episode_0064

Jiangshi are one of China’s most representative monsters, and surprisingly, they were a concept born from Taoism.

What was a characteristic of ancient China?

It was the incessant wars.

Thanks to that, what flowed like water were none other than the fallen soldiers mobilized for war.

But wasn’t it a common notion in ancient China that funerals had to be held in one’s hometown?

Thus, the corpses that were made to move by attaching talismans to transport and bury the bodies of fallen soldiers in their homeland were the jiangshi.

What is commonly referred to as Jiangshi Arts…

So, the origin of the sorcery that manipulates the corpses of the dead is as follows, but…

‘It’s a setting that doesn’t have much importance in the original work.’

There are two reasons for that.

Firstly, because Jiangshi Gong, the art of controlling jiangshi, has been lost.

Even the Jinju Eonga clan, the only ones to inherit Jiangshi Gong, appear as a destroyed family in the original work. Furthermore, Jiangshi Gong itself was extremely dangerous, as a single misapplication could rapidly deplete the practitioner’s vital energy, often leading to qi deviation.

Nor was its performance that good.

If one were to control the corpse of a martial artist who had a high cultivation level in life as a jiangshi, it would boast a strength tougher than ordinary steel. However, it was nothing more than a sturdy scarecrow, as it lacked intelligence and couldn’t move properly.

Moreover, the practitioner couldn’t even control the corpses remotely.

If one were to infuse qi into a corpse and control it remotely, how would that be any different from Sword Control Arts?

It would be the same as moving a corpse instead of a sword. At that level of cultivation, there would be no need to bother with troublesome, heavy, and floppy corpses; it would be easier and more convenient to simply cut everything down with a sword.

Not only that, but its public perception was also trash, so it received all sorts of curses, being called miscellaneous sorcery and whatnot.

The Jinju Eonga clan was originally a prominent family located in Chenzhou, Hunan Province. Why would they have bothered relocating their base to a swampy area located on the southwestern side of Dongting Lake near the Wuling Mountains, where there are no people, sparse human presence, and difficult living conditions?

If they continued to stay near Hunan Province, there was a risk of being suppressed by the authorities nearby. And if they went elsewhere, those guys from the Righteous Alliance would constantly pick fights, accusing them of sorcery and the like. So, they completely disappeared into a sparsely populated swamp.

Then, Ryeon, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“Then how do we find it?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Dongting Lake is extremely vast, after all.”

“How vast is it?”

“It’s only called a lake, but in reality, it’s virtually a sea.”

Surprisingly, it was true.

Simply calculating its area, Dongting Lake alone is the size of six or seven Seouls put together.

Moreover, the Wuling Mountain Range has over a hundred peaks.

How could there be only one or two swamps in a mountain range of such insane size?

In the game, you could just click the mouse once to mark the destination and move there, but in reality, that wouldn’t be possible.

“That’s absurd. How in the world are we supposed to find it, given the Sect Leader?”

“They can’t find it, so they’re telling me to find it.”

“So why are they making the Sect Leader do something they can’t do themselves?”

“Because that’s what the Chief Inspector’s job is.”

“Can’t you just quit?”

Cheongun shook his head.

He could quit being the Chief Inspector if he wanted to, but there was no particular reason to.

It was because the position of Chief Inspector was not as bad as he thought.

It had both legitimacy and authority, making it convenient in many ways.

“It’s probably not a lie that they’ve discovered signs of the Jinju Eonga clan contacting the Demonic Cult.”

“How do you know that?”

“Didn’t they say it themselves? That it was information obtained from a secret meeting.”

“A secret meeting? Are those guys trustworthy?”

“You could say so.”

He could have known even without a secret meeting.

In the original work, the Jinju Eonga clan also had various connections with the Demonic Cult.

Of course, the difference was that they weren’t in collusion with the Demonic Cult but were annihilated by Demonic Cult forces who attacked to seize the Jiangshi Arts, the Jinju Eonga clan’s inherited technique.

“How long will it take?”

“It won’t take long.”

At his words, Jeok Hwaryeon blinked her eyes.

“You just said you didn’t know the location.”

“I don’t, but someone who knows the location does.”

“Who is that?”

Cheongun extended a finger and pointed to a corner of the room.

Ryeon’s gaze followed the direction his finger pointed.

There, in the corner, was Rin Soye, with a disgusted expression on her face.

Rin Soye asked, as if dumbfounded.

“How dare you speak so carelessly, as if you know that?”

“Because you are one of the members of the Jinju Eonga clan.”

At his words, Rin Soye’s expression froze like ice.

“…How do you know that?”

“There’s nothing I don’t know.”

“Don’t equivocate, tell me properly!”

“No, you gold-digger.”

“You, you bastard!”

Rin Soye fumed, panting with anger, then eventually calmed her emotions and snorted disdainfully.

“Ha! Let’s say your words are true. Even so, why should I meekly provide information to you, you bastard…”

“Do you want to be kicked out of the Haomun?”

“…There isn’t, but I will make an exception this time!”

As expected of the former Haomun Leader.

Her change of stance was truly swift.

Then, Ryeon, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“Sect Leader.”

“Why?”

“Then, does that mean you’re going to accompany that woman? Just the two of you?”

“That’s right. Because we need a guide.”

Rin Soye chuckled softly at that moment.

“The young one is quite sensitive. Why, are you perhaps feeling jealous?”

Ryeon’s face flushed red.

“What nonsense are you talking about…”

“Your earlobes have turned red.”

“It’s not like that!”

“Then what is it? Are you perhaps trying to monopolize the Sect Leader for yourself?”

Rin Soye smiled playfully.

