The Legend of the Northern Blade - Chapter 180: Blinded By Envy (2)

Chapter 180: Blinded By Envy (2)

The intense excitement and lingering shock from the duel lingered over Heaven’s Summit. The assembled martial artists were in a state of awe, and wherever they gathered, the conversation inevitably revolved around Jin Mu-Won.

Never in the history of the murim had a martial artist exploded onto the scene in such a dramatic fashion as Jin Mu-Won.

The faded legend of the Northern Army had been resurrected. With Dong Ha-Pyeong’s public testimony, Heaven’s Summit could no longer use the accusation of treason as a weapon. Now that the truth had been revealed, they knew that if they continued to pressure Jin Mu-Won, they could face an unprecedented backlash.

“Wasn’t that amazing? I still have goosebumps thinking about how he defeated Lord Yeon.”

“Me too. I’ve never seen a duel like that in my life.”

“Nor have I.”

The very same people who had cursed Jin Mu-Won and the Northern Army the day before were now on his side, and the selection event for the Demon Hunters had become an afterthought.

“To think, the Northern Army never colluded with the Silent Night after all.”

“I know, right? If that’s the case, doesn’t that mean the Northern Army was destroyed unjustly?”

“I just knew Sect Leader Jin wasn’t that kind of person. Such a fine man died for nothing.”

“You can say that again. He was a true hero. Didn’t he choose death without making any excuses? He must not have wanted the Central Plains to be weakened because of him.”

As they shared drinks, the people spoke of Jin Kwan-Ho and the Northern Army with renewed reverence.

Meanwhile, Jin Mu-Won had returned to the Tang Clan’s manor. His battle with Yeon Cheon-Hwa had left him with serious internal and external injuries. His only comfort was that none of the wounds were fatal.

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Circulating the Art of Ten Thousand Shadows, he focused on recovery.

“Hoo…” Jin Mu-Won let out a long breath and opened his eyes, which now seemed even deeper than before.

He rose from his seat and moved his hands and feet a few times. Though a dull pain lingered, it seemed he would have no problem moving. Rising to his feet, he left his room.

Ha Jin-Wol and Tang Gi-Mun greeted him warmly.

“You’re out? You look much better now.”

“Are you feeling alright?”

Jin Mu-Won bowed his head. “Thank you. I am much better.”

Tang Gi-Mun patted him gently. “You’re the one who did all the hard work. You did well to endure.”

“Not at all.”

Tang Gi-Mun smiled widely. “Because of you, there’s been a complete turnaround public opinion. No one can criticize your Northern Army origins anymore…”

“We shouldn’t be satisfied with just that,” Ha Jin-Wol interrupted.

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“What do you mean?”

“Mu-Won didn’t go through all that, and I didn’t work myself to the bone just to settle for this.”

“Then?”

Ha Jin-Wol flashed a sinister smile. “Just wait a little while. Interesting things will start happening very soon. Fufufu!”

Tang Gi-Mun shook his head. “You’re impossible. Looking at you now, you resemble a villain plotting to conquer the murim.”

“The villain isn’t me, it’s this fellow here. Fufufu!” Ha Jin-Wol clapped Jin Mu-Won on the shoulder.

Tang Mi-Ryeo and Myeong Ryu-San watched the two of them, their emotions complicated. In just one day, Jin Mu-Won had become a prominent figure. Yesterday’s Jin Mu-Won and today’s Jin Mu-Won were completely different people.

Now, there was no martial artist who did not know the Northern Blade. People no longer thought of him as just a prodigy.

In fact, the prevailing opinion was that not even the famed Seven Young Skies could hold a candle to him, and some even speculated that Jin Mu-Won’s martial prowess might approach the level of the Nine Skies.

The skill he displayed against Yeon Cheon-Hwa was so shocking that the memory of it was deeply seared into their minds.

Myeong Ryu-San felt the same.

He’s only a few years older than I am…

Jin Mu-Won stood at a height he could never imagine reaching. His bitter sense of inferiority made it difficult to even look at the man. Gritting his teeth, he could only cast furtive glances at Jin Mu-Won from behind Tang Mi-Ryeo.

“No one will stop you from entering Heaven’s Summit now,” Ha Jin-Wol began. “They won’t be able to trouble you any longer. However, this doesn’t mean they’ve given up. They have only realized that now is not the time, so they’re lying low. They are surely plotting something behind the scenes.”

