Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 344

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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 344
As Seol Woon-hwi bowed slightly, Seol Ho-ryeong sent a message through Jeonum.
-Our youngest, you’re not disappointed that I came instead of Father, are you?
An answer came immediately.
-How could I be? With my Elder Brother, who holds the position of Young Palace Lord of Snow Palace, gracing this occasion, this place shines all the brighter. Had Father come, other complications might have arisen. I wish to express my gratitude to you once more, Elder Brother.
Remarkable… words alone could not suffice.
How had he grown so dependable?
And I, as his Elder Brother, had done so little for him.
Since the Secret Realm of Shaolin Temple, Seol Ho-ryeong had carried a debt of heart toward Seol Woon-hwi.
-When will you return to Snow Palace?
-My affairs here have not yet concluded.
-But you will come, won’t you?
Seol Woon-hwi smiled softly.
-Of course. Wherever I may be, my heart always turns toward Snow Palace. I am merely taking a brief detour through other places.
Seol Ho-ryeong nodded.
Was he not already proving results?
Worry was meaningless.
It was then.
“Yeom Wang enters!”
The messenger’s resounding proclamation filled the plaza.
All eyes turned toward the rear of the platform.
Hwa Mu-nyeom then slowly walked out, dressed in a black daopo embroidered with golden dragon patterns.
His gait remained confident, yet the faint traces of wounds sustained in his recent fierce battle with Shin Ju-eon lingered subtly upon him.
Yet these scars did not diminish his authority.
Rather, they served as medals proving he was a martial artist who had broken through the Golden Seal of Seclusion and returned to the Murim with his own hands.
As Hwa Mu-nyeom took his seat in the Alliance Leader’s position on the platform, hundreds of martial artists saluted in unison with cupped fists.
“We greet the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance Leader!”
The thunderous greeting reverberated through the heavens.
Hwa Mu-nyeom raised his hand to create silence, then opened his mouth.
“I wish to express my gratitude to all who have graced this occasion with their presence.”
His voice, infused with internal energy, carried clearly to every corner of the plaza.
“The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance, standing at this new turning point, shall dedicate itself further to the peace and order of the Murim. Furthermore, I offer my deepest gratitude once more to all of you who have illuminated this gathering.”
Seol Woon-hwi watched quietly as Hwa Mu-nyeom began his speech slowly.
They were formal words.
The declaration to establish order in the Murim, to pursue the Way as a martial artist, and to embrace all paths in that pursuit—whether righteous or heretical, whether supremacy or demonic—caused all to flinch momentarily, yet it was only natural.
The path the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance walked must differ from that of the Martial Alliance or the Four Heaven Alliance. Had the paths been the same, there would be no reason for the Four Demonic Outer Sects to join.
All, including King Yun Mu of Woon-guk, listened intently to Hwa Mu-nyeom’s words.
Thus the declaration concluded.
Mo Yong Nam-cheon rose from his seat and saluted with cupped fists.
“On behalf of the Four Heaven Alliance, I congratulate the return of Yeom Wang. I hope the bonds of friendship between the Four Heaven Alliance and the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance shall deepen further.”
Beneath his words of congratulation lay a subtle undercurrent of restraint and warning.
While the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance’s meteoric rise was undeniable, it meant that the Four Heaven Alliance remained a formidable force not to be underestimated.
Zhuge Yeong-hyeon rose to his feet as well.
“The Martial Alliance also extends its congratulations on the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance’s new beginning. We hope to work together toward peace in the Murim.”
His tone was gentler than Mo Yong Nam-cheon’s, yet the underlying meaning was much the same.
Seol Ho-ryeong stood and spoke.
“The Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace also wishes for the prosperity of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
Though brief, his words carried the unmistakable pride and aloofness of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace.
The sect masters of O Dae Geom-jong and Sa-ma Oe-jong offered their congratulations in turn, each speaking in their own distinctive manner, yet all maintaining a delicate balance—acknowledging the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance while refusing to diminish their own standing.
After receiving all the congratulations, Hwa Mu-nyeom spoke once more.
“Now that I have become the Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance, I shall do my utmost for peace in the Murim. However, should there be those who dare challenge us….”
His voice grew noticeably colder.
“The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance will never retreat.”
At these words, the atmosphere in the plaza shifted subtly. The festive mood transformed in an instant into palpable tension.
It was then.
Seol Woon-hwi rose slowly from his seat.
In that moment, every gaze in the plaza converged upon him. His presence could not be absent from such an auspicious occasion. Hwa Mu-nyeom had begun to speak, but stopped himself.
Why had Seol Woon-hwi risen?
To draw attention? No. That was not it.
He had sensed an aura that compelled him to stand.
Hwa Mu-nyeom and all those nearby felt it too, and fell silent.
A deep, resonant hum echoed forth.
With that subtle vibration, the air around them grew heavy and oppressive.
It was as though a colossal mountain descended from the heavens, its weight crushing down upon the entire plaza.
The sect masters of O Dae Geom-jong froze in place.
Shin Gang’s hand instinctively moved to the hilt of his sword, while Cheon Young-ho’s face paled as he scanned his surroundings.
Eum Mu-seon bit his lip, attempting to discern the nature of this aura, while Cheong Woon-ja steadied his breathing and focused his mind. Seong Mu-jin released a wave of killing intent, assuming a defensive stance.
The sect masters of Sa-ma Oe-jong reacted similarly, as did Mo Yong Nam-cheon of the Four Heaven Alliance and Zhuge Yeong-hyeon.
Seol Ho-ryeong’s usual arrogance had vanished entirely, replaced by a gaze sharp with vigilance as he surveyed his surroundings.
