Chapter 337 |
Chapter 337
Record of the Demon Sovereign's Retur
It was scorching.
It felt as if he had been dragged into the Extreme Heat Hell, one of the Eight Hells mentioned in the Diamond Sutra .
Flames were rising all around, and the heat was so intense that it was hard to breathe.
Amidst this, he heard the sound of sutras being chanted, sounding like the voice of Buddha.
However, upon closer listening, the voice was not that of Buddha.
'...Has Master Uncle Hye-dam also been dragged into the Extreme Heat Hell?'
The voice of Hye-dam, which he knew so well, was echoing all around.
It seemed unbelievable, but somehow, Mu-gung found it convincing.
'He did say he had accumulated significant karma from the battle with Salmak .'
As Mu-gung started to accept the reality that he had fallen into hell...
'...?'
Part of the scorching gridiron heating his entire body disappeared.
No, more than disappearing, he felt a cool sensation on various parts of his skin.
It was strange.
Even though it felt cool, the sensation somehow felt warm.
Thanks to this coolness, he found the strength to endure the heat that was pressing in on him from all sides.
"Hoo."
Mu-gung exhaled a hot breath as his completely blocked airway opened up.
With his breathing restored and the strength to withstand the heat, Mu-gung soon realized something important.
The heat that had filled and tried to burn him from all sides was actually coming from within himself.
'Master Uncle Hye-dam is still trying to save me.'
Following the voice of Hye-dam echoing around him, he focused his mind and began to control his internal energy.
He regulated the boiling energy, sometimes harshly and sometimes gently, guiding the wild Extreme Yang Energy to his Danjeon .
Having successfully controlled his energy, Mu-gung opened his eyes wide with a deep breath.
Though it was dark all around, Mu-gung could see everything clearly as if he had crossed a wall.nn
It wasn't the Guando where he had fought his last battle, nor did it look like the interior of a carriage.
'A medical room?'
Judging by the strong smell of medicinal herbs permeating the room, it seemed like a medical room.
Having identified his location, Mu-gung soon realized something strange.
He was wrapped in something that was not bandages. Something that felt cold but paradoxically warm, just like in his dream.
Turning his head in confusion, Mu-gung froze.
"Lady... Baek ?"
She was wrapped around his entire body. Due to the size difference, it looked as if a cicada had clung to an old tree.
Was it because he called out to her? Or was it because of his movement? Her closed eyes opened, and she looked up at him.
"You're awake."
She muttered in a low voice, as if still half-asleep.
"W-What is going on?"
In contrast, Mu-gung, also sounding half-asleep, asked in a confused tone.
In response to his question, Baek Ga-ryeong smiled softly and replied.
"You fell into Qi Deviation due to excessive fighting. Your body was like a ball of fire. And I was the same, falling into Qi Deviation. I thought my body had gotten stronger, but this journey must have been too much. My whole body turned into ice. Just like before."
Despite the dizziness, Mu-gung was able to roughly understand the situation from her answer.
Both had fallen into Qi Deviation, with his body burning and hers freezing.
By placing them together, they could protect each other with their respective warmth and coldness.
It was, of course, an absurd solution.
"W-Who suggested such a solution? C-Could it be that Mu-jin forced you to do this?"
Mu-gung asked, thinking that only Mu-jin would do such a thing, but Baek Ga-ryeong shook her head slightly.
"It was my suggestion."
She omitted the details.
It was true she suggested it, but it was thanks to Mu-jin that the suggestion was accepted.
In a world where the saying "men and women should not sit together after the age of seven" was common, it was absurd for a monk to spend the night holding a woman.
Everyone in Shaolin had opposed it, but Mu-jin had pushed through with the excuse that it was a medical act to save lives.
Remembering how Mu-jin had persuaded the high monks of Shaolin, Baek Ga-ryeong smiled softly.
It wasn't because of Mu-jin.
nn
It was because of Mu-gung's anxious expression as he held her.
Feeling mischievous, she wondered how he would react if she wiggled a bit, but she didn't act on it.
After all, Mu-gung, who had just awakened from Qi Deviation, was at risk of falling into it again.
"Haaam."
She yawned, feeling drowsy after having been awakened from a deep sleep.
"It's really warm. I haven't slept so soundly in a long time."
Muttering as she yawned, Baek Ga-ryeong snuggled into Mu-gung's arms as if burrowing under a blanket in winter, falling asleep again.
"..."
"..."
After she fell asleep again, silence returned to the medical room.
The only sound was her gentle, calm breathing.
This was the story outside.
'Amitabha. Amitabha.'
'Mahaprajnaparamita Avalokitesvara.'
'Buddha, please save me!!'
Inside Mu-gung's mind, a fierce storm was raging.
* * *
While Mu-gung was at the brink of life and death in the medical room situated in a corner of the Jeongmumaeng , a meeting was in progress in the Jeongmumaeng main hall.
Mu-jin explained the information he had obtained from the martial arts master of Eumgong , one of the Three Lords of Shinchun , to the meeting attendees.
As the explanation concluded, everyone reacted similarly to Mu-jin.
"Huh..."
"To think they were hiding right under the nose of the imperial palace in Beijing."
"They must be insane. Dreaming of overthrowing the imperial family while nesting right under their nose."
In response to the murmured disbelief of the Wudang Elder , Jegal Muhwan snapped open his fan with a 'pat' sound, changing the atmosphere.
"On the contrary, it's a wise decision. I would have done the same. There's an old saying, 'The darkest place is under the candlestick.' It's hard to think that they would dream of rebellion right under their noses. Moreover," he continued.
"There's also the saying, 'Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles,'" Mu-jin added, pointing with his fan at Mu-jin to indicate agreement.
On the way back to Jeongmumaeng , Mu-jin had been contemplating the information they had obtained this time.
