Chwi Dugae could not believe his own eyes.
What he had just witnessed was unmistakably Sword Guided by Qi.
What’s more, it had been deployed from outside the window, where he couldn’t see into the room—aning it had been perford using Sword Guided by Qi without relying on any detectable qi sense.
‘Hmph... I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but they were true.’
His flesh trembled, and his legs buckled.
And with that ca a question.
Why had Wudang Sect allowed a young master at the Fire ridian Stage to descend the mountain?
A master at the Fire ridian Stage was an irreplaceable force.
The very existence of such a person guaranteed the prestige and safety of their sect. They were a final, indispensable weapon to be treasured and protected at all costs.
Chwi Dugae’s curiosity about the cave-dwelling Daoist only deepened.
But then he snapped to his senses.
First, he needed to deal with the matter of the Sunggeomun disciple.
When Chwi Dugae hurried into the inner room, Kwak Yeon was staring down at Hwa Yu-yeong as if looking at a bug.
“So in the end, So-hyeop Yeong t that fate.”
Hwa Yu-yeong’s voice was filled with despair.
“At first, I didn’t know why they wanted to befriend So-hyeop Yeong or asked him to travel to Aknyang with them. Even when they kept making detours along the way, I still didn’t understand. It wasn’t until we reached Aknyang that I realized traces of the Killing Fiend’s movents had been laid across our path.”
Kwak Yeon had already guessed the sequence of events.
Because Hwa Yu-yeong had swapped the wine cup laced with Mountain Bell Toxin, Yeong Ho-beom had been able to preserve his internal qi and energy.
The Hyunggeomun disciple, unaware of this, had let down his guard and was killed by Yeong Ho-beom’s blade.
“I had hoped So-hyeop Yeong would make it out safely. But I never expected he would choose to protect his honor... It’s all my fault. I’ll accept any punishnt.”
Hwa Yu-yeong had already resolved himself to death. There was no wavering in his gaze.
Kwak Yeon looked at him and said coldly,
“Cowardly and pathetic.”
For the first ti, Hwa Yu-yeong’s eyes wavered.
“Isn’t that what you’re doing—trying to run away through death? Clinging to that worthless shred of honor and your sect’s reputation?”
“...”
“Fine. I’ll give you what you want.”
Chwi Dugae flinched in alarm.
“So-hyeop Kwak?”
“Rear Beggar, I can deal with them without the help of this disgrace.”
Kwak Yeon fixed a chilling gaze on Hwa Yu-yeong.
“Take care of it yourself.”
“...”
“Even now, you an to tell you lack the courage to end your own life?”
Tears welled up in Hwa Yu-yeong’s eyes as he drew his sword.
The tip trembled as he brought it to his neck. Then, gritting his teeth, he thrust it inward.
That was when Chwi Dugae grabbed his hand.
“So-hyeop Hwa, does it make any sense for these nickna peddlers to demand half-ford martial techniques from the sects? Don’t you think there’s a reason that assassin tried to kill you using a technique from New Moon Pavilion?”
“Sunggeomun and New Moon Pavilion divide authority over Taiyuan in Shanxi. Most likely... they’re trying to provoke conflict.”
Chwi Dugae nodded.
“The martial technique you leaked from Sunggeomun will no doubt be used in the sa way. That ans Sunggeomun will be slandered without ever knowing why. As a disciple, shouldn’t you confront that head-on instead of fleeing?”
“...”
“So-hyeop Hwa, if you have sinned, then punishnt is only right. At tis, we must bear disgrace as well. Endure it with the courage to live. You have a duty to clear So-hyeop Yeong’s na—and to set your own record straight. Help us. We’ll see that both # Nоvеlight # your wrath and his injustice are resolved.”
Chwi Dugae turned to Kwak Yeon.
“Isn’t that what So-hyeop Kwak wants as well?”
Kwak Yeon replied,
“So-hyeop Yeong didn’t leave behind a single word of resentnt toward you. Even as he vomited blood in apology to the Hyunggeomun disciple who fell to his sword.”
—Clang.
Hwa Yu-yeong’s sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor.
Thick tears stread down his face.
****
The manager of Yonghwa Pavilion claid she hadn’t known the courtesan was an assassin. She said soone from the Hao Clan had hired her the day before and requested she be assigned to a detached chamber.
“If you ignore the Hao Clan, you can’t run a business in this town.”
After interrogating the manager, Chwi Dugae brought Hwa Yu-yeong to the Beggars’ Guild sub-branch for protection.
“No matter how thoroughly we search, we can’t trace Suhmyeon Horui’s whereabouts. Honestly, if a guy like that wants to hide, there’s not much to be done. Damn rat bastard!”
Chwi Dugae vented once he’d wrapped everything up.
“Damn it. We’ve even secured a witness, and still there’s nothing we can do? This is a ss.”
“...”
“You know, I really don’t understand what all this is anymore. I thought it was just dirty nickna-selling business that led to so unfortunate victims—but it feels like there’s sothing much bigger behind it.”
He glanced over at Kwak Yeon, probing subtly.
He wondered if it was connected to the reason Wudang had sent down a Fire ridian Stage master.
But Kwak Yeon said nothing.
“Actually, my own master was acting strange too. Damn it, he summoned for this ss even though I’m busy as hell. Said it was beyond what the sub-branch could handle. That old man and his sches... If he’d just say sothing straight for once.”
The last part was clearly directed at Kwak Yeon.
Spill it already!
But Kwak Yeon remained deep in thought.
He felt as if he had finally found the tail of the evil qi that the Daoist Master Unseon had spoken of. It seed even the Beggars’ Guild’s Dragonhead Branch Leader had caught a whiff of sothing.
