Chapter 175

Chapter 175

The situation was quickly resolved.

[The form of karma  has been determined.]

[The request has been completed.]

[Calculating rewards…]

“Master. I’m thirsty.”

“Alright.”

While confirming the semi-transparent status window flickering in the corner of my vision, I smiled bitterly at Seohwa’s complaint that wasn’t really a complaint, then supported her upper body with my arm and held a cup to her lips. Then Seohwa gulped it down and grinned broadly.

“Hehe. Being cared for by others like this isn’t bad either.”

“You rascal.”

“Hey, I’m a patient, you know?”

I chuckled watching Seohwa speak playfully as I clenched my fist to give her a head knock. Because I could see the burden had lessened compared to before.

Three days had passed since Seohwa collapsed.

During that time, Shinui treated Seohwa, and I handled the aftermath in the slash-and-burn village ). Because there were heaps of people who lost their homes and property in an instant.

If left alone, they’d clearly become bandits. Making that judgment, I somehow arranged positions for them in the outskirts of Anhwa County ) through Jinwoong, and succeeded in resolving the problem for now.

Though what comes after will be the real problem.

“The slash-and-burn village people… what will happen to them?”

“We’ll need to take some additional measures. Slash-and-burn farmers are generally rough, and if left alone they’ll cause problems.”

“Will they become bandits?”

“I can’t deny the possibility.”

At my answer, Seohwa’s expression hardened as she showed a grave look. But soon Seohwa corrected her complexion.

“Are you alright?”

“I wasn’t alright, but I became alright. Thinking about it, we did a good thing, right?”

“That’s right.”

“If I hadn’t stepped forward anyway, something more terrible would have happened, and living while worrying about what comes after is too troublesome. From now on, those people should handle it themselves, right?”

“It’s questionable whether they’ll really handle it themselves, but you’re right. From now on, it’s a problem those people must handle.”

“Then I won’t worry about it. More than that.”

“More than that?”

“What about Choil and Choa? What’s happening with them?”

“Ah.”

At Seohwa’s question about the two who weren’t visible, I smiled bitterly and slightly opened the window. Loud voices climbing over Gyoryongpa’s  window.

—Why, why don’t you even know this…!

—I don’t know. Teach me more easily.

—Th-this…! Even a monkey would understand better than you…!

—Then teach the monkey. Can I go play?

*—Kkieeeek!

“…They’re having fun.”

“Indeed. I heard Choa’s comprehension ) isn’t as good as expected, while Choil’s comprehension is better than expected, so they decided to teach them separately. Magic arts to Choa, medical arts to Choil.”

“Shinui-nim’s medical arts are hard to properly display without magic arts. So the two will treat patients together?”

“Something like that.”

Either way, it’s good news for Uicheonmun. Though Shinui will leave Uicheonmun eventually after finishing Seohwa’s treatment and completing the transmission of medical arts, those two will probably entrust their bodies to Uicheonmun.

Having a physician is good in itself, but perhaps we can unlock new facilities. If that happens, as long as limbs aren’t severed, we won’t need to worry about injuries from now on.

“What about the others? The branch master or fellow disciples?”

“They’re patrolling in case any remaining yokai exist. Though the formation ) was dismantled so we judge there are no remaining yokai, you never know. Blood Cult followers might be watching from somewhere too.”

“Ah…”

“Have you finished drinking?”

“Yes.”

Understanding my words, Seohwa slowly lay down again. And after maintaining silence briefly, Seohwa spoke.

“It’s really all finished.”

“Indeed.”

“It was only a few days, but it feels like I fought for weeks.”

“Because the intensity was high.”

Intense experiences remain in memory that much more.

At my words, Seohwa nodded slightly. Then the conversation continued.

“Did I do well?”

“Mm.”

“While lying down, I thought about it. If it were Master instead of me, couldn’t you have done better?”

“I don’t think much would have changed.”

“You mean you would have made similar judgments?”

“Probably. Or perhaps the situation might be worse than now.”

I know well about yokai. If I’d encountered Choa without knowing about divine beasts ), I might have cut her down in one stroke.

“A disciple better than the master.”

“Hehe…”

Watching Seohwa blink awkwardly while laughing, I rose from my seat.

“Sleep now. Quick recovery requires proper rest.”

“Yes… I’ll sleep a bit…”

“I’ll handle the remaining matters and return.”

Deureureuk!

Leaving behind the nodding Seohwa, I stood up and left the room. Then Jinwoong approached as if he’d been waiting.

“How’s her condition?”

“She’s fine. Shinui-nim said about one more month of recuperation should do it.”

“That’s fortunate indeed.”

“Let’s talk while walking.”

“Good.”

At my words, Jinwoong turned his steps outside Gyoryongpa and continued speaking.

“The search for yokai and Blood Cult followers is roughly finished.”

“Seeing you say ‘roughly finished,’ you didn’t find them.”

“Something like that. They couldn’t even find corpses, as if it were a dream. Though I clearly saw with these eyes the yogkai pounding the village.”

That wouldn’t be strange. Since it seems to be a formation that transports rather than creates yokai, the yokai probably returned to their original locations after the formation was completely dismantled.

“How was handling the villagers?”

“That part is also troublesome. Taking them into Anhwahyeon as is will clearly cause problems, but leaving them to the government office ) will get them all sold as slaves. Is there no good solution?”

“Hmm.”

The government, the government.

“Who is the Anhwahyeon county magistrate )?”

“Hwang Uk , but why do you ask?”

“I’ll try handling it through negotiations. Since I have some connections to the government office, it should work out somehow.”

If it really doesn’t work, I could even request mediation from Paeng Geuk . The Paeng Family  is especially close to the imperial family among martial families ), so they can exert some influence on the government.

