ch 6

 

Chapter 6

Dusk was beginning to fall, painting the sky with a faint glow. For some, it was the end of the workday, but for others, it was the beginning of the day. Wang Sam, a clerk at the Red Flower Inn, belonged to the latter group. Hearing the telltale sounds of a customer entering, he quickly turned his head.

“Welcome.”

He offered the customary greeting, his eyes swiftly sizing up the newcomer. The first thing he noticed was the ocher dust caked atop the man’s carelessly tied black hair. It seemed he had traveled a long way, as his clothes, which must have once been blue silk, were so coated in dust they were nearly brown.

`Hmph. A third-rate warrior, at best.`

Wang Sam made his judgment internally. Shabby clothes and a weary expression. No matter how he looked at the man, he wasn't the type to be seated anywhere but the first floor. He’d probably order nothing more than noodle soup or dumplings.

“This way, please.”

Despite his assessment, Wang Sam was not so unprofessional as to treat a customer poorly. He was a clerk who had survived the tumultuous life of an inn, and he intended to keep surviving. With a cheerful smile that didn't reach his eyes, he led the man to a table.

The man might not be a big spender, but he looked like the type who would cause a headache if not treated properly. His frame, easily six feet tall, was packed with solid muscle, and his calloused hands hung loosely at his sides. Slung across his back was a long, cloth-wrapped object. With fifteen years of experience as an inn clerk, Wang Sam recognized it at a glance: a long spear.

`A wandering warrior, then. Or maybe a retired soldier.`

The Red Flower Inn was located in Songpan, a town on the road from Gansu to Sichuan, so it was common to see retired soldiers from the Jiayu or Yumen Passes. Guessing the man was one of them, Wang Sam led him to a suitably secluded table in a corner on the first floor.

The man sat down without a word, setting his long spear beside him. Dust puffed from his clothes with every movement. Wang Sam inwardly congratulated himself on his foresight in choosing a corner table.

“What will you have?”

“Noodle soup.”

“Anything to drink with that?”

“No.”

The answers were curt, leaving no room for further conversation. `Just as I thought`, Wang Sam mused, but he still gave a polite bow before turning away.

To an inn clerk like him, a low-ranking martial artist like this man was more dangerous than a young master from a prestigious clan or a fiend from the Unorthodox Faction. High-level masters considered it beneath them to bother with a mere clerk, but ruffians and wandering warriors, who had nothing but their twisted pride, wouldn't hesitate to strike if they felt they were being slighted.

“One noodle soup!”

Wang Sam shouted toward the kitchen and moved away from the man’s table. He knew this customer wouldn't leave a single coin as a tip, but he didn't expect one. All Wang Sam wanted was for him to eat quickly and leave. He hated trouble.

***

Munpyeong brushed the dust from his hair and looked around. With evening approaching, the inn was already bustling with a considerable number of people. Only the tables near his secluded corner were empty; the rest of the spacious inn was nearly full, a testament to its good business.

Songpan was not only one of the largest cities in northern Sichuan but also the starting point of the Min River, which flowed south through the province. As a result, the crowd was a mix of locals, travelers, and merchants. It was noisy and chaotic, but it smelled of life.

How many years had it been since he was last in the Central Plains? Munpyeong felt a wave of nostalgia at such a simple scene. He had never had a place to call home, yet it felt as if he had returned to one.

`…It would be even better if it weren't for this Gu poison coiled beneath my navel. It’s souring the mood.`

His spirits, briefly lifted by the familiar sight of the Central Plains, sank as he felt a faint ache spreading from his stomach. He scowled in displeasure.

The pain was so slight he might have missed it if he wasn't paying attention, but Munpyeong couldn't afford to ignore it. A man with poison in his belly could never forget its presence. Any sensation originating from it, no matter how small, felt alarmingly sharp. It was useless to try and distract himself; the thought that he carried poison within him never left his mind.

`That ruthless man. To think he willingly swallowed something like this.`

He grimaced again, thinking of the man who had voluntarily consumed such a vile thing. Munpyeong had been forced into it, but Po Yeong-ui had swallowed the Gu of his own accord. He had done it simply because he couldn't bear the thought of Munpyeong abandoning his mission and fleeing. The world was full of such venomous people.

Gu poison always came in pairs. A male and female pair was called a Yin-Yang Gu, while a mother and child pair was called a Mother-Child Gu. Both were used to control a person's will, but they had different specialties: Yin-Yang Gu was typically used in matters of lust, while Mother-Child Gu was used to enforce obedience.

The Gu that Munpyeong and Po Yeong-ui had shared was a Mother-Child Gu. He had swallowed the Child Gu, which received commands, while Po Yeong-ui had swallowed the Mother Gu, which issued them. Unless the Gu was removed, it would be nearly impossible for him to escape Po Yeong-ui's grasp. And if he had refused to swallow the Gu back then, his situation would likely have become far more dangerous.

He hadn't expected to be let go easily, but he never imagined they would use a Gu. Having experienced firsthand what he had only heard about in rumors, Munpyeong had to reconsider all the stories about the Demonic Cult. If not for this, he would never have believed the Cult truly did such things.

During his time in the lower ranks of the Cult, he had thought the rumors circulating in the Central Plains were all fabrications and nonsense. But this incident had changed his mind.

As it turned out, there was always a reason for rumors. Just like anywhere else, the problem was with the people at the top, not the ones at the bottom.

“Just a moment, sir. It’ll be out soon.”

As Munpyeong scowled and rubbed his stomach, the passing clerk, misinterpreting his expression, quickly spoke to him. He looked anxious, as if worried Munpyeong might cause a scene.

Munpyeong waved a dismissive hand, and the clerk bowed obsequiously before scurrying away. A short while later, he returned with a steaming bowl of noodle soup. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but it seemed to have more slices of meat than usual. Famished, he immediately picked up his chopsticks.

To cover his tracks, Munpyeong hadn't come straight down to Qinghai. Instead, he had gone up to Gansu and then circled back down. To save time, he had pushed his movement arts to their limit, sleeping on the road and subsisting on dry rations. He had desperately craved a hot meal.

Munpyeong ate without once lifting his head. Befitting the spicy reputation of Sichuan cuisine, the sharp, fiery broth was uniquely delicious.

Not much time had passed—less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea—before he finished his meal. He quenched his thirst with the tea the clerk had brought. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was, but the cheap tea tasted as sweet as ambrosia.

“Hey, did you fellas hear the rumor?”

While Munpyeong was lost in thought, the empty table next to his had filled up. They were just as dusty as he was, which explained why they had chosen to sit next to him, but unlike him, they were brimming with energy.

“What rumor?”

The merchants, who had immediately ordered roast duck and liquor, began to chat amongst themselves. He felt like he was eavesdropping and wanted to tune them out, but he couldn't. He had been away from the Central Plains for ten long years; it was impossible not to be curious about how the world had changed.

“So, what rumor are you talking about?”

“The one about the Japanese pirates running rampant again in Fujian after all these years.”

“What? Japanese pirates? It’s been quiet for a while. Why now?”

The three men went back and forth. First, the liquor arrived, followed by the roast duck, and their conversation grew more heated.

“I was on a trade run to Jiangxi, see? I heard the summer cloth produced there this year was high quality, so I went to make a big score. But when I got to Nanchang, the number of beggars had exploded. There was a new shantytown outside the city walls I'd never seen before. I asked around and found out they were all refugees from Fujian. People who packed up and left because they couldn't stand the pirates.”

The man who had first spoken continued in a grave tone. His companion, who was pouring liquor, asked with a puzzled look.

“Is the damage so bad that refugees are flooding into the provincial capital?”

“Is it really that bad? I was there a few months ago, and it wasn't so severe.”

“Don't even talk about it. It’s nothing like a few months ago. It's so dangerous that even merchants who went to Fujian are turning back. I heard even the Hoeyang Merchant Guild, one of the Ten Great Guilds, is considering pulling out.”

The mention that the Hoeyang Guild, one of the Ten Great Merchant Guilds of the Central Plains, was withdrawing from Fujian gave Munpyeong a sense of how serious the situation was.

The Hoeyang Guild had originated in Zhejiang, and its main trade goods were dried fish and seaweed. For such a guild to consider abandoning a major coastal province, the devastation must be immense.

“Why are the pirates suddenly running wild? And in Fujian of all places… isn't that the base of the Azure Blood Corps? Did something happen to them? Surely nothing’s happened to the Great Hero, the Jade Qilin?”

In the world of martial artists, the title of Daehyeop, or "Great Hero," was not easily earned. The Jianghu itself began with a hero named Jing Ke, and the reason the Orthodox Factions could maintain their status without interference from the government was because they upheld the ideal of hyeop—chivalry and justice.

