Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 63
>Chapter Title: Seo Hwang Noble Consort (3)
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In the orthodox martial world, there were numerous prestigious martial clans.
Among them, the seven clans with the thickest reputations were collectively known as the Seven Great Clans.
One such clan from the Seven Great Clans was a renowned house famed for its blade arts in Hebei, called by the martial artists of the world the Hebei Peng Clan.
The current wielder of real power in the Hebei Peng Clan was the clan head Peng Il-hyeon, a genius of the blade known as the Hebei Overlord Blade.
In Hebei Province, no one could match Peng Il-hyeon, the clan head, when it came to blade arts—or so it was said.
Yet, he had two younger brothers whose martial prowess fell far short of his stature.
One of them, the second brother Peng Yi-mun, had long set his sights on power and entered officialdom.
Thanks to Peng Yi-mun's position in the bureaucracy, the Hebei Peng Clan reaped benefits in many ways.
And then there was the youngest brother, Peng Seok-im, whose character was the worst among the siblings.
He indulged excessively in wine and women, landing in scandals multiple times, and despite being born into a prestigious blade house, he stubbornly insisted on using a sword, earning the ire of the family's elders.
Nevertheless, the Hebei Peng Clan held him in high regard because his martial talent was exceptional, rivaling even that of the clan head Peng Il-hyeon.
-Shhk, shhk!
Peng Seok-im, the youngest brother of the Peng clan head, gazed at the wall of a restaurant lit by a lantern as he meticulously wiped his sword blade with a cloth.
Seeing this, one of the warriors beside him asked,
"Big Brother, why are you fussing so much over your sword blade?"
"I have to. I might get a chance to show off in front of Her Highness later."
"What? Is the Noble Consort Seo Hwang that appealing to you?"
"How could any man not be moved by such a peerless beauty?"
"Good grief, watch your words. She's a taken woman."
And that 'owner' was none other than the emperor who ruled this land.
Despite the warrior's warning, Peng Seok-im snorted derisively.
"Hmph. Even the emperor can be cursed when he's not around."
"Big Brother!"
"Fine, fine. Why make such a fuss? You're such a stickler sometimes. But seriously, don't you think that woman is wasted on that old man?"
The warrior inwardly clicked his tongue as he watched Peng Seok-im mutter to himself.
The man had incredible martial talent, but he lost all sense whenever it came to wine or women.
After arriving in the capital, it seemed like he'd finally come to his senses with age and stay away from such vices, but no—he was lusting after an unattainable tree.
'......She is that beautiful, though.'
Even the warrior himself had been unable to hide his admiration when he first laid eyes on Seo Hwang Noble Consort.
There was a reason the old emperor couldn't tear himself away from her.
So, he could understand Peng Seok-im's behavior.
Still, no matter how much of a lecher Peng Seok-im was, he would never dare touch the emperor's woman.
Not unless he had multiple lives to spare.
Just then, Peng Seok-im suddenly turned his gaze somewhere else.
"Big Brother?"
It was toward a spot in front of the wall where several soldiers were gathered.
They were pulling out and examining the weapons confiscated from the Heaven-Earth Society martial artists who had entered the restaurant earlier.
Among them, one soldier had drawn a saber with an exceptionally thin blade that even fluttered as he swung it.
"That saber looks impressive."
"Impressive, you say?"
"Yeah. For a blade that thin to still have such springiness, it must be the work of a master craftsman."
"Oh, really?"
"Looks like the Heaven-Earth Society sent some decent fellows after all."
"Isn't that bad for us, then?"
"What do you mean bad?"
"We might have to provide reinforcements."
"That's good! That's how we get to show off in front of Her Highness, you fool."
"You're incorrigible."
The warrior shook his head in exasperation.
But then Peng Seok-im furrowed his brow.
"Big Brother? Are you angry? If so, I apologize..."
"That sword...... What the hell is it?"
"Pardon?"
The warrior turned his head in the direction Peng Seok-im was staring and spotted a soldier holding a sword engraved with bizarre patterns.
