Chapter 200
Chapter 200. Gangdo and the Courtesan (3)
The other side of the Training Grounds.
The moment the sparring ended, Jeon Ra-hwa gathered the children and began teaching them letters.
Following her lead, the children huddled together and sat down.
Some children had crooked posture and some were yawning, but in the end they all picked up their books and listened attentively to her words.
"Now, let's review what we did last time. Heaven-Earth-Dark-Yellow."
"Ah, Auntie. We're starting from the beginning again?"
"Here, it's not Auntie, it's Teacher."
"Yes, Aunt-cher."
"……Ji-ho, you're going to get it if you keep that up?"
"Yes, Aunt-eacher."
"Come here! I'm going to freeze you solid and smack you around properly today!"
"W-wait? Teacher! Teacher!"
Dong Bong-soo silently watched that scene.
Amusingly, even while teaching letters, a faint cold energy was rising from Jeon Ra-hwa's body. Even more so when she was running around like this, practicing the grace of a teacher in action.
She was directly applying the energy circulation method he had taught her.
The fact that she was utilizing it so precisely after only being shown once was already astonishing, but that tenacity of hers in absorbing martial arts without resting for even a moment. That was nothing short of genius-level.
What exactly was pushing her to such extremes was honestly something Dong Bong-soo could not quite feel for himself. He could only know it.
The influence of What is Hero's Faith system. And from that, her belief in herself.
There could be more to it, but he did not need to know every variable.
There was a multivariable equation called Jeon Ra-hwa, and he could control the most important variable among them and see it through well.
The bond with the Gate Leader 'Kim Rae-won.' As long as this core element was managed and cultivated well, that was sufficient.
"Mmph-mmph!"
Beside him, Dong Mu-toe continued to generate noise.
Since he could not open his mouth, he was forcefully exhaling through his nostrils to assert his presence.
However, he had no intention of unsealing the fellow's mouth just yet.
Dong Bong-soo simply kept his gaze fixed on Jeon Ra-hwa.
Whooosh.
A cold, chilly energy was circling around her body as she recited the text. As though an invisible thread were wrapping itself around her.
And yet there was no change whatsoever in the temperature of the Training Grounds. Only where her footsteps and hands touched and then lifted away—the blue stone floor of the Training Grounds, the rolling pebbles, the blades of grass, the edges of book pages—dew was forming.
It was a simple physical phenomenon arising from the temperature differential caused by heat absorption and heat release.
"Mmph-mmph!"
This time Dong Mu-toe stamped his feet.
More urgently than before, like a child desperately holding in the urge to relieve himself.
Then finally he reached his hand into the leather pouch hanging at his waist and pulled it out. Strangely, paper in a bundle far larger than the pouch itself came tumbling out.
Ding.
[A new item has been detected.]
『Small Void Heaven Pouch』
◆ Grade : Legendary ◆ Category : Miscellaneous : Inventory ◆ Description : A portable storage device made by the Yeomsin Small Clan ◆ Special Effect : A small amount of items can be stored within.
'So that's the equipment recognized in the Guild Window earlier.'
▸ Main Equipment: (Inventory held)
It was not particularly surprising.
Within Kim Rae-won's memories, Dharma Treasures of that sort had definitely existed. Whether they were exactly the same was unclear since those memories were hazy.
Dong Mu-toe flicked his fingers this way and that rapidly across the paper. He then held it up and spread it open before Dong Bong-soo's eyes.
— That woman.
Unable to speak, he was requesting written communication.
He was quite starved for words, this one.
Whiff-whiff
Dong Mu-toe made mmph-mmph sounds as he rapidly pointed one index finger toward Jeon Ra-hwa's direction.
Then he scrawled something down instantly on a new sheet and held it up opened.
— That martial art, I mean.
Dong Mu-toe now moved to stand alongside Dong Bong-soo, looking at Jeon Ra-hwa side by side.
— The way she's using Yin Cold Energy.
Dong Mu-toe drew a circle in the air with his hand that was not holding paper.
A slow but precise movement.
— Normally it's discharged outward, right. Either hardened solid like ice, or scattered like a blizzard.
The circle was completed.
His finger pointed to the center of the circle.
— But that's different. Convergence and diffusion are occurring simultaneously.
Dong Bong-soo simply watched in silence.
— A structure where cold energy circulates centered on the body while simultaneously seeping outward.
Dong Mu-toe tilted his head and scratched his temple with the finger that had drawn the circle.
— At first I thought it was a method I'd never seen before.
Dong Bong-soo remained silent.
— Heavenly Yin……
A breeze blew and stirred his hair.
— That's right, isn't it? The martial arts there were of this kind of lineage, I think?
Setting aside the talkativeness, he was a remarkably sharp individual.
It might be more accurate to say that it was only natural for a Trigram Leader of the Alliance Under Heaven Formation. Formation Path in some respects could be considered the engineering of this world.
'Snow Snow Yin Cold Art.'