To martial artists, hyeop was a word with profound weight. Even if one called oneself a Great Hero, the title would never be recognized unless one’s actions carried the appropriate gravity.

The Jade Qilin was a true Great Hero, acknowledged even by the Jianghu. His title wasn't just a term of respect used among martial artists; it was a name uttered with genuine reverence by the common people.

Unlike other martial artists who were busy with their own power struggles, the Jade Qilin was directly involved in the lives of the common folk, making him incredibly popular. The fact that a merchant with no connection to him worried about his well-being as if he were family was a testament to his revered status among the people.

“It’s not the Great Hero himself, but a close relative. Haven't you heard? He lost his mother.”

“His mother? You mean the great woman who raised the Jade Qilin all by herself passed away?”

The third man, the last to hear the news, was stunned and questioned his friends. One of them, his greasy mouth busy tearing at the roast duck, shot his slow friend a reproachful look.

“You’re really out of the loop. How do you survive as a merchant being so poorly informed?”

“I just got back from a trip to Yunnan, so I’m behind on the news. Stop nagging and just tell me.”

“Alright, alright. About two weeks ago, the Jade Qilin’s mother, Lady Baek, passed away. Apparently, he received the message late and only made it back in time to see her pass. They say he couldn't even visit her for years because of the pirates. Imagine how he must feel, losing a mother like that. I heard he was a devoted son. It must feel like the heavens are collapsing on him.”

“So he’ll be in Hubei for the funeral period? I heard his family home is there.”

“His maternal family is the Zhuge Clan, right? So they'll hold the funeral there. I heard she relied on her family after being widowed at a young age.”

“It’s a sad tale for the people of Fujian suffering from the pirates, but it can’t be helped. The bond between parent and child is a heavenly decree; how can one interfere with that? He won't be able to move until the forty-nine-day mourning period is over. They’ll just have to endure it for a while.”

Contrary to their speculation, the Jade Qilin was not in Hubei but in Gansu, and far from observing the forty-nine-day mourning ritual for his mother, he had barely attended the funeral before setting off in pursuit of the Qilin Plaque. But the common people, who weren't concerned with grand matters like Qilin Plaques or the Demonic Cult, knew nothing of this.

Munpyeong thought these ignorant folk were better off than he was. If he could, he would have chosen to know nothing rather than be burdened with useless knowledge.

He didn't want to know that a renegade of the Demonic Cult, exiled decades ago after a failed rebellion, was plotting again. Nor did he want to know that the trail the Jade Qilin, Baek Woo-gyeong, was following in Gansu was likely a trap set by the conspirators.

He didn't want to know that the Jade Qilin, rumored to be the son of the Sword Hero, was in fact the illegitimate son of Cheonma. He would have preferred to live in ignorance of the fact that Cheonma, the most powerful master in the world who had surpassed the state of the Transformation Realm to reach the Profound Realm, was now rampaging through the Central Plains, his rage boiling over.

If he had known nothing, he wouldn't have had to swallow a Gu, nor would he be risking his life to track Cheonma. But it was too late for regrets. Munpyeong sighed deeply and rose from his seat.

As he stood, dust cascaded from his clothes. The merchants chattering at the next table turned with angry faces as dust fell onto their food, but upon seeing a tall man with a long spear on his back, they quietly turned back to their conversation.

Seeing Munpyeong suddenly get up, the clerk rushed over, thinking he was about to dine and dash. Munpyeong paid his bill and added a few extra copper coins. The clerk's expression immediately changed, and he bowed deeply.

“Please come again, sir.”

There was a genuine tone in the clerk's voice this time.

Munpyeong gave a bitter smile at the clerk’s attitude, which had flipped like a switch over a few paltry coins, and walked out of the inn.

***

Perhaps because it bordered the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, night fell early in Songpan. Munpyeong had spent the hours until sunset wandering the city to familiarize himself with its layout. After much searching, he finally found the street he was looking for and turned onto it.

Night had come, so the surroundings should have been dark, but this street was as bright as day. Colorful lanterns hung from every pillar, shining like all the stars had fallen to earth. The sweet laughter of women and the fragrant scent of their powder drifted on the wind, flowing out into the street.

The scene of a red-light district, not much different from any other in the Central Plains, unfolded before him. Munpyeong pushed his way through the women pulling at his arms and walked down the street.

Finding the place Po Yeong-ui had told him about wasn't difficult. The brothel had the largest and most ornate sign on Hongmeng Road, Songpan’s nighttime street.

Mongyeon-ru. The Dream Connection Pavilion.

The brothel, with a name that seemed to rhyme with the street's, boasted an exterior so lavish that the word "luxurious" felt inadequate. Lanterns were strung not only under the eaves of the main gate but also along the walls. The pavilion visible beyond the gate was draped entirely in red silk. Unlike other establishments, no women stood outside to solicit customers, and the faint sound of music from within added a touch of refined elegance.

It seemed this was a hongru—a high-class establishment—not a common qingru. Judging by the decor and the guards who looked at least like seasoned thugs, it was likely one of the more expensive ones.

`This is a problem.`

Dressed as a weary, shabby, third-rate wandering warrior, Munpyeong scowled at the realization that the place he needed to enter was a hongru. He had wanted to avoid drawing attention in Sichuan, but now he was bound to become the center of it. A place like this clearly vetted its customers. How much would someone dressed like him stand out?

Munpyeong clicked his tongue in annoyance. If he had known Mongyeon-ru was this kind of place, he would have bought a set of silk clothes first. Had Po Yeong-ui given him a heads-up, he could have avoided this mistake. Whether it was an oversight or a deliberate attempt to mess with him, Po Yeong-ui had said nothing about it.

“What is your business?”

As he approached, brushing the dust from his body to at least not look dirty, a guard standing by the open gate of Mongyeon-ru turned to him. His words were polite, but his expression was not. He had recognized at a glance that Munpyeong was not the kind of man who frequented such places.

“I’ve come from Jiayuguan Pass. I was told there is a lady here by the name of Suhye.”

At the mention of Jiayuguan, the guard’s unpleasant expression softened.

`Ah, he’s a messenger.`

Realizing Munpyeong wasn't a customer, the guard's voice became much gentler.

“That is correct. ...From Jiayuguan, you say? Were you perhaps sent by General Mun Cheon-hwan?”

“Yes. The General asked me to deliver a letter to Lady Suhye of Mongyeon-ru. Would you be so kind as to deliver it?”

“Please wait a moment. I will inquire inside.”

The guard called over a passing servant and sent him with the message. Munpyeong stepped back toward the wall to stay out of the way of passersby and continued to brush dust from himself.

The guard watched Munpyeong, who clearly looked like he had traveled a long way, and then asked in a subtle tone.

“From your appearance, you seem to have come from afar. Where did you travel from?”

“From Anxi.”

“Are you a military officer?”

“Yes, I am.”

“If you came from Anxi, then you must not be one of General Mun Cheon-hwan’s men.”

“I received the order while on leave, on my way to my hometown.”

For someone who was just a messenger, the guard showed an unusual amount of curiosity. Munpyeong grew tense, wondering if he had sensed something, but the reason for the guard's attitude soon became clear.

“You may not know this, but you’re not the first to run this errand. General Mun Cheon-hwan was a regular at our Mongyeon-ru back when he was stationed at the Songpan Garrison Command. It's been over half a year since he was promoted and transferred to Jiayuguan, but he still remembers us and sends letters. We are very grateful.”

Once he started talking, the guard began to boast about his workplace without being asked.

There was a famous courtesan at this brothel with the nickname Cheonjanghwa—the Eternal Heavenly Flower—and General Mun Cheon-hwan was deeply infatuated with her, Lady Suhye. She was on a different level from the common prostitutes of the qingru and incomparable to amateur entertainers; she was a truly special existence. Her beauty rivaled Xi Shi, her wit surpassed Li Baek, her dancing was like Zhao Feiyan, and her singing voice was as enchanting as Chang'e in the Moon Palace. Even in renowned centers of art like Suzhou or Hangzhou, it would be difficult to find such a gifted beauty...

The guard’s praise was so endless that Munpyeong suspected he might have a crush on the courtesan himself.

If she were that outstanding, she would have gone to Jiangnan long ago. What glory could such a beauty find by staying in a small place like Songpan?

Munpyeong didn't believe half of what the guard said, but he saw no need to hurt his feelings, so he just played along.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long before a reply came from inside. The message was to let the man with the letter in. Munpyeong followed a young boy attendant, whose neck was still covered in soft downy hair, through the gates of Mongyeon-ru. It was his first time entering a hongru, but he felt no excitement.

