Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 68

Hwa-rin attended the Mount Hua Assembly, focusing more on befriending promising younger disciples than on demonstrating his swordsmanship.

“So, let’s be friends. We’re friends from now on,” he’d say, offering a disarming smile.

Hwa-rin’s indiscriminate befriending extended to figures from the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions. Surprisingly, he found himself making more friends among the Unorthodox and Demonic sects than among the Orthodox.

“Hwa-rin, don’t you have any interest in martial arts?” Nangong Yeon-ah asked, standing nearby, her arms crossed.

“I am interested, but making friends is more important right now.”

“Why?”

“If I miss this chance, I’ll have to wait four years for the next assembly. By then, these friends will either be in high positions or have gained fame, making it difficult to even meet them.”

“Do you really think that will happen in four years?”

“Of course. Life can change even tomorrow, let alone in four years…” Hwa-rin made a dizzy expression as he spoke, exaggerating for effect.

“And Yeon-ah, you should try to get along with others besides me. Like that friend, Nangong Jin.”

“I’m not interested. They’re all so full of themselves.”

Hwa-rin looked at Nangong Yeon-ah, a playful glint in his eyes.

“What?” she challenged.

“In my eyes, you’re the same.”

“Hmph, you’re one to talk, Brother!” Nangong Yeon-ah turned away and headed towards the people from the Nine Great Sects, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“But she doesn’t mingle with people from the Ten Great Families. Is she really just unlucky, or is there something else going on?”

Hwa-rin also tried to talk to various people to make friends, but he didn’t have much luck with those from the Ten Great Families.

Some of them tended to look down on others, and their conversations revolved solely around themselves, making it seem like it would take an eternity to become close to them. No, it wasn’t just about time; it seemed inherently difficult.

At least Nangong Jin of the Nangong Family, Moyeong Su of the Moyeong Family, and Seomun Hu of the Seomun Family seemed decent, while the others from the other families seemed to carry themselves with an excessive sense of entitlement.

The younger disciples from the manors and sects who tried to impress them inevitably listened to their every word, but upon closer inspection, they also subtly followed the lead of Nangong Jin, Moyeong Su, and Seomun Hu.

‘They failed at raising their children. They should have been forced to experience the bitterness of the world; that’s how they would learn humility.’

—Protector Lee, where are you?

Hwa-rin sent a telepathic message to Lee Do-moon.

—I am with the people from the Ten Great Families.

Hwa-rin looked towards where the people from the Ten Great Families were, and a young man looked back at Hwa-rin. He could tell it was Lee Do-moon. Even though he was wearing a human skin mask, none of the people from the Ten Great Families seemed to notice.

‘The mask-making technology these days is really amazing.’ Hwa-rin was inwardly surprised by Lee Do-moon’s appearance.

—The Sect Leader Moon So of the Black Cloud Shrine is just lingering around me. Tell him to decide whether to take action or give up. If he does neither, I’m going to move and blow off one of his arms.

—Understood. I will relay the message now.

Lee Do-moon quietly slipped away from the people of the Ten Great Families.

“Hwa-rin.”

“What?”

“Do you really know the Lightning Current Style?”

“I know it. And I also know the Lightning Current Sword and Lightning Current Dragon Drop.”

Sado-jun’s body trembled slightly at those words. Hwa-rin took out the Kill-Yellow Ink Blood Stone from his chest and threw it to Sado-jun.

“Do you know what that is?”

Sado-jun looked at the Kill-Yellow Ink Blood Stone he had caught and stared at Hwa-rin, his body shaking violently as if struck by lightning.

“You…”

“It’s enough if you recognize it. But that doesn’t change the fact that you and I are friends.”

Hwa-rin spoke as if he knew him, so Sado-jun asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

“You knew me? Is that why you approached me?”

“No, I didn’t know before I became friends with you. After we became friends, my protector told me about you.”

“Protector?”

“He’s an assassin like you. He’s also the sect leader of a sect you guys don’t even care about.”

As Hwa-rin spoke, he held out his hand, and Sado-jun reluctantly returned the Kill-Yellow Ink Blood Stone to Hwa-rin.

“Don’t worry too much. I obtained the Kill-Yellow’s diary due to fate, but I have no intention of ruling over the assassins.”

