Chapter 506
Chapter 506
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 506
Chapter Title: The Patriarch's Gamble
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Laiyuan County, Hebei. A secret safe house of the Demonic Cult.
As Peng Mun-cheon listened to the explanation after climbing out of the crate, his eyes widened in astonishment.
The person who had worked with Peng Zong-gang to rescue him was none other than the heir to the Demonic Cult?
‘So that’s how it was.’
Even if the young man from the Beast Palace was skilled enough to deceive the eyes of the Peng Clan's experts.
Even if he had used a brilliant scheme, carving the Demonic Cult's crest onto the crate to have it naturally transported outside the Peng Clan.
In the end, the reason this plan could succeed was because of the heir to the Demonic Cult.
Because of the name Bu Eun-seol, the Martial Soul Lord.
A new-generation grandmaster whose name resounded throughout the world had unofficially inspected various parts of the Peng Clan's estate.
Naturally, all of the Peng Clan's forces and surveillance would have been focused on him.
Thanks to that, he had easily avoided detection and entered the crate in the warehouse, while Dae Gu-hwi took his place in the Wall-Gazing Cave.
‘Of course… it was only possible because the heavens were on our side, and the Grand Patriarch was away.’
If the Grand Patriarch, Peng Ak, had been present, it would have been impossible.
But this time, the Chief Steward, Peng Seo-un, was in charge.
Upon recovering the Peng Clan's lost treasure,
he was so overjoyed that he didn't meticulously scrutinize anything else.
What was even more surprising was,
that this was not an intervention by the Demonic Cult, but the Martial Soul Lord's personal undertaking.
And that Noe Bi-hon, known as the Thunder God, was helping him.
“Indeed, no one less than the heir to the Demonic Cult would even dare to meddle in my clan's affairs.”
Peng Mun-cheon let out a deep sigh.
He had asked for help from various orthodox sects, but none had readily stepped forward.
The few who did offer aid soon gave up or were brutally crushed by experts secretly dispatched by Peng Ak.
But the heir to the Demonic Cult would not be easily exposed by intelligence networks, and even Peng Ak could not touch him lightly.
“You’re mistaken about something.”
At that moment, Noe Bi-hon, who had been standing silently, stepped forward.
“We are not here to help you.”
The Peng Clan's Grand Patriarch, Peng Ak, was a great demon who had dissected and experimented on Noe Bi-hon's wife and son.
Although he had agreed to Bu Eun-seol's plan, he was, in fact, exercising immense self-control.
“The only thing I want is Peng Ak's head.”
As a stark white killing intent flickered in Noe Bi-hon's eyes, Peng Mun-cheon couldn't hide his surprise.
According to Peng Zong-gang, he had heard this was to help him and solidify relations with the Peng Clan.
But it was to bring down his father, Peng Ak?
“Brother Noe’s family was brutally murdered by your father, Peng Ak.”
Bu Eun-seol proceeded to explain in detail what Peng Ak had done.
“So that’s what happened.”
After hearing the whole story, Peng Mun-cheon lowered his head and spoke.
“For generations, my clan has upheld the banner of an orthodox house, dedicated to protecting the martial world.”
“…”
“But at some point, the Grand Patriarch changed. He began to handpick and manage certain martial artists from the clan separately, teaching his arts only to them.”
From Peng Mun-cheon's lips flowed the previously unknown internal affairs of the Peng Clan.
“Not only that, but he also began to associate freely with heinous individuals and unorthodox factions, claiming it was all for the sake of strengthening our clan.”
Peng Mun-cheon continued, his eyes filled with a righteous spirit.
“But I merely wanted to remain the Peng Clan of the Eight Great Families. I did not wish to form ties with evil men just to master a superior saber art.”
He said with a pained expression.
“But because I opposed associating with those wicked people to the very end… this is what ultimately happened.”
A strange light flickered in the eyes of Bu Eun-seol and Noe Bi-hon as they watched Peng Mun-cheon.
But it was so fleeting that Peng Mun-cheon did not notice.
“Since when did the Grand Patriarch start associating with these evil men?”
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Peng Mun-cheon shook his head bitterly.
“I don't know. However, the Grand Patriarch was always dissatisfied with the fact that our clan’s saber arts could only be mastered by those with exceptional talent and innate divine strength. He once wandered the martial world to find a solution… I believe his change of heart began around that time.”
He continued his explanation without pause.
“Eventually, the Grand Patriarch passed the position of Patriarch to me, but he remained secluded in the Grand Patriarch's Hall, associating with evil men and dabbling in strange, powerful arts.”
Peng Mun-cheon continued his explanation.
