Chapter 243
Chapter 243
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 243
Chapter Title: Mount Wudang Conference
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"Hey, you couldn't hold yourself back for even a moment... No, forget it."
Dang Mujin started to scold Namgung Myeong but managed to regain his composure after just a breath or two.
It was possible because he'd unconsciously anticipated that something like this might happen.
In Dang Mujin's view, it was as natural as the sun rising and setting for his dim-witted friends to cause some kind of trouble.
The only question was when and what kind.
Of course, he had no intention of nagging them about it.
Namgung Myeong was the type who got kicked out of his house for failing to overcome his kleptomania yet still stubbornly carved out his own domain without mending his thieving ways. A little scolding wouldn't fix his sticky fingers.
Instead, Dang Mujin focused on practical solutions.
"Put it back before it becomes a bigger problem and it's too late."
But Namgung Myeong shook his head.
"No. Wait a bit longer. I plan to hold onto it for the time being."
"Wait for what? What you love is the thrill and satisfaction of stealing it. Once you've had your fun, give it back."
"I've returned things before because they held no value to me. But this sword is different. Plus, I haven't even fully savored the thrill yet."
"Haven't savored the thrill? If you stole it without getting caught, isn't that the end of it?"
Namgung Myeong replied solemnly to Dang Mujin's question.
"For a master thief like me, the job isn't done until the victim realizes they've been robbed. The owner has to recognize their defeat and feel the sting of loss."
Namgung Myeong spouted his own bizarre code.
Dang Mujin couldn't fathom why he treated thievery like a contest.
Of course, he felt no need to try understanding Namgung Myeong's mindset.
In any case, what Namgung Myeong meant was simple.
He might return the sword, but not until the Zhongnan Sect's sect leader, Ilseonja, realized what had happened.
Dang Mujin fell into thought for a moment.
'Will the Zhongnan Sect suspect us?'
The timing was certainly suspicious.
However, their only connection to the Zhongnan Sect was mentioning Ilseonja's presence there before heading back. They hadn't even set foot inside the gate. It was a subtly ambiguous situation for suspicion.
Considering the status of Elder Yeongho and Abbot Hyangbaek, the chances of getting past without issue were high.
At that moment, a sudden thought struck him.
"Namgung Myeong. Where exactly did you get that from?"
"From the Zhongnan Sect, obviously."
"I mean, where in the Zhongnan Sect?"
"There was a cleverly hidden box in the deepest part of the sect leader's quarters, so I opened it."
Even Zhongnan Sect Taoists couldn't freely enter the sect leader's room, let alone open a box he'd hidden.
That meant there was a high chance the sword's disappearance wouldn't be noticed until Ilseonja returned.
In other words, the Zhongnan Sect warriors couldn't pinpoint exactly when it went missing.
The odds of suspicion dropped even further.
Dang Mujin let out a sigh of relief.
Now, he finally felt interest in the sword itself.
"Anyway, what kind of sword is it? If it was hidden that well, it can't be ordinary."
"Take a look."
Namgung Myeong drew the sword from its scabbard.
It was an odd blade. By Dang Mujin's standards, the scabbard and hilt were worn and crudely made.
But the blade was different. It gleamed as if forged yesterday, and its craftsmanship was decent enough.
'Anyone would think only the blade was newly made. But the blade is older—the hilt and scabbard were replaced later.'
As Dang Mujin examined the sword, he spotted tiny characters on the side of the blade: Lu Yan's Sword.
Dang Mujin's eyes widened. Even setting aside its quality, the name Lu Yan piqued his interest.
"Lu Yan—that's the Sword Immortal's real name, isn't it? Is this Chunyangzi's sword?"
"A treasure like that must have been cherished by the Zhongnan Sect leader."
Despite being the thief, Namgung Myeong strutted about like he'd accomplished something grand.
Chunyangzi—that is, Lü Dongbin—was arguably the most famous immortal in Daoist lore.
Known as the Sword Immortal for mastering the sword and ascending to immortality.
More than half the reason Taoists swung swords in pursuit of longevity and ascension was due to Lü Dongbin's influence.
Dang Mujin handed the sword back to Namgung Myeong.
"Just to be sure, you're not planning to pull it out and swing it around in front of people, right?"
