Chapter 348

Taoist Hyeongong entered his room with a satisfied smile.

Hyeonam. Just as I thought, you really are a simple-minded fool.

Back in the guesthouse courtyard, Hyeongong had deliberately made an unreasonable demand to coax Hyeonam into talking.

He had never expected the stubborn Hyeonam to actually listen to his opinion in the first place.

And Seokjangsan's timely provocation had made everything even easier.

Hyeonam was a man who valued rules and principles above almost anything else.

Seeing Hyeongong, a Hyeon-generation Martial Uncle, treated with contempt by a martial nephew could not have failed to make him feel guilty.

That guilt had undoubtedly played a part in making the normally tight-lipped Hyeonam reveal their planned route.

There really is no one easier to manipulate than people who prattle on about justice and chivalry.

As Hyeongong savored his success, he felt an unpleasant energy begin to creep out of his dantian.

He had learned the expedition force's retreat route, but the process had brought the humiliation Seokjangsan had inflicted upon him vividly back to mind.

Insolent bastard son!

That worthless trash from the External Martial Training Ground had actually dared hold his head high before Hyeongong, who stood at the very heart of Wudang's legitimate lineage.

Whenever he saw Seokjangsan, he was reminded of that bastard Kwak Yeon of Samryeong Palace.

Birds of a feather flocked together, and Seokjangsan truly was much like Kwak Yeon.

Not only were their personalities alike, even the astonishing speed at which their martial arts had advanced was the same.

The two also shared something else: Taoist Hyeonam, infamous for his icy disposition, went out of his way to protect them both.

Hyeongong knew that Hyeonam, Seokjangsan, and Kwak Yeon had become close because of the food-poisoning incident at the External Martial Training Ground.

The fact that their friendship had been forged on the back of his own misfortune made all three even greater thorns in his side.

So when Hyeonam and Seokjangsan returned alive from the trap at Gourd Sky, Hyeongong had been sorely disappointed.

Of course, the death of Uncheon Zhenren—the most dangerous man on Mount Wudang and someone who had always treated Hyeongong with merciless severity—was a genuine blessing.

Those idiots from the Gathering Demons Division. They should have finished the job properly.

How had they managed to let the rats escape after finally trapping them in a jar?

Because of their failure, he had been forced to suffer humiliation at Seokjangsan's hands and go through all this additional trouble. The thought alone made his anger boil.

Either way, those two won't escape unharmed this time.

GRIND.

Hyeongong ground his teeth, picked up the ink dropper, and let a few drops of ink fall onto a fine brush.

DRIP. DRIP.

The slender brush glided across the paper.

SCRITCH. SCRITCH.

By the time the brush stopped, even the scent of ink that had spread through the room had faded.

Hyeongong folded the sheet several times, slipped it into his sleeve, and rose.

CLACK.

The moment he opened the door, Taoist Cheongsu, who had been waiting in the corridor, looked at him in surprise.

"Master, are you going out?"

Hyeongong frowned.

"Why are you asking?"

This was the disciple who had disgraced his own master by wetting himself in front of everyone at the guesthouse in Aju County City.

He could hardly help comparing him to his elder half brother, Seokjangsan.

It was not that Cheongsu lacked talent.

As befitted the legitimate scion of a distinguished martial family, his martial aptitude was exceptional.

The problem was that Seokjangsan, despite being an illegitimate son, was simply too outstanding.

They say even a phoenix looks like nothing but a long-tailed chicken beside a dragon. Tsk, tsk.

Nothing irritated Hyeongong more than the fact that his disciple, the legitimate scion, was inferior to an illegitimate son.

Merely looking at Cheongsu was enough to make his temper flare.

"I was only worried because you're leaving the guesthouse while you're still injured, Master. And Martial Uncle Hyeonam ordered everyone in the party not to wander about without permission..."

"You insolent brat!"

At his master's roar, Cheongsu sensed murderous intent in Hyeongong's eyes and immediately fell silent.

His body trembled involuntarily.

He had never before felt murderous intent from his master.

No matter how angry Hyeongong became, he had never looked at him like this.

"..."

Seeing Cheongsu trembling with a bloodless face, Hyeongong realized his mistake.

With each passing day, controlling his anger was becoming more difficult.

If this continues, I'll lose everyone's trust on Mount Wudang, a Taoist Gate, and I'll never rise to a high position.

He had to maintain the appearance expected of a Taoist and conceal the evil energy lodged within his dantian.

"Cheongsu, my mind and body still haven't fully settled after everything that happened. I lost my temper and went too far."

The murderous intent vanished completely from Hyeongong's eyes, and his voice became warm and affectionate.

Cheongsu quickly relaxed.

I must have been imagining things. There's no way Master would direct murderous intent at his own disciple.

Even so, the unease lodged in one corner of his heart did not entirely disappear.

He still could not forget that sinister laughter he had heard from his master, even if Hyeongong had supposedly only been talking in his sleep.

Hyeongong's gentle voice came again.

"I made several mistakes on this expedition. Once we return to Mount Wudang, I will make sure nothing like that ever happens again."

At his master's heartfelt apology and resolve, Cheongsu hurriedly bowed his head.

"Ah..."

"Cheongsu, whatever else happens, you are my one and only disciple. If I continue advancing from here, who do you think will ultimately inherit the fruits of everything I accomplish?"

"Naturally... they will pass on to me, your disciple."

"Exactly. That is why master and disciple must be of one mind."

"I will remember that."

Hyeongong nodded in satisfaction.

"I'm only going to see my clan uncle and bid him farewell. I'll be back shortly, so don't worry."

"..."

