<Chapter 15> 14. The Reaching Black Hand (2)
“We’re approaching Heochang, Lady!”
“Hwa, be quiet.”
Inside the swaying carriage sat a woman whose beauty was as sharp and cold as sculpted ice.
Her maid, Jong-Hwa, pointed excitedly at the city walls of Heochang visible through the window, but a single word from her mistress silenced her. A shadow of displeasure flickered across the woman’s brow.
The young man sitting opposite her spoke.
“Are you really going to participate in this tournament?”
“Yes.”
“Do you even know what kind of person this Su-Gyeong is? He could be a lecherous womanizer.”
The woman, Namgung So-Min, glared at her brother.
Click.
“Watch your tongue, Brother. He’s not like that.”
She pushed her thumb against the hilt of her sword, her hostility evident. The young man, Namgung Cheon, sighed.
A flush of anger colored her usually pale face, like a red rainbow arcing across a field of snow.
It was clear that she was ready to draw her sword if he didn’t retract his statement.
“…I apologize for my careless words.”
Namgung Cheon shook his head as she slowly relaxed her grip on her sword.
She was one of the Four Flowers of Murim, renowned for her beauty, but her brother knew better than anyone that she had no interest in men.
She had even rejected all marriage proposals, choosing to dedicate herself to the sword.
What troubled Namgung Cheon was that his sister had become deeply infatuated with a man who was, in his eyes, nothing more than a commoner.
Of course, there was also a hint of resentment.
‘How dare he portray our family in such a manner?’
He couldn’t deny that The Wudang Sword Hero was a well-written novel.
However, in Volume 3, the Namgung Family had been depicted in a negative light, manipulated by the machinations of the Nine Heavens Secret Palace, a third force seeking to undermine the protagonist, Jin Un.
Even though the family’s heir had been taken hostage, their portrayal as pawns in a grand scheme, tightening the net around Jin Un, was unacceptable.
As a member of the Namgung Family, the most prestigious and righteous of the Eight Great Families, he couldn’t tolerate such a depiction.
“I understand why you’re upset, Brother.”
“Then withdraw from the tournament. There’s nothing to gain from participating. Even Father disapproves.”
Namgung So-Min remained silent.
She had nothing more to say.
Namgung Cheon continued, “We are the leaders of the Eight Great Families, the most respected clan in Murim. Even if our reputation hasn’t been irreparably damaged, the portrayal of our family in The Wudang Sword Hero has undoubtedly tarnished our image.”
“It’s the price we pay for the freedom we enjoy.”
“So-Min.”
“Am I wrong, Brother?”
Namgung Cheon was speechless.
His sister had always been this way.
She was stubborn and unyielding, refusing to compromise on her beliefs. Even the elders of the family found her difficult to handle.
Namgung So-Min spoke.
“The scrutiny we’re facing is a consequence of our own actions. The same applies to the Wudang sect and the rogue monks of the Shaolin Temple. Would things have changed if Master Su-Gyeong hadn’t pointed out our flaws?”
She wasn’t wrong.
Many members of the Namgung Family had abused their power, relying on their family’s reputation to act with impunity.
But Murim was a world where the strong ruled.
And Namgung Cheon belonged to the ruling class.
That was why he couldn’t accept his sister’s perspective, influenced by her infatuation with The Wudang Sword Hero.
“I agree with your point, but our family’s honor has been tarnished, even if the damage isn’t irreparable.”
“…Then.”
Namgung So-Min tightened her grip on the sword she held in her arms.
“I will restore our family’s honor.”
“You don’t need to participate in this tournament. You don’t need to volunteer to be this Su-Gyeong’s bodyguard.”
“Why are you trying to stop me when I can achieve both goals?”
“I heard that the Wudang, Qingcheng, and even the Mount Hua sects are sending their most talented disciples. Even if you’re one of the Four Flowers…”
“Then I’ll just have to defeat them all.”
This was a headache.
His sister was as stubborn as a bull.
Once she set her mind on something, she wouldn’t stop until she achieved her goal.
