Tangmunjeon - Chapter 293



Only Noblemtl

Episode 293: Flames

Hong Geol-gae, who had been listening to the story silently, expressed his feelings.

“Are the Sapha people just fools?”

People’s eyes were focused on Hong Geol-gae.

If it were the old Hong Geol-gae, he would have cowered a little, but after entering the realm of the super-climax, Hong Geol-gae became a little cocky. Hong Geol-gae tapped the floor with his baton to the beat.

“It’s only natural that the martial artists of the Righteous Sect got caught up in the plan of the Demonic Cult. They didn’t know about the plan of the Demonic Cult, they didn’t know that the Demonic Cult was behind the Sect, and they were defending against the Sect’s attacks. But why did the martial artists of the Righteous Sect get caught up in the plan of the Demonic Cult? Don’t they know full well that the martial artists of the Demonic Cult are using them to attack the martial artists of the Righteous Sect?”

A sharp question, unusual for a Hong Geul-gae. The Ghost King answered immediately.

“It’s simple. Because it’s the best option for them.”

Since the King of Ghosts was already lowering his posture, he decided to definitely lower his posture as well, and he used honorifics towards Hong Geol-gae as well.

Well, since both of my arms are broken, it would be best to remain humble in front of Hong Geol-gae for now.

The ghost king continued his story.

“You probably know that in the Northern and Southern Safa martial arts world, there are very few large sects. Having few sects means that it is difficult to enter a sect, and being difficult to enter a sect means that it is difficult to learn the martial arts of ascension. Except for a select few, Safa martial artists are forced to spend their entire lives practicing crude martial arts.”

Dang Mu-jin thought of Jang Il-nam.

One day, Jang Il-nam showed Dang Mu-jin the martial arts he had learned from his old master.

It was a martial art so messy and childish that I wondered if it could even be called a martial art.

“For the majority of Sapha warriors who have not mastered the martial arts of ascension, there is only one way to become stronger. It is through actual combat, risking one’s life. Believing in crude martial arts and risking one’s life to advance to the next level is the life of a Sapha warrior. Since this is the reality, the Sapha warriors’ obsession with the martial arts of ascension is beyond your imagination.”

The ghost king’s voice lowered slightly.

“What’s more problematic is that actual combat doesn’t guarantee progress. In fact, there are many cases where you don’t gain anything even if you fight. However, if we… no, if we fight under the orders of the Demonic Cult and survive, we can definitely progress. We can gain experience in combat just the same, and the Demonic Cult even teaches us martial arts.”

Of course, a fight induced by the Demonic Cult would be a bit more dangerous than a normal real fight.

But there must be many Sapha warriors who can take such a risk. Those who cannot endure the hardships of life have already put down their swords.

“Hmm.”

Namgung Myung and Hyeon Gong understood the story of the ghost king, but they could not empathize deeply with it. This was because the two of them had lived a life prepared with martial arts to learn since they were very young.

For Namgung Myung and Hyeon Gong, martial arts is simply a question of ‘how far can one learn it?’

Hong Geol-gae snorted as he noticed Namgung Myung and Hyeon-gong’s intentions.

“You guys are like gold and jade, growing up you don’t know how precious martial arts are. Do you think great martial arts are something that is given to you for granted? You too should experience how the world is not that easy.”

Namgung Myeong found Hong Geol-gae’s story unpleasant but was unable to refute it, but Hyeon-gong was different.

“Wait a minute. Are you disparaging the martial arts skills and achievements of Elder Ma Jeon-gae, who first taught you martial arts?”

“Of course I didn’t mean it like that…!”

Hong Geol-gae was terrified, but Hyeon-gong was not shaken.

“You don’t need to make excuses to me. Let’s hear the rest of the story later when we go to Juulchon and visit Elder Ma’s grave.”

“···.”

Hong Geol-gae kept his mouth shut because he felt like he would get more involved if he opened his mouth.

*

The group joined the monks of Shaolin Temple and the Gaebangdo people they had left behind in the previous villages.

“The manager passed away?”

“Yes.”

The monks of Shaolin Temple seemed quite shocked by the news of the new monk’s death, but no one showed any overt emotional distress.

