Chapter 84

Chapter 84

“What are you doing! Arrest everyone immediately and escort them to the government office!”

“Yes, sir!”

Booming-!

Early in the morning, the officers moved in perfect order, raiding the inside of the Wind Sword Sect. They smashed the gate, detained the servants in front of them in an instant, and then rushed to the main hall and outer hall to capture all the disciples.

They swarmed and beat those who resisted violently, and if they still did not listen, they shot arrows to turn them into corpses.

The officers spared no one, regardless of age or gender. They captured the servants, disciples, and even the family of the leader of the Wind Sword Sect, binding them with ropes.

In an instant, the entire Wind Sword Sect was thrown into great turmoil.

People stood lost in thought as they watched the spectacle.

Although the actions of the members of the Wind Sword Sect had been somewhat excessive lately, they never dreamed it would be cleaned up so quickly as soon as Hong Won-chang returned.

“From what I heard, they got caught trying to kill an innocent person.”

“Oh dear, there must be many other things besides that, but they were caught red-handed.”

“They are completely ruined, completely ruined. Now this Yueyang will become a bit quieter. Hahaha!”

The people greatly welcomed this event.

Looking at those being dragged away bound in ropes, the people wore delighted expressions. Because the sect members had often played tricks on ordinary people by piggybacking on the power of the Wind Sword Sect, there was no way they had good feelings toward them. There were also quite a few who secretly wished for this to happen.

Because of that, everyone once again praised the achievements of the county magistrate.

‘I feel proud.’

Hong Won-chang felt a sense of pride as he received the gazes of the people.

In the past, although many people bowed their heads because of his position as county magistrate, they did not look at him with respect.

Hong Won-chang was not a county magistrate who committed great misdeeds, but he was not a benevolent county magistrate who cared for the people either.

But how was it now? Everyone cast admiring looks at Hong Won-chang.

If this matter was reported to the Prince's residence again, a suitable reward would be given, and Hong Won-chang's status would rise accordingly.

Hong Won-chang felt good just thinking about it.

These days, Hong Jin-rang also admired and followed his father.

Only those who had experienced it would know what it felt like to be a father respected by his son.

Even among the things the boy had said recently, the one that pleased him the most was, "I also want to become a good county magistrate like you, Father."

Hong Won-chang's sense of pride did not fade.

Moreover…

Hong Won-chang quietly touched his chest.

It was something he had received from Dan Woo-hyun while going to the manor at dawn to bind Hu Ja-ryeong and his disciples.

It was a secret manual.

It was the same as Jang Sam-tae's, which was only Tai Chi, but Hong Won-chang was not disappointed.

This was because this Tai Chi manual contained Dan Woo-hyun's explanations, making it different from Jang Sam-tae's.

“You are a fellow with even less talent than that Sam-tae rascal. So I have simplified it a bit, so try learning it if you can.”

It was a reward of sorts that Dan Woo-hyun bestowed upon Hong Won-chang.

For Hong Won-chang, it was worth more than any reward received from the Emperor, and it would not be strange to pass it down as a family heirloom for generations.

Hong Won-chang wanted to run home immediately to open this secret manual. He wanted to learn it. It felt as though he could finally fulfill the dream of a martial artist that he had abandoned long ago.

He smirked and raised his voice.

“Speed up a bit more!”

“Yes, sir!”

The footsteps of the Wind Sword Sect members, who were being dragged away in a line, grew even faster.

“Oh, this is exhausting.”

“G… Grandfather, are you okay?”

As if he had fallen somewhere, Namgung Cheon limped and had an expression indicating his entire body was aching. At this, So-mi grew restless.

“Haha, do not worry. It is because I overdid it a bit yesterday.”

“What did?”

“Work, I mean.”

So-mi tilted her head.

Yesterday, Jang Sam-tae had clearly done all the work in the morning and afternoon, while Namgung Cheon had only played. He did not seem to have done any work in particular, so why did he say he overdid it?

