Chapter 164: Mount Wudang, Yangyang, and Chengdu
Tang Mujin asked again, “Are you saying there’s a problem with the sword technique?”
Elder Yeongbo shook his head. “No, the technique itself isn’t flawed. It’s not a particularly profound style, but it’s fierce and effective. The issue is that someone with your nature is learning it.”
“What does my nature have to do with a sword technique? It’s just a skill for wielding a sword,” Tang Mujin replied, puzzled.
Elder Yeongbo clicked his tongue. “Haven’t you noticed how those who learn the same sword technique often develop similar personalities? Those who learn the Mad Sword become reckless, and those who practice the Illusion Sword become secretive. The warriors of the Namgung family are unwavering in their path.”
Tang Mujin thought of Namgung Myung and Namgung Jincheon. Their actions differed, but there was an undeniable similarity in their temperaments. Both were steadfast, even if Namgung Myung was veering off a bit.
Elder Yeongbo continued, “The Taoists of the Wudang Sect are gentle, while the warriors of the Jeomchang Sect live boldly. People choose their sword techniques, but the techniques, in turn, change those who wield them.”
“I understand,” Tang Mujin nodded, and Elder Yeongbo smiled softly.
“Yes, you have a gentle and calm nature. If you must learn a sword technique, it should be one from the righteous sects. The swords of the Cheongseong, Hwasan, or Wudang sects would suit you well.”
“Are you saying the sword I’ve learned isn’t from a righteous sect?”
“Anyone can see that. It’s a sword filled with resentment and anger, the least suitable for you. You’d be better off pursuing a martial art that seeks power and dominance.”
It was a startling revelation. To hear that the sword he had diligently practiced didn’t suit him was unsettling. Yet, he couldn’t dismiss Elder Yeongbo’s advice lightly. Even if he was on the wrong path, he had come too far.
“If I work harder, I’ll achieve success.”
“You might achieve something, but you’ll never master it. Only those whose nature aligns with the sword technique can truly master it. You’d have to become someone filled with anger and resentment to master that sword. And if you do master it, that would be an even bigger problem. What is the name of that sword technique?”
“The Heart-Piercing Sword.”
“A sword that pierces the heart… a healer that pierces the heart…” Elder Yeongbo murmured, closing his eyes in thought. The only sounds were the chirping of insects and the gentle breeze behind the Hyuncheon Hall.
Elder Yeongbo opened his eyes and spoke again. “Tang Mujin, from now on, learn the Taiji Sword instead. Become someone who can step back from the storm and understand the universe. With your talent, it won’t take long to catch up to your current achievements.”
“Are you suggesting I become a Taoist of the Wudang Sect?”
“If that’s what you want, it would be good.”
It was a subtle answer, almost as if he was offering to teach the Taiji Sword without requiring him to become a Taoist. For Elder Yeongbo, the head of the Wudang Sect, to teach their martial arts to an outsider was a bold decision.
Understanding the weight of the offer, Tang Mujin was deeply conflicted. Throughout his quest for vengeance, he had felt a strange thrill, especially when he killed Baek Chuseo. But as time passed, his bloodlust waned.
He still harbored deep resentment towards the assassins, but turning that into a resolve to kill required a significant leap. The gap widened with time, especially for someone like Tang Mujin, whose nature was gentle.
Lately, it felt overwhelming. He wasn’t someone who could endlessly fuel his bloodlust. Perhaps he was avenging simply because he had decided to do so.
But it was too late to turn back. His revenge was almost complete. All that remained was to find and kill the escaped leader of the assassins. Even the specter wouldn’t have expected more.
To finish that final step, he couldn’t abandon the Heart-Piercing Sword. Letting go of it felt like letting go of his vengeance.
Tang Mujin looked at Elder Yeongbo. “Now isn’t the time. But if I ever need your guidance, may I return?”
“Of course. Come anytime,” Elder Yeongbo nodded.
Yet, Tang Mujin felt he would never return to Wudang Mountain to learn the Taiji Sword.
Tang Mujin left the Wudang Sect and headed to Yangyang. Though it was a short journey, there was a dramatic change in Hyungong’s attitude during that time.
