Chapter 87
Chapter 87
Tang Gun found his thoughts drifting back to an earlier crossing of their paths.
During an era when the wider martial world treated the Tang Sect like outcasts, the Baek Estate had extended an open hand, clearing two critical hurdles in one stroke: apprehending the Sex-Crazed Fox and securing a regional outpost.
Later, as he was heading toward Ak’an County in Muju to establish that outpost after presenting his report to the main family in Sichuan, he had crossed paths with Namgung Cheonhu, the young master of the Namgung noble house.
The hidden hand manipulating the Sex-Crazed Fox… We lacked solid proof back then, but…
Tang Gun held a deep conviction that the Namgung clan was pulling the strings from the shadows. Because of that lingering distrust, maintaining a cordial facade before Namgung Cheonhu felt nearly impossible. Even so, allowing personal grudges to show was the height of folly for the successor of a premier clan.
“Young Lord Namgung. It has been quite some time.”
“It has indeed. How many years have passed since our meeting in Jiangxi? Five? Perhaps six?”
Even though both stood as successors to prominent clans, Namgung Cheonhu carried himself with an unmistakably patronizing air. An age gap of nearly a decade could pass as natural seniority, yet his underlying intent was far from innocent.
“Whether five years or six, does it make any difference?”
“Fair point. What truly matters is the considerable span since our last encounter. Don’t you agree? After all, the connection between our houses is hardly ordinary.”
“…….”
It was certainly far from ordinary. The real issue was that this connection was a yoke the Tang Clan desperately longed to sever.
The Nine Sects and Five Great Houses had played a role in the founding of the Tang Clan. Through that history, they had kept an unyielding grip around the clan’s throat ever since—chains the Tang Clan wanted nothing more than to shatter.
“Young Lord Namgung. On that occasion and now once more, we seem to meet through sheer happenstance.”
“A succession of coincidences often signals fate. Perhaps our lives are intertwined.”
“May I inquire what brings you to these parts?”
Confronted with the direct inquiry, Namgung Cheonhu simply dismissed it with a cunning smirk.
“Hundreds of thousands come to admire Lake Chaohu every year. Why should my presence here be considered strange?”
At the same time, Yanghwi’s mind raced through the unfolding developments with relentless precision.
Jin Geumbo had opted for the route leading through Hefei out of the two available choices, and the young lord of the Namgung noble house was already stationed by Lake Chaohu, poised as if anticipating his arrival.
A clandestine pact undeniably bound the two together.
The Jin family of Gyesu served, in all likelihood, as Jin Geumbo’s ancestral line. With the Namgung house reigning over Anhui, maintaining ties with a family residing in Gyesu—a territory under Anhui’s dominion—was only natural.
Now that the Namgung house has shown its face, one thing is certain. Merchant Jin holds some sort of clue regarding the Sword King’s Tomb.
Perhaps the Namgung noble house had been conducting a covert search for the tomb through their backing of the Jin family. If that were the case…
He would never let the man walk away without a struggle.
Right on cue.
“Under these circumstances, we appreciate the brief reunion and will be taking our leave.”
Hearing Tang Gun’s statement, Namgung Cheonhu offered a slow shake of his head.
“Mmm. That presents an issue.”
“And what would that be?”
Namgung Cheonhu stepped closer.
“I have matters to settle with him. Merchant Jin, are you within?”
Jin Geumbo, who had been holding his breath inside the carriage, cautiously stepped down.
“I-It is a privilege to see you once more, Young Lord.”
“A considerable time has indeed gone by. Hahaha, I hardly expected you to venture so near Hefei.”
“A promise was made, so my arrival was only proper.”
“Is that the case? I had begun to think Merchant Jin had reconsidered his loyalty!”
“…….”
Jin Geumbo swallowed hard and kept quiet. Namgung Cheonhu signaled to him with a flippant wave, treating him like an errand boy while entirely disregarding the merchant’s unease.
“Step forward. We have a great deal to discuss away from prying ears.”
“…Understood, Young Lord.”
Yanghwi clicked his tongue under his breath. Though he preferred to stay back and glean further insights, the moment called for an intervention.
“Excuse me, but that will not do!”
With a light spring from the carriage, Yanghwi somersaulted cleanly through the air, landed firmly on the ground, and greeted Namgung Cheonhu with a casual clasping of his hands.
“It has been a while. Though perhaps your memory of me has faded.”
Namgung Cheonhu studied Yanghwi with a smirk of amusement.
“You once again.”
