Chapter 628: Return to the Demonic Sect
When people see a beautiful flower, they often want to pluck it and make it their own. Even knowing that doing so will end the flower’s life, they desire to possess its fleeting beauty.
Yeo Tae-beom, the head of Cheonilmun, was no different. He couldn’t take his eyes off the woman before him.
A beauty that could topple kingdoms, a face like a flower, a figure like the moon, a timeless beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky…
No words could truly capture her beauty. Even a fairy descending from the heavens couldn’t be more beautiful.
Her large, clear eyes, her prominent nose, her skin as white as jade, and her graceful demeanor—just looking at her was enough to take one’s breath away.
“I want to pluck her…”
That was Yeo Tae-beom’s thought.
He swallowed dryly, lifting his teacup with a sly smile.
“You want to establish a martial arts school in Hefei?”
“Yes. I heard that to open a school here, I need permission from your sect.”
The woman, with her fairy-like beauty, spoke in a clear, decisive voice.
Watching her, Yeo Tae-beom chuckled awkwardly.
“Ha ha, who spread such baseless rumors…?”
The woman tilted her head slightly, gazing at Yeo Tae-beom with a look that made his breath catch.
“Truly, a flower I want to pluck.”
Hiding his lascivious thoughts, he stroked his beard and spoke with feigned solemnity.
“Our sect merely aims to offer a little help to those starting something new here.”
“Then I’ve come to the right place.”
“I won’t deny it. If you need our sect’s help, just say the word. Opening a school requires substantial funds and manpower.”
“I’ve prepared to some extent.”
“Then, this should be a quick discussion.”
Yeo Tae-beom set down his teacup and signaled to the chief officer standing beside him. The officer bowed and approached with a document, reading it aloud.
“The settlement fee is one hundred thousand silver coins, the monthly security maintenance fee is five hundred silver coins, the annual school maintenance fee is ten thousand silver coins, and the annual indemnity fee is twenty thousand silver coins. If you pay the security maintenance fee for a year in advance, the total is adjusted to one hundred thirty-five thousand silver coins. If you pay for ten years in advance, all these benefits are permanently guaranteed for one million silver coins.”
It was an amount that left one speechless.
One million silver coins…!
The woman’s expression wavered. Though her reaction was more composed than expected, Yeo Tae-beom secretly relished her dismay.
“A naive kitten, unaware of the world’s ways.”
The woman quickly regained her composure and spoke.
“As for security maintenance, our school can handle it…”
“That’s not possible. You may be young and inexperienced, but this world is treacherous. Jumping in recklessly will only lead to trouble. You must rely on our sect’s assistance. If you refuse, we can’t help you open your school.”
In other words, she had to pay the security maintenance fee, or they wouldn’t allow her to open the school.
The woman, who had been watching Yeo Tae-beom intently, spoke again.
“What is the indemnity fee?”
“It means that if your school makes any mistakes or errors, our sect will handle it for you. It’s a crucial part.”
“How can your sect handle our school’s mistakes?”
“Ha ha, it’s a bit complicated to explain. But our sect has various means. Any sect that pays this tribute can overcome any mistake without major issues.”
“Any problem?”
Yeo Tae-beom nodded proudly at her question.
“Any problem.”
His eyes conveyed the message: I am the king of Hefei. Bow to me and swear your loyalty.
Cheonilmun began to wield power in Hefei about thirty years ago. Before that, it was just a small to medium-sized sect. But when the demonic forces appeared in the central plains, everything changed.
The chaos of that era presented an opportunity for Cheonilmun. While the heroes of the martial world dedicated themselves to fighting the demonic forces, Cheonilmun acted in the opposite manner. They secretly supported the demonic forces and oppressed the martial artists at their behest.
On the day of the final battle with the demonic forces at Mount Gireon, the leaders of the prestigious sects in Hefei exhausted their internal energy, leading to their rapid decline. Despite the efforts of the Demonic Extermination Palace to support the heroes, not everyone could be helped.
Meanwhile, Cheonilmun, which had been lying low as a collaborator of the demonic forces, began to stretch its wings. As other sects declined, they grew rapidly. Today, in Hefei, they had become a major sect that no one dared to challenge.
The chief officer beside Yeo Tae-beom observed the woman carefully. Something was off. He prided himself on his ability to read people, to discern their thoughts and feelings from their eyes, breath, and subtle expressions. But this woman was a mystery. Despite hearing such an outrageous proposal, she remained remarkably calm. Though she had shown a brief moment of surprise, it felt almost deliberate.
Yeo Tae-beom’s lecherous gaze swept over the woman once more.
“What do you think? With a million silver coins, you could live comfortably in this city for a lifetime.”
