Chapter 52. Where the Wind Blows (2)
Flash!
A streak of blue light seeped into the cliff face.
Sss.
A sword scar, a jang long, appeared on the cliff where the blue light struck. (*approximately 3 meters, kept as 'jang' for cultural context*)
It was an astonishing sight. Despite being unleashed with supreme sword energy, it left only the scar without any sound of slicing or explosion.
This meant the cutting power of the sword energy was immense. By compressing destructive force to its limit, no trace remained except the cut itself.
This was a level beyond the reach of ordinary masters of sword power. It was an incredible martial art, difficult to surpass even with a lifetime dedicated to the sword.
"Hmm."
The old man, seeing the sword scar on the cliff, tilted his head.
"Is it still not enough? I thought it would work this time."
Sreureung.
The sound of the sword entering the scabbard was as smooth as flowing water.
The old man stretched greatly.
He looked to be in his fifties, but his exposed upper body was covered in impressive muscles. Far from appearing sluggish, the muscles of his upper body were compressed to the extreme, resembling hard stone.
"Whew, I need to focus on the sword for a while. Only one jang? I still have a long way to go."
Just then, a beautiful voice spoke.
"If you say that, I'll feel quite inadequate."
"You've come?"
Moyong Yeonhwa smiled brightly, looking at the cliff.
"It's amazing. Such a sword scar from this distance. I wonder when I'll even be able to imitate it."
"Haha, that's excessive ambition, truly excessive. It's already a great feat to have mastered such martial skills at your age. Considering your father's time, you deserve to be called a genius."
"Don't lie. I heard that Father had already mastered the Sakpung Sword at my age."
"Mastering a martial art and manifesting it are different. I may have had higher achievement in martial arts, but I didn't have the ability to manifest it as naturally as you. You can be proud."
Moyong Yeonhwa shrugged.
"I'm always proud. But I believe that the more ambition, the better."
"That's not wrong, but if you get consumed by ambition, you might regress."
"I'm not that incompetent, Father."
"Of course, whose daughter are you?"
The old man, Moyong Gun, laughed heartily.
Moyong Yeonhwa smiled back and took out a letter from her bosom.
"There's good news."
Moyong Gun's lips curled up naturally.
It was a red letter. His heart was already pounding.
Moyong Gun took the letter and unfolded it, his eyes gleaming.
"The Myeong family succeeded?"
"That's right."
"Now that they've found the origin of their martial arts, will the issue of lifespan be solved?"
"That's uncertain. The Myeong family's martial arts are strong. They are comparable to our family's martial arts."
Moyong Yeonhwa looked at the cliff.
"Is it comparable to that peerless sword power?"
"That's also unknown. However, I once lightly exchanged blows with the Myeong family head."
"Oh? I hadn't heard about that."
"It wasn't a life-or-death duel; we were just testing each other's skills. It's not something to brag about."
Moyong Yeonhwa's eyes sparkled.
Within the family, her father shared the most information with her. He told her everything, down to the smallest detail.
But not everything. There were a few things he hadn't told even his own daughter.
That's why she respected Moyong Gun. She wanted to emulate his prudence and sharpness in guarding his surroundings even at the pinnacle of the family.
"How was it? The Myeong family head's martial arts?"
"Impressive."
"There aren't many people you call impressive, Father."
Moyong Gun shook his head.
"There's no one to be taken lightly among the heads of the Seven Great Families. Publicly, it's said that the Myeong family head and the Yeon family head are the best in martial arts, but that's also unknown until they actually fight."
"Are you saying that other family heads, like you, are also hiding their strength?"
"Of course. Unlike the Myeong and Yeon families, the two new families, the five traditional families never reveal their full power."
Moyong Gun's eyes deepened.
"But, even considering that, the Myeong family head's martial arts were impressive. If they find the origin of their martial arts, I expect it won't fall short of our family's secret arts."
"That's incredible."
"It's not for nothing that they've maintained the name of the 'Greatest Family Under Heaven' until now."
Moyong Yeonhwa smiled slightly.
"That's a shame. They won't be able to use that title anymore."
Moyong Gun read the last part of the letter.
As if to emphasize it, the writing was thicker than the rest, despite being written with a fine brush.
"Tsk, tsk, Myeong family head. It was good that you found your ancestors' martial arts, but your greed was too much. How can you shamelessly call yourself the greatest under heaven after killing hundreds of innocent workers?"
Surprisingly, Moyong Gun knew everything the Myeong family had done.
It was a meticulously planned scheme since the day Moyong Gun became the family head. He had planted 'eyes' not only in the Myeong family but in all the families belonging to the Seven Great Families.
In some of those families, he even infiltrated professional spies, creating secret passages and safe houses within those families. The Yeon family was a prime example.
Of course, it wasn't easy. It required an astronomical amount of money and trustworthy people. It wasn't something even Moyong Gun could prepare in just a decade or so.
This great undertaking was carried out with his father, the previous family head.
"I proved my abilities to my father, your grandfather. Even by eliminating my brothers."
"I know, Father."
"You are also proving your abilities to me. When you are confident, bring me the plan you have drawn. If it's a satisfactory plan, I will entrust the family to you."
Moyong Yeonhwa smiled confidently.
"I'm preparing it step by step. Don't worry."
"Hahaha."
Moyong Gun was very pleased with his daughter's boldness. His sons' talents were also extraordinary, but they didn't dare to cross the line.
That was why he favored his daughter. Moyong Yeonhwa, who inherited his blood, was a possessor of a cold heart of iron who would cut down even her own flesh and blood if necessary.
A far more important talent than a brain that has reached the level of divine skill. It was ruthlessness.
