Chapter 458 : Royal Queen’s Record – Latter Half (2)
Chapter 458: Royal Queen’s Record (2)
Yong Hwarin’s mouth was dry from nervousness. So he gulped down the tea that hadn’t even cooled yet.
Gun Buyong quietly opened her mouth.
“We once pursued the Eungga and learned they were gathering scholars capable of deciphering the Royal Queen’s Record. That’s how we found out. So, I made a note of those scholars back then and obtained information from them. They said the Royal Queen’s Record was not originally in the Imperial Palace.”
Yong Hwarin stared intently at Gun Buyong as she sipped her tea.
She had suddenly diverted from talking about the other person who possessed the Body of the Dragon’s Energy besides him, and was now speaking of some unrelated scholars.
“Ah!”
But Yong Hwarin soon realized that her words were an important clue.
“If the Royal Queen’s Record wasn’t originally in the palace, that means someone must have given it to the Martial Flower Lord. Thinking about it, that person used her power. When they lacked the strength to gather scholars who could decipher the Sanskrit-written record, they borrowed the Imperial Family’s power to do it. So, are you saying that person might be the one with the Body of the Dragon’s Energy?”
Slightly flustered, Yong Hwarin reached for the hot teapot, only to quickly withdraw his hand.
His mind was spinning, frantically piecing the clues together.
“Now that I hear what you’re saying, Aunt, I think I know who that person is.”
Yong Hwarin nodded repeatedly, as if he had finally understood Gun Buyong’s words.
“Speak.”
Gun Buyong looked at her nephew with fond eyes, admiring how he deduced the answer from just a few clues.
“The one who gave the Royal Queen’s Record to the Martial Flower Lord wasn’t someone who just stumbled upon it. Perhaps they were a descendant of the Ghost Hermit. If so, then the existence of another person with the Body of the Dragon’s Energy besides me is plausible. If Master Ghost Hermit sealed the half-dragon in the Absolute Formation and created the Four Great Divine Items, he likely didn’t confine the Dragon Spirit to just one vessel. If there are two people with the Body of the Dragon’s Energy, it’s possible he split the Dragon Spirit in two—kept one himself, and passed it on to his descendants.”
It was a lengthy explanation, but in essence, Yong Hwarin was saying that the person with the Body of the Dragon’s Energy was a descendant of Master Ghost Hermit.
And the one who gave the Royal Queen’s Record to the Martial Flower Lord was likely one of those descendants.
Gun Buyong nodded.
“What took us years to uncover, you’ve figured out in a single ildagyeong.”
Yong Hwarin smiled sheepishly.
“That’s only possible because I have all the information. If not for you, Aunt, I wouldn’t even have guessed it.”
He continued.
“So that’s why you told me to learn the Azure Dragon Stance Art—because you anticipated their appearance.”
“That’s right. That’s the reason. If the enemy we must face is truly a descendant of Master Ghost Hermit, the Azure Dragon Stance Art will be necessary. I know your martial arts have reached the level of a Grandmaster, but the Azure Dragon Stance Art is completely different from what you’ve learned. Only by mastering it can you hope to face a descendant of the Ghost Hermit.”
To not worry his aunt, Yong Hwarin accepted the secret manual and tucked it into his robe.
“Understood. I’ll master it as quickly as I can, just as you said.”
Moments later, when Gun Buyong ordered more tea, Yong Hwarin realized she still had more to say to him.
But before she could, he asked first.
“When I met Eungjin before, he said the dragon of the Dragon Bone Cavern could be revived. Is that true? With the Dragon Spirit and the Four Great Divine Items, can it be awakened?”
“That’s not how it works. Originally, the dragon was a divine creature made of half-good and half-evil. The Ghost Hermit extracted the essence of goodness to create the Azure Dragon Three Marbles, while he left the evil essence sealed in a cave no one could enter. He likely thought it would decay over time and turn to dust. But the evil essence was so strong, it couldn’t decay and became a mummy. Now, his descendants are trying to obtain that remaining evil essence.”
Yong Hwarin’s excitement had subsided, and his voice grew calm.
