Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 123

123. The Surveillance of the Strange Letters

Dang Seol-yeon frowned at Yeong Ho-jun’s pleased smile.

“‘He’ is an unwelcome guest to everyone.”

Dang Seol-yeon said in a low voice.

“Yet, why does it seem to me that you’re taking his side?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Dang Seol-yeon spoke with a sharp glint in her eyes.

“Is that the will of the Mount Hua Sect, or is it your personal desire? Or perhaps…”

“It’s because I’m smitten.”

Yeong Ho-jun said with a grin.

“Didn’t I say? It seems like it will be fun.”

Dang Seol-yeon frowned.

However, Yeong Ho-jun’s grinning face was like an iron wall.

Dang Seol-yeon knew that she wouldn’t get any meaningful answer from him.

“Fine. Let’s say that’s the case.”

Sighing softly, Dang Seol-yeon asked.

“Then why are we going to the Shaolin Temple?”

The purpose of this investigation team, proposed and organized by Yeong Ho-jun himself, was to find the mastermind behind the strange letters circulating in the Jianghu [martial arts world].

Naturally, the first step would be to visit the sects or families where rumors of the strange letters had spread.

However, the investigation team was heading to Shaolin Temple out of the blue.

“That’s because only Shaolin Temple seems likely to have something interesting.”

Dang Seol-yeon looked at Yeong Ho-jun with a puzzled expression.

“…Interesting?”

“Haha, why are you suddenly pretending not to know again…”

Yeong Ho-jun said with a laugh.

“What would we find by shaking up small sects? Only Shaolin Temple is likely to have something interesting, right?”

It was a natural thing to say.

Shaolin Temple’s history is very long and extremely closed off, so there must be many hidden things.

But Dang Seol-yeon still couldn’t understand.

“But I haven’t heard that any strange letters came to Shaolin Temple.”

“What does that matter?”

Yeong Ho-jun shrugged.

“Anything will do, anyway.”

Dang Seol-yeon was silent for a moment.

Shaking up Shaolin Temple was certainly appealing to her as well.

But the problem was also clear.

“…Can we even shake up Shaolin Temple?”

Dang Seol-yeon asked in a slightly trembling voice.

If they could shake up Shaolin Temple, it would be a tremendous achievement.

It was incomparable to the strange letters, whose origin was even doubtful.

However, Yeong Ho-jun’s answer was far from her expectations.

Yeong Ho-jun said with a grin.

“If we can’t shake it up, so be it.”

Crack.

Sparks flew from Dang Seol-yeon’s eyes.

But she bit her lip and barely managed to hold back her anger.

If she shouted here, it would surely be heard by the carriage following behind.

“…You’re going all the way to Shaolin Temple for something with such a slim basis and possibility?”

“Isn’t our investigation team itself a long shot anyway?”

Once again, Dang Seol-yeon held back her anger.

Perhaps this man had a natural talent for grating on her nerves, Dang Seol-yeon thought as she said quietly.

“It’s not our investigation team, it’s your investigation team. You’re the one who proposed this investigation team.”

Yeong Ho-jun shrugged.

Even that gesture seemed so annoying that Dang Seol-yeon unknowingly gritted her teeth.

“Fine. It’s your investigation team anyway, so do as you please.”

Dang Seol-yeon said in a small but sharp voice.

“But you won’t be able to hide it for long. Whatever your true intentions are.”

Yeong Ho-jun just smiled and didn’t answer.

Clatter, clatter.

How long had it been since only the sound of horses’ hooves could be heard?

“…Going to Shaolin Temple from the start is too risky.”

Dang Seol-yeon said quietly.

“If our relationship with Shaolin Temple goes wrong because of this, even you will have a hard time handling it.”

“I’m overwhelmed that the Snowflower of the Tang Clan is worried about me.”

“Don’t misunderstand, it’s not because of you. I’m saying it because I’m afraid I’ll get caught up in it too.”

Dang Seol-yeon, who had snapped sharply, continued.

“Let’s stop by a few sects and families along the way to inquire about the strange letters. If we say we stopped by Shaolin Temple to pay our respects after that, at least we’ll have a justification.”

