Chapter 64. The Eldest Son of Beksan (4)

"What, what did you say?!"

Myeongcheon's face contorted with shock.

"Jangrim?!"

"That's right."

"What, what was his condition?"

Myeongwoosan said with a trembling voice.

"The internal and external injuries are severe. If the family doctors had not acted quickly..."

"Oh, no!"

"Fortunately, he has passed the critical stage, but it will take at least three months and ten days for him to regain consciousness. Even then, it will take about two to three years to recover his full abilities."

Bang!

The wall dented where a fist had struck it.

A murderous intent appeared on Myeongcheon's face.

"What the hell was Myeongchisan doing while Jangrim was being attacked?!"

"That's... "

Myeongwoosan bit his lip.

"He's dead."

"Dead? Myeongchisan?"

"The warriors of Hoemyeongjeon are all severely injured, and Myeongchisan lost in a one-on-one battle."

Myeongcheon, who had been extremely agitated, gradually regained his composure.

When the situation became serious, he regained his rationality. That was the head of the Myeong family.

"Are you sure it was sent to the son of the Yan family?"

"Yes."

"Right, to interrogate the disappearance of the Ansa team. If necessary, he was to bring them back by force."

More accurately, he was to knock them down in a place where no one could see and then bring them back. Given the circumstances, only Yan Hojeong knew about the disappearance of the Ansa team.

"Yes."

"But if Myeongchisan is dead and the warriors of Hoemyeongjeon are all injured, does that make sense to you?"

Myeongwoosan couldn't easily speak.

In fact, he found it hard to believe as well. He had even thought that sending Myeongchisan might have been excessive.

But the revealed outcome was shocking.

"Myeongchisan was a very capable guy among the collateral line. I saw his martial arts last year. Among the Qingbai Wubing, there are fewer than ten warriors better than Myeongchisan."

He was a master whose skills were fully matured, even among the peak experts. To put it another way, if he hadn't been part of the Myeong family, he could have been the head of a decent sect without any problem.

"Could it be that the son of the Yan family's head is that strong?"

It was an absurd idea.

Yan Hojeong was a young man who hadn't even reached his twenties. No matter how talented he was, there were limits.

Of course, there were truly heaven-sent geniuses in the world.

The so-called "Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes" were such people. Although all five were well into their thirties, if you were to pick the strongest young experts, they would be the ones.

The Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes were heaven-sent geniuses. In other words, they were the recognized next generation of the Thirteen Seats. Some of them had already cultivated martial arts that could rival the leaders of major sects.

And one of the Twin Dragons was the eldest son of the Myeong family and Myeongcheon's eldest son.

"Perhaps Yan Hojeong is on par with the Twin Dragons..."

"Nonsense."

Myeongcheon shook his head.

"The Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes are geniuses among geniuses. It's not because my son is among them. Those guys are more talented than the Thirteen Seats."

"..."

"The Thirteen Seats are already considered rare talents in history. The Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes surpass even the Thirteen Seats. A young man who hasn't even reached his twenties being on par with them?"

"..."

"Even if he had learned the dark arts of a destroyed evil cult, it would be impossible."

Myeongwoosan also agreed entirely with Myeongcheon's words.

But the result was too shocking. If his martial arts weren't on par with the Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes, he couldn't have defeated so many experts.

Myeongcheon's eyes gleamed.

"There must have been a protector."

That was the only conclusion he could draw.

But then there was one problem.

"According to the informants, there were no traces of a protector helping Yan Hojeong. He acted completely alone..."

"Then a protector who could evade the eyes of the informants must have been guarding him."

Myeongwoosan fell silent. It seemed Myeongcheon couldn't accept Yan Hojeong's strength.

'Well, it is.'

The idea that Yan Hojeong was a genius surpassing the Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes was less convincing than the idea that he had a protector.

'Besides, he was still known as a mediocre talent until recently.'

Thinking this way, he felt more confident.

"Then, what will you do?"

"What can I do?"

Myeongcheon's eyes turned cold.

"My son came back severely injured. Even if I exterminate the three generations of that scoundrel, it might not be enough to quench my anger."

"..."

"I think you feel the same way I do."

Myeongwoosan remained silent.

In fact, his anxiety was even greater than Myeongcheon's.

Myeong Onji was one of his many children, but also one of his most cherished.

His child had gone missing. Although he didn't show it in front of Myeongcheon, he hadn't been able to sleep well recently.

Moreover, Myeong Jangrim had returned in a critical condition, and Myeong Chisan had died in Kaifeng.

He wanted to go to Yan Hojeong himself.

"Then, who will you send?"

"I'll send someone who won't even dare to resist."

"Then...?"

"Release the Blue Wolf."

Myeongwoosan felt his hair stand on end.

"Head of the family."

"Do as I say."

"But we must also consider the public's eyes. Isn't the Blue Wolf too dangerous a choice?"

Myeongcheon flew into a rage.

"Are you telling me to worry about the public's eyes when the culprit who put my son in this state is to be caught!"

"..."

"Who are the Myeong family! We are the family that established peace by driving out the bloodthirsty cults! We are the greatest family that earned the reputation of being the best in the world by swallowing the blood and sweat of our ancestors!"

He was usually very honest with his emotions, but he had never seen him this angry.

Because his son had come back injured. Who wouldn't be angry?

