Chapter 22. The Strange Cheongwolmun Sect Leader

Ban Gyoin tilted her head, unable to understand.

She flicked a stone over the cliff with the tip of her toe. The stone fell endlessly down the cliff. The sight in Ban Gyoin’s eyes was as vivid as it could be.

“This is an illusion?”

The sect leader just smiled at his surprised daughter.

As the father and daughter were talking, a voice echoed from somewhere.

-You have waited long. Cheongwolmun Sect Leader, please come inside.

Ban Gyoin was surprised and looked around.

It was a strange voice. The direction from which the voice came was swirling around in all four directions, so it was impossible to know exactly where it was coming from. No shadow of a person could be seen.

But soon, the scene in front of her began to fade and change.

A well-maintained path appeared in front of her feet, where there had been a cliff, and the birds flying in the sky and the distant mountain peaks disappeared, and instead, the main gate of the Cheonhwa Library and the pavilions beyond it revealed their majesty.

The Cheongwolmun Sect Leader smiled and took a step.

“Kwalkwalkwal, let’s go, Gyoin.”

Ban Gyoin, whose eyes had widened in surprise, finally followed her father with hurried steps.

***

The old family head’s study.

The ones who greeted the Cheongwolmun Sect Leader were the family head and the Eldest Young Master.

In his capacity as the Eldest Young Master, Hugong faced the Cheongwolmun Sect Leader, but not only the old family head but also Hugong’s complexion was not good.

The sect leader’s name was Ban Gwang.

He had a small but sturdy build, and his eyes flashed with divine light. The beard that came down to his chest suited his small frame very well.

“Kwalkwalkwal, I am truly overjoyed that the family head and the Eldest Young Master have greeted me so informally. Kwalkwalkwalkwal!”

It was inevitable that their complexions would worsen.

Every time the sect leader spoke, he made a strange sound, so Hugong frowned as much as he could.

‘Everything is fine, but…’

The problem was the laughter.

Hugong had never seen a human laugh like this before.

Leaving aside the mastermind of the conspiracy, a person should not laugh like this.

Hugong had met all sorts of strange people in the martial world, but this was definitely the first time he had seen someone laugh like this.

If there was one person who laughed the most strangely, it would be Cheolhyeolgwi, one of the protectors of the Sahwangcheon. When Cheolhyeolgwi laughed, it sounded like air was escaping, but that was a problem with the performance of his chronic vocal cords, not something he did on purpose.

But the Ban Gwang in front of him spoke clearly and even loudly, so this laughter could only be seen as forced.

‘What is this guy? Kwalkwal? Is he openly mocking me? Why is he doing this after bringing his daughter?’

At this time, the family head, Beomcheon, was also in a difficult situation.

He had a gentle personality and had already dismissed his suspicions when the Cheongwolmun Sect Leader had brought his daughter, but now that he was facing him and hearing the ‘kwalkwalkwal’ sound, he was having a hard time because he felt like he would burst out laughing.

He tried to hold back his laughter by clenching his teeth, but his eyes were full of strength and his cheekbones were twitching.

At that sight, Ban Gwang laughed awkwardly.

“Kwalkwalkwal, you two are very taciturn. I have always been curious about the Cheonhwa Library. But now that I’ve come here today, it’s a more mysterious and beautiful place than I thought. Kwalkwalkwalkwalkwal!”

The ‘kwalkwalkwal’ sound came again.

The family head, Beomcheon, was having a hard time just clenching his teeth, and now his body was even trembling, so he couldn’t respond.

But Hugong was now getting angry.

He wanted to hear an explanation for what kind of strange thing he was doing.

“Are you sick somewhere, Sect Leader?”

Ban Gwang tilted his head.

“Kwalkwalkwal, what are you talking about, Eldest Young Master? I am healthy.”

“Is that so? But I don’t understand why you are laughing with a ‘kwalkwalkwal’ sound, Sect Leader.”

“Huh? Is it strange? I’ve been laughing like this since I was a child, kwalkwalkwalkwal~.”

‘Look at this guy.’

Hugong narrowed his eyes.

And then,

“Ppuruppuruppup!”

“Kwalkwalkwal, Eldest Young Master, you are suddenly making a strange sound. What does that mean? Kwalkwalkwalkwal~.”

“A strange sound? I was just laughing.”

