novelraw Chapter 296 : People of the Hwangbo Clan (1)
Chapter 296 : People of the Hwangbo Clan (1)
Chapter 296: People of the Hwangbo Clan (1)
Eum Sajeok was about to head straight toward the pavilion usually reserved for important guests of his Senior Brother when the Demonic Master spoke.
‘And from now on, treat me with the courtesy due to a senior. Hearing your informal tone is giving me indigestion.’
Since he had agreed to negotiate with the soul of the Demonic Master, Eum Sajeok knew he needed to show some respect.
‘Understood. I’ll watch my tongue from now on.’
‘That’s better. You’re more agreeable than that Yong brat. It took an awfully long time to get that bastard to speak respectfully. He really was an insolent wretch.’
The two walked toward the pavilion, chewing over thoughts of Yong Hwarin with barely hidden spite.
Eum Sajeok didn’t know how his Senior Brother had acquired a manor with five pavilions, but it appeared to have once belonged to a powerful noble family.
They landed atop the pavilion where outsiders were forbidden to enter.
Eum Sajeok quietly observed the people coming and going.
Some were stepping out and chatting, while others were training.
However, Eum Sajeok’s experience in the murim was limited, and he wasn’t well-versed in the different sects.
He only had decent knowledge about the Four Great Divine Items due to his missions.
But the Demonic Master could easily distinguish them just by looking at those training.
‘Those are people from Azure Pine Sect and Evil Dragon Sect. And over there, judging by the emblem, they’re from Iron Response Sect and Muho Gate.’
Iron Response Sect and Muho Gate were easy to identify because their emblems were of an eagle and a tiger respectively.
‘And those people over there seem to be from the Dabie Sect.’
Eum Sajeok was impressed by how the Demonic Master could instantly recognize the sects of everyone gathered in the pavilion.
‘How does someone from a hundred years ago know all these modern sects so well?’
‘That’s because I’ve been alive all the way from back then until now.’
‘Is that so?’
Eum Sajeok spoke again, knowing that his Senior Brother, the late Lee Yung, had been involved with several sects.
‘Senior Brother Lee seemed to have formed alliances with people from Dabie, Muho Gate, and Evil Dragon Sect. And now they’re siding with the First Senior Brother.’
‘They must be profiting from aligning with that Yong brat. But if even Iron Response Sect has joined, it looks like that bastard is preparing for something serious.’
‘What could it be?’
‘That’s what you need to find out.’
Eum Sajeok smiled, amused by how the situation was unfolding.
He climbed up to the opposite roof, where he had a clear view of the pavilion entrance and concealed himself.
‘There’s no need to peer into any secret rooms. As long as I watch who comes out of the pavilion, I can identify everyone involved in this meeting. No need to take unnecessary risks.’
The Demonic Master’s soul admired his thinking.
‘You really do resemble that Yong brat in some ways. Quite the cunning one.’
‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘It is. I can’t stand fools.’
The Demonic Master had grown fond of Eum Sajeok, who didn’t fear him even after learning of his existence and instead found the whole thing entertaining.
Eum Sajeok clearly leaned toward the demonic side, which made him oddly compatible with the Demonic Master.
He fixed his gaze on the entrance of the pavilion with patience.
After two hours, a group of people finally emerged.
First, Yang Gwak came out and scanned the area around the entrance.
Then others began to follow.
‘Just as I expected.’
‘Who are they?’
‘Muho Gate’s Small Sect Leader Cheong Geonmin, Azure Pine Sect’s Small Sect Leader Jeok Gwang, Dabie Sect’s Sect Leader Hwang Sinjik, Evil Dragon Sect’s Small Sect Leader Gocheok, and Iron Response Sect’s Sect Leader Jeon Woong. Half of them have past ties with Senior Brother Lee.’
‘Do you know why that Yong brat gathered them all?’
‘I’ve got a rough idea.’
‘Spit it out. Don’t drag it like that damned Yong brat.’
‘They all share one thing in common.’
‘Then just say it already.’
‘They all bear deep grudges against Yong Hwarin. Most of them gnash their teeth at the mere mention of his name.’
Thinking back, the Demonic Master realized it was true — most of them had suffered at Yong Hwarin’s hands.
‘So they were gathered to kill Yong Hwarin?’
The Demonic Master asked, but Eum Sajeok shook his head.
‘This is where the First Senior Brother is different. If it were me, I’d use this chance to stage something massive.’
‘Stage something massive?’
Just then, a deep sigh escaped the Demonic Master.
When Eum Sajeok gave a short answer to his question, the sigh turned into a groan.
‘That Yong brat better handle this well…’
Despite everything, the Demonic Master had spent enough time in the same body that he found himself worrying about Yong Hwarin.
Meanwhile, Jeong Minji was heading toward Mugunmun with Gunwi and Gunyeom.
All she could think about was hurrying to Mugunmun, rallying their warriors, and raiding the hideout to rescue her family held hostage.
