Chapter 260

Jin Ja-gang left the Guizhou branch and went to the place where he had parted with Tang Ha-ran.

Tang Ha-ran was nowhere to be seen.

Several days had already passed. She had said she would make the safest choice for the child, so she had probably moved to avoid pursuers.

His heart felt empty.

Though he had expected this would happen, he couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

Jin Ja-gang washed himself in the stream and stopped by a village.

He happened to see merchants resting at a teahouse with their pack donkeys. Since information was directly related to profit for merchants, they would likely be quite quick with rumors.

‘Perfect.’

There was no better place for eavesdropping than roadside teahouses. However, when Jin Ja-gang entered, the merchants became more cautious with their words. It was the same not just with Jin Ja-gang but when other people passed by.

Their wariness was extreme. Probably because of what had happened in Guizhou, they seemed worried about causing trouble by speaking carelessly.

‘This will be difficult.’

Jin Ja-gang visited several more teahouses in the village but gained little. Not just merchants but other people were also being careful with their words.

It seemed he would need to have a meal and rest briefly while thinking about what to do next.

‘What happened at Qingcheng Mountain?’

He was quite frustrated because there were many things he was curious about.

Just as Jin Ja-gang was about to enter an inn, an elderly beggar approached him. The beggar stared directly at Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang took out a few coins and gave them to him.

The beggar pocketed the coins and said.

“Someone wants to see you.”

“Me?”

“You’re the only person who’s handsome with sharp eyes, skin like white jade that could rival Chang’e of the Moon Palace, yet walks with a limp.”

While speaking, the elderly beggar kept looking Jin Ja-gang up and down, finding his white and transparent skin strange.

Jin Ja-gang thought for a moment before answering.

“Let’s go.”

The beggar led the way and Jin Ja-gang followed.

The beggar left the village and went down under a bridge over a remote stream. There were a couple of huts roughly covered with straw mats. It seemed to be where beggars lived.

Three or four young beggars were playing outside the huts and looked at Jin Ja-gang and the elderly beggar. A young beggar pointed at one of the huts with his finger.

The elderly beggar lifted the straw mat and entered the hut.

“I brought him.”

Unexpectedly, inside the hut was someone Jin Ja-gang had never imagined.

It was an elderly Taoist from the Qingcheng sect. The old Taoist was sitting with two old beggars around two large chickens and a broken gourd bottle containing cheap wine. They were tearing at the food ravenously with their hands, so everyone’s fingers and mouths were greasy with oil.

The old Taoist seemed unbothered by mingling with the dirty beggars and said to Jin Ja-gang.

“Fellow Taoist, you’ve worked hard. Come sit here. It’s someone’s feast day over there. If you haven’t eaten yet, come have some food.”

The old Taoist gestured to Jin Ja-gang. The beggar who had brought Jin Ja-gang was already uninterested in him. He had quickly sat between the two beggars and was tearing at chicken.

Though the sight was enough to kill one’s appetite, Jin Ja-gang sat down without concern and tore off a piece of chicken.

“Thank you. I was just about to have a meal.”

Having lived eating spoiled, rotten, and poisoned things, he wouldn’t be disgusted by this level. The beggars rather grumbled that their food was being reduced.

The old Taoist smiled in admiration.

“Oh ho. A fellow Taoist with rare eating habits. This poor Taoist’s religious name is Chang Ryang, and I’m something like a sect brother with Taoist Bok Cheon.”

“Why did you want to see me?”

Chang Ryang spoke without caring about the beggars’ presence.

“I’m curious about your movements and wanted to share news about how the world is turning. How about it? Could you tell me first?”

Jin Ja-gang glanced at the beggars. They seemed focused only on eating, desperate to consume as much as possible.

“These are this poor Taoist’s old friends.”

Information was something Jin Ja-gang needed anyway. He was immediately curious about what had happened to Dan Ryeong-gyeong, Bian Bu, and Soso who had been at Qingcheng Mountain.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“I know why you’re attacking the Martial Alliance, but I want to ask what you plan to achieve until you stop. If it’s difficult to say, you don’t have to.”

“There’s no reason to hide it. Ten years ago, I will exact payment from those involved in the bloodbath of the Yunnan Medicine Sect.”

“The Yunnan poison sects that were directly involved have all been destroyed by your hand. However, looking at the bigger picture, the Tang family’s involvement cannot be ignored, and the Martial Alliance’s absolute support also had a major influence.”

“There are still those who were directly involved. I plan to think after meeting them first.”

“If you mean people from that time, two remain. Advisor Mang Ryo of the Inspector General’s Office and Pavilion Master Indestructible Heavenly Sword Baek Li-jung of the Azure Dragon Great Sword Pavilion.”

Surprisingly, Chang Ryang knew a great deal about Jin Ja-gang’s story.

“Your words are correct, Taoist.”

“But unfortunately for you, the situation has become somewhat complicated.”

“What do you mean?”

“Indestructible Heavenly Sword Baek Li-jung went up to the main mountain and contact was lost, while Advisor Mang Ryo is helping the Shandong Evil Sect trapped on the main mountain. He disguised himself and went up, completely annihilating the White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion. This is what came from Mount Emei.”

Jin Ja-gang couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Baek Li-jung going missing was one thing, but why was Mang Ryo helping Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s group again?

“The Shandong Evil Sect owes you a debt, and the Shandong Evil Sect has incurred a debt to Advisor Mang Ryo. Either way, if you don’t go to Qingcheng, it wouldn’t matter.”

According to Chang Ryang, Qingcheng Mountain was currently surrounded by Sichuan sects, the Tang family, and Mount Emei. Without external assistance, they would be subjugated before long.

“It seems you don’t need to go save them…”

Despite his complicated feelings at Chang Ryang’s words, Jin Ja-gang immediately shook his head.

