Episode 439:
The fact that the me Soul Sword fell ill from a mental demon was a secret to the outside world.
It was natural for the Haenam faction as it was an issue that could not be revealed publicly.
So, in order to have an honest conversation, you first had to get rid of your listening ears.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Suun Dojang, Jeolhaegeom (絶海劍), an elder of the Haenam faction who was sitting across from me, waved his hand and expressed his gratitude.
Perhaps to correct the rudenessmitted by the monk’s disciple, he was showing excessive courtesy.
I lightly shook my head and picked up the bottle of alcohol on the right.
“no. Even if that wasn’t the case, I was nning to contact the Haenam faction soon. The reply waste, so the elder had to walk a long way. sorry.”
Although he was apologizing verbally, it was far from sincere.
It really wasn’t because of my dy that the elder of the Haenam faction came all the way to Ye.
For that to be true, the time they arrived in Honam was too early.
‘He probably flew the Jeonseogu to Cheonangambu and boarded a ship heading tond at the same time.’
The letter was only meant to make contact in advance.
There must have been no intention of waiting for a reply from the beginning.
“There is no need to be sorry. I don’t really owe anything to the Haenam faction. We are here to ask for a favor. So don’t feel too pressured.”
“yes.”
“It’s hard to bear it because you’re saying such shameless things. “We are the ones who created this burdensome situation.”
“…….”
“I’m sorry for seeming to be rushing in and urging you on. “I hope you understand the position of the Haenam faction, which has no choice but to do this.”
“it’s okay.”
As I filled the empty ss with alcohol and was about to hand it to Jeolhaegeom, I stopped for a moment.
The Haenam wave was also a gateway to begin with.
Is it okay to recklessly offer alcohol?
‘I don’t know.’
I had never heard of or looked into the Haenam school’s literary doctrine.
That’s because I haven’t paid any attention to it so far.
If I had known this would happen, I would have contacted Hao Mun and obtained information about the Haenam faction.
“Give it to me. “The Haenam faction does not enforce abstinence from alcohol, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Is that so?”
Jeolhaegeom, who had been quietly watching as if reading this person’s thoughts, smiled empty-handedly and held out his hand.
I scratched the back of my head with an embarrassed expression and pushed the ss back.
“It’s not unreasonable to not know. “The information about the Haenam faction known onnd is only fragmentary.”
The Haenam faction was a faction that was passive in external activities.
This was because most of the operating funds of the n came from the support of wealthy people.
So, unlike other Old Daemun factions, it was difficult to hear rted news unless you were interested in looking into it.
“Would you mind handing me the bottle? “I’d like to pour you a drink too.”
“yes.”
A light chat took ce.
The tense atmosphere rxed and Yook Sungdam, who had been watching the situation with a very nervous expression, breathed a sigh of relief.
I emptied my ss of alcohol and got straight to the point.
“Nothing good wille from wasting time. “It’s a matter of high priority.”
“……?”
“We will leave at dawn two dayster.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to visit Haenampa.”
“Thank you! thank you!”
Is it because I got the answer I wanted?
Jeolhaegeom’s face brightened.
“Before we leave, there is one thing I would like to ask you.”
“Tell me. “I will answer anything.”
“How on earth did the me Soul Sword Great Association fall into the Demon Demon?”
It was a question I had all along.
The higher the level of the martial artist, the greater the reaction when he falls into a mental state. In other words, the more expert he is, the less likely he is to fall into a mental state.
But a person the size of a me soul sword is suffering from a mental demon.
‘It’s something that can’t normally happen. What kind of mental illness did you get?’
This never happened in my previous life.
Even though the Haenam faction is a faction that uses the ind as its area of activity, if a big person as big as the me Soul Sword had died, the news would have reached my ears.
‘The history of this life has changed greatly from my previous life. But could that be the reason why the me Soul Sword fell into the Demon Demon?’
The possibility may be extremely low, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was possible.
Perhaps this also happened due to the arrangements of the Demonic Cult?
However, the answer that Jeolhaegeom gave was something thatpletely missed my expectations.
“I don’t know exactly either. “I just guess it might have something to do with the death of Sword King Daehyeop.”
“……?”
The disciples of the Haenam faction who were watching the conversation between me and Jeolhaegeom made a murmuring noise.
From what I could tell, it seemed like this was their first time hearing this story.
“This is a fact that only a few people, including me, know, but in the past, that friend of the me Soul Sword received martial arts instruction from the Sword King Daehyeop. ording to the person involved, it was that incident at the time that led to his rise to the rank of Hwagyeong.”
“Did you?”
“Although I have not officially be a priest. It seems that in his heart, he considered Sword King Daehyup to be his second teacher. But how much of a shock it must have been for someone like him to die at the hands of a demonic cult.”
It was an amazing story.
The me Soul Sword ascended to the realm of fire under the guidance of the Sword King.
If you think about it, the King of Swords was a person who was close to many famous people in the martial arts world.
Aren’t my teacher and I also part of his connections?
I feel this once again, but the Sword King was certainly a popr person.
‘Anyway, I’m d. At least it means that I didn’t pick up some strange martial arts skill and learn it.’
