Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1487

The sharp, clear sound of the Manri Geumgu echoed through the suddenly silent tavern. The smoky air, thick with the smell of old wood and something like burnt sugar, seemed to hold its breath.

Baek Cheon stared. *This man…*

The owner of this Cheonsang Pavilion. The master of that strange, clear signal.

It hit Baek Cheon like a sudden punch. This was him. The person they had been searching for so desperately. But even as he understood, a new confusion twisted in his gut.

*Why would Chung Myung want to find HIM?* Baek Cheon wondered, his eyes flicking towards his unpredictable companion.

Just as Baek Cheon was about to look back at Chung Myung, a voice spoke.

“Indeed.”

“…Hmm?”

“It would be hard to recognize even a close family member just by looking at them. It’s certainly enough to fool the Beggars’ Sect’s eyes and ears.”

Baek Cheon frowned.

“And there’s that…”

The Cheonsang Pavilion Lord looked to one side. Lee Song-baek coughed, as if choking, and lowered his head.

“If Jongnam’s Lee Song-baek is with someone who looks like this, no one would suspect a thing.”

“Ahem.”

Lee Song-baek coughed again.

“I am…”

“No need to worry,” the tavern owner said firmly.

“I won’t tell Jongnam about this. I don’t need to tell anyone else what I know.”

“…”

Baek Cheon and Lee Song-baek’s faces tightened at the same time.

They were glad he wouldn’t spread rumors, but they also felt he planned to use this information later.

“That is…”

Baek Cheon tried to fix the situation, but the Pavilion Lord spoke again.

“I don’t think it’s your turn to ask questions. You haven’t answered me yet. I’ll ask again. Why are you looking for me?”

“…”

Suddenly, the man was in control.

Having been caught with a weakness, Baek Cheon couldn’t talk to the man as an equal. Or maybe he would have been a difficult opponent anyway.

*At this rate…*

He felt controlled by what the man wanted. He might be chased away with nothing gained.

Just as he felt worried, a calm voice reached Baek Cheon’s ear.

“Reason?”

“…It’s more like business than a reason.”

“Buuusssinesss?”

“…”

Chung Myung’s face twisted terribly. Seeing that, the Cheonsang Pavilion Lord seemed slightly embarrassed.

“Hey.”

“…Yes?”

“Do you need a reason to meet a simple tavern owner? Back in my day, even the owner of a ten-story tavern would run out to greet a guest! Anyway, these youngsters! Isn’t that right, Sahyung?”

“…Isn’t that a bit different?”

“What’s different? It’s the same. That gentleman said he’s the Pavilion Lord!”

“Yes. Well… then it’s the same.”

*If you say so, then so be it.*

“Isn’t that right? Tavern owner?”

Chung Myung glared with a sulky face, and the Cheonsang Pavilion Lord laughed weakly. But it was true that he had nothing to say. He had introduced himself as the owner of this tavern.

“…They say the Sword Saint of Mount Hua is so free that he can’t be judged by normal rules, and it seems that’s true.”

The man sighed and nodded.

“That’s right. Cheonsang Pavilion or whatever, it’s just a tavern. You don’t need a big reason to find the owner of a tavern. Especially if the other person is the Sword Saint of Mount Hua. A simple Pavilion Lord like me wouldn’t dare to argue with him.”

“Ahem. No need to praise me so much. Hehehe. Sasook, this gentleman seems nicer than I thought?”

“…Get a grip, you rascal. Before I lose my mind.”

“Oh, right.”

Chung Myung quickly straightened his face and spoke again.

“It’s nice that you think so highly of me, but I don’t think you’re just a simple Pavilion Lord either. I didn’t think anyone could set up something like this in the middle of Gaebong, where Beggars’ Sect beggars are everywhere.”

“That’s wrong.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s not that it’s great to set up something like this in Gaebong. It’s because this *is* Gaebong that I can set up a tavern like this.”

Chung Myung’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Hmph. The weak heretical groups are afraid of the Beggars’ Sect and can’t even get close. And the Beggars’ Sect guys have to stay away because they’re beggars. Is that what you mean?”

A brief flash appeared in the Pavilion Lord’s eyes at Chung Myung’s words.

“That’s correct.”

“Even so, wouldn’t the officials try to shut down a place like this? How much did you pay them?”

“Not at all. I don’t pay them anything.”

“Huh? Why?”

The man said calmly.

“Because they’re the ones who need this place the most. Sword Saint of Mount Hua.”

“…Here?”

“That’s right.”

The man nodded and continued.

“You wouldn’t understand, but high-ranking officials always worry that someone might overhear them. The more important their conversations, the more they want to keep them secret, to an extreme degree.”

“…”

“So, they need a place where they can talk without worrying about the palace or the martial world.”

“Wouldn’t it be enough to go somewhere with few people? Why are you so stupid…”

Chung Myung stopped and laughed.

“Ah. Those guys can’t tell if a place is really deserted or not. Because they’re not martial artists.”

“Exactly. And… for people like that, just trying to find a deserted place draws attention. Just like you tried to hide your entry here.”

