Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 35: Mystic Cat Sect (8)
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After the meeting broke up, the Mystic Cat Sect Leader requested a private audience.
He said there was something important to discuss.
"Instructor. Don't be rude."
Absolutely.
Once Moyong So-hye finished her nagging and left, Chu Un-hwi propped his chin on his hand and crossed his legs.
"What is it you want to say?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the Mystic Cat Sect Leader dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Your lowly servant Myo Gwang pays respects to the returned Blood God."
"Blood God, my ass."
"The great undertaking of our lord who unified the demonic path."
"Enough. What are you on about when I've already been excommunicated."
Chu Un-hwi cut him off and let his propped-up chin drop limply.
"You're from Desert Killer Valley, aren't you?"
"I am called First Claw Chief Myo Gwang."
First Claw Chief, huh.
After Dan Ya, he was the next big shot slated to take over Desert Killer Valley.
I figured they'd send a few nameless assassins at most.
He's overkill for running a small sect.
But Myo Gwang showed no sign of disagreement.
"When selecting someone with a tight lip and unwavering loyalty to our lord, I had no choice."
"Well, do as you see fit. It's convenient for me to have capable subordinates helping out."
That aside.
"How'd the commission come about?"
Mystic Cat Sect's joining had been somewhat discussed beforehand, but this was the first he'd heard of any commission.
Myo Gwang bowed his head low in response.
"The first commission is as I already mentioned."
The fact that cats had indeed been attacked and killed.
But there was one detail he hadn't shared: the identity of the beast.
"We've ascertained that the beast was the work of the Jang Cheon Gang's leader."
"What? You already know who the beast is?"
"To create achievements for our lord, preparation is only natural."
With that, Chu Un-hwi grasped the reason for the farce.
"So, it's like taking an exam with the answer sheet in hand."
"Exactly. And we selected a suitably challenging opponent."
Challenging, my foot. It's small fry. From a third-rate black path sect, no less.
"Which faction are they from?"
"They're not really a faction worth calling one. Just a sect scraping by on usury and illegal gambling dens."
"Any ties to the Iron Chain Alliance?"
"None. They pay hefty tribute to snag a seat, just like the rest."
Chu Un-hwi frowned.
"What the hell. They're total small fry."
This was the Divine Martial Academy, tasked with training the righteous faction's rising stars.
Taking down one or two black path sects wouldn't even count as an achievement.
The previous bandit subjugation had been a close call too.
It was an official commission from Cheongyang Sect, and even then, without rescuing the villagers, it wouldn't have been officially recognized.
The righteous faction's standards are weird.
They valued saving victims more than exterminating evil itself.
Chu Un-hwi said.
"The righteous faction folks are pretty strict."
"I know."
Myo Gwang smiled faintly.
"Which is why we added one more condition."
"There's more, huh."
"From what I've observed, the Jang Cheon Gang leader recently chanced upon some martial arts."
Chanced upon martial arts?
"Martial arts don't just lie around on the roadside."
Go on.
"Less than a year after obtaining it, he wiped out the rival Blood Blade Gang that's been competing with them for years."
"Ho. Now that's interesting."
Black path sect warriors usually had sloppy basics when it came to martial arts.
Even if they got a manual, most couldn't digest it properly.
Unless it was an extraordinary stroke of luck, such rapid growth was impossible.
In cases like this, it was usually.
"Looks like he got his hands on some decent demonic arts."
"That's what I think too."
According to the follow-up explanation, the leader's skills were at the peak initial realm.
Threatening enough to be dangerous, but not overwhelmingly so.
That alone made him a perfectly precarious opponent.
But.
"However, what if it became known that he cultivated demonic arts?"
"Heh. Practicing demonic arts would guarantee special bonus points."
The Murim Alliance that flips out at the mere mention of demonic arts.
It was prey perfectly sized and seasoned to the brim.
"Good. Got it. So, what's the next commission?"
"About the Black-White Twin Cats?"
"Yeah. I figured you prepared it for a reason."
"As expected of our lord."
Myo Gwang kowtowed repeatedly, banging his forehead on the floor, before answering.
"This was First Valley Lord's suggestion."
"Dan Ya's?"
"The Valley Lord said that above all, our lord should be able to move freely."
Fair enough. So far, he'd been bogged down by academy chores and dealing with kids, wasting quite a bit of time.
"But what if there's a reason to move about freely?"
"No one will bother you if you're moving on a commission."
Pretty clever idea.
"Moreover, we've prepared a little event soon to divert attention."
The Mystic Cat Sect's event called "Hundred Cats Chaotic March."
"Hundred Cats Chaotic March?"
"An event where we release all the cats of Mystic Cat Sect and let them roam free."
Releasing cats and opening the gates. What was so special about that?
"You may not know, lord, but it's been getting quite the acclaim lately."
"Is that so?"
As he nodded along, the moved Myo Gwang unleashed a barrage of words like a machine gun.
"It's a chance to rake in hefty sums with our claws."
"It also serves as a venue for exchange with nearby sects to build camaraderie."
"Plus, it's perfect for captivating young students."
Myo Gwang was confident, but since Chu Un-hwi was hopeless with this stuff, he couldn't picture it.
Hundred Cats Chaotic March, my foot.
But if a capable guy Dan Ya favored was this confident, there must be a reason.
"You'll surely be satisfied."
Yeah. Looking forward to it.
The next day, Myo Gwang reappeared, disguised once more as a kind cat lover.
"Haha. Did you rest well through the night?"
He arrived with a hearty laugh, cradling a calico cat in his arms.
