Chapter 554
About four days had passed since we started our journey together.
Every now and then, monsters would pop up for us to hunt, but it wasn’t particularly dangerous.
We could have sped things up, but there was no need to rush.
Not only was there no urgency, but there were also a few things I needed to check out.
And so, four days passed.
As time went on and we set up camp repeatedly, we soon found ourselves facing a towering mountain.
“Wow….”
Gu Ryeong-hwa expressed her amazement, as if she were staring at a painting.
The mountain before us looked strange, and I couldn’t help but wear a dumbfounded expression while looking at it.
“Isn’t it odd for you to be surprised by a mountain?”
As a disciple of the Hwasan faction, Gu Ryeong-hwa should have been well-acquainted with high mountains.
It was surprising that she reacted this way upon seeing Mudang Mountain.
In response to my remark, Gu Ryeong-hwa pouted slightly.
“… Not all mountains are the same.”
Well, that’s true.
To me, that mountain and the ones from Hwasan looked pretty similar.
A mountain is still just a mountain.
I turned to Yeongpung, who was next to me, and asked, “Where should we go now?”
After hearing the question, Yeongpung replied, “I’ve already made contact, so someone will be coming.”
“Hmm.”
After processing that, I glanced at the street again.
In the end, it meant we had to wait until someone arrived.
“But, the old association…”
“Yes?”
“I heard you had some work here. Is it alright for you to stay with me?”
“Oh, yes. Well… it’s not that urgent.”
And that was the truth.
Knowing how the current situation was unfolding was more important than the task at hand.
I lifted my head and gazed up at the tall mountain.
This was where the representative sect of this area was located.
‘Wudang.’
The Wudang Sect.
This was one of the places in the Gu’s Ten Sects Alliance.
The school of martial arts led by the current leader of the martial arts world, Wudang Geomseon, is headquartered here.
Moreover…
‘I should have brought that guy, Woohyuk.’
This was the place where the only person I could truly call a friend belonged.
If there was something peculiar about it…
‘It’s vastly different from my previous life.’
The vibe here was quite different from what I experienced during my past life at Wudang.
This was a place directly managed by the Wudang.
As far as I remembered, it was a region directly overseen by the Gu’s Ten Sects Alliance, so it was developed in its own right.
‘Not to this extent.’
Now, it had changed so dramatically compared to my past life.
‘The merchant houses are lined up in rows.’
The increased number of inns and bustling street vendors were visible at a glance.
People of all ages filled the space.
‘It’s not lacking compared to Hanam.’
Currently, Mudang Mountain had grown to rival Hanam, where the headquarters of the Murim Alliance was located, right next to Shaolin.
When I recalled my past life, where there wasn’t much difference from the Hwasan faction, the disparity was immense.
And so…
The reason for this change was likely…
‘The Murim Alliance, perhaps?’
The fact that the current leader is also the head of the Wudang Sect must be a significant reason.
‘No, it must be a deeper reason than that.’
Originally, becoming the leader wouldn’t result in such a stark difference.
You could see that clearly when comparing it to when Nakgeom was the previous leader.
Just because he sat on the throne, the area that his bloodline, Jang Ga, oversaw didn’t change that much.
But how did Wudang change so much?
The reason was simple.
‘Because the times have changed.’
Just a few years ago, it felt like a leisurely peaceful era.
This began to shift with the emergence of the red evil cultivators.
As cracks began to show and changes took place, instability inevitably followed.
Even just reaching the peak would ordinarily label you as a master.
Yet, even those masters fell prey to the red monsters.
This indicated a significant difference from the blue monsters that even first-rate fighters could hunt down easily.
As peace shattered and anxiety rose, the first thing on everyone’s mind was stability.
‘The kind of stability that can be sought in the anxiety of not knowing when a monster will strike.’
As I contemplated this, my gaze moved to the sheer number of people crowding the streets.
Seeing this, I realized that this must be the stability they chose.
‘The place where the current martial arts leader is also the sect master.’
This statement implies a strong belief in efficient management.
Which ultimately means…
‘If something happens, they will respond quickly.’
Even if monsters appear, one could reasonably expect quick reactions, making it relatively safe.
Thanks to these contemporary issues and the position of the Wudang Sword Master, the streets had become as vibrant as they were today.
This was the reason I was observing this.
‘In reality, it’s not just here.’
Not only at Wudang, but also at the Hwasan in Shaanxi…
I had heard changes were happening in Kunlun and other places with prestigious families as well.
Especially, it felt that this place changed excessively.
‘The great change has already begun.’
