A Needle in the Bag (1)
Gadeuksang glanced sidelong at Yeon Hojeong.
Yeon Hojeong sipped his tea with a calm expression.
"Third Young Master."
"Speak."
"I've said it so often my mouth's worn out... but you're really something else."
"You're just now realizing?"
"Heh."
Gadeuksang smacked his lips and peered down at the center of the first floor of the inn.
There lay over a dozen Blood Shadow Sect warriors clad in blood-red uniforms, sprawled on the ground. Each one had their pressure points pierced by daggers, on the verge of permanent disability if not treated immediately by a physician.
And standing before them was Dang Sang-a.
Jegal A-yeon swallowed hard.
"She's incredible."
"Hm?"
"I was too distracted when we arrived to notice properly, but that's some amazing hidden weapon mastery."
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
"She's a bit short on experience, but she's mastered hidden weapons to the point where she can hit any target precisely, anytime, anywhere. Against equals, hidden weapons are a lethal threat—and those guys are no match for her."
"That's true, but she's insanely fast too?"
Jegal A-yeon looked at Yeon Hojeong.
"Almost as fast as an arrow."
The arrow she meant wasn't just any arrow—it was one shot by Muk Bi.
Yeon Hojeong smiled faintly.
"Not quite arrow-fast."
"Really? It looked pretty close to me."
"You haven't seen her go all out. Though the gap isn't huge."
"Heh."
Jegal A-yeon gaped at Dang Sang-a.
In truth, whether Muk Bi or Dang Sang-a, their prowess with projectile weapons was so extraordinary that comparing them seemed pointless. They were simply astounding.
People like them, brimming with martial talent she herself lacked, made her realize just how many geniuses existed in the world.
Gadeuksang asked Yeon Hojeong, "So, do we wait longer here?"
Yeon Hojeong looked down at the Blood Shadow Sect warriors without answering.
Gadeuksang's gaze slowly shifted to Paeryul.
"...What do you think, Martial Uncle?"
Paeryul stared at him in bewilderment.
"You're asking me right now?"
"Of course. You're the eldest here."
The eldest, but not the leader.
Paeryul sent a transmission to Yeon Hojeong.
[What now?]
[Wait a bit more. We let one get away unscathed, so the real deal will show up in less than half a day.]
Paeryul spoke aloud.
"We wait another half day."
"Ah, got it."
Yeon Hojeong's prediction hit the mark again, eerily accurate.
Boom!
It started the same way as with the Blood Shadow Sect underlings. The newcomers burst through the door violently—the elites of the Yama Demon Hall.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes gleamed.
'Not bad.'
They were of considerable caliber. Though wielding varied weapons, over half possessed first-rate martial arts. There were about twenty of them, their eyes blazing with murderous intent yet their movements disciplined and restrained.
'That puts them at the tail end of the Thirty-Six Gates.'
Yeon Hojeong's judgment was spot on.
"Yama Demon Hall."
Gadeuksang's eyes flashed.
"A faction that just entered the Thirty-Six Gates. They filled the void left by the Yin Demon Hall's decline."
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
'Yin Demon Hall.'
That was the first real combat his Myeol Sa Army soldiers had faced.
It drove home how weak the black path truly was. Long-standing sects could be counted on one hand, while hundreds rose and fell daily.
'Yang Cheon knew exactly what he was doing.'
Uniting such a ragtag black path required focus on one key element: rules and history.
Establish ironclad discipline and laws, punish violators without mercy or excuse. Brutal and extreme, but effective short-term.
Once accustomed, they begin building a long history.
That was how he'd built Heukje-seong, and what Yang Cheon had done before the framework solidified.
'Whether he thought of it himself or got help, who knows.'
Yeon Hojeong stood.
Surprise flickered in Gadeuksang's eyes.
"Third Young Master handling it?"
"Can't leave it all to the youngest, and I won't let Sis do all the work."
Gadeuksang looked pityingly at the Yama Demon Hall warriors. Enemies, yet somehow pitiable.
Paeryul tossed out a line.
"Try not to spill blood if you can."
"Understood."
Thud!
Yeon Hojeong dropped straight from the second floor to stand before Dang Sang-a.
She had already drawn a dagger, surprise crossing her face.
"Martial Brother?"
"I'll handle these. Good work. Go rest upstairs."
"Ah, sure."
Dang Sang-a glanced awkwardly at Yeon Hojeong and headed up.
Ho-geuk, leader of the Yama Demon Hall group, narrowed his eyes.
"You the ones?"
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
"That's us."
"...Arrogance piercing the heavens. Do you even know who we are?"
"Should I?"
"What?"
"Skip the pointless posturing. Why were you tailing us?"
Ho-geuk faltered.
"Tailing? Who tailed who?"
"Clean your ears. Your black path scum started following us the moment we entered Hunan. We killed them off because it was annoying, and now you blood clots show up."
Surprise flashed across Ho-geuk's face.
"You killed them?"
"Should I have sent them off with candy?"
His voice dripped with haughty confidence. Provocative words, yet Ho-geuk couldn't retort.
'Tailing? Who? Not the Blood Shadows...'
Sudden realization hit Ho-geuk.
'It's from him!'
Yes—from the stronghold of the War God who had unified nearly half the black path in short order, forming a massive force. The informants sent by the supreme warrior who boldly claimed the black path mantle, yet transcended its masters.
Ho-geuk paled.
Yeon Hojeong frowned.
"What? Scared all of a sudden?"
"You—you said you killed them all?!"
"Yeah."
