Chapter 117: A Conversation with Moyong Seong
I stared at him in silence.
Why?
Why was this scheming bastard singling me out for the reconnaissance team?
At that moment, Moyong Seong slightly raised one corner of his mouth.
“Taoist Mujin, why do you look so surprised?”
His voice was gentle on the surface.
But underneath it...
I could clearly feel that he was probing me.
“Is the reconnaissance mission perhaps too much of a burden for you?”
I answered calmly.
“Not at all.”
“I was simply caught off guard because Young Master Moyong suddenly pointed to me.”
“Caught off guard?”
Moyong Seong gave a small laugh.
“How strange.”
“From where I'm standing, I can't think of anyone more suitable for this reconnaissance team than you.”
I frowned slightly.
“I'm not sure what you mean.”
“It's simple.”
As though he'd been waiting for the question, Moyong Seong began explaining smoothly.
“You reached the finals of the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament.”
“That alone means you've already satisfied the martial strength requirement I mentioned for members of the reconnaissance team.”
He briefly looked around.
His gaze passed over the Sect Leader, Jin Gwangung, and the Righteous Alliance martial artists present.
Then he continued.
“And I also heard that you were the one who located the missing Kunlun Taoists in Black Spirit Valley...”
“and even rescued them.”
The longer Moyong Seong spoke...
the more the others seemed to find his reasoning convincing.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
He's really prepared for this.
This wasn't a few casual words of praise.
He had clearly decided from the beginning that he was taking me with him...
and had prepared his argument in advance.
Moyong Seong drove the point home.
“Outstanding martial prowess as the successor to True Immortal Cheongun's martial arts.”
“And judgment sharp enough to track down missing people.”
He smiled.
“Who could possibly be more suitable for a reconnaissance mission near the Demonic Cult border?”
Then he turned toward Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon.
“What do you think, Sect Leader?”
“Have I said anything incorrect?”
"..."
The Sect Leader didn't answer immediately.
A brief silence followed.
What an irritating bastard.
Moyong Seong was a snake.
He had already arranged things so that it would be difficult for the Sect Leader to refuse...
and now he was pretending to politely ask for his opinion.
I looked toward Cheon Gwangcheon.
His lips were pressed tightly together, his expression stiff.
He must be struggling with this.
As the leader of Kunlun...
Cheon Gwangcheon had little choice but to seriously consider Moyong Seong's request.
Kunlun stood as the first line of defense against threats from the Demonic Cult.
From that position...
refusing outright would be difficult to justify.
But at the same time...
sending me straight back out on a reconnaissance mission after I'd only just returned from Mount Hua wouldn't be an easy decision either.
Especially when we still had no idea how dangerous this mission might be.
Given Cheon Gwangcheon's upright nature...
he couldn't help hesitating over what choice to make.
So I spoke first.
“Sect Leader.”
His gaze immediately turned toward me.
“Please include me in the reconnaissance team.”
I continued before he could respond.
“If it's true that the Demonic Cult may be preparing to move...”
“then this is ultimately a crisis for Kunlun as well.”
“Confirming the situation as quickly as possible should come first.”
“Mujin....”
Cheon Gwangcheon looked at me with concern.
I answered calmly.
“Sect Leader, you don't need to worry.”
“Trust me and let me go.”
His gaze wavered.
I didn't look away.
Even then...
he couldn't answer easily.
That alone showed how much he cared about me.
Then—
“Why are you thinking so hard about it?”
Jin Gwangung's voice cut in.
Everyone turned toward him.
He grumbled,
“Mujin himself says he wants to go.”
“Let the brat do what he wants, Sect Leader.”
Cheon Gwangcheon looked at him in surprise.
“Elder Gwangung, but—”
“On one condition.”
Jin Gwangung cut him off.
“I'm joining that reconnaissance team too.”
Cheon Gwangcheon blinked.
“You as well?”
Jin Gwangung snorted.
“My one and only disciple is volunteering to go.”
“As his master, I can't exactly sit still and watch.”
Then he turned toward Moyong Seong.
“What do you think?”
“Any objection to this old man joining your reconnaissance team?”
Moyong Seong's eyes narrowed slightly.
But only for an instant.
Then he laughed broadly and gave a martial salute.
“Hahaha. I could hardly ask for more.”
“To have one of Kunlun's First Elders accompany us...”
“it truly shows the lofty spirit with which Kunlun concerns itself with the safety of the martial world.”
Pretty words.
Nothing more.
There wasn't a trace of sincerity in them.
Judging from Jin Gwangung's cold stare...
he seemed to feel the same way.
As Moyong Seong laughed...
another face overlapped with his in my mind.
Moyong Cheonhwi.
That false smile of his looked exactly like his son's.
You really are your filthy father's son, Moyong Seong.
Listening to his laughter...
I sharpened the blade in my heart once again.
The discussion between the Sect Leader and Moyong Seong continued after that.
The composition of the reconnaissance team...
and the time of departure...
were decided with surprising speed.
From Kunlun...
there would be five people.
Jin Gwangung.
Me.
And three Taoists with extensive experience scouting the border region.
The Righteous Alliance would send ten martial artists, including Moyong Seong.
The departure time was decided immediately as well.
To my surprise...
we were leaving that very day.
Moyong Seong repeatedly emphasized that a small group needed to move as quickly and discreetly as possible.
In the end...
the Sect Leader accepted his reasoning.
And so...
a fifteen-person reconnaissance team was assembled and prepared to depart immediately.
Only just before we left did Moyong Seong finally pull out a map.
A long red line had been drawn across the aged parchment.
A small mark sat near the center.
“Here.”
Moyong Seong pointed to one location.
“This is where the suspicious movements of the Demonic Cult were detected.”
Jin Gwangung looked over the map and openly showed his displeasure.
“Hmph.”
“So you're only revealing the location now?”
Moyong Seong answered casually.
“Hahaha. I simply wanted to preserve secrecy as much as possible.”
“If we're trying to prevent information from leaking...”
“we had no choice but to be cautious until just before departure.”
Jin Gwangung still looked unhappy...
but didn't push the matter further.
“Fine.”
“We'll go there first and talk after we've seen the place.”
Naturally...
Kunlun took the lead.
Jin Gwangung and the three Taoists familiar with the border terrain moved at the front as guides.
The rest followed behind.
Since this was a covert reconnaissance mission...
we decided not to take horses.
