It’s More Anticlimactic Than I Thought

Just as Gyo-ha expected, the fight ended easily.

Unlike how he acted around Gyo-ha, there was no mercy in Namgung Hyeok’s sword.

Just as Gyo-ha had learned from Yun Heo, the Namgung Clan taught him from a young age as well.

He did not hesitate to take lives.

Namgung Hyeok wiped the blood from his blade and walked up to Gyo-ha.

“We were delayed because of me. I’m sorry.”

“…No.”

Gyo-ha shook his head with a sullen expression.

Namgung Hyeok looked at him as if puzzled, but Gyo-ha couldn’t bring himself to say it was because he hadn’t gotten to fight.

But the disappointment was brief.

Before long, new people appeared.

“Namgung Hyeok. Right?”

They were men giving off a fierce aura.

“We are the Blood Wolf Unit of the High-Blood Gang.”

High-Blood Gang.

As expected, it was a name he had never heard before.

But by now, Namgung Hyeok couldn’t help but grasp what was going on.

The first time might be coincidence, but if it repeated, it was no longer coincidence.

Displeasure rose on Namgung Hyeok’s face.

‘They’re targeting me?’

This wasn’t a matter of looking down on Namgung Hyeok.

They were looking down on the entire Namgung Clan. Even if they killed Namgung Hyeok, the Namgung Clan would not stay quiet.

As if reading his expression, the one who looked like their captain kindly explained.

“They said if we bring them your head, they’ll promise us a captain’s seat along with the Evil Heaven Alliance’s money.”

A mere captain.

But if the group was the Evil Heaven Alliance, that changed the story.

It was a position higher than the head of most sect divisions.

Only then did Namgung Hyeok understand the situation.

If it was the Evil Heaven Alliance, they could protect him from the Namgung Clan.

Of course, the Evil Heaven Alliance probably didn’t think they could truly capture Namgung Hyeok.

From their perspective, if it succeeded, it would blunt the Murim Alliance’s momentum, and even if it failed, they lost nothing.

Namgung Hyeok’s byname, known to the world, was the Qilin.

The Namgung Clan’s Young Qilin.

You could tell how dearly the Namgung Clan cherished him.

How often would that Qilin come out alone?

“…How did you know I was here?”

Even a Beggars’ Union disciple hadn’t noticed.

“That’s not something we know. So don’t worry about it. Kid, we’ll deliver your head wrapped up nice and pretty.”

Namgung Hyeok let out a sigh as he looked at the man grinning.

If the Evil Heaven Alliance had moved, this wouldn’t end here.

“I’m sorry, Brother. This seems like it’s going to get bigger.”

“No.”

Gyo-ha hurriedly shook his head.

“This is perfect. This means that enemies will come looking even if we do nothing, right?”

“…Brother.”

Seeing Gyo-ha smile brightly, Namgung Hyeok was left speechless.

‘Positive even in a situation like this. Brother really is…’

Still smiling, Gyo-ha subtly read the room.

“Since so many have come, I should fight too, right?”

Eyes filled with anticipation.

Because they weren’t guests who had come looking for Gyo-ha.

Namgung Hyeok nodded and spoke as if pained.

“This younger brother of yours is making you suffer because of his incompetence.”

“Suffer, my ass.”

If anything, it was something to welcome.

Could the Namgung Clan not have anticipated something like this?

And yet they sent him out alone.

They trusted Namgung Hyeok, but there was another reason too.

Because Namgung Hyeok wasn’t alone.

Gyo-ha bared a savage grin as he looked at the Blood Wolf Unit surrounding them.

Just as Namgung Hyeok had said, if the enemy was someone Gyo-ha and Namgung Hyeok couldn’t bring down, having escorts wouldn’t change that.

Not unless an entire unit or an elder-level martial artist was accompanying them.

Go Gyeon, the Blood Wolf Unit’s captain, furrowed his brow as he watched Gyo-ha step forward.

His body was certainly threatening.

But his internal energy was far too faint.

He wasn’t hiding it.

