Chapter 30

Chapter 30. The Appearance of Hwancheonma

Hall Master Song Rim spoke with genuine admiration.

“Miss Deung said there was no one under heaven who could recognize this formation, yet Byeok Sohyeop managed to see through it. I must say, I’m surprised.”

A moment later, Deung Hwahong suddenly poked her head out from the opening.

“I was surprised too. I was going to call out if you tried to go up the mountain, but I watched for a little while first. I wanted to see whether you could really find me.”

From inside the formation, Deung Hwahong had watched Jaha discover the Soul Spirit Formation and had been deeply surprised.

She had never imagined that there was someone else in the world who knew about the Soul Spirit Formation.

Jaha said,

“Were you hiding here using the Soul Spirit Formation because Seohyeopbang or Hwancheonma are somewhere nearby?”

Song Rim replied with an admiring look.

“Byeok Sohyeop is correct. We saw members of Seohyeopbang killing brothers of the Beggar Sect here and attacked them. They fled, but we thought they would soon return with Seohyeopbang’s leader, Magi, so Miss Deung set up this formation and we hid inside.”

Magae replied,

“That was a wise decision. If you had left this place, Seohyeopbang or Hwancheonma’s people would probably have discovered you. With this many people moving together, you would stand out immediately.”

While the others spoke among themselves, Dang Jong, Namgung Cheol, and Paeng Umyeong could not bring themselves to speak to Song Rim.

Not only had they failed to notice that a formation had been set up here, it was also their first time even hearing that something called the Soul Spirit Formation existed.

Their pride had taken a heavy blow, so they did not make the first move to greet him.

Song Rim cupped his fists toward the three young men who were standing silently behind them like mutes.

“So the young masters have come as well. You must have gone through some trouble to get here.”

The three clasped their hands in return.

“We were on our way to Shandong when we heard that Hall Master Song needed help, so we came to lend a hand.”

“As expected of the young masters of the great clans. Your chivalrous spirit is extraordinary. To come here and help even after knowing powerful enemies were waiting…”

“We are part of the backbone of the Orthodox Martial World. How could we possibly pretend not to know?”

Watching these people of the Orthodox Martial World praise one another so openly, Jaha felt like vomiting.

They really say things like that without even feeling embarrassed.

Namgung Cheol then spoke toward Magae.

“Now that we’ve arrived too, let’s leave this place.”

At those words, Magae and Song Rim both looked at Namgung Cheol.

Goeui chuckled when he heard him.

But Namgung Cheol seemed unable to understand why everyone was looking at him like that, so he continued.

“With the four of us joining you, we should have more than enough strength to escape.”

What made it even more ridiculous was that Dang Jong and Paeng Umyeong nodded in agreement with Namgung Cheol.

Only Jegal Yuyeon, who stood beside Paeng Umyeong, lowered her head with a slightly embarrassed expression.

Jaha thought to himself,

So these people really think they can defeat Hwancheonma or the masters of Seohyeopbang with just themselves.

They’re like naked children who don’t understand how frightening the world is.

Jaha found it absurd that people who knew so little had come wandering around the martial world alone while calling it gaining experience.

Of course, some people became stronger that way by gaining experience and realizing their own shortcomings.

But for young masters like these, even that would be difficult.

The people around them had probably always yielded to them.

Even during martial exchanges, others would have given them an advantage.

That was probably why they had grown up believing they were always the best.

Jaha shook his head, thinking that if descendants of the Demonic Path had carried such thoughts, they would already be dead.

“What’s so funny?”

Dang Jong’s mood soured when the others gave Namgung Cheol strange looks and the country bumpkin shook his head.

So he spoke threateningly toward Jaha, whom he considered the easiest target.

Jaha had been planning to ignore him, but then he realized that their misunderstanding could put even him in danger.

So he spoke.

“Do you truly believe that you can defeat Hwancheonma, one of the Seven Heavenly Demons said to be the strongest within the Demonic Cult? And do you honestly think you can defeat Magi, the leader of Seohyeopbang?”

Dang Jong snorted.

“Hmph. How strong could they possibly be? We have already learned all of our families’ secret techniques.”

Jaha inwardly shook his head.

He knew that the young masters of the Orthodox Martial World were ignorant of how the real world worked.

But he had never imagined they would be this clueless.

Weren’t they even worse than beginners who had only just entered the world of martial arts?

