Chapter 257: Chapter 257
‘That person is the strategist?’
Cheon-hwi closely scanned him who soon entered through the door.
‘He has a unique appearance.’
The man with tied long hair mixed half and half with white and black hair had an appearance that made it difficult to gauge whether he was an old man or middle-aged.
‘But Zhuge…?’
Around the time Cheon-hwi tilted his head.
“What brings you all the way here?”
Dragon Pearl Beggar spoke sharply.
He was someone who had stayed only deep inside, remaining indoors for several years with the Alliance Leader recently. But because he presented a completely different direction from what he had shown before and even came outside like this, wariness along with doubt swelled up.
However, even at such an attitude from Dragon Pearl Beggar, the strategist spoke calmly as if it was nothing.
“Could I possibly make the invited people wait continuously.”
The strategist, who approached before they knew it and replied towards Dragon Pearl Beggar, soon turned his gaze to Hyeon-do and took a fist salute.
“It has been a while.”
“…It has been a while.”
Hyeon-do nodded his head and answered with common words, but his inner thoughts were disturbed right now.
The time he saw the strategist was just that one single time he saw him together with the Alliance Leader when he first visited the Martial Alliance.
And it was a very short meeting at that.
‘To break his semi-seclusion and come personally.’
His chest, convinced that this was no ordinary matter, grew as cold as a sheet of ice.
At that time, Zhuge Gong turned his head.
His two pupils that looked at Cheon-hwi wavered greatly, then soon calmed down.
“I am Zhuge Gong, the Strategist of the Martial Alliance.”
Cheon-hwi asked while facing him who revealed his position and name.
“Zhuge? Are you a person of the Zhuge Family? The Zhuge Family belongs to the Flying Heaven Society, you know.”
At that question, Dragon Pearl Beggar looked at Cheon-hwi with a dumbfounded expression.
It was a famous matter that Zhuge Gong did not follow the Zhuge Family that withdrew from the Alliance and maintained the position of Strategist of the Martial Alliance.
It was natural common sense that anyone who had been involved in Jianghu even a little would know.
“Do you not even know that?”
Dragon Pearl Beggar spoke as if scolding.
However, Cheon-hwi had no shame.
“I ask because I do not know. Would I ask if I knew?”
At the time Dragon Pearl Beggar lost his words at Cheon-hwi’s overly confident words.
‘…It is the first time I see someone who does not know about my situation.’
The strategist also burst with bewilderment inside.
However, that was only for a moment; the strategist, who quickly swallowed his bewilderment, answered while looking at Cheon-hwi.
“I am not a person of the Zhuge Family right now, but I was once.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Cheon-hwi, who received the words as if he understood, examined the strategist up and down.
Why does the Zhuge Family have so many talents?
It is a place where the peerless expert named Paegun and Zhuge Seong-hyeon, who mastered formations at a young age, are together.
In addition to that, the strategist, Zhuge Gong as well.
It was a perfect family that possessed both literary and martial arts.
‘It is fortunate at least. I don’t know why they turned their backs on each other, but if even this person was in the Zhuge Family, it would have been quite a hindrance for the Mount Hua Sect to become the number one sect in the world.’
At the time Cheon-hwi was thinking about the Zhuge Family while staring at the strategist.
“…Is the young hero the Plum Blossom Divine Hero, Young Taoist Cheon-hwi?”
The strategist asked quietly.
“That is right.”
“You are even younger than I thought.”
Along with his words, the strategist likewise scanned Cheon-hwi up and down quickly.
He was young, quite young.
‘I heard it is not Rejuvenation. If so, it means he is an expert who defeated the Green Forest Great Emperor at this young age…’
His pupils deepened limitlessly.
‘Even Father could not achieve such a realm at this age.’
The head of the strategist, who naturally compared him with Paegun of the Eight Martial Gods, spun extraordinarily.
‘Perhaps one who might become a peerless expert surpassing the Eight Martial Gods…’
At the thought that suddenly arose, the strategist was startled and withdrew his thoughts.
‘No, it is an impossible matter. No matter how he reached an amazing realm at a young age, the realm of the Eight Martial Gods is something possible only for them.’
He recalled the things the Eight Martial Gods had done.
They were not human.
Something that transcended the human world.
They were ones suitable for the existence called Gods.
‘Even if he does not reach them, it should be natural that he will have quite surprising skills.’
The strategist’s pupils contained Cheon-hwi once again.
Even if he could not reach the realm of the Eight Martial Gods, it was a talent to chase right below them.
If it was not the era of the Eight Martial Gods, it would be a martial prowess sufficient to vie for the best in the world.
