Chapter 187 : Report
Report
Zhao Gang's words were not wrong.
The prized horse provided by the Zhao clan of Changshan truly ran for days without tiring, maintaining impressive speed all the while.
Even after brief rests along the way, the galloping pace did not slow in the slightest.
In fact, it felt much faster than when they changed horses several times at the Murim Alliance's post stations during previous trips.
"We're almost there."
Before long, they arrived at Hanyang Prefecture.
Soon, the massive city walls at the center of the city began to appear within view.
It had always been a metropolis, but it was said to have developed tremendously after the establishment of the Heavenly Martial Hall.
With the Murim Alliance receiving enormous support from the royal family and being supplied with all kinds of resources, that explained everything.
"......."
Suddenly, the words of Mu Jung came to mind.
He had once said it was sad that the Heavenly Martial Hall judged the value of everything solely by success or failure.
At the time, the meaning had been unclear, but now Jeong-un seemed to understand.
He hadn't managed to take the enemy's head, but he had at least severed the forearm—did that count as success?
Or, despite learning of their plans, he had ultimately let them slip away—did that count as failure?
It was not a matter so easily decided.
As he experienced more, he realized that human affairs were often like that.
It was only a matter of perspective.
'I did gain something, at least.'
He tried to chart his next move based on what he had clearly obtained.
He had learned about the formation the enemy was planning, and how the enemy had managed to evade Mu Jung's strike.
The so-called spells were simply the secrets of formations manifested within the opponent's own body.
Mu Jung's suspicions had been precisely correct.
'Xinjiang, he said.'
The Tian Mountains in Xinjiang were known for being a treacherous, remote region.
If the Demonic Cult had set up their stronghold in such a barren place and occasionally entered the martial world, it was no wonder they had never been discovered.
After all, no one could have imagined the enemy's main base would be hidden there.
Yet, one thing bothered him: the enemy referred to it by another name, the Ten-thousand Mountains.
Furthermore, he had declared, with a strangely confident tone, that soon the whole world would call it the Ten-thousand Mountains.
The name of a region was akin to an official law set by the nation.
No one could arbitrarily change it on a whim.
Yet a mere heretical cult calling a place by a different name as if ordained, and being convinced it would become recognized by all, was no trivial matter.
Throughout history, each time a country was overthrown the first changes were always the capital and place names.
'Does he truly intend to found a new nation? Using that formation?'
As Jeong-un recalled the enemy's face while describing his plan, he remembered: it wasn't a face putting on airs.
His eyes were clearly filled with greed and ambition—eyes that truly seemed to want to place all under his feet.
Lost in thought, he reached the entrance of the Heavenly Martial Hall.
As always, he entered through a relatively small gate used by the warriors, not the main entrance.
Since countless martial artists resided there, it was naturally always bustling with those departing for missions or returning from them.
"It's the Heaven-defying Lone Sword. The Heaven-defying Lone Sword has returned."
"He's the one who severed the Demonic Cult Leader's arm...!"
"Those four stripes..."
"Unbelievable. He looks younger than me, and yet he's reached such heights."
He always drew similar looks whenever he left or returned from a mission, but this time it was different.
Now he was openly the subject of shocked and awestruck gazes.
The rumors had clearly reached even here—that Jeong-un had faced the Demonic Cult Leader alone.
Judging by the whispers, they even knew he had cut off the leader's forearm.
Next to him, watching the scene, Baek Il-gang spoke up.
"Amusing, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
Jeong-un replied calmly, prompting Baek Il-gang to grin and reply.
"When Young Hero Yu first started to stand out, their eyes were all full of jealousy and caution. But look at them now. The way they gaze at you is filled with reverence—they've completely changed."
"You're right."
Jeong-un replied composedly, glancing around at the guards nearby.
Truthfully, he just accepted it as it was.
He didn't wish to view others with disdain, either. Each person had their own circumstances and limitations, after all.
'In the end, we all do much the same here.'
After all, just being part of the Heavenly Martial Hall and risking their lives on missions made these people remarkable.
That was why it didn't matter what sort of gazes they directed his way.
Rather, he hoped they would feel competitive when they looked at him.
In the Central Plains, each one of them was a valuable asset.
Especially with those unorthodox villains yet to be eliminated by their hands.
"......."
Suddenly, Jeong-un realized that the way he viewed the world had shifted.
Perhaps it was because his world, which began in a corner of a nameless martial clan, had grown to encompass the entire martial world.
It was funny to have such thoughts about people with whom he had never even had a conversation.
'Who am I anyway?'
As Jeong-un smirked bitterly to himself, Baek Il-gang spoke again.
"Are you going to report in straight away?"
"I think I should."
"Then I'll go rest first. After riding day and night, my bones are aching."
"Get a good rest."
After parting with Baek Il-gang, he began walking directly toward Yeom Baek's office—a path now quite familiar to him.
"Yu Jeong-un!"
At that moment, a deep voice called out from afar.
It was Yeom Baek, leader of the Blue Scale Corps. He strode right towards Jeong-un, as if he'd been waiting.
Jeong-un raised his hand in a martial salute and spoke.
"I was just on my way to report, actually."
"There's no need."
"......?"
He looked at Yeom Baek in puzzlement, who continued, his face rather tense.
"The Hall Lord will take your report directly. You must go immediately."
* * *
Following Yeom Baek, they walked the central path cutting across the complex.
The Heavenly Martial Hall Lord's office was located in the deepest part of the facility's center.
From above, it would be as if it were right at the very heart, the most crucial position.
That was where its most important person resided.
Soon, they arrived in front of a large pavilion. Two guards stood watch at the entrance.
