Chapter 64
Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Patriarch's Arrival
"Did you call for me?"
Moyong Hwan.
The patriarch of the Moyong Family, a transcendent realm master.
The one person I thought would never show up had appeared.
'Why?'
Where was this place, anyway?
The Yeoyeonnaru, a brothel where courtesans sold their bodies.
There was no benefit for him in coming to a place like this.
It would have been wiser to pretend ignorance even if he knew.
'That's how rumors are.'
If he stayed put, it would fade away as a minor disturbance.
Courtesans in brothels being forced to work against their will?
Everyone who needed to know already did.
The Sagal Sect incident would blow over quietly if a few underlings apologized.
But with the Moyong patriarch coming here in person, this had turned into a major 'incident.'
The Moyong Family was deeply tied to the imperial court.
No way the head of such a clan wouldn't understand this basic truth...
'Why the hell? There's no reason for him to come here... No way he actually came to meet Cheon Woojin's demand...?'
Wait.
What was Cheon Woojin's demand again?
-I demand that the patriarch of the Moyong Family, the true culprit behind all this, come here in person and apologize to this courtesan.
The head of one of the Five Great Families personally apologizing to a mere courtesan.
Of course, it was utterly absurd.
But then I remembered something I'd forgotten.
'If he has a personality like my father...?'
I recalled the time I'd run up a tab at a brothel, and my father personally apologized to the courtesans and even paid compensation.
My father, who valued the family's reputation over his own pride, had pulled it off.
At least that had involved his son, and the courtesans had come to us directly...
'This Moyong Hwan guy is even more extreme than my father, isn't he?'
This wasn't even about his child, and the courtesan hadn't sought him out.
As I stood there dumbfounded in shock, Moyong Hwan impassively scanned the surroundings.
"By the way, how long do you plan to keep this up?"
He drew his sword and swung it lightly through the air.
With that casual motion,
Crack...
The intangible barrier I'd deployed shattered in an instant.
'Tch, the downside of intangible barriers.'
They're incredibly effective against weaklings, but useless against peers.
Especially against transcendent realm experts, who could smash the barrier itself like this.
"Huff, huff. Patriarch! It's an honor!"
The Genesis Division leader, finally freed from the barrier, clasped his hands and bowed.
The surrounding warriors followed suit, cupping their fists in salute.
"""We greet the patriarch!"""
The atmosphere I'd carefully built collapsed in a heartbeat.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and greeted Moyong Hwan.
"I was caught up in the moment and couldn't greet you sooner. But what brings the Moyong Family patriarch all the way here?"
"Didn't you summon me?"
I brazenly replied to him.
"Must be a misunderstanding. I didn't call you—it was him."
Cheon Woojin, at the tip of my pointing finger, looked flustered.
But Moyong Hwan didn't even turn his head, just stared me down.
"Strange. I clearly heard you just now, holding me accountable for my wrongs."
Damn, his hearing is sharp too.
He must have caught every word of my posturing earlier.
"Ahem, that was only if the Moyong Family was truly at fault. We haven't confirmed that yet..."
I tried to backpedal a bit, but Moyong Hwan shook his head firmly.
"I looked into it myself on the way here, and it was delayed because of that. It was indeed the Moyong Family's fault. The one in charge is locked in the family prison, and the Star Shift Division has gone to the Sagal Sect."
The Star Shift Division was the Moyong Family's elite combat unit, just like the Genesis Division.
'This guy's insane.'
To admit it all right here.
Look around—even now, the onlookers from the common folk were buzzing.
"So I've come to apologize to that courtesan named Eunha in person. However..."
He glanced around, pausing his gaze here and there.
And wherever his eyes lingered were the 'Brothel Hall members.'
"They don't seem like ordinary courtesans. What do you think?"
Due to the Shadow Gate Sect's cultivation methods, their skills weren't outwardly visible.
In fact, no one here—not even Cheon Woojin, at the peak of pinnacle realm—had realized they were martial artists.
But no escaping the eyes of a transcendent realm master.
'Damn. I planned this assuming he wouldn't come personally.'
Courtesans practicing martial arts.
A head of one of the Five Great Families would know exactly what that meant.
