Chapter 71

After Namgung Woo declared the expansion of Changcheon Pavilion, people stayed at Hwang Mountain for a few more days.

By the time Jegal Pan, who had suffered severe internal injuries, had recovered enough to display his martial arts again, a rumor shook Hwang Mountain and Ihyun.

It was said that the Seekers in the Mist had finally managed to escape the Imperial Family’s encirclement.

Although it was hard to conclude that the suppression had failed since Martial Arts Governor Han Won-chun and the Taoists of the Mosan Sect were in hot pursuit, it was clear that the Imperial Family’s power was not what it used to be.

“So it has come to this…”

Jegal Seon-a felt her vision darken as the impending war loomed before her eyes.

She knew the future was inevitable, but she hadn’t expected it to arrive so quickly.

“The Imperial Family moved too openly. They had no choice but to act grandly to protect their shattered pride, but in the end, it was a misstep.”

“By giving the sorcerers time and place, their chances of winning decreased. The Mosan Sect was there, so they did manage to respond, but…”

Yang Jeong and Paeng Ha-ryeong expressed their regret.

“Truly, the absence of Mugeuk (Martial Peak) is deeply felt.”

“The number one in the world?”

“Exactly. If Mugeuk had been with the Imperial Family, such grand methods wouldn’t have been necessary. Just send Mugeuk to the location, and he would handle everything.”

“Such a person wouldn’t have died an untimely death, and he was younger than Extreme Light, so the idea of him retiring is laughable… Could he have truly ascended to immortality?”

“Enough with the nonsense. That’s not what’s important right now.”

Thus, the Imperial Family lost its momentum to intervene in the martial world.

The elephant bound by the shackles of the Imperial Family finally realized it was free.

All that remained was to break through the flimsy fence and escape.

“We must go to Wuhan.”

The fuse had been lit. The question was how long the fuse was. How far had the burning flame reached?

Not knowing this, it was safer to move to Hubei Province, which would soon become a battlefield, as quickly as possible.

“Captain, it hasn’t been a month since the Guyajang owner mentioned.”

“If we wait a month, who knows how the situation will unfold by then.”

Once a part of the Nine Sects, the now-weakened Hwang Mountain Sect.

Could the sect leader of such a Hwang Mountain Sect not have known that the news he heard was comparable to that of the Nine Sects?

In these past few days, they had fully prepared for the attack.

“We leave now.”

And they did not abandon their swords.

“Huh? Does Guyajang deliver? This is the first I’ve heard of it…”

“Not Guyajang, but I entrusted it to someone else.”

Two monks who had visited Namgung Woo not long ago.

They had made a request to Namgung Woo, and in return, Namgung Woo made one request of them.

“I made a deal with Hwaseong Temple.”

§

The distance from Ihyun in the Southern Directly Administered Region, where the Hwang Mountain Sect is located, to Wuhan in Hubei Province, where the Jegal Family resides, is quite far. Farther than the distance from Seoul to Busan.

But for martial artists who can cover hundreds of miles in a day if they put their minds to it, that distance was considered manageable.

“If we hurry, we can arrive within ten days.”

The group’s numbers hadn’t increased much.

From the original four, only two more had joined.

One was naturally the client and a member of the Jegal Family, Jegal Seon-a, and the other was…

“By the way, is it okay for a monk to join something like this?”

It was Geumshin, the martial monk from Hwaseong Temple.

Yang Kwae continued in a tone that sounded almost like he was picking a fight.

“Our job is killing. I’ve heard that even monks hunt demons from the Ghost Gate, but we sometimes cut down people too.”

Geumshin, true to his monk nature, laughed it off.

“Haha, our Hwaseong Temple serves the Famous Lord.”

“Famous Lord?”

“Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.”

“I know, man! I just got confused for a moment and was thinking about it, can’t you wait?”

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was a bodhisattva who descended into hell to save all beings.

He vowed not to become a Buddha until all beings in hell were saved, so people revered him as the Famous Lord of the Underworld.

“If we kill evil beings who are destined for hell, they will be embraced by the merciful Famous Lord. Why would we hesitate to eliminate them?”

“…So if they’re bad guys, we can just kill them?”

“Exactly.”

Yang Kwae’s face twisted strangely.

Is that… right?

“Isn’t it our role as martial monks to guide evil beings?”

“Uh, Monk. What if they’re not evil?”

“Among the Unorthodox Martial World, there are none who haven’t committed evil deeds, so you can fight with peace of mind. As for the Orthodox Martial World, think of it as a martial duel and just knock them out. That’s why we use blunt weapons.”

