readsfreenovel Chapter 221 : You Shall Suffer
Chapter 221 : You Shall Suffer
Power centered around the Imperial Palace.Force under the control of the Murim Alliance.
And lastly, the wealth of the Myriad Gold Manor.
These were the three pillars supporting the Central Plains of this era.
And now, the eldest daughter of one of those pillars, the Myriad Gold Manor, had lost her life atop the cold, snowy ground.
“……”
The place fell utterly silent.
The renowned martial artists of the Orthodox Faction, as well as Ha Joo-myeong, the eldest son of the Myriad Gold Manor, all stood in silence, their gazes fixed on Ha Cheong-a.
Even Seo Yu-gyeom, Seomun Ak, and Chae Seo-ryeong, who were beside her, looked on cautiously, seemingly unprepared for Jin Seong-un to act so boldly.
The martial artists of the Orthodox Faction turned to face Ha Joo-myeong and the Myriad Gold Guards, the elite force of the Myriad Gold Manor.
But they exuded no threatening aura.
Rather, their calm, disciplined composure emitted the air of highly-trained elite warriors, creating a peculiar atmosphere.
After a long silence, Ha Joo-myeong took a step forward and spoke.
“Guest Dragon, could you explain the situation?”
“We made a wager with our lives. On whether the missing children from across the world were in this place, Mu-gung.”
No martial artist of any level would have failed to sense the presence of hundreds of children here.
In other words, it was evident to all that Jin Seong-un had received a fair reward for a legitimate deal.
Ha Joo-myeong gave a small nod before replying.
“It was something that had to be done.”
“Indeed.”
Another wave of tension followed.
Though a violent clash was unlikely with so many Orthodox masters present, the true fearsome power of the Myriad Gold Manor lay in what they could do moving forward.
Ha Joo-myeong then bowed his head toward Jin Seong-un.
Everyone looked bewildered at this sudden gesture.
He continued.
“I offer my apology. I failed to manage my younger sister properly. I had entrusted her with the critical duty of researching the clan's martial arts. I never imagined she would conspire with the Demonic Cult to commit such acts.”
Ha Joo-myeong clearly distanced himself from Ha Cheong-a's crimes. Though it was a lie, everyone knew it.
“Rather, I thank you for correcting this wrongdoing.”
With that, Ha Joo-myeong gave a signal to the Myriad Gold Guard Captain beside him. The captain retrieved a golden token from his robe and respectfully handed it to Jin Seong-un.
The token bore the character '萬' (Ten Thousand).
“Present this gold token at any time, and the Myriad Gold Manor will fulfill any request within our ability.”
Everyone was visibly shocked.
There was no corner of the Central Plains where the influence of the Myriad Gold Manor did not reach. The token could, quite literally, make anything happen.
Jin Seong-un fiddled with the token for a moment before speaking in an indifferent tone.
“Even the life of someone?”
“You seem to enjoy killing more than one would think, judging by your face. Well, if you're curious, present it and see.”
Jin Seong-un nodded and pocketed the token. Ha Joo-myeong's gaze then turned to the gathered leaders of the Orthodox Faction.
From the Sword Immortal of the Wudang Sect, to the Poison Lord of the Tang Clan, and the heads of Mount Hua, Shaolin, Beggars’ Union, the Murong Clan, and Seomun Clan, including Seomun Jeok.
Ha Joo-myeong took a deep breath and spoke calmly.
“Due to the sins of my family, the relationship between the Orthodox Faction and the Demonic Cult has been severely damaged. I offer my sincere apologies. Of course, a merchant cannot apologize with words alone.”
Without hesitation, he began listing compensation.
“To each of the Five Great Clans and Nine Sects, excluding the Qingcheng Sect, I offer ten thousand nyang in gold. To the Seomun Clan, House of Seok, Dokgo Clan, Hwangbo Clan, Gamri Clan, and the Jinju Eon Clan, I offer five thousand nyang each.”
Just that portion alone amounted to nearly two hundred thousand nyang. Yet Ha Joo-myeong did not stop.
“To the Murim Alliance, fifty thousand nyang. And to the clans and sects that suffered due to my foolish younger sister, ten thousand nyang each.”
At that, the expressions among the Orthodox faction leaders began to shift.
Ten thousand nyang was no small sum.
Even prominent sects like Wudang often had annual expenditures not exceeding that amount.
Murong Clan Head Murong Cheon’s tension eased noticeably. His son's calculative nature was evidently inherited from him.
On the other hand, the Sword Immortal of the Wudang Sect and a few others showed displeasure. It wasn’t simply a matter money could solve—it felt as though it belittled the honor of the Orthodox Faction.
