Became a God-Level M Chapter 235 : The Thief’s Hour

Chapter 235: The Thief’s Hour

Dongchang Admiral Heo Chung-won stared sharply at Jin Seong-un, his gaze as piercing as if it held a hidden dagger.

His chilling aura pressed down slowly upon Jin Seong-un’s entire body.

“To dare release your qi in front of His Majesty? I clearly warned you not to provoke any misunderstandings.”

His voice, sharp as a blade, fell heavily over Jin Seong-un’s head, who remained kneeling before the Emperor.

Without offering any particular reply, Jin Seong-un slowly rose to his feet. The Admiral tried to press down harder with his qi, but could not stop him from standing.

A twitch flickered in the Admiral’s brow.

Jin Seong-un, looking up slightly at the much taller Admiral, spoke in a calm tone.

“I felt a sudden surge of a martial artist’s sharp aura and my qi stirred instinctively. I’m still inexperienced. My apologies.”

“Sharp aura?”

“My sensory qi is just a bit sensitive.”

In response, the Admiral extended his qi widely. What he sensed left him surprised.

‘…The Commander.’

If Dongchang’s leader held the title of Admiral, the head of the Royal Guards bore the title of Commander. This man had led the Guards for decades, and his martial prowess was second to none—even comparable to the Admiral’s.

He could sense the Commander’s qi from quite a distance away. It took all his Huajing-level sensory skills to barely detect it.

‘To instinctively notice such a faint trace of qi?’

So his claim of sensitivity was likely true.

The Admiral’s gaze toward Jin Seong-un narrowed.

‘This brat is said to be Ha Joo-myeong’s enemy.’

Ha Joo-myeong, the heir of Myriad Gold Manor, was soon to be wed to the princess whom the Admiral served.

Which ant Ha Joo-myeong’s enemy was, effectively, an enemy of the imperial household.

The Admiral found Jin Seong-un exceedingly dangerous.

To exhibit this level of ability while still so young—barely in his early twenties—ant no one could predict what kind of monster he might beco in the future.

‘I need to cut the bud now.’

The Admiral raised his signature chilling qi.

As he lowered and lifted the arm resting on Jin Seong-un’s shoulder, a short silver dagger suddenly slipped out from his wide sleeve.

It was a dagger symbolic of Dongchang’s eunuchs. A palm-length silver blade that shimred with a chilling sword flux.

Jin Seong-un knew that this toy-like dagger was sharper than any fad blade in the world.

“……”

A heavy silence fell within the hall.

The Admiral said nothing more, but the intensity of his gaze made his intentions clear.

Jin Seong-un let out a short sigh.

Just because the opponent was a high-ranking official of the palace didn’t an he could afford to get stabbed and die.

He had handed over all his blades before entering the palace.

Which ant, in the heart of the imperial court, he would be forced to unleash the Blood-Demon Art.

Just as Jin Seong-un was thinking that—

“Enough.”

The princess’s soft voice resonated through the hall.

The Admiral’s qi vanished instantly, though the hostility behind it remained.

“Your Highness, this man is truly dangerous. He dared to emit qi before His Majesty and harbors unknown intentions—”

“I said enough.”

The Admiral fell silent.

The princess continued.

“If a martial artist reacted instinctively to protect himself, it is excessive to question that with death. Besides, his loyalty toward His Majesty and the nation is comndable. Let it go this once. Dismiss him.”

The Admiral had dozens of rebuttals on the tip of his tongue, but the princess spoke faster.

“Any further disturbance will only inconvenience His Majesty. Everyone stand down.”

The Admiral sighed inwardly.

ntioning His Majesty left him with no room to argue.

Still, the princess’s behavior today was so unlike her usual self, he could hardly comprehend it.

Then his eyes caught sight of Jin Seong-un’s face, just standing there blankly.

‘…It’s that again.’

The reason why the princess was proceeding with a marriage to a man as repulsive as Ha Joo-myeong—

It was because he was unusually handso, even by the standards of the world.

Whether he would beco the next master of Myriad Gold Manor, whether she held feelings for him, or whether he was exceptionally capable—all of that ant little to the princess.

She simply liked handso n. Beautiful won too. She valued beauty in all its forms.

Thus, all n and won who served closely beside the princess were beautiful or handso. In the Admiral’s view, that was her only weakness.

‘Just like now.’

Even with a perfect excuse—he dared release qi before the Emperor—she was letting such a dangerous man go.

Clicking his tongue inwardly, the Admiral still had no choice but to obey her command.

“Never set foot in the palace again.”

Despite that blade-sharp voice, Jin Seong-un rely shrugged. He planned to return after sunset anyway.

Jin Seong-un and Sima Baek, who had practically been thrown out of the palace, walked side by side down an empty street.

Sima Baek looked like he had a lot of questions.

“That was rather unlike you.”

“You an regarding His Majesty?”

“Yes. You’re not the sort to care about authority. Honestly, if the Alliance Leader returned and summoned you, I imagine you’d say, ‘Ah, I’m busy with the shop today,’ and ignore him.”

Sima Baek mimicked Jin Seong-un’s tone and speech. Jin Seong-un found it amusing and chuckled softly.

Sima Baek continued.

“You’re the type who wouldn’t say sothing untrue, even if it would clear a misunderstanding. That’s why I’m even more curious.”

His gaze turned more serious for a mont.

He understood that Jin Seong-un’s actions thus far had aligned closely with the ideals of the Murim Alliance.

“What are you scheming?”

“Myriad Gold Manor is tightening its grip on the inn. I’m just doing what I’ve always done.”

