Chapter 261: My Murim Is Not Far Away
Chapter 261: My Murim Is Not Far Away
The carriage was unlike any I had ridden before.
It was a specialized vessel used by the Heavenly Demon Hall Guard, constructed from materials that were both lightweight and incredibly sturdy. Built to withstand significant external impact, it was drawn by powerful, high-endurance horses and even came equipped with horse armor to be fitted in case of an emergency.
While the daytime shift escorted the carriage on horseback, Jeok-yeon joined me inside to explain the details of their duty.
"The nighttime shift is riding in the carriage following us. They take turns resting and will switch duties with us in the evening."
In truth, I didn't need a nighttime escort any more than I needed a daytime one. Even while I slept, the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art would alert me the moment anyone approached.
Nevertheless, I let them proceed as they wished. Hwi’s desire was for them to become exceptional escort warriors, and what they needed most for that was experience.
Of course, there were things I had to do to accelerate that process.
"Stop the carriage for a moment."
At my word, Jeok-yeon signaled the subordinate on the driver's seat to pull over.
I had the nighttime shift's carriage join us and gathered everyone before me. Then, I walked toward the exterior of my carriage. Originally, the symbol of the Heavenly Demon Hall had been engraved on the frame, but it was currently covered by a shroud.
Riiiiiip!
I tore away the covering with a sharp tug, revealing the terrifying visage of a demon.
"From now on, we will not travel in disguise. All of you, change into the official uniforms of the Heavenly Demon Hall Guard."
The guards were currently dressed in ordinary martial robes.
Jeok-yeon spoke up, looking surprised. "According to regulations, we cannot do that, Young Cult Leader."
"We make our own regulations. Do as I command."
A flash of conflict crossed Jeok-yeon’s eyes as he looked at me, but his hesitation didn't last long. By the mere act of escorting me, they had already strayed far beyond the boundaries of existing tradition.
He ordered his subordinates to change.
Soon, Jeok-yeon and all the guards were dressed in their new attire. The official uniform of the Heavenly Demon Hall Guard was simple yet striking. A shield was embroidered on the left chest of the black martial robes, and within it sat the demon that symbolized the Heavenly Demon Hall. Furthermore, the black masks they wore were embroidered with the character for 'Demon' (魔) in a powerful script. That was all it took to change their presence entirely.
Once they donned their official uniforms, their entire aura shifted.
I looked at each of them in turn and spoke. "You look impressive. Out of all the various uniforms in our Cult, I think yours is the finest."
At my praise, they exchanged small smiles and looked at one another.
"I know that moving like this will make things much harder for you. It will be more dangerous, and unexpected variables will arise. If you were ordinary escorts, I wouldn't have bothered. But you are the people who will escort the Heavenly Demon in the future."
At the mention of the 'Heavenly Demon,' their eyes sharpened with intensity.
"When my father moves officially, has he ever hidden his identity? That is why we are doing this. You are to gain experience and practice starting now. You are openly escorting the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"Understood! We will protect you with our lives!"
"Please, protect me without giving up your lives. Understood?"
My joke lightened the atmosphere slightly.
Jeok-yeon, sensing that this was the right opportunity since everyone was gathered, informed me of the numbers assigned to each guard.
"During escort operations, we refer to each other as No. 1 through No. 12. We ask that you call us by these numbers as well, Young Cult Leader."
Jeok-yeon was No. 1, and the numbers were assigned based on their experience within the guard unit. The youngest was No. 12. He looked quite youthful; they said he was only eighteen.
I walked up to No. 12. He was far too young to die protecting someone else.
"Does being the youngest mean your seniors bully you?"
"They treat me so well because I'm the youngest that it's actually burdensome, sir!"
I patted the shoulder of the youngest, who had given the perfect answer, and then climbed back into the carriage.
"Let's move!"
The carriage set off once more.
Jeok-yeon could have continued riding inside with me, but he chose to ride a horse alongside the other guards. It seemed he had only entered the carriage earlier to explain the escort duties.
Though he was the leader, he worked as an equal with his subordinates. In fact, he took the initiative to do even more. Perhaps Hwi had valued this quality in Jeok-yeon, which is why he had come to see me personally—because he saw the potential for him to become a great escort warrior.
Our first destination was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Hunan Branch.
Since it would take quite some time to get there by carriage, I settled in for a long journey. It was a good opportunity to train in the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art.
The carriage was so well-made that there was hardly any shaking. I would be able to focus on my technique in comfort. I had only two stages left to master in the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art. My goal for this trip outside the Cult was to advance by at least one stage.
How long had we been traveling?
Jeok-yeon’s voice called out from outside. "We will take a short break."
The carriage came to a halt.
