The Fox Borrows the Tiger’s Might
“Said it’s killing intent!?”
“What is this!?”
As expected by Mu-jin, the Wudang elders and disciples watching the match went into an uproar.
*Ping!*
From then on, every time the swords of Cheongsu Dojang and Yunheo Zhenren clashed, which danced in circles, and every time a slight change occurred in the circle…
*Swoosh!*
Without fail, the killing intent of Cheongsu Dojang’s sword moved straight towards Yunheo Zhenren to kill him.
“Hahaha!”
Even bursting into the same laughter that he showed back in his days as a sword genius, as if he was having the time of his life.
Each time this happened, the number of Wudang Sect elders suspiciously looking at Mu-jin increased.
‘This is bad…’
Mu-jin thought it might be better to give up and join Jegal Gung alone now.
However, regardless of Mu-jin’s thoughts, Yunheo Zhenren, who had deflected all of Cheongsu Dojang’s killing intent swords, suddenly sheathed his sword.
“This is enough.”
When Yunheo Zhenren stepped back, Cheongsu Dojang reluctantly sheathed his sword as well.
“Is that sword a result of what you’ve seen and felt of the world?”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
“…Why did you make such a decision?”
In response to Yunheo Zhenren’s question, Cheongsu Dojang began to recount what he had seen in Guangxi Province.
Bandits killing and extorting goods from passersby. Slave traders kidnapping and selling people. The cannibalistic inn Mu-jin had told him about, and the incidents at So-cheongmun.
“Also, thanks to the experience in Guangxi Province, I was able to regain forgotten memories.”
“Hoo…”
At Cheongsu Dojang’s last words, several elders sighed deeply.
Yunheo Zhenren also felt bitter but managed his expression and asked.
“So, do you want to kill them all?”
“Yes.”
At the moment of Cheongsu Dojang’s answer, a deep sigh emanated from the elders.
Mu-jin also sighed deeply.
Regardless of the surrounding reactions, Cheongsu Dojang continued speaking without care.
“But, it’s not a sword meant only for that.”
“Then, what is it for?”
“It’s a sword to protect the weak.”
“A sword to protect the weak? Yet, it is so filled with killing intent. Why is that?”
“Because I have only one body.”
When Yunheo Zhenren showed a puzzled expression at Cheongsu Dojang’s answer, he explained further.
“There are too many like the bandits and slave traders, and the weak I can protect are only those within my reach. Eventually, even if I save them now, they will be in danger again once I leave. So, I realized I need to eliminate the evildoers who torment the weak when I protect them.”
“To protect the weak, you eliminate evildoers. That’s the conclusion you reached after seeing the world.”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
Upon hearing Cheongsu Dojang’s answer, Yunheo Zhenren chanted “Amitabha” and closed his eyes.
Naturally, a profound silence fell over the Wudang Sect, and as Mu-jin was beginning to consider secretly running away…
Finally, Yunheo Zhenren opened his eyes.
But for some reason, when he opened his eyes, Yunheo Zhenren’s gaze was not directed at Cheongsu but at Mu-jin.
Naturally, Mu-jin’s throat bobbed violently under Yunheo Zhenren’s gaze.
‘Could it be that he’s going to make me pay for my sins?’
Mu-jin, who had just barely survived fighting against the low-ranking Wolf King, with the help of his companions and the artifact Dragon Scale Thread.
And now the Yunheo Zhenren, one of the Three Swords of the World, was targeting him?
It was as good as being dead already.
But Yunheo Zhenren’s thoughts were entirely different from Mu-jin’s assumptions.
‘Amitabha. Thanks to that kid, Cheongsu hasn’t gone completely astray.’
Yunheo Zhenren wasn’t a fool. It wasn’t possible to keep Cheongsu locked up in Wudang, only showing him a beautiful world.
As someone dedicated to the sword, he was bound to witness the world’s ugliness someday.
As his grand elder, it was sad that the boy had realized the world’s evil too early.
