Chapter 253: Chapter 253
The next morning.
Cheon-hwi, who was preparing for the journey to the Martial Alliance, felt that his side was empty.
Because on his waist, where two swords should originally have been, only a demonic sword with a pitch-black scabbard was hanging.
“It is quite ambiguous. This sword’s demonic energy is so strong that I cannot even draw it.”
Cheon-hwi stroked his chin as he muttered.
He had a sword, but he could not use it.
It was useless, indeed useless.
“Should I buy a separate sword.”
However, the contemplation was brief.
“Well, it will work out somehow.”
Cheon-hwi decided to roughly move on.
Whether he obtained a sword later, or not.
Even if he pondered over it here right now, it would only make his head hurt for no reason. It was not as if a sword would suddenly appear either.
And he did not feel the need.
The sword was not the only thing he had mastered.
“If I really feel like it is not working out, I can just swing it with the scabbard on.”
Having roughly come to a conclusion, Cheon-hwi adjusted the appearance of the Taoist robe he wore and stepped out of the thatched cottage.
“It is chilly.”
Was it because autumn was ending and winter was approaching?
The wind brushing against his skin was cold.
“At this rate, it will snow soon.”
Cheon-hwi, who felt the cold air for a moment, soon loaded internal energy into his lower body and executed the Flying Heaven Footwork.
A short while later, as he arrived at the mountain gate.
“Cheon-hwi.”
“Junior Martial Brother!”
“Martial Uncle!”
Many people welcomed him.
However, Cheon-hwi furrowed his eyes as he looked at the First-Generation Disciples and Second-Generation Disciples who were welcoming him.
“Oh, are you all done with work?”
At that moment, the disciples froze in their posture of gladly waving their hands and smiled awkwardly.
“Ha, haha. It is fine to see you off for a moment before you leave. Right, Junior Martial Brother?”
“Ahem! Eldest Senior Brother’s words are correct. The youngest Junior Martial Brother is going to the Martial Alliance, so how could we send you off without a greeting.”
“Hmm… I do not think that is it.”
When Cheon-hwi looked at them as if he was displeased.
“A send-off should be fine, right.”
The Sect Leader approached and smiled softly.
“Everyone gathered because they are worried about you going.”
“Yes? Worried?”
Cheon-hwi scanned their faces.
That was worry? Where did it look like that?
Their expressions seemed as if they were deliberately worried, but they could not deceive Cheon-hwi’s eyes.
Was joy not floating in their eyes.
“That is not worry, it looks like they are extremely glad because I am going.”
At those words, most of the disciples flinched like a child caught trying to play a prank.
“Hoho, how could that be.”
As the Sect Leader defended from the side that it couldn’t be true, Cheon-hwi let out a smirk.
“Let us say so.”
Right when Cheon-hwi was about to pass over the situation.
Step… Step…
A middle-aged man wearing a clear blue martial arts uniform like the sky and a black long robe approached.
Outwardly, he was a person who could be called a cheerful man.
His features were distinct, and his straight, horizontally stretched eyebrows drew an elegant curve at the ends, as if a brush had been slightly flicked upwards.
The middle-aged man, Chu Gye-gwang, stood right in front of Cheon-hwi and politely took a fist salute.
“It is an honor to meet the widely rumored Plum Blossom Divine Hero, Little Taoist Cheon-hwi.”
He, who bowed his head once, met eyes with Cheon-hwi and moved his lips.
“I am Chu Gye-gwang, who took charge of guiding the journey to the Martial Alliance this time.”
“I am Cheon-hwi.”
After Cheon-hwi calmly exchanged greetings, he quickly scanned him up and down.
‘To think he is a squad leader of the Martial Alliance, he has quite the skill.’
His solid internal energy, and the calluses on the hand that took the fist salute showed that he was a considerable swordsman.
Meanwhile, Chu Gye-gwang, whose gaze met with Cheon-hwi’s, was considerably surprised inwardly.
‘To think he is this young?’
When speaking of the Plum Blossom Divine Hero, he was currently known as a peerless expert who surpassed the Flying Swallow Sword Lord and defeated the Green Forest Great Emperor.
