The silence that filled the hall was due to Hwang Pae's sudden change.
He had been raging like a madman, but when he calmed down, all eyes focused on him.
Only then did Hwang Pae realize his mistake.
After spewing curses, he had asked, “What do you want?”
But a moment ago, he had been truly so startled he thought his heart would leap out of his throat.
As if a slip of the tongue had occurred, Hwang Pae shouted, reverting to his usual self.
"I'm asking what you want!"
Geom Muyang, on the other hand, remained as impassive and calm as ever.
"The person who dealt with them."
Hwang Pae blinked for a moment, then urgently called for someone.
"Gu Yong! Where is Gu Yong!"
He was the one who had orchestrated this deal.
Gu Yong played a role like a general steward in the Black Hand Sect.
He had a good nose for money and often brought in profitable ventures.
This time, he had brought an unexpected opportunity.
An opportunity to purchase the hidden weapons of the Demon Sect, designated as forbidden weapons in the Martial World.
The fact that they were Demon Sect weapons was concerning, but that was also what made them so desirable.
Hwang Pae's hesitation was brief.
A huge sum of money, precious as blood, was required, but since it was a post-payment deal, there was no worry of being cheated.
Most importantly, with those hidden weapons, dealing with the masters of the Great Light Sect would not be difficult.
If he assassinated them one by one, it would only be a matter of time before he became the number one dark faction in Hunan.
A plan born from such a grand dream had ended up in this mess.
It was all because of this bastard.
"Gu Yong, won't you come out?"
He searched frantically, but the Gu Yong he was looking for was not among the kneeling martial artists.
Hwang Pae ran over, grabbed one of his subordinates, and shook him by the collar.
"Where is Gu Yong?"
"I don't know."
Hwang Pae grabbed another man and shook him, but he didn't know either.
Just then, another subordinate from the back spoke up.
"He went to the Flower Shadow Pavilion for a drink."
In that instant, Hwang Pae’s eyes flipped.
"That crazy bastard!"
This whole mess started because of him, and he went to a courtesan house to drink?
The sun hadn't even set yet.
He slapped the man he was holding by the collar and shouted.
"Go find him right now! Hurry!"
As he screamed, Division Lord Ho Myeong raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.
Hwang Pae's expression crumpled.
‘Is this bastard gesturing with his finger instead of talking?’
But the words never left his mouth.
Ho Myeong and the demonic practitioners standing around him were looking at him with utterly indifferent eyes, and it felt as if they would suddenly rush over and tear him to shreds.
‘Damn Demon Sect bastards!’
He was known to charge in like a madman without a care for his life when fighting, but in this moment, his madness was selective.
He wasn't scared when fighting the ruffians of the dark factions who cursed while bleeding, but he was scared looking at these men who would calmly stab a person to death with those indifferent eyes.
"Get up."
Ho Myeong helped the man who said he had gone to the Flower Shadow Pavilion to his feet.
Then, he personally took four subordinates and followed.
His direct involvement showed how important this matter was.
Hwang Pae looked at Geom Muyang again.
It felt like he would have a better chance of communicating with this man, who appeared to be the leader, than with these butcher-like men.
Hwang Pae's momentum had subsided.
"When Gu Yong arrives, take him with you. Then we will consider today's events as if they never happened, and I will not report it to the Unorthodox Alliance."
Hwang Pae was the kind of man who would cut off someone's ankle if they stepped on his foot on the street.
Yet, despite having several teeth broken, he was offering to let it go.
"Alright."
When Geom Muyang agreed so readily, Hwang Pae felt a sense of relief internally.
‘He made a promise in front of his subordinates, so he won't go back on his word.’
He glanced at Myeong-gwi.
Myeong-gwi seemed lost in thought, but he felt the gaze and looked at Hwang Pae.
Hwang Pae nodded with an expression that said, ‘endure it well.’
He tried his best not to look awkward.
A short while later, those who had gone to fetch Gu Yong returned.
But Gu Yong was not with them.
Ho Myeong reported to Geom Muyang with a grave expression.
"The man named Gu Yong was found stabbed to death in the courtesan house."
Geom Muyang's gaze turned cold.
They had rushed here without rest after leaving the escort agency, but the enemy had acted a step ahead.
"This is really getting on my nerves."
With that single phrase, the demonic energy flowing from Geom Muyang's body made the surrounding air cold and heavy.
Ho Myeong could feel that Geom Muyang was truly angry.
While Ho Myeong and the division warriors held their breath, Hwang Pae, who was in a hurry, spoke up at a moment he should not have.