“And he wished for me to obsess over saber arts and reach the pinnacle of the Way of the Saber, rather than protecting the martial world and managing the clan well.”
Pausing for a moment, Peng Mun-cheon seemed lost in thought.
Peng Ak selected exceptional martial artists from within the clan to teach separately, mercilessly casting out those who lacked aptitude.
Furthermore, the saber arts he taught were even more bizarre.
The Five Tiger Soul-Severing Saber Art displayed a tyrannical technique and aura, but it did not truly pursue the path of tyranny.
But the saber arts Peng Ak taught were quite different from the Peng Clan's original arts; in fact, didn't they share principles with the demonic path's saber techniques?
Eventually, Peng Mun-cheon grew suspicious and began to investigate his father, Peng Ak.
And he discovered that his father had joined hands with a force stirring up the martial world and was conducting bizarre human experiments on selected clan members.
—Grand Patriarch! How could you commit such a cruel atrocity?
Peng Mun-cheon confronted him in horror, but Peng Ak replied with a nonchalant expression.
—This is all for the sake of the clan. In the future, our clan will not be one of the Eight Great Families, but the very axis of the martial world.
Peng Mun-cheon could not accept this and tried to persuade Peng Ak several times.
But he wouldn't listen at all.
—I can no longer stand by and watch you, Grand Patriarch, commit such heinous acts.
In the end, to stop Peng Ak's villainy,
he tried to gather the Peng Clan martial artists who shared his views and form a faction.
But he couldn't bear to split the Peng Clan in two and fight.
—Rather than split the Peng Clan, I will inform the Martial Alliance of these facts and seek their help!
Peng Mun-cheon finally decided to reveal all of Peng Ak's atrocities to the Martial Alliance and request assistance.
—You grow more foolish with age.
But somehow, Peng Ak found out and subdued Peng Mun-cheon before he could contact the Martial Alliance.
After that, Peng Mun-cheon's internal energy was sealed by Peng Ak, and he was imprisoned in the Wall-Gazing Cave.
“…And that is what happened.”
After hearing Peng Mun-cheon's entire story, Noe Bi-hon furrowed his brow.
“The timing doesn't add up at all.”
The time when Noe Bi-hon's wife and son were kidnapped coincides with the period when Peng Mun-cheon and Peng Ak were in conflict within the clan.
In other words, unless Peng Ak could split his body in two, he couldn't have been acting as an emissary of the Three Realms.
“Then the old man I saw wasn't Peng Ak?”
Noe Bi-hon hadn't seen the face of the strange old man under the mask; he had only seen the Grand Patriarch's Medallion he carried.
Perhaps that strange old man was someone from the Three Realms collaborating with Peng Ak.
“But didn't you say he recognized you, Brother Noe?”
“Ah, that's right. The man with the Grand Patriarch's Medallion definitely admitted to killing my wife and son.”
Recalling the strange old man's words, Noe Bi-hon asked Peng Mun-cheon.
“Wait, then is there someone else in the Peng Clan who possesses a Grand Patriarch's Medallion?”
“No. There is only one Grand Patriarch's Medallion, and my father has it. However.”
Recalling something, Peng Mun-cheon took a deep breath and said.
“He could have given the medallion to someone else.”
“Brother Noe.”
Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening silently, remembered something.
“Perhaps there are two people playing the role of Peng Ak.”
“What do you mean?”
“I also felt something was off at the time.”
Bu Eun-seol explained calmly.
“I mean, how could the strange old man from Mount Cheon have attacked you, Brother Noe, while you were pursuing the emissary of the Three Realms?”
Bu Eun-seol had thought at the time that the strange old man had killed the Southern Sky Great Hero and then rushed to Lake So to attack.
But thinking back, the distance from Mount Cheon to Lake So is several thousand li.
Even if one used lightness techniques day and night without rest, it would take three or four days.
The idea that he had rushed over in an instant without rest to attack Noe Bi-hon seemed strange.
“We'll know for sure once we subdue the Grand Patriarch.”
Peng Mun-cheon said at that moment.
“Most of the people in my clan are unaware of the Grand Patriarch’s true nature. If they were to learn the truth, they would not stand idly by.”
He took a deep breath and said.
“Through Peng Zong-gang, I will win over the exceptional and righteous members of the clan and reveal the truth. Once preparations are complete, we will immediately enter the clan estate and bring down the Grand Patriarch.”
Peng Mun-cheon's intention aligned with Bu Eun-seol's.
If they were to strike the Peng Clan using the power of the Demonic Cult or the demonic path?
The orthodox sects near Hebei would not tolerate it and would intervene immediately.
