The young man's face hardened coldly.

"Kkeu-euu..."

Jangpae, with a flying needle embedded in his neck, staggered with a contorted face and fell to his knees.

It was due to his carelessness.

He probably never thought he would be hit.

But the place where the flying needle was embedded was between the neck and the shoulder, the Jianjing point.

Although he seemed to be collapsing from the shock for now, he would soon recover.

However, the young man's pride was hurt.

The fact that his guard had knelt before the likes of the Outer Hall Master of an unknown Tang Family's estate.

"Keu, you damn punk..."

Jangpae gritted his teeth and spewed fiery anger towards Chunil.

"I'll kill you. I'll tear your whole body to shreds."

Jangpae's eyes, as he slowly stood up, were bloodshot.

The sticky killing intent spreading in all directions began to make the wood chips around him burst.

"Jangpae."

"I'll kill him."

Jangpae, who was approaching Chunil, didn't seem to hear the young man's voice.

"I'll tear him to shreds."

He approached step by step, his gaze fixed only on Chunil.

Jja-ak!

"..."

Jangpae's head whipped around, and his steps halted.

"...Y-Young Master?"

The young man was standing in front of Jangpae, who knows when he had moved.

"You foolish child."

"..."

"To allow an attack from the likes of the Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate and lose your reason... Are you not ashamed!"

Jangpae, who had come to his senses at the young man's sharp reprimand, bowed his head.

"S-sorry."

"Step back! I don't even want to look at you."

"...Yes."

Jangpae retreated with a contorted face at the words full of reprimand.

The young man's gaze, as he glared at Jangpae, turned to Chunil, who was sitting on the floor with his head bowed.

"Hah... hah..."

His breath was ragged.

He didn't seem to have the strength to even get up.

He must have squeezed out all his strength to embed the flying needle in Jangpae's neck.

The young man, with a bitter smile, knelt on one knee in front of Chunil.

"It was quite something. Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate."

"..."

"Your tenacity, not giving up until the very end, was very impressive."

The exhausted Chunil looked at the young man with blurry eyes.

A smile...

"But, unfortunately, a quarter of an hour has already passed."

"...!?"

"Your effort was just commendable."

The young man's smile turned cold.

"...Y-you punk."

"What can I do? A promise is a promise..."

It was a one-sided promise.

"Don't... do it."

Chunil tried to grab the collar of the rising young man.

It was just a powerless gesture.

"You, for your part, did your best."

"No... don't."

No matter how he tried to hold on, he couldn't.

He didn't have the strength to stop him.

He could only watch in vain.

Teok!

The young man picked up the sword that was on the floor.

And he approached the frightened manager and waiter.

"...It's a pity, but I had no intention of letting you live in the first place."

The young man, revealing his cruelly shining white teeth, raised his sword high.

"No! You son of a bitch!"

Chunil shouted with all his might, as if vomiting blood.

But the young man's cruel hand did not stop.

The lawless and cruel blade drew a clean curve and fell towards the neck of the manager, who was cowering in fear.

Chunil squeezed his eyes shut without realizing it.

But at that moment, a faint piercing sound entered his ears.

Not only Chunil, but the young man also seemed to have heard it, as he frowned slightly.

Because of that, the blade paused and slowed down.

Swaeaek!

The gradually growing sound soon revealed its identity.

Kaaang!

"Keuk!"

As something struck the sword and deflected its direction, the young man's face contorted.

He had almost dropped the sword from the shock of the impact.

Although he barely held on, the pain remaining in his grasp was considerable.

But.

"A flying needle?"

The young man's eyes turned cold.

The sword in his hand.

And a sharp flying needle deeply embedded in its narrow flat.

...Embedded?

It was an unbelievable thing.

The young man's sword was no ordinary object, befitting its owner's noble status.

It was a Blue Steel Sword made of hundred-refined steel that had been tempered more than a hundred times.

Although it wasn't at a level to be called a treasured sword, it was a sword with a strength comparable to a treasured sword.

No matter how much he hadn't imbued the sword with internal energy, it was an object that couldn't be pierced by a mere flying needle.

But it had pierced it.

It was proudly embedded in the blade.

Who on earth?

It didn't even take a moment for the question that filled his head to be resolved.

Kwa-aaang!

One side of the Myriad Virtue Inn's wall exploded forcefully, and the broken wood chips scattered in all directions.

And in the gaping hole in the wall stood a man with a sturdy build.

An old man?

No. He was too young to be called that.

He had a youthful appearance, as if he hadn't even reached the age of twenty.

But what on earth was that overwhelming presence?

The moment he appeared, the air inside the Myriad Virtue Inn seemed to have become several times heavier.

And at that moment, the young man realized that the Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate was smiling brightly.

"...Family Head."

Family Head?

The young man whipped his head around and looked again at Cheonyeong, who was walking over the broken wall.

Then, that punk is... the Family Head of the Tang Family's estate?

Was it because of his age?

Or was it because of the name value of the weak sect called the Tang Family's estate?

Even though he had seen the flying needle that had pierced the Blue Steel Sword, the young man's expression, as he looked at Cheonyeong, lost its vigilance.

Then, a sneer appeared on his lips.

Someone must have informed him.

He must have rushed over.

But what would change?

Even if he had outstanding skills, what could he do?

Nothing would change.

With a name like the Tang Family's estate, he wouldn't even be able to hold his head high in front of his background.

"You are..."

"Chunil!"

The moment the young man opened his mouth to speak, Cheonyeong's eyes widened and he rushed towards Chunil.

"You, this is..."

"...Sorry, to entrust me with the duty of the Outer Hall Master... I guess I'm too weak."