Her unwavering determination had made her the most skilled martial artist among the Four Flowers, but…
As her brother, he couldn’t help but worry about her.
“It’s not that simple. The disciples of the Nine Sects are more than capable of challenging the heirs of the Eight Great Families. They might even surpass us in some aspects. I can’t guarantee your safety in such a competition.”
He was genuinely concerned for her well-being.
Even though it was a tournament, real swords would be used. There was always a risk of injury.
Namgung Cheon continued, “And even if you win the tournament and become his bodyguard, it won’t fully restore our family’s tarnished reputation…”
“There’s no reason why it can’t.”
“So-Min!”
“I know what you’re thinking, Brother.”
Her words were sharp and decisive.
Namgung So-Min spoke.
“But I will become Master Su-Gyeong’s bodyguard. It’s my only wish.”
“Sigh…”
This was giving him a headache.
Namgung Cheon wanted to bury his face in his hands.
‘Father, why did you send me with So-Min?’
He remembered the awkward expression on his father’s face, Namgung Do, the Family Head, as he had entrusted him with this task. Namgung Cheon ran his hand through his hair in frustration, ignoring the surprised look from Jong-Hwa, his sister’s maid.
Of course, Namgung So-Min didn’t comment on his behavior.
A heavy silence descended upon the carriage.
It was broken by a voice from outside.
“The Namgung Family has arrived at the Murim Alliance headquarters!”
It was the voice of a guard stationed at the main gate.
Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi province.
Jiangxi was one of the few regions where the Evil Dao held sway, as there were no prominent righteous sects in the area.
Nanchang, a bustling city that had flourished alongside Poyang Lake, was the heart of Jiangxi.
No martial arts sects openly operated within the city, but no one dared to cause trouble. It was because Nanchang, and indeed the entire province, was under the control of a powerful Black Path sect.
The Shadow Assassins.
One of the Ten Evil Sects, a pillar of the Evil Dao Alliance.
The Shadow Assassins, rulers of the night, were the true masters of Nanchang.
“The Namgung Family, the Wudang, Shaolin, Qingcheng… All the Nine Sects and the Eight Great Families are sending their most promising disciples to compete for the position of bodyguard for a mere scholar? What kind of madness is this?”
Deep beneath the city of Nanchang lay the headquarters of the Shadow Assassins.
It was an artificial cave, its walls covered in dense groves of black bamboo, a hidden paradise within the earth. At its heart lay the main hall, the residence of the Shadow Assassins’ leader.
The Shadow Assassins called it the Night Emperor Hall.
This was where Amhyang-hyeolheun(Blood Shadow Fragrance), the Night Emperor, resided. He was the leader of the Shadow Assassins, one of the most skilled martial artists within the Evil Dao, a man who prided himself as the deadliest assassin in Murim.
“That Blood Iron Warlord… His arrogance irritated me from the start. But is this scholar really that influential?”
Blood Shadow Fragrance’s gaze fell upon a stack of illegal copies of The Wudang Sword Hero. The paper quality wasn’t great, but they were recent prints, made using woodblocks, so they were in decent condition.
His subordinate bowed his head at his master’s skeptical tone.
“Yes, Master.”
Blood Shadow Fragrance’s eyes narrowed.
He had heard reports from his subordinates about wealthy individuals who were buying up illegal copies, unable to wait for the reprints.
The Black Brush Clan was filling the gap in supply, generating substantial profits, but it was just a book.
What value could a mere novel hold?
“You said the King of Hell Society’s tribute payments have increased because of this?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Ha.”
A sneer curled Blood Shadow Fragrance’s lips.
It was just a novel. A worthless piece of fiction churned out by those talentless hacks who called themselves writers.
Wouldn’t a martial artist’s time be better spent practicing their swordsmanship, footwork, and internal energy cultivation?
“This is absurd.”
Blood Shadow Fragrance chuckled derisively.
To think that the King of Hell Society, one of the lowliest members of the Ten Evil Sects, was increasing their tribute payments because of this trash…
He looked at the book with disdain.
“They say that once you start reading it, you can’t stop… Is that true?”
