Tangmunjeon - Chapter 244



Only Noblemtl

Episode 244: The Meeting at Mt. Wudang

Hyun-gong’s footsteps as he left Hyuncheondang were extremely heavy.

‘What kind of achievements do I have to show?’

Nothing comes to mind. There are a few random thoughts that come to mind, but they are all somewhat vague and lacking.

After thinking for a while, Hyun-gong returned to the reception hall where Dang Mu-jin and Hong Geol-gae were.

‘If we’re lucky, Dangmujin or Honggeolgae might come up with a good solution. They’re both a bit lacking, but sometimes they can be helpful…’

Hyun-gong called Dang Mu-jin and Hong Geol-gae together and explained to them what had happened at Hyeoncheon-dang in detail.

Hong Geol-gae answered in the same posture he had been lying on the floor listening to the story.

“There’s no quick fix, right? Just practice harder from now on.”

Although the answer was somewhat pathetic, Hyun-gong was not overly disappointed. This was because it was exactly the level of Hong-geol-gae’s answer.

“There are ten days left until the conference, and at best it won’t last more than five days. What difference would it make if I practiced for another fortnight?”

If he had been playing around instead of practicing during his normal times, it would have been different, but Hyun-gong was a fairly diligent practitioner even during his normal times. The probability of achieving anything special was low even if he trained hard for about two weeks.

After reaching the peak of his power at a young age, Hyun-gong has never achieved explosive achievements through his training. He has only steadily and gradually improved. Even if he trains for another half a month, it will probably be the same.

Hong Geol-gae answered indifferently.

“In my experience, when you fight a life-or-death battle, you definitely make progress.”

“That’s true.”

“Should we have a proper sparring match this time?”

“Sparring?”

Hyun-gong glanced at Hong-geol-gae and answered.

“Well, I don’t think it will be of much help to me.”

“why?”

“It’s a life or death matter, so how could you possibly be of any help to me…?”

Hong Geol-gae thought for a moment about what Hyun-gong’s story meant, and as soon as he understood, he grabbed the tagubong.

“Really? You’re the kind of guy who would shed tears just by looking at a coffin.”

The moment Hong Geol-gae was about to attack Hyeon-gong while talking like a third-rate commoner, Dang Mu-jin intervened.

“You can’t just show off your martial arts skills to Youngbojin. How about showing off some accomplishments outside of martial arts? Things like connections and interpersonal skills. I heard that those things are important to becoming a Jangmunin?”

It was a little better than Hong Geol-gae, but it wasn’t a solution that was so ingenious as to defy expectations.

But, unlike when he gave Hong Geol-gae a hard time, his mouth strangely did not open.

At the same time, Hyun-gong felt dizzy for an inexplicable reason.

Hyun-gong forced his mouth open and answered.

“That’s not enough to be called an achievement. After all, martial arts is the best.”

“It is realistically difficult to raise your martial arts right away. Besides, I heard that Youngbo Jin sent you out of Mudeungsan because of a problem other than your martial arts. Wouldn’t it be right to find the answer in a direction other than martial arts?”

The moment he was about to refute Dang Mu-jin’s story, a strange moment he had never experienced before came to Hyun-gong.

Hyun-gong intended to reject Dang Mu-jin’s proposal and ask them to think of another solution together.

But as if possessed by a ghost, Hyun-gong’s mouth began to speak a completely different story.

“Hearing that, it feels good. Should we do that?”

Hyun-gong was shocked and froze in shock at the strange phenomenon.

Dang Mu-jin did not miss the fact that Hyun-gong was very nervous.

“What’s wrong, Hyungong? Why are you suddenly like this?”

“No, it’s nothing. I just got to thinking after hearing such a good answer.”

This answer was also not the answer that Hyun-gong had intended to give.

Hyun-gong was completely bewildered by this experience for the first time in his life. It felt as if control of his body had been handed over to someone else.

But something even more bizarre happened after that.

A memory that could be called a second consciousness seeped into Hyun-gong’s mind.

A memory that is one’s own, yet at the same time not one’s own.

Rather than saying it was seeping in, it might be more appropriate to say that something that had been divided into two was coming together as one. Because even Hyun-gong couldn’t tell which of the two was real and which was fake.

Both memories were Hyun-gong’s.

At that moment, when the memories of the two judgments made simultaneously mixed together, Hyun-gong completely understood why he had not rejected Dang Mu-jin’s offer.

‘If things go wrong and I get kicked out of the party, the only person I can rely on is the party leader. I have to at least pretend to respect the party leader’s opinion.’

In other words, it was the result of Hyun-gong’s instinct to avoid risk and seek stability. He decided that he should not go against Dang Mu-jin’s opinion.

Hyun-gong carefully evaluated the two judgments.

I remember trying to refute Dang Mu-jin’s story. And I remember trying to accept Dang Mu-jin’s story.

It didn’t seem like rejecting Dang Mu-jin’s proposal would lead to a clear solution.

