The Strong Survive (6)
“Kahahaha! So that’s how it was?”
“Was it that amusing?”
“Listen here, I don’t have any proper sect to speak of. I’ve been fighting the world alone without a single fellow disciple.”
“I suppose that explains why you’re so gloomy.”
“Gloomy? There’s no one more cheerful than me!”
Even with someone new arriving, the two men continued laughing heartily and clinking their cups together.
Yeon Hojeong’s expression turned sour in an instant. ‘Even if they’re peak masters of the Sacred Heavens, they’re just old men once they’re drunk.’ Both men appeared middle-aged only because their cultivation was so profound. Yang Cheon had long since passed sixty, and Mak Won was well over fifty.
Watching two men of that age giggling with flushed faces was an oddly unsettling sight.
“Oh! Deputy Yeon, you’re here?”
Yang Cheon waved him over.
“Come have a drink. Ah, but we’re out of snacks.”
Yeon Hojeong shrugged.
“I don’t need any.”
“Youth really is wonderful.”
Yang Cheon filled a fresh cup and asked, “How did it go? With the First Young Master?”
Yeon Hojeong emptied his cup and chuckled. “News travels fast.”
“Do you not know where we are? Every sensitive matter eventually reaches my ears.”
“Still, I didn’t expect it to be this quick.”
“So, what did he say to you? I can guess, but let’s hear it.”
“He asked me to stand on his side.”
Yang Cheon’s face twisted. “He actually said that?”
“Yes.”
“What a pathetic fool. Instead of grinding his teeth and training, he’s busy playing politics—and with a Martial Alliance envoy, no less. The family must be in fine shape.”
“You shouldn’t speak that way, my lord. Not when others can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re the one who raised those disciples.”
“I never raised them.”
“Neglect is also a form of mismanagement. Whatever the case, their current state is entirely your fault.”
Yang Cheon grinned. “Well, you’re not wrong.”
Mak Won was inwardly astonished. ‘This is a rather sensitive topic.’ Yeon Hojeong was openly criticizing Yang Cheon’s disciples as incompetent and laying the blame at his feet, yet Yang Cheon accepted it without resistance.
Even more surprising was Yang Cheon’s reaction. From his expression and tone, he didn’t seem offended at all. ‘So this is the path he chose.’ Even so, Mak Won doubted he could remain so calm in the same position. ‘He’s certainly no ordinary man.’ Whether it was his peculiar personality or his broad-mindedness, one thing was clear: Yang Cheon was far from ordinary.
“Enough of this dull talk.”
Yeon Hojeong turned to Mak Won. “I heard you had something to say to me personally?”
Mak Won looked at Yang Cheon. The latter cleared his throat and refilled both their cups.
“Deputy Yeon.”
“Speak, my lord.”
“You know his body is steeped in poison, don’t you?”
“I do. Though it doesn’t look that way no matter how I examine him.”
“You’ve been treating him properly. But it seems you still haven’t found a way to remove it.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll be direct. Do you know what kind of poison is inside the Hundred Weapons Divine Lord’s body?”
Yeon Hojeong shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Is that so?”
Mak Won’s expression grew strange as he stared at Yang Cheon, who ignored his gaze.
“You don’t know, but you can still detoxify it, can’t you?”
“Any poison can be neutralized if you find the right method. Even the Black Dragon Department’s physicians should be able to handle it.”
“We’ve already had him examined. As expected, it’s no ordinary toxin. It’s only because he’s the Hundred Weapons Divine Lord that he’s still holding on. Even a supreme master wouldn’t last five days against this venom of venoms.”
“Only that level of poison could afflict the greatest weapon master in the world.”
“Exactly.”
Yeon Hojeong emptied his cup again. “I don’t know the exact poison, but if it was spread by the Three Sects, I can at least identify its category.”
“As I thought.”
Yeon Hojeong looked at Mak Won. “Are you disappointed?”
If he had been determined to detoxify the poison from the start, he might have already found the method by now. But he hadn’t—because Mak Won hadn’t revealed everything about himself. In that case, there was no need for him to give everything either. It might seem petty, but war stood at the center of their relationship. Pettiness was inevitable.
Of course, this assumed Mak Won could endure the poison. If his condition had been critical, Yeon Hojeong would have searched for the antidote without hesitation.
Mak Won asked in a calm voice, “Were you planning to wait?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
“Of course, I don’t have much time either, so I couldn’t wait forever. Once my patience ran out, I intended to hint at it.”
“That’s not a very pleasant picture.”
“That’s why you asked the Lord to intervene, isn’t it?”
Yang Cheon burst into hearty laughter. “I’m quite good at reading the room, after all.”
“Of course you are.”
Yeon Hojeong asked casually, “So, have you made your decision?”
Mak Won smiled. “About telling you the story of my sect and my senior brother?”
“Yes.”
“I have. But there’s something I want to ask first.”
“I’m listening.”
“If, by some chance, my senior brother walks a path you consider wrong, will you kill him then?”
“I’m not sure what you mean by ‘wrong path.’”
Yeon Hojeong poured more wine into Yang Cheon’s cup. “If he sides against the Central Plains in this war, I’ll kill him by any means necessary.”
