Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 201

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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 201
They say that words without feet can travel a thousand miles.
News of the Huashan Sect and Jongnam Sect’s victory over the New Master Faction spread across All Under Heaven with remarkable speed.
Most Kangho figures who heard the rumors nodded in understanding, as if they’d expected nothing less.
The Jongnam Sect and Huashan Sect—both pillars of the Nine Major Sects and Four Unorthodox Schools.
Their opponent, by contrast, was the New Master Faction—they’d only recently thwarted a joint operation by these two, and had just begun to make a name for themselves.
Many thought the outcome was inevitable.
Yet even they tilted their heads in confusion when they heard the detailed accounts in the rumors.
‘A young Daoist named Cheon Hui from the Huashan Sect defeated the masters that came from the New Master Faction! He even beat a female master whom Bi Yeon Geom Gun couldn’t overcome!’
Everyone who heard the full story thought it was nonsense.
Bi Yeon Geom Gun was counted among the top masters of the Jongnam Sect, and his reputation had spread far beyond Shenxi into All Under Heaven.
Especially after he’d distinguished himself by cooperating with the Huashan Divine Sword to bring down Baek Gwi Seong, his fame had reached dizzying heights.
Yet he’d lost to an obscure female master?
“What? You’re saying a female master beat Bi Yeon Geom Gun? That’s absurd. If a female master possessed such skill, she’d already have made a name for herself in Kangho.”
“Well, who knows?”
“Come on, let’s say the New Master Faction hired some female master and she got lucky against Bi Yeon Geom Gun. But then some Daoist nobody’s ever heard of—Cheon Hui, or whatever—beat her? Does that make any sense?”
“Why are you being so stubborn? He could be a master the Huashan Sect raised in secret.”
“Bah! No matter how prestigious the Huashan Sect is, I heard this Daoist Cheon Hui is barely in his early twenties, just past the age of coming of age. Are you telling me that at such an age, he defeated a master greater than Bi Yeon Geom Gun?”
Most found it preposterous.
Yet as the same stories continued to spread, even those who had dismissed them as lies began to lend an ear.
“If the rumors are true, then a prodigy of Kangho has appeared in the Huashan Sect!”
“Heh, the ways of the world are truly incomprehensible. Just a few years ago, everyone said the Huashan Sect was on the verge of collapse. Now they have the Huashan Divine Sword who brought down Baek Gwi Seong, and this prodigy Cheon Hui besides.”
“This will draw all the people of Shenxi to them!”
“Well, of course! By now, the Huashan Sect must be swarming with visitors!”
Perhaps because the story had provoked such spirited debate in the beginning.
The rumors spread at an extraordinary pace.
And as they spread, it was the Huashan Sect’s name, not the Jongnam Sect’s, that continued to be mentioned.
And as the rumors grew more widespread, Cheon Hui’s name rose and fell repeatedly on people’s lips, his reputation climbing ever higher—
Meanwhile, at the Huashan Sect, the very epicenter of these rumors…….
“Hold on! Where do you think you’re pushing in? I’ve been standing here since dawn!”
“Good heavens! Stop shoving, would you? This narrow mountain path is cramped enough without all this pushing! We’ll all tumble down together at this rate!”
“Ahem! I don’t intend to push either, believe me. It’s just that the mountain path is rather narrow for carriages to pass through, you understand? Please bear with me a moment.”
A crowd had gathered, jostling together.
Before sunrise, an endless line had formed on the narrow mountain path leading to the Mountain Gate of the Huashan Sect.
The people in line were of diverse sorts.
Merchants, martial artists, innkeepers, and more…….
Their clothing and appearance varied greatly, but they shared one thing in common.
They were all people with interests in Shenxi.
Particularly, most of those standing in line had witnessed that martial match, and had rushed here faster than anyone else.
Their eyes gleamed with ambition.
Though the Jongnam Sect still wielded greater influence in Shenxi, they had seen the power of Huashan with their own eyes, hadn’t they?
That Daoist called Cheon Hui, who had demonstrated overwhelming martial prowess in the match.
Convinced that as long as he existed, the Huashan Sect’s future would be brighter than the Jongnam Sect’s, they had rushed here to invest.
‘I must form ties with the Huashan Sect!’
‘We absolutely have to join hands with them!’
‘If other trading companies get involved first, we’ll be at a disadvantage! Before the others seize the opportunity……!’
Since Huashan’s strength hadn’t yet become widely known throughout Kangho, any investment made now would yield even greater returns.
That was why they had come to Huashan in the pre-dawn hours and waited for the Mountain Gate to open.
And as the line continued to grow longer at every moment—
Creeeeak—
The firmly shut Mountain Gate slowly swung open.
“It’s finally open!”
“Now…….”