The talkative guard would never imagine it, but Mongyeon-ru was one of the secret branches the Demonic Cult had established in the Central Plains. That meant the courtesan named Suhye was also a member of the Cult.

Munpyeong had learned firsthand how terrifying the female masters of the Demonic Cult, like Luan Luan, could be. Because of that, he had no expectations for this Suhye. Just be careful. One mistake could lead to a terrible end. That was the extent of his resolve.

The rafters were decorated with red silk, and red lanterns hung from them. Beaded curtains adorned every doorway, tinkling with a clear sound, and the air was half filled with the scent of powder. Courtesans with waists as slender as willow branches swayed past, turning to smile at Munpyeong. They covered their mouths with deliberately long sleeves, their eyes crinkling in a smile, their shoulders looking particularly white and fresh.

The inside of the hongru was truly a different world. Even Munpyeong, who knew it was a Cult branch, found his gaze captured from time to time. He couldn't find any peerless beauties like Yehwa or Luan Luan, but to him, these moderately pretty and cute girls were much more comfortable to be around than those flowers on a cliff's edge.

He felt like he was walking through a flower garden as he climbed the stairs. With each floor, the decorations became more extravagant and the girls more beautiful.

Reaching the top of the five-story building, Munpyeong took a quiet, deep breath. If he had paid to come up here, he would have been excited at the thought of seeing a beauty. But what awaited him was not a beauty, but a witch.

“Lady Suhye, I have brought the guest from Jiayuguan.”

“Show him in.”

When the young attendant who had led him announced his arrival, a graceful woman's voice replied. Judging by the voice alone, it was hard to believe she was a female master of the Demonic Cult. It was an elegant and delicate sound.

“Please, come in.”

Munpyeong stepped through the door the attendant held open. Having seen the lavish decorations outside, he had expected the room to be even more opulent. But once inside, he found it was rather modestly decorated in comparison, more elegant than flamboyant. It looked less like the room of a famous courtesan and more like the boudoir of a noble lady. To top it all off, a beaded screen was drawn across the inner part of the room.

Behind the screen sat a single figure. This must be the pride of Songpan, the Eternal Heavenly Flower the guard had boasted about. But behind the screen, even with his heightened vision, he could only make out a faint silhouette, not her exact features.

Munpyeong looked in her direction for a moment and gave a simple bow. The shadow behind the screen bowed its head in return.

“Are you the guest from Jiayuguan?” the woman asked, still behind the lowered screen.

`I guess she won't even show her face to someone who hasn't paid.`

Munpyeong grumbled inwardly but answered her question obediently.

“I have brought a letter for Lady Suhye from the west.”

“Is the General well?”

“Having been away from his home for many years, he simply yearns for it.”

The pre-arranged exchange of words took place. It was the exact chun dian—a secret code—that Po Yeong-ui had taught him. After the conversation ended, a low laugh was heard, and the screen that separated them was raised.

The woman who had been sitting behind it rose and approached Munpyeong. Dressed in a blue court-style gown with her hair styled like a celestial maiden, he hadn't seen many beauties like her, but he recognized her instantly.

“Wait, Elder Sister? Elder Sister Gyeong-hwa? What are you doing here?”

Munpyeong asked, stunned to meet someone so unexpected in such an unexpected place. Forgetting all her earlier composure, Suhye smiled brightly and replied.

“That’s what I want to ask you. I was told a Demon Shadow was coming down from headquarters and was on edge, so why are you here? Did you come in service to the Demon Shadow?”

“No. I didn't come in service to anyone... I came alone.”

“Really? Then did the branch get the wrong information? No, that can’t be. I definitely heard a Demon Shadow was coming. Why would they risk their necks by getting that kind of information wrong?”

Munpyeong struggled to find an answer for her as she tilted her head in confusion. If it had been a legitimate promotion, he would have boasted without hesitation, but since he had essentially earned it with his body, he was reluctant to bring it up.

Suhye, blinking for a moment in confusion, finally realized why Munpyeong was silent and covered her mouth with her hands. She wasn't normally the type to make such a demure gesture, no matter how surprised, but it seemed that three years in a brothel had influenced her, as the flirtatious pose came out naturally.

“Oh my, does that mean the Demon Shadow who was supposed to come is you? ...My apologies. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Suhye, who had grown up in the Demonic Cult where the chain of command was absolute, immediately bent her knees as soon as she realized Munpyeong’s identity. But he couldn't accept a bow from someone he regarded as an older sister. Munpyeong quickly moved aside to refuse her bow.

“It’s not a real Demon Shadow position, so this kind of formality is a burden, Elder Sister. I may hold the title of Demon Shadow, but it was given to me temporarily for a special situation. It’s not an official appointment. So please, don't do this.”

Munpyeong pleaded with her, but she was not easily swayed.

“Even so, you are a Demon Shadow. How can I be disrespectful? The Shadow of the Sect Master is a noble position, comparable to a Grand Supreme Lord of the Inner Sanctum. Please forgive my impertinence.”

Munpyeong found the honorifics she used unfamiliar and unbearably awkward. He sighed deeply and tried to persuade her again.

“Why are you doing this? Are you trying to make me uncomfortable? As you know, those who hold the position of Demon Shadow are forbidden from revealing their rank outside. You know that a true Demon Shadow shouldn't even reveal their face, don't you? So please, drop the formalities and pretend you don't know. I won't be staying long anyway.”

She continued to hesitate, as if to say, But how can I?, but Munpyeong forcibly helped her up. After a moment of gauging his expression, she seemed to see that he was serious and finally relaxed her shoulders.

Suhye, whose real name was Cheon Gyeong-hwa, was a female master of the Demonic Cult known by the moniker “Nalsunangrang”—the Ruthless Maiden. She had been Munpyeong’s direct superior before being dispatched to the Central Plains, serving as the third squad leader of the Soul Reaping Division before him. She was skilled in martial arts and possessed a sharp mind, making her one of the most promising talents among the Outer Sanctum masters. He hadn't heard from her since she was sent to a secret branch in the Central Plains three years ago.

Once assigned to a secret branch, all contact, even with family, was forbidden to maintain security. That was why even Munpyeong, who had been close to her, didn't know which branch she had been sent to. Meeting her in such an unexpected place filled him with a special kind of joy.

“I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, Elder Sister. How long has it been? You’ve gotten younger and even more beautiful. I heard on my way here that you’ve even mastered poetry, literature, and the arts?”

Munpyeong deliberately spoke in a cheerful tone, trying to dispel the awkwardness of the previous moment. Though he said it to change the mood, his words weren't entirely empty.

She had clearly changed in the nearly three years since he had last seen her. She truly was more beautiful and younger-looking. Most strikingly, her entire demeanor, once boisterous, had completely transformed.

Munpyeong, who had never once thought of her as a "woman," found her transformation both remarkable and bewildering.

Though she was a stunning beauty, she had been a warrior to the core, down-to-earth and able to drink anyone under the table. She never lost to a man in any contest. For Munpyeong, who vividly remembered her old self, her current appearance, which seemed more like a noble lady than a popular courtesan, was unfamiliar and strange. A faint scent of flowers even wafted from her as she moved, the silk of her dress rustling with a soft sarak sarak sound.

What would his friends say if he told them about this? Munpyeong briefly imagined their reactions and shook his head. They would never believe Gyeong-hwa had changed. They'd either say he saw wrong or accuse him of lying. He could vividly picture their reactions without even seeing them.

As Munpyeong teased her, Gyeong-hwa pouted. In the old days, a fist would have surely flown his way, but now he was met with a coy glare instead.

“Back then, I had to act like a man to survive among all you rough-and-tumble guys. Do you think those thick-headed fools would have followed a woman as their superior otherwise? I can be graceful too if I put my mind to it. Didn't you hear my famous name in Songpan on your way here? It's the Eternal Heavenly Flower. There are men here who would lay down their lives for a single smile from me.”

She emphasized her point with a deliberately seductive smile. It was playful and mischievous, yet held a subtle allure that made it hard to look away. Seeing that smile, he could understand a little of the guard's adoration for Eternal Heavenly Flower. He wondered where she had learned such a professional smile. Had she gone to the Palace of Delights for special training?

After a brief laugh, the atmosphere relaxed. Munpyeong sat down at the table as Gyeong-hwa gestured. As she poured the pre-prepared tea into a cup, she glanced at him.

“But what really happened? You were just promoted to squad leader three years ago, and now you suddenly show up as a Demon Shadow. Did you have some kind of fateful encounter?”

Gyeong-hwa, who had been in the Central Plains and was unaware of the events of the past few months, pressed him with a curious tone.

