Chapter 58

Tension flowed through Mount Qingcheng.

It was because of a group that had visited around sunset.

The ones who had climbed Mount Qingcheng carrying a coffin containing a corpse were none other than Tae Yeonho and the martial artists of the Thunder Clan.

The martial artists of the Qingcheng Sect wore displeased expressions as they looked at the Thunder Clan members who had visited without any warning.

To show up so suddenly without any prior notice was not proper etiquette in the Jianghu. Moreover, the Qingcheng Sect was a sacred Daoist Temple that carried on the lineage of Daoism.

There was no reason to permit a group of armed men to enter without permission. However, because the matter was so serious, the Qingcheng Sect allowed the Thunder Clan martial artists inside for the time being. And now, they were facing off in the training ground in front of the large Great Hall.

In the middle of the standoff between the Qingcheng Sect and the Thunder Clan lay the coffin that had been carried up from the base of the mountain.

Just then, the leaders walked out of the Great Hall.

As they revealed themselves, the martial artists of the Qingcheng Sect bowed their heads one after another.

In the center of the leadership was the Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect, Daoist Master Muryeong.

Daoist Master Muryeong looked at Tae Yeonho with clear eyes and spoke.

“What is the meaning of this, Sect Leader Tae?”

“That is what I would like to ask, Daoist Master Muryeong.”

“Explain the situation. For what reason have you brought that coffin?”

“Inside this coffin lies the body of my disciple.”

“It is a pity that Sect Leader Tae’s disciple has died, but I do not know what that has to do with our sect that you would cause such a disturbance.”

“Are you truly saying you don’t know? Truly!”

Tae Yeonho’s eyes widened as he glared at Daoist Master Muryeong.

At that, the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect flared up.

“Show some respect.”

“How dare you pressure our Sect Leader in the Qingcheng Sect.”

The Qingcheng Sect disciples looked ready to attack the Thunder Clan martial artists at any moment.

This was the Qingcheng Sect’s home turf, and their forces were far superior.

If the Qingcheng Sect put their minds to it, they could subdue all the Thunder Clan martial artists who had come up here in less than a shichen.

Nevertheless, the reason Daoist Master Muryeong maintained his courtesy was because he was, at his core, a Daoist.

Daoist Master Muryeong raised his hand to calm his agitated disciples, then asked Tae Yeonho.

“I truly do not know. Will you now tell me what has happened?”

News of Nam Hosan’s assassination had not yet reached the Qingcheng Sect, so Daoist Master Muryeong did not know why Tae Yeonho was causing such a commotion.

“Very well. Then I will show you myself.”

Tae Yeonho threw open the coffin lid. The corpse of Nam Hosan, lying in a wretched state, was revealed.

“Ugh!”

“Infinite Buddha!”

The sight of the corpse, covered in gruesome sword wounds, was enough to shake the hearts of the Qingcheng Sect martial artists.

“This is the body of my disciple. Do you feel nothing even after seeing the state of this child?”

“I express my deepest condolences for your disciple’s misfortune. But what does his death have to do with our sect that you would act this way?”

“Can you truly not see this child’s wounds? Even though they are wounds inflicted by the Seventy-Two Cutting Waves!”

“That can’t be…”

Only then did Daoist Master Muryeong and the other leaders closely examine the scars left on Nam Hosan’s body.

“Hmm!”

“Is it really the Seventy-Two Cutting Waves?”

They let out groans without realizing it.

The scars left on Nam Hosan’s body were clearly the marks that appeared when the Seventy-Two Cutting Waves was executed.

Daoist Master Muryeong’s expression turned troubled.

The Seventy-Two Cutting Waves was, without a doubt, a special technique of the Qingcheng Sect.

Tae Yeonho shouted.

“Will you still deny it? My disciple was assassinated by an assassin who uses the Qingcheng Sect’s Seventy-Two Cutting Waves. This is something that could not have happened unless the Qingcheng Sect instigated it.”

“Sect Leader Tae! Please, calm down first.”

“How can I calm down? My disciple was killed by a Qingcheng Sect sword.”

“I will look into this matter, so…”

“Stop trying to postpone it and give me a proper explanation. Was it because you thought my disciple would side with the Emei Sect if he married Miss Wu of the Hundred Flowers Room? Was the Emei Sect that much of a concern to you? Enough to commit such a cowardly act.”

At Tae Yeonho’s words that crossed the line, Daoist Master Muryeong’s eyebrows twitched.

In that moment, a lion’s roar erupted.

“Halt!”

At the tremendous lion’s roar that echoed throughout Mount Qingcheng, Tae Yeonho and the Thunder Clan disciples staggered, covering their ears.

Just then, a Daoist with a cold impression shot out from among the leaders.

