Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: An Ominous Premonition
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In the early dawn, Mu-heun slipped out of the Martial Alliance's Heavenly Dragon Fortress.
He worried someone might follow and delay him.
Using his lightness skill, he left Wuhan and reached Yichang in a single breath.
‘I should stop by Sichuan first.’
Mu-heun thought of Pa-sun and Un-pyo, whom he had left in Sichuan. He had grown fond of them and found himself worrying about how they were doing.
However, he soon shook his head. From what he had seen, they were now capable enough to handle things on their own without him needing to spell everything out.
Besides...
‘If they've set out on an escort mission... they might not even be in Sichuan right now. More importantly...’
Mu-heun recalled matters of the Cult that he hadn't had the chance to consider until now. A sense of urgency crept into his steps.
‘The fact that the Ice Demon and the Flame Demon commissioned my death... means they might target my family and followers.’
Of course, his main family, the Heavenly Dance Family, would be fine. They were in charge of the Cult's rituals and favored by the Cult Leader; there was nothing to be gained by provoking them. Moreover, the families that supported him were not to be trifled with.
But...
‘Blade Leaf Valley is different.’
Now that the Blade Leaf Demon was alive and well, it was unlikely anything would happen, but still...
* * *
-Gochahyeon, Songrim Inn.
The inn's kitchen was bustling with food preparation, while warriors chatted loudly, tearing into well-prepared dishes and gulping down alcohol.
“Haha, it's good to see you all like this.”
“Indeed it is.”
Un-pyo and Pa-sun had taken on a new merchant escort mission in Gochahyeon. The objective: to sell goods obtained from the Cult in the Central Plains. The cargo was filled with rare items from the Western Regions and medicinal herbs cultivated in Blade Leaf Valley.
However, Un-pyo and Pa-sun were not the only ones assigned to this mission.
“The Azure Dragon Unit has been incorporated into the Dragon Demon Pavilion?”
“That's right. By the way... you two, your skills have improved so much it's astounding.”
“Hahaha, you flatter us.”
“Your current level is the Transcendent Realm... the very peak of it? Both of you?”
“...That is correct.”
Cheon Ga-rak, the leader of the Azure Dragon Unit. He let out a hollow laugh and spoke.
“Hah, hahahahaha, we also received Purple Return Pills with the help of the Heavenly Dance Family Head and trained like our lives depended on it... But seeing your accomplishments, it seems even that wasn't enough.”
But Cheon Ga-rak wasn't the only one surprised. Pa-sun and Un-pyo had also gauged Cheon Ga-rak's martial prowess and offered an awkward smile.
“Haha... It seems you've widened the gap even more, Unit Leader.”
“Hmm...? Does it look that way? Hahahahaha! With you two growing so quickly, I couldn't just sit around and do nothing, could I?”
It was true; Cheon Ga-rak had already entered the realm of the Supreme Demon. Pa-sun and Un-pyo couldn't help but be impressed. The two of them immediately cupped their fists toward Cheon Ga-rak.
“We will learn from your dedication.”
“Hahahaha! More importantly, Un-pyo, you must be happy to be with your old comrades again, eh?”
“...Haha, I was once part of the Azure Dragon Unit, but...”
“Nonsense! My friend. That's all in the past, isn't it?”
Just then, Un-gak, the leader of the Wind Leaf Unit, opened the door and entered.
“Don't tease our Un-pyo too much.”
Un-gak, the leader of the Wind Leaf Unit and the Blade Leaf Demon's top disciple.
He, too, was leading the Wind Leaf Unit on this mission.
There was one reason they had all gathered.
Now that the Red Demon Pavilion was gone and the Dragon Demon Pavilion was established, the Dragon Demon Pavilion had to take over the duties of its predecessor.
First: managing the Cult's territories, including Aksu.
This was taken care of, as Mu-heun had asked the Heavenly Dance Family and other friendly families for help.
