Chapter 28

Ch. 28

The King of Fist was pleased.

"What remarkable harsh words. Truly remarkable. I think they'll be the most memorable words I've heard in my life. Words from a man without manners or backing. But save such words for after you've gained the skills to back them up."

This was the belated retort that flowed from Gu Yangsheng's lips. Gu Yangsheng, who had returned to a composed expression, said.

"Let's go inside and continue our conversation."

When Gu Yangsheng headed toward the Galaxy Merchant Group, Dan Wooseong called out to stop him.

"Gu Yangsheng, I never told you to leave. You can't shake me off with lightness technique, and escaping to your family is impossible. Take responsibility for what you said right here."

Gu Yangsheng might go into the Galaxy Merchant Group to take hostages or carry out a massacre to keep the words he had spoken.

Gu Yangsheng looked back.

"Didn't I tell you? The Emperor's Association is behind me. I've already revealed my destination, saying I would go to invite you. If things escalate, who will suffer the loss?"

"You will suffer the loss."

"Why is that?"

"Because you're weak."

Dan Wooseong spread both arms wide to the left and right in front of Gu Yangsheng's watching eyes. A crack sound rang out from his forearms. Dan Wooseong kept his gaze fixed while loosening his neck from side to side.

Dan Wooseong smiled.

Gu Yangsheng asked.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I'm not a saint or gentleman. I'm happiest when beating up guys like you. It's a hobby I can't give up."

Gu Yangsheng stood there with a blank expression, then suddenly appeared where Dan Wooseong was standing.

He extended his hand to try to grab Dan Wooseong's shoulder, but Dan Wooseong had taken Gu Yangsheng's former position as if they had switched places and turned his head.

They gauged each other's speed.

Then Gu Yangsheng kicked off the ground, changed direction, and deployed lightness technique toward the Galaxy Merchant Group. Each time he stepped on the ground, he quickly moved seven or eight zhang while floating in the air. When he had taken three steps, Gu Yangsheng stopped himself.

Dan Wooseong descended from the air and said quietly.

"You look like a fleeing rat."

When the Great Young Master of the Galaxy Merchant Group confronted an unfamiliar middle-aged man, people walking the streets hid here and there as if urgently avoiding a sudden downpour. However, they were all holding their breath while watching the two men from windows and alley entrances.

Gu Yangsheng looked around his surroundings.

He was a man who always considered his reputation most important. For Gu Yangsheng, who had planned to systematically defeat the heads of the Five Great Families one by one, the Great Young Master of the Galaxy Merchant Group was a test that had suddenly appeared.

"Great Young Master..."

Gu Yangsheng opened his mouth as if to suggest they talk, then quietly drew in his breath. The rambling words that had been flowing stopped coming out. Instead, the palms of both hands were being dyed a deep green color.

This was the Toad Poison Palm, a poison technique he had been secretly learning alone to later defeat the heads of the Five Great Families, passed down secretly only to the heads of the Gu Family. He was suffering from headaches because he couldn't completely shake off the poison energy himself.

Poison palm had excellent efficiency and killing power, but it had the burden and adverse effects of continuously accumulating poison in the body. Using it was therefore precious. The best approach would have been to gradually build up poison each time he defeated one of the Five Great Family heads, but that plan had failed.

Since he had brought out his secret technique, it meant he acknowledged the Great Young Master of the Galaxy Merchant Group as a formidable opponent. Gu Yangsheng expected his victory if he could land his palm force or grab any part of Dan Wooseong's body even once.

Gu Yangsheng deployed his footwork and charged at Dan Wooseong.

As soon as Dan Wooseong thought Gu Yangsheng had some scheme, he stepped forward with Thunder Foot.

Crack!

When Gu Yangsheng instinctively raised his hands to block, Dan Wooseong's eyes caught sight of the poison-laden palms.

'Poison palm...'

Then there was no need to modify his strategy.

Poison was a martial art he had faced many times in his previous life.

When Gu Yangsheng wasted feints and thrust out both palms, Dan Wooseong honestly met them with his own double palm strike.

With a crack sound, the four hands stuck together.

Gu Yangsheng tilted his head slightly and poured out his toad poison.

'Is he an idiot...'