The life of a martial artist is bound to be a companion to death, and the monks of Shaolin Temple are no exception.

The story that Shin Seung showed incredible performance at the end was also a great comfort. In a way, isn’t it the most ideal death a martial artist can face?

However, the monks of Shaolin Temple looked at the Ghost King with unfavorable eyes. When the Ghost King was embarrassed, Wanli Sheng stepped forward and stopped the monks of Shaolin Temple.

“Of course, the Ghost King is also guilty, but I will leave the disposal of the Ghost King to the Cheongseongpa, Jongnampa, and Gongdongpa. The target of the Shaolin Temple is Guangyeomra, and the leader of the Demonic Cult.”

The monks of Shaolin Temple accepted Wanli Sheng’s story with a mind to empathize with others.

If another sect had caught Guangyeomra and disposed of him directly, the monks of Shaolin Temple would have felt resentful. It would be right to leave the disposal of the Ghost King to the sect that holds the deepest grudge against him.

The ghost king trembled slightly and unconsciously took a half step towards Hyungong.

As Hyungong had promised, he would be able to save his life if he received help from Cheongseong, Jongnam, and Gongdongpa.

However, contrary to the expectations of the Ghost King, Hyungong had no intention of actively defending the Ghost King in front of the three sect masters. Hadn’t the goal of extracting information already been achieved? The Ghost King was of little use now.

‘···No, now that I think about it, there’s one thing left to do.’

Hyungong walked silently not far from the ghost king to start a conversation naturally. As expected, the ghost king asked Hyungong.

“Daehyeop Jeong-eon. I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“By any chance, if the Light Flame also cooperates like me, do you plan to protect the Light Flame?”

Hyun-gong thought for a moment and then shook his head.

“That’s not true. Didn’t Gwangyeomra push Gwihyung away and run away at the end? Unlike Gwihyung who is kind-hearted, Gwangyeomra is a rotten author from the beginning, so there’s no need to try to forgive him.”

Hyun-gong secretly drew a line between the Ghost King and Gwang-yeom-ra, praising the Ghost King and criticizing the Gwang-yeom-ra.

This is a technique I learned from watching Dang Mu-jin in the past at Sima Se-ga.

It’s comforting to hear that you are better than others.

As expected, the Ghost King’s expression brightened a little.

At that time, Sulhwa, who was staying in the village with the monks of Shaolin Temple, approached Hyeon-gong, grabbed his sleeve, and said.

“Baekhyang-ah?”

Just by mentioning the name, you can tell what he wants to say. Hyun-gong conveyed the intention of the story to the ghost king.

“Brother Ear. Have you ever heard the name Baekhyang-ah while you were living in the North?”

The ghost king frowned and repeated Baek Hyang-ah’s name several times.

“Baekhyang-ah… Baekhyang-ah. I think I’ve heard it before… Ah!”

“Is that a familiar name?”

“Aren’t you the young lady who has mastered the Yin Qigong of Ascension?”

As expected, the ghost king seemed to know about Baek Hyang-ah. Dang Mu-jin, who was standing next to him, also pricked up his ears.

“How do you know about Baekhyang-ah?”

“I heard from Gwangyeomra. He said that he sent an interesting woman to the cult leader.”

“Tell me everything you know about Baek Hyang-ah. Anything is fine.”

“I don’t know much. I heard that by some stroke of luck, she possesses tremendous internal energy that cannot be obtained at a young age. She also learned the Yin Han Qigong of Ascension that I have never seen before, and it suits her constitution perfectly, so her achievements are said to be quite remarkable.”

Seol-hwa’s hand, which was holding Hyun-gong’s sleeve, was trembling.

I couldn’t tell if it was anger towards Baek Hyang-ah or joy at finally finding a clue.

However, it was not a big problem for Hyun-gong. He could have taken advantage of this situation and sneakily grabbed Seol-hwa’s hand. As expected, Seol-hwa’s hand was gentle.

Hyun-gong thought about it while secretly touching Seol-hwa’s hand, then lowered his voice and asked the ghost king.

“Hey, brother.”

“yes.”

“By any chance, do you have any plans to return to the Demonic Cult?”

