Chapter 358. Who Is Afraid?
Baengeungji was a place that took quite a while on foot, but could be reached rather quickly with qinggong.
That was how much faster my qinggong had become. If I steeled myself and ran like a madman, I was fast enough to leave carriages and famed steeds behind.
It was not normal.
By now, my qinggong alone was probably ranked within the top ten in the murim. And if one asked how that had become possible, astonishingly enough, it was thanks to the Amhyangpyo.
I had tested the limits of my body with the Amhyangpyo.
Whether I could continuously execute the Amhyangpyo, how quickly my internal energy was consumed, and how much burden my body had to bear after using it……
I returned while studying the combination of my newly devised martial art and my body.
When I had run so much that my internal energy could not fully recover, I would deliberately climb a secluded mountain, circulate my qi and regulate my breathing, then come back down.
Because I was naturally suspicious.
Strangely, whenever I tried to sleep at an inn, sleep would not come all night.
Now that my hearing had grown sharper, I would sometimes attach meaning to footsteps on the floor above.
I would briefly fall into a shallow sleep, only to wake at footsteps in the corridor, or mistake the sound of rain striking the roof for footsteps mixed within it.
Does one become free of qi deviation once one’s martial arts deepen?
I learned that was not the case.
Because when the five senses developed and those senses combined with suspicion, even sleeping peacefully for one night became difficult. Of course, beneath it all lay the conviction that there were assassins aiming for me.
Would I ever become someone capable of mingling with ordinary people and living an everyday life? I often found myself imagining going into a deep mountain where no one could find me and spending the rest of my days there.
It seemed the founders of old sects had not established their schools in the mountains for nothing.
First of all, the energy possessed by the mountain itself was different, making it favorable for circulating qi and regulating breath.
And if the sect grounds were made flat and spacious, it was also easier to prevent surprise attacks. It meant that many things had to be prepared in order to sleep comfortably.
Astonishingly, though my martial arts had reached an even higher level, I was still wandering near another kind of qi deviation. As if nothing was a given, good things and bad things crossed paths within me.
Come to think of it, when I was with experts like Cheonak or the White-Robed Scholar, I could sleep soundly with an easy heart, and even when the Four Great Evildoers took turns standing guard, I could sleep after setting down all my worries.
Was this why I got along so well with evildoers?
Since my condition was gradually worsening, I returned as quickly as possible. The closer I got to Baengeungji, the less deeply I could sleep, leaving my eyes gritty. Thinking it would be my final meal before arriving at Baengeungji, I entered a quiet inn, ordered food, and briefly dozed off in my chair.
‘Life truly is exhausting.’
Now, whenever I closed my eyes, vengeful spirits chased me. I even imagined assassins weaker than me bravely attempting surprise attacks.
When I opened my eyes at the sound of the waiter’s footsteps, an ordinary bowl of noodles had been placed on the table.
They were noodles that looked tasteless at a glance.
‘Is this meant for a human to eat?’
The noodles were in such a serious state that even appetite was useless against them. As I stabbed my chopsticks in and stirred, the inside of the inn darkened, and someone blocking the entrance stared at me.
“…….”
I could not see his face, but the dark-red longsword hanging from his waist caught the sunlight, so it was very clearly visible.
I was so tired it would not have been strange for my eyelids to close, but the moment I saw the man leisurely walking over, my sleep vanished completely.
The Right Envoy of Light, who had appeared out of nowhere, sat down across from me and spoke.
“Where have you been rushing about so busily, Hao Sect Leader?”
When I stared at him without a word, the Right Envoy of Light looked at the waiter.
“The same.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Right Envoy of Light looked at me.
“You seem quite startled. Go on and eat. You should fill your stomach.”
With the Right Envoy of Light in front of me, my appetite vanished. Holding my chopsticks, I asked.
“……Have you surrounded me?”
The Right Envoy did not answer my question and only said what he wanted to say.
“I expected you would return to Baengeungji, but I couldn’t know when that would be. If you have no appetite, would you like a drink instead?”
Why did an expert like this have to appear right when I was this exhausted?
Naturally, I was not in the mood to drink either.
Baengeungji was a place with many sects, martial halls, and clans belonging to the righteous path, so for the Right Envoy of Light to appear like this not far from there was an extremely bold move. But considering the Right Envoy of Light’s martial prowess, it did not seem especially strange for him to move about freely. In any case, he was an expert even the White-Robed Scholar could not easily deal with.
The Right Envoy of Light looked at me.
“Sect Leader, you look terribly tired.”
I nodded.
“I am tired.”
“Why? Did you sleep poorly?”
“Were your subordinates perhaps following me the whole time? Strangely, I couldn’t sleep.”
The Right Envoy of Light laughed.
“We were looking for you, so that may have been the case.”
Then the waiter approached and set down noodles in front of the Right Envoy of Light.
“Your noodles are here.”
