Cheon Yu-myeong rested his arm on the handle of the grand master's chair, cupped his chin, and looked at Dokgo Hyeon.
Dokgo Hyeon was staring blankly ahead.
Cheon Yu-myeong, who had mastered the Soul-Stealing Grand Technique, had no problem suppressing his opponent's mind even without the Soul-Stealing Needle.
He could suppress the senses and control emotions by pressing various acupoints on the head, but he could also turn them into a doll that couldn't think at all, like now.
Although it looked similar to hypnotism, the Soul-Stealing Grand Technique was a much higher-level technique, literally a grand technique that pulled out the soul.
The current Dokgo Hyeon was a doll that absolutely obeyed Cheon Yu-myeong's commands. His own will or thoughts did not exist.
"So, you're saying that the one called Jin Sa-wol killed Yuk Sam-yuk and also killed Kang Hang?"
"Yes."
"And he killed my son too?"
"That's right."
Dokgo Hyeon answered Cheon Yu-myeong's questions without falsehood. A full smile spread across Cheon Yu-myeong's lips.
"Interesting. Interesting... The Dokgo family really entertains ."
To Cheon Yu-myeong, Dokgo Hyeon's story was as interesting and amusing as an old legend of the martial world.
"Is it really true that Dokgo Shin-wi brought that Jin Sa-wol fellow from the Esoteric Sect and entrusted him to the Ghost Spirit Valley?"
"Yes. It is true."
"A killing ghost..."
The orthodox faction killed anyone associated with the evil and demonic paths without forgiveness. Even if it was a child.
But it was also funny that the children who were the test subjects of the Esoteric Sect were alive.
"Tsk! Heh heh!"
Cheon Yu-myeong was dumbfounded by the story he had never thought of for over twenty years.
"Didn't Jo Han-yu kill them all?"
Cheon Yu-myeong, who had muttered to himself, stroked his beard. A deep thought was visible in his eyes.
"Even on burnt land, flowers are bound to bloom."
Ash provides a lot of nutrients to the ground. Those nutrients are bound to give birth to another life.
But if the born life was a giant tree, it could be troubleso.
Cheon Yu-myeong looked back on the past, wondering if he had been too complacent.
"How many survived?"
"I haven't heard."
At Dokgo Hyeon's answer, Cheon Yu-myeong showed a disappointed expression. Cheon Yu-myeong recalled the woman who had ordered all the remaining children in the Esoteric Sect to be killed.
"Did that bitch spare them?"
As that thought ca to him, he shook his head. Since she was a woman he had already killed with his own hands, he couldn't get an answer.
"How is the Dokgo family these days? Is the family head well?"
It was a question asking about his well-being, a casual greeting with no particular aning.
"My father has a plan to kill the Cult Leader when he visits our family."
"Oh my."
At the unexpected answer, Cheon Yu-myeong frowned. Deep wrinkles were drawn on his face. Hearing sothing he hadn't expected made him feel bad.
He thought for a very brief mont, a speck of dust, whether to kill Dokgo Hyeon now or not. But he decided to use him rather than kill him.
There was no other reason.
Because if Dokgo Hyeon died, Dokgo Hye would be sad.
On top of that, their sches would not work on him, and he would not die. Because it was enough to kill them all before that.
"The family head is foolish. The decline of the Dokgo family's power is because of the family head's lack of ability..."
Cheon Yu-myeong, who had muttered quietly and recalled the family head of the Dokgo family, flicked his tongue like a viper.
Creak!
As the door on the left opened, a maid who looked to be in her late teens approached quietly, dragging her skirt.
She placed the teapot on the tea table and then said.
"The Hwayeong Pavilion Master has arrived."
"Bring her in."
"Yes."
As the maid quietly went outside, Cheon Yu-myeong poured the hot tea into a teacup. The clear and transparent light green tea water stimulated Cheon Yu-myeong's eyes.
"Did I kill him for nothing?"
Cheon Yu-myeong drank the tea with a bitter expression and then approached Dokgo Hyeon and moved his hand.
Swoosh! Thump-thump!
A haze-like smoke rose from Dokgo Hyeon's head, and at so point, the light in his eyes returned.
"Ah!"
Dokgo Hyeon, as if he were startled, prostrated himself as his eyes t Cheon Yu-myeong's.
