Episode 285: The Unveiling
The moment Hyun-gong heard the story from the foreign woman, his mind raced with possibilities.
“Losing the secret manual is unfortunate, but this might actually work in my favor.”
“Teaching martial arts to an outsider must have been a difficult decision. If that outsider stole the manual and treasures, fleeing afterward, not even death could atone for such a betrayal. A sworn enemy, indeed.”
“Helping with revenge has always been the surest way to win a woman’s heart.”
Assisting in her revenge would undoubtedly earn him the foreign woman’s affection. There was no need to speak of gratitude; they had shared hardships in a foreign land, after all.
Moreover, whether this foreign woman belonged to a sect or a family, they wouldn’t oppose a relationship with Hyun-gong. If he avenged their enemy, they might even encourage the union.
With his thoughts in order, Hyun-gong spoke with a newfound confidence.
“You must think the heavens have guided you here. You’ve come to the right place. That letter was written by me and a friend, and I have a history with Baek Hyang-ah.”
When the foreign man relayed Hyun-gong’s words, the woman looked skeptical. It was all too convenient.
“It may be hard to believe, but it’s true. Baek Hyang-ah is a woman with skin so fair it seems translucent, and her hair and eyes are strikingly dark. She’s about this tall.”
Recalling when he had taken Baek Hyang-ah hostage, Hyun-gong raised his hand to shoulder height.
His accurate description seemed to soften the woman’s demeanor.
After hearing the translation, the woman asked something, and the man relayed it back.
“She wants to know your connection to Baek Hyang-ah.”
“I played a significant role in killing Baek Hyang-ah’s master. One of my friends has an even deeper grudge against her.”
Though Hyun-gong had his own ties to Baek Hyang-ah, Dang Mu-jin’s were far more profound. He had killed Baek Hyang-ah’s father and helped in the death of her master.
To Hyun-gong, Dang Mu-jin was Baek Hyang-ah’s nemesis, a hunter circling her.
Yet, the foreign woman remained doubtful.
Hyun-gong crossed his arms confidently and said, “Didn’t you see my friends at the inn? If you don’t believe me, go back and ask them. They’ll tell you the same story.”
His confidence was so overwhelming that it was hard to keep doubting him.
Finally, the woman spoke directly.
“Really?”
“I swear, not a word of it is false. My nickname is Jeong-eon, meaning ‘one who never lies.’ Even if I wanted to deceive you, what would I gain? As a Taoist of the Wudang Sect, I only wish to help those in distress.”
Upon hearing this, the woman’s expression brightened noticeably.
She must have been worried about navigating this complex situation in a land where she couldn’t even speak the language.
She stammered, “Help me!”
“I will.”
Hyun-gong replied without hesitation, and the woman, overjoyed, reached out to grasp his hands.
Feeling the soft touch, Hyun-gong was momentarily dizzy. As the stories go, a woman’s hands were indeed softer than a man’s, and the delicate, small sensation was unmistakable.
He instinctively curled his fingers around hers, but the woman showed no sign of discomfort.
‘This reaction…!’
In a single breath, Hyun-gong envisioned the faces of future sons and daughters.
He could see them vividly, laughing and playing in the somewhat dull and dreary Wudang Sect grounds.
‘Master Yeongbo always loved children. He’d be thrilled if I had kids.’
‘Since he’s already struggling to move around, I’ll suggest he step down as head and spend his time with the children.’
‘I’ll get to become the head sooner, and Master Yeongbo won’t be lonely with the kids around… It’s a win-win.’
Hyun-gong’s heart swelled with excitement.
Meanwhile, Dang Mu-jin and his group were idling at the inn, waiting for the Shaolin and Beggar Sect to make a move. They needed someone like the monk Shin-seung or the leader Hwa-hwa Nogae to appear for things to kick off, but none had shown up yet.
As another ordinary day was drawing to a close, the inn’s door swung open, and Hyun-gong walked in.
His expression was unusually bright, and the distance between him and the foreign woman seemed to have lessened.
Hyun-gong and the woman approached the table where Dang Mu-jin’s group was seated.
While it wasn’t unusual for Hyun-gong to join them, it was the first time the foreign woman had done so since arriving in Kaifeng.
Hyun-gong leaned back slightly, adopting a somewhat smug demeanor as he spoke.
“I had a chat with Seol-hwa, and there’s something you all should know.”
“Seol-hwa?”
“That’s the name of this foreign lady. She’s from the far north, and since her real name is a bit unfamiliar, we decided to call her Seol-hwa, meaning ‘Snow Flower.’”