While the horses were being rested, I stepped out of the carriage and sat on a boulder to relax. The guards surrounded me, keeping watch in all directions. They were focused with every fiber of their being, scanning the surroundings.
My honest thoughts?
If you're all spread out like that, how am I supposed to protect you?
"Jeok-yeon."
"Yes, Young Cult Leader."
Jeok-yeon, who had been guarding the front, approached me.
"Show me the martial arts you've learned."
Jeok-yeon looked startled by my request. He quickly realized that I intended to review his techniques.
"Opportunities like this don't come often, so hurry up!"
"Yes, Young Cult Leader!"
Duty was duty, but he wasn't foolish enough to let an opportunity like this slip by.
"The martial art I have mastered is the Secret Shadow Sword Technique."
After identifying his sword style, he began to perform the forms. Normally, it was common courtesy not to watch another person's private martial arts, so the other guards turned their backs.
Once Jeok-yeon finished performing all the forms of the Secret Shadow Sword Technique, I spoke.
"It is a fine sword style."
I corrected his bad habits and posture and advised him on how to train in the future. I didn't overwhelm him with details. I pointed out the single most important thing—just one.
"Thank you!"
Jeok-yeon expressed his gratitude with a face full of emotion, while the other guards couldn't hide their envy.
"There's no need to be so jealous. No. 2, step forward!"
When I indicated I would review everyone's martial arts, No. 2 spoke up hesitantly.
"You are busy, sir. You can look at ours later."
"You're the ones who are busy."
"Pardon?"
"The Branch Leader can wait. It's just a courtesy visit, after all. But your martial arts need to be improved as quickly as possible. If a blade of sword qi flew at your back right now, could you block it? So, come on. Show me your martial arts!"
Without wasting any more time, No. 2 performed his techniques. Just as I had done for Jeok-yeon, I pointed out the essential corrections and the direction for his future training.
I went through the rest of the guards one by one. It didn't take long. One look was all I needed to see the answer.
I could feel their excitement. This was high-level instruction unlike anything they had ever heard before. Since they still had so much to learn, it was only a slight exaggeration to say they grew stronger with every word I spoke.
"Thank you. We will strive to improve even further from now on."
I was teaching them this so they wouldn't die this time.
That night, I pointed out the same kinds of corrections for the warriors of the nighttime shift.
*
On the third day after leaving the Cult.
Rumble!
Thunder crashed, and rain began to pour. It came down so hard that it was impossible to drive the carriage.
"We'll have to stop for a while."
Jeok-yeon parked the carriage under a massive tree. The guards stood around the carriage, getting drenched in the rain.
"Don't stand out there looking miserable in the rain. Everyone, get inside the carriage."
"We are fine, sir."
"It's an order."
Jeok-yeon tried to resist, but in the end, he couldn't win against my will and stepped inside.
Six people entered, but since it was a large carriage, they were all able to sit facing each other. I handed them something to dry themselves with and spoke.
"There's no need to feel awkward. Don't mind me; just watch the rain outside."
I heated the water in the kettle using Samadhi True Fire and made warm tea for them. Their eyes went wide at the sight.
"Thank you for the tea!"
They were still stiff and found it difficult to be around me. Even when they looked out the window, every single one of them stared out the window on the opposite side from me.
We watched the falling rain in silence.
Shhhhhhh!
Sitting huddled together like this, sipping tea and watching the rain, had its own kind of charm. After dealing with the elderly Demon Lords, being with these young fellows felt refreshing.
Jeok-yeon spoke cautiously. "We are supposed to be protecting you, Young Cult Leader, but for some reason, it feels like we are the ones being protected."
I gave a thin smile and asked Jeok-yeon, "With the skill required to enter the Heavenly Demon Hall Guard, you could have joined any other organization. Why did you apply to be an escort warrior?"
He answered without hesitation. "I've wanted to be an escort warrior since I was a child. They looked impressive to me. I thought there was honor in protecting someone."
"Do you still feel the same way?"
Jeok-yeon’s answer didn't come as quickly as the first time. "...I still feel the same."
I wondered if he might be regretting it because of the pain in his eyes. It was already a difficult job, and the exhaustion in his gaze was palpable.
Then, my eyes met No. 3's. He had the gentlest impression among the daytime shift.
"And you?"
"I thought I had more of a talent for protecting than for killing."
"What is a talent for protecting?"
"I don't find protecting someone boring. I think it's because I have an introverted personality."
Then, No. 9 chimed in even though I hadn't asked him.
"I judged that escort duty was relatively safe. I want to live a long life."
His comrades all smiled, as if they had heard this before. I got the impression that he enjoyed making his teammates laugh and playing the joker.
In any case, these were words I would never hear from Hwi. He lived in an era of total devotion, and he still lived that way. But these young warriors were certainly different from their seniors. Of course, that didn't mean I thought they lacked a sense of duty compared to Hwi. Nor did I think Hwi was old-fashioned compared to their rational and individualistic attitudes. I simply felt that the times were changing.
