The Second Tomb
The first thing Seong-jin did after descending from Mount Bongnae, having received the teachings of the immortals, was to search for the whereabouts of his family.
What had become of the family he left behind after he departed for Mount Bongnae?
So much time had passed that he did not expect to see them alive. He only held a faint hope that he might encounter their descendants. If he did, he intended to guide them in martial arts, provided it did not violate the Bongsin-gyuyak (The Covenant of Sealing Immortals). Though he was forbidden from intervening in human affairs, he reasoned that family matters were merely personal business.
However, what greeted Seong-jin when he returned to his hometown with such thoughts was nothing but a ruined house site.
"That place was burned down long ago because it was where the Heavenly Demon once lived. But that was over a hundred years ago..."
He had only refined his family's martial arts; how could the Demonic Cult have arisen from that? He wanted to rush to the Heavenly Mountain immediately to investigate, but he could not. Seong-jin had come into the world under the pretext of carrying out the immortals' tasks; he could not abandon those duties for personal matters.
Although they had taught him only the cultivation required before ascending, the immortals' decision to instruct him was, at best, a gray area within the Bongsin-gyuyak. If Seong-jin acted recklessly, it would bring trouble not only upon himself but upon the immortals as well.
In the end, Seong-jin pushed his regrets aside and chased after the demons, repeating to himself that he was already a man who had died.
That was why he could not maintain his composure when he heard the news that the Heavenly Demon’s tomb had been discovered in the Central Plains.
“Report everything you saw there in detail, right now.”
It was not the attitude one should show as a guest.
“Lady Byeok-ha has chosen him, and I vouch for him. Everyone must treat him with the same respect as one would treat the Mount Hua Sect.”
Only after hearing Yeong-myeong’s words did Seong-jin realize he had been excessively agitated and shut his mouth.
Having confirmed all the murals in the first tomb, Seong-jin nodded.
“I know where the second tomb is.”
He also knew what was left at the end of the treasure map. He had to fulfill his duty as a son before the tomb was desecrated by the hands of outsiders.
'The Bongsin-gyuyak is also a rule set by the heavens, so I shall comply with the laws of heaven.'
He had arguments to make. There was no longer any need to hesitate.
“We move immediately. We must not arrive later than the Bokma-jeon.”
Seong-jin took the lead, and the group followed without a word.
Eventually, Zhuge Hyeok could not suppress his curiosity.
“Wait, you figured out the next location just by looking at the murals once? How?”
“Young Master Ju met a noble person in the mountains long ago and received teachings, so he has a way of knowing everything.”
'I suppose he doesn't want to reveal his secret method.'
Countless demonic practitioners had already gathered in Hubei. Despite that, the only tomb properly discovered so far was the first one; even the illustrious Zhuge Clan found it difficult to interpret the treasure map correctly. Zhuge Hyeok had only found the first tomb because he had already been in the vicinity, and even then, he had practically turned the entire area upside down to find it.
He had revealed the location of the first tomb partly for this reason.
'The answer is to mobilize more people. There is no answer in trying to interpret the treasure map to find the exact location.'
While finding the exact spot was difficult, it was easy to turn over the ground in the general vicinity. When Zhuge Hyeok realized he couldn't monopolize the treasure alone, he simply made it public to the Murim Alliance. Even if people within the Zhuge Clan complained about why he didn't keep it for themselves, it only served to raise his reputation externally. The Wudang Sect, having recovered their Songmun Sword, began to support Zhuge Hyeok. If he could win the support of two or three more major sects, he would be the next Clan Leader of the Zhuge family, regardless of what anyone within the clan said.
But to figure out the next location just by glancing at the murals of the first tomb? That meant if Zhuge Hyeok had asked Seong-jin to split it fifty-fifty, he could have taken half of the Heavenly Demon’s treasure. Of course, Zhuge Hyeok hadn't known of Seong-jin's existence, so it was a hypothetical exercise. However, it was enough to make Zhuge Hyeok raise Seong-jin's value in his mind by a dozen levels. Zhuge Hyeok hurriedly sent word to his clan while following the group.
Based on the contents of the murals, Seong-jin found the second tomb without difficulty. It was discovered not far from the first. For an absolute master like Lady Byeok-ha, it wouldn't have been strange for her to sense it. However, the exquisite formations of the Heavenly Demon Cult remaining in the tomb obstructed perception, making it nearly impossible for anyone who wasn't a rightful successor to find it.
'The location of the tomb and the way it is hidden are based on the verses of the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts.'
Anyone who knew the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts could start from any tomb and find all of them without a treasure map. 'The reason he left the treasure map was so that a successor could find it once at least one tomb was discovered.'
That was likely why he had placed one of the Murim treasures, such as the Songmun Sword, in each tomb. He had to make it widely known that the Heavenly Demon’s legacy slept there so that a descendant in the distant future would know the truth. He had to leave the legacy in the Central Plains, not the Heavenly Mountain, so that the son who would one day return could claim it.
'Father...'
He had known long ago that he wouldn't be able to be there for his father's final moments. But knowing it with his head and feeling it in his heart were two different things. The father who had fought against the entire world for his sake and had been branded a demon was now gone. And the other family members would be the same.
It was a situation that inevitably led to many thoughts. However, Seong-jin’s contemplation did not last long.
A broken formation. Uprooted vegetation. There was already a predecessor at the second tomb he had finally reached.
“Stop! From here on is the operational zone of the Murim Alliance. Identify yourselves!”
The Murim Alliance, which had been searching for the second tomb, hadn't found the exact location yet, but they had reached the vicinity. Since it had reached the point where it was faster to search the entire area than to decipher the treasure map, they were controlling the region and conducting a search.