I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Is it really possible that a master of Hwagyeong would have tried to learn a new mind method at such ate age?
Just being a monk would be enough.
What if I had acquired a world-ss mind technique equivalent to the Heavenly Demon’s Heart Gong?
“Is treatment possible?”
“It’s hard to give a confirmation. “First of all, I think I can make a decision by seeing the patient’s condition in person.”
“Yeah, I guess so. “I asked too hasty a question.”
After that, Jeolhaegeom and I continued to talk.
Now that the questions were answered, all that was left was to bargain.
Starting now was important.
What the Haenam Sect would offer in return for treating the me Soul Sword depended on how well the groundwork had beenid in advance.
“…….”
Namgung-geum’s eyes wandered as he suddenly found himself in an ufortable position aftering to eat.
The way he was picking up his food, he clearly expressed his desire to go back and rest.
I looked sideways at him and muttered to myself.
‘I guess I’ll have to take him with me on this trip to Haenam.’
* * *
Early morning the next day.
I climbed a deserted mountain to avoid the snow around me.
A vacant lot located halfway up the mountain.
An old man was sitting on a mat waiting for me.
The sight of him drinking with the rising sun as a snack was like a immortal.
“Are you drinking alcohol at this hour?”
“Don’t they say that a ss of alcohol at dawn is medicinal liquor?”
“I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“It looks like there are no lovers around.”
As I sat across the table from the old man, I took out a small jewel from my pocket.
Hojeongkwon’s eyes widened as he recognized its identity.
“Night Myeongju (夜明珠)?”
“This ispensation for this incident.”
“Isn’t the price too much?”
“Aren’t you doing something important? “You must pay reasonablepensation.”
Yamyeongju, the size of two fingers.
It was an overly expensive item to give as a gift, but it was not a loss if you think of it as an expense to entice the elder of Meng.
In fact, Ho Jeong-kwon was carrying out his role without any fuss.
“I have a suggestion.”
“Please speak.”
“How about slowly making other elders as allies besides me?”
“Isn’t that easier said than done?”
“I’m saying this because there’s a suitable person. “If you want, I will build the bridge.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Taeyeon Sword (太延劍).”
I frowned slightly.
Taeyeongeom was the nickname of an elder from the Shaman faction.
He was also someone who had consistently shown a hostile attitude even before I started causing trouble in the Senate.
“It’s hard to understand. “Doesn’t he have bad feelings towards me?”
“Didn’t you notice? “The way he looks at you has changed recently.”
“……?”
“Well, whenever I attend a meeting, I receive intensive checks from the elders, so it’s unlikely that Taeyeon Sword will be noticed.”
“What does it mean? “Please exin in a little more detail.”
“I’m just guessing, but I don’t think Taeyeon-geom will have any ill feelings towards you anymore.”
Although he said it as if he wasn’t sure, Hojeonggwon’s expression showed confidence.
I tilted my head and said.
“It’s hard to believe. “There would have been no opportunity for a change of heart.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Isn’t there an opportunity? “The Shamans were saved thanks to someone.”
“…Are you saying that my going to Hubei with reinforcements caused a change in Taeyeon Geom’s heart?”
“I see.”
“That is to say, it seems like they have continued to be confrontational even after I returned from the battlefield.”
“In the first ce, people don’t change all at once. Inertia works not only on objects but also on people. “Do you remember what I said before?”
“What are you talking about?”
“It was when you returned to Honam after finishing your work in Jiangsu and had a drink at the bar near Dongdong Lake.”
In an instant, memories of the past passed through my mind.
At that time, Ho Jeong-kwon told me something about Taeyeon Sword.
[I hope you don’t think too negatively of Taeyeon’s friend. Mae Yeon-gaek (媒緣客) and Taeyeon-geom (媒緣客) and Taeyeon-geom (媒緣客) had been together through hardships and joys since they were young, so they had a deep affection for each other. That may be why he seemed unable to control his emotions at today’s meeting.]
“I don’t understand it even more. “Isn’t it you who told me why he held a grudge against me?”
“It did. But you can think of it another way.”
“……?”
“When the other elders were weighing the pros and cons of their rtionship with you, he did not hesitate toe into conflict with you for the sole reason of friendship. “Don’t you know what this means?”
“…!”
“If I were to briefly exin the person named Taeyeon-geom, it would be like this. He is an old man who lives by loyalty and dies by loyalty. It can be said that his personality is very different from that of other elders. “There is a gap there.”
“I understand what you mean. But I still can’t help but feel anxious. “I wonder if I should take that risk.”
“What a disappointment. Were what you said back then just empty words?”
“yes?”
“Think about what answer you gave after hearing the story about Taeyeon’s sword from me.”
[I don’t really care. Just as there are no permanent allies, there are no permanent enemies. Especially if the stage is a political stage.]
I was at a loss for words.
Ho Jeong-kwon continued to speak with a meaningful smile on his lips.
“It’s natural to feel rejected. But should that make your eyes blurry?”
“…….”
“Think again. “There is no way I would suggest something like this to you for nothing.”