Ch.189Chapter 189 – Facing the Worst Crisis of My Life

The Pa Sung-geum Family was the closest major family to the Hwangryong Fortress, so Pathos was scheduled to visit them first.

However, now, it wasn’t Pathos who visited the Pa Sung-geum Family, but rather the family’s military forces that had been escorting him, along with Baek Yu-wol.

“What do you mean, Lady Baek Yu-wol? Count Pathos Severio has gone missing!”

The head of the Pa Sung-geum Family, Geum Tae-yang, looked with an incredulous expression at the person who had just delivered the news of Pathos’s disappearance.

“I have no words, even if I had ten mouths.”

Baek Yu-wol wore a gloomy expression and kept bowing her head before the family head.

“Hmm… I don’t know how I’ll face the other family heads…”

Geum Tae-yang was utterly perplexed that Pathos had disappeared in his territory of all places.

He had received a report just yesterday that Pathos had entered the territory under the Pa Sung-geum Family’s control, yet in just one day, their precious guest had been kidnapped.

What’s more, even Baek Yu-wol, a fifteenth-rank master known for her formidable martial arts, had somehow fallen into a soundless sleep.

Baek Yu-wol and the Pa Sung-geum Family’s guards had rushed to the family head’s hall to seek help after realizing Pathos had vanished.

“So, do you know the identity of those who kidnapped the Count?”

“We should have properly investigated that, but it appears that masters far beyond the capabilities of ordinary warriors were involved. Without exceptional tracking skills, finding traces would be difficult.”

“Hmm…”

Geum Tae-yang realized from Baek Yu-wol’s answer that this matter would not be easily resolved.

If Baek Yu-wol, a fifteenth-rank master who could detect even the faintest traces of internal energy left by martial arts masters, said it was difficult to find traces…

“Should I seek help from the Elders…”

The Pa Sung-geum Family was not only a major family but also renowned for producing numerous martial arts masters.

Over the years, most of the masters they had produced had returned to nature’s embrace, but there were still several old masters who maintained their prime strength and skills while no longer interfering in worldly affairs.

In the Liu Empire’s families, including the Pa Sung-geum Family, such masters were called Elders.

Therefore, Geum Tae-yang was now contemplating whether to seek help from the hidden old masters of the Pa Sung-geum Family.

“F-Family Head! Someone from the Heavenly Demon Sect has arrived!”

“From the Heavenly Demon Sect?”

Just as he was considering whether to seek help from the family’s old masters, Geum Tae-yang’s face turned pale upon hearing that someone sent by the Heavenly Demon Sect had come to the family.

‘Could it be that the Heavenly Demon Sect kidnapped the Count?’

Geum Tae-yang thought that the Heavenly Demon Sect might have kidnapped Pathos.

After all, Pathos gets kidnapped, and suddenly the Heavenly Demon Sect pays a visit?

It seemed obvious that the Heavenly Demon Sect was behind the kidnapping.

“Hmm, have them come in for now. Let’s hear what they have to say.”

However, since there was nothing he could do about it right now, he allowed the person from the Heavenly Demon Sect to enter the family head’s hall.

Shortly after, a man dressed in the attire of the Heavenly Demon Sect stood before Geum Tae-yang and respectfully made a fist-palm salute.

“I have come to deliver a message from the Heavenly Demon, the master and sect leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect!”

“Welcome. I am Geum Tae-yang, head of the Pa Sung-geum Family. I’m pleased to meet the messenger of the Heavenly Demon.”

“The Sect Leader has a message for the head of the Pa Sung-geum Family! I shall now deliver it!”

The Heavenly Demon has something to say to him?

The moment he heard this, Geum Tae-yang thought, “So it’s finally come to this.”

After all, historically, there were only a handful of instances where the Heavenly Demon had sent someone to deliver a message to the head of a major family.

“Our sect is currently hosting the esteemed guest who was scheduled to visit your family!”

Geum Tae-yang squeezed his eyes shut.

As he suspected, the Heavenly Demon Sect was holding Pathos!

The Heavenly Demon Sect was certainly capable of kidnapping a single person with ease.

However, if Pathos was in the hands of the Heavenly Demon, the Pa Sung-geum Family wouldn’t dare to confront them.

No matter how strong the family’s old masters were, they would be nothing more than frightened puppies before the Heavenly Demon.

