Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 52
>Chapter Title: Jang Neung-ak (4)
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It all happened in an instant.
Mok Kyung-un, who had been right in front of him, vanished from sight.
Ho Jong-hyeok, the Grand Leader of the True First Peak Annihilation Squad, missed it and whipped his head around, searching for any trace of Mok Kyung-un.
But then,
*Boom!*
“Urk!”
Before he knew it, Mok Kyung-un was stomping down on the low-rank fighter of the Five Peaks Iron Rock Fist’s Low Mo-pal.
He hadn’t even gotten a chance to properly use his hand.
Just from that sight alone, it was clear there was an overwhelming gap between Mok Kyung-un and his skills.
But they couldn’t just stand by and watch.
*Whooosh!*
Ho Jong-hyeok channeled gang qi into his signature weapon, the Annihilation Axe, and swung it toward Mok Kyung-un.
It would be nice if it sliced him open, but that wasn’t going to happen.
He just wanted to force him back from Low Mo-pal.
However,
*Clang!*
‘!?’
Ho Jong-hyeok’s eyes shook.
‘He caught the aura-clad edge?’
Something unbelievable occurred.
Mok Kyung-un had grabbed the incoming blade of the Annihilation Axe with one bare hand.
Gang qi was pure qi and sharpness condensed into one precise form.
No martial artist could catch it barehanded.
To counter it, one would need to generate their own gang qi.
‘With his hand?’
Ho Jong-hyeok’s eyes widened.
He had spotted the black energy enveloping Mok Kyung-un’s hand.
That energy was protecting it from being sliced by the gang qi on the Annihilation Axe.
‘What the hell is that energy?’
It was denser and stronger than sword aura.
It even carried a strangely vicious aura.
But that wasn’t the real issue.
If it could block gang qi barehanded, it had to be gang qi itself.
Even at the pinnacle of supreme mastery, generating gang qi with bare hands was nearly impossible...
*Shhh!*
In that moment, an alien sensation flowed from Mok Kyung-un’s hand.
It was toxic qi.
“This is?”
As the toxic qi and black energy clashed with his gang qi,
*Crack!*
‘No way?’
Fingers dug into the axe blade, cracking it right there.
Startled, Ho Jong-hyeok hurriedly unleashed a kick technique, aiming for Mok Kyung-un’s head.
But,
*Swish!*
Mok Kyung-un easily dodged it by tilting his head back, then,
*Thud!*
Countered with a straight punch to Ho Jong-hyeok’s chest.
The punch sent Ho Jong-hyeok’s body flying backward like it had been launched.
*Crash! Clang!*
And in the process, one side of the Annihilation Axe’s blade snapped off.
Ho Jong-hyeok’s face twisted in rage.
The Annihilation Axe, a signature weapon forged from a single block of iron by a master craftsman of great renown, had been a treasured heirloom from his father.
Seeing one blade shatter before his eyes ignited his fury in an instant.
*Grit!*
‘You bastard!’
But unlike his rage, his mind grew even colder.
The man before him.
He wasn’t at the pinnacle of supreme mastery.
To possess skills this far beyond his own, he would have had to cross the wall.
But that didn’t make sense.
Just moments ago, he had been evenly matched with Low Mo-pal of the Five Peaks Iron Rock Fist, barely blocking a single strike from Blind Sword Wi Maeng-cheon.
‘This isn’t just fast.’
His rate of growth was monstrous, beyond imagination.
It wasn’t even a question of whether he had crossed the wall.
This guy didn’t seem like someone anyone could control.
[What? You want to exclude him?]
[Yes.]
[His Lordship already favors him. Why exclude him?]
[Because he’s dangerous.]
[Dangerous? What makes him dangerous? If it’s his background...]
[That’s not the issue. You can tell even without seeing it. Mok Kyung-un is not the type to be loyal to anyone.]
The words of the now-dead man resurfaced.
‘That blind bastard was right.’
As Wi Maeng-cheon had said, this guy could never be controlled by his lord.
His growth speed alone was enough, and his true intentions were unknowable. Keeping him close was just asking for disaster.
*Grip!*
‘This is tricky.’
But right now, that was a secondary concern.
He wanted to subdue him as per his lord’s orders, but he couldn’t do it alone.
If his suspicions were correct, no one here could defeat him one-on-one.
Their best shot was for his lord to join in a combined assault.
‘Too much to lose.’
The losses would be immense.
If they ganged up on someone they wanted as a subordinate and still lost, the aftermath would be...
“Enough!”
Jang Neung-ak’s shout rang out then.
