Chapter 562: This Venerable One (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 562: This Venerable One (3)
Shortly before the incident.
I was mid-yawn inside the prison cell where I’d been tossed.
Perhaps it was because I hadn't slept a wink, but I was feeling incredibly drowsy. Seeing me like this, Gu Ryunghwa, who was sitting beside me, spoke up as if to chide me.
“You can actually yawn in a situation like this, Oppa…?”
“It’s a natural bodily function. I can’t exactly hold it in.”
Besides, it wasn’t like there was anyone here we needed to impress. If I had my way, I’d just go to sleep, but it was a shame I couldn't.
Gu Ryunghwa, on the other hand, looked completely intimidated, as if she couldn’t wrap her head around the situation.
“Why the long face?” I asked. “Cheer up a bit.”
“Does it look like I can?”
“I don’t think it’s a situation worth getting this worked up over.”
We were just in a prison cell. I wondered if it was really something to be so stressed about, but then again...
‘I guess it makes sense.’
From Gu Ryunghwa’s perspective, it was understandable. I had a history of visiting prisons as if they were my own home, but Gu Ryunghwa had joined the Mount Hua Sect and lived her life treated as a member of a prestigious Orthodox clan. A situation like this had to be completely alien to her.
‘The fact that I’m used to it is what’s actually strange.’
As I chuckled at the amusing thought, Gu Ryunghwa’s expression grew even more bizarre.
“Oppa… you were like this last time, too, but I think there’s something a little off about you.”
“I’ve always been off.”
“Well, that’s true, but—”
“What, you punk?”
Gu Ryunghwa had agreed with my joke with uncanny speed. Unbelievable. Seriously.
“And you think you’re so normal?”
“What? I am normal!”
“Don’t make me laugh. Little sister, do you want to know something?”
“…What is it…?”
“Among those with the Gu surname, there isn’t a single sane person.”
“...”
Even Gu Ryunghwa couldn’t seem to refute my words, merely pursing her lips. Seeing that, I added one more thing.
“Except for me, of course.”
“Hey…!”
Just as Gu Ryunghwa was about to flare up at my smirking remark—
“Haha.”
The guy who had been listening quietly beside us let out a laugh. It was Yung Pung, who had been dragged here as well. When all eyes turned to him, Yung Pung looked flustered.
“Ah… my apologies. You two just seem to get along so well, I couldn’t help it….”
“This looks like we get along? How?”
“Junior Yung Pung, is your eyesight that bad?”
Despite their barrage of annoyed comments, Yung Pung just smiled. The one saving grace was that, unlike Gu Ryunghwa, he didn’t seem particularly bothered by our incarceration.
“Unlike this ugly one here, you seem quite composed, Taoist.”
Gu Ryunghwa shrieked, “Ugly one!?” but I did my best to ignore her.
Hearing my question, Yung Pung blinked his large eyes and said calmly, “I may appear so on the outside, but I am also very worried.”
He didn’t look it, but if Yung Pung said so, I suppose it was true. I gave a slight nod and asked something else.
“Is your jaw alright?”
“Ah.”
The jaw I had struck before. Yung Pung gave an awkward laugh.
“It’s fine. You went easy on me, after all.”
I did hit him lightly—just enough to knock him out. If I’d hit him any harder, I might have fractured the bone, so I’d had to carefully control my strength.
“If anything…” Yung Pung’s gaze turned to me. “It is I who should be apologizing.”
He was referring to the time he had stubbornly demanded I return the treasure.
“Yes, well. I’m not holding a grudge.”
I hadn’t been paying it much mind. Or rather, I didn’t think it was entirely Yung Pung’s fault.
‘Something was strange about it.’
The jealousy and fervor in his eyes back then were too intense to be his alone. Those eyes, steeped in that energy, couldn’t have been driven solely by Yung Pung’s own emotions.
“Taoist, I’m just asking on the off chance, but…”
“Yes?”
“Do you, by any chance, hear an old man’s voice in your head… or anything like that?”
“…Pardon?”
At my question, Yung Pung made a strange face—the face of someone wondering what kind of nonsense I was spouting.
“No.”
Seeing that, I retracted the question. It seemed Yung Pung couldn’t hear it. If I pressed further, I’d clearly be treated like a madman, so I decided to keep my mouth shut for now.
Clank.
When I moved my hands, an irritating sensation brushed against my wrists. I looked down. Iron shackles bound both my arms. I clicked my tongue inwardly.
‘They even used the expensive ones.’