The middle-aged Daoist instantly shortened the distance and appeared before Tae Yeonho. He was none other than Daoist Master Muryeong’s junior martial brother, Daoist Master Mujeong.

A savage light flickered in Daoist Master Mujeong’s eyes as he looked at Tae Yeonho.

Seeing this, Daoist Master Muryeong shouted.

“Don’t! Junior Martial Brother.”

“How dare you! I cannot forgive you for coming to our sect and causing a ruckus.”

Daoist Master Mujeong paid no heed and thrust his palm toward Tae Yeonho.

It was the Wind Thunder Palm, one of the Qingcheng Sect’s Secret Transmitted Techniques.

“Not a chance.”

Tae Yeonho hastily drew his sword and assumed a defensive stance. But it was not enough to block Daoist Master Mujeong’s Wind Thunder Palm.

Boom!

With an explosive sound, Tae Yeonho’s body was thrown backward.

The sword he was holding had been snapped in two by the formidable power of the Wind Thunder Palm.

Daoist Master Mujeong launched himself forward, closing in on Tae Yeonho.

Tae Yeonho chewed his lip at the sight of the flashing eyes and fierce momentum, so unlike a Daoist.

Daoist Master Mujeong’s Wind Thunder Palm had shaken all of Tae Yeonho’s internal organs, leaving him unable to muster any strength.

“Junior Martial Brother! Show mercy.”

“You must not kill him, Senior Martial Brother!”

Daoist Master Muryeong and Daoist Master Muhwa shouted at the same time.

In that instant, Daoist Master Mujeong’s hands struck Tae Yeonho’s entire body.

Th-th-th-thump!

“Keuk!”

Tae Yeonho screamed and collapsed.

Daoist Master Mujeong had held back, so his life was not cut short, but Tae Yeonho’s state was utterly wretched.

He knelt on the ground, having become a Blood Human.

Daoist Master Mujeong looked down at Tae Yeonho with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Did you think our sect was such a joke? To the point where you thought you could pressure us with such a ridiculous fabrication.”

“I… did not speak a lie.”

Tae Yeonho answered with difficulty. At that, Daoist Master Mujeong’s gaze turned even colder.

“Silence. If you spout such nonsense one more time, I will kill not only you but all of the Thunder Clan who have climbed this mountain.”

At Daoist Master Mujeong’s terrifying threat, Tae Yeonho shut his mouth.

A look of injustice was plain on his face, but having personally experienced Daoist Master Mujeong’s formidable martial prowess, he didn’t dare to talk back.

The Qingcheng Sect was clearly in the wrong, yet to be oppressed like this brought tears of frustration to his eyes.

Tae Yeonho looked at Daoist Master Muryeong.

“Is this truly the will of the Qingcheng Sect? To suppress me with force so that I cannot raise any objection.”

“It’s a misunderstanding, Sect Leader Tae!”

Daoist Master Muryeong tried to quickly make an excuse. But before he could, Daoist Master Mujeong kicked Tae Yeonho in the chest.

Thwack!

Tae Yeonho couldn’t even scream as he flew far into the distance and lost consciousness.

“Junior Martial Brother! Why must you attack like this? It would not have been too late to act after first finding out the circumstances.”

“It is not too late to find out the circumstances after subduing them first. The more we show them consideration, the more they will look down on us, Senior Martial Brother!”

Daoist Master Mujeong replied coldly and entered the Great Hall.

Daoist Master Muryeong muttered as he watched his back.

“What in the world has happened to my junior martial brother? He was cold, but he was never such a savage person.”

At some point, Daoist Master Mujeong had started to change little by little.

He became fierce and violent. And he couldn’t control his anger.

At first, he had simply thought it was an Inner Demon experienced during the process of learning martial arts. Everyone who learned martial arts experienced Inner Demons to some degree, and most of them escaped safely.

The martial arts of the Qingcheng Sect contained the essence of Daoism, so it was particularly easy to escape from Inner Demons. That was why he hadn’t paid it much mind, but as time passed, Daoist Master Mujeong’s ferocity was growing more and more excessive.

The problem was that there was no way to control Daoist Master Mujeong right now.

Daoist Master Mujeong’s martial arts could be called the best in the Qingcheng Sect. To control him, it would take someone of the level of the previous generation’s Elder, Daoist Master Goyeop. But he had retired long ago and had long since washed his hands of the Qingcheng Sect’s affairs.

Daoist Master Muryeong let out a low sigh and said to Daoist Master Muhwa.

“Huu! Junior Martial Brother, please speak with Sect Leader Tae once he awakens. And provide lodging for the Thunder Clan members as well.”

“I understand, Senior Martial Brother!”

Daoist Master Muhwa replied respectfully and approached the Thunder Clan members.

