Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak nodded and said, “The Great Demon Prison is in the Gobi Desert beyond the frontier outside the Yin Mountains. The Grand Strategist will tell you the precise location, geography, structure, and other details.”
Hu Gae started in shock and said, “Alliance Leader, even getting from here to the Yin Mountains takes more than twenty days.......”
Moreover, the Gobi Desert was a desolate wasteland stretching thousands of li. To go there and return, one month was nowhere near enough.
“One month.”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak spoke as if cutting him off.
“The various martial sects will not wait any longer than that. Even that one month is something I will somehow try to drag out. I cannot guarantee it.”
It had already been five months since the All-Under-Heaven Heroes Assembly began. They could not delay the campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions indefinitely.
“I will give you the Righteous Heaven Banner, so receive the signatures of the Eight Demonic Venerables and send it back within the deadline. With that, I will be able to persuade the heads of the various sects.”
If they used relay horses and the like to send only the banner signed by the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Eight Demonic Venerables ahead of them, then they could certainly save time.
But even reaching the Gobi Desert would be tight within a month, and Hu Gae felt dizzy.
He remembered the dog’s hardship of crossing half of Zhejiang Province in six days.
Damn it. Did I say I’d go along for nothing?
He had never imagined that the Great Demon Prison would be so far away beyond the frontier.
In truth, it was a location that struck at the blind spot of the people of the world. Who would ever imagine that the Martial Alliance had built the Great Demon Prison not in the Central Plains, but beyond the frontier?
Either way, thanks to that, I’m in for one hell of a dog’s hardship. Damn it!
As Hu Gae sank into gloom, the Martial Alliance Leader’s voice drove the nail in.
“Bear this in mind. The moment one month passes, this alliance will set out on the campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions.”
With Hu Gae at the head, Kwak Yeon and Jin Cheongha left Righteous Heaven Hall first. Grand Strategist Sagong Ui then carefully asked Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak, “Alliance Leader, was it not too excessive to tell them to receive the Eight Demonic Venerables’ signatures on the Righteous Heaven Banner?”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak nodded.
“Would it be merely excessive?”
At the time of the Eight Desolations Upheaval, the Eight Demonic Venerables had refused to sign the Righteous Heaven Banner despite the persuasion and pressure of the Four Venerables of the Martial World.
“I would rather have my head cut off than submit to the orthodox path.”
Originally, signing a banner meant acknowledging the other party. It was a kind of peace treaty meant to prevent both sides from being harmed in major conflicts between sects, but from the perspective of the sect that signed it, it could not help being shameful.
Once the signed banner was raised, it served as an oath that they would yield to the opposing sect.
So it was in fact only natural that the Demonic Venerables of the Demonic Eight Divisions had thrust out their necks like that instead of taking up a brush.
“Then why did you tell them to receive signatures on the Righteous Heaven Banner?”
As far as Sagong Ui was concerned, he could not help being curious about the Alliance Leader’s intention in assigning Kwak Yeon something even the Four Venerables of the Martial World had failed to accomplish.
“I did it because it irked me to see him being stubborn.”
“......?”
Grand Strategist Sagong Ui stared at the Alliance Leader, dumbfounded by the utterly absurd remark. Then, after hearing the explanation that followed, he understood what the Alliance Leader meant.
“Is it not ridiculous for a mere Cave Hermit Taoist to look down on acting as the Alliance Leader’s representative?”
“......!”
At the regret tinging the Alliance Leader’s voice, Grand Strategist Sagong Ui realized that the Alliance Leader regarded Kwak Yeon as something out of the ordinary.
“And besides, one never knows how matters in the world will turn out, does one?”
“Alliance Leader, you mean you expect Chief Secretary Kwak to receive the Eight Demonic Venerables’ signatures.”
“It is not as though I have no expectations at all.”
Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Gun-ak nodded without hesitation, then asked, “What does the Grand Strategist think?”
“To be honest, I was admiring Chief Secretary Kwak’s discerning eye. But this is such a difficult undertaking that I find it hard to answer rashly.”
“So the Grand Strategist believes it will be difficult to accomplish.”
“.......”
“Then let us wager on whose prediction proves correct. The Grand Strategist does not keep wine close, so we may agree that the loser buys tea. The name of the tea the Grand Strategist enjoys drinking was.......”