Ho-geuk whipped around, shouting.
"You! Blood Shadow bastard! Get out here!"
A man in blood-red robes stepped forward.
Ho-geuk's eyes sharpened like a tiger's.
"You lot were secretly dealing with the Mansion behind our backs?!"
"Wha?!"
"Answer properly!"
"S-sorry! I don't really..."
Of course a mere warrior wouldn't know. But that was beside the point.
Ho-geuk was convinced the Blood Shadows under Yama Demon Hall had been cozying up to the Mansion separately.
"You fucking dogs!"
Splat!
Yeon Hojeong's eyes deepened.
Ho-geuk's wolf-tooth club smashed the Blood Shadow warrior's skull to pieces. An excessively brutal killing blow.
Ho-geuk snarled.
"We go easy, and you dare ignore the main house and act on your own?!"
"Hey."
Ho-geuk turned to Yeon Hojeong.
"What's this 'Mansion'?"
"...?!"
"The Tu Wang's turf?"
"...You bastard."
Flash!
A torrent of killing intent erupted from the Yama Demon Hall warriors' eyes.
Yeon Hojeong was genuinely surprised. The surging killing intent was as sharp as a honed sword.
"Daring to utter that lord's title so casually—you must crave death."
Molten rage boiled in his growling voice.
Gadeuksang, watching from above, narrowed his eyes.
'Impressive.'
Not the raw killing intent.
What was truly remarkable was Yang Cheon's presence, igniting such ferocity with a mere title.
'That's not fear-born killing intent. Their loyalty to Yang Cheon is real.'
And it didn't end there. Though he hadn't mentioned it to his group, having informants attach so quickly after entering Hunan was extraordinary.
'Hunan Province is practically Yang Cheon's empire. He's blanketed the area with black path intelligence networks, investigating every suspicious soul.'
Gadeuksang's cheeks twitched.
'This is way more dangerous than I thought.'
Hunan's vast size, the hordes of black path informants dispatched everywhere—it cost astronomical sums.
Yang Cheon had unleashed that immense wealth and manpower without hesitation.
He still didn't know Yang Cheon's goals.
But he was far more terrifying than imagined.
'Damn, are we really charging into the heart of this?'
Gadeuksang's eyes turned to Yeon Hojeong.
Yeon Hojeong smirked.
"Anyway, looks like you're connected to this Tu Wang too."
"...Heh!"
"Perfect. I wanted to meet him anyway."
Yeon Hojeong lifted his chin arrogantly.
"Take me to him. I'll see with my own eyes how great he is."
Ho-geuk's patience snapped.
"Quit your bullshit and die, you little shit!"
Whoom!
The wolf-tooth club's descent tore the air, its pressure immense. It could shatter skulls effortlessly, split boulders in one strike.
Yeon Hojeong inhaled sharply.
Thud!
Shock bloomed on Ho-geuk's killing-intent-smeared face.
"Not bad strength?"
Yeon Hojeong had blocked the club with one left hand. Not just the power, but grasping the barbed protrusions barehanded without a single scratch.
"You bastard!"
With a roar of astonishment, Ho-geuk tried to yank it free—and froze again.
Tremble.
The club quivered faintly in his two-handed grip. Despite pulling with all his might, it wouldn't budge.
A monstrous grip strength.
"You're the leader of this pathetic bunch, so I won't smash you to bits."
Yeon Hojeong's foot flashed like lightning.
Thump!
"Guhk!"
His toe sank precisely into Ho-geuk's solar plexus.
Staggering, Ho-geuk dropped to his knees right there. Gut-wrenching agony prevented even fainting.
The Yama Demon Hall warriors gaped at Yeon Hojeong in horror.
Yeon Hojeong beckoned with a finger.
"You won't back off nicely, huh? Come on. Let me clear you out quick."
Hiss!
The warriors surged with killing intent again.
Trembling, Ho-geuk tried to shout: don't attack, fall back first.
"...!!"
But no voice emerged. Even breathing was a struggle.
"Kill him!"
"Rip off all his limbs!"
The Yama Demon Hall warriors charged en masse.
Ho-geuk's face twisted.
'No!'
Thump! Crack! Crunch! Boom!
Gruesome sounds echoed as they crumpled like dominoes.
Crack! Rip!
Bones snapped, cartilage tore. Skin split, hips dislocated.
Ruthless techniques devoid of mercy.
One strike would suffice, yet he deliberately added three or four more to pulverize every joint.
Ho-geuk blanched.
'M-madman!'
Black path folk were rarely non-brutal, but this crossed all lines.
Targeting spots that would leave lifelong disabilities even after recovery.
Poisonous reputations could handle that, but the problem was his eyes.
Grinning whitely as he felled them, Yeon Hojeong's face was demonic. Yet his gaze was ice-cold.
Not the eyes of a destruction-mad lunatic.
That inexplicable dissonance, paired with effortless demolition, instilled bone-chilling terror.
"Cough! Guhuk! S-stop, you psycho!"
Splat!
Shattering the last warrior's sternum and hurling him out the door, Yeon Hojeong drew a deep breath.
Ho-geuk's hands shook.
Looking up at the ceiling with satisfied smile, Yeon Hojeong exuded pure refreshment.
"Yeah, this is it."
The feeling of returning home.
A world soaked in pure white violence—fighting mud-caked, crushing rebellion utterly.
"It's been too long."
The black path grandmaster descending upon black path murim.
Not Bi-san Yeon Family's eldest son, but the glorious return of Black Dark Emperor Yeon Hojeong.