Chapter 505
Chapter 505
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 505
Chapter Title: The Trojan Crate
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「…….」
The telepathic message was as follows.
It said he was from the Peng Clan and wished to speak with Bu Eun-seol in private.
「Very well.」
When Bu Eun-seol readily agreed, the mysterious figure who sent the message invited him into a lavish brothel.
Following a servant's guidance into a private room, he found a man dressed very much like himself sitting there.
Several courtesans stood waiting around him.
But the servant ignored them and touched a scroll on the wall.
A secret door materialized on one side of the wall.
‘Indeed.’
Bu Eun-seol nodded at their thoroughness.
It was a precaution in case he had been followed, a way to create the impression that he was drinking with courtesans in a private banquet room.
“This way.”
Following the servant's lead, Bu Eun-seol stepped inside. At the end of the passage was a dark, secret chamber.
And inside the chamber stood a large man with eyes that glinted like a tiger’s.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
The man clasped his hands in greeting toward Bu Eun-seol.
“I am Peng Zong-gang, the Head of Inspection for the Peng Clan.”
To his surprise, the person who had invited him was Peng Zong-gang, the Head of Inspection, a man who wielded immense power within the Peng Clan.
“I am Bu Eun-seol.”
“I heard that you, my lord, wish for a discreet exchange with our main family. And that you intend to return the Five Tiger Saber.”
“That is correct.”
“Then I will get straight to the point. The truth is, the situation in our main family is gravely wrong.”
“Wrong? What do you mean?”
As Bu Eun-seol feigned ignorance, Peng Zong-gang spoke in a low voice.
“The Clan Head is not ill; he is being held captive in the Wall-Gazing Cave by the Grand Clan Head.”
“By the Grand Clan Head… the Clan Head is imprisoned in the Wall-Gazing Cave?”
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
Did that mean the one opposing the Grand Clan Head, Peng Ak, was the Clan Head himself, Peng Mun-cheon?
“That is correct. If you, my lord, can rescue the Clan Head and get him out of the clan grounds, you will become our clan's eternal benefactor.”
He took an envelope from his robes and handed it to Bu Eun-seol.
Inside was a detailed map of the secret mechanisms installed within the Peng Clan, as well as the location of the Wall-Gazing Cave where the Clan Head was imprisoned.
“If you have no intention of getting involved in our family's affairs, please forget what you have heard today.”
Peng Zong-gang added one more thing.
“I will be stepping down from my position as Head of Inspection in a few days. In truth, I can offer you no assistance.”
Bu Eun-seol looked somewhat bewildered.
Did this mean there was no one on the inside who could help with this matter?
“I have heard that you, my lord, are not only skilled in martial arts but also possess great strategic acumen. If you help us with this, our clan will forever be in your debt.”
Though he said this, Peng Zong-gang’s expression lacked confidence.
He didn't expect anyone to agree to help the Peng Clan after hearing such words.
But an unexpected answer came.
“So, all I have to do is secretly break the Peng Clan Head out of the Wall-Gazing Cave?”
As Bu Eun-seol spoke so willingly, Peng Zong-gang’s eyes widened.
“You will do it?”
“I will.”
“Thank you!”
Peng Zong-gang bowed his head and clasped his hands.
For the heir of the Demonic Cult to take such a risk for the head of one of the Eight Great Clans, a man with whom he had no connection?
“But I will need some help.”
“As I said, I will soon be stepping down as Head of Inspection…”
“No, I don’t need any grand assistance. I just need a few of the Peng Clan’s servants to help.”
Bu Eun-seol whispered in a low voice.
As Peng Zong-gang listened, his eyes grew as wide as saucers.
After a long conversation with Peng Zong-gang in the secret chamber, Bu Eun-seol left the brothel and headed for the Demonic Cult by carriage.
*Clatter, clatter.*
The carriage sped along the main road.
Bu Eun-seol gazed out the window, lost in deep thought.
Through his conversation with Peng Zong-gang, he had grasped the general situation within the Peng Clan.
“According to Peng Zong-gang, the Peng Clan wasn’t originally a den of the Three Realms.”
From what Peng Zong-gang said, it seemed the Peng Clan had been corrupted by the Grand Clan Head, Peng Ak.
And Peng Mun-cheon, having accidentally learned of his father's evil deeds, had a falling out with the Grand Clan Head, Peng Ak.
“But that can’t be right.”
If the Peng Clan had been corrupted solely by Peng Ak, then no matter how great his martial arts were, he could never have taken control of the entire clan.
The Eight Great Clans.
The eight families representing the Orthodox Factions did not earn their status simply by having great power or producing a few outstanding individuals.
Their ranks of masters were as deep as those of the Nine Sects, One Alliance, and their influence extended not only to the martial world but also to the realms of commerce, finance, and even government.
