Chapter 260: Chapter 260
It was only after a whole half-day had passed that Cheon-hwi came out of the Martial World Secret Repository.
“Has time already flowed like this?”
Cheon-hwi muttered and looked up at the sky.
As he came out of the pavilion guided by Yuk Mu-gwang, dense darkness was welcoming him.
“I stayed too long.”
Yuk Mu-gwang, who was looking at Cheon-hwi awkwardly scratching his head, offered a farewell greeting with a faint smile.
“Have a safe trip.”
“Yes, please stay well too, elder.”
The moment Cheon-hwi, who finished speaking simply, stamped his foot.
Sreureuk…
His figure vanished like an illusion.
A smile spread across the mouth of Yuk Mu-gwang, who was staring into the empty space where not even an afterimage remained.
“…Did he say he was Cheon-hwi of the Mount Hua Sect.”
Whispering, he lightly patted his back and straightened his slightly hunched waist.
And he lifted his head and looked at the sky.
Looking at the moon and stars being obscured by clouds, he leaked a peculiar gaze and muttered.
“Hohoho, Jianghu will be shaken.”
Meanwhile, Cheon-hwi, who performed the Flying Heaven Footwork, was piercing through the darkness and advancing like a shooting arrow.
‘Was it that way?’
Cheon-hwi, who confirmed the pavilion visible far away, stepped on the roof of a nearby pavilion.
Tat.
In an instant, the scenery was crushed.
The cold and icy wind that blew subsequently brushed past his cheeks fiercely.
Just how many roofs did he kick off like that?
Cheon-hwi, who traversed the distance that felt quite long when going in a single breath, was able to return to the Mount Hua Sect’s residence before long.
As he stepped inside the pavilion.
“You came.”
Hyeon-do, who was sitting at the table, welcomed Cheon-hwi.
“It seems everyone has already left?”
“Hoho, isn’t the night deep? Everyone who was to leave has all left.”
Hyeon-do, who spoke while bearing a smile, saw Cheon-hwi’s side and flashed his eyes for a moment.
“Did you obtain that sword?”
“Well, yes.”
Cheon-hwi replied while lightly tapping the sword, and then suddenly remembered something and opened his mouth.
“Would you like to take a look? This is quite a decent renowned sword.”
Hyeon-do thought Cheon-hwi was bragging because he obtained a new renowned sword, and laughed loudly.
“Hahaha, let’s take a look.”
Cheon-hwi immediately drew the sword.
Sreureung…
The brilliant blade revealed its figure, and a faint red radiance spread gently.
Seeing that, Hyeon-do opened his eyes wide.
“As you said, it is an outstanding renowned sword.”
Admiration flowed out just by looking at it.
A smoothly and straightly extended blade.
On top of that, the sharpness exuding from the blade was so sharp that it seemed it would immediately cut even if one just brought a hand close.
‘It suits our Hwi well.’
Hyeon-do thought while smiling a proud smile.
The peculiar radiance of faint red flowing out from the blade harmonized with Cheon-hwi, who already possessed outstanding looks, creating an even more charming atmosphere.
At that time, Cheon-hwi shook the sword once and asked.
“Do you happen to know about this sword?”
“I am seeing it for the first time, but is it a famous sword?”
“No. It isn’t particularly so.”
When Hyeon-do asked with sparkling eyes, Cheon-hwi shrugged his shoulders and answered.
“It’s just that it’s fascinating for such a renowned sword to have no name. I asked to see if you knew.”
“I see.”
Cheon-hwi narrowed his eyes, looking at Hyeon-do who subtly showed regret.
He doesn’t seem to know at all?
Cheon-hwi, who turned his gaze and looked down at the sword, scratched his chin.
He had roughly expected it.
Because if he had known, there was no way it would have been neglected while piling up dust in a corner of the Martial World Secret Repository.
‘If that horse-hair Taoist knew, there would be an uproar.’
It wouldn’t be just any ordinary uproar.
Far from properly enshrining the sword used by him, who was the Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect, they had completely neglected it and couldn’t even recognize it.
Cheon-hwi, who thought of the horse-hair Taoist who would have run wild with rage if he had known, shook his head from side to side and turned his body.
“I will go swing the sword for a bit.”
“Do so.”
Hyeon-do smiled with an expression that understood Cheon-hwi’s feelings and nodded his head.
Since he obtained a new renowned sword, how could he not want to swing it.
A moment later, Cheon-hwi arrived at the backyard and drew the sword.
“It is quiet, so it is nice.”
The time when everyone fell asleep.
Thick darkness and silence enveloped him.
Amidst that tranquility, Cheon-hwi slowly raised the sword upward.
The blade reflecting the moonlight half obscured by clouds scattered beautiful radiance.
“Then…”
Cheon-hwi flowed the internal energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art.
