though they hadn't spoken much, he was fully aware of how incredible a person the Third Young Master was.
However.
“Will you be alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“Forgive my impertinence, but the Third Young Master’s condition is not yet normal. Of course, renowned masters are serving as your guard, but I believe this is a time when every single demonic practitioner is needed.”
Seo Ryang smiled.
“Thank you, but I don’t plan on overexerting myself, so don’t worry too much.”
With him saying this much, there was nothing more to be done. Jang Chu bowed his head.
“Then I will return to the Cult first. I pray for your well-being until we meet again.”
*Fwoosh!*
After leaving the estate, Jang Chu instantly vanished into a dot in the distance.
Seo Ryang stretched widely.
“Ugh, this is nice.”
The group had descended from the mountain and settled in an estate where Yeo Sangrin was staying.
Surprisingly, the estate was large enough to accommodate at least five hundred people. It was built in the Central Plains style, a rare sight in the Yunnan region, resembling a house built by a retired official to spend his later years.
This estate belonged to the Lower Five Gates. The building, constructed in a moderately dry area, was also a suitable place for a patient to reside.
“The Lower Five Gates are certainly capable.”
In the spacious rear garden, Seo Ryang leaned against a large tree and sat in a cross-legged position.
A moment later.
“Mm, good. It’s fast.”
With his three dantians realigned, his demonic energy had grown vigorous in just a few days. He estimated it would take about three days to recover all his internal energy, and the healing speed of his internal injuries would also increase.
Seo Ryang’s eyes gleamed.
‘I should recover a bit and then return to the Cult. But before that, I need to deal with Dang Jeon.’
Dang Jeon was currently being guarded by the Berserk Demon Unit. With his dantian sealed and his mind unconscious, he wasn't a threat, but they couldn't keep him with them forever.
‘It’s difficult to put him in the Thunder Prison.’
The Cult’s Thunder Prison already held Dang Gyeong, Lord of the Poison Dragon Pavilion. Throwing the Lord of the Dang House in there as well would complicate matters in many ways.
Of course, it was possible to put him in without anyone knowing. The problem would be when it was time to take the imprisoned Dang Jeon out later.
It was better not to do anything that could become a problem.
‘But it’s not like I can entrust him to just anyone.’
As Seo Ryang pondered, his lips twitched.
A short while later, Ma Dongpil arrived. He was drenched in sweat, seemingly in the middle of training.
“You called for me?”
“Ah, were you training? My apologies.”
“Please don’t mention it. Is there something you need?”
“Yes, since I’m already apologizing, let me be a bit more sorry. Call the person in charge of the Lower Five Gates here.”
Ma Dongpil bowed his head.
“I will bring them at once.”
A faint smile graced Seo Ryang’s lips as he watched Ma Dongpil hurry away.
‘That kid has grown a lot too.’
Thinking back, his first impression of Ma Dongpil hadn't been very good.
Of course, that was entirely because Seo Ryang himself had lacked any peace of mind.
While he was struggling to escape the Cult, the Cult Leader had sent him to the Solitary Bamboo Forest. Naturally, his impression of Ma Dongpil, whom he met there, couldn't have been good.
Now, that same person had become a comrade who had shared life-and-death situations with him, and was now his personal guard. Comparing the Ma Dongpil of then to the Ma Dongpil of now, it was as if he had become a different person.
His status, his martial arts, his personality.
And himself as well.
‘You will walk an even more difficult path from now on. Don’t be satisfied with where you are; strive for a higher realm.’
How much time had passed?
Ma Dongpil returned with a man. He was a middle-aged man of medium height with a sturdy build and resolute eyes.
“You summoned me.”
“Yes.”
Seo Ryang’s eyes flashed.
A sharp light glinted in his eyes as he observed the man. But the man remained composed, his head bowed.
“I was told you have a branch in Guangxi as well, correct?”
“That is correct.”
“Is the branch secure?”
It was a question that could easily arouse curiosity about his intentions. But the man showed no such sign.
“It is.”
“And well-hidden?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to entrust a person to you there. Would that be acceptable?”
The man replied in a flat voice.
“It would. However, you will be required to bear the full cost, which will depend on who we are to take in, their condition, their standing in the martial world, and finally, the duration of their stay.”
Ma Dongpil’s eyebrows twitched. He wasn't particularly pleased with the man’s excessively rigid tone.
Seo Ryang nodded.
“I intend to entrust the Lord of the Dang House to you.”
“…”
“There is no set time limit. It could be a month, a year, or even longer.”
The man’s eyes deepened.
“By the Lord of the Dang House, are you referring to Dang Jeon, the patriarch of the Sichuan Dang House?”
“Yes.”
“I must apologize, but a figure of that magnitude is a great burden even for us. The Lord of the Dang House, in particular, would be classified as a top-priority case, and should the Righteous Heaven Alliance discover this, our Lower Five Gates would suffer astronomical losses.”
It was the expected response.
The former Vice Gate Lord Sang Baek had said something similar. Handing over information on the Dang House was a great risk, and he wouldn't provide it no matter the price.
If Seo Ryang hadn't given him the transcribed copy of the ledger managed by the Red Assassins' Tower, he would have refused to give up the information even if it cost him his head.
If even providing information was considered a burden, a request to imprison the Lord of the Dang House was on another level. It was only natural for him to say it was impossible.
But surprisingly, the man did not express refusal.
“Therefore, you must pay a corresponding price.”
“Oh?”
Seo Ryang looked at the man, surprised.
“So as long as the price is paid, it can be done?”
“That is correct.”
“Are you not afraid of the consequences?”
“We have grown to this point through transactions. Once a deal is made, we simply do our utmost to ensure that the deal is fulfilled.”
“So the problem is in making the decision, but you’ve already made yours. As long as the price is paid, you can hide him at any time.”
“That is correct.”
Seo Ryang smiled.
“It can’t be easy to approve such a major issue on your own. I’m curious about your identity. May I ask?”
Surprisingly, the man answered frankly, as if it were no problem at all.
“My name is Gong Yachi. I am the current Young Gate Lord of the Lower Five Gates, and I also serve as the Third Gate Lord.”
“…!”
For once, even Seo Ryang couldn't hide his surprise. He had thought the man was of no ordinary status, but he never imagined he would be the Young Lord of the Lower Five Gates.
Ma Dongpil, too, looked at the man with an uncharacteristically startled expression.
“Someone like the Young Gate Lord of the Lower Five Gates was in Yunnan?”
“I was originally active in Sichuan, but I came to Yunnan fifteen days ago to temporarily oversee matters here.”
“Temporary or not, it’s not often that someone of the Young Gate Lord’s stature comes to a remote place like this.”
“…”
“Is it because of me?”
“That is correct.”
The man, Gong Yachi, did not hide himself.
“I came here to see the Third Young Master.”