Following the guidance of the gate guards, Hyunjin stepped forward first, followed by Cheon-yu and three Plum Blossom Swordsmen carrying the coffin containing the corpse of the Black Howl Demon.
‘Quite large, isn’t it?’
Cheon-hwi, who was following at the very back of the group, darted his eyes around.
‘At this scale, it wouldn’t lose to the Five Great Families of the Divine Cult even if compared.’
The Nangong Clan’s mansion featured expansive courtyards and antique pavilions lined up in all directions, as if speaking to its long history.
Just by looking, one could guess how much money and manpower had been poured into it, and how prosperous the Nangong Clan had been.
As the group walked past the courtyards and corridors of the sprawling mansion, they encountered members of the Nangong Clan who had been exchanging laughter.
“Are they guests?”
“But those daoist robes...”
Instantly, their laughter ceased.
Along with that, their gazes sharpened, piercing through the group like arrows.
“It doesn’t seem like a welcoming atmosphere.”
Startled by Cheon-hwi’s sudden remark, the group snapped their heads around.
“Am I wrong?”
“Hwi.”
Cheon-yu quickly approached.
He glanced briefly at the gate guards and then covered his mouth with his index finger, whispering softly.
“You need to watch your mouth here.”
“Why? Because this is the Nangong Clan?”
“Yes. Because it’s the Nangong Clan... Don’t tell me you’re doing this on purpose knowing full well?”
“Those damn eyes are pissing me off.”
Cheon-hwi glared at the onlookers.
Their gazes were far too blatant.
“As if we’re some kind of spectacle... Mmph.”
Feeling the glaring gaze of the gate guards, Cheon-yu hastily covered Cheon-hwi’s mouth.
“Shh. You have to be quiet.”
Cheon-yu said, glancing around nervously.
In truth, he was also feeling that atmosphere. No, he was certain that not just him, but the entire group felt it.
But what could they do?
This was the Nangong Clan, enemy territory.
If they said something wrong, they might end up suffering the consequences themselves.
Cheon-yu brought his face right up to the scowling Cheon-hwi’s ear and whispered.
“Let’s talk about that later.”
Looking at Cheon-yu’s earnest gaze, Cheon-hwi pulled his hand away from his mouth.
He was deeply displeased.
When had he ever imagined he would be subjected to such treatment from the Nangong Clan?
But he endured it for now.
It was because the group’s stinging gazes were directed at him.
A short while later, the group was guided to a side hall.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
The moment the group entered the side hall, the gate guard left after leaving only those words.
“It’s practically a slight.”
“I see.”
At the remark that pierced through the situation, Hyunjin formed a bitter smile.
He had expected to some extent that it would be like this when visiting the Nangong Clan.
The Murim Alliance and the Bicheon Society.
The two were sworn enemies.
However, the degree of hostility was worse than expected.
“...For now, let’s organize our luggage.”
Hyunjin tried hard to change the subject.
Complaining here wouldn’t change anything. They had no choice but to finish their mission quickly and return to the Murim Alliance.
It was then.
Click—
The door of the side hall suddenly opened, and a sharp-looking middle-aged man entered with a heavy presence.
Discovering the group, he approached and gave a slight nod of greeting to Hyunjin.
“I am the Chief Steward, Nangong Jinsu.”
Just as the group was frowning at his rude attitude of not even offering a fist-and-palm salute,
“I am Hyunjin of the Huashan Sect.”
Hyunjin replied, performing a fist-and-palm salute.
“So you are the Great Hero Ilhongmae.”
A hint of interest appeared in Nangong Jinsu’s eyes upon hearing Hyunjin’s daoist alias before vanishing.
“I heard you brought the corpse of the Black Howl Demon. Is that true?”
“It is. And I have also brought a letter sent separately by the Murim Alliance.”
Hyunjin took the letter from his inner pocket and handed it to Nangong Jinsu, whose brow was furrowed.
“The Murim Alliance’s Deputy Military Strategist sent it.”
“That is correct.”
Holding the letter with an awkward expression, Nangong Jinsu slipped it into his sleeve after reading it.
“I have confirmed it.”
Nangong Jinsu nodded.
“Then, everyone, follow me.”
Hyunjin’s eyebrows creased.
“Follow you? What do you mean?”
“The Patriarch is waiting for you.”
At the sudden words, the group moved to follow the steward without even unpacking.
How long had they been walking?
Suddenly, the group felt something strange.
The Nangong Clan, which had been bustling with numerous people just a moment ago, was quiet.
There was not a single person traversing the corridors, giving off a bleak atmosphere.
Had they read the silence and atmosphere akin to the calm before the storm?
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, led by Hyunjin, heightened their tension and followed the steward walking ahead.
“This is the place.”
The steward stopped walking.
At the end of a seemingly endless long corridor, what greeted the group was a grand door made of antique wood.
[Cangtian Great Hall (蒼天大殿)]
As the Plum Blossom Swordsmen grew tense upon seeing the great hall, the gate guards pushed open the closed doors.
Creak—
The doors opened slowly, and a faint light spilled out from between them.
“Please enter.”
Piercing through the light, Hyunjin entered first, and the moment Cheon-hwi, the last of them, stepped in—
“Is that the corpse of the Black Howl Demon?”
“To think the Plum Blossom Swordsmen came all the way here.”
Voices were heard from the left and right.
‘They were all here.’
He surveyed the great hall with half-open eyes.
Even though it hadn’t even been a quarter of an hour since their arrival was announced, the great hall was crowded with many people wearing flashy blue-and-white martial uniforms.
‘Exactly the kind of thing those with nothing better to do would pull often.’
Normally, one would meet privately or have a light conversation across a small table.
But why were they called to the great hall, and why was it filled with clan members?
