Chapter 174: Bad Timing
Chapter 174: Bad Timing
Dakam had been hiding in the hermitage for six months, following the will of Old Man Seok.
When six months had passed, he had left that place and brought his younger siblings back to the Flying Dragon Thirteen Squads, where Seonwoo Jin was absent.
Seol Pung had welcomed him gladly.
He had treated him with hospitality and had even arranged a dwelling for him and his siblings to live in to the north of the Flying Dragon Thirteen Squads' encampment.
Seonwoo Jin was thinking that all of this seemed like fate.
The reason he had once helped Dakam despite the risk, even though he might have been a pawn of the Blood Cult, was because he had thought that someday, in order to invade the Blood Cult, he would need a guide who knew the geography of the Yunnan jungle.
And now, didn't it seem like that time was exactly now?
At that, the innocent-faced young man of the Myo tribe, who had been sitting in on the Seventh Squad's meeting without knowing the reason for Seonwoo Jin's question, answered in startled surprise.
"Ae, Aenoe Mountain?! There are too many poison ivy vines in there! Too dangerous!"
Seonwoo Jin smiled faintly at his dissuasion and said.
"Yes, of course there would be many. I believe they are making their demons there, you see. That's why I intend to go."
"Ah, b-but still!"
Aenoe Mountain was the site where the Emperor's Tomb Blood Incident had occurred in the past.
That place where rumors had spread that the martial arts of the Martial Emperor lay sleeping, and where a horrific bloodbath had unfolded due to the greed of those seeking to claim it.
That place which had ultimately led to the fall of the Jeomchang Sect, and had turned Yunnan Province into the territory of the Blood Cult.
Since long ago, Seonwoo Jin had suspected that demons were being created there.
And that suspicion had solidified into certainty thanks to the head of Cheol-gwi that he had sent to the Sichuan Tang Family last time.
Through Dang Yeo-eun, they had sent Cheol-gwi's head to the Sichuan Tang Family, and through them, they were able to confirm that Cheol-gwi was originally a man named Jang Gon, the Iron Shield Fist, who had been active in Sichuan Province in the past.
And Iron Shield Fist Jang Gon was also a man known to have died caught up in the Emperor's Tomb Blood Incident.
Seonwoo Jin spoke again to Dakam, who seemed frightened.
"We will protect you while we travel, and we alone will enter the interior. So you needn't worry about the danger. And Dakam, you must avenge Elder Seok, mustn't you?"
Dakam, who had been reluctant with a frightened face, suddenly stiffened his expression at Seonwoo Jin's final words.
"Tokno's... revenge... you mean?"
"Yes, Dokno's revenge."
At that, Dakam's expression slowly twisted into a ferocious grimace.
Then, a moment later, clenching his teeth, he said to Seonwoo Jin.
"That revenge, can it truly be done?"
Seonwoo Jin nodded resolutely.
"If we can storm that place where they are making their demons, there could be no greater revenge than that."
At those words, Dakam, too, nodded, his teeth clenched.
"Understood! I will guide you!"
With the guide now secured, Seonwoo Jin looked at the people with fierce eyes and said.
"Even so, we cannot charge headlong into that place. This time, the priority is to infiltrate quietly and rescue our comrades. Therefore, those who can go are limited to people skilled in movement arts and stealth arts. Squad Leader Seol Pung, Bi Sa-yeong, and myself. These three will go."
At his words, Seol Pung nodded silently, his eyes burning like a wild beast's.
Bi Sa-yeong chuckled and said.
"Storming into the Blood Cult bastards' territory... looks like I'm fated to die young, punished for picking the wrong friend. Ah, how terrifying. Truly terrifying."
But even as he spoke, Bi Sa-yeong's eyes were gleaming fiercely as well.
The Martial Emperor's Tomb on Aenoe Mountain was also the place that had brought about the ruin of his sect, the Bi Sect.
So naturally, Bi Sa-yeong's fighting spirit could not help but boil over at the thought of going there.
Having thus confirmed the personnel, Seonwoo Jin concluded the meeting with final words.
"Let us each prepare to depart. Since we don't know the situation of our comrades, I cannot give you much time. We depart in one hour..."
It was at that moment.
The newly joined member of the Seventh Squad, Bloody Whip Beauty Ya Un-hyang, who had been listening quietly, interjected.
"Take me too. My movement techniques should be quite useful. And I can manage stealth as well."
At her words, Seonwoo Jin looked at her for a moment, then wordlessly turned his head to gaze at Seol Pung and Bi Sa-yeong.
At that, Bi Sa-yeong cleared his throat and answered.
