Chapter 8 – Ignorance Is Bliss

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read more at Nineheavens.org

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Chapter 8 – Ignorance Is Bliss

Four days later, on a late night when the occasional sound of owls hooting could be heard.

A group of swordsmen numbering roughly two hundred gathered in the moonlit forest.

They were members of the Thousand Snake Gang, led by White Snake Head Sword Gul Ma-hun.

Given the nature of their mission, everyone wore pitch-black night-raid martial attire to avoid exposing their identity.

Vice Gang Leader Vicious Poison Snake Sword Geum Ja-jeom swiftly inspected the personnel and reported to Gul Ma-hun.

"Gang Leader, all ten squads have assembled without any missing."

Originally, the Thousand Snake Gang's total membership was about four hundred forty, but currently only about two hundred were present here.

There was only one reason.

It was because these were elite swordsmen specially selected for the surprise attack operation on White Peak Sword Sect.

In other words, these were the first-class forces supporting the current Thousand Snake Gang.

Gul Ma-hun stroked the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist and spoke in a low voice.

"We'll stay here for the night and observe White Peak Sword Sect's movements as planned once day breaks. Then when the sun sets, we'll begin the attack."

"Yes, understood."

When Geum Ja-jeom gave a hand signal after his brief reply, all the gang members moved in perfect unison to prepare for camping.

The night before the storm, charged with the air of impending battle, thus quietly deepened.

* * *

White Peak Sword Sect.

Hyeop Mu-geuk, walking through the corridor of the large residence, soon stopped before a room.

"Elder, are you asleep?"

Then a phlegmy voice seeped out from beyond the lattice door.

"No. Come in."

"Yes."

Hyeop Mu-geuk creaked open the door and stepped into the room.

Not far ahead.

On an antique bed, an extremely frail old man greeted him while lying half-reclined.

"It's late at night – what brings you here suddenly?"

The current Elder of White Peak Sword Sect, Yeop Hwon.

At seventy years old, he was the oldest in the sect, and his appearance was quite pitiful due to a chronic illness.

Disheveled white hair and tangled beard, sunken hollow eyes, pale lips, and wrinkles settled densely like a shriveled quince…

Having suffered from illness, the dignity of a martial artist had long since vanished.

With problems in his muscles, meridians, joints, and various other places, being unable to move and lying like this was all he could do.

Hyeop Mu-geuk brought over a small chair to sit and responded.

"I came to keep you company for a while since you weren't sleeping."

"Company… Heheh, that's nice."

Yeop Hwon followed up with a question.

"Has the new body tempering method shown any results?"

"We're practicing diligently for now, but I'm still not sure. Actually, there's quite a lot of complaining among the disciples."

"Hmm, the process must be quite grueling. There must be quite a few who are trying to take shortcuts."

"Heh, that's right. If even I find it overwhelming, imagine how the others feel. But because of the Young Sect Master's instructions, I have no choice but to lead them somewhat forcibly."

"By the way, isn't it almost time for the Young Sect Master to return?"

"If everything went as planned, he should return by tomorrow."

"Can't you give me a hint too?"

He meant he was curious about why Cheol Ryu-heun had been away.

However, Hyeop Mu-geuk maintained his expression and gave a vague answer.

"As I mentioned before… I also don't know the details beyond that it's related to the late Sect Master."

Then he naturally changed the subject.

"By the way, I'm troubled about how to resolve the issue with the Thousand Snake Gang going forward. Above all, we must avoid an all-out confrontation…"

Indeed, it was so.

In truth, even if White Peak Sword Sect had the justification, directly opposing the Thousand Snake Gang was impossible to achieve.

Between Gang Leader White Snake Head Sword Gul Ma-hun's outstanding martial prowess and the gap in total strength and forces, the sect's environment was too poor to overcome.

In the martial world, sometimes justification has no effect whatsoever.

It couldn't be helped.

After all, the nature of the martial world was that if someone with power insisted on something, even lies became truth.

