Chapter 142

Bukgung Yeong-no ultimately wrested Yeon Mujin from Bukgung Yoon’s hand.

The place he took Yeon Mujin to was none other than the Heavenly Martial Manor’s Heavenly Martial Armory.

“Step back for a moment.”

He opened the door and entered the sword hall, rummaging through the piled grave of swords.

“Let’s see. I think that was somewhere around here…”

Each sword Bukgung Yeong-no casually picked up and tossed into a corner was a famed blade in the martial world.

After searching for a long while, he grabbed a sword and tossed it to Yeon Mujin.

Yeon Mujin accepted the sword in a daze.

It was a plain, unadorned blade with a strikingly bright edge.

“What is this?”

“It’s the sword of the previous wanderer wolf-king. I don’t know if it had a specific name.”

“Wolf-king?”

The wolf-king was a former master who, throughout his life as a wanderer, defeated many masters of righteous halls.

True to his wanderer origins, his internal qi was insignificant, but he was said to relish fighting strong opponents with his uniquely practical swordsmanship.

It was told that the wolf-king fought in a very dirty manner; even amid life-or-death battles he never stopped taunting, and if things turned sour he was famed for throwing down his sword and fleeing.

He was the exact opposite of Yeon Mujin, who insisted on fair, honorable duels.

“You’re a wanderer yourself, so it should suit you. It’s nothing special, just take it. Don’t go around with some cheap sword.”

Yeon Mujin took the sword obediently and replied.

“Since you say it’s nothing, I won’t bother with thanks.”

“…”

Bukgung Yeong-no looked at Yeon Mujin with an expression that said, “What on earth is this?”

“So are the two of us supposed to look for this so-called Raging Evil?”

“Yes. For now, the two of you will search.”

“Then where should we start looking?”

“I don’t know either.”

“What?”

“That’s for you to figure out from now on. Isn’t that why I brought you?”

Yeon Mujin looked back at Bukgung Yeong-no.

What on earth is this?

Let’s sweep away Heavenly Martial Manor.

Even the Three Lord of the world could not readily respond to the Grand Young Lord’s radical declaration.

It was too enormous an issue to answer immediately.

Bukgung Kang-geon looked at the silent assembly and spoke.

“This Raging Evil fellow has caused countless troubles across the Central Plains. He picks fights with innocents, molests women, and raises flames as he pleases…”

While he spoke, Gwang Haeng’s gaze turned to Jong Haeng beside him.

Raging Evil was not the only one causing problems in the Central Plains’ martial world.

Had Jong Haeng beside him not been a martial victor of Shaolin, he would have gained notoriety as bad as the Three Evils.

Jong Haeng sent a look to the Manor Lord who was looking at him.

‘What are you looking at?’

“…”

Meanwhile, the Grand Prince’s words continued.

“Despising the weak and avoiding the strong are the filthy habits of Raging Evil and the other Three Evils. There are two reasons they’ve been able to live and spread their infamy in the martial world. First, there was a lack of justification to punish them. Second, behind the Three Evils stood the backing of Heavenly Martial Manor. Isn’t that so?”

It was not wrong.

The current martial arts world was chaotic, lacking justice and order.

The righteous sects only cared about their own interests and paid no mind to affairs outside their spheres.

In the indifference of those sects, horsemen and evil members roamed free.

But could anyone step forward to punish those villains?

That too was difficult.

Most of the notorious villains were henchmen of the Bukgung Family.

The Second Prince, Third Prince, or Fifth Prince…

They served different manors, so even from the righteous sects’ standpoint, they could not easily attack them.

Only the Bukgung name could keep the Bukgung in check.

“I will solve the second reason for you. The first reason will be resolved as well. Raging Evil provoked the Namgung family, did he not? There is ample justification to arrest him. Isn’t that so, Namgung Family Lord?”

Namgung Geom nodded slowly, as if his resolve had hardened, and replied.

“That is correct.”

“We will punish those who hide behind the name Heavenly Martial Manor to commit wicked deeds. In the name of the righteous martial world.”

Bukgung Kang-geon looked to the other two Manor Lords and tried to persuade them.

“Isn’t that also the reason you followed our Grand Order?”

The reason the vanguard of the righteous martial arts world — Shaolin, Mudang, and the Namgung family — supported and followed the Grand Prince of the Grand Order was precisely this.

“To establish the standards of the righteous martial world across the land, is it not?”

“Hmm…”

“Even if Raging Evil is one thing, what about the Three Evils? There’s no justification to punish the Three Evils, is there?”

It was the question from Jong Baekjin-in, the Manor Lord of Mudang.

“I stake my name on this: if we capture Raging Evil, the rest of the Three Evils will one by one reveal themselves. Then we can round them up and arrest them together.”

“After Raging Evil comes the Three Evils, and then Heavenly Martial Manor. Can you handle that?”

This time it was Shaolin’s Manor Lord, great monk Gwang Haeng, who asked.

“That’s why I told you. This is our chance to sweep away Heavenly Martial Manor.”

The Grand Young lord answered as if it didn’t matter.

No, he even spoke as if it was a favorable opportunity.

“If my brother, the head of Heavenly Martial Manor, tries to protect the Three Evils, that would give us a pretext to strike Heavenly Martial Manor. If he abandons the Three Evils, we can deal with the Three Evils themselves—either way, it’s a favorable situation for us.”

At that moment, breaking his silence, Jong Haeng spoke.

“Grand Young lord, have you been preparing for war?”

Bukgung Kang-geon answered that question.

“How long did you think this peace would last?”

No one could answer that.

