The Great Heavenly Sword Emperor - Chapter 37

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

#037. Echoes of Gwigok (3)

The moment Cheon Mujgyeol arrived at Bohyeon Temple with Beok Gung Danya, treatment began at once.
Though Beok Gung Danya had lost consciousness briefly while being carried on Cheon Mujgyeol’s back, he was now lucid and receiving care.
In the meantime, Cheon Mujgyeol handed over the evidence he’d recovered from Gwang An, changed his clothes, and made his way to the temple hall behind the Mountain Spirit Pavilion.
Gwang An stood there, scrutinizing the materials with a grave expression.
Cheon Mujgyeol entered quietly and took his usual seat, then reached for the tea Gwang An had prepared.
“Hmm…….”
After a long examination of the documents, Gwang An furrowed his brow slightly and released a quiet sigh.
“These won’t serve as evidence?”
Cheon Mujgyeol asked.
Gwang An relaxed his expression and shook his head.
“No. There’s substantial material here that would constitute evidence. But there are gaps—missing links throughout. It seems there should have been more…….”
Gwang An trailed off and turned to Cheon Mujgyeol.
“What happened out there? Young Master Beok Gung was badly wounded. I didn’t think the situation could be that dangerous.”
“Gwigok showed themselves.”
As he spoke, Cheon Mujgyeol produced the Gwiwang Notes he’d recovered from those at the harbor.
“Gwigok appeared…….”
“It means Gwigok is connected to Dongbang Sega. Their aims seem twofold: kill Beok Gung Danya and destroy the evidence.”
Gwang An let out a hollow laugh at Cheon Mujgyeol’s words, as if the wind had been knocked from him.
“So our hypothesis was correct. Gwigok grew with Dongbang Sega’s support, carrying out the work Dongbang Sega couldn’t do openly.”
“More than that—Gwigok remains subordinate to Dongbang Sega even now.”
Gwang An nodded at Cheon Mujgyeol’s words.
While there was no definitive proof, every circumstance pointed to that truth.
“That’s why you couldn’t recover all the evidence.”
“There was simply too much. Even without Gwigok’s interference, full recovery would have been impossible.”
“If Gwigok hadn’t appeared, we would have retrieved everything ourselves.”
Gwang An reviewed the evidence once more, regret evident in his movements.
“We can still use this to pressure Dongbang Sega. But our leverage will be limited. If they wish to slip away, they’ll find plenty of holes to exploit.”
“This is sufficient. What we need isn’t perfect evidence, but justification—something to stand on.”
“True enough. Still, the less possibility they have for counterattack, the better.”
Gwang An was considering the situation from every angle.
Cheon Mujgyeol, who had been quietly lifting his teacup, stopped mid-motion and gazed toward the temple door.
Sensing something in Cheon Mujgyeol’s fixed stare, Gwang An turned as well.
Creak.
The door opened, and an entirely unexpected figure emerged.
It was Jang Pa Poong.
“What brings you here so suddenly?” Gwang An asked, startled.
But Jang Pa Poong entered without answering, his gaze fixed solely on Cheon Mujgyeol.
Then, without even looking at what he held, he tossed something toward Gwang An.
Gwang An caught several small documents.
The moment he opened them, his eyes widened.
“Where did you get these?”
But Jang Pa Poong ignored the question, his gaze locked on Cheon Mujgyeol.
“I told you not to interfere in our affairs.”
“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t come here to meddle in what you’re doing.”
With that, Jang Pa Poong took the seat across from Cheon Mujgyeol.
“I simply followed Gwigok’s traces.”
Jang Pa Poong’s eyes bore into Cheon Mujgyeol.
The resentment from their last encounter lingered plainly between them.
“These should fill in the crucial missing pieces,” Gwang An said, his voice tinged with excitement.
What Jang Pa Poong had brought was vital evidence linking the Heugwe Organization and Dongbang Sega.
What Cheon Mujgyeol had provided alone was insufficient, but Jang Pa Poong’s materials filled most of those gaps.
Cheon Mujgyeol looked at Jang Pa Poong and spoke.
“You followed Gwigok’s traces. But Mukyeon didn’t appear at the harbor where we fought.”

