0026 : Golden Guard (錦衣衛)
The road to Mangnyang was quite far and treacherous. This was no surprise, as Mangnyang resided in Jinrang Valley near Luoyang, and to reach there from my village, I had to traverse mountains and rivers dozens of times. I was walking day by day in a monotonous manner, roughly covering my travel expenses with 50 nyang of silver.
With no particular entertainment, I spent my spare time practicing the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique. Perhaps due to the fact that I had taken the Spiritual Pill for the second time, even when simply cycling through the microcosmic orbit, I could feel a surge of thunderous energy rising from my entire body.
Boom!
The sound of thunder erupted. It wasn’t just a sensation; it seemed as if such an aura was also radiating outward. There were times when, after finishing my Qi training, the innkeeper would come rushing in, startled.
“What, what’s going on?”
“Nothing at all.”
“There’s something flashing…”
Feigning ignorance, the innkeeper tilted his head in confusion before leaving.
‘Hmmm. Training in Qi has become somewhat burdensome now.’
Was it due to the effects of the Spiritual Pill? When I raised my Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique, it seemed that thunderous energy was automatically bubbling up around me, and this effect appeared to extend like flickering lightning over the surrounding area. I was curious about the cause of this phenomenon, but it was certain that it was not harmful to my body.
Because, over time, I gradually realized. Even while continuously drawing upon my Qi as if pouring it out in a large scoop, the immense energy circulating in my Dantian showed no signs of diminishing. When I first consumed the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, it felt like riding a spirited steed, but now, it felt as if I were flying through the sky while seated on the back of a dragon.
Only then did I understand what was happening to my body.
The effect of the Spiritual Pill forcibly allowed me to reach the essence of the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique!
Surely, every time I unleashed the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique now, producing thunderous energy was a phenomenon typically achieved only after decades or even centuries of training. When I had consumed the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng once, the meridians were less open, and nothing particularly noteworthy occurred, but after the second consumption, it seemed like a vast reservoir of natural energy poured into my entire being, forcibly pushing me to the next stage of the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique.
I no longer knew what level my cultivation had reached.
Swish!
For certain, my speed now surpassed that of most horses, and I had reached a point where I could run twenty li without feeling the slightest bit tired. I considered riding a horse to be a waste of money and only bought a new pair of straw sandals while running.
Given the geography of this area, it was much quicker to cross the mountains directly rather than taking the winding paths frequented by people. So, I simply leaped and climbed the mountain. It took less than half a quarter-hour to cross a single mountain.
Swish!
I leaped over a massive cliff that was at least five yards high in just two strides and reached the mountain peak. The view from the summit was of a different sentiment altogether. I felt the reality of having transcended human physical capabilities, and simultaneously, a vitality for living surged within me.
‘Right. Let’s forget about that massacre. For now, I only need to think about moving forward.’
In just two more days of travel, I would reach Jinrang Valley, where Mangnyang lived. It had been at least five years since I first met him, so I wasn’t sure if he still resided there. However, whether I met Mangnyang or not, what mattered was that I was moving forward with a clear goal.
As I stood on the rocky peak, I suddenly heard a voice:
[You, it seems you possess remarkable skills. Who are you?]
The sudden transmission startled me. Without expecting a peak expert to strike up a conversation at such an unexpected location, I was momentarily taken aback.
‘Where are you?’
I concentrated my energy to locate the source of the voice, feeling bewildered. However, my sensing ability was solely reliant on intuition, as I had never trained in it professionally. Thus, I could not discern the position of the clearly concealed individual.
Moreover, I did not know how to use sound transmission. So, I remained silent atop the rocky mountain and shouted loudly.
“I am Baek Woong!!!”
Thunder rumbled.
What was merely a shout mixed with my energy turned into a Lion’s Roar, echoing throughout the entire mountain. I suspected it may have reached far beyond the mountain, even reaching the nearby village. The invisible sound waves spread so widely that I could almost visualize them.
Suddenly, the rock beneath my feet cracked like an egg and crumbled. I adjusted my position using the Light Body Technique to land safely, but at that moment, I heard the startled voice again.
“Ugh…! You’re using a Lion’s Roar in a place like this?”
I knew that he could hear my voice without needing to use the Lion’s Roar. Still, I let it out intentionally to assert my presence. I spoke coldly, not wanting to appear weak.
“I’ve revealed my identity as you wished. I do not wish to quarrel with you, so let’s part ways here.”
The other party had already misunderstood me as a peak expert based on my use of the Light Body Technique. Whether he was aggressive or merely curious, I found the situation concerning. It was clear that provoking him or being underestimated would not bode well for me. Hence, I aimed to assert my position with the Lion’s Roar and then leave briskly.
Suddenly, the person who had sent the transmission stepped out from the nearby grass, revealing his presence about three zhang away. He seemed to have concluded that sound transmission wouldn’t suffice.
“Baek Woong. I did not approach you with ill intentions.”
And I could finally see the appearance of the person.
A Taoist Master!
Not just any charlatan like Mangnyang, but a properly attired Daoist in the full robes of the Bu Zhen sect, appearing to be in his early middle age. His face was slightly gaunt, yet overall he exuded an air of nobility and kindness, and his Taoist hat was neatly worn. Most importantly, the energy emanating from him was exceedingly pure, indicating to me that he was a high figure of the Orthodox Sect.
I replied cautiously, “I do not care about your intentions. I am leaving now, so kindly do not interfere.”
“Why the hurry? I only wish to have a conversation,” he said.
“There’s no guarantee that speaking with you would benefit me.”
As I began to show signs of leaving, the Daoist raised his hand in a sudden gesture.
“No, that’s not it. Actually, I wanted to ask for your help.”
“…?”
“I am Hyun Cheon Do-in, the head priest of Taejeong Temple.”
At that moment, I was taken aback internally.
Hyun Cheon Do-in!
That name belonged to a legendary figure from the Wudang Sect, the most powerful Taoist school in the world. Though he didn’t reach the heights of the three great masters of the Orthodox Sect, he had once made a tremendous reputation for himself by exterminating numerous heretical sects and demonic cultivators in Hubei. His fame was so considerable that even I, who was living far away in a provincial area while living the life of a minor official, had heard tales of his prowess, causing my heart to race.
‘He seems to be in his early middle age now; is he planning to remain active in the martial world for another thirty years?’
Such a feat would be impossible unless his cultivation was exceptionally profound. I began to wonder if this meeting could bring some benefit from my past life. After a moment’s thought, I asked, “What is the matter?”
“Would you be willing to listen to my story?”
“Only if it isn’t meaningless…”
Hyun Cheon Do-in then smiled warmly and said, “I was patrolling a shrine dedicated to the True Martial Emperor nearby. However, I have recently been troubled by the emergence of sinister energy from a nearby village. It is exceedingly fierce, and I was contemplating what to do.”
“Sinister energy?”
“It’s a Heretical Sect.”
Sinister religion. While there have been instances where figures from Buddhism or Taoism have acted unusually, for a master of the Orthodox Sect like Hyun Cheon Do-in to assert something as a Heretical Sect likely meant that these were no ordinary misfits. I tried to recall any trace of Heretical Sects in the history of the martial world, but ‘currently’ I was too young to think of anything plausible.
‘If I had to guess, it would be the White Lotus Sect.’
I knew the White Lotus Sect was a religion that had been banned and persecuted at the national level, having been chased all the way to the southern regions of the Central Plains. However, that was all I knew, so I asked just in case.
“Could it possibly be the White Lotus Sect?”
“I thought so at first too, but that’s not the case. The White Lotus Sect was suppressed purely for political reasons by the Hongwu Emperor; fundamentally, they were an orthodox sect. The place I discovered is certainly not one that would engage in human sacrifices as in your imagination.”
Human sacrifice!
The very word sent a shiver down my spine. Human sacrifice involved killing a person to offer them to the deity one worships, typically involving decapitation or even worse acts, such as cutting open someone alive to display their heart or entrails. I recalled suddenly seeing fanatics executed for human sacrifice in their later years.
‘Wait… Could it possibly be… the Naiin Sect?’
I blinked in disbelief at my own conjecture.
Now that I thought about it, while I had no memories from this time, I did recall that a mad religion had emerged during my later years as a minor official in my fifties. It was called the Naiin Sect, a bizarre name associated with human sacrifices, cannibalism, and strange sorcery, just as Hyun Cheon Do-in described. I remembered hearing how it suddenly gained strength in the southern regions of the Central Plains, causing chaos everywhere, eventually leading to a nationwide crackdown where the Naiin Sect was slaughtered in a bloody purge. I had remained safe during my minor official duties, but I had heard of regions where the bloodshed turned into utter chaos.
However, the Naiin Sect’s emergence was still over forty years away. For it to appear now was utterly unexpected. As I stood quietly, Hyun Cheon Do-in continued.
“Rituals of human sacrifice have already taken place in the villages beyond the mountain and the neighboring ones. Though I eliminated some fanatics, innocent lives have already been lost. If we do not quickly suppress them, the influence of the Heretical Sect will continue to spread.”
“Even if they are Heretical Sect members, they are just ordinary people, are they not? Surely, as a peak expert, you should…”
I trailed off.
Indeed, the combat power of a peak expert far surpassed that of any ordinary person, no matter how many they gathered. A few hundred armed soldiers could contest with them, but even if thousands of ordinary farmers wielded kitchen knives, a single peak expert could eliminate them given some time.
Moreover, Hyun Cheon Do-in’s capabilities seemed to reach a level where his energy materialized, comparable to figures like Su Zhizhong or Iron Blood Sect’s Elder. It seemed unlikely he would face difficulties just due to a few Heretical Sect members causing trouble in a village.
But then, Hyun Cheon Do-in shook his head.
“No… It’s embarrassing to admit, but when I suppressed the Heretical Sect members in those two villages, I was lacking in strength and couldn’t capture the main culprit.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not merely fanatics; there are also strange demon creatures. Their numbers are too many for me to handle alone.”
Demon creatures!
That matched perfectly with what I had heard about the Naiin Sect. It was said that they dealt with horrifying entities that were not of this world, making it extremely difficult for conventional troops to suppress them. The appearance of these demon creatures was described as so grotesque and frightful that merely seeing them was enough to break one’s spirit.
“Is it really the Naiin Sect?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in spoke with a grave expression.
“Although you appear as a boy, you seem to possess unparalleled inner strength. You might be an extraordinary individual who has undergone a transformation, but in any case, I must shamelessly request your help. If you, Baek Woong, could assist, we would surely be able to defeat the one controlling the demon creatures.”
“What do you mean by ‘the one’?”
“It appeared to be a bizarre person who manipulates demon creatures using sound energy produced from a flute. I believe this is the mastermind behind the bloodshed…”
My curiosity was considerably piqued.
This was a situation I had never encountered before. Understanding it now could potentially aid me in future reincarnations. Yet, I took a step back and replied,
“Wouldn’t it be better to inform the government office?”
“Would you believe a mere Taoist’s words claiming that human sacrifices are occurring in the village, and that demon creatures are rampaging? I have already visited the government office, but my claims were dismissed as absurd… I remained here, pondering and meditating, when I happened to witness your exceptional Light Body Technique.”
“Hm.”
I nodded after a moment’s thought.
“Very well. I will help.”
“Really? Thank you!”
“However, there must be a price.”
Hyun Cheon Do-in’s expression shifted from joy to concern, clearly taken aback by my request for compensation.
“A price?”
“In exchange for my help, please impart to me the absolute techniques of the Wudang Sect.”
“……!!”
His expression darkened further. He spoke with a somewhat stern gaze.
“Did you know that I hail from the Wudang Sect?”
“Is there a Taoist Master with such exquisite martial skills who isn’t from the Wudang Sect?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in looked utterly perplexed.
“… That’s something I cannot grant. The martial arts of the Wudang Sect are kept secret. Only those who formally enter at the main temple and receive a license from the Wudang elders can be personally instructed by me.”
I chuckled softly and turned away.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“Wait, can’t we settle this some other way? Anything within my power I would be happy to accommodate.”
I decided to provoke him a bit.
“While innocent lives are being taken and the Heretical Sect flourishes, it seems you are more concerned about your own safety. Can you genuinely consider that a desperate request? Even someone else would doubt your words.”
“……!!”
My remark meant to provoke elicited an unexpected reaction from Hyun Cheon Do-in, who looked deeply shocked. No, perhaps it was more of an expression of realization. He nodded solemnly and firmly declared,
“Very well. Once this matter concludes, I will accept you as my disciple and teach you all the absolute arts! I will take full responsibility.”
Oh?
I was unexpectedly taken aback by how smoothly that went. However, I maintained a facade and smiled.
“Understood. I’ll assist to the best of my abilities.”
An unexpected opportunity had arisen.
If I could defeat these Heretical Sect members, I would have a chance to learn martial arts from a peak expert of the Wudang Sect, comparable in renown to the Three Great Masters of the Orthodox Sect in the future. Although I didn’t know what these demon creatures were, I could always withdraw if the situation turned unfavorable, so it seemed manageable.
Thus, my first campaign against the Naiin Sect began.
—————————= Author’s Note —————————=
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