Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 380 – Joining (2)

In the Society Leader’s quarters at the main hall of Heaven and Earth Society.

“Cough, cough……”

Vice Leader Mong Seo-cheon clicked his tongue at the coughing sound coming from behind the screen.

The coughing was getting worse, and he desperately wanted to call for Wailing Doctor Hoe Ta.

However, the Society Leader strangely seemed unwilling to receive treatment.

Instead of treatment, he kept obsessing over the Holy Fire Priestess of the Fire Faith Order, and Mong Seo-cheon couldn’t understand why.

Could bringing her in really improve his condition?

‘We must heal him somehow.’

The Society Leader didn’t even have children, only three disciples.

If he at least had a child, there would be a justification to solidify the succession plan, but now the factions had split into three, and tensions were growing.

Especially,

‘The First Disciple’s movements are concerning.’

Since emerging from seclusion, First Disciple Na Yul-ryang had been moving without hesitation.

He was subjugating all the neutral sects, and it seemed he would soon clash properly with the alliance of Second Disciple Jang Neung-ak and Third Disciple Wi So-yeon.

Or they might already be fighting in unseen places.

Well, up to this point was somewhat understandable.

‘A successor needs to be decided anyway.’

Otherwise, the internal strife would continue, which would become poison for the association in the future.

However,

“Head…… There are rumors that the Elder Council is contacting First Disciple Na Yul-ryang. The other sects are one thing, but they……”

“Cough, cough. So the time has finally ripened.”

“Pardon?”

What does he mean by the time ripening?

As he wondered, the Society Leader’s voice continued from behind the screen.

“It means they no longer wish to go through me.”

“How can that be? No matter what, how can the retired elders interfere in the association’s internal affairs?”

“Leave them be. They only move on his orders anyway.”

“Head…… By ‘him’, you don’t mean…?”

“Who else could it be?”

At the Society Leader’s question, Vice Leader Mong Seo-cheon frowned.

He thought he knew who the Society Leader was referring to.

But hadn’t that person passed away long ago?

How could the Elder Council……

“More importantly, have they not arrived yet?”

The Society Leader asked then.

“They……”

“If they escaped Kaifeng safely, they should be getting quite close to the main hall by now.”

‘Ah!’

Only then did Vice Leader Mong Seo-cheon realize who the Society Leader was talking about.

“Actually, an express message just arrived from Mu-yak.”

“How are things progressing?”

“They succeeded in escaping safely, but due to pursuit from the imperial capital, they had to deviate from their original route to shake off pursuers. It seems they’ll be coming via Guizhou province.”

“Guizhou…… So they’re coming from the west? Cough, cough.”

“It appears so. Besides this, there’s also something urgent I need to report.”

“Urgent?”

“Yes, because of this, the movements of the Righteous Alliance are concerning.”

Vice Leader Mong Seo-cheon passed the prepared report towards the screened bed.

As he received and slowly examined it, the Society Leader’s eyes flickered.

“The Seventh Heaven?”

***

Young Master Ou Woong-hwang of Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, who had personally guided Mok Gyeong-un’s subordinates to one of the empty guest rooms, politely greeted them before coming out.

“Please rest well then.”

Only after moving quite far from the guest room did one of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary sword disciples assisting him cautiously speak up, seeming not to understand.

“Uh…… Young Master. Was there really a need for you to guide them personally? Couldn’t you have just left it to us?”

At these words, Young Master Ou Woong-hwang chuckled and replied.

“If it was something I could leave to you, I would have. But regardless of the outcome, since they’ve entered under our Lord’s command, shouldn’t we check what kind of people his subordinates are?”

“Ah. So that was your intention? I failed to grasp the Young Master’s thoughts.”

“There’s no need to think so deeply about it. It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

“But how were they?”

“What do you mean?”

“Lord Heavenly Demon’s subordinates. I was… quite surprised. That fallen monk is clearly Ja Geum-jeong, one of the Three Madmen, isn’t he?”

“Yes, it seems so.”

Young Master Ou Woong-hwang was also unable to hide his surprise at seeing the fallen monk Ja Geum-jeong.

However, what surprised him even more wasn’t Ja Geum-jeong.

No matter how much he observed, he couldn’t gauge the martial prowess of the one wearing the mask with unique patterns and the one leaning on the snake staff.

Because of this, he could guess that they were experts above his level.

‘None of them are ordinary.’

Not just those two, but the fallen monk Ja Geum-jeong and even the two who looked youngest were the same.

Both had reached the Transcendent Realm.

How could all his subordinates be so extraordinary?

With just these people alone, they could wipe out one or two small to medium-sized sects in a single night.

Having such amazing people under him, it was puzzling how his name and reputation hadn’t become known until now.

Now that his father Ou Cheon-mu, one of the Six Heavens, and Spiritual Sword Sanctuary had come under his command, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say their strength had doubled.

What on earth does the Lord intend to do with this tremendous power?

He grew increasingly curious.

***

Inside the guest room.

As soon as the Young Master of Spiritual Sword Sanctuary who had guided them withdrew and his presence disappeared, Seop Chun spoke as if dumbfounded.

“Am I dreaming right now?”

At his question, Mong Mu-yak also shook his head with a somewhat blank expression.

He too was just as surprised.

When the Young Master of Spiritual Sword Sanctuary first mentioned Lord Heavenly Demon, he wondered what was going on.

But everyone was shocked by what he said next.

[Our Spiritual Sword Sanctuary has sworn to serve Cheonma as our Lord.]

‘!!!!!!’

This was the same for Ma Ra-hyeon, who usually doesn’t express emotions well, wearing the mask, and Guyang Sa-oh, who was living a new life wearing the human skin mask and wielding the Eight Poison Snake Staff.

They too couldn’t hide their surprise at Young Master Ou Woong-hwang’s words.