"Not quite at a truly useful level yet, but well, she was at least good enough to barely keep up. I taught her the Heavenly Wind Movement Technique, you see."
At his words, a gleam of interest appeared in Seonwoo Jin's eyes.
There was no way Bi Sa-yeong would teach the Heavenly Wind Movement Technique to someone he hadn't built considerable trust with.
At a glance, Ya Un-hyang's personality hadn't seemed particularly sociable, so it was surprising that she had already built that level of trust.
In any case, if Bi Sa-yeong had acknowledged her as acceptable, there was no reason to refuse a peak-level expert like her.
Seonwoo Jin nodded.
"Understood. Then Miss Ya, Dakam, the five of us will go together."
This was the moment the first Blood Cult expedition force since the Great Blood War was formed.
***
After the meeting, Seonwoo Jin headed straight for the Seventh Squad's storehouse. It was to retrieve spirit medicines.
Though time was pressing, the reason he had allowed the leisure of a single hour was precisely to consume these spirit medicines.
"Hmm, even that great stock of spirit medicines has now dwindled by half."
Muttering thus, he took out as much spirit medicine as he needed. It was a considerable amount.
During his last fight with Am Hyeol-hyang, he had kicked away the chance to leap over the wall, going instead to save the ronin.
And by doing so, he had thought it would become a distant prospect when he might cross that wall again.
After all, such opportunities did not come often.
But Seonwoo Jin's prediction at that time had been wrong.
Because immediately after that, during the battle with Am Hyeol-hyang, when he had entrusted his body to Mukrang's will, he had crossed the wall all too naturally.
Mukrang, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke to Seonwoo Jin in a cheerful voice.
- Now, just one more step and you'll be at the transcendent peak. Congratulations.
Seonwoo Jin did not know if that could be described as just one step, but it was certainly a growth so rapid that even he found it frightening.
Looking at time alone, hadn't he progressed from second-rate to right before the transcendent peak in less than a single year?
Seonwoo Jin suddenly let out a hollow laugh and answered.
'It is all thanks to the Sword God Elder.'
That was a clear fact.
All of his advancement after reaching peak had been thanks to the memories of when Mukrang had fought in his body against the Georyeokma, and this advancement was also thanks to the sensation of Mukrang moving his body.
During that fight with Am Hyeol-hyang, everything Mukrang had shown him had been marvelous.
It felt as if he had directly experienced the senses of an absolute being.
And moreover, that power akin to a natural disaster that he had demonstrated with the Mukrang Sword Technique...
Having experienced such things, it almost felt like it would be abnormal if his realm hadn't risen.
At that, Mukrang laughed and said.
- Since you passed the test I set, it is only a natural reward. Thus, that is not thanks to me, but something you achieved yourself. And just call me Mukrang. The Sword God is already dead, so it somehow feels unfitting for a mere remnant like myself to be called that.
'Understood, Elder Mukrang.'
After finishing his conversation with him, Seonwoo Jin consumed the spirit medicines and immediately entered energy circulation.
This time, it was energy circulation conducted not with the Seon-woo family's Primordial Chaos Infinite Art, but with the Mukrang Heart Method that Mukrang had taught him.
Then, after a moment, a heat-haze-like energy began to rise from his body.
That energy gradually gathered above his head, taking on a shape resembling a howling wolf.
Then it was sucked back into his nostrils in an instant, with a whoosh.
It was right after that when Seonwoo Jin snapped his eyes open, his gaze having become even deeper.
He murmured in a voice tinged with slight emotion.
"So this... is what a hundred years of internal energy feels like."
Even without using the Moonlight Illusion Sword Dance, it felt as if everything around him had entered within his perception.
A feeling of exaltation and omnipotence, as if he could do anything.
Within that sensation, Seonwoo Jin could confirm that now was indeed the time to invade the Blood Cult.
It seemed as though, if he were to use the Moonlight Illusion Sword Dance in this state, he could face even someone like Am Hyeol-hyang again.
And on top of that, Mukrang still had two more opportunities remaining to personally appear.
'Miss Cheongyeon.'
Seonwoo Jin suddenly thought of Hae Cheong-yeon.
Those captured by the Blood Cult were three: Hae Cheong-yeon, Na Seo-yu, and Sak Mu-heun.
He had naturally thought Na Seo-yu would come to mind first, yet strangely, his head was filled entirely with Hae Cheong-yeon's face.
To Seonwoo Jin, she had always been a person he was grateful to and yet regretful about.
He had only realized how much she had helped and looked after him after she was gone.
He regretted so deeply and was so sorrowful that he had not recognized her preciousness while she was beside him, and that she had grown distant because he had failed to repay her for it.
