Chapter 83: Chapter 83
Inside the pavilion where the Zhongnan Sect was staying.
In the innermost room among them, the master of the room, Cheong-uja, and an old man with pure white hair and white eyebrows were looking at each other.
The old man’s appearance was quite unique, as he was wearing a worn-out Daoist robe patched with quite old cloth several times.
At a glance, the comparison with Cheong-uja in his expensive silk Daoist robe was palpable.
“It has been a while.”
At the old Daoist’s words, Cheong-uja bowed very politely and cupped his hands in greeting.
“I apologize for calling you in a hurry.”
“It is fine. Thanks to you, it is good to see the faces of the children in the Murim Alliance as well.”
When the old Daoist, Zhongnan Sword Saint, replied softly, Cheong-uja raised his head.
A full smile was hovering on his face as he met eyes with the Zhongnan Sword Saint.
‘If you have the Mount Hua Divine Sword, our sect has our Martial Uncle!’
He, who had to retreat humiliatingly because of the Mount Hua Divine Sword, requested help from the Zhongnan Sect, no, from the Zhongnan Sword Saint.
And he arrived.
In less than a few days.
“I read the letter.”
The Zhongnan Sword Saint said softly.
“Is everything written there true?”
“That is correct.”
“Do you mean that the Mount Hua Sect is trying to extort our sect’s pavilion, and that the Mount Hua Divine Sword pressured you?”
“Yes.”
At Cheong-uja’s resolute answer, the Zhongnan Sword Saint stroked his beard once.
“I cannot understand. The Mount Hua Sect was not a place with such a narrow mind…….”
Cheong-uja, who was looking at the Zhongnan Sword Saint who closed his eyes gently as if he was slightly shaken, thought this was the time and hastily added his words.
“As Martial Uncle knows, for a long time, the Mount Hua Sect has not looked favorably upon our sect gaining fame.”
The Zhongnan Sword Saint wore a bitter smile.
It was an irrefutable statement.
Just as he said, the current rift between the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect was as deep as it could get.
“In the end, can it not be helped?”
After briefly making a somewhat complicated expression, he slowly stood up from his seat.
“I will have to meet them myself.”
Meanwhile, the pavilion of the Mount Hua Sect was murmuring.
Especially among them, Hyeon-do showed an excessive reaction, narrowing his brow as soon as he heard that the Zhongnan Sword Saint had arrived at the Alliance.
“Are you saying the Zhongnan Sword Saint has come?”
He had also heard the rumors about the Zhongnan Sword Saint well, so he was a great hero he admired.
However.
‘To visit at this time of all times…….’
When the wrinkles on his forehead deepened.
“It seems the Zhongnan Sect called him.”
Cheon-hwi tossed out the words lightly.
Cheon-hwi, who said the words everyone couldn’t bear to let out of their mouths, twisted his lips with an excited expression.
“It looks like they are going to have a proper bout.”
The absolute master of the Zhongnan Sect who kicked out the strong Mount Hua Sect from Shaanxi to the second-in-command.
The annihilation of the Plum Blossom Sword Hero and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen played a part, but no matter how one looked at it, the existence of the Zhongnan Sword Saint accounted for more than half of the reason why the Zhongnan Sect maintained its prosperity until now.
‘His skills would be around the level of the Lord of White Ghost Castle, right? Or below that…….’
Around the time he was expecting it.
‘No, is he higher?’
Cheon-hwi corrected his thoughts.
It was because he felt a massive presence getting closer to this place.
“Everyone, step back.”
As if Hyeon-do also felt it, he pushed Hyeon-jin and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen back and approached the door.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me.”
An answer came as if waiting, and the old man in the worn-out Daoist robe entered.
And behind the old Daoist, the Daoists of the Zhongnan Sect, including Cheong-uja, followed.
Hyeon-do, who was looking at the Daoists coming in like a swarm of bees in an instant, frowned.
“Are you trying to start a war or something?”
“That is correct.”
