Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
========================
Chapter 321: The Cult Does Not Allow It
I waited in a secluded forest on the outskirts for the Hidden Moon agent sent by Gowol. 1
Once the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and I made our move deliberately, there was no one capable of monitoring us.
Unless the Illusion King personally took action, it would take someone of Uncle Hui’s level—who guarded my father—to tail us using stealth and lightness techniques. But how many people like that could possibly exist?
“If what the Cult Leader said is true and Elder Seong was someone of great loyalty, he would've had no choice but to step down.”
“You’re saying my disciple pressured him out?”
“That’s the likeliest possibility. He might’ve fiercely opposed the unification of the Wilderness.”
And then, he disappeared.
“Do you think So Baekta killed Elder Seong?”
I answered honestly.
“It’s possible.”
Jeong Dae’s gaze sank into a cold chill.
“If he did... I won’t forgive him.”
I said nothing. This was an issue between the Cult Leader and his disciple. It was his decision to make.
At that moment, a man arrived at the location.
The man introduced himself as Hwang and said he was the one in charge of the Wilderness under Hidden Moon.
From the way he walked alone, it was clear that his martial arts and movement techniques were not ordinary.
Even so, he appeared unremarkable. That was a common trait of the martial artists working under Hidden Moon. They blended in so well with the crowd that they would never be noticed. 2
“I looked into the matter you mentioned. The information Elder Seong asked us to investigate was about a certain Iron Workshop.”
“And where is that?”
Then, an unexpected place came up.
“It’s the New Hero Iron Workshop.”
The previous Cult Leader tilted his head.
“New Hero Iron Workshop? Was there such a place?”
Even the Cult Leader had not known about this division under the Wilderness.
“It hasn’t been around long and isn’t very large, so you likely hadn’t heard of it.”
At Hwang’s explanation, Jeong Dae nodded. He must’ve assumed that if he didn’t know, I wouldn’t either—but I did know about the New Hero Iron Workshop.
In my life before the regression, the New Hero Iron Workshop had another name.
The Greatest Iron Workshop in the Central Plains.
Back when Hwa Moogi and the Twelve Zodiac Kings had dominated the martial world, the New Hero Iron Workshop had been the most famous iron workshop in all of the Central Plains. It had hundreds of regional workshops across the land and supplied weapons and armor to most of the major sects. It truly was the best iron workshop of them all. They amassed enormous wealth selling military gear.
‘So the New Hero Iron Workshop began here!’
I had thought the New Hero Iron Workshop had no ties to Hwa Moogi or the Twelve Zodiac Kings.
But now that they appeared in this situation, it seemed they were connected after all. 3
“How unexpected. I thought Elder Seong was investigating Huayang Gate or the Black Sand Gang.”
In terms of sheer size alone, the Heavenly Wind Cult was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Huayang Gate was the Martial Alliance, and the Black Sand Gang was the Unorthodox Alliance. In other words, when So Baekta said he would unify the Wilderness, he meant he would subjugate Huayang Gate and the Black Sand Gang. 4
Naturally, we had assumed it was an investigation related to them. So when an unfamiliar iron workshop came up, the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s doubt was only expected.
“Do you have any idea why he asked for an investigation into the New Hero Iron Workshop?”
My master asked, just in case. But the answer was as expected.
“We don’t know the reason. Here’s the information he took.”
“Thank you.”
Hwang departed right away.
Together with the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, I remained and went over the data on the New Hero Iron Workshop. The information was extensive. It included personal details of the Workshop Lord and their subordinates, how much weaponry they produced, and how much was supplied to each sect. There was even a building layout of the place.
“Clearly, this has something to do with that disciple brat planning a war. Elder Seong must have realized that and entrusted the investigation to Hidden Moon.”
“I think so too. Elder Seong rushed out after reading this information. There must have been something in it that caught his attention.”
As he read the files, Jeong Dae shook his head.
“I can’t stand numbers.” 5
Much of the data dealt with figures. How much they produced. How much they earned. How much they spent.
That was when I noticed something odd.
“Look at this. The amount of iron they purchased last year. It's ten times more than the year before.”
“You’re right.”
“And here’s how much weaponry they sold last year.”
“They didn’t sell nearly as much compared to the iron they bought. That’s a huge gap.”
“And this year, they’ve purchased even more iron. They must be sitting on a massive stockpile.” 6
“Definitely suspicious.”
We exchanged glances, nodded, and immediately launched ourselves toward the New Hero Iron Workshop.
* * *
Before visiting the New Hero Iron Workshop, we bought a bamboo hat with a face cover to conceal our identities. We decided to visit as customers. 7
“It’s bigger than I expected.”
“According to the documents, they bought land near the workshop last year to expand.”
Countless carts loaded with goods came and went. The sound of hammers striking iron and bellows blowing echoed in every direction.
Someone came to greet us.
“What brings you here?”
“We came to buy a sword.”
“There are many kinds of swords.”
“One of the finest.”
“Please follow me.”
The man led us somewhere. As we walked behind him, we observed our surroundings. The advantage of coming as customers was that we could openly take a look around.
