Chapter 504
Chapter 504
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 504
Chapter Title: The Lure
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Suppressing the wave of emotion, Noebi-hon feigned ignorance and shouted.
“What nonsense are you two spouting...?”
“We know.”
Bu Eun-seol said firmly.
“That you remember everything, Brother Noe.”
“What are you talking about?”
“If you had truly lost your memories, you wouldn't have needed to pass on your divine arts to Gwi-hui at the Blade Trial Pond.”
At that time, upon seeing Noebi-hon save Dae Gwi-hui, Bu Eun-seol had seen through his act.
It was because he had passed on the principles of the Divine Thunder Arts to Dae Gwi-hui.
If he had only intended to save his life, simply stabilizing his thunder qi would have sufficed.
But Noebi-hon had deliberately guided the thunder qi that had seeped into Dae Gwi-hui's body, teaching him the Divine Thunder Arts so he could control it.
Perhaps it was born from a desire for Dae Gwi-hui to grow stronger with the power of the thunder qi and one day become the lord of the Beast Palace.
“Hmph.”
His true feelings exposed, Noebi-hon bellowed, trying to deny it.
“I just thought it would be good to have one more person who could use thunder qi. If I lose my power again, I can just use him, can't I?”
For the Thunder God who made the heavens tremble, it was a rather pathetic excuse.
Bu Eun-seol waved his hand dismissively and said.
“I understand. For now, let's move to a different location.”
“Move? Why?”
“If we attack the Paeng Clan so recklessly, wouldn't we be repeating the same mistake?”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“We must be cautious this time. If things go wrong, you could be branded an enemy of the martial world, Brother Noe.”
“I'm not afraid of being branded an enemy of the martial world.”
“Of course, you wouldn't be.”
Bu Eun-seol smiled gently.
“But you must also consider the face of this younger brother, and the position of Gwi-hui, who will be your disciple in the future.”
Hearing those words, waves churned in Noebi-hon's heart.
They had no prior connection. Yet the heir to the Demonic Cult had humbled himself to become his younger brother.
And Dae Gwi-hui, the youngest son of the Beast Palace, revered and followed him like a master.
As something hot surged in his chest, Noebi-hon whipped his head away.
“Hmph.”
He snorted and exclaimed coldly.
“The heir to the Demonic Cult as my younger brother and the youngest son of the Beast Palace's lord as my disciple. My fate is truly twisted.”
His voice was impossibly cold, but his eyes were trembling faintly.
Bu Eun-seol and Dae Gwi-hui.
Were they not sent by the heavens to compensate for the lonely days he had lived until now?
Noebi-hon followed Bu Eun-seol to a Demonic Cult safe house near Hebei.
The safe house had a secret chamber, which was useful for confidential discussions.
“Please, tell us what happened back then.”
Bu Eun-seol said to Noebi-hon after they entered the secret chamber.
“We need to start planning how to bring them down.”
Noebi-hon immediately recounted the story of his fight with the strange old man in detail.
After listening intently to the whole story, Bu Eun-seol stroked his chin.
“...I see.”
The Eight Desolations Three Sages were masters who appeared four hundred years ago, and since then, their successors and descendants had never appeared publicly in the martial world.
Moreover, with the exception of So Ok-rim, the descendants of the Three Sages were highly likely to be figures from the Three Realms.
What if the people of the Paeng Clan are the descendants of the Three Sages?
The current descendants of the Three Sages all have different identities and are likely high-ranking leaders established in the martial world.
*‘Does that mean the Blade Emperor's descendant founded the Paeng Clan?’*
The Paeng Clan did not have a long history; they first appeared sometime after the Three Sages emerged four hundred years ago.
This could mean that the Paeng Clan itself was founded by the Blade Emperor's descendant.
“But that's strange.”
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head.
“He lamented his inability to face the Seven-Branched Demonic Blade. If he were the head of the Paeng Clan, there's no way he wouldn't have been able to fight it.”
“It could have been an order from the Three Realms.”
“That's possible. But there is something even stranger.”
Bu Eun-seol told him the story of the Southern Sky Great Hero.
“If he is the Grand Patriarch of the Paeng Clan, he could never have pursued the Southern Sky Great Hero for so long. He would have duties as a member of the clan, and his movements would have been exposed.”
“He could have set up a puppet. All the big shots in the martial world have dual identities, don't they?”
“That's also true, but.”
Bu Eun-seol stroked his chin.
