Chapter 93
Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Carriage Hall Candidate
I don't particularly like riding in carriages.
Every time I took one during my Lecherous Demon days, I got ambushed, so I hadn't ridden in a carriage once in this life either.
'And it's a waste of money.'
If things got urgent, deploying lightness skill was faster than any carriage anyway.
Moyong Hui and Cheon Woojin felt the same way.
But now that my entourage had grown by two, I had no choice but to rent one.
'...If it weren't for Lady Yang, I'd just walk.'
What did I care if Baek Rihyeon got tired?
Stamina was basic for anyone learning martial arts anyway.
However, I, Mok Jimyeong.
Am a man endlessly indulgent toward my woman.
Solely for Yang Hwajeong, I was walking the streets alone to rent a carriage.
Normally, I'd have sent Cheon Woojin on such a menial errand, but to take one last stroll through Seungdeok's streets, I'd left the inn by myself.
'Why are there so many beggar bastards around?'
There were way too many beggars scavenging on the streets.
Seungdeok had its share of poor folk, sure, but beggars here were usually just kids.
The locals were so stingy that a healthy adult begging would get curses instead of coins.
Yet seeing so many old beggars meant the Beggar Clan was involved.
And they were staring at me quite blatantly.
'Why are the Beggar Clan guys here?'
The only thing that came to mind was the Red Serpent Sect's downfall, but that had happened just yesterday.
No way they'd mobilize this fast over that.
'Or maybe word spread about me killing Chu Munrak at the Eun Merchant Group?'
The Shadow Gate Sect knew, and so did the imperial court—wouldn't be surprising if the Beggar Clan caught wind too.
I considered grabbing one to ask, but suddenly felt too lazy.
I wasn't the Lecherous Demon anymore; I was living as an upright sect member now. No need to pick a fight with the Beggar Clan.
'I'll ask Somwol about it later.'
Distracted by the beggars, I reached the relay station—my destination—before I knew it.
'It's been a while here too.'
Not just Seungdeok's station; I hadn't seen one in ages.
Over ten years without a carriage ride, after all.
"What can I do for you?"
"Carriage. To Beijing. For five."
I stated my business curtly, and the clerk asked me to wait a moment before stepping away.
He soon returned with a man who looked like a coachman...
'What the hell is this?'
The guy looked barely into his twenties, but he was peak first-rate.
Right on the cusp of supreme realm.
With so many powerhouses around me lately, I sometimes lost perspective, but this kid qualified as a late-generation prodigy.
As I frowned, he smiled and bowed in greeting.
"Young Master Mok, good to see you."
I'd never introduced myself here—how did he know me?
"...Shadow Gate Sect?"
My question made his lips curl even higher.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Beomseok, candidate of the Carriage Hall."
"Candidate?"
His introduction was intriguing.
A Shadow Gate Sect candidate meant someone eligible to challenge for sect leader—like Somwol.
No wonder his skills were impressive for his age; it all made sense now.
'A Carriage Hall candidate... Wasn't this the guy Somwol convinced with force before?'
Somwol had once subdued the candidates of the Carriage Hall—for coachmen—and the Porter Hall—for laborers—to aid the Eun Merchant Group.
That's how they escaped their manpower shortage.
Sensing my gaze, Beomseok nodded.
"Young Master Mok, you've probably heard a lot about me from Somwol. I've heard plenty about you from her too, so I was thrilled to learn you were in Seungdeok. I was even debating whether to seek you out first..."
"...Huh? Who heard what from who?"
"I've heard a lot about you from Somwol, and you've probably heard plenty about me too..."
He trailed off mid-sentence.
Then his smiling face slowly cracked.
"...You haven't heard anything about me from Somwol, have you?"
"Nope."
To be precise, I'd only heard she'd convinced him with force.
But that clearly wasn't what he meant.
At my honest reply, he ground his teeth.
"...Leaving the Brothel Hall candidate aside for now, there's someone specifically looking for you, Young Master Mok."
Slipping in "Brothel Hall candidate" instead of his own title.
What a straightforward guy.
'Someone looking for me?'
At my look, he lowered his voice.
"Our sect leader has a keen interest in you."
"The Shadow Gate Sect leader?"
Made sense, thinking about it.
No matter how much Somwol hid info about me, it would've reached the sect leader's ears.
'She probably heard about my fight with her father-in-law too.'
