—Swish! Swish!
Below the rocky cliff, a small skiff cut through the current and glided toward the middle of the Yangtze.
Kang Su, Chief Protector of Ghost Night Castle, paused his oar and looked back toward the rocky hill.
Against the cascade of starlight, he could faintly make out a lone figure standing there.
Kang Su silently raised his hands in a clasped-hands bow.
The distance was too great and the night too deep for him to know whether the other man could see him, but he wanted to show his respect nonetheless.
Kang Su knew of Sa Gwirang’s resolve. Seeing Kwak Yeon emerge after setting Dragon King Hall ablaze, he found himself respecting him anew.
They stood on different sides, one orthodox and one demonic, yet Kang Su could not help feeling drawn to him as a man.
Having finished his brief farewell, Kang Su began rowing diligently again.
His presence could become a heavy burden for Kwak Yeon. Leaving as quickly as possible was the only way Kang Su could help him.
—Swish! Splash! Swish! Splash...!
When the skiff disappeared into the darkness of the Yangtze and the sound of water striking its sides faded away, a group of people rushed up the rocky hill.
—Whoosh!
—Whoosh!
Five figures appeared before Kwak Yeon, their light martial robes fluttering in the wind.
One of them, a young man dressed in deep blue, immediately asked,
“Chief Secretary Kwak! Are you unharmed?”
They had arrived uninvited, but their respectful bearing made it clear that they were orthodox martial artists. Kwak returned a cupped-hands salute.
“As you can see, I am unharmed. However, this Kwak’s knowledge of the martial world is lacking, so I do not know who you are.”
“Ah, we should have introduced ourselves first. My concern made me forget my manners.”
The young man in blue clasped his hands together.
“We five are rising talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong. I am Gwan Jincheok of the Clear Yang Sect in Chang’an. The martial world has generously given me the title Azure-Robed Divine Hero.”
Led by Gwan Jincheok, the other four introduced themselves in turn.
Gon Saseong, the Heroic Sword of the Revered Righteousness Sect in Xianyang.
Lee Cheoljin, the Sole White Sword of the Hundred Swords Sect in Tongchuan.
Gyeom Sojun, the Clear-Water Heaven Fist of the Clear-Water Sect in Weinan.
And lastly, Oh Sucheon, the Marvelous Hero of the Strange Sword Sect in Baoji.
The five sects they named had recently risen rapidly as new powers in Guanzhong. Even Kwak Yeon, whose knowledge of the martial world was somewhat limited, had heard of them.
“What brings the rising talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong here in search of me?”
As though he had been waiting for the question, Gwan Jincheok, the Azure-Robed Divine Hero, answered at once.
“The five of us were gathered at a tavern outside the city when we happened to hear that Chief Secretary Kwak had asked for directions to Golden Sand Village and come this way. We heard that you had hurried here alone late at night, so we were concerned. We thought we might lend a hand should anything be wrong.”
Kwak had sensed martial artists watching him from the tavern outside the outer fortress, so he understood.
For promising young talents of rising sects, it would have been an excellent opportunity to form a connection with the Chief Secretary of the Alliance Leader’s Office.
“I am deeply grateful for your concern, shown in the spirit of fellow martial practitioners.”
As Kwak responded with such impeccable courtesy, the young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong looked pleased.
After all, they had received words of thanks from Kwak Yeon, the man whose name was now among the most renowned in the martial world. Their nighttime journey had not been in vain.
Gwan Jincheok, who had urged the other four to come, puffed up even more before asking,
“By the way, Chief Secretary Kwak, what business brought you here?”
Following hearsay to track someone down, then bluntly asking why he was there, was undoubtedly rude.
Kwak was not unaware that their goodwill concealed ulterior motives. Still, those motives arose from a desire to benefit their own sects, so he did not think much of it.
Perhaps because the Martial Supreme Venerable’s teachings had raised the level of his Honwonmusang Technique, the breadth of his heart had widened as well.
Even so, he could not reveal the truth. Kwak offered a suitable excuse.
