Crisis of the Amitabha Sect
The Kunlun Sect, located in Qinghai, had collapsed two years ago under the assault of the Heavenly Wolf Troop led by the Heavenly Demon Sword, and even its sect leader had been killed.When the surviving Taoist disciples fled to Chengdu in Sichuan, the orthodox martial world did not turn them away but welcomed them warmly.
It is the way of the world that when the rich become poor, people turn their backs on them.And yet, the reason the orthodox factions treated the Kunlun Sect with such sincerity was because one man still stood strong.
The Invincible Sword, Han Chugwang.
Only ten years ago, he had been among the foremost of the younger generation, already designated as the next leader of the Kunlun Sect.
He was a genius who, after two hundred years, revived the Supreme Great Ability—the Kunlun Sect's signature internal art, long lost because no one could master it—and, based on that art, perfected the Kunlun's greatest martial discipline, the Eight Great Forms of the Cloud Dragon, after four hundred years.
When Kunlun fell, people lamented that Han Chugwang had been away visiting the Martial Alliance.They wondered what would have happened had he been there.
Would even the Heavenly Demon Sword, the scourge of the martial world, have been forced to retreat in defeat?Or, no matter how great the Invincible Sword was, would he have been overwhelmed? The opinions were evenly split.
Eight years ago, at the young age of thirty-one, he had already reached the peak of martial skill.
It was rare indeed for someone not yet forty to command such respect from the entire world.
So much so that people often said: "The true strength of Kunlun only shines when the Invincible Sword Han Chugwang stands with it!"
To Kunlun's disciples, the way they looked at him went beyond respect—it was hope, even reverence.
Han Chugwang had declared that until the day they avenged their sect and returned to Mount Kunlun, he would not wear Taoist robes, but instead wore armor.He even slept with his sword in his arms, grinding his teeth in hatred.
He had openly proclaimed that he would one day take the vacant seat of sect leader, but when he heard cheon ryu-yeong's words, he was too dumbfounded to lash out.
What in the world is this shabby fellow?
No bulging Sun Points at his temples, no special aura unique to martial artists—just an ordinary man.
"You said there were ten reasons?"
Han Chugwang fixed cheon ryu-yeong with a piercing gaze.Cheon ryu-yeong, still in Han Chugwang's grip by the neck, tapped the hand holding him and nodded.
"Yes. But I feel like I'm going to suffocate—could you let go first?"
Han Chugwang hesitated briefly, then released his hand.
"Speak! If you said nonsense just to escape danger, I will never forgive you."
Cheon ryu-yeong rubbed his flushed neck and took two deep breaths.
"It's all in that Buddhist nun's words and actions."
"…"
Han Chugwang stayed silent.The nun from the Amitabha Sect had only said a few sentences when she came running.Yet cheon ryu-yeong was saying there were ten flaws in her conduct in that short time.
When something is too absurd, words fail you.He suddenly recalled what Dokgo Seol had shouted earlier.
"Swindler!"
There was no other way to think about it.
Han Chugwang grew angry at himself—had this damned fellow made a fool of him?His face flushed crimson, and he was about to strike again when Dokgo Muyoung stepped in to stop him.
"Brother Han, just wait a moment."
"Clan leader! But this man—"
"They say the more urgent the matter, the more you must go the long way around. Unless this young man has a death wish…"
Dokgo Muyoung's gaze at cheon ryu-yeong was cold and steady.He turned his eyes to his daughter.
He had never liked the fact that Seol, to avoid the gazes of men, always dressed as one herself.But now was not the time for such trivial complaints.
"Who is this man?"
Faced with the question, Dokgo Seol looked troubled.
In truth, everything she knew about cheon ryu-yeong came from his own mouth.She had already pegged him as a swindler.
There was only one objective fact.
"He is… someone named cheon ryu-yeong, who worked as a porter for the Jinshan Escort Agency but was thrown out yesterday."
Images of porters carrying loads busily in an escort bureau flashed in everyone's minds.So they had wasted precious time listening to the words of a mere baggage carrier?
