NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
Chapter 98. The ‘Third’ Trial of the Hell Regular Exam
“We want the truth about what happened on the Puyang Plain.”
The Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans built branch-like facilities in each province. Shaolin Temple had temples, while Wudang and Mount Hua had Daoist monasteries.
They said the Daoist monasteries had been established for those who could not personally visit the main mountain because it was too far away, but in truth, they handled the management of related Lay-Affiliated Martial Sects and commercial facilities across the entire country, so they were not very different from the branches of the Murim Alliance.
The slight difference was that while the Murim Alliance branches had weak cohesion because of their complicated internal political issues, the branches of the Nine Sects moved absolutely according to the main mountain’s orders.
“What truth are you talking about?”
The two men introduced themselves as the Daoist Monastery Masters of Wudang and Mount Hua respectively.
“One thousand people clashed with one another on the Puyang Plain, and nearly five hundred died. Is it not only natural to reveal the truth about that?”
At the words of Mount Hua’s Zhengzhou Daoist Monastery Master, the middle-aged men standing behind him all nodded at once.
Judging from their different clothing, they seemed to be not only from the Mount Hua Sect and the Wudang Sect, but also senior figures from the sects of those who had died on the Puyang Plain.
“To be precise, it was not one thousand people clashing with one another. It was one thousand people fighting against eighty.”
Beside the Mount Hua Daoist Monastery Master, the Wudang Zhengzhou Daoist Monastery Master stepped forward.
“That is exactly what I mean. How could one thousand people clash against eighty, and yet only twenty of you died?”
At the words of the Wudang Daoist Monastery Master, Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran’s complexions slowly changed.
“Are you saying…… all of us should have died?”
“If one considers the natural order of things, would that not be correct?”
“!”
“!”
Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran’s faces flushed red.
If it had been anyone else, they would have immediately stepped forward and drawn their swords, but since these men were the Daoist Monastery Masters of Wudang and Mount Hua, they could not bring themselves to act emotionally.
“Elders, the young ladies of the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect are here with us. Please choose your words carefully.”
The Iron Sword Sect aside, their attitude was endlessly rude despite the presence of the Namgung Clan.
The Zhengzhou Daoist Monastery Master of Wudang glanced once at Namgung Seon-hwa, then spoke again.
“……If there is a problem, it can be resolved later. For now, resolving the matter of greater importance comes first.”
Realizing that there was no point in speaking any further, I tried to enter the Murim Alliance’s Nanyue Branch.
If we kept wasting time here, then even the reason we had woken early in the morning would disappear.
However.
“You may not enter until you reveal the whole story of this matter.”
They used their warriors to block the entrance.
I let out a small sigh.
The clues regarding the Demonic Cult’s movements had to begin flowing through official organizations.
If individuals heard it, they would neither understand nor accept it. It would only pile up more suspicion.
“Lady Namgung already prepared separate materials to report to the Murim Alliance. Hear the whole story directly from the Alliance later.”
“I clearly said this. You may not enter until you reveal the whole story!”
“…….”
My blood cooled.
The deaths of disciples who were like brothers and sisters were tragic, but that was also something one had to be prepared for when taking the Murim Regular Exam.
Even so, these people believed in their own power and were trying to force through an absurd demand.
It was the narrow-minded thinking of those who were certain the rights they possessed were different from those of others.
“……Are you interfering with the Murim Regular Exam right now?”
“We are trying to correct what is wrong.”
“The rules state that no discord may occur in the area where the third trial is held. If this is violated, it affects not only the parties involved, but also their sects. You are aware of that, are you not?”
“Hmph! That is why we came looking for you. If not for that rule, you would never have arrived here on your own two feet.”
“There is truly no reasoning with you.”
I shook my head and drew my sword.
“What do you think you are doing?”
“I don’t mind if you suspect me, but I cannot tolerate the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect suffering because of me. I and my junior brothers will cleanly forfeit the exam and escort the two young ladies inside.”
“Young Master Jin!”
Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran’s eyes opened wide.
“Do you dare think you can face us?”
Not only the Daoist Monastery Masters of Wudang and Mount Hua, but also those who had stepped forward claiming to represent their respective sects, wore expressions of disbelief.
The martial arts uniforms of the Daoist Monastery Masters began swelling greatly.
As they gradually drew up their inner arts, the pressure they exerted on their surroundings tingled against my skin.
I also drew up my strength with all my might, refusing to back down.
“How strange. We are the people who killed five hundred with eighty. Are you not afraid to stand before us?”
“…….”
“…….”
The Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers formed a Sword Formation and drew their swords.
