## Chapter 607 – 607. The Ascent To Radiance
607. The Ascent to Radiance
The important guest who had come to find Shin Gongse was a man wearing a navy blue robe. His face was pale, almost white, and there were dark circles under his eyes. His pupils were like those of a dead fish.
Shin Gongse’s relaxed expression hardened the moment he saw him.
“Two esteemed guests. I was in the middle of speaking with a guest who arrived earlier.”
“A guest who arrived earlier… To my eyes, he looks more like a pushover than a guest. What kind of wicked scheme were you plotting this time?”
“You’re being rude. I don’t expect an apology, but at least step aside for now.”
We were the ones who had been treated rudely, but Shin Gongse didn’t seem to care. Just as the man said, Shin Gongse was looking at us like pushovers.
The man ignored him and approached us, sitting down on an empty chair.
“I am Dumanjeong, an elder of the Namji Sect. You must be martial artists affiliated with the Yuseong Sword Sect, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I answered.
“Esteemed Elder!”
Shin Gongse yelled, but Dumanjeong didn’t pay him any mind. Instead, he stared intently at me. A golden light flickered within his dead fish-like eyes.
Information about Dumanjeong belatedly came to mind.
Dumanjeong, an elder of the Namji Sect, was a sorcerer with an innate aesthetic eye that could see through to the essence of things. In this world, an aesthetic eye was a special ability to find the true nature of things. For a sorcerer, it was one of the greatest talents. In the original story, he dies fighting the protagonist.
“This is surprising.”
Dumanjeong looked at me and grinned. I couldn’t tell what he saw in me.
“Young Master Shin. I want to speak with this one alone. Make arrangements for us.”
“What exactly are you plotting?”
“That’s what I want to ask you.”
“……What is your business?”
“The patience of the Namji Sect Leader has reached its limit. They will intervene soon. Within ten days, the Namji Sect’s Cheongha Unit will arrive in Payang City.”
Dumanjeong’s actions were a clear betrayal of the Namji Sect. Unlike in the original story, he seemed to have been won over by Shin Gongse.
“……There is an unwritten rule in this situation. The Ahyeon Shin Clan and the Jikga Bureau are constantly at each other’s throats, but neither has any intention of handing anything over to the Namji Sect. Does the Namji Sect think they can handle both the Ahyeon Shin Clan and the Jikga Bureau?”
“If they didn’t think so, they wouldn’t have made a move.”
“This is driving me crazy. I’ve already finished all the preparations to strike the Jikga Bureau… Ha.”
“If you obtain the Nagang Sect’s artifact within a week, there won’t be any need to fight.”
“If only it were as easy as you say.”
“I’ve delivered the message I needed to. I want to speak with this one separately.”
“Very well. I have a lot to think about, so I’ll make arrangements for you. Young Master Seong Jigon. Let’s go outside and wait for a bit.”
He didn’t ask for my or Seong Jigon’s opinion at all. Just as the man said, Shin Gongse was treating us like pushovers.
Seong Jigon frowned. I patted him on the shoulder and gestured with my eyes for him to go out with Shin Gongse.
Only Dumanjeong and I remained in the room.
“I am Seong Yujin of the Yuseong Sword Sect.”
“I am Dumanjeong of the Namji Sect.”
“What did you see in me?”
“Oh ho. You know about my eyes?”
“The aesthetic eye. An eye that sees through to the essence. This is the first time I’ve seen it in person, but I’ve heard of it.”
“You have more insight than I thought.”
“What did you see in me, esteemed elder?”
“It’s not wrong to say that the aesthetic eye sees through to the essence. However, the effect of the aesthetic eye varies slightly from person to person. In my case, I can see what is hidden in objects and sorcery, and in the case of people, I can see their potential.”
“You’re saying you saw my potential. You must be disappointed.”
“Disappointed? What nonsense are you spouting? I was shocked the moment I saw your potential. I’ve never met anyone with such outstanding potential.”
“Huh? You must be mistaken. I don’t have any talent.”
“There’s no way my eyes could be wrong. If you haven’t realized your talent yet, it’s because you haven’t awakened it.”
“You’re saying things that pique my curiosity. Can you tell me what you saw in me?”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen someone like you, so I’ll tell you. There are two things I see in you. One is lightning. That’s probably the attribute you possess.”
