Chapter 106: Reunion

The city near the main base of the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect was now teeming with people.

The Samcheong Tai Chi Sect did not keep it a secret that the Ten Sects were gathering. News of the assembly of major factions in the Central Heavens Martial Realm spread quickly, drawing a large crowd.

Martial artists from sects under the Ten Sects, gathered in hopes of perhaps glimpsing the higher-ups of the main base.

Martial artists from mid- and small-sized sects, not affiliated with the Ten Sects, but either connected indirectly or simply curious to find out what was going on.

Merchants hoping to sell something to the gathered martial artists.

And even those who came just to watch. The city was literally a sea of people.

Naturally, with so many people, incidents and accidents were constant, and the martial artists of the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect were running all over the city without rest to manage the ongoing disturbances.

Two men arrived at the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect aboard a Flying Apparatus.

They, too, had just helped resolve some of the commotion occurring in the city.

“If it already ended, what do we do?”

Asked one of the two, who appeared to be the younger man.

“This is a gathering of multiple sects from the Ten Sects. Do you really think it would end so easily? Whatever the matter is, it will take at least two si-jin. Maybe the talks won’t even finish today.”

After putting away their Flying Apparatus, the two men headed toward the building where the sects of the Ten Sects had assembled.

It was a rare day when major factions of the Central Heavens Martial Realm gathered in one place like this.

Not being part of the leadership, the two were not in a position to engage in discussions or socialize with other sects. However, just observing and keeping an eye on the martial artists from various sects was useful in itself, which was why they had finished their tasks quickly and returned.

‘What a pity.’

The middle-aged man who had answered earlier turned his gaze to the young man.

Seeing the young man’s performance in the city, he was once again reminded.

The young man who had Ascended not long ago was indeed talented.

Talented enough to be called a genius. Moreover, after spending several years together, he found the young man’s character to be commendable.

“Are you really going to leave? Wouldn’t you consider staying with us? I thought you and the Tai Chi Sect were a good fit.”

Though the young man had stayed with the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect after Ascending, he was not affiliated with the sect. He always said that he had someone to find and could leave at any time.

“I’m sorry. The Samcheong Tai Chi Sect is a great sect, and Senior Gi is an excellent person, but there’s someone I must find.”

“Are you sure that ‘brother’ of yours really Ascended? Isn’t there a chance he didn’t make it? Maybe he failed at the last moment, or perhaps he had lingering attachments and hasn’t Ascended yet.”

At those words, the young man laughed. In his view, there was no way his sworn brother could have failed.

“I’ve made it up here—there’s no way he couldn’t.”

“I say this every time, but I still can’t believe it. Someone stronger than you?”

Most who Ascended had spent their whole lives cultivating to reach the Central Heavens Realm, but this young man had Ascended in his forties. Such cases were rare even throughout the entire Central Heavens Martial Realm.

Moreover, Gi Hu-shin, who was closest to him in the Tai Chi Sect, knew very well—his talent was extraordinary.

‘It didn’t even take him five years to master the Void Movement Technique and reach the Transcendence.'

An unbelievable talent truly worthy of the word ‘genius.’

‘And someone even greater than that…’

Gi Hu-shin simply could not believe the skill of the one called his sworn brother.

“How strong is this person you’re looking for?”

“Hmm…”

The young man paused in thought before answering.

“To my knowledge, he’s the most talented person—whether in the Lower Realm or the Central Heavens.”

“Huh… Hearing that from you makes me want to meet him. If he came up thirty years earlier than you, he must have established himself somewhere by now.”

“Yes, he should have.”

That was his reply, but even he felt something was off.

Given that about thirty years had passed, his sworn brother’s name should already be known across the Central Heavens Martial Realm.

Perhaps he had taken the heads of some Demonic Lords, or gotten involved with major factions and caused quite a stir.

‘That shouldn’t be possible.’

Yet, strangely, there had been complete silence.

‘Maybe it’s just too vast?’

The world was enormous, incomparable to the Central Plains. Perhaps his brother’s name was already well known in another region.

“Oh.”

Interrupted by a sigh from the middle-aged man walking beside him, the young man stopped thinking about his sworn brother.

“For some reason, it seems the meeting ended earlier than expected. Most sects are already returning…”

“Huh? Huh huh?”

The young man’s voice made the older man stop mid-sentence.

He turned his head and saw the young man’s stunned expression.

The young man’s pupils trembled, his mouth hung open, repeating, “Huh? Huh?”