In other words, it's simply a matter of interpretation.

The martial world, where the law of 'the strong survive, the weak perish' operates strongly, was inherently that unfair.

Yeop Hwon clicked his tongue with a dark expression.

"Tsk… I'm worried about that part too. It's regrettable. If I were still in good health, this sect's situation would have been better than now."

There was a reason he said such things.

In the past, Yeop Hwon was a first-rate sword master representing White Peak Sword Sect, known by the title White Mountain Sword Excellence.

If only he hadn't been afflicted by chronic illness, he would have stood as Sagong Woon's equal and led the sect splendidly.

Hyeop Mu-geuk slightly bowed his head and apologized.

"Oh dear, my fault for making your heart heavy. I came to keep you company…"

"Nonsense, don't mind it. When people get old, they just complain more."

"In any case, when the Young Sect Master returns, I'll discuss it with him then and make a careful decision."

After saying so, Hyeop Mu-geuk continued the conversation a bit more before offering his farewell and came outside.

Tap.

Closing the door, he walked along the corridor thinking.

How wonderful would it be if Yeop Hwon recovered his health like this and enjoyed a second peak of his life.

'The Young Sect Master has already recovered as if by magic… Hoping for another miracle might be asking too much.'

Suddenly, the words he had exchanged with Cheol Ryu-heun flashed through his mind.

-Do you perhaps intend to visit the Thousand Snake Gang and confront him?

-Why would I?

-Pardon?

-He'll come here on his own anyway.

-What do you mean…

-You'll find out later. You just need to trust me and carry out what I tell you.

A bold statement he couldn't readily understand.

Hyeop Mu-geuk soon set aside his doubts and muttered to himself.

'Yes, tomorrow I'll learn everything through the Young Sect Master.'

* * *

"Sometimes, ignorance is bliss."

Cheol Ryu-heun let out a slight chuckle along with his quiet murmur.

He had anticipated early on that the Thousand Snake Gang would attack.

However, he had set out on his journey without giving any advice to the executives including Hyeop Mu-geuk.

Because, as he just said, he thought sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Since they were already a fallen martial school with lowered morale, if he had even hinted at that matter, the atmosphere within the sect would have become a complete mess.

Through long experience, he knew better than anyone.

That causing chaos and division is the shortest path to downfall.

He had seen such sights countless times over the past thousand years.

Even White Peak Sword Sect's factional conflicts of the past had been the starting point and main cause of its decline.

Suddenly.

Whoosh-

Cheol Ryu-heun pulled the reins and stopped the horse.

People suddenly blocking the night road.

It was a group of ten men wearing gray light clothing and carrying swords.

They were obviously a bandit gang from this area.

Just as a burly bearded one tapped his sword hilt and was about to say something.

"Got money?"

When Cheol Ryu-heun asked expressionlessly, the bearded man was instead flustered.

"What?"

"If you don't have money, pay with your bodies."

"Heh…"

The bandit gang each wore blank expressions.

Who the hell is this ridiculous bastard? Normally, that's what we're supposed to say first, isn't it? – such were their expressions.

Just then.

Rattle, rattle-

Behind the group, a man in his thirties with an unusually large build appeared, pulling a small cart.

"Hey, kid."

At his thick voice, the bandit gang all parted to the left and right.

Looking at it, the big man appeared to be the leader.

Stop.

Having left the cart and stepped forward in front of the group, he deliberately squared his shoulders wide and sneered.

"Did you think we'd be scared just because you have a sword? Hehe, these days every Tom, Dick, and Harry acts like a martial artist."

"…"

When Cheol Ryu-heun didn't respond, the big man grew even more aggressive with his threats.

"Recklessness should be exercised according to the situation. If you hand over everything you have here, I'll at least let you leave with your body intact."

"Never killed a person before, have you?"

The big man flinched at the sudden words.

"What?"

"Hit the mark, did I."

