Chapter 208
Chapter 208
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: Plum Blossom Divine Hero
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“New food is pretty good too.”
At Cheonhwi's words, Danmurin, who had been eating with her chopsticks right beside him, chimed in.
“The head chef here seems to have mastered every cuisine in the Central Plains.”
While the two savored their meal peacefully, the atmosphere directly across from them was the complete opposite.
“But, Elder...”
Sausang, his eyes bloodshot, rubbed them and cautiously called out to Cheon Igae.
A very tentative summons.
But Cheon Igae's response was prickly.
“What?”
Cheon Igae, who had been tilting his wine cup, opened his eyes sharply and glared at Sausang.
“Why? Want to get hit again?”
“N-No way, sir.”
At Cheon Igae's gruff tone, Sausang shrank back.
And yet, inwardly, he grumbled profusely.
'Gets older but still so petty.'
But he didn't let it show on the outside. Sausang plastered on an awkwardly servile smile and carefully met Cheon Igae's gaze.
“I was just curious why you look like that, so I called out to ask.”
For a moment, Cheon Igae's eyes darted around as he thought, 'Oh no.'
Then he let out a fake cough.
“Ahem, ahem! With an important mission lately, I disguised myself to hide my identity.”
“...Really?”
Sausang eyed him suspiciously.
No matter the mission, as a member of the Beggars' Sect, shouldn't he uphold the precepts?
But he looked like that.
Just as his suspicions deepened...
“You doubting my word?!”
Cheon Igae bellowed.
Like the one who farted gets mad, as they say.
As Cheon Igae made to grab his chair again, Sausang cried out in panic.
“N-No, sir! I believe you!”
Sausang's robes were already soaked with sweat from frantically waving his hands.
'An important mission, huh?'
Having narrowly escaped another beating, Sausang puzzledly stared at Cheon Igae and pondered. But upon closer inspection, Cheon Igae's explanation started to make sense.
'Definitely hard to recognize.'
If Cheon Igae had been in his usual state, anyone would have instantly pegged him as a Beggars' Sect disciple...
But not now.
'No, who'd take that for a Beggars' Sect member?'
Sausang quickly scanned Cheon Igae.
The beard and hair caked in thick black grime had been neatly groomed.
With clean robes on top, it was so perfect that even he, who had known him for so long, couldn't recognize him.
'Just cleaned up and proper clothes, and he looks this different.'
Gazing at Cheon Igae, Sausang unconsciously scratched his head.
It was merely a change in appearance.
Yet it made such a huge difference.
Even his usual face, full of complaints, now resembled that of a finicky scholar.
'But what mission is so critical he's breaking precepts for it?'
Curiosity flickered in Sausang's eyes.
“May I know what the mission is...”
“Can't tell you.”
Cheon Igae cut him off sharply.
Deliberately putting on a grave expression, he stared into Sausang's eyes.
'Gotta muddle through somehow.'
And his ploy worked.
Seeing Cheon Igae's change in expression, Sausang's own face grew solemn.
“...That serious?”
No matter how much of a troublemaker Cheon Igae was, he was still the Beggars' Sect's top info gatherer.
That's why, despite the headaches, they treated him right.
Seeing Sausang duped, Cheon Igae seized the moment and nodded.
“So don't tell the others I'm on a mission. And don't reveal that it's me in this getup.”
“Understood.”
Sausang nodded faintly, then glanced alternately at Cheonhwi and Danmurin.
'Then who are those two? Mission partners?'
His eyes swiftly scanned the pair, who had continued eating calmly even as he nearly got bashed with a chair.
Neither was an ordinary person.
The young man hadn't yielded an inch to the Sacheon Tang Clan—in fact, he'd been even more imposing.
And what of that woman?
She still wore her veil even while eating, so she couldn't be called normal.
'No recent intel on a pair like that...'
They stood out to anyone.
But no matter how he rifled through his mental database, nothing matched.
After agonizing for a while, Sausang finally couldn't hold back his curiosity.
“Uh, Elder. Mind if I ask about that young hero and lady's identities?”
“Why ask me? Ask them yourself.”
At Cheon Igae's sensible reply, Sausang momentarily stared at him in surprise.
“What's with that look?”
“Guh! N-Nothing.”
Under Cheon Igae's sharp gaze, Sausang hurriedly averted his eyes and spoke up.
“Ahem, ahem. Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself. Name's Sausang. I'm the Hall Leader of the Joyful Heroes Hall in the Beggars' Sect.”
Cheonhwi, watching Sausang's sudden self-introduction, set down his wine cup.
Sausang added,
“What's your name?”
