Chapter 280
Seolpung, who had been running at the front for quite some time, finally stopped and glanced back.
What caught his eye were the others trailing behind him, their faces calm, alongside Jeon Seok-gu—the fierce hound—who was panting heavily, looking as if he might collapse at any moment.
Up until now, Jeon Seok-gu had been running with the group instead of Sun Woo-jin, trying to draw the attention of the Soju Baekga warriors.
What made it even more impressive was that he was carrying one of his gang members on his back, a man disguised like Baekga’s own Prince Baek Mu-ho.
Though all he was doing was running, it was no easy feat for Jeon Seok-gu.
After all, he was still a second-rate fighter, trying to keep pace with Seolpung’s group, most of whom had reached the pinnacle of their abilities.
Granted, it was only possible because Seolpung and the others weren’t pushing themselves to the limit, but even so, the fact that Jeon Seok-gu hadn’t fallen behind was remarkable.
Seolpung smiled warmly at him and said, “Take a moment to rest. You’ve done well.”
Jeon Seok-gu collapsed onto the ground with a thud, gasping for breath.
“Hah, hah… I… I can’t… keep this up…”
His face had turned pale, as if he might faint at any second.
Yet, despite his exhausted expression, Jeon Seok-gu spoke as if it was nothing serious, which made Jeungchil burst out laughing.
“Ha ha ha! Nothing serious? Keep talking and your insides will spill out, you fool!”
Yeon Tae-jin chuckled softly and added, “Still, not bad. You’ve got some grit. I’m impressed.”
“Hah… thank… you…”
At that moment, Jin So-eun, who had been watching Jeon Seok-gu with a sympathetic gaze, spoke cautiously.
“I’m sorry to say this, but are we really okay just standing here? The Soju Baekga warriors will be upon us soon.”
Seolpung looked toward Soju and replied, “Jin, my younger sister, said she’d handle things as quickly as possible. Let’s trust her. If it comes to it, we can carry Jeon-hyung and Go-hyung and make a run for it.”
Jeungchil frowned slightly and asked, “What? Carry them? Who’s supposed to carry those guys?”
Yeon Tae-jin smirked and answered, “Who else? Surely you’re not suggesting that fragile women like me and So-eun carry strange men?”
Jeungchil glanced around.
Aside from the women, only Seolpung and Jeungchil himself remained.
So, it was clear that he was the one expected to carry them.
Disgusted at the thought of carrying those men, Jeungchil scowled and scoffed.
“Hmph. Fragile, my foot! So you’re saying the women can’t, but the old man can? You naked woman, why do you only act weak when it suits you?”
“Oh, Jeung-oppani, weak? How fragile do you think I am? Look—so fragile I’m practically naked! Oh dear, my clothes are falling off again!”
With a coquettish smile and a playful tone, Yeon Tae-jin deliberately let her already loose garment slip further off her shoulder.
Jeungchil couldn’t take it anymore and groaned, “Alright, alright! Fine, I’ll carry you! I’ll carry you!”
Though he always grumbled, Jeungchil had never won an argument against Yeon Tae-jin.
Having little experience talking with women, he simply couldn’t outmatch her.
She wielded her femininity like a weapon and even turned his usual insult, “naked woman,” into a flexible tool rather than taking offense.
In truth, she was an impenetrable fortress to Jeungchil.
Just then, Seolpung looked toward Soju and warned, “Everyone, prepare yourselves. They’re coming.”
At his words, everyone turned their gaze toward Soju.
There, kicking up a cloud of dust, a massive number of warriors were charging toward them.
Even at a glance, it looked like several hundred.
Leading the charge were clearly masters who had reached the pinnacle of their skills.
Seolpung said, “Seven masters at the pinnacle, and this is just one family within the Sa-wang-ryeon, not even the Nine Great Sects. The Sa-wang Thirty-Three Houses truly are formidable.”
The group watched the approaching warriors with tense eyes.
Seven pinnacle masters, followed by dozens of elite fighters—it was a force far beyond what they could face head-on.
Jin So-eun asked anxiously, “Should we run?”
Seolpung, who had been watching them for a moment, finally spoke.
“Prepare to retreat. But first… I will confront them.”
The group stared at him in shock.
He intended to face seven pinnacle masters and dozens of elite warriors alone.
Yet, no one could stop him.
The fierce determination and confidence shining in Seolpung’s eyes were too reassuring.
