Light Novel: Volume 22 Episode 15
Manhwa: N/A
“Hoo!”
Hong Yushin sighed as he looked at the river.
There was a sense of emptiness in his sigh.
“I know I asked him to do it, but I never really thought he’d be able to pull it off.”
With an expression of disbelief, Hong Yushin shook his head from side to side.
He then picked up a stone for no reason and threw it into the river.
Plunk, plunk, plunk!
The broad stone skimmed across the water.
Where the stone struck the water’s surface, countless ripples were created.
Hong Yushin, with his arms on his waist, watched the trail the stone had made.
“Ridiculous human. I thought he would just scare the assassin sects into submission, but he actually went and completely took care of them.”
The unification of assassin sects.
It was something no martial artist could have even dreamed of.
For now, only the assassin sects that had gathered around Poyang Lake were dealt with, but given time, he could have all the assassin sects in the world under his feet.
If that really happened, it would mean the birth of another force, one that could threaten both the Golden Heaven Society and the Silver Lotus Society.
The thought that this all happened because of his request to Pyo-wol suddenly made him shiver.
Brrr!
Hong Yushin rubbed his shoulders vigorously with his arms. But even that did not alleviate the chill he felt.
“Hoo! Now, I’m not even sure anymore.”
“Not sure about what?”
At that moment, he heard a voice come from behind him.
At the familiar voice, Hong Yushin carefully turned around. There he saw the person he had just been talking about.
“Master… Pyo?”
A man wearing a blood-red robe with a hat attached to it was suddenly standing behind him before he knew it.
Even though the man’s face was obscured by his deeply pressed hat, Hong Yushin recognized him immediately.
There was no other man who could emit such a unique and alien aura except for Pyo-wol.
Pyo-wol said,
“It’s been a while.”
“You came here yourself?”
“Why? Is it a problem if I come?”
“That’s not it… Ah!”
Hong Yushin stuttered.
Now that Pyo-wol’s status had changed, he became more cautious about how to speak.
After a moment’s hesitation, he decided to speak comfortably as before.
“Weren’t you supposed to be organizing the internal affairs of the assassin sects? Considering you’ve gathered those with strong murderous intents, wouldn’t establishing a hierarchy be problematic?”
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Pardon?”
“I just have to make them organize themselves.”
“What do you mean?”
“The strongest one will eventually take the top positions.”
Pyo-wol slightly smiled.
He knew exactly what Hong Yushin was worried about. But there was no need for him to worry.
Pyo-wol had shoved all the assassins from the assassin sects he had taken under his wing into a single space. He had pushed them into an environment similar to the underground dungeons he had spent his childhood in.
From now on, they would compete with each other and fight to the death. The strongest would naturally rise to the top, while the weak would be crushed and relegated to the bottom.
Some might call it harsh.
But to sustain an organization for a long time, it was good to have a bloody competition. Nonetheless, implementing a suitable policy of harmony was also essential. After all, an organization that failed to do so would inevitably crumble like a sandcastle before long.
Pyo-wol was aware of this fact.
Yet, he still resorted to this method because he had no intention of maintaining the unified assassin sects for a long time.
Once the turmoil in the Jianghu was over, the unified assassin sects would disband.
Until then, he planned to rule with an iron fist.
Pyo-wol had set the overall framework, leaving the details to the Elder Assassin and Hong Ye-seol. Now, they would take care of organizing the unified assassin sects and boosting their strength.
Do Yeonsan, Eunyo, and Nam Shin-woo also decided to take this opportunity to undergo closed-door training.
They already have the foundation to become much stronger than they currently are.
As long as they train and dedicate themselves wholeheartedly, they will surely achieve great accomplishments.
Having arranged everything, Pyo-wol left the Sol Family Courtyard alone to find Hong Yushin.
Hong Yushin asked Pyo-wol,
“Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“That’s good. I haven’t eaten yet either. There’s a guest house by Poyang Lake with decent food. Let’s talk over a meal there.”
“Let’s do that.”
“Let’s go.”
Hong Yushin led the way.
Pyo-wol followed him.
Now that autumn was coming to an end, the wind was becoming chilly.
“Ugh! How cold.”
Hong Yushin shivered exaggeratedly on purpose.
Pyo-wol knew that it was a gesture to shake off the awkward atmosphere.