Cheonhwi stared at Sausang.
After a moment, with an annoyed look, he poured more wine and moved his lips.
“Cheonhwi.”
“Cheonhwi...?”
Sausang tilted his head.
'Cheonhwi' was the name he'd heard more than any other lately.
One of the two figures who had rocked the current murim, after all.
But he shook his head.
Same name, but it couldn't be him.
He was sipping wine and shoveling meat into his mouth with chopsticks.
“Hmm. Must be a namesake.”
Sausang shrugged.
“Must be tough for you. Of all names, sharing one with the Plum Blossom Divine Hero who's making waves lately—bet a lot of people hassle you.”
“Plum Blossom Divine Hero...?”
Cheonhwi's brow furrowed involuntarily.
'Plum Blossom' in the moniker clearly marked him as Mount Hua Sect.
A namesake with me?
'No way...'
As Cheonhwi grew suspicious...
“You don't know? Well, makes sense. The moniker hasn't fully spread through murim yet.”
Sausang crossed his arms and said,
“Heard about the fateful duel in Shaanxi recently?”
As if he wouldn't.
Cheonhwi nodded, and
“Makes it easy to explain. That day, the duel commenced, and...”
The smiling Sausang unleashed a torrent of words without pause.
“...But the Bi Yeon Sword Lord lost. Cast a shadow over Mount Hua and Zhongnan. And no wonder—Mount Hua's Divine Sword didn't attend. Ahem, ahem. Hold on, lemme wet my throat and continue.”
As his voice cracked from nonstop talking, Sausang used it as an excuse to gulp down wine.
Then he launched back in.
“But they say heroes emerge in troubled times. Out steps a young Taoist from Mount Hua with the same name as you.”
Sausang chattered excitedly, his voice rising a bit.
“And he took down the top female expert who'd beaten the Bi Yeon Sword Lord...”
As his explanation dragged on, Cheonhwi's expression grew ever more peculiar.
The Plum Blossom Divine Hero he kept describing was none other than the moniker attached to himself.
'Calling me a Divine Hero?'
He who'd been the Absolute Heavenly Demon in his past life. Plum Blossom Divine Hero?
Not even amusing.
'Anyone who knew past-life me would have a fit hearing this.'
As he made an incredulous face at the utterly mismatched title...
“Puhahaha!”
Cheon Igae burst into laughter.
So hilarious he coughed amid guffaws, wiping tears from his eyes.
What kind of guy was the Cheonhwi he'd seen up close?
Arbitrary and egotistical to the core.
Far from any 'hero'.
Yet the moniker...
“This punk's the Plum Blossom Divine Hero? Pfft!”
As Cheon Igae cracked up again...
“A perfect moniker for Senior Brother!”
Danmurin said emphatically.
Unlike Cheon Igae, she'd been rescued by Cheonhwi, so she genuinely thought it fit, her eyes sparkling innocently.
Meanwhile, Sausang, watching their reactions, couldn't hide his bewilderment.
Weren't these two talking as if Cheonhwi was the Plum Blossom Divine Hero?
His wavering gaze took in Cheonhwi, along with the wine and meat before him.
“But why the wine and meat...”
“Why? Can't eat?”
“No, not that, but...”
At Cheonhwi's utterly brazen words, Sausang nearly toppled over before snapping back to his senses.
“N-No! Daoists aren't supposed to eat that. There are clear precepts.”
“Hm? Precepts?”
Cheonhwi glanced at Cheon Igae.
“...”
Sausang promptly shut his mouth.
Pointing out Daoist precepts when Cheon Igae himself was flouting Beggars' Sect rules?
It'd be like spitting in his own face.
'But amazing. To run into the Plum Blossom Divine Hero here of all places...'
His eyes rapidly scanned Cheonhwi from head to toe.
As a Beggars' Sect man, he couldn't miss intel on the one shaking up current murim.
Appearance, personality, even his behavior toward the Sacheon Tang Clan today—all committed to memory.
Satisfied, he turned his gaze to Danmurin.
“Then, miss's name...”
“Rin.”
Danmurin said calmly.
“Never heard that one.”
Tensing in case she was another bigwig, Sausang sighed in relief and stared hard at her veil.
Just in case.
She might be someone extraordinary too.
But the densely woven fabric hid her face completely. He shook his head and turned to Cheon Igae.
“Mind if I ask where you're headed next?”
“Zhuge Clan.”
“Zh-Zhuge Clan...?!”
Sausang's eyes bulged.
The current Zhuge Clan was hosting the family head's sixtieth birthday feast, drawing in powerful families and sects from the Bi Tian Society one after another.