Suddenly, Hyeon-gong thought that the expression “Gwi-hyeong” was a bit strange. It was like taking one character from “Hyeon-gong” in “Jeong-eon” and calling it “Jeong-hyeong.” Of course, Gwi-wang was not particularly dissatisfied.

The ghost king was startled by Hyun-gong’s question.

“How could that be! I will reflect, wash away my sins, and start a new life in the Jeongpa martial arts world! Of course, that is only if the masters of the Gongdongpa, Cheongseongpa, and Jongnampa forgive me…”

Perhaps thinking that Hyun-gong’s story was some kind of trap, a model answer-like story flowed out of the ghost king’s mouth.

It wasn’t just a model answer that wasn’t in the least bit sincere. The ghost king’s story of not going to the Demonic Cult sounded somewhat sincere.

The Ghost King’s broken arms were not an injury that would completely heal in a few months of treatment.

In other words, the Ghost King may have to live a life where he cannot display his martial arts skills. This means that there is a high probability that he will not be able to hold a high position again in the Demonic Cult that values ​​strength.

It would be fortunate if he could not occupy a high position. Someone who held a grudge in the past might come to the Ghost King and try to kill him. The Ghost King must have many enemies.

The ghost king spoke in a desperate voice.

“···If I have one wish left, it is to spend the rest of my life copying Buddhist scriptures after my arm gets better. I think the Buddha would be pleased with it. I have read quite a few Buddhist scriptures at Potala Palace, so I may be able to be of some help to the monks at Shaolin Temple.”

Even to Dang Mu-jin, who was nearby, it didn’t sound like a very sincere story. This was because while the Ghost King was talking about Buddhist scriptures, he was secretly glancing at the monks of the Shaolin Temple nearby.

No matter how you look at it, it seems like they are trying to show off their value by talking about Buddhist scriptures and stories about Buddha.

However, the monks of Shaolin Temple looked a little bit relieved.

I had a feeling that if things continued this way, the monks of Shaolin Temple might secretly take the Ghost King’s side and somehow save his life.

Hyun-gong waved his hand.

“No, I’m not. I didn’t bring up the story about the Demonic Cult because I suspected you, hyung.”

“Then why···?”

“Because I thought that if the circumstances were right, it would be a good idea for me to go to the Demonic Cult.”

“Huh?”

When the ghost king was startled, Seolhwa shook Hyeon-gong’s sleeve.

“What are you talking about? Please teach me too!”

“I’ll explain it to you in a bit, so please wait a moment. It’s important.”

Hyun-gong spoke to Seol-hwa in a meaningful tone.

It was a sweet voice that made Dang Mu-jin and Nam Gung-myeong want to hit Hyeon-gong on the back of the head.

The ghost king asked with his voice very low.

“Why are you going to the Demonic Cult?”

“Hasn’t it been said since ancient times that if you keep your distance, you will be victorious in a hundred battles?”

Hyun-gong pretended to have a serious expression on his face.

“From what I’ve learned from your story, the leader of the Demonic Cult must be quite skilled. However, it’s not easy to fully understand the opponent’s skills just by hearing their stories. I think someone needs to take the risk and infiltrate the Demonic Cult to learn about the leader’s accomplishments. It would be even better if we could find out the weaknesses of the magical arts that the leader has mastered.”

I will risk my life to infiltrate the Demonic Cult and check the power of the Demonic Cult leader and the Demonic Cult’s warriors.

Not only the Ghost King, but also the monks and followers of Shaolin Temple nearby nodded in admiration at the bold idea.

But there was one thing people didn’t understand.

The saying, “If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will never be in danger” may not be true in a fight between many and many.

If you have literally overwhelming power, what does it matter whether the enemy knows you or not?

However, in personal life, the saying that if you are persistent, you will be defeated in a hundred battles applies very well. This is exactly what Hyun-gong was inspired by.

Hyun-gong collected his thoughts.

‘The sect and the demonic cult. You need to accurately understand the power of both sides to make a definite decision on which side to join. If you can infiltrate the demonic cult, the situation will be perfect.’

‘If you are sure that the sect can win, you can return to the sect without hesitation. You can become a hero who takes on the most dangerous role and finds out the cult leader’s weakness. You can also learn about Baek Hyang-ah from the Demonic Cult. You can gain honor and love.’

