Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 226 – Lady Seo, the Imperial Noble Consort (3)

In the orthodox martial world, there are several renowned martial families.

Among them, the seven most prestigious martial arts clans are called the Seven Great Families.

Of these Seven Great Families, there was a renowned clan in Hebei that was famous for their saber techniques. The martial artists referred to this clan as the Hebei Peng Family.

The current head of the Hebei Peng Family, who held the real power, was Peng Il-hyeon, a genius of the saber art known as the Hegemon Saber of Hebei.

In Hebei Province, no one could match him in terms of saber techniques.

Peng Il-hyeon, the clan head, had two younger brothers with formidable martial prowess.

One of them, the second brother Peng Yi-mun, had set his sights on power early on and entered officialdom.

Thanks to Peng Yi-mun’s government position, the Hebei Peng Family could enjoy various benefits.

And then there was the youngest brother, Peng Seok-im, whose character was the worst among the siblings.

He was so fond of wine and women that he had been the subject of gossip several times, and despite being born into a renowned saber clan, he insisted on using the sword, earning the ire of the clan elders.

However, despite this, the reason the Hebei Peng Family still valued him was because his martial talent was so outstanding that he was almost on par with the clan head, Peng Il-hyeon.

-Swish swish!

Peng Seok-im, the youngest brother of Clan Head Peng, looked at the wall of the restaurant illuminated by lanterns and diligently wiped his sword blade with a cloth.

Seeing this, a warrior beside him asked,

“Senior Brother, why are you paying so much attention to the sword blade?”

“I have to. I might have a chance to show off impressively in front of Her Majesty later.”

“No. Do you really like the Imperial Noble Consort that much?”

“How can you call yourself a man if you don’t feel stirred by such a peerless beauty?”

“Oh my. Watch your words. She is a woman who has an owner.”

And that owner was none other than the Emperor who ruled this nation.

Despite the warrior’s words, Peng Seok-im snorted.

“Hmph. You can curse even the king if he’s not in front of you.”

“Senior Brother!”

“Alright, alright. Why are you making such a fuss? Anyway, you’re really peculiar. But no matter how I think about it, doesn’t she seem wasted on that old man?”

The warrior clicked his tongue inwardly as he watched Peng Seok-im mutter to himself.

He was a man with unparalleled martial talent, but whenever wine and women were involved, he lost his senses.

After coming to the capital, he seemed to have regained his sanity by keeping his distance from such things, but now he was eyeing a tree he couldn’t climb.

‘…She is indeed that beautiful, though.’

The warrior also couldn’t help but admire Lady Seo’s face when he first saw her.

There were reasons why the aging Emperor couldn’t let her go.

So he could understand Peng Seok-im’s behavior.

However, no matter how much Peng Seok-im was fond of wine and women, he would never dare to lay a hand on the Emperor’s woman.

Unless he had multiple lives to spare, that is.

Just then, Peng Seok-im suddenly shifted his gaze somewhere.

“Senior Brother?”

He was looking at a spot in front of the wall where several soldiers were stationed.

They were examining and admiring the weapons they had confiscated from the martial artists of the Heaven and Earth Society who had entered the restaurant earlier.

Among them, they were swinging a saber with an exceptionally thin blade that fluttered in the wind.

“That saber is magnificent.”

“Magnificent, you say?”

“Yes. To have such a thin blade yet still maintain elasticity, it must have been crafted by a great master.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“It seems the Heaven and Earth Society has sent some fairly capable individuals.”

“Isn’t that a bad thing then?”

“What’s bad about it?”

“We might have to go and provide support, no?”

“Then that’s a good thing. That way, I can show off in front of Her Majesty, right?”

“You’re really something else.”

The warrior shook his head from side to side.

Just then, Peng Seok-im furrowed his brows.

“Senior Brother? Are you perhaps angry? If so, I apologize…”

“That sword… What the hell is it?”

“Pardon?”

The warrior turned his head in the direction Peng Seok-im was looking and spotted a soldier holding a sword with a strange pattern engraved on it.

However, the soldier was staring at the sword with a dazed expression.

Something about the atmosphere felt off.

“Why is he acting like that?”

“……”

“Senior Brother?”

But Peng Seok-im was also transfixed on the sword, unable to take his eyes off it.

