WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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Chapter 35: Episode 5: Cheoryang Thunder Gate (5)
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The Great Exorcist Order outpost in Aegul County was quite different from the one in Namsangol.
As befitted a city the size of a county seat, the outpost was imposing.
It was a three-story building with tiled roofs and painted eaves.
A stone plaque engraved with the Great Exorcist Order’s emblem stood before the main gate, while countless people moved quietly within.
When Ise knocked on the gate, an external affiliate hurried out at once.
“We have been expecting you. I’ll show you inside. I would appreciate it if you could keep quiet.”
They were polite without being servile. They had not even given their name, only asked the group to remain quiet. It was a far cry from the welcome Hong Sadeuk had given them in Namsangol.
Their next words revealed why.
“A Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator dispatched from headquarters is currently staying here on a mission. Please refrain from causing a disturbance.”
Apparently, another cultivator was already at the outpost. Not merely someone from the Qi Condensation Realm, but a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. As one of the Great Exorcist Order’s core forces, that cultivator’s mission naturally took priority.
“Is a Foundation Establishment Realm senior here?”
“Yes. Two missions happened to arise in this area.”
After thinking for a moment, Ise asked the external affiliate, “Would it be all right for us to greet the senior cultivator?”
It would be better to show proper courtesy in advance, in case they met later.
The others silently waited for the answer as well.
“I’ll ask, and if permission is granted, I’ll guide you there. The mission concerning the Four-Wind Black Tiger is currently being reinvestigated. The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator’s mission is receiving priority, so please understand that it may take some time.”
“Yes.”
The external affiliate bowed and left.
A short while later, word came that the senior cultivator had agreed to see them.
In a guest room on the second floor of the main building, a male cultivator with bold, well-defined features was drinking tea.
“Come in. You wanted to greet me? What polite juniors.”
“Greetings, Senior. I am entry disciple Ise.”
The four entry disciples introduced themselves in turn, led by Ise.
“I’m Gwak Chan. Sit wherever you like. Would you like some tea?”
“No. We wouldn’t dare sit in your presence, Senior.”
“What? Hahaha. Entry disciples these days are certainly disciplined. It’s nice to see, but I’m not such a difficult person.”
Gwak Chan was far more easygoing than they had expected.
He looked a little over thirty and had a neat appearance, with deep smile lines at the corners of his eyes.
As the four straightened before the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, Gwak Chan waved a hand.
“You’re making me uncomfortable by acting so stiff. Sit down.”
Refusing repeatedly would be rude as well. The four sat neatly, and Gwak Chan poured them tea before casually asking, “What mission brings four entry disciples here?”
“It is follow-up work related to a fellow disciple’s death. We intend to recover the body and identify the killer.”
“Ah... recovering a body. That sounds rough.”
Gwak Chan idly turned his teacup in his hands before speaking in a deliberately light tone.
“I’m tracking the trail of a demonic sect that has appeared around here.”
The four froze at the words demonic sect.
It was a group that had strayed from the path of immortal cultivation to practice demonic arts and wicked techniques. They had encountered a cultivator like Kim Siwon, who had turned to demonic arts on his own, but a sect was another matter entirely.
“You mean Cheoryang Thunder Gate?”
“That’s right.”
The group had crossed over from the Zheng Empire, disrupted the order of the Three Peninsula Kingdoms, and challenged the Great Exorcist Order’s authority.
They were the greatest practical threat to Great Exorcist Order cultivators.
Seeing their reaction, Gwak Chan snickered.
“Ah, was this supposed to be secret? Still, it’s nearby, so I suppose it’s good for you to know.”
“We will keep it confidential.”
“Good. Be careful when carrying out your mission. When mission areas overlap, the two incidents can sometimes be connected. Be cautious, and if you find anything strange, report it immediately.”
“We will remember.”
“Feel free to ask if you need help.”
It was impossible to tell whether the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator’s advice came from kindness or because he had truly sensed something.
Still, simply knowing that a reliable senior was nearby put them more at ease.