At that moment, Ok-hae of the Mount Hua Sect approached Hwa-rin.

“Hwa-rin, the sect leader is looking for you.”

“Me?”

“I don’t know the reason, but he told me to bring you to the Supreme Clarity Palace.”

Hwa-rin nodded and said to Sado-jun.

“I’ll be back. And don’t just chase after Yeon-ah; try to get along with other people too.”

Sado-jun’s cheeks turned slightly red at Hwa-rin’s words.

“When did I ever do that?”

“It’s obvious even to me.”

Ok-hae also seemed to see it that way, as he added a word. Sado-jun pouted and turned away, heading towards the people of the Nine Great Sects.

“Look at him,” Hwa-rin chuckled.

“It seems he likes Young Lady Nangong Yeon-ah. Let’s go to the Supreme Clarity Palace first.”

Hwa-rin went to the Supreme Clarity Palace with Ok-hae.

The Supreme Clarity Palace of the Mount Hua Sect was its most important institution, a place where the sect leader, elders, and those in charge of important affairs of the Mount Hua Sect gathered for meetings, and also where the sect leader and elders resided.

As they entered the main hall of the Supreme Clarity Palace, the sect leader was sitting at the head of the table, and the elders and those in charge of important affairs of the Mount Hua Sect were all seated on the left and right.

Ok-hae was inwardly surprised and nervous, as he had not expected so many people to be gathered here. He knew this must be important.

“I have brought Lord Hwa-rin.”

He spoke casually when he was with his friends, but he maintained decorum in such official settings.

“You have done well. Ok-hae, you may return.”

Ok-hae looked at Hwa-rin, and when Hwa-rin nodded, he bowed slightly to the sect leader and elders before leaving the main hall of the Supreme Clarity Palace.

Ok-hae took a deep breath as he left the Supreme Clarity Palace.

“What’s going on?” he wondered.

Even though the sect leader, elders, heads of each department, and those in charge of handling the major and minor affairs of Mount Hua were all gathered, he thought it must be a very serious matter, but he was not yet in a position to say anything about the affairs of Mount Hua, so there was nothing he could do.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the main hall of the Supreme Clarity Palace was a bit heavy.

“I hope you will listen without misunderstanding, Lord Hwa-rin,” Sect Leader Mae San said, using honorifics, a departure from his usual tone.

“Please speak.”

“The reason we have called for Lord Hwa-rin is because of what you said about the Myriad Fragrance of the Sky [a legendary sword technique] at the last martial arts competition.”

“Are you referring to the Heavenly Flower Dance?”

“Do you know about it?” When Sect Leader Mae San asked, Hwa-rin nodded.

“Then why didn’t you tell us that at the time?” Elder Hwa-yeong asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

“Wasn’t Jongnam [another of the Nine Great Sects] also present at the time? Although I am military comrades with Elder Song Cheol of Jongnam, I didn’t think there was any reason to reveal what Mount Hua needed to the outside.”

The elders nodded at Hwa-rin’s words. They understood his discretion.

Among the martial arts proverbs, there is a saying to hide three parts [of one’s abilities].

Three parts!

In some ways, it accounts for less than a handful of one’s abilities, but many results can change because of it, so it is usually interpreted as meaning a hidden card.

Although the Jongnam Sect and the Mount Hua Sect belong to the same Nine Great Sects and are also affiliated with the Righteous Heaven Alliance, the people of the Mount Hua Sect knew better than to reveal everything.

Hwa-rin took out a book from his chest and placed it on his palm, and it floated into the air and slowly flew towards Sect Leader Mae San.

When Sect Leader Mae San reached out his hand, the book entered his hand, and the words ‘Heavenly Flower Dance’ were written on the cover of the book.

“I was fortunate enough to learn the swordsmanship of Sword Saint Heo Nanseol [a legendary female swordsman]. She was disappointed that she could not learn the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of Mount Hua because she was a commoner, so she created the Heavenly Flower Dance through numerous practical battles.”

Hwa-rin saw the words Heo Nanseol had written at the end and informed the Mount Hua Sect of what she wanted.

