Surviving as the Sacheon Dang Clan’s Servant - Chapter 92

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 92
22. The Martial Alliance’s Pursuit
Jin Seong’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his bearing suggesting he might draw it at any moment.
A surge of indignation flooded through me, and I shot him a hard look.
“Is it the Alliance’s way to threaten someone into following you before striking, without any explanation? Or is it the Mount Wudang way? Tell me plainly what this investigation is about. I don’t appreciate being treated as a criminal without cause.”
…….
Jin Seong stared down at me in silence, then slowly lowered his hand.
He seemed to find merit in my words and spoke with deliberation.
“A Spirit Gathering Hairpin bearing your name was discovered near a corpse bearing traces of Demonic Energy. The Dang Clan confirmed the item as yours, and they have entrusted your custody to the Alliance. We request your cooperation.”
“……Pardon?”
My body went rigid, as though my blood had turned to ice.
A corpse bearing traces of Demonic Energy?
Were they speaking of the vagrant I’d buried when my qi was depleted? Did Demonic Force infuse Yeon Ryang’s blade?
Just then, someone seized me from behind and yanked me backward.
“You Daoist priests. It’s hardly fitting to threaten someone’s sister like that. What’s this about?”
Yeon Ryang stepped in front of me, his brow darkening as he growled the words.
“It is Alliance business. If you interfere, we shall bring you in as well.”
“Is that so? The sect would apprehend me? Lesser Priest, how confident of you.”
I huddled behind Yeon Ryang’s broad back and bit my lip.
Yeon Ryang could not cross blades with Jin Seong.
Whatever else might be concealed, Jin Seong’s eyes could not be deceived. The instant their swords met, he would recognize Yeon Ryang as a member of the Demon Cult.
He wielded a Daoist blade inscribed with Fa Sha Energy, after all.
I quickly pulled Yeon Ryang back and pressed down firmly on his sword hilt.
We can’t.
I shaped the words silently with my lips and shook my head. Yeon Ryang, quick-witted as always, released the tension in his hand. He was perceptive.
Yeon Ryang’s voice softened slightly.
“So what exactly has my sister done wrong? At least let us hear the reason.”
Jin Seong regarded the Daoist priest standing beside him without speaking, and the younger man fumbled nervously before producing something from his robe.
The paper the young priest held bore my face.
Unlike the crude sketch from the Yuzhou Trading House affair, this was a proper wanted poster. It seemed even the Dang Clan could not refuse the Martial Alliance’s request.
Yeon Ryang snatched the poster roughly, his eyes widening as if they might burst from his skull.
“……What? Dang Sohye? Sohye, is it? So you’ve been lying to me about your name?”
Ah, that’s right. I never told him.
I smiled awkwardly and tried to redirect the conversation.
“You hid from me that you were going to Hao Gate. We’ll talk about it later.”
“What? How did you even know that? Were you already aware that day and following me? Good grief, your brother feels wounded. I never knew my sister harbored so many secrets!”
Yeon Ryang protested loudly, his voice pitching higher. I smacked the back of his shoulder.
“Quiet. We’re in a serious situation here.”
The Third Generation Disciples of Mount Wudang standing behind Jin Seong exchanged confused glances, looking between us uncertainly.
Embarrassed, I ignored Yeon Ryang’s continued protests and turned my attention to Jin Seong.
“Is that the full extent of your explanation? It has nothing to do with the matter of poisoning my betrothed?”
At my question, Jin Seong blinked slowly, then nodded with deliberate care.
“……Yes. That matter is unrelated.”
His response seemed oddly taken aback, which puzzled me—until I abruptly understood why.
“Good heavens. Sister. So that’s why you ran away? My, poisoning your betrothed because you didn’t want to marry him. The Dang Clan daughter is terrifying indeed.”
Yeon Ryang’s mouth fell open, and he rubbed his forearms as if overcome with chills.
