Chapter 70

Two hours later, a secret meeting was held at the Infinite branch of the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan.

The attendees were the heads of the Four Hegemons and the parents and Clan representatives of the Dragon Phoenixes who had been sacrificed this time.

The atmosphere of the meeting was somber.

In particular, the fury of Ga Yun-sang, the Sect Leader of the blood king sect, who had lost his chief disciple, was immense. And that wasn't all. His youngest daughter, Ga Yang-hui, whom he wouldn't trade for the world, had her ankle severed.

Ga Yun-sang's face was as stiff as wax, and his eyes were bloodshot. He was in a state where he would explode if anyone touched him. So, no one could offer him words of comfort. The families of the other victims rallied around him. Their opponent was the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan.

When they were all gathered in the Sangbin Hall, Im Cheon-se entered.

The gazes directed at him were not friendly.

Im Cheon-se opened his mouth in a low voice.

"This incident is truly regrettable. First of all, I offer my deepest apologies..."

Bang!

The one who couldn't bear it and slammed the table was, as expected, Ga Yun-sang.

"Did you just say regrettable?"

It was an extreme reaction that he wouldn't normally be able to make. No matter how successful the blood king sect was, it couldn't compare to the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan. Moreover, his current anger was merely latching onto Im Cheon-se's words.

Nevertheless, Im Cheon-se reacted calmly.

"As a father with children myself, I fully understand Clan Lord Ga's feelings."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

The one who jumped up and shouted was Baek In-seong, the Clan Lord of the Sky Way Clan. He too had lost a disciple in this incident. Ga Yun-sang raised his hand to stop him. It was a signal to leave everything to him. Baek In-seong suppressed his anger and sat down.

Ga Yun-sang glared at Im Cheon-se and said in a low voice.

"We entrusted our children to you entirely because we trusted you. But now you say regrettable and understand? Would you say such a thing even if you lost your own child?"

The atmosphere froze at the words that should not have been said.

The remaining Four Hegemons, Yang Inmyeong, Sa Do-baek, and On Won-tak, who were in the position of third parties, merely watched the situation unfold silently. They were paying attention to how Im Cheon-se would handle this matter.

Basically, it was very pleasing to see the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan cornered, but on the other hand, they understood Im Cheon-se's position as well. It was said that even ten strong men couldn't stop one thief. Even if they had held the competition, they thought that if an opponent who was determined to kill Yeom-chung and the instructors had attacked, they would have been helpless.

Im Cheon-se didn't say anything.

On the surface, he wore a look of apology and embarrassment, but his inner thoughts were very calm. He was one of the Four Hegemons of the world. The current problem was one that he had overcome many difficulties to the point where he could use the expression 'just this'.

Yang Inmyeong, the Leader of the Shoutern Mountains Alliance, who had been watching, stepped forward.

"Clan Lord Ga, how about listening to Clan Lord Im's words for a moment?"

When Yang Inmyeong stepped in, Ga Yun-sang stepped back. He was very agitated, but he had enough reason to know that he didn't need to provoke the Leader of the Shoutern Mountains Alliance.

Im Cheon-se calmly continued. He briefly offered words of condolence for the Dragon Phoenixes who had been sacrificed and then revealed his thoughts on the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan's response.

"Our Clan will thoroughly investigate this incident. And our Clan will do its best to compensate the Dragon Phoenixes who were sacrificed to the Yin Demon Insect."

Ga Yun-sang shouted with wide eyes.

"How will you compensate?"

"We will have to discuss it later."

Bang!

Ga Yun-sang's table finally broke. Im Cheon-se merely watched his anger silently.

"Compensate? Is this some kind of broken deal? Are you going to give us a few coins and cover up this incident?"

Those sitting next to him tried to stop him. But Ga Yun-sang was already out of his mind.

"I feel responsible, but this is also a matter of the Jianghu! Even in that worst-case scenario, the majority of the Dragon Phoenixes survived the crisis! No, there were even Dragon Phoenixes who saved their comrades and personally killed the Evil-doers."

The words 'Aren't you ashamed of them?' were omitted. It was a sharp rebuke to Ga Yun-sang, who was rushing in without considering the consequences. But that was Im Cheon-se's position of power, and from Ga Yun-sang's point of view, it was an absurd statement.

Ga Yun-sang said, grinding his teeth.

"If your grandson had died, would you handle things this way?"

Finally, Im Cheon-se shouted.

"Listen here! What is your intention in constantly mentioning my grandson? Do you really want my grandson's head? Should I go and cut off Ha-gi's head and bring it to you? Is that truly what you want?"

".......!"

Ga Yun-sang was speechless at Im Cheon-se's outburst. Deep down, he wanted to shout not to say such things that he couldn't even do, but he had already crossed the line first.

