Chapter 192: Lee Yung’s Scheme (2)

“Tonight, there will be a gathering at the Sky Ocean Merchant Union with Hoi Soyu. I’ll bring the Demonic Master along. I plan to give a hint to Hoi Soyu so that Seok Unjeong can meet with the Demonic Master. Once the Demonic Master sees his daughter there, we’ll see how he reacts.”

“That’s right. Now it seems Junior Brother Eum knows what he’s doing. Things must proceed naturally if you don’t want to arouse suspicion. So, what’s the next step?”

“Then the Demonic Master, having secured his daughter, will try to flee. When we pursue, he’ll surely seek help from Yong Hwarin. That will prevent Yong Hwarin from moving together with Namgung Yoo, as he’ll come to aid the Demonic Master. Before that happens, we set a trap that he can’t escape. And you, Senior Brother, will take care of Namgung Yoo and the Division Leader of the East Evil Division while Yong Hwarin is absent.”

At those words, Lee Yung gave a radiant smile.

It was a smile that appeared only when he was truly pleased.

Seeing Eum Sajeok stand without even sipping his tea, he nodded.

“Then I’ll entrust Yong Hwarin to you.”

That Eum Sajeok willingly took on the burden of Yong Hwarin was all according to plan.

Taking care of Yong Hwarin alone would be something worthy of praise from their masters.

As Yong Hwarin had continuously become entangled in their missions and interfered, the masters had begun to pay attention to him.

Even if it wasn’t a designated task, eliminating someone like that could have the same effect as completing a mission.

Moreover, while Yong Hwarin could be dealt with through the Demonic Master, the Division Leader of the East Evil Division was a different matter.

No matter how brilliant the plan that Senior Brother presented, Eum Sajeok didn’t want to face the White Poison Corpse Art.

Eum Sajeok felt secretly pleased, as he had been entrusted with something that would earn merit without much risk.

Both Lee Yung and Eum Sajeok believed that if they were the first to complete their mission in this endeavor, they would gain an advantage over their rival in the race for succession.

The two men smiled contentedly, each lost in his own ambitions.

“Ah.”

With a voice full of flirtation, Hoi Soyu buried her face into the chest of the man who was fondling her breast.

“Can’t you stay a bit longer?”

Hoi Soyu wrapped her still-warm thighs around the man’s legs.

“I’ve got a lot to do.”

“Still…”

She gave a nasal whimper and bit the man’s nipple.

The man raised his face and grimaced.

Then, through the flickering candlelight, his face came into view.

“That hurts.”

Eum Sajeok pushed Hoi Soyu’s head away with a slightly irritated voice.

Then he stood and began gathering his clothes.

“When the people I sent arrive, they must be led to encounter Seok Unjeong, who is staying at the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.”

“That’s not difficult. If you go through Hoi Unkyung’s quarters, you can find that woman named Seok Unjeong. She’s serving those people called the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect, so she often goes in and out. But why do you need her?”

Hoi Soyu tugged at Eum Sajeok’s waistband as he continued dressing.

“You don’t need to know.”

When Eum Sajeok said that, Hoi Soyu pouted.

“You’re so cold. When are you coming again?”

“When I find time.”

In truth, Eum Sajeok hadn’t come here to indulge in intimacy with Hoi Soyu.

He had come to observe Hoi Unkyung’s condition, to secure another piece for when he would eventually face Yong Hwarin—but he had run into an unexpected obstacle.

His intention had been to use Hoi Unkyung as a hostage to pressure Yong Hwarin.

So I brought Hoi Soyu with me to check on Hoi Unkyung’s condition, but the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect stepped forward and blocked the entrance.

As the memory of the evening resurfaced, a bitter taste rose in my mouth.

“Go back! No one is allowed in. The Small Sect Leader, who is Lady Hoi’s guard, has issued strict orders not to let anyone through.”

“What are you talking about?”

When Hoi Soyu rebuked them, Mu Iso stepped forward and spoke.