The soldier was staring at the sword in a dazed expression.
Something about the atmosphere felt off.
"Why's he acting like that?"
"......"
"Big Brother?"
But Peng Seok-im, too, couldn't tear his eyes away from the sword.
His gaze was like that of someone who had discovered a tremendous treasure.
* * *
At the same time.
-Clang!
'No way?'
The eyes of Eastern Depot's Chief Constable Jang widened in shock.
And who could blame him? Chief Constable Jang never imagined that the domineering strike from the gray-robed middle-aged man—no, Peng Yi-mun, a master of the Hebei Peng Clan—would be blocked by mere chopsticks.
To be precise, it wasn't blocked; the blade had been caught by the chopsticks.
'This can't be happening?'
Chief Constable Jang felt inwardly flustered.
He had heard from Eunuch Yu Ganseung that among the younger experts sent by the Heaven-Earth Society, this strikingly beautiful youth was the most skilled.
But no matter what, he had dismissed him as merely a junior expert.
He never dreamed that this youth could catch the saber of a master from one of the orthodox martial world's prestigious clans in such a manner.
-Swish!
Chief Constable Jang glanced at Yu Bong.
Yu Bong was equally bewildered by the situation.
He had predicted that even if strong, the youth couldn't match Peng Yi-mun, a Hebei Peng Clan master—but that prediction had been shattered.
Amid this, Mok Kyung-un curled his lips into a sly grin and said,
"It doesn't look like we can stay put any longer. Don't you agree?"
"......"
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Gan-yang couldn't hide his embarrassment.
The original plan was already in ruins.
Seo Hwang Noble Consort's side was trying to suppress them like this to sever ties with the Heaven-Earth Society or steer the situation in her desired direction.
Just as Gan-yang was about to nod in resignation,
-Clang!
At that moment, the gray-robed middle-aged man, Peng Yi-mun, twisted his willow leaf saber—caught in the chopsticks—to wrench it free.
But the blade held fast in the chopsticks, refusing to budge.
-Tremble!
This made it clear to Peng Yi-mun.
'This bastard's internal energy is stronger than mine.'
Even now, he was channeling nearly his maximum power—nine stars of internal energy—yet it wasn't enough. This meant he was outmatched in raw inner power.
Peng Yi-mun's complexion darkened instantly.
'......Impossible.'
Peng Yi-mun was a transcendent master bordering on the pinnacle of superhuman realms.
For this youth to overwhelm him in internal energy with mere transcendent pinnacle attainment was impossible.
That would mean the youth had broken through to the Wall-Breaking Realm......
'It can't be. How could someone not even in his thirties reach the Transformation Realm?'
Those who had attained the Transformation Realm were rare even in the orthodox martial world.
And among them, none had reached it in their teens.
It was a realm that required decades of cultivation and profound enlightenment, so Peng Yi-mun struggled to accept it.
But the undeniable truth was that he couldn't subdue this youth alone.
With that,
'No choice!'
-Thud! Pow!
Peng Yi-mun released the hilt of his willow leaf saber and struck the end of the saber sheath hard with his palm.
This was one of the secret techniques of the Five Tigers Door-Severing Saber: the Saber Shatter Art.
By striking the sheath with explosive energy, he shattered the blade into fragments, infusing them with qi and hurling them at the foe like hidden weapons.
-Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
The shattered blade fragments surged toward Mok Kyung-un.
Given the close range and his seated position, there was no way to evade them—or so he thought.
Yet, the moment the fragments touched Mok Kyung-un's skin with piercing momentum,
-Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!
They failed to penetrate his body, instead sliding off as if deflected, veering from their paths and embedding themselves scattered in various places.
'What in the world?'
Stunned, Peng Yi-mun hurriedly kicked off the floor to create distance.
To him, Mok Kyung-un remarked with interest,
"That's an intriguing technique. Shattering your own saber and launching the pieces like darts."
"What the hell are you?"
"My identity?"
"Even if the Heaven-Earth Society's Shadow Branch Leader came personally, he couldn't block that technique so easily."
