Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: A Drink with the Eldest Senior Brother
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'What? Let's have a drink?'
Cheonhwi gazed at Cheonyu, who was perched on the windowsill shaking a bottle of liquor.
It was a highly incongruous sight.
The great senior brother of the Mount Hua Sect offering alcohol to his junior.
But Cheonyu, the man in question, was utterly nonchalant.
"When else would I get to share a drink with my junior? Of course, if word gets out that we drank, it'll be dangerous..."
Cheonyu's lips twisted as he spoke.
"But if you keep quiet and I keep quiet, no one will know, right?"
Cheonhwi's eyebrows curved like crescent moons.
'I thought all Daoists were rigid, but here's a pretty decent guy.'
He found himself taking an interest in Cheonyu.
Especially since the man had voiced thoughts that aligned perfectly with his own, sparking a strong sense of affinity.
"Perfect timing. I had some questions anyway."
As if he'd been waiting for that response, Cheonyu hopped down from the windowsill.
He sat at the table and opened his mouth.
"Come on, junior, sit down."
Cheonhwi took a seat across from him.
"You must have brought cups..."
Watching him sit, Cheonyu suddenly rummaged through his robes.
After fumbling around for a while, he pulled something out.
Cups for liquor.
"Here, this one's yours."
He placed a crude cup in front of Cheonhwi and tilted the bottle to pour.
Glug glug―
"It's not the finest brew, but it'll be fun to share."
Cheonhwi picked up the cup before him.
The liquor sloshing inside the small vessel held the moon of the night sky submerged within.
'Takju, huh.'
Rather than fragrant, it carried a sharp, pungent aroma, with floating dregs that made it hard to call fine liquor at first glance.
'This has its own charm.'
He tossed the contents of the cup into his mouth, and the unique fiery kick of cheap takju warmed his insides, heating his body.
It had a distinct flavor all its own, far from refined liquor.
As he savored it, Cheonyu across from him widened his eyes.
"You drink pretty smoothly for a junior."
"You're no different, senior brother."
At the calm reply, Cheonyu stuck out his tongue in admiration.
He'd thought Cheonhwi had changed since accepting the offer, but the transformation was even greater than expected.
'Well, I've changed too, so it's only natural.'
Cheonyu scratched the bridge of his nose.
He had changed as well.
Enough to drink every day, something he never touched before.
Meanwhile, Cheonhwi kept drinking.
Fortunately, he didn't get drunk right away this time.
'Not passing out immediately means my body's getting used to it now.'
Unlike his first time, the moderate buzz felt pleasant.
"Whoa, at this rate, there won't be any left for me."
Feeling thirsty at the sight of Cheonhwi drinking, perhaps, Cheonyu made a fuss and downed his cup in one go.
"Ahh, that's the stuff."
Visibly pleased, Cheonyu nodded with a big grin curving his mouth.
"You really have to drink after a job's done."
His laughter faded as he set down his cup.
"You've changed a lot, junior. Back then, if I'd offered you a drink, you'd have waved it off like, 'What are you talking about?' But here you are, drinking without hesitation."
Was he getting tipsy after just one cup?
Cheonyu stared at Cheonhwi with distant eyes, then let out a chuckle.
Cheonhwi sipped his cup, ignoring the intent gaze.
'Of course I've changed. The Cheonhwi you remember is already dead.'
This was their first meeting.
Cheonyu hadn't returned to Mount Hua Sect once in the five years since becoming Cheonhwi.
It was a cold truth.
The Cheonhwi he knew no longer existed in this world.
"And honestly, I like you better now than back then. You always seemed to be watching your step around others."
With those words, Cheonyu propped his chin on his hand.
His eyes slightly glazed from the quick drinking, he gazed at Cheonhwi with a relaxed expression.
"Oh right, you said you had something to ask this senior brother? Go ahead, anything."
"What's the Murim Alliance's view of Mount Hua Sect's position right now?"
"...What?"
Clearly not expecting that question, Cheonyu gaped blankly before snapping out of it.
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm a disciple of Mount Hua Sect too. Shouldn't I know at least that much?"
A crack appeared in Cheonyu's smile.
"True, but..."
He trailed off, shook his head vigorously, and wiped the smile from his face.
"Then what do you think, junior? How's our sect's standing?"
"They look down on us."
