Chapter 384: A Certain Father
Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, Dang Mujin answered Namgung Jincheon’s question with a bewildered expression.
“Other people, you say?”
“Warriors from other sects.”
“There are none. It’s just Hyun Gong and me.”
Namgung Jincheon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Is the righteous martial world not preparing for the Great War against the demonic sects?”
Only then did Dang Mujin understand what Namgung Jincheon was getting at.
“Oh, of course, preparations are underway. We plan to gather at the Joint Sect next spring, specifically on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.”
“That’s too late… Well, I suppose it can’t be helped. I did think you arrived rather early.”
Namgung Jincheon muttered in a slightly dissatisfied tone, but he didn’t seem too disappointed.
After that, silence fell between them. Dang Mujin waited a moment before speaking again.
“I didn’t know you were still alive.”
“Understandable.”
Dang Mujin expected an explanation to follow, but Namgung Jincheon offered none. After a brief pause, he glanced at Dang Mujin and added a single line.
“I’ll explain everything in due time. For now, let’s move.”
The group began to walk slowly towards the inner part of Mount Kunlun, away from where the demonic sect warriors had disappeared.
Each person was lost in their own thoughts, except for one who couldn’t quite calm down—Im, who had inadvertently found himself in a serious situation. He cautiously approached Dang Mujin and Hyun Gong, pointing at Namgung Jincheon.
“Is he someone famous?”
“That’s Sword Demon Namgung Jincheon.”
Dang Mujin’s explanation was brief, as Namgung Jincheon was indeed a well-known figure.
In fact, Im knew who Namgung Jincheon was. But the name was so famous that he thought Dang Mujin was joking.
“Haha! Really?”
However, Im soon realized that Dang Mujin’s demeanor was too composed to be joking.
”…Is it true? Is he really Namgung Jincheon?”
“Yes.”
Im was so shocked that he let out a strange noise, gasping for air.
With a confused expression, he asked Dang Mujin, “You seem to know him. How do you know Sword Demon Namgung Jincheon?”
“He’s my friend’s father.”
“Your friend?”
“Yes. My friend is Namgung Myung, the current head of the Namgung family.”
”…Is the Dang family more renowned than I thought? Surely, you’re not famous too, are you?”
“That fellow is Hyun Gong, the head of the Wudang Sect.”
This time, Im was convinced that Dang Mujin was joking.
“Come on, I won’t fall for that. The head of the Wudang Sect is the revered Elder Youngbo, and I’ve heard he’s not young.”
“He recently passed on the position.”
“He’s so young?”
“He’s more capable than he looks.”
Im recalled Hyun Gong’s skill, which had effortlessly cut down a formidable opponent. With such prowess, perhaps he could indeed be the head of the Wudang Sect, Im thought.
“Are you hiding your identity too? Maybe you’re not just the head of the Dang family but something more… famous?”
“I am indeed the head of the Dang family.”
“Oh, I see…”
Sensing Im’s slightly deflated reaction, Hyun Gong chimed in.
“Perhaps you’ve heard of the ‘Medicine Dragon.’”
“Oh, I’ve heard of that. Are you the Medicine Dragon?”
“Yes. I’m an easy man to meet if you have three coins.”
Hyun Gong’s teasing wasn’t entirely false. At the Dang family clinic, three coins were enough to see a doctor, though it wasn’t guaranteed to be Dang Mujin himself.
Considering that a bowl of noodles at a cheap inn cost about three coins, the threshold to the Dang family clinic was remarkably low.
And Dang Mujin took pride in that fact.
Im chuckled wryly.
“The world is full of renowned people, and here I am, just a humble peddler. Or perhaps now, a peddler and a petty thief…”
As they chatted and moved along, Yuyu Daoist and Namgung Jincheon stopped in front of a Taoist temple halfway up the mountain.
The building was old and seemed abandoned, but it was quite large, with three sizable structures spaced evenly apart.
Banyeop spoke to Dang Mujin, Hyun Gong, and Im.
“Watch closely how I do this.”
Banyeop approached a stone lantern in front of the temple.
He adjusted the direction of the fire stone at the top, saying, “The open part of the fire stone should face north and south. There are grooves, so aligning it isn’t difficult.”
Then, Banyeop hugged a crude stone statue about twenty steps away from the lantern and began to turn it with some effort.
“These statues represent the Three Treasures of Heaven. You need to make the Heavenly Treasure and the Divine Treasure face away from each other.”
“Why is the direction of the lantern and statues important?”
As Dang Mujin spoke, the scene before them changed as if by magic.
The old temple appeared much cleaner, and suddenly, many people were visible. The sounds of bustling activity surrounded them.
Among them were Taoists from the Kunlun Sect, but there were far more who didn’t seem to be Taoists.
Children’s voices arguing and playing could be heard, along with parents calling their names. The savory smell of porridge wafted through the air.
”…It was important. What exactly is going on?”
“They’ve used an illusion to hide people behind a facade. There are several places like this in the Kunlun Mountains. Some Taoists skilled in the so-called ‘Left Path Arts’ are helping us.”
“Are you referring to the Taoists from the Water Pavilion you mentioned before?”
