Chapter 230: Hwangbo Clan Leader (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 230: Hwangbo Clan Leader (2)
A marriage between a daughter of the Hwangbo Clan and the Head of the Namgung Clan. Logically speaking, the Hwangbo Clan stood to gain far more from this union.
Of course, Hwangbo Hye-ji and Namgung Myeong weren't pursuing a political arrangement. Setting aside the cold calculations of their respective families, the two had simply fallen for each other.
Whether they were officially courting yet remained unclear, but one thing was certain—the romantic sparks flying between them were undeniable.
However, it seemed that crazy bastard, the Hwangbo Clan Leader, had said something to throw a wrench in the works.
‘The reason the Hwangbo Clan Leader is reluctant about the marriage is obvious.’
It was the death of Namgung Jin-cheon. Because of that tragedy, the Namgung Clan’s standing had become precarious.
Sure, the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord was present to back them up, but his actions were notoriously radical. Weren't there even rumors circulating that he used Demonic Qi? There was a high chance of severe backlash from the orthodox factions.
No one could predict which way the wind would blow for the Namgung Clan.
As the Hwangbo Clan Leader, he likely wanted to wait until the Namgung Clan stabilized before finalizing the marriage—or perhaps he intended to marry Hwangbo Hye-ji off to a different, more secure family altogether.
"Arrogant bastard," Seo-jun muttered, clicking his tongue as he started walking.
Chun-bong tapped him on the arm. "Hey, hey. Are you really going to pick a fight?"
"Of course. I’m going to bash his crown in until it’s concave."
How dare he reject the Head of the Great Namgung Clan when the man just wanted to marry for love? Who did he think he was? It was beyond insolent.
"Actually, does he even have the free time for this? Why is a Clan Leader crawling all the way to Anhui?" Namgung Su-ah, who was following behind them, gave a bitter smile. "The Hwangbo Clan isn't that far from the Namgung Clan. There are many other sects nearby as well."
Above all, the Black Lotus Union was currently in no position to act recklessly. Even if the Hwangbo Clan Leader stepped away from his territory for a while, there was almost zero chance of any trouble arising.
"Is that so?" Seo-jun scratched his chin. "Anyway, you guys go inside and get some sleep. I’m going to go have a little chat."
"You really shouldn't cause trouble, okay?" Chun-bong grabbed Seo-jun’s ear and gave it a sharp pull. Then, she glanced around and whispered, "If you’re going to hit him, make sure you do it where no one can see."
That was his Chun-bong. She knew him far too well.
"Naturally."
Namgung Su-ah chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to Seo-jun’s forehead. "If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know."
Her eyes were steady and clear. Looking into them, it felt as if she would make anything he asked for a reality.
‘I have to do right by her.’
Knowing that the people of the Namgung Clan tended to be blindly devoted when in love, he had to be the responsible one. He couldn't let them hold hands and wander off down some twisted path together.
Even if he were to suddenly change careers and become the Heavenly Demon, Su-ah would probably just giggle and say, ‘Then I guess I’m the Heavenly Demon’s wife,’ without missing a beat.
"Got it. I’ll be a bit late, so go to sleep first."
Seo-jun waved his hand and walked off.
He didn't head straight for the building where the Hwangbo Clan Leader was staying. There was one place he needed to stop by first.
"Hey, old man. You asleep already?"
He kicked the door open. Pae Jin-gwang emerged from the shadows, scratching his head.
"What is it?"
"I haven't seen you around lately." Seo-jun brushed past Pae Jin-gwang and strolled into the room as if he owned the place. "Ugh, smell that booze."
The corner of the room was cluttered with empty liquor bottles. It looked like the old man had been holed up in here drinking all day.
"Aren't you training lately?"
"I am."
"While drinking?"
"I don’t drink all day long."
Pae Jin-gwang tossed an empty bottle into the corner, grabbed a fresh one, and broke the seal.
When Seo-jun casually gestured with his hand for a bottle of his own, Pae Jin-gwang let out a hollow laugh.
"You disrespectful brat. Do you have any idea how much older I am than you?"
Despite his grumbling, he grabbed another bottle, broke the seal, and handed it over.
They didn't need glasses. The bottles met in the air with a sharp clink.
Gulp. Seo-jun took a long, burning swig of the liquor and asked, "Did you hear? The Hwangbo Clan Leader is here."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Didn't you say before that you two didn't get along?"
It was because the Hwangbo Clan Leader had long coveted Pae Jin-gwang’s title as the Fist King. Seo-jun didn't know the exact details, but he remembered hearing something along those lines.
"He’s the one who dislikes me. I don’t really have any thoughts on the matter."
"Hmm…"
Seo-jun pouted slightly and tilted his bottle back. The potent liquor burned a fiery trail down his throat.
"Damn, what’s the deal?"
As Seo-jun scratched his head, Pae Jin-gwang furrowed his brows.
"What’s the deal with what?"
"You’re not usually like this, old man. Did you get beaten up by someone?"
"I did."
"Really?"
There was actually someone who could beat up Pae Jin-gwang? This old man who had reached the profound stage of the Heaven-Containing Realm, a level comparable to the Transcendent Realm itself?
"What’s a punch other than a bit of physical pain?"
"Isn't that the problem?"
"That’s rich coming from a guy who’s perfectly fine even after getting his head cut off."
"It still hurts, though."
"Better than a hurting heart."
Seo-jun’s expression turned peculiar at Pae Jin-gwang’s melancholic words.
"That tone doesn't suit you."
"Everyone becomes like this if they live long enough."
"Man, I really don’t want to get old."
"Insolent brat."