“‘Once again’? To what do you refer?”
“Nothing of any real weight. Regardless, I am pleased to meet you, Young Master of the Baek house. Your name was… Yanghwi, wasn’t it?”
“Indeed it is.”
“Word reached me that you recently earned the hollow moniker of the Ascending Dragon Sword.”
Yanghwi swallowed back a sarcastic smile.
Acting as though my name slips his mind while reciting my moniker without missing a beat.
To dismiss it as a “hollow moniker,” no less. Wasn’t Namgung Cheonhu himself known as the Crushing Sword Dragon? Reaching the fully realized apex realm around the age of thirty while standing as the heir to Namgung—it was an undeniable achievement, backed by legitimate martial might.
Even so, he was merely someone clinging to a ‘dragon’ title well past his prime.
Within the martial realm, designations of dragons and phoenixes belonged exclusively to the prodigies of the up-and-coming generation. Yanghwi recalled Namgung Cheonyeong, Cheonhu’s younger brother and the bitter nemesis of his previous lifetime. A generational marvel poised to eclipse his older brother and claim the mantle of Great Namgung’s premier blade before his coming-of-age ceremony. Stacked against a prodigy like that, the man standing before him was merely run-of-the-mill.
“Very well, Ascending Dragon Sword. Provide me a reason why I cannot take Merchant Jin.”
“The explanation is simple. Our Gaecheon Escort Service has not yet fulfilled its protective duties.”
“Are you implying that an escort assignment outweighs an agreement with the Namgung house?”
“Haha, isn’t that self-evident? Without complete dedication to our contracts, how could an escort service hope to retain clients?”
As Yanghwi delivered his response with an easy grin, Namgung Cheonhu broke into a booming laugh.
“HAHAHAHA! An undeniable point! HAHAHAHA!”
Yanghwi’s brow twitched faintly. What a petty brute. Concealing internal qi pressure beneath the cover of laughter.
You picked the wrong target. I have survived far too much to buckle under someone of your caliber.
“Isn’t that right? HAHAHAHA!”
Yanghwi unleashed his own burst of laughter, pushing back with an opposing wave of qi that caused Namgung Cheonhu’s face to freeze. He clearly had not anticipated Yanghwi meeting his pressure dead-on and driving it right back at him.
“Merchant Jin hired us to deliver his freight straight to the Jin Estate in Gyesu. As members of the Gaecheon Escort Service, we are duty-bound to see the journey through. Might Young Lord Namgung show magnanimity and step aside on this occasion?”
“Step aside? What justification do I have to yield?”
“The members of the Namgung noble house are celebrated for a lofty spirit reaching toward the heavens, so surely you would not resort to pettiness!”
A flash of irritation surfaced across Namgung Cheonhu’s features. To have it suggested that refusing to relent would brand him as petty naturally struck a nerve. Tolerating the exchange this far was already an extraordinary display of patience for a member of Namgung. Even so…
What recourse do you truly have?
Until now, Yanghwi had maintained a cautious approach to avoid drawing the ire of the Namgung noble house. From this juncture, however, the dynamic had shifted. An inevitable clash at the Sword King’s Tomb loomed just days away, rendering timid posturing completely pointless.
“So, will you consider extending us this small courtesy?”
“Securing a concession from the Namgung house demands rightful standing. I must wonder if you possess such standing.”
“What proof would satisfy you?”
“Mmm.”
Namgung Cheonhu cast a chilling glance past Yanghwi and Tang Gun before settling his attention entirely onto Tang Gun.
Arrogant bastard.
The gesture made it plain that Yanghwi was beneath his consideration. For a man a decade his senior to rely on such childish taunts was laughable. He was obviously angling to ignite tempers and force an altercation, but Yanghwi refused to take the bait.
The longer this dialogue drags on, the more favorable our position becomes.
Instead, Yanghwi quietly directed a sound transmission toward Tang Gun. Meanwhile, Namgung Cheonhu broke the silence.
“Young Lord Tang. Answer me this. Are you also operating as an escort for this venture?”
“At Brother Hwi’s request, I agreed to serve as a guest escort.”
“The young master of the renowned Tang Clan, lowered to working as a basic escort? Hahaha, claiming you took up mercenary work as a wandering rogue would carry far more dignity.”
Disdaining both wanderers and escorts in the same breath?
Tallying all the vagabond martial artists and escorts across the land would easily yield over a hundred thousand souls. Even though pride was practically engraved into the blood of the Namgung noble house, this man’s condescension was exceptionally grating.
