The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan-Chapter 427: Demon Cult, Baek Family, Evil Cult (1)

“Yo Yeon-bi…?”

Yi-gang murmured the name aloud.

It was a name impossible to not know. From his perspective, it was someone he had been with just a few days ago.

“Yes, he is the only child of True Demon Palace Master Yo Dae-soon… and is said to be a true demon who inherited the Great Blood Demonic Art, an unparalleled demonic martial art.”

The Hao Sect Leader said this with embarrassment.

The first part was not wrong.

Yo Yeon-bi was indeed the only son of the Absolute master True Demon Palace Master Yo Dae-soon.

From what Yi-gang experienced, Yo Dae-soon was a genuine demon.

The Great Blood Demonic Art, created by the Heavenly Demon, was indeed an absolute divine art capable of sweeping the entire Murim.

“You say Yo Yeon-bi is strong?”

“Yes, our disciples have encountered him several times, and the demonic energy he emits is terrifying. Even children who have learned some martial arts found it hard to breathe.”

Those who have mastered demonic arts emit demonic energy.

Demons who have reached a certain level can kill ordinary people with just their aura.

But Yi-gang was utterly doubtful.

“Have your disciples actually clashed with him?”

“Geum Hwa has faced him directly. Embarrassingly, even though we deployed several peak masters, he defeated them instantly. He is definitely above the Extreme Demon Realm.”

The Hao Sect leader and his disciples are not of a high level.

Though it seemed they might have been deceived by Yo Yeon-bi’s bluff, since several peak masters were defeated, he must have some real skill.

“That can’t be…”

But Yi-gang knew Yo Yeon-bi.

His lineage and background were extraordinary, but Yo Yeon-bi was far from being a master.

Despite inheriting the Great Blood Demonic Art, he was barely a second-rate martial artist.

That meant two things.

That Yo Yeon-bi’s spirit was rotten and he did not sincerely devote himself to martial arts.

And even including that, he had almost no martial talent.

“Although more than four years have passed…”

Could he have awakened and improved his martial arts in these four years?

「That can’t be. That bastard clearly had only a hair’s worth of talent for demonic arts. Moreover, spirit doesn’t change so easily.」

A wastrel’s change of heart is not easy.

Yi-gang was once a wastrel of the Baek Family, but that was due to his own will.

“That is an undeniable fact.”

When Yi-gang continued to doubt, the Hao Sect leader said so.

His voice was less confident than before.

“When will you meet?”

“Tonight, at the Black Market in Xi’an.”

“Black Market? Is there one here too?”

The Black Market means an underground market.

It is usually located in areas controlled by unorthodox factions.

A place where if you have money, there is nothing you cannot buy.

Weapons, explosives, and mysterious elixirs.

Even people and lives can be bought and sold.

There was no such Black Market in Xi’an when the Baek Family ruled.

“It appeared after the world changed. It doesn’t open every day, and today is not a day it opens… but we arranged to meet there at the start of the hour of the Ox.”

“…We’ll know when we meet.”

One wonders what happened in these four years.

How Yo Yeon-bi has changed is something to confirm with one’s own eyes.

Yi-gang promised to escort the Hao Sect leader.

Time passed, the sun set, and the appointed time approached.

In fact, not only Beijing but large cities prohibit commoners from traveling at night.

According to records, this policy has been maintained since the Yuan era.

Except for those with permission, wandering the streets after the third watch is forbidden.

At midnight, constables and patrol troops roam and patrol.

Xi’an was no different.

But not everyone sleeps quietly when the city lights go out.

Those above the law or indifferent to it roam in the darkness.

They move quietly at night, wary of patrols.

But Yulcheon, the old river crossing Xi’an, had no patrols.

“They know the Black Market is here and do not patrol.”

“Does the government turn a blind eye?”

“No. Those who run the Black Market pay large sums monthly. The authorities accept it and look the other way.”

That’s how it is.

Yulcheon is below a well-maintained official road, making the riverbank already shadowed.

With no patrols or visitors, it was extremely eerie.

Yi-gang’s group was not large.

The Hao Sect leader, Geum Hwa, Jeong Gu, and Yi-gang and Ha-jun.

Five people in total.

Yi-gang asked what they would have done without him and Ha-jun.

“There is a limit to available personnel. We can bring those without proper martial arts, but…”

They would just be torn apart by demons if things went wrong.

So only three would go out.

「A person with considerable spirit. The head of a sect should act so.」

Does the Hao Sect leader know he is being praised by the Heavenly Demon?

Beside him was Geum Hwa.

Geum Hwa held the Hao Sect leader’s hand and wrote something on his palm that he could not hear.

Yi-gang raised his martial sense.

“Their territory will appear soon.”

The Hao Sect leader warned, but Yi-gang did not reply.

He already knew.

Some hid their bodies, but not enough to escape Yi-gang’s attention.

Walking along the riverbank, the willows grew larger.

The moon hung in the night sky.

Since the world changed, even the clear moonlight scattered a murky purple glow.

It was when even that moonlight was insufficiently dark.

Demonic martial artists appeared.

They stood by the river and hid in the willows.

As Yi-gang’s group passed quietly, they followed without hiding their presence.

Eventually, Yi-gang’s group was accompanied by dozens of demons.

Grrrrr—

Some bared their teeth and growled lowly.

They resembled a pack of wolves more than humans.

