Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Bloodline Pavilion (1)
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Crunch, crunch.
An elderly man with an immortal-like aura was polishing his sword blade with a cloth.
His name was the Crimson Night Sword Sovereign.
Jin Mu-seong, Cheongun's master. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would sit anywhere like this and mindlessly wipe his sword.
"Master Jin."
At that moment, a man came looking for him from the courtyard behind the manor.
The one who had come to see Jin Mu-seong was none other than Namgung Hwi, the Young Clan Lord of the Namgung Clan.
"What is it?"
He approached with his hands behind his back and sat down opposite Jin Mu-seong.
His expression was gravely serious, hinting at whatever he was about to say.
Jin Mu-seong stroked his dangling beard and waited for the words to come.
A moment later.
"It's about Young Hero Cheong."
At those words, Jin Mu-seong's eyes narrowed.
"Speak."
"I believe you've noticed that I've been gathering information on Young Hero Cheong."
"Hah! Who wouldn't? You openly sent people to investigate behind the scenes."
Jin Mu-seong laughed it off as no big deal.
There was no such thing as an expert who fell from the sky.
Yet Cheongun was an outlier even in the eyes of his own master.
An expert who had never once shown himself in the martial world, and at that, a fresh-faced youth not even in his twenties.
So he could hardly fault the Young Clan Lord's actions.
"So, you've come to this old man, which means your investigation has made considerable progress, I take it?"
Namgung Hwi nodded at those words.
"I commissioned the Beggars' Gang, and the information came back quickly."
Among the organizations in the Central Plains, there were those with 'Gang' in their names.
These typically referred to guilds formed by people in specific professions, and the Beggars' Gang was the massive coalition of beggars scraping by through panhandling across the Central Plains.
It was a well-known fact that beggars were plentiful in the ancient Central Plains, where wealth disparity was extreme.
They picked up and spread stories drifting through the streets everywhere, making their information network unrivaled in the Central Plains.
Even the Five Great Clans that dominated the region had to yield to the Beggars' Gang when it came to intelligence.
This was especially true when digging up info on someone like Cheongun, who had no known background.
The eyes and ears of beggars wandering the streets were everywhere in the world, and nothing could slip through their net.
It wasn't for nothing that the Beggars' Gang claimed one of the Nine Great Gates.
That was the reason for their immense influence across the Central Plains.
Namgung Hwi let out a short sigh and spoke.
He himself could hardly believe what he was about to tell Jin Mu-seong, but what could he do?
The chances of the Beggars' Gang's information being wrong were exceedingly slim.
"He's a beggar by origin."
"...What?"
"Unknown birth. He supported himself fishing around Mount Ami, and for quite some time, at that."
"One of their own gang members?"
"Not even that. Apparently, he even got on the Beggars' Gang's bad side."
Jin Mu-seong blinked his eyes vacantly.
"Bad side? Why?"
"Among beggars, he was notoriously stubborn and always went alone, so he clashed with the local gang beggars whenever the chance arose. He even beat a few of them to a bloody pulp."
Jin Mu-seong was dumbfounded.
Having spent the last few months with Cheongun, he knew well his disciple's fiery temper.
But that wasn't the important part.
"That means..."
Namgung Hwi, watching Jin Mu-seong, soon let out a chuckle.
"Exactly. An expert who fell from a clear sky."
Experts weren't something you could create just because you wanted to.
From innate aptitude to rare elixirs, proper guidance, and decades of training.
It took immense resources and collective wisdom focused on one person over a long period for an expert to be born.
Yet look at Cheongun.
His physique, talent, even the mysterious hereditary martial art he practiced.
Not a single flaw among them. Perfect.
Cheongun himself was a stroke of fortune in the chaotic martial world.
Throughout history, without a single exception, martial artists' desires for such fortunes always led to bloodshed.
No one could predict the ripples if Cheongun's existence became known.
Thus, Namgung Hwi cautiously opened his mouth.
"That hereditary martial art Young Hero Cheong practices... that's what intrigues me."
