Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Butterfly Effect (1)
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The fact that Eon Jeong-ung and Pang Muhyuk had arrived at the Yi Manor at this precise moment was the result of the butterfly effect unleashed by Eon Yong-un flapping his wings all over the place.
And that made sense.
What if Eon Yong-un hadn't distinguished himself at the Righteous Martial Academy?
There wouldn't have been any reason for Pang Muhyuk to order Pang Jae-hyuk to report on the incidents involving the heirs of the Ha-beok Three Heroes.
Even granting that Pang Muhyuk might have asked Pang Jae-hyuk for such reports, the Ha-beok Three Heroes would never have gathered to hear the news.
Eon Jeong-ung might have appeared stubborn and rigidly honest on the surface.
But Pang Muhyuk and Seok Geum-pil knew better than anyone that he was full of affection deep down. There was no way he would sit with his eldest son struck from the family registry and discuss the affairs of the other heirs.
As such, they would have learned of the assassins' attack on the academy cadets much later than they did.
And if that news had come late, they wouldn't have bothered responding to the Baekbon Council's regular assembly summons that arrived around the same time.
The Ha-beok region was relatively peaceful.
With no pressing issues to debate at the Baekbon Council, they would have simply left it to the delegates already dispatched from each family, as they always had.
However, the butterfly effect created by Eon Yong-un had altered the "original" course of events, setting Eon Jeong-ung's feet in motion.
And Peng So-jin's presence at the Murim Alliance in Luoyang had dragged Pang Muhyuk along with him.
Thus, they headed to the Murim Alliance in Luoyang.
There, the Pang and Gongson families had forged a master-disciple bond, leading Eon Jeong-ung, Pang Muhyuk, and Gongson Mugeol to meet privately and share a heartfelt conversation.
"...Please take good care of our little So-jin."
"Hearing that from Senior Pang puts this Gongson at ease. You saw So-jin earlier, didn't you? Did you happen to watch her swing her sword?"
"No, I didn't. I just told her to work hard. Didn't want to burden her."
"Hahaha. Even the Sword Emperor of the world can't help but be a helpless father before his child."
"Ugh, it's no wonder they say raising kids is the hardest job."
"I don't have children, so I worried you'd be upset with me over it. Anyway, So-jin is doing splendidly. Not empty words—she'll surpass even me someday. Oh, and thank you too, Senior Eon."
"Thanks from me?"
"Yes. The fact that So-jin and I became master and disciple is entirely thanks to Yong-un."
The conversation had started with Pang Muhyuk entrusting his daughter to Gongson Mugeol and Gongson promising to teach her well.
Before long, the topic shifted to Eon Yong-un, and Gongson Mugeol brought up the promise they'd made when Yong-un had visited for observation.
"...Then Taiyuan Yi's ancestral graves were robbed, and it felt off, so I asked Yong-un to look into it. But given the times, I told him to cancel. The kid went to Taiyuan anyway."
That story prompted a conversation between Eon Jeong-ung and Pang Muhyuk on their way back to Ha-beok after finishing business in Luoyang.
"Listen, Jeong-ung."
"Yes, Brother Yi?"
"Why don't we detour through Shanxi instead?"
"You mean stop by the Yi Manor?"
"Yes. There's that grave robbing your junior mentioned, and your father-in-law—who was perfectly healthy—suddenly falling ill feels suspicious."
"...Hmm."
"Yong-un and Yong-myeong are there right now, too. We could visit the sickbed while we're at it."
Pang Muhyuk had suggested it to tie up loose ends and as a favor in return for looking after So-jin.
But for some reason, Eon Jeong-ung—who usually couldn't keep his mouth shut whenever Eon Yong-un came up—didn't respond immediately.
Pang Muhyuk spoke again.
"Is this really worth agonizing over? Didn't you yourself say on the way here that you were worried about your father-in-law's illness?"
"...Well. My wife's eldest brother sent a letter to my wife and me."
"A letter?"
"Yes. He said they'd handle the illness themselves, so don't worry about it. And if we don't want rumors of coveting the in-laws' inheritance, don't act rashly. My wife got a similar one and said we shouldn't visit."
"What a narrow-minded fool. Even if it looks this way, your Brother Yi here is the head of the Ha-beok Pang Family! No one would dare chase away a guest like me. Come with me as my excuse, and even your brother-in-law won't dare mouth off."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The appearance of Eon Jeong-ung and Pang Muhyuk at the Yi Manor was the culmination of layer upon layer of accumulated butterfly effects.
To Elder Gyeong, their sudden arrival was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.
'The Ha-beok Fist King is one thing, but why is the Sword Emperor in Shanxi?!'
He was so shocked his thoughts froze for a moment.
"Brother Yi, take the right flank! I'll handle Elder No!"
"Got it!"
In the meantime, Eon Jeong-ung split from Pang Muhyuk and came flying in, landing at an angle between Elder No and Elder Gyeong.
Thud!
Riiip!!
He tore the sleeves of his fluttering robe and clenched his fist toward Elder Gyeong.
"You seem unfamiliar. Who might you be to cause such a commotion in my wife's family home?"
His words were impeccably polite, but only the words.
Eon Jeong-ung didn't wait for Elder Gyeong's reply.
He wrapped qi around his fist and lunged in with a flash, swinging at Elder Gyeong.
Bam! Bam! Bam bam bam!
Elder Gyeong desperately began deflecting Eon Jeong-ung's fists.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack thwack!
Having exposed his left forearm to use the Six Severing Bone Slash on Elder No, Elder Gyeong couldn't perfectly block Eon Jeong-ung's punches.
