Chapter 33: Chapter 33
– Martial Alliance Hubei Branch, Hidden Pavilion.
A space so dark that anyone seeing it might mistake it for the Heavenly Demon Palace. No night pearls, no windows.
Normally, the silence was so profound that even breathing echoed, leaving one deflated.
“Hmm, hm, hm.”
Today, for some reason, a cheerful tune flowed from the lips of a clever, beautiful woman.
Her name was Ji-hwa, Jegal So-mi.
Vice Pavilion Master of the Hidden Pavilion, perpetually buried in work.
“What is so delightful?”
“Ah, you’re here.”
Jegal Sang, who had only just begun his commute, frowned disapprovingly at his granddaughter, who had pulled an all-nighter.
They say in old age you lose everything except pride and loneliness. Apparently, commuting alone had been lonely enough for him.
Honestly, he was also curious. She’d always insisted on sleeping at home. What wind had gotten into her?
“Agent 103 sent word.”
“What?!”
Jegal So-mi waved a small letter in her hand. Jegal Sang exhaled a sigh and grabbed the back of his neck.
Agent 103 again? Sending his old grandfather home alone because of that fellow whose face he’d never even seen. Did she not worry? What if he collapsed on the way? Then what!
“I told you not to develop feelings for your operatives!”
“It’s not feelings, Grandfather. It’s work. Work! Agent 103’s mission is proceeding smoothly, and he’s now going to meet the Heavenly Demon…”
“Going-!”
Jegal Sang bellowed.
“Agh! Why are you yelling? My ears hurt.”
“Who’s your grandfather! Call me Pavilion Master!”
Hah, really. Could anyone be this childish? Jegal So-mi put on a pouty expression, whipped her head aside, and replied.
“Yes, Pavilion Master. Then may I be excused?”
“Go on.”
At Jegal Sang’s gruff reply, Jegal So-mi pursed her lips and set off for home. But beside her, Jegal Sang followed with a blank face.
“Why are you following me?”
“You have somewhere to go with your grandfather.”
“Didn’t you just say Pavilion Master!”
“I’m off the clock, so I’m not anymore.”
Infuriating.
“Ugh, seriously. Where do I need to go? I didn’t even sleep.”
“Tsk tsk. You’re so worried about Agent 103 meeting the Heavenly Demon, yet you completely forgot that as a rising scholar, you’re supposed to pay respects to the Alliance Lord?”
Jegal So-mi’s expression went blank.
“The Alliance… Lord?”
“Have you forgotten? The Righteous Path Scholars’ Assembly is in ten days.”
“Ah, right.”
She had completely forgotten. Once a year, when the plum blossoms bloomed, the Alliance Lord and other eminent figures gathered with the righteous sects’ rising stars for a time of exchange.
That was the Righteous Path Scholars’ Assembly.
And it was right around the corner.
Jegal Sang clicked his tongue as if he’d expected as much and urged her.
“Now that you remember, get ready. If we leave soon, we’ll arrive right on time.”
She’d rather skip it this once, but if she did, he’d nag her for years about how much face she’d cost him. A predictable outcome.
“Ugh, fine. Let me stop by home first. I need to change clothes.”
“Fine. But dress prettily.”
“Why?”
“You’re of marriageable age now. Shouldn’t you meet a man? This grandfather will introduce you to someone decent when we get there.”
Kyaaah! Jegal So-mi’s face turned crimson. A m-a man? No, that kind of thing should happen naturally. She wasn’t a child. At her age, having her grandfather find her a match?
Jegal So-mi rubbed the goosebumps on her arms and quickened her pace.
“No. I’ll just go like this. Don’t need to wash up. Let’s go!”
“Oh my, who’s going to take that servant-like girl.”
“Plenty of people want to, okay?”
“Let’s hope so.”
“Ugh, seriously. Let’s go!”
Jegal Sang shook his head with worry as he watched Jegal So-mi trudge ahead. But a faint smile settled on his lips.
