“Oh my!”
“The young lord of the Storm Shadow Eight Classes has defeated Lord Guyang!”
“To take down one of the lords of this place…”
“What is that sword technique?”
It was too embarrassing to hear those things from those around me. In the meantime, there were a lot of questionable things about this.
Wang Cho-il would likely ask me all sorts of questions like, ‘What happened’ or ‘Did you learn that from your father?’ and so forth.
He would inevitably ask me these questions since how I had fought just now was very different from my skills earlier in the day.
If my skills had exploded in growth so quickly, I would be considered no different from Guyang Gyeong, who had used something to do so. Fortunately, even Wang Cheo-il, an experienced swordsman, didn’t recognize the New Returning Dragon Sword of the South Heavenly Swordsman.
It was the same reaction from the other warriors. It must be because the skill I used was very different from the Xing Ming Sword technique.
-My former owner would have been really proud at the sight of his improved techniques.
‘The South Heavenly Swordsman?’
-My previous owner always respected one who put their heart into the sword, especially the Immortal Sword.
Indeed, the Immortal Sword was well known among those who used the sword.
He was the best swordsman who reigned as Murim’s historical number one with the use of a single sword.
Because of his teachings, I managed to defeat Guyang Gyeong, whose internal qi had exploded upwards.
-But that person, Guyang Gyeong… what even is he?
Short Sword clicked her tongue.
Guyang Gyeong’s condition seemed serious. It wasn’t due to the injury from my sword technique but rather due to his body’s runaway qi.
He also continued to drool in a daze as if his mind was no longer intact.
I wondered if he would be able to live in such a state.
-Using the pill, he was forcing his blood vessels to open and pump out more internal qi.
That seemed the most likely. However, being a warrior and a leader, he should have known about this.
Still, he made this choice which drove him into the corner.
-Can we find out who is behind this?
Well.
It would be possible if his condition improved, but that didn’t seem very hopeful.
In any case, Wang Cheo-il was trying to handle the situation.
“Aide, you will get help from the others and lead the troops to surround Guyang Gyeong’s tower.”
“I will do that, lord.”
“Hurry up.”
Wang Cheo-il said this.
In any case, since the head of the order had died, the tower was in a state of confusion where his people were unsure of what would happen.
For now, the answer was to assault the tower.
-Is this a good thing?
‘Huh?’
-You know. I was wondering. Since you are competing with Guyang San, isn’t this like taking down your opponent without dirtying your hands?
Ah…
That was what she meant.
Well, no one from that man’s family could move freely unless their relationship with what had happened became clear.
The same would apply to his son too.
As Short Sword said, it became like this on its own.
Although it was doubtful that Sima Chak would handle this with grace.
“Leader Kang, take your warriors and care for the physician.”
“I understand, lord.”
“You people will transfer Lord Guyang.”
“Yes!”
After all the orders were given out, Wang Cheo-il approached me and spoke bitterly.
“Such a pity that Lord Chun had to lose his life like this.”
He was truly feeling sorry about this. To that extent, the real Chun Mu-seong was unlucky until the end.
He then groaned and asked me.
“I should be heading to Lord Guyang’s tower right now. Would you come and help?”
I politely refused.
“I apologize. I don’t particularly desire to be there.”
Although I had just become my father’s successor of his Order here, getting too involved with the politics of this place wouldn’t be a good thing.
Besides, I had unintentionally reduced Guyang Gyeong to something like that.
I didn’t want to stoke up further resentment by running into his men for no reason. Of course, once they heard of what happened, most of his people would glare at me.
“But, Lord. My father, I don’t see him, is he still in the prison?”
“Yes, your father is driving out the poison to try to save Mu Ack.”
“Uh?”
What did he mean?
Maybe I needed to head down there myself.
‘Ah…’
Inside a dark golden place that was lit with torches.
Jin Song-baek was there, placing his hands on Mu Ack’s back while the latter was seated inside a bamboo bathtub.
Mu Ack’s appearance was now of a man with burn marks on his face.
