Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel MTL - Chapter 347

## Chapter 347. Seventy-two Peaks and Twenty-six Rocky Mountains

After lunch.

Yeon Jeokha went to find Monk Bangmu, the administrator of Haseongo.

Unlike at dawn, he carried a scripture book in his hands instead of a bamboo whip.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have a personal matter, so I plan to go to Namamgung this afternoon. The palace leader said that if I go to Namamgung, I must inform the monks.”

Upon hearing “Namamgung,” Monk Bangmu frowned.

This person, who fell asleep in the morning and snored during the lecture, is now going to Namamgung?

Namamgung is famous even within the Wudang Sect as a place of rigorous training.

So much so that it is said that all the eccentrics of the Wudang Sect pass through Namamgung.

“Isn’t it for training, but for a personal matter?”

“Yes.”

“Then I won’t ask why you’re going. But don’t go with the idea of trying something in Namamgung out of impatience. Low-level people won’t get anything there.”

“No, it’s to get some medicine.”

As he said this, Yeon Jeokha pointed to his face.

“Ah!”

A slight sigh escaped Monk Bangmu’s lips.

Namamgung is like a paradise for herbalists, so sometimes people go there in search of rare medicines.

Seeing Yeon Dubi’s swollen face from the burns, he understood.

“Tsk!”

Until a moment ago, he thought he was being foolish, but now he felt sorry for him.

“Come back before dinner. Namamgung is a vast and dangerous place, it’s better to put in a little effort each day. If you obsess over finding someone, you could endanger your life. Don’t forget that Mount Wudang is surrounded by seventy-two peaks and twenty-six rocky mountains.”

“Yes, I know. I won’t push myself too hard.”

“Come back before bedtime. If your bed is empty until late, the monks of the Five Dragons Palace (Oryonggung) will go to Namamgung to look for you. Don’t let that happen.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Jeokha didn’t find it annoying, but rather appreciated the consideration of the monks of the Five Dragons Palace.

Monk Bangmu explained in detail the way from the Five Dragons Palace to Namamgung.

Shortly after, Yeon Jeokha finished his conversation with Monk Bangmu and left the Five Dragons Palace.

Just as he was leaving the Five Dragons Palace grounds, his gaze turned to one side.

In the corner of the pavilion, Manhwangju was dragging a female practitioner.

“Miss Yeo, I have something to tell you.”

“Say it here.”

“I can’t. This is something that others shouldn’t know.”

“What is it? If you’re going to say something unimportant, forget it.”

The woman, Yeo Hwajo, frowned, but eventually let herself be taken by Manhwangju.

‘It’s the perfect time.’

Yeon Jeokha made an effort to ignore them and walked quickly.

But in his ears resonated the words whispered by Manhwangju and the woman.

His internal energy was so strong that he heard them clearly, even though it wasn’t his intention.

“It’s about the examiner for the next question-and-answer exam. What do you think? Do you still think it’s unimportant?”

“Who is it?”

The woman immediately showed interest.

‘Tsk! He charged me ten nyang of silver, but it seems like he’s going to tell her for free.’

Yeon Jeokha shook his head bitterly.

All men are the same.

They would give their liver and gallbladder to a woman, but they wouldn’t give a man even the broth.

“Hum!”

Yeon Jeokha snorted and ran forward forcefully.

He only had half a day to spend in Namamgung.

If he wanted to find the herbalist Baek Ilun in that time, he had to hurry.

Yeon Jeokha turned north on the mountainside.

Originally, Monk Bangmu had told him to descend and then head towards the northern peak.

But that was only for ordinary practitioners.

With his excellent jumping technique, he flew like a bird from the cliff on the mountainside to the other side.

And upon reaching the opposite mountain, he ran through the trees as if it were flat terrain.

Pah pah pah pah!

After running non-stop for about half a shichen (one hour), the entrance to a valley appeared in the distance.

On a huge rock at the entrance of the valley, the words “Namamgung” were engraved.

“Ugh, this is tiring. Do I have to explore this place in half a day?”

Even taking a shortcut, it was difficult. What would it have been like if he had followed the directions?

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it could have taken more than a year.

Yeon Jeokha walked into Namamgung.

It was said that there were no paths, and it was truly surrounded by dense forest everywhere.

Among the thick trees, vertical cliffs could be seen rising here and there.

Wherever he looked, there were peaks that housed those cliffs.

‘If I’m not careful, I could get lost.’

Worried, Yeon Jeokha decided to climb the first cliff on the right calmly.

Climbing the cliff wasn’t easy either.

Yeon Jeokha had to jump from one side to the other between the rocks like a mountain goat.

Although he was completely drenched in sweat, there was no trace of humans.

While climbing halfway up the peak, he found three caves, but they were empty.

Even so, he didn’t lose hope.

The caves had formed naturally, but there were traces of human activity inside.

As he climbed the cliff again, Yeon Jeokha’s eyes sparkled.

He saw a fourth cave above his head.

Upon discovering the entrance to the dark cave, his body, which had relaxed, regained its strength.

“Yah!”

With a loud shout, Yeon Jeokha stretched his torso upwards.

Finally, upon reaching the entrance of the cave, he took a deep breath.

“Ah!”

The sun was already setting red on the horizon.

It seemed that, regardless of whether Baek Ilun was here or not, he had to return today.

After drying his sweat, Yeon Jeokha carefully entered the cave.

It was the largest of the caves he had seen so far, which made his heart beat with excitement.

Even if it wasn’t Baek Ilun, he wanted to find an herbalist.

If there was an herbalist training in a place as dangerous as Namamgung, he would probably have skills similar to Baek Ilun’s.

But this time it was also in vain.

There were three stone chambers, but they were neglected and full of cobwebs.

Leaving the cave, Yeon Jeokha shouted in frustration.

“Herbalist Baek Ilun! Where are you?”

But he only received an empty echo, as if he were alone in Namamgung.

“Isn’t anyone here?”

There was still no answer.

‘It’s mean. They said there were herbalists here, why doesn’t anyone answer?’

Either they were all deaf, or they didn’t want to meet people and were hiding.

As he muttered, Yeon Jeokha descended the cliff before it got dark.

Upon reaching the bottom, he returned by the path he had taken.

He knew he didn’t have a good sense of direction, so even at a short distance, his heart was pounding.

If he got lost, it would be a nuisance for the monks of the Five Dragons Palace.

Only when he reached the rock wall with the words “Namamgung” engraved on it did Yeon Jeokha sigh with relief.

“Ah! What a relief… No, it’s not. When will I find Baek Ilun here? Will I be able to find him?”

He was now at the entrance of Namamgung, so it was easy to find his way.

But if he went deeper, it would be difficult even to return to the entrance.

“I don’t know.”

Yeon Jeokha smoothed his sweaty hair and started walking south.

Although he left Namamgung at sunset, he didn’t make it back in time for dinner.

He informed Monk Bangmu that he had returned and entered Haseongo.

Perhaps because they had established a camaraderie, Lee Doju, who was reading scriptures, gestured to him with his eyes.

Then, Manhwangju and Cheonsangdong approached.

Manhwangju examined Yeon Jeokha’s face and asked:

“I didn’t see you in the dining hall before. Did you eat somewhere else? As far as I know, there’s no place on Mount Wudang that serves food to strangers like us.”

“If you know a good place, introduce it to us.”

Cheonsangdong was sure that Yeon Jeokha had eaten elsewhere.

Practitioners are always hungry.

As soon as they finish eating, they become hungry again. That’s why they didn’t think Yeon Dubi had skipped dinner. They couldn’t imagine he had been on an empty stomach until morning.

“No, I didn’t eat.”

“Ah!”

“I see.”

Manhwangju and Cheonsangdong finally looked away indifferently.

Then, Manhwangju spoke as if he were doing a favor.

“Focus on the ‘Zhouyi Cantongqi’ and the ‘Nanhua Zhenjing’. Do you know what I mean?”

“Ah, yes.”

He was probably referring to the examiner “Cheongbulno” he had met before, who liked those texts.

Cheonsangdong asked in a low voice:

“By the way, Brother Nam, how are you doing with Miss Yeo?”

“How am I doing? She doesn’t even want to talk to me. Why do you ask, Brother Cheon? Are you interested too?”

“What! I was just asking out of curiosity, to see how you were doing with her.”

Yeon Jeokha, who already knew, asked as if he didn’t know anything.

“Who is Miss Yeo?”

Cheonsangdong answered before Manhwangju.

“Her name is Yeo Hwajo, she is the most beautiful among the female practitioners. Brother Nam has been courting her lately, so don’t get close to her. If you do, it could cause jealousy. Puajajaja!”

Cheonsangdong laughed to himself at the end, as if it were very funny.

“Are there many female practitioners?”

“Not many. Seven, maybe? There are so few that they live in the guest pavilions.”

“Ah.”

Yeon Jeokha nodded.

It was a fairly small number considering there were one hundred and fifty male practitioners.

Manhwangju intervened.

“We should thank heaven. If there were more female practitioners, we might have been kicked out of Haseongo. Haseongo would have been given as a training ground for women.”

“Yes, yes. That would have happened.”

Cheonsangdong’s voice rose a bit.

Then, one of the practitioners reading scriptures from afar said:

“Hey, please be quiet. If you’re going to keep talking, go outside to do it.”

Manhwangju and Cheonsangdong this time didn’t leave, but returned to their seats.

Yeon Jeokha also went to a bookshelf and chose a scripture book.

He didn’t find the ‘Nanhua Zhenjing’, but he saw the ‘Zhouyi Cantongqi’.

‘Even Uncle Sword Emperor recommended it to me, I must learn appropriate mystical techniques.’

It would be a great shame not to be able to learn them if he didn’t pass the question-and-answer exam.

Yeon Jeokha took the ‘Zhouyi Cantongqi’ and began to read it.

But he was so hungry that he couldn’t concentrate.

‘This isn’t good. I need to eat something or I won’t be able to hold on.’

Rising stealthily, Yeon Jeokha left Haseongo and headed to the dining hall.

But even after checking the dining hall and the kitchen, he didn’t find anything edible.

The longer it went on, the hungrier he felt.

Like a hungry dog, he sniffed around the Five Dragons Palace.

But even after searching within a radius of ten li around the Five Dragons Palace, he didn’t find anything.

He didn’t dare go further for fear of getting lost.

After wandering until late at night, Yeon Jeokha had to return to Haseongo on an empty stomach.

***

Slap!

When the bamboo whip fell on his shoulder, Yeon Jeokha jumped up.

Monk Bangmu, carrying a bamboo whip about three meters long, passed by him.

The sounds of scripture recitation could already be heard from all directions.

After battling hunger all night, Yeon Jeokha opened the ‘Taipingjing’ with bloodshot eyes.

Grrr! Grrr!

Even before starting the recitation, his stomach was already making noise.

He was so eager to eat the ‘Taipingjing’.

‘Every day is hell. Damn it.’

Chapter 347

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