Chapter 567: To Henan
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 567: To Henan
In the aftermath of the incident, the Wudang Sect was still in the midst of picking up the pieces.
Once the children had been sent away, only the Sword Queen and Drunken Beggar Woo Bong remained. The Sword Queen waited in silence for the old man to speak. Finally, looking at her, he opened his mouth.
“It has been a long time.”
How long had it been? It had to be well over ten years. The Sword Queen hadn't seen Drunken Beggar Woo Bong since the incident involving the Heavenly Dragon Army.
“It has indeed been a long time, Sect Leader.”
“Indeed. Have you been well?”
The Sword Queen offered a faint smile at his question. “You already know everything, don't you?”
“Heh heh…”
Drunken Beggar Woo Bong let out a soft chuckle at her subtly barbed words. She was right. He likely knew about most of what happened in this world. There were beggars everywhere, and every one of them served as his eyes and ears.
“I only ask out of affection and concern, so do not take it too harshly.”
The Sword Queen said nothing, simply taking a sip of her tea. Watching her, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong’s expression turned bitter.
“It seems you still resent me a great deal.”
“Not at all. A lot of time has passed.”
“Then…”
“It is just that, for the sake of my former comrades, I do not believe I can let my heart be swayed so easily.”
“...”
A different kind of chill emanated from the Sword Queen, one that hadn't been present when the children were around.
“…I see.”
Faced with this side of her, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong held his tongue as if in resignation. There was nothing more to say. At the very least, when faced with the Sword Queen, neither the Sword Venerable nor he had any right to speak.
“I thank you for how you handled the children, Sect Leader.”
“Whatever for?”
“For letting them go without pressing them further.”
She was referring to how he had allowed the children—who claimed to know nothing—to leave without further questioning. If Drunken Beggar Woo Bong had wanted to, he could have pushed them under the pretext of an interrogation. But he hadn't. It was likely a concession made for the Sword Queen's sake.
“The circumstances also lined up,” he added.
The biggest reason was that after piecing together the reports he had received in that short time, he had judged that the children were largely innocent. Furthermore…
“Besides, it was a matter I could just ask you, Soi.”
She had known from the start that Drunken Beggar Woo Bong’s business was with her. She figured he wouldn't have orchestrated such a situation otherwise. It didn't matter; in fact, it was what the Sword Queen had wanted as well.
“Before that, there is something I would like to ask, Sect Leader.”
“Speak.”
“Did you, by any chance, come all the way to Wudang because of me?”
The leader of the Beggar’s Sect was an incredibly busy man. The question of whether he had come all this way just for her had naturally occurred to her.
“Hmm.”
Hearing her, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong tilted his head for a moment before answering. “That is not the case.”
A denial.
“This matter was also a request from the Alliance Leader…”
Drunken Beggar Woo Bong trailed off, closing his mouth for a moment. It seemed there was something he shouldn't say.
“In any case… Soi. I did not come here because I had business with you.”
“I understand.”
The Sword Queen showed no particular reaction. His unfinished sentence bothered her, but she was certain she wouldn't get an answer even if she asked.
“If your question has been answered, may I get to the point?”
“Please speak. I am listening.”
Vwoom—!
As Drunken Beggar Woo Bong spoke, she felt a sound barrier being erected around them.
“Wudang was utterly shattered. So much for all their pride. What a pathetic sight.”
“…Sect Leader.” The Sword Queen’s fine brow furrowed. “People died. You should not speak of it that way.”
While Woobaek and Jicheol may not have been to her liking, she found his casual way of speaking about the dead deeply unpleasant.
“You are still as kind as ever.”
“…I am merely—”
“But if you knew what intentions they lived with, you would not be able to say such things.”
“...”
Drunken Beggar Woo Bong had always known more than others. That was still true now.
“Now, I will ask what I wanted to ask. Soi.”
“…Yes.”
“Tell me about the one who attacked Wudang. I heard you saw him up close.”
At his question, the Sword Queen felt a churning in her stomach. Just thinking about the man who had appeared so suddenly was enough to stir up uncomfortable feelings.
The blue light of his eyes, visible through the mask. The vile energy he exuded. His very presence, which made the air heavy just by standing there. He was a type of person the Sword Queen had never encountered before.
And then there were the words he had used to introduce himself.
“The Heavenly Demon…”
After hearing her story, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong whispered the title under his breath.
“Is he someone you know of?”
“It is a name I have been hearing frequently of late.”
It was a name that had been slowly creeping in from the fringes of the Central Plains. It was the name uttered by the man who had single-handedly attacked a branch of the Murim Alliance.
The Heavenly Demon. ‘The demon sent from the heavens.’
At first, he had thought some fool was pulling a ridiculous stunt, but with things escalating to this point, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong had to take it seriously. He could overlook the attack on a Murim Alliance branch, but now, an incident had occurred in the Guangdong province. And as of today, two martial artists at the Fusion Realm had lost their lives in these events.