So he could not let her go like this.
'Please wait for me, Miss Cheongyeon. This time, at the very least...'
It was while Seonwoo Jin was heading toward the meeting place with such thoughts.
Suddenly, Cheon Ju-eun, who had been standing with an anxious expression, spotted him and came running over.
"Cheon So-jeo?"
Seeing her face, Seonwoo Jin had thought this was a bit awkward.
It seemed she was about to ask him to take her along.
Her current skill was at the peak of first-class — it was true she had improved greatly, but he could not take her on this expedition.
But what she said was somewhat different from what Seonwoo Jin had expected.
"Seonu Gongja, I have something to tell you."
"Pardon? What...?"
She avoided Seonwoo Jin's eyes for a moment, hesitating to speak.
Then, with difficulty, she opened her mouth.
"Truthfully, I agonized over this a great deal. Because I did not know if it was my place to say it."
At her hesitation, a peculiar light flickered in Seonwoo Jin's eyes.
"What do you mean? What could you possibly...?"
It was then.
Cheon Ju-eun abruptly looked Seonwoo Jin straight in the eye and spoke.
"Cheongyeon eonni is in love with you, Gongja."
"...Pardon?"
Hearing those words, Seonwoo Jin could not help but doubt his own ears for a moment.
It was far too unexpected.
Cheon Ju-eun repeated herself, as if frustrated.
"I said Cheongyeon eonni is in love with Seonu Gongja! Very deeply, at that!"
Seonwoo Jin, who had stood dazed for a moment at those words, soon chuckled wryly and replied.
"Please don't jest, Sojeo. What could the daughter of the Sword Saint Elder, the most beautiful woman and greatest intellect under heaven, Cheong Miss Yeon, possibly lack that she would love someone like me? You needn't say such things. Even without those words, I already intend to stake my life to rescue Cheong Miss Yeon."
At that, Cheon Ju-eun struck her chest as if exasperated, let out a deep sigh, and nodded.
"Fine. I knew you would take it that way. That is precisely why Cheongyeon eonni...."
Then she glared at Seonwoo Jin and said,
"Cheongyeon eonni has been in love with Seonu Gongja from the very beginning. Ever since you first came to the frontline, before you had even lost any weight. Do you not see? If she hadn't been, then as you say, why would the most beautiful woman and greatest intellect under heaven, that eonni, have stayed by your side and looked after you so devotedly? Eonni is not normally the type to be so caring, is she?"
"...Well, that's."
Those words struck Seonwoo Jin with overwhelming force.
Because he had never once considered it.
Cheon Ju-eun's words were undeniably true.
HaeCheongyeon was exceptionally talented, but unlike Na Seo-yu, she was not the type to meticulously look after others.
'And yet, for some reason, she followed me all the way to the frontline. Later on, I resolved not to back down after seeing the Owl Demon, but in the beginning....'
It had been the same after arriving at the frontline.
Hadn't she, despite her unsociable nature, stuck with him alone even at the cost of being misunderstood by others?
Surely the reason wasn't....
He felt as though puzzle pieces he had never even imagined were falling into place.
'Right, come to think of it, there were times when I thought I might be with her in the future, too. But knowing she was far too beautiful and extraordinary, I dismissed it as nonsense and laughed it off....'
The memory of when she had raised her head and revealed her face suddenly came to mind.
The almost mystical beauty he had seen then, and the wise way she had exchanged opinions with him.
Seonwoo Jin murmured blankly.
"She was... in love with me?"
***
Dang Yeoeun had gone to see the Dang Gaju, the Poison Rock Sovereign Dang Jeong-hu, to discuss her return from leave.
And in Dang Jeong-hu's office, she discovered, for some reason, the figure of Hong Sa-geom-ryong On Je-ung, who had come beforehand.
When Dang Yeoeun's expression hardened at the foreboding feeling, Dang Jeong-hu spoke to her with a cold face.
"It seems that fellow is ultimately unable to keep his promise. You have no objections now to sealing a marriage pact with the Gongja who has come here, do you?"
Thinking that her ominous premonition had been right, Dang Yeoeun gritted her teeth and looked at On Je-ung.
Standing beside the Dang Gaju, he was smiling greedily and scanning Dang Yeoeun's beautiful face and body.
Dang Yeoeun had always been a good daughter who did not disobey her parents, and from childhood, she had even been educated to absolutely obey the commands of her family.
So now, with even Seonwoo Jin not at her side, she absolutely could not refuse when her father, the Gaju, forced a marriage upon her.
Of course, that was what the old Dang Yeoeun would have done.
But the current Dang Yeoeun was not like that.
She answered respectfully, but firmly.
