Chapter 127: Chapter 127
In an instant, Peng Cheol-wi’s face turned cold.
No, it was not just him.
The faces of the companions who came with him all crumpled.
The atmosphere quickly cooled down, however.
Trickle…
Regardless of whether they looked at him like that or not, Cheon-hwi poured the remaining fire liquor.
“…!”
“That bastard!”
“Does he dare not know who we are!”
Not only did he not reveal his name, but now he was completely ignoring them, and just as the expressions of the rising stars were about to turn like vicious evil spirits.
“Seeing as you travel without any retainers… It seems the time for the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering has already come.”
The Tathagata Divine Fist tried to disperse their anger by changing the subject.
And that method succeeded immediately.
Peng Cheol-wi turned his gaze away from glaring at Cheon-hwi, who was pouring his own drink, and nodded his head.
“You are correct.”
“Time flies so quickly. It felt like just yesterday when the previous Dragon and Phoenix Gathering was held.”
The Tathagata Divine Fist scanned the rising stars.
Normally, they would travel with retainers, but this time was different.
The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering!
The social gathering exclusively for rising stars, directly held by the Flying Heaven Society on a regular basis, was operated solely by rising stars from the very beginning.
It was the intention of the Flying Heaven Society for them to form connections with each other and experience the Jianghu.
“You must be going through some hardships.”
“This is also a stepping stone. Furthermore, if not at this time, when would we ever travel the Jianghu among ourselves?”
“That is also true. Then, where is this Dragon and Phoenix Gathering…”
Meanwhile, whether they were conversing or not, Cheon-hwi gulped down the remaining fire liquor.
‘Then, should I head out now?’
And just as he finished preparing to leave.
“Were you not on your way to the Nine Dragons Gang?”
He halted at the sudden contents of the conversation he heard.
The Nine Dragons Gang? Has the rumor spread already?
Cheon-hwi, who had been curious about the ending of the Nine Dragons Gang anyway, stopped trying to leave his seat and listened closely to their conversation.
And as if responding to that, the Tathagata Divine Fist asked Peng Cheol-wi.
“What do you mean, going to the Nine Dragons Gang?”
Peng Cheol-wi tilted his head.
“Were you not in Shanxi because of the matters concerning the Nine Dragons Gang, Great Master?”
“I came because of another matter.”
“Because of what matter…”
“More importantly than that, could you tell me what that matter is?”
The Tathagata Divine Fist asked urgently, as if he had a premonition of something unusual.
Peng Cheol-wi was slightly flustered, and replied.
“There is an uproar right now because the Nine Dragons Gang Leader killed the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Qinghai Province and fled…”
“…?!”
The Tathagata Divine Fist’s pupils shook.
The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Qinghai Province was an official with a high rank even in the government.
‘But the Nine Dragons Gang Leader killed the Surveillance Commissioner and fled…?’
Encountering a fact that was utterly hard to believe, the Tathagata Divine Fist swallowed his saliva and opened his mouth.
“I-is that true?”
The Tathagata Divine Fist’s voice trembled.
If those words were true, it was a matter that the government could directly interfere in.
“I heard that the government and the Murim Alliance are currently checking on the Nine Dragons Gang, though.”
“How could this be…”
The corners of Cheon-hwi’s mouth rose.
The scale grew larger than he had thought, but the situation was still flowing well.
‘I don’t need to pay any more attention to it now.’
The moment he made a satisfied expression.
Screech…
The Tathagata Divine Fist abruptly stood up.
Then he looked at Peng Cheol-wi and clasped his hands in prayer.
“Thank you for informing me.”
“N-no, it is nothing.”
Just as Peng Cheol-wi spoke while flustered by the sudden greeting, the Tathagata Divine Fist spoke towards the Arhat Monks.
“Let us head to the Nine Dragons Gang right away.”
“Amitabha.”
“Understood.”
The Arhat Monks also stood up in turn, and everyone hurriedly finished preparing to leave.
“Ah!”
The Tathagata Divine Fist asked Cheon-hwi.
“Do you have a place to go, Young Hero?”
Cheon-hwi stroked his chin.
A place to go.
He did not particularly have a place to go right now.
‘Still, I should go to Qinghai Province, right?’