This was because if Spiritual Sword Sanctuary had been an ordinary sect, they might have brushed it off, but they were master craftsmen who had a huge influence on the sword techniques of the Central Plains martial arts world.

Moreover, their leader, Master Ou Cheon-mu, was one of the Six Heavens, who could be considered the pinnacle of the current martial arts world.

To think such an incredible existence had sworn loyalty to their lord, Mok Gyeong-un.

It was hard to believe even after hearing it.

“…… It seems we’re serving a far more extraordinary person than we expected. Don’t you all agree?”

“……”

At Seop Chun’s words, everyone nodded silently.

This incident had given them such a great shock.

Even the events at Shaolin Temple and Sichuan Tang Clan could be considered amazing, but if this news spreads through the martial arts world, the impact will be tremendous.

After all, a place like Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, which has a huge influence on the current martial arts world, has come under our Lord’s command.

“It seems we’ve underestimated our Lord.”

At that moment, Mong Mu-yak, who had been silently listening to Seop Chun’s words, spoke up.

“Underestimated?”

“Yes.”

“You say that even after observing him so closely?”

“…… I do. Of course, until now, I simply thought our Lord’s goal was just to become the Society Leader’s fourth disciple.”

“……”

At these words, Seop Chun’s eyes also became strange.

He too realized what Mong Mu-yak meant by saying this.

The reason he decided to follow Mok Gyeong-un was partly due to his martial prowess and great capacity, but decisively because he thought he was a candidate for the next Head.

But it turned out as Mong Mu-yak said.

It truly was an underestimation.

Their Lord’s capacity wasn’t something they could casually evaluate.

Who could have imagined he would subjugate one of the Six Heavens, who stands on the same level as the Society Leader?

Their Lord was already beyond what the Society Leader could encompass.

He was a great master in his own right.

At that moment, the fallen monk Ja Geum-jeong, who had been sipping alcohol from a gourd bottle, interjected.

“Keu. So you guys have been following the master for such petty reasons until now? Puahahahat! Who’s becoming whose disciple?”

He burst into laughter as if finding it amusing.

At his attitude, Seop Chun scratched his head, speaking in a somewhat wronged tone.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. If you knew how quickly our Lord has become stronger, you wouldn’t say such things.”

Although he was already a monster when he left the association, it wasn’t to this extent.

Not only did he break through the wall of walls to become a master of the Profound Realm, but he even subjugated one of the Six Heavens.

‘Monster…… Yes. This is a real monster.’

Ma Ra-hyeon, who was silently leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, also inwardly clicked his tongue.

When he first met Mok Gyeong-un, he didn’t expect his capabilities to grow so rapidly.

Even when leaving the imperial palace, didn’t even Gu Seong-baek, the Northern Sect Blade King and also Southern Pacification Commissioner, another of the Six Heavens, struggle against the combined attack of Six Thousand Commander So Yerin and Leader of the Nine Blood Sect?

But now he’s on par with the pinnacle Six Heavens.

“Ha.”

Has there ever been someone in martial arts history who became this strong so quickly?

If it had happened over a few years, it might be understandable, but the fact that it occurred in just a couple of months was even more unbelievable.

Then Seop Chun said,

“But it’s a bit regrettable.”

“What is?”

“Think about it. Although he’s using the alias Heavenly Demon (Cheonma) because of the imperial pursuit, imagine if our Lord had made his reputation under his real name.”

“Real name?”

“Yes. If our Lord had destroyed the Shaolin One-Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation, closed Sichuan Tang Clan for sixty years, and subjugated Spiritual Sword Sanctuary under the name Mok Gyeong-un, his reputation alone would have secured the Society Leader’s position. But I don’t understand why he doesn’t want to reveal this even to the association.”

At Seop Chun’s words, Mong Mu-yak snorted.

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“What?”

“Huu…… You really don’t know. Well, I guess you only know how to swing a knife. Someone like you who doesn’t know how to use the head on your shoulders wouldn’t think that far.”

“…… Then why don’t you, who’s so smart, explain our Lord’s intentions?”

“Even without knowing his intentions, our Lord doesn’t need to reveal that he is Cheonma.”

“He doesn’t need to reveal it?”

“Yes. Do you think only the First Disciple and the Second and Third Disciples would be wary if our Lord revealed that? No. Our Lord is a new force recruited from outside. Moreover, he’s from the righteous faction.”

“Ah……”

“Although he was recognized solely for his talent, if they realize that talent is at an uncontrollable level, how do you think the association will react?”

At these words, Seop Chun spoke in a cooled voice.

“They might go beyond wariness and even try to prevent him from entering the association again.”

“Now you’re starting to understand.”

Mok Gyeong-un had already reached a level where he could directly compete with the Society Leader.

If such a person tried to enter, he would inevitably face all kinds of opposition and, in the worst case, might be rejected from even entering, let alone joining.

“It’s not that I’m completely thoughtless. But it’s interesting to see you analyze so coolly.”

“……”

“Although you reluctantly pledged loyalty to our Lord, your identity originates from being the successor to Vice Leader Mong Seo-cheon, the Society Leader’s right-hand man, doesn’t it?”

At Seop Chun’s words, Mong Mu-yak’s eyes flickered.

He had thought Seop Chun was simple-minded, but it seems he had been constantly monitoring him for Mok Gyeong-un, or rather, their Lord’s sake.

Did he think he might betray them at any time?

Of course, it’s understandable.

Even he would have constantly doubted someone who joined in this manner.

But not anymore.

“That was true. But now it’s different.”

“Different?”

“…… Yes. Now I’m just someone who wants to see how far our Lord will go.”

At his words, the corners of Seop Chun’s mouth turned up.

“That’s a first. Our thoughts aligning, I mean.”