Pae Jin-gwang gave a short laugh. He tilted his bottle to drain the last of the liquor and tossed the empty glass into the corner.
"That fellow, Namgung Jin-cheon. I never thought he’d go out like that."
"……"
"For someone who reached such a magnificent realm, he left this world far too soon."
Pae Jin-gwang, seemingly too lazy to even pry the seal off the next bottle, simply struck the neck with the edge of his hand. The top flew off cleanly. He poured the liquor straight down his throat and let out a long, heavy breath.
"But seeing how things have unfolded lately, it wasn't a completely vain death. He left something behind. How should I put it? A legacy that carries on."
"Left something behind, my foot. When you die, it’s over."
Seo-jun rested his chin on his hand and stared at Pae Jin-gwang. It felt strange seeing him like this. He half-wondered if the old man was going senile.
"So, do you want to leave something behind too, old man?"
"It’s far too late for that now."
"True. It is pretty late."
"In times like this, aren't you supposed to comfort me and say it’s not too late?"
Pae Jin-gwang let out a hollow laugh and tossed the empty bottle into the corner.
Woooong—
Seo-jun used Void Object Grasping to catch the bottle mid-air. He pulled it toward himself, noting the perfectly clean edge where the neck had been severed.
Watching this, Pae Jin-gwang murmured, "Anyway, that’s how it is. He at least left something behind. It made me wonder what will become of me."
"Bullshit. Where do you keep thinking you’re going?"
Seo-jun used Void Object Grasping again to pull the severed neck of the bottle over from the corner. He pressed the neck back onto the body of the glass and rubbed the seam with his finger. The severed surfaces fused back together seamlessly. It looked like a brand-new bottle.
"Just don’t die."
"As if that’s up to me."
"Of course it is. If it wasn't, why bother raising your realm?"
The higher a martial artist’s cultivation realm, the more clearly they could engrave their will upon the world. Their lifespan also increased exponentially.
Seo-jun smirked. "If you don’t want to die, then just don’t."
"Easier said than done."
"You scared?"
"Quiet, you."
"Stop making excuses."
Seo-jun tossed the bottle. Pae Jin-gwang caught it effortlessly, staring at the glass where the trace of the broken neck had vanished completely.
"You have some bizarre tricks."
"Whatever. Follow me."
Seo-jun stood up. Pae Jin-gwang followed suit.
"Where are we going?"
"To see the Hwangbo Clan Leader."
"Why him?"
"To give him a beating."
"You lunatic. All of a sudden?"
"Because he’s being arrogant."
As Seo-jun stretched his arms to warm up, Pae Jin-gwang suddenly spoke.
"Those in the Transcendent Realm are usually extreme."
"What?"
"That’s just how it is. They don’t need to care what others think, and it’s not a realm one reaches while being sane in the first place."
Not many people put on an act in front of their pet dog. For those in the Transcendent Realm, the rest of the world was much the same.
"Despite that, they always have at least one thing they’re utterly obsessed with."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"I’m telling you so you know. Not all Transcendent Realm experts are like Namgung Jin-cheon."
Seo-jun smirked at Pae Jin-gwang’s warning.
"Geez, old man. You must have missed the rumors while you were holed up in your room."
Who was he? He was Lee Seo-jun, the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord. He had encountered more than a few Transcendent Realm experts recently.
"From what I’ve seen, they’re all pretty much the same. In the end, they’re just people who don’t give a damn about what others think."
"The problem is that they’re ignorantly strong."
"They all seem to die once their heads explode, though?"
"Why are you stating the obvious?"
Seo-jun started walking toward the building where the Hwangbo Clan Leader was staying.
"The Hwangbo Clan Leader will die if his head explodes, too."
Pae Jin-gwang's face drained of color. "Hey, you lunatic! Get back here!"
"Would you stop if you were me, old man?"
Seo-jun cackled and broke into a sprint. Pae Jin-gwang scrambled to chase after him.
And then—
BOOOOOOOM!!
Seo-jun crashed straight through the roof, shattering tiles and timber, before landing and locking eyes with a man inside.
"Right, so you’re the Hwangbo Clan Leader?"
A strange aura radiated from the figure, an energy that seemed perfectly unified with the surrounding space itself. He was definitely in the Transcendent Realm.
"Who the hell are you?"
But for some reason, the man looked a bit different from what Seo-jun had imagined. He had expected the Hwangbo Clan Leader to be a towering, muscle-bound macho man. Instead, a rather thin, unassuming man stood before him.
"Oh, you absolute madman...!"
Pae Jin-gwang, who had dropped in right behind Seo-jun, slapped his forehead. It was too late.
The Hwangbo Clan Leader’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Fist King?"
"It’s been a while, Fighting King."
"What is the meaning of this intrusion in the middle of the night?"
A massive battle aura erupted from the Hwangbo Clan Leader’s body. Despite his slender stature, the sheer weight of his energy brought to mind a giant carrying a great mountain on his back.
Pae Jin-gwang sighed deeply. "It’s a long story..."
"Ehey." Seo-jun cut Pae Jin-gwang off with a wave of his hand.
Transcendent Realm martial artists didn't care what others thought? Seo-jun had rarely cared what others thought since his days as a lowly third-rate martial artist.
It meant he was fundamentally different from those other Transcendent Realm experts.
"So, you’re the Hwangbo Clan Leader, right?"
"And if I am?"
"You arrogant prick." Seo-jun raised his hand. "Who do you think you are to talk back to the Head of the Great Namgung Clan? You’re just asking for a beating."
"...You lunatic." Pae Jin-gwang covered his mouth like a terrified maiden.