Chapter 115
The Sucheon Society was in utter chaos, as if a hornet’s nest had been smashed to pieces.
Ideally, their first priority should have been to regroup and secure their internal defenses. But the impatient leader, Mak Woo-jeon, had instead ordered his subordinates to recklessly pursue the strange figures, the “monsters.”
As a result, the Sucheon Society’s defenses were completely breached.
Seon Woo-jin slipped back inside like a shadow through that very gap.
This infiltration was the easiest he had ever managed—easier even than when he had infiltrated Nagajang, a minor faction in Guizhou Province.
“If I’d known it would be this simple, I could’ve brought Dang So-jeo along without any problem,” he thought with a relaxed smile.
It didn’t take long before he found the prison where the captives were held.
Now, it was finally time to rescue Do Moon-seung of the Yeongnam Sword Sect—the original purpose of his mission.
“While I’m at it, I might as well gather some intel.”
After rescuing Do Moon-seung, he planned to dig into the secrets surrounding Mak Woo-jeon.
Since they hadn’t even fully assessed the damage yet, losing one or two more people wouldn’t be noticed.
A short while later, Seon Woo-jin found Do Moon-seung lying on a pile of hay in an outdoor prison cell.
Surprisingly, he looked unharmed.
His face was clouded with worry, as if lost in thought, but his body showed no signs of injury.
Seon Woo-jin concealed himself in the shadows nearby and sent him a silent message.
“Brother Do, don’t make a sound. Listen carefully.”
Do Moon-seung froze in place, startled by the sudden communication.
“I’m the one who tried to help you when you were captured this morning. I know you’re innocent, so I’ve come to rescue you.”
Do Moon-seung slowly rose to his feet, glanced cautiously around, then peeked outside and shook his head slowly.
“Huh?”
Seon Woo-jin frowned.
That gesture seemed to mean he didn’t want to be rescued.
It was strange—why would someone facing execution, who had even tried to escape, refuse help?
Seon Woo-jin decided he needed to talk to him directly.
Still hidden, he began moving stealthily around the prison.
Soon, he managed to subtly touch the pressure points of the guards and even the prisoners nearby.
Of course, none of them noticed.
Do Moon-seung, without anyone realizing, felt the pressure points touched and looked at Seon Woo-jin with a dazed expression.
“Are you… by any chance, Am Hyeol-hyang?”
Am Hyeol-hyang was one of the legendary Thirty-Six Assassins of the world, alongside Gu Yu-eumma and Ji Gi-eum—mysterious killers whose true identities were unknown.
Seon Woo-jin chuckled softly and replied, “No, I just happen to have a hobby of mastering stealth techniques. But tell me, why won’t you run? Weren’t you about to be executed?”
Do Moon-seung bowed his head apologetically and thanked him first.
“Thank you deeply for coming to save someone like me, whom you’ve only met once.”
Then he explained.
He had thought he was going to be executed, but after being captured today, he heard something different.
Seon Woo-jin frowned and asked, “Different how?”
“They told me that if I went into a certain cave and retrieved what they wanted, they wouldn’t execute me and would send me home immediately. But if I refused, they threatened to execute all the members of the Yeongnam Sword Sect as accomplices in my escape.”
A cave, and retrieving something inside…
Seon Woo-jin’s eyes flashed.
This had to be connected to Mak Woo-jeon’s secret—the secret that had doomed countless warriors in the north, and perhaps the very secret that would make him one of the Thirty-Six Assassins years from now.
“If that’s the case…”
He began formulating a plan in his mind but first asked Do Moon-seung again.
“Do you believe their words? That if you bring them what they want, they’ll spare your life and send you back?”
Do Moon-seung shook his head bitterly.
“I don’t believe them. What I do believe is their threat to execute my entire sect if I refuse.”
Seon Woo-jin sighed deeply.
Do Moon-seung had decided to sacrifice himself to protect his comrades.
As expected, he was a man of true integrity.
It was tragic.
But from Seon Woo-jin’s perspective, that decision was also a relief.
With a lighter heart, he said to Do Moon-seung, “If you’ve made up your mind, may I offer you a proposal?”
Do Moon-seung’s eyes widened.
“A proposal?”
“Yes. One that might save you—and prevent many others from dying.”
As Seon Woo-jin explained his plan, Do Moon-seung’s gaze grew more serious.
Late into the night, Mak Woo-jeon, leader of the Sucheon Society and a master swordsman, pushed his men to track down the so-called Cheonghong Ssanggeom.
But even with hunting dogs, they couldn’t find a trace.
Reluctantly, he had to admit they had completely lost them.
“Grrr!”
Grinding his teeth in rising fury, Mak Woo-jeon suddenly recalled the words of the blue-clad monster.
“You sacrificed so many lives for your selfish desires, yet you deny being one of the Four Heavenly Evils? You’re shameless beyond belief.”
His expression twisted.
