Chapter 91. The Taiyi Secret Record (2)

The Moonlight Secret Record (月下祕錄) was a book left behind by Dugu Yueya, the second wife of Li Zhengyi.

Surprisingly, Dugu Yueya, Li Zhengyi's second wife, was the daughter of the leader of the Demon Sect. This unusual marriage had its own background. At the time, as the Demon Sect was retreating from the Central Plains martial world, they offered to form a blood tie with Li Zhengyi as a gesture of peace. Despite much debate, the Martial Alliance, fearing a resurgence of the Demon Sect, ultimately suppressed the opposition and proceeded with the engagement.

Despite their different backgrounds, their marital relationship was not as bad as one might expect. They had two daughters during their decade-long marriage.

Their marriage, which had been going smoothly, took a turn due to Li Zhengyi's disappearance.

After Li Zhengyi suddenly vanished, she wandered the martial world in search of him but eventually returned to the Li family alone, unable to find him. She returned to the Li family in a pitiful state, secluded herself in a small study for a year, and then left behind a book called the Moonlight Secret Record before mysteriously disappearing.

"According to some, she returned to the Demon Sect, but no one really knows."

"What is the relationship between the Moonlight Secret Record and Li Zhengyi?"

"Listen."

The people of the Li family read the Moonlight Secret Record countless times, hoping to find clues about Li Zhengyi's whereabouts, but it only contained the content, 'I searched everywhere but couldn't find him,' and soon lost people's interest, being stored in the library.

The secret of the Moonlight Secret Record, which had been gathering dust on the shelves for decades, was revealed twenty years ago.

At that time, Li Lianyi, the head of the Li family, discovered a hidden code in the Moonlight Secret Record while reading it out of boredom. After mobilizing his family to decipher the code, he learned the hidden secret history within the Moonlight Secret Record.

"Li Zhengyi didn't hide due to madness or achieve enlightenment."

"Then what?"

"According to the Moonlight Secret Record, the Taiyi Sword Sage hid to consolidate his insights and create a martial art."

According to the revealed content of the Moonlight Secret Record, Li Zhengyi gained great enlightenment after battling the Eight Great Venerables of the Western Martial World but needed time to organize his insights and perfect a martial art, so he went into seclusion without telling anyone.

Dugu Yueya eventually found him after many twists and turns, but she couldn't bear to disturb him as he was deeply focused on perfecting his martial art, so she returned to the Li family alone.

The final part of the Moonlight Secret Record states that Dugu Yueya gained great enlightenment in martial arts from reading just a small part of the 'Taiyi Secret Record,' which contained Li Zhengyi's insights.

It also mentioned that when Li Zhengyi, who had perfected the new martial art, returned, the martial world would change.

"Considering the timeline, he was a person from over eighty years ago, so it's unknown whether he ever completed the Taiyi Secret Record or achieved enlightenment."

"That makes sense."

Upon learning these facts, the head of the Li family urgently formed a search party to find Li Zhengyi's legacy, as it was something the declining Li family had to obtain by any means.

After saying this, Banchun Bai sighed deeply and said with a troubled expression, "But the problem is that all these facts were leaked to the outside."

"Wow..."

This is why security is always an issue, no matter where you go. It's not for nothing that people talk about communication security.

Not long after, the Li family was attacked by an unknown group, suffering near-annihilation and losing the Moonlight Secret Record.

The Moonlight Secret Record, which had disappeared, was thought to be lost forever, but suddenly there were rumors that it had been seen in Henan.

At the time, Zong Li Mai, a famous thief, boasted that he had seen the Moonlight Secret Record stored in the Nine Dragon Hall.

"Isn't a thief just a thief?"

"Well, he occasionally did some Robin Hood-like deeds."

When I asked, Banchun Bai answered with a resigned expression. This shows how important one's usual behavior is.

Anyway, the Nine Dragon Hall, which was suddenly accused of being the culprit behind the Li family massacre, claimed they didn't have the Moonlight Secret Record and were not responsible for the massacre.

However, no one believed them, and eventually, the Henan branch of the Nine Dragon Hall was annihilated by an unknown group.

"From then on, it was chaos. Rumors of the Moonlight Secret Record being found spread everywhere, and there were talks of which sects were wiped out."

At the time, the whereabouts of the Moonlight Secret Record were the greatest concern of the entire martial world. The rumor that obtaining the Moonlight Secret Record would grant access to the Taiyi Secret Record, containing the Taiyi Sword Sage's insights, spread throughout the martial world.

