Chapter 321: The Main Cult Does Not Permit It
Chapter 321: The Main Cult Does Not Permit It
I waited in a remote, secluded forest for the Eun-wol operative Go Wol had sent.
Once the Pungcheon Cult Leader and I moved with purpose, no one was capable of monitoring us. Unless the Illusion King himself took action, one would need the stealth and lightness skills of someone like Uncle Hwi—my father’s personal bodyguard—to track our movements. But where would one find such a person so easily?
“If Elder Seong is as loyal as you say, he would have had no choice but to step down from his position,” I said.
“You think his disciple pressured him into leaving?”
“It’s highly likely. He might have desperately opposed the idea of unifying the Outer Lands.”
And now, he was missing.
“Do you think So Baek-ta killed Elder Seong?” the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked.
I answered honestly. “It is a possibility.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s gaze turned cold and heavy. “If he did… I will not forgive him.”
I remained silent. This was a matter between the Pungcheon Cult Leader and his disciple; it rested entirely on his will.
Just then, a man arrived at our location.
Introducing himself as Hwang, he identified himself as Eun-wol’s manager for the North Sea branch. Even from his gait alone, I could tell his martial arts and lightness skills were extraordinary.
Despite that, he looked utterly ordinary. This was a hallmark of the martial artists active in Eun-wol—people so plain they would never stand out in a crowd.
“I have looked into what you requested. The information Elder Seong asked us to investigate concerned a certain iron workshop.”
“Where is it?”
The answer was unexpected.
“It is the Sinung Iron Workshop.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader tilted his head in confusion. “Sinung Iron Workshop? There was such a place?”
Even the Pungcheon Cult Leader was unaware of this workshop’s existence in the Outer Lands.
“It hasn’t been established for very long, and its scale isn’t large, so it’s natural you wouldn’t know of it,” Hwang explained.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader nodded. He likely assumed that since he didn't know it, I wouldn't either, but I was well aware of the Sinung Iron Workshop.
In my life before regression, it was known by another name: The Central Plains' Foremost Iron Workshop.
During the era when Hwa Mu-gi and the Twelve Zodiac Kings seized control of the Murim, the Sinung Iron Workshop was the most famous workshop in the Central Plains. It commanded hundreds of regional branches across the land and supplied weaponry to most of the major sects. It was truly the pinnacle of its craft, and they had amassed staggering wealth through the arms trade.
So, the Sinung Iron Workshop started here!
I had previously thought the Sinung Iron Workshop had no connection to Hwa Mu-gi or the Twelve Zodiac Kings. But seeing them appear in this situation, it was clear they were also connected to that faction.
“How unexpected. I thought Elder Seong would be looking into the Hwayang Sect or the Black Sand Guild,” the Pungcheon Cult Leader remarked.
In terms of sheer power, the Pungcheon Cult was the equivalent of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Hwayang Sect was the Murim Alliance, and the Black Sand Guild was the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Therefore, So Baek-ta’s declaration to unify the Outer Lands meant he intended to strike and subjugate both the Hwayang Sect and the Black Sand Guild.
It was only natural to expect investigations into those groups, so the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s confusion at hearing about an obscure iron workshop was justified.
“Do you happen to know why he requested an investigation into the Sinung Iron Workshop?” the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked, just in case.
The answer was as expected.
“We do not know the reason. Here is the information he took with him.”
“Thank you.”
Hwang departed immediately.
Standing there with the Pungcheon Cult Leader, we shared and read the documents regarding the Sinung Iron Workshop. The information was comprehensive. It included personal profiles of the Guild Master and the employees, detailed records of how many weapons they produced, which sects they supplied, and in what quantities. There was even a layout of the buildings.
“My disciple’s attempt to start a war is definitely related to this Sinung Iron Workshop. Elder Seong must have realized that and commissioned Eun-wol to investigate.”
“I agree. Elder Seong rushed out after seeing this data. There must be something specific here that caught his eye.”
As he read the documents, the Pungcheon Cult Leader shook his head. “I’ve always hated numbers.”
A significant portion of the data was related to figures—production amounts, earnings, and expenditures.
That was when I spotted something strange.
“Look at this. This is the amount of iron they purchased last year. It’s ten times more than the year before.”
“You’re right.”
“And here is the volume of weapons they sold last year.”
“They didn't sell nearly enough weapons compared to the iron they bought. The discrepancy is too large.”
“And yet, they purchased even more iron this year. They should have plenty of stock left over.”
“It is certainly suspicious.”
We nodded at each other and immediately set off toward the Sinung Iron Workshop.
