Moon-Shadow Sword Emperor

Episode 6:

Late evening.

We arrived at Manjangsega under the escort of Mangeomdae (萬劍隊) and were immediately able to come face to face with the head of the family.

Chocheongun, the head of the entire world.

On the way, I heard that he was a master who wielded dual swords like a ghost and that he had no rival in the entire world, but this was my impression when I met him face to face.

‘I’m not sure.’

To begin with, I don’t know anything about the military personnel operating in this area.

Do you have the ability to accurately gauge the level just by saying that there are no opponents in the area?

Well, actually, my skills were good.

No matter what, I will be stronger than I am now.

The woman at the palace opened her mouth with a polite bow.

“Cho Yeon-hee, an unfilial woman, has returned safely. father.”

“Call me matriarch.”

Immediately a stern voice struck my ears.

It was a natural point.

It may have been a private situation, but I used the wrong title in a situation where even outsiders were watching.

“……Matriarch. “I have something to report to you.”

“First, explain what has happened.”

“I’ll talk more about that later. “There is an urgent matter that needs to be reported right away…”

“I would have asked you to explain what has happened.”

As I was watching the conversation between father and daughter, I sighed inwardly.

It seems that the woman in the palace did not have a very high status in the family.

Not to mention the woman in white who assists her.

Although I had some expectations, I was disappointed when I realized that what I was holding in my hand was a rotten rope.

The plan to settle down at Sega and provide food and lodging went awry from the beginning.

“…I found a group of people who I thought were illegal slave traders, and I followed them with my friends.”

“I heard the story that he went out of the village with the Cheonhyang family’s Cheonhyang family. “I heard you were brought in to take revenge on the ronin who had a fight in the guest house, right?”

“…….”

“You followed along even though you knew that fact.”

Cho Yeon-hee, the lady of the palace, bit her lips tightly.

My two fists, clenched with all my might, were shaking.

I clicked my tongue as I looked at her profile.

‘It’s extremely frustrating.’

Rather than just staying quiet, shouldn’t we say something?

Either refute or admit your mistake and apologize.

I could clearly see that I was unable to say anything due to a mixture of repulsion and childish feelings, and was just suffocating my anger inside.

He had poor tact and poor management skills.

Are all Baekdo Moorim’s later indices like this?

“But where did you two come back first, leaving the others behind? Was there a fight?”

“Everyone is dead.”

“……what?”

“We launched a raid to punish the vicious slave traders, but the enemy was too strong and we ended up being defeated.”

“So, what you’re saying is that more than ten late-day exponents rushed in and were unable to do anything about a group of ronin, and were wiped out?”

“It wasn’t just a bunch of ronin. “He was an elite of the Demonic Cult.”

“…….”

I almost burst out laughing for a moment, forgetting the situation.

What kind of elite is an elite who will freeze to death?

There were so many warriors of that level that the Demonic Cult was overflowing.

Demonic religions, which promoted the banner of strong self-respect, had a higher average level of military force than other martial arts groups.

“Magic religion?”

“yes. The advance guard of the Demonic Cult was in full swing in my family’s territory.”

“…….”

Cho Cheon-gun’s eyes were deeply frowned.

It was a face that seemed to say what on earth was this?

“It might be hard to believe, but it’s true.”

“What is the evidence that they are demons?”

“There is a witness.”

Cho Yeon-hee pointed at me with her hand.

At the same time, the woman in white gently pushed my back.

“They said the boy overheard their conversation while they were being kidnapped and taken away.”

Chocheon-gun’s gaze turned towards me.

I took a step forward and bowed my head politely.

The mokuldae rang loudly.

Starting now was important.

If you get the first button right, the subsequent work will be easier.

“It’s called Yeonsoun.”

“Is what Hee-ah said true?”

“It’s true.”

“Is there any evidence to support that statement?”

“There is no evidence.”

Chocheon-gun buried his back deeply in the chair.

Well, the inner feelings of that were conveyed through the atmosphere.

“But there is circumstantial evidence to support the story.”

“Circumstantial evidence?”