Without thinking, the words slipped from his mouth.

“You still have a long way to go before you grow up.”

That immediately provoked them.

“Were you talking to me just now?”

Dang Jong growled as though he might attack at any moment.

Then—

Jaha’s head suddenly turned toward the right on its own.

It was a warning signal from Baekryeong of Byeokho.

“Wait. Someone is coming.”

Baekryeong could freely leave Byeokho’s body and observe the surroundings.

Because of that, Jaha possessed something similar to the sensory perception of an Absolute Master.

“Are you certain?”

Goeui and Song Rim asked at the same time.

Their senses had not detected anyone.

Goeui and Song Rim looked at each other in confusion.

“Whoever it is, they’re extremely powerful.”

The presence that finally entered Song Rim’s perception emitted such an intense aura that it sent a tingling sensation through him.

“It must be either Seohyeopbang Leader Magi or Hwancheonma Sinjeok.”

Song Rim hurriedly spoke to everyone.

“Quickly, get inside the formation.”

Dang Jong wore an unhappy expression.

He clearly disliked having to retreat in the middle of arguing with Jaha.

“I’ll fix the formation here before going in.”

Jaha restored the corpses to exactly the same positions as before and then entered the formation.

The opening in the crumbling stone wall disappeared immediately.

Once inside the Soul Spirit Formation, the group sat silently in the cramped space with awkward expressions.

Then someone behind Jaha spoke.

“Have you been well?”

Jaha turned around.

Deung Hwahong was smiling sweetly.

As she did, a seductive charm flowed from her, making the hearts of those around her flutter.

Namgung Cheol, Dang Jong, and Paeng Umyeong stared blankly at Deung Hwahong.

Then Paeng Umyeong suddenly remembered that Jegal Yuyeon was standing beside him and quickly came back to his senses, clearing his throat.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Dang Jong and Namgung Cheol also snapped out of it.

But Jegal Yuyeon did not seem particularly bothered even though Paeng Umyeong had been distracted by another woman.

Jaha slightly frowned as he looked at Deung Hwahong.

“If you smile like that, all the men around here are going to melt.”

“It’s not that serious. But how could you leave without saying a single word?”

Deung Hwahong spoke as though they had been close friends for ten years.

Jaha’s answer became even more blunt because of it.

“We weren’t close enough for me to say goodbye before leaving, were we?”

“But you’re the one who brought this girl here. You should take responsibility.”

“I was tricked into coming here too.”

“Even so, leaving behind a weak woman who was in danger is hardly something a real man should do.”

“At that time, I was being hunted by the elders and protectors of Seohyeopbang. I was barely able to take care of myself, so I had no choice but to leave Miss Deung behind. I do admit that I feel morally sorry about that.”

Deung Hwahong nodded.

“I know. I already heard about it. That is why this girl is forgiving you. Otherwise, I would never forgive you.”

Jaha replied without caring much either way.

“Do you know why you’re here right now? I was worried about you, so I explained the situation to Hero Song over there and asked him to help you. Thanks to that, Miss Deung is here now. I think I’ve done more than enough.”

Song Rim, who had been listening, spoke.

“That is true. At that time, Byeok Sohyeop was badly injured himself, yet he came to the government office to save Miss Deung. I believe he was looking for someone who could help. That was when he met me.”

Deung Hwahong looked at Jaha and asked,

“Were you really that worried about me?”

There was enough seductive charm in her voice to make someone’s face heat up.

But Jaha had encountered countless women who gave off that kind of aura in the Demonic Path, so he did not think much of it.

“It simply bothered me morally.”

“Ah, I see.”

Even after hearing that, Deung Hwahong did not look disappointed.

Jaha became curious as he realized she seemed somewhat different from how she had been when they first met at Inui Manor.

This girl becomes quite bold once she gains a little breathing room.

Perhaps annoyed by the conversation between Jaha and Deung Hwahong, Dang Jong asked,

“Is this young lady the important person everyone was talking about?”

Magae nodded.

“That’s right.”

Neither Dang Jong nor Namgung Cheol had imagined that the important person mentioned by the Martial Alliance was this girl.

They had blindly joined because they thought the mission would earn them fame.

Now they were beginning to worry that perhaps they had gotten involved in something troublesome for no reason.

Paeng Umyeong asked,

“But is it really fine for us to talk this loudly in here? If someone as powerful as Hwancheonma comes, wouldn’t he easily sense our voices?”

