Guk Jihum felt great pride in two areas.

The first was his martial arts skill.

‘If I can get all the verses of the Dark Truth Wisdom Sword from Young Master Cheon, the realm of entering the divine is not just a dream.’

It was certainly on a different level to hear it directly from Cheon Mubaeck compared to hearing it through Im Hong.

Even with the same verses, when he heard them from Cheon Mubaeck, the profound principles and mysteries contained within them came to life.

So, to receive the verses, he had to stay by Cheon Mubaeck’s side.

‘Because he’s a man whose actions are completely unpredictable.’

Cheon Mubaeck was famous for his elusive movements.

This time, it was an unexpected trip to Fujian.

Every time he received the verses of the Dark Truth Wisdom Sword, a complicated procedure of going to Cheon Mubaeck, obtaining the necessary information, and handing it over would arise.

So Guk Jihum had made up his mind.

‘I’ll follow him around, and whenever he needs information, I’ll step up and give it to him.’

It was not a problem, as Guk Jihum had the authority to view all information at any Hao Faction branch.

The problem was that Cheon Mubaeck had refused to accompany him, fearing that his movements would be exposed.

‘Hmph. But I can’t give up!’

Although he had grown up in the arms of mere courtesans, Guk Jihum was a man who had risen to the position of Hao Faction leader with an indomitable will and solely through his abilities.

Generally, a martial artist does not yield to any difficulties that hinder the path to martial arts.

So Guk Jihum generously displayed his talent in the second area he was proud of.

Namely, the art of transformation.

It was not just a simple art of disguise.

If one artificially twisted one’s muscles and bones, a faint trace of internal energy would naturally remain.

An excellent master would detect the trace of internal energy and see through the art of disguise at once.

The art of transformation was different.

Because it was not about twisting bones and muscles, but purely a miscellaneous skill.

For example, it was Guk Jihum’s skill that had made Neung-heo’s one eye look disfigured like a burn mark and had made him a prosthetic arm.

No matter how much of a miscellaneous skill it was, if it was a technique passed down through generations of Hao Faction leaders, it was a sublime realm.

And Guk Jihum was like that now.

A face that gave off the impression of being a typical youngest member of the Unorthodox Alliance, clumsy and yet quite nervous.

Guk Jihum had transformed himself into a member of the Unorthodox Alliance and had joined Cheon Mubaeck’s Unorthodox Alliance group.

Of course, he had never dreamed that Cheon Mubaeck would have noticed.

‘If he had noticed, he would have kicked me out long ago!’

Guk Jihum believed that his art of transformation had worked properly.

But he had recently felt that being too perfect was not necessarily a good thing.

“Hah. Look at this bastard. If you’re the youngest, you should move quickly, right?”

At Neung-heo’s voice, which pierced his ears from somewhere, Guk Jihum bowed his back without realizing it.

It was a sight that would have made the Hao Faction members lament if they had seen it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Does being sorry end your life in the Unorthodox Alliance?”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“I will act properly.”

“How is properly?”

As he had transformed into the youngest, he had also shown a moderately clumsy impression, but that seemed to have become a poison.

Neung-heo relentlessly tormented Guk Jihum.

‘I must endure…’

Guk Jihum endured with a flushed face.

Wasn’t this the only way to stay by Cheon Mubaeck’s side?

But the nagging should have been for a day or two. Now, he felt his heart sink whenever Neung-heo glared at him.

Since the leader, Neung-heo, was like that, the other subordinates also secretly nagged Guk Jihum.

‘Hehe… for the great Hao Faction leader to be tormented like this by a mere member of the Unorthodox Alliance, and even by loafers…!’

He felt his situation was pathetic.

But wasn’t there a saying that fortune comes to those who endure? Guk Jihum did not doubt that saying.

‘Rather, it’s a benefit to me too. Participating in the Black Assembly is one thing, but to approach it with the favor of the River King, Wang Jeonyu.’

He had never thought he would participate in the Black Assembly in this way.

This Black Assembly was an unprecedented event in history.

But if he participated in the Black Assembly while receiving Wang Jeonyu’s favor, he would be able to check the center of what was happening inside the Black Assembly more closely.

This was also an opportunity for Guk Jihum.

Didn’t the Unorthodox Alliance and the Hao Faction have overlapping foundations? An opportunity to grasp the situation inside the Black Assembly.

‘It’s amazing that he uses such a trick.’

Guk Jihum’s eyes, which were glancing at Cheon Mubaeck who was wearing a mask, trembled.

If his martial prowess had been exceptionally strong, he would have closed his eyes and understood.

Because it was not that there were no martial artists who suddenly became active at a young age throughout the ages.

