28 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 28 When Taesan Ilgwon was struck down by Cheonhui's blow, the members of the Taekyeong group and the Paewang sect all surrendered to the Bifeng Trading Company. Additionally, the demon was swiftly suppressed under Go Gyeongyoung’s direction, allowing the Bifeng Trading Company to begin to recover its stability. The attack from the Paewang sect, which initially seemed it might destroy everything, ended anticlimactically and surprisingly easily. Yet, the wounds and sacrifices endured by the Bifeng Company did not heal. Not only were the skilled masters they painstakingly recruited gone, but over half of the servants had also become ghosts of the past. That was not all. Even though the demon was subdued, the structures of the Bifeng Company's premises were either burned or smashed to the ground, turning the area into chaos filled with the scent of blood and scattered corpses. It would require an astronomical amount of time and money to restore internally for at least half a year. The severe damage left Go Gyeongyoung and Yeon Suran feeling deeply pained. Yet, they found no clear way to overcome the situation. Should they make demands of the Paewang sect? That was impossible unless they were mad. The sect operated outside the law of the Jianghu. The moment demands were made, they would seize the opportunity for a full-fledged assault. Nor could they plead for help from the government, citing the attack. The officials would undoubtedly wash their hands of it, claiming it was not their subordinates who were involved. How many times had they been subjected to such neglect? Their goods had been stolen by bandits on multiple occasions, but they turned a blind eye. It was a clearly flawed strategy, but they kept falling into the trap every single time. The authorities, unwilling to meddle in Jianghu matters, accepted that explanation. "If it turns out that way again..." Go Gyeongyoung's face twisted in frustration. If the outcome were the same this time, they would be the ones facing the headache. Not only would compensation be out of reach, they’d be handing justification directly to the Paewang sect. "Moreover, Baekgwi Castle backs the Paewang sect... Ha." His sighs were unending from the depths of entanglement with the Jianghu. Ultimately, their only option was clear. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Power against power, the Jianghu way against the way of Jianghu. "Only the Mount Hua Sect can help us now." * * * In one of the relatively intact rooms of the shattered Bifeng Company premises, Cheonhui, the Plum Swordsmen, Go Gyeongyoung, and Yeon Suran sat around a table. At that moment, Go Gyeongyoung stood up and bowed deeply with respect. "We will never forget the grace you’ve shown us in aiding our company." His action caused Seolran and the Plum Swordsmen to stand up in surprise. "No need for thanks." "It's alright." "It was only right for us to act." "If it's concerning Jeokgeom, it’s our matter as well." Observing the flustered Plum Swordsmen, a soft smile appeared on Go Gyeongyoung's face. Ordinarily, martial artists didn't leave a favorable impression on merchants. And for good reason—martial artists were often prideful and held their egos high. Moreover, the martial artists they frequently encountered were often bandits or those from the Eighteen Forts of Yangtze Waterway, which contributed to forming such biases. "Men who thought they could always lord over even the greatest trading company." Go Gyeongyoung chuckled bitterly. For them, the sword before their eyes was closer than the imperial laws. Yet now that prejudice had been shattered. "This must be the true nature of a righteous sect, the Mount Hua Sect." Seeing those who fought with their lives on the line become abashed at receiving gratitude, a pleased smile spread on his lips. "Sending Hyun to the Mount Hua Sect was the right decision." It wasn't for nothing that the Taoists of Mount Hua earned the respect of the common folk. Then his gaze turned to Cheonhui. Cheonhui sat there as if none of it concerned him, showing no particular interest. Though his demeanor was rather rude, Go Gyeongyoung refrained from commenting on it. His help was too significant, and he had already heard about him through Jeokgeom. "Was he described as free-spirited?" As he scrutinized Cheonhui, he noticed Jeokgeom across from him signaling for him to sit. "Haha." Chuckling, Go Gyeongyoung took his seat and then spoke in a hushed tone toward Cheonhui. "Can you tell me how many reinforcements are expected to arrive next?" Cheonhui glanced at Go Gyeongyoung. Seeing the hopeful glimmer in Go Gyeongyoung's eyes, Cheonhui promptly dashed his hopes. "There are none." "...Is that so?" Go Gyeongyoung's face darkened. "Are you aware of who is targeting our company?" "The Paewang sect, isn't it?" Cheonhui responded as if asking why such an obvious question needed to be asked. "So you are aware. Then do you know what kind of place the Paewang sect is?" "I know enough. I hear they're a rising faction lately." Hardly had Cheonhui finished speaking before Go Gyeongyoung seized the opportunity to explain swiftly. "They are a faction gaining prominence within Shaanxi lately. They've been rapidly expanding, closely trailing Baekgwi Castle..." As he glanced over the Plum Swordsmen, Cheonhui grasped his intentions. "So, what you're saying, leader, is that our forces may not be sufficient to fend off their attacks." "To put it bluntly, yes." Go Gyeongyoung wore a troubled expression. It was an unsavory thing to say, but it was the truth. The Paewang sect, after all, was a rising powerhouse recently displaying fierce momentum. And only six individuals had come from the Mount Hua Sect to support. All were young, just barely past their coming-of-age, the Plum Swordsmen led by a youthful