Even Hwa Mu-nyeom, the honored guest of this occasion, tensed his body upon the platform.
All of them felt it.
The aura of one who had ascended to the heavens themselves.
Primordial Sole Existence—that overwhelming presence that only an absolute master who had reached the pinnacle of the Five Realms of Martial God could emit.
Yet something was strange.
While everyone else was overwhelmed by this aura, only one person maintained a serene expression.
It was Seol Woon-hwi.
Seol Woon-hwi slowly turned his head.
A man walked toward the plaza.
With long black hair flowing in the wind, his appearance was striking and formidable.
Yet there was something he could not quite comprehend.
Based on what Seol Woon-hwi experienced in his previous life, he was the type to remain in the background in situations like this.
Not only that—he was someone who never raised his voice in matters great or small, drawing his sword only when necessary. To what extent was this true? Even when the Origin Blood Sect unified the Murim, he barely moved at all.
All he had done was sever the heads of two or three Heaven-Human Unity realm martial artists.
But this appearance, this atmosphere, this commanding presence—even Seol Woon-hwi was seeing it for the first time.
Seol Woon-hwi watched him quietly, and the eyes of the man walking toward him were fixed upon him as well.
That Seol Woon-hwi had read his momentum first was partly because of his own acuity, but primarily because that momentum was concentrated entirely upon him.
It was unmistakable.
He clearly had no interest whatsoever in all the others gathered around this place.
That emptiness dwelling in those sharply slitted eyes.
Schemes too profound to decipher.
Yu Cheong, Vice Sect Leader of the Origin Blood Sect and Demonic Way Zen Master.
As he parted through the crowd and walked forward, the people naturally made way for him.
No—they had no choice but to yield. The energy radiating from him was far too perilous.
Yu Cheong walked to the front of the platform and stopped before Seol Woon-hwi.
No courtesy passed between the two of them.
No cupped fist salute, no greeting, no formality of any kind.
They simply gazed at each other in silence.
All the air around them grew still. The festive warmth vanished entirely, replaced by a tension sharp as a blade’s edge.
“We meet for the first time. I am Yu Cheong.”
* * *
In the moment the two men locked eyes, the air of the plaza froze entirely.
Yu Cheong’s long black hair swayed gently in the breeze, and even the movement of his clasped hands behind his back possessed an elegance as if witnessing a sword dance.
Yet the emptiness contained in those sharply slitted eyes was not something anyone could easily read. Like a deep pond—tranquil on the surface, yet harboring unfathomable depths beneath.
Seol Woon-hwi continued to regard him with an unperturbed expression.
An aura distinctly different from his usual graceful and quiet demeanor was flowing from him.
Like a famous sword half-drawn from its scabbard, that sharpness was subtly revealed.
There was nothing surprising about this.
As a reincarnate, Seol Woon-hwi had endeavored to avoid applying the gratitudes and grudges of his previous life to this one whenever possible.
Yet there were entanglements he could not escape.
The very gratitudes and grudges that had begun with Yu Cheong before him—that was it.
There was no need to look far. Even focusing solely on Yang Seol-jin of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace explained everything.
From Yu Cheong’s perspective, it was the same.
Because of Seol Woon-hwi, he had lost much.
Where was Hwa Mu-nyeom, standing over there, originally?
He was with the Silent World Society. That Silent World Society was Yu Cheong’s.
What became of Yang Seol-jin? He died. He was Yu Cheong’s disciple and trusted subordinate.
What became of Cheon Lim?
He went over to the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance as if to spite him.
This situation had transcended the level of mortal enemies—it was beyond that entirely.
The hundreds of martial artists surrounding them could barely breathe.
The collision of qi flowing between these two men was pressing down on their internal organs.
The sect masters of the O Dae Geom-jong and the leaders of the Sa-ma Oe-jong all watched the two men with expressions of keen interest.
For in their eyes, the current situation was remarkably intriguing.
Hwa Mu-nyeom on the platform was no exception.
An invitation to participate in the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance’s event had certainly been delivered to the Original Blood Sect as well.
Yet since no one had come, he had simply accepted it—but this was truly unexpected.
Yu Cheong, no less.
‘…I never imagined he would reveal himself in person.’
Unable to hide his bewilderment, Hwa Mu-nyeom internally cleared his throat and maintained the utmost composure.
Neither Yu Cheong nor Seol Woon-hwi were men who would cause trouble at such an official gathering.
Yu Cheong, who had been surveying his surroundings, slowly opened his mouth.
“Though we meet for the first time, I feel as though I have known you for a long while.”
His voice was gentle.
It carried the natural warmth of conversing with an old friend, yet few could detect the sharpness concealed beneath that gentleness.
Seol Woon-hwi nodded slightly.
“I share the same sentiment, Master Yu.”
At the title of Master, several nearby figures subtly raised their eyebrows.
Who was Seol Woon-hwi? He was the architect who had elevated the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance to one of the three great powers of the Central Plains and one of the most influential figures in the Murim.
It was not often that one witnessed him showing such elaborate courtesy.
A soft smile graced Yu Cheong’s lips.
“Your accomplishments have been truly remarkable. Buried as I am in my mountain, I could only appreciate your magnificence through written accounts, yet seeing it in person, you are indeed formidable.”
It was no wonder he was called the Demonic Way Zen Master.
He truly possessed impeccable courtesy—much like Gun Mu-gyeol of the Martial Alliance.
Whether meeting someone for the first time or not, it was his habit to speak with respect, and this had not changed even as he stood at the realm of Primordial Sole Existence, a martial god’s pinnacle.

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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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