“We'll have to investigate thoroughly. This is the Paeng Clan we're talking about, one of the Eight Great Clans.”
Even with conclusive evidence, the Demonic Cult's main forces can never enter the lands of Hebei.
Therefore, we must be extremely cautious.
“First, I'll have my subordinates gather information on the Paeng Clan's situation. Then, we can discuss how to take them down.”
Noebi-hon grunted.
For years, he had endured, searching for his enemy and honing the blade of his revenge.
And now, with his enemy's den right before him... in the past, he would have stormed in without a moment's delay, come what may.
But the current Noebi-hon was cured of his madness and maintained a clear mind. Thus, he would not act rashly.
“There's no other way.”
Noebi-hon nodded.
Revenge has already begun.
In that case, we must fully grasp the enemy's situation and then crush them completely.
At Bu Eun-seol's command, the intelligence networks of the Soul Obliteration Corps and the Absolute Peak Corps began to move.
The Demonic Faction's intelligence forces are generally well-versed in the affairs of the Orthodox Faction, and vice versa.
As the investigation into the Paeng Clan continued, Bu Eun-seol felt something was amiss.
The Demonic Faction's intelligence forces don't pay much attention to other demonic groups unless they are hostile.
But the Martial Alliance's intelligence network was a bit different.
They invested considerable expense and time to gather information not only on the Demonic Faction but also on internal matters of the Orthodox Faction.
This meant there was a high probability that the leadership and key figures of the Martial Alliance were largely composed of people from the Three Realms.
After all, they would want a wide range of information applicable to the entire martial world.
Furthermore, this wasn't the only strange thing.
The Paeng Clan was completely sealed off by a superior intelligence organization, so no matter how much they investigated,
they couldn't grasp the internal situation.
—The current head of the Paeng Clan is refraining from public activities.
There was only one thing they could find out.
The head of the Paeng Clan, Paeng Mun-cheon, was suffering from a strange illness and remained in seclusion.
“How strange.”
Listening to the information Bu Eun-seol provided, Noebi-hon stroked his chin.
“Does that mean the Grand Patriarch, Paeng Ak, is still in power?”
The title of Grand Patriarch is given to clan heads who retire after earning great fame or achieving remarkable feats in the martial world.
It is nothing more than an honorary position to commemorate their achievements.
The fact that the clan operates without issue despite the head's seclusion is proof that Grand Patriarch Paeng Ak still holds real power.
“That may be true, but the Paeng Clan gives its division heads a great deal of discretion. It could probably function without a clan head anyway.”
The reason the Paeng Clan was able to grow so quickly into one of the Eight Great Clans despite its short history...
...was partly due to its practice of guaranteeing the rights of its division heads.
For matters related to their division's duties, the heads could carry out missions independently without the clan head's approval.
Therefore, the Paeng Clan could manage even with the clan head absent.
“However, given that information is completely blocked, it's certain that something is happening inside the Paeng Clan.”
Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
The Paeng Clan was not in a normal state.
Otherwise, there was no way the Soul Obliteration Corps and the Absolute Peak Corps would be unable to detect anything about the internal situation.
“Then infiltration is our only option.”
Dae Gwi-hui, who had been listening silently, spoke up.
“My palace's martial arts are highly specialized for infiltration. How about I scout out the situation inside the Paeng Clan?”
The Beast Palace's martial arts were modeled after the abilities of various animals,
allowing them to excel not only in combat but also in infiltrating various places.
Moreover, since Dae Gwi-hui could even handle thunder qi, he would be able to perform the reconnaissance mission better than any ordinary intelligence agent.
“No.”
But Bu Eun-seol said firmly.
“The fact that information from within the Paeng Clan is completely blocked means the clan is as impregnable as an iron fortress, with excellent defenses.”
No matter if it's one of the Eight Great Clans, it's always possible to obtain information through spies.
But completely blocked information means there is a high probability that the place has been turned into a perfect fortress.
“Furthermore, the Paeng Clan is one of the Eight Great Clans that has stood tall in the martial world for generations. Countless hidden mechanisms must be in place to detect intruders. A rash infiltration attempt would only ruin everything.”
“So there's no way, then.”
Noebi-hon said, as if spitting out something he had in his mouth.
“I should have just quickly picked up the Grand Patriarch's Token back then. If I had, that vile bastard Paeng Ak would have crawled out of the clan to find it.”
Hearing those words, Bu Eun-seol's eyes lit up.
His words had sparked a very good idea.
