Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 59
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 59. Between Confidence and Recklessness (4)
“Would you like a drink?”
“I’m on official duty, so drinking would be difficult.”
“Hehe, is that so?”
Hong Jun Ak smiled warmly at the Eldest Son’s composed attitude.
“How is the situation progressing?”
“Hwang In Hwa is smarter than I thought. As the sect leader’s blood relative, she’s stepped forward to lead the sect as acting sect leader.”
“The elders won’t just leave her be.”
“The Grand Elder is in self-reflection for failing to protect the sect leader. Currently, Ice Sword Han Gyeong seems to have the strongest voice.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“Hwang In Hwa is at a disadvantage. The sect leader’s life hangs by a thread, and Hwang Ji Hwa also has a high chance of becoming a cripple. The reason to revere her as the sect leader’s blood has disappeared.”
“And so?”
“I plan to eliminate Han Gyeong in the near future.”
Even without power, his position as an elder gives him considerable influence within the sect.
Having Jianghu experience, he’s also harder to handle than Hwang In Hwa. For the Hong Clan Sword Family to ‘naturally’ swallow the Ten Swords Gate, supporting Hwang In Hwa was perfect.
“Are you confident you can handle it without leaving traces?”
“I plan to frame it as Hwang In Hwa’s doing.”
“Yes, well thought.”
Hong Jun Ak, who had emptied his cup refreshingly, handed over a bundle he had placed beside him.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“I heard your Yang Energy rises at night, making it hard to sleep. These medicinal herbs will help.”
“Thank you.”
The Eldest Son, always stoic.
But Hong Jun Ak knew. The emotion cast in the Eldest Son’s voice.
He was different from the second son in many ways. Unlike Hong In, who was talented but frivolous, Hong Myeong was less talented but calm and cool-headed, able to distinguish well between those deserving of his sincerity and those who weren’t.
It was because of such qualities that he had given him the secret transmission.
“How is your achievement?”
Though it was a sudden question, Hong Myeong understood immediately.
“I’m at a standstill.”
“That’s fine. Isn’t it martial arts with the risk of qi deviation if you cultivate too forcefully? You probably know this well enough, but always keep your mind calm in all things.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Satisfaction spread across Hong Jun Ak’s face.
The world wouldn’t know. The true power of the Hong Clan Sword Family.
And how remarkable the skill level of the Eldest Son who inherited that power was.
“Though you say you’re at a standstill, you achieved in less than thirty years what this father achieved in his forties. It’s by no means slow, so don’t be impatient.”
“It’s thanks to the Family Head’s teachings.”
“Hehehe.”
He didn’t think his child-rearing of the second son had failed. It was just a transitional period.
But he could confidently say that the first one had definitely succeeded.
That’s what made it even more regrettable.
“It’s unfortunate that I realized too late that your constitution is more yang-strong than mine. If only we had cold yin spiritual medicine, you could complete your martial arts in no time, but it’s not easy.”
“Father.”
Not Family Head, but Father.
It was a signal that he would address him as a son, not as the Red Sword Corps Master.
“Speak.”
“I cannot be certain yet, but I think it needs to be properly investigated, so I’m telling you.”
“What are you referring to?”
“I’m talking about the Moyong Family’s Family Head Deputy.”
“That child, Moyong Su Jeong?”
“I did some personal investigation…”
A strange heat arose in Hong Myeong’s previously indifferent face.
“That girl seems to have been born with Nine Yin Severed Meridians.”
“What?!”
Hong Jun Ak was startled.
Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
It was an incurable disease where yin qi rose excessively to the point of breaking harmony, a severed meridian condition for which no cause or solution had been found to this day.
“Is that really true?”
“I’m not certain, but it appears to be fact.”
Hong Jun Ak unconsciously let out a hollow laugh.
“If that’s true… it means we’ve been doing useless things while having an ancient spiritual medicine close by.”
Though he hadn’t neglected external affairs, he hadn’t actively controlled the streets as aggressively as Ten Swords Gate.
The reason was simple. He had been crouching down, waiting for the right time. Of course, he also had foundations other than Wuhan’s businesses.
So he had only watched Ten Swords Gate and hadn’t paid much attention to the surroundings.
