Chapter 74

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Yes? You came from the Wudang Sect?”

“Yes. Is the third young master of this house not a formal disciple of our sect? Seeing him worry that replies do not come despite repeatedly sending letters, I came in my capacity as his martial uncle.”

When I used the word martial uncle, the expression of the gate guard warrior changed abruptly.

“If you are his martial uncle… the Myeong generation?! Wait, if you are of the Myeong generation, could you be the young hero Bringer of Chaos of the Wudang Sect?”

“Although it is embarrassing, my fellow figures in the martial world call me that.”

“Good heavens! I failed to recognize the future of the Wudang Sect!”

Although ordinary commoners would have no way of knowing the Wudang Sect’s generations, this place was the Yeo Clan. Moreover, since he was a warrior guarding the main gate of the manor, he recognized me based on Wudang’s generations.

Not only was it not rare among prestigious righteous sects to have a generation that did not match one’s age, but the presence of my master standing behind me added credibility to my words.

However,

“because my martial nephew’s worry is no small matter. Could we perhaps meet the family head and learn about the circumstances of your residence?”

“That is…”

‘He is hesitating.’

Even after recognizing me, he was hesitating to let us inside the house.

Ordinarily, he would have reported to the family head immediately and then guided us to the guest reception hall. But now, it was not so.

My master and I exchanged glances and nodded our heads slightly.

‘Certainly, something unusual is going on.’

The ties between the Wudang Sect and the Yeo Clan were deep.

It was a relationship that had continued from before the Wudang Sect was even called the Wudang Sect, and before the Yeo Clan was even called one of the five wealthiest families in the world.

Since they also said it was a relationship that had persisted as the head of the Yeo Clan, who had his life saved by Grandmaster Sanfeng, became successful.

Therefore, under no circumstances would they leave Wudang Sect’s Taoist priests standing in front of the main gate.

Perhaps.

‘Are they actually trying to defect to the Six Great Evils’ side?’

Recently, it was not rare for merchant houses and wealthy families that had formed ties with prestigious righteous sects to change their courses.

I sent a transmission to my master with such doubts. And the answer that returned was:

[That would not be so.]

It was a firm denial.

[How are you so sure?]

[If that were the case, people should have been waiting inside the manor to ambush us. As a clear token of their defection.]

[Ah.]

In particular, after the elder of the Mount Heng Sect had his head cut off by the River of Three Crossings’ Young Spirit Slayer and the evil deeds he had committed were exposed to the world, such a trend had accelerated even further.

Of course, although the momentum of the Six Great Evils had been somewhat dampened due to the activities of the Murim Alliance branch, the common people had come to realize it.

-The Six Great Evils are also not to be underestimated compared to the Nine Sects and One Association and the Seven Great Families.

The Beggars’ Sect’s analysis had already reported that the only sects among the Nine Sects that could face the Six Great Evils one-on-one were about Shaolin Temple and the Wudang Sect.

This meant that except for Shaolin and Wudang, if they fought one-on-one with the Six Great Evils, even the Nine Sects and One Association and the Seven Great Families would be pushed back.

This was the case in terms of pure martial strength.

They could be pushed back even more if it was not in the region where they operated.

So my master’s instruction to me earlier to detect whether there were any dangerous warriors inside the manor was a measure to verify danger.

The gate guard warrior, who had seemed to hesitate, disappeared beyond the gate after leaving the words, ‘Wait a moment,’ and soon returned to open the door.

“Please enter. The family head says he will meet you.”

Thus, the manor of the Yeo Clan we entered was occupied by quite a lot of people, unlike what we had seen from outside the wall.

**

[The inside seems different from the outside again, though?]

At my transmission, my master quietly parted his lips.

[For a manor of the Yeo Clan’s size, there are few people. And above all…]

I heard the rest of my master’s words and nodded.

Just like the heavy atmosphere blanketing the entire manor, the expressions of the servants and employees inside the manor were not bright either.

At that sight, the butler in charge of guiding us spoke as if making an excuse.