Seeing it, Moyong So-hye started freaking out.
"Unnie, unnie! The kitty yawned!"
"Oh my. Oh my. So majestic and cute, just like Instructor."
"Eek. That's an insult to the cat."
This girl.
Myo Gwang stroked the calico cat as he spoke.
"Haha. Seeing you cherish my pet like this reassures me that you'll take good care of the kids."
"Ow!"
Baek Ri-seol, who had gotten some catnip somewhere and was waving it in front of the calico's nose, clutched her eye as she got pawed.
"Kitty paw. So soft."
Ouch. Ouch.
She kept waving the catnip annoyingly, and after getting headbutted by the calico's forehead instead of another soft paw, Baek Ri-seol looked dejected.
"Why do cats hate me so much?"
Because you keep bothering them.
"There has to be at least one cat that likes me."
There isn't.
Don't talk while looking this way, then.
As she sulked, Myo Gwang made an intriguing proposal.
"Since we'll be together for a while anyway, let me introduce you to my sect's family members."
"Huh? Is that okay?"
"With the event coming up soon, we won't be receiving visitors for a bit. The kids would love some playmates."
Myo Gwang smiled as he unfolded his arms, and the calico cat nimbly hopped down, letting out a long meow.
As if telling them to follow.
"This way."
Myo Gwang led the way.
The place Myo Gwang guided them to was a massive hall at the back.
Surprisingly, it was several times larger than the sect leader's office where he resided, and Myo Gwang led the group deeper inside.
"This is the abode of the Cat Lord."
Creak.
Opening the door revealed.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes glowing in the darkness.
"Gasp!"
"This is really..."
The vast hall was filled with hundreds of cats lounging in all sorts of poses.
One sprawled languidly on a bed.
Another rolling a brick in a small box.
Some dangling from the cat playground.
Even one precariously walking along the beam.
As the door opened, all the cats' eyes turned toward them.
Nyaaaaaooow~.
Meow. Myaaaaaooow~.
Nyaaang. Nyaang. Nyaaaaaaa. Shhh!
They reacted to the intruders in their own ways.
"Haha. Easy, you lot. These are guests."
Wheeeeek.
Myo Gwang whistled, and the cats instantly fell silent.
"Come on. Dawn's breaking. Time to get up."
He clapped, and the cats hopped down from their spots one by one, raising their tails and strutting out with dignified steps.
Their expressions all screamed 'Tired. Playing with humans is such a chore,' but that was probably just imagination?
But they seemed well-trained in hospitality.
As they passed one by one, they rubbed against their legs ever so gently.
"Haaaaah~!"
Moyong So-hye's face melted into goo instantly.
"I-is this heaven?"
Baek Ri-seol made a dumbstruck face too.
"Hmph. So what if they're cats. Super cute, but awfully inefficient..."
Jegal Tan, chattering to himself, kept blocking cats and waving feather toys.
For his troubles, a cat bit his toe.
Nangong Yun-ho alone showed no reaction.
Or so it seemed, until he turned his head slightly and muttered "Cats" under his breath. Yeah, he was hooked too.
This is brutally effective.
If only it worked this well on courtesans.
Seeing their reactions, Myo Gwang said with great satisfaction.
"Hahaha. Since you all like our kids this much, I can't just sit idly by."
With that.
"How about I show you our sect's pride, the Hundred Cats Formation? Just for you special guests."
Is that okay?
The response was enthusiastic approval.
"It's been a while since we've performed the Hundred Cats Formation just for honored guests."
With that preface, Myo Gwang bellowed sternly.
"To positions!"
With his shout, Mystic Cat Sect disciples poured out.
They took positions in the training ground with disciplined movements, each holding black, white, red, or blue flags.
Flutter. Flutter.
They waved the flags from their respective directions.
That was the signal, and the cats trotted in upon seeing the flags.
Some strutting with tails high.
Others creeping like hunters.
Even some walking on hind legs, waving their front paws alternately.
The cats, each with their unique flair, lined up in perfect order, leaving Moyong So-hye moved to tears.
"Wow. They're so well-trained."
"I heard cats have bad tempers and don't listen well."
Squeak-.
The fussing stopped with a small flute sound.
Myo Gwang had pulled a tiny flute from his bosom and began playing a lively tune.
The melody triggered a grand spectacle.
Squeak. Squeee-.
To the upbeat melody filling the grounds, the cats spun in place and started dancing.
Squeeeelee- Squeee-.
To long, drawn-out notes, they moved in formation, forming and dispersing the Hundred Cats array repeatedly.
Squeek! Squeek!
To sharp blasts, they froze and even punched the air.
"Urk! Heart attack!"
Baek Ri-seol clutched her chest as if struck by a palm wind to the void and curled up with a wail.
"Waaah. This is too cute."
Moyong So-hye, hand over her mouth, punched the seat next to her while sitting.
"Yun-ho. That's some formation. You couldn't escape if trapped inside."
"Yeah. Might step on your tail."
The other two were having equally worthless banter.
It is a sight to behold.
Where else could you see hundreds of cats performing such disciplined group choreography?
Once the demonstration ended.
"Haha. Did you enjoy the show?"
As the flute stopped, the cats reverted to their lazy selves.
Yawning or shuffling slowly to shady spots. The four, eyes stolen by the cats, shook their heads vigorously.
"Looking forward to working with you. Divine Martial Academy assistants."
Their gazes still glued to the cats.
They all nodded vigorously.
Thus began daily life at the Mystic Cat Sect.