Their gazes converged on the gate all at once, and through the opening door stepped a graceful figure—a maiden of immortal beauty dressed in neat, elegant attire.
The maiden Hyeon Ryeo, catching sight of the endless ribbon of people arrayed before her, let her eyes widen slightly in surprise before a smile graced her lips.
‘Even more than when we dealt with Baek Gwi Seong.’
Though she’d anticipated as much, witnessing it directly felt somehow different.
She brought her hands together in a formal gesture.
“We are deeply grateful that so many of you have come to visit our humble sect.”
With a respectful bow, she let her voice flow gently between her lips.
Her voice, infused with Inner Power, carried on the wind and struck the ears of those standing in line.
Hyeon Ryeo watched as those who had perked up their ears and lifted their heads, and her lips moved again.
“Then please, one at a time.”
Hyeon Ryeo remained composed even as she surveyed the endless piles of goods and the throng of people before her.
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Iyoung, the proprietor of Iyoung Trading Company. On this occasion, regarding a connection with the Huashan Sect…….”
“I am from the Huayoung Guest House…….”
Those in line handed over their gifts as they introduced themselves, offered words of hope for her favor, and departed.
Their footsteps as they left were heavy with regret.
And no wonder—they had come hoping to see either the Sect Master or Cheon Hui, who had recently made a name for himself.
But they possessed tact as well.
An endless line stretched before them.
With those who formed that line watching intently, how could they dare ask to see the Sect Master and Cheon Hui?
“We shall meet again another time.”
“I shall visit another day.”
Unwilling to make enemies of those in line, the visitors merely handed over their gifts and, speaking as though they awaited a future opportunity, descended the mountain path one by one.
And in response to their gracious conduct, Hyeon Ryeo bowed her head and offered her thanks.
“Thank you for your understanding. Should I find myself with time to spare in the future, I shall reach out separately.”
“Ha ha, I shall await that day.”
As everyone nodded at Hyeon Ryeo’s words and continued stepping back in succession.
“It is an honor to finally meet the Immortal Maiden Hyeon Ryeo of Huashan, of whom I have heard so much.”
A middle-aged man of grave bearing performed a Fist Salute toward Hyeon Ryeo and greeted her with proper courtesy.
Hyeon Ryeo was somewhat taken aback, her eyes widening as she spoke.
“You know of my courtesy?”
“I have often heard the Third Young Master speak warmly of your kind character.”
“The Third Young Master……?”
Hyeon Ryeo asked, her tone uncertain.
“Ah, forgive me for my late introduction!”
The middle-aged man smiled gently and spoke.
“My name is Je Gal Song Young. Though humble, I lead a small trading company known as the Wolong Trading Company.”
The moment Je Gal Song Young revealed his name, Hyeon Ryeo’s expression cleared.
“So you are a member of the Je Gal Clan.”
Hyeon Ryeo’s voice softened.
“When you speak of the Third Young Master, you must mean Je Gal Seong Hyeon.”
“Indeed.”
“But what brings you to visit on this occasion?”
Hyeon Ryeo, who had been smiling, asked softly.
The Je Gal Clan made their seat in Shandong, far distant from Shenxi.
For that reason, the reason they had come to Huashan now was bound to differ greatly from those who had preceded them.
And true to this thought, Je Gal Song Young nodded and opened his mouth.
“I have come with something to convey to the Huashan Sect.”
“Something to convey, you say…….”
“A letter written by the Third Young Master.”
Je Gal Song Young carefully withdrew a scroll from within his robe and handed it to her.
“Would you be able to deliver this directly to Cheon Hui?”
“Might I take a moment to examine it before I deliver it?”
“Of course.”
Hyeon Ryeo untied the cord binding the letter and slowly unrolled it.
Then she began to read through its contents.
Around halfway through her reading.
“……!”
Hyeon Ryeo’s eyes widened in shock.
Immediately, she turned to regard Je Gal Song Young, her voice hardening.
“Do you know what is written within?”
“I do.”
Hyeon Ryeo rolled the scroll back up.
Then she turned to Jeok Un, who stood behind her.
“Watch over things here for a while.”
“Understood.”
Hyeon Ryeo turned her gaze back to Je Gal Song Young, who stood motionless, and spoke.
“Follow me.”
* * *
“So many have come seeking you out.”
The Sect Master sat in a chair at Ja Ha Pavilion, sipping tea as he gazed down through the window, a contented smile spreading across his face.
“This is all thanks to you.”
As he spoke, his gaze fixed on the figure across from him—Cheon Hui, who had long since shed his Sect Robes and now wore a black Martial Robe instead.
“That’s true enough. Without me, it would’ve been difficult to win that Martial Match.”
Cheon Hui acknowledged it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, then drained his teacup in one draught before speaking.
“But why did you call me here?”
