Chapter 61: Chapter 61
“So what?”
Cheon-hwi stared at Dragon Pearl Beggar.
Seeing the skill with which he handled his internal energy just now and the speed at which he concealed it, he had thought he wouldn’t be ordinary.
‘I didn’t know he was the Beggars’ Sect Leader, though.’
However, there was not even that much of an impression.
“Because you’re the Beggars’ Sect Leader, you want me to quickly bow my head?”
“Y-young hero?!”
Seol Geom was shocked by Cheon-hwi’s indifferent reply, but Dragon Pearl Beggar, the person in question, was satisfied and nodded his head heavily.
“Indeed, a martial artist of the Jianghu should have such spirit.”
“Sigh. I don’t know anymore now.”
Seol Geom, caught between the two, shook his head and stepped back as if his head ached.
“You thought well. Go away.”
“Sigh, when should I come back?”
“You can come back after one meal’s time.”
Nodding his head, Seol Geom approached Cheon-hwi and whispered in his ear.
“Will it be alright?”
Cheon-hwi glared straight at Seol Geom.
“If it’s not alright, what will you do for me?”
“That’s…… I apologize.”
Seol Geom smiled bitterly.
“More importantly, there are no other places that called for me besides here, right?”
“This is the last. After this, I intend to guide the young hero to the Mount Hua Sect’s residence where you will stay while you are at the Murim Alliance.”
“Then that’s fine.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“I didn’t understand, though.”
“Haha.”
Smiling awkwardly, Seol Geom glanced at Dragon Pearl Beggar.
“But if by chance the elder changes his mind, it might be delayed…….”
“No, don’t worry about that.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar cut him off firmly.
“That is a relief, then.”
Seol Geom said with an exhausted face.
“Then I will take my leave.”
The moment Seol Geom went up the stairs and, a short while later, his presence was felt leaving the door, Dragon Pearl Beggar opened his mouth.
“Then, shall we start the conversation now.”
Instantly, the atmosphere in the room changed.
“First of all…….”
Dragon Pearl Beggar, who spoke while hesitating, took out a scroll from his embrace.
After that, he rolled it out on the floor.
Roll…
Dragon Pearl Beggar pointed his index finger at the long unrolled scroll paper and said.
“Read this.”
Cheon-hwi’s gaze calmly scanned the densely written text.
‘This is?’
He half-closed his eyes and glared at Dragon Pearl Beggar.
“……It’s information about me?”
“That’s right.”
From the Five Sacred Mountains Gathering five years ago to the recent incident at the White Ghost Castle.
Then he flinched at the text written at the end.
That he stayed at the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion and that Jeok-geom and Seol Ran received his teachings.
Even details that would be hard to know unless one was a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect were written down in detail.
“So why did you show this to me?”
Cheon-hwi’s voice sank coldly.
Thinking that Dragon Pearl Beggar in front of him knew about him in detail didn’t make him feel that good.
“This is all the information about you that I’ve gathered so far.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar scratched the back of his head with an expression of dissatisfaction.
For a moment, scattering dandruff everywhere, he openly clicked his tongue and stared at Cheon-hwi.
“If it were an ordinary martial artist, I prided myself on being able to gather all the incidents that happened from the time they were born until now, but finding out about you was almost as hard as finding out about an imperial figure, so I suffered quite a bit.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar’s expression was reluctant.
Since Junior Beggar gave him information about Cheon-hwi, he had tried to gather information thoroughly, but that much was all he could get.
“The reason I called you was because I wanted to properly confirm about you. I wanted to know exactly who you were to speak so confidently between the Mount Hua Divine Sword and the Flying Swallow Sword Lord, and what kind of martial arts you possessed to completely smash the main gate of the White Ghost Castle in a single move. And also why someone is trying to erase the information about you.”
“You speak complicatedly, but in the end, it means you wanted to know my real skills, right?”
“To put it briefly, yes.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar smiled awkwardly and rolled up the unrolled scroll again.
“And I confirmed enough today.”
The moment those words ended, a surprising thing happened.
Fwoosh…
Fire flared up from the scroll Dragon Pearl Beggar was holding in his hand.
It was the Samadhi True Fire.
“With this, information about you does not exist in the world except in my head.”
Cheon-hwi wore a slightly surprised look in his eyes.
His pupils did not shake, and his breathing was steady, showing there were no lies in his words.
