Chapter 277: The Right Path (4)
6hqElaine climbed the stairs, panting.oNdC849
5XwH8ly“Why are they so high? Why the hell did they build them like this?”VriAyNP
fB96“For Murim warriors, this isn’t a difficult path.”YKS
NQQ1h“So it’s basically like saying common folk shouldn’t come?”U1bPfPp
5HpVTbCheongun, who was waiting much farther up, nodded.wveP6gx
b6mPaur“Yes. Exactly.”7LeEs
ykb“Haa…”HEfd
1IIMgTElaine grumbled.KWngHt
Xuxls“If I’d known, I would have brought all the company staff; now I’m the only one suffering. By the way, where is Lord Bernard?”9HDD
Nrj4Ga“Right behind you.”yM2j
H9oi4“What?”v9ndIWe
hrEjPElaine turned around and almost tumbled down the stairs in fright. Bernard grabbed her by the collar.tNwgkHn
j19m“When did you get behind me?”gtqx
7sKwW1“Just a moment ago.”p2zx
YCTyzMq“I didn’t sense you at all…”fhgP
cM7H“I made no noise.”VnIc9n
TUQs“Well, make some from now on.”Yyq
nJl13nX“…”X4HE
umEfwzBernard didn’t reply and looked up.3SFbUb
NGktPA“I’m sorry.”2UQVo
L1XNv“What?”mBbWfKJ
woMOP9P“I can sense the strong. And surely they can sense me as well.”aB4
9wKm“I suppose so. If the Murim Alliance is the center of the Eastern Murim, then there will be a lot of strong people there…”W3UG083
RCIStill catching her breath, Elaine nodded.UGkkpp
DUaFN“Then, if those strong Easterners try to intimidate us, you’ll have to step in.”IIG6w
azNZD“They could be even stronger than me.”iYl1
Bhs“Bah, they’ll be about the same. You’re Bernard, aren’t you?”gp0m
A9pElaine trusted Bernard.dvAT0
pYtlKShe had heard from the Briol court that when Jose Aratur, one of the Ten Greats, had stayed in Briol, he and Bernard had been evenly matched.OMk
fvRQIt was said they trained together every day, winning and losing alternately.2z37K
kfCEEven when a group of imperial assassins had broken into the royal palace not long ago, it was Bernard who went out and handled the situation.gv7wyin
zYfKb4That alone made it clear he was a warrior on the level of the Ten Greats.CZso
YlU6pEven in an era overflowing with experts, someone like Bernard could carve a path even in the East.Fl3N
dscbA“All right, let’s keep going up.”R7Pl
4ugjoFCheongun clapped to lighten the mood.m9K
VTvUFinally, thanks to the help of the two, Elaine managed to reach the top of the mountain where the Murim Alliance stood. Just building a staircase up here must have cost a fortune.dH0wz
kdn9FElaine sighed when she saw the great pavilion rising before her.t3zL
Oc9Pg9K“We finally made it…”VrUKGJK
58NXYwrThe characters “Murim Alliance” she had seen on the plaque at the stairway entrance were written here again in an even larger and more vigorous brushstroke.IPD
MnNMG“To think there’s so much flat land up here…”rU6E
smArX“They carved it out by hand.”zZqjmQ
glTr“Seriously?”1jQkv
nxaBefore Elaine and her group could do anything, people emerged from the Murim Alliance.NOjs
hOrRRfVAll wore black martial robes, with clear and sharp gazes.CD4sBOd
jTh“What’s going on?”DUozcwu
GIMa“Let me speak to them.”meh5
Hv6teCheongun conversed with them.g0agZhW
cTbQGH1“What do they say?”s0W7uL
Pdpfcpq“They’re the guardians of the Murim Alliance. They’ve been expecting us.”61gij
se38“Us?”7qvTL
m4PJWA“Yes.”NJSn
ophDuEoElaine looked at Bernard.3ui9rY5
2jNbIf he had said earlier he could sense the presence of the strong, perhaps a similar expert had appeared, putting the Murim Alliance on guard as well.MrOd
