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0045 ———————————————-

Demon Subduing Hall

Hiding near the village with Mangnyang wasn’t too hard.

“I don’t sense any enemies.”

I spread my aura out like a wide net to detect any hostile or powerful presences. Thanks to my immense internal power, I could extend my range without issue, even sensing the movement of small animals over eighty paces away for a brief moment. Up until about ten paces from the village, I hadn’t encountered any ambushes.

From this spot, I could see the stele marking the village entrance. Dongyo stared at it while picking dried fruit.

“So there aren’t any ambushes from the Golden Eagle Guard or martial artists?”

He keeps a distance of one palm from me and waited for my signal that all was well before he slowly followed; right now, he was hiding in some bushes.

“Right. If a martial artist can hide their presence from me, then even if I knew, it would be of no use. Such a person would be standing at the peak of the martial world.”

“Hmm… Not having encountered anyone up till here means that an operation has either commenced or doesn’t exist.”

After a brief contemplation, Mangnyang spoke.

“Just to be safe, how about you explore a bit more around here? I’ll prepare things here.”

“But you have no martial power; are you sure?”

“Don’t worry. If the worst comes to worst, I can make a quick escape.”

“Fine. I’ll go check around within a five-li radius.”

Swish!

I quickly stepped through the grass, scanning the village with agile movements. Having explored this area before with Master Hyuncheon, the terrain wasn’t so unfamiliar to me. Though years had passed, memories from that time began to return vividly as I roamed. I was even quite pleased to discover the secret passage well we had previously infiltrated with Master Hyuncheon.

After about half an hour of vigorous searching, I didn’t detect anything special with my aura or senses. Concluding my exploration, I returned to Mangnyang. He was currently measuring out some poison into different small bottles.

“Focus, will you? Just wait a moment.”

A little while later, Mangnyang handed me one of the bottles and said, “So? Are you certain there are no enemies?”

“I believe there aren’t any right now. The Golden Eagle Guard always moves with a single unit closely tied together and leaves behind secret strongholds. I found none of those, nor any signs of human presence nearby.”

“If you’re that confident, then it’s certain. Let’s assume those guys haven’t started their ‘plan’ yet.”

“But why this small bottle? Do you really need to split the poison into two?”

Pointing to my bottle with his index finger, Mangnyang replied, “Use that bottle when we truly need to subdue the village. I have my own plan for the other.”

“What plan?”

“First, let’s observe the village’s movements. We can talk further after…”

Together, Mangnyang and I made our way to the secret passage well behind the village. Rather than entering through the main gate, we decided to sneak in using the secret passage. Upon seeing the passage, Mangnyang seemed fascinated by it.

“Wow. The person who developed this secret passage must have accumulated quite a fortune. The owner of this passage is probably the biggest landlord in the village.”

“There’s no guarantee that’s the case.”

“No, it’s likely. This village is quite a distance from the river, so to secretly build a passage like this, immense wealth would be required. Just think about the costs for maintaining confidentiality and acquiring building materials; it’s no small feat. It must be true.”

“Hmm.”

I hadn’t thought much when I first decided to sneak in, but to discover it’s a secret passage belonging to such a powerful faction? Walking a bit further, I spotted the ladder leading out of the secret passage. I cautiously climbed it, using my Qi Sense to feel the sounds and auras outside.

Aha!

I sensed some movement. It sounded like someone who hadn’t cultivated martial arts was busy cooking and making something. At the same time, I felt hurried footsteps. Considering this was once the kitchen, it was likely a servant hired by the mansion. I glanced at Mangnyang and said, “They aren’t fanatics. It seems like a regular servant is preparing dinner.”

With a sigh of relief, Mangnyang responded, “Is that so? The village hasn’t been subdued by the Golden Eagle Guard yet.”

“What’s your plan? Should we ambush the servant and infiltrate?”

Mangnyang shook his head. “No. That’d probably be trouble. Let’s go back and visit the village head-on.”

Following Mangnyang’s suggestion, I exited the secret passage and donned the human skin mask he had prepared. It wasn’t a perfect disguise, but at least I could walk right into the village’s front without raising suspicion.

To anyone looking, I appeared just like a traveler, so the villagers seemed completely unconcerned as I wandered through in the early evening. The villagers were dressed as farmers, and there were peddlers here and there. As I ventured deeper, I noticed some bustling buildings and pavilions.

“Well, it’s just an ordinary village, isn’t it? They mentioned copper and bronze were produced in this area, so it’s probably thriving due to that?” Mangnyang assessed while looking around.

