Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Something was strange.

Hu Ja-ryeong frowned as he thought that. The bastards who should have been kicked out of the manor by the local magistrate's clerk, Yu Yak-jung, were still there, and the guy who was supposed to do the job after receiving money had disappeared.

At first, he thought the man had gone somewhere for a few days, but since there had been no contact for over ten days, he began to wonder if some mishap had occurred.

'Why did it turn out like this?'

Hu Ja-ryeong suddenly chewed over his actions up to this point.

The reason he came to Yueyang was to find the secret treasure of the Martial God. To verify that rumor, which only floated around as a legend, he had to search the vicinity of Dongting Lake thoroughly, and thanks to that, he needed a manor.

He needed it?

No.

In fact, if he had started by setting up a tent nearby, enough time had passed for him to have found out something already.

Nevertheless, what was the reason he did not do so?

It was pride.

What was so great about that manor anyway?

The lord of the manor's confident and shameless behavior was an eyesore, so at first, he started it with the simple intention of tormenting him.

However, as this gradually did not go as planned, he found himself focusing only on that matter and grinding his teeth at those bastards.

In the midst of that, even Yu Yak-jung disappeared.

"Se… Sect Leader!"

While he was frowning and thinking about that, a voice was suddenly heard. Surprised, Hu Ja-ryeong naturally turned his gaze and spoke.

"What is it?"

"W, we have a big problem. A, a body was discovered under the cliff of Mount Yuelu…"

"And?"

"They… they say it is Yu Yak-jung!"

"W… What!"

"They have retrieved the body now and entered the government office. It is already decomposed to the point where the form cannot be recognized, but judging by the clothes he was wearing and his name plaque, they say it is definitely him!"

Surprised, Hu Ja-ryeong opened his eyes wide.

Seeing him talk with such certainty, it seemed to be true. Why did he suddenly die and become a corpse?

Thinking up to that point, Hu Ja-ryeong ground his teeth.

'Those bastards…!'

It was definitely them.

The day after they said they would leave the manor, those bastards were still staying at the manor, and Yu Yak-jung disappeared. Naturally, there could be no one else but them.

Like this, things got tangled up again.

Hu Ja-ryeong, who jumped up from his seat, got ready and headed to the government office.

'Foolish bastards! You have poked a hornet's nest like this.'

It was indeed a pity that Yu Yak-jung died.

However, an opportunity arose to wipe out those bastards who had repeatedly ruined his plans.

Now that the prefect was absent, if he incited the people just a little, taking over the manor would be child's play.

When he arrived at the government office, the vicinity was already chaotic.

Many people gathered around, busy whispering. Some guards, perhaps having seen something they shouldn't have, were sitting in a corner with pale faces, vomiting.

As Hu Ja-ryeong tried to enter the government office, the guards blocked him.

"For what business have you come?"

"I heard the clerk died, is that correct?"

"That is correct."

After staring at Hu Ja-ryeong for a moment, the guard soon recognized Hu Ja-ryeong's identity. That he was the leader of the Wind Sword Sect, who used to go around with the clerk.

Instantly, the guard's gaze turned harsh.

"I know who killed him."

"What are you talking about? The clerk committed suicide."

"What? What kind of nonsense is that! Suicide? How could a perfectly fine man do such a thing!"

"A conclusion has already been reached."

"A, a conclusion! There is clearly someone who killed the clerk!"

"Oh, seriously. Do you have any proof whether that person killed him or not?"

"…"

"Do you think we are just playing around? We are busy, so leave quickly."

Hu Ja-ryeong's face flushed red.

He was merely a guard. Someone he could beat to death whenever he wanted, nothing more than that. This guard in front of him must also know well who he was, yet his tone and behavior were reckless.

Hu Ja-ryeong's face turned harsh, considering it an act of ignoring the Wind Sword Sect.

"You, do you know who I…"

"What is this commotion?"

Hu Ja-ryeong, who was about to threaten the guard, frowned at the sudden voice and turned his head. There was a somewhat familiar person there, and searching his memory, he soon recognized who it was.

'The prefect!'

Hu Ja-ryeong locked eyes for a moment with Hong Won-chang, who was entering the government office.

He did not have sharp eyes, nor was his martial arts high.

He was just an ordinary man, but what was this strange sensation felt the moment he looked at him?

"Oh, Prefect, have you arrived? No, this fellow keeps talking nonsense, claiming he found the culprit who killed the clerk."

"Oh? The culprit who killed the clerk? Who is that? I would like to know too."

Hong Won-chang looked at Hu Ja-ryeong with an expression that suggested it was an interesting story.

There was no hostility in that gaze, yet Hu Ja-ryeong strangely felt pressured.

Hu Ja-ryeong spoke while frowning imperceptibly.

"Do you know that there is a manor on the west side of Dongting Lake?"

"Of course."

"The people there are the culprits."

Hearing those words, Hong Won-chang swallowed a groan for a moment. Even the guards next to him had clearly flustered expressions, and Hu Ja-ryeong knew the reason better than anyone.

That the backing of that manor was this prefect.