Among the masters of the Soul Reaping Division, she had been the one on the fast track to success. It was expected that she would be promoted to the rank of Grand Supreme Lord after her mission in the Central Plains was over. For her junior to suddenly appear as her superior, it was natural for her to be curious about the circumstances.

Asked about a topic he didn't want to discuss, Munpyeong smiled awkwardly and dodged the question. He couldn't lie, since she would find out the truth once she returned to the Cult, but he didn't feel like telling the truth either.

“As you know, Elder Sister, I have a rather unique talent. A situation arose that required that talent, so I was selected. The title of Demon Shadow was given to me to ensure this matter is resolved smoothly; it’s not permanent. I'll step down as soon as this is over.”

`Once this is over, I'll be leaving the Cult itself, so that will certainly be the case.` He consoled himself that he hadn't, at least, told a lie.

“So that's how it is. I see. Hearing that, I think I understand the situation. The task you need to handle does require that kind of talent. I thought it was a job better suited for the Shadow Chasing Division than the Demon Shadow Division, but with you here, it's actually a relief.”

Somehow understanding his answer, she nodded to herself as if she had figured something out. But Munpyeong, lacking any prior information, had no idea what she had understood and asked with a puzzled expression.

“What was the information you were supposed to give me? What am I supposed to do here?”

Po Yeong-ui had said that tracking Cheonma was the top priority, yet he had sent him to Sichuan instead of Gansu. There had to be a reason, but not being told the details was incredibly frustrating. Seeing Gyeong-hwa's reaction, Munpyeong thought she might have the information to satisfy his curiosity.

At his question, Gyeong-hwa reached under the table. He didn't see what she did, but a clicking sound came from the thick, red sandalwood table, and a section of the tabletop popped open. She lifted the panel and took out a piece of paper. When she spread it on the table, it turned out to be a map—a map of the Central Plains, so detailed it could have been a military map.

“Not long ago, there was a string of incidents where children disappeared in places like Guangdong and Fujian. At first, entire villages were wiped out, so everyone thought it was the work of Japanese pirates. But then it was discovered that in some villages, the adults were massacred, but the children were taken. I heard the Bone Melting Powder used there also appeared at the Zhuge Clan estate. You already know about that, right?”

He knew. He had been there when Ho Wan-pyeong reported it to Cheonma. He nodded silently, and she pointed a finger at the map. Her slender finger traced a path across Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong.

“But a similar thing happened here in Sichuan. Not entire villages disappearing like on the coast, but children who were out playing would suddenly vanish. The victims were boys and girls between five and ten. It was mostly children from poor families who couldn't search for them, or street urchins. The Beggars' Sect was the first to notice. Soon after, the Haomun also found out and started a secret investigation. But even with the two major information networks of the Central Plains on the case, nothing has been uncovered yet.”

Munpyeong listened in silence. He knew well what terrible things could happen to parentless children, but from what he was hearing, this seemed to be on a different level.

Countless children had disappeared from not one, but three or four provinces. The scale was too large to be the work of a simple human trafficking ring. A powerful organization was clearly behind it.

“But this isn't just happening in the Central Plains. It’s happening in Yunnan, too. The victims there are mostly from ethnic minority groups like the Baek and Lahu people. Like in Guangdong, there are traces of Bone Melting Powder, and sometimes entire villages have disappeared. But their villages are far apart and deep in the jungle, so very few cases have been reported to the outside world. Even we wouldn't have known if we hadn't been contacted by the White Lotus Sect.”

“The White Lotus Sect? How did they find out about what was happening in Yunnan?”

“It seems the children of some White Lotus Sect members were among those abducted in Guangxi. The Sect tracked the culprits to Yunnan. Unfortunately, the trail went cold there. The White Lotus Sect wanted to dig deeper, but they couldn't enter Sichuan, which is defended by the three major Orthodox Factions. So they asked us for help. They asked us to look into it.”

Her finger moved from Yunnan back to Sichuan. Munpyeong, following the path with his eyes, voiced a thought that came to mind.

“What about Guizhou?”

“No reported cases. Our secret branch in Guizhou couldn't find anything, and neither could the Beggars' Sect or Haomun. Only this place is clean. The entire southern part of the Central Plains has been swept up in this, but not here.”

Munpyeong stared at the conspicuously clean spot. From what he had heard, he could tell that something unusual was happening, but he still didn't see what it had to do with Cheonma.

Gyeong-hwa handed a small bamboo tube to the bewildered Munpyeong. Her orders were to convey the information gathered in Sichuan and to give this tube to the person from headquarters. Even she didn't know what was inside. Her mission was simply to deliver it.

“This came by carrier pigeon from headquarters this morning. I was told to give it to the Demon Shadow upon his arrival in Songpan.”

He opened the tube and took out a rolled-up piece of paper. When he unrolled it, he saw tiny characters crammed onto a slip of paper the width of two fingers. The script was a formal heihua, a secret language impossible to decipher without knowing the key. Like a child learning to read for the first time, Munpyeong painstakingly deciphered the sentences, one by one.

Follow the dog, and you'll find its master.

You can catch a carp with a net, but not a dragon.

To find the dragon, chase the cloud.

The cloud will follow the dog.

-Mother

He had managed to decipher the words, but now the meaning was the problem. Not being as clever as some, Munpyeong had to ponder for a long time what it all meant.

As he was lost in thought, Gyeong-hwa stood by silently, not wanting to disturb him. Back on Mount Tian, he had been just a subordinate, a younger brother who seemed immature. But looking at his face, now creased in serious thought, she realized he had a certain masculine air about him.

`This isn't so bad`, she thought with a faint smile. Munpyeong seemed to think she was the only one who had changed, but from her perspective, that wasn't the case at all.

Though it was a long-awaited reunion, they didn't have much time. It would look strange for a man who had come to deliver a letter to stay in a woman's room for too long.

Once he had received all the information he needed, Munpyeong stood up. Gyeong-hwa rose with him.

“I’m afraid I must be going now.”

Munpyeong said, not bothering to hide his disappointment. Even though he was on an important mission, he openly lamented their parting like a child. In contrast, Gyeong-hwa’s reaction was more composed. Instead of sharing his sadness, she smiled maturely and comforted him.

“Good luck. This is a great opportunity. A chance like this doesn't come easily for a warrior from the Outer Sanctum.”

Her generous smile and tone reminded him of a much older sister. Even though she was only two years his senior, she had always been like that.

“Elder Sister.”

“For today, you should go. But later, when you've finished your mission, come visit me again. We can finish our conversation then. I'll save a good bottle of wine for that day. One of the good things about being in the Central Plains is that you can easily get famous liquors from all over. Did you know that even Songpan has a hidden masterpiece of a wine? It has a taste that makes you miss your friends with every sip. It makes you want to share its fragrance with someone.”

She urged him to come back and share a drink with her.

Gyeong-hwa didn't know that once this mission was over, Munpyeong would be leaving the Demonic Cult. Ignorant of this, she freely promised a next time. But hearing her request, Munpyeong’s heart grew heavy. It was only then that he realized this might be the last time he ever saw her.

He would be leaving the Cult legitimately, so he wouldn't be treated as a renegade, but the Cult was exclusive by nature. It wouldn't be easy for someone who had left to meet old friends still within its ranks.

To maintain the surface-level truce, Cult warriors rarely came down to the Central Plains. Even if he happened to run into someone on a secret mission, like this time, the strict security rules meant they couldn't acknowledge each other.

Once he left the Cult, there would be no way to see the people he missed. To think he might never see them again, even though they weren't separated by death. Munpyeong reined in his chilling thoughts and swallowed a rising sigh.

He had always been a wanderer, never staying in one place long enough to form deep attachments. But the years he had spent in the Demonic Cult had forged bonds that now held him back. How could something so intangible be so heavy?

Munpyeong forced his stiff lips into something resembling a smile. It was disappointing that he couldn't even share a proper farewell, but it couldn't be helped.

“If we meet again, let’s be sure to have a drink, Elder Sister.”

“Yes. We must.”

She smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling. Munpyeong gave a light bow at her crescent-moon smile, turned, and walked out of the room. Mindful of prying eyes, Gyeong-hwa could only see him off from where she stood, not following him outside.

As he left the room, the young attendant who had been waiting for him led the way. Just as when he came up, Munpyeong followed the boy down through the brothel.

Though he hadn't spent much time in Gyeong-hwa's room, the brothel was now packed with customers. They were all men in flashy, expensive clothes, their faces slick with grease and full of hearty laughter.

Just as he had worried, Munpyeong, in his worn blue robes, stood out among them. The fact that he was coming down from the top floor only fueled their curiosity. A mixture of puzzlement, interest, and baseless hostility—countless gazes that couldn't be described with a single word pierced his back.

Munpyeong ignored them all and walked out of the establishment without looking back. He didn't want to get into a pointless fight and cause a scene.

Once he was gone, the gazes scattered. He heard a few scattered questions about who he was to be coming down from the fifth floor, but the topic seemed to die down after the courtesans beside them offered some plausible explanation.

But one man among them, the last to turn his gaze away from Munpyeong, reacted differently. Even after Munpyeong had left the brothel, the man continued to stare at the doorway as if he were still there.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

The courtesan leading him to his room asked in a coquettish voice, rousing him from his thoughts. Still looking toward the entrance, the man replied in a low voice.

“For a moment, I thought I saw someone I knew.”

He answered as if it were nothing. The courtesan’s eyes widened in a deliberately cute way. It was obvious she was trying to look cute, but her face was so pretty and her attitude so full of charm that it came across as endearing rather than annoying.

“Oh my. You said this was your first time in Songpan, but you know someone here? How do you know them?”

“No. He looked like someone I know, but maybe not. When I think about it, he's not someone who should be here. And someone who must not be here.”

The man answered her dramatic question calmly. His tone was indifferent, as if he had genuinely mistaken the person.

Thinking it was nothing, the courtesan smiled and turned around to lead him to his room again. The man silently followed her down the corridor.

The young, pretty, but still inexperienced courtesan did not notice that the man following her cast one last glance toward the door. She didn't see the cold glint that flashed in his eyes during that brief moment, nor did she realize that, contrary to his words, he had recognized the man perfectly.

Ignorant of it all, she just plotted how to squeeze more money out of his pockets as she trotted along. He had an ordinary appearance but seemed to have a lot of money. Fleecing a man like this was easy for her. With a few tricks she had learned from her older sisters, she could earn enough to live and play for several days without working.

Follow the dog, and you'll find its master.

You can catch a carp with a net, but not a dragon.

To find the dragon, chase the cloud.

The cloud will follow the dog.

-Mother

Munpyeong walked, mulling over the cryptic phrases, which were even more puzzling than the secret language itself. There was a saying that if you repeat something you don't understand, you will eventually grasp it, but the more he chewed on Po Yeong-ui's message, the more his head spun. At first, he thought he understood it, but the more he mulled it over, the clearer things became muddled, and what he thought he knew became unknown.

`Does he think everyone's mind works like his? Sending a few vague phrases as an order... what kind of absurd person is he?`

Frustrated with the riddle, Munpyeong deeply resented Po Yeong-ui for creating this mess in the first place. That man never did anything that sat right with him. It wasn't like they had worked together for years and understood each other with a single glance. What was he trusting in?

`…'Follow the dog, and you'll find its master' must mean I should investigate the child abductions. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent me to Sichuan or made me memorize the information about it.`

Munpyeong wasn't completely clueless; he could figure out the first line on his own. Contextually, the "dogs" Po Yeong-ui referred to were clearly those madmen who were systematically kidnapping children. He had already been told their mastermind was Gwak Hyo, and he agreed that the incidents in each province seemed related.

The same target, approached in a similar manner across multiple provinces, and the mastermind was identified in one case. It was reasonable to assume the same person was behind the rest.

`But the problem starts from here. 'You can catch a carp with a net, but not a dragon.' What on earth does that mean? The next line says to find the dragon, so 'dragon' probably refers to Cheonma, but then what's the carp? Is the carp the Jade Qilin? 'You can catch the Jade Qilin, but not Cheonma'? 'To find the dragon, chase the cloud.' Who's the cloud? Is there someone else I need to find besides Cheonma?`

He hit a wall right at the second line. From here on, he couldn't understand what was being said at all. He couldn't make sense of the lines separately, and even when he tried to interpret them together, he didn't know what Po Yeong-ui was using as metaphors, so he was still in the dark.

Never mind the dragon, but what was the carp and the cloud? Was it a person, or an organization? Completely stumped, Munpyeong gripped his head, which was starting to cramp from being used so much for the first time in a long while. He had never missed the Soul Reaping Division's Master's clear, one-sentence commands like "Do this," "Do that" so much.

His lifelong pride was that although he hadn't had much formal education, he wasn't illiterate. But now, he couldn't even boast about that.

`From the tone of the sentences, I can roughly guess what I'm supposed to do. I need to dig into the mastermind of this abduction case. Then I'll meet the cloud and see the dragon.

But what good is that? If I meet the cloud and don't know what it is, it's all for nothing. What if I just pass it by? Will he let it slide if I say I didn't know?

He could bet his life that he wouldn't. A man like that wouldn't have forced a Gu down someone's throat in the first place.`

How long had he been walking, lost in this unsolvable puzzle?

Immersed in his own thoughts, Munpyeong had neglected his surroundings. He didn't notice the abnormality unfolding before him until the silence that had enveloped the area had stretched on for some time. With his mind in such a turmoil, how could he have the leisure to think about whether insects were chirping or birds were singing? As a result, he only realized there were enemies in front of him after they had already appeared.

“Who are you?”

Seok Munpyeong's wary gaze fell upon the martial artists blocking his path. They had appeared suddenly while he was walking along a mountain path. Usually, men who appeared in such situations were bandits, but the ones before him were different. They were too sharp to be dismissed as mere bandits, their gazes as keen as well-honed blades.

It seemed they were well-trained warriors from a structured sect. Moreover, they were all masters, none of them below the first-rate level.

`Who are they?`

With much to hide, Munpyeong couldn't conceal his caution and took a step back, his eyes scanning their attire. He tried to maintain a calm expression, but his eyes betrayed his unease.

`The Tang Clan?`

Munpyeong groaned inwardly as he recognized them. He could be mistaken about other things, but he couldn't mistake the unusually wide sleeves of their tops and the deer-hide gloves on their hands. Wide sleeves meant they had much to hide inside, and warriors dressed like this were usually masters of hidden weapons. The deer-hide gloves, which offered protection against poison, meant they handled toxins. From their attire, they were clearly masters of poison and hidden weapons.

Poison and hidden weapons were difficult arts to master. A second-rate poison expert could, with the right circumstances, take on a first-rate master of another art, but achieving proficiency was so difficult that the process of becoming first-rate was harder than a first-rate master of another art becoming a peak expert.

The only sect in the Jianghu capable of dispatching five such poison masters at once was the Tang Clan. At least, that was what Munpyeong knew.

“That’s what we’d like to ask. Who are you? Where are you from, and where are you going?”

The one who appeared to be the leader of the Tang Clan masters spoke. He was a man with a lean body that looked almost neurotic, and his eyes were a piercing blue, giving him a snake-like sharpness.

“Why should I explain that to you? Are you the authorities?”

Seok Munpyeong retorted coldly, glaring at them. A sense of dread bloomed in his heart, but he forced himself not to show it. He had a terrible history with the Tang Clan, a place with which he had unintentionally created a grudge. Feeling a cold sweat trickle down his back, he stared them down.

He doubted they were chasing him, but he couldn't completely relax. In the Jianghu, the Tang Clan was known for being the most unforgiving when it came to grudges. Munpyeong, who had spent months in their Heaven and Earth Net, knew their persistence and tenacity better than anyone. It had been over a decade, but he couldn't be sure the Tang Clan had forgotten.

Grudges in the Jianghu could make decades feel like nothing. Trivial disputes often carried on for generations. If they were after him, that dreadful chase would begin all over again. Munpyeong was terrified of that.

“We are not the authorities, but we are doing something similar. We are tracking a suspicious group that has wronged the Tang Clan. Cooperate if you don’t want to be under unnecessary suspicion.”

The leader spoke in a cold tone, demanding to see Munpyeong's identification plaque. Though he had just said they weren't the authorities, his attitude was just as imperious. Hearing his words, Munpyeong felt a small sense of relief that they weren't after him, but his mood didn't improve.

The Tang Clan, as expected.

Munpyeong thought with a bitter feeling. That arrogant attitude of looking down on the rest of the world hadn't changed in ten years.

“To my eyes, you are the suspicious group. You're not the authorities, yet you block a traveler's path and demand to see his plaque out of the blue. By what right do you commit such an outrageous act? Do you have the government’s permission for this?”

Munpyeong deliberately furrowed his brow and addressed the leader. A suspicious group. He didn't know the details, but something had clearly happened to the Tang Clan.

The Tang Clan never got involved in matters that didn't concern them. For them to appear in Guizhou, beyond the borders of Sichuan, meant it was a matter of great importance to them. But for Munpyeong, who wanted to hide his identity, the appearance of the Tang Clan was an unexpected disaster.

