Chapter 68

What Happened at Soho Pavilion (3)

Paeng Dohyeok.

The second young master of the Hebei Paeng Family, a man whose martial talent was so outstanding that even within the Paeng clan he was widely acknowledged.

The reason he bore the sobriquet Blade Dragon was precisely because of that exceptional talent.

His family was none other than the Hebei Paeng Family.

A direct descendant of a venerable, prestigious clan that vied for the title of the greatest family under heaven alongside the Tang Clan and the Namgung Family—his path of glory had been all but guaranteed.

'H-how in the world…!'

Yet that very Paeng Dohyeok was being kicked around by someone whose identity he didn't even know.

'I can't stop it!'

He wanted to leap up and counterattack at any moment, but fists that pierced in like needles brought such pain that he couldn't even do that.

Thud!

Smack!

And so, all Paeng Dohyeok could do was instinctively move in ways that might lessen the pain as much as possible.

"Does it hurt?"

The one consolation was that, to preserve what little pride he had left, he hadn't let out a single groan.

"If you say it hurts, I might even stop."

"...!"

"Guess it doesn't hurt enough yet."

Cheon Muyang saw it.

The momentary conflict that flickered through Paeng Dohyeok's eyes.

Heh.

And so, smiling, Cheon Muyang continued punching and kicking him.

"Kh… kghh!"

Paeng Dohyeok cast pleading looks around him, seeking help.

"How can you commit such insolence! Do you even know who this person is?!"

"I do."

"W-what?"

"He's from the Hebei Paeng Family, right?"

"You know that, and yet you're still—!"

"So what?"

"...!"

He was left speechless.

"So what if it's the Hebei Paeng Family? What about it?"

Thud.

Cheon Muyang's foot stopped.

"Huff…!"

Before Paeng Dohyeok could even catch his breath—

A kick infused with internal energy stomped down on his side.

"So if it's the Hebei Paeng Family, does that mean you're allowed to cut off the arm of a child who hasn't even learned martial arts?"

"T-that's…!"

"You're all the same."

Flinch.

Cheon Muyang's aura pressed down on everyone gathered there.

"Ghk!"

Under the crushing pressure that felt like their hearts were being squeezed, those with weaker cultivation found it hard to breathe.

"If you truly are the rising juniors of righteous, prestigious sects, you should have stopped this before I had to step in."

"We tried to stop it!"

"Yes. You only went through the motions."

No one had stood up to Paeng Dohyeok for the sake of a nameless waiter.

Of course, Cheon Muyang understood.

"You might have been afraid."

Afraid of the Hebei Paeng Family, or afraid of Paeng Dohyeok's blade.

Their positions had never been equal.

But among them were those who could be said to stand on entirely equal footing with Paeng Dohyeok or Namgung Sanghyeok.

Those were the ones Cheon Muyang found even more repulsive.

"But you lot aren't like that, are you?"

He sneered at several among them—likely those holding gold invitations.

"Didn't you secretly think that what he did was justified?"

They hadn't stayed out of it because they feared Paeng Dohyeok.

It was because they believed Paeng Dohyeok's actions were justified.

It was a vile sense of elitism.

"That elitism."

Cheon Muyang ground Paeng Dohyeok's clothes further into the mess underfoot.

"Disgusting."

Power—

Was not meant to be used recklessly.

"You bastard!"

Perhaps thinking he'd found an opening,

Paeng Dohyeok, who had been sprawled on the floor, suddenly sprang up and swung his blade fiercely.

Five tigers, baring massive, razor-sharp fangs, lunged forward at once.

It was the famed ultimate technique of the Hebei Paeng Family—Five Tigers Severing the Gate Blade.

'Yes. It's a good blade.'

It was the crystallization of all the training Paeng Dohyeok had accumulated.

The countless hours he had spent swinging, swinging, and swinging that blade were evident.

Clench!

'That's precisely why I can't tolerate it.'

If it was power built through such hardship—

"You should've thought about how to use that power."

"...!"

Wooong!