“What is the reason you are doing this?”
The answer popped out immediately.
“By destroying this information, I hope you will forget the discord between the Mount Hua Sect and the Beggars’ Sect surrounding the Plum Blossom Sword Hero.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar, who was speaking, blew the ashes away and met his gaze.
‘What? It was like that?’
Cheon-hwi immediately grasped the situation.
Cutting off the bud of a grudge that would become complicated in the future.
Wasn’t such a proposal something that happened occasionally within the Heavenly Demon Cult in the past?
But a doubt arose.
“But why are you doing this now? There should have been plenty of opportunities to settle the discord before.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar burst into loud laughter.
“Just as you said, there were many opportunities to settle it at any time. But there was no need to do so back then.”
“You looked down on us quite a bit.”
“Because that’s how it was back then.”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
Dragon Pearl Beggar did not hide at all that he had underestimated the Mount Hua Sect.
As if it was a matter of course.
‘Still, they are the same Nine Great Sects and One Gang, to think they would ignore them to this extent.’
He had vaguely felt that the Mount Hua Sect’s prestige had fallen to the ground, but he didn’t think it would be to this extent.
“Then are you saying it’s different now?”
Cheon-hwi asked while staring at Dragon Pearl Beggar.
The reason he invited him was simple.
Whether there was enough value to settle the discord with the Mount Hua Sect or not.
He had intended to confirm it directly.
“Of course it’s different. There’s the Mount Hua Divine Sword who destroyed the White Ghost Castle, and you are here, so how could it not be different? On top of that, the Alliance’s circumstances are complicated…….”
Dragon Pearl Beggar scratched his greasy hair with a deeply complicated expression.
“Before the Mount Hua Sect grows stronger, I should quickly eliminate the seed of discord that might sprout.”
“Your decision is faster than I thought. I thought you would test the waters a bit more.”
“Originally, I intended to do that.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar stared straight at Cheon-hwi.
“Since you saw through the Flying Heaven Footwork, there was no longer a need to do so.”
“Flying Heaven Footwork?”
Cheon-hwi stroked his chin and recalled the lightfoot technique that had suddenly popped out from below.
“Ah, that bizarre movement art?”
“Did you see through the true body without even knowing what the Flying Heaven Footwork was?”
“There was nothing to call a true body.”
“What does that……. No. Never mind.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar said, shaking his head in disgust.
“Then with this, the deal is done. Now there is no discord between Mount Hua and the Beggars’ Sect.”
“I don’t know what others besides me will think, though.”
Cheon-hwi poured cold water on him.
However, Dragon Pearl Beggar chuckled with an expression that seemed to ask what he meant.
“Perhaps Mount Hua will absolutely not be able to express an opinion different from yours.”
* * *
After parting with Dragon Pearl Beggar after completing the deal, Cheon-hwi arrived at the pavilion where the Taoists of the Mount Hua Sect stayed, guided by Seol Geom.
“If there are any problems, please come find me.”
Seol Geom greeted Cheon-hwi and left.
“……This is the Mount Hua Sect’s residence?”
Cheon-hwi muttered with a dissatisfied face as he looked at the pavilion right in front of him.
The pavilion was dilapidated and gloomy.
It looked like an abandoned pavilion after being used.
It compared to the other pavilions he had seen while walking down the street with Seol Geom.
‘Are you saying the Mount Hua Sect’s position in the Murim Alliance is at this level right now?’
Around the time Cheon-hwi was glaring at the pavilion.
“Hmm?”
A voice came from above.
When he raised his head, a familiar face was smiling brightly on the second floor of the pavilion.
“Isn’t this Cheon-hwi!”
A middle-aged man with a tired complexion jumped down.
At that moment, the plum blossom-shaped sword tassel on his waist fluttered.
It was a tassel worn only by Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
He, who landed lightly in front of Cheon-hwi with smooth movements, smiled brightly.
“I received a letter that you were coming, but you arrived faster than I thought.”
“It’s been a long time since I saw you.”
Cheon-hwi also greeted him back.
He was Hyeon-jin, who had been sent to oversee the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
“Heoheo. You’ve grown taller again.”
Hyeon-jin smiled as he looked up at Cheon-hwi.
He had been leading the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and staying mostly at the Murim Alliance for a long time, but he was a person who occasionally returned to Mount Hua to exchange greetings.
