All Matters Return to Righteousness (7)
Jeong Muryong was still alive?
That meant the entire board had flipped.
The elders and division leaders, who had been watching the chaos from a safe distance, flinched.
They had half-doubted Jeong Hwiji's claim that he was a fake.
After rolling their eyes for a moment, they cupped their fists toward Family Head Jeong Muryong.
"Congratulations on your recovery, Family Head!"
"Family Head..."
A blatant shift in stance.
At the same time, the Henan Jeong Family warriors, who had been subdued by the Mangho Squad disguised as ronin, dropped their weapons.
Clang!
Clang!
They no longer had any justification to fight.
The sound of sword blades clattering against the floor echoed like a summer downpour.
Jeong Hwiji reacted instantly to the noise.
The unidentified servant was the biggest problem.
No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't figure out the man's identity.
Deciding retreat was his best option, Jeong Hwiji glanced around and began backing away slowly.
That was when Family Head Jeong Muryong shouted.
"Those who insult the family head, betray the family, and harm their kin!"
Jeong Muryong paused, turning his gaze to Hanbin.
He gave Hanbin a small cupped-fist salute and continued.
"Shall have their limbs' meridians severed and be thrown into the brain prison, as per family law. Death is a luxury for such scum. I can't bring myself to lay hands on my own son, so I entrust the handling to you, great hero."
"I accept. But with this request, you'll owe me three favors now, Family Head."
"Understood. So be it."
Jeong Muryong nodded.
At that sight, Jeong Hwiji backed away slowly before bolting toward Seolhwa.
His movements were incredibly agile. In the blink of an eye, he was behind her, shouting.
"Come any closer, and I'll sever this girl's neck."
Hanbin cried out urgently at the yell.
"Seolhwa!"
It looked like genuine worry for her to anyone watching.
But Hanbin's concern was entirely different.
He feared she'd damage the vital points forming her hand seals.
Seeing Hanbin rush over in panic, Jeong Hwiji smirked triumphantly.
"So you do have a weak spot..."
He couldn't finish.
A stinging pain flared on the opposite side from where Hanbin had stabbed him earlier.
A strangely warm energy emanated from his flank.
Glancing down, he saw another dagger embedded there.
Scarlet blood soaked into his white martial robe.
"Damn it!"
Gritting his teeth, Jeong Hwiji tightened his grip to slash at Seolhwa.
"What the..."
His eyes widened.
Seolhwa had slipped from his grasp.
Hanbin, now right in front of him, spoke.
"Seolhwa, didn't I tell you not to touch my stuff?"
"Sorry."
Seolhwa waved from a distance away.
Hanbin chuckled and approached Jeong Hwiji.
He eyed the dagger in the man's flank.
So far, everything was going according to plan.
Jeong Hwiji's martial prowess was at the pinnacle of super peak, on the verge of Hwagyeong.
In other words, a tough opponent for a straight fight.
Against the Residual Blood Demon, the power of Quick Sword Chaos Demon had been absolute.
But it wouldn't work on a righteous faction fighter like Jeong Hwiji, so Hanbin had weakened him first.
A fair and square duel?
Hanbin thought that was too good for the likes of him.
As Hanbin closed in, Jeong Hwiji yelled.
"What the hell are you, barging into the Henan Jeong Family's affairs?!"
"You're the one meddling in Henan Jeong Family business!"
"What?"
"You just got excommunicated. Your name's off the family register. Bottom line: you can't use the Jeong name anymore."
Without looking back, Hanbin jerked his thumb rearward.
There stood Family Head Jeong Muryong, nodding with an icy expression.
After awakening and grasping the situation, Jeong Muryong had excommunicated everyone involved with Jeong Hwiji.
Of course, Lady Jeonghwa from the Hebei Paeng Family—swollen with ambitious dreams—was already cast out too.
Jeong Hwiji and Lady Jeonghwa were now enemies of the Henan Jeong Family and the righteous faction.
Jeong Hwiji's face twisted like a vengeful spirit.
"I don't care about the others—you, I'll kill with my own hands."
Finishing his words, he pulled a pill from his bosom.
Hanbin tilted his head at the sight.
'Not an elixir, that's for sure...'
Sensing ill intent, Hanbin thrust his sword in a one-touch instant-kill strike.
Whoosh!
Now just an inch from Jeong Hwiji's nape.
That was when it happened.
A massive energy barrier unfolded before Jeong Hwiji.
Hanbin's sword bounced off simultaneously.
Bang!
Everyone's eyes widened at the clash.
Hanbin quickly realized what pill Jeong Hwiji had swallowed.
Stepping back, he said in a low voice.
"You've made the worst choice possible."
"If it kills you, it's not the worst."
"Swallowing a Hanwol Pill?"
The Hanwol Pill was named after the cold "han" of ice arts and the "wol" from "one day like a year, improving daily."
One pill skyrocketed one's inner power in the blink of an eye.
The problem came after.