'What happened?'
The mont he saw Cheon Yu-myeong, he felt sothing had been cut off. But since he had no mory, he couldn't know anything. A stuffy feeling remained in one side of his chest.
"Go and rest for today. You look tired."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
Dokgo Hyeon answered and then quietly went outside.
A short while later, two won who looked to be in their late twenties to late thirties entered the main hall, dragging their red skirts.
The two won approached the grand master's chair where Cheon Yu-myeong was sitting and prostrated themselves.
"Seo Mun-ryeon of the Hwayeong Pavilion greets the Cult Leader."
"I am Seo Mun-ok of the Flower Pavilion."
The two did not get up from their prostrated state.
Cheon Yu-myeong finished his tea and then opened his mouth.
"Get up."
"Yes."
Swish!
The two answered at the sa ti and stood up.
Cheon Yu-myeong cast his gaze not on Seo Mun-ryeon, but on Seo Mun-ok.
"I heard that the innkeeper of the Gangnam Grand Inn is Jin Sa-wol. Is that right?"
"Pardon? Yes."
"But why didn't I hear that from your mouth?"
As Cheon Yu-myeong's voice lowered, Seo Mun-ok bowed her head and prostrated herself.
"Since it was a report to the Shadowless Pavilion Master, I naturally thought the Cult Leader would know."
Since she had reported to the dead man, he couldn't punish her.
"Are you telling
to punish a dead man?"
"I'm sorry. Please punish ."
Cheon Yu-myeong rested his chin on his hand and looked at Seo Mun-ok's head for a mont.
He had t Seo Mun-ok twice. Each ti, she had delivered the reports she had made to the Shadowless Pavilion Master to him.
So of them he had heard, and so he had not. He had suspected that she was trying to drive a wedge between his son and him.
He could have used the Soul-Stealing Grand Technique, but he deliberately did not. Because there was nothing to be gained by doing so.
"A punishnt is necessary."
At Cheon Yu-myeong's voice, Seo Mun-ok trembled her shoulders. Seo Mun-ryeon looked at the prostrated Seo Mun-ok for a mont with a regretful look.
Cheon Yu-myeong's gaze turned to Seo Mun-ryeon.
"The Shadowless Pavilion will now be managed by the Hwayeong Pavilion."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
Since it was what Seo Mun-ryeon had hoped for, she smiled and bowed her head. The story of managing the Shadowless Pavilion ant that he would use her in an important position in the future.
The Cult Leader, who had kept the Hwayeong Pavilion at a distance, had called her and entrusted her with the Shadowless Pavilion, so it was a good opportunity for Seo Mun-ryeon.
"The innkeeper of the Gangnam Grand Inn is said to be Jin Sa-wol. Bring
everything about Jin Sa-wol. Directly."
"Understood."
"If it's Jin Sa-wol, I know him well."
Seo Mun-ok raised her head when she heard the na Jin Sa-wol.
Cheon Yu-myeong showed interest, stood up from his chair, and approached Seo Mun-ok.
"Get up."
"Yes."
Seo Mun-ok answered and stood up. In that instant, Cheon Yu-myeong's hand grabbed Seo Mun-ok's neck and lifted her.
"Keok! Cult... Leader?"
"Did I tell you to speak?"
Cheon Yu-myeong put strength into his hand. Seo Mun-ok's face turned red and her eyes rolled back.
Whoosh!
Cheon Yu-myeong, who had thrown Seo Mun-ok, went up and sat on the grand master's chair again. Seo Mun-ok, who had rolled on the floor, trembled a few tis and then stopped as if she had fainted.
Seo Mun-ryeon trembled her shoulders as she saw such a Seo Mun-ok.
"I just gave her a punishnt, so don't be scared."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
"Wake her up."
At Cheon Yu-myeong's words, Seo Mun-ryeon lifted Seo Mun-ok and pressed the Jianjing acupoint on her shoulder.
"Keuk! Cough!"
Seo Mun-ok, who had co to her senses with a cough, staggered and then, upon seeing Cheon Yu-myeong, prostrated herself again.
"The faction leader of our pavilion is the gisaeng house master at the Gangnam Grand Inn. Since she has a close relationship with Jin Sa-wol, it is not difficult to obtain information."
"Kill her."