"By the way, have you received any separate contact from the Yeon family?"
"No. Not yet."
Moyong Gun clicked his tongue.
"He's truly a frustrating fellow. He's famous for his resolute swordsmanship that can even split waves, but he's so timid in these matters."
"It seems he's someone who inherently dislikes taking risks."
"That's probably true. Even when he was young, the Yeon family head had no interest in expanding his power."
"And he'll be even more cautious this time. It's not easy to receive three business proposals. He must be thinking a lot."
Moyong Gun smiled.
"If he wants to maintain the family's lineage, it would be best to agree readily."
Just then.
A warrior in black martial attire and a mask approached quickly from afar.
Sreuk.
The warrior knelt before Moyong Gun and said in a stiff voice.
"Family Head."
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"There's a problem."
"A problem? What kind of problem?"
"We haven't heard from the contact we planted in the Yeon family for five days."
Moyong Gun's eyes turned cold.
The contact was required to report the progress once a day. Even if something happened, it usually didn't exceed three days.
Not hearing from him for five days meant that something had happened to the contact.
"Could it be that the Yeon family found out? That shouldn't be possible."
He didn't think Taegyeong would be caught. It wasn't easy to suspect a steward who had been rooted in the family for nearly ten years.
The problem was the real spies and the contact. Even if Taegyeong was unlucky enough to be caught, Nail and Jang Hak shouldn't be exposed. They were the real deal. Taegyeong was just a cover to fully implant Nail and Jang Hak.
"It's difficult to determine the exact situation. For now, we're trying to contact Tongcheondan, their information broker."
"Find out quickly."
"Yes."
Moyong Yeonhwa frowned.
"What could it be? Jang Hak is a top-class contact. He's not someone who would make a mistake."
"Everyone makes mistakes. We need to determine whether it's due to external factors or other issues."
Moyong Yeonhwa shook her head.
"We should consider the worst-case scenario, just in case."
"Of course. If the Yeon family really discovered the existence of the spies, we need to bury them before any noise is made."
Moyong Gun frowned.
"Huh! Do we have to draw our swords already?"
***
"...a total of seven locations."
"I see."
"It seems..."
Lee Baekhyun, hesitating, spoke as if he had made up his mind.
"Our family, like the others, needs to be fortified."
Although their history as one of the Seven Great Families was short, the family's own history spanned over one hundred and fifty years.
However, the current structures of the Yeon family, except for a few damaged areas, remained as they were used by their ancestors. They didn't see the need to rebuild since there was nothing to take and nothing to be ashamed of.
Yeon Wi felt the same.
No, he had no attachment to buildings in the first place. He was just keeping them because the previous family head, his father, insisted.
But with the situation as it was, he had no choice.
"Call Elder Pyon."
"Are you referring to Pyon Ilgang, the Divine Craftsman?"
"Yes."
Lee Baekhyun tilted his head.
"Pyon Singong's skills are unquestionable, but... isn't he a blacksmith, not someone skilled in earthworks or mechanisms?"
Yeon Wi looked at Lee Baekhyun.
Lee Baekhyun was startled and bowed his head.
"I apologize. I'll bring him right away."
"...Elder Pyon."
"Yes?"
"Elder Pyon is close friends with masters of gigwanjinsik."
"Ah!"
"Bring him."
"Yes, yes! I understand."
Lee Baekhyun left the family head's room.
Yeon Wi's back, with his hands clasped behind him as he looked out the window, looked unusually lonely.
Yeon Jipyeong sighed inwardly. Even without expressing it, he could tell that his father was frustrated.
Of course, he was also shocked. Steward Taegyeong was someone who had been kind to him too.
But he wouldn't be as distressed as his father. As a person and as the head of the family, he must have been greatly shocked.
"Father..."
"Then, I'll finish up and get going."
Yeon Jipyeong was startled and looked at Yeon Hojeong.
Yeon Wi turned around.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes."
Yeon Jipyeong tilted his head.
"Leaving? Brother, where are you going?"
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"A trip to the Central Plains."
"What?!"
What was he talking about all of a sudden?
Yeon Wi asked.
"Have you not decided on a destination?"
"I was going to discuss that with you, Father."
"Hmm?"
Yeon Hojeong picked up the letter on the table.
"We caught the spies and can breathe a sigh of relief, but what will they think? They must be flustered."
"Of course."
"Then we need to see how they will take follow-up action."
Yeon Wi's eyes flashed.
"We've eliminated all traces of the Moyong family. It will be difficult for them to grasp the situation here, so they'll probably try to find out through Tongcheondan."
It was an accurate insight.
Yeon Hojeong was a man who had experienced all sorts of chaos in a place where lies were rampant. But Yeon Wi, without such experience, was predicting how the enemy would act.
Innate wisdom and ability don't go anywhere. Yeon Hojeong felt a burden lifted from his heart.
"That's right. Publicizing this matter would only harm them, so they'll have to approach cautiously."
"The problem is after that. Once they know the situation here, I can't predict what they'll do."
That was understandable.
Yeon Wi had almost no acquaintance with Moyong Gun. Therefore, he didn't know what kind of person he was.
You need to know your opponent to infer their methods. Not building relationships with others was Yeon Wi's weakness.
"So, we can say that neither side knows the other's situation."
"That's right."
"And we can predict the enemy's initial action."
"That's also correct."
"Then we have only one option."
Yeon Wi and Yeon Jipyeong looked at Yeon Hojeong.
Yeon Hojeong had a meaningful expression.
"We cloud the enemy's eyes and then launch a surprise attack from an unexpected point."
"...?!"
"Thinking about it that way, my destination is also decided."
