Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Ten Days Later
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“Has ten days already passed?”
Cheonhwi felt bored.
His routine during his stay at the Ilhwa Sect was far too simple.
Sleep, wake, eat.
And the occasional dealing with those peeking in. That was it.
But even that had stopped three days ago.
“Hmm, maybe it’s time to leave.”
The Ilhwa Sect was gradually finding stability.
The sect leader had recovered from his injuries, and the damaged halls had been repaired.
On top of that, the biggest problem—teaching them martial arts—had nearly been resolved.
Cheonhwi gazed out the window.
There, under Seollan’s guidance, Jugo-yul was diligently practicing his martial arts.
He’d seen it many times, but the boy had no talent.
Jeokgeom and Seollan had mastered the Seven Stars Step footprints in a dozen tries at most, yet Jugo-yul couldn’t even follow them properly and kept stumbling around.
‘Still, he’s working hard.’
Lacking talent, Jugo-yul compensated with more effort than anyone else.
He did stamina training twice a day, morning and evening, even before Seollan could tell him to, and he never skipped martial arts practice.
To the point where, every time Cheonhwi looked out the window like this, Jugo-yul was the first thing he noticed.
“Hup! Hup!”
Jugo-yul rolled up his sweat-soaked sleeves and quickly moved his feet again.
“Move faster!”
Seollan whipped Jugo-yul, who had grown exhausted following the Seven Stars Step footprints.
“At that speed, you’ll get stabbed by a blind man’s sword.”
Pouring out harsh words, Seollan approached Jugo-yul and corrected his stance.
“Here, spread your left foot wider, and when you move, pour out your internal energy all at once. That way, you’ll be even faster...”
She wanted to help as much as possible so his efforts wouldn’t go to waste.
“It’s not about recklessly pouring out internal energy to go faster. Use the minimal amount of internal energy, but leverage your ankle to...”
Seollan recalled how she herself deployed the Seven Stars Step and paused mid-explanation.
“Why?”
Her explanation cut off abruptly, so Jugo-yul stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her.
“No. Just try it again.”
Seollan hurriedly changed the subject.
‘Why did I know this but forget it?’
Until now, she had unconsciously focused only on deploying the martial art, never considering how or in what manner she did it.
‘Why is the Seven Stars Step called Seven Stars...?’
As the question surged up, she watched Jugo-yul deploy the Seven Stars Step.
His version was markedly different from hers.
But it was the same Seven Stars Step.
So what created the difference?
Seollan’s pupils dilated as she delved into contemplation of the martial art, her gaze growing distant.
‘Oh ho, looks like she’s had a realization.’
Watching Seollan slip halfway into enlightenment, Cheonhwi yawned and stood up.
‘I’ve roughly taught them the martial arts, so it’s time to prepare to head back.’
He couldn’t stay at the Ilhwa Sect forever.
He’d have to leave eventually.
And as he pondered when that might be...
Gurgle—
His stomach cried out for food.
“Tsk. Let’s eat first.”
Changing into the gray martial robe hanging on the wall, Cheonhwi stepped outside.
Not toward the rear garden where Jeokgeom and Seollan were training, but toward the opposite side of the manor.
“Martial Uncle! Where are you headed?”
Jeokgeom, who had been supervising the Ilhwa Sect disciples in their horse stance training, spotted Cheonhwi and asked.
“To eat.”
Jeokgeom nodded.
Meals weren’t available in the Ilhwa Sect at the moment.
Not only had the dining hall collapsed, but there were no cooks either.
“Take care.”
As soon as Jeokgeom finished his farewell, he glared at the Ilhwa Sect disciples with the eyes of a hawk.
“You there, raise your arms higher. Look at Young Master Ju. After horse stance, he jumps straight into martial arts practice. If you collapse from exhaustion like this, your martial arts training...”
Jeokgeom scolded the Ilhwa Sect disciples, reciting exactly what Cheonhwi had taught him.
‘Hmm, looks like Jeokgeom’s gained something too.’
Glancing at Jeokgeom, who seemed far more composed than before, Cheonhwi headed out.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A short while later, Cheonhwi arrived on Yeonan’s streets and looked around.
‘Now there are people.’
Just three days ago, the streets had been eerily empty, but now people were out and about, the area slowly regaining its vitality.
“Phew, now I can breathe easy.”
“No warriors around—how refreshing.”
“All thanks to the Ilhwa Sect and Lesser Prosperity Fortress.”
Praise drifted in from all directions.
Especially for Lesser Prosperity Fortress—the compliments were unique. Even though they were unorthodox, people spoke well of them for actually caring, unlike others.
