Chapter 157
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 157
Chapter 157. The Purpose of Bloodshed (1)
The villagers treated the disciples of the Wudang Sect with the utmost respect.
That alone was enough to understand the significance of the Wudang Sect in the surrounding villages.
As he was resting, he felt something moving in his sleeve.
When I reached in, I found that Geum-ryeong had crawled into my sleeve.
This guy is really bold.
But when I saw him tapping my sleeve repeatedly, it seemed like he wanted to tell me something.
I got up from my seat.
“I'll be right back.”
“Yes, sir.”
I quietly headed for a place where there were few people.
“Geum-ryung. Come here.”
At my call, Geum-ryung poked her head out and placed something in my hand.
I was surprised to see a golden fruit and said to Geum-ryung.
“This is poisonous! If you eat this, you'll be in big trouble...”
No.
It looked very similar, but the stem was dark red, and if you looked closely, you could see something like a white restaurant.
“...!”
This is a divine treasure.
“Where did you find this?”
In response to my question, Geum-ryung came down to the floor and pointed somewhere with her tail.
Then, she drew a square with her front paws and drew a circle inside it.
She must have brought it from somewhere in a box.
The mysterious medicine that Baek Cheon Trading Company had purchased was undoubtedly in my hands.
I could tell by the blood-like smell coming from the fruit.
I quickly put it in my secret storage.
If anyone found out what I had, it could lead to an unwanted conflict.
My heart was pounding.
Thanks to the royal decree, I was able to easily thwart the Blood Cult's plan to restore their member's body, but I couldn't relax yet.
The Martial Alliance I knew were people who would do anything to achieve their goals, even if it meant obtaining other magical herbs.
Furthermore, there are people here with ulterior motives.
However, they appear to be very kind, and not everyone in this village is like that.
The villagers who provided shelter for me and the Wudang Sect are also ordinary residents.
Only I can tell the difference, and there is no way to prove what I say.
Then there is only one thing to do.
We must deal with them when they make their move.
The term “felon in the act” does not exist for no reason.
“Kui! Kui!”
Geum-ryeong looked at me with shining eyes, as if expecting praise.
“Yes, well done.”
“Kui?”
I thought he would let me do the work for free this time, but he is not letting it go.
He's so thorough in this regard.
I took a silver coin out of my pocket and gave it to Geum-ryeong, who swallowed it whole.
We finished our errands and returned to the Wudang Sect.
The next morning.
I got up from my bed and practiced qigong.
Perhaps because the energy of Wudang Mountain was so pure, the energy I felt through qigong felt very clean.
When I finished, I heard Lee Pil's voice outside.
“Liege, it's time for breakfast.”
“Yes, I'm coming.”
*
Jin-seon, the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, stood on a high tower and gazed down at the valley below.
From this tower, the highest point in the Wudang Sect, he could see the entire view at a glance.
“Sect Leader.”
He turned his head toward the voice calling him.
“Elder Jin.”
The person who approached him was Elder Jin.
“What are you doing here? Do you have something on your mind?”
The Sect Leader laughed heartily at his question.
“Is that why you came? Are you worried about me?”
“Isn't that natural?”
The Sect Leader's Dao name was Jinsun.
This meant that the Sect Leader and Jin-jin were of the same rank.
They were the same age and had been close friends since childhood, so they knew each other well.
Whenever Sect Leader Jin-sun had something on his mind, he had a habit of climbing up high places and looking down.
Fortunately, since becoming Sect Leader, he couldn't leave his post for long periods of time.
Before he became Sect Leader, he used to climb to the highest peak of Moo-dang Mountain, and it was quite difficult to find him.
“Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes, I did. Have you eaten, Elder?”
“Yes.”
Elder Jin-jin nodded and asked cautiously.
“So, what is troubling you?”
The Sect Leader sighed heavily and said.
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
“What?”
“I'm going to be away for a while, right? I don't know if it's because of that, but I feel uneasy.”
