Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
Kuoooh!
Upon my return to the place where Dongbang Mu-gyeol resided, a fierce battle was already underway. Dongbang Mu-gyeol was unleashing enormous bursts of energy in waves, as if he possessed boundless internal energy, making it seem almost beyond human capability.
Pah!
In response to this overwhelming force, Jin So-cheong calmly deployed the Destruction of the Soul Technique, carefully searching for an opening. It appeared that he had yet to be struck by a serious blow, and I could sense his sharp hawk-like eyes scanning for weaknesses. Perhaps realizing this fact, Dongbang Mu-gyeol momentarily withdrew his energy and glared at Jin So-cheong.
“Who does this brat think he is…? What kind of trick is this?!”
Jin So-cheong landed on the ground.
“Is that it? Can’t you go any further?”
“……”
As Jin So-cheong leisurely replied, Dongbang Mu-gyeol fell silent. I could guess the current situation upon seeing this exchange.
‘His energy has dropped significantly.’
Ordinary peak experts would have been engulfed in shock and fear just from Dongbang Mu-gyeol‘s display of power. It’s no easy feat to avoid or block such abilities. However, by using the Destruction of the Soul Technique, Jin So-cheong managed to evade it all, leaving Dongbang Mu-gyeol only exhausted from his own energy consumption.
Hmm!
Even so, I couldn’t help but sigh in admiration at Jin So-cheong‘s mastery of the Destruction of the Soul Technique. Although all the experts from the Thunder God Lineage practiced it, I doubted I would have been able to dodge Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s attacks as effortlessly as he had. Jin So-cheong’s skill must have evolved dramatically over just a few months.
Tadadad!
Before long, Geuk Ho arrived at the scene, drenched in sweat, which indicated he had faced quite the battle. With a grin, he said,
“What’s going on? Are we late to the party? How embarrassing, Jin So-cheong.”
“Apologies, Older Brother. But that guy’s energy is truly immense.”
Geuk Ho stole a glance at the scattered remnants of energy around us.
“Seems that way. So this is the boss?”
“What are we going to do?”
“What do you mean, what? We jump him!”
Swish!
As soon as Geuk Ho spoke, the three of us arranged ourselves into the Three Talents Formation, surrounding Dongbang Mu-gyeol. Dongbang Mu-gyeol looked bewildered as he scanned us, particularly giving me an odd look as he spoke,
“You little brat… You didn’t actually defeat the Baekwon Twin Horses, did you?”
“Of course. Would he have let me go otherwise?”
“Ugh… what…?”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s expression turned to one of confusion. It seemed he hadn’t even considered the possibility of the Baekwon Twin Horses losing. Given they were all peak swordsmanship masters, why would he suspect that? Let alone the idea of a little kid like me defeating them in a one-on-one?
With my sword aimed at him, I declared,
“I’m not here to kill you. I’m just offering help. If you don’t surrender peacefully, I can’t guarantee your life.”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol furtively glanced at the formation around him. The Three Talents Formation could simply block the three positions, but with experts from the Thunder God Lineage, it became an unbeatable encirclement. Even if Dongbang Mu-gyeol exploded with internal energy to break free, none of us would let him slip through, and ultimately, he would be at our mercy.
Dongbang Mu-gyeol directed his gaze toward Jin So-cheong and questioned,
“Is that true? Have you really come because of the illness of the Young Master of the White Lotus Sect?”
“Indeed,” Jin So-cheong replied.
“Ugh… If you can guarantee my life, I will surrender.”
“Of course.”
Hisssss!
Dongbang Mu-gyeol then lowered his aura. Gradually, Geuk Ho walked forward and bound him with rope. Naturally, given Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s skills, he could easily sever those ropes with a burst of internal power, so Geuk Ho didn’t forget to channel energy restraint using the techniques of the Thunder God Lineage.
“Grrr…”
Instantly reduced to a lower tier martial artist, Dongbang Mu-gyeol let out a pained groan. However, having dealt with him, none of us felt sympathetic after our earlier struggles. Geuk Ho turned to me and said,
“Kiddo, you ask him.”
It seemed Geuk Ho thought it best for me to interrogate since I was the one leading this venture. I nodded and approached Dongbang Mu-gyeol.
“Dongbang Mu-gyeol, the Heavenly Rare; I am Baek Woong, a disciple of the Thunder God Lineage and a distant descendant of the Hua Clan, skilled in medicine. The reason I sought you out was to uncover the secrets tied to your connection with the Great Five of the World and the illness affecting the Young Master of the White Lotus Sect.”
“……!!”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s brows twitched.
“The Hua Clan? Did you hear my tale from the Bright Divine Hwa Seo-myeong?”
“Indeed. I know you five were forcibly invited to the White Lotus Sect; I’ve also heard about that incident.”
“……”
“And I believe you might be the only one who can guess the true nature of the illness. You seem to think it’s some kind of curse.”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol eased a bit, leaning back against a tree and sighed.
“You don’t seem to be an ordinary ruffian. Did you really come to me out of sheer curiosity?”
I stared at him seriously.
“The other four of the Great Five have all hidden themselves, seeking a way to survive in the Jianghu. Yet, you alone dared confront the Sichuan Tang Sect and even ventured as far as the Manchuria State. You must have a strong determination to cure that illness.”
“Hmm…”
“Our Thunder God Lineage needs to know your intentions and how much you understand about that illness.”
Upon hearing my remarks, Dongbang Mu-gyeol chuckled. However, it was a laugh tinged more with resignation than mockery.
“Ha ha… Thunder God Lineage! You really intended to come see me. Since I’ve been expelled from the White Lotus Sect, I suppose you want to know their weaknesses.”
“While we are currently binding you, I believe there might be ways we can assist one another moving forward.”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol appeared to be in deep thought. After a long while, he finally spoke,
“Release the bindings. Otherwise, I’m not telling you anything.”
I glanced at Geuk Ho and Jin So-cheong. They nodded in agreement. The bindings were merely a precaution; we had truly restrained Dongbang Mu-gyeol with energy suppression. Once I unbound him, he stood and declared,
“I have a proposal.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a particular item I wish to obtain from the White Lotus Sect, and I want your assistance.”
“Hmm.”
This was an unexpected request. Geuk Ho, overhearing from the side, firmly stated,
“That’s a matter for our master to decide. But depending on the conversation, it might be something we could agree to.”
As the eldest among us, Geuk Ho seemed to want to wrap this matter up promptly. Dongbang Mu-gyeol, catching onto Geuk Ho‘s response, narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded.
“Alright… I’ll put the cards on the table, and then you’ll decide later.”
“Do as you please.”
“To recap, just as you surmised, the Young Master of the White Lotus Sect’s illness is indeed a curse. As you guessed, I have traveled the world in search of a way to lift that curse.”
I paused to think before asking,
“Were you trying to learn the toxicology skills of the Sichuan Tang Sect to dispel the curse of the Formless Poison?”
“Did you figure that out? You’re quite interested in my affairs.”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol continued,
“That is correct. But it seems that the Formless Poison would take at least a few centuries to reappear. So, I decided to forgo the study of it and journey to the Southern Barbarians.”
“Why did you go to the Southern Barbarians?”
“Actually, I was thinking of traveling beyond the Southern Barbarians to Tianzhu. They’re well-versed in mysterious techniques and are said to have extensive knowledge of both myth and curses across a long history.”
What did you find there?
Seeing our curiosity, Dongbang Mu-gyeol interlocked his fingers and continued,
“Just as you guessed, I found something worthwhile in Southern Barbarians, and thus, I returned to the Central Plains without going further to Tianzhu.”
“What did you acquire?”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol flashed a sly grin.
“I can’t discuss that here. I must report it to your leader.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because it’s incredibly hard to believe. If the message doesn’t get relayed properly, I won’t be able to bear it.”
We exchanged glances for a moment. Geuk Ho remarked,
“Don’t put on any airs. We can force you to tell us right now.”
Swish!
Energy surged in Geuk Ho’s hands. This was a manifestation of the Thunder God Lineage’s torture techniques. Clearly, he was familiar with our lineage’s methods. However, Dongbang Mu-gyeol didn’t even blink as he said,
“Do as you will. But you all know that extracting information through torture isn’t a surefire method? I pride myself on the value of my information, so if you act rashly, you could end up ruining it.”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol spoke truthfully. Unless one were as skilled at torture as Lee Kwang, it posed risks to rely heavily on extreme measures for extracting information. While sheer suffering might lead someone to release their secrets, the level of detail might become distorted due to the excessive pain. Furthermore, repeating torture might even shatter the victim’s sanity before they revealed anything explosive.
Jin So-cheong gazed at Dongbang Mu-gyeol with his clear eyes and questioned,
“Is there any guarantee that my leader would believe such unbelievable information?”
“None at all. That’s entirely on me to bear.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll let it slide for now…”
While Jin So-cheong accepted Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s proposal, neither Geuk Ho nor I could dismiss it lightly. There was a hint of arrogance in Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s demeanor, but we also didn’t want to act hastily and jeopardize our efforts.
I posed a question,
“Those two swordsmen, the Baekwon Twin Horses—I heard they were involved in gambling at the Sichuan Wu Husa and somehow ended up following you. What happened there?”
“They were hired as my guards.”
“Guards?”
“You may not know this, but the Baekwon Twin Horses are masters of the Moon Maiden’s Sword technique. They’re among the best in the underworld. I felt anxious about traveling alone to the Southern Barbarians after leaving Yunnan, so I brought them into my fold through a game of mahjong.”
So that’s why you played mahjong at Sichuan Wu Husa?
“That’s right. I wanted the thrill of it.”
“……”
The absurdity of the situation sank in as I realized Dongbang Mu-gyeol had played mahjong to secure his guards! And by ensuring his victory, he had brought the Baekwon Twin Horses along for the ride. But the fact that he played at Wu Husa just for some excitement raised questions about his mental state.
“Then why did you return to the Central Plains from the southern regions?”
“Well, I took the maritime route back from Zhejiang Province, and upon passing through Anhui, I ended up in Henan.”
“So you were headed somewhere. To where?”
“Towards Gansu.”
Gansu Province.
Located in the northwest, it was a region you would hit after traveling far north from Shaanxi. Known as Shu Liang, it was predominantly known for its arid terrain. As I worked out Dongbang Mu-gyeol‘s journey in my mind with a map of the Central Plains, I couldn’t help but feel perplexed.
“Wouldn’t it have been faster to head straight back through Sichuan to reach Gansu? Why would you go out of your way to pass through Zhejiang and cross the entire Central Plains?”
“The Baekwon Twin Horses insisted we stop by to check on their sect.”
“Oh.”
“They’re also the leaders of an affiliated sect, but having lost a gambling match, they were compelled to accompany me.”
So it seemed that the Baekwon Twin Horses’ base was likely in Zhejiang or Anhui. Traveling thousands of miles back from Southern Barbarians would surely evoke some nostalgia. With a curt response, Dongbang Mu-gyeol continued,
“You’re probably also wondering why we lingered in Henan.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s because we sensed someone was trailing us.”
“What?!”
“That’s why I waited, casually throwing out bait to see if they would take it.”
Upon hearing that, Jin So-cheong sighed,
“So the Shinnyun Sect’s pursuit was exposed.”
It was all fine and well that Lee Kwang had hired the Shinnyun Sect for intelligence, but it seemed that Dongbang Mu-gyeol and the Baekwon Twin Horses, all of whom were peak experts, had sensed the follow. So, they had intentionally appeared to be nonchalant in order to catch the pursuers off guard. With three peak experts among them, they would have no cause for concern. However, underestimating our Thunder God Lineage’s might was a major oversight on their part.
Dongbang Mu-gyeol spoke again,
“Now, do you truly understand the risks? By uncovering the secrets of that illness, you may become trapped in a quagmire from which escape is impossible.”
“Such things aren’t your concern.”
Hehe…
“Well then, let’s move along.”
We decided to escort Dongbang Mu-gyeol back with us. Naturally, taking him back for several days while suppressing his power was going to be exhausting, so I had no choice but to pull out the bamboo raft.
“What’s that?”
“An exceptionally good item.”
I briefly explained about the raft and the wooden slabs. The expressions on all three of their faces reflected their astonishment, of course. And when I concocted a tale about my inexperience since I had never been to Henan, it seemed to answer their queries sufficiently.
Shortly after, I placed all three onto the raft and cast the spell.
Puff!
Upon arriving at Wary Dragon Hall, I freed them from the raft. They stood dumbfounded as they had just traveled thousands of miles to reach Wary Dragon Hall in an instant.
A familiar voice rang out,
“What’s happening here?”
Lee Kwang was approaching us.
