Chapter 380

Heavenly Sea Manor was a large manor south of Poyang Lake.

Poyang Lake was said to be as vast as the sea. Countless cities and villages were established along its shores, and manors were innumerable.

There were so many manors that one of an average size would hardly catch anyone’s eye. Heavenly Sea Manor was one such manor.

The reason Heavenly Sea Manor had recently become famous was that Jang Ho-yeon was staying there with the martial artists of the Righteous Sword Manor.

Even if he had simply stayed with the martial artists of his own sect, the nearby sects would have been wary. But Jang Ho-yeon went a step further and brought in sects associated with the Righteous Sword Manor.

It was a situation where anyone would have to question Jang Ho-yeon’s intentions.

If he had invaded another sect’s territory like this without a just cause, he would have been the target of widespread condemnation. But Jang Ho-yeon had secured a proper justification.

The Silver Lotus Society.

It was thanks to Deung Cheolung that he had learned of the Silver Lotus Society’s existence.

Deung Cheolung had approached him and passed on the information.

Thanks to him, Jang Ho-yeon had obtained a good pretext to stay at Heavenly Sea Manor.

The Silver Lotus Society had raised the banner of the Anti-Golden Heaven Society.

Their banner was tantamount to a challenge against the Golden Sky Society.

Naturally, as a member of the Golden Sky Society, Jang Ho-yeon was entitled to hold the Silver Lotus Society accountable.

That was the pretext Jang Ho-yeon put forward, and fortunately, it was still working well.

The number of martial artists currently staying at Heavenly Sea Manor exceeded several hundred. And the numbers were still growing. More were continuously flowing in from the outside.

His original goal was to assassinate Pyo Wol, but when Jang Ho-yeon learned that Pyo Wol had left, he changed direction.

He would seize control of the Poyang Lake area.

He had both the justification and the military power.

The sects around Poyang Lake were all small to medium-sized, and while the Jewon Merchant Group had some power, it was a drop in the ocean compared to the Righteous Sword Manor.

The Silver Lotus Society was a concern, but their power was still insignificant.

The story would be different if the Thousand Water Society or Dragon Sky Valley intervened, but they would never be able to.

If they were to intervene in a fight among young martial artists, it could truly escalate into a Great War for All Under Heaven.

‘They can never intervene. Whatever the outcome, they will ultimately downplay it as a matter between the Golden Sky Society and the Silver Lotus Society and suture it shut.’

Jang Ho-yeon brought the cup to his lips.

A cold smile had already formed on his face.

He had come to catch a tiger, but unexpectedly, he was about to catch a big fish.

‘Once I have this place in my hands, no one will be able to shake my position. Not even my father.’

His father, Jang Pyeong-san, was the very metamorphosis realm of the lust for power.

He was not willing to easily pass down power, even to his own son.

Becoming the Manor Lord of the Righteous Sword Manor while he was alive was impossible. Of course, as the young Manor Lord, he would enjoy all sorts of luxuries, but he would still be nothing more than his father’s limb.

Jang Ho-yeon wanted more than that.

‘First, I’ll seize Poyang Lake, then return to the Righteous Sword Manor and inherit the position of Manor Lord.’

Of course, his father, Jang Pyeong-san, would not willingly step down from the Manor Lord position. But if he presented his achievements at Poyang Lake, even he couldn’t just refuse.

He would surely propose some kind of compromise.

That was exactly what Jang Ho-yeon was aiming for.

‘The current Jianghu is undergoing a rapid generational shift. The old era is receding, and a new generation is taking its place. I must join their ranks before it’s too late.’

Thud!

It was when Jang Ho-yeon set down his cup.

“Young Master!”

The voice of a subordinate came from outside.

Jang Ho-yeon furrowed his brow.

He hated having his time alone disturbed.

His subordinate knew this. For him to be interrupted like this meant something significant must have happened.

“What is it?”

“The Boss of the Blood Phantom Organization has come. He says he must see you, Young Master.”

“That man?”

Jang Ho-yeon’s expression soured.

Just thinking of him put him in a foul mood.

Deung Cheolung reeked of the characteristic stench of a life lived at the bottom.

