Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: The Ruined Temple
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It was noon, the sun high in the sky.
When Mu-heun returned to the village, most of the residents were awake. They expressed their gratitude to Mu-heun and everyone else who had helped them.
“Thank you so much.”
“Now… we can finally let our child go.”
“I almost died after being used my whole life. Thank you for saving me.”
After receiving the villagers’ thanks, Mu-heun prepared to leave. He had decided to explain the whole story to his companions and the Kunlun elders on the way.
Just then, someone called out to him.
“Sir Mu-heun! Sir Baek Mu-heun!”
When Mu-heun turned at the sound of the voice, he saw Ga-seol and Ha-pyeong standing there. They looked at Mu-heun, brought their hands together, and bowed deeply from the waist.
Their posture was so neat and profound that Mu-heun felt as if he could hear the unspoken words in their hearts.
It was as if they were saying they had nothing to offer and couldn't fully repay the grace he had shown them, but begged him to at least accept their heartfelt gratitude.
Mu-heun turned back and, as he left the village of Yuhua, murmured softly.
“Stay healthy.”
As he departed, the weeping willows swayed in the wind, creating a cheerful sound.
* * *
Seol Ha-ryeong and Dang So-so, who had initially set out with Mu-heun, went to find their carriage again, but Mu-heun moved separately.
He had to explain himself to the Kunlun elders.
The Kunlun martial artists heading to Hubei included the second-generation disciples who would directly participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, along with a few first-generation disciples.
Besides them were senior first-generation disciples who were too old to participate but came to lead the others.
At the very front were the three elders and the Cloud Dragon, Gu Pae-seon.
Using their overwhelming lightness skill, they moved two ri (about 800 meters) ahead of the other disciples, specifically so they could talk with Mu-heun as they traveled.
Mu-heun explained the gist of what had happened to the three elders and Pae-seon.
Of course, he spun the story he heard directly from his master, the Heavenly Demon, as something he had read in the *Chronicles of Sun and Moon* which he discovered in the great library of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. He also explained that it shared a similar context with the *Three Books on the Advent of the Chaotic Heavens' Inhuman Beings* that the Arhats had shown him.
Furthermore, he explained that the text of destruction found in the underground chamber of Chiping Temple was clearly written by monsters, and the ‘ones’ they referred to were the Ghost Spirits and Evil Gods.
After hearing Mu-heun’s full explanation, the elders let out a groan, unable to speak easily.
“This is…”
However, Pae-seon made a quick judgment and spoke.
“When we get to Hubei, we must meet with the Martial Alliance Leader and the heads of the Orthodox Sects. Of course, I will meet them, but you must also meet with the Alliance Leader. Will that be alright?”
“!?”
The other elders couldn't help but be startled. It was one thing for them to believe him, having experienced it themselves, but the Martial Alliance Leader was another story entirely. Wasn't he a man who hated the Demonic Cult to his very bones?
Having experienced the Great Orthodox-Demonic War firsthand, he would never let a member of the Demonic Cult go.
It was truly a gamble.
However.
To save the world, they had to reveal the truth to the supreme masters and ask for their cooperation. Based on the circumstances so far and Mu-heun's words, this was an indispensable step they had to take.
Thus, the first person had to be the Martial Alliance Leader. He was at the pinnacle of the Orthodox martial world, possessing not only skill but also status. The only one who could persuade him would be Mu-heun, who had inherited this whole affair and experienced it himself.
But…
One wrong move and Mu-heun could lose his life to the Martial Alliance Leader. It wasn't that they underestimated Mu-heun's strength, but the Alliance Leader was a man who clearly possessed martial prowess far beyond his.
“Senior Brother, wouldn't it be better to be a bit more cautious? If something were to happen to Sir Mu-heun, it would be irreversible. Besides, there’s no guarantee that everything Sir Mu-heun has said will come to pass, is there?”
“No, we don't know how much time we have left. We must gather our strength and prepare as quickly as possible.”
Mu-heun listened to Pae-seon, nodded, and said.
“I think so too. First, I want to meet the Martial Alliance Leader myself and talk to him.”
“!?”
The elders had no choice but to nod at Mu-heun's decision. However, their questions weren't entirely resolved, so one elder asked.
“But, Sir Mu-heun, when you came to Kunlun before, why didn't you tell us the whole story, and why did you hide your martial skills?”
At that, Mu-heun burst into a hearty laugh and said.
“That’s simple. It’s because you elders hadn't witnessed such unbelievable events with your own eyes multiple times, as you have now.”
“…”
“If you elders hadn't seen the monsters and beasts that appeared in Yuhua with your own two eyes, and hadn't seen the evil writings on the walls of Chiping Temple for yourselves, would you have believed my words?”
“…”
He was right.
From the Kunlun disciples to the elders present, if any of them hadn't seen the monsters of Yuhua and the bizarre, chilling scriptures with their own eyes… they would have found it hard to believe any of the stories Mu-heun was telling now.
To humans, the truth can sometimes seem more unbelievable than a lie, and they refuse to believe it unless they see it with their own eyes. That is common sense, reality, and the standard by which they live their lives.
The elders soon understood why Mu-heun had told them everything.
As the saying goes, three men make a tiger.
If one person tells a fantastical story, people will all too easily brand them a liar. But what if more people start telling the same fantastical story?
Then the outcome is completely different.
If one person claims a tiger has appeared in the village, people might not believe it, but if three or more people talk about the tiger, it soon becomes fact.
Especially if the story to be told is mixed with fear and terror…
Given people’s tendency to fear the future, they would have no choice but to believe. The psychology at play would be that it's better to believe and prepare, and if it doesn't happen, all the better, than to not believe and die.
The elders exchanged glances, and having made up their minds, they spoke.
“We understand. We will vouch for this matter and lend our voices to yours.”