“Young Lord Tang, allow me one query. What precisely does this escort mission entail?”
“Is Young Lord Namgung unfamiliar with the unspoken etiquette of the jianghu? The parameters of an escort commission must remain confidential.”
“That is hardly an unwritten law of the martial domain; it is merely an escort agency’s private code. If the employer grants permission, nothing prevents it from being aired. Do I misspeak?”
“…Your assessment is accurate.”
Namgung Cheonhu shifted his gaze to Jin Geumbo and issued a blunt order.
“Merchant Jin. I find myself intrigued by the commission you assigned elsewhere rather than seeking the protection of our Namgung family. Out with it.”
“The truth is… it was solely to carry a single correspondence to the Jin Estate. Beyond that, it was under the stipulation that I travel in the company of the eldest young master of the Baek house, whose name has been gaining renown throughout Jiangxi of late…”
Namgung Cheonhu’s gaze sharpened intensely.
“A missive destined for the Jin Estate? Surrender it.”
“I-It contains nothing beyond routine inquiries regarding their health.”
“You went through the trouble of securing an escort squad merely to dispatch a basic message of well-wishes?”
“That occurred… owing to my high regard for Young Hero Baek Yanghwi, prompting my desire to accompany him on the road…”
Namgung Cheonhu cut through Jin Geumbo’s stammering.
“Surrender it.”
Jin Geumbo stepped forward with hesitant feet. Though Yanghwi and Tang Gun noted the frantic turmoil swirling within his gaze, they were powerless to stop him. Since the client himself chose to hand over the cargo, they possessed no legitimate grounds to intervene.
Namgung Cheonhu tore the seal away without hesitation and scanned the parchment.
“Hmm. It appears to be nothing more than an ordinary note of courtesy.”
“Y-Yes, Young Lord.”
“Then what progress has been made on the assignment my clan entrusted to the Jin clan?”
“Regarding that…”
Jin Geumbo swallowed dryly, his throat clicking as his eyes darted from side to side in desperation. Rigid with nervous tension, his words stumbled out.
“We have… not yet managed to verify the exact details…”
Namgung Cheonhu’s face darkened with open disappointment.
“You raised such an uproar regarding your trip to Gyesu that I suspected some underhanded plot. It seems my wariness was entirely unwarranted.”
“How could I ever contemplate such deceit, Young Lord?”
“Very well. Pardon my skepticism, Merchant Jin.”
Despite the apology, not the slightest hint of regret showed in Namgung Cheonhu’s expression.
At the very least, that part is dealt with.
“With that settled, Young Lord Namgung, we shall resume our duties and escort Merchant Jin to our destination.”
“Ah. We still have that lingering affair to resolve, don’t we?”
A faint trace of mockery returned to Namgung Cheonhu’s face.
“As you are aware, this escort duty could be terminated with a single command from me. Merchant Jin would hardly have the courage to defy a directive from Namgung Cheonhu.”
The statement was undeniably true. The instant Jin Geumbo declared the contract void, their mandate as his protectors would crumble.
“Even so, I will refrain from taking that course. I hold a certain respect for you, after all. Yet retracting my previous words would injure my honor, meaning…”
Namgung Cheonhu shifted his condescending stare toward Tang Gun.
“Let us return to the earlier topic. Demonstrate that you hold the necessary standing to challenge the will of Namgung Cheonhu and see this escort through.”
“What form of demonstration do you require?”
“Does a martial artist possess any means of proof beyond their own steel?”
“A contest of arms? Are you proposing an immediate duel on this spot?”
Seeing Yanghwi pull up his cuffs as if preparing to trade blows without delay, Namgung Cheonhu scoffed softly under his breath.
Does this man truly view me as insignificant?
Until this point, Yanghwi had simply found Namgung Cheonhu irritating, but that dismissive sneer was genuinely grating. Should I take this apex-realm fraud and give him the humiliation of a defeat against a first-rate fighter?
“Pardon me, but it is not your blade I care to test.”
Without uttering another word, Namgung Cheonhu slipped his sword from its sheath.
The act was an unmistakable insult, a complete disregard for proper conduct.
“Young Lord Tang. A long time has passed since I witnessed the techniques of the Tang Clan. Will you cross a blade with me?”
Yanghwi’s expression instantly turned cold.
The hounds of Namgung truly were impossible to endure.
So that was his design all along.
Having ventured out on a fruitless errand, he had no intention of retreating empty-handed without drawing blood from someone first.
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