To be precise, he thought there was no need to worry about something like the Moyong Family.
“I’ve seen her once from afar too. She wore a veil so I couldn’t read her complexion, but I remember her aura being very unstable. It was clear she was suffering from a serious illness…”
“That illness seems to have been Nine Yin Severed Meridians.”
“Hehe.”
Greed appeared on Hong Jun Ak’s face.
“So that’s what it was?”
“If it’s certain, please take her, Father.”
Even the increasingly intense greed couldn’t overcome his overflowing paternal love.
“Nonsense. What would I do completing the secret transmission at this point?”
Hong Jun Ak’s eyes became clear.
“If that child truly has Nine Yin Severed Meridians, it’s proper that you, my successor, should take her.”
Honest emotion appeared on Hong Myeong’s face.
“Father.”
“But how old is that child?”
“Twenty-one. She’ll be twenty-two after this year passes.”
“Things are becoming urgent.”
Those afflicted with Nine Yin Severed Meridians were said to be born with exceptional talent in some particular field.
However, their lifespan was short, usually not surviving past their mid-teens or at most dying before twenty. That’s why it was called the disease of beauty and short life, wasn’t it?
“Just in case, it would be good to assign someone to watch her.”
“What use would that be?”
Hong Jun Ak’s voice was resolute.
“At that age, it wouldn’t be strange if she died at any moment. We must obtain that child as quickly as possible.”
“But there are many watching eyes.”
“We’ll have to target the middle of the night somehow.”
As patient as he was, when he felt it was time to act, he showed no hesitation.
“Didn’t you just send In Ah to the Moyong Family? If Moyong Su Jeong disappears in this situation, it could lead to unnecessary gossip.”
It wasn’t wrong.
Still, Hong Jun Ak was resolute.
“Such gossip can be suppressed with force. How foolish would it be to miss a flower that could wither at any moment because of mere gossip?”
“I see.”
“However, your words do have merit. At least not today.”
Hong Jun Ak smiled.
“Let’s target tomorrow dawn.”
“Understood.”
“Hehe, we certainly have deep ties with the Moyong Family in many ways.”
More precisely, he planned to forcibly create those ties, and from the Moyong Family’s perspective, it would be a malicious connection.
“By the way.”
The stronger the excitement, the more one must not lose composure.
“What do you think? Do you believe In Ah can bring that fellow back?”
“He’s somewhat arrogant, but In Ah isn’t an incompetent child, is he?”
“Of course not.”
“With the experience he’s built as leader of the Red Sword Third Unit, he should be able to succeed in most cases. Isn’t that what you expected, Father?”
There was a reason he deliberately sent all of the Red Sword Third Unit.
Hong Jun Ak burst into hearty laughter.
“I hear that Moyong Bi fellow has quite the temperament. Whatever the process, it will be a great stimulus for In Ah.”
“If he succeeds, I’ll personally step forward to receive him as a guest.”
“Good.”
Having sent his son away, Hong Jun Ak tilted his wine cup alone.
‘Nine Yin Severed Meridians?’
Come to think of it, he remembered the former family head also suffering from illness. At that time, rumors spread that the renowned Moyong Noble Family was actually a family of frauds, and he too couldn’t contain his curiosity and had watched them.
His father had told him not to worry about the remnants of a fallen family at all.
‘It doesn’t seem to be hereditary… but then again, that doesn’t matter.’
His heart pounded.
To others it might be a disease deserving sympathy, but to those who had learned ‘this martial art,’ it was the most precious spiritual medicine under heaven.
“Uhahahaha!”
Laughter that could no longer be contained burst forth, shaking the pavilion.
That laughter filled with desire was worthy of being called a demonic sound.
* * *
“Young Master!”
“Oh, it’s been a while.”
“My goodness, you’ve put on some weight?”
“Heh heh, I’ve been eating so well lately.”
“Heh heh, thanks to that, it’s become easier for us to make a living too.”
Beom Gwang, who had been cleaning the front yard of the inn, acted quite friendly.
“But what brings you here today? Are you going somewhere on business? Or why don’t you stop by our inn? I’ll treat you to some delicious food.”