“Is the Dragon’s Evil really that strong? Seeing how they’ve discarded both me and the Four Great Divine Items to focus solely on it... is it stronger than the Dragon’s Good?”
“They seem to believe so. And isn’t it always the case that evil is stronger than good? The fact that the Ghost Hermit chose to abandon the Dragon’s Evil says it all.”
“But if they awaken the dragon, wouldn’t that be a huge problem? If it’s that powerful, wouldn’t no one be able to stop the wielder of its power?”
Yong Hwarin’s concern was valid, but Gun Buyong shook her head.
“Indeed. Even the Ghost Hermit gave up trying to control it, which tells us how overwhelming its power must be. However, according to a scholar who deciphered the seventh page of the Royal Queen’s Record, it states that the Dragon’s Evil can never be awakened without the Dragon Pearl. In short, without the dragon’s own orb, it cannot be revived.”
“But the Ghost Hermit’s descendants could possess the Dragon Pearl.”
“If you think about it calmly, the answer becomes clear. That person might possess the Dragon Pearl, but unlike you, he doesn’t have the Dragon Spirit within his body. Even if he tries to awaken the dragon with the pearl, there’s no guarantee the dragon will truly rise. What they probably mean by ‘awakening the dragon’ is awakening the energy of the Dragon’s Evil and absorbing it. But as you know firsthand, the Dragon Spirit doesn’t easily adapt to a human body. Your case is extremely rare. Unless they inject the Dragon’s Evil into your body, no ordinary human can withstand it.”
“That’s a relief, then.”
Yong Hwarin had long pondered why he had regressed to the past and eventually concluded that it must be connected to the Dragon’s energy.
He vaguely believed that, combined with Elder Masa’s Great Art, the Dragon’s energy worked in such harmony that it enabled his regression.
The fact that the Dragon’s energy devoured all other energy showed how difficult his past life must’ve been.
If his body hadn’t been compatible with the Dragon Spirit, he would’ve died instantly.
He voiced another of his questions.
“This time, even after the Martial Flower Lord fell, the Murim Reorganization Tournament is still being held. Seeing that, I felt sure someone backing the Martial Flower Lord is among the organizers.”
“I think the same.”
Gun Buyong absentmindedly spun her teacup handle, deep in thought.
“I believe the one behind the Murim Reorganization Tournament is none other than a descendant of the Ghost Hermit.”
“After hearing you say that, I’m convinced too. If the one backing the Martial Flower Lord is from the Ghost Hermit’s line, then there’s no doubt this tournament is part of their scheme. But I still don’t understand why they’re hosting it.”
“They probably share the same ambition as the Martial Flower Lord. When people gain immense power and influence, they start to crave ruling over others. They are simply following that desire to its end.”
Coming from a descendant of Gun Cheonbo, the founder of Mamaseong, her words carried great weight.
“That’s why I plan to enter the tournament in disguise and investigate. I want to uncover who’s really behind it.”
“Hwarin.”
Gun Buyong called his name gently.
“This is me speaking as your aunt. Those people have extended their influence all the way into the imperial palace, all while hiding from our eyes. It’s not that I doubt your abilities. But you must be careful. They possess power far beyond what you’re imagining. That’s what I’ve come to feel through this investigation.”
“Don’t worry, Aunt.”
Yong Hwarin gave his aunt a warm smile.
“If they need our strength, tell Elder Myeong. Then we’ll lend our power.”
“There will be someone far more skilled than I participating as well, so you don’t need to worry. His abilities are many times greater than mine.”
“Really? Hearing you say that puts me at ease.”
Gun Buyong assumed the person Yong Hwarin spoke so confidently about was Cho Wonmuk, the World’s Greatest Sword.
‘Yes, if it’s him, there won’t be too much danger. No matter what anyone says, no one in the world can defeat the World’s Greatest Sword. On top of that, he has the experience and wisdom that Hwarin still lacks. This time, we may finally uncover the one behind my sister’s death.’
Yong Hwarin, seemingly aware of Gun Buyong’s thoughts, spoke with a calm yet resolute tone.
“Once this is over, I’ll visit my mother’s grave. Let’s go together then.”
Gun Buyong beamed at those words.
