Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Putting Things in Order (4)
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Rumble…!
As the formation was dismantled and the distorted terrain returned to normal, a tremendous roar swept across all of Mount Hua.
The Omniscient One, certain that people would see this as an ill omen and come to investigate, scowled deeply.
“Ouyang Jue, you bastard!”
He was already annoyed enough having to hide from the Daoists, so why did he have to go and break the formation?
The Omniscient One’s feet, filled with fury, stomped on the ground.
“You bastard! Why don’t you answer me!”
“…”
While the Omniscient One raged, Ouyang Jue was staring blankly at the spot where the illusion had been.
Is this what it feels like to face an absolute being?
Just encountering it had been unsettling.
At the same time, it was terrifying to see a vision of the martial arts he had built up so far being helplessly trampled.
He wished it had been just an illusion, but his intuition screamed otherwise.
Do not fight. End it with just a conversation.
But hadn't the illusion said this?
“A fool who knows nothing about me borrowed enough power to return to the past. How ridiculous.”
A question he had buried and left untouched now assailed Ouyang Jue once more.
For what reason had he returned to the past?
If not the Omniscient One’s talisman, then what?
There was no way the Heaven-Bearing Asura could have accomplished a regression to the past, something the Omniscient One himself had said was impossible. That was why he had simply regarded it as something that had happened for some inexplicable reason.
But was that not the case?
‘…Borrowed power?’
Ouyang Jue looked down at his own palm. The scars he had gained from training and fighting were hideously contorted.
Clench.
He balled his fist, unwilling to acknowledge those words. He had devoted himself to training until the scars covered his wrists.
But for some stranger to appear and ask if he had borrowed power—it was utterly unbelievable.
Just then, a flash appeared before his eyes.
“You bastard!”
“…Huh?”
Ouyang Jue unconsciously touched his cheek with one hand. He had been slapped so hard that his skin was flushed red.
Presently, the Omniscient One grabbed Ouyang Jue by both cheeks.
“Were you possessed by something?”
“Less possessed… and more that I saw something strange in the formation.”
“Something strange?”
A peculiar smile touched the Omniscient One’s lips.
“Did you think I wouldn’t put any safeguards in place when I set up the formation? If some stray ghost or other being had tried to enter, I would have received a signal!”
“It’s true.”
As Ouyang Jue’s face hardened, the Omniscient One pouted.
Ha Jin-ak, who had been watching, spoke up.
“Even my spiritual sense didn’t pick up anything in particular. Perhaps you had a dream?”
“…Hmm.”
Knowing how much Ha Jin-ak’s senses and spiritual perception had developed since taking the Small Purple Spirit Elixir, Ouyang Jue could not say anything more.
‘Was what I saw really nothing more than a mirage?’
But he still felt a suffocating tightness in his chest.
It was a thirst that had risen from being on the verge of discovering why he had returned to the past.
Then, Ouyang Jue’s gaze turned toward the Plum Blossom Cave.
‘The fact that he mentioned Grandmaster Jin Mu-wol means…’
It meant the illusion, Jin Mu-wol, and—though just a guess—even the Plum Blossom Cave were all connected.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for Jin Mu-wol to be living in seclusion in the Plum Blossom Cave.
There was definitely a reason.
Ouyang Jue resolved to visit someday.
‘Not now.’
Finding the crow-masked man who had come right to their doorstep and threatened the Mount Hua Sect was more important.
He could find out the reason for his return to the past after everything was settled.
There was no greater folly than to bring harm to the Mount Hua Sect while searching for the link between his past and present lives.
Having organized his thoughts, Ouyang Jue slid Severing Manifestation back into its scabbard.
“My apologies.”
“What are you sorry for?”
As the Omniscient One grumbled peevishly, Ouyang Jue bowed his head.
“For dismantling the formation you put your heart and soul into setting up, and for attracting all this attention. I will do my best to handle it.”
“…Hmph.”
As if he hadn’t expected him to bow his head, the Omniscient One’s mouth fell slightly open.
“A formation can always be rebuilt, but we can’t live in hiding like this forever. Especially if I’m to inscribe a large-scale spell formation on Mount Hua.”
“That is a matter the Sect Leader is currently deliberating.”
When Ha Jin-ak answered in Ouyang Jue’s stead, the Omniscient One’s voice grew sharper.