“First, unlike the groups of ronin commonly seen on the streets, they were wearing uniform military flags. “And two curved swords each, which are not commonly seen.”

“…….”

“Second, they were strangely strong for mere rogues. “To the extent of unilaterally trampling on a group of martial arts people who were ahead in numbers.”

“Hmm.”

“Thirdly, they made the decision to abandon the carriage without hesitation when the wheel broke. The reason is simply to save time. “An ordinary slave trader would never make such a decision.”

I omitted detailed explanations and summarized the main points as concisely as possible.

Anyone who was the head of a family would have understood what I wanted to say with just this amount.

“It’s definitely strange, but I don’t think it’s enough proof that they are demons.”

“Even if they are not demon cultists, I think there is a very high possibility that they are a group belonging to a specific martial arts group. That alone would be worth investigating.”

Lord Chocheon adjusted his posture and sat down.

While stroking his chin and pondering, he nodded once and opened his mouth.

“You speak very coherently. “He doesn’t look like a boy his age.”

“thank you.”

“You were kidnapped?”

“yes.”

“Is there a place to go back to?”

“Unfortunately, no. Because he is an orphan who was abandoned by his parents…”

“In that case, please stay at your home for the time being. “I will prepare a place for you.”

“Thank you for your consideration. “Matriarch.”

I bowed my head and breathed a sigh of relief.

I was glad that I made a good impression.

Of course, it would not have been recommended to stay with the family simply out of favor.

They will probably seek cooperation in one way or another to facilitate the investigation.

I took a step back and glanced sideways at Cho Yeon-hee.

“Matriarch, I don’t think this is a matter to be taken lightly.”

“…….”

“We must urgently dispatch an investigation team and focus our efforts on understanding the situation.”

For some reason, she had a triumphant expression on her face.

At first glance, her appearance, with her hand on her chest, urging the dispatch of investigators in a strong tone, seemed bold, but also showed signs of impatience.

‘I want to make up for my mistakes and go further to make merit. I may have said that with that in mind, but…’

In fact, Chocheon-gun’s reaction was extremely cold.

“Don’t accept that opinion. “For now, please wait at your accommodation and rest until further instructions are given.”

“Matriarch. “I would like you to leave this investigation mission to me.”

“No, I plan to leave the mission to Lord Han.”

“I am the one who knows about the place where the incident occurred and the circumstances at the time. Besides, I have a duty to collect the bodies of my friends…”

“You don’t have to worry about that. “I will accompany the other two to the investigation team.”

It was a blatant appointment.

A decision to intentionally exclude the person who experienced the incident from the investigation.

In fact, it was punishment and punishment.

Cho Yeon-hee’s face was distorted miserably.

‘…It looks like it might burst into tears if you touch it.’

I slowly turned my head and looked away from her.

Now, just trying to figure out what to do is too much for me.

There was no time to worry about other people’s circumstances.

There was no reason to do that.

* * *

Many things have happened since then.

While I was going in and out of the medical room and treating my injuries, I was forced to join the hastily created investigation team and was dragged around.

The investigation team collected the bodies of the demon cultists, retraced their movements, examined them, and questioned witnesses to collect information.

In addition, he mobilized dogs to find and retrieved the bodies of later leaders buried in the mountains, and visited their former military officers and families to convey their sad news.

It was a difficult schedule for a ten-year-old child to handle, but I pleased the adults without making a fuss.

Some members of the investigation team expressed their interest in seeing me like that.

In particular, Cho Yeon-hee’s escort Yu So-hwa, who joined the investigation team together, was helpful to me in many ways.

‘Still, they treat me kindly as a lifesaver.’

In fact, what was really difficult to bear was not physical fatigue but mental pain.

The fragile body of this life contrasts with the past life that is vividly pictured in the mind.

It was not easy to overcome the sense of disconnection caused by the disharmony between mind and body.

‘It feels like I have heavy shackles on my hands and feet.’

After the schedule was somewhat completed, I stayed in the accommodation provided by Sega and devoted myself to martial arts training.

