Chapter 213

Tang Qing was furious.

From atop a high pavilion, he looked down at the inner courtyard with his eyes blazing. Even Tang Qing couldn’t smile this time.

“He’s gone too far, too far.”

The Library Pavilion was burning and the fire had spread to the pavilions of the Family Business House and Phoenix Pheasant House above it. By the time they realized on the ground that the underground fire had spread completely, it had become a major conflagration.

The personnel residing in the inner courtyard were moving important documents and furnishings out of the Family Business House and Phoenix Pheasant House, and warriors were rushing out without exception to participate in firefighting.

Pandemonium.

The Tang Family Great Compound had become pandemonium.

Even if they managed to extinguish the fire, they would suffer considerable damage and the Tang family’s businesses wouldn’t function properly for quite some time. In terms of wealth alone, they were looking at hundreds of thousands of taels in damages. Recovery would take several years.

However, the bigger problem was that the Tang family’s face had been completely crushed.

How shameful it was to suffer such damage from a single young upstart!

“How dare he… when I gave him an opportunity.”

What angered him most was that Jin Ja-gang had acted beyond Tang Qing’s expectations. That was outside Tang Qing’s calculations.

When put in the Library Pavilion, he should have thought to learn martial arts or something there – why set fire to it!

Did he have no respect whatsoever for humanity’s great history and culture!

He had said let’s see if the crazy bastard would show his true colors, but he never imagined he would set fire to the Library Pavilion.

A scholarly-dressed man leaped up the pavilion with lightness technique and knelt before Tang Qing.

“Library Pavilion Master Tang Lim entered the pavilion a while ago but there’s been no contact yet. The Library Pavilion is full of smoke making it difficult to assess the situation, and they’re having difficulty with firefighting on the ground as well.”

Tang Qing commanded.

“Bring Mang Ryo.”

“He left this letter and disappeared from his lodging.”

Tang Qing irritably took the letter.

‘Save him. In return, I’ll give you the world.’

Veins bulged on Tang Qing’s forehead.

“Tsk, impudent bastard.”

Tang Qing burned the letter in his hand with a murderous expression.

Thinking about it, there seemed to be something he had misunderstood about Mang Ryo’s actions.

Something was subtly getting on his nerves.

The scholar asked.

“Shall we send an official document canceling the King of Hell token’s authority and form a pursuit team?”

“No…”

“Pardon?”

“No. No.”

Tang Qing, who had been thinking for a moment, suddenly muttered.

“I see. I was thinking wrong. Poison Dragon wasn’t the bait.”

“…”

“Poison Dragon wasn’t the bait but the original intention.”

Tang Qing made an unpleasant expression while moving his mouth this way and that.

“There wasn’t just one crazy bastard – it was Poison Dragon.”

Only then did Tang Qing turn his head and speak to the scholar.

“Mang Ryo is a worm-like bastard but he can’t betray. What we need to catch isn’t Mang Ryo but Poison Dragon. Leave Mang Ryo alone and catch Poison Dragon.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Tang Qing looked at the rising smoke and flames.

Mang Ryo knows many secrets. However, those were things Tang Qing had deliberately told him.

At first glance it might seem he could just cross over to the other side and betray them, but Mang Ryo had already acted like a bat several times. The very fact that Mang Ryo knew the Tang family’s secret affairs would only draw more suspicion.

“Throughout history, no one who knew many secrets ever had a good ending after betraying.”

Mang Ryo is a clever bastard.

He knows it’s better to move according to his agreement with Tang Qing to achieve his own purpose rather than betray and just be used then discarded.

Therefore, there was no need to worry much about Mang Ryo.

Tang Qing looked down below.

The more serious issue was the fire in the Library Pavilion and the pavilions above it.

The fire was getting worse.

The structural problems of the Tang Family Great Compound were clearly visible. The Tang Family Great Compound was densely packed in a tight formation, making it strong against external attacks but vulnerable to internal disturbances. It was like an onion that needs all its outer layers peeled when it rots from the inside.

It was impossible to extinguish this fire with just the small number of personnel residing there. Not only extinguishing the fire, but they also had to safely move important materials.