“Lately, there has been some bad news in the family, so the atmosphere is unsettling. Please understand.”

Passing through a long corridor next to the courtyard, we entered a splendid pavilion. It appeared to be the family head’s office.

“Then.”

The butler withdrew.

We opened the door and stepped inside.

In the seat of honor, a young man, far too youthful to be the head of such a massive manor, sat reviewing documents.

Judging by the rumors heard in the Nanyang market and the teahouse, he was undoubtedly the eldest son of this house, Yeo Sim-yang’s eldest brother.

“Ah. This way.”

Discovering that we had entered, the man stood up from his seat and guided us to the tea table.

“I am Yeo Mun-yang of the Yeo Clan. Since my father is unwell, I have inevitably come to receive you.”

“I am Gangwon of the Wudang Sect. This is my disciple, Yeon Baek-jung.”

“Ah! I have heard. That a rising star has appeared in the Wudang Sect. It is an honor to meet you.”

“Meeting the successor of one of the five wealthiest families, the honor is mine.”

Even as we conversed, the expression of the eldest son, Yeo Mun-yang, was not bright.

‘They originally said that the family head was possessed by a ghost. It seems he is indeed uncomfortable somewhere.’

If that was the case, the family’s current situation was understandable.

Because people are originally weak against superstitions.

When bad things occurred in the family, they tended to forbid the entry of outsiders as much as possible. It was due to the superstition that outsiders would bring minor demons into the house. However, what was puzzling was,

‘why did they not inform the Wudang Sect?’

Inside the Wudang Sect, there was the Medicine Immortal, one of the senior figures of the Eight Disciples of Sanfeng. In addition, there were also many among the Taoist disciples who were well-versed in medicine.

Even if it were not a general medical condition but really being possessed by minor demons as people said, they would have received support if they had requested a disciple of the spells and techniques line.

Yet the Yeo Clan did not make any contact with the Wudang Sect.

**

Furthermore, they did not even reply to the letters of Yeo Sim-yang, who was a member of the household.

Since my master had also recognized this fact, he asked directly.

“Could it be that there is some unspeakable story? If necessary, we can also dispatch disciples of the Palace of Medical Immortals or the Secret Arts Pavilion. Are the Yeo Clan and the Wudang Sect not in such a relationship?”

However, even at my master’s proposal, Yeo Mun-yang showed embarrassment.

“Since it is an internal matter of the family…”

My master, who was examining the face of Yeo Mun-yang as he trailed off, parted his lips in an instant.

He sent a transmission.

And that transmission was heard in my ears as well.

[By any chance, is the Six Great Evils persecuting you all?]

Hearing the transmission, Yeo Mun-yang snapped his dejected, lowered head up. His pupils were shaking as if startled.

At that sight, I thought of a moving ball.

A moving ball would not have moved from the start.

For a stationary ball to move, an external force must act upon it.

And that meant,

‘there must be a reason.’

That being unable to say something in words meant being worried that someone would listen.

I quickly handed him paper and a brush and sent a transmission.

[You can answer in writing. Just burn all the paper later.]

At my words, a surge of emotion crossed Yeo Mun-yang’s eyes, and

after observing us for a moment, Yeo Mun-yang picked up the brush as if having made up his mind.

As Yeo Mun-yang’s hand danced on the paper, the general situation began to be grasped.

Since the Yeo Clan was one of the five wealthiest families under heaven, they managed and operated everything from regional tenant farming to the overall extraction and distribution of neighboring iron ore.

For that reason, the manor ran several merchant groups. However, starting from a certain day, those merchant caravans began to be raided in succession.

-At first, we just thought they were bold bandits. But that was not the case.

-Because even the caravan sent accompanied by three of our family’s five guest experts failed to return.

Although I did not know how great the five guest experts were, if they were masters counted on one hand within the Yeo Clan, which was selected as one of the five wealthiest families under heaven, they would not have been ordinary figures.

[Could it be that there was a traitor or something of the sort?]