Aside from the time I spent eating, sleeping, and taking care of my injuries, I devoted everything to meditation.

It took exactly two days for the Danjeon to be formed.

The result was faster than initially expected.

But when I actually completed the Danjeon, a problem arose.

‘…You can’t learn magic.’

There is no place for demons in the martial arts sect.

Even if there was a place to stand somewhere, it would not be the Murim Alliance Senate.

The problem is that all the useful mind techniques I know are magical techniques.

‘Even if it’s the same as swordsmanship or footwork, once you learn magic, you’re bound to get a good look.’

In the first place, magic is not something you can learn just because you want to.

Initiation is only possible by consuming the Demon Dan (魔丹), which is produced only in the Demonic Cult, and achieving reverse blood retardation.

Although it is not impossible to enter the magic arts without having achieved the reverse blood stasis, most of those who learn the magic arts that way become blood-crazed maniacs.

‘That’s a problem.’

I know that it is the basic mind method, the Samjaesimbeop (三才心法), but is the basic mind method called the basic mind method for no reason?

Considering the efficiency of accumulating internal energy, there was a need to learn more advanced mental techniques.

It was not enough to just have excellent mental techniques, but also the compatibility with the sword techniques and foot techniques that would be learned in the future had to be taken into consideration.

In my previous life, even though I was only half-hearted, I learned the Heavenly Demon Heart Gong directly from the Demon Cult Master.

It was questionable how many mental methods comparable to the Shin Gongjeolhak existed in the world.

‘More than anything, I wonder if there is a righteous mind law that can replace magic, which has a strong destructive tendency.’

It couldn’t have been a more troublesome problem.

Contrary to the martial arts skills that progressed day by day, concerns about the future became deeper.

* * *

It was the tenth day since I entrusted myself to the Manjangse family.

A man wearing a blue military uniform came to my dorm and spoke to me.

“The Commander-in-Chief is calling you.”

“yes? Commander-in-Chief? Why did the Commander-in-Chief me…”

“I don’t even know that. “Please follow me first.”

Manjangse House is largely divided into the inner hall and the outer hall.

The head of the family and his family members lived in the inner hall, and the family’s servants and guests lived in the outer hall.

Of course, the accommodation provided to me by Sega was located in the outer hall.

The man took me into an old-fashioned hall located on the outskirts of the inner temple.

Around the pavilion, warriors dressed in blue military uniforms like men stood guard.

“Commander General. “It’s a two-day deal.”

“okay. “Please come in.”

As I opened the paper door and entered the room that was supposed to be the office, the sight of a middle-aged man with a goatee sitting at a desk and using quick hands to brush a brush came into view.

He gestured to the chair without even raising his head.

“Come and sit down first. It will end soon, so just wait a little longer. “You can just leave now.”

“yep!”

Yang Il-sang, who answered vigorously, stepped away and I sat across from the middle-aged man and waited patiently.

Wang Chun-seong, the general of the Manjang family.

He was an impressive person with fierce eyes reminiscent of Cho Yeon-hee and neat attire that did not show even the slightest hint of dishevelment.

I heard that he was a failed student who took the civil service exam, but looking at his appearance, he seemed closer to a military officer than a civilized scholar.

His sturdy physique and small muscles peeking through his sleeves gave us an idea of how much effort he puts into self-care on a daily basis.

One-quarter, two-quarter, half-hour…

Time passed by in vain.

‘…I wonder how long they call someone and make them wait.’

About the time my upright posture relaxed slightly due to boredom.

Wang Chun-seong put down his brush and opened his mouth.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“It has improved a lot.”

“Then you are lucky. Are there any inconveniences living at Sega?”

“yes. “In fact, it feels like the treatment is excessive.”

“The reason I called you today is because I want to ask you one thing.”

“What I want to ask is….”

“What kind of talent do you have?”

“yes?”

“I mean, tell me what you’re good at. “I need to know that so I can judge where I can best use you.”

“…….”

“Why are you making such an expression? Are you really planning on sitting down in your home with your bare mouth?”