‘To protect the weak, eliminate the evil…’
At least, such a mindset could be embraced by the Wudang Sect.
Moreover, it was fortunate that he didn’t turn into a sword demon despite regaining his forgotten memories.
And presumably, it was thanks to that child named Mu-jin that he didn’t become a sword demon.
After organizing his thoughts to that point, Yunheo Zhenren turned his gaze to Cheongsu Dojang and spoke.
“If that’s your intention, then follow that path.”
“Senior Brother! What are you saying!?”
Naturally, the Wudang elders behind him were in an uproar, but Yunheo Zhenren didn’t mind.
“I confirmed with my sword that your intent was not blinded by the desire to kill. If it was a sword meant only for killing, it would have been different earlier, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
Perhaps because Yunheo Zhenren understood his heart, Cheongsu Dojang responded with a bright expression, taking a fist-to-palm salute as he did when wielding his sword.
“If your intention is to protect the weak, how could I blame you? But, from what I see, your sword still seems lacking to fulfill your dream.”
“Yes, Grand Elder. I plan to return to the school for a while to hone my swordsmanship.”
“Do so. After this matter is resolved.”
After saying that, Yunheo Zhenren immediately turned his gaze to Mu-jin standing alone behind Cheongsu.
“Since you came here with our Cheongsu, there must be a reason. Tell us your story.”
Was the intuition of an elder something that couldn’t be ignored?
‘Should I say it or not?’
The reactions of the Wudang Sect disciples behind him were not favorable, but Yunheo Zhenren seemed to have accepted Cheongsu’s change to some extent.
‘Well, nothing to lose by trying.’
He had already incurred a debt to Wudang, so they wouldn’t kill him.
Eventually, Mu-jin explained the current situation of the Jegal family and the plan they had devised.
And after listening to all of Mu-jin’s explanation, Yunheo Zhenren stroked his beard.
“I did not realize such things were happening right under the Jegal family’s nose. However, currently, only about half of our Wudang disciples are here. The rest are scattered across the Central Plains searching for Cheongsu.”
Mu-jin interpreted Yunheo Zhenren’s words as a gentle refusal.
Hence, he contemplated bringing up the debt he had previously incurred.
“Well, let’s do this. Since we lack disciples, only two from Wudang will join. Cheongsu and myself.”
“!!!”
Mu-jin was stunned by Yunheo Zhenren’s following words.
‘I thought they might send a few dozen disciples at best.’
Having Yunheo Zhenren, one of the Three Swords of the World, personally move was unimaginable.
Mu-jin, who intended to rely on the prestige of Wudang’s disciples, now found himself riding not a tiger but a dragon.
As Mu-jin rejoiced over gaining unexpectedly strong reinforcements, Yunheo Zhenren, curious about the spar earlier, questioned Cheongsu.
“Cheongsu.”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
“By the way, where is your Songmun Antique Sword? I see you wield a sword I’ve never seen before.”
“That… it broke.”
Cheongsu spoke with a hint of regret, feeling apologetic for breaking the gift from the sect, but Yunheo Zhenren didn’t mind that part.
“…It broke while you were wielding it?”
He focused more on the fact that Cheongsu’s sword had broken.
Though they live enjoying nature in the mountains, the Wudang Sect is known as the current greatest sect in the world. The Songmun Antique Sword they use, though not a divine weapon, is strong enough to be considered a famous sword.
Even more so, it broke while being wielded by Cheongsu, who had mastered the Taegeuk Haegum.
“My skills were insufficient. It broke in just this match.”
“Could it be that you encountered one of the leaders of the Seven Pillars in Guangxi Province?”
“I didn’t hear his name, but he wielded Langdao.”
“Langdao?”
“Yes. He was skilled enough to control his qi freely, but his name was completely unknown in the martial world. If not for Do-wolcheon stabbing him in the abdomen to hold him down, we would never have survived.”
