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Golden Eagle Guard

So you’re telling me that this demon was drawn in the Nameless Ritual Book?

Both of us exchanged surprised glances, full of words we wanted to say but unsure where to begin. I decided to break the ice first.

“I visited that village right before the fire in Gyeongha River, and I saw this demon there.”

“You actually saw it? That’s utterly ridiculous…”

“If I hadn’t seen it, would I just be making this up?”

“……”

Mangnyang seemed reluctant to accept it but couldn’t really deny it either. After all, the chance that my made-up drawing coincidentally matched the painting in the Nameless Ritual Book was too low. And the likelihood that I had read the book and was just messing with Mangnyang was even less. He had no choice but to believe my words were true.

“Please tell me what happened then.”

“Sure.”

I recounted the human sacrifice incident, the fanatics, and my encounter with the demon one by one. Naturally, I had to mention Master Hyuncheon too. Although it led to my death, I concluded my tale with an upbeat note about how I had managed to escape by sheer luck.

After a long period of listening, Mangnyang let out a deep sigh.

“Ah, it’s hard to not believe you… but it sounds truly unbelievable.”

“What do you think?”

I wanted to gain some wisdom from Mangnyang.

“Please wait a moment. I need to gather my thoughts.”

Shwoosh

“Hmm…”

Mangnyang said this while cupping his temple, making a grimace that looked like an old man who really needed to use the restroom. With his expression shifting and desperately thinking about something, he finally spoke after a while.

“Baek Woong, what do you intend to do now?”

“I’m trying to become a Golden Eagle Guard. If I’m lucky, I’ll get my hands on the Nameless Ritual Book, but even if that doesn’t happen, it’s fine. There’s really no rush.”

“Interesting… I somehow like you.”

Mangnyang mumbled something before continuing.

“If I’m right, the fire near Gyeongha River, the human sacrifices, and the demon… there’s a huge conspiracy involved. This could even shake the entire Central Plains…”

“Do you know something?”

“Not yet. It’s not the time to talk about it. This is such a ridiculous matter that either of us could be headed for destruction. Now is not the time to draw conclusions; we must be smart and gather as many clues as we can.”

Mangnyang’s face turned serious. Back when I wanted to ally with him for the Nameless Ritual Book, he had seemed like a refreshing change to a boring life. But now, his expression was filled with a resolve that indicated he was risking his life. He must have realized something important from my story. He simply didn’t have the confidence to let it slip yet.

A while later, Mangnyang asked.

“Do you have any allies within Luoyang?”

“One or two.”

The sect leader of the Great Sword Gate, one of the Twin Gates, might help me. After all, he was a friend of my master and we exchanged letters where he agreed to recommend me to the Golden Eagle Guard. Of course, if I got into serious trouble, the Great Sword Gate might just throw me to the wolves, but unless I acted suspiciously, I could count on their support.

But Mangnyang shook his head.

“One or two won’t cut it. I’m going with you.”

“What?!”

“I will convince the best fighter I know to secretly help you. Otherwise, you’ll definitely die.”

“Die? I won’t just stroll up to the Nameless Ritual Book. I’ve got years to wait for the right opportunity; thinking negatively like that isn’t good.”

Mangnyang let out a hollow laugh.

“Haha… that’s not the issue. Do you understand what it means that the demon and the Nameless Ritual Book are connected? The Imperial Family is likely involved in this matter.”

“I suspected as much.”

“Suspected? Are you clueless about what that actually means?”

At Mangnyang’s follow-up, I closed my mouth.

“That implies the Imperial Family may have already interpreted the Nameless Ritual Book.”

“……!!”

So that’s what was bothering me! I hadn’t connected the dots before in my panic.

“Then are you saying…?”

“Shut your mouth.”

Just as I was about to speak out of excitement, Mangnyang quickly placed his index finger to my lips and said, “No more reckless thoughts or baseless speculations. We need more solid clues. Until then, think of each move we make as a link to death. This is a grand conspiracy.”

“……”

Mangnyang was definitely wiser than I was. In that brief moment, he had insightfully assessed the situation and firmly outlined what we had to do next. I had all kinds of thoughts racing through my mind, but one thing was clear: the Imperial Family itself could very well become our enemy. Not simply because they’d steal the Nameless Ritual Book, but because the book might actually be at the very center of the conspiracy.

Every step was indeed leading towards death. If I showed even a hint of suspicious behavior, the palace would instantly become my grave. Such thoughts darkened the previously light and carefree mood I had about going to Luoyang.

But I spoke up a moment later.

“Is it really necessary to uncover this truth, even with all that danger?”

“What did you just say…?”

Mangnyang looked at me in disbelief. I crossed my arms and continued calmly.

“Neither you nor I have a duty to uncover this matter.”