The advent of crises signaled the transformation of the world as well.
I continued to watch the throngs of people before shifting my gaze once more.
I had a sense that I didn’t want to linger too long on a background that wouldn’t last.
And…
‘It’s not the time for sightseeing either.’
I cast my eyes a bit farther.
I could hear murmurs amidst the thrumming crowd.
It seemed like something was happening.
The sea of people began to move swiftly.
The space they created formed a pathway.
From a distance, I noticed a group approaching along that path.
The sound of their footsteps merged into a resonant echo.
The power of their convergence grew, enveloping the air softly.
Flutter.
Every step stirred the light blue robes they wore.
With a straightened back, well-trained physique, and a solid stance, they exuded a palpable presence.
Moreover, their confident gaits seemed to showcase their high self-esteem.
– No, the Wudang Sect…!
A whisper mingled with excitement pierced through the crowd.
Yes, those were indeed the ones walking over there.
The descendants of a famous sect known as elite practitioners.
‘Wudang.’
After identifying them, it wasn’t long before they arrived in front of us.
There were exactly ten of them.
I could feel their power and recognized they were composed of quite skilled individuals.
‘They’ve all reached the peak.’
Some were even mature at that level.
The situation appeared too lavish for a simple welcome.
As we turned our heads to the curiosity of onlookers, the man leading the group took a step forward.
“Are you the guests from the Hwasan Sect?”
At once, Yeongpung stirred.
I grabbed his arm, stopping him from moving any further.
Thud!
“…!”
Yeongpung looked quite startled, but I ignored him and kept talking.
“Correct.”
“I am Ji-cheol, the second disciple of Wudang. I have come to welcome our guests.”
Upon hearing the man named Ji-cheol introduce himself, I finally released Youngpung’s arm.
“I’m Yeongpung, one of the three major disciples from the Hwasan Sect.”
“I am Gu Ryeong-hwa, the second disciple of the Hwasan faction.”
Once the two finished their introductions, Ji-cheol turned to look at me.
His gaze seemed to be asking, “Who are you?”
“Oh, I’m Gu Yangcheon. This is my porter, so please disregard him.”
“…!”
I pointed at Seongyul, who was actually carrying my luggage.
Ji-cheol’s eyes widened slightly upon hearing my name. As he puzzled over it, I heard a voice from behind.
– Gu Yangcheon… Is that the Gu Yangcheon? Next to him is the Sword Dragon?
– Sword Dragon? As rumored, he’s quite a handsome young man.
– Is that the So-yeon-ra next to him?
– They say their eyes are devilish; it seems the rumors are true…
It appeared that the Sword Dragon, along with the others, recognized who I was upon hearing my name.
‘Who was that last speaker?’
I couldn’t believe how widespread the rumors had become.
‘I tried to keep a low profile and erase it, but it lingers still.’
I repressed the rising irritation within me.
It got a bit unnerving when I sensed Ji-cheol’s strangely scrutinizing gaze.
I felt it sharply and narrowed my eyes in response.
‘What’s up with this?’
I thought perhaps he was merely curious.
Yet, there was a vibe in his gaze that felt somewhat bothersome.
Of course, it was only momentary.
Ji-cheol quickly averted his eyes, but I didn’t let it slide.
‘Look at this punk.’
While I quietly chuckled, Ji-cheol turned to me and said.
“Ah, you are the illustrious So-yeon-ra. I’ve heard the tales; they say you’re an exceptional reviewer.”
The term “reviewer” felt oddly melodious to my ears.
“I heard through a messenger that you came for business. I hope you have a restful stay.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Ji-cheol slightly nodded in response to my polite words.
“First off, given your long journey, I would like to take you to a comfortable place. What do you think?”
“Please, do.”
With that, we seemed to be wrapping up our greetings.
I had suspected we would head directly to the Wudang Sect as planned.
“Please follow me, everyone.”
And so, the place we headed to was surprisingly not the Wudang Sect.
After moving about a half step alongside Ji-cheol…
We found ourselves inside a building.
A rather upscale guest house.
It seemed quiet inside, as if the building had been left empty, and it appeared to be well-maintained.
I couldn’t help but wear a puzzled expression as I entered.
‘What’s this?’
Not only was it not the Wudang Sect, but it was a guest house instead!
I sneaked a glance at Yeongpung, who also didn’t look pleased at all.
It was understandable.
‘I came here for a reason, and instead of entering the sect, I get taken to a guest house.’
While they pretended to treat us as guests, it was undoubtedly a dismissive act.
