Chapter 51
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Namgung Seo-hui (1)
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Cheon Muryang stepped outside the family estate.
The Head of the Heavenly Watch Corps followed him.
“Do you intend to go alone?”
“The Wandering King and my uncle must be busy. I'll be enough.”
Movements had to be kept to a minimum.
Thus, Cheon Muryang decided to go alone.
‘They've been so busy lately they barely have time to train. I can't disturb them.’
Under the guidance of the Wandering King and Cheon Seonhak.
Neung Ryeoun, Cha Myeonghak, and Woryeong were growing frighteningly strong.
This was a time for them to build their internal strength, and he didn't want to interrupt it.
“Have the goods been recovered?”
“Yes. We've recovered them and are in the process of sorting them. There were more useful items than we expected.”
Immediately after taking control of the family, Cheon Muryang had ordered the Heavenly Watch Corps to retrieve all the goods from the black merchants that the Third Elder had hidden.
“Good. As soon as the sorting is done, prepare to distribute everything.”
“Distribute……. Understood.”
“Just give me a few of the useful elixirs.”
“Yes, of course.”
“And then… hold on. Let me organize my thoughts.”
Cheon Muryang closed his eyes.
He wanted to sort through the sequence of events that was about to unfold.
‘Let's lay it all out.’
Cheon Muryang remembered.
He remembered that the relationship between the Cheon Family and the Namgung Family had rapidly soured due to a certain incident.
‘That incident happened right around this time.’
That certain incident was likely the story concerning the daughter of the Namgung Family in Hangzhou.
‘Her name is Namgung Seo-hui.’
Among the rising generation known as the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes, she was a woman so skilled with the sword that she was called the Sword Phoenix.
While the other Phoenixes were described with words like 'White,' 'Gold,' or 'Ice,' the 'Sword' that defined Namgung Seo-hui carried a special significance.
‘It means her talent with the sword is that exceptional.’
He recalled that she had run away from home in defiance of an arranged marriage.
‘I remember it was because she ran away.’
Whether by coincidence or simply because she wanted to escape her family, she headed not to Anhui but to Hangzhou in Zhejiang.
If that had been all, nothing would have happened.
But she was a woman whose sense of justice was as strong as her sword.
‘She set out to capture a Yin Demon.’
Just then, a series of kidnappings targeting young women occurred throughout the Zhejiang area.
The incident began when she learned of this.
She too was a daughter of a martial family.
She was aware that she shouldn't act recklessly on her own.
So, Namgung Seo-hui requested help from the Cheon Family.
‘The place she requested help from... was the Soheung Faction...’
Perhaps thinking she might be caught if she directly contacted the Cheon Family, Namgung Seo-hui reached out to the nearby Soheung Faction, known to be an ally of the Cheon Family.
The problem was the Soheung Faction.
‘They never reported it.’
Thus, Namgung Seo-hui had to act alone while waiting for support from the Cheon Family that would never come.
‘Even if it had been reported, the Cheon Family at the time would not have had the resources to help her.’
The Cheon Family's situation was that dire.
In any case, Namgung Seo-hui, acting alone, faced the worst possible outcome.
She ended up being overpowered by the Yin Demon.
It was Namgung Seo-hui's mistake to think he was just a simple Yin Demon.
‘The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon.’
He was known as a public enemy of the martial world, belonging neither to the Unorthodox Faction nor the Demonic Cult.
As one could infer from his moniker, he was a man of a thousand faces, said to be able to change his physique at will.
‘Since he'd only ever been on the run, she must have assumed his martial arts weren't that strong.’
The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon was a fugitive.
So, it wasn't strange to assume his martial arts were weak.
After all, those called Yin Demons usually had unremarkable martial skills.
‘But the reality was different. The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon's martial arts were formidable.’
The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon's skills were formidable, and his methods were cunning.
It was no coincidence that he had casually slipped through the Heaven and Earth Net jointly cast by the Namgung and Cheon families after her disappearance, mocking their efforts.
Later, after they succeeded in rescuing a broken Namgung Seo-hui, they stopped pursuing the Thousand-Faced Yin Demon.
‘But it didn't end there.’
With no one else to hold accountable for the situation, the Namgung Family turned around and blamed the Cheon Family.
“The Cheon Family ignored Namgung Seo-hui's plea for help. Therefore, we will hold them responsible.”
Cheon Wigang refused to yield.
As a result, the atmosphere soured to the point where they were on the verge of all-out war.
“We shall mediate.”
Seizing this opportunity, the Tang Clan stepped in.
At last, Cheon Muryang began to grasp the circumstances of the Tang Clan's involvement.
‘At that time, the Family Head must have already suffered internal injuries from the wicked trap set by the Wandering King and the Demonic Cult.’
Thus, he must have judged an all-out war with the Namgung Family to be impossible.
‘Whether the Tang Clan offered first or not, the Family Head had no choice but to accept their proposal.’
But the Tang Clan was poison.
The once-adamant Namgung Family accepted the Tang Clan's mediation, as if some secret deal had been struck.
Consequently, the Cheon Family lost many of its interests to the Tang Clan, which had intervened under the pretext of mediation.
‘That's the full story of this incident.’
Not many years later, Cheon Wigang died suddenly, and five years after that, the Cheon Family was wiped out.
‘Back then, I was too consumed with rage at the Namgung Family to see the situation clearly.’
It was different now.
Reviewing the entire sequence of events from the beginning, something felt off.
‘In the end, the ones who benefited were the Tang Clan. And the Namgung Family.’
In other words, the Cheon Family was the one that suffered losses.
‘What if this outcome was orchestrated by someone?’
Suspicion arose.
The Tang Clan.
‘What if all of this is connected to the Tang Clan?’
At the time, he hadn't considered that the Tang Clan might be behind it, but now things were different.
The Namgung Family was also suspicious.
They may have lost Namgung Seo-hui, but the gains the Namgung Family made were not insignificant.
However, wondering if the Namgung Family would truly go so far as to sacrifice their own kin, Cheon Muryang's suspicion fell on the Tang Clan.
‘It must be the Tang Clan.’
Cheon Muryang opened his eyes.
The Head of the Heavenly Watch Corps was still standing before him, awaiting orders.
*Grind.*
Cheon Muryang gritted his teeth.
“The Tang Clan, they'll be somewhere in the Hangzhou area. Find them.”
“…”
The eyes of the Heavenly Watch Corps Head darkened.
The words "the Tang Clan is involved" were not something to be taken lightly.
“Understood.”
However, the Head of the Heavenly Watch Corps was an observer.
He had decided to help Cheon Muryang, but he was not a man of true loyalty.
‘I shall watch.’
He would simply watch.
Giving advice was not his duty.
‘It's not my place, anyway.’
*Shhh.*
The Head of the Heavenly Watch Corps vanished.
Sensing several other shadows disappear along with him, Cheon Muryang gripped Heavenly Light tightly.
‘The Tang Clan... how persistent. They've interfered even though I prevented the arranged marriage?’
The future had changed from how it was before.
Hadn't he stopped the planned political marriage?
But Cheon Muryang was certain.
The Tang Clan would be involved.
He just couldn't figure out the reason.
‘Why?’
Cheon Muryang shook his head.
What did the reason matter?
‘What's important is that the Tang Clan is involved and harbors ill intentions toward the Cheon Family.’
The Tang Clan's objective seemed clear.
It must be to worsen the relationship between the Cheon and Namgung families.
‘We'll see about that.’
He had no intention of letting their plan unfold as they wished.
Namgung Seo-hui has arrived in Hangzhou.
All that remained was to see if the Thousand-Faced Yin Demon would make his move.
‘You're lucky, Namgung Seo-hui.’
She was lucky.
Because in this life, she would get the chance to let her unblossomed talent bloom.
“I'd better head to Hangzhou.”
Cheon Muryang set off for Hangzhou.
His priority was to find Namgung Seo-hui.
“The Soheung Faction, where she was supposed to show up, is gone now. I wonder what she'll do?”
It remained to be seen.
And so, for the first time in a while, Cheon Muryang set out for Hangzhou.
* * *
Kuaiji Mountain, located southeast of Hangzhou.
As a scenic spot near Hangzhou, it was a popular destination for many visitors, especially those who enjoyed the elegant arts.
However, deep within the foothills of Kuaiji Mountain lay a massive chasm known as Yu's Grotto.
So many people had fallen to their deaths there that the area was now designated as off-limits.
“Kuhuhuhuhuhu.”
A bizarre laugh echoed from the bottom of the deep pit.
The madness in the voice, as if intoxicated by something, could not be concealed.
“Finally, great success is at hand.”
It was the Thousand-Faced Yin Demon, the one Cheon Muryang was looking for.
But he was not alone.
A man with indifferent eyes stared at the power-drunk Yin Demon. And beside him stood Dang So-hye of the Tang Clan.