"Curious about everything, aren't you."
"That pure energy flow must come from an orthodox Daoist qi art. A divine skill among divine skills."
"Hwi."
"The major unorthodox factions are currently rallying under the Heavenly Demon God Cult. At this rate, we can't hope for peace in the martial world. If only we had Young Hero Cheong's help... Gah!"
Before the words could finish.
An intangible energy gripped his throat like a vice, blocking his breath.
Namgung Hwi gasped desperately, unable to breathe properly.
At that moment, Jin Mu-seong spoke.
"You're crossing the line."
Rumble—!
The manor's grounds shook violently under Jin Mu-seong's internal energy.
Dust rose from the ground, and the earth trembled.
His energy took tangible form, as if alive, pressing down on Namgung Hwi.
Fierce, savage, brimming with killing intent.
No matter how much he circulated his power, he couldn't break free.
"Hwi. Haven't I always told you? You let your heart run ahead and ruin things."
Countless sword images floated in the air.
They were gleaming white sword auras.
Sword forms without a physical blade—imperial sword aura.
A chill ran down his spine at that world-shaking divine skill.
The thick killing intent made even breathing difficult.
"Your concern for the martial world's peace is admirable, so I'll tell you once more."
"Gah! Gah!"
"Should anyone try to use or harm my disciple, the martial world will make an enemy of this seat. Don't test my patience. It's been at its limit since you dared send Yeol as a spy to the Darkwood Sect."
Namgung Hwi's mind grew hazy under the energy crushing the entire space.
Cold sweat drenched his body. His stomach churned, his head spun.
It was a pressure he'd never felt even facing his father.
Then, suddenly.
"Hah. I'll take my leave now. Nice breeze—perfect for a stroll."
In an instant, the pressure bearing down vanished.
The sword auras filling the sky dispersed like mist.
Jin Mu-seong left with his hands behind his back, as usual.
"......"
Namgung Hwi stared blankly at his retreating figure.
Meanwhile.
"Young hero! Please! If we get caught, both you and I are dead meat!"
"Then you wanna die right now?"
"Well, not that."
"Then shut up and guide me properly."
"Fucking hell..."
Cheongun was heading somewhere with Jin Cheon-u in the lead.
The destination was none other than the Bloodline Pavilion headquarters.
The Bloodline Pavilion was one of the unorthodox factions, specializing in espionage, but they had one hidden secret.
Namely, that most of their executives practiced demonic arts.
To the extent that it could be seen as a Demonic Cult subcontractor.
Even their Pavilion Lord was a Demonic Cult figure.
Soon, they would cause a massive incident called the Blood Purification, leading to the pavilion's dissolution.
More precisely, absorption into the Demonic Cult.
The reason Cheongun was walking into such an organization of his own accord.
To gauge whether he could swallow the entire Bloodline Pavilion whole.
The Central Plains was an age of barbarism.
To wield vast capital, one needed a faction.
Just as modern society protected huge capital within corporate shells, in the Central Plains, it was unstable for an individual to manage large sums stably.
He wasn't planning to live his whole life in the Namgung Clan anyway.
To enjoy a life of contentment with unearned income, it was time to build his own force.
'Getting tangled in grudges is a hassle in many ways...'
Eh, whatever.
At worst, it'd just mean antagonizing the Demonic Cult.
Honestly, the Demonic Cult were already public enemies of the martial world, so clashing with them caused no issues.
They'd already put bounties on his head everywhere, making things annoying—perfect excuse.
And so, they arrived at a massive gate guarded by rough-looking men.
"...We're here."
Jin Cheon-u said in a trembling voice.
"Good work. Black Man Sword."
"Fuck, it's Black Fiend Sword!!"
"Black Man Sword or Black Fiend Sword, same difference."
Cheongun brushed past the quivering Jin Cheon-u and approached the main gate.
How long had he walked?
"......"
Cheongun stopped in place, staring blankly into empty space.
He had no choice.
......Is this heaven?