Chapter 263

Chapter 263 – Clue (3)‘A taboo by sorcery…’

Mok Gyeong-un was convinced as he looked at the corpse of the dead Gyeom-chang.

An unpleasant and ominous curse power was escaping from the body.

-Sizzle sizzle!

Of course, few could see this.

Unless they had awakened the Ghost Eye like Mok Gyeong-un.

‘…This level of curse power is a first.’

Although weakened and exhausted due to his torture, to be able to imprint a curse in the mind of a master who had crossed the threshold and impose a taboo, the curse power was unimaginable.

Diviners were divided into six grades: Divine, Sun, Moon, Technique, Profound, and Conveying.

Mok Gyeong-un had experienced In Seo-ok, the Primal Killing Pavilion Master, and Jo Tae-cheong of the Three Eyes, both of whom had received the highest title of Sun-level Diviner.

‘Twice… no, three times.’

They also possessed tremendous curse power.

But just from the remnant traces, he could estimate that the curse power of the one who had imposed this curse taboo was several times greater.

‘A Divine-level Diviner?’

Divine-level Diviner.

It was a title bestowed upon only six among diviners.

They were called the Six Divine-level Diviners.

Those who had received the title of Divine-level Diviner had reached the pinnacle of sorcery, and there were even stories that their curse power and techniques had reached the realm of half-immortality.

Perhaps the one who had placed the curse taboo on the dead Gyeom-chang was one of the Six Divine-level Diviners.

‘A Divine-level Diviner…’

If someone who had truly reached the level of a Divine-level Diviner was closely involved with this organization, it could become even more difficult to carry out his revenge.

Mok Gyeong-un looked at the corpse with an annoyed gaze.

As he approached the truth to avenge his grandfather, unexpected obstacles kept emerging.

Anyway, although there were many ambiguous parts, he had obtained a lot of information unlike before.

The key point remained unchanged: it was Ghost Blade.

Even if a third party had killed him instead, according to Gyeom-chang, he was a high-level executive in the First Division of the organization with the mark.

By contacting him, he could get closer to the real truth about his grandfather’s death.

-Shwip!

Mok Gyeong-un got up and approached someone.

It was Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had fainted after his acupuncture points were struck.

Approaching Sang Ik-seo, Mok Gyeong-un…

-Tap tap tap!

Released the acupuncture points he had struck.

Soon after, Sang Ik-seo immediately regained consciousness.

Upon regaining consciousness and seeing the Embroidered Uniform Guard Hundred-men Commander Gyeom-chang dead with his head exploded, Sang Ik-seo was inwardly terrified.

‘Eek!’

From his perspective, having just woken up, it could only be seen as Mok Gyeong-un’s doing.

Feeling his life threatened, Sang Ik-seo prostrated himself flat in front of Mok Gyeong-un.

“Sp- spare my life… ugh.”

But the moment he prostrated, his abdomen felt extremely painful.

Puzzled, he instinctively looked at the painful area.

There was a wound on his abdomen, though he didn’t know when it had appeared.

‘What is this?’

If what he knew was correct, the female Gu Poison Command Gu was located in that area of his abdomen.

But why was there a wound in that spot?

Moreover, the wounded area was extremely painful.

He felt a searing pain in his organs as if something was tearing them apart, and it was hard to endure even if he tried to forcibly bear it.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed his hair and lifted his head.

-Yank!

“Huh?”

Seeing Mok Gyeong-un’s face, or more precisely, the face of Chief Eunuch Ho, the supervisor of the Western Depot, covered in blood as if he had washed it, Sang Ik-seo couldn’t make eye contact due to his bewilderment.

Regardless, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said:

“I removed the Command Gu from your abdomen and gave you another gift, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”

“An- another gift, what do you mean?”

“I gave you a poison that could replace it.”

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Hearing those words, Sang Ik-seo’s expression stiffened.

“While removing the Command Gu, the poison penetrated your organs, so by now, it should have spread throughout your entire viscera.”

“…”

Mok Gyeong-un grinned and whispered in his ear:

“How is it? Does it feel like your stomach is burning?”

“Ugh…”

It was undeniable as the burning pain in his abdomen intensified.

‘I need to expel the poison quickly.’

Startled, Sang Ik-seo tried to gather his true energy to push the poison out of his body.

But he couldn’t do it.

As Mok Gyeong-un said, since he had fainted after his acupuncture points were struck, the poison had already spread throughout his entire viscera.

Because of that, it was difficult even to gather his true energy.

Rather, when he tried to circulate his energy…

“Aargh!”

