Special Side Story Episode 14
“······That’s the situation.”
The window of the main building overlooking Dongdong Lake.
Woo Hwayeon, the woman sitting across from me across the drinking table, frowned slightly.
He seemed uneasy about the news he received from his hometown after such a long time.
‘I guess so.’
The current situation in Namman was literally a mess.
The competition to occupy the position of lord of the small palace is prolonged, and the situation becomes chaotic as a result.
The thieves and some tribesmen ran rampant at this point.
The palace owner’s children are preoccupied with the power struggle and do not pay attention to matters outside the palace.
Even the residents who are against them and complain about them.
‘Up to this point, this is exactly the picture that Dokgokju (毒谷主) intended.’
I clicked my tongue and took a sip of my drink.
[What Gokju really wants is probably not to have a princess around the palace.]
[The Beast Palace, caught in an internal power struggle, is gradually losing influence in Nanman society. That must be Gokju’s true goal. Isn’t that right?]
In the past, I had a conversation with Dokgokju, who came to visit me, and wondered about his intentions.
He dreamed of a future in which Dokgok, not the Beast Palace, would lead Southern Man society.
That was why they coordinated behind the scenes to ensure that the power of each faction was balanced so that the fight over the palace would be prolonged.
‘But things in the world don’t always work out the way you want.’
Everything went as Dokgokju intended.
At least for a while after the Murim Alliance delegation completed its mission and returned to the central plains.
The crack originated from Woo Ga-jin’s growth, which was faster than expected.
After losing in a fight with me, he became desperate and before long, he was on the verge of absolute perfection.
As Dokgokju, he could not help but be wary of his presence.
In a way, the people who are more passionate about the strong than the demonic cultists are the warriors of the Nanman.
There was no need to say how the upper echelons of the Beast Palace reacted as they watched Wu Jiajin progressing day by day.
[Before I tell the story, let me briefly explain Namman’s current situation. Grand Duke Wu Jiajin was overthrown.]
[The torn faction was absorbed into other factions, and the Archduke, who lost his foundation, eventually fled to the central plains and disappeared.]
In the end, Dokgokju made a decision.
The brothers felt uneasy about the Grand Duke’s growing presence.
We decided to encourage and support them to oust Wu Jiajin.
In the end, Wu Jiajin’s faction was disbanded, and the power of each faction was balanced again.
Woo Ga-jin, who came to the midfield as if driven out, became my subordinate.
‘The problem is that, through a series of processes, there were people who realized Dokgokju’s intentions.’
The person who realized the truth of everything before anyone else was Confucius Lee.
Being a shrewd person, he did not immediately spread what he learned to those around him.
Instead, he quietly gathered people to help him behind the scenes.
Elders and warriors who did not support any of the palace lord’s children and remained neutral.
They joined hands with this Confucius to stop the ambition of Sokgokju.
Even the left guard, one of the absolute masters representing the South, shook off his heavy ass and stood up.
Without anyone knowing, Confucius’s power grew rapidly.
‘The current Beast Palace is like a bomb that may explode at any moment.’
Yunnan, the home of the Jeomchang school, is a region adjacent to Nanman.
In a way, it was natural that the residents there were the first to feel the uneasy atmosphere.
Even though a non-aggression pact was signed, it did not guarantee security.
‘Of course, it is unlikely that a spark will suddenly fly to the midfield.’
It is unlikely that the Beast Palace will suddenly declare war on the Central Plains.
Because you will be preoccupied with just solving the problem at hand.
Even if a war broke out, victory or defeat was almost certain.
At least it might have been before the end of the Great War of True Demons.
With the current power of the Beast Palace, they could never do anything to the Jungwon martial arts team, which was entering its golden age.
‘But no one knows how things will turn out in the future.’
Be it poisonous grain wine or this Confucius.
If you were to say that there was absolutely no possibility that the new king of Namman would turn around and do something foolish, that was not the case.
Creating external enemies in order to achieve internal solidarity is a common tactic used by those in power.