‘I will have to watch carefully. It does not matter if he becomes an ally, but if it seems he will become an enemy, I will have to nip the bud right now.’
At the time the strategist’s eyes grew cold.
“So did you just come to say hello?”
Dragon Pearl Beggar spoke while glaring at the strategist.
The strategist looked indifferently at Dragon Pearl Beggar, who acted as if it was his own pavilion.
“What are you staring so piercingly for? Could there be something on my face?”
“No.”
The strategist, who was expressionlessly looking at the appearance of Dragon Pearl Beggar feigning ignorance, parted his lips.
“It worked out well. I was intending to go see the Sect Leader separately as well.”
“What?”
Around the time Dragon Pearl Beggar, surprised by the words he hadn’t thought of at all, opened his eyes wide and looked at the strategist.
“May I take a seat?”
The strategist asked Hyeon-do quietly.
Hyeon-do flinched slightly at the suddenly asked question, but soon answered calmly.
“I do not mind.”
“Thank you.”
The strategist, who sat in the seat, alternately looked at the three sitting at the table and moved his lips.
“Early tomorrow morning, the Grand Martial World Conference will be held.”
“Hmm.”
Hyeon-do swallowed a groan at the Grand Martial World Conference being held faster than he thought.
“Why is it so fast?”
Dragon Pearl Beggar next to him grumbled.
Yet even so, it was Dragon Pearl Beggar who was tense inside.
‘…Is there a reason he is hurrying?’
He prided himself on gathering and handling all the information in the world, but there were a few figures that even he could not properly figure out.
And one of them was exactly this guy.
Just then, the strategist’s mouth opened.
“I hurried so that the spies who infiltrated our Alliance could not move as they pleased.”
Words that would make one’s mouth drop open flowed out.
“S-Spies?”
Hyeon-do was astonished with his eyes wide open, and Dragon Pearl Beggar rolled his eyes around.
“Spies, what out of the blue words…”
“Does the Sect Leader not already know?”
“What? I know?”
At the calm question of the strategist, Dragon Pearl Beggar vigorously scratched his head and answered.
“Just what nonsense are you blabbering…”
The strategist, who watched Dragon Pearl Beggar continuously pretending not to know, made a cold expression.
“Society.”
…Society? What is that again?
Around the time Cheon-hwi stroked his chin at the words that suddenly popped out.
Hwaaak!
Dragon Pearl Beggar’s momentum changed abruptly.
His momentum, which had been empty and real, settled down heavily and crushed the strategist.
“Since when did you know?”
Dragon Pearl Beggar asked in a sharp tone.
If it was a mere martial artist, it was a momentum that would make their breath stop, but the strategist was unshaken.
“It has been a little over ten years.”
“…You bastard. You knew and yet kept quiet until now?”
“Would they not hide their appearances if I made a move?”
Dragon Pearl Beggar clicked his tongue at that insignificant answer.
“Are you trying to say you hid yourself so they could act freely…”
“That is correct.”
The strategist abruptly cut off Dragon Pearl Beggar’s words and continued his own words.
“And thanks to that, we have created an opportunity to reveal their tails now.”
“…Tails? What does that mean?”
“Do you perhaps know their purpose?”
At the strategist’s question, Dragon Pearl Beggar’s eyes sank.
“Is it not the collapse of the Nine Provinces Three Supreme Powers.”
“…?!”
Hyeon-do’s eyes, who had kept his mouth shut the whole time unable to follow the conversation of the two, widened.
“W-What does that mean?”
The strategist, looking at the flustered Hyeon-do, let out a low voice.
“It is as you say. Spies who desire the collapse of the Nine Provinces Three Supreme Powers have infiltrated our Alliance. Their purpose is probably the collapse or usurpation of the Martial Alliance.”
Hyeon-do dropped his jaw open.
Meanwhile, Cheon-hwi pricked up his ears at the story that became more interesting as the words continued.
‘Oho, so the guys the Sword Saint and Heavenly Ear Beggar talked about last time have infiltrated even the Alliance?’
While he was retracing the contents he had heard in the past, the strategist continued his explanation.
“And they will not be able to miss this Grand Martial World Conference. Because a war with the Four Black Alliances would be able to advance their purpose. They will probably try to start a war no matter what.”
At that time, Dragon Pearl Beggar’s expression frowned.
Those words were correct.
However, if that was so…
“Does your word right now mean that there are spies among those attending the Grand Martial World Conference?”
“That is correct.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar’s face stiffened.
The ones attending the Grand Martial World Conference were highly renowned figures even among those belonging to the Martial Alliance.
But to say there are spies among such figures.
