Chapter 47 Zongnan Sect (3)

Chapter 47 Zongnan Sect (3)

“…Since you’re a guest of Zongnan, it wouldn’t be proper to just leave you standing. Follow me.”

After a moment, the Taoist turned his back and began ascending the slope.

Gu Yangjie walked behind him. Then, he was overcome by the illusion that he was walking alongside a wooden statue.

The vigilance of the Zhongnan Sect was heightened beyond imagination.

This was not good.

In such a tense situation, suggesting they join forces would surely arouse suspicion.

The Taoist might not act like a martial artist, but he was an intellectual who had been separated from the world since childhood to cultivate knowledge.

‘Moreover, a place like the Zhongnan Sect couldn’t possibly lack connections to the nearby villages or cities.’

There was no way to prove he’d been doing something else during that time.

Moreover, he’d set out from Huashan Sect without any connections whatsoever.

Asking for the Golden Ring Alliance’s help now was absurd.

The sect was already under suspicion, Your Excellency.

Gou Yangjie’s mind raced furiously.

Within it swirled experiences and shortcuts accumulated since his previous life.

……Click.

Lost in thought, he found himself already stepping onto the top stair.

Yet he still lacked sufficient information to devise any strategy.

Gu Yangji glanced sideways.

“Indeed, as befits the Zongnan Sect with the longest history among the Daoist schools, its immense history seems apparent at a glance.”

His words were polite, but to Gu Yangjie, the Zongnan Sect’s grounds actually resembled a village.

The fact that they hadn’t stationed a powerful Daoist at the Dongxue Cave where Yeo Dongbin had studied revealed Zongnan’s stubbornness.

‘Is it that they refuse to disturb the site?’

Gu Yangji’s expression darkened.

From Yeo Dongbin to Wang Zhongyang’s Zhenjin Sect, the history of Daoism held within Mount Zhongnan signified its beginning and golden age.

Nowadays, it was the shamans backed by the Great Ming who stood out.

But the Wushi Sect, openly advocating the dual cultivation of nature and life, surely didn’t sit well with Zhongnan.

Then the Taoist spoke.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to offer my condolences, Master Sim Won.”

At those words, the Taoist, Master Sim Won, let out a small gasp of surprise.

“Young Taoist, you seem remarkably perceptive? To recognize this humble body of mine.”

‘Yeah, right.’

…Gu Yangjeok wanted to say, but he shoved the thought back down inside.

If the elders of the Zhongnan Sect were insignificant, who on earth would dare show their face?

Contrary to that thought, Gu Yangjeok’s face was filled with a gentle smile.

“You are too humble, Master. Please speak freely.”

At that, Master Simwon cut straight to the point.

“May I ask you one thing, Daoist?”

“……?”

Master Simwon’s eyes deepened for an instant.

“I understand the Huashan Sect did not send an envoy. Did you come on personal business? Or…….”

Had he come to relay Huashan’s message while avoiding others’ eyes?

Gu Yangjie met his gaze calmly and thought.

‘He’s guessed exactly what I was going to say.’

Refusing now would only make him seem suspicious.

Gu Yangjie shook his head lightly.

“You’ve misunderstood.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“I received word that the Sect Leader had sent the marriage proposal first, so I departed immediately.”

Here, he absolutely must not show any sign that Huashan Sect was in a hurry.

Rather, making the other party anxious was the first element of the deal.

Shen Yuan Zhenren’s brow furrowed deeply.

He was surely recalling the events that had transpired in the depths of his heart.

Gu Yangji casually began his speech.

“It seems… the communication between Zhongnanshan and Huashan has been severed.”

Anxiety has the power to turn uncertainty into certainty.

Especially if the one who subdued the Lingxuzi was a master of the Sword River.

It typically took a talented individual from their mid-thirties to forty to cultivate the Sword Qi, so they would naturally learn one or two countermeasures to block the Zhenxiu Gate.

Thinking that way, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

The threat looming before one’s eyes tends to narrow the sage’s vision.

Seeing the crease form on the lower jaw of the Immortal of the Heart’s Depths, Gu Yangji opened his mouth.

“You have surely heard, Immortal. That a spy has infiltrated our sect.“

”I have.”