Somehow, they even felt that if he believed he could do it, it might just be possible.
Yeon Tae-jin smiled and said, “This is why I can never get enough of Pung.”
Soon, the pinnacle masters charged like a gale, closing in on the group.
Seolpung calmly snapped his neck and stepped forward to meet them.
He moved with the imposing presence of a great tiger stalking its prey.
The Soju Baekga pinnacle masters couldn’t help but halt in their tracks.
The intangible aura Seolpung radiated pressed down on their skin like a tangible weight.
The eldest grand elder of Soju Baekga, Yeon Wi-baek, groaned and said, “I thought it was an exaggeration when they said there was someone rivaling the Thirty-Six Stars of the World… but I’ve never heard of a young master like you! Who are you? And how did you manage to harm Prince Baek Mu-ho?”
Seolpung replied calmly, even surrounded by so many masters.
“We never harmed Prince Baek Mu-ho. He was already suffering from chronic poisoning and merely suffered a seizure during the duel.”
The impatient Third Elder, Chu Ga-ik, shouted angrily, “Nonsense! Why would the prince have been chronically poisoned?”
Seolpung answered expressionlessly, “How would I know? That’s something you should already know, having lost both the Grand Prince and the family head in quick succession.”
“That’s blasphemy…!”
Chu Ga-ik tried to retort angrily, but his voice was cut off by the shocked grand elder.
“Are you saying all these events are connected?!”
At that moment, Yeon Tae-jin, standing behind Seolpung, interjected with a tone of disdain.
“The once-promising Grand Prince was defeated by a far inferior opponent and died. The family head, said to be one of the Thirty-Six Stars, was mentally shattered and bedridden for over half a year. And yet, you never found that strange? Now, the prince suddenly collapsed, coughing up blood during a public duel. The same thing happened when the family head fell. Still, you feel nothing? Are you all fools?”
Chu Ga-ik stammered in response, “Y-You’re saying you ambushed us with poison…”
Yeon Tae-jin sneered, “We ambushed you with poison? Inside Soju Baekga’s territory? In a public duel? Why would we do that? Even now, standing before you, do you feel nothing? If we wanted to kill him, why bother with an ambush? Are you saying we couldn’t kill him with skill alone?”
The Soju Baekga pinnacle masters were left speechless.
Seolpung’s overwhelming presence alone made her words ring true.
Chu Ga-ik forced out a strained voice, “E-Even if that’s true, why did you flee without clearing your name? And how do you explain harming our warriors?”
Yeon Tae-jin scowled and shouted, “You attacked us first, accusing us of poisoning without any proof, and now you ask why we ran? So you think we should have just killed everyone who came at us? We didn’t kill a single one, yet you claim we harmed you? What harm? Huh? Should I just kill you all right now?”
Chu Ga-ik had no comeback.
But being speechless didn’t mean he wasn’t furious.
He shouted in rage, “You insolent woman! Who do you think you are to speak like that?!”
“Who do I think I am? I am Yeon Tae-jin, head of the Ha-won faction of Ha-won-dalgi! And who the hell are you, you filthy pig?”
Chu Ga-ik was so enraged by her insult that he was left speechless.
He had never been treated like this before and couldn’t find words to respond.
Jeungchil chuckled quietly and muttered, “Ha! Having her on our side makes me feel unstoppable.”
At that moment, the grand elder Yeon Wi-baek asked in surprise, “Yeon Tae-jin?! You are the Yeon Tae-jin of Ha-won-dalgi?”
Yeon Tae-jin smiled arrogantly and countered, “And who else would I be?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking? If this face isn’t Yeon Tae-jin, then who else could it be?”
As her narcissism flared up once again, the others in the group closed their eyes tightly and sighed in exasperation.
Elder Yeon Wi-baek, however, let out a heavy sigh of a different kind.
He was well aware of the reputation of Yeon Tae-jin, the famed ‘Flower of the Five Great Beauties of the Sapa,’ and the pride of Ha-won-dal-gi.
But unlike the others, Yeon Wi-baek didn’t focus solely on her beauty or her martial prowess.
Instead, he paid closer attention to how the Ha-won faction lived in harmony with the common people.
He held her in high regard for following a path similar to that of Sa-wang-ryeon.
In a grave tone, he finally spoke.
“If you truly are Yeon Tae-jin of Ha-won-dal-gi… then perhaps all of this is just a misunderstanding. But even so, we cannot simply let you go. Please understand that we must detain you until the truth is uncovered.”