Chung Myung nodded as if he understood.

“But no one thinks it’s strange to have fun in a fancy tavern nearby?”

“That’s right.”

“And it’s not weird to meet other high-ranking officials in that tavern. Is that it?”

“That’s correct. The bad reputation from that is a small price to pay for hiding their words.”

Chung Myung scratched his head hard.

“That’s why I don’t understand what those officials and rich guys are thinking.”

Chung Myung sighed and looked at the Pavilion Lord casually.

“So? You let those gentlemen talk comfortably and make money by listening to their secrets?”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

“Hmm? A misunderstanding?”

“I don’t listen to their conversations. I just let them talk.”

Chung Myung grinned.

“You seem to know me well, but you don’t know one thing. I…”

“Hate people who lie to me. Especially obvious lies.”

“…”

Chung Myung stared at the Pavilion Lord without saying a word.

“I know it’s hard to admit. If you can recognize us right away, you must know a lot about information. So you wouldn’t just let valuable information like this go by.”

Everyone nodded. It didn’t make sense. Why else would he create a place like this?

“But Sword Saint of Mount Hua, do you know what’s most important to make money from information?”

“…What is it?”

“That information has to exist.”

“…”

Chung Myung stared at the Pavilion Lord blankly. He wasn’t surprised. He just didn’t know how to react to something so obvious.

But the Pavilion Lord continued calmly, as if it were natural.

“Information doesn’t appear where everything is open. But information appears here. Information that wouldn’t exist if this place didn’t exist.”

“…”

“The more information there is in the world, the more information can be used. A merchant makes money by selling grain, but without the farmer who grows the grain, the merchant wouldn’t exist.”

“So?”

Chung Myung glared at the Pavilion Lord coldly.

“You’re the one who grows that information?”

“If you want to put it that way, yes.”

“Haha!”

Chung Myung laughed, surprised.

“I wondered what kind of big shot I’d find if I followed that sparrow.”

The corners of Chung Myung’s mouth twisted strangely.

“…This is completely crazy.”

The Pavilion Lord stared at Chung Myung without answering. His eyes were still calm, but his gaze was clearly fixed on Chung Myung.

“That’s a fair assessment. However.”

The Cheonsang Pavilion Lord shook his head quietly.

“It’s not fair for you to say that. Because you’re a bigger madman than I am.”

“…”

“Now that we’ve talked, it’s time for you to answer my question.”

The man paused, as if to change the subject. Then, after getting everyone’s attention, he spoke again.

“Why did you come to find me? Sword Saint of Mount Hua?”

Everyone looked at Chung Myung. They were curious too. But Chung Myung didn’t give them the answer they wanted.

“Actually, we weren’t really here *to* find you specifically.”

“Hmm?”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“I just followed that sparrow. I thought I’d meet the guy who was sending beggars to watch me.”

“…”

“Yes. Someone who can control branch leaders of the Beggars’ Sect, and who uses different report lines than the usual Beggars’ Sect reports. A powerful person who knows my movements even faster than the Beggars’ Sect headquarters.”

Chung Myung’s lips curled up.

“Do you understand?”

“…”

The Pavilion Lord’s face hardened.

“I thought I’d meet someone like that here. As far as I know, only one person in the world can do that.”

“There seems to be some misunderstanding…”

“The Beggars’ Sect…”

“…”

“Chief.”

The Cheonsang Pavilion Lord’s eyes pierced Chung Myung sharply.

The Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.

The Five Swords were more surprised than the Pavilion Lord.

“Chung Myung-ah, what are you talking about? The Beggars’ Sect Chief is sick in bed and near death…”

“That’s what I should be saying.”

“Huh?”

“I came to meet that old man who’s dying, but there was no dying old man here, just a crazy guy. Wouldn’t I be surprised?”

“Ah…”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“Then there are two possibilities.”

“Two possibilities?”

“The Chief of the Beggars’ Sect is lying to the world and hiding here.”

“…”

“Or someone has taken over the Beggars’ Sect and is controlling it. And that gentleman is the one in charge.”

The Five Swords quickly turned to the Pavilion Lord.

“T-That’s going too far, isn’t it?”

“Then how else can you explain that the branch leader of the Beggars’ Sect in Nakyang is giving orders that are different from the headquarters?”

“That is…”

The Five Swords were silent.

It was hard to argue with that.

“So which is it?”

“You have to ask him, not me. Hey.”

Chung Myung looked at the Pavilion Lord with a smile. The Pavilion Lord flinched, as if feeling intense pressure from that look.

“Who are you?”

At the same time, the Five Swords tensed, ready to fight.

Everyone knew a battle could start here, depending on the answer.

But the Pavilion Lord hesitated.

“I am…”

After a long pause, the Pavilion Lord shook his head. He was giving up.

“Sword Saint of Mount Hua… I was so careful.”

“…”

“You are right.”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean?”

The Five Swords spoke in disbelief.

“I will introduce myself. I am the current Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.”

Chung Myung smiled triumphantly.