“Yes. I was born with the Lightning Spirit.”
“Born with the Lightning Spirit and yet you have no talent? You’re a man who knows how to deceive people.”
“……”
“The other is the aura of a star.”
“……The aura of a star?”
“There are those in this world who are born with the aura of a star, and it is said that they all become great figures as if by fate. You haven’t awakened yet. I don’t know exactly which star’s aura you were born with, but once you awaken, you’ll never say you have no talent again.”
“Could you tell me more about that?”
“I don’t know much about the aura of stars either. However, there are a few cases. Among the famous ones are the Heavenly Slaughter Star and the Purple Star.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“You must have heard of them. They are stories about the Emperor and the Slaughter God.”
“……Are you saying the Emperor and the Slaughter God were…?”
“That’s right. The Emperor was the Purple Star, and the Slaughter God was the Heavenly Slaughter Star.”
In this world, the story of the Emperor and the Slaughter God was so famous that even the children in the neighborhood knew it.
To summarize the story briefly, about 700 years ago, the Slaughter God caused a great calamity, and the Emperor killed the Slaughter God and restored peace to the world. The Emperor then founded the Jin Empire.
Payang City, where I am now, and Hudan City, where the Yuseong Sword Sect is located, also belong to the Jin Empire. It’s so far from the capital that it’s considered the boondocks.
“Are you saying I’m the Heavenly Slaughter Star or the Purple Star?”
“That’s impossible. The Purple Star already has an Emperor, so there’s no way you could be born with it. If you were the Heavenly Slaughter Star, I would have felt a sense of foreboding from you. The Heavenly Slaughter Star is that powerful. There’s hardly any information about the aura of stars. I’ve only looked into it through literature. I can’t tell which star you were born under.”
“Is the aura of a star that significant?”
“There has never been a case of someone born with the aura of a star who didn’t become a great figure.”
“……Are you perhaps going to kill me?”
“I’m not so reckless as to kill you out of jealousy for the star’s aura you were born with. I simply wanted to talk to someone born with the aura of a star.”
“Are you satisfied?”
“No. It’s not as interesting as I thought, and there’s nothing to gain. Still, since you indulged my conversation, I’ll pay you a price. You must also be looking for the Nagang Sect’s artifact, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I roughly knew where the Nagang Sect’s artifact was. However, it was very difficult to find. The description in the original story was too brief.
“The Nagang Sect’s artifact is on a small mountain east of Payang City. It’s hidden by a high-level barrier, so it would be difficult to find unless you’re a sorcerer with at least five Qi.”
I knew that. The problem was that I couldn’t pinpoint the exact entrance because of the barrier. Digging through the ground would bypass the barrier, but digging in the wrong place would just be a waste of time.
Dumanjeong took out a talisman from his robe and handed it to me.
“With this talisman, you’ll be able to see the barrier.”
“Is this a talisman that can see through barriers?”
“My skills are too meager for that. This just marks the location of the entrance I saw. If you dig in the direction the end of this talisman points, or destroy the surrounding area, you’ll be able to enter the place where the Nagang Sect’s artifact is.”
“What is your purpose, esteemed elder? If you knew the location of the artifact, why…”
“I have no interest in the Nagang Sect’s artifact. I’m going to use this opportunity to leave this place. I’m sick and tired of being used by the Namji Sect. If you want the artifact, use that talisman. That is, if you can handle the Nagang Sect’s artifact.”
“……Is it okay if I give it to someone else?”
“I don’t care.”
Dumanjeong abruptly stood up. He strode out of the room. Soon after, Seong Jigon came in. Through the door, I could see Shin Gongse chasing after Dumanjeong.
“Yujin! Did that guy threaten you?”
“No. We just had a conversation.”
Dumanjeong’s purpose.
Dumanjeong’s actions, which were different from the original story, made my head a little confused. But I quickly regained my senses and thought of a way to use this talisman.
“Seong Jigon. Let’s go back to the Jikga Bureau.”
•••
We returned to the Jikga Bureau.
As soon as we returned, we met Seokjuk, the third elder of the Yuseong Sword Sect.
“Did you finish your business well?”
“Yes. The mission was successfully completed.”