However, if you accept Dang Mu-jin’s proposal, you can achieve some results, even if they are insufficient. Furthermore, you can give Dang Mu-jin a slightly better impression.

Objectively speaking, it would have been a better decision to accept the party leadership’s proposal.

It turns out that the answer I gave unconsciously was the correct answer.

No, now I couldn’t even tell if that was an unconscious decision. Both the memory and the decision were the result of reason, not instinct.

It wasn’t a crude level of judgment and action, such as acting according to a habit that has become ingrained in you and thinking of something else.

‘Anyway, in the end, the response was wise. For now, I should follow the party leader’s suggestion.’

After Hyun-gong decided on his course of action going forward, he took a moment to ponder what had just happened.

But before long, the strange sensation of the experience from just a moment ago was disappearing like mist.

It’s like a dream that was so realistic becomes vague and forgotten around lunchtime.

Hyun-gong’s confidence also became a little clouded.

‘···Was it a mistake? Well, I’m twice as smart as most people, so it wouldn’t be strange if I unconsciously took more things into account than others.’

Dang Mu-jin asked again, looking puzzled.

“Is something wrong?”

“Uh… Uh. That’s not it. We need to move right away.”

Hyun-gong scratched the back of his head and walked out of the reception hall.

*

Hong Geol-gae devoted himself to the Yun Gi Haeng Gong at the reception hall, while Dang Mu-jin and Hyeon-gong strolled around the Mudangpa grounds.

There were many people in the premises. There was no reason for the shamans who had entered the renowned shaman sect to remain quietly locked in their rooms.

Dang Mu-jin asked.

“What are we going to do now?”

“The beginning of human relationships is getting to know people’s faces, talking to them, and building rapport. You have to get to know them first.”

They say that even a puppy that is born one night can become arrogant in its own neighborhood.

Hyungong walked through the Mudangpa grounds with a confident gait, and Dangmujin followed behind him to see what Hyungong was doing.

Then, I noticed a young man sitting alone, not socializing with other people.

Looking at him, it was clear that he was a reviewer from somewhere, but since he was unfamiliar with the face, Dang Mu-jin couldn’t guess who he was.

But Hyungong was different. He approached the young man and spoke to him.

“It looks like you’re from the Moyong family.”

“Yes? Do you know me?”

The young man answered with a start.

I thought I had an acquaintance with Hyun-gong, but it turns out that wasn’t the case.

Hyun-gong continued his story as if flowing water.

“This is our first meeting. However, the fame of the Murong family is well known throughout the Central Plains, so it is not difficult to guess where you came from just by looking at your demeanor.”

The young man seemed glad that someone else had spoken to him when he was feeling lonely. However, he was not able to continue the conversation as skillfully as Hyun-gong.

“Thank you. However, I am not very knowledgeable and do not know who you are. Oh, by the way, my name is Murongbu.”

“My name is not widely known, so it is natural that you do not know me. I am the Hyeon-gong of the Mudang faction, and my friend next to me is the Dang Mu-jin of the Dang family.”

“The Rising Dragon Sword, and the Righteous Dragon!”

The young man who introduced himself as Mo Yong-bu was startled.

The expression on his face as if he doesn’t know if it’s a dream or reality, since the well-known Ji-su Lee recognized him first and approached him.

Hyun-gong spoke to Murong-bu with a calm yet warm expression.

“I have only heard of the fame of the Moyong family, so I do not know much. Can we talk for a moment?”

“Yes, of course!”

Hyun-gong listened to Murong-bu’s story and played the janggu in unison.

After about a year, Hyun-gong and Murong-bu became so close that they could almost be called best friends.

“Brother Mo Yong. I have something to do now, so I’ll go. Let’s talk more later.”

“Yes, yes!”

Dang Mu-jin was amazed at how Hyun-gong quickly made connections with the Murong family.

“What, how did you know that guy came from Murong Segae? Has he ever been to Murong Segae?”

“No. Of course I haven’t been there. But I’ve heard about it.”

Hyun-gong continued his story calmly.

“Unlike the ordinary Central Plains sects, the Murong Sect is located in the far northeastern Liaoning. It is a remote area that cannot even enter the Sapa region. That is why they are different from ordinary people.”

“What’s different?”

“The appearance and speech resembles that of northern barbarians. The facial features are small and dense. Furthermore, the clothing is different.”

After listening to the story, I got the feeling that Mo Yong-bu’s facial features were a little different from those of an ordinary person.

However, in Dang Mu-jin’s eyes, Murong Bu’s clothing was no different from that of an ordinary person.

“What’s different about doubles?”

“I heard that Liaoning is colder than this area. Even though it’s autumn weather, the fabric is thick, and the sleeves and the ankles of the pants are a bit narrow. They must have developed a habit of wearing clothes to keep out the cold wind.”

Dang Mu-jin was secretly impressed.

Hyun-gong’s brain was beyond the realm of ordinary people. It did seem like he was using his smart brain for something a little strange.