“The Cult's treasury holds many treasures. Among them are quite a few spoils of war taken from the clans of the Orthodox Faction.”
Bu Eun-seol recalled the booklet Yu Un-ryong had written for him in the past.
That booklet listed the treasures he could possess or dispose of as the Martial Soul Lord.
And at the end of the list, the words 'Five Tiger Saber' were written.
***
The Paeng Clan's General Manager, Paeng Seo-un, couldn't hide his bewilderment.
The Martial Soul Lord of the Demonic Cult had suddenly requested a visit.
The Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol.
It was true that he had done many good deeds in the martial world.
But that didn't mean the Demonic and Orthodox Factions could get along.
The Paeng Clan, in particular, maintained a more hostile attitude toward demonic sects than any other.
They had even gone so far as to send assassins to try and kill talented prospects during the Demonic Cult's Tournament of the Ten Demonic Disciples.
So for the heir of the Demonic Cult to request a visit to the Paeng Clan? It was utterly nonsensical.
That is, until he read the end of the Martial Soul Lord's letter.
—I have come to realize that our Cult has been in possession of the Five Tiger Saber. I, the Martial Soul Lord, would like to visit the Paeng Clan to discuss its return.
Surprisingly, the reason for the Martial Soul Lord's visit was to return the Paeng Clan's treasure, the Five Tiger Saber.
The Five Tiger Saber could not only cut through pig iron like tofu but also contained the refined essence of the Five Tiger Single Strike Saber Arts, which the Paeng Clan had created in its early days.
If they could get it back?
The Paeng Clan's saber arts could advance greatly once more.
“I don't understand why he would return it.”
At Paeng Seo-un's muttering, his adjutant, Seo Uk, spoke cautiously.
“He is the man who will one day lead the Demonic Cult as its Lord. Furthermore, his relations with the Orthodox Faction are not bad. It seems he intends to forge a connection with our clan as well.”
“Hmm.”
“Indeed, it is said that he recently returned the Jade Fan, a treasure of the Zhuge Clan.”
Paeng Seo-un stroked his chin.
It was a well-known fact that the heir of the Demonic Cult was walking a righteous path, building friendships with the Orthodox Faction without hesitation.
For such a person to want to avoid bad blood with the Orthodox Faction and return their treasures as part of his journey to become the next Lord—it certainly made sense.
“Then why not just return it? Why insist on a private meeting?”
“Perhaps he wants to see if a friendship with our clan is possible. It seems he will decide whether or not to return the Five Tiger Saber after confirming that.”
“A clever man, just as the rumors say. To check whether it's beneficial or not before returning the treasure... hmm.”
Paeng Seo-un nodded.
Moreover, he desires a secret visit, not an official one.
That must be out of consideration for the Paeng Clan's position of shunning the Demonic Faction.
If it were known that the heir of the Demonic Cult had visited, the Paeng Clan's position would become awkward.
“There's not a single thing to find fault with.”
Paeng Seo-un shook his head.
“This is not a matter for me to decide.”
He said as he rose from his seat.
“I must ask the Grand Patriarch and let him decide.”
Paeng Seo-un entered a magnificent pavilion in the center of the Paeng Clan's estate.
He touched a hidden mechanism, and with a grinding sound, a passage leading underground was revealed.
*Thud, thud.*
After walking for a while, he saw a spacious hall from which a faint light emanated.
Passing through the hall and entering a narrow passage, he saw a small door.
“General Manager Paeng Seo-un, here.”
As Paeng Seo-un spoke with a polite bow, the door opened on its own.
As he stepped inside, he heard the rustling of a beaded curtain, and a small shadow walked out from within.
The figure was not very tall, but his gaze was fierce, and he exuded an aura as sharp as autumn frost.
It was the Grand Patriarch of the Paeng Clan, Paeng Ak.
Paeng Seo-un immediately tried to bow his head in respect,
*Swoosh.*
Paeng Ak walked past him nonchalantly.
Seeing this, Paeng Seo-un let out a small sound and shook his head.
“The Grand Patriarch is not present.”
He then bowed politely to Paeng Ak and turned away.
“It can't be helped.”
Back outside, Paeng Seo-un wore a bitter expression.
“Since the Grand Patriarch is unavailable... I'll have to make the decision myself for now.”
Stepping out of the pavilion, he gazed at the distant sky.
“Whatever his scheme is, it doesn't matter. The fact that the Martial Soul Lord is approaching us first is proof that our clan holds the upper hand.”