"Jiangsu Province will soon fall into our hands. Once we capture Jiangsu, we can capture Zhejiang. If we control both land and sea, we can become not just the first family but the first power in the world."

Myeongcheon raised his head arrogantly.

"We, who are about to seize the hegemony of the world, should not fear the eyes of the public."

"..."

"Release the Blue Wolf immediately."

"I will obey."

Leaving the head's room, Myeongwoosan couldn't hide his unease.

'Is this really okay?'

He understood Myeongcheon's anger. The order to release the Blue Wolf, in a broader sense, could be seen as insignificant.

But he was still uneasy.

It felt like he had taken a step into a quagmire from which he couldn't escape. He needed to get out before he went in deeper, but it seemed he had already taken the other step.

'Let it be just a worry.'

Myeongwoosan entered a building.

Flash!

The interior, where not a ray of sunlight entered, was dark.

From there, dozens of pairs of blue eyes glowed.

Myeongwoosan spoke calmly.

"It's a rather fierce prey. You will have to step forward."

* * *

Feihu Gai (Flying Tiger Beggar) felt his tension reach its peak.

At first, he didn't know why he was so tense. He even wondered if his body was weakening due to baseless tension.

But now he understood why he was tense.

Woo.

Sitting cross-legged, a faint white aura was rising from Yan Hojeong's body.

The white aura swirled, forming a strange shape. It looked like a tiger or a lion, staring at him.

Feeling uncomfortable, he took five steps to the side.

Then the translucent beast's head turned as well.

'What!'

What exactly was this? Was it a magical trick?

Of course, that was impossible. Why would the eldest son of the Beksan Yan family learn such a trick?

It was just uncomfortable and intriguing.

What kind of martial arts was he practicing?

"Hoo."

Yan Hojeong's breathing grew louder.

Flash!

At the same time, his eyes opened.

Feihu Gai felt a dazed sensation. Yan Hojeong's gaze was incredibly mysterious.

It was almost dreamlike. He never thought he would lose his composure looking into a man's eyes.

"Did you come from the Beggar Sect?"

"Ah? Yes, that's right."

"Give me the letter."

"Sure. Here..."

Yan Hojeong smiled as he unfolded the letter.

"You've been scolded."

The letter was from his father.

There were two pages, written at different times. There was a subtle difference in the brushstrokes and the content.

'At least it's fortunate.'

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So, forming a temporary alliance for a common goal isn't bad.

However, he was scolded for being too aggressive in handling the situation. The concern for his child was evident in the content.

But the fortunate part was that his father supported his methods.

'He had no choice.'

The game was already in play, and he couldn't stop now. If he did, it would lead to even bigger problems.

'Sorry, but exchanging messages might have caused us to miss the timing.'

His father must have understood that part as well. That's why there was no mention of it in the letter.

Yan Hojeong spoke calmly.

"Thank you for your hard work. You can leave now."

"Ah?"

Feihu Gai looked bewildered.

"Is there anything else you need? Like delivering a message or reporting the situation...?"

"No."

"Ah... Yes."

Feihu Gai bowed.

"Then, I'll take my leave."

"Thank you. Ah!"

Just as he expected.

Feihu Gai grumbled inwardly but tried to maintain a friendly expression.

"What do you need?"

"Please hand over all the Beggar Sect members secretly protecting me."

"Wh-What?!"

"If you tell Hou Gai that I ordered him to do so, he will understand. Don't worry, hand them all over."

Feihu Gai's face stiffened.

"Did you know about them?"

"Yes."

"They are experts placed to deal with any unforeseen situations. They are top-notch in the Beggar Sect, so they can ensure your safety..."

"The moment they reveal themselves, this plan will fail."

"Ah?"

"They think the Beggar Sect is helping me, not that I'm working with the Beggar Sect. The difference is significant."

"..."

"Since I've dealt with quite capable opponents, the next ones will be even more formidable. Experts of that level might notice the Beggar Sect's concealment."

"Ah, I see."

Feihu Gai sighed.

"I understand. I'll hand them over immediately."

"Thank you."

"And, Young Master Yan."

"What is it?"

Feihu Gai made a bow.

"Although I haven't said it before, we all support you. Please be careful."

Yan Hojeong smiled and replied.

"You should say that to the other side."

* * *

Five days later.

"Wow! It's been a while since I've been to Henan."

Moyong Jun's face was full of smiles as he looked around the grand and ancient buildings.

"To be honest, Henan is a place I've always been interested in. If Shaolin hadn't been established here, I would have tried to capture this place long ago. Don't you think so?"

"You're right."

Moyong Yanhua was also smiling broadly.

"Henan has Shaolin and the Myeong family. It can be called the center of the Central Plains. Even if both Shaolin and the Myeong family were to disappear, people would still regard Henan as a sacred land."

"That's true."

"That's why I'm even more interested."

Moyong Jun burst into laughter.

"Your greed is even greater than mine."

"Great ambition leads to success."

"Hehe, you're right. I was hesitant about whether to leave the family to the chief manager, but it seems I made the right choice. As a son of the Moyong family, you should have this kind of ambition."

"Hoho."

Moyong Jun looked at the towering mountain in the distance.

Songshan, the sacred mountain where the thousand-year-old Shaolin Temple was located.

"Let's enjoy the scenic views of Songshan on our way back."

"Sure."

Clap!

Moyong Jun clapped his hands.

"Then, let's go meet the spirited young man."