Chapter 128 : The Secret Beneath the Stairs
Chapter 128: The Secret Beneath the Stairs
The Twin Might of the Moon Sword who had withdrawn from the Yeonryuk Merchant Guild did not immediately return to Hainan.
It was because of what they had heard from the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
<The Wave Sword Venerable led Living Zombies.>
It was something I had heard more than once since setting foot on the mainland. Even so, I had not believed it. It had been a ridiculous story.
Not someone else, but my own father—the Wave Sword Venerable—commanding Living Zombies?
I had never heard of such a thing, nor had we ever spoken of the possibility that he could create something like that.
But having heard the same words even from the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, I could not simply ignore it.
At the very least, the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult as I had seen him was not someone who would spout nonsense.
Thus, after withdrawing to Guangdong, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword stayed in an unnamed mountain deep in the wilderness. While tending to the wounded, I dispatched subordinates who could move freely and gathered information.
Rather than returning to Hainan empty-handed, I intended to at least grasp some concrete truth about the Wave Sword Venerable before going back.
Yet the only information I could seize through such efforts was that my father had truly led Living Zombies and slaughtered innocent lives.
According to the rumors, while wreaking havoc across the Central Plains alongside the Living Zombies, the Wave Sword Venerable had vanished without a trace.
However, the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult had acknowledged that he himself had killed him.
Putting it together, the Wave Sword Venerable, who had attacked sects and commoners of the Central Plains while leading Living Zombies, had clashed with the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult and been slain.
The problem was that it was the Wave Sword Venerable who had struck first.
The entire world knew it—my father was in the Transcendent Realm, while the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult was a Manifestation Realm master in name and truth, even called the number one under heaven.
Would my father not have known that?
No. He had known.
‘Then why?’
Unaware that just before his clash with Yul Han, the Wave Sword Venerable had stepped into the Manifestation Realm while entangled in the schemes of the Namgung Clan, I could not unravel the doubt.
Thus, the more information I gathered, the deeper the furrow between my brows grew.
In the inner depths of the Namgung Clan, the Clan Head was receiving a report from a subordinate.
“The ones who were beaten back and withdrew are staying in an unnamed wild mountain in Guangdong.”
“They remain in Guangdong instead of returning to Hainan?”
“Yes. They have dispatched subordinates and are tracking the movements of the Wave Sword Venerable.”
“Tracking the movements of a dead man. Is there any chance the Wave Sword Venerable possessed something like a method for creating Living Zombies?”
“Nothing of the sort was found on the corpse.”
“Emperor Salyejin. Is there a possibility that man took it?”
“As we do not know what occurred immediately afterward, we cannot completely deny it. However, considering that no information regarding it has leaked from the Bright Cult at all…”
“The likelihood is low?”
“Yes. That is our judgment.”
“Hm… Who would know about that?”
“Well, only we…”
At the subordinate’s answer, the Namgung Clan Head wore a meaningful smile.
“Spread some rumors.”
Though he had said only that, the subordinate smiled as if he understood everything.
“Understood. I shall spread word that the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult has obtained the Living Corpse Revivification Art.”
At the plausible name “Living Corpse Revivification Art” created on the spot, the Namgung Clan Head showed a satisfied smile.
“Good. But instead of the Vice Cult Leader, point to someone else.”
“If another, then whom do you mean?”
“The Profound Demon? No, the Iron Demon would be better. The simpler they are, the more mistakes they make.”
“You intend to sow internal strife.”
“Me? What are you talking about? I did nothing. It is merely that the rumors say so.”
At the sight of the Namgung Clan Head even waving his hand as if to dismiss such nonsense, the subordinate smiled faintly.
“Yes. That is correct. The rumors said so. The rumors. Then I shall go and set those convincing rumors into motion.”
“Do so. After all, information is best when known by many.”
“Yes, Clan Head.”
After the subordinate bowed and left, a man in a green robe entered.
The Clan Head asked him, “Your training?”
“The results are still insufficient. It seems medicinal elixirs are indeed necessary.”