“You… what’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“Is this real? Really? We’re meeting like this?”

“Hey, Ha-un. What’s going on? Snap out of it.”

No matter how much he called, Jin Ha-un didn’t respond and just trembled. Before long, tears welled up in his clear eyes.

As the head of a distant man turned, and his face became fully visible, Jin Ha-un stomped the ground.

“Brother! Brother! Woo-hyun hyung-nim!”

Jin Ha-un, the direct disciple of Blue Star Sect.

Due to a time distortion, he had adapted to the Central Heavens Realm several years earlier than Jang Woo-hyun, and now, he finally encountered his sworn brother.

The bond that had started in the Central Plains continued now in the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect of the Central Heavens Realm.

The meeting of the seven sects ended quickly once Cheon Heo-jin applied a bit of pressure. Even Dang Myung, who had been provoking every sect, had no choice but to stay until the end.

After the meeting concluded.

The sects did not immediately disperse. Strangely, every sect began to hover around Jang Woo-hyun.

The first to speak to Jang Woo-hyun were Dang Myung and Cheol Geuk-jin.

“You said you had something to do?”

“Yes, there’s something I need to look for.”

“Well, it can’t be helped then. Take this for now. Let’s meet again. You’re welcome to visit White Martial Society anytime.”

What Cheol Geuk-jin handed over was a Telepathy Division device.

“Yes, it’d be even better if you visited. The others will like you too. From what I see, you’d fit right in with White Martial Society.”

Based on his skill and rate of growth alone, those in White Martial Society would surely welcome him. Moreover, he was cultivating a unique martial art derived from Yongwangrin and the Heaven-Dominating Divine Armor, known as Sacred River Flowing Armor, so rather than merely being welcomed, they might go crazy over him.

‘There’ll be no shortage of lunatics who’ll chase after him.’

“See you next time. We have to move too.”

With Dang Myung’s farewell, the two left the Tai Chi Sect.

Next to approach was Cheok Hwa-hong of the Solar Palace.

“Drop by the Solar Palace sometime. I owe you for today.”

From behind him, Yu I-geon glared with burning eyes, but Jang Woo-hyun paid him no mind.

After briefly greeting the other sects, the Solar Palace also departed.

“Master Jang, please visit Ice Palace as well. We could be of even more help than the Solar Palace.”

Seol Ha-rin, the Young Palace Master of Ice Palace, did not seem particularly interested in Jang Woo-hyun. However, she couldn’t just watch such a talented martial artist get involved with the Solar Palace, so she approached him.

She handed him a white token and then walked toward her palanquin.

“If you don’t have anywhere else to go later, stop by sometime.”

The Left Guardian of the Five Elements Cult spoke briefly while passing by.

They were aware of Jang Woo-hyun’s excellence, but since most members of the Five Elements Cult trained in Spell Techniques, there wasn’t much interest.

Except for the Beast King Sect who had been with him from the beginning, the last sect to remain was Radiant Light Sect. Antlered White Mask approached Jang Woo-hyun, gazing at him with an unsettling look.

‘What’s with him now?’

It was the look of a child who had spotted a toy they desperately wanted.

“Master Jang, if there’s ever a chance, could you visit Radiant Light Sect? No, you don’t even have to. But… if someday, truly someday, you happen to meet Miho Wang again, would you allow me to meet him as well?”

“You mean the monkey?”

Unlike the other sects, Antlered White Mask was more interested in Windstorm Great Saint than Jang Woo-hyun.

“What’s the reason?”

“Well, it’s because…”

He lowered his voice and stepped closer.

“...Are you familiar with the Oddity Contract Technique?”

A spell technique for summoning or borrowing the power of Oddities through a contract.

Most spellcasters of Thousand Demon Sect they fought in the Central Plains used this technique.

“I’m aware.”

“I can also use the Oddity Contract Technique, and if the chance arises, I want to try forming a contract with Miho Wang. He’s not one to easily agree to one.”

“Is that so?”

Jang Woo-hyun had encountered him in the Lower Realm before, and he’d always appeared promptly when called, so he didn’t quite understand.

“Yes. Beings of that power level are difficult to contract with. If it doesn’t suit their fancy, they won’t even respond to a summon. Windstorm Great Saint is especially notorious for his whimsical nature.”

Antlered White Mask rambled on, but in summary, it was just a matter of networking. The only difference was that the one he wanted to meet was not human, but a great monster from the Demonic Spirit Realm.

“Please, I sincerely ask this of you.”

