You Must Listen to Understand (2)
"Have you committed it all to memory?"
"Of course."
"You're quick, as always."
"It helps to have an excellent teacher."
"Flattery doesn't suit you."
Yang Cheon flicked his wrist.
While he remained perfectly composed, Yeon Hojeong's appearance was considerably worse for wear. His hair was disheveled, his clothes torn in several places. Had it not been for the absence of filth, he would have looked no different from a beggar.
"Obviously that won't happen, but never let your guard down. The method I taught you is the absolute minimum. If it's the Dark Emperor, he could incapacitate you with attacks beyond even my imagination."
"It's also possible I won't have to fight the Dark Emperor at all."
"True enough. But you must always prepare for the worst."
Yang Cheon shook his head.
"If there's one thing I'm certain of, among the Holy Heavenly experts, the Dark Emperor reigns supreme in mass slaughter. It's the power of his sound arts and sonic waves."
"I know."
"You must exercise more caution than ever before. Not only you, but everyone accompanying you. One slip, and you could all die without even realizing how it happened."
Yeon Hojeong let out a soft chuckle.
"If you're that concerned, why not come with us yourself, Lord?"
"Come with..."
It had been tossed out as a joke, yet Yang Cheon's expression turned unexpectedly serious.
"Yes, it's not as if I haven't considered it."
"Are you being serious?"
"You've achieved things in the martial world that ordinary people wouldn't even dare imagine. Success didn't come from martial strength alone. In fact, your other abilities have shone brighter than your martial arts."
"I acknowledge that."
"It's certainly impressive, but at the same time, many people misunderstand. They assume you have no limits."
"......"
"Your opponent is a Holy Heavenly expert. In a situation like this, inferiority in raw power is fatal."
"I'm aware of that as well."
Regret flickered across Yeon Hojeong's face.
Yang Cheon's words were entirely correct. With his experience and skill as the Black Dark Emperor, along with his keenly honed insight, he had turned mission after mission into success.
Yet even he possessed a fatal weakness: his martial power.
For ordinary missions, it wouldn't have been considered a weakness at all. Yeon Hojeong's strength had long surpassed the level of the younger generation. Excluding the Holy Heavenly experts, he was an absolute master capable of contending for supremacy beneath the heavens.
The problem was that he was always assigned missions that bordered on the impossible. Worse, he sought them out himself.
That was why even his formidable martial arts became a liability.
"So I thought about it. No matter what, I wondered if I could truly entrust this matter to you. Honestly, I even considered leaving the Mukryong-bu in your hands for a while and handling it personally."
Surprise washed over Yeon Hojeong's face.
Yang Cheon smiled.
"What? That unexpected?"
"It's far beyond unexpected. No matter how you look at it, that's not something the leader of the Mukryong-bu should be considering."
"Correct. It's not a thought befitting the head of the Mukryong-bu. But for any martial artist of the Central Plains who wishes to lead this war to victory, it's a possibility worth considering."
"...!"
"In the end, I abandoned the idea. Or rather, I realized how unrealistic it was. If I vacated my position to recruit a Holy Heavenly expert, even if you held the center perfectly, the headquarters would fall into chaos."
"You're right."
Yang Cheon shook his head.
"They were all meaningless thoughts anyway. What matters is reality. Especially in a matter like this, there's no one I can trust with it except you."
"......"
"Truthfully, I intended to use you for this sort of purpose from the beginning... How frustrating."
Yeon Hojeong reflected that Yang Cheon had indeed changed greatly.
The Yang Cheon of his previous life had not been this kind of man. He hadn't spoken much to begin with, but back then he had been a mad visionary blinded by the unification of the dark factions, one who committed every kind of atrocity without hesitation.
But now?
"It's all thanks to you. You saved my life. And you asked me to stand with you. Even if you only kept me as a useful piece on the board to win the war, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that I have freed myself from the Sasin Cult Leader's poison."
"......"
"I've always wanted to say this to you. Thank you, and I'm sorry."
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"What day is it today?"
"Hm? Why the sudden question?"
"Isn't this a historic day in which the King of Combat, Yang Cheon, showed me his true sincerity? I want to remember it."
"Nonsense."
Yang Cheon clasped his hands behind his back.
"Gratitude is gratitude, and an apology is an apology. That is all. Our relationship moving forward can change in any number of ways."
"I understand."
"How is Mak Won?"
"He's recuperating. I sent a letter to the Martial Alliance, so we should receive a reply soon. Especially if the poison embedded in Senior Mak Won's body is truly the deadly toxin of the Shinwha Sect, there is one person who can definitely cure it."
"The Western Divine Physician."
"Correct."
Yang Cheon clicked his tongue.
"The head of the Medical Pavilion of the Martial Alliance coming to the Mukryong-bu... It truly makes our alliance feel real."
He looked straight at Yeon Hojeong.
"Simply ensure this mission succeeds and you return safely. The moment Mak Won is healed, the next mission can be carried out together with him."
"Do not worry."
"Who else here would worry about you if not me? Without you, the war becomes difficult. If it seems you cannot recruit him, stake your life and run."
"I'll do exactly that even without being told."
"Of course you will."
Yang Cheon turned away.
"Let's go inside and share a drink."
"Gladly."
Unfortunately, the two men were not destined to drink together that day.
"Lord! It's terrible!"
"What is it that has you in such a panic?"
"T-the third disciple...!"
"Hm?"
"The third disciple... has been found dead!"
Yang Cheon's eyes blazed.
When they reached the scene, several high-level experts had already formed a perimeter to control the area.
At Yang Cheon's appearance, they all dropped to their knees.
"We greet the Lord!"
