Episode 24: From the Prince's Mansion
A thunderous shout erupted from deep within the Clear Water Sect, causing everyone within to flinch.
"Did he just deliver this and vanish?"
Hwa Cheon-gang, the second master of the Clear Water Sect, had his thick eyebrows twisted in anger.
Hwa Cheon-gang had a broad forehead and a square jaw, giving him a fierce appearance. His sharp, wolf-like eyes spoke volumes about his character.
On the table in front of Hwa Cheon-gang lay a challenge letter left by a man in brown clothes.
He prided himself on being one of the top 100 masters in the Central Plains, yet he never expected to receive such a challenge letter. The words written were too resolute to dismiss as a mere prank.
"I will settle a twenty-year grudge with a life-and-death duel. This month's last day, at the hour of the snake, Yong Family Manor at the mouth of the Xiang River."
Hwa Cheon-gang read the challenge letter once more. The brief and calm words suggested that the opponent was not to be taken lightly.
"I chased after him as soon as I received it, but he was gone. If only the underlings had brought it a bit faster, we could have caught him."
Jo Bang-un, the second manager of the Clear Water Sect, bowed repeatedly in fear. When Hwa Cheon-gang lost his temper, getting beaten was the least of one's worries; death was a real possibility.
"It seems he has a hideout within the Heavenly Observation Pavilion's territory. He's definitely not anywhere south of Xiangyang."
The fact that the man had leisurely eaten noodles and left, seemingly indifferent to the Clear Water Sect and himself, made Hwa Cheon-gang's temple throb with anger.
He ground his teeth.
"How dare he…."
The north of Xiangyang was the territory of the Heavenly Observation Pavilion, which was in opposition to the Clear Water Sect. Searching there recklessly was not an option. He would have to send a message to the Heavenly Observation Pavilion Master and request cooperation.
Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be an issue, but tensions with the Heavenly Observation Pavilion were at an all-time high.
"The man who came with him is said to be at the guest house, right?"
"To be precise, they didn't come together; they just sat at the same table to eat noodles. The man claims they are complete strangers."
"Strangers, yet they ate noodles together?"
Hwa Cheon-gang's eyes were sharp as he looked at Jo Bang-un, who couldn't meet his gaze and lowered his head.
"He seems suspicious. I'll find out their connection, even if I have to torture him."
Jo Bang-un grumbled internally while saying this.
'Fools… they've complicated things.'
The capture of that scholar didn't make sense. If they were accomplices, they should have fled together. Why was he caught alone?
Jung Ho-chang's report also bothered him.
"Judging by his attire, he seemed like a scion of a prestigious family. Later, we found out he even had an attendant with him."
The attendant was said to be Number Fifty. Having fifty attendants meant… he belonged to an enormous household.
This also meant that even if the scholar was somehow connected to the one who issued the challenge, he wouldn't easily divulge anything.
As Jo Bang-un hesitated, Hwa Cheon-gang shouted at him.
"What are you doing? Go interrogate that man immediately!"
"Yes, understood."
Jo Bang-un quickly bowed and left the room.
'I need to find out the story behind them eating noodles together.'
As Jo Bang-un descended the stairs and headed towards the guest house, he saw someone entering and quickly bowed his head.
"What brings you here, Third Master?"
It was Hwa Cheon-woon, the third master of the Clear Water Sect.
"Ah, I have something to discuss with my brother. You go on your way, Steward Jo."
Hwa Cheon-woon nodded and ascended the stairs. Jo Bang-un watched him for a moment before turning to continue on his way, his expression troubled.
Hwa Cheon-woon entered his second brother Hwa Cheon-gang's office.
"Brother, I heard a challenge letter arrived. Where is it from?"
Hwa Cheon-gang silently pointed to the challenge letter on the table. Hwa Cheon-woon picked it up, read it, and frowned.
"A twenty-year grudge… Yong Family Manor!"
The mention of Yong Family Manor immediately brought to mind a certain incident.