At those words, Tae-jin glanced at Seol Poong, her eyes silently asking what they should do.
Seol Poong smiled faintly and replied, “We have no intention of leaving without clearing up this misunderstanding. Come with us to Soju Baekga. By now, everything should be resolved.”
“Hm? Everything? What do you mean by that?” Elder Yeon’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Seol Poong only smiled enigmatically in response.
“Master Yang! Master Yang!”
Madam Byun, the current head of Soju Baekga, burst sharply into the infirmary, calling out for Councilor Yang.
The attendants said he was, as usual, checking on the head of the Baek family, Baek Cheong-gwang, who was lying in bed.
Byun flung open the door and shouted, “Master Yang! There’s a serious problem! The second son—!”
But as she entered, she realized there were not just Baek Cheong-gwang and Councilor Yang in the room, but two others as well.
One of them was lying right beside Baek Cheong-gwang.
It was unthinkable—someone sharing the same sickbed as the family head.
Byun’s eyes widened in shock as she demanded, “Who dares—?”
Before she could finish, she recognized the face of the person lying there.
Her voice trembled in disbelief. “The second son?! Why is the second son here?!”
Byun couldn’t comprehend the situation.
The man lying beside Baek Cheong-gwang was none other than Young Master Baek Mu-ho, who had been carried out of Soju by the villains.
Then, the handsome young man sitting next to Councilor Yang, Sun Woo-jin, smiled gently and spoke to her.
He had sent others to lure out the Baek family’s martial artists, while he himself brought Baek Mu-ho—the young master of the enemy’s main base—to this place for treatment.
“Looks like everyone who needs to be here has arrived. Madam, please have a seat.”
Byun scowled and snapped, “Who are you?! How dare you come here and order me to sit down—!”
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin’s eyes flashed with a golden light.
A sudden chill ran through the room.
Byun felt as if a massive blade was about to slice through her throat.
She was rendered speechless, her voice caught in her throat.
Sun Woo-jin’s sharp gaze bore into her as he said, “It seems you still don’t understand, Madam. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind cutting your throat right now. If you don’t want to sit quietly, I can make that happen.”
Byun swallowed hard.
For some reason, her whole body trembled as if she had thrust her face into the jaws of a wild beast.
She couldn’t understand it.
He was just a handsome young man, yet looking at him filled her with a terror as if she were staring into the face of death itself.
She felt she might wet herself if she kept looking at him any longer.
Her legs weakened, and she barely managed to stay upright as she stammered, “H-How dare you, inside Soju Baekga…!”
Suddenly, Sun Woo-jin frowned in irritation.
A flash of light streaked across the room.
Byun couldn’t see what had just happened, but she clearly saw the young man slowly sheathing a black sword.
She had no idea when he had drawn it.
Already terrified, Byun tried to imagine what he might have done with that sword.
Then, her left arm began to slip away.
Blood gushed like a fountain from the severed stump.
Her eyes bulged in horror as she watched her own arm fall off like a doll’s limb.
She screamed in terror.
“Ahhhhh!”
No sensation, just the arm falling away, the blood spurting out, and the sudden, searing pain.
She felt like she was losing her mind.
Then, Sun Woo-jin’s icy voice whispered in her ear.
“Too noisy. Maybe I should just take your head off as well?”
At that moment, Byun’s scream stopped as if she’d been doused in ice water.
Tears streamed down her face as she clamped a hand over her mouth, desperately holding back any sound.
The overwhelming fear had broken her spirit completely.
She had always been treated like royalty, but now she had no strength left to resist.
The ruthless man who had just severed her arm could just as easily cut off her head—and no one was coming to help.
Sun Woo-jin’s cold eyes fixed on her as he said, “Sit.”
Byun trembled but obediently sat down beside Councilor Yang.
Her severed shoulder no longer bled, as if someone had already pressed a pressure point.
He was truly like a ghost.
Then, glancing at Councilor Yang, Byun noticed something else.
His face was as pale as a sheet, and one side of his ear and nose were missing.
Apparently, he had suffered the same fate before she arrived.
Seeing that, Byun’s fear deepened.
She dreaded that her own face might end up like that.
For a woman, losing an arm or disfigurement was a whole different kind of nightmare.
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin smiled softly and addressed them.
“You poisoned us and then tried to frame us. I trust you don’t feel any injustice about that.”