‘Making a fuss just to show off.’
Smirking, Cheon-hwi swept his eyes over them.
Their gazes were by no means friendly. Rather, they could be called gazes filled with vigilance and hostility.
‘Still, it is quite amazing. To think I’d see the sight of the Nine Sects and One Faction and the Eight Great Families, who were once so tightly knit, hostile toward each other.’
It was quite an entertaining spectacle.
‘If the Demon Brain were still alive, he would have cheered.’
In the past, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had made all sorts of efforts to split the Orthodox Faction, but they had never succeeded even once.
Yet now, they were split in two.
And with hostility towards each other, no less.
“Junior brother, what are you doing?”
At that moment, Gu Gyeom-wi’s whispering voice struck his ears.
Coming to his senses, he realized he had stopped walking at some point, and the distance between him and the group walking ahead had widened considerably.
“Hurry up and come.”
At Gu Gyeom-wi’s urging glance, Cheon-hwi stepped forward again after his brief pause.
How many steps did he take?
The group ahead stopped walking.
“Patriarch. I have brought the guests.”
The moment the steward’s voice ended.
“Welcome.”
A stiff voice came from above.
Looking up, a man was sitting on a massive throne above the stairs.
His appearance was extraordinary.
Dressed in splendid silk robes and a luxuriously decorated hat, and leaning against the throne was a sword adorned with all kinds of precious gems.
The man, who had been flaunting his prestige as if to show off, stood up from the throne and straightened his back.
“I am the Patriarch, Nangong In.”
An overbearing attitude and gaze.
However, Hyunjin did not yield to such things at all and politely performed a fist-and-palm salute.
“I am Hyunjin of the Huashan Sect.”
At that moment, the Cangtian Great Hall buzzed.
“Ilhongmae...?”
“To think Ilhongmae came all the way here.”
Just then, the steward went up the stairs and carefully handed the letter to Nangong In.
“It is the letter sent from the Murim Alliance.”
Nangong In’s expression as he read the letter changed moment by moment before soon stiffening completely.
“A transaction...”
Murmuring softly, he stood up.
“I wish to confirm if it is indeed the corpse of the Black Howl Demon.”
“If it’s the corpse you want, here it is.”
When Hyunjin looked back and gave a signal,
Thud—
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen set the coffin down.
Then, one of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen opened the closed lid of the coffin, and the scent of death wafted out from within.
“Is that the corpse of the Black Howl Demon?”
Killing intent surged from all around.
‘They must have been quite bitter enemies.’
Feeling the thick killing intent and hostility that was incomparable to the emotions directed at their group, Cheon-hwi grew curious about what relationship they had with the Black Howl Demon.
‘A grudge entangled with the Nangong Clan and a practitioner of the Blood Cult’s martial arts. How amusing.’
It was then that Nangong In took a step forward.
Stepping down the stairs one step at a time, he passed Hyunjin, approached the coffin, and slowly looked down.
“...The exact same face as that bastard.”
His voice was steeped in viscous killing intent.
Soon, he snapped his head around, looked at Hyunjin, and opened his mouth.
“Who killed this bastard?”
“We did.”
“...You folks did?”
Nangong In asked back with a face that showed he couldn’t believe those words at all.
“That is correct.”
“Hard words to believe.”
It was a disparaging remark.
But Hyunjin let it slide smoothly.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it. However, he was clearly someone who had learned the Qi-Blood Art, and he personally admitted to being the Black Howl Demon.”
“He learned the Qi-Blood Art, you say.”
Nangong In glared at the corpse for a moment.
“Cheonpung Squad Captain (天風隊主).”
“Did you call for me?”
A middle-aged man with a blunt impression appeared like the wind and knelt on one knee.
“Check this corpse.”
“Understood.”
The Cheonpung Squad Captain closed the coffin lid.
At the same time, four men manifested like a mirage, shouldered the coffin, and stomped their feet.
Taat!
They vanished in an instant, and Nangong In looked at Hyunjin and the group as he spoke.
“Then, you folks may return to the side hall.”
Words no different from a dismissal.
Hyunjin and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen instantly surged with anger, but they only bit their lips, unable to voice their complaints.
This was the Nangong Clan.
It was the inside of a tiger’s mouth.
With no other choice, Hyunjin turned around and spoke to the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
“Let us return for now.”
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen clenched their teeth.
They burst with anger at the completely dismissive treatment, but what made them even angrier was their own silence.
Cheon-hwi muttered as he watched Hyunjin and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen pass by him.
“This is exactly why I hate dealing with ungrateful bastards.”
It was a small voice.
But those nearby could clearly hear the words he spat out.
“...!”
The group froze like stone statues.
Along with that, they looked at Nangong In, praying he hadn’t heard, but he, who was about to go up the stairs, had stopped in his tracks.
“Wait.”
Turning his head, Nangong In opened his eyes sharply and glared coldly at Cheon-hwi.
“What did you just say?”
“Did you hear that?”
Cheon-hwi turned around along with his words.
Afterward, he met Nangong In’s gaze head-on, and a bloody smile spread across his lips.
“Narrow-minded, but your ears are sharp.”
“Junior brother!”
“...!”
“Hwi!”
Hyunjin and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were horrified and stared with wide eyes.
The opponent was the Patriarch of the Nangong Clan.
In this place, he was someone who could control their lives at any moment.
Yet a provocation?
They desperately tried to stop him, but.
“Then I’ll say it again, so open your ears wide and listen well.”
Cheon-hwi did not stop his provocation.
“D-Don’t say it...”
“J-Junior brother!”
“Don’t do it!”
The horrified Hyunjin and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen tried to desperately stop him, but Cheon-hwi’s lips parted faster.
“This is exactly why I hate dealing with ungrateful bastards.”