SYM 19

Danmok Yeo-gang and Danmok Yeo-jun were flushed with drunkenness from the alcohol they had been consuming since early evening.

They could have quickly sobered up by using their inner energy to dispel the effects of alcohol, but due to the unpleasant events of the day, they deliberately allowed themselves to remain intoxicated.

In fact, they had invited Namgung Eung-wang to join them at Chuihwa Pavilion, but he had yet to arrive or even respond.

“Young Master Eung-wang is too much, Brother! We’re going through all this trouble for whom, and he doesn’t even show his face? Is he the only one who’s busy? We came all the way to the Namgung Family in Hefei and are suffering like this because of them. Isn’t this disrespecting our Danmok Family?”

“No, Yeo-jun. Don’t think like that. Young Master Eun-gwang must be unable to come due to his circumstances. Usually, he treats us so well.”

Danmok Yeo-gang muttered as he drained his cup in one go.

The table was laden with delicacies, but they remained mostly untouched.

“Well, that’s true. We didn’t even get to see his face today. Come to think of it, he’s quite pitiful too. Having the position of eldest young master taken by such a half-wit brother. Honestly, with Eun-gwang’s achievements, he shouldn’t be embarrassing himself like this anywhere.”

The two continued drinking without pause.

Danmok Yeo-jun, who had discarded his cup and was drinking straight from the bottle, paused and clicked his tongue while looking at the courtesan playing the zither beside him.

“They say Chuihwa Pavilion is the best pleasure house in Hefei, yet how is it that the courtesan’s face is worse than a man’s! Bah, it’s ruined the taste of the alcohol.”

The courtesan’s face reddened at his words, but she pretended not to hear. She knew well that there was no use in arguing with martial artists. Moreover, her clients weren’t just any martial artists, but young masters of the Danmok Family. No matter how dirty or mean they were, she had no choice but to endure.

If she upset them, it was clear she wouldn’t even recover her costs.

Danmok Yeo-gang burst into laughter.

“Well, that’s true. Come to think of it, that Namgung Eun-hyeon we saw today, his face truly resembles the world’s greatest beauty. I’ve seen my fair share of beauties, but I’ve never seen such a stunning visage before.”

“I never thought I’d live to see the day when I’d admire a man’s face. Honestly, when I first saw him, I was shocked. Who would think that guy is the eldest young master? If we put him in a skirt and brought him here, he’d immediately be praised as Chuihwa Pavilion’s top courtesan.”

“Whoa, Yeo-jun. You know you can’t say such things in front of others, right? Namgung Eun-hyeon is still the eldest young master, so we need to be careful. Especially in front of Madam Hwang, you must never say things like Eun-hyeon is the world’s greatest beauty…!”

“Do you take me for a complete fool?”

Danmok Yeo-jun pouted at Danmok Yeo-gang’s words.

“The whole world knows that Madam Hwang had a one-sided love for the Namgung Family Head and was jealous of the world’s greatest beauty. Phew, come to think of it, isn’t Madam Hwang quite the heroine? She tried every means possible and finally got the man she wanted. But seeing Namgung Eun-hyeon today, I can understand why the Namgung Family Head hung himself over his former wife. With such a woman by his side, how could he look at anyone else?”

Danmok Yeo-gang grinned lecherously at Danmok Yeo-jun’s wistful muttering.

“Why? Did seeing that guy’s face make your lower half feel heavy?”

As Danmok Yeo-gang teased him, Danmok Yeo-jun’s face turned red.

“Well, didn’t you feel the same, Brother? In fact, when he looked at me with that smooth face… If I had been a little less self-controlled, I might have stripped him right there and pinned him down,”

“Oh? Yeo-jun, you’ve fallen hard for a man. Do you even know how to do it with a man?”

Danmok Yeo-gang burst into laughter. Danmok Yeo-jun nodded with a reddened face.

“With a face like that, it doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman. What’s so special about doing it with a man? You just get on top and press down hard until they lose their senses.”

