Chapter 124
Nankun Sect Patriarch Yeon Nam-Cheong met with Shin Seung-Gyeom, who had just returned from Dieyun Valley. Seung-Gyeom was one of the five strongest martial arts masters of the Nankun Sect and the one who led the Dieyun Valley raid.
“So you’re saying the man who shattered Ja-Shim’s leg is the disciple of the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster, who are both in Dieyun Valley right now?” Nam-Cheong clarified.
“That’s right. We also came across the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch and the Sunset Sword there. Given the situation, we had no choice but to retreat. According to the man who crippled our Young Patriarch, he simply punished him for trying to rape a woman. Before we take revenge, I think we should first conduct a proper investigation regarding that matter,” Seung-Gyeom replied.
“So we’re supposed to simply let this matter go if it’s proven that Ja-Shim did do something wrong?” Nam-Cheong frowned and asked, indicating that he did not find that acceptable.
“In murim, execution is definitely not an excessive punishment for rape. Insisting on taking revenge even though the Young Patriarch really did commit the inexcusable crime of rape would only tarnish the Nankun Sect’s honor,” Seung-Gyeom argued, showing no signs of backing down.
“If Ja-Shim was your child, would you still be able to say that?”
“I would not treat my own child any differently.”
“You only say that because you have not experienced it yourself. If it were someone else, I would have said something as righteous. However, I simply can’t find justice in the fact that my child will be spending the rest of his life crippled. As his father, I have to avenge him. Even if the world condemns me, I will not change my mind.”
“Before you are the Young Patriarch’s father, you are first the Nankun Sect Patriarch. You have to prioritize the Nankun Sect above all else. As our leader, it is your duty to lead us down the right path. Your behavior right now is not deserving of your title. Moreover, as I have already said, the masters of the man who crippled the Young Patriarch are the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster. Even with our sect’s entire force, it will still be difficult to defeat them. To make matters worse, the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch and the Sunset Sword are also with them at Dieyun Valley. If they help the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster, we will find ourselves in an even more difficult situation.”
“I will ask the Guangdong Jin Family for help.”
“With all due respect, I doubt the Guangdong Jin Family would be willing to help us once they have learned about what happened. Even without the circumstances, I still doubt they would. They simply won’t gain anything from helping us, and they also have to conserve their forces.”
“We have to find a way to make the Guangdong Jin Family move.”
“Are you trying to deceive the Guangdong Jin Family? If they learn of this, they certainly would not stay still. In the worst-case scenario, our entire sect could even be wiped from existence. Wait, don’t tell me... Are you saying that you do not care what happens to the Nankun Sect for as long as you get to avenge the Young Patriarch?”
“...”
Nam-Cheong couldn’t answer. After all, Seung-Gyeom had a point.
“I know full well how you feel, Patriarch Yeon. However, this is not something that we can solve with our emotions. For now, we should investigate the rumors about the Young Patriarch. If we find out that the man was telling the truth, then we will have to lay this matter to rest.”
“What if it’s not true?”
“We will have to avenge the Young Patriarch even if it means the Nankun Sect’s eradication. Even I will put my life on the line to achieve that.”
“Fine, let’s do it your way. I hereby give you the responsibility of investigating all the matters related to the Young Patriarch.”
“Understood. Thank you for making this hard decision for the sake of the Nankun Sect.”
“There is nothing to thank me for. I am simply making decisions with the Nankun Sect’s best interests in mind. On the contrary, I should be the one thanking you. Your honest advice has allowed me to regain control of my emotions. Without you, I would have already committed unforgivable sins against the Nankun Sect.”
“I believe you would have made the right decision even without my guidance, Patriarch Yeon. Anyway, I will be taking my leave now. I have to investigate the matters regarding the Young Patriarch.”
“Go on.”
Nam-Cheong sent Seung-Gyeom on his way, then fell into deep thought.
* * *
Yeon Ja-Shim could not just leave Cho Woo-Kyung be. After all, that man was the one who crushed both his legs, ultimately forcing him to live as a cripple for the rest of his life. Ja-Shim wanted to make that bastard suffer the way he did. No, he wanted to shatter Woo-Kyung’s legs and arms so he would crawl for the rest of his life. Since the Nankun Sect had sent their elites to Dieyun Valley, he thought it was only a matter of time before the bastard was caught.
However, he was instead soon told that the Nankun Sect’s elite warriors returned empty-handed and that they were putting avenging him on hold. Unable to control his anger, he threw away the vase on his bedside table. The vase shattered as a result, its fragments scattering across the room and the water inside it soaking the floor.
“Young Patriarch Yeon! Please calm down,” Noh Tae-Gang, Ja-Shim’s retainer, pleaded.
“Do I look like I can do that? They’re planning on leaving that bastard alone and investigating me instead! What do they plan to do after? What’s so wrong with touching a hillbilly bitch? Is that more important than me turning into a cripple?!” Ja-Shim asked, still enraged. He clearly couldn’t reflect on his own crime.