‘If the political faction seems to be losing, you can sneakily join the Demonic Cult. They say the Demonic Cult has great influence, but there aren’t many people my age who can compare to me. I can definitely take on important roles.’

‘The leader of the Demonic Cult said that he has no successor. However, the leader of the Demonic Cult will try to choose a successor before the Great Demon War. If I go ahead and build up my achievements now, I might just barely become the leader’s successor. No, the chances are quite high. If I become the leader’s successor and punish Baek Hyang-ah, I can also win Seol-hwa’s love.’

‘Becoming a hero of the sect and winning love, or becoming the successor of the leader of the Demonic Cult and winning love. Both are good. It’s right to go over to the Demonic Cult now. The problem is how to go over···.’

Of course, the monks and practitioners of Shaolin Temple could not see through Hyun-gong’s thoughts. They just felt like the agony of a young hero.

The only people who can even slightly see into Hyun-gong’s inner thoughts are Dang Mu-jin, Hong Geol-gae, and Nam-gung Myeong.

Unlike the other people who were amazed after hearing Hyeon-gong’s story, Dang Mu-jin and his party were each lost in thought.

‘That guy has some kind of plan.’

‘Are you doing that to look good in front of Lady Seolhwa?’

‘Are you going to betray me based on the situation? No. Even if he’s Hyun-gong, he wouldn’t do that. No. Now that I think about it, I think that guy could do it···.’

For a moment, it felt like the surroundings had become a little quiet.

Hyungong looked around. People were glancing at him.

Wanli Seung pushed his way through the crowd and approached with brisk strides, standing in front of Hyeon-gong.

It is a long-standing tradition that evildoers cower before great monks with outstanding magical powers. Since even Hyun-gong could not be completely free from that tradition, he cowered without realizing it.

Even Wanli Sheng was not an ordinary monk. In fact, he should be considered the abbot of Shaolin Temple.

However, the moment he made eye contact with Wanli Seung, the fear in Hyungong’s heart completely disappeared.

Because all that was in Wanli Seung’s eyes was worry and concern.

Manryeokseung said.

“Jeong-eon. Think again. That’s too risky a choice.”

Hyun-gong shook his head.

“In any war, countless arrows are bound to fly back and forth. Some arrows will lodge in the enemy general’s neck, but most will hit a rock and break ungracefully. However, no one would say that an arrow that broke on a rock is worthless. Isn’t war about one glory being placed on top of countless sacrifices?”

The story of Hyun-gong continued like a flowing stream in a green mountain.

“I am well aware that I may not be the most glorious arrow. Some arrows must fly first and break first. Someone has to do it, sooner or later, and there is no reason why I should be an exception.”

Manryeokseung listened quietly to the story, then sighed deeply.

“Everyone seeks their own safety. Why do you take on such a role?”

Hyun-gong smiled with dignity.

“Is there an arrow that cannot leave the bowstring for fear of breaking?”

Dang Mu-jin, Nam-gung Myung, and Hong Geol-gae. Everyone except for the three people were deeply impressed.

Akgu Gyesung Cheongbok looked like he was about to cry.

“If there were just three people like you in the martial arts world, we wouldn’t be in danger no matter what troubles came. How regrettable.”

Of course, Dang Mu-jin’s thoughts were different.

If there were three of you, it would be a great blessing as there would be no more sick people in the Central Plains martial arts world.

If the number of Honggeolgae increases to three, there won’t be any major problems in the martial arts world.

It wouldn’t be the worst if Namgung Myung increased to three. It would just be a bit confusing, but nothing serious would happen.

However, the fact that the number of Hyun-gongs has increased to three means the destruction of the Jeongpa martial arts world.

Manryukseung shook his head.

“If someone like you were to become the center, we could unite the Jeongpa martial arts world. I wonder when the Jeongpa martial arts world will be able to become one···.”

Although Wanli Sheng did not notice it, thanks to that one word, the probability of Hyungong betraying the Jeongpa was slightly reduced.

Because I thought that if I remained in the party, I might be able to become something more than just an independent leader.

Hyun-gong responded with a humble bow.

“Don’t worry too much. When the moment of great crisis approaches, the martial arts world of the Jeongpa will surely become one.”