Chapter 45
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Beggars' Sect Takes the Bait
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"Uncle!"
"......"
As Yu Hyun shot Baek Seon an irritated glare, a group clad in Beggars' Sect uniforms arrived late, following their branch disciples.
"Uncle! Are you all right?"
"......"
Before Nangong Seong could even survey the situation, he spotted Yu Hyun and made a huge fuss.
"No, your clothes... those wounds... Who the hell are these bastards that deserve to be chewed up and spat out!"
"......"
Nangong Seong glared around with bulging eyes.
*Good grief, you fool!*
*Crack!*
"Ugh!"
At that pathetic sight, Yu Hyun smacked the back of his head, prompting Nangong Seong to clutch his skull, whip his head around, and shoot him a fierce glare.
"Oh? What's that look?"
"......Uh, that's not it."
"Not it? Then what?"
"......"
When Yu Hyun furrowed his brows into inverted eights and widened his eyes, Nangong Seong quickly shrank back and averted his gaze.
Baek Seon couldn't hide his bewilderment at their bickering.
The young head of the Nangong Clan.
One of the Seven Dragons, the finest among the current generation's young martial experts, a man who might even inherit the title of Sword King.
And *this* guy was cowering? After getting smacked on the back of the head?
Who the hell was this man...
Come to think of it, he had called him "uncle"... No way, could this young fellow be *that* wastrel from Yu Clan Manor?
Realization dawned in Baek Seon's eyes.
Yu Hyun. He had heard plenty about him, but this was their first meeting.
There had been no particular reason to look into him.
Sure, Yu Clan Manor was under special oversight from headquarters, but that was solely because of Yu Seong-hwan's influence, not his son.
They had heard Yu Hyun was staying with the Nangong Clan, but that was all they needed to know.
If he left, they would just report it.
Headquarters hadn't issued any special orders anyway, had they?
But...
Baek Seon's gaze fell on the figure sprawled face-down ahead.
"......"
He was no weakling.
Baek Seon had already clashed with his comrades earlier.
They had taken their own lives before capture, but they were at the Qi Manifestation and Elastic Qi realms.
Even when the branch's disciples—dozens of them—deployed the Bamboo Staff Formation to apprehend them, they had only managed to inflict wounds.
And this man had taken them down alone?
Without even killing those experts—just subduing them.
There were no rumors of Yu Hyun being that skilled...
Baek Seon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Yu Hyun closely.
His clothes were torn in places, and he had wounds, but mere scratches...
Yet even probing with his qi sense yielded nothing.
Unless he had trained concealment arts, there should have been some reaction to Baek Seon's emitted qi—as if he had no internal energy at all.
Everyone's qi was unique, producing a slight repulsive force upon clash.
Martial artists gauged an opponent's realm roughly by that repulsion's strength.
Especially up close like this...
"What are you staring at?"
"Pardon?"
"Is there something on my face?"
Sensing the qi probe, Yu Hyun cocked his head and scowled, making Baek Seon realize his blunder and withdraw his qi.
"Ah, my apologies. I was rude."
"No need for apologies. But since you've checked my face, it seems the Beggars' Sect has been looking for this guy early on. Mind telling me why?"
"Ah, well... Truth be told, ten courtesans connected to our sect were murdered last night."
"......"
At Baek Seon's words, Nangong Seong looked at Yu Hyun with mild surprise.
"Ah, Uncle. Were you the one beating up those ruffians last night?"
"......Huh? How did you...? Did you see it? Were you at the scene?"
Baek Seon perked up at Nangong Seong's words, but Yu Hyun gave an awkward smile.
*You dumbass, mind your own damn business before sticking your nose in.*
*This guy's the young clan head...?*
*He has a long way to go before earning the Sword King's title.*
*How could I spill what I know so easily to Beggars' Sect scum?*
*Look at those eyes—sparkling, dying to pry something out.*
*Sure, we're technically allies on the big scale, but you never hand even a scrap of info to those guys lightly.*
*Information brokers always infer two from one, fabricate three from there.*
*Before you know it, your personal details are all stripped bare.*
*So when dealing with these ragtag beggars, the rule was caution in words—first, second, and always.*
"Ahem, I just happened to pass by and caught a glimpse of the commotion. Didn't know who they were, but looks like Beggars' Sect folk."
"Ah, I see."
Yu Hyun shot Nangong Seong a side-eye and gave a vague answer, leaving Baek Seon smacking his lips and nodding.
"In any case, thanks to you, Young Master Yu, we caught the fiend. On behalf of the Beggars' Sect, my gratitude. But how did you end up fighting these guys?"
"......"
Yu Hyun snorted inwardly.