Had yesterday’s events not occurred, he might have added regret, but now it was difficult to dismiss as someone else’s affair.

Seeing Master Shimwon’s wavering, Gu Yangjeok thought.

‘Not only did it nearly harm the late-stage cultivator, but to think the villain who disrupted the bloodline is somewhere nearby…’

What elder could remain calm?

Even that Zhuge Liang would have thrown his staff aside and cried to the heavens over such a sudden turn of events.

Just as Gu Yangji, a sneer curled on his lips, was about to strike with his dagger.

“Did you say Gu Yang?”

He lifted his gaze at the unexpected voice.

A neatly trimmed beard fluttered in the shadows cast by the moonlight.

An immeasurably profound inner energy settled upon the shoulders of the profound immortal.

Gu Yangji, though indirectly, sensed that energy.

‘Is it the Wuji Divine Art?’

If Huashan had the Zixia True Qi that encompassed all energies, then Zhongnan had alchemy techniques aiming for the Wuji.

The speed of energy accumulation was, needless to say, the worst.

But the clarity of that internal energy more than compensated for that flaw.

‘If he accumulated that much internal energy using the Wuji Divine Art, then indeed… he must be the head of Zhongnan.’

When Gu Yangji recognized his opponent’s extraordinary nature and bowed his head, the old Taoist smiled faintly.

“Why bow as if you’ve done wrong?”

“I am merely ashamed that I did not bow first to the most senior elder of a great sect.”

“Your choice of words is rather difficult, unlike what I’d heard.”

“Thank you for your kind regard.”

“Heh heh.”

After a hollow laugh, the old Taoist scanned Gu Yangji and his eyes lit up.

“Hmm?”

“……?”

“Oh ho, it seems this fellow Wu Yue has quite a deep interest in you.”

At those words, Gu Yangjie tilted his head in confusion.

“What do you mean, ‘Muwol’?”

Gu Yangjie’s question made the old Taoist master look slightly startled.

“Did you not hear it from your master?”

Only then did Gu Yangjie let out a small gasp.

The ‘strange man’ he had met with Bai Danxian earlier suddenly came to mind.

If this strange man was the one the old Taoist spoke of, then Huashan Sect possessed a formidable master. Perhaps things could turn out well after all.

Yet, one thing still troubled Gu Yangjie.

‘A man who knows both the master of Wudang Sect and the head of Zongnan Sect.’

Why hadn’t such formidable credentials surfaced in his previous life?

The question, one he’d have to resolve someday, only deepened his thirst for answers.

But he couldn’t casually bring it up here.

That wasn’t why he’d come.

The priority was always to form a united front against the Black Dragon Sect first, then pressure the sect.

As Gu Yangji nodded, the Taoist murmured to himself.

“Still…?”

“……”

Gu Yangji committed those words to memory.

If he ever encountered that strange man again, they might be a card to buy time.

As Gu Yangji stared intently at him, the deep in thought Elder Luo finally introduced himself.

“My apologies for the late introduction, Master Gu Yang. I am Manshen Zhenren, the head of the Zhongnan Sect.“

Click.

Gu Yangji bowed with the utmost respect.

”It is an honor to meet you, Zhenren.“

”That will do.”

Seeing Gu Yangji’s excessive formality, Manshen Zhenren waved his hand lightly.

Yet even that simple gesture felt utterly devoid of presence, as if performed by a plant.

Gu Yangji’s eyes shone like obsidian.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed he glimpsed a fragment of the power the man possessed.

Then Mansun Jinren’s lips parted.

“It’s not a particularly good time to offer condolences.”

“Well, Sect Leader!”

“Enough. What lack do we have, what do we need to hide, that we would deceive a young disciple?”

After gently admonishing Master Shimwon, Master Mansun turned to look at Gu Yangjeok.

Unlike the hurried cultivators of late, preoccupied with refining their qi, his physique was sturdy.

Even facing the leader of a major sect, his head remained stiff, yet he did not lose his courtesy.

He also seemed to share a similar temperament to an old friend.

Recalling that far, Master Mansun shook his head heavily.

