novelzi Chapter 27 - 27
Chapter 27 - 27
Chapter 27: Chapter 27
Manhwa: Chapter 19-20
After their seclusion ended, the Qingcheng sect continued to expand.
Because new disciples continued to be accepted, there was insufficient space to stay for the upcoming generations.
It was not difficult to expand.
In Sichuan Province, the Qingcheng sect had already established a unique force. There were so many active disciples who was willing to donate large amounts of money for the Qingcheng sect.
As the power of the Qingcheng sect grew, the benefits to be received also followed. There was no reason not to donate.
In a way, it was like a Qingcheng sect tax, where both the disciples and the sect prospered together.
As time pass by, a whole new environment was created. Because of that, even the disciples of the Qingcheng sect were unable to memorize the names of the newly created buildings.
The Qingcheng sect often changes its establishments, but there are some places that do not change.
One of them was Sangqing Palace.1
Since Sangqing Palace was the most important place in the Qingcheng sect, the security was strict.
Most major events of the Qingcheng sect were all decided at Sangqing Palace. Even today, the elders were gathered at Sangqing Palace, including Muryeongjin,2 a long-time sect leader of the Qingcheng sect.
Muryeongjin was an old man in his early seventies. But looking at his appearance alone, it was hard to guess that he was at that age.
Because of his unconventional appearance, deep eyes, and naturally flowing dignity, he only looked like he was in his early to mid-fifties.
It was the same with the other elders.
The elders who had mastered the martial arts of the Qingcheng sect looked much younger than their actual age. Rather, the person who looked the oldest was Woo Jinpyeong, who is called the Jinang (last) of the Qingcheng sect.
Because he came from a branch family of the Qingcheng sect, his martial arts were the weakest. That is why he looked much older than the other elders.
The first person to speak was Muryeongjin, the sect leader.
"Has the outside situation calmed down?"
"It seems that the search for the assassin has come to an end."
"How dare an assassin target our sect? Do you think this makes sense, junior brother?"
"Of course it doesn't make sense. It's highly likely that someone has plotted this."
Woo Jinpyeong's eyes lit up coldly as he answered.
"Who do you think it could be?"
"It's too early to make a hasty decision because we don't have the right information yet."
"Are we going to leave it that way?"
"Of course not. I've already sent some of my disciples to gather information." Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only
"As expected of junior brother Woo."
Muryeongjin smiled, satisfied.
The old man with a heavy atmosphere, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.
"Whoever caused this situation must never be forgiven! Our sect is currently at a crucial turning point. We must make it so that something like this never happens again."
He was Mu Jeong-jin,3 an elder of the Qingcheng sect.
Mu Jeong-jin was unquestionably the number one sword of the Qingcheng.
No matter how brilliant Woo Jinpyeong was, the Qingcheng sect would not have been able to achieve this level of development if it hadn't been supported by the armed forces of Mu Jeong-jin.
Woo Jinpyeong nodded in response to Mu Jeong-jin's words.
"It will be so, senior brother!"
"The Shaolin Temple, the Wudang Sect, and the Mount Hua Sect, who participated in the battle after opening their doors during the War of the Demons and Heaven, regained their former reputation. However, those who sealed their doors and did not participate in the war such as our sect and the Emei sect, only gained an empty name of 'Four Heavenly Kings' in Sichuan. However, our actual power is far short of theirs. To catch up with them, we must tighten our reins. If we can't move forward because we're caught up in an incident like this, even if we die, we won't be able to reach our previous glory."
At Mu Jeong-jin's words, all the elders nodded their heads.
A lot of things have changed in Jianghu due to the war that took place several decades ago.
At that time, Jianghu was in danger of being conquered by the Celestial Demon Union.4
If the extraordinary martial artist named Lee Kwak had not formed the Providence Alliance [???(天意盟)] and resisted, Jianghu would have fallen into the hands of the Celestial Demon Union.
At that time, the Shaolin Temple, the Wudang sect, the Mount Hua Sect, the Qingcheng, and the Emei sect had their gates closed. However, soon the Shaolin Temple, the Wudang sect, the Mount Hua Sect boldly opened their gates and participated in the Heaven's Will Alliance, and made a great contribution in driving out the Celestial Demon Union. On the other hand, the Qingcheng and Emei sect did not open the gates because they were too careful.
The difference divided the fate of the five sects.
The Shaolin Temple, Wudang, and Mount Hua sect, who participated in the war, regained their former glory with praise from the people, but the Qingcheng and Emei sect were criticized by the people.
Since they unlocked their gates late, Jianghu's gaze on them was unbearably cold. It was unfair because of their circumstances, but they could not turn back Jianghu's already tilted gaze.
Now, people did not think that the Qingcheng sect and the Emei sect were in the same ranks as the Shaolin Temple, the Wudang and the Mount Hua sect.
Actually it was true.
