Chapter 27
“ I won’t take any money. Instead, could you answer just one question for me?”
In short, she was proposing an exchange—information for information.
“I’ll hear it first, and then decide.”
There wasn’t really any risk for me, but caution never hurt.
And then—
“Do you perhaps know someone by the name of Yu Maeng?”
That name suddenly appearing here…
‘Does this have something to do with Yu Guk?’
I briefly wondered if this woman might’ve been sent by Yu Guk, the descendant of Yu Maeng, but the possibility seemed slim. Yu Guk had no reason to, and there was simply no way he could know about the connection between Yu Maeng and me.
‘If it’s not Yu Guk, the options narrow down.’
Yu Maeng wasn’t particularly famous compared to his actual skills. Only a select few even knew of him. Among those, Hao Clan was one. Looking at the woman’s face, another name surfaced.
“Are you a descendant of Yeonwol?”
Her eyes widened at my answer. The curiosity in them deepened into something warmer, something akin to fondness or familiarity.
“That is the name of my great-grandmother.”
She lowered her head politely.
“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Yeonhwa, working under Cheonhyangru. If you would honor us with your presence someday, I shall receive you with the highest courtesy.”
Her manners were impeccable.
But my response was a laugh.
Pft.
Yeonhwa looked confused. I let my laughter fade, then gave her a short warning.
“Don’t test me. I’ll let it go just this once.”
Cheonhyangru—within the Hao Clan, only insiders knew the word. It was another name for the Hao Clan itself. Since the Hao Clan had no true headquarters, Cheonhyangru wasn’t an actual location either. In other words, she had just invited me to a place that didn’t exist, to test how much I really knew of Hao Clan.
And I had warned her of that.
Her feigned composure dissolved, and Yeonhwa lowered her head deeply.
“I apologize for my discourtesy. It was only a procedure to confirm if you were truly the heir of the former Clan Master. I had no intent to deceive or insult you.”
Her apology was graceful, nothing like the reputation of the so-called lowly Hao Clan. Eye-catching, yes, but meaningless to me.
“Without payment?”
“…What?”
“I take it you didn’t hear about me from Sogeom.”
I said flatly, watching her falter.
“I don’t take kindly to discourtesy, no matter how small. Sogeom made that mistake, and paid for it.”
Yeonhwa’s gaze flicked toward Sogeom. He had indeed once offended me and had to make restitution. His face stiffened as he gave a reluctant nod, then began whispering the story to her through sound transmission.
I didn’t stop him.
“…Ah.”
A faint sigh slipped from Yeonhwa’s lips. When her eyes met mine, she bowed deeply, this time from the waist.
“In acknowledgment of my mistake, I will provide information about the Central Prince’s Manor free of charge.”
It was a bold answer.
But I slowly shook my head.
“That won’t be enough.”
“Information on the Central Prince’s Manor should surely be adequate payment.”
“That’s only what you think. And free information? I don’t take it. You’ll pay no matter what.”
“May I ask why you insist?”
“Because the price also includes the cost of sealing your lips.”
Her eyes widened again.
I knew exactly why.
“I told you I wouldn’t hold back, yet you test me again.”
Offering free information—that itself was a test. Free information carries no responsibility.
“If I had just taken your free report on the Central Prince’s Manor, you could’ve turned around and sold that same knowledge to them for a higher price.”
Anyone who truly knew the Hao Clan would recognize that trick. This was a test—not only of me, but a snare that could’ve dragged my family and household into bloodshed.
My gaze hardened.
“W–wait!”
Too late.
Slash—thud, roll.
The Destruction Sword extended, slicing clean through Yeonhwa’s left arm. She froze in shock, then screamed and collapsed.
Almost instantly, Sogeom drew the hidden dagger from his breast and hurled himself at me to protect his mistress.
‘Interesting fellow.’
An ordinary Hao Clan agent would have fled the moment he sensed the difference in power—or betrayed his master outright. Sogeom did neither. That alone raised my evaluation of him. Rare indeed, even within Hao Clan.
