Chapter 263: Chapter 263
Jade Qilin Il-gwang.
As one of the world’s Three Great Rising Stars, he was a masterpiece and a jade stone that the Wudang Sect of the current generation had devoted all their heart and blood into carving.
‘This is unexpected.’
He had heard from the Military Strategist that the Jade Qilin was currently busy recruiting personnel for the detached force.
However, for him to come all the way here personally in such a busy situation meant…
‘He must have some sort of purpose.’
When Cheon-hwi looked at him piercingly.
“Nice to meet you.”
Just then, the Jade Qilin raised his head.
With refreshing facial features and an imposing physique, he had a smile playing on his lips.
If nothing else, his smiling appearance alone suited his nickname, the Jade Qilin, extremely well.
Cheon-hwi opened his mouth.
“What brings you all the way here?”
It was a straightforward question.
‘Rather than annoyingly beating around the bush, it is better to just ask.’
Perhaps not expecting him to ask right away as soon as they exchanged greetings, the Jade Qilin’s face showed a slight hint of surprise before quickly calming down.
“I came just to see the face of a fellow Taoist who has become a squad leader of a detached force like this poor Taoist.”
The Jade Qilin answered amiably.
“As squad leaders of the detached forces, wouldn’t it be better to get acquainted quickly since we are at it?”
He spoke with goodwill.
From now on, weren’t they comrades who would fight together in the all-out war against the Four Black Alliances?
Making the judgment that there was nothing bad about getting close to each other, he had carved out some time to come visit.
However, there was something he had overlooked.
It was the fact that he had come without figuring out about Cheon-hwi, the very opponent he was speaking to.
“Then since you’ve seen my face, we are all done.”
Cheon-hwi answered nonchalantly.
Thoughts of getting close?
There was no such thing from the very beginning.
“Then shouldn’t you get going now? I am going to recruit personnel from now on, so I’m a bit busy.”
At Cheon-hwi’s blunt words, the Jade Qilin’s expression became dyed with bewilderment. It was a treatment he was receiving for the first time in his life.
He had been welcomed wherever he went, but to receive such a cold shoulder at the door.
‘His atmosphere is very different from the rumors.’
The Jade Qilin narrowed his eyes.
He was someone he had heard about until his ears hurt.
The Savior of Shaanxi.
The rising star of Jianghu who had defeated the Green Forest Great Emperor.
And the person that his own sect had recently been crying out for him to keep in check.
‘Plum Blossom Divine Hero…’
His pupils looking at Cheon-hwi endlessly deepened, emitting a brilliant light.
He observed him meticulously in order to figure him out, but he simply could not know what was inside.
Even though he was right in front of him, it was completely dark, as if he was looking into an abyss.
‘…I don’t know.’
The Jade Qilin soon shook his head.
“Haha, you are shy with strangers.”
Reaching his own conclusion, the Jade Qilin wore a smile and politely assumed a fist cupping salute.
“Then I will see you later.”
With those words, he stepped back without even listening to Cheon-hwi’s reply.
‘Since I achieved my purpose anyway.’
Thinking that it was enough to have personally seen Cheon-hwi, who was full of rumors, he immediately exited the pavilion.
Meanwhile, Cheon-hwi watched the Jade Qilin moving away just like that.
‘His martial prowess is outstanding, though.’
His gaze pierced through the Jade Qilin.
The subtle internal energy flowing from his entire body was intense and fierce, as if to show that he wasn’t called the Jade Qilin for nothing.
In particular, the depth of his internal energy was considerable.
As if the Wudang Sect had fed him every single elixir they had, the depth of his internal energy was immeasurably vast and deep.
‘He is even better than that guy called the Heavenly Dragon.’
Zhuge Myeong of the Zhuge Clan, who was also called one of the Three Great Rising Stars, was inferior compared to the Jade Qilin’s internal energy.
‘He has indeed surpassed the level of a rising star.’
The internal energy and aura showing implicitly.
It was a state that had already transcended the mold of a rising star.
However, that was it.
‘His head is a complete flower garden.’
Thinking poorly of him, Cheon-hwi muttered inwardly.
Because the Wudang Sect had raised him with such extreme care, he was boundlessly pure and clear.
It might be a good disposition in times of peace, but in the current situation, it was the worst.
Jianghu was, after all, a world of mountains of blades and forests of swords that crossed the boundary between life and death.
One was prone to losing their life not only to weapons, but also to three inches of tongue and trickery.
