128. Back to the Jianghu
“Paeng family direct descendant?”
“Some woman who formed her own little group. They say she’s the Dao King’s granddaughter.”
A little group, and the Dao King’s granddaughter.
I didn’t even need to ask who that was.
Paeng So So.
“So that’s her name, Paeng So So. As expected of the Sado family head—you’ve got real Jianghu experience, so you catch on quick.”
A corner of my chest felt uneasy.
I’d only seen Paeng So So for about two days.
We’d shared life and death, sure, but calling her a comrade was a stretch. If anything, I’d made that contract with her purely to use her—like an automatic treasure hunter.
That was all it was, yet hearing she was wandering on the brink of death made one side of my heart grow heavy. And she wasn’t the only one.
What happened to Dang Si Hyeok?
Such thoughts kept rearing their heads.
Enough with the soft thinking. Don’t get sentimental—analyze this coldly.
That was the mindset of a true martial artist I’d come to understand.
“This might actually be an opportunity.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Dao King’s granddaughter gets attacked, and the Tang Clan’s involved. The natural next step is war, especially with those hot-tempered Tang bastards and the brutally straightforward Paeng family.”
“And?”
“War, my friend—war. And war means a massive windfall of scraps for the taking.”
Dok Ma continued excitedly.
“Especially since Cult members wouldn’t even need to spill a drop of blood to snag those scraps. How could that not be a good thing?”
From Dok Ma’s perspective, it was certainly exciting.
If the Tang Clan and Paeng family truly went to war, byproducts were bound to emerge in the chaos.
Like some secret new poison they’d been developing in-house suddenly getting exposed—or if we got lucky, we could intercept some leaked goods.
“So here’s the thing, Sado family head. You’ve got a special bond with the Divine Master and the position to request missions, right? How about using this chance to head out into the Jianghu for some fresh air—and let me tag along while you’re at it?”
“You only see the one side?”
“What?”
“The fight between the Tang Clan and Paeng family isn’t just their problem.”
I barely suppressed a sigh and continued.
“The Tang and Paeng are two of the Five Great Families propping up the Orthodox Jianghu. If they fracture, do you think it’ll stay contained to just them?”
“It’ll spread into something bigger?”
“The Dao King Paeng Yu-gun and Poison King Dang Mugi were already treated like previous-generation relics, on the verge of retirement. Imagine the chaos if those two step back to the forefront.”
The Jianghu was a world shrouded in grudges and vendettas. Figures like the Dao King or Poison King naturally had the most tangled webs of enmity.
Recall that relic site where I’d obtained the Flickering Jade: Jo Yang had tried reviving the Little Witch and killing Paeng So So all for revenge against the Dao King. It made perfect sense.
That would stir the hornet’s nest, dragging out every quiet schemer lurking in the shadows.
“Strange.”
Dok Ma tilted his head.
“Sado family head, are you afraid of war?”
No matter how steeped in Jianghu ways Dok Ma was, at his core he was a Cult member who lived for battle.
His reaction was predictable.
But I’d clawed my way here with this tongue of mine. Roasting him with logic was child’s play.
“What I must protect are the thousands of Sado family retainers—and the entire Cult beyond that. Can I speak of war lightly?”
Tak Horak, who’d been listening quietly, covered his mouth as if deeply moved. Song Yang Geon’s eyes sparkled, and Sa Wol’s ears flushed red—her training fervor clearly hadn’t cooled yet.
[Con artist.]
“Hm. Fair enough. You’re not just an individual—you’re head of one of the Six Demonic Families, so your perspective differs.”
Dok Ma shrugged and went on.
“Anyway, given the gravity, the Cult will respond somehow. My guess? They’ll appoint you as the lead on it.”
I’d do the same in their shoes.
My standing in the Cult was overwhelming, but my fame in the Jianghu was near zero.
It had skyrocketed in just the last few months.
A young, low-profile rising star was perfect for covert Cult missions.
That’s why Sado Hwan had been tasked with reclaiming Black Ox Ridge in the first place.
My appearance was probably leaked by now. But no photos in this world, and sketches had limits.
I don’t use martial arts, so no real tells.
[You don’t use them—you can’t use them.]
Same difference to outsiders.
Martial artists were usually described by their techniques’ signatures.
But I’d never shown any signature moves.
Flying Sword?
Any Super Peak expert could manage it with a bit of practice.
They just didn’t favor it over wielding a blade directly for efficiency.
[The spies’ reports probably list your main art as the Sado family secret, Asura Twelve Forms. That’ll sow confusion.]
To prove Cult affiliation in the Jianghu, you showed your inner energy’s color.
Orthodox: pure. Unorthodox: murky. Demonic: foul.
Mine depended on what Pa Cheon had absorbed, so no issue there.
The real risk is Sado Gwang.
Sado Gwang knew I’d impersonated the Eastern Sword Dragon. He might exploit his Alliance Leader disciple status to target me if I reemerged.
But he didn’t know about the “Weak Immortal’s Heir” act—that was my exploit to break through.
Plus, even then, I had the Kunlun token from Un Yeop Ja and the Little Tang token from Dang Si Hyeok. No Alliance disciple could brand me a “Demonic Cultist” while holding both Kunlun and Tang credentials.