Daoist Master Muhwa was usually respected by many for his gentle personality. He soothed the Thunder Clan members, who were furious about their leader’s injury, and led them to their quarters. He also had a physician attend to Tae Yeonho and treat him.

As the situation seemed to calm down to some extent, Daoist Master Muryeong spoke to a nearby Daoist with a refined impression.

“Cheong-yeop!”

“Yes! Your orders, Sect Master.”

The Daoist name of the man who answered respectfully was Cheong-yeop.

He was the great disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, famous for his alias, Sword White Crane.

“It seems you will have to go to Chengdu.”

“Me, personally?”

“Yes. The situation seems to be anything but ordinary. Take a few disciples with you and grasp the situation.”

“I understand.”

“If you find it too difficult, go to Junior Martial Brother Wu and ask for help. Although he has lost his will to engage in worldly affairs due to his great sorrow, he will not refuse your request.”

“I will do so.”

Cheong-yeop bowed his head.

The Junior Martial Brother Wu that Daoist Master Muryeong mentioned was Woo Jinpyeong.

Woo Jinpyeong, who had contributed the most to the Qingcheng Sect achieving its current prosperity, had lost all motivation after the death of his son, Woo Gun-sang, and had returned to his family home to live in seclusion.

Daoist Master Muryeong closed his eyes gently and muttered.

‘How on earth did things come to this? Oh, Primordial Heavenly Venerable. Please watch over the Qingcheng Sect.’

His expression remained creased for a long time.

＊＊＊

When night fell, the Song Family Inn became as quiet as a dead mouse.

This was because a significant number of the Song Family Inn’s customers simply used the restaurant and returned home.

There were not many guests who stayed overnight.

Thanks to this, Pyo Wol was able to spend some quiet time alone.

The only thing illuminating his room was a single small oil lamp.

Pyo Wol leaned his back against the wall and watched the precariously flickering oil lamp. Even though the window was tightly shut, a breeze was flowing in from somewhere and making the lamp sway.

Pyo Wol thought the oil lamp greatly resembled himself.

A precarious life where one couldn’t see even an inch ahead.

If he put his mind to it, he could leave the Jianghu and live comfortably at any time. With his current abilities, enjoying wealth and glory was more than possible.

And yet, Pyo Wol chose revenge.

Without a single moment of hesitation.

He had been captured at fourteen and had lived for a full fourteen years without ever properly seeing the light.

He had lived like a Hungry Ghost, trying to survive somehow in a hellish environment where his comrades, captured alongside him, died right next to him.

Perhaps because of that, his emotional lines and way of thinking were distinctly different from ordinary people. Pyo Wol knew this fact. And he realized one more thing.

The fact that he could never live like other people.

Swoosh!

Just then, the sound of a skirt dragging reached Pyo Wol’s ears.

Someone was approaching the room where he was staying.

Pyo Wol turned only his head slightly and looked at the door.

The sound grew closer and closer, then stopped right in front of his door. Then, the door opened cautiously, and someone entered.

The woman, who boasted a beauty like a splendid rose despite her light, simple attire, was none other than Woo Seon-ha.

After opening the door and entering, Woo Seon-ha showed a startled expression when she saw Pyo Wol looking straight at her. But that was only for a moment; she soon smiled sweetly and approached Pyo Wol.

“You weren’t asleep.”

“How did you know to come here?”

“There is no place in Chengdu that our Hundred Flowers Room’s eyes cannot reach. Especially finding the whereabouts of a man as conspicuously handsome as you is no trouble at all.”

Woo Seon-ha naturally approached Pyo Wol and sat down next to him, as if she were entering her own room.

As Woo Seon-ha sat beside him, a fragrant body scent stimulated Pyo Wol’s sense of smell.

“How did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Young Master Nam of the Thunder Clan. What kind of trick did you use that made Sect Leader Tae go on a rampage, claiming the Qingcheng Sect killed him?”

“It seems the Qingcheng Sect killed him.”

“It wasn’t you who killed him?”

Woo Seon-ha wore a confused expression.

She was the one who had asked Pyo Wol to kill Nam Hosan, but she couldn’t be sure if Pyo Wol had really killed him.

“Tell me honestly. What happened?”

“Is who killed him important? The fact that he is dead is what’s important.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Whoever killed him, you’ve achieved your initial goal, haven’t you? Isn’t that enough?”

For a moment, Woo Seon-ha’s eyes became hazy.

It was because she felt an intense body scent from Pyo Wol that muddled her mind.

“You’re right. Nothing else is important.”

Woo Seon-ha’s breathing quickened without her realizing it.

At this moment, her mind was completely empty, unable to think of anything else.

Her mind was filled with only the thought of wanting to be in Pyo Wol’s arms. And she acted on her thoughts.

“Hah!”

Woo Seon-ha hugged Pyo Wol’s waist tightly and looked up at him.