“Sorry, but no one is allowed in. If you try to force your way through, either we’ll die, or you will.”

It wasn’t an empty threat.

If we truly attempted to go in, they looked ready to cut us down.

“These people, really! We just want to check on the Vice-Captain’s condition—why are you stopping us?”

As Hoi Soyu stepped forward, no one said a word, yet the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect drew their swords all at once.

“From this point on, the sword will be the one to answer.”

When Mu Iso stared with cold eyes, Hoi Soyu flinched at that indifferent gaze.

She was well aware that those who had such eyes were never soft-hearted.

Reluctantly, she pulled back the foot she had stepped forward with and snapped.

“Don’t think you can keep things like this forever!”

That outburst was all she could do.

Being humiliated in front of the person she loved made it all the more unbearable.

At that moment, Eum Sajeok was inwardly shocked by the aura of the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect.

It was not the same presence he had expected.

‘Back in Soho, they seemed rather mediocre.’

Their progress was nothing short of astonishing.

He could sense a momentum in them as if ten years of time had been compressed.

‘What the hell are these guys? How can they become this strong in such a short time?’

Since he was wearing the Invisibility Mask, the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect did not recognize Eum Sajeok.

‘Did they devour some spiritual medicine during that time?’

He might be able to handle one or two, but if four or five joined forces, Eum Sajeok wasn’t confident he could stop them.

‘Just by staying under that monster, are they turning into monsters too?’

Once again, the thought struck him that Yong Hwarin must be dealt with.

Having tasted that bitter defeat, he couldn’t just go back empty-handed, so he indulged in Hoi Soyu’s body.

He thought it would wash away the humiliation to some extent, but the disgrace could not be resolved merely by satisfying his lust.

‘Damn it, maybe I need to see some blood.’

On days like this, the feeling of cutting someone down with a sword was the best remedy.

“Gaga, stay the night.”

As Hoi Soyu hugged Eum Sajeok’s waist while he was lost in thought, his gaze sharpened.

Overwhelmed by his glare, Hoi Soyu quietly withdrew the arm she had wrapped around his waist.

It felt as if she were about to be split in two from the crown of her head to her groin.

Late at night, when everyone was asleep, the Demonic Master entered through a small side gate beside the rear gate of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

“Welcome. The young lady has been waiting for you.”

Hoi Soyu’s trusted aide greeted the Demonic Master at the side gate.

As they entered through the side, Deung Hwaun grumbled.

“I’ve never used a side gate in my life. This is disgusting. Why was I called through this way? Last time I came in through the front. This feels like sneaking in like a thief—it’s infuriating.”

Hoi Soyu’s trusted aide bowed her head.

“I apologize. It was simply because the young lady instructed me to bring you through the side gate.”

Following Eum Sajeok’s command, Hoi Soyu had received the Demonic Master and Deung Hwaun in the direction where Hoi Unkyung’s residence was located.

“This way, please.”

As Hoi Soyu’s aide walked ahead, the Demonic Master and Deung Hwaun followed while surveying their surroundings.

The Demonic Master, walking behind the aide, suddenly flinched in surprise.

It was because of the people they encountered while passing through a small Winter Gate and by a pavilion.

But he soon remembered he was wearing the Invisibility Mask and let out a small laugh.

‘To think I flinched at the sight of such greenhorns. This Demonic Master has been running errands under someone else for so long that my guts have shrunk to a bean.’

They were gathered in twos and threes, training.

He had seen them before in Soho—they were the subordinates of Yong Hwarin, the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect.

Hoi Unkyung’s residence was located in the most secluded part of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

Hoi Unkyung had deliberately chosen a remote spot within the Sky Ocean Merchant Union in order to create a pond and a garden.

Naturally, the only ones who came and went through that place were those associated with Hoi Unkyung.

Deung Hwaun looked at them and asked Hoi Soyu’s trusted aide,

“Who are they?”

Deung Hwaun had never fought directly with the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect and thus did not recognize them.