There was a peculiar warmth in Hyun-gong’s tone.
Even Dang Mu-jin, Namgung Myung, and Hong Geol-gae sensed a faint unease in Hyun-gong’s satisfied voice.
“What is it we need to know?”
“Well…”
Hyun-gong launched into a lengthy explanation.
In short, Baek Hyang-ah had traveled to the North Sea, stolen martial arts secrets, and treasures, and they should join forces to deal with her.
However, contrary to Hyun-gong’s expectations, Dang Mu-jin’s response was lukewarm.
“Do we really need to?”
“My future marriage is at stake. If you help me just this once, I’ll be forever grateful…”
“That’s not the issue. Losing the manual is unfortunate, but I’m hesitant to punish Baek Hyang-ah.”
To Dang Mu-jin, Baek Hyang-ah was a complicated figure.
He bore no personal grudge against her, but he had a deep-seated enmity with her father, Baek Choo-seo. Baek Choo-seo had orchestrated the murder of Gwi-eui through Sal-mak.
In retaliation, Dang Mu-jin had killed Baek Choo-seo.
And since Baek Choo-seo had died from poisoning, Baek Hyang-ah likely suspected Dang Mu-jin’s involvement.
The problem was that this tangled web of events had also led to the death of Baek Hyang-ah’s master, Mu-ryang-ja.
Although it was Yoo Jin-gwang who delivered the final blow, Dang Mu-jin’s group had certainly played a part.
In essence, while Baek Hyang-ah had never harmed Dang Mu-jin, she likely harbored ill feelings toward him.
However, in the current situation, Dang Mu-jin was more of an aggressor.
Dang Mu-jin propped his chin on his hand and said, “If it’s true that she stole the manual, then Baek Hyang-ah is indeed guilty. But she’s never harmed me. Killing her after taking her father and master seems excessive. The matter of the manual should be settled between Baek Hyang-ah and Seol-hwa.”
“You said she might hold a grudge against you?”
“It’s just a guess. It’s not the way of the righteous martial world to kill based on assumptions. Besides, it’s unreasonable to expect her not to hold a grudge after what happened to her father and master.”
“Really? So if she tries to harm you, you’ll just let it slide?”
Hyun-gong pressed, and Dang Mu-jin replied calmly, “No. If she acts against me, I won’t stand by. I just have no intention of making the first move. Baek Hyang-ah has two choices: live quietly with her grudge or reveal it and face death.”
Surprisingly, Dang Mu-jin’s reasoning was both logical and clear-cut.
‘This guy is usually so careless, but sometimes he’s incredibly sharp.’
As Hyun-gong hesitated, unable to counter, Seol-hwa, who had been quietly observing, tapped the table.
Unfamiliar with the language, Seol-hwa couldn’t grasp the complex exchange between Hyun-gong and Dang Mu-jin, but she sensed that Hyun-gong’s persuasion wasn’t working.
Finally, she mustered all the words she knew in the local language to make her point.
“Thief bad.”
Stealing was wrong, and therefore, Baek Hyang-ah should be punished. It was a simple and sound argument, but not everyone agreed.
Namgung Myung frowned.
“How can you be so sure the thief is bad? That’s a narrow-minded view.”
Hyun-gong was taken aback. Both Namgung Myung and Dang Mu-jin’s reactions were unexpected.
If things continued like this, the conversation might spiral out of control.
Hyun-gong decided to wrap things up neatly, knowing Seol-hwa wouldn’t understand much.
With a deliberately cheerful tone, he concluded, “Alright, let’s leave it here for today and discuss the rest later.”
“Well… okay.”
The friends resumed their idle chatter as if nothing serious had happened. Hyun-gong led Seol-hwa upstairs, organizing his thoughts.
‘If Baek Hyang-ah has been causing trouble in the north instead of returning to the righteous martial world, she’s definitely gone astray.’
‘A twisted nature and likely a heart full of resentment. It’s only a matter of time before we clash.’
“No need to rush. It’s better to take things slow rather than hastily dealing with Baek Hyang-ah and ending the journey abruptly. Relationships deepen with time spent together.”
Yes, there’s no need to hurry. Hyun-gong reassured Seol-hwa.
“Miss Seol-hwa, just trust me.”
“Okay!”
Seol-hwa smiled shyly, and Hyun-gong couldn’t help but smile back at her radiant expression.
As he descended to the first floor of the inn, Hyun-gong found himself pondering names for his future grandchildren.