“Hmph! You think Gwigok only appears in that one place? Gwigok has surfaced elsewhere as well. Abandon your arrogance that what you’ve seen and experienced is the whole truth.”
At Jang Pa Poong’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol glanced toward Gwang An.
No information about Gwigok had arrived yet, so this too was news to Gwang An.
And just then.
“Abbot.”
A voice came from outside, and Gwang An quietly stepped out of the hall.
“Whether that’s evidence or not, I don’t know, but there’s one reason I brought it.”
With that, Jang Pa Poong’s gaze fixed sharply on Cheon Mujgyeol.
“The more you two stir things up, the more Gwigok—hidden until now—reveals itself. We only need to catch Gwigok. And I’m fully prepared to use you for that purpose.”
Gwang An, who had quietly left, entered again.
“Gwigok has appeared. Multiple strongholds of the Heugwe Organization were struck simultaneously and destroyed. It appears the Dongbang Sega used Gwigok to cover their traces.”
At Gwang An’s report, Cheon Mujgyeol looked toward Jang Pa Poong and spoke.
“Whether you pursue Gwigok, seek revenge against them, or do anything else—I have no concern. So long as you don’t interfere with my affairs.”
“Hmph! I have no intention of interfering with your affairs, nor of helping them.”
Jang Pa Poong snorted once more.
Then, as if his business here was finished, he rose from his seat.
“For my revenge and that of Mukyeon, run about with sweat on your heels.”
With those words, Jang Pa Poong stirred the air and departed in a sharp whistle of wind.
After Jang Pa Poong left, Gwang An sighed and spoke.
“I didn’t expect Mukyeon would prove useful in quite this way.”
Gwang An held up the documents Jang Pa Poong had handed over and shook them as he spoke.
“It’s merely coincidence that things happened to align. Place no hope in them.”
“Your thoughts on Mukyeon haven’t changed, I see.”
“There’s no reason they should.”
“Used well, Mukyeon could prove quite valuable. Their target is Gwigok, but now that we’ve confirmed Gwigok is connected to the Dongbang Sega, we’ll keep encountering them going forward.”
“If we meet them, we meet them. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Hmm… I understand. For now, I’ll analyze the evidence I gathered today more thoroughly.”
Cheon Mujgyeol nodded at Gwang An’s words.
“Now there’s only the matter of moving against the Dongbang Sega. When do you intend to act?”
“Once Beok Gung Danya’s treatment is complete.”
“It shouldn’t take long.”
Cheon Mujgyeol, nodding at Gwang An’s answer, spoke again.
“I should compose a warning letter to send them.”
Gwang An smiled at Cheon Mujgyeol’s words.
“A warning letter, eh? The greater the shock, the better. I’ll devise an effective approach.”
Cheon Mujgyeol nodded at his words.