Jianghu's outstanding martial artists preferred the other three sects more than the Qingcheng sect or the Emei sect.
The Qingcheng faction has recently expanded its ranks and has been eagerly following the three clans, but the gap was still considerable. The gap was not narrowing at all, but rather widening.
Because of that, the sense of crisis that Qingcheng felt was really great.
"Don't worry. If things go as planned, we'll be able to catch up with them within a decade."
"How dependable. It's reassuring to have someone like you!"
"No, senior brother!"
"Since you're so great, your son must have taken after you."
"To bring a woman inside under the pretext of closure training. That's really bold of him. Is it one of our disciples this time?
"Hey, I told you to be quiet! If you don't want to get caught and be scolded, be careful with your mouth!"
"Damn it!"
Their conversation gave Pyo-wol valuable information.
'He brings women in here?'
The Qingcheng sect was basically a Taoist sect.
In the recent years while expanding the sect, they have accepted a lot of disciples and their secular tendencies have strengthened, but the fact that they are a sect based on Taoism has not changed.
It was, of course, unimaginable to hold a woman in the training hall. However, a man named Woo Gunsang secretly took the woman into his residence.
From what he heard from Dojin, he said that Woo Gunsang was the object of admiration by the Qingcheng disciples, but it seemed that there was something different inside the sect from what is known to the world.
'Wherever you go, there is always someone who is different on the inside.'
It was unfortunate for the Qingcheng sect disciples, but it was a good thing for Pyo-wol.
After confirming that no one was around, Pyo-wol quietly flew to the roof of Bright Moon Palace.
He landed on the roof silently.
It was starting to become dim.
Soon night came.
For others, darkness was a big obstacle, but for Pyo-wol, the night was like another weapon of his. Pyo-wol moved while completely being assimilated into the darkness.
He kicked off the roof tile and infiltrated inside.
He crawled on all fours like an animal. Still, he did not make any sound.
Pyo-wol carefully went through the roof and looked inside the hall. However, the figure of the person presumed to be Woo Gunsang was nowhere to be seen.
'It looks like he's in the basement.
Pyo-wol did not panic.
He already knew that there was an underground basement here.
The problem was opening the entrance to the basement. When the entrance is opened, Woo Gunsang who was inside had no choice but to notice.
So Pyo-wol have to think of infiltrating using other places instead.
He went through the ventilation hole, which was essential for any underground space. Perhaps even the martial artists of the Qingcheng sect do not know that there was a ventilation hole here.
The ventilation holes were hidden quite well.
Pyo-wol soon found the place behind a large pillar. It was the vents.
He carefully opened the vent and sneaked inside.
Pyo-wol completely concealed his presence by utilizing the Turtle Breathing Technique. Still, he was not complacent, so he moved as slowly as possible.
Finally, Pyo-wol arrived at the underground basement.
The location of the ventilation hole was on the ceiling overlooking the underground basement. .Pyo-wol carefully peered into the underground basement.
He saw a six-foot-tall man lying there with his clothes off. Next to him was a half-naked woman.
'Woo Gunsang...!'
As the best weapon of the Qingcheng sect, Woo Gunsang had a well-trained body.
The densely developed muscles were reminiscent of a snow leopard that freely roamed in snowy mountains, and calluses were lodged on his palms and back.
He was sleeping with the woman in his arms, but there were no flaws in the look of Woo Gunsang.
It looked like he would react immediately if there was even a small stimulus from the outside.
Woo Gunsang looked like a well-forged sword.
Pyo-wol felt goosebumps all over his body. This was the first time he had personally seen a warrior who had reached this level. He also felt a thrill when he saw Gu Juyang, the leader of the Blood Shadow Group, but this time it was different.
Woo Gunsang exuded an atmosphere as someone who had reached such a high stage by taking the right steps. There's a natural aura flowing out. It was a kind of energy that assassins who did not learn proper martial arts and only learned how to kill could never have.
But Pyo-wol never faltered.
'He is also human. If he had his blood drawn or get stabbed with a knife, he would die nonetheless.'
Pyo-wol looked into the underground basement.
Weapons were scattered everywhere.
There were a lot of swords in particular, as if to prove that the martial arts that Woo Gunsang had learned was swordsmanship.
There were various types of swords, such as long swords, daggers, and yam swords.
Pyo-wol rehearsed the whole scene in his mind.
A picture that can only be seen by him was painted in his head. When the painting was completed to some extent, Pyo-wol took out a small bundle of rope from his bosom.
It was a gift given by the Blood Shadow Group.
Pyo-wol made the rope in the form of a noose and sent it down through the ventilation hole.
It was when the noose almost reached Woo Gunsang's face.
Woo Gunsang, who was asleep, suddenly opened his eyes.
His eyes were looking exactly where Pyo-wol was hiding.
'Caught him!'
At that moment, Pyo-wol pulled on the rope.
Ping!