Heavenly Conduit Sect, Yunnan Branch.
Heavenly Conduit Sect was the number one information guild in the Central Plains.
Of course, the Beggars' Sect was overwhelming in terms of the sheer volu of information, but that was nothing more than a patchwork of various rumors.
Even the Beggars' Sect paid a price to Heavenly Conduit Sect to obtain secret and accurate information.
Heavenly Conduit Sect noticed unusual events in the Central Plains faster than anyone else and investigated them with interest in advance. That's why, after an incident occurred, Heavenly Conduit Sect was the place with more information than anywhere else.
The ability to notice strange signs!
That was the reason they were faster than any other information guild.
"The Hidden Killing Curtain was brought down by the Blood Eagle Man? The Blood Eagle Man alone?"
Do Gicheol, who was in charge of the Heavenly Conduit Sect's Yunnan branch, was a man who was rarely surprised. But he couldn't help but be surprised by this news.
It was an impossible event. No matter how much the Blood Eagle Man's na was listed among the top ten assassins of the Central Plains, he was alone. Besides, wasn't he from the Hidden Killing Curtain?
"It is said to have been the Blood Eagle Man's personal revenge. As you know, the Blood Eagle Man's grudge is related to the death of his sister. It seems the master of the Hidden Killing Curtain was involved."
If that was true, the master of the Hidden Killing Curtain deserved to die.
The Blood Eagle Man, Wang Parip, was not one to misjudge.
So the master of the Hidden Killing Curtain was a crazy piece of trash.
Information guilds and assassin guilds frequently interacted due to the nature of their work.
The image of the seemingly gentle master of the Hidden Killing Curtain ca to mind, and his body trembled.
"The assassins of the Hidden Killing Curtain did not interfere in the Blood Eagle Man's actions. However, the master secretly called in the Flying Lion Troupe to guard him, but..."
"The Flying Lion Troupe? Aren't there over a hundred of them?"
Although the Flying Lion Troupe took on all sorts of dirty commissions, their skills were not to be ignored. Especially the Flying Lion Troupe leader, Cheok Garyang, was a well-known master in his own right. They were people who handled their commissions cleanly as long as they were paid properly.
No matter how outstanding a master the Blood Eagle Man was, it made no sense for him to face a skilled ronin troupe of over a hundred n. He was not soone who could easily handle a large number of opponents. Even more so if the Flying Lion Troupe leader, Cheok Garyang, was there.
"He wasn't alone, there were two more people with him..."
"Three people still doesn't make sense. Isn't the opponent the master of the Hidden Killing Curtain and the Flying Lion Troupe? Is this information correct?"
The master of the Hidden Killing Curtain was a legend in the world of assassins.
The news that he had died by the sword of a fellow assassin, of all people, was a huge incident. Moreover, even though he was being guarded by the Flying Lion Troupe.
"Who were the ones with him? Did the Sword Emperor and the Saber Emperor go with him?"
"One of them is the stronghold leader of the Dubang Mountain's Nine Dragons Stronghold, Blood Dragon Han Deoksam."
"Han Deoksam? Why him?"
He was a person Heavenly Conduit Sect was watching closely. Although he was the master of a small mountain stronghold on Dubang Mountain, he had a high probability of becoming the next Greenwood King.
Wasn't it to the point that the Greenwood Tyrant King had visited him several tis and asked him to join the main stronghold?
Why would such a person help with the Blood Eagle Man's personal grudge? No matter how much he thought about it, there was no connection between Wang Parip and Han Deoksam.
"Who is the other person?"
"That's a bit ambiguous..."
"I will be the judge, so report what you have heard!"
"He is the young sect leader of the Flying Heaven Sect in Guizhou, and his na is Jin Danyeong. He recently died, ca out of his coffin, and won a duel against the Tyrant Heaven Sect leader, betting the Flying Heaven Sect. He is currently a guest of the Blood Dragon Sect."
