Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 69

Nine Dragons Chronicle (69)

One person was kneeling before Hwa-rin. It was Moon-so, the leader of the Sa-dang [a group of performers or entertainers, often associated with lower social classes].

“The reason I asked to see you, Leader, is that I need to be away for a few days, and I was hoping that you and your family could protect the manor with our people during that time.”

“We will do so.”

Moon-so had been looking for opportunities to target Hwa-rin, but he couldn’t find any openings. Or rather, there were too many openings, but he had a strong feeling that if he attacked through those gaps, he might die, so he held back.

More than anything, he was terrified by the fact that he had been trying to target Hwa-rin, but each time, their eyes met as if Hwa-rin knew his location.

“I will compensate you for the expenses incurred.”

“No, no. It is a great honor for us just to have met the successor of the Killer King.”

“That’s one thing, and work is another. I will take care of that matter, so don’t refuse. You can discuss the manor’s issues with Chief Seo, the chief manager.”

Seo Dae-young, who was standing beside him, wore an awkward expression. He realized that Hwa-rin was an even more remarkable figure than he had thought.

‘He was called the Shadow Lord in the Imperial Palace, but when did he…’

“Chief Seo, don’t stay in the branch office for the time being, but come to the main branch and live there.”

“What about the children?”

“Bring them to the main branch and live together. And I’ve already spoken to Hwa-san [likely referring to the Hwa-san Sect, a prominent martial arts sect], so select the children to be sent to Hwa-san as lay disciples [students who live at the temple but are not monks] and send them there. They need to be sent from a young age to learn something and not return to the main family.”

“I understand. I will go to the main branch and take care of that matter.”

“Protector Lee, while I’m away, do my role well. You’ve made many friends, so refrain from talking to them as much as possible.”

“Don’t worry. They won’t find out.”

Lee Do-moon’s face changed slightly, and then, with the sound of bones clashing, his body transformed. Soon, he transformed into Hwa-rin’s appearance.

“The left side of your face is a bit unnatural.”

Hwa-rin slightly adjusted Lee Do-moon’s face, and he transformed perfectly.

“I can’t do anything about the voice, so try not to talk much.”

“I understand.”

“Chief Seo, after the Hwa-san assembly, return with Protector Lee, and Leader Moon-so, go down to Hwa-san now, bring your members to the manor, and start working.”

“I obey your command.”

As Moon-so disappeared, Hwa-rin sighed and said,

“I’ll be back, so do well.”

* * *

Among the five main forces of the Sa-blood Alliance, the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad specialized in tracking, infiltration, kidnapping, and assassination, making them closer to a group belonging to the Leftist Sects [unorthodox or heretical martial arts sects] rather than a traditional martial force.

However, the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad was by no means a weak martial force.

They possessed enough power to destroy most martial arts families on their own.

“They asked me to keep the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad in check, but in reality, they probably didn’t think I would accept this task.”

Even for someone belonging to the Hundred Great Masters of the Murim [the martial arts world], blocking the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad alone was not an easy task.

Nevertheless, the reason Hwa-rin accepted Head of Mae’s proposal was that he intended to take the lead in Shaanxi Province, no matter what.

In Shaanxi Province, Jongnam, Hwa-san, and Seokcheon Clan, along with the Eumsa Sect in the Demonic Faction, were leading other small and medium-sized sects, leading the Murim of Shaanxi Province.

Among these, Jongnam and Hwa-san were the main forces, so he calculated that if he made a strong impression on them, even Jongnam and Hwa-san would not be able to ignore his influence.

“Judging by their expressions at that time, they were definitely thinking something else.”

Hwa-rin recalled the situation at that time.

“After exchanging a telepathic conversation with Real Person Myung-yul, he entrusted this task entirely to me, so Real Person Myung-yul must be watching how I will handle this matter.”

Hwa-san had its own thoughts, but Hwa-rin also had his own ideas when he accepted this task.

“The warriors of the Tang Clan, Hengshan Sect, and Emei Sect are said to be chasing after the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad, so if I play tricks on both sides, they will fight each other, and if I pick off the leaders of the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad, I can destroy them in a short amount of time. Of course, the Orthodox Sect [traditional martial arts sects] will also suffer some damage, but that’s none of my business.”

It was a simple plan, but it was also the most certain and fastest way to destroy the opponent.

Hwa-rin left the Hwa-san Sect and moved to Sichuan as quickly as possible.

He thought that if he only listened to the Beggars’ Sect’s information and acted, he might suffer a setback.

Hwa-rin moved faster than the Hwa-san Sect expected, causing the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad, the Sichuan branch of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, and the Orthodox Murim of Sichuan to clash, and he intended to get what he wanted.

