Moon-Shadow Sword Emperor

Special Side Story Episode 19

“Keuuk!”

“Run away too!”

“Where do these monsters come from?”

The once peaceful watercolor became a wasteland in an instant.

Flames rose, blood splattered, and screams echoed.

“Don’t panic! There are only a few enemies! “If we form a formation and attack together…”

The man who ran out holding a military flag and encouraged his subordinates soon collapsed with a pale face.

It was truly a ghost-like poisoning technique.

When the commander, who had been fine until a moment ago, fell unconscious, the enemies looked confused.

‘It’s easy.’

In some ways, subjugating Surochae was more difficult than dealing with Green Forest.

First of all, it is not easy to approach the enemy’s stronghold.

There was no enemy more difficult than a defensive army that actively took advantage of its environment.

However, that also applies only when the power gap between the two sides is at a certain level.

At the point when the elites, including absolute masters, set foot in Suchae, there was no chance for them to win.

‘Actually, I can easily wipe out this place on my own.’

No matter how strong I was, I couldn’t handle multiple things at the same time.

Unless you can use self-immolation like King Mihu in the folktale.

Moreover, subduing Suchae did not end there.

Captured residents had to be rescued, surrendering bandits had to be taken away, and the wealth they had looted had to be recovered.

So I brought some members of the Dragon King Dynasty with me.

Although the number of people was small, each person was a skilled person equivalent to a hundred great experts.

“Elder. The safety of the prisoners has been secured.”

“Thank you for your effort.”

Hwang Ho-jin, the leader of the Yongwangdae, who took power with moderation, immediately joined in the subjugation of the enemy.

The hidden blood relative of Nam Hak-geom, an elder from the Gongdong faction.

Now, he is a strong man whose name is proudly ranked among the top 100 masters.

Some of the enemies who recognized him let out cries of embarrassment.

“How is the situation?”

“It’s smooth.”

“I left behind all the locks in the prison and warehouse.”

The identity of the woman who quietly approached the side was none other than Cheon Ga-ryeong.

I was amazed by the sight of her smiling as she twirled the bundle of keys hanging on her index finger.

It was amazing work every time I saw it.

Should we really say that he is the leader of Hao Wen?

“Everything will be sorted out in just a few minutes.”

“No matter how big the numbers are, they are still numbers.”

“well. If it weren’t for you, I don’t think we would have landed safely? “Isn’t everyone under the illusion that they can naturally fly on the water like you?”

When the ferry first approached, the enemies laughed.

Then they tried to drown me and my group by throwing all kinds of things at them.

‘I didn’t know they even prepared a catapult.’

Although it was crude, probably made by assembling parts found here and there, it was still quite threatening.

It was not for nothing that the government forces had left the enemy without subduing them.

“this guy! die!”

A giant holding a large ax rushed from the side.

It seemed like he had been hiding until now, waiting for an opportunity.

Five scars covered the face.

It matched the appearance of Chaeju (砦主) that I had heard about.

Of course, I had already noticed his presence.

Kwazijic!

The moment the ax blade touched my neck.

The handle of the ax broke without force.

“……Nonsense.”

A giant with a devastated expression looking down at his torn hand.

He hit the human’s neck with an ax that had infused energy to its limit.

Of course, the head and body had to be separated, but the result was just the opposite.

I couldn’t even inflict a scratch, let alone save my life.

The blade of the ax, blocked by the small membrane of the brain, was fixed in the air, and only the handle was broken due to the rebound force.

Sigh!

The moment I reached out my hand and tried to grab the giant’s head.

A blade flew out and pierced the nape of his neck.

He let out a loud groan and collapsed in place.

“Dang sojeo.”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“There’s no way I could be defeated by a mere enemy, right?”

Tang Seo-yeon’s eyes were full of dissatisfaction as she looked this way.

His face seemed to be protesting as to whether such a dangerous scene had to be created.

If you look at it through the eyes of a third party, it was a moment when your head almost flew off, so it was worth it.

‘this.’

I pursed my lips and laughed.

Tang Seo-yeon urgently covered her mouth with her hand, but it was not something that could be noticed.

Her eyebrows were bent into an inverted shape.

I turned my head, pretending not to notice, and immediately kicked the ground.

In order to avoid the current situation, it was necessary to divert her attention.

It was fortunate that there were enemies scattered everywhere to be sacrificed.

Grumble!

The flames covering the wooden fence soared high into the sky.

It didn’t take long for the subjugation to be completed.

* * *

“Are you here, Elder?”

“These are residents and merchants who were imprisoned in prison.”

Seo Ho-seon and Hwa Dae-rang reported to me one after another.

Everyone who was liberated after suffering harsh hardships expressed their gratitude to me.