Now they had no choice but to open the gates of the inner courtyard that had been tightly closed.

Personally, he wanted to rush out and catch Poison Dragon himself, but dealing with this situation took priority.

He would keep him alive for now as Mang Ryo requested. Instead, he would torment him to a degree that wouldn’t kill him but would make him beg to die.

Tang Qing concealed his unpleasant expression and commanded.

“Open the Green Smoke Gate.”

The massive gate of the inner courtyard painted with black lacquer.

A gate that would never open unless a major incident occurred in the Tang family.

The Green Smoke Gate that had been tightly closed all year round, through all four seasons, and seemed like it would never open, was opened.

Guuuuuung.

With a heavy sound, the massive Green Smoke Gate opened and hundreds of personnel from the outer courtyard began being deployed to fight the fire in the inner courtyard.

Tang Qing muttered.

“Yes, run around diligently with those pathetic gestures. If I’m displeased, I can crush and kill you anytime.”

***

Jin Ja-gang, wearing a warrior’s clothes, climbed the stairs of the Library Pavilion. It was full of smoke and everyone was frantically carrying water buckets and spraying water, so no one noticed Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang smeared soot on his face and, holding a rolling empty water bucket, pretended to fetch water and came outside. Everyone’s faces and clothes were blackened and it was night, making it extremely advantageous for Jin Ja-gang.

Moreover, with laborers flooding in not just from the inner courtyard but even from the outer courtyard, things became even more chaotic.

“Water!”

“Permission to open the northern well hasn’t been granted yet.”

“There aren’t enough wells. Quickly request permission from superiors!”

Due to the closed structure, it wasn’t easy for warriors to go fetch well water from other territorial areas. Once the heads and masters of each region came out to take control, the supply of firefighting water began flowing smoothly.

Of course, during that time Jin Ja-gang was able to pass through and exit the Library Pavilion entrance.

“Orders have come down to prioritize firefighting operations!”

“But the Library Pavilion Master hasn’t come out yet!”

“Do as you’re told! If we can’t put out the fire, half the Tang Family Great Compound will be gone.”

Jin Ja-gang left the danger zone without any interference at all. Not just warriors but numerous Tang family household members and retainers had come out to watch, but no one paid attention to Jin Ja-gang.

Except for one person.

It was Myowol, who had been watching the fire nearby.

Myowol was wearing an eyepatch over her left eye and had entered areas that were normally off-limits thanks to the confusion.

But suddenly an irritating sound reached Myowol’s ears.

Clank, clank.

It was a very small and cautious sound, but somehow it wasn’t a sound that should be heard in the current situation.

Due to the eyepatch blocking her vision, she had to turn her head to look left.

When Myowol turned her head, she saw a warrior passing by with his whole body blackened from being scorched by fire.

The warrior was limping as if injured, but somehow the movement of his ankle was cautious. Something could be seen flickering and reflecting the firelight under his long pants.

Clank, clank.

“Hmm?”

Sniff sniff.

Myowol’s nose twitched.

A strange fishy smell that flowed out when the warrior passed by.

Myowol smiled with killing intent in her eyes.

‘Found you.’

***

Jin Ja-gang carefully dragged his shackles to avoid making noise as he entered the complex alleyways.

‘Is it this way?’

Maze-like alleyways. A maze where outsiders couldn’t possibly find their way because they were deliberately led around in circles when they came.

However, Jin Ja-gang had already set up tricks from the time he entered this place.

Whenever he saw ant holes in the ground or cracks in walls, he had sprinkled Illicium poison liquid nearby.

Illicium poison is something all insects and animals hate. He had also moved the poison blood lice with this Illicium poison when meeting King of Hell Tang Qing. By tearing walls and sprinkling Illicium poison, he made the poison blood lice avoid the poison and swarm toward Tang Qing.

Similarly, when entering the maze-like alleyways, he had sprinkled poison the same way. He sprinkled Illicium poison liquid in the opposite direction of where he was going to make ants avoid it.

It had been ten days, so he worried whether the poison liquid might have been erased, but fortunately there was no problem.

‘The ants are avoiding in circular formations toward the direction I came from, so I’m going the right way.’

Jin Ja-gang continued turning through alleys to find his way.