How did that creature know?
And how much did it know?
As he pondered, a thought suddenly struck him—about Do Moon-seung, who was still imprisoned.
“Could it be?!”
He spun around and dashed toward the Sucheon Society’s prison.
If those who had toyed with him so mercilessly knew about Do Moon-seung, it could be dangerous.
“Could it be… could it be?”
His heart pounded wildly.
Do Moon-seung might not know, but to Mak Woo-jeon, he was a crucial figure.
If the enemy knew about him and managed to whisk him away, it would be a disaster beyond measure.
But when he arrived, what he saw were guards and prisoners fast asleep—and Do Moon-seung, also asleep in his cell.
“Hah… hah…”
Breathing heavily, Mak Woo-jeon watched him for a moment, then slowly turned away.
Though anger boiled at the sight of the guards sleeping on the job, he knew losing his temper now could cost lives.
He might end up killing his own men.
Leaving the prison, Mak Woo-jeon looked down at his trembling hands, still shaking with rage.
“When did it get this bad…”
He couldn’t control the fire burning inside him.
It felt like the flames would consume his reason entirely.
Clenching his teeth, he slapped his own cheeks hard.
Smack!
“No. Get a grip, Mak Woo-jeon!”
He forced himself to resist the raging emotions.
Thankfully, he still could.
“Phew…”
Taking a deep breath, he ground his teeth and thought.
It was all because of the Gwanggeomneung.
His torment in the mind.
The death of his son, Mak Se-ryeol, who was called the future of the Sucheon Society.
All of it.
To end this cursed situation, Mak Woo-jeon had to break the seal of Gwanggeomneung.
By any means necessary.
He paused, looking back toward the prison where Do Moon-seung slept.
Now, Do Moon-seung was his last hope.
If even the man reputed to be the kindest and most righteous in the area couldn’t break the seal, the only option left would be to bring down the entire mountain.
The next morning, Do Moon-seung was visited early by a group of warriors.
“Get up, Do Moon-seung. It’s time to move.”
Still groggy, he glanced at the faintly brightening eastern sky and asked, “Already?”
One of the warriors, on edge, snapped angrily, “When we say get up, you get up! What’s with all the questions?!”
Another warrior nearby tried to calm him.
“Hey, hold on. We were told to bring him politely.”
“Hmph! Polite my foot!”
Do Moon-seung carefully studied their expressions.
For some reason, they all seemed extremely tense.
Outside the prison, several horses were already prepared.
Mak Woo-jeon himself was mounted on one.
He looked tired but spoke to Do Moon-seung.
“Come quickly, little Do. Sorry to wake you so early. We don’t have much time.”
Do Moon-seung had no desire to show respect to the man who had captured him and threatened his sect’s lives.
So he simply nodded silently.
Mak Woo-jeon’s eyes twitched but he said no more.
Soon, Do Moon-seung and the warriors departed the Sucheon Society’s base.
They moved cautiously, avoiding attention, clearly taking security very seriously.
Bound and riding on one of the horses, Do Moon-seung glanced back once, then slowly closed his eyes.
It was as if he no longer cared where they were taking him or what would happen next.
But it wasn’t because he had given up.
Though Koro couldn’t detect any scent, his body still carried the lingering trace of the incense that Sun Woo-jin had left on him yesterday.
It was the incense of the Sicheondang Sect—colorless and odorless—so subtle that no one but their own could possibly notice it.
That meant someone was likely following him even now.
That one comrade who had come to rescue him from the depths of the prison thousands of times over, all from a single bond.
The reassurance of not being alone steadied Do Mun-seung’s heart more than he expected.
Just then, Muakjeon, the head of the Sicheondang Sect, suddenly spoke to him.
“You don’t ask a single question. Aren’t you curious where you’re headed?”
Do Mun-seung slowly opened his eyes and met Muakjeon’s gaze with a cold stare.
“There is only one thing I want to know: whether you will keep your promise not to harm anyone from the Yeongnam Sword Sect.”
Muakjeon studied him silently for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.
“You truly are different from the others. Maybe you really will succeed.”
He nodded firmly and said, “I swear on my honor—no, on my life—that if you cooperate with us, not a single hair on the heads of the Yeongnam Sword Sect will be harmed. You have my word.”
Do Mun-seung’s eyes softened slightly as he asked again.
“And what about me? Will I be able to return safely as well?”
Muakjeon was momentarily speechless, unable to answer. He only looked at Do Mun-seung with a troubled expression.
Do Mun-seung nodded quietly.
He didn’t need to hear the answer aloud to understand.
It was clear he would never be sent back.
A hopeless answer—but surprisingly, Do Mun-seung accepted it calmly.
“So it seems. There was never a way for me to survive.”
Muakjeon couldn’t help but admire the calmness in Do Mun-seung’s voice, as if he were speaking of someone else.
Indeed, Do Mun-seung was worthy of being called the greatest righteous man in southern Sicheon.