“I imagine so.”

“You must be especially careful. We don’t know when or where their counterattack will come.”

“I’m not worried. You’ll take care of everything for me, after all.”

“Fufufu!”

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“What will happen to Hall Leader Dong now?”

“He will have to pay the price for his actions. He knew the consequences when he revealed himself.”

“Hmm…”

“Why? Does it weigh on your mind?”

“Not at all. I’m just curious.”

“About what?”

“How did you persuade him?”

Ha Jin-Wol flashed a sly smile. “Fufu! That’s a secret.”

Jin Mu-Won decided not to press the issue. After all, scheming was Ha Jin-Wol’s job. Since Jin Mu-Won had chosen him to be his strategist, he had to trust him completely.

“We’ve passed the immediate crisis, but the truly important part begins now. We’ve proven the Northern Army’s innocence, but that doesn’t mean Heaven’s Summit itself will be shaken. In fact, Heaven’s Summit has only gained from this affair. Most importantly, Seomoon Hwa, the mastermind behind Heaven’s Summit, hasn’t made a move yet. He certainly won’t let this situation stand.”

Jin Mu-Won nodded in understanding. Not only Seomoon Hwa, but none of the Nine Skies had moved. Although Ha Jin-Wol could not know the details of what was happening within Heaven’s Summit, the fact that not a single one of the Nine Skies had attended such an important event was unexpected.

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Did they not move, or could they not move? I must first figure out which it is.

Ha Jin-Wol had ordered Cheong-In to investigate, so information should arrive soon. They would have to lay low until then.

Of course, Seomoon Hye-Ryung won’t stay still either, will she?

Ha Jin-Wol prided himself on understanding Seomoon Hye-Ryung better than anyone else. The woman he knew was not one to give up easily. She was also not the type to do nothing.

As far as persistence went, she was even more relentless than he was. His move undoubtedly wounded her pride, and she would soon strike back.

It would have been better if she had played her trump card at that moment yesterday.

Although things would have become more challenging, it would have been a relief to have everything out in the open. Unfortunately, Seomoon Hye-Ryung remained patient and hid her trump card. She would aim her hidden dagger at him from the darkness until he showed an opening.

Still, Ha Jin-Wol smirked. “Things will get quite interesting from now on.”

It was a battle of wits for control of the entire world. What fun would it be without this level of suspense?

“So… what will happen now?” Tang Mi-Ryeo asked.

“What do you mean?”

Now that Lord Yeon is dead, what will happen to the Greatsword Fortress?”

“It will likely crumble.”

“So easily?”

“They are men who have already abandoned their loyalty once. Though Yeon Cheon-Hwa made the decision, they would not have betrayed the Northern Army without ambitions of their own. Of course, some of them must have followed Yeon Cheon-Hwa reluctantly. With all these people together and their powerful leader gone, internal conflict is inevitable.”

“In that case, can’t Master Jin absorb the Greatsword Fortress? They’re a branch of the Northern Army anyway. Now that it has been revealed that the Northern Army did not collude with the Silent Night, isn’t there sufficient justification?”

Ha Jin-Wol grinned. Although he understood Tang Mi-Ryeo’s desire to help Jin Mu-Won, he still shook his head. “It will come to that in the end, but now is not the time. There’s no need for Mu-Won to get involved in their mudslinging match. It won’t be too late to act once everything has settled down.”

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“Ah!” Tang Mi-Ryeo nodded. As expected, Ha Jin-Wol was looking much further ahead than she was.

Just then, a servant knocked on the door. “Elder!”

“What is it?”

“A guest has arrived.”

“A guest?”

“He says he’s from the Central Administration Hall.”

“The Central Administration Hall?”

“Show him in,” Ha Jin-Wol answered in place of Tang Gi-Mun, as if he had expected this all along.

“Yes!”

A moment later, the door opened and an unfamiliar figure entered.

The moment Tang Gi-Mun saw the middle-aged man’s face, which was adorned with a wide smile just like Ha Jin-Wol’s, he exclaimed, “Chief Steward Gwan?”

“Haha! Master Tang.”

“What brings you here, Chief Steward?”