Yeongpung and Gu Ryeong-hwa were surely aware of this, which is why they wore such expressions.
Just as a rather disgruntled feeling took over us and the atmosphere started to chill…
Ji-cheol, who was seated at the table, finally spoke.
“First of all, I apologize.”
He started with an apology.
“If this had been a normal situation, I would have taken you directly to the main sect. However, since the main sect is in disarray at the moment, I truly had no choice but to bring you here.”
It seemed Ji-cheol recognized that something was amiss and began to explain the situation.
“Are you talking about work?”
Youngpung asked, delicately furrowing his brow, and Ji-cheol continued.
“Exactly. At this time, bringing in outsiders is not feasible, so I ask for your understanding.”
“… What does that mean?”
“Once we finish a simple verification process, we will leave the guesthouse and head up to Wudang. Thus, I ask for your cooperation.”
Yeongpung’s expression was more than just bewildered.
Well, it was understandable since it was unexpected.
I, too, had to cock my head at that.
‘Verification process, huh?’
‘Did something happen at Wudang?’
From what I heard, it seemed like something serious had occurred.
But irrelevant to that, the current setting didn’t appear very pleasant.
‘They said the atmosphere was tense, but it seems it’s more serious than just a welcome.’
They had come with quite a prevailing presence as well.
‘Are they trying to take charge?’
It was irritating right from our first meeting.
Ji-cheol delayed his own introduction purposefully.
Considering that Youngpung was obviously the junior here, the protocol would be for him to introduce himself first and show respect.
But from the moment it had been confirmed that they were from a different gate, they attempted to receive without even a proper hello.
‘That’s a power move!’
This was clearly an attempt to establish dominance right from the beginning.
That’s why I had stopped Youngpung earlier.
‘It could be a misunderstanding.’
But judging by what they were doing now, I strongly suspected otherwise.
‘You could tell just from the way they interacted.’
By listening to Ji-cheol’s remarks toward the Youngpung, it was clear to me.
While they might’ve tried to sound courteous, there was a very apparent condescending tone conveyed.
Of course, they did it without prior clarification.
They were strong-arming the idea of understanding out of us.
And furthermore, there was a slight threat suggesting if we cooperated, we would be properly received at Wudang.
From where I stood, it felt like they were purposely attempting to corner us.
The issue was…
“… What do you mean by cooperation?”
Yeongpung was unable to respond adequately to Ji-cheol.
‘Tsk…’
Given that Yeongpung was a newcomer to the Central Plains, it was typical for him to be that naive.
From my position, I felt nothing but frustration.
‘This is not going to work.’
Letting out a small sigh, I regarded Yeongpung.
I had intended to observe how he would handle things, yet I felt like if I let it go on this way, it would only worsen.
‘I didn’t want to intervene!’
I had just wanted to let him manage this.
Clearly, that wouldn’t suffice.
As Yeongpung displayed an uneasy demeanor while questioning Ji-cheol, Ji-cheol smirked slightly as he spoke.
“First, the members of the Volcano…”
“Before that, I have something I’d like to ask you.”
When my interruption halted Ji-cheol mid-sentence, his expression darkened.
It appeared he didn’t quite like being interrupted.
Ji-cheol fixed his gaze upon me, his face still carved in displeasure.
In his eyes shone a clear “What do you think you’re doing?” sentiment.
“… Are you the one speaking?”
His inquiry was steeped in discomfort.
“I’ve been wondering since a while back; I thought it was necessary to inquire.”
“What is it?”
I beamed, looking at Ji-cheol’s face, and replied brightly.
“Are you perhaps a scumbag?”
‘…?’
Ji-cheol’s expression turned utterly baffled at my words.
He struggled to comprehend, wearing an expression that suggested he thought he had misheard me.
“… What do you mean…?”
“No, it’s just that your way of handling things feels distinctly like something that a bunch of lowlives would do, so I asked.”
“What?”
“It’s the way you communicate—that kind of vibe, which makes people feel thoroughly uncomfortable. If I’m mistaken, I apologize; I must have misjudged. Haha!”
I gestured animatedly while laughing, yet moments later…
Ji-cheol’s expression began to twist into one of pure malevolence in reaction to my words.
As he started to rise to shout at me…
“Ha….”
A brief chuckle rang out from somewhere amid the tension, creating a palpable shift in the atmosphere.
All eyes turned toward where the laughter originated.
It was Gu Ryeong-hwa, who had a look of surprise as she covered her mouth.
“… Ah, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
Gu Ryeong-hwa stammered awkwardly, but it was already far too late to cover it up.
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