The Heavenly Demon and the Sword Empress Take Their Walk
The distance the women kept toward me had shrunk considerably thanks to the hearty laughter we'd shared earlier. If some stranger had watched us, they would have taken us for a well-matched couple—or at least good friends—rather than the devoted pair we once were. In that pleasant atmosphere, the three of us enjoyed a leisurely meal of grilled fish at the riverside pavilion. After the meal, we strolled back through the city at a leisurely pace once more. This time we bought nothing special and simply chose scenic spots along the way, wandering with a relaxed, sightseeing mood. It was only around the hour of Si when a group of about ten martial artists suddenly surged toward us. Seeing the iron tokens with their double-edged blades hanging at their waists, we quickly identified them as members of the Mingfa Division. One of the direct combat units under the Murim Alliance, the Mingfa Division served to investigate and supervise the Murim Alliance and its subordinate organizations. It was also because the officials could not possibly control the countless martial artists flooding into Luoyang, so the Mingfa Division had taken responsibility for the city's security. The Mingfa Division surrounded us. Among them, the man who appeared to be the representative stepped forward. “I am Meng Haoming, the first chief of the Mingfa Division. Young hero, and young ladies. Did you not dine at Huayuelou earlier?” Ah, Huangbo Jun and Gongson Young-young must have poked their noses into the Murim Alliance. I answered indifferently. “We did. Is there a problem? We got into a minor dispute with some ruffian, but no one was killed and the shop wasn't damaged.” Martial artists are like that—they can't stand being left alone all day. So I understood that as long as there were no serious casualties or major material damage, the Mingfa Division would not interfere in the disputes among martial artists. “Young hero, we have received a report that you used sorcery to harm the third son of the Huangbo Sect.” As expected. The tradition of calling anything "sorcery" when martial artists get beaten like dogs—whoever came up with that? “Watch your tongue. My martial arts are nothing like sorcery.” “Provide a detailed statement at the Mingfa Court.” I raised my voice slightly. “You want me to endure the humiliation of being called a sorcerer while right now?” To a martial artist's sensibilities, calling someone's martial arts “sorcery” was on the same level as arbitrarily inflating or deflating a parent's age. Even if Se-ryeong or Ye-hwa's Heavenly Imperial Dual Cultivation Technique was insulted as sorcery, my core martial art, Honwonbaekroegong, which holds my pride, would never be called sorcery. In other words, I had now secured ample justification to finish off these Mingfa Division thugs halfway. Whether they were properly performing official duty or not was irrelevant. Insulting martial arts was an insult to the entire sect, and swallowing such an insult forever meant living as an idiot in martial artists' eyes. The Mingfa Division thugs, as expected, placed their hands on their sword hilts, knowing I would react this way. “If you do not cooperate, we will have no choice but to use somewhat coercive measures.” Heh, what a day—fresh meat being served in abundance. Their strengths were: the leader Meng Haoming at Grandmaster level, two at Peak, and the rest at First-class. All of them were martial artists so well-trained that it would be a shame to compare them to Huangbo Jun. There would be fun in picking on them. Lucky me. While I was considering how hard to make them bleed, Se-ryeong stepped forward, removing her blindfold. The Mingfa Division thugs and the onlookers alike held their breath at her beauty. “What insolent insects... Who exactly are you blocking right now?” The tyrannical aura of Heavenly Demon God's Gong filled the surroundings. Meng Haoming turned deathly pale and staggered backward. “A, a master...!” Feeling the presence of an absolute expert capable of crushing them like insects, the Mingfa Division warriors' legs trembled and cold sweat poured down their faces. Se-ryeong's overwhelming presence as she crushed seasoned warriors with nothing but sheer momentum was the Heavenly Demon itself. “Hmph, just insects.” Watching Se-ryeong fold her arms and give a dignified snort, I smiled with satisfaction. In her pre-regression days, Se-ryeong acted like a loyal dog protecting her master—rushing in to beat anyone who showed hostility toward me first. That she now behaved exactly like that meant her instincts had clearly recognized me as her true master. I would have to reward my cute little bitch with some tail-patting later. Following Se-ryeong, Ye-hwa also removed her blindfold. The Mingfa Division thugs and the curious passersby alike blinked in astonishment. “That young lady... Could it be...” “The Fairy Sword Princess! The granddaughter of the Sword Saint, Baekri Ye-hwa, the Fairy Sword Princess!” “Oh... The rumors were true. Truly a beauty like a celestial maiden.” Meng Haoming quickly bowed in apology to Ye-hwa. “It has been a long time, Miss Baekri. Do you still remember the old abbot?” “Of course I remember, Master Meng. I met him at Grandfather's funeral.” “I am honored that you remember. However, how did a young lady such as yourself...” “We were simply strolling the city with our close friends.” “T, these must be Miss Baekri's close friends?” Meng Haoming looked visibly flustered. Ye-hwa nodded gracefully. “Yes. We are dear friends who share the Dao of martial arts together. Although I would not want to disturb your work, I cannot stand aside when it concerns the honor of my friends. The young hero here possesses martial arts that are definitely not sorcery. It is a profound technique rooted in the right path, containing the mysteries of Taiji and wielding the power of Thunderbolt Wall.” “Y, yes...” Unlike when addressing me, Meng Haoming accepted Ye-hwa's words without a single complaint. It was only natural. As the granddaughter of the righteous hero Baekri Jong-gwon of the Righteous Path Sect, and someone who was already being hailed as one of the greatest figures in the world, Ye-hwa's status was incomparable to the offspring of even the lesser sects like the Huangbo Sect. Meng Haoming and the Mingfa Division warriors bowed deeply in unison toward me. “We apologize, young hero. We have mistaken you for someone else and committed a grave offense.” At the same time, Ye-hwa sent me a private message. [Please forgive them, Master. They are under the protection of the Alliance leader, so...]
