The Allure of the Bi-gyeong
"Ugh... It's been a while since I had such a garbage dream."
On the deck of the Gyolyong Bandit Clan's flagship, the Nezha Dragon King.
The vessel had arrived at Seongsin Port, the original destination of the Jinseong Express Caravan, and was currently busy unloading its cargo.
Watching this from the deck railing with a scowl, Ilyang stared down at the rippling river water with a complex, subtle expression.
"I don't know how long it's been since I last had that dog-shit dream. That absolute bastard."
In his dream, the Demon King's final words were still playing on an infinite loop.
'God is already dead,' indeed.
Then what about the Goddess Ionia whom he had met?
What on earth was she?
But it was hard to simply dismiss the words of that wretched Demon King at his very last moment as mere nonsense. There were too many unsettling implications.
Just then.
A hairy water bandit, drenched in sweat, ran over from a distance and bowed deeply.
"All the cargo you requested has been completely unloaded, Chief!"
"Now, now. Calling me 'Chief' makes me sound like a common bandit, doesn't it? Just call me Young Master."
"A-Ah, understood, Young Master."
The bandit bowed as low as physically possible.
He was the temporary captain of the Nezha Dragon King, Ghost Cloud Guest Ho Sam.
Ho Sam treated Ilyang with absolute, utmost respect. Naturally, his submissive attitude was an incredibly wise decision.
"And what about what I mentioned earlier?"
At Ilyang's casual question, Ho Sam swallowed hard, looked around warily, and whispered in a low voice.
"...The 'items' you asked me to bring are currently waiting in the cabin of Ship Number Three. No one besides my direct subordinates knows about this."
"Good. Well handled."
During the two days it took for the fleet to sail to this port, Ilyang had given Ho Sam a secret directive.
He had ordered him to dispatch a single vessel with trusted men to make a quick detour.
And what had been secretly loaded onto that fast ship was none other than...
Thanks to that, I was able to rendezvous with the Blood Jiangshi in time.
...the ten Blood Jiangshi who had been diligently following them along the riverbanks.
They were currently the most reliable physical force at Ilyang's disposal.
He had quietly sent a fast ship under the cover of night to pick up those ten Blood Jiangshi and bring them aboard.
"As a reward, I will arrange for you to temporarily control one of them. It would be troublesome for me if you were to suddenly die, so consider it your protection."
"T-Thank you very much."
Unable to hide his terrified expression, Ho Sam wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and meekly accepted Ilyang's 'generosity.'
To think this little kid of a master was a monster capable of controlling Blood Jiangshi.
When he first heard from his subordinates that the things they brought from across the river were Blood Jiangshi, Ho Sam had screamed internally like a little girl.
As expected of a Suseonza who has achieved youth-rejuvenation!
To martial artists, Suseonza cultivators were objects of absolute terror and awe.
Excluding the Mosan Sect, the majority of Suseonza were declared public enemies of the Wulin. Thus, actual encounters with them in the Jianghu were rare, but regardless, Suseonza were terrifying beings that martial artists dared not provoke.
Ho Sam had originally planned to bide his time and escape at the first opportunity.
But now, the boy was kindly assigning a Blood Jiangshi to him.
What did that imply?
Ugh! This isn't just for protection—it's a warning that he'll be watching my every move!
The leash had been securely fastened.
As an opportunist highly sensitive to the shifting tides, Ho Sam cleanly abandoned all thoughts of running away.
He had no choice but to remain obediently by this rejuvenated monster's side and show absolute loyalty.
He could only pray that the lifeline he was clinging to was sturdy enough.
Of course, Ilyang had actually assigned the Blood Jiangshi out of genuine goodwill, but that wasn't a particularly important detail between them right now.
"Go and prepare to set sail."
"Understood, Young Master."
Having sent away a visibly pale Ho Sam, Ilyang slowly formulated his plans for the immediate future.
Let's head straight back to Sunghwa Island and catalog the Gyolyong Bandit Clan's assets first.
Would there really be as much hidden wealth as the successor of the bandit chief had so confidently boasted?
Haha, what if there are too many resources for me to handle?
For the first time in a very long while, Ilyang felt the flutter of excitement, much like a young child. The thought of opening a treasure chest with guaranteed rewards put him in an excellent mood.
Just then.
"Ahem. Are you truly not planning to visit our main clan? If you accompany me to the Namgung family estate, I am certain they will reward you far more generously than originally promised."
Heaven-Shattering Sword Namgung Min approached with a deeply regretful expression, offering the invitation once more.
In truth, he had been subtly dropping hints throughout the entire journey here, but Ilyang's answer had always been a firm rejection.
"Surely the great Namgung Clan wouldn't cheat me out of my reward just because I didn't show up in person?"
When Ilyang gave him a look that said, 'Your family isn't that petty, right?' Namgung Min stammered in embarrassment.
"O-Of course not, but..."
