Chapter 37

Pruning (2)

From Cheon Muyang's entire body flowed an indescribable aura, something that could not be put into words.

'Why...?'

The Taehung Sect Leader was a supreme master.

And yet, he could not understand this situation.

'Why can't even I draw my sword?'

Just like him, he too was unable to draw his sword before Cheon Muyang's sharply honed killing intent.

Cheon Muyang's gaze turned back toward the Taehung Sect Leader.

"It's good that we can communicate."

"O, oops—there seems to be a misunderstanding. I will personally meet the family head and explain—"

"To play dumb even in front of irrefutable evidence. How shameless can you be?"

"Master, what kind of language is that!"

Lee Taemun shouted in agitation, but even then, he could not bring himself to draw his sword.

Swoosh.

Cheon Muyang's gaze shifted to Lee Taemun.

Flinch.

In that instant, Lee Taemun's shoulder jerked violently.

"While I'm still talking nicely... listen."

Whoooong!

Cheon Gwang shone with light.

Cheon Gwang, slicing through the air, swept past Lee Taemun.

Thud.

Lee Taemun's right arm fell to the ground.

"Aaaaargh!"

"Don't advertise that you're a beast."

"...!"

"Taehung Sect Leader, it seems you still don't grasp the situation...."

Cheon Muyang pulled out another document from his robes.

It was a document bearing Cheon Wigang's seal.

"You're already screwed."

Cheon Muyang tossed the document away.

It stated that, as of this moment, Taehung Sect was no longer an ally of the Cheon Family.

"So, pay for your sins."

"Do you even have the right to say that? Wasn't it you who have been eating away at the Cheon Family all this time!"

"That's not entirely wrong. Which is why I intend to pay for my own sins as well."

"W, what did you say?"

"Do you think I became the Inspection Corps Leader for nothing? If there are vermin like me gnawing at the family, I intend to wipe them all out."

The Taehung Sect Leader burst into mad laughter.

"With just four people in your Inspection Corps?"

Whether it was due to rage—

Or the instinct to survive—

Cheon Muyang's restraint weakened.

Schring.

And so, the Taehung Sect Leader drew his sword.

"We just kill everyone here and be done with it. This is something you brought upon yourself, so don't resent it!"

He was doomed anyway.

That was the only option left.

Suddenly, the recently fallen Sohung Sect came to mind.

"So... I see. Did you kill the Sohung Sect Leader like this as well?"

"Well, the fact that he died without even leaving behind a corpse isn't exactly my karma."

Grit.

Clenching his teeth, the Taehung Sect Leader released a sinister killing intent and gave the order.

As a supreme master unleashed his presence, Cheon Muyang's aura vanished without a trace.

"Kill them."

Schring.

Swords were drawn all at once.

Their tips were aimed not only at Cheon Muyang, but also at the three people beside him.

"Ah...."

Only Lee Taemun, standing closest to Cheon Muyang, was unable to draw his sword.

It seemed as though he wanted to say something, but his mouth opened and closed, words stuck in his throat.

"Hu...."

Tap.

Cheon Muyang lightly patted Lee Taemun's shoulder and smiled.

"Shut that mouth. Things are about to get interesting, so don't ruin it. You've only got one arm left—do you want to lose that too?"

"Hup!"

Lee Taemun could not say a word.

Even though the Taehung Sect Leader was undeniably a supreme master, Lee Taemun felt an ominous unease.

'It's a trap....'

But those words only lingered in his mouth.

They never made it outside.

The Taehung Sect Leader stepped forward.

As befitted a supreme master, a vivid sword aura bloomed along his blade.

"At least you're not taking drugs like the Sohung Sect Leader did."

"Don't compare me to that trash."

"I didn't even say what it was, yet you seem to have an idea?"

"...."

"Well, if you're scared, feel free to take some. I'll give you time."

"Impudent bastard. I'll see if you can still smile like that after you're dead!"

The enraged Taehung Sect Leader moved.

His sword carried the fury toward his former self, who had been overwhelmed by Cheon Muyang's aura, and toward this entire situation.

'Crude.'

All that could be felt was anger.

There was no will beyond it.

Though the sword was fast and fierce, as befitted a supreme master, that was all it was.

'Did you think you could face me with such a simple sword?'

That was a grave miscalculation.

A sword without will, no matter how sharp, could only cut so much.

'Disappointing.'

Cheon Muyang was disappointed.

He had expected a more interesting sword.

'This isn't the sword I wanted to see. Tsk. Did I expect too much?'

Cheon Gwang let out a resounding cry.