“The Family Lord ordered that every means be mobilized to secure your position. War was not started by me; it began that day already. There is one throne, and six people who want to sit in it. Someone must trample another to get up. Avoiding the strong because they’re strong, avoiding brothers because they’re brothers… I will not think like that. Why should I have to have mine taken? Is the justice you claim to establish in the martial world so trivial? Are you content to be trampled and sullied by others?”

Bukgung Kang-geon’s eyes sharpened.

“Or do you all have such shallow convictions that you would give up because you fear fighting? You so-called Three Lords of the world…”

The Grand Young Lord of the Bukgung Family, ignorant of martial prowess, was pressuring the Three Sovereigns with nothing but words.

“You say war? If you want to call it war, then so be it. Try it, then—go to war.”

The renowned masters present realized something.

Each was the head of their own sect or family, but they were merely passengers on a powerless ship whose course they could not change by their strength alone.

The helm of the ship they had boarded was not in their hands.

The one holding the helm was the Grand Young Lord of the Bukgung Family.

Once the Grand Young Lord began to move the helm, they had no choice but to yield to the current and go along.

“So how do you plan to capture Raging Evil?”

The Grand Young Lord decided to closely monitor Heavenly Martial Manor’s movements from Taewon and respond accordingly.

To capture Raging Evil would require mobilizing warriors from Shaolin, Wudang, and the Namgung family.

The one who stepped forward most eagerly was, naturally, Namgung Geom of the Namgung family.

“Raging Evil’s last known whereabouts were near Mount Cheonjung in Henan Province.”

Namgung Geom distributed identification papers bearing Raging Evil’s face to Shaolin and Wudang.

“Even while I was absent, the Namgung family’s warriors have been meticulously searching the vicinity, so it’s unlikely he could have slipped far from here.”

“I heard Raging Evil is as proficient in fire arts as he is in stealth techniques—how can you be so certain?”

“He was wounded by my sword in Hebi. He’s skilled at running, so we couldn’t capture him fully, but he’ll need time to heal his wounds. I expect he won’t be able to move much near Mount Cheonjung for about five days.”

The Namgung family’s swordsmen were known to be as rough and resolute as their Family Lord’s temper.

A wound inflicted by a sword from the Namgung would certainly not be minor.

“My plan is as follows. The area the Namgung family’s forces currently have surrounded is about this size. If Shaolin and Wudang provide warriors, we can search this range.”

Namgung Geom drew a large circle centered on Mount Cheonjung.

“No matter how far he fled, he couldn’t have escaped this area. Will you assist?”

“…How many warriors are needed?”

To elder Jong Baek’s question,

“Wudang can provide thirty swordsmen. Not everyone will be dragged into fighting, so rest assured. If we find Raging Evil, I will be the first to step in and subdue him.”

“Phew…”

Elder Jong Baek let out a long sigh and replied.

“I will lend them.”

“…!”

Thus Wudang too rode the wave.

“Then what about Shaolin…”

Namgung Geom’s gaze shifted to Gwang Haeng.

Jong Haeng was displeased with the turn of events, but Shaolin’s sect leader could not go against the trend.

“Shaolin will send thirty martial victors. And…”

Gwang Haeng placed a hand on Victorious Fighting Monk shoulder and said.

“We’ll send Victorious Fighting Monk with them.”

Namgung Geom’s gaze filled with exultation.

Sixty warriors combined from Shaolin and Wudang, plus Victorious Fighting Monk?

With that strength, it would be no trouble to capture not only Raging Evil but the Three Evils as well.

“Ugh!”

Clang!

Jong Haeng shook his prayer beads in complaint.

He meant to protest why he was being dragged into it unfairly.

“Jong Haeng. The first teaching of Shaolin is ‘do not take life.’ However, if a fight is unavoidable, using overwhelming force to minimize death or injury is also Shaolin’s intent. Is that not so?”

He said this as he loosened the prayer beads Jong Haeng wore.

“If the people are suffering under evil, punishing that evil would not greatly violate Shaolin’s teachings. Do not use your strength in vain—use it to capture them. If your contribution to catching Raging Evil is great, I will lift all the restrictions I have placed on you.”

Shaolin’s Manor Lord, Gwang Haeng, too ultimately rode the wave.

Namgung Geom smiled with satisfaction.

The day when the Namgung family’s pavilions would avenge the shame of being burned was not far off.

“Very well. Two sahyungs, and Sword Lord. So that I do not disappoint your expectations, the Namgung forces will surely capture Raging Evil. We’ll spread a net across Henan Province, centered on Mount Cheonjung and the surrounding area. Raging Evil is now a rat in a trap.”

“You say you don’t know where he is?”

“I don’t know.”

“You mean you don’t even know where to start looking?”

“I don’t.”

‘Why is someone who doesn’t know acting so confident?’

The words rose to his throat, but he held back.

The opponent was the Lord of Heavenly Martial Manor, after all.

If he needlessly provoked him, he might be challenged to a duel.

He preferred to avoid that at all costs.

“Then we should start with the Namgung family.”

“What are you talking about? I said find Raging Evil, not the Namgung family.”

For the first time in a long while, Yeon Mujin felt a surprising sensation in dealing with Bukgung Yeong-no.

Having spent time with Bukgung Yoon, he had forgotten.

That man was a complete ignoramus in everything but martial arts.

“Where do we find Raging Evil?”

“I told you I don’t know.”

“Who is pursuing Raging Evil?”

“The Namgung family, I said.”

“Then even if we don’t know, wouldn’t the Namgung family know Raging Evil’s whereabouts? If we follow the Namgung family that pursues Raging Evil, won’t we learn where he is?”

“…Huh?”

Bukgung Yeong-no looked at Yeon Mujin with the expression one gives a once-in-a-century strategist.