Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Darkness of the Cheon Family (1)
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Fortunately, Cheon Muryang returned without being caught by anyone. He washed himself clean and changed his clothes.
“Hmm…”
His sleeves fluttered loosely.
Not only that, but the waist was also wide.
And yet, the length was now too short.
Just then, Woryeong, who had brought him a meal, saw him.
“Young Lord.”
“Yes.”
Woryeong’s eyes were filled with a new sense of wonder.
“Perhaps it’s because you fasted for ten days. You’ve lost a tremendous amount of weight.”
It wasn’t just fat he had lost.
He had also gained muscle and seemed to have grown taller.
“It seems so.”
“I think you’ll need to have new clothes tailored.”
“Hmm… I suppose so.”
Not just his regular clothes, but his martial arts attire as well, all needed to be replaced.
The place in charge of this was the Gold Pavilion.
“Will you be going to the Gold Pavilion?”
“Is there a need to go through all that trouble?”
“Then?”
“I was thinking of going outside the family estate for a change.”
Woryeong’s expression darkened.
She remembered the Great Young Lord of the past, who would cause trouble whenever he went out.
“Was I, by any chance, forbidden from going out?”
“Ah, that restriction has already been lifted.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Still, please eat a hearty meal before you go.”
Steam was rising gently from the food.
The sight of the food stirred a ravenous appetite in Cheon Muryang, and he dug in, eating to his heart’s content.
“Hah… I can’t resist.”
“Yes. You can eat it all!”
He ate until his stomach was full.
Feeling satisfied, Cheon Muryang headed out in his somewhat ill-fitting clothes.
He had to forcefully stop Woryeong from following him.
“Then, have a safe trip!”
“I will.”
“And don’t cause any trouble!”
“…”
“No street food, either!”
Woryeong’s nagging had certainly increased lately.
Cheon Muryang, who had at some point started to take it for granted, stepped outside.
“It shouldn’t take long.”
Although he was leaving the family estate for the first time in a while, he had no intention of causing trouble.
This was merely a break, a way to rest before dedicating himself to his training.
“Hangzhou…”
The Cheon Family was located near Tianmu Mountain.
Thus, it was close to Hangzhou.
“It’s been a while.”
He had always yearned for the light of Hangzhou.
Unlike himself, who was like a firefly, he envied Hangzhou, which always emitted a light that never faded.
“Because I was a shadow.”
Light did not suit a shadow.
But now, things had changed.
He could become the master of that light.
“I have changed.”
Everything had changed.
Now, he acknowledged and accepted this changed reality.
“I am Cheon Muryang.”
The scoundrel Great Young Lord, Cheon Muryang.
For the first time in a while, Cheon Muryang headed to Hangzhou.
* * *
The streets of Hangzhou were wide.
The streets were always filled with people seeking revelry, no matter the season.
*Thud.*
Suddenly, Cheon Muryang came to a halt.
He looked up at the bridge.
“Shall we go to the Red Plum Pavilion today?”
“Sounds great!”
“It’s on me today!”
“Ooooh!”
A group of men, drunk and staggering in broad daylight.
They were idlers, but one glance revealed they were young nobles raised in luxury, so no one dared to bother them.
‘At one time, I too must have been part of that crowd.’
Cheon Muryang, too.
Had been a member of that group.
“…”
They were the haves.
Thus, they only saw the light of Hangzhou.
They would never see the shadows.
The brighter the light,
the deeper the shadow.
*Swish.*
Not at the bridge’s surface.
Cheon Muryang looked below the bridge.
There, he saw someone repeatedly bowing.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
In front of him, martial artists with menacing auras stood arrogantly, their swords drawn.
“Does ‘sorry’ make money appear out of thin air? Huh? What about our money? Is anyone stealing from you? We’re telling you to pay back the money you borrowed!”
“B-but… the principal has already…”
“Ha! How frustrating. Look here, if we lent you money because you were desperate, there ought to be something to show for it.”
Though that “something” had long since surpassed the original principal.
It was classic loan sharking.
“Should we sell you off as a slave, and your only daughter to the brothels over there? Huh?”
Their eyes blazing, they threatened him, brandishing their blades to intimidate him.