“Well, then that part is settled.”

“Is there still more?”

“This is the last thing. Well, it’s nothing major.”

Pausing mid-speech, Jinwoong pondered briefly then continued.

“They found something strange during the search.”

“Something strange?”

“Yes. Don’t know if Blood Cult followers carved it or who, but they carved letters into a tree. Jaengsokmyeol  or something…”

“…What did you say?”

That phrase.

Why here, now?

“Where was it carved?”

“Mm? I heard it was in the forest’s northeast.”

“I’m going immediately.”

“…Right now? At this hour? It’s not exactly late night, but the sun will set soon?”

“I must go immediately.”

Watching my hardened expression, Jinwoong thought briefly then nodded and took the lead deploying lightness skill ). Scenery flowing by in an instant.

‘Why now, in this situation?’

Jaengsokmyeol. As long as struggle doesn’t end, immortality.

As far as I know, only one place uses such a phrase. Neither the orthodox path ) nor the unorthodox path ), neither the Murim Alliance ) nor the Evil Path Alliance ), not even the Blood Cult.

In other circumstances maybe, but I’ve confirmed this formation belongs to the Blood Cult. The place using that phrase wouldn’t welcome the Blood Cult either. Rather, that place stands at an even greater opposition to the Blood Cult than the orthodox path.

Then why is that phrase written here?

…In the first place, why did they come here?

“We’ve arrived.”

Coming out of deep thought at Jinwoong’s words, I snapped to attention and looked ahead. A giant tree positioned under the brightly risen full moon. And the phrase carved into that giant tree.

[爭續不滅 ]

[Young master. If you’re hiding, be more careful. I’ll visit soon.]

“…Damn it.”

I see.

So that’s how it is.

Seogeoek!

“…Baek Ri Sect Master? What are you doing…”

“Let’s go back.”

After swinging my sword to cut down the tree, I forcibly avoided Jinwoong asking me in bewilderment and gritted my teeth. I thought there was still a bit more time, but apparently not.

‘Where was I exposed?’

Was it among those I faced?

No, that can’t be. Since we already have a connection, even if I hid my face, I couldn’t hide my temperament entirely. Even if they’re ‘them,’ it’s the same. Then how?

Why?

‘She was with the First Assassin, right?‘

‘How he looked, I can’t remember…‘

Ah.

I clutched my face at the hypothesis that suddenly came to mind. Because I understood what situation this was.

‘An assassin’s martial arts. A hazy impression. And a person wandering outside.’

I know such a person. Though not by the name Jangil , someone whose name anyone in the world would recognize.

One of the seven most feared in Xinjiang , comparable to the Ten Heavens ).

—Looking closely, you resemble your mother quite well. Young master.

Demonic Cult Seven Wheels ). Jeokyeol .

‘It’s not the worst.’

…If they’re the person I’m thinking of, it’s not quite the worst situation. They’re not someone who’d deliberately seek us out, and they hold goodwill toward our side. They’ll probably try to conceal it for a while. However.

‘They must have confirmed Sani’s face.’

Even if they don’t report it, gaps remain. If those who find it strange try to peek at their memories and confirm Sani’s face?

‘It’s over.’

We must devise countermeasures.

“What on earth is going on?”

“Well, if it’s hard to explain, never mind.”

While Jinwoong kept chattering beside me, I continued my thoughts. Someone of the Seven Wheels ) rank has gone outside. The Demonic Cult has a ‘restriction,’ so even if they came out briefly, no one will be able to enter the Central Plains ) for about a year.

‘At minimum one year. At maximum within three years, someone will come out to check the situation.’

Special measures are necessary. Even if I’m absent, so the disciples can somehow respond among themselves. So they’re never dragged away.

Then there’s only one answer.

“Branch Master Jinwoong.”

“…Why are you doing this? You haven’t said a word until now.”

“Would you say we’ve completely resolved all of Anhwahyeon’s problems?”

“Well that…”

At my question, Jinwoong nodded hesitantly and answered.

“This much is done. The rest is something we can handle on our own, so we can say you handled it properly. But why do you ask?”

“Do you think any problems you can’t handle will arise within two years?”

“Two years? That’s quite a specific timeframe… Well, probably not? Forces won’t advance even to this remote village, and the Blood Cult bastards who achieved their objective don’t seem likely to come for revenge.”

“Then that’s fortunate.”

“It means we won’t have reason to go out for two years.”

Uicheonmun is still a newly established sect.

External activities are limited to checking on branch sects. And that means conversely, even if external activities are blocked, it doesn’t greatly affect us.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s simple.”

At Jinwoong’s words, I hardened my expression and answered.

“Uicheonmun will enter seclusion ) for two years starting now.”

“And two years later, we’ll depart for martial competitions ). The opponents are.”

The Nine Sects and One Gang ). And the Five Great Families ).

“A-are you in your right mind?”

“Extremely.”

This is the only answer. If a storm I can’t handle is about to sweep in, I too have no choice but to wrap a typhoon around my body.

“Branch Master Jinwoong, prepare for the storm too.”

“What on earth do you…”

[Karma has been settled!]

[The request’s reward will be given!]

I walked away watching Jinwoong look at me in bewilderment. The storm felt on my skin, approaching right before my eyes.

To avoid being swept away, I must firmly plant pillars. Pillars that will absolutely never be pulled out.

“This is the only way.”

The legitimate bloodline of the Demonic Cult’s divine maiden ). The only existence remaining in this world who can release the ‘shackles’ ) placed on them.

The Demonic Cult will definitely come. Then we have no choice but to prepare.

I gripped the Uicheongeom  tightly and walked toward where my disciples were.

Finally—.

Two years passed.