It wasn’t that he actually smelled, but the atmosphere and desires they exuded felt that way.

When a person lived with great ambition, they were bound to give things up. Jang Ho-yeon was the same.

He too had given up several important things in his life. And he thought it was only natural.

Deung Cheolung was similar. He had handed over Heavenly Sea Manor to Jang Ho-yeon as part of a grand calculation. But he refused to let go of anything else. Like a hungry ghost.

By greedily swallowing everything, his body had become heavy, making it impossible for him to ever ascend to great heights.

Such a Deung Cheolung possessed a uniquely dark and damp atmosphere.

Jang Ho-yeon thought of it as the stench of the bottom.

Jang Ho-yeon hated the unique atmosphere and smell that only those who had greedily grown their bulk from the bottom possessed.

But he couldn’t show it in front of Deung Cheolung.

Deung Cheolung was an extremely useful man.

If used well, he would be a great help in seizing control of Poyang Lake.

Jang Ho-yeon composed his expression and said.

“Let him in.”

“Yes!”

After the reply, the door opened. And Deung Cheolung strode in.

Deung Cheolung was as uninhibited as if he were entering his own home.

He strode forward.

“Hehe! I trust you are well? If there is anything uncomfortable, please let me know at any time. I will have it fixed right away.”

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“Must we have business to see each other? We are already in the same boat…”

“Cut the nonsense and state your business.”

Only when Jang Ho-yeon’s gaze turned cold did Deung Cheolung clear his throat and glance around cautiously.

“Ahem! Well, if that’s the case… He has returned.”

“He?”

“Pyo Wol, the Reaper.”

“Is that true?”

CRACK!

Jang Ho-yeon shot to his feet, slamming his fist on the armrest.

The armrest shattered into pieces, but he had no time to care.

“Are you saying that man has really appeared again?”

“Yes. The martial artists you dispatched to our side, Young Master, have all been killed.”

“Watch your words.”

“Pardon?”

“When did I ever dispatch martial artists from my manor to you?”

“Ah! A slip of the tongue on my part. Ahem!”

Deung Cheolung wrinkled his nose.

‘Fucking bastards! Playing dumb until the very end.’

But he couldn’t reveal his inner thoughts.

He forced his expression into composure and said.

“Th-that is, our collaborators were all killed by Pyo Wol.”

“Are you certain it was Pyo Wol?”

“Yes! It has been confirmed.”

“Where is the bastard now?”

“He is staying at an inn called the Southern Sky Inn. My boys are watching him now.”

“I will go there.”

“R-right now?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“Lead the way.”

“Yes!”

Deung Cheolung had no choice but to answer respectfully. But his bowed face was full of dissatisfaction.

‘Why is this son of a bitch dragging me into this crap.’

But he couldn’t voice his complaints.

No matter how full of venom and spite he was, he knew all too well that it wouldn’t work on the man before him.

Jang Ho-yeon immediately summoned his elite forces.

They were not just any riff-raff martial artists, but the Sword Heroes he had brought from the Righteous Sword Manor. Each one of them possessed martial prowess worthy of being called a First-Rate Expert in Jianghu.

There were over a hundred such men.

Deung Cheolung muttered as he looked at the assembled Sword Heroes.

‘They’re fucking terrifying.’

Deung Cheolung was also confident in his martial prowess, but in front of a hundred swordsmen, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated, like a dog with its tail between its legs.

These were not the only forces at Heavenly Sea Manor.

If you added the martial artists who couldn’t be brought along and those from allied sects, the number would multiply several times over.

Even ten Blood Phantom Organizations would not dare to take them on.

“Let’s go!”

Jang Ho-yeon, mounted on his horse, shouted loudly.

The hundred swordsmen and Deung Cheolung had to follow him by running.

The swordsmen, at least, used their Lightness Art to follow Jang Ho-yeon without difficulty, but Deung Cheolung had to run for his dear life. He had relied solely on his innate strength and martial arts skill, neglecting to learn Lightness Art.

‘Fuck! Fuck!’

Deung Cheolung cursed inwardly as he followed behind the swordsmen.

Jang Ho-yeon’s group arrived at the Southern Sky Inn just as the sun was revealing itself over Poyang Lake.