Antlered White Mask bowed his head repeatedly as he made his plea. Watching someone of such a high standing in Radiant Light Sect act that way, Jang Woo-hyun was once again reminded that Windstorm Great Saint was no ordinary monster.

Antlered White Mask gave him a small green orb, about the size of a child’s fist, before departing.

Watching the Radiant Light Sect fly off on a cloud for a moment, Jang Woo-hyun turned around. There stood Maeng Ye-ju, arms crossed and leaning with a tilt.

“Well, look who’s popular. So popular. Must be nice having so many invitations. Huh? The new face of the Central Heavens Martial Realm. A hero who appeared like a comet. Heaven-Scaled Sword Hero Jang Woo-hyun. White Martial Society, Solar Palace, Ice Palace, Five Elements Cult, Radiant Light Sect—so many destinations.”

She grumbled, clearly irritated about something.

“Of course. He’s not just anyone.”

She possessed strength rivaling the heir of a major faction like the Beast King Sect, and she too was from the Lower Realm, just like the powerful members of White Martial Society.

He had caught the eye of Windstorm Great Saint in the Lower Realm, and far from being killed by that crazy monkey monster, he had fought alongside him like a comrade.

On top of that, he had ties with the Sect Leader of the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect, who could be considered the head of the Seventeen Lords.

Even one of those facts would draw attention. It was only natural that everyone would focus on him the moment he appeared.

‘Has there ever been a rookie this sensational recently?’

No, not just recently—had there ever been someone like this in the history of the Central Heavens Martial Realm? No matter how hard she thought, no name came to mind.

The martial artist Jang Woo-hyun was now firmly etched into everyone’s memory.

His alias, Heaven-Scaled Sword Hero, and the name Jang Woo-hyun would now spread rapidly.

“Wherever you go, you have to visit the Beast King Sect first! That’s a promise with me. Now, come on!”

Jang Woo-hyun responded affirmatively to Maeng Ye-ju’s remark.

“So, what now? Are you going to look for that place you mentioned before?”

“I should. I don’t know the exact location, so I’m thinking of submitting a request to Mount Cheonmok, as you suggested.”

After the fight with Sa Do-woong, Jang Woo-hyun had inquired about the Storm Archipelago, which Kim Min-soo had once mentioned.

– Storm Archipelago? Never heard of it. That’s a new one for me.

– Try asking at Mount Cheonmok. They know pretty much everything.

Mount Cheonmok was a faction located not far from the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect. Like the Hao Sect or the Beggars’ Sect of the Central Plains, it was a kind of information guild. Jang Woo-hyun planned to search for the Storm Archipelago through Mount Cheonmok.

“Good. I needed some time to prepare your gift anyway. Where will you be?”

“I’ll stay around here.”

“You still have your Telepathy Division device, right?”

“I have it, but it’s a bit damaged.”

“Damaged?”

“I had a short duel with two people from White Martial Society yesterday… I think it got a little scuffed during that.”

From beside him, Kang Yong gave him a disbelieving look before speaking.

“Are you always like this?”

“Hmm? Like what?”

“Do you really like fighting that much? It hasn’t been long since you fought Bi Ik-ryeon. And you already got into another fight the moment you returned?”

“Did it turn out that way? It was just a simple duel...”

Maeng Ye-ju narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

White Martial Society was widely considered by other sects to be obsessed with martial arts and combat. On top of that, the one he met yesterday was none other than Dang Myung, one of the most notorious lunatics among them. There was no way that fight ended “simply.”

‘Is this how he gets stronger so quickly?’

Maeng Ye-ju had always thought she was living fiercely, but compared to Jang Woo-hyun, she still had a long way to go.

“You really are…”

“Hyung-nim! Hyung-nim!”

A distant voice interrupted Maeng Ye-ju’s words.

“Woo-hyun hyung-nim!”

Before they could even identify the speaker, the man dashed toward them at incredible speed. Almost in the same breath as his shout, he appeared right beside Jang Woo-hyun.

Because the figure had approached so fast, Jang Woo-hyun instinctively struck out in reflex.

Whack!

The man was hit by the swinging arm and flung to the side.

Spinning through the air.

Only then did Jang Woo-hyun get a proper look at his face.

“Huh?”

A familiar face.

An unforgettable person.

One of the two he had grown close to after falling into this new world.

“Ha-un?”

It was Jin Ha-un, a direct disciple of Blue Star Sect and Jang Woo-hyun’s sworn younger brother, who was now being sent flying from the blow.

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