Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 349 – The Rumor (4)

“Of course I do. The Spiritual Sword Sanctuary is known as the holy land of the sword.”

“The holy land of the sword?”

“It’s a place where countless sword masters who wield swords must visit to seek teachings.”

“Is that so? It must be quite famous then.”

“…Hohoho.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s bland reaction, Eight Poison Snake Staff Guyang Sa-oh instinctively knew that he had no knowledge of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary.

The reputation of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary was truly high.

There were two reasons for this. The first was that the majority of the famous swords in existence were made at this Spiritual Sword Sanctuary.

“The owner of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, Ou Cheonmu, is the greatest sword craftsman of our time.”

“A sword craftsman? Is he a blacksmith?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that so? Don’t people usually call them sword artisans?”

At this question, Guyang Sa-oh shook his head and said,

“Master Ou exclusively makes swords.”

“He only makes swords?”

“Yes. As far as I know, the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary has only made swords in that place for hundreds of years.”

“He doesn’t make any other weapons?”

“That’s what I understand.”

“It’s quite an interesting place. A place that only makes swords. But I don’t think it could have become famous just for that.”

“Indeed. That family is said to be descendants of Ou Yezi, who was called the greatest swordsmith of the Yue Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn period. They have created the finest swords. The famous sword Il-hwi, the exclusive weapon of Jeong Hyeon-mun, the leader of the Righteous Alliance, was also born from his hands.”

“Oh.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un showed a reaction for the first time.

If he was referring to the leader of the Righteous Alliance, he must be one of the heads of the three great powers in the martial arts world and one of the Six Heavens.

If he was a craftsman skilled enough to make a sword for a top master of that caliber, he was undoubtedly extraordinary.

“If he’s such an exceptional craftsman, it’s no wonder that sword masters would line up.”

“Indeed. However, Master Ou doesn’t make swords for just anyone.”

“That means it can’t be obtained by paying a price, right?”

“Hohoho. That’s correct. From what I’ve heard, Master Ou has great pride as a craftsman. Therefore, he only makes swords for those he acknowledges as true masters of the sword or those who pass his test.”

“Well, if he makes such extraordinary swords, it’s understandable for him to have that much pride.”

“That’s right. Since you also wield swords, perhaps…”

“No. I’m content with these two swords.”

Mok Gyeong-un tapped the two demon swords hanging from his waist with his palm.

Evil Commandment Sword and Plundering-killing Sword.

If there was a theory that the owner of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary was a descendant of Ou Yezi, these swords were made by Ou Yezi himself using a rare mineral called Gwanya black iron.

“…Of course. You already possess the finest swords.”

He possessed swords that ordinary people couldn’t even handle.

There was no need for him to be greedy for more swords.

Then, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.

“Anyway, it’s fortunate. If it’s just the territory of a group of craftsmen who make swords, there shouldn’t be much difficulty in retrieving the sacred orb.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Guyang Sa-oh showed a somewhat troubled expression.

When asked why,

“The Spiritual Sword Sanctuary is not simply a place that only makes swords.”

“If not, then what? Do they also cultivate martial arts?”

“It’s as you said. They are sword craftsmen, but their knowledge of swords is also extremely high.”

“Their knowledge of swords is high?”

“Have you heard of the term ‘All Streams Return to One Source’?”

“‘All Streams Return to One Source’…? Doesn’t it mean that ten thousand streams converge into one?”

“That’s right.”

‘All Streams Return to One Source’.

It was a term originating from Buddhism, derived from the idea that no matter how one trained, the end was nirvana.

Those who cultivated martial arts also often mentioned ‘All Streams Return to One Source’.

This was because they believed that in the end, the path would converge into one.

“The Spiritual Sword Sanctuary believed that to make the finest swords, they had to fully understand the sword, and for that, they honed their swordsmanship. Coincidentally, that made them understand the sword better than anyone else.”

“They are sword craftsmen and exceptional swordsmen at the same time.”

“That’s right. But they’re not just exceptional.”

“Then?”

“The owner of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, Ou Cheonmu, is one of the Six Heavens, the pinnacle of the current martial arts world.”

‘!?’

At those words, one of Mok Gyeong-un’s eyebrows rose.

Ou Cheonmu, one of the Six Heavens and the Supreme Spiritual Sword Craftsman.

He was one of the six pinnacles of the current martial arts world and was considered the closest to the top when it came to knowledge of the sword, not just martial arts.

Mok Gyeong-un looked at Ye Song-ah, the granddaughter of Holy Fire Priestess, and asked,

“How did you even get into such a place?”

“That’s…”

Ye Song-ah hesitated to speak.

It wasn’t that she shouldn’t say something, but her reaction was peculiar.

