The Eve Festival (3)

Only after three days shut in his quarters could he fully subdue the rampaging Heavenly Wolf Qi.

‘I should experience real combat too.’

The Heavenly Wolf True Art does not merely denote stages of internal energy or a heart method. It is a Qi Art in itself, with techniques usable at each stage.

These are called the Heavenly Wolf Path Six-Character True Art.

The Six-Character True Art consists of six characters; Engage (接), Unbind (解), Rouse (激), Pierce (透), Rebound (彈), Detonate (爆). Upon entering the Wolf-Call Path, one can use the Engage and Unbind art, and upon entering the Cunning Wolf Path, one can use up to the Rouse art.

After that, the Pierce and Rebound arts unlock at the third stage, and the final Detonate art only at the fourth stage.

While the Six-Character True Art is a simple kind of Qi-art, upon the third stage it can even be incorporated into external-style martial arts.

Even a single move changes in nature depending on how one handles their True Qi. Only after mastering the arts to be learned and perfecting combinations with the Six-Character True Art can one be said to have truly trained the Heavenly Wolf Art.

‘Plenty to do. I like that.’

For now, just bringing Heavenly Wolf Qi under control was a great harvest.

After eating the meal Do-min brought, Jin-hyeon opened a book at once.

Several booklets in his quarters had been delivered by Seomun Hoe. They were the Murim Histories compiling the major events in Murim after the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader’s death.

‘Knowledge is power.’

Before learning the Heavenly Wolf True Art, he had written down the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader’s dreams in detail and etched them in memory.

Now it was time to learn about the era after the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader. During his days as Gyeong Se-hwi, he truly cared nothing about what was happening in the world, focused only on hammering, and knew little.

Of course, that devotion to ironworking earned him a master’s renown at a young age.

Now had to be different.

‘Hmm.’

After carefully reading one book for over an hour, Jin-hyeon stroked his chin.

‘There were men like this even after the Alliance Leader died.’

What he focused on was the Three Demons’ Turmoil fifty years ago.

At the time, three masters appeared in Murim: the Hundred-Flowers Divine Lord, the Ice-Soul Martial Empress, and the Thunder Emperor.

They were called unparalleled prodigies, and it was said that even among super-masters of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families, few could face them.

In the end, the three founded the Martial God Association with their followers and fought the Heavenly Will Alliance for the realm.

The winner of the fierce war was the Heavenly Will Alliance. That affair solidified its rule, and the whole continent came under its sway.

‘Truly, there are many extraordinary people in the world.’

It said assessments of the Three Demons’ Turmoil still diverged.

Reading that far, Jin-hyeon checked the footnote below.

‘In truth, it was the Heavenly Will Alliance that induced the turmoil, and the three were forced into starting the fight… though that’s different from what’s known. Well, history is the victor’s spoils.’

The footnote recorded the truth of the affair that the Black Society had separately investigated.

It was not only on the Three Demons’ Turmoil. Other parts had detailed footnotes based on Black Society intelligence.

‘This is precious.’

Content of this level could be called treasure without lack. Excited, Jin-hyeon swiftly devoured several volumes.

How long did he read like that?

‘Hm? Mad Demon?’

A little over ten years ago, a great bloody incident broke out in Sichuan.

The instigator, who was called Mad Demon, literally erased three sects who were fairly famous in Sichuan at the time.

Not only their disciples, but even their hired servants and maids. He killed them all without leaving even a dog alive, and he carried out killings in villages as well.

In particular, before the sects were exterminated, various murders across Sichuan were also attributed to him. Having tasted so much blood, even while being chased by the Sichuan Branch and many sects after razing the three, he held blood feasts in two villages.

He was grievously wounded during the pursuit but ultimately escaped. His unprecedented carnage was later named the Mad Demon Blood Incident .

‘Right, I remember this.’

The Mad Demon Blood Incident was in Gyeong Se-hwi’s memory as well.

The Divine Iron Merchant Clan too had gone taut at the sudden appearance of a demonic figure. Luckily, the Mad Demon did not reach them, but the clan warriors kept shifts and controlled the area.

‘But that’s not it, you say?’

Reading the Black Society’s footnotes, it said there were many doubts about the Incident.

Reading the various interpretations, Jin-hyeon nodded. They had merit.

‘Lies spread like wind; truth passes in whispers. This damned world…’

Closing the book, Jin-hyeon began circulating his qi again. One must grow used to circulation itself to grow familiar with qi.

Finishing, he opened the door and came out.

“Is it night already?”

Drunk on martial arts and study, he forgot day and night.

‘How long has it been, I wonder.’

Hair twisted up and tied, he headed for the gate, intending to check construction and practice movement arts.

“We pay respects to Teacher Jin!”

Deep respect filled the disciplined greetings of the gate guards.

After showing his true skills in the duel with Seol Hong-baek, the clan warriors’ eyes when looking at him changed completely from that of a mere guest to a new master who had honed outstanding martial arts at a young age.

Jin-hyeon gave a wry smile.

“There’s no need for such booming greetings.”

“No, sir.”

No what?

He was truly curious, but blurting it out might fluster the guards.

“Where are you headed?”

“Ah, to get some air and practice movement arts.”

“I see.”

Jin-hyeon tilted his head. The guards fidgeted, blocking the gate.

“Is something the matter?”

“Well… the mood outside is not ordinary right now.”

“Not ordinary?”

A guard explained the recent murders.

“By last night there had been seven murders of civilians in total. A serial killing.”

