CHAPTER 86: Talented People Showing Off
“Sect Leader's nephew! Who is it? Who got taken down?!”
Muheo raised his voice, pressing Hyeonjin.
Hyeonjin looked up with confused eyes, glancing back and forth between Jin Muhon and Muheo.
“First... could you explain what this situation is about?”
“No! I mean!”
Hyeonjin had asked Jin Muhon for an explanation, but Muheo, unable to hold back any longer, cut in.
Having heard the Nangong family's circumstances from Geomje, Muheo grew urgent at the thought that the same thing might be happening at Wudang.
“There's this bastard called Ma-seon! The Four Emperors tried to catch him but let him slip away!”
“...?”
Muheo spat as he rambled on, explaining everything he knew.
Perhaps because they were from the same sect, Hyeonjin somehow managed to understand Muheo's jumbled words.
“My word... such a thing happened. It's truly hard to believe.”
Hyeonjin let out a deep sigh.
“It's not easy to believe! We only bought it because of Geomje!”
Having talked at length, Muheo gulped down his tea to soothe his parched throat.
“Gah! Hot stuff!”
Hyeonjin glanced sideways, and Buso-yong was silently nodding in agreement.
If the North Sea Ice Palace was aligned with the demonic path, then Okhwa Palace held a similar position among the righteous sects. The palace lord was reclusive and didn't easily trust others.
For even her to accept it made it not so hard for Hyeonjin to do the same.
More than anything,
'Sword Demon...'
Jin Muhon's unwavering gaze inspired more trust than a hundred words.
“Cough! So. Who the hell got hit by Ma-seon?”
Muheo pressed Hyeonjin for an answer.
Hyeonjin delayed his response for a moment and reached for the teacup on the round table.
Clink.
The fingertips gripping the teacup trembled faintly.
It wasn't particularly surprising, but considering that the trembling hand belonged to one of the top masters in the jianghu and Wudang's sect leader, it wasn't something to brush off lightly.
“It's not... certain yet.”
“Yeah! Figured as much! Bring that guy here first! The Jin family head can figure it out!”
Hyeonjin's gaze naturally turned to Jin Muhon.
“Is Uncle Master's word true?”
“...”
Jin Muhon nodded heavily.
It was a brief motion, but it carried conviction.
“However, that fellow didn't come to Hefei.”
Hyeonjin spoke with a darkened expression.
Muheo widened his eyes and asked urgently.
“What? You mean he's at Wudang Mountain?”
“Yes, Uncle Master.”
Muheo jumped up.
“A ton of masters came here for the Murim Conference! What if that bastard harbors ill intentions?!”
“Mm...”
“Hurry and send someone reliable to bring him here!”
“...Yes. I'll do that.”
Nothing was certain yet.
Still, a chill like a knife cut sliced through one corner of Hyeonjin's chest.
'I had a bad feeling from the moment I left the sect...'
Hyeonjin rose from his seat with a heavy face.
“Then I'll take my leave first, Uncle Master.”
“Yeah! Go on! Hurry!”
“Yes.”
Hyeonjin turned and walked steadily toward the reception hall door.
The moment he placed his hand on the doorknob.
Muheo, belatedly realizing, bellowed.
“Wait! So who the hell is it?!”
Hyeonjin halted his steps and slowly turned his body, bowing his head to Muheo.
“Cheongsu... is suspicious.”
“Cheongsu? Cheongsu...”
Muheo, who hadn't visited the main sect in ages, rummaged through his memory for who Cheongsu was.
Then, suddenly,
his eyes bulged as he stared at Hyeonjin.
“Cheongsu? Sect Leader's nephew! That's your disciple!”
“...Yes.”
Hyeonjin nodded with a rigidly stiff face.
“Wow! Let's check that place over there too!”
“Oh my! Hayeon! Let's go together!”
“Hohoho!”
In contrast to the somber mood in the reception hall, spring vitality filled the estate grounds outside.
Jin Hayeon and Hongcheong, having stepped out, excitedly toured the Nangong Family Estate.
It was now entering spring, with warm breezes spreading.