Along with it, the onrushing blade of the Taehung Sect Leader was split cleanly apart.

'There's no need to even use Reverse Scale Slash.'

There was no need to turn the opponent's power against them.

Kuuwoong!

"Hngh!"

A short, strangled cry.

The Taehung Sect Leader's sword was knocked backward.

A heavy shock traveled along the blade and transmitted itself through his entire body.

'H, how....'

How could someone be this strong.

It felt as though he had crashed into an iron wall.

'That ruffian....'

Clack.

The sword shattered and collapsed.

It was such a hollow end that one might doubt whether this was truly the blade he had polished just that very morning.

'Is this… real?'

A single strike.

With just one clash, the Taehung Sect Leader realized it.

'He's stronger. He's no longer beneath me.'

Perhaps he had known it all along, yet simply refused to acknowledge it.

And so, regret followed.

He should have wielded his sword more carefully.

This was the price of swinging it rashly.

"Disappointing, Taehung Sect Leader."

Crunch!

He ground his teeth in fury, but nothing changed.

"What are you all doing! Hurry up—kill that bastard!"

Realizing that his only remaining advantage was numerical superiority, the Taehung Sect Leader hurriedly issued the order, but—

"...?"

The surroundings were unnervingly quiet.

"Guhk!"

Only a single short scream rang out.

When the Taehung Sect Leader turned his head, everyone was already sprawled across the ground, unconscious.

"Lord, all enemies have been subdued."

"Good. Well done."

"H, how...."

Even numerical superiority was gone.

Against those mere three people, more than thirty disciples had been subdued instead.

"Now then, it seems there's no one left to protect you. What will you do?"

"H, how dare you...!"

"Well, who told you to commit sins in the first place?"

"...."

Thud!

Having completely lost his will to fight, the Taehung Sect Leader dropped to his knees.

"I lost."

"Good."

"So, what do you intend to do now?"

"Well, that's something you'll find out soon enough. You can still stand and walk, right? Then let's hurry."

"...?"

"After Taehung Sect, we need to visit Munseong Sect, then the Geumhwa Pavilion as well. There are plenty of places to go."

The Taehung Sect Leader's eyes wavered.

Every name Cheon Muyang listed was a force allied with the Cheon Family—and simultaneously connected to the Council of Elders.

"Do you truly intend to see blood?"

"Yes. I suppose leaving things alone made the Cheon Family look like easy prey."

"Khehehehe."

The Taehung Sect Leader suddenly laughed.

It seemed he still had more to say.

"You're still young, so you don't understand. If you wipe out all those alliances like that..."

"Like that, what?"

"Do you think the Cheon Family will remain intact?"

"I was wondering what you'd say. I don't know why you're worried about that, but..."

Cheon Muyang laughed as well.

How could he not know?

"More than half."

"...?"

"The number of leech bastards wearing the mask of Cheon Family allies who'll need to be cut out."

More than half of the allied factions would betray the Cheon Family in the future.

Naturally, Cheon Muyang had no intention of carrying them along.

"Even after cutting out all those leeches, there are still more allies left than you'd think."

In other words, while they didn't make up the majority, there were still allies who would not betray the Cheon Family.

They were forces that even the ever-meddling Third Elder's faction had failed to win over.

"Separating the jade from the stones... is already finished."

Their forces were weak.

For now.

But Cheon Muyang intended to raise those who had stayed aboard the sinking ship until the very end.

"Keeping you lot around would only make you suck more blood faster. So don't worry about the Cheon Family. You disappearing like this is for the Cheon Family's sake."

The Taehung Sect Leader was left speechless.

He could feel Cheon Muyang's unwavering resolve.

'The Cheon Family... They called it the dragon's lair. So it was true after all.'

The Cheon Family.

Even now, it barely ranked at the bottom of the Ten Great Families of the Jianghu—but in the past, it had been called the Dragon's Lair.

That was why it had also been referred to as the Heavenly Dragon Family.

'A heavenly dragon... So there really was a hidden crouching dragon.'

Neung Ryeoun sealed the Taehung Sect Leader's internal energy and bound him with rope.

"...."

With his wrists tied and his entire body restrained, regret washed over the Taehung Sect Leader.

'I shouldn't have joined hands with them.'

But no matter how fast regret came, it was always too late.

"Where's the closest place next?"

"Yes. The Geumhwa Pavilion is closest."

"Good. Let's go."

"I will follow."

"Oh, right."

Cheon Muyang had no interest in the fallen disciples, but Lee Taemun—who had lost his right arm—was different.

"Take him along too."

"Yes."

"W, why me?"

