Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Encounter with Moyong Cheonhwi

Moyong Cheonhwi wanted to see me?!

My fist clenched before I even realized it.

Why does that murderous bastard want me...?

I felt uneasy, but I didn't let it show as I asked Elder Yu Gwangcheol,

“Did he say why he wants to see me?”

“I heard it has something to do with the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament...”

Yu Gwangcheol shook his head.

“It would be better to hear the details directly from him.”

For a moment, I considered avoiding the meeting.

But then I changed my mind.

After all...

Moyong Cheonhwi had no idea how much I knew about his true nature.

“Understood.”

I bowed my head to Yu Gwangcheol.

“Then prepare yourself. The Righteous Alliance will send someone for us soon.”

“Yes. I'll be ready.”

Just as Yu Gwangcheol had said, a Righteous Alliance martial artist arrived at the annex not long afterward.

Yu Gwangcheol, Jin Gwangung, and I followed him.

The martial artist guided us deep into the Righteous Alliance grounds.

After walking for quite some time...

we arrived at a place called the Azure Pine Garden.

The Azure Pine Garden.

It was the rear garden of the Alliance Leader's Palace, where the Righteous Alliance Leader resided.

When we reached the entrance, the Righteous Alliance martial artist bowed.

“The Alliance Leader is waiting inside the Azure Pine Garden.”

“I will guide you no further.”

He opened the gate and quietly stepped back.

The moment we entered...

even the air felt different.

A thick scent of pine filled my nose.

“Then let's go.”

Yu Gwangcheol seemed to have visited the Azure Pine Garden before.

He walked ahead with familiar steps.

Jin Gwangung and I followed behind him.

The size of the garden was ridiculous.

You could fit an entire manor inside this place and still have room left.

At this point...

calling it a rear garden almost felt wrong.

It was practically a forest.

The deeper we went...

the denser the pine trees became.

Tall, straight trunks filled the sky above us.

Jin Gwangung looked around and clicked his tongue.

“Why the hell are there so many pine trees?”

He sounded openly sarcastic.

“Why would anyone build a rear garden this huge?”

Yu Gwangcheol laughed quietly.

“They say the Alliance Leader greatly admires the righteous spirit symbolized by evergreen pines.”

He continued,

“I once heard that he had the Azure Pine Garden built on this scale because he hoped the spirit of the Righteous Alliance would spread throughout the entire Central Plains.”

Jin Gwangung snorted.

“People really will attach grand meanings to anything just to justify building a big garden.”

He shook his head.

“I've never met anyone who loudly talks about righteousness all the time and actually possesses that much of it.”

Yu Gwangcheol frowned.

“Elder Gwangung, watch your words.”

“What if someone hears you?”

Jin Gwangung shrugged.

“So what?”

“We have mouths so we can talk.”

He chuckled.

“Even emperors get cursed behind their backs. That's simply how the world works.”

I said nothing.

But inwardly...

I agreed with Jin Gwangung.

No.

I agreed even more strongly.

Righteous spirit of the evergreen pine, my ass.

I knew Moyong Cheonhwi's filthy true nature.

I knew what really lay inside that demon.

Under the banner of justice he constantly waved around...

countless innocent people had lost their lives.

Even today.

Even at this very moment.

And yet a murderer like him...

spoke of righteousness like some saint.

...Don't make me laugh.

The thick pine scent filling my nose...

felt more like the metallic smell of his victims' blood.

We continued walking.

Then I saw a small group gathered ahead.

There were three people.

Moyong Cheonhwi wasn't among them.

Hm... did he call other people too?

As we drew closer...

I felt a powerful pressure coming from them.

It was so strong that even breathing made my skin feel tight.

Masters.

At the very least...

they were on a level comparable to Yu Gwangcheol and Jin Gwangung.

And one of them was familiar.

Taoist Wonho of Mount Hua.

The moment he spotted us...

he smiled warmly.

“Taoist Gwangcheol. Taoist Gwangung.”

“It's good to see you again.”

Yu Gwangcheol responded lukewarmly.

“It seems the Alliance Leader called you as well.”

Taoist Wonho then turned his gaze toward me.

“I watched your match against Jinwon.”

His smile brightened.

“You displayed truly excellent swordsmanship.”

Even though his beloved disciple Jinwon had lost to me...

there wasn't the slightest hint that he cared.

It wasn't forced praise either.

His expression showed genuine recognition.

This man really is the most Taoist-like person I've met....

I gave him a respectful martial salute.

“You're too kind, Taoist Wonho.”

Standing beside Taoist Wonho was an elderly monk with a benevolent face.

He was short...

with striking snow-white eyebrows.

But judging him by that gentle appearance would be a mistake.

I knew who he was.

Snow-Brow Vajra Baekheo.

The Dharma Hall was the martial arm of Shaolin.

And Master Baekheo was its chief.

In terms of martial power...

he was said to rank second only to Shaolin's Abbot.

A powerhouse among powerhouses.

He silently stared at me.

The moment I met Master Baekheo's deep eyes...

I felt as though he could see straight through me.

Beside him stood a tall man who contrasted sharply with the monk's smaller frame.

Broad shoulders.

Domineering eyes.

Namgung Changmin.

Head of the Namgung Family.

He glanced at me with an indifferent expression.

Master Baekheo of Shaolin.

Taoist Wonho of Mount Hua.

Namgung Changmin of the Namgung Family.

They were the same faces I'd seen seated in the VIP section during the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament.

Did they stay in Luoyang because of the Lee Munjeong incident?

It was rare to see so many powerful figures of the orthodox martial world gathered in one place.

