Chapter 364: Falsely Accused (1)

Lady of Mount Lu had made a wise choice.

Even if the Nine Great Sects remained unmoved, the heads of the medium and small sects were now looking up to Yong Biyang.

His son was already renowned throughout Murim under the alias Heavenly Sword Hero, while Yong Biyang himself was respected to the point of being called the Heavenly Dragon Great Hero.

Moreover, after rescuing the Shangguan Clan and the Mount Song Ak Clan, his reputation had snowballed.

If the father of the Heavenly Sword Hero, then naturally they expected him to be even stronger.

“Understood. I shall keep the Lady’s will in my heart.”

Hearing those words, Lady of Mount Lu rose to her feet.

“Thank you, for understanding my words.”

Yong Biyang respectfully bowed and escorted her to the door.

It was at that moment.

Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted as people crowded in.

They were monks of Shaolin Temple and disciples of the Nine Great Sects.

“What is going on?”

“Is there anyone here who uses the Black Death God Venom Art?”

Even if Jong Seok had revealed his poisonous art while fighting Blood Demon Castle, few could have recognized it as the Black Death God Venom Art.

The only time he had displayed it openly was when he fought San Bi and killed Old Master Man, so it was strange for Shaolin to bring it up now.

“What is the matter that you ask such a thing?”

When Lady of Mount Lu asked, the martial artists saluted her before speaking.

“A Taoist of the Zhongnan Sect was killed by the Black Death God Venom Art.”

“What?”

Jong Seok erupted in anger at the absurdity.

“I’ve been here this whole time, and you claim someone used the Black Death God Venom Art?”

Shaolin’s disciplinary monks stepped forward.

“Benefactor, are you practicing the Black Death God Venom Art?”

Jong Seok declared without shame.

“Yes, I am.”

“Then you must come with us to the Disciplinary Hall.”

“And why should I go there?”

“Even if you wish to clear yourself, it must be done there. The leaders of the sects and the corpse are gathered there now.”

If he refused in such a situation, it would only worsen suspicion.

Yong Biyang tried to calm him.

“Seok, let us first comply with their request. We only need to prove your innocence.”

Jong Seok looked at Yong Hwarin.

Yong Hwarin nodded.

“Let us follow Father’s words. There is some hidden hand behind this.”

He found it strange that a corpse suddenly appeared, said to be killed by the Black Death God Venom Art.

Clearly someone was scheming behind the scenes, but first, they needed to face it and clear things up.

When everyone tried to follow along, Yong Hwarin said,

“All of you should wait here.”

“What are you saying, Young Sect Leader? In such an unjust matter, we should go and denounce them with one voice!”

The Violent Dragon Twin Swords grew red in the face with anger.

“That is precisely why you must not. This is not a matter for loud voices, but for reason.”

Mo Biyoung stepped forward.

“I shall remain here. Please go.”

With Mo Biyoung blocking the way, the Violent Dragon Twin Swords could not insist further.

Yong Hwarin gave Mo Biyoung a grateful look and turned back.

“Let us go.”

Lady of Mount Lu noted how unshaken Yong Hwarin remained, even in such a situation.

Even her disciple, Priestess Saenghui, who should have been stirred, showed no fluctuation in aura. She could not help but admire it.

‘What an extraordinary youth. His cultivation surpasses that of ordinary young men. That level of composure is something only deeply cultivated Taoists achieve.’

He was a strangely captivating young man.

She had met many outstanding prodigies at Shaolin, but none etched themselves into her memory like Yong Hwarin.

At Shaolin’s Disciplinary Hall, the heads of the Nine Great Sects and the elders of the Twelve Great Clans were already gathered.

The dead man was none other than a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects.

From Yong Hwarin’s perspective, it was absurd.

He had barely arrived at Shaolin when such a calamity occurred, leaving him reeling.

Yet if he could not resolve this, Jong Seok would be branded the culprit, and the Heavenly Central Sect would be suppressed. Thus, he forced himself to remain calm.

The Head of the Disciplinary Hall was Reverend Gongwoo.

Reverend Gongwoo stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting as Yong Hwarin’s group entered.

“Given the circumstances, we had no choice but to summon Sect Leader Yong.”

Though his manner was polite, martial monks quietly blocked the entrances and windows, cutting off escape routes.

Reverend Gongwoo also greeted Yong Biyang, Yong Hwarin, Jong Seok, Lady of Mount Lu, and Priestess Saenghui with a bow.

“Welcome.”

He then began to lay out the matter.

“Zhongnan Sect disciple Cheongmyeong was discovered as a corpse near the Investigation Hall about one shichen ago. Since the hall is cleaned once daily, disciples found him while on cleaning duty. Upon examining the body, we concluded he was killed by the Black Death God Venom Art.”

As soon as Reverend Gongwoo finished, Elder Domaeng of the Zhongnan Sect—acting as Sect Leader in his head’s absence—showed a flash of killing intent in his eyes.

Yong Biyang examined Cheongmyeong’s corpse and asked,

“On what grounds do you conclude he died from the Black Death God Venom Art?”

Reverend Gongwoo approached the body and pulled away the cloth.

