Chapter 20 — So You’re the Culprit
Huh? What kind of nonsense is this?
How does the Sect Leader know about me?
I had never met Cheon Gwang-cheon even once before. Yet the way he spoke just now made it sound like he had known about me for a while.
‘How on earth…?’
My doubts were quickly resolved by the Sect Leader’s following words.
“Last night, I heard a rather amusing story after a long time.”
“An amusing story, you say?”
“It was about a very spirited Kunlun disciple who thoroughly beat up several Daoists who lacked humility. Surprisingly, I heard the culprit was someone from the Affairs Hall.”
“….”
He was clearly talking about what I did to Myeong-hoon and his gang yesterday. It seemed Hall Master Hyun-yul had reported the incident to the Sect Leader.
“A mere Affairs Hall servant suppressing Kunlun disciples who had learned martial arts — I couldn’t help but be interested. So this old man looked into it a bit more.”
The corners of Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon’s mouth rose slightly. His face looked genuinely entertained, like a child who had discovered an interesting puzzle.
“The disciple and proxy chosen by First Generation Elder Jin Gwang-ung after ten long years. Han Mujin — you were the protagonist of that story.”
He tilted his head toward me and asked.
“How did you do it? I heard you only did odd jobs in the Affairs Hall for several years. When exactly did you learn martial arts?”
I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer the Sect Leader’s question. If I gave the wrong response and he started digging deeper, the situation could become unnecessarily complicated.
‘There’s one perfect person to use in times like this.’
I cupped my fist and answered in a loud, clear voice.
“It is all thanks to the teachings of my master, Jin Gwang-ung. He guided this lowly one onto the boundless path of martial arts. Thanks to my master’s profound teachings, I was able to understand even a small part of the path of martial arts.”
Murmurs immediately erupted among the people.
“…No way, right?”
“Elder Gwang-ung gave ‘profound’ teachings…?”
“That’s ridiculous…”
Even the Sect Leader looked visibly flustered for a moment, but he quickly regained his usual composed expression. As expected of the leader of the sect, his poker face was top-tier.
“What kind of teachings did Elder Gwang-ung give you?”
“He showed me the path to becoming a true Kunlun practitioner who cultivates both martial arts and the Dao.”
Another round of murmuring broke out, but I ignored it and continued.
“Although I haven’t been his disciple for very long, thanks to my master’s vast and sincere teachings — as deep as the sea — I was able to escape my ignorant life as a commoner and be reborn as a true Kunlun practitioner walking the path of the Dao and martial arts. It feels like I have been born anew. All of this is thanks to Master Jin Gwang-ung.”
“….”
The aftermath of my earnest ‘Ode to Jin Gwang-ung’ was immense.
Even Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon, who had maintained perfect composure until now, looked momentarily dazed.
Of course, I kept a serious expression on my face, pretending to know nothing.
After a brief pause, the Sect Leader let out an awkward laugh and spoke.
“…I-I see. So Elder Jin Gwang-ung gave teachings as vast as the sea…”
“Yes. He is a true master whom all Kunlun disciples should look up to.”
At my fluent answer, Cheon Gwang-cheon was left speechless for a moment before he burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! Wonderful, truly wonderful. I never knew Elder Gwang-ung had such a side to him.”
The Sect Leader turned to Jin Gwang-ung.
“So you had a plan all along. Of course, there’s no way you would have chosen just anyone as your disciple. Indeed, that makes sense.”
At the unexpected praise, Jin Gwang-ung scratched the side of his head.
He was probably thinking, ‘What the hell is going on right now?’
Still, true to his personality, he wasn’t one to turn down compliments.
Riding the momentum, Jin Gwang-ung laughed loudly and raised his voice.
“Hahaha! Who am I? I am Jin Gwang-ung! There’s no way the true Daoist of Kunlun would choose a disciple carelessly. Hahaha!”
“Hahaha. Right, of course not. After all, you are Jin Gwang-ung!”
Cheon Gwang-cheon and Jin Gwang-ung laughed heartily as if they were in perfect sync.
Everyone else could only shake their heads in disbelief.
At that moment, Jin Gwang-ung secretly sent me a voice transmission.
[You beat up Kunlun disciples? What happened? Did you cause some accident behind my back?]
I replied through voice transmission as well.
[It was nothing serious. I simply taught a lesson to some insolent brats who dared call Master a remnant of the Heavenly Demon Cult.]
[What? They dared call me a remnant of the Heavenly Demon Cult? Those fucking bastards. You should’ve beaten them until they were half-dead!]
[Don’t worry. By now, they should be tasting hell in the underground prison of the Hall of Martial Law.]
[Is that so? Well done. As expected of my disciple. Hehehe.]