The internal energy holding a faint radiance flowed out like threads and stroked the blade.
“Which sword art should I try performing first?”
Numerous sword arts quickly surfaced in his mind and repeated vanishing.
However, that was only for a moment.
‘As expected, that would be good, right?’
Cheon-hwi thought of the horse-hair Taoist who was the owner of this sword, and moved the sword.
It was the Plum Blossom Sword Art he used to boast about.
Hwaaak…
Plum blossoms bloomed under the blue moonlight.
“I felt it in my past life too, but it really is a renowned sword.”
The sword was outstanding.
It was smooth, and internal energy flowed that much well too.
Especially when performing the Plum Blossom Sword Art like now, its true value was properly revealed.
Hwaaak…
Scattering a faint radiance, the sword unfolded the forms of the Plum Blossom Sword Art one by one, starting with the first form, Plum Blossom Roadside.
Uuuung…
The sword burst out a cry close to a roar. At the sword’s cry striking his ears, Cheon-hwi burst into a smirk without realizing it.
‘The sword that cried to kill me in my past life is now spitting out a cry of joy in my hands… This is peculiar.’
While he paused for a moment because of thinking.
Uung…
The sword cried as if sulking.
“Huh? You want me to swing more?”
As if responding to that, the sword burst with radiance.
Seeing that, a laugh leaked out from between Cheon-hwi’s lips.
“Your former master would yell if he knew.”
Hmm? No, it doesn’t seem like it necessarily has to be viewed that way?
Thinking about it, it was a funny situation.
They said they were irreconcilable enemies in the past life, but isn’t he a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect right now.
Furthermore, he even personally took out his sword, which had been wrapped in dust and forgotten, from the Martial World Secret Repository.
“Come to think of it carefully, shouldn’t he be thanking me instead? Thanks to me, it’s no different from the sword he used returning to Mount Hua.”
Cheon-hwi, who spouted words that would have made Immortal Sang-un furious and burst with rage if he heard them, nodded his head up and down.
“On top of that, it is practically the same as me rebuilding the Mount Hua Sect that was on the verge of collapsing… Thanks wouldn’t be enough.”
When Cheon-hwi, who interpreted the situation to his own liking and felt good, smirked.
Uung…
Unable to endure anymore, the sword cried.
At the sword’s cry urging him to hurry up and swing since that was enough, Cheon-hwi adjusted his grip on the sword.
“Alright. Understood. I will swing it for you.”
Soon, the Plum Blossom Sword Art unfolded again.
Like that, under the blue moonlight, beautiful plum blossoms repeated blooming and falling.
Until the sword was satisfied, all night long.
* * *
The next day, early morning full of fog.
The mainstays of the Martial Alliance gathered one after another into the Great Hall located in the very center of the castle.
‘It’s to the point of being suffocating.’
Hyeon-do, who muttered inwardly, scanned his surroundings.
At a very huge circular table inside the Great Hall, many people sat all around and were each lost in contemplation.
They were all incredible people without exception.
Not to mention the figures who came representing the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, but also the Sungmu Sect and the Iron Blood Sword Clan in positions matching them.
Was that all?
Two of the Three Great Consecrated Protectors and the One Courtyard, Two Parties, Three Squads, Four Units that constitute the Martial Alliance were also sitting.
‘It means there is a spy among them.’
His head became complicated.
No matter how he looked, a figure likely to be a spy among them was not visible.
‘It is dizzying. Just who could it be.’
A sigh came out inwardly.
‘They said what the spies want is a war with the Evil Black Lotus, so it’s highly possible that a person who agrees with this agenda is one.’
When Hyeon-do was lost in thought while looking at the formidable faces, the Strategist walked to the seat of honor.
“Hmm?”
“To the seat of honor?”
Instantly, those who had been lost in contemplation buzzed and glared at the Strategist.
Soon, the moment the Strategist sat in the seat of honor.
“Why are you, the Strategist, sitting there?”
“Where did the Alliance Leader go…”
Immediately, voices mixed with backlash burst out.
The Strategist stared at them intently, and then pulled out a single gold plaque from his inner pocket.
“That is…”
“He handed over the Heavenly Treasure Plaque?”
Groans flowed out from all directions.
Because the gold plaque the Strategist held in his hand was precisely the sacred artifact containing the authority of the Martial Alliance Leader.
At that time when everyone fell silent in an unexpected situation.
“The Martial Alliance Leader passed all authority of this grand conference to this humble one.”
The Strategist’s voice spread in all directions.
He, who spoke in an indifferent but forceful tone, scanned the surroundings once.
“Is there anyone who objects?”
“…”
At the calmly asked words, everyone said nothing.
Since presenting the Heavenly Treasure Plaque, raising objections to the Strategist’s words was no different from deciding to turn against the Alliance Leader.
