Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 254

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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 254
Shortly after finishing their meal, the group filed out of the Maehwa Inn and lined up outside.
Their faces were alight with satisfaction.
Having prepared for the journey since early morning, they’d all been ravenous—and now they’d just enjoyed a delicious breakfast, so there was no help for their good spirits.
“It’s been ages since I ate so well.”
“There wasn’t any meat, just vegetables—but I’ve never had vegetables taste this good.”
They all patted their bellies and offered their praise.
When the food first arrived, seeing only vegetables in the bowls had disappointed them, but after a few bites with their chopsticks, they’d begun eating rapidly.
Though hunger played its part, the real reason was that vegetables alone had been transformed into something with remarkable flavor.
As the praise drifted from all directions, one man smiled quietly to himself.
‘I worried that vegetables alone wouldn’t satisfy them, no matter how well-prepared—but it seems I fretted for nothing.’
Just as O Chong Gwan was breathing a sigh of relief at the universal acclaim—
“That was a fine meal.”
“The food was delicious.”
Hyeon Do and Chu Gye Gwang approached and bowed to him.
O Chong Gwan immediately inclined his head, a smile blooming across his face.
“I’m delighted you enjoyed it.”
“But are you sure this is all right? The portions were quite generous for a simple meal.”
Hyeon Do gestured toward the Inn Attendant and kitchen staff hurriedly clearing the dishes, speaking as he did so, and Chu Gye Gwang echoed his sentiment.
“Your point is well taken. We have more than enough coin—please, tell us the price and we’ll settle it now.”
Seeing Chu Gye Gwang reach for his purse, O Chong Gwan waved his hands frantically.
“No, no! This inn would never have survived without the Huashan Sect’s support. How could I possibly accept payment for a mere meal?”
He spoke with such firm resolve that there was no question of his yielding.
“Hmm, is that so?”
Hyeon Do’s lips twitched upward.
O Chong Gwan’s words, which subtly praised the Huashan Sect, had lifted his spirits.
“Then I won’t refuse your kindness.”
At Hyeon Do’s response, O Chong Gwan’s face broke into a broad grin, and he turned to regard Chu Gye Gwang.
Chu Gye Gwang, who had worn an expression of lingering unease, finally nodded his assent.
“Thank you.”
It had long been said that to refuse kindness was itself a breach of courtesy. All the more so when that kindness came from the Cheonha Trading Company, which sought to deepen its bonds with the Murim Alliance.
“It’s nothing at all.”
As O Chong Gwan waved his hand modestly, his eyes suddenly gleamed.
‘So I’ve finally laid eyes on Chu Gye Gwang of the Whispered Sword.’
He’d heard that name before, certainly.
Among the current Murim Alliance, he was counted among the few whose reputation in Hyeop Myeong was particularly lofty—especially among the younger martial artists.
‘A man destined to shoulder the future of the Murim Alliance. If a meal this modest can earn his goodwill, it’s money well spent.’
Just as the three of them were finishing their salutations—
“Are we ready?”
Cheon Hui emerged, drawing back the curtain.
Watching Cheon Hui wear a satisfied smile, Hyeon Do’s lips curved upward.
“Have you finished your business?”
“Yes, all settled.”
As he answered, Cheon Hui’s gaze drifted quietly toward the room where Cheon Yang Gong was.
The old master had not touched a single piece of food placed before him; instead, he sat with his arms crossed, lost in thought.
‘Still brooding over the Gujul, I’d wager.’
Cheon Hui let out a soft laugh, recalling how the man’s brow had furrowed the moment he’d heard those two lines of verse.
As expected, he’d accepted the proposal without hesitation.
How could he refuse, when offered the latter half of the Guyu Mahwa Gong’s Gujul?
‘He’ll be occupied for years just deciphering those verses. It’ll give him plenty to struggle with.’
It was less a prediction than a certainty.
‘The Guyu Mahwa Gong is rightly counted among the most difficult techniques to master even within the Mado Sipgang—there’s a reason for that.’
The Gujul of the latter half of the Guyu Mahwa Gong was profound, and its meaning difficult to fathom.
Especially those two lines he’d just revealed—they struck at the very heart of what the Guyu Mahwa Gong contained, making them all the more cryptic.
The Sacred Fire of Mado.
The essence of the Guyu Mahwa Gong, the fruit of having reached the end of Yeokcheon itself—all of it was woven into those verses.
For a moment, Cheon Hui’s smile twisted with dark amusement.
The moment Cheon Yang Gong comprehended the Gujul, he would be utterly enthralled by Cheon Hui’s words, desperate to learn the next lines.
The difference between mastering only the first half and having even glimpsed the second was absolute and unmistakable.
‘I’ve set the hook perfectly.’
It was all calculated.
He was feeding Cheon Yang Gong the latter half of the Gujul bit by bit, slowly sinking him into the mire of the Guyu Mahwa Gong.
Without realizing it, Cheon Yang Gong was descending deeper, to a point from which escape was impossible.
