Chapter 125
Back at his residence, Jin Kyung-Jun couldn’t stop thinking about Baek Mu-Gun becoming a source of great trouble if left alone. Kyung-Jun wanted to eliminate him somehow while he still had the chance, but he couldn’t do anything with his strength alone. The upper brasses had to take action.
“Grandfather might agree!”
Kyung-Jun suddenly remembered Jin Gwang-Cheon, his grandfather. Gwang-Cheon was the former Patriarch of the Guangdong Jin Family and was one of the Seven Saints, who were considered living legends in murim. Thinking Gwang-Cheon would help him, Kyung-Jun went straight to his residence.
“Grandfather!”
“Oh? My precious, eldest grandson has come to visit me without me calling for him? Will the sun rise from the west tomorrow?” Gwang-Cheon teased and welcomed Kyung-Jun, who rarely looked for him.
“I apologize for not visiting you often. I have been so concentrated on my martial arts training that I could not find the time.”
“Is it because you can’t find the time or because you simply don’t have the heart to? This grandfather of yours does not want much. All I ask is that you have a cup of tea and a meal with me from time to time.”
“I understand. Starting today, I will stop by more often to drink tea and have a meal with you, Grandfather.”
“You said the same thing last time, did you not?”
“I’m serious this time.”
“Was what you said back then a lie, then?” Gwang-Cheon joked.
“That’s not it—Anyway, I really will start visiting you more often from now on,” Kyung-Jun replied awkwardly.
“Alright. Now, what brings you here today?” Gwang-Cheon changed the subject.
“You are speaking as if I only look for you when I need you.”
“That seems to be the case most of the time. Did you visit me for no reason?”
“Not exactly.”
“That’s what I thought. So, what can this old man do for you?”
“It’s for the sake of the Guangdong Jin Family.”
“What is it that you are speaking so pompously about? You are making me anxious.” Gwang-Cheon could sense that something was up.
“Please don’t joke around. This is a really serious problem.” Kyung-Jun sounded stern.
“Did I say that it was not? I’m listening intently. Now, tell me, what is this serious problem that you seem so worried about?”
In response, Kyung-Jun told Gwang-Cheon about Mu-Gun and the matters related to him. He also spoke bluntly about why he wanted to eliminate Mu-Gun.
“Hmm, you are certainly right. If there is even the slightest possibility of him threatening the status of the Seven Great Families, then it is only natural for us to eliminate him.”
“I knew you would be of the same opinion, Grandfather. However, the problem is that the executives, Father included, think otherwise.”
“The Patriarch and executives of the Jin Family have to consider the justification behind every decision,” Gwang-Cheon rebutted.
“Didn’t you just say that we should get rid of Mu-Gun?”
“If the Patriarch and executives are bound by the justifications, then someone just has to do it in their stead, right?” Gwang-Cheon cunningly said.
“That’s why I came looking for you, Grandfather. You’re not restricted by the decision of the Patriarch and the executives. For the sake of the Guangdong Jin Family, I thought for sure you would do it.”
“I have already turned away from matters regarding our family a long time ago.”
“Still, won’t you willingly come forward for the sake of the family? We need your strength now more than ever, Grandfather.”
“Even I can’t win against four Absolute Realm masters,” Gwang-Cheon admitted.
“If you can’t defeat four, can’t you just take down Mu-Gun alone?” Kyung-Jun suggested.
“Do you have a way to separate that Baek Mu-Gun brat from the other masters?”
“To be honest, my plan isn’t foolproof, but we can probably use the Nine Celestial Demons Sect to our advantage.”
“How do you plan to do that?” Gwang-Cheon seemed curious about what Kyung-Jun was plotting.
“As it turns out, Baek Mu-Gun has been interfering with every single plan of the Nine Celestial Demons Sect. Baek Mu-Gun’s movements have been far too aggressive to consider it all a coincidence. He most probably has a deep grudge against the Nine Celestial Demons Sect,” Kyung-Jun divulged.
“So?”
“If we send a letter asking him to come out alone because we have important information about the Nine Celestial Demons Sect, how likely do you think Baek Mu-Gun will follow suit?”
“If you were in his position, what would you do?” Gwang-Cheon asked back instead.
“I would not go,” Kyung-Jun gave his honest opinion.
“Yet you expect Baek Mu-Gun to show up?”
“Baek Mu-Gun is an Absolute Realm master. If he truly has a deep grudge against the Nine Celestial Demons Sect, wouldn’t he still show up even if he knew that someone was trying to lure him out? He would likely think he could still obtain some important information about the Nine Celestial Demons Sect.”
“Well, that could certainly work if he has a lot of confidence in his martial arts. However, you are relying on nothing but pure luck. Nobody would show up alone believing in a letter that came from unknown origins.” Gwang-Cheon didn’t seem impressed.
