Murim (3): Cheoncheon Daehazin
At first, he couldn't understand why they were reacting so sensitively to it—what the hell was Cheoncheon Daehazin? But then it clicked belatedly.
Ah, is that what they mean? The mental suppression effect that got nullified right away thanks to the Authority of the Heart of Freedom.
Come to think of it, they'd said just moments ago that he'd pierced through the Cheoncheon Daehazin and invaded the "manor."
Maybe that was the gateway guarding this manor...
If that was the case, their behavior made sense. To them, Yun-seok looked like some intruder who'd smashed through the front gate. Nothing more, nothing less.
"……."
Yun-seok rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment.
There was no need to fight them. It was all just a misunderstanding, and if he could get a bit of information, he'd be satisfied and leave.
The problem was...
They're not gonna answer honestly if I just ask nicely.
Forcing them with violence and threats wasn't his style either.
In the end, the best scenario was to clear up the misunderstanding and have a conversation in a slightly calmer atmosphere.
Even if it was a hassle, Yun-seok decided to explain the situation somehow.
But then.
"G-Gangshi!"
"So it was an assassin from the Demonic Cult!"
The swordsmen, who had been in a standoff, suddenly freaked out and fully unleashed their sword auras, entering combat stance.
Wondering what was up, Yun-seok glanced back to see...
Thud.
Asura, whom he'd told to hang back because it was an eyesore, had caught up without him noticing.
The situation spiraled out of control.
And to make matters worse, one of the swordsmen pointed at the Mawigen around Yun-seok's neck and shouted.
"The Mawigen! It's the Demonic Cult's Young Leader! The Young Leader of the Demonic Cult has come to the Namgoong Family manor!"
Mawigen. The B-rank neck accessory that Cheonma had personally made and gifted to Yun-seok.
How the hell do they even know about this?
Questions bubbled up, but... well, the Demonic Cult and the Orthodox factions were sworn enemies, so maybe they had spies planted.
More importantly, something else caught Yun-seok's attention.
The Namgoong Family...?
He'd had a hunch ever since they mentioned that Cheoncheon-something formation, but he never imagined he'd get tangled up with them again.
At this point, he was starting to feel some weird karmic connection with anyone surnamed Namgoong.
Though calling it a good connection would be a stretch.
"Coming here alone? You've got guts."
"I'll tear your flesh to shreds and feed it to the dogs."
The surging battle intent pressed down on the air. The hundreds of swords aimed at Yun-seok brimmed with sharp, relentless killing intent.
For some reason, Yun-seok felt a sigh escape him first.
"I get what you're thinking, but could we put the swords down first and talk?"
He wasn't sure if they were just posturing or actually planning to fight for real.
But to Yun-seok, it all felt pointless anyway. Whatever their goal, it wasn't going to go as planned.
So he suggested they lower their swords.
Of course, they ignored him, as expected—but the important thing was that he'd tried to talk.
"What are you waiting for! It's the Young Leader of the millennium-old evil Demonic Cult! Attack!"
The moment the commander barked the order to charge, the hundreds of swordsmen lunged at Yun-seok in unison.
And at the same time, a black curtain unfurled in a hemispherical dome, blanketing the ground.
All entities within the domain with Magic rank below SS- are now immobilized.
It was a constraint so high-level that even Yun-seok's Magic stat—which had broken through limits via transcendent Authority—could barely hold it for 10 seconds...
But the effect was outstanding.
The charging swordsmen froze in place all at once. Quite a few tumbled to the ground from momentum alone.
Yun-seok infused his sword with Patian Qi.
And then...
Bang!
He unleashed an uncontrollable surge of black sword qi straight into the sky.
This temporarily drained his Magic, releasing the Shaman's Law Authority—but it didn't matter.
They could move again now, but...
Not a single one dared to.
"……."
How could they?
It was crystal clear that if that strike had been aimed at them instead of the empty sky, not one would have survived.
They stared blankly up at the heavens where the sword qi had shot.
Storm clouds parted in two, sunlight spilling through to scatter across the ground.
Amid it all, Yun-seok spoke quietly.
"I'd like to talk. Could you lower your swords?"
It was different from before, when they'd ignored him completely.
No answer came yet, but...
Clatter. Clunk.
Hundreds of weapons slipped from hands, rolling across the ground.
Yun-seok smacked his lips bitterly.
It no longer felt unfamiliar—just another inevitable rite of passage.
* * *
"What are the Namgoong Family warriors doing right now! Get up, all of you!"
The commander yelled sharply.
He'd noticed earlier, but her voice sounded awfully young. Her skills didn't seem particularly outstanding compared to the others—maybe she was one of those born with a silver spoon?
Whatever the case, no one picked up their weapons again at her command.
For a very simple reason.
"……."
Unlike the commander, they'd been exposed to Yun-seok's Magic at point-blank range.
They weren't fully hallucinating yet, but they were already gripped by extreme terror.
Yun-seok had retracted his Magic for now, but to prevent any infighting, he first used Light of Purification.
However...
Shwaaaa—!
Was it his imagination, or did their fear intensify at the black glow seeping from his body, softly illuminating the surroundings?
"I'm Choi Yun-seok. And you are?"
For starters, Yun-seok removed his mask and gave his name.
He'd wondered if he really needed to go that far, but if they were judging right and wrong, he was technically in the wrong—intentionally or not.
Plus, their assumption that he was from the Demonic Cult was understandable from their perspective.
This much was necessary to open the door to real conversation.
Though his opponent responded with silence...