And the results had begun to show.
‘If he wants to learn the Gujul now, he’ll either have to return to Shin Gyo or listen to me.’
But returning to Shin Gyo was not an option.
To return meant death and nothing else.
Which meant, in the end, there was no one else Cheon Yang Gong could cling to but him.
‘He won’t dream of defying me now.’
Meanwhile, Hyeon Do, thinking of Cheon Yang Gong who had climbed upstairs with Cheon Hui, asked one final question.
“Did you come to this Maehwa Inn to meet that man?”
“Yes.”
Cheon Hui nodded.
That was exactly right.
The only reason he had come to the Maehwa Inn was to meet that Cheon Yang Gong.
The threat that might befall Huashan Sect.
It was preparation for that.
Cheon Hui lowered his gaze from above and met Hyeon Do’s eyes as he spoke.
“If Huashan Sect were ever to face danger, he would help us.”
“If our sect were to face danger……?”
Hyeon Do, who had been tilting his head in confusion, soon grasped Cheon Hui’s intention and spoke.
“Ah, so with us away, you’ve invited a master as insurance in case our sect falls into peril.”
“It’s a bit different, but close enough.”
Cheon Hui answered with a shrug of his shoulders.
It wasn’t exactly an invitation, but strictly speaking, it wasn’t an inaccurate description either.
At Cheon Hui’s answer, a smile bloomed at the corners of Hyeon Do’s mouth.
“But could you tell me who he is? Judging by the qi he carries, he seems to be someone of considerable renown…….”
His gaze deepened as he thought of Cheon Yang Gong.
He was suppressing it, yet his aura still leaked out in waves that were far from ordinary.
At Hyeon Do’s question, Cheon Hui fell into thought for a moment.
‘He does have a reputation, it’s true.’
But the problem was that his reputation wasn’t the favorable kind—it was infamy.
‘What was that epithet they called him……?’
Recalling the nickname that had once been used to describe Cheon Yang Gong, Cheon Hui scratched the back of his head.
It was awkward to reveal that epithet.
Better to gloss over it somehow.
“He’s someone not widely known in Gangho, so no one here would know of him.”
It wasn’t a lie.
Since he had been active in Gangho decades ago, there would be no one in the current Murim who knew of him.
“Ah, is that so.”
Though it was something that could reasonably seem strange, Hyeon Do didn’t doubt Cheon Hui’s words at all.
How could he doubt what Cheon Hui said?
‘He wasn’t active in Gangho, you say? Then he must be a hidden recluse. Ha, Cheon Hui has accumulated quite a number of karmic connections.’
Rather, he smiled inwardly.
He had already felt some anxiety about him and Cheon Hui leaving, and with a master of that caliber lending support, he could set his mind at ease.
Meanwhile, Chu Gye Gwang too was paying attention to their conversation.
‘A hidden recluse, you say…….’
His brow furrowed slightly.
While it was said that many unknown recluses existed throughout All Under Heaven, the aura that old man had shown was far from ordinary.
‘Could he truly be someone unknown to Gangho…….’
His mind worked rapidly.
The appearances of many people he had heard of and seen over the years flashed through his memory and faded, but none matched the old man.
After thinking for a while.
‘There’s no point thinking about it now.’
Chu Gye Gwang cleared his mind of the thought.
Though he was curious about that man’s identity, there was something else he needed to do first.
‘……I should inform the Alliance about this later.’
He glanced briefly toward the inn, then turned his gaze away and approached Cheon Hui and Hyeon Do.
“Since we’ve finished eating, we should depart once more.”
* * *
Whether it was because he held the position of leader in the Hyeongmun Salgyui or for some other reason, Chu Gye Gwang was remarkably meticulous.
“I made preparations separately last night.”
The moment they arrived in Hwain County, he procured several horses and a carriage.
And that was only the beginning.
Provisions of unknown vintage were being stacked neatly into the carriage, and just as Cheon Hui surveyed them with satisfaction.
Whoosh—
Chu Gye Gwang settled onto the driver’s seat.
He could have hired a carriage driver with money if he wished, but he did not.
The thing was, the people traveling with them now were distinguished guests personally invited by the general.
How could he entrust them to a hired hand?
They had to be conveyed with comfort and safety.
‘If I didn’t, there’d be hell to pay.’
Though a sigh threatened to escape him, he held it in and swept his gaze across Cheon Hui, Hyeon Do, Ha U Jin, and Jong Hyeon before parting his lips.
“Please board the carriage.”
Once the four men had climbed aboard, Chu Gye Gwang seized the reins firmly.
Neigh—
With the cry of the horses, the carriage lurched forward.
The journey proceeded without incident.
After several cycles of rest and departure, the sun was already sinking low, and darkness was bleeding into the world.
Neigh—
Holding the reins, Chu Gye Gwang gazed out at the broad open field and spoke to his men.
“Prepare to camp for the night.”
The Hyeongmun Salgyui members dismounted swiftly and moved with seamless coordination.
