Chapter 3 – Kang Yu-jin (3)

Even the commanders, who were the superiors of the warriors, could no longer endure Yu-jin’s tyranny and instructed their men to guard the annex half-heartedly.

As a result, the assassins were able to attack Yu-jin with relative ease.

“Not that a few hundred of you could ever kill me, though.”

Crack!

As Yu-jin tightened his grip, the assassin’s neck snapped. Yu-jin knew full well that these men were mere pawns; there was no point in trying to extract information from them.

“Clean this up.”

At Yu-jin’s command, Ran nodded, hoisted the corpse over her shoulder, and vanished somewhere.

Yu-jin’s expression smoothed out as he started moving again, but he soon stopped.

“For assassins, you’re quite clever. Did you send one as bait, knowing I have a skilled warrior under my command?”

Before his words could even fade, five masked assassins rushed him.

They moved as one with the darkness, all of them targeting Yu-jin’s blind spots.

They thrust their daggers toward his body in unison. But they were soon startled. Yu-jin’s figure had vanished without a trace.

“The thing about blind spots is that they’re only blind spots from your perspective, not mine.”

Yu-jin smiled, and the assassins realized they couldn’t move at all. They struggled in panic, but it was a futile effort. Yu-jin had already struck their pressure points, completely sealing their movements.

“Leaving corpses behind would be troublesome, so just disappear quietly.”

A dark green flame erupted from Yu-jin’s hand. With a light wave, the dark green flame—the Green Phosphorus Poison Flame—silently disintegrated the assassins’ bodies.

“How annoying.”

Yu-jin dusted off his hands and continued on his way.

* * *

His destination was the quarters of the female warriors—the members of the Flower Sword Brigade. Even in the dead of night, many stood guard, as it would be problematic for men to enter.

Of course, from Yu-jin’s perspective, they were no obstacle at all.

“Sixteen of them? Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Leaping as if stepping on air, Yu-jin made his way to the innermost area. He stopped before the door of a certain room and opened it without hesitation.

Inside the room, a beautiful woman in her mid-forties sat on the bed, clad in thin fabric.

“It’s been a while.”

The woman’s name was Hong Ye-won. She was an outstanding swordswoman from the Sword Pavilion and the junior martial sister of Yu-jin’s mother, Ye Un-hyang.

She had admired Ye Un-hyang so much that when her senior sister married, she left the Sword Pavilion to become the commander of the Flower Sword Brigade, vowing to protect her. But before Yu-jin, she was merely a woman.

She embraced Yu-jin’s legs and began to lick his thigh. Though she was once a virtuous woman, it was no exaggeration to say she now lived only for him.

Growing bolder, she moved up his thigh, removed his upper garment, and then licked his chest, her hands exploring his body. As the son of her senior martial sister, Yu-jin was like a nephew to her. He even called her Aunt.

“You’ve grown even more beautiful since I last saw you, Aunt.”

“This… is the last time.”

Though not related by blood, she knew it was wrong to be with a boy who was like a nephew to her. Yet, despite her guilt, she took his member in her hand and began to lick it.

Soon, she opened her throat and took him deep inside.

“You shouldn’t lie.”

Hong Ye-won’s body coiled around him, her tongue tangling with his. Her mind went blank, all thoughts ceasing.

“Yu, Yu-jin! I-it feels… good! Haaaah!”

A moan escaped her lips, and Yu-jin smiled.

“Now you’re being a little more honest, Aunt.”

After a wave of passion passed, Yu-jin pulled Hong Ye-won into his arms. Though she knew this was wrong, she couldn’t bring herself to leave his embrace.

“So, I heard there was a meeting with the commanders and clan leaders today. Was there any talk about the successor?”

At Yu-jin’s words, Hong Ye-won shook her head.

“The Clan Head said it’s not yet time to decide on a successor.”

Hearing this, Yu-jin felt a sense of relief.

“Most of the commanders and hall masters support someone other than me, don’t they?”

Hong Ye-won nodded in response to his question.

The True Dragon Sword Clan had a total of eleven combat brigades, each with its own commander. Hong Ye-won, the commander of the Flower Sword Brigade, was one of them.

The influence of these commanders was significant within the clan, and even the Clan Head, Kang Yu-hyeon, respected them.

There were also two halls: the Guardian Hall, composed of recruited external masters, and the Elder Council, made up of the clan’s elders. The influence of the hall masters was even greater than that of the commanders.

Among them, only the Flower Sword Brigade and the Guardian Hall supported Yu-jin. The rest supported his younger brothers, the other young masters.

“If not the successor, then what was the topic of today’s meeting?”

“Your wedding.”

Yu-jin frowned at her words. Namgung Hwa-rin. He admitted she was pretty. No, she wasn’t just pretty; she was so beautiful that no man could see her and not fall for her.

That was why young men had thrown themselves at her, knowing they would be crushed. And they were, eventually giving up.

“Most of the commanders and clan officials called it an absurd marriage. The Clan Head himself quelled the opposition, but it seemed most were against it.”

“I see. The Namgung Clan may be lesser than ours, but they are the rulers of Anhui. If I were to be joined with the daughter of such a powerful clan, my position would naturally be elevated. Their opposition actually makes me want to go through with this marriage.”

Yu-jin was confident he could make any woman submit, and for his future bid as successor, the backing of the Namgung Clan wouldn’t be a bad thing.

The Namgung Clan probably intended to use him to influence the True Dragon Sword Clan, but only time would tell who was truly using whom.

“Oh, and don’t you worry, Aunt. I would never abandon you.”

