Reaper of the Drifting Moon - Chapter 206

The warehouse of the Wudang sect existed in the basement of Taihuo Temple.

It has existed since the time Taihuo Temple was built and has been forgotten from people’s memories for hundreds of years.

It was only during the extensive renovation of the halls ahead of Chongjin’s birthday that the warehouse was revealed to the world again.

The warehouse, which was discovered by chance, had a good environment for storing books.

This is also the reason why Chongjin decided to move all the important and major books of the Scripture Pavilion to this place until his birthday was over.

This was to prevent possible accidents.

The number of books might be smaller than Shaolin Temple, but there were numerous martial arts books in the Wudang sect Scripture Pavilion.

Most of them were Wudang sect martial arts, but there were also many martial arts books which are from the outside.

The Wudang sect has gone through many ups and downs over its long course of history.

They fought and took revenge against the forces that tried to trample their sect.

Fighting against numerous enemies, they felt the need to study the opponent’s martial arts. So, the Wudang sect disciples took the martial arts books of the fallen warriors and analyzed them.

There were hundreds of books collected in this way alone.

The Wudang sect divided the warehouse into two main sections.

The inner and outer warehouse.

The martial arts books of the Wudang sect were stored in the inner warehouse, while the martial arts books of the outsiders were placed in the outer warehouse.

Only after passing through the outer warehouse could a person enter the inner warehouse. This consequently made it more difficult to enter the inner warehouse than the outer warehouse.

However, this does not mean that the security of the outer warehouse is lax.

To enter the outer warehouse, one had to go through a large iron gate guarded by four taoists.

Furthermore, the location of the Taihuo Temple in the Wudang sect is in the center.

Dozens of taoists are always on guard, and spread out on different establishments.

The warehouse is in the basement of Taihuo Temple.

It was close to impossible for outsiders to break into the warehouse.

But it still happened.

“What is this?”

Woo-sung looked stunned as he stared at the wide open door of the outer warehouse.

The Wudang sect warriors standing guard in front of the outer warehouse were all bleeding. Each of them had thread-like wounds on their necks.

At first glance, it looked like they had been scratched by a tree branch.

The average person usually does not die from wounds like this. However, all of the monks were all dead.

The wounds may not seem much of a big deal on the surface, but the depth of the wound was deep enough to kill them.

“Tae-seon! Tae-hang!”

Woo-sung called the names of the dead monks.

All those who were guarding the outer warehouse were members of the Wudang sect. Although they were not direct disciples, they were promising talents who had been taught by Woo-sung.

Someone had secretly infiltrated Taihuo Temple and killed the disciples guarding the warehouse. This could only mean that the said person had been aiming for the warehouse all along.

“You guys, hurry up and inform the sect leader about this!”

“Yes!”

After giving orders to his disciples, Woo-sung hurriedly entered the outer warehouse.

There were more than hundreds of secret books in the outer warehouse.

It was impossible for the average person to memorize all these books. However, Woo-sung was the person in charge of managing the Scripture Pavilion for a long time.

Although he did not know every contents of the book, he remembered both the number and name of the books stored in this warehouse.

Woo-sung hurriedly looked through the bookshelves to see if there were any missing books.

He was in a hurry.

Among the secret grades stored in the outer warehouse, there was nothing that was not a great martial arts book.

If even one book is leaked, the world is bound to be in a frenzy.

After looking around for a while, Woo-sung found out what the missing book was.

Strength Grinding Demonic Martial Arts.1

It was a secret book that the Wudang sect got their hands on during the War of the Blood Heavens.

The Strength Grinding Demonic Martial Arts was known to have been mastered by Cheok Gye-young, the King of Devils,2 one of the best warriors of the Celestial Demon Union.

It was not known how the Wudang sect got the Grinding Demonic Martial Arts.

But one thing is certain.

The Strength Grinding Demonic Martial Arts is one of the greatest martial arts among the countless demonic arts in the world.

If it was known that the Strength Grinding Demonic Martial Arts was leaked, then great confusion and chaos would occur in the world.

“Oh no–!”

Woo-sung’s face turned white.

