SYM 60

As the formation technique crumbled, what appeared was a small, neither large nor wide, open space and a dilapidated temple.

“This is Godeok Temple…”

Eun-hyeon muttered in dismay, looking at the crumbling little temple, then alternately gazed at Namgung Juwon and Jegal Hyeon.

“But how did you know to come here?”

“Actually, after your kidnapping, we were investigating all the employees working for the clan. And strangely, there were martial artists who suddenly quit or disappeared. They were mostly outsiders with no connection to the Namgung Clan. I thought it was strange and was investigating it.”

“Ah…”

“There was an unknown formation technique here, so I asked the Jegal Clan Head for help. Then, belatedly, we found out you were here…”

Eun-hyeon nodded, looking back and forth between Namgung Juwon and Jegal Hyeon.

“I see. Thank you.”

“No. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Namgung Juwon refused Eun-hyeon’s greeting and sighed.

“Husband! What are you doing! Let go, do you not know who I am?”

At that moment, Madam Hwang was dragged in, held by the Namgung Clan’s martial artists. Eun-hyeon unconsciously glanced at Namgung Juwon and Eun-gwang.

He could read nothing in Namgung Juwon’s cold eyes. Namgung Eun-gwang bit his lip tightly. He had clearly acted believing this was right, but for Eun-gwang, who had lived his whole life obeying his mother’s words, turning away from his mother was not an easy task.

Eun-hyeon hesitated for a moment, then lightly tapped the back of Eun-gwang’s hand. It was the only comfort Eun-hyeon could offer.

“Eun-gwang! Are you going to turn away from your mother! Husband! If my father finds out about this, he won’t let you get away with it!”

“…Madam.”

Namgung Juwon faced Madam Hwang for the first time since arriving here.

Madam Hwang’s voice was hoarse from constantly screaming, and her hair and clothes were a mess from struggling not to be dragged away.

Madam Hwang’s once flamboyant accessories and clothes looked grotesque in contrast to her current disheveled appearance.

“Husband! Have you forgotten how well I’ve supported you all this time? I was deceived by those villains! I only came to Godeok Temple to make offerings.”

Madam Hwang pleaded with Namgung Juwon, babbling words that no one would listen to.

“I did all this for the Namgung Clan! For a stronger Namgung Clan! For our Eun-gwang!”

“Madam, because of this incident, the Namgung Clan has suffered a great loss that cannot be concealed.”

“My father, my father will compensate for it. My father is Hwanggeumsan, known as the owner of all the gold in the world!”

“Madam seems to not yet know, but there are things in this world that cannot be solved with money.”

Namgung Juwon shook his head with a bitter smile. He gestured to the martial artists holding Madam Hwang.

“Take Madam to the clan and lock her in her room. And no one is allowed to enter that place without my permission! No one!”

“Wa, wait, you can’t do this! Husband! Eun-gwang!”

At Namgung Juwon’s chilling command, the Namgung Clan’s martial artists dragged Madam Hwang away.

Eun-hyeon had a complex and subtle expression as he watched Madam Hwang crying and shouting.

“Great Hero Ha. This time, the Namgung Clan owes Great Hero Ha a debt of gratitude for saving us. Please, accept this.”

Namgung Juwon handed Ha Yeo-un a token of gratitude. Ha Yeo-un stared at it for a moment, then finally accepted it.

Then Jegal Hyeon stepped forward and presented a token.

“Eun-hyeon is my only nephew. This is my personal token of gratitude, not from the Jegal Clan. I am greatly indebted to Great Hero Ha.”

Eun-hyeon was surprised that not only Namgung Juwon but also Jegal Hyeon offered a token of gratitude.

They weren’t particularly close, and he remembered their last meeting wasn’t very pleasant, but he didn’t expect him to come running, let alone offer a token of gratitude.

“I only did what I had to do.”

Ha Yeo-un said, pocketing the two tokens of gratitude.

“If Great Hero Ha is willing, would you accompany Eun-hyeon and the Namgung Clan back together? As you can see, we came in a hurry, so we didn’t bring many people.”

“Of course. I will escort the Eldest Young Master to the clan.”

“Haa, Great Hero Ha, I am truly grateful. We will have to collect evidence and clean up the aftermath here. Since the Hongbaek Sect is involved, we will have to send people to the Murim Alliance as well.”

Namgung Juwon, Jegal Hyeon, and Ha Yeo-un exchanged a few more words regarding the aftermath.

“Eun-gwang, what will you do? Why don’t you return to the clan with Great Hero Ha as well?”

Eun-gwang flinched and shook his head.

“No. I will clean up this mess with Father.”

Namgung Juwon looked at Eun-gwang with a complicated expression, as if he had a lot to say, and nodded.

After sorting out the situation, Eun-hyeon passed through Godeok Temple with Ha Yeo-un and came out of the formation technique.

Even though he hadn’t spent that long inside the formation technique, he felt a sense of relief when he came outside and saw the sky.

