The Heavenly Demon Divine Art Appears
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art has appeared.
The Wulin Alliance’s intelligence department received a report from the Beggars’ Sect and immediately passed it to Zhuge Gi, the chief steward of the alliance and head of the Secret Information Bureau.
Even Zhuge Gi, who rarely showed surprise at Na Jeong’s reports—the vice-head who effectively ran the bureau—looked startled, as if he might have misheard.
“What did you say? The Heavenly Demon Divine Art?”
“Yes, sir. The Green Forest bandits of Untae Mountain Fortress in Jiangsu’s Untae Mountains were annihilated overnight. Traces of the Heavenly Demon Three Swords and Heavenly Demon Blue River Hand were found at the scene.”
“You’re certain they didn’t see it wrong?”
“The information came directly from the Beggars’ Sect. They are currently recovering the bodies and transporting them to the Wulin Alliance headquarters.”
Zhuge Gi was momentarily thrown by the abrupt news, but he quickly regained his composure.
“And the Demonic Cult?”
“No movement whatsoever. There has been no word of Bang Seokok completing his closed-door training. None of the other disciples have left the cult either.”
Bang Seokok, grandson of the Heavenly Demon Bang-gak and one of his disciples, was known as the greatest talent since the former Great Prince Cheonwoo. He carried the hopes of the entire Demonic Cult on his shoulders—a true genius among geniuses.
It had been ten years since he entered the Heavenly Demon Cave for closed-door training, so the time for his emergence was indeed near.
The Heavenly Demon Bang-gak had six other disciples besides him, all of whom were training after receiving the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
“Ten years is long enough to come out. Still… the location is far too random.”
The distance between the Demonic Cult’s Heavenly Mountain and Jiangsu—western and eastern extremes of the Central Plains—was simply too great.
“If he finished his seclusion, why would he travel all the way to distant Jiangsu just to slaughter a band of mountain bandits?”
“The Beggars’ Sect suggested that the Demonic Prince Cheonwoo may have returned alive… or that his disciple has entered the Murim.”
Na Jeong deliberately relayed only the facts the Beggars’ Sect had provided, withholding his own opinion. It was a precaution to prevent personal judgment from distorting the core of the matter.
“Cheonwoo and his disciple… That actually makes more sense.”
“I have already dispatched our intelligence agents to Jiangsu. By following his trail, we should be able to identify who it is.”
Zhuge Gi shook his head.
“Recall them.”
“Pardon?”
“If the Beggars’ Sect’s information is accurate, our opponent is someone who has mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Do you honestly believe our agents could handle such a person?”
Na Jeong lowered his head.
“Besides, he slaughtered every last bandit in Untae Mountain Fortress.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Would someone of that temperament allow our agents to live if they discovered they were being followed?”
Only then did Na Jeong realize his mistake.
“Then we risk losing his trail entirely.”
“Don’t worry. Instead of chasing him directly, spread a rumor throughout the Murim.”
“A rumor, sir?”
“Others will move. We simply follow them and gather whatever information they uncover.”
Zhuge Gi chose the slower but safer path rather than risking direct confrontation.
“The Warlord Alliance will definitely act. They were the ones who forced Cheonwoo and Hwarin into that duel. His existence can only be an obstacle to them.”
“Understood. I will handle it accordingly.”
“I will report to the Alliance Leader myself.”
Once Na Jeong had withdrawn, Zhuge Gi sat alone, lost in thought.
“Cheonwoo has returned? No, that can’t be right. The man they called the Demonic Prince would never waste such slaughter on mere bandits who weren’t even worthy opponents. Then it’s far more likely to be his disciple.”
Zhuge Gi’s mind grew increasingly tangled.
“The fact that his disciple has appeared in the Murim suggests Cheonwoo is either unable to move… or that he took on a disciple, taught him everything, and then died. That would explain why the disciple has come out.”
When thinking of Cheonwoo, one person always came to mind.
“In the end, did Yi Hwarin die fighting him?”
A faint sense of regret washed over Zhuge Gi.
There was no distinction of gender in martial cultivation, yet the physical differences between men and women were undeniable. Among martial artists of similar level, men held a slight advantage in strength and endurance.
