A Fateful Encounter - 2
Mookhyang turned around and started walking away. At that moment, the woman called Sister Su opened the bundle, revealing a pair of pretty earrings and a gold necklace with a small gem. She looked at it for a long time without saying anything, and then, as if something had just occurred to her, she suddenly shouted at Mookhyang, who was walking farther away.
"Mister!"
However, Mookhyang didn't turn back and continued to walk further away from them. Curious, Nan asked Mookhyang, "Who is she?"
"She's my adopted daughter. I took her in when I was in Luoyang... I never expected her to end up in the Cheonjimun Sect. I never wanted her to become a martial artist."
"Then wouldn't it be better to acknowledge her?"
"No, I belong to the unorthodox sects, and she's part of the orthodox sects. It's better for her future if that fact remains hidden. Besides, with me looking this young, do you think the other two would even suspect anything? They'd probably just think I harbored some ulterior motive toward the young woman. Contact Juk and have them secretly escort her to Cheonjimun without them knowing."
When Mookhyang returned home, Guk was anxiously waiting for him and spoke as soon as she saw him. "The sect leader is looking for you. He says you must come quickly."
"I understand."
When Mookhyang arrived at the place where the sect leader was waiting, the elders and Vice Leader Neungbigae were also seated. Mookhyang approached and greeted the sect leader, who spoke with a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Vice Leader Mookhyang, how do you explain what happened? Why did you let them go?"
"There were certain circumstances. Was there a confirmed decision on how to handle the matter?"
"It wasn't confirmed, but it wasn't something light enough for you to handle on your own either."
"I humbly ask for your consideration. How about returning the captives from Cheonjimun and secretly negotiating with them so that we can maintain a good relationship?"
"Why are you suddenly suggesting this? Cheonjimun may be a fairly large faction with around two thousand disciples, but it's not necessary for us to bow to them. It would be easy to send our elite warriors and wipe them out. Why waste time negotiating with them? Is there someone among those you released that you know?"
"Yes."
The sect leader stared at the letter on the table for a while before speaking to Mookhyang. "I didn't expect you to be so taken with a girl."
"She's my adopted daughter."
"No matter the case, it's been over ten years since you parted in Luoyang, and she's not even related by blood. Did you really need to take such a risk to let them go? If that was the case, you should've consulted with me beforehand."
"I apologize."
The sect leader set down the letter he had been holding and spoke.
"Sigh, I didn't realize you were such a sentimental person. You were with her for only about three years in Luoyang, and wasn't that girl the daughter of your servant? Her family wasn't well-off, and she wasn't even one of your disciples who inherited your martial arts... You invested a considerable fortune to set her up independently. I'd say you've fulfilled your duty."
"Still, she is my adopted daughter..."
"I just don't understand it. Since you caused this situation, you will have to take responsibility and resolve it. Elder Hyukmusang!"
"Yes."
"You will assist Mookhyang. And Mookhyang, as punishment for your actions, once this matter is resolved, I am ordering you to spend the next five years in self-reflection."
"Thank you for your grace, Sect Leader."
"That will be all. You may all leave... Tsk tsk, everyone may go."
The sect leader gestured to Vice Leader Neungbigae and said, "You stay. I have something to discuss with you..."
Aftermath - 1
As Mookhyang exited the Heavenly Demon Hall where the sect leader resided, Sagunja was waiting. Walking back home with them, Mookhyang asked about what had been on his mind.
"Has Juk left?"
Nan responded to his question.
"Yes, I relayed the message to protect them without being noticed."
"Mae, since you're from Biyoungdae, you must be skilled in gathering information. Take Nan and Guk with you and head to Luoyang immediately. Investigate how Soyeon came to join Cheonjimun. Also, find out how her mother is doing and any other relevant details."
"Understood."
"Thoroughly investigate the head of Cheonjimun as well. See if they're trustworthy or not. I'm giving you one month. Dig deep!"
"Understood!"
Mookhyang pulled out the command token signifying his position as vice leader and handed it to Mae.
"Try to find out as quickly as possible. Use whatever means necessary. I'll notify some contacts ahead of your arrival in Luoyang, and before you get there, people from the secret branch and the head of Cheonryeongwon, Bang Daein, will already have started investigating. Review their reports and extract the most accurate information. There might be rough data at Biyoungdae, but what I need is precise, unknown information. One month is short, but if you dig relentlessly, you'll uncover the truth. I'll be in Luoyang in a month. Give me the information then!"
