Chapter 159
“Well, that’s one chaotic showdown!”
As I returned to the place where Dongbang Mu-gyeol was, a fierce battle was in full swing. Dongbang Mu-gyeol unleashed an immense force continuously, overwhelming in waves, making it seem like mere humans couldn’t possibly generate such martial arts prowess.
KUO-O-O!
Jin So-cheong calmly unfolded the Soul Removal Technique, looking for openings amidst the overwhelming attacks. It appeared that she hadn’t been hit directly yet and you could see her hawk-like eyes scanning for flaws. Maybe noticing that, Dongbang Mu-gyeol momentarily eased the pressure and glared at Jin So-cheong.
“You little… what kind of divine technique is this?!”
Jin So-cheong landed gracefully. “You done already? Can’t handle more?”
“……”
As Jin So-cheong casually responded, Dongbang Mu-gyeol clamped his mouth shut. Seeing that, I could guess the current situation.
‘His internal power has dropped significantly.’
Probably, any ordinary expert would have been paralyzed by the shock and fear of Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s immense energy. Once caught in that range, dodging or blocking was nearly impossible. But Jin So-cheong deftly avoided all attacks using the Soul Removal Technique, making it merely a drain on Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s own strength.
“Hmph!”
That said, I was huffing lightly in surprise at Jin So-cheong’s mastery of the technique. It was clear that all the Thunder God Lineage experts had learned the Soul Removal Technique, but could I evade Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s attacks as effortlessly as Jin So-cheong? That seemed highly unlikely. No doubt, her mastery had advanced drastically over just a few months.
TA-DAH!
Before I knew it, Geukhyo arrived on the scene, drenched in sweat, indicating he’d just been in a rough fight. Grinning, he said, “What’s this? Am I really the last to arrive? Got some shame here, Jin So-cheong.”
“It’s embarrassing, senior. But truly, this guy’s internal power is extraordinary.”
Glancing around at the traces of power spread out, Geukhyo remarked, “Looks like it. This fellow must be the Colonel.”
“What do we do?”
“What do we do? We’ll gang up on him!”
As soon as Geukhyo spoke, the three of us formed the Three Talents Formation, encircling Dongbang Mu-gyeol. He looked dazed as he scanned his surroundings; especially when his gaze landed on me with a bemused expression.
“You little brat. You really beat Baek Won-sangma?”
“Of course. Otherwise, why would he leave me alone?”
“Ugh… what…?”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol looked shocked. He clearly hadn’t considered the possibility of Baek Won-sangma actually losing. After all, each of them was a peak sword master! He probably never thought a little brat like me could defeat any of them one-on-one.
With my sword pointed, I said, “I’m not saying we want to kill you, but we could definitely help each other. If you don’t surrender peacefully, I can’t guarantee your life.”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol was casting furtive glances at our encirclement. The Three Talents Formation merely blocked its three directions, but with the Thunder God Lineage members in it, it became an exceptional entrapment. Even if Dongbang Mu-gyeol exploded with power to break free, none of us would fall into that trap, and ultimately, he would be the one to bow out.
He looked at Jin So-cheong and asked, “Is it true? You’ve come here because of the Young Master’s strange disease?”
“That’s correct.”
“Ugh… If you guarantee my life, I’ll surrender.”
“Of course.”
With that, Dongbang Mu-gyeol immediately lowered his stance. Geukhyo stepped forward slowly to tie him up. But of course, given Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s power, he could snap these ropes like nothing. So, Geukhyo made sure to apply an internal power seal as well.
“Ugh…”
Now reduced to a level below Second-Class, Dongbang Mu-gyeol groaned in agony. Yet, the three of us had all struggled against him before, so we didn’t have any sympathy to spare. Geukhyo looked at me and said, “Kid, you ask him.”
He seemed to think it best that I do the questioning since I was the one leading this. I nodded and stepped closer to Dongbang Mu-gyeol.
“Heavenly Doctor Dongbang Mu-gyeol. I am Baek Woong, a disciple of the Thunder God Lineage and a descendant of the Hua Clan’s medical techniques. I came looking for answers regarding the secrets related to the Five Great Physicians and the Young Master of the White Lotus Sect’s affliction.”
“……!!”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s brows twitched.
