Chapter 240
Chapter 240
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 240
Chapter Title: To Mount Wudang
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No one knew who first spotted Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah emerging together from the same room that next morning.
However, word that the two had come out of the same room spread throughout the entire Tang Manor in less than half a day.
The people of Tang Manor pretended not to know anything as they hovered around Dang Mujin, Mok Wan-ah, and Dan Seolyeong, watching closely to see what would happen. A tense atmosphere gripped the manor, as if something might explode at any moment.
Yet, contrary to everyone's expectations, Dan Seolyeong showed no particular reaction even after running into Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah.
'What the hell is going on?'
There were two possibilities.
Either Dan Seolyeong hadn't noticed the relationship between Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah, or she had noticed but decided to turn a blind eye.
As people watched the three with bated breath, letting the days pass, a small anomaly was discovered.
Up until the third day after Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah began sharing a room, there had only been a subtle awkwardness and ticklish vibe between them—nothing particularly different.
But on the fourth day, the martial artists of Tang Manor realized that Mok Wan-ah was walking with a slightly waddling gait.
Most of the people staying at Tang Manor were those who had trained in martial arts to some degree. Their eyes far surpassed those of ordinary folk, so it was unlikely they were seeing things.
'No way?'
People hid here and there, observing Mok Wan-ah's every move.
Mok Wan-ah waddled just a bit, but otherwise seemed to be going about her daily routine as usual.
However, around lunchtime, another small oddity was spotted. Mok Wan-ah had packed a small bundle with a bit of bedding and headed toward the stream.
Not to the well where people gathered, but to the more distant stream.
"..."
The center of Tang Manor was, without question, Dang Mujin's family.
However, excluding Dang Mujin's family, the people fell into three main groups.
The physicians clustered around Chu Sam.
The blacksmiths gathered around Seok Jiseung.
The martial artists assembled around Three-Eyed Buddha.
Chu Sam and Seok Jiseung subtly glanced at Three-Eyed Buddha.
They were implicitly asking the martial artists to tail Mok Wan-ah without being noticed, on behalf of the physicians and blacksmiths.
But Three-Eyed Buddha felt it wasn't right for him to step forward in this situation. After all, he was a monk who had broken his precepts, but once a monk nonetheless.
Instead, Three-Eyed Buddha approached Seo Hyang, the only female warrior from the Demonic Cult, and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Go check it out."
"Yes, sir."
Seo Hyang, entrusted with this grave mission, discreetly followed Mok Wan-ah.
And about half a shichen later—before Mok Wan-ah even returned—Seo Hyang came back to Tang Manor first.
People noticed that Seo Hyang's eyes were sparkling unusually bright. It was the expression of someone who had witnessed something entertaining.
Seo Hyang condensed the news—that she had confirmed a red stain on the blanket Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah had used—into a single word.
"They did it!"
There was no need to explain who or what had been done.
Several people, especially the young men, let out collective sighs. One of the few unmarried women in Tang Manor had fallen to the clutches of its master, Dang Mujin.
Now, everyone's attention shifted from Mok Wan-ah to Dan Seolyeong.
With her husband bringing in a new woman, conflict and rivalry were bound to follow nine times out of ten, and it would all start with Dan Seolyeong.
But Dan Seolyeong responded in a way that completely defied expectations. She began preparing for Mok Wan-ah's wedding.
The people couldn't comprehend what was happening.
Finally, when curiosity became too much to bear, Seo Hyang took on the heavy responsibility once more and went to find Dan Seolyeong.
Fortunately, Seo Hyang and Dan Seolyeong shared a fairly close friendship.
Seo Hyang said,
"Seolyeong, you've seemed busy these past few days. What are you preparing?"
Dan Seolyeong replied calmly.
"I'm preparing for a wedding."
"A wedding?"
"Yes. It might be hard to invite people from outside, but we should at least hold a simple ceremony at home. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event, after all."
Pretending not to know, Seo Hyang asked suspiciously,
"...Whose wedding?"
"You know full well. Of course it's Wan-ah's wedding."
It was now certain that Dan Seolyeong had tacitly approved the relationship between Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah. Seo Hyang asked cautiously,
"But why are you the one preparing the wedding?"
"As the lady of the house, it's only natural for me to handle family matters big and small. And knowing that holding a wedding without any in-laws isn't ordinary, shouldn't I at least help out?"
There wasn't a trace of anxiety in Dan Seolyeong's voice.
It conveyed her confidence that Mok Wan-ah's entry into the household wouldn't shake her position, along with her boundless magnanimity. Everything was clear in an instant.
Not only Seo Hyang, but everyone who heard the story through her was full of admiration.