Following Hong Yushin, they soon arrived at a city by the shores of Poyang Lake.
Poyang Lake was so vast it reminded one of the ocean.
The expansive lake enriched the soil nearby, and the land that grew crops well attracted people.
Those people gathered and built a large city.
By the shores of Poyang Lake, there were several cities created in this manner.
The city Hong Yushin had brought Pyo-wol to was one such city.
The atmosphere in the city was extremely ominous. Not only were there very few people on the streets, but the few who were visible were all martial artists armed with weapons.
Ordinary people simply locked their doors and refused to go outside.
Hong Yushin said,
“The mood was already ominous due to the turmoil in Jianghu, but the incident in Duchang has completely plunged the atmosphere into the abyss.”
Duchang was one of the larger cities around Poyang Lake, and the muddied conflict involving the Snowflake Sword Squad, the Ten Thousand Sword Squad, and other martial artists from Jianghu caused great devastation to the city.
What decisively influenced the public sentiment were Pyo-wol and the assassins from the assassin sects.
The assassins from the assassin sects had perfectly subdued the martial artists.
The issue was that not a single person from the Ten Thousand Sword Squad, the Snowflake Sword Squad, or the martial artists had died.
In Jianghu, it was common knowledge that subduing someone without killing them was harder than killing them in itself.
Especially if the opponent was a martial artist trained in martial arts, subduing them without killing was many times more difficult.
Nevertheless, the assassins led by Pyo-wol managed to perfectly control the chaos in Duchang and subdue the martial artists.
They accomplished what everyone thought was impossible.
These series of events instilled great fear in the people around Poyang Lake. That’s why, even in broad daylight, people refrained from going outside and stayed cooped up in their homes.
Only the guest houses that catered to martial artists were open, allowing for meals to be served.
The place Hong Yushin took Pyo-wol to was a very shabby guest house.
The guest house, run by an elderly couple, was not very large.
It was small enough to be managed by just two people. Hence, there weren’t many customers.
Martial artists usually preferred large and splendid guest houses, so such a shabby place was rarely visited. But those who knew, knew how delicious the food at this humble guest house was.
“Old man, please bring us some red chicken meat and rice.”
Hong Yushin ordered as soon as he sat down.
The elderly owner glanced at Hong Yushin, then nodded and went inside.
Hong Yushin said,
“The red chicken meat here is exceptional. With a glass of liquor, it’s heavenly. By the way, would you like a drink?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll drink alone. That’s alright with you, right?”
“Do as you like.”
“Thank you. Hehe!”
Hong Yushin chuckled.
He seemed to have relaxed a bit now.
Even as they entered the guest house, Pyo-wol did not take off his hat. It was because of the people’s gaze.
His appearance was so well-known that if he showed his bare face, his identity would be exposed in no time.
At times like this, he felt that his conspicuous appearance was burdensome. However, since he couldn’t spend his life with a different face using the Face Changing Technique, he had to live and endure some discomfort.
Pyo-wol looked out at the street in silence while waiting for the food to be served. Hong Yushin also looked out in turn.
As Pyo-wol gazed at the deserted street, he spoke,
“How’s the atmosphere with the Golden Heaven Society and the Silver Lotus Society?”
“Both sides have received a great shock and are being cautious.”
“Because of what happened in Duchang?”
“It must have been a chilling event for them. They never thought the assassins, whom they had so disparaged and dismissively looked down upon, would unite and pull off such a significant feat.”
Up until this point, the assassin sects were nothing more than disposable tools that could be used and discarded at any time. As long as they were paid a small sum, they could be commanded at will, making them the perfect tools.
However, the incident in Duchang changed that perception.
People began to see the assassin sects not just as a tool that could be used but as a threat.
What’s more, the leader of the unified assassin sects was Pyo-wol.
The combination of Pyo-wol and the assassin sects was perceived as a great threat to the existing martial arts factions. That’s why they refrained from doing external activities and focused more on devising strategies against the assassin sects.
Hong Yushin said,
“Now, they will have to exercise some caution.”
In the past, they might have fought among themselves without regard for the consequences, but with the emergence of a third force like Pyo-wol and the assassin sects, they had no choice but to be cautious.
A sense of crisis gripped them, as they realized that if they made a mistake, they might be devoured by Pyo-wol instead.
