novelraw Chapter 91 : Let's Go! To the Sword Pavilion (3)
Chapter 91 : Let's Go! To the Sword Pavilion (3)
"I'm speaking in earnest."
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the face of an old man wiping the saliva flowing from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
"This is the second time I've saved your life. You admit that, right?"
The situation is roughly drawn in my head. So I nodded.
"Yes."
"That's right! You should! If you don't even know that, you're not a human being!"
I thought that saying someone was not a human being to their face was a bit harsh, but since it was true that he had saved my life, I decided to endure it.
"So, can I just cut open your stomach a little?"
I immediately replied to the crazy old man called the Medicine Sage.
"No."
I got up from my seat. Until I collapsed, there was no part of my body that didn't hurt, but I didn't feel any particular discomfort. I could see once again that the old man was crazy, but his skills were real.
Then, as I looked down, I discovered a line running diagonally from my chest to my dantian.
As I was staring at it, the old Medicine Sage said.
"I couldn't help that. Even I can't fix something that's cooked on the inside. But thanks to that, you survived."
A lightning-shaped scar.
"It's the trace of lightning flowing through your body to the ground."
I recalled the final battle with the lightning boy.
It was a miracle in itself that I could survive with just this much of a scar in that situation.
"I see. This is what they usually call a scar of glory. It's quite cool and nice. Manly, too."
"Alright! I've been very generous, seeing your scar. I'll just cut about six finger joints!"
I left the crazy old man behind and came out. I could hear the Medicine Sage's pleading voice, but I ignored it cleanly.
Because when I was talking earlier, I had seen the blood that the Medicine Sage had piled up on one side while treating me.
I don't know what he's going to do with that.
And I could still tell that I was in the Namgung family.
"I thought it was the Shaolin Temple."
It seemed the Medicine Sage had been brought here directly by the Divine Monk. Or, considering his obsession with my stomach, I thought he might have come on his own. And the fact that the Medicine Sage was in the Namgung family meant that most people would have survived unless they were on the verge of death.
Although he was a strange old man, he was an old man whose skills I had to acknowledge.
The Namgung family was now moving busily.
On one side, numerous memorial tablets were erected, and on the other side, many people were clearing the debris to rebuild the collapsed buildings and at the same time carrying timber.
"We're short on timber here!"
"Hey! Are you the new guy over there?"
"Yes?"
"Help out a bit! Don't just stand there gawking! Kids these days are so cunning, they try to slack off in a corner whenever there's a little gap. Here, can't you see everyone is working hard?"
"I can see."
"Tsk, tsk. You're good with your answers. Move quickly!"
"..."
"What are you doing? Not moving?"
"Should I move that over there?"
"Yes, move it quickly!"
I, who had suddenly joined the construction work, decided to help with the timber moving work to stretch my body.
"Heave-ho!"
"What? Is he a strongman?"
"His body is so skinny. My, he's amazing!"
"Wow! Is he human?"
When I lifted more than ten pieces of timber at once, people looked at me with surprised faces. I said to them.
"Move aside. You're all so weak."
To relieve some of the frustration from earlier.
People move aside all at once. After moving a few more times like that, there was no more timber to be seen.
As I was resting on one side, the man who had called me earlier came and said something to me again.
"Huh? Are you slacking off again?"
"I've moved all the timber."
"You should lie about something believable! I bet you only moved the last few pieces of timber. I've been in this business for 30 years! You should lie to someone who can be lied to! You just do the sanding here! Here and there, you see these rough spots, right?"
"Yes."
"Tsk. If only you couldn't even answer!"
The man, as talkative as he was, diligently headed somewhere else again.
I headed to the place where the timber was piled up. About 30 trees were piled up. Its height was like a small hill.
Several people were groaning as they moved a tree three times their size and put it down on the ground, then peeled off the bark that had not yet been peeled and were sanding the surface smoothly.
The timber that had been worked on like that rolled to the side and something like a dye was being applied.
I called the people who were struggling to move the timber and said.
"Put all of those things down on the ground."
Some people looked at me and glared. It seemed they were displeased that a young guy had suddenly appeared and was giving orders. But when some people whispered something in their ears, they soon subsided.
The content of the whisper was roughly this.
-He's that timber young man from before. He's a real strongman. Do you want your back to be broken in half?
I'm not some kind of spine-crushing demon.
The people of Namgung really talk as if their jokes are real. Of course, it was a technique I often used before my regression.
People began to move the timber in an orderly fashion.
'I've checked the external skills, is it time to check the internal energy?'
I drew out the internal energy in my body. And I was slightly surprised.
Because the amount of internal energy had increased compared to before. And I soon knew the reason.
'Ah! I added one more ring.'
I spread my internal energy wide and wrapped it around the entire tree. The operation of the internal energy also became smoother than before.
Using the internal energy, I peeled off only the outer surface of the tree thinly.
Slice!