While rescuing Mu-gung and his group, his mind had been filled with worry about them. But after that, due to the patients, they had to move leisurely by carriage.
n
Thanks to this period of contemplation, he found the answer to the question he had previously raised.
"When you think about it, it's simple. Despite their great power, they were hiding and operating covertly, fearing the imperial family. Isn't that strange?" he said.
"What do you mean?" someone asked.
"That they fear the imperial family despite their power," Mu-jin explained.
"Huh. Isn't it because of the imperial family's army of seven hundred thousand soldiers?" Hyun-cheon asked, to which Mu-jin shook his head.
"Would those who aspire to conquer the martial world fear the imperial family's army of seven hundred thousand?"
"......"
A brief silence fell in the main hall, and Mu-jin spoke again after giving everyone time to process their thoughts.
"They must have a rough understanding of the imperial family's power. That's why, despite having the strength to wage war across the entire martial world, they're hiding."
Although the enemies' strength had been considerably weakened by his efforts, if they had pushed forward with force from the beginning, things would have been different.
Because they were scattered across the martial world, dealing with them individually was possible.
"The imperial family's power must be more dangerous than known," Hyun-cheon murmured with a complicated expression, and Jegal Muhwan added.
"Moreover, they seem to understand the imperial family's stance towards the martial world."
As the others looked at him, wondering what he meant, he continued.
"Originally, the imperial family doesn't interfere in martial world affairs under the excuse of non-interference. However, Shinchun believes that if they make a grand move, the imperial family will intervene. Why do you think that is?"
Mu-jin, catching on to something, answered, "Because the martial world hasn't been unified yet."
"Exactly. The imperial family wants the unruly martial world warriors to kill each other. If a single force succeeds in unification, the imperial family is likely to intervene, taking advantage of the weakened state from the war."
"Huh..."
With the inclusion of information about the imperial family, the situation seemed much more complex, and everyone in the main hall sighed deeply, filled with concern.
At that moment, Tang So-mi , who was attending the meeting in place of the Head of Sichuan , spoke up with an idea.
"Then, how about informing the imperial family about Inju and Shinchun?"
"Do you think the imperial family will believe us?" someone responded.
"Still, there's a fifty-fifty chance, isn't there?" Tang So-mi said, but Jegal Muhwan shook his head.
"It's more like a nine-to-one chance. No, more like ninety-nine-to-one."
"???"
As everyone else looked puzzled, Jegal Muhwan explained.
"First, the fact that Shinchun has a rough grasp of the imperial family's power and their stance towards the martial world means that Inju hiding in Beijing has substantial connections. Whether he's holding a major position in the imperial palace or has deep ties with key figures, his influence is likely stronger than our words."
"And the other reason?" Hyun-cheon asked, to which Jegal Muhwan replied.
"As we've figured out, the imperial family doesn't like the unruly martial world warriors. Non-interference is just an excuse to let them kill each other. And if Shinchun and our Jeongmumaeng are preparing for war, the imperial family will see it as a windfall."n
"...Even though Shinchun is aiming for rebellion?" Tang So-mi asked incredulously, to which Jegal Muhwan shrugged.
"The imperial family won't interfere if self-proclaimed martial world warriors, who disregard imperial authority, are fighting the rebels."
"......"
Tang So-mi, speechless, closed her mouth. The others also looked at each other with worried expressions.
Seeing everyone looking concerned, Jegal Muhwan snapped his fan shut, drawing everyone's attention.
"Don't overthink it. If we worry about Inju hiding or the imperial family that hasn't acted yet, we won't be able to do anything."
"Then, what is the Chief Military Strategist's plan?" Hyun-cheon, the leader of the Jeongmumaeng , asked, to which Jegal Muhwan casually replied.
"We should strike the exposed body. For now, we only need to focus on Sa-doryeon ."
Pointing to Mu-jin with his folded fan, Jegal Muhwan continued.
"According to the information obtained by Kwon Je earlier, the branch chief who assassinated the Taegeuk Sword Saint Nosunbae has retreated from the battlefield due to injuries. Now is the perfect time to deal with Sa-doryeon, isn't it?"
Everyone nodded in agreement, but Jegal Jin-hee raised a question.
"Chief Military Strategist. Didn't you say earlier that if the martial world unifies, the imperial family might act?"
As she spoke, the worry that had disappeared from everyone's faces returned. However, neither Jegal Jin-hee nor Mu-jin seemed particularly concerned.
They had a hunch that he had a plan for the aftermath as well.
As expected, Jegal Muhwan replied with his characteristic insincere smile.
"There's no need to worry about that. We can leave the Southern Sky Association alone."
"Ah!"
The Southern Sky Association was a force created by the Guryongbang and Tu-shin Bang , which were fostered by Dao Yuetian , one of the pillars of Seven Evils .
In other words, if Sa-doryeon was removed, they could become the center of the demonic faction.
"Then, after destroying Sa-doryeon, we should pretend to have a bad relationship with the Southern Sky Association," Jegal Jin-hee said.
"Exactly. We'll pretend to cooperate briefly to eliminate a common enemy."
As everyone nodded in agreement with the plan, Mu-jin spoke up.
"Then, we should send a message to the Southern Sky Association and the Namgung family to coordinate the plan to deal with Sa-doryeon."
"Hmm. Indeed, since the Namgung family is also at war with Sa-doryeon, it would be good to join forces."
Hyun-cheon nodded in agreement and then looked at Jegal Muhwan with a puzzled expression.
Jegal Muhwan, who had been speaking confidently, had a face like a broken wooden doll.
"We should... also involve the Namgung family... yes, that's right..."
The thought of having to negotiate with those prideful maniacs gave Jegal Muhwan a headache.