To the man in the green robe—Namgung Hun—the Clan Head said,
“I will make arrangements, so prepare only three.”
“Will three pills truly be possible?”
“Shaolin is not the Shaolin of the past. There is nothing money cannot accomplish there.”
“But the Abbot…”
“Does any sect run solely on its Abbot? There is always a way. There is always a move to make.”
“Yes. Then I shall eagerly await the news my elder brother brings.”
Leaving only those words behind, Namgung Hun turned away. He had been entrusted with training the martial artists of their clan in secret manuals siphoned from the Martial Alliance.
At present, over a hundred promising talents had been assigned to that task.
The day they fully mastered those secret manuals, the Namgung Clan would stand tall in the Martial World as a perfect martial family.
For that day, there was nothing they would not do.
Steeling his resolve, the Namgung Clan Head hurriedly prepared to set out.
There was much to ready if he intended to go to Shaolin and secure Great Reversion Pills.
After parting from the Clan Head, Namgung Hun received a letter.
It had come from Jegal Giyeon, who was serving as a Strategist in the Martial Alliance.
“Why would my cousin…?”
The contents were simple.
<Gapsin Day, Hour of the Pig. Myohyang Garden. Jihwa>
Gapsin Day meant three days remained.
Myohyang Garden was the name they had given in their youth while sneaking into pleasure houses behind the elders’ backs—it referred to the Hyanghwa Pavilion in Suzhou.
‘Jihwa…’
She had been one of the courtesans who attended them at the Hyanghwa Pavilion.
If I recalled correctly, she had been paired with Jegal Giyeon. She had been so beautiful that I had felt envious.
“Is he telling me to meet that girl?”
Tilting my head, Namgung Hun left the Namgung Clan at once.
After all, my cousin had always been closer to me than even my own elder brother, the Clan Head.
Suzhou.
A city famed for its many waterways, and along with Hangzhou counted as one of the two great cities of beauty and fragrance.
Its scenery was so exquisite that many visitors came, and as pleasure houses multiplied to receive them, it had earned renown as a city of sensual delight.
Walking along a street lined with large and beautiful pleasure houses befitting that fame was Namgung Hun.
Among them, he entered one bearing the signboard of Hyanghwa Pavilion.
“Welcome!”
Guided by a warmly greeting attendant, Namgung Hun entered a private room and soon sat face-to-face with a middle-aged retired courtesan.
“Good heavens! Young Master Namgung!”
“Oh! Well, if it isn’t Woonghwa?”
“Oh, really now! I told you I dislike being called Woonghwa!”
At the retired courtesan’s nasal protest, so ill-suited to her age, Namgung Hun burst into hearty laughter.
He had teased her by calling her Woonghwa because she had grown stout like a bear. The plump body was no different now than it had been over a decade ago.
“By the way, are you still here?”
“Where would retired courtesans like us go? We simply grow old and die here.”
“What a sorrowful thing to say.”
“All the more reason to enjoy ourselves while we can. Whom shall I call for you? Ihwa, whom you used to spend time with, has taken off her courtesan’s plaque and left the house.”
“Oh? Is that so? It seems something good happened to her.”
“Yes. She met a fine merchant and entered as his secondary wife. For women like us, that is the best possible outcome.”
“That is fortunate.”
“Then shall I call for a courtesan just as beautiful as Ihwa—”
“Call for Jihwa.”
At Namgung Hun’s words, the expression of the retired courtesan called Woonghwa stiffened.
“Y-Young Master!”
“Am I still a young master? I have already reached forty.”
“T-This humble one has misspoken, Great Hero. Jihwa… that will be difficult.”
“Why? Has she too settled her affairs and entered as someone’s secondary wife?”
“N-no, that is not it. Jihwa has become the Pavilion Lord.”
“The Pavilion Lord? Surely not of this Hyanghwa Pavilion?”
“Yes. That is how it turned out.”
At Woonghwa’s words, Namgung Hun first looked surprised, then slowly formed a pleased smile.
