Chapter 45: Outing (2)
“In truth, the Thousand-Day Pass is the perfect environment for assassinations due to its closed nature and rigorous training regime.”
In fact, over the centuries, countless assassination incidents had taken place there.
Confirmed assassinations alone numbered in the dozens, and even if you only counted suspicious circumstances, the number easily surpassed hundreds.
“However, this is the first time an assassin has appeared so brazenly during one of the Thousand-Day Pass’ official events.”
Usually, poisonings or disguised accidents were the norm, but this incident was clearly of a different nature.
“No matter how urgent the matter is, no one would act this openly. There's only one reason someone would.”
“When someone enters the Thousand-Day Pass while hiding their identity.”
“Yes, exactly.”
The Pavilion Master let out a low sigh.
“But even with such an overt incident, the only ones capable of covering it up are the Six Great Demonic Clans.”
“Are you saying you believe one of the Six Clans is behind this?”
“At the very least, in the end.”
Internally, I believed that he was likely correct.
“In the worst-case scenario, there could be a conflict between the Six Clans and the Cheon Clan.”
The Pavilion Master of the Thousand-Day Pass stared at me.
There was no way he didn’t know that this incident occurred while I, the eldest son of the Jin Clan, was present.
“Well, even though I said that, the possibility is low. The Six Clans and the Cheon Clan have stayed within their lines until now. They both know well that division only leads to destruction.”
‘Is that really so?’
Knowing the future, I couldn’t agree with the Pavilion Master so easily.
Twenty years from now, the Heavenly Demon Cult—
The downfall of the Heartless Demonic Empress, Cheon Yura’s reign, wasn’t just due to outside forces. Some of the Six Clans had clearly betrayed her.
It was likely because of their betrayal that even the Guardian Court had turned without hesitation.
“That’s why I feel both pleased and slightly troubled that you stopped the assassination this time.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I only realized it late... but it turns out even the Cult Leader didn’t trust me, the Pavilion Master.”
There was a subtle disappointment toward the Cult Leader in his tone.
At that moment, a familiar girl’s voice rang out from the distance.
“D-Deputy Commander!”
‘Huh?’
A young girl with long hair tied in twin braids.
It was Baek Sang-ah, the one who had just been the target of an assassination attempt.
Only the Pavilion Master and I were supposed to know about this location—yet an ‘outsider’ had shown up?
‘She didn’t come alone.’
I sensed several hidden presences around her.
They were clearly the secret martial agents of the Thousand-Day Pass who had been monitoring the officials until recently.
“Hmm, originally, even you shouldn’t be allowed to know the full details, but the Cult Leader gave special permission. She instructed me to reveal the girl’s identity to you.”
I nodded and replied.
“She’s the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Leader, isn’t she?”
“Yes, the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance—what?!”
This time, the Pavilion Master genuinely looked shocked, snapping his head toward me with a glare.
“H-How did you know that?!”
“I was just speculating vaguely, but your reaction confirms it.”
“Even if it were a guess, it’s an absurd one! How did you figure it out? Did the Asura King tip you off? No, even if it’s the Asura King, that’s—!”
“My father doesn’t know about this incident. I merely guessed after seeing her use the martial arts of Namcheon.”
I locked eyes with the Pavilion Master.
“The Namcheon Baek Clan doesn’t have a particularly hostile relationship with our Cult.”
“Heh... hehehe...”
Even though the current head of the Namcheon Baek Clan served as the Murim Alliance Leader, their domain was far off in the southeastern part of the Central Plains.
With enemies everywhere around them, there was no benefit in openly clashing with our Cult, the ruler of the northwest.
Still, I had no idea their ties were close enough to send a granddaughter this far.
“It’s good to see you again, Deputy Comm— I mean, Young Master Jin Yeomyung.”
As she approached, she clasped her sleeves and bowed respectfully.
“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I’m Baek Sang-ah, daughter of Baek Mun-yak, the current clan head of the Namcheon Baek Clan in Jiangxi Province.”
“I am Jin Yeomyung of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan, Lady Baek.”
“Hehehe, it’s really nice to see you again like this.”