And I was curious why Moyong Cheonhwi had summoned me here with them.

Then...

“Hahaha. It seems everyone is already here.”

A voice came from behind us.

...!

The instant I heard it...

goosebumps rose across my entire body.

It felt as though my skin had frozen all at once.

I slowly turned around.

And there he was.

Moyong Cheonhwi.

Moyong Cheonhwi approached leisurely with several subordinates behind him.

His pace was relaxed...

but somehow, the entire space seemed to arrange itself around him.

“Thank you all for coming.”

He greeted everyone politely.

“Alliance Leader.”

Everyone in the garden bowed their heads.

Even Jin Gwangung, infamous for doing whatever he pleased, clasped his hands respectfully.

Moyong Cheonhwi smiled brightly at him.

“Hahaha. Elder Jin Gwangung, it has truly been a long time.”

Despite standing at the absolute peak...

his expression looked easygoing and approachable.

Everyone present exchanged warm smiles.

Everyone...

except one person.

...Damn it.

My body was trembling.

At first...

I thought it was because I couldn't suppress my hatred and rage toward him.

But then I realized...

there was another emotion mixed in.

The flames of the Myriad Tribulation Flame before my death.

The screams of test subjects burning alive inside it.

And there...

in the center of that hell...

I had died by Moyong Cheonhwi's hand.

That memory had been engraved into my body.

The rage.

The fear.

Both were shaking me now.

Get a grip, Han Mujin.

I forced myself to steady my mind.

You aren't that test subject anymore.

You are Han Mujin of the Kunlun Sect.

Just as I finally calmed myself...

Moyong Cheonhwi's gaze turned toward me.

“So we finally meet.”

His smile was warm.

“The famous Kunlun's Young Hero I've heard so much about.”

Anyone looking at him would have seen the face of a kindly elder.

But I couldn't say a word.

I simply stared blankly at him.

His demonic face from my previous life overlapped with the one before me.

The cruel face of the man who drove innocent test subjects into flames and death.

Then Yu Gwangcheol's voice reached me.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Hurry and greet the Alliance Leader.”

I snapped back to my senses.

I suppressed my violently pounding heart.

Then spoke as respectfully as I could.

“Please forgive my rudeness, Alliance Leader.”

“I never expected to meet you personally like this, so I was momentarily...”

Moyong Cheonhwi burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha!”

“How unexpected.”

He looked amused.

“You seem completely different from the spirited young man I watched during the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament.”

Then he stepped closer.

“I was very curious about you.”

I looked at him.

“About me?”

Moyong Cheonhwi smiled.

“I heard you comprehended the forgotten sword art left behind by True Immortal Cheongun, who once dominated the martial world.”

He stroked his beard.

“I've always wondered about it.”

“Just how extraordinary was the sword of True Immortal Cheongun, the man said to have reached the ultimate realm of swordsmanship and ultimately ascended beyond mortality?”

His expression became almost nostalgic.

“When I was young, I would sometimes imagine it.”

“If True Immortal Cheongun and I crossed swords...”

He smiled.

“who would win?”

"..."

Moyong Cheonhwi looked directly into my eyes.

“Now that you've inherited his sword...”

“if you and I were to exchange moves one day, perhaps that old curiosity of mine could finally be answered.”

Something chilling flashed in his gaze.

Before I could respond...

Yu Gwangcheol laughed and answered for me.

“Mujin may have inherited True Immortal Cheongun's Flowing Flower Kunlun Sword, but what he possesses is only a portion of the sword paths the Immortal left behind.”

He smiled politely.

“He's merely a young disciple who has only just begun walking the path of the sword.”

“How could his sword possibly be compared to yours, Alliance Leader?”

Moyong Cheonhwi sounded disappointed.

“Hm... is that so?”

“Then he hasn't yet inherited the entirety of True Immortal Cheongun's sword....”

His gaze remained fixed on me.

“I hope you grow quickly.”

A strange smile appeared on his lips.

“More than anyone...”

“I am curious to see what the complete and flawless sword of True Immortal Cheongun truly is.”

Yu Gwangcheol laughed smoothly.

“Haha. I never knew the Alliance Leader had such great interest in Kunlun's martial arts.”

Moyong Cheonhwi waved a hand.

“Of course I do.”

“After all, isn't Kunlun the wall protecting the Central Plains from the wicked Demonic Cult?”

The moment the Demonic Cult was mentioned...

everyone's expression grew heavier.

They were probably thinking of the tragedy from several days ago.

As though trying to lighten the mood...

Moyong Cheonhwi smiled.

“Still, there is no need to be too serious.”

“Whatever schemes the Demonic Cult plots in the darkness...”

His voice was calm and confident.

“the light of the righteous path will eventually drive that darkness away.”

I ground my teeth inwardly.

You're the one plotting those schemes, Moyong Cheonhwi.

Lee Munjeong's rampage.

The Demonic Cult secret manual found at Pyeongsan Sword Hall.

I was certain.

That damn bastard had orchestrated all of it.

Then...

“I've wasted too much time on unnecessary talk.”

Moyong Cheonhwi turned his head toward me.

“Now then...”

“we should begin discussing the real reason I asked everyone here today.”

His gaze settled on me.

“The Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament was unfortunately terminated because of an unforeseen incident.”

“But you had already reached the finals.”

He still wore that benevolent smile.

That only made it more disgusting.

“If not for that sudden tragedy...”

“your name would likely have spread throughout the entire martial world.”

He sighed regretfully.

“I consider that a great shame.”

Then he paused.

“So...”

His voice lowered slightly.

“I would like to personally compensate you.”

My heart thudded.

Compensate me?