Geumshin tapped the wooden staff he carried on his back.

The staff, which had been split in half by the Black Sword Ghost, was now used by Geumshin as two short staffs.

“…Captain, is this monk really okay? He seems like a fallen monk.”

“Even the martial monks of Shaolin aren’t like this.”

“Wait, hold on. Hey, Monk! You haven’t left the monastic life and returned to the secular world, so is it okay for you to be in another organization?”

“Lady Paeng is from the Paeng Family but is also part of Changcheon Pavilion. It’s similar. I’ve already received permission from Venerable Hangwi, so there’s no need to worry.”

Yang Kwae and Yang Jeong were at a loss for words with Geumshin, who didn’t miss a beat.

What can you say to a monk who openly says it’s okay to kill evil people?

Moreover, Geumshin’s joining was a decision made by Namgung Woo. It wasn’t the Yang Brothers’ place to argue.

“Captain, with your judgment, even if you called a cow a horse, I’d believe it. But is this really okay? The martial monks of Hwaseong Temple are said to be quite strong.”

“It’s fine. Venerable Hangwi requested it first.”

Hangwi held a significant position within Hwaseong Temple. Comparable to Jeonggwang.

Just as Jeonggwang was of the same generation as the sect leader, Hangwi was of the same generation as the abbot of Hwaseong Temple, though one rank below the abbot.

Since all monks of the same generation as the abbot had passed away, Hangwi was also a highly respected elder in Hwaseong Temple.

“And originally, our Hwaseong Temple has a tradition of sending martial monks into the secular world to gain experience. Just as the Famous Lord descended into hell, we wander this hellish secular world to save beings.”

Geumshin added that the monks of Hwaseong Temple had been helping the Jegal Family as they were on their way back to the temple after completing their pilgrimage.

“That’s enough explanation. I’ve verified his skills, and he’s agreed to follow our rules while at Changcheon Pavilion. That’s sufficient.”

Namgung Woo concluded the matter of the new members joining.

After that, they focused all their efforts on rushing to Wuhan.

Jegal Seon-a could somewhat predict the enemies’ attacks.

With Namgung Woo’s presence, who could extend his senses over an absurdly wide range, the possibility of being ambushed became almost zero.

Even more smoothly than Yang Kwae, who had made great strides in the Protective Divine Technique, Geumshin followed Namgung Woo and Paeng Ha-ryeong.

It was the divine footwork of seeking the Dharma across the ocean.

Watching Geumshin’s back as he led the way, Yang Jeong muttered bitterly.

“Another Peak Master…”

§

Namgung Woo’s group truly became a whirlwind as they ran.

Eight days. That was the time it took for the group to reach Wuhan after departing from Hwang Mountain.

It was possible thanks to the exceptional abilities of Paeng Ha-ryeong and Geumshin, both Peak Masters, and the unique resilience of the Yang Brothers, who could withstand the Qi Transfer Technique from Namgung Woo without side effects.

“Let’s head straight to the main house. The Biun Unit leader must have sent word, but there will be much concern.”

“Right.”

Even after spending several days together, Namgung Woo still spoke formally to Jegal Seon-a.

It felt as if he was drawing a line, emphasizing that their relationship was strictly that of employer and mercenary, which made Jegal Seon-a feel disheartened.

But hiding her feelings, Jegal Seon-a took the lead with determined steps.

“Wait.”

After entering Wuhan and walking for a while, Namgung Woo’s command brought the group to a halt in the middle of the road.

The faint murmurs around them.

Though they hadn’t stopped to inquire in villages due to their haste, the uneasy undercurrents they had vaguely sensed.

It seemed that what they had vaguely guessed while passing through Hwanggang County, right next to Wuhan, had become a reality.

Namgung Woo approached a man who was telling a story. The man, feeling the pressure from Namgung Woo’s large frame, hesitated and stepped back, speaking in a frightened voice.

“Who, who are you?”

“Just one question.”

They would find out when they reached the Jegal Family, but there was no need to wait until then.

“What happened at the Jegal Family?”

At this question, the man, who seemed like a gossip, relaxed his expression and raised his voice.

“Has the rumor already spread?”

The man, about to demand payment for the rumor, suddenly noticed a familiar face behind Namgung Woo.

The man’s face turned pale as he shouted.

“The Banunbang has finally declared war on the Jegal Family!”

In an instant, the surroundings darkened. The clouds had obscured the sun.

The name of those clouds was the war clouds.