Chapter 220: To Higher Places

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Elder Yeop Hwon, Chief Supervisor Hyeop Mu-geuk, and the Guyang Three Brothers who were instructors sat at the training grounds while greeting the disciples entering through the main gate one by one, checking the personnel.

“AH! Elder-nim! Have you been well?”

“HEOHUT. Yes, yes. Perhaps because you rested well for once, your complexion looks very good.”

“Elder-nim, I’ve arrived too!”

“Indeed. You’ve worked hard coming a long way. Are your parents in good health?”

“I visited after three years, and both of them had worsening chronic illnesses. But thanks to the Jade Dew Fruit received from Sect Leader-nim, they got better. They recovered as if by magic.”

“I sold mine and made more money. My father and mother are both healthy, so there wasn’t any particular need. AHAHA-T.”

“Elder-nim. I gave it to my grandmother who had long-aching shoulders. Indeed, the Jade Dew Fruit’s efficacy was excellent. Now she’s recovered enough to easily lift even somewhat heavy things.”

“AH, our mother was the same. Now she runs around everywhere. She used to live with hip pain… Honestly, it still feels like a dream.”

“Truly heartening news. Later, make sure to offer your thanks to Sect Leader-nim. Hohoho.”

Amid Yeop Hwon spreading a benevolent smile, Hyeop Mu-geuk was also surrounded by several people, conversing.

“Welcome, everyone.”

“Chief Supervisor-nim! It’s been a while!”

“Oho. Fellow, your voice is bursting with energy. By the way, did you fulfill your wish?”

“YES! With the money received from Sect Leader-nim, I gifted a house to my parents. How happy they were… Just thinking of that expression fills me with emotion.”

“I paid off the family debts first. Then built a proper new shop for them.”

“You’ve fulfilled your filial duty. Well done.”

“Our family finished moving. As you know, our hometown was such a remote countryside that life was a bit inconvenient, so we took this opportunity to purchase a house in the city center. A residence with a spacious garden and even a large annex.”

“HAHAHA. I also resolved a money-related problem and returned with a light heart. Oh, and I also held a feast wishing longevity for my mother. I feel happy to have properly done my duty as a son.”

“How commendable. Don’t forget the grace of having raised you without serious mishap, and make them even happier in the future.”

“My wife’s mouth went to her ears the moment she received the money. But what do you know, she flatly refused the gift I had carefully prepared. She said to exchange it back for money, and we should be more careful and save at times like these.”

“Ohoho, what a virtuous person. You’re fortunate in your wife.”

“Yes. Something welled up in my heart. At that moment, a thought suddenly struck me. If nothing else, I really did well in choosing a wife. I was newly grateful. For believing in worthless me and waiting…”

“Our home wasn’t much different. Even though my wife must have been worn out in body and mind caring for the child alone, when she saw me, she didn’t even complain and just lovingly prepared dinner. And when I noticed her hands had become rough like a man’s, tears just kept pouring down… HUU… Recalling it again makes a corner of my heart sting.”

“Oh Dear… Your wife had it hard. May that love never change.”

“Yes. On that day, I promised my wife. Now that money worries have completely vanished, from now on I’ll become a husband you can proudly show off anywhere. I will definitely succeed as a White Peak Sword Sect swordsman…”

“Chief Supervisor-nim. I was the same. My wife said even if we had money overflowing and bought a new house, she’d rather repair this one and live in it – why would we throw away good money. That night was really hot. Past dawn we were rolling around on the bed, getting all steamy… HUT, Chief Inspector-nim, you should hurry and get married too. Then you won’t be as lonely, will you?”

“Not Jealous. I learned that if you’re envious, you lose. AHEM!”

Hyeop Mu-geuk gave a deliberate cough and changed his expression, speaking with dignity.

“Back then, Sect Leader-nim said this. Go and do what you can do, what you want to do, what you must do, empty out anything that might weigh on your heart, and return. You all seem to have followed those words well, so from today onward, dedicate yourselves fully to training so that you can grow into first-rate swordsmen.”

“YES! Chief Supervisor-nim!”