Ilyang cut off the sputtering Namgung Min.
"I have matters to attend to here personally, so I cannot go. I shall receive the reward promised by the Heaven-Shattering Sword through the Jinseong Express Caravan at a later date."
In any case, the Jinseong Express Caravan would deliver the goods to the Namgung Clan, and then they would have to cross the Yujanggang River on their return journey. He could simply collect his reward then. There was absolutely no reason to go out of his way to show his face at the Namgung Clan.
It's not as if I'm their subordinate.
Others might scramble for a chance to build connections with the prestigious Namgung Clan, but not Ilyang.
He had briefly considered visiting them not too long ago, but that was only when the Namgung Clan possessed the wind spirit cargo. The Namgung Clan now? Well, they held very little significance to him.
Yet, Namgung Min seemed desperate to bring Ilyang along by any means necessary. His pitch became slightly more honest than before.
"Mmm... To be perfectly frank, I wish to introduce Young Hero Ilyang to the elders of our main family."
When Namgung Min finally revealed his true intentions, Ilyang tilted his head on the deck.
"And why is that?"
"Of course. Our family has always placed great importance on forging ties with talented individuals throughout generations. Young Hero Ilyang, you are more than qualified to be an honored guest of our clan. Who knows? You might even become a son-in-law of our main house."
Emphasizing his last words, Namgung Min wore a somewhat desperate expression.
Having lost their precious cargo, he was likely trying to bring Ilyang back as a substitute prize, hoping to win over the elders by presenting a brilliant young talent.
The only problem was that his intentions were glaringly obvious to Ilyang. While such transparent scheming was almost endearing, it was far from enough to sway Ilyang's mind. Right now, Ilyang's eyes were practically spinning with thoughts of the Gyolyong Bandit Clan's treasures.
"I truly appreciate the offer, but my business here is far too pressing."
"Ah... I see."
In the end, after a few more empty exchanges, Namgung Min dejectedly lowered his head and began to disembark with heavy steps.
Watching Namgung Min's retreating figure with indifference, Ilyang turned his gaze to Ho Sam, who was keeping his distance and watching for cues.
"We can set sail immediately, yes?"
"Yes! Of course, Young Master!"
The preparations to depart were already complete. Ho Sam replied briskly, and a faint smile played on Ilyang's lips.
"I look forward to seeing just how many treasures are stored in the Gyolyong Bandit Clan's vault."
Furthermore, he had to extract a proper ransom for the peak masters he had locked up in the lower cabins. There was quite a lot of work to do. Even now, Manager Seo of the Jinseong Express Caravan was busy hopping between the sailing vessels, assessing the value of the goods on board.
Just then.
From afar, he felt a steady gaze from someone who had not yet boarded their carriage. Cruel Broadsword Jang Geo-i, the leader of the vagabonds who had accompanied them. A peak master who was clearly hiding his true strength. For some reason, Ilyang's eyes had frequently drawn to him.
As Jang Geo-i sent the message via sound transmission from a distance, Ilyang nodded calmly in return.
"Take care of yourself as well, Cruel Broadsword."
Why was it? As Jang Geo-i climbed into his waiting carriage, his expression seemed somewhat complicated, but Ilyang didn't pay it much mind. Such partings were common in the world of vagabonds.
On the contrary...
"Father. Wait, no. Now that the job is over, I can just call you comfortably, right? Right, Ilyang?"
"..."
Blood Wind Spear Yang Cheon-jo. This crazy bastard was the truly bizarre one. He had been wandering around chewing on beef jerky for a while before approaching Ilyang with overly familiar warmth.
Staring at him with ice-cold eyes, Ilyang spoke.
"Why don't you get lost now? Didn't you say you had your own schedule to keep?"
"Uh... Well, that was the plan, but..."
Unlike the other vagabonds, Yang Cheon-jo had not disembarked. Instead, he lingered on the ship, hovering hesitantly around Ilyang like a puppy that desperately needed to relieve itself. He clearly had something to say.
Ilyang had deliberately ignored him until now, but once the Gyolyong Bandit Clan's fleet departed from the ferry dock, he decided to clear things up.
"State your business clearly now. I let it slide earlier because there were other people around, but now that there are no watching eyes, speak honestly."
Otherwise, I'm throwing you straight into the river. He kept his internal threat to himself.
"Uh... Yeah, I guess I should, right?"
Blood Wind Spear Yang Cheon-jo rolled his eyes around, and as Ilyang's gaze grew increasingly frigid, he finally flinched and confessed his purpose.
"Well, you see... Actually, I wanted to talk to you in private."
Yang Cheon-jo glanced repeatedly at Gong Jeol-gang, who stood beside Ilyang as still as a stone statue.
"He is my disciple, so you may speak freely."
"Oh... Really? I see. Wait, when did he become your disciple?"
"Is that important?"
"No, I suppose not..."