Banchun Bai, who was young at the time, also searched the martial world for the Moonlight Secret Record upon hearing the rumor.

"So, what happened?"

"What happened? I just wasted time."

I see.

If Banchun Bai had obtained the Taiyi Secret Record back then, his nickname would have been Tai Lion, not Iron Lion.

"I wandered around looking for the Moonlight Secret Record, but there was no significant gain. If I had obtained the Taiyi Secret Record back then, I would have broken through the Life and Death Pass, reached the Transformation Realm, and become the top martial artist in the world."

Banchun Bai said, still regretful. Seeing his expression, I offered some words of comfort.

"Life doesn't change in one stroke."

Life can be flipped in one stroke, but it's important to build it steadily, like a savings account.

I have consistently built trust and achievements with this mindset, which is why I have reached the position of a mid-level escort.

'Life is about being steady.'

However, Banchun Bai seemed to have a different view.

"What are you talking about! A martial artist lives in one stroke. One stroke! Isn't that what a martial life is all about?"

Indeed, it was a fitting statement from someone who had been knocked out in one stroke.

As I nodded in agreement with Banchun Bai's words, he suddenly continued in a softer tone.

"…I used to think that, but now my thoughts have changed."

"Your thoughts?"

This was an unexpected statement.

Curious, I listened, and Banchun Bai continued with a somewhat bitter expression.

"Yes. My thoughts changed a bit when I fought with Zha Chashi recently. Actually… even though I won, I felt like I lost in some ways. Zha Chashi has established his own school, hasn't he?"

"That's true."

It's not wrong. Even a small martial school counts as a school. Not many martial artists can establish their own school, even if it's now in someone else's hands.

Banchun Bai hesitated before continuing.

"Seeing that made me think a lot. I felt like I won as a martial artist but lost as a person."

"Hmm…"

I understand why Banchun Bai had these thoughts. A man in his forties who is still single is bound to have such thoughts.

Without a business or a family… it's something that can suddenly come to mind like a snake in the grass.

Is this life okay?

"Without a family, children, or disciples… I felt like I was falling behind."

"Does that mean your thoughts have changed now?"

"Well, yes."

Saying that, Banchun Bai looked up at the sky. He seemed a bit lonely.

"When we arrive at Mount Emei, I'll confess to Xichuan Sword Maiden again. I don't know if she'll accept, but if not, I'll ask the head of the Zheng family to arrange a match."

Banchun Bai seemed to be thinking about marriage. At forty-three, it was a bit late, but not impossible. With the help of the Zheng family, it wouldn't be difficult to find a suitable widow.

"Will you get married after this matter is over?"

"Yes. Zha Chashi has a child, and Xichuan Sword Maiden has a disciple, but I have neither."

"…?"

Wait, what does that mean?

"Wait a moment. Zha Guan has a child?"

"Huh? Didn't you hear?"

"I didn't. This is the first I'm hearing of it."

Banchun Bai looked at me with a puzzled expression. It was a completely new story to me. I had never heard that Zha Chashi had a child.

When I said I had never heard of it, Banchun Bai furrowed his brow and said, "Hmm… Then perhaps Bai Jiaozhu deliberately kept it a secret. It's not a pleasant story, after all."

"What kind of story did Bai Jiaozhu keep a secret?"

"Hmm… I'm not sure if I should tell you."

Banchun Bai started to back out, saying, "It's not a pleasant story anyway…" But I insisted, and he finally said reluctantly.

"Actually… among the current Nine Dragon Peaks, there's one named Zhao Enshui in Huashan, also known as Huilong."

"Yes, he's there."

He's the handsome one that Pang Gui admired.

I nodded, and Banchun Bai dropped a bombshell.

"This is a secret between us… but Zhao Enshui is actually Zha Chashi's hidden child."

"Really!?"

What does that mean?

I thought his parents were killed by bandits.

"Wait a moment. I heard that Zhao Enshui's parents were killed by bandits and that he was hunting bandits because of it."

Surprised, I asked, and Banchun Bai explained with a bitter expression.

"That's not entirely wrong. His brother's wife had an affair with him. His brother and sister-in-law were killed by bandits."

"Good heavens."

I was speechless at the hidden secret of Zha Chashi and his family. This was more shocking than the Taiyi Secret Record.

After revealing the story, Banchun Bai warned me.

"Don't spread this around. It's a secret."

"O-Okay."

Only then did I understand how Bai Linghua had lured Zha Chashi out of the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall that day. She must have anonymously threatened to reveal the relationship between Zha Chashi and Zhao Enshui.

'Zha Chashi wouldn't want to hinder his child, who had succeeded to the Nine Dragon Peaks.'

She probably suggested a meeting at a designated place for negotiation. Zha Chashi, shocked by the letter, must have rushed out that day.

If this fact became public, Zhao Enshui would be embroiled in a scandal that would ruin his reputation in the martial world.

After hearing this, I shrugged.

"Wow, the world is complicated."

"Yes, it is."

Banchun Bai also seemed a bit bitter after telling the story. I asked casually.

"But how did you find out about this, Mr. Banchun?"

"Well…"

We continued our conversation about Zha Chashi and Zhao Enshui as we headed to Gaoxiang Village.

***

Upon arriving in Gaoxiang Village, we first visited the village chief to inform him about the events at Jiugong Hall. This was to arrange for the recovery of the bodies.

'If left as is, the mountain will be in chaos.'

The village chief, upon hearing the story of the Jiugong Hall massacre, suddenly began to tremble. He then said, with a look of great fear,

"Indeed, such an event has happened."

"Indeed? What do you mean?"

When Banchun Bai asked, the village chief explained, trembling.

"Actually… a night visitor came to me a few days ago."

"Night visitor?"

According to the village chief, a few days ago, a man dressed in black and wearing a straw hat came to his house at night, put a knife to his throat, and asked about Jiugong Hall.

"A group of travelers passing through this area recently was turned away by Jiugong Hall. He kept asking about that incident."

"What happened then?"

The village chief said that after telling everything about Jiugong Hall with a knife to his throat, the man in black said he understood and quietly left.

I was a bit puzzled by the village chief's story.

'He seems quite gentlemanly.'

Unlike the brutal massacre at Jiugong Hall, his attitude was very gentlemanly. I wondered if it might be a different group.

The village chief continued, trembling with fear.

"At the time, I thought something might happen to Jiugong Hall, but I never expected such a massacre."

"Do you remember the appearance or build of the man?"

"He was dressed in black and wore a straw hat…"

Banchun Bai asked a few more questions, but after confirming that the village chief knew no more, he sighed and said,

"Don't worry too much. It doesn't seem like anything will happen to Gaoxiang Village. Still, tell the villagers to be cautious for a while."

"Y-Yes, I understand."

After finishing the conversation and leaving the village chief's house, we discussed the matter.

"It seems, as Mr. Banchun said, that Jiugong Hall was involved in something."

"Hmm. It seems they meddled with something they shouldn't have, as I suspected."

We often hear such stories in our line of work. A village suddenly disappears, or a prominent family is wiped out.

Most of these incidents are related to martial arts or treasures. It's a troublesome situation for us escorts, as we can easily get entangled.

The heroic deeds in Wugong Village were certainly rewarding, but I am, after all, an escort. I don't want to get entangled and affect my work.

"For now, we should be cautious. It seems something bad is happening in this area."

Banchun Bai nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that's a good idea. We just had a tough battle a few days ago, and we don't want to get involved in anything else."

Banchun Bai also seemed to think it was best to be cautious. We discussed our future plans and then returned to our rooms. I decided to check the route again before going to bed and sat on the bed with the map.

While reviewing the distance and schedule, I suddenly remembered the story of the Taiyi Secret Record that Banchun Bai had told me earlier.

'Is it really possible to improve one's martial arts just by reading?'

It didn't seem possible in a practical sense.

One thing I learned after entering the martial world is that there are no shortcuts in martial arts. Everything is achieved through blood, sweat, and tears, pushing one's limits and risking one's life.

While there are cases where internal energy can skyrocket with elixirs, that only increases internal energy, not martial arts skills. Even with a hundred years of internal energy, it's meaningless if you don't know how to fight. It's like having a large MP bar in a game.

That's why I have never been lazy in my martial arts practice, no matter how difficult. To survive and succeed in the martial world.

'But if it's possible to improve just by reading…'

I momentarily indulged in a dream.

Mastering the supreme martial arts in the Taiyi Secret Record, achieving great success, and sitting with my feet up on a table in a grand mansion, flexing with gold coins.

'I should get a gold ring too. It would fit the image.'

I now understand why rappers buy gold rings first when they become famous. I put down the map, crossed my arms, and lay on the bed.