‘He’s at an age where it wouldn’t be strange if he died right now.’

Cheon Mubaeck looked at Gwak Yong’s old face and almost let out the words in his heart without even realizing it.

Usually, when one thinks of people of the martial world, one thinks of a younger appearance than their age.

Because it is believed that aging comes late due to the power of internal energy.

In fact, that was not wrong.

But there were times when that did not apply, and it was a martial artist who had fought and rolled around his whole life without even having time to worry about aging. The harsh natural environment of the vast Central Plains, the pouring sunlight, the wind like a sword blade.

People who had fought their whole lives in that.

Right, Gwak Yong.

From the time he held a sword in his youth, he had wandered the martial world and had had duels.

After the righteous-demonic war broke out, he had fought like crazy.

And it was the same even after it ended. He had spent his whole life beating up the black-way and unorthodox sects that had grown in power.

Was it because of that?

Although Gwak Yong in Cheon Mubaeck’s memory had also looked old for his age, it was even more so now.

“Is Gwak Cheon-hu perhaps your grandson?”

“What kind of bullshit is that?”

“Because you look like it.”

Gwak Yong, with his eyes like a rabbit’s, let out a ‘hahaha’ laugh.

He had a face as if he were so dumbfounded that he was at a loss for words.

Although Cheon Mubaeck had said it casually as he had in his past life, how would it be for the person on the receiving end?

A young brat was making a tasteless joke.

But he could not act rashly, and Gwak Yong was tense when he saw Cheon Mubaeck’s eyes.

‘Me, this Gwak Yong?’

When he looked again, it was an ordinary gaze. Although he felt a firm and resolute momentum, it was an eye that was not that special. But when he had first met him, the moment he had seen the faintly shining light in his eyes, lightning had struck his head. A strong thrill had spread throughout his body.

‘You brat. The thought of increasing your skills by fighting and fighting through duels is not bad, but look at the person’s eyes before you attack!’

After challenging the strongest person in the world to a duel, Gwak Yong had been beaten to a pulp for the first time on a rainy day.

When he had been crying like a child because it hurt so much, that person had clicked his tongue as if he were pitiful and had said so.

‘The eyes are a window that shows a person. Look at the eyes and gauge whether it is an opponent you can attack. Look at my eyes. Do you think you are an opponent you can dare to face?’

At that time, he had properly seen that person’s eyes. Straight.

That was the moment when he had sincerely submitted for the first time and had respected someone.

‘It’s different.’

The old eyes of that time and the current eyes of Cheon Mubaeck were different. They were completely different eyes.

But the feeling was similar.

‘This Gwak Yong, to a mere young brat?’

So he just moved his lips, but he could not bring himself to say anything.

He couldn’t easily open his mouth to say something to rebuke him, and it was also absurd to just stay still.

Looking at him, Cheon Mubaeck smiled strangely.

“Please sit down. Have you eaten?”

“…Let’s eat together.”

“Cheon-hu. You eat with us too if you haven’t eaten. This guy Neung-heo is not here yet because I sent him on an errand.”

“…”

And so, three strong men sat at a small table.

Since all three were not very talkative and were people who expressed themselves through direct action, a silence lingered.

It was a strangely uncomfortable silence.

“Ahem.”

In the end, Gwak Yong, who could not overcome the discomfort, coughed and opened his mouth.

“I’ve heard roughly from my son. A similar incident happened in Anhui, so the Mount Hua Sect went?”

“Yes.”

“And you came here?”

“Yes.”

“I heard it was a problem related to a strange group called the Blood Ghost Valley… If there is a mastermind group called the Blood Ghost Valley, can you be of any help?”

It was a direct question.

Cheon Mubaeck answered calmly.

“Why? Are you worried because it’s not the Mount Hua you expected?”

“It’s obvious that their power is not to be taken lightly if they are the masterminds who attacked Shaolin and annihilated the small and medium-sized sects. Do you think the Nine Sects One Gang are great sects for no reason? We are not behind in martial arts.”

Gwak Yong said proudly. The way he puffed out his chest seemed as if he sincerely believed so.

