novelraw Chapter 122 : Chapter 122
Chapter 122 : Chapter 122
Chapter 122 Blood Price (5)
─ BANG!
Simultaneously with the door opening, Ice Rakshasa Pan Bing-yeong stomped inside, huffing and puffing.
“Did you pick up a sword again this morning!?”
“I was just so bored staying still…….”
“Lord Strange Physician!”
As Pan Bing-yeong shouted toward the back, the Strange Physician hesitantly stepped inside.
“Well, what authority do I have to keep that young hero confined? If he says he’s going out, he goes out. From what I’ve seen, he’s already recovered more than ninety percent…….”
“Lord Strange Physician! Are you really going to be like this?”
“……Ahem.”
The Strange Physician scratched his head and glanced at Jaun, signaling him with his eyes.
“He only allowed it because I asked him. My qi and blood have stabilized to some extent now…….”
“Absolutely not. No matter what happens, you can't until you're perfectly recovered. I heard that you went on a rampage with black flames shooting from your eyes!”
“That’s…….”
“I know very well how dangerous demonic energy is! I heard that five out of ten experts in the Demonic Cult die from Qi Deviation? Isn't that a premonition of Qi Deviation?”
Jaun could not find any words to counter Pan Bing-yeong’s worried remarks.
As she said, letting demonic energy continuously infiltrate the brain was a dangerous thing. This was because the martial arts of the Demonic Cult showed rapid progress but were unstable to that extent.
Since the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was a divine art that minimized such side effects, there was no immediate danger of falling into Qi Deviation as Pan Bing-yeong feared, but there was no need to push himself unnecessarily.
Jaun gave an awkward smile and slowly stood up from his seat.
“I understand. I won't pick up a sword for the time being. Is that okay?”
“Is that a promise?”
Pan Bing-yeong looked at Jaun with a pouting expression and then shook her head.
“Sometimes you’re like a moth to a flame. As I thought, someone needs to stay right by your side to keep you in check…….”
Her voice trailed off as Pan Bing-yeong’s face turned red, and she cleared her throat. After checking the position of the sun for a moment, she grabbed Jaun’s wrist.
“Let’s go for now. It’s the time we promised to meet Lord Mad Dragon.”
“It’s already that time. I should call him Alliance Leader now, right?”
“Yes. Honestly, it hasn't quite stuck to my tongue yet…… but that would be correct.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Pan Bing-yeong led Jaun out of the Medical Hall while holding his hand, and the Strange Physician let out a small sigh as he watched them leave.
***
“Alliance Leader.”
At the sound of the voice, Mad Dragon Gu Ma-jin, who had been blankly staring out the window, turned his head toward the entrance with hollow eyes.
“Come in.”
─ CREAK
As Jaun and Pan Bing-yeong entered and bowed slightly with a fist-palm salute, Gu Ma-jin waved his hand.
“Do as you used to. It's awkward for me too.”
Cracking his neck and loosening up his body, Gu Ma-jin stretched grandly and grinned.
“So, you’ve recovered quite a bit now? Then shall we go a round…….”
“He’s still a long way off!”
As Pan Bing-yeong shrieked, Gu Ma-jin looked at her with startled eyes.
Jaun smiled awkwardly and spoke up.
“There's no problem with moving. The flow of internal energy is stable as well. But since I'm not in perfect condition yet, please give me a little more time.”
After finishing his sentence, Jaun looked down at his hands.
He had asked for more time out of consideration for Pan Bing-yeong’s feelings, but in truth, Jaun’s body was almost completely recovered.
Once his body recovered, Jaun realized that he had gained a great opportunity through this incident. This was because the energy of Wi Jeong-cheon, which had been released during the life-and-death struggle, had now completely become Jaun’s and filled his dantian.
‘It feels like it’s at least double.’
The energy within his dantian had more than doubled compared to before he came to the Sado Alliance, and its flow had become much more stable.
With stable energy flowing through his body, the recovery speed was naturally surprisingly fast. To the point where the Strange Physician shook his head in disbelief every passing day.
Gu Ma-jin, who scanned Jaun’s body once, chuckled as if he understood the situation and nodded.
“Well, let's just say you need more recovery for now. Since time is all we have, there’s no need to be impatient.”