"You, what nonsense! You seem to know nothing about me, but I was once…"

"Shut up, and I'll be taking that cart over there too. The luggage has been inconvenient for several days."

When Cheol Ryu-heun cut him off, the big man flared up and shouted.

"Gah! Beat him up first!"

"Yes, Boss!"

The bandit gang answered in unison and rushed toward Cheol Ryu-heun while drawing their weapons.

* * *

Ten bandits lying unconscious and sprawled out with bruised faces.

To one side, the big man who was the leader was kneeling as if being punished, with his arms stretched straight up.

He too had spots of bruises all over his face.

Cheol Ryu-heun stretched out and then crouched down in front of him.

When their eyes met, the big man cried out in terror.

"P-Please forgive me! I acted rashly without knowing my place!"

"Name."

"Pardon?"

The moment the big man asked, Cheol Ryu-heun suddenly reached out and pinched the hair near his ear, pulling it up.

"Ow ow ow, ow ow ow ow! Gaaah!"

"Don't make me repeat myself. It's annoying."

"Ugh… Y-Yes, yes! This lowly one is called Tae Sa-ja!"

"…"

That was an unnecessarily magnificent name for a mere bandit.

"Is that your real name?"

"O-Of course! Everyone asks that at first too."

Cheol Ryu-heun stared at Tae Sa-ja indifferently for a moment, then commanded with a jerk of his chin.

"First, load those onto the cart."

What he pointed at was the bandit gang lying around them.

"Pardon? Why on the cart… Ow ow ow ow ow! Guh… S-Sorry!"

"Just do it when I tell you to – you talk too much."

'Damn! I have to do as he says, what choice do I have? This is so messed up…'

Having grumbled internally, Tae Sa-ja quickly carried each of the ten bandits one by one and loaded them onto the cart.

"The baggage on the horse's back too."

Tae Sa-ja again hurriedly moved and transferred several heavy bundles.

Then.

'Huh?'

His expression changed completely.

It was because he discovered golden nuggets gleaming yellow and various jewels through the gaps in the bundle's knots.

'Insane…! So all of this is treasure? No, why the hell is someone this rich trying to rob bandits!'

Tae Sa-ja forcibly held back the curses that were about to come out and said quietly.

"It's done. Ah, um… But… I still don't know your esteemed name, so I don't know what to call you…"

But Cheol Ryu-heun strode toward the horse's head without a single word in reply.

"The horse seems tired from the heavy load. At this rate, we might be delayed by another day."

That would be problematic.

He needed to shorten the time further.

"A drastic remedy is needed."

Cheol Ryu-heun connected the horse and cart, then stuck his hand into a bundle and pulled out a ginseng root.

Watching that, Tae Sa-ja cautiously asked.

"What is that?"

"Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng."

"Hundred…"

Tae Sa-ja was momentarily speechless.

What? Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng? Good heavens, did I mishear that just now?

'But why did he take that out?'

That was when Cheol Ryu-heun began feeding the precious Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng to the horse.

Munch munch.

Tae Sa-ja's mind went blank at the sight.

'Gasp! That guy's lost it! Feeding a Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng to a horse?'

Munch munch, munch munch…

The moment the horse finished eating the Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng, Cheol Ryu-heun raised his index finger and rapidly tapped its body as if pressing acupoints.

Tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap-

He was performing an ancient mysterious opening technique he knew from being a Divine Martial Sword, applied to an animal.

It was something absolutely impossible for anyone other than him.

Right after, the horse raised both front legs high, then slammed them down on the ground with a thump, blasting out snorts of breath.

"Neigh! Snort, snort!"

As if white fog was being expelled.

Cheol Ryu-heun mounted the horse and gave a brief command.

"Get on."

When Tae Sa-ja climbed onto the cart in a daze, Cheol Ryu-heun gripped the reins.

"Hold on tight."

The moment his words ended.

Boom!

Like an enraged wild horse, the horse kicked off the dirt and shot forward like a gale together with the cart.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-!