Chapter 382 : A Stage of Schemes (1)
Chapter 382: A Stage of Schemes (1)
For Mo Biyoung, the road back to the Heavenly Central Sect from Daebyeol Mountain was nothing short of a journey of bliss.
But as they drew closer to the Heavenly Central Sect, she couldn’t help but feel regretful.
Knowing this, Yong Hwarin spent as much time with her as possible.
Not only did they train martial arts together, but he also eased Mo Biyoung’s sadness by sharing their love.
By the time they reached Yeo-nam, they stayed at an inn.
When people from the Rogues’ Guild came into the inn to eat, Yong Hwarin spoke to Mo Biyoung.
“Yeong Mae, it seems there’s a branch of the Rogues’ Guild here. I need to get information from them about the movements of the Daebyeol Sect.”
As he spoke while eating, Mo Biyoung lowered her head and didn’t reply.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
Her face turned as red as a ripe persimmon, the flush spreading all the way to her ears.
But Yong Hwarin soon realized the reason and grinned.
“Yeong Mae, what’s the matter? Are you not feeling well? Should we bathe together tonight?”
“No!”
Mo Biyoung couldn’t get used to him calling her Yeong Mae, and every time he said it, her whole body tingled.
She couldn’t understand why just hearing those words made her face burn hot.
Never in her life had she thought she would feel such emotions, leaving her bewildered.
“Yeong Mae, Yeong Mae, Yeong Mae, Yeong Mae.”
When Yong Hwarin kept saying it teasingly, Mo Biyoung glared at him.
“You really are terrible, Young Master.”
“Hahaha, your Young Master has always been a terrible man.”
Not knowing what romance was, Mo Biyoung found such emotions too strange.
And to hear such tender words from the man she had admired all her life—she didn’t know where to put herself.
She had lived as a martial artist, not as a woman, so such feelings were foreign.
After their meal, Yong Hwarin approached someone who looked like a member of the Rogues’ Guild nearby.
“Pardon me for disturbing your meal, but could you tell me where the local branch of the Rogues’ Guild is?”
Since many martial artists usually sought the Rogues’ Guild, they didn’t think much of it and told him.
The branch was located in a place well known to anyone. In Yeo-nam, the branch of the Rogues’ Guild was not far from the government office.
When the branch leader saw a fine man and woman come in, he immediately felt they were important guests and led them to a discreet room.
“What brings you to this place?”
The branch leader was not only well-built but also nearly first-class in martial skill.
Just from him, it was clear the Rogues’ Guild wasn’t simply a gathering of riffraff.
“I want to know about the recent movements of the Daebyeol Sect.”
“How much are you willing to pay for the information?”
At his words, Yong Hwarin put a wallet on the table.
It contained five gold pieces, quite a high price for information.
The branch leader glanced at the wallet and signaled to his subordinate.
Soon, the subordinate brought out a book with a red cover, suggesting it contained important information.
“Daebyeol Sect…”
After briefly skimming the book, the branch leader stared intently at one part before speaking.
“Since you asked about their movements, I’ll give you the general picture. Recently, many martial artists have been recruited into the Daebyeol Sect. They’ve gathered a large number of wanderers, and even others who aren’t wanderers are staying as retainers. And let’s see… ah, here. About four days ago, those people left the sect. The total number is said to be around three hundred.”
With that, he closed the book.
It meant there was no further information.
‘If around three hundred martial artists left the Daebyeol Sect, that’s no small number. Martial artists of unknown origin… they must be warriors of the Heavenly Demon Sect.’
Yong Hwarin felt that was enough and stood up.
“Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it. After all, it’s information sold for money.”
Yong Hwarin left the Rogues’ Guild with Mo Biyoung.
After they disappeared, the branch leader stepped outside. At that moment, a young man stepped out from the wall behind him, watching the pair vanish.
“What do you think, Branch Leader?”
The branch leader respectfully answered the young man dressed in elegant blue robes.
“With my skills, I couldn’t properly gauge his strength.”
“Hmm, if you can’t, then he must be quite formidable.”
“No, my level is at best near first-class. With my realm, I can’t measure the level of Yong Hwarin, who defeated all the successors of the Three Demonic Heavens.”
“I must meet him once. I’m curious… what kind of man he is.”
The branch leader scratched his cheek.
“But what about the one who came to buy information on Yong Hwarin?”
“What else? We buy and sell information here. Of course we sell it. But sell it at a high price.”
“Understood.”
When the branch leader disappeared back into the archives, the young man in blue murmured.
“How amusing. On the same day Yong Hwarin came here, someone from the Heavenly Demon Sect came wanting to buy his information. It was worth stopping by the branch.”
This young man in blue was Eungjo, the Young Master of the Rogues’ Guild. He had stopped in Yeo-nam while gathering intelligence for the Shaolin Temple assembly.
He hadn’t expected to find Yong Hwarin there, nor warriors of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Smiling, Eungjo kept his eyes fixed on the direction where Yong Hwarin had disappeared.
*
Yang Gwak, while on his way to Mount Seopyeong, obtained information that Yong Hwarin was in a nearby prefecture.
