Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Chaos Begins (3)
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"Whew! What a day."
Having spent the entire day hounded by the Murim Alliance's leadership before finally returning to his quarters, Jwa Ik-seon looked utterly exhausted.
"I heard you skipped your meals, sir."
One of the maids said cautiously.
"No need. Just bring some wine for a quick drink."
"Right away."
The maid scurried off and soon returned with another to properly set up the wine table.
"Hey now, I said keep it simple."
As Jwa Ik-seon lightly scolded her, a middle-aged man entered the room.
"Alliance Leader."
"Intelligence Division Leader, what brings you here at this hour?"
"I heard you summoned me."
Nok Hyeon glanced warily at the maid as he spoke.
"Ah, right. My mind's all over the place. Come in, come in. I was just feeling lonely drinking alone anyway."
"Thank you."
"You two, you're dismissed."
Once the maids' presence had completely vanished, Nok Hyeon knelt before Jwa Ik-seon.
"Greetings, Third Elder."
"Enough of that. Sit."
As the middle-aged man took a seat, Jwa Ik-seon handed him a cup of wine.
"You look tired."
"It's the nature of the Intelligence Division's work. With all the guests coming and going lately, it's been nonstop."
"Hang in there just a bit longer. Good days are coming soon."
"Thank you."
"But what brings you here at this hour?"
"A secret missive just arrived from the Cult."
Jwa Ik-seon's brow twitched at that.
"A secret missive?"
"Yes."
Nok Hyeon pulled a silk envelope from his bosom.
"It's only been a few days since the last one."
He opened the envelope and quickly scanned the letter.
"Hmm."
A low groan escaped Jwa Ik-seon's lips.
"It's finally starting."
"Has the Heavenly Demon Cult made its move?"
Nok Hyeon had a precise grasp of the current state of the murim world.
"Yes. They're planning to strike the Nangong Family soon. That means it's time for us to act as well."
"What should we do?"
"Left Elder has ordered us to delay the Murim Alliance's intervention as much as possible."
"That won't be easy. They're staying silent and watching each other due to the bribes from the Heavenly Demon Cult, but this is the Nangong Family. They won't just stand by once word gets out that the Cult is attacking them. Especially the families upholding one pillar of the Alliance, centered on the Five Great Families—they'll move immediately, regardless of the Murim Alliance's actions."
"Preventing that—or at least delaying it—is our mission."
Jwa Ik-seon spoke as if it were no big deal, but Nok Hyeon saw it differently.
They might be at each other's throats now, but what was the Murim Alliance originally created for? To stand against the demonic path. Would those who tremble at the mere mention of the demonic path ignore an attack from the Heavenly Demon Cult? He didn't think so.
"Don't worry too much. Do you remember the item the Cult sent last time?"
Jwa Ik-seon opened a cabinet and retrieved a jade box hidden deep inside.
"Take a look."
With trembling hands, Nok Hyeon opened the jade box.
Inside was a small gourd vial about the size of two children's fingers.
As Nok Hyeon reached to uncork it, Jwa Ik-seon chuckled in warning.
"Don't even think of sniffing it or tasting it. Your breath would give out before you took five steps."
Startled, Nok Hyeon quickly replaced the vial in the box.
"I'm planning to release this poison into the Murim Alliance."
Nok Hyeon's throat bobbed visibly.
"Is that feasible? The food and water are rigorously inspected. And these aren't pushovers—they'll notice before any major incident occurs. Even if it succeeds, it might just pour oil on the fire. They'll immediately suspect the Heavenly Demon Cult as the only force bold enough to poison the Alliance."
Nok Hyeon said skeptically.
"This poison was made using venom from the Inkscale Serpent, found only in the remote regions of Sichuan. The fun part? Only one place in murim knows how to properly use Inkscale Serpent venom."
Nok Hyeon immediately thought of a certain family at the mention of Sichuan.
