Chapter 150
Chapter 150
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Meeting
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A crowd of enthusiasts and common folk had gathered, laughing and chatting as they enjoyed the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.
Taking advantage of the crowd, food vendors had set up shop, and among them were waiters from the Hao Faction, who had infiltrated to gather information.
On one side, pork sizzled on a grill, and a man was placing it on his noodles before slurping it down in one go.
“Aah~! Delicious~!”
At first glance, the man seemed unremarkable. He wore shabby clothes, had an unkempt beard, and the tip of his nose was red, as if he were perpetually drunk.
Passersby would glance at him with pity, while martial artists would try to gauge his energy, wondering if he might be a hidden master. However, most of them could detect no energy from him at all.
He had the appearance of a low-ranking member of the Beggars' Sect. But in truth, he was a formidable figure.
A master among masters, whose energy could not be sensed unless one had reached the Transcendent Realm.
Wi Guk, the leader of the Hao Faction.
He was an executive of the Unorthodox Sects' Blood Alliance, the Sadoryeon, yet here he was, brazenly eating noodles inside the Martial Alliance's grounds.
Just then, an old man approached him.
“I knew I would find you here.”
The old man, his traditional hat pulled down low, addressed the Hao Faction's leader. In response, Wi Guk laughed heartily and spoke.
“Hahahaha! Look who it is! I was just wondering why I hadn't heard from you lately. How are things? Are the preparations for the great cause going well?”
Jang Ryang, excited, replied to the Hao Faction leader's question.
“The person I have been searching for has finally appeared.”
“…!?”
“You must meet him in person. Please, follow me.”
“Ha, hoho, haha. Hahahaha. Very well. To hear such words from the Soul-Stealing Immortal... it seems my long tenure as the leader of the Hao Faction has paid off. I'll go right now. I have some information for you as well.”
“Information for me?”
“That's right. It seems some heretics from the Unorthodox Sects have taken a job from those bastards in the Demonic Cult... I suspect they'll be running rampant around here soon.”
“Is that true?”
“It is. I originally came here to sell this information, but if the one who will achieve our great cause has appeared, what's the point in selling it to you?”
“I understand.”
“Wait, I heard the leader of the Beggars' Sect is also nearby... Don't tell me we're all meeting together?”
“That is correct.”
“Hoho, it seems something truly significant has appeared.”
* * *
-Office of the Martial Alliance Leader, Du Baek.
Du Baek, the leader of the Martial Alliance, sipped a cup of chrysanthemum tea, preparing for the guests who would arrive in two days. He recalled the Soul-Stealing Immortal's words.
“When old Gu Pae-seon from Kunlun came and told me, I was merely intrigued. But for Jang Ryang to say such a thing... I can't bear the curiosity.”
Du Baek stroked his long black beard with his thumb and forefinger.
“I will see for myself if you are truly worthy of being the one Jang Ryang has been waiting for.”
* * *
Mu-heun watched the duel of the Maenggeom Sect carefully. Their martial arts were as crude as their thick scent of blood suggested.
But what was strange was the disparity in skill between the younger generation of the Maenggeom Sect and the elders and sect leader who had brought them.
In the Orthodox Sects, having many skilled elders and a sect leader meant that the younger generation of that sect was also likely to be more skilled than their peers.
However, the difference in the Maenggeom Sect was too extreme.
The skills of the younger generation were erratic; some were slightly strong, while others were very weak.
This was usually the case only in the Unorthodox Sects…
Moreover, when he gauged the martial prowess of the Maenggeom Sect's elders and the one who appeared to be their sect leader, their levels seemed very high.
‘They're concealing it well... but the energy I feel is at least at the Divine Realm, no, perhaps even higher. It might be the Transcendent Realm.’
The martial artists of the Maenggeom Sect that Mu-heun observed were by no means weak. In fact, they were quite strong. Judging by the elders leading them, they were on par with the great sects of the Nine Sects One Union.
They even seemed stronger.
What was even stranger was that they kept looking around furtively.
‘Hmm…’
Just then, someone called out to Mu-heun and Ha-ryeong.
“Greetings, executives of the Totoa Unit.”
A man in a fox mask and a woman in a raccoon mask approached Mu-heun and Seol Ha-ryeong, who were observing the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.
Mu-heun and Ha-ryeong sensed that the time had come. While it was a shame to miss the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, this matter was more important.
“Who is summoning me?”
“It is Master Jang Ryang.”
“…If Master Jang Ryang summons me, then I must go.”
“However.”
“However?”
“Master Jang Ryang only summoned one person. The lady is to remain here.”
“…”
Mu-heun looked back at Seol Ha-ryeong, who shrugged as if it were only natural and gestured for him to go.
“I will be back then.”
“Yes. I will stay here.”
Once Mu-heun and Ha-ryeong finished their exchange, the man in the fox mask spoke.
“Then, I shall guide you.”
Mu-heun followed the man, and they arrived at the pavilion where Mu-heun was staying, which belonged to Jang Ryang.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes.”
‘This pavilion is large, so it wouldn't be strange for it to have other rooms inside.’