The ones Deung Hwaun gnashed her teeth over, even dreaming of their deaths, were Yong Hwarin, the sneering Two Wook Sword Demons, and the chillingly cold Mo Biyoung.

“Ah, they are the ones recently hired as Vice-Captain’s guards. Subordinates of a man called the Heavenly Sword Hero.”

Upon hearing that, Deung Hwaun instinctively exuded killing intent.

Sensing it, the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect who had been training turned their gaze all at once toward where Deung Hwaun stood.

The Demonic Master saw this and was startled inwardly.

‘Incredible. To detect killing intent released from a distance… they’re above First-rate level. Not a single one of them is ordinary.’

“Suppress your killing intent.”

The Demonic Master spoke quietly, and Deung Hwaun scoffed.

“Hmph, what’s so frightening about those brats.”

Mu Iso disliked that they had directed killing intent at them.

Hoi Soyu’s associates had sometimes passed by and looked at them with disapproval, even hostility—but never had anyone radiated such distinct killing intent.

Mu Iso approached and asked,

“For what reason are you exuding killing intent toward us?”

At such insolent words, Hoi Soyu’s aide bowed her head.

“These are guests visiting the main division. We’ll be taking our leave.”

Thinking it might stir up unnecessary trouble, Hoi Soyu’s aide attempted to move on.

But Deung Hwaun looked at Mu Iso and said,

“Seeing you all training sparked a spontaneous fighting spirit in me.”

“I didn’t realize fighting spirit was the same as killing intent.”

Mu Iso’s sarcasm made Deung Hwaun’s cheeks twitch.

Deung Hwaun, who would leap out of bed just hearing the name Yong Hwarin, couldn’t ignore provocation from someone known to be one of his subordinates—not with the hatred that reached her marrow.

“I’d love to show you just how similar fighting spirit and killing intent can be. Wonder if you’re willing to respond.”

As Deung Hwaun muttered, the Demonic Master frowned.

"Deung Hwaun, we're not here to fight right now."

"Stay out of this. These people don’t know who we are. When they don’t know, it’s the best time to teach them a lesson. If I just let this go, I feel like I’ll explode from frustration."

As Deung Hwaun spoke so forcefully, the Demonic Master stepped away from her.

There was no reason to restrain her, nor was there any pressing reason to avoid conflict.

If it had been one of Eum Sajeok’s loyal subordinates, they might have purposely avoided clashes with Yong Hwarin’s group—but these two acted based on their moods, far removed from such considerations.

“Though I am a guest under the roof of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, I am a martial artist who seeks martial enlightenment. To speak of martial arts—how could one call it martial spirit to turn and flee?”

As Mu Iso spoke, Son Yang glanced at Go Ram beside him and whispered,

“Hey, doesn’t his way of talking sound exactly like the Small Sect Leader?”

“Not just the speech—he’s also just as lustful about women.”

At those words, Son Yang and Go Ram snickered.

Their jabs came from jealousy after both Pang Cheollyeon and Jeong Daji had shown interest in Mu Iso.

Deung Hwaun drew her sword and spoke.

‘You bastards! I’ll show you why they call me the Five Red Serpents.’

Back during the days when the Blood Demon of the Self-Transmission had been active in the Blood Demon Castle, the advanced technique she gained under that name was the Five Red Life-Chasing Sword.

The Five Red Life-Chasing Sword was an advanced martial art with a secret: the sword qi split into five strands to strike.

Because it appeared like five serpents slithering through the air, Deung Hwaun came to be known by the alias Five Red Serpents.

Recently, she had thrown herself into even more intense training than when she was in the Blood Demon Castle, in preparation for a future battle with Yong Hwarin.

So the heat and depth of the Five Red Life-Chasing Sword had risen even beyond what it was during her time in the Blood Demon Castle.

Only recently had Deung Hwaun come to understand that martial arts only progressed when one had a clear goal.

That was why, brimming with confidence, she stirred up a conflict over something she could have simply walked past.

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