He heard that his martial prowess had reached the Heavenly Martial Realm, but to think he was this young.
‘It could not be a false rumor, right…?’
At the moment when suspicion was about to naturally bloom at his excessively young appearance.
“Chivalric Escort Unit Leader.”
Along with a heavy voice, Hyeon-do strode towards Chu Gye-gwang.
“It seems everyone has gathered, are we not departing?”
“There are still people yet to arrive.”
Hyeon-do’s brow furrowed.
“There is another companion besides the two of us?”
“That is correct. Right about now…”
Chu Gye-gwang, who spoke while turning his head as if looking for the other companion, nodded as if he soon spotted him.
“They are coming over there.”
Hyeon-do and Cheon-hwi turned their heads following him.
At the same time, Hyeon-do’s expression, which had irritation mixed in, completely relaxed in an instant.
Because the ones approaching across the Peach Forest Plaza from afar were Ha Woo-jin and Jong-hyeon.
Soon, Ha Woo-jin, who arrived in front of Chu Gye-gwang, held a soft smile.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
Ha Woo-jin, who finished the formal greeting, approached Hyeon-do and moved his lips.
“It has been a while since we traveled together, Senior Hyeon-do.”
“It really has been a long time.”
Hyeon-do held a smile.
A journey with Ha Woo-jin and Cheon-hwi. It brought to mind the journey they took to White Ghost Castle.
“You are going too.”
Ha Woo-jin smiled back at Hyeon-do’s smiling words.
“I look forward to your care.”
Meanwhile, Jong-hyeon was excited.
“Older Brother!”
Jong-hyeon, who stood in front of Cheon-hwi, shot his head up and showed a bright smile.
“It is my first time traveling with you, Older Brother!”
He could not hide his excited heart.
It was a given matter.
Because it was a journey with the older brother he respected.
“I am so looking forward to the journey leaving together with Master and Older Brother. On top of that…”
Jong-hyeon chattered and stuck right next to Cheon-hwi, not falling away.
Chu Gye-gwang, who confirmed that all the companions had gathered like that, turned his body and spoke.
“Then we shall depart.”
At the moment the journey to the Martial Alliance was about to begin like that.
“Wait a moment.”
Cheon-hwi’s voice pushed its way in.
Chu Gye-gwang, whose footsteps had already taken off in his heart, instantly lost all his strength.
“…Is something the matter?”
“It is not a big deal, but let us drop by the Plum Blossom Guest House before we leave.”
“The Plum Blossom Guest House…?”
Chu Gye-gwang’s brow narrowed.
Every moment was urgent right now.
Because the Grand Martial World Conference could only be held if Hyeon-do arrived at the Martial Alliance.
“Is there a reason we must visit?”
“Because there is something to grab when we go.”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes sank coldly for a moment before soon turning nonchalant.
“And it seems everyone has not had breakfast, so let us go and have a meal.”
When Chu Gye-gwang stared with a blank face at the following words, Cheon-hwi smirked and added his words.
“Since we are at it, wouldn’t it be better to have a hearty breakfast before going?”
* * *
Swish…
Cheon-hwi, who pushed aside the beaded curtain and entered the Plum Blossom Guest House, tilted his head at the quiet situation.
“Why are there no people here?”
Normally, it should be packed with people, and there should be people lined up on the side to buy tassels…
At that time, Chief Steward Oh ran over.
“Great Hero!”
He, who came calling Cheon-hwi, welcomed him gladly.
“What brings you here?”
“Is Old Man Cheon here?”
“Ah! Are you speaking of the Old Master? Please wait a moment.”
Chief Steward Oh, who finished speaking, shouted.
“Ji-ryang!”
In an instant, a waiter came running over.
“Boss, did you call?”
“Go call the Old Master.”
“Understood.”
The waiter immediately turned around and scurried out of the Plum Blossom Guest House.
Seeing that, Cheon-hwi moved his lips.
“By the way, there are no customers in the guest house.”
“It is nothing much.”
Even though it was not a good situation, Chief Steward Oh spoke calmly.
“Because the rumor that the Green Forest attacked Mount Hua spread, the people coming have temporarily stopped. Since the rumor that the Green Forest was defeated has also spread, customers will flock back after a few days pass.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Cheon-hwi nodded his head at the understandable situation.