The next day, two groups of martial artists, unarmed, gathered in Kaifeng.
One group consisted of monks from the Shaolin Temple. Among them were familiar faces, including the renowned monks Shin-seung and Man-ryeok-seung.
Though the monks wore serious expressions, their faces lit up with joy upon spotting Tang Moo-jin. In dire times, people often yearn for moments of levity.
Despite their weariness, the monks approached Tang Moo-jin without even taking a seat.
“Wow, I wasn’t sure from afar, but it really is Benefactor Tang!”
“It’s been a long time.”
Tang Moo-jin smiled and greeted them with a respectful bow, prompting the monks to chatter excitedly.
“I heard from Man-ryeok-seung! You’ve established the Tang Family Manor and taken control of Sichuan Province? I never imagined the young doctor we met back then would achieve such heights!”
“Come now, don’t act like you didn’t see it coming. I always knew Benefactor Tang would become someone great. It was only those with poor judgment who failed to recognize it.”
Tang Moo-jin smiled warmly at the monks, particularly noticing a few younger ones who must have been novices when he last visited Shaolin.
“Time has certainly flown by.”
His gaze shifted beyond the monks to the Abbot, who stood a little apart, watching over the scene to ensure the monks could momentarily forget their fatigue.
But as the monks lingered around Tang Moo-jin, the Abbot approached with a stern voice.
“Don’t be frivolous. Even if you wish to enjoy the reunion, rest and regain your strength first.”
“Understood.”
The monks quickly retreated to the inn, and the Abbot gave Tang Moo-jin a discreet smile—a smile that assured him the Abbot remained unchanged, a steadfast anchor for Shaolin amidst the changing world.
Tang Moo-jin watched the monks depart, quietly impressed.
“Two supreme masters and nearly twenty grandmasters… Shaolin’s prowess is indeed formidable.”
Their strength was undeniable, worthy of being called the leaders of the righteous martial world.
However, among the monks, only Shin-seung and Man-ryeok-seung seemed to take notice of Hong Geol-gae, who stood beside Tang Moo-jin.
While they regarded Hong Geol-gae with subtle admiration, the other monks treated him as little more than a background figure.
As the Shaolin monks disappeared, the Beggar Sect members came into view. Leading them was an old man with a flower tattoo visible through his open robe.
“A flower tattoo… That must be Hua Hua No-gae. Not quite on par with Geol-seon, though.”
The Beggar Sect members might not have been as illustrious as the Shaolin monks, but they were not to be underestimated. Even gathering only their top fighters would surpass the numbers of most Taoist sects.
“Together, Shaolin and the Beggar Sect surpass the combined might of Qingcheng, Zhongnan, Huashan, and Wudang.”
Normally, Tang Moo-jin would have been pleased with such formidable allies, but now he could only feel tense.
If they had faced such a powerful force and yet Geol-seon had perished, it meant the demonic sects in the northeast were even more dangerous than those in the northwest.
Hua Hua No-gae and the Beggar Sect members, exhausted, lay down wherever they could, indifferent to whether they were among the righteous or the unorthodox.
Just as Tang Moo-jin had drawn the attention of the Shaolin monks, the Beggar Sect members cast curious glances at Hong Geol-gae.
A young man with an ambiguous appearance and five knots on his belt, his martial skills were decent for his age, but he was overshadowed by the presence of Tang Moo-jin, Hyun-gong, and Namgung Myung.
Hua Hua No-gae pointed at Hong Geol-gae and asked, “A new face. What’s your name?”
With a hint of uncertainty, Hong Geol-gae stepped forward, bowing respectfully as he introduced himself.
“My name is Hong Ju-san.”
“Hong Ju-san… So you’re the Rising Star. Not bad, as I’ve heard.”
Though it sounded like praise, Hua Hua No-gae’s voice carried a subtle note of disappointment, likely comparing Hong Geol-gae to his peers.
Moreover, Hua Hua No-gae’s tone was slightly condescending.
Hong Geol-gae’s heart raced with excitement, but he concealed his feelings, responding in a slightly subdued voice.
“I will strive to improve.”
“Yes, keep at it. Hard work never betrays.”
With a dismissive wave, Hua Hua No-gae sent Hong Geol-gae away.
Though Hua Hua No-gae and the Beggar Sect members didn’t notice, Tang Moo-jin and his companions saw the shadowy smile that spread across Hong Geol-gae’s face.
Tang Moo-jin observed the smile and resolved to himself, “Looks like I’m the only sane one left. I need to keep my wits about me.”