Chapter 55

Jang Muryang had barely slept.

He was naturally a light sleeper, but he often found it especially hard to sleep when an important matter was at hand.

This was one of those times.

It was a gamble, a tightrope walk between the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect, the absolute Two Powerhouses of Sichuan Province. The slightest misstep could erase the Black Cloud Corps from the world without a trace.

No matter how powerful a force the Black Cloud Corps was as a group of Wanderers, they could not survive a direct confrontation with either the Emei or Qingcheng Sect. That was why the tightrope walk was crucial.

Normally, neither the Qingcheng Sect nor the Emei Sect would pay them any mind, but things were different now.

They were in sharp opposition to each other, on the verge of a head-on clash. In a situation where every bit of strength was precious, the addition of the Black Cloud Corps had enough weight to definitively tip the scales of the battlefield to one side.

Knowing this, Jang Muryang had boldly thrown himself into the conflict between the Emei and Qingcheng Sects.

He was confident it would turn out well, but he couldn’t help feeling anxious.

The lives of the three hundred and fifty members of the Black Cloud Corps depended on his decision.

“Tsk! I should just retire after this is over.”

Jang Muryang clicked his tongue.

This was the biggest gamble in the history of the Black Cloud Corps.

Success would bring enormous benefits, but failure would mean disappearing without a trace.

Jang Muryang went outside to wash his face.

Having stayed up all night with his eyes open, his eyes felt dry and stiff.

Just then, he saw Daoshi Go entering the inn.

“Unit Leader!”

“Are you just getting back now?”

“I was planning to return yesterday, but I ran into someone.”

“Who was it?”

“A man I happened to meet before and traveled with to this area. Pyo Wol.”

“You mean that incredibly handsome fellow?”

“So you do remember. I met him at the Golden Hall.”

“You mean where the Thunder Clan is.”

Jang Muryang stroked his chin with his hand.

“That’s right! I went to investigate the Thunder Clan, and I happened to meet him there.”

“By chance, you say?”

“Yes. It was truly a coincidence. Why, is it strange?”

“Isn’t it? To run into him twice in Sichuan Province of all places. The meeting might be a coincidence, but if you look at the circumstances, there must be some sort of causality at play.”

“If you say so, then it must be so. Should we put a tail on him?”

Daoshi Go trusted Jang Muryang.

Jang Muryang’s intuition and gut feelings were exceptionally sharp, and he never overlooked even the smallest oddity.

If he said something was strange, it surely was.

If he was concerned about it, there was definitely a valid reason.

That was how much Daoshi Go and the Black Cloud Corps trusted Jang Muryang.

“Keep his movements under constant observation. But he must never find out that we have him under surveillance.”

“Of course. I’ll assign Maun to him.”

Maun, who came from a military background, was the swiftest and most quick-witted member of the Black Cloud Corps. For that reason, no one could match him in reconnaissance and surveillance.

“What’s the situation with the Thunder Clan?”

“The young sect leader, Nam Hosan, has his eyes on Wu Seonha of the Hundred Flowers Room. If a marriage were to happen, they would likely side with the Emei Sect. However, rather than jumping into the conflict head-on, it’s highly probable they’ll limit themselves to a token gesture.”

“What’s your reasoning for that assumption?”

“Isn’t the Small Thunder Sound Temple involved? A sect associated with a power from the Outer Regions is likely to attract the attention of the Jianghu if it gets involved in a conflict within Sichuan Province. If they had the power of the Shaolin Temple or the Wudang Sect, they wouldn’t care about public opinion, but the Thunder Clan’s power falls far short.”

“I understand. Is there anything else to be concerned about?”

“Not for now.”

“Still, don’t let your guard down.”

“Have you ever seen me let my guard down? Don’t worry.”

“You know I trust you a lot, Daoshi Go, right?”

“Of course!”

Their conversation ended there.

There was still much they wanted to discuss, but new people came in, interrupting them.

“Unit Leader Orabeoni!”

The one who entered calling for Jang Muryang in her uniquely vibrant voice was none other than Heo Ranju. But behind Heo Ranju, not only the Blood Monk but also unfamiliar figures could be seen.

Jang Muryang’s eyes glinted coldly.

He recognized the middle-aged woman with an eyepatch over one eye and the woman with a mysterious beauty that overwhelmed Heo Ranju as Jeong Hwa, the Second-in-Command of the Emei Sect, and Yong Seol Lan, a talent comparable to the assassinated Wu Gunsang.