In every building, shirtless, muscular men were frantically busy forging weapons and armor.
At a glance, nothing seemed suspicious. It looked like an utterly ordinary iron workshop.
The place the man led us into had several swords on display.
“Feel free to take your time browsing.”
After inspecting the swords, I asked the man,
“Is there nothing better than what’s shown here?”
“We do have premium-grade ones, but they’re quite expensive.”
“Let me see them.”
“Please wait just a moment.”
Shortly after, it wasn’t the man who had guided us earlier, but a muscular young man who entered.
“Hello, I’m Hokyeong.”
Hokyeong.
He, too, was someone listed in the information we received from Hidden Moon. Since the Workshop Lord rarely showed himself in public, Hokyeong was essentially the one managing the iron workshop. One of the reasons I came posing as a customer was to meet him.
“You wish to see our premium-grade swords?”
He opened a box he had brought and handed me a sword.
I drew the blade and examined it. While it certainly wasn’t a treasured blade or a legendary weapon, it was still exceptionally well-crafted for a standard sword.
“I’ll take twelve of these.”
“Twelve...?”
Hokyeong looked genuinely startled. Even Jeong Dae turned to me in surprise.
—You’re not really buying them, are you?
—I am. We came all this way and worked hard. Might as well get a sword for each of the guards. 8
—Use your own money!
—Of course.
Since I was now a large customer, Hokyeong cautiously asked,
“May I ask where you're from?”
I lightly tapped the face veil hanging from the bamboo hat. A gesture that meant I didn’t want to reveal that.
“My apologies. It seems this is your first time trading with our workshop, and I meant no offense.”
Having dealt with many martial artists, Hokyeong was extremely polite in both speech and manner.
“I was referred by someone.”
“May I ask who?”
“Elder Seong of the Heavenly Wind Cult.”
I closely observed Hokyeong’s expression when Elder Seong was mentioned.
“Ah, of course. A most respectable man.”
He didn’t show the slightest reaction. Judging from that, it seemed at least Hokyeong had nothing to do with Elder Seong’s disappearance. Could it be he wasn’t missing but had gone into hiding voluntarily? That would be for the best.
“So, you’ll be taking the swords with you yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment while I prepare them.”
Hokyeong went inside to get the swords ready.
Leaving the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader behind, I quickly stepped out.
Thanks to Hidden Moon’s intel, I had a full map of the building layout, so I didn’t hesitate to leap into motion.
Though I passed a few people along the way, none of them noticed me.
Having mastered the Dark Shadow Step, I turned them into blind men with their eyes open, allowing me to slip deep into the heart of the workshop unnoticed. 9
I weaved through the buildings—using the Star Light Step, Dark Shadow Step, and even Divine Lightning Step.
In the most secluded corner stood a large building. From inside, the sound of metal striking echoed.
I sensed martial artists hidden around the building. Judging by the impenetrable level of security, it appeared to be the place where the Workshop Lord forged swords. That alone proved this iron workshop was anything but ordinary.
Could they possibly detect my Dark Shadow Step, which had reached 10 Stars?
I didn’t test that today. I wasn’t looking for the Workshop Lord. What I was after was the iron they had purchased. That massive amount of iron had to be stored somewhere, but even after searching thoroughly, I couldn’t find where it was kept.
‘Had they secretly forged everything and sent it out somewhere?’
But if that were the case, the scale of the workshop was far too small to support it.
That was when I saw an overgrown empty lot.
It was land they had purchased last year, according to Hidden Moon’s intel. It had been acquired during a time when they were actively scheming something. Why buy such land only to leave it abandoned?
I released dozens of strands of qi at once to survey the surroundings. I was checking to see if anyone might be hiding there.
Then, I felt something beneath the ground of the empty lot. At first, I thought it was someone in hiding—but it wasn’t.
All of my qi focused on that spot.
* * *
“The swords are ready.”
Hokyeong returned, bringing twelve swords neatly packed into a long leather belt pouch.
Only Jeong Dae was in the room.
“Where did your companion go?”
“He said he felt a bit hot and stepped outside for some air.”
“I’ll go bring him back.”
As Hokyeong tried to head out, the Cult Leader spoke.
“First, let’s settle the payment.”
He was stalling to buy time, but deep down, my master was growing suspicious.
Could it be? Did the Young Cult Leader even plan this far ahead? That I’d delay him by settling the bill? Yes, knowing that ruthless and greedy Young Cult Leader, it’s exactly the kind of thing he’d do. Gowol, Gowol. Here I am, getting shaken down all the way in the Wilderness.
The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader calculated the price.
He pulled out his money as slowly as he could, counting once, twice, even thrice to confirm.
Even after finishing the payment, I didn’t return, so Hokyeong finally stepped outside.
By then, I had already returned and was stretching casually in front of the building. 10
“The swords are ready.”
“Ah, thank you.”
* * *
Only after we had landed far from the New Hero Iron Workshop did I report the results of my search to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.
“I found where the iron is.”
“Where was it?”
“There’s a secret underground workshop. They’re manufacturing weapons there.”