“P-please… just not my daughter… Please…”
Below the bridge, he begged until his knees were raw.
“Kekeke! The drinks taste good today!”
Above the bridge, the scoundrels were lost in their revelry.
“…”
Simply above and below the bridge.
And yet, what was this contrasting scene?
Cheon Muryang was overcome with an indescribable sense of disgust.
“So just give us the money!”
The one begging until his knees were raw.
He was the Nameless of his youth.
Nameless was a being from below the bridge.
“Let’s drink ourselves silly today.”
Those idlers staggering with bent legs were the scoundrel, Cheon Muryang.
Cheon Muryang was a being from above the bridge.
‘Then, where am I?’
Is the current Cheon Muryang a being from above the bridge, or from below?
Cheon Muryang, who had stopped to ponder this question, soon found his answer.
‘I am the one who will destroy that bridge.’
In that moment,
the bridge vanished.
Only the people remained in his sight.
He would not turn away from the shadows.
“This won’t do. I guess we’ll have to cut off an arm.”
They swung their real swords.
It was to sever an arm.
*Swoosh!*
“Stop your hand.”
But Heavenly Light had already moved.
*Clang!*
Heavenly Light cut through their ranks.
“What?”
They were slightly taken aback.
“Who are you?”
“Me? I am Cheon Muryang, the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family.”
“What?”
They roared with laughter.
His clothes were indeed high-quality, but they were so large they hung loosely on him.
Moreover, they were too short, making Cheon Muryang look ridiculous.
“Ah, you’re that scoundrel from the Cheon Family? Then I’m the Wandering King!”
“Keke. Then I’m the Fighting King! You bastard, why would that scoundrel be in a place like this? He’s too busy getting drunk over there.”
Overt mockery.
They didn’t believe Cheon Muryang’s words.
And for good reason; Cheon Muryang was a scoundrel so famous in Hangzhou that everyone knew of him.
So, there was no way such a scoundrel would be in a place like this.
“You probably got that pig’s clothes from somewhere. Who do you think you are, being so insolent? You want to die?”
*Fwoosh!*
They seemed to have no intention of letting Cheon Muryang live.
Radiating a menacing killing intent, they rushed at Cheon Muryang.
“…That sword.”
It was a familiar sword path.
Their swordsmanship wasn’t refined, but it was definitely a style Cheon Muryang knew.
“Is that not the sword of the Cheon Family?”
A sky confined within a frame.
But even that had been tainted by darkness.
Greed emanated from their swords.
“What?”
Cheon Muryang took a deep breath.
Woryeong’s earnest plea came to mind.
*‘And don’t cause any trouble!’*
Cheon Muryang shrugged.
‘I don’t think I can keep that promise.’
But what could he do?
Cheon Muryang thought of an excuse.
This wasn’t trouble he had started himself.
“That’s right, how dare you interfere with the Cheon Family’s business!”
“…”
*Fwoooosh!*
Heavenly Light shone.
Cheon Muryang recalled one of the heavens he had faced in the Heavenly Dragon Archives.
*Slice.*
In that instant, deep wounds were carved into their necks.
“Huk!”
But no one had managed to perceive Cheon Muryang’s sword.
“The Cheon Family’s business, you say. I’m curious about the rest of that story.”
An aura blossomed from Cheon Muryang’s entire body.
A chilling sensation emanated from his newly transformed Heavenly Sun Divine Arts.
“Continue. Speak.”
“W-who in the world are you! W-we are martial artists of the Cheon Family!”
In a single clash, they realized they were no match for him.
Cunningly, they immediately used the Cheon Family’s name.
It was a tactic for survival.
It might have worked on someone else, but.
“Tsk.”
There was no way it would work on Cheon Muryang.
It was absurd.
The prestige of the Cheon Family was never meant for trash like them.
It seemed necessary to engrave this fact firmly into their minds.
“I believe I told you.”
“…”
“I am Cheon Muryang, the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family.”
*Fwoosh!*
Heavenly Light was lowered slightly.
A sharp edge emanated from it.
*Thwack!*
Heavenly Light touched the neck of the one who had mocked him most openly.
The blood that was already flowing stained Heavenly Light before dripping to the ground.
“Huk!”