While Jin Gwang-ung and I were secretly exchanging voice transmissions, Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon stopped laughing and finally brought up the main topic.
“Anyway, I suppose I should answer what I promised earlier. The reason why the Great Assembly of Elders was moved forward.”
All eyes in the room turned toward the Sect Leader at once.
The Sect Leader slowly looked around the room before speaking in a calm, steady voice.
“A few days ago, a secret envoy delegation from the Orthodox Alliance arrived at Kunlun.”
The moment the words “Orthodox Alliance” left his mouth, First Generation Elder Na Gwang-do of the Finance Hall asked cautiously.
“A sudden envoy delegation? Are they here to make some kind of demand from us?”
“Worry not. It’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Then, may I ask what the reason is…?”
The Sect Leader let out a short sigh.
“It’s because of the Heavenly Demon Cult.”
Instantly, the faces of the First Generation Elders darkened dramatically.
Especially First Generation Elder Yu Gwang-cheol, the leader of the Heavenly Guard who was responsible for the sect’s defense, looked extremely grave.
The name “Heavenly Demon Cult” was practically a taboo word that should never be spoken lightly.
As if trying to ease their concerns, the Sect Leader continued in a composed tone.
“There’s no need to worry too much. The Orthodox Alliance only sent the envoys to assess the situation.”
“Assess the situation…?”
“As you all know, the last confirmed movement of the Heavenly Demon Cult was the incident ten years ago.”
“That’s right. That was the last time.”
Ten years ago?
‘Is he talking about when the Heavenly Demon Cult’s scouts infiltrated Kunlun’s mountain path?’
I focused intently on the Sect Leader’s words.
“Ten years… It’s neither particularly long nor short. The Orthodox Alliance is concerned about possible movements from the Heavenly Demon Cult, so they sent the envoys to hear our opinion on whether we’ve noticed anything suspicious lately.”
“What does the arrival of the envoys have to do with changing the schedule of the Great Assembly of Elders?”
“While I was speaking with them, the topic of the Great Assembly of Elders came up by chance. They showed far greater interest than expected.”
“Interest, you say…?”
“They repeatedly asked if they could observe the assembly before returning to the Orthodox Alliance… After much consideration, I granted their request.”
At the Sect Leader’s words, Jin Gwang-ung snorted.
“Interest? They’re probably trying to sniff out any useful information during the assembly. What sly bastards. You really have it tough, Sect Leader. You already have enough headaches dealing with the Heavenly Demon Cult, and now you have to worry about keeping the Orthodox Alliance happy too.”
The other First Generation Elders didn’t say anything, but they clearly shared the same sentiment.
The Great Assembly of Elders was originally a secretive meeting attended only by Kunlun’s internal members. Allowing outsiders to observe it was extremely rude, no matter if they were from the Orthodox Alliance.
Understanding the elders’ discomfort, Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon spoke in a gentle voice.
“It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Kunlun is the first barrier protecting the Central Plains from the Heavenly Demon Cult. And the Orthodox Alliance is our ally walking the same path of ‘peace in the Central Plains.’ Increasing exchanges with them is ultimately for the sake of the Central Plains as well.”
“…That is true.”
The First Generation Elders reluctantly nodded.
Although the Sect Leader was packaging it as positively as possible, everyone present — including me — knew the real reason he had accepted the Orthodox Alliance’s rude demand.
‘He couldn’t ignore the support they provide.’
While Kunlun was nominally one of the Nine Great Sects, it lacked the actual power and influence befitting that status. Geographically, it was located far from the heart of the Murim, deep within treacherous mountain ranges. On top of that, the main base of the Heavenly Demon Cult, which constantly eyed the Central Plains, was right in front of them.
If the Heavenly Demon Cult ever decided to invade the Central Plains, Kunlun would be the first to be attacked.
Because of this, Kunlun faced greater difficulty recruiting talented individuals compared to the other great sects. Naturally, the sect’s finances were also quite vulnerable.
However, ironically, this same reason was why Kunlun had managed to survive until now.
Kunlun was the first line of defense protecting the Central Plains from the Heavenly Demon Cult. If Kunlun fell, the Cult’s invasion would become far easier.
For this reason, the Orthodox Alliance had been at the forefront of providing financial support to Kunlun, and the amount was significant from Kunlun’s perspective.
‘That’s why they can’t afford to ignore the Orthodox Alliance’s feelings.’
I quietly observed Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon as he tried to soothe the First Generation Elders. I could feel the weight of his burden — as the leader of a sect, he had to comfort his own people while carefully navigating external political pressures.
‘A person like him is fated to die soon…’
I felt nothing but pity. But that was all.
I had no intention of forcefully trying to prevent his death.
I had no plans to waste my precious time after regressing on something like this.
‘Even the Hall of Martial Law went all out and still couldn’t find the culprit.’
If I recklessly warned him about the poisoning and he still ended up dying as scheduled…
‘The first person to be suspected as the culprit would be me.’
Besides, I didn’t have any special tricks to find the killer anyway. It wasn’t like the murderer would suddenly appear before my eyes just because I got involved.
No matter how I looked at it, there was nothing I could do.
In the end, everyone lived and died according to their own fate, right?
(Well, I’m the exception since I regressed… Ahem.)
‘Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon. I will remember your kind smile. May the remaining week of your life be peaceful.’
As I was mentally drafting a sincere condolence message for the Sect Leader—
The presence of someone at the entrance could be felt.
At the same time, Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon smiled brightly and spoke to everyone.
“Ah, it seems our guest has arrived. The representative of the Orthodox Alliance envoy delegation I mentioned earlier will be joining us briefly.”
Soon the door opened, and a person entered the room.
It was a young man dressed in pure white robes.
He politely cupped his fist toward Sect Leader Cheon Gwang-cheon.
“Thank you for inviting me to such an important gathering.”
“Haha. On the contrary, I am the one who is grateful. In these harsh times, I’ve gained the opportunity to introduce a promising young talent who seeks to illuminate the path of medicine.”
Cheon Gwang-cheon returned the greeting with warm eyes, then turned to the First Generation Elders.
“Everyone, allow me to introduce him. This is the representative of the Orthodox Alliance envoy delegation I spoke of.”
The young man in white stepped forward with a humble smile.
His face was as pure and clean as the white robes he wore. A young man with an appearance that would naturally draw favor from anyone.
He bowed politely to the First Generation Elders.
“It is an honor to meet the esteemed First Generation Elders of the great Kunlun Sect. I am Baek Cheong-woo.”
At his introduction, First Generation Elder Na Gwang-do’s eyes widened slightly.
“Baek Cheong-woo? Could you be the White-Clothed Noble Gentleman, Baek Cheong-woo?”
“That title is far too generous. I am merely a humble physician.”
Baek Cheong-woo replied in a modest, slightly embarrassed voice.
Na Gwang-do nodded in admiration and continued.
“I’ve heard countless times how you single-handedly suppressed the deadly plague that swept through Sichuan Province with your medical skills.”
“I simply did what any physician should do. The plague subsiding was merely fortunate timing.”
“Fortunate timing? How can someone who entered the Ten Great Physicians of the Central Plains at the age of twenty-five be so humble?”
Even with Na Gwang-do’s repeated praise, Baek Cheong-woo maintained his modesty.
“The Ten Great Physicians? You flatter me. I merely offered what I have learned. I’ve received an undeserved reputation beyond my ability.”
His naturally humble attitude and gaze earned favorable looks from everyone in the room.
“Truly remarkable at such a young age.”
“To risk your life treating patients in a plague-ridden area… You truly deserve the title of one of the Ten Great Physicians.”
Sincere praise and humble responses flowed back and forth, filling the room with warm laughter.
Except for one person.
Me.
There was no way I could laugh. In fact, my facial muscles had frozen solid — I couldn’t even make any expression.
I stared at Baek Cheong-woo in his pure white robes with trembling eyes.
Baek Cheong-woo, the White-Clothed Noble Gentleman.
A renowned physician known for offering medical care to the poor and weak, a name that would later be recorded in the annals of the Murim.
But in my memory, Baek Cheong-woo was remembered by a completely different title.
[Blood Physician Butcher — Baek Cheong-woo]
A long-forgotten memory rose from the depths of darkness.
The underground stone chamber of the Shadow Corps. That place was a living hell.
Screams echoing between cold stone walls, the stench of rotting blood, floors stained with sticky pools of gore.
New victims were dragged in every day, and there they ceased to be human.
They became nothing more than disposable test subjects.
Extreme poisons were injected into their bodies, their meridians were severed, and their organs were ripped out while they were still alive.
There was one man who smiled as he orchestrated all that horror.
A murderer who dyed his pristine white robes with bright red blood and referred to human deaths as “experimental data.”
That man was the <Blood Physician Butcher, Baek Cheong-woo>.
The mad killer was now standing right before my eyes.
‘…Why is the Blood Physician Butcher here?’
At that moment, a forgotten memory surfaced in my mind.
A truth unknown to the outside world, circulated only within the Shadow Corps.
The most secret and filthy hobby of the Blood Physician Butcher, Baek Cheong-woo.
‘…Manufacturing poisons.’
It looks like I’ve found the bastard who will kill the Sect Leader.