The pain intensified several times, bringing tears to his eyes.

The poison had spread not only to his viscera but also to his blood vessels.

Unable to endure this pain, Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo pleaded with Mok Gyeong-un as if begging:

“Pl- please spare my life. Please…”

“Spare your life… that depends on how you respond.”

“What do you mean by how I respond?”

“How did you come to know that person over there?”

Mok Gyeong-un pointed with his chin to the corpse of Gyeom-chang, who had died with his head exploded.

At this question, Sang Ik-seo, with a strong will to live, hastily replied:

“Th- that person approached us first and offered to help us.”

“Help with what?”

“Th- that’s…”

“It seems you don’t have much desire to live. Then I’ll just leave you like this…”

“No, that’s not it. He said he would help our faction.”

“What faction is that?”

“…The faction led by His Excellency, the Grand Preceptor Hang Yoon.”

“Hang Yoon? Ah.”

In the Imperial Palace, there were four powerful figures who controlled the country.

There was Prince Gyeongjin, the younger brother of His Majesty the Emperor, and Prince Jong, the Emperor’s second son who was the most likely candidate for the throne. Then there was Consort Seo, the mother of the current Crown Prince. Lastly, there was the Grand Preceptor Hang Yoon, who held the positions of one of the Three Dukes and the Admiral of the Central Military Commission.

Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo of the Embroidered Uniform Guard belonged to this Hang Yoon.

“Interesting.”

“What is?”

“It’s full of people from the four factions, all entangled and intertwined, desperate to devour each other. Not a single person is loyal to the Emperor who actually rules the country.”

“…”

At those words, Sang Ik-seo’s expression subtly distorted.

Was it because he felt a bit of shame?

Of course not.

If he had felt ashamed by such words, he wouldn’t have joined with Hang Yoon in the first place.

‘…Instead of an old and sickly Emperor who indulges in women, if you don’t belong to one of the four factions, you can’t survive in the palace. What do you expect me to do?’

That was Sang Ik-seo’s true thoughts.

However, in a situation where he could die from the poison in his stomach, he couldn’t reveal his true feelings.

Sang Ik-seo, not caring about being servile, kowtowed on the floor and pleaded with Mok Gyeong-un.

“Please spare my life. I’ll do anything.”

He believed that being alive, even in a pile of dog sh*t, was definitely better than being dead.

So he didn’t care about his pride.

Seeing him like this, Mok Gyeong-un snorted and said:

“He wouldn’t have approached you to help without any compensation, so what condition did he offer?”

“That’s…”

“It won’t do you any good to delay like that. If the poison spreads further, it’ll be useless even if you want to live.”

“He, he asked us to find and capture the remnants of the Fire Faith Order and give him the right to dispose of them!”

‘!?’

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes flickered with surprise at his urgent words.

The right to dispose of the Fire Faith Order believers?

He had only focused on his grandfather and hadn’t shown interest in what they were doing.

But suddenly being told that they had asked for the right to dispose of the Fire Faith Order believers raised questions.

‘Why the Fire Faith Order?’

Did their organization have a grudge against the Fire Faith Order?

Otherwise, there would be no reason to mobilize the military power of the Imperial Palace, which encompassed the entire Central Plains, to capture the Fire Faith Order believers.

No, in the first place, the Fire Faith Order was not only rejected by the Imperial Palace but also by the Taoist and Buddhist sects, and even the martial artists had contributed to their persecution.

So Mok Gyeong-un changed his thinking.

‘The right to dispose doesn’t necessarily mean to eliminate them.’

It could be because they had some close connection with them or wanted something from them.

So Mok Gyeong-un asked him:

“If you received the right to dispose, what did you do with them? Did you kill them?”

“…We used various methods to get them out of the prison and take them away.”

“Take them away?”

“Yes.”

The speculation from his changed thinking was correct.

Judging by the fact that they didn’t kill them but took them away, it was certain that the organization with the mark had some connection or purpose with the Fire Faith Order, as expected.

Huh?

But if they used various methods to take out the Fire Faith Order believers, did that mean there was a natural way to get them out of the underground prison?

That’s good.

“Then you can get someone out of the prison anytime, right?”

“It’s not that easy to take them out as I please. It requires some prior arrangements, and even if it’s a regular prison, once they’re imprisoned in the underground prison, they can’t be taken out.”

“…”

At these words, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

If it had been possible, he had intended to use this person to get them out without needing to go in himself, but it seemed difficult.

However, since this person was an Associate Military Commissioner, wouldn’t he have the necessary authority?

