Read Novel Full Chapter 1201: What On Earth Is Different? (1)
Chapter 1201: What On Earth Is Different? (1)
“Then the remaining place is...”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Tang Gunak.
Because Mount Hua, the Namgung Family, Green Forest, and the Five Palaces Beyond the Great Wall had each chosen representatives for two of them, the only place left was the Tang family.
“Lord of Tang family?”
Noticing all the eyes on him, Tang Gunak cleared his throat.
“As for the Tang family...”
“Will you go?”
“In the other places, the sect leaders are going in person.”
“...”
A twitch passed across Tang Gunak’s eyes.
“Now... ahem. I am not here as the lord of the Tang family but as the deputy leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, tidying up the situation, so matters related to the Tang family should be directed to the young head, not me.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“Mount Hua also distinguishes between the Acting Sect Leader and the Alliance Leader, so surely the Tang family should do the same.”
It felt like he was trying to back out, but it was awkward to press him on it. Naturally, everyone’s attention shifted to Tang Pae, who was sitting in a corner.
“Uh... well...”
Under the piercing stares, Tang Pae spoke bashfully.
“Of course, the Tang family has many excellent people who could represent it, but...”
Before he could finish, the Five Swords started whispering.
“Many?”
“There used to be. But the Family lord shoved all those people into the back rooms when he teamed up with Chung Myung.”
“Ah, you mean the closure of the council. Then there aren’t any.”
Tang Pae tried to ignore those comments and spoke again.
“But... in terms of balance between sects and symbolic meaning, it would be appropriate for the Lord of the Tang family to go in person...”
At that moment, Tang Pae felt a chill run through him and abruptly turned his head. Tang Gunak’s face flashed into something fierce for an instant before he quickly returned to a blank expression.
“...”
“In person?”
“Ah, no...”
Tang Pae broke into a cold sweat and continued.
“It would be proper, but... as you know, if our Lord goes, it could cause some problems...”
“What kind of problems?”
“...there would be something, I suppose?”
“Pardon?”
“...”
Pressured once again by the hostile atmosphere, Tang Pae groped for words and continued haltingly.
“Well... our Master currently functions as the de facto deputy leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance. He has so many duties that if he leaves his post, various problems would arise in the work...”
Jo Gul and Yoon Jong began whispering again.
“Sahyung. Is the Heavenly Friends Alliance doing anything right now?”
“...I wouldn’t know. But there shouldn’t be anything pressing right now, I think.”
“Then how would a vacancy cause problems?”
“Who knows?”
Cold sweat began to bead on Tang Pae’s forehead.
Those damned jackal-like brats. They call themselves Taoists...
“S-so if the family lord leaves his post, the Alliance Leader might struggle.”
“Ah. Is that so.”
“That I can agree with.”
“The Sect Leader must have much on his mind these days; we shouldn’t disturb him.”
Tang Pae ground his teeth. Those damn Mount Hua fellows...
Baek Cheon, as if tired of the long discussion, asked directly for the point.
“So who will the Tang family send?”
“One of the elders...”
“An elder?”
“...”
Tang Pae glanced at Tang Gunak. His father was smiling contentedly, as if to say the decision had already been made and there was no reason to fret.
And Tang Pae thought he understood what that conclusion was.
“...I will go.”
“The young lord?”
“Yes. Since the other sects’ leaders are going in person, shouldn’t I at least go in person?”
“Hmm. If the young lord goes, well...”
“Ahem.”
No sooner had those words left his mouth than Tang Gunak cleared his throat and spoke.
“Hmm. It’s a long journey and a dangerous one at that.”
“...”
“Still, having the young lord go in person saves face a bit. Thank you, young lord.”
“Not at all. It’s only right that I go.”
Watching Tang Gunak smile faintly, Tang Pae bit his lip slightly.
He seemed different from before—when did he become so slick and sly? Why?
“Anyway, so the conclusion is settled.”
Tang Gunak summarized the situation.
“Those headed to the Southern Island will be the Namgung Family’s young lord, the Tang family’s young lord, the Ice Palace Lord, the Green Forest King, and...”
Tang Gunak’s gaze moved toward those sitting around Baek Cheon as if escorting him.
“As always, the Five Swords?”
Baek Cheon glanced at those behind him.
“...By rights, these are not the people who should stand where the sect leaders themselves would go.”
“No, why say it like that...”
“If they wish to come, I intend to take them. They are not incapable of protecting themselves. If the other sect leaders will allow it.”
“That would be good.”
Tang Gunak nodded as if it required no thought.
It’s also useful for smooth negotiations. It’s undeniable that, outwardly, the Heavenly Friends Alliance is represented by Mount Hua’s Five Swords.
“...Symbolic, you say? That’s an overstatement.”
“Hm? You don’t know?”
“Pardon?”
Baek Cheon tilted his head as if he didn’t understand what was meant.
“They say that when one’s fame rises, one often doesn’t notice it oneself, and it seems that’s true. As news spread of your dispatch to Gangnam, the Five Swords’ renown has soared.”
“...Really?”
“Of course most of that fame belongs to Mount Hua’s Sword Saint, but the reputations of you and the other Five Swords are no longer something to be discussed only in terms of secondary measures.”
“...”
Seeing the Five Swords’ oddly mixed expressions, Tang Gunak smiled faintly.
“Perhaps each of you will get a title each. In the murim world, people can’t resist giving nicknames.”
