The Yongmun Yi Family (3)
Yi Jeon-hyo's attitude toward Baek Su-gyeong was beyond anything Gal Ye-ryeong could comprehend. Unless he'd saved the man's life during his stay in Luoyang, there was no way someone of Yi Jeon-hyo's stature could be so casually intimate with him.
Gal Ye-ryeong adjusted her veiled expression with a slight frown. 'Information shortage, as expected.' She was sorely lacking intel on Baek Su-gyeong—painfully so. Just watching him treat Yi Jeon-hyo's son, Yi Jeon-hwi, like a kid was enough to infer the kind of authority Baek Su-gyeong must have wielded back at the Yongmun Yi family. No wonder she couldn't shake the impression: Just who the hell is this guy?
She'd never even heard of someone receiving such lavish hospitality from Luoyang's foremost family, the Yongmun Yi family. 'Was my investigation that sloppy?'
Haomen's intelligence network was renowned as rivaling even the Beggars' Sect's. People openly said that for high-grade info, go to Haomen—they gathered it differently. That capability was why Haomen held one of the Twelve Demonic Powers' seats.
And yet, someone had slipped through that net?
Gal Ye-ryeong took a sip of tea to soothe her burning gut. 'This guy's bottomless. How much more is he hiding?'
Haomen tracked every major family wielding influence in the jianghu, like the Yongmun Yi clan, down to the basics—who came and went, what goods flowed in and out. But their sources were always the dregs of society: porters, laborers, courtesans. Still, she'd never gotten a single report on Baek Su-gyeong.
'Those bastards...'
Haomen's Luoyang branch's prime directive was monitoring the Yongmun Yi family, and they'd missed this? Gal Ye-ryeong ground her teeth, her eyes flashing murderously. She sent a transmission.
"Jam-sa."
"Yes, Left Commander."
"Round up the Luoyang branch. Every last one, no exceptions. Time to interrogate them."
"Understood."
Even as Gal Ye-ryeong issued the order, Baek Su-gyeong and Yi Jeon-hyo's conversation showed no sign of ending. After a long stretch of laughter and chatter, Yi Jeon-hyo spoke up.
"Then stay in Luoyang a while longer. I'll prepare a space and time for you to write, Master."
"How could I impose like that? I'm just a lowly scribe these days—if you fuss over me too much..."
"Hahaha! Who calls Master Baek a 'lowly scribe'? The jianghu knows, the Central Plains knows—the famed Su-gyeong!"
Yi Jeon-hyo's flattery felt good, but it embarrassed Baek Su-gyeong. The jianghu knows? The Central Plains? God, he hoped not. Probably just the daytime fiasco had spread his face around. The thought alone was horrifying.
Baek Su-gyeong asked, "Speaking of, where's the eldest young master? With only Young Master A-hwi here, seems he's not in Luoyang?"
"Off to Mount Hua. The kid begged to become a warrior, so I sent him to a famed sect. Probably half-mad with sword obsession by now."
"I figured his martial talent shone from childhood—he'd walk the warrior's path. But Mount Hua..."
"Something wrong with Hua Mountain?"
"No, nothing like that. I plan to visit Tianshan when time allows. Maybe Hua next. Thinking about it."
Yi Jeon-hyo stroked his beard with a chuckle at Baek Su-gyeong's words. "Makes sense—you've stayed put in Luoyang, Master. Traveling, seeing new things, that'll be good experience."
"Haha..."
"You won't go anywhere till you finish Volume 6, though, Master. I'll keep word of your stay under wraps, so focus on writing."
"You sure that's okay?"
"Of course! You have no idea how lonely it got after you left."
What a talker. But Baek Su-gyeong didn't mind Yi Jeon-hyo. The man had shown deep kindness to a mere Yongmun Escort Bureau clerk back then. He was doing it still.
Baek Su-gyeong bowed his head. "Then I'll impose for a bit longer. Thank you, sir."
"Haha, treat this as your home—make yourself at ease. I'll set up separate quarters for those three behind you too!"
Yi Jeon-hyo was a man of true breadth.
Swords clashed, grinding out harsh metallic shrieks. Like shattered glass scraping together. The thunderous racket tore the air, echoing across the battlefield like a crow's dire caw.
Their ferocious exchanges whipped up sword auras in whirlwinds that terrified allies and foes alike, forcing retreats.
"Don't enter the Sword Venerable's sword domain! You'll get shredded!!"
"Damn it, what's with that crazy Wudang bastard?!"
"Fall back—fall back!"
"The sword domain's expanding!!"
The clash raged atop the Yangtze. Precisely, on a massive warship sailing it.
The Heavenly Pole True Sect—the demonic cult's puppet for securing a foothold, and the Gray River Gang's pride, lords of the Yangtze—their flagship warship. Named Hyeong-in, Fragrant Blade.
Breaking through the Gray River Gang alone was shocking enough, but leaping onto their prized Hyeong-in to duel its master, one of their top swordsmen, the Hegemonic Sword Venerable?
"Even in the Central Plains, gutsy warriors exist."
His fluttering robes dazzled. Black base vivid with crimson blade patterns like blood squeezed fresh—flashy as Dongying islanders' garb, a true battle robe.
The robed man, Hegemonic Sword Venerable, slashed horizontally. A savage clang repelled the two swords flying at him from Jin-un, filled instantly by his beloved blade gripped tight: Wuji.
A simple forward thrust. All the more terrifying for it.
Hegemonic Sword Venerable swung to parry. Craaang!
"Urk!"
"Th-that's a master's duel!"
"The Venerable's pouring power in! Retreat—further back!!"