At that time, Chongjin and the elders of the Wudang sect arrived at the outer warehouse.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“Sect leader!”

“I won’t ask a second time.”

Woo-sung hurriedly told the angry Chongjin what had happened.

After hearing the entire story, the faces of Chongjin and the elders quickly hardened.

“So, while most of the sect’s attention was drawn to the disturbance that occurred in Qingliu Temple, an assassin took this opportunity to break into the warehouse.”

“That’s right.”

Woo-sung replied weakly.

Gong-jin’s complexion, who was nearby, also turned white.

At the time when books were stolen, the attention of the Wudang sect disciples was focused on the turmoil in Qingliu Temple. Even some of the guards at Taihuo Temple came out to watch.

Woo-sung and Gong-jin had escalated the issue without being able to calmly grasp the situation. Because of that, the attention of the Wudang sect was concentrated on Qingliu Temple, and thus reducing the surveillance on major establishments such as the Taihuo Temple.

It was truly a case of making a noise on the east and attacking west.

Gong-jin staggered as if he was about to collapse.

He was proud of being called the brains of the Wudang sect. But he ended up being deceived by the enemy’s tricks, only focusing and aggravating the incident in Qingliu Temple.

It was truly embarrassing to say the least.

Chongjin clarified the situation.

“So, Hong Mugwang is just used as a scapegoat to attract all the attention of the sect. In that time, the assassin incapacitate the people guarding the outer warehouse to steal the Strength Grinding Demonic Martial Arts?”

“That’s right.”

“Then the first person to intimidate Soma was a young master of the Rain Mountain Manor?”

“Yes!”

“Then Woo-sung and Gong-jin stepped forward and intervened?”

“Yes!”

The two men answered helplessly.

Gong-jin and Woo-sung bowed their heads. They could not look at Chongjin straight in the eyes.

Chongjin’s gaze turned to Woo Pyeong.

“Before this incident, Pyo-wol said to be wary of a female singer, right?”

“Yes. That’s why I started investigating all of the musicians and artists who entered the sect.”

“He also warned me to beware of the Hundred Wraith Union.”

Chongjin’s eyes became sharp.

Putting Pyo-wol’s words together, the female singer named Hong Ye-seol, who was invited to his birthday party, must have been an assassin from the Hundred Wraith Union.

“Sang-jin.”

“Yes, senior brother!”

The Wudang Sect Number One Sword, Sang-jin, stepped forward and answered.

“Take the Wudang sect’s Seven Swords and track down Hong Ye-seol. From the circumstances, it seems that she is an assassin from the Hundred Wraith Union.”

“I’m sorry, senior brother, but can we really trust his words?”

“Sang-jin.”

“Yes!”

“No matter what anyone says, you are definitely the Wudang Sect’s Number One Sword. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore my words..”

“Pardon? When did I?”

Sang-jin looked at Chongjin in surprise.

Chongjin continued with his characteristic benevolent smile.

“Your sense of selflessness has been the driving force behind your great development, making you earn your reputation as the Wudang sect’s Number One Sword. But at the same time, this caused your field of vision to narrow. You have forgotten how to look at things with a wide perspective. Think broadly, and learn to see through the nature of people. Appearances aren’t everything.”

Sang-jin didn’t say anything.

It was the first time that Chongjin had said such a thing to him after growing up.

So it felt more heartbreaking.

“Go ahead. I’ll tell you the details after you catch her.”

“Okay. I’ll be sure to catch that assassin.”

“I trust you.”

“Yes!”

Sang-jin answered and went outside.

The Wudang sect Seven Swords followed right behind him.

Chongjin’s eyes now turned to Gong-jin.

“Gong-jin.”

“Yes, senior brother!”

“You said that the first person to intimidate Soma was young master Jang of the Rain Mountain Manor, right?”

“That’s right.”

“If an assassin is striking west, then she must be at the east.”

“That’s too speculative…”

“Gong-jin!”

“Yes!”