“What crazy bastard…?”

“The culprit hasn’t been caught, but judging by traces, the culprit has learned considerable martial arts.”

“Hm.”

“The Investigation and Defense Court constables are investigating. Our clan warriors are also on night patrol.”

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“Understood. I’ll be careful, so don’t worry.”

“Ah, yes.”

He was a master who could face the White Sword Seol Clan’s head. The guards did not think he would be hurt by some civilian killer. They only explained out of a wish that he be careful.

The gate opened, and Jin-hyeon stepped into the world.

‘…’

The marketplace was quite desolate.

Traffic had dropped to a tenth of before. Compared to other markets, perhaps now it had merely become ordinary.

But to Jin-hyeon, remembering its former vigor, it felt bleak.

‘The atmosphere is bad.’

Even the air was turbid.

Unease tinged people’s breathing. He could feel it because the Heavenly Wolf True Art at the Cunning Wolf Path gave him keener senses than the Body-Refining Art.

‘This is rather grim.’

He hadn’t thought it this bad.

Given how clearly divided the Murim and civilian society are, a martial-arts-trained killer suddenly targeting ordinary people was bound to unsettle them.

‘I should meet him once.’

When he first came out, he had been sick of the bustle, yet now he had grown fond of it.

This mood did not suit these streets. Jin-hyeon decided to meet Dam Jun .

About to head straight to the branch, he walked farther at a sudden thought.

A moment later.

“…”

Jin-hyeon’s gaze deepened at the sight of the dust-laden dumpling shop.

He lifted the cloth on a shelf. Cold filled the place.

Checking beyond the shelf, there was no trace of people. It seemed no one had come out for days.

Jin-hyeon looked around.

‘As expected.’

A few people walked nearby, whispering.

But they did not look here.

‘Even seeing my hair, and yet?’

In a street this quiet, a white-haired youth rummaging a shop should draw eyes.

Yet no one looked at him. Even a customer leaving the teahouse less than nine meters away did not look this way.

They avoided looking with a naturalness that was unnatural. It wasn’t that they weren’t looking, it was that they couldn’t easily perceive this place.

‘Just as I thought.’

The first time he came here, he had felt a faint incongruity.

He let it pass thanks to the dumplings’ taste, but on the second visit he felt similar dissonance.

Unable to shake it, he opened the Soul-Refining Art’s inner sight and surveyed the area.

As a result, he confirmed a barrier formation set around here.

‘A barrier accompanied by sorcery. An array of a near top-grade sorcerer.’

In level, it did not fall behind the arrays surrounding the inner walls of the Eight Wastes Alliance’s main stronghold.

To see through such an array required martial arts at the top Nine Sects master level in the Alliance’s time. Even then, a master lacking in upper dantian training might feel no dissonance.

Otherwise, one needed deep knowledge of sorcery, or a well-developed upper dantian.

For Jin-hyeon, it was the latter.

‘And this barrier isn’t merely set and left. If the master, the array’s axis, wills it, it can be withdrawn in an instant.’

Jin-hyeon thought of the shop owner.

The owner’s bright face had been genuine. He had truly been grateful for a regular customer. Sensitive to people, Jin-hyeon had felt no impure intent in his eyes or manner.

But that did not mean the owner was ordinary.

He recalled their exchange.

“Did you hurt your hand?”

“Hm? Ah, this? It’s just a cook’s fate. Like how masters of the Kangho¹ have many knife scars, haha!”

“I suppose so. It must have hurt.”

It was the only time the owner’s gaze had wavered.

It was a change one could ignore, yet it lingered with him.

After looking around for a long while, Jin-hyeon left the spot.

Then people began sneaking glances at him. With white skin and even white hair, the youth was a curiosity.

Having looked over the marketplace again, Jin-hyeon kicked off the ground.

Huk!

He sprang from a crumbling wall and in an instant left the street behind.

His snow-white hair shone in the bright moonlight. His legs running fast were elastic and swift like a fine steed’s.

It was the peerless lightness skill, Calling Wind, Flying Horse Art, created when the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader, who had pored over all manner of movement arts, gained insight watching a divine steed gallop with him across battlefields.

Parararak!

It felt as though a wind spirit dwelled at the end of his fluttering cuffs. With each step, the distance lengthened.

A movement art that gave the user dashing, ultimate freedom.

So, as he headed for Dam Jun’s branch, Jin-hyeon suddenly halted his sprint.

‘Killing intent.’

At night, when Yin Qi flourishes, Heavenly Wolf Qi burns more keenly. Hence he sensed killing intent even from quite a distance.

‘This direction is…’

He’d have to go around because of the woods, but he knew what lay where the intent pointed.

In the direction of the Yeo Family Ironworks?

Huk!

He unfolded Calling Wind, Flying Horse Art again.

What could cast killing intent over a blacksmiths’ guild?

‘It’s only in the direction of the ironworks. There’s no guarantee something happened there.’

Jin-hyeon’s guess was wrong.

“Catch him! Catch him!”

“Damn it! What are the constables doing? You, contact the Investigation and Defense Court, now!”

“Doctor, where’s the doctor?!”

The closer he came, the more he heard the many voices clamoring inside the ironworks.

Even if something happened, this was no ordinary seriousness.

And among them, one voice set Jin-hyeon’s nerves on edge.

“What are you doing, you bastards! I said call a doctor! You want to watch the Guild Master die?!”

Kwaang!

The tree he’d used as a stepping stone shattered and toppled.