Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 150

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 150
When Cheon Hui returned to his quarters.
“You’re finally here?”
“Senior Brother. You’re back?”
Shin Ui and Dan Mok Lin welcomed him.
Cheon Hui glanced at them both, then picked up two swords he’d left in one corner of the quarters.
At the sight of him suddenly gathering his weapons, Shin Ui and Dan Mok Lin started in alarm and asked.
“Don’t tell me you’re heading out again?”
“Senior Brother, not again?”
“I have a task to attend to.”
“You’ve only just returned—how can you already be leaving on another task?”
“Senior Brother, surely not another task so soon?”
Just as the two were about to cry out.
Whoosh—
Cheon Hui unfolded the An Hyang Pyo technique and departed.
Moving so swiftly, he cleared the quarters and arrived at the mountain gate, where two figures awaited him.
They were Jeok Geom and Ju Go Ryul.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Master.”
“We are honored to assist.”
Ju Go Ryul, gazing upon Cheon Hui, brightened his eyes and performed a respectful fist salute.
“Good.”
Ju Go Ryul’s Adam’s apple bobbed visibly.
Though Cheon Hui appeared so young, both Jeok Geom and the Sect Master were certain that with him present, the Ilwol Moon would be safe.
‘What manner of strength must he possess?’
It was then.
Tap-tap-tap—
Two figures came running up.
A man and woman, both carrying sizable packs, and at the sight of them, Ju Go Ryul winced.
‘Why do these Daoists look like that?’
Their condition was not good.
The man’s left eye was so swollen he appeared unable to see from it.
And the woman—
She was a beautiful woman, yet on her hands and neck, which the sect robes could not conceal, bruises were distinctly visible.
‘…Are these three really adequate for the task?’
Just as a small seed of doubt was blooming in Ju Go Ryul’s heart upon seeing them.
“Master.”
“We have completed all preparations.”
The two—a man and woman, Jeok Geom and Seol Ran—stood before Cheon Hui and adjusted their packs once more.
“Brisk as ever.”
Cheon Hui spoke with evident satisfaction.
Since entering the Maehwa Chilgwan, the demeanor of both had shifted noticeably.
Cheon Hui gave a quiet smile.
‘Indeed, one must face crisis to truly learn.’
Until recently, Jeok Geom and Seol Ran had carried themselves with unbridled pride.
And rightly so—they had faced no equals among their generation, and having recently consumed the Baek Geum Dan, their internal force had grown.
It must have felt as though they had conquered the world.
But that was no longer the case.
Both had learned their shortcomings by witnessing Cheon Hyang and Dan Mok Lin.
Cheon Hyang’s skill, superior by a wide margin.
And there was Dan Mok Lin, rising swiftly in pursuit—they had witnessed both firsthand.
Only then did the two grasp reality.
That they still had far to go.
Cheon Hui smiled at the sight of the two’s eyes burning with even greater fervor than before.
“You felt how lacking your training was, didn’t you?”
“We felt it keenly.”
“We forgot, intoxicated by the Baek Geum Dan, that internal force alone is not everything.”
“Now that you’ve come to your senses, let’s go and fill in those gaps.”
Though Jeok Geom and Seol Ran did not understand what his words meant, they nodded their heads up and down in acknowledgment.
“Understood.”
“Yes, we understand.”
Cheon Hui, hearing their answers, allowed himself a satisfied smile.
He then turned to Ju Go Ryul and spoke.
“Then let’s set out now.”
* * *
Yanan in Shenxi.
From ancient times, the city had been crowded with visitors drawn by countless historical relics and monuments — or so it had always been.
But now the streets of Yanan lay unnaturally silent and cold.
The reason was simple.
Martial artists bristling with killing intent roamed the streets, brandishing swords, sabres, spears, and other weapons.
“This looks almost like a battlefield.”
Upon arriving in Yanan, Cheon Hui took in the sight of the armed figures wandering the streets and let out a soft laugh.
The warriors glared at one another in constant threat, never relaxing their guard, ready to draw at any moment.
The entire street was suffused with a tension so palpable that a mere brush of the shoulder could spark open bloodshed.
‘No wonder he was in such a hurry.’
Cheon Hui was beginning to understand Ju Go Ryul’s state of mind.
“They’ve done it again…….”
Ju Go Ryul bit down on his lower lip.