When the human skin mask was removed, the rubber-like skin seemed to have burnt his face.
With that face and that intense frown, it looked like a bloody scene.
Jin Song-baek had visible mist rising from his body while the man in the bathtub was staining the water black.
-What is with the color of water? It is dirtier than drain water.
Perhaps the color of the water changed as the poison was pushed out of the body. If one touched it, they would also be poisoned.
-If they wanted to silence him, they should just kill him. Why do this?
Short Sword asked.
I looked at my father, Jin Song-baek, who had broken out in cold sweat while trying to help the man. If Mu Ack had been fine here instead of being poisoned, my father would likely already be dead.
‘… a distraction.’
Perhaps the poison was one that was difficult to push out of the body unless someone like father stepped in. It seemed that they had aimed to keep father here while killing off Chun Mu-seong.
No matter how strong that person with the silver string was, dealing with one of the Eight Great Warriors would have been too tough.
“Kuak!”
At that moment, a black lump of blood exited Mu Ack’s mouth. My father removed his hand from the man’s back at the same time.
“Phew.”
It seemed like he succeeded in driving out the poison. My father, who had released his hands, now caught his breath.
Tuh.
He lightly hit the bamboo tub with his palm and rippled the water.
It looked like something ordinary, but it was difficult for most people to drive poison out.
And this man was amazing.
Shh.
I took a small step, and my father suddenly turned his head to me.
“Wonhwi?”
His eyes looked so tired as he frowned. It seemed that he didn’t expect me.
“Father.”
Hearing my call, he stood up in confusion and approached me.
“What just happened?”
‘Ah!’
I couldn’t help but bite my tongue. My father must have noticed the growth that my body had gone through.
He wasn’t one of the Eight Great Warriors for nothing.
Looking at him, I felt so lacking at having been happy to have gotten close to the wall.
My father, Jin Song-baek, stared at me.
“You were enlightened?”
“That…”
I told him about the things that happened since I couldn’t lie to him anymore. Of course, I didn’t tell him about meeting the Immortal Sword. Still, I explained that I attained enlightenment after looking at the treasure that Chun Mu-seong showed me.
I would have needed to tell him a much longer story if I had included the missing bits.
And the book was also something that others wanted.
“Sword scars in a book can enlighten you…”
“It is truly shocking.”
“Perhaps it’s a treasure of the legendary Immortal Sword.”
“Immortal Sword?”
“If you could attain enlightenment through sword marks and slashes, then it would only be possible for him alone.”
This man was sharp.
I had tried to make it seem like a coincidence, but this was too much. Looking at this, it seemed like the Immortal Sword was quite respected.
“It would have been nice if father got a chance to see it.”
Hearing my words, he touched me on the shoulder and said.
“Seeing and not seeing it, what is the difference? Seeing you grow this fast is what makes me happy.”
Others would feel resentful at not being able to see the book, but not my father. Perhaps because he was my father, but I could see his confidence.
My father, happy for a moment, suddenly had a serious face.
“But from what you said, too many things happened.”
Mu Ack disguised himself as Chun Mu-seong, his teacher, and then an assassin aimed for Chun Mu-seong, and lastly, Guyang Gyeong also came.
Too many things had happened in one day. Now that things had gone this far, there was no certainty that the same thing won’t happen again.
Perhaps Wang Cheo-il also thought the same. I pointed to Mu Ack and asked.
“Did Lord Wang find out who was behind this?”
My father shook his head in response.
“No matter how much he was tortured or negotiated with, he wouldn’t easily speak. It’s only been half a day, so there’s no other way but to continue asking.”
This was a man known as one of the Five Evils.
He was certainly full of information. Of the three who could tell the truth, only two were alive now.
One was the dispirited Guyang Gyeong, who was suffering from the aftereffects of the drug.
Therefore, information could only be gained from Mu Ack. I stared at the man.
‘Hmm.’
-Why? Can you think of a good way?
‘I don’t know if it will work, but I could try.’
-What will you do?
I didn’t answer her question and asked father.