“I’ve been waiting to hear you say that. Let’s do that.”
Gun Buyong took Yong Hwarin’s hand and didn’t let go.
“If my sister could see how much you’ve grown, how happy would she be? I’m sure she’s watching you even from there, full of pride.”
Her eyes overflowed with affection.
Yong Hwarin imagined his aunt’s warm hand was his mother’s and briefly recalled her face from his childhood.
At the edge of the winding cliffs of Mount Wangok, where the water surged like waves, Valley Leader Sohyeon of the Valley of Hidden Darkness stood, staring intently into the darkness of a pitch-black cave.
Then, when a stooped old man emerged from the shadows, Sohyeon greeted him with utmost respect.
“Do you think it’s possible?”
The old man smiled gently at Sohyeon, who was looking at him with hopeful eyes.
That smile was, in some ways, as innocent as a child’s, and in others, carried the mischievousness of an old man.
He gently stroked his thick white eyebrows and spoke.
“I believe it is possible.”
Hearing those words, Sohyeon broke into a wide grin like a child receiving a gift.
“Really? That’s a relief. I’ve been stuck because I couldn’t break that Absolute Formation. Where shall we begin?”
Sohyeon treated the old man with great caution.
From the side, Sohyonghwa watched. It was the first time she had seen her father, who always treated others like subordinates, show such deference.
‘Who in the world is he, for Father to show such reverence?’
In her eyes, not even the Martial Flower Lord had received such treatment from her father.
Her father had always stood tall before the Martial Flower Lord, so her curiosity only grew.
She couldn’t imagine anyone in the current murim world who deserved her father’s respect.
‘If anyone, it’d have to be one of the Three Heavenly Sword Saints. But that old man isn’t one of them.’
The old man smiled faintly at Sohyonghwa, who was brimming with curiosity.
“She seems to have better aptitude than Eungjo. If raised well, she’ll surely become the supreme ruler of the Demonic Path.”
At those words, Sohyeon even bowed his head.
Sohyonghwa, having never seen her father bow to anyone in his entire life, was utterly shocked.
‘Is he an emperor or something?’
She recalled how her father always boasted that the only person who could make him bow was an emperor.
But she knew the old man wasn’t one.
“Thank you.”
Sohyeon was genuinely grateful that the old man had praised his daughter so highly.
Then he cautiously brought up another matter.
“Even if the Dragon Bone Cavern is opened, without someone with the Body of the Dragon’s Energy, it’s meaningless, isn’t it?”
In truth, Sohyeon had originally planned to capture Yong Hwarin from Yongmun Stone Cave.
Because Yong Hwarin possessed the Body of the Dragon’s Energy, Sohyeon had intended to capture him and use him to receive the Dragon’s Evil.
However, after the deaths of Moon Gyeom and Sandok, he realized that Yong Hwarin had become a martial artist far beyond his reach.
So the question, Should I try to capture Yong Hwarin again?, rose to his throat but was swallowed back.
After all, it would be he who had to capture him—and honestly, he didn’t have the confidence.
That was why he passed the problem to the old man.
The old man nodded and said,
“I do have a way. I heard a few rumors recently, and I believe it’s more than enough to receive the Dragon’s Evil.”
Sohyeon’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer.
“Truly?”
As the old man looked at him, Sohyeon repeatedly nodded.
Seeing this, Sohyonghwa realized the two were now speaking via telepathy.
‘Why are they being so secretive when I’m the only one here?’
From her perspective, everything was shrouded in mystery.
The identity of the old man. Her father’s behavior.
“Ah, that could work.”
“It’s not could, it will.”
When the old man spoke with certainty, Sohyeon no longer doubted.
If he said it so firmly, it must be true.
“Understood. I’ll proceed with it then.”
“I’m entrusting this to you, Valley Leader So. Then I’ll return when the Dragon Bone Cavern is breached. And don’t forget—this must be done before the Murim Reorganization Tournament begins.”
Though it sounded like a reminder, his tone left no room for refusal.
“Understood.”
Even so, Sohyeon responded politely.
“Then I’ll be off.”
Like a man out for a stroll, the old man slowly descended the valley.