“Indeed, it’s that young pup from back then.”
Recognizing Bu Eunseol at a glance, Gu Hongcheong’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“Where is the Green Gourd?” Bu Eunseol calmly pointed to his waist.
There, a jade-colored gourd hung—the sacred relic of the Beggar Sect, the Green Gourd.
“Why did you summon this elder here?”
“I suspect you know better than I do.” Gu Hongcheong laughed skyward, incredulous.
“Hahaha! Such incredible confidence!” His laughter abruptly stopped, his expression turning menacing. “In all my years, I’ve never seen someone as brazen as you.”
“…”
“As a candidate for Majeon’s successor, you must have some skill. Perhaps even enough to cross blades with this elder.” Muttering to himself, he fixed his gaze on Bu Eunseol with a sneer. “But you don’t know my nature at all.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I gain by defeating a small fry like you?” Gu Hongcheong scoffed, sighing. “Just the infamy of killing an immature brat.”
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly. “So that’s why you brought a horde of beggars?”
“Heh heh, you already knew?” Gu Hongcheong raised his hand, and Beggar Sect disciples in tattered clothes slowly emerged around Ascension Platform.
He had instructed Mu Hong to deliver the Beggar King Token to Elder Jin Yakmun, who led the Eight Paths, ordering them to secretly mobilize all disciples to surround the platform.
“If you had challenged me honorably, one-on-one, you might have had a chance.” Gu Hongcheong’s eyes blazed like the sun. “But you stole our sect’s sacred relic.”
“…”
“Did you think you could face me one-on-one after such a deed?” Taking a deep breath, he continued in a low voice. “The Green Gourd, carried by our founder, is our sect’s greatest treasure. Those who steal it can be attacked by all our disciples.”
The Beggar Sect had a rule allowing the mobilization of multiple disciples against relic thieves, giving Gu Hongcheong the justification to attack Bu Eunseol with his followers.
“With such a rule, even if I brought ten thousand disciples instead of a thousand, no one could point fingers at me.” Gu Hongcheong bared his yellowed teeth in a grin. “You miscalculated.”
“You’re saying you’re too scared to fight me one-on-one.”
“Heh, taunts won’t work.” Gu Hongcheong sneered. “You’re just a Demon Sect successor candidate, while I’m destined to lead all our disciples as sect leader. Why would I fight a young demonic upstart one-on-one?”
As a successor candidate, Bu Eunseol’s skill was far from ordinary. Like seasoned ginger, Gu Hongcheong was eliminating even the slightest risk.
‘With the Green Gourd, I’ll become sect leader. No need to take risks fighting a mere demonic grunt.’ Once he secured the gourd, he would lead countless disciples. There was no need to engage Bu Eunseol in a dangerous fight.
“Disciples of this sect, listen!” Gu Hongcheong commanded solemnly. “Subdue this thief who stole our sacred relic at once!”
Thud!
The Beggar Sect disciples filling Ascension Platform struck their staffs on the ground and slowly advanced toward Bu Eunseol.
Step, step.
They approached slowly, but the thousand-strong force, moving in formation, exuded a pressure like a mountain bearing down.
“You’re really avoiding a fight?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“Think what you want.”
“Afraid of losing, I see.” Bu Eunseol smiled coldly, sighing as he gazed at the sky. “At your age, chasing power and greed, when would you have time to master supreme martial arts?” A flash of light passed through Gu Hongcheong’s eyes. Bu Eunseol’s sharp words pierced his core.
“You think I’m just a power-hungry old man?” Gu Hongcheong’s expression grew stern. “This sect was once called the greatest in the world. But over time, its influence waned, and its structure became chaotic.”
He spoke with bitterness. “My junior, Yeon Wiseong, was inferior in martial arts and wit, yet he became leader because of the former leader’s choice! As a result, the sect declined steadily!” Biting his lip, he continued, “And Nobong, the next leader, lacked ambition, merely selling information to other sects to barely maintain our influence.”
Recalling painful years, he breathed heavily. “If I had become leader long ago and managed sect affairs, we would have surpassed Shaolin as the world’s greatest sect.”
In truth, Gu Hongcheong loved the Beggar Sect more than anyone and wanted it to be a dominant force. But despite its vast numbers, its practice of selling information to survive disgusted him.
“You’re too old to understand how a sect operates,” Bu Eunseol said.
“What?”
“With countless disciples, you don’t see why the Beggar Sect has endured.” Bu Eunseol snorted. “Any place with many people is bound to rot.”
His cold gaze met Gu Hongcheong’s. “Instead of building power, the Beggar Sect survives by coexisting with the underbelly and trading information.” Gu Hongcheong’s expression stiffened. Bu Eunseol’s words echoed those of the former leader, Sangguan Un, from his youth.
“Hmph, what do you know about our sect?” he said, shaking off the thought. “No more talk.”
Step, step.
The disciples were now ten paces from Bu Eunseol.
Gu Hongcheong shouted again, “Subdue him and reclaim the Green Gourd!” No matter how skilled Bu Eunseol was, he couldn’t defeat a thousand disciples. If Gu Hongcheong joined covertly, only death awaited him.
Rumble.
Then, something strange happened. Disciples at the rear suddenly rushed forward, not to attack Bu Eunseol but to stand protectively around him.
“What?” Gu Hongcheong rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Why would Beggar Sect disciples side with a demonic figure?