z60zxz1But Cheongun said something else.ye83
k1Qm0“They say they’ve been waiting for you. Or, to be precise, for the story from the West you bring.”0it1
8If“What?”ldnP
KmLHsvO“They say that when they saw a breaking star appear in the sky, they knew a visitor would come.”F5Zt
Vp0iLw“Reading fate or something like that?”Lpz
VgwGF9“Something like that. The Murim Alliance also has a department for that.”xLXBaH
2bBvrVuIt seemed that in the eastern continent, they had their own arts similar to magic.m4gAMB
4x7In situations like this, one must not show weakness. Even if it was unexpected, you had to act as if you already knew, so the other side wouldn’t underestimate you.J8C
GqSElaine smiled and told Cheongun,VQAU
YMEOrQ“Then there’s no need to say more. Tell them I want to see him.”SBiX
T7y“See who?”55uDV
Bqp4pfJ“The leader of the Murim Alliance.”u8MozG
oJpqH“That…”Mtvqq8
WXkCheongun hesitated. For him, the title of Murim Alliance Leader was not something to be mentioned lightly.myVo
JMZK7The current number one in Murim, the “Immortal of Combat” of Wudang, Jang Yeonghak.YWPra
H1gIqbOHe was not someone one could simply meet by asking. He was, quite literally, like the sky itself.SM0
7jmk4oBut soon Cheongun nodded with a serious look.a1Zc4Z0
6PtHsAlthough he had not spent much time in the West as a foreigner, he could feel that the world was in danger.O6oNBhD
KZZkRzSomeone needed to set it right.mHk
yVt9MMoreover, even though his sect had fallen, it had always been one that worked for good. He could not ignore this.OY4
xGKz“I understand.”d95Kr5
qWtjvmLThen he stepped forward again.jei
eXewXUThe men of the Murim Alliance who saw him speaking in the western tongue with the group looked at him curiously.Ztdos
fnkld9s[You speak with the Westerners fluently. Do you know their language?]4nu1
2LNWhLC[Yes. I learned it.]xSo
abSW3SL[Impressive. That will make it easier to talk. The Master of the Sky Pavilion wishes to see you, so come in.]0RWVr
vZv[No.]oa4Gc
VfywgQ[No?]jTL
m9mkzJQ[We have not come to see the Master of the Sky Pavilion.]tKzZ
1iv[Then who?]6rqn
XqOAN[We have come to see the leader of the Murim Alliance.]yzGYBcr
OpD8RAt this, the expressions of the two guardians hardened.Uy9H2q
UuD[You dare to mention him? How insolent.]6gUb
L6pP[It’s something very important.]7x014E
nxiY[Bringing some Western foreigners and suddenly asking to see the leader? If you’re from Murim, you should know how offensive that is—or perhaps you’re not from Murim.]1wc
1TkJcyXOne of them looked him up and down with contempt.9EW
ZMUnt[That the Master of the Sky Pavilion deigns to see you is already a privilege.]mkWax
cnuN[It’s a serious matter that affects not only the West, but also the safety of the Eastern Murim.]eBtCv
MU0FXv2[Ha! Does the West have a Demonic Cult or something?]lVTB
Msl8b[Yes. Exactly that!]JoU
L26F87K[This man just spouts random nonsense.]Ss3
4L6d5AhThe Murim Alliance guardians shook their heads.MkbC75
oDCA4J[Choose—see the Master of the Cheonwon Hall or leave.]rOdmN
cTg8tSeeing Cheongun in a bind, Elaine asked,sSlm
wfFwD“Is there a problem?”Euo
b8YA0“They say it’s absolutely impossible to see the Murim Alliance Leader. Instead, they’ll allow us to see the Master of the Sky Pavilion.”noOef
2J4iW“And who is the Master of the Sky Pavilion?”eLKCf