It had only been a few hours since we parted, but for her, they had been life-or-death hours, so I understood the sentiment.
Only now did I realize why the Pavilion Master had said he was pleased with the outcome of the incident.
‘Since I, the heir of the Jin Clan, stopped an assassination that may have been orchestrated by one of the Six Clans…’
That would exclude the Jin Clan as a suspect and might even prevent further internal strife.
Whether he knew how complex my thoughts had become or not, the Pavilion Master let out a hearty laugh.
“Do you know of the Four Phoenixes of the Central Plains?”
“I’ve heard of them in passing.”
If he were talking about the Six Dragons and Four Phoenixes of my time as Inner Administrator, I could name them all, but...
The current generation’s so-called “promising heirs” of the orthodox faction weren’t of much concern to me. I didn’t bother to remember who was who.
“Southern Lotus Sword Flower, Baek Sang-ah. That’s her moniker.”
“Sword... Flower?”
I looked at Baek Sang-ah with a skeptical gaze.
At that moment, her face contorted with indignation.
“Hey! If you keep looking at me like that—as if saying, ‘Her? Seriously?’—even I’ll be hurt, you know?”
“It’s not your appearance that’s the issue…”
I lightly stroked my chin as I looked her up and down.
“It’s just... you seem a bit too young to be one of the Four Phoenixes.”
“Hey! I’ll have you know, I’m eighteen!”
…Really?
That tiny thing was a whole year older than me?
“Hmph! Come to think of it, didn’t you say you were seventeen?”
“That’s... correct.”
“Then say it. Call me ‘noona.’”
“……”
My lips parted in disbelief.
No matter how high she raised her chin, this clingy little thing didn’t feel like an older sister at all.
‘Honestly, Sa Biyeon, who’s the same age, feels more like a noona than she does…’
I brought my index and middle fingers together and flicked Baek Sang-ah on the forehead.
Smack!
“Ouch!”
“I save your life, and now you want the whole package too?”
“Tch!”
“No matter how you spin it, you’re not a noona. Definitely not.”
Maybe it was her way of showing closeness, but if I took it too seriously, I didn’t even want to imagine the consequences.
“A-hem! As delightful as youthful chatter is, perhaps it’s time we move on to the main topic.”
“Ah, understood, Pavilion Master.”
Regaining her composure, Baek Sang-ah smoothed her expression and spoke again.
“Thank you for saving my life, Young Master Jin. I don’t have anything to offer you at this moment, but I swear on my name and honor that not just I, but the entire Namcheon Clan, will repay this debt.”
I raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked again.
“Is it really alright for you to casually invoke the name of Namcheon like that?”
And to a member of the Demonic Cult, no less—one of the Six Great Demonic Clans at that.
“Ahem! Even so, I am the cherished jewel of Namcheon. That should carry some weight.”
With one hand on her hip, she proudly puffed out her chest.
…This girl. In the short time I hadn't seen her, had she returned as a complete airhead? Or was I imagining things?
“Well, if you’re offering, I’ll accept it with gratitude.”
“Yes, and on that note…”
Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming sense of unease from Baek Sang-ah.
She stuck out her tongue slightly and smiled.
“Since you’ve helped me this far, could you help me just a little more?”
“Hehe!”
She laughed innocently, looking adorable… or not, damn it!
This girl really came back for the whole package!
***
“Well, let’s hear it before I refuse.”
“Once you understand the situation, it’ll be hard for you to refuse, Young Master Jin…”
“May I leave now, Pavilion Master?”
“Waaaah! Wait! At least just hear me out!”
Seeing the veins twitching on my forehead, Baek Sang-ah rushed toward me on the verge of tears.
“You’re the only one I can trust in this unfamiliar land!”
“Why on earth would you trust me?!”
“You saved me even though you’d guessed my identity!”
“What the—this girl?!”
That was only because someone was about to get their head cut off right in front of me and I didn’t want nightmares afterward!
‘Well, my real motive was to prevent the butterfly effect of future events…’
The way she clung to me like a flea made my fists itch on instinct.
“Come now, please just be patient and at least listen to her situation.”
Unable to watch any longer, the Pavilion Master stepped in to mediate.
