Episode 205

At the lowest point of Mount Hua, the Golden Dragon Gorge.

A place where the foam created by the falling waterfall from the top obscures the surrounding scenery like a light fog.

Because it hadn’t been visited by humans for a long time, pristine nature was everywhere.

Kwakwakwak!

The sound of the waterfall, which was almost roaring due to the drop, was enough to deafen me.

“Nice.”

Jinmu, who had parted ways with Myung Jin and left the Mount Hua Sect, was looking for a suitable place around Mount Hua to practice the Dual Internal Qi Arts.

There was no need to go to another area.

What is it?

Well, all Jinmu needed now was time.

The bottom of the gorge was discovered by chance. It was too noisy to concentrate, so it was the worst place to learn martial arts.

But Jinmu liked it.

Because of the noise it is a place no one would visit, and not even animals could be seen. This was the place to practice martial arts undisturbed.

And he also liked how the foam from the waterfall obscured the surroundings.

There was nothing more that needed to be done.

The desired goal was achieved.

Didn’t he run around the Central Plains until his feet were sweating to get this?

Now all he had to do was relax and take his time to learn it.

“Well, then let’s make a place to live, right?”

Right, that’s a good thing.

Isn’t Murim a place where a warrior never before and never again would be born?

Now that I think about it, I feel like I understand why the esteemed warriors have their own places.

This is what it feels like.

After 80 years, I’ve gained another enlightenment.

Someone fell off the cliff of the Simsan Valley and discovered the secret stone of a warrior from the past and attained great fortune. They discovered a small puddle where the Clear Sky Stone Water had flowed to.

It might have been a place created just as Jinmu thought.

Why not just go?

The amazing me lives there.

‘Someone’ from ‘somewhere’ went there.

Isn’t this a painting?

Of course, most of those places were created to give chances for the young disciples during the times of nothing.

For some reason Jinmu felt like he had to leave something behind here.

Maybe engrave something on the wall?

If he had known it would be like this, he would have studied machinery or carving in detail.

After bowing, the machine would work and the martial arts image on the wall would be revealed. I’d like to make such a device.

Sounds fun too.

After learning the Dual Internal Qi Arts, he should try it.

Srrrng.

To create a place to live, Jimu pulled out One Slash.

Swish! Swish!

The sword swung casually, smoothly cutting through the rock, creating a cave that people could enter. And he also made this place to train.

It is fun to be doing all this again.

Surely the bastards aren’t digging mines because they feel the same, right?

Jinmu was so absorbed in this that he even carved small attractive pieces onto the rocks.

He felt proud of himself.

He didn’t know that there was such a skill in him.

How long has it been?

Because it was a dark place to begin with, it was difficult to sense dawn and dusk in there.

When tired, he sleeps, when he is up, he has to work… and when you wake up….

Something important.

Grrrr!

I forgot something!

Damn it!

No one… the beasts are not coming here…

There is nothing to eat here. Not a single thing.

Except for the grass which I won’t even eat if given to me. Damn it.

Hunan Province, Luoyang.

The ancient capital of the Nine Dynasties.

The place that had been the center of the dynasty for a long time, was the center where numerous scholars and entertainers flourished, so it was still a place where many people visited for various purposes.

There are many famous things in Luoyang, but the first is the carp statue, the second is the chives dish, and the third is the White Horse Temple.

The White Horse Temple is the oldest temple in the Central Plains, and along with Shaolin in Mount Song, it is a sacred place for Buddhists.

The monks’ building is located behind the temple. It was a place where the monks whose names were written in the Buddhist scriptures resided.

However, strangely enough from some time back, at the White Horse Temple’s hall, instead of monks, there were images of women doing something.

Women who were not monks, who wore robes but not monk robes, and had long hair.

The women that had their faces half-veiled with cloth with each holding a sword, were none other than soldiers of the Inner Palace.

They were guarding the inside of the monks’ building.

Inside the hall used for lectures, there were old monks with shaved heads lined up on one side and women dressed like guards centered around an altar with a statue of Buddha on one side.

And in front of the Buddha statue they were facing, sat a woman, Jong Ryeo-gyun.

Bang!

As she brought her fist down the armrest broke up roughly.

“What nonsense is this!”

She couldn’t hide her anger at the contents of the report she received.

It was a letter sent by Mu Young.

Three days ago, the Dongrim Money Hall was robbed, and as a result, a large-scale investigation of officials within the Money Halls was under way and the royal workers were dispatched urgently.

It was said that everything was due to a scam which they discovered in Dongrim.

Because of the report that the governance committee was also raiding the Money Hall in Hunan, they concentrated all their strength and cut off any leads back to them, but why was such a thing happening at Dongrim?

“Mong-ya.”

At her call, one of the women lined up on the side ran to the center, and bowed down.

Mong-ya was the leader of the Seven Troops.

She was the woman in charge of the Dongrim Money Hall.

“What did you do while the scam was being investigated?!”

“That…”

Mong-ya didn’t know what to say, so she just bowed her head, thinking.

“I apologize. Please forgive me. It never even occurred to me that the one appointed as the manager would have done something like this…”

Puak!

Mong-ya’s excuses didn’t get far from there.