Even though he took care of the mastermind and left it to the Hao Sect, there was still the mission given by the Sect Leader.
He should still show his face, right?
“I do.”
“Even so, how about accompanying us?”
Along with his words, the Tathagata Divine Fist secretly sent a telepathic message.
[While you accompany us, the Sun Moon Sect will not attack you.]
It was a method the Tathagata Divine Fist came up with after thinking long and hard.
If they did that, no matter how much it was the Sun Moon Sect, they would not dare to attack rashly.
Unless they were willing to risk a war.
Cheon-hwi spoke firmly towards the Tathagata Divine Fist, who was looking at him with a worried expression.
“No. It’s fine.”
Rather, he was anticipating an attack.
It was also an opportunity to see the martial arts of the Unorthodox Faction, but if they attacked on their own, there was no need for him to annoyingly go find the Sun Moon Sect and hold a negotiation.
Wasn’t it killing two birds with one stone!
However, the Tathagata Divine Fist, not knowing such things, held a bitter smile on his lips.
‘Oh my, what a pity.’
Only bitter emotions lingered over the fact that a rising star of the Jianghu had fallen into the worst situation.
The Tathagata Divine Fist clasped his hands together.
“Amitabha. Please definitely drop by our mountain later.”
Perhaps because this could be their last meeting, there was strength carried in the Tathagata Divine Fist’s voice that spoke softly.
Asking him to definitely visit Shaolin.
In other words, it meant they should see each other alive.
“I will.”
Cheon-hwi nodded his head and spoke.
Even without saying it, Shaolin was one of the places he definitely had to visit someday.
‘Of course I have to see the martial arts of Shaolin.’
Naturally, it was because their martial arts were so great that there was a saying: ‘All martial arts under heaven originate from Shaolin’.
The Buddhist qigong, fist arts, hand arts, and staff arts they possessed, and more.
He could not miss the opportunity to witness numerous martial arts.
“…Then we will go on ahead.”
Ending with those words, the Tathagata Divine Fist conveyed his gratitude to Peng Cheol-wi, then left the inn together with the Arhat Monks.
Meanwhile, the rising stars looked at Cheon-hwi with complicated expressions.
‘What is that person’s identity?’
‘To think he is someone Tathagata Divine Fist personally requests to accompany him.’
‘Who is he?’
‘A figure from the Murim Alliance…?’
‘I absolutely cannot figure it out.’
At that moment, Cheon-hwi stood up from his seat.
Flinch!
The rising stars were flustered by Cheon-hwi’s sudden action and raised their guard.
Cheon-hwi ignored them standing awkwardly and exited the inn.
‘To go to Qinghai Province, I have to circle back towards Shaanxi Province first…’
Cheon-hwi, who was walking on the official road, turned his feet.
‘I should avoid the Mount Hua Sect.’
* * *
Cheon-hwi’s steps, setting Qinghai Province as his destination, were endlessly light and relaxed.
There was absolutely no need to rush.
The matters of the Nine Dragons Gang seemed to be handled well as planned, and it was smooth sailing since he also left Princess So-hui’s group to the Hao Sect.
Now it was a matter of just bringing his body there.
‘While also sightseeing the Central Plains.’
Cheon-hwi continued walking on the official road heading west while fully enjoying the surrounding scenery.
“Hmm…”
He discovered a splendid inn and stopped.
Touring the Central Plains was important too, but more than that.
“Eating comes first, after all.”
Cheon-hwi, who had intended to go straight to Qinghai Province, immediately turned his steps and entered the inn.
And a moment later.
After gulping down the Zhuyeqing, Cheon-hwi tore off a duck leg and put it in his mouth.
‘This is it!’
As the meat juice spread inside his mouth, the speed at which he chewed the meat began to grow faster and faster.
‘What’s the point of looking for peach blossom springs day in and day out. This right here is the peach blossom spring.’
Mocking the words the Daoists constantly uttered every day, he drank the broth.
When he was enjoying the duck soup for a long time.
“We still have a long way to go.”
“But isn’t it nice?”
“Young Master Moyong’s words are correct. When would we ever roam around to our heart’s content like this?”
Familiar voices could be heard from the side.
