Chapter 123

Chapter 123

『Uicheonmun

A newly rising sect located in Hwayong, Hubei.

Although only half a year has passed since its establishment, there are still few disciples. Its reputation has risen considerably through exchanges with the Murim Alliance, making its future worth anticipating.

Sect Leader: Baek Riyun

Purpose: Martial Sect

Manor Stage: 9th grade

Cleanliness: 3rd grade

Scale: 6th grade

Reputation: 7th grade

Number of Disciples: 3 people

Martial Power Grade: 8th grade

Sect Leader’s Level: 3rd grade

Research Completed: Recovery Power. Material Transformation

Comprehensive Evaluation: 9th grade

Essence Held: 330

No income source exists.

Guardian Hall has not been opened.

Elder Council has not been opened.

Outer Hall and Inner Hall have not been differentiated.

Secret Pavilion does not exist.

Martial Force Corps does not exist.

Factions have not been differentiated.

Medicine Hall does not exist.

Two trade partner candidates exist.

Six possible research projects exist.

To unlock other research or facilities, the manor must be raised to 8th grade.』

I kept silent at the status window that appeared, then quietly closed my eyes and tapped my eyelids with my finger. Even when I opened my eyes again, the view didn’t change.

“Did it… rise this much?”

Looking at the status window, I stuck out my tongue and blankly sank into my chair. Because there was much more accumulated than I had imagined.

I thought I would have gained a lot in both grade and essence.

In fact, it’s natural. During the recent half year, the fame of both me and Uicheonmun has greatly risen.

I too have improved my skills a bit more while training, and Seohwa and Wangpal’s abilities have also increased greatly, plus Seonwoo Gang has joined, so I thought the detailed grades wouldn’t fail to rise. I predicted that essence would have accumulated as much as the grades rose.

But that was only a small expectation at best. I thought at most I could open the remaining research.

I never thought it would rise this much.

“Hm, reputation rose significantly first.”

I let out a thoughtful sound and stroked my chin. What stood out most was the reputation that rose remarkably.

It’s not strange. Even if Muryeon Hall disciples stood out during Baekgwiyahaeng, we made our name thoroughly in the Murim Alliance’s academy exchange battle.

Even if not throughout the entire Murim, Uicheonmun’s name would have been thoroughly imprinted on the Orthodox Murim where the Murim Alliance’s influence reaches, and we would have been perceived as ‘a sect worth watching in the future.’ Then it’s understandable that it rapidly rose from 10th grade to 7th grade.

The important thing is something else.

‘My martial power and martial power grade rising is one thing, but why did the manor grade rise?’

I stroked my rough chin and immersed myself in thought. Because the reason didn’t easily come to mind.

Unlike the comprehensive evaluation that rises together when other detailed grades simply rise, the manor grade didn’t have specified conditions for raising it separately. Since I have no memory of doing something to raise the grade, I’m a bit dumbfounded.

‘What comes to mind……’

If there’s anything that comes to mind, it’s only this.

[Opening the list of researchable items!]

I lowered my gaze downward.

『Currently Researchable List

Recovery Power -10th grade currently applied-

When staying within the manor, sect members’ recovery speed increases by 50%. Additionally, the limit of recoverable internal and external injuries increases ‘slightly.’

9th grade special benefit: Recovery speed rises to ‘60%.’ The increase in recoverable limit rises to ‘somewhat more.’

Growth Promotion

When training within the manor, the probability of gaining enlightenment increases ‘very slightly.’ Sect members’ muscle and bone growth limits increase by 10%.

Spiritual Energy Concentration

When circulating energy within the manor, internal energy improvement speed increases by 20%. Additionally, the purity of gathered internal energy becomes ‘very slightly’ more pure.

Material Transformation -10th grade currently applied-

You can consume essence to specialize the effects of items with ‘grades’ in one direction.

9th grade special effect: Consumed essence amount decreases.

Martial Pavilion Opening

A facility that researches martial arts.

It researches existing martial arts to develop them in better directions and takes on the role of creating new martial arts.

Production of secret manuals and illustrated manuals becomes possible.

When attempting new martial arts, it ‘very greatly’ reduces the possibility of cultivation deviation.

When researching martial arts within the Martial Pavilion, it adds ‘slight’ corrections.

Archive Opening

A facility that preserves and inherits martial theory.

It preserves and inherits various martial arts, ancient texts, martial theory books, etc., and takes on the role of passing down what was transmitted from predecessors to posterity.

Production of compendium books becomes possible.

