Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 231 – Desire (4)

On the way back to the inn,

The attitudes of Gan-yang and Ok-gi from the advance party changed.

Originally, they were already wary of the rear party, but after witnessing Mok Gyeong-un’s true colors as he dealt with even Lady Seo, one of the absolute rulers of this nation, they treated him completely like a superior.

In fact, what was most deeply imprinted in their minds was the image of the traitorous Yoo-bong, who had been split in half and turned into a cold corpse.

‘Let’s not provoke him.’

‘Who knows what might happen if we get on his bad side.’

Even Ok-gi, who had once vowed to take revenge, had long since abandoned such thoughts.

He just hoped to avoid irritating Mok Gyeong-un until the mission was completed.

As they were heading towards the inn, Mok Gyeong-un spoke to them at a fork in the road.

“I have a brief errand to run, so you all go ahead first.”

“My lord, I will escort you,” Seop Chun stepped forward to guard Mok Gyeong-un.

But Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.

“It’s nothing important, so please go ahead and wait inside.”

“Are you sure it’s alright?”

“Yes, I’m just going to take a look around.”

‘Ah! You must mean that place.’

At these words, Seop Chun realized where Mok Gyeong-un was heading.

He was likely going to the workshop of Miss Song-ah, the real master artisan of human skin masks.

Having confirmed his intentions, Seop Chun backed down.

After Mok Gyeong-un left, quite some time passed. As they were about to reach the inn, Gan-yang carefully spoke.

“Brother Seop.”

“What is it?”

“But, is it really okay to end it like this?”

“What do you mean by okay?”

“I’m talking about Lady Seo.”

“Lady Seo?”

“Yes. Although Lord Mok wrapped things up well, what if Lady Seo has a change of heart along the way…”

In fact, this had been Gan-yang’s concern all along.

Mok Gyeong-un may have imprinted fear in that arrogant Lady Seo, but from her perspective, she had been thoroughly humiliated.

She may have shown submission to Mok Gyeong-un now to survive, but once she returned to the palace, her attitude could change.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Mong Mu-yak interjected.

“What do you mean there’s no need to worry?”

-Swish!

Mong Mu-yak raised his arm to show them.

The iron chain bracelet that should have been there was missing.

The reason was simple.

Mok Gyeong-un had removed the Chain of Loyalty he had been wearing and put it on Lady Seo, receiving her oath of submission.

“As long as she wears that bracelet, Lady Seo absolutely cannot betray the lord.”

“…What the hell are you talking about?”

“You’ll find out soon. And don’t try to understand everything.”

Mong Mu-yak was the only one who had experienced the Chain of Loyalty.

Those who wore it could never harbor any ill intentions towards the one they had sworn allegiance to.

Doing so could even cost them their life.

‘Hehehe.’

Mong Mu-yak was extremely pleased to have the Chain of Loyalty removed thanks to Lady Seo.

It had been too painful, as it would tighten around his wrist and cause agony even if he harbored the slightest malicious thoughts towards Mok Gyeong-un.

[You’ll be able to behave well even without this, right?]

[…I will serve you with all my heart. Please trust me.]

Mong Mu-yak had once again sworn loyalty to Mok Gyeong-un.

Through his experiences with Mok Gyeong-un, he had come to believe that perhaps he could even surpass the Eldest Young Master Na Yul-ryang and become the successor, leading him to have a change of heart.

Because of this, he now genuinely viewed Mok Gyeong-un as his lord.

Seop Chun patted Gan-yang’s back and said,

“As Mu-yak said, don’t worry too much. Moreover, with this incident, Lady Seo is also in a difficult position, so she has no choice but to comply.”

A rock and a hard place.

It was the phrase that best described Lady Seo’s current situation.

Apart from swearing submission to Mok Gyeong-un, she now had to distance herself from the righteous faction voluntarily.

Peng Seok-im, the younger brother of Magistrate Peng Yi-mun, had attempted to violate her in front of everyone, and on top of that, he had even massacred the soldiers of the Imperial Army stationed in Kaifeng.

Because of this, she had no choice but to sever ties with the Hebei Peng Family, if only to handle the aftermath.

Thus, from Lady Seo’s perspective, no matter how unpleasant it was, she had to maintain her relationship with Mok Gyeong-un and the Heaven and Earth Society.

“Unintentionally, thanks to our lord, those bastards from the Righteous Alliance are about to get scared shitless. Hahaha!”

The Hebei Peng Family was one of the Seven Great Clans and a key pillar of the Righteous Alliance.

Thinking about the blow they would suffer, Seop Chun, as a member of the Heaven and Earth Society, felt delighted.

***

At the same time.

Leafy Wind Guest Inn, located in the western commercial district of Kaifeng.

Normally, it would be a time when the inn would still be bustling with customers drinking alcohol, but the interior was exceptionally quiet.

That was because the restaurant had been reserved by several groups who appeared to be martial artists.