“Look at this. The body has burst as though struck by a Thunderclap Bomb. Yet, unlike the external damage of such a weapon, Cheongmyeong’s insides exploded, rupturing all his organs. Such a martial art exists only once in Murim.”

At the Eight Stars Realm, the Black Death God Venom Art could kill by exploding a person from within, as with the death of Old Master Man.

There was no other martial art in Murim’s history resembling it.

Yong Hwarin frowned.

‘We’ve been caught perfectly. Whoever set this up chose the most effective way to bind us.’

If they could not clear themselves here, Jong Seok would be condemned as the murderer.

Yong Biyang spoke.

“You say Cheongmyeong died one shichen ago? Yet we have not left our residence even once since then. Lady of Mount Lu can testify to this.”

At that, the gazes of the Nine Great Sects and Twelve Great Clans turned toward Lady of Mount Lu.

But those gazes were hardly kind.

They seemed to question why she had been at Yong Biyang’s residence.

Yong Hwarin suddenly felt a surge of disgust at those looks.

He had come to Shaolin with great hope and expectation for this assembly.

Yet here, he felt as though he were seeing the murky underbelly of Murim, leaving him bitter.

For the first time, he realized that those seeking to check the rising Heavenly Central Sect were seizing this as their chance.

‘So even in the orthodox Murim, where righteousness and chivalry were prized, those in power were unwilling to relinquish their authority and benefits. Well, Murim was not a realm of immortals but of humans like any other—had I dreamed too much of ideals?’

In my past life, having witnessed countless human struggles in the government offices and the Upper World, I had come to feel disgust toward humanity itself.

And as I grew older, I realized I was becoming like them and felt self-loathing.

Now, realizing that Murim was no different left me hollow.

Once again, I was reminded of the saying in Jianghu: if you were not strong yourself, nothing else mattered.

“I was indeed at Sect Leader Yong’s residence about one shichen ago.”

Yet despite her testimony, Elder Domaeng glared sharply and swept his eyes over our group.

“Who among you learned such an utterly vile martial art as the Black Death God Venom Art?”

His words already carried thorns.

“It is I.”

Jong Seok stepped forward without the slightest hesitation, proudly declaring,

“I have learned the Black Death God Venom Art.”

Elder Domaeng glared at Jong Seok as though he would kill him.

“Then it was you who killed our sect’s disciple?”

Though he spoke politely, his tone already condemned Jong Seok as the culprit.

“No. When Lady of Mount Lu visited Sect Leader Yong’s residence, I was also present there.”

“How can we believe that?”

Elder Domaeng spat the words.

I saw my father flinch and clench his fist.

Father was a man of great patience—he would not be shaken or angered by something of this level.

This time, it was Elder Ohuk of the Kunlun Sect, acting as Sect Leader, who muttered,

“They say the Heavenly Central Sect even shelters descendants of Blood Demon Castle—how can we believe their words? Can you even swear that the Heavenly Central Sect truly has roots in orthodox Murim?”

At that, Pang Giyok could not hold back and stepped forward.

“Elder Ohuk, your words are excessive! You know what Young Hwarin and the Heavenly Dragon Great Hero have done for Murim, so how can you say such things?”

Pang Giyok had long regretted being unable to help Yong Hwarin in this difficult situation.

Hearing words like that, she could no longer endure and spoke out.

“The same goes for me. I, Namgung Bi, stand as proof that the Heavenly Central Sect is indeed an orthodox sect of Murim.”

As soon as Namgung Bi, one of the Seven Kings of Murim, spoke decisively, Elder Domaeng coughed awkwardly, displeasure written on his face.

“Elder Domaeng, you must not be so narrow-minded. The Heavenly Central Sect is, without question, a pillar of orthodox Murim.”

When Yu Cheong, leader of the Five Swords of Mount Hua, also spoke out, Elder Domaeng had no choice but to retreat.

The Five Swords of Mount Hua were not only acting Sect Leaders of the Mount Hua Sect but martial artists few in Murim could dare to dispute.

Among the Nine Great Sects present, only the Seven Masters of Wudang and the Four Great Vajras could stand on equal footing.

Then, Tang Cheolgi shouted loudly,

“The Tang Clan also guarantees that the Heavenly Central Sect is orthodox!”

Because of this incident, all of Shaolin’s influential figures had gathered at the Disciplinary Hall.

If the Heavenly Central Sect were branded unorthodox, they would lose all footing in Murim, hence why so many spoke in their defense.

Finding the situation slipping from his control, Elder Domaeng quietly sat down.

‘Hmm, unexpectedly, the Heavenly Central Sect has much support from others.’

The others in the hall were thinking the same.

As silence filled the chamber, I stepped forward.

“May I examine Taoist Cheongmyeong’s corpse?”

When Reverend Gongwoo gave permission, I approached the body.

It was gruesome, as though struck by a Thunderclap Bomb.

At first glance, it looked as if he had been killed by the Black Death God Venom Art.

Since only that art left such corpses, naturally suspicion fell on Jong Seok.

As I drew closer, I noticed a strange smell from the body and tilted my head.

‘The stench of garlic is overwhelming.’

I turned to Reverend Gongwoo.

“Reverend, does the corpse not reek of garlic? Please confirm it yourself.”

Reverend Gongwoo sniffed and nodded.

“It is indeed garlic.”

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