Chapter 60: Chapter 60
After a short while, Cheon-hwi, who arrived at the entrance of the Murim Alliance, looked up with surprised eyes.
‘It is incredibly huge?’
Even compared to the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Murim Alliance was even more massive.
It was as if there was another castle inside Wuhan Castle.
‘So this is why the elders made such a fuss about having to strike the Central Plains. Even our Cult could not afford such luxury.’
The buildings of the Murim Alliance were incredibly covetable, as if showing that it was not for nothing that the Heavenly Demon Cult had coveted the Central Plains since the distant past.
‘Though it has nothing to do with me now.’
He finished his train of thought.
Whether they aim for the Central Plains or the Heavenly Demon Cult.
It was a matter that had absolutely nothing to do with him now, as a Daoist of the Mount Hua Sect.
‘I am busy enough just caring about the Mount Hua Sect now, so what Heavenly Demon Cult.’
Hyeon-do laughed at Cheon-hwi’s attitude of staring at the Murim Alliance with surprised eyes.
‘It is indeed surprising when you see it for the first time.’
Anyone would be bound to be overwhelmed when they first faced the Murim Alliance.
Did he not do the same as well?
“The Alliance is the same now as it was in the past.”
At the time when the two, who were briefly muttering to themselves, soon approached the giant main gate.
Clang!
The two gate guards who were guarding the main gate of the Murim Alliance crossed the long spears in their hands.
“You are from the Mount Hua Sect.”
“For what matter have you come to the Alliance?”
“I came because the Strategist called me.”
Hyeon-do handed over the letter along with his words.
The gate guard’s pupils shook while carefully looking at the letter.
“This is the Strategist’s official seal…….”
“I have verified it.”
Soon, the two withdrew their long spears with solemn expressions, standing them upright, and pushed the main gate.
Rumble…
The giant main gate opened with a loud sound, and the interior of the Murim Alliance was revealed.
‘At this level, it is practically a small castle?’
Cheon-hwi admired as he looked at the interior.
There was truly a castle inside the castle.
Numerous pavilions existed, and small streets connecting them were also everywhere.
And many people as well.
“What? The Mount Hua Divine Sword?”
“Did you say the Mount Hua Divine Sword?”
The attention of those who were near the gate was concentrated.
Those wearing various martial arts uniforms and Daoist robes were stiffened like stone statues in the exact posture they were walking in, as if their feet had taken root in the ground.
‘We are a complete spectacle.’
Cheon-hwi, who felt the piercing gazes, slightly tilted his head to the side and looked at Hyeon-do.
Hyeon-do already seemed slightly flustered by the gazes focused on him.
‘He cannot gather his senses, so what should I do.’
While thinking of a way to overcome this situation, the crowd suddenly parted.
“You have arrived.”
After a short while, a group of people appeared, breaking through the crowd.
Among those who were dressed splendidly, an elegant young man took a step toward Hyeon-do and unfolded his folding fan.
“I have been waiting.”
Cheon-hwi stared at his pupils, which were looking while covering his nose and mouth with the folding fan.
‘A sly snake is hiding.’
It was a look that clearly had ulterior motives just by looking at it.
Something unpleasant.
When he thought that, the young man’s eyes curved like crescent moons and an eye smile bloomed.
However, that was also brief as he turned his gaze and looked at Hyeon-do.
Tak!
After that, he boldly folded the folding fan in his hand and politely took a fist bow.
“This humble one is called Seol Geom (Tongue Sword), the Vice Strategist of the Murim Alliance.”
“Were you the Vice Strategist?”
At Hyeon-do’s question, Seol Geom laughed.
“That is correct.”
“……I am Hyeon-do of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“It is an honor to meet you.”
Cheon-hwi intently stared at Seol Geom.
He did not like at all that the pupils looking at him were wriggling like a snake.
‘A guy like this should be pressed down with strength.’
Did he feel the gaze at that time, as Seol Geom gave an eye smile.
“If it is not impolite, may I know the young hero’s esteemed name?”
