Sword God Reborn

Chapter 32 : As a Senior in the Martial World, I'll Tell You

"No."

"Then who will go?"

"I, the Vice Chief, must go!"

"Then who will protect the escort agency?"

"It's right for you to protect it and for me to go."

"Sister."

"Mubaeck!"

Cheon Mubaeck stared intently. He looked at Cheon Yuhwa.

Cheon Yuhwa's face, which was full of fatigue from not being able to sleep for the past few days, looked much more listless than before.

It couldn't be helped.

'My father has been detained.'

Was it just his father?

Half of the escort warriors had been detained. Hadn't the families of the escort warriors who had heard the news rushed over and wailed?

It was a pressure that was difficult for one person to handle.

But even so, Cheon Yuhwa had overcome it.

After hearing the news that Cheon Mungyeong had been detained, she had been sick in bed for just one day.

She had gotten up the next day and immediately dealt with the backlogged work.

From that sight, Cheon Mubaeck had felt Cheon Yuhwa's strong will.

If she continued to protect the Azure Star Escort Agency Agency, it was clear that things would go as Cheon Mubaeck intended.

'A place where I can always come back and rest.'

That alone was enough.

It just had to be strong and not collapse.

Now was the time for Cheon Mubaeck to move for the escort agency.

"I know nothing about the escort agency's business. But I can go to Shaolin and save my detained father and the escort warriors."

"Do you think it's as easy as it sounds?"

"Sister, everyone has their own talents and skills. You have a natural talent for running the escort agency, but I have other skills. Like now."

"...?"

Cheon Yuhwa blinked her eyes a few times.

At first, she wondered what he was saying, but she soon understood and sighed inwardly.

A soft smile appeared on Cheon Mubaeck's lips.

Seeing that smile, her heart, which had been burning with worry and pain, felt as if it were quickly calming down.

It was strange.

That smile had always stolen people's gazes and even their hearts, but now it was a little different.

A warm and soft energy.

It felt as if such an energy was surrounding her.

Of course, Cheon Yuhwa could not know exactly what it was.

'The internal energy of Shaolin is like a dragon in front of demons, but it is infinitely comfortable for good people.'

Although it was not the internal energy of Shaolin, its direction was not wrong.

Cheon Mubaeck's Heaven-Shaking Soul Art was basically based on the internal energy of Taoism and Buddhism. On top of that, since he had taken the Clear Spirit Pill at the Black Heart Gang, that energy had become even stronger.

"Certainly... no one will scold you from the first meeting."

Cheon Yuhwa nodded her head with a somewhat weak voice.

In any case, this was a matter that had to be explained and persuaded.

Since the opponent was Shaolin, they would not do anything that the martial world would tremble at.

Cheon Mubaeck, of course, did not spit out the thoughts in his head.

'Since the energy of subduing demons has become stronger, if a demon sees it, they will tremble and attack with a sword.'

And he might meet a demon on this trip to the martial world.

At least the Soul Sucking Demonic Art of the Blood Demon Sect was a demonic art, and the Blood Ghost Valley behind it was also presumed to be a branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult or new demons.

So this matter was not just about explaining to Shaolin.

'In fact, that's not a simple thing either.'

That Shaolin had detained them.

Righteous and just, and still remembered by the people of the martial world as the Shaolin that had stood at the forefront of the righteous-demonic war 40 years ago.

Since such a Shaolin had detained them, there must be evidence to be suspicious of. So it was not an easy matter to explain.

But.

'Shaolin...'

A calm smile appeared on Cheon Mubaeck's lips.

'Who else knows more about Shaolin than the abbot of Shaolin, besides me?'

Cheon Mubaeck's eyes sparkled.

* * *

Neung-heo crossed his arms and stood with one leg forward.

"I don't understand a single thing."

"What."

"It's natural for my lord to go. Yes. Of course. But why am I going?"

"Neung-heo, you mix informal and formal speech strangely well."

"My lord, there is a thing called seniority."

"A young brat talks a lot. Your tongue seems to be short, so should I just pull it out?"

"So I will follow my lord's words."

"..."

The Azure Moon Faction escort warriors who were around all had surprised expressions.

They all knew what kind of person Neung-heo was.

Weren't they escort warriors who had occasionally visited the Lotus Pavilion when they had time?

The former general manager of the Lotus Pavilion, and the current Master of the Lotus Pavilion.

They knew to the extent that he was a vicious black-way member of the Black Heart Gang before.

His impression was also very rough, so he was not a person they wanted to get close to.

'To think that the Young Master brought the Lotus Pavilion in its entirety.'

'That rumor must have been true.'

'How did he handle that guy Neung-heo?'

'It's not just handling him. Did you see him call him 'my lord'?'

