Chapter 30..
Let’s Travel Together for Now
The four people who had met by chance at the Zhu River were now sharing a meal together at a guest inn.
“Uncle, the noodles are all soggy.”
Jin Aseol scolded the Sword Spirit, who was still leisurely savoring his food.
“It’s fine. It tastes good even like this.”
He spoke with a look that showed he didn’t care whether the noodles were soggy or not. He slowly chewed the food in his mouth, savoring the flavor.
“What are your plans from here on out?”
Naeng Yeoseol asked the Sword Spirit.
She was worried. From her perspective, this man loved to meddle and brag, so if left to his own devices, he might get himself stabbed to death on the streets. As someone who knew him even a little, she felt compelled to ask out of concern.
“At first, I was just going to travel around the Central Plains. But now, I’ve changed my mind a little.”
Contrary to Naeng Yeoseol’s concerns, the Sword Spirit spoke with an expression that suggested he had found something fun.
“You’ve changed your mind?”
He smiled brightly.
“I’m thinking of uncovering the conspiracy.”
The casual way he said it made Naeng Yeoseol and Jeok Hwamyung furrow their brows.
“Watch your mouth in front of the Great Lord of Taesang Sect.”
Jeok Hwamyung reprimanded him for his cheeky tone.
“When you say conspiracy, you’re referring to the demonic arts that have appeared in the Zhu River, aren’t you?”
“That’s part of it, yes.”
“Since you claim to be the greatest expert under heaven, I suppose you’re not afraid of those who practice demonic arts?”
“I’m human too—of course I feel fear. But those who’ve practiced demonic arts have certain weaknesses. Once you figure those out, they’re easier to deal with than you’d think. My concern is rather…”
As he trailed off, the other three looked at him—not because they believed him, but because they were curious to hear what nonsense would come next.
“When an incomplete demonic art is perfected, it stops being demonic and becomes divine. That’s the real problem.”
He spoke with such seriousness that anyone unfamiliar with him might have believed his words.
“I’ve never heard anyone say that demonic arts turn into divine arts before.”
“Really? That’s what the people who taught me always said.”
“I heard from Aseol that you were taught by Senior Godokmaya, Senior Ghost Demon Lord, and Senior Jeonmo. Are you referring to them?”
“Yes. If not them, who else would’ve taught me?”
Jeok Hwamyung looked dumbfounded. Naeng Yeoseol just looked at him as if he were pathetic.
“Then let me ask you one thing.”
“Yes?”
“Those seniors left the martial world fifty years ago. And you look about sixteen or seventeen.”
“I’m exactly twenty—just reached adulthood.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! I just look young. I’ve undergone several rebirth transformations, you see. It makes you younger.”
Jeok Hwamyung decided to listen to his words with one ear and let them go out the other.
“Then where are those seniors now?”
“They’ve passed away. I buried them at sea in the South Seas, as they wished.”
They narrowed their eyes at the mention of their deaths.
“Then where did you meet them?”
“On Black Darkness Island (Heukamdo).”
“Black Darkness Island?”
Jeok Hwamyung and Jin Aseol thought he was spinning a tall tale.
“I’ve heard that even top experts can’t easily approach that island.”
“That’s true. The waves are always high, and whirlpools constantly swirl around the island. Even top experts would struggle to approach it.”
“Then how did you get there?”
“I don’t know either. I was told I was carried there inside a wooden box. Grandma Jeonmo said Heaven must have helped me.”
The three thought his story sounded rather ridiculous.
“See? Lies. A wooden box couldn’t possibly make it through those whirlpools.”
Jin Aseol said.
“I already said I don’t know. Anyway, I was carried there in a box and raised by the three of them.”
“Then you don’t know who your parents are or which family you come from?”
“Nope! But they said I had a necklace around my neck when I was found in the box. This necklace.”
The Sword Spirit showed the necklace hanging from his neck.
It was an antique, elegant necklace. It wasn’t the sort of thing ordinary people would hang around the neck of a newborn child.
“Oppa, your necklace is pretty.”
The Sword Spirit knew that whenever Aseol called him “Oppa” instead of “Uncle,” she wanted something from him.
“Even if you ask, I can’t give this away. It’s the only clue to who I am.”