“Good grief, moving like that with an old body, of course it would hurt.”

“Do you really want to get hit, you rascal?”

“Well, it is not like I said anything wrong…”

Jang Sam-tae shook his head.

Jang Sam-tae was the one who had witnessed the fight with Hu Ja-ryeong yesterday right before his eyes. Recalling what Namgung Cheon did at that time, it made sense that his entire body was aching.

Jang Sam-tae glanced at Dan Woo-hyun.

‘As if that one monster is not enough, now there is an old monster too… Good grief, really…’

Jang Sam-tae let out a long sigh as he recalled yesterday's events.

Namgung Cheon had faced several situations where he could not twist his body while blocking Hu Ja-ryeong's sword. Even while feeling bone-crushing pain, Namgung Cheon twisted his body and thrust his sword just like that, seizing the upper hand.

It was a divine might that was unbelievable even after seeing it with one's own eyes.

Indeed, the Sword Emperor was the Sword Emperor.

“If… just if, what would you have done if that guy had attacked from the right side there?”

Jang Sam-tae asked Namgung Cheon after thinking it over.

At the moment of urgently twisting his body, Namgung Cheon was certainly full of openings.

Fortunately, because the sword pierced in from the left and narrowly grazed him, it could be said that Namgung Cheon's sword, aiming for that gap, perfectly penetrated Hu Ja-ryeong.

But what if the sword had come from the right instead?

Would he have died?

He thought about it, but Jang Sam-tae's answer was 'he would have lived.' The mysterious movements of Namgung Cheon were just that sufficient to capture Jang Sam-tae's attention.

“What do you mean, what would I have done? I would have performed a lazy donkey roll.”

“A… A lazy donkey roll? That is not something that should come out of an old man's mouth, is it?”

“Haha, you still do not know anything. The world always remembers only the victors. The one who survives wins, and that is what a strong person is. If one can save their life with a lazy donkey roll, is that not indeed the best choice?”

“Is that so?”

Jang Sam-tae quietly turned his head to look at Dan Woo-hyun.

From what he knew, martial artists did not perform the lazy donkey roll. He had heard that most of them thought it was better to die than to bring such humiliation upon themselves.

Therefore, the words coming from the mouth of the Sword Emperor were somewhat surprising. And Gwon Mu-jin also wore a similarly surprised expression.

However, Dan Woo-hyun nodded.

“Those are correct words. In the martial world, the one who survives is the strong one. Anyone who trades their life for their pride is the biggest fool under heaven.”

“If… even the Master says so, then it must be correct, but…”

Even so, Jang Sam-tae could not quite accept it. He looked back at Gwon Mu-jin, but he did not say anything.

‘Why is that bastard keeping his mouth shut so tight today?’

It was quite unfamiliar since it was different from his usual appearance. Perhaps So-mi had the same thought as Jang Sam-tae, as she did not approach Gwon Mu-jin.

‘That guy, it seems like something happened yesterday.’

“You rascal! You do not believe my words but you believe the Master's?”

“Well, that is because the Master seems like the best under heaven, while you, old man, just seem like a regular old man…”

“You rotten rascal!”

Namgung Cheon reached out and executed a joint-locking technique. His right hand moved rapidly, snatching the broom held in Jang Sam-tae's hand. Thwack! Thwack!

Then, using the broom as a weapon, he beat Jang Sam-tae's head.

“Ouch! I am dying!”

“Why can you not snap out of it even after getting beaten? Did you not think you would be hit if you ran your mouth? Do you have no brain?”

“Ah, seriously! Stop hitting me! It is because you always hit me like this!”

“How dare you talk back to me?”

“Did you not ask me a question to answer?!”

“You rotten thing…!”

Looking at the two bickering, So-mi smiled awkwardly. Although it was a daily occurrence, she wondered how they could be like that every time she saw them.

