Chapter 32
So-ah’s daily life was extremely monotonous.
But such a life was not all bad.
Because his grandfather’s traces still remained here and there in the estate.
In the midst of such a boring life, a thought suddenly crossed So-ah’s mind.
‘The gift that Grandpa Wi-ji gave me…’
It was the gift that the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un, had given to So-ah during his lifetime, the <Map of the Ghost Valley Mountain Manor>.
So-ah immediately went into his room and took out the golden parchment.
On the surface of the parchment, the words <Map of the Ghost Valley Mountain Manor> were written in a vigorous and flowing script.
At a glance, it looked like a rare item.
‘Why did Grandpa Wi-ji give me such a precious gift…’
So-ah soon unfolded the rolled-up parchment.
At that, a content that made the word “map” meaningless was revealed.
—To the one who overcomes the trial of the first room, the ‘Taiqing Wuji Divine Pill’ will be given.
To overcome the trial of the first room, one must have an internal energy of at least 5 jiazi and have attained the enlightenment of the Five Qi Returning to the Origin and the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit.
But even for one who has reached such a realm of creation, there is no guarantee that they will overcome the trial of the first room.
He who wishes to obtain the treasure must be willing to risk his life.
The first passage of the parchment was written like that.
It was bewildering.
Because it was just a treasure map in name, and there was no drawing or location of any terrain written on it.
Instead, only an unknown content with the unfamiliar word “first room” was written, so he thought it was a questionable item.
But So-ah continued to read the passage.
—To the one who overcomes the trial of the second room, the ‘Vajra Bronze Man Divine Pill’ will be given.
To overcome the trial of the second room, one must have an internal energy of at least 7 jiazi and have attained the enlightenment of reaching the peak.
But even for one who has reached such a profound realm, there is no guarantee that they will overcome the trial of the second room.
He who wishes to obtain the treasure must be willing to risk his life.
This time, too, the content was similar to the first passage.
But So-ah still could not understand the words of the passage.
Then he read the next character.
—To the one who overcomes the trial of the third room, the ‘Ten Thousand Streams Returning to the Origin Divine Pill’ will be given.
To overcome the trial of the third room, one must have an internal energy of at least 10 jiazi and have attained the enlightenment of the great nature.
But even for one who has reached such a realm of life and death, there is no guarantee that they will overcome the trial of the third room.
He who wishes to obtain the treasure must be willing to risk his life.
‘Great nature, realm of life and death. There’s no way I can reach such a realm, right? Grandpa Wi-ji said he was in the realm of life and death, so I won’t be able to reach it even if I practice martial arts until I die.’
“Sigh…”
So-ah let out a sigh.
Since Wi-ji Un and Wi-ji Chan had emphasized it, he had thought that a great treasure map would be drawn, but since only absurd passages were engraved, a sigh naturally came out.
And the last passage.
Although he was not very curious, So-ah decided to read until the last passage.
—If the one who has obtained this heavenly secret book overcomes all the trials, he will become the greatest of all time and will be the one who splits the sea and opens the heavenly gate.
You are the one chosen by the Ghost Valley.
Knocking on the door that does not open depends solely on your choice.
He had read until the last character, but the location of the <Ghost Valley Mountain Manor> was still not there.
So-ah stared blankly at the map for a moment with a disappointed expression.
In that moment.
A strange thing happened.
The parchment had caught fire.
The strange thing was that the fire was not an ordinary flame but a green-colored fire. So-ah, who was surprised, ended up dropping the parchment from his grasp.
“Oops!”
At that, the parchment burned brightly in the air and then suddenly disappeared, leaving only a wisp of smoke like a mirage.
“Gasp…”
So-ah barely managed to calm his heart.
It was a rare event that made his heart pound.
‘What was that…’
At that time, So-ah did not know that this map of the Ghost Valley Mountain Manor would have a profound influence on his life.
***
“I have come to see the family head.”
“And who might you be?”
“I am a person named Yi Gwak from the Jongnam Sect, and I am currently serving as a first-class official of the Martial Alliance.”