Then Dan Wooseong twisted his hands and grasped Gu Yangsheng's hands directly.

Toad poison and lightning qi clashed.

If he hadn't reached the eighth stage of the White Lightning Ten-Stage Art, he would have chosen a more long-term offensive and defensive battle. Dan Wooseong's hands were already dyed with White Electric Qi. Each time the poison tried to penetrate into his palms, it was burned away by lightning.

Soon a musty smell spread from Gu Yangsheng's hands.

Gu Yangsheng's eyes widened.

The two men were facing each other at a very close distance.

When Gu Yangsheng moved his mouth to spit poison-mixed saliva at Dan Wooseong's face, Dan Wooseong pulled Gu Yangsheng toward him and executed a headbutt.

Thunk!

Gu Yangsheng's face jerked backward. Then with a gulping sound, the saliva went back down his esophagus.

Even in the midst of this, they were both pouring out their inner qi.

Then with a cracking sound, Gu Yangsheng's fingers broke under Dan Wooseong's grip strength.

Regardless of pouring out inner qi, Dan Wooseong crushed Gu Yangsheng with the strength of both arms. Gu Yangsheng had focused only on poison techniques, while Dan Wooseong deployed external techniques while responding with inner qi.

Once again with a crunching sound, Gu Yangsheng's wrist snapped. Then when Dan Wooseong clenched his fist, Gu Yangsheng's hand crumpled like pressed dough.

Gu Yangsheng hadn't let out a single scream until now.

He was a man accustomed to pain from learning poison techniques.

However, both hands were already crushed beyond recovery.

Dan Wooseong finally released his grip, then looked down at the kneeling Gu Yangsheng before crouching down to meet his gaze.

Dan Wooseong said.

"You're weak."

Gu Yangsheng replied.

"Compared to you. You've made me like this, but what do you plan to do about the Emperor's Association?"

"Is this the time to worry about me?"

"I suppose not. Hmm... the headache is disappearing. I used to get rid of headaches by pouring out poison energy like this. Becoming strong is truly a bothersome and troublesome thing."

"That's due to your martial arts. It's your fault for hoping for luck. Both your character and martial arts must have been at the bottom of the Emperor's Association. So you must have been ridiculed. Why blame Gu Yanghu, who died after being beaten, and the son who returned in defeat?"

"Stop the useless talk and just kill me."

Dan Wooseong studied Gu Yangsheng's expression and asked.

"Right here?"

Gu Yangsheng said.

"This place would be good."

He seemed more afraid of losing honor. Dan Wooseong shook his head.

"That won't do. We need to go to the Emperor's Association together."

"I beg you."

"I have no reason to grant your request."

"I don't understand why you want to go to the Emperor's Association."

"You know, so why ask? Go to the Emperor's Association and say what you said to me. If the Emperor's Association still takes your side, I'll also observe the Emperor's Association's skills right there. How's that proposal?"

When Gu Yangsheng opened his mouth to say something, Dan Wooseong grabbed Gu Yangsheng's hair and headed toward the Galaxy Merchant Group.

While being dragged along, Gu Yangsheng made eye contact with those peeking from here and there. When Gu Yangsheng tried to resist with his two intact legs, lightning qi poured from Dan Wooseong's hand.

"Ugh..."

Dan Wooseong asked as he walked.

"What's wrong... did your headache return?"

Gu Yangsheng listened to Dan Wooseong's sarcasm and then fainted.

...

The unconscious Gu Yangsheng came flying from the entrance of the Galaxy Merchant Group and rolled on the ground several times.

Those waiting in the main hall came running out.

"Master!"

Those running stopped.

Dan Wooseong, who had thrown Gu Yangsheng from the Galaxy Merchant Group entrance, appeared and looked at the Gu Family martial artists.

Then this time, the Galaxy Merchant Group's guard brigade and the Twin Treasure brothers surrounded the Gu Family martial artists. Since the situation had escalated, they planned to kill them all once the Great Young Master's order came down.

Dan Wooseong said to the Gu Family martial artists.

"Kneel. Looking at your expressions makes me want to treat you like Gu Yangsheng too."