Hwa Cheon-gang muttered to himself, frowning.
"Back then, I was in the midst of bloodshed. But the specific mention of Yong Family Manor makes it clear."
"He's a descendant of the Yong Family Manor."
Hwa Cheon-woon's brow furrowed as well. Memories he wished to forget resurfaced vividly.
Twenty years ago, the Yong Family Manor, the dominant force of the Xiang River, fell apart after the manor master died, and the family scattered. The one who fought a life-and-death duel with the Yong Family Manor Master was… the Hwa brothers, including himself. Even with a joint attack, they barely managed to defeat the Yong Family Manor Master, who was a formidable master.
That incident allowed them to seize control of the Xiang River, enabling the Clear Water Sect to dominate the south of Xiangyang. However, the fact that they had to join forces against one man was something they weren't proud of, so they kept it under wraps.
Hwa Cheon-woon spoke with a heavy heart.
"The date and location are noted, but there's no name."
"No need to write it… the son of the Yong Family Manor Master! I remember his eyes. They were those of a Hidden Dragon. I knew a day like this would come when I saw those eyes."
"Of all times…."
Hwa Cheon-woon sighed. The first sect master, Hwa Cheon-baek, was in seclusion for the Ren and Du Meridian Opening Cultivation.
He had obtained spiritual medicine with great difficulty and was in seclusion for a year, which was top secret.
"It could be a ploy by the Heavenly Observation Pavilion. They might be testing us, knowing our eldest brother is in seclusion. We should be cautious until we figure out their scheme."
"Hmph!"
Hwa Cheon-gang snorted, his eyes lost in past memories.
Hwa Cheon-woon changed the subject.
"Why was Jo Bang-un in such a hurry?"
"He captured a scholar who was with the one who sent this. We might learn something by pressing him."
"You caught a companion of the one who sent the challenge letter?"
"So they say."
Hwa Cheon-woon stood up. The matter was too significant to leave to Jo Bang-un alone.
"I'll investigate personally."
*
Jo Bang-un frowned deeply, intending to intimidate with a serious demeanor.
The young scholar before him looked at him with an innocent face, seemingly unaware of anything.
'Dealing with a kid like this is nothing.'
Behind Won Seung stood Jong Bi, his face full of dissatisfaction.
It was because he was being treated as Won Seung's attendant, but Jo Bang-un interpreted it as discontent over capturing his master.
Jo Bang-un asked in a grave tone.
"What's your name?"
"You'll learn my name in due time… but why have you brought me here?"
"You, my friend, are in big trouble. Things have gotten serious. Tell me everything you know about that man."
Jo Bang-un shook his head as if it were a grave matter, trying to intimidate him.
'They didn't catch him.'
Won Seung thought as he looked at the face of the man claiming to be the second manager of the Clear Water Sect. Jo Bang-un, with his narrow eyes and thin mustache, seemed capable but lacked virtue.
Jo Bang-un suddenly spoke in a gentle voice, as if coaxing him.
"It seems you met on the road and got along… you don't really know anything, do you?"
'What's this guy up to?'
Won Seung wondered internally. The man who came to interrogate him was playing both sides.
"You've been caught up in an unfortunate incident. Just explain everything from start to finish. The man's purpose is obvious. He wanted to involve you. Hmph, if he thought he could obscure my vision with such a shallow trick, he was mistaken. You have nothing to do with this, right?"
Jo Bang-un seemed to be quite clever. He seemed to have already heard the full story from Jung Ho-chang and knew that Won Seung was uninvolved, intending to smooth things over.
'That's not going to happen. My face is already known, and if I leave now, how will I ever enter the Clear Water Sect again?'
Won Seung had no intention of leaving quietly. Even if he wanted to leave… he had no money. He had to stay at the guest house. He composed his expression seriously and spoke to Jong Bi.
"Leave us."
