Chapter 71
Chapter 71
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Me, a Man Burdened with Sins
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah."
I scratched my cheek with my index finger.
If they were heirs of the Emei Sect and Qinghua Manor, it made sense they'd receive such a formal welcome.
That said, it still felt a bit awkward for me.
Back then, I'd lost half my reason and caused a huge scene, so it was a black mark on my history, to say the least.
"They're just arriving."
Two women were approaching from afar.
Lightly adorned in a way that was flashy yet understated, they boasted beauties so striking that anyone would turn to stare.
If Yu Sumin was bright and radiant, then Sima Seon's was aloof and icy, like her moniker "Orchid."
I could even feel the men of our Nine Dragons Branch Family tensing up everywhere, swallowing dryly.
"Sumin! Seon!"
Dang Gyujin rushed forward first to greet the two women.
She'd said they became close at the Touch Mountain Alliance gathering, and it looked like that was true.
"Sister, how have you been?"
"Of course! And you, Sumin? How did you get even more beautiful?"
"Hehe. You too, Sister. You've become so pretty it's unfair. Have you been taking something good lately? Your skin is so clear I could see my face in it!"
"Actually, I've been getting White Silver Herb from Songpung Mountain lately and taking it. It seems really effective. Good for recovering fatigue too. Want me to tell you where?"
"Really? Yes, please!"
"Go to the Silver Herb Pharmacy in the market under Songpung Mountain and mention my name—they'll give you a discount. I'll let them know ahead of time."
"Wow!"
"And it's not just because I'm using it, but after using it steadily and applying it, my skin got so soft I could feel it even when washing my face—"
Was this that legendary "girls' friendship time" where everything was covered in compliments?
The more sociable Dang Gyujin and Yu Sumin chatted away, while Sima Seon hung back a bit, gradually joining in.
Their eyes sparkled like they were discussing something of utmost importance, but I couldn't fathom what.
Their conversation dragged on for quite a while before finally wrapping up.
"Whew! Time flew while we talked. Let's continue inside."
They'd gossiped that much and still hadn't gotten to the point?
The world of women was truly subtle and terrifying.
Even Dang Gon stood there with a slightly awkward expression, until Dang Gyujin brought Yu Sumin and Sima Seon over.
"Long time no see, Lady Yu, Lady Sima."
"Meeting you here again makes you seem all the more impressive. I heard you became acting branch leader this time—congratulations!"
"Thank you."
While talking with Yu Sumin, I felt Sima Seon's intense gaze from the side.
It was a gaze whose meaning I couldn't grasp.
* * *
Sima Seon, who had come as the proxy for the Sword Sovereign and Azure Heaven Sword Emperor—one of the Ten Great Masters of the World—was escorted to the guest hall alongside Yu Sumin.
Even up to the moment we parted, her eyes hadn't left me... This was something.
"Your expression looks pretty punchable right now."
Brushing back his bangs lightly, Dang Gon eyed me like a dried anchovy.
"I'm a man burdened with sins, aren't I?"
"...What nonsense are you spouting now?"
"Come on. Look in a mirror. It might be weird for me to say it about myself, but I'm quite the catch, right? That's why all these young ladies of the Central Plains get flustered at the sight of my face and can't help themselves—"
"That's nonsense alright. I'm done listening."
"Ugh! Good looks, sharp mind, exceptional talent, noble status, lofty character—nothing lacking. Me, a man burdened with sins."
"......"
Dang Gon now ignored me even out of the corner of his ear.
「The young leader truly is outstanding. Both in his past and present lives—」
「Is there some magic in the name 'Unhui'? I want a name like that in my next life—」
「But one thing the young leader said was a bit...」
'A bit?'
「...Not a bit, but exceptionally so! His character! The young leader's character is number one in the world!」
Guest receptions continued until evening.
With Dark Lord Venerable's visit just days away, more guests kept arriving, which I understood—but handling it all myself was pure hell.
I even started theorizing that Dang Hoseon or Lord Zhuge had saddled me with this acting branch leader role just to make me deal with this crap.
...Huh?
Nah, probably not. No way.
I scanned the guest registry.
—Emei.
—Qinghua.
Following the still-fresh ink from Yu Sumin and Sima Seon.
—Heavenly Dragon.
—Dian Cang.
—Five Poisons.
—Qilian.
—Kongdong.
—Thunder Sound.
—Heng Mountain.
.
.
Representatives from Yunna's Heavenly Dragon Temple and Dian Cang Sect, Five Poisons Clan, even Qilian Mountain Sect and Kongdong from Gansu bordering Sichuan.
Even Thunder Sound Temple from the far west and Heng Mountain Sect from Hunan in central Central Plains had sent people directly.
Just this registry showed the Dark Lord Venerable's immense influence over the Central Plains martial world.
I'd only mentioned the big names everyone knew, but adding mid- and small sects, it filled several volumes already.
Their motives varied, no doubt.
Some were excitedly hoping to catch the Dark Lord's eye, others tense to gauge his true intentions.
These were all top experts representing their sects' faces.
In short, the Nine Dragons Branch Family was already a dragon's den and tiger's lair in itself.
