Chapter 339 |
Chapter 339
Water Drops Wearing Away the Stone
Two days later, early morning.
The martial artists of Jeongmumaeng began to depart, maintaining their formation.
Though there was still time before the battle promised with the Southern Sky Association, they decided to set out a day early due to the distance to the battlefield with the Sa-doryeon.
After half a day's journey, they reached Deokheung County in Jiangxi Province, near Dongting Lake in Hunan Province.
Deokheung County, located in the northeastern part of Jiangxi Province, bordered Anhui, Zhejiang, and Fujian Provinces, making it a strategically significant location.
Especially after the reappearance of Hyeok Jin-gang.
The frontlines between the Sa-doryeon and the Namgung family were shifting between Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces, making it easy to join either side.
Jegal Muhwan, who was reading a letter while drinking tea in a teahouse, welcomed Mu-jin.
"You came at just the right time."
Mu-jin greeted him with a half bow and asked as he sat across from him.
"What are your plans now?"
"We have received information on the location of Chongpyo Paja."
Jegal Muhwan said, waving the letter in his hand before bringing it to the candlestick and burning it.
"We plan to move early tomorrow morning to capture Chongpyo Paja."
"Then, should I join the Namgung family separately?"
Jegal Muhwan nodded, and Mu-jin sighed.
"I feel like you're leaving the troublesome Namgung family to me because you don't want to deal with them."
"Haha. Of course not. With Kwon Je absent, someone needs to command the battlefield, so I have to go after Chongpyo Paja."
"Couldn't you go to the Namgung family, and I go after Chongpyo Paja?"
At Mu-jin's question, Jegal Muhwan turned his head slightly and fanned himself.
"Do you think they would listen to my command? Haha. To assist the Namgung family, we need strength rather than intelligence."
Mu-jin glared at the evasive Jegal Muhwan for a moment before sighing and getting up.
"We should arrive early for tomorrow's battle, so I'll head out now."
"I wish you good luck."
After exchanging simple farewells with Jegal Muhwan, Mu-jin headed to the inn where the New Star Unit was resting.
nn
The New Star Unit, composed only of senior disciples, numbered about two hundred, with around a hundred accompanying Mu-jin.
"We will be moving as a separate unit. Prepare your belongings or rest for thirty minutes, and we will depart again."
Mu-jin instructed the senior disciples of the New Star Unit who were with him, and after thirty minutes, they left Deokheung County together.
After another half day's journey, they reached Qingyang County, near Jiuhua Mountain in Anhui Province.
The main forces of the Namgung family were currently stationed in Qingyang County.
The Namgung family, which had once aggressively attacked the Sa-doryeon and pushed them to Zhejiang Province, had retreated back to Anhui Province.
This was because Hyeok Jin-gang, who had been hiding, joined the frontlines of the Namgung family.
With the Namgung family's retreat, Chongpyo Paja, who had been holding the northern front alone, found some leeway, allowing him to sneak out and target Baek Ga-ryeong and Mu-gung's party.
Knowing the Namgung family's location, Mu-jin headed towards their estate.
"Who goes there!"
Mu-jin, along with his half bow, responded to the Namgung family martial artist guarding the entrance.
"I am Mu-jin of Shaolin from Jeongmumaeng. I have come to join with the New Star Unit."
Perhaps due to Mu-jin's recent fame in the martial arts world, the gatekeepers seemed to recognize his name.
Additionally, with many senior disciples from major factions in the New Star Unit, the gatekeepers could easily identify them.
However, they remained cautious.
"We can only allow one representative inside at this time."
They were at war with the Sa-doryeon, and they couldn't afford to let outsiders in carelessly as they might use disguise techniques or masks to deceive them.
"Jegal Jin-hee, please lead the unit to rest."
Mu-jin entrusted the command of the New Star Unit to Jegal Jin-hee and entered the estate.
Following the guide, he soon stopped in front of a large hall where the guide announced.
"Master, Monk Mu-jin from Jeongmumaeng is here to see you."
"Let him in."
As soon as the master's reply came, the guide stepped aside.
Mu-jin opened the hall door and entered.
"Mu-jin, the second-class disciple of Shaolin, greets the Namgung family head."
Mu-jin greeted with a half bow, glancing around the hall.
There wasn't much to see.
A middle-aged man he had never seen before was seated at the top, and a familiar young man sat to the side.
Namgung Jin-cheon, whom he hadn't seen in a while, stared at Mu-jin with a competitive look, but Mu-jin paid him no mind.nn
'Hmm, so that man is Namgung Chang-hwi, known as the Sword Emperor.'
He bore a striking resemblance to Namgung Jin-cheon.
"You seemed quite busy in Hunan, what brings you here?"
The Namgung family head asked directly, skipping any unnecessary formalities.
"We have successfully reorganized our forces, so it's time to target the Sa-doryeon, isn't it?"
"You stayed back during the height of the war, and now you join?"
Though his words were sarcastic, Namgung Chang-hwi's expression remained stoic.
"We needed to build a strong force to fight a major power. But more than that, we believed the Namgung family wouldn't welcome our support, so we waited."
"You understand well."
Namgung Chang-hwi nodded once, then asked with a cold expression.
"But knowing that, why join now? Did you think we'd bow our pride and ask for help?"
Despite his indifferent face, his aura exuded an oppressive and dominating energy.
Or rather, the mixture of his oppressive aura and indifferent face gave off an air of 'emperor'.
"Haha. How could we play such a trick on the Namgung family?"