Furthermore…
‘Wudang was attacked.’
This time, one of the Ten Sect Alliance—the Alliance Leader’s own sect—had been targeted. Worse, they had failed to capture the culprit and let him escape. From the Alliance’s perspective, it was a deeply troubling situation.
An even bigger problem was…
“You said he tamed a demon?”
“Yes. That is how it appeared.”
…the fact that this being called the Heavenly Demon was taming demons. And not just any demon, but a monster on the level of a Red Demon.
If word of this got out, the repercussions would be enormous. As it stood, they couldn't even properly tame Green Demons. The Alliance had made countless attempts, but not one had succeeded. Though experiments were still being conducted in secret, there had been no progress.
In such a situation…
‘An individual hostile to the Alliance can tame demons.’
And a Red-Grade demon at that—one that required a large number of Peak Realm martial artists just to hunt. This was not just some minorly dangerous situation.
“Besides the one called Heavenly Demon, you said there were others.”
“From what I saw, there was only one other besides the Heavenly Demon. But yes, there was.”
Before the Heavenly Demon appeared, a giant of a man had shown up at Wudang and overpowered them. He appeared to be a subordinate of the Heavenly Demon and had referred to him as "Cult Leader."
“Cult Leader, is it…”
Drunken Beggar Woo Bong focused on that word. It was a term not often used in the Central Plains anymore. From that word and the situation she described, one thing was clear.
‘He is not alone. He has a faction, and that faction is by no means small.’
And.
‘They hold clear animosity toward the Murim Alliance.’
Having organized his thoughts, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong sighed inwardly.
Of all the times for this to happen.
This was an era of great change, an era of upheaval. For such a being to appear now… if he were just some nobody, he would have dismissed it, but…
‘She said he was in the Transcendent Realm.’
If the Sword Queen, of all people, judged it so, it was highly likely to be true. A martial artist who had surpassed the Fusion Realm and reached the Transcendent Realm was a different story altogether. They were the transcendent masters, of whom there were not even twenty in the Central Plains.
Some lived quietly, having left the secular world behind. Some lived while hiding their power, and others did the opposite, displaying it to uphold the rule of the strong. But they all had one thing in common: they were all treated as walking natural disasters.
In this situation, not only had a new transcendent master appeared, but he also supposedly possessed a vast faction.
‘This is a crisis.’
This was nothing short of a crisis for the Murim Alliance. Amidst the complicated situation, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong carefully concealed his expression and spoke to the Sword Queen.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“…Was my inadequate account of any help?”
“I will have to ask the other witnesses as well, but it was certainly a great help.”
“Thank you.”
Drunken Beggar Woo Bong slowly rose to his feet, and the Sword Queen followed suit.
“I have already spoken to the Alliance Leader. You children will not be inconvenienced by this matter.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I have received the Alliance Leader’s assurance that you will not be troubled by the attack regarding the treasure or this incident.”
“…!”
“If anything, you came to Wudang and suffered damages, so you should discuss a settlement for that with that Dohwa fellow separately.”
As Drunken Beggar Woo Bong brought up the Celestial Plum Blossom, the Sword Queen bowed her head slightly, showing him her respects.
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
“Heh heh… It's been a while since I've seen your face. This is the least I could do.”
With those words, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong began to walk away. As he turned his back, his characteristic air of ease vanished. The eyes that emerged from beneath his long eyebrows were exceptionally sharp.
‘The Heavenly Demon, is it?’
In a time when he was barely managing to piece things together, he repeated the name of an unwelcome storm. This was not good. It seemed he would have to investigate this beforehand.
“…I suppose I'll have to contact Shinan.”
The Heavenly Dragon Army needed to be re-established as soon as possible. With that thought, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong continued on his way. He was heading toward the Sword of Wudang, the leader of the Alliance.
* * *
One spring day.
Someone was walking briskly through the Henan branch of the White Flower Merchant Association. With every light step the long-legged woman took, a faint floral scent drifted by, spreading with an inexplicably cool breeze.
Those who saw her bowed their heads in greeting.
“Greetings, Branch Manager.”
“Greetings, Branch Manager…!”
The woman gave a light wave to those paying their respects as she passed. Many watched her back, expressing their admiration.
“Wow… The branch manager is as beautiful as ever today.”
“I know, right? She seems especially pretty today for some reason.”
“When has she ever not been pretty?”
“That’s true too.”
The men continued to speak, their faces full of wonder. It was only natural. The new branch manager of the Henan branch, assigned last year, was far too young in their eyes—and far too beautiful.
Even more so…
“It’s not just that she’s pretty. She’s great at her job, isn’t she?”
“I heard she's not even thirty yet. How can she be so competent…”
They had heard she was barely in her mid-twenties. The new Henan branch manager was exceptionally capable. The Henan branch had always been a position where the White Flower Merchant Association appointed only its most outstanding talents, but this time, people were saying she was the best in its history.
