Chapter 252
Chapter 252
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 252
Chapter Title: More Serious Than Expected
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"......More serious than I thought."
A long, thin wrinkle formed between the brows of Escort Division Leader Chu Gwang-gwang as he gazed at the mountain gate reduced to rubble.
A gate was the face of a sect.
How much deeper the meaning when it belonged to the Mount Hua Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects.
Yet that very gate lay in ruins.
"This won't be easy."
A wry smile tugged at his lips unbidden.
'Of all missions, why this one.'
Chu Gwang-gwang suppressed a sigh rising from deep in his dantian.
It was then.
Thud— thud—
The sound of footsteps approached.
From beyond the shattered gate, two Taoists drew near.
The burly one in the rear was a very familiar face.
Mount Hua Divine Sword Immortal Hyeondo.
The peerless master who had represented Mount Hua in the Murim Alliance, handling major affairs.
The elderly Taoist leading him was a stranger, one Chu Gwang-gwang had never met.
Yet Chu Gwang-gwang knew him at once.
A soft yet weighty aura.
And Hyeondo subtly trailing a step behind.
Anyone with eyes would see it.
'This must be Mount Hua's Sect Leader, Immortal Hyeonsang......'
Chu Gwang-gwang immediately cupped his fists.
"It is an honor to meet Mount Hua's Sect Leader. This one is Chu Gwang-gwang."
Those watching the newcomers near the gate widened their eyes in surprise.
"Chu Gwang-gwang?"
"No way, that......"
Anyone who had set foot in the jianghu knew the name.
Carefree Sword Chu Gwang-gwang.
The man in charge of the Murim Alliance's Escort Division, one of its four great units.
Hyeonsang spoke flatly.
"Pleased to meet you."
Chu Gwang-gwang's expression darkened instantly.
The worst possible response.
'It would've been better if he raged.'
He hadn't dreamed of a welcome.
But this utter lack of anger meant fury beyond measure.
Chu Gwang-gwang bowed his head swiftly.
"Sorry for arriving late."
A plain apology, without excuses like 'We hurried, but the distance was too great.'
"......"
Hyeonsang stared down at the crown of Chu Gwang-gwang's bowed head before sighing.
"Haa. Enough."
Hyeonsang's expression softened slightly.
"It's not your fault. The failure to gather intelligence lies with the Murim Alliance and the Beggars' Sect."
The Beggars' Sect disciples eavesdropping hurriedly averted their gazes.
Chu Gwang-gwang slowly raised his head.
"Thank you."
"No need."
Hyeonsang's tone turned icy again.
"I'll overlook it for you, but the Alliance will answer for this."
Chu Gwang-gwang smiled bitterly.
As expected.
'Then......'
Chu Gwang-gwang carefully reached into his robe and produced a scroll.
Antique paper at a glance.
Bound with golden silk like a work of art.
Hyeonsang's eyes narrowed.
"What's this?"
"A urgent missive received at dawn... sent directly to you by the Military Strategist."
"An urgent missive...?"
Hyeonsang furrowed his brow.
If the Murim Alliance sent it urgently, it wasn't trivial.
"Do you know the contents?"
"Better you read it yourself than hear from me."
Hyeonsang took the scroll and unrolled it.
His eyes widened as he read.
His trembling pupils scanned to the end before he rerolled it.
"......Is this true?"
"Yes."
Hyeonsang's gaze grew grave.
"We need to talk details."
With that, he turned.
"Follow me."
Chu Gwang-gwang nodded and glanced back.
To his tense subordinates lined up, he said softly,
"All of you wait here."
"Understood."
The central man replied, and Chu Gwang-gwang hurried after Hyeonsang.
Moments later, they reached Purple霞 Pavilion.
Hyeonsang sat, unrolling the scroll on the table, and murmured lowly.
"War with the Evil-Black Alliance?"
"Not confirmed yet."
Chu Gwang-gwang replied gravely.
"The Great Murim Conference will gather opinions from the Nine Great Sects and others before deciding."
"The Alliance stepping forward against the Evil-Black Alliance... It looks like a declaration not to let our sect's raid slide."
"Precisely."
"Heh, I see."
Hyeonsang chuckled briefly before hardening his face.
"But do they think our sect will welcome it?"
His voice swept over Chu Gwang-gwang like a blizzard.
"Only now, after everything, they step up to fight. Had our sect failed to repel the bandits and faced annihilation, they'd have let it pass."
Hyeonsang's eyes sank darkly.
"What do you think?"
"......"
Chu Gwang-gwang fell silent.
Hyeonsang's words mirrored his own thoughts upon reading the missive.
'No way around it.'
His mission: Persuade the Sect Leader, secure Mount Hua's attendance at the conference.
But with this sharp reaction, how?
Chu Gwang-gwang shook his head faintly.
No persuasion came to mind, no matter how he racked his brain.
He rose.
More talk risked backfiring.
"On behalf of the Murim Alliance, I apologize once more."
Bowing again, then meeting Hyeonsang's eyes steadily, he continued,
"But please understand one thing. The Alliance did its utmost. Our shortfall is real, and we are sorry."
With a final courteous salute, as he turned worrying how to report—
"......May I ask one thing?"
Chu Gwang-gwang paused.
"Ask away."
"How does the Murim Alliance view our sect's current standing?"
"Sect Leader, why do you think they're holding the Great Murim Conference?"
A question answering itself.
Had they ignored Mount Hua, no war with Evil-Black Alliance needed.
As before.
Now, they seriously discussed war, even convening the conference.
Meaning they valued Mount Hua enough to risk righteous-demonic war.
Hyeonsang closed and opened his eyes.