But the leader was pure?
Where would there be anything as terrifying as that?
‘He’s steeped in peace.’
Around the time Cheon-hwi clicked his tongue with a ‘Tsk’.
“Huh?”
He felt presences approaching from outside.
This time, it wasn’t just one.
Many presences numbering at least in the dozens.
Cheon-hwi’s gaze headed toward the main gate.
Dust suddenly rose at the main gate that the Jade Qilin had long since exited.
And a moment later, dozens of people began to rush over the gate, vying with each other.
“P-Please pick me!”
“Little Taoist!”
* * *
A moment later, the front of the pavilion became completely filled with numerous people.
“This is more than expected?”
Cheon-hwi stared at the procession that continued to line up outside the wide-open main gate.
Just how long that procession was, it was to the extent that the end simply could not be seen.
“Let’s see.”
Cheon-hwi looked around the gathered people.
Most of those standing in line were rising stars wearing martial uniforms he was seeing for the first time.
Because they were young experts who had not yet taken on important roles in their sects, they seemed to have no hesitation in challenging such a detached force.
‘Are they roughly around the first-rate level?’
Cheon-hwi skimmed through with his eyes and gauged their martial prowess.
He stroked his chin.
They were skills that he didn’t like.
However, it couldn’t be helped.
If they were the best rising stars produced by each sect, they would already be in the Three Squads and Four Units, or they would be taking on important roles in their sects.
‘Still, there are some useful guys.’
Cheon-hwi’s eyes captured a few individuals.
As if it wasn’t just a gathering of riffraff, the auras of a few were outstanding.
‘There are almost none from the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.’
It was as expected.
Those who came from the Nine Great Sects and One Gang actually had auras that were lighter and weaker than the other martial artists.
If there was anyone who caught his eye at least.
‘The Beggars’ Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, and that person?’
Cheon-hwi’s gaze caught the three people in turn.
A dirty-looking beggar wearing ragged clothes as if revealing himself to be from the Beggars’ Sect, and beside him, a young Taoist draped in the Taoist robe of the Zhongnan Sect, quietly lost in thought.
And a Taoist from the Qingcheng Sect exuding a gloomy atmosphere from his entire body.
‘There are also some among the remaining people.’
While he was looking at the people lined up like that for a long time, a few people stirred greatly.
“When is it starting?”
“It would be great if they hurried up and did it.”
They were getting antsy.
Naturally so, since they had already heard that the Jade Qilin’s detached force had filled up most of its personnel, they were in a state tinged with anxiety.
“I absolutely have to pass this…”
“I bet everything on this.”
Determination gathered in their eyes.
The detached force that would step forward to the front lines.
It was certainly a matter that endangered one’s life, but there were things to be gained as much as that.
A smile hovered on Cheon-hwi’s lips as he watched them, who seemed to be from different sects, burning with enthusiasm to the fullest.
And soon, he moved his lips.
“Nice to meet you all.”
A calm voice flowed out.
However, the expressions of those who heard it were engulfed in admiration and astonishment.
Naturally so, because the current voice dug into everyone’s minds as if whispering right in their ears.
‘Tremendous internal energy manipulation!’
‘Were the rumors not exaggerated…!’
‘I made a good choice picking the Plum Blossom Divine Hero over the Jade Qilin!’
Around the time everyone trembled and was drenched in joy at the skill Cheon-hwi lightly showcased.
“It is good that you came to become the detached force, but there is exactly one thing you must keep.”
The moment Cheon-hwi finished speaking, everyone swallowed dry saliva.
Their gazes seemed to ask what it was that they had to keep for him to take so much time like this.
Cheon-hwi grinned and continued his words.
“You must follow my orders no matter what they are. Even if it means walking into the flames. If you cannot do that, you can leave right this instant.”
Everyone’s tension completely unravelled.
“Phew, I thought it was some big deal.”
“If it’s just that…”
They looked at each other and laughed.
It was a matter of stepping forward to the front lines.
Naturally, they had to bear that much.
“Hmm, then I will consider that everyone has agreed. If you refuse an order…”
Cheon-hwi, stopping his words, half-closed his eyes.
“Be prepared when that time comes.”
Everyone’s hearts sank.
Around the time a few were rethinking whether their current choice might be wrong.
“Let’s have the two people over there come first.”
Cheon-hwi immediately wiggled his finger.