Even the Mount Wudang priests exchanged sidelong glances and took a step back from me, as though they were looking upon a legendary villainess.
I felt a surge of injustice.
“That’s not true. Those are just empty words. I didn’t kill anyone. He wasn’t even my betrothed. Someone else killed him and pinned it on me.”
“If you want to live long, you’d better keep your sister happy. She might shove poison down your brother’s mouth.”
“I said it wasn’t me. Now be quiet before I actually do shove something down your throat.”
I pinched Yeon Ryang’s forearm while meeting Jin Seong’s gaze. He stood unmoved, his expression unchanged.
I forced myself to think calmly, concealing my anxiety.
If what Jin Seong said was true, cooperating with the investigation posed no great risk.
My inner force was poison-like in nature but had nothing to do with Demonic Energy.
The Alliance would hardly take private grievances from some trading house seriously, so I would face no real threat to my safety.
But Yeon Ryang was different.
The moment he set foot inside the Martial Alliance, he would likely never leave their dungeons.
With the Demon Cult, it would be nearly impossible for him to escape from this den of beasts without revealing his identity.
Sweat pooled in my palms. I looked at Yeon Ryang while chewing the tender flesh inside my mouth.
There were eyes everywhere in Wuhan watching us move about together.
If I sent Yeon Ryang away now and claimed he wasn’t part of my group, everyone would find it suspicious.
But bringing Yeon Ryang to the Martial Alliance was absolutely out of the question.
I already owed him my life three times over. I couldn’t cast him aside after accepting his kindness.
I tilted my chin up, feigning composure.
“Then I’ll accompany you. I have nothing to hide. But I’m cooperating with this investigation to prove my innocence—not confessing to being the one who left the Demonic Mark. Don’t threaten me like you did before.”
“……Very well. As you wish, Miss.”
Jin Seong bowed respectfully as he spoke.
At the mention of the Demonic Mark, Yeon Ryang’s fingertips trembled slightly. I pulled Ju Ryeong from my robe and placed the beast into his hands.
“Ju Ryeong, he’s heavy—go to your brother.”
“Squeee-awk.”
I winked at Yeon Ryang.
Understanding dawned on his face, and he wrapped Ju Ryeong around his neck, grinning widely.
I arranged my expression into something harmless and gestured to Jin Seong.
“Lead the way, then.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Jin Seong nodded lightly and turned. The Third Generation Disciples, who had been watching for cues, rushed out of the building after him in a cluster.
The moment we stepped from the courtyard onto the street, I grabbed Yeon Ryang’s sleeve.
“Brother.”
“Mmm?”
“Run!”
I scattered Red Poison Smoke and kicked off the ground. The Mount Wudang disciples froze in confusion as the smoke obscured their vision.
I thought our eyes met for a moment—Jin Seong’s face shocked as if he’d just discovered a swindler—but there was no time to dwell on it.
Sorry, naive Daoist. I have to survive too.
“Eeeeek! Eeeeeek!”
Ju Ryeong, jolted awake into sudden chaos, shrieked and clung to Yeon Ryang’s shoulder.
“Which way, sister?”
“I don’t know! Just get as far as you can! I’ll keep up!”
“Understood!”
We slipped into a side street and ran blindly through alleys where few people wandered.
“Brother, no matter what happens, don’t draw on your inner strength.”
“What?”
“You heard them back there—the Martial Alliance came after us because they detected traces of Demonic Energy. If they discover who you really are, it’ll be the end.”
“What do you mean……?”
Yeon Ryang’s eyes widened.
“Since when did you know about……?”
“I’ll explain later. You cannot use your inner strength under any circumstances. None at all. Pretend to be a third-rate martial artist before I have to poison you with Qi-Scattering Poison. Understood?”
Yeon Ryang nodded at my urgent whisper.
He was flustered, but he understood what I meant.
He probably wouldn’t have wanted to be exposed as a member of the Demon Cult like this either, but this wasn’t a situation where I could afford to consider his feelings.
