Moon-Shadow Sword Emperor - Chapter 185
Episode 185
The top martial artists in the Central Plains are often referred to as ‘one hundred great experts.’
You may ask, “If you are a 100-year-old expert, what is a 100-year-old expert?”
The reason why this ambiguous expression arose was simple.
This was because there were many martial artists who did not show their skills in public appearances.
Right now, I was like that, Zhuge Huan, the leader of the Meng Dynasty, was like that, and the Black Night Guards I saw in the Meng Zhou’s office were like that.
Among the proverbs handed down in the martial arts world, there is this one.
If you want to survive, hide your power.
It was extremely realistic and reasonable advice.
That’s how many martial artists followed and put it into practice.
Not all martial artists coveted the position of a hundred great masters.
The social structure of Baekdo martial arts was completely different from that of demonic religion, where the strong take over everything.
There were some, like Zhuge Huan, who did not reveal their status out of necessity, and there were others who simply had no interest in fame.
There were some who organized all their sources of wealth and went into seclusion, while others were secretly cultivated by each sect and family.
There was a reason why Master Ma showed such a cautious attitude despite having such great masters under his command.
The power of the Baekdo martial arts group could never be taken lightly.
‘Actually, it was proven in the history of previous lives.’
In the midst of the Great Demon War, many white masters became the dew on the battlefield and disappeared.
However, that empty space was quickly filled by another person.
The overall level didn’t even drop.
‘Because masters whose names were unknown before the war began to appear one after another.’
The representative figure was Dok Go Woo-jin.
It is not for nothing that the saying that war creates new heroes exists.
‘Everyone who is interested in Moorim’s work knows this. ‘The ranking of 100 great masters is never accurate.’
This was the reason why a person with mediocre skills like Baek Sang-hoo, the leader of the Hwangryongmugwanju, could sit in the last seat of the Baekdaejangsu.
If the skills of all martial artists were transparently disclosed, there would be a major change in the ranking of the top 100 masters.
‘In the first place, many of those who are called ‘100 great masters’ are under the control of the top military officer of Sega’s executive faction. So to speak, these are people who have no choice but to come to the forefront even if they don’t like it. Because the value of an individual’s name is directly related to the benefit of the organization.’
Ten absolute masters called the Ten Heavenly Emperors.
Below him, there were a little over 40 masters of Hwagyeong.
Except for these, all of the top 100 masters were masters of the highest level.
Even at first glance, it was a ratio that felt uncomfortable.
Of course, not everyone was at the same peak, and only those with exceptional skills could join the ranks of the top 100 masters.
Geomryong (劍龍) is an unrivaled strongman and a supreme expert among his peers, but there is no one who calls him a 100-year-old expert.
Going back to the story.
“Thank you for your hard work on the long journey.”
“Amitabha Buddha. Nice to meet you. “Sacheon Branch Manager.”
By that standard, the giant in front of him was without a doubt a top 100-level powerhouse.
The identity of the man, who exudes a heavy prayer befitting his size, is Howol, a disciple who has succeeded in attaining Buddhahood.
He was the head of the Eight Great Guards, which protects the heads of the Shaolin Temple.
As his position was such that he was rarely sent out on missions, his skills were not well known to the world.
However, I could tell as I was facing him in person.
That he is a great expert, not inferior to Bangcheoksam or Lee Ganghak.
“I never thought that Gamwon (監院) would set foot all the way to the Sacheon branch.”
Reduction in personnel was a term used to refer to the head of the Eight Great Guards.
The bald man, who looked slightly surprised, soon put his hands together with a smile on his face.
“I don’t remember introducing myself to the branch manager.”
“Aren’t you the head of the Eight Great Lakes? “I can’t recognize it.”
“Now that you say that, I don’t know what to do.”
Contrary to what he said, his expression was not one of disgust.
Flattery seemed to work even for Shaolin monks.
“Please stay comfortably. “I have spoken to the branch leaders, so if you need anything, you can tell me at any time.”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
I gazed at Gamwon’s back as he walked away and let out a small sigh.
I wasn’t expecting much, but a much bigger figure than I expected came as reinforcements.
It seemed that Painter Joo paid attention in many ways.
‘Next time…’
The reduced employees were not the only guests to be greeted.
I approached the two men and women leisurely looking at the garden and politely bowed to them.
“It is an honor to meet you two elders.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You are the head of the Sacheon branch with a reputation. nice to meet you.”
Yang Ho-gon and Yang Yu-hyeon, elders of the Xinchang Yang family, the conquerors of Shanxi.
Yang Ho-gon was a master who occupied the last place in the 100 great masters, and Yang Yu-hyeon was also a person with skills close to that.
The interesting thing was that the two were brother and sister.
‘Even though he was a subsidiary, he was recognized for his outstanding qualities and was given the opportunity to learn Sega’s vision. He grew into a Sega executive and attracted people’s attention.’
I guided them to the accommodation with a smile on my face.
What was so enjoyable about it was that the two chatted non-stop while traveling a short distance.
It felt like I was seeing a good married couple, not a brother and sister.