“What, I didn’t even say I wanted it!”
Jin Aseol pouted, though her eyes stayed fixed on the necklace.
“So you learned martial arts from the three seniors?”
“More like, they were bored, so they taught me. Honestly, I was bored too.”
It was hard to tell if he was just rude or genuinely arrogant.
“Then why did the three of them disappear from the martial world fifty years ago?”
“I heard they’d grown tired of the martial world. They’d achieved everything they wanted and had no reason to stay.”
“You insolent brat!”
Jeok Hwamyung finally snapped, unable to listen anymore.
Godokmaya, Ghost Demon Lord, Jeonmo—
These three were revered figures respected by both orthodox and unorthodox sects, as well as the neutral sects. For him to speak of them so casually was infuriating.
The Sword Spirit felt frustrated in his own way.
“Sigh… I only answered what you asked. I don’t understand why you’re angry. In any case, I won’t talk about my grandparents anymore, so please don’t ask about them.”
Since no one believed him anyway, he saw no reason to continue.
“I’ve heard your story. Now, let’s get back to the matter of this conspiracy.”
“I’ll pass on that too. Judging from your expressions, I feel like I’ve become the Golden Ape of the Gokmadan.”
From his perspective, it made no difference whether he spoke or not.
Naeng Yeoseol turned to Jeok Hwamyung.
“Do you have any urgent matters to attend to?”
“Nothing urgent.”
“I see. I know it might be burdensome, but I’d like you to guide Young Hero Sword Spirit for the time being.”
As a senior martial artist, she hoped Jeok Hwamyung would look after and guide him properly.
“Me?”
Jeok Hwamyung also thought it was a good idea. If left alone, this kid might end up dead in a ditch somewhere.
“I plan to travel alone. Why should I travel with someone who doesn’t believe me? I can take care of myself.”
The Sword Spirit saw no reason to travel with Jeok Hwamyung either.
It wasn’t as if he needed money. He had plenty after raiding the Heukho Sect, Wangak Bandits, Bulsan Bandits, and Jujang Bandits.
“That’s not it. You have a connection to our Aseol, so I’d like you to keep an eye on him for her sake.”
He was about to refuse, but then saw Jin Aseol nodding with a worried look on her young face.
He could read her feelings clearly.
‘Fine. I can just leave later anyway.’
So he said,
“For the time being.”
He left room for interpretation. Even spending one day together counted as “for the time being.”
“Well, this feels like being forced to bow after lying down…”
Jeok Hwamyung was exasperated, but he couldn’t refuse Naeng Yeoseol’s request.
“I’m being forced here. I’m the one suffering.”
The three were worried about him, but from his perspective, he was the one losing out.
“Alright. Thank you for agreeing.”
“Don’t mention it.”
They all shook their heads at his tone and expression.
“Then why don’t we all travel together for now?”
“Together?”
“I’ve been thinking. Rather than returning to the sect right away, it might be good to travel with Aseol and let her see and experience more of the world.”
“I’m fine with that…”
She trailed off and looked at the Sword Spirit.
“I’m okay with traveling with Aseol.”
With her around, at least he wouldn’t be bored. The four of them decided to travel together for the time being.
‘If it were just the two of us, I might have left. But with four, there’s no need to rush. And besides, people will believe their words more than mine anyway.’
✦✦✦
Rumors of demonic arts appearing were spreading across the Central Plains through the Beggar’s Sect and the Hao Clan.
The news quickly reached Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Fujian—regions near Guangdong—causing the martial world to stir.
Thirty years ago, demonic practitioners had brought devastation to the Central Plains. The martial world could not afford to take the matter lightly.
The city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, located upstream of the Yangtze River, was a major transportation hub where countless goods passed through on their way to or from Sichuan and Anhui.
Wuhan, considered the heart of the Central Plains, was home to several famous landmarks, chief among them—the Martial Alliance (Murim Meng).
The Martial Alliance was a coalition of orthodox sects, including the Nine Great Sects led by Shaolin and Wudang, the Five Great Noble Clans (such as Namgung and Tang), and over fifty affiliated sects. Along with the Unorthodox Demonic Alliance, it was one of the two great powers in the martial world.