Apart from the Mo Yong-bu, there were many people who could not mix with other people and just wandered around.

It is the result of a mixture of the wariness that comes with staying in an unfamiliar place, the embarrassment of approaching others first, and the strong pride that is characteristic of martial artists.

Hyun-gong approached these superficial people, talked to them, and built a friendship by subtly showing them off, and then gathered these people together.

“I’ll be going now. Oh, by the way, Brother Mo-yong and Brother Hong will be over there. I’m sure they’ll be able to communicate well with Brother Gong, so why don’t you have a chat? If you tell them my name, they’ll definitely be happy to see me.”

“Ahem. Okay, I see.”

While the elders of each clan and sect were busy talking amongst themselves and not paying attention to the younger sect members, Hyungong began to recruit the younger sect members.

Their only point of contact is the void. Therefore, they will constantly be reminded of the only point of contact, the void.

The party was amazed at the way he expanded his influence in a clever and natural way.

When Hyun-gong gathered the five or so later indexes together, an ominous atmosphere was felt.

Unlike other people who were polite to each other even when they were talking to each other, someone was raising their voice. It wasn’t to the point of shouting, but the voice clearly showed their discomfort.

What’s even more troubling is that the voice was coming from the direction where Hyun-gong had gathered the people.

“Let’s go!”

Indeed, two of the people that Hyun-gong had gathered were growling and arguing. Murong Bu of Murong Family, who Hyun-gong had met first, and Akso-gun of Shandong Music Family, who Hyun-gong had spoken to last.

“···The Murong clan is like bats that side with the Sapa clan when its power is strong, and side with the Jeong clan when its power is strong. What on earth is their ulterior motive for coming here?”

“You keep talking nonsense. Aren’t you ashamed? If that’s the family tradition of the evil family, then I have nothing to say.”

“Nonsense? It’s obvious that they’re stuck in a place that’s a long way north of the Yellow River, doing nothing but collusion. Is there anyone who doesn’t know that in the last Battle of Zhengshi, a Murong family warrior was captured and executed after helping a Sapa family warrior?”

“He committed a crime against the Murong clan and fled. It has been a long time since the Murong clan severed ties with him, so how can you blame the Murong clan?”

“Even excuses are beyond expectations!”

Mo Yong-bu swung his waistband once. But when he couldn’t hold the sword handle in his hand, he clenched his fist.

If I hadn’t put down my sword in Haegeomji, I would have definitely drawn my sword by now.

It is common for martial artists to get into fights when they gather together. No one knew that a fight would break out this time. Weren’t the martial artists of the Jeongpa the ones who had nothing left but pride?

There are two problems. The fact that Hyun-gong gathered them together, and the fact that there were quite a few eyes watching the fight.

To make matters worse, the heads of the Murong family and the Shandong family were not present.

The elders of other sects and Sega were watching the situation without hastily interfering. There was no way things would turn out well if they interfered in this kind of fight.

In other words, the only person who could sort out this situation was Hyun-gong.

Dang Mu-jin also took a half step back and watched how Hyun-gong would resolve the situation.

“Stop fighting!”

Hyun-gong’s response started out normally.

To separate two people by coming into the middle.

The problem is this:

Hyun-gong must appease one of the two men first.

The martial artists tend to try to decide the winner even in the smallest details, and this can be seen as a de facto victory by decision.

Because mediators usually try to calm down people with high status, power, and prestige first.

People’s eyes were focused on Hyun-gong.

Who will Hyun-gong calm down first?

Which of the Shandong musicians and Murong Sei do you think is more superior to the Wudangpa?

Hyun-gong’s head was spinning busily.

No matter how wise he was, it was not easy for him to take sides with either the Shandong Ark or the Murong Sega.

‘I heard that the Murong clan is considerably more powerful than the Shandong clan.’

‘But the distance to Mo Yong-se is too far. I don’t know how much help he will be in the future. It’s not for nothing that he’s not properly integrated into the Central Plains martial arts world and is just wandering around.’

‘That said, it would be difficult to take the side of the Shandong musicians. If a master who could be of great help appears in the future, it will most likely come from the Murong family, not the Shandong musicians.’

‘However, the Shandong musicians are known for their fiery tempers. If they are even slightly upset here, it is certain that they will show a sour attitude at the meeting.’

I can’t take sides.

This time, Hyun-gong felt a subtle dizziness. A dizziness that was somewhat familiar. However, it was an unfamiliar sensation. A strange sensation as if his energy and blood were slightly distorted.

Hyun-gong sent the message half-consciously, without leaning towards either of them.

-I’m going to say a few harsh words to that bald idiot who doesn’t know where he is from, so please step back and look at my face for now.

The moment Hyun-gong sent the message, a pleased smile appeared on the faces of everyone in Murongbu and Aksogun.

Surprisingly, the sound of the bell was transmitted to both sides simultaneously.

Both Murongbu and Aksogun laughed and retreated, but Hyeon-gong remained in that spot for a long time without moving.