Chapter 212: Be it Evil Deeds or Otherwise
Jeonghyeon’s entire body stiffened.
His thoughts ca to a halt, and only the fear of death gripped his entire being, just like a beast facing a predator.
A cold blade slowly pressed against his skin, and in the end, he had no choice but to let go of the sword.
Seo Yu-gyeom retrieved the Heaven-Slaying Dagger.
A heavy silence settled over the hall.
Everyone stared at Jeonghyeon with conflicted eyes. Among the later-generation prodigies, he was the one most known for his benevolence, fairness, and incorruptibility.
The very act of trying to draw his sword was essentially an admission that he was involved in this incident.
While everyone remained silent in shock—
Wudang Sect’s elder, Hyeon-un, spoke in an indifferent tone.
“Take a good look, all of you. This is the true face of the Orthodox Murim.”
“……”
His words, spoken in his characteristically upright voice, landed heavily in the hearts of the later-generation prodigies.
It wasn’t just anyone—it was an elder of the Wudang Sect who had uttered such words about the Orthodox faction.
He continued.
“Such is the way of martial artists. Be they Taoist priests or monks, in the end, they are practitioners of violence. Of course, what sets us apart from the Demonic or Unorthodox Paths is that we do not direct that violence toward the innocent…”
Hyeon-un gazed at the two elders of the Qingcheng Sect and at Jeonghyeon. His bored-looking eyes now radiated a sharp, rebuking intensity toward them.
“Power makes people weak. These ones too, when they first took up the sword, surely held the ideals of the Orthodox faction in their hearts.”
The silence deepened gradually.
Of course, Hyeon-un hadn’t co here with any intention of enlightening the young ones, so he continued in an unyielding tone.
“Get up now. If you insist on resisting to the end, I’ll just kill you all and head to the Qingcheng Sect.”
At that, everyone’s gaze turned to the Qingcheng elders. After a short mont, the two elders, whom everyone thought had fainted, began to stir and slowly stood up.
In truth, they had regained consciousness right after arriving at the inn. They had only feigned unconsciousness out of sha, unable to face the juniors of the Orthodox faction.
Hyeon-un’s question followed.
“Explain yourselves.”
Though all were elders of major sects, there was a notable disparity in status between Hyeon-un and the others.
That was because most of the Wudang elders of this generation were close to grandmasters of the previous generation.
The Qingcheng elders hesitated, their mouths opening and closing.
So, Hyeon-un pointed out one of them specifically.
“Mok-won. You speak.”
Mok-won (木原). He was the third-highest elder in the Qingcheng Sect’s Mok branch. Above him were only the Great Elder and the Sect Leader.
When Mok-won remained silent, Hyeon-un drew his Taiji Sword without hesitation.
Just drawing the sword chilled the air within the hall. Those who had reached the pinnacle of the sword could alter the surrounding atmosphere with their sword's will alone.
The later-generation prodigies flinched in surprise.
A senior elder of Wudang pointing his sword at a senior elder of Qingcheng—such a sight was unheard of in their world.
Very few among them had seen the true, unvarnished face of the Orthodox Murim.
Even those in the Special Task Force or designated as heirs still remained among the ranks of the later-generation prodigies.
Only when sword intent began to flow from Hyeon-un’s blade did Mok-won finally open his mouth.
“It was for money.”
“Of course it was.”
Hyeon-un nodded as if it were only natural.
There were two main reasons the Orthodox faction committed vile acts.
Money and martial arts. Nine out of ten tis, it was for money.
Unlike Mount Heng Sect, which defected over martial arts, the major sects and clans already possessed more than enough martial techniques.
“Whose money was it?”
“That is…”
Mok-won hesitated.
Then, the Taiji Sword closed in near his neck.
Watching this, Jeonghyeon couldn’t just stand by while a revered elder was in peril and tried to step forward—but soone suddenly grabbed his arm.
A large, strong hand capable of easily gripping the forearm of a trained swordsman.
It was the warrior Seomun Ak.
Jeonghyeon turned to look at Seomun Ak. His face was flushed red with fury as he glared at Jeonghyeon.
Though he couldn’t shout in the middle of an elders’ conversation, his eyes clearly spoke:
‘Do you even have the right to call yourself human?’
The warrior’s fury poured onto Jeonghyeon.