‘I used to run through this street, slaughtering fanatics and infiltrating.’

As I walked in further, I encountered a square similar to a village square and noticed the tall pavilion where I once aimed for assassination with Master Hyuncheon. I gazed at it with a slightly nostalgic look, feeling an odd dissonance about the horrific and heinous acts committed there.

I saw children laughing and running around.

“Kya ha ha!”

“Hey, stop there!!”

They seemed to be playing tag. Nearby, a merchant was shouting, trying to sell his clothes.

“Come on, bargain now! Cotton clothes! Cotton clothes for sale!”

“Quality farming tools! Get one while you can!”

Chatter, chatter.

“……”

Suddenly, I froze in place as I felt overwhelmed by the noise of the village center. Mangnyang, who was ahead, noticed my strange behavior and turned around.

“Baek Woong? What’s wrong?”

“That person over there.”

Following my gaze, Mangnyang glanced at the first floor of the inn where beverages were being sold. There sat a middle-aged man with a chicken leg in hand, lazily scratching his belly, apparently relaxed. Mangnyang tilted his head in question.

“Why that person?”

Feeling a bit shaky, I spoke, “…Oh, never mind.”

“Hmm, what is it? You seem quite peculiar.”

I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

“……”

This reminded me of the time I infiltrated the village with Master Hyuncheon. Back in the alley, I had kicked a fanatic’s stomach, bursting their insides, and then used my Thunder Cloud Palm to crush the head of the fanatic who couldn’t scream.

That man was the very same one leisurely munching on a chicken leg now.

It had been years, but my memory of that moment was vivid. I used to think the fanatics were something other than human, that’s why I had so fearlessly smashed heads. And now I was face-to-face with one of them.

A wave of emotions hit me suddenly. No matter how you looked at it, that person was just an ordinary man, trapped in a mundane life in this village. Simply because he became a target of the Golden Eagle Guard and sorcerers, he had to meet such a miserable end.

Swoosh.

Just then, a woman passed by me, and I involuntarily let out a sound.

“Ah.”

Her face wasn’t particularly ugly or beautiful, yet I recognized her distinctly. She was the woman who had been led to the altar as a sacrifice during a human offering ceremony, her blank eyes almost gouged out by the sorcerer’s knife.

The smell of blood wafted through the air.

That aroma felt like an illusion, passing me by.

‘Ugh…’

In the center of the square, the smell of blood was creeping back into my senses. The near-hallucinogenic scent tormented my mind. The image of the blood-soaked altar clashed with the scene of villagers cheerfully bustling around.

Some time ago, I had witnessed everyone here, engulfed in unspeakable despair and misfortune, frantically dying eventually. If I didn’t intervene, I would surely see that tragedy unfold again.

Why? Why do these people have to die?

This urgent question surged from a corner of my mind, rekindling thoughts of Liu Cheonho, who had laughed, saying he would receive gold and a salary by completing this mission. No matter how I looked at it, those two scenes clashed with one another.

Seeing the faces of those who would become sacrificial lambs ahead had a massive impact on me. Unable to muster the strength to walk any further, I staggered and sat down under a tree. Mangnyang worriedly approached and sat beside me.

“What’s wrong? Did you tire yourself out too much during your earlier search?”

“No… It’s not that. Just leave me be for a moment.”

“Hmm.”

I crossed my arms and lowered my head, lost in thought. Before coming here, I thought I had resolved my feelings, but being in the thick of it was entirely different.

‘Damn it…’

I realized that that incident had impacted me more than I had initially acknowledged. Up until now, what I considered a burden in my life was the bullying by the village chief’s family and the hardships afflicted as an escort. But suddenly, I faced a grotesque misfortune that knocked me back mentally.

Just then, a girl passed by and asked, “Hey, why do you look so gloomy?”

I glanced up. She appeared to be a girl in her early teens, dressed in ordinary farmer’s attire. She was quite pretty; I could tell she’d grow into a beauty. I had been surprised by her speaking informally to me, but when I thought about it, I too looked about her age.

Mangnyang seemed to find it amusing and chuckled, “This friend here just had a sudden headache~ and is sporting a look that says he needs to go to the toilet.”

What kind of nonsense is that?

When I shot him a glare, he turned his head away. Knowing Mangnyang was always a bit of a jokester, I didn’t feel too angry. Then the girl, who was attentively staring at my face, smiled and handed me something she had in her hand.

“Hey! Eat this!”

“Huh?”

“It’ll make you feel better; you got that?”