Seeing them near the border of Guizhou suggested that this "suspicious group" had slipped into the province. The Heaven and Earth Net was surely spread, and for Munpyeong, who also had to search throughout Guizhou, the Tang Clan's net was like a shackle on his ankle. He could easily run into them, and if one of them recognized him, it would be a catastrophe.

`Why is my luck so terrible this year?`

Munpyeong lamented inwardly but kept his glare fixed on the leader. Though he felt a twinge of guilt, showing it would mean being melted down to the bone. He was facing not one, but five poison masters. He was not yet a peak expert; this was not a force he could handle.

“You talk too much for a mere wandering warrior. We are the Tang Clan. Hand over your plaque quietly.”

“A mere wanderer, you say? Aren't you just a group of wandering warriors from the Jianghu? I, for one, am in service to the state. I have no reason to comply with the demands of those who are not officials.”

Munpyeong responded with an even firmer attitude to the man's threatening tone. He dropped the semi-formal speech he had been using and spoke with the confidence of someone with nothing to hide.

Munpyeong's confidence came from one thing: his identification plaque. As if anticipating such an event, the plaque Po Yeong-ui had prepared for him was that of an official. It wasn't a high rank, just a Centurion, but that made it all the more believable.

The Jianghu and the government had always kept their distance. Just as river water cannot intrude upon a well, well water cannot flow back into the river. No matter how low the rank, a martial artist, who was essentially a commoner, could not act rashly towards a government official.

Sure enough, when Seok Munpyeong declared himself an official, the leader's expression changed. He looked Seok Munpyeong over again with a new attitude.

But even upon re-examination, there was nothing special about him. He had the well-trained body of a warrior and a decent physique, but he wore worn-out blue robes, carried a long spear on his back, and was traveling on foot without a word. He was hardly a scholar, and even as a warrior, he looked more like a wanderer than an established official.

“In service to the state, you say? So you’re an official?”

The leader's question was clearly tinged with a silent, In those rags? Despite his doubt, he couldn't completely dismiss the wanderer's claim because of the slim possibility that it was true.

Seok Munpyeong nodded proudly.

“That's right.”

“What is your rank?”

“Centurion of the Anxi Left Thousand-Household Guard.”

The leader's face twitched slightly. Centurion. A rank that was neither high nor low. It was an official rank, but he was just a low-level officer commanding a hundred soldiers. And his post was in Anxi, on the very frontier.

An officer of the Anxi Left Thousand-Household Guard, right next to Yumen Pass, was basically a gatekeeper. Judging by his appearance, he hadn't passed the military examinations but had been promoted for his service on the front lines. To bow to an official of such a low rank was too much for the pride of the Tang Clan.

The man hesitated at Munpyeong's answer. He knew he should step back, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. The thought that the name of the Tang Clan would yield to a mere Centurion was humiliating.

“If you understand, then step aside. Unless you are acting under the authority of the Great Ming Code, I have no reason to be questioned by you.”

Seeing the man hesitate, Munpyeong pressed him again with a firm attitude. He thought that since he had seized the momentum, all he had to do was push forward. But unexpectedly, the leader did not back down meekly.

“If you have nothing to hide, show me your plaque. I cannot let you pass until I have confirmed it.”

The man demanded with a stiff face. What Munpyeong had overlooked was that the prestigious sects of the Jianghu had a pride that even officials couldn't break, and the Tang Clan's was particularly high.

They didn't want to lose face to a low-ranking military officer. If he had been a Chiliarch, they might have reconsidered, but he was a Centurion, and a commoner at that.

They guessed that a man of such a station would not be able to mobilize troops or use connections to pressure the Tang Clan, so they insisted on seeing his plaque out of sheer pride.

We can't trust your word without proof. If you are truly an official, prove it. That was their overt reason, but in truth, their insistence was a matter of saving face.

Munpyeong was not so blind as to miss this. He realized the Tang Clan warriors were demanding his plaque solely to break his will. He knew the Tang family was arrogant, but he hadn't expected them to be like this even with an official. It was truly absurd.

“You are now harassing me, knowing full well that I am a military officer. Do you understand what that means?”

Realizing his initial calculation had gone wrong, Munpyeong did not back down. Or rather, he couldn't back down.

The character he had been playing was a proud and rigid military officer, one who would dismiss the Tang Clan as mere commoners despite knowing who they were. A straightforward man who knew little of the world and nothing of compromise. If he suddenly presented his plaque now, it would only raise more suspicion.

`This is it, then. They wouldn't dare kill an official, would they?` Munpyeong crushed his flawed calculations and stared directly at the leader. The leader's gaze was as sharp as a viper's, but he did not flinch.

“Are you trying to frame us for treason just because we want to see your plaque? I don’t understand. If you’re innocent, why can't you show it? If you were in our shoes, would you trust a person's status based on their word alone?”

“By that logic, I'd like to ask you something. How am I to believe that you are from the Tang Clan? Why don't you show me your plaques? That would be the only way to prove your identity to me.”

When Munpyeong retorted sarcastically, the leader's eyebrows shot up. His already blue eyes gleamed even more coldly as he muttered.

“Reputation in the Jianghu isn't built on words. If you wish, we can prove that we are from the Tang Clan in the way of the Jianghu. Don't commoners have their own ways?”

The leader's hand slipped into his sleeve. As if on cue, the other men's hands also moved to their sleeves. Seeing this, Munpyeong gritted his teeth.

These crazy bastards. Are they really going to make a move? Against a military officer, not just some commoner?

But their eyes were already those of men facing a life-or-death battle. In a tight spot, Munpyeong had no choice but to reach for the long spear behind his back.

It seemed there was no escape. He could either fight back or turn and run. But if he turned his back now, he'd be stabbed not by the Tang Clan, but by the Demonic Cult.

Was I fated to die here like this?

Five first-rate masters against him alone. The odds were so stacked against him that he could only think of death. He was furious at both the Tang Clan and the Demonic Cult.

Damn them all. Munpyeong cursed inwardly as he freed his spear and aimed it at them. He wanted to boil the Emissary of the Underworld, who had forced him to come here against his will, in water. As for Cheonma, the ultimate source of his troubles, he wanted to throw him into a volcano.

If I'm ever reborn, I'll never associate with these ruthless people again, Munpyeong swore, grinding his teeth. I'll forget the Jianghu and just farm the land. I won't even touch a kitchen knife.

A taut tension filled the narrow mountain path. Even the wild animals held their breath in the face of their murderous aura.

“My, my. What an interesting sight.”

In the explosive situation, where a single move would have unleashed a storm of blood, a nonchalant voice suddenly fell from above.

Munpyeong and the Tang Clan members, who had been focused only on each other, flinched in surprise and quickly looked up.

Even though they had been absorbed in the confrontation, for six first-rate masters not to have sensed someone approaching from above was no small matter. They looked up at the tree where the voice had come from, their guard up. The tips of their blades, which had been aimed at each other, now pointed there without a second thought.

“Who’s there! Show yourself!” the leader shouted sharply, his nerves on edge from the unexpected development. His eyes, his hand clenched inside his sleeve ready to strike, were murderous.

“Hahaha.”

A clear, ringing laugh came from above, as if in answer to the leader's question. A rustling sound followed, and a figure leaped down from the tree. It was a simple movement, but he descended as lightly as a leaf, showcasing an elegant movement art. From that one motion, Munpyeong knew the man's martial skill was formidable.

The man who appeared in the midst of this tense standoff was dressed in a truly unusual fashion. Though he seemed to possess extraordinary martial skill, his body was slender and his face handsome, like a sheltered scholar.

He wore wide, ornate robes, a scholar's cap instead of a hero's, and strange tinted spectacles on his eyes. To top it all off, he held a fan with an elegant painting of a willow tree, looking every bit the part of a carefree playboy.

He fluttered his extravagant fan as he looked at them. Then, with a faint smile, he addressed the leader.

“My apologies, gentlemen of the Five Venoms of the Tang Clan. I had no intention of interfering with the Tang Clan's business, but I happened to be passing by and saw something interesting, so I couldn't help but intrude.”

The Five Venoms of the Tang Clan. At his words, Munpyeong finally realized who he was facing. The Five Venoms referred to the five most prominent disciples of their generation in the Tang Clan. Though there were only five of them, their fame was as great as that of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters of Mount Hua.

Named after the venomous snake, scorpion, centipede, spider, and toad, they were each exceptional masters, but they were even more fearsome for their specialty in a poison formation called the Heaven's Net Formation.

There was a legend that during the war with the Demonic Cult—now the White Lotus Sect—who had retreated to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, they had reduced fifty masters to pools of blood in the time it takes to have a meal. They were not to be taken lightly.

