[Chapter 45]
"Have you become so gaunt in just ten days? Aren't you eating?"
"…"
"Well, have you seen enough to be speechless now? No response?"
"…"
"I guess you have nothing to say."
Kang Yoon's appearance, trapped behind bars, was quite pitiful.
Dressed in prisoner's garb, his wrists were shackled with iron chains. His disheveled hair looked lifeless.
Yeong Ho-Jeong, gazing intently at Kang Yoon, spoke to the prison warden.
"Please, open this door."
A troubled look crossed the warden's face.
"That is…"
"Don't worry. I was the one who ordered him locked up, do you think I'd let him go? Ah!"
Yeong Ho-Jeong pulled out a small letter from his robe.
"I've already obtained permission from the clan leader. Here, take it."
The warden nodded after receiving the letter. The handwriting and seal on it were unmistakably the clan leader's.
"Understood. However, be cautious, the prisoner might cause a disturbance."
"I could handle ten more like him without concern."
Clang.
As the cell door opened, Yeong Ho-Jeong stepped inside.
Despite the door being wide open, Kang Yoon showed no reaction.
Yeong Ho-Jeong sat down next to him without hesitation.
Kang Yoon's body flinched. Yeong Ho-Jeong had sat too close.
"Your inner strength is sealed. Aren't you cold?"
"…"
"Silly question, isn't it? Are they feeding you well?"
"…Why are you here?"
"Do I need your permission to come? I come as I please."
It was a conversation that left no room for argument.
Leaning against the wall, Yeong Ho-Jeong spoke in a casual tone.
"Yu Ji-Ha, that guy, he's been disciplined too."
"…"
"No matter how foolish your actions were, the clan leader is still the clan leader. There's room for leniency, but disobedience is still a crime. Hence, he's been demoted for six months and tasked with managing the entire unit's affairs alone for three months."
Managing the unit's affairs alone was no easy task. It was grueling work that could consume all day without guarantee of completion.
"But that guy, he managed to finish organizing and even completed his personal training before sleeping. Seems like he barely sleeps two hours a day."
"…"
"How long he can keep up that effort, I don't know, but at least for now, he seems happy. A strong will is just that, a desire to become stronger."
Kang Yoon asked.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"To let you know."
"…"
"I don't know all the laws of the main house. But I do know that even for the same crime, the sentence can vary depending on motive and purpose. There's a reason you received a harsher punishment than Yu Ji-Ha."
Kang Yoon looked at Yeong Ho-Jeong.
His eyes were obscured by his hair.
"Strictness in law is essential. But if it's excessive, it creates problems."
"So, did you reduce my sentence?"
"Why would I? That was just my mood. You committed an act of rebellion, but looking back, I'm not that angry. Sealing your inner strength completely would have been too harsh."
"…"
"I shouldn't be the one to say this, but you were lucky."
Kang Yoon's hair shook. It was a laugh, though whether it was bitter or mocking was unclear.
Yeong Ho-Jeong's eyes deepened.
"Besides, you might be a fool and a simpleton, but at least you seemed to take pride in being part of the Beiksan Yeonga organization."
"…!"
"You hated me because you didn't want to accept that the heir of Yeonga could be such a scoundrel, didn't you?"
Kang Yoon's eyes wavered.
Being confronted so directly was disconcerting.
Yeong Ho-Jeong chuckled.
"You may be twisted, but you still have affection for the main house."
"How would you know that?"
"Do I need to touch it to know if it's dung or mud?"
That was a rather crude analogy.
Yeong Ho-Jeong stood up.
"Think about what truly serves the main house."
"…I have a question."
"What is it?"
Kang Yoon lifted his head.
"Did you also reduce the sentences of others involved in this incident?"
He was asking if the same leniency was extended to others who had committed crimes within the organization.
Yeong Ho-Jeong's eyes turned cold.
"I killed all but two."
"…!!"
"Their crimes were clear. Drunk or not, unjustly taking a life is a capital offense. They even tried to bury it without anyone knowing. There was no room for consideration."
Kang Yoon felt a chill.
Had he strayed further, he too might have lost his life. The thought sent shivers down his spine.
Looking down at the trembling Kang Yoon, Yeong Ho-Jeong continued.
"Perhaps, a great crisis may soon befall the main house."
Kang Yoon looked up at Yeong Ho-Jeong in shock.
Suddenly, Kang Yoon felt darkness envelop him. The merciless intent emanating from Yeong Ho-Jeong's indifferent gaze was palpable.
"I hope it doesn't happen, but if it does, you must also contribute your strength. Prove that your affection for the main house was genuine."
"…"
"Even if your inner strength is sealed, it doesn't mean you can't train. Don't waste time. At least be better than the guy who was once under your command."
* * *
"Brother."
"Huh? Were you waiting for me?"
Yeon Ji-pyeong laughed sheepishly.
"Weren't you supposed to visit father today?"
"What?! Did I say that?"
"My goodness, you forgot?"
"I've had a lot on my mind lately."
"You're so careless."
"You rascal."
Yeon Ho-jeong tousled Yeon Ji-pyeong's hair roughly, eliciting a yelp from him.
"Come on, let's go get scolded."
Four days had passed.
Yeon Ho-jeong's routine had become even more grueling. Having surpassed his limits several times over the past four months, he yearned to do so again.
He cut down on his sleep by another hour and doubled his food intake. Naturally, the intensity of his training increased significantly.