This was the outcome Hong Yushin had desperately wanted.
It was impossible to predict how the situation would unfold, but the fact that they could take a breather was enough for now.
After a while, the food arrived.
The broth was entirely red, indicating it might be very spicy.
As Hong Yushin served red chicken meat into Pyo-wol’s bowl, he said,
“Try it. You’ll experience the amazing sensation of sweating out from your entire body.”
He also filled his own bowl with a generous serving of red chicken meat.
Pyo-wol cautiously took a bite of the red chicken meat.
Immediately after, a deep furrow formed between his brows.
It was due to the intense spiciness that stimulated his tongue.
It wasn’t just the color that was red. The red chicken meat harbored a strong spiciness that seemed to strike the brain directly.
Hong Yushin smirked slightly.
“Impressive, isn’t it? Your tongue might feel numb at first, but you’ll get addicted to its taste as you eat.”
He began to eat the red chicken meat voraciously.
Thick beads of sweat cascaded down Hong Yushin’s face like a waterfall.
Pyo-wol looked at his face for a moment before eating more of the red chicken meat. Soon, thick sweat droplets formed on his face as well.
It was spicy yet very addictive.
Pyo-wol seemed to understand why Hong Yushin had praised the food here so highly.
Pyo-wol ate only a certain amount before putting down his chopsticks. He intentionally did not finish the meal, stopping midway.
Such stimulating flavors could dull an assassin’s senses. That’s why Pyo-wol deliberately left some food uneaten.
Hong Yushin was different.
He devoured every last drop of the red chicken meat soup, and although his body was drenched in sweat, he wore an extremely happy expression.
Hong Yushin then took a sip of alcohol to wash off what he had just eaten.
With his mouth already fiery from the spicy food, the strong alcohol all the more made it feel as if his insides were ablaze. Yet, Hong Yushin did not wipe away his happy smile.
After finishing his meal, Hong Yushin sipped his drink and told Pyo-wol about the current trends in Jianghu.
Although he had already received the information through documents from Do Yeonsan and Eunyo, hearing it from Hong Yushin felt different.
It was much more vivid, and the situation around Poyang Lake was organized more clearly and concisely.
Just as Pyo-wol was listening attentively to Hong Yushin’s words while looking out the window–
“Hm?”
His eyes suddenly lit up in interest.
He saw a group of martial artists walking in front of the guesthouse where he was.
The young martial artists, who appeared to be around Do Yeonsan’s age, were chatting and laughing loudly, seemingly enjoying themselves, as they were walking by.
Among them, he recognized a familiar face.
‘Chae Mu-ok.’
He was none other than the young martial artist who had come to Xiangyin with Pyo-wol.
It was him who had rescued Ko Mu-jin from the pursuit of the Blood Rakshasa in Xiangyin and escaped with him, and now he had appeared again on the shore of Poyang Lake.
It wasn’t just Chae Mu-ok. Ko Mu-jin, whom he had rescued, was also walking at the front of the group.
At that moment, Hong Yushin spoke,
“Do you know someone in the Righteous Sky Squad?”1
“The Righteous Sky Squad?”
“The group that Grandmaster Pyo is looking at is the Righteous Sky Squad. It’s a group led by Ko Mu-jin of the Seven Absolute Sect, and they have been standing out in the Silver Lotus Society recently. They are known for their loyalty and good reputation, attracting a considerable following. Especially that young boy.”
Hong Yushin pointed his finger at Chae Mu-ok.
“Why him?”
“That boy, known as Chae Mu-ok, is famous for his powerful martial arts and upright character. He is one of the new stars born from the martial world’s turmoil around Poyang Lake.”
“Is that so?”
It was then.
At that moment, as if by coincidence, Chae Mu-ok looked towards where Pyo-wol was.
Pyo-wol pressed his hat deeper into his head.
Seeing Pyo-wol like that, Chae Mu-ok tilted his head in confusion.
Ko Mu-jin, who was walking at the front, then asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing, I just thought I saw someone I know.”
“Then go and greet them.”
“No, it must have been a mistake. That person couldn’t possibly be here.”
“Who?”
“Just someone like that.”
Chae Mu-ok smiled and took the lead again.
Pyo-wol watched Chae Mu-ok’s back as he walked away for a long time. Underneath his hat, his lips curved into an arc.
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