"He died and ca back to life? Moreover, the sect leader of a righteous sect is a guest of an underworld sect? What on earth is this guy?"
"It has been confird that Han Deoksam is currently following him, and Wang Parip is also accompanying him. He was also seen with the Saber Emperor at the dicine King Hall and had a duel with the Greenwood Tyrant King."
The Saber Emperor? The Greenwood Tyrant King? Why is he entangled with such big shots?
Moreover, Han Deoksam and Wang Parip are accompanying him?
He needs attention. Jin Danyeong. Jin Danyeong!
"I've never heard the na before, what's his nickna?"
"Well... he introduces himself as 'Jade-Faced Divine Dragon', but he is known as 'Walking Corpse'. Ah, and he introduced himself to the Blood Dragon Sect as having the nickna 'Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood'."
Huh? What kind of dog-eating-grass nonsense is this?
It's surprising that he has multiple nicknas, but there's no connection between the nicknas. Moreover, aren't they all just ridiculous nicknas? Walking Corpse? Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood? The funniest one is Jade-Faced Divine Dragon.
I can't figure out what kind of guy he is.
"Should I put soone on him?"
"You must. It's been a long ti since I've slled a guy this strange."
"Who should I send? Considering the gravity of the matter, the Human or Earth level seems appropriate."
The people who gather information at Heavenly Conduit Sect are divided into Heaven, Earth, and Human levels according to the gravity of the case.
"Send Mak Bulchu! Have him hand over the work he's currently in charge of to the next person and deploy him imdiately!"
"Yes? Is it a matter so important that you're sending even Mak Bulchu?"
Mak Bulchu was one of the few Heaven-level mbers of Heavenly Conduit Sect. The cases he took on were things like the internal strife within the Martial Alliance or the movents of the Unorthodox Tyrant Alliance.
Heaven-level mbers have the authority to judge for themselves and act on that judgnt.
Mak Bulchu was famous in Heavenly Conduit Sect for putting a dot sowhere exposed outside his clothes when he disguised himself. This was his incomprehensible stubbornness. But despite that characteristic, no one had ever recognized him until now.
He is currently investigating the theft of a secret manual from the Wudang Sect.
"I sll it! I sll it! Sothing big is definitely going to happen!"
* * *
Yunnan was famous for its fickle weather, surrounded by complex terrain like high mountains and deep valleys.
Just a mont ago, the sun was warm like a spring day, but now a strong wind was blowing like in the middle of winter.
I was clinging to Deoksam to ward off the cold.
Parip hyungnim was also walking silently with his shoulders hunched.
Achoo!
"I think I've caught a cold."
The saying that martial artists don't get sick is a false rumor. They are just a little healthier than ordinary people, but they can catch illnesses like the common cold at any ti.
Isn't the Blood Dragon Sect leader himself suffering from anal fissures for so long already? Fortunately, the plaster I got for him seed to be effective, and he asked several tis if I could get him more.
I should just buy him more of that plaster on my way.
It would be nice to stop by the dicine King Hall after a long ti and get so.
Deoksam doesn't catch colds because he was a bear in his previous life. I'm even wearing Deoksam's robe now.
All I know is the region of Jinping County, Yunnan, and the na Na Yeryeong.
"Deoksam! What if you were born with the ability of a sorcerer, but your father left ho when you were young. And that father is now an elder of the Blood Cult. How would you be living now?"
"Wouldn't it be obvious? The lives of children without parents are quite predictable. I've experienced it too. It would be fortunate if they were alive, but even so, they would just be barely making ends et."
That's right. Deoksam, who was abandoned in the mountains when he was young, was still lucky. His master took him in and raised him. And taught him that imnse martial art.
Gwideukja's mother was also said to be a sorceress. But she also left ho when Gwideukja was young. The fate of a sorcerer seems to co with a wandering star.
I could picture how a young girl, left alone without family, would have lived. That must be why Gwideukja asked to look after his daughter.