A guest had come to the Moyong Family residence.
It was Yi Gwak, who was active as a trusted subordinate of the Martial Alliance Leader, Ha Won-sang.
At his appearance, the chief steward performed a respectful bow and guided him to the family head’s room.
A little later…
Moyong Baek served expensive Longjing tea and treated Yi Gwak with great hospitality.
“I was planning to visit the Martial Alliance sometime soon, but I am grateful for your visit. I have been so busy with family affairs since my father passed away that I am only now meeting you, Great Hero Yi.”
‘To be so polite even though he is the head of the Moyong family. He is a person of excellent character!’
Yi Gwak thought.
Usually, those who were the heads of famous martial families were as arrogant as could be.
Although he was an official of the Martial Alliance and the first disciple of the Jongnam Sect, his fame could not be compared to that of the head of a famous martial family.
At least one had to be an elder of the Jongnam Sect to be on par with the heads of martial families like the Tang, Zhuge, Moyong, Namgung, Ximen, Paeng, Eon, and Huangbo families.
But Moyong Baek was different.
He greeted him politely and respectfully, as if he were treating him as a superior.
Therefore, Yi Gwak felt a sense of favor towards Moyong Baek.
“For the head of the great Moyong family to be so kind to me. I am truly overwhelmed with emotion.”
Yi Gwak got up from his seat and performed a cupped fist salute.
At that, Moyong Baek also performed a cupped fist salute and smiled.
“Haha, Great Hero Yi. Why are you doing this? Although I am older, aren’t you visiting as an official of the Martial Alliance? It is only right that I treat you with great hospitality.”
Yi Gwak, who was moved by Moyong Baek’s attitude, decided to give him some harsh advice without reservation.
Because he thought that was the way to help Moyong Baek.
***
“Hmm…”
Moyong Baek, with his chin resting on his hand, let out a troubled sigh.
It was because he had heard from Yi Gwak about the letters that had recently been sent to the Martial Alliance.
“Family Head. I know you must be very worried. But you must judge the situation calmly. As you know, the Jianghu is a place that operates on the logic of power. In the meantime, the Moyong Family has been considered the best martial family in name and reality, but the absence of the God of War will be a fatal weakness. Currently, compared to other families, you have not nurtured new masters, and there are almost no key masters who can represent the family.”
It was a painful thing to say.
But it was true.
Rather, Moyong Baek was grateful that Yi Gwak had spoken frankly.
“You are right. Our family has relied on my father alone until now. In fact, if it weren’t for my father, we would not have been able to be listed as one of the Five Great Families in the first place.”
“Family Head…”
“Of course, the family’s martial arts are not weak. However, since my father’s generation, there has been no outstanding talent, so it has become like this.”
“But you can’t lose the status of one of the Five Great Families just like this, can you?”
“Great Hero Yi…”
“That’s why, after consulting with the Alliance Leader, the Martial Alliance has come to offer you a few proposals.”
“What kind of proposals?”
“First, send your rising generation to the White Martial Academy. Coincidentally, among the eight great martial families, only the Moyong Family has not enrolled their rising generation. There is a lot of talk about that from other martial families. Along with the rumor that the younger generation’s power is non-existent.”
“Aha…”
“In addition, you and the key masters of the Moyong family will also perform a few missions as members of the Martial Alliance. You will immediately receive the qualification of a special-class official, and the other key figures will also be given the qualification of a high-class official, so it will not look bad.”
“Good. But I am worried. I and the key figures of the family have lived as members of the Alliance in our youth, so there will be no problem. But the children have often been checked by other martial families since they were young, so I had no intention of enrolling them in the White Martial Academy.”
“Is there anything to worry about? Doesn’t the Moyong Family have the best rising star in the world? It will shake the entire Orthodox Path right away.”
Moyong Baek immediately understood Yi Gwak’s words.
‘He’s talking about So-ah.’
But for some reason, Moyong Baek shook his head.
Then he continued to speak softly.
“Great Hero Yi.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“I am grateful for the proposal, but I don’t know if it is actually possible.”