At Gu Ma-jin’s words, Jaun smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.
“……How is the position of Alliance Leader?”
“Don't even ask. There are so many things to worry about……. I regret every single day that I blindly said I would take it without knowing anything.”
Gu Ma-jin shuddered and bit his lip.
“Just how on earth did that fellow manage to drag this place for ten years……. That Blood Dagger guy is truly a remarkable fellow.”
Gu Ma-jin shook his head.
“It's full of headache-inducing matters, but there is one good point. The fact that I can move the Sado Alliance according to my will, more or less?”
Gu Ma-jin picked up a piece of paper lying on the table and waved it toward Jaun with a smile.
“Here. This is the paper listing the locations of all the branches of the Hao Gate that you wanted.”
At Gu Ma-jin’s words, Jaun’s eyes sparkled.
After ascending to the position of Alliance Leader, Gu Ma-jin apologized to Jaun for all that had happened and promised his full support.
What Jaun requested in return was the authority to use the Hao Gate as he pleased.
When the Central Plains Murim was divided into the Murim Alliance, the Sado Alliance, and the Demonic Cult, the Hao Gate joined the Sado Alliance five years ago for survival.
Having accepted the Hao Gate like that, the Sado Alliance had integrated all the information organizations it had been operating internally with the Hao Gate for efficiency.
In such a situation, having the authority to use the Hao Gate was tantamount to holding all the information of the Sado Alliance in his hands.
It could have been a somewhat excessive request, but Gu Ma-jin had reached a conclusion after more than a week of negotiations with the elders to change Jaun’s mind, and that effort had finally borne fruit.
“Thank you. I think it will be a huge help.”
Gu Ma-jin nodded at Jaun’s words.
“It’s certainly something to be thankful for, gaining the information power of the Sado Alliance, which divides the Central Plains into three. You just need to know that I feel that much regret toward you.”
Jaun nodded and received the paper from Gu Ma-jin.
After scanning the paper densely packed with small writing, Jaun held the paper out to Gu Ma-jin again.
“What is this?”
“I’ve seen your sincerity, so that’s enough. And the risk of carrying this around directly is too great. So when I make a request, please send the necessary information via carrier pigeon.”
Gu Ma-jin shrugged his shoulders and tucked the paper into his robe.
“Tsk. If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn't have fought with those elder bastards to that extent…….”
“I’m just leaving the paper with the branch information with you; my authority to use the Hao Gate remains the same, doesn't it? I’ve already memorized the places I need immediately. Just make sure to speak well to the Hao Gate.”
“Don't worry about that. I already finished talking to them by the time I was organizing the branch locations.”
Jaun nodded and expressed his gratitude to Gu Ma-jin once more.
“Right. So, what do you plan to do from now on?”
“I was thinking of returning since messages to come back have been coming from the Murim Alliance side…… but my mind just changed a bit. For now, it seems there are some people I need to meet.”
At Jaun’s words, Gu Ma-jin tilted his head in confusion.
***
“Hhhmmmmm.”
“What are you doing? Since we decided to settle it by tossing a copper coin, accept the result bravely and get inside quickly.”
“Hrrrmm.”
The face of the Red-faced Ghost looking up at the massive main gate of the Sado Alliance was full of worry.
“Well…… what if they swing their swords as soon as we get close…….”
“Ugh, seriously! Are you really going to be like this? The Janggang Water Fortress is strictly a member of the Sado Alliance! Why would they swing their swords!?”
“That's true, right……? Tsk. Since I’ve only ever lived as a pirate, I feel a bit guilty.”
The Red-faced Ghost, who was rubbing his hands with a reluctant expression, finally seemed to make up his mind and began heading toward the main gate of the Sado Alliance with a determined look. However, the closer he got to the gate, the significantly slower his footsteps became.
After hesitating for a long time from quite a distance away, the Red-faced Ghost only let out a deep sigh after being hit hard on the back by Six Dragons and began walking toward the gatekeeper guarding the front.
‘In fact, if we were to fight, I could easily suppress gatekeepers of that level, but…….’
The Red-faced Ghost frowned while scanning the momentum of the gatekeepers.