With what sounded like Cheon Gwang howling in fury, the sky of this cramped Soho Pavilion seemed to split open.

Kwaaang!

"T-this can't be…!"

The fangs of the five unripe tigers were shattered.

Clearly overpowered, Paeng Dohyeok was flung backward as if bounced away.

"Cough!"

He spat out blood.

But more shocking than that was the sword of Cheon Muyang that had crushed his Five Tigers Severing the Gate Blade.

'H-how in the world…!'

Just what—

"Who are you?"

"Me?"

"...."

"The eldest son of the Cheon Clan."

"What?"

"I'm Cheon Muyang."

Only then did Paeng Dohyeok remember.

Cheon Muyang—the mad dog of the Cheon Clan.

Which made it all the more—

Impossible to believe.

"T-that's impossible."

How could the one who beat him down be that mad dog, Cheon Muyang?

In Paeng Dohyeok's memory, Cheon Muyang was trash not even worth fighting.

A sloppy, obese pig with barely passable martial arts—that was all he remembered.

Wasn't it Paeng Dohyeok himself who had openly mocked the Cheon Clan, declaring its fate had finally come to an end?

"You mean that pig bastard back then?"

"That's right."

Cheon Muyang shrugged.

Though he himself had no memory of it, the original Cheon Muyang had surely suffered a great humiliation at this Yongbong Assembly.

Perhaps he was venting that resentment on his behalf.

'The real mad dogs aren't you, but these guys.'

Cheon Muyang was indeed a madman.

He had bullied those weaker than himself.

But he had never cut off a waiter's arm for such a trivial reason.

"I'm the very pig bastard you're talking about—Cheon Muyang."

Grin.

Cheon Muyang smiled.

Paeng Dohyeok felt as if he'd seen that smile before, long ago.

"So, shall we continue?"

"What?"

"I told you."

"...?"

"If you say it hurts, I'll go easy on you."

Unfortunately—

Paeng Dohyeok didn't say those words.

Flinch!

In an instant, Cheon Muyang's movement vanished from sight.

Something flashed—and in the next moment, the Cheon Muyang who had disappeared was standing right in front of Paeng Dohyeok's nose.

"Sorry, but I haven't heard that yet."

Which meant—

It still wasn't time for this to end.

Without hesitation, Cheon Muyang threw his fist.

"Guhhk!"

A blow entirely different from before.

This time, it was a punch properly infused with internal energy.

"So? Want to say it now?"

"Shut up. Shut your mouth!"

Having lost his reason, Paeng Dohyeok lashed out wildly in retaliation, but there was no way such attacks would land.

"Yes. You need at least that much stubbornness to be Paeng blood."

Whooong!

Following the punch that split the air, Cheon Muyang's fist slammed mercilessly into Paeng Dohyeok's jaw.

"Ghk!"

With a dying cry, Paeng Dohyeok collapsed to the floor and didn't move again.

In the end, he had not submitted to Cheon Muyang.

"Tsk."

It was a shame, but Cheon Muyang had to acknowledge it.

"That stubbornness, at least, I'll give you that."

"Young Master Paeng!"

"Take care of the rest yourselves."

His lackeys rushed in belatedly.

Scooping up the fallen Paeng Dohyeok, they hurriedly fled as if they'd been waiting for this chance—an almost pitiful sight.

"Ah, wait a moment."

At those words, everyone froze.

Step. Step.

Walking over to Paeng Dohyeok, Cheon Muyang suddenly rummaged through his robes.

"Hm. Nothing of much value."

"W-what is the meaning of this…?"

"Someone has to pay compensation. Who's paying for that cratered floor? Those broken dishes?"

Glance.

The innkeeper nearby shook his head repeatedly.

He was saying it wasn't necessary, but Cheon Muyang deliberately ignored him.

"And of course, compensation for that waiter—and since I had to step in for no reason, I'll need to be compensated properly too."

But Paeng Dohyeok had nothing on him.

After a moment of thought, Cheon Muyang grabbed Paeng Dohyeok's saber.

"This will do for now."

