Chapter 1485: Why Are You Suddenly Here? (Part 5)

"Chung Myung..."

Baek Cheon and the other Mount Hua disciples exchanged glances.

'Caught? Sahyung?'

'What should we do then? Fight?'

'Try begging?'

'This crazy guy. If it's a rabbit, you're acknowledging it!'

'Then what should we do?'

All eyes turned to Baek Cheon.

They couldn't find a suitable response, but the confident Deputy Sect Leader Baek Cheon of Mount Hua could hopefully fine a solution...

"Cough, cough. What are you talking about? We, we're from the Southern Edge Sect?"

'We're done for.'

'We lost.'

'This guy tries this kind of thing once in a while. Look at him acting all high and mighty.'

The problem wasn't the attempt to deny. It was Baek Cheon's attempt to deny, which clearly screamed, 'I'm the culprit.'

"Hua, Mount Hua is the sect we hate the most, so please be careful with your words. Just hearing the name Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword makes my teeth grind!"

Oh, there was some sincerity in this statement. Baek Cheon did grind his teeth just hearing the name Chung Myung.

But no matter how you looked at it, the awkward act wasn't convincing.

"Sasuk, don't do unnecessary things, and instead..."

"I understand. I apologize."

"Yes. Just hit him... What?"

Jo Gol widened his eyes and quickly turned his head. His gaze landed on a smiling woman.

"It seems this heavenly maiden misunderstood. Please forgive the rudeness."

As the woman bowed deeply, the disciples of Mount Hua looked at each other in disbelief. Meanwhile, the woman raised her head again and spoke politely.

"With your generous heart, would you give me the opportunity to welcome the heroes of the Southern Edge Sect to the top floor?"

"Uh..."

"Th-thank you?"

The disciples of Mount Hua looked at each other again.

Was this really okay?

The situation, which seemed like climbing stairs to heaven just a while ago, began to look like falling into the gates of hell.

'What should we do? Sasuk!'

'I don't know!'

Amid the desperate attempts to poke Baek Cheon's side, Baek Cheon twisted his body uncontrollably.

"Will you go up?"

At the woman's urging, everyone's gaze finally turned to one place.

"Hmm."

With a stern expression, Chung Myung, who had been glaring at the woman, finally burst into laughter.

"Who's the esteemed one here doesn't matter, but they seem like an unusual person."

"I apologize once again for my rudeness. Please forgive me with a broad heart."

As the woman bowed excessively, Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

"Is the person who wants to meet us up there?"

"Yes. Master Lu wishes to meet all of you."

"Hmm."

Chung Myung grumbled as if he didn't like it.

"I don't know about skills, but they're not a polite guy. If they wanted to see us so badly, they should've come down."

The woman didn't respond to his words and just smiled.

"Amusing."

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I don't need to refuse if they're showing it for free. Right?"

"Why, why are you talking to me?"

"Well... Oh, not now. Hehe."

Chung Myung looked at Hye Yeon and smirked.

"Guide us."

"Yes. This way then."

The woman gracefully led the way, heading towards the stairs. Seeing this, Baek Cheon approached Chung Myung and whispered.

"Hey. Can we really go up? It looks like we've been caught."

"We've been caught, so we have to go. If we back out now, it'll be a real disgrace."

"But still..."

"Hush."

Chung Myung made a groaning sound.

"Whether this Master Lu is a scoundrel or not, he's not a typical person. Dealing with a woman who doesn't know martial arts, there's no other way."

From Chung Myung's perspective, dealing with Evil Sect leaders would have been easier.

It would be simpler to smash their heads one by one. In some ways, this place was more challenging than the main base of the Demonic Sect.

"Let's go up anyway. Whether a raccoon comes out, a fox, or maybe even a wolf."

"...Put the weasel in."

"Get in, damn it!"

Chung Myung pressed his index finger against Baek-Ah's head and shifted his feet.

"Seems more ordinary than I thought."

"A bit disappointing, isn't it?"

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong's faces showed a strange disappointment. The first floor was so dazzling that they had high expectations, but the view of the other floors as they climbed the stairs wasn't as fascinating.

Most of what they saw climbing the floors were narrow corridors connected to the stairs and large doors arranged on both sides of those corridors.

"Ordinary?"

"Leave it alone, Sahyung. Ignorance is bliss."

"...I guess so."

"Still, I thought Sasuk would know something."

"He's only the son of a wealthy family because the standard is not having money in the martial world."

"...Are you guys insulting me?"

Jo Gol and Tang Soso shook their heads nervously. While Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong could speak comfortably, this scene seemed terrifying from their perspective.

"That rug in front of that door... It looks like it came from the Western Regions. Even the door is made of rosewood"

"That painting hanging on that wall... It looks like a work by Kwak Hee. Putting such an expensive thing in the corridor..."

"...Outside the door is a mess, what could they be doing inside?"

