Chapter 104 : Assembly (2)

Chapter 104: Assembly (2)

“So, everyone received the letter in the same manner!”

With eyes wide like a deer’s, Surin spoke in a surprised voice.

After the noisy first meeting, everyone except for the man who had yet to reveal his identity had gathered to converse.

The first topic of discussion was, of course, about the mysterious person who had given them the letters.

Surin spoke again.

“I may only be at the Peak Master Level, so it could be understandable. But to deceive even a martial artist who had reached the Transformation Realm… what kind of abilities does this person actually possess?”

“No. It may just be because it hasn’t been long since my realm advanced, and my skills are still lacking.”

“Come now, that makes no sense. The Transformation Realm isn’t such a sloppy level, my friend.”

When Do Yecheon of the Mount Hua Sect responded humbly, Successor Beggar Jang Sopyeong dismissed it as nonsense.

Then, Peng So-hye offered a new hypothesis.

“Hmm, then could it have been the Celestial Dragon Guard Leader who moved personally?”

“Earth’s Black Shadow!”

“Yes, if it were truly the Celestial Dragon Guard Leader, then it might be possible.”

Nam Mujin and Tang Serin nodded.

Since the Murim Alliance Leader had summoned them personally, it was also possible that Jaegal Seoa, who served only under the Alliance Leader’s orders, had acted.

But these were all mere speculations. Nothing was clearly resolved.

At that moment, Peng Daeho turned his head.

“Hey, didn’t you see anything?”

He was asking the masked man.

But the man remained silent to the end.

Peng Daeho shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

“Hmph, whoever you are, you’re quite a boring fellow.”

For some reason, the masked man seemed extremely unwilling to reveal his identity.

But was it really necessary to hide it to that extent?

The others found it puzzling, but since it was his choice, they let it go.

Then, Peng So-hye spoke with a rather serious expression.

“But most of us here are either former or current Nine Dragons Four Phoenixes. What exactly does the Alliance Leader intend to do with us Young Successors?”

“Well, I think it’s one of two things.”

Everyone’s gaze focused on Jang Sopyeong, who was lounging on the floor and spinning a small smoking pipe with his fingers.

“First, judging by the fact that none of us here belong to a sect aligned with the Elders’ Faction, the Alliance Leader might want us to secretly investigate crimes tied to them. If not that, then surely—”

“—he must be trying to uncover the force behind the Kaifeng Blood Massacre.”

Do Ha-yeong completed Jang Sopyeong’s words.

If the Murim Alliance Leader were to act so secretly, it could only be one of those two matters.

Eradicating the Elders’ Faction or uncovering the truth behind the Kaifeng Blood Massacre.

But everyone present was hoping for the latter.

“We saw it with our own eyes. The Kaifeng Blood Massacre was definitely not orchestrated by the Demonic Alliance.”

“That’s right. The opponent clearly used Demonic Arts.”

When Peng So-hye trembled as she spoke, Nam Mujin said firmly.

They had witnessed the overwhelming martial prowess of Baek Yacha. Though they had reported his existence and the possibility of his backing to the Murim Alliance multiple times, the matter was always buried by the Elders’ Faction.

Naturally, if it were pinned on the Demonic Alliance, the Elders’ Faction could continue to gain power.

In the now heavier atmosphere, Surin quietly said,

“My master also told me that the spell used in the Kaifeng Blood Massacre was something only the Heaven-Piercing Sect could perform.”

“What…!”

“Haa, we should have launched a massive search right then…”

“Hm, but it’s unfortunate.”

At that moment, Jang Sopyeong muttered to himself while glancing at two empty seats.

“Sewoon. If that fellow were here, it would’ve been truly reassuring.”

Tang Sewoon.

As the name of the direct heir of the Sichuan Tang Clan was mentioned, everyone’s expression shifted in various ways.

Peng Daeho let out a low murmur.

“He’s right. For that one not to be here makes no sense at all.”

“Hm, but I did hear that he had some conflict with the Alliance Leader.”

“Pfft. Sewoon? The one I know would surely be carrying out a high-level stratagem if that were the case.”

Jang Sopyeong snorted at Surin’s remark.

Everyone else, except Surin who had never met Sewoon, seemed to agree.

‘No, but why do they all trust him so absolutely?’

Surin was a little bewildered.

“Young Mistress Tang, were you perhaps with Young Master Tang when you received the letter?”

At that point, Do Yecheon cautiously asked Tang Serin.

She shook her head.

“No. Sewoon already left for Sichuan two days ago.”

A short sigh escaped here and there.

Expressions of deep regret surfaced openly on everyone’s faces.

But what Serin said was undeniably true.

After the General Assembly ended, when she checked Sewoon’s pulse, his condition had been the worst of the worst.

Though he had forced himself to attend in order to restore his clan’s place among the Seven Great Clans, he would now have to rest and recuperate for at least a month.

“I see. I had assumed one of those seats would certainly be Young Master Tang’s.”

“Then, who exactly will those seats belong to….”

Just then—

Ssshh!

Everyone’s face showed surprise.

It was because they suddenly sensed a distinct presence.

At that moment, all eyes turned to the water gate.

Though it was opaque and one could not see in or out, they all knew.

Step.

The owner of the presence had stopped right in front of the gate.

“Hm, then this would make it the tenth.”

“I wonder what method they’ll use to come in this time.”

Jang Sopyeong stroked his chin as he spoke, while Peng So-hye’s eyes lit up.

Meanwhile, Nam Mujin warned everyone.

