Chapter 73

• Intelligence Acquisition on Bi Ryu-yeon

At the same time that Bi Ryu-yeon had turned Wi Ji-cheon's one sleeve
into a blood-soaked rag,
the brain of the Nine Orthodoxies Association, the First Genius of Mount Heng, Baek Mu-yeong,
was suffering from a headache because of two men.

Because of those two, he was overworking his brain with a thought activity level that was easily more than three times the usual. He was on the verge of his brain exploding because of another new piece of information that had just come in.

"Is this true?"

Of course, it would be true, but because it was such absurd information, Baek Mu-yeong briefly looked at the First Secret standing in front of him. There had never been an error in the information brought by the First Secret, a direct information agent of the Secret Shadow Pavilion, and he himself firmly believed in his ability. He was, after all, the leader of the Ten Secret Squad under the Secret Shadow Pavilion, the best information organization that the Cheonmu Academy boasted of.

He soon obediently admitted his mistake.

"I have misspoken."

The First Secret also silently nodded his head. It was a sign that he would not take great offense. Baek Mu-yeong once again looked at the report slowly with a grave face. It was an attitude as if he were very displeased that a fact that could astonish him was written in that small report. He had not wanted to overwork his brain any more, but it seemed that the surrounding circumstances did not allow it.

"I never imagined that he would also have a relationship with Old Master Yeomdo. That he, who dislikes associating with others so much, would cause an incident with that person..."

Baek Mu-yeong was calling Yeomdo 'Old Master'. Because he had already become one of the martial instructors of the Cheonmu Academy. The content written in the report was related to a very unfortunate incident that had happened at the Tiger Fang Manor a while ago. He had guessed that Bi Ryu-yeon had some connection with the Tiger Fang Manor incident, but he had not expected that he would be so deeply entangled, and with an unexpected person at that.

"Then should we see him as the successor of Old Master Yeomdo?"

First, he hypothesized whether that man named Bi Ryu-yeon was a disciple of Yeomdo. But the possibility seemed to be non-existent.

"According to the witness's testimony, it did not seem so."

"That would be so. Looking at his hair color, there is no proof anywhere that he has learned the Fire Spirit Divine Art. If he is good enough to be first in the special selection test, it is clear that he has martial arts above a certain level, but it is clear that his martial arts are not the Fire Spirit Divine Art. The martial arts he used in the special selection test were not the Fire Spirit Divine Art either. The weapon he is carrying now is not a saber either..."

As his thoughts reached that point, he came to remember the fact that Bi Ryu-yeon did not carry a weapon on his person.

"For now, thinking of him as a master of hand-to-hand combat is the most reasonable thought. If not, he could be a really scary person."

"Why is that?"

The First Secret, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth and asked. He knew well that the person in front of his eyes enjoyed answering when he asked questions like this sometimes. It was one of the duties of a subordinate to cater to the amusement of a superior.

"It would be natural. How could a person with the skill to enter the Cheonmu Academy, and in first place at that, while hiding his own ultimate techniques, be an ordinary person?"

"That couldn't be."

The First Secret also obediently agreed with his opinion. As always, Baek Mu-yeong's opinion was irrefutable.

"I hope this prediction is wrong. I would have nothing more to wish for if it ended as a mere worry. If this prediction also turns out to be correct, we will have another powerful competitor. That would be a tragedy that is sad beyond measure."

With just Moyong Hwi, the situation was already complicated, so if another competitor with a similar weight appeared, it was as clear as day that the situation would become so tangled like a skein of hemp that it could not be resolved. The confusion of the current situation was no different from meaning their defeat. He had wanted to prevent the worst-case scenario somehow.

"For now, the situation is unclear with just the matter of the Seven Absolutes Divine Sword, Moyong Hwi. If another big variable other than him arises, we may not be able to resolve it. Shall we eliminate him for good?"

Baek Mu-yeong said, looking at the First Secret. Although he said so, both the First Secret and Baek Mu-yeong knew well that they could not do so. They could not expand the matter more than necessary. After all, they were the descendants of the orthodox and prestigious orthodox sect, the nine sects. If they tried to change the situation by using cowardly tricks, what would be the difference from the Black Path? As long as their minds were sound, they had no intention of committing the foolish act of smearing their own faces with feces.

"I will increase the surveillance. And..."

"Please focus more on information gathering. There is still a severe lack of information compared to other people."

Baek Mu-yeong added an instruction.

"Understood. I will mobilize the Secret Shadow Pavilion agents and focus more on information gathering."

Since he had promised to do it once, Baek Mu-yeong would be able to face a pile of reports on his desk within a few days. He trusted the First Secret. And the First Secret had never once disappointed him.

"That person really likes to hang out with strange people. Because there is not a single person among the people he has met who can be neglected."

The First Secret did not argue with his words. He just melted into the darkness and listened to his words.

"Just with the people he has met so far, he has more than enough qualification to be marked as a dangerous person. Jin Seong-gon, Im Seong-jin, the Cheonmu Twin Ghost Shadows, Tang Cheol-gi and Cheon So-hae, Bi Yeon-tae... He is a person who is seriously lacking in the talent of meeting proper humans."

It was just amazing how he could meet only such dangerous and troublemaking humans whose mental state was highly questionable. But for Baek Mu-yeong, he was in a position where he could absolutely not welcome Bi Ryu-yeon's strange social skills. Because Bi Ryu-yeon's actions had given him the impression of a string of blasting charges connected together. It was common sense that the power of a united blasting charge was dozens of times greater than when they were separated as individual entities, even without having to experiment.

