Chapter 190
Translator: penny
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Reunion at Mount Tai
The Death Command Sect Leader readily accepted my simple proposal.
Far from objecting, he seemed pleased and even handed over one of the remaining Death Command Pills.
"Then, I'll ask you to look into news of the one who inherited our Mount Tai Sect's orthodox lineage."
"Hmm, are these just empty words?"
I fiddled conspicuously with the wooden boxes tucked into my robe.
The Death Command Sect Leader caught my meaning and scowled.
"Two are enough. What more do you want?"
"I heard you made four this time..."
"Half of them! Even that much only happened because Hye-rin yielded them!"
I coveted the two Death Command Pills left behind, but it seemed this was the limit.
In truth, it was extremely rare for any sect to provide two spirit elixirs to a single outsider.
"Well, alright. Compared to what I've done for you—and what I will do—it's lacking, but I'll settle for this much for now."
The Death Command Sect Leader scowled at my shameless words.
But after a moment, he sighed in resignation.
"If things turn out as you say, I'll give you one more Death Command Pill. That enough?"
"Hmm, no advance payment?"
"..."
His icy glare pierced me.
Prepayment was off the table, it seemed.
'Tch, just hand it over already.'
The amount of internal energy I currently possessed was just a hair short of reaching the late Fusion Realm.
I'd already decided to give the two I'd received to my second sister and youngest brother, one each. If I'd gotten one more, I'd have considered consuming it myself. What a shame.
'Not that I'm certain a Death Command Pill would push me into the late Fusion Realm.'
I'd said my internal energy was only "slightly" short for a breakthrough, but that was relative to my standards with the Blissful Creation Art, which had elevated my realm before.
In absolute terms, my internal energy reserves were already comparable to the Death Command Sect Leader's, who had reached the peak of the Fusion Realm.
A brief silence passed, and we resumed our casual conversation.
"When do you plan to depart?"
"I'm thinking right now."
"Hmm, Hye-rin will be disappointed."
Truth be told, I wanted to stay a few more days myself, but I had no guarantee how long Baek Iryeong would remain at Mount Tai.
If she made some unlucky move, who knew how long it would take to track her down?
"Then, I'll take my leave."
"Very well. Safe travels."
I left the sect leader's hall and met Sa Hye-rin one last time.
As if she'd anticipated my departure, she saw me off with a serene smile.
"Well then, Young Master Mok, take care of yourself."
"You too, Miss Sa. Until we meet again."
Sa Hye-rin let out a small snort at my words.
"Sword Phoenix will be with you by then, right?"
"...Probably?"
Thinking about it made me a bit uneasy.
'What will Hye-ah say when she finds out Sa Hye-rin and I slept together?'
Was now the time to worry about that?
She probably already knew about Nangong Sua and me by now...
'Whatever, I'll deal with it later.'
For the moment, I had to claim Baek Iryeong.
Moyong Hui could wait.
"Tell Sword Phoenix this: next time we meet, I'll win."
Unaware that Moyong Hui had already reached the Fusion Realm, Sa Hye-rin declared it confidently.
And even if Sa Hye-rin trained diligently and ascended to the Fusion Realm herself, the Death Command Sect's techniques were inherently less powerful, making it unlikely she'd defeat Moyong Hui.
But instead of pointing that out, I smiled and offered her encouragement.
"You'll have to train hard in your martial arts."
"Not just martial arts."
Sa Hye-rin stepped toward me purposefully.
Then suddenly pressed her lips to mine.
*Smack.*
Lowering her voice, she whispered,
"A woman's charms, too."
She winked with one eye.
Her familiar parting gesture from before drew an involuntary laugh from me.
'A fox is a fox, through and through.'
She had a real talent for stirring a man's heart right up to the end.
Part of me wanted to spend just one more night.
But I tamped down my desires and exchanged final farewells.
"Until next time, then."
After leaving the Death Command Sect, I headed straight for Mount Tai without rest.
It had been a while since I'd traveled alone, but I skipped even the pleasure quarters, pushing to reach Mount Tai as quickly as possible.
Three days later, in the morning, I finally arrived where Baek Iryeong was.
Mount Tai felt strangely different this time.
'This is where the Mount Tai Sect once stood.'