Mu-heun followed the man inside again and went up to the top floor of the three-story pavilion. There, two other men were waiting for him with Jang Ryang.
Sitting with the Soul-Stealing Immortal, Jang Ryang, were two old men in shabby clothes who looked unremarkable. However, Mu-heun knew who they were.
Upon seeing the two men, Mu-heun immediately cupped his fist and spoke.
“I greet the heads of the Central Plains' greatest information organizations.”
At this, the two old men burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha, I'm seeing you for the first time, yet you know who we are? It seems I've been slacking in my position as the head of an information organization!”
“My friend, who else but us two beggars would the Soul-Stealing Immortal invite to such a luxurious pavilion? It's something one can figure out with a little thought.”
“I-Is that so?”
The one who seemed a bit clumsy must be the leader of the Beggars' Sect, Bichwihak. Mu-heun knew from Pae-seon that this man intentionally acted foolish.
In contrast, the one with shabby clothes but sharp eyes must be Wi Guk, the leader of the Hao Faction. He had heard that this man did not engage in pointless acting.
To those unfamiliar with the affairs of the martial world, the Beggars' Sect and the Hao Faction might seem similar, but the nature of the two organizations was distinctly different.
The Beggars' Sect is often thought of as a simple group of beggars, but that is not the case. They are not just any group of beggars.
They are a gathering of intelligent and powerful beggars. Of course, they are not systematic or highly organized, but they are likely more numerous and widespread than any of the Orthodox Sects.
The “One Union” in the commonly spoken “Nine Sects One Union” is, in fact, the Beggars' Sect.
Mu-heun took a humble posture and spoke to the leader of the Beggars' Sect.
“It is a great honor to meet the leader of the Beggars' Sect, known as the best among the Nine Sects One Union when it comes to upholding justice. Your acting is also first-rate.”
“Haha, look at this fellow. He already knows all about me, yet he acts so humble. And he still manages to slip a barb into his words, doesn't he?”
“Hahahaha.”
“Kehahaha, right! I'm truly curious about what information you have for us!”
‘Hoh? Look at this…’
Just then, Wi Guk, the leader of the Hao Faction, spoke up.
“Alright, then, let's get straight to the point. We've gathered because the Soul-Stealing Immortal told us that if we met you and heard your story, we would know what to do next.”
‘What a ridiculous thing to say.’
“I see.”
“What are you going to tell us?”
I never said I would tell them anything, nor did I summon them. The Soul-Stealing Immortal clearly said to meet me, not that I would say something.
The reason these two are acting this way is clearly to test me. Strictly speaking, I never summoned them. I did intend to seek them out, but not right now.
The reason I'm gathered with them now is that the Soul-Stealing Immortal, Jang Ryang, wanted to introduce them to me. Why would Jang Ryang introduce them to me?
The answer was simple. Jang Ryang and I share the same ultimate goal, and these men can help achieve it. The fact that they can help means they also share the same purpose.
Indeed, anyone who learns of the threat facing all of humanity would have no choice but to join forces. In that case, there's no need for me to maintain a humble stance either.
“It seems the leader of the Hao Faction came here to hear something from me.”
“…That is so.”
“Then, I have nothing to say. If the leader of the Beggars' Sect also only wishes to hear something from me, let's end this meeting here. It is enough for me to speak with the Soul-Stealing Immortal alone.”
“…W-What?”
Hao Faction.
These people did not belong to the Orthodox Sects.
A faction comprised of the lowest dregs of society—pickpockets, thieves, and prostitutes. Because it is made up of people from the bottom of society, it is an organization with a rapidly circulating information network.
An ironic group that is both ostracized and welcomed by the entire martial world, both Orthodox and Unorthodox. However, in terms of information gathering, they were known to be superior even to the Beggars' Sect.
Yes, the leaders of such an information organization…
Are demanding unconditional information from me in exchange for their cooperation? And with a tone that says they'll listen and then decide?
If people who know the value of information better than anyone act this way... it was safe to say the negotiations were already over.
“If you only came here to hear something from me, you've come to the wrong place. I came here to see how helpful you would be to me.”
“Th-That's why we said we'd listen to you, isn't it? The information we can provide is considerable, you know?”
“There was a time I thought so. But... now I see you may not be very helpful after all. For the heads of organizations that buy and sell information to demand it without offering anything in return... the accounts don't add up.”
“H-Heh heh.”
The leaders of the Hao Faction and the Beggars' Sect wore dazed expressions. Across from them, the Soul-Stealing Immortal just chuckled. Of course, I don't know if they can see what I see.
Just then, Bichwihak laughed loudly and spoke to the Hao Faction's leader.
“Kuhahahahaha! Leader of the Hao Faction! We've been thoroughly outplayed. Haven't we?”
“Ahem. It seems so.”
Bichwihak, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, completely shed the clumsy demeanor he had shown until now. No, his gaze had now become as sharp as a well-honed blade.
It was only natural.
The hierarchy of the Beggars' Sect was on a completely different level from that of a typical Orthodox Sect.
The atmosphere in the room where the four had gathered, initially mild, had turned chilly, and finally settled into a solemn gravity.