Of course, Mok Gyeong-un paid no attention to this and said,

“Don’t waste your energy and just tell me.”

“…The third son of the owner of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary is a follower of our Fire Faith Order.”

At those words, Guyang Sa-oh asked as if it were a coincidence.

“Are you saying that the third son of Master Ou is a follower of the Fire Faith Order?”

“…Yes.”

“Then did you hide the sacred orb through him?”

“Yes, yes.”

At her cautious attitude, Guyang Sa-oh’s eyes narrowed.

It wasn’t strange for someone to be drawn into the Fire Faith Order, even if a follower had come from a branch of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

But her unusually timid behavior was odd.

Moreover, come to think of it,

‘Even if he’s a follower of the Fire Faith Order, the sacred orb is a treasure of the Fire Faith Order. For him to be trusted enough to be entrusted with such a precious item, he must be really trustworthy…’

“Could it be that he’s your fiancé?”

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un abruptly asked.

At that question, Ye Song-ah’s face instantly turned bright red.

Seeing her reaction, Guyang Sa-oh clicked his tongue.

His ability to read other people’s emotions and thoughts was astounding.

By the way, it was quite a coincidence that he was her fiancé.

“Oh my. Is that true?”

“…”

Her face turning red as if it would burst, she couldn’t answer out of embarrassment.

Seeing this, Guyang Sa-oh laughed with a chuckle.

It reminded him of his grandchildren.

This was exactly the kind of reaction one would see at this age.

On the other hand, Mok Gyeong-un couldn’t understand her reaction.

He vaguely understood what the emotion of fondness was, but was it something to be embarrassed about to this extent?

As he was puzzled,

‘!?’

Suddenly, someone came to Mok Gyeong-un’s mind as he looked at her.

It was none other than Cheong-ryeong.

He remembered Cheong-ryeong showing a similar reaction for some unknown reason.

‘She was embarrassed?’

The corners of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth curled up slightly.

Then, Guyang Sa-oh spoke.

“Then, Miss Song-ah’s fiancé…”

“D-Don’t call him that. Just…just call him Ou Yeonwoo, a follower of the main sect.”

“Ou Yeonwoo?”

“Yes.”

Guyang Sa-oh smiled brightly.

It seemed she really liked him a lot.

Wasn’t this the most shining moment in life?

For him, who had entered his twilight years, the sight of someone liking another and being embarrassed was the epitome of youth, so just watching it made him feel satisfied.

“Ahem. Anyway, Young Master. Since the third son of Master Ou is a follower of the Fire Faith Order, it seems we can easily retrieve the sacred orb.”

“You think so?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s doubtful tone, Ye Song-ah answered with a determined voice.

“I can bring it.”

“I don’t know if bringing it will be of much help.”

Mok Gyeong-un already didn’t have much faith in the power of the sacred orb or the revelation.

At this, she became determined.

“If I find the sacred orb, I will receive a revelation of what you desire.”

“…I really hope so.”

If that happened, it could somewhat shorten the time.

There would be no need to go through the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society.

***

In the middle of a steep mountain range not far from Zaoyang in the north of Hubei Province.

At that high location, there was a manor with a few houses gathered together.

On the signboard at the entrance of the manor, it was written as follows:

Spiritual Sword Sanctuary

Smoke from the forge rose from various places in the manor, and among them, there was a basement in a building without a chimney.

And in that basement, there was a prison with iron bars, and inside, a young man with restraints on both arms was kneeling.

The young man, with a distorted face, opened his mouth.

“Brother. Please give it back. That’s really…”

“Shut up.”

A middle-aged man outside the iron bars reprimanded him.

He was a man in his early forties with dark skin and a well-developed upper body.

In the man’s hand was something that looked like a pouch.

“That’s really…”

“I told you to shut up. I wondered where you went every night, and you were worshipping and revering this thing.”

-Tak!

The man took out what was inside the pouch.

It was a sacred orb with an incomparably brilliant blue color.

-Clench!

Seeing this, the young man bit his lower lip so hard that it bled.

“Yeonwoo. I knew you were involved in a heretical religion that deceives people, but aren’t you ashamed? Your new mother thought you had come to your senses after returning. But you were doing this behind our backs.”

“…”

“Instead of paying respects to our ancestors, how can you show such a pathetic sight?”

“…Brother.”

“You won’t have anything to say even if you have ten mouths.”

“I…I have never been ashamed of my choice…”

“Gah!”

Before he could finish his words, the middle-aged man shouted in rebuke.

The young man, no, Ou Yeonwoo, whose blood vessels were blocked, suffered from the rebuke infused with internal energy.

‘More…His internal energy…has deepened.’

