Chapter 88
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Great Ming Treasure Vault Map
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The middle-aged nun accepted the order without a single question and withdrew.
Only then did the expressions of Jin Kwi and Ilseonja harden, and they set down their chopsticks.
"Indeed, dozens of riders are galloping this way."
Ilseonja spoke first, and Jin Kwi sprang to his feet, muttering as he summoned his subordinates.
"This isn't some casual passing road, and no one's coming with good intentions, so we need to make the proper preparations. Boys, come here."
"No, look here, Benefactor Jin. What preparations do you mean?"
Golden Purity Immortal Nun asked in a voice feigning complete ignorance, but Jin Kwi bellowed back in response.
"What? We don't even know who these bastards are or how they'll charge in, and you're talking about cooking rice for them first? I'm getting out the swords and clubs to beat them with."
"Heh heh... These guests have come a long way and are arriving right at mealtime. If we don't have even a single bowl of rice to offer them, how could we call ourselves disciples of the Buddha? Don't be like that. We're all fellow travelers on the path, after all."
"Heh heh... Fine. Then I'll make my preparations, and you can make yours."
The Drunken Dragon Divine Beggar Jin Kwi had already gathered all the Beggar Clan disciples and Azure Purity Sect disciples, formed up his battle lines, and taken positions along the roadside.
It was the swift judgment and reflexes befitting a veteran who had led over a hundred thousand Beggar Clan fighters for decades.
But the Dew-Cutting Sword Guest Ilseonja simply remained seated, continuing his meal with Golden Purity Immortal Nun.
"I need to get some of this stir-fried dried tofu in bean sauce later. What an incredible flavor."
Ilseonja praised the Emei Sect's bean sauce dish, and Golden Purity Immortal Nun responded with a broad grin.
"Ha ha... You truly have discerning tastes, sir. I'll have someone send you some later."
Moments later, the distant dust cloud drew near, and the dozens of horses were almost upon them.
The Drunken Dragon Divine Beggar Jin Kwi stepped forward first.
In his hand, of course, was a well-dried mulberry staff, whittled smooth.
"Halt. Who might you be, barging all the way here?"
The Beggar Clan elites behind Jin Kwi held torches in one hand and swords or staffs in the other, while the Azure Purity Sect disciples all had their longswords drawn.
The newcomers reined in their horses as one and began glaring silently at Jin Kwi and the experts behind him.
The blazing torches shone directly on them, but with their thick riding cloaks wrapped around them and their bamboo hats pulled low, their faces were not visible.
Then, suddenly, the one who had been leading the charge kicked his horse's flank, urging it forward a step, and shouted.
"Could you be Elder Hero Jin Kwi? The Supreme Beggar Leader, Drunken Cloud Divine Beggar?"
Jin Kwi answered the question with a slight start.
"Of course, my name is Jin Kwi. Who might you be, recognizing this old beggar?"
"Ha ha... To encounter Formation Elder Jin here of all places—what a surprise."
The man dismounted immediately and walked toward Jin Kwi.
But as Jin Kwi still harbored suspicions and did not lower the staff in his hand, the man added another word.
"It's me, me. Sa Yunbo. Don't you recognize me even now?"
With that, he removed his bamboo hat.
At that very moment, Ilseonja's clear voice rang out across the area.
"Ha ha... What brings the Sa brothers here?"
He descended slowly from the hillside, issuing orders to his disciples.
"Azure Purity Sect disciples, sheath those swords at once."
Jin Kwi also recognized the man's identity by then and lowered his staff as he asked.
"Hey, what brings you lot here?"
"And what brings you here, brother? To this forsaken place."
The man who had identified himself as Sa Yunbo countered with a question of his own, and Golden Purity Immortal Nun, who had come down by then, provided the answer.
"This old nun made a bit of a request. Still, running into the two Sa brothers here is quite unexpected."
"Heh heh... Even the elusive Golden Purity Immortal Nun is here—what a shock for this Sa. Have you been well?"
The Radiant Sword Immortal Sa Yunbo clasped his hands in greeting, and Golden Purity Immortal Nun waved off the courtesy with one hand.
"Growing old without thoughts of enlightenment, just wandering about on pointless errands. And how have you two brothers been?"
Sa Cheongbo, who had been standing quietly behind the Radiant Sword Immortal Sa Yunbo observing until then, removed his bamboo hat and bowed in greeting.
"A pleasure. Sa Cheongbo of Mount Hua offers greetings."
And so, the two Sa brothers gathered together with Jin Kwi, Ilseonja, Golden Purity Immortal Nun, and the others—five experts in all.
The Radiant Sword Immortal Sa Yunbo was the sword hero representing the Zhongnan Sect.
And the one who followed, removing his bamboo hat, was the Supreme Purity Sword Immortal Sa Cheongbo—the pinnacle expert of Mount Hua Sect.
The two were brothers just a year apart, having entered Zhongnan and Mount Hua in their youth and famously attaining the realm of absolute mastery.
The recent amity between Mount Hua and Zhongnan—which had been locked in endless rivalry due to their proximity over long years—was largely due to the bond between these two.
Moreover, both, alongside the Kunlun Sword Immortal, proudly claimed one of the seats among the Six Immortals with their swordsmanship alone, making them emblematic pinnacle experts of the era.
