A Modern Man Who Got Transmigrated Into the Murim World

**Chapter 57**

As Cho Hui meditated, adapting to his new level and organizing his martial arts, Namgung Jangho and Jang Ilryong arrived together at his office.

They were momentarily taken aback upon finding Cho Hui deep in meditation, but given the importance of the matter, they had no choice but to make some noise.

“Hm.”

“Brother Cho Hui?”

Cho Hui slowly opened his eyes while sitting and looked up at Jang Ilryong.

“Has something happened?”

Jang Ilryong solemnly nodded his head.

“The Lord has been waiting for you to return for the past week.”

“A week?”

A week meant that it was shortly after he had left for Samasega.

In the end, Chwi Seonggae made a quick decision, as though there was no need to contemplate further.

“Alright. Bring him here.”

“Alright? What do you mean by that?”

“……”

It had already been nearly ten years since he had fallen into the martial world, yet his modern-day expressions continued to slip out from time to time, showing no signs of stopping.

It was high time that he consciously worked to correct this.

“It’s nothing. Just bring him here.”

“Understood, brother.”

As Jang Ilryong left to fetch Chwi Seonggae, Namgung Jangho sat down and, with a serious expression, hardened his face.

“I have something to say.”

“Hmm? Why are you so serious, Namgung Hyung?”

Namgung Jangho could not hide the feeling of shame on his face.

“While I was conducting internal investigations into the Jodae Association, I decided to check on the main house as well.”

The Namgung family was a prestigious martial family with a history spanning hundreds of years.

Since Cho Hui trusted Namgung Jangho and the family head, Namgung Soo, he had never really given any special instructions regarding the handling of the family’s affairs.

“Hmm. If the head of the Namgung family made such a decision, there must be a reason. But?”

“……Several of the elders have disappeared.”

“What?”

The elders of the Namgung family had a special bond with Cho Hui as well.

After all, his connection to the Namgung family was due to his relationship with the elders of the Changcheon Damro-won.

“I can’t believe it. Are you saying that the elders, who were so virtuous, disappeared as soon as the investigation began?”

“Exactly. The atmosphere at the main house has become unsettling.”

The fact that they disappeared right when the investigation began was significant—it meant one of two things: they were either long-standing spies or had become corrupt.

“Namgung Hyung, don’t hastily accuse the family elders of being spies. Let’s first look into the flow of funds that came in and out of Damro-won.”

“We’ve already begun investigating all the financial records of Damro-won.”

However, Cho Hui could not suppress one pressing question.

“What about Elder Namgung Seongchan…… no, it can’t be……?”

Thankfully, Namgung Jangho shook his head.

“It seems unrelated to Elder Damro-won.”

Cho Hui sighed in relief.

Changcheon’s revered figure, Namgung Soo, was someone Cho Hui respected deeply. It would have been unbearable for him if he saw someone he admired fall from grace.

Cho Hui smiled warmly.

“Great Namgung, right? I believe in Changcheon’s integrity, so naturally, I trust the head of the small sword too.”

At Cho Hui’s comforting words, Namgung Jangho’s drooping shoulders seemed to lift slightly. He turned his head, standing up as if trying to hide his emotions.

“I’ll return once the investigation is finished.”

“Alright. I trust you.”

Though his tone seemed dismissive, it brought deep emotion to Namgung Jangho.

Ah! So this is the joy of being a subordinate?

After Namgung Jangho left, not long after, Jang Ilryong and Chwi Seonggae arrived.

At Jang Ilryong’s signal, Chwi Seonggae sat down in the seat opposite Cho Hui with a stiff expression.

“I have something I wish to ask.”

Cho Hui’s respectful attitude had changed. As they were now true allies of the Martial World Alliance, he could no longer afford to treat the leader, Chwi Seonggae, lightly.

“Speak.”

It seemed that Chwi Seonggae also respected Cho Hui as the head of the faction and a true disciple of the sword.

“Although Gaebang is made up of the lowest of the low in the world, the cause they uphold is full of honor and spirit, and the whole world believes in it.”

Chwi Seonggae looked somewhat confused by Cho Hui’s unusual attitude, but soon his face turned regretful.

He had already anticipated what Cho Hui would say next.

Cho Hui then took out a document from his robes.

“This is a record of Chwi Seonggae’s life. It’s information I bought for quite a price from Yajeop.”

“…….”

“The life of Chwi Seonggae, as written here, was certainly one worthy of the title ‘Immortal.’ Every action he took was full of integrity and justice. I don’t believe Yajeop fabricated it.”

