Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Sudden Visit from the Zhuge Clan
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The serene Mount Hua Sect erupted into a massive stir at the abrupt arrival of the Zhuge Clan.
"The Zhuge Clan has come to our mountain?"
"Why would they...?"
The Mount Hua Sect Taoists stared at the Zhuge Clan delegation, openly displaying their suspicion and hostility.
The Eight Great Clans and the Nine Great Sects.
They had crossed an irreparable river of enmity, so this reaction was only natural.
The tense atmosphere lingered.
"Silence, everyone."
But the commotion died down at the low voice that soon followed.
The Sect Leader, who had appeared before they knew it, walked past the Taoists toward the Zhuge Clan group and asked,
"What brings the Zhuge Clan to our humble mountain?"
The delegation faltered slightly at his completely unwelcoming tone, but Zhuge Seonghyeon stepped forward.
"Zhuge Seonghyeon of the Murim Scholar Clan greets the Sect Leader of Mount Hua."
He offered a polite cupped-fist salute and raised his head after the formal greeting.
"I am Zhuge Seonghyeon of the Zhuge Clan. I have come to Mount Hua to accept the commission you requested from our house."
"...Commission?"
The Sect Leader's eyes narrowed.
"What commission are you talking about?"
"Did you not send a letter directly to our Clan Lord?"
In that instant, the Sect Leader's expression darkened.
A letter to the Zhuge Clan Lord?
Nothing of the sort had happened.
"I have sent no such letter."
As Zhuge Seonghyeon panicked at the Sect Leader's complete ignorance,
"But it was Cheonhwi of Mount Hua..."
"I summoned them."
Cheonhwi appeared between them.
The Zhuge Clan members gasped in shock at witnessing his astonishing presence.
But the one more stunned was,
'This is Cheonhwi?'
Zhuge Seonghyeon.
'How can he be so young...'
It was beyond his imagination.
The blueprints in the letter clearly bore the marks of long years of experience.
Not only that.
The intricate mechanisms and formations within seemed the work of someone who had devoted a lifetime to their study.
Yet here he was, looking about the same age as himself.
'Who could have taught him?'
Meanwhile, Cheonhwi was also sizing up Zhuge Seonghyeon.
'They sent a kid younger than I expected as their representative.'
It was much the same thought.
The gateways based on the Heavenly Demon's Ten Barriers in the blueprints were quite complex.
'I figured at least an elder would come.'
He scanned those behind Zhuge Seonghyeon, but not a single standout talent among them.
They can make it properly, right?
As Cheonhwi wore a deeply distrustful expression, the Sect Leader's voice rang out.
"What is the meaning of this?"
His tone was rigidly formal, entirely unlike before, almost scolding.
'Should have told the Sect Leader first.'
Cheonhwi understood the Sect Leader's feelings.
The Zhuge Clan and Mount Hua Sect were enemies.
Summoning them to the main sect without a word to the Sect Leader would naturally cause worry.
"I commissioned the Zhuge Clan."
"What kind of commission?"
The Sect Leader frowned.
"I'm building gateways to help Mount Hua disciples grow, and I need mechanisms and formations for it."
"...I've never heard of this."
"I forgot to mention it."
The Sect Leader pressed his throbbing temple with one hand at Cheonhwi's words.
"Was the Zhuge Clan truly necessary?"
"If Mount Hua is to grow stronger even a day sooner."
At Cheonhwi's calm voice, the Sect Leader's heart surged violently.
'Necessary for Mount Hua to grow stronger.'
It was a bit infuriating that he had called them without saying anything, but hearing the reason softened his heart.
'If Cheonhwi says so...'
Nothing Cheonhwi had done so far had failed to benefit the sect.
Cheonhwi recalled his achievements.
Completing numerous missions and subjugating White Ghost Castle.
Producing growth elixirs for the Plum Blossom Sword Guards.
Each one was a monumental feat, all benefiting Mount Hua Sect.
He nodded faintly.
His conclusion: Cheonhwi's endeavors were worth blind trust.
"I'll hear the full details later."
The Sect Leader turned his head immediately.
Offering a light salute to the Zhuge Clan delegation, he spoke.
"Amitabha. We welcome your visit."
"N-No, not at all."
As Zhuge Seonghyeon faltered at the Sect Leader's abruptly reversed attitude,
"Is this everyone?"
Cheonhwi addressed the group.
"Yes, but..."
Cheonhwi looked dissatisfied.
With only twenty people, completing the gateways he had already designed would take far longer than anticipated.