“I am Cheon-hwi.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you. Young Hero Cheon-hwi.”
At that time.
“Vice Strategist.”
One of the party who had come seeking with him called Seol Geom.
“Why is that so?”
“As we said a little while ago, we will guide Immortal Hyeon-do.”
“……Understood.”
Seol Geom made a displeased expression but nodded his head as if he could not help it.
Afterwards, he spoke while looking at Hyeon-do.
“Immortal, you just need to accompany those people.”
Wrinkles formed on Hyeon-do’s forehead.
“Were you not the one guiding?”
“I would also like to do so, but.”
Seol Geom shrugged his shoulders while pointing to the high pavilion behind with his index finger.
“Since the esteemed people who are in that high place over there tell me to do so, what can I do? As a subordinate, should I not follow without complaints.”
Having already felt hurt by passing off this matter, he spoke bitterly.
“Ah, right! And Young Hero Cheon-hwi, you may follow me.”
In an instant, Hyeon-do’s face became fierce.
“Why are we going separately?”
Seol Geom flinched slightly at the growling voice, but he tried hard to hide it and spoke.
“The Alliance Leader and the Strategist wished to meet with the Immortal, they did not wish for a meeting with Young Hero Cheon-hwi.”
Hyeon-do’s expression distorted.
“Then why did you invite Cheon-hwi?”
“It is not the Alliance Leader, but there is someone who called Young Hero Cheon-hwi.”
“Who is it?”
Seol Geom glanced at Cheon-hwi who interrupted, and then whispered while placing the folded folding fan on his cheek.
“It is the Beggars’ Sect.”
“The Beggars’ Sect?”
Cheon-hwi scrunched his eyes.
There was only one point of contact with the Beggars’ Sect.
‘Did Junior Beggar reveal my identity?’
Perhaps having the exact same thought, two lines of wrinkles formed on Hyeon-do’s glabella.
“Why did the Beggars’ Sect call him?”
“I do not know that in detail either.”
“Why Cheon-hwi when you do not know in detail…….”
“You will find out about that when you go.”
Seol Geom spoke while looking at Cheon-hwi.
At that, when Hyeon-do glared at Seol Geom.
“We must go right away.”
The men spoke urgently.
“The Alliance Leader is waiting.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Hyeon-do, who spoke forcefully to those who were urging him, approached Cheon-hwi and whispered.
“Be especially careful so that the Beggars’ Sect does not find out about what you did.”
“I will do so.”
Hyeon-do let out a sigh.
Right now, Cheon-hwi had absolutely no idea what kind of situation would unfold if he were to be known, nor how terribly persistent a place the Beggars’ Sect was.
“Make sure to keep it in mind.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Make sure to. Truly.”
After Hyeon-do earnestly requested until the very end, he walked somewhere along with the group.
Soon, as they disappeared, Seol Geom muttered with an expression that felt relieved inside.
“Goodness truly. I need to quickly take the Strategist position, my word. Doing errands like this.”
He, who was grumbling, turned his head and gave a bright smile while looking at Cheon-hwi.
“Then shall we go too?”
* * *
“It is this place.”
“They said the Beggars’ Sect is a den of beggars, and it is exactly as those words say.”
Cheon-hwi looked at the pavilion in front with a squeamish face.
The place Seol Geom guided him to was a shabby pavilion.
Moreover, it seemed as if the cracked walls or doors would crumble if touched, given how long ago it was built.
“Hahaha. It is.”
He, who laughed awkwardly, knocked on the shabby door made of wood.
“Are you there?”
“Who is it!”
At that moment, a shrill voice burst out from inside and pierced his ears.
‘……Sound Art.’
Cheon-hwi neutralized the ear-piercing Sound Art with internal energy and immediately moved his pupils.
A sharp presence ten zhang outside was approaching quietly and secretly.
At the time when the presence grew increasingly closer.
“It is me.”
Seol Geom furrowed his brows and then shouted while blocking his ears with both hands.
“How would I know who you are if you speak like that?”
“It is Seol Geom.”
