Chapter 221. Shaking the Foundations (1)
Swish.
The soft rustle of clothing was utterly natural.
Moyong Gun's eyes gleamed.
"You've come."
"Indeed."
Moyong Gun took a sip of his tea. He didn't even turn around, exuding an effortless composure that would remain unshaken even if the heavens and earth were rent asunder.
Jang Han's eyes flashed sharply.
"...You've grown even stronger?"
Moyong Gun chuckled softly.
"Is martial progress something as obvious as a child growing taller?"
"Your qi has become more subtle and natural."
"And you're no ordinary man for sensing it."
"That's why you appointed me master of Huangfeng Pavilion, isn't it?"
"Hahaha! Looks like you've adapted well to your current life. You're even making jokes like that now."
Back when Moyong Gun had met Yeon Hojeong over the Anhui Blood Palace incident.
After sending Yeon Hojeong away and drinking alone, the one who had come to him was none other than this man.
The master of Huangfeng Pavilion, the Moyong family's premier intelligence network.
Surprisingly, he wasn't a member of the Moyong family.
To be precise, while he had entered Moyong Gun's service and worked for the Moyong family, calling him one of their own was a stretch.
He answered only to Moyong Gun's commands.
A master who had killed his past self and vanished into the shadows at the world's behest, one of the era's forgotten experts.
Huangfeng Pavilion Master Un Jabang, a peerless fist master and killer.
"So, why did you summon me?"
"Summon you? What other reason could the head of the Moyong family have for calling the leader of its intelligence arm?"
"..."
"Heh, you never did care for jests."
Moyong Gun pulled back the chair beside him.
"Sit."
Un Jabang, who had been watching Moyong Gun silently, took the seat.
Moyong Gun's eyes sharpened.
"Are the things I mentioned before all prepared?"
"We're in the final stages."
"Well done. I knew entrusting it to you was the right choice."
"Did you call me here just to check on progress?"
"Among other things. There's more for you to handle."
"What might that be?"
Moyong Gun's expression turned grave.
"Tomorrow at noon, the Guizhou Merchant Association's trade caravan heads for Sichuan."
Un Jabang frowned.
"The Guizhou Merchant Association?"
"That's right. The top merchant group in Guizhou Province, and they run a money house to boot."
"...?"
"Their caravan is currently at Heng Mountain in Hunan. Not far from here."
"I know that much."
"Ah, of course. No one knows the situation in Hunan better than you."
He spoke as if Un Jabang weren't his subordinate at all.
Moyong Gun always did. When dealing with Un Jabang, his words were suggestions or requests, never orders.
Even though he was clearly under his command.
Surprisingly, this manner of speech greatly soothed Un Jabang's pride.
"So, what am I to do with them?"
"Nothing extreme. Just strike some sort of deal with them."
"What kind?"
Moyong Gun drew a neatly folded letter from his bosom and handed it to Un Jabang.
Un Jabang's eyes wavered as he unfolded it.
[Sealed orders: Targets for elimination]
"They're ones we'll have to deal with soon enough, aren't they?"
"..."
"Take them and shake up that caravan a bit."
"They do need handling, but... isn't the Guizhou Merchant Association a fairly important trading partner even for the Moyong family?"
"True enough."
"...They've done nothing wrong."
"They have sinned."
"Against what?"
Moyong Gun flashed a chilling smile.
"The sin of catching my eye."
"...!"
"No one in the Martial Alliance—not even Yeon Hojeong—knows the full details of this. Only you and I do."
"..."
"Handle it quietly."
"If word reaches the Guizhou Merchant Association's headquarters..."
"That won't happen."
"You're certain?"
"Absolutely. Yang Cheon will clean it up."
Un Jabang's eyes widened.
Moyong Gun's pupils slowly turned crimson.
The eyes of a devil ready to commit any atrocity for his ambitions.
"That arrogant Guizhou Merchant Association will soon come begging us. With this one stroke, we'll fulfill the Alliance's mission, pocket a fortune, and if luck holds, crush the Guizhou group underfoot too."
"..."
"You need to move now."
"Understood."
Swish.
Un Jabang vanished.
Left alone, Moyong Gun burst into loud laughter for a moment.
"Listen, Hojeong. What can be done? A man must eat to live. If you find out later, try not to get too angry. If things go south, I'll drag you into it as an accomplice."
* * *
Rumble.
The doors to the Mukryong Hall swung open.
Unlike before, Yeon Hojeong ascended the ninety-nine steps without hesitation.
Not a trace of doubt in his stride.
"You've come."
Yang Cheon was unchanged.
Seated on his massive throne, his gaze looking down carried an overwhelming dignity that made breathing difficult.
Yeon Hojeong clasped his fists in a crisp salute.
"I trust you've been well?"
"Thanks to you."
Yang Cheon eyed Yeon Hojeong silently before smacking his lips.
"Before we talk, I hear there was an unfortunate incident with one of my subordinates?"
His words were blunt and direct.
Yeon Hojeong smiled faintly.
"Word reached you already?"
"It did."
"They must have been scared shitless."
Yang Cheon's eyes deepened.
"From the report, it doesn't sound like you were in the right either."
"I did nothing wrong. But they clearly did."
"What wrong justified killing one of headquarters' men?"