"You need to clearly explain who you took to Hangzhou's back alleys—and what you did there."

Lee Taemun was the instigator.

And so, he still had a role to play.

"That'll be your last act of ruffianism."

Cha Myeonghak bound the dazed Lee Taemun.

'This is just the beginning.'

Once dawn came, it would be known.

That all the branches connected to the rotten root had been pruned away.

'The root comes next.'

Cheon Muyang headed toward the Geumhwa Pavilion.

Unlike the Taehung Sect Leader, the Geumhwa Pavilion Master had consumed something received from the Demonic Cult.

But Cheon Muyang severed the demonic energy with Dark Heaven Slash, and the same fate that had befallen the Sohung Sect Leader awaited him.

"Tsk."

His body twisted and shrank, soon turning into dust.

"Next."

"Munseong Sect."

"Let's go."

"Yes."

Thus, Cheon Muyang's Inspection Corps devoted themselves solely to pruning until dawn.

***

Morning broke.

As always, the Third Elder began his day drinking tea at Cheonhak Pavilion.

Unlike the gentle sunlight—

His expression was grim.

"W, what did you say! O, overnight... the family's alliances, including Taehung Sect, have collapsed?"

"T, that is correct."

"And you think that's something you can just report now? H, how dare they! Who! Who dared to touch them!"

"T, that is...."

"Spit it out at once!"

"It is the newly appointed Inspection Corps Leader."

"T, the First Young Master?"

The Third Elder was dumbfounded.

Hadn't he ordered Cheon Muyang's movements to be monitored?

'There was no report of him leaving the estate. When did he...?'

Suddenly, realization struck the Third Elder.

He remembered the existence of a secret passage inside the Inspection Corps building that led outside.

'Don't tell me...!'

They had lost sight of him.

It may have been only a brief lapse, but the price was far heavier than expected.

"The First Young Master! Where is that ruffian of a First Young Master!"

"T, that is...."

"Speak!"

"He is at the Grand Training Grounds."

Crack!

The Third Elder shattered his cherished teacup and sprang to his feet.

An unbearable rage surged up within him.

"Hoo...."

He forcibly suppressed his anger.

After all, he knew well enough that rage solved nothing.

Steadying his breath, the Third Elder headed swiftly toward the Grand Training Grounds.

By the time he arrived, the place was already packed with people.

"Make way."

"T, Third Elder!"

"...."

A path opened.

The Third Elder walked slowly along it.

"Ah, the Third Elder has arrived."

"...!"

There were far more people there than he had expected, all bound and kneeling.

"First Young Master...!"

Before the Third Elder could say anything, Cheon Muyang turned to him with a gentle smile.

"This works out perfectly."

"...?"

"I was just thinking of asking the Third Elder for some advice."

"A, advice?"

"Yes. Isn't that what the Council of Elders exists for?"

"...."

Cheon Muyang personally handed over the prepared documents to the Third Elder.

"These are records containing only what has been confirmed by cross-checking their own ledgers. Nothing has been fabricated."

"W, what is this...!"

"What else? Proof that they skimmed off money they were supposed to send to the Cheon Family and passed it to unrelated parties."

Cheon Muyang was smiling, yet colder than ever before.

"So I've been pondering."

"...?"

"Whether to execute them on the spot, cripple their dantians and make them pay for their sins for the rest of their lives, or...."

A faint killing intent bloomed.

The Third Elder almost drew his sword without realizing it.

"Or whether to demand full recompense for their crimes from whoever stands behind them."

Flinch.

The Third Elder fell silent.

That faint killing intent was unmistakably directed at him.

'You bastard...!'

Despite his inner fury—

The Third Elder maintained a composed façade.

"They are allies of the Cheon Family. No matter how much authority the First Young Master holds as Inspection Corps Leader, this goes too far."

At those words, Cheon Muyang smiled.

"As expected of you, Third Elder. I knew you would say exactly that. How fortunate—you haven't deviated from my expectations even a little."

"W, what did you say?"

Whooom!

Cheon Gwang cried out.

The previously subtle killing intent became far more blatant as it pressed toward the Third Elder.

"However, I'm rather notorious as a ruffian."

"So I won't be doing that."

Those who commit crimes—

Are executed on the spot.

That was Cheon Muyang's judgment.

Shing!

Cheon Gwang cut through something.

Thud!

"...!"

"Those who have committed crimes will be executed immediately."

Cheon Muyang's gaze, no longer smiling, settled on the Third Elder.

"That is my ruling."

At that moment, a single drop of cold sweat slid down the Third Elder's brow.