fyGcB0“He’s part of a department subordinate to the Murim Alliance. His role is to assist the Alliance Leader using various mystical arts.”kos05n
WhTo1“Well, fine.”skwV
8KMKmxnElaine patted Cheongun on the shoulder.2Asa7
yxgHd“We can take this one step at a time. If we convince the Master of the Sky Pavilion, he can take us to the Alliance Leader.”3VtbIjC
cMWgCsc“It’s not as easy as it sounds. The Alliance Leader is…”11QaEtR
yxwOov“If it can’t be done, we’ll make it possible. We didn’t come here for a stroll. The fate of the continent… no, of the entire world is in our hands. We have to do everything we can.”G11mPd
TXHdpo“The fate of the world…”cYAPu2
bddetAt her determined declaration, Cheongun closed his eyes and nodded.Bqcptu
7PeBLl9“I understand.”9YK0f7S
TTLCheongun then spoke in the eastern language.pHll9e
J1vd1P[Understood. I will meet with the Master of the Sky Pavilion.]COEY
RaWL3cu***t82
fe1NAThe Master of the Sky Pavilion was an old man with a long beard. He was in the garden of the Murim Alliance’s main pavilion, gazing at a pond. Without even turning around, he spoke when Elaine’s group appeared.sl5
y0ejMC[I have been expecting you.]VHIBTeZ
NfZnX95Cheongun stepped forward and gave a martial greeting.aBjBM
9ics6Iz[My name is Cheongun.]sST
yBe[A good name.]XnIci
oUQ7e[Thank you.]jgG
SY8pl3[So you’ve come because of the Breaking Star in the sky, haven’t you?]YsY
5j6Sy[That’s right.]elc
U0J9CW5Cheongun signaled to Elaine and Bernard to wait, then continued the conversation.rc2NX
vHD5zRh[As you well know, this situation not only endangers the West, but also the survival of the Murim Alliance. I ask for your help.]w89xkms
Pma[Hmm. Which sect do you belong to?]nB0aM
CUgQI[Excuse me?]CrI
UUTr6hj[Cheongun sounds like a Taoist name, but I sense the scent of a ronin from you.]c2Ujx
YwhQZCheongun hesitated a moment before answering with a serious expression.iIjfody
pgKs[In the past, I was a disciple of the Blue School Sect.]0TwYl7k
AzG[Blue School, I see…]Dlvn8k0
bRAThe Master of the Sky Pavilion finally turned to look at him. His gaze moved from Cheongun to Elaine and Bernard, then back to him.kdIBEN
U2X[I didn’t expect you to be a successor of the Blue School. How many remain?]H0qWt
kez[I’m the last.]yub1A6L
1hpVrB[I don’t believe that. Wasn’t there also Hyeonseong?]CobWD
xNCSK[He abandoned the Blue School.]bYe
cJBu9[He was the last Taoist in Murim who practiced Demon Expulsion…]pzX5
vjH8A7[He was nothing but a man who betrayed his duty. He’s no longer part of the Blue School.]plg
RPp3Bu[A pity. Is he still alive?]cWEdzvR
j5loZ[I don’t know. But I didn’t come here to talk about my sect. I came for something more important. We must hunt a demon that has appeared in the West. The Heavenly Demon is there…]1NAh1
7yPBThe Master of the Sky Pavilion interrupted him.SEN1t
znYRAz[The Breaking Star seeks to destroy the sky, yes… But tell me, have you ever seen the sky break?]8Y0rY
skF[Excuse me?]d19TUD7
RKsi[Do not worry so much.]cRoIqIV
OPsHThe old man approached and patted him on the shoulder. From his eyes suddenly shone a pure light.fIxfpuf
cI9Eq2B[The sky will not break and the world will return to its course. It’s like the change of seasons—when winter comes, it seems as if everything ends, but sooner or later spring returns and the sprouts emerge again. Be patient—the Breaking Star will fall on its own.]tAoXp
UlXjJLCheongun looked at him in astonishment.XzK0V2n