Some people could not help but be moved by the fact that they had received help from a famous swordsman throughout the entire central plains.

‘It would be better to move as soon as everything is sorted out.’

These people were not the only enemy who built a nest in the vast Yangtze River.

The same task was planned to be repeated several more times after that.

‘This will bring peace to the Yangtze River for a while.’

Thieves and black swords are like weeds; no matter how much you cut them down or uproot them, they will grow back at some point.

If there is profit, people will be tempted.

Even if it was an unfair advantage, it was the same.

Even if my party and I wiped out all the enemies nesting in the Yangtze River, the only thing guaranteed was immediate safety.

Unless something like the dead Yangtze River Cooperatives reappears, residents who make a living along the Yangtze River will continue to suffer damage.

“help!”

It was a girl’s crying voice that woke me up from my deep thoughts, recalling Sogeolgae’s request.

She was holding a boy younger than herself in her arms and begging earnestly while holding on to the hem of one of the Dragon King’s clothes.

Ask him to save his younger brother.

“Is there a problem?”

“There is no time! Please……”

“Calm down. “If you tell me exactly what the situation is, I can help you.”

The girl managed to take a deep breath in response to my comforting words.

Her explanation that followed was difficult to understand because it was rambling and disorganized, but to summarize it briefly, it was as follows

. The girl’s younger brother was born with a weak body.

2. Several doctors were visited, but no one could reveal the name of the boy’s disease

. The boy’s health, which was otherwise not good, rapidly deteriorated after he was captured by the pirates.

‘It’s definitely not in good condition.’

As I held the boy’s wrist and let energy flow into my body, I narrowed my eyes.

Even basic energy circulation was not occurring properly.

I felt that the spark of life was going out every moment.

‘If you want to save him, you have to take him to a competent doctor right away.’

The problem was that this was the home of enemy forces located in the middle of the Yangtze River.

Even if it were the closest medical clinic, it would take at least half a day to arrive.

‘If I hold the boy in my arms and spread the rain with all my might, will there be any hope?’

As I predicted the possibilities in my head, I quickly shook my head.

The problem was that I didn’t know the geography of this area well.

Not to mention the location of the medical room.

‘by the way.’

I was injecting inner energy to boost my energy in a hurry, but it wasn’t very effective.

I felt quite a bit of resistance.

In the past, when I treated Cheon Ga-ryeong, who was suffering from mental illness, it wasn’t like this.

‘What kind of disease is it?’

As I continued to examine the boy’s body, my eyes widened.

A thought crossed my mind for a moment.

I couldn’t be sure.

This is my first time experiencing this constitution in person.

It was probably the same for anyone but me.

‘It’s ridiculous. I never thought I would find a vein like this.’

Jeolmaek (絶脈).

A cursed constitution that guarantees death before the terms are reached.

A blood vessel that is narrow, stiff, and hard rather than tough and flexible.

He has an unfortunate fate and is destined to live a short life because the basic betting cycle is not carried out properly.

A rare being, difficult to find even once in a single era, was now before my eyes.

[The head teacher also said that he learned martial arts that could not be learned unless he was desperate….] [

It is desperate.]

[It seems that he has overcome his constitution.]

[Because he has overcome it, he will still be alive at this age.]

Past I remembered the conversation I had with my teacher.

I was not a member of parliament.

Of course, he had no expertise in medicine.

However, he knew better than anyone else in the world how to save his life.

The contemporary successor to Cheonreimun is none other than me.

“Seo Musa.”

“yes.”

“Please stand guard. From this moment on, no one can approach me.”

“All right.”

Despite the sudden order, Seo Ho-seon did not question it.

He immediately bit the people around him and called other members to control the onlookers.

So that I can focus solely on the boy.

‘It’s a little dangerous, though.’

There were two main things I had to do from now on.

The first is to inject white lightning needles to remove debris and turbidity stuck in the blood vessels.

The second is to manipulate the boy’s energy and force him to use it according to the instructions of the White Lightning God Art.

Neither of them could do anything to an unconscious little boy.

This is especially true if the target is an ordinary person who has not learned martial arts.

‘But if it’s a cliffhanger, it’s a different story.’

If the veins were uniquely strong, they would be able to withstand a bit of shock.

It wouldn’t be a problem to try to expand the bloodstream in a slightly unsophisticated way.

“Huh…”

He turned the boy’s body over and placed his hand on the Myeongmunhyeol (命門穴).

He then closed his eyes and sank into consciousness.

The brain energy, compressed so small that it could not be seen, penetrated into the boy’s body.

* * *

“……?”

It was a day and a half later that the boy woke up.

