Chapter 553: Shaman.

Hearing Yeongpung’s words, I had to frown.

“Who…?”

It was because I didn’t understand what he had just said.

He said he became someone’s successor?

‘Did I hear that right?’

No matter how much I thought about it, it felt like I had misheard.

Then, Yeongpung spoke to me with a slightly flustered expression.

“Could it be… you don’t know who the Mount Hua Divine Sword is?”

“No…. Uh, please explain first.”

It seemed I had heard the sobriquet correctly, after all.

At the very least, I needed to see if the Mount Hua Divine Sword Yeongpung was talking about was the same one I knew.

“The Mount Hua Divine Sword was the 8th Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect.”

…Oh, dear.

“In the past, during the Blood Demon War, he was one of the five heroes who stopped the Blood Demon’s massacre.”

Oh, my….

“Even now, if you were to pick the greatest swordsmen of all time, he is an indispensable, respected figure of the Mount Hua Sect… Young Master?”

“…”

Yeongpung looked at my face and called out to me cautiously.

It was because my face was contorting more and more as I heard the explanation.

‘It really seems like it’s him.’

No matter how I listened, it seemed the Mount Hua Divine Sword Yeongpung knew and the senile old man I knew were the same person.

Then.

‘But what about that statement?’

However, what was Yeongpung talking about just now?

‘Successor?’

Yeongpung suddenly claiming to be the successor of the Mount Hua Divine Sword.

I was in a situation where I couldn’t properly comprehend Yeongpung’s words.

Why would he be the successor?

‘No, no….’

If you think about it, it wasn’t entirely strange.

‘He’s more likely to be the successor than I am.’

Compared to me, who has no background whatsoever, Yeongpung, known as the greatest genius of Mount Hua, was indeed the rightful successor.

We use the same sword techniques, and the same martial arts.

The only difference is that old man had a terrible temper, like a piece of trash.

And Yeongpung doesn’t.

However.

‘The successor is me.’

I could state it with certainty.

That I am that old man’s successor.

‘If not me, then who?’

In the past, the legacy of Old Master Shin, which I wanted to escape so badly.

Now, it had become the very path I wanted to take.

I inherited the Old Master’s will.

And for that path, I will stop the Blood Demon too.

Thinking like that.

I needed to grasp the true meaning behind Yeongpung’s words.

“…What is the reason you suddenly came to think that?”

I asked cautiously.

Yeongpung cleared his throat a few times and continued speaking to me.

“I had a fortuitous encounter.”

“Yes.”

I know.

Anyone would think so looking at Yeongpung now. The important thing is what connection this fortuitous encounter has.

“Young Master Gu, do you perhaps know about the rumors spreading recently?”

“Recently?”

“The news that incidents are occurring at the Murim Alliance branches in various regions. Apparently, an incident just happened in Guangdong a few days ago.”

“…Ah, um. Yes.”

I knew about it well.

I couldn’t possibly not know.

“It’s news that’s been around for about half a year…. Around the time those rumors started spreading, there was also activity in the Shaanxi region.”

“Activity?”

“Yes. It was a matter where the Alliance requested support.”

Originally, Mount Hua Sect was in Shaanxi, so there was no particular need for a Murim Alliance branch.

Just like the incident with the Black Night Palace in the past.

Since the Wudang Sword Master became the Alliance Leader, the system changed to require Alliance branches in each region, and this was the time when a Murim Alliance branch was established in Shaanxi as well.

“…They requested support from there.”

“That’s correct. It was a request for help with reconnaissance and guard duty, just in case.”

“And so?”

“Since it was a request from the Alliance, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen stepped up at the time.”

Although the Mount Hua Sect wasn’t exactly close with the Murim Alliance, it was a righteous sect, so they had to honor the Alliance’s request.

Thus, a few Plum Blossom Swordsmen were dispatched for reconnaissance.

“Then… perhaps during that time?”

“…That’s right.”

As I voiced my guess, Yeongpung nodded.

“…At the time, I was circling outside the Mount Hua Sect for reconnaissance. During the reconnaissance, I happened to discover a cave.”

“A cave?”

“Yes, it was a place I’d never seen before. I went inside to assess the situation…. And that’s where I found it.”

“Found what?”

“His traces.”

The ‘him’ Yeongpung refers to here is clearly the traces of the Mount Hua Divine Sword, Shin Cheol.

This means…

Yeongpung found something akin to Old Master Shin’s hidden record while scouting?

‘A hidden record.’

It sounds like it, for now.

But I had doubts about his words.

“Are you saying this hidden record wasn’t discovered until now?”

If it was a hidden record discoverable during reconnaissance, Mount Hua Sect should have found and protected it long ago.

To discover it only now? It seemed rather strange.

To this, Yeongpung said:

“It was in Shaanxi, but it was in a somewhat remote area.”