KElA[I called you here to tell you this.]jQl8ja2
wso[Master of the Sky Pavilion…]6kCOP
e3Bs[Personally, I will help you. But the Murim Alliance will not move.]edaf
1Y4[The Heavenly Demon is in the West!]NBLjD
hUFFQP[That too is part of the natural flow. The star you follow will be the one to bring down the Breaking Star. Do not question it.]1FPjsX
hoKQv[Master of the Sky Pavilion!]f993
oepJc6At Cheongun’s raised voice, Elaine intervened.tbnSIgp
fSrqY“What’s he saying?”oaYarW
jeuSeue“That we…”nkswL
xaECheongun suddenly stopped, seized by a strange suspicion.Ifq
3jFpGIn the West, he had met the hero Yuri Briol and fought alongside him against evil forces. Although in the East there were heretical and demonic sects, the beings corrupted by black magic in the West were of an incomparable evil.DC6qh2Q
G7qWhen he stayed silent, Elaine pressed him.5nS
SFV0TWM“We what?”7rG
H8u5u4“One moment… one moment…”iIB
BSMCheongun fell into thought.cfb
LI0The Blue School Sect had fallen, clinging to its purity and refusing to accept the corruption of the Murim world. Even Wudang, the most powerful Taoist sect today, was tainted compared to the Blue School.wKerX
8ikPure water always rejects even the smallest drop of ink.YyRxa73
SPJ9cH9[Master of the Sky Pavilion.]zciW
QOVU3vC[Hmm?]PRDRq
4Y1[The Sky Pavilion deals with Qimendunjia and mystical arts, doesn’t it?]zIm
9a2C9GThe old man tilted his head.IjU
yIdk6[That’s right. We read the will of heaven, listen to the voice of the earth, and seek balance in Murim by means other than the sword.]HHS
FEp2n[Then you belong to the Deviated Path.]AxBQ4Cs
5Y98tCK[Eh?]rlCaA4
nHtcThe old man frowned.KqePm
08inLCo[It’s been a long time since anyone said that to my face. Very fitting for a successor of the Blue School. If that’s what you believe, I can do nothing, but it’s disrespectful.]O9K
xqXu[One who sets foot on the Deviated Path will take two and three steps without fear.]W7fzDY
7B9OJfd[What are you trying to say?]5NqGv
ERSaFe[That I didn’t know the darkness of the West had extended its hand all the way to Murim. How much have they paid you?]NBHN
XLZ[What…!]Z7nTc
YDVSuddenly, Cheongun was pushed back by an invisible pressure emanating from the old man.LZkJA7u
TcCl[I wanted to treat you as a guest, but you insult me.]4puC6QW
w7B0va[You’re angry because the truth was found out.]mwsq
GGcp[A mangy dog of a fallen sect dares…!]BIg6VYA
FWSmMCheongun let out a laugh. Now that he knew the old man’s true face, he had no reason to hold back.TcAvd
rki“Bernard.”0lOLt
IyyOTP“My turn?”WbAt
JxYBernard stepped forward. The Master of the Sky Pavilion took out a fan and opened it; a mist arose and covered the entire garden.6Gw
MwdRyRGBut it didn’t last long. With a single slash from Bernard, the mist split apart and dissipated instantly.bTHknW4
oxgs8The old man, who had been forming hand seals within the fog, opened his eyes in astonishment.Xz4D25
h4JW6[You cut it with a single strike…?]YfWi4
eyHu[In the West, there are also great warriors.]DNFFdXt
9Sv[This man…]HjtSt
a678MVIThe old man’s face paled as he focused on Bernard.iRZ
J9N69[A… a demon.]3v1vj
FdRrEn[Exactly. In the West, they call him the ‘Sword Demon.’ And to take down rats like you, who have allied yourselves with demons from the West, nothing is better than a ghost from there.]aog
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