Banyeop smiled instead of answering, and Dang Mujin took that smile as a confirmation.
Banyeop clapped his hands lightly, wrapping up the explanation.
“That should cover it. Im, follow me.”
As Banyeop led the bewildered Im away, Yuyu Daoist spoke to Dang Mujin and Hyun Gong.
“You two, come this way.”
Dang Mujin and Hyun Gong followed Yuyu Daoist and Namgung Jincheon.
Expecting Yuyu Daoist, the head of the Kunlun Sect, to lead them to the largest temple, they were surprised when he guided them to a storage room behind the temple.
Opening the storage room, Yuyu Daoist said, “This is where the head of the Kunlun Sect resides. It’s humble, but please understand.”
The storage room was neatly organized, with several worn-out cushions laid out.
Yuyu Daoist and Namgung Jincheon naturally took a cushion each and offered others to Dang Mujin and Hyun Gong. Though only four people entered, the room felt almost full.
“Quite modest.”
When Dang Mujin commented, Yuyu Daoist chuckled.
“Originally, the large building next door was mine, but so many people gathered that I had to give it up. I couldn’t very well tell the children and women to stay in a place without a roof.”
Curious about the people, Dang Mujin asked Yuyu Daoist.
“Where did all those people come from? There didn’t seem to be many Kunlun Taoists.”
“That’s a bit of a long story. Dang family head, and Dragon Sword, do you remember what I said at the Wudang Mountain meeting?”
”…I remember.”
Yuyu Daoist had said many things at Wudang Mountain.
But it was clear which statement he was referring to.
That if the righteous sects didn’t rise before the demonic warriors did, he would abandon Mount Kunlun and flee.
“That wasn’t a joke. I’d rather be criticized and survive than let my family-like Kunlun Taoists die in vain.”
Dang Mujin nodded. As the head of the Dang family, he could fully understand Yuyu Daoist’s sentiment.
“But you didn’t run away. That’s what matters.”
“No, I did run.”
”…What?”
“At some point, demonic warriors began appearing around Mount Kunlun. They must have intended to overthrow the Kunlun Sect and seize control from Qinghai Province.”
The distance between the demonic sects in Tianshan and the central plains is vast.
And the Kunlun Sect stands right in the middle, between Tianshan and the central plains. If the Kunlun Sect falls, the demonic sects can reach the heart of the central plains unopposed.
Moreover, to avoid leaving enemies behind, the demonic sects must first bring down the Kunlun Sect.
“At first, we managed to hold our ground. The Kunlun Sect has some strength, and the demonic warriors weren’t too aggressive. But as they began to form a siege, problems arose. The situation became so dire that we had to hide our dwellings with illusions. Yet, the righteous martial world showed no sign of moving.”
Yuyu Daoist sighed deeply.
“In the end, I made a decision. I gathered all the Kunlun Taoists and decided to relocate to the Joint Sect. We moved in small groups to avoid the eyes of the demonic warriors, changing into ordinary clothes.”
“Oh dear.”
Hyun Gong interjected appropriately, prompting Yuyu Daoist to continue with a faint smile.
As I was leaving Mount Kunlun and heading east, I noticed a family traveling in the direction of the mountain. I ignored them and continued on my way. Not long after, I saw another family heading towards Mount Kunlun. This time, I stopped to ask them if they were aware of the chaos in the west.
“And what did they say?”
“They told me that although the martial artists of the Demonic Cult were becoming more vicious by the day, they believed they could survive by seeking refuge with the Kunlun Sect. They invited me to join them.”
Yuyu Daoist recounted this story, scratching his head in frustration.
There are stories in this world that remain suffocating no matter how much you reflect on them.
“Do you know how long it takes to travel from Mount Kunlun to the vicinity of Sichuan or Lanzhou on foot? At least a month for an ordinary person.”
“A month… That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Sure, if you’re in good health, you might manage. But that family had four children and two elderly people with bent backs. It could take two months, maybe three. If they run out of strength, they’ll collapse and die. They won’t have enough food. Heading east is a death sentence.”
Even if they miraculously reached Sichuan or Lanzhou, their problems wouldn’t be solved.
The Kunlun Sect’s practitioners have skills that allow them to survive even in foreign lands. But for those without homes or land, there’s no way to survive in a place where they’re unwelcome. They had no choice.
“Is that why you returned?”
“Yes. It’s clear that more people will keep coming, and I can’t just let them all die.”
Yuyu Daoist let out a deep sigh.
Tang Mujin thought of his master.
When Tang Mujin first encountered the twin assassins in Jueul Village and fled in panic, his master had told him something.
It’s okay to run away, as long as you return in time. As long as you don’t turn your back on your duty.
What Yuyu Daoist demonstrated was exactly that.
The practitioners of Mount Kunlun gathered there to become immortals, but they were also the protectors of the people living near the mountain.
Yuyu Daoist and the Kunlun practitioners couldn’t turn their backs on their duty, so they couldn’t flee. They were, without a doubt, righteous martial artists.
Hyungong spoke up.
“Can’t you use magic to escape?”
