Chapter 65 - The Great Peng Waiting for a Typhoon (3)

I had to speak for a long time to defend myself.

When I explained that I hadn't known the Wind God Breaking Sword's true identity, and that I had only replied with a joke because the old herb gatherer had joked with me first, their expressions showed a bit of relief.

"Your name is slowly spreading throughout Jianghu. For your own sake, you must be especially careful with your actions."

"I will keep that in mind."

I ground my teeth at the Wind God Breaking Sword.

'At the most important time for the Taiyi Sect, he throws a wrench into things like this?'

"There is something else I need to ask..."

Hong Mungi's expression quickly turned emotional.

He looked as if he was about to burst into tears at any moment.

"Is it truly the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance?"

The seasoned elders and Hall Leaders also looked at me with the exact same expression.

"Yes."

"Oh my..."

"Gasp!"

The elders closed their eyes and stroked their white beards.

The Hall Leaders had their eyes wide open, staring at my mouth as if even the moment it took to blink was a waste.

"Where... and how did you find it?"

Since there were parts I couldn't tell the truth about, I told them a fabricated story about entering the Demonic Spirit Plateau and accidentally finding it after falling into the Soul-Extinguishing Array.

"... Did you enter that dangerous place alone?"

Hong Mungi's eyes were wavering violently.

"... No. I made a connection in Yueyang with Lady Seong Moran of the Iron Sword Sect and Lady Namgung Seonhwa of the Namgung Clan, and we went together."

They looked a bit surprised that I was with the Iron Sword Sect, but they didn't make a big issue out of it.

However, their worry-filled expressions remained.

"Why don't you think about yourself a little more? I know you are working harder than anyone else for the Taiyi Sect. But do you not know that you cannot be traded for any spiritual elixir?"

"..."

'Right, this was how my sect originally was.'

'How much did I resent this sect in my past life?'

"... I apologize."

Kang Chaeseok cleared his throat and intervened.

"Sect Leader, how about you stop there on such a good day? Isn't it thanks to Sowoon that the Great Martial Ancestor's true inheritance, which was almost lost forever, has been reconnected?"

Hong Mungi, who had been looking at me for a moment, nodded.

"Right... Did you pay your proper respects to the Great Martial Ancestor?"

"Yes. I paid him the utmost respect. Until his passing, the Great Martial Ancestor worried about the disciples left in the Taiyi Sect."

"You have fulfilled his final wish. Right now, that is the most joyous thing. I cannot help but praise you."

"You overpraise me."

Following that, I explained the reason why the Taiyi Sword Emperor had become trapped there.

They couldn't help but be greatly surprised that the Hell Demonic Emperor, who had suddenly vanished from the world, was buried alongside the Taiyi Sword Emperor, and they were enraged to hear that the reason he ended up trapped there was because of those who ruled Murim at the time.

"Who was it! Who trapped the Taiyi Sword Emperor!"

I had some rough guesses as to who they were, but I didn't bother bringing it up. Right now, the Taiyi Sect was in no position to worry about that.

I alone am enough as the incarnation of revenge.

'How terribly painful is a life lived harboring resentment?'

"It will be impossible to specify anyone. At that time, they must have feared the Taiyi Sword Emperor just as much as they feared the Dark Demonic Emperor. If I had to say, all the esteemed experts who led Murim back then would be the culprits."

"..."

"..."

Even though I spoke as indirectly as possible, the faces of everyone in the hall stiffened.

Everyone probably had a rough idea of who those people were in their minds.

And they surely knew just how immense of an existence they had become in the present day.

Even so, it was clear that they could not easily shake off the fact that the five hundred years of humiliation they had suffered were ultimately the result of someone's scheme.

To refresh the atmosphere, I continued speaking.

"I believe what's truly important is how we should soar from now on."

There are still too many scattered problems in the future to live looking back at the past.

At my words, Hong Mungi nodded.

"You are right."

"Here, this is the record of the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance. I wrote it down exactly as it was, so it will need to be organized later to be turned into a secret manual."

I took out the book I had written myself from my chest and held it out.

It was passed to Hong Mungi through the hands of the Busaeng Hall Leader, who was standing closest.

Hong Mungi carefully opened the book, which was several times thicker than a normal one.

What I had written down were only the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance and his last words.

I did not write down the Hell Demonic Emperor's true inheritance or the secret art the two of them created together.

It was best if the fewest number of people knew about such a secret.

The fact that the Taiyi Sword Emperor and the Hell Demonic Emperor created a martial art together in there would alone create an unnecessary pretext for trouble.

"... Hmm."

Hong Mungi, who briefly examined the book, quickly closed it again.