“Ha, must there always be some pressing matter for me to summon you?”
“That’s been the pattern lately.”
“Ha, ha, ha.”
Unable to argue the point, the Sect Master chuckled awkwardly and set his teacup down carefully onto the table.
The cup clinked softly, and the tea within rippled faintly.
In that shallow water, the faces of both the Sect Master and Cheon Hui wavered with the tiny waves.
“From this moment forward, all eyes under heaven will begin to turn toward you.”
The Sect Master spoke to Cheon Hui with an air of genuine concern.
The realm was in turmoil.
Beginning with the fall of Baek Gwi Seong, the Bi Cheon Society and Sa Hyuk Ryeon had been clashing relentlessly, throwing everything into chaos.
And that was far from all.
The movements of the Murim Alliance itself were clearly far from ordinary.
In such circumstances, when a figure like Cheon Hui suddenly appeared as though dropped from the heavens—
It was inevitable that every eye would turn toward him.
“Especially the Nine Provinces Three Powerhouse Clans will move to learn about you. Not to mention the Murim Alliance itself, and both the Bi Cheon Society and Sa Hyuk Ryeon…”
“Well, naturally.”
Cheon Hui nodded in agreement.
It was far too obvious a truth.
When a newly emerged master suddenly appears out of nowhere, anyone would take notice. Especially when that master emerged from the Huashan Sect, which had been in decline?
Everyone would be desperate for information.
“But you already anticipated this much before sending me into that Martial Match, didn’t you?”
The Sect Master’s answer came as a wry smile. Indeed, he had sent Cheon Hui into the arena with precisely such expectations.
To grant him fame.
And the plan had succeeded.
In a fleeting moment, he had gained a reputation that typically took far longer to earn, and his name now rang out across all of Tianxia.
Which is why the Sect Master worried all the more.
“Cheon Hui, I pride myself on knowing your martial prowess better than anyone under heaven. Your skill is such that few in all of Tianxia could stand as your equal.”
The Sect Master spoke words that would have shocked others, delivering them as calmly as one might speak of the weather.
As though stating something entirely natural.
“But do you understand this?”
Worry colored the Sect Master’s eyes.
“Great power brings great responsibility. Before you became known, it would have mattered less, but now that you have gained such renown, every word and action you take will draw the attention of all. Whether for good or ill. In whatever direction it may lead…”
Cheon Hui let out a quiet laugh and spoke.
“In other words, I should watch my tongue so others don’t find convenient excuses against me?”
The Sect Master laughed awkwardly at how Cheon Hui had condensed the warning into such practical terms, and Cheon Hui shrugged as he continued.
“I’ll be careful.”
“Then I am reassured.”
Just as the Sect Master was beginning to smile with relief at Cheon Hui’s response—
Knock, knock.
A sudden rap at the door, followed by Hyeon Ryeo’s voice from outside.
“Sect Master.”
The Sect Master was somewhat taken aback at Hyeon Ryeo’s arrival in person, but when he sensed the presence of another who had come with her, he spoke calmly.
“What is the matter?”
“The Je Gal Clan has sent a letter directly to Cheon Hui. However, upon examining its contents, the matter proved quite urgent, and I was forced to seek you out personally.”
“A letter for Cheon Hui?”
The Sect Master’s gaze shifted to Cheon Hui.
It was a look that seemed to ask ‘what shall we do?’, and Cheon Hui nodded in response.
“I have no objection.”
The Sect Master opened his mouth.
“Come in.”
The door opened at once, and Hyeon Ryeo and Je Gal Song Young entered Ja Ha Pavilion.
Upon seeing the Sect Master and Cheon Hui, Je Gal Song Young’s eyes gleamed, and he performed a Fist Salute.
“I am Je Gal Song Young of the Je Gal Clan. It is an honor to meet the Sect Master of Huashan and Young Master Cheon Hui on such a busy day.”
“Welcome.”
The Sect Master smiled faintly as he spoke.
“May I see what letter this is?”
Je Gal Song Young performed a fist salute.
Then he drew a letter from his robes and placed it on the table, sliding it across with a soft scrape.
“This is it.”
The Sect Master examined the letter on the table carefully, reaching for it before hesitating.
He glanced at Cheon Hui and spoke.
“It’s addressed to you. Read it yourself.”
“Let’s just look at it together.”
Cheon Hui reached out with an air of indifference, untying the string wound tightly around the rolled letter.
Crackle—
The letter unfurled completely.
“It seems this is for the Je Gal Clan Head’s birthday.”
“What? A banquet?”
As the expressions of the Sect Master and Cheon Hui began to shift while reading the letter, Je Gal Song Young spoke the final lines aloud.
“We wish to invite Young Master Cheon Hui to a banquet commemorating the Clan Head’s sixtieth birthday.”

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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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