Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 109: Only by Looking Up Can One See the Sky (3)

Moyong Woo’s gaze wavered.

“Remarkable indeed.”

The man before him stood over six feet tall, his slender frame belying the strength within. Clad in martial attire, he was draped in a white robe that softened his otherwise sharp demeanor.

Tall, yet neither bulky nor slight, his presence was like a bamboo—tall, straight, and mysteriously captivating.

“If not for the refined aura he exudes, one might mistake him for a handsome scholar,” Moyong Woo thought.

“Such vigorous Qi he possesses!”

The Qi felt almost mystical. Never before had Moyong Woo encountered someone with such an extraordinary presence.

And then there was the axe.

At a glance, it was a treasure worthy of the gods—a divine weapon. The blade, thick yet chilling, rippled with a formidable spirit.

A rare sight in the martial world, the slender youth wielding such a weapon appeared even more imposing.

In the current martial world, only one name came to mind when describing such an appearance.

And the young man introduced himself with confidence.

“Yeon Hojeong… of the Baeksan Yeon Clan?”

“Indeed.”

Moyong Woo rose from his seat, greeting him with a fist-and-palm salute.

“I am Moyong Woo, the Jangseong branch leader of the Moyong family. It’s an honor to meet the renowned master of Baeksan.”

It was a remarkable greeting.

Moyong Woo was older than Yeon Hojeong, not by a year or two, but by a decade.

Yet he greeted him with full formality, even at this suspiciously early hour.

Yeon Hojeong, setting down his axe, returned the greeting formally.

“I am Yeon Hojeong, the eldest son of the Baeksan Yeon Clan, pleased to meet the ‘Hidden Dragon’ of the Moyong family.”

Moyong Woo’s expression hardened.

The ‘Hidden Dragon’ of the Moyong family—a phrase laden with deep meaning.

As Moyong Woo was about to speak, Yeon Hojeong picked up his axe.

“May I trouble you for a cup of tea?”

It was an invitation to converse indoors.

Moyong Woo nodded.

“…Please, come in.”

With a swish, Yeon Hojeong entered through the window into the office.

Moyong Woo’s gaze wavered again.

“Such astonishing lightness of body!”

The movement defied common understanding—fluid yet filled with resolve.

Just one motion deepened Moyong Woo’s wariness towards Yeon Hojeong.

“I’m afraid the tea leaves are not of the finest quality. Please understand.”

“I’m not fussy about my tea. Don’t worry.”

“Understood.”

Yeon Hojeong, having set down his axe, sat and looked at Moyong Woo.

Moyong Woo, silent, busied himself with making tea.

One might wonder about the silence, perhaps even try to break it with small talk. But Moyong Woo focused solely on preparing the tea.

In truth, as he brewed the tea, his mind continuously probed Yeon Hojeong.

“Still the same.”

Cautious.

Despite the tension in the air, the inherent courtesy and righteousness he carried hadn’t changed since their last encounter.

In fact, it shone brighter than before. The Moyong Woo of old, worn by the world and the chaos of the Sa-eum Sect, now exuded a more humane aura.

Yet, he suppressed it thoroughly.

“My suspicions were correct.”

A hint of blue flickered in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes.

“There’s no one else but him. Only him.”

After a moment, Moyong Woo placed a cup of tea before Yeon Hojeong.

“I’m not sure how it will taste; it’s been a while since I’ve brewed tea.”

“The aroma is pleasant.”

Yeon Hojeong drank the tea without hesitation.

Moyong Woo’s gaze deepened.

“To drink without any suspicion…”

Was it bravery, or did he know Moyong Woo well? Moyong Woo had scant information about his guest.

“The rumors say he’s a hero of the world… but to come alone at this late hour…”

The saying goes, ‘The good do not come; those who come are not good.’

The martial world is perilous. To receive a visitor at this hour, one with whom he had no prior acquaintance, warranted caution.

Even if the Open Sect had facilitated this meeting.

“Congratulations.”

“For what?”

“You’ve succeeded in brewing a fine cup of tea.”

“Fortunate, indeed.”

The response was stiff, tinged with caution—a frank reaction.

Moyong Woo spoke again.

“The night has grown cool. Even a great master like yourself can’t escape the common cold.”

A roundabout way of asking why Yeon Hojeong had come in the chill of dawn.

Though indirect, the implication was clear: no place for frivolous talk.

Yeon Hojeong’s smile faded.

“Before we talk, let me say one thing.”

“I’m listening.”

“I don’t like to beat around the bush. Even if my words seem harsh, I hope you’ll understand.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“I know you’re going through a tough time.”

Skipping all formalities, he went straight to the point.

Perhaps that’s why Moyong Woo was momentarily taken aback, pondering the meaning of those words, causing a break in the conversation.

Seizing the offbeat moment, Yeon Hojeong began to take control of the conversation.

“I’ve heard about the turmoil among the Zhejiang merchants over trading rights.”

“!”

“And that you, as the branch leader, are overseeing the maritime trade rights in Zhejiang.”

Moyong Woo’s gaze deepened.

“How did you know?”

“I’ve been looking into matters concerning you for some time. Of course, I reviewed them before coming here.”

It was a disconcerting revelation.

Being watched without knowing it was not a pleasant feeling.

But Moyong Woo was more curious about Yeon Hojeong’s intentions than annoyed. Why was this young tiger, rumored to be a hot-blooded knight, keeping an eye on him?