‘I heard that such a scandal actually occurred.’
Since both of them did not get married until their late ages, it seems that there was once suspicion that they had a forbidden relationship.
I looked back at the two people with narrowed eyes and shook my head to shake off my thoughts.
I didn’t really want to be interested in the relationship between the two people.
There was no reason to do that.
* * *
“Whoa.”
After finishing greeting the guests and returning to my office, I stretched out and sank into my chair.
Gamwon and the elders of the Xinchangyang family were only the beginning.
Soon, the Sacheon branch would be crowded with martial artists from all over.
‘My head hurts already.’
I sighed at the thought of having to control and lead the masters of each clan and family.
Namhakgeom’s disgusting face once again passed through my mind.
Although he took revenge by bringing his son Hwang Ho-jin to the Sacheon branch, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed.
I looked up at the ceiling and was lost in thought for a while.
Sweet.
I quietly opened the door and turned to look at Damwoon as he entered the office and asked.
“Is there a problem.”
“I received a call from the Yunnan branch of the Murim League.”
“What do you say?”
“It wasn’t as good as I expected. Still, he says he will cooperate since it is something the Lord Maeng has ordered.”
I received the letter Damun handed me and looked at its contents.
The long and verbose sentences were briefly summarized as follows.
< I checked the official document sent from the headquarters. >
< I don't know what the leader was thinking in entrusting full authority to the Sichuan branch rather than the Yunnan branch, which has been keeping a close eye on the Beast Palace's movements for a long time. > < Instead, I will cooperate for now . I hope we can at least maintain a horizontal relationship between us. >
I put the letter down on the desk with a bitter smile.
It was a natural reaction from the Yunnan branch.
‘I can’t help but be angry.’
Maybe it’s another martial arts faction.
When it came to matters related to the Beast Palace, it was right to seek advice from the Yunnan branch and the Jianchang sect and request their cooperation.
I, who knew nothing about the situation in southern Manchuria, suddenly took command, but it did not look good in the eyes of the leaders belonging to the Yunnan branch.
Perhaps Namhakgeom had calculated this situation and suggested sending an official letter of cooperation to the Yunnan branch.
‘But it is not possible to divide command authority in two as requested in the letter. ‘There’s going to be a lot of conflict.’
If you were forced to take on something you didn’t want to do, you had to at least have the command in your hands.
If you don’t, you’ll end up being dragged around and being held accountable.
‘Maybe it’s not just the Yunnan branch that reacts this way.’
The same goes for the Jeomchangpa and the Myeongsuks of Moorim who will arrive at the branch in the future.
There was bound to be someone who doubted my capabilities and challenged my command.
Because the Murim people are a people obsessed with pride.
“Dam Secretary.”
“yes. “Branch manager.”
“Has the issue of finding accommodation been resolved?”
This wasn’t the only problem.
Currently, the Sacheon branch was saturated.
There are already no seats due to the influx of survivors from the Cheonghae martial arts group, but now support staff are pouring in from all over the central region.
Since customers could not be made to sleep on the street, measures had to be taken urgently.
“First of all, as I was in a hurry, I rented a room at a nearby guest house.”
“We can’t just let the people who came to help stay in the guesthouse, and we have to kick out the Kunlun sect’s disciples.”
“Kicking them out…”
A bitter smile appeared on Damun’s lips.
Contrary to what he said, there was no sign of opposition.
“Please go to Hyeokseong’s dojo and ask for understanding. “If I tell you what I told you to do, you will accept it.”
“All right.”
“By the way, there hasn’t been any contact from the party yet?”
“yes. However, judging from what the party leader has shown before, I think there is a high possibility of a positive response.”
Nanman was a land full of all kinds of dangers.
It wasn’t just tough warriors who had to be on guard.
Harsh natural environment.
The climate was not only hot but also humid, and all kinds of poisonous insects and poisonous plants were running around, making it impossible to wander outside.
In a way, it was natural for the warriors of the Beast Palace to target the peaceful and prosperous mainland of Central Plains.
That’s why I contacted the party and asked for help.
He thought that Dangga’s knowledge of poison would be of great help in his future schedule.
Even though Damun had a poison poison liquor, that alone wasn’t enough to give him peace of mind.
“Have you finally decided to visit the Beast Palace in person?”
“I’ve thought about it here and there, but I think that’s the best way.”
“It seems too dangerous.”
“There is no other sharp move, is there? “We can’t stay in Yunnan until the civil war in the Beast Palace ends.”
I knew because I had memories of my past life.
The power struggle within the Beast Palace will continue for more than ten years.
Isn’t that a good thing because it means there will be no war between the Jungwon Wurim and the Beast Palace?
Of course, from the perspective of the entire midfield, it was a good thing.
However, from my personal perspective, it was not like that.
‘If we maintain a passive attitude, we will never be able to complete our mission.’
In the worst case, more than a decade could have been wasted.
“How are Hwa Sohyeop and Hwang Musa doing these days?”
“I have now adapted perfectly to the work of the branch.”
“Tell them both. “I plan to take you on this mission, so prepare in advance.”
“All right.”