Chapter 145: Chapter 145
Jeok-un, who was guarding the mountain gate of the Mount Hua Sect, opened his eyes wide as he watched the people getting off the carriage.
“Senior Martial Brother? Junior Martial Sister?”
Jeok-geom and Seol Ran staggered.
“You have completed your mission!”
He, who had been running over with a welcoming expression, stopped for a moment.
The expressions on both of their faces were unusual.
Their complexions were pale yellow, and for some reason, they were staggering while covering their mouths with their hands.
“A-are you alright?”
Just as Jeok-un was worrying about the two.
“Just leave them be.”
A familiar voice was heard from above.
Jeok-un discovered Cheon-hwi belatedly getting off the carriage and stood up straight.
“Have you arrived! Martial Uncle!”
A streak of cold sweat flowed down his forehead as he recalled the memories of receiving training at the Flying Wind Merchant Guild in the past.
At the same time, his gaze turned towards the two of them.
‘T-they must have suffered something at the hands of Martial Uncle.’
At that time, the Divine Physician got off the carriage.
“Tsk, I said we should go while resting.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to come to the Mount Hua Sect quickly?”
“Ahem.”
The Divine Physician let out a dry cough at Cheon-hwi’s voice coming from the side.
Now that they had already taken the elixir once, it was right to go slowly and perform Qi breathing, but this was the only way if they wanted to increase their speed.
And the Divine Physician chose the latter.
“Ahem, ahem. That is true, but.”
The Divine Physician subtly turned his head.
Along with that, he spoke to the coachman.
“Will you be leaving now?”
“I have finished my work.”
“Then have a safe trip.”
“I will see you next time.”
The coachman smiled, bowed, and led the carriage back down the mountain path.
Cheon-hwi looked at Jeok-un and asked.
“Is the Sect Leader inside?”
“Yes, yes! He is.”
“I see.”
Cheon-hwi lightly kicked off the ground.
Cheon-hwi, who advanced while covering five zhang in a single step, soon arrived at the Purple Mist Pavilion.
“I have arrived.”
At that moment, the door burst open.
The Sect Leader, who opened the door and came out, smiled brightly upon seeing him.
“You have returned safely.”
“Well, yes.”
As Cheon-hwi spoke nonchalantly.
“Hoho, come inside.”
The Sect Leader let him inside.
After a moment of the two sitting at the table and facing each other, the Sect Leader asked quietly.
“Right. How did it go?”
“Everything was resolved well. The Lord of Qinghai Province has recovered, and everyone arrived safely.”
Cheon-hwi answered based on the words of the Divine Physician who had been chatting excitedly in the carriage.
“That is a relief.”
“Ah, the Lord of Qinghai Province said he will make an offering later, so receive it well.”
The corners of the Sect Leader’s mouth loosened.
It was a job they had no choice but to take because Princess So-hui came looking for them, but there was no greater blessing now that it was resolved well.
“Has nothing much happened in the meantime?”
The Sect Leader’s eyes opened wide.
“……What did you just say?”
“I asked if nothing much happened.”
“Hohoho.”
The Sect Leader burst into laughter.
“What is so funny?”
“I am just touched because this is the first time you are asking such a thing.”
“Hmm, was it.”
Cheon-hwi stroked his chin.
Now that he thought about it, that was true.
“Well, I just asked out of curiosity.”
“Is that so?”
The Sect Leader, who had been smiling happily anew, turned his expression serious again and opened his mouth.
“Nothing much has happened, but I am pushing forward with a few things.”
The Sect Leader quietly began to speak.
“Haven’t the disciples’ skills improved significantly thanks to the Dark Fragrance Pill you gave?”
“Hmm, that is true.”
“So I am planning to bundle the Second-Generation Disciples together and create a separate squad.”
“That sounds good.”
Cheon-hwi nodded.
Even without that, one of the things the Mount Hua Sect lacked was a martial force battalion.
“While you are at it, why don’t you make multiple squads with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen as squad leaders.”
“Even without that, the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion said something like that.”