“In the end, the Heavenly Martial Divine Art could not overcome the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Or perhaps it was only possible because Yi Hwarin was a genius without equal in the world.”
The Wulin Alliance Leader, Sword King Paeng Jin-gi, had eight disciples. They were all celebrated as the finest talents of the Orthodox Murim.
They were currently inside the alliance’s archive, the Wulin Repository, each seeking out and mastering the arts best suited to them.
They had achieved respectable progress and were growing into pillars who could support the next generation of the alliance. Yet compared to Hwarin, who had once been called the Great Princess, their level still fell far short.
“If Hwarin had become Alliance Leader, the entire landscape of the Murim would have changed…”
For the Orthodox factions, forced to shrink back beneath the rising power of the unorthodox sects, Yi Hwarin’s death was nothing but a bitter regret.
Zhuge Gi rose from his seat.
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Art… This is not news the Alliance Leader will welcome.”
More than the reappearance of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the mention of Yi Hwarin’s name would sting. From Paeng Jin-gi’s perspective, it was only natural.
After all, though he had been her senior brother, he had always lived in her shadow.
“Has the wind begun to blow once more in the Murim, after so long a calm?”
Whether this wind would become a gentle breeze or a storm capable of shaking the world, no one could say.
“Well, it has been far too quiet until now.”
Cheonhwa followed his uncle from Jiangsu into Anhui Province. They stopped at various trading partners; heavy goods were arranged for delivery through the Haedong Merchant Group, while smaller but valuable items were carried personally. To Cheonhwa, the entire process of bargaining and purchasing seemed thoroughly entertaining.
“Uncle, when we use an escort agency to transport goods, do we have to pay the escort fee ourselves?”
“It depends on the arrangement. Sometimes the shipping cost is included in the price of the goods, sometimes it is not.”
“So if shipping is included, we don’t pay extra for the escort, but if it isn’t, we do?”
“Correct. Agricultural and marine products usually include shipping in the price.”
“What about the valuables we carry ourselves? We don’t pay shipping for those?”
“More importantly, there are those who never send the goods at all.”
“There are people like that?”
Cheonhwa asked because he found it difficult to believe that merchants—who lived and died by credit—would fail to deliver.
“Not every merchant does business with integrity.”
“But isn’t that the same for farmers and fishermen? Couldn’t they take our money and sell to someone else, then claim they already sent the goods?”
“True. However, no farmer is going to sell an entire year’s harvest at a loss just for a few extra coins.”
“What do you mean?”
“If they deceive us and sell elsewhere, the rumor will spread among merchants through us. Other merchants will then avoid buying from that farmer.”
“Still, people who need the goods will buy them, won’t they?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what corrupt merchants exploit. They approach the farmers early and buy the crops at rock-bottom prices.”
“What if the farmers refuse to sell?”
“They interfere. They inflate rumors or spread malicious gossip to stop other merchants from buying. Eventually, no one will touch that farmer’s crops even without active interference.”
Cheonhwa nodded in understanding.
“It’s not as simple as I thought. Treat them kindly and you lose money. Become cold-hearted and relationships turn awkward. That’s the way of it.”
“Exactly. That is why anyone who wishes to become a merchant needs both a cool head for judgment and a passionate heart that can move people. And not only merchants. A martial artist must be capable of even colder judgment. Only then can he save the lives of dozens—or even hundreds.”
“A cool head and a passionate heart… That’s very similar to what Father often told me.”
“Your brother-in-law said that?”
“He told me to judge coldly and then move as my heart commands. But he also said I must be prepared to take full responsibility for that choice.”
“Taking responsibility for one’s choices… Those words strike deep. Merchants constantly stand at crossroads. A single mistake can bring tremendous hardship.”
Before entering Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, they had to cross a modest mountain called Hapsan. Since it was not particularly tall, a village had taken root on its slopes.
Hapsan Village sustained itself mostly by harvesting mountain vegetables, trapping small animals, skinning them, and selling the pelts. A few residents cultivated a type of ginseng called Heavenly Brain Ginseng in the mountain’s shaded areas. However, because its medicinal effect was weaker than the wild ginseng, long-brain ginseng, or ordinary ginseng from Haedong Kingdom, many grew it for food rather than medicine.