He was determined to find her a match at the Scholars’ Assembly this time. That way, she wouldn’t go developing unnecessary feelings for some operative like Agent 103.
‘Don’t worry. This time I’ll certainly find the finest match for you. Hahaha.’
It was a day filled with Jegal Sang’s hearty laughter.
* * *
Jang I-seo regained consciousness in the evening, with the sun already down.
“You’re awake?”
When he opened his eyes, his hazy vision first found Mao. Sitting on stones in a small forest clearing, watching him. Feeding branches into a campfire he’d built.
“Mmm…”
Jang I-seo answered with a shallow groan and pushed himself upright. He remembered passing out in excruciating pain. But right now, nothing specifically hurt.
He looked around and asked.
“What happened?”
“What happened? Same as when we came. I carried you on my back. Isn’t this complete role reversal? What kind of adjutant passes out and rides his master’s back everywhere?”
True enough. This was already the third time. Even in his Counter-Espionage Division days, this had never happened. Unqualified as a spy. Time to wake up. But that was that.
“How did you get me out?”
Jang I-seo asked with a serious expression.
“Consider yourself lucky. I happened to bond with this thing and used up all my internal energy. So I was sitting there unable to even open the palace doors when Father called me in, and I found you collapsed.”
Mao glanced at the Azure Dragon Blade propped against a nearby tree. Seeing it, Jang I-seo’s eyes gleamed. He’d never seen it in person, but its distinctive color told him enough.
“You got the divine artifact back?”
“Obviously.”
Jang I-seo’s eyes brightened radiantly. Tremendous news. The divine artifact wasn’t just a fine blade. It served as an identity token symbolizing the cult’s succession. With it in hand, there was nowhere in the cult he couldn’t go, nothing he couldn’t do.
‘That good, huh? Jang I-seo, this bastard cares about me more than I thought.’
Mao swelled with pride, pleased to see Jang I-seo so happy.
Naturally.
‘With the divine artifact secured, my operational radius is effectively unrestricted. Planning for the mission just got much easier.’
Singing different tunes from the same songbook. Jang I-seo quickly collected himself and returned to the main topic.
“Nothing else happened while you were carrying me out? Meeting anyone, for instance?”
No one had seen him enter the Heavenly Demon Palace. Naturally, since he’d used the secret passage. But if anyone, the Guardian Dragon Hall Master or others, had seen him being carried out of the Heavenly Demon Palace, complications would arise.
As Jang I-seo stared intently, Mao gazed at a distant mountain as if searching his memory and muttered.
“Nothing.”
Phew. Jang I-seo swallowed a sigh of relief inwardly.
“When I came out, everyone had already left. No one was there.”
“The Hall Master too?”
“No. The Hall Master was there. Waiting at the bottom of the Three Thousand Steps. He gave me an earful about what happened to you. That man is strange too.”
Mao grumbled and scowled. A relief. If Ji Dae-ho had been waiting at the Three Thousand Steps, he wouldn’t have seen them exit the Heavenly Demon Palace itself.
“He does seem like the type to take interest in various things. More importantly… nothing else was said?”
“What would he say? Just complained that the kid was frail.”
“Haha…”
Thanks, you bastard. Jang I-seo forced a bitter smile and nodded. At least he hadn’t said anything unnecessary. No point in creating misunderstandings.
Jang I-seo stared at the crackling campfire and thought.
Then there was only one thing left to explain.
“But how exactly did you get into the Heavenly Demon Palace?”
This fellow, Seventh Young Master Mao.
Jang I-seo casually tossed a branch into the fire and answered.
“How do you think? I opened the door and walked in.”
“Are you insane? Who do you think you are, just waltzing in?”
“Who was it that dragged a half-dead man all the way to the outpost because he insisted on going to the Heavenly Demon Palace?”
Fair point. Mao looked up and scratched his head.
“Hey, you shit! Then you should’ve come in earlier!”