Those who had come with the Daoist Monastery Masters seemed not to have expected the situation to come this far, and could not hide their confusion.
Clang! Clang!
Even Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran, who had come beautifully made up, drew their swords.
“You two should not step forward. If you pointlessly step in here, you may be unable to take the Regular Exam.”
“Are you seriously saying that right now?”
“The Taeul Sect was not the only one insulted. They just insulted the name of the great Namgung Clan. If I back down here because of the exam, my grandfather will never forgive me.”
Once the two young ladies stepped forward, all the warriors who had come with them drew their swords as well.
“Y-You little…….”
——————
faqwiki.xyz
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
The Mount Hua Daoist Monastery Master’s face flushed bright red.
The opponent was far too bad for them to suppress with the names of Mount Hua and Wudang.
In a situation where even the Azure Emperor Divine Sword had been brought up, if a real clash occurred, a great problem would arise among Mount Hua, Wudang, and the Namgung Clan.
And when right and wrong were determined later, it was obvious that the Daoist Monastery Masters present here would be held responsible.
I even wrapped Sword Qi around the Black Dragon Sword. From this point on, it was a test of nerve.
The one with nothing to lose wins.
When I took a firm step forward, the Daoist Monastery Masters of Mount Hua and Wudang flinched.
“Wait!”
At that moment, a middle-aged man walked out from inside the Murim Alliance’s Nanyue Branch with guards.
“He is the Branch Chief of the Murim Alliance’s Nanyue Branch. Everyone, put away your swords.”
“What is this commotion?”
“…….”
“…….”
The middle-aged man introduced as the Branch Chief approached this side and exchanged glances with the Daoist Monastery Masters.
As though some prior discussion had taken place, the Daoist Monastery Masters quietly lowered their heads.
“Everyone, leave. The third trial of the Murim Regular Exam must now be held.”
“We cannot do that!”
“There are hundreds of victims from the Puyang Plain!”
“We must find out the whole story of the incident!”
When the gathered people spoke in unison, the Branch Chief let out a small sigh.
“I have also heard about the matter on the Puyang Plain. A report on that matter has already gone up to the Murim Alliance, and the Murim Alliance will organize and dispatch an investigation team.”
“No, that will take time! Time! What use will investigating be after no evidence remains?”
“The parties involved in the incident are here. Why is there any need to wait for the Murim Alliance’s investigation team?”
Voices blaming the Branch Chief rang out from every direction.
“Enough.”
The Branch Chief infused his voice with inner arts and spread it in every direction. The commotion in the area died down in an instant.
“The Murim Regular Exam is meant to provide a fair opportunity to everyone. If you privately interfere with the exam like this, your sects will surely suffer damage as well. Are all of you prepared for that?”
“…….”
“…….”
“So stop. If there are suspicions, the Alliance will certainly resolve them.”
Just as it seemed the matter was being settled, the Daoist Monastery Master of Mount Hua stepped forward.
“The matter is far too serious for that.”
A faint trace of contempt appeared around the Branch Chief’s eyes.
He had tried to end it in a way that would give them just enough face, yet the Daoist Monastery Master was starting again.
However, at the Daoist Monastery Master’s next words, the area grew noisy once more.
“There is suspicion that Witchcraft may have been used on the Puyang Plain.”
“…….”
The Branch Chief’s eyes trembled faintly.
“Puhah!”
Seong Mo-ran burst out laughing.
People’s gazes gathered on Seong Mo-ran, but Seong Mo-ran did not stop laughing.
“What is so amusing, Lady Seong Mo-ran?”
Surprisingly, the Branch Chief knew Seong Mo-ran.
“How could I not laugh when those people have dug their own graves?”
“What do you mean…….”
“The next thing you intend to say is, ‘Is the Taeul Sect not related to Witchcraft?’ is it not?”
“…….”
“…….”
Seong Mo-ran pointed at the Daoist Monastery Masters of Mount Hua and Wudang, and the two men’s faces reddened so much that they looked on the verge of exploding.
“There was someone in our Iron Sword Sect who said something that foolish too. Thanks to that, we were robbed of our Grand Patriarch’s Ninefold Sword, which had been passed down for generations. There is no one here who does not know that fact, is there?”
“Hmph! Seeing that you are together with such an opponent, you seem to know no shame.”
“The Iron Sword Sect and the Namgung Clan were also together on the Puyang Plain. Can you be certain Witchcraft was used?”
“…….”
Unlike the Mount Hua Daoist Monastery Master, who had fallen silent, this time the Wudang Daoist Monastery Master stepped forward.
“I have never thought that the Iron Sword Sect and the Namgung Clan were connected to Witchcraft. However, the suspicion regarding the Taeul Sect’s martial arts being so earth-shaking that they cannot be considered the Taeul Sect’s original martial arts must be resolved.”
