Chapter 334: That Person is Coming
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“I was truly… a bad person. I was…”
Ximen Yue, seated on a small boulder, looked up at the clear sky and let out self-deprecating words.
Four women sat beside him.
The Four Great Strange Women of Jiangxi Region.
They were Black Rope Wondrous Lady Na Rae-hyang, Rare Fragrance Young Lady Si Yu-min, Bamboo Forest Divine Maiden Jeung Ji-rim, and Profound and Wondrous Sword Beauty Wang Su-ah.
SEUK.
A hand that Na Rae-hyang quietly extended gently rested on Ximen Yue’s shoulder.
“But… that was only for a moment. Due to the Demonic Heart triggered by the Sun Moon Demon Art.”
Wang Su-ah beside her also offered words of encouragement.
“Young Master’s true nature was good. Sect Leader Cheol knew that, which is why he gave you a chance to repent. So just look forward and move on now.”
At that, Jeung Ji-rim, who had nodded, wore a gentle smile.
“Right. I heard before that Sect Leader Cheol’s junior disciple Eul Sa-jeok harbored wicked intentions until the end. So eventually his dantian was ruined and he was sent to prison. But Young Master Yue sincerely repented and received recognition from your family. As sisters say, dwelling on the past with regret wastes time.”
Si Yu-min, likewise smiling, added warm words.
“That’s right. Young Master was different from Eul Sa-jeok’s type from the start. Of course, if that weren’t so, Sect Leader Cheol would have just left you alone. Or perhaps executed you immediately. In Eul Sa-jeok’s case… he foolishly squandered his last chance at repentance. Even after becoming a wreck, he hoped that Gul Ma-hun would eliminate Sect Leader Cheol.”
A smile formed on Ximen Yue’s lips as he lowered his gaze.
“Yes, I know. As you all said… I won’t let past mistakes hold me back. However, I mustn’t forget the things I did while being a bad person. This burden in my heart should rightfully be carried for life. So… I muttered like that to keep from forgetting that heart.”
Then he soon wore an embarrassed expression while scratching his forehead.
“Lately I do this every now and then. Like a pathetic habit. Haha.”
“Oh my, what… that kind of mindset makes you look even more admirable.”
The moment Wang Su-ah said that while waving her hand.
“Is that all?”
When Si Yu-min asked suggestively, Wang Su-ah tilted her head.
“Sister, what do you mean?”
“Hoho, be honest. It’s not just the mindset that looks admirable, right?”
“What…!”
“Our youngest seems to have fallen for Young Master Yue at first sight?”
“S-Sister!”
Wang Su-ah burst out with a pointed exclamation, her face flushing hot.
Meanwhile, Na Rae-hyang and Jeung Ji-rim were nodding their heads.
“Second sister read it correctly.”
“Right, right. Her two eyes watching him seem full of sweet honey about to drip.”
“Sisters, stop it please!”
Wang Su-ah shouted repeatedly, but Si Yu-min didn’t care and spoke while looking at Ximen Yue.
“Young Master, though the youngest is four years older, dating someone older might be quite nice.”
“Ah… age difference doesn’t really matter…”
Ximen Yue’s face had also turned red like a persimmon.
“Oh my, so you’re not entirely without interest in the youngest. Give it some serious thought. Despite how she looks, she has absolutely no experience with men yet…”
“Ack, ack! Quiet! Sister is no different! After turning thirty, you’ve been singing ‘man, man’ all the time!”
“Hey look at her! When did I ever…!”
“Hmph! Sister is more desperate than me. Young Master, can’t you introduce any suitable men? If my sister gets married first, then I as the youngest will feel at ease.”
At that moment, Ximen Yue asked cautiously as if he’d thought of something.
“Excuse me, how old are you this year…?”
“Sister is thirty-three.”
“Oh, then…”
“Why? Is there a suitable person?”
“Ah, actually there’s a guest at White Peak Sword Sect the same age as Miss Si.”
“Oh, really? That’s perfect!”
