Chapter 254
Chapter 254
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: Campfire Training
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A short while later, the group finished their meal and stepped out of the Plum Blossom Inn, lining up in formation.
Their faces were brimming with satisfaction.
Having started their journey preparations early in the morning on empty stomachs, everyone naturally felt great after such a delicious breakfast.
"It's been ages since I ate a hearty meal."
"No meat, just veggies, but this is the first time they've tasted this good."
Everyone patted their bellies, showering the food with praise.
At first, they'd been disappointed when the veggie-only dishes came out, but after a few bites with their chopsticks, they started devouring it all.
It wasn't just hunger—the flavors were exceptionally refined for vegetable dishes.
Amid the chorus of compliments from all around, one man smiled faintly.
'I was worried even delicious veggie food might not cut it, but that was needless concern.'
As Steward Oh breathed a sigh of relief at the unanimous praise...
"That was a fine meal."
"Truly delicious."
Hyeondo and Chugeogwang approached and greeted him.
Steward Oh immediately bowed his head, a smile playing on his lips.
"I'm glad it pleased you."
"But really, is this alright? It's too generous a hospitality—the portions were huge."
Hyeondo remarked, watching the servers hurriedly clear the plates. Chugeogwang nodded in agreement.
"Elder Hyeondo is right. We have plenty of money, so tell us the bill and we'll pay now."
Seeing Chugeogwang reach for his money pouch, Steward Oh frantically waved his hands.
"Oh no, no. This inn wouldn't even be standing without Mount Hua Sect's help. How could we charge for a simple meal?"
He emphasized firmly, as if refusing to yield an inch.
"Hrm, hrm. Is that so?"
Hyeondo's lips twitched.
He felt good hearing Steward Oh subtly praise Mount Hua Sect.
"Then we won't refuse your kindness."
Steward Oh beamed and turned to Chugeogwang.
Though Chugeogwang looked uncomfortable, he eventually nodded.
"Thank you."
An old saying went that refusing goodwill was itself poor manners—especially from a major trading house eager to build ties with the Murim Alliance.
"Oh, it's nothing."
As Steward Oh humbly waved it off, his eyes flashed for a moment.
'To think I'd run into Wandering Sword Chugeogwang.'
He knew the name well.
One of the top reputations in the current Murim Alliance, especially revered among young martial artists.
'He's the future of the Murim Alliance. Buying his favor with just a meal is a bargain.'
As the three finished their exchange...
"Preparations done?"
Cheonhwi emerged, pushing aside the curtain.
Hyeondo glanced at the satisfied-smiling Cheonhwi and worked his mouth.
"Did you finish your talk?"
"Yeah, all good."
Cheonhwi replied, his gaze lingering thoughtfully toward where Cheongyang Gong sat.
The man had sat arms crossed, not touching the food before him, lost in contemplation until Cheonhwi emerged.
'Still mulling over the incantation?'
Recalling how Cheongyang Gong's brow had furrowed ever since hearing those two lines, Cheonhwi let out a chuckle.
As expected, he'd jumped at the offer.
How could he refuse the incantations for the latter half of the Nine Oxen Demon Transformation Art?
'He'll be quiet for years now, struggling to decipher it.'
It wasn't a prediction—it was near certainty.
'It's not called one of the hardest even among the Demonic Path's Ten Strongest for nothing.'
The latter half's incantations were profound and hard to grasp.
Especially those two lines just shared—they pinpointed the art's core, making them all the more esoteric.
The sacred flame of the demonic path.
The essence of the Nine Oxen Demon Transformation Art, containing the pinnacle of defying heaven.
For a fleeting moment, Cheonhwi's smile twisted.
The instant Cheongyang Gong comprehended it, he'd surely hang on Cheonhwi's every word for the next incantations.
The gap between mastering only the first half and even partially learning the latter was night and day.
'I've got him hooked proper.'
It was all calculated.
By doling out bits of the latter incantations, Cheonhwi was slowly drawing Cheongyang Gong into the quagmire of the Nine Oxen Demon Transformation Art.