“I owe them my life.”

Chang Ryang posed a question.

“For you, which comes first, revenge or repaying kindness?”

After thinking briefly, Jin Ja-gang answered.

“Though I’ve never forgotten revenge for even a moment, I haven’t given up being human.”

These words determined Jin Ja-gang’s next action.

Chang Ryang scratched his head with his greasy hands.

“I thought you were called an Asura because you’re a murderer who kills people cruelly, but it’s not that. You’re an Asura because you keep pushing yourself into suffering.”

“Asura…”

It felt strange to hear the word Asura from someone else’s mouth.

“Asura are beings hated by both gods and humans, caught in endless conflict and fighting while trapped in worldly desires. You, who deliberately choose the difficult path, truly suit being called an Asura.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not. I’m just doing what I must do.”

“Being frequently mentioned in the martial world is itself a compliment for a martial artist. And the martial world’s opinion about you is turning out quite interestingly.”

“I’m listening.”

“When you first massacred the Yunnan poison sects, many were horrified by the cruelty of killing ordinary civilians.”

“That wasn’t my doing.”

“No one believed those words at the time. But now it’s different. You escaped from the Zhuge family’s formation, turned the Tang family’s library to ashes and escaped, and this time even destroyed the Martial Alliance’s Guizhou branch. But throughout all this, you didn’t touch civilians. So the evaluation of you has changed greatly.”

Chang Ryang took the shabby gourd bottle from a beggar and continued speaking to Jin Ja-gang while taking a sip.

“You’re fighting against the Martial Alliance that no one has been able to touch until now. Everyone thought your actions were like throwing eggs at rocks, but you’re achieving your goals one by one. The martial world is generous about revenge! If your actions continue to be justified, more people than expected will come to support you.”

Jin Ja-gang asked back.

“Including the Qingcheng sect?”

“Sect brother Bok Cheon actively recommended it. There was also tacit approval from the sect leader, and Woon Jeong kept pestering about it.”

“I honestly find it hard to believe that Taoist Bok Cheon recommended me.”

Chang Ryang laughed.

“Though outwardly stern, Sect brother Bok Cheon has an upright heart. The Martial Alliance has oppressed our Qingcheng before. Since you and we have the same purpose, everyone didn’t oppose it.”

Jin Ja-gang was puzzled.

“Didn’t you leave Qingcheng Mountain to avoid getting involved in complicated matters?”

“Qingcheng doesn’t run away. Qingcheng is still fighting.”

“But the Qingcheng sect’s disciples left the main mountain, and it will be difficult to recover the Taoist temples for some time.”

Chang Ryang smiled meaningfully.

“Qingcheng’s disciples are no longer confined to the narrow Qingcheng Mountain. Rather, the entire martial world has become Qingcheng’s sphere of activity. Three thousand disciples including direct lineage will all become Qingcheng’s eyes and ears, hands and feet.”

Jin Ja-gang finally understood why the Qingcheng sect had so easily abandoned Qingcheng Mountain and left. By spreading their disciples throughout the martial world, the Qingcheng sect avoided major storms while being able to gather information from all directions and harass the Martial Alliance. Considering the skills of Qingcheng sect disciples, even scattered separately, each was a force that couldn’t be ignored.

“The Martial Alliance can no longer annihilate our Qingcheng in one blow. And they’ll have to be more tense than before. Qingcheng sect disciples will be everywhere in the martial world. Just as beggars are everywhere in the martial world, Qingcheng disciples are also everywhere…”

The beggars stopped eating chicken and stared at Chang Ryang.

Chang Ryang cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Anyway, you’ll be able to receive help anywhere there are Qingcheng disciples. Let me show you Qingcheng’s symbol.”

Chang Ryang drew a symbol on the ground with a chicken bone.

Three triangular dots.

“These dots represent the Three Pure Ones of Jade Pure, Supreme Pure, and Great Pure. When these dots are present, it means a Qingcheng disciple is nearby. Conversely, you can leave this symbol to request help.”

“Understood. Then is there anything I should give in return for receiving help?”

“Qingcheng disciples walk the path they believe is righteous regardless of orthodox or unorthodox. It’s not a path taken for compensation.”

Jin Ja-gang fell into thought briefly.

Even just listening to martial world trends or information was not easy for Jin Ja-gang. Being able to know information about Mang Ryo or Baek Li-jung in a situation where Qingcheng Mountain was surrounded was possible because the Qingcheng sect had connections everywhere.

He couldn’t continue his revenge alone forever. Being alone had limitations.

After deliberation, Jin Ja-gang decided to accept the Qingcheng sect’s goodwill.

“Thank you. However, if I receive help, I too will not turn away from the Qingcheng sect.”

Perhaps after experiencing Woon Jeong, Taoist Bok Cheon, and Venerable Woo-am, his thoughts about the Qingcheng sect had become favorable, which is why he didn’t refuse. It could also be seen that he already had some relationship with the Qingcheng sect.

Jin Ja-gang parted from Chang Ryang and left the hut.

He also received news about Tang Ha-ran from Chang Ryang. Tang Ha-ran, who had parted from Jin Ja-gang, was staying in a small hermitage on Mount Dae Bang under the protection of a Qingcheng sect disciple.

Jin Ja-gang headed immediately to Mount Dae Bang with joy. It was half a day’s distance and a place he would have to pass through to go to Qingcheng Mountain anyway.

Jin Ja-gang stopped at the market to buy food and clothing, then hastened his steps toward Mount Dae Bang.

However…

The hermitage on Mount Dae Bang where Jin Ja-gang arrived was completely devastated.

The hermitage was completely destroyed and collapsed, and the courtyard was full of bloodstains.

Jin Ja-gang’s hair stood on end.