He had a gaze as if he had discovered a tremendous treasure.

***

At the same time.

-Clang!

‘Impossible!’

The leader of Eastern Depot’s eyes went wide.

That was because he never expected Peng Yi-mun’s tyrannical slash, delivered with the momentum of the renowned expert of the Hebei Peng Family, to be blocked by mere chopsticks.

To be precise, it wasn’t even blocked, but the saber blade was caught by the chopsticks.

‘How can this be?’

The leader was inwardly baffled.

Based on what Eunuch Yoo, now Inspector Yoo, had said, he knew that among the late-stage disciples sent by the Heaven and Earth Society, the young man with exceptional appearance had the most outstanding martial prowess.

However, he had assumed that no matter how skilled he was, he would still only be at the level of a late-stage disciple.

But to think he was a master capable of catching the saber of an expert from the Hebei Peng Family, one of the renowned martial clans of the orthodox world, in such a manner…

-Swish!

The leader glanced at Yoo-bong.

Yoo-bong was equally perplexed by the situation.

No matter how strong Mok Gyeong-un was, he had predicted that he would be no match for Peng Yi-mun, an expert of the Hebei Peng Family, but that prediction had been shattered.

Amidst this, Mok Gyeong-un spoke with a sharp smile on his lips.

“It seems wrong to just sit still. Don’t you agree?”

“……”

Gan-yang couldn’t hide his awkwardness at Mok Gyeong-un’s words.

The original plan had already gone awry.

Lady Seo’s side trying to suppress them like this was likely to cut ties with the Heaven and Earth Society or to steer the situation in her desired direction.

Gan-yang was about to nod his head as if he had no choice, but…

-Clang!

At that moment, the middle-aged man in gray official robes, Peng Yi-mun, tried to extract his saber by rotating it while it was caught by the chopsticks.

However, his willow leaf saber, grabbed by the chopsticks, didn’t budge an inch.

-Tremble tremble tremble!

With this, Peng Yi-mun could clearly tell.

‘This bastard’s inner energy is stronger than mine.’

Even now, he was already using a force close to the 9th level, the highest inner energy, yet this meant he was inferior to this fellow even in terms of inner energy.

Peng Yi-mun’s complexion darkened for a moment.

‘…This is absurd.’

Peng Yi-mun was a master whose skills were not only perfected but also near the pinnacle-stage of Transcendent Realm.

To overwhelm someone like him in terms of inner energy, it was impossible with just reaching the pinnacle-stage of Transcendent Realm.

That meant this young lad had to have crossed the wall…

‘Impossible. How can a lad not even in his prime have reached the Transformation Realm?’

Even in the orthodox martial world, there weren’t many who had reached the Transformation Realm.

And among them, there was no one who had reached this realm in their teens.

It was a realm that required long years of cultivation and high enlightenment, so Peng Yi-mun found it hard to accept.

But the most certain thing was that he couldn’t suppress this brat with his strength alone.

Thus,

‘No choice. Then!’

-Smack! Thud!

Peng Yi-mun released the hilt of the willow leaf saber and forcefully struck the end of the saber handle with his palm.

This was one of the secret techniques of the Five Tiger Saber Style, the Saber Breaking Technique.

It was a technique that shattered the saber blade by striking the handle with internal energy, sending the fragments imbued with energy flying towards the opponent.

-Clang clang clang clang!

The saber fragments, shattered by the internal energy, rushed towards Mok Gyeong-un.

Given the close distance and the fact that he was seated, Peng Yi-mun thought it would be impossible for him to dodge.

But the moment the saber fragments touched Mok Gyeong-un’s skin with the momentum to pierce through him,

-Poof poof poof poof poof!

Along with that, the saber fragments failed to penetrate Mok Gyeong-un’s body and instead slid off their trajectory, embedding themselves in various other places.

‘What the hell is this?’

Surprised by this, Peng Yi-mun hurriedly kicked the ground to create distance.

Mok Gyeong-un spoke to him as if intrigued.

“An interesting technique. To shatter your own saber and launch it like hidden weapons.”

“What the hell are you?”

“My identity?”

“Even if the Heaven and Earth Society’s executive, the Shadow Clan Master, personally made a move, he wouldn’t be able to block this technique so easily.”

