Light Novel: Volume 20 Episode 24
Manhwa: N/A
Pyo-wol’s eyes were cold as he looked at Hong Yushin.
“You want me to intervene in their fight?”
“Yes!”
“Why should I?”
“You wouldn’t want the war to escalate any further than this, Master Pyo-wol. It’s a war instigated by the Kowloon Assassin Guild. If the war expands further, so will the influence of the Kowloon Assassin Guild. Shouldn’t we prevent such a worst-case scenario?”
Hong Yushin replied calmly.
The turmoil in Jianghu began when Jang Hoyeon of the Rain Sword Mountain Manor secretly commissioned the Hundred Wraith Union to assassinate Noh Kang-hyun, the Scholar as Wise as Seven Sages. However, the Kowloon Assassin Guild was the one who instigated and fueled the situation.
The Kowloon Assassin Guild wanted to take advantage of the outbreak of a great war and sought to gain immense benefits.
Although they were attacked by Pyo-wol earlier, resulting in the death of their leaders Go Jang-myung and Gu Moon-hye, their power remained formidable.
If left unchecked, they would soon reorganize and seek further gains.
The situation was already chaotic due to the great war, and with the Kowloon Assassin Guild’s intervention, it would escalate into greater chaos.
Hong Yushin was one of the few people who knew Pyo-wol had been fighting against the Kowloon Assassin Guild for a long time.
It was only because he knew about the grudge between the Kowloon Assassin Guild and Pyo-wol that he dared to make this request.
He believed that Pyo-wol, whom he knew, would surely agree to help eliminate the Kowloon Assassin Guild’s influence.
Hong Yushin’s unwavering gaze was enough to convince him.
Even without Hong Yushin’s request, Pyo-wol had no intention of letting the Kowloon Assassin Guild’s influence grow.
So Yeowol had seized control of the Kowloon Assassin Guild through unorthodox means.
Although she was busy quelling internal strife and couldn’t interfere in Jianghu’s affairs immediately, once stabilized, she would definitely meddle.
The best way to suppress internal dissatisfaction was to confront external enemies.
So Yeowol would surely intervene in the great war to quell questions about her legitimacy.
‘Considering the Kowloon Assassin Guild’s usual methods, it’s likely they’ll use mercenary and assassin groups.’
The Kowloon Assassin Guild still possessed astronomical wealth and knew how to use it.
One of their favorite tactics was to employ mercenaries and assassins.
There was a high probability they would do the same this time.
‘Taking away their options wouldn’t be a bad deal.’
The largest and most powerful assassin group in the world was now under Hong Ye-seol’s control.
In the process of subduing her predecessor, the previous union leader, Hong Ye-seol sustained significant injuries. When they had made love over the past few days, Pyo-wol had seen the scars that remained on her body like a brand.
Had those wounds been slightly deeper, she wouldn’t have been alive.
In any case, now that she was firmly in control of the Hundred Wraith Union, they wouldn’t accept commissions from the Kowloon Assassin Guild. If so, it was likely that the Kowloon Assassin Guild would turn to other assassin groups.
There were many assassin organizations in Jianghu besides the Hundred Wraith Union.
These groups were commonly referred to as Assassin Sects.
While there were major assassin sects like the Hundred Wraith Union, which were huge and infamous throughout Jianghu, there were also others, like the Blood Shadow Group which Pyo-wol had been a part of, that were only active in one region.
These assassin sects rarely ventured beyond their own territories, wary of attracting the Hundred Wraith Union’s gaze. But now, they were gathering around Poyang Lake.
This was because they were anticipating a period of unprecedented prosperity.
Eager for lucrative opportunities, these assassin sects positioned themselves around Poyang Lake, waiting for contracts to come in.
It wasn’t just these assassin sects.
Mercenaries were also converging on the area.
Some traveled and operated individually, and others in groups.
They had smelled the money and profit brought upon by the battlefield.
Many among them had already been hired by the Golden Heaven Society to attack the Silver Lotus Society.
Those who were still observing were expected to join the fray sooner or later as well.
It’s chaotic enough as it is, but if the Kowloon Assasin Guild were to intervene and utilize these forces to their advantage, Jianghu would spiral into greater turmoil.
Pyo-wol turned to Hong Ye-seol and asked,
“Do you know how many assassin sects there are in the Jianghu?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I believe there are over a hundred of them operating in secret.”