‘If that happens, enormous damage will occur regardless of whether we win or lose.’
I put down my empty glass and made eye contact with Woo Hwayeon.
There was no harm in being careful.
It would have been better to nip the anxiety in the bud in advance.
“Sozer.”
“Please speak.”
“I’d like to go on a short business trip.”
“Are you going to Yunnan?”
“yes. Maybe I should visit the Beast Palace.”
“······!”
“So, why don’t you come with me?”
* * *
Yunnan.
——————
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The residence of Jang Mun-in, located halfway up Jeomchang Mountain.
Changin Dojang, the young Taoist monk who guided Woo Hwayeon and me here, bowed his head respectfully.
“I have given you a message in advance, so you can go straight in. Jang Mun-in is waiting.”
“It seems like the mood has changed a bit in the time we haven’t seen each other.”
“People change.”
“I heard that you have officially become the owner of a small gate. Congratulations.”
“thank you.”
Did you say that a place makes a person?
Changin Dojang looked more mature than before.
It was difficult to pinpoint what had changed.
Should I say that I feel strangely relaxed in my behavior?
As if I had neglected my training, the prayers that came out became heavier than before.
It occurred to me that the next time I see him, he might be over the wall.
‘Well, it’s not uncommon for a talented person who seemed like he would reach the peak of perfection at any moment to end up reaching the peak of perfection for the rest of his life.’
I was for some reason certain that at least the Changin Dojo would not do that.
Perhaps the Jeomchangpa would achieve its long-cherished wish through the Changin Dojo.
[Because we are complacent, there is no progress, and because there is no progress, we have no choice but to fall behind. In fact, the Jeomchang school has not produced a single absolute master in nearly two hundred years. Do you understand what this means?]
The face of Jang Moon-in, who was sighing and expressing his frustration, instantly flashed in my mind.
He was a person who was worried about the future of his sect to the point of falling into the spirit of poison.
Perhaps he is the person who is most pleased with the changes and growth of Changin Dojo.
“Welcome.”
“Meeting Jang Mun-in.”
As I entered the living room, I clasped my hands and bowed politely.
An old man with a kind smile on his face came out and offered Woo Hwayeon a seat.
He looked slightly older than the face in my memory.
I was able to feel the passage of time once again.
“The reason you came here is most likely related to the Beast Palace, right?”
“Are you going straight to the point?”
“We don’t know each other well enough to exchange updates, right? “We need to get out of this tight spot quickly.”
I smiled and nodded.
The simple side still remained.
It was nice that he was a member of a large literary sect and that he didn’t put on unnecessary weight.
“If you want to unwind, go see the guy later after giving birth. “I think there are a lot of stories that have been pushed back.”
“All right.”
Sanhu was the name of Changin Dojo.
It seemed like Jang Moon-in wanted the relationship between me and him to remain close.
‘There’s no need to lay the board down like this.’
Even if that wasn’t the case, we planned to have a separate drinking party later.
It would also have been beneficial for me if I could maintain a good relationship with the next scholar of the Jeomchang faction.
“I heard that the situation in Namman is unusual.”
“So I’m not worried at all.”
“Don’t worry too much. Could it be that something special is happening?”
“Of course, it would be unlikely that they would break the non-aggression pact and start a war.”
Jang Moon-in’s eyes instantly turned to Woo Hwayeon.
The princess of Yasu Palace and the granddaughter of Dokgokju.
Her presence was like a kind of token.
Proof that the South Korean side will not be hostile to the Jungwon martial arts group.
“But that only means that an all-out war won’t break out. “Aren’t small fights a different story?”
“That’s right.”
No matter how powerful the Beast Palace was, it could not suppress all small-scale conflicts that occurred near the border area.
On the contrary, it could be used to instigate conflict.
Therefore, this issue was bound to be felt more seriously by the martial arts factions that had made their home in Yunnan, such as the Jeomchang faction.
Because it means having to get caught up in a meaningless fight that has no gain and no end in sight.
