First Quest
An incomprehensible incantation flowed into his mind.
More precisely, it felt like it was being forcibly imprinted into his brain.
What the fuck?
He looked up at the sky.
A single star twinkled, gazing down at him.
In that instant, he realized this was the same phenomenon as when he'd acquired the Kunlun Bedchamber Arts.
He shifted his gaze back to the old Taoist.
Shiiik! Shiiik! Whoooosh!
The old Taoist was still gracefully performing his sword dance.
Those stars were the legacies and records he'd left in this world.
One star had completed a half-finished manual.
Another had awakened a sword technique from an enigmatic painting.
Srrrrk.
He slowly drew the Iron Sword from the sandy ground.
Recalling the incantation in his mind, he tracked the old Taoist's hands and feet with his eyes.
And then, slowly.
He began swinging the sword along a path utterly different from any style he'd used before.
Shiiik! Shiiik!
Shiiik! Shiiik!
The vast desert echoed with the sounds of his sword swings.
The old man and the young man.
Their completely different sword styles began to harmonize, little by little, as time passed.
I see.
At some point, he was able to entrust himself entirely to the sword.
The realm where the sword was him, and he was the sword.
Until now, a sword had been nothing more than a tool for cutting down people. But this sword was harmony connecting heaven and earth.
An endless cycle of yang and yin.
It was Tai Chi.
Swaaaaaaaaah!!
Was it because he'd grasped the true nature of the sword technique?
Suddenly, his mind cleared, and his chest felt wide open.
He naturally lowered his sword and looked up at the sky.
Out of the nine stars, only six were shining.
That meant it was even more valuable than the Kunlun Bedchamber Arts.
He lowered his gaze.
"……."
The old Taoist stood in place, smiling at him.
Zhang Sanfeng.
This old Taoist was undoubtedly the founder of the Wudang Sect, Zhang Sanfeng.
Just in case, he tried speaking.
"Um…."
But before he could even finish opening his mouth.
The old Taoist began dissolving into smoke, scattering away.
"Ah…."
He stared at the dispersing smoke for a long while.
True to a Taoist, his exit was as mysterious as his arrival.
And so, he left behind the Tai Chi Insight Sword.
"Ah."
How much time had passed? It felt like quite a while.
He was still standing alone on the white desert.
Wondering if it had all been a dream, he swung his sword.
Shiiik! Shiiik!
A fluid momentum like water flowed along the sword path.
It was the first supreme art he'd obtained in this world.
"This is… the Tai Chi Insight Sword."
A surge of emotion welled up in him.
His chest swelled with feeling.
It had been a full five years. Dropped into this world without rhyme or reason, he'd clawed for survival like a mad dog.
He'd squeezed out growth through sheer desperation, but his inner power had barely accumulated, the bastard.
He'd earned a reputation as a decent swordsman, but the path to true mastery was still distant and treacherous.
But now, he'd finally found the way to the next realm.
"Yeah. I can't afford to get complacent."
His choice had been right.
Walking a new, arduous path brought greater rewards.
That was the truth of life, wasn't it?
"Thank you."
He gave a slight bow toward the vanished old Taoist, then turned his body.
But the changes kept coming one after another.
"What the hell is this…?"
A mysterious shrine had appeared smack in the middle of the white desert.
The successive changes, as if waiting for him, left him reeling.
But he didn't hesitate and stepped inside the shrine.
"Hello?"
It was a small, dilapidated shrine.
There was no Buddha statue or anything like that.
Just a single scroll hanging on the otherwise empty wall.
The familiar Sam Bong painting.
"Hmm…."
This must be the space where the supreme arts he'd learned were recorded.
Looking closer, it wasn't just the scroll.
In the center was a small altar, with incense smoke rising from it.
"What's this?"
And in front of the incense burner.
There was a single red envelope.
He picked it up. Something was written on the outside.
"Tushin… Secret Cave?"
Tushin.
The master of the Jangbodao spear that the Dang Clan had acquired, perhaps?
He tore open the envelope with a rip.
The paper inside had writing on it too.
Darkness Falls Over the Murim
📍 Directive: Spread word of this shadow to the world.
🎁 Reward: The power of Tushin awaits you.
No explanations before or after—just those words.
Absurd, he checked around for more writing.
But that was all there was.
"What kinda bullshit… wait."
Suddenly, bits of information floating in his mind began connecting.
Tushin Secret Cave and the power of Tushin.
"Does this mean… if I find the secret cave in Jangbodao, I get Tushin's martial arts?"
Once the dam broke, other interpretations followed naturally.
"'Darkness falls' means some conspiracy in Jangbodao… and 'spread to the world' means uncover it and spread the word through Murim, right?"
Which meant this was.
"Fuck. A quest."
He crumpled the paper in his fist.
Until he'd gotten the Tai Chi Insight Sword, he'd been filled with overwhelming emotion. Now a quest? For fuck's sake.
What the hell had the last five years been, then?
Some kinda tutorial?
"A quest, huh…."
Thinking differently, it wasn't so bad.
A quest meant there was an end someday.
Which meant.
"I can go home?"
His head rang.
Truth be told, he'd given up on going home long ago.
The cold beer after work, the games he'd lost himself in with endless clicks, the spicy ramen he'd boil late at night.
Forgotten memories resurfaced one by one.
Of course, whether going back would be happy was another story. Life was tough there or here, same shit.
But the difference between impossible and possible was worlds apart.
"Gotta take the quest first, at least."
It'd probably come with risks, no doubt.
But now that he knew, how could he ignore it?
He left the shrine and looked up at the sky.
The six stars gazed down at him.
"Fuck the danger. I'll smash through it."
Looks like he'd have to grind more experience.
