Chapter 18: An Ambush (4)

Despite Mo Biyoung’s attempts to stop me, I leapt into the fight.

Thanks to that, I got a closer look at the masked assailants’ martial arts. Though they hadn’t been trained long, I could immediately tell their techniques didn’t belong to the orthodox schools.

Their movements were blatant and relentless—each strike doggedly clinging to its target. Yet, as I watched their forms, something about them felt strangely familiar.

‘What is it? I’ve never trained in demonic arts, so why do their movements look so familiar? Strange.’

I tilted my head.

In any case, it seemed the fight would end faster if I helped out.

I advanced cautiously.

The internal energy of the man in white was still lingering inside me, likely because his was more potent and sinister than mine. If not for the peculiar medicine Jaegal Yohye had given me, even my organs might’ve been damaged. I had fought him as if possessed earlier, but given my condition, I needed to conserve my strength now.

Just then, the masked assailants focused their attack on Jaegal Yohye.

Shrrrrk!

With a sharp sound ripping through the air, three masked men were flung backward.

Arrows had pierced their chests.

Shrrrrrk!

A group of warriors approached from afar, firing arrows.

About ten mounted warriors flew through the air as they leapt from their horses, their form disciplined and refined.

Even from midair, they threw daggers to intercept the masked men—it was clear they were skilled fighters.

As they landed, a young man shouted out.

“Kill all those attacking the Jaegal Clan!”

The confident voice belonged to a young man who ran straight to Jaegal Yohye.

“I pay my respects to Clan Head Jaegal Jinmu and Lady Yohye. What in the world is going on?”

He greeted them with a fist salute, then asked urgently, glancing at Jaegal Jinmu and the others.

Despite the rescue, Jaegal Jinmu didn’t look pleased. He looked at the young man and said:

“Ah, what brings you here, Young Hero Jeok?”

“I’m just on my way to the main estate, of course.”

Since Jeok Gwang frequently visited the main house, Jaegal Jinmu was quite familiar with him.

“Retreat!”

Now outnumbered, the masked men sensed their disadvantage and withdrew. For an attack meant to accomplish something, it was alarmingly sloppy.

After they retreated, Jaegal Jinmu muttered.

“So now even scum like this from the demonic path dare look down on us.”

The Jaegal Clan had always focused more on formations, divination, and astronomy than martial arts. They were more scholars than warriors.

Moreover, five years ago, their hundred-man elite escort had been wiped out while transporting cargo. Since then, their martial reputation barely hung by a thread.

This was evident even in Jaegal Jinmu.

At his age, he should have reached the peak realm at the very least, but he had only just stepped past the level of a top-tier expert.

That was why he’d suffered so badly against the assassins.

Still, just because the Jaegal Clan was lacking in martial power didn’t mean their status in the martial world had diminished.

They were the same prestigious family that had once produced the leader of the Namung Alliance. Even now, many of their members held important positions throughout the alliance.

“If it weren’t for Young Hero Jeok, we’d have been in serious trouble. Thank you.”

Jaegal Jinmu and Jeok Gwang spoke with ease, having known each other for a long time. Even if they weren’t particularly fond of one another, they didn’t show it.

“It’s nothing, Clan Head. I just heard the sounds of battle while passing by, and I didn’t expect the Jaegal Clan to be under attack.”

While speaking, Jeok Gwang glanced at me.

“And who are they?”

“Ah, Young Hero Jeok, allow me to introduce you. This is the acting sect leader of the Heavenly Central Sect in Henan.”

“Oh, oh. Oh.”

Jeok Gwang looked me up and down, letting out a soft, appreciative murmur.

“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Jeok Gwang of Azure Pine Gate.”

“I’m Yong Hwarin of the Heavenly Central Sect.”

I returned the fist salute with a polite smile.

I had seen Jeok Gwang a few times in my past life.

Our paths had crossed over trade disputes, and also because of Jaegal Cheongyeong. So he wasn’t unfamiliar.

Jeok Gwang was a manly, rather handsome type.

He also had feelings for Jaegal Cheongyeong. He’d constantly sent matchmakers and visited the Jaegal Clan whenever he could, trying to win her over. In my past life, he’d spent years trying to make her his wife, but in the end, she never married him.

‘If he knew that, would he still try so hard?’

Knowing all of this alone amused me.

In truth, Jaegal Cheongyeong had been betrothed to me since we were in the womb, but she’d rejected me for being weak and frail, ultimately breaking the engagement. Afterward, she married Cheong Geonmin of the Muho Sect, which also belonged to the Namung Alliance.

Muho Sect was among the most prominent branches of the Wudang Sect within the alliance—rivaling even the Wudang, Jaegal, Namgung, and Hyungsan Sects.

The Jaegal Clan maintained their power not just through Namung Alliance, but also by forging blood ties with the Northern Alliance and the Four Corners Alliance.

Even clans like the Namgung or Hyungsan were already bound to the Jaegal Clan through marriage.

The reason for the betrothal between Jaegal Cheongyeong and me was partly to forge ties with the rising new sect from Henan.

Because I already knew all this, I had no lingering affection for her. In the end, she would marry someone else anyway.

So I saw no reason to concern myself.

But Jeok Gwang was different.

