A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 439

439. The Division of the Outer Palace

Hwa-wol of Yewon’s statement that Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk had returned to the Outer Palace was entirely unexpected. Gongsun Geuk, the former head of the Gongsun Clan and a master of the Outer Palace, had colluded with the Imperial Family to participate in the Turn Heaven Scheme [a conspiracy to usurp power], and all his inner energy had been destroyed by Son-bin in Mt. Hwang. How could such a man return to the Outer Palace?

“That Vice Sword bastard returned to the Outer Palace?”

Old Master asked, as if to confirm again. However, Hwa-wol, the head of Yewon, quietly nodded.

“How? His inner strength? Bin-ie should have completely shattered it?”

Hwa-wol slowly shook her head.

“I don’t know about that.”

She was merely an outstanding artist, not a martial artist. However, she knew more about the Outer Palace than anyone else.

“But it is an undeniable fact that Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk has returned to the Outer Palace. It is said that Vice Sword’s power was instrumental in bringing three of the Five Heavenly Mountain Lords and the Three Immortals of Kunlun into the Outer Palace.”

Old Master frowned deeply. Not only had Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk returned to the Outer Palace, but he was also in a position to bring others into it?

“Have you ever seen Vice Sword in person? After he returned, I mean.”

Hwa-wol shook her head again.

“Not yet.”

“Is that so?”

After pondering something for a moment, Old Master frowned and said.

“I don’t know how he did it, but it’s clear that Vice Sword has regained his strength, at least. The Outer Palace isn’t such an easy place that they’d just leave a guy with no inner strength alone.”

Old Master clicked his tongue.

“No wonder the Namgung Clan was making so many concessions to the Gongsun Clan…….”

After the Turn Heaven Scheme in Mt. Hwang, the Gongsun Clan was practically considered an enemy of the Outer Palace. Nevertheless, the fact that the Gongsun Clan had defended the metropolis of Hapbi and secured safety from the Namgung Clan through marriage had such an inside story.

“The Five Heavenly Mountain Lords and the Three Immortals of Kunlun…….”

Old Master muttered quietly, when suddenly Son-bin asked.

“Who are they?”

“Those who were chased out by Taoist Hwanghak.”

Old Master said, as if throwing the words out.

“To be precise, they used to be called Bohwa Seonong and Taepyeong Seonsa. Both were masters of the Outer Palace, but their actions were a mess. They pretended to be Taoist hermits on the outside, but they committed all sorts of dirty deeds. Well, there were also Fierce Tiger and Jade Dragon, so no one complained about it.”

Clicking his tongue, Old Master continued.

“But those guys crossed the line. Later, they even reached out to the great arts of evil cults like the Demonic Sect and the Blood Sect. Taoist Hwanghak warned them, but they didn’t listen. Eventually, the Taoist defeated them, and they went into seclusion in the Heavenly Mountain and Kunlun, respectively. Then they gathered others like themselves and called themselves the Five Heavenly Mountain Lords and the Three Immortals of Kunlun. I thought they were just guys who had been kicked out, so they wouldn’t come out again…….”

Son-bin’s expression was not good. If Old Master was right, it was understandable that Taoist Hwanghak had chased them out. And the resentment they would have towards Taoist Hwanghak.

“Didn’t the others object to them entering the Outer Palace? For example, verifying their qualifications…….”

At Son-bin’s question, Old Master smirked.

“Is the Outer Palace a place where you take a civil service exam to get in? You just do it if you want to. However, that’s on the premise that you have the power to enforce your will.”

The only thing needed to be recognized by the Outer Palace is one thing: the power to survive against other Outer Palace masters.

“Then does that mean that the Five Heavenly Mountain Lords and the Three Immortals of Kunlun also have that level of power?”

Sa Su-yeon asked. Old Master nodded.

“I guess so. Well, that was only when we weren’t around, though.”

Old Master pursed his lips meaningfully, as if telling them to wait and see. Hwa-wol, who already knew that he had expelled one of the Five Heavenly Mountain Lords from the Outer Palace, gave an awkward smile and said.

“In fact, the fact that you all left for the Western Regions was a huge event in itself.”

Hwa-wol quietly fiddled with her teacup.

“Nine masters of the Outer Palace moved at once. Moreover, they clearly stated their absence, not just hiding their presence.”

Old Master nodded.

“Well, with Emperor Mu, Jade Dragon, Bin-ie, of course, and Emperor Mu’s daughter Yeon-ah, the Tang Clan’s Wol-ah, and the Wudang’s Seo-rin all gone, the void must have been quite large. Besides, I wasn’t there either.”