Jeonghyeon tried to pull his arm free, but it didn’t budge. He had always known that martial artists of the Seomun Clan possessed great strength—but Seomun Ak’s grip was far beyond expectation.
Jeonghyeon realized it then. The once-spoiled Seomun Ak had grown beyond recognition while spending ti with the Guest Dragon.
He had no confidence that he could win a life-and-death duel against Seomun Ak. In the end, he had no choice but to gather his energy and lower his gaze.
Seomun Ak, having let go of his arm, continued to glare as if keeping watch.
Not only Seomun Ak, but Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom also stood in positions that subtly blocked the elders’ paths of retreat.
Most of the later-generation prodigies didn’t notice, but anyone on the level of Hyeon-un or the Qingcheng elders would recognize it instantly.
In the end, the Qingcheng elders had no choice but to accept the situation.
Mok-won opened his mouth.
“Myriad Gold Manor.”
The hall stirred again.
In this age, the na Myriad Gold Manor held trendous weight across the Central Plains.
Even among those gathered here—successors of the Nine Sects and Five Great Clans—none dared look down on Myriad Gold Manor.
No, to speak truthfully, no single Murim force could stand against Myriad Gold Manor.
After all, to eat, sleep, and live—money was essential.
And Myriad Gold Manor had a hand in every coin that moved throughout the Central Plains.
Moreover, it was widely known that their mutual trust with the imperial court ran deep and firm.
Everyone let out awkward coughs.
Seeing this, Mok-won continued.
“White Cloud Sword Elder. Let’s be honest—who among us here can truly say they are free from Myriad Gold Manor’s influence?”
“Wudang is not Myriad Gold Manor’s dog.”
“Is that so? Do you really think Wudang’s Jaegyeong Pavilion Master would agree with that?”
Even as he remained wary of the Taiji Sword, Mok-won slowly stood up. Then, he raised his voice slightly.
“Dragon Seizer—who keeps buying the swords that break every day at Mount Hua Sect’s training grounds? Sword Dragon—who helped the Moyong Clan establish their trading district in Liaoning? Who donates the most to the Beggars’ Union each year? Whose money did the Namgung Clan use to purchase their new manor in their latest expansion?”
“……”
“Is Shaolin any different? Is the Ei Sect exempt? We’re all in the sa boat. Every one of us, bound to Myriad Gold Manor…”
Just as Mok-won was passionately making his case, his eyes suddenly t with soone else’s—and he fell silent.
It wasn’t soone from the Five Great Clans, nor the Nine Sects.
It was just the innkeeper of a humble guest inn located in Yichang.
“...Right, you probably think yourself righteous right now. But you see, when a faction grows large, it inevitably needs money.”
“Are you referring to the money made by selling children?”
Mok-won fell silent.
He had tried to stir up sympathy by reminding everyone of Myriad Gold Manor’s influence and its close ties with other factions.
But with just one quiet sentence, Jin Seong-un shattered that entire attempt to pieces.
Neither the Mount Hua Sect nor the Zhongnan Sect, neither the Moyong Clan nor the Namgung Clan, nor even Shaolin, Ei, or the Beggars’ Union—none of them had ever sold children for gold received from Myriad Gold Manor. Nor had any of them ever condoned such acts.
“...What would a brat like you know?”
“I don’t know much. But there’s one thing I do know. If everyone here were like the Qingcheng Sect, then Murim would be a truly pitiful place. So, what do you think? Is Murim such a place?”
He didn’t na anyone in particular.
His question was aid at everyone present—at White Cloud Sword Hyeon-un, and at the heirs of the Five Great Clans and Nine Sects.
So let out deep sighs, others rolled their eyes awkwardly.
And amid the silence, it was an unexpected person who spoke first.
“The Special Task Force’s mission is to hunt down the unorthodox scum who kidnap children. Since we’ve discovered their collaborators, it is only right for the Task Force to arrest them and deliver them to the Murim Alliance.”
It was Moyong Hyeon.
He referred to the Qingcheng elders simply as “those people,” calling for their imdiate capture.
That was his way of answering Jin Seong-un’s question about what kind of place Murim was.
We are not like them.
Murim is not a place filled only with such filth.
The Orthodox Murim—the righteous sects—were still walking the correct path.
Of course, that was how others interpreted it. Moyong Hyeon’s true thoughts were slightly different.
‘The tide has turned.’