"The Sichuan Tang Clan, perhaps?"
"Exactly. Only them."
"But wouldn't it be too obvious? It might backfire and raise suspicions. More importantly, the Tang Clan has no reason to poison the Murim Alliance."
"That's why they've mixed in a few other poisons. The Inkscale venom only reveals itself under close scrutiny. And we won't poison everyone—just target one sect with particularly bad blood toward the Tang Clan."
Jwa Ik-seon handed the jade box to Nok Hyeon.
"I've heard there's been some friction lately between the Tang Clan and the Hyeongsan Sect."
Nok Hyeon instantly recalled the details.
It wasn't a minor issue.
Not widely known publicly, but two weeks prior, a Tang Clan servant named Tang Hong had tried to assault a female disciple of the Hyeongsan Sect but failed.
The targeted disciple had been saved by her senior brothers who caught on to his scheme, but Tang Hong ended up with all his limbs broken—a severe injury.
Both sides had hushed it up quickly to avoid public scrutiny, preventing escalation, but the resentment between them was deep.
"We can exploit that rift to stir up real chaos. Of course, considering what the Heavenly Demon Cult means to the Murim Alliance, we might not get the exact outcome we want. But chaos, once seeded, will grow in time. That's help enough for the Cult. By the Cult Leader's authority granted to this old man, you have permission to mobilize every available agent. Make it count."
"Understood."
Nok Hyeon bowed his head without argument, accepting the order.
With authority to summon every Cult operative lurking in the Murim Alliance, failure was not an option.
"I've encountered the Blood Cult before."
Sima Geon briefly explained how he'd run into them while seeking the Shaolin Great Reversion Pill at Shaolin Temple. Sword Matriarch's face darkened further as she listened.
"Their demonic influence has reached even the imperial court."
"Not just there. I've crossed paths with them before that too."
Sima Geon continued before she could ask.
"During the Cult's unification wars. Their techniques were so vicious, I recognized the group attacking the crown prince right away."
"I see. Are they still lurking in the shadows?"
"Very possible. We met them in the most unexpected place and circumstances."
"Hah! The Blood Cult's tentacles are everywhere."
Sword Matriarch sighed.
"From what you're saying, it sounds like you've got problems on your end too."
"No, they're just so cunning it's incredibly hard to track them. We've tailed them a few times, only to lose them every time."
"You've been pursuing them all this while? I haven't heard anything like that from anyone else."
"It's been so long ago, most have forgotten. I warned the Murim Alliance several times, but they ignored it."
"They ignored your words?"
Sima Geon found it hard to believe.
He'd seen firsthand how revered Sword Matriarch had become after returning to the Ha Hu Family with Neung So-hwa.
"They've never shown their true faces. Like I said, even when we barely catch their trail, they vanish. After enough failures before we could expose them to others, that's how it went."
"If they're dismissing you like that, why bother chasing them?"
"We have no choice. It's not just for murim."
After a brief hesitation, Sword Matriarch revealed how, a hundred fifty years ago, a Blood Cult traitor infiltrated Sword Corner, stole the previous Sword Matriarch's sacred relic, and fled.
"That's why we're still hunting their traces. Oh, but I'm not entirely alone. The Beggars' Clan has helped us—at least the top leaders know."
Sima Geon sensed from her weary tone that even the Beggars' Clan's aid might be turning perfunctory.
The conversation lapsed for a moment.
"But why tell me all this?"
Sima Geon voiced his fundamental question: why confide such matters in him, someone with no real connection to her.
"Well..."
Sword Matriarch hesitated long before speaking.
"Frustration?"
She soon added with a bitter smile.
"Let's just say I wish someone besides us truly grasps the Blood Cult's danger. It'd be even better if that someone were an exceptional talent like young master Sima."
In her self-deprecating smile, Sima Geon felt the weight of a massive burden she carried—and her wish that someone might share it.