There was no pretense of humility in excluding himself. As he said, Son-bin and his party’s departure to the Western Regions was, in fact, a major event in which the Heavenly Outer Four Stars and their descendants disappeared from the Jianghu [martial arts world] all at once.

“But that alone can’t explain this. At best, it’ll be over when we get back. But the fact that they pushed this forward as if they had been waiting for it…….”

“It means they were certain.”

Suddenly, Tang Wol-ah said quietly.

“Certain that we wouldn’t be able to return, or certain that they could handle us even if we did.”

“How could they be so sure?”

Sa Su-yeon said, as if she couldn’t understand.

“We didn’t even know what would happen, not even us.”

“They could.”

Tang Wol-ah replied.

“If they knew the meaning of the words ‘The Heavenly Demon has opened the Gate of the Abyss’ better than we did.”

Sa Su-yeon’s complexion changed. There was no way she didn’t know what Tang Wol-ah was talking about now.

“Don’t tell me, the Demonic Sect?”

“The Demonic Sect?”

Hwa-wol, the head of Yewon, asked back with surprised eyes. Tang Wol-ah quietly nodded, but Hwa-wol still couldn’t believe it.

“But the Demonic Sect is already…….”

The Demonic Sect and the Blood Sect had long since disappeared from the Jianghu martial world. But Old Master shook his head.

“No, Wol-ah and Yeon-ah are right. That Vice Sword bastard definitely mastered demonic arts. Bin-ie shattered it in Mt. Hwang, though.”

Hwa-wol’s expression hardened. The fact that Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk had mastered demonic arts was news to her as well. In fact, Son-bin and his party were the only ones in the Outer Palace who knew the whole story of what had happened in Mt. Hwang and the Imperial Palace.

“That demonic man from Seojang was the same. He said, ‘Don’t you know that the Central Plains martial world has the Demonic Sect?’ As the Heavenly Demon opened the Gate of the Abyss, those guys probably gained power as well. If so, it’s possible that Vice Sword regained his inner strength in some way.”

Old Master’s words were a series of surprises for Hwa-wol. But Old Master muttered, unconcerned, as he fiddled with his teacup.

“The Demonic Sect……. In the end, the rumor that Bin-ie died was just an opportunity or justification for those guys.”

The rumor of Son-bin’s death certainly had a big impact. However, Vice Sword’s plan had already begun when Son-bin and his party left for the Western Regions.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if the mastermind is the Demonic Sect?”

Suddenly, Sa Su-yeon said from the side. Hwa-wol, the head of Yewon, asked with a puzzled expression.

“Yes? Easier, you say?”

That was a natural reaction for Hwa-wol. The Demonic Sect would be easier?

Swish.

In that instant, Hwa-wol saw Old Master, Sa Su-yeon, and the others all turn their gaze towards Son-bin. Hwa-wol also looked at Son-bin. But Son-bin was just holding his teacup and smiling gently.

“It’s a long story.”

Old Master said, as if throwing the words out.

“Anyway, the Heavenly Demon is finished and Bin-ie closed the Gate of the Abyss, so there’s no need to worry anymore. But the problem is the Demonic Sect itself.”

With a serious look in his eyes, Old Master continued.

“The power of the Demonic Sect, which has endured for so long, can never be ignored. Even if it’s not the Heavenly Demon, the Demonic Sect has many strange techniques and bizarre great arts.”

As he spoke, Old Master sighed softly.

“Well, Jade Dragon also said that the demonic beings were rather smarter than the demonic god. The remnants of the Demonic Sect might be more annoying than the Heavenly Demon…….”

Hwa-wol still didn’t understand the expression ‘annoying’. But the other members of the party were nodding in agreement.

“So, who are the guys who were internal collaborators and those who sympathized with that Vice Sword bastard?”

Internal collaboration means helping from the inside. No matter how much power Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk had gained, there must have been helpers for him to suddenly appear in the Outer Palace.

“It is not known who helped Vice Sword. But those who sympathized are clear.”

“First of all, that Thunder Sword bastard would have been there. Ah, now that I think about it, that’s why that Thunder Sword bastard asked how the Gate of the Abyss was doing. I wondered why a guy who doesn’t care even if the world turns upside down unless it’s related to his clan would ask…….”

“Have you already met Thunder Sword?”

“Just, on the way.”

Sa Su-yeon gave a bitter smile at Old Master’s answer, as if he had met him by chance.

“Seeing that that noisy guy was keeping his mouth shut, it seems like something happened? Like a vow of silence or something.”

At Old Master’s words, Hwa-wol nodded.

