Chapter 255
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 255
Chapter Title: Cheon Luri, Cheon Yuri (3)
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Taeheo the Perfected stared at me intently for a long while, saying nothing.
What was this?
What was he trying to imply? A show of silence?
Even though I'd saved Wudang, this filthy seed of the demonic cult needed his head smashed in? He wanted to avenge his master on the enemy's disciple? How arrogant to carry a sword at his side when he was just a Haegumji?
The existence of a Buddhist version of Geum Sihyeon seemed to contribute quite a bit to my peace of mind, as all sorts of delusions flashed through my head in that instant.
Luri, who had been glancing around nervously, finally reached the limit of her patience and was just starting to puff out her cheeks.
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable, it's far too late to enter Wudang now. What a shame, you were practically an enemy disciple. Hohoho."
Fortunately, Taeheo the Perfected showed no aggressive reaction and simply tossed out a joke in front of my joke.
In that case, it was only natural for me to swing back with a Geum Sihyeon-style retort.
"......As I mentioned before, I have five masters."
"Two more since then? So now you're the Five Saints' Bastard?"
"Haha......"
To suffer this humiliation because of a random nickname the system gave me on its own, not one I'd chosen myself.
"You seemed about to leave, so I apologize for interrupting. But could you spare a moment for this old man?"
"It would be the glory of three lifetimes."
"'The glory of three lifetimes' is a Buddhist teaching, though."
"Oops."
The origin of the idiom I'd mindlessly spouted turned out to be from a Buddhist scripture, of all things.
.
.
.
My inner Confucian boy Geum Sihyeon, who lived and breathed in my heart, held me back from saying, 'Why don't we just talk here?'
As a result, Luri and I ended up enjoying the luxury of touring the Wudang sect leader's quarters.
And there was already a guest there.
The moment I saw the lecher rolling his eyes in anxiety, a sense of leisure settled in my heart.
I was a great hero from the righteous faction.
And unlike Luri, the forbidden treasure of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult with her pure, innocent soul who knew nothing of the world.
This guy was born and bred as a wicked spawn of the Blood Cult.
If one of the three of us had to die, wouldn't the lecher be the obvious sacrifice?
With that in mind, I let out a sigh of relief, nudged the lecher aside from the center seat, sat down properly, and plopped Luri cutely beside me.
"Hoho, so you're acquainted with Great Hero Yeon Hongun as well."
"He's a servant under my command."
"No, not a servant—"
"Yeon Hong, Un, right?"
"Yes, a servant, hehe......"
Yeon Hongun had rebelled against the wording "servant," but the moment I put the accent on "Yeon Hong," he immediately switched attitudes.
If he'd resisted a bit more, I could've spread the wonders of VTubing right in front of the Wudang sect leader.
Anyway, once we were seated in order of demonic essence blood purity or whatever.
Taeheo the Perfected suddenly stood up and offered us a deep bow.
"Aigoo, what is this......!"
"Sect Leader?!"
"Hm?"
Unlike Luri, who was still blankly staring because her manners module wasn't fully installed yet.
Yeon Hongun and I both straightened our spines at the same time.
What was this all of a sudden?
At his age, with bad hip joints too.
"Thank you for saving Wudang."
It was a line laced with sincerity, but receiving a full prostration from someone way more senior than a grandfather was too mentally burdensome, no matter what.
"Anyone would have done the same, not just us. Please, rise, Sect Leader......!"
I jumped up and helped support Taeheo the Perfected.
But this old man.
Was he wearing a thousand-catty weight or something?
No matter how hard I tried, his flexibly bowed back like a bamboo wouldn't straighten, and by the time cold sweat beaded on our spines.
"We help each other and live."
The moment Luri's voice echoed, mimicking my words.
"As expected, 'the four seas are one family.' Primordial Heavenly Venerable, Primordial Heavenly Venerable."
Taeheo the Perfected's back straightened right up again.
I got the gist.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's public face of power was still the young cult leader...... Luri.
A masterful political maneuver to draw out those words.
It was the moment a massive realization hit me: the leader of a sect wasn't just anyone.
Of course.
Taeheo the Perfected didn't stop there.
"Wudang will never forget this deed. And though it's meager, I've prepared a gift, so please accept it."
Three wooden boxes emerged from his desk drawer.
This refreshing fragrance.
"It's said to be inferior to the Shaolin Great Return Pills, and repaying materially might not be entirely proper...... But at present, the most valuable thing Wudang can offer seems to be the Supreme Purity Divine Pills. Please accept them without refusal."
"Oh my, you shouldn't have...... Ack!"