Hwa-rin arrived in Chengdu, Sichuan, and sought out the Sichuan branch of the Hao-moon [a powerful information network] instead of the Beggars’ Sect.

Standing in front of a shabby manor, Hwa-rin looked at the plaque hanging above the manor’s gate, specifically on the dragon head.

The plaque read “Moonlight Manor,” which was the Sichuan branch of the Hao-moon and also the Sichuan branch of the Moonlight Clan, which was in charge of one of the Hao-moon’s pillars.

The Moonlight Clan was a sect formed by thieves, created by Amyeong Shintu, who had broken away from the old Gonggong Clan. After the Gonggong Clan was destroyed, the thieves of the Central Plains gathered under the Moonlight Clan, and now it had grown into the largest organization in the Central Plains, responsible for one of the Hao-moon’s pillars.

As Hwa-rin knocked on the gate, a person opened the door and came out.

“Who is it?”

“I am Hwa-rin. I have come to meet the head of the manor, so I would appreciate it if you could guide me.”

As Hwa-rin spoke with a smiling face, he guided Hwa-rin to the head of the manor as if he had been hypnotized, without even properly recognizing who Hwa-rin was.

The two people who entered the inner garden of the manor stood in front of a building.

“Head, a guest has arrived.”

“A guest?”

A thick voice flowed from inside, and soon, a voice flowed out, telling them to let him in.

“Please come in.”

As Hwa-rin opened the door and entered, a slender man in his mid-forties was sitting in his seat.

“I am Hwa-rin, Head Lee Seong-eon.”

“Hwa-rin? Are you perhaps the head of the Nine Dragons Manor in Shaanxi Province?”

Due to the Nine Dragons Inn, the head of the Nine Dragons Manor was already known to the Hao-moon, so he asked, knowing who he was just by hearing his name.

“That is correct.”

“I am pleased to meet you. Come and sit down.”

As he offered a seat, Hwa-rin sat opposite him.

“But why did you come to see me without an appointment?”

“I came to find out a few things.”

“A few things?”

“Yes. I heard that the Sa-blood Alliance’s Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad has entered Sichuan.”

Hwa-rin did not beat around the bush and spoke directly about his purpose.

“That is correct. They are currently in Bukcheon County.”

Lee Seong-eon, the head of the Moonlight Clan, answered Hwa-rin’s question without any suspicion or doubt.

“I heard that the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad, which can be said to be another main force of the Sa-blood Alliance, is in Chongqing.”

“That is correct. They are moving together, maintaining a distance that they can reach each other in two days, three days at the latest.”

“Then if one of them is attacked by the Righteous Heaven Alliance, they will come to help.”

“That is what we expect. They seem to be moving with pre-arranged escape locations and meeting places.”

Hwa-rin listened to Lee Seong-eon’s words and paused for a moment to think.

‘Then, if I cause a disturbance, what happens if the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad moves to the place where they agreed to meet the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad?’

Hwa-rin thought that he needed to think more about this issue.

“I heard that the Murim of Sichuan has moved to keep the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad in check, but where are they now?”

“The Orthodox Murim of Sichuan, led by the Tang Clan, Qingcheng, and Emei Sects, are tracking their whereabouts. They are currently in Sipbang County. It is a two-hour distance from Bukcheon County, where the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad is located.”

“They will be moving based on information from the Beggars’ Sect, right?”

“That’s right. The Beggars’ Sect will also be anticipating what we are thinking, so they will not easily attack the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad.”

“Is that so?”

“Thirty years ago, the Orthodox Sect suffered great sacrifices when the Baegyo [White Lotus Society, a historical and often rebellious religious sect] collapsed. As a result, the power of the Orthodox Sect is weaker than that of the Demonic or Evil Sects.”

“I have heard about that.”

“The Orthodox Sect has made great efforts for thirty years, but that is the same for the Demonic and Evil Sects, so in reality, the Orthodox Sect is the weakest in the current situation.”

“Hmm…”

“So they will not make a preemptive strike. Otherwise, the Sa-blood Alliance and the Righteous Heaven Alliance will end up in a war.”

“I heard that the Righteous Heaven Alliance will attack the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad in Chongqing.”

“The warriors of the Righteous Heaven Alliance have moved, but they will not attack the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad. The Sa-blood Alliance needs a justification to attack the Righteous Heaven Alliance, and they sent the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad and the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad to create that justification.”

Hwa-rin’s expression changed.

“Then I came here with the wrong information.”

“That’s not necessarily the case. We are anticipating that they will not attack, but they may attack the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad.”