The Right Envoy of Light reached out, picked up the chopsticks, and immediately began slurping noodles right in front of me. Watching a man who looked as if he would not even eat a meal dine so normally felt somewhat strange.
Was it because I was sleepy?
His looked tastier than mine. I could not eat my noodles because the Right Envoy of Light made me uncomfortable, yet this bastard ate his noodles very well with a carefree attitude. A sudden fit of stubbornness made me consider eating mine too, but I barely held back.
As he ate his noodles, the Right Envoy of Light ordered liquor from the waiter.
I had no intention of running away, but I also had no desire to fight right away. I simply observed the Right Envoy of Light, whom it had been extremely difficult to meet in person for a time. From behind me, I heard the voice of the waiter standing by.
“……Welcome.”
When I looked toward the entrance, astonishingly, a man I had seen in my past life came in. I even remembered his name.
He was probably a man named Hong Mokhan. He was the Right Envoy of Light’s subordinate, and when I had entered the Cult, he had guided me calmly from start to finish.
Hong Mokhan sat a little distance away, and the moment he saw me, he gave a slight nod.
“Sect Leader.”
Without even looking at Hong Mokhan, the Right Envoy of Light said.
“If you’re hungry, eat something.”
Hong Mokhan answered.
“I’m fine.”
I tapped my bowl of noodles with my chopsticks.
“Want to eat this, then?”
Hong Mokhan looked at me, smiled, and answered.
“I’m fine.”
I asked the Right Envoy of Light.
“Didn’t you say earlier that you hadn’t surrounded me?”
“I said no such thing.”
“Is that so. In any case, can we fight after I call my reinforcements in Baengeungji?”
The Right Envoy of Light poured a cup of the liquor the waiter had brought and answered.
“I cannot permit that much.”
Judging from the fact that he said permit, it seemed the Four Great Evildoers were still alive and well. In truth, I did not think Gwangmyeong Usa’s forces alone could strike Baekeungji. The matter would grow far too large.
With nothing in particular to do, I let out a sigh.
“This is troublesome.”
Gwangmyeong Usa looked at me and said,
“I am troubled as well. If you flee, I will start by killing everyone who works in this inn. You seem to dislike innocent people dying, so I doubt you will run off on your own.”
“You know me well?”
“It is something my subordinates can easily find out after making a few inquiries.”
I beckoned the waiter over and said,
“Bring me some liquor too.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You might die if you go outside, so just stand by.”
“Understood.”
The moment I heard his answer, I realized the waiter was also one of Gwangmyeong Usa’s men. His tone was far too calm. It was so absurd I was at a loss for words.
When I looked at Gwangmyeong Usa……
Gwangmyeong Usa grinned and said,
“Did you catch on? His response was too composed.”
“Usa.”
“Speak.”
“If you fight me now, all of your subordinates will die first. Are you all right with that?”
Gwangmyeong Usa shook his head.
“That is not the answer I expected from you. It seems even the Hao Sect Master under heaven can be flustered. Among the cultists you killed, who feared death? If even one of them begged you to spare him before death, that would be my fault. There likely was no such person.”
I nodded.
“That is true. There weren’t any. Why are you hesitating instead of attacking me right away?”
Ignoring my words, Gwangmyeong Usa asked Hong Mokhan,
“Have they all arrived?”
Hong Mokhan replied,
“The Sect Master’s lightness skill is outstanding, so we spread the formation wide.”
Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.
“As you heard, you are surrounded.”
“So now we just have ourselves a fight?”
Gwangmyeong Usa narrowed his brow slightly and said to Hong Mokhan,
“It seems the Grand Dukes have arrived. Hold them off for a moment. I have something to discuss with the Sect Master alone.”
“Understood.”
I watched Hong Mokhan head outside and asked,
“The Grand Duke came too? Grand Duke Yang?”
Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.
“Another Grand Duke came as well.”
Grand Duke Yang alone seemed more than enough to fight for three days and nights, so if there was another Grand Duke as well, their strength was considerable. Naturally, I had no idea who it might be.
Was I really going to be done in here, in a place like this?
Gwangmyeong Usa said,
“Sect Master, what should I do with you?”
My life was in rather grave danger, but I am a man who is kind when someone comes to me for advice.
“What’s troubling you? Go ahead and lay it out.”
Gwangmyeong Usa said with a smile,
“Taking you alive before the Cult Leader will not be easy.”
“Hold on. Then are you saying it’s possible to kill me and take me there?”
Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.
“Something like that. We have already missed several opportunities. The Four Heavenly Kings and even the specters failed, and the man in black failed as well.”
“Mm.”
“The Cult Leader is a man of deep patience, but he likely did not expect his subordinates to fail so many times.”
“And?”
“I have no intention of killing you cleanly here. If I cannot capture you alive and take you back, I will have to kill you, but it would be a shame to end things by simply killing a fellow like you. I intend to absorb you.”