She then handed me a skewer of chicken she must have bought from a street vendor before skipping away. I blankly watched her leave when Mangnyang burst out laughing.

“Pwahaha… Looks delicious. Is it a little undercooked?”

“……”

“That’s meat, meat.”

I brushed off Mangnyang’s joke while staring blankly at the chicken skewer.

Then I spoke, “Mangnyang.”

“Yes? Feeling better now?”

I took a bite of the chicken skewer and asked, “Why are you accompanying me, knowing you might die if this plan fails?”

“Asking such a question now is quite late. You should’ve asked earlier.”

Mangnyang chuckled and said, “I’m simply acting according to what my heart tells me. If I die, then I die; why should I complicate living?” He paused. “It wouldn’t matter if I lived a hollow life with a broken spirit, because nothing would remain.”

He probably wouldn’t begrudge me even if he met a gruesome fate here. It was a decision he made of his own will.

“I see.”

Now, I understood why I was unconsciously following Mangnyang. His mindset and way of life resonated with me, who was trapped in a cycle of rebirth. I too wanted to live life without hesitation or burden.

To move toward what my heart desires.

Perhaps the Heavenly Secret gave me the power to reverse fate for that very reason.

“But why are you asking? It won’t help to tense up your shoulders now.”

I smiled back at him.

I felt a little bit lighter in my heart now.

“I must do my best.”

I will not fail. I will definitely prevent a tragedy from their hands.

Until now, I had merely been seeking to resolve my conscience, but now I had solidified my resolution. Even if it means fighting the Golden Eagle Guard for the rest of my life, I would not yield.

Mangnyang and I headed straight towards the largest mansion in the village. That was likely the location where the secret passage lay, just as Mangnyang had assumed. Standing at the main gate were four gatekeepers, all seeming like they had trained in martial arts for quite some time. One of them exuded the aura of a first-class expert.

Mangnyang gazed at the mansion from a distance and said, “The reconnaissance is done. Let’s find a place to stay.”

“Alright.”

My mind recalled the first time I heard the operation plan at Mangnyang’s hut.

“Now I’ll properly explain my plan.”

“I’m listening.”

“You had suggested lying in wait in the village to seize or kill a sorcerer. That’s not a good method. Because even if you succeed, the Golden Eagle Guard will chase you to the ends of the continent and the ends of hell.”

“I just need to avoid getting caught, right?”

Mangnyang gave a wry smile. “The Golden Eagle Guard isn’t that easy to handle. If we’re doing this, we must ensure their annihilation so that there can be no future repercussions. We are dealing with the continent’s top martial experts, a group raised as murder machines, fully supported by the imperial family.”

“Hmm. But if we eliminate the sorcerer, the imperial family’s human sacrifice plan won’t cease?”

“Don’t interpret it too selfishly. If they’ve interpreted the content of the Nameless Ritual Book, they might try to carry out the ceremony without the sorcerer at some point.”

Mangnyang gazed at the sky for a moment and continued, “If we’re going to do this, we should not only eliminate the sorcerer but also wipe out the Golden Eagle Guard. If the sorcerer goes missing and the Golden Eagle Guard is either killed or kidnapped, there’s a chance the plan could be exposed, weakening the imperial family’s will. This minimizes future troubles.”

Breaking the imperial family’s will!

Mangnyang uttered that immense thought nonchalantly.

“If my master had accompanied us, things would have gone as you planned, but since that’s not the case, we have to resort to plan B.”

“What’s plan B?”

“Swift victory and extermination. We need to capture the situation and eliminate a Golden Eagle Guard unit before they can pursue us too much.”

“Even if that’s feasible, what’s your plan?”

“Simple. We set the village ablaze, but only after the Golden Eagle Guard or sorcerers arrive!”

Mangnyang proposed this ludicrous arson strategy.

“I’ll take care of the fire. I can light it exactly as the Golden Eagle Guard or sorcerers appear, encircling the village. Since this area is surrounded by forests, it’ll catch fire well. And while they’re in a panic, Hyuncheon can secure a sorcerer, and you can annihilate a unit of the Golden Eagle Guard.”

I barely entertained the absurd thought of annihilating a unit of the Golden Eagle Guard. The very premise of arson was ridiculous.

“But if we set fire, everyone will burn to death! What are you talking about?”

“I have the ability to turn the battlefield engulfed in flames into a fully advantageous position. Neither we nor the villagers will get hurt.”

“Is that Qimen Dunjia?”

“That and more, but I’ll explain it when we get there.”

