Chapter 15 - The Jeonga Clan
“Jeonga!”
“Ugh……”
At the appearance of the Jeonga clan, most of the people lining the official road showed fear and hurriedly retreated to the roadside. Tension settled on the face of Yun Hoe, the battle-hardened veteran.
The Jeonga Clan. One of the Eight Great Families of the White Night Cartel, the clan of the War Ghosts who dominated the South Sea Archipelago. The air around them grew chillingly cold as they approached.
They slowly drew near and positioned their carriage right beside the one Yeon-hoo was riding. Though the path had cleared enough for them to move closer to the checkpoint, no one advanced further. This left the carriages of the two clans standing side by side.
Yeon-hoo stared at the window of his carriage. Through the half-open pane, he caught a glimpse of two profiles: a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties and a handsome youth in his mid-twenties. The aura emanating from them was sharpness incarnate—like what a sword made human might feel like.
Jeonga was the one place all Eight Great Families both feared and avoided most. Their swordsmanship was renowned as the strongest in history… Even ghosts would fight, but one should avoid the experts of Jeonga.
Recalling the common rumors and evaluations of Jeonga, Yeon-hoo drained the last of his remaining water.
At that moment, the youth glanced at him sharply, their gazes clashing and intertwining in the air. The flags fluttering on their carriage roofs made their identities clear enough for a nod of acknowledgment, but both Yeon-hoo and the youth soon looked away.
“Come a bit closer!”
At the warrior’s shout, Seobaek urged the carriage forward. The warrior checked the flag fluttering on the roof and asked politely.
“Is Lord Jang Cheon aboard?”
Yun Hoe answered.
“Our lord is aboard.”
“I was under the impression the lord of Northern Murim has not yet been decided.”
“The rightful heir of the family head has returned. We will report the details directly to the Great Earth Sovereign, so please clear the way.”
“I’m sorry, but we haven’t received any such notice. We must verify your identity first, so please step down from the carriage and proceed over there.”
As Yun Hoe opened his mouth to respond, Yeon-hoo’s transmission voice flowed in.
[I’m fine.]
With that, Yeon-hoo opened the carriage door and stepped out, drawing every eye on the road to him at once.
The circumstances of the Iron Blood Family were known throughout the world. Thus, who might be riding in the carriage symbolizing the supreme lord of Northern Murim was a matter of utmost curiosity.
The onlookers were stunned because Yun Hoe had mentioned the family head’s rightful heir.
“Didn’t the Iron Blood Family’s eldest young master die a few years ago?”
“Yeah. Does that mean they had another son?”
“I think I heard something about the rightful heir returning just now… Did I mishear?”
Yeon-hoo walked toward the spot the warrior had indicated, ignoring the murmurs. It was a small room-like structure to the left of the building, crowded with people awaiting identity checks.
Yun Hoe and Cheol-u followed behind him, while Seobaek guarded the carriage.
Then it happened.
“Cleared!”
“Yes, sir!”
The Jeonga group, whose turn it was next, passed without any inspection whatsoever. The warriors even saluted their departing carriage, and a faint anger flickered across Yun Hoe’s face.
“I’m fine.”
“But, my lord……”
Yun Hoe couldn’t continue. Yeon-hoo had leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.
The gathered people stole glances at Yeon-hoo. But none dared speak, intimidated by Cheol-u’s fierce presence.
About fifteen minutes passed like that. Then a White Night Cartel warrior approached.
He asked Yun Hoe, “Do you have an invitation?”
“We came straight from the battlefield, so someone else has it.”
Having received word through the envoy and rushed here, Jang Cheon held the invitation.
“Then you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Our orders stated that the visitor from Northern Murim would be the head of the Jang family.”
At that moment—
“Why are you here?”
A familiar voice approached. It was the envoy. He immediately berated the warrior.
“This is the lord of Northern Murim! How dare you bring him here!”
“We were told the visitor from Northern Murim was the head of the Jang family. There was no mention of anyone else……”
“I vouch for them. Clear the way.”
“Understood.”
Only then did Yeon-hoo open his eyes and stand.
The envoy bowed his head. “My apologies. The children were bold due to the lack of prior notice. Please forgive their rudeness.”
“How can I blame those doing their duty? I’m fine—let’s go.”
“Thank you.”
Yeon-hoo headed back to the carriage, not forgetting to pat the shoulder of the warrior who had handled his check.
“Good work.”
“Yes, sir!”
Yun Hoe watched Yeon-hoo’s back, his eyes trembling slightly. When Yeon-hoo had patted the warrior’s shoulder, his gaze had held genuine sincerity.
‘I thought he’d be angry…’
* * *
Yeon-hoo and his group headed straight for the market street.
Gazing out the window at the bustling avenue, Yeon-hoo spotted the Jeonga carriage parked in front of the largest, most ornate inn.
“Seobaek.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Head there.”
“Understood.”
Seobaek turned the carriage. Yun Hoe grew inwardly anxious. Staying at the same inn as the dreaded Jeonga felt ominous. But he couldn’t suggest another place—it might bruise Yeon-hoo’s pride.
Moments later, Yeon-hoo disembarked and entered the inn. Unusually, armed warriors rather than attendants guarded the entrance. They couldn’t possibly fail to recognize the Iron Blood Family flag.