Moyong Hyeon’s calculations were faster than anyone’s.
What did it matter if the Qingcheng Sect fell into ruin?
The strongest man in this place was White Cloud Sword. And the one who dictated the direction of this gathering was the Guest Dragon.
There was not a single reason for him to stand against those two.
“Moyong Hyeon, eldest son of the Moyong Clan!”
Moyong Hyeon drew his sword.
Then, aiming it sharply toward the Qingcheng elders, he declared:
“In the na of the Moyong Clan, I swear that the vile acts of those villains shall not go unpunished! I intend to capture them and deliver them to Chief Strategist Sama Baek! Who among my righteous comrades will join ?”
The Qingcheng elders, once called “those people,” were now further degraded to “villains.”
At that, Tang So-yeon and Hwamyeong were the first to draw their blades. Once they moved, others quickly followed suit in agreent.
In the small inn, a wave of chivalrous spirit surged forth, and amid that rising fervor, Seomun Ak let out a heavy snort.
Jeonghyeon and the two Qingcheng elders were escorted to the Murim Alliance. Given that the situation was too tangled for anyone to trust anyone else, Hyeon-un personally summoned Taoists from the Wudang Sect to take them away.
Once things had settled and the atmosphere had cald sowhat, an odd stillness flowed through the room.
A passionate heart burned briefly, but a cold mind lingered long.
Though they had united for a mont and shared in their righteous zeal, once the clear shadow of Myriad Gold Manor ca to mind, each person’s thoughts began to grow complicated.
They were not just young later-generation prodigies of the Orthodox faction—they were also the future successors who would one day lead their respective powers.
“What will you do about the Sword Dragon, young hero?”
It was Mad Dragon of the Diancang Sect who asked quietly.
He was only close to Moyong Hyeon within the Special Task Force. But Moyong Hyeon, with his arms crossed, only cleared his throat, still uncertain of his stance.
In truth, it wasn’t just the young warriors who found it hard to decide.
Even White Cloud Sword Hyeon-un was in much the sa predicant.
He had rushed here at Jin Seong-un’s request, but now that the imdiate crisis was over, another thought crossed his mind.
‘I haven’t even spoken with the Sect Leader yet.’
Was it really acceptable to strike at Myriad Gold Manor without the approval of the Sect Leader and the Jaegyeong Pavilion Master?
Though Hyeon-un was not one to be swayed by others’ opinions, when the opponent in question was Myriad Gold Manor—and when his own actions might greatly affect the Wudang Sect’s future—caution was only natural.
As he pondered, Hyeon-un glanced toward Jin Seong-un’s group. The three of them were chatting with utterly carefree expressions, and when he heightened his sense of hearing, he realized they were discussing new items for Seong-un Inn.
– “After traveling long distances with a large group, I’ve realized sothing. Renting an inn for everyone to eat and rest is no easy task.”
At Jin Seong-un’s words, Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak nodded. The more people there were, the harder it beca to find an inn that could accommodate them—especially since their missions didn’t always pass through major cities.
– “So I was thinking... what if we started deliveries? With Young Hero Jang Gwang’s n, we could send food anywhere the Yangtze River reaches. And if that doesn’t work, Seomun here could just run it over himself…”
Though they sounded oddly serious, Hyeon-un couldn’t help but feel exasperated.
“Seong-un, what are you planning to do now?”
At his question, everyone turned to Jin Seong-un.
Truth be told, none of them wished to fight against Myriad Gold Manor.
To be precise, even if they were to fight, they preferred to first return to their respective factions, report to their leaders and elders, hold a council, and make a collective decision.
That was the sensible, proper procedure.
But Jin Seong-un was not a man bound by sense or procedure.
“I think it’s about ti we go.”
“Go where?”
“To Myriad Gold Manor.”
Jin Seong-un picked up the Straight Saber he had set beside the table. His casual tone, as though going for a stroll behind the mountain, made everyone blink in disbelief.
“And what exactly do you plan to do there?”
“Well…”
Jin Seong-un scratched his cheek with his index finger.
He hadn’t thought about it deeply—nor did he feel the need to.
At least, not for soone like Jin Seong-un.
“I’ll have to cut them off. Their evil deeds—or whatever else they’ve done.”
Everyone could easily sense that when he said “whatever else,” Jin Seong-un was referring to their limbs, their throats, and perhaps much more.
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