"Senior brother, this is Beakta, the Successor Beggar. And that's Yu Seong-yeon, the Green Blue Sect's senior disciple."

"Ah... hello."

Byeon Gil-tae bowed awkwardly at being suddenly called senior brother and introduced one by one.

The successors of the Beggar Gang and Green Blue Sect?

Among those accompanying him, there wasn't a single person of ordinary status.

"Myeongson, Seong-yeon. You two talk quietly for a bit, I'll be back."

"Didn't you finish talking inside? Seems like you have a lot to say?"

Beakta spoke bluntly, bewildered by the existence of this senior brother he'd never heard of.

That damn bastard, what's he always hiding?

"Look at the inn. We just had a martial arts match, that's all."

"Tch, do as you like."

Cheonyeong smiled at the displeased Beakta who turned away, and also sought understanding from Nangong Seong-hwi.

"Nangong Family Head, please wait a bit longer."

"Of course."

Nangong Seong-hwi nodded kindly.

Of course, he had many questions.

His strength that he hadn't fully revealed, and about this man he had only known as an ordinary innkeeper until now.

But he didn't ask.

No matter how much Anhui was Nangong territory, they hadn't caused any problems, and he wasn't so impolite as to ask about such private matters.

Moreover, he didn't want to displease someone he needed help from.

His curiosity could be satisfied later.

Having sought understanding, Cheonyeong stood apart from the group with Byeon Gil-tae and spoke quietly.

"Senior brother."

"It seems you're calling me that because others are watching, but calling me senior brother is too sudden."

"We learned the same martial art, and you came first in order, so you're my senior brother."

Cheonyeong spoke casually with a smile.

"Since you've become senior brother and we've joined hands, from now on become a branch family of the Tang Family."

"Huh? A branch family?"

Suddenly a branch family?

He couldn't help but be surprised.

Beyond the unexpectedness, why was everything so fast?

Above all, except for the fact that he was a descendant of the Eight Immortals, there was nothing else he knew.

"Don't you know nothing about me?"

"Is there more I need to know?"

"Huh?"

"I've already tested your internal energy, and I know we share the same goal, so that's enough."

"But a branch family means..."

"Blood must be mixed. We should know each other well."

"..."

"But that's other people's standard, isn't it? Different surnames, different hometowns, different times growing up, but once you've decided to become a member of the Tang Family, we're family now."

"Family?"

"Yes, family. That's how we've lived. The Tang Family members are all those without family or who lost theirs, and we came together to become one family. We gathered under the Tang Family name and all started anew."

Byeon Gil-tae watched Cheonyeong's smile.

A new start.

And family.

Warm words.

In those words, and in his expression and eyes, there was no hint of falsehood.

"How can you trust me and make such a request?"

"Senior brother? No, I trust myself."

"Huh?"

"I trust my eyes and my instincts."

"..."

"Decisions aren't always right, but if they're wrong, I take responsibility for it myself. I don't think this decision is wrong."

"Ha!"

It was refreshingly straightforward, almost reckless.

"Hmm, but Byeon family... the sound of it is a bit off, isn't it?"

"..."

"What about using Byeol-un instead?"

"Suddenly?"

"Like a cloud that appears suddenly, like a fate that connects abruptly."

"..."

"The new branch family of the Tang Family, Byeol-un family's Byeon Gil-tae. That sounds good. Much better than Byeon family or Byeon clan."

Meanwhile, he went further and even created a family name.

It was like a fierce wind.

Whether willing or not, it just swept everything along.

Byeon Gil-tae frowned at how casually he evaluated his surname and created a family name.

"Why?"

"Well, how can you so arbitrarily judge someone's surname and create a family name..."

"Originally, surnames are granted by the emperor, right?"

"..."

"So it's natural that I, as the head of a branch family of the Tang Family, grant you a family name."

"Ha! That's because the emperor does it!"

"What's the difference?"

"What?"

