Chapter 2
the next day. dawn.
As the fog cleared, the silence ended and footsteps rang out..
The residents of Hefei held their breath behind closed doors..
As it was the headquarters of the Murim League and the center of the martial arts faction, Hapbi is closely related to the martial arts faction..
However, it was not common for He Fei to turn into a battlefield one after another like recently, so there was tension even among them..
In the case of officials, they did not act directly because they continuously received bribes, but they were keeping an eye on them in case of an unexpected situation..
Since over 15,000 people gathered, it was a natural result..
Former Murim League headquarters. And the eight gates that served as the entrance to the current Amcheonhoe headquarters and Paljindo were refurbished..
The name of Amcheonhoe was engraved on the sign instead of Murimmaeng, and the colors were dark..
And in front of him were about four thousand warriors and Amcheon Hoeju, the leader of Amcheon and the current best person in the world..
Whiiing.
The wind was bitter, perhaps because it was winter, but rather than feeling cold, it was hot due to the intense heat..
“You came.”
Amcheonhoeju looked across the other side and muttered..
“One, two, three… … Eight thousand. It's just as Cheonki thought..”
The number of troops was exactly twice that of about 8,000..
“Cheon Seon-seong, tell Cheon-gi, about two thousand people headed to the back hole.……”
About a year ago, when the Murim League's headquarters was attacked by the Amcheonhoe, they gave up the front and were able to retreat through the back door and the bamboo forest..
There is no sunlight, and the bamboo forest lined up countless times is a long road, but because of the kimunjin method, it is difficult not only to go out but also to come in..
However, for the Zhuge Dynasty who designed and operated the bamboo forest, entering it is not impossible..
So I thought they would attack from both sides..
“Joo Seocheon also went that way..”
Unlike the Amcheonhoe, which is reminiscent of the military, the Moorim Alliance did not achieve harmony in its movements..
It was natural that not only the thoughts but also the breathing method and steps were different..
The sounds did not sound at the same time.
And it was four people who led that coalition..
The ones in the lead were the Beihai Palace Lord and the Sword Demon..
And after that, the Murim Lord and Sado Heavenly Lord were seen in the center of the large army..
Divided the Murim Allied Forces into two..
While Palcheon's main force was fighting at the main gate, Icheon's detachment led by Ju Seo-cheon entered the bamboo forest..
“The Murim Lord and the Apostle Heavenly Lord spoke on my behalf, so I will not say more. let's go.”
About half an hour has passed since we entered, but the movement was not that fast..
“The Qi Wenjin of this past is no longer known to the Zhuge family. Since Cheongi is not only good at resourcefulness but also at procrastination, there is a high probability that he fixed it with his own hands..”
It was just as Zhuge Suran said..
It wasn't difficult to change it to some extent, even if it wasn't to the point of reorganizing everything from start to finish..
It was not overnight, but it had been quite a while since the Amcheonhoe raised the flag at the Murim League headquarters, so it was entirely possible..
“Even if it takes some time, I will get there safely..”
I said it would take time, but it was never slow..
She was able to advance because she was a genius not only in plotting but also in strategy..
Anyone else would have still been standing at the entrance instead of coming in..
“Be alert everywhere.”
Joo Seocheon prepared for any unexpected movement..
The detachment members were also on high alert..
The atmosphere was extremely unpleasant..
I was nervous at the thought of entering the enemy's stronghold..
You might think it's excessive, but the fact that you never make a mistake is what makes you elite..
Perhaps because I knew that everyone was sensitive to sound, I stayed silent without saying a word..
As the eerie silence continued, like the calm before a storm, I heard the sound of the wind tearing..
wedge!
“where!”
Ju Seo-cheon wielded his sword like lightning..
Even though it wasn't reflected by sunlight, a flash of light came out and struck down the flying dagger..
Jjaeng!
“enemy!”
The special unit member shouted in surprise..
“Where is it?”
“face!”
“back!”
“It's here too!”
“It's all over the place.!”
Field of view was limited, and even though he was putting his head in the enemy's jaw, he didn't appear to be confused..
As if to prove that he wasn't still alive for nothing, he didn't panic and calmly identified the location and reported it..