“Then we shall commence the Grand Martial World Conference…”
It was when the Strategist looked at the quieted people, put the Heavenly Treasure Plaque back in his pocket, and was about to open his mouth.
“Wait just a moment. Strategist.”
There was an interrupting voice.
Everyone’s gaze concentrated in that direction.
In that place, there was an old man wearing extremely flashy red silk clothes.
The flashy attire that completely mismatched his old-looking and skin-and-bones appearance was to the extent that it could be called indiscreet, but no one here could mock him.
It was because he was precisely the Jade Flute Divine Sword who was an elder of the Council of Elders and had commanded the Jianghu in the era before the Nine Provinces Three Supreme Powers.
The Strategist also asked politely.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Hoho, it is nothing much. It’s just that there seems to be someone who hasn’t attended yet.”
Along with his words, he gestured with his eyes toward the surroundings.
Among a total of thirty chairs prepared at the table, five chairs were completely empty.
“They sent me letters separately saying they would not attend.”
To that, the Strategist spoke calmly.
“Not attend?”
The Jade Flute Divine Sword’s eyebrow twitched.
It was a matter on which the survival or destruction of the Martial Alliance depended.
Yet to not attend such an important matter, he couldn’t help but be very displeased.
The Strategist read the Jade Flute Divine Sword’s uncomfortable complexion and quickly added words.
“The ones who didn’t attend this time are the Sword Pavilion, the Iron Blood Squad Leader, the Left and Right Protectors, and the Heavenly Fire Lord.”
As the Strategist listed the absentees one by one, the Jade Flute Divine Sword’s uncomfortable expression eased a bit.
“Was it them?”
Because they were absentees who were somewhat understandable.
The Sword Pavilion was a closed-off place to begin with, and was situated entirely too far away.
And what about the Iron Blood Squad.
Isn’t that a place where everyone wears bamboo hats and masks, calling each other by aliases?
They had never attended external affairs like this even before then.
But the remaining three…
“Why did the Protectors and the Heavenly Fire Lord not come?”
“They said they would follow the opinion of the Alliance.”
At the Strategist’s answer, the eyes of the gathered people frowned.
Because it ultimately meant they would just submit to the result.
“May I start again now?”
At the Strategist’s continued words, the Jade Flute Divine Sword nodded his head and leaned his body against the backrest.
“Do so.”
At his answer, the Strategist adjusted his breath once and spoke lowly.
“We will begin the Grand Martial World Conference.”
It was just one sentence.
However, at that single sentence, the atmosphere of the Great Hall reversed.
A breathtaking tension flowed, the atmosphere became taut, and at the moment the air inside settled heavily.
“I will get straight to the point.”
The Strategist continued speaking without delay.
“This Alliance intends to wage war against the Evil Black Lotus. Is there anyone who objects?”
As soon as the Strategist’s words ended, those who objected raised their right hands up high.
‘Is it ten people?’
The Strategist scanned those who raised their hands.
At that time, the Vice Strategist, Seol Geom, who was one of the figures holding up a hand, brought up words lowly.
“If it is not an impoliteness, may I speak first?”
The Strategist, who stared at him speaking politely, spoke indifferently.
“Speak.”
Seol Geom met eyes with the Strategist gazing at him, and smiled broadly.
“If this Alliance clashes with the Evil Black Lotus, the Flying Heaven Society will aim for that opening.”
“You pointed out what I was thinking.”
“The Vice Strategist has the same opinion as me.”
A few people stepped forward agreeing as if they had been waiting.
Seol Geom confirmed them and laughed inwardly.
Those who agreed with his words were sects located close to the Flying Heaven Society.
‘It is flowing according to plan.’
He had great ambition.
His dream was to become the Strategist and manipulate the Martial Alliance with his own hands.
And in order to achieve that dream, a war breaking out and showcasing his brain was also a good opportunity, but…
‘There is something to do before that.’
There was an order.
And what he needed to hasten first and foremost in the current situation was none other than.
‘Bringing down the Strategist.’
Seol Geom glared at the Strategist and spoke.
“By any chance, doesn’t the Strategist have a separate reason for trying to cause a war?”
In an instant, everyone’s gaze gathered.
Seol Geom smiled faintly at their gazes and flashed his two eyes coldly.
The Strategist looked at such Seol Geom and asked with a still tranquil face.
“What do you mean?”
“It is because I have doubts since the Strategist has pursued peace until now, but suddenly pushes for war. Could it be that you are trying to gain profits through this war…”
“Do not needlessly beat around the bush, and say what you want to say.”
When the Strategist spoke directly, Seol Geom opened his mouth as if he had waited.
“Isn’t it your ulterior motive to intentionally cause a war between this Alliance and the Evil Black Lotus, in order to grow the forces of the Flying Heaven Society?”