Chapter 355: Dark King (5)

What is a Jeongpa Hoihap (Orthodox Faction Assembly)?

It can be called a meeting convened to resolve a major upheaval-inducing incident that occurs within the Murim Alliance, known as the center of the orthodox factions.

The Nine Major Orthodox Sects supporting the Murim Alliance, and the Four Great Families, which can be called its pillars.

As well as other prominent families spread widely around them.

And even the massive merchant guilds funding them and revitalizing cities.

The leaders of these incredible groups, whose names alone are enough to make your jaw drop, gather in one place to discuss matters.

From how to handle this incident, at the very least.

To, at the most.

Discussing whether the Murim Alliance should even continue to exist.

In my opinion, this incident was clearly significant enough to warrant convening the assembly, so it will definitely be held.

If that happens, it’s obvious that the high-and-mighty humans will flock to Henan.

I don’t know if it will be held in Henan or not, but in my view, it will be held in Henan.

Of course, there’s no obligation for them to attend just because the assembly is convened, but…

‘Will they really not come?’

It’s a place where the main pillars of the orthodox factions gather to discuss.

Whatever discussions take place, their value will be considerable, and simply being present there is like proof of an achievement and reputation.

Since they are humans who value pride above their very lives,

They will definitely come.

Moreover, this incident…

‘My children’s safety is at stake…’

They’ll probably come even just to vent their anger. I can roughly understand that much, but…

I couldn’t quite grasp what Moyong Xi’a had just said.

“…What do you mean? Run away?”

Moyong Xi’a’s father, that is, the head of the Moyong Family, the White Heaven Sword Master (白天劍主) Moyong Tae.

He was once a master who vied with Namgung Jin for the title of Sword King.

At the time, he was known as one of the top swordsmen, a martial artist with exceptionally outstanding skills, but…

After getting married and giving birth to Moyong Xi’a, he somewhat fell behind.

Regardless of his martial prowess, it was clear he was the current head of the Moyong Family,

So if the assembly were to be convened, he would come too.

‘So you’re saying we should run away?’

It was a statement that made no sense.

What could Moyong Xi’a’s father coming have to do with running away?

“Well, is the Moyong Family Head going to kill me or something?”

The statement was so strange that I blurted it out as a joke.

Then.

“Yes.”

“…”

She gave an affirmative answer.

What did she just say?

“…Wh-what did you say?”

The White Heaven Sword Master might kill me?

As I asked, frowning deeply, Moyong Xi’a averted her gaze slightly and began to speak.

“…It’s a bit embarrassing…”

Seeing her stroke her forearm with one hand, it seemed like quite an embarrassing story.

“My father… he likes me quite a lot.”

Moyong Xi’a blurted this out, her ears flushed bright red.

I wondered how embarrassing it could be.

‘It’s common knowledge.’

It was such a famous story that there was nothing to think about.

The Moyong Family Head’s peculiar love for his daughter was quite famous.

The reason he fell behind among those of his generation,

And the reason the Moyong Family’s standing as a martial clan diminished the most among the Four Great Families,

Could, in a way, be attributed to Moyong Xi’a.

“So?”

That’s one thing, but it didn’t give him a reason to do anything to me.

“My relationship with you, Gongzi-nim… it’s not exactly ordinary, is it?”

“Not ordinary? It seems rather ordinary to me…”

“Just shut up for now, please.”

“…Uh, yeah.”

Her chilling voice made me clamp my mouth shut.

A relationship.

To be honest, it wasn’t exactly an ordinary relationship.

I’ve been channeling my internal heat into her according to a schedule.

It was to cure her constitutionally-based illness.

Ever since I discovered my internal heat could cure her ‘Severed Vein Syndrome’ (절맥증).

This kind of relationship has been ongoing for several years.

A constitution where cold energy gradually freezes the body.

I’m barely suppressing it using my internal energy (내기), but conversely, when I use my internal energy as a martial artist, the cold energy erupts.

Therefore, during the times when my internal heat permeates her body, suppressing the cold energy.

Moyong Xi’a had to completely halt her martial arts training.

For several years, no less.

It was a somewhat critical issue for a martial artist, but…

Moyong Xi’a didn’t seem too bothered by it.

And in fact, the treatment was progressing well.

The heat I gave every few days gradually extended its intervals over time,

And now, giving it about once a month is sufficient, so it must be effective.

‘Ah, is that the problem?’

Some weird guy is involved with his precious daughter, exchanging internal heat.

It wouldn’t be strange for a doting father’s eyes to ignite with fury.

If there’s one slightly odd thing…

“Weren’t we supposed to have gotten permission for that in the first place?”

“Huh?”

I mean, wasn’t the exchange of my internal heat for treatment purposes something we proceeded with after discussing it with the Moyong Family?

In fact, we received considerable wealth and trading rights for merchant guilds.

There was even a precedent of an elder-level figure from the Moyong Family visiting.

Starting from that, several Moyong Family merchant guilds established themselves in the Shanxi region, making the area much more bustling.

This level of undertaking couldn’t have proceeded without the Moyong Family Head’s permission.