“Jegal Soje! What should I do??”
I needed the advice of a copyist and expert in the real estate system..
“The land's dragon veins and eight gates are twisted..”
Zhuge Suran frowned..
“Please explain briefly!”
Joo Seo-cheon shouted as he cut off one of the Chilseong soldiers' heads..
“It takes some time to find the living gate and break through..”
“Can't you break it??”
Luo Xiaoyue let Tao pass in front of his nose, then made a brilliant half-turn and plunged his sword into the enemy's heart..
“This is Ki Moon-jin, who has a history with the headquarters of Hapbi's Murim League..
Not only can you not break it that easily, but even if you try to break it, it will take too much time.……”
“no use.”
Zhuge Suran's words were interrupted by someone..
“What is that!”
When I inadvertently raised my head to find the owner of the voice, a warrior belonging to the Murim League let out a cry of astonishment..
It wasn't just one person.
Breathing or shouting broke out in all directions..
“Lee, In-young)?”
It was not an ordinary portrait.
A shadow as large as dozens of ships appeared before my eyes, reminiscent of a mythical giant..
As soon as Joo Seocheon saw the shadow, he curled his thumb and middle finger and flicked them with all his might, shooting out a purple light..
Jahaji, a volcanic wave with only a few bullets, pierced the shadow and created a hole, drawing a long trail like a meteor..
“Zhuge Shu is not only good at plotting but also at fighting tactics, but it is true as they say..
Even though it was designed by Zhuge Sega, it is still commendable that this body can grasp what is twisted at once..”
Under the enormous shadow, a one-armed bachelor slowly walked out..
As soon as Ju Seo-cheon saw the scene, he again bent his five fingers halfway and then straightened them out..
The energy that had gathered in his fingers like a ball shot out like an arrow and reached the bachelor's body at blinding speed..
Kwaaang!
One or five lines could not reach.
No, it passed right through and smashed the bamboo stuck in the back..
“waited, waited.”
My fists started shaking.
I bite the corner of my mouth and then let go..
As emotions intensified, the illusion of harmony in all things became hazy and distorted, then returned to its original state..
“Joo Seocheon.”
It's a name you can't forget even if you try to forget it..
When I close my eyes, this is the face that comes to mind before my parents or Hoeju..
I fantasized about killing dozens, hundreds, thousands of times..
The one who brought down the tower that had been built for a long time.
The greatest enemy and an enemy that I wouldn't mind killing even if I were torn to pieces..
‘If it wasn't for interest……’
Ju Seo-cheon looked at Cheon-gi and clenched his fist..
Even though it was a second life, there were many victims..
Even though I knew the future, I suffered.
Regardless of government or affairs, the whole world and martial arts have been played into the hands of one person..
And he was right in front of me.
“Cheongi!”
The world sent three geniuses to the Zhuge Dynasty..
However, there was a spirit in the martial arts world..
‘hurry!’
Zhuge Suran immediately focused on finding a breakthrough..
The enemy in front of you cannot afford to be surprised..
My grandfather's face came to mind for a moment, but I shook it off by shaking my head..
think and think again.
I found a way to get rid of Kimunjin by mobilizing all my knowledge..
“Wow!”
“Wow!”
“kill it!”
Meanwhile, the fierce fighting in the surrounding area resumed..
If the enemy hadn't been Dark Heaven, we wouldn't have fought right away..
The Amcheonhoe did not allow even the slightest gap..
If you were agitated or stopped even for a moment, they would target you and threaten you..
Only two people stood facing each other.
“Is it the second time??”
Joo Seocheon asked.
“okay. But this is our first time meeting face to face.”
During the Great Demon War, I knew that Cheonki had military and commanding authority over the Demon Cult, so I was able to figure out their location..
But I didn't see it in person.
I was busy with the Demon Cult's troops and the Heavenly Demon, and the Heavenly Qi was so thorough..
I've seen Cheongi's face from a distance before, but this was my first time seeing him at such close range..
When I still think about that time, my heart races, my breathing becomes difficult, and my head hurts..
How angry were you about Joo Seo-cheon’s return at the time?.
I shouted even though I knew I shouldn't be noticed..