“I’ll consider it.”
“No need to travel together. Just give me a pretext to slip out of the Cult.”
“I said I’ll consider it.”
“Do that, and I won’t leave you shortchanged. I’ll look after that kid Cho Ryang extra, too—even if he’s just a named disciple.”
With that, Dok Ma left as flamboyantly as he’d arrived, repeating his “take care” till the end.
I immediately instructed Sa Wol.
“Sa Wol, Tak Horak.”
“Yes.”
“You have one shichen. Dig into what happened at that relic Dok Ma mentioned and report back.”
“Understood!”
This incident taught me something.
My intelligence network lags behind others’.
Dok Ma wasn’t backed by a huge clan or massive organization.
Yet this near-solo operator had learned of it before me, the Sado family head. That meant his intel surpassed the Sado’s.
Cleaning out Sado Gwang’s faction was good, but I lost too much intel capacity in the process.
Under Sado Gwang, he’d grasped the entire Cult—and Jianghu dynamics—from his seat. Down to how many spoons and chopsticks were on the table, clichéd as that sounds.
The Black Shadow Corps had handled intel before, but promoting to Black Shadow Captain shifted them toward escort and group combat roles.
[Need a new intel group?]
Not impossible.
[What wild scheme are you plotting now, you yokai?]
It’s a concept from my old world.
I called Mu Geuk-i. He clung to me as close as possible—wary yet terrified of Song Yang Geon, who’d shot him.
“Song Yang Geon.”
“Yes, family head!”
“Earn Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa’s recognition.”
“Recognition, sir?!”
I nodded.
“As an archer, you must have superior eyesight. Right?”
“Haha! Spot on!”
“Your task is simple.”
I continued.
“Mount Mu Geuk-i and patrol the entire Cult territory. Headquarters, Demon Realms, outer zones—without exception.”
Unfamiliar to this era’s folk, but routine for me from the modern world.
Aerial reconnaissance, plain and simple.
With manpower critically short for intel, secure a wide-area surveillance method.
Won’t catch intimate details, of course.
Few tools beat it for spotting suspicious activity.
Then dispatch Sa Wol as needed.
“First, get Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa’s approval.”
Piiik—!
Mu Geuk-i flailed his beak in displeasure.
Understandable—Song Yang Geon had tried hunting him.
Even in Meng Wi-hak fire drills, Song Yang Geon was Mu Geuk-i’s prime target. The grudge lingered.
“Easy enough!”
“Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa won’t let anyone unworthy on his back.”
Neither Yu Il O nor Jin Yeong Ryeong could ride him.
I’d had Cho Ryang as a cheat key.
“Give it your all. But never harm him. That’s your first official mission from me.”
His eyes lit at “first mission.”
Tak Horak’s influence? Or just his nature? Easy to handle, either way.
“Go.”
Mu Geuk-i took flight. Song Yang Geon pursued with his signature swift footwork.
[Clever idea.]
“High praise from you? Wonders never cease.”
[Enough. Now, analyze the situation like you said.]
“Right. Let’s sort it out.”
First, internal Cult situation.
1. Chu Tae Su is targeting me.
2. Outer ranks are after me.
3. Cheon Oe Cheon is watching me.
If this were a modern fantasy instead of a murim webnovel, I’d get a ‘Cheon Oe Cheon is observing you’ message.
Nah.
‘Obsessive Yandere Heavenly Demon is fixated on you’ would pop first.
Pushing idle thoughts aside, I summarized the Jianghu landscape.
1. Sado Gwang body-swapped into a kid named Mu Gwang and became Meng Wi-hak’s disciple.
2. A fake Weak Immortal’s Heir has appeared in the Jianghu.
“Priority-wise, the fake heir ranks low.”
Dok Ma talked war, but I doubted it’d escalate that far.
Tang and Paeng had a loose alliance tradition—united against the dominant Nangong or Alliance-core Je Gal families.
“Cult members would charge into war blindly, but they’re Orthodox. They won’t move rashly.”
Pa Cheon vibrated in agreement.
[But is there truly zero chance that rumored guy is the real heir?]
“Not as far as I know.”
Weak Immortal never made an heir. Canon setting.
Yet someone was claiming the title.
[Not just a con... No other lunatic would scam the Sichuan Tang but you.]
Sichuan Tang were poison freaks—mad dogs that latched on till you choked. Getting caught meant doom.
[Need the full story. Sa Wol’s back—early, too.]
One shichen given, back in a bit over one gak. Her personality meant she’d verified it cross-checked.
“You’re back.”
“Yes, family head. I told Squad Leader Tak Horak to dig deeper, but here’s the urgent intel first.”
“Good work. What happened?”
“Unsure on the heir’s authenticity, but the Gansu relic definitely went to Sichuan Tang. However...”
Sa Wol continued.
“Word is there’s major unrest inside the Tang Clan.”
“Inside the Tang?”
“Yes. Eldest young master Dang Si Yul and third young master Dang Si Hyeok are at odds.”
Forget martial stoicism.
“Time to head to the Jianghu. Prepare to meet the Divine Master.”
“Understood!”
Back to the Jianghu.
Pretending to Be the Heavenly Demon