Chapter 242: What Are You Doing, Ye-seo?
Seo Yu-gyeom, having defeated the Protector Knight, flicked the Heaven-Slaying Dagger with a confident air.
At that, the knights of the Daejin Divine Cult exchanged wary glances. If they acted carelessly here, they could suffer a massive blow to their reputation.
Even Great Priest No Wi-cheon didn’t wish for all the martial artists of the Daejin Divine Cult to be defeated by the younger generation of the Central Plains.
So, No Wi-cheon looked toward a middle-aged man.
His face was stiff, like soone who had spent his life imrsed only in study, yet even over his thick martial robes, the contours of his solid, well-trained body showed clearly.
Receiving No Wi-cheon’s gaze, the middle-aged man—Seong Mun-baek, the Protector General of the Daejin Divine Cult—stepped forward.
Standing atop the dueling stage, Seong Mun-baek drew his sword with a calm expression. The thick, pure-white blade was densely inscribed with a language too arcane to read.
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seong Mun-baek’s eyes t.
“……”
Though Seong Mun-baek had seen all of Seo Yu-gyeom’s martial prowess earlier, he didn’t show the slightest sign of tension as he faced him.
Watching him closely, Seo Yu-gyeom spoke in a bold tone.
“A monster.”
With that, Seo Yu-gyeom waved his hand in the air and stepped down from the dueling stage. It was a clear concession of defeat.
Amid everyone’s surprise, Seo Yu-gyeom gave Jin Seong-un a small nod.
That one’s no ordinary man.
Indeed.
Jin Seong-un had already sensed it.
Among the martial artists of the Daejin Divine Cult, the strongest and most dangerous was that very man.
As Jin Seong-un stepped onto the dueling stage, he announced,
“I am Jin Seong-un of the Seong-un Inn.”
Seong Mun-baek nodded and replied in a languid tone,
“I am Seong Mun-baek, forrly of the Heavenly Demon Cult’s Heavenly Demon Unit. I now serve as the Protector General of the Daejin Divine Cult.”
Jin Seong-un’s eyes widened slightly.
He hadn’t expected soone from the Heavenly Demon Cult to be within the Daejin Divine Cult, a group that stood as the polar opposite of the Demonic Cult.
Watching Seong Mun-baek with renewed curiosity, Jin Seong-un asked,
“May I ask what position you held within the Heavenly Demon Unit?”
“I was the Vice Captain.”
“Oh……”
Jin Seong-un was inwardly surprised.
If a master of that caliber had only been the Vice Captain, how strong must the Captain have been?
Moreover, what reason would such a high-ranking officer have to join a religious group that regarded the Demonic Cult as its enemy?
He had many questions, but this wasn’t the place to ask them.
Protector General Seong Mun-baek pointed his sword at Jin Seong-un. Then, atop the pure-white blade, an even whiter and more radiant energy began to glow.
It was a pristine and warm energy—so pure it was hard to believe it ca from soone who had once served the Demonic Cult.
Staring at the sword, Jin Seong-un spoke.
“How about a contest of inner force?”
“And why is that?”
Seong Mun-baek asked flatly, and Jin Seong-un replied in a similar tone.
“Because a duel should ideally end without anyone getting hurt—and I’m not confident that’ll be the case.”
Seo Yu-gyeom, standing behind them, was quietly startled. Jin Seong-un had never said anything like that before.
Jin Seong-un continued.
“If my guess is right, the Protector General has reached the state of Huajing, yes?”
“I had already attained the Peak Demonic Realm during my ti in the Demonic Cult.”
Peak Demon (極魔)—a state representing the extre of demonic cultivation, equivalent to Huajing in the Central Plains.
Once again, Jin Seong-un felt just how powerful the Heavenly Demon Cult truly was.
“I just feel that if we cross swords, soone will die.”
At that, Seong Mun-baek stared at Jin Seong-un for a brief mont before nodding.
“A reasonable sentint.”
Seong Mun-baek sheathed his long sword.
The two then walked toward each other step by step.
Seong Mun-baek extended his hand as he spoke.
“I won’t use demonic qi. I’ll fight with Baekyang True Qi.”
Jin Seong-un took his hand.
He, too, planned to leave the Blood Demon Qi buried deep and face him only with Won’s Moon Qi.
Thus, with their demonic ways hidden deep within their dantian, they agreed to battle using the righteous path.
Their eyes locked, and as if by silent agreent, both began to draw forth their qi.
A bright, pure-white glow blood from Seong Mun-baek’s hand—like a sliver of the sky itself.
