Jin Muhon set down his chopsticks mid-meal and followed the laborer toward the rear garden. Unable to contain her curiosity, Jin Hayeon trailed after him.
"What's this? Looks like something valuable."
"Hey! Big brother! Don't touch it recklessly! What if that guy gets pissed?"
"Tch. It's not gonna wear out from a little touch."
Upon arriving at the rear garden, Oepari and several laborers were gathered in front of a dilapidated shrine. Jin Muhon strode forward with heavy steps. They all startled and quickly parted to the sides, standing at attention. Halting his steps, Jin Muhon silently stared at the laborers. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads.
"What is it?"
Oepari rushed forward and presented something to Jin Muhon.
"My lord! This came out from under the shrine floor!"
Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes and looked down. An old book. A musty moldy smell rose from the yellowed, faded paper. The title was so worn it was barely legible.
"Hm."
Jin Muhon took the old book. Holding it up to the sunlight, the title faintly became readable.
Cloud Peak... Mist Sea?
Cloud-shrouded peaks and a sea of mist. He had no clue what it was about. With little expectation, Jin Muhon carefully turned the first page.
What? This!
Jin Muhon's eyes widened in surprise. Oepari and the laborers followed suit, their eyes bulging as they clamped their mouths shut. The atmosphere felt like even a peep would be disastrous.
A heart method... perhaps.
The incantation on the first page burned clearly into Jin Muhon's eyes. It was as if each character writhed alive, as though it had awaited him for so long.
No doubt about it.
This was the long-lost heart method of his clan. The Unbong Jin family, once renowned for their swordsmanship. While fragments of their sword techniques had been passed down, the core heart method had been lost, leading to their downfall. Now, this secret manual bearing the clan's joys and sorrows lay in Jin Muhon's hands. Even for him, who had mastered countless demonic arts, the incantations were hard to grasp easily.
Flip.
Jin Muhon turned to the final page. There, faded ink bore the words of a previous family head to his descendants. Though blurred and worn, the earnest desperation still breathed vividly.
— Ancestor's Warning —
Cloud Peak Mist Sea is not a mere inner energy heart method.
This is a celestial art aimed at transcending human limits toward ascension.
Diligently cultivate with the upper dantian via Cloud Peak Mist Sea, and one may become a true immortal.
Yet who dares claim to become an immortal?
Since the founder with heaven-sent talent, no one has mastered Cloud Peak Mist Sea.
As family head, I can no longer watch our house crumble chasing empty dreams.
Thus, I seal Cloud Peak Mist Sea.
I wish to burn it here, but I cannot destroy the heirloom left by the founder.
If a descendant finds this, do not rashly attempt to learn it. Keep it from others' eyes.
Remember this.
The path to strength for a martial artist lies in the lower dantian, not the upper.
Jin Muhon's fingers trembled slightly. Not just any lost secret, but a heart method dealing with the upper dantian. For him, whose lower dantian was destroyed, this was the fateful opportunity he needed most. No choice here. He had to master it.
An empty dream, huh...
Closing the manual, Jin Muhon gazed into the shrine filled with dusty ancestral tablets. To grow strong for the sake of those he must protect—that could never be an empty dream. Jin Muhon slightly bowed his head toward the shrine.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Several days swiftly passed. The ghostly mansion now felt lived-in, and the businesses seized from Lu Ju were methodically organized without issue. But since he'd moved cautiously, outsiders wouldn't notice major changes. Not yet. He needed to buy time until he grew stronger.
"Family head! You've come out!"
"Family head! Have you eaten?"
"Did you sleep well last night? Family head!"
Jin Muhon scowled. As he strolled the grounds, rough-faced ruffians bowed deeply, raising their voices.
Those bastards.
They were originally under Unbong Pavilion's owner. Knowing the town's master had changed, they'd bent the knee on their own. The title "family head" had felt awkward at first but was growing familiar. After all, with his father and only brother gone, it wasn't entirely wrong. And Jin Hayeon seemed to like it too.
- Faaamily heeead!!
Oepari came dashing from afar, sleeves flapping. Jin Muhon stopped and glared at him.
"Huff... huff... F-family head! You're out... huff... Aigoo! I'm dying here!"
"..."
Oepari braced his hands on his knees, gasping. Jin Muhon waited silently until he caught his breath. Straightening up, Oepari reported politely.
"Everything's proceeding as ordered. Debtors at the gambling house got extensions, and courtesans wanting out were paid handsomely and sent off. Also—"
"Enough."
"Pardon? Ah! Yes."
Passersby glanced their way. They might not know Jin Muhon's face yet, but Oepari, the local fixture, was famous. A thug like him groveling to a stranger? Of course it looked odd. Jin Muhon flicked his white robe and walked on.