As I sat there lost in thought, the heavy rain began to subside.
Jeok-yeon spoke as if he had been waiting for this moment. "We shall depart now."
Before they could step out, I asked, "Is anyone here from Hunan Province?"
They looked bewildered by the sudden question.
"No one?"
Then No. 3, who had said he was suited for protecting, stepped forward.
"My hometown is here in Hunan."
"Are your parents still there?"
"Yes, my mother lives alone."
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"I believe it has been about three years."
"Let's stop by."
No. 3 was shocked. "No, it's fine. I'm on duty; I can't do that."
"It's fine if we're a few days late. Why would the Hunan Branch Leader be so desperate to see me? But think of how much your mother must miss you. It would be rude to come all this way and just pass by. This isn't a request, it's an order. Let's go!"
And so, the carriage began to roll toward No. 3's hometown.
I know well that every corner of this Central Plains is filled with all sorts of people and all sorts of events. I know the depths of conspiracies, schemes, and just how far a human can fall or how cruel they can be. I know how many martial artists lose their way in that mountain of blades and forest of swords.
My Murim is not far away. Jo Chun-bae of the Pungryu Tavern is my Murim, and the home of No. 3, who escorts me, is my Murim. This is exactly how I avoid losing my way in the martial world.
As if the rain had never fallen, the carriage continued to race under a clear, bright sky.
*
The carriage slowed down as it neared the village. I pulled back the curtain and looked out to see a wrecked carriage overturned by the side of the road. There were bloodstains scattered on the ground and signs of a fierce struggle.
Jeok-yeon’s voice drifted in. "I will go find out what happened."
No. 2 went and asked a nearby resident about the incident.
"They say a shipment from the Hunan First Escort Agency was ambushed and stolen a few days ago. Several escort leaders, escort warriors, and workers were killed in the process."
"Isn't the Hunan First Escort Agency the largest escort agency in this region?"
"That is correct."
Usually, people didn't dare touch the shipments of the largest escort agency in a region. A place like the Hunan First Escort Agency would have deep ties with various sects in the Murim; touching them would invite swift retaliation.
Something unusual was happening—something that didn't occur under normal circumstances. Of course, it wasn't something for us to get involved in, so I spoke to Jeok-yeon immediately.
"Alright, let's pick up the pace."
"Yes, sir!"
The carriage began to move even faster.
*
The carriage arrived at No. 3's home village.
"It's over there."
No. 3 pointed toward a small inn. It was the Dohyeon Inn, named after him. I had heard on the way that it was an inn he had set up for his mother with the money he earned after joining the Cult.
"It was my mother's dream to run an inn."
Even among demonic cultists, there were bound to be filial sons.
We stopped the carriage in front of the inn. When we stepped inside, there were no customers and no owner. No. 3, alarmed, called out for his mother.
"Mother!"
But there was no answer. Since it was rare for an inn to close its doors, worry flickered across No. 3's face. I went into the kitchen and checked the stove for signs of a fire.
"This kitchen was used for business as recently as yesterday. So don't worry."
Just then, a clever-looking child walked into the inn.
"We're not open today. The owner lady and the cook are at Pungsu Villa."
The child introduced himself, saying he worked as a waiter whenever they were busy. I asked the boy kindly, "Do you know why they went there?"
"This morning, warriors from Pungsu Villa came and took them, saying they needed them to cook food."
If that was why they had closed, it was actually a relief. When a Murim sect needed cooks, they often mobilized people from local inns like this.
"Where is Pungsu Villa?"
"It's at the end of the road to the west."
"Thank you."
I pressed a coin into the child's hand. He gave a happy greeting and left.
This time, I turned to No. 3. "Do you know anything about Pungsu Villa?"
"I don't know much. I left home at a young age to train in martial arts, so I only see my mother once every two or three years."
He hung his head low, but no one would think he had done anything wrong. Even in the midst of his busy life, the fact that he came to see his mother every few years without fail made him the most filial of sons.
"Young Cult Leader, please wait here for a moment. I will clean a guest room for you first."
No. 3 acted calm, as if it were nothing, but how could I not know what he was feeling? He probably wanted to run there this very instant to see his mother. He was likely worried since a Murim sect had taken her.
I stood up and spoke.
"We can't have us young people lounging around while your mother is working, can we? We should go help and bring her back early."
At my unexpected words, No. 3 waved his hands in protest, saying it was fine, but I climbed into the carriage anyway. All the guards mounted their horses, and No. 3 followed suit. Even as he protested, a joy he couldn't hide flickered across his face.
"Let's go, to Pungsu Villa!"
The carriage began to race toward Pungsu Villa.