52 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 52 Eleven days later. The group arrived at the mountain gate of the Hwasan Sect faster than they had anticipated. The sight that greeted them left their mouths agape in disbelief. "What... is this?" "Am I dreaming right now?" They rubbed their eyes in astonishment. The once narrow and treacherous mountain path, known only to herbalists, was now lined with a long procession of people. "Why are there so many people...?" "Why such a crowd at the mountain gate of this sect?" The disciples of the Hwasan Sect, who witnessed the scene for the first time, pinched their cheeks to check if they were dreaming. "Ouch!" "It's not a dream." "It seems like the rumors that Elder Vanquished the Centipede have spread far and wide." Jeokgeom, who was the first to regain his composure, spoke with an excited voice. "Ah, as expected!" "Indeed, it seems so." Everyone nodded unconsciously. Even though Jeokgeom was the one to voice it first, they all had a feeling about it. Along their journey to Hwasan, they noticed that people's gazes and attitudes, especially from other martial artists, were significantly different from before. "All thanks to the Elder and the Primordial Heavenly Lord." "Endless Amitabha." The group looked at the procession climbing the rugged mountain path with a sense of satisfaction they couldn’t hide. Hyun Do and Hyun Ryeo, in particular, were overwhelmed with emotion. "It’s a sight I haven’t seen in ages." "Indeed, it’s been such a long time." Their eyes remained glued to the line of people, as if overwhelmed by the long-suppressed emotions. It was a sight they used to see daily back when the Hwasan Sect’s reputation was at its peak, a sight they thought they might never witness again. "I never thought this day would come again." "I never expected to see this scene again in my lifetime." Hyun Ryeo’s eyes were shining with hope. "With this much, we could recover our finances." Her gaze, fixed on the crowd and the offerings, sparkled like stars. As the group was quietly absorbed in their thoughts of unique reminiscence— ‘This is a scene I haven't witnessed in five years.’ Cheon Hui, intrigued by the unusual crowd, observed with curiosity. During his time at the Hwasan Sect, he never saw such a teeming spectacle. Visitors used to be as rare as grains during a drought, barely coming once every two days. And when they did come, they never offered more than a pittance. But now, seeing people coming eagerly for the chance to make offerings seemed almost unnaturally out of place. ‘So, reputation is everything after all.’ Just then— "Th-Those people...!" "Th-Those are the Taoists of the Hwasan Sect!" "Really?! Where are they? I also want to..." Suddenly, commotion erupted. At someone’s shout, everyone in line turned their heads in unison, and soon their faces filled with awe. "The Hwasan Sect lives up to its name. Look at that vigorous spirit and noble demeanor!" "They ascend such a formidable mountain path without a single hitch in their breath; truly as magnificent as immortals." "Even those young Taoists exude such reverence and warmth. The renown of the Hwasan Sect will undoubtedly soar." A flood of flattering remarks ensued. Their voices were not low; instead, they seemed slightly raised, as if to ensure the Hwasan party could hear them. Glancing back, Cheon Hui saw the disciples behind him smirking. ‘Pleased over blatant compliments.’ As Cheon Hui was about to turn his eyes forward again— "He is the famed Hwasan Divine Sword..." "So, the rumors are true. A daunting, no, a dignified visage indeed." Hearing the nickname ‘Hwasan Divine Sword,’ Cheon Hui turned to observe Hyun Do. "What is it?" "You've become quite famous." "Ahem." As if feeling embarrassed by the current situation, Hyun Do cleared his throat just as— "Amitabha. Greetings to the Immortals." Greetings came from all around. Hyun Do and Hyun Ryeo respectfully acknowledged them with bows. "Amitabha. Thank you for traveling all this way to visit our sect." "We apologize for the wait." "No, it’s not necessary!" "You needn't bow to us..." Those in line waved their hands humbly. The reputation of the Hwasan Sect was rising sky-high. Yet, here was the Hwasan Divine Sword expressing gratitude, and another person of seemingly equal rank bowing alongside? To mere vendors? It was a sight beyond belief. ‘Truly different from Zhongnan Sect, who only demanded offerings and chased us away.’ ‘Different from other sects indeed.’ Suddenly, the atmosphere softened. "Haha, it’s nothing at all." "Of course, there’s an order to these things." Hyun Do and Hyun Ryeo smiled warmly. Their smiles were as gentle as clouds floating in the sky. ‘They’re quite Taoist-like?’ Cheon Hui eyed them steadily. A stark contrast from their usual boastful selves. As they exchanged greetings for a while— "We’ve arrived." The group finally reached the mountain gate. ‘It’s been a while.’ Cheon Hui glanced at the unchanged gate before stepping inside. It had been about sixty days since he left the martial world and finally returned. *** The head of the sect gazed at the long line visible through the window of the Jahagak pavilion. "Finally, our long-held wish has come true." His expression softened momentarily. Who would have predicted this? That the Hwasan Sect’s tarnished reputation and status would rebound so dramatically. Just days ago, it seemed unfathomable. Yet now, it was a reality. Haha. And to think it all became possible because— Bang— "Elder Brother Head!" His thoughts were interrupted. Yet, a broader smile graced his lips. "You’ve come." The sect leader looked at Hyun Do and Cheon Hui, who entered through the Jahagak's door. It was all thanks to those two. "We’ve finally done it!" The sect leader smiled warmly at Hyun Do’s booming proclamation. "Ha ha ha, I know. Calm down and have a seat. First and foremost, I must hear a proper account of the situation from you." Hyun Do took a seat, and Cheon Hui sat next to him. "So, tell me in detail exactly what happened from the start." At the leader’s beckoning eyes, Cheon Hui squinted and pointed to himself with a finger. "Starting with me?" At the Sect Leader's nod, Cheon Hui sighed and began to recount the journey thus far, step by step. "There’s no need to explain the journey itself, right?" "If there were no significant events, it doesn’t matter." "Then I'll skip over that part." Cheon Hui responded with a relieved expression. "So, when we reached the Bi-Pung Trading Company, it had already been attacked by demons..." His account continued. The attack on the Bi-Pung Trading Company, the annihilation of Paewangmun, the revelation that the White Ghost Castle was behind them, and the defeat of the demon forces. "And a few days later, Brother Hyun Do arrived..." "I’ll take it from here." Midway through Cheon Hui’s halting recount, Hyun Do interrupted. "Fine by me." Cheon Hui, who was already weary of talking, was glad to pass the torch. "When we arrived at the Bi-Pung Trading Company, we encountered Biyeon Sword Lord at the entrance." The Sect Leader’s eyes widened slightly. "So it was then that you met?" "Yes. While we were with Biyeon Sword Lord..." With much enthusiasm, Hyun Do began narrating the events that had transpired. ‘This might take a while.’ Seeing that Hyun Do's story might be lengthy, Cheon Hui reclined back against his chair, sipping the tea prepared by the Sect Leader. After a few more sips of tea— "Cheon Hui did what?!" At the sound of his name mixed with a startled voice, Cheon Hui turned his head to see the Sect Leader staring at him with a grave expression. "Did you suggest attacking the White Ghost Castle first?" ‘Why make a fuss over that?’ Cheon Hui replied nonchalantly. "Yes, I did." The Sect Leader’s eyes twitched. "Why on earth did you do that?" "They kept provoking us." "Was that your only reason?" "And they were our enemies. We couldn't just let it slide, so we seized the opportunity." The Sect Leader was momentarily speechless. "Even so, attacking the White Ghost Castle..." "The timing was perfect. They were already off guard, which worked in our favor." "Still, that's not... Sigh, never mind." The Sect Leader rubbed his forehead, shaking his head at Cheon Hui’s indifferent explanation. "We'll let this incident slide. But from now on, don't pull such stunts. I worry about what might happen to you." "Well, I'll see as situations arise." Cheon Hui continued sipping his tea with a calm demeanor. Feeling a headache coming on, the Sect Leader couldn’t find the words to scold him. ‘Cheon Hui will just do as he pleases...’ A deep sigh emanated from his core. ‘How has he changed so?’ Perhaps as a rebellion against his formerly frail self, ever since mastering martial arts, he had become quite defiant—almost as if he were a completely different person. "So, contrary to the rumors, it wasn’t just Hyun Do and Biyeon Sword Lord who attacked the White Ghost Castle, but the three of you together." "Yes." The Sect Leader closed his eyes momentarily. Tapping the table lightly with his finger, he mulled over something before nodding and quietly asked Hyun Do, "What did you do afterward?" "To gather information about the White Ghost Castle, I met with the Beggar Sect's Chief." "The Beggar Sect’s Chief?" Upon hearing a surprising name, the Sect Leader’s eyes gleamed with interest. "Which Chief are you referring to?" "I'm not sure now, but at the time, he was the ninth." "The ninth..." The Sect Leader shook his head. There were twenty Chiefs in the Beggar Sect; it wasn’t feasible to recall each one. "I interrupted your story for no reason. Please continue." As Hyun Do resumed his tale, Cheon Hui reached for the teapot to refill his cup. ‘Already empty?’ Frowning slightly, Cheon Hui put the cup down and idly observed the two conversers. ‘When will this end?’ Their conversation was monotonous, comprised mostly of Hyun Do telling his story with occasional interjections or questions from the Sect Leader. Listening with one ear, Cheon Hui noticed the conversation getting more animated. "So then..." The Sect Leader’s eyes opened slightly as he turned from Hyun Do, who was smiling brightly, toward Cheon Hui. "How did you defeat the Hundred Ghost God?" "Cheon Hui knows more about that than I do." "…!" "Cheon Hui was the one who took him down." The conversation’s focus shifted to Cheon Hui. Meeting the Sect Leader’s stern gaze, Cheon Hui nodded. "I simply killed him." "Well..." The Sect Leader couldn’t conceal his amazement at Cheon Hui’s straightforward assertion. When first hearing the rumor of the Hundred Ghost God’s defeat, he presumed it had been a joint effort between the three. But to find out it was Cheon Hui alone who did it— ‘Unbelievable. I suspected that Cheon Hui’s skills were exceptional, but to think he could defeat the Hundred Ghost God alone—it’s astonishing.’ He couldn’t contain his admiration. Cheon Hui was merely at the age of twenty. Yet not only had he ascended to the celestial martial realm, but he had also defeated the Hundred Ghost God, one of the absolute masters ruling the martial world. He seemed almost like those legendary external powers spoken of only in whispers. ‘Not even those legendary figures accomplished such feats at this age…’ Beyond admiration, a worry surfaced. In this current age of relative peace, an emergence of a singularly strong individual like Cheon Hui could become a point of caution akin to the Three Evils of Jiu. Like the youngest disciple, Hyungang. “Is that why you erased Cheon Hui’s details from the records?” “Yes. When communicating with the Beggar Sect’s Chief, I altered the information. Though deception is a sin, I did it for Cheon Hui’s sake...” “You did well.” Instead of reprimanding Hyun Do for lying, the Sect Leader praised him. “As you thought, we must keep Cheon Hui’s true strength hidden for as long as possible. Later, it may be discovered, but we should delay that as much as possible.” The Sect Leader glanced at Cheon Hui. Despite the conversation centering on him, Cheon Hui appeared completely indifferent. As if the topic did not concern him at all. They say a needle will poke out of a sack eventually. Cheon Hui was exceptional, so outstanding in fact, that his true abilities would inevitably come to light. But that didn’t mean they would give up easily! They couldn’t protect their youngest disciple. And now, they couldn’t protect Cheon Hui, their pupil, either? That was unacceptable. ‘By all means!’ The Sect Leader's gaze deepened. He hesitated and then carefully spoke to Cheon Hui. “I sincerely apologize. I regret taking away such a golden opportunity for you to build a great reputation...” "No. It doesn't really matter to me. After all, a bit of fame isn't going to put food on the table," Cheon Hui replied casually, looking at the Sect Leader who suddenly addressed him. And he meant it—there was truly no significance to him. ‘Such trivial fame, what's the point?’ For someone like Cheon Hui, who was once renowned across the martial world and among the Eight Overlords of the Nine Provinces, such a level of fame was barely worth a smirk. However, the Sect Leader, interpreting Cheon Hui’s nonchalance as an attempt to mask his true feelings, offered a bittersweet smile and said, “I truly apologize.” Then, Hyun Do suddenly leaned towards the Sect Leader, trembling with emotion. "More than that, Senior Brother, we have finally... finally avenged our youngest disciple." The depth of feeling in Hyun Do's voice made the Sect Leader close his eyes gently. “Yes.” Though he maintained a calm demeanor, being the head of the sect, the news had stirred something deep within him ever since he heard the rumors. Even now. “...You’ve done it.” The Sect Leader spoke, struggling to suppress the emotions that threatened to overflow like a waterfall. He wanted to shout for joy immediately, but he had to maintain his composure. Soon, managing to regain his control, he said, “Truly… you’ve done well.” It was a brief statement. Yet, it was enough for Hyun Do. He understood perfectly well what thoughts ran through the Sect Leader's mind in that brief moment. “Hahaha. Was it that hard? It's all thanks to our Cheon Hui,” Hyun Do said with a generous laugh, gazing at Cheon Hui with pride. It was true; they owed it all to Cheon Hui. It was his idea to strike first against the White Ghost Castle, and it was he who defeated the Hundred Ghost God. Without Cheon Hui, they might never have succeeded in their revenge. “Hahaha. Our youngest disciple left behind a precious treasure for our sect before departing.” Cheon Hui watched the two elderly men, uncertain if they were on the brink of tears or laughter, and he quietly parted his lips to speak. “So, it seems we've covered everything we needed to discuss. Can I go now?”