*
Before visiting the workshop, we bought bamboo hats with veils to hide our faces. We decided to visit as customers.
“The scale is larger than I expected,” the Pungcheon Cult Leader noted.
“According to the data, they bought the land near the workshop last year to expand.”
Numerous carts loaded with cargo were coming and going, and the sounds of hammering metal and bellows echoed from all directions.
A guide greeted us. “How can I help you?”
“I’ve come to buy a sword.”
“We have many varieties.”
“I want one of the highest quality.”
“Follow me, please.”
The man led us inside. As we walked behind him, I scanned our surroundings. The advantage of coming as a customer was the ability to observe the place openly.
In every building, muscular men with bare chests were frantically busy forging weapons. At a glance, nothing seemed suspicious. It appeared to be a perfectly normal iron workshop.
When we entered the room the man led us to, we found various swords on display.
“Please, feel free to look around.”
After examining the swords, I asked the man, “Do you have anything better than these?”
“We have premium-grade items, but they are quite expensive.”
“Let’s see them.”
“Please wait a moment.”
A short while later, instead of the guide, a muscular young man entered.
“I am Ho-gyeong.”
Ho-gyeong. This man was also in the information provided by Eun-wol. Since the Guild Master rarely showed himself to outsiders, Ho-gyeong was the one who practically ran the workshop. One of the reasons I came as a customer was to meet him.
“You wish to see our premium-grade stock?”
He opened a box he had brought and handed me a sword. I unsheathed it and inspected the blade. While it wasn't a legendary or divine weapon, it was exceptionally well-made for a standard sword.
“I’ll take twelve of these.”
“Twelve?” Ho-gyeong asked, startled.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader beside me also looked at me in surprise.
— You’re not actually going to buy them, are you?
— I am. Since my guards worked hard traveling this far, I might as well buy them each a new sword.
— Buy them with your own money, then!
— Of course.
Since I was potentially a major client, Ho-gyeong asked cautiously, “May I ask where you are from?”
I lightly flicked the veil hanging from my bamboo hat—a gesture indicating I didn't wish to reveal my identity.
“My apologies. Since this is your first transaction with our workshop, I spoke out of turn.”
Being someone who dealt with many martial artists, Ho-gyeong’s speech and behavior were very polite.
“Someone recommended this place to me,” I said.
“Who might that be?”
“Elder Seong of the Pungcheon Cult.”
I watched Ho-gyeong’s expression closely as I mentioned Elder Seong.
“Ah, I see. He is a truly wonderful person.”
He didn't waver in the slightest. My intuition told me that, at the very least, Ho-gyeong had nothing to do with Elder Seong’s disappearance. Is he even missing? It would be a relief if he just went into hiding of his own accord.
“Then I assume you’ll be taking the swords with you directly?”
“Yes.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Ho-gyeong went inside to prepare the swords.
I left the Pungcheon Cult Leader there and quickly slipped outside. Since Eun-wol’s information included the building layout, I moved without hesitation.
I encountered people along the way, but no one noticed me. My Dark Shadow Step, now at the stage of Great Achievement, turned them blind while leading me deep into the workshop.
I navigated between the buildings, alternating between Rapid Speed Step, Dark Shadow Step, and Blink Step.
In the furthest corner stood a massive building. The sound of clanging metal echoed from within. I could sense martial artists hidden around the perimeter. Judging by the ironclad security, it seemed to be where the Guild Master forged his blades. This alone proved it was no ordinary workshop.
Could they detect my Dark Shadow Step at its peak? I didn't put it to the test today, as the Guild Master wasn't my target. I was looking for the iron they had purchased. Such a vast amount of iron had to be stored somewhere, yet I couldn't find it despite searching everywhere.
Did they finish forging everything in secret and ship it out?
But the workshop’s visible scale was too small for that.
Then, I spotted a vacant lot overgrown with weeds. This was the land they had purchased last year, according to Eun-wol’s records. They had bought it right when they were actively plotting something, so why leave it abandoned like this?
I released dozens of strands of Qi simultaneously to scan the area, checking if anyone was hiding there.
That was when I felt something beneath the ground of the vacant lot. At first, I thought it was a hidden person, but it wasn't.
All my Qi focused on that spot.
*
“The swords are ready.”
Ho-gyeong returned, carrying twelve swords neatly packed in a long leather pouch. Only the Pungcheon Cult Leader was in the room.
“Where did the other gentleman go?”
“He said he felt a bit stifled and went out for some fresh air.”
“I shall go and bring him back.”
As Ho-gyeong moved to step outside, the Pungcheon Cult Leader spoke up.
“First, let’s settle the payment for the swords.”