"I am sorry, Gaju-nim. I cannot enter into a marriage pact with On Gongja."
Dang Yeoeun's answer was something Dang Jeong-hu could never have imagined he would hear from her.
His face instantly hardened; he emitted a chilling pressure and demanded.
"...What did you just say?"
An answer came back.
But it was an answer that came not from Dang Yeoeun, but from someone else.
"She said she will not seal a marriage pact with that fellow. My adopted granddaughter marrying a man like that — I absolutely cannot permit it either."
The one who spoke thus and slowly walked into the office was none other than the man staying in the Outer Hall Forest, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, White Crane Old Sword Yang Moon-heon.
Behind him followed the equally renowned transcendent peak masters, Hong Hae-ah Jeung Chil and Je Un Swordmaster Byeok Ri-jung.
At that moment, Dang Jeong-hu could not help but be appalled.
'I could not sense their presence at all?'
Of course, for Yang Mun-heon, an ultimate master ranked among the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, that might well be possible.
But to have completely failed to sense even the presence of Hong Hae-ah Jeung Chil or Je Un Swordmaster Byeok Ri-jung, whom he had considered to be on a comparable level.
Perhaps even they were far greater masters than he had thought.
'And an adopted granddaughter, at that?'
Those words were even more shocking.
Dang Jeong-hu gulped and asked.
"Just now, did the Elder say this child is...."
At that, Yang Mun-heon smiled benevolently and nodded.
"That is correct. I thought highly of this child's talent and character and took her as my adopted granddaughter. Forgive me for not informing the Gaju beforehand. However... surely you are not thinking of marrying my adopted granddaughter off to a fellow like that, are you, Dang Gaju?"
Dang Jeong-hu, who had been flustered for a moment, immediately composed his thoughts.
White Crane Old Sword Yang Moon-heon was one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World and a master whose martial prowess was second among all martial artists residing within the Tang Family.
Though he was staying at the Tang Family, he was an existence Dang Jeong-hu could not compel.
He was someone to be grateful for if he deigned to stay with the Tang Family even temporarily — not an existence he could demand things of, nor defy.
And yet, that very Yang Mun-heon had now taken Dang Yeoeun as his adopted granddaughter.
That thought immediately surfaced in Dang Jeong-hu's mind.
'Our relationship with him and the Tang Family can become far closer!'
From Dang Jeong-hu's perspective, it was something he could only enthusiastically welcome.
After all, Yang Mun-heon was a master of incomparable worth compared to the likes of Hongsa Sword Gate.
And for that very reason, Dang Yeoeun's value in Dang Jeong-hu's mind could only skyrocket.
He smiled brightly and answered.
"That is a matter of course. How could I possibly marry off the Elder's adopted granddaughter to the likes of the Hongsa Sword Gate? I shall entrust all matters concerning that child entirely to the Elder."
It was a shift in attitude achieved at blazing speed.
On Je-ung, unable to adapt to the sudden turn of events, looked at Dang Jeong-hu with a bewildered expression.
"Da, Dang Gaju-nim?!"
But all Dang Jeong-hu did was issue a cold dismissal.
"We shall have to discuss your marriage later. Return for now."
"Ah, uh, well...."
On Je-ung was bewildered and felt wronged, but once the Dang Gaju had made his decision, there was nothing he could do.
His mouth simply opened and closed uselessly before he ultimately had to bow his head and leave.
After that, Dang Yeoeun hastily departed for the frontline.
She was accompanied by the three people who had insisted on looking after her and followed: Yang Mun-heon, Jeung Chil, and Byeok Ri-jung.
And some time later, when she arrived, the frontline was in a state of great chaos.
She was soon able to hear not only of the Geomseong's death, but also the fact that Seonwoo Jin's comrades had been abducted by Guyueumma Jigieum.
'Jin....'
Dang Yeoeun could not bear her worry for Seonwoo Jin.
It was because she knew well how much he had followed and revered the Geomseong, and how much he cherished the former members of Squad Seven.
So, as soon as she arrived at the Flying Dragon Thirteen Squads, she immediately ran to Seonwoo Jin.
And, having met Seol Pung first, she was able to hear from him that Seonwoo Jin intended to storm the Blood Cult soon, and that he was currently at the warehouse.
Dang Yeoeun hurriedly ran to Squad Seven's warehouse.
The only thought in her mind was to comfort Seonwoo Jin.
But the words that reached her ears just as she spotted Seonwoo Jin in mid-conversation with Cheon Ju-eun were of a kind she had never even imagined.
"Cheongyeon eonni is in love with you, Gongja."
In that instant, Dang Yeoeun could do nothing but freeze in place.