The two young men standing at the very front of the main gate hurriedly ran over as if they had been waiting.
They tensed up while looking at Cheon-hwi.
‘This person is the Plum Blossom Divine Hero…’
‘The person who defeated the Green Forest Great Emperor.’
The two burst into admiration inwardly.
The Cheon-hwi reflected in their eyes was a much too dazzling existence.
Although he looked to be around the same age as them, it was said that he had defeated a peerless expert named the Green Forest Great Emperor, so how could marveling not come out?
In the atmosphere that was becoming silent.
“Huh? What are you doing? Aren’t you going to introduce yourselves?”
Cheon-hwi spoke as if casually tossing the words.
At that, the two were startled and stood up straight, shouting loudly.
“I am Ga Go Jeong of the Solitary Shadow Sect!”
“I am Na Jung-hwan of the Sungmu Sect!”
Cheon-hwi quietly watched the two who spat out resounding shouts.
At such a gaze, the two flinched and tensed up while making various imaginations in their heads about what kind of test they would take.
Just how long did he stare like that?
Cheon-hwi looked at the two and grinned.
“You are eliminated. Both of you can leave.”
At the sudden notification, the two stayed blankly with dumbfounded expressions before reacting belatedly.
“E-Eliminated, you say!”
“W-What do you mean by that?”
Cheon-hwi, watching the two shouting while dyeing their faces red, picked his ear and made a hand gesture to leave as if he was annoyed.
“Eliminated is eliminated. Leave.”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, Ga Go Jeong clenched his teeth tightly and trembled his eyes.
“What is the reason?”
“Because I feel like it.”
“What is that?!”
“Does that even make any sense?”
Cheon-hwi, who was watching the two shouting almost as if they were having a seizure, spoke nonchalantly.
“If you are upset, you can become the squad leader yourselves.”
“…”
Ga Go Jeong lost his words.
A moment later, he trembled and then…
“Understood!”
Grinding his teeth, he immediately turned his body.
“The rumors were false rumors. Because the Plum Blossom Divine Hero was said to be an amazing person, I ran here first rather than to the Jade Qilin’s unit, but to think I would suffer such a sight.”
As he left, he kept shouting as if to let the other people hear.
“You will regret this later!”
Cheon-hwi, watching him leave while pouring out curses until the end, waved his hand dismissively.
“I got it, so shouldn’t you hurry and go?”
“…Eek!”
When Ga Go Jeong kicked the innocent ground.
“Great Hero.”
Na Jung-hwan, who had not yet abandoned his lingering attachment, called Cheon-hwi with a calm attitude.
“Is that really the only reason why this lowly one was eliminated?”
“Yes.”
“…”
In an instant, Na Jung-hwan’s brows crumpled.
He too had come here drawn by the fame of the Plum Blossom Divine Hero, so receiving such treatment made him feel entirely unpleasant.
“I am disappointed.”
Hardening his face, he turned his body.
However, Cheon-hwi didn’t even care.
Instead, he wiggled his finger while looking back at those standing in line.
“Let the next two come.”
At those words, everyone flinched.
“Could it be that there are people already predetermined?”
“Or he has already picked them?”
A few people muttered while harboring doubts.
Naturally so, since hadn’t he eliminated them right away without taking a test or even having a conversation?
While everyone was wavering like that.
“Amitabha. Excuse me, but may this little monk take the test first?”
“I will go.”
There were those who stepped forward confidently.
It was precisely the ones who had come from the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.
The monk of Shaolin and the Taoist of the Zhongnan Sect stood in front of Cheon-hwi with vigorous steps.
“Amitabha. I am Ho-yeong of Shaolin.”
“I am Go Gung of the Zhongnan Sect.”
Cheon-hwi swept his gaze over the two who stood while confidently revealing their names.
And then he immediately formed a smile.
Just when the two were confident in their passing at that smile.
“Eliminated.”
Cheon-hwi spat out words like a bolt out of the blue.
“What do you… ?!”
“Y-You say we are eliminated?”
Cheon-hwi indifferently watched the two speaking as if they couldn’t believe it, and said.
“Did you perhaps think I would pick based on your backgrounds?”
As if they had thought so, Ho-yeong and Go Gung flinched.
However, it was only for a moment; Go Gung urgently snapped out of it and spoke.
“Then why did you drop us?”
“What do you mean why.”
Cheon-hwi threw a sneer at them as they still hadn’t come to their senses.
“It is because you are not to my liking.”