“Heh, unlike Specter Wanderers Sect and Black Tiger Gang, Lesser Prosperity Fortress doesn’t collect a single coin in protection money.”
“Truly grateful fellows.”
Of course, no rumors omitted mention of Mount Hua Sect.
“But above all, Mount Hua Sect! The moment their subordinate clan called for aid, they uprooted the whole lot.”
“No wonder they’re called the Nine Great Sects. After help like this, who’d dare touch the Ilhwa Sect—no, Mount Hua Sect’s subordinate clan?”
Cheonhwi let their praises for Mount Hua Sect flow in one ear and out the other as he entered the now-familiar inn.
Swish—
Passing through the curtain...
“Welcome... Ah! Great hero. Back again today!”
The waiter greeted him warmly.
To him, Cheonhwi was a VIP customer.
Not only did he tip generously with every meal, but the waiter got a hefty cut too!
The waiter immediately guided him to the second floor.
Leading him to a prime seat in the inn, the waiter rubbed his hands together and asked,
“What’ll it be today?”
“Anything decent.”
Cheonhwi replied lazily.
“Right away!”
The waiter scurried off.
Watching him go, Cheonhwi poured tea from the pot beside him and took a sip.
‘Maybe pick up some liquor later.’
As he thought of the liquor he hadn’t touched in ages...
‘Who’s that?’
Cheonhwi’s eyes narrowed.
He sensed presences approaching the inn.
Especially the leader’s aura—vast and powerful, as if it had reached the supreme realm.
‘On par with Mount Hua Sect elders.’
Just then, the curtain rustled.
Rustle—
Looking down at those entering the inn, Cheonhwi’s brows furrowed.
“Why have Zhongnan Sect come all the way here?”
Cheonhwi scanned the five Taoist priests in familiar robes.
Aside from the middle-aged leader, they were all young.
Three were in their twenties or so, but the boy trailing at the end looked extremely young...
Suddenly, as he looked at the boy priest, Cheonhwi’s brows furrowed tighter.
‘Jonghyeon?’
At that moment, the boy priest—Jonghyeon—recognized him too. His eyes widened.
Soon, Jonghyeon flashed a beaming smile and waved vigorously.
“Hyungnim!”
Shouting loud enough to shake the inn, Jonghyeon scampered up the stairs.
Reaching Cheonhwi’s table, he said with sparkling eyes,
“I never expected to run into you here, Hyungnim!”
“Me neither.”
Cheonhwi agreed.
“Where are you rushing off to?”
The remaining Zhongnan Sect priests climbed up after him.
‘Eh? I’ve seen him somewhere before...’
Cheonhwi’s eyes narrowed.
The leading middle-aged priest looked familiar.
After staring for a moment...
‘Ah! The priest from when I visited Zhongnan Sect.’
He recognized him.
It was Haujin's senior brother, the one who had led the young priests there.
‘He was with disciples back then too. Same even out in the jianghu.’
As he watched...
“You are...”
The middle-aged priest spotted Cheonhwi and bowed in surprise.
“Infinite blessings. Benefactor, you visited our sect at my junior brother’s invitation.”
“You recognize me.”
“Heh heh, how could I not?”
The middle-aged priest, recognizing Cheonhwi instantly, let out a hearty laugh.
“If it’s not too rude, may we join you?”
“Join...”
Cheonhwi started to refuse but hesitated.
Jonghyeon had already plopped down in the adjacent chair, eyes gleaming.
“Hyungnim, let’s eat together!”
Having unexpectedly reunited with Cheonhwi, Jonghyeon clung to his side like an eager puppy.
‘Doesn’t matter. Curious why Zhongnan Sect’s in Yeonan anyway.’
Finishing his thought, he nodded and replied,
“Do as you please.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse us.”
As the middle-aged priest sat, the young Zhongnan Sect priests hesitantly followed suit.
“Um, Hyungnim.”
Jonghyeon, unable to hold back any longer, looked straight up at Cheonhwi and asked,
“Why’d you suddenly leave our sect that day?”
“Time to go.”
“I see!”
Jonghyeon bobbed his head up and down.
“Still, if you’d said something to this little brother...”
Recalling that time, Jonghyeon pouted.
“Heh heh, must’ve had urgent business. Right, benefactor?”
The middle-aged priest laughed and steered the conversation.
“Yeah.”
“Ah, right! Now that I think about it, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves.”
His eyes curved into crescent moons.
“This priest is Boseong.”
The middle-aged priest’s identity was astonishing.
Thunderbolt Sword Boseong!
An elder of Zhongnan Sect and once a master who shook the jianghu with his name.