Cheon-hwi nodded with a satisfied expression.
‘As expected, the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion is the best.’
Most of the Taoists of the Hyeon generation were displeased with the Sect Leader pursuing change, but the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion was different.
He actively wanted change.
Not only that.
He even came to ask him, his martial nephew, about how to train martial arts.
He was a person who completely caught his fancy.
“Who are you planning to make the general squad leader?”
“…….”
The Sect Leader stared intently at Cheon-hwi.
Cheon-hwi’s eyebrows furrowed at the gaze.
“……Me?”
“I am hoping that you would do it.”
“I don’t want to.”
Cheon-hwi firmly rejected it.
What squad leader, who cares about a squad leader.
Having already been the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, he knew better than anyone how bothersome it was to manage people.
“You are the only right person for the job.”
“What do you mean there’s no right person. There’s also Martial Uncle Hyeon-yang besides me.”
“As you know, the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion is overseeing the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.”
“That’s why he is the right person. If the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are divided into squads and appointed as squad leaders, shouldn’t Martial Uncle Hyeon-yang, who has been in charge of that since the past, take the role?”
“That is true, but…….”
The Sect Leader made an expression of regret.
He knew it too, but emotionally, he wanted to entrust it to Cheon-hwi.
It was still too early for Cheon-hwi’s martial prowess to be known in the Jianghu, but he wanted to give him a position in case of unforeseen events.
Since he was a squad leader of the Mount Hua Sect, no one would dare to carelessly mess with him.
But to think he would despise it so much.
The Sect Leader shook his head.
“Ah, and Young Master Zhuge asked that you definitely come when you arrive.”
The corners of Cheon-hwi’s eyes curled up.
There was only one reason for him, who was immersed in the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions every day, to call.
‘It seems it’s almost finished?’
Cheon-hwi hurriedly drank his tea.
His heart fluttered at the thought of seeing how the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions were truly completed.
Cheon-hwi immediately stood up from his seat.
“Then I will be going now.”
Right after that, he exited the Purple Mist Pavilion.
“Are you already going…….”
The sound of the Sect Leader saying something from behind was heard, but Cheon-hwi ignored it.
His field of vision changed rapidly.
A moment later, Cheon-hwi, who arrived at Geonwondong, opened his eyes wide at the sight he saw.
“One! Two! Heave-ho!”
There were bandits around Geonwondong.
The copper-skinned bandits with bushy beards were moving around busily, enthusiastically moving stones and trees.
“Where have I seen them?”
While he was looking at them, who were strangely familiar.
“Huh?!”
At that time, one of the bandits discovered Cheon-hwi and shouted in a booming voice.
“Young Hero Cheon-hwi!”
He looked at the bandit running towards him with heavy thuds along with a shout that seemed like it would burst his eardrums.
The bandit, who had an impressive beard jutting out in all directions, had his face mostly covered by his disheveled hair.
But he could immediately tell who it was.
‘Zhuge Seong-hyeon?’
The bandit, no. Zhuge Seong-hyeon ran over.
He thought he showed signs of it before, but his appearance had changed a lot.
‘Doesn’t he have more aptitude for martial arts than formations?’
His once pure white skin was already well-tanned, and his arms and legs, which had no muscles, were bulging.
His appearance from when he first visited the Mount Hua Sect was to the extent that it was almost no longer there.
“Young Hero! You have returned!”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon, who approached, welcomed Cheon-hwi.
“Did you say the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions were completed?”
“Haha, yes.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon laughed boisterously.
“Would you like to see?”
“That’s why I came.”
“Haha, is that so?”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon, who scratched his head with his thickened hands, smiled brightly.
“Then please follow me.”
The two moved to the entrance of Geonwondong.
[Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions]
As Cheon-hwi was looking at the text on the megalith, Zhuge Seong-hyeon hesitated before speaking.
“Ah, right! There is something that has changed slightly differently from what you originally planned, Young Hero…….”
“What is it?”