[Because of the Alliance leader?]
[Yes. I want to spare the old man's hands and feet as much as possible, since he is already so busy.]
[Well, for the sake of a cute little slave's request, I can't deny it.]
I spoke to Meng Haoming. “If the misunderstanding is cleared, that's fine. We will be on our way. Please step aside.” Meng Haoming hesitated, glancing at Ye-hwa. “I... Miss Baekri. Recently, the Alliance leader has been sighing frequently due to worries about you. Since you have come all this way, would it not be appropriate for you to pay a brief visit...?”
[Yes...]
Ye-hwa looked at me with a questioning expression, asking if it was all right. I slowly nodded and granted permission. It would be nice to meet that old man anyway. ***
Following Meng Haoming's guidance, we headed to the Murim Alliance headquarters. A giant monk in his seventies rushed out barefooted. His beard and eyebrows were snow-white, but his skin glowed with youth, and the rugged muscles visible beneath his robes evoked the image of Vajra of Shaolin. The monk cupped his hands in welcome, addressing Ye-hwa in particular. “Ye-hwa! Come quickly!” Vajra Fist Buddha, Won-u. The former abbot of Shaolin, often shortened to just “Buddha,” and the current leader of the Murim Alliance. His martial prowess had reached the profound realm, making him the undisputed strongest expert of the right path. He was also the lifelong rival and closest friend of Ye-hwa's grandfather, Baekri Jong-gwon. With such a deep connection to Ye-hwa, he was the very person who had taken in the orphaned girl after she lost both parents and looked after her until she found another home. He had continued to cherish her like his own granddaughter and lend her his strength whenever she needed it. In short, he could be called another grandfather to Ye-hwa. “It has been a long time, Leader.” Ye-hwa smiled faintly and greeted him warmly. The leader's face lit up. “I was worried after hearing you had suffered at the hands of the wall. I am glad you overcame it safely. Well done! I knew you would manage it. Come, come—don't stand on ceremony. Both you and the young ladies, please come this way.” We moved into the leader's office. The leader served each of us a cup of fragrant tea. The iron-guanyin of the dense robe? Thanks to Ye-hwa, I had enjoyed some rare tea. Ye-hwa introduced me and Se-ryeong to the leader. Of course, she did not reveal that she and Se-ryeong were my slaves being trained daily. Instead, she explained that they had happened to encounter the granddaughter of the Sword Saint while touring the Taihang Mountains, and because their martial skills were similar and their minds aligned, they had become close friends. “Hah hah! Two geniuses like us in one era. I wonder if the backwaters of the Yangtze River ever had such a fierce age.” The leader chuckled while rolling the beads in his hand. “To walk the path of martial arts side by side with someone of your caliber is truly a joyous matter. Just as your grandfather and I did. I had always felt a pang of regret that you might never find such a companion amid the trials of heaven. But what a fortunate coincidence!” He then turned to me and Se-ryeong. Since Se-ryeong, the greatest rival of the Heavenly Demon Sect, could only answer his questions briefly, the leader's main conversation partner became me. Well, being in a position with many secrets, I was equally awkward, but I responded sincerely because he was my wife's benefactor—one I had always wanted to meet. In pre-regression history, I had never had the opportunity to meet Won-u. In the early days of the Blood Cult's chaos, I had fought alone to buy time for the allies to retreat and had fallen gloriously. When I told him the story of how I had beaten Huangbo Jun's lackey, the leader burst into hearty laughter. “Hahaha! That must have been quite the sight! Huangbo Jun must have woken up from his stupor. No wonder complaints from merchants never stopped. I was planning to deal with him soon, but you generously scratched his itch for me! I owe you one!” He looked at me with eyes brimming with mystery, as only a high-cultivation monk could. “Listen here, young hero. Since we have met under this auspicious circumstance, I shall grant you a gift.” “A gift?” The leader rose briefly from his seat and took something from a drawer in the corner. It was an ornate jade plaque engraved with a coiling dragon. I widened my eyes in genuine surprise for the first time in a long while. “Is this the Jade Dragon Plaque?” The Jade Dragon Plaque, proof of the Murim Alliance leader's honored guest. Whenever it was present, one's status was guaranteed everywhere, and one could receive the highest respect from Murim Alliance branches and affiliated sects. Thanks to the vague phrase “highest respect,” power could sometimes attach to it. When a serious matter arose, one could request support from the Alliance branches and affiliated sects, and even receive military aid, as long as there was sufficient justification. “May I keep this?” From the leader's perspective, I was just some nameless junior from a minor sect that had just entered the jianghu. I had no idea what he was thinking in handing me the Jade Dragon Plaque. The leader answered. “I am rather good at reading people. Although your eyes hold killing intent, your heart is straight and your nature pure. I believe you will use it correctly. Please continue to aid Ye-hwa.” That was all. He made no mention of my abilities or qualifications. He simply placed the Jade Dragon Plaque in my hand. It seemed he had seen through quite a lot... What a remarkable old man he was. I placed the Jade Dragon Plaque safely in my robe, stood up, and bowed deeply. “I will not disgrace the name of the Leader.”