The middle-aged man who entered the room was none other than Gwan Dae-Seung, the Chief Steward of Heaven’s Summit and one of its most powerful figures.

Ha Jin-Wol narrowed his eyes. He had expected some kind of response from Heaven’s Summit now that Jin Mu-Won’s innocence had been proven, but he hadn’t anticipated a visit from someone of Gwan Dae-Seung’s stature.

“I heard there was a distinguished guest here, so I came to visit,” Gwan Dae-Seung said, scanning the room before fixing his gaze on Jin Mu-Won.

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A moment of silence followed as the two men regarded each other.

Finally, Gwan Dae-Seung clasped his hands together in greeting. “You must be Master Jin. I am Gwan Dae-Seung, the Chief Steward of Heaven’s Summit.”

Jin Mu-Won returned the greeting. “I am Jin Mu-Won.”

Gwan Dae-Seung smiled. “You are as striking as the rumors say. I had other business that day and couldn’t go to the arena, so it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

He looked at Jin Mu-Won with deep, piercing eyes.

Jin Mu-Won froze. Gwan Dae-Seung’s eyes conveyed no hostility, in fact, they were full of goodwill. Still, Jin Mu-Won felt his skin tingle, as if pricked by a needle.

This man…

He studied Gwan Dae-Seung’s face carefully. He appeared to be in his mid-to-late fifties, with deep wrinkles and gray streaks in his hair. His unusually deep and dark eyes were impressive, but there was nothing else particularly noteworthy about him. He did not sense any particularly strong qi, either. He had the face of a typical scholar.

Nevertheless, Jin Mu-Won felt a strange sense of unease. Gwan Dae-Seung knew he was staring, but his smile did not fade.

Ha Jin-Wol nodded at Myeong Ryu-San and Tang Mi-Ryeo, who went outside. Despite their disappointment, they understood that this was not a place for them.

Jin Mu-Won, Tang Gi-Min, and Gwan Dae-Seung sat down while Ha Jin-Wol stood quietly behind Jin Mu-Won.

“I’m sure you were surprised by my late-night visit,” Gwan Dae-Seung began. “However, despite the discourtesy of coming at this hour, I did so because I felt I had to deliver Heaven’s Summit’s position as soon as possible. If you were startled, I apologize.”

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“Not at all. In fact, Chief Steward Gwan, the most surprising thing is that you came in person,” Tang Gi-Mun replied.

If anyone was flustered at that moment, it was him. The Gwan Dae-Seung he knew was a man who hardly ever set foot outside of Heaven’s Summit, so focused was he on managing it. He could count on one hand the number of times he had come out, and the last time he left was almost seven or eight years ago.

For the Chief Steward to come out of Heaven’s Summit just to see Jin Mu-Won was a major event.

Gwan Dae-Seung continued calmly, “I won’t beat around the bush and will get straight to the point. After carefully reviewing and investigating yesterday’s incident, Heaven’s Summit has decided not to impose any sanctions on Master Jin.”

“Oh!”

“However, this will be handled separately from the case of the Northern Army’s destruction ten years ago. It would be unreasonable to re-judge a major event in the murim from a decade ago based solely on the testimony of a single Hall Leader. We promise, though, to reinvestigate thoroughly over time.”

“Hmph!”

The joy on Tang Gi-Mun’s face quickly turned to disappointment. Jin Mu-Won and Ha Jin-Wol, however, showed little change in expression.

A slight hint of intrigue appeared on Gwan Dae-Seung’s face.

As expected…

The corner of his mouth rose slightly.

An hour later, Gwan Dae-Seung left the manor. An ordinary carriage waited for him outside. In the driver’s seat was a coachman wearing a light green silk robe and a bamboo hat.

As Gwan Dae-Seung approached, the coachman hurriedly climbed down from his seat. “You have returned,” he said.

“Mhmm.”

“Was your trip fruitful?”

“It was.”

Gwan Dae-Seung looked at the Tang Clan manor behind him. “I have now seen them with my own two eyes.”

“……”

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“I will stop by the villa for a moment. Summon Chuwol there.”

“Understood.”

A moment later, the carriage carrying Gwan Dae-Seung left the manor.

Gwan Dae-Seung leaned back against his seat and muttered, “The Northern Blade… he’s a troublesome one.”