Neutral sects existed as well, but their presence was relatively minor compared to the two giants.
It was in this Martial Alliance that news from Guangdong caused a commotion.
The Murim Council chamber, located inside the Alliance headquarters, was the decision-making hall where key leaders of orthodox martial arts gathered to discuss and resolve pressing matters.
In the hall, many people were seated on either side of a long central table. At the head of the room sat one man.
He was Seo Jamyeong, the current Alliance Leader—known as the Iron-Defeating Sword (Cheolpaegeom).
With a broad forehead, thick eyebrows, a high nose, full lips, and a sharply defined jawline, he exuded strength.
“The first appearance of demonic arts was in Xiangxiang, a small fishing village in Guangdong.”
Standing at the entrance of the council hall was a man dressed in ragged clothes. It was Yong Chwiseon, the Chief of the Beggar’s Sect.
Despite his appearance, Yong Chwiseon was one of the top hundred martial experts in the land. His “Eight Immortal-Stealing Steps” and “Thirty-Six Immortal-Stealing Staff Techniques” were so renowned that few dared to face him.
“The Black Tiger Gang, a group of back-alley thugs, was wiped out overnight. All showed traces of having been killed by Internal Qi Techniques.”
“All of them? By internal techniques?”
Seo Jamyeong asked. Though he was the Alliance Leader, he was humble before elders and kind to juniors.
“Yes.”
“They may have been thugs, but if they were killed by internal techniques, the attacker must be at least of peak expert level.”
Those present nodded and murmured among themselves.
“That’s what I believe. Even if they were untrained brawlers, it wouldn’t be easy for even a first-rate expert to kill so many with internal techniques alone. The culprit must be someone capable of freely manipulating their inner energy—a peak-level master at the very least.”
“A demonic cultivator of peak level…”
It was not a matter to take lightly.
“The second incident happened not far from Xiangxiang, at Wangak Mountain, home of the Wangak Bandits.”
Yong Chwiseon relayed the intelligence gathered from various Beggar’s Sect branches.
“The third incident occurred at Bulsan Wall Fortress, one of the twenty-four Green Forest bandit strongholds near Guangzhou. Unlike before, this time there were visible wounds.”
“Wounds?”
“Yes. We tried to deduce what martial art was used from the wounds, but failed.”
“Why? Was it a technique you’d never seen before?”
Seo Jamyeong asked.
“No. It’s just that it couldn’t be called a technique at all. The victims were hacked to death wildly and indiscriminately.”
At the word “wildly,” everyone narrowed their eyes.
“Then the culprit must be someone whose demonic energy has penetrated their very marrow.”
“That’s likely. While investigating Bulsan Wall Fortress, we also found reports from people who were boating on the Zhu River in Guangzhou…”
Yong Chwiseon’s briefing continued for some time, but no one grew bored or distracted.
“Thank you for your report.”
He bowed lightly and returned to his seat.
“We all remember clearly the Blood Calamity that happened thirty years ago.”
Everyone present had lived through that disaster. Just recalling it made their bodies tremble.
“In order to never experience such a thing again, we have been grinding our teeth and working tirelessly for decades.”
Seo Jamyeong’s words carried weight. Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Tracking the traces of these demonic practitioners isn’t just the responsibility of the Beggar’s Sect or the Flying Wing Corps. It’s everyone’s duty.”
The Flying Wing Corps was the intelligence organization of the Martial Alliance, responsible for collecting and analyzing information from across the land. It was indispensable.
“Send word to every sect about the appearance of demonic cultivators and request their cooperation. Coordinate with each branch as well.”
“Yes, sir!”
“And the Alliance’s combat units—White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Azure Dragon—must be ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice. Unit leaders, prepare and train your forces.”
“Yes!”
The four bowed.
“If one demonic cultivator has appeared, that means two or three more may follow. Spread this news quickly throughout the martial world and seek cooperation from the unorthodox and neutral sects as well.”
Though the orthodox and unorthodox sects often clashed, they would unite in the face of a common enemy.
“They probably already know and are making their own preparations.”
Yong Chwiseon added.
“Indeed. Chief Yong, I ask you to visit the Demonic Alliance and discuss the matter in more detail.”
“I will, Alliance Leader!”