“I adjusted it so that a maximum of five people can enter at a time. Because the formation cannot handle any more than that…….”
Cheon-hwi stroked his chin.
Originally, the purpose of the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions was to produce a large number of experts.
But to think only five could enter.
Zhuge Seong-hyeon read Cheon-hwi’s regretful expression and added.
“Instead, I raised the intensity a lot.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s eyes flashed sharply through his hair.
“If they can just pass through all of these Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions, they will become one of the top experts in the Jianghu.”
Cheon-hwi’s interest deepened even further.
Zhuge Seong-hyeon was a person who was extremely picky when it came to formations.
But such a person was talking big like this?
It proved that it turned out quite well.
“Did you check it?”
“Of course, I have finished all the checks.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon answered energetically.
As soon as the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions were completed, what he did was check whether it operated properly.
It was because he had made a mistake last time, so it was in case of unforeseen circumstances.
“Hmm, really?”
Cheon-hwi walked towards the entrance.
“Young Hero? Where are you go…….”
“I should also check it out, shouldn’t I.”
“W-wait a moment. Young Hero! Even so, you have to properly listen to the explanation…….”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon tried to stop him, but.
Whoosh…
Cheon-hwi had already disappeared.
“O-other things have changed too…….”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon shook his head.
Who was worrying about whom right now.
“……If it’s the Young Hero, he will figure it out.”
By the time Zhuge Seong-hyeon scratched his head while looking at the entrance where only a dark passage could be seen.
“He changed it well.”
Cheon-hwi, who arrived at the First Plum Blossom Pavilion, the first gate of the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions, twisted the corners of his mouth.
It was a gate of the eyes modeled after the First Gate, the Body Demon Gate, which was the very first one to enter in the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates in the past.
See, and dodge.
Originally, in the Body Demon Gate, countless arrows and hidden weapons would be thrown in the darkness.
But the First Plum Blossom Pavilion was slightly different.
“He used his brain a bit.”
Cheon-hwi opened his fist.
Small iron balls on his palm fell to the ground and bounced.
The fingernail-sized iron balls mixed with the flickering lights, making them even harder to dodge.
That wasn’t all.
Arrows made of wood were prone to breaking if one was unlucky, but iron balls had the advantage of being reusable at any time.
Roll…
The iron balls moved towards a sloped area.
There was a large hole there, and the iron balls fell right into that hole.
At that moment, the Night Illuminating Pearl flickered.
Swoosh!
The iron balls were shot out again.
“To think he would do this like this.”
Cheon-hwi let out a burst of admiration.
It was a method of not stopping at just one time, but continuously reusing the iron balls.
Flickering lights.
And iron balls continuously shot at that.
If the one who designed the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates saw this, it was a method that would make him clap his hands.
‘Of course, if it was him, he would have attached sharp thorns to these iron balls and thrown them.’
He recalled the viciousness of the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates.
Even thinking about it now, it was no different from a gate designed to kill someone, rather than a gate to create experts of the Demonic Path.
Because more than eight-tenths of those who entered ended up dying.
‘Of course, if they pass, they become experts in one breath upon coming out.’
“I can just leave this place as it is.”
Cheon-hwi used the Grappling Hand to catch the shooting iron balls in an instant, and then lightly kicked the ground to arrive at the end.
Following that, as he placed his hand against the closed door.
Creak…
The door opened and the next place appeared.
“Would the Second Plum Blossom Pavilion have changed a bit too?”
Perhaps it was because he had seen the First Plum Blossom Pavilion turn out better than expected, Cheon-hwi entered the Second Plum Blossom Pavilion with anticipation and looked around.
There was nothing inside the cave.
There was only an iron door blocking the front, and a complex pattern was drawn on it.
However, that itself was the everything and essence of this Second Plum Blossom Pavilion.
A gate dealing with Qi control!
Cheon-hwi felt a sense of nostalgia at the method similar to what he had seen in the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates in the past.
“For now, it’s almost similar, but…….”
He slowly approached the iron door.