“Dongting Lake is a dangerous and treacherous place. From the journey itself, there are many things to prepare. That’s why, as a companion, you could say there’s no talent as good as myself. But look at you. Your martial arts are only at the peak-mid stage, and aren’t you just a country bumpkin who knows nothing properly? Why, are you going to put forward your abnormally oversized chest this time too? Hoho!”

“…You dog-like bitch.”

It’s starting again.

Cheongun clicked his tongue.

Regardless, the spark that had been ignited showed no sign of dying out.

They argued for a long time about who was better, but there was no sign of it ending.

Finally, a tired Ryeon abruptly turned her head and looked at Cheongun with pleading eyes.

“Sect Leader! Are you really only planning to take that woman? What about me?!”

“Ugly hag. Since nothing else worked, now you’re resorting to emotional manipulation.”

“Shut up! You old harlot from the pleasure quarters!”

“W-what did you say?! You ignorant country bumpkin, how dare you!”

Well done, well done.

My side is the winning side.

Cheongun watched the scene with satisfaction.

****

A few days later, morning.

Cheongun walked for a long time, then finally entered the foothills of Mount Dalou.

As the saying goes, ‘Remove a bull’s horn while it’s warm’ [a proverb meaning to strike while the iron is hot], this was to find the Jinju Eonga clan now.

Although Cheongun usually traveled alone, this time, he had companions.

And two of them, no less.

Originally, he had only planned to take Rin Soye, but Ryeon had pestered him so persistently that it ended up this way.

Of course, Cheongun didn’t particularly mind.

As there were more companions, the journey wouldn’t be boring, at least.

Above all, traveling such a long distance was a first for Cheongun.

Travel is always exciting.

So, the journey itself became more enjoyable.

Dongting Lake is located in the northern part of Hunan Province.

It was quite a distance from central Sichuan Province, where they had been, but the problem was that Cheongun had no concept of geography.

No matter how much of a veteran Cheongun was, he hadn’t memorized every single detail of the game’s terrain and geography with historical accuracy.

Fortunately, Rin Soye, who had accompanied them, was quite knowledgeable about the geography of the Central Plains.

Then, Ryeon, who had been quietly walking along the mountain path, asked.

“So, where are we going now?”

Rin Soye answered her question.

“We will go to Jiangjin.”

“Jiangjin?”

“Yes, it’s a port city located on the western outskirts of Chongqing. From there, we can travel east by water.”

Chongqing, a name he had heard before.

Wasn’t it the very place that frequently appeared in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, occupied by Liu Bei, and where Guan Yu and Zhang Fei roamed?

One might argue how a city located next to a river, not a sea, could be a port city, but the Yangtze River itself is so massive that it cannot be crossed by ordinary means, so it couldn’t be helped.

“To do that, we must first cross this mountain range, so stop complaining and just follow me quietly…”

It was then.

Swish.

Thunk—!

Before Rin Soye could even finish her sentence, a spear as tall as herself flew and plunged into the ground at her feet.

A green flag attached to the spear shaft.

No doubt. It was the flag symbolizing the Green Forest.

“Huh?”

As Rin Soye gasped in disbelief, a moment later, bandits poured out from beyond the overgrown thicket.

A large, bald man, presumed to be their leader, came forward, brandishing his sword loudly.

“I am Gang Hocheon, the Chieftain of Yunbong Mountain Stronghold! This is the territory of our Yunbong Mountain Stronghold, the masters of Mount Dalou. If you don’t want to die, pay the toll… H-huh!”

Gang Hocheon, who had been speaking, gasped.

That was because Rin Soye was glaring at him with a determined glare.

Even though their gazes had merely met, a tremendous pressure weighed down on his shoulders.

More importantly, the man behind her had two swords strapped to his waist, one on each side, and a fishing rod slung over his shoulder.

Any martial artist who was knowledgeable about rumors would surely know what that signified.

‘Mad Heaven No Sword!’

Gang Hocheon, who had been shouting confidently, stumbled backward with a pale, ashen face.

It was then.

“I didn’t know.”

Cheongun nodded as if he understood everything, and stepped forward.

Gang Hocheon swallowed hard and watched him.

“Great Hero, p-please just pass by. I dared to make a mistake in not recognizing you.”

In the current murim, there are those called the Three Madmen.

It was a title referring to the three most insane individuals throughout the Central Plains, and among them, the one most talked about was none other than Mad Heaven No Sword, Cheongun.

No matter how reckless the bandits were, they still had to choose their opponents carefully.

Therefore, he bowed repeatedly, hoping they would just pass by, but for some reason, Cheongun merely smiled faintly.

Then, Cheongun, who had somehow reached Gang Hocheon, held something out.

It was a jingling pouch.

“This is…?”

“One hundred taels of silver.”

Gulp.

Gang Hocheon swallowed.

“Why such a large sum to me…?”

Cheongun didn’t bother to answer.

He merely smiled faintly at him.

“Is it perhaps a toll fee?”

“…”

“If that’s the case, it’s really alright. Please pass through comfortably.”

“…”

“T-truly, it’s fine, Great Hero.”

“…”

…Damn it, what is this?

Why isn’t he moving?

Gang Hocheon gulped.

“C-can I really accept this?”

“…”

“Great Hero? If you could just answer…”

“…”

Still, no answer came.

But if he were to just ignore it, Cheongun stood stock-still, showing no intention of moving aside.

After hesitating for a long time, Gang Hocheon finally, reluctantly, and cautiously took the pouch while gauging Cheongun’s expression.

“Thank you…”

It was then.

Shing—!

Cheongun suddenly drew his sword.

Then, he said in a wistful voice.

“You extorted my money.”

“Excuse me?”

“I cannot forgive this. Attack.”

“…”