Cheong-uja spoke in a confident tone while puffing out his chest.
When he first met Hyeon-do, he had been cowering to the fullest, but now it was different.
It was because he had someone to believe in.
And that someone to believe in was.
“Martial Uncle.”
At Cheong-uja’s words and glance, the old Daoist who had been watching quietly took a step forward.
“It is the first time we meet like this.”
He smiled flawlessly and purely.
His smile was as benevolent and soft as that of the Supreme Venerable Sovereign.
“I am called Go Hyeon.”
Hyeon-do’s eyes narrowed.
He had expected it since the Daoists of the Zhongnan Sect came, but it was just as he thought.
‘Zhongnan Sword Saint!’
Hardening his eyes, he thought of his seniority with the Zhongnan Sword Saint and politely cupped his hands.
“……I am Hyeon-do.”
Like that, the two exchanged greetings, but.
“That person is…….”
“The Zhongnan Sword Saint.”
Those listening stiffened their bodies in tension.
It was because those two who were making eye contact right now were the very figures representing the current Mount Hua Sect and Zhongnan Sect.
While the two stared at each other for a long time like that, the Zhongnan Sword Saint stepped back first.
After that, he started speaking.
“Until before, I thought the rumors related to you were exaggerated. But seeing you in person, it is true.”
It seemed the Zhongnan Sword Saint spoke lightly, but the shock caused by it was immense.
Especially, the shock received by the Daoists of the Zhongnan Sect was to an astonishing degree.
“If Martial Uncle speaks to that extent, does that mean the rumor was not an exaggeration?”
“Then did he really… the White Ghost Castle……?”
When the Daoists of the Zhongnan Sect swallowed their breaths.
“For an expert like you to appear from the Mount Hua Sect, it is a great blessing for Jianghu.”
The Zhongnan Sword Saint rejoiced.
It was an appearance of pure rejoicing as if he didn’t know the current relationship between the Zhongnan Sect and the Mount Hua Sect.
However, that was also brief.
“I heard this story from my Martial Nephew.”
The atmosphere that was good until just a moment ago vanished without a trace, and a sense of pressure was felt around the Zhongnan Sword Saint.
“I heard that you are trying to take the pavilion where our sect is staying.”
Hyeon-do’s eyebrows wriggled.
“What do you mean by that? We have never tried to take it.”
“……You have never tried to take it?”
“Martial Uncle!”
Cheong-uja hurriedly tried to interrupt, but.
“Cheong-u.”
The Zhongnan Sword Saint turned his head, stopped him from speaking, and then watched Hyeon-do again.
“Speak.”
“The Murim Alliance gave it to our sect.”
“From the Alliance……?”
The Zhongnan Sword Saint’s expression changed.
His soft expression shattered, and instead, sharpness settled all over his face.
“Can I know well what the situation is?”
“Thanks to our sect completing missions and accumulating accomplishments in the Alliance, they said they would return the pavilion our sect originally stayed in.”
“You mean that was our sect’s pavilion.”
“That is correct.”
The Zhongnan Sword Saint snapped his head and stared at Cheong-uja with a displeased expression.
“It is different from the story I heard from you.”
“It is all a lie! They cannot have our sect’s pavilion with the missions they accomplished. It is also what we obtained through missions spanning several years…….”
When Cheong-uja poured out words mixed with deep appeals while feeling wronged.
“Eying, tsk tsk. I wonder if you Daoists are starved for a fight.”
At the voice suddenly heard, everyone’s gaze gathered over the wall.
An old beggar wearing a dirty sackcloth was there.
“Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect!”
“Why is the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect here?!”
When everyone fell into confusion without distinguishing between the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect at Dragon Pearl Beggar’s appearance.
‘Why did that guy come?’
Cheon-hwi stared at Dragon Pearl Beggar.
He knew he had come, but he didn’t know he would reveal himself openly.
[Have you been well.]
At that time, his sound transmission knocked on his ears.
[Why did you come here?]
[Heoheo. Why do you think I came?]