Irreversibly deep, with no escape.
And the results were already showing.
'For more incantations, his only options are returning to the Divine Cult or coming to me.'
Returning to the Divine Cult was impossible.
It meant death.
So in the end, he'd have no choice but to cling to Cheonhwi.
'No way he'll defy me now, not even in his dreams.'
Meanwhile, recalling the man who'd gone up with Cheonhwi, Hyeondo quietly asked.
"Did you come to this Plum Blossom Inn to meet that fellow earlier?"
"Yep."
Cheonhwi nodded.
Exactly as he said.
The sole reason for coming to the Plum Blossom Inn was to meet Cheongyang Gong.
A potential threat looming over Mount Hua Sect.
This was preparation against it.
Cheonhwi lowered his upward gaze and met Hyeondo's eyes.
"If Mount Hua Sect ever gets in danger, he'll lend a hand."
"If our sect is in peril...?"
Hyeondo tilted his head, then grasped Cheonhwi's intent.
"Haha, with you and I leaving, you brought in an expert as insurance against any risks to the sect."
"A bit different, but close enough."
Cheonhwi shrugged.
Not formally hired, but not wrong either.
A smile spread across Hyeondo's face at Cheonhwi's response.
"Mind sharing who it is? His aura suggests quite the renowned figure..."
His eyes deepened, thinking of Cheongyang Gong.
He was suppressing it, but the leaking energy was no joke.
Cheonhwi pondered Hyeondo's question.
'Famous, sure enough.'
But that fame was infamy, not glory—that was the issue.
'Mad Blood Demon, was it?'
Recalling the old moniker for Cheongyang Gong, Cheonhwi scratched the back of his head.
Too awkward to reveal.
Best to gloss over it.
"No one's heard of him widely in the jianghu, so probably no one knows."
Not a lie.
He'd been active decades ago—few in today's murim would know.
"Oh, really?"
It could've sounded suspicious, but Hyeondo didn't doubt Cheonhwi a bit.
How could he doubt Cheonhwi?
'No jianghu activity means a hidden recluse. Haha, Cheonhwi's built quite the connections.'
He even smiled inwardly.
With both he and Cheonhwi gone, unease had lingered—but an expert like that helping out eased his mind.
Chugeogwang, meanwhile, perked up at their conversation.
'A hidden recluse...'
His brow furrowed slightly.
There were many unknowns in the world, but that old man's aura was anything but ordinary.
'Truly unknown in the jianghu...?'
His mind raced.
Faces and behaviors of countless people he'd heard of or seen flashed by, but none matched the old man.
For a moment.
'No point dwelling now.'
Chugeogwang cleared his thoughts.
Curious about the man's identity, but priorities first.
'...I'll report it to the Alliance later.'
Glancing briefly at the inn, he turned and approached Cheonhwi and Hyeondo.
"Meal's done, so let's head out again."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Perhaps because he was the leader of the escort squad, Chugeogwang was remarkably meticulous.
"I prepared these last night."
Upon arriving in Huayin County, he'd secured several horses and a carriage.
And that was just the start.
Provisions of unknown origin were neatly stacked in the carriage. Cheonhwi nodded approvingly at the sight.
Swoosh—
Chugeogwang hopped onto the driver's seat.
He could've hired a coachman with money, but he didn't.
These were honored guests personally invited by the Military Strategist.
How could he entrust them to some driver?
He had to ensure comfort and safety.
'Or there'd be hell to pay.'
Suppressing an inner sigh, he scanned Cheonhwi, Hyeondo, Ha Woojin, and Jonghyeon before speaking.
"Please board the carriage."
As the four climbed in, Chugeogwang yanked the reins sharply.
Neigh—
The carriage lurched forward with the horses' cries.
The journey proceeded without incident.
After several cycles of rest and travel, the sun dipped low, and darkness began swallowing the world.
Neigh—
Chugeogwang reined in at a wide clearing and addressed his subordinates.
"Prepare to camp."
The escort squad dismounted swiftly, moving with disciplined precision.
The group split in an instant.