These seemingly complex patterns appeared to be drawn without any correlation to each other, but they were drawing a single path.
The natural order and the flow.
It signified the path of life of this gate.
Cheon-hwi’s hand slowly flowed Qi along the line drawn on the far left.
In an instant, the line began to shine.
Cheon-hwi flowed his Qi.
Then the light advanced like lightning and dyed the lines carved on the iron door in one breath.
And soon the light spread.
Creak…
The iron door opened and a passage appeared.
“This is a bit disappointing.”
Cheon-hwi smacked his lips.
Although he modeled it after the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates, perhaps because it was made in an Orthodox faction style, its viciousness couldn’t even reach the toes.
‘If it was the Inheriting Demon Gate, one would have fallen into Qi Deviation the moment they failed…….’
The original gate of the Second Plum Blossom Pavilion, the Inheriting Demon Gate.
It was the gate where the most people died even in the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates.
The reason was simple.
It was because only exactly one chance was given. Because if one failed, they would fall into Qi Deviation at that moment or lose their life.
“With this, the significance of creating the Second Plum Blossom Pavilion disappears.”
Cheon-hwi pointed out the disappointing aspect.
Why was the Inheriting Demon Gate created.
To familiarize oneself with Qi control?
That was also there, but more than that, it was to imprint how important Qi control was to a martial artist.
For one who possessed internal Qi, it was more important than anything else in the world.
Think about it.
If an opponent launched a surprise attack but one couldn’t block it because their operation was late?
Then one would die immediately.
And wasn’t the Jianghu a place where such things happened as common occurrences.
Not only that.
If one properly adjusted their Qi control, they could gain a great advantage in a long battle.
If one was a martial artist, it was unconditionally essential.
“They would know how important it is only if their lives were on the line, tsk. But I can’t do that.”
Cheon-hwi shook his head side to side.
“If I am to at least instill a sense of alertness…….”
After contemplating for a moment, he presented a solution.
“Should I make it so that if they fail, they are accompanied by a rather immense pain along with internal injuries.”
Cheon-hwi, who calmly said words that would have terrified anyone else who heard them, withdrew the hand he had placed on the wall and walked forward.
* * *
Zhuge Seong-hyeon entered a small cave located in a secluded corner of Geonwondong.
The entrance of the cave was quite short, so he could arrive at the cavern right away.
“I suffered, but it was a good thing I made it.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon closely surveyed the interior of the cavern with a proud expression.
There was a single chair in the middle, and seven oil lamps were placed on the wall.
This place was an artificially created area, starting from the cave itself, under Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s leadership.
“There has to be someone I can tell about this place later, though…….”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon sat on the chair.
In the past, when Jeok-geom and Seol Ran were swept up in the gate, Zhuge Seong-hyeon felt the danger and immediately created this space separately.
A place where one could enter the gates of the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions freely anytime, anywhere.
In other words, it was a Mechanism and Formation Room to check if they were passing through the gates, and to provide help if they happened to fall into danger.
“I’ll talk about that with the Young Hero later.”
Having put the bothersome matter to the back, he looked at the seven oil lamps on the wall.
These oil lamps were the core of this place.
The method to know how much a person who went inside had passed through the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions.
It was a method where a fire would light up starting from the left every time a gate was passed.
On top of that, he made it so that if he felt something went wrong, all the oil lamps would turn on at once.
“Then let’s wait and se…….”
Fwoosh…
At that moment, the oil lamp on the far left lit up.
“A-already?”
He couldn’t hide his shock.
Because the Seven Plum Blossom Pavilions were to the extent that even he, who had personally tested it, and an expert of the Zhuge Clan couldn’t even pass it.
But what was this.
He had just passed the First Plum Blossom Pavilion while he only walked a few dozen steps to get here.
At the moment when Zhuge Seong-hyeon stared in disbelief.
“W-what is thi…….”
He clicked his tongue in bewilderment.
And rightfully so.
Fwoosh…
Because the second oil lamp had just lit up.
“……Is this possible?”
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