Paeng Umyeong’s concern was reasonable.

Even though they were inside the formation, he felt they were making far too much noise.

Deung Hwahong looked at Paeng Umyeong and replied,

“Hohoho. Big young master, you don’t need to worry. This formation completely blocks our voices, so no one outside can hear us.”

Her tone overflowed with seductive charm.

Paeng Umyeong’s face turned red, and he quickly looked away.

Deung Hwahong then turned back to Jaha.

“But Byeok Sohyeop, how do you know about the Soul Spirit Formation? There are very few people in the martial world who even know this formation exists.”

Jaha replied indifferently.

“There are countless extraordinary people in the martial world. You should abandon the idea that what you know is always the greatest.”

Those words were not directed only at Deung Hwahong.

They were also meant for the three young masters of the great clans.

The three young masters immediately glared at Jaha.

“That’s true. There are many extraordinary people. And Byeok Sohyeop is one of them. Even I have no choice but to admit that. I’ve met quite a few talented people before, but I don’t think I’ve ever met someone from the younger generation as outstanding as Byeok Sohyeop.”

Those words practically insulted the young masters, so all three immediately shot hostile looks at her.

But Deung Hwahong did not care at all.

Jegal Yuyeon looked at Deung Hwahong with an amused expression.

Deung Hwahong was nothing like a sheltered young lady raised inside a noble household.

There was something about her that smelled of wildflowers, along with the temperament of an untamed horse.

Jegal Yuyeon found herself secretly envious of that freedom.

Jaha spoke in a serious voice.

“Everyone, be quiet from now on. Even if our voices cannot escape the formation, the people coming here are beyond common sense. Keep even your breathing as quiet as possible.”

When Jaha showed signs of tension, everyone held their breath and stared at the people entering the building.

There were around ten martial artists in total.

Jaha immediately recognized who they were.

The man standing at the very front was Seodonggoe Saeng Goryang.

Behind him were Godeung and several elderly men.

Those must be the other Bonggong of Seohyeopbang.

The men exchanging words with Seodonggoe were the Twelve Protectors of Seohyeopbang.

So the leader of Seohyeopbang brought all the Bonggong and the Twelve Protectors with him.

Well, if there’s a chance he might have to fight Hwancheonma, it makes sense that he would bring his strongest forces.

Then Jaha focused his gaze on the middle-aged man in golden robes standing among the dozen martial artists.

It was not because his appearance was particularly unusual.

His aura simply drew the eye naturally.

Behind him, Song Rim muttered quietly.

“That is the leader, Magi.”

Surprisingly, the man in golden robes had a warm and generous-looking face.

He looked more like a merchant than the leader of a powerful martial faction.

Many people had been deceived by that very appearance.

The group searched the area once.

Then they followed the traces that Deung Hwahong had deliberately left behind and headed up the mountain path.

Having decided there was no one inside the building, they immediately began their pursuit.

Judging from that, Seohyeopbang Leader Magi seemed to be a man with mediocre observational ability but extremely quick decisiveness.

“Haa…”

Once the people of Seohyeopbang left the building, Song Rim secretly let out a sigh of relief.

The large-framed Paeng Umyeong, apparently feeling suffocated, asked,

“Can we leave now?”

Song Rim shook his head.

“Please endure it a little longer. I think we should wait until Hwancheonma comes and leaves.”

“How do you know when he’ll come?”

Namgung Cheol answered this time.

He also seemed uncomfortable being packed together with so many people in such a narrow space.

“If Seohyeopbang found this place, then Hwancheonma will probably find it soon too. Many Beggar Sect members know about this place.”

Magae flinched at those words.

The reason Seohyeopbang had been able to find the Beggar Sect’s safe house so easily was because a beggar had confessed its location.

So it was only natural that Magae would look uncomfortable.

“I can’t stand this anymore. I’m going out.”

As Dang Jong tried to leave the formation, Jaha spoke sharply.

“Stay where you are!”

“What did you say?”

Jaha looked at Dang Jong.

“If you want to die, then go.”

Dang Jong glared at Jaha and was about to leave anyway when Goeui suddenly said,

“Someone is coming. I suppose it must be Hwancheonma?”

At those words, Dang Jong immediately sat back down.

And sure enough, not long afterward, around ten martial artists stormed into the building.