*
About two months after Dang Mujin and Mok Wan-ah held their simple wedding ceremony.
And on one summer evening when Dang Mujin was alternating between staying in Dan Seolyeong's and Mok Wan-ah's quarters, four people crossed paths at the edge of Chengdu.
Two Taoist priests from Qingcheng Sect, and two nuns from Emei Sect.
Most folks in Chengdu just passed by, thinking, "Oh, some Taoists must know those nuns."
But a few recognized them and gaped in shock.
Not a single one of the four was someone to overlook.
Yeongheo-ja, the sect leader of Qingcheng Sect, and his grand-disciple Jin Hae, considered the top among Qingcheng's younger generation.
Heangbaek Sa-tae, the sect leader of Emei Sect, and her disciple Eun Seon-rim. All outstanding figures.
Yeongheo-ja had led the meeting, so he naturally had to go, and Jin Hae planned to accompany him to Mount Wudang to mingle with peers of similar standing and broaden his horizons.
Unless it was an urgent matter, it was customary to bring one or two juniors when visiting another sect.
When Heangbaek Sa-tae spotted Yeongheo-ja and cupped her hands in greeting, he approached and exchanged courtesies.
"I thought we'd run into each other inside Tang Manor, but fate brought us together here instead. I hope you've been well?"
"Yes. Thanks to you."
Unlike Yeongheo-ja, who was cheerful as if a nagging toothache had finally been pulled, Heangbaek Sa-tae's voice lacked energy.
To be honest, Heangbaek Sa-tae didn't want to go to Mount Wudang. The long journey was tiring enough, but she knew the gathering wouldn't be comfortable.
If anything, compared to the other sect leaders, she was young and of lower seniority. Her predecessor, Taepyeong Sa-tae, had passed away a bit prematurely.
Taking on such a heavy responsibility at a relatively young age was regrettable, but it certainly had its advantages.
As long as she didn't ruffle the feathers of her senior sect leaders, she could lord it over within Emei Sect under the title of sect leader.
But things would be different on Mount Wudang.
She'd have to converse with the other sect leaders, and whether by age or by skill, she'd be outmatched.
Yet she couldn't skip it. It would look like she was ignoring her neighbor Yeongheo-ja from the same Sichuan, or even Qingcheng Sect itself.
While the two sect leaders talked, the two juniors exchanged glances and nods.
The young Taoist Jin Hae, and the short-haired Eun Seon-rim.
Jin Hae spoke first.
"It's been a while. How many years has it been?"
"About three years since we last met."
"Already?"
As she spoke, Eun Seon-rim straightened her robes.
Perhaps because she was at an age to care about her appearance, her attire had a bit more flair than a typical nun's.
This time, Eun Seon-rim asked.
"Have you ever been to Tang Manor?"
"No. But I've heard plenty of rumors."
As members of Sichuan sects, Eun Seon-rim and Jin Hae couldn't help hearing bits about Tang Manor even without seeking it out.
The problem was how extraordinary those rumors were.
Things like how it wasn't like an ordinary martial sect with all sorts of people mixed in—physicians and blacksmiths alike—or how the skills of those staying there surpassed even massive sects. Strange tales.
Of course, rumors were half exaggeration as usual, but some information was solid.
"...I heard Blood Rain Guest is at Tang Manor?"
"That's right."
Last New Year's Eve, both Heangbaek Sa-tae and Yeongheo-ja had been at Tang Manor.
They couldn't fathom what possessed that unorthodox warrior to try washing away his past there, but it was certain he was staying at Tang Manor. It came straight from the sect leaders themselves.
Eun Seon-rim asked with curiosity brimming in her voice.
"I heard Three-Eyed Buddha is there too?"
"Even so, it can't be Three-Eyed Buddha. Probably a Kunlun slave from the Western Regions. Rumors must have spread after someone saw a dark-skinned person."
"I see."
The four chatted idly as they walked.
But as they neared Tang Manor, the mood grew subtly tense.
The gazes of the locals near Tang Manor were somehow sharp. Yeongheo-ja and Heangbaek Sa-tae seemed unperturbed, but Jin Hae and Eun Seon-rim felt intimidated.
'Is it because it's our first time at Tang Manor?'
The four entered through Tang Manor's main gate.
The first sight to meet their eyes was a one-armed young man sparring with a Beggars' Sect disciple.
They appeared roughly the same age as Jin Hae or Eun Seon-rim, but their skill was a step or two ahead.
As the top juniors of Qingcheng and Emei, it was the first time Jin Hae and Eun Seon-rim felt intimidated seeing peers' prowess.
"Who are they?"
When Eun Seon-rim asked, Jin Hae pondered briefly before answering.
