Chapter: 371
“I’m Gu Cheol-un.”
The waiting room is instantly engulfed by the weight of the man’s words.
He merely mentioned his own name.
Was there a bet in his voice, or perhaps not?
Is he using a bet to press down the air, or could it be something else?
No, this was simply the presence that the man exuded.
They must be feeling crushed by the weight of his gaze without even realizing it.
As soon as the man sat down at the head table and declared his name, the waiting room quickly filled with murmurs.
— If it’s Gu Cheol-un… isn’t he a big shot?
— Big shot? You mean the head of the Gu clan of Shanxi?
He is the foremost figure among the later indices, once known as Shenlong.
He was the former head of the now-defunct Murim Alliance’s Shinryong Corps, and presently serves as the head of the Shanxi Gu clan.
Additionally, he was said to be among the top hundred masters in the Central Plains, though that was just an echo of his past glory.
By now, people claim he has grown decidedly weak.
Moreover, recently, a new title has emerged that is more frequently spoken than “big shot.”
A nickname for a warrior that has begun to echo throughout Hanam and across the Central Plains.
Xiao Yanluo, Gu Yangcheon.
He is both the reason and essence behind the current political meeting concerning the Shinryonggwan attack incident.
Or rather, he is someone who has received a new nickname so that he may no longer be referred to merely as a later index.
The man is the father of that so-called Soyeomra.
Until recently, he was more renowned as the father of Geombong, but now he has become more famous as the parent of Soyeomra.
And anyone who knows even a little about Gu Cheol-un couldn’t help but say this after hearing about Soyeomra.
— Like father, like son?
If a tiger gave birth to a cub, how could a dog possibly be born?
Of course, it seems quite natural for monsters to give birth to monsters.
Though now he is called a “toothless tiger” or a remnant of the past concealed in the mountains, those who recall Gu Cheol-un during his prime wouldn’t be able to view him so lightly.
Look around.
There are countless individuals overwhelmed by simply hearing that Gu Cheol-un has appeared. He has neither started a bet nor taken any particular action.
It is merely those who remember that era who involuntarily feel crushed by the weight of his presence.
In the ensuing silence that followed Gu Cheol-woon’s introduction, the first to speak up was none other than Dang Cheon-gi.
“Long time no see.”
It must have been at least several decades since Dang Cheon-gi faced Gu Cheol-un.
Accordingly, Mo Yong-tae, who had sported a displeased expression, hesitantly offered his greeting.
“…Nice to meet you.”
Naturally, Mo Yong-tae had never thought very highly of Gu Cheol-un.
It has been this way since the past.
Since they were of similar age, they frequently ran into each other back in the day.
In fact, when Mo Yong-tae was known as Baekryong (White Dragon), they had clashed once.
That was back when the Yongbong Association was still around.
As for the outcome of that encounter, Mo Yong-tae has since wiped it from his memory.
That meant he lost so thoroughly that he wished to forget the whole affair.
Moreover, there was a time when his own sister chased after Gu Cheol-un, professing her fondness for him.
This made Mo Yong-tae even more uncomfortable around Gu Cheol-un.
If you just consider it, it’s a lot.
‘…Look at the rich engaging in all sorts of antics.’
Inside, he could barely restrain his rage.
But he held back since his precious daughter had something to say.
Mo Yong-tae had no intention of forgiving that scoundrel known as Soyeomra.
‘If it had just been my daughter, I could have let it slide somehow.’
Rumor had it he surrounded himself with women.
As soon as he heard that, flames of anger shot to his head, yet he kept it simmered down.
There are truths that can only unfold when faced directly.
After actually confronting that rotten scoundrel, Mo Yong-tae found himself wavering for a moment.
The reason was simple.
It seemed absurd for someone like him to be so surrounded by women. Soyeomra was no beauty, but neither was she ugly.
The unique wild look from the Gu lineage made him all the more terrifying to look at for long periods.
Why would someone as incredible and capable as his precious daughter cling to a man like that?
‘Something is seriously amiss.’
Mo Yong-tae concluded.
He pondered why his daughter was fixated on such a wretch.
The answer was plain.
The congenital disease plaguing his daughter and the fact that only Soyeomra could currently cure it.
That fact alone justified everything.
How it all unfolded was yet a mystery.
This fact had even been confirmed by the group of doctors sent along with the elders of the Moryong clan.
So with that knowledge, he endured it.
He needed to leave his daughter in the care of someone her own age, after all.
In doing so, his daughter ended up giving her heart to him.
While he could handle that too.
As long as his daughter could live and, additionally, if she were happy, he could endure much more.
Furthermore.
‘As long as the child is happy.’