Jang Muryang softened his gaze and offered a Fist-Palm Salute to those who had followed Heo Ranju.

“You’ve brought esteemed guests. I, Jang of the Black Cloud Corps, greet the distinguished guests of the Emei Sect.”

“I am Jeong Hwa of the Emei Sect.”

Jeong Hwa replied in a frigid voice.

Her eyes, as she looked at Jang Muryang, were filled with a chill.

Jeong Hwa had not come here of her own will. Her master, Guhwa Satae, had ordered her to assess the strength of the Black Cloud Corps and, if they were deemed useful, to recruit them.

The woman beside Jeong Hwa offered a Fist-Palm Salute.

“My name is Yong Seol Lan.”

“I have heard much of Miss Yong’s great name. You are as beautiful as the rumors say.”

“You’re too kind. In any case, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

At Yong Seol Lan’s calm words, Jang Muryang couldn’t help but feel a sense of inner admiration.

‘They say Yong Seol Lan of the Emei Sect is a peerless beauty, but the rumors don’t even do half justice to the real person.’

With such beauty, it seemed countless men would risk their lives for her. Yet, for some reason, Yong Seol Lan lived in seclusion within the Emei Sect, rarely showing herself to the outside world.

While thinking that Yong Seol Lan’s beauty was indeed as great as her reputation, Jang Muryang did not take his eyes off Jeong Hwa.

Jeong Hwa was exuding a blade-like aura without any attempt to hide it.

Befitting her status as the Second-in-Command of the Emei Sect, her presence was terrifying. It was enough to make the great Jang Muryang frown under the pressure.

‘If the martial prowess of the head disciple is this great, just how much martial strength do Guhwa Satae or the Three Monks of the White Moon possess?’

The Three Monks of the White Moon were old monks two generations senior to Guhwa Satae, living in seclusion at the White Lotus Hermitage in a remote part of Mount Emei.

Ever since Guhwa Satae became the Sect Master, they had completely cut off their interest in worldly affairs and dedicated themselves solely to isolated training.

Looking at Jeong Hwa, Jang Muryang was once again reminded of the underlying strength of a prestigious Orthodox Faction.

Jang Muryang carefully spoke to Jeong Hwa.

“May I take the direct visit of the Emei Sect’s head disciple as a sign that you are willing to make a deal with us?”

“That will depend on the outcome of our negotiations. If you try to deceive our sect with a trivial force, we will make the Black Cloud Corps pay a harsh price, even if it means postponing the war with the Qingcheng Sect.”

“Of course, we are prepared for that much.”

A smile appeared on Jang Muryang’s lips.

Although they were far behind the Emei Sect, the strength of the Black Cloud Corps was by no means light enough to be taken lightly.

Among the three hundred and fifty members, only fifty could be called Experts, but the remaining martial artists included a full two hundred cavalrymen from the Outer Regions. In a group battle, their power would likely surpass even the Emei or Qingcheng Sect.

At Jang Muryang’s confidence, Jeong Hwa’s gaze grew even colder.

Though she now had only one eye left, the light in it was far more intense than before. Her level of martial arts had risen by leaps and bounds.

Jang Muryang bowed his head slightly and said,

“Shall we start discussing the terms, then? Please, come inside.”

He had been up all night, but he felt no fatigue.

To achieve the best possible result, he had to be even more sharp-witted from now on.

＊＊＊

Even after Daoshi Go left, Pyo Wol remained in the Golden Hall, observing the Thunder Clan and gathering information.

During that time, the Thunder Clan’s young sect leader, Nam Hosan, did not show himself outside even once.

Information about him was also limited.

Since he had barely gone out in recent times, there wasn’t much that could be found out.

He couldn’t request information from the Hao Clan or the Beggar Sect either.

That was why it was inevitably difficult to learn about him.

He could stay here for a few more days to gather information, but it felt like too much of a waste to just spend time like that.

Time was definitely not on Pyo Wol’s side.

Pyo Wol slightly altered the atmosphere of his face with his Cha-geom.

Just by making small adjustments to his face, his aura changed one hundred and eighty degrees. Because he was so handsome, just slightly disrupting the harmony made him look like a completely different person.

Pyo Wol changed into light clothing and strapped the iron sword he had bought beforehand to his waist. Then, when night fell, he approached the Thunder Clan through the western alleys.

Pyo Wol’s appearance was no different from that of any ordinary martial artist. The people living in the residential area didn’t find him strange even when they saw him.