These were shackles designed to restrain a martial artist at or above the Peak Realm. Just by feeling their weight, I could tell it wasn't ordinary iron. Was it mixed with Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Steel? As if sealing my acupoints wasn’t enough, they even put me in chains like these.
“Needlessly thorough.”
It was an excellent way to treat a criminal, but…
‘They’re treating me too much like a criminal.’
Nothing had even been confirmed yet, and I was getting this kind of treatment. Of course…
‘It’s true that I did it.’
I was indeed the one who caused the earlier incident. I just hadn't been caught. And what’s more…
‘I have no intention of getting caught, either.’
I leaned my back against the wall. How far should I take this? How much chaos should I cause? Where was the appropriate line? I pondered endlessly. I needed to find the line where I could achieve my goals while still being able to bear the consequences.
Just then, Gu Ryunghwa muttered, her voice thick with worry for the Sword Queen.
“Master will be alright, won’t she…?”
Her voice stopped my train of thought. The Sword Queen. There was a reason she wasn’t in the cell with us.
‘Woobaek must have called for her separately.’
As the elder, Woobaek would have summoned the Sword Queen, who was in a position of responsibility, to talk. Woobaek must also know that his current handling of the situation was poor. He would be trying to reach an agreement with her.
‘They probably think someone framed me.’
They would assume someone committed the crime and acted to pin the blame on me. Even if they wished otherwise, if they had eyes, that was the only logical conclusion.
However…
‘Even knowing that, they’ll try to share the blame.’
Even if I was framed, the current Wudang Sect—no, Woobaek—would try to prove that our side was also at fault.
“Having the item stolen was our fault, but you are not without sin either.”
“It’s not our fault alone.”
“Didn’t the item we thought was lost turn up in this man’s room? What if he’s also connected to the culprit?”
They would have to prove that our side had a problem, one way or another. Only then would it be easier for them to protect their own positions.
‘In any case, it’s irritating just thinking about it.’
Seeing this state of affairs firsthand, I could finally understand Woo Hyuk’s reactions in my past life. Whenever the Wudang Sect was mentioned, his reluctance was palpable. He wore the Wudang uniform, but he clearly didn’t want to live that life.
‘No wonder he only ever ate meat.’
Perhaps even that was a form of rebellion.
‘This should be… enough.’
I’ve observed long enough. It had been two days since I arrived at Wudang. In that time, I’d checked a few things. Nothing special—I just observed the Wudang Sect itself. I looked around, wondering if it might be different from the Wudang I knew in my past life, and I came to one conclusion.
I was wrong. The Wudang Sect was even more rotten than the one I remembered. Of course, I could be mistaken, but that’s how it looked to my eyes. And it was more than enough for me to make my judgment.
This is enough.
With that thought, I slowly got to my feet.
Srrk—
As I abruptly stood up, Yung Pung and Gu Ryunghwa stared at me with puzzled expressions.
“The Sword Queen will be fine,” I told them.
There wouldn’t be any problems.
“Nothing bad is going to happen.”
Because I’ll make sure of it.
“Oppa…?”
“Young Master Gu? What are you suddenly saying…?”
Leaving the two of them confused, I approached the iron bars of the cell. A Wudang martial artist guarding the cell looked over with sharp eyes.
“What is it—?”
“Did you bring the clothes?”
“Hm?”
As I brought up something nonsensical out of the blue, the martial artist’s face twisted in confusion.
“What is this sudden nonsense? What clothes?”
“Tell Tang Duk to get ready, too. It’s about to start.”
“What the—!”
Thud.
“Gahk…!?”
The martial artist in front of me suddenly collapsed as if he’d been struck. That wasn’t all. One by one, the others began to fall. Before long, all the martial artists guarding the prison had collapsed. Even Gu Ryunghwa and Yung Pung behind me had lost consciousness at some point.
Seeing this, I held out my hand.
“You’ve gotten faster.”
As I spoke in wonder, a white hand suddenly appeared before me. It didn't just appear; it was more like she had been there all along, but her presence was so faint that I was only just now perceiving her.
The woman who had appeared used a key to unlock the shackles on my wrists.
Clang—!
The shackles fell to the floor with a loud noise, but no one came running. She must have already taken care of everyone.
“Did you kill them all?” I asked.
“As you commanded, I did not kill a single person,” the woman replied.
That was a relief. Only one person needed to die here. Any more would be pointless slaughter.