"It's my dream."

"What?!"

Startled by Cheonyeong's words, Byeon Gil-tae unconsciously turned his head around to check his surroundings.

Was he insane?

If someone heard that, he could be reported for treason...

"The sky of Sichuan's martial world."

"..."

"And further, the Central Plains'... well, that's still a distant story, so let's leave it. For now, that's it."

Cheonyeong smiled brightly, revealing his teeth.

At least it wasn't treason.

But the sky of Sichuan...

Wasn't that too grand a dream for a young man to harbor?

But he liked that ambition.

Byeon Gil-tae smiled and asked as if joking.

"But if someone wants to become the sky of Sichuan, can they just decide it like that?"

"What?"

"Honestly, I haven't heard of the Tang Family, but seeing that you're acquainted with the Successor Beggar and the Green Blue Sect's senior disciple, it seems like a considerable family. Yet you're creating a branch family without discussion with your subordinates..."

"It doesn't matter."

"Huh?"

"I am the Tang Family, and my will is the Tang Family's will. No one will object."

As Cheonyeong answered without hesitation, smiling, Byeon Gil-tae stared blankly.

What kind of person is this...

But it wasn't bad.

Was it his imagination that his arrogance seemed like confidence?

"Become the master of the Byeol-un family, a branch of the Tang Family, and teach me the Samyang."

"What?"

"I said it. It's already been passed on. More than five people in the Tang Family know the Samyang besides senior brother."

"R-Really?"

"I know it's different from what your ancestors or the Samyang Divine Immortal intended."

"That's true."

"But we need to get stronger anyway."

"Who says so?"

"Everyone. I can't say with certainty yet since it's just speculation, but it seems our common enemy is incomparably larger than those who chased us before."

"What do you mean? Does that mean the Tang Family Head knows the enemy's identity?"

Byeon Gil-tae's eyes widened in shock.

"Roughly."

"Who is it?"

"Hmm, senior brother doesn't know?"

"Well... that part wasn't passed down."

"That makes sense. You only inherited the will."

Cheonyeong nodded and glanced at those standing far away, then spoke through sound transmission.

[The Demonic Cult.]

"What?!"

"Shh. Don't be too surprised. There's nothing good about others knowing."

"..."

"Besides, it's still just speculation. Nothing confirmed."

"But..."

"However, from now on, I'm going to try to be certain."

"Is there a way?"

"Yes. I know some guys who seem like their subordinates. If I capture them and squeeze them one by one, something will come out."

"Hmm..."

"Of course, they hide like rats, so finding them is difficult."

Cheonyeong held a faint smile.

Actually, when he came to Byeol-un Inn, he thought he could find a few Jingagu assassins.

But there were none.

Well, with the Nangong family controlling people with their eyes wide open, there's no way they'd be nearby.

"Let's end today's conversation here. Everyone looks like they're dying of curiosity."

"..."

"First, let's resolve the remaining matters, then meet the family members while discussing each other in detail. And about future plans."

"Remaining matters?"

"I promised to help the Nangong family."

"Ah..."

Byeon Gil-tae nodded.

He knew that since a month ago, the Nangong family's martial artists had rented Byeol-un Inn, and simultaneously controlled the entire Guhua Mountain.

The Tang Family Head came with them.

"I didn't want to cause friction with them while finding senior brother... After all, Anhui is their territory."

"I see."

"Well then, shall we go? Senior brother? That innkeeper over there is your son, right?"

"Huh? Ah... yes."

"Let's send him to the Tang Family first. I'll write a letter. And arrange safe passage by ship."

"Yes."

That day, Byeol-un Inn closed its doors.

The interior was already destroyed by their fight, and the building looked precarious as if it might collapse soon, but they decided not to repair it.

Since Byeon Gil-tae had decided to follow Cheonyeong, there was no need to maintain the inn.

"Thank you for waiting. Since I met senior brother for the first time in a long while, it took some time."