* * *
The external affiliate informed them that further investigation details would take about two days, as Gwak Chan’s mission was being handled first.
It felt as though they had been pushed down the list of priorities, but the outpost treated them well enough.
There were excellent meals, comfortable beds, and even luxurious hot springs unlike anything they had experienced in their lives.
After telling the other three to prepare for the mission, Ise said he would be going out for a while.
The moment he left the outpost, he took out the Burial Map he always kept close to his chest.
It was the map Teacher Wiseong had given him, marked with the locations of his family’s reburied graves.
They were not far from here. Since he had time, he wanted to visit them.
After walking for about four hours beyond the city, he found a cemetery on a sunny slope at the foot of a mountain.
The graves had been better maintained than he expected. The mounds were neatly packed, and although a little moss had grown over the names carved into the tombstones, nothing had been damaged.
It was a burial ground with more dignity than befitted commoners who had once survived by digging through the earth.
Filled with gratitude, Ise slowly knelt.
He did not intend to stay long. Instead of speaking, he brushed the dirt from the grave mounds with his palm and placed the chrysanthemums he had brought before the tombstones.
‘I’m doing well. I may not be able to visit often, but I’ll try.’
Ise’s forehead slowly touched the ground. Once, then twice. He continued bowing for the repose of their souls for a long time.
After quite a while, just as he rose to his feet, a voice spoke.
“You have become quite dignified.”
He reflexively turned around. Wiseong stood three steps behind him.
‘...I didn’t sense Wiseong.’
Had he let his emotions overcome him in front of the graves? Or was it because Wiseong was an ordinary person with no spiritual energy, demonic qi, or even turbid qi to sense?
Promising himself that he would never again let his guard down enough for his Dokkaebi Senses to dull, Ise looked at the scholar before him.
“Teacher Wiseong. It has been a long time.”
Wiseong still looked like a scholar whose age was impossible to guess. A faint scent of ink lingered around Wiseong, as if a brush had only recently been set aside.
“The Great Exorcist Order robes suit you well. You became a cultivator after all. You look healthy too.”
Wiseong slowly looked Ise up and down.
“You seemed somewhat sharp when I saw you before, but now you look much more at peace.”
“I owe you greatly, Teacher. You even took such good care of the graves.”
“What I did was nothing.”
Wiseong looked toward the tombstones with a faint smile.
“Your family will be happy. You have grown up so well.”
For a moment, the wind blew. Only the rustling of grass filled the space between them.
“By the way, is Lady Mongryeon well?”
“You know my master?”
“Of course. She is quite famous in this area.”
“Is that so? I have not seen her since joining the Great Exorcist Order, but I’m sure she is well. She is strong, after all.”
It was a name he missed. Only a few months had passed, yet simply saying it warmed his chest.
The two exchanged light conversation before the tombstones.
As usual, Wiseong was plainspoken. Before the benefactor he had not seen in a long time, Ise did his best to be courteous as he shared news of his life.
“If you ever need help, submit a request to the Great Exorcist Order and name me specifically. I’ll handle your request before anything else.”
Entry disciples could not accept private requests. But they could be named in a request.
Ise scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed as he added, “I’ve always been waiting for a chance to repay you.”
“That is reassuring.”
Wiseong smiled softly. It was the same smile Ise had seen when they first met, with only the corners of Wiseong’s lips lifting slightly.
* * *
By the time he returned to the outpost, Gwak Chan had already left for his mission. The next morning, the external affiliate gave them updated information.
“Further traces of the Four-Wind Black Tiger have been found in the Aegul Mountain region northeast of Aegul County. The last search area where the late cultivator Yeombo is believed to have died is nearby as well. However, several ordinary people we dispatched have gone missing, so further investigation will likely be difficult.”
“Understood. We’ll investigate it ourselves.”
“I apologize. Here are the map and investigation report. We will also provide you with plenty of Message Talismans for contacting the outpost. Please contact us at once if you need assistance.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
The four quickly looked over the report, then set out immediately.
Once they entered the forest, Pi Garam moved to the front.