I'd known it was their home before, but hearing the details of their annihilation from the Death Command Sect Leader firsthand made the mood oddly surreal.
And now, the Murim Alliance forces the Mount Tai Sect despised occupied the place...
'Not my concern.'
The odd feeling was just that, but I had more pressing matters.
First, I needed to confirm if the White Tiger Unit was still here or had left.
'Fortunately, they haven't moved.'
It had been worth the nonstop journey.
Following the familiar presences, I ran into the same Number Three Squad members who'd guided me before.
"What is it this time?"
The man eyed me warily, just as before.
I bowed politely, same as last time.
"It's been a while, seniors. I hope you've been well."
"Here for Crimson Phoenix too?"
"How did you know?"
I flinched at how quickly he'd guessed my purpose.
He smirked at my reaction.
"Earth Dragon showed up two days ago, so I figured. Crimson Phoenix sure is popular."
"Huh? Brother Paeng came by?"
I thought I'd misheard.
Why would Paeng Deokjo suddenly appear here?
'What brought that guy here?'
And two days ago meant he'd come straight here after leaving the Death Command Sect.
He'd left three days ahead of me, but my lightness skill made up the difference.
"Follow me. I'll take you to her."
As I trailed behind, I pondered Paeng Deokjo's intentions.
What had driven him to join the Harmony Unit in the first place?
Wasn't it to hang around Baek Iryeong and stoke Nangong Sua's jealousy?
Given that, a detour to Mount Tai before heading to the Shandong Nangong Family wasn't so strange...
'No way that bastard... planned to steal Baek Iryeong from me?'
I recalled how he'd been wary of me.
I could have brushed that off as the victor's swagger, but this crossed the line.
Daring to run off with my woman?
'Has that fucker lost his mind?'
He'd seemed suspicious even when suggesting we travel separately, and now it turned out he'd hatched this nefarious scheme.
Betrayal surged within me.
'Paeng Deokjo, you're dead if I see you.'
By the time my rage toward that bastard Paeng Deokjo had boiled over, we'd arrived.
As we neared the makeshift camp I'd visited before, familiar faces appeared in droves.
"Divine Dragon?"
"What's that guy up to now?"
"Long time no see, seniors."
I flashed a friendly smile and greeted the ones who recognized me, when the person I sought emerged.
"You again?"
The woman eyed me with clear annoyance.
It was Baek Iryeong, the Mount Hua Sect prodigy and Crimson Phoenix.
"Long time no see, senior. I hope you've been well."
"If you lot would leave me alone."
Evidently, Paeng Deokjo's visit two days ago had been a major nuisance; irritation etched her face.
But I only smiled brighter.
"Glad to hear you've had no trouble."
"Sigh, whatever. Come with me."
I followed Baek Iryeong into a simple shack in the corner, apparently built by the White Tiger Unit themselves.
A crude table separated us as we sat facing each other.
"I told Earth Dragon the same thing two days ago: I have no intention of joining you."
Baek Iryeong cut straight to her conclusion.
But I didn't rush, posing a question first.
"Before that, what did Brother Paeng say to you?"
"Pretty much the same as before. Something suspicious going on at the Shandong Nangong Family, so come with him."
"I see."
As I fell silent after that, Baek Iryeong furrowed her delicate brow.
"As I said, I'm not interested in what you do. Not in hunting traitors, nor in stopping the war with the unorthodox sects myself."
She still harbored intense hostility toward the unorthodox sects.
Paeng Deokjo must have spent ages persuading her here.
'But to no avail.'
I voiced the words I'd prepared for her.
"So, senior, you want war with the unorthodox sects."
"Not exactly... no, you're right. I do want war with them."
Anger rippled in Baek Iryeong's eyes as she spoke of wanting war.
Considering her past, it was only natural.
'Her whole family was slaughtered by the Four Black Alliance. She barely survived and became a Mount Hua Sect disciple.'
This was where I'd stalled before.
No idea how to recruit someone so eager for war into the Harmony Unit.
But my conversation with the Death Command Sect Leader had revealed the answer.
"Do you truly want war with the unorthodox sects?"
"Yes."
She nodded firmly, her expression unyielding, as if she'd never change her mind.
To her, I dashed cold water.
"Even if it endangers your sect, Mount Hua?"
This was the first step I'd devised to seduce her.
'Blackmail.'