"I understand. Have you resolved your reunion?"

"I plan to share it slowly from now on."

"Ha ha, then what now?"

"Not yet."

"Huh?"

"How could I face something like the Manggongbaek without any preparation?"

"Preparation? We've already..."

"The Nangong family's preparation will be insufficient."

"What?"

"Let's start in five days. By then, I'll finish my preparations and climb the mountain following the Family Head. In return, I'll take responsibility for finding the Manggongbaek."

"Hmm, I understand. Let's do that."

Nangong Seong-hwi paused to think, then nodded.

The search team that went up Guhua Mountain still hadn't achieved any results.

He didn't know what kind of preparation Cheonyeong was planning, but he was willing to place his hopes on it.

He had already experienced his martial prowess indirectly.

Perhaps...

* * *

That night, in an abandoned Guan Di temple far from Guhua Mountain.

In the darkness of the dilapidated shrine without even a bonfire, a secretive shadow flickered.

"Tang Cheonyeong?"

"Yes. Though we watched from a distance due to the Nangong family's control, that face was definitely Tang Cheonyeong."

"Why is he here?"

Jin Sam-hyeon's brow furrowed deeply at his subordinate's report.

"It seemed he knew Byeon Gil-tae, the innkeeper of Byeol-un Inn."

"..."

"The Nangong family arranged for only the two to be in the inn, and it seemed a fight occurred. Soon after, Tang Cheonyeong came out supporting Byeon Gil-tae."

"Hmm..."

His head throbbed.

Throughout the martial world, the Jingagu organization immediately ceased external activities and went into hiding after the purge of assassin organizations.

However, one task continued under the Master's orders.

The whereabouts of the Samyang Divine Skill.

Through hard-found information, they learned of Byeon Gil-tae on Guhua Mountain and had been tracking his traces.

But things weren't going well.

The Nangong family had sealed off Guhua Mountain due to traces of a spiritual creature that herb gatherers had seen.

And they even used Byeol-un Inn as their gathering place.

It was unfortunate, but they had to retreat.

They couldn't carelessly investigate a place guarded by the Nangong family. If their movements were discovered due to unnecessary friction, it would be problematic.

After all, the Nangong family didn't know about Byeon Gil-tae, and they were only focused on the spiritual creature.

A spiritual creature?

That wasn't their concern.

All they needed was Byeon Gil-tae alone.

Since their goals were different, they had found a hiding place in an area where the Nangong family's control was loose and watched slowly.

But suddenly, Tang Cheonyeong appeared.

The main culprit who interfered with their plans in the Green Blue Sect.

Jin Yi-seon died there, and Jin Il-hak, who independently pursued Tang Cheonyeong, died.

He was not unrelated to their deaths.

Though Jin Yi-seon was uncertain, Jin Il-hak's corpse definitely was.

Because his body was hung from a tree with the words "Dig graves and whip corpses" written on it.

But why is he here?

And fighting Byeon Gil-tae, no less.

It was as if he repeatedly knew their plans and blocked them.

"Could it be... does he know something?"

Jin Sam-hyeon's mind became anxious.

He couldn't let the Samyang they had barely found slip away like this.

"What should we do?"

"As long as the Nangong family's attention is focused on Guhua Mountain, we wait. However, we must never lose track of his movements. Nothing changes. We aim for when he leaves Guhua Mountain."

"Understood."

"And send word to Jin O-byeong in Guangdong that I'm asking for his help and to come here quickly."

"Huh?"

"I know. He also went searching for the Samyang. But Tang Cheonyeong is already suspected of killing two upper-heaven experts. Once we catch him here and find the Samyang, it won't be too late to go to Guangdong."

"Understood. I'll send a carrier pigeon."

As darkness flickered and the subordinate withdrew, Jin Sam-hyeon's eyes emitted a cold light.

"Tang Cheonyeong, regardless of what you know, this time you will surely die."

(End of Chapter)