Chunil did not use honorifics.

And the moment he saw Cheonyeong, as if a wave of sorrow had overcome him, he burst into tears.

"I almost killed them all. I..."

"..."

"I thought saving them was the first priority... I thought I wouldn't back down... no matter how much I was hit, I tried to get up with all my might... I'm sorry, Family Head."

Chunil cried and apologized, and apologized again.

Cheonyeong, who was looking at him, said nothing.

He just lightly patted the back of Chunil, who was embracing him.

"It was hard, wasn't it?"

"Yeah..."

"It must have hurt."

"A lot."

"...You've worked hard."

"But..."

"It's okay. I think I know without hearing."

"..."

"You're really reliable. That you're the Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate."

"Uh-huh."

Although it wasn't a warm voice, Chunil returned a smile at Cheonyeong's bright face.

"Don't smile. You'll get hair on your butt."

"...Uh-huh!"

Although it was a joke to lighten the mood, Chunil smiled even more brightly.

"You punk. You're reliable."

"Yeah."

"You did well. Rest now. I'll take care of the rest."

"...Yeah."

As Cheonyeong patted him and pressed a vital point, Chunil leaned over with a comfortable expression.

Cheonyeong, who had supported him so he wouldn't be uncomfortable, turned his head towards the door.

"Ilseung."

"Yes, Family Head!"

The Outer Hall warrior, Ilseung, answered with a tense expression.

It was an expression of worry that he would be questioned for not helping Chunil.

"It's okay."

"...Pardon?"

"Chunil wouldn't have wanted you to step up either."

"I'm sorry, Family Head. I..."

"It's okay. But, you'll have to become stronger from now on."

"Yes."

"Will you tell me what happened?"

"Well..."

At Cheonyeong's words, Ilseung told him everything he had seen.

"Hmph."

Cheonyeong nodded silently.

"Family Head Tang!"

"...?"

"I'll tell you what happened before that."

One of the onlookers from outside approached and added to what Ilseung had said.

Like a child telling on someone to their parents.

"Family Head Tang."

"Yes?"

"He looks like the son of a well-to-do family, but he's a very bad punk. Please give him a good scolding on behalf of Ganyang."

He whispered in a small voice, glaring at the young man.

As if he wouldn't hear that.

The hearing of warriors, whose senses were developed to an extraordinary degree, was several times better than they thought.

But so what if he heard?

"...Thank you for your words. Please go outside for now."

"Pardon?"

"I have a feeling I'm going to go a little overboard."

"Ah! I understand."

The onlooker rushed outside at Cheonyeong's words.

"Hmph."

Cheonyeong, who had stood up from his seat, looked around the inside of the Myriad Virtue Inn.

"Hah, it hasn't been long since it was built, but it's unusable. Unusable."

It was a bitter sentiment.

"Well, but it's more important to deal with the personal damage than the property damage, right?"

As Cheonyeong turned his body, the young man looked at him with an eerie gaze.

"You're the one who drove out the Yin Hand Chamber..."

"Was it you?"

"...?"

The young man spoke again, but Cheonyeong was looking at Jangpae.

The young man, who had been ignored twice already, couldn't be in a good mood.

"You punk..."

"My, my, how annoying."

"What?"

"It's not your turn yet, so wait."

"Hah!"

The young man wore a dumbfounded expression at the sight of Cheonyeong frowning.

What, this punk?

Didn't he say he was a Family Head?

But where was he supposed to find a Family Head-like appearance?

His words and actions, he looked no different from a good-for-nothing who hadn't learned any etiquette or rules.

But the young man smiled with a dumbfounded expression and shut his mouth.

He had planned to watch for a while.

What he would do to Jangpae.

And what his skills were like.

"Hey, I hear you're the one who beat up our Outer Hall Master."

Jangpae's eyebrows twitched visibly at the sudden informal speech.

"From what I hear, the Outer Hall Master didn't say anything particularly wrong... so why did you do it?"

Jangpae glanced at the young man before answering Cheonyeong's words.

"That punk... he seems to have been trained hard. Does he have to get his master's permission to speak?"

Jangpae, who had suppressed Cheonyeong's sarcasm, waited only for the young man's permission.

"Jangpae."

"Yes, Young Master Lee."

"I will not tolerate a second mistake."

"Then... how far is possible?"

"You may kill him."

Jangpae's eyes were once again colored with killing intent at the young man's permission.

"Thank you. I will repay your trust."

Cheonyeong, who was watching the scene, was just dumbfounded.

Kill?

Who, whom?

Are they Yama and the Grim Reaper?

Why are they deciding someone else's life and death without permission?

"You punk, what's your name?"

"Are you going to call me three times?"

"What?"

"Ah, I heard the Grim Reapers, instigated by Yama, call the name of the deceased three times."

"...You crazy punk. Stop with the nonsense and just tell me your name."

"Why do you keep asking for my name? You haven't even answered my question. I asked first. Why did you beat up Chunil?"

"Hmph! Was there any value in answering the question of a lowly punk like you?"

"Value what? Lowly?"

Cheonyeong frowned deeply and sighed at Jangpae's words.

"This won't do. First... I have to make you answer obediently."

"What did you say? This punk... huh? Uh, uh?"

Jangpae, who had been sneering at Cheonyeong's arrogance, blinked his eyes in bewilderment.

He's... gone?

The punk who was scratching his head right in front of him...

"Jangpae!"

At that moment, the young man's urgent shout was heard.

But Cheonyeong's dry, humorless voice was much faster than Jangpae could turn his head.

"Tense your stomach, and grit your teeth."

(End of Chapter)