‘The problem is that they are members of the Sado Alliance, and this is the main headquarters of the Sado Alliance.’
Looking up at the massive Sado Alliance, the Red-faced Ghost’s shoulders slumped again.
Worrying that his rough speech or actions might cause trouble, the Red-faced Ghost approached the gatekeeper as carefully as a new bride. Having approached the gatekeeper as slowly as a yawn, he let out a dry cough.
“……What is the matter?”
The gatekeepers had already heightened their vigilance toward the Red-faced Ghost since he started loitering in front of the gate with a grim face and twisting his body.
“Well…… I’ve come to see Miss Pan Bing-yeong.”
“Lord Ice Rakshasa?”
The gatekeeper scanned the Red-faced Ghost up and down with sharp eyes.
“What is your relationship with Lord Ice Rakshasa?”
“Ahem. Uh…… that is…….”
When he actually tried to talk about it, explaining the relationship was quite ambiguous.
The person who was going to raid the ship Pan Bing-yeong was on was his colleague, and somehow he ended up on that ship as well and shared a short journey with her.
That was exactly the extent of the relationship between Pan Bing-yeong and himself.
After worrying and scratching his head for a long time, the Red-faced Ghost opened his mouth.
“……We are in the same boat.”
The moment they heard the answer, the expressions of the gatekeepers hardened simultaneously.
Since it was an answer that could contain a very suggestive meaning, the gatekeepers scanned the Red-faced Ghost up and down with serious faces.
“……If that statement is a lie, we have no choice but to deal with it according to the laws of the Sado Alliance. Can you take responsibility for those words?”
“Well…… it’s not like I’m telling a lie.”
As the Red-faced Ghost scratched his head, the gatekeepers could not let go of their suspicion and stared at him intently.
“What is your alias? Which sect do you belong to?”
“I am called the Red-faced Ghost of the Janggang Water Fortress.”
“Janggang Water Fortress?”
The gatekeepers tilted their heads and looked at each other. Suddenly, Pan Bing-yeong poked her face out from behind the two people who were continuing their ambiguous conversation for quite some time.
“Huh? It's true! Did you really feel their presence from such a long distance?”
“Yes. So don't worry too much. My physical condition is at its best.”
When Jaun even revealed himself from behind Pan Bing-yeong, the Red-faced Ghost bowed deeply with a bright face.
“Oh my. It is an honor to see you again. I should have visited sooner, but I didn't know how to contact you…….”
“What were you worrying about? You could have just sent a carrier pigeon.”
At Pan Bing-yeong’s words, the Red-faced Ghost, who was blankly thinking of something, slapped his own head.
“That, that would have worked……!”
“Tsk. Anyway, that’s just how you guys are. Regardless, since you're here, come in. Let’s eat. I was actually planning to have a meal with Young Master Jaun.”
“Th-thank you!”
Six Dragons, who came scurrying from behind, stood next to the Red-faced Ghost and bowed deeply toward Pan Bing-yeong.
“Hello, Six Dragons? But I heard you guys were busy. What did you come for?”
“Ah, about that…… sender of the item you asked for the other day.”
Pan Bing-yeong tilted her head.
“Hmm? Ah. The one Young Master Jaun requested back then? What about it?”
“Well…… we found the sender.”
“Oh! I didn't have high expectations, but you actually found them? Who is it?”
At Pan Bing-yeong’s question, the Red-faced Ghost hesitated, then stepped forward and whispered softly.
“At the residence of Prince Yeomseong, Ju Mun-pyeong, the current Emperor’s eldest brother…….”
“Hieeeek!”
Pan Bing-yeong’s face turned pale at the Red-faced Ghost’s words, and she shook her head violently.
“You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking!”
“Well, how would we dare to joke…….”
Pan Bing-yeong shook her head and turned toward Jaun.
“Absolutely not. This really isn't it. The Imperial Court is worlds apart from the sects of the Murim! They might have found out wrong, so we need to be more thorough! And we have to investigate properly!”
Smiling as he looked at Pan Bing-yeong, Jaun nodded.
“Let’s hear the story first. What the situation is.”
When Jaun gestured toward the two men, the gatekeepers made a deep fist-palm salute toward Jaun and stepped back.