“I heard that the sands of Golden Sand Village are especially beautiful beneath the stars, so I came to enjoy the night air.”
The young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong were momentarily dumbfounded.
It was a thoroughly absurd answer, but what could they say when he himself claimed that was why he had come?
Then they saw the flames beginning in earnest inside Dragon King Hall.
“Gasp! Dragon King Hall is on fire!”
“A fire out of nowhere...”
“Chief Secretary Kwak, what is going on?”
Kwak answered as casually as before.
“A moment ago, I lit incense while offering prayers to the Dragon King. It appears one of the sticks fell over and started the fire.”
His calm answer left the young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong even more bewildered.
They knew perfectly well that this was no accidental fire. Yet since Kwak himself insisted otherwise, the five could only stand there and watch the flames grow inside Dragon King Hall.
Besides, Kwak was standing directly in the path leading to the hall.
The five could only assume that Kwak had a reason for setting Dragon King Hall on fire.
Meanwhile, the flames soon became impossible to control.
—Whoosh! Crackle! Crack!
As the rafters of Dragon King Hall collapsed and flames shot high into the sky, Kwak gave the young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong a silent bow.
“You came here out of concern for me, so courtesy demands that I repay you in kind. However, I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I must leave first.”
Speaking on behalf of the others, Gwan Jincheok said,
“Chief Secretary Kwak must be busy with the Alliance Leader’s Office, so of course we understand. We would be grateful if you called upon us sometime when your schedule allows.”
Seeing how desperately they were trying to secure a connection with the Alliance Leader’s Office, Kwak felt faintly bitter.
He had only become Chief Secretary of the Alliance Leader’s Office, yet the attitude of orthodox martial artists toward him had changed completely.
“I cannot make any promises, but I will see whether I can set aside the time.”
After offering that courteous answer, Kwak turned to look at Dragon King Hall.
Once he confirmed that it had become nothing more than a glowing heap of charcoal, he was finally at ease.
—Whoosh!
Kwak’s figure vanished below the rocky hill in an instant.
Only then did the young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong exchange puzzled looks.
“What in the world did he burn?”
“Exactly. It certainly was not an accidental fire.”
“The fact that he waited until Dragon King Hall had completely collapsed before leaving must mean he burned something he did not want anyone else to see.”
Gwan Jincheok once again stuck his nose into the matter.
“Then why do we not wait for the fire to die down and search through it?”
Gon Saseong shook his head.
“Forget it. What could possibly remain after a fire that fierce? Why trouble ourselves for nothing?”
Oh Sucheon supported Gon Saseong.
“He is right. More importantly, if we stay here, people may mistake us for the ones who started the fire.”
“That is true.”
Gwan Jincheok nodded reluctantly.
“They say the Cave Hermit Taoist is given to strange behavior. This affair is certainly peculiar as well.”
“Let us leave now. The Martial Alliance patrol warriors may arrive at any moment after seeing those flames.”
The young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong gave up their regrets and turned away.
They had almost descended the rocky hill when a mounted group came racing toward them with torches raised high.
—Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Recognizing them as a Martial Alliance patrol unit, Gwan Jincheok called out quickly.
“We are rising talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong!”
The commander of the patrol unit hurriedly dismounted and gave a clasped-hands bow.
“Hwang Jungsik, Third Unit Leader of the Geoncheon Corps of the Outer Court, pays his respects to the young heroes of the Five Powers of Guanzhong. Forgive my presumption, but I would be grateful if you could tell me what happened here.”
It was a blunt question asking why Dragon King Hall atop the rocky hill had been set ablaze.
They could easily be blamed for it, so Gwan Jincheok gave the truth plainly.
“It was Chief Secretary Kwak of the Alliance Leader’s Office. We do not know the reason either.”
“......?”
As Hwang Jungsik looked around, Gwan Jincheok drew his brows together slightly and continued,
“Chief Secretary Kwak left ahead of us on urgent business. It seems you passed each other on the way. If you wish to know the details, inquire with the Alliance Leader’s Office.”
The young talents of the Five Powers of Guanzhong said their piece and departed.