“And the name of the Cheon Family is not one you lot can use so freely.”
They could only blink their eyes.
They had no choice but to believe.
How could the Great Young Lord, known as a scoundrel, possess such profound martial arts?
“Speak. Who is behind you?”
They were a pack of jackals.
There had to be someone behind them, pulling the strings.
He needed to know who it was.
“Aigoo, Young Lord. Please, just spare us this once. We’ll all be killed. Please!”
“You die if you don’t speak. You die if you lie.”
“W-we were just doing as we were told.”
“What?”
“W-well… the loan sharking business… We were told we’d get paid if we helped, so we just did a little threatening, that’s all.”
Cheon Muryang smiled faintly.
At this, did their tension ease?
Just as their shoulders relaxed,
*Slice.*
a gruesome sound of flesh and bone being cut was heard, and an arm fell to the ground with a thud.
“Kraaaaaaak!”
Blood spurted like a fountain.
But Cheon Muryang didn’t flinch, watching with cold eyes.
Only after the man had felt enough pain did Cheon Muryang strike his neck.
“I said you die if you lie.”
“Hi-hiiik!”
It was a lie.
The stench of blood clinging to them was by no means faint.
The thick, ingrained scent of blood.
They must have killed countless people.
“Speak. Who is behind you?”
“Hi-hiik!”
Thus, Cheon Muryang showed not a shred of mercy in cutting them down.
*Slice.*
Another neck was cut.
“…”
The man who met Cheon Muryang’s gaze was paralyzed with fear.
“I-I’ll tell you everything! P-please, just spare my life…!”
“Speak.”
“I-it’s…”
The story was short.
After hearing the whole story, Cheon Muryang cut them all down.
“W-why!”
“I never said I’d let you live.”
*Glance.*
The man who had been tormented by them was still trembling in a corner.
“You’re safe now.”
“Th-thank you. H-how can I ever repay this kindness…”
His face was somehow familiar.
At this, Cheon Muryang stared intently at his face.
“Were you perhaps once with the Cheon Family?”
“H-how did you know…!”
He was certain.
The man had grown much thinner, but Cheon Muryang remembered his face.
“Weren’t you at the Gold Pavilion?”
“Yes. I don’t know how you remember a low-ranking person like me, but that’s right, G-Great Young Lord.”
Cheon Muryang was dumbfounded.
This was the man who used to bring Nameless new training swords and larger clothes while he was training, before he was appointed as an escort warrior.
Though he had disappeared at some point.
“Uncle Geumsan.”
“…!”
“That’s you, right?”
“H-how do you know my name…!”
“Well, you don’t need to know that… I heard it was loan sharking. How can the Cheon Family be involved in usury?”
“Th-that is…”
“Is it perhaps related to the reason you no longer work at the Gold Pavilion?”
“…”
Geumsan fell silent.
That alone was answer enough.
Did he realize his mistake?
He repeatedly bowed to Cheon Muryang, pleading earnestly.
“G-Great Young Lord, you mustn’t dig any deeper. I am grateful that you saved me, but… y-you must stop here.”
“I cannot do that.”
“What?”
“The Cheon Family is my family. How can the one who will become its master ignore corruption and injustice once he has learned of it?”
“…!”
“You don’t have to say anything. I’ve already obtained the necessary information.”
According to the information from the now-dead man, they were supposed to rendezvous somewhere after collecting the money.
Cheon Muryang intended to go to that place.
Geumsan, who was nearby, had also heard that information.
“It’s dangerous.”
Cheon Muryang paid him no mind and smiled.
“I know.”
“…”
“But I must find out. I need to know what exactly is going on. I’ll leave the cleanup to you.”
*Step, step.*
Cheon Muryang left the place.
Left alone, Geumsan stared at the corpses strewn about with an indifferent expression.
“I just don’t understand…”
Geumsan watched Cheon Muryang’s retreating back, filled with questions.
*Sizzle!*
He took out a packet of Bone Dissolving Powder from his robes and sprinkled it on the corpses.
Along with a foul stench, the bodies began to melt away, bones and all.
“Is that really the scoundrel Great Young Lord?”
Geumsan gazed in the direction where Cheon Muryang had disappeared.