To be honest, although Neung-heo was grumbling, the sight of him tucking his tail like a wet mutt when Cheon Mubaeck glared at him once was shocking.

"You guys, are you ready?"

At that moment, Heo Seong came up and said. At Heo Seong's words, the escort warriors moved quickly.

There were no porters.

Because this was not an escort mission.

The escort warriors completed their preparations with familiar movements.

"We're going to Mount Song. Our mission is to assist the Young Master and protect his safety. Think of it as doing what we usually do, but with more focus."

"I understand."

Four Azure Moon Faction escort warriors, including Heo Seong.

Five escort warriors, Cheon Mubaeck, and even Neung-heo.

"Are you ready? Escort Warrior Heo?"

"Yes."

"Let's go. We don't have much time."

* * *

"Cheon Mubaeck has left Wonyang County with Neung-heo."

Around the time Cheon Mubaeck's carriage left the escort agency and was leaving Wonyang County.

Cheok, who was on a nearby mountain, bit his lip at his subordinate's report.

"Elder Yuk and my master have been defeated. It's not that escort warrior guy, Heo Seong. It's Cheon Mubaeck, that guy."

"Really... is it really that guy? Although I've only watched from a distance, he's just a brat with no internal energy at all."

Cheok shook his head.

The third elder of the Blood Demon Sect, Yuk Seong, and his master, Gu Jin-hae, had already been defeated.

At first, he had suspected Heo Seong, but in fact, that was not certain either.

Although Heo Seong had clearly become stronger recently, he could not have been a match for Yuk Seong and Gu Jin-hae before.

No, since it was the martial world, he could have won due to some variable. But could he have been so unscathed?

Also, could he have concealed the deaths of Yuk Seong and Gu Jin-hae without a sound?

That meant that he had killed them perfectly.

It was impossible with Heo Seong's ability.

What came into the eyes of Cheok, who was watching with such a suspicious gaze, was none other than Cheon Mubaeck.

"The place where my master and Elder Yuk died was the Lotus Pavilion, and from the time Cheon Mubaeck was associated with the Lotus Pavilion, Neung-heo became the general manager."

"..."

"And recently, the Ghost Sword Love of the Great Dragon Gang appeared at the Black Heart Gang with Neung-heo, killed the Black Heart Gang Master and the Vice-Master, and made Neung-heo the Master. But, according to what I've found out, the Ghost Sword Love died without taking a disciple. Then who could the Ghost Sword Love be? They said he was a very young-looking young man, a boy?"

"...Are you saying it's Cheon Mubaeck?"

"Right. He's just hiding his internal energy. It was probably him who killed Elder Yuk and my master."

At Cheok's analysis, the subordinate had a face that was hard to believe.

No matter how he looked at it, he just looked like a good-looking playboy.

But Cheok was convinced. The circumstances were so. Up until Neung-heo became the Black Heart Gang Master. Weren't Cheon Mubaeck's actions too closely connected?

"So I'll kill him."

Since Yuk Seong and Gu Jin-hae had been defeated, Cheok could not do anything to Cheon Mubaeck.

At best, he could probably kill Neung-heo.

"But it's different on the river. Foolish. If you fall into the water, even a supreme master can have his chest pierced by the harpoon of a mere water bandit."

Cheok's pupils glistened with killing intent.

"Are you ready?"

"All preparations are complete."

Cheok nodded his head and looked at the sky.

Although it was a warm sunlight without a single cloud.

For some reason, his mood was very dark.

It was then. A subordinate who had been watching Cheon Mubaeck from a distance for a long time came running with a bewildered face.

"The group has split into two!"

"What?"

"They've split into two groups, one group is going straight to Mount Song, and the rest have taken a completely different direction."

Cheok's brow narrowed.

This matter had to be carried out according to the set plan.

Variables could not be tolerated.

"Did Cheon Mubaeck go to Shaolin?"

"No. Heo Seong and his escort warriors headed to Shaolin, and Cheon Mubaeck headed to a different place with Neung-heo."

"The destination?"

"It is not yet possible to confirm where they are going."

"...Leave the Heo Seong guys and track Cheon Mubaeck."

"Yes!"

Cheok's face wrinkled slightly.

Although the sun was shining brightly in the sky, his heart was as dark as if it were covered by a dark cloud.

* * *

The escort warriors looked around with somewhat nervous expressions. From the moment they left Wonyang County, where the Azure Star Escort Agency was, their tension level had risen.

With the rumor that the plague was spreading recently, the number of refugees was increasing. So it was natural that there would be more mountain bandits or water bandits who were targeting them.

On the other hand, Cheon Mubaeck was still relaxed.

He looked as light as a person going on a trip to a nearby scenic spot.

At that sight, the escort warriors had confused expressions.