“That too is good news. It gladdens my heart. Then send word, if you would. Tell her that Namgung Hun, an acquaintance from the past, wishes to see Jihwa.”
He had not insisted on conveying it that way merely to exchange pleasantries.
The cousin he knew—Jegal Giyeon—was not someone who would do something without reason.
He was not called a once-in-a-millennium genius for nothing.
If he had specifically named Jihwa, there had to be a reason.
That was why he had asked for her.
At Namgung Hun’s request, Woonghwa made an awkward expression and asked him to wait a moment before leaving.
A short while later—
The door opened, and the one who entered was Jihwa, as beautiful as ever—so beautiful that in his youth he had felt jealous when she had been paired with his cousin.
Woonghwa, her eyes wide in astonishment as though surprised that Jihwa herself had stepped into a guest room, closed the door. Jihwa then seated herself gracefully.
“It has been a long time, Great Hero.”
“It seems time has passed everyone by but the Pavilion Lord. How is it that you have not changed at all? Ha ha ha.”
“You flatter me. And Great Hero Namgung remains just as sharp and discerning as in the past.”
“Ha ha ha. Look at us, sitting here gilding each other’s faces with praise. Even so, it makes me glad. It must mean the past was beautiful.”
“The days of youth are always missed.”
“Indeed. Youth is something one longs for.”
Jihwa gazed steadily at Namgung Hun as though tracing memories of the past, then spoke.
“I am pleased to see a familiar face. However, given the reputation you now hold, you would not have come merely to reminisce about old ties.”
“My elder cousin, Jegal Giyeon, told me to come here. It is not yet the Hour of the Pig—am I early?”
“The Hour of the Pig! Did Great Hero Jegal Giyeon send such a letter?”
“He did. Gapsin Day, Hour of the Pig. He told me to meet you here.”
At Namgung Hun’s reply, Jihwa rose to her feet.
“Please come with me. I shall escort you.”
Sensing at once that there was something more, Namgung Hun stood without hesitation.
As the two left the room, Woonghwa approached.
“Why…?”
“I shall escort him to the separate residence.”
For an instant, Woonghwa’s eyes widened. Jihwa, the Pavilion Lord, called her in a heavy voice.
“Mother Woong!”
Startled back to her senses at being addressed so by the Pavilion Lord, Woonghwa quickly replied,
“Ah! Yes. I shall lead the way. This way, please.”
Following Woonghwa, Jihwa and Namgung Hun proceeded.
They wound their way through the corridors of the inner chambers, turning again and again.
After such a convoluted path that no one unfamiliar with it could possibly find the way, they arrived before a staircase leading underground.
He had thought that a separate residence might be an annex built upon an artificial hill in the courtyard, yet suddenly a staircase descending below ground appeared. Namgung Hun’s gaze sharpened.
“Where does this staircase lead?”
“It connects to a place prepared by Great Hero Jegal Giyeon. You will understand once you descend.”
With those words, Jihwa stepped aside. Namgung Hun asked,
“Will you not come down as well?”
“It is a place not permitted to someone like me. Please go down, Great Hero.”
At Jihwa’s repeated urging, Namgung Hun finally placed his foot upon the staircase leading underground.
Even for one like him, who had cultivated internal energy and could move within darkness, the bottom was utterly invisible—so deep and dark it was.
He began descending slowly.
The staircase was deep and long.
Even after what felt like a considerable descent, it continued without end.
As Namgung Hun descended the seemingly endless steps, an expression of sudden realization crossed his face.
This was a secret space brazenly constructed within a pleasure house by Jegal Giyeon, the once-in-a-millennium genius.
He would not have left such a place without safeguards.
‘A formation!’
Having grasped the true nature of the endlessly continuing staircase, Namgung Hun focused his mind.
If he had been summoned here, then it was certain a formation had been laid that he could decipher.
Then Namgung Hun struck his knee lightly.
“Gapsin Day, Hour of the Pig!”
To designate a specific time meant that a change would occur at that hour.
“The time I entered the Hyanghwa Pavilion…”
As he retraced his memory to estimate the present time, light began to glow behind him.