But if it were a dispute within the Peng Clan itself? No one could interfere recklessly.
“To do that, I suppose I must first recover my internal energy.”
At Peng Mun-cheon's words, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“I, the Lord, shall open your acupoints.”
Bu Eun-seol carefully examined Peng Mun-cheon's body.
‘Peng Ak. He truly is powerful.’
It had been over a decade since the artery-sealing technique was used to block Peng Mun-cheon's dantian.
Yet, it hadn't budged and was still blocking Peng Mun-cheon's dantian.
Just from this fierce technique, one could indirectly tell how formidable his martial arts were.
“I can open the blocked acupoints.”
Bu Eun-seol said, taking a deep breath.
“Your body may not be able to withstand it, as your acupoints have been blocked for a long time. It would be best to take our time and open them slowly.”
“Isn’t a man’s life in the hands of heaven?”
Peng Mun-cheon smiled calmly.
“If I were to die from this, that too would be the will of heaven.”
Then he stared intently at Bu Eun-seol and said.
“Don't you worry about such things, just proceed.”
Peng Mun-cheon was a man of more substance than he appeared.
As Bu Eun-seol nodded and began to channel his energy, Noe Bi-hon suddenly stepped forward.
“Wise Brother, your energy is too potent; it might harm his body. My Thunder Spirit Energy, on the other hand, is especially effective for opening blocked acupoints.”
“It’s fine. I can do it.”
“No, let me do it.”
Bu Eun-seol was worried.
Peng Mun-cheon was, after all, the descendant of Peng Ak, the man who had brutally experimented on and killed Noe Bi-hon's family.
He was worried that Noe Bi-hon might be overcome with rage and kill him.
“Do you still see me as a man afflicted by madness?”
“Of course not.”
As Bu Eun-seol shook his head, Noe Bi-hon turned to Peng Mun-cheon and asked.
“Peng Mun-cheon. Do you have the courage to receive my treatment?”
Peng Mun-cheon actually smiled.
“I, the Patriarch, am preparing to oust my own father for the sake of justice. What is there to fear?”
“Good.”
Noe Bi-hon immediately summoned his Thunder Spirit Energy.
White lightning spread across his eyes, and suddenly, Peng Mun-cheon's body began to rise into the air.
“Ugh…”
As the Thunder Spirit Energy penetrated his levitating body, he let out a pained groan.
The artery-sealing technique cast by Peng Ak was so powerful that even thirty percent of the Thunder Spirit Energy could not break it.
‘An ordinary person would not be able to handle fifty percent of the Thunder Spirit Energy.’
Noe Bi-hon looked into Peng Mun-cheon's eyes.
A man willing to oust his own father for justice was surely no ordinary person. He could probably withstand it.
Zzzzzzt.
The white light emanating from Noe Bi-hon's eyes intensified. He finally began to inject fifty percent of his Thunder Spirit Energy.
Kzzzzzzzzzt!
Peng Mun-cheon's hair instantly melted away as he levitated, and his clothes were reduced to rags.
Blood began to gush from his mouth. His body was breaking down, unable to withstand the Thunder Spirit Energy.
Chiiik!
Just then, white smoke rose from his dantian,
Wooooong!
A pure white light emanated from Peng Mun-cheon's body.
The blocked acupoints were finally cleared.
Thud.
Peng Mun-cheon, his hair completely burned off, landed on the floor and immediately sat in a cross-legged position.
Wooooong!
Simultaneously, black smoke began to rise from his body.
As he regained his internal energy, he was burning away all the impurities that had accumulated in his meridians.
Flash!
When he opened his eyes, a divine light radiated in all directions.
Peng Mun-cheon had finally recovered all his internal energy.
“Thank you, Great Hero Noe.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for.”
Noe Bi-hon said coldly.
“This is all for the sake of killing your father.”
“Killing him?”
“Shouldn't he be dragged out and killed?”
“I have no intention of killing the Grand Patriarch.”
Peng Mun-cheon said with a rather dumbfounded expression.
“Even if he is an evil man, a father is still a father, is he not? I intend to make him pay for his sins by imprisoning him in the Wall-Gazing Cave for the rest of his life.”
“Nonsense.”
Lightning flashed in Noe Bi-hon's eyes.
“Did you think I went through all this just to let that bastard live comfortably in confinement?”
“Are you telling me to become a patricide?”
“You won't kill him. I will.”
“Impossible. In that case, you’ll have to kill me first.”
Peng Mun-cheon said calmly.
“But without my help, you will ultimately fail to strike down the Grand Patriarch. There is no other way if you cannot bring him down from within.”