By the time their party reached Hapsan Village halfway up the mountain, the sun stood directly overhead.
“Let’s stop at the inn, rest a while, and have a proper meal.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
They headed for the inn together. Because many merchants were traveling to Hefei, the establishment was already quite crowded.
They claimed seats at a large round table. A waiter soon approached to take their order.
“Dumplings and noodles, please.”
“Right away.”
Once the waiter left, Cheonhwa tilted his head slightly, listening to the conversations around them.
“I heard all the bandits from Untae Mountain Fortress were killed. Did you catch that rumor?”
“I did. They say a demonic practitioner appeared.”
“A demonic practitioner?”
“That’s what I heard. The bandits died horribly, apparently.”
Listening to them, Cheonhwa narrowed his eyes a fraction.
So now they’re painting me as a demonic practitioner.
“If all the bandits at Untae Mountain Fortress are dead, we won’t have to worry about being harassed anymore,” Yi Cheon-sang said after listening to the same conversation.
“I wouldn’t be so sure. With that stronghold empty, someone else will surely move in to claim it. The chief of the Green Forest won’t let such a valuable position sit idle.”
“Did the bandits harass you often?” Cheonhwa asked, pretending ignorance.
“It wasn’t exactly harassment. They demanded tolls when we crossed the mountain, but the amount was excessive. If they took a dislike to us, they would seize our goods as well.”
Yi Cheon-sang spoke with clear resentment.
“I see. If I had known sooner, I would have gone and taught them a lesson.”
“The bandits are really scary, though.”
“I’ve learned martial arts. I can handle bandits.”
When Cheonhwa declared he could deal with them, Yi Cheon-sang looked at him with open envy.
“So-ryong and Jin-hwa, who are learning martial arts at the Wulin Alliance, should be able to handle bandits too.”
“Really?”
“Father said that if you look weak, the other party will press you harder. So you must never appear weak. Speak with strength and confidence.”
“Your father’s words are correct. However, one must also know one’s own limits. If you possess the ability, you may act boldly. But if your skill is insufficient, it is not wrong to step back, cultivate your strength, and plan for the future.”
“I will remember that.”
The waiter returned with their food. Noodles and dumplings covered the entire round table.
“Everyone, eat your fill.”
Yi Ja-saeng first served the escorts, then Cheon-sang and Cheonhwa, and only afterward took his own portion.
Conversation quieted while they ate. Cheonhwa continued listening to the voices around them as he ate.
“I truly don’t understand. The merchant group’s goods were all seized by Untae Mountain Fortress, yet they claim to have repaid every coin.”
Cheonhwa focused on the discussion coming from the corner table.
“They must have had hidden funds or made some deal we don’t know about.”
“Did that household even have money left to hide?”
“They say even a ruined rich family lasts ten years. They were once named among the Ten Great Merchant Groups. Everyone in Jiangsu knows how frugal that family is. They must have had a little more wealth tucked away somewhere.”
“Either way, it’s an impressive household. That’s why the Jiangsu Merchant Group is so desperate to devour them.”
“Right now the Jiangsu Merchant Group calls itself the top in Jiangsu, but most merchants still mention the Haedong Merchant Group first.”
“That’s why they’re trying to buy the Haedong mansion. To prove they’ve fallen far enough to sell even their family home.”
“Exactly. If the Jiangsu Merchant Group keeps pressuring them, the Haedong Merchant Group will eventually be unable to endure and will be driven out of Jiangsu.”
“How much were you promised for handling this matter?”
“One hundred gold coins.”
“The Jiangsu Merchant Group is going all out. One hundred gold coins for such a simple job…”
“It just shows how badly they want to drive the Haedong Merchant Group out of Jiangsu.”
The man who appeared to be the leader of the group in the corner turned his gaze toward Yi Ja-saeng’s table.
In that instant, his eyes met Cheonhwa’s directly. When he saw the faint smile playing on the young man’s lips, goosebumps rose across his entire body.
Coincidence…?