Chapter 179
Translator: penny
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: The Sect Leader's Proposal
The next day, we arrived in Shijiazhuang, home of the Evil Spirit Sect.
'It's been a while here too.'
Shijiazhuang was the place where, in my previous life, I'd stayed briefly after being chased out of the Mok Family Clan.
By then, the Great War between Righteous and Unorthodox had already ended, and the Evil Spirit Sect had been wiped out.
I'd wandered the back alleys here before eventually joining the Red Serpent Sect...
'All those memories.'
As I walked through the city, taking it in, the atmosphere felt different from what I remembered.
Brighter expressions on people's faces, maybe?
Considering Shijiazhuang was under the thumb of the Evil Spirit Sect—a massive unorthodox faction—this was an odd situation.
That's when I realized the Evil Spirit Sect was more upright than I'd expected.
'Should've asked the Shadow Gate Sect Leader for intel on them.'
When I'd stopped by Jenam Castle a few days ago, I hadn't planned on coming here at all, so I knew next to nothing about the sect.
In my previous life, by the time I'd gotten really interested in the martial world, the Evil Spirit Sect had already been destroyed.
'Not weird that the commoners look happy, though. Not every unorthodox sect exploits the masses.'
The ignorant assume all unorthodox sects are evil, but that's not the truth.
There were plenty of decent ones among them.
So what set the righteous sects apart from the unorthodox?
Simple.
The righteous prioritized the greater good; the unorthodox chased personal gain.
The righteous acted on principle; the unorthodox weighed costs and benefits.
For example, if some villain started preying on the common folk, a righteous sect would step in to eliminate him for the people's sake.
An unorthodox sect? They'd ignore it unless it hurt their own interests.
That led folks to think righteous good, unorthodox bad—but even unorthodox sects could play nice if it profited them.
'Shijiazhuang, huh... Now that I'm here, maybe swing by the clan?'
I glanced toward the setting sun.
A little west from here was Taewon, seat of the Mok Family Clan.
If I pushed my lightness skill to the limit, I could make it by tomorrow.
After a moment's thought, I shook my head.
'Nah. What kind of clan is it anyway? They don't even send letters.'
Nothing to do there even if I went.
Besides, Somwol was in Beijing—no one to visit.
'They're managing fine on their own.'
As I mulled over the Mok Family Clan, Pang Deokjo spoke up from beside me.
"Planning to head straight to the Evil Spirit Sect?"
"Guess so."
I'd considered grabbing dinner first, but it'd be too late by then.
Showing up unannounced after dark felt rude.
Pang Deokjo nodded without objection.
The building we found after asking locals looked impressively grand.
Towering walls like a fortress, massive front gate.
A wooden plaque bigger than a man hung above, inscribed with elegant calligraphy naming the sect.
Evil Spirit Sect.
A faction larger than most Nine Great Sects branches sat right in the heart of Shijiazhuang.
'This was the Evil Spirit Sect?'
I'd seen it in passing once before.
Back then, rumor had it some imperial bigwig lived there—probably claimed after the sect's fall.
The guards at the gate were yawning lazily.
Spotting us approach, they let out heavy sighs.
"What do you want?"
They eyed us head to toe with obvious annoyance.
Polite words, but their attitude was downright insolent.
'Tch. Typical unorthodox thugs.'
Worlds apart from my visit to the Moyong family.
Then I remembered—I hadn't been much different back in the Red Serpent Sect.
'Well, me...'
No good excuses came to mind.
I cleared my throat awkwardly and stated my business.
"I'd like to see the Evil Flower."
"You mean Lady Sa Hye-rin?"
They finally straightened up.
Still eyeing us suspiciously, but the vibe had shifted.
"That's right. Can you pass the word?"
"Who should I say is calling?"
"Tell them it's the Divine Dragon. Or..."
Before I could finish, the guards' faces lit up in shock and admiration.
"The Divine Dragon?!"
"The one who showed up at the Murim Alliance recently?!"