On the first floor, there were martial artists from the Hebei Peng Family wearing military uniforms with “Peng Family” embroidered on their chests.

There was also a group from Mount Hua Sect, dressed in light blue robes with plum blossom patterns.

Lastly, there was a group from Mount Zhongnan Sect, wearing light gray robes with bright red belts, all quietly having a meal together.

The elders of the two sects and one clan leading these groups were engaged in conversation, seated at a round table on the second floor.

The middle-aged man with a mustache sitting on the left was Peng Il-hyeon, the clan head of the Hebei Peng Family, known as the Hegemon Saber of Hebei.

Peng Il-hyeon heartily laughed and poured a cup of alcohol for the person directly across from him.

“Hahaha! Sir Gu Yang-ja is truly magnanimous. Even if it’s a bet between elders, to actually teach the secret art of your sect, the Fourteen Plum Blossom Sword Technique, to a disciple of another sect, the Kongtong Sect…”

“Ahem.”

At his words, the old Taoist priest in a blue robe with sharp features, receiving the cup, coughed as if displeased.

He was Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects that could be considered the backbone of the Righteous Alliance.

“Hohoho. Clan Head Peng, don’t say that. If you keep going, how upset will Elder Gu Yang-ja be?”

The old man in a robe with a warm demeanor and graying hair, sitting to the right of Peng Il-hyeon, spoke.

He was True Person Geon Mun-ja of Mount Zhongnan Sect.

[True Person comes from the term 진인, or 眞人 (zhenren). Let me know if you know better term to name this aside from True Person.]

At Geon Mun-ja’s words, Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua Sect spoke in a nonchalant voice,

“If I was upset, how could I have taught the martial art? It’s all that child’s fortune. His talent was simply that outstanding.”

“Outstanding is an understatement. To completely grasp the essence of the Fourteen Plum Blossom Sword Technique in just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he can be called a genius without exaggeration.”

At True Person Geon Mun-ja’s words, the eyes of Peng Il-hyeon, the Peng Family’s clan head, widened.

“In just the time to drink a cup of tea?”

“That’s right. He truly has a brilliant mind.”

“My, if that’s true, it’s amazing.”

For a highly skilled swordsman, it wasn’t impossible.

However, he had heard that the disciple of the Kongtong Sect had just become an official disciple after being a lay disciple.

If such a child had mastered a first-rate sword art of another sect in just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he could indeed be considered a great talent.

Curious, Peng Il-hyeon asked,

“What is the Taoist name of that disciple from the Kongtong Sect?”

“Although he was accepted as an official disciple, he wasn’t registered with a Taoist name, so as far as I know, he doesn’t have one.”

“Ah, is that so? Then his name…”

“Could it be that Clan Head Peng covets that child from the Kongtong Sect?”

Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua Sect asked in a nonchalant voice.

At that question, Peng Il-hyeon waved his hands and politely replied,

“No, of course not. How could I covet an official disciple of the Kongtong Sect?”

While saying this, Peng Il-hyeon surreptitiously glanced at Elder Gu Yang-ja’s face.

No matter how he looked at it, the old man seemed to be wary of him.

‘I see.’

He had already thought it was difficult to see Elder Gu Yang-ja’s unhesitating transmission of the Mount Hua Sect’s sword art to a disciple of another sect as mere magnanimity, even if it was called a bet. It seemed he also coveted that child.

For a True Person of a Taoist sect, he was unexpectedly greedy.

But it was understandable.

If the child possessed such talent, anyone would want him as a disciple.

‘If my second son receives a recommendation letter from Lady Seo to participate in the Imperial Guard’s martial arts competition this time, I should instruct him to keep an eye on that child from the Kongtong Sect.’

One never knows what might happen.

Just then, Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua Sect opened his mouth.

“But seeing Clan Head Peng come to Kaifeng in person, it seems the efforts of your younger brother, who serves as a Magistrate in the palace, have borne fruit.”

At his words, Peng Il-hyeon’s eyes narrowed.

As expected of Mount Hua Sect, known as one of the pillars of the Nine Great Sects alongside Wudang Sect, their information network was no ordinary matter.

The Righteous Alliance had long supported the second prince, Prince Jong, who was considered the most likely candidate for Crown Prince.

However, contrary to that support and expectation, the young son of Lady Seo had ascended to the position of Crown Prince.

Since then, Peng Il-hyeon, the clan head of the Hebei Peng Family, had been in contact with Lady Seo through his younger brother Peng Yi-mun, who held an official position in the palace.

‘Before the old men of the Alliance interfere, I need to further solidify my relationship with Lady Seo.’

If today’s matter was resolved smoothly, it would be achieved.

Lady Seo had wanted to sever ties with the Heaven and Earth Society since becoming the mother of the Crown Prince.

If this matter was successfully resolved, not only would he gain the trust of Lady Seo, but he could also surpass the old fogies of the Alliance who were clinging to a rotten lifeline and even aim for the position of the next Alliance Leader.