“Oh? A title!”
Jo Gul’s face brightened.
“So we’ll get titles too?”
“...Do you like that?”
“Of course! The sasuk and others have titles, and it’s been unfair we didn’t. We’ve fought hard too.”
“What if you get a strange epithet?”
“Nah, mine will be a good one. Something like Gale Plum Blossom Invincible Sword. Like that!”
“That’s the strangest. That...”
Tang Gunak smiled at Jo Gul’s reaction.
If Baek Cheon had not intended to take the Five Swords, Tang Gunak might have requested their company first. In the battles against Four Sects Alliance and the Demonic Cult, the Five Swords were always present.
They were no longer merely Mount Hua’s lesser class disciples. They had become the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s swords fighting injustice, symbols of a fellowship that rushed wherever the wronged were.
Southern Island surely hadn’t been living with their ears closed; they’d have heard of the Five Swords’ feats, and if such people arrived in person, they would naturally be treated differently.
“Then among them... Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, Jo Gul...”
Tang Gunak trailed off and looked at Tang Soso.
“...I don’t necessarily need you to go.”
“I’ll go.”
“I think we already have enough people.”
“I’m going.”
“...I feel like you’ll just be a hindrance.”
“I’m going.”
When Tang Soso smiled brightly and put up a firm stance, Tang Gunak’s face noticeably twisted.
“You have to?”
“That’s obvious. It’s a dangerous road. Of course I’ll go. Our sahyung are the sort who, even if cut by swords and their flesh torn, can’t even stitch themselves up properly.”
“Since the young head is going in person, we don’t strictly need a physician.”
“Well...”
At that moment, Baek Cheon spoke.
“Soso is not going as a physician.”
“...Hmm?”
Tang Gunak turned his gaze to Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon spoke with a resolute expression.
“Soso will accompany us not as a physician but as a representative sword of Mount Hua. Whoever else there may be, it’s hard to find a swordsman who could replace Soso.”
“...”
“So please grant permission.”
Tang Gunak’s ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ lips twitched.
As a father who didn’t want to send his daughter into danger, it was not an easy thing to hear, but on the other hand, it was also exactly what he most wanted to hear.
It meant that the child who had joined Mount Hua late and supplemented her shortcomings with the Tang family’s medicine had now been recognized by the Acting Sect Leader for her worth as a swordsman.
Sure enough, Tang Soso’s face flushed upon hearing Baek Cheon’s words. Feeling her youthful excitement, Tang Gunak could not help but nod.
“If the Acting Sect Leader says so, it’s not for me to object. I grant permission.”
“Thank you.”
Baek Cheon bowed his head and fixed his gaze forward, as if there was no need to exchange looks with Tang Soso over such an obvious matter.
Surely...
Tang Gunak nodded before he realized it.
Hyun Jong and Baek Cheon certainly had many differences, but the most striking among them was that resolute determination and composure.
“Then is the roster finalized?”
“It seems so.”
“Um, sasuk.”
“Yes?”
“...I think you should take a look at one in the back.”
“Huh?”
Baek Cheon turned his head. In one corner he saw Hae Yeon fidgeting like a dog needing to pee.
“...monk?”
“Um... travel safely... yes, return safely. The temple. I’ll pray to Buddha here for your safe return...”
Jo Gul whispered to Yoon Jong.
“Why is he acting like that?”
“Who knows. Maybe because the Abbott caused a scene, it’s embarrassing for a Shaolin disciple to go along with us.”
“He cares about that kind of thing?”
Everyone looked at Hae Yeon with puzzled eyes. Hae Yeon’s face immediately blushed bright red.
“...If only the Abbott had half that sense of shame.”
“Half? If he’d had even a tenth, he wouldn’t have lived like that.”
“Come to think of it, that fellow had so much of it that the Abbott had none left to take.”
“Then that fellow is the cause of this all.”
“Ah, no, what did I do?”
Baek Cheon snorted softly as he watched Hae Yeon protest, feeling aggrieved.
“Don’t worry and come along with us, monk.”
“I-Is that all right? The Heavenly Friends Alliance may understand my position, but from the Southern Island’s perspective, a Shaolin disciple accompanying you could be seen as mockery.”
“You needn’t worry about that. No one sane would think that all the sect leaders took such risks just to mock them.”
“Ah...”
Hae Yeon looked around at those present.
It was certainly a situation that could be misunderstood, but the profiles of those heading to Southern Island seemed sufficient to dispel such doubts.
“Then I’ll shamelessly rely on your help. Amitabha.”
With Hae Yeon also confirmed to go, Jo Gul looked around at everyone anew.
“Wow. So excluding the Beast Palace, the sect leaders, young lords, the Acting Sect Leader, and even monk Hae Yeon are all going...”
Jo Gul, speaking admiringly, then tilted his head as if sensing something odd.
“Um... sahyung. But...”
“Why?”
“Wasn’t the whole point of sending a small elite force to Southern Island to minimize casualties and ensure safety by sending fewer people because it might be dangerous?”
“Right? Didn’t we explain that earlier? Why ask now?”
“...But the people going to Southern Island are all the sect leaders—the very ones who absolutely mustn’t die.”
“...”
Jo Gul asked again, bewildered.
“How is this any different from the entire Heavenly Friends Alliance going together?”
“...”
No one.
There was no one who could give a proper answer to that question.
No one.