“Huh…”
At Cheongsu Dojang’s response, the surrounding Wudang sword masters all looked at Mu-jin with complex expressions.
While they were grateful that Mu-jin had saved Cheongsu Dojang at the risk of his own life, they also knew the situation wouldn’t have arisen if Mu-jin hadn’t taken him to such a dangerous place.
However, Yunheo Zhenren and a few of the elders focused on more significant issues than that minor detail.
“Though there are many extraordinary figures in the martial world, it’s rare for someone of such skill to be completely unknown.”
To control qi freely meant he was a grandmaster, and it would have been even more unusual for his name to remain unknown while reaching such heights.
But instead of immediately explaining about the Wolf King, Mu-jin urged Yunheo Zhenren.
“For now, the Jegal family’s situation is urgent, so if it is acceptable to you, Master of the Taiji Sword, I would like to depart immediately.”
“Hmm. Rather than standing here and talking, saving people comes first. Lead the way.”
Thus, Mu-jin, Cheongsu, and Yunheo Zhenren departed from Wudang.
* * *
While traveling to the meeting place using lightness techniques, Mu-jin explained the Wolf King and the organization Shinchun to Yunheo Zhenren.
He had chosen to discuss it after leaving Wudang to maintain urgency and in case of unexpected situations.
Many sects, including the Cheonryu Sangdan, Sichuan Tang Clan, and Jegal family, had confirmed that spies were lurking among them.
Even if Wudang hadn’t fallen to Shinchun, there was likely at least one or two spies hidden within.
Of course, Mu-jin didn’t tell Yunheo Zhenren everything from the novel.
He appropriately mixed in the incidents they experienced in Guangxi Province and Sichuan Province to provide partial but shocking information about them.
Even that was enough to shock Yunheo Zhenren.
“Huh… The Seven Pillars.”
Among the Ten Great Experts known as the Seven Kings and the Three Swords of the World, one of the Seven Kings was barely defeated by the Dark King in Sichuan Province, and another was miraculously killed by Mu-jin’s group and Cheongsu using a relic.
Despite this, five of the Seven Pillars still remained, and one of them was likely Hyeok Jin-gang, one of the Three Swords of the World.
Moreover, from what he heard, even Hyeok Jin-gang didn’t seem to be the leader.
However, the most concerning part for Yunheo Zhenren wasn’t the number of strong enemies.
It was the stories of spies infiltrating many major sects and the various plots they were scheming that struck fear into Yunheo Zhenren the most.
“The entire martial world was being manipulated by them.”
Even while having such conversations, the three traveled swiftly using their lightness techniques.
After traveling for two hours, they arrived at the agreed location, Xiangfan County.
Xiangfan County was about a hundred li away from Zhongshan, where the Jegal family was located, close enough for a martial artist to reach Zhongshan in half an hour.
However, they seemed to have moved too hastily.
At the agreed meeting place, the Mu-yang Inn in Xiangfan County, Jegal Gung’s group had not yet arrived.
‘Did something happen to them on the way?’
The plan was devised with the assumption that the Jegal family would be informed of the breach of the encirclement at the Eunshi Grand Canyon and that they would need time to rebuild their defenses.
The reason they chose Xiangfan County, near the Jegal family, was to maintain the element of surprise and consider realistic travel distances.
Unlike Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang, who stopped by Wudang, some members of Jegal Gung’s group were less skilled in lightness techniques.
Considering their speed, Xiangfan County was the place where Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang could stop by Wudang and still arrive at a similar time.
‘Damn martial arts world.’
At times like this, Mu-jin longed for modern communication devices like walkie-talkies or cell phones.
It was impossible to carry out a coordinated operation without any means of communication.
“Whew.”
As Mu-jin was anxiously pacing, worrying that something might have happened to Jegal Gung’s group, the door of the inn creaked open.
“Mu-jin!”
“Phew.”
Seeing Mu-yul and Ling-ling cheerfully entering first, Mu-jin couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
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