For example, the Shandong Sword Hero, or the Heaven-Defying Sword Demon who had opened a branch of the Demonic Cult at the age of sixteen and had become its leader. The Sword King had also appeared at a young age, boasting an absurd martial prowess.

So the inference that Cheon Mubaeck might have surpassed the level of a later generation expert and perhaps even entered the realm of entering the divine was really hard to accept, but it was not something he couldn’t understand if he just closed his eyes.

But Guk Jihum was truly afraid.

‘That extraordinary mind!’

He had obtained Wang Jeonyu’s favor in an instant. Wang Jeonyu had even suggested that they go to the Black Assembly together. Cheon Mubaeck had come up with and achieved a plan to enter the center of the Black Assembly right away.

The situation was flowing so unbelievably that goosebumps rose on his body.

‘His martial arts are one thing, but he’s also good with his head? If Young Master Cheon reaches the age of knowing the will of heaven, he will become a giant who can practically put the martial world in his hands.’

Guk Jihum, who was convinced by his long intuition, felt the need to complete the Dark Truth Wisdom Sword and grow the Hao Faction before that.

Because a strong sense of crisis that he might be reduced to a mere information organization of Cheon Mubaeck at that time was swirling in his head.

For these and other reasons, as the Hao Faction leader, and as a martial artist, Guk Jihum endured this humiliation. Gritting his teeth.

But…

Paak!

“Look at this bastard. You’re not working, and you’re just rolling your eyes? Are you crazy? The world is going crazy. When I was the youngest, I will tell you. I bowed so much at a right angle that my back broke, you know?”

Guk Jihum’s body trembled.

Putting aside the humiliation of being hit on the back of the head, he felt his stomach turn at the sight of Neung-heo, who would say ‘back in my day’ at the drop of a hat.

“Oh? You’re going to hit me? Hah? Back in my day. To clench your fist in front of your hyung-nim was…”

What was more frustrating was that he had done nothing wrong.

Only then did Guk Jihum feel it.

‘This bastard. He’s venting his pent-up anger on me.’

And where would the source of that anger come from?

Guk Jihum’s gaze turned.

There, there was Cheon Mubaeck.

Although he was now disguised as a guard, so it was less, but Neung-heo was being nagged to an extent that was incomparable to how he was being played with.

It was certain that he was venting his accumulated anger on him.

‘Hehehe. For the great Dark Merchant to become a target for a mere member of the Unorthodox Alliance to vent his anger.’

He felt like his hair would all turn white at this rate, so Guk Jihum made up his mind.

Guk Jihum hardened his expression and said.

“Hyung-nim, let’s talk separately.”

“Oh? This bastard. Where are you hardening your expression?”

Neung-heo obediently followed Guk Jihum to the back of the inn.

Guk Jihum, who had confirmed that there was no one, changed his expression in an instant.

“Hey, One-Eyed Snake.”

“…?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“This bastard… is this insubordination?”

Guk Jihum shook his head.

“I am the Hao Faction leader, Guk Jihum.”

“…!”

“I have my reasons for disguising myself like this, but I hope you understand. I’ll do a good job of not getting caught, so don’t tell Young Master Cheon that I’m the Hao Faction leader.”

Guk Jihum said so and released all his momentum.

Although Neung-heo had become an excellent master, he was on a different level from Guk Jihum in the first place.

Wasn’t Guk Jihum a man who would surely enter the realm of entering the divine if he just learned the Dark Truth Wisdom Sword?

As Guk Jihum released his momentum with all his might and pressed down, Neung-heo’s expression twitched.

Guk Jihum, who glanced at Neung-heo who couldn’t say anything with his mouth firmly shut, smiled with a secret sense of triumph.

‘Hmph. I should have done this sooner. It should get better now…’

But that was a big mistake.

In the first place, because Neung-heo had been tipped off by Cheon Mubaeck and had known he was Guk Jihum all along.

Who was Neung-heo!

He was Neung-heo, who had held his head high even in the midst of so much persecution and violence disguised as sparring from Cheon Mubaeck.

Wasn’t he a man of the Unorthodox Alliance with an iron will who had stubbornly stood up to him while being beaten so much!

What was Guk Jihum to such a Neung-heo?

“So what?”

At the unexpected answer, Guk Jihum’s body stopped in its tracks.

“Whether you’re Guk Jihum, the Hao Faction leader, or the Hao Faction leader’s grandfather. So what?”

“One-Eyed Snake…?”

Guk Jihum’s voice was dazed.

“Hah, what a frustrating man. Didn’t you come in as the youngest? So what, you’re going to reveal your identity and threaten me? No, what if I run to the Lord right now and say, ah, this bastard! He’s a Hao Faction leader bastard who has hidden himself to sell out the Lord’s movements from the Hao Faction! What are you going to do then?”