“WE’LL ENGRAVE IT IN OUR BONES!”

“JUST WATCH! Staking my household name, I’ll become a swordsman of the Mountain Martial Association and make a name for myself!”

Hyeop Mu-geuk wore a faint smile, satisfied with the disciples steeling their resolve.

Meanwhile,

Guyang Cheon, Guyang Ji, and Guyang In, positioned nearby, were also busy catching up on missed conversation.

“HM. Welcome. Your passion hasn’t cooled while away from our sect, has it? That alone is something this ‘Billowing Passion Swordsman’ cannot tolerate.”

“NOW, NOW, what’s as important as passion? Effort! That’s it! Who am I? Am I not the ‘Shouting Effort Swordsman.’ Naturally, those who don’t put in effort become left behind. Don’t forget that, and when training resumes later, everyone will show me a spirit of effort!”

“LET WHAT THOSE TWO SAID GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER! . The best among instructors is this body, the ‘Strangling Grit Swordsman.’ Whether passion or effort, what forms their foundation is grit! Speaking of the body, it’s the dantian! Hey, You! Your face says you lack grit! Did you slack off during vacation!?”

“EEEK, does it look that way? I’m sorry. Your face is the same as ever, Instructor-nim. NO… It seems worse, all three of you…”

“HOHO, you mean we’ve become even more handsome? HAHAHA! Yes, thank you.”

“WELL, WELL! We brothers might get ourselves ladies before long too!”

“Speaking Bluntly, I’M the best. Because my face has grit.”

Hidden words were spoken in the eyes of the disciples silently shaking their heads.

NOT REALLY, I’M SENSING TERROR!

HAA, truly words don’t get through to goblins…

Before long, when all one hundred and ten disciples had returned.

Everyone’s gazes turned toward one spot in unison.

“MY, looks like everyone’s back.”

They were all drawn by that soft voice.

Could it be a heavenly fairy’s sweet voice?

The disciples, having focused on the owner of the voice, exclaimed in admiration.

“WOW…!”

“TH-THAT…!”

It was because of the white-clad woman’s beauty.

Snow-white skin like snowflakes, eyes that seemed to hold the moon and stars, a nose bridge jutting up sleekly, and thick red lips.

She was too beautiful.

To the point where words failed.

Was it just her face?

A jade hairpin stuck in hair swept up high evoked black silk, and on top of that, the alluring curves running along her slender body clad in pure white clothes made one’s breath catch simply from looking.

Flawless perfection in all ten aspects.

Moon Palace Chang’e, Snow Mountain Goddess, Flower Face Beauty, Peerless Beauty – it was impossible to describe with any flowery words…

It felt as if she wasn’t an existence of the world where people live.

Soon, someone murmured as if dazed.

“IS… IS THAT A PERSON?”

Several others also voiced similar sounds.

Everyone had the same thing floating in their minds.

Fairy descending!

That’s right.

They thought that if fairies really existed, they would look like that.

The identity of the beauty who had appeared at the training grounds was Guest Retainer Hae Su-yeon.

“Nice to meet you. Everyone.”

The moment Hae Su-yeon greeted with a sweet smile, the disciples all surged forward as if they had lost their reason.

“N-NICE TO MEET YOU!”

“HELLO!”

“MISS! How did you come here?”

“IT’S OUR FIRST MEETING, BUT… WOULD YOU GO OUT WITH ME!”

“SHE SMILED AT ME! That’s a confession, right?”

Hae Su-yeon, having smirked amusedly, blinked her eyes, and everyone made a fuss.

“AH! CALM DOWN, MY HEART!”

“I WANT TO DROWN IN THOSE EYES AND SWIM!”

“SHE BLINKED AT ME! It’s a secret love signal!”

“HEY, HEY! It was toward me!”

At that moment, Yeop Hwon and Hyeop Mu-geuk stepped forward.

“AHEM, AHEM.”

“Compose Yourselves . Su-yeon is a Guest Retainer of our sect.”

At that, instead, cheers burst out.

“WOW! She’s a Guest Retainer!”