"I have never even imagined a situation like this, so I do not know what to do. I hope everyone can share their wisdom."

A powerful martial art suddenly recovered.

And the Taiyi Sect, which was far too weak to digest it.

An unexperienced problem makes finding a solution impossible, regardless of age.

"... Well."

"We will follow the Sect Leader's opinion."

Neither the elders nor the Hall Leaders could bring themselves to say anything in particular.

"How about we first officially announce that the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance has returned, and let it be known to Jianghu? Then wouldn't situations like the Dragon-Phoenix Summit be prevented from happening again?"

Kang Chaeseok, perhaps itching for action, couldn't wipe the smile off his face. Most of the younger Hall Leaders nodded, seeming to feel that Kang Chaeseok's idea was a good one.

However, Hong Mungi, along with Jin Taesan and the elders, seemed to be full of worries.

After pondering for a moment, Hong Mungi looked at me with eyes full of expectation.

"Sowoon, what do you think?"

"This disciple will simply follow what you say."

Hong Mungi let out a small sigh at my answer.

"... However, if you do not mind me sharing a seemingly foolish thought, I will say a word."

"Yes! You hold the position of head disciple. I will not fault any opinion of yours, so speak comfortably."

I explained the things I had been planning since the moment I discovered the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance.

"First, the Taiyi Sect will seal its gates."

"..."

People tilted their heads.

Sealing a sect's gates was usually akin to an act of surrendering to an unstoppable enemy.

It meant they would no longer exist as a sect in Jianghu, which was considered a humiliating act to the figures of Jianghu.

Moreover, when sealing its gates, a sect must take down its signboard.

Considering how much martial arts sects risked their lives for this signboard, the words 'sealing the gates' meant the same as death itself.

"... Did you say sealing our gates?"

It was only natural to have doubts when I spoke of sealing our gates right when we needed every opportunity to soar with our new wings.

"Yes."

"Didn't we just receive the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance?"

"That is precisely why we must seal our gates. And as quickly as possible, everyone in the Taiyi Sect must learn the Taiyi Sword Emperor's martial arts."

"... Couldn't we do that without sealing our gates?"

Even with its feeble strength, the Taiyi Sect had not sealed its gates even once over the past 500 years.

It was clear how uncomfortable the idea of sealing the gates was, even to Hong Mungi.

"Thanks to Senior Moyong Gang, we were able to persuade the Dragon-Phoenix Summit. With him officially announcing it himself, no one on the outside will question the Taiyi Sword Emperor's martial arts. But do you truly believe there will be no one interested in the Taiyi Sword Emperor's martial arts?"

"..."

"For example, though this is merely a hypothetical... what about the descendants of the ones who threw the Taiyi Sword Emperor into hell alongside the Hell Demonic Emperor 500 years ago? Do you think they too will just consider the Taiyi Sword Emperor's records as nothing but baseless rumors? And would they allow us to actually inherit and practice the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance?"

Groans could be heard from here and there.

I knew just how strong the obsession the people of Jianghu had over powerful martial arts.

They had already felt the Taiyi Sword Emperor's martial arts, even if only indirectly through me.

It was something that could absolutely not be overlooked.

"I am not unaware of how much importance the elders here place on the signboard. However, no matter how important the signboard is, the elders and young junior disciples of the Taiyi Sect are more important to me."

In front of a flame, it was merely an object that would disappear into ash without a trace in less than half a day.

"I don't believe having a treasure makes you its master. I believe you only become the master of the treasure when you are capable of protecting it."

"!"

The people in the hall looked at me in unison.

Their eyes were wavering violently, just like Hong Mungi's.

I drove home my final point.

"The quail that freely darts through the bushes mocks the Great Peng that crouches in its nest every day. But when the typhoon arrives, the Great Peng risks its life to soar up and blanket the world. Right now is the moment we must wait for the typhoon."

With those final words, I closed my mouth.

The wavering gazes that had been focused on me soon lowered, as if ashamed of themselves.

Hong Mungi, who had kept his eyes closed for a long while at my words, looked at Jin Taesan and asked.

"External Hall Leader."

"Yes."

"How about we select a new Sect Leader?"

"Pardon?"

"Excuse me?"

At the sudden words, both the Hall Leaders and the elders looked at Hong Mungi in great shock.

"I say this because a young disciple sees further and better than the Sect Leader who leads the sect. It seems it would be better to just hand the Taiyi Sect over to that rascal and rest comfortably in the Elder's Hall."

Hong Mungi had a wide smile spreading across his entire face.

Only then did the people realize Hong Mungi's words were a joke, and their expressions relaxed one by one.