“So since you’re going to kill me anyway, you’re saying you’ll absorb me?”
Gwangmyeong Usa looked at me.
“If that happens, the Cult Leader’s wrath, which overlooked my failures thus far, may turn toward me. After absorbing a fairly complete yin-yang body, will I truly be able to surpass the Three Calamities?”
He was a rather honest man.
In other words, this bastard was currently looking at me like a chicken he was raising in his backyard.
“How would I know?”
Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.
“That is the crux of my dilemma. Taking you alive is difficult, but killing you would be a waste. If I absorb you, it is defiance. What should I do?”
“Wow……”
The meaning contained within his bizarre logic was this.
“In conclusion, you’re telling me not to resist and to go quietly to the cult?”
Gwangmyeong Usa burst into laughter.
“Hahaha.”
It was unmistakable mockery. Come to think of it, he had surrounded me and was now amusing himself by teasing me to his heart’s content. Watching Gwangmyeong Usa laugh made me laugh as well.
“No wonder you are Usa.”
As expected, he was a man who had once shared a reputation alongside Eldest Brother.
Gwangmyeong Usa said,
“Tell the Grand Dukes to come in.”
Even though things had come to this, I was curious who the other Grand Duke was. I waited for the Grand Duke while muttering to myself.
“Who could it be? I’m looking forward to this.”
Grand Duke Yang appeared first and looked at me with a bright expression.
“Hao Sect Master, it has been a while.”
I pointed to an empty seat.
“Welcome.”
Then the entrance was completely blocked once more, and unexpectedly, a young man appeared and walked in. He looked like a fellow whose facial muscles had stiffened because he had not smiled in a very long time.
If someone this young was a Grand Duke……
It was obvious who he was.
I looked up at the newly appeared Grand Duke and said,
“Are you the eldest son or the second?”
For a moment, it seemed as though his hand would come flying at me, but the Grand Duke, who had been moving quietly, sat down beside me and looked at me.
The arrangement was truly perfect.
Gwangmyeong Usa was in front of me, Grand Duke Yang on my right, and the Cult Leader’s son sat on my left. The waiter had been one of Gwangmyeong Usa’s men from the beginning. Outside, a wide encirclement had been completed. Grand Duke Yang’s subordinates would be there too, and the Cult Leader’s son’s subordinates would be mixed in among them.
Grand Duke Yang said to Gwangmyeong Usa,
“He ordered us to capture him alive.”
Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.
“We are in the middle of negotiations.”
This time, the Cult Leader’s son answered.
“What negotiations?”
For the moment, I rapped my hand on the table several times to draw everyone’s attention. Since I had grasped something, strategically, it seemed best to first report Guangming Right Envoy’s misconduct to the cult leader’s son.
“Grand Duke, there’s something I need to tell you first. Your title is confusing, so say whether you’re the second son or the eldest son first.”
Grand Duke Yang answered in his stead.
“He is the second son.”
I nodded, then, with the intention of tattling, considered the order of my words before snitching in a clear and orderly manner.
“Guangming Right Envoy.”
“…….”
“Absorbed the disciple of the wraiths they painstakingly raised, the man in black. On his own authority. The Right Envoy has mastered a demonic art that can absorb inner force or whatever else, and he clearly took the man in black away in perfectly good condition right in front of my eyes. Seeing as he says he failed, it’s certain.”
When I finished speaking, Grand Duke Yang stroked his chin, and the Demon Cult Leader’s second son looked at me.
Guangming Right Envoy showed no particular change in expression either.
Grand Duke Yang said to me,
“So what? Sect Leader, what are you telling us to do about it?”
The Demon Cult Leader’s second son also showed no great reaction.
“What a tattletale. If the Right Envoy absorbed him, there must have been circumstances that warranted it.”
Grand Duke Yang said to Guangming Right Envoy,
“Did you absorb him?”
When Guangming Right Envoy nodded, Grand Duke Yang said,
“Congratulations.”
Guangming Right Envoy replied in an indifferent tone.
“You are too kind.”
At this point, I could not even sigh. My eyes were still dry and stiff, I was sleepy, everything was a bother, and I had no particularly sharp move to make.
Guangming Right Envoy spoke as if admonishing me.
“Sect Leader, in life, there are times when there is no chance of victory. I will give you medicine that will let you sleep, so let us move peacefully.”
I held out my hand and said,
“Wait, before that.”
I slipped a hand into my robe, pulled out the Mo Family Dagger, and drove it into the table.
Thuk!
Guangming Right Envoy, Grand Duke Yang, and the second son looked at the dagger embedded in the table. Guangming Right Envoy asked me,
“What is the meaning of this?”
I looked at the Mo Family Dagger embedded in the table and said,
“When we propose a life-or-death duel in my neighborhood.”
“…….”
I looked at Guangming Right Envoy.
“This is how it starts.”