This was the daughter he had finally met again after such a long time.
Mo Yong-tae had not seen his daughter beam so brightly for over a decade.
This could only be seen as a positive transformation.
Thus, Mo Yong-tae tolerated Soyeomra.
He had heard about her fiancé, but he held back because his daughter promised to call off the engagement and marry him instead.
If it all led to a connection with the Gu clan anyway, we could arrange things accordingly.
Everything was for his daughter’s sake.
To Mo Yong-tae, who had lost his wife, his daughter was everything in this world.
But.
‘…And you had other women while having my daughter?’
Just imagining it made him clench his teeth in frustration.
Mo Yong-tae had clearly seen it then.
He recalled the table that Mo Yong-hee had stayed at.
‘It was overflowing with women.’
And they were all equally beautiful as his own daughter.
From the perspective of Mo Yong-tae, who thought of his daughter as the best, it would take some doing to regard them as on par.
Those girls would frequently gaze at Soyeomra the moment she stepped into the inn.
Amidst those women, Mo Yong-tae had managed to pick out one who particularly stood out.
A woman with blue hair and piercing blue eyes.
Just by the sight of her attire and mannerisms, Mo Yong-tae could deduce she was of the Namgung clan.
And it was known to Mo Yong-tae that amongst the direct descendants of the Namgung clan, there was only one daughter.
I believe they called her the Sword Dancer.
She was said to possess exquisite beauty and remarkable talents.
However, what mattered more to Mo Yong-tae was something else entirely.
The truth was that Soyeomra’s fiancée was none other than Geommuhee.
The problem was everything hinted that they still appeared to be getting along quite well, contrary to what his daughter had said.
What this meant was.
‘He has no intention of breaking off their engagement, and is merely playing with my daughter.’
Thud.
Veins tightened in Mo Yong-tae’s arms.
Had that tabletop not been carved from rock, it would have shattered right there.
Were you toying with me even back then?
He could vividly recall the moment they met on the street.
Recall how Soyeomra had taken the lead without hesitation upon hearing his question.
He may not have known back then, but the words he had spoken were intended for him, and yet he had played along.
Rather, he even confided in him, indicating how he’d gladly break his own arms and legs if he were to do so.
You surely knew all that and still chose to tease me.
Mo Yong-tae doubted whether Soyeomra was clueless regarding this.
If one were observant, it would be hard not to notice.
It was unmistakable.
He had been insulted.
Reason whispered that maybe this was mere prejudice.
But Mo Yong-tae had long since stopped listening.
All in all, that family has never sat well in my stomach since long ago.
Once the meeting is over…
After this incident is wrapped up, Mo Yong-tae plans to hunt down Soyeomra.
Even though his daughter insisted on managing it herself, he, as a father, couldn’t possibly keep silent.
He had no designs on killing him.
Though the urge to do so burned fiercely, he understood he had to hold back this inclination.
Mo Yong-tae merely intended to correct that ill-mannered behavior from the standpoint of a “senior.”
That alone might indeed become a fierce ordeal.
Just then, as Mo Yong-tae sharpened his mental blade, managing to keep his emotions at bay,
“It happens that we are all gathered here. I caught wind of a rumor about you.”
The one who spoke was someone who despised Mo Yong-tae even more than Gu Cheol-un or Soyeomra.
None other than Lord Peng Zhou.
“I mention this because you are the family head, but I hear your son is quite remarkable these days.”
Having momentarily pondered the recent rumors, it wasn’t long before they began to revolve around Soyeomra.
“Isn’t it great to have such a precious son?”
As Peng Zhou chortled, Gu Cheol-un turned his attention to him.
Gu Cheol-un’s eyes appeared rather icy, possibly due to his usual demeanor.
“The child simply performed well.”
In response to Peng Zhou’s words, Gu Cheol-un retorted with remarkable indifference.
As if it mattered little to him.
Had Gu Cheol-un’s reply displeased him, perhaps?
Interest piqued as Peng Zhou’s brows slightly quivered. Not about to relent, he remarked anew.
“Even if the child excelled, isn’t it so that there’s someone backing him from behind?”
As they listened to Peng Zhou’s words, Dang Cheon-gi and Mo Yong-tae finally perceived the intent behind his statement.
While there were numerous rumors about Soyeomra at present, the one typically dubbed the new dragon was none other than Peng Ga’s Sogaju.
That would be Peng Woo-jin.
Peng Zhou was subtly leveraging that to position So Yeom-ra and the Gu Clan as an asset for Peng Ga.
In most situations, they would nod along to this and share benefits, yet Gu Cheol-un, casting a sidelong glance at Peng Zhou, issued a differing remark.