“How much are you planning to fleece me for with that treat?”
“Cough! H-how could that be?!”
“Just joking, just joking.”
It didn’t take even a moment for Beom Gwang’s face, which had regained its bright smile, to completely stiffen.
“Huh-uh!”
Behind Moyong Bi were about twenty swordsmen.
They wore spacious wind cloaks and large round bamboo hats that covered their eyes. Even so, their reddish long swords were subtly visible.
“Don’t tell me!”
Moyong Bi asked the completely frozen man.
“By the way, how’s the atmosphere on the street these days?”
“….”
“I say, innkeeper.”
“Huh! Y-yes?”
“I asked how the atmosphere on the street is. Is it pretty good?”
It just became not good right now though….
Beom Gwang gulped down dry saliva three times before speaking.
“Very, very good.”
“That’s fortunate. No strange ruffians causing trouble?”
“…Yes.”
“But why is your voice crawling like that? Did you see a ghost or something?”
I saw humans who could be more deadly than ghosts though?
The reputation of the Red Sword Corps was famous even in the marketplace. Moreover, since the Hong Clan Sword Family people rarely showed themselves in the marketplace, all sorts of rumors circulated because of that.
Among them, the Red Sword Third Unit, called the strongest, was rumored to be a group of sword demons who could even cut down ghosts.
Naturally, he couldn’t help but be frightened.
“No, no.”
“The negation of a negation is an affirmation, they say.”
Moyong Bi glanced back.
“Hey.”
“…?”
“You guys scared the owner here. Walk politely, politely.”
Hong In was dumbfounded.
“Are you talking to me right now?”
“Do you live with your ears closed? I’m talking to all of you.”
“….”
“Anyway, these guys are the problem. They’d be recognized even if they stayed still, but they’re desperate to show off. Must have no self-respect at all.”
Hong In’s face, which had turned like paper crumpled by some mad Fire Artisan, was truly a sight to behold.
Moyong Bi looked at Beom Gwang again and smiled.
“Don’t be too afraid of these guys. Do you think they don’t eat rice or take dumps?”
“…Ah, yes.”
“Then take care. I’ll stop by again later.”
“Please go safely.”
Beom Gwang bowed deeply and swept with his broom, head hanging low.
Hong In, who was following behind Moyong Bi, felt his anger rising more and more.
‘What the hell does that bastard want to do?!’
Two hours had already passed by.
First he joked around with the inn owner, then he had pointless conversations with the fabric shop owner. He even chatted with a gisaeng who was just starting work, and had a serious conversation with an old man who had spread food at a street stall.
From Hong In’s perspective, it was all completely useless nonsense.
Yet Moyong Bi changed his expression skillfully according to his conversation partner, as if finding something amusing and serious.
It wasn’t pretending – he really seemed to enjoy talking with them.
‘That bastard.’
He couldn’t stand it anymore.
Hong In approached Moyong Bi, who was handing sugar candy to a child.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Isn’t this enough?”
“We’re still far from done.”
“You’re not going to say you won’t go now, are you?”
“What if I do?”
“What?!”
“I said let’s think about it on the way, didn’t I? If I change my mind, I won’t go. Why are you throwing a fit now?”
“…!”
“It’s not like you stuck close to me and rubbed your palms together, or bowed and scraped, right? This bastard has the heart of a highway robber.”
Hong In finally shouted.
“What kind of pathetic word games are these?!!”
Swoosh.
In an instant, the hat string tied under his chin snapped.
Before he could even realize it, his bamboo hat slipped backward.
Hong In’s face hardened completely.
Before he knew it, the tip of the wooden staff was touching his chin, and despite not being a blade, a strange killing intent emanated from it.
“Will you wait? Or would you like to hear some wordplay?”
“….”
“Keep your eyes nice and open as you follow along. Before I drill a hole the size of an eyeball through your front teeth.”
Moyong Bi withdrew his wooden staff and patted the child’s head again.
The anxious child smiled once more.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. The uncles were just playing warrior games. But don’t those uncles look like villains to anyone who sees them?”
“That’s right.”
“Heh heh.”
Hong In made up his mind.
‘This bastard, I’ll kill him.’
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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