In such a place, for the mere Grand Clan Head, Peng Ak, to have turned traitor, imprisoned the Clan Head in the Wall-Gazing Cave for a long time, and seized control of the family?
That was impossible.
“This means there are many who are blindly loyal to Peng Ak. On the other hand, there are also factions like Peng Zong-gang’s, who have their doubts, have grasped the internal situation, and are opposing Peng Ak.”
A smile touched Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
For him, this was a golden opportunity he could not miss.
“First, I’ll bring it down from the inside.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at the distant sky beyond the window.
If he rescued Peng Mun-cheon from the Wall-Gazing Cave?
He would be able to swiftly bring down the Peng Clan from within.
A few days later.
Three carriages were entering the Peng Clan estate.
The lead carriage was a long-distance carriage for passengers, while the other two were cargo carriages laden with goods.
*Creeak.*
As the carriages entered, the main gates of the Peng Clan estate closed firmly behind them.
*Click.*
The door of the long-distance carriage opened, and a tall figure in black martial arts attire emerged.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
As promised to Peng Seo-un, he had come to return the Five Tiger Saber without any conditions.
“Welcome.”
The Chief Steward, Peng Seo-un, approached Bu Eun-seol and politely clasped his hands.
“Indeed, you are a man of your word, my lord.”
“You are too kind.”
“But what is all this?”
When Peng Seo-un pointed to the cargo carriages, Bu Eun-seol waved his hand dismissively.
“Though I came in secret, I was formally invited to the Peng Clan. How could I arrive empty-handed?”
Peng Seo-un’s eyes widened.
Bu Eun-seol had brought not only the Peng Clan's treasure, the Five Tiger Saber, but also various other gifts.
Peng Seo-un smiled faintly to himself.
‘He must be truly desperate.’
He concealed his inner thoughts and waved his hand.
“How could we? We cannot accept these items.”
“You must accept them. Otherwise, I will have wasted a great deal of money for nothing.”
“What do you…”
Bu Eun-seol had his servants unload the crates from the cargo carriages.
When the boxes were opened, they were filled with silver coins.
Other boxes contained expensive medicinal herbs like lingzhi mushrooms, poria, and ginseng.
Still others held rare ingredients that were hard to find in Hebei.
“Hmm.”
Peng Seo-un grunted.
Aside from the silver, most of the contents were expensive ingredients and spiritual herbs.
If he were to send them back in this sweltering weather, they would all be ruined.
“Very well. Then we will accept them with gratitude.”
Peng Seo-un had no choice but to have his servants take them to the storehouse.
“On behalf of the Clan Head, I thank you.”
He then guided Bu Eun-seol to the guest hall.
Since he had brought a treasure like the Five Tiger Saber, they intended to treat him as a proper guest this time.
“Here it is.”
Without wasting any time, Bu Eun-seol unhesitatingly placed the wooden box he had brought on the table.
“Please confirm it for yourself, Chief Steward.”
*Click.*
With a tense expression, Peng Seo-un opened the antique wooden box.
Inside lay a rugged blade, its width appearing to be at least a foot. It was the Peng Clan's treasure, the Five Tiger Saber.
As the Five Tiger Saber was revealed, all the Peng Clan masters, including Peng Seo-un, bowed their heads respectfully.
The Five Tiger Saber was the iconic blade that symbolized the Peng Clan.
To have recovered it in their generation was an emotional moment.
“Please excuse me for a moment.”
Peng Seo-un carefully lifted the Five Tiger Saber and went somewhere.
It seemed he was going to store it in the Peng Clan's most secret treasury.
After about fifteen minutes, Peng Seo-un returned to the guest hall and bowed his head.
“Thanks to your help, my lord, our clan has been able to fulfill a long-held wish. Thank you very much.”
“It was nothing.”
Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat and spoke calmly.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“Right now?”
Peng Seo-un wore an embarrassed expression.
Of course, since this was not a formal visit to the Peng Clan, they couldn't hold a public banquet.
Doing so might spread the fact that the Demonic Cult's heir had entered the Peng Clan.
But despite him returning a precious lost treasure, none of the key figures other than Peng Seo-un had even shown their faces.
Even someone as shameless as Peng Seo-un couldn't hide his embarrassment at this point.
“My apologies, my lord.”
Even for the Peng Clan, which vehemently rejected the demonic path, such shabby treatment was a slight not only to Bu Eun-seol's honor but also to the prestige of the Peng Clan.
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol was the man who would be the next Lord of the Demonic Cult.
For him to make such an effort to open a path for friendly relations, it felt awkward to just send him away.
“In the future, I, the Chief Steward, will use my influence to ensure that you are formally invited to our clan.”
Although it was a promise difficult to fulfill, his apology was sincere.
“It’s quite all right.”
