Chapter 300. A Fight Without a Bell (4)
Yeon Hojeong came to his senses just before midnight that day.
“Ugh? Father?”
“Awake at last?”
Yeon Wi smiled as he sipped his tea.
“I checked on you earlier. I figured you'd wake up around now.”
Yeon Hojeong scratched his head.
“What time is it?”
“Just past midnight.”
“I see.”
Yeon Wi's face lit up with pride.
“Congratulations. You've finally formed the Yeon Family Divine Pellet.”
The Yeon Family Divine Pellet. It was the path to the pinnacle of the Yeon family's martial arts, the starting point for mastering their ultimate secret art.
In the Yeon family's history, fewer than three ancestors had ever formed it.
Of course, it wasn't because the others lacked talent.
Forming the Divine Pellet was an arduous process, but many past family heads had gained insights that rivaled it.
In other words, it was a matter of choice: form the Divine Pellet and advance to the secret art, or maximize one's cultivated techniques and forge a path of personal innovation.
Yeon Wi had chosen the latter, while Yeon Hojeong had chosen the former.
Even so, Yeon Wi was astonished because forming the Yeon Family Divine Pellet required profound enlightenment into the Yeon family's divine arts.
“The Divine Pellet is like an inexhaustible spring. But since it follows a different trajectory from a normal dantian, it'll take some effort to handle it for a while.”
“Yes, I figured as much.”
Yeon Hojeong repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.
Definitely.
The flow of his true energy had changed.
Martial artists cultivated their dantian. Some focused only on the lower dantian, while others trained all three—upper, middle, and lower.
Even among those who trained all three, there were often primary focuses.
Yeon Hojeong had been the same.
His upper dantian had blossomed fully through his enlightenment as the Black Dark Emperor, granting him the insight and momentary dismantling techniques to face experts several levels above him even with minimal power.
The Four Gods Martial Arts and Four Directions Divine Ki protected his body based on the middle dantian, while Bi-ra Jin-gyeol fortified the lower dantian, stably manifesting all his martial arts.
Now, things were different.
The Yeon Family Divine Pellet, infused with Bi-ra Jin-qi and Dragon Embrace Divine Art qi, had turned his middle dantian into an iron fortress alongside the Four Gods' ki.
The energy was so solid it felt stifling, like something was lodged in his solar plexus.
Meanwhile, his lower dantian remained empty, refined by Bi-ra Jin-gyeol as before.
He hadn't lost it.
When needed, he could draw the qi of the five divine arts from the Yeon Family Divine Pellet to shift his martial arts' nature at will.
The range of changes was boundless.
It would be complex to wield, but once fully internalized, he could alter his overall martial characteristics through instantaneous power manipulation.
If the Four Gods Martial Arts was an exquisite weapon, the Yeon Family Divine Pellet was a forge that could reshape its properties in an instant.
As expected.
A proud smile spread across Yeon Hojeong's face.
My hunch was right.
Once he mastered the remaining divine arts, the Yeon Family Divine Pellet would reach completion.
Then, he could wield the ultimate secret art, pushing speed, power, endurance, destructive force, and stability to their extremes.
Not refining the Hongcheon-ki but tilling the field with Bi-ra Jin-gyeol had been a stroke of genius.
Yeon Wi clapped his son on the shoulder.
“Congratulations. Forming the Divine Pellet at your age is unprecedented in our family's history.”
Yeon Wi treated him as if he knew nothing of his son's past life.
The past was the past.
He focused on his eldest son's present.
Diminishing today's achievements because of past enlightenments would be absurd.
Yeon Hojeong understood his father's intent.
“Thank you.”
“The cold is biting, but the snow has stopped. The moonlight is beautiful, so I'd love to spar with you to help integrate your new energy a bit—but I have something to discuss first, so let's postpone the bout.”
Yeon Hojeong's eyes sparkled.
“What happened?”
Yeon Wi recounted the day's events in full.
Yeon Hojeong's gaze deepened.
“I see. I was planning to tell you myself.”
“No need. Late or soon, I know now—that's what matters.”
“So, what did the Western Divine Maiden say?”
“Well...”
Yeon Wi smacked his lips.
“She said she'd give an answer by morning.”
“Hoh.”
Yeon Hojeong's lips curved upward.
Setting aside her role as a Sinhwa Church spy, the Western Divine Maiden had a gentle, delicate nature.
She had her own resolve, but it meant little before the heads of the Six Great Families.
Especially Dang Gwan's overwhelming presence, which could tense even peers.
With her mental fortitude, holding out must have been tough.
“And Dang family head just watched?”
“Yes.”
“...Huh?”
Yeon Wi smiled.
“Dang Gwan has changed a lot from before. His pride and intimidation remain, but he didn't bulldoze like he used to.”
He'd never truly bulldozed anyway.
His intimidating facade was one of many masks for external dealings.
In truth, he had a record of achieving the impossible through sharp intuition and fearsome arrogance.