“…Well.”

I saw Moyong Xi’a lower her gaze after hearing my words.

What is that reaction?

“Did… did you perhaps do something?”

“No, it’s not like I did anything specific.”

It’s a rare expression.

It’s bound to be extremely rare to see Moyong Xi’a making excuses.

She would usually find another way out rather than make excuses,

And even before that, she wouldn’t create situations that required excuses in the first place.

“…You know, Gongzi-nim.”

So that expression must be incredibly rare.

At least, I never saw that face in my previous life.

“Tell me.”

“I think that sometimes, people make mistakes in life.”

While it was a reasonable statement, it was also the most unfitting thing Moyong Xi’a could possibly say.

Hearing that, I retorted to Moyong Xi’a.

“Someone once told me that if you prepare properly, you won’t make mistakes in the first place, and if you can’t even do that, you shouldn’t start anything.”

“Who said that? How can someone spew such arrogant and selfish words… Weren’t they educated strangely? People can make mistakes… Do they have no empathy at all? How scary.”

“…”

Moyong Xi’a frowned and spoke as if asking how I could be like that.

I had to sigh inwardly.

For the record, those words were spoken to me by Snow Phoenix in my previous life.

I heard them after making a mistake while hunting monsters.

“So, what mistake did you make?”

What could she have done to make me think the White Heaven Sword Master might kill me the moment he saw me?

Upon hearing my question, Moyong Xi’a hesitated repeatedly before finally opening her mouth.

Finally, she managed to speak.

“Gongzi-nim might not know, but… more than what was originally agreed upon for the nine provinces was finalized.”

“Hmm?”

“For example, establishing a merchant guild in Shanxi was somewhat forced. Though it was eventually finalized.”

Indeed.

Shanxi might have been different in the past, but it’s not a very active region now.

With Anhui or Henan nearby, the very option of establishing a merchant guild in Shanxi…

Was a loss for the Moyong Family.

Seeing that, I thought the treatment must be quite important.

But the reality was a bit different?

“Perhaps, what I said was the problem.”

“Hmm?”

“My father… the Family Head… really dislikes it. Entrusting my body to an outsider.”

“Well, that’s natural…”

“Especially since he said he couldn’t let someone who already has a fiancée go through that. I didn’t have many options.”

Huh?

Something sounds off here.

“So I told him. That you, Gongzi-nim, have a fiancée, but your heart is actually already with me… and that you plan to break off the engagement later and get engaged to me.”

What?

“So, wouldn’t it be good if you treated me as a daughter-in-law in advance, without worry?”

“…Did you, uh, just say what I think you said?”

“Apparently, he found that acceptable. He went along with my insistence. It’s fortunate, isn’t it? That things somehow worked out.”

Moyong Xi’a, as she spoke, still avoided my gaze.

She seemed to know herself just how ridiculously nonsensical the words she was uttering were.

So, what she just said means…

To the White Heaven Sword Master, I…

Am engaged to the Namgung Family, but my heart is with Moyong Xi’a.

Meaning I’m someone who plans to break off the engagement soon and get engaged to the Moyong Family.

“Why did the story… end up like that?”

Just hearing it makes my head spin.

How did things get to that point?

“Like I told you.”

As I asked, pointing out the absurdity of the situation, Moyong Xi’a told me.

“People can make mistakes in life… can’t they?”

Is she seriously calling that a valid point?

I just stared at Moyong Xi’a’s face without any response to her words.

Sensing my gaze, Moyong Xi’a kept her head bowed low.

The uncomfortable silence continued.

If Moyong Xi’a, being intelligent, knew what she should say right now, she would have already said it.

The reason she wasn’t saying it must be because her pride wouldn’t allow it.

A few more seconds passed.

Unable to bear the uncomfortable silence any longer, Moyong Xi’a finally spoke.

“…I’m sorry.”

Hearing Moyong Xi’a’s words, I nodded slightly.

She had tried hard to maintain her pride, but if she didn’t let it out like that once in a while, Moyong Xi’a would crumble faster than expected.

In the first place, Moyong Xi’a likely built up to those words precisely because she wanted to say them.

It wasn’t a certainty, but based on my experiences with Moyong Xi’a so far, it seemed likely.

‘The situation… is like this.’

From the White Heaven Sword Master’s perspective.

I, whom he thought was his prospective son-in-law, wasn’t that at all.

My engagement with the Namgung Family remained intact.

And yet, I was involved with Wi Seol-ah, Tang Soyeol, and even his own daughter, Moyong Xi’a.

In such a situation, it must have looked like I was still messing around with her body under the guise of giving her internal heat.

Oh…

‘He has grounds to kill me…?’

I’ve never had children, so I can’t fully empathize, but…

If I consider the White Heaven Sword Master’s position for a moment.

He’d be justified in killing me.

He might even feel it’s not enough even if he cut me up into dust and burned me.

‘…This isn’t good.’

This is really not good!

I can roughly understand why Moyong Xi’a suggested running away.

The biggest problem here is that we can’t run away.

Ah, perhaps running away would be a better story for the White Heaven Sword Master.

It would look like a lovers’ elopement at first glance, so then the White Heaven Sword Master would…

“…”

A thought flashed through my mind, and I quickly looked at Moyong Xi’a.

Sensing my gaze again, Moyong Xi’a flinched slightly.

Seeing that, it seemed Moyong Xi’a had also figured out what I was thinking.

“…You.”

“Ah, it’s hot. It’s really hot today, Gongzi-nim.”

On a spring day still full of traces of winter.

Moyong Xi’a, who harbored cold energy, saying it’s hot.

That was truly believable.

“Ha.”

Seeing that, I let out a hollow laugh.

It’s fortunate things are like this; if we were in the same relationship as my previous life, I might have just been endlessly teased by Moyong Xi’a.

As I said that, I suddenly looked up at the sky.

‘Whether it’s the White Heaven Sword Master or the Jeongpa Hoihap… first, I need to deal with that.’

The black barrier filling this area.

I need to break through that to make any progress with future plans.

I had no idea how to remove it.

‘When I transformed into a demon beast (마인화), I seemed to have dealt some damage.’

Around the time I reached the Hwagyeong (化境) realm and used Jeokcheon (赤天).

With the martial power I used only after transforming into a demon beast, I managed to inflict some scratches, but…

It quickly reverted to its original state, making it quite troublesome power.

‘There must be some other way.’

It seemed impossible through sheer force, so I had to find a way to disable it.

The presumed caster, the Black Dragon Sword (흑룡검), must be trapped somewhere now,

Should I go find him?

“…Ja-nim.”

‘If it’s maintained even in that state, then even torturing him…’

“Gongzi-nim…!”

“Huh?”

While I was contemplating what to do.

Moyong Xi’a grabbed my shoulder and shook me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Look there, look there.”

Wondering what was happening, I shifted my gaze to where Moyong Xi’a was pointing.

And then.

“…What?”

Crackle, crackle-!

Where I shifted my gaze,

I saw something unusual happening to the black barrier.

It was a completely different speed compared to when I used my energy to break it.

Much faster.

It didn’t take long for me to realize.

That the barrier was being erased.

---

The dark space created behind the Divine Dragon Pavilion (신룡관).

The dim space, where not a speck of light entered, was truly alien.

It wasn’t underground.

Nor was it inside a building.

The black barrier that had surrounded the sky above the Divine Dragon Pavilion until just before.

What enveloped this area was of the same nature.

-Ughhhhhh.

Inside it.

There was a person barely holding onto consciousness, letting out only groans.

It was the old man known as the Black Dragon Sword (흑룡검).

“Hoo… hoooo…”

Gone was the appearance of the monster spewing tentacles.

The old man had returned to his original body.

However, his movements were not free.

Although his hands and feet were unbound,

The Black Dragon Sword looked uncomfortable, as if restrained.

And before him.

Someone who had been watching continuously approached and knelt.

Recognizing who had approached, the Black Dragon Sword ground his teeth and exclaimed.

“You… bastard…!”

“I shall ask.”

The man cast his question without seeming bothered at all by the Black Dragon Sword’s intense killing intent.

“Who is behind you?”

“This bastard… this bastard!! Am-wang!”

The voice, laced with killing intent, was exceptionally deep and vast.

It was because it was filled with so much emotion, but…

The man.

No, to the Dark King (암왕), it was an utterly boring voice.

He had heard it so many times that it no longer evoked any emotion.

Eyes deep and cold, holding no emotion whatsoever.

That was the gaze the Dark King directed at the Black Dragon Sword.

“I already know, but I am asking for confirmation. I wish for you to answer.”

“…To betray me… It seems you’ve forgotten our deal…!”

At the Black Dragon Sword’s taunt, the Dark King tilted his head.

A deal.

“You said you would never betray a client, did you forget the seal…!”

At the Black Dragon Sword’s words, the Dark King rolled up his sleeve.

There remained the pattern, the mark of the seal.

Around it, the skin was visibly starting to rot.

A foul stench permeated the air.

Furthermore, due to the seal’s influence, the pain must have been unbearable, but…

The Dark King did not utter a single groan.

“‘Never betray a client’…”

This is one of the reasons the Iron Night Assassin Squad (철야살수대) is famous.

They never fail a commissioned task once accepted,

And they never betray their clients – an unspoken code.

“Such amusing words…”

The Dark King did not particularly like hearing that.

“In the first place, the story didn’t spread because everyone involved was killed, but your mind seems to be a flower garden.”

“…What…?”

“Moreover, from the very beginning, I had no intention of listening to you.”

Slicce.

Thump.

As he spoke, the Dark King drew his finger across his forearm.

At that moment, the arm bearing the seal’s pattern was severed and fell to the floor with a thump.

“You… bastard…”

“Since answering seems difficult, I shall ask something else this time.”

The Dark King, having severed his own arm, wore the same expression as if nothing had happened.

With that expression, he asked the Black Dragon Sword again.

“Is the one behind you the master of Taecheon (태천)?”

To the quietly asked question.

The Black Dragon Sword clenched his teeth.