Chapter 68
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: What Happened at Soho Pavilion (3)
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Paeng Dohyeok.
He was the second young lord of the Hebei Peng Family, a man whose martial talent was so exceptional that he was recognized even within the family.
It was precisely because of this outstanding martial talent that he earned the title "Blade Dragon."
His family was none other than the Hebei Peng Family.
A direct descendant of a prestigious and historic family that vied with the Tang Clan and the Namgung Family for the title of the greatest family under heaven, his path to glory was all but guaranteed.
*‘Wh-what in the world…!’*
But now, that same Paeng Dohyeok was being kicked around by someone he didn't even know.
*‘I can’t block it!’*
He wanted to leap up and counterattack at once, but the fists, which slipped through his defenses like needles, were too painful.
*Thwack!*
*Thump!*
Thus, all Paeng Dohyeok could do was move instinctively, trying to minimize the pain.
"Does it hurt?"
His only consolation was that he hadn't let out a single groan, preserving what little pride he had left.
"You know, if you say it hurts, I might consider stopping."
"…!"
"I guess it doesn't hurt enough yet."
Cheon Muryang saw it.
The conflict that flickered in Paeng Dohyeok's eyes.
*Pfft.*
And so, Cheon Muryang smiled and continued his barrage of punches and kicks.
"Kuh, kugh!"
Paeng Dohyeok shot a desperate glance around, pleading for help.
"How can you be so disrespectful! Do you even know who this is!"
"I know."
"Wh-what?"
"He's from the Hebei Peng Family, you said."
"And you still…!"
"So what?"
"…!"
The man was at a loss for words.
"He's from the Hebei Peng Family? What about it?"
*Thud.*
Cheon Muryang's foot stopped.
"Huuuk…!"
Before he could even catch his breath.
A kick, imbued with internal energy, stomped on Paeng Dohyeok's side.
"Does being from the Hebei Peng Family give you the right to just slice the arm of a boy who hasn't even learned martial arts?"
"Th-that's…!"
"You're all the same."
*Flinch.*
Cheon Muryang's presence pressed down on everyone gathered there.
"Huk!"
The pressure felt like a hand squeezing their hearts, and those with weaker martial skills found themselves gasping for air.
"If you were truly the rising stars of the prestigious orthodox sects, you should have stopped him before I had to step in."
"We tried to stop him!"
"Right. You only made a show of it."
No one had stood up to Paeng Dohyeok for the sake of that nameless waiter.
Of course, he understood.
"You might have been afraid."
They might have feared the Hebei Peng Family, or perhaps Paeng Dohyeok's blade.
After all, their relationships were far from equal.
However, among them were those who could be considered equals to Paeng Dohyeok or Namgung Sang-hyeok.
Cheon Muryang found them even more disgusting.
"But that's not the case for you lot, is it?"
Cheon Muryang sneered at the few among them who likely held golden invitations.
"Didn't you all subconsciously think his actions were justified?"
They didn't intervene, not because they feared Paeng Dohyeok.
It was likely because they believed Paeng Dohyeok's actions were reasonable.
A truly sickening sense of superiority.
"That sense of superiority."
Cheon Muryang ground his foot further into Paeng Dohyeok's clothes, soiling them.
"It's disgusting."
Having power.
Was not for the purpose of wielding it recklessly.
"You bastard!"
Did he think he'd found an opening?
Paeng Dohyeok, who had been lying on the floor, suddenly kicked off the ground and swung his blade fiercely.
It was the form of five tigers charging, baring their massive, sharp fangs.
It was the famous ultimate technique of the Hebei Peng Family, the Five Tiger Severing Blade.
*‘Yes. A fine blade technique.’*
The culmination of all the training Paeng Dohyeok had accumulated.
He could see the effort Paeng Dohyeok had put in, swinging his blade over and over again.
*Crack!*
*‘Which is why I can’t forgive it.’*
If he had built up that power through such hard work.
"He should have thought about how he was going to use that power."
"…!"