“But I heard that Senior Brother Hyeon-do was coming along with you…….”
“Senior Martial Uncle went to meet the Murim Alliance Leader.”
“Is that so.”
Hyeon-jin’s forehead deepened.
“……Then he might stay there continuously.”
He muttered and let out a sigh.
“Sigh. We wanted to receive help, but it can’t be helped.”
Speaking bitterly, he turned his head and smiled as he looked at Cheon-hwi.
“But this is good timing. The Plum Blossom Swordsmen have all returned and are eating a meal. Especially, Cheon Yu (類) has been constantly looking forward to meeting you.”
‘Cheon Yu?’
Cheon-hwi racked his brain.
Then he remembered the Taoist name.
“You mean the Eldest Senior Brother?”
Hyeon-jin nodded his head.
“Let’s go.”
Cheon-hwi followed Hyeon-jin, who was leading the way, toward the pavilion. Stepping on the creaking floor, Cheon-hwi’s eyebrows twitched.
‘This is a residence? It’s a ruin, isn’t it?’
As he continued walking while looking disapprovingly at the condition of the dilapidated pavilion that was worse than an inn, Hyeon-jin stopped.
“It’s here.”
Rattle…
When the closed door was opened, people sitting around a large round table were visible.
“You’re her……. Hmm? Junior Brother Hwi?”
A tall, handsome young Taoist who was greeting them as the representative suddenly stood up from his seat.
At those words, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen who were eating also looked at Cheon-hwi with surprised eyes.
“Junior Brother Hwi?”
“Is it really Junior Brother Hwi?”
The eyes of the four Plum Blossom Swordsmen sitting down widened.
They burst into surprise at the appearance of a sturdy young man completely different from the Cheon-hwi they knew.
“Is your body better?”
“Are you alright now?”
Soon, when their commotion was about to grow louder.
“Everyone, be quiet.”
The young Taoist who had stood up earlier spoke forcefully, putting an end to the commotion.
‘That person seems to be the Eldest Senior Brother.’
The person predicted to be Cheon Yu walked over.
“You worked hard coming here. Ah, right! Now is not the time for this. You must be hungry from coming all the way here, so take a seat on an empty chair.”
As he said, Cheon-hwi, who was indeed hungry, sat on the chair Cheon Yu pointed to.
“Junior Brother, it’s been a while.”
“Is your body alright now?”
Around the time everyone welcomed him as soon as he sat down.
“I know everyone has a lot of questions, but restrain yourselves. Wouldn’t fatigue have piled up for Junior Brother Hwi during the journey to the Murim Alliance?”
Cheon Yu stopped them.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen made regretful expressions but soon focused on their meal again.
It was an astonishingly fast control of the situation.
‘To follow his words so obediently, he seems to have quite a bit of popularity, doesn’t he?’
He stealthily looked at Cheon Yu.
As if feeling his gaze, he glanced back and smiled with his eyes.
‘Well, let’s just eat for now.’
Cheon-hwi immediately picked up his chopsticks.
A short while later, after finishing the meal.
“Junior Brother Hwi.”
Cheon Yu approached.
He spoke one step ahead of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen who were eagerly waiting to talk with Cheon-hwi in the surroundings.
“Follow me. I’ll show you the room you’ll be staying in while you’re at the Murim Alliance.”
Cheon Yu, who guided him to the room at the very end among the numerous rooms on the second floor, glanced to the side and spoke.
“This room is the room you will stay in, Junior Brother. And my room is right across, so if anything happens, come find me anytime.”
Cheon Yu, who spoke with a faint smile, entered his room.
Cheon-hwi, who was watching, also entered the assigned room and lay down on the bed.
Thud…
‘At least there’s a bed.’
As he lay down, his eyes slowly closed.
Rustle…
Cheon-hwi, who had been sleeping for a long time, flinched.
‘This presence is.’
In the middle of the quiet night where all directions were silent, Cheon-hwi slowly opened his eyes at the approaching presence.
“Junior Brother, are you awake?”
He turned his head at the voice.
On the windowsill bathed in moonlight, Cheon Yu was shaking a small liquor bottle and spoke.
“How about it? Do you want to have a drink too, Junior Brother?”
Enjoyed the chapter?
If you like our work, consider supporting us on Ko-fi. This site solely runs on donations. Every donation helps us keep translating!
Support on Ko-fi