Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Proof (5)

The heart becomes comfortable from the faint white light filling the surroundings.

‘This is the night-shining pearl only heard of in words.’

The shining gem often seen in martial arts novels I have heard a few times rising and falling in merchants’ talk even after reincarnating.

‘Even the size of a pebble receives ten gold nyang.’

Seeing that such things are embedded in the ceiling in dozens, the ghost story indeed did not lie.

‘They said there are many sparkling treasures, and that was the night-shining pearl.’

How much just taking those out and selling?

But since I have no thought of touching I turned my eyes.

‘What the resentful spirits used, and money is not urgent so scraping and using seems like it will bring misfortune.’

Bringing misfortune is also all superstition but what can one do? Living in a world where superstition exists one should keep it as much as possible.

“Hey, how long are you going to stay fainted.”

『Huuueok! Is this seat alive!』

“Well alive, you.”

『How on earth!? Able to escape the incarnation of death!?』

“Don’t know, when offering the soul-soothing ritual it disappeared together with the other resentful spirits?”

『A fellow that if the Heavenly Net discovered would unconditionally designate as Heaven-grade disappeared just from a soul-soothing ritual!?』

The Three-legged Crow that for a long while could not believe and spouted nonsense barely calmed.

『Strange forces and turbulent spirits are truly things that one knows yet does not know.』

“I agree, but it is not something for you to say.”

『So where is this place?』

“I don’t know either.”

End of the cavity.

There were several corridors.

“From now I have to find out.”

Examining from the rightmost, most were long corridors with several small rooms attached on both sides.

‘It is a place where people lived, but all old and aged so only traces remain.’

How long ago that the bed only left a mark on the floor and disassembled.

Besides that I looked around several rooms but only barely discovered traces of life.

‘This is the last room.’

An iron altar of suitable size.

A bronze Buddha statue risen on it.

But more than that what draws my interest is the intense intention felt from the entire room.

‘Intention greater than that lingering on the teacher’s sword.’

Carefully extending a hand and contacting the intention. Whether because the soul-soothing ritual was performed, or wanting to vent the resentment of themselves forgotten for a long time the intention was accepted without rejection.

『Maitreya descends Ming King appears!』

Maitreya descends and the Ming King appears.

『True Emptiness Hometown Unborn Old Mother!』

The Unborn Old Mother takes us to the true hometown.

『Regard death as returning home Red Turban raises righteousness!』

The red turban that regards death as returning home will set righteousness right.

『White Lotus does not perish Sacred Flame eternally transmitted!』

The White Lotus does not perish, and the sacred flame will be transmitted forever!

In this small room numerous people lined up entering and bowing to the Buddha statue and shouting the same slogan was the entirety of the intention.

‘Looks the same as the white-clothed of the prison.’

According to the ghost story this place is the hideout of the persecuted.

Looking at the fervent worship enough for intention to remain and the content of the slogan, these ones are indeed...

‘A cult?’

I consulted with the Three-legged Crow about this.

『Worship sometimes gives birth to strange forces and turbulent spirits. That they are religious people is not strange.』

“The black-clothed seemed like they were trying to interrogate me. The terrifying existence was also wearing official robes. Probably they were officials, so why did they become resentful spirits?”

『If the religious people died with resentment and the number is several the resentment would have been endlessly amplified. It might be that they were swept into that resentment and became victims.』

“At first the power was said to be very strong, right? At that time, they might have drawn in all the officials who tortured them.”

『That such a terrifying existence is of human origin, it is hard to believe.』

So is that why they cheered for me to pass the civil service exam?

‘The loyalty to the country is great.’

Besides that I looked more but there was nothing particularly discovered.

However, the name White Lotus kept nagging so it did not disappear from the head until coming outside.

‘Ah! I remembered!’

This, isn’t it the White Lotus Sect?

A group that occasionally appears in martial arts novels!

In the community they say it is the origin of the Demonic Cult or Ming Cult?

‘They said it is a religion that appears in actual history, right?’

Clearly it appeared at the end of Yuan and beginning of Ming, and helped the founding of Ming but was discarded after use.

‘So that is why they were persecuted.’

Like a blocked dam in the head breaking, realizing one thing the identity of the sense of incongruity felt when leaving the village was also realized.

‘It is Ming now? Why is Nanjing the capital?’

In martial arts novels with the Ming period as background all have Beijing as the capital?

‘I heard they moved the capital in the early Ming, has the capital not been moved yet? What period of Ming is now?’

Pondering for a moment I chuckled and shook off the worry.

‘What does it matter. In a world with strange forces and turbulent spirits there is no way it flows the same as the original history.’

Nanjing being the capital is also all because of that.

‘If I had learned Chinese history in the previous life I could have at least compared where and how it differed.’

The previous life’s Chinese history at best only knows an extremely small part that appears in martial arts novels, so it is unreasonable.

Coming outside like that and wondering when to go report to the Provincial Administration Commissioner, people were already waiting outside.

“You came out to greet.”

“...Really, did you deal with it?”

“Yes, it was not difficult.”

The surprised black-clothed people alternately look at me and the staircase behind me.

“You may enter. I should rest a bit in the village now.”

Confirming the black-clothed people entering I came down to the village.

“Wow! The pretty hyung came again!”

“Hyung! Buy us snacks!”

“Hey you guys, did you leave it to me?”

Since the bounty received from dealing with bandits is still a lot I bought a lot of snacks.

“Wow! Snacks!”

“The candy is mine!”

“Give the candy!”

“You guys, if you fight I won’t give?”

Among the children who excitedly received the snacks some lowered their heads and greeted me.

“Thank you! I will eat well!”

“Ah, me too! I will eat well!”

“Hyung, I will eat deliciously!”

In the cool wind that blew along with the children’s thanks someone whispered.

“Thank you.”

The brow furrowed on its own.

“Thank you is informal speech! Who is it! Who spoke informally without manners!?”

“It is not me!”

“Not me either!”

“Hyeongseok must have done it! Hyeongseok always speaks informally even to adults!”

“Not me! Unfair!”

Unfortunately the culprit was not found.

* * *

“Confirmed. You really dealt with it.”

“Please, we hope you come to Jeongju with us.”

The black-clothed person who finished confirmation.

No, returned to Jeongju together with the Heavenly Net agents.

Whether already contacted the Provincial Administration Commissioner had come out to greet and was waiting.

“I acknowledge. You are not a strange force and turbulent spirit.”

“You acknowledge more easily than thought.”

“If denying even after coming this far would that not be a fool? Do not make me a fool.”

Receiving a meal I told the Provincial Administration Commissioner the story of the ruin.

“White Lotus Sect, I have not heard of it.”

“Do you not know the position that wears black official robes?”

“There are black-toned official robes but there is a difference from the official robes you described.”

Talking this and that around the time the meal finished, the Provincial Administration Commissioner raised three fingers.

“Our Heavenly Net acknowledges you. The main office left the negotiation with you to me, and accordingly I decided to give three benefits.”

“...”

“What is that expression?”

“Just wondering if a strange force and turbulent spirit obsessed with 3.”

“Puhat!”

The black-clothed person serving behind burst into laughter. When the Provincial Administration Commissioner glared he said sorry and disappeared fidgeting.

“Everyone calls him Three-Finger Sir behind his back and only he himself does not know the reason.”

The black-clothed person’s voice mixed with complaint riding the wind was heard but fortunately it seems the person himself did not hear.

“First, the ownership of the Three-legged Crow is transferred to you.”

『This seat is not an object! Going around with the boss is this seat’s choice, you cannot decide!』

“Second, the Heavenly Net provides information if needed. Instead, I hope you also help the Heavenly Net when needed.”

“It is not a difficult matter. But isn’t it better to recruit me into the Heavenly Net?”

I thought they would unconditionally make a recruitment offer, but there was a reason.

“There are many who feel fear at you receiving Taowu’s interest.”

“That fellow also disliked the Heavenly Net, so there seems to be a problem between each other.”

“There were quite a few matters when young.”

“But how do I request help from the Heavenly Net?”

“I will give this.”

What the Provincial Administration Commissioner handed over was a small plaque with my name written.

“It is the Heavenly Command Plaque. An item made by carving the ivory of a special strange force and turbulent spirit, if wanting to call us smear ink on that plaque. Then within a day we will come find you.”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner folded the last finger.

“Third, is there something you desire? If within a range that can be sufficiently granted I will grant it.”

“Hmm, there is nothing that comes to mind right away but...”

Asking from a thought that suddenly arose.

“Does the Heavenly Net also exert influence on the government?”

“It exerts very well.”

“Could it be...”

“How many organizations are there that can extend hands everywhere under heaven?”

“Then is the current status not a disguise but a real Provincial Administration Commissioner?”

“Soon I plan to step down from the Provincial Administration Commissioner position and become an agent dedicated to you.”

Then the story changes.

“There is one request I wish to make. In the hometown they know that I left to take the exam to become an official, and it is about that.”

“I understand the meaning. It is not a difficult matter so leave it to us. Just say where your hometown is, and who your parents are.”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner tilted the wine cup.

“I, Righteousness Rank General Yu Munhyeon will take responsibility and convey the news.”

“Thank you.”

Thinking of the appearance of Father rejoicing, the mood already became good and the alcohol went down smoothly.

“But where do you plan to go now?”

“There is no place thought of. I will have to go following the steps.”

“Hmm, there is one place I want to recommend, will you listen?”

“I will listen attentively.”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner, Yu Munhyeon recommended the next destination.

“Two months later, in Tianjin the capital of Hebei Province there is scheduled to be a harmony of the Hebei martial world. The justification is said to be a commemoration of overcoming the famine, how about showing your face there and raising your fame?”

“Somehow I am being treated as a martial artist, but I have no intention of fully committing to the martial world.”

“This will also be a good thing for you.”

Along with a quite interesting story.

“There is no place that intertwines well with strange forces and turbulent spirits as much as the martial world.”