“If it’s a battle, not a war, we are confident that we will not lose even if we fight against the Nine Sects One Gang.”

A small elite.

That was what the Flying Sword Sect aimed for.

In fact, the martial power of each of the affiliated warriors was at a great level. But since the number of people was small, it was impossible to compare them with the Nine Sects One Gang.

What the Flying Sword Sect had wanted was the manpower of a great sect like the Mount Hua Sect.

Martial arts that had reached a certain level and a large number of warriors.

Because they would be of great help in helping with this incident.

But Cheon Mubaeck had come alone.

“Neung-heo also came.”

“Who is that friend?”

Gwak Yong crumpled his face.

“Neung-heo would be sad if he heard that. There’s a guy called the One-Eyed Serpent.”

“Stop the wordplay. What I wanted was the name of an orthodox sect and the information power and manpower they have. Powerful martial arts? I have that, so what’s the need?”

Although it was a truly arrogant statement, there was not a single bit of shame on Gwak Yong’s face.

He really thought so.

So Cheon Mubaeck also nodded his head.

“The Namgung family in Anhui will rather be pitiful.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because Mount Hua came, not me.”

“…”

Gwak Yong’s mouth fell open. Wasn’t it an even more arrogant statement than his own?

To think that a single individual was better than the help of Mount Hua.

But Gwak Yong could not say anything, and the light in his eyes that he had just seen was flowing from Cheon Mubaeck’s eyes.

Looking at those eyes, a strange trust that that might be right arose.

“Then do you really think you can be of help?”

“I’ve already helped to some extent.”

Gwak Yong tilted his head and then narrowed his eyes.

“Are you talking about the Red Dragon Faction?”

“Yes. Because I’ve solved the problem of the guys who were like an eyesore.”

“What are you talking about? In the end, it was me and the Flying Sword Sect who led the warriors and finished them off.”

“I’m the one who killed the Red Dragon Faction Master.”

“Hmph. Do you think I couldn’t have killed the Red Dragon Faction Master?”

“Yes.”

“…What did you say?”

At Cheon Mubaeck’s too-obvious tone, Gwak Yong could not even get angry.

“You couldn’t have killed him.”

“Heo. Do I look weaker than that guy?”

“No. You’re strong.”

He’s strong.

Cheon Mubaeck knew that very well. Because in his past life, he was a guy who had had a couple of close matches with the Sword Saint, who had been his disciple.

But the martial world was not a place where everything was fine just because you were strong.

Since numerous grudges were entangled as fate, the martial world was like a swamp.

“Then why couldn’t you strike the Red Dragon Faction Master until now?”

“…!”

“Isn’t it because the Great Dragon Gang is behind the Red Dragon Faction Master?”

Gwak Yong’s pupils shook.

“There’s no business in front of numbers, so wouldn’t it be difficult for the Flying Sword Sect to have an all-out war with the Great Dragon Gang?”

Gwak Yong shut his mouth. He had thought he was just a hero with outstanding martial skills as the rumors of the martial world said.

‘He’s like an old man who has rolled around in the martial world for dozens of years.’

Not only did he grasp the core of the story at once, but his way of speaking, which dug in so that the other party could not say anything, was even admirable.

“So I helped, didn’t I? The Red Dragon Faction Master that you couldn’t touch, I killed him. Where would the grudge of the Great Dragon Gang go?”

“…!”

Gwak Yong shut his mouth.

If you put it that way, the Flying Sword Sect had already received Cheon Mubaeck’s help.

But…

Gwak Yong let out a cynical laugh.

“Do you think the Great Dragon Gang Master is such an easy guy? Since we struck the Red Dragon Faction right after, he would think that the Flying Sword Sect and you are closely connected. Would the grudge be directed only at you? No. It is also directed at us.”

“That’s right. But what can we do? It’s certain that the Red Dragon Faction is related to the Blood Ghost Valley, and it’s even connected to the Great Dragon Gang.”

“…You mean the Great Dragon Gang is related to this bloodbath?”

Cheon Mubaeck revealed the information he had obtained from the Nakwha-ru yesterday.