Sima Baek reflected on Jin Seong-un’s recent moves.

Among the young martial artists of the Orthodox faction, there was a joke: “Cross paths with Guest Dragon and your clan is dood.”

Indeed, many villains had been killed. Many clans annihilated.

“Do you intend to go to war with Myriad Gold Manor?”

“Yes.”

Jin Seong-un answered honestly.

Once war broke out, the whole world would know anyway. No reason to hide it.

Sima Baek sighed deeply, as if his thoughts were now in turmoil.

“The Murim Alliance won’t sit idly by.”

“Even though Her Highness said otherwise?”

The princess had explicitly warned Sima Baek not to ddle with Myriad Gold Manor. And he had nodded, saying he would abide.

Sima Baek grinned slyly. Jin Seong-un thought that smile reminded him of when Lee Seowon was plotting sothing underhanded.

It seed capable strategists all smiled like that.

“Her Highness told us to stop investigating, not to stop watching.”

“Isn’t that just wordplay? I don’t think she’s the type to accept such excuses.”

“There are countless ways. For instance, we happen to obtain so information related to the Demonic Cult and dispatch a unit—only to ‘coincidentally’ find Ha Joo-myeong there. Or perhaps we send soone to get along well with Myriad Gold Manor, just as Her Highness advised.”

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t think I could ever be a strategist.”

He always felt this whenever he saw Lee Seowon or Sima Baek.

Especially because the kinds of ideas that popped into Jin Seong-un’s head were mostly things like:

‘Hide in a rchant’s cart and take care of it.’

‘Pretend to reconcile and take care of it.’

‘Just break down the front gate and take care of it.’

Seeing such thoughts co so naturally, he realized he should probably focus more on the Won’s Moon Heart thod than the Blood-Demon Art for the ti being.

Sima Baek, seemingly enjoying the conversation, let out a hearty laugh.

“If a re inn declares war on the greatest trading company under heaven, the world’s reaction will be amusing indeed. Should you ever need help from the Murim Alliance, feel free to say so.”

“You’d help ?”

“Of course. Just sign one piece of paper.”

As he said that, Sima Baek skillfully pulled a letter from his robe and handed it over.

Admission Docunt.

Jin Seong-un considered burning it with the Threefold True Fla but politely returned it instead.

Sima Baek smacked his lips in disappointnt.

“Well then, we’ll just have to wait and see how things go.”

“I’ll do that.”

Jin Seong-un bowed his head toward Sima Baek. Unlike his grandson, Gi-ryong, Sima Baek was a man worthy of respect.

Sima Baek, smiling contentedly, nodded in return and turned to leave. Yet, as if he couldn’t quite let go, he stopped and asked:

“If we’re headed the sa way, would you like to ride with us?”

After all, both the Murim Alliance headquarters and the Seong-un Inn were located in Hubei Province.

Jin Seong-un shook his head lightly.

“I’ve got a few places to stop by.”

“If you’re worried I’ll try to talk you into joining the Murim Alliance again, I’ll let it go—for today.”

The word “today” stuck slightly in Jin Seong-un’s mind, but he let it slide for now.

“It’s not that.”

“Understood. Until next ti, then.”

Before long, the carriage carrying Sima Baek and the Murim Alliance officials thundered off down the wide road.

Watching it disappear, Jin Seong-un scanned his surroundings and began to walk again.

One step, two steps.

Each one casual and unhurried.

But on the third step, Jin Seong-un’s body seed to dissolve into mist.

After leaving Beijing, Jin Seong-un stopped at a secluded inn for a light al and then sprawled out in a quiet forest.

There seed to be a pond nearby—he could sll the faint scent of water and hear the croaking of frogs.

The winter wind was quite cold, but a martial artist of Jin Seong-un’s level wouldn’t be affected by re weather.

In fact, the crisp air blowing through the trees felt rather pleasant.

Lying there in the mood of a Blood Demon, he gazed endlessly at the sky.

Ti passed.

Darkness fell.

The frogs croaked louder, and crickets chattered endlessly in the distance.

It was the hour of thieves.

Still lying in place, Jin Seong-un slowly shifted his gaze toward the moon.

Of all nights, the sky was crowded with ink-dark clouds, as if painted with a black brush.

Soon, those inky clouds gradually devoured the moonlight.

An already dark night grew even darker.

“Well, now…”

After days of clear skies, the heavens chose tonight to be unusually gloomy. No snow or rain, yet damp enough to help conceal one's qi.

Thanks to the princess’s unexpected kindness in fulfilling his request, he had morized the path to the Emperor’s bedchamber and pinpointed the treasure’s location.

Coincidentally, sensing the qi of so master had also allowed him to roughly gauge the range and sensitivity of that Dongchang Admiral’s qi perception.

Whenever Jin Seong-un resolved to steal sothing, the world seed to arrange itself perfectly in his favor.

It was a curious thing.

‘Maybe it’s because I’m the Divine Thief’s disciple.’

He hadn’t believed in fate before, but with the Sword Immortal now residing in the Martial God Realm, he could no longer deny it.

As such trivial thoughts wandered through his mind, Jin Seong-un rose once the moonlight had completely vanished.

He pulled a mask from his robe and fitted it to his face. As if tailored just for him, it wrapped snugly and comfortably.

His heart grew calm.

It felt like he could steal anything.

That confidence both displeased and thrilled him.

“Shall we?”

Jin Seong-un took a step forward.

He didn’t seem to realize it, but his steps were a bit more cheerful than usual.