“…He made a hidden record in a remote area?”

Making a hidden record in a remote part of Shaanxi, rather than near Mount Hua Sect.

As I spoke with doubt, Yeongpung tilted his head and said:

“Isn’t it strange?”

“No, well, that’s true, but….”

There was no particular need to create the hidden record within Mount Hua Sect, so like Yeongpung said, it wasn’t necessarily relevant.

However.

‘Given that old man’s personality, I doubt he would have left anything behind.’

Based on Old Master Shin’s usual behavior and demeanor.

I didn’t think he’d leave anything for the future, and even if he did, I doubted he’d leave it far from Mount Hua Sect.

Of course, this was my perspective, not Yeongpung’s.

Regarding such matters, Yeongpung:

“The previous Sect Leader must have been a wise person, so he surely had his reasons.”

“…”

At Yeongpung’s shining words, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

I couldn’t exactly tell him, ‘Your ancestor wasn’t that wise of a person.’

Forcing myself to swallow my words, I asked something else.

“…So, anyway. What then? Are you saying my current condition is related to the matter of the hidden record?”

“Ah.”

Yeongpung seemed to realize something at my words.

“Upon entering the place, I found elixirs left by the previous Sect Leader, along with a letter….”

“A letter?”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

When I interjected, Yeongpung looked flustured.

“Um, what was written there?”

“…That…”

Yeongpung showed a troubled expression at the question.

Seeing that, I had to shut my mouth as well.

‘Is this too much to ask?’

It wasn’t just anything; it was a letter from the Mount Hua Divine Sword.

It was unthinkable to carelessly reveal the words left by Mount Hua Sect’s great hero to others.

“I apologize. I crossed the line.”

Knowing this, I offered my apology.

“Not at all. It’s understandable to be curious.”

Yeongpung brushed it off as if it were nothing.

As expected. He was different from that ill-tempered old man.

“So, you’re saying the current energy you possess was obtained inside the cave?”

As I spoke, I recalled the previous events in my mind.

‘I thought the energy felt somewhat familiar.’

I wondered why Yeongpung felt so familiar.

That energy felt similar to the internal energy, the ‘do-gi’, within my body, which came from a treasure of Mount Hua.

It was hard to say they were exactly the same, but…

There was definitely a similar feel.

‘Looking at that, it means he did obtain the Old Master’s energy, doesn’t it?’

It was clear he obtained something.

However.

‘He obtained a fortuitous encounter, but him calling himself the successor feels subtle.’

It’s one thing to obtain a fortuitous encounter and undergo changes in energy and physique, but…

Yeongpung claiming himself to be the successor of the Mount Hua Divine Sword is another matter.

This means, in other words…

‘Something must have happened.’

It means something occurred that made Yeongpung think that way.

There were several other doubts as well.

Although I don’t know Yeongpung’s character well, based on assumptions.

If he discovered a fortuitous encounter in the cave.

‘He probably would have taken it to Mount Hua Sect first.’

The fact that he didn’t.

‘And the fact that he didn’t go to Mount Hua Sect afterwards anyway.’

Looking at Yeongpung’s current state, it’s clear he didn’t go to Mount Hua Sect immediately after obtaining the fortuitous encounter.

What could be the reason for that?

As I pondered this question:

“I sent a separate written message to the Sect Leader.”

Yeongpung said he wrote a message about his situation and sent it to Mount Hua Sect.

“And the one who brought the reply to that… is you?”

I asked Gu Ryeonhwa, looking at her, and she nodded upon hearing this.

“Since our paths coincided, the Sect Leader asked me to handle this matter.”

“Why are you going to Wudang?”

Gu Ryeonhwa hesitated slightly upon hearing the question before answering again.

“…I’m on my way to see my master.”

If it’s Gu Ryeonhwa’s master…

‘The Sword Queen (劍后)?’

It meant Sword Queen So Yi, the woman currently holding the title Sword Queen.

‘Does this mean the Sword Queen is currently at Wudang?’

Leaving aside why the Sword Queen is there.

I had to do a lot of thinking after hearing this.

‘There are just too many strange things.’

Amidst the seemingly plausible story, there were many points that bothered me.

Perhaps, if I had to pick, the matter of Old Master Shin’s hidden record was the most bothersome, but I lacked the grounds to question it.

‘It’s too much to suddenly say, ‘Actually, I’m the successor of the Mount Hua Divine Sword, and you’re fake.’…

So what should I do?

‘The easiest way, really, would be to ask him directly, but…’

I couldn’t exactly question the ‘Fiend of Mount Hua’ right now.

Then how?

What approach should I take?

A thought crossed my mind.

Normally, since it involved Gu Ryeonhwa, I would have just identified the problem and moved on, but…

‘If it concerns Old Master Shin, it’s different.’

With things unfolding like this, I needed to dig a little deeper.

‘Wudang.’

That place isn’t next in line.

Going to Wudang was planned…

‘I had scheduled it for after visiting Henan,’

I had planned to go sometime in the fall, after summer.

With things like this, I had to change the plan slightly.

‘Changing the order isn’t a problem.’

It would just be a bit troublesome, but not problematic.

In that case…

“You said you were going to Wudang.”

“Yes? Ah, that’s right.”

After organizing my thoughts, I spoke to Yeongpung.

“May I accompany you?”

“Yes?”

At my question, Yeongpung’s eyes widened.

“Young Master Gu wishes to accompany me?”

“Yes, I happen to have business in Wudang. Since it’s like this, let’s go together.”

It wasn’t a lie.

I did have business in Wudang.

It just wasn’t the right time, but I could change that.

“Oppa, you don’t have to go back?”

When I said I was going to Wudang, Gu Ryeonhwa asked with a slightly worried look.

“Won’t the Family Head… get angry?”

She seemed worried that Father would get angry.

I chuckled, looking at Gu Ryeonhwa.

“It’ll be fine. Father probably won’t scold me.”

Hearing my words, Gu Ryeonhwa’s eyes widened like saucers.

It was probably because of the term I used.

Seeing her expression, I ruffled Gu Ryeonhwa’s hair.

“Oof! Where are you touching!”

Gu Ryeonhwa yelled indignantly, but amusingly, she didn’t actually push my hand away.

Casually touching Gu Ryeonhwa, I asked Yeongpung again.

“Is that alright?”

“If you mean accompanying me, I’d be delighted.”

Yeongpung reacted as if he welcomed it.

Seeing that, I nodded.

As I was about to change course from the trip to Shaanxi to one heading to Wudang, a question I hadn’t asked suddenly came to mind.

“Ah, right. But why are you ultimately going to Wudang?”

Setting aside Yeongpung obtaining the fortuitous encounter.

The reason he’s heading to Wudang because of it.

I hadn’t heard that yet.

“Ah, that matter.”

Yeongpung looked embarrassed at the question and said:

“It’s to retrieve a treasure.”

“A treasure?”

To retrieve a treasure?

Wondering what that meant, I looked at Yeongpung.

“Wudang is currently holding one of Mount Hua’s treasures.”

“Wudang, you say?”

“Yes, there was an incident involving a predecessor, but… circumstances are such now that it’s time to get it back….”

Circumstances require it to be returned?

“It seems like an important matter, but shouldn’t it require more than just you, the head disciple….”

As I spoke, Gu Ryeonhwa’s earlier words suddenly came to mind.

I thought it was a bit strange that only the second and third disciples were going to retrieve the treasure.

‘I recalled that the Sword Queen is at Wudang.’

Since there’s a senior figure of the sect there, that part makes sense.

I pursed my lips at the thought, but Yeongpung, having heard me, responded.

“It’s a matter that requires my personal attention.”

Yeongpung said so with serious eyes.

‘Requires his personal attention?’

There was something peculiar in the emotion conveyed by his voice.

Normally, I wouldn’t have asked, but…

For some reason, I felt compelled to ask, so I questioned Yeongpung.

“What are you going to retrieve that requires such urgency?”

What exactly does Wudang have that made Yeongpung leave without even stopping by Mount Hua?

Hearing my questioning, Yeongpung told me:

“The treasure Wudang holds is none other than… the beloved sword the Mount Hua Divine Sword possessed.”

…Huh?

As I heard this, I sensed something strange.

‘If it’s that old man’s beloved sword then….’

Uh…. That definitely….

“Perhaps you don’t know of it, Young Master Gu. It’s not a widely known treasure.”

Yeongpung saw my expression and seemed to assume I didn’t know, offering reassurance, but…

From my perspective, I was thinking something entirely different.

I asked Yeongpung in a slightly trembling voice:

“Head Disciple…. What is the name of that treasure?”

The name of the treasure Wudang currently possesses and Yeongpung is going to retrieve.

At my question, Yeongpung tilted his head.

He seemed to wonder why I was asking, but apparently, it wasn’t a problem to tell me, so he informed me:

“It’s called Gwijung (晷正).”

“…”

“Do you perhaps know of this treasure, Young Master Gu?”

I couldn’t say anything after hearing that.

Know it?

…I know it well. Too well, in fact, which is the problem.

Hearing this, I subtly hid my left arm.

It was the arm wrapped in bandages that had turned bluish from my energy seeping into it.

‘…What kind of situation is this now?’

I don’t know where to start, but what’s certain is…

Something has gone very, very wrong.

And.

The moment I thought that, I should have bolted.

I had forgotten for a moment, thinking things were going smoothly.

“Subdue those people immediately!”

“Haha, damn it all.”

That I, as a person, am inherently cursed with terrible luck.