Dokgo Yeongcheon couldn’t help but be shocked the moment he heard Ho Cheon-an’s request.
He asked him to spread the rumor that Geum Myeong-wol is actually Hyeok Gi-rin from the Jeomchang Faction to undermine her popularity.
It was a wicked plan that even the leader of the Outcast Faction would be horrified by!
Did Ho Cheon-an and Hyeok Gi-rin have a typical relationship? They were friends who had battled the bandits of Sacheon City together and even visited the Imperial Family due to their achievements.
So what could possibly connect them to the Jeomchang Faction? While not much was known about what Ho Cheon-an had done there, it was hard to ignore the fact that his martial arts had skyrocketed since that time. It wasn’t difficult to infer he must have trained in the Jeomchang Faction in some way.
But to come up with such a plan to cause trouble for Hyeok Gi-rin and the Jeomchang Faction simply because Geum Myeong-wol’s popularity was too high?
To Dokgo Yeongcheon, who would never have imagined that Hwang So-wol was actually Hyeok Gi-rin, Ho Cheon-an felt like a devil in disguise!
Could he really sacrifice two people he was close with and an entire sect for his own benefit?
A devil like this was bound to become a threat to the Dark Dragon Sect in the future!
Having come to this conclusion, Dokgo Yeongcheon subtly twisted the plan.
And this slight twist turned into a bombshell that exploded across the realm.
The rumor spread that Geum Myeong-wol was actually Hyeok Gi-rin from the Jeomchang Faction.
The points of evidence were clear: Geum Myeong-wol’s appearance and height were strikingly similar to Hyeok Gi-rin’s, who had vanished, and Ho Cheon-an was part of the Sacheon bunch. Furthermore, with the added hint of the Dark Dragon Sect, it became even more plausible.
This rumor was too extreme to be dismissed as mere slander against the Jeomchang Faction or Hwang So-wol. If these rumors turned out to be completely garbage, both Hwang So-wol and the Jeomchang Faction would’ve had enough justification to declare war on the Dark Dragon Sect.
Since the rumors were true, clarifying the matter would ultimately benefit the Dark Dragon Sect, meaning they had spread the rumor.
The people concluded this, and treated the rumor as fact.
Up until this point, everything flowed exactly as Dokgo Yeongcheon had intended.
However, the reactions of the people who believed the rumor took an entirely different direction than Dokgo Yeongcheon had anticipated.
Disappointment arose among those who found out that Geum Myeong-wol was not from their region.
Young men loudly proclaimed that Geum Myeong-wol could not possibly be a woman.
Old men and scholars criticized the Jeomchang Faction’s grandmaster for making an astonishing action, while women were persuaded by their peers that having a male Geum Myeong-wol wouldn’t be so bad.
And even children, who disregarded the rumors and continued to play with Hwang So-wol dolls, contributed to the chaos.
Just hearing the names Hyeok Gi-rin or Geum Myeong-wol was enough to turn that place into a battleground of opinions, verging on the point of complete chaos!
The intensity of the realm’s reaction exceeded anything Dokgo Yeongcheon could have anticipated, meaning that those who would catch the fallout of the rumors would also be unexpected.
According to Dokgo Yeongcheon’s plan, the fallout should fall upon Hyeok Gi-rin and Geum Myeong-wol who were yet to appear. Instead, the people launched themselves forward to the real Geum Myeong-wol’s life, seeking answers.
They went to find Wi Seoryeon and Tang Do-yeon, who had been revealing details about Geum Myeong-wol’s life.
Is Geum Myeong-wol really Hyeok Gi-rin and a man?
Young men whose minds couldn’t accept this fact stormed in from all over the world, and Bicheongmacha and Wi Seoryeon faced the brunt of it.
To be more precise, it was only Wi Seoryeon who bore the brunt of this chaos.
“Hey, let’s bounce,” said Bicheongmacha.
“Hahaha! A chase with the realm’s people? This should be fun!” shouted Bicheongmacha, fleeing.
“Truth or death!”
“Speak! Tell us Geum Myeong-wol is a woman!”
“…What the heck.”
On the other hand, Wi Seoryeon had no choice but to run from the oncoming men.
Maybe one or two would be manageable, but there was no way to take down the countless ones charging at her.
With her crimson eyes and the unmistakable aura of Black Dragon Qi visible from a hundred feet away, hiding her identity was impossible. The only option left for Wi Seoryeon was to make a mad dash straight to the Dark Dragon Sect.
“I’m going to borrow your hospitality for a bit.”
Immediately fleeing to the Dark Dragon Sect.
“I’m sure the rumors circulating around the world can’t be entirely baseless. Even if they are, my involvement with your sect has put me in a troublesome position, so I hope there’s no complaint.”
“…There is no issue. I will welcome you as an esteemed guest of the Dark Dragon Sect.”
As Wi Seoryeon disappeared, glaring back with an annoyed expression, Dokgo Yeongcheon closed his eyes tightly and sighed deeply.
“Did I just meddle in Ho Cheon-an’s plan…?”
Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon.
She may seem like an easy-going lady wandering around causing trouble, but in reality, she was the legitimate leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
And what was Tianma Wi Ji-cheon supposed to do now, after the Mosan Great War concluded?
Overseeing the Heavenly Demon Sect? Expanding the Central Plains?
Such things were important, but currently, Wi Ji-cheon had something he uniquely needed to do.
His primary mission was to pass on the realms he forged to future generations. If he could tie that realm into martial arts, he could cement the glory of this era for eternity.
And if such martial arts were indeed established, the beneficiary was already determined.
Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon.
She would grasp that power and lead the Heavenly Demon Sect back to its prime. What direction that Heavenly Demon Sect would take was beyond even Dokgo Yeongcheon’s prediction, but one thing was for certain; he had to solidify a connection with her.
But here he was, spoiling Wi Seoryeon’s gambling escapades and leaving a bad impression… for Dokgo Yeongcheon, who had started this whole operation to establish relations with the Heavenly Demon Sect, it was nothing but a loss.
Having firmly made an enemy of the future top leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect, what good would Ho Cheon-an’s introduction do him?
With a heavy sigh, Dokgo Yeongcheon began pondering how to remedy the situation.
For Wi Seoryeon to embark on another daring escapade, the identity of Geum Myeong-wol had to be revealed or, at the very least, he had to wait until her popularity cooled down. The longer the wait, the worse Wi Seoryeon’s impression of the Dark Dragon Sect would become; he needed to wrap up this situation quickly.
The problem was, he had no means to resolve it right now.
Having signed a contract with Ho Cheon-an, he couldn’t publicly announce that the rumors spread by the Dark Dragon Sect were false.
‘It would be nice if the Jeomchang Faction could help clear this up, but… that’s unlikely.’
During the disturbance caused by the Blood Sect, the Jeomchang Faction didn’t pull Hyeok Gi-rin out. Why would they bring him out for this mere nonsense?
While Hyeok Gi-rin’s name would indeed float around in the realm, once he broke out and revealed himself, the rumors would become meaningless.
Plus, when Hyeok Gi-rin did come out into the open, he would surely command attention, so from the Jeomchang Faction’s perspective, it couldn’t be seen solely as a negative situation.
Amidst pondering various strategies, Dokgo Yeongcheon ultimately ended his thoughts with a sigh.
“We have no choice. Until this rumor settles down, I’ll gather gamblers to appease the Heavenly Demon…”
Finally arriving at the conclusion that he had to buy time, Dokgo Yeongcheon was about to call his subordinates to gather all the gamblers from Yunnan when—
“Leader! There’s a big problem!”
What is it now?
His feelings were already in disarray, and a subordinate coming in flustered made Dokgo Yeongcheon frown deeply.
“What happened? Did something happen to the Heavenly Demon?”
“New rumors are circulating about Geum Myeong-wol!”
“What?”
More twisted rumors? Dokgo Yeongcheon suddenly felt a throbbing pain in his head.
“Go on, tell me.”
“They say Geum Myeong-wol is the inspector who appeared in Ak-yang!”
“…What?”
“That inspector who punished Ho Cheon-an when he was in conflict with So Yeon-hwa and the Governor of Honam? That inspector is Geum Myeong-wol!”
“Ah…”
Dokgo Yeongcheon was hit with shock, feeling as if he’d been smacked on the head.
Currently, Geum Myeong-wol, who was mistakenly thought to be Hyeok Gi-rin and a man.
This Geum Myeong-wol had yet to reveal his lineage or martial arts while remaining an enigmatic figure.
Even if he had ties to a sect with original sins or imperfections, he had prevented the upheaval caused by the Blood Sect, earning merits that justified any past misdeeds.
Yet despite this immense disturbance in the realm, Geum Myeong-wol kept his identity hidden.
Dokgo Yeongcheon realized the reason behind Geum Myeong-wol’s secrecy.
“Geum Myeong-wol was in a position of authority…!”
The government and the Martial World couldn’t coexist. A martial artist holding an official position would be shunned in the Martial World, and those within the Martial World found it hard to associate with someone in government.
But what if it were revealed that an official was deeply involved in the Martial World to the extent that he was recognized as a hero?
It would certainly become a huge impediment to his future in office, and if there was any such situation, it made sense to desperately hide his identity.
He was convinced that Geum Myeong-wol had ties to an official position.
What kind of position could Geum Myeong-wol hold?
Geum Myeong-wol had operated in Ak-yang as an inspector. However, if Geum Myeong-wol were truly that inspector, why would he be following Ho Cheon-an around?
If you take that into consideration, only one conclusion can be deduced.
Geum Myeong-wol had joined Ho Cheon-an for another reason, and he had briefly borrowed authority from the Inspectorate. To wield such power instantly, he must be in a position that could secure support from the higher authorities like the Commander of the Golden Guards or directly from the Imperial Family.
In other words, Geum Myeong-wol was a genuine power broker with substantial influence over a government body that could make even the birds fall from the sky.
“We’re doomed…”
And here was Dokgo Yeongcheon turning Ho Cheon-an’s plan on its head, making a fool of someone with such authority.
Sweat started running down Dokgo Yeongcheon’s forehead.
