Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 52

 

“Nothing much here.”

 

Mujin scratched his head as he spoke, having thoroughly searched this floor.

 

Despite the flashy exterior, the inside was completely empty.

 

There were valuable items to be seen, but no important documents or clues were visible.

 

Namgung Cheon’s gaze turned toward the upper floor.

 

“It must be on the third floor.”

 

“Are you certain?”

 

“The more guilty they are, the more they keep everything close to themselves.”

 

Those types who could only feel at ease by keeping their safety and secrets in the closest place possible.

 

He had seen countless such people in his previous life.

 

The two moved their steps to the third floor.

 

And.

 

“There’s only one room.”

 

Unlike the lower floors which had various rooms, the third floor had exactly one.

 

Only a single tightly closed door stood at the end of the corridor. It was clearly the Caretaker’s quarters.

 

Creak.

 

When Namgung Cheon opened the door, a space decorated with lavish ornaments was revealed.

 

Expensive furniture filling the walls and valuable-looking ceramics.

 

“Hmm, quite impressive.”

 

Mujin entered with admiration.

 

Namgung Cheon didn’t spare a glance at the fancy items and immediately began carefully checking the walls and floor.

 

And soon.

 

Thud. Thump.

 

He found spots on one side of the wall and under the desk that produced different, dull sounds from other places.

 

“Let’s check the desk first.”

 

Namgung Cheon immediately pushed the desk to the side.

 

Then a stone floor, different from the surroundings, came into view.

 

Namgung Cheon felt along its edges with his fingertips.

 

His finger caught on a protrusion as fine as a hair.

 

When he sent a stream of internal energy there, a heavy grinding sound echoed from beneath the floor.

 

Rumble.

 

Soon the stone floor slid to the side, revealing a space large enough for one person to enter.

 

It was the Secret Treasury that the Caretaker had hidden.

 

Mujin, who peered inside, quietly exclaimed in admiration.

 

“They’ve accumulated an incredible amount.”

 

The space was filled with gold ingots.

 

A massive amount that would easily be worth several thousand taels by rough estimate.

 

There were also several expensive gems and ornaments visible.

 

Namgung Cheon looked at the gold ingots and soon said.

 

“We should take them. We’ll have many uses for them ahead.”

 

“Haha, fortunately. People are the problem, but money is innocent, isn’t it? Of course we should take it.”

 

While Mujin joked around and gathered the spoils, Namgung Cheon’s gaze fixed on a small rosewood box placed in the corner of the gold pile.

 

A box that looked extremely shabby compared to the splendid treasures.

 

But since it was placed in such a treasury, it couldn’t be ordinary.

 

Namgung Cheon took out the box and opened it.

 

Inside were a piece of old silk, a small wooden plaque, and one book.

 

He first unfolded the silk piece.

 

.

 

Muyeongjicho Gwibulmu.

 

‘Where there are no shadows, ghosts do not dance.’

 

A cryptic phrase whose meaning was unclear.

 

‘I’ll keep this for now.’

 

Next was the wooden plaque.

 

It was a crude plaque carved from old wood, but the pattern engraved on it was strange.

 

Nine circles overlapping as if invading each other.

 

‘Nine circles…’

 

It was a pattern he had never seen even in his previous life as Cheonma.

 

Though he prided himself on knowing much about Gangho, this pattern was unfamiliar.

 

‘Something even I don’t know.’

 

As Namgung Cheon quietly examined the wooden plaque, Mujin, who had approached at some point, also looked at the pattern and tilted his head.

 

“It’s a pattern I’ve never seen before. Does this represent the mastermind behind these bastards?”

 

“I can’t tell right now. However, since this came from here, it must have meaning. I plan to look into it gradually.”

 

At that moment, Namgung Cheon briefly pondered whether to show this wooden plaque to Akmugyeol.

 

But he immediately shook his head.

 

‘While it’s dangerous for Akmugyeol to know a plaque I don’t, my knowing a plaque he doesn’t can always be a weapon.’

 

Information asymmetry.

