The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life

Chapter 110: It’s an Attack

Byeok Taesan returned to the Black Iron Workshop in high spirits.

The sun had not been overhead for long, marking only a short passage of time.

Even though it was just a brief stroll, the results he achieved were significant.

There were six locations in the slums where the half-Jiangshi had been gathered.

The smallest group numbered twenty, while the largest reached sixty.

Since the numbers were smaller in some places, the amount of spiritual energy that suited Byeok Taesan was also less in those locations.

Still, having dealt with nearly two hundred half-Jiangshi in total, the gain was considerable.

Now, he needed to return to the Black Iron Workshop to process the spiritual energy he had absorbed today.

In truth, processing the energy wasn’t strictly necessary. It could simply be dispersed throughout his body as it was absorbed.

However, dedicating time to organizing it improved the quality of the energy, integrating it seamlessly into his body to the point where it felt like a perfect extension of himself.

Naturally, spiritual energy processed in this way was far superior to unrefined energy.

Byeok Taesan was in no rush to accumulate energy with the new Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.

He intended to proceed cautiously, taking one step at a time and double-checking every detail to ensure his foundation was solid.

Though it might feel frustrating in the short term, he knew the long-term results would be immense.

By the time he reached the Black Iron Workshop, the casual stroll had brought him back without him even realizing it.

At the workshop’s main gate stood unfamiliar martial artists, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings like vigilant gatekeepers.

Before Byeok Taesan could step forward, Hwaryeong quickly approached them.

Judging by their attire, it was clear they were warriors from the Hubei Martial Alliance.

“What are you doing here?” Hwaryeong asked.

One of the warriors replied politely, “We are on guard duty. Ah, please don’t misunderstand. We are merely here accompanying someone.”

“And who might that be?”

“The Corps Leader.”

Hwaryeong nodded and turned to look at Byeok Taesan.

“It seems we have a visitor,” she said.

In truth, she had been asked earlier today—around noon—to visit the Hubei Martial Alliance. However, during Byeok Taesan’s absence on his stroll, the Corps Leader had come to them instead.

“Did they already deliver my message?” Byeok Taesan asked.

Hwaryeong gave a wry smile and shook her head. “Not yet.”

She hadn’t had the chance. Right after mentioning it to Byeok Taesan, they headed to the slums, leaving no time for her to deliver the message.

Of course, she could have handled it on the way, but Hwaryeong chose not to.

Now, she felt it was the right decision. At least there wouldn’t be any unnecessary conflict.

Byeok Taesan passed through the warriors who stepped aside for him and entered the Black Iron Workshop.

“They brought quite a crowd. Cowards,” he muttered, smirking.

The restrained aura of numerous warriors spread throughout the workshop.

With a faint smile, Byeok Taesan made his way toward the inner hall, where the Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance awaited.

••||

Go Jun-kwang frowned as he watched one of his subordinates sprinting toward him.

He despised such displays of urgency, and his subordinates knew this, making every effort to remain composed.

If someone was running like this, it meant the situation was truly dire—and such situations usually ruined his mood.

“Report calmly,” he ordered.

“Byeok Taesan is in Yichang!” the subordinate blurted.

Go Jun-kwang stared at him in disbelief. “Byeok Taesan? When did he arrive?”

“He arrived last night.”

“Last night? As of yesterday morning, he was still in Wuhan, wasn’t he?”

Go Jun-kwang had left a watch on Wuhan and received regular updates from there.

As of yesterday morning, Byeok Taesan had definitely been in Wuhan.

He had expected Taesan to show up eventually, but not so soon.

“Ha… This is troublesome. We need to get rid of all the half-Jiangshi.”

“They’ve already been dealt with,” the subordinate replied.

“What? Where?”

“The Black Iron Workshop was wiped out.”

Go Jun-kwang massaged his temples and closed his eyes tightly.

“Of all places!”

The Black Iron Workshop had been the hidden storage site for those who secretly consumed Blood Pills and for the half-Jiangshi, after the Hubei Martial Alliance had abandoned it.

Now that it had been raided, the loss was devastating.

“Apparently, Byeok Taesan has chosen the Black Iron Workshop as his base.”