When he unconsciously turned his head, there were familiar faces there.
They were those people called the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes or whatever, whom he had seen a few days ago.
“In Shaanxi where we are going this time, there are also many places to s…”
In an instant, the young man who was chatting excitedly made eye contact with Cheon-hwi, and his voice cut off abruptly.
“Young Master Moyong, what is the matter?”
A woman overflowing with healthy beauty followed the young man’s stiffened gaze and halted.
“That person is…”
Seeing the expressions of the group becoming sour one by one, Cheon-hwi let out a chuckle and withdrew his gaze.
Then, their conversation resumed and it became noisy.
‘This food was good too.’
A short while later, Cheon-hwi, having finished his meal, left the inn and walked on the official road.
And the next day.
Having left Mount Fang and finally arriving in Lin County, Cheon-hwi was wandering the bustling streets when he met them again.
“Again…?”
“We definitely took a detour to get here…”
The rising stars burst into hollow laughter at the absurd situation.
Three encounters in just two days.
There was no coincidence quite like this.
After a brief moment of this, Cheon-hwi and the group went their separate ways.
Ten days passed since the journey began.
If it were at the original speed, it would have been the time when he arrived at Mount Shaohua.
Cheon-hwi had not yet advanced forward from the southern vicinity of Shaanxi Province.
There was the fact that he went around to avoid Mount Hua, but it was also because quite a bit of time was consumed by the journey to look around all the scenic spots and historical sites of Shanxi that he had seen in books in the past.
‘If I just cross this mountain, it’s Yan’an.’
It was the moment when Cheon-hwi was about to climb a mountain path to go to Yan’a County, which exited the southern part of Shaanxi.
Drop, drop.
Raindrops fell one by one.
‘I was wondering why dark clouds suddenly gathered.’
Cheon-hwi hurried his steps a little at the raindrops that fell on his shoulders and head.
That moment.
Whoosh!
As if they had been waiting, the rain started pouring down like a hole had been pierced in the sky.
‘I should have packed an umbrella at least.’
To avoid the rain, Cheon-hwi even deployed his movement technique and ran.
Then, fortunately, he discovered a ruined abandoned house halfway up the mountain path.
‘Hmm?’
Then, feeling presences inside the abandoned house, Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
It was because he felt the familiar presences he had encountered several times inside.
‘Let’s avoid the rain first and see.’
He kicked the ground where rainwater had pooled.
The form that shot forward in a single breath cut through the pouring rain and reached the abandoned house.
Subsequently, as he entered the abandoned house.
“Hmm?”
“You are?”
Cheon-hwi looked at the rising stars with their sour expressions, then moved to the opposite side of them and brushed off the rainwater.
After that, he lightly raised his internal energy.
Sizzle…
Then, his clothes that had been drenched in the rain instantly dried and became fluffy.
‘It dried well.’
Cheon-hwi, who displayed an astonishing operation of internal energy in a brief moment, plopped down and sat on the floor.
And while he was about to lean his back against the wall.
‘Oh?’
His eyes narrowed at the changes occurring outside.
Not just one or two, but at least several dozens of presences were approaching very quietly.
A speed far too sluggish to say they were coming to avoid the heavy rain in the abandoned house.
Moreover, the killing intent leaking out bit by bit was proving that they were definitely not visiting for a good purpose.
‘They really are coming on their own?’
Cheon-hwi smiled broadly and leaned his back.
And he calmly waited.
For the attack they would make.
‘I don’t need to annoyingly go find them directly, this is very nice.’
Meanwhile, the rising stars who had arrived before Cheon-hwi found it hard to hide their surprise.
“How did he just dry his garments…”
“The True Fire of Samadhi?”
“But would it be possible to dry only the garments like that just with the True Fire of Samadhi? To do that, at least the Limitless Realm…”
“Are you able to do it, Young Master Peng?”
“I can. However, it is difficult to do it in such a brief instant.”
At Peng Cheol-wi’s words, everyone’s eyes hardened.
The only person among them to have gained the alias of a Dragon was Peng Cheol-wi.
If it was difficult for someone like him…
“He is no ordinary figure.”
“It wasn’t for nothing that Tathagata Divine Fist requested to accompany him.”