The Won’s Moon Qi Jin Seong-un summoned was no less splendid.
The two radiant lights collided between their palms.
“Mmm……”
“Hmph.”
Both n let out quiet sounds of concentration.
The other’s qi was deeper and more vast than they had anticipated.
Seong Mun-baek, in particular, struggled to hide his astonishnt. Normally composed, even he was taken aback that such a young martial artist could wield internal energy rivaling his own.
The brilliance radiating from the two grew ever more dazzling. Those nearby had to squint just to look at them.
Kugugugung—!
The entire dueling stage rumbled.
The pillars supporting the roof trembled violently.
The manor seed like it might collapse.
Great Priest No Wi-cheon looked around anxiously. He already had to request a massive sum of 200,000 nyang from headquarters. If he had to add repair costs on top of that, he dreaded what might be said in return.
Thick, steel-like veins rose atop the backs of Jin Seong-un and Seong Mun-baek’s hands. Their arms quivered slightly, and from their firmly planted feet, imnse reactive force surged upward.
Though Seong Mun-baek had superior cultivation and years of experience, Won’s Moon Qi had the unique property of blending with any energy—making it especially advantageous in internal energy contests.
Both instinctively realized this duel wouldn’t end this way.
Looking into each other’s eyes, they understood they shared the sa thought.
Seong Mun-baek gave a small nod.
Then, as if prearranged, the two unleashed their energy with force.
Jjeojeojeong—!
With a colossal explosion, the sight before everyone’s eyes—Seo Yu-gyeom’s, Great Priest No Wi-cheon’s, and the rest—was completely obscured.
And within that explosion, the true battle between the two began—silently.
Crimson-black demonic qi surged up Jin Seong-un’s palm. Ominous, destructive energy.
It was far more vile and sticky than any demonic qi he’d encountered from the elders of the Seven Demon Heavens.
Jin Seong-un didn’t resist the demonic qi. He allowed it to invade deep into his ridians.
That sight caused the Protector General to hesitate, concerned—but seeing Jin Seong-un’s calm expression, curiosity won out, and he pushed his demonic qi in even deeper.
And at the very mont his demonic qi pierced through the Won’s Moon Qi and gazed into Jin Seong-un’s dantian—
“……!”
Seong Mun-baek held his breath.
Sothing foreign was staring back at him from the depths of his opponent’s dantian.
He didn’t know what that energy was.
Only that it was far more ominous, destructive, and sinister than his own demonic qi.
‘…What in the world is this?’
Seong Mun-baek realized he was feeling fear. He wanted to drive his demonic qi even deeper to observe that energy more closely, but he couldn’t.
The mont he touched that ominous energy, it felt as if not just his demonic qi but his very existence might collapse.
Such vague unease—this was the very nature of demonic qi.
However, he had once risen to the position of Vice Captain of the Heavenly Demon Unit—there was no demonic qi unknown to him.
While Seong Mun-baek’s mind was descending into endless confusion, the two locked eyes head-on.
Jin Seong-un was speaking with his gaze.
Co in, he was saying. Co see for yourself what the source of your fear truly is.
Seong Mun-baek’s pupils trembled slightly.
“……”
A mont of silence followed.
In the end, it was Seong Mun-baek who withdrew his energy.
His back was now drenched in cold sweat.
There was a saying: you only see as much as you know.
While others rely felt a vague dread at the sight of Blood Demon Qi, Seong Mun-baek, who was well-versed in demonic qi, felt that emotion all the more acutely.
At last, the two lowered their palms.
As Seong Mun-baek took a few steps back, the explosive glow that had filled the surroundings began to fade.
Everyone stared up at the two on the dueling stage with puzzled eyes.
Then, Seong Mun-baek spoke quietly.
“I concede.”
“……!”
The hall erupted in commotion.
The martial artists of the Daejin Divine Cult knew well how strong Seong Mun-baek was. It was hard to believe he would admit defeat to a martial artist barely in his twenties.
Jin Seong-un simply regarded Seong Mun-baek with a calm deanor and offered a clasped-hands salute.
“It was a good duel.”
“……Likewise.”
Seong Mun-baek had many things he wanted to ask Jin Seong-un. But he understood the courtesy the latter had shown by not prying into his own past.
Thus, Seong Mun-baek could not bring himself to voice his questions either. Nor could he reveal that a strange energy resided in the other’s dantian. Not even to his fellow cultists in the Daejin Divine Cult.
Just as Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom would keep silent about the Protector General’s origins in the Heavenly Demon Cult, he too resolved to keep Jin Seong-un’s secret.