But that didn’t mean I’d spare him. I was still furious that their little “test” had endangered both the Geumhwa Merchant Guild and the Geum family.
And then—
“Stop! Don’t!”
Yeonhwa’s desperate cry rang out just in time.
Sogeom, who had nearly reached me, froze as though shackled. The Destruction Sword was pressed against his shoulder—one step further and he would have lost an arm. Realizing it belatedly, his face turned pale.
“Where did that earlier bravado go?”
His body trembled at my words—not from fear, but from bitter frustration. Yet he didn’t move recklessly again. First a slight twitch, then stillness.
I didn’t mock him. I praised him.
“Good instincts.”
Just as I had given Yeonhwa a chance, I gave him one as well. That chance was already spent when he lunged at me. Had he tried again, I would’ve taken his life, not just his arm.
He must’ve sensed that instinctively.
“Keep those instincts sharp, and you might just survive longer in this cruel world.”
I turned my gaze back to Yeonhwa. Blood stained the ground, but she had already pressed her acupoints; the bleeding wasn’t severe.
What intrigued me was her expression.
Her arm had been severed entirely—yet she showed no hint of pain. Were it not for her ghostly pale complexion, one might think nothing had happened.
And then—
“Thank you for sparing me with just an arm, and not my neck.”
Her smile was enchanting, enough to ensnare any man—even in such a state. It was so absurd it bordered on terrifying.
‘To smile after losing an arm… just how hardened is this woman?’
A ruthless woman, and now she bore a grudge against me. More interesting still, she admitted it openly.
“I will not lie. Though it was my mistake, being forced to live as a crippled woman, I resent you deeply. But that aside, I will see our transaction completed without issue. My grudge will not cause harm to you or your clan.”
To stand so boldly even now—her audacity made me laugh inside.
‘As expected of Yeonwol’s descendant.’
Yes, it fit. She was truly the bloodline of the woman who had once had Yu Maeng, that unshakable man of stone, dancing in circles.
But that didn’t mean I’d hand her the reins.
“And why should I trust you? You just admitted your resentment. For all I know, Hao Clan could storm the Geumhwa Guild tomorrow.”
Yeonhwa neither panicked nor begged me to trust her. Instead, she offered a practical answer.
“Then I will accompany you.”
“You mean… as a hostage?”
“Yes.”
“Out of nowhere?”
I was dumbfounded. The idea was that far from my expectations.
She spoke firmly.
“My life is dear to me. As long as I am your hostage, Hao Clan can do nothing rash.”
“And why go that far?”
“Because I want to live. And also—”
“And also?”
“Because I know the easiest choice before you is to annihilate us completely.”
I had cut off the arm of Hao Clan’s branch leader. For such a faithless, loyalty-less group, to do nothing would be strange.
She thought I might slaughter them all to prevent reprisals. Half true, half wrong.
“I may kill you, yes. But not to silence you. It would only be punishment for daring to endanger not only me, but those close to me.”
I gave her one truth.
“Do you think I’d fear mere Hao Clan?”
I had stood tall even before the Heavenly Demon and his devil followers. To massacre Hao Clan out of fear? That would make me a laughingstock across the land.
“Troublesome, but so be it.”
Originally, I hadn’t planned to reveal much—only to show them the lost Guiheobo manual.
But now I changed my mind. This felt all too similar to when Jincheon betrayed me.
So I would show them—truly show them—what they had dared to touch, and what martial arts had been lost through their treachery.
“Watch closely.”
Watch, regret, and weep for what you’ll never reach again.
Remember who it was you tried to test.
I slowly raised the sword I had let rest.
Of course, Guiheobo wasn’t the only martial art of Jincheon—the former Hao Clan Master.
Two Demon Sword (Tugwi-geom).
A crude name, but its sword path painted the air with dazzling intricacy.
And from that day on—
There were occasional rumors. That the great river itself had been split apart, scattering into the air. But the truth of those rumors was never revealed.