"One of your men? Wasn't she that woman's subordinate? She seemed utterly devoted to her master."
Yang Cheon's eyelids twitched faintly.
Even if they were his subordinates, they too needed reliable underlings of their own.
All organizations in the world were built that way.
But for some reason, hearing Yeon Hojeong's words made him feel like an unrecognized lord.
"The approach was wrong from the start. I'm not one of your men yet, and since the vice leader doesn't know my capabilities, she doesn't trust me, right?"
"..."
"You get it? Frankly, we're not even on nodding terms if we passed on the street. If you're going to treat me as an honored guest, you should've at least told her to serve me properly."
"..."
"That wench looking down on us is just a dog barking, but you, Vice Leader Yang, can't afford that."
He didn't whine about his innocence or lack of fault.
Instead, he rebuked with stern gravity.
Whatever else, his audacious nerve was peerless under heaven.
"So the fault lies with me?"
"And you bear responsibility for an apology too."
"Heh."
"But I won't accept one. It was just greenhorns' mistake—I don't think your vessel is small."
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"If it were, what could be done? I'd just have to raise it myself."
Yang Cheon stared at Yeon Hojeong before erupting in wild laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Rumble rumble!
The entire Mukryong Hall shook as if struck by an earthquake.
It was laughter threatening enough to intimidate.
Yet Yeon Hojeong sensed strong fondness directed at him in that laugh.
His senses were spot on.
"Do you know? I've seen countless talents beyond measure, but none like you."
"No need to meet one like me. Not when you roamed the world alone."
Yang Cheon chuckled.
"Modesty? That's not like you. You have every reason for confidence. Talent aside, if there's another with your guts and straightforwardness, I'd welcome them with open arms."
"Pity. If I'd known your character sooner, I wouldn't have bothered with this deal."
Yeon Hojeong drew a thick letter from his bosom.
Yang Cheon's eyes sparkled.
"Is that it?"
"Yes."
"Confident?"
"If your men hadn't stopped me, I'd have killed even your vice leader's direct subordinate."
Meaning he wouldn't have gone that far without certainty.
Yang Cheon grinned in satisfaction.
"Hand it over."
Whoooong.
The letter slipped from Yeon Hojeong's hand, floating through the air to Yang Cheon's grasp.
Air Snatching. At the pinnacle of mastery.
Not by Yeon Hojeong, but Yang Cheon pulling it from his hand.
Flap flap.
The letter unfurled in midair of its own accord.
A scene straight out of sorcery.
The martial art of one at the pinnacle of the world's murim, one of the Sacred Heaven Thirteen Seats, an absolute being.
But.
As expected.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes deepened.
That incongruity I felt then wasn't imagination.
Yeon Hojeong could clearly sense it.
Yang Cheon's energy flow was abnormal.
A minute gap even Yeon Wi, stronger than the current Yeon Hojeong, might miss.
Only because Yeon Hojeong had glimpsed realms equal to—or beyond—Yang Cheon's.
Does he not realize it himself?
It seemed so.
If he knew, he couldn't sit there laughing leisurely with him.
Heart Demon? No. Deviation into madness? Not that either. I can't tell why it's like this, but...
Yang Cheon read the floating letter at blinding speed.
It'll accelerate.
Yeon Hojeong's gaze burned fierce.
The loss of inner energy and instability of qi will quicken day by day.
A flaw in the true qi itself, unsolvable by mere insight.
Even more pronounced than five days ago.
The actual loss was minuscule, but against his formerly flawless power, the gap stood out starkly.
Still strong. Even now, taking five exchanges from him would be tough. But...
No longer the Slaughter King.
Hard to wield arts worthy of the "King" title.
Yeon Hojeong knew it instinctively.
A single flaw.
That tiny flaw rendered perfection imperfect.
That imperfection couldn't uphold the Slaughter King name any longer.
Poison? Or a problem with the martial art itself?
He couldn't fathom it.
For a Sacred Heaven Thirteen Seats master to reach this state—it was hard to believe even seeing it.
At this moment, he was purely curious about Yang Cheon's condition.
He hasn't noticed yet. But as time passes, he'll sense the anomaly. And realize it. That something's wrong with him.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes darkened ominously.
Yang Cheon...
Then Yang Cheon reached out and gripped the letter.
"Impressive."
Genuine admiration crossed Yang Cheon's face.
"Did you craft this alone?"
"Yes."
In truth, Jegal A-yeon had helped, but no need to mention it.
Yang Cheon mustn't take interest in her.
His focus had to remain solely on Yeon Hojeong.
Only then could he minimize risks to his companions.
"Truly remarkable. I'm no expert in such matters, but at a glance, it seems systematic and flawless."
"Glad you think so. Then..."
"Wait a moment."
Yang Cheon snapped his fingers.
Swish swish.
An elderly man approached from the corridor beyond.
Baek Seo.
"I'm satisfied. You all review it in detail."
"Under the vice leader's command."
Baek Seo took the letter and retreated into the corridor.
No doubt swarming with black path heads there.
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
"How long until it's done?"
"Until they've all seen it."
"That'll take time."
"It will. So, shall we chat in the meantime?"
Yang Cheon smiled as he asked.
"The Gwi Cheol Geom Mun heir—truly not your doing?"