By Zephyria 
“Do you actually realize that the Hwasan Sect isn’t fond of you either? They haven’t defended you once in the last three years. In other words, there is nowhere in the orthodox sects that wants you.”
“Ah, and what do you want me to do about it? You’re chatting away so much it’s killing me. Young Master, do you fight with your mouth instead of a sword?”
“…I didn’t say it expecting a particular reaction.”
As Seong Mu-yeon snapped, Peng Yuan-jin let out an awkward, hollow laugh.
“It seems it will be difficult to shake you no matter what I say.”
Looking at him now, it seemed Peng Yuan-jin had been trying to disrupt Seong Mu-yeon’s composure to attempt his enchantment again. However, it didn’t work at all on Seong Mu-yeon, who had already broken the spell himself. It wasn’t even ticklish.
Peng Yuan-jin changed his strategy, shut his mouth tight, and began to press him in earnest.
‘Ugh…’
As his brother’s offensive grew fiercer, Seong Mu-yeon’s reaction speed gradually slowed. It was still subtle enough that Peng Yuan-jin hadn’t noticed, but he wouldn’t be able to hold out for long before his condition was exposed.
With a desperate heart, Seong Mu-yeon glanced down the cliff. Amidst the chaotic battle, the Hwasan Sect stood out immediately thanks to their characteristically flamboyant Sword Energy.
‘Hm?’
Seong Mu-yeon was slightly surprised to discover a familiar face among them.
“Hwasan Sect! Show no mercy to those bastards!”
Ma Jin-cheon was shouting orders while fighting in the rear ranks. Ma Jin-cheon was a precious individual who was to become the next Great Sect Leader. For someone like him to personally attend such a fight, let alone participate by wielding a sword himself, was absurd.
His doubt was short-lived, as a thunderous roar echoing up to the cliff caught Seong Mu-yeon’s attention.
“Move aside, you brats!”
As the Jegal Clan Head swung his fan, a majestic immortal energy erupted. The Demonic humans who took the hit head-on collapsed in heaps.
For some reason, that side seemed extremely angry as well.
“Sixth Young Master! Sixth Young Master!”
He could also spot Bang Gyeom. With a desperate voice, he was calling for Seong Mu-jae, struggling to push through the wave of Demonic humans to enter Demon Subjugation Valley.
However, the Demonic humans did not let him pass, thrusting their weapons at him. Fortunately, Gang Woong was by his side, providing cover.
The Peng family was equally anxious to approach Demon Subjugation Valley.
“Yuan-jin! Do-hwan! Stop that and come here! Please, just stop… these annoying Demonic Cult bastards!”
The Peng family was also experiencing difficulties due to the Demonic humans swarming like ants.
Just how many people were suffering because of one man, Peng Yuan-jin?
“I think Young Master Peng should worry about his own business rather than others. Your elderly uncle is searching for your younger brother so desperately; are you going to keep pretending not to notice?”
“….”
Peng Yuan-jin’s smile stiffened slightly.
“Ah… are you afraid that if the enchantment is broken, the Second Young Master will realize your true nature and abandon you?”
“….”
At the following question, Peng Yuan-jin’s face distorted violently. Seong Mu-yeon was slightly surprised by the intense reaction, as if he had been hit right where it hurt.
〈Do the others know this side of the Seven Sons?〉
〈In other words, there is nowhere that wants you.〉
Those were the words Peng Yuan-jin had used in an attempt to shake him.
It was true what they said—that when humans slander others, they instinctively attack with the words that would deal the greatest blow to themselves.
Come to think of it, after Peng Yuan-jin had forced the Spirit Pill on Peng Do-hwan, he rarely showed his face at the quarters. Seong Mu-yeon had simply thought he was busy preparing for battle, but that wasn’t it.
It was because Seong Mu-yeon was there. He had witnessed everything Peng Yuan-jin had done and was someone who didn’t hesitate to speak his mind, making him uncomfortable to face.
“Why that look? Are you going to stop acting like the kind older brother? Don’t do that. The Second Young Master might get too scared and run away.”
“….”
Seong Mu-yeon mocked and sneered at him, but Peng Yuan-jin’s complexion only grew worse; he did not open his mouth.
“Truly ridiculous. Did you not think of that when you killed your father? The thought that your younger brother would come to resent you.”
“….”
The positions of the two had reversed. Now, Seong Mu-yeon was the one chatting, and Peng Yuan-jin was the one being ignored.
“To even order the Second Young Master to kill his uncle and family members. Did you not think your brother would blame himself and suffer because of that?”
“….”
“If you were so afraid of being hated by people, you shouldn’t have committed such acts in the first place. From the moment you forced your father’s Spirit Pill on him, the relationship between you and Young Master Peng Do-hwan was already over.”
“…Do not speak so recklessly.”