In other words, they didn’t intend to visit Shaolin Temple from the beginning, but stopped by to say hello while passing nearby.

Yeong Ho-jun readily nodded.

“I understand. Let’s do that. Although I don’t really want to pay my respects to Shaolin Temple.”

“Me neither. But etiquette and justification are very important in the Jianghu [martial arts world].”

Dang Seol-yeon said, then chuckled.

“Even though all matters are resolved with force and schemes. It’s such a ridiculous place.”

“…If you hate the Jianghu [martial arts world] so much, why don’t you leave?”

Dang Seol-yeon looked at Yeong Ho-jun as if asking what he meant.

Yeong Ho-jun said with a smile.

“If it’s with Miss Dang Seol-yeon, I’d gladly take off my Taoist robes and return to secular life.”

The beautiful eyes of Dang Seol-yeon shook greatly.

Daze.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Dang Seol-yeon said through gritted teeth.

Then she turned her head away altogether.

Yeong Ho-jun gave a bitter smile at her sensitive reaction.

It seemed impossible to continue the conversation again.

No, perhaps, given her personality, she might not even speak for several days.

Clatter, clatter.

Again, only the sound of horses’ hooves echoed dryly over the main road.

Un-hyeon was riding in a carriage for the attendants.

It wasn’t a very good carriage, but it was a great thing just to have a carriage for the attendants.

Moreover, there were about thirty mounted warriors escorting them, showing the might of the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] without reservation.

‘Well, there are two representatives…’

Un-hyeon glanced at the carriage in front.

He could see Yeong Ho-jun, the Plum Blossom Sword of the Mount Hua Sect, and Dang Seol-yeon, the Tang Clan Snowflower of the Tang Clan, riding in a carriage without a roof.

‘But are they really great masters?’

The senior secretaries said so in unison.

Thinking about it, it was a natural thing.

In the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance], which encompasses the entire world, the representatives of each sect are the Murim Alliance representatives.

Their martial arts skills are, of course, excellent, and the trust of their sects is also firm, so the representatives are often unhesitatingly regarded as talents who will lead the next generation.

In fact, most of those expected to be the next heads or sect leaders of each sect had gone through the position of Murim Alliance representative.

If they weren’t masters, who in the world could be called a master?

‘But.’

However, Un-hyeon couldn’t easily accept it.

Of course, their skills are great.

But it couldn’t be helped that they seemed far short of the Sword Saint or the Divine Monk.

‘Too lacking.’

Un-hyeon muttered inwardly, not even thinking that his standards were too high.

‘By the way, suddenly an investigation team.’

It was quite unexpected that he had joined the investigation team.

But according to other secretaries, it wasn’t that strange.

It was common practice to assign new secretaries to various tasks as part of their experience or education.

‘They don’t even tell me what they’re investigating…’

When he said that, Un-hyeon was scolded by Pyeon Eo-du, a fellow secretary.

As if the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] would tell the secretaries such things in advance.

Jo Du-sik told him not to worry, as he would find out anyway.

After all, the secretaries are in charge of all the records.

‘Going to Shaolin Temple is a bit unsettling, though.’

He was suspicious that the Divine Monk might be plotting something again.

But if it was Shaolin Temple, Un-hyeon also wanted to go there at least once.

‘Isn’t Shaolin Temple the Taishan Bukdu [leading force] of the Jianghu [martial arts world]?’

He also heard that all the martial arts in the world came from Shaolin Temple.

Un-hyeon couldn’t help but look forward to it.

‘Maybe I can see the power of Shaolin Temple.’

He wasn’t an ordinary pilgrim, but was going with the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] representatives.

He might be able to witness the power of Shaolin martial arts that ordinary people couldn’t see.

Just thinking about it made Un-hyeon’s heart flutter.

Clatter, clatter.

After subtly stroking the wooden sword he had brought along according to the Divine Monk’s advice, Un-hyeon lowered his gaze to the book he was holding.

It was a guidebook written by a senior secretary titled ‘The Duties of a Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] Secretary.’