Only after the Pavilion Master spoke did Baek Sang-ah slowly loosen her grip from my waist.
“Sigh… I’m already drained, so let’s keep this moving quickly.”
“Alright, then…”
Ahem!
The Pavilion Master cleared his throat and continued.
“As you already know, she is the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Leader. And through a certain secret agreement with the Cult Leader, she is currently hiding within our Cult.”
“That much, I’d already surmised.”
“Yes, but the issue is ‘why’ she came to our Cult in the first place.”
What could have happened that would drive her to abandon the vast protection of the Namcheon Baek Clan?
“Grandfather… I mean, the Murim Alliance Leader is currently in a rather difficult position.”
“A difficult position?”
“First off, some elders from the main clan have joined hands with outside forces, and there are movements to oust my father, the current clan head.”
‘Now that I think about it…’
In my time, the head of the Namcheon Baek Clan wasn’t Baek Mun-yak.
If I recalled correctly, the one who succeeded the Sword King as the clan head was—
“Baek Mun-jeol, the Ruthless Sword?”
“Y-Yes! My uncle, Baek Mun-jeol, has gathered the support of the elders and the branch families of Namcheon.”
“But even if outsiders are involved, that alone doesn’t warrant your fleeing. Unless your father has already lost, and the outcome is settled.”
“Well, it depends on the nature of those outsiders…”
Baek Sang-ah dropped a bomb on my head, her expression gloomy.
“There are signs that a faction of the Evil Overlords of Heaven is involved in the main clan’s power struggle.”
***
“Who did you say?”
“Evil Overlords of Heaven.”
“Could you repeat that?”
“I said Evil Overlords of Heaven. The Warlords of Qinghai Province.”
“So why… them?”
“……”
Do you know why I was repeating myself like this?
The distance from Seonyeong in Qinghai—where Evil Overlords of Heaven’s main base was located—to Nanchang, where the Namcheon Baek Clan’s main household resided, was over 4,000 li in a straight line.
Even sending a message would take half a year, and it would take at least two weeks of nonstop running for a Master-level expert specialized in lightness techniques to cover the distance from Seonyeong to Nanchang!
More importantly—
“If something were to happen, it would make more sense for the conflict to involve Fortress of the Unorthodox Path, which is also in the south. Why Evil Overlords of Heaven, of all groups?”
“It’s not the main Evil Overlords of Heaven. It’s a ‘faction within’ Evil Overlords of Heaven.”
Twitch.
Only then did I start to grasp what Baek Sang-ah was saying.
“And the further away these outsiders are, the easier it is to cut ties with them if things go south.”
“……”
‘Heaven-Defying Society.’
I didn’t yet know what their goal was, but I had guessed that this mysterious organization was hiding within the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic factions alike.
If they were the ones behind the attempt on Baek Sang-ah’s life… it would make sense.
However—
“Even so, there’s still something I don’t understand.”
“Please, go ahead.”
Perhaps nervous, she tightly gripped her left arm with her right hand.
I voiced the questions circling in my head.
“First, no matter the situation, there’s no compelling reason to seek refuge within our Cult. There are plenty of prestigious sects on good terms with Namcheon, like Bukcheon, for instance.”
I extended another finger.
“Second, even if you are Namcheon’s cherished jewel, it doesn’t explain why an assassin would follow you into our Cult’s inner sanctum.”
“I can answer both of those in one go.”
With a serious expression, Baek Sang-ah pulled a sword from her waist.
Now that I noticed, unlike before, she had two swords hanging at her side.
Shrrk!
She drew the blade slightly to reveal part of the sword’s body.
The moment I saw it, I tilted my head.
‘Green?’
I’d seen silver or dark-colored blades plenty of times, but this wasn’t rust—this was a radiant green glow.
‘No, this is the first time I’ve seen it… but it feels familiar.’
For some reason, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Like there was one famously known green-glowing sword I’d heard of before…
Reading my perplexed expression, Baek Sang-ah nodded knowingly and said,
“This is the sacred treasure of the Murim Alliance Leader—the Jade Green Heavenly Net Divine Sword.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?!”
I swore without even meaning to.