The duel between the Seong-un Inn and the Daejin Divine Cult ca to a close.
Three battles, three defeats.
For the Daejin Divine Cult, it was a rather humiliating outco. All the more so because the two opponents were young martial artists not yet thirty.
And yet, Protector General Seong Mun-baek felt no sha at all.
‘So the righteous Murim has grown even stronger…’
Such a thought crossed his mind.
Of course, it was a bit of a misunderstanding.
In truth, Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom were simply beings beyond conventional standards.
Even so, the Protector General resolved to further intensify the training of the cult’s martial artists in the future.
In that sense, the true victims of this duel might be the trainees of the cult.
Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom, and Appraiser Heo Yeong-un exchanged brief farewells with the Daejin Divine Cult’s disciples and left the place.
Great Priest No Wi-cheon had promised to send the agreed-upon gold to the Seong-un Inn by the designated date.
Naturally, the sacred item On Gwang Pearl would only be delivered to the cult after the gold was received.
Heo Yeong-un said,
“Hey, Innkeeper.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen all kinds of madness in this business, but I’ve never seen a lunatic like you.”
“……”
Jin Seong-un looked at Heo Yeong-un with a dumbfounded expression. Heo Yeong-un grinned as he continued.
“It’s high praise. I think I finally understand why the Trading Company Master treats you with such devotion.”
“……Is that so.”
“To be honest, I thought thirty thousand nyang was the absolute ceiling. But two hundred thousand? That price is utterly insane.”
“Truthfully, I was expecting around one hundred thousand. I didn’t think they’d accept so readily.”
Heo Yeong-un widened his eyes at Jin Seong-un. But seeing the other’s sincere expression, he burst into laughter.
“If you ever need another appraisal, call . There are plenty of entertaining things in this world, but I’ve got a hunch that for the next few years, your inn will be the most amusing place of all.”
“Please don’t say ominous things.”
“Ominous hunches tend to be right, you know.”
“……”
Unsure if it was praise or a curse, Jin Seong-un simply kept his mouth shut.
After laughing heartily for a while, Heo Yeong-un finally bid farewell to the two.
“Since I’ve co all the way here, I’ll check out so relics in the Western Regions. I hope your days continue to be exciting. Until next ti.”
“I said, stop with the ominous talk. Still, thank you for coming with us. Take care.”
Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom bowed their heads.
When they’d traveled together, he had talked so much that it felt noisy at tis, but now that he was leaving, they felt strangely empty.
Jin Seong-un said,
“Ah, I’ll send the appraisal fee to the Hwa-un Trading Company…”
Without even turning back, Heo Yeong-un waved a hand behind him.
He already felt he’d been paid in full. For soone who valued life’s pleasures above all else, engaging with ancient relics was part of that joy.
Thus, such a delightful experience was as valuable as any reward.
Jin Seong-un sent a voice transmission to the now-distant Heo Yeong-un.
—If you ever pass through Yichang, please stop by the inn.
Startled by the sudden voice ringing in his head, Heo Yeong-un jumped in surprise.
Jin Seong-un allowed himself a faint smile at the sight.
Night had fallen deep and dark.
A lone figure stepped quietly into Geoncheong Palace, the Emperor’s bedchamber.
The Admiral of the Eastern Depot.
A eunuch who wielded unparalleled authority in this era, a man backed by the true power behind the throne—the Princess.
The court officials referred to him as Gucheonse (九千歲)—Second only to the Emperor who was hailed as Manse (萬歲).
He walked up to the Emperor’s bedside without hesitation.
Under normal circumstances, such an act would be unthinkable, but he moved as if he’d done it countless tis.
Standing before the bed, he looked down at the Emperor under the moonlight.
At least until the Princess’s wish was fulfilled, the Emperor had to be kept alive.
But if the acupuncture points were weakened too much, there was a risk the Emperor might regain consciousness.
The boundary between life and death—
He believed that only he, in all the realm, could manage such delicate balance.
The Admiral extended his long, thin hand—like a dry branch—toward the Emperor’s body.
And at that very mont—
Two hands locked in the air.
The Emperor, who had lain motionless as though dead, seized the Admiral’s wrist.
“……!”
The Admiral’s heart sank.
The Emperor slowly opened his eyes. Gazing at the slender wrist caught in his grasp, he gradually lifted his gaze.
Eyes as deep and cold as the ocean’s abyss—devoid of even a hint of cloudiness.
The two locked eyes in midair.
“You.”
A voice as coarse as scraping iron.
Yet the majesty within it was still sharp and alive.
“What are you doing here, Ye-seo?”
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