“Everyone, don’t stand in front of the water gate. Like what happened to Young Master Peng earlier, you could get hurt.”

“S-sorryyy.”

They had grown quite familiar with each other before they knew it, exchanging jokes with ease.

Sssss!

Kwagaga!

In the next moment, the atmosphere changed completely.

It was because a sudden surge of explosive energy was felt from beyond the water gate.

“What the—?!”

“T-That energy……!!”

Even they, whose average martial prowess was at the Supreme Peak Master Level, couldn't help but be startled.

The energy emanating from the mysterious figure beyond the water gate was unmistakably of the Transformation Realm.

And not the unstable cultivation level of someone at the early stage like Do Yecheon.

Sssaaa!

It was the emission of perfectly refined energy.

It held a degree of mastery that was hardly any different from the Sect Leaders who led their respective factions.

‘This isn’t the beginning stage! This is a mastery of the Transformation Realm!!’

‘Wasn’t the Alliance Leader gathering young successors?’

But what truly left them in greater shock—

Was that the energy the mysterious figure was unleashing was far from pure—it was wild and ferocious to the extreme.

Their expressions hardened at the sight of this energy, which resembled unorthodox arts more than it did orthodox arts.

‘……No way.’

‘Could it be the Young Master of the Tang Clan……?’

The ones watching were Do Yecheon and Ha Yeong.

In the scene before them, they saw the memory of Sewoon’s rampage from the past overlap.

But only for a brief moment.

As they wrapped their eyes in energy and observed more closely, their grave expressions quickly returned to normal.

‘It’s not the Young Master of the Tang Clan.’

‘Whew, that energy is completely different.’

It was nothing like the terrifying demonic energy that Sewoon had scattered.

While it wasn’t the pure energy of the orthodox path, it was closer to the rough yet unrestrained nature characteristic of unorthodox martial arts.

Vwoooong!

Vwoooong!

Then, a resonant hum rang out louder than ever.

‘Something is—!’

‘Coming!’

At the same time as the small dot that had cast a shadow on the opaque water barrier grew enormous—

Kwagaga!

KWAANG!

A massive explosion erupted that defied even the wildest expectations of the young successors.

Accompanied by a powerful shockwave, the entire space trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

‘That’s a maddeningly destructive energy!’

‘What incredible cultivation power……!’

Everyone inside the room hastily drew up their energy to the maximum, barely managing to block the tidal wave of the shockwave.

Once all the aftermath passed and they slowly looked ahead—

The water wall, once boasting remarkable regeneration, was now completely destroyed.

Chiik! Chiiiik!

The fragments of the shattered water barrier rolled across the ground, vanishing one by one into acrid smoke.

At that moment, within the thick smoke, the figure of the mysterious person gradually became clearer.

A man wearing the same mask and blood-colored robe as them.

Vwoong!

His right fist still shimmered with clearly visible fist qi.

And then—

“What kind of dogshit excuse for a gate was that supposed to be?”

The man’s coarse, gravelly voice echoed throughout the space.

“Hey, old man. Couldn’t you have made this chair a little softer? It’s hard as hell.”

The man completely ignored the gazes pouring in from all directions, striding forward without hesitation before plopping himself into the head seat.

Everyone in the room watching this could only stand there slack-jawed.

If it weren’t for the fact that he wore the same mask and blood-colored robe, he would have seemed like some Green Forest bandit throwing a fit.

As they all stared at him, the mysterious figure tilted his head to the side and spoke.

“What are you staring at, you bastards? Stare a bit longer and you’ll burn a hole in my face.”

His crude speech, as if he'd long since chewed up and spat out all manner of courtesy and decorum.

The young successors exchanged glances, but none of them recognized him.

Even Jang Sopyeong, who had met nearly all the high-ranking members of the Murim Alliance, had never heard that voice before.

“……Who are you?”

Nam Mujin cautiously broke the silence.

The mysterious man glared out from behind his mask with a cold gaze and replied.

“Are you perhaps a bit thick in the head?”

It was the first time in his life hearing such blatant mockery, and Nam Mujin’s face froze stiff.

Yet the man didn't care in the slightest and pointed a finger toward his own seat as he continued.

“Can’t you see I’m sitting at the head? I am, as of today, this place’s Captain.”

Everyone’s complexion went pale.

They had prayed it wouldn’t be true—but this man was the leader their Alliance Leader had sent.

But no matter what, the sheer arrogance of referring to himself as ‘this seat’ was truly outrageous.

At that moment, Jang Sopyeong barely suppressed the fury boiling within him as he spoke.

“……Why have you summoned us here?”

“No need for you to know.”

“……What?”

“What the hell kind of—”

Thud.

The man suddenly kicked both feet up and plopped them right onto the table.

Watching the stunned young successors, he shook his head in disbelief.

“Damn old geezer. Had to beg and plead to get me here, and this is the thanks I get. No sense of shame at all.”

By “old geezer,” he must have meant Murim Alliance Leader Yoo Jinhak.

Just as fury started welling up in the eyes of the young successors—

The man, his eyes glinting with frost behind the mask, slowly swept his gaze across them one by one and clicked his tongue.

“Tch. What’s he thinking, dragging in a bunch of defective brats like this?”

It felt as if their blood was boiling in reverse from the insult, but the man showed no sign of stopping his barrage of contempt.

“What are you all waiting for? Get the hell out already.”

Thus, the mysterious man—

No, Tang Sewoon—cast his icy gaze upon them and issued his command of expulsion.