 

It was the most important factor determining the balance of power.

 

There was no need to share information that even he didn’t know with others and diminish its value.

 

Namgung Cheon carefully stored the wooden plaque deep in his robes.

 

The last remaining item was one old book.

 

No title was written on the cover.

 

‘I need to check the contents.’

 

Namgung Cheon turned the pages.

 

The incantations written at the beginning looked like ordinary internal energy cultivation methods commonly seen in other sects.

 

Basic content dealing with dantian breathing and energy circulation.

 

‘Is it a mental cultivation method?’

 

But as he turned the pages, his eyes narrowed.

 

The written content was certainly close to basic cultivation methods, but Namgung Cheon saw through the subtle differences.

 

‘Not the energy of the dantian… it’s touching the primordial energy.’

 

A subtle difference that ordinary martial artists wouldn’t notice.

 

But it couldn’t fool the eyes of Namgung Cheon, who had mastered all demonic arts under heaven.

 

It was a method of using the source of life hidden deep in the heart, the primordial energy, along with the dantian’s internal energy.

 

‘How thoroughly vicious.’

 

On the surface, it would just look like a mental cultivation method with strong power.

 

But Namgung Cheon saw through it.

 

If one cultivated according to this formula, they would gain explosive power but their body would slowly burn from within.

 

Each time they used martial arts, their lifespan would be shaved away, and they would inevitably meet a miserable death.

 

‘Rather than martial arts… it’s no different from a curse that forces a life with limited time.’

 

It was a mental cultivation method for creating disposable tools.

 

‘They probably intended to make the kidnapped children learn this.’

 

What if these kidnappings had continued, and hundreds or thousands who learned this martial art were released into Gangho?

 

It was a horrifying thought.

 

‘I need to look into this as soon as I return to the family.’

 

Namgung Cheon put the secret manual in his robes with a cold expression.

 

“Have you gathered everything?”

 

When Namgung Cheon asked, Mujin showed him a sack filled with all kinds of treasures and grinned.

 

“Of course.”

 

“Then now we need to check the wall.”

 

Namgung Cheon stood in front of the wall where the strange sound had come from earlier.

 

Then he felt around the scroll hanging on the wall.

 

Then.

 

Click.

 

Something pressed down and the entire wall vibrated before sliding to the side.

 

Rumble—.

 

A secret passage was revealed.

 

A musty smell and medicinal odor wafted out.

 

Namgung Cheon and Mujin exchanged glances and entered the passage.

 

The passage wasn’t long.

 

Soon a heavy iron door appeared, and after unlatching it and entering, a stone chamber was revealed.

 

And inside the cold stone chamber, five children lying down came into view.

 

Mujin hurriedly approached and examined the children’s condition.

 

Pale faces, weak breathing.

 

But their pulses were beating regularly.

 

Mujin let out a sigh of relief and said.

 

“…Fortunately, their lives aren’t in danger. It seems they’ve been put into a deep sleep with acupuncture and medicine.”

 

Namgung Cheon nodded as if relieved and looked over the children.

 

Each one had a sturdy frame and exceptional flow of energy and blood.

 

‘Their martial talent is outstanding.’

 

It became clear they had intended to make them learn that strange evil technique from earlier.

 

“But what shall we do with these children? If they have parents, that would be fortunate…”

 

Mujin looked at Namgung Cheon with worried eyes.

 

Namgung Cheon fell into thought for a moment.

 

‘If they have parents, we can send them back, but…’

 

If they were orphans, even after leaving this hell, another hell might be waiting for them.

 

After being lost in thought for a while, Namgung Cheon slowly nodded and spoke.

 

“There’s a good way. So for now, we need to leave this island.”

 

“A way…”

 

Mujin had many things he wanted to ask.

 

What items Namgung Cheon had taken, and what he planned to do with the children.

 

But he kept his mouth shut.

 

Because he saw unwavering conviction in Namgung Cheon’s eyes.

 

For now, it was enough to just safely escape with these children.

 

However, there was one thing he had to say.