commander. Paewang sect versus six young Daoists from the Mount Hua Sect. Wouldn't any spectator deem it a fool's errand to try breaking a rock with an egg? While he knew the Plum Swordsmen were amongst the exceptional forces from the Mount Hua Sect and that Cheonhui, who led them, was outstanding, he couldn’t help but worry. "Sending Hyun into such peril is unthinkable. Moreover, for the sake of the Bifeng Company, the Mount Hua Sect's reinforcement is absolutely necessary." Having concluded his rapid assessment, he let slip some information he had just obtained. "Of course, I am aware of the exceptional abilities of you and the Plum Swordsmen. However..." Drawing the attention to himself by pausing mid-sentence, Go Gyeongyoung lowered his voice. "The Paewang sect has backing." "Backing?" For a moment, the Plum Swordsmen flinched. Even the Paewang sect was a considerably vast faction, yet to hear of a backer... "Don't tell me..." Go Gyeongyoung's expression darkened as he spoke. "It's Baekgwi Castle." "...!" The Plum Swordsmen murmured in low voices, as if suspecting this all along. "Of all places, it had to be Baekgwi Castle." Despair washed over their faces. Facing the Paewang sect seemed possible, but the involvement of Baekgwi Castle was a different matter. Baekgwi Castle was one of the six pillars supporting the Black Lotus Society, comparable to the renowned Nine Great Schools and Sects. Historically, it was one of the foremost among the Six Sovereign Gates. Though their influence had somewhat waned and they had remained quiet, almost like a sealed entity since an incident thirteen years ago, nobody dared underestimate Baekgwi Castle. Even the Mount Hua Sect, their sworn enemy, couldn't ignore them. In fact, they were even more cautious. Because they understood full well the might of their adversaries. "Is it really Baekgwi Castle?" Jeokgeom asked for confirmation. "As unbelievable as it sounds, it is." "Huh." "So it's Baekgwi Castle." As the Plum Swordsmen lowered their heads in resignation, Cheonhui remained unfazed. 'So what if it's Baekgwi Castle?' Cheonhui thought nonchalantly. He knew about Baekgwi Castle but saw no reason to consider it a significant threat. 'A single Sword Demon could annihilate them. What's there to fear?' His perspective was unique. As the former leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, an unparalleled power throughout history, there was no sect that posed a genuine threat to him. No matter how infamous Baekgwi Castle was in the central plains, to him, they were just like any other sect. While half-listening, phrases from the past drifted into his memory. 'Now that I think about it, wasn't Baekgwi Castle at odds with Mount Hua?' Recalling the grievances Hyeon Do and Hyeon Cheong fervently recounted about Baekgwi Castle, Go Gyeongyoung spoke up. "Now that we know Baekgwi Castle backs the Paewang sect, we must send a request for reinforcements to the Mount Hua Sect." As Go Gyeongyoung looked at him expectantly, Cheonhui replied casually. "Do as you please." Cheonhui had no interest. Requesting reinforcements from Mount Hua, or anything of the sort, didn't matter to him. He only needed to do his job. "Thank you. In the meantime, please make yourselves comfortable at our company," Go Gyeongyoung said in relief as he prepared to send a letter. "But when's the meal coming? I'm starving over here," Cheonhui casually tossed out, catching everyone off guard. As they scrambled in surprise, Go Gyeongyoung composed himself. "Haha, we will prepare it right away." He chuckled and whispered to Yeon Suran, who was trying not to fidget beside him. "My dear." "I understand." As Yeon Suran rose and headed out, Cheonhui added, "If possible, I'd like something with meat, please." "Pardon? Meat dishes?" "...!" Jeokgeom and Seollan both closed their eyes tightly, while the other Plum Swordsmen were struck with astonishment. "Master!" "Surely you don't mean... meat dishes?" Observing the flustered Plum Swordsmen, Go Gyeongyoung urgently asked, "Though Mount Hua maintains close ties with the secular world, don't you avoid meat?" "That's what they say." "But meat dishes..." "If nobody finds out, it's fine." Replying nonchalantly, as if it weren’t a big deal, Cheonhui left the Plum Swordsmen speechless, astonished by his attitude. Flustered, Yeon Suran looked at Jeokgeom for help, but he nodded. ‘Agree.’ Though she felt a moment of confusion at his gesture, she chose to comply. "Alright, I understand." After she left, a peculiar silence lingered in the room until the food arrived. * * * In the dimly lit room. "It's been a while since I've had a proper meat dish." In contrast to the roughly cooked meat at Mount Hua, enjoying a well-prepared meat dish put him in a pleasant mood. "And there's even a bed here." He plopped down on the bed. Feeling the soft mattress instead of the hard floor for the first time in ages, a satisfied smile crept onto his face. "But still, it's a bit disappointing." Cheonhui fiddled with his hands. "I hardly got to show off my martial arts before they all died..." Mumbling to himself, Cheonhui recalled the task that the sect leader had insisted upon. ‘I was told to protect the Bifeng Trading Company from danger, right?’ While reminiscing, an idea struck him on how to resolve his assignment. To root out the threat facing the Bifeng Company and satisfy his intense desire for action. "That'll do." With a sly grin, Cheonhui rose from the bed. Subsequently, he donned the White Lotus Sword, which he had hung on the wall, back at his waist, and glanced out at the moonlit night. The bluish moon was split in half, scattering its moonlight all around. "It's the perfect time." Grasping the window frame, he leaped out. "Time for a post-meal exercise." In an instant, his robe and the red plum blossoms slowly blended into the shadows of the night.