Chapter 261 - My Murim Is Not Far Away

This carriage was different from the one I usually rode in. It was a special carriage used by the Heavenly Demon Hall Guard, made of materials that were both light and sturdy. It could withstand considerable impacts without breaking, and powerful horses pulled it. It even carried armor for the horses to wear in an emergency.

While the day shift rode alongside us on horseback, Jeok Yeon sat with me in the carriage and explained their escort duties.

"The night shift is in the carriage behind us. They take turns resting, then exchange duties with us in the evening."

I needed guards at night no more than I needed them during the day. If someone approached while I was asleep, the Heavenly Demon’s Body-Protection Art would wake me.

Even so, I let them do things their way. Hwi wanted them to become excellent bodyguards, and what they needed most to achieve that was experience.

Of course, there were things I could do to hasten that process.

"Stop the carriage for a moment."

Jeok Yeon instructed the subordinate in the driver's seat to stop. After having the night shift's carriage join us, I gathered everyone before me.

Then I walked over to the carriage. The Heavenly Demon Hall emblem was engraved on its exterior, but it had been covered up.

RIIIP!

I stripped the covering away with one sweeping pull, revealing the image of a fearsome evil spirit.

"From now on, we won't conceal our identities when we travel. All of you are to change into the official Heavenly Demon Hall Guard uniform as well."

The guards were wearing ordinary martial attire. Startled, Jeok Yeon said, "Regulations don't permit that."

"We make our own regulations as we go. Follow my orders."

Conflict flickered in Jeok Yeon's eyes as he looked at me, but he did not deliberate for long. Since becoming my guards, they had already strayed far beyond the established framework.

He ordered his subordinates to change.

Jeok Yeon and all the guards changed clothes. Their official uniform was simple yet striking. A shield was embroidered over the left breast of their black martial attire, with the evil spirit symbolizing Heavenly Demon Hall depicted inside it. Their black face coverings also bore the single character for "demon," embroidered in bold calligraphy. That was enough.

Once they put on their official uniforms, their entire bearing changed.

Looking at each of them in turn, I said, "You look impressive. Of all the Cult's uniforms, I think yours is the finest."

They smiled faintly and glanced at one another.

"I know traveling like this will make your jobs much harder. It'll be more dangerous, and unforeseen complications will arise. If you were ordinary guards, I wouldn't bother doing this. But you are the men who will one day guard the Heavenly Demon."

Their eyes sharpened at the words "Heavenly Demon."

"When Father travels on official business, has he ever concealed his identity? That's why we're doing this. You'll start gaining experience and practicing now. You are openly escorting the young lord of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon."

"Yes! We will protect you with our lives!"

"Please protect me without giving up your lives. Understood?"

My joke eased the mood a little.

Perhaps deciding that having everyone gathered presented a good opportunity, Jeok Yeon told me the number assigned to each of them.

"During escort operations, we call one another Number One through Number Twelve. Please address us that way as well, young lord."

Jeok Yeon was Number One, and the numbers followed their seniority in the guard. The newest member was Number Twelve. Visibly youthful, he told me he was only eighteen.

I went to stand before Number Twelve. He was far too young to die protecting someone else.

"Do your seniors give you a hard time for being the youngest?"

"They treat me so well for being the youngest that it's a hardship!"

I patted the youngest guard's shoulder for giving exactly the right answer, then climbed into the carriage.

"Let's go!"

The carriage set off again.

Jeok Yeon could have ridden with me, but instead he rode alongside the guards on horseback. Apparently, he had only joined me earlier to explain their escort duties.

Though their leader, he worked on equal terms with his subordinates. In fact, he led by example and did even more work than they did. Perhaps Hwi had come to see me personally because he valued this side of Jeok Yeon—because he saw the potential for him to become an excellent bodyguard.

Our first destination was the Hunan branch of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon. Since it would take quite some time to reach it by carriage, I settled in for a leisurely journey.

This was a good opportunity to practice the Heavenly Demon’s Body-Protection Art. The carriage was so well built that it barely jolted at all. I would be able to concentrate on the art in comfort.

I had only two levels left to master. My goal for this trip outside the Cult was to advance one level.

How long had we been traveling?

Jeok Yeon called from outside, "We'll stop for a short rest."

The carriage came to a halt. While the horses rested, I got out and sat on a rock to rest as well.

The guards stationed themselves around me in every direction. They were truly concentrating all their attention on watching our surroundings.

How did I honestly feel about that?

How was I supposed to protect them when they were spread out in every direction?

"Jeok Yeon."

"Yes, young lord."

He approached from his position guarding the front.

"Show me the martial arts you've learned."

Jeok Yeon was startled by my request. He realized I intended to assess his martial arts.

"You don't get opportunities like this often. Come on!"

"Yes, young lord!"

Duty was duty, but he was not foolish enough to let an opportunity like this slip away.

"The art I've learned is the Hidden Shadow Swordsmanship."

After identifying his swordsmanship, he began demonstrating its moves. Since etiquette dictated that one should not watch another person's exclusive martial arts, the other guards turned their backs.

Jeok Yeon demonstrated every move of the Hidden Shadow Swordsmanship.

"That's a fine sword art."

I corrected his bad habits and posture and told him how to train from now on. I did not overwhelm him with a long list of advice. I pointed out the single most important thing. Just one!

"Thank you!"

Jeok Yeon thanked me, his face filled with emotion, while the other guards could not hide their envy.

"There's no need to look so envious. Number Two, step forward!"

Realizing I intended to assess everyone's martial arts, Number Two said in some dismay, "You're busy. You can look at ours another time."

"You're the ones who are busy."

"Pardon?"

"The branch head can wait. This is a courtesy visit, isn't it? But we need to improve your martial arts as quickly as possible. If sword qi came flying at your back right now, could you block it? So come on—show me your martial arts!"

Without delaying any further, Number Two demonstrated his martial arts. As I had done for Jeok Yeon, I told him what he absolutely needed to correct and how he should train from now on.

I assessed the other guards in turn as well. It did not take long. One look was enough to see the answer.

I could feel their excitement. They had never received instruction of such a high caliber before. They still had so much to learn that, with a little exaggeration, every word I spoke would make them stronger.

"Thank you. We will work even harder and continue improving."

I was teaching them so that they wouldn't die this time.

That night, I pointed out what the night shift's martial artists needed to correct as well.

* * *

On the third day after we left the Cult...

KRRR-BOOM!

Thunder crashed, and rain began pouring down. It fell so heavily that we could no longer drive the carriages.

"We'll have to stop for a while."

Jeok Yeon stopped the carriage beneath a huge tree. The guards stood around it in the rain.

"Don't stand out there getting miserably soaked. All of you, get in the carriage."

"We're all right."

"That's an order."

Jeok Yeon insisted they could not, but in the end he failed to change my mind and came inside.

Six men climbed in, but the carriage was large enough for everyone to sit facing one another. I handed them things to dry themselves with and said, "There's no need to feel awkward. Don't mind me. Just enjoy watching the rain outside."

I heated the water in the kettle with True Samadhi Fire and made warm tea for them. Their eyes all widened at the sight.

"Thank you for the tea!"

They were still stiff and uncomfortable around me. Even when they looked outside, every one of them chose the window on the opposite side from me.

We watched the falling rain in silence.

SHHHHHH!

There was a certain charm to sitting huddled together, sipping tea and watching the rain. After spending so much time dealing with elderly Demon Supremes, being with these young fellows felt refreshing, too.

Jeok Yeon spoke cautiously.

"We're supposed to protect you, young lord, but somehow it feels as though we're the ones being protected."

I smiled faintly and asked him, "If you had the skill to join the Heavenly Demon Hall Guard, you could have joined other organizations. Why did you apply to be a bodyguard?"

He answered without hesitation.

"I've wanted to be a bodyguard since I was a child. Whenever I saw bodyguards, they looked impressive. I thought protecting someone was honorable."

"Do you still feel the same way?"

His answer did not come as quickly as it had the first time.

"I do."

I wondered whether the pain in his eye might have made him regret it. The work was hard enough already, and his eye must have been hurting him almost to death.

Just then, my eyes met Number Three's. He had the gentlest appearance of anyone on the day shift.

"What about you?"

"I thought I had more talent for protecting than killing."

"What do you mean by talent for protecting?"

"I don't find protecting someone boring. Maybe it's because I'm introverted."

Number Nine slipped in an answer without being asked.

"I judged escort duty to be relatively safe. I want to live a long life."

His comrades all smiled, as though they had heard this before. I got the impression he enjoyed making them laugh and joking around.

At any rate, those were words I would never hear from Hwi. He had lived in an age of devotion, and he still lived by it.

These young martial artists were certainly different from their seniors. Of course, I did not think that meant they had less sense of duty than Hwi. Nor did I consider Hwi old-fashioned compared to their rational, individualistic attitudes. I simply felt that the times were changing.

As I sat there turning these thoughts over, the downpour began to ease.