*Smiling thanks, then straight to probing—classic slimy beggar move.*
*Probing my skills with qi sense just now... What, trying to dig something out of me?*
*In your dreams.*
*I'm the disciple of the man who'll rule as the Beggars' Sect's top expert someday.*
*You think I'll let you squeeze info out of my guts?*
"They seemed to be chasing someone... Probably mistook me for him."
"Mistook you?"
"Yes."
"For who?"
"No idea."
"Hmm... I see."
Yu Hyun smirked inwardly at Baek Seon's furrowed brow, creased perfectly in the middle.
*Curious, but can't bully me with Nangong Clan ties. Must be itching bad.*
*What now?*
Originally, he planned to drag the guy to Nangong Clan and dig into his backers—might be tied to the chaos instigators.
But after?
Even if exposed, what could he do?
He lacked the power yet.
Clashing directly without knowing who they were was unwise.
They operated in shadows.
If they learned he was onto them, who knew what they'd do.
If they found out the pursuit squad was wiped, they might trace it back and pressure him...
So he needed to divert any eyes on him elsewhere.
Now knowing it was a group, not one man, he *had* to.
Restrict their moves until he grew strong—never acting rashly.
Best to leave it to shadow-probing experts.
Who? The Beggars' Sect!
With disciples numbering over a hundred thousand, holding all Central Plains intel—get *them* moving.
Obsessed with secrets, once hooked, they'd dig relentlessly, forcing the chaos faction deeper underground, not daring to act.
Such elusive foes wouldn't surface easily; frustrated without leads, the Sect would obsess harder—obvious.
*Perfect. Buy time till I grow strong.*
*And with perfect justification?*
*Their disciples died— they'll investigate anyway.*
*Just nudge a bit more.*
His master—that old beggar—had said moving the whole Sect, not just a couple, needed three things.
First: bonds.
Scorned and begging, they prized loyalty above all.
They jumped for "brothers."
Second: praise.
Born beggars, rarely praised; spying bred finger-pointing.
So they leaped at threats to the martial world—for some respect.
Third: money.
How to feed a hundred thousand?
They begged from poverty.
Couldn't cover all—self-sustain.
But leveraging their info net cost plenty.
Whole Sect? Not one or two pillar roots' worth.
He lacked pull to command them yet, and spending Yu Clan cash on martial chaos felt wasteful.
Only second option left.
"Oh yeah, now that I think..."
"......?"
"Seemed like a bigger force behind... Something shadowy like that..."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
Yu Hyun muttered as if recalling, drawing Baek Seon's rapt, curious attention.
"Not sure, but it rings a bell..."
"......"
*Mysterious shadow faction—perfect bait for these nosy bastards!*
*Look—nostrils twitching!*
*Just a dash of spice now.*
*Enough for beggar pups to salivate and charge.*
"What was it? Fan-cheon or something..."
"What? What'd you say?"
"Ah, not certain. Just vaguely overheard."
"......"
*Hook, line, and sinker.*
Fan-cheon—Flipping Heaven.
Didn't specify what "heaven" meant.
Tossed casually—they'd interpret.
"Vaguely heard"—deny later, no issue.
Baek Seon's mind would erase him, fill with thoughts of that enigmatic Flipping Heaven crew.
*See that gleam—ambition to uncover and claim credit.*
"Y-Young Master Yu!"
"......Yes?"
Yu Hyun replied deliberately slow.
"H-Hand that guy over to us."
"......"
"We pursued his comrades, but they suicided during capture. He's all that's left."
Yu Hyun eyed Baek Seon, pretending to ponder.
*Hurry up, you fool?*
But no easy yes.
"Can't do that."
"Pardon?"
"Think about it. I sympathize with the Beggars' Sect losing disciples, but I nearly died too. Look—see these wounds."
"......"
Yu Hyun proudly displayed his sword scratches.
"Barely caught one. Should hand him to the magistrate to probe his backers. Not some martial group like Beggars' Sect—that won't fly."
"Y-Young Master Yu."
"Hey, why keep pushing?"
"Please!"
"......"
"We'll share investigation updates periodically if you want."
"Hmm... Well, still..."
Yu Hyun looked troubled, glancing at Nangong Seong.
*Come on, back me up.*
*Step in, say Beggars' Sect handles this best—hand it over.*
*Then I can pretend to yield.*
Nangong Seong mulled the intent in Yu Hyun's eyes, then nodded and stepped forward.
*Yes! Future Sword King.*
*Got my drift.*
"Branch Head!"
*Ah, that confident tone.*
*Good job.*
*Now, egg them on quick. Let them show off—we pocket the gains.*
"Speak, Young Clan Head."
"Uncle's in a bind, right? Drop it. If not magistrates, our Nangong Clan can investigate. Step back."
Nangong Seong spoke sternly, then shrugged smugly at Yu Hyun.
*Ah... right.*
*This seven-moods chameleon with zero tact.*
*Damn. Should've sent a transmission instead.*