“Hua Clan? Did you hear about me from Guangming Divine Doctor Hwa Seong-myeong?”
“Indeed. I know that all five of you were forcibly summoned by the White Lotus Sect, and I’ve heard about the events that occurred back then.”
“……”
“And I figured you might be the only one who has an inkling about the nature of the strange disease, associating it with some kind of curse.”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol relaxed a bit. Leaning against a tree, he sighed.
“It seems you’re not an ordinary ruffian after all. Did you really approach me just to get to the bottom of this?”
I glared at him with a stern gaze.
“The other Four Great Physicians have all hidden themselves in the Jianghu to escape. Yet you alone have gone to the Southern Barbarians and the Southern Kingdom while even clashing with the Four Talents Sect. You clearly have a strong will to find a cure for the strange disease.”
“Um…”
“We, the Thunder God Lineage, must know your motives and how much you’ve discovered regarding the strange disease.”
Upon hearing this, Dongbang Mu-gyeol chuckled. But it wasn’t a mocking laugh; it was more one of resignation.
“Heh… Thunder God Lineage. You’d be the type to come looking for me. Since I’ve been expelled from the White Lotus Sect, you’d probably want to know some of their weaknesses.”
“While we’ve bound you now, I believe we’ll have opportunities to assist one another in the future.”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol appeared to be deep in thought. After a while, he spoke.
“Release the ropes. Otherwise, I won’t say a word.”
I glanced at Geukhyo and Jin So-cheong. They nodded. The ropes were merely a precautionary measure; Dongbang Mu-gyeol was effectively bound by the internal power seal, so I untied him.
As he stood up, he said, “I have a proposal.”
“What is it?”
“There’s something I really want from the White Lotus Sect. Can you help me obtain it?”
“Hmm.”
This was an unexpected request. Geukhyo, listening in, immediately chimed in, “That’s a matter for our master to decide. Depending on how the discussion goes, we might consider it.”
Since Geukhyo was the oldest and leading us, he seemed eager to quickly wrap up the discussion. Dongbang Mu-gyeol, catching onto our dynamic through Geukhyo’s response, narrowed his eyes and nodded.
“Okay… then I’ll lay out my proposal and wait for a response.”
“Suit yourself.”
“To cut to the chase, just as you guessed, the Young Master’s strange disease is caused by a curse. I’ve been roaming the world searching for a way to lift that curse.”
After a moment of thought, I asked, “Were you trying to learn the Poison Arts of the Four Talents Sect to dispel the curse with Formless Poison?”
“Did you piece that much together? You’re quite invested in my affairs.”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol said with a click of his tongue, “Yes. But it seems the Formless Poison is something that may only emerge after centuries. So I decided to put the poison journey on hold and go to the Southern Barbarians.”
“Why did you go to the Southern Barbarians?”
“Actually, I aimed to cross into Tianzhu. I’ve heard they’re well-versed in the mysterious martial arts and have extensive knowledge about myths and curses due to their long history.”
“What did you find?”
As we looked at him with anticipation, Dongbang Mu-gyeol clasped his hands together and continued, “Just as you guessed, I found something worthwhile in the Southern Barbarians, so I returned without heading to Tianzhu.”
“What did you find?”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol smirked and said, “I can’t say that here. I need to talk to your leader.”
“What’s the reason for that?”
“Because it’s just too unbelievable a tale. If it’s not communicated properly, I won’t be able to endure the frustration.”
We exchanged looks for a moment. Geukhyo then said, “Don’t try to act all important. We can forcibly extract information from you right now.”
SSSSSS!
As the energy rose from Geukhyo’s hand, it took on the form used when he was about to employ the Eight Trigram Seal—the secret torture technique of the Thunder God Lineage. Clearly, he understood the stakes of our situation. But Dongbang Mu-gyeol remained unfazed and simply replied, “Go ahead. But you know that information extracted through torture might not be reliable? I confidently assert that what I have to share is worth its weight in gold, so are you prepared to possibly mess it all up?”
“……”
Dongbang Mu-gyeol was right. Unless you were a seasoned expert like Lee Kwang, torturing someone just to extract information could be risky business. Extreme pain can force someone to spill secrets, but it could also lead to twisted information due to the torment. And too much vigorous torture could potentially wreck their mind beforehand.