It adds ‘slight’ corrections to understanding books stored in the Archive.』

“Hm.”

Looking at the newly increased list, I nodded. Because my guess was right after all.

“As expected, it’s the influence of Daseungmuryu.”

Determining the sect’s direction means determining the sect’s future appearance.

Therefore, I guessed that the newly created facilities might have been influenced by the sect direction I decided. Because that was the only thing that came to mind.

If it were simply a structure where facilities are added by rising from 10th grade to 9th grade, there’s no reason for the Martial Pavilion or Archive to be added at this moment. There are plenty of more urgent facilities for a new sect.

However, the Martial Pavilion and Archive were added to Uicheonmun as new facilities first, pushing aside other facilities. That means unlike until now, Uicheonmun has started evolving in a new direction.

That’s where I thought of it. The hypothesis that these facilities might have been created by my choosing Daseungmuryu.

“Secret manuals, illustrated manuals, compendium books…….”

I quietly immersed myself in thought while repeating the explanations of the Martial Pavilion and Archive with my mouth. Familiar yet unfamiliar things to me.

“They’re probably not referring to ordinary secret manuals.”

If they were ordinary secret manuals, there would be no reason to say production only became possible now. In reality, even Uicheonmun’s basic technique that’s somewhat organized has a secret manual, and we can make secret manuals for other martial arts too.

Probably the secret manuals produced here contain special effects.

“Shall I experiment?”

Fortunately, the commission fulfillment period given by the manor is three months, which is quite generous. It would be perfect for experimenting with functions.

“What’s immediately urgent is…….”

As expected, differentiation.

[Beginning basic technique differentiation.]

I nodded and quietly raised my hand.

First, shall I finish this?

Although divination practitioners or illusionary arts practitioners actually exist in the Murim, most of those who say they wander and read heavenly secrets are nothing but frauds.

In fact, that’s a natural principle. Sorcerers who can glimpse heavenly secrets are generally patriarchs of regions, and even if not patriarchs, they weren’t common enough to be easily seen in marketplaces.

Glimpsing heavenly secrets.

There’s no need to speak of the difficulty of that act. For talented sorcerers, even after devoting decades to sorcery, barely glimpsing a fragment is all they can manage with heavenly secrets, so nothing would be more useless than explaining how arduous that is. There would also be no reason to say how few can perform such arduous acts.

Reading heavenly secrets is an extremely difficult task. Therefore, all the fortune-tellers throughout the Murim world who claim to read heavenly secrets are all frauds.

Jin Ung, the eldest brother of Gyocheongyoryongpa, a local Sapa group, had thought this way until now.

Until he met the man before his eyes.

Hunan. Anhwahyeon.

“So then.”

Jin Ung, who had been keeping quiet with a fierce expression, scratched the back of his neck and then swept his hand down. The voice that burst out soon after sounded like boiled anger.

“Who might you be?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

[Heaven Above, Heaven Below, Knows Everything]

At Jin Ung’s question, the youth in white smiled faintly and pointed to the flag placed behind him.

“I’m a wandering fortune-teller. One who knows everything.”

“You know everything but wander? If you know everything, you could make a fortune.”

“If you don’t pursue wealth and honor, that’s so.”

“You seem like a fraud.”

“Would there be such a neatly-looking fraud?”

“Because you look neat, you’re a fraud. If you looked vile, would anyone be fooled?”

“That’s also true.”

Chyak!

The youth, who smoothly deflected Jin Ung’s half-quarrelsome words, pulled out the fan hanging at his waist and covered his mouth.

“But whether I’m a fraud or not isn’t important here. Listening to the story doesn’t cost money.”

“Frauds usually say that. Just listen to the story. Do you know what happened to all those people?”

“If you’re going to say their heads got smashed by your fist and they were carried away, you don’t need to say it. I know.”

“Should I say you have guts… or should I say you’re reckless.”

At the youth’s words, Jin Ung, who let out a hollow laugh, placed his hands on his cross-legged position and bent his upper body forward.

“Alright. If you’re going to risk your life to tell a story, let’s hear it. Is there a ghost or something attached to my back?”

“Hahahaha.”

At Jin Ung’s playful question, the youth who slightly fluttered his fan burst into great laughter and shook his head.

“Ghosts, where would such things exist? Even if they existed, if ghosts could harm people, could those like Cheonma, Sado Alliance Leader, or Murim Alliance Leader have survived?”

“A fortune-teller denying that?”

“All sorts of worthless fortune-tellers frighten people by talking about evil spirits.”