"I want it done as quickly as possible. Can you finish within the timeframe with this group?"
"What did you just say...!"
"Do you know who we are!"
As the Zhuge Clan bristled,
"Calm down."
Zhuge Seonghyeon stopped them with a steady voice and met Cheonhwi's gaze.
"These are some of the top experts in our clan. We can complete any commission swiftly."
"Even the one I sent?"
"Yes."
Oh ho.
Cheonhwi eyed him with unexpected interest.
His martial arts were mediocre.
Barely second-rate?
Yet his confidence was unwavering, regardless of skill.
'I like the confidence. But if you can't meet the deadline properly.'
Cheonhwi's lip curled.
"Fine. I'll trust you for now."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Sitting across from Cheonhwi, Zhuge Seonghyeon unfolded the carefully carried blueprints from his bosom.
Having opened and touched them countless times on the way, the once crisp letter was now crumpled and stained dark with handling.
"I've reviewed the blueprints."
Zhuge Seonghyeon hardened his expression.
"Can the mechanisms and formations work exactly as designed?"
Cheonhwi nodded at the stiffly spoken question.
"Yes."
"Everything here?"
"You can verify once it's complete."
Zhuge Seonghyeon clicked his tongue in admiration.
"Very well. Then let's discuss this gateway now."
His expression changed completely.
The stern face from moments ago was now beaming like an innocent child discovering something fascinating.
"I've grasped the blueprints roughly, but I have some questions. Starting here..."
Zhuge Seonghyeon pointed to the seven sheets of blueprints and continued.
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed at the sight.
'As expected of the Zhuge Clan.'
Not only grasping blueprints hard for most to even comprehend, but piercing straight to the core with his questions.
Meanwhile, after their exchange, Zhuge Seonghyeon unwittingly clicked his tongue again.
'There's always a sky above the sky.'
He had been hailed as a genius in the Zhuge Clan, and believed it himself.
But no.
Today, he met a true genius.
"But is it alright to proceed like this?"
Zhuge Seonghyeon asked cautiously, face tense.
"If built this way, it could cause severe injuries if anything goes wrong."
Reading the blueprints on the way to Mount Hua, he had marveled at the unique mechanisms, formations, and arrays.
But as time passed, it turned to shock.
'Too brutal for a Taoist gateway.'
The gateways utilizing mechanisms and formations felt more like those used by sects obsessed with martial prowess than Taoism.
'Yes, like the Demonic Cult's...'
Zhuge Seonghyeon shook his head vigorously.
This was Mount Hua Sect. How could he think of the Demonic Cult?
"Wouldn't it be better to make it a bit safer?"
"No."
Cheonhwi cut him off.
"As long as they don't die, it's fine."
"D-Don't die?"
"Yes."
Zhuge Seonghyeon panicked at the words.
What Taoist would say such a thing?
And with such eyes?
Seeing those chillingly cold, ruthless pupils, he swallowed hard.
"Hoo. Understood. We'll start construction tomorrow as is. For some of these mechanisms, may I ask Young Hero to oversee directly to ensure I understand them fully?"
Zhuge Seonghyeon spoke smoothly.
"That was the plan."
Cheonhwi replied indifferently, and Zhuge Seonghyeon tucked the blueprints back into his bosom.
"Then I'll take my leave."
He rose to go but paused.
"Have you named this gateway?"
Cheonhwi grinned.
"Plum Blossom Seven Gates."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Sect Leader stared at several sheets densely packed with diagrams and text.
"This is the Plum Blossom Seven Gates?"
"Yes."
"I'll take a look."
He promptly unfolded the papers.
"Hm? This is...!"
The Sect Leader's eyes widened.
Alternating between the illustrations and text, his hands soon moved faster and faster.
'Heavens! To cultivate martial arts like this? But doing so might wreck the body before even passing the first gate! Yet with this method...'
The more he read, the more dazed his mind became.
The seven gateways, each excruciatingly complex to pass, yielded brutally intense results.
'Asceticism like no other.'
It was hardly mere asceticism.
It seemed to exclude everything but pure strengthening.
His hand trembled holding the paper.
"...Did you really come up with this?"
"Yes."
"Will it really yield these results?"
"More than enough."
Cheonhwi's answer drew another tongue-click of admiration.
Undeniably harsh gateways, but the outcomes overshadowed everything.
'Hoo. I thought nothing more could surprise me about Cheonhwi.'
His mind reeled.
Talent in martial arts, then medicine.
Now architecture too.
A wry chuckle escaped him.
"What do you think? It's good, right?"