 

“Young master.”

 

Mujin called out to Namgung Cheon while carrying one child on his back.

 

Namgung Cheon, who had shouldered a child, turned his head.

 

“You worked hard.”

 

A sincere word.

 

At those words, Namgung Cheon looked at Mujin for a moment and quietly replied.

 

“You as well.”

 

Then a faint smile appeared on Namgung Cheon’s lips.

 

Seeing that smile, Mujin burst into laughter.

 

“So the young master knows how to smile like that. It looks good. Please smile like that more often from now on.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

With a short cough, the corners of Namgung Cheon’s mouth went down.

 

* * *

 

A quiet inn near Akyangnu.

 

Morning sunlight filtering through the window bars was illuminating the room.

 

In one corner of the room, the five children brought from Monghwando were huddled together eating porridge.

 

Despite having starved for days, they weren’t eating hastily, but carefully moving their spoons while watching for reactions.

 

That sight alone made it possible to imagine the suffering the children had endured.

 

Mujin, who had been watching the children, carefully approached Namgung Cheon who was drinking tea and whispered.

 

“…They all say they have nowhere to go and no parents. Some children can’t even remember their names, perhaps due to shock.”

 

At those words, Namgung Cheon put down his teacup and quietly asked back.

 

“So they’re all orphans.”

 

“Shh! Your voice is too loud!”

 

Mujin startled and made a gesture of covering his mouth.

 

“The children will hear. They’re already walking on eggshells like that, what if they get hurt?”

 

Namgung Cheon looked at the children with indifferent eyes.

 

Hurt.

 

Well, compared to the hell those children would have experienced, the word orphan might be rather a light scratch.

 

‘In my previous life, I was also an orphan.’

 

But he had ultimately become the Cheonma.

 

In the end, what mattered wasn’t the past, but how they would live going forward.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Tap.

 

Mujin carefully placed his hand on his sword hilt.

 

“Someone’s coming.”

 

It was right after killing the Gwimyeon-gye.

 

Someone approaching secretly at this point couldn’t mean anything good.

 

Mujin’s eyes shone sharply.

 

“I don’t sense killing intent, but it’s not ordinary. We should prepare.”

 

But Namgung Cheon smiled lightly as he put down his teacup.

 

“It’s fine. More than an acquaintance, it’s someone I’m familiar with now.”

 

“…?”

 

Mujin looked at Namgung Cheon with a puzzled expression.

 

Then Namgung Cheon looked toward the door and spoke.

 

“Come in.”

 

Creak—.

 

The door opened and a man entered.

 

He was hiding his identity with a deeply pulled bamboo hat and shabby robes, but the heavy presence leaking through couldn’t be concealed.

 

It was Akmugyeol, the Black Wind Division leader.

 

Mujin’s hand instinctively twitched.

 

But he didn’t draw his sword.

 

It was because of the story he had heard from Namgung Cheon before departure.

 

The fact that the one who had provided information about the Gwimyeon-gye was none other than Akmugyeol.

 

‘This man is the famous Black Ghost Sword Lord.’

 

Eyes filled with curiosity rather than wariness.

 

Sensing that gaze, Akmugyeol glanced at Mujin from under his bamboo hat.

 

As their eyes met, Namgung Cheon looked at Mujin and said.

 

“Please take the children to the next room for a moment.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Mujin stood up without question.

 

He instinctively knew that the conversation between Namgung Cheon and Akmugyeol wouldn’t be appropriate for the children to hear.

 

“Children, let’s go. Let’s order something more delicious to eat.”

 

Mujin led the children out of the room.

 

The door closed, leaving only two people in the room—Namgung Cheon and Akmugyeol.

 

Akmugyeol slowly removed his bamboo hat.

 

His revealed face bore fatigue along with a strange sense of anticipation.

 

“You came earlier than I expected.”

 

Namgung Cheon said as he filled his teacup.

 

Akmugyeol’s eyes, now visible beneath the bamboo hat, gleamed sharply.

 

“I have many things I’m curious about.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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