Especially the Poison Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan, who could not tolerate insult, seemed ready to erupt—
“And the Myriad Gold Manor also pledges a total of one hundred thousand nyang in support to the Imperial Family, as citizens of this land.”
The Poison Lord shut his mouth.
‘Does he think we would yield for mere money?!’
He was about to roar in fury—but stopped. To speak further would also drag the Imperial Family through the mud.
Ha Joo-myeong once again proved himself the true heir of the Myriad Gold Manor.
“The pledged support will be delivered to each clan and sect within seven days. If I may, may I retrieve my sister’s body?”
“That will not be allowed.”
The Sword Immortal of the Wudang Sect stopped him.
“There is testimony that the daughter of the Myriad Gold Manor practiced demonic arts. The Alliance intends to send a physician to investigate.”
To deny the family the right to even retrieve the body was a hardline stance.
Everyone expected Ha Joo-myeong to resist, but he simply nodded and replied.
“Yes, I understand.”
Then he bowed deeply toward everyone once more.
Without lingering, he led the Myriad Gold Guards away.
The sight stirred a strange feeling in all their hearts.
It was natural for the Myriad Gold Manor to cut ties the moment Ha Cheong-a was linked to the Demonic Cult. But the way they did so—so cold and resolute—was chilling.
As though they no longer bore the emotions a human ought to possess.
After Ha Joo-myeong disappeared, the tense air gradually dissipated. Everyone’s focus now shifted to the battle that had taken place in Mu-gung.
The ever-eager Murong Hyeon took the lead in reporting the battle's events and outcome in detail.
All were impressed by how he sublimated the Murong Clan’s secret technique, Dujeonseongyi, into a formation-based style.
Murong Clan Head nodded in great satisfaction. His son had assigned the seven principles of the formation not as secrets, but as mere actions—ensuring no risk of leaking their clan’s secret techniques.
It was, quite simply, the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
Just as Murong Cheon was itching to praise his son, the astute Poison Lord stepped forward.
“Truly, the alias 'Sword Dragon' is not wasted on you.”
Murong Clan Head’s lips twitched.
Murong Hyeon clasped his hands respectfully toward the Poison Lord.
“Thank you for your kind words. However, I intend to leave the alias 'Sword Dragon' here in the snowy mountains.”
“What? Why would you do that?”
“I have realized that this shameful title only clouds my vision. Moreover, it seems the era of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes has come to an end.”
With that, Murong Hyeon glanced briefly at Jin Seong-un. The Poison Lord also caught the meaning behind that glance and nodded.
Over the past five or six years, the term 'Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes' had referred to the finest of the later-generation prodigies.
But now, someone had appeared who shattered that praise like it was nothing. In such a moment, to cling to an outdated title would only invite ridicule.
Of course, there was one man who couldn’t care less about any of that.
“So, is it a One Dragon system now?”
Everyone turned their heads in bewilderment.
It was Seomun Ak.
He gracefully clasped his hands in a martial greeting toward the crowd and spoke.
“This humble martial artist of the Orthodox Faction, Fist Dragon, greets the elders.”
“Fi–Fist Dragon?”
Even the elderly monk from Shaolin stuttered in surprise. Seomun Jeok’s face turned red with shame. If it weren’t for the cold weather, his entire face would’ve flushed.
Seomun Jeok hurriedly addressed the elders of the Orthodox Faction.
“Ha, haha. Esteemed seniors, it seems my son has gone through some hardship. Please, just ignore his nonsense…”
“Peak-level Master.”
Just three syllables.
Everyone went silent and opened their eyes wide at Seomun Ak’s quiet declaration.
Seomun Ak gave a heroic smile and added,
“A new Peak-level Master has arisen in the Orthodox Faction. I’m not saying this to boast. In this time of heightened tension with the Demonic Cult, knowing the true strength of our Orthodox forces is of utmost importance. I had no choice but to speak up.”
Everyone turned their attention to Seomun Ak.
They hadn’t noticed at first since he hadn’t fully solidified his realm. But now that they focused deliberately, they could sense the subtle shift within him.
Those who perceived the change gave sighs of admiration and amazement.
Murong Hyeon, who had been watching all along, joined in.
“The only reason the Seven Star Formation held until the end… was thanks to Young Master Seomun’s—”
“Fist Dragon.”
“…Thanks to Fist Dragon’s ability to generate qi projection at the end of his punch.”
Everyone nodded repeatedly, full of admiration.
Not only had the greatest delinquent of the era turned over a new leaf, but he had glimpsed the Peak-level realm before even turning thirty—truly astonishing.
Having decided to praise him further, Murong Hyeon elaborated in detail on Seomun Ak’s resolve when he threw that punch, and the consequences it led to.
A single punch thrown in a moment of desperation for the sake of his comrades. That became the catalyst for breaking into a new realm.