When they had encountered Palmiko before, it was simply a martial art acquired from the corpse of some master near there, and it happened to have a very high compatibility with Jeon Ra-hwa's constitution, so he had her learn it. Nothing more.
But after fighting Cheol So-a, he had sensed it.
That the texture of the Snow Snow Yin Cold Art was remarkably similar to that of the Heavenly Yin Sect. At the time, whether they shared the same root or whether it was coincidence was unclear, so he had withheld judgment……
Now he was certain.
That is the exclusive martial art of a place called the Heavenly Yin Sect.
And moreover, a far more advanced martial art than what Cheol So-a had used.
— That jade token at her neck also looks like it's from Heavenly Yin…… them, I think.
As Dong Mu-toe's words suggested,
The 『Heavenly Yin Sect Dharma Maiden's Jade Token』 was even now glimmering at Jeon Ra-hwa's neck.
※A kind of tracking function is embedded, possible between people sharing the same Mana.
'Tracking function.'
Up until now, there had been no movement whatsoever from the Heavenly Yin Sect. At least not on the surface.
But surely……
'It will be soon.'
Before long, something will happen.
Whether they come searching for it, or come to find Jeon Ra-hwa.
He sincerely hoped that when they did, it would not be peacefully.
Whiff-whiff.
Dong Mu-toe urgently channeled Fire Energy onto the next sheet of paper, leaving marks that formed into characters.
— I actually know quite a bit about Heavenly Yin……, you know.
Dong Bong-soo's calm pupils fixed themselves on Dong Mu-toe's face.
— Well, ask me if you're interested.
Dong Mu-toe grinned.
The recently floor-rolled and dirtied teeth showed.
— In exchange, answer everything I ask.
Dong Bong-soo simply moved his gaze back to Jeon Ra-hwa.
The letter teaching is still ongoing.
Cold energy enveloped Jeon Ra-hwa's body, then faintly seeped out and brushed over the children's bodies.
Jeon Ra-hwa quickly reeled the cold energy back in.
"Ah, sorry. Everyone."
"It's fine, Teacher."
"That actually felt refreshing."
"Still, be careful. We can't have you all catching colds."
Her smile set off an instant uproar among the children.
"Why? Will Gate Leader scold you?"
"Blockhead. Why would Gate Leader scold Auntie over something like that?"
"Would Gate Leader say anything about that? He only ever says Aunt…… Teacher is doing well."
Jeon Ra-hwa's cheeks flushed ever so slightly.
"That's…… never mind! Anyway! Next passage. Sun Wax, Moon Wax and Wane. Repeat after me."
"Sun Wax, Moon Wax and Wane"
A noisy chorus.
Laughter spread across the Training Grounds.
By any measure, a scene of peace.
Dong Bong-soo watched that scene for a moment and then turned away.
— Where are you going? I'm saying I'll resolve what you're curious about.
Thud.
Dong Bong-soo's footprint was once more stamped onto the fellow's face.
He plucked a single sheet of paper from the hand of the collapsing Dong Mu-toe, engraved characters upon it, and left it stuck over Dong Mu-toe's mouth.
— You, shut up for a bit.
With that pinned to Dong Mu-toe's snout, Dong Bong-soo walked out.
Now that he had left, the affairs of this place would be handled automatically by Jeon Ra-hwa of her own accord — Auto-Administration.
***
Ten Thousand Things Known.
Sunlight streaming in through the window created several rectangular shafts of light on the chairs. Dust motes were dancing within them, but Dong Bong-soo paid no mind and settled himself into a chair.
A now-familiar creak.
"The Red-Red Alliance matter has been confirmed."
Bae Dal-pae took a seat at the table before him and poured two cups of tea.
"It has been completely disbanded. Whether any remnants remain I cannot say for certain, but there is now not a single force in the vicinity of Gangdo that could be called a bandit group."
Dong Bong-soo naturally took a sip of tea.
"Most of the forces hostile to Hero Gate have been swept away or have fled to other cities, and some appear to have given up on the Martial World entirely and chosen to live quietly. I am certain the likelihood of them regrouping to resist is extremely low."
It was as expected, but it was not a good outcome.
Peace can never be the destination a hero must pursue.
"Continue."
Bae Dal-pae went on.
"Next is the situation outside Gangdo."
Dong Bong-soo set his teacup on the table.
It was a small sound, but Bae Dal-pae felt for some reason as though he was drawn to focus even more intently on Dong Bong-soo.
"It seems the existence of Hero Gate has become firmly imprinted on the surrounding region."
Dong Bong-soo's eyes showed no change whatsoever.
"There are no forces making aggressive moves yet, but the rumors have already spread and their reach is rapidly expanding."
"What kind of rumors?"
"A new sect has appeared in Gangdo. They swept away the Red-Red Alliance in a single night. The Gate Leader is a young man. Well, about that level."
Bae Dal-pae counted on his fingers.
"Some parts are exaggerated and some parts understated. Most are still in a wait-and-see mode."