The gazes looking at Cheon-hwi changed.
Before, they had thought he was a person lacking manners, but as it turned out, he was no ordinary figure.
At that moment.
“But we are meeting frequently.”
The young man with a gentle impression, Zhuge Seung-ho, perhaps unsurprised, spoke calmly.
“Was this already the fourth time?”
At Zhuge Seung-ho’s words, everyone stared at Cheon-hwi with sour expressions.
The first time was at the inn in Mount Heng.
The second was the inn on the official road.
The third was on the official road.
And this was already the fourth time.
It was far too frequent to call it a coincidence.
Yet, to say it wasn’t a coincidence, his behavior had been consistently ignoring them.
“Could it be that our paths are overlapping?”
At that moment, Peng Cheol-wi suddenly raised his hand and whispered in a very small voice.
“…Did everyone feel that just now?”
Peng Cheol-wi whispered quietly.
His pupils quickly scanned the surroundings, and soon he spoke with a cold expression.
“It’s the enemy.”
“…!”
At Peng Cheol-wi’s words, everyone was startled and quickly exchanged glances.
And at the same time.
Swish!
Peng Cheol-wi hefted the greatsword he had placed beside him, and Zhuge Seung-ho took out a folding fan from his embrace to guard their surroundings.
That moment.
Swoosh, swoosh!
Hidden weapons poured out from all directions.
Yang Se-ryeong, holding a three-section staff, protected Hwangbo So-hyeon, who still couldn’t understand the situation, and shouted.
“So-hyeon! Snap out of it!”
The moment Hwangbo So-hyeon finally grasped the current situation and tried to equip her gauntlets.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Peng Cheol-wi threw his body in front of them and heavily swung the giant blade in his hand.
Wooooosh!
As the Five Tigers Severing Door Blade’s One Howl Generates Wind swept out, the shooting hidden weapons lost their force and fell to the floor.
“Phew.”
Around the time Peng Cheol-wi let out a breath of relief at the situation where he easily blocked the ambush.
“It’s the Peng Clan’s Five Tigers Severing Door Blade.”
A cold voice was heard.
Simultaneously, as ten men appeared, Moyong Sang let out a gasp of astonishment.
“T-that attire?!”
Martial outfits contrasting in black and white.
A hero bandana featuring a half moon.
It was because these two items symbolized terror in the Jianghu.
“The Half Moon Faction!”
“Why is the Half Moon Faction here?”
The other rising stars also broke out in cold sweat in surprise.
The Half Moon Faction was the most well-known martial force in the Sun Moon Sect.
Was it because they were the strongest group in the Sun Moon Sect?
That was not it.
There existed martial forces stronger than them in the Sun Moon Sect.
However, the reason they were famous.
It was because of their ruthlessness that was too hard to bear looking at, and a sickening madness that did not even fear death.
“What in the world is this…?”
“The Half Moon Faction is ambushing us?”
When the rising stars were bursting with bewilderment at the unexpected ambush of the Sun Moon Sect.
“You’re a bit late, but you did come.”
The person the ambush was aimed at, Cheon-hwi, slowly stood up while looking at the ambushers around him.
“Did you come from the Sun Moon Sect?”
“…Do you not know even after seeing us?”
“I don’t know.”
The members of the Half Moon Faction furrowed their brows.
Normally, everyone would be paralyzed with fear upon seeing them, but right now, this bastard in front of their eyes was nonchalant.
“Against the Half Moon Faction, such…”
“To commit such a crazy act.”
Likewise, the rising stars also couldn’t help their astonishment while looking at Cheon-hwi.
Because it made no sense for a martial artist who had set foot in the Jianghu to not know the Half Moon Faction.
However, Cheon-hwi, who genuinely did not know what the Half Moon Faction was, looked at them and asked.
“So are you the Sun Moon Sect or not?”
“Are you curious about that?”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“Because the Sun Moon Sect needs to come right now.”
The Half Moon Faction members looked at him questioningly.
While they just stared at him due to the entirely incomprehensible words.
Soon, his closed lips parted slightly and a chilling smile was drawn.
“If you guys aren’t the Sun Moon Sect, I’ll have to go all the way there myself, wouldn’t I?”
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