And those cult bastards were plotting to assassinate the Dark Lord right here in this Nine Dragons Branch Family.
The problem was, the Dark Lord knew and accepted the challenge nonchalantly.
More than that—he was using this chance to swallow the entire western martial world whole.
If the guests knew, they'd faint in terror at his audacity.
'Crazy bastards everywhere, top to bottom.'
Even in the brutal jianghu where the weak don't survive, this level seemed excessively harsh.
But what could I do? I'd thrown myself into the fray with these lunatics.
And I had to win there, no matter what.
"No more guests today, it seems. Let's wrap up."
As the sun nearly set with no further announcements, Dang Gon moved to end the ceremonies.
「Hm?」
「Something's coming!」
At the spirits' voices, my gaze turned to one side.
Dang Gon unconsciously followed my lead.
A large group was approaching the manor.
"Wh-what—"
Wagons and carts loaded with goods stretched endlessly.
We'd hosted countless guests so far, but even the branch family's retainers were stunned by the sheer scale.
This was more like an official delegation.
The delegation halted before the branch family.
Their representative stepped forward and inscribed two characters in the registry.
—Golden Sword.
"Greetings on behalf of our sect leader and his wife. I am Na Jinbae, chief steward of Golden Sword Sect."
"I am Dang Unhui, young master of the Nine Dragons Branch Family of the Tang Clan. You must be weary from the long journey."
Golden Sword Sect—wasn't that the sect with that disgraceful Hyeok Ugi guy I'd seen in Doseong County?
Neighbors coming over with all this luggage?
"I am Dang Gon of the Nine Dragons Branch Family. What exactly is all this baggage?"
Na Jinbae smiled warmly as he replied.
"When the acting branch leader visited Doseong County, our sect leader was deeply regretful for failing to notice and letting you leave empty-handed. If there were no ties between you and our sect, it would be one thing—but with the fond childhood connection between heirs, no less. Thus, our sect leader sends his apologies and gifts to aid the Dark Lord Venerable and your branch family."
In simple terms: We'll buy your friendship with money, so forget any past grudges.
「Gasp! Young leader! Everything in these wagons is gold bars!」
「At least dozens of nyang—wow.」
「Ahem! Normally, we'd punish these insolent fools who disrespected the young leader, but this shows enough sincerity to overlook it.」
「Too much money to refuse!」
Dang Gon let out a hollow laugh, glancing at me helplessly.
Ordinary cash? We'd boot them. But with this many wagons, outright refusal was awkward.
I glanced at the delegation.
Sure enough.
Hyeok Ugi was mixed in there.
He flinched when our eyes met but hurriedly bowed under Chief Steward Na Jinbae's glare.
"Last time, I committed a grave discourtesy. Even with our childhood ties, I forgot you represent the Nine Dragons Branch Family as its heir. Please forgive me, acting branch leader!"
His tongue seemed longer—he must've been thoroughly chewed out by their steward the whole way.
"I apologize again."
"We apologize!"
"Forgive us, acting branch leader!"
"Forgive us, acting branch leader!"
Na Jinbae and the Golden Sword Sect disciples all cupped their fists and bowed.
Even in the law-of-the-jungle martial world, such humiliation wasn't easy.
Especially with so many eyes on the branch family now.
Refusing forgiveness after Golden Sword Sect humbled itself like this would tarnish the Nine Dragons Branch Family's name.
Truth be told, I'd completely forgotten about that Hyeok Ugi punk.
Maybe take the gifts, mess with him a bit, then forget it all?
But.
「Young leader!」
'Yeah. I felt it too.'
In that brief eye contact, I'd caught the turbid qi pooling in Hyeok Ugi's pupils.
Faint, but unmistakable—demonic qi.
Precisely, the Ice Soul Demonic Qi of the Poison Horse North Sea Clan.
A North Sea Clan underling was hiding in this delegation!
'Finally showed up, huh.'
I'd already spotted them mingling with guests via Wind-Hua Mirror.
But I hadn't expected Golden Sword Sect—one of Sichuan's old guard—to be dragged into this.
『Take these to Guest Hall Four.』
『...You don't mean? Understood.』
The "Four" in Four wasn't the number—it meant death.
We'd already segregated confirmed cult spies and suspects there.
Our surveillance net was centered on it.
Of course, clustering them too obviously would raise alarms, so we'd dispersed them appropriately, interspersing undercover allies.
"With four seas connected and all, jokes among Sichuan friends are fair game anytime. Don't take it to heart. Elder Mu, if you would."
"Please follow me."
Dang Gon led the Golden Sword Sect disciples inside.
I stood blankly, fully opening my Violet Yao Eyes to watch their backs until the end.
They'd hidden it well—hard to read the demonic qi easily.
But once I unleashed the Black Dragon Qi from my mid dantian, my 'ears' sharpened, letting me faintly read thoughts from those normally unreadable.
I'd briefly mixed in the Thousand Ears ability.
It let me pinpoint one person.
A Golden Sword Sect disciple carrying a bundle.
Face and aura so ordinary you'd overlook him at a glance—which made him all the more suspicious.
Intuition told me who he was.
'Gu Min-chae. It's you.'
Right then, he paused mid-step and glanced back briefly.
Our eyes met.