“Then what do you think, Head? Do you think the Righteous Heaven Alliance will attack the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad?”

Hwa-rin asked Lee Seong-eon.

“They won’t. The moment they attack and the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad is destroyed, a war will break out.”

“I see. Then what happens if I attack the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad and get into a fight with them? Will the Orthodox and Evil Sects go to war then?”

“No. The Orthodox Sect will sell you out to the Sa-blood Alliance.”

Hwa-rin’s mood started to sour as he listened to Lee Seong-eon’s words.

“Then the Righteous Heaven Alliance is throwing me away to reduce the power of the Sa-blood Alliance.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Lee Seong-eon asked because he did not know why Hwa-rin had come to Sichuan.

“Actually…”

Hwa-rin told him everything about the deal he had made in Hwa-san.

“I see. But rather than Hwa-san’s fault, it is possible that the person from the Zhuge Family who planned this did not reveal his true intentions to Hwa-san.”

“A person from the Zhuge Family?”

“I am referring to Zhuge Tak, the chief manager who can be said to be the second-in-command of the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

“Zhuge Tak?”

“He is a variant of the Zhuge Family, in a way.”

“A variant of the Zhuge Family?”

“The Zhuge Family has been claiming to be the brains of the Orthodox Sect and has exerted a lot of influence. However, the Orthodox people tend to ignore the Zhuge Family rather than respect them.”

Hwa-rin also knew this story well.

“Murim must have power. Isn’t it natural from the perspective of the Zhuge Family, which has weak martial power?”

“That’s right. But everything changed when Zhuge Tak appeared in Murim.”

“Is he that strong?”

“He is not only smart but also strong in martial arts. He also has excellent physical abilities.”

“Hmm…”

“Have you heard of the Yicheon Noeryeok Jinga Soolbeop [Mind Power Enhancement Technique]?”

“Yicheon Noeryeok Jinga Soolbeop?”

It was the first time he had heard of it.

“It is a secret art that forcibly opens the Heavenly Gate [a key point in martial arts cultivation] with acupuncture to quickly activate the brain from a young age.”

“The Heavenly Gate?”

“I am talking about the Heavenly Gate that only the chosen ones can open.”

When a martial artist learns martial arts, he must first open the Gate of Earth, which accepts the energy of the earth, which refers to the Yongcheon blood point on the sole of the foot.

After opening the Gate of Earth, if one opens the Life and Death Blood Vessels and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, he opens the Gate of Humanity, which accepts the energy in the air, which refers to the Myeongmoon blood point on the waist.

And one must open the Heavenly Gate, which accepts the energy of the sky, but this requires enlightenment, and depending on the size of the enlightenment, one may or may not be able to open the Heavenly Gate, so many martial artists who learn martial arts die without opening the Heavenly Gate.

That is why it is said in Murim that only the chosen ones can open the Heavenly Gate.

It was also surprising that such a Heavenly Gate could be opened with the Yicheon Noeryeok Jinga Soolbeop.

‘The Baegyo also has a similar technique, but it was abandoned because of severe side effects.’

“To forcibly open the Heavenly Gate… That’s a really great secret art. But are there no side effects if you do that?”

“I heard that if you fail to use the technique, you become an idiot. And I heard that the brain gradually hardens and you die before you turn eighteen.”

‘The side effects are the same as the Brain Spirit Body Technique.’

“Do you know when the Zhuge Family completed the Yicheon Noeryeok Jinga Soolbeop?”

“Everything is kept secret, so I can’t say for sure, but Zhuge Tak started to stand out twenty years ago, so I expect the Yicheon Noeryeok Jinga Soolbeop to be between twenty-five and thirty years old at the shortest.”

‘It’s similar to the time when the Baegyo was destroyed. Then the Zhuge Family may have discovered the Brain Spirit Body Technique that the Baegyo abandoned and researched it to adapt it to themselves.’

Hwa-rin smiled inwardly.

“The Zhuge Family must have prospered greatly as a result.”

“But that doesn’t seem to be the case. The success rate of the technique is lower than expected, so smart guys become idiots, so there seems to be a lot of debate internally. But what is clear is that there are success stories like Zhuge Tak, so the Zhuge Family can’t easily give up.”

‘They couldn’t solve the side effects even with that smart head.’

Hwa-rin knew the side effects well, and he also knew how to solve them.

“I see. I came to see you today and heard a lot of good stories.”

“Haha, no. I also enjoyed meeting Head Hwa-rin.”

Lee Seong-eon did not even know what he was saying because he was under Hwa-rin’s spell.

‘A plan from Zhuge Tak’s sly mind, huh.’

A faint smile appeared on Hwa-rin’s lips.