“Sword Saint Heo Nanseol asked that the Heavenly Flower Dance be returned to Mount Hua after receiving a promise from Mount Hua, but that is up to Mount Hua to decide, so I am returning the Heavenly Flower Dance to Mount Hua.”

“What does Heo Nanseol want?”

“There are many types of disciples.”

There are many distinctions, such as lay disciples, registered disciples, unregistered disciples, inner chamber disciples, initiated disciples, direct disciples, and successors, and they place many restrictions on each disciple’s role and allow them to learn martial arts or study.

“She hoped that the martial arts of Mount Hua would be taught to disciples with outstanding talents, regardless of their status as disciples.”

“Hmm…”

“She said that Mount Hua would be able to prosper and grow greatly because of them.”

“I understand. I will discuss that matter with the elders. But it won’t be easy. If the sect’s secret techniques are passed on to lay disciples [students who learn martial arts but are not full members of the sect], they will spread to the Central Plains continent in an instant.”

Lay disciples do not belong to the sect and return to their families after learning martial arts for a certain period of time, so if they teach the sect’s secret techniques to those with talent, they may return to their families and teach the sect’s secret techniques to their families, and as more and more people learn the sect’s secret techniques, counter-martial arts will be created, and the sect’s power will inevitably weaken over time.

Therefore, the aristocratic families and martial families do not teach the sect’s secret techniques to lay disciples.

In addition, most of the lay disciples are children of merchants or wealthy people, and the martial arts they are taught vary depending on the amount of money they donate.

“That is the will of Mount Hua, so I cannot say anything about it.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Lord Hwa-rin.”

“Then please grant me one request as well.”

“A request?”

“I am taking in children who are wandering the streets and teaching them academics and martial arts.”

Hwa-rin said that there were a few of them who showed talent in martial arts and asked Mount Hua to accept one or two of them as lay disciples of Mount Hua.

“As lay disciples?”

“That’s right. They are children who will grow up to be warriors guarding the manor’s merchants, so I plan to divide them between the Jongnam Sect and the Mount Hua Sect as lay disciples according to their personalities.”

“We will not refuse Lord Hwa-rin’s request. If you send them, we will teach them well.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader!”

—And about the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad [a notorious group of assassins] that we talked about before, Sect Leader Mae San sent a telepathic message to Hwa-rin.

—Didn’t you ask me to take care of them?

—They have arrived in Sichuan Province. We have also identified that the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad [another group of assassins] has secretly entered Chongqing, and the Righteous Heaven Alliance will move to deal with the Four Spirits Blood Demon Squad.

—Then should I go to Sichuan now?

“No. Our Mount Hua has received a great favor thanks to Lord Hwa-rin’s consideration,” Sect Leader Mae San said aloud, masking the telepathic conversation.

—That’s right.

The two discussed the matter of dealing with the armed forces of the Blood Evil Alliance through telepathy while talking.

Even though it was inside the Mount Hua Sect, if they spoke openly, the matter between Hwa-rin and the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad would be known, and if many people knew about it, the rumor would eventually spread outside, so Sect Leader Mae San tried to completely hide what Hwa-rin was doing through telepathy.

—If I go to Sichuan, who should I look for to be guided to where they are?

—You can find the Sichuan branch leader of the Beggars’ Sect. He is in Chengdu, Sichuan.

—I understand.

“Is Lord Hwa-rin planning to participate in the Mount Hua Assembly’s martial arts competition?” Sect Leader Mae San deliberately changed the subject to change the atmosphere.

—The Emei, Qingcheng, and Tang Sects are also paying close attention to their movements, so we will have to avoid their eyes as well.

—I’ll take care of that. And I’m going to leave a fake in Mount Hua through my subordinates.

—A fake?

—I need to leave traces that prove I didn’t step forward.

—I understand. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

—No. Sect Leader, you just need to keep the promise you made with me.

—We have already found a place for the store and inn, and we have asked for the understanding of the surrounding merchants, so it will not be difficult to run a fabric store and inn in Hwayeom.

—Thank you for your consideration.

“I have no intention of participating in the martial arts competition. I just want to make many friends, regardless of whether they are from the Orthodox, Unorthodox, or Demonic factions, at this Mount Hua Assembly.”