“Oh. Then what business do you have with me? Are you going to tell my future fortune?”

“Rather than a future fortune, I can tell you a present fortune. Don’t you have any worries by chance?”

“Well.”

At the youth’s question that fell within expected range, Jin Ung chuckled and joked. Because he thought he was a fraud with quite good speaking skills.

“Among common people living in the world, is there anyone without worries? Everyone lives with worries.”

“May I guess what kind of worries?”

“Haha, guess as much as you like.”

“You’re anxious because your martial arts skills aren’t improving as much as you thought.”

“Wouldn’t that be the case for any worthless martial artist?”

“The protection money you collect is meager like a rat’s tail, yet your backing Hyeolung Manor keeps asking for more money, so it’s troublesome.”

“What?”

“If you want to solve it, you need to collect more protection money, but from Gyoryongpa’s position as a local Sapa, it feels like extorting families you’ve seen for a long time, so you don’t really like it either.”

At the youth’s story that pointed to the core unusually, Jin Ung hardened his complexion and quietly gripped the great blade behind his back.

“Who are you? Were you sent from Hyeolung Manor? Or from Gangryongpa…….”

“Neither. Didn’t I tell you? That I’m a wanderer.”

“I just ‘saw’ it. You can take your hand off your weapon. I’m not even a martial artist.”

At the youth’s appearance leisurely fanning himself, Jin Ung sighed and quietly lowered his hand from the great blade’s handle. His behavior became a bit more cautious.

“You seem to… know quite well about our Gyoryongpa’s situation.”

“Not everything, but roughly. That you’re in charge of protection for this area and that although you’re Sapa, you maintain a friendly relationship with the region.”

“You know roughly, as you say. What’s your purpose?”

“Purpose?”

“Your purpose for coming to me. From what I see, you don’t seem like an ordinary person.”

“Purpose, mm, purpose you say.”

The youth, who had been staring at Jin Ung speaking bluntly, smiled faintly.

“Didn’t I say at first? That I came to consult with you a bit because you have many worries.”

“Without even receiving payment?”

“Will you give it? If you give it, I’ll receive it.”

“……Geez.”

Jin Ung, who pondered for a moment, pulled out the pouch at his waist, emptied about half the contents, and held it out to the youth.

“With this, there’s no debt for the advice. Alright?”

“It’s sufficient.”

“Good. What should I do? As you said, Hyeolung Manor has been pressing to increase collections lately, so it’s a problem.”

“You should refuse.”

“If that worked……. If I refuse, Hyeolung Manor will try to take over this region directly.”

No matter how much Anhwahyeon is a rural village in a mountain valley, the reason a small force like Gyoryongpa could take over until now is one. Because there was Hyeolung Manor’s permission. Since they extract the necessary money and offer it each time, there was no need to advance all the way here bothersomely.

But what if they can’t collect as much as expected?

“Hyeolung Manor will immediately come to push out our Gyoryongpa. Saying there’s no need to keep those who can’t do their job. Then it’s over.”

“Mm.”

The youth, who kept silent for a moment at Jin Ung’s grumbling appearance, folded his fan. And the advice that followed.

“Submit a request to Haomun.”

“……To Haomun?”

“Yes. If the difficulty is not having masters, borrow Haomun’s strength. There’s probably a master playing around right now. It would work out much cheaper than Hyeolung Manor.”

“Haomun, Haomun……”

Jin Ung, who repeated the youth’s words for a moment, made a troubled expression while going “hmm,” then scratched his head vigorously.

“I should keep it in mind. I’ll look into it.”

“You’d better hurry.”

“Why?”

“Because dark clouds are gathering.”

“Dark clouds? Where, I don’t see any.”

At Jin Ung’s words looking at the sky that was only clear, the youth wore a bitter smile and shook his head.

“I don’t mean they’re gathering from a visible place. If I had to say, they’re… rising from deep underground.”

“Clouds coming from the ground?”

“Yes. It’s a metaphorical expression, but well, that’s about it.”

The gathering clouds are calamity. Not calamity caused by heaven, but calamity humans caused themselves.

“It’s enormous karma. Accumulated by humans, and to be collapsed by humans……”

The one who will visit this Anhwahyeon will have to choose. Hypocrisy for the whole? Or else.

Dogmatism for one person?

“Dark clouds are gathering.”

Beyond the sky.

The youth in white, Baek Riseon, looking at the dark clouds visible only to his eyes, fluttered his fan and quietly lowered his gaze.

“Very large dark clouds.”

In the distance, dark clouds were gathering.