He had thought they were safe, having arrived after five days of swift travel, but the situation had grown even worse than when they’d left.
‘Now those bastards have taken over the entire street.’
The Yanan he remembered was nothing like this.
It had been filled with coming and going, laughter and chatter, people greeting one another on every side.
Now not a trace of that remained.
Those who once laughed and talked now huddled in their homes, too afraid to venture out, watching the martial artists who had seized the streets with fearful eyes.
The roles of master and guest had been completely reversed.
‘It’s all right. It’s not too late yet. We can restore it to the way it was before.’
Ju Go Ryul fixed his gaze on Jeok Geom, Seol Ran, and Cheon Hui in turn.
‘With these people here…….’
Even as he swallowed his anger.
“Yanan has come to this…….”
Jeok Geom sighed softly from beside him.
He had visited Yanan several times in the past when helping with the affairs of the Bi Poong Trading Company.
Because of that, he could never have imagined it would come to this.
“It’s quite severe.”
Seol Ran too wrinkled the bridge of her nose.
Though they had not yet even entered the street proper, the killing intent seemed to pierce through their skin.
If even she felt it this keenly, what of those who had never studied the martial arts?
She gazed with pitying eyes at those huddled in their homes, holding their breath in fear.
“Teacher.”
“Indeed.”
Cheon Hui nodded in agreement with her unspoken thought.
“That’s why we came.”
He then turned to Ju Go Ryul, who was swallowing his rage.
“Where is the Ilwol Moon?”
“Just follow me.”
Ju Go Ryul, who had been glaring at the street-dwelling martial artists, stepped forward into the thoroughfare.
“That one belongs to the Ilwol Moon…….”
“Wait — is that……!”
“……The Huashan Sect?”
All eyes turned toward them.
In particular, those martial artists who had been prowling about with menacing intent flinched the moment they glimpsed the Huashan Sect robes, shrinking back slightly.
‘So it really is the Huashan Sect!’
Ju Go Ryul felt a surge of satisfaction.
Whenever he appeared, these men had been ready to do him harm, radiating hostility.
Yet now they were backing away.
‘I was right to ask for their help.’
Ju Go Ryul’s stride grew steadily more assured.
A few of the men scowled and glared at him, but that was all.
Upon seeing the Daoists clad in the robes of the Huashan Sect, they stepped aside and cleared the way.
As they continued forward, the party soon arrived at the Ilwol Moon.
“……Is this really the place?”
Cheon Hui’s brow furrowed.
The state of Ilwol Moon was dire.
The gate bore the scars of numerous battles, its frame shattered, and from within came the occasional sound of groaning.
“Yes, that is the case.”
Ju Go Ryul answered with a bitter smile.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
The moment he finished speaking, Ju Go Ryul rushed through the broken gate, shouting loudly.
“Father!”
Someone inside came running toward him in a flurry.
It was Ju Song, the Master of Ilwol Moon.
“G-Go Ryul, is that you?!”
Upon seeing Ju Go Ryul, he staggered as if his legs had given out beneath him.
“A-Father! Are you all right?”
But the moment he saw Ju Go Ryul approaching, he seized him by the collar and roared.
“You bastard! Where have you been?”
“That is… well….”
“You disappeared on us like that, and I thought you were dead at their hands!”
The Master of Ilwol Moon bit his lip hard.
If he didn’t, tears would spill over this very moment.
Seeing tears gathering at the corners of the Master’s eyes, Ju Go Ryul felt a sharp ache in his chest.
“…I apologize.”
Seeing Ju Go Ryul hang his head, the Master of Ilwol Moon released his collar and spoke.
“…All right. Where have you been?”
“I went to the Huashan Sect.”
“T-The Huashan Sect?!”
The Master of Ilwol Moon jumped back.
“Why did you go all the way there?”
“I went to ask for their help.”
“What are you doing! You know how busy the Huashan Sect is, yet you stir up such trouble….”
“Father! Is that really what matters right now?”
This time it was Ju Go Ryul who shouted.
In truth, it was not that the Master of Ilwol Moon could not go to the Huashan Sect.
He had chosen not to.
He had dedicated himself to repaying the debt he owed to Heo Gong Jin In, who had saved his life in the past, fulfilling his duty as an affiliated sect.
He believed it to be his obligation.
And so he had been reluctant to reach out to the Huashan Sect for such a matter.
But Ju Go Ryul’s perspective was different.