“Of all the rotten luck…”

If not for that, they wouldn’t have lost the half-Jiangshi so easily.

Unbeknownst to them, Byeok Taesan had deliberately cleared out the half-Jiangshi from the Black Iron Workshop before deciding to make it his base.

“Ugh… There’s no helping it now. What’s done is done. Focus on salvaging the rest. Get the remaining half-Jiangshi out of Yichang immediately.”

The subordinate hesitated, glancing nervously at Go Jun-kwang before continuing his report.

“Th-There is another place that has been attacked besides the Black Iron Workshop.”

“What? Already?”

“Around noon today, Byeok Taesan raided the slums.”

Go Jun-kwang was dumbfounded.

The slums were a complex area, an ideal place to hide half-Jiangshi. A considerable number of half-Jiangshi had been stored there.

And yet, that place had been ransacked.

“How many were lost? Don’t tell me all six locations were hit?”

“Yes. All of them.”

Go Jun-kwang ground his teeth in frustration.

“We can’t leave this bastard, Byeok Taesan, alone. How do we kill him?”

Though he voiced his anger, Go Jun-kwang was already contemplating his next move.

Should he directly confront Byeok Taesan and kill him, or should he cut ties with the Hao Clan and retreat for now?

First, the remaining half-Jiangshi needed to be retrieved. Whatever he decided, that was the priority.

“Withdraw the remaining half-Jiangshi. After that, we’ll take some time to think. Don’t act rashly. Keep a close eye on Byeok Taesan’s movements.”

“Understood. I will confirm everything thoroughly.”

Once his subordinate left, Go Jun-kwang tapped the table with his fingers, his expression darkening.

The plan had been severely disrupted.

From the outset, he had considered the possibility that Byeok Taesan might target his operations in the Hao Clan’s territory.

That was why he had been keeping a close watch on Wuhan.

The idea had been to wrap up the Hao Clan’s affairs quickly before Byeok Taesan could make his move and then disappear without a trace.

Crippling the Hubei Martial Alliance in the process would have been ideal, but he had deemed it unlikely. At best, he aimed to leave them in a state of chaos, unable to focus elsewhere for a while.

But now, right before a critical operation, a significant portion of his main force had vanished like melting snow.

The half-Jiangshi stored at the Black Iron Workshop had been specifically prepared to directly assault the Hubei Martial Alliance.

“I should have better assessed the extent of Byeok Taesan’s capabilities…”

One thing was certain: Byeok Taesan had dealt with Geok Yangdu.

Whether he acted alone or had assistance was unclear.

Efforts to investigate this matter in detail had yielded no definitive answers.

“If I assume he handled Geok Yangdu alone…”

The four specialists he recently brought in would need to be deployed simultaneously.

And even that might not suffice. From what Go Jun-kwang knew, Geok Yangdu was a true master.

“Where can I find another expert to add to the mix?”

Go Jun-kwang pondered. If success wasn’t guaranteed, it would be better not to act at all.

Still, he was determined to eliminate Byeok Taesan if possible.

This was a rare opportunity.

Right now, Byeok Taesan was at the Black Iron Workshop.

Go Jun-kwang’s contemplation deepened.

His eyes gleamed with a dark glint.

••••

The leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance was waiting for Byeok Taesan in a reception room.

Calling it a reception room was generous—it was merely one of the chambers within the inner hall, repurposed for the occasion.

Of course, the room had been cleaned and arranged by Byeok Taesan’s attendants to make it look presentable.

The leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance was somewhat impressed.

Though he hadn’t visited the Black Iron Workshop often, he was well aware of its state through reports.

It had been neglected for a long time, with no repairs or maintenance, leaving the estate in poor condition.

Yet now, it looked quite decent.

It was astonishing that this transformation had been achieved by merely a few dozen people in just half a day.

If he was impressed by the state of the building, he was utterly shocked by Byeok Taesan’s companions.

Especially Cheon Kyungwan, Yoo Seoyeon, and the Needle Master. Their strength was beyond belief.

How had they grown so powerful in such a short time?

Unable to contain his curiosity, he had discreetly asked Yoo Seoyeon about it.

Her answer was nonchalant.

“Train to the brink of death,” she said. “And it’s all thanks to Byeok Taesan.”

The leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance tilted his head in confusion at her response.

“Who doesn’t train like their life depends on it? Even my people train to the point of death.”

The conclusion was clear: Byeok Taesan had done something extraordinary.

He felt it was justified to think so.

“What a remarkable individual.”

It was because Byeok Taesan was so extraordinary that the leader had come in person. If it had been anyone else, he would have simply waited for them to come or ignored them altogether.

But not with Byeok Taesan.

To the leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance, Byeok Taesan was someone he had to meet.

As he waited, anticipating the meeting, the commotion outside suddenly intensified.

He heard rapid footsteps approaching. The aura was familiar—it was one of his escort guards.

“Leader!”

Without waiting for permission, the door was flung open, and the guard, pale as a sheet, entered.

The leader felt his heart sink.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s an attack!”

“What?”

The Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance jumped to his feet.

“Several hundred men have breached the walls of the Hubei Martial Alliance! The situation is dire!”

“These lunatics!”

The Leader stormed out, his face twisted in anger.

The Hubei Martial Alliance was practically defenseless at the moment. There were many people, but few martial artists.

If things continued as they were, a massacre might occur.

The Leader sprinted urgently toward the Black Iron Workshop, intending to head out immediately.

He happened to run into Byeok Taesan just as he arrived.

A trace of regret flickered across the Leader’s face.

“Let’s catch up later! I’m busy right now, but I’ll deal with this and come back soon!”

His voice grew fainter as he spoke, fading as he dashed off at full speed.

Byeok Taesan stopped walking and turned to watch the retreating figure of the Corps Leader.

Soon after, the escorting martial artists who had followed the Leader rushed past as well.

Although they were fast, they couldn’t compare to the Leader’s speed.

“What’s this all about?”

“I’ll find out immediately,” Hwaryeong said, her expression serious as she moved swiftly.

Since Byeok Taesan had begun staying at the Black Iron Workshop, scouts from the Hao Clan had been stationed there, ready to provide information at any moment.

Hwaryeong quickly gathered the details, organized them, and reported back.

“The Hubei Martial Alliance was attacked. There were many who consumed Blood Pills and around thirty high-level martial artists. They launched a sudden strike, swiftly targeting the martial artists, then proceeded to destroy buildings, set fires, and escape.”

Hwaryeong finished her report and looked at Byeok Taesan, awaiting his instructions.

“So, the fight’s over now?”

“Yes. But the Hubei Martial Alliance remains tense, uncertain when another ambush might occur.”

“They must have recalled their martial artists too.”

“Not all of them—only a portion. They can’t afford to abandon their search efforts entirely.”

Hwaryeong hesitantly asked, “Are you planning to go to the Hubei Martial Alliance?”

Byeok Taesan turned the question back on her. “What do you think?”

“Do as you wish, Young Master. But if you do go to the Hubei Martial Alliance, you should bring everyone here with you.”

Byeok Taesan grinned.

“Their actions are too blatant, don’t you think?”

“Yes.”

The movements of the Nameless Sect were clearly designed to tie up the Hubei Martial Alliance’s forces and focus their attention on themselves.

That meant they were likely planning something elsewhere.

Hwaryeong and Byeok Taesan both concluded that their ultimate target was the Black Iron Workshop.

“When do you think they’ll come?”

“Not long. They can only distract attention for so long.”

Byeok Taesan nodded, acknowledging the point.

“What will you do?”

At Hwaryeong’s question, Byeok Taesan grinned even wider.

“What do you mean, what will I do? If they’re coming to get beaten, we’ll wait and welcome them.”

Hwaryeong felt her heart pound as she looked into Byeok Taesan’s eyes, gleaming with anticipation for the upcoming battle.

“Now, let’s go eat. You need a full stomach to fight properly.”

With a bright expression, Byeok Taesan walked inside, and Hwaryeong followed with a gentle smile.

“For some reason… Today feels like a quiet day. I guess I’ll need to help with training. If anyone gets caught up and dies, it’ll just make me angry,”

Hwaryeong flinched, chills suddenly running down her spine.

At the same time, others in the inner hall seemed to sense something as well, shivering just like Hwaryeong.