It drained even innate qi, exploding one's potential.
What happens to a warrior who exhausts their innate qi?
Once the effect ended, they couldn't control the yin energy, and their organs froze solid.
Nine times out of ten, they'd end up crippled.
Jeong Hwiji had chosen a mutual destruction technique.
He grinned viciously.
"Impressive insight. You even know the Hanwol Pill!"
The hall stirred at his shout.
Jeong Hwiji's aura was unnatural.
Huuu!
As he took a deep breath, frost-like chill emanated from his mouth.
One breath, and the air felt like it could freeze the whole hall.
The dagger in his flank slid out smoothly.
Plop! Plop!
It rolled across the floor.
But no wound marred his side.
He had frozen the flowing blood with his chill.
Family Head Jeong Muryong shouted at the sight.
"Great hero! Get away!"
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Hanbin focused on Jeong Hwiji nonchalantly, circulating the application and fusion formulas of the Yongrin Sword Art.
'Lightning Flash.'
'Gugeol Eighteen Steps.'
In an instant, Hanbin vanished.
Not truly gone—just too fast to see.
Only a few Henan Jeong Family experts and Seolhwa could track him.
Seolhwa clicked her tongue at his speed.
"Seriously, how is he...?"
"You can see your master's movements?" Yi Mumyeong asked in surprise.
"A little. But I couldn't block that attack."
"Then can your master win?"
"No, he can't win."
"Won't he be in danger? We should—"
"Don't worry. He won't lose either."
"Huh..."
Yi Mumyeong let out a long sigh.
As he gawked silently, searching for Hanbin, Family Head Jeong Muryong watched the duel from afar with a sigh.
"Resorting to that at his age...!"
Jeong Inji, newly freed, approached at the cryptic words.
"Father, what do you mean?"
"A northern gale freezes all in its path. Yet blue clouds enfold the gale, turning winter to spring! The era has changed."
Jeong Muryong murmured poetically. Jeong Inji's eyes widened.
"What? Father, who is that great hero?"
"Haha, taming the gale that ices the earth—none other than the Azure Cloud Death God!"
"Azure Cloud Death God?"
Jeong Inji turned to look at Hanbin.
He caught a glimpse of Hanbin's blue robes.
They looked just like flowing blue clouds.
Blue clouds enfolding the chill?
It fit his father's description perfectly.
The elders and division leaders murmured quietly at their exchange.
"Azure Cloud Death God?"
"Never heard the name."
"The world has countless eccentrics. He's one of them."
"Haha, even so, how has a master like that stayed unknown? I've broadened my horizons today."
Jeong Hwiji's rebellion was forgotten.
For now, they were just warriors enthralled by the duel, lost in the spectacle.
Someone spoke up.
"But can the Azure Cloud Death God win? Jeong Hwiji's still going strong."
"True, the Family Head seems to favor him, but..."
Thus, Hanbin—the servant in disguise—unwittingly earned the title of a famed righteous eccentric.
Ignoring the chatter, clashes rang out here and there in the family head's hall.
Clang! Clang!
As exchanges multiplied, Jeong Hwiji's smug expression twisted.
Hanbin's lips curved higher in contrast.
What was happening?
Hanbin's strategy was simple.
No need to clash head-on with Jeong Hwiji's overwhelming momentum.
Sticking your head out when the enemy is strongest is the worst move.
No reason to shove it into his gaping maw.
Just extract the needed formulas when the Hanwol Pill's effect wore off.
How long did it last?
Half a shichen at most.
After that?
Smiling, Hanbin circled Jeong Hwiji like a cloud.
Jeong Hwiji halted his sword at the sight.
The hall fell silent, as if time had stopped.
Staring at Hanbin, he bellowed.
"You coward! If you're a man, don't dodge my sword!"
"How'd you know?"
"Know what?"
"That I'm a coward. Doesn't matter if I am or not. I just need to sever your limb meridians. Why should I play by your rhythm?"
"..."
"Am I your lover or something? Go on, thrash around and die nicely."
"You son of a..."
Jeong Hwiji couldn't finish.
Hanbin charged into his bosom.
Pa-pak!
He retreated swiftly.
The Hanwol Pill's effect was fading. Hanbin had timed it perfectly, tightening the noose.
Desperate for an opening, Jeong Hwiji scanned around.
His eyes fell on the entranced elders and division leaders.
He bolted toward them.
Attacking them would surely draw his foe.
In a flash, he raised his sword at the nearest division leader.
Screams erupted everywhere.
Henan Jeong Family had its share of experts, but none could stop Hanwol Pill-fueled Jeong Hwiji.
Laughter echoed from behind.
"Haha."
All eyes turned.
The laugher was, of course, Hanbin.
Jeong Hwiji froze his sword and yelled.
"Keep running, and I'll kill them all."
"Why stop? Keep going. We were already racking our brains to weed out traitors—saves us the trouble if you handle it."
He meant every word.