He had just asked out of curiosity, and he had no intention of meddling deeply anyway.
‘It is not like I know business.’
Business to the merchants. Martial arts to the martial artists.
That was the iron rule.
“It actually turned out well. I was wondering what to do if there were no seats to eat because there were many people anyway.”
“Are you speaking of a meal?”
Chief Steward Oh glanced around.
Before they knew it, over forty people were sitting at more than ten tables, even at a rough count.
“Then I will prepare food for all the tables.”
“Ah right, there are a few Taoists, so alcohol and meat are…”
“Please do not worry about that. I will serve the new dish we made this time.”
“A new dish?”
“Is the Plum Blossom Guest House not a guest house associated with the Mount Hua Sect.”
Chief Steward Oh’s eyes became bright and sparkling.
“So I tried making it only with herbs and vegetables that would be fine for the Taoists to eat. The dish’s name is Immortal’s Feast (Immortal’s Feast), which I named with the feeling that the immortals of the Mount Hua Sect eat it.”
Oho, that is not bad.
As expected of a merchant.
It was a thoroughly calculated dish.
If it was a customer who came yearning for the Mount Hua Sect, it was a dish they would likely order for the Taoist experience.
“That is nice. Then please give us all of that.”
“Then I will go tell the chef.”
When Chief Steward Oh left, Cheon-hwi pulled out an empty chair at the table where Hyeon-do, Ha Woo-jin, Jong-hyeon, and Chu Gye-gwang were sitting and sat down.
Everyone was busy looking around.
“Hmm, so this is the Plum Blossom Guest House that traded with our sect.”
In particular, Hyeon-do, who had only heard of it all along, thoroughly examined the Plum Blossom Guest House that he saw in person for the first time.
“Only the color is different from the Plum Blossom Swordsman’s tassel.”
Right when Hyeon-do muttered while looking at the tassel with an interesting expression.
“…!”
“This is…!”
Chu Gye-gwang and Hyeon-do jumped up.
An indescribably mighty energy was approaching here right now.
‘To think it is an energy this dense and heavy.’
‘Could this energy be…?!’
The two, who had placed their hands on their sword hilts before they knew it, glared at the door and raised their tension.
“Squad Leader?”
“Senior Hyeon-do?”
Surprised by the sudden action, everyone turned their gazes in the direction the two were looking.
Swish…
Just in time, the beaded curtain was pushed aside.
And through it, an old man with completely white hair and white eyebrows slowly entered.
“Hmm? What is it?”
At the moment the old man, Cheon Yang-gong, wrinkled his brow at the gazes concentrated on him.
“You finally came.”
He spotted Cheon-hwi next to those glaring at him and immediately walked over.
When Chu Gye-gwang and Hyeon-do, who were terrified by Cheon Yang-gong approaching them with a frowning face, were about to move.
“I will go have a talk and come back.”
Cheon-hwi got up from his seat.
And he met the approaching Cheon Yang-gong, talked a little, and then went up to the second floor.
Chu Gye-gwang and Hyeon-do, who watched the two going up the stairs, barely let go of their tension.
‘If it is a figure the Plum Blossom Divine Hero knows, there is no way he is a demon… Was it an illusion.’
‘It seems I have become too sensitive lately. To mistakenly identify someone so intimate with Cheon-hwi.’
Right when the two, who withdrew the energy that had spread out boundlessly, looked up at the second floor.
“If the Mount Hua Sect falls into danger, help the Taoists of the Mount Hua Sect as the top priority above anything else.”
Cheon-hwi was speaking to Cheon Yang-gong sitting opposite him as if notifying him.
“The Taoists of the Mount Hua Sect? Is it not different from the promise we made before?”
Cheon Yang-gong immediately retorted.
“The work I have to do is entirely protecting the guest house…”
“Two.”
Cheon-hwi cut his words short.
And while spreading two fingers wide, he suddenly twisted one side of his mouth.
“If you accept this proposal, I will teach you two sentences of the later oral formulas of the Nine Underworlds Demonic Flower Art. How about it? Doesn’t it sound tempting?”