The middle-aged man in front of him was his eldest brother, Ou Woong-hwang.

He was the deputy owner of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary and the best swordsman except for his father, the owner.

“Brother. Stop it.”

The one who spoke now was a man in his late thirties with slit eyes, Gu Ung-seok, the second brother who was born from the same mother as the eldest brother, Ou Woong-hwang.

Unlike them, Ou Yeonwoo was their half-brother and the youngest.

“You think I can stop now? Our youngest brother is doing this absurd thing, and you say nothing about it?”

“Brother. Whether we like it or not, he is a member of our Gu family, and even if we have different mothers, we are still brothers. Hate the sin, not the person.”

“You’re saying such nice things.”

“Moreover, with the massacre that occurred near the cliff and the Righteous Alliance sending people, it’s quite a mess. I think it’s time to stop this appropriately.”

“Phew.”

The eldest brother, Ou Woong-hwang, let out a sigh close to a lament.

He wanted to reprimand him more out of anger, but what his second brother said was right.

It was already a mess because the people from the Namgoong Clan who had visited the main sanctuary and were descending the mountain were all slaughtered, including the clan leader.

Because of this, the main sanctuary was also under suspicion, and the people sent by the Righteous Alliance were being troublesome.

With his father’s mood also unpleasant, he couldn’t keep the boy locked up any longer.

“Stay here for a while, cool your head, and reflect on your actions.”

“Brother!”

“If you don’t come to your senses, I’ll keep you locked up for the rest of your life. If you don’t want that, you better show some proper reflection.”

“B-Brother, please just give that back…”

“You fool!”

-Bang!

Ou Woong-hwang kicked the iron bars with his foot and went upstairs with an angry face.

As he went up, the second brother, Ou Woong-seong, clicked his tongue and spoke in a sarcastic voice.

“I told you not to come back, didn’t I? Why did you come back and make things worse? Tsk tsk.”

After reprimanding him once more, Ou Woong-seong waved his hand and went upstairs.

-Gnash!

Ou Yeonwoo gritted his teeth as he looked at the stairs leading to the upper floor.

Unlike the eldest brother, the deputy owner Ou Woong-hwang, the second brother Ou Woong-seong was a snake-like man.

Although he was the youngest, he had always envied and bullied him for his superior talent as a craftsman.

That’s why they had never gotten along since childhood.

Even now, it must have been that bastard who had followed him and told the eldest brother.

“Ah. What should I do?”

Being trapped here wasn’t a big deal.

However, the sacred orb, which could be considered the embodiment of Holy Fire itself, had been taken away.

Putting aside his eldest brother, he couldn’t guess what that Ou Woong-seong would do, knowing how much he cherished this.

-Clench!

‘Song-ah…’

He felt sorry for her.

She had trusted him and entrusted it to him, but he never thought he would be caught so absurdly like this.

Ou Yeonwoo mumbled with his mouth and finally spat something out.

“Ptui.”

-Clink!

It was a thin and long wire.

Even in his confusion, he had managed to secretly take it just in case.

‘I have to get it back somehow.’

The sacred orb was a precious treasure of the order.

***

Burly-looking men wearing leopard skin and fur clothing, with clubs and weapons on their shoulders, surrounded something.

It was a prison cart for transportation.

Inside the wooden cage was a woman whose clothes were half-torn, revealing her white flesh in various places.

The woman with half-white hair and a mysterious aura exuded a strange atmosphere, perhaps because of the clothes she was wearing.

Outside the prison cart where she was, there was an old woman leaning on a cane.

The old woman spoke to the woman.

“This much should be enough to deceive them, Lady Chunchu.”

“You think so? With this much, do you think they won’t be able to resist?”

“That’s right.”

“Men are always eager to act like a knight-errant even for trivial reasons if given a proper pretext.”

“Heh heh. Indeed. Moreover, if they see you, Lady Chunchu, so beautiful, captured by rough bandits, they absolutely won’t be able to resist.”

“Of course. Even if it seems like a simple and shallow trick, it unexpectedly works well. Hohoho.”

She shrugged her shoulders with a triumphant look.

They had prepared according to the carriage’s route, so now they just had to wait for him to come.

“In about half a shichen, he will pass by here…”

-Whoosh!

At that moment, a gust of wind blew as if a storm had rushed in.

The sudden wind made her subordinates, who were acting as rough bandits, flustered and confused.

But in that fleeting moment, Lady Chunchu and the old woman looked up.

-Swish!

Something passed above them at a tremendous speed.

It was only a brief moment, so it was very blurry, but it was clearly something riding on a sword.

‘!!!!!!’

Seeing this, Lady Chunchu spoke with a stiff face.

“…That just now, it was him, right?”