Fox Pretends to Be the Tiger
Mu-jin did not simply interrupt Jegal Gi-hwan’s words and vilify him.
“We are just the cleaners here to remove the shameless trash who murdered their kin blinded by a thirst for power, and sold out the people of the family! Therefore, anyone who tries to stop us from now on will be considered an accomplice of that trash!”
Mu-jin’s words were nothing less than a declaration of war.
A declaration of war against hundreds of Jegal family warriors, with merely about twenty men.
But such a disparity in numbers was meaningless. For behind him stood one of the Three Swords of the World.
“Master!”
Responding to Mu-jin’s call, Yunheo Zhenren, who had been hiding his face with a mask, revealed himself.
“As Mu-jin So-hyeop said, do not block my way. I do not wish to stain this sword with the blood of fellow righteous people.”
As Yunheo Zhenren stepped forward and drew his sword with a natural gait, a smile tugged at the corners of Mu-jin’s mouth.
“Ah, this is the thrill.”
Although relying on a tiger while acting like a fox felt despicable, actually being the fox in this scenario was a delight.
However, it wouldn’t do to let the tiger destroy everything.
– Please keep the side warriors from moving with your words.
Mu-jin quickly sent a telepathic message to Jegal Jin-hee and Jegal Gung, who then began to shout.
“This is to remove the shameless scum who tried to sell out the family! As valuable members of the family, you should not interfere and risk shedding blood!”
“Shaolin and Wudang have pledged their names! They will only deal with Jegal Gi-hwan and Jegal Hyun, who came to seize the family, and then leave!”
While they were shouting to calm the side warriors, Yunheo Zhenren had already climbed to the main gate of the Jegal family and was performing a sword dance, approaching Jegal Gi-hwan.
“Stop him!”
Of course, there were those who stepped forward to save Jegal Gi-hwan.
Swish!
But regardless of who they were, they were neatly cut down by Yunheo Zhenren’s sword dance.
As the distance between Yunheo Zhenren and Jegal Gi-hwan rapidly closed.
Bzzz!
Suddenly, an immense energy began to concentrate somewhere, with qi waves overflowing.
Swish.
“Hmph.”
Looking towards the source of the qi waves after slicing down another warrior, Yunheo Zhenren saw a middle-aged swordsman creating a red star formation.
Yeom Do-cheol, who created the sword formation, quickly launched a powerful attack at Yunheo Zhenren.
Whiiish.
But following Yunheo Zhenren’s Taiji movements, the red star formation scattered like a mirage.
However, Yeom Do-cheol did not expect his attack to land. His opponent was the Taiji Sword Immortal.
“Delay him, even if it means sacrificing yourselves!”
“Understood!”
While Yeom Do-cheol briefly delayed Yunheo Zhenren with his sword formation, dozens of warriors surrounded Yunheo Zhenren.
“Master! Follow me!”
At the same time, Yeom Do-cheol forcibly dragged Jegal Gi-hwan and started to flee.
“What are you doing!”
Jegal Gi-hwan shouted, taken aback by Yeom Do-cheol’s sudden action.
– We must survive to fight another day! I have a plan for such an eventuality, follow me...
“Ugh!”
Yeom Do-cheol, who was sending a telepathic message to persuade Jegal Gi-hwan, groaned in pain.
His left arm had been cut off.
This was the result of Yunheo Zhenren’s quick reaction. As soon as Yeom Do-cheol started fleeing with Jegal Gi-hwan, Yunheo Zhenren sent a sword flying using his Qi Control Sword Technique.
“Do you not value your lives?”
Originally aiming for the heart, the trajectory shifted slightly due to a few warriors throwing themselves in the way, resulting in the arm being severed instead.
“We’ll assist! Yunheo Zhenren, please chase after those two!”
Though Mu-jin had intended to merely act superior, he couldn’t let those two escape, so he quickly joined the fight.
Following him, the Muja Trio, Cheongsu Dojang, Dao Yuetian, and some Jegal family warriors joined in.
Even as Yunheo Zhenren swiftly dealt with over a dozen opponents blocking his way, he soared through the air in pursuit of the two fleeing men using his Heavenly Ascension Technique.
He worried about his past schemes being exposed.
However, to his surprise.
“Indeed. That’s why.”
Jegal Jin-hee seemed deeply moved by the “Prophetic Legend of the Shaolin Dragon.”
“Wow!!”
“Woohoo!!”
“Hahaha, as expected of Mu-jin.”
Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling showed interest as if listening to a fairy tale.
On the other hand, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who had spent six years with Mu-jin at Shaolin, were dumbfounded.
“Is he really that devout?”
The idea that the rebellious monk, who defied Shaolin’s monks, enjoyed meat and alcohol, was devout was laughable.
They had even seen him throw aside sutras in boredom while studying Shaolin’s martial arts texts.
But even they were confused.
‘Come to think of
it, he did know a lot of peculiar things, like the miraculous elixir we found on the mountain.’
‘And at Shaolin, nothing went wrong following his advice. That’s why the elders eventually started trusting him.’
As everyone began to believe Dao Yuetian’s words.
‘What’s happening?’
Mu-jin was more bewildered.
‘Why are they believing such nonsense?’
Though he had sold the idea to Dao Yuetian, seeing others believe it was astonishing.
Beyond that.
‘Should I have just claimed to have divine powers from the start?’
It felt foolish to have concocted stories for his information sources.
‘No, if I had done that, they would have thought I was crazy.’
This was likely the reaction due to his previous achievements.
Mu-jin decided to think so. Otherwise, his past efforts would feel in vain.
But while Mu-jin was thinking this.
“Even this sword was found by Mu-jin So-hyeop!”
Dao Yuetian continued his praise, now brandishing the Cheon Seom Sword. He spoke earnestly.
Fearing this would never end, Mu-jin quickly interrupted.
“Ahem. Anyway, now that it’s over, let’s discuss the future rather than the past.”
“...Understood.”
Dao Yuetian, looking disappointed, sheathed his sword.
‘Was he always like this?’
The disparity between the novel’s Dao Yuetian and the current one seemed to be growing.
* * *
Meanwhile, Yeom Do-cheol and Jegal Gi-hwan, who had escaped Yunheo Zhenren’s pursuit, were running towards an unknown destination with troubled faces.
“...So, what is your secret plan?”
Jegal Gi-hwan, who didn’t even know their destination, was being half-dragged by Yeom Do-cheol.
“Since Wudang and Shaolin have intervened in the Jegal family, we need more allies.”
“If Emei and Qingcheng intervene, Tang family will move. If Mount Hua moves, Zhongnan and Shaolin will follow. Without the family, we can’t reclaim it.”
“I’m not talking about Emei, Qingcheng, or Mount Hua.”
After Zhongnan Sect’s defeat, Shinchun had been trying to recruit various forces against the Shaolin alliance.
Among them was a family with a slight grudge against Shaolin from the Yongbongji Conference.
A family that ruled a city alone with authority comparable to kings.
“We will seek help from the Namgung family.”
The best sword family in the world.
Their plan was to drag the Namgung family into this mess.