* * *

Following the waterways that begin at Hongze Lake in Jiangsu Province, flowing downriver, one reaches a place called Yangzhou.
Because the provincial capital of Nanjing lay nearby, Yangzhou was hardly a remarkable place in itself.
But now it had become as grand a city as Nanjing itself.
A short distance beyond the center of Yangzhou District, in the outskirts.
There stood an estate so vast it would not be an exaggeration to call it fit for an emperor.
Or rather, it should have been called a fortress instead of an estate.
The reason Yangzhou had become as large and magnificent a city as Nanjing.
It was entirely due to the Dongbang Sega.
The man who brought the Dongbang Sega—which had grown explosively from its origins as a Protector Family—to its pinnacle was Dongbang Cheonbaek.
Thus Dongbang Cheonbaek’s position in the Gangho was regarded as that of a being beyond heaven itself, utterly untouchable.
Deep within the massive fortress.
Lay the study and quarters of Dongbang Cheonbaek, the Family Patriarch of the Dongbang Sega.
There, the Patriarch Dongbang Cheonbaek and Dongbang Yeonhui, the Military Strategist of the Dongbang Sega, were in conference.
“So in the end, you failed to achieve your objective?”
“My apologies. I am ashamed.”
The atmosphere between these two men of similar age was heavy.
Though Dongbang Cheonbaek’s expression and tone betrayed no disturbance, Dongbang Yeonhui felt the weight keenly.
“It was something we were bound to face eventually. It matters not.”
At Dongbang Cheonbaek’s words, Dongbang Yeonhui bowed respectfully.
“Soon the descendant of the Cheonsin Sword Masters will advance toward us bearing the Cheonsin Sword.”
“Indeed, it will come to that.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Whether the descendant of the Heavenly Sword Immortal can truly handle the Dongbang Sega—so different from what it was in the past.”
Dongbang Cheonbaek’s words brimmed with confidence.
The Dongbang Sega of the Protector Family era and the Dongbang Sega of today had become entirely different clans.
He had every reason to project such certainty.
“From now on, he will feel the power of the Dongbang Sega bone-deep.”
Dongbang Yeonhui raised his head and spoke with conviction.
Dongbang Cheonbaek watched Dongbang Yeonhui in silence.
“The power of the Dongbang Sega does not lie in martial skill alone. He will feel the weight of everything the Dongbang Sega commands—the greatest power in the Gangho.”
“That’s how it should be. Every resource the Dongbang Sega possesses must become a blade that pierces him.”
“Of course. He will come to understand just how shallow his thinking truly was.”
Dongbang Yeonhui’s voice carried confidence no less formidable than Dongbang Cheonbaek’s own.
This was only natural—if Dongbang Cheonbaek had been the architect of the Dongbang Sega’s steep ascent, then Dongbang Yeonhui was the strategist who had supported him from the shadows with brilliant planning and calculation.
Without Dongbang Yeonhui, the Dongbang Sega would never have risen to its current position.
Thus Dongbang Yeonhui commanded considerable influence within the Dongbang Sega itself—indeed, throughout the Gangho.
“You’ve devised the plan, haven’t you?”
“Naturally. The plan is complete, and the preparations are flawless. Every move he has made will turn back upon him like a snare, strangling him from within.”
At Dongbang Yeonhui’s words, Dongbang Cheonbaek nodded.
Then came a knock.
“Family Patriarch, you must come outside.”
From beyond the study door came the voice of Dongbang Jinhyeok, one of the five Protectors of the Dongbang Sega.
“What is it?”
Dongbang Cheonbaek asked without rising from his seat.
“Someone has arrived at the main gate with a coffin, waiting for an audience.”
At Dongbang Jinhyeok’s words, Dongbang Cheonbaek frowned and glanced at Dongbang Yeonhui.
“It seems he sent it. Let’s go have a look.”
Dongbang Cheonbaek rose from his seat at Dongbang Yeonhui’s words.

* * *

Beyond the imposing main gate of the Dongbang Sega.
All five Protectors of the Dongbang Sega stood with grim expressions.
Before them stood Gwang An and several monks from Bohyeon Temple.
And before them lay a coffin, just as Dongbang Jinhyeok had described.
Moments later.
Dongbang Cheonbaek and Dongbang Yeonhui emerged from the shadows.
Dongbang Cheonbaek’s serene gaze fell upon Gwang An, who pressed his palms together and bowed his head.
“I bow before the Family Patriarch of the Dongbang Sega. I am Gwang An, abbot of a temple called Bohyeon.”
Gwang An offered his salutation with measured composure, his palms pressed in respect.
“What business brings a Buddhist monk from Bohyeon to the Dongbang Sega? And bearing a coffin, no less.”
“I have been asked by someone to deliver it. The details will become clear once you open it.”
At Gwang An’s reply, Dongbang Jinhyeok stepped forward instead of Dongbang Cheonbaek.
“You’re asking us to inspect a corpse?”
“That too will become evident when it is opened.”
Gwang An offered no further explanation.
“Open it.”
Dongbang Cheonbaek, already suspecting who had sent it, cut through the ceremony with a command.
Dongbang Jinhyeok stepped forward and lifted the lid of the unnailed coffin.
After peering inside, Dongbang Jinhyeok turned to Dongbang Cheonbaek.
“There is no body. Instead, there is writing.”
Dongbang Jinhyeok’s voice trembled.
Not from nerves or fear, but from pure, incandescent fury.
“Read it.”
At Dongbang Cheonbaek’s command, Dongbang Jinhyeok read the inscription aloud, slowly and deliberately.
“I come to settle accounts. Cheon Mujgyeol.”
The instant Dongbang Jinhyeok finished reading, the air around them crystallized into frozen silence.

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