Jin So-cheong looked at Dongbang Mu-gyeol with clear eyes and asked, “Is there any guarantee that such an unbelievable tale would be believed by our leader?”
“None. That’s all on me; I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“If you’re saying that, I’ll let it slide for now…”
Jin So-cheong accepted Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s story, but neither Geukhyo nor I could disagree. Even though there was some annoyance at the bravado of Dongbang Mu-gyeol, we couldn’t afford to act rashly and possibly ruin our grand plan.
I asked him, “I heard those two swordsmen were Baek Won-sangma. They seemed to be part of the gambling scene at Mu-hu-sa. What led them to follow you?”
“They were my own hired guards.”
“Guards?”
“You wouldn’t know, but Baek Won-sangma is a master trained in the Moon Maiden Sword Technique. They’re quite reputable in their sect. I was a bit anxious traveling alone through Yunnan to the Southern Barbarians, so I pulled them in through the mahjong table.”
“So you played mahjong at Mu-hu-sa for that?”
“Yep, needed to get the thrill, you know.”
“……”
I was at a loss for words; Dongbang Mu-gyeol had played mahjong to secure his protectors! And it turned out that to ensure victory, he had roped in Tao King Byeokji, leading to a winning streak that forced Baek Won-sangma into accompanying him to the Southern Barbarians! But it was puzzling why he would play mahjong in the first place just for a thrill; it made me question his mental state.
“So what’s the reason for your return to the Central Plains through Henan?”
“I took the sea route back from the Southern Kingdom, passing through Anhui and ended up in Henan.”
“So you were heading somewhere. Where to?”
“I was heading to Gansu.”
Gansu Province.
That place was located in the northwest, far north from Shaanxi. Known also as Xiliang, it was characterized by mostly barren lands. As I mentally traced Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s path on a map of the Central Plains, my disbelief grew. “Why on earth would you not take the direct route back through Sichuan to reach Gansu? What’s with the detour across thousands of miles?”
“Baek Won-sangma insisted that they needed to check in with their sect, that’s why we stopped by.”
“Oh.”
“They oversee a faction too, so they had to come back because they lost the bet.”
Baek Won-sangma’s sect branch was probably around Zhejiang or Anhui. After all, traveling back after a trip over thousands of miles through the Southern Barbarians would certainly stir up feelings of homesickness. Dongbang Mu-gyeol was blunt as he continued.
“You’re probably also curious why my companions lingered in Henan. It’s because we sensed someone was tracking us.”
“What?!”
“We threw out some bait and were just waiting to catch whoever it might be.”
Jin So-cheong sighed upon hearing this. “So the Divine Maiden Sect’s pursuit was uncovered.”
It was alright that Lee Kwang had employed the Eight Demons of the Demon Path to gather intel, but Dongbang Mu-gyeol and Baek Won-sangma were all peak experts, clearly aware of the pursuit. So they had intentionally appeared to let down their guard while looking to catch their pursuer. With three peak experts, they had nothing to fear. But they underestimated the capability of our Thunder God Lineage.
Dongbang Mu-gyeol added, “But are you all truly prepared for this?”
“Prepared for what?”
“The moment you hear the secret of the strange disease, you’ll find yourself mired in an irreversible quagmire.”
“That’s not for you to worry about.”
Hah-hah-hah…
“Then, let’s move.”
We decided to take Dongbang Mu-gyeol with us. Of course, bringing him along on such a long trek all the way back to Shaanxi while restricting his internal power would be exhausting, so reluctantly, I pulled out the Golden Lamp.
“Master, what is that?”
“It’s a really good item.”
I answered vaguely and then proceeded to explain the Golden Lamp and Wooden Armor. The expressions on the faces of the three turned into shocked disbelief. Naturally, the question of why I hadn’t used the Golden Lamp while coming was brushed off with a lie that I hadn’t been to Henan before.
Moments later, after placing the three into the Wooden Armor, I activated the Golden Lamp.
PA-AT!
Arriving in Waryong Hall of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, I released them from the Wooden Armor. They looked utterly bewildered, having crossed thousands of miles in an instant.
Then, a familiar voice rang out.
“What’s going on?”
Lee Kwang was walking towards us.