"I don't want to imagine, let's stop."

"Yeah. It's good for mental health."

Jo Gol shook his head.

Items that even the merchants from the Four Seas Merchant Company, who traveled from Xinjiang to Yunnan, couldn't dare to handle, were being used as floor mats in the corridor. Even though they didn't know, the Imperial Palace would not be so ostentatious.

Looking at Jo Gol, Chung Myung asked the woman climbing the stairs ahead.

"Do many martial artists come here?"

"If you are qualified for the Pavilion of Heaven, no one will refuse you."

"So what's the answer?"

"...In truth, not many martial artists visit."

Chung Myung's eyes slightly sank. That meant most of those using this place were high-ranking officials or wealthy people. It could even be used for secret meetings or gathering information.

"They say you have to become a member to enter, but the money you spend on food and drink each day is separate, right?"

"Of course."

"I thought I was scraping together some money, but there were other people who were really making money."

"Well, it's just a small establishment."

"...What does 'small' mean?"

Chung Myung laughed as if he found it absurd. When the woman glanced at him with a slight smile, she urged her steps.

"Hmm."

Even heading upstairs, there was no significant change. The only difference was that the gap between the doors along the corridor became wider.

That meant as you went up, the size of each room increased significantly.

"If you're operating so secretly, wouldn't it be better to put doors on the stairs? If each floor is not much different, people wouldn't be willing to pay more money to go up higher, right?"

"...Well."

The woman hesitated, seeming to find it difficult to answer on her own.

At that moment, when Chung Myung was about to snicker, the woman's response came back in a slightly softer voice than before.

"Isn't that why you covet it?"

"…Huh?"

"It doesn't look particularly different or impressive... but it's something unattainable. People usually tend to feel desire for such things."

"…"

The woman turned her head slightly to glance at Chung Myung and shook her head briefly.

"This guest seems unusual. I have never expressed my thoughts to those who visit the establishment."

"Oh? In that case, how about switching jobs? We are also looking for someone to work in the guest rooms."

"...You are truly in a difficult position."

The woman's steps quickened slightly. And before taking a few more steps, they caught sight of the top floor of the tower.

"..."

Sometimes, rather than something flashy, symbolic things can capture people's attention.

What they saw as they reached the seventh floor was not much different from before. A long corridor extending through the center of the tower and walls on both sides. The only difference was... there were only three doors visible in the corridor on the seventh floor.

One on the left, one on the right, and...

'In the center.'

At the end of the corridor they were looking at, a door painted in a different color stood out. A door not adorned with extravagance but made for practicality. It clearly contrasted with the doors they had seen so far, evoking a sense of unfamiliarity.

"That's where Master Lu is."

"Hmm."

The disciples of Mount Hua swallowed their dry saliva as they stared at the door. The tension that had slightly eased while climbing the stairs was rising again.

'Strange.'

Baek Cheon turned his head to glance at his fellow disciples.

He hadn't felt the presence of any martial artists coming this far. It meant there were no threatening factors for them here. However, his martial siblings were visibly tense, as if they were facing a battlefield.

"I will take you there."

"Please."

As they passed through the corridor with a red carpet, the woman who arrived in front of the door bowed politely.

"Master Lu, I have brought the guests."

A short silence settled in the corridor. When Chung Myung, who didn't like the atmosphere, was about to say something.

"Bring them in."

"Yes, Master Lu."

As the woman cautiously opened the door, the faces of Jo Gol and Tang Soso instantly tensed.

However, what they saw when the door opened was an ordinary office, nothing particularly remarkable.

"Huh?"

"...What's this?" Perplexed voices escaped from Tang Soso and Jo Gol. It wasn't exactly shabby. It was well-furnished with decent furniture and items. However, compared to here, the Tang Family's main residence seemed much more splendid.

"This way."

Before their thoughts could be organized, a short voice was heard. The gaze of those who had entered the office turned towards the direction of the voice.

A bookshelf standing against one wall. A middle-aged man in luxurious but plain silk clothing, devoid of decorations, pulled a book from the shelf and slowly turned to look at them. Although he lacked a distinct impression, the man, who wore a nonchalant expression, walked towards them.

"Pleased to meet you. I am the head of the Pavilion of Heaven, Master Lu."

'...Is this the person?'

Just as Chung Myung and the others were about to frown.

"So, for what purpose have the renowned Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword and Deputy Sect Leader come to see me for?"

Paduk.

A small bird with golden feathers flew in through the wide-open window of the office and perched lightly on the man's shoulder.

"Ki!"

Baek Ah popped out from Chung Myung's clothes, exposing his teeth toward the Millenium Golden Pigeon.

Looking intently at the scene, Chung Myung's gaze shifted back to the man.

"Ah."

The corners of Chung Myung's mouth curled up eerily.

"I think I've come to the right place."

The eyes of Master Lu and Chung Myung sharply intertwined.