“Also, when we return to Kunlun, we will report everything that has happened to the Sect Leader. We cannot promise, but if the Sect Leader gives his permission, Kunlun will stand with you, Sir Mu-heun.”
Pae-seon thought the elders' reaction was quite refreshing.
‘It seems these guys who were just cooped up in the mountains training have finally come to their senses.’
Pae-seon spoke with a sense of pride.
“I, too, have decided to support you, Baek Mu-heun. So, let's continue this conversation when we get to Hubei.”
“Yes.”
Although Mu-heun replied, “Yes,” he sent a different message to Pae-seon via telepathy.
[ Support me? You have to help me, obviously! ]
[ Hmph! I needed time to decide, too! ]
[ What do you mean, time? I already told you everything! ]
[ We're starting to cooperate properly from now on, so shut it. ]
[ Hah! Really! This old man has such a strange personality! ]
After that, the elders returned to their disciples, and Mu-heun and Pae-seon went to find the carriage where Dang So-so and Seol Ha-ryeong were and rejoined them.
* * *
Because their schedule had been delayed by about three or four days, Mu-heun and his party rode without rest after reaching Hubei province and arrived in Yichang.
Fortunately, the Tianfu Merchant Guild in Sichuan had arranged for places to swap horses along the way, so they were able to travel without slowing down.
After changing horses five times, they finally arrived in Yichang on their original schedule, and the four of them decided to take a short break after getting rooms at a top-class inn.
Before arriving at the inn in Yichang, Dang So-so had already rented out all the rooms in the high-end establishment. She had prepared it so that her party, arriving in the middle of the night, could rest comfortably.
“I have also arranged for food to be brought to your rooms, so please rest comfortably. This is my gift to all of you, so please don't feel burdened and accept it.”
Mu-heun and Seol Ha-ryeong thanked Dang So-so.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
However, along with her gratitude towards them, Dang So-so carried a certain guilt. This was because once they reached the Martial Alliance headquarters in Wuhan, she planned to leak information about them to initiate an investigation.
Dang So-so eventually forced an awkward smile and said.
“Well then, I’ll go and rest first.”
“Yes, please rest well.”
Just then, Pae-seon approached Mu-heun and said with a grin.
“What's this? You got something going on with Dang So-so?”
Mu-heun found Pae-seon's words so absurd that he replied both aloud and telepathically.
“Haha, no. Nothing happened at all.”
[ Has the old man gone senile? ]
At that, Pae-seon burst into a hearty laugh.
“Khahahaha! If it’s no, it’s no! Look at you, getting all serious… Hmph, I’m going to rest too.”
Pae-seon went into his room, and Seol Ha-ryeong also bid Mu-heun farewell before entering hers.
Mu-heun decided to take a moment to compose himself in his room as well.
* * *
Inside his room, Mu-heun was lost in thought for a moment.
“Strange.”
The strangeness he felt this time was not the same sense of dissonance he had felt in Yuhua. It was a much clearer emotion between people, and the source of this strange feeling was none other than Seol Ha-ryeong and Dang So-so.
Mu-heun opened the window and said.
“Cheon-hyang.”
And then…
*Swoosh!*
Cheon-hyang, who had been following from the sky, flew into Mu-heun’s room. Its feathers had turned black to match the night sky, but upon entering the room, they returned to their white color.
[ Kkyaoo! Master! We finally meet! I was so bored for three days! ]
“Yes, Cheon-hyang, I have a mission for you.”
[ Kkyaoo! What is it! ]
“You have excellent hearing, don't you?”
[ That's right! I can hear a sound from a ri away as if it were right next to me! ]
“Good. Then, tonight, listen to what Seol Ha-ryeong and Dang So-so say and report back to me.”
[ Sir, yes, sir! ]
Mu-heun had sensed a different feeling from Seol Ha-ryeong and Dang So-so than before Yuhua. Dang So-so seemed to consider him dangerous and appeared to carry a slight sense of guilt.
The change in Dang So-so was somewhat predictable.
‘The events in Yuhua must have been a great shock to her. That's why she feels threatened by me and is likely planning something this time.’
Mu-heun didn't want to leave Dang So-so's emotions as a variable. The events that would unfold after arriving at the Martial Alliance had to be executed without the slightest error, and for that, the meticulous cooperation of those around him was essential.
‘Dang So-so didn't ask me about what happened in Yuhua. Moreover, seeing as she's avoiding conversation with me altogether, it's possible she'll go to the leaders there and report me after we reach the Martial Alliance. I need to take measures before that happens.’
Rather than trying to persuade the evasive Dang So-so, Mu-heun chose to figure out what she would do in advance and prepare a countermeasure.
As the saying goes, it’s easier to know the depths of ten fathoms of water than one fathom of a person’s heart; there was nothing more difficult than persuading an uncertain mind.
The other was Seol Ha-ryeong, who had become completely silent, as if she were a different person.
‘Is she being affected by the Soul-Stealing Restriction now that we're near the Martial Alliance…’
The emotions that appeared on Seol Ha-ryeong's face were so subtle and complex that it was difficult to easily discern her intentions.
‘In the end, all I can trust is Cheon-hyang.’
After giving Cheon-hyang its mission, Mu-heun created a barrier of qi, completely sealing the room from the outside. Then he began to circulate his energy.
He started to refine the internal energy he had accumulated in Yuhua, assessing the current level of mastery he had achieved in the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon.
‘About the eighth stage…’
Finally, Mu-heun recalled the things he had discovered in the underground chamber of Chiping Temple. He also thought about how best to use the two treasures he had obtained there.
‘How should I use these…’
One was a miraculous piece of clothing that couldn't be bought even for a thousand gold pieces, and the other was a prayer bead, an object that all martial artists would frantically search for.