Muttering the names of the famous figures of the academy, who were considered dangerous individuals one by one, Baek Mu-yeong was lost in thought for a moment. If he left it like this, it was unpredictable in which direction the situation would develop. If by mistake—although the possibility was very slim—the connected blasting charges exploded simultaneously from a stray spark, the Nine Orthodoxies Association, which was swept away by the explosion, would not be safe. The fact that there was even a slight possibility was reason enough. It was desperately necessary to minimize the risk of a matter that was extremely dangerous and had a high possibility of heading for the worst.

"Let's impose some sanctions."

He finally made a decision. It was his judgment that it was a much more constructive thought than watching with his hands tied and being stabbed in the back. Besides, wouldn't there be more to come out if he poked at something?

"Who will you send?"

An executor was always needed for this kind of work.

"Since they belong to the Geomhon-gwan, let's send the Sun-Hiding Shadowless, Chu Il-tae."

"That person?"

The First Secret's brow furrowed slightly. It was an attitude that he could not give active support to Baek Mu-yeong's opinion.

"Are you uneasy about entrusting the work to that person?"

Perhaps reading the First Secret's dislike, Baek Mu-yeong asked. He was not a person who revealed his emotions so easily. The First Secret answered as if he had been waiting.

"That person is too frivolous to be called a member of the Nine Orthodoxies Association. Have you already forgotten what kind of person he is? It would be better to be more cautious in the selection of personnel."

The First Secret was cautious to the end.

"I have also heard that that person has forgotten the duty of the sword and is engrossed in the art of stealth and concealment. He also got his title from something related to that. The Sun-Hiding Shadowless... It seems to be an expression of confidence that he can hide his body without a single shadow even in broad daylight."

"He is a descendant of the nine sects, yet he neglects the sword and is engrossed in miscellaneous arts. I am afraid that if we entrust the work to such a person, another incident that will tarnish the honor of the nine sects will occur."

"You mean you can't trust his character and personality."

"Of course. If I were to trust that person's character, I would rather..."

He was about to say that he would rather believe in the virtue of a passing mutt, but the First Secret barely swallowed it.

"He is a person who is truly a bundle of distrust. But isn't that what makes it more interesting?"

"What?"

It was a statement that was hard to believe came from the mouth of a person who knew better than anyone that this was not a matter to be discussed with amusement.

"Isn't there a saying that you subdue poison with poison? If both sides harm each other, I, no, our Nine Orthodoxies Association, would have nothing more to wish for. If we don't use what we can use, isn't that a waste?"

Although his character and personality were not trustworthy, his skill could not be Denied. By an objective evaluation, he was a person with a skill that no one could ignore in terms of martial arts. It would have been the icing on the cake if his character had supported it, but not all things in the world are resolved according to principles.

"Understood."

As if he finally understood, the First Secret nodded his head. And he secretly hoped that he would be dealt with together on this occasion. If only that happened, there would be nothing more to wish for.

"But I have one question."

Baek Mu-yeong, who had barely convinced the First Secret, asked.

"What is it?"

"I didn't realize that you, an agent of the Secret Pavilion, were evaluating the art of stealth and concealment so lowly. Miscellaneous arts? It's really unexpected."

Come to think of it, that's right. For a Secret Pavilion information agent who lived by stealth, the art of stealth and concealment was a more important skill than anything else. It was a matter related to one's own life. But to dismiss it as a mere miscellaneous art...

"I am also a member of the Nine Orthodoxies Association. Compared to the infinite way contained in the sword, the art of stealth and concealment is just one of the trivial side-stream techniques. I learned it out of necessity, but I don't like it."

The First Secret's thought was firm.

"That's a real contradiction. That you, who have the most outstanding stealth art in the Ten Secret Squad, hate the stealth art the most... It's really the opposite of the Sun-Hiding Shadowless, Chu Il-tae. I understand why you dislike Chu Il-tae so much."

"Is there anything to instruct in detail?"

Since it was not a topic that would be good to drag on for a long time, the First Secret changed the subject. Baek Mu-yeong also did not press on any more.

"Tell him that I'm leaving the method to him. After all, isn't he a person who will act as he pleases even if I tell him the method? It would be a waste of effort to tell him a clever move."

He did not want to waste his head in vain. The First Secret actively agreed with Baek Mu-yeong's opinion this time. He could not even imagine that that person, who was so self-willed, would properly carry out the instructions. As expected of the best brain of the Cheonmu Academy, his eye for people was accurate. And he also knew well how to use them most usefully and effectively.

"Understood."

"Then, good work."

It was a signal to leave. The First Secret, who had finished his business, disappeared like a phantom, as always. Even if he himself despised his art of stealth and concealment, no one could despise his skill.

"The pillar of the orthodox faction is only our nine great sects. I have no intention of handing it over to another place. So, it is time to strengthen our resolve."

He muttered to himself in the dark office where he was left alone. Baek Mu-yeong, who had a strong desire to rest quietly, was once again clutching his head as the clash between Bi Ryu-yeon and Wi Ji-cheon was reported to his ears a little later. The rest he was taking now was a precious rest as short as a moment. For the time being, he would be in a miserable state where he could not rest comfortably with his feet stretched out even if he wanted to. The cause of all that stemmed from Bi Ryu-yeon.