The next day.
As soon as dawn broke, he left the Dang Clan and headed to Cheonun Pavilion.
The guards at the Dang Clan didn't stop him, as if they'd been forewarned.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
"Hello?"
Too early? Cheonun Pavilion's doors were still shut.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
"Old Pavilion Master!"
Bam! Bam! Bam!
"No Cho-san!"
Creeeak.
Only after calling his name did No Cho-san open the door, his face still heavy with sleep.
"Who the hell this early in the mornin'? Oh, isn't it Jang warrior?"
No Cho-san's half-lidded eyes snapped wide open.
"Got urgent business."
"Come on in!"
No Cho-san rubbed his sleepy eyes and led him inside Cheonun Pavilion.
He glanced down the alley.
A man who'd followed from the Dang Clan hurriedly hid.
Yeah. Go report back quick.
He smirked and stepped inside.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
The late autumn dawn chill permeated Cheonun Pavilion's interior.
No Cho-san, wrapped in a shabby blanket over his worn clothes, boiled a teapot.
"You're a branch leader, but no servants?"
"Branch leader my ass. Just a pain. Hao Sect's always been like that—you know."
"Fair enough."
Unlike other sects, the Hao Sect was a loose gathering of members from various trades.
Discipline was lax, and they didn't demand strict repayment for favors like the Dang Clan. In that sense, the iron coins from Nan-sim were rare in the Hao Sect.
No Cho-san must've been running Cheonun Pavilion even before joining.
"So, what's up this early?"
No Cho-san asked as he poured tea into a cup.
"Need some urgent info—"
"Oh, right!"
Mid-pour, No Cho-san suddenly grabbed for his hand.
Not keen on letting the old perv touch him, he pulled back.
No Cho-san nearly toppled over.
"Whoa!"
"Careful. Fall at your age, and you'll break bones."
He steadied him by the shoulder.
No Cho-san sat back down, rewrapping his blanket.
Now that he looked, dark circles under his eyes, face ashen.
How'd his face turn to shit overnight?
"Something happen last night?"
"Jang warrior! No, Lord Jang! I'll never forget your grace!"
"Grace? What… oh!"
"Yes! Exactly! Did just like you taught, and Angwol finally fell for me! From now on, you're my lifelong benefactor! Hahaha!"
"……."
Old bastard. Got skills.
He'd taught a few bedroom tricks women liked, but success on the first try? Even he hadn't expected that.
Curious, he asked back.
"Angwol a courtesan? Big age gap, but you made it work?"
"Pah! I got shame! What, me chasin' prime tail at my age? Age diff's not bad. Quit bein' a gisaeng ages ago."
"Huh. Impressive. True blue blood. Seems your talent outshines mine."
"Heh heh heh! You think? Heh heh! Still got it!"
Chatting nonsense at dawn, but No Cho-san looked genuinely thrilled.
Still, old man.
Better pop some stamina pills before fuckin' around.
Might not see next year otherwise.
"Congrats anyway. Let's get to business—it's urgent."
"Oh right! Business! Yeah, what ya need? For Lord Jang, anything."
"Pull a few names from Seongdo merchant houses and escort agencies."
"Huh? What's that outta nowhere?"
He described the impression and appearance he'd shared with Dang Hwa-rin last night to No Cho-san.
But not why.
Explaining would reveal Dang Hwa-rin as the Thousand Face Fox Thief—info only he should know.
Less who know, higher the value. And to wrap up Seongdo cleanly, secrecy was key.
"Lemme see. A few come to mind. Hold on. I'll sort it quick."
Having lived in Seongdo forever, No Cho-san picked fits just from the description.
He fetched a ledger, compared, and jotted affiliations and names on blank paper.
"Any spots on Seongdo outskirts with low foot traffic?"
"Hmm… low traffic. Cave okay?"
"Open area better. Cliff maybe."
"Ah! Got one like that."
He made a few more related requests.
No Cho-san nodded eagerly, no problem.
"List here's yours. But how's this tie to catchin' Thousand Face Fox?"
"Don't dig too deep. No good comes of it."
"True, true. Ignorance is bliss. Heh heh. Forgot myself."
No Cho-san smacked his ugly lips with a cheeky grin.
He chuckled and stood.
"How much for the fee?"
"Nah, forget it. Nothin' tough, can't take Lord Jang's coin."
"Business is business."
"Stubborn. Fine, four silver taels."
"Callin' too cheap?"
"Just what's needed. Feel bad? Teach a few more tricks."
No Cho-san leered and nudged his arm.
"You'll drop dead from overexertion. Pace yourself."
"Aigoo. Body's all sluggish today. Gotta slaughter a chicken or somethin'."
"Countin' on you then. Handle it clean."
"You know our ways. Trust me."
He handed over the silver and left Cheonun Pavilion.
No Cho-san waved from the door.
Bigger welcome than from Nan-sim, who'd owed him her life.
"That good, huh."
He shook his head and walked the alley.
Time had passed; the sun now brightly lit the surroundings.
Emerging onto the main street.
A woman spotted him and beamed.
"Business go well?"
It was Dang Hwa-rin.
He feigned surprise, stammering.
"Uh… well… oh! Thought of the poetry girl I missed yesterday—"
"It's fine. We know Cheonun Pavilion's Hao Sect."
"Oh. Yeah?"
"Least in Seongdo, nothing escapes the main house."
"True. Makes sense."
Dang Hwa-rin planted hands on hips, eyeing him.
"So, proper investigation starts now?"
Grrrooowl.
His stomach rumbled right on cue.
Dang Hwa-rin's eyes went adorably wide.
He scratched his head.
"How 'bout food first?"
Dang Hwa-rin burst out laughing.