From a hilltop, Gunwi looked down and said,
“It looks like we’ve managed to shake off the pursuers.”
The three had barely escaped the encirclement of the Dark Heaven Ghost Demon Unit, who pursued them relentlessly.
It was thanks to Gunwi and Gunyeom’s familiarity with the area.
If they hadn’t known exactly where to flee and where to hide, they would have never escaped the intricate web of the Dark Heaven Ghost Demon Unit.
“It’s all thanks to you two.”
“Think nothing of it. There are some slash-and-burn farmers at the foot of the mountain. We’ll borrow some clothes from them and disguise ourselves. Walking around in martial uniforms like this will only get us caught.”
Jeong Minji acknowledged Gunwi’s words as correct and headed toward where the slash-and-burn farmers were.
Just as they arrived at the small village where the slash-and-burn farmers had gathered, the loud clashing of weapons suddenly erupted from behind the village.
Judging by the sound, Jeong Minji could tell that first-rate martial artists were fighting.
Since high-level experts imbued sword qi into their weapons, the resonance of their clashes spread far and deep.
“We should check what’s going on.”
When Jeong Minji spoke, Gunwi shook his head.
“We’re not in a position to involve ourselves in other matters right now.”
“Still.”
“There’s no time to care about other people’s conflicts when we might still be pursued.”
As Gunwi insisted sternly again, Jeong Minji stared at him for a moment.
“If they’re in the same situation as us, then we should help. I wouldn’t have escaped if it weren’t for you, Gun Gongja. We’ll just take a look, and if it’s nothing we should get involved in, we’ll back off.”
As Jeong Minji remained adamant, Gunwi let out a sigh.
“Alright. Let’s at least observe without intervening at first.”
“Understood.”
As Jeong Minji nodded, the three of them quietly moved toward where the sounds of fighting were coming from.
Behind the village of the slash-and-burn farmers, a group of martial artists were engaged in a life-or-death battle.
From atop a tree, Jeong Minji watched the situation and examined who the combatants were.
Even without focusing her eyesight, she could tell who was being attacked.
‘Aren’t those people from the Hwangbo Clan?’
The warriors of the Hwangbo Clan wore distinct clothing—traditionally, they preferred yellow garments with the character for “Hwangbo” embroidered boldly on their chests.
Though considered old-fashioned nowadays, the practice was upheld by those who believed it showcased their Hwangbo Clan pride.
Because of this, anyone could easily recognize them as members of the Hwangbo Clan.
A young man and woman, three male warriors, and two female warriors were surrounded and being attacked by about ten opponents.
‘The Hwangbo Clan members can’t properly use their internal energy. They must have been poisoned by something from the Energy Dispersing Poison category.’
Otherwise, there’d be no reason for them to be staggering and barely fending off the attacks.
The Hwangbo Clan was one of the Twelve Clans of the Martial World and, along with the Mount Song Ak Clan, reigned as the ruler of Shandong.
There was no way warriors from such a clan would be defeated this easily.
‘If it’s just around ten, the three of us should be able to handle them.’
Jeong Minji examined the attackers’ martial arts and clothing, trying to determine their identity.
But those alone didn’t reveal who they were.
‘Are they from the Heavenly Demon Sect? No, I’d recognize them just from their martial uniforms.’
However, the answer came from the mouth of a youth of the Hwangbo Clan.
“Why are the people of Blood Demon Castle persecuting members of our clan like this?!”
“Wahahaha, you’ll understand if you surrender. How about giving up now?”
“Don’t spew nonsense!”
“Hehehe, just wait a little longer. Soon, you won’t even be able to summon a trace of your energy. Be prepared.”
The Blood Demon Castle warriors were waiting until the Hwangbo Clan members were completely exhausted. Upon hearing that, the young man and woman of the Hwangbo Clan bit their lips.
As the situation became urgent, Jeong Minji sent a telepathic message to Gunwi.
–Gun Gongja, I believe the three of us can take them down if we launch a surprise attack.
Gunwi’s response came immediately.
–It’s too dangerous.
–We can’t leave them behind. I hold great respect for your martial prowess, Gun Gongja. If you and I coordinate, and Gun Sojeo joins in, we can definitely push them back.
–It’s too reckless.
As Gunwi tried to dissuade her again, Jeong Minji looked him straight in the eye and sent another message.
–Gun Gongja, aren’t you from Mugunmun? Don’t you take pride in the name of the Righteous Lords of Song Mountain?
Struck at his core, Gunwi no longer avoided the matter.
–Understood. Then let’s do this. We’ll first take out three or four of them with throwing knives before launching the ambush.
As Jeong Minji nodded, Gunwi pulled daggers from his robe and handed them to her.
Gunyeom also slipped six small daggers between her fingers.
From the look of it, she seemed skilled with hidden weapons.
–Let’s throw them at the same time.
After counting down, the three of them sprang up and hurled their daggers toward the warriors of Blood Demon Castle.