He had asked the Tiger Fang Family, where Yi Baek was, to manage Gochahyeon—the first place he visited after leaving the Cult—and entrusted other areas to various families as well.
The Purple Poison Demon Family Head and 9th Elder, Yoo So-jeong.
The Sacred Moon Demon Family Head and 10th Elder, Mu Hwa.
The Sun and Moon Demon Family Head and 11th Elder, Ma Yun-chu.
All of them had promised to provide support until the Dragon Demon Pavilion was fully staffed.
Furthermore, the Dream Fog Pavilion had temporarily taken over guarding the Heavenly Dance Family after the Azure Dragon Unit's departure.
Thus, the issues of security and taxation in the Aksu region were resolved, at least for the time being.
However, the second task that followed after Mu-heun resolved the Sichuan issue was different: managing trade with the Central Plains, especially Sichuan.
The Dragon Demon Pavilion had no forces to handle this. Other families were also reluctant to send troops to the Central Plains, where the clouds of war had recently gathered, and were unwilling to offer support this time.
Knowing this, the Azure Dragon Unit and Blade Leaf Valley's Wind Leaf Unit had volunteered to take on the mission for the Dragon Demon Pavilion.
“Normally, a merchant caravan wouldn't be escorted by so many masters. But this is the first expedition after our clash with those Orthodox Sect bastards! We cannot afford to fail, which is why such a force is accompanying it.”
“That's right. Even if we take a small loss, this mission must succeed at all costs.”
From the Azure Dragon Unit, Leader Cheon Ga-rak had come, along with two squads.
The 5th Squad and its leader, Flowing Water Sword Ho Ryang.
The 6th Squad and its leader, Iron Wind Sword Seo Bong.
Un-pyo and Pa-sun cupped their fists to everyone from the Azure Dragon and Wind Leaf Units gathered there.
“We thank you for your decision. The Lord of the Dragon Demon Pavilion will also be pleased.”
Then, raising a large cup filled with alcohol, he shouted again.
“The journey begins in two days. Let's worry about it later and eat and drink here today!”
“Waaaaaah!”
The Wind Leaf Unit Leader and Un-pyo sat separately, catching up after a long time.
“Is the Blade Leaf Demon doing well?”
“Of course. By the way, Un-pyo, when did you get so strong?”
“You've gotten stronger too, senior brother.”
“...I was greatly inspired by the Lord of the Dragon Demon Pavilion.”
“Indeed, he is a great inspiration to everyone.”
Meanwhile, Seo Bong was drinking with his squad members in a corner, trying to contain his overwhelming emotions at the thought of finally leaving the Cult for the Central Plains.
‘Maybe, just maybe... I might be able to see my sister on this trip.’
Watching Seo Bong, Cheon Ga-rak was once again struck by Mu-heun's greatness.
‘To not only turn the lowest-ranking warrior of the Azure Dragon Unit into a peak master in such a short time, but to have him grow enough to join us on missions like this... It's truly astonishing.’
* * *
Mu-heun felt a scorching gaze on him.
The reason was...
It was coming from behind him, to his right. Seol Ha-ryeong was following him with perfect posture. No, she was following him with a warm gaze, like a baby bird watching its mother.
“Ugh.”
This was all because the Soul-Stealing Immortal had revealed to her that Mu-heun was the Sichuan Divine Doctor in his past life.
“Haaah...”
Mu-heun suddenly recalled the first time he met Seol Ha-ryeong.
‘She was a woman with striking looks and a mysterious aura.’
He first met her on the day of the Cult's Divine Dragon Assembly, in the participants' waiting room.
It was after he had gone to the dueling stage and half-killed Ak Jin-sam. Seol Ha-ryeong, with her flowing white hair, had approached and spoken to him.
She had told him that the Sacred Fire Palace would side with him from now on.
‘Until then, I thought that while the Sacred Fire Palace might support me, Seol Ha-ryeong herself would not.’