Cho Hui’s eyes grew even more serious.

“……Why?”

It wasn’t a question from someone who held authority over Gaebang but rather a sincere inquiry from a junior in the martial world.

Cho Hui was deeply curious why someone as noble as the Lord of Gaebang would choose to fall into the path of a beggar with no roots.

Surely it wasn’t due to greed?

The beggars of Gaebang sought the ultimate truth amidst starvation and wandering. In some ways, they could be compared to Taoists, and it was unimaginable for them to fall for material wealth.

Moreover, given their ability to handle information, if they truly sought to accumulate wealth, Gaebang could easily become the richest group in the world.

However, Chwi Seonggae’s answer was unexpected even for Cho Hui.

“I had a woman I loved.”

“Eh? A woman?”

“I endured through the lonely winters, and when spring flowers bloomed, she came to me. I longed for her for many years. I couldn’t bear it unless I was drunk, even for a day.”

Cho Hui silently nodded.

This was the answer that explained why the character in his alias, ‘Chwi,’ had the meaning of drunkenness.

“I spent over a decade drinking away my longing for her. Then, I met her again. And she finally responded to my deep sincerity. It felt as though I had gained the world.”

Cho Hui, with his sharp mind, could easily predict what had happened next.

“Ha, you were tricked by the beauty, weren’t you?”

“……You still don’t understand love, do you? Do not speak carelessly. The emotions of someone in love are not as simple as you think.”

Chwi Seon-gye shut his eyes and bit his lips, then trembled all over.

“When I realized that things had gone wrong, my soul was already bound to her. Eventually, I was led by her hand to a gathering of the underworld factions. After that…,”

He seemed to struggle to continue and tightly shut his mouth.

Jo Hwi waited silently for him to speak again.

The key to interrogation is to dismantle the opponent’s heart.

Since Chwi Seon-gye had shown signs of emotional turmoil, Jo Hwi was certain he would eventually reveal everything and cooperate.

Jo Hwi’s expectation proved to be right.

“Anyway, if you are going to live as Chwi Seon-gye and infiltrate the secret underworld faction, you need to hurry. If she realizes that things have gone wrong, it will all be over.”

Jo Hwi furrowed his brows in confusion. “Why?”

“She… planted a secret poison in me while we were together,” Chwi Seon-gye explained.

“Ha?”

Jo Hwi couldn’t help but think, *What kind of person is she?* It seemed like a classic case of a beauty trap, but to actually plant poison into someone who loved her so deeply?

“Of course, the position of the underworld leader, the Banju of Gaebang, is rare, so they won’t just kill me. But if I’m confirmed to have betrayed them, things will be different. She will surely activate the poison within me,” Chwi Seon-gye continued.

Finally, Jo Hwi understood everything.

It was strange that such a noble figure like Chwi Seon-gye had even involved his own disciple in the underworld. But now that the woman had secretly poisoned him as a threat, everything made sense.

Jo Hwi thought for a moment before his eyes suddenly gleamed.

“Would it be alright if I kill her, if I get the chance?”

If left alone, she would surely disrupt the martial world until her life ended.

Jo Hwi was determined to punish her.

To his surprise, Chwi Seon-gye nodded solemnly.

“Please make sure she dies without pain.”

The determination in his voice was evident. He had loved her with all his heart, yet now he could feel how much he cursed her.

“Alright. Tomorrow, I will take everything from you. Make sure to get plenty of rest,” Jo Hwi said.

“Understood.”

Just as Chwi Seon-gye was about to leave, Jo Hwi called him back.

“By the way, what was her name?”

“She went by the secret name ‘Chun-seon.’ I don’t know her real name or surname.”

The code name “Chun-seon” meant… *spring temptation.*

Jo Hwi couldn’t help but laugh at the blatantly obvious code name.

“Seems like you’ll be drunk for life.”

When he heard that the woman’s code name was “Chun-seon,” he couldn’t imagine how much self-loathing and shame Chwi Seon-gye must have felt.

Jo Hwi couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of hell it must have been for him.

“And I will remove the poison now.”

When Jo Hwi began to use his spiritual energy to search Chwi Seon-gye’s body, the latter recoiled in fear and shook his head.

“No! If the poison is removed, she will immediately sense it! She will report it to the higher-ups, and your infiltration will be for nothing!”

“Mm…,” Jo Hwi muttered, then nodded.

“Fine. Once this is all over, I’ll remove it for you.”