“I went the moment I woke up.”
“Do you know I almost died?”
“If you almost died in the Heavenly Demon Palace, that was just your time to die. The Cult Leader had his reasons.”
“You cruel bastard! Just say it. Am I me, or am I the Cult Leader?”
Neither, kid. Jang I-seo let out a smirk. Mao crossed his arms and asked.
“Did you meet the Radiant Left Emissary on your way out?”
“The Radiant Left Emissary was there?”
“What. He was standing at the door when I went in. You didn’t see him? We were having a great conversation. Where’d he go?”
The Radiant Left Emissary had been at the entrance. He hadn’t considered that. If the man had been guarding the entrance during his meeting with the Cult Leader…
“He wasn’t there when I came out either. Did he just leave without waiting for me?”
“Probably.”
“AAAAAGH! Why?! We were getting along so well!”
“That’s what you think.”
“What, you bastard?”
“Ah, talking to myself.”
Jang I-seo deliberately turned his head and pushed away distracting thoughts. No point dwelling on it. All he could do was hope the Radiant Left Emissary had left quickly.
And by absolute fortune, the Radiant Left Emissary had indeed departed immediately.
This was to spread the news that the Seventh Young Master had reached the supreme realm.
As a result, the Seventh Small Palace would soon be visited by all manner of upheaval. But there was no way the two of them could know that yet.
“That aside. What exactly did you and Father talk about for your body to end up in that state?”
Mao asked with a scowl, as if hiding his concern. Jang I-seo stared quietly at his lower abdomen.
Then, without answering, he glanced at the Azure Dragon Blade and asked.
“Is this everything the Cult Leader gave you as a gift?”
“Huh?”
The Azure Dragon Blade was the gift received upon becoming the Cult Leader’s adopted son. Even if it was being returned after confiscation, it was far too simple a reward for opening the doors of the Heavenly Demon Palace.
Naturally, one could argue he shouldn’t complain while holding a divine artifact. But there was precedent.
When First Young Master Cheon Mu-gi first opened the doors, he received Void-Clear Stone Milk. Second Young Master Mu Han-seong received the Domineering Fist, a martial art from the previous generation. Third Young Lady Sa Hae-ryeong obtained the Phantom Shadow Steps, a footwork technique so rare it was nearly impossible to find even in treasure troves.
The others had all received comparable rewards. It was only natural to be surprised.
“That’s all. But Father said the blade acknowledged me. It must’ve recognized that I’m a genius. Hahaha!”
Excited over just that. Jang I-seo shook his head and looked at the Azure Dragon Blade again.
On the surface, nothing remarkable. The blade face was a grayish quadrilateral with a single dragon carved in ascension. That was about it.
But “acknowledged,” huh…
The Heavenly Demon wouldn’t have spoken idly. As Jang I-seo studied it thoughtfully, Mao grinned mischievously.
“Don’t be surprised.”
Clasp! Mao grabbed the Azure Dragon Blade. Nothing unusual. But when he sent internal energy into it, VWOOM! The blade shifted to an orange hue.
Then it shimmered, radiating intense heat.
“This is…”
“Hahaha! How about that? I started the campfire with this thing. Surprised?”
Jang I-seo nodded slowly. He was genuinely surprised this time. Using a divine artifact as a fire starter. Absolute savage.
A child who hadn’t even learned basic footwork, let alone blade techniques. Confiscation first.
“Hand it over. Blades aren’t toys. At least until you’re familiar with it, I’ll…”
“What are you talking about? I blocked Father’s finger wind with this.”
“The Cult Leader’s finger wind?!”
What kind of nonsense was that?
“I’m a genius, remember? Don’t you know?”
No, he didn’t. Hence the reaction. A hollow breath escaped. A kid who’d never properly held a blade had blocked the Cult Leader’s finger wind? How?
“I’m telling you, it’s true!”
Jang I-seo nodded. Right. Understood. Then.
“Would you like to swing it once?”