"To Unbong Pavilion."
"Yes! I'll lead the way."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The sun hung high at midday. The brothel folk should still be deep in sleep.
Bang bang bang!
"Family head's here! Open the damn door! You lot!"
Thwack!
"Aigoo!"
Jin Muhon smacked the back of his head. Oepari turned with a wronged look.
"Too loud."
"Y-yes. Yes."
Word of Jin Muhon's arrival stirred the brothel into chaos. Soon, with clattering sounds, several rushed out to open the door. Sleepy faces, clothes hastily thrown on—Ha Chonggwan and the working women.
"You've arrived, family head."
"Please, come in."
Despite the sudden visit, the women smiled brightly to welcome him. At first, his ruthless hands had them trembling, but unlike the previous owner, Jin Muhon never struck the weak. And that beggar-like appearance from their first sight? Now neatly dressed, he looked stunning.
"Ha Chonggwan, Oepari—stay and report. The rest, go rest. You must be tired."
"Yes, understood."
"Thank you, family head."
The women beamed and withdrew. Jin Muhon headed to the owner's office with Ha Chonggwan and Oepari. The furniture remained as the former owner had left it—Jin Muhon had ordered it untouched, lest Ghost Soul Sect raid anytime.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Jin Muhon and Oepari sat across the desk. Ha Chonggwan bowed demurely and spoke.
"Family head. Shall I bring tea?"
"No need. You sit too, Ha Chonggwan."
"Yes."
Ha Chonggwan sat tensely, placing the brothel ledger on the desk.
"No issues with sales since that day. Tribute for Ghost Soul Sect is prepared too."
Jin Muhon flipped through the ledger casually. The rustle of pages echoed softly. Ha Chonggwan and Oepari swallowed, watching his face. They knew—harmless now, but Jin Muhon's temper was ice-cold ruthless.
"When's tribute day?"
"End of the month."
"Handing over hard-earned cash like this. Frustrating."
"Well..."
Ghost Soul Sect's rooted businesses here: one brothel, gambling house, and casino. As long as tribute flowed steadily, they'd stay blind for now. But murim affairs rarely go as planned.
"Ghost Soul Sect's movements?"
Closing the ledger with a thud, Jin Muhon eyed Oepari. He flinched straight.
"Quiet! Sent boys to scout—no sect disciples on Yichang streets! Something's off!"
"Hm. Is that so?"
"Yes! Back then, bump shoulders in Yichang and Ghost Soul Sect pups swarmed!"
"Not that strange."
Ha Chonggwan spoke calmly amid Oepari's tension. Still fearing Jin Muhon, but knowing he didn't kill without reason, she voiced opinions more now.
"Explain."
Jin Muhon leaned back, arms crossed.
"Iron Blood Society's expanding fast in Hubei lately. Clashing with Ghost Soul Sect everywhere, naturally."
"Has it?"
Iron Blood Society. Come to think, that pig Lu Ju had mistaken Jin Muhon for one of theirs.
"Yes. Ghost Soul Sect won't bother a small town like this till their feud settles. Calling in outer disciples too—big clash coming soon."
"Those unorthodox scum. All they know is fighting. Can't talk it out nicely."
"Exactly."
Listening, Oepari's stump ached needlessly.
"Oepari."
"Yes? Ah! Yes!"
"Anyone in Jigang County wields a blade better than you?"
"Pfft! Only 'cause it's you, family head. No one beats me."
"Tch. All useless then."
"..."
That stung.
"Ghost Soul Sect's level?"
"Even for them, guys like that—"
"No bravado. Facts only."
"Uh... there're plenty at that level."
Oepari hung his head. Jin Muhon tsked and turned to Ha Chonggwan.
"You had four guarding the old owner. Remember?"
"Yes. Called Unbong's Four Dogs."
"Four mutts. Killer nickname. Where do they rank in Ghost Soul Sect?"
"Hm..."
Ha Chonggwan recalled carefully.
"Once, drunk, the old owner said their leader could head a squad even in Ghost Soul Sect."
Orthodox or demonic, organizations were similar. Squad leader meant mid-tier in any sect.
"Total size?"
Oepari shot up his hand, not to be outdone.
"About a hundred! Sect leader's spear is Yangtze River Single Stroke level!"
"Still unorthodox trash."
"W-well, true."
"Got it."
Ghost Soul Sect's forces grasped. Jigang had no real power. Ruffians were just fodder. Jin Muhon alone. The old Sword Demon could've soloed Wudang, but now...
Little time left.
Inner energy recovery needed hastening. Cloud Peak Mist Sea's incantations floated cloud-like in his mind.