The moment Wang Su-ah brightened, Na Rae-hyang’s expression changed completely.
‘A guest the same age…? Could it be…’
One person suddenly came to mind.
At that moment.
PASASAK, PASASAK…
About thirty-some Zhang away, a faint presence was detected.
Ximen Yue, Na Rae-hyang and the others all gazed in that direction at once.
In that direction lay the entrance to the secret location.
But none of them had guarded gazes.
Why?
Because they immediately recognized who it was.
Cheol Ryu-heun had once said:
-A martial artist from our sect will come here to do intensive training with you. So don’t worry even if the entrance opens. Apart from that, no one can freely come and go. Except me.
‘The martial artist from White Peak Sword Sect has finally arrived!’
With that thought, the group watched and waited, looking toward where the presence had come from.
Shortly after, the owner of the presence appeared in front with nimble lightness arts.
Ximen Yue greeted him warmly upon seeing him.
“Ah… it was Senior! Welcome!”
“My… you look well, young man. I never knew such a place existed at the Hunan-Jiangxi border. Opening the entrance made illusions disrupting my vision appear over ten times. As expected, Sect Leader Cheol’s arrangements…”
The man who warmly greeted him back.
The martial artist’s identity was Ye Woon-rang, descendant of Dragon Martial Gate and a guest of White Peak Sword Sect.
Na Rae-hyang, who was acquainted with him, also swiftly paid her respects.
“We meet again like this. You’ve had a hard journey.”
“Not at all. Hard journey… rather, it felt like a short trip due to the travel, which was nice. Haha. By the way, I heard about the incidents through Sect Leader Cheol. I’m glad you’re safe.”
Having responded thus, Ye Woon-rang looked around.
“Where are the two seniors…?”
He was referring to Ink Zither Aged Grandmother Song San and Deviant Eccentric Physician Bo Hwoe.
Ximen Yue pointed to beyond the forest behind them and answered.
“They’re compounding various medicinal ingredients needed for the Superhuman Pills.”
“Ah, I see. Well, I heard the situation from the Sect Leader. By the way… you’re surprisingly unchanged?”
“Ah, that’s because after completing the Light-Dark Harmonizing Secret Meridians, my internal power’s nature became extremely secretive. Even so, Senior should sense some change in my aura to a certain extent…”
“I know, I know. What I meant wasn’t that – I heard that from endlessly producing SuperHuman Pills like an egg-laying chicken… a chicken comb-like thing grew on your forehead…”
‘Gah! What chicken comb! That’s ridiculous!’
While Ximen Yue was fuming inwardly.
“Young Master, what is that elderly gentleman’s name…?”
At Si Yu-min’s cautious question, Ye Woon-rang frowned.
‘Ugh! Who’s the elderly gentleman! I’m not even forty yet!’
Ximen Yue, having adjusted his expression, spoke softly.
“Oh dear, elderly gentleman? This is the person I was just telling you about.”
“What?”
“The Senior Ye Woon-rang who is staying as a guest at White Peak Sword Sect. Who is the same age as Miss Si…”
A huge wave shook Si Yu-min’s heart.
‘What…?’
Her head went blank.
That face was the same age as her, thirty-three?
Jeung Ji-rim and Wang Su-ah also wore astonished expressions.
“Heavens, in his thirties… he looks at least in his fifties…”
“Shock and… horror.”
‘Shut up, you wretched things! Whispering loud enough for me to hear everything! It’s not like I wanted to look old!’
While Ye Woon-rang was fuming inwardly with veins popping in his eyes.
At that moment, Si Yu-min’s mournful voice was heard.
“Young Master, you were… planning to introduce him to me?”
“Ah… yes… I was just thinking with good intentions…”
“What did I ever do wrong? Did I offend you?”
“…”
“That’s right. Bad person.”
“…”
* * *
White Peak Sword Sect’s training grounds.
“Wow…!”
“You’ve become much younger! Like someone in his thirties!”
“Congratulations from the heart!”
Guyang Cheon, Guyang Ji, and Guyang In all brightened in unison.