“……”
“I’d probably assassinate him before the war truly begins. It would be cleaner that way.”
It was an honest answer. Yang Cheon, hearing it, looked slightly uncomfortable. He hadn’t expected such bluntness.
Yeon Hojeong read his expression. “Senior Mak Won is ready to open his heart and speak sincerely. In that case, I must also stake my life on sincerity.”
“……Who said anything? You’re quite something.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Having silenced Yang Cheon with a few words, Yeon Hojeong turned back to Mak Won. “What about you, Senior? If the situation arises where we must kill him, will you stop us?”
“If such a situation comes……”
Mak Won closed his eyes for a moment. The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy. Given the topic, it would have been stranger if it hadn’t.
After some time, Mak Won opened his eyes. “My sect is in Liaodong. Even there, it’s in a place where no one knows of it. That was how it was back then.”
“So it’s different now.”
“Every time the sect leader changes, the sect’s location changes as well. We never established roots like the orthodox sects of the jianghu.”
“What sect is it exactly?”
“Mukjongmun.”
For a moment, both Yang Cheon and Yeon Hojeong’s eyes widened.
Mak Won gave a bitter smile. “It seems both of you have at least heard the name.”
“……Heard of it? That’s all?”
Yang Cheon shot Yeon Hojeong a sour look. “This swindler even used the title of Mukjongmun’s representative to deceive me.”
“What?”
Mak Won stared at Yeon Hojeong in bewilderment.
Yeon Hojeong scratched his head. “Well…… something like that happened.”
“Something like that?”
“I once tried to raid the Black Dragon Department. I used the identity of Mukjongmun’s eldest senior brother at the time.”
Yang Cheon tilted his head. “You were the eldest senior brother?”
“I suppose so? Honestly, I don’t remember the details anymore.”
“That makes sense. The King of Combat’s name isn’t as impressive as you’d think. Forgetting minor details is understandable.”
“Are you sulking?”
“Shut up, you brat!”
Though grumbling, both Yang Cheon and Yeon Hojeong were deeply shocked.
Mukjongmun. A sect of legend.
Some said it was founded a hundred years ago, others claimed several hundred. What mattered was that it had been a gathering of the greatest masters from every field.
Beyond that, there was no information. Even the Black Faction, which supposedly surpassed the White Faction in intelligence, knew nothing about Mukjongmun’s location, members, martial arts, or rules.
That was why Yeon Hojeong had borrowed the name when infiltrating the Black Dragon Department as a spy. At the time, his group had all cultivated different arts. Even if they tried to hide their techniques, their auras and movements revealed they had trained in completely different styles.
It was rare for disciples of the same sect to practice arts with such distinct temperaments. That was precisely why the name Mukjongmun had worked so well.
And now, here stood a true descendant of Mukjongmun.
“I see. I don’t know the exact circumstances, but……”
Mak Won nodded. “That’s right. Both I and my senior brother—the man the martial world calls the Spear King—are descendants of Mukjongmun.”
Yang Cheon’s face grew serious. ‘Mukjongmun.’ It was truly an extraordinary sect.
Even the Nine Great Sects and Six Great Clans of the orthodox faction had failed to produce proper Sacred Heavens masters. The only orthodox groups that possessed them were Shaolin, Wudang, the Nangong Clan, and the Tang Clan.
Yet Mukjongmun, without any public activity, had placed two members among the Thirteen Sacred Heavens.
What kind of sect was it? What terrifying foundation did it possess to produce two of the Central Plains’ greatest masters?
“Tell me everything. About Mukjongmun, and about your senior brother.”
The conversation lasted over two hours.
Perhaps because he had spoken of the past after so long, Mak Won excused himself, saying he was tired. He seemed to have much to think about as well.
In the end, only Yang Cheon and Yeon Hojeong remained in the grand hall of the Black Dragon Courtyard.
“What do you think?”
“About what?”
“So Hyeon-lip.”
Yeon Hojeong sighed. “For now…… we’ll have to meet him.”
“Is that so?”
Yeon Hojeong had much on his mind. Yang Cheon was no different.
Yeon Hojeong rose from his seat. “You should rest well tonight. Clear your thoughts while you’re at it.”
“Yes. I’ll do that.”
“I’ll take my leave first.”
As Yeon Hojeong turned to go, Yang Cheon spoke while lifting his cup. “I’m certain you won’t cross the line.”
Yeon Hojeong stopped and looked back.
Yang Cheon emptied his cup and continued. “You’re someone who walks the line well. While you’ve been here, I’ve come to believe you won’t cross it—unless it’s something truly extraordinary.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Did you think the Second Young Master wouldn’t provoke the orthodox faction after the war?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“The First Young Master made a foolish move, but there was no need to inform the Second Young Master of that fact.”
Yang Cheon smiled at Yeon Hojeong, though his eyes remained cold.
“I like the Second Young Master. Right now, he has the highest chance of becoming my successor.”
“……”
“But if he becomes my successor, things will be very different from what you’re imagining.”
Yeon Hojeong smiled. “People can always change.”
“Of course.”
“I’m leaving. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Rest well.”
With that, Yeon Hojeong left the grand hall.
Yang Cheon’s face, still holding his cup, had turned as cold and sharp as ice.
“The difference between ambition and conviction……”