“We should rightfully take revenge for you, Young Patriarch Yeon.” Tae-Gang tried to appease Ja-Shim.
“Do you have any good ideas?”
“As it turned out, that bastard’s masters are the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster.”
“Qiankun Hands? Daybreak Swordmaster? Who are they?”
“Martial arts masters who played an active role during the war against the Hell-Blood Demon Sect. Back then, they were already strong enough to be considered part of the Hundred Central Plains Masters.”
“So the sect is giving up on revenge because they fear those two.”
“That’s not all. The Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch and the Sunset Sword, one of the Four Peerless Wanderers, are said to be with them. In all honesty, even if the entire Nankun Sect charges at them, we would not be able to do anything to them.”
“Are you saying that it’s only right to give up on avenging me?!” Ja-Shim screamed.
“No. I’m just saying that the only way you can get revenge now is to make the Guangdong Jin Family step in.”
“You do have a point, but will they even take action?”
“Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t really meddle with this matter since doing so wouldn’t bring them profits. However, if we inform them that the Baek Sword Sect are looking for the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster, they will probably be forced to act.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Baek Sword Sect’s power soared steeply when their Patriarch and Young Patriarch advanced into the Absolute Realm and the Four Peerless Wanderers, who are powerful martial arts masters from the previous generation, joined their sect as venerable elders. The Baek Sword Sect’s growth likely does not sit well with the Seven Great Families. However, since they cannot justify keeping the Baek Sword Sect in check and the Nine Celestial Demons Sect has been causing trouble, all they can do right now is observe.”
“Get to the point, will you?”
“The Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch are likely looking for the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster to invite them to their sect. If those two join their sect following the Four Peerless Wanderers, the Baek Sword Sect will become a big threat to the Seven Great Families. Consequently, the Guangdong Jin Family will find it hard to just sit still and watch.”
“Are you saying that they will try to stop the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster from joining the Baek Sword Sect?”
“That’s right. They will most likely try to recruit the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster into their ranks instead as well.”
“Won’t that make it even more difficult to get my revenge?”
If the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster joined the Guangdong Jin Family, it would become practically impossible to take revenge on Woo-Kyung since he was their disciple. Let alone taking revenge, Ja-Shim should instead worry about whether Woo-Kyung, who would then have the power of the Guangdong Jin Family backing him, would ask him to pay for his crime.
“No, the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster will definitely not join the Guangdong Jin Family. If they were going to do that, they would have already joined the Seven Great Families long ago,” Tae-Gang responded, reassuring Ja-Shim.
“Wouldn’t that be the same for the Baek Sword Sect?”
“I’m not sure what trick the Baek Sword Sect played to recruit the Four Peerless Wanderers, so recruiting the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster into their ranks remains a possibility. However, if they do join the Baek Sword Sect, the Guangdong Jin Family will most likely take action to prevent the Baek Sword Sect from becoming stronger. To that end, they will use the fact that the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster’s disciple harmed the Nankun Sect’s Young Patriarch as a valid justification. We are, after all, their vassal family.”
“Hmmm, that seems plausible, but there’s no guarantee that the Guangdong Jin Family will make a move.”
“That’s true, but given the current situation, that’s the only thing we can count on.”
“Fine. I want you to personally head to the Guangdong Jin Family and try to persuade the Guangdong Jin Family’s Young Patriarch.”
“Understood.”
“I will put my faith in you.”
“I will do my best.”
Tae-Gang bid Ja-Shim farewell and left his residence. After making all the necessary preparations, he traveled to the Guangdong Jin Family’s manor.
* * *
The Guangdong Jin Family, one of the Seven Great Families, accumulated enormous wealth through overseas private trades. Using that wealth to grow their martial prowess, they now had the largest number of martial artists among the Seven Great Families. However, they weren’t only strong in number. Among their ranks were five Absolute Realm masters, who were collectively known as the Five Peerless Tyrants, and eighteen Upper Peak Realm masters known as the Eighteen Peerless Dragons.
Although the Great Namgung Family was considered the strongest among the Seven Great Families, the Guangdong Jin Family was by no means inferior to them. The only reasons the Great Namgung Family and Hebei Peng Family stood above them were the fact that they were not a prestigious family rich in heritage and that their martial arts masters from the previous generations were no longer on active duty. However, with the current trend, the Guangdong Jin Family could certainly suppress the Great Namgung Family and the Hebei Peng Family to stand at the top of the Seven Great Families.
Either way, the Guangdong Jin Family was clearly in their greatest era of prosperity since the inception of their family.
Guangdong Jin Family Patriarch Jin Mu-Wei, the man considered to be the reason behind their prosperity, was currently having a meeting with Guangdong Jin Family Young Patriarch Jin Kyung-Jun.
“What’s going on?”
“I discovered an important piece of information.”
“What would that be?”
“I heard that the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster are currently living in seclusion at Dieyun Valley of Mount Nankun.”