Wang Parip suggested we first visit a few famous fortune-telling houses in Yunnan. If she was born with the ability of a sorceress, she would probably be walking that path. Since she would still be young, she might be staying at a fortune-telling house.
A fortune-telling house is, literally, a place where fortunes are told. There are places that read horoscopes or physiognomy, but there are also places that tell the future with divine power.
Most sorcerers just use their abilities for this kind of money-making.
A woman born with the ability of sorcery is called a shamaness.
Many of those who ran fortune-telling houses were shamanesses.
I don't know if Gwideukja's daughter is related to a fortune-telling house, but we have to start here anyway. If we search the fortune-telling houses in Yunnan, we will find a clue.
As soon as we arrived in Yunnan, we found the nearest fortune-telling house. It was an empty fortune-telling house with no custors who had co to have their fortunes told. They greeted us warmly as the first custors, but when I ntioned the na Na Yeryeong, they got angry, locked the door, and threw salt.
I couldn't understand the reason.
Parip hyungnim went out for a while and ca back with the information that a shamaness with the surna Na was running a fortune-telling house called Heavenly Secret Hall.
"Still, it's a relief that she's making a living by running even a small fortune-telling house."
"What talent would a young girl have to do other work? Still, it's a relief that she has a talent she was born with."
"We're almost there. If we just turn that corner, it's Heavenly Secret Hall."
"By the way, what are these people lining up for? Is there so kind of spectacle?"
As I was about to step in front of the long line of people, a person with a large mole next to his nose shouted urgently.
"Get in line!"
Ah, what's this?
"We're on our way to Heavenly Secret Hall over there for so business."
"Am I not? All the people lining up here have business at Heavenly Secret Hall. We've been lining up since morning. Don't try to cut in line, go to the very back and get in line!"
"Are you saying all these people here ca to Heavenly Secret Hall? For what?"
"Why else would they co to a fortune-telling house if not to have their fortunes told? It seems you've co from out of town after hearing the rumors, so wait your turn!"
Ah! I was worrying for nothing.
She was a very successful shamaness.
I was worrying about useless things when I should have been worrying about myself.
Do you see? Gwideukja, you were also worrying for nothing.
What reason is there for to look after her?
When she's running such a successful fortune-telling house.
We waited in line for a long ti.
It was our turn only after the sun had grown dim.
I entered Heavenly Secret Hall, comforting the hungry Deoksam.
Inside the door, two sharp-eyed martial artists were guarding.
A place like this needs skilled guards.
"Weapons are not allowed! Leave them all here and go!"
Deoksam untied his axe and put it down. One of the guards lightly lifted Deoksam's axe with one hand and stood it against the wall.
They are quite skilled guards.
I untied my father's sword, the Iron Skill Gang's saber, and the Ink Blood Saber. Parip hyungnim also took out his short sword, eight hidden daggers, and two daggers hidden in his ankles.
Don't look at strangely. Everyone has their own story.
The place we were guided to had surprisingly no decorations, and among them, only a large bead curtain woven with colorful beads divided the room in half.
Even if I enhanced my vision, I couldn't see the inside at all. Even if I heightened my sense of qi, I couldn't feel anything from the other side of the bead curtain.
It wasn't that there was no presence, but that I couldn't feel the presence itself.
The secret must be in that mysterious-looking bead curtain.
On the table, two cups of fragrant white orchid tea were placed, as if they had been brought in advance.
We sat down quietly and waited. Just as I was wondering if we had to keep waiting, I heard a woman's voice.
"You scoundrel! How dare you co here..."
A woman from inside the bead curtain suddenly started shouting.
Huh? Why? Isn't this the first ti we're eting today?
At the woman's shout, the two guards from outside ca in with their swords drawn.
"This is not a place for soone whose breath has already stopped! How dare a re corpse walk into this place?"
(End of Chapter)
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