I stared at the Wudang Daoist Monastery Master and asked.
“Can you take responsibility for what you just said?”
I released killing intent without holding anything back any longer.
“Hup.”
“Khuh.”
“What kind of killing intent is this?”
Not only the Daoist Monastery Masters of Wudang and Mount Hua, but even the middle-aged men standing behind them frowned at the same time.
“I will ask again. Can you take responsibility for those words?”
“You bastard! Do you know who I am, acting like this?”
“I have never left alone those who dishonored my sect and my martial brothers.”
That had been true before, it was true now, and it would continue to be true in the future.
If the Jegal Cheon-gi of my previous life saw me now, he would curse me for failing to set down the burden in my heart and doing something useless.
It did not matter.
No matter how much harm I suffered because of it, no matter how deeply I was hurt, I was no longer as weak as I had been in my previous life.
Without delay, I approached the Wudang Daoist Monastery Master. The Wudang Daoist Priests standing behind him stepped forward to block his front.
“Th-That bastard!”
The Wudang Daoist Monastery Master pointed at me with a face flushed bright red.
The Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers followed at my side, ready to swing their swords at any moment.
I infused my voice with inner arts to the fullest.
“Say it again!! Is Wudang certain that the Taeul Sect used Witchcraft!!!”
“Y-You bastard!”
My voice rang thunderously through the entire Murim Alliance’s Nanyue Branch.
Even those passing by on the road stopped and began looking this way.
The Wudang Daoist Monastery Master’s face twisted like a sheet of paper.
When he gave no answer, I was about to scatter the Twin Heaven Sword Formula.
“Great Hero Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect did not use Witchcraft.”
A new voice cut in.
Everyone in the area turned their heads at the same time.
In the place from which the voice had come, dozens of people who seemed to be in the middle of having deep wounds treated were approaching this side.
The Branch Chief, looking relieved, asked.
“Wh-Who are you?”
The man standing at the very front spoke.
“I am Muk Jeong-ho of the Kunwu Sect. I am a participant in this Regular Exam, and I am someone who fought against the Taeul Sect on the Puyang Plain.”
“I see. If you were there, then you must know the incident clearly.”
“I don’t know who relayed the story, but it is certain that there were people using Witchcraft there.”
“……See? The Taeul Sect…….”
“However! Great Hero Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect is the person who saved us from those who used that Witchcraft.”
“What?!”
Seeing his face up close, he was the examinee who had shouted insistently, ashamed that I had saved him.
“The moment we fought the Taeul Sect, the ones who ambushed us under cover of darkness did not have human forms. It is certainly a matter that requires an investigation by the Murim Alliance. However, there is no room to doubt that the culprit was not Great Hero Jin So-un.”
“How would you know that…….”
“You should be ashamed!”
“What?”
“Great Hero Jin So-un is the person who saved us, people who had come to attack him, from unidentified culprits. Only because we were of the same Orthodox Path.”
Muk Jeong-ho pointed at those behind the Daoist Monastery Masters and continued speaking.
“Moreover, when the warriors mobilized for the sake of the children of those present here were dying, he personally stepped forward and even gave them emergency treatment. Are those who hired them now here persecuting a Chivalrous Hero! And even then, can you people call yourselves pillars of Orthodox Path sects!!!!”
“He is right!”
“You bastards should be ashamed!”
Those who had moved with Muk Jeong-ho were the warriors I had given emergency treatment to on the Puyang Plain. Every single one of them did not hesitate to curse at those who had hired them.
“You should be ashamed!”
The Kunwu Sect was a sect positioned as the Tenth Peak among the One Hundred Eight Peaks. Considering the influence of those gathered here, including Mount Hua and Wudang, this was something one could hardly imagine, but Muk Jeong-ho did not fear shouting at them.
“I, Muk Jeong-ho of the Kunwu Sect, guarantee that Great Hero Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect did not use Witchcraft.”
“I agree as well!”
“I agree as well!”
As the voices among the warriors grew louder, the faces of the Daoist Monastery Masters of Mount Hua and Wudang began turning black.
At that moment, one warrior whispered into the Branch Chief’s ear, and the Branch Chief looked at Namgung Seon-hwa and spoke.
“Lady Namgung Seon-hwa. I heard you prepared a report to deliver to the Murim Alliance.”
Namgung Seon-hwa handed over a scroll from inside her clothes.
“…….”
The Branch Chief, who had been reading Namgung Seon-hwa’s report, looked at me.
“It says here that you obtained part of the culprit’s corpse. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Will you show it to me?”
