98 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 98 The moment Jegal Seonghyeon and his companions stepped out of the lodging they were guided to the previous night, "Mu-ryang-su-bul." a voice called out to them. Standing there was a female Taoist with a cold expression, her face as unyielding as stone. "I am Seol Ran, the second disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. I will be guiding you today," she announced curtly. Jegal Seonghyeon responded with a polite gesture, forming a fist with one hand in front of him. "I am Jegal Seonghyeon of the Jegal family." The female Taoist, Seol Ran, took a moment to glance over Jegal Seonghyeon and his party, her lips barely moving. "Master Cheonhwi is expecting you. Please follow me," she instructed, turning on her heel and leading the way as if urging them to keep up. "Third Young Master," a voice behind Jegal Seonghyeon said. "Let's follow her," he replied. The group, taken aback by the sudden development, quickly fell into step behind Jegal Seonghyeon as they trailed after Seol Ran. Jegal Seonghyeon ventured a question as they walked. "Miss, where exactly are we headed to?" "Darim Plain," she replied tersely. "Darim Plain...?" Jegal Seonghyeon murmured, puzzled, as the name meant nothing to him. "What kind of place is that?" he pressed further. Seol Ran momentarily turned her head. Her relentless gaze fixing on him, her lips barely parted to release a steely voice. "It is the training grounds for the second disciples." "I see." The conversation ended just like that. Seol Ran, thinking the answer was sufficient, turned her head back and resumed walking. Crunch, crunch. As Jegal Seonghyeon followed her through the snow, leaving footprints behind, he muttered to himself, "She doesn't seem like a Taoist at all." His quiet remark was met with nods of agreement from his companions. Her stiff demeanor and icy voice were as chill-inducing as ice itself. In the midst of the peculiar silence, as they walked the snow-covered path, Jegal Seonghyeon couldn't shake off a small sense of unease. 'I haven’t seen a single person.' The journey from their lodgings had been quite long, yet they hadn't encountered anyone else. Frowning, he scratched his head. He knew Mount Hua had been on the brink of ruin, but wasn't this excessive? 'There are footprints though.' There were plenty of footprints etched into the snow, yet no people to accompany them. He scratched his head once more, scanning his surroundings. Though it was early morning and time for training, the silence was overwhelmingly eerie. 'Is something happening?' Crunch— At that moment, Seol Ran halted. Pointing to somewhere in the distance, she said, "That is Darim Plain." Following her outstretched finger, their gazes slowly moved. "What a beautiful place." "A stunning view." Expressions of admiration came from the group. Under the newly rising sun, the white snowy mountain sparkled, and below lay a vast training ground. As they stood, captivated by the picturesque scene, "If you would, please follow me," Seol Ran said, resuming her steps. The group followed her, drawing closer to Darim Plain when suddenly— Jegal Seonghyeon stopped. "Third Young Master?" "Why have you stopped?" The group, moving together, questioned him curiously. "Shh," Jegal Seonghyeon hushed them, pressing a finger to his lips with a serious look. Then he asked, "Do you hear that sound?" "What?" someone replied. "I hear something strange coming from over there." The group strained their ears in confusion. As they focused, "Mmm...mmm..." A strange moaning sound echoed from afar. It was as if someone was in pain. "What on earth..." Just as the group began to feel perplexed, "Aaaaagh!" A scream pierced the air. "...!" "What?!" "What is happening?" they exclaimed. Startled, Jegal Seonghyeon and his companions rushed towards the source of the scream, only to be rooted to the spot when they arrived. "Third Young Master!" The members of the Jegal family took protective stances around him, eyes widened. "This can't be!" Jegal Seonghyeon’s eyes wavered. The training ground was chaos. Most of the young Taoists lay sprawled out, writhing in pain. A handful twisted their bodies in agony. Nearby, a middle-aged Taoist and an elder, likely physicians, flitted about, checking pulses. 'Who would attack the Mount Hua Sect...!' Cold sweat trickled down his spine. Just yesterday, Mount Hua had been peaceful. But overnight, most of its disciples had become incapacitated. And very few entities in the Jianghu could orchestrate something like this. 'Was it Bicheonhoe? No, given their current situation, they wouldn't make a move. But then, could it be the Black Lotus?' A bead of sweat ran down his forehead. He came here just to make a request, only to be swept up in an extraordinary event. 'Of all times to get involved, it had to be now.' Jegal Seonghyeon swallowed hard. Having been embroiled this deeply, escaping the situation was no longer an option. 'We must unite.' Quickly, he surveyed the disciples of Mount Hua. Most were indeed incapacitated. A few Taoists were attempting to meditate and recover, though they appeared entirely spent. It wasn't just their appearance that was concerning. A foul stench emanated from them, lingering in the air and assaulting everyone’s senses. “Ugh, what is that stench?” His companions’ faces contorted in disgust as they caught whiffs of the odor. ‘This smell!’ Jegal Seonghyeon’s face turned pale. “Cover your noses!” “What?” “It’s poison!” At his urgent shout, his companions widened their eyes and held their breath. ‘To think they used this deadly herb…!’ His expression grew increasingly grave. That smell drifting in the air was an odor he recognized well. Sanbisan! A toxic plant often wielded by his acquaintance from the Sichuan Tang Clan. ‘They must be out of their mind! Using such a lethal poison indicates they’re intending to wage war!’ His hand trembled slightly. Enemies using poison against the Mount Hua Sect likely aimed to annihilate them entirely. "What are you doing?" A sudden interjection from beside him startled Jegal Seonghyeon into turning his head. There stood Cheonhwi, gazing with a bemused expression at the group covering their noses. ‘What are they doing?’ Jegal Seonghyeon urgently gestured with his hands. “What?” someone asked. Despite the question, Jegal Seonghyeon continued to cover his mouth with both hands, frantically signaling with gestures. "Mmph! Mmph!" he tried to indicate with actions alone. Watching this display, Cheonhwi frowned. "Why don't you speak up?" Seeing that Cheonhwi didn’t understand, Jegal Seonghyeon mouthed the word quickly, "Poison!" "Poison? Oh, is that all? Here I thought it was something serious," Cheonhwi remarked, waving his hand as though swatting away a trivial matter. A gentle breeze blew, instantly dissipating the poisonous air. "See? All sorted,” Cheonhwi said. As the suffocating scent of poison vanished, Jegal Seonghyeon exhaled the breath he’d been holding. "Now, shall we proceed to create the gateway?" Cheonhwi inquired. "What do you mean? We’ve just been attacked..." "An attack? What attack?" Cheonhwi asked, seemingly indifferent. The detached demeanor of Cheonhwi left Jegal Seonghyeon and his party bewildered. "Then why are they—" Jegal Seonghyeon pointed towards the fallen second disciples. Cheonhwi spoke nonchalantly, "They’re training." "What...?" Jegal Seonghyeon was at a loss, unable to grasp what was happening. At that moment, Hyeoncheong approached. "Mu-ryang-su-bul. Are you the guests from the Jegal family who visited the mountain yesterday?" Hyeoncheong’s sudden appearance startled Jegal Seonghyeon, who quickly offered a respectful gesture. "I am Jegal Seonghyeon of the Jegal family." "Haha, I'm Hyeoncheong." "Pleased to meet... No, wait. What exactly is going on here?" Jegal Seonghyeon, regaining his composure, reacted belatedly. "You're telling me this scene isn't from an attack, but from training?" "Haha, indeed, it’s training," Hyeoncheong responded with a slightly awkward chuckle. Anyone witnessing the scene, including himself, if unaware, might have thought it was an attack. With both Cheonhwi and Hyeoncheong affirming that it was training, Jegal Seonghyeon felt embarrassed. "Then why the poisoning?" "That's a secret," Hyeoncheong replied. "Does the Jegal family often pry into the training methods of other sects?" Cheonhwi added pointedly. Jegal Seonghyeon flinched at their sharp, thorn-like comments and decided not to ask any further questions. "...Understood," he conceded. Cheonhwi, noticing Jegal Seonghyeon's complex expression from overthinking, spoke again. "Let's focus on moving forward." "Forward? To where, exactly?" "To create the gateway." * * * Shortly afterward, Cheonhwi, Jegal Seonghyeon, and their group arrived at a cave within Mount Hua. "I never thought I’d see this place," Jegal Seonghyeon expressed with amazement. He was now standing in the Geonyuandong (乾元洞) of the Mount Hua Sect, one of the four grand caves known for its potent spiritual energy. Unlike the other three caves often used for secluded training, which saw more frequent visits, Geonyuandong was less trodden. 'I never imagined I'd ever set foot in Mount Hua, let alone here.' The Four Grand Caves of Mount Hua were difficult to access even for those visiting the sect, so standing in one now was awe-inspiring for him. "Wow!" Marveling, his fingers touched the towering entrance of the cave, and Jegal Seonghyeon spoke. "But is it okay to use this place as a gateway?" Jegal Seonghyeon was cautious. The cave exuded a sacred energy and a deep sense of history. Using it as a gateway might damage its storied past. "Yes," Cheonhwi replied softly. 'It was difficult to get approval.' The location had been predetermined from the start when planning to construct the Maeha Chilgwan (Seven Plum Blossom Gates). Mount Hua's Four Grand Caves. There was no other choice. 'For the proper activation of the formation, potent spiritual energy is necessary.' The Heavenly Demonic Ten Gates were not ordinary passages. Created during the mythical era, they were a culmination of various demonic arts, instrumental in the founding of the present Heavenly Demonic Cult. Therefore, each gate's mechanism and formation were so potent that activating them required a sizable spiritual presence. 'It was built in the most spiritual cave within the Celestial Mountains for a reason.' He recalled the entrance of the Heavenly Demonic Ten Gates, a place as chilling as the gates of hell, exuding the aura of death. Cheonhwi turned his gaze toward Geonyuandong. The energy here, while noticeably less potent than that of the Heavenly Demonic Ten Gates, was still significant. 'Well, the ominous energy I sensed then was built up over time. Perhaps the Maeha Chilgwan, too, will change over time.' Cheonhwi moved his head slightly. "To think I’d have the honor…" Jegal Seonghyeon, touching the cave's walls with a look of delight, mumbled in awe. "Then, let us begin," Cheonhwi declared, ready to commence.