Amidst such talk, one man added, “Wasn’t she famous to begin with? Being from the Four Noble Clans, it’s even more so, I’m sure.”
“Hey, you. Must you pour cold water on everything?”
“No, it’s just strange. I was just wondering why someone from the Four Noble Clans, one of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes, would come to the White Flower Merchant Association.”
At those words, the others fell silent. It was something they had all been curious about.
Just then, a young man diligently carrying documents spoke up as if he knew something. All eyes focused on him. He was the youngest member of the Henan branch.
“You heard? What?”
“The reason why the branch manager came to the White Flower Merchant Association.”
“How did you hear that?”
As they all asked in surprise, the young man spoke with a calm expression. “I heard because I asked.”
“You asked…? Who…?”
“The branch manager.”
At his answer, everyone stared at the youngest member in shock.
“…That guy must be completely insane. He actually asked that…?”
“Is it wrong to ask…?”
“Ahem, everyone, don't talk to him. We should cut ties now. From the looks of it, he won't be here for long…”
“Huh? What are you all talking about?”
The youngest asked his seniors what they meant, but they deliberately ignored him. He seemed like the type who would be transferred to another branch soon, so they had to cut ties now.
“Anyway… so, what did the branch manager say?”
The youngest wore an expression full of unease, but thankfully, he answered. “What did she say… ah.”
As if remembering, the youngest quickly continued.
[I'm receiving lessons to be a daughter-in-law.]
That’s what she had said.
Hearing this, the men collectively made bizarre faces. Soon after, they exploded.
“Damn it! I was an idiot to believe you!”
“You were lying about asking her, weren't you? Tsk, tsk.”
“Huh…?”
“There’s no way the branch manager would say something like that. This kid is asking for a beating.”
“No, it’s really—”
“Shut up and get back to work. What a waste of time, tsk tsk.”
“...”
The youngest, having received an earful from the angry men, wore an aggrieved expression.
Leaving the youngest behind, the young branch manager hurried to meet someone.
Rustle.
Amidst the sound of a letter being turned over, the branch manager of the White Flower Merchant Association’s Henan branch, Moyong Hi-ah, politely paid her respects to the person before her.
“Greetings, Leader.”
At her graceful greeting, the person sitting at the desk looked up.
“Have you been well?”
Her tone was cold, somewhat devoid of emotion.
“Yes, Leader.”
The person Moyong Hi-ah was facing was none other than the master of the White Flower Merchant Association, Mi Hyoran. Mi Hyoran organized the letter she was holding and continued speaking.
“Your performance has been excellent. It's surprising what you've accomplished in just half a year.”
“…Thank you.”
Moyong Hi-ah swallowed dryly. She had learned something while studying under her for the past few years: when Mi Hyoran started with praise, it meant there were more words to follow.
“However.”
Sure enough, Mi Hyoran looked at Moyong Hi-ah and spoke. “There are a few problems in the reports. And some of the matters you handled could have been done better.”
“…If you tell me, I will correct them.”
“Words are not enough. I will organize these points separately and give them to you by tomorrow. Please review them at your leisure.”
Hearing Mi Hyoran, Moyong Hi-ah sighed inwardly. She had thought she handled everything perfectly, but it seemed there were still flaws in Mi Hyoran’s eyes. It was disappointing.
Perhaps reading something in Moyong Hi-ah’s expression, Mi Hyoran gave a small, imperceptible smile and said, “By the way, I heard you broke through the wall. Is that true?”
Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't thought she would know. In fact, about three months ago, Moyong Hi-ah’s cultivation had surpassed the Peak Realm. It was a triumph she had achieved not long after resuming her training.
“Ah… yes, that’s right.”
“Congratulations. You must have worked hard despite your busy schedule.”
“Thank you.”
Moyong Hi-ah fought to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up. She couldn't dare show such an unseemly display—especially not in front of her.
Just then, Mi Hyoran handed something to Moyong Hi-ah.
“It’s not exactly a congratulatory gift… but I have something for you, Branch Manager.”
“Pardon?”
Her already wide eyes grew wider as Moyong Hi-ah accepted the letter.
“It’s an important task. Can you do it?”
“Ah! Of course. I can do it.”
At Mi Hyoran’s words entrusting her with a task, Moyong Hi-ah smiled with joy. For Mi Hyoran to assign an important task meant she trusted the person. This was a form of ‘acknowledgment.’
Looking at Mi Hyoran, Moyong Hi-ah happily unfolded the letter and began to read it…
Halt.
She froze as she saw the contents of the letter and the seal stamped on it. Then she looked up at Mi Hyoran.
“…Leader. This is…?”
Moyong Hi-ah looked at Mi Hyoran with trembling eyes. She couldn't help it. The seal stamped at the end of the letter was that of the Ice Palace of the North.
Furthermore, the contents of the letter were also a problem. In short, the letter announced that the Young Lady of the Ice Palace of the North would be visiting the Central Plains, and that they wished to entrust her guidance to the White Flower Merchant Association instead of the Murim Alliance.