“Fine. I’ll kill you.”
Without hesitation, Noe Bi-hon summoned his Thunder Spirit Energy, intending to shatter his skull.
“Brother Noe, wait.”
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol immediately stepped forward.
“Patriarch Peng. You’ve had time to organize your thoughts in the Wall-Gazing Cave, so you must know well what kind of person Peng Ak is, don't you?”
He then looked at Peng Mun-cheon and spoke calmly.
“He didn't imprison you out of love or pity, but because you might be useful later, or as a precaution for the future.”
Peng Mun-cheon nodded faintly.
Peng Ak was already demonic to the core.
He had suspected that being kept alive was not due to any familial affection.
“Just because my father has become a villain, must the son also violate the laws of heaven?”
“There is no need to violate the laws of heaven. Now that you have escaped and rebelled, Peng Ak will certainly try to kill you.”
As if he had no choice, Peng Mun-cheon changed the subject.
“Very well. Let us discuss this matter again after we have ousted the Grand Patriarch and normalized the clan. After his crimes are fully revealed, if it is judged that the clan cannot atone for them…”
Bu Eun-seol immediately cut him off.
“You’re mistaken. There is no plan to normalize the Peng Clan.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Peng Clan must fall.”
“So, you never intended to help my clan and foster relations, but to destroy it.”
Peng Mun-cheon's expression turned resentful, as if he had been deceived, and his tone hardened.
“I do not need your help. From now on, I will handle this myself.”
He then stared at Bu Eun-seol and said coldly.
“Of course, I will repay you in the future for helping me escape safely.”
Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening silently, sighed.
“Patriarch Peng. Do you take us for fools?”
“What do you mean, all of a sudden?”
“Peng Ak selected martial artists from within the clan for bizarre experiments?”
A fire as hot as burning charcoal blazed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
“Did you think we would fall for such a lie?”
“What lie have I told?”
“The Boundless Realm.”
A terrifying pressure, enough to crush even Mount Tai in an instant, erupted from Bu Eun-seol's entire body.
“Did you think we rescued you without knowing that the Peng Clan is one with the Boundless Realm?”
Peng Mun-cheon was speechless and shut his mouth.
In truth, the Peng Clan had deep ties with the Boundless Realm, a fact he knew all too well.
However, Peng Mun-cheon could not agree with the Boundless Realm's principles and had always wished for the clan to return to its status as an orthodox house.
“Peng Ak captured, experimented on, and brutally murdered not only Brother Noe’s family but countless others. And you would have him atone for his sins by imprisoning him in the Wall-Gazing Cave for life?”
“My clan and the Boundless Realm are absolutely not one and the same.”
Peng Mun-cheon carefully protested.
“I believe the contact with them began in my grandfather's time. They offered to modify human bodies so that even ordinary people could learn the Five Tiger Soul-Severing Saber Art.”
Not daring to look at Noe Bi-hon, he lowered his head and spoke.
“Thanks to the great art they provided, many of our clan's martial artists were able to learn the Five Tiger Soul-Severing Saber Art. But in return, they constantly demanded human experiments… I merely tried to sever that evil connection in my generation.”
Peng Mun-cheon said urgently.
“I heard that the Grand Patriarch was taken by the Three Realms as a child and subjected to cruel experiments. And because he was brainwashed by the Boundless Realm into believing that these human experiments would save the martial world… he committed such brutal atrocities.”
“Patriarch Peng.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a solemn expression.
“Your current attitude is no different from what the Boundless Realm does.”
Peng Mun-cheon lowered his head in shame.
All along, he had intended to end things by simply imprisoning his father, not killing him.
But with Noe Bi-hon, who had lost his wife and child so horribly, present...
No, for the sake of human modification, countless innocent people had been killed and dissected…
His sins were too great to be atoned for while he lived.
“Peng Ak collaborated with the Three Realms and conducted cruel human experiments. That alone means the current Peng Clan can no longer be one of the Eight Great Families of the orthodox path.”
Bu Eun-seol's voice was exceptionally sharp.
“The Peng Clan must be destroyed.”
Peng Mun-cheon could not hide his bewildered expression.
“My clan may have deep ties with the Boundless Realm, but more than half of its members are unaware of this. And yet you say the entire clan must fall?”
Thwack.
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol tossed him a book from his robes.
It detailed every evil deed the Peng Clan had committed to date.
It even recorded how those who had followed Peng Mun-cheon and rebelled against the Grand Patriarch eventually succumbed to Peng Ak.
There was evidence that they had followed his orders and participated in his evil deeds.
“This can’t be.”
With trembling hands, Peng Mun-cheon read through the contents of the book.