“Father.”
“Yes?”
“If you don’t mind, can I talk to him?”
“You?”
I didn’t tell him how, exactly, I was going to speak to him.
Perhaps that was why father didn’t ask any questions and just allowed it after some thinking.
The dark golden prison was now void of even a single light.
I could see Mu Ack’s eyes as I used my innate qi and opened my golden eye.
He was in a weak state due to his broken dantian.
When a dantian in good condition was broken, the qi within the body was lost. For a while, those who lost their dantian would have a body weaker than even people who didn’t practice martial arts.
Mu Ack was like that now.
I tried to wake him up by infusing qi within him.
“Huk!”
He jerked awake and jumped back.
Thuk.
But this was a prison, so he couldn’t escape. I looked into his eyes and used the Illusion Eye.
Snap.
I flicked my fingers while looking into his eyes.
Even with a destroyed dantian, people are sensitive to sound. He then suddenly fell down.
-What is this?
‘The third effect I made him see what he fears the most.’
-Uh? What if we did the wrong thing?
Then I would take another way.
Because he was of the Five Evils, acting under another’s orders was probably a hit to his pride.
There was no way he would willingly do it. Mu Ack then began to speak.
“N-No Name! Will you really kill me?”
‘No Name??’
Was the one behind him someone nameless?
Having no name could simply mean he was anonymous. Still, it seemed like an arrangement was made to keep his identity a secret. There wasn’t much time left.
What questions should I ask him to make him spit out information?
I was worried for a moment and then said,
“You seem to know that your life is nothing but a failure now. Do you remember what order I gave you?”
Hearing the question, the man let out a sigh.
“There were unseen variables.”
“Are you making excuses now?”
“Not an excuse. Without that one called Haun, I could have killed Jin Song-Baek as you wanted.”
‘Could he seriously do that?’
As expected, my memories before my regression were still happening.
He would have killed my father and changed how the Dual Martial Forces were run to become the leader of all of them.
At that time, he had succeeded, but not this time. However, I had already guessed part of this.
I needed more crucial information.
“Where would I use a failed bastard?”
I was trying to act to his expectations, but unexpected words instead spilled out of Mu Ack’s mouth.
“I cannot do anything about this. Please send me to Blood Sect. I will compensate for losing the Blood Demon Sword from the last time.”
‘What are you talking about?’
Losing the Blood Demon Sword?
Then, was the escort warrior who tried to kill Zhuge Won-myung, the first military head of the Murim Alliance, and stole the Blood Demon Sword also part of this?
After some thinking, the words ‘me too’ came from the man’s mouth.
Does this mean that they have spies in the Blood Sect too?
I was so confused. What should I do to make him say more?
I was worried and then said,
“I have given you two chances. Like you said, how will you make up for the Blood Demon Sword stolen from you?”
“No Name. Strictly speaking, the thing that happened with the Blood Demon Sword was an unseen thing because both heirs of the Blood Demon moved. He was the one who could make things happen with just one person moving. Since it turned out like this, how could it be my mistake?”
‘…!!’
I was shocked at his words.
-Wonhwi. Wasn’t it one of the Blood Leaders who encouraged Baek Ryeon-ha and Baek Hye-hyang to steal the sword? Is he one of their henchmen?
Right.
But the problem was.
Three people, Gu Jae-ryang, Su Rado, and Yu Baek, made this proposal.
They all said they would swear allegiance to the one who got the sword. When one considered a Blood Leader, then it had to be them.
We had to find out who it was. If not, the Blood Sect would fall into the same crisis as this place.
Thud! Thud!
He continued to hit his forehead on the ground.
“Please give me one chance!”
And I had a nice piece.
“… if I give you a chance, will you be able to work under the Blood Leader?”
I just needed to make him say who it was.
Just a small piece of information was enough. He then opened his mouth.
“Give me a chance…”
However, he stopped midway. I wondered why, but he then shouted in panic.
“Y-You! Who are you!”
Ah… damn it.
The hallucination broke down.
