Chapter 48: Even If Things Go Wrong, Don’t Blame Me (Part 3)

"So, here you are."

Unam approached Chung Myung with a slightly hurried expression.

"Greetings, Master Unam."

"Greetings, Master Unam."

Jo Gul and Chung Myung quickly bowed their heads.

"Hmm."

Unam nodded lightly, acknowledging their greetings, and then fixed his gaze on Chung Myung.

"Chung Myung."

"Yes, Master Unam."

"It seems you'll have to make a trip to the main mountain."

"...Huh?"

The main mountain?

Mount Hua?

Chung Myung's face twitched.

'Wait, is going to Mount Hua something you just casually mention like it's an errand?'

It's a mountain so treacherous that even birds fall to their deaths trying to fly over it. And he's talking about it like it's a quick trip to the market? Where's his conscience?

"The main mountain?"

"Yes."

Chung Myung turned his head to glance at Jo Gul, who promptly avoided his gaze.

"But... there are plenty of strong and capable senior disciples. Why me...?"

"Aren't you the youngest?"

"The youngest means my legs are thin, and my lightness skills are weak."

"And you do the least work."

"..."

Ah.

The front yard cleaning duty he took on to avoid work had come back to bite him like a venomous snake. As they say, life is full of ups and downs.

"Ugh."

Chung Myung let out a deep sigh.

Now he's even running errands for the kids. How did Chung Myung of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect end up like this?

"So, what exactly is this errand about?"

"It's just delivering a letter to the Sect Leader or the Jade Pavilion."

"A letter?"

What kind of letter?

He wanted to ask more, but it wouldn't be proper to question Master Unam in detail. It hurt his pride to have to be so polite to a junior, but what could he do? The situation demanded it.

"Yes, Master Unam. I'll go."

"Good. Normally, I'd wait for someone returning to the mountain to deliver it, but this is quite urgent, so it's difficult to handle it that way. I hope you understand."

Sigh.

Such a good personality.

If it were Chung Myung, he would've smacked the third disciple the moment he started whining.

Unam took out a letter from his robe and handed it to Chung Myung.

"Here it is."

"Yes."

Unam kindly explained what the letter was about, just in case Chung Myung was curious.

"It's a letter from the Silver River Merchant Group, so treat it with care."

"Huh? The Silver River Merchant Group?"

Jo Gul muttered softly.

"That's Merchant Hwang's company."

"Eh?"

Chung Myung stared intently at the letter. Unam, not noticing anything unusual in Chung Myung's gaze, continued his explanation.

"It's an urgent message sent to the Sect Leader. I happened to be in Hwaeum and was able to receive it midway. If the usual delivery people were to take it up the mountain, it would take two days. So, you'll need to go quickly and deliver it to the Sect Leader."

"Yes. Understood."

"It's urgent, so don't delay and set off immediately."

"Yes!"

Chung Myung tucked the letter into his robe and dashed toward Mount Hua. Jo Gul, who had been watching Chung Myung, instinctively reached out.

"Hey... hey!"

Then, with a worried expression, he muttered to himself.

"We shouldn't have sent him with that..."

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"Ah, it's nothing, Master Unam."

Jo Gul quickly brushed it off. But his eyes didn't leave Chung Myung's retreating figure.

'Something feels off.'

Sadly, his premonition wasn't wrong.

"Hmm."

Chung Myung, who had climbed halfway up Mount Hua, took out the letter from his robe.

"Huuuuh."

So, this is a letter from Merchant Hwang of the Silver River Merchant Group, huh?

Wait. Merchant Hwang is said to be in critical condition, so it must've been sent by his subordinates.

"Ha... seriously."

Chung Myung sighed regretfully.

"It's not proper for a righteous person to open someone else's letter, but isn't it also fate that this letter ended up in my hands? Everything is governed by fate. Isn't it natural for me to feel the urge to open this letter that's now in my possession? Right, Senior Brother?"

– Stop talking nonsense, you tiger-nosed brat!

"...Anyway, Senior Brother and I don't get along."

It's been like that since forever.

But that doesn't mean there's no reason to open it.

From what I've heard, if things continue like this, the business will fall into chaos, and if Merchant Hwang steps in, things might get easier. But in this situation, an urgent message from the Silver River Merchant Group arrives?

That means something has happened to Merchant Hwang.

If I didn't know, I wouldn't care, but now that I do, how can I not check? It's not like anyone else would make the same choice... but still, they'd probably be curious too.

Chung Myung carefully examined the letter. The words "To the Sect Leader of Mount Hua" written on the front caught his eye.

So, it's saying not to open it unless you're the Sect Leader, huh?

"It's fine. It's fine. Honestly, if you guys had me and the Sect Leader, you'd have sent the news to me first. You wouldn't have sent it to the Sect Leader."

If others heard this, they'd be foaming at the mouth, but fortunately (or unfortunately), there was no one around Chung Myung right now.

"Let's see."

The letter was sealed tightly with wax. No matter how you opened it, there would be traces.

That is, if you used ordinary methods.

But for Chung Myung, it wasn't particularly difficult.