Even his temples were flat. When you cultivate internal energy, they were bound to bulge at least a little.

It was a Murim person’s fate.

But why was it?

The moment Gyo-ha stepped forward, the atmosphere changed completely.

Gooooooo.

Gyo-ha grinned, baring his teeth.

When he flexed, his muscles twitched and danced.

Go Gyeon felt as if his body were swelling.

In that instant, Gyo-ha launched himself at them.

Koong, Koong, Koong!

“Stop him!”

At Go Gyeon’s order, the flustered subordinates stepped in.

And they were bounced away as they were.

“……”

It wasn’t a figure of speech.

The ones who rushed in and swung their swords were bounced away on the spot.

It felt as if they’d been hit by a horse.

The blade even struck his shoulder, yet it couldn’t pierce his skin.

‘What is that monster?’

Then Namgung Hyeok, who had been behind, moved as well.

Each time his sword flashed, his opponents’ necks and hands rose into the air.

Considering Namgung Hyeok’s age, it was an impossible level of skill.

They couldn’t even swing their swords properly.

‘That’s…’

Namgung Hyeok.

Go Gyeon regretted having taken this too lightly.

This wasn’t just capturing a child.

A famed swordsman, and the overlord of Anhui.

He was the Namgung Clan’s Qilin.

He wasn’t called a Qilin simply because he was precious.

He had that kind of value. Of course, when that Qilin came out alone, there was a reason.

Of course, now he could tell he wasn’t alone.

Despite Namgung Hyeok’s performance, their eyes didn’t go to Namgung Hyeok.

There was a beast rampaging among the subordinates.

That wasn’t a martial artist.

It was a ferocious beast wearing human skin.

Go Gyeon gripped his sword.

Because that beast was ignoring his men and charging straight at him.

The enraged beast’s eyes soon flashed.

Unlike what he’d done to the others, the beast drew back his fist.

That, he couldn’t avoid.

He felt it instinctively.

‘Damn it.’

A fist flying in.

That was the last thing Go Gyeon saw in his life.

The moment their leader died, the subordinates began scattering and fleeing.

Naturally, it left a sour taste.

“Hey, take your bodies with you!”

Gyo-ha lost the will to fight too. Namgung Hyeok also sheathed his sword. Even at Gyo-ha’s shout, they were too busy running away.

Namgung Hyeok said calmly, as if he’d expected it.

“It’s hard to expect loyalty or propriety from unorthodox types.”

Not everyone was like that, but most unorthodox groups were people who submitted to strength or gathered for profit.

They were different from the orthodox.

That didn’t mean they lacked loyalty or a sense of vengeance altogether.

It was just that this bunch was a rabble.

“It’s more anticlimactic than I thought.”

“It’s because they’re drifters. Once time passes, it will quiet down.”

Namgung Hyeok wasn’t new to the Kangho.

But this was the first time he’d come out alone.

Until now, there were only people who rushed in ‘just in case’ because rumors had been rampant.

Once he proved his ability, even that would vanish.

“Won’t the Evil Heaven Alliance move directly?”

There was faint expectation mixed into Gyo-ha’s question.

“They can’t. Not here in Hubei.”

The moment the Evil Heaven Alliance moved, the Wudang Sect would move.

On top of that, the Murim Alliance in Hunan Province would respond.

And right next door was Anhui Province.

It was some distance from Hefei, where the Namgung Clan was, but there were branches and branch houses all across Anhui.

The moment they heard, they would send martial artists.

This land was practically enemy territory to the Evil Heaven Alliance.

They couldn’t send troops just to capture Namgung Hyeok alone.

It wasn’t only the Evil Heaven Alliance. Any sizable armed group in Hubei was within the Murim Alliance’s and Wudang Sect’s sight.

But they couldn’t concern themselves with every small unorthodox group.

That was why they used methods like this.

“I see.”

Gyo-ha nodded with a disappointed expression.

Just as Namgung Hyeok said, things would become a bit troublesome.

But not everything flowed as expected.