Just thinking about it, he couldn’t contain his excitement.

However, he didn’t want to provoke the scrutiny of these old fogies yet, so he calmly said without revealing his thoughts.

“No, my younger brother has simply fulfilled his duties in his official position.”

“Hohoho. You’re so humble. Isn’t your clan’s matter also the Alliance’s matter? If the Peng Family’s affairs go well and you even obtain a recommendation letter from Lady Seo for the Imperial Guard’s martial arts competition, the influence of our Alliance will grow even greater. How can this not be a good thing?”

“……”

Peng Il-hyeon clicked his tongue inwardly.

Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua Sect had already seen through more than half of his plan.

He was truly an old man who couldn’t be taken lightly.

He needed to quickly gain strength.

He couldn’t let the Righteous Alliance continue to revolve solely around the Nine Great Sects and One Clan.

It was at that moment.

-Tap tap tap tap!

Someone hurriedly ran up to the second floor where they were.

Peng Il-hyeon, the Peng Family’s clan head, Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua Sect, and True Person Geon Mun-ja of Mount Zhongnan Sect turned their heads to look at the person.

‘!?’

However, upon seeing the person, Peng Il-hyeon frowned with a look of bewilderment.

That was because the one who had come up was none other than the senior warrior of the Peng Family’s outer hall.

The clan head Peng Il-hyeon couldn’t help but be baffled by the sudden appearance of the person he had sent to assist his third younger brother Peng Seok-im for the mission, covered in blood.

“Huff huff… C-Clan Head! I have an urgent report.”

“What on earth happened?”

Something felt ominous.

By now, he thought the matter would have been wrapped up.

The senior warrior of the outer hall hurriedly approached Clan Head Peng Il-hyeon and whispered,

“Please change locations for a moment.”

At those words, Peng Il-hyeon looked puzzled, but soon excused himself to Elder Gu Yang-ja of Mount Hua and True Person Geon Mun-ja of Mount Zhongnan, and moved to the outer area of the second floor.

Nevertheless, the senior warrior of the outer hall whispered in his ear.

“Clan Head. You must leave Kaifeng immediately.”

“What are you talking about? Leave Kaifeng?”

“Something terrible has happened.”

“What? Don’t tell me our clan’s warriors were defeated?”

“…It’s even more serious than that. If we don’t hurry, you may face great trouble.”

“Face great trouble? What the hell are you saying?”

Clan Head Peng Il-hyeon’s voice rose.

Could it be that they had been counter-attacked by the Heaven and Earth Society bastards?

But even if they had been counter-attacked and failed the mission, this was Kaifeng, the imperial capital, and he had the remaining forces of the Hebei Peng Family with him.

“If it’s because of the Heaven and Earth Society bastards, right now…”

“Clan Head! It’s not because of the Heaven and Earth Society.”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

Pressed by Peng Il-hyeon, the senior warrior of the outer hall hesitated before finally speaking.

“…Outer Hall Master Peng Seok-im has caused a major incident.”

“An incident? What the hell are you talking about?”

What kind of incident could he have caused in this mission?

The mission was simple.

At most, it was to suppress the late-stage disciples sent by the Heaven and Earth Society.

No matter how outstanding they were, they were just late-stage disciples, and the forces he had prepared were enough to engage in a battle with even a small to medium-sized sect.

But the senior warrior of the outer hall uttered words he never expected.

“Outer Hall Master Peng Seok-im has massacred most of the clan’s warriors and government soldiers who were on standby.”

‘!?’

At those words, Clan Head Peng Il-hyeon’s expression stiffened.

For a moment, he doubted his own ears.

“W-What are you saying? Why would Peng Seok-im do such a thing?”

“I don’t know. The young master suddenly became crazed like a madman and tried to force his way inside, so we tried to stop him, but…”

“…No. No. That can’t be.”

Peng Il-hyeon denied it.

No matter how much Peng Seok-im indulged in wine and women and had improper conduct, as a member of the righteous faction, he had never crossed that line.

Why would the guy do something so absurd?

But the problem didn’t end there.

“Clan Head. But it’s the truth. These wounds of mine were also inflicted by the Outer Hall Master. We shouldn’t be doing this. You must leave Kaifeng right now. Otherwise, you may truly face great trouble.”

“No. That can’t be. I’ll go directly and…”

“You absolutely must not go.”

“What do you mean I can’t? If that guy caused an incident, if we don’t handle it immediately, everything we’ve done so far will be for naught…”

Before he could even finish speaking, the senior warrior of the outer hall revealed the truth with difficulty.

“The Outer Hall Master tried to forcibly violate Her Majesty the Imperial Noble Consort.”

‘!!!!!!!’

The moment he heard those words, Clan Head Peng Il-hyeon became dazed like a mad man, and his legs seemed to lose strength as he staggered.