Sima Geon and Sword Matriarch, using a walk as an excuse, finally returned to the room after nearly half a shichen had passed.
No sooner had Sword Matriarch's group departed after some idle chat than Cheol Woo shoved his face toward Sima Geon.
"Who won?"
"What're you talking about?"
"You won, right? No matter how much they hype up Sword Matriarch or whatever, the boss can't lose."
"But Deputy Leader, didn't the Division Leader and Sword Matriarch's clothes look too pristine?"
Lightning raised the question, and Cheol Woo replied with exasperation.
"They could've just traded sword talks. Does it always have to be a full brawl for a spar?"
Only then did Sima Geon understand Cheol Woo's nonsense, and a hollow laugh escaped him.
"Spar? What spar?"
"Sword talk then?"
"Cut the crap."
"Then what? What could you two have talked about for over half a shichen?"
"This and that."
As Cheol Woo bristled at Sima Geon's vague answer...
"Sword Matriarch has lost her martial arts. Or more precisely, most of her internal energy."
"Don't talk nonsense. What was that aura earlier?"
Cheol Woo scoffed, recalling her provocation.
"That was borrowing Lady Neung's power temporarily. Anyway, that's Sword Corner's tradition. The previous Sword Matriarch sacrifices for the current one. That's why only one is active at a time."
Sima Geon spoke without a hint of jest, leaving even Cheol Woo uncertain.
"She's really lost her martial arts—no, her internal energy?"
"Yeah."
"She didn't look it. Honestly, she seemed strong. Really strong."
"That's how skilled she was at her peak. Maintaining that youth even past seventy..."
"Wait!"
Cheol Woo cut him off.
"Past seventy?"
Cheol Woo's eyes shook wildly.
"Yeah."
"You're sure?"
"Straight from her mouth."
"No way!"
He shook his head in utter disbelief.
"That face doesn't look anywhere near..."
Unlike Ha Hu Yeon and Man Chu, who knew a bit about Sword Matriarch, Lightning looked equally shocked.
It took both men a while to recover from the shock.
"Fine, whatever. If no spar happened, why'd she call the boss outside?"
Sima Geon ignored Cheol Woo's question and turned to Ha Hu Yeon.
"The Heavenly Demon Cult's pressure is intense, right?"
"Sword Matriarch said that?"
Ha Hu Yeon asked, flustered.
"Overheard it."
"It's shifted from protests to outright threats lately."
"No moves from the Murim Alliance?"
"Not expecting any."
Her sharp tone betrayed deep resentment toward the Alliance.
"I've long suspected threats wouldn't be the end of it, but things seem to be getting serious."
"Did she say they're going to attack your main house?"
"She predicted as much. They're already mobilizing."
Man Chu started to object in shock, but Sima Geon was faster.
"She said the Beggars' Clan knows by now too."
"I see. But the Nangong Family won't stand idly by. If they move, all of southern murim follows. Even the Heavenly Demon Cult can't act recklessly."
Sima Geon shook his head with a smirk at Man Chu's words.
"That's because you don't truly know the Heavenly Demon Cult. They fear neither the Nangong Family nor southern murim. Sword Matriarch predicted the same. And the result will be..."
"The Great Righteous-Demonic War."
Ha Hu Yeon said gravely.
The terror implicit in those words crushed the room's air like a weight.
"Is that why she called the boss? To ask what we'll do if it breaks out?"
"Not exactly."
"Really? Then let me ask. Things look like they're heading for a real clash—what's your plan, boss?"
Everyone held their breath at Cheol Woo's question. But Sima Geon's answer came swiftly.
"No intention of intervening on either side. Sorry, Man Chu, but the Beggars' Clan included. But if the Ha Hu Family comes under attack, we'll help."
"There's another place we should help too."
All eyes turned to Cheol Woo.
"Living Immortal Medical House."
Recalling Sima Jin headed there, everyone nodded in agreement.