The shameless lecher tried to snatch them up, so I smacked his hand away.
Sad puppy eyes flew my way, as if to say, 'What the hell in front of spirit medicine?'
"We are grateful for the kindness...... But might we request something other than the spirit medicine?"
At my question.
Taeheo the Perfected met my eyes for a moment, as if peering into my true intentions.
Naturally, there wasn't a shred of deception in my gaze.
"What could make a martial artist decline spirit medicine?"
Unable to contain his curiosity, Taeheo the Perfected posed the question.
Honestly, seeing the jiangshi beat them down made it a bit iffy.
But when it came to Wudang, they were the ones who received spirit descent and performed shamanic rites.
......A bit different from those shamans, but still.
"By any chance, do you know how to lift curses?"
I didn't know about the lecher.
Anyway, one spirit pill wouldn't make a dent in my body, and stuffing something so potent into Luri might give her stomach pains all day.
So instead.
Why not solve both the gunk stuck all over Luri's body and the parasite that's been gnawing at her from the start in one go?
* * *
Whatever the intention.
"Of course I can teach you that much. Take the Supreme Purity Divine Pills too. To repay a life-saving grace, wouldn't spirit medicine that preserves life be best?"
Geum Sihyeon unwittingly succeeded at the golden axe, silver axe meta.
And got spirit medicine to boot.
"Our sect has focused more on swordsmanship than Taoism, so the lineage of Taoist spells has somewhat faded...... But it remains in ancient texts. I can't let them leave the sect, but I can permit you to read them with my authority as sect leader."
Unaware that Geum Sihyeon was a living human scanner, he even kindly showed him the precious texts without reservation.
Whish—
Flutter—
"......Reading that fast, does it even register?"
"Just skimming for what I need."
Of course, every detail was being engraved into Geum Sihyeon's brain verbatim, but he didn't let on.
Wudang's half-lost shamanic arts.
Had found their true inheritor.
Of course, as a trade-off.
"No way! How could you try to sneak off at dawn!"
"Wahh......! Great Hero Geum Sihyeon! You promised more jianghu stories, jianghu stories!"
We ended up detained at Wudang for another day.
With enthusiastic send-offs, and enduring another three meals of vegetarian ascetic horror.
"Wuu......"
"Just hang in there a little. We leave tomorrow."
There was the minor issue of Luri, who hated grass with a passion, puffing her cheeks again today.
And in the evening, getting summoned by the sect leader for unwanted chit-chat time.
"By the way, do you know about VTubers? I've been watching this one called Yeonhong lately, and come to think of it, Great Hero Yeon Hongun has a similar name. Hohoho."
"......"
"......"
We even had to endure the horror of learning an elder's secret hobby that no one asked for.
.
.
.
After all those twists and turns.
Geum Sihyeon, Cheon Luri, and Yeon Hongun were finally able to walk out through Wudang's mountain gates.
They reclaimed the weapons they'd returned out of awkwardness for the Haegumji, amid enthusiastic farewells.
The deathly aura that had previously hung over it was washed clean, and they deeply inhaled Wudang's air, now faintly emanating spiritual energy befitting a sacred mountain once more.
As they slowly descended the mountain path.
Cheon Luri, feeling fatigued from the constant strain on her body, fell asleep snoring softly on Geum Sihyeon's back.
Geum Sihyeon and Yeon Hongun chatted during the lull.
"Our little lady VTuber Hongryeon has officially retired now, so from here on, live nicely without getting caught."
"What."
Yeon Hongun was shocked to hear that Hong Soon-dok had become a refugee.
They talked about the formations that had controlled Wudang.
Before they knew it, they'd reached the base of Wudang Mountain.
"Feels good being called Great Hero, huh?"
Just before parting at the fork in the road, Geum Sihyeon tossed a casual remark at Yeon Hongun.
"Hm......"
Geum Sihyeon smirked at Yeon Hongun's face, which seemed to feel a ticklish itch.
"Go home nicely and show the world that hip sway that'll charm the Wudang sect leader."
"......You son of a bitch."
Even though the mental jab landed.
Yeon Hongun's expression wasn't bad.
Geum Sihyeon patted his shoulder, as if encouraging the former lecher's official fresh start.
* * *
Geum Sihyeon and Cheon Luri set off on their journey again.
Not toward the Murim Alliance, their original goal, but doubling back slightly along the path they'd come, arriving at Nanyang in Henan Province, a place they'd already passed through.
And there, awaiting Geum Sihyeon's summons.
"Husband, it's been a while."
Was the current leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Cheon Yuri.