Bathed in afternoon sunlight, the estate gleamed like a single work of art.
Tall halls bearing the touch of master craftsmen, stone slabs crossing the grounds each engraved with carvings, and vegetation placed here and there all evoked the dignity of the world's foremost family.
“Cheongpung Junior Brother! What are you doing? Hurry up!”
“Ah, yes.”
“Come on! Come on! Let's go that way this time!”
Jin Hayeon gestured for the dark-faced Cheongpung trailing behind to hurry.
Cheongpung followed Jin Hayeon from a short distance away.
A woman younger than him, who had entered the sect much later.
Yet due to Muheo's eccentricities, Cheongpung had ended up treating Jin Hayeon as his senior.
“Hohohoho!”
Cheongpung gazed quietly at Jin Hayeon running off like a child.
Young and naive.
But not unpleasant.
Had she not been the Sword Demon's family, he might have treated her more casually.
“Eek! Junior Sister! Watch out!”
A man suddenly appeared in front of the excitedly running Jin Hayeon, who had glanced back.
It was too far for Cheongpung to intervene.
Thud!
“Ow!”
“Oof!”
In the end, Jin Hayeon and the man collided spectacularly, both falling flat on their rears.
“Junior Sister!”
“Hayeon! Are you okay?!”
Cheongpung hurriedly deployed lightness skill and rushed over.
Hongcheong also startled and fussed over Jin Hayeon.
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
“Aigoo...”
The groan came not from Jin Hayeon, but from the middle-aged man she had bumped into.
Jin Hayeon quickly stood and bowed to the man.
“Sorry. Are you alright?”
“No! What are you doing running around like that in the estate?!”
The man, with a swollen nose, glared at Jin Hayeon with fierce eyes.
Jin Hayeon flinched back at the palpable killing intent.
Whoosh—
“Junior Sister.”
“Cheongpung... Junior Brother...”
Cheongpung, who had arrived unnoticed, blocked in front of Jin Hayeon and scowled.
“Ahem! Hm!”
The man who had exuded killing intent averted his gaze from Cheongpung and gathered the scattered documents from the ground.
Cheongpung glanced over.
It looked like some complex blueprint covered in various lines.
“Watch where you're going next time!”
Sensing Cheongpung's gaze, the man hastily collected the documents and scurried off somewhere.
Cheongpung narrowed his eyes, staring at the man's retreating back.
'Something smells off...'
Cheongpung instinctively sensed something suspicious about the man.
However, this was not Wudang but the Nangong Family Estate.
He couldn't just grab and interrogate a Nangong man based on a hunch alone.
“Sorry, Cheongpung Junior Brother.”
As Cheongpung stood silently, Jin Hayeon's dejected voice came from behind.
Cheongpung turned and looked at her.
“Why apologize? That man's reaction was over the top. Are you alright, Junior Sister?”
“Yes. I'm fine.”
Jin Hayeon smiled and nodded.
Seeing that bright smile, Cheongpung unconsciously felt the corner of his mouth lift.
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out from the watching group.
“Well, if it isn't Miss Jin! Or should I say?”
Jin Hayeon, Cheongpung, and Hongcheong all turned their heads at once.
A handsome young man in expensive silk robes was approaching leisurely.
Jin Hayeon widened her eyes, and Cheongpung slightly furrowed his brow.
“Oh my! Young Lord!”
“Haha! Meeting you here in a place like this makes me happy too.”
He was Jegal Yunmyeong, the Jegal family young lord they had coincidentally met in Wuhan before.
Jegal Yunmyeong even greeted Cheongpung, who stood behind Jin Hayeon with a hardened expression.
“Brother Cheongpung. Why the sour face after so long?”
“How do you know Junior Sister?”
“Does a man need a reason to know a beauty? And you must be Okhwa Palace's Miss Hongcheong? Pleased to meet you. I'm Jegal Yunmyeong of the Jegal family.”
Jegal Yunmyeong cupped his fists toward Hongcheong and greeted her naturally.
Hongcheong awkwardly bowed her head slightly in return.
“Junior Sister. Let's go.”
