The Cult Leader's Judgment
Namgung Wan had been relentlessly tracking the assailants who raided Bagua Village. But so far, there had been no leads.
And now, Deputy Shim, who had been investigating Manshin-ui's pill refinement room in Bagua Village, had uncovered something crucial.
"Jo Chung left behind a cipher message before he died."
"Jo Chung... I see."
Jo Chung was one of the Namgung Clan warriors Namgung Wan had dispatched earlier to keep watch over Manshin-ui.
Putting the pieces together, it seemed Jo Chung had spotted suspicious movements toward Bagua Village while guarding her. He'd fought to protect Manshin-ui and lost his life in the process.
Namgung Wan straightened, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"So, who were they?"
"Assassins from the Ghost Killer Sect."
Namgung Wan swept a hand over his furrowed brow.
"This is getting complicated."
"Should we track down the Ghost Killer Sect now? Though I doubt it'll yield much."
"No need. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't."
"Pardon?"
"The Ghost Killer Sect was wiped out not long ago."
Deputy Shim's eyes widened in shock.
Assassin sects never revealed their identities. But death always left traces. Over time, those traces accumulated into a name.
The Ghost Killer Sect was one of the top three assassin groups in the Central Plains. For them to be exterminated? That was no small feat.
"Could the sect's destruction be connected to Manshin-ui's death?"
"Who knows? Everyone involved is dead, so we'll never find out. Head straight to Father for now. This isn't something I can decide alone."
"Understood."
It was just as Namgung Wan and Deputy Shim were about to leave when, in the distance, Baek Ri-yeon suddenly plopped down as she passed by the wall of the medical quarters.
Both men stared in alarm.
"What? Did she fall?"
Deputy Shim urgently grabbed Namgung Wan's waist as he moved to rush over.
"Young master! Wait—just watch for a moment. It doesn't look like the baby girl fainted; she sat down on her own."
"What?"
Infusing his inner energy into his gaze, Namgung Wan peered closer. Sure enough, her posture wasn't that of someone collapsing or tripping.
And beside her, Namgung Ryu-cheong was fidgeting anxiously, saying something.
Even channeling his energy to sharpen his hearing, the distance was too great to make out their words.
"What the hell are those two doing in the middle of the street? Have they no shame?!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Namgung Wan stepped forward—only for Namgung Ryu-cheong to bellow,
"...Fine! I'll do it then!"
Namgung Wan grumbled in frustration.
"Do what? What in the world are they up to?"
Moments later, Namgung Ryu-cheong dropped to his knees in front of Baek Ri-yeon. She sprang up and clambered onto his back.
Namgung Wan and Deputy Shim gaped, mouths hanging open in stunned disbelief.
The old physician emerged from the quarters, having finished his rounds, and asked,
"Aigoo, what are you two doing here? What's got you so shocked?"
"Elder, look over there!"
"What's there? My eyes aren't what they used to be—I can't see that far."
"You can't see? The young lord is carrying Baby Yeon on his back!"
"Heavens!"
Years later, consumed by curiosity, Namgung Wan would ask Namgung Ryu-cheong why he'd given Baek Ri-yeon a piggyback ride right there—but Ryu-cheong never breathed a word, and the truth remained a mystery forever.
Silence hung heavy in the grand hall, where about ten people sat in their assigned positions.
The heavy doors creaked open, accompanied by light footsteps. Everyone bowed without a sound.
"Enter."
The figure approached the throne and sat languidly, gazing down at those kneeling below.
"The Murim Alliance has caught the scent of the Ghost Killer Sect's annihilation."
The man kneeling alone in the center replied immediately.
"The handling of the Ghost Killer Sect was flawless."
"Flawless?"
The throne's occupant tilted his head slightly.
"The Ghost Killer Sect was an assassination unit our cult had nurtured for years. And you call blowing them away flawless?"
"I misspoke."
"It doesn't matter if those slowpokes find out. I'm curious what they could possibly uncover. However, the Namgung Clan is accompanying the Alliance's investigation team."
The Murim Alliance's investigation teams—comprised of opportunistic martial artists—would skim the surface of an assassin sect's destruction and call it done. There was no profit in digging deeper.
But with the Namgung Clan involved, it was different. One of their protected kin's children had nearly died. For the sake of honor, they'd pursue the culprits relentlessly.
"You failed to recover Manshin-ui, slaughtered our cult's assassination unit, and couldn't even bury Baek Ri-yeon—and you dare call it flawless? Come here."
The kneeling man approached with cautious steps, confusion lingering on his face. He halted, unsure how close to get, when the cult leader beckoned.
An invisible force pulled the man straight to the leader's feet.
Air Grasp. The legendary technique said to be possible only for absolute masters.
This ability to manipulate objects without touch via inner energy grew harder with distance, size, and weight. Living beings with wills resisted even more fiercely, draining immense power due to the natural laws of life.
Common wisdom held that humans couldn't be grasped this way.
Yet the cult leader wielded it effortlessly, revealing unfathomable depths of inner energy.
To the frozen man, now the technique's subject, the leader said calmly,
"Bow."
The man's head dipped obediently at the command.
The cult leader placed a pale hand atop his head.
"...!"
Without so much as a cry, the man's form crumbled to dust.
His fluttering robes settled slowly to the floor.
No one in the hall made a sound or showed surprise.
In the chilling silence, maids appeared from nowhere to swiftly sweep away the scattered clothes and powder.
The leader, tapping the armrest rhythmically, spoke.
"Right Guard. What do you think?"
"We can see it as heaven aiding our cult."
"Aiding us?"
"Yes. Baek Ri-yeon's survival in the landslide was unforeseen, but it spared us the need to search her pill room under the Murim Alliance's watchful eyes."
"Hmm."
The leader nodded and continued.
"What about recovering Baek Ri-yeon?"
"Avoiding the gaze of the Namgung and Baek clans will be difficult. It could spark open war. I believe we should focus our efforts on recovery now."
The leader turned, staring piercingly at Right Guard.
Right Guard dropped to his knees.
"Forgive me."
"...Very well. Recovery takes priority for now."
With that, silence enveloped the hall once more.
"Eighty percent."
The leader rose.
"Recover her when Baek Ri-gang's poisoning reaches eighty percent or more."
"As you command."
At that moment, someone standing to the side stepped forward and bowed.
"Cult Leader."
"Seven Demon Army! You overstep your bounds by speaking out of turn!"
Right Guard thundered. The others glared unkindly at the kneeling Seven Demon Army member.
It was no wonder. This string of failures fell squarely on the Seven Demon Army, and the man just reduced to powder had been one of theirs.
Head bowed, Seven Demon Army spoke steadily.
"I have a report."
"Right Guard."
Blocking Right Guard, the leader addressed him.
"Speak."
"Reports indicate the Zhuge Clan is mobilizing toward the Namgung Clan."
This was originally the report from the now-deceased Seven Demon Army subordinate. With him gone before he could deliver it, Seven Demon Army had stepped in urgently.
The leader spoke in even tones.
"So the Zhuge Clan head has learned about Baek Ri-yeon. Pitiful, begging for life even under heaven's punishment."
Seven Demon Army prostrated fully.
"I accept my punishment."
But the leader's gaze drifted elsewhere.
"Manshin-ui... Yalt to the Zhuge Clan head."
A faint smile ghosted across the leader's impassive face as he stared into the void.
A few in the hall swallowed dryly; Seven Demon Army pressed flat to the floor.
"All coincidences are arranged for the seeker."
"......"
"This time, it's Baek Ri-yeon. Our cult's dominion over the world draws near."
The leader eyed Seven Demon Army.
"Prepare a gift."