Chapter 110 :

Chapter 110. The Grand Journey of Pandemonium (9)

Everyone’s gaze turned toward me.

I did not take my eyes off Ilmyeong.

“Has the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering come here?”

For some reason, Ilmyeong briefly glanced at Namgung Seonhwa before looking back at me.

“Well… not everyone, but it is true that the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering has moved.”

“And the person who wants to see me is Yong Soa?”

“That is correct.”

The Nine Great Sects were moving in ways that seemed unrelated to the examination, while the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering had appeared here for reasons I could not understand.

The conflicting information tangled my thoughts.

I was too exhausted to make a cold and rational judgment.

Careful analysis was impossible.

I decided to rely solely on instinct born from experience.

“No, thank you. If this is meant to be a reconciliation, any other time would be better than now.”

When I mentioned what had happened at Maling Plateau, Ilmyeong chuckled.

“He probably will not apologize.”

He stated it as though declaring an immutable truth.

Knowing that as well, I nodded.

“Then I have even less reason to meet him.”

Ilmyeong looked around.

Although the darkness should have made it difficult to see everyone clearly, he carefully examined every corner without missing a single person.

“At this rate, failing the examination will not be your greatest problem. Can you bear responsibility for all the consequences, Benefactor?”

“These two might never have been able to take the examination at all because of that man.”

I pointed toward Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran.

Ilmyeong nodded once again.

In my previous life, I had viewed Ilmyeong quite favorably.

For some reason, seeing him act like this now irritated me.

Would he keep smiling like the Little Buddha even if I struck him across the head?

“Young Master Jin.”

Seong Moran joined the conversation.

“We are fine.”

When Seong Moran looked toward Namgung Seonhwa, she also nodded.

“I am not fine with it.”

“What matters now is not what happened at Maling Plateau. It is the Martial Academy examination.”

Everyone unconsciously nodded.

They all wanted to escape this situation, no matter the method.

My instincts were warning me of something entirely different.

However, since everyone had spoken this way, I could not continue hesitating.

I rose from my seat.

“Where is he?”

#

I traveled with Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa.

I had selected only those who might possess some influence over the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

Ilmyeong slowed his ghostlike Vajra Immovable Body Technique to match our pace.

Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa were already in poor condition, so merely using their movement techniques consumed considerable mental strength.

After following him for roughly two quarter-hours, we began seeing firelight in the distance.

Torches were lit throughout the area, while a large bonfire illuminated the center.

A fat pig rotated over the bonfire, releasing a rich and savory aroma.

It was completely different from our situation, where thousands of people were pursuing us.

I felt unnecessarily irritated and spoke.

“Do they have no consideration for Senior Little Buddha, who avoids cooked food?”

He answered with a Buddha-like smile.

“This is not for us. It is for all of you.”

“……”

“If you stop to rest immediately, you will need proper nourishment first.”

The unpleasant feeling from my previous life returned.

Although this concerned us, no one had told us anything.

It felt as though I were watching the surrounding world change without explanation.

I closed my mouth and followed the Little Buddha.

Beyond the large bonfire, a smaller one had been lit farther inside.

Seven men and women stood on either side of it.

Some were faces I had seen at the Taeul Sect.

Others were faces I remembered from my previous life.

And at the center stood that man.

“It has been a long time.”

Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa began raising their hands in a formal greeting, but after looking at me, they lowered them again.

Some of the men and women standing beside him frowned at my disrespect toward a senior.

Yong Soa himself did not seem to care and showed no change in expression.

“I heard you have been going through considerable hardship.”

His calm tone grated on my nerves.

“Before that……”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward me.

“Apologize first.”

“……!”

“……!”

Their eyes widened.

Some opened their mouths so widely that they seemed unable to believe what they had heard.

Yong Soa stared directly at me.

In my previous life, I had never dared meet those eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything.

“My actions were justified. There is nothing for which I must apologize.”

“Do you know how many people nearly died because of you?”

“At the time, the best choice was for me to leave and bring help. The fact that you managed to escape after breaking the formation was merely the result.”

“Have you never considered that your actions disrupted the formation and made the rescue even more difficult?”

“In the end, you deciphered the formation, and I did everything within my ability. Everyone chose what they believed was best, so there is no need for anyone to apologize.”

“You are remarkably skilled at spouting sophistry.”

“I heard your companions are exhausted. Do you intend to continue wasting time on this meaningless argument?”

At Yong Soa’s words, accompanied by a glance toward Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa, I readily nodded.

“Why did you summon me?”

“To help you.”

“Ha!”

I was the one who could not control my reaction.

I had never imagined that I would one day hear that man say he wanted to help me rather than kill me.

“Why?”

“Because it is the best course of action available to me.”

He spoke casually, as though our history did not matter in the slightest.

Knowing that he was sincere only irritated me more.

“Explain in greater detail.”

Yong Soa tilted his head as though he did not understand.

“Does the reason matter?”

“Justification is the greatest driving force behind the righteous faction. Would Yong Soa, hero of the righteous faction, truly come all the way here without one?”

Yong Soa stared at me with his uniquely unsettling gaze.

“The Righteous Path Association, formed around the Nine Great Sects, is summoning every disciple other than the principal disciples of each sect to this area.”

Namgung Seonhwa’s hand began trembling.

She looked exhausted merely imagining it.

I silently took hold of her hand.

“They are gathering all those people merely to capture us?”

“Not all of you. You.”

“That is exactly what I want to know. Why are they coming specifically to capture me? Merely because I am expected to enter as the top student?”