Inevitably, he deliberately thrust his forehead forward to take one punch head-on.
His calculations were slightly off. In the flash, his nose shattered.
Crack!!
Watching the scene, Woo Sorung muttered.
"His speech is like little brother Eon's, but his actions are exactly like big brother Eon's...."
Before the kid finished, Eon Jeong-ung thrust his next fist at Elder Gyeong.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack thwack!!
Elder Gyeong busily deflected the fists, retreating faster and larger steps than before.
He glanced to the right.
He saw demon soldiers being swept away like autumn leaves by Pang Muhyuk's greatsword.
Confirming the bolt from the blue's power, Elder Gyeong gritted his teeth.
'It's completely over. Normally, I'd shatter like jade here to show the Divine Cult's spirit....'
But someone had to report this failure.
"Gather here, cultists!"
At Elder Gyeong's shout, the demons—not busy being swept by Pang Muhyuk—rushed over.
Thud! Thud! Thud thud thud!!!
Elder Gyeong shoved his gathering subordinates toward Eon Jeong-ung's advancing fists like kindling, continuously retreating.
The gathered subordinates split into two groups.
One was from the Ghost Path Palace under the Ghoul King's command—those who prided themselves on dying for the Divine Cult and Ghost Path Demon Army.
The other was the raw recruits from the bandit forests, inducted via the Soul Captivation Pill and called demon soldiers.
The ones Elder Gyeong threw as kindling were the latter.
'These trash can be made anytime if given time.'
Demon soldiers inwardly yearned to flee.
'They just don't because they think the Ghoul Transformation or Young Master's will is at play. No loss there.'
However, the Ghost Path Palace archers he'd brought—who ranked lower—would also have to serve as kindling.
'...So wasteful to expend the archers I painstakingly raised while evading that witch.'
But there was no choice.
To escape Taiyuan with Guo Sa-hong and the jiangshi, he needed time.
'Can't be helped, no matter how wasteful! If I protect the Blood Jiangshi and Young Master, maybe! Lord Reverse Heaven Demon Gu might save Young Master from that witch once! Then we'll have another chance!'
Having steeled himself, Elder Gyeong sent a transmission to the second-highest archer from Ghost Path Palace.
[Number One.]
[Yes, Elder.]
[I'm heading to Young Master now. You stay and lead the demon soldiers. Use the wounded and useless as sacrifices to unleash Blood Sea Mist.]
Blood Sea Mist was no ordinary technique.
It killed allied demon arts practitioners in a specific way, using their blood to create mist.
To the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult followers who lived by "Divine Cult Invincible," it symbolized defeat itself.
It meant sacrifice everyone here to buy time, even if shattering like jade.
To affirm this, Elder Gyeong uttered the oath of the Heavenly Demon's return.
[Heavenly Demon Reincarnation.]
Number One replied.
[Ten Thousand Demons Rise.]
At that moment, Elder Gyeong unleashed palm force, bursting a nearby demon soldier.
Boom!!!!!!!!!!!!
As the blood-scented mist spread, Elder Gyeong bolted toward the gravesite.
Eon Jeong-ung instinctively frowned at the mad demon killing his own.
"!"
He hesitated briefly, wondering if he should pursue the fleeing Elder Gyeong.
But to Eon Jeong-ung, tending to Elder No—who seemed internally injured—and the Yi Manor people felt more urgent.
He halted his pursuit and headed to Elder No.
"Elder No! Brother Woo! Are you alright?!"
Elder No grabbed Eon Jeong-ung's collar urgently.
"To the gravesite! Leave here to Pang Muhyuk and me—go now!"
"In your condition? And why the gravesite all of a sudden?"
"No time to explain! Yong-un is alone with a demon wielding jiangshi! We don't know if he's alive!"
"What?"
"That old demon's heading there too! Even if Yong-un's holding out, that old demon joining changes everything! Hurry!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Hungry Ghost Bead began greedily sucking in the resentment-laced blood from the jade casket.
Suuuuck—
The initially pitch-black bead's color gradually turned red.
-Said you'd absorb it? Isn't this the same barrier technique you used to lift your great-uncle's curse last time?
My master at my waist tossed out his thoughts.
-Not swallowing it whole, but absorbing to console the wretched souls who died horribly? Makes sense—you consoled pitiful spirits when we first met. ...Kid, you seem shameless, but every now and then, you're commendable.
'Huh? I am gonna swallow it.'
-...?
'The consolation for the souls was that big bow just now. The barrier looks similar, but check the inscriptions on the bead—they're different from great-uncle's. That was curse-lifting formula; this is piercing inscription formula.'
-Piercing inscription? Like a tattoo? Where?
'Mm. Probably inside the upper dantian?'
-Probably?
As I was clearing up master's doubts,
Having sucked up all the blood and energy from the jade casket, the now blood-red Hungry Ghost Bead trembled violently.
Bzzz!!
Peering into the casket,
It had sucked so thoroughly that the blood was gone, and the jiangshi inside was cracked like drought-stricken earth.
Tap.
Out of curiosity, I poked the jiangshi.
Crumble—
Crush—
It shattered into dust without leaving a single bone fragment.
All that remained in the casket was the lump of wax covering the ears and eyes.
"Good job."
I smirked, gripped the Hungry Ghost Bead in my right hand, and plopped down on the pre-drawn magic circle.
"Here goes?"
Then I jammed it straight into my left chest.
The instant I did, the grudges trapped inside wailed, shaking my body and clattering my teeth.
Rrrumble—
-Where you going?! Thought you'd been quiet lately, but this punk's relapse hit hard!