“I know that you and the other Daoists are extremely wary of spellcasters like me. But there is no more time for deliberation. You must now decide for certain.”
“…”
“Whether you will harbor goodwill, or whether you will treat me as a potential threat that could arise at any time.”
At those words, Ha Jin-ak’s brow furrowed.
It was because, as the Omniscient One had said, they had not yet decided on a definitive stance.
‘So there was a clear reason Jue called the Omniscient One a genius.’
Was he truly able to see through him so completely, even though this was their first time speaking?
As the Omniscient One stared silently, as if demanding an answer, Ha Jin-ak let out a sigh.
“I will persuade them myself.”
“Hmph… Anyone who heard this would think I was the one begging. It’s the Mount Hua Sect that’s in a tight spot, isn’t it? The Heaven-Bearing Asura would simply bring the mountain down.”
“Omniscient One!”
Ouyang Jue tried to put a stop to it, feeling the taunt had gone a bit too far, but the Omniscient One shook his head resolutely.
“You’re the one who needs to make your stance clear. I think of you as a friend, but the Mount Hua Sect you belong to is different. Do you truly not understand that distinction?”
“That is.”
Ouyang Jue was at a loss for words, having been called out on an issue he had often harbored.
Watching him, the Omniscient One clicked his tongue.
“Anywhere I go, just mentioning my name gets a seven-dish meal served to me… I came all this way because of you. But do you expect me to get on my knees and beg for the respect of someone I came to protect?”
Sensing the situation was getting more serious, Ha Jin-ak apologized.
“As you say, it is true that the Mount Hua Sect has no means to counter spells or demonic energy. I apologize for the disrespect we have shown you thus far.”
“…Hmph!”
“However, the affairs of a sect are more complicated than they seem… I will see that this is resolved within three days. You have my word, the word of Ha Jin-ak.”
The Omniscient One knew how many people visited the Mount Hua Sect, so he understood on some level.
But if he didn’t make his demands now, while he had the upper hand, it would be too late.
The Omniscient One’s lips twisted.
“I require meat.”
“Meat?”
Ha Jin-ak asked again, just in case.
“Surely… you don’t mean human flesh?”
“Let’s dispense with the crazy talk. Do you really think I would ask a Daoist for human flesh…?”
With a look of disbelief, the Omniscient One pointed a finger at the intelligent-looking bear, Daexiong.
“You must give this fellow enough meat to fill his belly.”
“Is, is that all?”
He thought he was going to ask for dozens of *gwan* of gold, but it was only meat.
Ha Jin-ak couldn’t shake his bewilderment. But a strange smile lingered on Ouyang Jue’s face.
‘Senior-most Brother would be shocked if he knew how much that thing eats.’
In the first place, gold held little value for the Omniscient One, and he could just build a house with his spells.
For him, the most troublesome thing was acquiring meat.
And obtaining high-quality meat in the vast quantities Daexiong desired was something difficult for the Omniscient One to manage.
“Every day at noon! Bring livestock hunted only with bladed weapons here.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Even as he was treated for the demonic affliction and returned, Ha Jin-ak could not shake his feeling of bewilderment.
* * *
Not many days later, Cheol Pung-gae arrived at the Mount Hua Sect with his characteristically restless gait.
The reason was that he had found the supreme master with the back injury.
Hearing this from a Daoist from the Reception Hall, Ouyang Jue was momentarily suspicious.
‘No matter how you look at it… it didn’t even take a week?’
Even with the eyes of the entire martial world focused on the search, wasn’t that too fast?
What’s more, a new pseudo-religion that worshiped the Eight Evils as their leaders was emerging.
Knowing that it would be by no means easy to find the Eight Evils if they decided to hide in earnest, Ouyang Jue wore a dubious expression.
“You found him?”
“What’s with that look?”
Cheol Pung-gae, roughly guessing what Ouyang Jue was thinking, let out a disbelieving laugh.
“It seems you didn’t know how competent our Beggars’ Sect is.”
“To be honest, I’m trying to decide if I can trust this.”
“With that kind of attitude, I could just turn around and leave.”
At those words, Ouyang Jue casually stroked Severing Manifestation. Though it was a playful gesture, it was enough to make Cheol Pung-gae open his mouth.
“This is still confidential, but… the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon, with an injury on his back, is apparently rampaging through Jiangxi.”