"You sealed it well."

Sssk.

The energy emanating from Chung Myung's fingertips cleanly sliced through the boundary between the paper and the wax. What remained was a perfectly intact envelope, as if it had never been sealed.

Chung Myung opened the envelope, took out the letter, and began reading without hesitation.

"Now, let's see..."

Chung Myung crossed his legs and started reading the letter.

His face twisted in an instant.

He almost crumpled the letter but managed to fold it neatly and tuck it back into the envelope.

Then, he let out a deep breath.

"Huuuuuuk!"

After several deep breaths, he finally calmed down, but Chung Myung's body still trembled slightly.

"This... this is the Devil's Flower, isn't it?"

The Devil's Flower.

The flower of demons.

Chung Myung gritted his teeth.

"There's no way ordinary doctors can treat this!"

Because it's a symptom caused by martial arts.

Outwardly, it appears as if the person is suffering from severe poisoning. That's why the treatment methods would naturally focus on that.

But the Devil's Flower is a symptom that appears when one is struck by a specific demonic martial art.

The reason Chung Myung couldn't calm down was simple.

'Those demonic bastards!'

The demonic sect, which he thought had been nearly eradicated, was causing trouble right in the heart of the Central Plains.

'No, no!'

Chung Myung slapped his cheeks with both hands, producing a sharp sound.

"I only killed the Heavenly Demon. I didn't kill all the demonic sect members."

It's only natural that remnants of the demonic sect would remain in this era.

Didn't they say that even after killing the Heavenly Demon, some of them fled all the way to Mount Hua?

Some must have survived there, and others must have remained in the Ten Thousand Mountains, so it's only natural that their legacy continues.

The problem is that they're not just surviving but also scheming something in the Central Plains.

Chung Myung's eyes burned with fury.

"Wait, do these bastards have some grudge against Mount Hua?"

Why do they keep causing trouble for Mount Hua?

There are so many people in the Central Plains. Why did they have to target Merchant Hwang and create this mess?

"Ugh, my head hurts!"

Chung Myung let out a deep sigh.

'This isn't good.'

It seems like I'll have to go see for myself.

Based on the contents of the letter alone, I can't be certain it's the Devil's Flower. I need to see it with my own eyes first.

And besides...

"Compensation! A massive reward!"

The last line of the letter completely changed Chung Myung's expression.

According to Jo Gul, this Silver River Merchant Group is a wealthy merchant group. If they're promising a "massive reward," just how much are they offering?

"I can't miss this!"

Chung Myung's heart raced.

Nearly a hundred years have passed, so there aren't many who know about the Devil's Flower.

If the Central Plains and the demonic sect haven't been at war for a hundred years, there's no way anyone would recognize the symptoms of a specific demonic martial art.

And those who could recognize such symptoms all died at the hands of the Heavenly Demon and the demonic sect on the peak of the Ten Thousand Mountains that day.

But you never know.

'There might be someone who survived from a hundred years ago and knows about the Devil's Flower.'

And if they're still alive, they'd probably be high-ranking members of their sects. They might be too old to be sect leaders, but if one of the sect leaders who received this letter shows it to them to get information...

"That'd be a disaster! No! I can't let that happen!"

Flames seemed to shoot from Chung Myung's eyes.

How dare some arrogant fool try to take my prey... no, my patient? This is about money... no, righteousness! I must be the one to solve this!

Yes, absolutely!

"I'm busy!"

Chung Myung grabbed the letter and pressed his hand against the seal. Using a bit of Samadhi True Fire, he melted the wax and resealed it. Then, he immediately began running toward the peak of Mount Hua at an incredible speed.

"First, I'll deliver it!"

That way, even if the situation is resolved, they'll know what's going on.

"But I'm definitely taking this for myself!"

Just you wait.

To the Sect Leader of Mount Hua, Hyun Jong:

Sect Leader, the long winter has passed, and spring has arrived with new buds sprouting. By the time this letter reaches you, the plum blossoms on Mount Hua where you reside will be in full bloom.

The scenery of Mount Hua, which I visited with my father in the past, comes to mind. My heart is full of the desire to visit again, but it's a pity that circumstances don't permit it.

I am deeply ashamed to send you a letter like this after such a long time, but I must contact you because my father's condition is worsening day by day.

As you know, my father has been in poor health since last year and has been bedridden. Considering his age, this is to be expected, but recently, instead of the usual symptoms of old age, strange new symptoms have appeared.

My father is currently almost unconscious and unable to move. His body has turned red, a black aura swirls around his forehead, and his meridians are running wild.

We at the Silver River Merchant Group have invited renowned doctors from the Central Plains to examine my father's condition, but none have been able to provide a proper diagnosis.

In desperation, we are sending letters to those we have connections with, hoping to find even a clue about his illness. If you, Sect Leader, know anything about my father's symptoms, please contact us in any way you can.

We promise a massive reward to anyone who can provide information that might improve my father's condition.

We await your favorable reply.

Respectfully,

Hwang Jong-ui, Vice Leader of the Silver River Merchant Group.