"It's not our fault Gu Yong is dead. So please leave. Keep your promise!"
As Hwang Pae emphasized the promise, Geom Muyang strode towards him.
A startled Hwang Pae instinctively raised his inner energy.
But his energy core was already suppressed.
When Geom Muyang had thrown him into the courtyard earlier, he had sealed his inner energy.
Half out of his mind, he hadn't even realized his inner energy was suppressed.
Smack!
Geom Muyang's fist slammed into Hwang Pae’s face again.
Hwang Pae was sent flying and rolled on the ground.
As he pushed himself up, three or four more broken teeth fell from his mouth.
When he opened his mouth, his front teeth were gone.
"If you mess with us…"
He was about to say that the Unorthodox Alliance would not stand by, but Hwang Pae couldn't continue.
The sight of Geom Muyang walking towards him and looking down with cold eyes was utterly terrifying.
Then, words that Hwang Pae could never understand flowed from Geom Muyang's mouth.
"This is all because of my younger brother."
Thwack!
Geom Muyang kicked him in the face, and Hwang Pae collapsed back onto the ground.
This time, his nose and cheekbones were broken.
Hwang Pae let out a pained groan.
"A punk like you thinks you can shout at us."
Geom Muyang walked towards him again.
"We were never once kind to this Martial World."
As Geom Muyang raised his foot as if to crush his head, Hwang Pae screamed for his life.
Looking down at him as if he were an insect, Geom Muyang lowered his foot and looked at the kneeling Black Hand Sect martial artists.
"Does anyone know about this deal?"
None of the Black Hand Sect martial artists opened their mouths.
Then, Geom Muyang said coldly.
"Kill them all."
At that, Ho Myeong and the division warriors drew their swords without hesitation.
"Please spare us!"
Screams and pleas erupted, but the martial artists mercilessly raised their swords.
Just as they were about to annihilate the Black Hand Sect.
"I know!"
One person shouted.
It was the same man who had earlier reported that Gu Yong was at the courtesan house.
His name was Seok-su.
He was friends with Gu Yong.
"I heard about this deal."
Geom Muyang raised his hand, halting his subordinates.
The swords that were about to pierce the Black Hand Sect martial artists stopped in unison behind their necks.
Ho Myeong pulled Seok-su aside, and the martial artists surrounded him protectively.
"What did he tell you?"
It was at that moment.
One of the martial artists who had been kneeling with his head down suddenly shot to his feet.
In his hand was a Piercing Spike.
"Block it!"
Ho Myeong shouted and stood in front of Seok-su.
He knew he couldn't block the Piercing Spike from this distance, but Ho Myeong did not flinch.
Just as the Piercing Spike was about to be fired.
Swish.
A flash of sword light cut through the air.
Slice.
The sound of flesh and bone being severed was heard.
Thud.
The arm of the man who was about to fire the Piercing Spike was cut off and fell to the ground.
Flying Heaven Sword Technique, Fifth Form—Azure Heaven Form.
The ultimate swift sword form of the Flying Heaven Sword Technique was unleashed by Geom Muyang, who had achieved great mastery.
Thump! Thump!
Ho Myeong rushed over and suppressed the paralyzing point of the man whose arm was severed and spewing blood, then pressed the pressure points on the severed arm to stop the bleeding.
"Hehehehe."
Even with his arm cut off, he laughed like a madman.
It was the same as the man who had committed suicide at the escort agency.
Thump! Thump!
Ho Myeong quickly pressed his mute point and vital points as well.
As the man collapsed, the division warriors formed a circle around Seok-su and the fallen man, remaining vigilant.
Ho Myeong shouted at the kneeling men.
"Everyone, strip!"
Ho Myeong strode over and stabbed a man who hesitated in the chest.
At that, the remaining men quickly stripped off their clothes.
Fortunately, none of the naked men were carrying hidden weapons.
Before leaving, Geom Muyang said one last thing to Myeong-gwi.
"What's the point of blaming the one who deceived you? You're the fool for being deceived."
The moment he heard those words, a chill ran down Myeong-gwi's spine, and a tremor went through his entire body.
In fact, Myeong-gwi had felt something was amiss when Hwang Pae's demeanor changed earlier.
Hwang Pae had been startled and cut him off when he mentioned investigating his wife's death.
And in this moment, he knew.
The one who had planned and committed that act in the past was Hwang Pae.
It was all a scheme to possess him.
Myeong-gwi approached Hwang Pae.
With his broken teeth and caved-in nose, he was a mess.
