Chapter 72
'Was it just a junior sect leader competition in name, and was the real intention to kill everyone who came here? Since not all the junior lords participated here anyway, did the Sect Leader actually have other people in mind?'
Ya Socheong sighed inwardly.
The people here would probably rush into the madmen of Cheonbong Mountain without even knowing that.
And when other people found the painting and brought it out, they would only be thinking of taking it and bringing it to the Sect Leader.
Ya Socheong's head became complicated from then on.
He felt like his head would burst, wondering if there was anyone among the people here who would listen to his words, and even if there was such a person, how he could persuade them.
'The fact that Dan Mok-hwawun first mentioned Cheonbong Mountain must have been because he had heard it from the Sect Leader. Dan Mok-hwawun probably thought that the Sect Leader had told him because he cherished him, but from the beginning, the Sect Leader had intended to abandon Dan Mok-hwawun as well. Why wouldn't he? The Sect Leader was also greedy for power, and since he was trying to take Baek Yuhwa as his wife, he must have thought that he had a lot of time left. So he might have tried to eliminate the older junior lords who would be a threat to him in advance.'
The fight for the Sect Leader's successor did not seem to be much different from the strife in the imperial family.
Thinking that he had to get a little closer to at least one of the junior lords before entering Cheonbong Mountain, Ya Socheong looked for an opportunity from then on.
It might seem strange to people that he was suddenly changing direction when he had shown no such signs until now, but there was nothing to be picky about if he wanted to live.
'The person whose intentions are easiest to see through is Dan Mok-heukya.'
Since his intentions were easy to see through, it seemed that it would be easiest to use him.
Thinking that he should give it a try, whether it worked or not, Ya Socheong looked for an opportunity and then approached Dan Mok-heukya.
Dan Mok-heukya looked at Ya Socheong approaching as if it were strange.
And yet, he seemed to think that he probably didn't have anything to say to him.
He was not a person who stood out among his other brothers, and there had also been an incident where he had lost many of his subordinates after sending people to the Nether Shadow Faction.
The others already seemed to know that, and because of that, he was in a state of being quite discouraged.
Ya Socheong also thought that he would be ignored because of that, so he had been thinking of trying to gain the upper hand, but that also didn't seem easy, so he had been quietly looking for an opportunity.
But when Ya Socheong approached him first, he became nervous, wondering why.
"I have heard a lot about you, junior lord, from my close friend, Pae Maseong. Pae Maseong praised your swordsmanship a lot."
"Pae Ma...seong, you say?"
Dan Mok-heukya had also heard a lot about Pae Maseong.
Since he was said to be a talent that came once in a thousand years, Dan Mok-heukya himself had also watched Pae Maseong from a distance.
To be honest, Dan Mok-heukya didn't know what was so great about Pae Maseong, but since people praised him in unison, he also agreed.
Hearing that that Pae Maseong had talked about him, the corners of his mouth immediately went up.
Ya Socheong, looking at such a Dan Mok-heukya, thought that he was certainly simple.
"He never said such a thing to me."
"He said that since there were always people around you, junior lord, it was difficult to approach you and speak to you. So he was very sorry about that. He considered it a great honor to have been able to see your swordsmanship from a distance and told me about it several times."
"Did he really say that?"
Dan Mok-heukya reacted just as Ya Socheong had wanted.
He had never heard such a thing from anyone about his swordsmanship until now, and there had been no such thing among his brothers.
That's why he hoped that Ya Socheong would not end the story so briefly.
"Where did he say he saw me?"
He asked, hoping that Ya Socheong would not end the story just like that.
"I did not hear that far. I think it's because he thought I wouldn't understand even if he told me. I think Pae Maseong didn't say it because he thought I would be envious of such a thing. Pae Maseong is deep in thought and very considerate."
"I see. When you go back, you can come to my quarters with me. I will invite you. It would be good to have a spar in my training ground, but what do you think, Faction Leader Ya?"
"If you do that, I would be happy, of course. Isn't Pae Maseong a child whom many people praise for his martial talent? Since that Pae Maseong had never praised another person's swordsmanship so much until now, I wanted to see it up close."
"I see, hahaha!"
Dan Mok-heukya could not hide his happy heart and laughed loudly.
While the two were talking, the junior lords other than Dan Mok-heukya had suspicious eyes, wondering what Ya Socheong was up to.
It was obvious that he was trying to win Dan Mok-heukya's favor by saying things that no one would believe, so it was inevitable that they would be concerned.
Ya Socheong thought that it was so easy to handle Dan Mok-heukya that he was about to let out a hollow laugh.
He wondered if it was possible for someone's intentions to be so transparent.
"From now on, let's have our meals with me. You probably didn't bring much money, and since you have no one to attend to you, you must have many inconveniences in living. In any case, it won't be difficult for the people who followed me to take care of one more person, Faction Leader Ya, so always stay by my side and go around with me."
"Thank you for your consideration. It seems I am benefiting from my close friend."
