The Ruler Of Darkness - Chapter 579



Only Noblemtl

Episode 579

Chapter 3: Jangmunin (掌門人)

Henan Province.

A small city close to Luoyang.

“Ugh…!”

“They are…!”

Despite the late hour, many people were out on the streets.

As Luoyang is nearby, it is a place where even large merchant ships traveling overseas often stop by.

So it wasn’t easy to surprise the city people here.

But, nevertheless.

“Is this the power of the Nine Great Gate Sects of the past…?”

The sight of these people wearing white martial arts uniforms embroidered with plum blossoms was a rare sight even for city dwellers.

“As expected, it’s the Hwasan faction… .”

“Are you saying you’re going to use all of that huge accommodation?”

“That’s right. Since it’s the Yongbongjihoe (Dragon and Phoenix Society), I guess they brought all the young disciples along.”

“Besides, I heard that this time, even the elders and the chief priests have come forward.”

“Gasp, even Jang Moon-in…?!”

The disciples of the Hwasanpa guarding the outskirts of the dormitory building felt their necks tense up for no reason.

but.

Deep inside the accommodation.

“I repeat, you must be very careful in your approach to Grand Duke Yeon So-hyeon.”

The atmosphere in the temporary conference room, originally used as a banquet hall, was quite serious.

“He is a very dangerous person, and we must never allow him to harbor any hostility towards our Volcano faction. Instead, we must build a cooperative and friendly relationship.”

“Volcanic Sword Dragon!”

Volcanic Sword Dragon.

An elder interrupted Gam Woo-hyeon, who had returned from the North.

“There’s no need to promote the Archduke like that.”

“…What do you mean?”

The elder openly laughed as he watched Gam Woo-hyun’s thick eyebrows twitch.

“I don’t want to see any more of a defeated general overemphasizing the enemy general who caused his defeat and trying to reduce his responsibility.”

“What is that-?!”

As Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-Hyeon was about to lose his temper, the other elders intervened without giving him a chance.

“How many times have we brought up the same thing in a meeting?!”

“Now you’re saying that again even though you forbade bringing it up as an agenda?!”

Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-Hyeon gritted his teeth and said.

“I’ll accept any punishment I want. But-.”

“It’s noisy!”

“Are you saying this knowing how many important things are piling up in our faction right now?!”

Ugh.

The eyebrows of the Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-Hyeon trembled with anger.

Those guys.

It is not that the elders of the Hwasan faction are unaware of the danger that Archduke Yeon So-hyeon poses.

The authors are purely-.

‘Are you saying that they are turning a blind eye to and distorting obvious facts for their own political gain…?!’

And their means were frighteningly effective.

“… Originally, Jangmunja (掌門弟子) wasn’t that kind of person.”

“Now, aren’t you a long-suffering person? You’ve taken responsibility for the failure of the operation and stepped down.”

“I feel ashamed that I once respected someone like that….”

Even like this.

Even the young Hwasanpa warriors who had enough standing to participate in this meeting had a negative view of Hwasan Sword Dragon Gam Woo-hyeon.

“Volcanic Sword Dragon!”

In response to the young disciples’ reactions, the elders began to pressure the Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-Hyeon even more harshly.

“You should be thankful that we still call you the Volcano Sword Dragon!”

“You led your disciples as you pleased, deviated from the text, and almost committed treason! You didn’t even go to the Confession Hall to reflect on yourself, how shameless you are!”

“that.”

at that time.

A heavy voice intervened.

“Is this what you want this old man to hear?”

The heated temporary conference room cooled down in an instant.

“Hey, Sword Lord…!”

“This is not the place for the Supreme Elder to come out…!”

“The Supreme Elder is also responsible for this matter-!”

“Responsibility for this matter?”

The Taesang Elder of the Volcano Sect, Geomgun, chuckled at those words.

“If you ask me to take responsibility for the defeat, I will. If you want to point fingers, go ahead. But in front of my disciples, even if my mouth is crooked, I must speak straight.”

He drank the glass he was holding in one gulp and said.

“The responsibility for participating in the war lies not with this old man or the Hwasan Sword Dragon.”

Above the cleanly emptied glass, the swordsman’s eyes shone coldly.

“Isn’t it something that all of us who made the decision to go to war should bear?”

A blatant smile appeared on his lips.

“How about it? On this occasion, how about stepping down and taking full responsibility together with this old man?”

“… Ahem.”

“That’s a bit of a case….”

The elders immediately cowered and tried to refute him, avoiding his gaze.

