Chapter 268: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (98)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 268: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (98)
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Raise your head.”
Ju Yeon-hwa smiled gently and gestured with her hand. Her tone was still gentle, but it held the unmistakable dignity of a royal. However, her gaze soon softened as she spoke.
“This isn’t a formal occasion, so let’s speak comfortably.”
I slowly lifted my head. Her expression was more serious than usual, tinged with a slight tension but also a deep sense of trust.
“My real name is Ju Yeon-hwa. I am a member of the imperial family, but I am currently traveling in secret.”
After she finished speaking, her eyes turned to Hong Seo-rin. At that moment, Hong Seo-rin cautiously stepped forward.
“I am part of the Royal Guard. My title is Guardian Commander. I had to hide my identity to protect Her Highness… I’m sorry.”
At her words, I shook my head and replied firmly.
“Not at all. It’s alright.”
Hong Seo-rin let out a soft sigh of relief, but she hesitated before speaking again.
“You… you don’t hate me or feel uncomfortable… now that you know I hold a high position, do you…?”
Her voice trailed off, and an anxious look crept onto her face as she watched my reaction. It was a completely different side to the cool and blunt Hong Seo-rin I knew. I almost burst out laughing at the sight but managed to hold it in and answered calmly.
“Of course not. In fact, I think it’s even cooler. Your sincerity is what’s most precious to me, Elder Sister.”
Her face flushed bright red, and she averted her gaze.
“I-I see…”
Watching this, Ju Yeon-hwa let out a soft chuckle. Her smile was full of mischief.
“Hehe, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Seo-rin act like this. Young Master Jin, how did you manage to win her over?”
Her eyes sparkled with childlike curiosity. At her words, Hong Seo-rin seemed even more flustered and lowered her head completely.
“Your Highness… please don’t say such things…”
“Oh, I’m sorry. But I was just so curious. Seo-rin isn’t one to show her emotions. This is the first time I’ve seen that blunt, stone-cold face of hers look so flustered.”
I smiled for a moment before answering quietly.
“Win her over? I simply… cherished her for who she is. No matter who she is or what position she holds… I’m just grateful that she opened her heart to me.”
“Young Master Jin, you certainly have a way with words.”
Ju Yeon-hwa smiled gently and nodded. Her smile had a way of slowly breaking down the walls around one’s heart.
I saw Hong Seo-rin glance my way before quickly looking away, the corners of her lips twitching.
A moment later, Ju Yeon-hwa straightened up, her expression turning serious.
“Young Master Jin. I’d like to properly discuss the proposal I mentioned earlier.”
I adjusted my posture and nodded.
“Yes.”
Ju Yeon-hwa took a breath before continuing in a quiet but firm voice.
“The reason I’m on the move as a member of the royal family isn’t just for travel or out of curiosity. The truth is, I’m looking for my older brother. The last we heard of him was from Qinghai Province.”
I furrowed my brow slightly and asked.
“Is there a reason the Prince went to Qinghai?”
Ju Yeon-hwa fell silent for a moment as if considering her words, then slowly opened her mouth.
“A strange religious group is spreading within the imperial palace. Even my father, the Emperor, is under its influence… I believe my brother left to investigate it.”
Sorrow and worry flickered in her eyes.
“Are you perhaps hoping I will help you find the Prince?”
But Ju Yeon-hwa shook her head, giving an unexpected answer.
“No.”
She then glanced at Hong Seo-rin, who understood the signal and stepped forward.
“As Her Highness just said, a strange religion is spreading through the palace, and at the same time, the power struggles have become severe. The religion is called the Moonlight Cult, and its leader has gained the Emperor’s trust and is expanding their influence.”
I remained silent, simply looking at Ju Yeon-hwa. She continued.
“My other brothers have also joined hands with the cult. They’re all fighting amongst themselves for the position of Crown Prince, each believing the Moonlight Cult supports them. Only my brother Cheong-un remained untouched by the cult’s influence. Disillusioned, he eventually left the palace.”
“The Moonlight Cult… I’ve never heard of it.”
Hong Seo-rin nodded and added to the explanation.
“It’s a new religion that emerged from the southern border six years ago. On the surface, its doctrine is a fusion of Indian Buddhism and the Central Plains’ Taoism, but in reality, it’s an extremely secretive and closed-off group. Its internal organization is run on a strict hierarchical system, and the high priests rarely show their faces.”
I let out a heavy breath.
“I am but an insignificant martial artist. Is there anything I can do to help?”
She answered in a resolute voice.
“Yes. With the princes fighting each other with their own factions, I want to find my brother Cheong-un and make him the Crown Prince. To do that, I need power.”
I understood what she wanted. She needed powerful martial strength to eliminate her enemies.
“Please give me a moment to think.”
I fell into thought for a moment. Based on my experience, this matter would not end as a simple imperial family problem.
Lifting my head, I looked at Ju Yeon-hwa.
“Your Highness, I will cooperate with you on this matter. However, I must first resolve the mission I am currently undertaking before I can be of assistance.”
She nodded quietly, a gentle smile on her face.
“I understand.”
Hong Seo-rin, who had been listening from the side, asked cautiously.
“Seo-yun, can you tell me… what mission you’re on?”
I nodded without hesitation and began to speak.
“I am investigating a group called the Celestial Sphere assembly. The recent annihilation of the Kunlun Sect was not the work of the Demonic Cult. The group behind it was the Celestial Sphere assembly. I was on my way to Kunlun Mountain to prove it.”