“Those who sympathized with Vice Sword are Philosopher Geoglyeon of the Zhuge Clan, Buddhist Monk Bulkwang of Shaolin, and Cheong-wooja of Mount Hua. Later, Ilya, Iya, and Samya of the Three Immortals of Kunlun and the Five Heavenly Mountain Lords joined them.”

“Huh.”

Old Master let out a hollow breath, as if he was dumbfounded.

“They’re doing a great job. A Buddhist monk and a Taoist priest are in cahoots with the Demonic Sect? The world is going crazy while we were gone for a while.”

“They might not have known about the Demonic Sect…….”

“There’s no way.”

Old Master cut off Hwa-wol’s words in an instant.

“Buddhism and Taoism are incompatible with demonic arts. It’s absurd that they wouldn’t be able to sense it. In the end, Bulkwang and Cheong-wooja sympathized even though they knew. Besides, I helped that Philosopher bastard in the Northern Sea and saved him in Mt. Hwang, but he doesn’t even know gratitude…….”

That’s what he said, but Old Master didn’t expect much from Philosopher Zhuge Geoglyeon either. Philosopher didn’t have much personal contact with Son-bin, and above all, he was the former head of the Zhuge Clan, carrying the fate of the clan on his shoulders.

“So those guys made a pact with each other. Thunder Sword too.”

“And.”

Hwa-wol said quietly.

“The new Jade Dragon joined them.”

Everyone’s faces hardened in an instant.

“That bastard? Is that true?”

Even Old Master frowned and asked back, as if he couldn’t believe it. But Hwa-wol nodded.

“Yes. It’s certain.”

“Hmm.”

Old Master frowned.

“That’s strange? He didn’t seem like such a short-sighted guy…….”

The fact that he sympathized with Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk’s group was certainly unexpected. Did he think that the former Jade Dragon or Saja Hyuk would not return? Did he truly believe the rumor that Son-bin had died in Seojang? After thinking for a moment, Old Master asked Hwa-wol again.

“So, what’s the content of that pact?”

Hwa-wol quietly shook her head.

“Nothing is known about that pact, called the ‘Mount Hua Pact’. I don’t know either.”

“What about the other guys?”

“Elder Janggang declared neutrality. He said he wouldn’t move as long as the Seowon wasn’t touched.”

Son-bin looked at Hwa-wol with surprised eyes. Elder Janggang, who was in the Seowon, hadn’t told him anything about that. Did Elder Janggang really make such a declaration for the sake of the Seowon?

“That bastard used his head in his own way.”

Old Master shattered Son-bin’s impression.

“That Elder is a righteous sect person to the bone, so it was difficult for him to openly resist, with Shaolin, Mount Hua, the Zhuge Clan, the Gongsun Clan, and even the Namgung Clan.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Old Master said.

“Well, worrying about the Seowon is probably true, though.”

Hwa-wol smiled and added to Old Master’s words.

“It is said that Hwasa even threatened the entire Outer Palace? She said that she would definitely kill anyone who touched her brother’s Seowon, no matter who it was.”

Smiling gently, Hwa-wol looked at Son-bin.

“But why does Hwasa call Son Gongja ‘brother’?”

“Ah, that’s…….”

To explain the reason, he would have to talk about the time when Hwasa lost her mind and went on a rampage. As Son-bin hesitated, Old Master answered, as if throwing the words out.

“She sometimes reverts to her old habits when she gets excited.”

It was a strange way of making Hwasa’s past, but Old Master continued to speak nonchalantly.

“And what about the other guys?”

“Gentleman Sword of the Moryong Clan and Young Iron Sword strongly opposed it. But those people alone couldn’t move the other members of the Outer Palace.”

Old Master couldn’t hide his bitter expression. Hwa-wol continued.

“No one appeared from the Ami, which had declared its gates closed. Master Talhon of the Gangbuk Black Serpent Union and Master Paegeom of the Hyeokryeon Clan remained silent. And Wudang also closed its gates, and the Tang Clan and the Gangnam Blood Phoenix Union…….”

Hwa-wol trailed off. With Seo-rin, Tang Wol-ah, and Guigyeon Sura away, Wudang, the Tang Clan, and the Blood Phoenix Union had no masters of the Outer Palace. Moreover, rumors had spread that they had died with Son-bin in Seojang, so they wouldn’t have even been considered.

“Did Thousand Hands Sword come out again by any chance?”

Old Master asked. Thousand Hands Sword, Neung Cheon-hwa, had led the Turn Heaven Scheme in the Imperial Palace along with Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk. He had been shocked by Son-bin’s Wave Moon Transference and left the Outer Palace on his own.

