The Elder's Inquiry
Mugyeong Gak was exactly as the name suggested—a colossal pavilion situated inside Mount Hua Sect. Yet unlike the other buildings within the sect, its prestige and renown were not confined solely to its internal affairs.
Which also serves as proof that Mugyeong Gakju’s martial prowess is far from ordinary.
Step. Step. I followed Seol Ayeon’s lead, walking the length of the inner courtyard. My thoughts kept spinning until one observation rose to the surface.
Mugyeong Gakju ranks just below the sect leader in terms of seniority, making him an elder. That alone would earn him the respect of every disciple in the sect, but when you factor in pure martial strength, he stands among the very best in Mount Hua.
I gave a slow nod. Honestly, I had no precise way of gauging Mugyeong Gakju’s current realm. There had been no real need to know, and even less time to spare. But now that an audience with him was moments away, curiosity surged through me.
Hmm… If my guess is right, his level should be comparable to Senior Brother’s, or perhaps even higher.
When I considered that Mu Yeong already surpassed most of Mount Hua’s elders in skill, it became clear that Mugyeong Gakju—who stood at the peak even among those elders—was still beyond my ability to accurately estimate. Until now I had never had reason to meet him directly, so my knowledge remained purely speculative.
It was at that moment that Seol Ayeon, who had been walking lightly ahead of me, suddenly stopped.
“We’re here.”
“…This is Mugyeong Gak?”
“Yes. I’ll guide you as far as the door along the corridor.”
“Still, it really is huge.”
I clicked my tongue inwardly. It wasn’t as if this was my first time seeing Mugyeong Gak. I had caught glimpses of its location while moving between the training grounds, other pavilions, and the inner court. Yet stepping into its inner courtyard and facing its true scale for the first time left a fresh impression.
As I stood there marveling, Seol Ayeon let out a small laugh and resumed walking. Well, of course. She must have seen this sight hundreds of times by now… It’s only natural. I felt a touch embarrassed.
Step. Step. We proceeded down the wooden corridor and entered the interior of Mugyeong Gak.
“……”
I looked around with keen interest. The interior had no excessive ornaments; it felt neat rather than ornate. In fact, it was almost too plain, with so much empty space that one might mistakenly think it was deserted.
Watching the scene, I thought, It seems I can easily guess Mugyeong Gakju’s personality from this…
Still, there was no need to dwell on it any further. Knowing that, I simply acknowledged the thought and moved on.
That was when Seol Ayeon spoke again.
“This is the place.”
“Is Mugyeong Gakju inside?”
“He told me to bring you here, so…”
She trailed off in front of a door bearing a clean, elegant nameplate. I gave a single nod, then slowly opened the door.
Creak.
The moment it opened, a slightly musty scent wafted out and brushed against my nose.
“…You’ve come.”
As expected, Mugyeong Gakju was seated inside the room. Stacks of bamboo slips and documents arranged all around him suggested he had been in the middle of work.
Normally one might invite a guest to the open rear garden for tea, but given Mugyeong Gakju’s personality, this isn’t all that surprising.
Dismissing the thought, I answered briefly.
“Yes. You called for me, so I came right away.”
“…Mm. It was rather sudden, calling you without explanation. I apologize.”
“There is no need.”
When I replied that way, Mugyeong Gakju gave a small nod. He then issued a dismissal to Seol Ayeon, who had been waiting outside.
“Ayeon, you may leave now.”
“…Pardon?”
“Under normal circumstances I would have shared a conversation with you as well… but today that seems difficult.”
“…Understood.”
Apparently she hadn’t expected this. Seol Ayeon tilted her head in confusion before finally withdrawing. Swoosh. She closed the door and retreated down the corridor.
I sensed her presence gradually fading into the distance.
“…The discussion I must have with you is rather serious, so I had no choice but to send my daughter away.”
“I see…”
“As you may have already guessed, the reason I called you today is something I have already discussed with the sect leader.”