Due to the nature of assassin sects, there were more unknowns than knowns. While many were of low caliber, there were quite a few with formidable skills.
“More than a hundred?”
“Assassin sects rarely operate openly. The Hundred Wraith Union is an exception, but others meticulously conceal their existence to avoid becoming public enemies of Jianghu. Due to this nature, it’s hard to get an accurate count. We only speculate that there are over a hundred, but we don’t know the exact number.”
Upon hearing Hong Ye-seol’s answer, Pyo-wol’s eyes sank deeply.
He hadn’t realized that there were so many of them in the world.
Hong Ye-seol continued,
“Not all of them will come to Poyang Lake, as most of them only possess subpar capabilities.”
She explained that not every assassin sect was as formidable as the Hundred Wraith Union or the Blood Shadow Group.
Most had meager strength, barely maintaining their existence with modest contracts.
“At most, twenty or thirty assassin sects would have built up enough power to be useful.”
“So, we’re looking at a potential involvement of up to thirty assassin sects?”
“In my judgment, yes.”
Hong Ye-seol’s words made Pyo-wol nod his head.
She was more familiar with the world of assassins than he was, so the likelihood of her guess being accurate was high.
Pyo-wol closed his eyes.
He knew Hong Yushin must have pondered deeply before making this request, but it wasn’t a decision to be taken lightly.
Pyo-wol, lost in thought, remained silent, weighing the gravity of the situation.
Hong Yushin watched Pyo-wol intently, his expression tense.
The decision Pyo-wol would be making here has the possibility of determining the course of the war.
Hong Yushin desperately hoped that Pyo-wol would grant his request, as it was the only way to reduce the damage of the great war.
The time Pyo-wol spent in contemplation seemed to stretch indefinitely.
* * *
Hong Yushin left the abandoned house in Qiyang and headed for Poyang Lake.
In his heart, he wanted to stay here and continue his pursuit of the Kowloon Assassin Guild, but the rapidly changing situation in Jianghu made that impossible.
Yesterday alone, it was reported that there were over three hundred casualties in a single day. Three hundred deaths a day might seem small and manageable now, but if the fighting continues for over a month, that would account for nearly ten thousand deaths.
Of course, it’s unlikely that ten thousand lives would actually be lost over a month of fighting. The situation in Jianghu is not something that can be calculated simply by arithmetic. Still, it was a cause for concern. Hong Yushin needed to see how things were unfolding with his own eyes, which was why he headed to Poyang Lake without taking proper rest.
Pyo-wol watched Hong Yushin’s back as he walked away with his arms crossed.
At his side was Hong Ye-seol.
She just stood still, silently observing him.
She didn’t pressure him into any decision or prematurely voice her thoughts.
Pyo-wol was not one to listen and act on others’ words.
Whenever he acted or decided on something, it was purely his own.
Knowing that, Hong Ye-seol didn’t say anything and remained silent.
It was then.
Someone appeared again from the direction Hong Yushin had left.
At first, they thought it was Hong Yushin coming back. However, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t him. Moreover, there were two figures approaching.
Pyo-wol and Hong Ye-seol quickly recognized their identities.
One was the Elder Assassin and the other was Nam Shin-woo.
“Shin-woo?”
It wasn’t strange for the Elder Assassin to return. After all, he was only supposed to escort the divine doctor to the Qi Family Medical Hall and come back. However, it was unusual for Nam Shin-woo to return after going to meet his master, the Wind Saint.
When Nam Shin-woo returned to the abandoned house, he had a strange expression on his face.
He came up to Pyo-wol and said,
“Brother! Master followed some man.”
“A man?”
“Yes! According to sister, he was a very young man, and Master called him ‘Elder Brother.'”
“‘Brother’?”
“Yes!”
“A young man called ‘Brother’ by the Wind Saint…”
Pyo-wol furrowed his brow.
The Wind Saint was known to be one of the most respected figures in Jianghu.
Not only was his martial prowess extremely high, but he had also lived for a considerable amount of time. In the current Jianghu, there weren’t many martial artists older than the Wind Saint.
“Is it a high-level master who has achieved the Realm of Youthful Rejuvenation?”
There were cases where a martial artist, upon reaching the pinnacle of cultivation, would have their body go back to being young again. Like Bone Transformation, it meant shedding the old body and being reborn into a new body.