Elder Jin calmed him down.
“Nothing will happen. We are Wudang Sect disciples.”
“That's true.”
This time, the Wudang Sect had to go to the Zhongnan Sect with the Sect Leader and several Elders, along with their disciples from the 24th and 25th generations.
It was for a friendly duel between the two sects.
The friendly duel had been held every fall for a very long time.
Last fall, the duel was scheduled to take place, but due to circumstances at the Zhongnan Sect, it was postponed and ended up being held at the beginning of this year.
Therefore, they had to leave for the Zhongnan Sect soon.
However, no matter how much he thought about it, he felt uneasy and anxious.
In fact, he had seen Jinmu Daeje in his dream last night.
Unlike him, who was excited, Jinmu Daeje's expression was very stern.
That made him feel uneasy.
He had a premonition that something bad was going to happen.
“I strongly feel that Jinmu Daeje appeared in my dream to warn me of something. Come to think of it...”
Jinmu Daeje said to him.
“Trust that bold Eun.”
He only said that, but he had no idea what it meant.
The strong smell of blood wafted from him.
That made him even more uneasy.
“Blood? That reminds me of that damn Blood Cult Leader.”
He wanted to kill him right away, but he had no choice but to put him in confinement.
The Sect Leader, whose thoughts had reached him, asked the Elder, “Is that still the case?”
“Yes, it is.”
Realizing what he meant, the Elder replied.
“Yes, it is still the same.”
“To be honest, I am uneasy. We had no choice but to imprison him, but isn't he like a time bomb that could explode at any moment?”
“That is true.”
After thinking silently for a moment, the Sect Leader asked the Elder.
“Come to think of it, I heard that Mister Eun Seo-ho's attendant was hit by a wooden sword wielded by one of your disciples.”
“Yes, that's right. Fortunately, he wasn't seriously injured.”
“I gave him permission to look around the Wudang Sect, but it's a shame that it was cut short. I guess his trip was interrupted, wasn't it?”
“I'm afraid so.”
“...Have you ever seen Mister Eun Seo-ho?”
“Yes. I saw him by chance, and I thought he was very insightful despite his young age.”
“What happened to make you think he was insightful?”
“Well...”
Elder Jin told Sect Leader about what he had seen and heard about Eun Seo-ho, and Sect Leader nodded in admiration.
“What a pity. He seemed so energetic, and he had such insight! If he had become a disciple of our sect, he would have made the name of the martial arts school famous throughout the Central Plains.”
“I wanted that too.”
Elder Jin also expressed his regret.
If Eun Seo-ho had not learned other martial arts, he would have invited him to join the sect regardless of his age.
Not only Sect Leader Jin, but Elder Jin was also a master who had reached the highest level of martial arts.
That was why they knew that Eun Seo-ho was already a master who had reached the peak of his skills.
A few days ago, when Eun Seo-ho made a donation and asked to look around the Wudang Sect, Sect Leader Jin was a little suspicious.
However, after observing him, he felt a surprisingly clear and pure energy and readily agreed.
And now, he thought he knew who the bold young man named Eun was who had appeared in his dream and spoken to him.
“Someone with such a pure and gentle aura can be trusted.”
He said to Elder Jin.
“We must allow Young Master Eun Seo-ho to look around here for a few more days. And please take good care of this place while I am away.”
“Yes, sir.”
* *
As we were enjoying our morning tea after breakfast at the guest hall, Hall Leader Baekmun suddenly came to see us.
“I heard that you were unable to see everything in the main building due to the accident last time.”
“Yes, that's right.”
“The Sect Leader felt sorry about that and said he would allow you to see the main building for a few more days.”
“Really? I was actually about to give up, as it was a shame.”
I wanted to go inside one more time anyway.
No matter how much I thought about it, it was clear that there was an accomplice of the Martial Alliance inside.
Therefore, we had to find that accomplice to prevent the bloodshed.
Even though I had stolen the Shining Jade Room, I couldn't say that the matter was completely resolved.