"Fine. I'll let this slide once."
Chu Gwang-gwang's despondent face brightened.
"Thank you......"
"But promise one thing."
Hyeonsang cut him off.
"Ensure the Alliance gathers intelligence properly so this never happens again."
Chu Gwang-gwang nodded vigorously.
"......I'll relay it."
The tension in the room eased.
"When do you depart?"
Chu Gwang-gwang glanced out the window.
The sun dipped, about to vanish behind the peaks.
"Too late today. Tomorrow morning would be best."
"Tomorrow morning... A bit rushed."
Hyeonsang glanced outside casually.
"For the conference, can we send just one from our sect? As you see, our state won't allow sending many disciples."
"No issue. But the seats are what they are, so not just anyone......"
"Don't worry. It'll be Hyeondo."
Chu Gwang-gwang nodded.
Mount Hua Divine Sword was more than enough.
"Then I'll leave it to you. Ah!"
As he rose to bow and leave, something struck him.
"I almost forgot."
Chu Gwang-gwang added hastily.
"The Military Strategist requests a meeting with Plum Blossom Divine Hero Cheonhwi."
Hyeonsang's eyes sharpened.
"Why?"
Caught off guard by the edge, Chu Gwang-gwang hid his surprise.
"As repayment for past cooperation."
"Repayment...?"
Hyeonsang stroked his chin beard.
The Alliance Military Strategist's gift wouldn't be ordinary.
"I'll pass it to Cheonhwi."
"Much obliged."
After Chu Gwang-gwang left, Hyeonsang summoned Hyeondo and Cheonhwi to Purple霞 Pavilion.
"You called?"
"Called us?"
"First, the reason. The Murim Alliance just......"
Time short, Hyeonsang quickly explained recent events.
Once done, Hyeondo thumped his chest.
"I'll handle the conference flawlessly. No worries."
"I leave it to you."
Hyeonsang eyed confident Hyeondo, then turned to Cheonhwi.
"What about you?"
"I don't mind......"
Cheonhwi paused, gazing steadily at Hyeonsang.
"You sure?"
A loaded question.
Hyeonsang smiled faintly.
"Heh heh, no need to worry."
Despite the answer, Cheonhwi eyed him skeptically.
Hadn't they nearly faced annihilation in the bandit raid?
And now 'no worries'?
Untrustworthy words.
Reading his face, Hyeonsang smiled softly.
"Think another raid will happen?"
"First time's hard. Second's easy."
"Ahem. True, but."
Coughing dryly, Hyeonsang chuckled unwittingly at Cheonhwi's words.
'He's changed much.'
The old Cheonhwi would've bolted upon hearing, heedless of Mount Hua.
Smiling, Hyeonsang spoke.
"The Alliance will help."
"Hm... Really?"
Cheonhwi eyed him doubtfully, then shrugged.
"Well, if you're fine."
Cheonhwi rose.
"Tomorrow morning, right?"
"So they said."
"Got it. I'll head out."
Leaving Purple霞 Pavilion, Cheonhwi climbed toward Falling Goose Peak when a long shadow ahead made him look up.
A figure stood at the pass, backlit by sunset.
"What're you doing there?"
"Wanted to chat with my junior brother."
Cheonyu rummaged in his robes, producing two bottles.
"Fancy a drink after so long?"
Soon, they plopped down on a cliff overlooking all of Mount Hua.
"This one's yours."
Cheonyu produced cups from somewhere, pouring for Cheonhwi.
Glug—
Sunset gleamed in the stream from bottle to cup.
Cheonyu set the bottle aside.
"There, drink up."
Cheonhwi took the cup.
"You managed to bring it all the way here. Caught, and you'd be in deep trouble."
"Took effort. Dodged Martial Uncle's eyes with every trick."
Shrugging, Cheonyu poured his own.
"Off to the Murim Alliance?"
"They're giving gifts. Gotta collect. Waste to refuse."
Cheonhwi downed his cup casually.
Mm, been too long.
Bandits and such kept him from drink lately; it tasted fine.
Fiery and good.
Savoring the liquor’s warmth—
"Kuh."
Cheonyu tossed back his full cup, eyeing Cheonhwi.
Then slowly spoke.
"Don't worry about Mount Hua. Come back safe."
Same as others.
As Cheonhwi thought that, Cheonyu added gravely,
"If trouble brews, I'll have everyone hightail it out."
Laughter fodder for others.
Mount Hua's senior disciple declaring flight from danger.
But Cheonhwi approved.
Better than pointless deaths fighting.
Survival first.
"Right?"
"Yep? Good plan, huh? Hahaha!"
Cheonyu roared with laughter.
"As expected, my junior brother gets me. Master or Martial Uncle would flip at such words."
"Gotta survive for the future."
"Exactly."
Cheonyu nodded, smiling.
Then, setting his cup down quietly, he whispered close to Cheonhwi's ear,
"Since it's come up, mind sharing how to remove this iron ring? Gotta if trouble hits, right?"
Seizing the opening, Cheonhwi grinned.
"Think there's a special way?"
Cheonyu pouted.
"Tch, fine. Didn't expect much. Only you can, huh?"
"Anyone at that realm can."
"Easy, is it?"
Cheonyu retorted incredulously.
"Then you'll remove it later."
Downing another, Cheonyu spoke with a tipsy face.
"So come back safe to do it."
The calm words heavy with sincerity embarrassed Cheonhwi oddly; he averted his gaze, sipping sunset-tinted liquor.
'Not a bad feeling.'
Their talk ended there...
Replaced by sipping sounds.
Until darkness cloaked Mount Hua.
Leaving deep liquor scent in the night.