“What is it? Was it you?”
In an instant, an old man shot up from the floor.
“Yes, what brings you……. Hmm?”
The old man tilted his head while looking at Cheon-hwi standing next to Seol Geom.
“Who is this guy?”
“He is Young Hero Cheon-hwi of the Mount Hua Sect that you spoke of previously.”
“Cheon-hwi? I said that?”
The old man scratched his greasy head with fingernails stained black with dirt, and then clapped as if he belatedly remembered something.
Clap!
“Ah! You are that kid who had accompanied when the Mount Hua Divine Sword and the Flying Swallow Sword Lord tore down the White Ghost Castle.”
The old man stared intently at Cheon-hwi.
Cheon-hwi also looked at the old man.
‘He is dirty.’
His impression was simple.
The old man was the incarnation of dirtiness.
‘To the point where I do not want to go near.’
His eyes furrowed automatically.
His greasy hair was clumped together like dirt and stuck flat onto the old man’s face, and the clothing he wore was so filthy that it would be embarrassing to even call it clothing.
Step…
The old man approached one step closer.
At the foul stench that wafted over strongly, Cheon-hwi covered his nose and distorted his expression.
“The stench is severe, so could you please step away a bit?”
“What?”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, the old man opened his eyes wide and then soon burst into uproarious laughter.
“Puhahaha! Seol Geom. Did you hear what this guy just said?”
“I think it would be good if you could also shut your mouth while you are at it.”
Cheon-hwi’s glabella furrowed.
The moment he burst out laughing, a bad breath that pierced the tip of the nose pushed its way through the blocked nose and made his head throb.
“……Huh.”
The old man spoke while patting the shoulder of Seol Geom, who stood blankly as if he had lost his words.
“Hey, you guy. Did you hear? He is telling me to shut my mouth and step away right now. Puhaha!”
The old man rolled around while grabbing his belly button.
After a short while of doing so, he stopped laughing and lightly wiped the tears that flowed down the edges of his eyes.
Cheon-hwi, who watched all of those appearances, felt disgusted and tightly closed his eyes.
‘Damn it! I saw something I should not have seen!’
What flowed from his eyes were clearly tears, yet the tears that were on the finger that wiped them had already become muddy water.
“Right, so this guy is that strange Daoist my disciple talked about? He certainly is a strange guy indeed.”
The old man’s expression completely stiffened.
As if his laughing crazily until just a moment ago was a lie, he stared intently at Cheon-hwi and opened his mouth.
“……Hmm. As expected of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“What are you talking about?”
As Seol Geom, who belatedly snapped out of it, asked, the old man’s hand blade moved quickly.
Smack!
“Ack!”
Seol Geom grabbed and clutched his head.
“What are you doing?”
“How dare you try to ask a Beggars’ Sect member for information, do you not deserve to be hit.”
The old man clicked his tongue.
“Rather than that, a guest has arrived so.”
In an instant, the old man turned his body and kicked the old door behind him with his foot.
Bang!
Unlike its shabby exterior, perhaps the door was sturdy, as it opened wide and a passage appeared.
“Follow me.”
The old man went inside, and subsequently, Seol Geom followed him.
Cheon-hwi wrinkled his brow while looking at them moving further away.
He was not entirely inclined.
Just the old man who appeared was full of foul stench, so how severe would the smell be inside there.
“It seems like it will smell…….”
“Do not worry. It does not.”
At that time, a voice was heard from inside.
Having heard the whisper from this far distance, the old man turned his head and laughed.
As Cheon-hwi made an expression that was hard to believe while looking at the yellow teeth through the sparsely missing teeth, the old man tapped Seol Geom’s side with his elbow.
“Kehk. Ah, I understand.”
Seol Geom quickly added his words.
“Unlike how it looks, surprisingly it does not smell. On top of that, if you do not follow, this old geez- ah no, the Great Man will persistently follow the Young Hero around.”
Cheon-hwi’s face crumpled.
‘This is why I have loathed these terrible beggar bastards since the old days.’