But the words that followed dissolved all of Geum Tae-yang’s worries.

“We wish to inform you that the Heavenly Demon Sect discovered the esteemed guest of the major families and the empire being kidnapped by malicious groups and rescued him!”

So, the Heavenly Demon Sect didn’t kidnap him but instead rescued him from being kidnapped?

“Currently, our sect is treating him as an honored guest and hosting him with the utmost respect! The Sect Leader has instructed that you promptly send escort forces to ensure that the esteemed guest’s schedule of visiting major families is not disrupted!”

They weren’t even trying to keep him for themselves but were saying that the esteemed guest needed to continue his tour of the major families, so they should quickly come with escort forces to take him away.

There had never been such an occurrence in the recorded history of the Liu Empire.

The Heavenly Demon Sect must surely be aware of his overwhelming abilities.

If that was the case, they should indeed covet him… so it was somewhat suspicious that they would simply hand him over.

But Geum Tae-yang, backed into a corner, didn’t have the luxury to even entertain such simple thoughts.

“I understand. I will immediately dispatch people to escort the guest. I am grateful for the Heavenly Demon’s boundless grace.”

“Additionally, the Sect Leader said, ‘Those who dare to touch the nation’s esteemed guest shall face the wrath of the Heavenly Demon!'”

Geum Tae-yang nearly fainted at these final words.

Could it be that the proud Sect Leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Heavenly Demon himself, held Pathos in such high regard?

Who was the Heavenly Demon?

The one who stands alone above heaven and earth, whose rebirth makes all demons submit!

If someone as prideful as him treated someone with such respect…

‘Indeed! Our decision not to hand him over to minor families was absolutely correct!’

The moment Geum Tae-yang heard the words of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s messenger, he raised his internal evaluation of Pathos to the highest level.

After all, he was someone even the prideful Heavenly Demon treated with such respect.

“That is all! I shall take my leave now!”

With those final words, the man from the Heavenly Demon Sect left the family head’s hall.

Geum Tae-yang let out a sigh of relief after he left.

It was truly fortunate that the Heavenly Demon Sect had him.

He had narrowly avoided being falsely accused of diverting Pathos and facing a united offensive from the other major families that could have led to his family’s downfall.

The family heads he knew would have done exactly that.

Even the previous heads of his own Pa Sung-geum Family had, on more than one occasion, fabricated false charges to bring down other families.

On the surface, they might appear cordial, but in reality, the heads of major families were always looking for opportunities to strike and strengthen their own power.

This wasn’t limited to the heads of major families; even minor families under the protection of major ones were the same.

They too would readily exploit the weaknesses of other major families if it meant strengthening their own.

Moreover, in this case, the responsibility clearly lay with the Pa Sung-geum Family, who had failed in their duty to protect.

Of course, Baek Yu-wol, who was directly responsible for his escort, could also be held accountable, so in reality, both the Pa Sung-geum Family and the Han Dong-baek Family would bear the responsibility for this incident.

But fortunately, since the Heavenly Demon Sect had delivered the news that they were holding him, Geum Tae-yang had narrowly escaped the pack of wolves that would have been after his life.

However, there was a truth he didn’t know…

In reality, it was the Heavenly Demon Sect that had kidnapped him.

Of course, to avoid leaving traces, the Heavenly Demon Sect had mobilized members of the Thousand Tiger Corps to kidnap him, selecting those skilled in stealth and ambush.

Additionally, they had used a scentless and tasteless sleeping incense, the formula for which was known only to the Heavenly Demon Sect, to put Pathos’s guards to sleep…

In essence, the Heavenly Demon Sect was the true mastermind behind this incident.

But fortunately for the Heavenly Demon Sect, there had been people who had attacked the sect, and thanks to their attack, they now had a legitimate excuse to present to other families.

And while there might be a slight difference in the sequence of events, the Heavenly Demon had essentially saved Pathos’s life, allowing them to demand compensation from the other major families.

Moreover, Pathos had actively cooperated with the Heavenly Demon Sect through Ma-noe’s sincere apology.

As a result, all issues were resolved in a way that was beneficial to both parties.

“I’m sorry! I’m truly sorry!”

“No, it’s… it’s not your fault, so let’s just move past it.”

There was only a minor issue where Baek Yu-wol kept expressing her apologies to Pathos, causing him a bit of embarrassment.