Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 195
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Chapter 195. This Is Not the Sword Control Technique
It was not yet time for the meal, so the inn’s dining room was empty. Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong, the Old Dao of the Nine Heavens, sat by the window in their usual spot. Shim Tong placed a travel bag on the table with a proud expression.
“It’s ten thousand five hundred taels of silver.”
“Well done.”
“If I had been a bit faster, I could have recovered a few hundred more taels. It’s a shame.”
“Where did you find them?”
“In Zenyeong. They spent three days having fun in brothels before getting caught at an inn.”
Shim Tong briefly recounted his journey from Zhengzhou to Fuyang and then to Hateok.
“Anyway, catching them is something. It seems like even the officials can’t touch them.”
“Those guys don’t do anything outside their jurisdiction, so until someone catches them, they can’t do anything.”
“By the way, is it true that the Murim is in chaos due to rumors of war? Is it really like that?”
“Oh! Don’t get me started. The Justice Alliance is gathering in Nanjing, and the Yoomyung Cult is in Zhengzhou. Every inn is full of Murim warriors.”
“Does it really look like there will be war?”
“This time, it seems so. The Alliance has been investigating the Demon Warriors for that reason.”
“But there aren’t many stories about the Demon Warriors.”
Yeon Jeokha frowned. The merchants entering and leaving the inn only talked about the Yoomyung Cult and the rumors of war.
“Perhaps the reports from Seol Chasu and his group were ignored. The leaders of the Alliance are hard-headed, aren’t they? Those stubborn old men wouldn’t pay attention to stories of demons. They probably think it’s just black magic.”
“Even when Namgung Cheon and Namgung Yeon saw it with their own eyes?”
“At another time, maybe, but now no one considers the Namgung Family as one of the main clans of the Murim. I don’t think the Alliance will pay attention to what the Namgung Family says.”
“That’s a problem.”
“It’s not bad for us, right? The Alliance members need a lesson too.”
As a good member of the Murim, Shim Tong seemed to relish the idea of the Alliance suffering a setback.
“I’m not saying this for the Alliance but because I’m worried the Namgung Family might suffer. They must have gone to Nanjing too.”
“If you’re so worried, you could go to the Alliance… Well, maybe not.”
Shim Tong looked at Yeon Jeokha with a forced smile. Even if Yeon Jeokha went to help them, the Alliance would probably reject him. After all, the Grand Inspector of Nokrim would not be welcome in the Justice Alliance, which always proclaimed the eradication of demons. Accepting him would be asking for trouble.
“By the way, how long do you plan to keep those swindlers alive?”
“Not for long. Nok Dampyeong is not an ordinary person.”
“He seemed pretty cunning. With people like that, it’s better to break their spirit completely or kill them. I suppose that’s why you gave him the three-year duel job.”
“Huh? I just wanted him to practice filial piety.”
“You’ve done well. If he’s not tamed in three years, I’ll take care of him. It’ll be better for everyone.”
As the two conversed, Sangdo cautiously approached.
“Young master, it’s almost dinner time. Shall I bring the food?”
“No. We’ll eat after checking the cliff of the filial son.”
Yeon Jeokha abruptly stood up. It was time to ensure the order to throw the swindlers into the water three times a day was being carried out.
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Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong headed to the cliff of the filial son.
Nok Dampyeong, who was tying ropes around the waists of Huang So and Seok In, bowed.
Yeon Jeokha walked past him and sat in the improvised chair. Seeing the pale faces of Huang So and Seok In was satisfying to him. He now understood why people sought revenge.
Nok Dampyeong, having finished preparing the swindlers, looked at Yeon Jeokha, waiting for his signal. Yeon Jeokha nodded slightly, giving him permission to proceed.
Nok Dampyeong pushed Huang So and Seok In off the cliff.
“Aaah!”
“Aaaah!”
Huang So and Seok In screamed as they fell. The sound of water splashing and the ropes tightening filled the air.
Nok Dampyeong’s face turned red as he prepared to pull the swindlers back up. They had evaded the question of who was willing to die for their companion, which meant he would have to decide.
Right or left. Who would he pull up slower?
“Heh, young master, I can hear that brat’s mind gears turning from here. It looks like he’s going to let one die because pulling both is difficult.”