"As if. The moment I draw it, I'm socially dead."
"Good. If by some chance you get caught, you're no one to me. Got it?"
"No worries. Won't happen."
Namgung Myeong grinned broadly as he stowed the sword in his pack.
*
Three days later, the eight arrived near Mount Wudang.
Seven headed straight for the Wudang Sect, but Namgung Myeong was the exception.
He'd said he was only traveling with them because their paths overlapped and had personal business elsewhere, so he stayed in the village at the foot of the mountain.
It worked out for the best in several ways. If Namgung Myeong had tried entering the Wudang Sect, he might have been caught unpacking the Lu Yan Sword at the baggage check.
On the path up Mount Wudang, Hyun-gong couldn't hide his anxiety.
Normally, Dang Mujin would have ignored it, but a few days ago, Namgung Myeong had given off the exact same vibe before causing major trouble. He sent a discreet transmission.
-Hyun-gong. Why are you so tense?
-Elder Yeongbo won't chase me away again, will he?
"No way. It's been quite some time since you left Mount Wudang. Unless he plans to ban you for life, he'll take you back soon enough."
If anything, Dang Mujin's words made Hyun-gong more uneasy, his eyes trembling.
Soon, the Haegeom Hall came into view. The guarding Taoists scanned the group and spotted Hyun-gong.
Contrary to his fears, they didn't chase him off. Instead, they welcomed him warmly, as if seeing an old friend.
"Hey, who is it? Hyun-gong! Back after so long. Trip over?"
"Hyun-gong! How long has it been since you left Mount Wudang?"
It seemed the guards were unaware Elder Yeongbo had expelled him. Then again, Elder Yeongbo didn't seem the type to gossip.
Though Hyun-gong held higher martial prowess, the guards outranked him in seniority.
Hyun-gong replied respectfully to his sect elders.
"I left Mount Wudang in the spring three years ago, so about three and a half years."
"You must have gained a lot of experience. You look much more mature now. Good to see."
Dang Mujin inwardly clicked his tongue. Mature? The Wudang Taoists had terrible judgment of character.
Five of the seven left their weapons at Haegeom Hall.
Hong Geolgae's weapon wasn't a sword, so no need, and Hyun-gong, being a Wudang Taoist, could keep his.
Elder Yeongho and Abbot Hyangbaek, however, looked displeased with the situation.
Forcing swordsmen to disarm felt utterly unreasonable to them.
They let out deep sighs but didn't protest.
Elder Yeongho had proposed the gathering himself, so he couldn't complain, and Abbot Hyangbaek wouldn't while Elder Yeongho stayed silent.
The group emptied their minds and entered the grounds leisurely.
It was full autumn. Even in the mountains, it wasn't humid, and the breeze was cool.
"Wonder if winter's coming early this year."
With about ten days until the agreed Mid-Autumn Festival, the Wudang grounds were bustling.
Roughly half seemed to be Wudang Taoists, the other half outsiders.
The non-Taoists wore varied attire—martial artists from across the Central Plains.
Leaders and family heads from great sects and clans, along with their juniors.
Mid-tier sect leaders squeezing in to make their voices heard amid the heavyweights.
They eyed each other warily, but each must have strutted proudly back home.
As the group appeared, gazes naturally locked on Elder Yeongho and Abbot Hyangbaek.
Even those unfamiliar with their faces could guess from the Qingcheng robes and Emei's monastic garb. They stuck close to the Silver Grove Forest and True Sea Island leaders.
The crowd buzzed.
"Qingcheng's Elder Yeongho and Emei's Abbot Hyangbaek... Two giants moving together."
Then eyes turned to Dang Mujin's group.
Especially the young warriors' stares were burdensome, sizing up their levels.
Hyun-gong blended in with his Wudang robes, drawing little attention.
But Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae stood out as obvious outsiders. Juniors not trailing elders.
The young warriors whispered.
"Who are those guys?"
"The Wudang Taoist is Victory Dragon Sword. I've seen his face before."
"And the other two?"
"Not sure. One's Beggars' Sect, but the last one's a mystery. Just tagging along?"
"Nah. They wouldn't bring a total nobody here. His gait suggests he's no amateur..."
Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae, not wanting the attention, slipped behind Hyun-gong.
But their efforts went to waste.