“Kwalkwalkwal, was that a laugh? How can a person laugh while frowning? Kwalkwal, what a strange thing. I’ve never seen anyone laugh like you, Eldest Young Master. The Cheonhwa Library is mysterious in many ways. Kwalkwalkwalkwalkwal!”

“Is that so? Ppuruppuruppupupupu!”

“Kwalkwalkwalkwal!”

“Ppuruppuruppupupupu!”

“Kwalkwalkwalkwalkwal!”

As the two of them laughed with a laugh that didn’t even sound like a laugh, the family head, who was caught in the middle, was now at the point where his teeth would break from clenching them too hard.

The sect leader seemed to have no awareness at all, and he thought it was admirable that his eldest grandson was confronting him, thinking he was being disrespectful, but apart from that, he was on the verge of bursting out laughing.

Looking at the family head, the sect leader, Ban Gwang, tilted his head and ‘kwalkwal’ed once in a while.

At this point, Hugong had no choice but to admit it.

‘He’s just like this.’

There was no need to question him further or to confront him, so he immediately bowed and stood up.

“Then, you adults, please talk.”

“Kwalkwalkwal, why don’t you stay with us?”

“No. Ppuruppuruppu.”

Hugong gave a laugh and left the room.

The family head, Beomcheon, looked at his eldest grandson resentfully as he left him alone with the ‘kwalkwalkwal’ and went out, but he couldn’t even stop him and looked at the Cheongwolmun Sect Leader with wavering pupils.

The sect leader let out a deep groan and then chuckled.

“Kwalkwalkwal, not everyone in the Cheonhwa Library laughs like the Eldest Young Master, right? Kwalkwalkwal.”

“…”

“Kwalkwalkwal, why haven’t you said anything since a while ago, family head? Kwalkwalkwalkwal~.”

When Hugong went outside, Bumong and Yun were already arguing about the Cheongwolmun Sect Leader’s laugh.

“Kwilkwilkwilkwil! Bumong, is it similar?”

“Brother, you’re wrong. It’s ‘kwalkwalkwal’.”

“What ‘kwalkwal’? Is blood pouring out from somewhere? ‘Kwilkwilkwil’ is right.”

“No matter how you look at it, it’s not ‘kwilkwil’.”

Hugong looked at the two of them with a blank expression.

It was ‘kwalkwal’, so what was wrong with these two’s ears?

“You rascals!”

“Brother!”

“Eldest brother, you’ve come out. But wasn’t the Cheongwolmun Sect Leader a bit strange?”

“What kind of talk is that to a guest who has visited the main house?”

“I’m sorry, eldest brother.”

“What about Young Lady Ban?”

“We have escorted her to the Punghwajeong.”

The Punghwajeong was an elegant pavilion, and it was a place with an excellent view even within the Cheonhwa Library.

“Don’t leave it to others, you two go and attend to Young Lady Ban yourselves. Be polite and courteous. Don’t try to dig up anything by asking indirectly, just have a comfortable conversation.”

“Yes, we will. But what about you, brother?”

“I’ll go after I meet the chief steward, as soon as I have time.”

The Cheongwolmun had nothing to do with this matter.

Hugong was sure.

Although his laughter was bizarre, Ban Gwang was a straightforward and openly magnanimous person. He was not someone who would hide something and plot behind the scenes. What conspiracy could a guy who laughed with a ‘kwalkwal’ and wasn’t even aware of how he was laughing have?

Moreover, unlike his loud voice, he had visited the Cheonhwa Library without making a fuss. Coming with his beloved daughter indirectly showed that the Cheongwolmun was innocent and had no ill intentions. In that respect, he could be said to be considerate.

When he arrived at the chief steward’s detention place, the guard team bowed.

Hugong just waved his hand and stood in front of the chief steward.

“I’ve come to twist your legs.”

“Ugh-heok, why are you doing this! Eldest Young Master.”

The chief steward shouted in fear.

Although the chief steward had been spared from being hung upside down, he was tied to a chair, and between his legs was a classic torture device, the juri. His leg joints were already about to be dislocated, so the chief steward had a seizure at just one word.

‘This is enough to prepare for a conversation.’

Hugong nodded his head and opened his mouth.

“Good. It won’t be too late to do it then if your answer is not satisfactory.”

“W-whatever you say. I will tell you everything without a single lie.”

“Have you ever met anyone from the Cheongwolmun in person?”

“Pardon?”

“The juri…”

“Heok, no. I’ve only heard about it.”

“From whom?”

“Th-the Eldest Young Master of the Seomun Family said so. He said that the Cheongwolmun also shared the same intention. I heard it directly, so there is no room for doubt.”

“Are you sure about the Eldest Young Master of the Seomun Family?”

“Of course. If the Eldest Young Master of the Seomun Family hadn’t stepped in, I wouldn’t have come this far.”

That was right.

Hugong nodded his head and stood up.

He didn’t forget to give an order as he left.

“Twist his legs.”

“Kraaaaaaaahk!”

The reason he had asked the chief steward about the Cheongwolmun was because although he had a hunch, he wanted to make it clear once and for all.

In the end, the Seomun Family was confirmed.

The Eldest Young Master of the Seomun Family.

He was a cunning fellow.

If a fake is mixed with a real one, the thing becomes a fake.

If you mix other oil with sesame oil, even if more than half of it is real sesame oil, the whole thing just becomes fake sesame oil.

It was like that.

If the Cheongwolmun’s innocence was proven, then the Seomun Family would also become innocent.

The Seomun Family had tried to bury their innocence.

‘At this point, what would the Seomun Family want the most?’

The thing they wanted the most. It came to his mind without difficulty.

‘The removal of the chief steward, I guess.’

If only the chief steward disappeared, the Seomun Family would have no more worries.

By the way, for the Eldest Young Master of the Seomun Family to expose his face.

Was it really a mistake?

No way. It meant that he had thought of the Cheonhwa Library as easy.

Hugong clicked his tongue and walked towards the Punghwajeong.

“Kwalkwalkwal, I have no idea why such a rumor started.”

On the way, Ban Gwang’s loud voice could be heard.

“Kwalkwalkwal, our sect holds a Dantu-jeon once every three years, and through this, we check the skills of the disciples with less than five years of experience and give them pills to the disciples who achieve good results in the martial arts competition. The Dantu-jeon is an important event for our sect, and with the Dantu-jeon just a month away, the masters and disciples are busy preparing, so how could we be plotting? Kwalkwalkwalkwal~~.”

Although he was having a private meeting with the family head, Ban Gwang’s voice was so loud that it was not a private meeting, but as if everyone in the Cheonhwa Library was talking with Ban Gwang.

And in Hugong’s head, as he headed towards the Punghwajeong, the method to destroy the Seomun Family was gradually becoming more concrete.

As he approached and looked at the Punghwajeong, the atmosphere was good.

The three of them had bright faces, and a big laugh erupted once in a while.

Even from a distance, Ban Gyoin’s face looked happy.

It meant that Yun and Bumong were handling themselves well. As they were smart fellows, they had already realized that the Cheongwolmun had nothing to do with this incident.

No, even if they weren’t smart, they would have known.

Listening to the sect leader, Ban Gwang, laugh with a ‘kwalkwal’ and talk in a thunderous voice, anyone would have their suspicions disappear.

Hugong approached and greeted them.

“Young Lady Ban, were my younger brothers not rude?”

“You’ve come. Rude? The two of them are so cheerful and knowledgeable that I didn’t realize how time flew while talking.”

Ban Gyoin smiled and greeted him, and it was like a flower blooming.

At that sight, Hugong had a bad thought for a moment, so he sighed inwardly and shook it off.

‘What a relief. This child is lucky.’

He was momentarily dizzy, wondering what would have happened if Ban Gyoin had resembled her father. She would have definitely become a heroine rather than a flower. She would have had thick eyebrows, a short neck, and would have ‘kwalkwal’ed sturdily.

“You praise my ignorant younger brothers too much, saying they are knowledgeable. By the way, I don’t know how such a false rumor slandering the Cheongwolmun and the Seomun Family started. You must have been very surprised, young lady.”

“Surprised? I cheered as soon as I heard the rumor.”

“Cheered?”

“I thought I might be able to visit the Cheonhwa Library on this pretext. As expected, my father said he would go alone, so I clung to him and came with him.”

“Haha, so that was the meaning. I’m also happy to see you again, Young Lady Ban, thanks to the strange rumor.”

It wasn’t as if he took it at face value, but just by looking at Ban Gyoin’s expression, it seemed she hadn’t cared about the rumor in the first place.

‘Yes, this is normal. It’s also normal for the sect leader to have rushed over.’

It was just the ‘kwalkwal’ that was the problem.