Although the previous Cheon Mubaeck was a naive young master who was not interested in the world and did not know the ways of the world.

But how surprised and moved had they been when such a young master had volunteered to go to Shaolin himself to save the Chief and the escort warriors?

The three escort warriors who had participated in this matter were all of the same age as Heo Seong or older.

They were all people who had seen Cheon Mubaeck since he had started walking on two feet.

So how surprised had they been when Cheon Mubaeck had recently learned martial arts and had even brought the Lotus Pavilion? On top of that, they were worried about him going out himself to save his father, but they were also secretly impressed.

But looking at his expression now, a slight sense of foreboding arose.

'Surely he's not thinking of this as just a trip, is he?'

'He's not thinking that the matter will be resolved with just a few words at Shaolin, is he?'

'I heard that he enjoys reading military tales... but this is not just a tale.'

Such concerns were understandable among the escort warriors.

Although Cheon Mubaeck had shown a changed appearance, he was still a young boy to the escort warriors.

On the contrary, wouldn't learning martial arts have been more of a poison?

There was a story that Heo Seong had bought him a few military tales in the past.

So wouldn't there have been talk among the escort warriors that it was a kind of competitive spirit, that he wanted to become a great martial artist himself after reading the military tales?

Moreover, it was Shaolin. If he was going to such a Shaolin without considering the seriousness of the matter?

But the fortunate thing was that Heo Seong was going with Cheon Mubaeck.

There was no way of knowing why Neung-heo had joined, but since Heo Seong, who was the strongest except for Jang-no, was with him, he would be able to get out of a crisis.

But the escort warriors' concerns were revealed in a completely different direction.

"We'll split up here."

"Pardon?"

It was a point not long after they had left the escort agency and Wonyang County.

Cheon Mubaeck stopped his horse and declared.

Split up.

Why were they splitting up here?

"Escort Warrior Heo, I'm counting on you."

"I will complete my mission even if it means my death."

"No, you don't have to die. Escort Warrior Heo. Although it may seem like the romance of the martial world to challenge a strong opponent with all your might, that's a dog's death. Do you understand?"

"...I understand."

Heo Seong ordered the three escort warriors under him with an impressed expression.

"You guys will follow me straight to Shaolin."

That was a natural thing.

Because the destination was Shaolin in the first place.

But the escort warriors were dumbfounded when they realized the hidden meaning in his words.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Where is the Young Master going?"

"I'll tell you the details on the way."

Heo Seong said calmly and firmly closed his mouth.

At the pressure that flowed from him for a moment, the escort warriors could not ask any more questions.

From a certain point, Heo Seong had become strong enough to handle the rest of the escort warriors by himself.

In the meantime, Cheon Mubaeck turned his horse's head with Neung-heo.

"No, if you're not going to Shaolin, where are you going?"

"I'm going to Shaolin."

"This is not the direction of Mount Song. My goodness. If you don't know how to read a map, just be quiet."

"Escort Warrior Heo will go first, and we'll deal with something and then go."

"What?"

When Neung-heo asked with wide eyes, Cheon Mubaeck slowly slowed down his running horse.

And he looked at Neung-heo and said in a low voice.

"As a senior in the martial world, I'll tell you."

"What did you say?"

Cheon Mubaeck did not mind even if Neung-heo opened his mouth as if he were dumbfounded.

"What would you do if there was an enemy aiming for you?"

"I'd have to think after seeing the opponent. If he's stronger than me, I'd have to run away like crazy."

"What if he's weaker than me?"

"Hey, why would a weak guy aim for me?"

"Don't you know the old saying that in the martial world, you can be killed by a mere commoner who hasn't learned any martial arts, regardless of the level of your martial arts? Do you want to continue being the Black Heart Gang Master?"

"An unworthy junior will listen carefully to the valuable opinion of a senior in the martial world."

Cheon Mubaeck smirked.

I'll have to fix this guy's habit someday.

Well, the one whose habit needs to be fixed now is not Neung-heo.

"When a weak guy doesn't know the strength of his opponent, no, when he knows it a little vaguely. Then wouldn't he come in a group?"

Neung-heo nodded his head. That was the way of the black-way. If they were too strong to resist, they wouldn't touch them.

But the opponent seems a little vaguely strong?

Then they would attack all at once with their numbers.

Although it was the way of the black-way, in fact, what was the difference between the black-way and the martial world?

Only then did a flash go through Neung-heo's mind.

A few pieces of information he had obtained through the Lotus Pavilion a while ago.

"Could it be...?"

"I know who the opponent is. And I even have a rough idea of where they are now."

Cheon Mubaeck's smile deepened.

"Shouldn't we strike first and destroy them before we get hit?"

Neung-heo's body trembled slightly.

Now.

"We'll strike the Blood Demon Sect."

(End of Chapter)