Ilwol Moon was an affiliated sect of the Huashan Sect—what was wrong with borrowing their strength?
Besides.
“The disciples of our sect’s lives are in danger. Are you saying you would turn a blind eye because you don’t wish to owe a greater debt to the Huashan Sect?”
He treasured Ilwol Moon.
The Master of Ilwol Moon turned his head and spoke.
“…Our sect has the strength to handle this.”
“Then why are we in this state?”
As the argument between father and son grew fiercer.
“Hm, the situation seems worse than expected.”
A quiet voice rang out.
The Master of Ilwol Moon turned in alarm.
Outside the shattered gate stood three men and women dressed in the Sect Robes of Huashan.
‘That tassel….’
His eyes widened.
The tassels shaped like plum blossoms hanging from the swords at their waists were worn only by the Maehwa Sword Masters.
“…So you have come from the Huashan Sect.”
“That is correct.”
Cheon Hui smiled as he stepped inside.
The Master of Ilwol Moon was taken aback by the young man who entered before the Maehwa Sword Masters.
Then the Maehwa Sword Masters followed him in.
“Infinite Buddha. I am Jeok Geom of the Huashan Sect.”
“Infinite Buddha. I am Seol Ran.”
At the salute of the two, the Master of Ilwol Moon hurriedly returned a Fist Salute.
“I am Ju Song, master of the Ilwol Moon.”
Cheon Hui glanced around at that moment.
The Ilwol Moon master scanned him quickly.
‘One followed by the Maehwa Sword Masters, then.’
His gaze shifted swiftly to the man’s waist.
But the two swords hung at his belt bore no tassels whatsoever.
‘……I’ve never seen this man before.’
Even when he’d visited the Huashan Sect a year ago, he’d never encountered such a figure.
“May I ask the name of this honored guest?”
“Cheon Hui.”
Cheon Hui threw the name out casually.
‘The Heaven character generation?’
The Ilwol Moon master, hearing this, caught his breath in shock.
The Heaven character generation meant the foremost disciple of the Huashan Sect—one destined to shoulder its future.
‘At such a young age?’
The Ilwol Moon master hastily offered the fist salute.
“We welcome your arrival at our humble sect.”
He smiled wryly as he greeted them.
That a Taoist of the Heaven character generation and the Maehwa Sword Masters had come to aid was a tremendous blessing, yet the current circumstances were far from favorable.
“The situation is dire, and I fear we cannot offer you the proper welcome you deserve.”
“I admit, that’s a bit disappointing.”
Cheon Hui made no pretense of courtesy.
He had come all the way to the Ilwol Moon partly to see the world and partly to enjoy himself.
But that seemed unlikely now.
“It can’t be helped.”
“Forgive us.”
The Ilwol Moon master lowered his head.
Cheon Hui looked at him and spoke.
“More importantly, who is it that’s targeting the Ilwol Moon?”
“……You mean to fight them?”
At the question, Cheon Hui’s lips twisted.
“We should crush them quickly.”
“Cru, crush them, you say.”
The Ilwol Moon master’s bewilderment spilled out.
The word choice was unbecoming of a Taoist, and the intent behind it was equally astounding.
“……It will be difficult with just the three of you.”
Cheon Hui let out a soft laugh.
“You needn’t worry about that.”
“B, but they are formidable foes.”
“They?”
The corners of Cheon Hui’s eyes narrowed.
“It sounds like more than just one or two places.”
The Ilwol Moon master’s brow furrowed.
The new sects that had recently established themselves in Yanan were far from one or two.
“There are three in total.”
“How convenient.”
Cheon Hui’s eyes half-closed.
“Which three are they?”
“That is……”
The Ilwol Moon master swallowed the rest.
No matter that the Huashan Sect had sent the Maehwa Sword Masters, they alone would not be enough.
‘To demand fresh sacrifices from the Huashan Sect, which had already lost so many of the Maehwa Sword Masters……’
As he hesitated to speak.
“The Heuk Ho Bang, the Gwi Yu Moon, and the So Heung Bo.”
Ju Go Ryul answered in his stead.
“Go Ryul!”
The Ilwol Moon master’s anger flared, but.
“Good.”
Cheon Hui seemed pleased.
Since he’d already come this far, dealing with it swiftly put his mind at ease.
“You know where it is, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then let’s start with the closest one.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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