“I’m very disappointed in you. It’s good that you took the time to celebrate my birthday, but it has caused so many problems. Furthermore, you still don’t know what you did wrong.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Look at the bigger picture. You can never break the mold just by looking at the fragmentary aspects. The assassin has already broken the mold and sees the big picture, so don’t underestimate her as simply as an assassin. Acknowledge her abilities. Only then can you develop.”

“Okay, senior brother!”

Gong-jin lowered his head and replied.

A shameful look flashed across his face.

It was clear that there’s a problem with him for Chongjin to say and point out this much.

At that time, a Wudang sect disciple ran up and whispered something in Woo Pyeong’s ear.

Woo Pyeong hurriedly told Chongjin.

“Young master Jang and his party had already left the sect and gone down the mountain.”

“Hm…”

“Should I send someone to go after them?”

“Leave them alone.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s no need for the Wudang sect to come forward and cause a conflict with the Rain Mountain Manor. Even if it’s not us, there will be someone else to deal with young master Jang.”

“No way. Do you mean—? “

Chongjin nodded.

“A person like him never forgets his grudges. There’s no reason for the Wudang sect to have blood on its hands.”

* * *

Jang Muyeon and White Tiger Sword Corps ran down the mountain slope at terrifying speed. They may have gone down the Wudang Mountain, but it was still too early for them to feel relieved.

The strength of the Wudang sect is not limited to the people inside the Wudang Mountain.

The entire Hubei province was under their influence.

“Shit!”

Jang Muyeon gritted his teeth.

That woman was the problem.

She had sneaked into his room like a stray cat in the middle of the night.

Hong Ye-seol.

How could an ordinary face look so alluring?

He fell in love with her whispers as if he had been drunk on something.

It would have been less unfair if they had slept together, but that wasn’t the case either.

Now that he thinks about it. It was strange. For an experienced man like him to fall for a woman’s whispers and act according to her wishes.

Hong Ye-seol said that she wanted revenge because she was humiliated by Pyo-wol, so Jang Muyeon was willing to stand up for her.

The woman wanted revenge on Pyo-wol, while he wanted the sword, Gongbu, which was in Soma’s hands.

Their interests coincided, so Jang Muyeon boldly used Hong Mugwang.

That was the problem.

Now that he looked back into it, he doesn’t know anything about Hong Ye-seol.

He only knew her name.

It might not even be her real name.

It was like being possessed by a ghost.

Everything was full of incomprehensible things.

Jang Muyeon decided to think about Hong Ye-seol later.

The important thing was to get out of the Wudang sect’s territory.

The Wudang sect might have already noticed by now that they were involved in a series of events.

People clamored that the power of the Rain Mountain Manor was as good as that of the Wudang sect, but in fact there was a considerable gap between the two factions.

It didn’t matter if the Rain Mountain Manor had grown rapidly in recent decades, it was close to impossible to have power equal to that of the Wudang sect with hundreds of years of power.

Thankfully, the territories of the two forces did not overlap, so there was no reason for them to clash. Anyone could easily predict that the Rain Mountain Manor would suffer greater damage if the two sects decided to collide head-on.

Although the Wudang sect would not directly pressure the Rain Mountain Manor for the sake of saving face, it was clear that the latter sect would have their activities greatly restricted in Hubei Province.

The restrictions on Rain Mountain Manor’s activities in Hubei Province would not be a problem if his purpose was achieved.

But the problem is that he hasn’t gotten his hands on Gongbu yet.

If he can’t return with the sword, Gongbu, then his father Jang Pyeongsan will be greatly disappointed. And if that happens, he will be completely excluded from the successor rights.

That worst-case scenario had to be prevented.

Jang Muyeon gave an order to Joo Cheon-hak, the captain of the White Tiger Sword Corps.

“Immediately summon all members of the White Tiger Sword Corps.”

“Alright.”

Joo Cheon-hak was also aware of the seriousness of the situation, so he answered right away.

The White Tiger Sword Corps, which could not climb Wudang Mountain, was waiting at the foot of the mountain. If their forces joined, they had nothing to be afraid of.

“I must obtain Gongbu. That is the only way to overcome this situation.”

Jang Muyeon looked at Wudang Mountain, which was immersed in darkness.

He felt a cold wind blowing from Wudang Mountain.