In short, Dang Gwan was a nine-tailed fox in a viper's skin.
“And he asked me to pass this on to you.”
“Go ahead.”
Yeon Wi hesitated briefly.
It was just a message, but to his son—and embarrassingly direct.
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“It's fine. Better to hear it straight and unvarnished.”
“Very well, then.”
“Yes.”
“He said to handle the fire ourselves—put it out or fan it bigger, as we see fit.”
“Oh ho.”
Yeon Hojeong stroked his chin.
“I half-expected it when I heard he went to the Western Divine Maiden unannounced, but he's not one to sit idle.”
“He hates being manipulated. Even stepping forward as a candidate was a huge concession for him.”
To be precise, it was a deal.
But Dang Gwan could have confronted her without Yeon Hojeong's involvement.
Considering that, it was indeed a concession—as Father said.
That concession was likely his final gambit to test if he could operate in the Martial Alliance.
That was the world.
Before grand justice came self-preservation and proving one's worth.
In that light, Dang Gwan was certainly a character.
“I understand. Then I'll go see the Western Divine Maiden.”
Yeon Wi asked in surprise.
“This late at night?”
“Of course. What if she refuses sponsorship by morning?”
“It's the dead of night. Why not go at dawn?”
“No. Now is best.”
Flames flickered in Yeon Hojeong's eyes.
“Can't have a beast with maggots inside playing innocent without gratitude. Time for the rod.”
* * *
Slither.
Gi U-hui's face hardened.
“Jam Yeong-il-ho.”
“...Yes.”
She turned.
In the shadowed corner, a black-clad masked figure knelt.
Gi U-hui's eyes wavered.
“How?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know your stealth is top-tier... but this is the Mu Rim Meng.”
“I know.”
Jam Yeong-il-ho's stealth rivaled the best assassins in the Central Plains.
Moreover, the Mu Rim Meng was too vast for a mere alliance—practically a small nation.
Its outer castle alone rivaled several large villages.
Not everyone inside was an expert, so breaching the walls wasn't impossible.
But the inner castle was different.
It concentrated over seventy percent of the alliance's forces—not in numbers, but quality.
Peak masters from the Nine Great Sects and Six Great Families clustered there.
No place without experts every step—yet Jam Yeong-il-ho had infiltrated it.
He bowed his head.
“Barring emergencies, it will be hard to meet again for a while.”
He drew a small wooden box from his bosom.
“Take this.”
“...What's this?”
“We've placed our people in the outer castle's infirmary, stables, and smithy.”
“...!”
“Inside is a colorless, odorless incense only specially trained agents handle. Every forty-five days, note key alliance intelligence and pass it to the outer castle spies.”
“...”
“Apply it to your quarters when delivering. Trained spies can detect it from fifty li away. They'll arrive within half a day—hand them the info.”
Gi U-hui swallowed.
“You want me to do this?”
“Orders from above.”
“...”
“It doesn't suit your nature. So return to the church.”
“...”
“If you wish, you can return anytime. Once back, you'll hold power over all beneath your gaze.”
“...Jam Yeong-il-ho.”
“Since we won't meet soon, allow me one more impertinence.”
Gi U-hui sighed.
Jam Yeong-il-ho continued.
“True, some murmur about your origins. But that's mere gossip. If you knew how much the Church Lord cherishes you, their glares would mean nothing...”
“Jam Yeong-il-ho.”
“...Yes, Divine Maiden.”
“Sorry, but I've made my choice.”
Jam Yeong-il-ho's eyes shook.
“Divine Maiden!”
Tears welled in Gi U-hui's eyes.
“It was you, wasn't it?”
“...What do you mean?”
“The one who killed my mother—you.”
“...!!”
“Your pity for me was real. But tell me—is your effort to sway me truly selfless? Or is it to drag me back to that throne for your own sake?”
“D-Divine Maiden!”
“I never argued back because fighting you gained me nothing.”
Her tearful eyes cooled to ice.
“But not anymore. I've chosen too.”
“...”
“I don't know the end, but I'll fight my way.”
Jam Yeong-il-ho spoke in a subdued tone.
“...Divine Maiden.”
“...”
“Don't misunderstand, just lis—”
Then.
...!!
Jam Yeong-il-ho's eyes bulged.
Thud.
His mouth wouldn't open.
His body went limp; not a finger obeyed.
What the—?!
Why now? Poison?
Then.
“Well, yeah. It was like that.”
Chills erupted across Jam Yeong-il-ho's body.
“Our fights are always like this. No bell to ring and start. Prep or not, striking first wins—just like street thugs brawling.”
A laughing voice boiled with murderous intent.
Whoosh.
A dark shadow blotted his view.
Clang. Cling-clang.
Chains clashed, evoking dread.
The shadow—Yeon Hojeong—grinned madly.
“Should've rung the bell first. What is this, a moth to flame? Too brave, aren't ya?”