Two figures parted the crowd from the opposite side.
Jeomchang Sect's Radiant Glory Sword Yu Jingwang, and the Beggars' Sect's Elder Geolsun.
Yu Jingwang spotted Dang Mujin, approached swiftly, then cupped his fists before Elder Yeongho and Abbot Hyangbaek.
"Pleasure to meet you. Yu Jingwang of Jeomchang Sect."
"Ah, Jeomchang's new sect leader. Elder Geolsun, well met as always?"
"Hmm. Long time."
In the interim, Yu Jingwang had claimed the sect leader position.
Naturally—no sect leader could keep a Peak Realm master as a subordinate.
A slight edge in prowess might pass among Peakers, but when the junior broke through first, the seat had to yield.
Abbot Hyangbaek's expression darkened as she regarded Yu Jingwang.
She'd excused his slight inferiority to other leaders due to youth, but at around forty, he'd already surpassed the Absolute Peak wall.
After greeting them, Yu Jingwang rushed to Dang Mujin's group, making a fuss unbecoming his station.
"Wow, great to see you again! Dang Mujin, been well?"
"Uh, yeah. Thanks to you."
Elder Geolsun sidled up to Hong Geolgae for a chat.
"Hong Jusam. Made progress lately?"
"I trained diligently, but not sure if it's to my satisfaction."
"That's more than solid. You've crossed a major hurdle."
With two Peakers drawing close, attention poured in wildly.
Plans for a low profile shattered instantly.
Worse, some nearby recognized Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae by name.
"Dang Mujin... The Physician Dragon. And the Beggars' Sect guy next to him is Hemp Field Beggar Hong Jusam."
"What? Hemp Field Beggar? The one who shouts his technique names every time?"
"Yeah."
As murmurs spread, Hong Geolgae's face fell miserably.
Shedding a bad nickname wasn't easy.
Like Blood Rain Guest reinventing as Jang Il-nam after trials, Hong Geolgae pondered gathering crowds to ditch his moniker.
Then a Wudang Taoist appeared to guide them.
"This way to the guest hall. Follow me."
As the others followed to the guest hall, Hyun-gong headed straight for Elder Yeongbo.
His heart pounded madly. He braced for Elder Yeongbo's displeased scowl the moment they met.
'Still, I have to go.'
Hyun-gong soon reached Hyeoncheon Hall, Elder Yeongbo's residence—the Wudang Sect leader's quarters.
As he hesitated before the sliding door, Elder Yeongbo's voice called out as if expecting him.
"A welcome guest. Come in."
Hyun-gong opened the door and hurried to Elder Yeongbo.
The elder sat exactly as three years prior, untouched by time.
Unsure what to expect, Hyun-gong tensed.
But Elder Yeongbo greeted him warmly.
"I figured you'd return around now. You look like you've had plenty of experiences."
"Yes. Leaving Mount Wudang brought many events, and some achievements along the way."
Hyun-gong answered lightly. Unexpectedly, Elder Yeongbo showed interest.
"Achievements, eh? What kind?"
"Well..."
He'd improved in many ways since leaving, but nothing concrete to point to. It felt insufficient to call true achievement.
Hyun-gong tried to brush it off vaguely, but Elder Yeongbo's gaze sharpened.
A faint gravity pierced the kindness.
'...I'm done for.'
Hyun-gong's expulsion and wandering stemmed from Elder Yeongbo discovering his irresponsible blabber.
Now, facing him again, he'd spouted empty words.
Twice the same mistake.
Showing nothing meant admitting no martial or personal growth.
Would subtle prowess gains satisfy Elder Yeongbo?
Hyun-gong doubted it. He might not be exiled again, but the successor seat felt distant.
Sect leader wasn't won by skill alone.
Words spoken couldn't be unsaid. Hyun-gong fumbled.
"It's recent enlightenment, too fresh to show. I'll demonstrate once I've consolidated it."
"How long?"
"...By the conference's end."
"I'll look forward to it."
Hyun-gong bowed and backed out of Hyeoncheon Hall. His shoulders slumped with worry as he left.
Watching his back, Elder Yeongbo mused.
'That kid only shines under pressure.'
Elder Yeongbo smiled playfully, anticipating what Hyun-gong would produce.