87 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

### Chapter 87 "Master!" "Leaving already? Isn't it a bit too soon?" Cheonhui, who had been gathering his belongings, nodded at Hyun-do, Hyun-jin, and the Mei Flower Swordsmen who had gathered around him. "The sect leader has summoned me, so I must go." "Wouldn't it be better to prepare a little before your journey?" Hyun-do spoke with caution. "They say you should strike while the iron is hot." Though he spoke firmly, Cheonhui was actually grateful for the timing. 'There's nothing left for me to see here at the Martial Arts Alliance.' His original intent for coming to the Alliance was to gain insight into the martial arts of the sects affiliated with it. However, rather than acquiring knowledge, he'd only been handling bothersome tasks. 'If I hadn't achieved anything, I might have abandoned it already.' He glanced slightly upward at the pavilion. Even though it had only been four days, he was satisfied with his stay. 'I've laid the foundation for Huashan Sect to become the greatest in the world. They can manage the rest on their own now.' Cheonhui nodded to himself. In this lifetime, there were two things he desired: To understand and learn every martial art in the world. And to elevate Huashan Sect to the pinnacle of excellence. 'After all, it's the sect I've committed myself to.' Just then, the Mei Flower Swordsmen approached him. "Take care of yourself." "Don't get sidetracked on your journey." He looked over the swordsmen who spoke to him with concern, noting the faint traces of smiles on their faces. 'Oh?' "You're not planning on slacking off in training just because I'm gone, are you?" "What are you talking about, master!" "Slacking off from training? That could never happen." "That's impossible!" They cried out in surprise, almost as if trying to hastily hide a lie. 'Clearly, they were planning to take it easy.' Cheonhui smirked at their awkward smiles. "If I return and find that your skills haven't improved, I'll have to increase the training intensity." The Mei Flower Swordsmen began to sweat. "Hmm? Why do you seem so flustered?" Cheonhui feigned ignorance even though he knew the truth. "But we can't be sure our skills will improve, can we?" "Yeah, just because we train doesn't mean we'll definitely get better." "That's why we need to raise the intensity of your training." Cheonhui stated firmly. "If you don't advance even after that, we'll train even more rigorously, won't we?" The Mei Flower Swordsmen tightly shut their eyes. The training was already tough enough to make their minds reel, but at a higher intensity? "Why? You don't want to? Then forget it." "N-no!" "We'll train hard!" They answered quickly out of fear that Cheonhui, given his personality, might really abandon them. "Then, if your skills remain the same next time, be prepared." "O-okay…" "Got it." The Mei Flower Swordsmen lowered their heads in dismay at Cheonhui's continued remarks. "Will you be alright on your own?" Hyun-do approached Cheonhui. Ideally, he would have liked to accompany Cheonhui back, but he couldn't. 'Having allied with the Open Palm Sect, I can't just leave abruptly…' Currently, within the alliance, Hyun-do was the practical representative of Huashan Sect, not the sect leader. His departure might shrink the hard-won position of Huashan Sect once again. "Am I a child?" "Haha." Hyun-do chuckled awkwardly. His real concern wasn't for Cheonhui's well-being. 'I just hope he doesn't get into any trouble.' Having known Cheonhui's personality and martial prowess for a long time, Hyun-do was only worried that some incident might occur. "Please, don't cause any trouble." Realizing why Hyun-do was on edge, Cheonhui chuckled. "I'll see the situation first." * * * Swoosh— The beaded curtain at the entrance of a small inn in Yeochang County rustled open. The curtain, its color faded, swung widely as Cheonhui, clad in a gray martial attire, stepped inside. 'So crowded.' Perhaps because it was dusk, the inn was packed with patrons. "Haha! So then I…" Creak— The inside of the inn was filled with laughter, the clinking of dishes, and the sound of music playing somewhere in the background. The noise was almost deafening, but it didn't ruin the mood; it was a testament to the quality of the inn. The aroma of food filled the air, tickling his appetite. 'But is there even a seat?' Standing at the entrance, Cheonhui took a sweeping glance around the interior. Despite the inn's considerable size, there wasn't an empty seat in sight. Being the only inn along the road to Shaanxi, it was bustling with people passing through. 'I thought I could finally rest at an inn…' Cheonhui's brow furrowed in discontent. 'Should I find another place?' Just as he was about to leave the inn, "Welcome!" A voice called out from behind him. He turned to see an innkeeper with a friendly face offering a warm smile. "Are you with someone?" "No." "We only have seats available on the second floor. Would it be alright if I led you there?" Cheonhui nodded in agreement. Seeing this, the innkeeper let out a sigh of relief and quickly guided him to the second floor. "Here we are." Once seated, the innkeeper turned to him. "What would you like to order?" "Bring me your best dish and some wine." "The price is quite high…is that okay?" Skeptically, the innkeeper asked, and Cheonhui casually took out a silver piece and handed it over. "S-silver?!" The innkeeper's eyes widened in astonishment, his usual polite smile replaced with genuine surprise. "I'll prepare it quickly!" Eager to avoid a cancellation, the innkeeper rushed off. "Here's some tea." In the meantime, another server appeared, placing a warm teapot and cup in front of him. Sipping on the slightly bitter tea, Cheonhui waited for his meal. "Thank you for your patience!" The innkeeper climbed the stairs energetically, carrying dishes to place on the table. "This is Qingzheng Wuchang Fish, a specialty of Hubei Province. It's fresh, caught just this morning." Oh, this is it? Cheonhui's eyes widened in curiosity. Qingzheng Wuchang Fish is well-known, but it's reputedly difficult to prepare. 