“And if I get captured, you run alone.”
“What?”
“I won’t die even if they take me. But if you’re caught, you’re dead. Watch for your chance—I’ll create an opening for you to escape.”
“Come now, sister. Are you really underestimating your brother like this? I could beat those Third Generation Disciples without so much as a drop of inner strength.”
Yeon Ryang laughed lazily, bluffing. He was trying to reassure me, but his own complexion had gone pale.
I could shake off the Third Generation Disciples one way or another. The real problem was reinforcements from the Alliance.
My poison supplies were running dangerously low. And if the Martial Forces mobilized…….
“Miss. Stop.”
Damn it—when did he catch up?
Jin Seong had closed the distance and now faced me with his sword drawn, his expression tinged with irritation.
Behind him, the Third Generation Disciples struggled to keep pace, falling further back.
One, two, three……four including Jin Seong. One was missing. Must have gone to call for reinforcements. Curse it.
I bit my lip and whispered to Yeon Ryang.
“Jin Seong will recognize his sect’s sword technique the moment he and you cross blades. Let me handle him. Don’t interfere.”
“Ah, so the day comes when my sister protects me? You’ve grown so much, sister. Your brother is so moved I could weep.”
Yeon Ryang chuckled and reached for his sword hilt.
“Split up now. This instant!”
Yeon Ryang veered left while I bolted right, and without a moment’s hesitation, Jin Seong pursued me.
My heart trembled at his fierce presence, but I couldn’t retreat.
It’ll be fine. He’s a Daoist after all—surely he won’t actually kill me.
I drew a deep breath and rolled across the ground, bleeding off speed. The earth gouged beneath me, dust billowing in great clouds.
When I turned to look back, Jin Seong was walking toward me through the haze, each footfall deliberate.
“So you reject the cup of clemency and choose the cup of punishment instead.”
“Since when do Daoist priests offer wine? You said spirits weren’t allowed in the Juja Palace.”
I fired back and slipped my hand into my sleeve, gripping the Secret Blade tight.
The way he joked about it—I must have picked up Yeon Ryang’s habit of turning phrases.
“Come with me now. We’ll forget this escape ever happened.”
“You think I’d walk to my own death? I can see right through you trying to pin false charges on me.”
“The Alliance does not manufacture false charges. If you continue to refuse so stubbornly, I can only conclude that you’re fleeing to hide your Demonic Energy.”
I brandished the Secret Blade, wreathed in dark inner power, and let my temper show.
“Look carefully. How is this Demonic Energy? This isn’t just an insult to me—it’s an insult to my grandfather. I’ve inherited the Poison King’s Martial Arts from him. You dare call it Demonic Energy while looking at my grandfather’s face?”
No one would do that unless they had two lives to spare.
Jin Seong’s brow furrowed, and after a moment of consideration, his gaze shifted to Yeon Ryang.
“If not the young lady, then it must be him.”
“I’m sorry, but my brother’s only accomplishment is having spent years rolling in gutters. He doesn’t have a shred of inner power, so he won’t meet your sect’s expectations.”
“Sohye! Your brother isn’t that bad!”
Yeon Ryang, locked in combat with the Third Generation Disciples in the distance, cried out as if gravely wronged.
He had time to argue back, didn’t he? This man had too much composure. Damn it—I told him not to engage, and now he’s drawing attention?
I hurled the Secret Blade to pull Jin Seong’s focus, but as he batted it aside with casual ease, his eyes grew sharp as a blade themselves.
“Young lady. You’ll come to regret that.”
“I already do.”
His gaze was terrifyingly cold.
Jin Seong adjusted his grip on his sword and dropped into a stance, signaling he’d spare no more mercy.
The blade of the Song Moon Ancient Sword gleamed with lethal clarity in his hand.
In a heartbeat, Jin Seong launched skyward and brought his sword down toward me.
Clang!
His Song Moon Ancient Sword met my Secret Blade in a shower of sparks.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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