Some herded the horses to one side and tied them, while others gathered firewood.
Utterly practiced motions.
Not their first or second rodeo.
Chugeogwang watched his men prepare, then turned back.
"My deepest apologies. We should've stayed at an inn, but haste forced us to camp."
He spoke with genuine regret.
Normally, he'd plan for inns, but time was of the essence now.
Every minute squeezed ahead counted.
"Haha, no worries."
Hyeondo waved it off nonchalantly and hopped down from the carriage.
"Camping's second nature to jianghu folk anyway, isn't it?"
As Chugeogwang sighed in relief at Hyeondo's laughing reply, the other three dismounted.
"Heh."
Cheonhwi was the last, stepping down leisurely and surveying the surroundings with a neck tilt.
The camp was already set.
A bonfire lit with flint illuminated the area, and the escort squad was preparing food.
Just then, a tense-looking squad member approached Cheonhwi hesitantly.
"L-Little Daoist... your meal."
He offered a bowl of steaming porridge, eyes gleaming.
"Thanks, I'll dig in."
Cheonhwi took the bowl.
And headed toward Hyeondo, who had already settled by one of the fires.
"There you are?"
Cheonhwi sat beside Hyeondo and quietly began eating.
And moments later.
Thud.
Cheonhwi set down his still half-full bowl.
Tasteless.
He furrowed his brow and glanced around. Everyone except those from the Taoist sect was calmly slurping thick porridge laced with jerky.
"Tch."
Cheonhwi smacked his lips.
The tantalizing aroma wafting everywhere teased his nose, but he couldn't partake.
'Sigh. This is why traveling with folks you know is better.'
He eyed Hyeondo, Ha Woojin, and Jonghyeon, still eating.
The three savored their plain veggie porridge contentedly.
'Hmm, this won't do.'
Unable to ignore the nose-tickling scent, Cheonhwi abruptly stood.
"Hm?!"
Hyeondo looked alarmed at Cheonhwi's sudden rise, face grave.
"What's wrong? Enemy spotted...?"
"No."
"Then why stand mid-meal?"
"I'm full now."
Cheonhwi glanced at his half-eaten bowl, then turned lightly.
"Gonna train a bit."
With that, he kicked off the ground and shot across the forest in a breath.
Thud.
Instantly distancing from the group, Cheonhwi unfurled his dark fragrance marker and grinned.
"Time to hunt."
Melting into the darkness, Cheonhwi plunged into the woods and began his hunt.
And shortly after.
Crackle—
Roasting his rabbit, Cheonhwi sprinkled ample salt and hummed a tune.
"Smells great."
Watching the meat sizzle, he tore off a golden-brown piece and popped it in his mouth.
"Munch munch. Ah, wine would make it perfect, but where to get some... tch."
One satisfaction bred another longing.
Thinking of liquor, Cheonhwi chewed and swallowed the last bit.
"Now I'm full."
Satisfied after a while, he eyed the bone pile, extinguished the fire, and headed back.
The moment he returned to the clearing...
"Hm?"
He beheld an unexpected sight.
The escort squad, busy with meals before, was now diligently swinging their weapons in the clearing.
"Surprising. Didn't peg them for such hard trainers."
Then Hyeondo approached with a chuckle.
"Right after you finished eating and went to train, they all got fired up and grabbed their weapons."
"Fired up?"
Cheonhwi stared incredulously at the training squad.
I just went for meat...
That was when.
"Brother!"
Jonghyeon scampered over.
Sweat-drenched from his own training, he looked up at Cheonhwi.
"...Can you spar with me?"
"Spar?"
"Yes!"
Jonghyeon's eyes sparkled.
"I learned a new sword art this time!"
Cheonhwi stroked his chin at Jonghyeon's words.
Oho, new sword art?
He glanced back.
Ha Woojin, meditating leisurely, wore a soft smile.
『Spar with him, please. He's trained hard to show you.』
Hmm, is that so? Let's see what sword art he's picked up.
Hearing Ha Woojin's transmission, Cheonhwi eyed Jonghyeon and spoke.
"Sure."