Perhaps he really was the one who could break the cursed seal of the Gwanggeom Tomb.
As Muakjeon briefly lost himself in that thought, Do Mun-seung asked again.
“Then could you explain exactly what I must do? Even if I’m to die, I want to know why.”
After a moment of silence, Muakjeon sighed and spoke.
“Since you’ve accepted the situation, there’s no need to hide it.”
What he revealed was something Do Mun-seung had never expected.
“Do you know about Jeong Myeong-gang, the Gwanghyeop Sword Fiend? One of the absolute masters of the martial world about fifty years ago?”
“The Gwanghyeop Sword Fiend, Jeong Myeong-gang?”
In the martial world, absolute masters changed roughly every twenty or thirty years. Unless they were legendary figures like the Thunder God or Sword God from a century ago, most wouldn’t know much about the previous generation’s masters.
Do Mun-seung searched his memory and finally recalled the name.
“Oh, I’ve heard of him. The infamous madman who killed or helped others on a whim, depending on his mood.”
Muakjeon chuckled softly.
“That’s right. Because of his reckless nature, he killed countless people and earned many grudges. Yet, no one could stop him because of his extraordinary martial skill. People usually called him Gwanggeom rather than the full title.”
“I see. But why bring him up now?”
Muakjeon’s face suddenly brightened, as if the very thought made him smile like a child showing off a new toy.
“We found his tomb. The place where his remains are believed to be.”
“What?!”
Though Muakjeon’s sudden change in emotion was unsettling, Do Mun-seung couldn’t keep his composure this time.
Discovering the remains of a former absolute master was a priceless opportunity—something martial artists would risk their lives to obtain.
Muakjeon smiled proudly at Do Mun-seung’s astonishment and continued.
“That tomb is exactly where you must enter.”
“Me?”
Muakjeon explained further.
The tomb’s entrance was an artificial underground cave, but everyone who entered lost their sanity and went mad.
“In fact, there was an inscription at the entrance: only those with a calm mind may enter.”
That was why they had to forcibly bring in Do Mun-seung, the region’s most righteous man.
Do Mun-seung frowned in confusion.
“I don’t understand. If the problem is losing one’s sanity, wouldn’t it make more sense for masters like you, the sect leaders, to enter instead?”
Muakjeon shook his head and sighed deeply. The proud smile he had just moments ago was now replaced by a heavy shadow.
“We thought the same. At first, I sent my son, Maek Se-ryeol. I thought a peak-level martial artist would be enough.”
Regret weighed heavily on Muakjeon’s face.
Do Mun-seung could guess what had happened and chose not to press further, simply watching him.
After a moment, Muakjeon muttered with a heavy expression.
“We were arrogant. We ignored the arrangements set by the previous absolute master, thinking our peak-level skills were sufficient.”
Maek Se-ryeol, a young peak master once called the hope of the Sicheondang, entered confidently—and became mad.
But that wasn’t the end.
“I should have been more cold-hearted. Seeing Se-ryeol go mad with my own eyes, I couldn’t bear it. I tried to enter myself, but the vice sect leader, Ga Yu-ak, stopped me and went in first. And… he went mad too.”
For Muakjeon, who had been celebrating the discovery of the previous master’s remains, this was a nightmare.
But the worst was yet to come.
The mad Ga Yu-ak brutally slaughtered Maek Se-ryeol—Muakjeon’s own son—right near the cave entrance, in full view.
“It happened in an instant. I couldn’t believe it. I tried to rush in after them.”
But the moment Muakjeon stepped into the cave, he felt an unknown force invading his soul.
He summoned superhuman willpower and retreated.
It was clear he would suffer the same fate.
Muakjeon’s eyes glazed over, staring blankly as if reliving that horror.
Do Mun-seung sighed softly.
“So the Gwanggeom is truly a trap filled with malice. Are you certain his remains are really there?”
Muakjeon gave a weary smile.
“I don’t know. But… we can’t give up now.”
Do Mun-seung said nothing more.
He didn’t ask why Muakjeon had dragged him into this when he himself refused to give up, nor why he had to risk his life.
In Muakjeon’s dark eyes, staring ahead after losing his son, burned an unmistakable flame of greed.
Do Mun-seung saw it clearly.
By the time Do Mun-seung and his companions arrived at their destination after a long ride, the sun was already dipping below the horizon.
At last, Do Mun-seung saw the infamous Gwanggeom Tomb.
It was a secluded cave at the foot of a mountain, deep within a dense forest.
Muakjeon pointed toward the guarded area and said, “That’s the place I told you about. The place you must enter. But it’s getting dark soon, so rest here tonight and go in tomorrow.”
Do Mun-seung glanced at Muakjeon’s seemingly generous offer, then looked back at the cave entrance.
Inside the pitch-black cave, two red glints of light shone—like the eyes of some infernal creature.