Yang Cheon ignored the greeting entirely and walked straight to Jeon Hong's collapsed form.
"...?!"
Yang Cheon's eyes trembled.
Nor was he alone. Yeon Hojeong, who had come with him, could not hide his shock at the sight of Jeon Hong's corpse. A mummy?!
Jeon Hong's body had become as dry as withered firewood.
It looked as though every drop of blood and moisture had been drained from him. The sunken eyes and hollowed cheeks were utterly horrifying.
"This is...?"
Yeon Hojeong checked Jeon Hong's pulse.
He looked back at Yang Cheon.
"All of his vitality has been sucked away. Even his internal energy."
"......"
Yang Cheon stared down at Jeon Hong in silence.
His expression barely changed, yet anyone could see the turmoil beneath it.
Baek Seo approached and reported.
"The third disciple left his quarters one shichen ago. He came straight here afterward."
"......"
"He was discovered half a shichen ago. Therefore, the time of death can be placed between one shichen and half a shichen prior."
Yang Cheon asked.
"Who did he meet during that time?"
"......"
"There is one person."
"Who?"
"Kang Liang."
Yeon Hojeong's eyes flashed.
Yang Cheon nodded.
"Bring him."
A short while later, Kang Liang arrived at the scene under escort. Having heard the situation on the way, his expression was grave.
When Kang Liang appeared, everyone except Yang Cheon turned their gazes toward him.
Without even turning around, Yang Cheon spoke.
"You saw this bastard today, correct?"
"Yes."
This location was right in front of Kang Liang's own residence anyway.
Yang Cheon said curtly.
"Explain."
His voice carried no detectable emotion.
Kang Liang answered in a heavy tone.
"I was meditating but grew hungry and stepped outside. He was already waiting. He picked a fight immediately, so I ignored him at first. But his insults crossed the line, and a fight broke out."
"A fight."
"Yes. Of course, it ended with a single strike."
He was not boasting. He was simply trying to describe the situation as accurately as possible.
"And then?"
"I drew my sword and exerted pressure, but that was all. No matter how angry I became, I could not kill the Lord's disciple inside the Mukryong-bu."
Srrrk.
Yang Cheon rose to his feet.
No one could guess what he was thinking.
"I'll ask you one thing."
Yang Cheon still kept his back turned.
"Have you learned any martial arts besides those of the Guicheol Sword Sect?"
Kang Liang nodded.
"Yes."
"What arts?"
"It is the Iron Sword Grand Connection taught to me by the Lord of the Yeon Family of Byeoksan. He did not pass on the latter half, however."
"Sword techniques. Is that all?"
"Yes."
Only then did Yang Cheon turn around.
His gaze was less oppressive than expected. His expression, however, was deadly serious.
"Your pulse."
No martial artist offered their pulse lightly. A single mistake could allow hostile energy to invade and shatter the internals.
Yet Kang Liang extended his arm without hesitation.
Yang Cheon examined his condition through the pulse point.
After a moment.
"Is that the Ghost King True Energy?"
"Yes."
"An impressive divine art. It truly deserves to be called the greatest prestigious sect of the dark path."
Yang Cheon addressed his subordinates.
"Preserve the scene. Allow no one inside."
"We obey!"
"Baek Seo, Vice Commander Yeon, and you as well, Kang Liang. Speak with me."
Once inside the grand hall, Yang Cheon did not sit upon the throne.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
"Baek Seo. Do you have any guess why the third ended up in that state?"
"I am ashamed. I cannot say for certain, but..."
"You cannot say for certain, but a technique must have come to mind immediately."
"Yes."
At that moment, Yeon Hojeong spoke.
It is a type of the Absorption Great Technique. I suspect it belongs to the same category as the Death Absorption Art.
Baek Seo looked at Yeon Hojeong with startled eyes.
"You know of the Death Absorption Art?"
"I do."
"How surprising."
Yang Cheon nodded.
"Just as you said. That is a variant of the Absorption Great Technique. By minimizing the side effects, it can only be used when one's internal energy is almost completely exhausted. It is a form of the Death Absorption Art."
The Absorption Great Technique itself was an art rarely encountered.
The reason was simple. It was a martial art marred by fatal side effects.
The Absorption Great Technique absorbed an opponent's internal energy to bolster the user's own power.
However, the absorbed energy would clash with the practitioner's own, resulting in a high chance of qi deviation or death.
If the power was great, martial artists would learn even the rarest demonic arts. Yet even those who staked their lives on strength refused to learn the Absorption Great Technique.
The reason was straightforward. There was nothing to gain by learning it.
Even if one absorbed internal energy, the odds of death or becoming a cripple were high. Even in success, one would become a public enemy of the murim. No matter how desperately one wished to grow stronger, the risk was not worth it.
There had been a time when the Absorption Great Technique enjoyed a brief vogue, but the trend faded within a few years.
In the present, it was no exaggeration to say that no one practiced it. Many among the younger generation did not even know such an art existed.
But the Death Absorption Art was different.
"Even a body affected by the Absorption Great Technique would retain at least a trace of qi. All the more so for a corpse dead less than half a shichen."
"Correct."
"The Death Absorption Art is different. In a sense, it is a healing art. When one's internal energy and life force have been critically depleted, it absorbs another's energy and vitality to achieve temporary but explosive recovery."
Yeon Hojeong's eyes deepened.
"Then it means someone affiliated with the Mukryong-bu must have been on the brink of death."
"......"
"Indeed."
"There is no physical evidence, but I have one person in mind."
Yang Cheon closed his eyes.
"Baek Seo."
"Yes, Lord."
"Mobilize the department's forces and bring in the first."