Chapter 6 - The Third-Rate Warrior Gathering Spiritual Elixirs (4)

After the Gyeryong Merchant Group was robbed of the Snow Plum Pill.

Every trace of the Soul Chaser cleanly disappeared as well.

It was no surprise that thieves lived with multiple identities, but the mystery was that no figure who appeared to have consumed the Snow Plum Pill ever showed up.

It wasn't just any treasure, but a spiritual pill.

Since it was a precious spiritual pill that couldn't be bought with money, they might have sold it, but there was no emergence of a new rising expert who seemed to have consumed the Snow Plum Pill.

The Snow Plum Pill and the Soul Chaser had truly vanished without a trace.

"That makes no sense."

While rummaging through the mission reports in the archive like that, two people caught my eye.

Cangshan's Five Swords, Gu Il-moo.

Cangshan's Five Swords, Jang Hangi.

Cangshan's Five Swords, who originally traveled together as a group of five, had gradually begun to split into groups of three and two to carry out missions, and the mission completion rate of the duo, Gu Il-moo and Jang Hangi, was much higher than that of the other three.

"The tragedy of Cangshan's Twin Swords started right here."

This was the start of the incident that would later cause Mount Cangshan to split in two and self-destruct.

'The person who issued the mission to come to Hefei was also from the Mount Cangshan Sect. I should assume they planned this for a very long time.'

Anyway, I had figured out the truth behind the incident, so the problem was how to snatch it from them.

No matter how well I knew the martial arts of the Mount Cangshan Sect, including Jegal's Three Forms, I couldn't face two of Cangshan's Five Swords alone.

So the thing I came up with was a trap.

Because no matter how great an expert one was, moving while minding one's feet wasn't easy.

"You fool. Did you think we would fall for it so easily?"

Jang Hangi's feet floated up into the air.

Grass-Skimming Steps, one of the most supreme footwork techniques.

Certainly, with Grass-Skimming Steps, the traps might not trigger.

However.

"What martial artist in the world can fight while executing Grass-Skimming Steps? Have you already put your name among the Top Hundred Experts of the World?"

Without even needing a martial move, I filled the Three Talents Sword Technique with internal energy and struck. Unable to hastily move his feet, Jang Hangi's body bent bizarrely to catch his balance.

"You bastard, you know who we are."

"Of course I know you well."

"Are you not afraid of the revenge of our Great Mount Cangshan and the Murim Alliance?"

"You think Cangshan's Five Swords can report another robber they met while committing robbery?"

"..."

Gu Il-moo smashed his trap with great effort and spoke.

"Only that guy knows the locations of the traps. Hangi. Fire your palms and overturn the surroundings."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Meeting each other's gazes with those words, the two nodded and leapt up at the same time.

BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM!

SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!

The surface of the ground was haphazardly flipped over by the fiercely exploding Falling Blossom Palms, revealing the broken remains of the traps that had been aiming for their ankles.

The leaves and branches were completely tangled up by the Falling Blossom Palms, making the area completely lose its original appearance.

"Now he doesn't know where the traps are either."

Stepping on the ruined traps, the two threw their bodies forward as the Sun-Shooting Sword Technique poured out from their hands.

I didn't even dare to counter the Sun-Shooting Sword Technique and retreated several steps backward.

"How?!"

They couldn't hide their shock at the fact that I hadn't stepped on a single trap despite retreating several steps.

"The places he stepped. Step only there!"

"Yes!"

After messing up the surroundings, they only stepped exactly where their opponent stepped.

They were certainly people with minds brilliant enough to put their names among Cangshan's Five Swords.

"Aaaagh!"

This time, Jang Hangi screamed and forcibly broke the trap that had dug into his ankle.

"Did you not think a trap would trigger with just a single footstep's difference?"

Even if they stepped in the same places, it was just one of me and two of them. Naturally, one of the two was bound to get caught in a trap.

"You son of a bitch! I'll uncover your identity and tear all your relatives to death!"

"If you can make it out of here alive."

Gu Il-moo began to unleash the Sun-Shooting Sword Technique to its absolute limit.

It looked clear that he didn't care what happened with the traps anymore, and I simultaneously unleashed the Destruction Form against the Sun-Shooting Sword Technique.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

The moment we clashed for six exchanges in the blink of an eye.

Gu Il-moo's face crumpled into a deep frown as he looked at his own sword.

"What in the..."

The Destruction Form was not simply a defensive form to block the opponent's martial arts.

It was a method that blocked the path of the martial arts and twisted their aura, making the opponent unable to even use their strength.

Naturally, facing the Destruction Form, one would feel their internal qi getting cut off and their body failing to move as they wished.

Normally, they might have been able to push through with sheer grit and internal energy, but right now, they were in a situation where they had no idea where the lethal traps were buried.

"Do you have the time to be spacing out like that?"

Pushed back by the Destruction Form, Gu Il-moo's other foot stepped on a trap.

"Aaaagh!"

"Senior Brother Gu!"

Following right after, when Jang Hangi came in unleashing the White Gold Sword Technique, I threw a stone to trigger the trap installed right where his foot landed, causing Jang Hangi's feet to bizarrely tangle up.

"Keuk!"

"You shouldn't take your eyes off me."

And as if I had been waiting, I thrust my sword in.

The Ascension Form of the Lesser Heaven Sword Technique.

It fell short compared to the Sun-Shooting Sword Technique, but the speed of the Lesser Heaven Sword Technique, which was rooted in fast sword arts, was not something easily dodged in a state of panic.

SWISH.

STAB.

"Keok."

Red blood burst from the corner of Jang Hangi's mouth, and Jang Hangi collapsed to the ground with his bloodshot eyes wide open.

"Hangi!"

Gu Il-moo was violently trembling, as if Jang Hangi's death was deeply shocking to him.

After a little time passed, Gu Il-moo gathered his senses, threw the wooden box and secret manual he had kept inside his robes onto the ground, and spoke.

"If you let me go like this, I will forget what happened here."

"Alright. I'll let you go, then."

When I readily nodded and made a show of reaching to pick up the wooden box, Gu Il-moo unleashed the Formless Fist and the Seven Severing Hands.

At the same time, as if it had been waiting, my sword cut across the forms of his fist and hand, leaving a deep gash on Gu Il-moo's neck.

"H-How..."

"Because I've experienced sickeningly often in my past life just how little you bastards keep your promises."

Gu Il-moo collapsed onto the cold floor with a look that said he had no idea what those words meant.

"Haa, haa."

My breath barely returned to me, and I stared at Jang Hangi and Gu Il-moo for a long time.

The sight of them dead in such a miserable state.

"I won..."

It was a gruesome scene of people dying, and this sight, once caught in my eyes, would never be forgotten for eternity, but I didn't want to turn my head away.

Because this was the first time I was seeing the dead bodies of chosen ones like them, rather than a third-rate warrior like myself.

I didn't even think to grab the Snow Plum Pill or the secret manual, instead taking my time to etch this scene more clearly into my memory.

* * *

"The Taiyi Sect of Hefei?"

Zhuge Somyeong, wondering if there was such a sect, soon let out an *'Ah!' * and nodded his head.

"Aren't they one of the 108 Peaks?"

"Aren't there many mighty martial sects in Hefei as well? It is slowly becoming time to swap them out for a new peak."

'If it's a martial sect expanding its influence in Hefei... that's where the Iron Sword Sect is located. I heard Namgung Taewon has been pushing for the Iron Sword Sect recently, so it must be because of that.'

Zhuge Somyeong gazed steadily at the elder, who was feigning ignorance and drinking tea with an air of elegance right in front of him.

"Has the Taiyi Sect committed some sort of wrongdoing?"

In principle, once a sect registered its name among the 108 Peaks, they were not replaced unless they committed a major offense.

Because that was the meaning of a blood alliance.

"A wrongdoing, you ask... Is it not also a grave wrongdoing as a blood alliance of the Murim Alliance to regress day by day without any progress?"