“So that’s the most probable scenario in the end, huh,” Kyung-Jun said dejectedly.
“Nevertheless, if there is no other way, then it would be better to give it a try than do nothing. Who knows? We could get lucky enough for him to actually come alone.”
“Are you planning on taking action, Grandfather?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to do something for the future of the Jin Family than waste my time in a small room?”
“As expected of you, Grandfather.”
With Gwang-Cheon’s support and promise, Kyung-Cheon proceeded to look for Mu-Gun and his group. Upon discovering that they were currently staying at an inn in downtown Guangzhou, Kyung-Jun hired an orphan boy to deliver a letter to Mu-Gun. When the boy reached him, Mu-Gun accepted and read the letter.
“What does it say?” Jin Yoo-Sung asked in suspicion.
“Something ridiculous.”
“What do you mean?”
“Its author claims to have an important piece of information about the Nine Celestial Demons Sect. They want me to come to the northern shore of Foshan alone.”
“Someone is probably luring you out, Young Patriarch Baek.”
Geom Woo-Saeng saw through the sender’s intention as soon he heard about what the letter said. Anyone would have figured it out if they gave it some thought.
“You’re not planning to go there alone, are you?” Seok Gang asked just in case.
The others also thought that Mu-Gun would not follow the instructions stated in the letter. However, Mu-Gun seemed to think otherwise.
“Aren’t you curious about who’s playing such an obvious trick?”
“I hope you’re not planning to go alone just because you’re curious,” Yoo-Sung said, implying not to even dare dream of doing something like that.
“The most dangerous enemy in the world is the one you cannot see.”
Mu-Gun was also well aware of the danger, but he wanted to know who was targeting him in the dark.
“Even so, you still should not take such a risk just to identify our enemy.”
“Seok Gang is right. If you go alone, your life could be in danger.”
“Not necessarily. I don’t know who sent the letter, but they most probably sent it because they doubt they can defeat me with the three of you around. Taking that into consideration, their forces would comprise at most three Absolute Realm masters,” Mu-Gun justified.
“You’re not saying that you can deal with three Absolute Realm masters on your own, are you?”
“It will depend on how strong those Absolute Realm masters are. However, I don’t intend to overexert myself and fight them either. My current plan is to identify them and retreat immediately. If I put my mind to it, they will never be able to catch me no matter how many Absolute Realm masters they send at me.”
“So you plan to go alone, then? My old friend, the Heavenly Thunder God's Swordsman, also did everything alone... until the day he no longer returned to us. I don’t want to go through that again. If you still insist on going, then we, the Four Peerless Wanderers, will leave the Baek Sword Sect. After all, there would no longer be any reason for us to stay.” Yoo-Sung was firm.
Mu-Gun sighed softly when Yoo-Sung dissuaded him by bringing up his past life. Just this time, he decided to listen to Yoo-Sung.
“Okay. I will follow your will, Venerable Elder.”
“Really? You’re saying that now just to sneak out later, are you?”
“I promise not to go.”
“Good thinking,” Yoo-Sung said in relief.
“That’s right. We know how strong you are, but it’s still too dangerous to go alone.”
“I don’t know who they are, but they’re bound to reveal their tails. Let’s just wait until then.”
Seok Gang and Woo-Saeng were also pleased with Mu-Gun’s decision. Mu-Gun found it a pity that he could not confirm the enemy’s identity, but his heart warmed up when the three appeared to be sincerely worried about him.
With Kyung-Jun’s grand plan destroyed, Gwang-Cheon waited for Mu-Gun for more than two hours at the northern shore of Foshan, then returned to the Guangdong Jin Family empty-handed.
A few days later, Mu-Gun and his group regrouped with the Eun Merchant Group in Guangzhou, then headed back to Wenzhou aboard the Sea Palace Sect’s ship. Nam Jo-Yang expressed his delight to meet Mu-Gun again, whom he had not seen for fifteen days.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been great. Everything went according to plan.”
“It seems your party has grown. Was your trip to Guangdong related to them? Ah! If it’s difficult for you to answer, you don’t have to.”
“It is.”
“If you don’t mind, may I ask who they are? I don’t harbor ill intentions. They just seem so extraordinary as well.” Jo-Yang asked, unable to suppress his curiosity even though he knew it could be seen as impolite.
“The two older men are Master Seok Gang the Qiankun Hands and Master Geo Woo-Saeng the Daybreak Swordmaster. The young man next to them is their disciple,” Mu-Gun introduced, not finding any problem with doing so.
Jo-Yang was greatly surprised to hear Seok Gang and Woo-Saeng’s title.
