Chapter 238 – The Imperial Palace Armory (1)

Yi-gang spoke to Seong Ji-an that day.

“The Emperor’s condition appears to be Demon’s Horn Disease.”

“Demon’s… Horn Disease?”

Seong Ji-an was visibly flustered by the unfamiliar term.

“It’s a condition that appears in the demonic followers of the White Lotus Sect. Prolonged exposure to a certain demonic Qi from their unique martial arts causes it.”

“How could His Imperial Majesty have contracted such an illness…?”

“If it developed after his seclusion in the Huangtian Palace, it would be logical to suspect those of the Seven Great Immortals, wouldn’t it, Aunt?”

It was not something that could be spoken lightly.

However, Yi-gang spoke calmly, as if it were nothing.

He even added another remark, “I have not yet informed King Gye-yeong about this matter.”

“…”

Seong Ji-an’s gaze toward Yi-gang changed.

As the daughter of the Senior Grand Secretary, she had not yet ascended to an official position, but she was as perceptive as any seasoned high official.

“By telling me this first, you mean…”

“You’ve been seeking someone skilled in martial arts, haven’t you? Isn’t it to confront those Seven Great Immortals?”

Yi-gang’s maternal family wasn’t looking for a physician; they were seeking a Supreme Peak master from the Baek Clan.

At first, Yi-gang thought their intention was to treat the Emperor.

But what they expected was far more.

They didn’t want acupuncture needles to unblock meridians; they wanted a sharp sword.

When the opportunity arose, they wanted to cut down the Seven Great Immortals to ‘save the Emperor.’

When Yi-gang realized this, he mentally distanced himself from his maternal family.

“What do you think is the reason the Baek Noble Clan responded to your grandfather’s request?”

Seong Yeok-ju and his family were not a martial arts family.

As high-ranking officials, they may have judged the situation from their own perspective.

“Do you think they want to gain some benefits through this? Or perhaps they intend to restore broken blood ties?”

“…”

“Do you think the Clan Head hastily sent me just because the revered Senior Grand Secretary called?”

Seong Ji-an had no choice but to admit that she and her father underestimated Yi-gang.

“Affection and duty are fundamentally about giving and receiving. No matter how much it is my mother’s family, neither I nor the Baek Noble Clan will ever submit.”

Yi-gang came here because he wanted to.

Because the place Zhang Sanfeng mentioned was in Beijing, and because his maternal family knew the secret of the meridian blockage disease.

He stepped forward because his clan and his father were in a difficult situation.

However, that didn’t mean Yi-gang’s maternal family could control him as they pleased.

Above all…

“There wasn’t any real affection between us anyway, was there?”

With those words, Yi-gang left first.

Seong Ji-an couldn’t stop him and remained silent.

Then, Yi-gang suddenly halted in his tracks and turned his head slightly.

“Please look into what I asked you about.”

A tone that was both threatening and suggestive.

Without waiting for a response, Yi-gang continued walking.

Three days had passed since Yi-gang requested an audience with King Gye-yeong regarding the Imperial Palace Armory.

Under the pouring sunlight of the morning, Yi-gang closed his eyes for a moment.

In his mind, the structure of the Imperial Palace Armory was etched as clearly as a picture.

Whether the blueprint of the Imperial Palace Armory actually existed in an official capacity was unknown.

However, it was clear that the blueprint Seong Ji-an had brought with a grave expression was not acquired through ordinary means.

She must have used the power of the Senior Grand Secretary Seong Yeok-ju to obtain it.

Just by showing it to Yi-gang, Seong Yeok-ju had taken on a political burden.

In other words, it was an acknowledgment that they underestimated Yi-gang and were willing to bear the consequences.

「Officials are usually as cunning as snakes, but I didn’t expect them to comply so easily.」

‘They didn’t comply so easily.’

Zhang Sanfeng glanced at Yi-gang, who still had his eyes closed.

「What do you mean?」

‘Just as I placed a burden on them, they would’ve wanted to put a leash on me as well.’

「Then…」

‘By asking for the blueprint of the Imperial Palace Armory, they likely thought I might be planning some sort of theft.’

「Huh…」

Zhang Sanfeng let out a sigh, whether in exasperation or admiration, it was unclear.

Although they were technically grandfather and grandson, such a power struggle was difficult to witness, even through the eyes of a Taoist.

‘Of course, I have no intention of committing theft.’

Yi-gang had also taken on that risk when he requested the blueprint.

Zhang Sanfeng had memorized the blueprint alongside him.

「It would have been nice if we could’ve obtained the complete catalog of the palace’s archives as well.」

‘I am actually looking forward to it even more.’

「Huh?」

Zhang Sanfeng’s question was met with a quiet response from Yi-gang.

‘The blueprint of the armory did indicate the general location of the mechanisms.’

「Indeed.」

‘But they said they couldn’t obtain the catalog of the archives. If they weren’t lying, doesn’t that suggest that the catalog is even more secretive information?’

The more valuable something is, the more secretive it tends to be.

Zhang Sanfeng nodded in understanding.

