The villagers welcomed the Wudang Sect disciples with warm hospitality—a testament to the sect’s standing among the surrounding communities.
While resting, I felt something stirring in my sleeve. Reaching inside, I discovered Geumryeong had somehow made its way there.
‘This little creature really gets everywhere.’
The small creature tapped insistently against my hand, clearly trying to communicate something. I stood up.
“I’ll be back in a moment—need to take care of something.”
“Go ahead.”
I slipped away to a quiet, secluded spot.
“Geumryeong, come out.”
At my call, the creature poked its head out and dropped something into my palm. The golden fruit glowed softly, and I immediately recognized the danger.
“This is poisonous! You could die if you eat this…”
Wait. Something was different. The stem was dark red, and white spots dotted the surface.
“…!”
This was the Divine Spirit Restoration Fruit.
“Where did you find this?”
Geumryeong dropped to the ground and pointed with its tail in a specific direction. Using its front paw, it traced a square in the dirt, then drew a circle inside.
‘So you took it from a box somewhere over there.’
The mysterious elixir the Baekcheon Merchant Group had purchased—this had to be it. The lingering scent of blood on the fruit confirmed my suspicions.
I quickly stowed it in my secret vault. Being caught with this would only invite unwanted trouble.
My heart raced. Thanks to Geumryeong, I’d managed to intercept the means to restore the Blood Cultist’s body, but I couldn’t relax yet. The Murim Alliance would simply procure another elixir if it served their purposes.
Worse, people with ulterior motives lurked here among the genuinely kind villagers. The man who’d provided lodging for the Wudang disciples and me was just an ordinary resident, but I alone could distinguish friend from foe—and I had no way to prove my suspicions.
That left only one option: catch them in the act when they made their move. There’s a reason for the saying ‘red-handed.’
“Kui! Kui!”
Geumryeong gazed up at me with bright, expectant eyes.
“Yes, you did well.”
“Kui?”
I’d hoped it might work for free this time, but apparently not.
‘This little one never misses a payment.’
I pulled out a silver tael and handed it over. Geumryeong devoured it eagerly.
After completing our schedule, we returned to the Wudang Sect.
The next morning, I rose from bed and began my qi circulation. Mount Wudang’s spiritual energy was remarkably pure—the qi that flowed through my meridians felt exceptionally clean and clear.
As I finished my practice, Escort Guard Lee Pil’s voice came from outside.
“My lord, breakfast is ready.”
“Yes, I’m coming.”
Jin Seon, Sect Leader of Wudang, stood atop the highest pavilion, gazing down at the grounds below. From this vantage point, the entire sect spread out before him like a living map.
“Sect Leader.”
He turned at the familiar voice.
“Elder Jin Jeong.”
The approaching figure was indeed Elder Jin Jeong, his longtime companion.
“What weighs on your mind that brings you here?”
The question drew a hearty laugh from the Sect Leader.
“Is that why you came? Out of concern for me?”
“Isn’t that natural?”
The Sect Leader’s Daoist name was Jin Seon, making him and Elder Jin Jeong brothers of the same generation. They’d shared the same age and weathered countless trials together since youth, so Jin Jeong knew his habits well.
When Sect Leader Jin Seon was troubled, he had a tendency to seek high places and look down, contemplating. It was fortunate he couldn’t wander far from his duties now. Before becoming Sect Leader, he would climb to Mount Wudang’s highest peak, making him nearly impossible to find.
“Have you had breakfast?”
“I have. And you, Elder?”
“Yes.”
Elder Jin Jeong nodded, then asked carefully,
“So what troubles you?”
The Sect Leader released a heavy sigh.
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m leaving my post for a while. Perhaps that’s why I feel so uneasy.”
Elder Jin Jeong placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“It will be fine. We are Wudang.”
“True enough.”
The Wudang Sect Leader and several elders were scheduled to escort the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth generation disciples to Mount Zhongnan for a friendly martial arts tournament—an autumn tradition that had been delayed due to circumstances at the host sect, pushing it to early in the new year.
Despite the routine nature of the event, something felt wrong. The previous night, he’d dreamed of the Great Emperor Zhenwu. Unlike his own emotional state, the Great Emperor’s expression had been grim and foreboding.
Hence his unease. A premonition that something terrible was about to unfold.
‘The Great Emperor Zhenwu’s appearance in my dream felt like a warning. Ah, come to think of it…’
The Great Emperor had spoken only one cryptic phrase: “Trust that insolent Eun brat.”
Those words, accompanied by the thick scent of blood in the dream, left him even more anxious.
‘Speaking of blood, it reminds me of that damned Blood Cult Leader.’
The Blood Cult Leader—whom he desperately wanted to kill but had been forced to seal away instead.
His thoughts turning in this direction, the Sect Leader asked Elder Jin Jeong,
“That one—is it still secure?”
Understanding the reference immediately, Elder Jin Jeong replied,
“Still the same.”
“Honestly, I’m anxious. We had no choice but to seal it away, but isn’t it like keeping a loaded cannon ready to explode?”
“That’s true.”
After a moment of contemplative silence, the Sect Leader continued,
“I heard that Young Master Eun Seo-ho’s attendant was struck by a wooden sword thrown by one of our disciples.”
“Yes, that’s correct. Fortunately, he wasn’t seriously injured.”
“I granted him permission to tour the Wudang Sect, so this is quite unfortunate. His plans must have been disrupted.”
“Most likely.”
“Have you had a chance to observe Young Master Eun Seo-ho?”
“Yes, I encountered him briefly. For someone so young, he possesses remarkable insight.”
“What made you think so?”
Elder Jin Jeong recounted his observations of Eun Seo-ho, and the Sect Leader nodded with growing admiration.
“Such a thing happened? What a shame indeed. He radiates such clear energy and possesses such wisdom! If he’d become our disciple, Wudang’s name would echo throughout the Central Plains.”
“I shared that wish.”
Elder Jin Jeong expressed his own regret. Had Eun Seo-ho not already learned another martial art, he would have invited him to join the sect regardless of age.
Both the Sect Leader and Elder Jin Jeong had reached the Transcendent realm, allowing them to perceive that Eun Seo-ho had already achieved Peak-level mastery.
When Eun Seo-ho had requested permission to tour the sect while making his donation days earlier, the Sect Leader had harbored slight suspicions. But observing the young man’s astonishingly clear and pure energy had quickly dispelled his doubts.
Now he believed he understood who the “insolent Eun brat” from his dream was.
‘If he possesses such clear and pure energy, I can trust him.’
He turned to Elder Jin Jeong.
“We should allow Young Master Eun Seo-ho to continue his tour for a few more days. And while I’m away, I entrust this place to your care.”
“Understood.”
As we finished breakfast in the guest hall’s restaurant and lingered over tea, Baek Mun approached our table.
“I heard you weren’t able to complete your tour of our sect due to the recent accident.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right.”
“The Sect Leader found this regrettable and has granted permission for you to continue exploring our sect for several more days.”
“Really? I was actually resigned to the disappointment.”
This was exactly what I needed. No matter how I considered it, someone within the sect was collaborating with the Murim Alliance. I had to identify this accomplice to prevent the coming bloodbath.
Even though I’d intercepted the Divine Spirit Restoration Fruit, the matter was far from resolved.
Our guide today was unfamiliar.
“I am Myeong Guk of the Crane Esteem Division. The Sect Leader has ordered me to guide Young Master Eun Seo-ho’s party.”
“I am Eun Seo-ho, Deputy Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
We fastened the permission passes around our necks and entered the inner grounds. Unlike previous visits, the atmosphere seemed charged with excitement.
“It feels more energetic today than before.”
“Likely due to the upcoming martial arts tournament with Mount Zhongnan.”
“A martial arts tournament? Are the twenty-fifth generation disciples participating?”
“Both twenty-fifth and twenty-fourth generation disciples will compete.”
‘That explains why Daoist Gong Ryun isn’t guiding us today.’
Daoist Mu Un, being a twenty-sixth generation disciple, would still lack the knowledge to serve as an effective guide.
“So the Sect Leader and several elders are escorting the disciples to Mount Zhongnan.”
His words answered one of my lingering questions. I’d wondered why the Wudang Sect had failed to contain the rampaging Blood Cultist in my previous life—now I understood. The Sect Leader and most of the sect’s masters had been away at Mount Zhongnan for the tournament.
But this raised another question.
‘Didn’t the incident happen in autumn originally? It’s already past the new year.’
Daoist Myeong Guk provided the answer.
“It’s typically an autumn event, but Mount Zhongnan’s circumstances forced a delay of several months.”
“I see.”
‘The Murim Alliance must have manipulated the tournament schedule.’
“The disciples are training with extra intensity, and that competitive atmosphere led some younger ones to spar in unauthorized areas.”
“Understandable at their age.”
We focused on exploring areas we hadn’t seen before. Eventually, we arrived at a particular pavilion.
“What is this place?”
“This is where the Great Emperor Zhenwu is enshrined. Please, enter this way.”
Inside the pavilion hung a painting on the front wall—a fierce-faced figure dressed in black. The aura emanating from the painting felt remarkably similar to what I’d sensed in my dream.
‘Was the person in my dream actually the Great Emperor Zhenwu?’
‘Well, then he probably won’t try to swindle me.’
With such idle thoughts, I left and headed to another pavilion.
We spent the entire afternoon touring the Wudang Sect, but I spotted no one particularly suspicious.
‘If they were easy to identify, the tragedy wouldn’t have occurred in my past life.’
‘I’ll have to keep my senses sharp and stay vigilant.’
I moved to return the permission pass to Daoist Myeong Guk, but he didn’t accept it.
“Keep it.”
“Pardon? I was told these must be returned the same day.”
“That’s the usual rule, but the Sect Leader gave special instructions. You’re to keep it until he returns.”
“I understand.”
It seemed the Sect Leader had intuited my intentions and made this accommodation.
Daoist Myeong Guk emphasized his point repeatedly.
“Be extremely careful not to lose that pass.”
‘Of course I’ll be careful.’
‘Without this, I won’t be able to enter even if something happens.’
“That pass doesn’t just grant entry—it also permits you to carry weapons within Wudang territory.”
“…!”
Permission to bear arms within Wudang territory carried far more significance than I’d realized.
‘I absolutely cannot afford to lose this pass.’
Piik! Piiik!
The sound of a flute pierced the air.
The sealed Blood Cultist—no, the Blood Cult Leader—opened his eyes. The moment had finally arrived.
He slowly reviewed the incantations of his martial arts techniques, ensuring he could execute them immediately upon recovering his body.
Screeeak.
Something different from the usual meal was passed through the small feeding slot. A golden fruit.
The Blood Cult Leader’s lips curved into a sinister grin. The elixir had arrived as promised.
He seized the golden fruit and swallowed it whole. The fruit dissolved on his tongue with a sweet taste, melting away without trace.
Simultaneously, the elixir’s energy began circulating through his body. He initiated qi circulation to properly absorb its power.
Once his body recovered, he would shatter the chains binding him and destroy this accursed pavilion. Then he would thoroughly annihilate the Wudang Sect.
His revenge against Wudang and the world that had imprisoned him for over twenty years would finally begin…
Gurgle.
“Ugh!”
Sudden, violent pain seized his stomach.
‘Could it be…?’
–TL Notes–
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