He spoke as if offering a great favor. For a brief moment, a hint of disdain flickered in the woman’s eyes, but Yeo Tae-beom didn’t notice. Only the chief officer beside him seemed slightly concerned. But the woman was too young to warrant deep consideration.
The woman spoke with a hint of regret.
“Sigh. The amount is more than I expected.”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be a lump sum.”
“Even so, it’s a bit…”
The woman bit her lower lip slightly. Though she had maintained a cold demeanor, this gesture made her appear endearingly vulnerable.
At Yeo Tae-beom’s signal, the chief officer stepped aside. Yeo Tae-beom rose from his seat and slowly walked to the window.
“It’s not easy. That’s the way of the world. I’m worried that a young martial artist like you might get hurt jumping into this world recklessly. That’s why I want to protect you. I say this because you remind me of my daughter.”
“Isn’t there another way?”
Her unexpectedly calm response made Yeo Tae-beom look at her with interest. Her composure was beyond her years. Her expression and voice remained steady even in a difficult situation. Her confidence only fueled his desire to possess her.
Yeo Tae-beom slowly approached her from behind and naturally placed his hand on her shoulder. It was an incredibly rude gesture for a first meeting, but his movements were as natural as if he had done it countless times before.
“Of course, there are other ways. The world is difficult, but there are many paths and methods to navigate it.”
“What methods are there?”
The woman asked, still sitting upright and staring straight ahead. Her voice carried a subtle anger, but Yeo Tae-beom didn’t notice. No, at this moment, he was consumed by the desire that writhed deep within him.
Yeo Tae-beom’s hand brushed her shoulder and caressed her neck.
“At your age, you should know. People use their bodies to earn money.”
His hand now gently tugged at her collar. It was a bold move. But in Hefei, he was the king. Here, no one could defy him. He had amassed great wealth and employed numerous martial arts masters. His word was law. What was there to fear?
This flower would be plucked by his hand today. It was a foregone conclusion the moment she stepped into this room.
Or so he thought…
“Take your hand off me if you don’t want to die.”
Yeo Tae-beom’s hand froze. His first thought was that he must have misheard. His second thought was disbelief that such words came from this woman’s mouth.
Finally, the woman turned her head. Her expression was colder than ever. Her eyes, sharper than blades, sent a chill through his heart.
“Didn’t you hear me? Take your hand off.”
Yeo Tae-beom, feeling an inexplicable pressure, withdrew his hand without realizing it. But he soon realized he had been intimidated and was furious.
“What did you just say?”
“Are you senile? Or just hard of hearing?”
The woman spat her words coldly as she stood up. Yeo Tae-beom was dumbfounded. This young girl must be out of her mind to act this way.
Suddenly, a murderous aura emanated from the woman.
And then,
Swish, swish, swish!
Shadows dropped from the ceiling, surrounding the woman.
She glanced at them and spoke.
“Tell the others to come out too. I was planning to take you all down anyway.”
“What? What are you…?”
“Yeo Tae-beom, head of Cheonilmun. For years, you’ve taken bribes and abused your power in Hefei. Before that, you amassed wealth through your dealings with the demonic forces. All your assets will be confiscated, and for your countless misdeeds…”
“What… what did you just say, you witch?”
“Oh, enough already. You’re caught red-handed, so I’m going to judge you on the spot.”
“You crazy woman… Who do you think you are…?”
“Me? I’m Sabi-ran, the leader of the White Lotus Sect of the Myeolma Palace.”
At that, Yeotabum’s face turned ashen.
“The White Lotus Sect…!”
It finally dawned on Yeotabum that he was in serious trouble.
To put it simply, the White Lotus Sect of the Myeolma Palace is an organization dedicated to righting past wrongs.
They restore what is corrupted and cleanse what is tainted, hence the name ‘White Lotus.’
For a brief moment, Yeotabum’s mind raced.
He asked, “Did you come here alone?”
“As you can see,” Sabi-ran replied with a slight twist of her lips.
Yeotabum’s lips curled up as well.
“I see. Hahaha!”
Yeotabum burst into laughter.
Clearly, she was still young and fearless.
Did she really think she could walk in here alone?
Just then, a whisper reached his ear, confirming there were no other intruders in the estate.
That made things simple.
All he had to do was deal with this insolent woman and pretend nothing happened.
As long as he erased all evidence, he had the means to do so here in Hefei.
With a cold expression, Yeotabum commanded, “What are you waiting for? Attack her now!”
In that instant, Sabi-ran’s lips twisted again.
“That’s more like it. Now I can fight with a clear conscience.”
The next moment, a deadly aura erupted from Sabi-ran’s entire being.