“Family Head…”
“As you know, So-ah has a unique status. Although he is young, he is the top disciple of my father, who was the Grand Elder of our family. So, to be precise, his seniority can be considered similar to mine. Therefore, no matter how good the proposal is, if So-ah himself dislikes it, no one can force him.”
“Aha… come to think of it, that’s right.”
“Also, this is… a bit difficult for me to say…”
“What is it…?”
“Our So-ah is not a child who is suitable for the White Martial Academy.”
“Yes?”
“Honestly, So-ah’s martial arts will be stronger than the instructors of the White Martial Academy. No, what are instructors? He will not be far behind even compared to the head of the White Martial Academy, the head of the Namgung Family, Great Hero Namgung Won.”
‘What on earth is this person…’
Yi Gwak was so dumbfounded for a moment that he could not say anything.
“It was three years ago.”
“Family Head…”
“Do you remember that one of the Twin Demon Geezers, the Right Heavenly Demon Sword, No Yeong-myeong, appeared in Liaoning?”
“Of course.”
“You must have also heard that So-ah faced him at that time?”
“I did hear. But the young man named So-ah was almost killed by No Yeong-myeong’s attack at that time, and he was saved by the Beggars’ Sect Chief, Great Hero Hong In-geol…”
“He survived.”
“Yes?”
“So-ah survived from the grasp of the Right Heavenly Demon Sword, No Yeong-myeong.”
“That’s…”
“No Yeong-myeong blocked the joint attack of Great Hero Hong In-geol, the esteemed Sword Empress, the masters of the Wudang Sect, and the masters of the Qingcheng Sect, as well as the masters of the Liaoning branch of the Martial Alliance, and myself, killed seven of them, and then leisurely escaped.”
At Moyong Baek’s words, Yi Gwak felt a chill run down his spine.
Although he knew the story about No Yeong-myeong, when he heard that terrifying story again, he was horrified.
“But even such a monster, at the time of his escape, had lost one eye.”
“Ah…”
“Do you know who plucked out that eye?”
“Don’t tell me…”
“That’s right. It’s that ‘don’t tell me’.”
“…”
“The one who plucked out the eye of the Right Heavenly Demon Sword, No Yeong-myeong, was none other than So-ah.”
“I really… can’t believe it.”
“For such a So-ah to receive teachings from the instructors at the White Martial Academy? How can it not be absurd?”
“That’s certainly true…”
“So what should I do about this? There are only a few new members of our family who are suitable for enrolling in the White Martial Academy, and none of them are outstanding in martial arts. Rather, I am worried that they will be looked down upon by other martial families.”
“Hmm…”
Yi Gwak racked his brains.
To quell the complaints of other martial families, the appearance of a young master from the Moyong family who could play an active role in the White Martial Academy was necessary.
Of course, there was the primitive and simple method of a martial arts tournament, but Yi Gwak judged that the Moyong Family, which was absolutely lacking in the number of masters, could not handle not only the current Five Great Families but also the Eight Great Families.
“Family Head. How about this?”
“Do you have a good idea?”
“Instead of enrolling the young man named So-ah as a student of the White Martial Academy, we enroll him as an instructor.”
“An… an instructor, you say?”
“That is correct.”
“Is that possible? There will be a considerable number of students in the White Martial Academy who are older than So-ah. Let alone an instructor… there will be a lot of opposition and exclusion.”
“That is true.”
“Besides, would the head of the White Martial Academy, Great Hero Namgung, even approve of such a thing? I don’t think he would accept it.”
“Don’t worry about that problem. Great Hero Namgung will have no choice but to accept it.”
“How so…?”
“I heard that the young man So-ah has deep connections with the prominent seniors of the Jianghu.”
“That is certainly true. The esteemed Sword Empress and Chief Hong have been fond of So-ah since he was young.”
“If there are letters of recommendation from the Sword Empress, Hong-ryeon, the Beggars’ Sect Chief, Hong In-geol, and the Martial Alliance Leader, Ha Won-sang. Who in the world could oppose him?”
“Ah…!”
(End of Chapter)