“The clan did nothing. It’s solely the child who accomplished everything. Neither I nor the clan provided him with anything.”
His tone was resolute.
It raised questions about how he could be so unwavering in his stance.
By this point, it must’ve been a deeply embarrassing moment for Peng Zhou.
Indeed, his expression twisted slightly as expected.
The host of the gathering,
The master of the House, Dang Cheon-gi stifled a sigh upon witnessing this.
That damn bear cub will still present like that, even as he ages.
Even though they were both household heads, sometimes he displayed that empty-headedness.
He surely wasn’t this dense back then.
It felt like the guy’s brawn had taken over his brain.
More recently, it only seemed to have worsened.
Had he swapped talents for sheer muscle, one might think?
No, precisely, wasn’t this when Peng Woo-jin, the child of Peng Zhou, started to stick out?
Regardless of what it was, if left to linger, no telling what sorts of mischief might occur.
Just as Dang Cheon-gi prepared to breathe a sigh of relief and initiate conversation again,
Peng Zhou spoke yet again.
“If you say so, I’d love to congratulate you, but… something feels off. It certainly didn’t seem that way a while back.”
Thud.
Peng Zhou’s words brought a sudden hush across the room.
The meaning behind it referenced the engagement between Gu and Peng, followed by the subsequent cancellation.
“As time marches on, one tends to outgrow childish attitudes. I think it’s fortunate that your child has matured.”
It was a well-known tale among those in the know.
The incident wherein Soyeomra lashed out at the daughter of Peng Ga leading to the broken engagement.
“It seems he greatly regretted the mistakes he made back then. He appears to be treating other ladies splendidly now. It’s lovely to witness.”
Someone shivered.
It was neither Gu Cheol-un nor his retort that flickered back to life; it was Dang Cheon-gi and Mo Yong-tae who responded to this exchange.
Now, it felt as if Peng Zhou was crossing the line further and further.
You see, within the rumors surrounding So Yeom-ra, the term “debaucher” was frequently entangled.
They dubbed him a flirtatious hero, dropping names of the beautiful ladies surrounding him.
Unfortunate was the case since those labeled were none other than the daughters of Dang Cheon-gi and Mo Yong-tae, right here.
Peng Zhou unearthed what many had chosen to disregard.
“Traditionally, the more accomplished a man becomes, the more women flock to him… That’s to say how great your child truly is.”
“Lord Peng, isn’t that enough?”
Mo Yong-tae, unable to hold his tongue longer, chimed in.
“Once you go further into this subject, are you prepared to withstand the consequences?”
“What could possibly pose a challenge? I don’t believe I’ve uttered anything caustic or harsh.”
Smiling widely, watching Peng Zhou’s demeanor led to something vile surging in Mo Yong-tae.
As Peng Zhou locked eyes with Mo Yong-tae, he added,
“Oh! Come to think of it, the daughter of the Mo clan head is Seolbong! I’ve heard she is quite the remarkable lady.”
“Lord Peng!”
“It seems a person must interact with individuals of equal worth. Seolbong is also a peerless companion like Soyeomra to keep at your side.”
As soon as Peng Zhou concluded his statement, the sharpness within Mo Yong-tae’s gaze intensified.
“Both Dangmun’s Dokbong and… what a shame! If only I hadn’t let his friend go back then, who knows where I would be now….”
Ultimately, at the very juncture when Mo Yong-tae, incensed by Peng Zhou’s trespasses, steeled himself to confront him,
“It’s noisy.”
Whoosh…
His sharply uttered voice summoned silence from those around them.
The atmosphere turned icy austere and thick.
Upon discerning this, Peng Zhou momentarily stiffened as he faced the speaker again.
“…What did you say?”
That voice belonged to none other than Gu Cheol-un.
Ignoring Peng Zhou’s inquiry, Gu Cheol-un savored a sip of tea before him.
Seeing his demeanor, Peng Zhou couldn’t help but heighten his voice slightly.
“I asked what you just said!”
With a growl punctuating his question, Gu Cheol-un returned his gaze to Peng Zhou.
And stated,
“I said it was noisy.”
“Are you addressing me?”
“You’re the only one causing a ruckus here. Is there another?”
His calm manner of questioning highlighted just how effectively he wielded his words like a precise weapon.
“Gu Clan Head…!”
At Gu Cheol-un’s pronouncement, Peng Zhou’s expression darkened significantly as he attempted to rise.
Or rather, he tried to do so.
Thud!
“…!”
Yet, Peng Zhou ultimately failed to get up.
This predicament arose as Gu Cheol-un seized his shoulder and forced him down once more.
“What the….”
Peng Zhou reacted in shock.