“Well, to be honest, I also had trouble with my lower half getting heavy this afternoon. He was prettier than any woman I’ve seen recently. Actually, I prefer forcibly pressing down those pretty ones when they resist…”

As their conversation grew more obscene, a strange voice whispered in Danmok Yeo-gang’s ear.

“You seem to be having quite a good time.”

“Eek! Wh-who’s there!”

Danmok Yeo-gang turned around in shock.

He was greatly shocked that he, who was considered one of the best in terms of skill among late post-qi cultivators and mentioned as the next head of the Danmok Family, couldn’t even sense the presence or guess where the other person was.

He focused his mind and widened his eyes, but couldn’t sense any presence.

“Who is it! Who’s there! Show yourself if you’re human, and leave if you’re a ghost!”

Both Danmok Yeo-gang and Yeo-jun quickly dispelled their drunkenness using internal energy and drew their swords.

However, dispelling drunkenness didn’t restore their composure. As they started swinging their swords randomly into the air, the courtesans in the room quickly fled.

When only the three of them remained in the room, the figure of Cheonma(Heavenly Demon) Cheong-un appeared. The once-empty air seemed to blur for a moment before he suddenly emerged.

“I was curious how far you’d go, but your words were rotting my ears.”

Danmok Yeo-gang’s mouth fell open as he saw Cheonma, who appeared wearing all black.

Danmok Yeo-gang tried to probe Cheonma’s energy to confirm his identity, but he couldn’t read anything. The man standing before him felt more like a force of nature than a human.

“Wh-who are you…?”

Danmok Yeo-gang, who was slightly more skilled than Danmok Yeo-jun, asked cautiously.

Seeing Yeo-gang use polite speech, Yeo-jun realized that the other person’s achievement was higher than theirs.

“I once sent you a letter.”

“…A letter?”

Danmok Yeo-gang’s head tilted at the unexpected words.

If he had received something from such a strange person, he would surely remember, but he had no such memory.

“Are you Danmok Yeo-gang and Danmok Yeo-jun?”

“Yes, but who are you…!”

The moment he answered, a sharp blade flashed through the air.

There was nothing actually visible to the eye. Just a hot sensation rising up the neck.

“Since your cowardly master is holed up in his nest and won’t budge, I have no choice but to cut off your heads instead of your master’s.”

“Wh-wh-what…! B-brother!”

Danmok Yeo-jun shouted. Before his eyes, Danmok Yeo-gang, who had always boasted of his powerful martial arts, was falling with his head severed by a single stroke.

Danmok Yeo-jun’s body trembled. In the face of this incomprehensible, overwhelming martial prowess, even the will to resist disappeared. All that remained was fear.

“There’s no need to be so scared. I need someone to deliver a message to the Danmok Family Head, so I’ll spare you. Tell Danmok Segeuk this: I’ll be visiting soon. If that cowardly rat doesn’t crawl out of his hole, I’ll come drag him out myself.”

Danmok Yeo-jun’s mouth gaped like a stunned fish. He couldn’t even properly understand what Cheonma was saying.

Cheonma clicked his tongue at the pathetic sight and lightly flicked Yeo-jun on the forehead.

Thwack!

The sound was far too loud for such a simple flick. Blood was flowing from Danmok Yeo-jun’s forehead where the finger had struck.

Danmok Yeo-jun’s blurry eyes finally regained some focus.

“If you’re such a fool that you can’t even deliver a message properly, there’s no reason to spare you and send you back.”

“Wh-who are y-you…”

Danmok Yeo-jun’s voice was trembling so much it was hard to understand, but Cheonma seemed to understand and nodded.

“Cheonma. I am Cheonma Cheong-un. Tell them I’ll be coming to collect my master’s debt soon, so they’d better be ready. Now speak, before I take your head as well.”

The terrified Danmok Yeo-jun nodded frantically.

Cheonma looked at the pathetic sight of Danmok Yeo-jun, then opened the window of Chuihwa Pavilion and disappeared.

Trembling with fear, Danmok Yeo-jun belatedly looked out the window, but it was impossible to find any trace of Cheonma in the darkness that ruled the night.