Chapter 67

What Happened at Soho Pavilion (2)

A boisterous crowd.

Every one of them wore flamboyant clothes and possessed appearances to match.

It was a gathering made up of those attending this Yongbong Assembly.

"Oooh…!"

"They're the stars of this Yongbong Assembly!"

Praise rang out from all around.

Taking that praise for granted, they seated themselves at the very center of Soho Pavilion.

At the heart of it sat Namgung Sanghyeok.

Namgung Sanghyeok, strutting arrogantly.

Around him, a swarm of flies busied themselves with shameless flattery.

'Not as many as I expected?'

Judging by appearances, those fawning over Namgung Sanghyeok didn't seem like people who had received gold invitations.

Among them were a few who appeared on equal footing with Namgung Sanghyeok, but most were not.

'Aside from about those three… there's nothing worth seeing.'

Unfortunately, there was no one who looked affiliated with Shaolin, Wudang, or Mount Hua.

Those mingling with Namgung Sanghyeok were likely direct descendants of the Ten Great Families friendly with the Namgung Clan.

'Birds of a feather flock together, they say.'

It was disappointing.

Their presence was certainly imposing.

But that was all.

'How disappointing.'

Even so, watching them swagger about as if they were the center of the world made him laugh for no reason.

'So this is the limit.'

There was nothing more worth seeing.

Cheon Muyang withdrew his gaze.

Just then, a waiter brought out the food.

"Your dishes are ready."

"Ah, thanks."

"It suddenly got noisy, didn't it? Those people are participants of the Yongbong Assembly. It's quite lucky for you to see them up close like this."

"Is that so."

"Of course. Quite a few guests come here just to see them."

"But the number seems rather small."

"Ah, it seems the groups are somewhat split."

"I see."

The waiter skillfully set down the dishes and bowed slightly.

"If you need anything, please call anytime."

"I will."

Cheon Muyang nodded and looked over the beautifully prepared food.

Namgung Sanghyeok's proud recounting of his heroic exploits lingered irritatingly in his ears.

"It's truly impressive how you captured that wicked villain."

"I suffered serious internal injuries, but it was simply what had to be done."

"Ohhh, as expected of Young Master Namgung—truly a chivalrous hero."

Cheon Muyang nearly spat out the food in his mouth.

He wanted nothing to do with them, yet he desperately felt like shouting out loud.

'That injury? I'm the one who gave it to you.'

He wondered whether those flattering fools would still be wagging their tongues if they knew the full truth behind the incident.

Looking at Namgung Sanghyeok's arrogant expression, memories of that day flashed through his mind.

"Pfft."

Cheon Muyang ended up laughing.

The image of Namgung Sanghyeok writhing in pain after being beaten senseless resurfaced.

"Ahem."

Thankfully, no one heard him.

Quickly composing himself, Cheon Muyang deliberately cut off all interest in them.

'Well, not my problem. Strut all you want.'

If he kept watching Namgung Sanghyeok any longer, he felt he might burst out laughing, so he turned his head and focused solely on Soho.

"Bring more wine and food at once!"

Fortunately, their loud private banquet no longer disturbed Cheon Muyang's mood.

"Hoo. Refreshing."

Just as he was enjoying the clear breeze—

Cheon Muyang noticed another group striding toward the pavilion.

'They said the group was split. Was that a faction?'

Just as that thought ended—

The main doors of Soho Pavilion opened.

"Ah…!"

In an instant, silence fell.

It was because of the newly arrived group.

'Oh?'

The one leading them instantly caught Cheon Muyang's attention.

A massive man who radiated something raw—like an untamed wild beast.

"Found you here, Young Master Namgung?"

His voice boomed like that of a general.

Striding in boldly, he spotted Namgung Sanghyeok and walked straight toward him.

Flinch!

Those seated beside Namgung Sanghyeok felt an invisible pressure.

It was clearly a demand to make room.

"Ugh!"

The burly man lightly grasped the shoulder of the one caught in between, casually shoving him aside.

Thud!

Then, wrapping an arm around Namgung Sanghyeok's shoulders, he sat down beside him.