He gestured to the guards who had accompanied Jo Bang-un, acting as if he owned the place, and it seemed too natural.
Jong Bi ground his teeth and left, while Jo Bang-un's guards remained motionless.
"Step outside."
But when Jo Bang-un raised his hand, the guards left.
Once they were alone, Won Seung spoke as if to himself.
"It seems I have no choice but to reveal my identity. I can't let him slip away at the last moment after chasing him to Xiangyang."
He let the words hang with a serious expression.
"So, he really challenged the Clear Water Sect?"
Jo Bang-un frowned at Won Seung's arrogant attitude but held back, thinking he needed to coax the desired conclusion out of him.
"You know about it too. He challenged our second master. He must have a death wish. But what did you say your identity was?"
'That's right.'
When Jo Bang-un took the bait, Won Seung feigned seriousness and said.
"Well, this is top secret… but I'll let you in on it. I'm actually from the Prince's Mansion in the Imperial Capital."
"Gasp!"
Jo Bang-un was greatly shocked by the mention of the Prince's Mansion in the Imperial Capital. After the intense battle for the throne in the previous generation, only two princes remained.
Prince Yeong and Prince Seong.
Among them, Prince Seong's influence was growing by the day, so there was no way Jo Bang-un, the second manager of the Clear Water Sect overseeing the Xiang River, wouldn't know.
Won Seung continued speaking without giving Jo Bang-un time to think.
"Hmm. I knew he would target the Clear Water Sect when he headed to Xiangyang."
Jo Bang-un tilted his head in confusion.
What is he talking about?
"He caused chaos even in the Imperial Capital. He dared to challenge the Great Abyss Righteous Sword of the Prince's Mansion."
"He challenged the Great Abyss Righteous Sword? Is he really insane?"
Jo Bang-un was so surprised he let out an involuntary cry.
The Great Abyss Righteous Sword was a master comparable to the top ten masters. If he weren't part of the Prince's Mansion, he would have ousted someone from the top ten masters in the martial world.
'So the Great Abyss Righteous Sword is still in the Prince's Mansion.'
Won Seung was fabricating a story based on what he had heard as a child. As soon as the Great Abyss Righteous Sword was mentioned, Jo Bang-un had no time to think of anything else.
"The man who challenged the Great Abyss Righteous Sword survived and made it here? Then what about the Great Abyss Righteous Sword?"
Won Seung sighed as if it were absurd.
"What he aimed for was truly ridiculous. He just wanted the fame of having challenged the Great Abyss Righteous Sword and then fled. Then, as soon as he arrived in Xiangyang, he issued a challenge to the top expert of the Clear Water Sect."
Jo Bang-un frowned. Won Seung's words implied that the man who sent the challenge letter was seeking fame. However, if he challenged the Great Abyss Righteous Sword and then simply fled, that couldn't be considered fame.
It would be a disgrace instead.
Won Seung sighed.
"After challenging the Great Abyss Righteous Sword, he didn't show up, claiming that the masters of the Prince's Mansion were pursuing him. So, in the martial world, they are criticizing the Prince's Mansion and the Great Abyss Righteous Sword instead. It seems he's using the same trick again, exploiting the psychology of ignorant martial artists in the martial world."
Jo Bang-un, of course, hadn't heard such rumors.
Xiangyang and the Imperial Capital were a thousand li apart.
"The enraged Prince Seong sent me. To capture him. I finally met him at the noodle shop nearby… and he was still boasting. He said he would prove his martial arts by engaging in a life-and-death duel with Hwa Cheon-gang."
"Did he really say that?"
Jo Bang-un looked at Won Seung with a skeptical gaze.
A man sent on a secret mission by the prince, bringing only one attendant?
If he was crazy enough to challenge the Great Abyss Righteous Sword, killing a young scholar who couldn't even twist a chicken's neck would be nothing, yet he just left?
This guy was likely a fraud.
'This bastard!'
A hint of killing intent appeared in Jo Bang-un's eyes.