Through qi emission, I had detected a large underground space beneath the surface. Faint and continuous vibrations and sounds came from below.
“The scale was enormous.”
“They’ve been preparing for war down there.”
War required a tremendous amount of supplies.
What matters most in war, more than supplies, is not letting the enemy discover your preparations. So Baekta had been secretly preparing war materials in collaboration with the New Hero Iron Workshop. No—more precisely, it must have been the Illusion King who connected the two.
“There should be quite a stockpile of supplies down there.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“I need to meet So Baekta.”
At last, the moment had come to meet him alone.
“And what will you say to him?”
“The fact that he revealed his plan to the Cult Leader means he must’ve expected the information to reach me as well. Which means he likely has something to say to me, too. He’s played one card—now I need to see what else he’s holding.”
The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader gave a meaningful smile. No doubt he was thinking, so the disciple’s finally met his match.
“Oh, and here’s the money for the swords. Please take it.”
“No need. Let’s just say I gifted them to the young ones.”
“Are you planning to regret it later?”
“If I’m going to blame you endlessly for this later, then I might as well be the one to pay.”
I handed him the leather belt bag carrying the swords.
“Then give them to the guards yourself. If you hand them out personally, they’ll be overjoyed. I’m heading to the Cult Leader’s Hall.”
As he took the belt bag, Jeong Dae said,
“While I take all the credit, you go show my stupid disciple and that dumb bell what the Rear Waves of the Yangtze are really like.”
* * *
When I entered the Cult Leader’s Hall to meet So Baekta, he was standing in front of a bronze mirror, painting another pattern on his face.
“Young Cult Leader, please wait a moment.”
From within the mirror, So Baekta greeted me.
“Take your time.”
I walked behind him and quietly observed as he drew lines no one else in the world would ever create. A moment of artistry never to be replicated.
“There are three patterns used by this cult. The cult’s emblem, the Heavenly Flower Pattern for war, and the Wind Decay Pattern painted upon death. What I’m drawing now is the Heavenly Flower Pattern, used when going to war.” 11
The colors and form were certainly intense. What I saw on the first day was the cult emblem. Now I was witnessing the second—the Heavenly Pattern.
“How is it? Would you like to try drawing one?”
“I’ll pass. Haven’t you heard the rumors? I’m a pacifist.”
From inside the mirror, So Baekta gave a faint smile and looked at me.
“Seems you're quite fearful.”
“Isn’t it usually the fearful ones who start wars?”
At that, So Baekta’s hand paused for a brief moment before continuing the painting. 12
“Be careful with cowards. You never know what they might do.”
In a calm tone, I asked him,
“You must’ve known that telling the Cult Leader would eventually reach my ears. So why did you say it?”
“The mentor I remember wasn’t someone who spoke of the cult’s serious matters to others.”
“Perhaps the same goes for the Cult Leader. The version of you he remembers wouldn’t have been a disciple who did something this outrageous.”
From within the bronze mirror, So Baekta laughed.
“What’s the real reason you’re doing this?”
“I wanted your permission. Either way, if we’re going to start a war, we need your approval—be it formal consent or silent agreement, don’t we? If we just charge ahead without it, you could strike us down using that as justification. And you people... well, you’re more than capable of that, aren’t you?”
At last, So Baekta completed the Heavenly Pattern on his face and turned around.
“Grant us permission for our war.”
His confident gaze said it all. Even without approval, he would go to war.
What has you so fired up? What fills you with such certainty? What deludes you into thinking the desert winds of the Wilderness cannot be pierced by the blades of our cult?
“Very well. Let me make our official stance clear.”
To see what cards he held, I would have to push back hard.
I spoke to him in a cold and authoritative tone.
“Our cult does not permit your war.”
An unreadable fire flared up in So Baekta’s eyes.
I doused that fire with cold water.
“So go wash your face and wipe it all off before you return.”
1 : Ooooh, that's what you meant by restoring it. Since the organisation is under us, just directly ask !!! Smart !!!
2 : Those kinds of people are scariest as opponents, because if you don’t get rid of them in one go, they’ll hide in the crowd and easily stab your throat years later.
3 : The conspiracy thickens !!! Mugeuk really made the best decision by going back, no way he would have won on his own against so many enemies.
4 : Hmmm, are they infected too ? In any case, if Elder Song isn’t a traitor, that means he had pretty good instincts.
5 : Me too brother, me too.*pat him in the back while remembering school trauma*
6 : Arms dealers manipulating nations behind the scenes to create wars, and thus, more weapons demands. I swear I saw that plot before in a movie, but I can’t remember which.
7 : The classic.
8 : Surprise gift !!! With such quality, might as well splurge a bit. It’s all money that will come back to his pocket eventually.
9 : Been a while since we’ve seen the Dark Shadow Step in action. And even longer since we’ve seen the Underworld King Step. Most enemies die before he can use it, which is a good thing XDXDXD.
10 : Lol, he definitely planned for him to pay XDXDXD
11 : Wonder if the death pattern is like the Dia de los Muertos skull paint. Would be fun.
12 : Hit a nerve, huh ?