"Tsk tsk. Don't say such nonsense, Sect Leader Hong. The Elder's Hall is so cramped that there's not enough space for Sect Leader Hong and your martial brothers to stay."

"Is that so?"

Hong Mungi looked at me and asked.

"What do you say, Sowoon? If you build a new Elder's Hall, I'll give you the Sect Leader position."

I shook my head at Hong Mungi's words, as he was talking about the Taiyi Sect Leader position as if it were the spot of a neighborhood alleyway boss.

"I apologize. I still need to travel and play around the world, so please suffer a little longer, Sect Leader."

"You wicked brat... You were such a diligent and good kid in your childhood..."

With a brief moment of joking, the atmosphere had lightened significantly.

Hong Mungi spoke with a calm expression.

"Sowoon is right. Rather than announcing it to the outside world right now, isn't it more important to figure out how to pass the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance onto the disciples? In that case, we must properly inherit it first."

"... But Sect Leader, sealing our gates..."

It seemed there were still some among the elders who had an aversion to sealing the gates.

"I know what you are worried about. It is a signboard that has not been taken down even once in 500 years, even when we had no martial arts. But didn't Sowoon say it? If a Great Peng dwells on the mockery of a quail, then it would not be a Great Peng, would it?"

"..."

"Furthermore, the Great Martial Ancestor went through the trouble of leaving his martial arts for us; if we fail to properly protect it out of pride, how ashamed will we have to be later?"

The elder who brought it up thought deeply again before soon nodding his head.

"The Sect Leader is right. I was thinking incorrectly for a moment."

Just as opinions were somewhat starting to align, my father poured cold water on the situation.

"I am against it."

"Why is that?"

"The Taiyi Sect has no money right now."

"Ah..."

"Didn't the Sect Leader say a short while ago that we should genuinely consider starting an escort agency?"

Kang Chaeseok suddenly stepped forward.

"Isn't money coming from the iron ore mine? Shouldn't that be enough?"

"How many people do you think are staying at the Taiyi Sect right now? The Mount Mao Sect is setting up the formations and arrays without receiving money, but that only applies to labor costs. Shouldn't we be the ones paying for the materials and their living expenses? Furthermore, the Cangqiong Merchant Group still hasn't given us an answer regarding the distribution of iron ore. At this point, we should consider it a rejection. Ultimately, we are in a situation where we have no choice but to rely on Wangga Manor."

Kang Chaeseok looked back at me.

"As expected, we should send that rascal to Wangga Manor..."

Jin Taesan cut Kang Chaeseok off and spoke to Hong Mungi.

"There will be an overflow of places where money needs to go from now on. Just because we acquired martial arts doesn't mean it's the end. If we are to have the disciples inherit the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance, we also need to procure spiritual elixirs. To do that, we have no choice but to make money somehow."

"Hmm..."

Hitting the wall of reality, Hong Mungi fell deep into thought once again.

At that moment, the elders stepped forward.

"Then how about we go out separately and operate an escort agency?"

"... We are grateful for the thought, but how could we comfortably eat and sleep if you did that?"

The average age of the Elder's Hall was in their sixties. Having not learned fierce martial arts like other sects, they couldn't go out to the working grounds and do labor.

With everyone stuck not knowing what to do, I carefully opened my mouth.

"If that's the issue, I think it can be resolved somehow."

"Hm?"

"What do you mean by that?"

The one who welcomed it the most was, as expected, the martial-arts-crazed Kang Chaeseok.

I took an envelope, a letter, and two Daeyeon Divine Pills from my chest and handed them to the Busaeng Hall Leader.

Receiving the items with a dumbfounded expression, Hong Mungi's eyes bulged as he read the letter.

"What in the..."

"What's wrong?"

"Read it yourself."

After Hong Mungi handed the letter to my father, he hastily took out the deed and unfolded it.

Following that, my father's eyes also grew as wide as a rabbit's.

"... H-How did this happen?"

"What on earth is written there for you to react like that?"

Kang Chaeseok asked, unable to hold back.

"The Namgung Clan says they are handing over the Cangqiong Merchant Group's Hefei branch."

"Isn't Hefei the headquarters of the Cangqiong Merchant Group? Did they have a separate branch there?"

"It says they've changed that headquarters into a branch. They are handing that over."

"What?"

"Huh?"

Everyone looked at me with eyes demanding an explanation.

I scratched my head and spoke.

"I received it as a reward for saving Lord Divine Sword's granddaughter."

"..."

"..."

Everyone in the hall stared at me silently, their mouths hanging wide open.

My father, in particular, was looking at me with bloodshot eyes, as if deeply moved.

'Hm? Is he so moved that it makes him grind his teeth?'