“What?”
Ouyang Jue couldn’t help but ask again.
Others might not know, but he, who had fought both the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon and the crow-masked man, knew.
Their primary martial arts were different, and from their manner of speech to their physique, they were completely unalike.
For those two to be the same person was utter nonsense.
As Ouyang Jue frowned, Cheol Pung-gae inwardly thought the information might be wrong, but he didn’t let it show.
“This information came from an internal Martial Alliance meeting. It’s difficult for me to say more than that.”
“The Martial Alliance…”
It was obvious that the Martial Alliance had spread false information. But uncovering the truth was a distant prospect.
The Martial Alliance was the first to reveal the identity of the Eight Evils to the martial world, and it still enjoyed the support of many sects.
Moreover, its size was truly the greatest in the martial world.
They would sooner tear up the words of Ouyang Jue or the Mount Hua Sect than bother to crush them underfoot.
Above all, the fact that the ambushed Jeok Sa-goeng’s former affiliation was the Martial Alliance created an implicit sense of trust.
The enemy of the Eight Evils is the Martial Alliance.
Indeed, if you went to an inn, you would find storytellers selling such base tales.
Nangong Cheon raising his sword high against the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon, or Jeok Sa-goeng fighting a desperate battle.
Unfortunately, he had no means of overturning a fact that the vast majority of the martial world believed.
Ouyang Jue let out a long sigh.
“I understand. Thank you for telling me.”
“…So, it’s not him?”
As Cheol Pung-gae’s eyes lit up, Ouyang Jue nodded.
“You don’t have to believe me, but the information is false.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the only one who has fought both of them.”
The Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon was fought by himself, Liu Zhangming, and the martial monks of Shaolin.
The crow-masked man could only be verified by himself, Ha Jin-ak, and Jeok Sa-goeng.
But in the martial world, he was still just a rising star of the younger generation… he lacked the heavy gravitas of someone like Nangong Cheon.
For the Beggars’ Sect, which dealt in information, such a reputation was especially important.
Therefore, Ouyang Jue thought Cheol Pung-gae would not believe him easily.
“…I understand.”
Despite that, Cheol Pung-gae pressed his lips together firmly and mulled over Ouyang Jue’s words.
Watching him, Ouyang Jue let out a faint smile.
“Are you really going to believe me?”
At that, Cheol Pung-gae scratched the side of his head awkwardly.
“At the very least, you’ve never lied to me.”
“…Is that all?”
“‘Is that all?’ How many people try to build their reputation with lies, and how many people die because of it? In this dog-eat-dog martial world, a guy with a clean mouth usually either dies quickly or gets corrupted. But…”
Cheol Pung-gae lightly tapped Ouyang Jue’s chest and continued.
“You might make deals with me, but you don’t lie. That’s called trust, and that’s loyalty.”
“…”
Wondering if he really thought so highly of him, Ouyang Jue was at a loss for words. Cheol Pung-gae sniffed and changed the mood.
“I don’t know why my nose has been so itchy lately. I should get going.”
“Ah, um.”
“Here I am, thinking of you so highly, and you can’t even use honorifics once. Tsk, tsk.”
Cheol Pung-gae handed the wine bottle he had at his side to Ouyang Jue.
“Here, drink it later.”
“Alcohol is forbidden within the grounds of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“Aish… with a mind so rigid! I mean, drink it in secret later!”
Swoosh.
As Ouyang Jue reluctantly accepted it, Cheol Pung-gae chuckled and rose from his seat.
“If I get one more knot, it’ll be difficult for me to come visit you myself.”
“Are you going to be in charge of Gangbuk instead of Shaanxi?”
“Well, something like that.”
Cheol Pung-gae, with his back to Ouyang Jue, started to walk away but then stopped.
“…Thanks.”
“How embarrassing.”
As Ouyang Jue rubbed his arm, Cheol Pung-gae let out a laugh and disappeared.
A moment later.
Ouyang Jue separately called for Jeok Sa-goeng and Bai Duanxian and told them what Cheol Pung-gae had said.
Jeok Sa-goeng, who had been listening silently, let out a deep sigh.
“Justice has gone astray, and falsehoods now cover the sky.”
Ouyang Jue handed the wine bottle from Cheol Pung-gae to Jeok Sa-goeng.