“Give me the rest.”
“Your body has already reached its limit. It can't absorb any more of that energy.”
*Twitch!*
The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon's brow furrowed.
“What did you say?”
“Achieve your great success.”
“And then?”
“We'll both get what we want, won't we?”
The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon let out a chilling laugh.
Great success was now imminent.
The final sacrifice to cap it all off had also been chosen.
“Fine. I accept your proposal. Kuhuhuhuhuhu. Don't you forget it.”
“Let's hope we never have to see each other again.”
“…”
As if their business was concluded.
Dang So-hye and the man turned their backs.
It was in that moment.
“But, you know…”
*Chill!*
The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon suddenly unleashed a wave of killing intent.
“I can understand the prized daughter of the Tang Clan, but you... your damn eyes are insolent.”
*Shwing!*
The edge of the Yin Demon's hand flew like a dagger.
It was a killing move aimed not at Dang So-hye, but at the man beside her.
“Tsk.”
But the man, his back still turned, clicked his tongue and shook his head.
He was completely unfazed, as if he knew the Yin Demon would move like this.
“This is why I hate trash.”
*Claaang!*
“!”
The Thousand-Faced Yin Demon was sent flying backward.
A clear difference in power.
But what shocked the Yin Demon even more was something else.
‘When did he draw his sword?’
He hadn't even noticed the moment the sword was drawn.
*Drip!*
Cold sweat trickled down.
It had been but a single clash, yet the Yin Demon felt an even greater pressure than when he was in the middle of the Heaven and Earth Net.
“Even breathing the same air as trash like you is unpleasant.”
*Fwoosh!*
Once again, the Yin Demon's eyes widened.
“But, since you are still of use, I will not kill you. So…”
“Kuaaargh!”
One of the Yin Demon's eyes was gouged out.
Blood gushed out.
“Never look up at the sky again.”
An overwhelming difference.
The Yin Demon finally realized.
The man's green martial arts uniform.
The faint dragon emblem embroidered on his chest.
“D-don't tell me…”
“Do you want to lose the other eye as well?”
“Hk!”
The Yin Demon shut his mouth.
Watching this, the man with the same indifferent eyes as before turned his back.
“Trash should live a trash's life. Don't even think about crossing over to this side.”
“…”
The two of them left.
Left alone, the Yin Demon bit his lip hard, whether from the excruciating pain or from rage.
“Namgung Family…”
The name he couldn't bring himself to say earlier.
As he uttered the name, the Yin Demon's appearance began to slowly change.
*Crack!*
*Crrrack!*
His very physique began to transform.
Now a dandy young master often seen in Hangzhou, the Thousand-Faced Yin Demon touched his somewhat awkward-looking eye.
“So the Namgung Family is involved, is it? Kuhuhu. Acting all high and mighty... Once I achieve my great success... I'll kill you too.”
The Yin Demon walked off somewhere.
It was the deepest part of Yu's Grotto, the source of the yin energy.
“Which eye should I choose.”
Countless corpses were scattered about the place.
They were procured from those known as the black merchants.
His eyes gleaming as if he were at a marketplace, the Yin Demon began to search for an eye that would fit his new physique.
“You may think you're using me... but once I achieve great success, it's all over.”
Only the final step remained.
The Yin Demon gave a sinister smile.
“The prized daughter of the Namgung Family... Kuhuhuhu. I look forward to seeing just how great she is.”
Having perfectly completed his disguise, the Yin Demon emerged from Yu's Grotto.
Then, he followed the mountain trail of Kuaiji Mountain and blended into the crowd.
“Wonderful. Just wonderful.”
The Yin Demon flashed a smile at a few women he made eye contact with and headed for Hangzhou.
Two pairs of eyes watched him go.
“With this, the Sword Phoenix will be broken.”
“Hmph... It's just trash dealing with trash.”
“In return, the Namgung Family will gain significant interests in Zhejiang. The credit for that will be all yours, Young Lord.”
“…”
“Congratulations in advance, Family Head.”
Dang So-hye smiled.
Her smile was beautiful beyond compare, but the most beautiful flowers often hide the deadliest thorns.
“Family Head…”
But those thorns were so cleverly hidden that one intoxicated by the flower would never notice.
“When that time comes…”
“Everything will happen according to your will, Young Lord.”
*Smile.*
Dang So-hye's smile was as bright as sunshine.
“Good.”
A strange desire burned in the man's eyes.
“…”
Watching him, Dang So-hye simply smiled.