“No matter what, those attending this Grand Martial World Conference are figures holding at least the position of elders in each sect. How could those figures be spies…”
“They infiltrated from a very long time ago and are deeply entrenched in our Alliance. And they have steadily been doing things secretly to collapse the Martial Alliance.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar spoke as if it was hard to believe, but the strategist refuted firmly.
“Has it not been only a short while since the Sect Leader also realized there are spies?”
“…”
When Dragon Pearl Beggar shut his mouth at the words that hit the nail on the head, the strategist continued his words while observing Hyeon-do.
“And I do not have certainty yet, but the Yulin Blood History where the Plum Blossom Sword Hero and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen died might also be an incident that occurred due to their scheme.”
Bang!
Hyeon-do slammed the table and sprang up.
“Is that true?”
Hyeon-do glared at the strategist with eyes glistening with killing intent while grinding his teeth.
“As I said, there are only suspicions for now. However, there is a possibility.”
“It is not nonsense, right?”
“I will stake my position as strategist.”
There was no clearer answer than this.
“…Grind.”
Hyeon-do clenched his teeth and sat back in his seat.
After that, he let out a cold voice.
“Then, why have you kept it hidden? If we suffered such an incident due to the spies, tell our sect…”
The strategist shook his head horizontally.
“If I said such things only on suspicion, wouldn’t it cause confusion?”
Hyeon-do’s brow twitched.
“Then why did you say that word now when you cannot be sure yet? Are you saying you will cause confusion now?”
For a moment, Hyeon-do’s voice raised.
It was a matter already finished by taking down the White Ghost Castle. Only now was the Mount Hua Sect trying to escape the shadow of the Yulin Blood History.
But since he was saying that incident might have been caused by someone’s scheme.
How could he not be angry.
The strategist, looking at Hyeon-do who had become fully heated, answered in a calm tone.
“Because if we catch the spies this time, we can grasp the truth behind it.”
Only then did Hyeon-do, who realized the reason the strategist brought up the story of the Mount Hua Sect so early, stiffen his eyes.
“…In other words, you are saying to help catch the spies.”
The corners of the strategist’s mouth slightly twisted.
However, it was so short that the person who saw it was only one person.
‘Oh, he’s smiling?’
Cheon-hwi stared at the strategist with slightly cooled eyes.
‘He smiles at this, you say?’
Cheon-hwi felt there was some scheme and intently observed the strategist.
However, perhaps the strategist did not feel Cheon-hwi’s gaze, he again let out a calm voice like before from his mouth.
“That is correct.”
“Good. I will help.”
Hyeon-do answered without delay.
Because it was a matter related to his youngest martial brother, Hyeon-do’s chest was in a hotly burning state right now.
In the flames of the emotion called anger.
“Are you not being too hasty? To think a little and decide is…”
Dragon Pearl Beggar hurriedly cut in and advised, but there was no way it would enter the ears of Hyeon-do who was blinded by anger.
“What do I have to do?”
“You just have to lend weight to my opinion at the grand conference.”
“Will that be enough?”
“That will be sufficient.”
“However, I do not think the situation will change as the strategist wants just because I step forward alone.”
“It seems the Immortal One does not know the situation of the Alliance well yet.”
The strategist stalled for time for a moment along with his words, and turned his gaze towards the window.
“Please take a look outside.”
At the out-of-the-blue words, the moment Hyeon-do and Cheon-hwi poked their heads out the window in wonder.
“Waaah!”
“The Mount Hua Sect is here!”
Cheers poured out.
“What?”
Cheon-hwi looked out the window with bewildered eyes at the cheers that could be heard to the point of making his ears deafened.
There were numerous people outside.
Most of them were young martial artists, and they showed the exact same gazes as the Chivalric Escort Unit members he had tiredly seen throughout the journey.
“It is the Mount Hua Divine Sword and the Plum Blossom Divine Hero!”
“The Beggars’ Sect Leader is also here! But that person over there is… Gasp! S-Strategist Lord?!”
Dragon Pearl Beggar twitched his eyebrows at the gasps bursting from here and there.
“…Did you call them?”
“All I did was announce that the Mount Hua Divine Sword and the Plum Blossom Divine Hero had arrived at the Martial Alliance. But everyone is coming here to see these two.”
The strategist smiled faintly.
“And they are not all.”
As soon as those words ended, a series of groups could be seen coming towards the pavilion.
“Shaolin and Qingcheng, and… Kunlun?”
Hyeon-do widened his eyes.
It was not just them.
Even behind them, the martial artists of the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance, excluding the Beggars’ Sect, were approaching this place.
The strategist, who saw them approaching showing firm resolve, opened his mouth.
“As you can see, the center of the current Alliance is none other than the Mount Hua Sect.”