Chapter 6
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Visiting the Full Moon Tower
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As I walked in with a relaxed expression, Elder Geum looked surprised.
Seeing Elder Geum reminded me of last year, when we worked together to bring down the Blood Palace in Henan Province.
I quickly shook my head, pushing the thought away.
I am Guyang Cheon now.
If I keep thinking of myself as Hwa Un-ryong, the Alliance Leader, I'll never adapt to this new life.
“Welcome.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Guyang Cheon.”
“Yes. It's been a while. Sit here.”
His saying it had been a while suggested we had met before.
Then again, he did say he respected the Sword Emperor, so he must have kept an eye on the Ouyang Clan.
But he wouldn't have just poured money into the Ouyang Clan simply because they were struggling.
He doesn't waste a single coin.
That was Elder Geum's life principle.
“I heard from Yeon. You took down Chung So-gu in a single blow?”
“It's nothing to boast about.”
“You've changed. I heard you'd come to your senses.”
Elder Geum nodded slightly, a faint smile on his lips.
Elder Geum, who held both the information and wealth of the Central Plains in his grasp.
Despite his ordinary appearance, he was a man of formidable ability.
“Since you've come, I'll give you a special gift.”
What could it be? Just as curiosity washed over me, he spoke.
“The Alliance Leader has passed away.”
Thump.
My heart sank, and my head spun.
Since my soul had left my body and entered Guyang Cheon's, I had naturally assumed I was dead.
But hearing it aloud was a shock beyond imagination.
“Yes, I understand. How much trouble did the Ouyang Clan suffer because of the Alliance Leader? Now that he is gone, you can let go of your hatred. And as I've said before, it was a fair duel.”
Elder Geum encouraged me from a neutral standpoint.
I clenched my teeth, telling myself I couldn't remain in shock.
“What was the cause of death?”
“Well, that's been classified as top secret. Everything except the fact that he passed away three days ago is confidential. The heretical factions would surely run rampant, so they must be cautious.”
It's been over a month since I became Guyang Cheon.
But he died three days ago? If he had simply passed away after lying unconscious, would it need to be kept top secret?
Something smelled fishy.
Others might not know, but I do.
I was the one who rose to the position of Alliance Leader through fierce competition, surviving countless threats, challenges, and assassination attempts.
That's why I could smell the foul stench of deceit.
‘Could I have been murdered?’
I felt the urge to run to the Martial Arts Alliance immediately.
But what could I do in Guyang Cheon's body?
“You seem quite shocked. Steel yourself.”
Elder Geum's words brought me back to my senses.
First, I must increase my internal energy.
Once I recover at least a full cycle of sixty years of energy, then I will investigate.
The suspicions surrounding my death.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Speak.”
“Please lend me some money.”
“One hundred nyang.”
Elder Geum said it decisively, without a moment's hesitation.
The thought that this was my current worth in the eyes of others was miserable, but it only hardened my resolve.
“That's too cheap.”
“It's an accurate valuation. If you need more money, raise your value. While it's true I respect the Sword Emperor and hold the Ouyang Clan in special regard, I do not distort the facts.”
“It varies greatly from person to person, I see.”
“Indeed. In my assessment, the person with the highest credit was the former Alliance Leader. Do you know how much?”
Elder Geum asked with a slight smile.
I know exactly.
Back when I was the Alliance Leader, Elder Geum had said this to me over drinks.
-‘Lord Alliance Leader, it's unlikely you'd ever need to borrow from me, but if you did, I would lend you even a hundred million nyang.’
In other words, he meant he would lend me an unlimited amount, but I had just laughed it off at the time.
My subordinates handled everything, so honestly, I could barely even remember the last time I'd touched money.
“I will be frank. I have ten years' worth of internal energy. With the Alliance Leader's death, the martial world is likely to fall into chaos. I wish to take elixirs to increase my internal energy.”
“Go work and earn the money. When an elixir comes in, I cannot give you a discount, but I will give you priority.”
Giving me priority was an immense favor.
Elixirs were not something one could buy with money alone.
“How much would it cost to accumulate fifty years of internal energy?”
“Two hundred thousand nyang. At the very least.”
Damn it.
Even if I sold off the entire Ouyang Clan, it wouldn't fetch fifty thousand nyang.
I knew it would be expensive, but I never imagined it would be this much.
Elder Geum studied me for a moment before making a suggestion.
“Have you ever heard the phrase 'high-risk, high-return'?”
“I have.”
“There are countless villains in the martial world right now. The Martial Arts Alliance has put bounties on their heads, ranging from as little as a hundred nyang to as much as ten thousand.”
The suggestion that I become a bounty hunter shattered my pride.
How could I, the former Alliance Leader, become a bounty hunter! How?
I took a deep breath and pushed the thought away.
I am Guyang Cheon.
I am no longer Hwa Un-ryong.
Thinking it over, Elder Geum's suggestion was actually very practical.
By fighting them, this body will naturally adapt to the Heavenly Will Sword Art.
Earning money and training my martial arts at the same time—it was killing two birds with one stone.
“I'm not sure how you'll take this, but...”
“Please, speak freely.”
“The Martial Arts Alliance runs its own organization for dealing with villains.”
“Are you referring to the Demon-Slaying Pavilion?”
“Hahaha. The Demon-Slaying Pavilion operates directly under the Alliance Leader and deals with large groups of heretics. What I'm talking about is the organization that handles villains with bounties on their heads. Have you heard of the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion?”
“Yes.”
The Demon-Dispelling Pavilion was a minor organization within the Alliance, so I only knew it by name.
During my time as Alliance Leader, I was so engrossed in my own training and fighting heretics that I paid little attention to minor organizations.
Looking back now, I realized that despite serving as Alliance Leader for over forty years, I knew far too little about the Alliance itself.