At that, one person wore a faint smile.
“Yes, my efforts weren’t in vain.”
It was former Nine Demon Alliance Master Gal Jung-heon.
The reason the three instructors were excited was singular.
Today, Gal Jung-heon had achieved his second Rejuvenation.
From that enlightenment, not only had his martial prowess risen, but he had also gained the appearance of someone in their mid-to-late thirties.
‘To think I achieved this first… now I only need to successfully complete the Nature Assimilation Realm.’
That too was close at hand.
It probably wouldn’t take long.
Because he had mastered about half the essence of Nature Assimilation Realm.
Suddenly, the past came to mind.
When he had first met Cheol Ryu-heun…
-I know the essence of all martial art supreme techniques that exist in this world. Thanks to fortune granted by heaven.
-S-such…
-The benefits of becoming our sect’s guest are great. I’ll also have you achieve Rejuvenation once more before long. A younger appearance is better, isn’t it?
-…
It really came true.
Honestly, he had been prepared for over a year.
At that moment.
Beyond the open main gate, one figure appeared.
An appearance dyed red from head to toe.
Simultaneously with that unfamiliar person’s appearance, all the personnel who had been training inside the grounds stopped their movements.
Everyone felt it.
The fearsome and tyrannical intangible aura writhing from that crimson figure…
However.
No one was intimidated.
Everyone received it with composure.
As if demonstrating their rapid growth through Cheol Ryu-heun’s martial arrangements.
JEOBEOK-JEOBEOK…
The red figure walked into the grounds.
Gal Jung-heon, having fixed his gaze on him, greeted him on behalf of everyone.
“Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”
* * *
A quiet space somewhere in the forest.
The Dokgo Sword Family party – one of the Seven Great Families – appeared there.
Only the rough breathing of multiple people could be heard in the silence.
It was because everyone had been running here.
Soon, one figure approached them.
“We’ve barely shaken them off. You can relax now. Indeed, the Heretic Cult leadership’s sorcery is exquisite. To perfectly copy someone’s appearance…”
The owner of the voice was Chrysanthemum Fragrance Sword Mother, former hall master of Chrysanthemum Martial Hall.
At that, Dokgo Sword Family Head New Province Sword Saint Dokgo In-wang spoke.
“Hmm, to think that a Heretic Cult person had disguised himself as Gate Master Danli…”
The person they had met earlier was definitely identical to Great Sea Sword Lion Danli Yeol’s appearance.
But their true form was revealed under Byeok Song-ha and the countless Ghost Cloud Great Bees’ attack.
At that time, elite Heretic Cult members who had been lying in ambush charged in.
During the melee, Byeok Song-ha secured an escape route with the help of the Ghost Cloud Great Bee swarm and evacuated the Dokgo Sword Family party.
The Heretic Cult pursuers had been persistent.
But they had barely shaken them off and finally arrived here.
Byeok Song-ha, having wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead, spoke again.
“It was a scheme to lure Family Head and your party into a formation over there. The rumor about the Divine Martial Sword itself is the enemy’s plot.”
“We also sensed it after being attacked last night. They looked like Darkness-Craving Blood Clan slaves.”
“That’s right. The Darkness-Craving Blood Clan and Heretic Cult have allied.”
“…!”
“For now, I’ll guide you to a safe location. Let’s continue talking there.”
“Actually, there’s something I’m curious about… how did you know he wasn’t Gate Master Danli?”
“Because we found and are protecting Gate Master Danli.”
“We…?”
“Yes. The Crow Pattern Sword Hall, Righteous Sea Martial Gate, South Lake Sword Sect, and others… and the Former Heretic Cult Leader is there too.”
“The Former Heretic Cult Leader…?”
“They’ve come to help us.”
“My, such…”
Dokgo In-wang was surprised by the unexpected fact.
At that moment, Byeok Song-ha spoke meaningfully.
“This situation… will be resolved before long. That person will appear soon.”
“That person…?”
“Yes. White Peak Sword Sect’s Sect Leader Cheol.”