Normally, it was standard to become careful after being hit a few times, but Jang Sam-tae talked back every day and was beaten every day.

Looking at them, So-mi suddenly mumbled softly toward Namgung Cheon.

“Grandfather, did you fight?”

Pondering the conversation between Namgung Cheon and Jang Sam-tae, she thought that Namgung Cheon seemed to have fought someone.

At those words, Namgung Cheon was startled and waved his hand in denial.

“No, no, So-mi. Do I look like someone who would engage in fights?”

“But…”

So-mi hesitated.

Putting the stories together, it certainly felt that way.

“Fighting is not good! Even my dad does not do it.”

The expressions of the three went blank at the sound that suddenly drifted over.

Jang Sam-tae's mouth itched to say something, but he could not bring himself to speak, while Gwon Mu-jin and Namgung Cheon looked at Dan Woo-hyun with peculiar expressions.

“Right, Dad? One should not do things like fighting, right?”

“Yes, that is right. Fighting is a bad thing.”

“See! Dad says so too! So you must never fight again.”

So-mi crossed her arms while raising her voice clearly.

That action was as if she were lecturing the three of them.

Listening quietly to the story, Namgung Cheon gasped in disbelief.

“Haha, truly unbelievable…”

The first to speak was none other than Namgung Cheon.

Gwon Mu-jin and Jang Sam-tae also seemed to want to say something, but they kept their mouths tightly shut, perhaps unable to bring themselves to speak.

It was because Dan Woo-hyun's gaze was as sharp as a blade.

“Enough of that story. Since the matter of the Wind Sword Sect has been resolved, it is settled for now.”

“Yes, well… Since the county magistrate is cleaning up the aftermath, it does not seem like the matters of the manor will be made known.”

Jang Sam-tae replied with a somewhat awkward expression. It seemed he was still shocked by So-mi's words from earlier.

“But who knows when a new sect will enter Yueyang again…”

Gwon Mu-jin spoke in a worried tone.

Currently, in Hunan, because of the traces of the Martial God and the Three Heavens that had been found, more people were bound to flow in to search for opportunities related to them.

There was no guarantee that something like this would not happen again.

“So…”

At that moment, Namgung Cheon looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

However, after hesitating for a moment, he soon closed his mouth. It was unclear whether he thought speaking would be useless, or if there was another reason.

Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

“No, it will not work on you anyway, so I will not bother speaking.”

“…Say it.”

Namgung Cheon sighed softly.

It seemed Dan Woo-hyun was determined to hear it. An aura that he would force his mouth open if he did not speak was felt.

How could anyone call such a person someone who had never fought once?

So-mi was severely mistaken.

“Would it not be better to hang up a signboard and establish a family? If it is rumored to be a family that exerts influence even over Yueyang, do you not think troublesome matters would rather decrease somewhat?”

“Impossible. Nonsense. Troublesome matters would only increase. If there were such an intention in the first place, there would have been no need to dump all the work on Hong Won-chang.”

Dan Woo-hyun frowned and turned his head.

Even without that, unwanted pests were continuously gathering. If they established a family and spread its influence, there would be those who would proudly come seeking them with swords to crush it.

“Indeed… That is why I was not going to speak.”

Namgung Cheon smacked his lips and muttered to himself.

‘Indeed, is it impossible to make this guy step foot into the Murim?’

Dan Woo-hyun had probably grasped Namgung Cheon's intention at once.

“Let us watch the situation for the time being. A good idea might come up…”

“Haha, I understand.”

Namgung Cheon backed down gracefully. It was because he knew well that pushing now would be of no use.

However, since many things had happened in the meantime, he thought that Dan Woo-hyun would also not be unaware that there were several new masters here.

‘Perhaps the Wind Sword Sect was also used by someone.’

Namgung Cheon could not shake off such thoughts.

This was because it was hard to understand how the Wind Sword Sect, which had not even been very well-known in Hubei, could seize control of Yueyang in an instant.