Couldn't forget that the Yi Yeon House—where I'd clashed with Moyong Hwan—was Shadow Gate Sect affiliated.
As I mulled over the sect and fell silent, he spoke again.
"Our sect leader is currently in the Shandong region. Visit the relay station in Jeonam Province, and you'll be able to meet her."
"Why would I?"
"...Pardon?"
He looked baffled at my question.
But I found his reaction even stranger.
"Why would I meet the Shadow Gate Sect leader?"
The only person from the Shadow Gate Sect worth meeting one-on-one was Somwol.
If I had to pick another, maybe Ayeong.
'Ayeong's my soulmate, after all.'
No one else crossed my mind.
Unless we bumped into each other by chance.
Reading my intent, he ventured cautiously,
"...In case you misunderstood— the one who wants to meet you is the Shadow Gate Sect leader."
"And?"
He clamped his mouth shut at my indifferent response.
The initial smile was long gone.
'What now, then.'
Was the sect leader in Shandong going to hunt me down herself?
And even if she did, I wouldn't mind.
'I could take the Shadow Gate Sect leader.'
No matter how much they propped up the unorthodox sects, the Shadow Gate Sect was still just an information network.
Their leader couldn't possibly surpass the Moyong family head.
'And I've beaten the Moyong family head.'
Worse case, even if she edged out Moyong Hwan, it wouldn't matter.
Anyone short of transcendent realm, I could handle.
'If she'd reached transcendent realm, she'd be the Four Black Alliance leader, not Shadow Gate Sect leader.'
Nothing to fear from my end.
After a long staring contest, he sighed first.
"Young Master Mok, I beg you earnestly—can't you make it work?"
"Who are you to beg?"
We'd just met today.
I'd never even heard his name before.
After hemming and hawing, this newly introduced Beomseok made a new proposal.
"If you meet our sect leader, I'll give you a spirit pill."
"Oh, a spirit pill?"
Now that changed things.
My second sister, training alone back home, had been on my mind.
As my expression shifted, he slyly smiled again.
"Yes. Just tell the sect leader you came at the Carriage Hall candidate's request."
"Hmm... Sure, whatever."
Apparently it gave him an edge in the candidate competition—didn't matter to me.
Somwol was becoming sect leader anyway.
'If not, I'd force it through.'
Clueless to my thoughts, he continued gladly.
"Have you heard of the Heretical Spirit Pill? That's what I'm offering..."
"Hold up—Heretical Spirit Pill?"
Heretical Spirit Pill.
The name sounded toxic, but it was actually a renowned elixir from the Four Black Alliance.
Not quite Shaolin's Great Return Pill, but far superior to the Small Return Pill.
Top-tier among most spirit medicines.
'I've had a few myself.'
Back when the Four Black Alliance wined and dined me, I'd scored some.
Didn't fully satisfy me with my Blissful Creation Art, but even I felt its effects.
'Pure energy too.'
Unlike the ominous name, its qi was cleaner than most elixirs.
"...What's wrong? If it's the name..."
Misreading my interruption, he started explaining the pill.
But that wasn't my issue.
"You have one of those?"
Like I said, the Heretical Spirit Pill was exceptional.
To quantify it...
'If this kid took it, he'd hit supreme realm.'
A peak first-rate ingesting it would ascend straight to supreme.
And this guy had one?
Without taking it?
Didn't add up.
He hesitated slightly before answering.
"...To be precise, the sect leader has it now—not me."
"What? Then your offer's bullshit."
The steam went right out of it.
The sect leader might have one, sure, but why give it to me?
Not like she'd lost a bet.
But he shook his head.
"No. To clarify: the sect leader has three Heretical Spirit Pills, and one belongs to me."
"Yours? Why does the Shadow Gate Sect leader have it?"
Normally I'd dismiss it as nonsense, but he seemed sincere.
Not just pity over a pill slipping from my pocket.
Anyway, he grew solemn again.
"Truth is, the other candidates don't even know this... Our sect leader's name is Beom Seonja Chunja—my father."
"You're the Shadow Gate Sect leader's son?"
"Yes. But the candidate competition is fair; I assure you, no impropriety. I haven't claimed the pill from him because we agreed I'd take it after the competition ends..."
He rambled excuses, but they fell on deaf ears.
Candidate rivalries meant nothing to me.
'So if I just meet the sect leader, I get a real Heretical Spirit Pill?'
No reason for him to lie unless he was crazy.
Jackpot.