“Ah… It’s night outside.”

Come to think of it, he hadn’t really seen it getting dark inside the formation technique.

He didn’t know how much time had actually passed, but seeing the darkened night sky, it seemed like quite a bit of time had passed.

[Yoon Ju-myeong, you took care of all the Undead, right?]

[Yes, I have instructed them to take everything useful.]

[It will be difficult for us to touch anything once the Murim Alliance guys come. Smuggle out as much useful stuff as possible while things are chaotic. And you took the bell and staff that the Demonic spirit was shaking, right?]

[Of course. I made it look like a few Undead escaped.]

[Good job.]

While everyone’s attention was focused on Madam Hwang and Eun-gwang, Ha Yeo-un captured the Demonic spirit and handed him over to Dark Shadow.

Capturing him required much more delicate work than killing him. Ha Yeo-un brought the Demonic spirit to the brink of death and then secretly pressed his Blood Point. After that, he ordered Dark Shadow to hide him and bring him along.

[Demon Asura will have a lot to do this time. If any information about the Hongbaek Sect comes in, report it immediately. From this moment on, information about the Hongbaek Sect is the highest priority.]

[Understood.]

“Eldest Young Master.”

“Yes?”

“What are you doing?”

Ha Yeo-un looked at Eun-hyeon and beckoned with his hand.

As Eun-hyeon blinked and approached, Ha Yeo-un grabbed Eun-hyeon’s wrist and pulled him into an embrace.

“Ah!”

“Hold on tight. We’re going down the mountain quickly.”

Ha Yeo-un had no sooner finished speaking than he kicked off the ground and shot forward. Eun-hyeon was startled and hugged Ha Yeo-un’s neck tightly.

Unlike inside the formation technique, the mountain was filled with the sounds of all kinds of mountain birds and insects.

“Ah, there are birds. I really feel like I’ve come out of the formation technique.”

Ha Yeo-un chuckled at Eun-hyeon’s words.

The mountain that had been so long and arduous to climb was descended in no time.

Ha Yeo-un glanced at Eun-hyeon, who had fallen asleep in his arms.

He was sound asleep, probably exhausted.

Ha Yeo-un maintained his posture as steadily as possible so as not to wake Eun-hyeon and ran forward.

Not many hours had passed before Hapcheon Fortress came into view.

Avoiding the crowded fortress gates, Ha Yeo-un flew like a bird toward a quiet place. He headed for a place in Hapcheon where mostly luxurious houses were gathered, and then slipped into a quiet house.

“You have arrived.”

Those inside the house knelt down as a matter of course and greeted Ha Yeo-un. It was one of the Demonic Sect’s hideouts inside Hapcheon Fortress.

“Where is Demon Asura?”

“He is outside Hapcheon Fortress. Since Hapcheon Fortress is noisy in many ways right now, I thought it would be better to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, so I told him to do so. Shall I tell him to come here?”

“No. Demon Asura needs to research the Undead anyway, so that place is better. Prepare a bath and prepare food.”

“Understood.”

At Ha Yeo-un’s words, they bowed their heads and disappeared.

Everyone working there was a member of the Demonic Sect, so no one made clumsy footsteps or offered unnecessary comments.

He entered the room and laid Eun-hyeon on the bed. The room was dark, but Ha Yeo-un didn’t bother to turn on the light.

Ha Yeo-un quietly held his breath and gazed at Eun-hyeon’s sleeping face.

The darkness was no obstacle. In Ha Yeo-un’s eyes, he could see even a single strand of Eun-hyeon’s black hair clearly.

“Eun-hyeon, Eun-hyeon.”

It was when Ha Yeo-un was muttering that Eun-hyeon flinched and slowly opened his eyes. Ha Yeo-un didn’t say a word and sat on the windowsill, just watching Eun-hyeon, until Eun-hyeon opened his eyes and got up.

“Great Hero Ha?”

Eun-hyeon called Ha Yeo-un in a small voice, but Ha Yeo-un didn’t answer. Eun-hyeon looked around and soon found Ha Yeo-un sitting under the window.

“Ah, why didn’t you answer while you were there? You startled me.”

A clear, cloudless moonlight shone down. Only then could Eun-hyeon look around. The atmosphere was too neat and tidy to be called an inn.

“Where is this? Was there such an inn in the village below Godeok Temple?”

“While the Eldest Young Master was sleeping, we already arrived in Hapcheon.”

“Hapcheon? Then why didn’t we go to the Namgung Clan…”

Ha Yeo-un slowly rose to his feet. It was similar to the feeling of a predator stretching as it stalked its prey.

“Because I have something to discuss quietly with the Eldest Young Master.”

“What words?”

As Eun-hyeon blinked and looked up, Ha Yeo-un slowly stroked Eun-hyeon’s face and then grabbed his chin tightly.

“Ugh. It, it hurts!”

“Long time no see, Master.”

Ha Yeo-un’s eyes flashed dangerously.