It was a bodyguard agency he had never heard of.
But more than that—“Company Lord”?
Could it be that this “Company Lord” was the esteed person ntioned?
Or was he supposed to be introduced to that esteed person through the Company Lord?
“Pleasure to et you. You look young for a Company Lord.”
“I've just co of age.”
“I see.”
Pang Hon glanced between Namgoong Myeong and Hwangbo Gwang as he asked,
“That young man over there—could he be the esteed person ntioned in this letter?”
“He is.”
“He is?”
“That’s right. He is a benefactor of the Namgoong Clan.”
“A benefactor?”
“Yes. So I sincerely ask that you treat him with the proper courtesy.”
“Huh.”
He turned to stare at Namgoong Myeong in astonishnt.
Then, looking to Hwangbo Gwang, he asked,
“You think the sa?”
“Yes. He is not only a benefactor of the Namgoong Clan, but of our Hwangbo Clan as well. I too sincerely ask this of you.”
Hearing all this, Pang Hon beca convinced that this youth, Yeon Woo Jin, was indeed the esteed individual referenced in the letter.
“...Understood.”
Pang Hon was a man quick to grasp a situation.
Sothing told him he needed to get on Yeon Woo Jin’s good side.
He promptly clasped his hands in salute and apologized.
“My apologies. You looked young, and I spoke rudely. I offer you my sincere apologies.”
Seeing him «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» apologize so politely without hesitation, Yeon Woo Jin smiled and replied,
“It’s quite alright.”
“If you’re a benefactor to both the Namgoong and Hwangbo Clans, then you are most certainly a benefactor to the Hebei Pang Clan as well. While you’re here, I will offer you the utmost hospitality. Should you require anything, simply say the word.”
“Thank you.”
Yeon Woo Jin stepped forward as he offered his thanks.
“In truth, I ca here for a specific purpose—to et with you, Clan Lord.”
“With ?”
“Yes. I asked those two clans to help arrange a eting with you.”
“Hoho... And what matter brings you to ?”
In response to Pang Hon’s question, Yeon Woo Jin took a martial manual from his sleeve.
It was the secret technique of the Hebei Pang Clan—Primordial Thunderblade Manual.
“I’ve co to deliver this to you.”
The mont Pang Hon accepted the Thunderblade Manual, his hands began to tremble.
He scrutinized it closely, as if he couldn’t believe it was real.
After a long while of inspection, he looked up at Yeon Woo Jin with a stunned expression and asked,
“H-How...? Why is the manual that should be in Mushincheon in your possession?”
“I was told to return all of the manuals.”
“Told by whom? Are you saying the Lord of Mushincheon gave that command?”
“Yes.”
“But why now, all of a sudden? D-Don’t tell ... is this ant to encourage us to cultivate strength and stand against Mushincheon?”
It was a possibility.
“I’ve heard rumors lately... that the Lord of Mushincheon has grown bored from too long a period of peace. Is this his way of strengthening the rest of us so he can test himself against us?”
He shuddered at the thought, even though he was the one who voiced it.
Mushincheon, as an enemy?
That would be a catastrophe.
“That’s pure speculation. There’s another reason the manuals are being returned.”
“Another reason?”
—You must not speak of this aloud under any circumstances.
—To warrant such secrecy... what is it?
—The Demonic Cult will soon reveal itself to the world.
“W-What?!”
Pang Hon’s face contorted in shock.
—W-What are you saying? The Demonic Cult?!
—That is what the Heavenly Machine Sage said.
—T-The Heavenly Machine Sage?
Pang Hon looked down at the manual in his hands.
—But why deliver this ssage in such secrecy? Shouldn’t we spread the word and begin preparing for them?
—Would that truly help? It would likely only cause mass panic. Innocent people might suffer in the hunt for cult-affiliated suspects.
At that, Pang Hon swallowed hard.
—So the reason Mushincheon is returning this... is it because even Mushincheon cannot handle them?