Dong Bong-soo tapped the table with his fingers.
Tap, tap, tap.
A steady rhythm.
"However, certain factions are showing great interest. Whether for good or ill."
Dong Bong-soo nodded and folded his arms. Because he had judged that such a nuanced gesture was appropriate for the character of Kim Rae-won he had constructed.
"Continue."
Bae Dal-pae composed himself and spoke.
His expression became somewhat more serious.
"Next, this is the most important matter."
Dong Bong-soo unfolded his arms and rested his chin on his hand instead.
"The Central Plains is in an uproar."
The corner of Dong Bong-soo's eye moved almost imperceptibly.
Bae Dal-pae did not miss it.
"An uproar?"
"The Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect and the Dark Net Rakshasa Path."
Silence flowed.
But Dong Bong-soo quickly drew forth information from within Kim Rae-won's memories.
Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect.
One of the Ten Great Sects.
A great pillar of the Orthodox Martial World.
Twelve hundred years ago, since Limitless Sword Immortal Vast Heaven Jinin founded it on Vast Heaven Mountain at the southernmost tip of the Cloud Ridge mountain range, a prestigious house of swords whose reputation has never once been broken.
The main sect's disciples alone numbered three thousand, and combined with branch sects and secular disciples, a major force reaching fifteen thousand.
The current Sect Leader, Vast Heaven Sword Venerable, is a Sword Emperor-level master, beneath whom the Limitless Sword Elder and the Vast Heaven Three Swords support the sect.
Above all, among the Orthodox Path they are most famous for their strictly principled character. Compromise with the Evil Path? Such a word does not exist in their vocabulary.
Dark Net Rakshasa Path.
One of the Seven Evil Grand Cults.
The madness of the Evil Path Martial World.
Eight hundred years ago, since Rakshasa Demon Lord, who had fallen from Buddhism, founded the cult, they have spilled countless blood under the twisted doctrine of 'Killing Is Liberation'. Both those who kill and those who are killed are all saved. Kill and be killed, and in the end you will surely break free from all the suffering of this world and become an immortal or a Buddha.
That fanatical belief turned the followers into the most fearless slaughterers in the world.
Core followers numbered two thousand, and combined with outlying and affiliated organizations, a force reaching ten thousand.
But more frightening than their numbers is their fanaticism.
The current Cult Leader, Dark Net Great Venerable, has held the position of Cult Leader for fifty years and is said to have virtually no equal in the mortal world that is the Central Plains.
Left Guardian Scarlet Rakshasa, Right Guardian White Bone Rakshasa, and the cult's finest elite, the Twelve Rakshasas, move beneath him.
Mandalas painted in blood, ritual implements fashioned from human bones.
Even other Evil Path sects keep their distance from their madness.
Two forces like oil and water.
No, existences even more unmixable than oil and water.
"Intelligence has come in that war between the two is imminent."
Bae Dal-pae's voice dropped lower.
"At the earliest, one month. No later than three months."
Dong Bong-soo's fingers tapped the table again.
This time the rhythm was a little faster.
"It appears it will be the greatest clash since the Blood Heaven Great Chaos that occurred some hundred years ago."
Blood Heaven Great Chaos.
Kim Rae-won's memory quickly supplied the output for that input.
A hundred years ago, the great Orthodox-Evil collision when the sky was dyed in blood.
The era in which the most blood was spilled in all of Martial World history.
The number of those who died then has still not been tallied with precision.
But one thing is certain — after that, both the Orthodox Path and the Evil Path have avoided large-scale warfare.
"What's the cause?"
Dong Bong-soo asked.
Bae Dal-pae bowed his head slightly.
"The Dark Net Rakshasa Path attacked one of the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect's branch sects. Over fifty disciples were massacred and the corpses were used to perform a ritual, it is said."
"A ritual?"
"In their terms, securing sacred offerings."
Sacred offerings.
Dong Bong-soo did not reply.
He looked out the window.
The blue sky was visible.
A peaceful sky.
Somewhere beyond it, a reeking storm was rolling in.
"Why are you smiling?"
At Bae Dal-pae's question, Dong Bong-soo turned his head.
"Ah, was I smiling?"
"Yes. It appeared so."
Dong Bong-soo raised his right hand and felt around his mouth, the area around his nose, and the corners of his eyes.
It was necessary to commit the feeling of this smile to memory through the subtle sensations of his hand. He would need to employ and vary this expression again in the future.
Either way, from his perspective, he could not help but smile.
War.
Just the thought of it brought an ear-to-ear grin.
"It seems like the starting point for putting a great cause into practice."
With the stench of blood filling the air, how could one not smile?
With prey gathering of their own accord, what could be more welcome than that?
A perfect debut stage for making one's entrance into the Martial World as a hero had been arranged — how could one possibly hold back?
At times like this, the mask of 'Hero' is so very convenient.
Because one can smile to one's heart's content.
Interpret it however you like.