At the call, the Third Evil, Ho Jong-hyeok, turned his head with a puzzled expression.
Jang Neung-ak stood there, face stiff, holding an eyeball aloft.
‘An eyeball?’
What the hell was that?
As True First Peak Ho Jong-hyeok puzzled over it, Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly at Jang Neung-ak.
“Looks like you’re finally up for a talk.”
“You bastard, this...”
Jang Neung-ak started to say something but instead bellowed roughly at the martial artists on the lower platform.
“You lot, withdraw for now.”
“But, my lord?”
“I said withdraw.”
“Yes, sir!”
At his command, the martial artists on the lower platform filed out of the garden in perfect order.
Go Chan, possessing Ha Chae-rin’s body, hesitated but stayed when Fourth Evil Seo Hye-in shook her head, allowing it.
Once they were all gone, leaving only the Five Peaks Society members, Jang Neung-ak spoke again.
“This... what is it?”
Mok Kyung-un tilted his head at the question.
“You’re not seriously asking because you don’t know, are you?”
“...Are you insulting this young master right now?”
“Of course not. I figured if it was you, you’d recognize it at a glance. But since you’re asking what it is...”
“You!”
“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”
“...”
Ho Jong-hyeok stared incredulously at the eyeball in Jang Neung-ak’s hand, as his expression hardened further.
What could it be to elicit that reaction from his lord?
Then, unbelievable words came from Jang Neung-ak’s mouth.
“Did you fight Eldest Senior Brother?”
‘Eldest Senior Brother?’
What was that supposed to mean?
Mok Kyung-un had fought Eldest Young Master Na Yul-ryang?
As confusion spread, Mok Kyung-un nodded.
“That should be answer enough.”
Mok Kyung-un’s gaze was fixed on the eyeball in Jang Neung-ak’s hand.
At his attitude, Jang Neung-ak stared blankly at the eyeball, then let out a disbelieving chuckle.
“Ha!”
His retainers all froze in shock at his reaction.
They too had realized whose eyeball it was, thanks to Jang Neung-ak’s response.
Which meant,
‘What the...?’
‘That guy beat the Eldest Young Master?’
‘...That monster?’
Eldest Young Master Na Yul-ryang.
Few in the Heaven-Earth Society could stand against him.
Disciple of the Society Leader—one of the Six Heavens—and a monster who had crossed the wall into the Transcendent Realm.
Even the Society’s top executives, the Five Kings, struggled against him unless they were the two with the Eight Stars title.
And this guy had fought him?
No, if he’d gouged out his eye, it was as good as a win.
What the hell was going on?
It was at that moment.
“Haha... hahahahaha!”
Jang Neung-ak, the Society Leader’s second disciple, who had been chuckling in disbelief, suddenly burst into mad laughter.
Everyone stared in bewilderment at his abrupt change.
Was the shock too much?
As they wondered, Jang Neung-ak, who had been laughing for a while, plopped down in his seat and gestured.
“Gouging out that inhuman monster’s eye. Never thought I’d live to see the day. Hahaha! Come, let’s talk.”
“My lord!”
Fourth Evil Transcendent Squad Leader Seo Hye-in tried to stop him.
Jang Neung-ak waved her off.
“Enough. He’s the one who ripped out that monster’s eye. Who could stop him?”
“But my lord, it’s too dangerous...”
“Enough. If he wanted to cause trouble, he’d have done it already. Right?”
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly.
“Correct.”
“...”
Seo Hye-in, the Fourth Evil, and the swollen-faced Low Mo-pal of the Five Peaks couldn’t hide their concern.
No matter how strong he was, they were his retainers.
It was their duty to protect him.
But Ho Jong-hyeok shook his head, signaling not to interfere.
‘It’s pointless. Leave it.’
If he was truly a Transcendent Realm master, this distance was already within his attack range.
He could strike anytime he wanted.
‘Better to close the gap.’
It might actually protect Jang Neung-ak from him.
Sometimes, the best defense was offense.
*Step step! Thud!*
In the end, Mok Kyung-un ascended to the pavilion and sat across from Jang Neung-ak.
A stark change in treatment.
Sitting beside would mean trust, but facing him directly was acknowledgment of his equal.
As Mok Kyung-un sat, Jang Neung-ak picked up a wine bottle.
“Care for a drink?”
“No reason to refuse one offered.”
“Good. Have a drink.”
Jang Neung-ak poured wine into Mok Kyung-un’s cup.
The distance was there since they sat opposite,
*Pour!*
But with his internal energy, the wine from the bottle stretched out to fill the distant cup.