If it were an executive of the Heaven and Earth Society at the level of the Five Kings, it would be somewhat understandable.

Among them, there were monsters who had received the title of Eight Stars.

But for a disciple of an executive at the Clan Master level of the Heaven and Earth Society to be this strong, not just them, was incomprehensible.

It was truly a case of the student surpassing the teacher, wasn’t it?

“You underestimate my master too much.”

“It’s not that I’m underestimating him…”

“More importantly, since you aimed for my life, you’ll have to pay the price accordingly.”

“What?”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un plucked one of the embedded saber fragments with his index and middle fingers.

Then he immediately launched it towards Peng Yi-mun like a hidden weapon.

Peng Yi-mun hurriedly twisted his body sideways to dodge the incoming saber fragment.

But that wasn’t the end.

-Thud!

The moment he twisted his body, Mok Gyeong-un swiftly launched another saber fragment.

The saber fragment flew accurately towards Peng Yi-mun’s neck.

It was a situation impossible to evade, but…

-Clang!

At that instant, someone deflected it with a flexible sword.

That someone was none other than the leader of Eastern Depot.

“Leader!”

Peng Yi-mun, who had narrowly avoided having his neck pierced, sent a grateful look towards him.

The leader then spoke urgently.

“Sir, it seems we’ll have to collaborate in attacking this time.”

“I agree.”

-Wheeeeee!

With those words, Peng Yi-mun blew a whistle by sending inner energy through his mouth.

This was a signal requesting assistance.

Realizing that Mok Gyeong-un was no ordinary expert, he judged that unless his younger brother waiting outside joined forces with him, they might suffer a defeat.

The leader shouted at Yoo-bong.

“Inspector Yoo, lead the rest and deal with them.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

Although Yoo-bong replied hastily, he was inwardly perplexed.

His original plan was to have Peng Yi-mun face Mok Gyeong-un while he and the leader joined forces to suppress the rest.

However, even with the support of first-rate warriors, Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak, who had come with the rear party, were experts who had reached the transcendent realm.

Gan-yang and Ok-gi were also no ordinary individuals, so could they really hold them off?

‘No. Don’t show weakness. We just need to hold out until the Peng Family’s reinforcements arrive.’

They were already waiting outside anyway, so they would arrive soon.

No matter how strong these people were, the tide of battle wouldn’t turn in an instant.

“No choice.”

“To think it would get complicated like this.”

Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak stood up from their seats and assumed the starting posture of their fist techniques, facing the warriors surrounding them.

It seemed it was already too late to turn the situation around.

Gan-yang and Ok-gi also seemed to think they had ruined the matter, as they took a fighting stance while glaring at Yoo-bong with resentful eyes.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un, the only one still seated, opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort.”

‘!?’

As the situation was on the brink of erupting, Mok Gyeong-un suddenly addressing Lady Seo drew everyone’s attention to him.

Of course, Lady Seo herself was no exception.

She had been quite surprised by Mok Gyeong-un’s martial prowess, which was more outstanding than expected.

Although she wasn’t well-versed in martial arts, it was clear that his skills were no ordinary matter if the leader and Peng Yi-mun, experts highly regarded even in the imperial palace, were attempting to collaborate in attacking him.

“Why have you addressed me?”

Lady Seo asked, puzzled.

Mok Gyeong-un then replied with a smile.

“I want to briefly tell you what will happen from now on.”

“What will happen?”

“Yes.”

Lady Seo furrowed her brows.

What the hell was this bastard talking about?

At that moment, the leader, who had been about to collaborate with Peng Yi-mun, raised his voice and pressed.

“How impudent! How dare you to Her Majesty…”

“Hold on.”

“Your Majesty?”

Lady Seo, who had stopped the leader, raised one eyebrow and spoke.

“You’re quite a brazen one. So, what do you think will happen?”

“Everyone except you will die here.”

‘!?’

For a moment, she doubted her own ears.

She had wondered what he was going to say, but was this scoundrel daring to intimidate her?

However, Mok Gyeong-un’s words didn’t end there.

“I heard you have many enemies, right?”

“What?”

“Since you want to let go of our hand anyway, it seems you have no more use for us. So how about we negotiate with them, using your life as collateral? What do you think?”

‘!!!!!!!’