By chance, there was a branch of the Rogues’ Guild along the way, and after buying information there, he learned that Yong Hwarin was in Yeo-nam.
Yang Gwak did not report this fact to the Great Young Master, but instead consulted with Eum Sajuk.
“So? You’re saying Yong Hwarin is somewhere nearby?”
“Yes. I bought the information from the Rogues’ Guild at a high price.”
“They’d have no reason to lie, so it must be true.”
“That’s why I called you, junior brother. To figure out how we can use this information to our advantage.”
“You did well to call me. If you had simply handed this to the Great Young Master, no opportunity would have come our way.”
“Right now, you’re the only one I can trust. How could I not seek your advice?”
Eum Sajuk secretly laughed as he watched Yang Gwak ask for his counsel.
Yang Gwak knew he lacked wit, so he had long relied on Makgyo, one of the finest strategists of the Heavenly Demon Sect, as his advisor.
On the other hand, the late Second Young Master Yi Yong had relied on his own intellect and made Hwa Jokgeom Ma Jeung, a man of great martial strength, his adjutant—but in the end, both of them perished.
Eum Sajuk, however, had martial skills superior to Yi Yong’s and a mind that could rival Makgyo’s.
That was how he had survived until now.
Yang Gwak valued that, and he intended to employ Eum Sajuk as his own strategist.
Moreover, when Eum Sajuk willingly offered himself as his right hand, Yang Gwak set aside their past hostility and placed his trust in him.
“I’ve thought of a fine scheme after hearing this.”
“Really? Tell me.”
Yang Gwak leaned in to listen carefully.
“It is to pit the Great Young Master against Yong Hwarin.”
“You mean to make them fight?”
“Exactly.”
“But under what pretext? We can’t just make them fight for no reason. The Great Young Master knows Yong Hwarin is strong—he’ll avoid it.”
Yang Gwak wanted them to fight but had no plausible excuse.
“Why not? Senior brother already has the means to bring them together.”
“What do you mean?”
Eum Sajuk lowered his voice as Yang Gwak listened closely.
“You have the Black Silk Centipede, one of the Four Great Treasures. With that, you can make them meet. And once they meet, they will inevitably fight for it.”
“Hm… but aside from anything else, I want to keep the Black Silk Centipede for myself. Without it, how can I aim to become successor?”
Eum Sajuk spoke with a look of exasperation.
“Even if you hold it now, does it truly belong to you? The Great Young Master hasn’t realized yet that you have it—that’s why he hasn’t demanded it. But once he learns, he surely will. And when he does, could you refuse him?”
Yang Gwak thought it over and realized Eum Sajuk was right.
Sooner or later, the Great Young Master would demand it, and as the First Young Master, he would have no grounds to refuse.
“You’re right.”
“So, before it’s taken, let’s use the Black Silk Centipede to make them fight and seize benefit for ourselves.”
Eum Sajuk lowered his voice further, and Yang Gwak brought his ear close.
“Specifically, we place the Black Silk Centipede somewhere and let both of them hear of it. They will go after it, and to claim it, they must fight. The Great Young Master will either be defeated or suffer a grave mistake. You know what Yong Hwarin is like. When it comes to the Four Great Treasures, he’ll stop at nothing. Even if, by chance, the Great Young Master wins, he’ll be injured—either way, we lose nothing.”
In truth, Eum Sajuk’s body was already fully under the control of Ma Sa’s soul.
Even so, his plan to pit the Great Young Master against Yong Hwarin was based on his complete faith in Yong Hwarin’s strength.
Furthermore, he intended for Yong Hwarin to obtain the Black Silk Centipede from Yang Gwak.
He couldn’t simply hand it over—this was his way of transferring it.
After hearing the plan, Yang Gwak clapped his hands.
“Brilliant! I truly like this scheme. But what if Yong Hwarin wins and takes the Black Silk Centipede?”
“That benefits us. Think—if the Great Young Master loses it to Yong Hwarin, what will the elders say? It’ll be a grave mistake on his part, a flaw we can exploit. And if Yong Hwarin gets it, so what? Didn’t we pursue the Four Great Treasures only to gain the position of successor?”
Yang Gwak was swayed by his words. Though Eum Sajuk was cunningly tilting matters in Yong Hwarin’s favor, he disguised it as a move against the Great Young Master, making Yang Gwak marvel at the brilliance of the plan.
Yang Gwak, being more warrior than thinker, never cared much for strategies.
Had he examined it more closely, he would have seen the many flaws, but he lacked the ability to perceive Eum Sajuk’s hidden intentions.
“Very well, I’ll entrust this to you.”
“Don’t worry, senior brother. I’ll make sure it succeeds splendidly for your sake.”
“But how will you approach Yong Hwarin? If we do, he’ll be wary.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure word of the Black Silk Centipede’s location naturally reaches his ears. Leave it to me.”
Yang Gwak placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Now I can breathe easy. You are truly my Zhang Liang.”
With Makgyo’s betrayal, Yang Gwak had no choice but to fully trust Eum Sajuk.
And seeing him appear to work faithfully without hidden designs, Yang Gwak decided to trust him—though deep down, he knew Eum Sajuk was not the kind of man to serve under another so meekly, and he never fully let go of his guard.