Jo Du-sik had obtained it from somewhere before their departure, and it was full of valuable advice that could only be learned through practical experience.

Un-hyeon diligently read the book to faithfully perform his duties as a secretary.

But Un-hyeon didn’t know yet.

That the Murong Family was included among the ‘several sects to inquire about on the way to Shaolin Temple’ that Yeong Ho-jun and Dang Seol-yeon had decided on a little while ago.

This was because the Murong Family was the most representative sect located in Henan Province, the front yard of Shaolin Temple, and a place where rumors about ‘strange letters’ never ceased.

***

“The successor of the Sword Saint has headed to Shaolin Temple.”

A subordinate with a bowed head said in a low voice.

The large-framed man sitting in the darkness didn’t answer.

“The Namgung Family is pouring the family’s capabilities into the Janggang subjugation. Also, the Literary King is in this subjugation…”

“I.”

The man sitting in the darkness said, cutting off the subordinate’s voice.

“I will go to Shaolin Temple.”

“Emperor Mu.”

A woman standing next to Emperor Mu, Bi-ryeon, said quietly.

It was a polite tone, but there wasn’t even a strand of emotion in her voice.

“The Literary King has already requested Emperor Mu’s company.”

“The Literary King is enough to handle the affairs of the Janggang alone.”

Emperor Mu said.

But Bi-ryeon, with her long hair, didn’t back down either.

“However, this is something that the Merchant has already ordered.”

Dark Heaven Emperor Mu was silent.

After a moment of silence, a low voice flowed out of him again.

“What is the status of the investigation into the Azure Dragon Sword Lord?”

The subordinate answered immediately.

“There is still no progress. But…”

The voice that had been interrupted for a moment continued again.

“The Solitary Guest, Dokgo-rang, has reappeared.”

Emperor Mu’s eyes shone in the darkness.

“He is a person who was active in Anhui Province several years ago. He disappeared after receiving a letter from someone presumed to be the Azure Dragon Sword Lord.”

“I know.”

The subordinate continued.

“And recently, he appeared at the Taeheo Gate in Shandong Province and requested a duel with the Taeheo Gate’s Gate Lord.”

“And?”

“The Taeheo Gate’s Gate Lord couldn’t even withstand a single sword of the Solitary Guest. Immediately after that, rumors began to spread that the Solitary Guest, Dokgo-rang, possessed an unparalleled secret manual.”

Emperor Mu’s eyes were calm.

Even the word ‘unparalleled secret manual,’ which anyone in the Jianghu [martial arts world] would be interested in, seemed meaningless to him.

“Does that mean his actions are the will of the Azure Dragon Sword Lord?”

“It has not been confirmed yet, but it seems clear that there is a connection.”

Emperor Mu behind the curtain was silent for a moment.

“I understand.”

At that heavy word, the subordinate bowed respectfully.

And disappeared without a trace.

After a while, Bi-ryeon opened her mouth.

“Emperor Mu.”

“I know what you’re going to say, Bi-ryeon.”

Swish.

Emperor Mu, sitting in the darkness, rose from his seat.

“I will uphold the Merchant’s will. But I still think the Azure Dragon Sword Lord is more important than the Janggang.”

Emperor Mu said with intense eyes.

“Individuals are powerless before the flow of the world. But sometimes, a single person can change that flow of the world.”

Whoong.

A massive mountain-like energy filled the dark hall.

The curtains on all sides shook, and Bi-ryeon’s long black hair swayed softly.

“So, the most fearsome thing in the world is the power of a single person. Isn’t the Merchant the same?”

Emperor Mu said with a faint smile.

“The opponent that he is most wary of is neither the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] nor the Imperial Family…”

Emperor Mu’s intense eyes met Bi-ryeon’s emotionless eyes.

“It’s the owner of the document that we can’t even be sure exists.”

Thud.

Emperor Mu turned his body.

And slowly walked out of the dark hall.

Bi-ryeon, left alone, watched that figure until the end.

“The person I am most concerned about.”

Bi-ryeon said quietly in the darkness of the empty hall.

“It’s always you.”

But no one heard those words.

Bi-ryeon quietly disappeared into the darkness.