“I already told you that’s how he is.”
“I thought they’d last at least a few days.”
“……”
The mention of “a few days” made Nok Dampyeong’s eyes widen. That meant he had to keep both alive for at least a few more days.
‘Damn it…’
Why couldn’t they just kill them instead of putting him through this torment?
Nok Dampyeong, gritting his teeth, began rotating his wrists, wrapping the ropes around his forearms. As the ropes tightened, his pain grew more intense, but he continued, pulling the two drenched men back onto the rock.
After releasing them, his arms trembled uncontrollably. He could barely feel his hands.
‘This alone can’t be external martial arts training…’
Exhausted, he barely had the strength to check if the swindlers were still breathing. When he recovered, he realized Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong were already gone.
At that moment, members of the Sambo Clan arrived with food. Nok Dampyeong, with trembling hands, took a hot bun. Just as he was about to eat it, he stopped and turned to Song Kang, one of the clan members.
“Check if those two are alive.”
Song Kang ran over to Huang So and Seok In and felt their necks.
“They’re still alive.”
“Damn them… I can neither kill them nor let them live.”
Grumbling, Nok Dampyeong bit into the bun and began to eat.
The next day, after a quiet breakfast, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong returned to the cliff of the filial son. Nok Dampyeong was ready, tying up Huang So and Seok In and pushing them into the water once more. This time, they didn’t scream. They seemed to have gotten used to it.
Nok Dampyeong once again pulled them up, though his face showed more suffering than that of the swindlers. His arms were so bruised that it was hard to see their original color.
After the arduous task, Song Kang took over to retrieve the ropes.
Yeon Jeokha sat at the edge of the rock.
Cheng!
The sword unsheathed and spun in the air before falling vertically into the river. He began fishing again.
Watching the spectacle, Shim Tong asked, surprised.
“Young master, have you finally perfected the Sword Control Technique?”
Yeon Jeokha responded with a serious face.
“This is not the Sword Control Technique.”
“What? It’s not?”
Shim Tong looked at Yeon Jeokha and then at the sword with a fish impaled on it, confused.
“Then what is it? Do you think it’s some kind of flying sword technique?”
“There’s no such thing as a flying sword technique. This is a Qi Control Technique.”
“Qi Control Technique, you say. I’ve never heard of such a thing. It’s the Sword Control Technique.”
“You’re mistaken.”
Shim Tong thumped his chest in frustration.
“Agh! It’s the Sword Control Technique, I swear. Anyone would know just by looking at it.”
“Tsk! That shows your lack of knowledge. This is a Qi Control Technique. The Sword Control Technique isn’t like this.”
Frustrated, Shim Tong asked.
“Then what is the Sword Control Technique?”
“Not everything that uses energy is the Sword Control Technique. The true technique uses energy to respond to all things. Only then can you surpass Qi Control.”
“Surpass it?”
Shim Tong was even more confused.
“The true technique uses energy to respond to all things, starting with Qi Control. But this is just the beginning.”
“Then?”
“The true technique is something that transcends even the Qi Control Technique. Here, by mastering Qi Control in the river, I’ll eventually find a clue.”
“Young Master, what if someone else has reached the summit? What will they see?”
“They will see the heavens.”
“You want to reach the heavens.”
“That’s what limits you. If the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens can descend into the world, why can’t I ascend?”
“Do you really want to ascend to the heavens?”
“No! I just want to master the Sword Control Technique.”
“My goodness! You’re already using the Sword Control Technique. Using that technique to fish, how can that be possible?”
The conversation circled back to the starting point.
Nok Dampyeong, watching both men, slowly retreated.
He admired Yeon Jeokha’s confidence, despite being younger than Shim Tong. Thinking of his own lack of skill, he sighed.
‘Will I improve if I practice martial arts here for three years?’
Unconsciously, he clenched his fists. The pain in his arms reminded him of his reality.
‘Ugh.’
Instead of improving his skills, he feared becoming disabled. Looking at the unconscious swindlers, his eyes filled with fury.
‘If those bastards died, I could go back to a normal life…’
At lunchtime, he planned to give them more water without anyone noticing.
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