Mangnyang had been observing me a bit closely since I concealed information about the Golden Eagle Guard. Knowing this, I refrained from probing further then. However, it was clear I could trust him due to his superior knowledge and wisdom.

And now we reached this point.

I subtly glanced toward Mangnyang to hear about that ‘ability’ of his. He seemed to catch on and gently lifted his fan.

“The ability of the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Fan allows me to control the power and direction of flames. I can even prevent flames from spreading. If I handle flames in a certain area, I’ll surely support you.”

“……!!”

That ability was cheating. To control flames was to exceed human capability. Techniques related to fire mastery or manipulating terrain were strong, but no one could command fires on a village-wide scale like the way Mangnyang described. If someone could manage that level with techniques, they’d practically need to be a deity.

I did not doubt Mangnyang’s ability. If he was lying, he wouldn’t have come here at the risk of his life from the beginning. Instead, I asked him, “Tell me now. That must be a treasure called a treasured item allowing such capabilities; how did you come to possess it? Also, what’s your relationship with Master Mangnyang?”

“Hoh… I guess I have no choice but to tell you.”

Mangnyang sighed, then sat on a tree stump. He then stated, “Mangnyang is the supreme sorcerer of the Left Dao. He is my master. However, he can’t teach me anymore and expelled me.”

“……!!”

“The reason, as you can see, is that my divine abilities are insufficient despite my knowledge. My master deemed that I wouldn’t achieve greatness as a sorcerer, so he stopped teaching me. Since I was also being overshadowed as a celestial observer by my blood relatives, I felt it was alright and chose to retreat.”

His past was complicated. In essence, he was born into a family of celestial observers, studying astronomy and sorcery with Mangnyang as his master. But despite his brilliant intellect, he lacked the talent for sorcery. That’s why Mangnyang had been living using his master’s name at Jinrang Valley.

“Are you serious? You were on friendly terms with your master, yet he cast you out even with a treasured item like the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Fan?”

“My master and I hold no animosity. However, to pass on exceptional sorcery, one needs capable pupils, not those lacking ability. Therefore, the bond as human and that of master and disciple are distinct.”

He spread the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Fan wide and said, “My master apologized and gave me the fan. Even after that, he’s been offering support regularly. I’m more than satisfied with that.”

“Does that mean… there’s another disciple of Master Mangnyang?”

“Yes. One far more talented in sorcery than I am.”

Mangnyang spoke with a touch of loneliness.

“To properly use the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Fan, I need to set up formations using Qimen Dunjia throughout the village. Let’s use the remaining time for that.”

I quickly replied, “Wait. I haven’t mentioned something important.”

“What is it?”

“No matter how much you can aid me with flames, it would still be difficult for me to handle a unit of the Golden Eagle Guard by myself. They can stand toe to toe with Master Hyuncheon even with just three of them; how do you expect me to deal with ten of them?”

Mangnyang patted my shoulder and said, “Sometimes, you tend to overestimate the enemy.”

“Huh?”

“You’ll definitely win. And you’re not alone. Just trust in me.”

Without providing further strategy, Mangnyang began surreptitiously installing the Qimen Dunjia array throughout the village to use the fan. Installing formations was merely a matter of placing light trademarks, so the villagers wouldn’t find it suspicious.

“……”

What should I do? The next day, I went to Master Hyuncheon of Taejeong Temple to explain the overall plan and request his help to lay low in the village. Master Hyuncheon nodded cheerfully and said, “Don’t worry! I often visit that village, so the people won’t suspect anything. You have an absolutely wonderful plan. We could finish this before the reinforcements arrive.”

“Reinforcements?”

“I immediately requested assistance from the main temple yesterday. I’d say disciples from the Wudang Sect should arrive within seven days to help us. You needn’t doubt their skills.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“If it’s according to Mangnyang’s words, it should be reliable. I will do my utmost for justice.”

Hyuncheon’s addition would be an unexpectedly substantial strength. He successfully called for support from the Wudang Sect using his position. Once the elite martial artists from the sect arrived, things would become significantly easier.

‘Could Mangnyang have considered this too?’

He had in mind not just bringing Hyuncheon along but also securing support from the Wudang Sect.

I continued to monitor the area around the village with Master Hyuncheon until everything was prepared, trying to detect any appearances of the Golden Eagle Guard or sorcerers. It was certain they would soon launch their search or investigation due to the timing.

During the spare time, I also kept refining my internal power while integrating martial techniques I had learned. Since Master Hyuncheon occasionally practiced sword techniques with me, I felt my skills were slightly progressing.

And then, the day of the decisive battle dawned.

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