A minor disturbance had drawn in the Shadow Gate Sect.
And the one who orchestrated it all was me, Mok Jimyeong.
'This is fucked...'
[Hey. Get ready to bolt.]
I hurriedly sent a transmission to Cheon Woojin.
He blinked in confusion, not understanding my reaction.
[My lord, what do you—]
[Shut up and get ready to run.]
I had no time to worry about Cheon Woojin right now.
'What about the Yeoyeonnaru crew?'
Even if I held off Moyong Hwan, over a hundred first-rate warriors remained.
The leader, Yoo Danjang, was a pinnacle realm expert.
'And Sword Phoenix too...'
No matter that she'd just sided with us, things had changed with Moyong Hwan stepping in.
They were pillars of the unorthodox Shadow Gate Sect, after all.
As my mind raced, Moyong Hwan smirked faintly.
"You think you can escape with me right here?"
My plan was already exposed.
Of course—sending a transmission right in front of him would be suspicious otherwise.
Fine, since it was out, I'd play it bold.
"Escape? One-on-one, I think I could win."
I genuinely believed I could beat Moyong Hwan.
I just wasn't ready to fight the entire Moyong Family.
"Mok Soheop...?"
Moyong Hui, clueless about the situation, called out to me in surprise.
But I had no answer for her.
'Damn. Things were going so well, now we're screwed. No choice—take down Moyong Hwan as fast as possible before reinforcements arrive, kidnap Moyong Hui first, then...'
As I pondered returning to the lecherous demon path, Moyong Hwan burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! You really mean that. What an entertaining fellow!"
"Father...?"
Moyong Hui looked shocked again at her father laughing like a madman.
But his next words surprised even me.
"Everyone, withdraw. I need to have a little talk with him."
"Patriarch, that might not be wise..."
The Genesis leader tried to protest the sudden order.
But Moyong Hwan smiled and turned to him.
"What's wrong, Yoo Danjang? Do you think I'll lose to him, as he claims?"
That wasn't the leader's point, but now it was awkward to argue.
As expected, Yoo Danjang bowed his head.
"...No, sir. We'll withdraw."
At Moyong Hwan's word, the Genesis warriors ebbed away from the Yeoyeonnaru like the tide.
Cheon Woojin sent me a transmission.
[My lord, what about me?]
[You withdraw first. Stay with Sword Phoenix... If anything happens, subdue her.]
Sorry, but I needed a hostage.
I had no idea what came next.
'Will I end up living as the Lecherous Demon again, or stay on the orthodox path...'
At least, unlike before, I had some allies now.
Especially my connection with the Martial Emperor—that was a big win.
'No way the Martial Emperor would turn on me just for allying with the Shadow Gate Sect.'
So if it came to blows with the Moyong Family, I'd have to hold back.
Becoming a true demonic figure would just repeat the past.
Amid all these worries, Moyong Hwan got the one-on-one time he wanted.
"...What do you want to talk about with me?"
I could bolt anytime, but I played polite for now.
Moyong Hwan smirked at my demeanor.
"This is a Shadow Gate Sect branch hall, isn't it?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Come now. Their inner cultivation method isn't advanced enough to fool transcendent realm senses."
He was convinced I was transcendent realm.
At this point, doubting it would just be stupid.
"Sigh, fine, let's say so. What do you want to say?"
"I've already confirmed you're a scion of the Mok Family. No fake identity, and the Mok Family isn't some upstart clan with a short history."
Thorough, huh?
How had he verified that already, just days after I arrived?
'Beggars' Clan, probably.'
The Shadow Gate Sect wouldn't share my info, so it had to be those beggar bastards.
Even the Moyong Family couldn't get intel from Shanxi to Shenyang that fast.
"Yeah, sure. I'm Mok Jimyeong, third son of the Mok Family."
No point hiding it, so I shrugged.
But Moyong Hwan ignored my words, staring intently.
"Hmm, no face-changing disguise either... So what exactly are you?"
"What do you mean? I just told you."
He nodded, satisfied with my nonchalant reply.
These details weren't what mattered anyway.
"Then why are you involved with the Shadow Gate Sect?"
Now came the real question—one I had to answer carefully.