Step.
The ranks parted, and a beggar with a tattered cloth over his head walked forward, holding a staff.
Swish.
Removing the cloth, a middle-aged man with a refined face appeared in the sunlight—Haepung, the current deputy leader.
“Haepung, you…” Gu Hongcheong said, eyes wide. “How are you here?”
“…”
“Are you siding with this demonic fiend?”
“Supreme Elder,” Haepung said, sighing deeply. “He holds the Green Gourd, the relic we’ve sought for so long.”
“So? I’ve activated the Beggar King Token to surround him.”
“He said he’ll destroy the Green Gourd if we use force.” Gu Hongcheong flinched, realizing Bu Eunseol had secretly contacted Haepung before coming to Ascension Platform.
“You’re colluding with him?”
“Not collusion. He came to our sect recently, offering to give us the Green Gourd intact if we let him face you alone.”
“And you’d betray me for his words?”
“Supreme Elder, you wouldn’t lose to him. Why fear a duel?”
Gu Hongcheong suppressed his rising anger and laughed. “Fear? Hahaha!” He realized Bu Eunseol had already negotiated with Haepung using the Green Gourd and infiltrated his mobilized disciples to reach the platform covertly.
“If we overwhelm him with numbers, he’ll destroy the gourd and flee.”
“…”
“But if you face him alone, we can safely recover the relic we’ve long sought.”
“Haepung!” Gu Hongcheong roared in fury. “You’re using the Green Gourd as an excuse to protect this demonic fiend and betray the sect!”
“Supreme Elder,” Haepung said, his expression pained. “Your role is to guide us when we stray, not to control the sect’s forces.” Sighing deeply, he continued, “Why create a nonexistent Beggar King Token, meddle in sect affairs, and try to lead us?”
“You don’t listen!” Gu Hongcheong shouted. “The sect must grow stronger! But you cling to a beggar’s duty, content with stagnation!”
“Since ancient times, our sect has mingled with the masses, sharing martial world information,” Haepung said earnestly. “If we suddenly pursue dominance, how are we different from demonic sects?”
“What? Demonic?” Gu Hongcheong roared.
“Supreme Elder!” Haepung shouted back, heated. “Your role is to advise, not to directly manage our intelligence network and part of the Eight Paths!”
Silence fell over Ascension Platform.
Regaining composure, Gu Hongcheong asked calmly, “So, what will you do?”
“With Leader Nobong ill, refusing to pass on the Dog-Beating Formation Staff or name a successor,” Haepung said firmly, “now that we have the Green Gourd, equal to the staff, we’ll elect a new leader.”
“Hah, so that’s your plan,” Gu Hongcheong said with a hollow smile, realizing this was Bu Eunseol’s trap, an irreversible situation.
“So I can never be leader.” Even if revived, Bu Eunseol wouldn’t give him the Green Gourd. His plan to become leader with a superior relic was ruined.
“All a fleeting dream.” Despite his struggles to strengthen the Beggar Sect, the era rejected him.
Haepung, now with the Green Gourd, would become the next leader.
“We kept our promise,” Haepung said to Bu Eunseol. “Now keep yours.”
If Gu Hongcheong and Bu Eunseol fought, the gourd at his waist could be destroyed. Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol tossed the Green Gourd to Haepung.
Catch.
Haepung caught it, smiling faintly. “Weren’t you afraid I’d betray you? I could take it and attack you.”
“You’re not fit to be leader either,” Bu Eunseol said.
“What?”
“If the Beggar Sect has fallen so low, that’s welcome.” His gaze was unwavering. “If you’d break a promise over a relic, the Beggar Sect would soon be a second-rate faction, not even among the Nine Great Sects.” Haepung’s face reddened, realizing his mistake. His words had tarnished the sect’s honor, which valued trust and righteousness.
“My apologies for the slip,” Haepung said, clasping his hands earnestly. “Even a demonic figure trusts our reputation, yet I spoke in jest.”
Stepping back, he declared, “As promised, the sect won’t interfere in this duel.” Holding the Green Gourd, he shouted, “Disciples, withdraw ten li!”
Bu Eunseol and Gu Hongcheong were about to duel. If disciples surrounded them, it would distract Bu Eunseol and drain his focus, or someone might interfere at a critical moment. Bu Eunseol had demanded this fair duel from Haepung.
“I’ll return at sunset,” Haepung said.
Bu Eunseol nodded slightly, stepping toward Gu Hongcheong.
“Let’s begin.” But Gu Hongcheong’s gaze was fixed on the Green Gourd in Haepung’s hand, not Bu Eunseol. His eyes swirled with anger and resignation.
Decades of planning had crumbled before him, creating a subtle crack in his spirit.
‘Even giving the Green Gourd to Haepung here was intentional!’ A distracted spirit before battle was like fighting with iron balls chained to one’s feet. Gu Hongcheong realized Bu Eunseol deliberately showed him handing over the gourd to Haepung, striking a massive blow to his spirit.
“Fine, I’ll face you,” he said, swallowing his rage.
His spirit’s state didn’t matter. He’d just kill him. As he strode forward, waves of energy surged skyward. Even as the lowest of the Four Gods and Seven Kings, Geul Wang’s presence was immense.
‘This strong?’ Bu Eunseol clenched his fist, staring at Gu Hongcheong’s tangible energy.
The battle with Geul Wang had finally begun.
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