Gu Cheol-un was not the tallest amongst them, yet he was at least relatively imposing; yet, at present, he’d taken the upper hand against Peng Zhou.
The Peng family is infamous across the Central Plains for their brute strength.
And yet, here was Gu Cheol-un, lightly pinning him to the ground!
Gu Cheol-un spoke, addressing the bewildered Peng Zhou below him.
“Pengzhou.”
“…!”
“I suspect you’ve forgotten what I said previously.”
Gu Cheol-un’s expression remained ordinary, yet his voice had taken on a different tone as it addressed Peng Zhou.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
— Don’t go barking around for no reason. I certainly made that clear to you, didn’t I?
“…!”
This was telepathy.
Gu Cheol-un was sending a mental message to Peng Zhou.
— Even with time, you still can’t shake off those ridiculous tendencies of yours.
“…You….”
Peng Zhou struggled to rise but found his shoulder held fast by Gu Cheol-un’s grip.
How on earth had this happened?
The so-called big shot’s days were said to be far behind him; he should hardly be a force to be reckoned with.
— Do you wish to relive the indignities of your past now that you’ve become the head?
Gu Cheol-un’s words conjured back memories from long ago.
Memories of the day when Peng Zhou marched up to him, proclaiming that calling him Shendragoon was unworthy of someone from his family.
On that fateful day, Peng Zhou had ventured to speak about Gu Cheol-un’s grandfather in his presence.
Only to receive no response in words, Gu Cheol-un conveyed his sentiment through actions.
He taught him what it meant to hit a wall.
And what consequence befell those who couldn’t watch their words.
That day, the molar that was knocked out of Peng Zhou’s mouth never regrew.
The reason being that Gu Cheol-un had cauterized the socket where the tooth used to dwell with fire!
That recollection took place when both were barely past twenty.
And it stands as one of the most humiliating memories of Peng Zhou’s life.
Crack-crack.
In his frustration, Peng Zhou attempted once again to rise, but Gu Cheol-un showed no slack in his grip, pressing down harder.
— Pengzhou.
“Agh….”
There was… a threatening edge in that resonance.
While not outwardly displaying emotion, a depth of feelings lay hidden within that low voice.
It was meant only for Peng Zhou to decipher.
— You don’t create burdens you can’t bear. Haven’t you learned that by now?
To everyone else, this remained a secret, as no one heard the whispers meant purely for Peng Zhou’s ears.
— Doesn’t it feel profound and heavy, knowing that you’ve roused such discontent?
Peng Zhou found himself under this unwanted pressure. In such a matter, the strain grew untamable.
Just as he was about to summon the energy within himself and draw his weapon, Gu Cheol-un interjects:
— If you pull that here.
— This instant, the chief of the Peng Clan will be no more; he will become nothing but your son.
At this dire warning from Gu Cheol-un, Peng Zhou stiffened beyond measure.
This clearly signaled that he would be slaughtered right here, in that very moment.
— Is that what you want?
“….”
Thoughts raced through his mind.
Did he truly think he could kill Peng Zhou within the ranks of the Murim Alliance and leave scot-free?
That seemed utterly implausible.
With these thoughts swirling, Peng Zhou involuntarily gnawed at his own gums.
Isn’t that brittle pride, predicting your certain defeat?
In the midst of swirling emotions:
Seething fury.
Unyielding pride.
Lingering thoughts mired in the past.
Numerous factors strained to propel Peng Zhou’s body to rise.
Ultimately, what he chose was not the path of prideful confrontation.
“….”
Slowly, Mo Yong-tae sank into defeat.
He outright rejected the idea of resistance.
Once Gu Cheol-un confirmed this, he withdrew his hand from Peng Zhou’s shoulder.
Gu Cheol-un arose as if nothing substantial had transpired, taking another sip of his tea.
Witnessing the transformation, both Mo Yong-tae and Dang Cheon-gi comprehended instantly that something significant had taken place.
In that brief flicker of realization, the supposed event was quite apparent.
For it was evident from Peng Zhou’s expression that he’d endured grave humiliation.
Just as they pondered how to navigate the atmosphere that had turned to frost,
Clank.
The door swung open as someone entered the space.
It was a middle-aged man dressed in azure attire with silver-white hair.
This person was none other than the last remnant of the Four Great Families.
He was Namgung Jin, The Heavenly Sword King of the Greater Namgung Clan.
“Oh, I’m the last one to arrive…”
The moment Namgung Jin crossed the threshold, he felt the heavy tension weighing down on the room.
Something felt off.
“This truly feels like a banquet soaked in confusion.”
Namgung Jin jested lightly, yet no one directly rebutted his observation.
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