Hyungong, who had subtly distanced himself from Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae, now acted as if they were close friends. This change was due to a single realization.
‘What’s my score now?’
Indeed, it wasn’t just Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae whose scores had dropped. With the Wudang Sect’s backing fading, Hyungong had to reassess himself.
With an objective and cold eye, Hyungong evaluated himself. He concluded that there wasn’t much difference between him and Namgung Myung or Hong Geolgae. Among the four, it wasn’t just two who were lacking, but three.
Hyungong changed his mindset. ‘No, there’s no reason to think of myself as lacking.’
The world’s standards are personal. As his score dropped, Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae’s positions relatively rose. Their evaluations shifted from ‘fools expelled from their families’ and ‘a beggar with ambiguous skills’ to ‘talented young warriors’ and ‘a promising leader of the Beggars’ Sect.’
In this era of chaotic reevaluation, one man stood out, gaining only bonus points. That man was Tang Mujin.
Hyungong became exceedingly humble before Tang Mujin. He approached him, rubbing his hands together.
“Mujin, what did you leave in Yangyang? If it’s not personal or secret, I could fetch it for you.”
“The head of the Taeyi Sword Sect’s leader.”
”…?”
Hyungong watched Tang Mujin’s expression, trying to discern if he was serious or joking.
Tang Mujin replied with a calm face, “I warned the Taeyi Sword Sect’s leader, and he ignored it. He even tried to capture me using the Wudang Sect’s power. I need to make him pay for ignoring my warning.”
Hong Geolgae’s reaction was subdued. “So you’re going to kill him? You weren’t hurt or anything.”
In contrast, Namgung Myung seemed to find Tang Mujin’s response appropriate.
Hyungong pondered. ‘I should side with Tang Mujin.’
‘Even if I don’t, the Taeyi Sword Sect’s leader is a lost cause. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been expelled from the Wudang Sect.’
‘Will there be trouble if we kill him?’
‘If we’re caught, our reputations will suffer. But if we kill him without being caught, it’s fine.’
With sharp judgment, Hyungong quickly responded. “Alright, I’ll go to Yangyang and bring back the Taeyi Sword Sect leader’s head. It won’t take long, so just wait.”
“No need. I don’t plan to leave such a task to others.”
“Right, that makes sense. I was being short-sighted.”
That day, the group reached Yangyang before sunset. They settled at a distance from the Taeyi Sword Sect and observed the surroundings.
The plan was simple. They wouldn’t annihilate the Taeyi Sword Sect; they would wait for the leader to appear outside and then capture him to make him pay.
However, even after five days in Yangyang, there was no sign of the Taeyi Sword Sect’s leader.
As night fell, another day passed without any progress. Tang Mujin frowned.
“If he left Wudang Mountain when we did, he should have arrived in Yangyang long ago. Where could he be?”
“Maybe he arrived before us and is hiding inside, not coming out?”
“Perhaps. Or maybe he never returned to Yangyang at all.”
Namgung Myung suggested, “We can’t wait here forever. Why don’t we storm the Taeyi Sword Sect and search thoroughly?”
“That’s too risky. Let’s find another way,” Hyungong objected.
It wasn’t that he feared being defeated or captured by the Taeyi Sword Sect’s disciples. The risk was to his reputation.
Namgung Myung scoffed. “I know what you’re worried about. But with these, you don’t have to.”
He opened his pack, revealing masks and black clothes.
“Why do you have these?”
“Important things always happen in the dark.”
The four donned the dark attire and slipped into the shadows, scaling the walls of the Taeyi Sword Sect.
In a sect like the Taeyi Sword Sect, located in the heart of the city, many disciples stayed in their own homes. As a result, there weren’t many people inside, and most seemed to be asleep.
“Let’s finish this quietly. Be careful not to wake anyone.”
Nodding, the four split up to search the Taeyi Sword Sect thoroughly. Yet, the leader was nowhere to be found.
“Seems he didn’t return to Yangyang,” Hyungong noted, and Namgung Myung nodded.
“He must have guessed we might come. He didn’t seem like a fool.”
All eyes turned to Tang Mujin. “What will you do?”