The group divided in an instant.
Some gathered the horses and tied them to one side, while others began collecting firewood.
Movements executed with remarkable skill.
These were not the workings of men who had done this once or twice.
Chu Gye Gwang watched his men as they prepared the camp, then turned his head back.
“I am truly sorry. We should have rested at an inn, but in our haste we’ve had to resort to sleeping under the stars.”
He spoke with apparent contrition.
Ordinarily, he would have planned the route to allow for lodging at inns, but time was pressing now.
So pressing that every moment had to be stolen and accelerated.
“Haha, it’s no trouble at all.”
Hyeon Do replied as if to say there was no need for concern, then alighted from the carriage with ease.
“After all, camping under the stars is a familiar thing for those of us in Gangho, is it not?”
As Hyeon Do answered with a smile, Chu Gye Gwang released a breath of relief—and the remaining three men climbed down from the carriage.
“Well now.”
Cheon Hui descended last, at a leisurely pace, and tilted his head as he surveyed the surrounding landscape.
The preparations for the night had already been completed.
A bonfire, lit with flint, was brightening the area, and the Hyeongmun Salgyui members were already preparing food.
Just then, a member of the Hyeongmun Salgyui approached him hesitantly, looking tense.
“Um, Young Master… supper is ready.”
The man brought a bowl of steaming rice porridge, his eyes gleaming.
“I appreciate it.”
Cheon Hui accepted the bowl.
He then walked toward Hyeon Do, who had already claimed a spot by one of the bonfires.
“You’ve arrived.”
Sitting beside Hyeon Do, Cheon Hui began eating quietly.
And shortly after.
Tap.
Cheon Hui set down his bowl, still half full of food.
Tasteless.
He narrowed his brow and glanced around. Except for this spot where the Daoist sect members were seated, everyone else was methodically consuming thick rice porridge studded with jerky.
Smack.
Cheon Hui clicked his tongue.
The aroma wafting from all directions teased his nose, but he was in no position to partake.
‘Tsk. This is precisely why traveling with people who understand is better.’
Cheon Hui regarded Hyeon Do, Ha U Jin, and Jong Hyeon, still eating.
The three of them seemed to be savoring their plain rice porridge, apparently satisfied with the meal.
‘Hmm. This won’t do as things stand.’
Cheon Hui jolted to his feet, the lingering smell continuing to tickle his nose.
“Hmm?!”
Hyeon Do, seeing Cheon Hui suddenly stand, grew serious, as if something urgent had occurred.
“What’s wrong? Did enemies appear…….”
“No.”
“Then why did you suddenly get up in the middle of eating?”
“I’m full now.”
Cheon Hui glanced at the bowl still half-full, then turned his body lightly.
“I’ll do some training for a bit.”
The moment Cheon Hui finished speaking, he kicked off the ground and crossed the forest in one swift stride.
Whoosh.
Having put distance between himself and the group in an instant, Cheon Hui deployed the An Hyang Pyo and smiled.
“Might as well do some hunting.”
Melting into the darkness, Cheon Hui rummaged through the forest in one breath and set off hunting.
And shortly after.
Crackle-crackle—
As Cheon Hui roasted a rabbit, he sprinkled salt generously over it and hummed to himself.
“Smells wonderful.”
Watching the meat sizzle and brown, Cheon Hui tore off a golden piece and popped it straight into his mouth.
“Mmm, ah. If only I had some wine, this would be perfect. Tsk. Hard to find out here…….”
Getting one thing made him wish for another.
Thinking of wine, Cheon Hui chewed the meat in his mouth thoroughly and swallowed.
“I’m satisfied now.”
After eating his fill a moment later, Cheon Hui looked at the bones scattered on the ground, extinguished the campfire, and set out again.
The moment he returned to the open field.
“Huh?”
He witnessed an unexpected sight.
The members of the Hyeongmun Salgyui, who had been busy eating until he left, were now diligently wielding their weapons in the open field.
“That’s surprising. I didn’t think they looked the type to train so hard.”
Just then, Hyeon Do approached him with a smile.
“The moment you finished eating and began training, everyone seemed motivated by your example and immediately drew their weapons.”
“Motivated?”
Cheon Hui looked at the Hyeongmun Salgyui members training, bewildered.
I just went hunting for meat, though.
That was when.
“Big brother!”
Jong Hyeon came running over.
Covered in sweat, seemingly having trained as well, Jong Hyeon looked up at Cheon Hui.
“……Could you spar with me?”
“Spar?”
“Yes!”
Jong Hyeon’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ve learned a new Sword Technique!”
At Jong Hyeon’s words, Cheon Hui stroked his chin.
A new Sword Technique?
He glanced back.
Ha U Jin, sitting leisurely in meditation, bore a gentle smile.
‘Request a sparring match. He’s been training hard to show you what he’s learned.’
I see. So what Sword Technique did he pick up?
Having received Ha U Jin’s telepathic message, Cheon Hui looked at Jong Hyeon for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“All right.”

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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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