The person who came to guide us was someone we had never seen before.
“My name is Myung-guk from the Ho Cheong-dae. I have been ordered by the Sect Leader to guide Mister Eun Seo-ho and his party.”
“I am Eun Seo-ho, the Captain of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
We wore passes around our necks and entered the Wudang Sect.
However, unlike usual, the atmosphere within the compound seemed somewhat agitated.
“It feels more lively than usual.”
“It's probably because of the duel with the Zhongnan Sect.”
“If it's a duel, will the twenty-five disciples be attending?”
“The twenty-five disciples and twenty-four disciples will be attending.”
That's why someone new came to guide us instead of Gong Lun Dao.
As a 26th generation disciple, Mu Yun Dao still has a lot to learn before he can be entrusted with guiding others.
“That's why Sect Leader and several Elders are leading the disciples to the Zhongnan Sect.”
That answered one of my questions.
I had wondered why the Wudang Sect had failed to stop the rampaging Blood Cult in my previous life, but now I understood.
It was because the Sect Leader and many other masters were at the Zhongnan Sect for the duel.
But then another question arose.
That happened in the fall, didn't it? It's already winter now.
My question was answered by Ming Guo.
“It's usually held in the fall, but this time it was postponed for a few months due to circumstances at the Zhongnan Sect.”
“I see.”
In that case, the Martial Alliance must have done something to delay the duel.
“That's why the disciples are training so hard, and because of that atmosphere, it seems that the young disciples held the duel in an unauthorized area.”
“That's understandable at their age.”
We looked around, focusing on places we hadn't seen before.
As we were looking around, we came to a pavilion.
“Where is this?”
“This is where the Jinmu Daeje is enshrined. Please go in this way.”
We entered the pavilion. Then we saw a painting hanging on the front wall.
It was a fierce face dressed in black, and the aura emanating from the painting was very similar to the aura I felt in my dream.
Was the person who appeared in my dream really Jinmu Daeje?
Well, then he wouldn't be evil energy.
With such meaningless thoughts, we left that place and headed for another building.
.
.
.
I spent the entire afternoon looking around the Wudang Sect, but I didn't see anyone suspicious.
Of course, if it were easy to find, such a thing wouldn't have happened in my past life.
That means I have to focus my attention there all day long.
I returned the pass I had around my neck to Mingguo Dao.
However, he did not take it.
“Just keep it.”
“What? I was told to return it today.”
“That's the rule, but the Sect Leader gave me special instructions. He said to keep it until he returns.”
“I see. I understand.”
I wondered if the Sect Leader knew my intentions and had instructed him to do so.
Meikoku Dojo warned me again.
“Be careful not to lose that permit.”
Of course, I'll be careful.
If I lose it, I won't be able to go inside if something happens.
“That permit not only allows you to enter, but also allows you to carry weapons within the Wudang Sect's territory.”
“...!”
Being able to carry weapons in the Wudang Sect's territory meant more than he had thought.
He had to be really careful not to lose this permit.
* * *
Beep! Beep!
He heard the sound of a whistle.
The Blood Cult Leader, who had been imprisoned, opened his eyes.
The time had finally come.
He slowly recalled the martial arts techniques he had learned.
So that he could use them immediately after recovering his body.
Squeak.
Something unusual was passed through the small hole where his meals were usually placed.
It was a golden fruit.
The Blood Cult Leader smiled. The elixir had arrived, just as he had been told.
He picked up the golden fruit and swallowed it whole.
The fruit melted in his mouth, leaving a sweet taste and no trace behind.
At the same time, the energy of the elixir began to circulate within his body.
He practiced breathing techniques to absorb the energy of the elixir.
Once his body recovered, he would break the chains that bound him and destroy this damn pavilion.
Then he would completely destroy the Wudang Sect.
He would begin his revenge against the Wudang Sect, which had imprisoned him here for over twenty years, and against the world...
Gurgle.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his stomach.
Could it be...?