—No. Mushincheon can handle them. But the Central Plains cannot. The region will be wiped out in an instant.
As bitter as it was, he knew it was the truth.
—Study this manual. Strengthen your clan. You must prepare for the great war that is coming. And above all—keep this secret.
—...I understand.
—Have the Namgoong and Hwangbo Clans also received manuals?
—Yes. So have the Jegal Clan and Jeomchang.
—Then the manuals are being returned to all of the Nine Great Sects and Five Noble Clans?
—That’s right.
—Then... the Beggars’ Union is next?
—Correct. I heard you’re acquainted with the Union Lord. Could you help connect us?
—Of course.
—Thank you.
—Stay here and rest. I’ll summon him here myself. Those Beggars’ Union types prefer not to reveal the location of their headquarters, so it’ll be more comfortable for the Union Lord to co here instead.
—Understood. I’ll leave it to you, then.
As the two silently exchanged glances, Namgoong Myeong and Hwangbo Gwang spoke up.
“It seems you're conversing via sound transmission. We'll step out to give you privacy.”
As they exited the room, Pang Hon cast a sound-isolating formation and asked,
“There’s sothing I’d like to know.”
“What is it?”
“Why did the Namgoong and Hwangbo Clans send their young lords with you?”
“They entrusted them to .”
“Entrusted... for what?”
“To oversee their cultivation.”
“...Are you saying you're stronger than the young lords of both clans?”
“Yes.”
Pang Hon’s eyes widened in shock.
He didn’t look that strong.
Pointing to the letter, Pang Hon said,
“At the end here... it says you should give advice on the Thunderblade Manual. What does that an?”
“Exactly what it says. I’m to advise on it. The Lords of the Namgoong and Hwangbo Clans also received advice from .”
“Huh... You’ve seen the Thunderblade Manual?”
“Yes. I looked at it to verify it.”
“Did you study it?”
“No. I just took one look.”
“Then how are you able to advise on it?”
“I mastered the technique after that one look.”
“...What do you an?”
“I can make any martial art I see once mine—after seeing it just once.”
A series of question marks popped into Pang Hon’s mind.
What had he just heard?
That soone could make a martial technique theirs after a single glance?
It was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard.
Not even the Lord of Mushincheon—known as the strongest in the history of Murim—could do that.
If it were true, then the man before him must be a very important figure within Mushincheon.
First, he needed to confirm the truth.
“Then... show .”
At his request, Yeon Woo Jin nodded.
“I’ll bring a saber—”
BZZZMMM—.
“Gah!”
He ford a blade out of pure qi without a physical weapon.
Within the shaped energy, lightning crackled.
It was the quintessential image of the Thunderblade.
But what was different was that the blade had no physical form—it was forged entirely out of energy.
Even he couldn’t do that.
Just who was this person?
He’d doubted his strength, but now it was clear—Yeon Woo Jin was on a tier above him.
“W-What exactly... is your true identity...?”
Just as he was about to ask, the na he’d heard at the start ca to mind.
Yeon Woo Jin.
“Now that I think about it, the Martial God’s na is... Yeon Cheon Baek... Don’t tell ...”
“...Are you the blood relative of the Lord of Mushincheon?”
“Yes. He is my grandfather.”
“Gah!”
He’d already suspected Yeon Woo Jin wasn’t ordinary—but to think he was the grandson of the Martial God himself?
Now everything made sense.
Why the Namgoong and Hwangbo Clans had sent their young heirs with him.
It was as good as a declaration.
That Yeon Woo Jin was the next Lord of Mushincheon.
They were entrusting their future to him.
Even Pang Hon couldn’t imagine anyone else taking the title after Yeon Woo Jin.
And just his luck—his own son wasn’t here.
He had gone away to train for the upcoming Divine Dragon Tournant.
There was no way to contact him now.
Regret welled up in his chest.
Pang Hon stared at the Thunderblade Manual.
At the very least, he had to fully master the technique.
And the teacher was right in front of him.
Wasn’t it ironic?