“That’s the rumor going around.”
Blood Shadow Fragrance’s expression turned sour.
It was just a book.
In an era where paper was scarce, why was this novel causing such a stir?
As a martial artist through and through, he couldn’t comprehend it.
“I heard that the Wudang sect has erected various structures in honor of the author.”
“According to our intelligence from the King of Hell Society, it’s true. They even built a building called the Su-Gyeong Hall.”
“Those fools. They built a building named after a mere scholar? They must have money to burn.”
Blood Shadow Fragrance clicked his tongue.
Wouldn’t that money be better spent training more martial artists? It seemed like a pointless waste of resources.
He looked away from The Wudang Sword Hero and asked his subordinate, “Who did you send?”
“I dispatched the Phantom Sound Assassin.”
“Phantom Sound… He’s a Human-rank assassin, right?”
“Yes.”
The Shadow Assassins were divided into three ranks: Heaven, Earth, and Human.
Even a Human-rank assassin, the lowest rank, was said to be capable of challenging a peak master.
Of course, the cost of training such elite assassins was astronomical.
There were barely three hundred Human-rank assassins, and the number dwindled to less than one hundred and fifty for Earth-rank assassins. Heaven-rank assassins were even rarer, with less than ten in existence.
The drastic reduction in numbers was due to the high mortality rate among assassins.
Many of the Shadow Assassins’ secret techniques involved pushing their bodies to their limits to achieve their goals. Earth-rank assassins were those who had survived countless missions without resorting to these techniques, but even they were often sent on dangerous assignments, targeting powerful enemies.
Heaven-rank assassins were said to be capable of assassinating even the emperor, but they were the Shadow Assassins’ last resort and rarely participated in missions.
Therefore, the only assassins actively operating in the field were Human-rank and Earth-rank assassins.
The Shadow Assassins, one of the Ten Evil Sects, were a small but elite organization, with less than a thousand members in total.
“It’s just an abduction, not an assassination. Phantom Sound should be more than capable.”
“I believe so.”
“He’s a promising assassin, even if his personality isn’t suited for this line of work. Isn’t that right, Hell Division Leader?”
“Yes, Master.”
The man addressed as the Hell Division Leader bowed his head.
Phantom Sound might still be a Human-rank assassin due to his lack of experience, but he had the potential to become an Earth-rank assassin.
He was one of the strongest Human-rank assassins, and they wouldn’t have to worry if he had been sent on this mission.
Unlike other Shadow Assassins, Phantom Sound wasn’t weak in direct combat.
However, he might struggle against a renowned disciple from a righteous sect.
“But his personality might hinder his success.”
“As long as he returns alive, it doesn’t matter if he succeeds or fails. We have nothing to lose. Of course, he’ll be held accountable for his failure.”
“That’s true, but…”
“And we’re not trying to kill the target, are we?”
Shadow Assassins were trained to exploit even the smallest weaknesses, capable of killing even peak masters if given the opportunity.
Of course, Human-rank assassins were only at the first-class level, and many of them died on missions, leading to a high turnover rate and a wide range of skill levels.
However, Phantom Sound was one of the few who had survived for a long time.
His skills were believed to have surpassed the first-class level, and the Hell Division, responsible for training the Shadow Assassins, believed he was either at the peak of the first-class level or struggling to break through to the peak master level.
“What’s his mission success rate?”
“At least ninety percent.”
“There’s a ten percent chance of failure?”
The Hell Division Leader bowed his head.
“The target is Baek-won.”
“Baek-won… You mean Ya Noe’s youngest disciple. That fool Ya Noe.”
Blood Shadow Fragrance clicked his tongue.
Ya Noe was an idiot. How could he send his youngest disciple, someone who lacked experience in Jianghu, on such a crucial mission?
“If we succeed, we can hold it over their heads. Right?”
“Yes, Master.”
“I need to figure out a way to extort some gold from that Blood Iron brat and Ya Noe.”
Blood Shadow Fragrance leaned back in his throne-like chair, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Thank for the chapter!!