He had to successfully complete the secret mission given by the Society Leader to steal the Holy Fire Spirit Orb in order to contact him and obtain clues about Ghost Blade.

“But since the Embroidered Uniform Guard manages the underground prison, wouldn’t it be possible if we devise a way?”

“The prisoners confined in the underground prison are special management targets of high treason, so unless the Emperor, the Three Dukes, the Minister of Justice, and others all give their approval, it is impossible to release or pardon them.”

“…”

What were the chances of the Emperor, the Three Dukes, the officials in charge of executing and managing criminal law, and all of them reaching a consensus?

It was no exaggeration to say that once imprisoned in the underground prison, one could never come out until their sentence was completed or until death.

As expected of the Imperial Palace, the procedures were not only complicated but also convoluted.

‘No choice.’

In the end, to steal the Holy Fire Spirit Orb of the Fire Faith Order, it seemed he had no choice but to directly enter the underground prison.

It was the same for the organization with the mark.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

‘Ah!’

Come to think of it, the one who had ordered him to steal the Holy Fire Spirit Orb of the Fire Faith Order imprisoned in the Imperial Palace’s underground prison was the Heaven and Earth Society Leader.

But Ghost Blade definitely had some connection with the Sect Leader.

Recalling this, Mok Gyeong-un suddenly came up with a speculation.

‘…Could it be that the Heaven and Earth Society Leader is also closely connected to or even a member of this organization?’

Otherwise, it would be too much of a coincidence.

The underground prison had complicated procedures, so even a high-ranking Associate Military Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard couldn’t get someone out in any way.

But they were dispatched to risk danger and steal the Holy Fire Spirit Orb from such a place.

It fit together almost too perfectly.

Mok Gyeong-un stared intently at Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo, who was prostrating and observing his reaction.

There was a way to check how accurate his speculation was.

So Mok Gyeong-un asked him:

“Then has that organization given up on getting the Fire Faith Order believer imprisoned in the underground prison out?”

At that question, Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo furrowed his brows.

“How did you know there’s a Fire Faith Order believer in the underground prison…”

“Just answer the question.”

“…I’m not sure if they’ve given up.”

“Your answer is ambiguous.”

“I- I’m not trying to deceive you. That person seems to have tried to go in and attempt it a few times himself, but since the believer is imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison, I think he has given up on getting them out.”

“Eternal Hell Prison? What’s that?”

He asked because it was the first time he had heard of it.

“The Eternal Hell Prison is the prison located on the lowest level of the underground prison.”

“The lowest level?”

“Yes. It’s where they confine the prisoners deemed the worst of the worst.”

“Worst of the worst… if they used the term ‘eternal'[1], the security must be extremely tight to make it absolutely impossible to escape.”

“…There was actually one person who escaped from there since the underground prison was built. So I heard that the Eternal Hell Prison was created as a reinforced version based on that incident. Since it was built, no one imprisoned there has ever escaped.”

‘If the security is tight enough that even a master who has crossed the threshold can’t easily get someone out, how stringent is it?’

It seemed it would be even more difficult than entering the prison.

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Mok Gyeong-un changed his question.

“If they’ve given up, I guess they just left that Fire Faith Order believer alone until they could find a way.”

“No, that’s not the case. Rather than getting them out, Gyeom-chang seemed to be trying to find out something from the Fire Faith Order believer through interrogation, as if it was urgent for some reason.”

“Trying to find out something?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

In fact, Sang Ik-seo shouldn’t have been able to answer this question.

However, although they had joined hands out of mutual necessity, he also couldn’t fully trust Gyeom-chang, so he had been secretly monitoring him.

But since he was such an exceptional master, he couldn’t find out much, and he had only learned the name of what he was trying to find out from that Fire Faith Order believer imprisoned in the underground prison.

“I’m not sure exactly what it’s used for, but it seemed like he was trying to find out where something called the ‘Treasure Orb’[2] is.”

“Treasure Orb? You don’t know what that is?”

“I don’t know exactly. But there is one thing I speculate.”

“Speculation?”

“Yes… I think it might be related to the serious reason why that Fire Faith Order believer was the only one imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison, unlike the other believers.”

‘Serious reason?’

Was it because the Holy Fire Spiritual Master held a high position and was an important item for the Fire Faith Order?

Or was there another reason?

“What is it?”

Puzzled, Sang Ik-seo said in a meaningful voice:

“I heard that Fire Faith Order believer could foresee the future by receiving revelations from something called the Holy Fire or something.”