“No. Thousand Hands Sword and Seomoksu of the Northern Sea were not present either.”

“Tsk.”

Old Master clicked his tongue.

“The Outer Palace has been split in two.”

That’s how he put it, but in reality, it was as good as being taken over by Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk and those who sympathized with him.

“Yewon is the same.”

Hwa-wol said with a bitter expression.

“Because I’m here, they’re not being openly revealed yet, but some of the Soju [Yewon members] are already cooperating with them.”

At those words, Son-bin suddenly thought of Cheongmyeongjeong in the Imperial Palace. The figure of Biyeon, the Deputy Head of the Imperial Palace, who had helped Son-bin when he infiltrated the Imperial Palace, came to his mind.

“Is Biyeon in Cheongmyeongjeong safe?”

At Son-bin’s words, Hwa-wol smiled.

“Yes. She’s doing well.”

Biyeon, who had once been in contact with the Imperial Family, was able to clear her name thanks to Son-bin and reconcile with her old friend Hwa-wol. And Hwa-wol, along with her regained old friend, was still sharing a deep friendship. If Biyeon had been hostile to Hwa-wol as before, the division of Yewon would have been even more serious now.

“Biyeon will be happy to know that Son Gongja has returned safely.”

“Ah, then could you possibly pass on the news?”

At Son-bin’s words, Hwa-wol smiled and nodded.

“I’d be happy to do so.”

Son-bin responded with a smile, when Geum Saryeon of the Blood Phoenix Union, who had been silent, suddenly asked.

“What are they aiming for?”

‘They’ refers to Vice Sword Gongsun Geuk and those who sympathize with him. Old Master pursed his lips and answered.

“That’s obvious. They’re saying they’re going to do whatever they want with the world, right? The Heavenly Outer Four Stars and their successors have disappeared, they have the power of the Demonic Sect, and the Imperial Family is keeping its distance from the martial world, so they must think this is the perfect time. What’s the point of becoming a master and joining the Outer Palace? People’s greed doesn’t change…….”

Old Master clicked his tongue. But Geum Saryeon’s words didn’t mean that.

“Of course, that’s true, but what I’m curious about is what kind of actions they will take. If their first goal was to add the power of the Gongsun Clan to the Namgung Clan, what will be their next action?”

“Using that power.”

Tang Wol-ah said quietly. The party’s gaze turned to Tang Wol-ah all at once.

“What do you mean?”

When Old Master asked, Tang Wol-ah quietly continued.

“When the power of the Namgung Clan and the Gongsun Clan combine, they will face Wudang or the Gangbuk Black Serpent Union to the west, and the Hyeokryeon Clan and the Gangnam Blood Phoenix Union to the south. If you go up the Yangtze River, it won’t be difficult to strike Ami and the Tang Clan.”

At those words, Old Master’s complexion changed. After pondering for a while, Old Master frowned and said in a low voice.

“Indeed. The reason why the Gongsun Clan chose the Namgung Clan wasn’t just because they betrayed the Zhuge Clan. It was a stepping stone to take advantage of such geographical advantages.”

“But is such a thing possible?”

Geum Saryeon of the Blood Phoenix Union raised an objection to Tang Wol-ah’s words.

“Striking a large sect is not as easy as it sounds. If martial artists with swords move in groups and cause conflict, the Imperial Family will not be able to just stand by, no matter how much distance it keeps from the martial world.”

This is not the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, nor is it an era when local warlords are rampant. The Imperial Law and the Imperial Army are clearly standing guard, so it is virtually impossible for martial artists to engage in large-scale battles. If they did, they would immediately be subject to the Imperial Army’s armed suppression, and they would have nothing to say even if they were accused of insurrection or treason.

“Even if they can’t strike, they can put pressure or check them.”

Old Master answered Geum Saryeon’s question.

“The Outer Palace will be the one to subdue the actual sects. For example, the Five Heavenly Mountain Lords or the Three Immortals of Kunlun. The Namgung Clan only has to check the opposing sect from launching an all-out war. While staying within the line that the Imperial Family won’t intervene.”

“If so.”

That voice, which flowed out quietly, was Son-bin’s. Son-bin held his teacup and said in a calm voice.

“Then we must stop it first.”

“That’s right.”

Smiling, Old Master replied.

“We have to teach them clearly that the world doesn’t work the way they want it to.”

Old Master and Son-bin looked at each other and smiled. The smiles on their faces were different, but their hearts were the same.

(Author’s words)

Old Master: Well, shall we throw some ashes on it?