Surviving as the Heavenly Demon’s Concubine - Chapter 68
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The Swordmaster who had kidnapped all the girls from Cheonryeon Palace (though this doesn’t make sense either) had for some reason released only Riser.
“Come on. What’s so hard to believe about that.”
“But it’s strange….”
Jegal Lin hesitated but stubbornly continued her sharp questioning.
“The Swordmaster is trying to take talented people as disciples, right? But why did he send only Riser back without even testing her? Isn’t that unnatural?”
“How would I know! Maybe Dang Ri-seo lacked sword talent!”
Namgung Yeonhwa was frustrated to the point of going crazy.
Even at this very moment, the Sapa girls would be cutting down the sword trees of Geomsu Jiok. There was no time to be leisurely.
“Could that really… be true?”
Jegal Lin tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
She had never seen Riser wield a sword, but she didn’t think for a moment that she would lack sword talent.
“Sangwan Baek said so himself. Riser has good natural physique and is clever too. And during morning training, she even saw the Fist King’s intent. Of course her sword talent would be excellent.”
‘…That’s right.’
If a warrior has good physique, there’s no technique they can’t learn, and if a warrior has excellent intelligence, they can deeply understand and comprehend profound martial arts to achieve mastery.
There was no need to even mention being able to see the Fist King’s intent.
Obviously, Dang Ri-seo’s sword talent would be on par with or superior to first-rate swordsmen.
Namgung Yeonhwa, finding herself at a loss for words, mumbled awkwardly.
“A-anyway, I don’t know. What reason would there be for fellow Orthodox Faction members to deceive each other.”
“Hmm…. Fellow ‘Orthodox Faction’ members, you say….”
Reasonable suspicion began to creep up.
Coincidentally, it was even more suspicious because Yeon Soha was away and they couldn’t confirm the facts.
‘They wouldn’t have ostracized only Riser under the pretext of being between orthodox and unorthodox, would they?’
Cheonryeon Palace, where girls from various backgrounds lived together, had gradually taken on the form of a small martial world with a completely skewed gender ratio.
For example, an 8-member Nine Sects Alliance (Cheonryeon Palace had no members from Shaolin Temple or Beggar’s Sect), the Five Great Families returned to full strength, Nok-rim Sibpal-chae (solo), and so on….
It was a modest composition that might have reminded one of a girl group’s member status after contract renewal season.
Since only one representative was allowed regardless of sect size, it differed somewhat from the actual power structure, but the girls didn’t give up and did their best in their respective positions.
And when martial artists do their best in their respective positions, it usually means they have to fight.
‘I heard that lately the conflict between orthodox and unorthodox has been deepening in Cheonryeon Palace….’
Jegal Lin recalled the clash between Orthodox Faction and Sapa girls that had supposedly occurred in the dining hall last time (she heard it from Riser).
Fortunately, Riser’s exciting Noeok experience had caught the Sapa girls’ attention, so it didn’t escalate into a big fight and was glossed over….
【”What kind of Orthodox Faction is the Sichuan Dang Family?”</p】
“At best, they’re between orthodox and unorthodox.”
“Ah! I can’t hear you! If you use poison, you’re Sapa! End of story!”>
From what Jegal Lin had heard, it seemed to have been glossed over too much.
Riser had grumbled about it in her own way for quite a while, so she probably thought that was enough, but that wasn’t right.
‘The Sichuan Dang Family’s identity was left somewhat ambiguously resolved.’
Obviously, the Sichuan Dang Family officially belongs to the Orthodox Faction.
Pushing them as being between orthodox and unorthodox just because they use hidden weapons or poison is nothing but groundless slander.
As a comrade who practiced non-mainstream martial arts, Jegal Lin knew well that such public perception was wrong.
After all, what distinguishes Orthodox Faction from Sapa isn’t the form of weapons but what you fight for, isn’t it?
The Sichuan Dang Family, which fights for Sichuan’s peace (and gold and silver treasures), is undoubtedly Orthodox Faction!
Nevertheless, the unfortunate fact that couldn’t be denied was….
For some foolish swordsmen, the Sichuan Dang Family’s ‘hidden weapons and poison’ weren’t clearly distinguished from Sapa’s ‘cowardly evil arts.’
“Ahem. So, Lin.”
Then Jegal Lin scrunched up her face and made a very displeased expression.
“…Miss Jegal. As a member of the Orthodox Faction, won’t you lend us your strength?”
When Namgung Yeonhwa’s confident attempt at friendliness backfired, she immediately changed her attitude.
“I understand you’re not inclined to right now. Even if things go well, there’s no chance of you, a formation master, becoming the Swordmaster’s disciple. But in the long run, this could be a good opportunity! Later, when you want to serve the Phantom Master or some other teacher….”
The Namgung Household was indeed the cradle of Martial Alliance Leaders.
The thick-skinned shamelessness of usually barely acknowledging others but then shamelessly recruiting manpower by invoking Orthodox Faction membership at times like this was hard to explain without heredity.
“What about Riser?”
“I already said….”
“Isn’t Riser a fellow Orthodox Faction member?”
* * *
“I don’t understand what all this commotion is about.”
Mujin didn’t hide his annoyed expression as he glared at the girls.
‘I came all this way to rescue them.’
Yet they were absorbed in making noise, dividing into factions, and fighting.
It was completely different from what Mujin had vaguely imagined—pitiful victims.
Dang Ri-seo wasn’t even visible. Jegal Lin, who claimed to be her only friend, had gone to look for her, but there was no news of her return, making it just boring.
“I am truly sorry to Magong-ja.”
Moyong Hye subtly stood beside Mujin.
When she had found the time, her appearance was beautiful with perfectly arranged clothes and makeup.
“This is how Central Plains warriors are. They can’t forget old grudges and lash out in fury. I’m ashamed to show you such an ugly sight.”
Then she bowed her head deeply as if embarrassed and lowered her eyes. Her long false eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.
“You are…?”
“I am called Moyong Hye from Liaoning.”
‘I don’t know where that is.’
Though it would be quite disappointing to Moyong Hye with her extreme love for her hometown, to Mujin there was no difference between Central Plains and Liaoning.
Either way, they were both ‘outside’ Mount Shiwandai.
In a worldview where the Demon Sect had won, Mount Shiwandai was the center of the world, comparable to modern New York.
You can’t really blame New York citizens for not distinguishing between Cheongju and Chungju. It’s just a bit annoying.
“Liaoning. That’s a nice place.”
Fortunately, Mujin didn’t repeat the rudeness of New York citizens.
This was because several years ago he had greatly lost favor by saying to Heukrangdae Vice-Captain Tak Jinkang, ‘Oh, really? Yunnan and Vietnam were different places?’
“Ah. You know Liaoning?”
But this time his luck was bad.
Moyong Hye’s eyes, with her extreme love for her hometown, began to sparkle.
“Of course I do. But what do you mean by old grudges?”
Mujin quickly changed the subject, afraid of being caught not knowing anything about Liaoning.
Moyong Hye became slightly dejected at missing the opportunity to ask how Mujin knew Liaoning, whether he had ever visited, if he had tried the famous tangchuricheok, and if so, how it tasted.
“I’m referring to the Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War that occurred during the previous dynasty.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————