BANG!

As Jang Ho-yeon kicked the door open, the guests who were up early for breakfast stared with wide eyes.

‘Hah! That man is?’

‘Jang Ho-yeon of the Righteous Sword Manor.’

‘Good heavens!’

The guests knew that Pyo Wol was staying at the Southern Sky Inn. There was no other reason for Jang Ho-yeon to show up looking so full of killing intent.

The guests held their breath and watched Jang Ho-yeon.

The innkeeper approached cautiously.

“Wh-what brings you here?”

“Pyo Wol is here, isn’t he?”

“Pardon?”

“Did you not understand my words?”

“N-no, sir. He is staying at our inn.”

“Bring him here.”

“But…”

“It seems you’ll only listen after the inn is on fire.”

“No, sir! I’ll bring him right away.”

The innkeeper replied, terrified.

Jang Ho-yeon was a man with more than enough power to do so. If he really set a fire, the Southern Sky Inn would be reduced to ashes in an instant.

It was then.

“There’s no need for that.”

With a cold voice, Pyo Wol appeared.

At his appearance, Jang Ho-yeon’s gaze grew frigid.

“Weren’t you on the run? Pyo Wol!”

“Do you know something?”

“What?”

“The time I’m truly terrifying is when I escape. I will hide in a shadow no one can find, and from that moment on, I will hunt for the life of the one who made me run.”

“You madman!”

“So you’d better do a good job of stopping me from escaping. Because the moment I succeed in my escape, you will never sleep soundly again.”

“That will never happen.”

Jang Ho-yeon raised his hand.

Shing, shing, shing!

The swordsmen drew their swords in unison.

A suffocating silence descended upon the inn.

The guests completely covered their mouths and held their breath.

At that moment of peak tension, someone’s voice reached their ears.

“So bloodthirsty in the morning. Isn’t this too much? Not even letting the guests eat their meal.”

It was a man wearing a black martial arts uniform embroidered with a dragon pattern.

Behind the man, whose disheveled hair was reminiscent of a lion, a man and a woman could be seen.

Jang Ho-yeon glared at them.

“Yong Hasang, Namgung Wol, Yeom Huisu.”

“Why are you calling out our names one by one, as if we’re such good friends?”

“What are you all doing here?”

“We came to have a meal with him.”

Yong Hasang’s gaze turned to Pyo Wol.

In an instant, Jang Ho-yeon’s face twisted into an ugly grimace.

Namgung Wol smiled as he looked at his face.

“Brother Jang, would you care to join us if you’re alright with it? The food at the Southern Sky Inn is rumored to be quite delicious.”

“Are you mocking me right now?”

“I have nothing to say if you take my goodwill that way.”

Namgung Wol’s words infuriated Jang Ho-yeon even more. But he did not dare to act rashly.

Pyo Wol alone was a handful, but if the three of them joined forces, he would have no chance of winning.

Both Yong Hasang and Namgung Wol were martial artists whose martial prowess was in no way inferior to his own. And Pyo Wol was with them.

“So the Reaper was behind the Silver Lotus Society.”

“Behind? Who is behind whom?”

Yong Hasang shouted, dumbfounded.

The formation of the Silver Lotus Society was the will of the three of them. There was no room for Pyo Wol to be involved.

Yong Hasang had a history of being rejected after suggesting Pyo Wol join them. He had been wary of Pyo Wol ever since.

To see Jang Ho-yeon making wild assumptions without even knowing the facts was simply absurd.

Jang Ho-yeon said.

“Fine! I will withdraw today. But you’d be wise not to think you’ll be this lucky next time.”

“A dog with its tail between its legs barks until the end.”

“Keuk!”

At Yong Hasang’s taunt, Jang Ho-yeon’s face flushed red.

He struggled to hide his shame and said.

“We’re leaving.”

At his command, the swordsmen sheathed their swords and swarmed out of the inn.

Deung Cheolung also tried to slip out among them.

‘Serves him right. Coming here with such bravado.’

It was as Deung Cheolung sneered at Jang Ho-yeon’s retreating back.

“Was it you?”

Suddenly, Pyo Wol’s voice was heard.