At my master’s question, Yeo Mun-yang seemed to think for a moment and then continued his brushwork. -No. Because all of their heads returned. ‘?!’ Since the heads of the deceased had been hung in the family head’s private bedroom, the head of the Yeo Clan, upon waking up and seeing the five headless heads hanging and dripping blood from the ceiling, had no choice but to faint on the spot. -And he has not woken up until now. This was the reason why the eldest son, Yeo Mun-yang, was temporarily assuming the role of family head. -In addition, there was a letter written in blood. Along with the content telling us to sever the ties we had maintained with the Wudang Sect and defect, it contained threats that they would not let it slide if we leaked this news to the outside by any chance. -Since then, even the caravan members sent by mobilizing all guarding personnel of the manor mostly failed to return. Then, he brought out a small letter from the drawer. Although it had hardened and discolored into a dark brown, it could be recognized at a glance. A letter written in blood. It was a letter of the same content that Yeo Mun-yang had communicated in writing. Only then did everything make sense. The reason Yeo Sim-yang had not received replies to his letters from the family as well. The reason the wealth distributed to the Nanyang people had vanished as well. Even the eerie atmosphere of the manor. ‘It must have been difficult for news to come and go.’ They had endured in a state of thorough isolation. To the extent that I thought it was admirable that they had endured until now. Since they said that even those bringing in food could not enter or leave, it meant that the meals of the remaining members of the family had to be resolved with the food left inside the manor. Then, suddenly, ‘Mostly?’ I picked up one of the papers written by Yeo Mun-yang. -Since then, even the caravan members sent by mobilizing all guarding personnel of the manor mostly failed to return. Those words got stuck in my mind. And it seemed the same was true for my master as well. [If you say ‘mostly,’ does it mean there are those who returned alive as well?] At my master’s question, Yeo Mun-yang turned grave-faced and quickly scribbled. -They are alive, but they are not living. [What do you mean by that?] -It seems… better for you to see that directly. The place we were guided to was the quarters of the second son of the Yeo Clan, Yeo Jung-yang. The second son, who was said to be in charge of overseeing the family’s caravans, seemed to be deeply asleep. This was only in terms of ‘appearance.’ -The day after the last caravan departed the manor, he was found in this state in his quarters. However, since he fell asleep, he has never woken up again. According to the resident physician of the manor, he seems to have been hit by an unknown poison… but detoxification is impossible. The last character was smudged. A situation where the family head collapsed and the younger brother could not wake up. Since he could not even request help anywhere and was slowly drying up and dying, it must have been difficult for the young Yeo Mun-yang to endure. -My younger brother was the only one they sent back alive from the caravan, and such a letter was found in his robes. With that, Yeo Mun-yang handed us another letter. -If you want to save your younger brother, defect. His father had collapsed and his younger brother had collapsed. And yet, he had not defected? In a way, it could only be explained as his resolve being remarkable. My master and I closely examined the second son, Yeo Jung-yang, lying on the bed. [He is pale, and his breathing is slow. His blood circulation is also slow. If it is a poison, it must be of the paralyzing category.] I nodded at my master’s words. And suddenly, a thought flashed by. ‘Bandits raiding a caravan. In addition, a paralyzing-type poison?’ I straightaway stretched out my hand and placed it on Yeo Jung-yang’s thin chest. As Yeo Mun-yang, startled, tried to stop me, my master blocked him for a moment. [He is merely examining the condition for a moment.] With him thus restrained, I slowly raised my internal power to examine Yeo Jung-yang’s inside. And. ‘As expected.’ I turned toward my master and sent a transmission. [This is a poison that imitates the Tang Clan’s Immortal Ruiner.] The familiar scent that I had smelled all through last summer penetrated my sense of smell, which had been sharpened by the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition. The familiar scent that I had smelled all through last summer penetrated my sense of smell, which had been sharpened by the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition. The familiar scent that I had smelled all through last summer penetrated my sense of smell, which had been sharpened by the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition. The familiar scent that I had smelled all through last summer penetrated my sense of smell, which had been sharpened by the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition.