0045 : Demon Subduing Hall
It wasn’t too difficult to sneak into the vicinity of the village with Mangnyang.
Whew.
“I don’t sense any enemies.”
I spread my Qi Sense wide to detect any hostile intent or powerful Qi. Thanks to my immense internal energy, I could easily extend my range, and I could even feel the movement of small animals over eighty paces away, albeit briefly. Until I approached about ten paces from the village, I hadn’t detected any ambush.
From this position, I could see the stele marking the entrance to the village. While keeping my gaze fixed on it, Mangnyang was picking at something.
“So, there’s no ambush from the Golden Eagle Guards or the martial artists?”
He kept a distance of about one paces from me, slowly following as I signaled him that it was alright, and now he was hiding in the grass.
“Indeed. If a martial artist could conceal their presence from me, then there’s little I could do even if I knew. Such a person would stand among the pinnacle of the martial world.”
“Hmm… The absence of enemies up to this point suggests either that their operation has already commenced or that there is none at all.”
After pondering for a moment, Mangnyang said, “Just to be safe, would you check around a bit more? I’ll prepare things here.”
“Aren’t you concerned since you lack martial arts skills?”
“Don’t worry. If it comes to it, I can still manage to make a quick escape.”
“Alright. I’ll patrol within a radius of five li and return.”
Swish!
I stepped quickly through the bushes, moving with agility to survey the village. It wasn’t an unfamiliar terrain, having previously scouted the area with Hyun Cheon Do-in. Although it had been several years, old memories came flooding back as I roamed around. I was even delighted to discover the secret passageway well I had explored with Hyun Cheon Do-in.
I scoured the area for about half a meal time with agility, but my Qi Sense and perception picked up nothing unusual. I thought this was sufficient and returned to Mangnyang. He was measuring the amount of poison and dividing it into another small bottle.
“Please wait a moment; I’m focusing.”
After a while, Mangnyang handed me a small bottle and said, “How is it? Are you sure there are no enemies?”
“Right now, I believe there aren’t any. The Golden Eagle Guards usually operate in tight-knit groups, leaving secret strongholds one by one. I found no traces of such places nor any signs of people around here.”
“Since you’ve said so, it must be certain. Let’s assume those fellows haven’t begun their ‘plan’ yet.”
“But what’s with this small bottle? Is it really necessary to divide the poison?”
Mangnyang pointed to my small bottle with his finger and said, “That small bottle is for when we truly need to subdue the village. I plan to use this for a separate scheme.”
“What kind of scheme?”
“First, let’s observe the village’s movements. We can talk afterward; it won’t be too late.”
I headed with Mangnyang toward the secret passage well located at the back of the village. Rather than entering through the village’s main entrance, I thought it best to sneak in via the secret passage. Upon seeing the secret passage, Mangnyang remarked in amazement, “Wow. It looks like the gentry who developed this had accumulated quite a bit of wealth. The owner of this secret passage is likely the biggest landlord in that village.”
“That’s not a guarantee, is it?”
“No, it’s not. This village is quite distant from the river, and to construct a secret passage here would require an enormous amount of financial power. Considering the costs of confidentiality and procurement of building materials, it would be a daunting task. It must be true.”
“Hmm.”
When I first thought about sneaking in, I had no inkling of it being the secret path of such a powerful figure. As I walked a bit further, I spotted the exit ladder of the secret passage. I carefully climbed the ladder and used my Qi Sense to discern the sounds and presence outside.
Whew.
I sensed a presence. I could hear the bustling sounds of someone who hadn’t learned martial arts boiling and preparing something. Simultaneously, their hurried footsteps became apparent. Considering this was once a kitchen, it was likely a servant hired by the residence. I glanced at Mangnyang and said, “They’re not fanatics. It seems like an ordinary servant is making dinner.”
Mangnyang let out a sigh of relief. “Is that so? The village hasn’t been suppressed by the Golden Eagle Guards yet.”
“What do you plan to do? Should we just ambush the servant and infiltrate?”
Mangnyang shook his head. “No. That would just cause unnecessary trouble. Let’s go back and visit the village directly.”
As per Mangnyang’s suggestion, we exited the secret passage, and he donned the human skin mask he had prepared. Although it wasn’t a perfect disguise, at least we made our way to the village’s front without issue.
To anyone watching, we looked just like travelers, and it seemed that the villagers in the early evening didn’t suspect us. The villagers were clad in farming attire, and there were peddlers scattered about. As we ventured a little deeper, we encountered busy-looking buildings and structures.
“What a typical village. I heard copper and bronze are produced around here, so perhaps it’s bustling thanks to the profits from those resources?” Mangnyang assessed while glancing around.
‘Back when I dashed through this street, I killed fanatics and infiltrated their ranks.’
As we moved a bit further, we reached what seemed to be the village square, and the tall structure where I once waited for an assassination opportunity alongside Hyun Cheon Do-in came into view. I gazed at the building with a touch of nostalgia while feeling a dissonance at the thought that such heinous and atrocious deeds were committed there.
I saw children bursting into laughter as they ran around.
“Kyahaha!”
“Hey, stop there!!”
It looked like they were playing tag. Next to them, some vendor was shouting while displaying clothes to attract customers.
“Come buy! Cotton clothes! I have cotton clothes for sale!”
“I have quality farming tools! Seize this opportunity to grab one!”
Chatter and commotion filled the air.
“……”
As I felt the noise from the bustling main street of the village, I went blank and abruptly stopped walking. Mangnyang, who was ahead, sensed something was off and turned back to me.
“Baek-ung? What’s the matter?”
“That person over there,” I said.
Mangnyang followed my gaze to the first floor of the inn selling alcohol. There was a middle-aged man, relaxedly scratching his belly while tearing at a chicken leg that seemed to have been brought from the kitchen. Mangnyang tilted his head.
“Why that person?”
I spoke with a slightly trembling voice, as I recognized his face.
“… Oh, nothing.”
“Hm, you seem like a boring person.”
I couldn’t bring myself to respond.
“……”
It was back when I infiltrated this village with Hyun Cheon Do-in. I had kicked the stomach of someone munching on human flesh in a back alley, bursting their insides, and then smashed the fanatic’s head so they wouldn’t scream.
That was the very middle-aged man now tearing at his chicken leg.
Years had passed, but the intensity of that memory made me clearly recall his face. At that time, I believed the fanatics weren’t human and had been smashing heads without hesitation, and now, unexpectedly, I was face to face with the very individual I had harmed.
Suddenly, a wave of emotion surged within me. No matter how I looked at it, this person was just an ordinary man, buried in the normal everyday life of the village, yet he was destined to meet a miserable end simply because he became a target of the Golden Eagle Guards and the sorcerer.
Swish.
A woman passed by me. Without meaning to, I let out a soft gasp.
“Ah.”
Her expression was neither particularly beautiful nor ugly, but I certainly remembered her. She was the woman who had been offered as a sacrifice on the altar during the human sacrifice. With dazed eyes, she had nearly had her heart ripped out by the sorcerer’s knife.
A foul smell wafted through my nose.
The scent of blood brushed past like a hallucination.
‘Ugh…’
I felt as if the bloody stench from that time lingered in the middle of the square. The near-hallucinatory aroma tormented my mind. The image of the bloody altar stood juxtaposed against the serene bustling of the square filled with people.
I had once witnessed all the people here being engulfed in despair and misfortune, going mad, and ultimately perishing. No—if I didn’t stop it, that event would undoubtedly occur again.
Why?
Why did everyone here have to die?
An urgent question that I had never considered before arose in my mind. Along with it floated the face of Ryu Cheon-ho, the one who laughed about receiving 20 coins of gold and a salary upon completing the mission. No matter how I thought about it, those two scenes did not align.
Seeing the faces of those who were about to become sacrificial victims profoundly impacted me. I had run out of strength to continue walking and stumbled, sitting down under a tree. Mangnyang approached me, looking worried, and sat beside me.
“What’s wrong? Did you exhaust yourself during the search earlier?”
“It’s… not that. Just leave me be for a moment.”
“Hm.”
I intertwined my arms and lowered my head, sinking into thought. Before coming here, I believed I had gathered my resolve and sorted my thoughts, but being in the field made everything different.
‘Dammit…’
Only now did I realize that the past events had inflicted a greater mental shock upon me than I had anticipated. Until now, my grievances had been limited to mistreatment from the village chief’s family and poor childhood friends; I had only faced small hardships. Suddenly confronting a chilling misfortune was a psychological blow.
Just then, a girl in her early to mid-teens approached me and spoke up.
“Hey, why do you look so gloomy?”
I raised my head slightly in surprise. She wore ordinary clothes and looked rather cute, likely to become a beauty in the future. I was taken aback by her familiarity in speaking to me, realizing it was because I now looked no different from her age.
Mangnyang, appearing entertained by the situation, chuckled and said beside me, “This kid is suddenly feeling dizzy~ That’s why he looks like he’s about to poop.”
What the hell was this guy saying?
As I shot him a glare, he simply turned his head away. Knowing Mangnyang was a playful spirit, I wasn’t too angry. The girl, who had been observing my face carefully, smiled and handed me something she held in her hand.
“Hey! Eat this!”
“Huh?”
“It’ll heal all your pain, got it?”
She then handed me a skewer with chicken on it and skipped away. It seemed she had been eating from a vendor in the market before offering it to me. I stared blankly at her retreating figure, causing Mangnyang to burst into laughter.
“Puhahaha… Looks delicious, huh? Is it undercooked?”
“……”
“It’s meat, you know, meat.”
I ignored Mangnyang’s joke and continued to gaze at the chicken skewer.
Then I said, “Mangnyang.”
“Yeah? Are you feeling better now?”
I took a bite of the chicken skewer and asked, “Why did you follow me if you might die if this plan fails?”
“It’s too late to be asking that now. You should have asked earlier,” Mangnyang chuckled.
“I’m simply acting according to what my heart tells me is right. If I die, then I die; what’s the point in worrying about it? I believe that living a life bending my heart and will is worthless, so I came with you.”
Even if he were to meet a horrific end here, he wouldn’t blame me for it. He chose to accompany me of his own volition.
“I see.”
I began to understand why I subconsciously followed Mangnyang. His mindset and way of life resonated with me, who was stuck in the cycle of reincarnation. I too wished to charge forward in life without hesitation or burden.
To move in the direction dictated by my heart.
Wasn’t that the reason the Heavenly Dark Secretary granted me the ability to reverse my fate?
“Why do you ask? Tensing up your shoulders now won’t help.”
I smiled back at him.
I was starting to feel a little lighter in heart.
“I must give it my all.”
I would not fail. I would definitely stop the tragedy from occurring at the hands of those scoundrels. Until now, my actions had been merely to resolve my conscience, but now I had solidified my resolve. Even if I had to fight the Golden Eagle Guards my entire life, I would not back down—this was a nearly unwavering determination.
Mangnyang and I headed straight for the largest mansion in the village. Judging by its location, it seemed to be the one with the secret passage. As Mangnyang had guessed, it appeared to be the residence of the strongest faction, as four gatekeepers stood guard, showing signs of having trained in martial arts for quite a while. One of them exuded the aura of a top-tier expert.
Looking at the mansion from a distance, Mangnyang said, “That’s enough reconnaissance. Let’s find a place to stay.”
“Understood.”
The memory of when I first heard the operation plan in Mangnyang’s hut resurfaced in my mind.
“Now I will properly explain my plan.”
“I will listen intently.”
“You suggested lurking in the village to capture or kill the sorcerer. However, that is not a good method. Even if you succeed, the Golden Eagle Guards will pursue you to the ends of the continent, hell and back. Living in constant fear of being chased is not advisable.”
“What if we just don’t get caught?”
Mangnyang gave a wry smile.
“The Golden Eagle Guards are not such a careless organization. If we’re going to do it, we must annihilate them decisively; we can’t leave any future troubles behind. We’re dealing with a group of the continent’s top martial artists who are trained to be killing machines, heavily supported by the imperial family.”
“Hmm. Still, if we eliminate the sorcerer, the imperial family’s human sacrifice plan won’t stop?”
“Be careful not to interpret things too favorably. If they’ve interpreted the contents of the nameless priest’s rituals, they’ll try to conduct the ceremonies independently at some point, even without the sorcerer.”
Mangnyang looked up at the sky for a moment and continued, “If we’re going to do it, let’s not just take out the sorcerer but eradicate the Golden Eagle Guards as well. If the sorcerer goes missing and the Golden Eagle Guards are either killed or kidnapped, it’ll create a state where the imperial family has no idea when the plan will be exposed. This would also minimize future repercussions.”
To undermine the imperial family’s will!
Mangnyang spoke boldly, continuing, “If my master were here, we could proceed according to your plan, but since he is not, we have no choice but to write a second strategy.”
“A second strategy?”
“Speedy resolution. And annihilation. We must take complete control of the situation so that they have no way to catch us. We should proceed under the assumption that we will definitely wipe out at least one squad of the Golden Eagle Guards that arrives on the scene.”
“… Even if that’s possible, how do you intend to do it?”
“It’s simple. We’ll set the village on fire as soon as the Golden Eagle Guards or the sorcerer appear!”
He suggested the absurd plan of arson.
“I’ll handle the fire. I’ll make sure to ignite the flames in such a manner that we’ll surround the village. Since this area is forested, it will catch fire easily. And while they’re in a panic, Hyun Cheon Do-in will secure the sorcerer, and you will annihilate a squad of the Golden Eagle Guards.”
I didn’t feel like questioning Mangnyang’s outlandish claim that I should wipe out a squad of the Golden Eagle Guards because the precondition of setting fire was absurd in itself.
“No, if we set it on fire, everything will burn down! What are you talking about?”
“To me, that fire will absolutely create a favorable battlefield. No one, whether us or the villagers, will be harmed.”
“Is that some kind of secret technique?”
“Something like that, anyway, I’ll explain it when we get there.”
Mangnyang had been observing me slightly since I had concealed my knowledge about the Golden Eagle Guards. Aware of this, I didn’t ask any more questions. After all, it was evident he was a genius with superior wisdom and knowledge, so I chose to trust him.
