Chapter 31. Standing Firm in the Night Sky
It had only been about an hour since they finished eating.
The three beggars, who had exaggeratedly claimed to have eaten enough to devour an entire cow, now patted their swollen bellies.
“Ah, I’m stuffed. The world looks damn beautiful now. Hey, Beom-hang! Bring us some liquor. What’s with this weak tea? You stingy brat. Really knows how to hoard, doesn’t he?”
Even after gorging himself, Eun Ang-gae kept complaining.
Song-hwa paused while clearing the grill to glare at Eun Ang-gae.
His repeated use of “brat” toward their master had clearly struck a nerve. By the look in her eyes, she seemed ready to smash his head with the grill plate at any moment.
The four guards around Fengyun Pavilion also wore icy expressions. Yun and Bu-mong, who had been invited to sit with them, visibly struggled to hide their discomfort.
Eun Ang-gae scanned the room and scowled.
“What’s with this atmosphere? Why’s it so murderous? We ate your food, and now you’re glaring like you wanna kill me. Your precious young master is a cheapskate! Last time, he only gave us one bottle of liquor!”
Bu-mong stepped forward first.
“Mind your manners! The young master is the successor of the main library and represents our family here. How dare you speak so disrespectfully!”
Eun Ang-gae tilted his head mockingly.
“This brat’s got no fear. Do you even know who I am to bark so loudly?”
“No matter who you are, you will show respect!”
“Or what? You don’t know the terror of the Dog Faction. Sit down and shut up if you want to live.”
Bu-mong shot to his feet.
“Young Master, this is unacceptable. Let me teach this man some propriety today. Grant me permission.”
“Very well. An excellent idea,” Hou Gong replied, nodding with concealed amusement.
Bu-mong sprinted off and returned moments later wielding nunchaku.
The outcome unfolded exactly as predicted.
With a rooster-like cry, Bu-mong pummeled Eun Ang-gae until the beggar rolled across the ground, wailing about dying.
Watching this, So Cheon-gae shouted,
“I don’t know anything! I swear I don’t!”
Meanwhile, Hou Gong was already walking with Chwi Woon-gae.
Chwi Woon-gae broke the silence.
“How’d you know Seo Mun-woong would get wrecked in advance?”
“Divine retribution?”
“Hahahaha!”
Chwi Woon-gae burst into laughter before lowering his voice.
“You know everything, don’t you? There’s someone big backing Tianhua Library. Tell me—just me. I’m great at secrets! Haven’t even blabbed about Master’s mismatched nipples! Who is it?”
Hou Gong frowned at Chwi Woon-gae’s use of the Dog Faction’s eye technique—No-Dog Eye (無狗眼). This technique either pierced darkness or intimidated foes into paralysis through sheer pressure. Today, it was the latter.
The moment their gazes met—
Zzzeng!
Chwi Woon-gae staggered as his own technique rebounded, dizziness overwhelming him.
“...What?”
His eyes bulged in shock. The familiar energy was his own No-Dog Eye, reflected back by Hou Gong’s defensive skill—Heavenly Cloud Rebound.
“What’s wrong?” Hou Gong asked, one corner of his lips quirking up.
After a dazed moment, Chwi Woon-gae grabbed Hou Gong’s hand.
“It’s you!”
His eyes sparkled as he laughed.
“You took down Seo Mun-woong! So you got a secret manual! How many volumes? How much have you mastered? Those suicide rumors were just a cover, right?!”
Hou Gong chuckled helplessly and walked ahead.
“Follow me. I’ll show you something.”
“How about a spar first?”
“No.”
They arrived before the groaning Chief Steward, who recounted the events again. Chwi Woon-gae’s expression brightened like a child with a new toy.
“Heh, knew it. Knew we’d hook a big one.”
Hou Gong raised an eyebrow.
“Was Punta-ju investigating the Seo Mun Family?”
“Tried to, but couldn’t. After the Pyo Family’s annihilation, we suspected their involvement. Only caught glimpses—this’s our chance to expose it all. So, what’s your plan?”
“I’ll invite the Seo Mun Family Head to the main library tomorrow.”
Chwi Woon-gae blinked.
“And he’ll just come?”
“If summoned, he must.”
“That simple?”
“Leave that worry to me. You focus on gathering ‘remarkable individuals’ you know.”
“Remarkable? I only know Master’s friends—”
“No, the ones Punta-ju knows. Let me list them...”
At dawn, Yun and Bu-mong finished preparing goods for the Biao Bureau. Having heard the plan from Hou Gong, Yun sharpened his brush while Bu-mong ground ink for the letter addressed to the Seo Mun Family Head.
“Begin, Brother.”
“Seo Mun Chu, heed this.”
Yun paused mid-stroke.
“Brother, who is Seo Mun Chu?”
“The Family Head.”
“Ah! His name...”
Yun marveled inwardly at Hou Gong’s knowledge but kept writing.
Hear this, Seo Mun Chu: Your eldest son has reaped his deserved fate. Heaven tolerates no evil. Thus, Tianhua Library now follows Heaven’s will. We will not send the Chief Steward. If you desire him, return our stolen treasures. In exchange, we’ll send the Co-Conspirator Guard Captain and Vice-Captain in his stead. Even a fool like you will understand their meaning upon sight. Consider your son’s path.
—Grand Young Master of Tianhua Library
The Seo Mun estate lay shrouded in gloom. Laughter had vanished since yesterday afternoon, each day stretching like a century.
At dusk, Baek-noi approached the Family Head.
“Lord, we’ve restored the torn book fragments.”
“And?”
“They’re the three stolen secret manuals from Tianhua Library... but blank.”
“They mocked us?!”
“It seems so. And Tianhua Library just sent a letter and large crate via Tai-Ping Biao Bureau.”
“The crate—could it hold the Chief Steward?”
“Unconfirmed. Read the letter first.”
As Seo Mun Chu read, his face flushed crimson.
“How dare they?!”
He crumpled the letter. Flames erupted from his palm—Samadhi True Fire—reducing it to ash.
Outside, inspectors pried open the crate. A metallic stench wafted out as something writhed inside.
Two grotesque figures squirmed—humanoid but twisted, with familiar facial features and flickering eyes.
The Family Head turned ashen.
Madness...
The creatures resembled his son. The letter’s words echoed:
Even a fool will understand upon seeing these two.
“Tianhua Library dies tonight.”
Seo Mun Chu pierced the darkness, flanked by thirty-two elites of the Black Flame Demon Extermination Squad carrying two coffin-like boxes—Black Coffins. Their full mobilization, unseen in a decade, signaled both rage and respect.
At the cliffside, night wind swept over them. Before them lay an illusionary formation masking Tianhua Library.
“Is Tianhua Library prepared to face the Seo Mun Family?!”
A metallic voice replied from all directions:
“You’ve arrived.”
White mist coalesced ahead, revealing a youth standing mid-air on faint clouds—the Grand Young Master of Tianhua Library, firm against the night sky.