Heading there in person?
No different from shoving your head into a tiger's maw.
“Not your average matter.”
Thinking it a grave mission, Sausang stepped back and asked quietly,
“Anything I can help with?”
“Not really...”
As Cheon Igae started to say no...
“Then give me some intel.”
Cheonhwi cut in.
“What kind?”
To Sausang's follow-up, Cheonhwi twisted his lips and replied coldly.
“Zhuge Clan and Sacheon Tang Clan.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Zhuge Clan.
Located on Mount Tai in Shandong Province, the Zhuge Clan had long been one of the pillars upholding the righteous murim world.
How much power had their brilliant strategies and formations wielded whenever the righteous factions faced peril?
Perhaps due to that influence.
As the family head's sixtieth birthday approached, visitors to the Zhuge Clan were surging.
Thus, Outer Hall guards stood at the main gate, along with Outer Hall members.
The gate normally manned by just two gatekeepers was different now.
Far more arrivals than anticipated.
“From Broom Star Sect.”
“Congrats on the family head's sixtieth. These gifts carry our best wishes.”
“Thank you for visiting.”
Inside the carriage, Cheonhwi listened to the voices outside and stretched.
“Yawn. Taking forever.”
As the bored Cheonhwi yawned, slumping into his seat, Danmurin across from him smiled softly.
She glanced back and said,
“Hope the elder made it in fine.”
“He did.”
Cheonhwi recalled that morning.
Upon arriving at Mount Tai, he'd immediately stepped down from the carriage and gone separately.
As the Beggars' Sect Supreme Elder, probably couldn't just waltz in.
As he recalled the elder's departing back...
Clunk.
The carriage halted before the gate.
“Hm? Go Sam, isn't it? Long time!”
“Long time no see.”
The Zhuge Clan's Outer Hall Leader recognized the coachman Go Sam and greeted him with a beaming smile.
“Hoho, the Wyvern Merchant Group Leader already informed us you'd be coming.”
Murmuring quietly, the Outer Hall Leader knocked on the carriage door and said,
“Welcome.”
No sooner had he spoken than the door opened, and Cheonhwi and Danmurin emerged.
“Man, tons of people.”
“Indeed.”
The Outer Hall Leader frowned slightly upon seeing the pair.
Go Sam was supposed to bring a Mount Hua Sect disciple, yet they wore plain robes, not daoist attire.
He approached and asked,
“You're from Mount Hua Sect, correct?”
“That's right.”
“But the clothes...”
“Hm? Oh, slipped my mind.”
Cheonhwi looked down at his outfit and called to Danmurin.
“Gotta grab the luggage.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
Danmurin rummaged through the bags.
She shouldered a small bundle and pulled out a daoist robe.
“This work?”
As the Outer Hall Leader gawked at Cheonhwi holding the robe like mere baggage in one hand...
“Th-That flag?”
“Tang Clan! Tang Clan!”
Commotion erupted from behind.
The line parted down the middle as a lavish carriage rolled in.
Soon the door flew open.
“Long time.”
“About our size.”
Silver Shadow Guest and Dang Jeok disembarked.
While eyeing the Zhuge Clan gate, they turned and spotted Cheonhwi, radiating killing intent.
“You bastard...!”
“So you came to the Zhuge Clan.”
The lead Silver Shadow Guest, Dang Jeok, and the accompanying Tang Clan warriors all glared at Cheonhwi.
“What happened with the Tang Clan?”
The flustered Outer Hall Leader asked him.
“Oh, something.”
Cheonhwi grinned at them.
'Met sooner than expected.'
Clashing with the Sacheon Tang Clan was inevitable.
They were here for the family head's birthday too, after all.
'Gonna jump me here?'
As Cheonhwi met their murderous glares head-on without flinching...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Heavy footfalls resounded.
The door slammed open, and a dark-skinned, muscle-bound man strode out.
“Hm? What a hulking build.”
“A warrior visiting the Zhuge Clan? That size rivals the Peng Clan...”
“Hm? Sacheon Tang?”
The man paused briefly to glance at the momentarily startled Tang warriors.
“Oh! Young hero! You're here!”
Spotting Cheonhwi at the gate, he charged over in a heartbeat. His earthquake-like strides brought him before Cheonhwi, where he flashed a bright grin.
“Long time no see.”
“Even bigger than last time?”
“Hahaha, you think?”
The man—Zhuge Sung-hyeon—chuckled bashfully.
He then extended his calloused hand and clasped Cheonhwi's firmly.
Bowing his head, he said,
“More importantly, thank you for accepting my invitation this time!”