“To the current Righteous Path Association, that is important enough.”

“And you intend to help me because you want to correct that wrongdoing?”

One of the men standing beside Yong Soa stepped forward.

“You have been arrogant beyond measure since the Taeul Sect, and you continue to behave the same way.”

It was So Jeho of Qingcheng, whom I had met at the Taeul Sect.

I looked at him once, ignored him, and continued staring at Yong Soa.

So Jeho’s face reddened, but I paid him no attention.

“Fine. How do you intend to help us? Surely you do not plan to escort us to the Martial Academy.”

“That is exactly what we will do.”

“What?”

“Do you believe we are incapable of it?”

The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering consisted of those with the finest achievements among the graduates of the current generation of the Martial Academy.

Moreover, both Yong Soa and Ilmyeong were present.

“This is not a question of whether you can do it.”

It was something they were forbidden to do.

“The examination regulations state that anyone who receives assistance from their sect, allies, or people connected to them will be disqualified.”

“Do you believe everyone follows the examination regulations?”

“You need only decide. Will you accept or refuse?”

“Fine. Under these circumstances, I cannot simply reject it. I want to hear the conditions.”

“Conditions?”

“There must be a price.”

“There is none.”

At Yong Soa’s answer, Namgung Seonhwa, Moyong Jaehwa, and I all widened our eyes.

“You need only enter the Martial Academy with the highest score and become the top-ranked student.”

Yong Soa slowly raised his hand.

He pointed toward the two people beside me.

“However, neither they nor anyone else in your party may accompany you.”

A strange silence descended over the area.

“……”

Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa looked hollow, as though watching sand slip through their fingers.

“Heh heh heh.”

Unlike them, I had expected this, and laughter escaped me.

“As expected, that narrow-minded nature of yours has not changed.”

“You bastard! You go too far.”

So Jeho’s shout did not even register in my ears.

“I refuse.”

“Why?”

Yong Soa looked completely unable to understand.

I gave the best answer I could.

“Because it is not the right thing to do.”

For the first time, a faint crack appeared in Yong Soa’s expression.

“Explain in greater detail.”

“In greater detail……”

He probably disliked the current factions controlling the Martial Alliance.

A few years later, Yong Soa would establish his own force and begin consuming the Martial Alliance.

Shaking the existing powers and reminding everyone of their incompetence was something a rising force inevitably had to do.

The appearance of a new hero could also provide justification for replacing the members of the Righteous Path Association and the Elder Hall.

It would be even better if he personally created that hero and could manipulate him however he pleased.

And if that hero later became useless, he could dispose of him without consequences because he came from an insignificant sect.

Many possibilities passed through my mind, but I did not speak them aloud.

Instead, I thought as hard as possible about how best to irritate him.

“I cannot agree with your definition of justice.”

His justice had ultimately preserved the lifeline of the righteous faction.

However, his justice had eventually abandoned every one of my companions.

“We have only wasted time. It is not exactly compensation, but please buy us approximately one day. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering should be capable of that much.”

As I turned away, So Jeho stepped forward once more.

“I did not give you permission to leave.”

I ignored him and took a step.

“You bastard!”

So Jeho released powerful killing intent.

Under normal circumstances, I would have felt nothing from it.

Now it swept across my entire body and seemed to carve apart my nerves.

Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa, standing beside me, groaned and collapsed to the ground.

The killing intent he had unconsciously released had inflicted internal damage upon them.

“Ugh.”

When Namgung Seonhwa spat out a mouthful of black blood, So Jeho’s complexion finally turned pale.

He looked as though he had not expected this to happen.

Dang Seohee, the White-Handed Divine Maiden, rushed forward and checked Namgung Seonhwa’s pulse.

She took a pill from within her robes and placed it in Namgung Seonhwa’s mouth.

Once Namgung Seonhwa’s complexion improved, she examined Moyong Jaehwa.

As she began returning to her place, she suddenly stared directly at me.

“How much have you slept?”

“Starting from when?”

“……”

Dang Seohee, whose expression was cold and impassive, reached out to check my pulse.

I quickly pulled my hand away.

“……”

Dang Seohee stared at me again with a displeased expression.

“You must give me your hand.”

“I refuse.”

“Is it because of So Jeho?”

“Yes.”

“Will you give me your hand if So Jeho dies?”

“Can you arrange that?”

So Jeho’s face turned deathly pale.

“I can make him spend around a month suffering bloody diarrhea. Give me your hand instead.”

“You promised.”

Dang Seohee checked my pulse.

Her normally half-closed eyes opened wide.

“Do you want to die?”

“Have I contracted a fatal illness?”

“You are in the worst condition of everyone here. It would not be strange if you died immediately.”

Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa, whose complexions had recovered, stared at me without being able to speak.

“Drive away the pursuers so I can sleep.”

“You will die at this rate.”

“Even so, I have no intention of abandoning the Martial Academy examination.”

“Then you must follow Yong Soa.”

“Senior Seohee.”

“Why are you calling me?”

“Do the people gathered here not seem strange to you?”

“Every one of them belongs to the Nine Great Sects. You are the only person here from the Five Great Families.”

“Yong Soa’s justice is ultimately nothing more than choosing his own side.”

Dang Seohee looked toward Yong Soa with half-lidded eyes.

Yong Soa’s expression remained unchanged.

“I do not know what Yong Soa said to persuade you, Senior Seohee, but he is no different from the entrenched corruption within the current Martial Alliance that he claims to despise.”

“……!”