After some hesitation, Yang Cheon-jo finally made up his mind and spoke, sharing a story that genuinely piqued Ilyang's interest.
"...You found a Bi-gyeong?"
"Yeah."
So what exactly is that?
When Ilyang turned his head to glance at Gong Jeol-gang, the scholar whispered with a slightly surprised expression.
"You can think of a Bi-gyeong as a sort of treasure vault created by an exceptionally skilled Suseonza, completely sealed off by formations. Occasionally, a Grotto-Heaven Bi-gyeong detached from the Upper Realm appears, but those are extremely rare. They only manifest once every few decades."
Ilyang's eyes flashed.
"So a Bi-gyeong is basically a dungeon?"
"Hmm? What is a 'dungeon'?"
"It means the same thing as a Bi-gyeong."
"...I see. Understood."
While Gong Jeol-gang muttered the word "dungeon" to himself, committing it to memory, Yang Cheon-jo swallowed hard and spoke.
"My master found it himself. He sealed the entrance tight, so no one has been able to enter yet."
"Oh?"
Entering a dungeon first? This was a highly attractive proposition. Though he had no idea what treasures lay inside, formations—or rather, magic circles—were notoriously difficult to set up and consumed vast amounts of resources. It was an established rule that any dungeon protected by a formation contained incredibly valuable treasures.
"So you came out to the Jianghu to find a Suseonza who can dismantle the Bi-gyeong's formation?"
"Yeah. All of my senior disciples, including myself, have ventured out to search for one."
Ilyang unconsciously stroked his soft chin. It had become a habit of his. The soft sensation helped calm his fluttering heart. Indeed, Yang Cheon-jo's story was interesting enough to warrant a calm mind.
"And the formation installed there couldn't be broken even by the power of a peak master?"
"Yeah. Even my master couldn't break through it. He claimed he only used about half his strength, but in my eyes, that was total bullshit. He definitely went all out. Anyway, that's not the point. What's certain is that an incredibly powerful formation is protecting that Bi-gyeong. There must be an incredible treasure inside."
A formation that withstood the full power of a peak master. This only made it more enticing.
Squeeze, squeeze—
Ilyang massaged his chin as he organized his thoughts. The things commonly referred to as "spells" or "arts" in this world were, in his estimation, a somewhat primitive and unorganized branch of magic.
But precisely because it is primitive and unorganized, it can be incredibly ingenious and creative.
In short, the magic of this world was not something he could simply look down upon as inferior. Furthermore, to Ilyang, who was always thirsting for new magical formulas, this world was like a treasure chest filled with all kinds of creative and fascinating concepts. A jewelry box overflowing with unpolished gemstones.
It was an opportunity to touch one of those raw gems, but Ilyang gritted his teeth and spoke.
"...For now, I will put it on hold."
"Why! Why?!"
"I am busy right now. Have you forgotten why I brought Manager Seo of the Jinseong Express Caravan along?"
The reason Ilyang had refused to visit the Namgung Clan despite their earnest invitations was to secure safe and complete ownership of the resources he had just acquired. He needed to know exactly how much wealth the Gyolyong Bandit Clan possessed before deciding his next move.
And the dozens of ships currently trailing behind the Nezha Dragon King, and the water bandits aboard them, could never be controlled by Ghost Cloud Guest Ho Sam, who was merely a first-class master.
Those bastards are only staying in line because of me.
The overwhelming, godlike power Ilyang had demonstrated. It was because they were terrified of him that those fierce water bandits shut their mouths and remained obedient. If Ilyang were to leave right now, the bandits would undoubtedly flee, taking not only the wedge boats they rode but also the sailing vessels that made up the core assets of the Gyolyong Bandit Clan.
From Ilyang's perspective, chasing down and capturing every single runaway would be an impossible chore. And he had no reason to subject himself to such a hassle.
When Ilyang gestured toward the rear with his chin, Yang Cheon-jo looked momentarily bewildered, but since he wasn't a complete idiot, he seemed to grasp the situation and smacked his lips in disappointment.
"I guess it can't be helped."
"I can help you eventually, even if not right now. For now, go get your master's permission."
"Really? You promise?"
"Yes. Though if you are in a hurry, you are free to look for someone else."
"No, no! I'm sure Master will wait!"
In the first place, Ilyang was the only Suseonza Yang Cheon-jo knew, and since Suseonza were so incredibly rare to come by, Yang Cheon-jo didn't actually have any other options.
"I will assign a wedge boat to you, so go meet your master and return."
"Got it! I'll be back as fast as I can!"
"I told you, you can take your time."
Ilyang shook his head. The boy still refused to listen to a single word he said.
After sending Yang Cheon-jo on his way, Ilyang steered the fleet toward Sunghwa Island, the stronghold of the Gyolyong Bandit Clan.
And upon arriving at Sunghwa Island, Ilyang was met with a sight he had not anticipated in the slightest.