"Pardon?"
Seo Mun-ok, who had raised her head in surprise, bowed her head again when she saw Cheon Yu-myeong's indifferent expression.
"As you command."
"Go."
At Cheon Yu-myeong's command, Seo Mun-ok went outside with her head bowed. Cheon Yu-myeong could not see her contorted expression.
Cheon Yu-myeong turned his eyes to Seo Mun-ryeon.
"The Flower Pavilion Master made my son fall into debauchery. It's all because of that bitch that he beca fond of won. Would I look upon her favorably?"
Seo Mun-ryeon could not easily answer.
As she remained silent for a mont, Cheon Yu-myeong smiled.
"The Flower Pavilion will not be able to kill Jin Sa-wol. Tell
the reason."
It was a sudden question.
Seo Mun-ryeon rolled her clear eyes like a girl facing a difficult problem. And she tried her best to give the answer Cheon Yu-myeong wanted.
'A test?'
Seo Mun-ryeon looked at Cheon Yu-myeong's face.
"The Gangnam Grand Inn is a place of considerable scale even in the martial world. Naturally, the martial arts of the warriors who guard the innkeeper will be high. To break through that guard..."
"Ordinary."
"The Flower Pavilion does not have the ability to kill a person like Jin Sa-wol."
Cheon Yu-myeong nodded. Although he didn't like it, it wasn't bad either.
It was because he knew nothing about Jin Sa-wol.
A killing ghost of the Ghost Spirit Valley had beco the owner of an inn called the Gangnam Grand Inn five years after leaving the cult.
That was not sothing anyone could do. On top of that, he was the one who had killed Yuk Sam-yuk.
From the beginning, he was not soone the Flower Pavilion could face.
"The matter of Jin Sa-wol is until tomorrow."
"As you command."
Seo Mun-ryeon answered and then went outside.
Cheon Yu-myeong, left alone in the wide main hall, closed his eyes.
The events of decades ago flashed through his mind. He began to organize them one by one, recalling past mories.
* * *
Clang-clang! Clang!
Amidst the rampant tallic sounds, Woo Jeong-bong and Leng Yushan were swinging their swords.
Woo Jeong-bong, who had parried Leng Yushan's sword, which was full of cold air, created a circular sword wind and then retreated.
Behind him, Yeon-il was seen sitting, leaning against the wall.
Leng Yushan blocked Woo Jeong-bong's sword wind with cold air and retreated.
"You two seniors of the martial world are taking turns bullying a junior, so it feels like shit."
"It's just that your face is unlucky."
"Is it okay to just swing your sword because you don't like ?"
"I was just playing around."
As his words ended, two middle-aged won wearing black and white clothes appeared, jumping over the wall.
They were the masters of the Ice Palace, known as the Black and White Twin Flowers, and they were Leng Yushan's bodyguards.
When he turned his head, he saw Bi-sun beyond the gate. Besides him, the warriors of the inn and the warriors of the Ice Palace were also seen.
Bi-sun shook his head at Woo Jeong-bong. It ant to stop.
Woo Jeong-bong sheathed his sword.
"See you next ti."
At Woo Jeong-bong's words, Leng Yushan waved his hand with a cold smile.
"Let's do that, senior."
Even after hearing Leng Yushan's unlucky tone, Woo Jeong-bong just went outside with Yeon-il.
But Leng Yushan did not leave Jo Geom-ok's residence.
Jo Geom-ok returned ho when the sun was setting. Although she saw Leng Yushan and the Black and White Twin Flowers standing in the yard, Jo Geom-ok went into her room and sat down.
Leng Yushan hurriedly followed her in.
Jo Geom-ok sat with her arms crossed, as if she were in a bad mood, and was emitting a cold air.
Leng Yushan read the atmosphere and asked.
"Is sothing wrong?"
"It's nothing. I'm just in a bad mood."
Jo Geom-ok frowned even more as she recalled Jin Sa-wol. When she had approached him, Jin Sa-wol had not even glanced at Jo Geom-ok.
Leng Yushan said.
"I'll leave tomorrow. Since my brother is here, I can't ask you to go with , noona."
"You give up quickly."
"Huh?"
"I'll go too."
At Jo Geom-ok's words, Leng Yushan's expression hardened.
(End of Chapter)
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