The blast birthed wind, the wind a roar devouring the night air into roaring flames. The true art granting his title emerged: his genuine martial skill.
The sword of blazing Flame Heaven consuming the Night Heaven scorched Jin-un's sword energy away, baring its fangs. Known as Flame Demon Wheel Wall, ultimate technique of the Hegemonic Heaven Flame Ring Sword.
"Nngh!"
"That all you got? Sword Hero!"
One strike's retreat. Jin-un steadied his breath falling back. Since entering the jianghu, had any foe pushed him this hard?
...Strong.
Post-regression, he'd never lost. Honed to fell the Heavenly Demon. He couldn't fall to this vanguard of Heavenly Pole True Sect, near its equal.
Crushing Gray River Gang would expose their corner. He'd smashed footholds before, but this was their heart!
"My string of wins bred arrogance, it seems."
Glass-shattering rupture as Hegemonic Sword Venerable clashed with Jin-un's Wuji. The two dropped swords hooked the blade's edge, arcing rainbow-like into the air, arrowing at him like loosed shafts.
"Cheap trick!"
Whoosh. Breath of savage flames incinerating night air rose like winged serpents, blocking the flying blades.
Ting. Jin-un's energy deftly snagged the spinning swords' tails mid-air wheel.
"Cheap? Wonder if you'll say that after taking it."
Hegemonic Sword Venerable eyed Jin-un: two swords hovering guardian-like, Wuji thrust skyward in Heavenly Mid-World stance. The power swelling his aura domain around him was no trifle.
Jin-un's gaze locked on. Hegemonic Sword Venerable frowned at the aura expanding to engulf not just him, but the entire Hyeong-in.
A mere thirty-something forming an aura to blanket this whole ship...?
Aura domains measured a warrior's might. Claiming space with qi to forge a barrier realm rivaling a separate world—that gauged strength.
Masters' duels were territorial invasions. Trespass at peril of life.
"Pushing back this Venerable's sword domain?"
Hegemonic Sword Venerable's eyes narrowed. Can't let him live.
Gripping his blade, he surged inner power. Blazing sword aura cloaked him in Flame Demon Armor.
Armor of hardened qi permitted only to grandmasters of Yanluo Flame Demon Art, one of Heavenly Pole True Sect's Ten Night Demon King Arts. Molten iron hammered into glaring Yanluo demon eyes, fusing to the wearer like goblin-forged plate. Named Yanluo Flame Demon Forged Chain Armor—or simply Flame Demon Armor.
"F-Flame Demon Armor!"
"Even the Venerable draws that?!"
"Evade—jump in the Yangtze!!"
As Heavenly Pole True Sect warriors fled in panic, Hegemonic Sword Venerable lowered his sword, eyeing Jin-un. Unfazed by the surging Yanluo qi, Jin-un held firm, blade upright.
"Sword Hero, I'll cleave you!"
"If you can!"
Twin Spirit Wuji Qi circulated; Three Pure Ones Wuji Sword blazed anew. Split inner power reunited in his dantian. Three blades converged in vast Taiji diagram.
Sword energy sublimed to threads; thousands wove around the blades, ascending to sword aura. Heart-image resonated, manifesting as phenomenon: Gangxiang—a Yin-Yang Array, Wudang-style.
Vast Yin-Yang sigil slammed air heavy enough to rock Gray River flagship Hyeong-in.
"Wuji Thunder!"
Aura storm poured like collapsing pagoda's rubble avalanche.
Facing Three Pure Ones Wuji Sword's intent, Hegemonic Sword Venerable raised his blade. It ignited in sword-gang flames; Flame Demon Armor's blaze formed three-headed, six-armed demon king image.
The colossal fiend swung six flaming swords at the cascading Taiji sigil.
"Flame Demon Summon!"
Flame Demon lit the Yangtze night.
"Whoa, this fast?!"
Baek Su-gyeong's writing speed was insanely quick. Even halving his usual output for Little Immortal Hero Chronicles, he'd penned original and copy in three days.
Monthly new volumes hinted at his mad pace already. No wonder Yi Jeon-hyo marveled.
"I knew your hand was swift, Master, but not this swift!"
"Content to your liking?"
"Of course! Can't wait for the next!"
Yi Jeon-hyo beamed excitedly. "Send the copy to Gyeongun Merchant Group, and printing starts, right Master?"
"Yes."
"Perfect—Young Leader So's here. We'll see it quick! Great timing!"
"Ahaha..."
So Ssaang-a scratched her cheek awkwardly at Yi Jeon-hyo's expectant words. "We haven't opened a Luoyang branch yet, so supply might take time, sir."
"Eh? Gyeongun's skyrocketing these days—plenty room to expand."
"Following the Pavilion Lord's advice."
"Master Baek knows commerce too?"
Baek Su-gyeong, stretching, replied to Yi Jeon-hyo. "Just some pointers from escort bureau days."
"What advice to Young Leader So?"
"Sudden expansion at peak success risks hollow foundations. Enemies' spies infiltrate fast-growing firms."
Crack, pop. Baek Su-gyeong rolled his neck.
"Rapid growth crumbles easy to insiders. That's why I advised against hasty expansion."
"Master drops wisdom casually. That's why I respect you."
"I lack the learning for your esteem—please, no more praise."
"Heh, still so humble, Master."
Baek Su-gyeong yawned hugely, handing the pre-made copy to So Ssaang-a. "Commission Kwai-ui Dang for delivery—won't take long to Wuan. Pick reliable escorts."
"Yes, Pavilion Lord. I'll find trustworthy ones."
"Then I'm off to rest. Three straight days—feels like death."
Yawning again, Baek Su-gyeong shuffled back to his quarters in his disheveled state.