“That’s…”

“If you just stay here in hiding, you won’t have to risk death by entering Luoyang, and you can still live carefree as Master Mangnyang of Jinrang Valley. And I too can lead a comfortable life as a Golden Eagle Guard, if I don’t get greedy about the Nameless Ritual Book. Isn’t that right?”

I really didn’t want to die anymore.

I simply wanted to take a chance to obtain the Nameless Ritual Book and upon realizing there was a massive risk involved, I no longer craved it. A conservative desire to not lose the life of a martial artist I had just obtained held me down.

“……”

Mangnyang looked stumped for a moment. Then he spoke in a somber voice.

“You know only one thing but do not comprehend two. Do you think I’m doing this because I’m upset that the villagers I’ve never even met have died miserably? I’m risking my life to uncover this secret to uphold the justice of Jianghu.”

“……”

“Baek Woong, that tragedy you witnessed will one day surely strike an innumerable number of people. It will be on a scale far beyond that village’s misfortune. When that time comes, will you just rely on luck to escape? Or do you plan to become a dog for the powerful, taking on all their nasty jobs?”

Mangnyang’s words were earnest and resonated with a fierce pleading.

From his standpoint, I was his only hope to prevent such a catastrophe.

“There is no one in this world who understands the nature of the Imperial Family better than I do. Having served as an astrologer, I’ve learned that they treat this world as if it’s just a lid. If they’re the ones controlling events, then someday, some unspeakably horrific disaster will surely come. We must stop it while we can; that’s only natural, isn’t it?”

I had lost my words against Mangnyang’s coherent argument. His words were awakening points I had never considered before. But even so, when I reflected on it in terms of my immediate life, there was a disconnect.

After a moment, I shook my head.

“I don’t want to suffer unnecessarily.”

“… You’re like a teacher to me. I’m disappointed.”

Mangnyang spat this out bluntly, clearly displeased.

“If that’s how you feel, then I have nothing more to say. I guess my plan to head to Luoyang ends here. Do you want to hear any more from me?”

I pondered before asking.

“If you were me five years ago, how would you have prevented that tragedy? Or if I had approached you back then asking for help, what would you have done?”

Mangnyang smiled coldly.

“If it were me, I would have secretly entered and poisoned the well.”

“Poison the well?”

Mangnyang nodded.

“Whether they’re fanatics or whatever, as humans they need water to drink. If they remained in a closed environment, the only ways to obtain drinking water would be from a well, stream, or river. But as far as I know, that village was pretty far from the Gyeongha River and there were no small streams inside the village.

So they must have used a well that was fed by the waterway from afar. If I had poisoned that well, their plans would have been easily thwarted. Even if the fanatics managed to endure for a couple of days, without water they would eventually dry up, right? And the offering for the human sacrifice would vanish too! Their plan likely required a large-scale human sacrifice, which would make it difficult for them to choose another village at that point.”

“……!!”

“Plus, you mentioned the black-cloaked men and the sorcerer flute phantoms — they’re still human, right? Living in that village, they would have to drink water as well. If fortune smiled on me and they ate my poison, that would be a huge win.”

I gaped at Mangnyang’s plan. While Hyuncheon and I only thought about sneaking in for a straightforward assassination, following Mangnyang’s logic would allow for a double whammy without even having to directly confront the fanatics.

“Magnificent.”

“Of course, those holding such obsessions and toxicities wouldn’t abandon their plans for something as simple as poison; however, while they hesitated, constantly reporting to the government office and spreading rumors among the martial artists would have made them retreat in the end. This wouldn’t even require much martial skill.”

Mangnyang let out a short sigh.

“However, this is all past events. Even if I proposed solutions now, it’s already a done deal. The villagers went mad with their insanity, gave birth to a demon, and were annihilated. There’s no human who can change the past, so what’s the point of discussing it now?”

“……”

“And you must heed this: if they birthed a demon, where on earth is it now?”

“Ugh…!!”

I inhaled sharply.

Now that I thought about, where had all those demons gone? It’s not like there were countless places to raise such a huge, ferocious demon. Plus, even if they burned down the village to cover their tracks, moving a demon around would be too obvious. The fact that I hadn’t heard even whispers about witnessing a monster meant they had likely made off with the demons without anyone noticing.

‘Damn it…’

I was now wrestling with the impulse to dig into the palace’s conspiracy based on Mangnyang’s words. The thought that some demon was out there crawling around in this world made me feel nauseous.

But I held it in. No matter how right Mangnyang might be and the looming catastrophe destined for the world, the chances of me dying in an attempt to stop it were far too high. I wanted to look away and remain unbothered by an uncertain sense of justice; all I truly wanted was to live peacefully as a martial artist in this life.

Instead, I turned the topic.

“Earlier you mentioned something about using poison; what kind would you use?”

“The fanatics only retain a level of rationality necessary for daily life and do not possess the ability to feel pain, correct? Therefore, strong pain-inducing or sensory-stimulating poisons won’t be particularly effective. You need a nerve poison that will paralyze their muscles and lead them to death through respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.”