Isn’t it as if the innocent warriors of Yunnan are being sacrificed due to the internal circumstances of the Beast Palace?
“I came all the way here to prevent such a situation.”
“It’s incredibly reassuring. “The Geomje (劍帝) came forward to mediate.”
“I’m just doing what I have to do as a leader of the Murim Alliance.”
I answered humbly, but of course it was based on a calculation to increase my value.
At this time, there was no harm in owing debt to the Yunnan martial arts faction, including the Jeomchang faction.
Isn’t the long text in front of me looking at me with an expression of emotion?
“If you need anything, just tell me. “I will fully support you.”
“Then, without hesitation, I would like to ask you a few favors.”
“What do you mean by request?”
“I would like you to help me contact a specific person.”
“From what you’re saying, it doesn’t seem like you’re asking me to call you a disciple of the Fortune Chang Sect. “Who are you trying to meet?”
“The Daejeon Temple of the South, Mujincheon.”
“······!”
“This is the person who served as a guide when I visited the Beast Palace in the past. Could you please contact him?”
* * *
“It’s been a while.”
“How were you? “Old master.”
“I never thought I’d see you like this again.”
“Me too.”
“You turned into a monster while I didn’t see you. “Now I can’t even guess the state.”
“That’s too much praise.”
Bronze skin exposed under the sunlight.
A sturdy body that makes it hard to believe that he is that age.
Mu Jin-cheon, the former elder of the Beast Palace, smiled, revealing his pure white teeth.
Perhaps because he had such a ferocious look, he didn’t look senile at all even though I hadn’t seen him in years.
“So, what else is going on in the Beast Palace?”
“You’re expecting it, aren’t you?”
“Don’t provoke the Jungwon martial arts group for no reason. “Are you going to warn me like that?”
“It’s not a warning, but let’s just say that a detailed discussion on the previously concluded treaty has become necessary.”
“Isn’t that what it is? “Bangbang, you’re still saying things back and forth.”
“It’s also not good to be too direct.”
“In the meantime, should I say that it is befitting of you not to deny it again?”
Mu Jin-cheon laughed and took the lead.
His six warriors came out and surrounded Woo Hwayeon as if they were guarding her.
‘It reminds me of the old days.’
The environment of the South was not easy to overlook.
How much hardship did we have to endure in the past when we gathered together only those with some level of skill?
In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that he was able to safely reach the Beast Palace thanks to Mu Jin-cheon’s help.
It was not for nothing that I asked Jang Mun-in of the Jeomchang faction to invite them.
“Is your business going well?”
“It’s not a shipping business, it’s a transportation business. “I explained Pyoguk-eop through analogy so that it would be easier for you to understand.”
“From what I heard, it seems like it was.”
“To answer your question, I personally realize that nothing is easy in this world. “Public security has gotten worse these days.”
“I heard thieves are running rampant…”
“This is all because the palace lord’s children are negligent in maintaining public order. Anyway, I don’t like it.”
Hehe, I said.
Mu Jin-cheon, who was fiddling with the curved sword on his belt, spat out spit mixed with phlegm.
Woo Hwa-yeon, who was walking behind, was carelessly fiddling with the pressed bamboo ribs.
She was also the palace lord’s child.
You can’t help but feel uncomfortable.
‘That’s right.’
A bitter laugh came out.
It was Mu Jin-cheon who ran out of the Beast Palace because he was frustrated with the palace owner’s children who were caught up in a power struggle.
He, no one else, had the right to say such things.
“by the way.”
I spoke to him in a soft voice.
Hiring him wasn’t just because we needed guidance.
As a former elder and great warrior of the Beast Palace, he would most likely have useful information.
I planned to find out as much as I could while heading to the Beast Palace.
“Has anything special happened in the Beast Palace recently? “There was a change in the power structure.”
“There was. “That was a very big deal.”
“What is happening…”
“The three princes suddenly gave up the competition for succession and declared that they would support this prince. “It looks like they decided to join forces in the face of a common enemy.”
“······!”
martial arts,