“Could you explain what that matter is?”
At my question, Mugyeong Gakju nodded immediately. Then he spoke slowly.
“I will be direct.”
“Please.”
“How did you become entangled with the Demonic Cult’s Tuma?”
“……!”
The instant I heard those words, I realized the sect leader and Mugyeong Gakju had learned the truth. The fact that Mugyeong Gakju knew meant the sect leader had almost certainly noticed as well.
I always knew I would have to reveal it someday… but I never expected them to find out this quickly.
I swallowed hard. Sensing my momentary panic, Mugyeong Gakju spoke in a reassuring tone.
“For now, only the sect leader and I know this.”
“……”
“However, it will inevitably spread one day.”
Mugyeong Gakju drove the point home. I let out a short sigh as I listened, then opened my mouth.
“Before I explain my ill-fated connection with Tuma, could you tell me how you learned of the incident?”
“…That is not difficult.”
Mugyeong Gakju, still perfectly composed, continued.
“After you went down to Soyang County, Mu Yeong told us he would stay at the smithy for a while. Because we had almost no trust in that fellow, the sect leader and I headed together to where you were staying.”
As I thought, I shouldn’t have entrusted that carrier pigeon matter to Mu Yeong.
“Yet before we even reached Soyang County, we spotted assassins from the Evil Tyrant Alliance retreating. To understand the full story, we captured one of the fleeing assassins and interrogated him. He spilled everything immediately. It seems your strength had scared his soul out of him—he was babbling incoherently on the spot.”
“……”
“In any case, after obtaining that information, the sect leader and I eliminated the young lady of the Hua clan and her escort warrior who had attacked the smithy where you were staying. They were fleeing at full speed and had nearly reached Hua clan territory, but we dealt with them without much trouble.”
“I see…”
“That is everything the sect leader and I know. We did not investigate further.”
Mugyeong Gakju finished speaking. His explanation had been remarkably clean, and his calm tone made it easy to follow.
“The point is simple. Just tell me how you ended up forming a grudge with a master from the Demonic Path.”
“……”
“Only then can the sect leader and I, and by extension Mount Hua Sect itself, decide on our course of action.”
“Mm.”
I thought for a moment before answering.
“…One thing I must clarify first is that I did not provoke Tuma or cause him harm.”
“Then…?”
“As you probably guessed, it happened while my group and I were traveling as escorts to resolve a family matter.”
I summarized the key points without revealing every family secret, explaining only how we had been attacked by Tuma’s subordinate—the leader of the assassination squad—and the Black Sword Guest. I had no choice but to mention the Hao Sect, the poison of the Dark Sect’s Dokgo Hyeon, and, unavoidably, the existence of Cheonsal.
“……!”
“…And that is how things turned out.”
The moment I uttered the name of Cheonsal—one of the Three Lords of the Demonic Path—Mugyeong Gakju’s expression flickered briefly before returning to normal. Having roughly explained my connection to Tuma, I was catching my breath when he spoke again, his gaze serious.
“…I understand. At the very least, you did not offend Tuma first.”
“I tried to avoid him, if anything.”
“Mm. I will convey your words to the sect leader later.”
“Thank you.”
Having apparently convinced him to some degree, I let out a short sigh of relief.
At this rate, Mount Hua’s chances of declaring all-out war against Tuma have grown significantly.
Once this story reached the sect leader, the future course of events was painfully obvious. I was imagining that future when Mugyeong Gakju nodded and spoke.
“Then the main topic is finished.”
“Main topic…?”
I tilted my head and muttered. The elder, still watching me with those calm eyes, continued softly.
“Shall we move on to the secondary matter?”
“Ayeon—my daughter—seems to have taken a liking to you.”
“……?”
“I ask just in case. Do you have any intention of forming a bond with my daughter?”
“…Pardon?”
For a moment I was so startled that the question slipped out automatically.