“It’s fortunate that you succeeded. Did Young Master Shin Gongse leave any special words for me?”
“No, he did not.”
“Tsk.”
Seokjuk clicked his tongue and passed us by.
‘Does he think he’s somebody?’
He was an absurd man. I chuckled and went with Seong Jigon to find Jik Seongmi, the eldest daughter of the Jikga Bureau.
Jik Seongmi was sitting at a table, quietly sipping green tea.
“You said you had something important to say regarding the Nagang Sect’s artifact?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. To be honest, I don’t have any faith in that, but since it’s about the Nagang Sect’s artifact, I’ll listen.”
Jik Seongmi said, taking a sip of her warm green tea. It was clear from her tone that she had no expectations, but she was bored, so she would listen for now.
She hadn’t taken her hand off her green tea even once since we entered the room.
“We’ve found out where the Nagang Sect’s artifact is.”
Clang!
The teacup fell roughly onto the table. Green tea splashed to the side, but Jik Seongmi’s dark eyes were fixed on me, unmoving.
“Are you joking?”
“I’m not stupid enough to joke about something like this.”
“If you’re deceiving me, I won’t forgive you.”
“I can bet my life on it.”
“……What was your name again?”
“I’m Seong Yujin. This is Seong Jigon, my brother.”
“If you’re from the Seong family…”
“Yes. Our father is the leader of the Yuseong Sword Sect.”
Her attitude became more serious than before.
“Tell me about the Nagang Sect’s artifact. How did you find out the location of the artifact? And of course, you’ll tell me the location as well, right?”
“There’s a condition.”
“A condition… Aren’t the Jikga Bureau and the Yuseong Sword Sect in a cooperative relationship?”
“Keuheuh.”
I chuckled softly, and Jik Seongmi frowned as if she was displeased.
“That was a funny joke. Miss Jik. We came directly to you without reporting to Elder Seok. In a way, it’s no different from betraying the Yuseong Sword Sect. As such, we should get something out of it, shouldn’t we?”
“Should I trust the words of those who have betrayed their sect?”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“……What is the condition?”
“A spiritual medicine. If you give us a spiritual medicine right now, we’ll tell you the location of the Nagang Sect’s artifact.”
“The Jikga Bureau hasn’t even established itself in Payang City yet. Do you think we have any spiritual medicines?”
“Didn’t you bring a few with you? If you don’t have any, we’ll just leave.”
“Are you going to leave and report to the Yuseong Sword Sect?”
“We won’t get any spiritual medicines even if we report to the Yuseong Sword Sect. There aren’t any spiritual medicines in the Yuseong Sword Sect right now. All we’ll get is words of praise. That’s why we want to trade with you, Miss Jik.”
“……Wait here, I’ll be back.”
Jik Seongmi disappeared for about two hours before returning.
In her hands was a silk box. She placed the box on the table and untied the silk.
A fragrant scent filled the room in an instant.
“This is…”
“It’s Snow Ginseng.”
There were two white ginseng roots. I could feel the spiritual energy emanating from them as I looked at them up close. Seong Jigon and I swallowed hard. It was a spiritual medicine that was superior to the Wooden Pillow Flower we had eaten before.
“It’s a spiritual medicine that has grown for about 80 years. You know that the Snow Ginseng itself is an excellent spiritual medicine, right? It’s hard to buy with silver, and it’s worth at least three thousand jade. It’s something we brought in case we needed quick cash while settling in Payang City.”
“The Nagang Sect’s artifact is worth more than that, so you don’t have to worry.”
“I wouldn’t have done this if I didn’t know that.”
“I’ll tell you the location of the Nagang Sect’s artifact now. So hand over the Snow Ginseng…”
“Wait. Didn’t I say that I couldn’t trust your words earlier? I’ll give you these Snow Ginsengs after you find the Nagang Sect’s artifact.”
“……This talisman will tell you where the Nagang Sect’s artifact is. So hand over the Snow Ginseng…”
“You have to come with us too. Now that we’ve obtained a clue, there’s no reason to drag it out. We’ll move with the minimum number of people so as not to arouse suspicion. You should prepare yourselves as well.”
Jik Seongmi wrapped the box in silk again. I just smacked my lips.