‘No wonder his presence is so strong.’
The young priests then stood from their chairs and bowed politely one by one.
“I am Suran.”
“Ho-young.”
“Se Wuyoung.”
After they finished their greetings, Cheonhwi tossed out his name casually.
“Cheonhwi.”
Instantly, the three priests excluding Boseong widened their eyes round.
“Cheonhwi...”
“The one who came before...”
As they began murmuring...
“Benefactor, did you come to Yeonan to aid the Ilhwa Sect?”
Boseong struck up the conversation.
“Well, yeah.”
“Same goal as us, then.”
Cheonhwi gave him a puzzled look.
The Ilhwa Sect was Mount Hua Sect’s subordinate clan—no relation to Zhongnan Sect whatsoever.
Sensing his gaze, Boseong added an explanation.
“Recently, merchant caravans visiting our sect came asking for help, saying unorthodox sects were rampaging in Yeonan.”
Ah, so that’s it.
Cheonhwi understood at once.
Zhongnan Sect was currently sharing Shaanxi Province with Mount Hua Sect.
With unorthodox forces flooding Yeonan, they’d naturally be on edge.
As Cheonhwi nodded in understanding...
“And it turns out Mount Hua Sect showed up too.”
Boseong met Cheonhwi’s eyes.
“Our goals align—how about it? Shall we join forces?”
“For what?”
“To subjugate the unorthodox sects.”
Cheonhwi let out a chuckle.
What was this belated fanfare?
“Already handled them all.”
“Handled...”
His eyes widened mid-sentence.
“You mean you’ve taken care of all of them?”
“Yeah.”
Boseong shook his head.
Before coming to Yeonan, they had scouted the unorthodox masters there.
Specter Wanderers Sect Leader, Blood Ghost Blade.
Black Tiger Gang Leader, Black Tiger Fist Bear.
Lesser Prosperity Fortress Leader, Wind Tyrant Sword Fiend.
They were peak masters who had made names for themselves over the past few years.
“Mount Hua Sect must’ve drawn their blades.”
No matter how chaotic the unorthodox in Yeonan, could they compare to Mount Hua Sect?
“To clean out those three sects, Mount Hua must’ve sent some heavy hitters... Perhaps Flowing Cloud Sword Child Hyeonyang came to Yeonan?”
Boseong named the first Mount Hua Sect priest who came to mind.
“Nope.”
“Then who? Mount Hua Divine Sword and Hyeonjin are at the Murim Alliance right now, and the other Wise Generation priests rarely venture out from Mount Hua...”
As he rattled off the Mount Hua masters in his head, an utterly unexpected answer reached his ears.
“I took care of them.”
At those words, not just Boseong but most of the Zhongnan Sect priests were stunned.
“How could you handle those guys...”
“Is that even possible?”
“In just a few days...”
The three priests eyed Cheonhwi suspiciously as they muttered.
“As expected of Hyungnim!”
Jonghyeon shouted loudly.
“You punished them all!”
His eyes sparkled like stars.
Unlike the other Zhongnan Sect priests.
Far from doubting Cheonhwi, he trusted him completely.
To Jonghyeon, Cheonhwi was as lofty as his master.
Seeing Jonghyeon’s reaction plunged the Zhongnan Sect priests into confusion.
It was the first time they’d seen the usually quiet Jonghyeon react like this.
And to speak with such utter trust...
“If our junior speaks that way...”
“...Then it’s true?”
“But to face those guys, you’d need a master on par with grand martial uncle...”
The three glanced back and forth between Jonghyeon and Cheonhwi.
Meanwhile...
Pat pat—
Boseong poured himself some tea.
The fragrant steam rising calmed his mind considerably. Fixing his gaze on Cheonhwi, he spoke.
“...In any case, it’s a relief that Yeonan’s troubles are settled.”
What did it matter who did it?
They’d eliminated the unorthodox and driven them from Yeonan—that was enough.
Gazing at Cheonhwi for a moment, he recalled their future plans and asked,
“Then with everything wrapped up, you’ll be heading back to Mount Hua Sect soon.”
“Yeah.”
“When do you plan to leave?”
“Why do you ask?”
Cheonhwi turned the question back at the sudden inquiry.
“Heh heh, I jumped the gun a bit.”
Boseong continued calmly.
“Next, we plan to visit Mount Hua Sect ourselves, so I thought to ask.”
It was an out-of-left-field statement.
Zhongnan Sect, with no prior exchange, visiting Mount Hua Sect?
“Why are you coming?”
Cheonhwi asked, and Boseong paused in thought before nodding and replying,
“We have a letter to deliver to Mount Hua Sect.”