“Welcome.”
“The top floor, please.”
“A spot just opened up. Please head up.”
“This way, my lord.”
The inn had five floors. As they ascended from the first to the fourth via stairs, Yeon-hoo noted that most patrons were martial artists. On the fifth floor, a sword-bearing warrior greeted him.
“Welcome. Right this way.”
The fifth floor was noticeably more luxurious than the others. Fine paintings adorned the walls amid ornate decorations, and the seating was more spacious.
Yeon-hoo and his group sat directly facing the Jeonga party. They hadn’t even glanced over when he entered.
‘Thoroughly ignoring us, are they?’
Yeon-hoo smirked, downed a bowl of cold water from the table, and set it down rather forcefully.
Crack!
The bowl shattered, water splashing everywhere. The loud noise drew every eye in the room. Some openly showed displeasure.
“I’ll clean that up.”
An attendant rushed over with a cloth.
“Never mind. Pour some liquor until the food arrives?”
“The fifth floor is a quiet zone by default, but……”
“Two bottles.”
“Right away.”
Money wasn’t an issue. The envoy had delivered a pouch via hawk—not silver, but gold.
‘I hate this kind of thing…’
Ignoring the stares, Yeon-hoo leaned back casually in his chair. Yun Hoe felt uneasy. Everyone here was either renowned in the martial world or a leader of a major faction. Depending on the view, Yeon-hoo’s behavior could seem extremely rude.
He first checked the Jeonga group. Sure enough, a middle-aged man’s gaze was not just sharp but outright murderous. Though not the family head, his seating with the head marked him as high-ranking.
Fortunately, Yun Hoe’s anxiety didn’t materialize. The man looked away.
‘Phew…’
As Yun Hoe sighed inwardly, a group entered the inn. His eyes flashed with enmity upon turning casually. It was people from Northwest Murim—the Wall Thunder Family head and lord of Northwest Murim, Wi Yeon Gwang, their sworn enemy.
Yun Hoe glanced at Yeon-hoo. But Yeon-hoo sat with eyes closed.
Meanwhile, Wi Yeon Gwang, entering under his escorts’ protection, spotted Yeon-hoo’s group and his eyes gleamed.
He didn’t know Yeon-hoo’s face. Yet he instantly realized this was Iron Blood Family’s second young master. Yun Hoe’s presence gave it away.
No one in Northwest Murim didn’t know Yun Hoe. The damage he’d inflicted over years of war was immense—every warrior there ground their teeth at his name.
For someone barely in their thirties to sit so boldly before Yun Hoe screamed his identity.
And that wasn’t all.
‘He resembles him.’
Examining Yeon-hoo with narrowed eyes, Wi Yeon Gwang nodded. Confirming the striking likeness to family head Yi Yeom, he was certain.
‘…So the Thunder Sword failed?’
As Wi Yeon Gwang’s gaze darkened subtly, a deep voice boomed from the Jeonga side.
“Isn’t that Lord Wi?”
The knife-edged middle-aged man was none other than Jeonga’s family head and lord of the South Sea Archipelago, Jeok In-hoe.
Wi Yeon Gwang greeted him politely. “It’s been a while, family head.”
“Two years have passed already, so yes. You arrived quite early this time.”
“Yes. I had other business. And you, family head—how did you get here so quickly?”
“The Great Earth Sovereign wished a private meeting, so I hurried. Have a good time.”
Jeok In-hoe cut off further talk, so Wi Yeon Gwang glanced at Yeon-hoo before taking his seat. A transmission voice slipped into his ear.
[Family head, it’s me.]
It was Thunder Sword’s voice. Without turning, Wi Yeon Gwang received more.
[Change seats. It’ll interfere with the attack trajectory.]
Wi Yeon Gwang’s eyes quickly scanned the room, spotting three white-robed figures in a dim corner by the window. He frowned faintly.
[Fool. Do you not know who’s here?]
[But this is the optimal spot. No one would expect an ambush here.]
[If I say no, then back off. We have time—wait for a surer chance.]
One white-robe sighed softly at the angry transmission. It was Thunder Sword, disguised with a human-skin mask.
‘Of all times, he shows up now…’
He glanced at Wi Yeon Gwang, stood, and headed for the exit. The other white-robes followed.
Coincidentally, they had to pass Yeon-hoo’s side. Thunder Sword stepped forward without hesitation.
As he passed, he glanced at Yeon-hoo—who hadn’t opened his eyes since shattering the bowl. Just as expected, Yeon-hoo was completely off-guard. So were Yun Hoe and the two escorts.
But Thunder Sword suppressed his impulse. No matter how perfect, he couldn’t defy his lord’s order.
‘Lucky bastard. But that luck ends soon. By my hand, Thunder Sword…’
In the end, Thunder Sword passed Yeon-hoo and descended the stairs via the entrance.
That was when Yeon-hoo opened his eyes. Simultaneously, the few drops of water left on the table from the shattered bowl turned to steam in an instant, dispersing like mist before enveloping the white-robes and vanishing cleanly around them.
Yeon-hoo stared at Wi Yeon Gwang and smiled faintly.