These were people Jeong-un had seen before.
Yeom Baek greeted them with a slight bow, and Jeong-un also performed a light martial salute as he bowed his head.
"......!"
The guards, sneaking glances at Jeong-un, flinched in surprise, and hurriedly returned the greeting.
They had not expected the most talked-about figure in the martial world to bow first.
'Most likely, they're guards from the Murim Alliance.'
Upon their first meeting, he hadn't paid much attention to the absence of gold stripes on their martial garb.
Now, however, he had a good grasp on how the Heavenly Martial Hall operated, including the fact that those dressed in dark blue garb without gold stripes were mostly personnel dispatched from the Murim Alliance, not direct members of the Heavenly Martial Hall.
'It makes sense, thinking about it.'
When you consider it, the martial artists of the Heavenly Martial Hall would leave without hesitation after five years.
Naturally, permanent staff would be needed to manage and maintain this massive organization after their departure.
After passing through the gate and ascending the steps, they finally stood in front of the office door.
"Come in."
Even before Yeom Baek could announce their arrival, a voice called from inside.
Yet neither Yeom Baek nor Jeong-un seemed surprised.
They already knew who was waiting for them inside, ever since they greeted the guards below.
Creak.
Slowly, Yeom Baek pushed the door open and stepped inside, and Jeong-un followed.
"......."
The scene hadn't changed much since the last visit.
Despite several antique furnishings decorating the entire floor, the office still appeared vast and somewhat empty.
At the room's center stood the Heavenly Martial Hall Lord, Zhang Mun-gi, and the chief strategist, Zhuge Cheon-woo.
"......!"
Apparently, Yeom Baek hadn't expected the chief strategist to be present.
He glanced at Zhuge Cheon-woo in some surprise, but soon calmed himself and offered a martial salute.
"I have brought Yu Jeong-un."
"Thank you, you must be busy—go ahead and see to your business."
When Zhang Mun-gi replied in his kindly tone, Yeom Baek bowed once more and left.
Jeong-un glanced at him in mild surprise. The last time he'd faced the Hall Lord, Yeom Baek had been at his side.
Now, he would be meeting the Hall Lord alone.
Zhang Mun-gi finally spoke, watching Jeong-un with a curious smile.
"You've worked hard, once again."
"It was nothing."
After Jeong-un's short reply, Zhang Mun-gi looked to Zhuge Cheon-woo and spoke.
"I specifically asked your corps leader to let me hear your report directly. Sorry if I startled you with the sudden request."
"I see."
"So, could you tell us? What you went through and whom you met there."
Zhang Mun-gi got straight to the point. Zhuge Cheon-woo stared at Jeong-un, his face somewhat somber.
"......."
Jeong-un summarized what had happened at the Zhao clan of Changshan. While he spoke, they simply listened without interruption.
That did not mean there was no response.
They let out quiet sighs upon hearing how he entered a cave on a cliff only to run into a formation, how that formation was one set by the Demonic Cult Leader, and what that person's plans were.
"......."
When Jeong-un's account ended, the room fell silent for a moment.
It did not seem due to a loss for words, but as if they were carefully choosing what to say next.
The content was shocking enough to warrant hesitation.
Finally, Zhuge Cheon-woo turned to Zhang Mun-gi and spoke.
"It appears what we feared has indeed come to pass."
"So it does. To think they were really preparing such a formation."
At this, Jeong-un looked at them with some confusion. Their tone sounded almost as if they'd expected it.
"Did you already know?"
When Jeong-un asked, Zhuge Cheon-woo answered.
"Thanks to the connection you established with Shaolin, we've been jointly investigating with them. Grandmaster Mu Jung found it suspicious that the enemy went so far as to disguise themselves to steal items from the Central Plains."
At that, Jeong-un recalled Mu Jung's words.
That there must have been a reason for stealing the brazen bell and that he would look into it.
'So they were working with the Heavenly Martial Hall.'
At the time, Jeong-un had failed his mission at Mount Song—unable to prevent the theft of Shaolin's artifact.
To avoid censure for this, Mu Jung had written directly to the Hall Master, Zhang Mun-gi.
It was through this that they began working together behind the scenes.
"We only realized too late that the enemies had disguised themselves and stolen many treasures from Central Plains sects. Since the sects prioritize their reputation and prestige, they kept it secret, and we only just found out."
"They couldn't have imagined that it was the Demonic Cult Leader stealing them, or that they'd be used in some kind of strange grand technique."
When Jeong-un replied, Zhuge Cheon-woo nodded.
"You're right. We only suspected that they were preparing some ominous grand technique, but did not know any details. This is the first we've heard specifics from you."
Naturally, it would have been nearly impossible to deduce what kind of grand technique the enemy was planning.
Above all else, it was a nearly unthinkable idea: a grand technique that would strip martial artists of their martial arts.
Anyone hearing it would dismiss it as nonsense.
'But it's possible. With him.'
Jeong-un recalled how the enemy controlled the natural energy in the atmosphere at will using the formation within the cave.
He also remembered how the enemy displayed absurdly strange physical techniques surpassing even body-strengthening arts.
If such a person completed an ultimate grand technique, using the treasures of the Central Plains martial world as sacrifices, there was no telling what horrors might occur.
Jeong-un spoke.
"This time as well, the Heavenly Martial Hall will take the lead in eradicating the enemy, won't we?"
The enemy had asked him to come to Xinjiang.
In truth, even if the Heavenly Martial Hall gave no orders, he was already set on going.
Yet, Zhuge Cheon-woo shook his head and replied.
"No. This time, the entire martial world will move. We have already concluded discussions with the royal family."
"......!"