Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Archrival
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Sudden decision for a jianghu excursion.
And on top of that, the super special event known as the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly.
Baek Hyun grinned like a kid who'd just received a surprise birthday present and asked back.
"I-Is that really true!? I'm finally going on a jianghu trip..! Wait, before that, where is the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly being held!? Where are we going!!?"
"This Dragon-Phoenix Assembly is being jointly hosted by the Zhuge Clan and the Wudang Sect."
"Ooh.. so we're heading to Hubei Province!!"
Hubei Province.
Jing Province in the Three Kingdoms era!
Unlike the backwater of backwaters that was Yunnan, it was the true heartland of the Central Plains, renowned since ancient times for its wealth.
Of course, by this era, it no longer held the same prestige as before and was more of an upper-mid tier city, but it was still far more prosperous than Yunnan Province.
And above all...
'The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly.. means I can meet the others!'
Until now, various circumstances and distance had prevented meetings with the other possessors, but this was the perfect opportunity to finally meet them in person.
They had only vaguely been aware of each other's existence, but now they could finally come face-to-face!!
"Mok Seon, the master of the Treasury Pavilion, will lead the group. Obey his words well, and since you'll be confined to the carriage for months until arrival, prepare thoroughly..."
"I'll go pack right now!!"
With those words, Baek Hyun downed the still-hot cup of tea in one gulp and bolted to his room like a shot arrow, dumping out his bundle to start packing.
Mok Heon frowned momentarily at the unrefined display but soon softened into a faint smile at Baek Hyun's renewed vigor.
This was the first time sending a disciple who'd only ever stayed within the sect's embrace out into the wider world, but he felt no worries.
For a disciple as young as he was, Starpoint's Little Phoenix had already grown magnificent, expansive wings.
And he was already a full-fledged martial artist who had overcome fierce storms multiple times.
If anything, the concern was whether others would get swept up in the excited flapping of wings as he soared through the vast world.
'I look forward to seeing how everyone reacts when they lay eyes on that child.'
Mok Heon decided with a joyful heart to await the astonishing news his disciple would bring back from the Central Plains.
The morning after Baek Hyun's jianghu trip was decided.
Before departing the main sect for the first time on this long journey, he shared a meal with So-ya at the summit of a remote peak on Starpoint Mountain, something they hadn't done in a while.
Now that they were all promising stars of Starpoint, there was no longer any need to sneak food in hidden corners.
But some primal conversations could only happen in those secluded spots, so they still shared meals like they did back in the day.
"Damn it, I became a monk because I hated playing merchant, and now here I am handling money even in the sect..!!"
Jang So-ya irritably shoveled down clear soup fish chunks, venting all the pent-up complaints he'd accumulated.
In contrast, Baek Hyun, who no longer needed meals after awakening his Solar Heavenly Spirit Body, slowly savored the flavors of fine dishes—exactly the opposite of before—and silently listened to So-ya's grumbling.
"Still, it suits you, doesn't it? The elder trusts you enough to send you on a business trip to Hubei."
"Well.. to properly distribute the special products from the Southern Barbarian region and the byproducts of monstrous beings, it's best for Master to contract directly with that merchant group.
Once that's done, Starpoint Sect's budget will double, at least? Father's putting a ton of effort into it too. No helping it..."
I wanted to go to the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly too...
So-ya let out a deep sigh of resignation.
"Why the long face? I'll pick up a souvenir for you in Hubei, so keep hustling."
"I've been to Hubei a few times with Father's merchant group!? That's not the issue—if I can't go to the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly now..! I won't get to see the World's Greatest Beauty!!"
"Oh, that's what it's about?"
Baek Hyun, who had felt a twinge of pity, now looked at him with cold eyes, but So-ya ignored it and wailed with a wronged expression.
"Damn.. I just wanted to see the World's Greatest Beauty with my own eyes at least once in my life!! Why does this have to happen right when it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance..!!"
"Apologize to your future spouse, you punk."
"That's that, and this is this! This is the romance every red-blooded man in the world harbors—romance!!"
Romance my ass.
Baek Hyun popped a bite-sized piece of sea cucumber into his mouth and half-listened to So-ya's ongoing lament.
A sword-wielding beauty who could cleave the heavens with a single blade? Sure.
But calling a pretty-faced World's Greatest Beauty a man's ideal? As a fellow man, he couldn't agree in the slightest.