The expressions on Ju Yeon-hwa and Hong Seo-rin’s faces hardened instantly.
“The Celestial Sphere assembly?”
Ju Yeon-hwa asked carefully.
“What kind of organization is it, exactly?”
I took a breath and slowly continued my explanation.
“They are a clandestine force seeking to bring chaos to the Central Plains. They haven’t revealed themselves openly, but it seems they have already infiltrated various sects and factions, operating in the shadows. They are the ones who move silently in the darkness, instigating turmoil.”
“So such a force existed…”
Ju Yeon-hwa muttered, frowning.
“Yes. Their organizational structure is shrouded in complete secrecy, and nothing is known about them. But one thing is certain: they are plotting something massive, targeting the entire Murim.”
Ju Yeon-hwa leaned forward and spoke cautiously.
“What is their goal?”
I remained silent for a moment before answering.
“Their exact objective has not yet been identified. However… my personal speculation is that it is highly likely related to eternal life.”
Ju Yeon-hwa’s gaze darkened.
“Eternal life… Is there any more information about them?”
“I haven’t uncovered much yet, so I can’t say for certain.”
I deliberately withheld deeper information. It wasn’t the right time. But the words I had thrown out were enough for Ju Yeon-hwa and Hong Seo-rin to fully grasp the gravity of the situation.
“The Moonlight Cult and the Celestial Sphere assembly… is there any chance the two organizations are connected?”
Hong Seo-rin asked carefully. I slowly shook my head.
“That is still unknown. But what is clear is that both forces are moving with extreme secrecy, and each is influencing the Central Plains in different ways. If the two were to join hands… both the Murim and the imperial palace would be plunged into immense chaos.”
Ju Yeon-hwa took a deep breath and spoke.
“Even if they aren’t connected, the fact that two suspicious factions are moving at the same time is a threat in itself.”
Hong Seo-rin also nodded and said.
“Your Highness, the situation seems far more complex and serious than we anticipated.”
“I think so too. We may need to move a little faster.”
I looked at Ju Yeon-hwa and asked.
“Elder Sister, with the Royal Guard’s intelligence network, you can’t even find a trace of the Prince?”
Hong Seo-rin sighed and shook her head.
“Right now, the Royal Guard has practically lost all its function. My title is just a name. The Moonlight Cult’s reach extends too deep. One of the Emperor’s closest aides, Dae Yeong-ban, is in league with them. Only a few loyal colleagues and I are barely managing to maintain a balance.”
Her eyes were heavy. It wasn’t the expression of a simple military officer. It was the look of someone who had volunteered to be a soldier for a collapsing nation.
“In fact, before Her Highness left the palace, there were several assassination attempts within the Royal Guard itself. It was a situation where we couldn’t even tell friend from foe. We couldn’t trust anyone.”
Her voice was low and firm. I slowly nodded and replied.
“In that case, the information and personnel you can use are extremely limited.”
“That’s right. That’s why Her Highness and I are on the move ourselves.”
Ju Yeon-hwa quietly looked at me and nodded.
“Then, would it be alright if I used an intelligence organization I know of?”
Hong Seo-rin tilted her head.
“Are they trustworthy?”
I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head.
“It’s hard to call them trustworthy. However, I have personally confirmed that its successor will never betray me.”
“Is the intelligence organization you mentioned, Young Master Jin, perhaps the Murim Alliance’s intelligence division?”
“No, it’s the Haomun.”
Hearing that, Hong Seo-rin frowned.
“The Haomun? Isn’t that a branch of the Demonic Faction? They have a rather poor reputation…”
I nodded.
“Yes. The Haomun probably looks like a criminal organization involved with the black market and various other crimes. And they have indeed done such things. But behind that facade lies an intelligence network that can accurately grasp the flow of the Central Plains. There is information within it that neither the Murim Alliance nor the imperial palace knows.”
Hong Seo-rin narrowed her eyes.
“I’m not exactly thrilled about borrowing power from such a place, but…”
“Right now, we have no choice but to borrow even the power of the Demonic Faction. And the successor of the Haomun will never betray us.”
The decision was Ju Yeon-hwa’s. After a period of silent contemplation, she slowly moved her lips.
“Alright. We will use the organization called the Haomun as you’ve proposed, Young Master Jin. However, there must be absolutely no leaks regarding our identities or information.”
I nodded and answered firmly.
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
After my quiet reply, I slowly looked over the two of them. Their attire and the aura they exuded were such that anyone would notice them at a glance.
“And both of you… seem to need a more thorough disguise.”
Ju Yeon-hwa looked down at the collar of her clothes. The noble air that emanated from her royal blood could not be hidden no matter how plain her clothes were. Her neat hair, her gaze, even her posture were enough to draw people’s attention.
The same was true for Hong Seo-rin. She looked too out of place to be a commoner.
“Is this not enough?”
Ju Yeon-hwa asked cautiously.
“No. Both of you are so beautiful that you stand out wherever you go. You’re bound to attract attention on your looks alone. If the imperial palace decides to seriously search for you, you’ll be discovered in no time in your current state.”
Hong Seo-rin let out a small sigh and turned her head.
“We certainly didn’t think about that, having left in such a hurry.”
Ju Yeon-hwa nodded and replied.
“Then, what should we do?”
“Tomorrow morning, I will bring makeup tools and clothes.”
The two of them nodded without a word.