When I glanced at Geum-pyo, Geum-pyo took out the Dark Soul-Severing Unit member’s arm that had been wrapped in cloth.
“Hiiik!”
“What is that!”
“Is that a sword protruding from the palm?”
“Is that not bone?”
Only after seeing the corpse did the Branch Chief’s face harden.
“Why did you not show this earlier? If you had, this would have been resolved more easily.”
At the Branch Chief’s reproachful voice, I shook my head.
“Branch Chief, even you did not properly take our side. Would suspicion have been cleared just because of one corpse like this?”
“……Ahem, that is rather painful.”
The Branch Chief looked at the Daoist Monastery Masters.
“With this, there should be no one who can say the Taeul Sect practiced Witchcraft.”
“…….”
“…….”
I approached the Wudang Daoist Monastery Master. The Wudang disciples blocked my path while holding their swords, but I instead sheathed my sword and spoke.
“Do you still think the Taeul Sect used Witchcraft?”
“…….”
“Say it.”
“…….”
“Say it!!”
“No…….”
“Then apologize.”
“What!”
“I said apologize.”
“……Do you know who I…….”
“If you don’t apologize, I will submit a formal protest through the Murim Alliance regarding this matter.”
After thinking for a long while, the Wudang Daoist Monastery Master let out a long sigh. Then he lowered his head deeply and made a clasped hands greeting.
“……I, Song of Wudang, formally apologize to the Taeul Sect.”
Small gasps broke out here and there.
It was a reaction of disbelief even after seeing it.
“Consider yourself fortunate that you are a man of Wudang. If I, a Taeul Sect disciple, had said that Wudang used Witchcraft, it would not have ended with only an apology.”
“…….”
The Branch Chief spoke again.
“Can you hand over that corpse for the report to the Murim Alliance?”
To properly understand the culprit, that evidence was also necessary.
The Branch Chief’s hand naturally reached toward the corpse.
“No.”
And the moment my words fell, Geum-pyo avoided the Branch Chief’s hand.
“……Y-You refuse?”
“Yes.”
“To clear your suspicions, this evidence…….”
“Have those suspicions not already been cleared?”
“……This is an important incident. Especially if there are beings that hide themselves in darkness, then this is certainly an incident that must be resolved through the Murim Alliance.”
“It may be an incident the Murim Alliance must resolve, but that does not mean the evidence is absolutely necessary, does it?”
“What do you mean?”
“All byproducts obtained while taking the exam are treated as belonging to the examinee. That is the rule, is it not?”
“…….”
“I intend to send this to my sect and have my sect investigate it personally.”
“……But the Taeul Sect is…….”
The Branch Chief began to speak, then swallowed his words. He had clearly seen the price Wudang had just paid for misspeaking.
I continued.
“However, if you truly need it, Branch Chief, then buy this corpse from me.”
“What?”
“Hah!”
“Well now, as expected of someone from a sect with no roots.”
I heard the Mount Hua Daoist Monastery Master click his tongue, but I cleanly ignored it.
“How much do you want?”
“Ten gold taels.”
“Ha!”
Not only the Branch Chief, but even Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran looked startled.
“With that money, please hold funerals for those who died on the Puyang Plain and treat those who were wounded. Then I will hand over this corpse.”
“!”
“!!”
And soon, they could not hide their even greater shock.
The Daoist Monastery Masters of Wudang and Mount Hua looked as though they had tasted filth.
“Will you do that?”
“Haa…….”
The Branch Chief let out a long sigh, then opened his mouth.
“If that is the case, I will accept.”
“Geum-pyo, give it to him.”
“Yes! Eldest Senior Brother.”
Unlike usual, Geum-pyo added “Eldest Senior Brother” and handed the corpse to the warrior standing beside the Branch Chief.
Then a thunderous cheer rang out.
“““Waaaaaaah!”””
I made a clasped hands greeting to Muk Jeong-ho.
“Thank you for helping me. Take care.”
“……Great Hero Jin, let us meet again next time.”
As I passed through the people and entered the inside of the branch, the warriors behind me began shouting in unison.
“Jin So-un!”
“Jin So-un!”
“Jin So-un!”
“Black Flame Dragon! Jin So-un!”
“Black Flame Dragon! Jin So-un!”
“Black Flame Dragon! Jin So-un!”
For some reason, Seong Mo-ran and Namgung Seon-hwa had their shoulders straightened as though they were the ones receiving the cheers, and the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers were walking even more closely beside me than usual.
“Why are you sticking so close? And lower that flag now.”
“What are you talking about, Eldest Senior Brother? I was already thinking the flagpole was too short, so I plan to prepare a longer one.”