“West River Cool.”
“Ah! That’s right. Huh. It seems I am bound to suffer a loss. Compared to the rare West River Cool imported from the Western Regions, the White-Hair Silver Needle I drink is far too common.”
“Alliance Leader, even so, I am the one losing more in this wager.”
“......?”
“There must be a reason you are confident of victory, Alliance Leader.”
“The Grand Strategist’s insight is difficult to avoid. In truth, there is.”
“.......”
“Those old demons are about to meet someone who will give them a proper beating. Of course, that is if they are still alive, as the Young Castle Lord of Ghost Night Castle said.”
After leaving Righteous Heaven Hall and heading toward the gate of the Alliance Leader’s Office, Grand Strategist Sagong Ui ran into Hocheon Unit Lord Myung.
“Unit Lord Myung, you labor day and night guarding the Alliance Leader.”
“How could that be called labor?”
“Ah, when you have some leisure, let us meet once at the Strategists’ Office. A good West River Cool came in recently, and I would like you to taste it.”
“I will try to make time. Then take care on your way down.”
*****
As soon as they entered the main hall of the guest residence, Hu Gae asked Kwak Yeon, “Little Brother Kwak, I suppose we have no choice but to leave for the Gobi Desert immediately?”
Kwak Yeon nodded.
“We must save every moment, so I think we should.”
“Then you two should pack your things. In the meantime, I will go to the Jadeite Pavilion.”
Since Hu Gae had come to the Martial Alliance as the Beggar Clan’s responsible representative, he had to arrange matters so there would be no disruption while he was absent.
“Come to think of it, Little Brother Kwak, it looks like you’ll have to put off meeting Grand-Master Uncle Elder Begs-for-All. What in the world is Grand-Master Uncle dawdling over......?”
At those words, Jin Cheongha felt sorry and lowered her head, so Kwak Yeon quickly said, “I can meet Elder Begs-for-All after we return.”
There was no guarantee that meeting Elder Begs-for-All would let him find the Supreme Patriarch, so Kwak Yeon had already decided to deal with the matter immediately before him first.
“Then I’ll go and handle things as quickly as I can.”
Once Hu Gae hurried off to the Jadeite Pavilion, Jin Cheongha gave Kwak Yeon a silent bow and said, “Chief Secretary Kwak, I sincerely thank you.”
Kwak Yeon returned the courtesy with a clasped-hands bow and said, “Young Castle Lord, you need not be so grateful. In truth, I am doing this for the orthodox martial world.”
“.......”
“If the Young Castle Lord takes on that kind of burden, I too will come to bear a burden. And when such burdens grow heavier, cracks form in trust.”
“.......”
“Young Castle Lord, I do not know how long we will travel together, but during that time, should we not be able to trust each other and entrust our backs to one another?”
“Chief Secretary Kwak.......”
When Jin Cheongha lowered her head again, Kwak Yeon turned toward the inner room and said, “We have a long road ahead. Young Castle Lord, you should pack your travel bag carefully as well.”
A short while later, when Kwak Yeon returned after packing his things, the hall was empty.
Kwak Yeon sat in a chair before the table and waited for word from the Grand Strategist.
The Grand Strategist had promised to organize and inform him of the Great Demon Prison’s exact location, structure, and other details.
Kwak Yeon had heard of the Gobi Desert beyond the Yin Mountains.
The bleakest and most vast desert under heaven.
He had learned that if one crossed that Gobi Desert, somewhere in the north sea was a mysterious sect called the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Finding the Great Demon Prison, which was said to be somewhere in such a desolate desert, without a map was almost impossible.
He understood why the Martial Alliance had installed the Great Demon Prison there. As long as they could maintain security regarding its location, there was no place safer.
That was also why the Martial Alliance had not tended to it after the Great Demon Prison was breached.
If they simply erased the information regarding the Great Demon Prison’s location, then somewhere in that desolate great desert, the Great Demon Prison would be buried by the years.
—KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
At the sound of someone knocking on the door to the main hall of the guest residence, Kwak Yeon woke from his thoughts.
“Come in.”
The door to the hall opened, and a gate guard appeared.
“Chief Secretary Kwak, I have brought guests.”
“......?”