“Realm of Youthful Rejuvenation…”
“Mmm!”
Both Hong Ye-seol and Eunyo uttered softly.
They knew how significant and extraordinary achieving such a state was. For them, it was an unimaginable and tremendous level.
To not merely withstand the passage of time, but to even reverse it.
They had never seen anyone who had achieved such a state.
Hong Ye-seol asked Nam Shin-woo,
“Do you happen to know that person’s identity?”
“Well…”
Nam Shin-woo bit his lip.
He clearly knew something, but he was hesitant to say it.
Pyo-wol then said,
“If it’s difficult, you don’t have to say it.”
“No, I’ll tell you. Actually, my master once mentioned that he has a brother.”
“A real blood relative?”
“Yes!”
Nam Shin-woo’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.
He seemed conflicted even as he spoke.
The Wind Saint had confided his life story to his sole disciple and entrusted him to keep it a secret. Now, Nam Shin-woo was torn about whether breaking this promise was the right thing to do. But finally, he gathered his resolve and continued,
“My master’s brother’s name is Jang Cheonhwa.”
“Jang… Cheonhwa? Are you talking about Jang Cheonhwa of the Celestial Martial Sect?”
Hong Ye-seol gasped in shock, looking at Nam Shin-woo.
Nam Shin-woo nodded solemnly.
“That’s right.”
“My goodness! To think that the Wind Saint was the younger brother of Jang Cheonhwa, the leader of the Celestial Martial Sect.”
Hong Ye-seol was so surprised that she covered her mouth with her hand.
Jang Cheonhwa, the leader of the Celestial Martial Sect, was a martial artist who was always mentioned when discussing the greatest in the martial world.
He first became known when he killed the leader of the Celestial Demon Union, Go Geomwol, towards the end of the Great Heavenly Demon War.
He didn’t kill him directly in combat, but more of taking advantage of Go Geomwol’s weakened state, yet that alone was enough to earn him a blazing reputation.
The Celestial Martial Sect already possessed vast wealth. This, combined with the young leader Jang Cheonhwa’s fame, attracted many to join the sect as followers.
The young Jang Cheonhwa displayed remarkable acumen in retaining these guests as members of the Celestial Martial Sect.
Martial artists who initially came to pay their respects were so impressed with Jang Cheonhwa’s abilities and character that they became his loyal followers.
Thus, the Celestial Martial Sect rapidly expanded and, along with the Frenzied Warrior Sect, became one of the Two Strongholds of Jianghu.
The speed at which Jang Cheonhwa elevated the Celestial Martial Sect to one of the dominant forces was a testament to his exceptional skills and martial prowess.
Although killing Go Geomwol was more about fortune than skill, he diligently continued to cultivate his martial arts, approaching the status of the current greatest martial artist in the world.
His skills were comparable to those of Lee Cheong, son of the previous greatest martial artist Lee Gwak, and current leader of the Frenzied Warrior Sect.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if Jang Cheonhwa indeed achieved the state of reversing aging.
The issue was that it was entirely unknown that Jang Cheonhwa had a brother.
Even the Hao clan and the Hundred Wraith Union, who were second to none in terms of gathering intelligence in Jianghu, were completely unaware of such a fact.
Pyo-wol asked,
“Is the leader of the Celestial Martial Sect really the Wind Saint’s elder brother?”
“My master said so himself.”
Nam Shin-woo’s response led Pyo-wol to stroke his chin thoughtfully.
The Wind Saint was not one to speak frivolously.
Moreover, Nam Shin-woo was his only disciple. There was no reason for him to lie to his sole disciple.
“Then the Wind Saint must have followed Jang Cheonhwa to the Celestial Martial Sect.”
“I have to save my master.”
“How could the leader of the Celestial Martial Sect harm your master? Aren’t they blood relatives?”
“My master never liked his brother. He said living with him meant forever being in his shadow. My master said that he had wandered around Jianghu without a home because he wanted to escape being his shadow.”
“……”
“If he enters the Celestial Martial Sect, my master will forever live as Jang Cheonhwa’s shadow.”
Nam Shin-woo bit his lip tightly.
He then remembered what the Wind Saint had said to him long ago.
—If I ever meet my brother and enter the Celestial Martial Sect, you must never go near it. If my brother learns your secret, he will never leave you be.
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