A deep cave at East Lake.

“The Namgung Family brat came?”

A metallic voice echoed in the cave. The one standing at the cave’s entrance hurriedly bowed his head.

“Yes, Master. He does have company, but it doesn’t seem to be a proper escort.”

“…That’s a given. If it’s that arrogant Namgung breed.”

Keuk-keuk.

Laughter drew nearer from inside the cave.

A voice that didn’t seem male or female.

At that, those at the cave entrance flinched.

Soon, an old man walked out of the cave.

When the old man appeared, everyone hurriedly lowered their heads, so deeply their foreheads nearly touched the ground.

They even turned their eyes away so they wouldn’t see the old man by mistake.

“Thanks to you, I can repay my debt.”

Like his voice, the old man’s face was hard to tell whether it was male or female.

One unusual thing was the deep sword scar across his face.

The area around it was wrinkled as if it had been seared by fire.

It was an injury from thunder qi.

The old man held out his hand. A man who had been prostrating offered him a mask.

A white mask.

Only the area around the eyes was painted red.

The old man put on the mask. Only then did the prostrating men raise their heads slightly.

“It seems that it was right for me to have hid and waited for the right time.”

Thanks to that, this opportunity came.

The old man’s eyes seethed with rapture.

Thunder Dragon Namgung Jin-yeong.

It was a wound inflicted by the Sword Saint in his youth. Even now it still ached, and he couldn’t sleep.

“It’s been a long time. I should go out. Prepare clothes and a carriage.”

“Yes.”

Those who had been prostrating hurriedly got up.

They were men of various ages.

But they all had one thing in common. None of them had beards.

Their faces were smooth, like women’s faces.

And their fingertips and lips had turned violet.

Traces of cultivating Yin Qi.

It was a martial art unsuited to men.

So they removed their masculinity.

That was why they had no beards.

Soon, the men brought a carriage.

A lavish carriage fit for children of high officials.

It wasn’t merely ornate.

The windows were covered in cloth, and phoenix ornaments were painted on it.

The phoenix was an ornament permitted only to royalty or high officials.

Soon, a young disciple offered neatly folded clothes.

An outing outfit.

The clothes resembled an official robe more than martial attire.

Clothes worn by eunuchs.

As the old man put on the clothes and headed for the carriage, the child who handed them over quickly prostrated himself.

Beside him, a young man and a middle-aged man took the same posture.

As if it were natural, the old man stepped on the child’s back.

Then he stepped on the young man’s and the middle-aged man’s backs like stairs as he climbed up.

Only after the old man got into the carriage did they lift their heads.

Then, as he rose, the child let out a small groan, as if his knee had caught on a rock.

Reproachful gazes turned toward the child.

The child lowered his head with frightened eyes.

“Yeong-hyeon.”

A gentle voice followed. But at that voice, the child’s face turned pale.

“Y-yes. Master.”

“How long has it been since you entered?”

“Three years.”

“Then it’s about time you could draw the carriage.”

The child shut his mouth. Then the middle-aged man behind spoke.

“Master. Yeong-hyeon still lacks the qualifications.”

He was the one who had greeted the old man at the very front of the cave.

But the gaze that returned was cold.

“Are you defying my will right now?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

The man hurriedly bowed his head.

“This time, the leading horse is you, Yeong-hyeon.”

“…Yes, Master.”

Nodding, the child headed to the front of the carriage.

But there were no horses to pull the carriage here.

Instead, the men shouldered yokes.

At the very front was the young Yeong-hyeon.

A six-horse carriage.

A carriage pulled by people, not horses.

“Take it.”

“Yes.”

The old man held out his hand.

Then the man beside him, face dark, handed something over.

A long whip.

The old man, whip in hand, cracked it.

The whip passed the men and struck Yeong-hyeon’s back in front.

Yeong-hyeon forced down the scream that tried to burst out.

If he screamed here, he didn’t know what they would do to him.

Instead, he stepped forward.

That was how the carriage began to move.

And the remaining disciples quietly followed behind the carriage.