*Wooooong!*
Along with the seemingly furious cry of the Heavenly Light Sword, the sky within the cramped Soho Pavilion seemed to split open.
*Kwwaaaaang!*
"H-how can this be!"
The fangs of the five unripe tigers were crushed.
Clearly overpowered, Paeng Dohyeok was sent flying backward.
"Cough!"
Paeng Dohyeok coughed up blood.
But more than that, he was horrified by Cheon Muryang's sword, which had shattered his Five Tiger Severing Blade.
*‘Wh-what in the world…!’*
What in the world.
"Who are you?"
"Me?"
"..."
"The Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family."
"What?"
"Cheon Muryang."
Only then did he remember.
Cheon Muryang, the trashy scoundrel of the Cheon Family.
Which was why.
He couldn't believe this reality.
"N-no way."
How could the one who beat him down be that trashy scoundrel, Cheon Muryang?
In Paeng Dohyeok's memory, Cheon Muryang was a piece of trash not even worth dealing with.
He only remembered him as a fat pig with mediocre martial arts.
Wasn't it Paeng Dohyeok himself who had mocked the Cheon Family, saying their fortune had finally run out?
"You're that pig from back then?"
"That's right."
Cheon Muryang shrugged.
He didn't remember it himself, but the original Cheon Muryang must have suffered a great humiliation at this Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.
Perhaps he was avenging that resentment on his behalf.
*‘The real scoundrels aren’t you, my lord, but these bastards.’*
Cheon Muryang was, of course, a scoundrel.
He did bully those weaker than him.
But he never went so far as to slice off a waiter's arm for such a trivial reason.
"I am that very pig, Cheon Muryang."
*Grin.*
Cheon Muryang smiled.
For some reason, Paeng Dohyeok felt like he'd seen that smile before.
"So, shall we continue?"
"What?"
"I told you."
"...?"
"I'd let you off if you said it hurts."
Unfortunately.
Paeng Dohyeok hadn't said those words.
*Flinch!*
For a moment, Cheon Muryang's movements vanished from sight.
In a flash, the vanished Cheon Muryang reappeared right in front of Paeng Dohyeok's nose.
"Sorry, but I haven't heard you say it yet."
So, wasn't it time for another beating?
Cheon Muryang didn't hesitate to throw a punch.
"Keeeok!"
A strike completely different from before.
Because a fist imbued with internal energy had landed squarely.
"Why don't you say it now?"
"Shut up, shut up!"
Having lost his senses, Paeng Dohyeok retaliated haphazardly, but such attacks were useless.
"Yes, you need at least that much stubbornness to be called a child of the Peng Family."
*Whoosh!*
Following the punch that cut through the air, another of Cheon Muryang's fists slammed into his jaw.
"Keok!"
With a final scream, Paeng Dohyeok collapsed to the floor and didn't move an inch.
He had refused to submit to Cheon Muryang until the very end.
"Tsk."
Though he found it regrettable, Cheon Muryang had to admit it.
"I'll acknowledge that stubbornness."
"Young Lord Paeng!"
"Take care of the rest yourselves."
The lackeys belatedly rushed forward.
The sight of them hastily carrying the fallen Paeng Dohyeok away, as if seizing the opportunity, was quite a spectacle.
"Ah, wait a minute."
At his words, everyone froze.
*Step, step.*
Cheon Muryang approached Paeng Dohyeok and suddenly started rummaging through his clothes.
"Hmm. Nothing of value here."
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"I need to be compensated. Who's going to pay for that dented floor and those broken plates?"
*Glance.*
The nearby innkeeper was shaking his head repeatedly.
It probably meant he didn't need it, but Cheon Muryang deliberately ignored him.
"And of course, for that waiter, and for me having to get involved, I need to be properly compensated."
But Paeng Dohyeok had nothing on him.
After a moment of thought, Cheon Muryang grabbed Paeng Dohyeok's blade.
"This will do for now."
"Y-Young Lord Cheon! No matter what, this is..."
"If he has a problem with it, tell him to come find me. With a suitable amount of compensation money."