After passing several water gates and getting about halfway through, sudden killing intent was felt from ahead.

Jin Ja-gang tried to pass by without showing it, but had to stop. The killing intent was aimed precisely at Jin Ja-gang.

A warrior in night clothes staggered out from the shadows of a wall and fell forward. A sword was stuck in the warrior’s back.

Following that, Myowol emerged and pulled out the sword stuck in the warrior’s back.

“Hoo…”

Myowol didn’t even look at Jin Ja-gang nor wipe the blood from the sword. She just lowered her head and nudged the corpse with her foot while smiling quietly.

“Namo Amitabha. No matter how much you try to escape, those who are fated to meet will surely meet. That is the principle by which the world operates.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Myowol without saying anything. Myowol slightly raised her eyes and smiled on her gaunt face.

“Isn’t that right?”

“It’s hard to agree, but you did find me well.”

Myowol smiled with her mouth while creating deep wrinkles on her forehead, making a strange expression.

“When you’re spreading filthy smells everywhere you go, how could I not know?”

Jin Ja-gang nodded in acknowledgment.

“I understand. Then let’s start quickly.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t ask anything more and drew the sword the warrior had been wearing.

Myowol’s lips twisted. She was displeased that he seemed completely uninterested in what she had said.

“Do you see me as just some lowly soldier? Why do you ignore my words?”

“If I listened more, it would just be nonsense, so what’s the point of listening?”

“This bastard… you’re really gifted at provoking people.”

“If you can’t control your emotions to this degree, aren’t you unqualified to be a Buddhist disciple?”

Myowol gritted her teeth and glared at Jin Ja-gang. Somehow this bastard was impossible to beat with words.

“Don’t expect Buddha’s mercy!”

Myowol raised her internal energy and strode toward Jin Ja-gang. With one step, she was already in front of Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang hastily raised his internal energy with Mad Blood Heaven technique.

“Become a vengeful ghost and wander.”

Myowol spat cursing words as she swung her Non-Killing Sword.

Jin Ja-gang quickly rolled to the side. Movement was very inconvenient due to the shackles.

Crack crack crack!

The wall and floor were scraped and cut through entirely. Jin Ja-gang forcefully slashed at Myowol’s foot. Myowol used her Non-Killing Sword to support herself on the ground and did a handstand upside down. Then she ran up the wall and leaped along the wall while reaching out her hand toward Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang stabbed a wooden needle into Myowol’s palm.

Snap.

The wooden needle was completely useless and broke. Myowol’s hand gripped Jin Ja-gang’s wrist. Jin Ja-gang used Grappling technique to flick away Myowol’s fingers with his wrist.

However, Myowol’s fingers scratched Jin Ja-gang’s wrist like claws as they pulled away.

Riiip!

Instantly, three claw marks appeared on his wrist and blood began seeping out drop by drop. Jin Ja-gang struck Myowol’s wrist with the sword in his opposite hand. Myowol also blocked Jin Ja-gang’s sword with her Non-Killing Sword.

Clang.

As the blades became entangled with a sound like chains wrapping around them, the tip of the Non-Killing Sword spun in a circle.

Snap.

Jin Ja-gang’s sword broke in half all too easily and absurdly.

This was Sweeping Barbarians Sword, one of Mount Emei’s sword techniques. It was a sword method meaning to chase away and pacify afflictions, containing techniques to destroy the opponent’s weapons.

Jin Ja-gang kicked the broken sword to send it flying while simultaneously stabbing at Myowol’s shoulder with the broken blade. Myowol ran along the wall then launched her body into the air, rotating three times in midair. At the same time, she drew four circles with her Non-Killing Sword. The broken pieces caught in the circles broke again, and the sword Jin Ja-gang was holding continued being sliced until only the handle remained.

Myowol flew in while repeatedly kicking.

She aimed for Jin Ja-gang’s solar plexus and ribs with her toes.

Jin Ja-gang blocked his chest with both arms.

Myowol twisted the angle of her foot and kicked with her shin instead of her toes.

Strictly speaking, leg technique means kicking with below the ankle while thigh technique means using above the ankle.

Myowol had instantly converted leg technique to thigh technique.