Peng Yuan-jin’s patience did not last long. His face was filled with malice as he muttered through clenched teeth, struggling to contain his rage.
“I had no choice to treat Do-hwan. Surely the Seven Sons knows this? You saw how violently that child resisted.”
Peng Yuan-jin retorted fiercely. Meanwhile, Peng Do-hwan continued to attack Seong Mu-yeon according to his brother’s orders. However, Peng Yuan-jin’s attacks, having lost his composure, were gradually losing their sharpness.
“Could the Seven Sons have found another way in that situation? Do-hwan was dying because he lost his Innate True Qi. If it weren’t for me, this child would have…”
“Died.”
“That is correct. It is all because of you, Seven Sons. You are the very person who instigated him to do something reckless, yet you speak so boldly.”
“Eh? How does it become that? Why is that my fault? Did I threaten him with a sword to pull out his Innate True Qi?”
“If not for you, why would he…”
Seong Mu-yeon burst into a hollow laugh, genuinely dumbfounded.
“Indeed. You haven’t forgotten why Young Master Peng Do-hwan tried to kill me even at the cost of his own life, have you? Because you framed me and pretended to be dead, Young Master Peng Do-hwan regarded me as his enemy.”
“….”
“Now, we must examine one problem…”
Seong Mu-yeon’s eyes gleamed coldly as the corners of his mouth curled up.
“Then, who is the true enemy that Young Master Peng Do-hwan searched for so desperately to kill?”
“…What are you trying to say?”
“Seong Mu-yeon, whom he thought was his enemy, did not kill his brother. That is an obvious fact now that the living brother has appeared. Then, for what reason did Young Master Peng Do-hwan live in pain, whipping himself for such a long time? Does the fact that his brother is alive make the pain he suffered fake?”
“….”
“The person who faked his own death. The enemy who killed Young Master Peng Do-hwan’s brother is, in the end… Young Master Peng Yuan-jin himself.”
How long would it take for Peng Do-hwan to realize that fact? That the person who ruined his life with his brother’s death and pushed him into a dark abyss where only revenge remained was none other than his own brother.
Peng Yuan-jin bit his lip so hard that blood seeped out. He leaped back and spoke to Peng Do-hwan.
“Do-hwan, give me my sword.”
“Yes, Brother.”
Peng Do-hwan was still carrying two swords on his back. Now that his identity was revealed, Peng Yuan-jin had nothing more to hold back.
“No matter how plausibly you chatter, it is nothing but useless nonsense.”
He gripped the sword handed over by Peng Do-hwan, adjusting his hold a few times as if it felt awkward, and pointed it toward Seong Mu-yeon.
“Do-hwan.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Kill him.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“You’re impossible to reason with!”
The Peng family’s characteristically bold sword strikes surged from both sides. A greatsword narrowly grazed his cheek, and his heart chilled when it sliced through a few strands of hair.
‘D-did I provoke him for nothing?’
As expected, one should not mess with a lunatic. While he felt refreshed having said everything he wanted, Peng Yuan-jin, whose temper had been thoroughly provoked, was attacking fiercely while using his brother like a limb, putting Seong Mu-yeon in a crisis.
Kagagang—!
A expressionless Peng Do-hwan raised his sword. The greatsword, longer than a standard sword, lunged forward, scraping against the rock wall.
“But I’ve bought enough time, right?”
“What does that…”
Seong Mu-yeon reached his hand toward the distant cliff.
At that moment, something long and silver soared into the sky with a dazzling radiance, landing precisely in Seong Mu-yeon’s grip as if being sucked in.
It was a sword.
Seong Mu-yeon quickly adjusted his grip and parried Peng Do-hwan’s greatsword, which had reached his nose.
Kwaang—!
Sparks flew as the blades clashed violently. The bright light clearly illuminated Seong Mu-yeon’s confident smile.
“Ugh…”
Unable to withstand the repulsive force, Peng Do-hwan was flung backward. After rolling on the ground several times, he barely avoided falling off the cliff by scraping the ground with his blade.
“Thanks!”
Seong Mu-yeon shouted. At the end of the trajectory from which the sword had flown was Il-gwang.
Regardless of others, Il-gwang had been watching Seong Mu-yeon from start to finish, and having spent a long time together, he quickly realized that Seong Mu-yeon needed a weapon.
The key was to stall for time so that Peng Yuan-jin wouldn’t notice while Il-gwang approached close enough to throw the sword.
Thankfully, Peng Yuan-jin had reacted more strongly to the provocation than expected. Thanks to that, he had bought time for Il-gwang to get closer.
After recovering his stance, Peng Do-hwan immediately lunged again. There was no reason in his expressionless face. However, a body trained for a lifetime boasted even higher efficiency in such a state. There was no hesitation or mercy in the sword.
He had to wake him up first.
Seong Mu-yeon lowered his stance and muttered softly.
“Young Master Peng, this will hurt a little.”