When the youngest of the guard brigade next to Mok In-seop tried to kneel, Mok In-seop hit the back of his head once.

"What are you doing?"

The Gu Family martial artists knelt and asked.

"Is our master still alive?"

Dan Wooseong replied.

"He's still alive for now. Mok In-seop, prepare a carriage outside. No coachman needed."

"Understood."

Dan Wooseong said to the Gu Family martial artists.

"He threatened to massacre our Galaxy Merchant Group and point to me as the culprit. You go to the Emperor's Association and recite what Gu Yangsheng said to me."

One man replied.

"The Emperor's Association doesn't have a separate headquarters like the Murim Alliance. The emperors, that is, the powers of the Four Great Family heads, meet at the gathering place where the Emperor's Association is held."

"Is the closest place the Murong Family?"

"That's correct."

Originally, the Murong clan's power was known to be based in Liaoning Province, but the martial family branch that had advanced into the Central Plains had established itself south of the Yangtze River.

Dan Wooseong said.

"Let's go, to the Murong Family."

Lee Hwa-eon, who had been listening from behind, walked out and asked.

"Elder brother, will it be alright? Is there anything else you'd like me to handle?"

Dan Wooseong replied.

"Briefly summarize today's events and deliver them to the Murim Alliance. The delivery should include what Gu Yanghu did, the matches with the Gu young masters, and the threatening words Gu Yangsheng said to me when he came here. That he said he would massacre the Galaxy Merchant Group and then frame me for the crime. Also add that he used this as an excuse to threaten to drag me into the Emperor's Association."

"Understood."

...

Inside the rattling carriage, Dan Wooseong sat with his arms crossed, looking at the Gu Family martial artist and Gu Yangsheng. Since it was a large carriage that could seat four people, an intact Gu Family martial artist was also sitting next to Dan Wooseong.

The other two were driving the carriage.

In other words, Dan Wooseong was moving toward the Murong Family surrounded by Gu Family martial artists along with Gu Yangsheng.

Gu Yangsheng, who had regained consciousness, asked.

"Where are we going?"

Dan Wooseong replied.

"The Murong Family."

Gu Yangsheng looked intently at the intact Gu Family martial artists. When he sent a look hoping they would do something, Dan Wooseong said.

"If Gu Yangsheng dies here, you won't be needed either. I'll kill you all. If you try to commit suicide, I'll stop that suicide too. I won't give advice twice. Your lives depend on it."

One man avoided Gu Yangsheng's gaze and let out a small sigh.

Gu Yangsheng asked the man next to him.

"Give me some water."

The man replied in a stiff tone.

"There's no water."

"Go get some."

The Gu Family martial artist glanced at Dan Wooseong's expression once, then replied.

"The Great Young Master probably won't allow it."

Dan Wooseong stroked the head of the man next to him and said.

"You might not really be Gu Family martial artists. When your master asks for water, you refuse quite coldly."

Dan Wooseong grabbed the man's hair and said.

"...Were you an assassin?"

Confirming that the man across from him changed color, Dan Wooseong injected lightning qi into the head of the man sitting next to him.

"Aaaahhh!"

While the carriage rattled and swayed, the man's breath was cut off.

"Whoa, whoa..."

When the coachmen in front calmed the startled horses and stopped, Dan Wooseong said quietly.

"Move on. It's nothing serious."

When the carriage started again, Dan Wooseong asked the man across from him.

"I'm asking. Are you hired assassins?"

The man replied quite simply.

"Yes."

Dan Wooseong looked at the assassin and said.

"I see, you planned to have hired assassins clean up if I didn't listen. Assassins have their conveniences. You would have been killed by Gu Yangsheng after cleaning up the Galaxy Merchant Group. It makes things simple. No need to worry about family members' reactions after doing dirty work. It's because you're on the righteous path. You should understand."

When Dan Wooseong explained the situation, the assassin sitting across from him glanced sideways at Gu Yangsheng.

Dan Wooseong said to the assassin across from him.

"Three assassins, one cripple, one corpse. Perfect combination for traveling. Nice to meet you, assassin."

"Yes."

"Aren't you pleased?"

"I'm pleased."

"Good."

Dan Wooseong crossed his arms again and enjoyed the carriage journey.

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