At that time, Mu-heun had considered not her words, but the intentions of the Sacred Fire Palace Lord.
The Sacred Fire Palace.
A sacred palace responsible for the Cult's rituals. But its essence was to pray for the well-being of the Cult and to assist the Cult Leader.
If that was the case, the Sacred Fire Palace supporting him meant that it was the Cult Leader's will.
‘Thinking back, the Cult Leader left me alone even though he knew I possessed the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon. At first, I thought he let it slide because he saw me as just another madman obsessed with martial arts... But looking at his actions since then, there might be more to it.’
Of course, if the Cult Leader was truly faithful to the Cult's doctrines and believed that the Heavenly Demon Founder had given me a revelation and that I was chosen by the Sacred Fire, it would have been natural...
But the Cult Leader was not such a pure person. To be precise, he was an old monster over eighty years of age.
‘He had all the clues: me being chosen by the Sacred Fire, my rapid transformation through various events, and even hints about reincarnation. And yet, he secretly called me in to test me. For what purpose?’
The first test.
‘When I passed the test by using Heavenly Demon Ki and the Heaven and Earth Reversal Technique, he sent me to Blade Leaf Valley. It was a secret mission, but it must have been another test.’
‘And when I handled the Blade Leaf Valley matter well, he recommended I participate in the Divine Dragon Assembly. He even went so far as to declare me his sixth disciple at the opening ceremony...’
‘After I won the Divine Dragon Assembly, Cult Leader Cheon Mu-jin gave a hint to Jin Mu, the Radiant Heavenly Demon Unit Leader. He suggested entrusting the problem between our Cult and the Sichuan Tang Clan to one of his disciples.’
‘That was surely, surely meant for me. Jin Mu understood that well and came to find me. As a result, I was given the mission.’
‘For me, it was as if the Cult Leader himself had given me a reason to go to Sichuan, so I had no reason to refuse.’
On top of that, I was able to take capable subordinates like Seol Ha-ryeong and Gu Yang-baek with me, and I could even devise a plan to tie down the Tang Clan's elite forces near Xinjiang. It was killing three birds with one stone.
‘This is tantamount to the Cult Leader openly giving me missions and assisting me. If not that, does it mean he wants to see how I solve them?’
But why would the Cult Leader, old and thinking only of retirement, do all this?
‘Hmm...’
I couldn't fully grasp the intentions of the Cult Leader and the Sacred Fire Palace, but it was clear that, for now, they were favorable to me.
‘Of course, the other five disciples competing for the Cult Leader position must also be aware of this... so it's inevitable that their hostility towards me will grow.’
When I return this time, I must prepare for the competition I promised my senior and junior brothers. We agreed to compare our achievements once a year...
Fortunately, after I finished with the Tang Clan's affairs, Jin Mu, the Radiant Heavenly Demon Unit Leader, came and gave me three months. Three months. It was not a short amount of time.
I had some time to spare, and I also felt a sense of psychological relief after settling things with Dang Baek-ho.
‘After all, I've confirmed the safety of my disciples from my past life.’
That was why I was able to make a move to solve Seol Ha-ryeong's problem.
I headed to the Martial Alliance to find the one who cast the soul-stealing technique on her. At that time, the Sacred Fire Palace Lord had promised a reward if I could lift the spell.
‘I wonder what kind of reward he meant...’
In truth, even before arriving in Hubei, I had already been rewarded.
The reward left behind by the Arhats of Chipyeong Temple. If it hadn't been for Seol Ha-ryeong, I would have had no reason to pass through that place again. So, this was clearly a reward I obtained thanks to her.
Or perhaps, the threads of fate had guided me here...
The events that unfolded in Yuhwa County rekindled the fire in my heart, which had grown somewhat complacent after my confrontation with Dang Baek-ho.
‘In the near future, a problem on the scale of Dang Baek-ho will probably seem like nothing...’
Just then, he saw a cleanly managed inn in the middle of the forest.
“Let's rest at this inn for today.”