Hong Ye-won was a valuable piece for him as well. He needed to win over at least one commander to find out what happened in the clan meetings—a necessity to keep an eye on his brothers—and Hong Ye-won was the one who fell into his grasp.

She had already been fond of him and was also his type, so Yu-jin had subdued and taken her without hesitation. Because of this, Hong Ye-won knew him better than anyone.

‘Others curse him for being a wastrel, but the formidable martial prowess and cunning schemes he hides are truly immense.’

“Now, now, let’s stop the complicated thoughts and enjoy ourselves again, shall we?”

As Yu-jin caressed her breast, Hong Ye-won cried out in pleasure and embraced him. No matter how wrong she knew it was, her body was already one that could not escape his arms.

* * *

“I’ve heard the eldest son of the True Dragon Sword Clan has a terrible reputation. I can’t believe you’re trying to marry me to such a person!”

Namgung Hwa-rin, the Thunder Phoenix—renowned as one of the most beautiful among the rising generation of female martial artists known as the Five Phoenixes of the Righteous Path, or simply the Five Phoenixes—was furious.

How could she not be, when her mother and father were trying to marry her off to a scoundrel like Kang Yu-jin without a single word of consultation? At that, Kang Su-yeon spoke.

“And have you ever had a proper conversation with any of the suitors your father and I have chosen for you? Haven’t you beaten countless young martial artists just because you were stronger? Do you have any idea how ashamed I’ve been every time you do that? I couldn’t even lift my head at gatherings with the ladies from other clans!”

At Kang Su-yeon’s forceful outburst, both Namgung Hwa-rin and Namgung Ok were rendered speechless.

Namgung Ok bore the original sin. The sin of spoiling Namgung Hwa-rin with nothing but love, failing to instill any discipline.

In truth, it wasn’t that Namgung Hwa-rin was completely without manners. The problem was that her courtesy was reserved only for those with superior martial skills.

And in the current martial world, there were few among her peers who could be called stronger than her. Perhaps only the members of the Seven Dragons, the group of outstanding young male martial artists.

“B-but what about Kang Yong-hoon, the Flying Sword Dragon of the Seven Dragons! Why a scoundrel like that, when there’s someone like him!”

At Namgung Hwa-rin’s words, Kang Su-yeon scoffed.

“Daughter, put your hand on your heart and think. If you were the Flying Sword Dragon, would you want to take yourself as a wife?”

Hearing that, Namgung Hwa-rin’s face paled, and she lowered her head.

“What do you mean? What’s wrong with my daughter that he would refuse her!”

“You, be quiet!”

Whoooosh!

An immense aura erupted from Kang Su-yeon’s entire body, and Namgung Ok shut his mouth. Of course, his martial prowess was far greater than hers, but as a henpecked husband, he couldn’t stand up to her.

Having subdued Namgung Ok with a glare, Kang Su-yeon turned back to Namgung Hwa-rin.

“This has already been discussed at the clan level, and the elders have all accepted it. Whether you beat Kang Yu-jin to a pulp is your choice, but the fact that you must marry him will not change. If you refuse, I will no longer consider you my daughter.”

At Kang Su-yeon’s words, Namgung Hwa-rin’s face turned pale, and she bowed her head.

‘Was I too harsh?’

Seeing her daughter’s reaction pained Kang Su-yeon, but she steeled her heart. This was the daughter who had already crushed more than ten young men.

Who knows how the rumors spread, but no clan or young man came seeking marriage anymore.

Not wanting her daughter to live as a spinster, she was willing to send her even to someone like Kang Yu-jin.

Kang Yu-jin’s eccentric behavior was enough to make her frown, but she believed he could change.

‘They say that young man Kang Yu-jin has a good heart, so if Hwa-rin beats some sense into him, he’ll come around.’

Recalling the words of her dear friend, Ye Un-hyang, Kang Su-yeon nodded. She knew better than anyone that a good beating was the easiest way to change a person.

But a mother is a mother, and seeing her daughter’s sorrow, her heart softened. In the end, she decided to take a step back.

“You should at least meet him once, shouldn’t you? In a week, go to the True Dragon Sword Clan and meet Kang Yu-jin. Try to have a conversation with him without beating him up, and then make your judgment. If you truly despise him, I will reconsider.”

“Yes!”

Upon hearing Kang Su-yeon’s words, Namgung Hwa-rin’s face brightened. She answered with a radiant smile and left the room.

“Will that be alright?”

Namgung Ok asked, and Kang Su-yeon nodded.

“Well, it can’t be helped. Besides, I hear there are many voices within the True Dragon Sword Clan opposing this marriage, so they won’t be in a position to complain if we’re the ones to refuse.”

“That family is certainly like that.”

Namgung Ok nodded, thinking of the True Dragon Sword Clan, whose great power was matched by its lack of harmony.

“On top of that, my friend Kang Yu-hyeon has boasted about making his firstborn the successor, so the real powers in that clan are bound to resist. I swear, I don’t know what that friend of mine is thinking.”

Namgung Ok clicked his tongue at the eccentricities of his old sword brother, with whom he had discussed the way of the sword since their youth. Now that they were both clan heads, it was difficult to meet, but his friend’s unpredictability hadn’t changed with age.

Still, Namgung Ok knew there was always something behind his friend’s words and actions, so he didn’t outright reject Kang Yu-jin. In truth, if he had disliked the idea, Kang Yu-jin could never have become his son-in-law, no matter what Kang Su-yeon said.

“We’ll have to see if he’s truly a hidden dragon.”

At Namgung Ok’s murmur, Kang Su-yeon nodded.