“Okay.”

The swordsman cut off their words, picked up the bottle of wine, poured it into his own glass, and called out to the person who had been silent since a while ago.

“Long story.”

“… … .”

The gaze of the leader of the Hwasan faction, who was sitting at the highest seat, turned to Geomgun without answering.

However, instead of facing the leader of the Hwasan faction, the swordsman raised his glass and placed it on the leader’s table.

He pointed to the luxurious letter.

“Pretend not to hear the request for escort support from the Sixteen Imperial Clans and refuse.”

The swordsman emptied his glass in one gulp again and spoke.

“The pretext is for escort, but ultimately. If there is a conflict with the Grand Duke’s forces on the way back, aren’t you asking them to fight alongside you?”

That’s right.

The Volcano faction had no plans to stay in this city in the first place.

But when this letter arrived from the heads of the sixteen clans of the Yellow Emperor, they had no choice but to stop for an urgent meeting.

“… But, Sword Army.”

Unlike when they had cornered the Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-hyeon, the elders spoke to the swordsman in a more heavy voice.

“This could be a golden opportunity.”

“If, by any chance, a clash really does occur and the main faction supports the victory of the Sixteen Houses of the Imperial Clan-.”

“In one breath, our Volcano faction-!”

“gibberish.”

The swordsman cut off the elders’ blatant ambitions with his cold eyes.

“In the first place, we only have the necessary number of people to participate in the Yongbong Branch Meeting. No way.”

He raised his hand and pointed to the young unmanned people of the volcano.

“Are you planning to drive those bloody bastards into the battlefield like mere ronin and kill them all?”

Shudder.

The hearts of the young warriors, which had been burning hot under the instigation of the elders, suddenly cooled down.

“If you understand, then everyone just shut up and worry about getting results at the Yongbong branch.”

like that.

The swordsman, who had prevented anyone from speaking, tilted the bottle again.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Silence fell on the large conference room, and the only sound that could be heard was the clinking of glasses filled by the swordsmen.

at that time.

“…Sword Lord, no, Teacher Brother.”

Jang Moon-in opened his mouth.

“You, who were always like a plum tree blooming proudly on a cliff, have changed a lot.”

His gaze was directed towards the swordsman’s glass.

“Is it true that the rumors that we were defeated by Geomakpasan again in the north?”

Towering.

“… … .”

The swordsman’s hand that was lifting the glass stopped.

As an ominous atmosphere began to rise from the two people with the highest distribution, the surroundings seemed to freeze.

“… … .”

One of the elders swallowed dryly, motioned to the younger disciples, and dismissed them all.

Knock, knock.

As everyone left and the door closed, the swordsman’s mouth slowly opened.

“… I just realized this anew. That which is strong is easily broken.”

Despite the blatant attack by the long-suffering man, the swordsman’s voice was surprisingly calm.

“Everyone in this faction is looking for Geonsu with their eyes set on rebuilding the fallen Volcano faction, but is that really true?”

“… … .”

This time, the swordsman slowly tilted his glass, took a sip, and answered his own question.

“No. Times have changed and the status of the old sect has disappeared, but that is only because the power of those with money has grown. The main sect has actually grown bigger and stronger than before.”

That was true.

Although some sects belonging to the old school in the past were unable to accept the changing times and eventually fell into ruin, that has nothing to do with the Hwasan faction.

The sects, including the Hwasan sect, have clearly become larger and stronger than before.

“Jang Moon-in, it’s all greed, and it’s useless greed.”

He moistened his lips with the remaining alcohol in his glass and continued speaking.

“Instead of pressuring the Hwasan faction to punish us for our sins against the King, Grand Duke Yeon So-hyeon gave us a chance by making us war heroes.”

He gave advice in a tone as calm as the wine left in a glass.

“Don’t waste the opportunity you’ve been given thanks to the generosity of others, Jang Moon-in.”

The swordsman’s heartfelt advice.

but.

“really….”

Sigh.

For the first time, a faint expression appeared on the wrinkled face of the old man.

It was contempt.

“I guess it really is true that the death penalty was defeated by the Black Swordsman once again.”

“… … .”

The Black Army was clearly pushed back, but they were not defeated.

But instead of making excuses like that, he remained silent, and the elders murmured.

“… You really lost?”

“… Huh, really. You’ve tarnished the name of our Great Volcano faction in the past, and now you’re doing it again. Tsk tsk.”

Blatantly.

A whisper that the swordsman seemed to want to hear.