Cheongpung, disliking being in the same space as Jegal Yunmyeong, tried to leave quickly.
But Jegal Yunmyeong had other ideas.
“Miss Jin. Since we've run into each other, would it be alright if I showed you around for a bit? There's a nice spot nearby.”
“Pardon? A nice spot? What kind?”
“Well—”
As Jegal Yunmyeong was about to wag his tongue,
Cheongpung interrupted.
“Junior Sister. The family head is waiting. Let's go.”
“Uncle? Mm...”
At Cheongpung's mention of Jin Muhon, Jin Hayeon hesitated.
Jegal Yunmyeong quickly added,
“Miss Jin. One big part of the Murim Conference is building connections with fellow jianghu folk. Opportunities like this don't come often.”
“Mm... that's true, but...”
“Don't worry. I'll send someone to inform the Jin family head. Or Brother Cheongpung here can go tell him.”
Cheongpung's eyebrow twitched.
“What?”
“Brother Cheongpung doesn't come to our gatherings much anyway. I'll escort Miss Jin and Miss Hongcheong, so you can head back, Brother Cheongpung.”
“What nonsense! Where is everyone?!”
“Oh? You coming too, Brother Cheongpung?”
“Let's go!”
Jegal Yunmyeong grinned and started walking.
“Then let's all go together.”
Jegal Yunmyeong confidently led the way.
As Jin Hayeon followed, she asked Cheongpung,
“Is this a gathering Junior Brother Cheongpung knows about too?”
Cheongpung, who had been glaring at the back of Jegal Yunmyeong's head, quickly smoothed his expression and nodded.
“Yes.”
“What kind of gathering?”
“Well... it's called the Dragon Phoenix Assembly. Run by the later-generation experts.”
“Ah. The Dragon Phoenix Assembly.”
Jin Hayeon nodded, her eyes sparkling as if she understood.
“Where talented people gather to show off, right?”
“Pardon?”
Cheongpung blinked and stared at Jin Hayeon.
The Dragon Phoenix Assembly, attended only by the most renowned later-generation experts in the jianghu.
Jegal Yunmyeong had invited them easily, but in truth, it wasn't a gathering one could just attend because they wanted to.
It strictly vetted personal martial prowess, fame, and even family background.
Countless later-generation experts in the jianghu craned their necks to try and get in.
Yet someone was dismissing such a place so casually.
Cheongpung burst into hearty laughter.
“As expected of Junior Sister! How did you know? Haha!”
“Right? I figured.”
“Hohoho!”
Hongcheong, following quietly, laughed aloud from beneath her veil.
“...”
On the roof of a distant hall.
A man with an empty flapping sleeve watched the scene.
Before long, night fell over the Nangong Family Estate as well.
However, the grounds were lit as bright as day in places, with laughter echoing everywhere without end.
Elders with elders, mid-tier experts with mid-tier, later-generation with later-generation.
Each group drank and reveled as if that were the true purpose of the Murim Conference.
“They're enjoying themselves.”
The brighter the ground lights, the darker the sky grew.
Jin Muhon stood in that darkness, indifferently overlooking the estate's revelry.
Among them, he turned his gaze toward where the later-generation experts gathered and spoke.
“Hayeon's over there?”
“Yes, family head.”
Dokbi, who had quietly trailed Jin Hayeon, bowed her head and reported.
“No issues?”
“Yes. With Taoist Cheongpung guarding her, the other later-generation experts seemed wary.”
“I see. That kid is stronger than his peers, after all.”
Jin Muhon nodded, then lifted his gaze to peer deep into the estate.
Unlike the place brimming with brilliant lights and voices, the heart of the estate lay shrouded in thick darkness.
“The guy who bumped into Hayeon headed that way?”
“Yes. The security was too tight to pursue deep inside.”
“He was carrying something strange?”
“I was too far to see clearly, but Taoist Cheongpung eyed him suspiciously. He looked urgent.”
“That's enough.”
Jin Muhon stepped forward.
Tsssss—
Like ink spreading on black paper,
Jin Muhon's form vanished into the darkness.