"The one wielding the sword over there is probably Soaring Dragon Sword."
It was a highly reasonable deduction.
Lately, peers were starting to approach the wall of peak realm.
One or two might have even broken through it.
But as far as Eun Seon-rim and Jin Hae knew, the only one who had reached a mature stage beyond the initial peak was Soaring Dragon Sword. He had surpassed the wall seven or eight years ago.
Yet Eun Seon-rim couldn't shake her doubt.
"Was Soaring Dragon Sword one-armed?"
"He must have lost it recently."
"Then who's that Beggars' Sect guy?"
"...No idea."
As the two tried to gauge the beggar's identity, a neatly dressed young man appeared to greet Yeongheo-ja and Heangbaek Sa-tae.
"I figured you'd be arriving soon, but you're early."
Heangbaek Sa-tae lightly cupped her hands, and Yeongheo-ja beamed as he spoke.
"Young Master Tang, it's been a while. I know it's rude to ask right away, but when might we be able to depart?"
"We've prepared everything, so we can leave anytime."
"Excellent!"
From the "Young Master Tang," it seemed this man was the Healing Dragon, Dang Mujin—the young master of Tang Manor in all but name.
The issue was that, to their eyes, Dang Mujin's movements felt anything but ordinary.
'I heard the Healing Dragon trained in the sword too... No way he also broke through the peak wall?'
Dang Mujin was about the same age as Eun Seon-rim or Jin Hae, yet the two felt a strange distance from him.
His age matched theirs, but he seemed closer to Heangbaek Sa-tae or Yeongheo-ja in every way. Like an elder one or two seniority levels above, or the head of a clan or sect leader.
In fact, Dang Mujin showed no sense of deference toward Yeongheo-ja or Heangbaek Sa-tae either.
On the other hand, he paid little attention to Eun Seon-rim or Jin Hae.
'Getting close to the Healing Dragon will be tough.'
As Dang Mujin led Yeongheo-ja and Heangbaek Sa-tae inside, Eun Seon-rim and Jin Hae were suddenly left floating in the courtyard.
As the two furtively glanced around without showing it, a young man caught their eye.
Wudang Sect robes that didn't blend with Tang Manor. A sword at his waist, an impeccable gait, and eyes flowing with clear spirit.
Eun Seon-rim and Jin Hae simultaneously recognized him. That man was Soaring Dragon Sword Hyeon-gong.
At the same time, a small question arose.
'Then who was the one-armed guy we saw earlier? Among sword experts our age, was there anyone with that level of attainment?'
Jin Hae and Eun Seon-rim were usually brimming with confidence, but now they felt a bit deflated.
It was only natural. They had just entered Tang Manor and already spotted four juniors ahead of them.
Just as Jin Hae and Eun Seon-rim spotted Hyeon-gong, he noticed them too.
Hyeon-gong's sharp mind went to work.
'A young man in Qingcheng Taoist robes, a young woman from Emei.'
'Their skills are around the edge of first-rate. Not quite my level, but decent enough.'
'Dang Mujin just passed by with Yeongheo-ja and Heangbaek Sa-tae.'
'So those two must be juniors accompanying them to Mount Wudang to broaden their horizons.'
'Jin Hae, and Eun Seon-rim... was it?'
All this judgment happened in the blink of an eye.
Hyeon-gong strode straight toward them with a friendly smile.
Reaching out first to people dithering about what to do or where to go not only wins goodwill but also seizes the initiative.
As he walked, Hyeon-gong continued his thoughts.
'Both have solid backgrounds—eight points there. Skill-wise, maybe six points each. Fourteen points total. Pretty good for juniors.'
Hyeon-gong's gaze lingered a bit longer on Eun Seon-rim.
'Neat and lively vibe. Maybe two or three points... But she's from Emei, so no bonus for looks. What a shame.'
'Still, they'll surely hold key positions in Qingcheng and Emei someday, so building ties now is wise.'
'Ties, huh. Should I make them friends?'
Hyeon-gong approached the two and greeted them amiably.
"Hello. You must be guests visiting Tang Manor."
Jin Hae immediately cupped his fists and asked.
"Yes. I am Jin Hae of Qingcheng Sect, and this is the young lady Eun Seon-rim of Emei Sect. Might you be Wudang Sect's Soaring Dragon Sword Hyeon-gong?"
Hyeon-gong nodded modestly.
"It's an overly generous title."
"It really is...!"
A flicker of admiration passed through Jin Hae and Eun Seon-rim's eyes. The look of gazing at someone close yet distant—not quite a senior, not quite a friend.
In that moment, Hyeon-gong made up his mind.
'No need for friends. I'll make them my subordinates.'
Hyeon-gong flashed his most charming smile.