“Aren’t Master Qiankun Hands and Master Daybreak Swordmaster the heroes who played an active role in the war against the Hell-Blood Demon Sect?”
“That’s right.”
“Have you recruited them to the Baek Sword Sect?”
“Yes.”
“Hoooh, that’s really amazing. I can’t believe you managed to recruit them after doing the same to the Four Peerless Wanderers. How did you win them over? I heard that they were famous for not being affiliated with any forces of murim,” Jo-Yang asked out of genuine curiosity.
“Well, all I did was invite them with a sincere heart.”
“A sincere heart huh? I see.” Jo-Yang nodded as if he had just gained huge enlightenment.
Mu-Gun almost burst into laughter when Jo-Yang took his words seriously even though he had only been giving vague and sloppy answers. The more he got to know Namjo Yang, the more he found him to be a decent man.
“May I greet the two masters as well? I have always admired them,” Jo-Yang cautiously asked.
“Go for it. I will officially introduce them to you at dinner later.”
“Ah! Thank you for letting me enjoy such unprecedented luxuries, Young Patriarch Baek. Not only do I get to see heroes whom I have only heard about in stories, but I even get to greet them.”
“That’s only because you’re a good person, Master Nam. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Mu-Gun briefly bid farewell to Namjo Yang, then proceeded to observe the sparring session between Cho Woo-Kyung and the Six White Wolves, which Mu-Gun requested earlier and Woo-Kyung gladly accepted. As a result, Mu-Gun’s six followers once again gained experience fighting a new martial art. Considering the martial art was made up of Ascension Realm ultimate techniques, not even money could buy such an experience.
Well aware of that, the Six White Wolves focused all their heart and soul on the sparring session to obtain as much knowledge and experience as they could. That same evening, Jo-Yang had dinner with Mu-Gun’s party and got to know both Seok Gang and Woo-Saeng. The two heroes of murim were pleased to see Jo-Yang unable to his joy of being able to meet and eat with them.
Fifteen days after departing from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, the Eun Merchant Group’s merchant ship and the Sea Palace Sect’s escort ship arrived at Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Since Fuzhou was the home of the Sea Palace Sect, Jo-Yang invited Mu-Gun’s party to the Sea Palace Sect. Mu-Gun gladly accepted. When they arrived, the Sea Palace Sect Patriarch gave them a warm welcome and gave them comfortable accommodations for the night. The next day, they left Fuzhou and headed to Wenzhou.
The Sea Palace Sect only escorted the Eun Merchant Group up to Fuzhou. Hence, on the way to Wenzhou, the Eun Merchant Group had to protect their ship on their own. However, they did not have anything to worry about this time because Mu-Gun and his group were with them. Six days after departing from Fuzhou, they safely arrived at Wenzhou.
Mu-Gun returned to the Baek Sword Sect as soon as they reached the port. Upon arrival, he took Seok Gang and Woo-Saeng to Baek Cheon-Sang.
“Welcome. I am Baek Cheon-Sang, the Baek Sword Sect’s Patriarch. It’s an honor to have such distinguished martial artists join our sect.”
Cheon-Sang did not expect Seok Gang and Woo-Saeng to join the sect, so he couldn’t help but be surprised to meet them.
Nevertheless, He cupped his fist and formally greeted the two.
“Although we are your seniors in murim, you are our superior now that we have joined the Baek Sword Sect, Patriarch Baek. Hence, you don’t have to be so polite.”
“It is only natural for me to greet you politely. You are our venerable elders. For that reason, even I, the Patriarch, have to treat you with respect,” Cheon-Sang insisted.
“I am uncertain whether we old men deserve such a great position.”
“If you two do not deserve it, then no one in murim does.”
“Haha! you are flattering us too much, Patriarch Baek.”
“Anyone who knows what you've done for murim will and should think the same way,” Cheon-Sang said.
“I am very grateful that you see us in such high respects.”
“I should be the one thanking you for willingly joining the Baek Sword Sect as venerable elders. If you find anything inconvenient during your stay with us, please do not hesitate to tell me. I will make sure to immediately deal with it myself.”
“Got it.”
“You must be tired from your long journey, so please just rest for today. We will hold a banquet to officially appoint and welcome both of you as venerable elders as soon as we are done with the preparations.”
“You don’t have to do something so grandiose.”
“No, it is only proper for us to hold a feast to welcome two heroes of murim. Leave everything to me and just take this time to rest comfortably. The Young Patriarch will guide you to your residence.” Cheon-Sang gestured to Mu-Gun.
“I will lead the way. Shall we?”
Mu-Gun left the White Sword Pavilion with Seok Gang and Woo-Saeng and guided the two to an abode that the sect had prepared beforehand. Their residence was attached to the Four Peerless Wanderers’ residence with the intention of helping them all get along.
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