To learn his own clan’s secret technique from soone else.
“No... that’s not it. A being who has reached such heights at that age can’t be human. I’m not learning the Thunderblade Manual from a man... I’m learning it from a god.”
That was how he consoled himself.
****
Pang Hon, too, trained in the Primordial Thunderblade inside the sealed cave where a formation was active.
Like Hwangbo Won before him, he erged afterward asking how much ti had passed—and then, shocked by the answer, he rushed right back in.
After that experience, Pang Hon beca convinced:
Yeon Woo Jin was a god.
Just three days of training—
But inside the cave, three months had passed.
“You’ll have to reach deeper insight on your own from here.”
“Understood. I’ll give it my all and achieve greatness.”
“Good. Always rember—your strength is what protects the Pang Clan.”
“I’ll rember that. Again and again.”
“Have you made contact with the Union Lord?”
“Yes! I received word that he’ll return to the main headquarters soon.”
They had sent word to the Union Lord, but he had been away. While waiting, Woo Jin used the ti to train Pang Hon.
Now, hearing that he would return soon, Yeon Woo Jin smiled.
“Is your reason for eting the Union Lord to deliver a manual as well?”
“That, and I need information.”
“What kind of information?”
“Have you ever seen sothing like this?”
Yeon Woo Jin unrolled a sketch. Pang Hon studied it carefully, then shook his head.
“I’ve never seen it. What is it?”
“It’s a device that marks locations where rifts to the Demonic Realm exist. Without it, we can’t stop them.”
“That’s why you need the Beggars’ Union’s strength.”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll mobilize our entire intelligence network to search for it as well.”
“Good thinking. Please do. Even one lead could make a difference.”
“Understood.”
****
A beggar elder, dressed in filthy gray hemp robes caked in gri, chewed a blade of grass as he hurried along the road.
He was en route after receiving a letter from the Hebei Pang Clan.
The letter ntioned that they had prepared Yeohahong wine and roast duck—his favorites—and were waiting for him.
He was practically drooling.
“Yeohahong and duck? That’s heaven.”
Salivating as he imagined the food and drink, this man was none other than the Union Lord of the Beggars’ Union—the Mad Wind God Beggar.
Swallowing his saliva, he muttered to himself.
“But why are they calling for ? It can’t just be that they missed .”
The fact that they had gone to the trouble of locating him while he was away and sent a letter suggested it was sothing urgent.
Yet nowhere in the letter did it say what the matter was.
That only made him more curious.
He liked food—but what he couldn’t resist more was curiosity.
The Mad Wind God Beggar could never endure unanswered questions.
He also enjoyed deduction based on clues.
Using a few clues from the letter, he began to speculate.
“If it were truly urgent, they would’ve told to co at once, not tried to bait with food. So it must not be an ergency. But what kind of matter would be important enough to warrant a letter without being urgent?”
He tried to recall what had happened recently with the Pang Clan.
Then it ca to him—Pang Hon’s son, Pang Gang, had recently departed on martial training.
“Are they trying to hire to find Pang Gang?”
Still lost in thought, the Mad Wind God Beggar scratched his head furiously.
“Gaaah! I can’t take it anymore! I’ve got to go find out!”
His body began to rise gently into the air.
Then, his feet moved with sudden speed.
It was the Ten-Thousand-League Chasing Wind Body Art—Manrichupungshinbeop.
Pang Hon had precisely targeted the Mad Wind God Beggar’s psychology.
Unable to resist the mystery, the beggar dashed toward the Pang residence with all his might.
The Mad Wind God Beggar arrived at the Pang residence without resting once.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Indeed. Is the Clan Lord inside?”
“He’s been waiting for you.”
“Waiting?”
“Yes. He said you’d arrive today.”
“Ha! Looks like I’ve been had.”
Clearly, it was all a ruse to summon him quickly.
“...I see.”
Muttering that if this turned out to be so petty matter, he wouldn’t let it slide, the Mad Wind God Beggar stepped inside.
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