The mouths of the people gaped open at the sight of the bark being peeled off all at once.
It seemed my internal injuries were completely healed.
"Now! What are you all doing? Hurry up and move them to the dyeing workshop."
"Y-yes!"
"Let's move them quickly!"
"We might be able to go home early today!"
At my words, everyone nodded their heads two or three times and began to carry the wood in an orderly fashion.
"What are you doing?"
A voice was heard again.
I turned my head, thinking it was the man from before. This time it was a different person.
"I'm helping with the work."
"It seems your body is all healed."
"As you can see."
"It's a bit much to say this as soon as you've gotten up from your sickbed, but there's something urgent to discuss. Please follow me."
At the Divine Monk's words, I nodded.
The plan to save the Divine Monk had succeeded.
The flow of the past had changed, and from now on, I couldn't know how the situation would unfold.
The place I followed the Divine Monk to was the family head's hall of the Namgung family. There, a person I knew well was sitting.
"You brat?"
The Sword Dragon, Namgung Byeokgeom, shot up from his seat and bowed his head to me.
"I am the head of the Namgung family, Namgung Byeokgeom. I greet my benefactor."
The Sword Dragon had inherited the position of the Sword King.
***
From the moment the Divine Monk had arrived, I had expected it to some extent.
-The Martial Alliance will be established. And a leader will be elected. If my prediction is correct, the Chaotic Heavenly Society will also put all their efforts into it. If they can control the Martial Alliance as they please, there will be no better prey than this.
The conversation between the Divine Monk and Namgung Byeokgeom continued.
The content was about the establishment of the Martial Alliance, and the more detailed story was about the leader.
As I listened to their conversation, I once again recalled the conversation I had with the Demonic Brain.
The Demonic Brain had proposed two main options.
The first was for me to become the leader.
-If the captain becomes the leader, there is a very big advantage of being able to see the movements of the Orthodox Faction clearly. Moreover, the captain also has the justification, since he is the successor of the Sword Emperor. But this cannot be said to be the optimal solution. The Chaotic Heavenly Society is still hiding its identity, and on the other hand, the captain, by becoming the leader, becomes completely exposed to them. This in itself will be a very big weakness for the captain.
Therefore, the Demonic Brain had put his weight on the second plan.
-To put someone we can control as the leader. And we will be active behind the scenes. If it's a battle of wits where we both hide our identities, I have no intention of losing.
The one who had led the establishment of the Martial Alliance was the previous Sword King. But he had died in this battle. And as the Sword Dragon, Namgung Byeokgeom, inherited the position of the Sword King, he inherited that will.
He said.
"I will continue my father's will and establish the Martial Alliance."
The people gathered here were only me, the Divine Monk, and now the Sword King, Namgung Byeokgeom.
"However, I am still lacking in qualifications as a leader. Therefore, I recommend the two of you here as the first leader of the Martial Alliance."
The Namgung had already been hit by the Chaotic Heavenly Society.
There was no guarantee that other places would be safe.
If the power was dispersed, it would be easier for them to be ravaged.
Whether you look at it in the long run or the short run, gathering the power together was the flow of time.
I spoke first.
"Then I think it's right for the Divine Monk to do it."
Namgung Byeokgeom, as if he had the Divine Monk in mind, immediately continued.
"I think so too."
The Divine Monk just chanted the name of Buddha.
"Amitabha."
A short while later, the Divine Monk said cautiously.
"Please give me a little time."
I gave a little help to the Divine Monk, who was lost in thought, so that he could make a decision a little faster. It was a kind of simple stimulus. I sent a telepathic message to the Divine Monk.
-If the Divine Monk does not do it, the Chaotic Heavenly Society may snatch that position. Will that be alright?
The Divine Monk's expression hardened even more upon hearing my telepathic message.
"Amitabha."
The Divine Monk once again chanted the name of Buddha alone.
It seemed that good news would be heard soon.
And so, the meeting ended. And when I returned to my room, a white snake suddenly poked its head out from under the blanket.
I momentarily raised my hand to kill the snake. If I hadn't seen the letter tied to the snake's tail, I would have immediately swung my hand.
I reached out and untied the letter tied to the white snake's tail. The snake did not resist my touch.
There was nothing written in the letter. I knew this kind of letter very well. Because it was the same as the method the Heavenly Demon Cult used to deliver operational content to the outside.
This was a coded message. And there was only one way to decipher this coded message.
"How on earth does the Demonic Brain know this?"
With a question, I flowed the internal energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art into the letter. Then, letters appeared. However, from the moment I flowed the internal energy, the letter was burning from the end.
The content of the letter was this.
[Sword Demoness, successful contact with the Sword Pavilion. However, all information related to the Sword Pavilion is currently blocked. It is presumed that something is happening in the Sword Pavilion.]
The letter burned completely and turned to ash.
