Chapter 26

◈ Absolute Dominion

Chapter- 26

In the early dawn, the voice of Palm Heart Clan Leader, Jang Dae-San, rose sharply.

“What? The Ancient Sword Merchant Guild was robbed?”

Wang Oh, kneeling in front of him, lowered his head as deeply as he could.

Given Jang Dae-San’s infamous temper, it was fortunate that he didn’t get beaten to death on the spot.

For now, he had avoided the worst-case scenario. At least he escaped the misfortune of having his face smashed by that monstrous fist.

“What exactly happened?”

As he started to hear the leader’s breathing become rough, Wang Oh began to stammer out a detailed explanation.

When he woke up in the morning and went to the underground vault, he found all the mechanisms destroyed, and the vault doors were left wide open. Inevitably, all the antiques stored in the Ancient Sword Merchant Guild’s vault had vanished without a trace.

Crack!

The armrest of the chair shattered under Jang Dae-San’s fingertips.

Swish.

The fragments of the chair flew by Wang Oh’s head, brushing him.

“Didn’t you say that even the greatest master in the world couldn’t break through those mechanisms!?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Fear seized Wang Oh as he prostrated himself fully on the ground. His forehead throbbed from the spot where the shards had grazed his skin. He was convinced that he would die if he made Jang Dae-San any angrier.

Looking at the sight of the empty vault earlier that day had felt like the sky was collapsing on him. Wang Oh had realized that today was the day of his own funeral.

His survival instinct urged him to flee immediately, but he knew that even if he ran, the Palm Heart Clan’s pursuit team would soon catch up to him. Still, he couldn’t just sit and wait to die.

Even though he thought about it, he knew escape was impossible. Also, he had spent every last bit of his hidden savings to obtain the Divine Demonic Jade Buddha. He couldn’t bear to leave it behind.

Then a thought struck him.

‘Wait a minute...’

He recalled Lim Yun-Oh, who had visited the day before.

Being robbed the day after he visited? Up until now, everything had been perfectly fine. The more he dwelled on it, the more improbable the coincidence seemed.

Wang Oh saw a glimmer of hope for survival.

“But something strange happened.”

“What is it?”

“Yesterday, Leader Lim of the Northern Sky Clan paid us a visit.”

Jang Dae-San’s expression hardened at the mention of the Northern Sky Clan.

“Which Leader Lim are you talking about?”

“Lim Yun-Oh, the division leader of the Inner Hall.”

The name struck a chord with Jang Dae-San. He recalled the distinctive mole beside Lim Yun-Oh’s nose, a feature that left an unforgettable impression.

“Leader Lim? What business did he have here?”

“He entrusted us with an item.”

“What was the item?”

“It was the Divine Demonic Jade Buddha.”

“What!”

Jang Dae-San jumped up from his seat.

“What did you just say?”

“...The Divine Demonic Jade Buddha.”

The Divine Demonic Jade Buddha was no ordinary artifact—it was considered to be one of the rarest treasures in the martial world.

Wang Oh quickly recounted the details of Lim Yun-Oh’s visit, and he didn’t forget to add a final statement in an attempt to exonerate himself.

“I was planning to report it to you as soon as dawn broke today, but...”

“How much did you pay for it?”

“Two hundred thousand nyang.”

Wang Oh had already manipulated the ledger to hide the involvement of his own funds in the transaction. He had to state the exact amount to avoid the risk of being interrogated later.

“So not only did you lose two hundred thousand nyang, but you also lost the item as well.”

Jang Dae-San’s voice was as cold as a blade.

Wang Oh, sweating profusely, pressed his head to the floor and begged for his life.

Receiving no immediate response, he cautiously lifted his gaze to gauge Jang Dae-San’s reaction. Jang Dae-San was narrowing his eyes, looking down at him. Startled, Wang Oh quickly lowered his head again.

Jang Dae-San spoke calmly.

“For now, I will investigate Lim Yun-Oh. You may leave.”

With a deep sigh of relief, Wang Oh hurriedly left the place.

Wang Oh’s instincts had been right. The situation reeked of suspicion, and for someone as inherently distrustful as Jang Dae-San, it would only seem more suspicious. For now, he had survived the crisis.