“Joo Seocheon, I feel like I want to rip you to pieces and kill you right now..”
“If you can, do it..”
Joo Seocheon responded in a harsh tone..
‘Where is it?’
At first glance, it seemed like he was concentrating on the conversation with Cheon-gi, but it was a trick..
I wasn't just rolling my eyes, I was busy looking for reality, not illusion..
‘Judging by the fact that it didn't shake when Jahaji touched it, at least it wasn't Tae (免)..’
Kimunjin is the skill of a person who creates harmony in all things..
The beginning of the fundamental truth is the nine palaces and the eight trigrams..
Ki Mun-jin based this on the Bagua and used it as a tool for harmony..
For example, the hand creates wind..
The womb shakes like the surface of a pond, creating an optical illusion..
Ju Seo-cheon remembered the knowledge he had seen in books in the past and what he had heard from Zhuge Suran and discovered the true nature of Cheon-gi..
“What kind of resentment do you have, why do you keep interfering with what I'm doing?.”
The sky growled lowly..
“Why don't you think about all the things you've done so far?.”
Joo Seocheon answered with a cold expression..
“Cheongi, when I saw you, I wanted to ask you something..”
It's to kill time, but that's not the only purpose..
I really had some doubts as well..
“What.”
Joo Seo-cheon looked straight at Cheon-gi and asked..
“Why on earth and for what purpose are you trying to overthrow Moorim??”
The Amcheonhoe was originally a gathering to escape and hide from the Ming Emperor..
And this purpose was successful.
The bureaucrat disappeared from this world without a trace, and I wondered if Amcheonhoe would disappear into the darkness like this..
However, for some reason, he suddenly began to intervene in the martial arts temple..
The last person left was Amcheonhoeju’s fault..
“Because, Cheongi.”
Amcheonhoeju resumed his activities starting with Cheongi and Yogwang..
Among them, Cheon-gi was a particularly important figure..
He set an example by setting up and coordinating everything on behalf of Amcheonhoeju, the embodiment of military power..
I was curious about the reason.
In the case of Yogwang, like Maenggang, he was tired of a life filled only with war..
I decided to struggle to get out of hell..
“Why??”
Cheon-gi sneered at Ju Seo-cheon's question..
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
burst out laughing.
“The more I think about the Murim people, the more ridiculous they are..”
Ju Seo-cheon listened to Cheon-gi’s words..
“On the contrary, I will ask.
Why do martial people like to fight so much??”
There was a sense of contempt in Cheongi’s eyes..
“Do you know why the civil war between Myogageommun and Pokseomdomun began??
It’s martial arts! The reason tens or hundreds of people died was simply for the trivial reason that swordsmanship was the best or swordsmanship was the best.!”
“……”
“Not just this time. For a long time, the martial arts people have been fighting and taking lives for very different reasons..
Can't you see it just by looking at the four factions?.
Conflict between beliefs and convictions? don't talk nonsense.”
Cheonki laughed as if it were absurd..
“Why are you trying to overthrow the martial arts company when it has a history of killing millions of people just for that reason??”
The smile on my face was also erased..
“Do you know what my first thought was when I saw this history marred by violence for the conquest of the Wulin??”
Ju Seo-cheon did not answer Cheon-gi’s question..
“really? We really fought for some reason.?”
Wow!
There was constant screaming around..
“Good, Joo Seocheon. Since you made me laugh, I will give you the truthful answer to that question this time without any tricks..”
Cheongi’s voice became serious..
“Once upon a time, there was a bachelor named Nokjon who dreamed of becoming an ideal..
The scholar did not simply return home, but he also committed corruption and punished those who ruined the country due to greed without a cause and tried to save the people..
I thought that if I studied hard and didn't give up, I could achieve my dream someday..
But when he set foot in the imperial palace, it didn't take long for him to realize that his dream was in vain..”
I saw anger in his eyes..
There was deep disgust in his voice..
“There was no place in the world that could make the dream of a bachelor from humble origins come true. People from lowly backgrounds were discriminated against, and if there was no bribe, they were not even treated properly. If I said the right thing, my head would be blown off, and I would watch from the side as these people slowly rotted away. When I was giving up everything and wasting my abilities, that person appeared..”