A sword pierced through her back and was lodged right into the ground.

While the blood slowly flowed down the sword and touched the ground, the expressions of the women around remained impassive.

“Fucking fool….”

Jong Ryeo-gyun, who killed Mong-ya with a single gesture of her hand, cursed.

“I can’t believe you couldn’t even handle something as simple as this.”

There was a coldness in her eyes, as she frowned.

“Clean that up, I don’t even want to see it.”

“Yes!”

No one objected to it.

As soon as the order was given, the soldiers took Mong-ya’s body away and went out.

“Damn it…”

Jong Ryeo-gyun’s deeply distorted eyes didn’t return to normal.

She needed to find a solution for this.

If the investigation has begun, it wouldn’t just end with Dongrim.

Those investigating this would be running around like wild dogs for more, so why will they stop?

If the investigation continues to spread throughout the Central Plains, not only would the relationships with the officials whom the investigation has established as involved be strained, but all the plans carried out by the Inner Palace would falter.

And weren’t the officials already pulling out of the plans?

The reason she had to take down the Money Halls in the Central Plains was because of the money.

If the money is brought in, then many would suffer a blow, which will cause a dispute over interests among the Murim sects tied with the Money Hall.

Perhaps because there was too much food, but when one starves an animal its habit is to eat their own kind too.

That’s what she was aiming for.

Because?

That is a question posed by one that has ample time.

Even if there is a difference between right or wrong sides, the habits of warriors cannot be abandoned. Because they are all groups of people who used swords and the money of others to show off their strength.

If the money flow is stopped, then fights would break out. And that would lead to bigger conflicts, and the conflicts will inflict enormous damage on the Justice Faction, which is united under a false purpose.

In that case, there would be no reason to fight against the Justice Faction. Because they will destroy themselves from the inside.

And it had to be that way.

The Palace’s power is still weak in the Central Plains.

Although the strength of the Great Palace Lords was insurmountable, the minor Palace Lords continue to grow, so they cannot deal with the entire Central Plains.

The First Palace, Second Palace, and the Third Palace, which Jong Ryeo-gyun now holds because of the recent demotion of the previous Lord.

The reason they sneaked into the place to cause trouble was to reduce the power of the Central Murim. And when their strength falls short of the Palace, the era of destruction that the Palace had dreamed of until now will come.

However, after taking charge of the Third Palace, the plan she concocted to reduce the strength of the Justice Faction had gone wrong right from the start.

But what can be done?

The long awaited plan turned out to be a waste and if she tried to undo what had already gone wrong, she could get caught up in it too.

Due to Tang Wi’s interference, the funds of the Dead Sea Money Hall couldn’t be secured, but according to the report of the now-deceased Mong-ya, the money from Dongrim went to the Original Flower Garden before the investigation began.

Although it was a small amount compared to that from the Dongrim Money Hall, they could be happy with that since something had worked out.

First, shake up the commercial world.

All you have to do is sever the tail.

Even if the Government or the Justice Faction stepped in, the only place they could eventually sniff out is the Original Flower Garden.

As soon as the money is secured, the links with the Original Flower Garden will be erased without a trace.

Further investigation?

It would then be something they cannot even dream of.

There is a reason why they directed all eyes to the Garden.

The Original Flower Garden is akin to the Imperial Palace.

Even the investigators wouldn’t think of stepping in without permission. No, they won’t even speak of it out loud.

That was because at any misstep, they could have their faces cut at the wrath of the Emperor.

In the meantime, what about those Murim people?

“Bihwa.”

“Yes, Palace Lord.”

“Tell the Shadow Troops who are searching in Dongrim to find the person who made this a scene and kill them and to eliminate any trails related to us.”

“I understand.”

Neung Bihwa, the leader, answered and withdrew.

Her manner was extremely deferential as if they had been in a superior-subordinate relationship for a long time.

“Secure the money coming from the Money Hall before they attack the Garden and erase all ties to us.”

“I understand.”

“Nice, then this concludes all meetings. There are eyes open and ears all around so everyone be prepared to act now….”

At that time, as Jong Ryeo-gyun was about to order the end of the meeting,

“Palace Lord!”

A warrior ran in from outside and knelt down.

“What is it?”

“This is additional information from the Shadow Troops.”

“……”

Jong Ryeo-gyun’s face stiffened. This means that there is something worthy of interrupting her meeting. Moreover, from troops that were unknown to anyone. A strong sense of anxiety rose within her.

The leader, Neung Bihwa, quickly relayed the message.

“……”

Jong Ryeo-gyun’s expression changed constantly after receiving the message.

Chal!

Jong Ryeo-gyun’s face turned red in an instant as the paper was crumpled before she even finished reading it.

It was because of its contents.

Forty gold coins.

Have the gold coins which secretly departed from the Money Hall vanished?

All the bodies of the Shadow Troops were found dead with an empty carriage?

Kwang!

“This! Which bastard did this!”

With a very harsh tone her anger began to give out a killing intent.

“Bihwa!”

“Yes.”

“Lead the troops and retrieve the gold right now! Make sure to find out who are those bastards who stole my money and shred them to pieces!”

“I understand!”