Byun and Councilor Yang swallowed hard.
Of course, they felt wronged, but they couldn’t say so.
The man who had just calmly severed limbs was now smiling gently—and that was even more terrifying.
Sun Woo-jin continued.
“I came here because I’m curious. Baek Mu-ho is poisoned with the Mang toxin. So is Baek Cheong-gwang. Why did you do this?”
Byun and Councilor Yang exchanged uneasy glances but remained silent.
Sun Woo-jin’s gaze turned ice-cold again.
A sharp hiss filled the room.
The two, already terrified, shuddered uncontrollably.
Then Sun Woo-jin’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.
“If you won’t speak, that’s fine. But if you don’t confess before I count to three, I’ll kill the elder first. Then I’ll kill your third son, Baek Mu-jak, right before your eyes. Let’s see if you can keep silent while watching your son’s limbs torn apart.”
Byun cried out desperately, “No! Not my son! Please, not my son!”
Sun Woo-jin gave her a look of irritation, silently telling her to answer quickly if she wanted to save him.
Overcome with terror, Byun began to sob uncontrollably.
She looked at Councilor Yang and said, “It’s because of him! He seduced me when I was helpless! One day, he suddenly promised to make my son Mu-jak the family head… I only said I’d think about it! But then he said the head and the first and second sons were already poisoned, so there was no turning back…”
Councilor Yang squeezed his eyes shut as he listened.
He seemed resigned, unwilling to say a word even now.
Sun Woo-jin turned to him and asked, “Why did you do it?”
But Councilor Yang, pale and shaken, remained silent.
He simply closed his eyes, as if giving up.
He was clearly different from Byun.
Unlike her, who had poisoned her husband and stepsons out of greed to make her own son heir, he seemed detached, as if he didn’t mind sacrificing himself.
He even looked like a martyr, convinced he was carrying out a noble mission.
Sun Woo-jin smiled faintly and asked Councilor Yang, “You’re from the Daepung Yang family. You wouldn’t have done this alone. Tell me, why did the Yang family target the Baek family? Weren’t you supposed to be allies?”
Councilor Yang’s eyes trembled, but he said nothing.
Sun Woo-jin hesitated briefly.
He considered using the ‘Seop Hon Technique’ to force the man to speak.
The two were terrified not just because of Sun Woo-jin’s presence, but because he was using the Mukrang Mind Method—the supreme divine eye technique of Cheonma Shin Gong.
The room’s atmosphere grew even colder.
The Supreme Spirit Seal didn’t even need to be actively used in the soul-binding technique to instill fear in the opponent—its mere presence was enough.
That was why Mrs. Byeon, with her weak will, couldn’t bear it and ended up revealing the truth. But if they wanted to get the truth out of Councilor Yang, it seemed they’d need another approach.
Still, after a moment’s hesitation, Sun Woo-jin decided against it.
Using the soul-binding technique for anything other than healing the Six Harmonies Sword Masters went against Elder Muk-rang’s wishes.
It seemed better to wait and try torturing him later with the Bone-Splitting Technique.
Just as Sun Woo-jin made up his mind, Councilor Yang suddenly spoke.
“I don’t know who you are, but you won’t get away with this. Not only the warriors of the Baek family, but the warriors of the Sa Wang Lyeon will all come after you.”
Sun Woo-jin chuckled softly in response.
“Thanks for the concern, but why would I be the one they’re after? You poisoned the family head and the young lord, and you were the ones who killed the late young lord.”
Yang gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated by Sun Woo-jin’s carefree smile, and said again, “Who do you think believes that? No one will trust your words.”
Sun Woo-jin nodded as if conceding the point.
“True, no one will believe me. But… maybe they’ll believe you?”
Yang scoffed. “Hah! You think I’d say that in front of them? Never…!”
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin suddenly stood up, swung open the door to the next room, and smiled faintly as he said, “Sorry to disappoint you, but you already did.”
Yang’s mouth fell open as soon as the door swung wide.
Inside the next room were the chief steward, the medical staff, and several warriors still loyal to the Baek family—all with their eyes wide and glazed over, as if under a spell, staring directly at him.
Though they couldn’t speak, their expressions told Yang everything.
They had heard every word he had said.
Sun Woo-jin turned to him with a wicked smile.
“It’s all over, Councilor Yang.”
Defeated, Yang could only lower his head in despair.