“I see. What about them?”
“Well, I heard that the Baek Sword Sect of Zhejiang Province sent people to Mount Nankun to recruit those two. They have already successfully recruited the Four Peerless Wanderers. If they manage to bring the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster into their ranks as well, the Baek Sword Sect will possess power great enough to make even the Seven Great Families think twice about messing with them.”
“Where did you obtain such information?”
“This information came from the Nankun Sect’s Young Patriarch. The Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster’s disciple has crippled him, so he likely gave me this information to get revenge.”
“He probably thinks we would eliminate the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster to prevent the power of the Baek Sword Sect from growing.”
“He likely does.”
“The Young Patriarch of that vassal family of ours dare take advantage of their owners, huh? I can’t just leave them alone.” Mu-Wei felt the need to tighten the discipline of their vassal family.
“Though it is upsetting, we obtained a good piece of information thanks to him,” Kyung-Jun said, thinking that it was not a big deal.
“Tell me what you think.”
“We still don’t know whether the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster will accept the Baek Sword Sect’s offer, but if they reject it, then we wouldn’t have any problems. However, if they do accept, then we will have to make a decision.”
“What decision would that be?”
“Whether we will just stand by and watch as the Baek Sword Sect’s Absolute Realm masters increase in number or take this opportunity to cut the problem by the roots.”
“Are you saying that we should eliminate the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch?”
“The Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch has already reached the Absolute Realm even though he is still just twenty-three years old. With so much potential left in him, his growth comes a terrifyingly endless number of possibilities. In all honesty, it does not really matter if the Baek Sword Sect recruits the martial arts masters of the previous generation. What worries me is their Young Patriarch. If he advances into the Supreme Realm, the Baek Sword Sect will be able to surpass even the Seven Great Families.”
“Are you implying that we should get rid of him before that happens?”
“That’s right. If we let him grow even stronger, we will no longer have a chance to do that.”
“Nevertheless, we cannot take action without proper justification. Moreover, if the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster accept the Baek Sword Sect’s proposal, then we will have to face four Absolute Realm masters. To guarantee victory, we will have to deploy all Five Peerless Tyrants, which is by no means simply to do,” Mu-Wei expressed his reluctance.
As Mu-Wei said, dealing with four Absolute Realm masters would not be a problem if they deployed the Five Peerless Tyrants and the Eighteen Peerless Dragons. However, they couldn’t just mobilize such high-ranking forces without sufficient justification.
“Can’t we just make our own justification? The Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster’s disciple crushed the legs of the Nankun Sect’s Young Patriarch and ran away when the latter caught the former trying to rape a woman. To resolve the injustice that the Nankun Sect suffered, we tried to ask the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster’s disciple to pay for his sins. However, rather than cooperating with us, the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster attacked us instead. The Baek Sword Sect’s group helped them, so we had no choice but to kill them. What do you think of that story for our justification?”
Dead men told no tales. If they killed everyone, then anything they said afterward would become the truth. That was why it was often said that history was written by the victors.
Mu-Wei thought Kyung-Jun wasn’t wrong, but he couldn’t help but feel as if it was wrong to do what their Young Patriarch was suggesting.
“We cannot decide on this matter arbitrarily. It would be best to have a meeting with the executives first before making a decision.”
“Understood, let’s do that then.”
Kyung-Jun was disappointed that Mu-Wei could not make a bold decision, but he decided to not go against the Patriarch’s will. Mu-Wei convened with the Five Peerless Tyrants, the Guangdong Jin Family’s executives, and discussed eliminating the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch. The Five Peerless Tyrants’ opinions did not differ much from Mu-Wei’s. Without proper justification, they did not want to kill the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch.
Above all, with the threat of the Nine Celestial Demons Sect just around the corner, they had to refrain from reducing the number of their forces. Although Kyung-Jun said that the Baek Sword Sect could become even more superior to the Seven Great Families if the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch became powerful enough to escape their control, the Five Peerless Tyrants were not concerned about Mu-Gun’s martial prowess.
Mu-Gun reaching the Absolute Realm in his twenties was certainly an amazing feat, but they simply attributed it to the miraculous enlightenment that he obtained from the Heavenly Sea God Sect. From their perspective, the chances of Mu-Gun reaching the Supreme Realm were not as big as Kyung-Jun thought. Moreover, even if Mu-Gun did have the talent to reach the Supreme Realm, they assumed it would take him at least several decades to do so.
The Five Peerless Tyrants were also Absolute Realm masters, so they knew what it required to reach the Supreme Realm better than most. It took them decades to reach the Absolute Realm. Moreover, even though they were putting constant effort into reaching the Supreme Realm, it was still far from their grasp. Thinking Mu-Gun would not be much different from them, they found no reason to be wary of the man.
In the end, they decided not to attack Mu-Gun’s group. Lacking the authority to change the decision they came to in the executive meeting, Kyung-Jun was left with no other choice but to accept it for now.
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