Now, the attention would shift from his own incompetence to the reason why the Northern Sky Clan would target the Palm Heart Clan.

But that was nothing more than his own delusion.

As he watched his retreating back, Jang Dae-San’s eyes were filled with killing intent.

As soon as Wang Oh was out of sight, a stream of curses erupted from the clan leader’s mouth.

“That bastard! What did he say—he purchased the Divine Demonic Jade Buddha and was going to report it in the morning?”

“Will you introduce her?”

Mu Young asked with a mischievous smile.

“Weren’t you the one who told me to?”

“I did? When did I say that?.”

Mu Young denied it with an earnest expression, but there was still a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

Jeok Lee-Gun kept his gaze fixed ahead as he spoke.

“She’s a good woman.”

Mu Young smiled at his honest answer. Having observed Jeok Lee-Gun for a long time, Mu Young was also intrigued by Cha-Ryun, particularly since Jeok Lee-Gun had never shown such deep interest in a woman before.

Clatter, clatter!

As they entered the bamboo forest, the cart slowed down.

Whoosh.

The scenery around them subtly began to shift.

They had entered a formation that only someone skilled in formation techniques would be able to discern.

From this point forward, if they strayed from the designated path, they would wander around the mountains endlessly, only to return to where they had originally started.

The formation posed no trouble for them though seeing as the cart followed the predetermined route with precision.

Before long, the cart arrived at a large clearing. Beyond it stood a grand wooden building resembling a warehouse.

The person who opened the large door of the building and came out was Hwa Mu-Cheol.

“Welcome, Young Master.”

“Thank you for your efforts, Master Hwa.”

Jeok Lee-Gun dismounted the cart as Mu Young guided it into the warehouse.

Jeok Lee-Gun turned to Hwa Mu-Cheol.

“How is the progress coming along?”

“It’s slow since it’s been a while since I’ve done such work.”

Despite his words, sweat was beading on Hwa Mu-Cheol’s forehead, a clear sign that he was putting in his utmost effort.

“Take your time. I’ll need to find some reliable people to assist you soon.”

“It’s still manageable for now.”

Jeok Lee-Gun smiled.

“Just wait a bit. Once the house is completed, I’ll set you up with an exceptional workshop.”

“Haha! I’m looking forward to that day.”

Hwa Mu-Cheol laughed heartily.

After putting the cart inside the building, Mu Young walked out.

Jeok Lee-Gun instructed Mu Young.

“Make sure to help Master Go Ong’s work so that there are no hindrances.”

“Don’t worry. Ah, and I think we’ll find out the whereabouts of the Eightfold Hideous Freak soon.”

Jeok Lee-Gun was very pleased with the report.

“You’ve caught his trail?”

“Yes. We will know his exact location soon.”

Jeok Lee-Gun’s smile broadened at the news.

“Excellent. The Eightfold Hideous Freak is vital for this task. He is our dear disciple, after all!”

The moment Jeok Lee-Gun mentioned the word “disciple,” Hwa Mu-Cheol glanced over at Mu Young with a puzzled expression. Mu Young shrugged his shoulders, signaling that he would understand later. Hwa Mu-Cheol smiled back, though the perplexity still lingered on his face.

Mu Young added another comment.

“And we’ve also found the location of the Wind God.”

“Wind God” was also a term Hwa Mu-Cheol was hearing for the first time.

The Eightfold Hideous Freak and the Wind God.

Although he was curious, Hwa Mu-Cheol didn’t ask further. The fact that they were discussing such matters in front of him already meant that they trusted him. There was no need to feel slighted by the lack of explanation.

‘I’ll find out soon enough.’

Trust takes time to build, after all.

Mu Young spoke calmly.

“It is as you predicted.”

“They have held onto it all this time. Let’s visit soon and retrieve it.”

“If we can sway them to ally with us through this matter, it will be a great help.”

Jeok Lee-Gun nodded at Mu Young’s words.

“Leave that matter to me.”

“Understood.”

Jeok Lee-Gun started to move.

From behind, Mu Young asked.

“Are you on your way to see Young Lady Jeong?”

Without turning back, Jeok Lee-Gun replied.

“This is an important matter too!”