Even with the martial arts skills and enlightenment from his past life, he knew he couldn't grow stronger without relentless effort. Yeon Ho-jeong had trained more fiercely than anyone else over the last six months.
And so, another day went by.
Although he hadn't managed to summon the White Tiger, his mastery of the Byuk Ra Jin Gyeol had reached six-tenths completion. Considering the time since he began learning it, his progress was unimaginably fast.
Now, he was a true master, lacking nothing. His body had grown strong enough to wield his solid martial arts without overexerting his muscles.
At noon on the day Yeon Ho-jeong realized the six-tenths mastery of Byuk Ra Jin Gyeol,
The long-awaited guest finally arrived.
"Thief, sir! Is the meal ready?"
Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.
"If you leave even a single grain of rice, there won't be any soup for you."
* * *
"How is the work progressing?"
"We're nearly finished. The workers are giving it their final push."
"And the deadline?"
"Judging by the hot winds blowing through the passage, five days should be more than enough."
"Good."
An elderly man in vibrant clothes snipped a flower branch with shears.
"Once the work is done, bury the workers as well."
"Understood."
The ease with which the elderly man ordered deaths, and the middle-aged man's nod as if it were only natural, were equally chilling.
A faint excitement tinged the old man's face.
"At last, we can obtain it. The opportunity our ancestors have arranged for us. Hasn't it taken quite long?"
"Twelve years in solar terms."
"If we secure that assured opportunity, even Shaolin could be suppressed by our next generation."
"The next generation? If what the ancestors left behind is true, it won't even take a few years."
"Ha, how wonderful that would be."
The elderly man stretched his back.
"By the way, has there been any word from the Mo family?"
"Yes. Not yet. The Mo family seems to be having quite a headache too."
The old man clicked his tongue.
"Such frustrating fellows. What could possibly be taking them so long to respond?"
"They must be anxious. The Byuksan Yeon family has a short history, hence a weak foundation. They must worry about the Mo family's schemes."
"That's why they amount to so little. Like fools holding a fortune in gold but unable to use it properly. It's no different from a butcher holding the world's finest sword."
"Indeed."
The old man, Myeong Cheon, shook his head.
"Send word to the Mo family. If the Yeon family refuses again, tell them to give up."
"Are you certain?"
"What choice do we have? A child who won't listen needs to be disciplined. I wanted to preserve at least the lineage, but if they continue to be so obstinate, there's nothing we can do."
A hint of anxiety showed on the middle-aged man's face.
"If you truly intend to bury the Yeon family, we must prepare thoroughly."
"Of course. Despite having no real talent, they do have some reputation."
"The current head of the Yeon family is said to have exceptional martial arts. The sword technique of the Pan Gwan Sword is said to even split waves. In ten years, they might ascend to the Holy Heavenly Thirteen Seats."
Myeong Cheon's eyes suddenly turned cold.
The Holy Heavenly Thirteen Seats.
A term referring to the extraordinary individuals representing the current martial world.
People say the greatest era in the long history of the martial world was three hundred years ago, during the Blood Sect Uprising.
Three hundred years ago, the martial world saw an era where invincible masters capable of challenging the greatest under heaven emerged in droves. An era where, regardless of the time, ten individuals who could undoubtedly be called the greatest under heaven existed.
But as time passed, the current martial world began to see the emergence of masters almost unparalleled in their era. The people called these masters the Holy Heavenly Thirteen Seats.
The shining name referring to the ten Immortal Emperors and the three Sovereigns.
Regrettably, the current greatest martial family, the Nine Great Names, had yet to have a master ascend to the Thirteen Seats.
'If only father were still alive…'
The lineage of the great family was known for their short lifespans.
Not due to illness or succumbing to demonic possession, but it was so. People called the short lifespan of the great family a curse of the clan.
'It's not a curse. It's because of the martial arts.'
The martial arts of the great family were not complete.
To wield such power, one had to chip away at their own life force. Thus, the great family brought in external martial arts to try and fix the issue.
Naturally, the problem was not easily solved. The martial arts grew stronger, but the lifespan remained short.
'But now, it's okay. If only we can reclaim the origin of our family's martial arts…!'
Three hundred years ago, a single absolute invincible being emerged, far surpassing the heroes who boasted invincibility.
The Four Directions Martial Emperor.
Also known as the Yellow Dragon Emperor, this master's martial arts surpassed the greatest under heaven, worthy of being called the greatest throughout history.
As the era has passed, the true extent of the Four Directions Martial Emperor's skills is hard to gauge. However, connoisseurs did not hesitate to place the name of the Four Directions Martial Emperor even above Daruma or the Heavenly Demon.
Myeong Cheon knew it. He knew that the connoisseurs' words were not mere exaggeration.
Because, after all, it was the ancestors of the great family who drove out the Blood Sect alongside the Four Directions Martial Emperor. And it was the Four Directions Martial Emperor who imparted a bit of martial arts to those ancestors.
With just that bit of martial arts, the Nine Great Names grew to such prominence. Myeong Cheon was convinced that the Four Directions Martial Emperor was the strongest martial artist in the history of the martial world.
And thirteen years ago, he discovered the will left behind by the first ancestor.
"Wouldn't it be alright to test it?"
"Pardon?"
A sinister killing intent surfaced on Myeong Cheon's face.
"After reclaiming our martial arts, it might be good to test how exceptional they are against the Yeon family."