He already knew that Jaegal Cheongyeong’s betrothed was Yong Hwarin.

So he didn’t look kindly upon me.

Seeing me healthy and whole, despite rumors of being a sickly scholar, made him tilt his head in doubt.

“How did you get all the way here?”

When Jeok Gwang asked, Jaegal Jinmu answered for me.

“There was another attack earlier. It was Young Master Yong who saved us.”

“Really?”

Jeok Gwang seemed surprised. He glanced at Mo Biyoung and the Two Wook Sword Demons standing beside me, assuming they were the ones who fought off the assassins.

Once the introductions ended, Jaegal Jinmu checked the bodies of the fallen masked men. But even after searching their clothes and inspecting their faces, there wasn’t a single clue.

“They even wore masks—of course they wouldn’t leave evidence.”

Jaegal Yohye spoke with a disappointed tone.

“You think people like these really plotted against us? No… Someone else must be pulling the strings from behind…”

Jaegal Jinmu was frustrated. Someone had been covertly attacking the Jaegal Clan for a while.

He had long been investigating the matter, but the mastermind still eluded him.

However, there was only one likely motive for these martial artists to keep targeting them.

‘How did that secret leak outside?’

The concern weighed heavily on Jaegal Jinmu.

He thought he needed to return to the clan and discuss the matter with the clan head to find a solution.

*

‘This is a chance heaven has given me.’

Jeok Gwang was glad to have met me.

His plan was to show off his abilities and make Jaegal Cheongyeong lose interest in me.

He pondered how to expose my inadequacy and make me back off.

Watching me, who had zero interest in Jeok Gwang, Jaegal Yohye grew curious.

It was clear to anyone that Jeok Gwang was antagonistic toward me. But I acted completely indifferent.

This meant one of two things.

Either I thought I couldn’t compete with Jeok Gwang and was trying not to offend him… or I simply found him too insignificant to care.

To Jaegal Yohye, it looked like the latter.

‘That’s a face that says he finds this annoying.’

If I were afraid of Jeok Gwang, my behavior would be completely different. But there was no trace of fear in me.

That was the truth. I just found Jeok Gwang’s childish rivalry annoying and kept my distance.

‘Kids really are rude. I’ll have to teach you a lesson someday.’

I didn’t think well of Jeok Gwang’s hostility. I was only enduring it thanks to the patience I’d gained through my past life. It wasn’t out of fondness or tolerance.

Among the five women connected to my life, the first was Jaegal Cheongyeong.

We’d been womb betrothed and even played together as children.

But as time passed, our lives diverged. In my past life, I had been weak to the point of fragility, while she was gifted in martial arts.

Naturally, I no longer looked like a proper man in her eyes, much less a warrior who could make her heart race.

At that time, Jaegal Cheongyeong only had eyes for the strong.

That was why she mingled with people like Jeok Gwang of Songcheong Gate and Cheong Geonmin of Muho Sect, discussing martial arts with them, and gradually drifted away from me.

Knowing that Jaegal Cheongyeong had no affection for me at this point, I was reluctant to see her.

Still, I had come out of my clan on the condition that I’d meet her, so eventually, I had to see her at least once.

And I wanted to set her free.

After all, because of our prenatal engagement, she couldn’t properly meet other men. Since she was no longer part of my life, I wanted her to be free.

“Young Master Yong, let’s go greet the Clan Head.”

After returning to the Jaegal Clan, Jaegal Jinmu took me to the Clan Head’s residence.

Naturally, Jeok Gwang came along as well.

We had played a key role in ensuring their safe return, so it was only right to be thanked.

Clan Head Jaegal Cheok was the man who had elevated the Jaegal Clan to where it stood now. Through alliances with great sects and clans, he had raised their status and power to the next level.

He had even served as the leader of the Namung Alliance and was now a martial artist nearing the transcendent realm.

Though he was said to be the weakest in martial arts among the past Alliance Leaders, his genius intellect more than made up for it.

No matter how strong his opponent, he had always found a way to win—by seeing through their weaknesses and exploiting them.

Because of that, he became famous as the “Heaven-Piercing Sword”, and now served as the clan head, having stepped down from the alliance leadership.

Jaegal Cheok, the Heaven-Piercing Sword, was nearing the age of sixty and had announced he would pass on the position to a successor within the year.

“It’s been a while, sir.”

I greeted him with deep respect.

Jaegal Cheok stared at me intensely, then nodded.

“How is your health?”

He too had heard that my health was poor. But now, seeing no sign of weakness, he seemed surprised.

And the energy radiating from my body clearly showed I was practicing martial arts.

“Thanks to your concern, I’ve recovered.”

“That’s good. And how is your father, the Sect Leader?”

“He is doing well. He also asked me to pass along his regards.”

Jaegal Cheok nodded again, carefully observing me.

‘He hasn’t refined his body yet, but his bones and muscles are solid. I can’t understand how someone like this could have been so weak before.’

The last time I’d visited the clan years ago, I had looked like a sickly chicken—he hadn’t been impressed.

“Greetings, Clan Head.”

As Jaegal Cheok turned his gaze to Jeok Gwang, the latter seized the opportunity to bow and greet him.

“Why do you visit our main estate so often these days?”

Jaegal Cheok asked, though he already knew the answer.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep