Chapter 40
I really felt like I was going to die.
Among Essence, Energy, and Spirit, a feeling like Spirit was extinguishing.
Contrary to most people whose Spirit extinguishes because Essence and Energy are insufficient, the Spirit was becoming devastated because Essence and Energy were somehow made to move with internal energy and vitality recovery elixirs.
But amidst Namgung Jin-myeong of the world, the Peak Master of Four Emperors Peak, and the Gang Leaders of the Black Snake Gang standing guard, who dares to say they will rest a bit?
Thanks to that, I enjoyed a luxury no one in Jianghu could enjoy.
I would be the only person for whom all masters of the White and Black Ways stepped forward to stand guard and open acupoints.
Moving the body somehow amidst fatigue where the spirit felt like extinguishing, I entered the Soul Destroying Formation, and eventually, trouble occurred.
I took a few wrong steps.
But strangely, at that moment, a new path of the Soul Destroying Formation was seen, and I walked the path again as if nothing happened.
It was a mistake that shouldn’t have happened originally, but after all, wasn’t I the only one who knew about mistakes inside the Soul Destroying Formation?
When I asked Yu Ji-ryang subtly, he said there is a method of grasping the path first and embodying the calculation as one of the ways to study formations.
However, in my personal opinion, I thought it might be the effect of the Taeeul True Scripture.
As I started learning the Taeeul True Scripture, a study realizing the Dao of all nature, I gained a new perspective on incoming information, and since the Spirit became objectified in a state where Essence and Energy were separated, I guessed maybe I realized the subtlety of the formation.
Anyway, eventually, I saved everyone.
Except for those who moved rashly inside and died, those injured, and those who couldn’t endure hunger and died, I saved everyone.
I heard that there has never been a time in Murim history when a single person saved so many people.
Honestly, the deaths of people inside bothered me, but I wasn’t going to save them risking my life to this extent.
A situation where I could save them while taking what I should take by trading appropriately.
I could have turned it into a situation beneficial to the Taeeul Sect and me as much as I wanted, but hearing the story that Yong So-ah fled to Wudang via the Murim Alliance and didn’t properly convey information about the inner formation, I thought I should save all the personnel inside even if I risked my life.
“Only then will the reverence for Yong So-ah be thrown into the dung bucket.”
That the Murim Alliance, the mountain of White Way sects, eventually fell into Yong So-ah’s hands was thanks to the powerful martial arts and the background of Wudang, the strongest sect of the Murim Alliance, wrapping him.
Moreover, while other sects died helplessly every time they battled with the Demonic Cult, Yong So-ah brought victories against the Demonic Cult with his unique ability that didn’t seem human.
All these things developed into reverence, making people think the only hope of the Murim Alliance was Yong So-ah.
“But that too ends today.”
The people gathered in Yueyang, transcending Black and White camps, had become friends before anyone knew it, busy eating together, drinking alcohol, and celebrating.
Disciples of Black Way sects expressed gratitude to masters of White Way sects, and conversely, masters of White Way sects expressed gratitude to Black Way sects.
In the meantime, the common enemy was definitely sublimated into Yong So-ah, and people nurtured their anger towards him by chewing him out to their heart’s content instead of appetizers at every drinking party.
Yong So-ah took a huge dump, and calling him into the Wudang Sect to hide him well in order to cover it up actually became a bad move.
As survivors began to come out, support goods and volunteers began to pour in from all over the Jianghu including the Murim Alliance, but Wudang was not among them.
“It will become interesting from now on.”
Even a solid reservoir collapses starting from a small hole.
Wudang, the strongest of the White Way Murim, could be considered to have a small hole starting today.
Of course, since it is a small hole, they could block it as much as they want, but considering their pathetic behavior seen so far, would they do such an action? Although it is questionable.
Even now, looking at it, strange rumors are circulating vaguely centering around the Beggar’s Gang that maybe the formation inside wasn’t that scary of a formation, but whenever someone voicing such rumors appeared, they were often beaten to a pulp by people who suffered at Spirit Plateau.
Then such nonsensical rumors quickly subsided.
“Now I feel a bit like a person.”
Since saving all survivors, we withdrew both the headquarters and the field campsite and moved to Yueyang.
We rented thirty guest houses including inns entirely and assigned them first to the injured and people who accumulated fatigue during the rescue process, and I received a separate annex among them to rest comfortably.
When I wake up from sleep, I call a waiter to stuff myself with food, perform breathing exercises, and sleep again. If I get hungry while sleeping, I wake up again and repeat this action.
Only after doing that for three days did I feel my mind returning little by little and my body approaching normal.
After waking up, I examined my internal energy first.
Without time to check the efficacy of the Taeeul True Scripture in the urgent situation, I performed breathing exercises in a state of selflessness so I didn’t know, but the internal energy had already reached two cycles.
“……Ha.”
It seemed to be thanks to the Taeeul True Scripture roaming the whole body and sweeping up all the remaining energy of elixirs sleeping inside the body.
The feeling of possessing internal energy usable as much as I want and completed martial arts that can pour out that internal energy was very unfamiliar.
“There was a reason why the masters of Jianghu and that guy Yong So-ah were confident.”
A sense of fulfillment never felt in the previous life or this life.
It was enough to give confidence that I could solve all planned tasks without effort.
Since three months were consumed at Spirit Plateau, now only three months remained, and it was a point where I had to move busily.
“Still, it was a sufficiently valuable time.”
Celebrating like that, I visited Jang Do-won first.
“Haha, you really……”
Seeing the Mita Holy Water, Jang Do-won spat out a vain laugh with an astounded expression.
“I thought coming back alive was enough to be grateful for……”
“It is all thanks to you, Elder. This was quite helpful.”
I shook the Flying Dragon Claw and spoke.
“I made it for nothing. If I knew you would bother me like this, I would have just made it roughly.”
Jang Do-won, never erasing the smile from his lips while saying so.
In the past life, Jang Do-won had said such a thing.
Just meeting a owner who utilizes his item well gives joy to the person who made the item.
“Come back in three days.”
“Does it take that long?”
“It is a guy not pushed back by anything with extreme Yin energy. Do you think processing this happens at once?”
“Understood. How much money should I prepare?”
“Forget it. Money, useless even if I receive it.”
“Really?”
“Among the children you saved this time, there were some customers of mine. Let’s say we settled with that.”
“Huh? Then the calculation doesn’t fit even more, does it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Right now, regardless of White Way sects or Black Way sects, everyone says they will repay me; shouldn’t you receive at least one treasure?”
“This rotten guy. Do you want to see me fail in processing the Mita Holy Water and blow it?”
I quickly left his shop before his mind changed.
Jang Do-won closed even the door used for business and started the work.
***
It was when I was trying to return to the annex again.
Just as I was about to step aside seeing a group of warriors wearing martial arts uniforms provided by the Murim Alliance.
For some reason, those personnel reaching twenty stopped abruptly in front of me.
“Are you Jin So-un of the Taeeul Sect?”
Moreover, they already knew my identity.
“I am, but.”
“You will have to come with us.”
Murim Alliance warriors trying to grab my arms from both sides like that.
I shot dual palms at them at once to make them retreat.
Warriors who retreated three steps at the unexpected attack were startled and tried to draw their swords.
“Are you ignoring the command of the Murim Alliance?”
“You haven’t revealed who you are, where you came from, or why you came yet.”
If it were like before, I would have thought quietly following without disturbance was the answer, but not now.
“I am Gong Seok-chan, the Murim Alliance Yueyang Branch Manager. If I say it’s about the incident that happened at Spirit Plateau, you understand what I mean, right?”
I tilted my head.
“I don’t know, however.”
“You bastard! Your sect, the Taeeul Sect, also occupies one peak of the One Hundred Eight Peaks. Do you intend to ignore the Alliance Law?”
“I told you clearly. That I don’t know what you mean. What wrong did I commit there exactly?”
Gong Seok-chan signaled the warriors of the Murim Alliance with his eyes.
Then simultaneously four people tried to rush in.
I unfolded the Myriad Transformation Invincible Fist without even drawing my sword.
Puk puk puk puk puk puk puk.
The Murim Alliance warriors swept by dozens of fist shadows stretching out in an instant were hit in vital points a few times and were gasping as if they couldn’t breathe.
“You bastard! Do you know what you have done!”
“Then what exactly is the Branch Manager plotting using the Alliance Law as a front?”
“What?”
“In the accommodation where I stay, surely there is the Namgung Clan and the Mo Clan. If through them, you wouldn’t have needed to mobilize such force. What is the reason for using such a method instead?”
“…….”
“I don’t know what the reason is, but if it is reasonable, I will follow; otherwise, I will not go.”
The story heard from Namgung Seon-hwa.
It was the Murim Alliance that watched quietly even when Yong So-ah fled to Wudang.
Because of such behavior, a war almost broke out between the Namgung Clan and the Wudang Sect.
Because of this matter, Namgung Jin-myeong was furious to the top of his head, and it is said he completely excluded the Murim Alliance in the rescue operation afterward.
There was no need for me to bow down here saying it’s the Murim Alliance.
“It is a suspicion regarding whether there was any device in the formation at Spirit Plateau in the first place.”
I listened quietly to Gong Seok-chan’s words, but I still didn’t understand.
As I tilted my head, he spoke in detail.
“Is it something that can prove the formation unfolded at Spirit Plateau is not of the Taeeul Sect?”
“Paha.”
Yong So-ah couldn’t break through, and the Mo Clan couldn’t break through, but a disciple of the Taeeul Sect broke through, so wasn’t the formation of the Taeeul Sect in the first place? That suspicion.
Dumbfounded, laughter burst out unbeknownst to me.
“If our Taeeul Sect had the ability to unfold a formation of that level, was there a reason to live persecuted at the lowest seat of the One Hundred Eight Peaks?”
“……We will know if we investigate that.”
“Then properly show the order sheet of the Universal Affairs Bureau.”
“……What?”
“If it is such an important matter, you would have received the approval of the Universal Affairs Bureau. Or, does the Branch Manager intend to investigate based on suspicion?”
“…….”
Naturally, there couldn’t be an order sheet or such.
If it is an order sheet for such an important matter, it needs Je-gal So-myeong’s approval. But he wouldn’t take such conspiratorial suspicion seriously.
“……Looking at you rambling repeatedly, I think it is becoming increasingly strange.”
I suddenly asked as something came to mind regarding Gong Seok-chan’s illogical behavior.
“By any chance, are you from the Wudang Sect, Branch Manager?”
Flinch.
Seeing that expression he couldn’t hide properly, only then did I understand.
“Ah, if you are from the Wudang Sect, that could be possible.”
The reason they didn’t step forward properly even though Yong So-ah, who went to ask for help from the Murim Alliance, went to Wudang.
“This is unrelated to the sect……”
The reason they stepped back far away and hoped all witnesses inside the Soul Destroying Formation would disappear.
And even the reason they stepped forward hastily now that Yong So-ah’s name fell to the ground were all accepted.
“Bring the order sheet. Otherwise, I will not go.”
Just as I ignored Gong Seok-chan and tried to move.
Eventually, as if he couldn’t endure it, Gong Seok-chan used his hand.
“Hmph.”
I tried to respond with the Myriad Transformation Invincible Fist without delay.
I didn’t know the level of the Taeeul Sword Emperor’s martial arts yet, and I didn’t know if it could respond to Wudang’s martial arts, but one thing certain was that my internal energy would be higher than his.
At that moment, a massive man appeared between the two of us and struck down a huge saber towards Gong Seok-chan.
Pang.
The massive man swung the huge saber and stood still, but Gong Seok-chan flew away floating a whopping two jang in the air.
“Keuk, W, Who is it! How dare you against a Branch Manager of the Murim Alliance!”
“Branch Manager?”
The massive man spoke carrying the huge saber on his shoulder.
“A mere Branch Manager dares to persecute the benefactor of this Cha Seok-du of Four Emperors Peak? Kid. If you want to take this child, go bring your Alliance Leader.”
At the words that he was Cha Seok-du, the Peak Master of Four Emperors Peak, a prominent martial group of the Black Way Murim, Gong Seok-chan’s face turned pale.
Walking out calmly next to him was Namgung Jin-myeong of the Namgung Clan.
“Clearly, I must have said it is not a matter for the Murim Alliance to interfere.”
Not only Gong Seok-chan, but just by the appearance of those two, the warriors of the Murim Alliance looked like they wanted to run away from the spot immediately.
Eventually, Gong Seok-chan hurriedly left the spot doing a clasped hands greeting half-heartedly.
“Finally seeing our benefactor’s face.”
“Hey, didn’t I tell you to tell our guards when going out?”
Seeing the two giants of the White and Black Ways, who wouldn’t be strange if they bared teeth at each other, looking like close friends together, I was just confused about what kind of response I should make.