“Elders…!”

As Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-hyeon suddenly stood up from his seat, Geom-gun raised his hand to stop him.

“Okay.”

“but…!”

“… … .”

The swordsman quietly turned his head again and looked at the volcanic sword dragon, Gam Woo-hyeon, with calm eyes.

“… … !”

Calm eyes without an inch of wavering.

It was truly the eye of a Taoist who had attained enlightenment.

It was more convincing to Gam Woo-hyun than any hundreds of words.

“…All right.”

As Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-Hyeon sat down quietly as if he understood, the elders around him started muttering again.

“… Ha, you were kicked out from the position of the eldest disciple. So now you’ve become the disciple of the Supreme Elder?”

“… What are you doing again? Losers just get along well.”

Gam Woo-hyeon wiggled his eyebrows, but he didn’t bother to respond to them, perhaps because he felt something from the sight of the swordsman.

“Everyone… .”

Instead, the swordsman opened his mouth to everyone.

“You haven’t forgotten that this old man told you that the Demonic Cult has returned, have you?”

“… … .”

“… … .”

The elders who had experience in war flinched, but Jang Moon-in spoke first.

“I haven’t forgotten. But right now, the remnants of the Demonic Cult hiding underground aren’t what’s important.”

The swordsman’s eyebrows twitched.

“They are not the remnants of the party-.”

The long-spoken man cut him off.

“We don’t have enough troops to supplement the Sixteen Clans right now, but there’s no need for us to move ourselves in the first place.”

“Yes, Jang Moon-in.”

The elders immediately understood what he said and nodded.

“Let us send a letter of cooperation to the families and military offices that have cooperative relations with us.”

“If something goes wrong, you can just say that they acted on their own discretion.”

Although they call it a cooperative relationship, in reality they were in a superior-subordinate relationship with the Volcano faction.

“The Sixteen Clans may complain, but since they were the ones who asked for help with the escort in the first place, that should be enough to make things look good.”

“exactly.”

“Since we can’t even be sure of the possibility of a collision, we don’t need to move too aggressively.”

The swordsman warned.

“… Do you think the Archduke doesn’t know that?”

“Okay, I get it.”

Despite the warning, Jang Moon-in remained calm.

“But, unless the Volcano faction directly moved, that alone would not be enough justification for the Archduke, so it doesn’t matter.”

Jang Moon-in spoke with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Everyone, don’t forget. Our priority is not to take sides, but to raise the value of our Volcano faction and restore its glory.”

Regardless of the outcome of the conflict, which may or may not actually occur.

The Sixteen Clans will not simply give up on Luoyang and focus solely on the Imperial Capital, but neither will Yeonso-hyeon be defeated by the Sixteen Clans.

Jang Moon-in, who had clearly summarized the current situation, looked at the military.

“But, since you asked me to do so earlier.”

The depth of Jang Moon-in’s eyes, which were difficult to fathom, shone eerily.

“The death penalty seems to have been strangely tilted towards Yeon So-hyeon since a while ago…?”

“… … .”

“… … .”

With those words, the Hwasanpa elders’ gaze turned to Geomgun.

Gulp.

“… … .”

Volcanic Sword Dragon Gam Woo-Hyeon swallowed dry saliva inwardly.

But rather.

In this situation, the military seemed to have decided to take it a step further.

“exactly.”

“… … ?!”

A surprised Gam Woo-hyun barely managed to control his expression, and the elders began to murmur.

“This old man has experienced it firsthand.”

But there was a calm smile on the swordsman’s face, and his speech was extremely calm.

“I am confident that when this Yongbongjihoe ends, the Grand Duke will be the victor.”

He got up from his seat and said as he walked out the door.

“So, if there are any among you who have the same expectations as this old man, I would gladly welcome them.”

“Sword!”

The angry Jang Moon-in shouted.

“Are you planning to create a rift within the main faction to benefit the enemy?!”

“Enemy? If you say enemy, who are you referring to?”

“… … .”

For some strange reason.

When Jang Moon-in, who had been leaning towards the Sixteen Clans since earlier, was unable to answer, Geom-gun laughed as if he knew everything.

“Don’t worry.”

He spoke to the audience for the last time.

“This old man, like everyone else, said these words because he considers it most important to raise the value of our Hwasan faction and restore its glory.”

Groan, groan.

Leaving the elders’ noisy and disturbing noise behind, the swordsman calmly left the place.

“… … .”

Crack.

The teacup in Jang Moon-in’s hand was shattered.