And here we were, at this point in time.
I glanced at Mangnyang, eager to hear about his “ability.” Noticing my gaze, he subtly raised his fan.
“The ability of the Five Fire Seven Bird Fan is to manipulate the influence and direction of flames. I can even prevent fires from spreading. If I wield this fan in a fiery zone, I will surely support you.”
“……!!”
It was an astonishing ability. The power to manipulate flames—this transcended human capabilities. While techniques managing elemental energies or internal forces were powerful, none could rival Mangnyang’s ability to control flames on a village-wide scale. To exhibit such prowess through martial arts, one would almost need to be immortal.
I didn’t doubt Mangnyang’s claim about the Five Fire Seven Bird Fan. If that were a lie, he wouldn’t have risked his life by coming here in the first place. Instead, I asked him,
“Now please tell me, that must be a treasure known as a divine weapon to possess such power. How did you obtain it? And what is your relationship with Mangnyang Seonsa?”
“Haah… I suppose I have no choice but to explain.”
Mangnyang sighed and took a seat on a tree stump. Then he spoke.
“Mangnyang Seonsa, the greatest sorcerer of the Left Path, is my master. However, he could no longer teach me and drove me away.”
“……!!”
“The reason, as you can see, is that despite my knowledge, I lack the divine ability to succeed as a sorcerer. Believing I couldn’t achieve mastery, my master ceased my instruction. It was unfortunate timing, as I was also overtaken in rank by my blood relatives, thus I decided to return to my homeland.”
His past was complex.
He was born as the son of a family of astrologers and studied astrology and sorcery under Mangnyang Seonsa. However, despite his considerable intellect, he lacked talent in sorcery. Consequently, Mangnyang had given up his position in the astrologer family and was living off the name of his master in Jinrang Valley.
I found it hard to comprehend.
“No, you were close enough to seek your master’s help and possess his divine weapon, the Five Fire Seven Bird Fan. Yet, you were cast away as if you were unworthy?”
“My master and I do not harbor animosity. However, to pass on exceptional sorcery, great talents are necessary, rather than those who are inept. Thus, the relationship between a person and a master is distinct.”
He unfurled the Five Fire Seven Bird Fan and stated,
“My master felt sorry for me and gave me this fan. Since then, he continues to provide assistance regularly. That is enough for me.”
“Are you implying… that there is another disciple under Mangnyang Seonsa?”
“Indeed. A sorcerer of far greater brilliance than I.”
Mangnyang spoke melancholically.
“In order for someone as incapable as me to properly utilize the Five Fire Seven Bird Fan, I need to set up the formations of the Qi Sense technique throughout the village. We should spend the remaining time on that.”
I spoke hurriedly.
“Wait. There’s something important I haven’t mentioned.”
“What is it?”
“No matter how much you help with flames, it will be difficult for me to contend with a squad of the Golden Eagle Guards on my own. Those individuals can match Hyun Cheon Do-in with just three or four of them. How are we supposed to…”
Mangnyang patted my shoulder and said,
“You tend to overestimate the enemy.”
“Huh?”
“You will prevail easily. And you won’t be alone. Trust me.”
He didn’t provide any further instructions regarding the plan and started secretly installing the formations for the Qi Sense technique around the village to use with the Five Fire Seven Bird Fan. Since it merely involved placing light markers, I didn’t think the villagers would find it suspicious.
“……”
What should I do now?
The next day, after explaining the overall plan to Hyun Cheon Do-in of the Taijeonggwan, I asked him to join me in lurking around the village. Hyun Cheon Do-in nodded readily and said,
“Don’t worry! I visit that village frequently, so they won’t suspect me. By the way, that’s an excellent plan. We’ll be able to finish before reinforcements arrive.”
“Reinforcements?”
“I immediately requested support from the main sect yesterday. The disciples from the Wudang Sect are likely to arrive within seven days to help us. You need not doubt their abilities.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“If it’s Mangnyang Seonsa’s request, it’s trustworthy. I’ll do my utmost for justice.”
Hyun Cheon Do-in’s involvement was unexpectedly substantial. He had successfully leveraged his position to secure assistance from the Wudang Sect. If elite fighters from the Wudang Sect arrived, the task would undoubtedly become much easier.
‘Could it be that Mangnyang thought of this too?’
He had considered the possibility of including Hyun Cheon Do-in and the involvement of the Wudang Sect from the beginning.
I kept watch near the village alongside Hyun Cheon Do-in until preparations were complete, trying to detect any appearance of the Golden Eagle Guards or the sorcerer. It was highly likely that they would begin their search and investigation soon.
Additionally, during the remaining time, I continued to refine my internal energy, integrating the martial arts techniques I had learned. As Hyun Cheon Do-in occasionally trained me in sword techniques, I felt my skills improving slightly.
Then the day of the decisive battle arrived.
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