He narrowed his eyes and muttered.
“First, I must figure out what he wants.”
A few days later.
A secret guest visited the Hebei Paeng Clan.
It was the heir of the Demonic Cult, the Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol.
However, as this was a private meeting, the fact was not known to the outside world.
*‘So this is the Paeng Clan.’*
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he entered the Paeng Clan's estate.
The interior of the Hebei Paeng Clan, considered a symbol of the Orthodox Faction's saber arts, was less like a magnificent estate and more like a massive martial arts hall.
Most of the buildings were training grounds, libraries, and armories; there were few residential quarters to be seen.
“I am Paeng Seo-un, the General Manager.”
Paeng Seo-un did not send a servant and greeted Bu Eun-seol himself.
“I am Bu Eun-seol.”
Bu Eun-seol replied with a smile.
“This way, please.”
Paeng Seo-un personally led the way.
But the place he led him to was not a guest hall for receiving visitors, but a tea room used by the Paeng Clan's leadership for secret discussions.
“My apologies.”
After guiding him to the tea room, Paeng Seo-un spoke with a slightly apologetic expression.
“Normally, the clan head should be the one to receive you, but as he is ill, I, the General Manager, will be hosting you, my Lord.”
“That is fine.”
Though he waved his hand dismissively, Bu Eun-seol found it strange.
When the clan head is absent, it is common for those with the authority to act in his stead to step forward.
Bu Eun-seol had come to negotiate the return of a treasure the Paeng Clan had lost long ago.
Recovering it would allow the Paeng Clan to further advance their saber arts.
For such an important meeting, the General Manager, who handles the clan's household affairs, was the one to appear?
“It is because managing the clan's treasures is my duty as General Manager.”
Having seen through Bu Eun-seol's thoughts, Paeng Seo-un cleared his throat and said.
“As you know, our clan gives its division heads considerable discretion regarding the duties they are in charge of.”
“Mm.”
“Recovering the Five Tiger Saber naturally falls under my duties. That is why I am the one to receive you, my Lord.”
“It does not matter.”
“Pardon?”
Bu Eun-seol wore a faint smile.
“To be honest, it wouldn't have mattered who came to meet me.”
“I do not understand what you mean.”
“The Paeng Clan holds great animosity toward the Demonic Faction, does it not? One cannot be full from the first spoonful, so I, too, intend to proceed one step at a time.”
As he continued, the light of fiery ambition burned in his eyes.
“The martial world today is overrun by unknown forces, is it not? I believe that we should not divide factions simply into Orthodox and Demonic, but by whether or not we can envision the same future.”
Understanding Bu Eun-seol's meaning, Paeng Seo-un gave a faint smile.
“So, your offer to return the Five Tiger Saber is a means to open the door for exchange.”
“Precisely.”
“But I don't understand.”
Paeng Seo-un tilted his head.
“Our clan is the one among the Eight Great Clans that despises the Demonic Faction the most. A man like yourself could surely build relationships with many other Orthodox sects. Is there a need to go through the trouble of establishing ties with our clan?”
“That is precisely the reason.”
Bu Eun-seol smiled.
“If I can build a relationship with the Paeng Clan, which utterly despises the Demonic Faction, wouldn't I be able to build a relationship with any sect?”
Paeng Seo-un's eyes widened.
*‘A frightening man.’*
If he forges a connection with the Hebei Paeng Clan, who scorns the Demonic Faction? Bu Eun-seol would indeed be able to easily establish ties with any Orthodox sect.
If he is acknowledged by the Hebei Paeng Clan, who despises the Demonic Faction... no one would hesitate to form a bond with him.
“Very well. Since you have spoken so candidly, my Lord, I too shall be frank.”
Having grasped Bu Eun-seol's intentions, Paeng Seo-un said calmly.
“Even if you return the Five Tiger Saber, our clan's position will not change.”
“Is that so? A pity.”
“However...”
He wore a subtle smile.
“You could build a relationship with me.”
*‘Old fox.’*
Bu Eun-seol sneered inwardly.
In short, he couldn't build a relationship with the Paeng Clan, but he could build one with Paeng Seo-un.
*‘He's just thinking of taking the Five Tiger Saber back to claim the credit. After that, he'll pretend he doesn't know me.’*
“Can one be full from the first spoonful?”
Swallowing his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol smiled and said.
“If we build our relationship gradually, perhaps even the tightly shut gates of the Paeng Clan will open.”