"As the leader of the Wind Sword Sect that protects Yueyang, I do not intend to stand by and watch this. It seems the prefect does not grasp the situation properly… Should I report this to the Prince's Palace?"

Hu Ja-ryeong implicitly pressured Hong Won-chang.

He was merely a local prefect of Yueyang. No matter how much he was favored by the Prince's Palace and the imperial court, if he spoke like this, he had to abandon those bastards for his future.

Hu Ja-ryeong looked at Hong Won-chang with a triumphant face.

‘Well, what will you do now? If you take the guards and go to the manor right now, I might forgive you once.’

At the moment Hu Ja-ryeong was thinking that.

Coughing, Hong Won-chang stealthily approached him. Hu Ja-ryeong, who possessed martial arts enough to respond to whatever anyone did, watched Hong Won-chang approach casually.

"I have heard all about what happened. You have engaged in very interesting activities. However, listen well."

Hong Won-chang, whispering quietly, put his mouth close to Hu Ja-ryeong's ear. Soon, words he had never expected flowed from his mouth.

"I am the one holding the hilt, not you. If you want to live in peace, stay out of the manor's affairs. That is not a place a person like you can covet."

Instantly, Hu Ja-ryeong's face turned red.

However, Hong Won-chang paid no heed, straightened his body, and tapped Hu Ja-ryeong's shoulder. Hu Ja-ryeong ground his teeth at that appearance, which was like dealing with a subordinate.

Watching Hong Won-chang, who had already turned around and was entering the government office, Hu Ja-ryeong also turned around roughly.

His words still lingered in his ears and did not disappear.

'What is so great about that manor that he protects it like that!'

Up until now, he had never experienced such a thing. Even when he was in Hubei, although his name was not widely known, he was not in a position to be ignored by a mere prefect.

Because of that, this situation was very humiliating to him.

If so, he had no choice but to show them.

How great the power of this Wind Sword Sect was.

That the blood spilled while dominating this Yueyang was by no means a lie.

Also, he resolved to make them realize that the one holding the hilt was not a mere prefect, but Hu Ja-ryeong himself.

As Hu Ja-ryeong ground his teeth, the disciple beside him bowed his head.

"Gather the boys. Today, we will crush that manor without leaving a single cornerstone."

"Understood."

Rustle-!

A group of people quickly moved toward the manor.

It was unusual that all of them held swords in their hands and exuded killing intent.

Originally, for martial artists, especially those of the orthodox faction belonging to the Murim Alliance, touching those who did not know martial arts was taboo.

But what did a taboo matter?

The strong made the weak submit. That was a human instinct handed down from long ago, and that was why people tried so hard to gain power.

Also, isn't it funny to have power and not use it?

"I see it. Do not leave a single one alive!"

"Yes!"

The disciples nodded at the command of Sect Leader Hu Ja-ryeong.

It was not the first time they killed people. Thus, they walked toward the manor with experience.

As they got closer to the place, their killing intent soared as if exploding.

Soon, the moment they were about to leap over the wall and penetrate inside.

Thud-!

A stone that flew out of nowhere struck a man's head. His body fell down helplessly.

He groaned as if he wasn't dead, but it didn't seem like he could hold a sword again.

At the sudden situation, those who were about to cross the wall stopped.

Soon, another rough thudding sound was heard inside, and quiet silence enveloped with a small groan.

"See, didn't I say they would come?"

"Haha, this is indeed…"

Just then, voices were heard, but the direction was not inside the wall, but behind them.

Stones flew from inside the wall, and there were people behind them?

Hu Ja-ryeong was clearly flustered.

"Who are you, bastards?"

"That is what we should say. Please tell us why you are wearing masks and crossing someone else's wall on such a dark night."

Hu Ja-ryeong quietly stared at the old man who spoke.

Judging by the voice, he was definitely an old man. His hand, slightly visible in the moonlight, was also full of wrinkles.

He thought it might be the old man wearing a bamboo hat he saw at the manor last time.

However, perhaps the old man did not want to show his face, as he was wearing a mask. It was a mask of the Gentleman Sword or something, which was popular among children these days.

"An old man with a strange hobby."

"I am not an old man."

"What?"

Hu Ja-ryeong was flustered by the unexpected words.

His voice, his wrinkled hands, and moreover, the white beard revealed through the mask were definitely those of an old man.

Yet, since he claimed he was not an old man, Hu Ja-ryeong showed his absurdity for a moment.

The old man, whose sleeve fluttered as if he lacked one arm, came forward a step holding a sword.

Hu Ja-ryeong looked at the old man, Namgung Cheon, with a gaze as if looking at a crazy person.

Since he seemed to have read Hu Ja-ryeong's thoughts, the old man spoke while slightly lifting the sword in his hand.

"This old man… is called the Gentleman Sword."

At that single word, Hu Ja-ryeong and his disciples burst into laughter.

The moniker Gentleman Sword was used a lot in the past, but at some point, no one used it.

It was because after being used as a character's moniker in stories, it became an object of children's longing.

Hu Ja-ryeong muttered with a distorted expression.

"You seem like a senile old man."