Even the normally composed Dokgo Muyoung's face stiffened.Han Chugwang's forehead veins bulged as he spoke.
"This man may well be an agent of the Heavenly Demon Sword, trying to delay us even for a moment—"
Cheon ryu-yeong hurriedly interrupted.
"First reason!"
At his sudden cry, all eyes turned to him, their gazes cold as ice.Under that chill, cheon ryu-yeong spoke.
"The moment she arrived, that Buddhist nun drank an entire water flask handed to her by Clan Leader Dokgo."
The atmosphere bristled with killing intent.What nonsense was this?How could that be a problem?
The nun, who had been silently watching him, cut in with an aggrieved tone.
"What grudge do you have against me to say such a thing, benefactor?I ran for nearly an hour without rest to the Sichuan branch, and then another hour at full speed to get here."
She had covered nearly two hundred li in two hours—a testament to the extraordinary lightness skill worthy of someone the Amitabha Sect leader could trust.
It also inspired pity at how desperate and exhausted she must have been.
Cheon ryu-yeong's whole body began to sting and ache.He realized it was because of the killing intent directed at him from all around—martial artists' killing intent could be terrifying indeed.
"Yes, of course she'd be thirsty.But would someone who claims the Amitabha Sect is surrounded and under attack have the presence of mind to drink a whole flask?"
"…!"
"The sect leader, her master, her seniors and juniors would be dying even as we speak—and she knows this.If she were in her right mind, conveying the situation would come before drinking water.A few words would suffice, wouldn't they?No matter how thirsty she was, she'd take a sip or two and then speak.That's what fits the circumstances and human nature."
The moment cheon ryu-yeong finished speaking, he felt the oppressive killing intent around him vanish.
"Phew…"
An involuntary sigh of relief slipped from his lips.
Many warriors looked back and forth between the nun and cheon ryu-yeong in puzzlement.
The nun's face showed indignation, while cheon ryu-yeong's complexion was gradually recovering.
They thought his words made sense—yet at the same time, accusing the nun of being an enemy spy seemed excessive.
As if reading their thoughts, cheon ryu-yeong spoke again at once.
"Second reason. She knows the enemy's numbers far too precisely.I suspect she counted on the tendency of people to believe numbers and statistics when explaining something.Six hundred black-clad men attacking the Amitabha Sect?Did the nun count them as she escaped?"
The nun quickly replied.
"That was just a rough estimate—"
Cheon ryu-yeong shook his head, cutting her off.
"If ambushers suddenly attack, it's practically impossible to know their exact numbers.Especially when you're surrounded—enemies on all sides make you panic all the more."
"…"
"The proper thing for the nun to say would have been: 'There were far more enemies than the Amitabha Sect disciples.'Even generously, she might say they seemed at least twice our number.But to declare exactly six hundred?One must be careful when using numbers—they're a double-edged sword."
Han Chugwang, standing before cheon ryu-yeong, and Dokgo Muyoung at his side, both wore dazed expressions.
Now that I hear it, doesn't this also make sense?
Even Dokgo Seol, who was on horseback, widened her eyes in surprise.
Beside her, Jo Jeonhu whispered.
"I felt it yesterday too, but he really isn't an ordinary young man. No wonder you thought he was worth buying a drink for, Captain."
"Huh? Ah! Y-yes, that's right."
"But then why did you call him a swindler earlier…?"
"…"
Dokgo Seol's mind grew muddled. Just what is that man? Could it be that even in a drunken state, he had been weaving lies?
It was only after hearing cheon ryu-yeong's words that everyone began to realize there was something suspicious in the nun's behavior.
Things they had not noticed at all before now surfaced in their minds.
Even more astounding was that cheon ryu-yeong had claimed there were ten reasons.
And yet, so far, only two had been revealed.
Ten reasons!
Could such a thing even be possible?
Could there truly be so many flaws hidden in such a short, seemingly ordinary exchange?
Dokgo Seol watched cheon ryu-yeong with a curious gaze.
Catching his breath for a moment and ignoring the nun's protests, cheon ryu-yeong spoke again.
"The third reason is…"
Everyone pricked up their ears.
A stillness settled over the surroundings.
Even the nun kept her mouth shut, watching cheon ryu-yeong's lips.
What words would come out of them this time?
"The nun said that it seemed the Heavenly Demon Sword's Baek Unhoe had infiltrated Chengdu. Correct?"
The nun replied.
"Yes. I said that. And what's supposed to be the problem with that?"
Cheon ryu-yeong scratched at the hair by his ear.
"That part was fine. The problem came with the next thing you said—immediately afterward, you claimed that the Heavenly Demon Sword's Baek Unhoe was attacking the Sichuan branch."
"…?"
Not only the nun, but others also looked at cheon ryu-yeong with puzzled expressions, as if to say, 'What's the problem with that?'
Cheon ryu-yeong fixed his gaze on the nun and explained.
"Normally, in a tense situation, when a person describes an event, they don't mix speculation and confirmed fact in the same breath.
It's against reason.
Usually, one would say: 'The Heavenly Demon Sword has infiltrated Chengdu. And now, they are attacking the Sichuan branch.'"
"…"
"But you, even in an urgent moment, tied together a vague guess and a confirmed fact with no pause between them.
This means you manipulated the facts to achieve some purpose.
It also suggests you were ordered by someone and simply memorized the situation mechanically."
A few martial artists let out exclamations.
Now, suspicion toward the Amitabha Sect's nun was growing steadily.
Next to the nun, Black Tortoise Unit Leader Neung Unbi already had his hand on the sword at his side.
His entire body radiated the will to draw it at any moment.
Driven into a corner, the nun ground her teeth inwardly.
But she tried hard to maintain a calm expression as she said:
"You certainly have a knack for cornering people, benefactor. In a tense situation, when speaking—"
Cheon ryu-yeong cut her off.
"Fourth!"
Once again, everyone held their breath and listened intently.
Dokgo Muyoung and Han Chugwang looked at cheon ryu-yeong with renewed attention.
"The Sichuan branch leader Cheolhyeol told you to request reinforcements here because they were also engaged in battle there. Correct?"
The nun bit her lip.
She hesitated to answer.
For the first time in her life, she realized that a three-inch tongue could be more terrifying than any sword.
But remaining silent would only make her more suspicious.
"What's the problem with that?"
"As far as I know, the Sichuan branch is a fortress established to block the powerful forces of the Demon Cult.
Normally, they don't put just anyone in that position."
As cheon ryu-yeong pointed out, Branch Leader Cheolhyeol Maeng Cheonhu was famous for his prudence.
Why else would he have doubled the guard the previous night?
Seeing everyone nod in agreement, cheon ryu-yeong continued.
"Would someone in such a position really send a person who had just run a hundred li to run another hundred li?
Would he have the sense to hand over the branch's flag but not think to dispatch a fresh messenger?"
The nun's face finally betrayed her discomfort.
"T-that's because… my lightness skill is exceptional, so I volunteered to go!"
Her rebuttal sounded almost like she was throwing a tantrum.
But cheon ryu-yeong's voice remained calm in contrast.
"I may not be a martial artist, but that sounds far-fetched to me.
If I were the branch leader, I would never push someone already drenched in sweat and gasping for breath to run again.
Even a child wouldn't make such a foolish mistake."
"Benefactor! I told you, I volunteered repeatedly."
"If that were the case… in your position, I would at least have given you a horse."
"…"
"And sent a carrier pigeon to Clan Leader Dokgo as well."
The nun was struck speechless.
But feeling the killing intent directed at her, she forced herself to open her mouth.
"B-Branch Leader Cheolhyeol was too busy commanding the battle."
At that, cheon ryu-yeong let out a short, derisive laugh—"Pft!"—that made the nun feel as if a dagger had pierced her heart.