"When I went to the Namgung estate, they said you'd already left. I ended up making a pointless trip."

"Paeng Dohyeok, don't be rude."

"Rude?"

The man called Paeng Dohyeok snorted.

"Rude between us? Isn't that a bit harsh?"

"...."

Paeng Dohyeok lifted the cup before him and poured it straight down his throat.

"We've known each other since we were kids. Anyone watching would think we're on bad terms."

A blatant provocation.

Namgung Sanghyeok stood up.

He faced Paeng Dohyeok as if he might draw his sword at any moment.

"Do you truly wish to die?"

"So you do have pride, after all."

Paeng Dohyeok smirked and stood up as well.

Crack!

The chair beneath him couldn't withstand the force and shattered.

Someone standing awkwardly nearby jumped in fright.

"Gah!"

A beastlike killing intent burst forth from Paeng Dohyeok.

His eyes gleamed like those of a tiger—true tiger eyes.

"Can you even draw your sword?"

Grit!

Namgung Sanghyeok did not suppress his anger.

His pride would not allow it.

The sword slid smoothly from its sheath and slashed sharply toward Paeng Dohyeok.

Whoosh!

But Namgung Sanghyeok's blade cut only empty air.

"Still not fully recovered, are you?"

"...!"

Having effortlessly avoided the strike, Paeng Dohyeok closed the distance in a flash—his speed ill-matched to his massive frame.

Shiiik!

His fist tore through the air.

Halt!

Just before it smashed into Namgung Sanghyeok's face, the fist stopped.

"Your body's sluggish."

"...."

"At this level, there won't be any variables this time. Though I don't know who'll come from the Nine Sects."

As if he'd seen all he needed to see, Paeng Dohyeok withdrew his fist with a twisted smile.

"Paeng Dohyeok…!"

"See you again."

With a confident grin, Paeng Dohyeok turned to leave Soho Pavilion.

But perhaps because of his sheer size, he failed to watch his step.

And so, he collided with a waiter carrying food.

Thump!

"Ah…!"

Clatter!

Unable to withstand the impact, the waiter tumbled across the floor.

Food scattered everywhere, some of it splattering onto Paeng Dohyeok's clothes.

"Tsk."

"S-sorry! I'm sorry!"

It wasn't the waiter's fault.

But it became the waiter's fault.

"I-I'm sorry! I really am!"

"I was about to leave in a good mood…"

His eyes turned ice-cold.

Paeng Dohyeok let his killing intent leak out.

The waiter looked around desperately, but no one dared face Paeng Dohyeok for the sake of a mere waiter.

"...."

The same was true of Namgung Sanghyeok—

the very man who had boasted, the one praised as a chivalrous hero.

"So I really have to see blood."

Under normal circumstances, he might have let it slide with a warning.

However, from the single exchange he'd traded while provoking Namgung Sanghyeok, Paeng Dohyeok's blood was already boiling.

Because of that, it felt as though he wouldn't be satisfied unless he saw someone's blood.

"Close the doors."

"P-Paeng Young Master…."

Someone who looked like a close aide tried to dissuade him subtly.

"Or would you like to take his place?"

"...!"

The man immediately tucked his tail and fell silent.

Paeng Dohyeok was a beast—and no one could stop a starving beast that had set its sights on blood.

Bang!

The doors slammed shut.

No one could leave Soho Pavilion.

And no one could enter.

"P-please spare me! I was wrong! Please!"

The waiter sensed death closing in.

To survive, all he could do was beg desperately.

But this quick-witted waiter already knew.

'I'm going to die. Or… be crippled….'

No matter how much one begged until their hands wore raw, no waiter had ever survived a situation like this.

"Then you shouldn't have made a mistake."

Paeng Dohyeok drew the saber he hadn't even unsheathed when facing Namgung Sanghyeok.

"I won't kill you. I'll just take payment for dirtying my clothes. I'll take one arm."

That was the greatest mercy Paeng Dohyeok could offer.

And yet, it was still utterly unreasonable and unfair.

How could a stain of spilled food be equal to a man's arm?

"Tsk."

Cheon Muyang clicked his tongue.

If he kept watching, it felt like he'd come down with an anger-induced illness.