“FINALLY, a beauty Guest Retainer has appeared in our sect!”

“SHE alone makes it feel like a flower garden!”

Amid the noisy commotion, one disciple shouted.

“LOOK OVER THERE! Who’s that cute maiden?”

The disciples’ gazes concentrated in one direction.

A pretty maiden of blooming age with tan skin.

It was the entrance of Cui Lan, disciple of Head-Severing Yama Seop Pyo.

“HELLO. I’m Cui Lan, and I recently became a Guest Retainer.”

When Cui Lan fluttered her cute lips in greeting, the venue once again noisily buzzed.

Soon, Hae Su-yeon playfully tossed out words.

“OH MY, WHAT SHALL I DO? Lan and I already have Sect Leader Cheol in our hearts.”

Simultaneously.

ABRUPTLY.

The noisy venue went quiet.

Following that.

The disciples all scattered with terrified faces.

None other than Sect Leader Cheol Ryu-heun was held in their hearts.

Yes, better not to even look at a tree one cannot climb.

A lightning-fast change of posture, and Hae Su-yeon laughed and said.

“Huhuhu goodness. Giving up too easily, aren’t you? Actually, Sect Leader-nim doesn’t even show interest.”

But right at that moment.

“You Know Well.”

Someone’s indifferent voice tapped everyone’s ears.

It was Cheol Ryu-heun.

Following that, Gal Jung-heon, Namgung Sang-rin, Tae Sa-ja, and others filed in behind him.

When Cheol Ryu-heun immediately went up on the platform, the disciples all moved in unison and assembled.

Thus, vacation return reporting and personnel check reporting concluded.

“You tidied it up nicely.”

Cheol Ryu-heun said while examining the training ground floor.

In truth, it was more than just nice.

All the stones laid on the floor were in neat condition, as if new.

It was the result of Seol Pan-gyo’s work.

Having stayed up all night working, he had fallen fast asleep and hadn’t shown himself here.

“Chief Supervisor, Explain.”

When Cheol Ryu-heun soon commanded in an indifferent voice, Hyeop Mu-geuk fully recounted everything that had happened during this time.

A moment later, when the summarized explanation ended, all the disciples gathered before the platform showed shocked reactions.

Well, it was natural.

Too many things had happened.

During their absence.

The true nature of the Guest Retainer, the consecutive duels against powerful figures, the Sun Moon Demon Cult’s covert stirring… Truly, not a single thing wasn’t astonishing.

Cheol Ryu-heun, standing with hands clasped behind his back, spoke again.

“You just follow orders. Don’t pay any attention to the Sun Moon Demon Cult matters.”

Then he gestured with his chin toward one of the disciples.

“You.”

“YES. Sect Leader-nim.”

The designated person was Gwak Woon-bi.

He moved with his mother to Baizhou to live.

“Effective Today, you are officially appointed as Society Leader of the Mountain Martial Society.”

“YES! Sect Leader-nim! I will do my utmost going forward!”

“Vice Society Leader is Yeong Ho-woong.”

Immediately, Yeong Ho-woong answered with a brightened expression.

“YES! I will live up to expectations!”

“Positions can change at any time. Keep your wits razor-sharp and train.”

At Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent words, all the disciples shouted in unison.

“WE WILL ENGRAVE IT IN OUR HEARTS!”

Cheol Ryu-heun’s gaze soon turned toward Tae Sa-ja.

“Deliver them.”

“Understood.”

Tae Sa-ja quickly handed two booklets to Namgung Sang-rin and Hae Su-yeon.

The two who received them were startled, their eyes going round upon seeing the titles on the covers.

“NO WAY!”

“AH, THIS IS…!”

Cheol Ryu-heun, having observed their reactions, stated expressionlessly.

“That’s right. As you see, they are the sword techniques of Sword Emperor Buk Ga-shin and Sword Empress Mong Ye. I plan to cultivate you two into this era’s Sword Emperor and Sword Empress.”

Then he quietly gazed at Gal Jung-heon.

“And you will stand tall as a demonic person of this era’s strongest and highest caliber. Like a new legend of the demonic path.”