Geum Hwa and Jeong Gu were very tense.

Meanwhile, Ha-jun muttered indifferently. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

“They’re acting like scared dogs.”

Though the expression was odd, Ha-jun had mastered the purest demonic arts in the world.

The chaotic demonic energy emitted by the demons posed no threat.

The demonic martial artists gradually approached.

The group naturally gathered around Yi-gang.

And Yi-gang naturally stopped walking.

Someone was ahead.

A masked man who did not look back at the group but only stared at the water’s surface.

The Hao Sect leader gave a subtle signal.

That person was Yo Yeon-bi, the child of True Demon Palace Master who established the Demon Sect’s branch in Xi’an.

The Hao Sect leader stepped forward.

“You requested a meeting, and what is this behavior? Do you have no manners to welcome guests?”

The Hao Sect leader scolded sternly.

The demons showed hostility, but the masked man did not react.

He answered while still staring at the water.

“Guests? I gave you a chance to submit, but you rejected it?”

His tone was arrogant and coercive.

It seemed true that the Demon Cult’s Xi’an branch tried to take over the Hao Sect.

‘I can’t really tell…’

It was different from Yo Yeon-bi’s tone.

The distorted voice through the mask made it even harder to distinguish.

But hearing it was Yo Yeon-bi, it seemed somewhat similar.

Yi-gang decided to observe further.

“What nonsense is that? To bring the Hao Sect under your command?”

“If you don’t want it, you shouldn’t have come here. Isn’t that the same as asking me to kill you?”

The mask had eye holes.

He conversed with the Hao Sect leader in the darkness.

He showed no sign of recognizing Yi-gang and Ha-jun.

Yi-gang watched the continuing conversation for a moment.

He burst into a hollow laugh.

“Ha ha.”

Then everyone’s gaze turned to Yi-gang.

The masked man was the same.

“…Insolent bastard.”

An annoyed voice.

Still, he did not recognize Yi-gang and Ha-jun.

Then was he not Yo Yeon-bi?

“That’s right. That guy.”

Yi-gang was sure the opponent was Yo Yeon-bi.

From the fabricated voice and the eye holes in the mask.

Above all, the opponent was not a master as the Hao Sect leader had evaluated.

Unless he had surpassed Yi-gang by the level of returning to simplicity and truth, he could not deceive Yi-gang’s martial sense.

Moreover, does it make sense for a master of that level to be so dark as to not recognize people?

“Yeon-bi, don’t you recognize me? I’m Dam Yi-baek.”

“…Da, Dam Yi-baek!”

Just mentioning the old alias made him startled.

Yo Yeon-bi hesitated briefly, then shouted angrily.

“Now, seize and kneel!”

It seemed true that the demons were loyal to him.

They all charged at Yi-gang’s group.

Yi-gang moved like lightning.

Before the nearby demons could approach, he rushed right up to Yo Yeon-bi.

Yo Yeon-bi threw a punch in an instant, but it was still pathetic.

Yi-gang snapped his fingers and knocked off Yo Yeon-bi’s mask.

Even in the darkness, his frightened face was revealed.

Yi-gang felt an inexplicable gladness.

The sound of beating someone echoed from behind.

Ha-jun had subdued all the demons charging in.

Yi-gang kicked Yo Yeon-bi’s shin, forcing him to kneel.

Yo Yeon-bi still reached out, showing he hadn’t been idle these years.

But Yi-gang grabbed Yo Yeon-bi’s wrist with Azure Forest’s Wisteria Hand.

“Calm down, Yeon-bi.”

“Yeon-bi? You bastard!”

He seemed to have pent-up feelings toward Yi-gang.

Just when it seemed the situation was settled, it was not.

The master above Extreme Demon Realm that the Hao Sect leader mentioned.

If not Yo Yeon-bi, then where was that master?

The riverbank where Yo Yeon-bi was.

The filthy river surface rippled, and a person suddenly leapt out.

That demon swung a club at Yi-gang, who was subduing Yo Yeon-bi.

The force was certainly worthy of being called a master.

Shiiik!

Yi-gang blocked the club strike with the sound of wind tearing.

It was a powerful strike that could break a large tree.

But that strike was only once.

Yi-gang soon kicked the opponent’s chest.

Then, White Fang, who was on his back, shot fiercely.

Without the element of surprise, this was not an opponent Yi-gang couldn’t defeat.

Just as Yi-gang drew Shooting Star Fang to pierce his neck.

The sword abruptly stopped.

At the same time, the demon shouted in shock.

“Bae, Baek Yi-gang!”

“Noh… Shik?”

Yi-gang’s eyes widened. The demon was Noh Shik.

The dying beggar from the Beggar Gang was alive here.

“You’re alive.”

“Y-You are alive!”

Yi-gang and Noh Shik shouted simultaneously.

Noh Shik did not hesitate and hugged Yi-gang tightly.

Despite frowning at the dampness, Yi-gang smiled.

Yo Yeon-bi, still crouching on the ground, muttered in a stunned voice.

“W-What is this…”

He made a sulky face.

“That bastard is the bad guy who abandoned me.”

“Sorry. I had no choice back then.”

“…Damn it!”

Yo Yeon-bi finally let out a hollow laugh.

Whatever the story was, they would soon resolve it.

“…Did you know each other?”

Only the flustered the Hao Sect leader muttered so.