Having fought countless masters, Mu-jin wasn't intimidated by his aura.
He smiled outwardly while sighing inwardly.
'Dealing with these prideful people...'
They came to help because they were being pushed back by Hyeok Jin-gang.
He now understood why Jegal Muhwan was so reluctant to deal with the Namgung family.
But they couldn't miss the opportunity to capture Hyeok Jin-gang, the First Young Master of the New Star Unit, so Mu-jin spoke as Baek Ga-ryeong had advised.
"After all, the Namgung family's target is the Sa-doryeon leader, isn't it? We, Jeongmumaeng, plan to deal with Chongpyo Paja. Hyeok Jin-gang is entirely the Namgung family's."
"Then why come here? I hear you brought many senior disciples with you."
It seemed he had already received reports about the New Star Unit.
"The New Star Unit is a gathering of senior disciples. They are the future of the martial arts world, so it's best to send them to a safer battlefield if possible. Besides, it would be good for them to witness the sword skills of the Namgung family, renowned as the best in the world."
Mu-jin praised the Namgung family, causing Namgung Chang-hwi's lips to curl into a smirk.
It was a similar smile to Jegal Muhwan's—only the lips smiled, not the eyes.
"I wonder if you earned your nickname of Kwon Je with your three-inch tongue."
"..."
n
Mu-jin didn't respond, merely meeting Namgung Chang-hwi's gaze.
After a moment, Namgung Chang-hwi spoke again.
"If you don't interfere, there's no reason to prevent you from joining. Besides, we can't kill allies just because they're from the same faction."
He essentially told them to watch from the sidelines, but at least he didn't turn them away.
"We will move tomorrow morning to attack the Sa-doryeon leader."
"I'll be ready."
Mu-jin bowed again and left the hall with light steps.
After watching Mu-jin leave, Namgung Chang-hwi turned to his son.
"He didn't seem to consider you at all. What do you think?"
"I thought the gap had narrowed, but it seems I'm still lacking."
Namgung Jin-cheon answered, gritting his teeth.
Having experienced multiple battles in the war against the Sa-doryeon and adding the final insights left by the Namgung Sword Emperor, Namgung Jin-cheon's skills had grown tremendously.
Yet, he felt the gap with Mu-jin had widened compared to their last meeting, filling him with competitive spirit.
Watching his son, Namgung Chang-hwi nodded and said.
"That's the right attitude. If you couldn't see the gap, I would have scolded you harshly. If you were overwhelmed and gave up, I would have given up on you."
A young master intimidated by an opponent wasn't fitting for the great Namgung family that had produced the best in the world.
"We are chosen ones, born with the blood of emperors.
Ultimately, we will be the ones to reach the highest position. Embrace worthy opponents and drive yourself forward."
"I will do so, Father."
Namgung Chang-hwi watched his motivated son for a moment before speaking.
"Then go and rest for tomorrow's
battle."
With his father's dismissal, Namgung Jin-cheon bowed and left the hall.
After his son left, Namgung Chang-hwi allowed himself to ponder.
'Kwon Je...'
It was a heavy nickname for a martial artist in his mid-twenties.
'I thought rumors couldn't be trusted.'
The young martial artist he met today exceeded his expectations.
To think he could so easily deflect the aura he tested him with.n
'A strange fellow indeed.'
Namgung Chang-hwi felt a unique presence from Mu-jin, unlike any master he had met before.
Rumor had it he practiced unique martial arts, focusing on external energy rather than internal, which might explain the difference.
Reflecting on Mu-jin, Namgung Chang-hwi smiled faintly, as if no one was watching.
"It's not just a problem for the young master."
He realized that if things went wrong, not only the young master but even he could be surpassed by Kwon Je.
* * *
The next morning.
Mu-jin led the senior disciples of the New Star Unit, following behind the Namgung family's martial artists.
A battle was about to begin.
It wasn't just a battle between the Namgung family and Hyeok Jin-gang.
At the same time, Jeongmumaeng would fight Chongpyo Paja, and the Southern Sky Association would battle Nasha Witch.
As they headed to the battlefield, Mu-jin's mind naturally drifted to a conversation from a few days ago.
'Did Dao Yuetian understand?'
Upon hearing that Baek Ga-hwan had hit a wall in his martial arts, Mu-jin had given Baek Ga-ryeong some advice.
If the letter Baek Ga-ryeong sent to Baek Ga-hwan arrived without issue, then his advice should have reached Dao Yuetian.
But whether Dao Yuetian understood the advice was another matter.
Enlightenment could be expressed in words or phrases, but it was also something that couldn't be conveyed.
It might sound funny, but that's what enlightenment was.
If the sentence or phrase perfectly suited the wall or situation one was facing, it could lead to enlightenment. Otherwise, it would remain as mere 'knowledge.'
People often know things in their heads but fail to act on them.
Hence, the timing and situation of an enlightenment clue were crucial. Conversely, encountering it too early risked it remaining as knowledge, dismissed as 'obvious talk.'
Fortunately, Mu-jin understood Dao Yuetian quite well.
Having read the novel Legend of the Evil Emperor multiple times in his school days, he knew how Dao Yuetian grew stronger, the realms he reached, and the insights he gained to overcome his walls.
'Yes, Dao Yuetian will surely overcome this.'
Thinking of Dao Yuetian, his idol from his school days, Mu-jin steeled himself.
There was no room for idle thoughts.
Far off in the distance, numerous figures were already coming into view.