His head hurt as soon as he thought about a foul-smelling old man continuously following him around.
‘Even so, it is not like I can kill him like in the past.’
He smacked his lips along with a sigh.
“I will only talk and go.”
“Understood.”
The old man said while chuckling.
That behavior was not trustworthy at all, but Cheon-hwi helplessly walked inside.
Step… Step…
Unlike the shabby exterior, the inside of the pavilion surprisingly did not seem old.
How long had he walked like that.
“It is this place.”
A staircase appeared.
At the time when Cheon-hwi was looking down with a doubtful face at the appearance of the stairs heading to the basement.
“Is it fascinating?”
The old man chuckled.
“This is the Beggars’ Sect’s Murim Alliance Branch.”
Following the old man and Seol Geom who were going down the stairs, Cheon-hwi went down subsequently.
The scenery of the basement under the stairs was surprising.
There was a quite spacious basement space that was artificially made, and at the end of that wall, three red cushions were laid out.
The old man sat down heavily on a cushion.
“Do not keep standing there tiredly, sit down here.”
The two sat on the cushions.
Cheon-hwi asked immediately as soon as he sat down.
“So why did you call me?”
“I was curious, what else.”
“About what?”
“About you.”
The old man grinned as if something was good.
“After hearing the information from my useless disciple, I was more curious about you than the Mount Hua Divine Sword.”
Seol Geom was dumbfounded.
“Did you call a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect all the way to the Murim Alliance just for that?”
“Did you just say ‘just for’?”
The old man’s voice sank heavily.
“Do you know how the Beggars’ Sect became such a large force? It is all because we were curious. Who are the masters of the Jianghu? What kind of person is he? What is that martial art? We obtained all that information and became the giant sect that the Beggars’ Sect is today.”
“…….”
Seol Geom shut his mouth.
Just as those words said, the Beggars’ Sect was a sect that made its name known as an information sect before it was part of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.
“Eing, I told you not to speak so lightly. At this rate, when will you succeed the Strategist guy……. Tsk tsk.”
The old man, who was looking at Seol Geom as if he was pathetic, turned his gaze to Cheon-hwi.
“By the way, to obediently follow without even knowing who I am, you are a truly bold guy. If I were an enemy trying to harm you, what were you planning to do?”
“Were you an enemy?”
“That is not it, but.”
“Then it is fine.”
“……You are relaxed.”
“Because I have enough reason to be.”
“Even like this?”
In an instant, the old man’s momentum changed.
The presence of the old man, who had only been laughing seemingly devoid of substance, instantly swallowed the entire underground space.
“Heup!”
Seol Geom urgently drew up his internal energy.
However, at the time when his eyes became bloodshot, as if he could not escape the old man’s oppressive feeling.
“Tsk, so it was not nonsense.”
The Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect made an expression that showed his excitement had cooled down and withdrew the momentum he had drawn up.
“Are you not being t-too harsh? He may be young, but he is a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“What do you mean, too harsh.”
The old man snorted.
“When he is perfectly fine like that.”
“Yes?”
Seol Geom quickly turned his head.
“……!”
Then he received a shock.
Large cracks had occurred around Cheon-hwi, who was sitting right next to him.
It was a crack so large that it was surprising he had not noticed it even though it happened right next to him.
Gulp…
Seol Geom’s Adam’s apple moved greatly.
“What are you doing?”
“Do you know who I am?”
“You are an old beggar.”
Cheon-hwi no longer showed courtesy. Since he had poured his internal qi onto him, he had thrown away all manners.
“Hahaha! An old beggar! That is correct too, but for some reason, the Jianghu calls me differently.”
The old man let out a laugh at that attitude.
The confidence and attitude that seemed like youthful bravado rather made him happy.
Soon, he revealed his identity.
“The Dragon Pearl Beggar (Dragon Pearl Beggar).”
In an instant, Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
The name Dragon Pearl Beggar, even he knew it. No, he could not help but know it.
A giant sect that commanded eight hundred thousand sect members.
Because the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect was none other than him.
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