“You’ve been investigating me?”

“Yes.”

Moyong Woo, watching Yeon Hojeong with clear eyes, shook his head.

“Abandon the thought of monopolizing the maritime trade rights of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It would be wise to relinquish such ambitions now.”

“I need not the branch leader’s power for such matters; surrendering is not an option I entertain.”

The words were a challenge to pride, yet Moyong Woo’s Qi remained undisturbed.

His Qi was like a serene lake, so heavy that not even ripples dared disturb its surface.

“Then my curiosity deepens. Not only have you investigated me, but you’ve also sought me out without cause.”

“I shall offer my assistance.”

“Assistance? What do you mean?”

Yeon Hojeong pondered before speaking.

“Are you not the one who descended from the Moyong family head’s ruthless path?”

“…!!”

“It seems to me, both in the past and now, you’re under pressure from the main house.”

Moyong Woo’s expression shifted dramatically.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“It appears my conjecture is correct.”

“How could you know…?”

“I am somewhat acquainted with the man known as Moyong Jun.”

At the mention of Moyong Jun, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sharpened, and Moyong Woo felt a chill in his heart.

“Moyong Jun is a man of ambition, insatiable in his greed. While it’s not wrong to harbor desires, his have led to the death of innocents, and that is problematic.”

“…!”

“Moreover, his ambition is purely selfish. Were it for a greater cause, perhaps it could be excused, but Moyong Jun lives each day with a venomous ambition, devoid of any noble intent.”

Even as he spoke, Yeon Hojeong felt a bitter taste. He was no paragon of virtue or heroism himself.

A genuine surprise painted Moyong Woo’s face.

And with it, a deeper suspicion took root. The man before him knew not only about himself but also about his brother, the head of the Six Great Clans.

Whatever his intentions, it was clear that Yeon Hojeong warranted extreme caution.

“But you are different. You do not seek greatness. You simply wish for those within your care to live well.”

“…”

“Whether you know it or not, I shall inform you. Justice and righteousness stem from there. Understanding the arduous task of protecting one’s domain is the foundation from which one can champion justice.”

“Justice, righteousness…”

“I cherish my own, yet I am far from righteous. Closer to a villain, perhaps.”

“…”

“The path of righteousness is not for everyone to tread.”

Yeon Hojeong moistened his throat with a sip of tea.

“Therefore, I will assist you. If the Moyong family pressures you over the Zhejiang trade alliance, I will ensure a resolution.”

Moyong Woo’s gaze wavered.

“Assistance… may I inquire as to why?”

“Why…”

“Yes, the reason.”

Moyong Woo took a deep breath.

“I confess, I am greatly perplexed. I received a letter from the Hangzhou branch leader of the Open Sect, but now a young master I’ve never met offers his help unbidden.”

“That is so.”

“If that were all, perhaps I could be ignorant, but you claim to have investigated me for a long time. You even seem to know a great deal about my brother, the family head.”

“I am well-informed indeed. In some ways, I might know the Moyong family head better than you do.”

“Better than I… Very well, let’s assume that.”

Moyong Woo’s eyes sharpened.

“Do you believe I would readily accept your help?”

“It seems unlikely.”

He expected a rebuttal, yet Yeon Hojeong readily agreed. Moyong Woo’s smile was tinged with bitterness.

“Indeed. Moreover, you are the eldest son of the Baeksan Yeon Clan. If word spreads that I accepted your help, there would be an uproar in the main house.”

“Are you afraid?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you afraid of Moyong Jun?”

The question was provocative.

Moyong Woo replied with a stern face.

“I do not grasp your meaning. And another thing, you speak too casually of the family head.”

“To me, he is always a potential adversary.”

“…?!”

An adversary? What did this sudden declaration mean?

“He conspired with the Ming family to annihilate our house. Moyong Jun even infiltrated spies.”

“What did you say?!”

“Had I not caught the spies with my own hands and shattered the Ming family, our house might now be beyond redemption.”

Moyong Woo looked at Yeon Hojeong with trembling eyes.

Yeon Hojeong’s expression was candid, not that of a liar.

‘Brother…!’

What was more terrifying was that the Moyong Jun he knew could indeed be capable of such acts.

Moyong Woo sighed involuntarily.

“How could this be? How could he repeatedly commit such ruthless acts…”

As his sighs compounded, Moyong Woo rose and suddenly bowed deeply.

“I apologize on behalf of my brother. I cannot face you, but I ask for forgiveness as his kin.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes deepened.

Moyong Woo remained prostrate, offering a sincere apology for a crime he did not commit.

Could the other party be lying?

Moyong Woo’s discernment was real. He had an extraordinary talent for distinguishing truth from falsehood—one of his many virtues.

Yeon Hojeong spoke.

“If he renounces his wicked ambitions and steps down, our house could forgive him.”

Moyong Woo straightened up.

He bit his lip.

“For now… I shall speak to my brother about this matter…”

“But Moyong Jun will never give up.”

“…”

“You said you were apologizing on behalf of your brother?”

“…?”

“If you are sincere, why not make a proper apology instead of resorting to petty methods?”

“What should I do?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“Ascend to the pinnacle of the martial world.”

“What did you say?!”

“Become the giant who commands the martial world. On the day you dominate the righteous martial factions, I will forgive you.”