As though he had been waiting for this, Jeok Yeon said, "We'll set off now."

Before they got out, I asked, "Is anyone from Hunan Province?"

They looked bewildered by the sudden question.

"No one?"

Number Three, who had said earlier that protecting suited him better, spoke up.

"My hometown is here in Hunan."

"Are your parents there?"

"Yes. My mother lives there alone."

"How long has it been since you last saw her?"

"About three years, I think."

"Let's stop by."

Number Three was startled.

"No, that's all right. We can't do that while on duty."

"We can be a few days late. How eager could the Hunan branch head possibly be to see me? But imagine how much your mother wants to see you. It would be rude to come all this way and leave without visiting. This isn't a request; it's an order. Let's go!"

And so the carriage set off toward Number Three's family home.

I knew full well that every corner of the Central Plains held all sorts of people, and that all sorts of things happened there. I knew all about the conspiracies and schemes, how far human beings could fall, and how cruel they could become. I knew, too, how many martial artists lost their way and wandered amid those mountains of blades and forests of swords.

My Murim was not far away. Jo Chunbae at the Merry Life Tavern was my Murim, and so was the family home of Number Three, who guarded me. This was how I kept from losing my way in Murim.

The carriage continued on beneath the clear blue sky, as though the rain had never fallen.

* * *

Not far from his hometown, the carriage slowed. I lifted the curtain and looked outside. A smashed carriage lay overturned beside the road. Bloodstains dotted the ground, along with signs of a fierce battle.

I heard Jeok Yeon's voice.

"We'll find out what happened."

Number Two went to ask a nearby resident what had happened here, then returned.

"Apparently, a shipment belonging to Hunan's Foremost Escort Agency was attacked and stolen a few days ago. They say the escort leader and several escorts and porters were killed in the process."

"Isn't Hunan's Foremost Escort Agency the largest escort agency in this region?"

"It is."

Usually, no one dared interfere with the largest local agency's escort convoys. An agency of that size had deep ties with various Murim sects, and anyone who rashly attacked it would face retaliation.

Something troubling had happened—something that would not occur under ordinary circumstances.

Of course, it was not our place to intervene, so I immediately told Jeok Yeon, "All right, let's pick up the pace."

"Yes!"

The carriage began traveling even faster.

* * *

The carriage arrived in Number Three's hometown.

"That's the place."

A small inn stood where he pointed. It was called the Dohyeon Inn, named after him. On the way, I had learned that he had set it up for his mother with the money he earned after joining the Cult.

"Running an inn was my mother's dream."

Who said demonic martial artists couldn't be dutiful sons?

We stopped the carriage in front of the inn.

When we entered, neither the owner nor any customers were there. Alarmed, Number Three called loudly for his mother.

"Mother!"

But there was no one. Since inns rarely closed, worry crossed his face.

I went into the kitchen and examined the remains of the fire in the hearth.

"This kitchen was operating as recently as yesterday. Don't worry."

Just then, a bright-looking child came into the inn.

"They're closed today. The owner and the cook are at Wind and Water Manor."

The child introduced himself, explaining that he came to work as a waiter when the inn was busy.

I asked him warmly, "Do you know why they went there?"

"Martial artists from Wind and Water Manor came this morning and took them there to cook."

If that was why the inn was closed, it was a relief. When martial sects needed cooks, they sometimes recruited people from inns like this.

"Where is Wind and Water Manor?"

"At the end of the road to the west."

"Thank you."

I pressed a coin into his hand, and he thanked me happily before leaving.

This time, I asked Number Three, "Do you know anything about Wind and Water Manor?"

"Not much. I left home when I was young to train in martial arts, and since then I've only seen my mother once every two or three years."

He hung his head, but no one would have thought he had done anything wrong. Despite being so busy, he faithfully returned to see his mother every two or three years. That made him as dutiful a son as any.

"Please wait a moment, young lord. I'll clean a guest room for you first."

Number Three acted calm, as though nothing was wrong, but how could I not know what he was feeling? He would want to run off and see his mother immediately. Hearing that a martial sect had taken her away must have worried him for any number of reasons, too.

I rose from my seat and said, "Your mother's working. We young people can't just sit around doing nothing, can we? Let's help her and bring her home early."

Taken aback, Number Three even waved his hands and insisted there was no need, but I climbed into the carriage. The guards all mounted their horses, and he did the same. Despite his protests, undisguised joy flickered across his face.

"Let's go to Wind and Water Manor!"

The carriage set off toward Wind and Water Manor.