My moniker had already spread this far.
I felt my lips twitching into a grin.
Keeping a straight face, I pressed on.
"If they don't know the name, say I'm the Sword Phoenix's lover."
***
We were ushered inside without delay.
The place they guided us to wasn't what I'd expected.
'The Sect Master's Hall?'
Why bring me here to meet Sa Hye-rin?
Before I could voice the question, the guide bellowed out.
"Sect Master! The Divine Dragon has arrived!"
"Send him in."
The doors swung open, revealing a jade throne-like seat at the far end of the vast chamber.
And there, seated alone, was an old man.
'That's the Evil Spirit Sect Master.'
His gray robes and scholarly look screamed academic more than martial artist.
Yet his aura hummed at late-stage Fusion Realm.
'...Not bad.'
Pure cultivation alone outstripped the Moyong Patriarch or Shadow Gate Sect Leader by a wide margin.
Even a stage above me.
Still perched on his throne, he looked down at us.
"What are you waiting for? Come in."
A quick sense sweep found no one hiding.
Just the old man in the room.
I puzzled over the setup, and the answer hit quick.
'Old guy's just bored.'
I had no hobby of entertaining cranky elders—but if a beauty was involved, I could endure.
And Sa Hye-rin was his disciple.
I strode boldly toward the throne.
Pang Deokjo trailed behind a beat late.
Reaching the throne, the presumed Evil Spirit Sect Master looked impressed.
"Hoh. The Divine Dragon title isn't just hot air."
Not from gauging my exact strength, probably.
Fusion Realm experts couldn't usually read each other that well.
'I've brushed Transcendent Realm, so I can. Otherwise, you'd need peak Fusion like the Murim Alliance Leader.'
So the old man was just surprised I'd reached Fusion Realm and advanced to the Return-to-Truth stage.
His gaze flicked to Pang Deokjo briefly before locking back on me.
He rose slowly from his seat.
Maybe five feet tall.
"I am Sa Taebo, leader of the Evil Spirit Sect."
But when he spoke, it felt like facing a giant.
'Clever trick.'
Just that: flaring his internal energy to amplify his presence.
Pang Deokjo, behind me, staggered back under the pressure.
I met it with a casual smile.
"Mok Jimyeong."
The Sect Master smirked at my poise and unleashed an even stronger wave.
"They say you saved my disciple?"
"Urk..."
Pang Deokjo's pained grunt echoed from behind.
But the Sect Master and I ignored it, carrying on our exchange.
"Yeah, well... it just happened."
Cheeky response, but he brushed it off.
Just ramped up the pressure instead.
"You're righteous faction, aren't you? Why save her?"
"Like I said, it just happened."
Still half-hearted.
The words didn't matter here.
This was just a test.
Gauging my strength.
And the Sect Master's little exam wrapped up fast.
"Gah!"
As it ended, Pang Deokjo crumpled behind me.
He'd hastily surged his energy to resist and taken internal wounds.
'Nothing serious.'
A quick glance confirmed: superficial damage.
He'd recover fully by tomorrow.
The Sect Master spared no glance for the fallen man, eyes on me alone.
"Here to see my Hye-rin?"
"Yes. Can I?"
I treated Pang Deokjo like he wasn't there.
"First—you said you're the Sword Phoenix's lover?"
He'd heard everything I'd told the guards.
Or known beforehand, maybe...
'Doesn't matter. It's no secret anymore.'
Still, why bring it up now?
Before I could parse his angle, the Sect Master continued.
"Doesn't suit you. Break it off with the Sword Phoenix."
'Is this old coot senile?'
Who the hell was he to judge?
My face soured on instinct.
Undeterred, the Sect Master pressed on shamelessly.
"Marry Hye-rin instead. Do that, and I'll hand you the Evil Spirit Sect."
Face full of certainty I'd jump at it.
I was tempted, if only a little.
But...
"Are you insane?"
The old bastard had crossed the line.