Chapter v8c10

The Four Symbols, the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion Bird, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise.

On that day, Mo Yong hwi saw something he shouldn’t have seen.

The tears of a woman flowing down her pale, milky cheeks.

Captivated by those tears, Mo Yong hwi couldn’t abandon his duty.

In the depths of the Black Heaven Sect, there stood a majestic hall! Heavenly Demon’s Pavilion

It’s the current center of the dark martial world and the residence of the Black Heaven Sect Leader, Gal Jeung Cheon. It’s a place of such dignity and solemnity that even looking at it fills one with awe!

Inside this inner sanctum, a woman sat demurely in a respectful pose before the giant of the dark path. Was she about twenty five years old? She was a woman draped in the splendor of a fully bloomed flower bud. However, the black mourning clothes she wore suppressed her fragrance.

Gal Jeung Cheon, who always exuded an intimidating presence, was restraining his energy to create a gentle atmosphere for the woman. This alone showed how much he considered her.

The woman, who had been in a state of shock due to the shocking and tremendous news she had just heard, began to speak again. Doubt still lingered in her words.

“Are you sending me there?”

Surprise still echoed on her face, a look of utter astonishment.

“Yes! I’m entrusting this to you!”

Gal Jeung Cheon nodded, answering the girl’s question. Her suspicions were confirmed by his response, which was unexpectedly believable. Moreover, the emotional wounds she had recently suffered had not yet healed.

The giant of the dark path spoke again.

“This matter may involve something unseen. The death of that child was suspicious… Moreover, I can’t shake the feeling that there’s an invisible, powerful force at work in the white path. That’s why I’m sending you, despite the danger. They might let their guard down around a girl like you. Your radiant beauty will somewhat conceal your intelligence. And…”

Gal Jeung Cheon paused to take a breath before continuing.

“I trust you. I have infinite faith in your brilliant mind, more than anyone else’s. I’m sorry to burden your delicate shoulders…”

Overwhelmed with emotion, she bowed her head deeply.

“It’s an honor.”

“I’m counting on you.”

The woman’s shoulders twitched.

“Yes! Father! I will definitely uncover the dark truth surrounding his death. I swear it on my life… and on the soul of the one in heaven.”

“My child!”

Gal Jeung Cheon called out to her with a voice as tender as a father’s. It was astonishing to hear such soft words from the mouth of the one known as the giant of the dark path.

“Yes!”

“Don’t die! If you were to die too, I would be very sad.”

She bowed her head in a gesture of apology, her voice so gentle it could bring tears to one’s eyes.

“Yes! Father!”

“And I’m truly sorry. I regret that I couldn’t marry you two off before sending him away…”

His voice was filled with profound regret.

“No, no, Father!”

Tears welled up in her eyes, unable to contain the overwhelming sorrow within her.

In fact, Gal Hyobong had been her betrothed since childhood. But Gal Hyobong, who loved martial arts more than eating, had never treated her as a woman. He always treated her like a younger sister. Their relationship was closer to that of affectionate sworn siblings than engaged lovers.

As she grew older, she became more beautiful, but it remained the same. And when her beauty blossomed to its peak, becoming one of the five great beauties of the dark path, sadly, Gal Hyobong could not see her. By then, he had gone mad and was imprisoned in the Heavenly Demon Tower.

To her, Gal Hyobong was the man of her dreams, and also the greatest man. How overjoyed she was when she learned that her childhood idol was her fiancé! She would never feel that poignant thrill again.

But now, he was gone.

“Forget about that heartless bastard! He was a heartless and incompetent son who died before his father. Once this is over, I’ll find you a good husband. You deserve to meet a good man, not a son like that… “

Regret tinged Gal Jeung Cheon’s voice. He had not worried about the next generation because he had a reliable eldest son. His son was the best of the best, smarter and more outstanding than anyone. He had pinned all his hopes on his eldest son… but the eldest had left this world prematurely, leaving behind only unerasable regret.

“Sob, sob, sob!”

A misty veil blurred her vision.

She quietly swallowed her loneliness and sorrow. She could not show weakness. She repeatedly told herself internally,

‘I must smile! I must smile! No matter what happens, I must always smile brightly and cheerfully!’

Always smiling brightly and acting energetically without losing herself! That was the last request of Gal Hyobong, who was now dead and no longer by her side, before he fell into madness.

After the woman left, Gal Jeung Cheon spoke in a quiet voice.

“Are you there?”

Silently!

From the dark emptiness, a figure appeared and prostrated before him. Known as Bi yeong muhon, he was the top assassin of the Black Heaven’s Ten Shadows. That was the title he held.

“I have arrived at your command. Please give your orders.”

“The girl has just left. I’m not sure if it was too cruel to send her on such a task, given that she must be heartbroken over Hyobong’s death. This will surely draw their attention to her. She’s always been the center of attention, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Are you saying the lady is bait?”