In an instant, Cheon-hwi’s eyes squinted.
‘I was wondering who among the three you were joining hands with.’
As if that thought was right, Dragon Pearl Beggar smiled broadly, revealing his yellow teeth.
Then Dragon Pearl Beggar swiftly jumped down.
He, who moved elegantly in midair, landed in a single breath between Hyeon-do and the Zhongnan Sword Saint and chuckled.
“I thought you visited the Murim Alliance after a long time, but did you come to have a fight or something?”
“It somehow turned out that way.”
“Did I not tell you before? Biased information will deceive your eyes and ears.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar and the Zhongnan Sword Saint conversed as if they were close friends.
“Are you saying my Martial Nephew’s words are wrong?”
“That is right.”
At the words Dragon Pearl Beggar tossed out lightly.
“That is nonsense! How could they annihilate the Water Dragon Stronghold with that number of people?”
Cheong-uja flared up.
However, even after hearing such words, Dragon Pearl Beggar ignored him while picking his ear.
“To try and deceive others with a shallow trick about a fact that will be known in just a few days.”
“Are you taking their side because the Beggars’ Sect recently joined hands with the Mount Hua Sect?”
“Oho.”
The corners of Dragon Pearl Beggar’s mouth went up.
“For a Daoist, your information network is good.”
The Daoists of the Zhongnan Sect, who didn’t know what to do at the appearance of the Beggars’ Sect Leader, gritted their teeth.
“You were in cahoots!”
“No wonder you appeared!”
When they exploded with resentment.
“Mount Hua has joined hands with the Beggars’ Sect.”
A loud voice was heard from behind.
At the same time, about a dozen Daoists wearing black and white Daoist robes slowly walked in.
It was precisely the Wudang Sect.
“Daoist Friend Mok Yeong!”
At the appearance of the Wudang Sect, Cheong-uja’s stiff expression loosened and brightened.
“I am sorry for being late.”
The middle-aged Daoist at the head of the Daoists approached with a bright smile.
“No, I am just thankful you came.”
Cheon-hwi narrowed his brow as he looked at the situation that was getting increasingly complicated.
Anyway, Jianghu was about the strong being supreme.
But what kind of sight was this now?
Since they were only testing the waters with each other.
‘It would end if we just fought a bout.’
He was frustrated to the point of dying.
Why did they have so many words?
Couldn’t they just see it to the end?
‘Fight already.’
When Cheon-hwi looked at them with a pathetic gaze, Mok Yeong-ja approached the three.
“I am Mok Yeong of Wudang. I never thought I would meet the great hero Wind and Cloud Divine Beggar and the great hero Mount Hua Divine Sword in one place like this.”
Dragon Pearl Beggar grumbled at those words.
“What Wind and Cloud Divine Beggar. I know everything about being called the Eccentric Beggar behind my back.”
“Haha.”
Mok Yeong-ja, who couldn’t bear to retort and laughed awkwardly, lowered his cupped fists.
Having finished his formal greetings, he glared at Dragon Pearl Beggar and Hyeon-do and moved his lips.
“More than that, I heard a moment ago that the Beggars’ Sect and the Mount Hua Sect joined hands.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Is it true?”
“You know well.”
“That is so.”
At Dragon Pearl Beggar and Hyeon-do’s answers, Mok Yeong-ja hardened his face and stood next to Cheong-uja.
“Then our sect will be with the Zhongnan Sect.”
A short but thick declaration of war followed.
At the same time, they split into two factions.
Meanwhile, Cheon-hwi frowned while looking at the two factions that were staying still after making the declaration of war.
‘So when are you going to fight?’
Continuing to look like they would fight or not fight looked like a children’s fight.
At that time.
“You are noisy!”
At the atmosphere that was gradually heating up, Dragon Pearl Beggar shouted with an annoyed expression.
“If you are going to do this, how about rather deciding this matter with a public duel?”
At that moment, everyone froze.
“What?”
“A public duel?”
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