It would make more sense if it were one of the Heaven-Earth Society's Five Kings-level executives.
Some of them were monsters bearing the Eight Stars title.
But for a disciple of a mere branch leader to be this strong? It defied belief.
It was the epitome of the student surpassing the master.
"You're underestimating my master too much."
"Not underestimating, but..."
"More importantly, since you aimed for my life, you should pay the price."
"What?"
-Swish!
Mok Kyung-un plucked one of the embedded blade fragments from the floor with his index and middle fingers.
He then hurled it at Peng Yi-mun like a hidden weapon.
Peng Yi-mun hastily twisted his body sideways to dodge the flying fragment.
But that wasn't the end.
-Pow!
The instant he moved, Mok Kyung-un swiftly launched another fragment.
It flew straight for Peng Yi-mun's throat.
There was no escaping it, but
-Clang!
At that moment, someone struck it away with a soft sword.
That someone was Eastern Depot's Chief Constable Jang.
"Chief Constable Jang!"
Peng Yi-mun, who had nearly had his throat pierced, shot him a grateful look.
Chief Constable Jang urgently said,
"Sir, it seems for this time, we must join forces."
"I was thinking the same."
-Whoooosh!
With those words, Peng Yi-mun channeled inner energy into a whistle from his mouth.
This was a signal calling for aid.
Realizing Mok Kyung-un was no ordinary master, he judged that without his brother waiting outside joining in, they would be in dire straits.
Chief Constable Jang shouted at Yu Bong.
"Eunuch Yu, take the rest and handle those others."
"Y-Yes...."
Yu Bong responded hastily but was inwardly flustered.
His original plan had been to have Peng Yi-mun deal with Mok Kyung-un while he teamed up with others to suppress the rest.
But even with first-rate warriors' support, Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak were transcendent masters who had arrived as reinforcements.
Gan-yang and Ok-gi were no pushovers either—could they really hold them off?
'No. Don't whine. Just hold out until the Peng Clan reinforcements arrive.'
They were waiting outside anyway, so they'd come soon.
No matter how strong these foes were, the tide wouldn't turn in a mere moment.
"No choice."
"This is getting messy."
Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak rose from their seats, assuming fist and foot art stances toward the warriors encircling them.
It was clear trying to turn the situation around was too late.
Gan-yang and Ok-gi, deeming the mission botched, prepared for battle while glaring resentfully at Yu Bong.
It was then that the only one still seated, Mok Kyung-un, spoke up.
"Noble Consort Seo Hwang."
'!?'
In this powder-keg moment, when Mok Kyung-un suddenly addressed Seo Hwang Noble Consort, all eyes turned to him.
The noble consort herself was no exception.
She had been quite shocked by Mok Kyung-un's martial prowess, which exceeded expectations.
Though she knew little of martial arts, the fact that palace elites like Chief Constable Jang and Peng Yi-mun were about to team up meant he was no ordinary fighter.
"Why do you call this consort?"
Seo Hwang Noble Consort asked, puzzled.
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly and replied,
"I wanted to briefly explain what will happen from now on."
"What will happen?"
"Yes."
Seo Hwang Noble Consort furrowed her brow.
What on earth was this brat saying?
At that moment, Chief Constable Jang—who had been about to join Peng Yi-mun in the assault—raised his voice in reprimand.
"Insolent cur! How dare you address Her Highness..."
"Hold."
"Your Highness?"
Seo Hwang Noble Consort stopped Chief Constable Jang and raised one eyebrow as she said,
"You are truly audacious. So, what exactly do you think will happen?"
"Everyone except Your Highness will die here."
'!?'
For an instant, she doubted her own ears.
What nonsense was he spouting? Was this rogue daring to threaten her?
But Mok Kyung-un's words didn't end there.
"I've heard you have many political enemies."
"What?"
"Since Your Highness wishes to sever ties with us anyway, once our usefulness is spent, how about we negotiate with them using your life as collateral?"
'!!!!!!!'