"Was it your doing?"
"What kind of crazy talk is that?"
Hwang Pae's agitated voice trembled.
More than the butcher-like demonic practitioners, more than the Demon Sect master who had beaten him, this was the moment he had feared the most.
"And I willingly became a swordsman for you."
For five years, he had served him with loyalty.
He didn't like his actions, but he wanted to repay the grace of saving his son.
But as time passed and he learned more about Hwang Pae, one suspicion grew.
This was not a man who would step up for others.
He was a man who tormented, stole from, and killed others, so why had he killed those wanderers and saved his son that day?
Smack! Thwack! Smack!
Myeong-gwi's fists repeatedly struck his face.
"Tell me! Was it your doing?"
Hwang Pae winced in pain and said.
"It hurts. Stop."
Blood trickled from his mouth and nose.
But the punches did not stop.
Thud! Thwack! Thud! Thud!
He couldn't endure the emotionally charged blows any longer.
Hwang Pae had a premonition.
No matter how much he denied it, Myeong-gwi would kill him.
If he was going to die anyway?
"Since when did you know that bastard to believe his words and act like this? Then again, you believed my words that I saved you like a fool."
With words that were a confession of his own deeds, Myeong-gwi's face contorted.
"What's a mere wench like her? I treated you so well all this time. You ungrateful bastard."
Myeong-gwi asked with cold eyes.
"Then why did you spare my son?"
"You fool, that's how I keep you tied down!"
He grinned with his ruined face.
Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!
Myeong-gwi's sword tore through his body.
Yes, the man was right.
Despite the unexplainable sense of unease and suspicion, that was the reason he couldn't leave Hwang Pae.
He was worried about his young son.
The fear that his son might be in danger if he got involved in a fight had suppressed his own suspicions.
Lifting his sword, dripping with blood, Myeong-gwi rose and looked at Geom Muyang.
"You are right. I was the fool who was deceived. If you are going to kill me, then kill me."
He was worried about his son, but he was glad he could at least get his revenge before he died.
Geom Muyang looked at him for a moment before turning away without a word.
As he was about to leave with his subordinates, Myeong-gwi asked urgently from behind.
"Are you just leaving?"
"Should I not?"
If it were his younger brother, he would have sorted things out somehow.
He might have punished those whose evil deeds had gone too far.
But Geom Muyang wasn't interested.
Depending on the situation, he could kill them all or leave them alive.
Interfering unnecessarily in these trivial lives was the role of his meddlesome younger brother.
"If you had not revealed the truth, I would have been used by that despicable man for the rest of my life. Thank you."
He bowed his head respectfully.
"I didn't reveal the truth. He revealed it himself."
Myeong-gwi wore a puzzled expression, not understanding what that meant.
Geom Muyang said no more and walked out.
There were no records of that incident from five years ago.
He had merely thrown out a line to test the waters, and Hwang Pae had panicked and self-destructed.
If he learned this fact, he would not be able to close his eyes peacefully even in death.
In any case, since Myeong-gwi was the one who killed Hwang Pae, this incident would not cause a conflict between the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect and the Unorthodox Alliance.
Geom Muyang did not look back even once as he left, and Myeong-gwi did not raise his head, maintaining a respectful salute until he was completely gone.
*
After leaving the Black Hand Sect, Geom Muyang and the division warriors arrived at the nearest branch.
"Interrogate them and find out everything they know. Use any and all means necessary."
"Yes, understood."
At Geom Muyang's command, the martial artists took the two men they brought to the branch's interrogation room.
Next, he commanded Ho Myeong.
"Send an emergency dispatch to all other divisions and branches in Hunan and gather the elites."
Today's events made it clear.
The enemy was a much more meticulous and larger organization than he had thought.
Geom Muyang recalled the man who had laughed like a madman even after his arm was severed.
Hwang Pae was a fake madman; that one was the real madman.
To deal with such men, their side also needed to be properly equipped.
"Tell the divisions and branches to equip them with all the stored protective armor before sending them out."
"Yes, understood."
Ho Myeong replied vigorously, then carefully added.
"But then the Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance will become tense."
This matter had nothing to do with his younger brother.
No matter how deep his brother's friendship with the successors of the Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance was.
Putting aside his personal anger at almost killing his own brother with his own hands, this was an official mission to capture those who had counterfeited the Main Sect's hidden weapons.
"There is no need to explain everything to the Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance. Don't expect their understanding. Just relay this."
Geom Muyang added curtly.
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Sect is conducting an operation."