It was a blade of the Peng Family, no less.
Its value would be substantial.
Like Paeng Dohyeok, Cheon Muryang lifted the massive blade with ease.
"Now, get going."
"..."
They could only leave in a hurry without another word.
Paeng Dohyeok's well-being came first.
"Make sure you tell him to come with his hands full."
After a few chuckles, Cheon Muryang approached the trembling waiter nearby.
"Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes! Th-thank you..."
"Good. That's a relief."
Cheon Muryang extended his hand.
The waiter took his hand, got up, and repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude.
"Thank you. Thank you!"
"Be careful from now on. Don't get on the wrong side of scoundrels like that."
"Yes, sir!"
"Now then, bring out some more food. All that moving around made me hungry."
"Ah, yes! Right away!"
The boy quickly left the area.
Cheon Muryang calmly walked back to his seat and sat down, as if nothing had happened.
Countless gazes watched him, filled with disbelief.
"What? Is there something else you need?"
"...I'll be going."
Namgung Sang-hyeok announced his departure with a surprisingly calm expression.
He was clearly delighted on the inside.
He too had been beaten to a pulp by Cheon Muryang, but no one knew about it.
On the other hand, Paeng Dohyeok, who had looked down on him, had been publicly demolished, so he was rather pleased.
"Hey, Namgung what's-his-name."
*Flinch!*
Namgung Sang-hyeok's steps faltered.
An intangible pressure bore down on his back.
He didn't turn his head, but for some reason, Namgung Sang-hyeok could picture the expression Cheon Muryang was giving him.
"See you later."
"..."
Namgung Sang-hyeok walked straight out.
He struggled to maintain a composed face, but the hand he had unknowingly placed on the hilt of his sword was trembling slightly.
*Creeak.*
The main door of Soho Pavilion closed.
A strange silence fell.
But one thing was certain: all eyes were fixed on Cheon Muryang.
Feeling unnecessarily uncomfortable under their gazes, Cheon Muryang addressed everyone.
"Since that scoundrel from the Peng Family caused a disturbance, let's put today's drinks and food on their tab."
"…!"
"So, please, eat and drink to your heart's content."
Cheon Muryang smiled.
Seeing that roguish smile, they couldn't help but laugh.
"Long live the Cheon Family!"
"Long live Young Lord Cheon Muryang!"
"Hooray!"
Everyone cheered.
It wasn't just because he was covering their drinks and food.
Before that, what Cheon Muryang had shown could be called chivalry.
Who else would beat up a direct descendant of the Hebei Peng Family like that for a mere waiter?
"Well now."
Cheon Muryang smiled as he received their cheers.
"Thank you, everyone."
On this unexpected day.
Cheon Muryang had forcefully announced the name of the Cheon Family and his own.
"Well, it'll work out somehow."
The dirtied floor was cleaned in an instant.
"Y-Young Lord!"
"Ah, are you the owner? My apologies for unintentionally causing you trouble."
"N-not at all! By any chance, are you planning to stay at our tavern?"
"I am, yes?"
"Oh! What a relief. We'll guide you to our VIP suite."
Cheon Muryang shrugged.
An unexpected benefit, wasn't it?
"I won't refuse."
"Yes, yes. I'm the one who should be grateful."
"I'll need about three rooms."
"Pardon?"
The innkeeper couldn't believe his ears.
One VIP suite was one thing, but three was a different story entirely.
But Cheon Muryang had already taken the bait.
"I have companions with me."
"Ah, I see."
"I'm just worried that scoundrel from the Peng Family might hold a grudge and come back to cause trouble."
The innkeeper flinched.
A reaction as if he'd been hit right on the mark.
He had probably wanted to keep him here for that very reason.
"So, I should probably stay here, shouldn't I?"
"Ah, of course! That's right! Three VIP suites? Not a problem at all."
Cheon Muryang smiled.
"That's a relief."
Wasn't this mutual aid?
"We're just helping each other out."
"Hahaha..."
For some reason, the end of his laugh sounded a bit pathetic.