Many martial artists lived in the residential area, and their aura was identical to Pyo Wol’s.

They thought Pyo Wol was someone who lived in the residential area.

Pyo Wol strode confidently through the residential area and arrived at the western wall of the Thunder Clan.

After confirming that there was no one around, Pyo Wol lightly leaped onto the wall.

Once on top of the wall, the inside of the Thunder Clan came into clear view.

The interior of the Thunder Clan was more well-organized than he had expected.

The pavilions and checkpoints were efficiently arranged to defend against external enemies. The security was also tight, with torches lit everywhere and martial artists standing guard.

Whoever managed the interior of the Thunder Clan, the positioning of the guards was so exquisite that there were almost no blind spots.

The security system was so perfect that an average martial artist wouldn’t even dare to attempt an infiltration of the Thunder Clan. But Pyo Wol did not believe in the word ‘perfect’.

Pyo Wol had a history of assassinating Wu Gunsang by breaking through the iron-clad security of the Qingcheng Sect.

No matter how perfect a system like a Mechanism Formation was, in the end, it was humans who operated it. And he knew better than anyone that human concentration could never last for long.

Especially when standing guard for a long time at night, the martial artists’ attention was prone to easily wander.

Indeed, in Pyo Wol’s eyes, the martial artists appeared to be standing guard almost by inertia.

On their faces was a sense of complacency, as if thinking, ‘Who would dare to infiltrate the Thunder Clan?’

“Hwaam!”

The man closest to the wall was seen letting out a long yawn. The yawn spread to the others standing guard with him.

Pyo Wol did not miss that opening and threw his body forward.

Having infiltrated the interior, Pyo Wol immediately sought out Nam Hosan’s residence.

Although this was his first time entering the Thunder Clan, Pyo Wol had already identified Nam Hosan’s quarters.

The conversations unconsciously spoken by merchants doing business with the Thunder Clan contained clues about Nam Hosan’s residence.

‘The Golden Pillar Hall, they said.’

A hall made of golden pillars, hence the name Golden Pillar Hall.

It wasn’t actually made of gold. But they had used a similar material to make it shine with a golden light.

One could tell the owner’s disposition by looking at their residence.

From that perspective, the Thunder Clan’s young sect leader, Nam Hosan, was a man full of vanity and sensitive to the gazes of others. On top of that, he was lecherous, hitting on Wu Seonha regardless of his sect’s internal affairs.

Finding the Golden Pillar Hall was not difficult. Even in the darkness, the pillars were all glowing with a golden light, reflecting the torchlight.

The problem was approaching the Golden Pillar Hall stealthily.

As it was the young sect leader’s residence, a rather iron-clad security network was established around the Golden Pillar Hall. Dozens of martial artists surrounded the hall, guarding the vicinity.

Their gazes were each directed in different directions.

Pyo Wol analyzed the direction of each of their gazes one by one. And he found the one and only space where their lines of sight did not overlap.

Pyo Wol took a step toward the space he had found.

It was a very strange sight.

Although there were dozens of martial artists present, not a single one of them perceived the existence of Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol was walking in a Blind Spot of perception.

The human eye is very precise and delicate, but on the other hand, it contains many flaws.

The two human eyes are divided into a dominant eye and an auxiliary eye.

It was common to see the field of vision with the dominant eye and have the auxiliary eye assist. For that reason, the auxiliary eye was bound to have less attention paid to it.

On top of that, although it seemed like one could perceive the entire scene because both eyes face forward, that was not actually the case.

The part that a human looks at attentively is only a very small fraction of their field of vision.

Pyo Wol exploited that point.

In addition, he simultaneously deployed his Microscopic Sense and Synchronization.

With his Microscopic Sense, he identified where the opponent’s dominant eye was looking, and with Synchronization, he made it so they would not feel any sense of unease.

Because of this, the martial artists did not perceive Pyo Wol at all, even as he approached them head-on.

If there were more people or if they were scattered more chaotically, Pyo Wol would never have used this method.

The probability of success was not very high.

It was a technique worth trying only when special situations and special conditions like this were met.

When he reached the martial artists’ immediate vicinity, Pyo Wol used his Serpentine Steps to pass them.

Ssssk!

Like a snake flowing along a wall, Pyo Wol passed through the martial artists without a sound.

He had rendered the eyes of numerous people useless.

“Hm!”

“Did something just pass by?”

Belatedly, the men felt a sense of unease and blinked their eyes. But by then, Pyo Wol had already passed them and disappeared.