Cheonhwi continued flatly.
"The location of this annex, how rundown it is—doesn't it feel like they're completely ignoring us?"
"Ugh, even you see it that way?"
Cheonyu scratched his head, embarrassed.
After a moment, he set down his cup and grumbled.
"You're right. The Alliance is totally underestimating us now. Righteous sects, Nine Great Sects, they spout all that, but in the end, the martial world respects only the strong."
Cheonyu scanned the room.
"You know what, junior? They say we used to stay not here, but in the annex the Jongnam Sect is using now. But because of Martial Uncle Hyeon-gang and White Ghost Castle..."
Mid-sentence, Cheonyu recalled the connection between Hyeon-gang and Cheonhwi and flinched.
"...various issues came up, and we were basically chased here. We cleaned it up ourselves to make it this decent. It was worse when we first joined the Alliance. Haha."
A smile played on his lips, but Cheonyu's eyes weren't laughing at all.
"'Moved' is just a nice way of saying we were driven out by Jongnam Sect, right?"
"Exactly."
With that, Cheonyu took a sip.
The liquor sliding down his throat was bitterly sharp.
"Anyway."
He drained another cup refreshingly and shifted topics with a grin.
"How's your body now? Feeling better?"
"My body? It's fine."
At the casual response, Cheonyu burst into a broad grin.
"Hahaha. Good to hear. Master sent word through a letter that you'd recovered, but it was hard to believe. Seeing you now, though, it must all be true."
Cheonyu spoke in a bitter tone.
Like the takju they were drinking, his voice was harshly bitter and deeply sunken.
"I should visit Master and return to the sect sometime..."
Cheonhwi watched him bury his face in another cup and said offhandedly.
"Why not come with Martial Uncle Hyeonjin?"
"Hahaha."
Cheonyu let out an awkward laugh.
"Like I said earlier, it's hard because we haven't secured a proper place in the Alliance."
"Right! Speaking of which, you're learning martial arts from Martial Uncle Hyeondo, aren't you?"
"'Learning' is a bit off, but close enough."
Cheonyu said with intrigued eyes.
"I'd love to see what martial arts you've picked up. Not now, of course—later."
After that, the two continued chatting idly, sipping their cups.
How much time passed?
Glug glug―
Their cups were refilled endlessly like an inexhaustible spring, and before even an hour had passed, the bottle was empty.
"Tch. Drank it all already."
Cheonyu tucked the empty bottle and two cups into his sleeve and stood.
His face flushed from the alcohol, he looked down at Cheonhwi with a lighthearted expression.
"Glad you like drinking, junior."
"The other senior brothers turned you down, I take it."
"Truth is, you and I are the odd ones out."
"Fair point."
"Actually, the real reason I came to see you today is this: starting tomorrow, you won't see me or the other juniors for a few days."
"Where are you going?"
"A few days ago, the Alliance assigned a mission to deal with a previous-generation demon head. It'll be boring, but bear with being alone for a few days."
With that, Cheonyu vanished.
'Not bad lightness skill for the eldest senior brother.'
Cheonhwi tracked Cheonyu's fading trail, then circulated his internal energy.
Sizzle―
He blew away the drunkenness in one breath and flopped straight onto the bed.
As he did, he recalled Cheonyu's parting words.
'A mission to catch a previous-generation demon head? Wonder how it'll go.'
Curiosity stirred.
Who was this previous-generation demon head?
And how would they catch him?
'Also curious just how weak they have to be to end up like this.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, the annex was in disarray.
In the wide garden, Hyeonjin and the Plum Blossom Sword Guards were preparing to depart.
Hyeonjin locked eyes with each of the sharply honed, blade-like Sword Guards and moved his lips.
"Is everyone prepared?"
"We've finished."
"Preparations complete."
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards answered in unison.
Hyeonjin nodded faintly, pleased with their demeanor and actions.
"Keep the mission in mind."
"Understood."
"Then, let's..."
At that moment.
Bang―
Suddenly, the door flew open.
At the abrupt situation, Hyeonjin and the Sword Guards' gazes turned to the door.
The moment they saw who emerged, bewilderment crossed their faces.
"Cheonhwi?"
"Junior brother?"
Cheonhwi, stepping out, swept his eyes over the Sword Guards before approaching Hyeonjin.
"I'll go with you."