He held him back to buy time, but the Pungcheon Cult Leader was inwardly suspicious.
Don't tell me... did the Young Cult Leader calculate this far? That I’d be the one to stall for time by paying? Yes, that ruthless and greedy brat is more than capable of that. Oh, Go Wol, Go Wol... I’ve come all the way to the Outer Lands only to be fleeced.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader paid the bill. He pulled out the money as slowly as possible, counting it two or even three times to verify.
Even after the payment was settled, Geom Mu-geuk hadn't returned, so Ho-gyeong went outside.
Geom Mu-geuk, who had returned at some point, was stretching in front of the building.
“The swords are all ready,” Ho-gyeong said.
*
Only after we had moved far away from the Sinung Iron Workshop did I tell the Pungcheon Cult Leader the results of my search.
“I found where that iron is.”
“Where was it?”
“There is a secret underground workshop. They are forging weapons there.”
Through my Qi emission, I had discovered a vast underground space beneath the earth, where I could feel constant, minute vibrations and noise.
“The scale was enormous.”
“So they were preparing for war down there,” the Pungcheon Cult Leader remarked.
War required massive amounts of resources. But more important than the resources themselves was ensuring the enemy didn't catch wind of the preparations. So Baek-ta had teamed up with the Sinung Iron Workshop to secretly prepare war materiel. Or more accurately, the Illusion King had likely connected the two.
“There must be a significant stockpile of supplies there.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“I need to meet So Baek-ta.”
The moment to face him one-on-one had finally arrived.
“What are you going to do?”
“By revealing his plan to you, he must have expected that the information would reach me as well. If so, he must have something to say to me. He’s shown one card, so I need to see what else he’s holding.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader wore a meaningful smile. He likely felt that his disciple had finally met his match.
“Oh, and here is the money for the swords. Please take it.”
“Forget it. Consider it a gift from me to the youngsters.”
“Are you going to regret this later?”
“If I want to blame you for this for years to come, I have to be the one who paid.”
I handed him the leather pouch containing the swords.
“Then give them to them yourself. The guards will be thrilled if you’re the one presenting them. I’ll head to the Cult Leader’s Palace.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader took the pouch and said, “While I’m taking the credit, you go and show him the taste of a true new wave.”
*
When I entered the Cult Leader’s Palace to meet So Baek-ta, he was standing before a bronze mirror on the wall, painting patterns on his face.
“Young Cult Leader, please wait a moment.”
So Baek-ta greeted me through his reflection in the mirror.
“Take your time.”
I walked up behind him. I watched as unique lines, unlike anything else in the world, were drawn.
“Our cult has three patterns. The Wind Painting, which symbolizes the cult; the Heavenly Flower, the pattern for when we go to war; and the Wind Burial, which is drawn upon death. The pattern I am drawing now is the Heavenly Flower, for going to war.”
The colors and shapes were indeed intense. I had seen the Cult Emblem on the first day, and now I was seeing the second, the Heavenly Flower.
“What do you think? Would you like to try drawing it?”
“I’ll pass. You must not have heard the rumors about me. I’m a pacifist.”
So Baek-ta looked at me through the mirror with a faint smile. “You must be quite fearful, then.”
“Isn't it usually the fearful who start wars?”
So Baek-ta’s hand flinched for a moment before he resumed painting.
“Be careful of cowards. You never know what they might do.”
I asked him in a calm tone, “You must have known that telling the Cult Leader would mean it reached my ears. Why did you reveal it?”
“Because the Master I remember was not a man who spoke of the cult’s vital affairs to others.”
“Your Master likely felt the same. The disciple he remembers wasn't someone who would commit such an absurdity.”
He laughed at his reflection.
“What is the real reason for this?” I asked.
“I did it to get your permission. After all, if we are to wage war, we need your permission—whether it’s an official grant or a tacit one, don't we? If we just went ahead with it, you might use that as a pretext to strike us. You people are more than capable of that, aren't you?”
Finally, So Baek-ta finished the Heavenly Flower on his face and turned around.
“Grant us permission for our war.”
I could see it in his confident eyes. Even if I didn't grant it, he would start the war anyway.
What made you this excited? What gave you such overflowing confidence? What deluded you into thinking the blades of the Main Cult couldn't pierce through the sandstorms of the Outer Lands?
“Very well. I shall state our official position.”
To see his hand, I had to push back hard. I spoke to him in a cold, authoritative tone.
“The Main Cult does not permit your war.”
An unidentifiable heat flared in So Baek-ta’s eyes. I poured cold water over that heat.
“So, go wash your face and erase all of that.”