'It smells good.' The fragrant aroma from the steamed fish, topped with vegetables and a red sauce, wafted through the air. But that wasn't all. The innkeeper placed a rustic-looking bottle of liquor on the table, his pride evident on his face. "And this is fruit wine brewed by our own chef." Cheonhui immediately popped the cork. With a satisfying 'pop,' the enticing scent of the wine filled the air, making his mouth water. "This is nice." "Isn't it?" The innkeeper's face beamed with satisfaction. "I'll take my leave now. If you need anything else, please call for me!" With that, the innkeeper hurried away. Clatter— Cheonhui picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the fish. "Delicious." A smile spread across Cheonhui's lips as he enjoyed the meal and followed it with a sip of fruit wine. ‘Good thing I changed my appearance.’ Satisfied, he thought back to his recent decision to visit a fabric shop right after leaving the Martial Arts Alliance to get a new set of martial robes. He aimed to avoid attracting attention as a renowned swordsman and enjoy his journey freely. "This makes me want to extend my travels." As he pondered the idea of delaying his return due to his satisfying journey, he was interrupted. "Excuse me, sir." A hesitant voice caught Cheonhui's attention. The innkeeper, looking slightly awkward, was peering over his shoulder as he politely inquired. "If it's not too much trouble, would you mind sharing the table?" ‘Share a table?’ Cheonhui's gaze shifted to the group standing behind the innkeeper. There were three elegantly dressed individuals, like offspring of influential families. "Go ahead." "Thank you." The innkeeper bowed deeply before turning to the group with a broad smile. "You may sit here." "Thank you for letting us join you." The woman in the center expressed her thanks with a calm voice as she took a seat. Despite her extravagant attire, her expression was icy, almost giving off a chilling aura. "Thank you." "Much appreciated!" The man and woman accompanying her seated themselves on either side. "What would you like to order?" "For now..." As the group placed their order with the innkeeper, Cheonhui continued to enjoy his meal. With the innkeeper gone and only the clinks of chopsticks and the sounds of eating, Cheonhui savored the Qingzheng Wuchang Fish paired with his wine. Clatter. Finished with his meal, Cheonhui rose to leave, strapping the sword resting beside him to his waist. As he departed, the trio's eyes betrayed a change. "So, he's a martial artist." The young man, richly dressed, whispered. His sophisticated appearance, clad in luxurious brocade with a serious demeanor, resembled a scene from a painting. "What do you think?" The woman, with her icy demeanor, inquired calmly, recalling the man who had shared their table moments before. "I sensed nothing." The man only carried a sword; nothing else seemed noteworthy. "Probably just someone who carries a sword for protection against bandits during his travels." "Then there's no need to worry." The woman dismissed her interest promptly. "Let's rest here for the night." The younger girl with an innocent expression widened her eyes and exclaimed, "Not outdoors tonight?" "Yes." "Yay!" "But shouldn't we hurry…" the young man began to say urgently. "No." Her frosty tone cut him off. "We know it's dangerous, but we need to rest for the journey ahead." Seeing her determination, the young man sighed. "I'll arrange for rooms." * * * In the still silence of midnight, Cheonhui opened his eyes. The moonlight was bright, and the surroundings were quiet. The sporadic chirps of insects outside the window sharpened the quiet's edge. Cheonhui slowly got up. "Did I do something to get ambushed?" He pondered deeply. But nothing came to mind. "I can't think of any reason." His dark eyes pierced through the darkness. "Why are they here?" Just then, Whoosh! A swift breeze sprang up, and out of the shadows, several figures emerged, hurling daggers. Even though it was a surprise attack, Cheonhui moved as if he had anticipated it. Like a butterfly fluttering its wings, his hand motion was graceful. The daggers, which had been flying at him sharply, were caught by his fluid gestures. "Such fine daggers for someone with such mediocre skills." The daggers were finely crafted, likely by a master craftsman, as they exuded an unusual presence. Cheonhui casually tossed one and caught it again. Ting! He flicked his finger, sending the dagger flying. It shot out like lightning, piercing the attackers and puncturing the wall behind them. "Gahh!" A brief groan escaped as one attacker staggered. Cheonhui immediately sensed another attacker approaching and raised his forefinger. Thud! There was a chilling sound. The approaching assailant fell with a hole in his forehead. Thud! In a mere breath's time, the remaining attackers witnessed the massacre with disbelief, swallowing hard. "Was he Shim Wi-jin?" One of the attackers stammered, prompting Cheonhui's eyebrow to twitch slightly. "What? Shim Wi-jin? Who's that?" "What?" "He's not Shim Wi-jin?" The assassins' eyes wavered. "But he was with them." "Could it be another master instead?" Was with them? As he listened to their hurried whispers, a realization dawned—those he had shared a table with the previous night. 'So they were the targets?' He understood the unfolding situation. Yet, that changed nothing. 'The important thing is they attacked me.' Cheonhui glared coldly at the attackers and issued a warning. "Misunderstanding or not, you attacked me, and there will be a price to pay for that."