Hwang Jungsik tilted his head.
“Chief Secretary Kwak came here in the middle of the night and set a fire? What business could have required that?”
He recalled the order from the Geoncheon Corps Commander: nothing concerning Chief Secretary Kwak was to be omitted from reports.
Hwang summoned one of the patrol warriors.
“Go to headquarters at once and deliver an initial report to the Corps Commander of everything we have just heard. Tell him I will inspect Dragon King Hall and submit a detailed report immediately afterward.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the patrol warrior turned his horse and galloped away, Hwang Jungsik looked up at the rocky hill, where the light of the flames had begun to fade.
“He cannot have held a grudge against the Dragon King. There must have been a reason he had to do this.”
Hwang turned to the patrol unit.
“All of you, climb the rocky hill and search the surrounding area thoroughly.”
*****
—Rumble.
Hidden Shadow slipped out of the hall. The bricks that had been pushed aside slid back into place, sealing the gap.
Jin Cheongha had hidden in a corner of the ceiling passage beneath overturned bricks and wooden boards. Only then did she release a silent sigh of relief.
With no time to escape, she had hidden herself in the corner of the ceiling passage, driven the Underworld Trace-Free Ghost-Shadow Divine Technique to its utmost, and stopped her breathing with the Tortoise-Breathing Technique.
Thanks to that, the infiltrator called Hidden Shadow had failed to detect her presence.
With a stealth art that erased one’s presence like a ghost and the Tortoise-Breathing Technique that stopped the breath like that of a corpse, it was only natural that even someone passing within arm’s reach would fail to notice her.
Jin had been tense when Hidden Shadow paused for a moment before the stone wall. But Hidden Shadow had soon pulled it open and slipped outside, allowing her to relax.
Whew...
Jin steadied her breathing inwardly and waited for Hidden Shadow to move far enough away from the Right Military Strategist’s hall.
Her breathing gradually calmed, but her heartbeat only quickened.
The hidden mastermind’s forces have extended their reach even into the Martial Alliance!
What shocked Jin even more was that the Right Military Strategist, one of the core figures of the Martial Alliance’s Strategists’ Office, had been drawn into the conspiracy.
They said he was so kind that he could not kill even an insect with his own hands.
From the context of the conversation between Right Military Strategist Baek Ri-gi and Hidden Shadow, it was clear that they had intended to use Jegal Geon’s revenge as a Borrowed Knife to Kill Kwak Yeon.
Jin had to inform Kwak somehow.
Especially because the Right Military Strategist was directing the entire campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions.
Still, that would only be possible after she escaped this place.
Jin could not remain here waiting forever.
Dawn would come before long. Once it did, the effects of the peerless Underworld Trace-Free Ghost-Shadow Divine Technique would be cut in half, making it far more difficult to avoid the sharp eyes of Martial Alliance warriors.
Hu Gae, who remained at the guest residence, was another concern.
She had locked her door before leaving, but if she failed to appear in the main hall by morning, Hu Gae would surely worry enough to break down her door.
I cannot wait any longer.
Jin decided that Hidden Shadow had moved sufficiently far from the Right Military Strategist’s hall and began to move.
Approaching the stone wall, she pressed her ear close against it.
—Step. Step.
The footsteps of Martial Alliance patrol warriors came near, then receded.
Jin pulled open one section of the stone wall.
—Slide.
She started to push her head through the gap, scarcely two handspans wide, then stopped.
The image of Hidden Shadow hesitating for the briefest moment before this stone wall flashed through her mind.
Jin tore one sleeve from her outer robe and wrapped it around a branch.
Then, carefully, she extended it through the opening.
—Thud!
The branch jerked at the dull impact. Jin immediately pulled it back.
When she unwrapped the sleeve, the cloth inside had been shredded to tatters.
It was a lingering palm force planted with an internal-striking method!
A chill ran down Jin’s spine.
Had she carelessly thrust her head through the gap, the inside of her skull would have been turned to pulp.
—You are quite a clever one.
Jin Cheongha went pale at the transmitted voice ringing beside her ear.
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