‘I’ve unintentionally planted a prejudice in Master Gu Yang’s mind…’

Though his whereabouts were now unknown, the Hwasan Sect cultivator named Muwol possessed truly absolute non-action.

Had he not chosen to withdraw from the world, he would surely still be spoken of as a legend among the Daoist sects.

Though the Xianjian Immortal of Wudang looked down on him, he knew that if they ever met in person, he wouldn’t be able to do so.

To Manshen Zhenren, Wuyue was both a close friend and a martial artist he deeply respected.

Having sorted out his thoughts to that point, Manshen Zhenren spoke to Gu Yang Jie.

“Yesterday, a martial artist wielding the Black Dragon Shield invaded our Zhongnan Sect.”

At those words, Gu Yangjie tilted his head.

“Eh? Is that so?”

“Fortunately, he didn’t lose his life, but he’s in critical condition. They say he was a master who wielded sword energy.”

Gu Yangjie feigned surprise, widening his eyes. Yet his gaze remained calmly composed.

‘A master.’

His tone suggested he wasn’t yet certain it was the real Black Dragon Sect.

Perhaps he intended to investigate thoroughly before deciding, suspecting it might be a scheme to sow discord.

‘I cannot wait that long.’

Gu Yangji spoke up.

“But, Master, do you not know what I said at the Huashan Sect?”

“……?”

At this out-of-the-blue remark, both Manshen Zhenren and the other cultivators furrowed their brows.

But Gu Yangji wasn’t referring to anything discussed during his time at the Huashan Sect.

Swish.

Countless letters exchanged with the Open Sect or the High Council poured out from Gu Yangji’s inner robe.

Though their contents varied, each letter bore a date stamped at the bottom.

A seal of authentication from Xiao Xing, the calligrapher of Shangzhou, was written above the date.

“Some of the letters are crumpled, aren’t they?”

At those words, Gu Yangjeok realized they were the letters he had crumpled that morning.

“I got so angry I just… did it.”

As Gu Yangjeok awkwardly scratched the back of his head, Mansun Jin’s gaze swept over him sharply.

But that action alone was genuine, so there was no sense of incongruity.

Master Mansun summoned several lay disciples and had them examine the letters.

“Could the calligraphy be forged?”

“No. It matches the calligraphy of Master Xiaoxing I’ve seen since childhood.”

“I see…”

Only then did Master Mansun call Master Shimwon to scrutinize the letters closely.

At least the date was genuine.

Moreover, for a Taoist, calligraphy was an inseparable, familiar presence.

Because of this, even the Taoist who wielded his brush like a weapon peered in curiously.

Thus, the contents of the letter seeped clearly and smoothly into the very core of the Zhongnan Sect.

“Hmm.”

Master Mansun let out a deep, low hum.

“What about the plan to destroy the Black Dragon Sect?”

“It was to bolster the morale of the Dao.”

“Why did you remain silent, knowing the sect had bound his words?”

“Because believing everything will unfold as one wishes is nothing but arrogance.”

Manseon Jin-in, gazing at Gu Yang-jeok with piercing eyes, posed the most crucial question.

“Why did you have the date written out individually on this letter and have a calligrapher authenticate it?”

A cold, ghostly light flared in Gu Yang-jeok’s eyes.

“There’s no need to ask. It’s to thoroughly punish the Black Dragon Sect for offending the great elder of Hwasan, isn’t it?”

Therefore, there must be not a single flaw.

Did that sincerity perhaps reach Manseon Jinren?

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them.

The first thing that entered his mind was, as expected, the fury of Simwon Jinren, who had witnessed Youngheoja’s critical injury right before his eyes.

Manseon Jinren’s eyebrows twitched.

“What does the disciple wish us to assist with now?”

Gu Yangjie answered simply.

“We must subdue the Black Dragon Sect first.”

At those words, Master Mansun replied as if he had been thinking the same thing.

“Understood.”

No sooner had that single word ended than the Zhongnan Sect had completed their preparations.

‘It’s been four hours since we left Huashan.’

Gu Yangjie gazed resolutely toward the distant Xian.

‘End this as quickly as possible.’

Gu Yangjie had only one goal.

To finish everything and subdue the enemy within Huashan Sect before they realized.