Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 175
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C175. The Treasure and the Inn
The story of Yeon Jeokha left the Three Immortals of Kunlun stunned. They had heard rumors that the Yoomyung Cult sacrificed monks, but had always dismissed them as mere gossip. If it were true, the imperial family wouldn’t have the Cultists of the Yoomyung Cult so close. Master Taiyi looked at Yeon Jeokha with disbelief.
The more he listened, the more astonished he became.
Ten monks sacrificed to create a Demon Warrior!
So, what would become of the Great Demon Generals and the Demon Kings?
‘If everything he says is true, I’ll only be able to confirm it by speaking with the people from the Justice Alliance…’
Taking the word of an Inspector of Nokrim, an enemy faction, was too risky.
“I’ve heard your words well, young man. But, is that sword you have also a treasure?”
Taiyi pointed at Yeon Jeokha’s sword. That sword had piqued his curiosity for some time. With his ordinary sword, he hadn’t even been able to scratch the skin of the demons. It was the Exorcist Sword of Taimu that had beheaded the One-Horned Demon. Taiyi and Tairyong had only assisted. But Yeon Jeokha had taken down the demons alone. It had to be a treasure from some school.
‘Could it be a sword stolen from the Yeon Clan?’
Thinking about this, Taiyi felt uneasy with his question.
“This?”
Yeon Jeokha lifted the sword without much concern.
“Yes. If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine. I was just asking because our common swords couldn’t penetrate the skin of the demons.”
“But what is a treasure?”
“Ah, a treasure is an object imbued with the power of Buddha or the Immortals. Only with such power can one defeat a demon and wound its body. In Buddhism or Taoism, treasures are highly valued. That’s why I was curious.”
“I don’t know if this sword is a treasure.”
“…”
Taiyi looked at Yeon Jeokha with skepticism.
‘Does he not know what kind of sword he carries? Then, it really could be…’
With a brazen face, Yeon Jeokha continued.
“I stole it from the Yeon Family a few years ago.”
“Ah…”
Taiyi smiled awkwardly.
He had suspected it, and it turned out to be true: the sword was stolen.
Taiyi looked at the sword with regret.
It was a pity that such a treasure was in the hands of Nokrim. If Yeon Jeokha were an ordinary warrior, he would have tried to recover it.
After hesitating, Taiyi respectfully requested.
“Yeon, I ask that you use that treasure well for the good of all.”
“I’ll try.”
Yeon Jeokha nodded without much enthusiasm.
It was hard to refuse the request of the Immortals of Kunlun who had helped him.
When the conversation between Yeon Jeokha and Taiyi ended, Tairyong asked.
“Young Yeon, where will you go now?”
“I’m going back to Seoha Village where my companions are.”
“Oh, we’re also looking for a place to stay the night. Is Seoha far from here?”
“No, it’s only about half an hour from here.”
“Well, how about we stay in Seoha tonight?”
Tairyong looked at Taiyi.
“Let’s do that. Young Yeon, may we accompany you to Seoha? It’s our first time here, and it wouldn’t be easy to find the way with just directions.”
“Sure.”
Yeon Jeokha nodded gladly.
The Three Immortals of Kunlun were different from the Elders of Waryong Manor; they seemed kind-hearted and trustworthy.
Seoha Village.
Muha Inn.
Yeon Jeokha arrived at the inn around nine in the evening.
He woke up the innkeeper who was resting and asked him to prepare rooms and dinner for the Immortals of Kunlun. While they were eating, Old Shim, who had been observing Yeon Jeokha, asked.
“Young Master, how did everything go?”
“Hm, the Boss and three of the Demon Warriors died, and four fled.”
“Wow! Were there seven Demon Warriors gathered?”
“Yes.”
“And you faced them alone?”
“No. These Taoist masters helped me.”
“Them?”
“Yes. Without them, I would still be fighting.”
Yeon Jeokha stopped eating for a moment and briefly explained what had happened at Daebyeol Stronghold.
“… And just at that moment, they appeared. While they held off a demon, I took down the others one by one. I thought I would have to fight until dawn.”
“How fortunate you were. And have you treated your wounds?”
“Yes, they gave me a Kunlun ointment. It seems as effective as the medicine Brother Cheon gave me.”
“Even so, see a doctor tomorrow. It could worsen with this warm weather.”
“I will. I had planned on doing that as well.”
Old Shim stopped questioning, allowing Yeon Jeokha to continue his meal.
When he finished eating, Old Shim spoke softly.
“Young Master, what do you plan to do now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that you’ve fulfilled the Grand Chaeju’s request, you can do whatever you want, right?”
“Yes, so what?”
“I was wondering if you planned to return to the Five Peaks or continue wandering the world.”
“…”
Yeon Jeokha remained silent for a moment.
He had left the mountains because he felt he had reached a limit in his technique. It was Old Shim who had suggested he take a break. Then, he found the Heaven Destroyer Demon Lord in Zhengzhou and decided to reorganize the Nokrim camps. Now that this was done, it was time to think about what was next.
Return to the Five Peaks? Or continue wandering?
After thinking, Yeon Jeokha asked Old Shim.
“What do you think?”
“I’ll follow wherever you go, Young Master.”
“No, what do you think I should do?”
“I would return to the Five Peaks.”
“Why?”
Yeon Jeokha frowned at the suggestion to return to the camp.
Since he had descended the mountain, he had seen what Nokrim really was. It was a band of thieves, living off the weak.
Recent encounters with Lee Cheolsan, Han Chaeyeon, and Ha Sobaek had shown the shame of Nokrim’s past.
‘Return to the mountain after all this? No way.’
Unfazed by Yeon Jeokha’s expression, Old Shim continued.
“As you know, we’re in chaotic times. The Justice Alliance, Nokrim, and the Yoomyung Cult are on the brink of a great war. Even the Chamber of Commerce is embroiled in constant conflicts.”
“Too much introduction. Get to the point.”
“Since you have friends in the Justice Alliance and the Chamber of Commerce, you should be in the Five Peaks camp.”
“And what does that have to do with anything?”
“If you keep wandering the world, you won’t be able to help your friends in case of an emergency.”
“That’s… true.”
“Remember what happened with Brother Pung. If you hadn’t been nearby, they would have died.”
“Damn it. So I should stay in one place for the sake of my friends, huh?”
“If you don’t want to stay in one place, at least you should stay in touch with the Justice Alliance or the Chamber of Commerce.”
“Are you crazy? Why would I go there?”
“There you go. You don’t want to go there, do you? So, you should stay in the Five Peaks so your friends can easily contact you.”
“Tsk.”
Yeon Jeokha couldn’t refute Old Shim’s argument.
Thinking of his brothers and Namgung Cheon and Namgung Yeon, that seemed like the best option.
Seeing Yeon Jeokha hesitate, Old Shim smiled.
“Why are you smiling when I’m worried?”
“Isn’t it funny? We’re going to climb the mountain with a pile of money that we won’t even use.”
“That makes you laugh? You should cry.”
“Hehe. Don’t just think about the negatives. If you don’t want to live in the camp, how about buying an inn? It seems like a good place to relax.”
“You want me to own an inn?”
“It would be convenient to have an inn. You could live without worries. Look at this Muha Inn. The owner is like a wealthy noble. Hire a good cook and don’t worry about the food. When you’re sleepy, use any room. Isn’t that living like an immortal?”
Yeon Jeokha’s eyes sparkled.
Owning an inn sounded much better than staying in Nokrim or the Chamber of Commerce.
Above all, he liked the idea of eating good food every day. And sleeping in any room also sounded good.
“Really?”
Yeon Jeokha seemed convinced, and Old Shim took advantage to persuade him further.
“Talk to the village chief. Getting an inn won’t be difficult. If you buy an inn, I’ll also buy a small tavern. Imagine having free drinks from my tavern and sleeping in your inn when you’re tired. Perfect!”
“Oh, that sounds fun. Yeah, how will I protect my money in the camp surrounded by thieves? If they steal it, only I’ll lose.”
“Exactly. Money shouldn’t be hoarded; it should be used wisely. Trust me, I’ll ensure a life of pleasure for you.”
“Old Shim, will you stay with me?”
Yeon Jeokha seemed a bit uncertain about buying an inn alone.
“Yes, I’ll always be with you. Don’t worry. If we buy the tavern and the inn, you won’t have to return to the camp.”
Yeon Jeokha was delighted with the idea of not returning to the camp.
Owning an inn was much better than living with the shame of Nokrim.
“Alright, I’ll trust you.”
“But I might need some money to buy the tavern. Will you lend me a bit?”
“We’ll buy the inn first. If there’s money left over, I’ll lend it to you.”
“Hehe. Thank you. I’ll trust you and do it.”
“Ha! Life is unpredictable. Lee Cheolsan wanted an inn, and now it seems I’ll be the owner.”
“He would need at least ten years to save the necessary money.”
“He said he would work with Han Chaeyeon, so it could be faster.”
“It seems they’re together now. What will Ha Sobaek do?”
“Ha Sobaek plans to open a tea house nearby.”
“Didn’t she ask you to work with her?”
“Hey! Do I look like someone who would run a tea house? An inn is different.”
Yeon Jeokha already saw himself as the owner of an inn.
From their table, the Three Immortals of Kunlun watched Yeon Jeokha and Old Shim.
Having such a valuable treasure, they planned to open an inn.
In this era of chaos and demons, that was incredible.
Master Taiyi looked at the sword at Yeon Jeokha’s waist.
If they really planned to open an inn, maybe he could buy that sword?
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