"And naturally, you will say nothing to anyone about my leaving the guesthouse."

"Understood."

Leaving Cheongsu behind, Hyeongong walked down the guesthouse corridor, his expression gradually turning cold.

What an irritating brat.

Cheongsu had done nothing more than what any disciple should do when attending to his master.

Yet to Hyeongong, it felt as though he were being watched.

Having his disciple constantly at his side had become such an annoyance that he wanted to get rid of him immediately.

But Wudang's rules required master and disciple to share hardships together, so he had no choice but to tolerate the inconvenience.

Hyeongong found it strange that he had never considered his disciple's attentions bothersome before.

Still irritated with Cheongsu, he stepped out of the guesthouse and paused to survey his surroundings before entering the market streets.

The last light of sunset was fading and darkness was slowly settling over the city, though plenty of pedestrians still passed through the streets.

More and more shops were lighting their lanterns, and groups of three or four soldiers could be seen patrolling the market.

CLANK. CLANK.

Equipped with armor and heavy weapons, they carried themselves very differently from the ordinary government troops stationed in the county city.

With the situation in the martial world growing increasingly unstable, the authorities had begun paying greater attention to public security.

No matter how lawless demonic-path practitioners might be, interference from fully armed soldiers was not something they could simply ignore.

And if the authorities ever allied themselves with the orthodox martial world, they could easily pour cold water over the long-awaited resurgence of the demonic path.

That was precisely why the Gathering Demons Division's men could not openly cause trouble inside the county city.

If they're deploying soldiers throughout the Central Plains, it seems this emperor didn't take after his weak father.

Hyeongong placed his sole remaining hand behind his back and strolled leisurely through the market.

It was a habit he had naturally developed to conceal the fact that he had only one arm.

As he walked past the shops, he collided with a pack peddler.

"Oh!"

CRASH! THUD! THUD!

The peddler lost his balance, spilling the load from his back across the ground.

"My apologies, Taoist."

He hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed.

The motion pushed back his sleeve, briefly revealing a red tattoo on his wrist.

Hyeongong's brow tightened slightly.

"You ought to watch where you're going."

"My deepest apologies. I was in such a hurry that I..."

"Enough. Just be more careful from now on."

Hyeongong gave a casual wave of his right hand and continued on his way.

The peddler quickly began gathering the items scattered across the ground.

Without hesitation, he also picked up a folded sheet of paper lying among them and slipped it into his sleeve.

A short while later, when Hyeongong glanced back, the peddler was already hurrying toward the city gate.

He looked exactly like an ordinary traveling peddler rushing home before the gates closed.

Hyeongong's gaze shifted to the spot where the man's belongings had fallen.

"...!"

After confirming that nothing remained on the ground, Hyeongong quickly turned away.

The first task had gone smoothly.

Now he needed to hurry and finish the second one he had planned.

If he returned to the guesthouse too late, even Cheongsu might become suspicious.

He had already noticed something oddly unnatural about his disciple's behavior toward him of late.

The longer the night, the more dreams it brings. Better to finish this quickly and get back.

Hyeongong quickened his pace, never noticing the lone shadow concealed in an alley he had just passed.

Some time later, he stopped before a bustling guesthouse.

The merchant guilds that had followed the campaign force to supply it with various goods were staying there.

Having heard that the campaign force had been dissolved, the merchants were now in an uproar preparing to withdraw.

No one paid any attention to a single Taoist entering the guesthouse.

Thanks to the commotion, Hyeongong reached the detached annex without drawing notice and easily dealt with the two guards posted at its moon gate.

WHOOSH!

CRACK!

"Hm? Taoist Hyeongong, why are you—agh!"

SNAP!

In the instant he twisted and broke both guards' necks, Hyeongong felt a surge of tremendous power rising from his dantian.

The strength spread through his entire body in an instant, filling him with ecstasy.

It was the reward he had received in exchange for surrendering completely to the evil energy within his dantian.

Hyeongong closed his eyes for a moment and reveled in the sensation.

He imagined the future awaiting him as he grew stronger and stronger.

If it makes me stronger, what does killing a few people matter?

At last, Hyeongong opened his eyes and pushed the two corpses into the annex garden.

He was not hiding them because he feared people might be shocked by the grotesque sight of their heads twisted around toward their backs.

He simply had no desire for a commotion to break out before Wudang's expedition force left the county city the following morning.

SWISH.

Out of long habit, Hyeongong started to bring his hands together and dust them off after finishing the job.

His hand met empty air.

He gave a bitter smile.

I keep forgetting I don't have a left hand anymore.

He would never again be able to clap his hands together.

They say old habits follow you to the grave. Looks like I finally found a way to break this one.

He was not particularly saddened by the loss of that old habit.

After all, in exchange for losing the habit of bringing his hands together, he had acquired a new one—holding his remaining hand behind his back.

No.

If anything, it was for the best.

He had traded a single hand for a limitless future.

A sticky smile spread across Hyeongong's face as he headed toward the inner room of the detached annex to complete his second task.

He had arranged this because he no longer intended to stake his entire future on Mount Wudang.

And for that, he needed the cooperation of the man inside.

Of course, the man was hardly likely to cooperate willingly.

But Hyeongong knew several ways to "persuade" him.

He knew them very well indeed.

He had experienced them firsthand.

Standing before the door to the annex's inner room, Hyeongong spoke calmly.

"Clan Uncle, Hyeongong of Wudang is here."

"Come in at once!"

The answer came immediately from inside.

"I've been waiting for you."

There was a restrained edge of anger in the voice of Ga Deukhyeon, the Cheongo Merchant Guild Master.