“In the end… not just the Grand Patriarch, but the entire clan must fall.”
Peng Mun-cheon collapsed weakly.
The Peng Clan was already one with the Three Realms, a state where one could no longer distinguish friend from foe.
“There is only one thing for you to do now, Patriarch.”
Bu Eun-seol said in a low voice.
“Thoroughly destroy the Peng Clan, and then rebuild it.”
“That’s…”
“If you refuse, I will report the Peng Clan's atrocities to the Martial Alliance. Then it will be purged naturally.”
Looking at Noe Bi-hon, Bu Eun-seol muttered bitterly.
“However, this method would prevent Brother Noe from taking his revenge personally, so I would rather not resort to it.”
Peng Mun-cheon's vision went dark.
It was easier said than done. Rebuilding a great family like the Peng Clan was a distant dream, even with decades of effort.
“Lord.”
Left with no other choice, Peng Mun-cheon once again adopted a polite tone and began to plead.
“Please, spare the Peng Clan.”
“…”
“They only followed his orders and submitted because they could not defy the Grand Patriarch. That is the only reason they committed those acts.”
Peng Mun-cheon said with a desperate expression.
“The vast majority of the clan members are righteous people. If we just deal with the Grand Patriarch, the clan will naturally be purified.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course. If I didn't have that belief, I would never have been able to endure all that time in the Wall-Gazing Cave.”
Bu Eun-seol snorted.
Peng Mun-cheon was a man who, in his own way, tried to walk a righteous path.
Unfortunately, he failed to face reality, chasing only his ideals.
Bu Eun-seol looked at Peng Mun-cheon and opened his mouth.
“If what you say is true, then you should be able to return to the Peng Clan and rally the majority of its members. Since most of them are only reluctantly obeying the Grand Patriarch, as you claim.”
“Of course. They only dare not defy him because of the Grand Patriarch’s terrifying martial arts and the powerful saber masters under his command.”
“Very well.”
Bu Eun-seol said decisively.
“If you can return to the Peng Clan and rally more than half of its forces to your side, I will remain silent about the clan’s atrocities forever.”
Peng Mun-cheon couldn't believe it.
If he could rally just half of the clan's forces, they wouldn't interfere in the clan's affairs? Wasn't that too easy?
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. Then let us make a firm promise.”
Peng Mun-cheon said confidently.
“If I rally more than half of the clan's forces, you will not interfere in our affairs under any circumstances. Even if a battle breaks out, you two will not join the fight.”
“You’re hopeless. Even in a situation like this, you only think of your clan?”
Unable to watch any longer, Noe Bi-hon sneered coldly, but Bu Eun-seol stopped him.
“It’s fine.”
“Fine?”
“Brother Noe, haven’t you already experienced for yourself how cruel a man he is?”
Bu Eun-seol continued with a resolute expression.
“The fact that such a man could remain leader for so long is proof that the Peng Clan is rotten to the core. Even if we give them a chance, they will never be able to rebuild.”
His eyes were incredibly deep, filled with insight and wisdom.
‘My younger brother was always like that.’
Bu Eun-seol was young, but he had more insight and intuition about human nature than an old man who had lived a full life.
Since he was so certain, things would surely turn out as he said.
“Fine.”
Noe Bi-hon nodded.
“We’ll do as my younger brother says. But if, contrary to your boasts, more than half the forces do not side with you…”
A stark white light flashed in his eyes.
“Peng Ak. I will deal with him immediately.”
Peng Mun-cheon took a deep breath.
The Demonic Cult's Martial Soul Lord had gone so far as to send the Five Tiger Saber and gifts to help him.
And the Thunder God, whose grudge reached the heavens after his family was annihilated, had taken another step back.
There was nothing more to say.
“Understood. If that happens… I will leave the Grand Patriarch’s fate to you, Great Hero Noe.”
“Good.”
“But that’s as far as it goes.”
Peng Mun-cheon looked at Bu Eun-seol and said firmly.
“If I rally more than half of the clan’s forces, the clan’s fight will end within the clan, and we will purify ourselves.”
“Do as you wish.”
As Bu Eun-seol readily agreed, Peng Mun-cheon breathed a sigh of relief.
‘He knows nothing of my clan's situation.’
From his childhood until now,
he had witnessed countless members of the Peng Clan groaning under the Grand Patriarch's immense power and oppression.
If he gave them the power and justification to oust the Grand Patriarch?
They would rise up and rebel without hesitation.
Then, the Peng Clan could once again return to its true form—a proud member of the Eight Great Families, a pillar of the orthodox path, the Hebei Peng Clan.