However, being far younger than their martial prowess might suggest, it was only natural for them to show respect to the three seniors already present.
Unlike the cheerful and bright Radiant Sword Immortal Sa Yunbo, his elder brother the Supreme Purity Sword Immortal Sa Cheongbo was extremely taciturn, offering no further words even after removing his hat and greeting.
In any case, the Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect disciples they had led dismounted and took their seats under the guidance of the Azure Purity Sect disciples, while the five experts formed their own circle.
"This is the map right here."
The three fell silent as they examined the map Sa Yunbo had produced.
Moments later, Golden Purity Immortal Nun also drew out the map she had brought.
The two maps matched perfectly, without the slightest discrepancy.
"Hmm. In that case, who could have done this, and for what purpose...?"
Ilseonja muttered to himself as he held both maps side by side for inspection.
In the lower left corner of both maps was written, identically, Great Ming Treasure Vault Map.
Then Jin Kwi spoke first, in a solemn tone.
"If there are two identical ones, there's no guarantee there aren't three. It could be four or five."
"Exactly right. We can't assume these two are all there are. Every sect with interest in this vault might have one by now."
Ilseonja agreed with Jin Kwi's assessment, and Sa Yunbo spoke up.
"You three may not have heard on your rushed journey here, but rumors of this cavern vault have already spread widely through the martial world."
"What do you mean? You mean many people already know about this place?"
When Ilseonja asked back, Sa Yunbo nodded in affirmation.
"Yes. Starting past the west bank, I kept overhearing people whispering about it covertly. They say the Ming Cult's treasures have emerged into the world."
"Is that true? We in the Emei Sect thought we'd been the only ones to obtain it. What an embarrassing mess this has become."
Golden Purity Immortal Nun muttered with a bitter expression, and Jin Kwi consoled her.
"Even so, there can't be many of these maps. The Emei Sect acted swiftly and precisely, allowing us to arrive this early. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Immortal Nun."
"Quite right. Do not blame yourself, Immortal Nun. Had clueless fools rushed in first, who knows what dire events might have unfolded."
Jin Kwi continued in a louder voice as Ilseonja endorsed his view.
"Exactly. In the end, the closest sects arrived first. Two from Sichuan, two from Shaanxi—next up will be Wudang and Shaolin, no doubt. Ha ha..."
"But it's only natural for the distant Yun'nan Jeonchang Sect to arrive late, yet I'm curious why the nearby Kongdong Sect hasn't shown up yet."
Ilseonja shook his head again, wondering about the Kongdong Sect's situation.
"Well, the closest Kunlun Sect is rumored to be in seclusion, so that makes sense. But the Jeonchang Sect here in Gansu remaining silent is suspicious."
The Radiant Sword Immortal Sa Yunbo nodded in agreement with Ilseonja, shaking his head as well.
At that moment, Golden Purity Immortal Nun asked the gathering with a stern expression.
"But I'm starting to doubt whether it's right for us to enter now. Isn't it clear this is a trap laid by someone with ulterior motives?"
The group fell briefly silent at her words, but their thoughts aligned.
"Even if it's a trap, we can't just withdraw now. How could we turn back? With our sects' treasures right before our eyes."
The sudden shout from Mount Hua's Supreme Purity Sword Immortal Sa Cheongbo, who had been sitting quietly, voiced what all were thinking.
Indeed.
They could not simply leave the vault indicated by the map that had summoned them here.
The treasures gathered in this Great Ming Treasure Vault were the essence of Central Plains martial arts, collected by the Ming Cult—which held a pivotal position—amid the anti-Mongol wars two hundred years prior, when they toppled the Yuan Dynasty and drove out the Mongol overlords.
Mostly secret martial manuals from each sect, but likely substantial quantities of spirit medicines and divine weapons as well.
Ignorance would be one thing, but they could not leave such treasures untouched before their eyes.
Soon, Ilseonja concluded as if he had finished deliberating, in a light tone.
"In that case, let's make this bigger."
"What do you mean, Ilseonja?"
When Jin Kwi asked back, Ilseonja looked each of the other four in the face and said.
"Let's wait until all the other sects and acquaintances gather here. No matter the trap, it has limits to its scale. If the Nine Great Sects including one faction and all Central Plains forces enter at once, how could it possibly withstand us?"
"Ah. What a clever idea. Since time isn't pressing, you're saying we should gather all the incoming forces here and charge in together?"
Golden Purity Immortal Nun nodded in agreement with Ilseonja's proposal.
"It won't take that long. Forces from across the Central Plains are already racing full tilt toward Dunhuang here, so allowing a generous month will suffice."
Jin Kwi added his words with a smile as Ilseonja continued.
"Heh heh... It looks like an unexpected martial alliance will form here in Dunhuang."
"Indeed. We'll need an organization to manage affairs until this Great Ming Treasure Vault is opened and each sect reclaims their entrusted items."
"I'm for it. As expected, your insight is unparalleled, Ilseonja."
Golden Purity Immortal Nun immediately voiced her approval and nodded as Ilseonja wrapped up his proposal.
The others swiftly expressed their assent as well.
It subtly revealed that Golden Purity Immortal Nun was the leader of the gathering.
And the Radiant Sword Immortal Sa Yunbo drove in the final nail.