“You have this nerve poison?”

“I know how to manufacture it. By adding a specific chemical agent to snake venom, I can create it within a day. If I need to make it water-soluble, it might take a little longer, but it won’t exceed two days.”

Indeed, he was an extraordinary fountain of knowledge. The art of poisoning, which only a handful of families, including the Four Talents Sect, secretly passed down in the martial world, was something he had become well-read in through extensive study.

I pondered for a long time. Then I said,

“Mangnyang, how about this?”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I’m not ready to act against the conspiracy just yet as you suggest. Right now, I have no intention of engaging with any schemes.”

“Hmm.”

“But I definitely want to learn how to manufacture that nerve poison. So, how about we make a trade: I’ll share the information I acquire when I become a Golden Eagle Guard for your method of making the nerve poison? I can’t guarantee what you’ll do with the info, but I promise to pass it along.”

This way, my life wouldn’t be put at too much risk. Plus, given that Mangnyang was likely disappointed with me, he might hesitate to share the nerve poison method. Thus, I considered this my version of a compromise.

“… Fine! Of course, I’ll teach you.”

Mangnyang agreed without hesitation. It seemed like he genuinely wanted to help me in any way he could, even if it was half-hearted. After all, he had a heroic spirit within him.

Fortunately, there was plenty of time left until I arrived at Luoyang. I had at least seven days to spare, so during that time, I learned the basics of poisoning techniques along with the special method for making the nerve poison. I had to memorize the entire manufacturing process down to the last detail, which was extensive enough to keep me cooped up in the thatched house without thinking of leaving.

The final step in learning how to produce the nerve poison concluded four days later. Having crammed all night, both Mangnyang and I collapsed from fatigue, thanks to the overwhelming mental strain.

After about half a day of being completely motionless, Mangnyang woke up to see me off.

“If you ever change your mind later, head five li southwest from Luoyang Castle to the shrine of Yeodong-bin. If you have this sign marker, you might find rescue if your life is in danger.”

The small jade piece he handed to me was the promised sign marker. I stared down at it, lost in thought.

“Don’t go searching for trouble unnecessarily. That’ll bring you disaster.”

“Regardless, thank you.”

“Take care.”

I parted ways with Mangnyang and set off toward Luoyang.

It was about eight days later that I finally entered the gates of Luoyang. After passing through the outer gate of Luoyang on horseback, I made my way slowly to the Great Sword Gate. Maybe because it was broad daylight, there were numerous disciples training at the Great Sword Gate, busier than the Iron Blood Gate. Overall, it seemed like their numbers were lower compared to the Iron Blood Gate, but as a result, the average skill level of their disciples appeared higher.

I approached the front gate of the Great Sword Gate. The gatekeepers blocked my way.

“Halt! What business do you have at the Great Sword Gate?”

“I am Baek Woong from the Master of Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. Please deliver this letter to the Sect Leader of the Great Sword Gate.”

“Hmm.”

They went inside and came out after a moment.

“Follow us.”

Following the gatekeepers, I arrived at a tidy reception room. The elegant yet modest interior décor revealed this was the most prestigious martial school in Luoyang. Although there weren’t overly extravagant items on display, the atmosphere gave a sense of the owner’s character.

Soon after, a man entered the reception room.

“I’ve heard the story. You must be Baek Woong, the disciple of the Master of Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?”

I stood up to show my respect.

“That’s correct. It’s an honor to meet you, Master of Great Sword Gate.”

Indeed.

The man in front of me, dressed neatly in simple white attire, was of middle age – a master ranked high among the Twin Gates of Luoyang martial artists, and not to mention the owner of peerless martial skill who defeated an elder of the Huashan Sect in under a hundred seconds.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Yes.”

Pour, pour

The attendant beside us carefully poured tea into our cups. Watching as the Master of Great Sword Gate enjoyed his tea with grace reminded me of the Master of Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, and it felt like two friends had formed bonds based on similar temperaments. Both presented calm and elegant impressions, but I could guess that the Master of Great Sword Gate was likely formidable in real combat, akin to a tiger.

The Master of Great Sword Gate spoke.

“You’ve come about the recommendation for the Golden Eagle Guard, I assume?”

“Indeed.”

“However, although I’ve promised to keep this confidential, unfortunate news reached me that a few of my disciples overheard that conversation. I certainly don’t plan to go back on my word, but they seem eager to test your abilities.”

That was only natural. If a position that could have been theirs was being handed to a disciple from another sect, I would likely lose my sanity over it too. It seemed that the disciples of the Great Sword Gate were prepared to take out their frustrations on me given the Master of Great Sword Gate’s strong authority and reputation.

“A sparring match?”

“Let’s call it sparring, not such a grand term as ‘contest’.”

I felt a sense of complexity in what had immediately become a tangled situation. However, since I somewhat expected this to happen, I nodded with confidence.

“Of course, I will.”

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