Realizing his opponents were even greater masters than he had thought, Munpyeong felt a chill run down his spine. He had nearly been turned into a puddle of blood himself.

But for some reason, the other side seemed more flustered than he was. The leader of the Five Venoms, who hadn't batted an eye at harassing a man he thought was an official, now looked at the slender playboy with undisguised dismay. The playboy, still smiling, returned his gaze.

“What brings the Flower Hero here?”

The leader greeted the handsome young man with an attitude that was almost respectful. The playboy, who looked no older than thirty, smiled at the leader's greeting.

“You flatter me, Young Master Tang. Flower Hero? Everyone calls me Flower Hero to my face, but I know they all call me Flower Fiend behind my back. Please, speak comfortably. It matters not to me whether you call me a hero or a fiend.”

Flower Fiend? Flower Fiend?

Munpyeong realized the name being tossed around was familiar. He had only heard it in faint rumors within the Demonic Cult, but he was sure he had heard of a reclusive martial artist with such a moniker. The common people called him the Flower Hero, while those in the Jianghu called him the Flower Fiend. One of the Three Fiends of the Jianghu, he was a master who had reached the peak level before the age of thirty. He was known for his bizarre and chivalrous deeds, which entertained the gossips of the Jianghu.

But he had a very unusual background for a martial artist. He came not from a typical martial sect, but from a prestigious and powerful family in Beijing.

His father was the Commander of the Jinyiwei, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his mother was a royal princess. He was of incomparably noble birth. The son of a Grand General and a blood relative of the Emperor. With such a status, even the martial artists who disdained the government had to yield to him.

As he recalled the man's background, his mind cleared. Munpyeong realized this man was the lifeline sent to him from the heavens. A common martial artist might not care, but the man before him was from a powerful Beijing family, and the son of a Grand General at that. It was unlikely he would simply pass by a military officer being harassed by martial artists.

Munpyeong quickly knelt and paid his respects to the Flower Hero, Yun Seung-hyo. He bowed so low his head nearly touched the ground. He had never bowed with such sincerity, not even to Cheonma.

“This humble Guan Liang pays his respects to the youngest son of the Jinyiwei Commander, General Yun Hyumyeong.”

Seeing the man who had stood so proudly before the Five Venoms kneel before him, a glint of interest appeared in Yun Seung-hyo’s eyes as he fanned himself. He looked at the bowing Munpyeong with a curious expression.

“Why does a proud military officer in service to the state kneel to a commoner with no official rank? It is my father who received the rank, not I. Is this not an excessive gesture?”

It was a question that could be taken as either sarcasm or sincerity. But Munpyeong, who had become unwillingly skilled at handling the probing questions of the powerful, answered firmly.

“Grand General Yun Hyumyeong of the Grand General's household is a hero of his generation who repelled the Jurchen invasions three times, and the Princess is of the Emperor's bloodline, a member of the imperial family. As a citizen of Ming and one who serves the state, how could I not pay my respects to one of such lineage?”

I am not bowing to the Flower Fiend, a commoner of the Jianghu. I am bowing to the son of the Grand General and the Princess. Munpyeong played the part of the earnest, single-minded soldier perfectly. Having seen and heard much of such men since he was young, it wasn't hard to imitate them.

His dead-serious attitude seemed to amuse Yun Seung-hyo, who smiled slightly as he looked down at the bowing Munpyeong. With his face more delicate than most women's, and now graced with a sweet smile, he possessed a dizzying charm that no beauty could match.

“In this world, a child's virtue may reflect upon the parents, but a parent's virtue does not pass to the child. Their virtues are theirs, not mine. Why does this gentleman ask me to usurp what belongs to them? Am I to steal my parents' fortune when I am already grateful for the life they gave me? Why do you try to make me such an unfilial son?”

What good was a beautiful face if the mind inside was not right? With that flower-like face, Yun Seung-hyo's elegant and composed voice threw Munpyeong into a panic.

He had bowed with all his heart in an attempt to survive, only to be turned into a scoundrel who made a man an unfilial son.

Munpyeong couldn't hide his bewilderment at the man's bizarre response. He had thought the man's timely appearance was a lifeline from heaven, but it seemed it was a rotten rope instead.

However, contrary to Munpyeong's clueless misunderstanding, Yun Seung-hyo's real target was not Munpyeong, but the Five Venoms of the Tang Clan.

The leader of the Five Venoms, Tang Jeok-hyeong, who had correctly identified the jab at him in Yun Seung-hyo's rambling words, felt his blood boil.

Born into a great family representing the Orthodox Faction, he was a promising young talent, raised to be a future leader of his sect. He had never had his pride broken by anyone. But for the first time in his life, he was being told to his face not to act arrogantly just because of his family's name. In one sentence, both he and the Tang Clan had been insulted.

Instead of showing his rising anger, Tang Jeok-hyeong calmly lowered his eyes and tried to maintain his composure.

He was an arrogant man, but he knew how to prioritize. No matter how angry he was, he could not confront the Flower Fiend in this situation.

The Flower Fiend was already a difficult opponent, but he was even more so when he had the moral high ground. Moreover, this incident was a sensitive one that could draw the government's attention if word got out. If he handled it rashly, his own misstep could bring harm to his family.

“Flower Hero, you seem to have misunderstood the situation based on what you have seen. We have our reasons, so why don't you hear us out before making a judgment?”

The Blue-Scaled Serpent, Tang Jeok-hyeong, said politely, raising his hands in a fist-and-palm salute. Yun Seung-hyo's eyes widened at Tang Jeok-hyeong's salute, and then he began to laugh cheerfully. The laughter of a grown man was as clear and bright as a child's.

“What have I misunderstood, Young Master Tang? If you say that, it sounds as if I was trying to interfere with the Tang Clan's business. As I said before, I was just passing by. I am merely a spectator, so please don't mind me and continue what you were doing.”

Yun Seung-hyo denied Tang Jeok-hyeong's words, even waving his hand as if to say, Don't mind me. Then he went a step further and sat down on a comfortable-looking rock by the side of the path.

His actions created a scene on the mountain path with six people who had to fight and one spectator. One of the Five Venoms, feeling like he had been made into a spectacle, tried to step forward with an indignant expression, but Tang Jeok-hyeong stopped him with a look. He was just as angry, but for now, he had to endure. Unless he was prepared to kill both the official and the man right here and now to silence them, he had no choice but to be patient.

“Did you say your name was Guan?”

With the situation at this point, Munpyeong finally caught on. Yun Seung-hyo hadn't actively intervened, but his presence had helped Munpyeong. Or rather, perhaps it was because he wasn't actively intervening that he was more helpful.

If Yun Seung-hyo had stepped in, it would have become a matter between him and the Tang Clan. But by stepping back to watch, he had created a situation where Munpyeong could resolve the matter himself.

Having someone like the Flower Fiend as a witness was a significant burden on the Tang Clan. Their opponent was not only a martial artist but also a government official. They might have been able to harass him freely in a deserted mountain, but not in front of a witness.

The fact that the Five Venoms, who had been ready to use force just moments before, were now trying to resolve the matter through dialogue showed that Yun Seung-hyo had changed the dynamic of the confrontation just by sitting there.

“That’s right.”

Since his opponent was being polite, Munpyeong couldn't ignore him. He responded to the man's words, albeit with a gruff tone.

“A clumsy response seems to have caused a misunderstanding between us. Let me explain our situation before things get worse. First, I hope you have no doubts about us being from the Tang Clan, as the Flower Hero himself has testified to it.”

Tang Jeok-hyeong stated confidently. His words meant, I will not show my plaque to the likes of you, but Munpyeong couldn't object. By presenting Yun Seung-hyo, who was acting as a mediator, as a witness to their identity, he had put Munpyeong in a position where he had to accept Tang Jeok-hyeong's words to avoid disrespecting Yun Seung-hyo. Munpyeong nodded reluctantly.

“Since the Flower Hero has testified, I will believe it.”

At his crooked answer, Tang Jeok-hyeong's eyebrow twitched. He was clearly displeased, but he suppressed his rising temper with surprising restraint.

“Not long ago, a merchant caravan on its way to the Tang Clan estate was attacked. It happened at the mouth of the Yu River. It was a regular escort mission under contract between the Encheng Escort Agency and the Tang Clan.”

Tang Jeok-hyeong began his story, his silkworm-like eyebrows twitching.

“The escort leader, as well as the escorts and guards, were all massacred, and the goods destined for the Tang Clan were stolen. Our clan learned of the situation two days later and began a pursuit, but we failed to recover the goods. The only information we managed to obtain was that they scattered and fled towards Guizhou, and that one of them is carrying the stolen goods.”