Cheonki said as if he was reminiscing..
“The person left alone in Amcheonhoe, the leader of Amcheonhoe.”
“Younggwan Son.”
Joo Seocheon recited his real name..
Dochalwon’s civil service career (經歷)).
He is the recorder of the inspection agency..
“You know it well..”
“I was puzzled at the time when I found out his name and identity, but now that I think about it, there is no more appropriate identity..”
After hearing the news from Cheonma, he thoroughly investigated the main trio, Hoeju, Cheongi, and Yogwang..
We investigated several times to see if we had been deceived or misinformed, and even after finding out, we worked hard in many ways..
“Yes, exactly as you said. Although the emperor did not see anyone in public office alive, he still kept alive those who had no intention of being in power or those in low positions..
Needless to say, it is an inspection agency that monitors and reports on bureaucrats..”
He was targeted for purge simply because he was a bureaucrat..
It's not a joke.
If you showed even the slightest greed, you were killed..
Not only myself but all my relatives were decapitated..
It wasn't for no reason that I gave up the power I had accumulated and tried to run away..
When I saw my close associates and founding contributors dying, I thought there was no hope at all..
The anecdote in which Emperor Taesun begged him to stop killing her is a famous anecdote..
“A long time ago, a scholar at the Academy of Fine Arts was caught discussing the state of affairs, saying he was worried about the country, and was subject to a large-scale investigation..
Through this, I came into the eyes of the Lord and had the opportunity to demonstrate my abilities..”
“Don't just answer the same question, answer properly. What does trying to overturn Murim have to do with that??”
Joo Seocheon furrowed his brows and asked..
Aside from the fact that Son Yeong-gwan and Nok-jon met, it was strange that they intervened in the martial arts while lamenting and hating the current situation..
If Ming’s situation had been a problem, he should have maintained his status until the end and never came to Wulin..
“Rebellion with the power gained from conquering the martial arts... … Are you planning on starting a revolution??”
If that was the case, it was a truly dangerous idea..
The reason why the government did not touch Moorim until now was because they did not consider it to be a dangerous element..
Although Moorim had all kinds of history, it was never involved in the national situation..
Even if there were, each leader was executed..
No matter how much there is martial arts, the imperial palace also has martial arts, and the numerical difference is absurd..
Even in a period of large-scale war like the era of war, the maximum number per faction is 20,000 to 30,000..
On the other hand, the size of the country is different..
It was for this reason that Yogwang looked down on the martial arts war.
“what? ha ha ha.”
Cheon-gi laughed like the wind..
“Don't talk nonsense, Joo Seocheon.”
There are no longer scholars who pursued ideals in the distant past..
“There is no action as meaningless as revolution. Even if the government changes, it only means that the vested interests have changed..
When you pick up a sword, you may cry for peace and fairness, but if you hold power instead of a sword, that will change..
Because that is the animal called man..”
Cheongi let out a breath and spoke again..
“Mencius said that human nature is good, but this is not true..
As Xunzi said, human nature is ultimately evil..
They will prioritize their desires over others, pursue their own personal interests, and end up doing the same thing..”
“Are you planning to discuss the sexual evil theory??”
“There is no need to discuss it. People haven’t changed, but do you think the country and society will change?.”
Cheon-gi made a truly disgusted expression..
“I can guarantee that no matter what force, whether it's Wulin or anything else, will turn the country over, it will not change in the end..
Even after thousands of years, ethnicity, gender, age, race, moral concepts... … It doesn't matter what. People will eventually discriminate, judge, and hate each other..”
The bachelor who gave up his dream slightly lifted his chin and made a sad expression..
“I won't talk nonsense about things like saving the people or creating peace..
The reason I started using the name Cheongi was simply because I didn't want to ruin the effort and study I've made so far..”
There was not an iota of falsehood in his words..
I was so tired of reality that I didn't feel like going crazy..
“I am grateful to Lord Hoe for allowing me to use my abilities. If I hadn't met him, I would still be just writing meaningless records, or I would have become a corpse with everything stolen by people blinded by greed..”