At Cheonhwi's question, the Sect Leader pondered.
Training disciples through these gateways as written would indeed yield rapid progress.
However.
"Each one is excellent, but they're too focused on martial arts."
"They're gateways for martial achievement."
"You're forgetting something."
The Sect Leader stared straight at Cheonhwi.
"Our sect is Taoist."
"And a sect of the jianghu."
At the retort, the Sect Leader's eyes half-closed.
Gazing sharply for a moment, the corners of his eyes crinkled.
"Indeed. You are right."
Cheonhwi looked surprised.
'Didn't expect him to concede so readily.'
Cheonhwi shrugged.
"Then you'll permit it?"
"Haha. Did you think I'd refuse?"
"As you said, we're a Taoist sect first."
"Haha. In the past, yes, but not anymore."
The Sect Leader's voice deepened.
"Cultivating the Dao or upholding justice both require power. How can the powerless proclaim righteousness in the jianghu?"
There was steel in his voice.
No matter the justice, without power, one dies.
'Finally acting like a sect leader.'
As Cheonhwi regarded him approvingly,
"By the way, Cheonhwi."
The Sect Leader spoke up.
"Next time you plan something like this, tell me first."
"Ah, sure, from next time."
At Cheonhwi's firm reply, the Sect Leader smiled softly, stroking his beard.
"It seems quite a lot of materials are needed for these gateways."
"That's why I'm heading there now."
Cheonhwi's gaze turned to one place.
The Finance Hall, responsible for Mount Hua Sect's finances.
Meanwhile, Hyeonryeo in the Finance Hall pressed her forehead with an index finger, head throbbing at the mountain of documents on her desk.
"Hoo."
A deep sigh escaped from her lungs.
"At least this is good news."
She held the letter before her.
The luxurious envelope, embroidered with gold thread, bore the prominent seal of the Qinghai Province Governor.
"A hundred Gold Origin Pouches."
Hyeonryeo let out a laugh.
She had scrimped and saved, tightening her belt to reopen Mount Hua Sect's gates.
An unexpected windfall like this naturally brought a smile.
Knock— Knock—
"What is it?"
"I have business to discuss."
Not the deep voice of the Deputy Hall Leader she expected, Hyeonryeo hurriedly rose and opened the door.
Standing there was Cheonhwi, the voice's owner.
Hyeonryeo immediately hugged him.
"Hwi!"
"It's been a while."
Cheonhwi replied indifferently.
Having been embraced by her several times before, he was used to it now.
Hyeonryeo released the hug and lifted her head.
"When did you get back?"
"About three days ago."
"Three days?"
Hyeonryeo's eyes flashed.
Glared at some point, then shook her head, grinding her teeth.
'No, stop paying attention.'
Lately, she had been deliberately keeping a slight distance from Cheonhwi.
Partly at the request of Sect Leader Martial Brother and Hyeondo Martial Brother.
But also because watching his daily growth made her realize something.
Cheonhwi was far too great a being to remain in her arms.
So she wanted to let him go.
"Right, you said you had business?"
"Yes."
"No need to talk outside; come in."
Hyeonryeo guided him inside immediately.
'Feels like Demon Brain's office.'
Cheonhwi surveyed the room.
Approved documents piled high atop stacks of papers.
Just looking showed how much she had toiled alone.
'This is quite the hassle.'
Recalling Demon Brain, who had handled most of the Cult Leader's duties, a smile tugged unbidden.
In his past life where all were enemies, Demon Brain was the one he could trust.
As nostalgia welled up,
"...Hey, Hwi!"
Hyeonryeo's call snapped him back.
Regaining his senses, Cheonhwi sat in an old-looking chair and stated his purpose.
"I need some items procured."
"Items? What kind?"
"Materials needed for the Plum Blossom Seven Gates."
"Plum Blossom Seven Gates?"
"The new gateways we're building. I got the Sect Leader's permission already."
"...Understood."
Hyeonryeo masked her bewilderment, gripped a brush, and prepared to write.
Cheonhwi began.
"First, two hundred blunt arrows, and..."
"T-Two hundred arrows?"
Hyeonryeo startled mid-stroke.
"Do you need that many arrows?"
"They're needed. If you're curious, ask the Sect Leader."
Mentioning the Sect Leader, Cheonhwi resumed his paused list.
"After arrows, five hundred Wall-Crossing Pills and five torches..."
As he continued, Hyeonryeo struggled to hide her shock.
By his final item, her writing hand froze.
And her mouth gaped wide.
"Finally, two Night-Luminescent Pearls too."