The purpose of discreetly gathering fragnted martial techniques had beco clear—thanks to the assassin.
‘It’s to quietly incite conflict between the sects without anyone realizing!’
As far as Kwak Yeon knew, the Hao Clan was rely a middling sect.
They didn’t have the strength to dominate the martial world.
There was nothing to be gained for them by sowing chaos in the Murim.
Which could only an—they were soone’s pawn, or acting on commission.
Then Chwi Dugae’s earlier words resurfaced in Kwak Yeon’s mind—how the atmosphere within the Hao Clan had changed since their Clan Leader was replaced.
“Rear Beggar, what kind of person is the Clan Leader of the Hao Clan?”
“The Hao Clan’s Clan Leader?”
At Kwak Yeon’s question, Chwi Dugae rolled his eyes once and then replied.
“Not much to look at. He used to be the Vice Clan Leader, but when the forr Clan Leader suddenly died, he ended up taking the seat without even knowing how. Honestly, that’s when the Hao Clan really started falling apart.”
“What do you an?”
“The Hao Clan is basically a coalition of regional branches. Think of it like the Green Forest League or the Yangtze Waterways Alliance—makes it easier to grasp.”
“...”
“Back when the previous Clan Leader was alive, the main sect still had so control. But once that useless man took charge, the factions started running wild.”
“You’re saying the ones behind this incident are one of those factions?”
“Isn’t that obvious? The Hao Clan was always a gathering of people involved in different trades—taverns, brothels, gambling dens, performance troupes, pickpocketing rings, butchers... Half the people in those shady professions are probably Hao Clan disciples.”
When he heard that a single faction within the Hao Clan had likely instigated this whole affair, Kwak Yeon thought of the Elder Jo Cheon-yang and the girl called Gwaa.
‘That old man and the girl must belong to a different faction than Suhmyeon Horui.’
With that thought, Kwak Yeon felt a asure of relief.
“Then we should start by identifying which faction is running the epithet business.”
“Exactly. There are at least a hundred thousand Hao Clan disciples—you can’t interrogate them all. But what do you intend to do?”
“There’s soone we already know, isn’t there?”
“Suhmyeon Horui?”
“That’s right. If we can catch him, we’ll find out who’s at the top.”
“But how do you find a man who’s gone into hiding? For all we know, he’s moved on and is working sowhere else.”
“He’s still in Aknyang.”
“What?”
“The Hwayeong Assembly will be held at Aknyang Pavilion soon. There’s no better ti than this for the nickna business.”
“You’re planning to use yourself as bait to lure him out?”
“They still don’t know who I am. I’ve never revealed myself to them.”
“Well, that’s true...”
“Please investigate which promising young martial artist from a reputable sect has not yet joined the Hwayeong Assembly. Preferably one from a sword-using sect.”
Chwi Dugae glanced at the Cheonggang Sword hanging from Kwak Yeon’s waist and nodded.
“Understood.”
“I also need the location of the Hao Clan’s branch office.”
Once again, Kwak Yeon was quietly impressed by the Beggars’ Guild’s speed in gathering intelligence.
There was a reason why the Grand Elder Eritus had entrusted a task to a friend of the Beggars’ Guild.
The Hao Clan’s Aknyang Branch was located on a street lined with pleasure houses.
As soon as the Hao Clan’s branch leader saw the referral letter from Cheol Ga-hyeong, a disciple of the Hyeongsan Sect, he welcod Kwak Yeon and served him tea.
When Kwak Yeon drank the tea without hesitation, the branch leader cautiously asked,
“So-hyeop Cheol of the esteed Hyeongsan Sect, what brings you to our humble branch?”
“Esteed? I’m just a low-ranking disciple of the martial world without even a proper epithet.”
“Oh no, not at all. The Hyeongsan Sect is no ordinary sect. In the previous generation, it was one of the prestigious Nine Great Sects.”
“That’s true. Once, it was.”
Kwak Yeon nodded lightly and continued.
“That’s why I’m so anxious. As a man who has learned the sword, it’s only right I gain fa and elevate my sect’s status.”
“...”
“The Hwayeong Assembly is just around the corner, and in my frustration, I found myself knocking at your gate.”
The branch leader frowned slightly.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m not sure what help we can offer.”
“Branch Leader, I’m not a man without sha. Imagine how desperate I must be to co here in person. If you would kindly consider my urgent circumstances, I’ll be sure to repay you.”
“I don’t know where you heard such vile rumors, but I assure you, our Aknyang branch has no involvent whatsoever.”
Kwak Yeon could tell by the branch leader’s consistently stiff expression—and now his sudden sternness—that he had co to the wrong place.
It was frustrating.
He had assud that by approaching the Hao Clan’s branch, he would be able to make contact with Suhmyeon Horui.
“So-hyeop Cheol, I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I won’t be able to see you out.”
The branch leader’s attitude had turned completely cold, a far cry from his warm welco earlier.
‘So the Aknyang Branch is part of a different faction than Suhmyeon Horui.’
“You there—So-hyeop Cheol of the Hyeongsan Sect is taking his leave. Open the main gate!”
At the branch leader’s chilly order to leave, Kwak Yeon had no choice but to rise.
And yet, his mood wasn’t particularly sour.
He had learned that the Hao Clan wasn’t completely without people of honor.
‘As for Suhmyeon Horui... I’ll find another way to track him down.’
As he stepped outside the gates of the Hao Clan—
A man who had followed him out quietly murmured,
“West Serene Street. The Forgotten Ox Butcher’s Shop.”
When Kwak Yeon turned around, the man was feigning ignorance and calmly closed the main gate.
Judging from how cautious he had been about prying eyes, the man was clearly a spy from another faction planted within the Hao Clan’s Aknyang Branch.
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