This was a deeply humiliating event for the Tang Clan, so Tang Jeok-hyeong's expression was grim as he explained.

The mouth of the Yu River.

Hearing Tang Jeok-hyeong's explanation, Munpyeong finally understood why the Five Venoms had been so sensitive.

Goods destined for the Tang Clan were stolen right at the mouth of the Yu River, practically their own territory. They only found out two days later and still hadn't identified the culprits.

It was a huge blow to the pride of the Tang Clan, the most powerful family in Sichuan and a major force in the Central Plains. When had the prideful Tang Clan ever suffered such humiliation? For men who couldn't even stand a splinter under their fingernails, it was easy to imagine how much venom they had cultivated over this incident.

“Our clan's honor is one thing, but the more important issue is that among the stolen goods were items that must not fall into the wrong hands. They are things that would cause great chaos if they were to circulate in the Jianghu for personal use. As the original owners, the Tang Clan has a responsibility to retrieve them. That is why we, along with the Seven Colors Division, were dispatched. To recover those items.”

His reasoning sounded quite plausible. Hearing this, Munpyeong thought that what the Demonic Cult said about the Orthodox Faction wasn't wrong. They kill people with righteousness. That was how the Cult members mocked the Orthodox Faction for using justice and righteousness to defend their own interests. On this point, Munpyeong shared the same view as his fellow Cult members.

“You claim to be an officer from Anxi, but we have no reason to believe you. You have no companions to vouch for you, and you don't look like an ordinary citizen. I'm sorry, but we have no choice but to suspect you. I believe there is only one way to resolve this suspicion. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them.”

Tang Jeok-hyeong said politely, even giving Munpyeong a fist-and-palm salute. But no matter how polite he was, the fact remained that he was saying, We were just trying to do the right thing, and you got in the way without knowing the situation, so this is all your fault.

He didn't mention their own fault in accosting a traveler and trying to use force when that failed. He only highlighted Munpyeong's fault.

`What did he just say?`

Munpyeong, who had been pushed around by the powerful one too many times, couldn't stand the twisting in his gut. His head knew he should let it go as smoothly as possible, but emotionally, he couldn't control his rising anger.

As his temper flared, the Child Gu in his stomach began to dance again. His mood, already at rock bottom, sank even lower.

Munpyeong looked at Tang Jeok-hyeong with a stiff face. Tang Jeok-hyeong, with a shameless expression, waited for Munpyeong's reaction as if he had said all he needed to say.

“After hearing your story, I have the same thought. It seems there is only one way to resolve this situation.”

Munpyeong said coldly, reaching into his robes to pull out his plaque. The exquisitely forged plaque was so realistic that it looked like an object that had truly been battered on the battlefield.

When he pulled out the plaque, Tang Jeok-hyeong's eyes lit up. Once he confirmed it, he would have no reason to continue this argument. Whatever the process, his opponent had shown his plaque while he hadn't, so he had subdued him. And once he confirmed the identity, he had no reason to hesitate in letting him go. He hadn't been able to teach the arrogant officer a lesson, but it was wiser to resolve it this way than to give the Flower Fiend a reason to intervene.

But Munpyeong, whose mood had soured, had no intention of handing over the plaque meekly. He had tried to be patient, but everyone seemed to think they could just kick him around. Even a worm will turn when stepped on, and he was a man, not a worm.

`These guys don't seem to know it, but this body has been trampled on by Cheonma himself. Who do these small fry think they are, trying to step on me?`

“This is my plaque. Please confirm it and prove your identity.”

Munpyeong took the plaque from his robes and approached Yun Seung-hyo. Yun Seung-hyo, who had been watching from a distance, looked at Munpyeong kneeling before him with a troubled expression.

“Hey, Mr. Guan. I've been saying I'm just a spectator all this time. Why are you entrusting such an important task to me?”

Yun Seung-hyo said, scratching his cheek in a troubled manner as he glanced at the Five Venoms. But Munpyeong paid him no mind and even placed the plaque on Yun Seung-hyo's lap, bowing his head deeply as if to accept his judgment.

“I am asking you precisely because you are a spectator, not a participant. Flower Hero, you are not just any spectator, but a man of such integrity that even the Five Venoms of the Tang Clan would accept you as a witness. So please, be my witness as well. If the Flower Hero is my witness, the Tang Clan will not doubt my sincerity.”

Ignoring Tang Jeok-hyeong, who was standing right in front of him, and asking a man sitting far away to verify his identity was the same as saying, I don't trust you at all.

As the saying goes, a puppy doesn't know to fear a tiger. This country bumpkin who had spent his whole life on the frontier seemed to be unaware of how reckless he was being by challenging the authority of the Tang Clan.

But an ignorant mistake is still a mistake. The unforgiving Tang Jeok-hyeong glared at Munpyeong with bloodshot eyes. If he had been an ordinary martial artist, he would have killed him in an instant. It was infuriating that he couldn't. If he had been just a commoner, he would have made him watch his own body melt away.

But at this moment, Tang Jeok-hyeong could do nothing. The righteousness that had always been his strength was not on his side this time.

It was Yun Seung-hyo who had confirmed their identity to his opponent. As a result, Yun Seung-hyo had become an objective arbiter trusted by the Five Venoms. But now, he had no way to refuse his opponent's request to have Yun Seung-hyo as his witness.

How could he object to his opponent verifying his identity in the same way? Even the self-centered Tang Jeok-hyeong didn't have the face to make such a contradictory argument.

“What is the opinion of the Five Venoms of the Tang Clan? Is it all right for me to be a witness in this matter?”

“We have no wish to burden you with our family's affairs, but since the man's stubbornness is excessive, we have no choice. We apologize for the trouble, but we would be grateful if the Flower Hero would confirm it.”

Realizing he had only one course of action, Tang Jeok-hyeong accepted Yun Seung-hyo's request with words he didn't mean. He cleverly twisted his words to shift a sliver of responsibility, but that small satisfaction was not enough to make up for the humiliation he had to endure.

“Since Mr. Guan has asked, and the Five Venoms of the Tang Clan have given their permission, I, though inadequate, will examine the plaque. Name, Guan Liang. Age, thirty-one. From Wuyi County, Guangxi Province. Status, official, Centurion of the Anxi Left Thousand-Household Guard. It does not seem to be a forgery. The official seal on the plaque is correct.”

Yun Seung-hyo briefly examined the plaque that had caused all the trouble and then confirmed Munpyeong's innocence with a clear answer. At his words, a vein throbbed on Tang Jeok-hyeong's forehead, but with the identity confirmed, there was nothing more he could do.

“Thank you, Flower Hero. Thanks to you, I have fulfilled my duty.”

Tang Jeok-hyeong said with a fist-and-palm salute that was so obviously insincere. He did not, however, offer a single word of apology to the person with whom he had caused the conflict.

Munpyeong silently tucked the plaque back into his robes and sneered at them inwardly. `Hmph. Weak to the strong and strong to the weak. Typical petty men. And they call themselves the Orthodox Faction. They have some nerve.`

“If I had known it would end like this, I wouldn't have rushed over. I was so excited, thinking I had found some entertainment, but now I feel foolish. I thought I had found an interesting rumor for once.”

As the matter seemed to be resolved, Yun Seung-hyo stood up, dusted off his clothes, and muttered to himself. Though he was muttering, his voice was not low, and it was loud enough for Tang Jeok-hyeong to hear. But Tang Jeok-hyeong, despite hearing him, said nothing and simply turned away.

Seeing this, Munpyeong suddenly found himself liking Yun Seung-hyo. `He's a good man,` Munpyeong thought with an inward nod. A man who defends the weak in front of the strong and always says what needs to be said is the epitome of a true man. In that sense, Yun Seung-hyo is a man among men.

“Well then, I shall be on my way. Ah, Mr. Guan, would you like to join me? I was getting bored with no one to talk to on the road. Be my companion for a while.”

Yun Seung-hyo carefully included Munpyeong as he left. Thinking it was best to go along, Munpyeong quickly followed him.

As they left, he could feel someone's venomous gaze on their backs. It was a gaze so menacing that if looks could kill, they would have been minced meat by now. But whatever happened next, Munpyeong, feeling a sense of satisfaction for the moment, paid their glares no mind.

They had admitted that the matter was over, so they couldn't start another fight over it. And even if they looked up the name Guan Liang, it was a fake identity, so there was nothing to find.

`I'll just be more submissive the next time I meet someone from the Tang Clan.`

Munpyeong thought complacently as he walked. He would learn from this failure and do better next time. It was unlikely he would run into those guys twice in the vast land of Guizhou.