"C-Cheon Young Master! No matter what, that's—"

"If you've got a problem with it, tell him to come see me. With a proper compensation fee in hand."

It was the Paeng Family's saber.

Its value would be considerable.

Like Paeng Dohyeok himself, Cheon Muyang lifted the massive saber with ease.

"Now hurry along."

"...."

They had no choice but to leave in silence.

Paeng Dohyeok's safety came first.

"Make sure you tell him to come back with his hands full."

After chuckling a few times, Cheon Muyang walked over to the trembling waiter nearby.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah, y-yes! Th-thank you…."

"Good. That's a relief."

Cheon Muyang held out his hand.

The waiter took it and stood, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.

"Thank you. Thank you so much!"

"Be more careful from now on. Don't get caught up with executioner bastards like that."

"Yes!"

"Now bring out some more food. I worked up an appetite moving around."

"Ah, yes! Of course!"

The young waiter quickly fled the scene.

As if nothing had happened, Cheon Muyang calmly returned to his seat.

Countless gazes stared at him in disbelief.

"What? Still got business with me?"

"…We're leaving."

Unexpectedly calm, Namgung Sanghyeok announced his departure.

It was obvious he was secretly pleased.

He himself had been beaten like a dog by Cheon Muyang, but no one knew about it.

On the other hand, Paeng Dohyeok—who had looked down on him—had been publicly crushed, which only delighted him.

"Hey, Namgung what's-his-name."

Flinch!

Namgung Sanghyeok's steps faltered.

An invisible pressure poured down on him from behind.

He didn't turn around, but somehow Namgung Sanghyeok could vividly imagine the expression on Cheon Muyang's face.

"See you later."

"...."

Namgung Sanghyeok walked out.

He forced his face to remain calm, but the hand he'd unconsciously brought to his sword hilt was trembling slightly.

Creak.

The main doors of Soho Pavilion closed.

A strange silence settled over the place.

One thing was certain—

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Cheon Muyang.

Uncomfortable with the attention, Cheon Muyang spoke to them all.

"Since Paeng Family's executioner caused a disturbance, let's put today's drink and food on the Paeng Family's tab."

"...!"

"So eat and drink to your heart's content."

Cheon Muyang smiled.

Seeing that executioner-like grin, people couldn't help but smile as well.

"Long live the Cheon Clan!"

"Long live Young Master Cheon Muyang!"

"Long live!"

Cheers erupted.

It wasn't just because their food and drinks were free.

What Cheon Muyang had shown earlier could only be called chivalry.

Who else would beat down a direct descendant of the Hebei Paeng Family for the sake of a mere waiter?

"Well then."

Cheon Muyang accepted their cheers with a smile.

An unexpected day—

But one in which Cheon Muyang and the Cheon Clan made their names resound loudly.

"Well, things will work out somehow."

The filthy floor was cleaned in no time.

"Y-Young Master!"

"Ah, are you the owner? I apologize for causing trouble unintentionally."

"N-no, not at all! By any chance, were you planning to stay at our establishment?"

"That was the plan."

"Oh my! That's a relief. We'll guide you to our finest rooms."

Cheon Muyang shrugged.

An unexpected gain, wasn't it?

"I won't refuse."

"Yes, yes. I'm the one who should be grateful."

"I'll need about three rooms."

"Pardon?"

The innkeeper doubted his ears.

One special room would be one thing—but three was another matter entirely.

But Cheon Muyang had already taken the bait.

"I'm traveling with companions."

"Ah, I see."

"And in case that Paeng Family executioner comes back holding a grudge and causes trouble."

The innkeeper flinched.

As if struck right at the heart.

That was probably why he wanted to keep Cheon Muyang here in the first place.

"So shouldn't I stay here?"

"O-of course! Absolutely! Three special rooms? Not a problem at all!"

Cheon Muyang smiled.

"That's a relief."

It was mutual benefit, after all.

"Living is about helping each other out."

"Hahaha…."

For some reason, the laughter trailed off with a faint hint of melancholy.