And soon, the waiting came to an end.

“We have confirmed King Gye-yeong’s seal.”

As expected, the Imperial Palace was under strict security.

The guards from the Embroidered Uniform Guard were vigilantly watching over it.

“Her Highness the County Princess and the Crown Prince’s teacher should proceed inside.”

“Shall we go in, Your Highness?”

Standing next to Yi-gang was the Honorable County Princess.

In a situation where either the Crown Prince or the County Princess had to accompany him, Yi-gang chose the Honorable County Princess.

The reason was simple.

“Yes, Teacher.”

Unlike the Crown Prince, the Honorable County Princess was very obedient.

At first, she was as unruly and reckless as her younger brother, but over time, she gradually became more obedient.

The Crown Prince threw a tantrum, asking why he wasn’t being taken along, but Yi-gang didn’t bat an eye.

“Teacher, this is my first time entering the Imperial Palace Armory as well.”

“Thanks to Your Highness the County Princess, I’m also getting a meaningful experience.”

Yi-gang and the Honorable County Princess engaged in a pleasant conversation as they walked.

There was some distance between the main gate and the main building of the Imperial Palace Armory.

This was to guard against potential intruders. Naturally, there were no trees or anything that could obscure one’s view.

The Imperial Palace Armory was uniquely constructed with bricks.

Small windows for ventilation were placed high up, and they were so small that not even a thief could slip through.

The only door was guarded by more Embroidered Uniform Guards standing firm.

“According to the regulations, Your Highness the County Princess and the Crown Prince’s teacher have two hours to enter and exit.”

One of the guards standing at the door pulled a strange ring beside it.

Click-clack—rat-a-tat-tat—

With that loud noise, the needle of a device connected to the ring moved to the position marked ‘one.’

It was clear that this device was used to measure time.

“If the allotted time is nearly up, the accompanying guards will inform you, so please do not worry.”

This meant that once the promised time was up, even the royalty had no special treatment—they would be asked to leave.

The Honorable County Princess nodded with a firm expression, but Yi-gang remained calm.

Two hours was more than enough time to obtain what they needed.

“I will accompany you. I am Wang Yi-ji.”

One of the guards standing at the door bowed deeply before the Honorable County Princess.

The Honorable County Princess responded without even looking at him.

“Very well.”

Her surprisingly cold demeanor prompted a soft exclamation from Zhang Sanfeng.

This was how arrogant the Honorable County Princess, a member of the imperial family, usually was.

Instead, Yi-gang asked the guard a question, “Is there only one of you? Surely…”

As expected, there were no permanent guards stationed inside the Imperial Palace Armory.

Since the martial arts manuals were valuable just by being read, not even the guards were allowed to stay inside permanently.

Therefore, guards were only assigned to accompany those who entered.

“There is one more—me.”

At that moment, a voice came from behind.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard frowned.

Yi-gang quietly turned his head. He had already noticed someone approaching.

“I am Ye Il-myung, a guard from the Eastern Depot.”

There, a guard from the Eastern Depot, dressed in dark red attire, was bowing deeply to the Honorable County Princess.

“I will accompany you.”

The Imperial Palace Armory was not guarded solely by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

A guard from the Eastern Depot, which could be considered a rival to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, also accompanied them.

This arrangement was meant to ensure that neither group could covet the Emperor’s possessions without the other watching.

“I don’t care. Open the door quickly.”

Of course, neither the Honorable County Princess nor Yi-gang were concerned with that.

Screeech—

As the door opened, the sweet, musty scent of old books wafted out.

Once Yi-gang and his party entered, the door closed firmly behind them.

“Hmm, so this is what it looks like.”

The Honorable County Princess muttered to herself.

Despite the small size of the windows, the interior was bright, thanks to the luminous pearls embedded in the ceiling.

“There are many ominous items here, Teacher.”

The armory contained not only martial arts manuals but also various divine weapons.

The walls were lined with extraordinary swords that would drive any martial artist in Jianghu wild.

“That sword over there looks like Gan Jiang, and the one hanging next to it might be Mo Ye.”

“Gan Jiang and Mo Ye… I think I’ve heard of them before.”

The Honorable County Princess clapped her hands.

At that moment, the Eastern Depot guard smiled and tried to join the conversation.

“You are correct. Long ago, in the state of Yue, a master named Ou Yezi…”

“Don’t interrupt, you lowly creature.”

“…My apologies.”

The Eastern Depot guard stiffened and bowed deeply.

He had attempted to be friendly, but was met with nothing but cold disdain from the Honorable County Princess.

Yi-gang didn’t miss the slight upward curl of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s lips.

The relationship between these two groups was indeed poor.

Naturally, this unique group composition was something Yi-gang had taken into account.

“Let’s head to the bookshelves.”

When Yi-gang said this, the Eastern Depot guard took the lead and cleared the way.

Long rows of bookshelves stretched out on either side.

At a glance, the first ones they encountered were marked with the character ‘three.’

The books belonged to the third grade.

They were the most abundant but not particularly valuable.

You could find sword techniques like the Three Talents Sword Technique or the Six Harmonies Sword Technique, and even Taiji Fist from the marketplace, not the Wudang Sect.

「The manuals here are likely to be of low quality.」

As they moved further in, they encountered second-grade manuals.

These were somewhat more valuable martial arts.

You could occasionally find sword techniques or inner cultivation methods from smaller sects.

Even the foundational techniques of major sects were present here.

「Considering how they obtained these manuals, they should be viewed with caution. Most were likely acquired through plunder, so if someone with ill intentions had a hand in it, they might have left out some crucial instructions.」

And then came the first-grade manuals.

The shelves, which had been packed until now, became noticeably less crowded.

There were only a few manuals left and right, which seemed to record the core techniques of the major sects.

Yi-gang subtly raised his head to look above.

The upper parts of the bookshelves, invisible from below, and the ceiling. The areas hidden in the shadows shined with luminous pearls.

What glittered could be the arrowheads hidden by a mechanism, and the fine cracks might indicate something hidden within the stone walls.

Yi-gang’s superhuman senses quickly absorbed a massive amount of information.

“Lower your head, Crown Prince’s teacher.”

However, the Embroidered Uniform Guard stopped Yi-gang.

The Honorable County Princess, standing beside him, shot a nervous glance, but the guard remained unperturbed.

“It is against the rules to look up at the top of the bookshelves. This is your warning.”

If he looked up again, he would be expelled regardless of the time remaining.

Yi-gang nodded.

He already knew this. In fact, it didn’t matter.

「So, this is what’s up there. Those thin threads seem to be connected with celestial silkworm silk.」

Above, Zhang Sanfeng was floating openly, inspecting the interior of the armory.

He observed the mechanisms hidden atop the shelves, even noting the arrow holes drilled next to the luminous pearls.

In truth, Yi-gang didn’t need to look up at all.

「It seems that attempting to climb above the bookshelves will trigger the mechanisms. Also, it would be wise not to step beyond that red line on the floor.」

‘Do the mechanisms appear well-maintained?’

「They seem to be oiled regularly. Haha, this almost feels like we’re thieves.」

Zhang Sanfeng chuckled, amused by the unusual experience.

As Yi-gang was using Zhang Sanfeng’s assistance to map out the structure of the Imperial Palace Armory in real-time, the Eastern Depot guard quietly spoke, “This is the first-grade bookshelf. Please look around and let us know which book you seek. However, when pulling a book from the shelf, please first consult with me or the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

Perhaps because of the Honorable County Princess’s earlier reprimand, the guard’s demeanor became more cautious.

“Then, I will take a look around myself.”

Yi-gang said this as he began to explore the first-grade bookshelf area.

The Honorable County Princess followed closely behind him.

Yi-gang pretended to make mistakes by attempting to pull out a martial arts manual.

“Oh, didn’t they say not to touch anything?”

“Oh, my apologies.”

He even tried to step over the line drawn on the floor, just to scare the guards.

“You must not step on that line.”

Knowing that acting too knowledgeable might arouse suspicion, Yi-gang deliberately acted this way.

Meanwhile, Yi-gang thoroughly examined every section of the first-grade bookshelves.

The tense guards exhaled sharply, clearly stressed.

“Hmm, I’ve found something better than expected.”

“Really?” the Honorable County Princess responded with excitement.

“Yes. I was considering Lion’s Roar but found something even better.”

The Lion’s Roar was originally a sound-based martial art from Shaolin.

The image of Shaolin monks shouting ‘Ha!’ as they fought demons originated from the Lion’s Roar.

However, Yi-gang discovered a martial art in this place that was even more suitable.

“It’s a Taoist martial art called Azure Dragon’s Demon-Breaking Roar. It’s a technique from the Quanzhen Sect.”

Yi-gang didn’t expect to encounter another technique from Quanzhen after mastering the Radiant Shadowless Art.

Since the Quanzhen Sect had already been annihilated, learning this martial art wouldn’t cause any future complications.

Furthermore, being a Taoist sound-based technique, it would be easier to learn and teach compared to the Lion’s Roar.

“Would you like to read it?”

“Yes!”

With a delighted expression, the Honorable County Princess took the manual for Azure Dragon’s Demon-Breaking Roar and began to read.

As Yi-gang smiled to himself, he thought, ‘And three cultivation techniques that protect the upper dantian.’

He had found two of the techniques Zhang Sanfeng had mentioned, as well as one that he discovered on his own.

He planned to take the opportunity to read one of them later.

At this point, it seemed there was no real need to obtain the blueprint of the Imperial Palace’s armory from Seong Ji-an.

Just then—

「Priest!」

Zhang Sanfeng, who had been inspecting the mechanisms, suddenly shouted urgently.

He had just left to explore a section deeper inside, beyond the first-grade bookshelf area.

「It’s here!」

A special bookshelf, whose existence was revealed by studying the blueprint.

「Indeed, this is worthy of being called a special-grade bookshelf!」

There was something in the special-grade bookshelf.

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