Not only Gwak Yong, but also Gwak Cheon-hu, who had been unusually silent next to him, trembled.

“The mastermind group, the Blood Ghost Valley, is enormous, and if the Great Dragon Gang is also involved…”

“It’s enormous, isn’t it? Do you realize it now? The Flying Sword Sect is in a crisis now.”

Cheon Mubaeck grinned. Gwak Yong could not say anything and looked at Cheon Mubaeck. He, who had proudly entered to take the initiative, was now caught in Cheon Mubaeck’s momentum.

“What?”

“I will help the Flying Sword Sect. But the Flying Sword Sect must also help me. Because we have a common enemy called the Blood Ghost Valley.”

“What is that…”

“The Blood Ghost Valley are not guys you can face alone. We have to fight together. Well, even if you say you don’t want to, there’s nothing you can do. The grudge of the Great Dragon Gang will be directed at the Flying Sword Sect anyway, so you have no choice but to fight, don’t you?”

Gwak Yong shut his mouth.

He was entangled.

A trap? No, it wasn’t like a trap.

Just as Cheon Mubaeck had said, he was properly entangled. A swamp called the martial world that he could not escape from. He felt that the fate entangled with numerous grudges was tying him down.

Cheon Mubaeck was right.

“We’re in the same boat. Sect Leader of the Flying Sword Sect.”

Cheon Mubaeck smiled brightly.

* * *

“You met with the sect leader of the Flying Sword Sect?”

Neung-heo, who had returned after contacting the Beggars’ Sect and the Hao Faction, reported right away.

“Well, there’s a lot of content about the movements of the Great Dragon Gang. Here are a lot of reports. There are no particularly special unusual signs. There is also almost no data on the White-Haired Twin Ghosts.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It seems certain that the older brother is the old man from the Blood Ghost Valley who ran away from Shaolin. The younger brother is also the same as the information we know. He had hidden his existence and had recently appeared at the time of the bloodbath.”

In the end, there was no nutritious substance.

The Great Dragon Gang, the Red Dragon Faction, and the Blood Ghost Valley.

It was certain that these three groups were related and had caused the bloodbaths in Chongqing and Anhui.

What could be dug up further here was the younger brother of the White-Haired Twin Ghosts.

If he caught that guy and beat him up, something certain would surely come out.

The problem was that his whereabouts were also unknown, so he could not dig any further here.

Then he had to take a detour.

“I’ve joined hands with the Flying Sword Sect.”

“Hands?”

“I’ll help with this bloodbath here, and the Flying Sword Sect will also help in facing the Blood Ghost Valley in the future. Well, it’s a kind of alliance.”

“The Flying Sword Sect, following Mount Hua and Shaolin…”

“It has to be that much.”

That’s right. He also needed to build up his own forces. No matter how powerful Cheon Mubaeck was, he needed numbers in a battle of this scale. And skilled numbers at that.

The Flying Sword Sect was more than enough to be of help.

First of all, wasn’t its sect leader, Gwak Yong, a being that Cheon Mubaeck could trust?

“So let’s dig into things from here.”

“Huh? You mean the Seopjin-mun? This is also a place that was annihilated in this bloodbath, right?”

“Right. A place that has completely disappeared.”

“Why are we investigating here?”

“The Flying Sword Sect also investigated, but they said there was something suspicious.”

“Suspicious?”

“Because they burned it all with fire. Everything.”

Neung-heo blinked his eyes.

“Why?”

“To erase the traces, I suppose.”

Neung-heo crossed his arms. His eyes narrowed.

“So, you’re saying there were traces left that had to be erased even by burning it with fire? Unlike other places?”

“Wow. Our Neung-heo, you’re getting better at using your head.”

Neung-heo’s cheeks went up at the compliment he had received after a long time.

Cheon Mubaeck got up from his seat and said.

“Even if you burn everything to erase the traces, will all the traces disappear?”

“Hmm. It seems it would be hard to find. So the Flying Sword Sect couldn’t find anything, right?”

“That’s the Flying Sword Sect.”

Cheon Mubaeck grinned.

“I’ll find it.”

Even if it’s a very small trace.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep