Chapter 189: Each One's Expectations

Read more at Nineheavens.org

A deep valley with no people.

As the sound of stream water flowing around rocks sounded like a song, people dressed in pitch-black clothing appeared one by one.

It was the Sun Moon Demon Cult group investigating Gam Tae’s whereabouts.

Thus about ten of them had gathered, and before long a black-robed figure with an extraordinary presence appeared, standing after arriving via secretive lightfoot technique.

First Seat.

A high-ranking demon called the shadow of the Sun Moon Demon Cult Leader, Sun Moon Demon Saint Aryun-nan.

“You’ve arrived.”

Immediately after all the sect members greeted him.

“What happened?”

First Seat asked while quietly observing one sect member.

Because he had noticed the black clothes were torn.

“Ah, yes. An unexpected unidentified master appeared…”

“An unidentified master?”

“Yes. From his entrance, his lightness technique was extraordinary, and he was also someone who employed Sword-Controlling technique. I ended up like this because of the blade he sent flying.”

“Sword-Controlling technique… Then his internal power level must be quite high.”

“At a glance, he was in ordinary clothes like a commoner, but I withdrew my body thinking he might be a martial official in disguise on patrol. I felt something off about him coming to that deep mountain village with a sword…”

“Yes, there’s a possibility he’s a government official. It was expected anyway.”

First Seat’s eyes emitted a cold light.

“You didn’t make any mistakes on your way here?”

He was asking whether traces had been cleanly erased so they couldn’t be followed.

“How could that be? At that time, I even used smoke bombs to be thorough. All he got was a torn piece of clothes.”

“Then that’s fine.”

“I’ll throw a suitable wanderer’s corpse there in a few days. Dressed in these black robes.”

Hearing the sect member’s words, First Seat grinned.

“Hoho, that’s the way. You were worth teaching.”

Following that, another sect member spoke up.

“By the way, did you hear the rumors going around?”

He meant the rumors about the duel between the Sword Seal Sect Leader So Cheon-ak and the White Peak Sword Sect Leader Cheol Ryu-heun.

At that, First Seat nodded with a faint smile.

“It’s good for us. If everyone’s eyes and ears are drawn there, it will be easier to move.”

At that moment, a small sound was heard.

SWISH.

A new sect member revealed themselves nearby.

First Seat turned his gaze and asked quietly.

“Did you visit that village?”

The sect member offered a respectful greeting and answered courteously.

“Yes, First Seat. I confirmed that there was someone who had seen an old man resembling Gam Tae.”

“It seems we’re getting closer to him little by little.”

“Yes, it seems so. Therefore, I’ve sent more personnel to search, centering on that area.”

“Did you silence them?”

“I chopped up the body and buried it deep in the mountains.”

First Seat nodded repeatedly and cast a deep gaze.

“From now on, we must be wary of the Beggar Sect. Though the three beggars who died by our hands were merely one-knot disciples, once they learn of the disappearance, quite many personnel will start moving.”

Immediately after, all the sect members answered in unison.

“We will keep it in mind, First Seat.”

Soon First Seat turned his form and issued an order.

“Wait for nightfall, then move again.”

“Yes.”

Immediately after all the sect members disappeared, First Seat’s gaze turned to the sky.

‘It’s not far off. The day when I soar into that high blue sky…’

* * *

“Oh! It’s not far off, Young Master! The day you soar into that high blue sky… You are truly remarkable.”

Third Squad Commander Nu-heum of Gale Squad exclaimed with an excited air.

The reason was none other than Ximen Yue.

He, positioned before him, was currently releasing large black energy flow outside his body.

Countless haze that looked sharp like hooks was rising up, playing an unpleasant sound.

PIT, PIPIT… PIT… PIPIT… PIPIT, PIT…

It was a creepy sound.

Also.

The power flowing within the black energy current also gave a creepy feeling.

Just looking at it with one’s eyes gave a chilling sensation.

That’s right.

It was demonic energy.

Of a terrible level.

The Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique had finally reached the entrance of the final completion stage.

Soon Ximen Yue let out a smile.

GRIN.

An expression of satisfaction.

Having finished the Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique, he regulated his breathing.

Nu-heum, having hurried to his side, let out an excited voice again.

“Young Master! It seems you’ve awakened faster than expected!”

Ximen Yue brushed back his long hair and responded.

“Yes. About a fortnight more… If I continue like this, it won’t exceed twenty days.”

Short would be a month, long would be three months.

Before entering the Divine Wind Hall, the family’s special training facility, he had estimated so.

But if he continued to achieve such results, he could reduce the training period to under a month.

Having wiped the sweat from his forehead, Ximen Yue quietly turned his head.

A gray wall.

There, a sentence was engraved in large characters.

-Go, go, go and you’ll know (去去去中知), Do, do, do and you’ll realize (行行行裏覺).

It meant that if you go and go and go, you’ll come to know, and if you do and do and do, you’ll come to realize.

Ximen Yue, having deepened his gaze, muttered as if quietly reciting.

“Going, going… Doing, doing… Where does this end?”

Nu-heum beside him laughed meaningfully.

“Why, the seat of the Sun Moon Cult Leader, of course.”

It was a flattering attitude trying to please his master.

Then.

FLINCH.

As if realizing his mistake, he immediately bowed his head.

“I apologize, Young Master.”

It was because of the memory from when the carriage roof had been ruthlessly smashed by Divine wind, the spiritual creature owned by Cheol Ryu-heun.

-Shall I go right away and find out what kind of guy he is?

-This is the problem with you.

-Pardon?

-That fawning that’s only superficially pleasing.

-…!

-Behavior that amounts to just trying to placate me… I ask, am I merely such an existence to you?

-Th-that’s not it…

-Then? Did you blabber like that truly believing you could catch up to that horse?

-I apologize, Young Master!

He had momentarily forgotten that Ximen Yue disliked flattering remarks that felt superficial.

But then.

Ximen Yue’s expression showed he didn’t mind at all.

Rather, he wore a smile.

“It’s fine.”

“…!”

“Don’t walk on eggshells anymore. It’s pleasant to hear.”

“Ah… I-is that so?”

While Nu-heum scratched the back of his head awkwardly, Ximen Yue nodded lightly.

“Of course. The Sun Moon Demon Cult Leader. Isn’t that a position befitting this body?”

“That’s right. Is it not the position of a hegemon in name and reality that no one can easily look down upon?”

“Indeed. Looking down on the martial world.”

With those words, Ximen Yue brought one person to mind.

Yeom Sang-ah.

-You’ll deceive Father’s eyes and ears by joining hands with me?

-Yes. Well… It’s been a long time since I stopped thinking of him as a father anyway.

-How unexpected.

-I realized early on. That someday when the time comes, you will walk a different path from him.

-Did you pretend not to know all this time to gain my trust?

-Rather than that… More precisely, it was to avoid Father’s suspicion. In a way, I’ve put my life on the line to reveal my true feelings to you.

-Ha. Quite a lot of interesting things are happening today.

‘By now, the Sun Moon Demon Cult Leader must have heard too. About our relationship…’

Yeom Sang-ah would have managed things herself.

He wasn’t worried.

Because if the man who would become her partner was himself, the successor of the Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique, the Sun Moon Demon Saint Aryun-nan would also be greatly pleased.

There was one remaining task.

Divine Martial Sword.

The moment he obtained it, the position of hegemon would naturally come to him.

-If you really do find the whereabouts of Divine Martial Sword… I should take it?

-Yes. Then there will be no one who can stand against you.

-So that’s why you were pleased about my rate of achievement.

-As you know, not just anyone can awaken Divine Martial Sword’s divine power. So master that power at the perfected level as quickly as possible. If you want to become the owner of Divine Martial Sword in the future and walk the path of overwhelming domination.

-Another reason has been added for why I must complete this demonic art.

At that time, Yeom Sang-ah had seemed certain.

That before long, he would achieve great success in the Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique.

‘Ha. Perhaps because we shared flesh… She keeps coming to mind.’

Having smirked inwardly, Ximen Yue cleared his thoughts and opened his mouth.

“It’s been less than ten days since I stepped into the entrance of the final completion stage, but… It’s too early to rejoice. You too, suppress your excited feelings.”

At that, Nu-heum changed his expression.

“Yes! Young Master.”

“Put in more effort so you can finish together with me.”

“Understood. I will live up to expectations. Since I’ve mastered a third of the sword study essence you taught me as of today… I’ll show you I can achieve great success in the remaining parts as quickly as possible.”

Ximen Yue lightly tapped his shoulder, then soon asked quietly as if something had come to mind.

“Is it about time for it to start?”

“Ah, Cheol Ryu-heun…”

Having immediately understood the meaning, Nu-heum continued.

“Yes, that’s right. Within the next few days, this Squad will spread the word about the Ghost Shadow Sword Art. So that Severing Finger Sword Venerable learns of it later. Didn’t you say before? That you wanted to receive the news of his death at ease after finishing this secluded training schedule…”

Immediately after, Ximen Yue’s dark brown pupils emitted a peculiar light.

“I’m looking forward to it. The day I go outside this place.”

* * *

A rectangular inner chamber.

“What?”

A man in his early thirties wore a bewildered expression.

It was Won Song, an executive of Gale Three Squad, the organization directly under the Third Young Master Ximen Yue.

As the Vice Squad Commander, the position next to Nu-heum, he had just been surprised to receive a report from a subordinate swordsman.

It was because of the shocking rumor related to Cheol Ryu-heun.

-Recently, Cheol Ryu-heun, the new Sect Leader of White Peak Sword Sect, traveled around the Hunan region and defeated dozens of renowned masters.

-Word is that even Blue Robe Sword Noble Do Yun, Broken Mountain Sword Manor Master who is included among the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province, was miserably defeated by his hand.

-Cheol Ryu-heun, whose momentum has risen through these consecutive exploits, and So Cheon-ak, Severing Finger Sword Venerable and the Sword Seal Sect Leader who is one of the Six Extremes of Hubei, are scheduled to clash at the great plain west of Wanju.

-Many people have recently been saying… Cheol Ryu-heun is someone who will seize the title of Number One Martial God of Hunan.

Won Song, having been blank for a moment, changed his expression and asked.

“Ha, what on earth is this… So, has it been confirmed?”

“Yes, Vice Squad Commander. It was all true. Already there are so many people wanting to watch that duel that there are apparently no vacant rooms in the inns of Wanju…”

At the swordsman’s answer, Won Song’s pupils were submerged in ripples.

“…!”

It was a difficult situation.

They had been planning to spread the word from their side first at Nu-heum’s command so that it would reach So Cheon-ak’s ears, but they hadn’t even imagined that Cheol Ryu-heun would provoke in this manner.

The swordsman, reading the mood, quietly asked.

“What should we do? The Young Master had said he definitely wanted to see his end in person…”

“TSK! It’s not our mistake.”

Won Song clicked his tongue as he spoke and opened his mouth again.

“Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

“We should at least see with our own eyes and explain it to him later.”

“Ah… Yes, understood.”

“You go prepare to leave immediately. I’ll head straight to the Family Head and come up with a suitable excuse to go outside.”

* * *

The same night.

In the grounds of White Peak Sword Sect, where thick darkness had fallen, agonizing screams burst out ceaselessly.

-UWAAAAAK… UWAAAAAAAK…!

-GUHAAAK… GUHAAAAK… GUHAAAK…!

The owners of the screams – they were none other than Elder Yeop Hwon and Chief Supervisor Hyeop Mu-geuk.

Cheol Ryu-heun, who had been sitting at a desk with a small light lit, heard those sounds echoing continuously and spoke nonchalantly.

“It’s begun. The blessing of pain. Look forward to it. You’ll be very satisfied.”