As she spoke, she knelt. Then, she took something from her robes and handed it to me: a black uniform and a white mask. I took them and immediately changed. Once I had it on, I saw the uniform was a bit too large for my frame.
But that wasn't a problem.
Crrrack—!
My joints twisted as my body gradually grew larger. It took only a few seconds for my physique to match the uniform. As I calmly adjusted my clothes, the woman spoke to me.
“Master, a message has arrived from the Hwangbo Clan.”
“What is it?”
“They say the Shaolin have made contact and wish for you to decide on a course of action.”
“Hah. Already?”
Faster than I expected. It was always the case—those bald monks were quick to act.
“Send that Jiseon fellow. He’ll know what to do.”
“I will relay the message.”
Hearing the woman’s reply, I put on the mask. Immediately after, I turned around.
“...”
There, I saw Seong Yul pressed against the wall, his eyes wide. He seemed quite shocked.
“You said you were curious what I planned to do with you.”
“...”
Why I was dragging him around. Seong Yul, who had asked what it was all for.
“Then wait and see. This will be my answer.”
Creeak—!
I stepped past the opening cell door, naturally clasping my hands behind my back. I puffed out my chest and stood as straight as possible.
“Do I not need to release your acupoints?” the woman asked.
“No need. They were never sealed in the first place.”
“Understood.”
With each step I took, I erased my presence. By the third step, those around me could no longer perceive me. At that point, I leaped lightly into the air.
Very high.
When I reached a certain altitude, I spoke to the woman.
“Release it now.”
“Yes.”
Snap—!
At my command, the woman snapped her fingers.
Fwoooosh—!
A barrier that had been concealing the sky vanished, revealing a colossal body. Ttolddoli was floating in the air, grown to its maximum size. On top of it stood a giant holding a spear. The giant, Tang Duk, saw me approaching and immediately launched himself downwards.
It was all part of the plan. Not long after that—
KUUUUUUUUUUNG—!!
A tremendous sound erupted from below. After a quick glance down, I drew up the Demonic Qi within my body.
FWOOOOSH—!
The Demonic Qi surged through my meridians, starting from my heart and filling my entire body. The energy even affected my eyes. My heated body naturally began to radiate warmth.
“Black Heaven.”
The moment I spoke, an immense amount of Demonic Qi erupted from my body. It didn't spread out in all directions, but shot straight up into the sky. The soaring Demonic Qi consumed the heavens. The remaining Qi fell downwards, creating a small but distinct domain.
Within this space, midday turned to night. A space with no moon or stars, filled only with a void of darkness. After confirming the created space, I began to slowly descend.
I emitted a gentle heat to slow my descent, creating a contrast with Tang Duk, who had plummeted like a falling stone. I could feel their gazes. I could feel everyone watching me. The fear of seeing an unknown being was palpable.
It didn’t matter. In fact, I welcomed it. This was the exact reaction I had intended to create, so I might as well enjoy it.
I raised my hand.
Hwoook.
My internal energy gathered in my palm, converging at my fingertips. The vicious energy was as wild as its master, but I liked this sharp energy. When compressed over and over, it was bound to become intensely powerful. I twisted the flow as if clenching it into a fist, forming a single sphere. It spun so fast that it felt like it would explode if I lost control for even a moment.
But I held on. I had to. This was the most important moment.
Fwoooosh—!
Light seeped into the swiftly rotating orb—a peculiar hue, a mix of blue and violet. This was not the Flaming Sphere I usually used. If I had intended to use something so simple, I wouldn’t have used this much internal energy.
‘Fire Wheel Star.’
An unknown territory that cannot be reached with mere flames. A secret art that I had only just managed to grasp enough to use. I gently lifted the newly created sphere and sent it into the air.
And then—
Paaaaaaaaaaaa—!!
The soaring sphere momentarily burst with intense light, illuminating the surroundings. I had cast darkness upon the sky to create a canvas, and upon that, I placed a sun. More than half of my internal energy was gone, but it didn’t matter.
Thud.
My toes touched the ground. Amidst the countless gazes, I looked straight ahead. There, the Wudang elder, Woobaek, was staring at me with a distorted expression.
A welcome sight. It was proof that the situation was unfolding perfectly. I’m glad I’m wearing a mask; thanks to it, they won’t see my smile.
I looked at Woobaek and delivered my prepared line.
“It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Words I had hated to hear, hated to even think about.
“This Venerable One…”
Now, I was the one who had to say them.
“Is the Heavenly Demon.”
It was the beginning of a shitty play.