"By the way, as far as I know, it's not time for the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly yet.. Was I wrong?"
"Sigh, you really have no interest in worldly affairs, huh? You were holed up in the sect training, so you wouldn't know, but quite a few incidents have happened in the world."
So-ya, mid-lament about his own plight, let out a small sigh at Baek Hyun's apparent ignorance of current events.
"What, did something big happen?"
"Big if you consider it big, not if you don't, but it was a pretty major deal for the higher-ups in the Martial Alliance.
For starters, the successor to the Bow God has shown himself."
"..Not the Bow God we've always talked about, right?"
"No, not Hou Yi. Someone else."
The 'Bow God' commonly referred to by Starpoint disciples usually meant their founder, Hou Yi.
But most martial artists thought of a different figure when hearing 'Bow God'.
The leader of the Evil Sword Alliance, the current top unorthodox master.
And.. the Strongest Under Heaven.
Bow God (弓神), Hyun-yul
A legendary figure from a lowly family with no ties to martial arts, who rose to the pinnacle of an era wielding the bow—an weapon despised by martial artists.
He had all the traits that would make aged orthodox experts dislike him, so he drew plenty of flak for various reasons.
But no one doubted his strength.
After all, he was the one who created the 'Archery Immunity' rule.
Yet despite that level of power, he rarely intervened in worldly affairs, treated almost like a half-immortal...
"The Bow God's successor?"
"Yeah. There was a sparring match for friendly exchange between the Martial Alliance and the Evil Sword Alliance, and the Bow God's disciple showed up and overwhelmingly crushed the Alliance's division leaders.
Word is, they lost at a distance where a swung sword could reach.. the ultimate humiliation for swordsmen."
Losing in close quarters to an archer who cowardly shoots arrows from afar.
No matter how resolute a martial artist's spirit, it was an unforgivable disgrace that would make them want to abandon their sword.
"The Alliance division leaders are all peak experts, aren't they?"
"And the disciple wasn't even that old. Late-stage successor level, they say.. Even for the Bow God's disciple, that's unacceptable."
Baek Hyun nodded at that.
No matter if the opponent was the disciple of the Strongest Under Heaven, the orthodox sects couldn't tolerate such a crushing defeat to the unorthodox.
The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly starting earlier than usual was surely to showcase their outstanding young successors and demonstrate the orthodox sects' solidity to the world.
'A close-range fighting archer, huh.. As expected, that guy's a possessor too.'
From what he'd heard, the bad taste was still going strong...
"On top of that, the Demonic Cult's movements are suspicious. They've appointed a Young Lord recently."
-Freeze
At that moment, Baek Hyun's chopsticks, which had been moving steadily even as he listened, came to a halt.
Food not yet chewed slid down his throat.
His gaze, fixed on his meal, now bored piercingly into Jang So-ya's mouth.
But So-ya, oblivious to the change, continued speaking.
"Appointing a Young Lord isn't a huge deal in itself.. The problem is that it was the Cult Leader's youngest, whom no one saw coming.
A successor our age overtook all his already-grown siblings and claimed the Young Lord position."
"What's.. the Young Lord like?"
In response to Baek Hyun's question, So-ya took another bite of clear soup fish and answered.
"Mm.. No one knows. Not even the Hao Clan or Beggar Clan can infiltrate the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. After becoming Young Lord, the Demonic Cult's clamped down even harder on info, so no way to find out.
How skilled his martial arts are, if he's handsome or ugly, not even if he's male or female.
Rumors say everything from genderless and androgynous, to a young girl, even a peerless beauty rivaling the Zhuge Clan's pampered jewel...
Rumors all over the place, can't tell what's real. Probably the Demonic Cult mixing in deliberate fakes."
Finishing his bowl of clear soup fish, So-ya reached for the next dish with his chopsticks and continued.
"Anyway, with the Young Lord thing and all, that's why the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly is happening sooner.. Hey, what's with you?"
"……..."
Baek Hyun set down even his chopsticks and hung his head, suppressing the surging emotions.
He'd vaguely suspected until now, but at this moment, he was certain.
No doubt about it. That guy.
When even top-10 rankers had single-digit win rates against him.
The only one with a double-digit win rate against him.
His one true archrival.
'You're there, huh? You damn lizard bastard..!!'
Carnivorous Dinosaur.
He could fight that rotten concept-monger again.
At that fact, his heart swelled fit to burst.