Bu Eun-seol waved his hand magnanimously.
“Then I shall be on my way.”
As Bu Eun-seol prepared to leave immediately, Peng Seo-un spoke, looking apologetic.
“Please don’t. At least have a cup of tea before you go.”
It was just a polite courtesy.
But Bu Eun-seol paused and let out a small sound of realization.
“In that case, never mind the tea. May I have a look around the Peng Clan estate instead?”
“Our clan grounds, you mean?”
“Well, who knows when I’ll be back again. Since I’ve come all this way, I’d like to see the might of the Peng Clan with my own eyes.”
Bu Eun-seol winked.
“Wearing a mask, of course.”
Showing the internal structure of a clan to someone from the demonic path was forbidden.
Normally, it would be an impossible request, but Bu Eun-seol had given them the Five Tiger Saber without any conditions and had sent various gifts.
It was difficult to refuse a simple request to look around.
Peng Seo-un hesitated for a moment.
‘Just looking around with his eyes should be fine.’
The strength of the Peng Clan came from its people.
Besides, no matter how much one looked at the internal structure, there was nothing to be gained just by seeing it.
‘Well, even the Grand Clan Head wouldn't object to something like this.’
“Very well. Then I will personally give you a tour.”
At Peng Seo-un's words, Bu Eun-seol smiled and nodded.
“Thank you.”
At that moment.
*Creeak.*
Inside one of the now-empty crates that had been unloaded from the cargo carriage, another door opened.
It turned out there was a small space at the bottom of the crate, where a person was secretly hiding.
It was Dae Gu-hwi.
‘There’s no time.’
Having mastered the Beast Arts, Dae Gu-hwi could not only mimic various animals but also completely conceal his presence.
He was perfectly equipped for stealth and infiltration.
*Sniff, sniff.*
Dae Gu-hwi carefully sniffed the surroundings, surveying the interior, before drawing upon his Beast Force.
*Crack.*
His lean body instantly transformed into a muscular form, and he leaped lightly onto the roof.
*Swoosh. Swoosh.*
He moved stealthily, flitting between the pavilions.
Recalling the drawing Bu Eun-seol had shown him, Dae Gu-hwi moved without hesitation toward the north gate of the Peng Clan estate.
After running for some time, he found a small house whose roof and walls were all made of steel.
Inside was a sturdy iron door with a small slit that allowed a glimpse of the interior.
When Dae Gu-hwi peered through the slit, he saw a cot attached to the wall and something like a well for disposing of waste.
In one corner, a middle-aged man sat staring blankly at the wall.
His clothes were shabby, but his eyes were remarkably clear and full of spirit.
It was the current head of the Peng Clan, Peng Mun-cheon.
*Mumble, mumble.*
Like a rain-soaked monk, he was constantly chanting something.
Listening closely, it was the Secret Art of the Clear Mind, a technique to keep one's mind clear in any situation.
‘It’s him.’
Dae Gu-hwi looked down at the locked iron door and inserted his long-grown fingernails into the lock.
With a *click*, the lock opened.
“Clan Head.”
Dae Gu-hwi entered and clasped his hands.
“I have come for you on the Head of Inspection’s orders.”
“I heard the story about helping me to gain favor with my clan.”
Peng Mun-cheon shook his head as if recalling something.
“It’s useless.”
“Pardon?”
“Even if I were to escape the clan grounds, I could never escape their grasp.”
Peng Mun-cheon narrowed his eyes, his expression bitter.
“Tell Zong-gang there’s no need to try anymore.”
His eyes and voice seemed to hold an indescribable depth of regret and the sorrow of long years.
“Don’t worry.”
Dae Gu-hwi said with a bright face.
“He can keep you safe, even if the entire martial world came after you.”
“Keep me safe even if the entire martial world came after me?”
“That’s right.”
“Who in the world is he?”
“You will know when you meet him.”
Dae Gu-hwi’s eyes were pure and clear, yet they held immense power.
“For a young man like you to say so, it does make me curious.”
Peng Mun-cheon took a deep breath and sighed.
“Perhaps I’ll let myself be fooled one more time.”
“Get on my back, please.”
As Dae Gu-hwi offered his back, Peng Mun-cheon let out a dry laugh.
“You’re like a beast.”
“Am I?”
“Are you from the Beast Palace?”
When Dae Gu-hwi showed a surprised expression, Peng Mun-cheon said,
“To be able to circulate such powerful energy within your body without even drawing on your internal energy… only the Beast Force of the Beast Palace can do that.”
As befitting the head of the Peng Clan, he was not only knowledgeable but also possessed keen insight.
“You are correct. I am a disciple of the Beast Palace.”
“The Beast Palace. You’ve come a long way.”
As if he had never learned martial arts, Peng Mun-cheon weakly climbed onto Dae Gu-hwi’s back.