Tang Mujin pondered deeply. No harm done, a fading bloodlust, a duty-bound sense of vengeance.
The story of Young Bo-jin came to mind.
In the end, Dang Mu-jin let out a sigh.
“What can we do about someone who noticed and ran away? We can’t just wipe out the entire Taeui Sword Sect, nor can we stay in Yangyang forever. We have no choice but to head back. Let’s go.”
Just as the four of them had entered the Taeui Sword Sect without being noticed, they slipped back over the wall without leaving a trace.
At the same time.
Just as Dang Mu-jin had come to Yangyang seeking revenge, there was someone else who had come all the way to Chengdu with the sole purpose of avenging themselves on Dang Mu-jin. This was Heuk-jeop, the master of the Assassins’ Guild.
Beside Heuk-jeop were two more figures clad in black. They had stopped by two branches of the guild on their way to Chengdu, bringing along the branch leaders.
The branch leaders, being of a certain caliber, could at least fend for themselves. But the lesser members, who didn’t even reach that level, would only get in the way, so they hadn’t been brought along.
The three of them were perched on the roof of a house near the Dang family clinic, observing it.
“Is that the place?”
“Yes. It’s the only clinic in Chengdu with the Dang family name.”
Indeed, it was an ordinary clinic, just as they had heard. The faint, bitter scent of herbal medicine lingered in the air.
At that moment, the clinic’s door opened, and a woman stepped into the courtyard.
Even in the darkness, her pale skin was striking. She glanced around before sneaking into the storage room, emerging with her skirt filled with dried jujubes, smoked plums, and apricots—snacks for the long night ahead.
Judging by her appearance, she didn’t seem to be related to Dang Mu-jin, likely not his sister. Given their similar ages, she was probably his wife, making her the perfect first target.
Heuk-jeop spoke.
“Kill the rest, but take her alive.”
“Aren’t you going to kill her anyway?”
“No. It’d be boring if we killed them all. Let’s leave her half-alive and maybe give her a child.”
The branch leaders, already intrigued by the woman’s beauty, were eager to comply.
Just as the three assassins were about to move toward the clinic, a man stumbled out of the house they were on and looked up at them.
“Hey, you three on the roof, what are you doing up there?”
The branch leaders couldn’t gauge the man’s martial prowess, but Heuk-jeop could. This was a martial artist who had surpassed the pinnacle.
‘Just my luck. Why would someone of that caliber live in such a shabby place?’
Heuk-jeop could take him on, but it would inevitably cause a commotion, jeopardizing their mission.
Before the branch leaders could charge at the man, Heuk-jeop gave the order.
“Scatter.”
Following orders without question was a basic principle for assassins. No one hesitated.
The two assassins and Heuk-jeop leaped off the roof, each landing on a different nearby rooftop.
However, as the two branch leaders landed, the doors of the houses they aimed for swung open, and two figures emerged.
The figures leaped onto the roof, brandishing gleaming swords at the branch leaders. In the darkness, blood sprayed, and heads rolled.
‘What the—?’
Three assassins had leaped, but only Heuk-jeop landed safely.
To dispatch elite assassins with a single stroke meant these were at least pinnacle-level fighters.
In other words, three pinnacle-level masters had emerged from ordinary houses. Even for Heuk-jeop, who had seen it all, this was an entirely unexpected situation.
And Heuk-jeop knew what to do when faced with the incomprehensible. He had to retreat.
Heuk-jeop glanced down at the house below. Fortunately, no one had emerged from the house he landed on. Even a skilled fighter wouldn’t be able to catch him.
Just as Heuk-jeop was about to leap off the roof, a massive gray hand burst through, grabbing his left ankle.
‘What now?’
Heuk-jeop kicked off the roof with all his might, but the force pulling his ankle was far stronger than his leg strength.
Heuk-jeop was dragged through the roof and into the house below.
Crash—
As Heuk-jeop tumbled noisily and tried to get up, a finger as thick as a child’s wrist pressed firmly against his forehead.
It was just one finger, but Heuk-jeop couldn’t move.
A gray giant asked Heuk-jeop, “Who are you, and why are you climbing on people’s roofs?”