“I am Zhuge Hyeok of the Zhuge Clan.”
“The Neung-ryong-bong-cho (Soaring Dragon and Phoenix Chick)!”
“Is the Great Hero the one who...?”
Zhuge Hyeok was a famous figure known throughout the world as a leading candidate for the successor of the Five Great Clans. However, it was extremely rare for his appearance to be known, so the warriors only recognized him after seeing the alliance identification plate he presented along with his name.
“There was a claim that the location of the second tomb was discovered, so I have come to verify it. Open the way.”
At Zhuge Hyeok’s words, the warriors cleared the path. Seong-jin thought as he watched them.
'Neung-ryong-bong-cho?'
It was an epithet claiming he had surpassed the Waryong (Crouching Dragon) and Bongchu (Phoenix Chick). 'An undeserved title.'
He had hurriedly followed Seong-jin after hearing he knew the location, yet he was speaking to the warriors as if it were merely a claim, in case it wasn't discovered. Regardless of his martial arts or intellect, he was not a person worthy of standing above others.
'Different from the Nine Sects.'
Since ancient times, sworn brothers were valued more highly than blood brothers. The teacher mentioned in the saying "The king, the teacher, and the father are one" referred to the examiner who had selected the candidate solely based on his writing in the civil service examination. Blood relations were innate, but sworn brotherhood was chosen by each other, making it even more noble. A teacher who merely taught writing for money was a transactional relationship, and since they had exchanged compensation, it could not be called a master-disciple relationship.
This was the same for Murim sects. The Nine Sects and One Clan were relationships where they recognized each other as master and disciple, and as brothers and sisters of the same generation. On the other hand, the Five Great Clans were bound only by innate blood ties regardless of their will, so their nobility was less than that of the Nine Sects.
'The Five Great Clans are like beasts, following the strong for power without any loyalty.'
The Five Great Clans lacked the nobility of the Nine Sects. Bi-in-bu-jeon (Do not pass on to those who are not worthy). Unlike the Five Great Clans, who could not easily cast aside their own flesh and blood, the Nine Sects only accepted disciples after observing their character, so the Nine Sects were the overwhelming victors in terms of humanity.
'As expected, the Beggar Sect created by Lee Cheol-goi is perfect.'
In Seong-jin’s heart, the Beggar Sect, with Lee Cheol-goi as its founder, was the best, and the Mount Hua Sect, which revered Yeo Dong-bin and was located on Mount Hua, was next. As they were called the Nine Sects and One Clan, he could acknowledge the others as they were linked to those two, but not the Five Great Clans. Of course, this was a subjective view born purely of prejudice and stubbornness, so Lee Cheol-goi had never agreed with it.
“You say you suspect this place? Then dig up this vicinity.”
Thus, the group mobilized the Murim Alliance warriors and began to dig up the spot Seong-jin had pointed out.
“There is something!”
As a result of the warriors, who had practiced martial arts, digging as if they were going to plow the earth, they were able to excavate the entrance to the buried second tomb. The buried entrance was made of blue stone and, except for the damp soil clinging to it, was preserved in its original state.
“To think it was buried so deep. Did they cause a landslide after building the tomb to bury the entrance?”
It had even been under the effect of a concealment formation, so unless one knew the location through the treasure map and came looking for it, the entrance would never have been revealed even after hundreds of years. From here on, it was a race against time. Seong-jin, who had been watching the entrance being revealed, was the first to step inside. Yeong-myeong and Danmok-cheong followed as if they had been waiting.
“Young Master Ju!”
Jegal Rin tried to call them back, but Zhuge Hyeok stopped her.
“In any case, this place will have formations spread inside, just like the first tomb. Since those brave young heroes are willing to take the risks on behalf of the Murim Alliance warriors, we can just follow slowly behind them.”
“You’re going to send them in on purpose and then follow slowly?”
There were formations in which one would die if they could not find the Saeng-mun (Gate of Life). Since simple concealment formations were spread outside the tomb, the ones inside would have been created to repel intruders, assuming someone had already entered.
“It is a Gimun-jinsik (Mysterious Gate Formation) located in the Heavenly Demon’s tomb. Rushing like that will only hasten their death.”
Zhuge Hyeok, thinking Seong-jin’s group had walked into a death trap on their own, did not rush. He was certainly a master who had reached the peak and was a powerhouse of a level rarely seen in the world, but this was the Heavenly Demon’s tomb. In this space where it wouldn't be strange for anything to jump out, it was safer to leave the hard work of breaking the path to them and follow slowly to share only the fruits of their labor.
'In any case, it will take several hours to find the Gate of Life and enter the inner chamber.'
Jegal Rin immediately resisted. “That’s ridiculous! He is the benefactor who saved my life!”
“Didn't you promise to help me become the Clan Leader no matter what? You accepted such a price as an advance payment; you aren't planning to wipe your mouth and walk away now, are you?”
“Ugh, that is...!”
Jegal Rin’s mother did not have excellent martial arts, nor did she have a maternal family that could serve as a background. Thanks to this, when her mother fell ill with a terminal disease, the clan weighed the value of her mother against the cost of treatment and made a rational choice, and Jegal Rin had to sell her own talent to Zhuge Hyeok to add weight to her mother’s plate.
“You just need to listen to me quietly.”
“...Yes.”
Zhuge Hyeok acted with leisure, looking triumphant. Exactly one gak (15 minutes) later, Seong-jin returned holding the Nok-ok-bul-jang (Green Jade Buddha Staff).