It was the kind of story that anyone who upheld righteousness and chivalry in the Orthodox world would find admirable and inspiring.
And Murong Hyeon, with his natural flair for storytelling, made it all the more captivating.
The eyes of the Orthodox Myeongsuk sparkled. Then the senior-most person present, the Sword Immortal of the Wudang Sect, quietly spoke.
“A true warrior.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
There was no dissent.
Seomun Jeok, who had been staring at his son in disbelief, turned away.
At first, everyone assumed he was struggling to suppress a proud father’s smile.
“Sniff.”
“……”
But they all turned to him with baffled expressions.
A clan leader, a man well past forty, was shedding tears of joy before everyone, decorum be damned.
The Myeongsuk, especially those who remembered Seomun Jeok’s hot-blooded youth, were especially shocked.
And yet, many among them were also parents and teachers—so they could understand his feelings.
The Poison Lord, Tang Tae-san, grinned and spoke up.
“Seomun Clan Head, you’ve been through a lot. Honestly, I used to think you were just paying for your youthful sins. You know the saying—‘You must have a child just like yourself to understand.’ But your son’s even better than you. Congratulations.”
As the Poison Lord joked, Seomun Jeok let out a hearty laugh. To him, neither the Heavenly Demon Cult nor the Myriad Gold Manor mattered today. This was the best day of his life.
As the attention remained focused on Seomun Ak, Hyeon-un fell into deep thought.
Thanks to Seomun Ak, less attention was being paid to Jin Seong-un. That was a good thing. He didn’t want others targeting him.
Yet, he couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
To be precise, he was dying to brag about Jin Seong-un—who was practically his grandson—throughout the land.
After a long internal struggle, Hyeon-un finally spoke.
“Seong-un, you’ve done well. Your righteous heart saved hundreds of children. You helped us weed out traitors within the Orthodox Faction, and revealed the Myriad Gold Manor’s conspiracy with the Demonic Cult. You also skillfully took down Mu-wol-do and even managed to reconcile with the Special Task Force to the end…”
His speech, disguised as encouragement, was full of praise and bragging. Along the way, he also mentioned Seo Yu-gyeom, who had fought the Peak-level master of the Hanma Unit.
Everyone was full of admiration.
It felt as if a new light had dawned upon the Orthodox Murim. The mood was festive when the always-calculating Murong Clan Head suddenly spoke.
“So, you’re telling me a mere inn now has three Peak-level Masters?”
“……”
Only then did everyone realize the gravity of the situation.
Each of the Nine Sects and Five Great Clans had between five to ten Peak-level Masters.
Only the likes of Shaolin, Wudang, or Namgung Clan barely exceeded ten due to their sheer scale and strength.
But now an inn in Yichang housed three Peak-level Masters. And no one could even be sure of the innkeeper’s martial prowess.
And everyone knew Jin Seong-un was at the center of it all.
Murong Cheon, lost in thought for a moment, sent a voice transmission to Jin Seong-un.
– By chance, do you need another waiter?
Murong Cheon glanced toward his son, who was cheerfully chatting with comrades, blissfully unaware. Then, with a solemn expression, he continued.
– He’s fairly sturdy. No salary required. You can work him as hard as you like.
The world's greatest delinquent, Seomun Ak, had reached Peak-level mastery at that inn.
His own son, whose excellent insight was once marred by arrogance, had stayed with Jin Seong-un only a few days… and now talked about leaving behind the alias ‘Sword Dragon’ as if he’d found enlightenment.
Murong Cheon realized the truth.
Seong-un Inn was no ordinary establishment, nor just another martial force—it was an extremely efficient training ground.
– Hmm, no need for another waiter. But I could use a deliveryman or a cashier.
– A cashier! That’s it!
Murong Cheon nodded solemnly.
Jin Seong-un nodded back.
A successful agreement was made between the two.
Meanwhile, the Poison Lord, who had been carefully observing the condition of Tang So-yeon—his golden jewel—sighed in relief and said,
“Alright, let’s get these kidnapped children sorted and head back. We’ll convene a grand Alliance meeting soon to officially conclude this incident.”
Everyone nodded and began preparing to leave.
Regardless of talk of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes or the Special Task Force, the disciples and children were more precious than gold to each sect and clan. The Myeongsuk welcomed them back with pride.
Murong Hyeon, after bidding farewell to the comrades with whom he had faced death, approached his father.
Murong Cheon pointed in a direction with his index finger.
“You belong over there, not here.”
“Pardon?”
Murong Hyeon turned in confusion toward the indicated spot.
There stood Seomun Ak and Seo Yu-gyeom, once again grabbing each other by the collar, with Jin Seong-un shaking his head beside them.
Murong Cheon said,
“You might as well suffer a little too.”