"Why would that be the merit of your close friend? I have also heard many stories about Faction Leader Ya. Since my father also recognized Faction Leader Ya's martial prowess early on, didn't he call you to the junior sect leader competition? He must have wanted us to learn many things from you while going around with you."
"Thank you for saying so."
At first, Dan Mok-heukya had only been thinking of creating a trap for Ya Socheong and how to make him fall into it, but once Ya Socheong praised him, he completely changed.
And he showed him all the kindness he could.
The road to Cheonbong Mountain was long and boring, and everyone was getting tired, but Dan Mok-heukya was full of energy alone.
"I have heard many stories about Faction Leader Ya. But since it was something I had heard from people, there was always a sense of regret. It is a fate that we have come to go together like this, so wouldn't it be okay if Faction Leader Ya told me the story himself? Was it Mohwa Mountain Manor? How about we start with that story? And I also want to hear the story of catching Danli Cheon."
Ya Socheong realized that the other junior lords were turning their horses' heads and getting a little closer to them.
Although they did not actively join in the conversation between the two, they seemed to be very interested.
Ya Socheong, feeling that things were going as he had thought, continued to talk.
For now, he did not actively try to draw in the other junior lords.
Until he became definitely close with Dan Mok-heukya, he intended to treat him specially.
While talking about Mohwa Mountain Manor, the junior lords were greatly surprised and concentrated on what Ya Socheong was saying.
And Dan Mok-cheongyeong was genuinely sorry, asking if they had destroyed all the Blood Flesh Herbs at that time without leaving a single one.
"Don't you know how to make it? It would be good if there were at least seeds left. If we go near there, wouldn't we be able to get some seeds?"
And he continued to show his lingering attachment and expressed great interest.
"That will probably be difficult. And since the Blood Flesh Herb is so dangerous, it seemed that the Blood Flesh Herb was controlling the people, not the other way around. Moreover, since they also moved, even if we kept them safely, we couldn't guarantee that they were safe."
"I see."
"How much must it have been that even the manor lord wanted to get rid of it all? The manor lord's appearance as he was dying looked truly miserable."
Seeing that Ya Socheong was responding well to Danli Cheongyeong's words, the other junior lords also asked what they were curious about.
At that time, Ya Socheong answered sincerely.
Then Ya Socheong brought up the story of Danli Cheon.
When the story of the third prince came up, the junior lords, who had been so arrogant until then, pricked up their ears and concentrated.
No matter how much they put on airs and held their heads high, pretending to be the most noble people in the world, that was only something that was accepted within the Heavenly Demon Sect.
When they went outside, the emperor ruled, and even the Heavenly Demon Sect had no choice but to submit to his rule.
Even if they were junior lords, they were beings who could only become infinitely small when compared to the princes.
Ya Socheong, watching the atmosphere, brought up the story when he thought it would be good to talk about his friendship with the fifth prince.
The junior lords had a slightly suspicious expression, wondering if Ya Socheong was really on such terms with the fifth prince that they could talk about such things.
At that time, the person who stepped up most actively was Dan Mok-heukya.
Since he was already a person who had been acknowledged by Ya Socheong, it would not be of any harm to him to praise Ya Socheong.
Rather, thinking that his reputation could be raised if it was said that he had been acknowledged by Ya Socheong, who had a friendship with the fifth prince, he enthusiastically agreed with Ya Socheong's words, saying that it was very plausible.
"It seems that Faction Leader Ya certainly has a knack for attracting people."
Dan Mok-cheongyeong also said that and showed his favor towards Ya Socheong.
It seemed that since he was still young, he had a naive side.
Dan Mok-seol seemed to be reserving her judgment, and Dan Mok-hwawun's inner thoughts could not be known.
Ya Socheong did not stop there.
The reason he had been talking so much until now was because of the story he was about to tell.
"But at that time, His Highness the Fifth Prince told me a strange story. His Highness is very interested in the martial world, so he knows a lot about the affairs of the martial world. At that time, the story of Cheonbong Mountain came up. When I first heard the story of Cheonbong Mountain, I thought I had heard it somewhere, and it seems that it was the story that came out then."
When Ya Socheong said that, the junior lords' eyes widened.
Ya Socheong thought that he had done well to draw in the fifth prince.
If it was a story that the fifth prince had told, no matter how much they were junior lords, they would not be able to dismiss the story as absurd.
For now, they would at least pretend to listen to what Ya Socheong was saying, and Ya Socheong felt that that was enough for now.
It was truly a feeling of grasping at straws.
"What did His Highness the Prince say about Cheonbong Mountain?"
When Dan Mok-hwawun asked, Ya Socheong began the story he had prepared.
When his story was over, the junior lords were lost in thought without saying anything.
They must have been so overwhelmed by the story they had heard that they couldn't think of anything to say.
If that story was true, they would not be able to break through Cheonbong Mountain even if they went, and they must have all realized that the possibility of coming out alive was low.
(End of Chapter)