The atmosphere turned grim as Im Cheon-se became angry.

Yang Inmyeong let out a light sigh and soothed Ga Yun-sang.

"Clan Lord Ga, it's a heartbreaking matter, but it's already happened. Clan Lord Ga, you know very well that anger cannot be the solution."

"Kuh-huh-huh!"

Ga Yun-sang finally burst into tears.

A sense of injustice surged up. If it had been a competition he had hosted, and Im Cheon-se had been in his situation, he, as well as the blood king sect, would have been annihilated. This was the essence of the Jianghu.

"Uwaaaaa!"

The ruthless Jianghu of the survival of the fittest. Ga Yun-sang had lived that way too. How many people had shed tears and vowed revenge against him? They must have felt this way too.

The meeting ended with Ga Yun-sang being helped out while sobbing.

The heads of the Four Hegemons, who had left the Sangbin Hall, paused for a moment. It was the remaining three people, excluding Im Cheon-se.

"Why did you do that?"

On Won-tak asked Yang Inmyeong directly.

It was because of his doubt about not driving Im Cheon-se into a corner and speaking for his position. If the remaining Four Hegemons joined forces to drive the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan into a corner in this incident, the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan would undoubtedly suffer a major blow in some way. There was no way Yang Inmyeong wouldn't know that.

Yang Inmyeong smiled and replied.

"I won't beat around the bush with you. That's right, this incident could be an opportunity to drive the Hegemon Clan into a corner. I won't deny it."

Yang Inmyeong's expression became a little more serious as he began to speak.

"But if that happens, other beneficiaries will emerge. Someone will gain a much greater benefit than the profit we gain."

"Who is it?"

"It's the Four Great Clans."

Sa Do-baek, who was listening to Yang Inmyeong's answer, nodded slightly. He too had thought of Yang Inmyeong's actions in that way.

"For the past twenty years, the Four Great Clans have not shown any movement. Even while we were expanding our power without hesitation. Has Clan Lord On ever been hindered by the Four Great Clans so far?"

"Hmm."

As Yang Inmyeong said, the Black Blade Sect had never clashed with the Four Great Clans in the process of expanding its power. The Four Great Clans had maintained a silence close to Sealed Door.

"Those who thought of this Jianghu as their own have endured for twenty years. How do you think they see us?"

"The Jianghu has already changed. Their Jianghu no longer exists."

Yang Inmyeong lightly shook his head at On Won-tak's bold statement.

"Have you forgotten? The Nine Sects and One Gang are behind them. The Nine Sects and One Gang and the Four Great Clans are truly in a relationship of lips and teeth. They will maintain a thorough alliance even to check us."

On Won-tak and Sa Do-baek both fully agreed with that statement.

"For the time being, there should be no division among our Four Hegemons. That's why I helped Clan Lord Im."

Of course, Yang Inmyeong's true intention was not because of that.

As he had told Mak Hwi earlier, he simply didn't want to instill the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan's poison with clumsy achievements.

His mind was set on knocking them down at once with one big blow. He made excuses for the Four Great Clans and the Nine Sects and One Gang, but he didn't care about them. The movements of the Four Great Clans and the Nine Sects and One Gang were being thoroughly reported by his spies.

"Indeed, you had such a deep intention."

On Won-tak nodded exaggeratedly. He was originally a simple person, and that was how he was known in the Jianghu. But he was more aware of his shortcomings than anyone else. That's why he kept many soldiers and strategists by his side and took their words to heart.

He nodded his head greatly, pretending not to know now, but he was not an easy person to deal with. Yang Inmyeong also knew that, so he was more wary of On Won-tak than the cautious Sa Do-baek.

Meanwhile, Ga Yun-sang was glaring fiercely at somewhere. It was the second-floor window of the Sangbin Hall he had just come out of.

The person standing by the window was Im Cheon-se.

Ga Yun-sang glared back at Im Cheon-se's cold gaze without giving in.

Ga Yun-sang said with his eyes that he would oppose the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan with all his remaining life.

Just as Ga Yun-sang snorted and turned around, Im Cheon-se said in a low voice.

"Dan-wol."

At the brief call, a man appeared like a ghost. He was wrapped head to toe in a black cloak, revealing only his thinly slit eyes.

He was Im Cheon-se's most cherished figure among the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan's secret weapons, and he was Im Cheon-se's shadow, taking charge of the Clan's most secret and dangerous tasks.

"There is something you must do."

Im Cheon-se gave the order via Telepathic Transmission, staring at Ga Yun-sang's receding figure.

Pitter-patter!

The moment the words ended, Dan-wol disappeared like a ghost.

Im Cheon-se muttered, watching Ga Yun-sang's receding figure.

"Yes, it can't be helped."

Then, the curtain quietly closed.