“Thank you…”

After Chwi Seon-gye left, Jo Hwi spread out his powerful spiritual energy to scan the entire organization of the Jo Ga Daesang-hwe.

Soon, a faint smile appeared on his face as he disappeared without a trace.

Spot!

Han Seol-hyun, who was hanging laundry, was shocked when Jo Hwi suddenly appeared in front of her.

Her face turned pale with surprise.

Jo Hwi grinned widely.

“Hey, haven’t you given up yet?”

“Ga-ga? What sudden remark is this?”

“Stop the nonsense and take off that mask.”

“You… You really don’t know how to show respect, do you?” Han Seol-hyun replied, feigning surprise.

Suddenly, Jo Hwi’s eyes flashed with strange intent. His immense spiritual energy began to rise, swirling in vast waves.

Han Seol-hyun’s face turned pale as she was overwhelmed by his power.

“Ah! Fine! Fine, I’ll do it!”

With that, Han Seol-hyun revealed her true face—Baek Hwa-rin, the former Blood Demon.

But Jo Hwi wasn’t sure if this was truly her real face.

A smirk escaped Jo Hwi’s lips.

“Because of you, I always have to activate my spiritual energy. You won’t be able to pretend to be a young lady anymore unless you wrap yourself in ice spirits, right?”

“Damn it, I said I’ll do it! You’re so annoying!” Baek Hwa-rin grumbled, clearly frustrated.

But then, Jo Hwi became serious.

“Do you want to work with me on something?”

“Work? What kind of work?”

Baek Hwa-rin’s anger was quickly replaced by curiosity, her eyes wide with interest.

“I’m planning to help a poor man,” Jo Hwi explained.

“Seriously, my life is the most pitiful one. Who are you going to help?” she scoffed.

“You don’t look so pitiful to me,” Jo Hwi teased.

“Do you even know my past?”

“Everyone has their own past. Anyway, are you going to help me or not?”

“What kind of work is it? Tell me first,” she demanded.

Jo Hwi smiled cryptically.

“The underground world.”

“Eh?!”

In the martial world, there was an unwritten rule among those who followed the underworld factions: never get involved with the underground world!

Going against the underground factions was tantamount to putting your life on the line.

“You don’t mean you want me to infiltrate the underground world with you, do you?” Baek Hwa-rin asked in disbelief.

“Exactly,” Jo Hwi confirmed.

“Crazy! I’m not doing it! Never!” she shouted, shaking her head as if in a panic.

“If the reward is enough, I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Do you think I’d be swayed by money?” she snapped.

Jo Hwi had heard rumors about how some men had lost everything to this woman, but it wasn’t money that seemed to matter now.

“Then what do you want?” he asked.

Without hesitation, Baek Hwa-rin pointed at Jo Hwi.

“You?”

“Ha! No way.”

Jo Hwi raised an eyebrow before smirking deviously.

“Instead, I’ll introduce you to a man who’s incomparable to me.”

“Re, really?”

“Yes. You’ll probably experience ‘opening your eyes’. You’ve never seen a man more handsome than him.”

“How handsome?”

“He’s the end of handsomeness. A celestial beauty, you could say. Plus, he’s a virgin.”

“Wow…!”

The mention of “virgin” caused Baek Hwa-rin to be utterly stunned.

“So, who do I have to pretend to be?”

“Chun-seon.”

Baek Hwa-rin’s expression twisted oddly.

“Her alias is as awful as her personality.”

***

The Heavenly Demon Sect.

The Sacred Goddess Palace.

The Goddess was kneeling before the demonic statue of the Heavenly Demon, offering herself in absolute devotion.

She wore a pure white robe, but it was so thin that her bare skin was visible through it.

In fact, her body was more seductive than it would have been otherwise.

Surrounding the Goddess were many female servants from the palace, constantly chanting incantations.

Today was the day when the power of the moon would surge, and the divine voice of the god would descend.

Only the chosen Goddess could hear the voice of the deity, so the worship of her was a genuine reverence from the hearts of the palace servants.

However, today, the Goddess was different.

Her usual solemn face was marred by confusion and fear, emotions that continuously flickered across her face.

This was the first time the female servants had witnessed such a sight, as they knew the Goddess to be someone of strong, unwavering character. Instinctively, they felt that something was terribly wrong.

After a tense silence, the Goddess opened her eyes wide.

She solemnly called for Lee So-ye, the leader of the female servants.

“Although you do not have the qualifications to serve the deity, you must take my place from today. I will make you the new Magic Empress.”

Lee So-ye’s face was filled with shock.

“How, how could I, such a lowly servant, take your sacred duties, Goddess!”

The Goddess nodded solemnly.

“Yes, you are humble, but there’s no other choice. Right now, you are the only one who can do it.”

“Goddess, may I ask why you suddenly gave this command?”

The Goddess’s face hardened with a grave expression.

“Today, my sacred flame will ascend. The Light will take my soul.”

“What?”

“Goddess!”

To the followers of the sect, the ascension of the sacred flame meant death.

Naturally, the female servants were in a state of chaos.

The death of the Goddess! It was something that should never happen.

The Goddess was second only to the Heavenly Demon in power within the sect. Her influence over the followers was on par with the Heavenly Demon himself!

This was a crisis that shook the very identity of the sect.

In that moment, the entire Goddess’s palace was engulfed in a tremendous magical aura.

An old man, draped in malevolent magic, walked slowly through the corridor of the Goddess’s palace.

The oppressive aura of the magic felt suffocating, and with each step he took, the hearts of the female servants seemed to shake violently.

Thud. Thud.

He was the high priest in charge of the sect’s rituals, Heo Ryeon-gang, who had been the representative of the Heavenly Demon’s authority.

He was one of the most powerful men in the world of dark forces, regarded as the only one who could face the renowned swordmaster Dan Cheon-yang, known as the greatest swordsman in the world.

He was the absolute dark force leading the current Heavenly Demon Sect—Dark Heavenly Demon (Am Cheon-ma).

The female servants of the Goddess’s palace could hardly believe what they were witnessing.

The Goddess was sacred to the followers of the sect.

And yet, here was this dark, monstrous presence visiting the very palace that the Goddess resided in!

But to their surprise, the visitors did not end with Heo Ryeon-gang.

Other important figures, including the de facto vice-leader, Ma Ryeong-ju, the six great bishops, and the eight left servants, all powerful individuals of the sect, had also entered the Goddess’s palace.

They, too, were radiating dark magic and murderous intent.

It became painfully clear to the Goddess that Heo Ryeon-gang had completely taken control of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

The once moderate voice of tradition and law within the sect had now fallen in line with the forces of darkness, and the shock she felt was unimaginable.

“Have you all finally rejected the sacred flame and placed your corrupt desires first?”

The Goddess’s question was met with an indifferent response from Heo Ryeon-gang.

“We are not denying the sacred flame,” he said, surveying the many powerful figures standing behind him.

“The will of those gathered here is simple: Our great sect can no longer be swayed by a mere woman’s tongue.”

The Goddess’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Are you… planning to destroy the Goddess’s palace?”

Heo Ryeon-gang did not deny it.

“Yes. From today, this palace will be purged from the sect.”

“Aaah…!”

The Goddess collapsed to the floor in despair.

Her earlier hope of passing on her duties to Lee So-ye was nothing but a futile struggle.

The man in front of them was now aiming to destroy the entire Shinnyeong Palace.

“Do you really believe you can bear the wrath of the Light?”

Hyuk Ryeon-gang sneered and chuckled.

“How dare you speak of wrath, after imprisoning the devotees across the world and turning this holy place into a hell?”

“That is the will of the Heavenly Demon…”

“Hah! The Heavenly Demon?”

Hyuk Ryeon-gang’s eyes gleamed darkly as his voice grew rough, as if scraping his throat.

“Lord of the Demon Command, tell me.”

The Demon Lord standing behind him revealed an intense murderous aura before speaking.

“He is the leader of the Chogadae merchant organization who expelled Heukcheonryeon and took control of Gangseoseong. Recently, they declared an alliance with the Martial Arts Alliance after starting a faction war.”

Hyuk Ryeon-gang’s fiery gaze turned back to the Shinnyeong.

“He is the disciple of the legendary Sword God, isn’t he? That was the title, right? The one who killed the Dark Demon Cult all by himself. Speak again: is he the Heavenly Demon?”

The Sword God was the one who had single-handedly destroyed the Dark Demon Cult in the past. Given that the Shinnyeong Palace and the current religion shared roots with the cult, the Sword God’s disciple, Small Sword God, was a mortal enemy to the Shinnyeong and its followers.

“Even so, all of this is for the will of the Light’s sacred flame.”

“What?” Hyuk Ryeon-gang’s gaze darkened with murderous intent.

“You mean the sacred flame of Light, which was the legacy of killing countless masters, is now intended to serve the Heavenly Demon? You’re not the High Priestess, you’re a madwoman! Everyone, look!”

Hyuk Ryeon-gang shouted violently to the gathered priests.

“This is the so-called ‘Divinity’ that has been ravaging this holy sect for centuries! Is this truly the light that rules above all demons?”

A chilling dark aura burst forth from him, like a storm, engulfing the entire Shinnyeong Palace.

“For hundreds of years, this wicked woman has corrupted the souls of countless believers. I will burn them all with the flames of hell!”

The Shinnyeong, as if resigned to her fate, collapsed to the floor.

“May the curse fall upon you all.”

With vacant eyes, the Shinnyeong murmured while staring at the ceiling.

“You have sealed the path of divine speech… now your souls shall burn for eternity in the flames of the Heavenly Demon…”

In an instant, the overwhelming dark energy consumed her, causing her body to explode into pieces as blood sprayed in all directions.

Soon after, a brutal massacre began in Shinnyeong Palace.

The first time in the history of the religion that the High Priestess was murdered.

The screams of the priestesses filled the air, and a deep, impenetrable darkness descended over the fortress of the Heavenly Demon Church.

—

Sacheonhui General Headquarters.

From the window of his office, the Evil Emperor gazed out at the garden when a secret message suddenly flew into his ears.

The voice that reached him belonged to the second-in-command of Sacheonhui, the Secret Evil Sword Lord.

Seeing him was rare, for the Sword Lord was so engrossed in his training that he barely appeared even once a year. The Evil Emperor’s eyes widened in intrigue.

“Come in.”

As soon as the order was given, the Secret Evil Sword Lord entered the office as if he had been waiting for the moment.

“Hoh…”

The Evil Emperor’s curiosity deepened as he observed the Sword Lord. His aura had always been like that of a sword, but now it no longer felt like he was just a master of the sword. He had surpassed that and now looked at the world.

The Sword Lord’s obsession with the sword was at an unimaginable level. He had reached the peak of martial arts at an age just past twenty, a feat nearly unheard of in history.

Without the usual pleasantries, the Sword Lord got straight to the point.

“Please allow me to leave the sect.”

“Leave?”

The Evil Emperor raised an eyebrow in surprise, his expression skeptical.

“Do you even understand the situation here?”

This man had lived his life for the sword, with no knowledge of the outside world.

“Well… when did you complete your closed-door training?”

“Three days ago.”

“Ugh!” The Evil Emperor rubbed his head in disbelief. How could someone spend over three hundred days of the year locked away training in isolation?

“Heukcheonryeon was defeated in Gangseoseong. What’s surprising is that a mere merchant took his place. And that man… ”

“I’ve heard. He’s the disciple of the Sword God.”

The Sword Lord’s eyes glittered with excitement.

“So, why do you want to leave now?”

“Yes.”

The Sword Lord’s demeanor was calm, but there was a wild passion in his eyes that made the Evil Emperor uneasy.

“Are you insane? The entire Sacheonhui is struggling because of the loss of Gangseoseong! And yet you want to leave to pursue your own selfish desire for the sword?” The Evil Emperor pointed outside at the crowds of warriors gathering outside.

“Look at this! We are using all our resources to gather the wandering swordsmen! Even now, the Martial Arts Alliance in the northern region is growing stronger. And you…!”

“Please, let me go.”

The Sword Lord closed his mouth and would say nothing more.

The Evil Emperor sighed deeply, resigned.

“That bastard. He’s known by the title ‘God’ because he is an absolute master.”

“I know.”

“You know? Then do you also know that he formed an alliance with the great Sword Master of the Mysterious River?”

“What?” The Sword Lord blinked in disbelief.

He had long admired the Sword Master of the Mysterious River, a legend in his own right. To think that this young man, known as the Small Sword God, had formed an alliance with him was unimaginable.

“Is that… true?”

Seeing the excitement in the Sword Lord’s eyes, the Evil Emperor realized his mistake in bringing him to this sect.

“Yes! It’s no doubt an absolute truth, far beyond what you can ever hope to achieve! Even I can’t gauge his power. Do you really think your weak swordsmanship can match his?”

Shaken with emotion, the Sword Lord collapsed.

“Please let me leave!”

“Get out of my sight! It’s not like you’ll listen anyway! You’ll leave no matter what I say!”

The name of the Sword Lord, who would cause immense trouble for the Sacheonhui, was Kang Biwoo.