At the sudden mention of guests, Kwak Yeon rose from his seat in puzzlement.
“Taoist master, Taoist priest, please go in.”
Where the gate guard stepped aside, a Taoist wearing white Taoist robes and a black Taoist cap appeared.
“Ah!”
Kwak Yeon’s eyes went wide.
“......Instructor!”
Hyeonmun Dojang furrowed his brow.
“Junior brother Kwak, how long has it been since you graduated from the Hall of Heroic Martiality? And yet you are still calling for your instructor?”
Still dazed, Kwak Yeon hurriedly gave a cupped-hands salute.
“Disciple Kwak Yeon of Samryeong Palace greets senior brother Hyeonmun Dojang, Hall Master.”
Hyeonmun Dojang returned the greeting with a clasped-hands bow and said, “Junior brother Kwak, it has been a long time.”
“......!”
Emotion surged in Kwak Yeon, and he could not easily straighten from his bow. Hyeonmun Dojang said, “Junior brother Kwak, raise your head now. There is another guest, is there not? You ought to greet him.”
Kwak Yeon recalled that the gate guard had just mentioned both a Taoist master and a Taoist priest, then hastily raised his head.
“......?”
But he saw only Hyeonmun Dojang. There was no sign of another Taoist.
Hyeonmun Dojang looked outside the door and said, “Huh! You were making such a fuss from morning onward, so why have you become completely immovable now that you are in front of the door? Come here at once.”
Even at Hyeonmun Dojang’s urging, there was still no sign of movement outside the door.
“......?”
Hyeonmun Dojang shook his head toward the Taoist who must have been outside the door but would not show himself.
“If you keep insisting on being this stubborn, I will close the door as it is and return.”
“N-no......! No!”
The instant Kwak Yeon heard that resounding voice, his chest tingled.
“......!”
He wanted to run outside at once, but as if his feet had been nailed in place, he could not move them.
If the Taoist outside was not the person he was thinking of right now, then this overflowing heat in his chest would cool all at once.
Even if he had heard wrong, even if it was pure delusion......
He wanted to keep this pounding expectation in his heart alive just a little longer.
“Then come here at once.”
—STEP!
Kwak Yeon focused all his senses on the footsteps approaching the hall door.
—STEP!
At the second footstep, his heart began to race.
—STEP!
At the third, his whole body began to tremble.
—STEP! THUD!
At last, the footsteps stopped, and beside Hyeonmun Dojang, a sturdy Taoist dressed in black Taoist robes appeared.
“......!”
“Hehe! Little Martial Uncle, I’m here.”
The instant he saw Taoist Cheongmu’s bright smile, Kwak Yeon felt something hot surge up from deep below.
“......Brother Cheongmu!”
Kwak Yeon wanted to run over in one stride and throw himself into Taoist Cheongmu’s arms.
And he wanted to let all the heat that had surged up burst out of him.
“This is not Wudang, you two.”
If Hyeonmun Dojang had not shaken his head with those words, Kwak Yeon truly would have done so.
“It is uncomfortable to hear forms of address used in private.”
Kwak Yeon barely suppressed the emotion welling up inside him and said, “This junior brother let personal feeling come first and briefly forgot that senior brother Hyeonmun was present with us.”
“That can happen.”
Hyeonmun Dojang nodded and said, “However, Martial Uncle Uncheon instructed us to be careful that there be no frivolity in our words or conduct inside the Inner Fortress, so I had no choice but to be strict.”
Kwak Yeon realized that Uncheon Zhenren did not want Taoist Cheongmu’s unstable state shown to others.
Martial Uncle Uncheon is hoping for Taoist Cheongmu’s recovery.
Taoist Cheongmu had been the disciple of Taoist Hyeonjin, who had held the successor’s place to the Sword of Wudang, so to Uncheon Zhenren, Taoist Cheongmu must have been an especially meaningful martial descendant.
Moreover, Taoist Cheongmu had been highly regarded as the New Dragon of Wudang, so Uncheon must have cherished him all the more.
“Junior brother Kwak, by the way, how long do you intend to keep this senior brother standing by the door?”
Kwak Yeon hurriedly lowered his head to hide the wetness gathering around his eyes.
“I will escort senior brother Hyeonmun in. Please come inside.”
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