Tracking and concealment were a Shadow Agent’s specialties. Pi Garam’s eyes began sweeping over the traces on the ground.
Broken branches. Footprints pressed into the dirt. Bodily fluids left on grass. Droppings.
Pi Garam usually had little presence, but once tracking began, Pi Garam moved with uncanny speed.
Ise had studied Shadow Agent techniques as well, but Pi Garam’s mastery was on another level.
After moving swiftly and stealthily deep into the mountains, Pi Garam spoke to Ise as though certain of the conclusion.
“There are two kinds of footprints that appear to belong to Four-Wind Black Tigers. I think there are two of them.”
“Two?”
“Yeah. One is an immature specimen, and the other seems to be an adult.”
Ise’s brow furrowed. This differed from the information he knew.
“Four-Wind Black Tigers are solitary demons. If two of them are in the same territory, they should be fighting each other.”
“Could they be a mother and cub?” Seolryeong asked.
Ise shook his head.
“They abandon their young the moment they are born and move to a new habitat. They are demons with no sense of family affection.”
It was clearly an abnormal occurrence. Ise wrote it down and sent a Message Talisman to the Great Exorcist Order outpost.
“The young one is Grade 8, but an adult can reach Grade 6. Still, it’s not beyond our current strength. We’ll proceed.”
Ise quickly assessed the situation and resumed the search.
He had witnessed the might of a Grade 6 Infant-Cry Dragon Horse during his time at Gwisu Temple. Not long ago, they had also faced a Grade 6 demon beast beside a mission target they had believed to be Grade 8.
They had struggled somewhat, but they could handle it. Between them, the group had four sacred relics, including the Twin-Curtain Spirit-Domain Sealing Banner.
An adult Four-Wind Black Tiger formed Bone Mud, a type of demon core.
If Bone Mud was combined with its heart and liver to make meat paste, it produced an extremely effective immortal cuisine. It was too valuable a resource to pass up.
Of course, the reason the two specimens remained together was something they needed to watch out for.
About half an hour after Ise made his decision and resumed the search, demonic qi flowed from the edge of a rocky mountain where stone rose like a cliff.
“A demon.”
At Ise’s brief warning, Hong Wonseo and Pi Garam instinctively stepped back while Seolryeong drew talismans.
What appeared was not a Four-Wind Black Tiger.
It was a huge bird of prey in the form of a hawk.
A Flesh-Virtue Hawk. A Grade 7 demon beast.
The demon beast known as the king of birds of prey, an absurd title for a Qi Condensation Realm demon beast, had arrived like an unwelcome guest.
The creature, said to be capable of eating tigers, rolled its eyes before snapping its wings open.
It was an obvious threat display. Naturally, Ise had no intention of letting chicken that had walked right into his grasp escape.
“Just support me. I’ll handle it.”
Ise spoke briefly and kicked off the ground. At the same time, the Flesh-Virtue Hawk spread its claws and plunged straight down at him.
Using Dokkaebi Steps, he closed the distance in an instant and sharpened the hatchet’s edge with spiritual energy.
The two collided violently.
Spiritual energy shot from his shield-bearing left hand and wrapped around the Flesh-Virtue Hawk like a web. The bird was flipped upside down in an instant, and the hatchet in Ise’s right hand came crashing down just behind its beak.
Its most vulnerable point. Its white nape.
As the hatchet blade accurately struck its weakness and bit in without mercy, the Flesh-Virtue Hawk realized something had gone wrong.
It screamed, scattering demonic qi as it tried to fly away. Just then, the Twin-Curtain Spirit-Domain Sealing Banner strapped to Ise’s back planted itself in the ground.
The demon’s wings lost their strength as it tried to take flight, and it fell.
Ise did not miss the opening. His hatchet sliced through its neck.
Only the raptor’s head remained on the hatchet, blood dripping from it.
One instant.
That was all it had taken to hunt a Grade 7 demon beast.
When Ise raised the demon’s head and showed it to his companions, all three of their expressions twisted at once.
Footnotes:
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