He was under the effects of a powerful Pulse-Sealing Art, unable to use his internal energy.
*Shhhk!*
Dae Gu-hwi began to run like a beast again.
Even with Peng Mun-cheon on his back, his speed did not decrease at all, and his movements remained agile, as if he were running alone.
After leaping stealthily between several pavilions, Dae Gu-hwi finally brought him to the storehouse where the crates were kept.
He removed the wooden lid of the crate he had been lying in and said,
“Take off the clothes you are wearing and give them to me, then lie down here. You will soon be out of the Peng Clan estate.”
Peng Mun-cheon blinked as he looked at the crate.
“In here?”
“Yes.”
“How do you plan to get this crate out of here again?”
Instead of answering, Dae Gu-hwi pointed to another crate.
Peng Mun-cheon let out a sound of admiration.
“I see, of course. There is a brilliant strategist at work here.”
Reassured, he lay down inside the crate.
Once Peng Mun-cheon was settled, Dae Gu-hwi carefully closed the wooden lid again.
Then he put on the clothes Peng Mun-cheon had been wearing.
*Crack.*
Using bone-altering techniques to change his physique, Dae Gu-hwi went out of the storehouse again and headed for the north gate.
Peng Seo-un, with all due sincerity, gave Bu Eun-seol a brief tour of the Peng Clan estate.
He generously showed him the training grounds, which were off-limits to outsiders, and even the inner courtyard.
The tour wasn't long, but thanks to it, Bu Eun-seol was able to meticulously survey the interior of the Peng Clan estate.
“I have seen it well.”
Having returned to the main gate, Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands, and Peng Seo-un said with a smile,
“I am glad you are satisfied, my lord.”
“Then.”
“Travel safely.”
Just as Bu Eun-seol was about to board his carriage, a Peng Clan servant came running breathlessly toward Peng Seo-un.
He leaned in and whispered something in his ear.
“Wait! Please wait, my lord!”
Peng Seo-un urgently called out to Bu Eun-seol, who was boarding the carriage.
“What is it?”
“We are grateful for the gifts you brought to our clan, but… we would appreciate it if you took the crates back with you.”
“The crates?”
“Yes.”
Peng Seo-un said with an embarrassed expression.
“I’m told that the crates you brought are emblazoned with the symbol of the Demonic Cult, the emblem of Two Dragons Fighting for a Pearl.”
They might have reluctantly accepted the gifts, but they couldn't possibly keep crates bearing the Demonic Cult's emblem in the Peng Clan.
What if the lower-ranking members were to see such a thing?
Rumors questioning the relationship between the Demonic Cult and the Peng Clan could start to spread.
“I understand.”
Bu Eun-seol, as if he had no choice, said to his servants,
“Load the crates we brought back onto the carriage.”
The servants went back to the Peng Clan’s storehouse, retrieved the crates, and loaded them onto the cargo carriage.
“Is this acceptable?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Peng Seo-un smiled and nodded.
“Thank you.”
“Then.”
*Clatter, clatter.*
The gates of the Peng Clan opened, and the carriage carrying Bu Eun-seol and the cargo carriages departed.
Peng Seo-un, who had been watching them intently, smiled faintly.
“This is quite the windfall.”
There was no other word to describe it.
He had obtained the Five Tiger Saber, the symbolic blade of the Peng Clan, which could be used to further develop the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Saber Arts.
Moreover, in a way, he had also discovered the weakness of the Demonic Cult's heir.
‘To so desperately reach out to the Orthodox Factions, his position in the Demonic Cult must not be very secure.’
Peng Seo-un smiled with satisfaction.
If he were to spread the news of Bu Eun-seol's secret contact with their clan through the Demonic Cult's information network?
His position could become even more precarious.
“Wait.”
As he stood there grinning, Peng Seo-un suddenly recalled the sight of the crates being loaded and his eyes widened.
“No way.”
A ominous premonition struck him, and he quickly turned around.
‘If such a thing has happened, I must not let that heir of the Demonic Cult leave the lands of Hebei!’
*Thud, thud, thud, thud.*
He entered the inner courtyard and immediately headed for the Wall-Gazing Cave at the far end of the north gate.
He went inside and peered through the small hole set in the door.
He saw a figure in shabby clothes, facing the wall.
It was the Clan Head, Peng Mun-cheon.
‘Phew.’
Confirming that Peng Mun-cheon was safe, he let out a sigh of relief.
“So he was just being greedy as the heir of the Demonic Cult.”
If he already knew the Peng Clan's secret, there would have been no need to use such a complicated method.
He would have brazenly launched a scheme with his many subordinates.
Feeling that his suspicion had been excessive, he shook his head.
“The Grand Clan Head will be pleased when he returns.”
With a faint smile, Peng Seo-un slowly turned away.