I was so obsessed with martial arts that I left everything else to Zhuge Mun-hyeon.
Since everything ran smoothly without any problems, I paid it even less mind.
I regretted it.
A wicked scheme must have taken advantage of such a gap.
I decided to use the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion to investigate the internal affairs of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Of course, it would be difficult and time-consuming, but I would never give up.
“If I join the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion in my current state, I'll just be wasting time on small fry. So, if you have any information, please share it.”
“Did you bring the information fee? The Demon-Dispelling Pavilion provides information because it's an order, but to get it here, you have to pay.”
“Let me pay later.”
“That's not...”
Elder Geum was about to refuse but then saw the desperate look in my eyes and gave a slight nod.
It was likely out of consideration for the Sword Emperor.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible.
“Wait a moment.”
Elder Geum activated a mechanism and gave some instructions.
My gaze drifted to the thick iron door.
Beyond it must be countless treasures, precious swords, and elixirs.
It would be a mistake to think one could get the treasure just by dealing with Elder Geum, seeing as there were few guards.
Elder Geum was a supreme master.
That was a fact known only to a select few, including myself.
“Here, take your pick.”
Several envelopes, each with a name and a price written on it, were placed before me.
As I calmly perused them and picked one up, Elder Geum's eyes widened.
“The information fee for that one is seven hundred nyang.”
“But the bounty is seven thousand nyang.”
“Are you confident you can face him?”
“I am. If it comes down to a battle of internal energy, I won't win. But if I can create a favorable situation and strike first, I can.”
I have dedicated my entire life to eradicating the heretical factions.
When it comes to fighting them, I can confidently say I am the foremost expert in the martial world.
“Think carefully. If you die, how could I face the Sword Emperor in the afterlife?”
“If I weren't confident, I wouldn't have come to the Full Moon Tower in the first place.”
Elder Geum stared into my eyes for a long moment before finally handing me the envelope.
“Thank you. I will handle it within ten days, to be generous. Oh, and may I ask you to take care of the cleanup? I'm not accustomed to that sort of thing.”
“Very well. That'll be an extra hundred nyang.”
“Done.”
I thanked Elder Geum and left the room.
It was a seven-thousand-nyang job, but after subtracting the seven-hundred-nyang information fee and the hundred-nyang cleanup fee, it came out to sixty-two hundred nyang.
It wasn't a small sum, but I had another reason for choosing this target.
This bastard was the vicious Gwirangja, who ran the human trafficking organization, the Heuksa-ru.
In other words, he was bound to have a lot of hidden money.
“Thank you. I'll be in touch as soon as it's done.”
“Be careful.”
I gave a polite fist-and-palm salute, then opened the door and left.
Once Elder Geum was alone, the inner door opened, and Hwangbo Yeon emerged.
“So? What do you think, Grandfather?”
“Yes. You were right. He's really changed. So much so that I would have believed it if he'd been introduced as someone else entirely. Strangely, he exudes a sense of worldly experience. It's truly bizarre.”
“So you'll allow it, then?”
“You little rascal. Were you going to give up if your grandfather didn't approve?”
“Of course not. You know my personality.”
“Let's wait and see. Gwirangja is no easy opponent. He might very well lose his life in this endeavor.”
“I believe in him. If you had seen it, Grandfather, you'd think the same. His form was absolutely perfect.”
Hwangbo Yeon said, recalling the past.
She had gotten goosebumps watching Guyang Cheon cut down Chung So-gu and his men in a single strike.
She had seen countless martial artists, some with far superior internal energy, some far more powerful, but never before had she felt such a chill run down her spine.
That was why she was certain of Guyang Cheon's success.
Elder Geum merely smiled faintly and did not reply.
He trusted his granddaughter Hwangbo Yeon's insight.
People judged her by her appearance, but her true strength was her ability to see the essence of things.
“I believe in him too.”
The words escaped Elder Geum's lips before he knew it.
He had intended to say he believed in Hwangbo Yeon's judgment.
**
The Ouyang Clan.
Upon returning home, I told Seong Hwi I would be training in the practice hall and went inside.
Shhhhiing.
The sound of a sword being drawn always puts me on edge.
With my lack of internal energy, I found myself wishing for a famous sword.
I quickly shook my head. It was pointless to covet the impossible.
If I use this sword properly, I should be able to kill Gwirangja.
Until then, there was no other way but to train and train again.
For three days, I trained until my internal energy was completely depleted, and once it was gone, I would sit and replenish it.
Then I would train again.
After three days of pushing myself to the limit with all my strength, this body fully accepted my consciousness.
And I attained a new enlightenment.
When was the last time I had trained with all my might, with the desperate heart of someone who lacked internal energy?
I couldn't even remember.
But it was a truly new feeling, and I discovered a new sense I had never felt before.
‘There is no end to learning. All this time, standing at the pinnacle, I had been compromising with reality. Perhaps that was what stunted my growth. The moment one is satisfied, one begins to decline. To think I'm only realizing this simple fact now.’
I let out a short sigh, gripped my sword again, and executed a Lightning Flash.
Swoooosh.
When I unleashed it with all my might, the sound was different.
Three vertical slashes were carved into the wall.
I stepped closer to examine it.
It was the most precise Lightning Flash I had executed since being reborn in Guyang Cheon's body, and a satisfied smile graced my lips.
Afterward, I went through the Ouyang Sword Art forms in succession before sheathing my sword.
I felt that I was ready.
Since my internal energy is lacking, once I infiltrate the Heuksa-ru, I will minimize its use by relying on the Ouyang Sword Art and practical sword forms as much as possible.
Unleashing the Lightning Flash only in moments of danger should be enough.
With my confidence restored, I left the practice hall.