The stream cut off once the cup was full.
‘As expected, the young master’s qi is no joke.’
Even as the weakest among the Leader’s three disciples, his vast qi dwarfed most peak masters.
Having received bee venom baths since childhood and periodic elixirs, it was only natural.
Jang Neung-ak set down the bottle.
Then, looking at Mok Kyung-un, he said,
“Shall I pour you one?”
The bottle was out of reach.
He’d have to stand and fetch it to pour.
It might seem like an attempt to make Mok Kyung-un stand.
‘Is he trying to tame him?’
Seo Hye-in watched anxiously.
But,
“Not hard at all.”
Mok Kyung-un smirked, then casually gestured toward the bottle.
Wine streamed from the bottle’s mouth on its own, flowing into Jang Neung-ak’s cup.
*Pour!*
‘!!!!!!’
Jang Neung-ak’s retainers gasped involuntarily.
It was the Void Grasping technique.
At the pinnacle of supreme mastery, one could pull or push objects with qi.
But to manipulate liquid so delicately with qi required an even higher realm.
“Satisfied now?”
At Mok Kyung-un’s words, Jang Neung-ak looked at his full cup, then raised his head.
“You’ve crossed the wall, as expected.”
‘Ah...’
Only then did Seo Hye-in understand Jang Neung-ak’s intent.
He had been making one final check if Mok Kyung-un had truly crossed into the Transcendent Realm.
Now it was confirmed.
He was undoubtedly a Transcendent Realm master.
Not just late-generation talent level—he was one of the top experts in the Heaven-Earth Society.
Even setting aside being a disciple of Dark Sect Leader or Poison Isle King, he was a force unto himself.
She understood why Jang Neung-ak had seated him right across.
Then Jang Neung-ak spoke.
“The strong deserve commensurate respect.”
*Swish!*
Jang Neung-ak cupped his fists in a salute and said,
“This is Jang Neung-ak, second disciple of the Leader, respectfully greeting Master Mok.”
‘Whoa!’
His retainers inwardly clicked their tongues at his demeanor.
It was their first time seeing their lord treat a late-generation peer outside the executives with such courtesy.
But he had the qualifications.
A master who had reached the Transcendent Realm, no less.
*Swish!*
Mok Kyung-un returned the cupped-fist salute.
“No need, but I appreciate the respect.”
The mutual courtesies set a good tone.
Jang Neung-ak, thinking the same, spoke in a brighter voice.
“Master Mok, may I ask why you brought this to me?”
*Swish!*
What he pointed to was none other than Eldest Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s eyeball.
Jang Neung-ak stared at it, mood elevated.
At first, he thought Mok Kyung-un was colluding with Eldest Senior Brother Na Yul-ryang to toy with him.
But that was his misjudgment.
Mok Kyung-un had defeated Junior Sister Wi So-yeon’s right-hand man U Ho-rang, and gone further to fight Eldest Senior Brother Na Yul-ryang and gouge out his eye.
What else could that mean?
‘He wants to join me.’
He was certain.
Mok Kyung-un had chosen him.
But contrary to his expectations, unexpected words came from Mok Kyung-un’s mouth.
“Join forces with Lady Wi So-yeon.”
‘!?’
Jang Neung-ak’s expression froze instantly.
After building up his expectations, what nonsense was this?
Composing himself, Jang Neung-ak said,
“Master Mok, what do you mean? Join my youngest junior sister? That...”
“Exactly that. Unless you two merge your factions, it’ll be hard to compete with Eldest Young Master Na Yul-ryang’s side.”
“...”
Jang Neung-ak was momentarily speechless, then let out a scoff.
It was disappointing since it wasn’t what he expected, but did he really think this was feasible?
He laid his thoughts bare.
“Look, Master Mok. Do you think that’s possible?”
“Possible?”
“Yes. Both she and I are vying for the same seat. Telling us to merge our factions now—do you think that’s feasible?”
Jang Neung-ak shook his head.
Then, smirking, he added,
“Well, if my junior sister swore loyalty and submitted to me, maybe. Otherwise, your proposal is practically impossible.”
“I see.”
A foolish proposal.
Neither he nor his junior sister would accept it.
If it were possible, they would have allied or backed one long ago.
That’s why they were scrambling to build their own support bases.
“I appreciate the suggestion, but...”
“Ah, did it sound like a suggestion?”
“What?”
Jang Neung-ak furrowed his brow.
Had he misheard?
But,
*Flinch!*
Mok Kyung-un, wearing a smile filled with malice unlike before, said,
“This isn’t a suggestion. It’s an order to do so.”