At the word ‘bait,’ Gal Jeung Cheon’s eyebrows twitched momentarily.

“That girl will perform her role well. She’s more spirited than anyone else, so she’ll handle herself without issue! I’m counting on you for this investigation. I trust only you! And…”

Gal Jeung Cheon paused before continuing.

“If anything happens to that girl, I will never forgive you… Of course, the same goes for the other side…”

Gal Jeung Cheon was a man of his word. People didn’t know how much he had struggled with this decision. His determination was just as great.

“Just leave it to me!”

The man responded energetically.

“Then I’m entrusting this to you.”

Gal Jeung Cheon firmly believed that the person prostrating before him was the most suitable for the job.

“Your will shall be done!”

Before disappearing into the darkness, Bi yeong muhon replied with a powerful voice.

And the next day!

A carriage carrying a woman, escorted by several riders and bearing the flag of an envoy, left the main gate of the Black Heaven Sect. On the outer walls of the sect, someone watched the departing party intently.

“She’s finally left!”

It was time for him to carry out his mission.

As he played the flute, a messenger hawk landed on his leather wrist guard with a ‘thud.’ He attached a signal for urgent communication to the hawk and sent it off again. His actions raised no suspicion from anyone , it was his responsibility all along.

The hawk flew towards a place known as Heavenly Demon’s Pavilion on the wind.

“She’s finally left. It would have been better if she hadn’t…”

That was the first thing the Grand Prince said after silently listening to the hurried report from Sayoung Chisa han. If one declares the law of blood, one must also be prepared to accept the consequences! The Grand Prince did not like the fact that a leader of the dark path had spoken out of both sides of his mouth.

“What should we do?”

“Well? Isn’t it the role of the military to think of such things on my behalf?”

Chisa han couldn’t help but feel rebuked by the Grand Prince’s quiet voice, as if he was being chastised.

No matter how many times he faced the Grand Prince, he could never get used to the indescribable and unyielding pressure that emanated from him. That unrelenting pressure always gripped his heart with fear.

“Currently, the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth are listed as missing, but if the truth is uncovered and any mistakes are made, the situation could become uncontrollably large. It would be best to prevent a major fire before it starts. Above all…”

“Above all?”

Chisa han took a deep breath and continued.

“Above all, there are too many survivors on the side of the white path regarding that incident. In fact, apart from the members of the Cheonmo Academy Secret Pavilion First Corps, there were no casualties. It’s possible that some unseen force is at play behind the scenes.”

“Are you suggesting that a third power is involved?”

The Grand Prince’s gaze sharpened. Chisa han’s heart began to beat even faster than before. A chill ran down his spine.

“It’s just a hypothesis, but there are too many suspicious points regarding the Iron Calvary of Death Brigade incident. It’s hard to believe that those who were once so brave and violent have become docile like castrated horses, returning without incident.”

“Then we must uncover this third power, by any means necessary! There’s nothing more unpleasant than an unknown force at work in the world that we are unaware of.”

All potential dangers must be eliminated in advance. There was no room for any hindrance in preparing for the grand plan. One of the biggest obstacles had already been overcome. This was just the beginning.

“The investigators we send will ensure that the blame falls on the side of the white path.”

“Everything must be done in the most secretive way! They must not realize that we are involved. I authorize the use of the ‘Darkness Rooted in Light.’”

“The ones who haven’t been used in thirty years?”

Chisa han trembled with a shiver. The Grand Prince’s statement was monumental.

“Handle everything in the most perfect manner!”

“Your will shall be done!”

Chisa han’s mind was now busy with concrete plans of action.

The dispatch of the Black Heaven Sect’s investigators was also a major headache for the Cheonmo Academy. There were more than a dozen things to worry about when the investigators arrived.

Of course, it was certain that the mutual agreement to accept the dispatch of investigators was included in the Treaty of Righteous and Evil Cooperation formed a hundred years ago after the Hundredfold Blood Oath. It was adopted as one way to closely cooperate and shed less blood. It was also a well intentioned clause aimed at resolving misunderstandings through words rather than force. However, the problem was that there were more than a few things to worry about when the investigators were dispatched.

When the investigators arrived, there were more than a dozen things to take care of, and one of the most important was the issue of personal protection.

“We can’t just say, ‘We’ll be resting comfortably here, so please investigate diligently’ and leave them to it. Once the investigators are dispatched, the responsibility for their personal protection also falls on the white path. If anything happens to the investigator, the white path must take full responsibility. If something happens to the investigator, we could end up suffering needlessly and taking the blame.”

It was a heavy burden. Moreover, with an incident as significant as the tragedy at Mount Wudang, neither side would easily let it go. A misstep could escalate into a full scale war between good and evil, an event of enormous significance. There was no room for even the slightest negligence.

“Is he the only one suitable…”

Ma Jin ga, who was in charge of cheonmo academy, pondered for a long time and was extremely cautious. Finally, having made a decision, Ma Jin ga called for a man.