The boy’s sister, who was sitting on the edge of the bed and nursing diligently, shouted in a voice full of emotion.

“Hwiya!”

“Sister, this is…”

“It’s Baekyeon Gaekjan’s guest room.”

“Baekyeon Guest Cup? “Are you talking about that expensive, high-end guest cup?”

“okay.”

The boy, who was looking around with a confused face, soon found me sitting in a corner reading a book.

He asked the girl in a low voice.

“Why are we here? Could it be that the enemy sold us out to that person?”

“What nonsense!”

The startled girl quickly looked at me.

I laughed and reassured her with a light wave.

From the boy’s perspective, it was a situation that could easily have been misunderstood.

The girl sighed in relief and explained what had happened while spitting.

‘I’ve felt this before, but you’re not that good at speaking.’

It was difficult to understand because it was rambling and the chronological order was mixed up.

The boy, who was tilting his head, looked in my direction and asked carefully.

“So, warrior subdued Suchae and saved us?”

“That’s right.”

“The one who saved me from death…”

“It’s me.”

The boy had a look of confusion in his eyes.

He seemed worried that I might have been offended by what he said a moment ago.

He hesitated and couldn’t open his mouth easily, but he couldn’t withstand his sister’s harsh gaze and apologized to me.

“I’m sorry.”

“it’s okay.”

“…Warrior is a high-ranking person, right? Why are you using the honorifics on me?”

“It’s just like an ingrained habit.”

Exalted One.

In the boy’s eyes, I seemed to be nothing more or less than that.

In fact, an ordinary person who was not interested in Moorim’s work, or even a patient who spent most of his life in a hospital bed, could have done the same.

“It’s late, but thank you for saving me.”

“I just did what I had to do.”

“I envy you, warrior.”

“……?”

“If I had been as strong as you, I would have been able to protect my sister, my teacher, and my friends.”

A lament filled with many emotions.

These were not words that would come out of the mouth of a young boy.

The boy’s sister said the siblings grew up without parents.

He said he had never even seen his father and his mother got sick and died a long time ago.

[The reason we are alive until now is purely thanks to the elders.]

[Elders?]

[Because Eoong (漁翁) supported children in the same situation as us.]

Eoong was referring to the deceased Yanggang Johyeop.

I was able to realize what Sogeolgae said, that he lived his whole life for others.

“If I were as strong as the warrior and as strong as Grandpa Eoong, I would have been able to easily defeat the enemy, right?”

“…….”

“No, you could have prevented the enemy from attacking in the first place, right? Oh, just like grandpa did.”

The siblings lost their home due to enemy attacks.

The facilities created by the Yangtze Cooperative for children in similar situations no longer existed in the world.

A boy suffering from arrhythmia found in the middle of the Yangtze River.

A brother and sister who still retain their unspoiled innocence and admire the deceased Yangjiang Johyeop.

‘Is this fate?’

I felt a strong attraction.

A feeling that was difficult to explain in words arose.

For a while, I just stared at the boy who smiled sadly and the girl who became depressed at the same time.

I broke the silence and spoke to them.

“How are you feeling?”

“It’s great. “It doesn’t feel like my body.”

“I’m glad that’s the case.”

“Has my illness improved?”

“Unfortunately, that is not the case. “It has only temporarily improved, but it is likely to get worse again over time.”

“Is that so…”

The boy lowered his head helplessly.

The girl, perhaps overcome with emotion by the sight of the boy so disappointed, began to sob as if she would burst into tears at any moment.

“Let me correct one thing: It’s not a disease, it’s a constitution. “It’s called jeolmaek.”

“Desperation?”

“yes. It is said that most people suffering from arrhythmia die before reaching maturity. “It’s such a scary constitution.”

The shadow on the boy’s face became even darker.

I spoke in a soft tone, as if comforting the boy.

“There is only one way to overcome despair.”

Maybe I heard something unexpected.

The brother and sister suddenly raised their heads and looked at me at the same time.

I felt an unspoken pressure in my gaze.

The look in his eyes seemed to urge him to quickly tell me the method.

“You are learning martial arts from me.”

“Martial arts? To the warrior?”

[It’s a bit weird to ask now, but aren’t you upset? The so-called disciple said he would neglect the martial arts and use the sword technique, which I don’t know where he learned it from, as his main martial art.] [It doesn’t really

matter. Because the foundation of the Thunder Gate lies in the Lightning God Art. I heard that in the first place, the successor to the recluse was a swordsman, not a martial artist.]

I remembered having such a conversation with my teacher one day.

The basis of Tenreimun was in Baekrei Shingong.

In other words, it was no problem for the successor to Baekrei Shingong of the next generation to learn the martial arts of Yongjomun.