"Understood."
"Also, contact Juk, who's headed to Luoyang, and tell him not to return to the sect after his mission but to join you all and assist with the task. Though Juk is the de facto leader, since this is an information-gathering mission, Mae will temporarily take command."
"Understood."
"Hurry and get going."
After sending off his subordinates, Mookhyang went to see Elder Hyuk Musang. Since the sect leader had given Mookhyang full authority, Hyuk Musang asked about his intentions.
"When should we send people for the negotiations?"
"There's no rush for negotiations. Do you know who the head of Cheonjimun is?"
"Yes."
He then instructed a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, who had been waiting nearby.
"Bring the documents on the head of Cheonjimun and all other related materials."
"Yes."
The scholar-like man soon returned with a bundle of documents. Hyuk Musang picked one from the pile and spread it out in front of Mookhyang.
"This man is Jin Yang, known as the Tyrant of the Great Strength Blade, and he is the head of Cheonjimun. He's a large man, standing 6 cheok and 1 chon tall, with a muscular build, and an exceptional martial artist. As far as we know, he is quite an upright and honorable person, someone we can trust. However, there's one problem—he doesn't particularly like our sect."
"Why doesn't he like our sect?"
"His father fought a master from our sect, suffered a critical injury, and after nearly five months of treatment, he eventually passed away. It's a common enough story. Early on, when we were establishing our influence in Luoyang, there were some minor conflicts with Cheonjimun, and because of that, Jin Yang harbors a strong dislike for us. In fact, I'd say it's closer to hatred."
"Hmm… So, in any case, he's a man of firm resolve."
"Yes, but hatred can sometimes cause one to lose reason, so we must be cautious."
"The sect leader mentioned that Cheonjimun has around 2,000 disciples. How many of them are truly skilled?"
"About 500 are fairly capable. However, due to the previous conflicts, you could say that a third of them are currently imprisoned in our sect's dungeons. If we pursue reconciliation, they will likely respond favorably. Jin Yang is no fool, and he understands that if he clashes with us once more, it could lead to the destruction of his sect."
"Is there a possibility they'll seek help from external forces?"
"According to recent information, Jin Yang has requested aid from the Murim Alliance, and 200 masters from the alliance are currently in Cheonjimun. However, we've also learned that they're causing minor conflicts with Cheonjimun's men due to their arrogance. The leader of the Murim Alliance's group is Yong Cheon Ik, and even Jin Yang himself seems to be displeased with their behavior."
"You're quite well-informed."
"Well, as I'm responsible for all intelligence within our sect, I only strive to do my duty."
"If even a single piece of your information turns out to be wrong?"
"You can take my head."
"Well…"
Mookhyang absentmindedly stroked the hilt of Mookhon. Elder Hyuk Musang's expression subtly shifted, and his energy wavered slightly. Sensing the elder's tension, Mookhyang felt satisfied. His last teacher, Yoo Baek, had once told him that it was sometimes necessary to instill fear in others, and Mookhyang was putting that lesson into practice.
Everyone in the higher ranks of the sect knew that Mookhyang was the strongest swordsman within the demonic sect. Since the day he killed the Thunder Sword Emperor, the leadership had recognized that Mookhyang had reached the state of Transcending Demons. They all knew, without saying it out loud, that if Mookhyang ever decided to strike, not even the sect leader could escape his blade. That was why the sect leader had intended to pass on his position to Mookhyang.
Within the demonic sect, it was strictly forbidden to approach the sect leader with a sword within two jang of his presence, a rule established to prevent assassination attempts. Mookhyang was the first exception to this rule. Regardless of distance or whether he had his sword, Mookhyang was the only person capable of ending the sect leader's life.
Feigning curiosity, Mookhyang asked Elder Hyuk Musang, who was nervously sweating.
"What's the matter?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing… just suddenly…"
Mookhyang pretended to glance down at his hand, playing innocent.
"Ah, stroking my sword is just an old habit... I apologize, it was unconscious... No need to be so tense. If I wanted to eliminate you, a sword wouldn't be necessary..."
Upon hearing those words, Hyuk Musang's face grew even paler. Mookhyang thought it was time to change the subject.
"I intend to form a non-aggression pact with Jinyang. What do you think?"
"That will be difficult for Cheonjimun to uphold. If the Martial Alliance collaborates to oppose our sect, they won't be able to remain neutral. Should that happen, they might be seen as an ally of the Demonic Sect, and if they are wrongly perceived as such, they could even be labeled as public enemies of the martial world, risking annihilation."
"What I'm asking is, isn't there a way to avoid that while maintaining peaceful relations under normal circumstances?"
"In that case, the pact should include a clause allowing them to join forces with orthodox sects if they attack us. There would have to be other exceptions as well, so a simple non-aggression agreement would be difficult, but a conditional one might be possible."
"I see."
"…"
"You should draft the initial proposal. Make sure it's crafted so that Cheonjimun can make it public to other sects. Otherwise, unnecessary suspicion will arise, and the Martial Alliance might start looking toward Luoyang. If that happens, all the work our sect has done so far could be exposed."
"I understand."
"When can you have the agreement ready?"
"It'll take about a week, as there are various discussions that need to happen. But, are you sure we should be handling this like this? Our sect has never before made a pact with orthodox sects."
"It's fine. As long as we can coexist comfortably, there's no need to heighten tensions unnecessarily. Once blood is spilled, it's best to root out the opposition so they can no longer rebel, but there's no need for pointless skirmishes from the start."
Ten days later, Mookhyang left the headquarters and headed for Luoyang. This time, there were quite a few people accompanying him, which he found rather unpleasant as he preferred traveling alone. However, since it was the sect leader's order, there was nothing he could do.
Traveling with Mookhyang were Hu Gyeak, the second elder known as the Serpent Blood Heavenly God, Ok Gwanpae, the external commander known as the Hunchback Blood Demon, Seol Yakbyeok, the external commander known as Yinxi, and Jo Jingeol, the left protector known as the Dark Blade Marauder, along with twenty martial experts from the Protectorate.
Mookhyang found Ok Gwanpae, the external commander, particularly unpleasant. He was a skinny, hunchbacked man with a grotesque appearance, matching his title of Hunchback Blood Demon. As if his repulsive appearance wasn't enough, he had mastered the Black Corpse Demon Claw to its extreme, resulting in glossy, dark blue hands that gave off an even more revolting aura.
The Black Corpse Demon Claw was one of the Demonic Sect's most infamous techniques. It was extremely rare for anyone to master it up to the tenth stage. Unlike other techniques in the Black Demon Arts series, it caused the hand to wither and take on a hook-like appearance, becoming thin and gaunt with a dark blue hue. Due to the ghastly appearance, women never practiced this technique, as other techniques like the Black Demon Arts of Shou allowed the hands to become pale and beautifully translucent instead.
The practice of the Black Corpse Demon Claw began by submerging the hands in an ox's brain. Once a practitioner reached the second stage, they would start absorbing corpse poison, which would be combined with their training. A mere scratch from their hardened, steel-like fingers would infect someone with corpse poison, inevitably leading to death. It was a dreadfully vicious technique.
A similar martial art from the orthodox sects was the Nine Yin White Bone Claw, which had a remarkably similar training method. This martial art was featured in the secret manual known as the Nine Yin True Scripture, a highly prized text of the orthodox sects. The similarities between the Black Corpse Demon Claw and the Nine Yin White Bone Claw sparked a long-standing debate. Both sides accused each other of plagiarism, but over time, the general consensus was that the Nine Yin White Bone Claw had been largely modeled after the Black Corpse Demon Claw. This shift in opinion stemmed from the fact that the Black Corpse Demon Claw had been passed down continuously within the Demonic Sect, whereas the Nine Yin True Scripture, despite being a highly regarded manual, had been lost over time.
Mookhyang traveled leisurely with his group, arriving in Luoyang after 20 days. He hadn't rushed, having informed Sagunja that he would arrive in a month. Additionally, he spent much time learning the art of the zither from Seol Yakbyeok, known as Eunhui. Eunhui originally gave herself the title "Eunhui" (meaning joy through sound), as she could kill people while making them feel pleasure using her sound techniques. However, due to her beautiful appearance and cruel nature, many who died from her sound techniques began calling her "Eunhui" (meaning delight in lust). Over time, this misnomer stuck despite her protests.
When Mookhyang arrived at the Luoyang branch, Sagunja presented his findings to Mookhyang but omitted details about Soyeon and her daughter. Handing over a thick stack of documents, Mae explained, "Daeryeokdope Jin Yang is an exceptional martial artist skilled in both internal and external techniques. He's never broken a promise and is known for helping locals during difficult times, earning their goodwill. He has one wife, two concubines, and a mistress. His mistress is a 32-year-old widow, renowned for her beauty. She lives with her mother-in-law and secretly meets Jin Yang. They plan to make their relationship official after her mother-in-law passes. Jin Yang also has four sons and two daughters. He deeply loves his children and is said to have a harmonious relationship with his wives. Our week-long surveillance revealed that, aside from one peculiar trait, the rumors about him are accurate. If you desire more specific details, we could kidnap some of his servants for interrogation, but we've awaited your arrival."
Mookhyang raised an eyebrow, "What's this peculiar trait?"
Mae's face flushed slightly. Members of the Demonic Sect often took extreme stances on matters of lust. Some indulged in numerous women due to the nature of their techniques, while others were too focused on their rigorous training and missions to pursue such interests. Mae fell into the latter category, being, rather unexpectedly, still a virgin.
"It's not particularly important… but Jin Yang has some… deviant tendencies. He often engages with two or three wives at once or ties them up during their sessions."
The men around them began snickering, causing Mae's face to redden further.
Mookhyang chuckled, "Well, I wouldn't say that makes him a bad man, right?"
Ho Gyeak, the Vice Elder, laughed in agreement, "Of course not! I've heard that no one's a saint in the bedroom, after all."
The rest of the men joined in with their own comments, except for Eunhui, who, despite her title, blushed and lowered her head. As the conversation began to verge into crude territory, Eunhui interrupted, asking Mookhyang a question to change the subject, "From what we've heard, Jin Yang seems to be quite a righteous man. What are your plans, Vice Leader? Will you proceed with the agreement as planned?"
Mookhyang lifted the stack of documents, "It'll take me some time to go through all of this, so let's plan to meet him in three days if there are no other issues. Until then, take it easy."
"Understood," they replied.
Once the others had left, still snickering about Jin Yang's bedroom habits, Mookhyang quietly called Mae over. "Did you find anything about Soyeon and her mother?"
"Yes, it's all in the documents."
"When on earth will I have time to read through all this? It's not some martial arts manual; it's a waste of time. So, where is Soyeon's mother living now? Is it still the same house as before?"
"No, she's now living in a small house near the Cheonji Sect. Apparently, Jin Yang encountered her daughter by chance in Luoyang while gathering talented individuals. He noticed she had considerable inner energy but had only learned basic self-defense techniques. He took her on as a disciple after testing her abilities. Even though she had studied martial arts from another sect, Jin Yang recognized that she had learned an orthodox mental cultivation technique, so he didn't teach her any new techniques but encouraged her to continue with what she knew. It's said she has feelings for his third disciple, Jang Jin, who's 14 years older than her, but he's in love with Jin Yang's second daughter, so a marriage seems unlikely."
"That's none of my concern. Where is Jang Jin now? Is he in the prison?"
"Yes, it seems he escaped but was recaptured and brought back to the prison after scattering in the chaos of our sect's pursuit."
"And Soyeon's mother? Is she in good health?"
"Yes, she's doing well. She's a dignified woman, speaks very little, and spends her time tending to a beautiful garden, which has left a favorable impression on those around her. Apparently, she's received a few marriage proposals but has declined them all."
"Foolish woman… marrying again would have been better for her. You may go now."
For the next two days, Mookhyang wandered around the area near the Cheonji Sect. He managed to see Soyeon's mother from a distance, tending to flowers similar to those he had planted when they lived together. Mookhyang watched her for a long time as she watered the garden before turning his attention to where Soyeon was.
The Cheonji Sect was quite large, making it difficult to see inside from outside the grounds. Mookhyang spent time sitting on a hill overlooking the sect, waiting. After about two hours, a young boy approached him. The boy seemed around twelve years old, mischievous in nature, with dirt-stained clothes and bits of grass stuck to him. Pointing a wooden sword at Mookhyang, the boy spoke playfully.
"Freeze. You must be a spy!"
Mookhyang smiled at the boy's behavior. "And if I'm not?"
The boy tilted his head in confusion. "Then why are you watching the Cheonji Sect?"
Trying to sound authoritative, the boy's speech contrasted with his appearance. Judging by his fine clothing, Mookhyang assumed his father must hold a high position in the sect. Suddenly, Mookhyang felt playful.
"I'm here to kidnap you, actually. And lucky for me, you came right to me."
As Mookhyang slowly drew his sword, the boy's face turned pale with fear.
"How… how dare you!"
"Dare or not…" Mookhyang trailed off, stepping toward the boy.
Mookhyang playfully thrust Mookhon toward the boy, who responded with surprising composure. The pace of Mookhyang's attack wasn't too fast, giving the boy time to react.
Looks like he's gotten cocky again, Mookhyang thought.
The boy executed a technique, deflecting Mookhyang's sword at an angle while swinging his wooden sword toward Mookhyang's waist. It was a well-executed move, showing decent form. The boy, clearly brimming with confidence as his wooden sword struck Mookhyang's waist, triumphantly shouted, "I've won!"
But Mookhyang wasn't fazed. He simply spun his sword back and brought it diagonally toward the boy's neck. The boy, who had assumed Mookhyang had conceded, was startled when he saw the sword coming for his neck.
"Hey! That's unfair! I hit you first!"
The boy's weapon was a mere wooden sword, barely strong enough to leave a mark on Mookhyang. But Mookhon was different— even a light strike could inflict a serious wound. Seeing the seriousness of the situation, the boy panicked and began performing sword techniques, trying to defend himself. Playing with the child turned out to be more entertaining than Mookhyang had expected.
It was clear the boy had been well-trained. His foundation in inner energy was solid, likely taught to him before he even reached the age of seven, Mookhyang speculated. The boy demonstrated twenty-four techniques before running out of moves. However, his adaptability was impressive, as he improvised different variations to both attack and defend against Mookhyang.
From these techniques alone, Mookhyang could estimate the power of Cheonji Sect's swordsmanship. The style was filled with variety and clever techniques aimed at exploiting the opponent's weaknesses. However, it felt somewhat unbalanced, too erratic in some ways. True swordsmanship should strike a balance— neither too light nor too heavy.
After playing with the boy for nearly half an hour, the boy began to tire, panting heavily and sweating profusely. In a quick move, Mookhyang sealed six of the boy's pressure points, slung him over his shoulder, and carried him to the nearest restaurant outside Cheonji Sect. After ordering food, he placed the boy on a chair and released all the pressure points except those in his legs.
"You've worked hard. Eat something. By now, you must've figured out my skill from the technique I used to block your pressure points. Even if a hundred kids like you came at me, none of you would stand a chance."
"I don't want to eat," the boy grumbled.
Mookhyang scowled deliberately, speaking in a threatening tone. "If you don't eat, I'll drag you out and force-feed you a pile of dung."
Sticking out his tongue, the boy mockingly sneered at Mookhyang. "You're a coward."
"Indeed, I am very much a coward."
"And you're cheap! Who bullies a child?"
"Quite cheap, yes… But if you're going to insult me, at least make it sound more dignified—call me dishonorable," Mookhyang said with a laugh.
The boy's expression twisted in frustration. Usually, people would get angry or embarrassed when insulted, but this man had a way of making things worse.
"Think I can't say it? You're dishonorable!"
"That's right, that's right! Now don't be shy—keep praising me!"
The boy fell silent, realizing that every insult was being taken as a compliment, making further protests futile. The food arrived, and it looked quite decent. Mookhyang, sipping his drink slowly, kept his eyes fixed on the boy. The child, clearly unwilling to make good on the ridiculous threat of eating dung, reluctantly began to eat the food in front of him. Watching the boy sit up straight, carefully chewing his food, Mookhyang could tell he had received a proper upbringing.
"Does it taste good?" Mookhyang asked.
The boy answered in a sulky tone, "No, it's awful."
Mookhyang grinned and, lowering his voice threateningly, whispered, "Then how about the dung?"
The boy froze for a moment, then forced a laugh. "Y-yes, actually, this is delicious. So good I might die eating it."
After the boy had eaten enough, Mookhyang released the pressure points in his legs. "I had a lot of fun today. Didn't you?"
As soon as his legs were free, the boy bolted a fair distance away and yelled back, "You scoundrel! Just wait—I'll get you back for this!"
Mookhyang laughed. "Sure, see you then."
The boy ran off toward Cheonji Sect, and Mookhyang, not foolish enough to stay and get into trouble with the sect, chuckled to himself and headed back to the branch.