Zhuge Somyeong simply drank his tea, delaying his answer to Namgung Taewon's words.

An elder of the Murim Alliance.

To hold one of the mere thirty seats in the decision-making body within the Alliance meant that not only were their personal abilities formidable, but their background was not to be underestimated either.

While Zhuge Somyeong was not one to lose to anyone in terms of martial prowess or background, he needed a certain level of justification to counter an elder making such a fuss.

Having finished organizing his thoughts, Zhuge Somyeong opened his mouth.

"The regression of the 108 Peaks must also be a fault of the Murim Alliance. Hmm, in that case, right now the Murim Alliance... no, it seems I am the one doing something wrong."

Namgung Taewon's face subtly scrunched into a frown.

"You know that isn't what I meant."

Namgung Taewon, who so quickly revealed his inner thoughts.

Looking at that sight, Zhuge Somyeong couldn't help but question it.

'Why did that guy Taeha entrust the elder seat to this fellow?'

Originally, it was a seat where Namgung Taeha, the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, should be sitting.

Even though they were blood relatives of the same Namgung Clan, it was not a seat that Namgung Taewon, who was distinctly from a branch family, could easily take.

"I, too, am aware that the influence of many of the 108 Peaks is gradually declining. However, from the very beginning, the 108 Peaks were not created by the Murim Alliance to rank them. It was created to carry on the meaning of having fought together during our most dangerous and difficult times in the past."

"Hng..."

Namgung Taewon smacked his lips, perhaps thinking he had already made his point, before opening his mouth again.

"Still, if the 108 Peaks just remain in stable, unchanging positions, won't they stagnate and rot?"

"That is why we have been continuously managing them, albeit irregularly."

"Hmm... Understood. But there are rumors saying that the Taiyi Sect is doing business with their 'Special Admission' privilege."

"..."

"..."

A problem that had persisted for a very long time.

However, there had been no major side effects, and thinking about what the 108 Peaks, burdened only with duties, would do without at least that kind of benefit, he had just left it alone.

"Ah, well, I'm just saying that's how it is. It's not like I want to put a specific place into the 108 Peaks or anything."

"Hmm. Are you finished with your business?"

"I heard that the Iron Sword Sect Leader of Hefei is throwing a banquet this time to celebrate his 60th birthday. Since it is his 60th birthday, they sent this invitation wondering if the Chief Strategist might attend."

"Haha. Ha."

Was the Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance such a leisurely position?

"Of course, I know well that you are busy. But you must take some rest, Chief Strategist. You'll catch an illness at this rate. How about you accompany me to the Iron Sword Sect while also investigating the 'Special Admission' corruption case I just mentioned?"

Just how much money had the Iron Sword Sect fed Namgung Taewon to get him to invite the Murim Alliance's Chief Strategist?

From the very start, this must have been Namgung Taewon's goal.

Naturally, he could have come up with about a hundred reasons to refuse, but he soon gave up on the thought.

Because even if he told this guy a hundred times, it would fall on deaf ears. Things would only be set right by crushing the bastard who had planted a guy like this in the first place.

"Hmm, that's not a bad idea. So, when did you say the 60th birthday was?"

* * *

The Orthodox-Demonic Great War was hell itself.

Demonic practitioners who were each like monsters, and the low-rank warriors who constantly got ground down as they charged toward them.

There were no countermeasures or strategies to speak of.

The Murim Alliance used their absolute dominance over Jianghu to gather martial artists and shove them into the battlefield.

The low-rank warriors, pushed onto the battlefield with the vague expectation of earning merits and rising to prominence in the Murim Alliance, realized how naive they had been as they watched their swords helplessly shatter, but by then, it was already far too late.

Compensation for the martial artists who had been ground down like that?

There was none.

At the very least, those who had already been registered as members of the Murim Alliance could have a casualty notice sent to their homes.

But even that was only during the early stages of the Orthodox-Demonic Great War.

There were overflowing numbers of people who belonged to the Alliance but ultimately had no way of being traced back to where they died.

And the Murim Alliance, who should have been held accountable for this, had already relocated to the North Sea.

Given that they were Cangshan's Five Swords, they would hold a rank of around grade 5 or 6 within the Murim Alliance.

Their disappearance would be taken seriously within the Murim Alliance, and Alliance members would be dispatched all across Hefei to find their traces.

So, not far from where the Soul Chaser was buried, I dug a deep hole and buried Cangshan's Five Swords. Then, I placed a wild beast caught in the mountains on top of that and compacted the ground.

At the very least, their corpses wouldn't be discovered because of the stench of decay.

To recover my body, which was exhausted from the battle with Cangshan's Five Swords, and to absorb the Snow Plum Pill, I booked a guest house and stayed for several days.

Every time I came down to the dining hall to grab a bite to eat, people were busy talking about the Snow Plum Pill that the Gyeryong Merchant Group had just lost.

Just like in the past, the Gyeryong Merchant Group Leader and Gye Cheolyeong wailed in grief, and the experts of Mount Hua shirked the blame onto Gye Yeonseok before returning to the Mount Hua Sect.

The topic of where the vanished Snow Plum Pill had gone made for great barroom gossip.

Who wouldn't be intrigued by the fact that such a precious treasure had disappeared without an owner, even if they couldn't have it for themselves?

They just couldn't imagine that on the floor right above where they were drinking, someone was doing everything in his power to absorb that very Snow Plum Pill.

"Phew."

When I quietly opened my eyes.

A deep darkness had settled around me.

My eyes, having adjusted to the dark, had brightened enough to see even the dust piled in the corner of this small room without a single speck of light, and not a single sound of my muscles grinding could be heard while I moved my arms and legs.

My stomach was completely empty because I had been immersed in energy cultivation for several days, but I didn't feel hungry.

'Roughly a little over thirty years' worth of internal energy.'

The internal energy I could feel in my Dantian had grown from the size of a single finger to the size of two fingers.

It was the level of internal energy I had spent my entire past life gathering.

I had gathered it rapidly, but because it was all accumulated through precious spiritual elixirs and spiritual pills, and gathered with the pure Taiyi mental cultivation method, much of the impure energy in my body had been expelled.

"Ugh. The smell."

When I rubbed my skin with my finger, black grime immediately peeled off, and I headed straight for the bathhouse in shock.

"You've come out?"

The young waitboy who had been watching the dining hall all night was dozing off, but soon gathered his senses and shook his head.

"You didn't come out for days, so I thought something had happened to you."

Because I had paid the lodging fee in advance and even given him a tip so my absorption of the spiritual pill wouldn't be interrupted, the waitboy's behavior couldn't have been more polite.

"Do you have anything fit to eat right now?"

"We can make you plain noodles and dumplings."

"I'll have those, please."

A short while later, steaming hot noodles and dumplings were placed on the table in front of me.

"But are there normally this few people around at this hour?"

The inside of the dining hall couldn't have been quieter.

"No. Up until just a few days ago, more people gathered here than usual because the Gyeryong Merchant Group suddenly canceled their banquet."

"Ah..."

"You know what that was about, right?"

"I heard they lost something."

"Yes. I don't know who it actually is, but they're incredible. To have stolen the spiritual pill without a soul noticing in a place packed with that many people. I heard an investigation team came from the Murim Alliance, but after tracking the culprit, the trail quickly went cold and they couldn't find them."

"Really? That's quite a shame."

"Right? Anyway, thanks to that, I thought we'd get back some of the customers we lost. But this time, I hear the Iron Sword Sect is throwing a banquet again."

"The Iron Sword Sect?"

"Yes. The Iron Sword Sect Leader is turning sixty this time, so they're supposedly holding a banquet and hosting various events for seven days and nights straight, and all the drinkers from nearby villages are heading to Hefei."

"Ah, is it already that time?"

"Did you not know?"

It was impossible for me not to know.

The Iron Sword Sect Leader's 60th birthday banquet.

Because in a place where countless people were gathered, my father and I had knelt down and apologized to the Iron Sword Sect Leader.