“Hahaha, you are indeed easy to talk to, my Lord.”
Though he wore a friendly expression, Paeng Seo-un couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
*‘This young man has big dreams.’*
Whether he built a friendship with Bu Eun-seol or not didn't matter. As long as he got the Five Tiger Saber back, this negotiation was a success.
“It sounds like we are of the same mind.”
“Of course.”
Paeng Seo-un wore a friendly smile.
“To think you would return the Five Tiger Saber merely for a friendship with me, it is truly an honor.”
After all, friendships can come and go.
Even if Bu Eun-seol started the exchange by bringing the Five Tiger Saber, he would ultimately gain nothing.
But as if completely oblivious to Paeng Seo-un's thoughts, Bu Eun-seol smiled brightly.
“Then, I shall bring the Five Tiger Saber on my next visit.”
“Thank you.”
As Paeng Seo-un beamed and clasped his hands, Bu Eun-seol also bowed politely.
“Well then.”
Bu Eun-seol immediately left the Paeng Clan.
On the surface, he had gained nothing.
He had met the General Manager, Paeng Seo-un, but he hadn't been able to spy on the clan's interior or grasp their internal situation.
In the end, the only outcome of their private meeting was an unconditional return of the Five Tiger Saber.
And yet, a faint smile played on Bu Eun-seol's lips as he boarded his carriage.
*‘The Paeng Clan is definitely not normal.’*
His purpose for visiting the Paeng Clan this time was not to gain information using the Five Tiger Saber as a pretext.
Because even if he visited hundreds of times, the Paeng Clan would keep its internal situation tightly under wraps.
Bu Eun-seol was aiming for only one thing.
—If a calamity has befallen the Paeng Clan, surely there is someone trying to resolve the situation?
The fact that the Paeng Clan's Grand Patriarch is a descendant of the Blade Emperor could be interpreted in two ways.
Either the Paeng Clan itself was subservient to the Three Realms from the beginning, or the Grand Patriarch, Paeng Ak, pledged himself to the Three Realms.
But coincidentally, the current head of the Paeng Clan, Paeng Mun-cheon, has been in seclusion for over a decade under the pretext of illness.
This meant there was a high probability that a calamity had occurred within the clan, and Paeng Mun-cheon was not showing himself because of it.
—If it's likely that not the entire Paeng Clan, but the Grand Patriarch and a few other individuals belong to the Three Realms... wouldn't there be someone within the clan trying to overcome this situation?
Bu Eun-seol had formed this hypothesis.
It had been over a decade since the Paeng Clan's head had gone into seclusion.
During that time, wouldn't they have raised a banner of rebellion against Grand Patriarch Paeng Ak to normalize the clan,
and sought help from various sects?
The fact that nothing had changed led him to the thought: could it be that they had tried everything and failed?
Hearing this, Noebi-hon had said.
—Perhaps failure was inevitable. The Three Realms are behind them, after all.
Grand Patriarch Paeng Ak not only wields the fearsome saber arts of the Blade Emperor but can also use the Three Realms' outstanding intelligence network.
Even if they had received help from the outside, failure would have been a matter of course.
But then, Dae Gwi-hui had spoken up.
—Then what if a prominent figure from the Demonic Faction approached them?
Dae Gwi-hui's gaze was fixed on Bu Eun-seol.
What if the heir of the Demonic Cult, the Martial Soul Lord, who had consistently clashed with the Three Realms, appeared at the Paeng Clan?
Wouldn't the Paeng Clan's loyalists, grasping at straws, approach Bu Eun-seol? That was his suggestion.
—A rather interesting opinion.
Noebi-hon had nodded.
What if the Paeng Clan was under the control of Paeng Ak, or the Three Realms?
And what if Bu Eun-seol, who was opposing them, entered the Paeng Clan?
Furthermore, what if his reason for coming was to build a friendship with them?
There was a chance that someone who wanted to solve the Paeng Clan's problems would make contact.
—Very well. Let's give it a try.
Using the Five Tiger Saber as a pretext, Bu Eun-seol had entered the Paeng Clan and conveyed his desire to build a relationship.
*‘Will they come?’*
Finishing his recollection, Bu Eun-seol did not return immediately to the Demonic Cult but headed for Chengdu.
He went to a crowded marketplace and pretended to be a tourist, looking around.
How much time had passed?
“...!”
Bu Eun-seol's eyes shot open.
Someone had sent him a telepathic message.