Whoooong!

Paeng Dohyeok's saber moved.

It was as large as the Wolf King's blade, yet Paeng Dohyeok wielded it with ease.

The saber advanced lightly, aiming to sever the waiter's arm.

But Paeng Dohyeok's blade failed to fulfill that intent.

Kwaaang!

"...."

The waiter's arm was untouched.

The great saber's trajectory had been knocked aside, slamming into the ground right next to him.

Krrrk.

Paeng Dohyeok flared with rage.

The blade's path had changed midway.

"Who did this?!"

By what had it been deflected?

At the same time, both Paeng Dohyeok and Namgung Sanghyeok turned their heads.

There sat Cheon Muyang, resting his chin on his hand.

"That's far enough."

"Y-you bastard!"

Recognizing him instantly, Namgung Sanghyeok drew his sword.

Seeing this, Cheon Muyang's eyes gleamed.

"Oh? Want to try again? You sure that's wise? There are a lot of eyes watching."

The corner of his mouth curled upward.

Seeing that smile, Namgung Sanghyeok flinched without realizing it.

"What's this? You know him?"

"...."

Paeng Dohyeok noticed.

Namgung Sanghyeok was afraid of Cheon Muyang.

'That prideful bastard?'

It was an opportunity.

Whoever this man was, Paeng Dohyeok intended to use him to teach Namgung Sanghyeok a lesson.

'Who's stronger.'

At a glance, Cheon Muyang didn't look all that powerful, so Paeng Dohyeok was confident.

"We do know each other."

"Even so—"

Whoosh!

Without warning, Paeng Dohyeok's saber flew toward him.

"You shouldn't have interfered."

Shiiiik!

A force capable of splitting Mount Tai in a single blow surged forth.

"Tsk."

But to Cheon Muyang, it was light.

He intended to teach a lesson to this reckless brat of the Paeng Family.

"Honestly, there's no shortage of executioners in this world."

Paeng Dohyeok showed no hesitation.

A single-strike, single-kill saber art that never retreated—such was the Paeng Family's blade.

Shiiiik!

Paeng Dohyeok's saber advanced straight and true, flawless as ever.

Yet Paeng Dohyeok felt a creeping unease.

'What is this?'

It was fear.

An instinct screaming that he shouldn't follow through with this swing.

Whoooong!

That unease came from a blind spot he wasn't watching.

'Don't tell me—'

Paeng Dohyeok made a mistake.

He hadn't seen Cheon Muyang's sword.

And only now did he realize it.

Shiiik!

A sword ascending from below.

'I'm going to die!'

Paeng Dohyeok blanched and hastily withdrew his saber, twisting his body with everything he had.

Whirrl!

Forced into the air by the centrifugal force, Paeng Dohyeok felt fabric tear.

"Gah!"

But it wasn't over.

There was no way he could regain balance midair.

Cheon Muyang coldly kicked Paeng Dohyeok square in the abdomen.

Kuuuuung!

The massive Paeng Dohyeok rolled across the floor.

He landed right beside the waiter, atop the uncleared spilled food.

"H-hiiik!"

Cheon Muyang stood beside the trembling waiter.

Then, wearing a strange smile, he brought Cheon Gwang down toward the fallen Paeng Dohyeok.

Kuuung!

The floor caved in.

Drip.

Drip, drip.

A gash opened on Paeng Dohyeok's cheek.

Blood flowed down.

"Gah!"

Everyone was stunned, but Cheon Muyang paid them no mind and sneered at Paeng Dohyeok.

"Does the Hebei Paeng Family not even teach that you shouldn't swing a saber recklessly?"

"Y-you bastard…!"

"Right. I didn't expect you to understand in one go."

Heh.

Cheon Muyang smiled.

"Let's see how long that stubbornness lasts."

For an executioner who thought his only achievement was being born with the Paeng surname, words were useless—only blows worked.

"For now, take a beating."

Thud!

A crisp sound rang out.

It was more satisfying than hitting Namgung Sanghyeok.

Shiver!

Namgung Sanghyeok trembled involuntarily.

Thump!

No one could stop the executioner named Cheon Muyang.