The one who had headed to the Sword Pavilion was the Sword Demoness. I thought that even if something had happened, the Sword Demoness would not be in any particular danger. But strangely, I had a bad feeling.
Why did this news come right after the Namgung's matter was over?
The incidents that were breaking out one after another.
It was as if someone was urging them to create the Martial Alliance quickly.
The white snake was looking up at me with its head raised on the bed, flicking its tongue.
"How did you know I was here and came to find me?"
Flick!
Is it a spiritual beast, not just a snake?
The white snake licked my extended hand a few times with its tongue, then crawled into a crack in the wall, and its presence disappeared.
"What a strange fellow."
It had only been a day since I woke up.
I had spent a busier day than I thought, and unfortunately, my day did not seem to be over yet.
I headed to the place where the Divine Monk was staying.
The Divine Monk, confirming that I had come, opened the door. And the Divine Monk, unlike before, had a refreshed expression. It seemed he had made a decision.
"It seems you've decided to take on the role of leader."
"I thought it was right for me to tie the knot of the previous generation's affairs."
"You've thought well. We can't let them sway the Orthodox Faction."
"By the way, why did you come to find me?"
"I have something to ask."
"What is it?"
"Do you know much about the Sword Pavilion?"
"The Sword Pavilion... I've been there once when I went to meet the previous Sword Empress. That's all."
It seemed the Divine Monk also didn't know much about the Sword Pavilion.
"I have an acquaintance in the Sword Pavilion, but I suddenly can't contact them, so I was wondering if you had any idea."
"Oh, come to think of it, it seems it's that time of year."
"That time?"
"You know the place where the Sword Pavilion is is an island, right?"
"Yes. It's isolated in the South Sea. Is there anyone who doesn't know that?"
"Hehe. That's right. But most people probably don't know this fact. In the summer months of September and October, typhoons come. We call that one month the season of storms. And during that season of storms, you can't launch a boat on the sea. During that period, Botaam, where the Sword Pavilion is, is completely isolated from the Central Plains."
I knew the reason why I couldn't get in touch.
"Then, for this one month, no one from the outside can know what's happening in Botaam?"
"That's right. Ah! There is one way to get to Botaam."
"What is it?"
"It's a different story if you have a boat that can withstand a typhoon."
"Hey~! Where is there a boat that can withstand a typhoon?"
"There is."
Even the three great merchant guilds of the Central Plains would find it impossible to build such a boat.
"The Emperor."
What came out of the Divine Monk's mouth was something completely unexpected. A place that possessed power, authority, technology, and capital that could not be compared to the likes of the three great merchant guilds of the Central Plains.
The Imperial Court.
But why is the Imperial Court coming up here?
"It makes sense... But will the court really lend us a boat?"
"Normally, it would be absolutely impossible. But if you factor in the Sword Empress's origin, the story can be said to be a little different."
"The Sword Empress's origin?"
"Oh, you didn't know?"
The Divine Monk continued to speak, and I, wondering if I had misheard, asked again.
"Who is the Sword Empress?"
"She's Princess Ju Hae-ryeong."
I hadn't misheard.
But my mind still couldn't fully comprehend the meaning of these words.
"Princess Ju Hae-ryeong?"
"Yes, the current emperor's sister. It was a famous story in our time."
"When was that?"
"Hmm... 40... 50 years ago? It was before the emperor usurped the throne. I can still see it clearly in my eyes."
Only then did he understand the question that had not been solved in the past.
Why a delegation from the Imperial Family had come after the Sword Empress's death.
The current emperor's... sister is officially non-existent.
This means that the Sword Empress was the current emperor's half-sister.
Only now did he understand why the Sword Empress was trapped in the South Sea and did not come to the Central Plains. She hadn't not come, but she couldn't come.
To be more precise, she couldn't come.
Because the emperor was holding out in the Central Plains.
Because she was a being who could unofficially usurp the emperor's throne.
Above all, the current emperor was one who had become king through usurpation. Therefore, he had scattered the beings who were a threat to his position. The Sword Empress had been exiled to Hainan.
Then the problem became more serious.
"I know that the current emperor is a tyrant and hates martial artists very much. If we ask him to lend us a boat, will he lend it?"
"The emperor will never lend it. But the crown prince is different."
"The crown prince, you say..."
"Zhu Gaochi. Unlike the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di, he is known to be gentle, just, and fair. And I heard that his health is not good, so he comes down to Guangdong to recuperate around this time. And he has a deep connection with the Sword Empress."
"A connection?"
"Yes. The crown prince has been weak since birth and has been learning a health-preserving art. The health-preserving art he is learning is the Sword Empress's Hainan One Qi Art. Although the emperor doesn't trust martial artists, he trusts his own bloodline. Because blood is thicker than water. And that's also the reason why the Sword Empress has survived from the usurping emperor until now."
For now... although it wasn't certain, there was a way to get to the Sword Pavilion.
(End of Chapter)