I quietly closed the book in my hand.

It seemed like I had finally found someone who would be the owner of the legacy left behind by the Yangtze River Cooperation.

“You said you wish you had the power to protect the people around you.”

“yes?”

“I will make you strong. “To the point where we can’t even dare to surpass them in numbers.”

“…!”

“Would you like to become my disciple?”

* * *

“Speaking of which, I hope you will give me the appropriate respect.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean it literally. “Please create an appropriately high position for me, whether it’s an elder or a head of state.”

The teacher looked at me in bewilderment when he saw me making such a bold and bold request.

Proper preparations have not yet been made, let alone the establishment of a clan.

However, it was surprising that the so-called disciple was already thinking about taking up a position.

Zhuge Hye, who was sitting across from him, also looked very embarrassed.

“As I said, I will teach Seo Hwi myself. However, if someone who is not a disciple of the Heavenly Thunder Gate learns the White Lightning God Art, wouldn’t it cause problems in many ways later on?”

Somehow, I ended up taking on a disciple.

However, after thinking about it carefully, Baekrei Shingong was not Wolhwajang (月華莊), but the martial arts of Cheonleimun.

Even though I am a disciple who has followed the progress of the Emperor Lei, I should not have passed on the White Lightning God Art to someone else without permission.

Unless you want to create a conflict with the teacher’s sect that will settle in Changsha in the future.

There was no other issue more sensitive and cautious than that of disciples outside the profession.

Isn’t it likely that the newly born Cheonromun will not be operated in a haphazard manner like before?

Therefore, the boy Seo Hwi, whom he took as his disciple this time, had to become, at least formally, Cheonleimun’s disciple.

Not Wolhwamundo (月華門道), but Cheonromundo.

Likewise, I also needed to occupy a position in advance, even if it was only a superficial one.

That way, you can teach your students with peace of mind.

“I think it would be better to talk about that later. “I don’t think it’s something to say in front of the vice-garrison listening.”

“All right.”

Honam is the region where the headquarters of the Murim Alliance is located.

It goes without saying that no clan or family could freely establish themselves in Jangsa, which was considered a strategic point among all nations.

If it had not been for the request of the hero who put an end to the Great War between the True and Demons, the Murim Alliance would never have shown a cooperative attitude.

Since it was a project jointly promoted by the Emperor of the Terrible and the Emperor of Geom, it was probably not enough to provide convenience, so they even dispatched a deputy military commander like this.

“I know you’re busy, but I’m sorry for bothering you with personal matters like this.”

“no.”

“Please take care of me in the future, Soger.”

Zhuge Hye, with a faint smile on his lips, glanced in my direction.

After discussing and touring a few candidate sites, we decided to take some time to sit down with her.

It seemed like it was going to be a crazy busy day.

* * *

Time passed like flowing water.

“Disciple.”

“Yes, Master.”

My student, who was swinging a fishing rod while sweating profusely, turned his head at my call.

It was rewarding to teach strictly during this time.

When I first saw him, his body was as frail as a withered old tree, but now he has managed to gain some weight and muscles and it has become attractive.

“Now, you are quite familiar with the use of the White Lightning God Art.”

“It’s all thanks to Master.”

I twisted the corners of my lips and smiled evilly.

The sight of my student answering with a bright smile sparked a sense of playfulness.

Can he really smile like that at what I say next?

“Once you complete the foundation and fully digest the energy of the elixir, come to the temple with me.”

“yes? Why in the Tang family…”

“I plan to ask the head of the Tang family to support Cheondokdan (天毒丹).”

Seo Hwi’s mouth dropped open at the remark that seemed like a thunderclap.

The fishing rod that had slipped from my hand was rolling around on the floor.

I felt a strange joy as I looked at my student who was so embarrassed and didn’t know what to do.

Didn’t my past teacher feel this way when looking at me?

“If it’s Cheondogdan, isn’t it the Tang family’s vision elixir?”

“yes.”

“If I, who am not a poisoner, ate Cheondokdan, wouldn’t I be poisoned and die?”

“You will not die. “I can’t say it’s not dangerous.”

It felt like I was watching my old self trying to find a way out.

I felt sorry for my student, but no matter how much I struggled, there was no point in it.

In the end, he was destined to be caught by my hand and taken to the Tang family.

“Don’t worry, disciple. “It’s all happened to me too.”

“…….”

“I will definitely keep my promise. I will take responsibility and make you the best fisherman in the world.”

Seo Hwi’s face turned pale.

It was a reaction as if I had seen a ghost.

I hummed and muttered as I left the training room, leaving behind my student who was sitting on the floor with a devastated expression on his face.

‘I guess this is how I raise my students.’

– Completion of special side story –