“…!”

Because it was a truly unexpected reaction, Guk Jihum’s mouth was agape.

Neung-heo clicked his tongue.

“Well, let’s act like the youngest. Huh? If you don’t like it, then leave.”

Neung-heo clicked his tongue and patted his shoulder. Although there was no force in his hand, a humiliation greater than pain welled up from below. Guk Jihum felt as if a nerve in his head had snapped.

The moment his eyes turned red.

“Neung-heo.”

At Cheon Mubaeck’s low voice, Guk Jihum bowed his head without realizing it.

“Yes, Lord.”

“Let’s find the Hao Faction.”

“What do you need?”

“Before we enter the Black Assembly, we need to check how the situation is going as much as possible.”

At Cheon Mubaeck’s lazy voice, Guk Jihum’s eyes, who had bowed his head, flashed.

And Cheon Mubaeck’s gaze landed on him.

“What are you doing with the youngest?”

Guk Jihum’s shoulders flinched. In an instant, his gaze met Neung-heo’s in the air. Neung-heo’s eyebrows drew an arc. A sneer. Guk Jihum’s eyes became pitiful.

“Hmmhmm. Well, I was just educating the youngest.”

As Neung-heo said so and patted his shoulder, Guk Jihum eventually bowed his head.

‘Endure. I must endure. It’s a chance to get both the Dark Truth Wisdom Sword and the information inside the Black Assembly…’

Rationalizing so.

* * *

The Hao Faction branch in Fujian Province.

Cheon Mubaeck looked at the opponent in front of him with a pitiful gaze.

“When did the Hao Faction leader come to Fujian Province?”

As soon as he had said let’s find the Hao Faction to Neung-heo, Guk Jihum had suddenly appeared.

“Isn’t it obvious? The Unorthodox Alliance is gathering in Fujian, so I, the Hao Faction leader, have to check it out myself.”

“Why, you appeared right in front of me at the right time?”

When Cheon Mubaeck looked at him with narrowed eyes, Guk Jihum coughed awkwardly.

At that sight, Cheon Mubaeck clicked his tongue inwardly.

To the point where the guy who had been thoroughly beaten by Neung-heo a little while ago, the youngest of the Unorthodox Alliance, felt pathetic for acting like that.

Well, what was so important about that?

It wasn’t bad for Cheon Mubaeck either.

In any case, the information that a Hao Faction branch leader handled and the top-secret information that a Hao Faction leader could view and handle were on different levels.

“What information do you need?”

“The latest information on the forces that are currently gathering at the Black Assembly.”

“More recent than the information that the branch leader Im Hong handed over before?”

“In any case, the information that has changed in real time on the spot will be more important.”

“Wait a moment.”

Guk Jihum said so and briefly excused himself.

Cheon Mubaeck glanced at Neung-heo, who had come with him, and said.

“You look happy these days?”

Neung-heo’s face certainly looked brighter than before. A faint glow shone as if he were sleeping well.

“Hehehe. Happiness is not that far away.”

“You too… you’re twenty years older than him, do you want to be like that?”

“…”

The Lord is not a person to say such a thing, is he?

Neung-heo did not answer and stared at Cheon Mubaeck. As if he were cursing with his eyes.

Only then did Cheon Mubaeck, who had realized that he was the age of Neung-heo’s nephew, shrug his shoulders.

“A twenty-year age difference is a friend.”

“That’s right.”

“Go easy on him. He’s still a senior in the martial world.”

“Hehe. In the Unorthodox Alliance, he’s my junior.”

“Wow, you’re really into the role-playing, aren’t you?”

Cheon Mubaeck did not stop such a Neung-heo.

‘I see he has a lot of pent-up feelings.’

Looking at how he handled Guk Jihum, it was truly amazing.

It was as if he were releasing all his accumulated anger.

He had accumulated so much that even Cheon Mubaeck felt sorry for Guk Jihum.

But feeling pity was just feeling pity.

In the first place, it was a bit of a cheeky thing to have deceived him and secretly joined the Unorthodox Alliance group. So he planned to leave him alone.

‘If you have something pent-up, you have to release it.’

Although he hadn’t known he had accumulated so much.

Maybe he would come in with a sword to kill him when he was sleeping later. He suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Cheon Mubaeck planned to let Neung-heo release all his pent-up feelings on this occasion.

As they were killing time by chatting like that.

How much time had passed?

Guk Jihum appeared with a strange expression.

“Well, things are getting interesting.”

Guk Jihum handed over the documents, muttering words that he couldn’t understand.

“Huh? Look at these?”

A strange light flickered in Cheon Mubaeck’s eyes as he checked the documents.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep