Sshhk.
I opened my eyes.
Light flooded in suddenly, blinding me.
Perhaps because I had been in nothing but dark spaces, the sensation hit me all at once.
“Young Master Gu...!”
A voice rang out.
Immediately, my body recognized the situation.
I was gripping the wrist of that punk Yeongpung right before my eyes.
Yeongpung was looking at me with trembling eyes.
“...”
What had the situation been just now?
I thought for a moment and recalled it without delay. Looking at my other hand, I saw the Sacred Spear.
That’s right.
With this, I was threatening Yeongpung… no, the old man inside Yeongpung.
My head was spinning.
It was good that my mind had returned to the real world, but perhaps due to the backlash, my body felt somewhat stiffened.
Hwareuk—!
I retrieved the Sacred Spear and quickly circulated my qi throughout my body.
It was to assess my condition.
‘Hm.’
The qi that had spun around a couple of times in a short moment gathered at my heart. Immediately, my physical condition was confirmed.
‘…As expected.’
Exactly as predicted.
My physical body was exactly the same as before entering the mental space.
The damage taken there couldn’t follow me here.
It was a relief if one could call it a relief, and natural if one called it natural.
“Hu.”
I let out an even sigh.
I didn’t have the strength to examine my surroundings any further. My complicated mind was simply heavy.
“…What.”
When I suddenly retrieved the Sacred Spear, Yeongpung showed a bewildered reaction, but.
Sshk—! Tak—!
“Kkeok…?”
Before he could continue his reaction, I swung my hand and struck Yeongpung’s jaw.
Yeongpung’s jaw twisted slightly, and he slumped down with a thud.
Hwak—!!
The plum blossom petals scattered in the air instantly burst away.
Likely because the caster had lost consciousness.
Saaaaaahhhh——.
The energy slowly subsided.
I roughly supported the slumped Yeongpung.
‘…I feel a bit bad about this.’
Seeing Yeongpung collapsed limply, I smiled bitterly.
I had originally planned to humor him a bit longer.
I could have ended it in one blow. But this was also a gesture for the changed Yeongpung.
Because I knew his goal was me, it wasn’t pity one would feel for a genius, but I felt a sense of responsibility for his actions.
Thus, I would let him gain a little from this.
I had certainly held that intention, but.
‘The situation has grown troublesome.’
It was no longer a situation worth dragging out.
In the moment I was watching the fallen Yeongpung.
“Th-the winner is Guyangcheon of Sanseo Guga!”
The referee soon announced that the duel had ended.
Waaaaahhhh——!!
Cheers burst forth immediately.
The continuous sound of shouting.
Yet even as I listened to it, my expression was far from good.
It was the cheer I had vaguely wished for, yet my situation never allowed me to fully enjoy it.
This time was no different.
******************
Right after the short yet long conversation with the old man.
Looking at him, there was a choice I could make.
That was to absorb him.
Though he was a soul, the old man was part of the dogi Yeongpung possessed, and I expected it would be possible to absorb him with the Demonic Heavenly Absorption Technique.
It probably wouldn’t be different from when I had absorbed the Divine Sword.
If so, my dogi would increase further, which would be a benefit to me.
Furthermore, since he was a figure with a strong presence, if he remained as a soul, he might be as helpful as the Shin Noya I had known, but….
I didn’t go out of my way to do so.
It wasn’t that I necessarily needed more dogi.
It was also partly because I felt sorry toward Shin Noya, who had been with me from the beginning.
But the most fundamental reason was because I had grown suspicious.
‘If the old man truly existed before Yeonilcheon’s regression.’
The very fact that he had come to this world I was in now was an illogical situation.
This was clearly someone’s intention and necessity.
Only then could it be explained why there are two Gwigjeongs, and why there are two Shin Noyas.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The number of times I tapped my knee with my finger increased.
‘Who could it be?’
Who in the world created this situation?
An existence capable of intervening in a world that may have vanished long ago to create this phenomenon.
At least, it didn’t seem to be human….
I racked my brains over all sorts of people, but no one came to mind.
Then, putting aside who it is, what is the intention?
‘It’s too much to dismiss as mere coincidence.’
It would have been comforting if it were simply a miracle or coincidence, but I had to calculate assuming it was not.
Kkuuk.
I stopped my tapping finger and examined my left arm.
It was the arm where the Gwigjeong was bound.
Then what happens to this Gwigjeong?
That problem suddenly occurred to me as well.
Setting aside the fact that there are two Gwigjeongs.
‘…Is this one really Noya’s Gwigjeong?’
If the Gwigjeong is an item that crossed over from another world… then this one is real, and that one is….
“Ah, fuck….”
I ended up cursing after thinking about it.
Because it was something that would repeat endlessly.
Anyway.
These were the reasons I didn’t absorb the old man.
Uncertain causes and reasons.
Since the Blood Demon might possibly be involved, bringing the old man along would cause too many problems.
Furthermore.
‘…I’ll need to discuss this with Noya.’
I thought this was something I needed to ask Shin Noya.
Normally, I would have ignored that old man’s opinion and just done it first, but….
I had a feeling I couldn’t do that this time.
‘The problem is, how do I go see that old man….’
My head throbbed.
It had been one or two years since Shin Noya disappeared with Kkeureungi. I had said I would go soon, but I still hadn’t.
Damn it. If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have sent him away.
“Huu….”
A sigh escaped me.
Was it really right to send him away just like that?
No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem so.
“…What’s the point of thinking it wasn’t right now?”
It was a useless regret.
Spilled water. Since the situation had become this tangled, I had to think of how to untangle it first.
To do that.
‘First, finish what’s in front of me.’
Another world, Noya, the Blood Demon.
To deal with those, I needed to finish what was in front of me first.
The moment I finished that judgment.
“…Are you done thinking?”
A tired voice came from ahead.
I looked up to see Cheoljiseon looking at me with furrowed eyes.
“What’s with the eyes? Our Jiseon is looking quite fierce, huh?”
“You’re not one to talk.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
When I quietly clenched my fist, Cheoljiseon pretended not to see and took a sip from his cup.
Cheoljiseon has grown a lot.
Now he’s even talking back?
I considered smacking him, but held back since it would be troublesome if I accidentally beat him to death.
When I showed restraint, Cheoljiseon finally spoke up again.
“…What happened to make you look like that since earlier?”
“There is. A contemplation on parallel worlds and my fucked-up life.”
“…I don’t understand a word of that.”
“Then you should have studied more.”
“What does this have to do with studying…? And I did study.”
I smirked at Cheoljiseon’s outburst.
Right. Even at Sinnyonggwan, Cheoljiseon’s grades had been quite good.
It’s just.
“I was top of the class. You weren’t.”
I just did better.
Bringing up past achievements made Cheoljiseon’s mouth clamp shut.
He seemed to have nothing to say, either.
And since his expression was changing into quite a sight, I waved my hand slightly.
“Don’t worry about it. Something just came up that bothers me.”
“…If you say something bothers you, Yangcheon, it’s usually a big deal, so I get it.”
“…What did I do and when did I….”
I stopped mid-sentence.
I definitely seemed to have done so.
When I touched the Sacheon branch, I had said the branch leader felt off somehow.
In reality, he had been making backdoor deals with the Demonic Faction, so I had to kill all those crazy bastards from the Mukryong Sect and erase the rumors.
When I said things in the Gwangju area felt off, there were guys mass-producing Thunderbolt Bombs and carrying out massacres.
As if proving my terrible luck, there had been major incidents over the years.
“…Ahem.”
I smiled awkwardly and clinked cups.
There was nothing to gain from continuing.
Slurp.
I gulped down a mouthful of tea to wet my throat.
I had barley tea, while Cheoljiseon poured and drank alcohol.
I learned some time ago that Cheoljiseon was more of a drinker than I thought.
“So.”
After sharing a few more drinks.
Cheoljiseon spoke with a slightly flushed face, as if intoxicated.
“What do you plan to do now?”
“Hmm….”
This was also the reason I was meeting with Cheoljiseon separately today.
A room in a quiet inn.
The surroundings that should have been noisy were quiet.
It couldn’t be helped.
I had rented out this entire room through Moyong Huia, and had separately erected a qi barrier.
Since I had been attracting a lot of attention these past few days, I had to prepare even for this.
“Lord Dangdeok’s part is over… He should be undergoing torture about now. You heard the report, right?”
“I know. Nahi already told me everything and left.”
“What in the world are you thinking?”
Cheoljiseon, intoxicated.
Perhaps the reason he went out of his way to drink was to speak more smoothly in front of me.
“Yangcheon. Why are you going this far?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking why you knowingly let him be captured and tortured.”
Dangdeok was currently captured in the Martial Alliance’s underground, being tortured.
Was that such a disagreeable thing for Cheoljiseon? Seeing his reaction, I suddenly burst into laughter.
“You’re really angry. Our Cheoljiseon.”
“Now’s not the time for that…?”
“No, then should you get angry instead of laughing?”
Did he sense that I was subtly uncomfortable?
Cheoljiseon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“I explained before that this was all part of the plan.”
“That’s because I don’t understand that plan. Why you have to go this far…”
“You already know everything.”
“…”
Mentioning it so bluntly made Cheoljiseon’s expression crumple.
This wasn’t a reaction shown just because I had cut him off.
He knows. That’s what bothers him.
“If you know everything, why do you keep asking?”
“You….”
“Then you tell me. Is there a better situation than this?”
Ssrrk.
I poured tea into the empty teacup once more.
And continued speaking.
“The Hwangbo family head will move soon.”
When I heard that Dangdeok had arrived.
“And he will go to the Alliance Leader and tell him.”
This was something I had told Nahi.
— I heard something from the Information Network.
— They say the Demonic Cult will raid the Alliance to rescue a captured criminal.
As early as now.
At the latest, tomorrow.
That news would enter the Martial Alliance.
“Was that the Hwangbo family head’s purpose?”
Cheoljiseon asked with widened eyes.
I shook my head at that.
“Of course not. Would I use such a precious card for something like that? I’m just using it since I have it.”
Words treating a person like an object.
Perhaps because of that tone, Cheoljiseon’s face darkened a bit more.
I didn’t care.
Because it was a tone I used intentionally.
“My prediction is enough with this, but you never know. The Hwangbo family head’s words might only raise wariness.”
Are they crazy enough to actually raid us?
This isn’t just anywhere; it’s Hanam.
A place where the entire might of the Orthodox Faction is gathered.
Even more so, all the renowned experts were here because of the Martial Arts Tournament.
Would the Demonic Cult raid knowing that?
It could be dismissed as absurd.
Of course, honestly, the odds of that happening are low.
No matter what, it’s something the Hwangbo family head is mentioning.
There is weight in that name, so the Alliance will move as I predicted, but.
You never know.
So I will use one more method.
“After the Hwangbo family head delivers the news, with a time gap. One more person will go.”
The head disciple of the Emei Sect will move.
It wasn’t in the original plan, but since it came into my hand as a card, I intend to use it as well.
“Then how will the Alliance Leader move?”
Words mentioned simultaneously by the Hwangbo family head and the Emei Sect head disciple.
Even if they claim not to know about the Information Network they use, I have prepared evidence and justification for this.
“Who knows, but the level of alertness will rise.”
Wariness toward the Demonic Cult, an unidentified group.
That wariness will rise to the extreme, and the fact that they might raid the Alliance creates two meanings.
One is that the Demonic Cult might possess enough power to directly strike Hanam.
The second is that Dangdeok is a person necessary to the Demonic Cult to that extent.
Hearing up to here, Cheoljiseon asked.
“…If you say they can raid like that, isn’t there a risk the Martial Arts Tournament will be halted?”
A valid point.
It was asking if I hadn’t considered that.
But.
“They’ll never stop it. Why would they? How much money was invested in it.”
Looking at the meaning behind this Martial Arts Tournament, it absolutely could not be stopped.
The Sinnyong Martial Arts Tournament was a festival held to conceal the dangers of the current era.
And it was to maintain the Martial Alliance’s guise as a symbol of peace.
In such a situation, just because a crisis occurred, they should end the tournament?
“The Sword Immortal, that bastard would absolutely never do that.”
Even if it weren’t the Sword Immortal, this was something they would have to slit their own throats over.
How could the limbs of the Orthodox Faction, who live and die for honor and fame, do such a thing?
Moreover.
“There is no situation safer than the Martial Arts Tournament. They won’t stop it.”
At a time when experts from all over the Central Plains have gathered.
This means that Hanam is currently an impregnable fortress gathered with the most elite forces.
Just looking at the information, several of the Ten Great Experts were gathered here.
When would Hanam be safer than it is now?
The Alliance Leader would know that this is all thanks to the Martial Arts Tournament.
‘He will try to maintain this no matter what.’
For fame, for safety, and even for the eyes of the merchant guild leaders, the tournament had to continue.
Then, what can the Alliance Leader do now?
He only has the information that the Demonic Cult might raid.
Hanam looks safe, and he knows the reason.
Then there is likely only one choice he can make.
‘Strengthen the defenses around the criminal.’
Or conversely, move the criminal to the safest location.
He will surely make some move.
‘Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter.’
Anything was fine.
As long as he took some action, it was something I would be grateful for.
“So…”
Then.
Cheoljiseon reacted after hearing up to here.
“…So… you had Lord Dangdeok captured and tortured for that?”
“Yes. He was the most suitable guy.”
A body close to the Diamond Indestructible Body, strong against pain as well.
His lack of toxicity is a problem, but he has tenacious survival power. And since he fell to Demonic Qi, his lips are tight.
Where could there be a more suitable talent than this?
‘I deliberately showed my face around Wudang for this. Of course I have to use him.’
When attacking Wudang for this moment, I even exposed Dangdeok to people.
It was all for this moment.
Trap and bait.
I laid the trap with Dangdeok.
And sprinkled information as bait subtly around.
A few days later, when the Orthodox bastards begin to gather one by one.
That was the starting point.
This was now only a few days away.
Cheoljiseon’s expression still didn’t ease even after hearing the explanation, but I didn’t care.
He must be stuck on the moral aspect.
I don’t care.
‘The fact that you don’t refute it means you know too, don’t you?’
Even if this isn’t the best way.
It is the fastest way.
And that the conclusion of that method aligns with what he wants as well.
Truly paradoxical.
Or should I say, human.
He feels sorry for Dangdeok suffering, yet ultimately accepts the decision.
This might be because Cheoljiseon is afraid of me, or because he wants to obtain what he desires.
But that it was a contradiction in the end was no different.
It’s just.
‘So if you ask if Cheoljiseon is disgusting to me, he is not.’
Whatever the case, it didn’t matter to me now.
What was important was that things had progressed this far.
And whether I would be in the desired position when this was over.
That was the only thing that mattered to me.