That was a minor issue.
Thud.
Yun-seok took a silent step toward the unresponsive commander.
That seemed to make her want to talk now...
"...N-Namgoong Jin-jin."
She reluctantly gave her name and pulled back the veil covering her face.
Yun-seok had known she was a woman from her voice and figure, but the moment he saw her face, he froze.
It was far too familiar.
"Namgoong So-so...?"
Eyes, nose, mouth, even the face shape—everything matched perfectly with the girl he'd first met in the main arena hall, who later ended up half-living with him after the waiting room wall got smashed.
The only difference was their vibe...
"...You know my little sister?"
Namgoong Jin-jin flinched at Yun-seok's mutter. Calling her "little sister" confirmed they were blood-related.
He'd thought their atmospheres were too different for sisters, but...
Come to think of it, Namgoong So-so had been just as prickly and standoffish when they first met.
"Yes. We crossed paths by chance and got acquainted."
Yun-seok affirmed it gladly. He had no real grudge against Namgoong So-so, so dropping her name might smooth things over.
But that turned out to be wrong too.
"...So it was you. You kidnapped So-so."
Namgoong Jin-jin's eyes, which had softened briefly, turned icy cold.
But reason still held over emotion as she suppressed her rage and asked calmly.
"...Is So-so still alive?"
"...I don't know. I just learned about that now."
He finally understood the misunderstanding and answered, but unfortunately, she didn't buy it.
"Don't toy with me. You think I won't see through your scheme to demand ridiculous terms in exchange for So-so's life?"
"……."
Yun-seok sighed soundlessly.
He'd thought they could finally talk, but they were back to square one.
What now? Should he just leave and wander outside until he found someone else?
As all sorts of thoughts swirled in his head—
"Jin-jin, that's enough."
An elderly man appeared without a sound or presence, as if he'd been there all along.
Wearing simple indigo martial robes with a single sword at his waist, he looked utterly ordinary at a glance.
But he couldn't be.
Even setting aside the ocean-like aura tightly contained within him, Yun-seok hadn't sensed his presence until he spoke.
Who the hell is this guy?
Right in the heart of what could be considered enemy territory.
His speech suggested he was definitely from the Namgoong Family.
Yun-seok kept his guard up, scrutinizing the elder.
He learned his identity soon enough.
"Crimson Guard Captain Namgoong Jin-jin pays respects to the Supreme Family Head."
She didn't go full prostration like in the Demonic Cult, but Namgoong Jin-jin bowed deeply toward the elder.
"Hoho. Just call me Grandpa..."
The elder accepted the greeting, though his words were casual—he didn't seem displeased.
Yun-seok cautiously circulated his Patian Qi.
He hadn't drawn his sword yet, but instinct told him this old man was no pushover the moment their eyes met.
"No need to be so guarded. This old man has no intention of drawing his sword against you. At least not for a month."
...A month?
Soon, Yun-seok realized something else.
This elder was a Challenger.
One of the 507 martial artists who'd reached the 20th floor of the Duel Tower.
No one in the family knows I'm a Challenger except So-so. Will you keep my secret?
Yun-seok nodded slightly at the telepathic message.
He seemed to have his reasons, and there was no hostility. If anything, the elder felt favorably toward him.
Unlike that Namgoong Jin-jin over there.
"Supreme Family Head! This man is the Young Leader of the Demonic Cult! How can you say such things?"
"I know he's a demon, but isn't chatting a bit fine?"
"He might know where So-so is! We must capture him properly and torture the information out of him..."
"Enough."
"……."
"I said that already. Stand down. I guarantee this young hero has no connection to So-so."
The Supreme Family Head put his name on the line.
Contradicting him would be tantamount to defying the ancestors' authority.
But after a brief hesitation, Namgoong Jin-jin spoke up anyway.
"But he pierced the Cheoncheon Daehazin and invaded the manor. By family law, he must face immediate judgment."
"Are you lecturing me on family law to my face?"
"……."
Just a slight release of intent from the elder, and Namgoong Jin-jin trembled, clamping her mouth shut.
Carrot and stick, huh.
The elder withdrew his aura and spoke softly.
"Family law mandates judgment only for intentional intrusions. Thus, this young hero doesn't qualify."
"...That clause was made for cases where non-martial folk get caught in accidents."
"Exactly. This young hero has no ties to the martial world. He came here through the Tower for the first time, and it just happened to be our manor. Right?"
Yun-seok had no idea how he knew, but everything the elder said was spot-on fact.
As Yun-seok nodded, Namgoong Jin-jin—undeterred—pounced again.
"This girl knows about the Tower of Heaven too. And I'll concede it was an accident if the Supreme Family Head says so. But how can we trust his word?"
Her stubbornness came with solid logic.
Even Yun-seok thought her suspicion was reasonable.
But from what he'd observed, the elder had plenty of worldly experience too.
Wonder what counter he'd throw this time.
Yun-seok watched with curiosity, waiting alongside Namgoong Jin-jin.
And then...
"Of course you'd trust your family, wouldn't you?"
"...?"
Both Namgoong Jin-jin and Yun-seok tilted their heads.
"Jin-jin, greet him properly. He's to be your brother-in-law from now on."
Younger sister and husband.
Terms used for a little sister's spouse.
"I heard from So-so last time. Said you'd consummated for several days?"
Yun-seok truly regretted it.
When he realized this was the Namgoong Family manor, he should've turned tail and gone elsewhere.
What kind of bolt from the blue was this?
He had no clue where to even start explaining...