“Not many in the Kunlun Sect can use magic. And moving so many people is impossible.”
It was as expected. Hadn’t Ban Yeop coughed up blood after using the art of teleportation with just three people?
Yuyu Daoist and the practitioners’ reasons for staying in Mount Kunlun were understandable.
But a more pressing question remained. Tang Mujin asked Namgung Jinchun.
“Why are you staying here, Namgung Jinchun?”
“When I left the Tang family, I told you where I was going.”
“You said you were going to meet the Fire Lotus Immortal, and then to the Demonic Cult.”
“Yes. I went to Zhongjing to seek guidance from the Fire Lotus Immortal.”
Hyungong interjected with a question.
“Did you win?”
Namgung Jinchun shook his head.
“No. I closed the gap, but I never caught up. And I realized, that old monster truly is the best in the world.”
An old monster, indeed. It didn’t match his appearance, but it wasn’t wrong.
“After that, I headed to the Demonic Cult. It was a perfect mess, just the way I liked it. I roamed around, cutting down anyone who claimed to be a supreme master. Most of them were just pretenders, good enough for practice before I took their heads.”
Tang Mujin nodded.
Even if someone from the Demonic Cult claimed to be a supreme master, they couldn’t defeat a true supreme master alone. Especially not someone like Namgung Jinchun, who was exceptional even among supreme masters.
“Then I met a monk from the Demonic Cult.”
“A monk?”
A monk from the Demonic Cult. Tang Mujin thought of the Ghost King.
But the Ghost King had been confined to the Hall of Repentance at Shaolin Temple since the last great war, so the monk Namgung Jinchun met couldn’t be him.
“He said he was from the Small Thunder Temple. He wasn’t a pretender. So I drew my sword immediately. He was indeed formidable…”
Namgung Jinchun paused, frowning slightly.
“No, let’s be honest. I lost.”
It was a hard story to believe, and not an easy one to admit.
But Namgung Jinchun didn’t seem embarrassed by it. He continued with a satisfied smile.
“But it was by a hair’s breadth. The monk seemed to like me, and we sparred several times. It was truly enjoyable. That feeling of being so close to victory!”
“You achieved what you wanted.”
“Yes. After about two weeks of sparring, the monk told me that if I wanted to face someone stronger, I should follow him. I had no reason to refuse.”
Tang Mujin and Hyungong held their breath.
They could guess who the monk had taken Namgung Jinchun to meet.
Namgung Jinchun spoke.
“And then I met the Cult Leader.”
He let out a deep sigh.
“The best in the world wasn’t the Fire Lotus Immortal, but the Cult Leader.”
It was a shocking revelation. Someone stronger than the Fire Lotus Immortal existed.
But Namgung Jinchun’s story wasn’t over.
“And I realized something.”
“What was it?”
“I can’t defeat the Cult Leader.”
Namgung Jinchun’s breathing slowed and deepened. His eyes seemed to burn with a somber light.
Even when speaking of the Fire Lotus Immortal, Namgung Jinchun hadn’t said he couldn’t win. The same was true for the monk from the Small Thunder Temple.
Tang Mujin asked Namgung Jinchun.
“Has the Cult Leader reached a realm beyond the supreme?”
“Without a doubt.”
It was bewildering. But Tang Mujin forced himself to speak with confidence.
“It’s okay. Time will solve this.”
“No. If the Cult Leader being stronger than me was all there was, I wouldn’t say I can’t win. The bigger problem is that the Cult Leader is advancing to the next realm faster than I am. The gap will only widen, and time will only make things worse.”
It was a suffocating story.
The Cult Leader wasn’t content with reaching the ‘next realm’; he was racing towards ‘the realm beyond.’
It’s hard enough to imagine the realm beyond the supreme, but what lies beyond that?
Namgung Jinchun spoke again.
“The Cult Leader asked me to take on an important role in the Demonic Cult.”
“And how did you respond?”
“I asked for time.”
Namgung Jinchun closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.
“That night, I made a decision not as the Sword Demon, but as Namgung Jinchun. As the head of the Namgung family, as a father to a child. And as a righteous martial artist, I reached a conclusion.”
“What conclusion?”
“If the Cult Leader reaches the next realm, the righteous martial world is finished.”
Tang Mujin recalled the past Namgung Jinchun.
Namgung Jinchun was a man who did as he pleased. He abandoned his family and thrust the position of head onto his son. He forsook all his duties.
All for one purpose: to reach the pinnacle of martial arts.
But forsaking all those duties meant that Namgung Jinchun once bore them.
Namgung Jinchun had spent most of his life suppressing his desires, dedicating himself to the Namgung family. He might have been willful, but he wasn’t irresponsible.
And so, the freedom Namgung Jinchun had dreamed of all his life didn’t last long.
Just as Tang Mujin returned after fleeing.
Just as Yuyu Daoist returned to Mount Kunlun.
The former head of the Namgung family, a father who cherished his son, couldn’t turn away from his duty.
“So I secretly left the Demonic Cult.”
Namgung Jinchun concluded his story in a subdued voice.
“By any means necessary, the Cult Leader must be killed before reaching the next realm.”