There was no complicated philosophy of doing it for someone else, or being a necessary evil, or having differences of opinion..
The bachelor who dreamed despaired, hated, and resigned to reality..
But now it doesn't mean much.
Ju Seo-cheon looked at Cheon-gi blankly, and then slowly raised the hand that was not holding the sword without saying anything..
“It looks like they took a long time to look for me, but they seem to have failed. What should I do because I feel bad?.”
The heavenly spirit was trembling..
“Don't worry. Because nothing else failed.”
“Confucius!”
Zhuge Suran's voice rang out loudly..
“I found it!”
Buying time through conversation wasn't just to figure out Cheongi's location..
I thought she would solve it.
“Everyone, this way.!”
“follow the lady!”
The first-class warrior of the Zhuge Dynasty shouted..
As expected from Zhuge Dynasty, he had some knowledge about Qi Wenjin..
Ju Seocheon also followed the path guided by Zhuge Suran..
I also didn't forget to be alert to my surroundings, just in case..
Zhuge Suran managed to find Shengmun and open a path to escape..
About 200 people died, were injured, and were exhausted, but the thought of getting out of this horrible place gave strength..
Also, as if he had completely figured out how to break away, the illusion of Cheongi that followed him wherever he went became blurry and disappeared..
“the illusion disappears!”
“Wake!”
“Succeeded in destroying!”
“vision returns!”
With the help of Zhuge Suran, he avoided entering the Four Gates, but this was not the case for everyone..
The problem was the Seven Star Soldiers who had just been fighting fiercely..
As we kept our weapons in check and took our steps, we sometimes went beyond the safe radius and fell into Ki Moon-jin's territory..
It's normal for the land to turn into a swamp and get sucked in. Sometimes, I got swallowed up by the inferno and got burned all over my body..
In addition, if you take the slightest step wrong, a cliff will appear and you will either fall or be cut to pieces by the sharp wind..
Or, you thought it was an enemy and swung the military flag, but an ally appeared, or there were times when you thought it was an ally, but it was an enemy..
But that hell is over now.
Cheers and relief flowed from all around..
“under.”
Cheonki laughed..
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Zhuge Suran was anxious when he heard Tianqi's laughter..
The laughter came from the front instead of from all directions like before..
The volume was not so loud that the surroundings shook..
It is not a welcome or auditory hallucination..
At least it means that it is not wrong to follow Ki Moon-jin’s path..
I checked Kimunjin just in case, but there was nothing strange..
“Zhuge Shuran, my previous praise is by no means empty words..
i think highly of you.”
Beyond the bamboo forest, Cheonki’s voice rang out..
“Among the late exponents of the political faction, Ohryong Sambong's name is ranked high in the killing department of this meeting. Even though he is young, he has abilities that are different from those of ordinary people, so how can they look down on him? Don't treat me like the idiots who block their vision due to feelings of inferiority or jealousy..”
Amcheonhoe does not let down its guard..
Cheongi is not conceited..
I've said this many times, but heaven doesn't even forgive young shoots that could become a crisis in the future..
The thoroughness is scary..
Joo Seo-cheon, who knew the future and could not help but be described as crazy beyond common sense, was just so irregular..
Cheon-gi highly evaluated Zhuge Suran..
He thought that the woman who came up with the idea of being able to deploy a strategy anywhere, regardless of the location, was a genius, and that she might be above him..
“Some people may think that you are just receiving the honor of being the younger brother of Lord Cheon, but that is a huge mistake..
Apart from Cheongunsa, you are another genius, Mosamibong..
I thought you would definitely escape from the Saengmun through the Saengmun..”
If you fail, don't prepare.
Prepared for failure.
“No!”
Zhuge Suran heard those words and turned pale..
“You need to leave now! trap……”
“late.”
Cooung!
There was a loud noise as if lightning had struck..
With this, the ground also began to shake..
coo coo coo coo coo coo coo!
Hundreds, thousands, or even more, of bamboo swayed wildly as if dancing..
A sound was made as the long poles hit each other..
The leaves fell patter..
“no way!”
Zhuge Suran raised his head..
“Agency?”
“okay.”
Tianqi laughed coldly..
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