"Famous in our sect..."
Although Xianqing kept chattering away beside him, not a single word reached Tianhui's ears.
Reincarnated as a disciple of the Huashan Sect?
He still couldn't be sure if it was real, but he was at least somewhat accepting it.
Since reincarnation aligned with the concept of eternal immortality.
But this was not it.
'What? Three hundred years later?'
He frowned involuntarily.
He had thought that up until now, the only thing that had changed was his own condition.
But suddenly, three hundred years later?
'If they were going to reincarnate me, they should have just done it right away? What kind of nonsense is this?'
Three hundred years was by no means a short time.
Since ancient times, it was said that mountains and rivers change in ten years. Yet three hundred years meant the landscape would have changed thirty times over.
It was then.
A heavy weight landed on his shoulder, and a low voice reached him.
"...Are you alright?"
The question piercing his ears brought him back to his senses.
Looking right in front, Xianqing was shaking his shoulder with sorrowful eyes.
Seeing him, he completely snapped out of it.
Erasing the thoughts clouding his mind, he moved his reluctant lips.
"I am fine."
Xianqing released the hand gripping his shoulder.
"Then... that's a relief."
Contrary to his words, Xianqing's face looking at Tianhui was full of worry.
However, Tianhui couldn't afford to pay attention to that.
Instead, staring at Xianqing, he moved his mouth to ask.
"By any chance, is there a book recording the history of the Murim in Wanjing Ge?"
"...The history of the Murim?"
At the sudden question, Xianqing wore an expression of utter confusion.
But soon, he shook his head and opened his mouth.
"We did not separately record the history of the Murim."
Tianhui's face stiffened. But that was only for a moment as Xianqing added.
"Instead, there is the Huashan Shilu that separately records our sect's history."
Tianhui's eyes narrowed.
That was enough.
Finishing his thought in the blink of an eye, Tianhui looked up at Xianqing and asked.
"Do you know where this Huashan Shilu is?"
"It will be in the west corner of this floor."
"Thank you."
Tianhui bowed hastily and strode past Xianqing down the stairs.
Perhaps because his mind had become urgent.
Tap, tap—
As soon as he arrived on the second floor, he moved west without even having time to look around carefully.
While quickly scanning the bookshelves afterwards.
'Found it!'
Surprisingly, he found it easily.
His eyes sparkled as he stared at the bookshelf packed with the Huashan Shilu. Even at a glance, there were neatly arranged books easily exceeding several dozen volumes.
'The one closest to recent times here is...'
His gaze stopped on the right side of the bookshelf.
Is that it?
On the right side of the bookshelf, he immediately picked up the pristine and clean Huashan Shilu, which was expected to be the most recently written.
Like that, he read the book for a while.
Thud.
A quarter of an hour later, he closed the book.
"Haa..."
A sigh leaked from between his lips.
Then, scratching the back of his head with a complicated expression, he spat out a curse.
"Damn it, three hundred years really did pass."
* * *
The next day.
Xianren Peak of Huashan.
It was so high that the white clouds, which should have been up in the sky, were precariously draped over the top of the peak.
And within the billowing clouds.
Hwiiiing—
There was a pavilion open on all sides.
Yunzhong Lou, where the Huashan Sect's grand council was held, held many people.
"Everyone is gathered."
Hearing the words of Xianri, the eldest senior brother of the Xian generation who had arrived first, the Sect Leader scanned the people sitting around.
Six people sat at a round table.
Most of the Taoists of the Xian generation who were supporting the current Huashan Sect were gathered.
There were only three who were not gathered here now.
Xianzhen, who went to the Murim Alliance a year ago leading the promising Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Xianqing who stayed in Wanjing Ge, and Xiandao who was devoted to training.
"What about Senior Brother Xianqing..."
"Hehe, our junior brother is the same as always today."
When Xianri stroked his beard and laughed as if feeling awkward, a few whispered afterwards.
"It would have been nice if he spared even a little time, it's a shame."
Xianzhen who went to the Murim Alliance couldn't help it, but it was regrettable that the two of them were absent.
At least Xiandao attended a few times.
But Xianqing did not.
They expressed their regret regarding Xianqing, who hadn't attended a single grand council even while staying in the Huashan Sect.
"He should come out occasionally."
"I'm worried he might collapse."
It had already been eight years since he holed up in Wanjing Ge.
Since the shock of his youngest junior brother's death, he hadn't taken a single step out.
Just as the atmosphere was drooping.
"Then, let us begin the grand council."
The Sect Leader changed the mood.
"As everyone knows, in two months, the Wuyue Zhihui will be held at our sect."
Everyone's faces stiffened slightly.
The reason the grand council had been held several times recently at Yunzhong Lou was because of that.
Xiyue Huashan Sect.
Dongyue Taishan Sect.
Nanyue Hengshan Sect.
Beiyue Hengshan Sect.
Zhongyue Songshan Sect.
These five sects, called the Wuyue Jianpai since ancient times, gathered at each of their sects every four years for exchange and to spar with their martial arts.
That was the Wuyue Zhihui, a grand gathering boasting a long tradition and history, with this being the fifty-sixth time.
"Junior Sister. Have all the preparations been completed?"
Everyone's gaze focused on Xianli.
As the master of Cailing Ge, which managed the finances of the Huashan Sect, she was the one responsible for all situations of this Wuyue Zhihui.
"As I mentioned at the previous meeting, we rebuilt the shabby Meixiang Guan, and made it so that all who will visit soon can stay."
At her words, everyone's eyes widened.
"Oh my, already?"
"It's faster than expected."
Xianyang, the Wulian Gezhu, who was quietly listening to those words, carefully asked.
"Didn't you say it would take more time?"
"It would have taken more time originally, but fortunately, a few days ago, Feifeng Shangtuan readily offered help."
"Why would the place currently making a name for itself as the number one merchant group in Shaanxi..."
"It's Jijian's family."
As if he had been waiting, the Sect Leader added, and at that moment, everyone nodded up and down with expressions of understanding as to why that situation had occurred.
Jijian was a disciple who stood out among the second-generation disciples, and he was attending the Wuyue Zhihui.
"...Like this, all the preparations mentioned at the previous meeting have been completed."
A moment later, her words concluded.
"Good."
The Sect Leader laughed with satisfaction.
"Xianyang."
At the call, the Wulian Gezhu bowed his head.
"Did you call me?"
"Have you decided on the disciples who will attend the Wuyue Zhihui?"
"I have decided on all of them."
He raised his head as he answered.
"I have in mind Jijian, whom I mentioned last time, along with Jiyun, Chizai, and lastly, Xuelan."
"Good."
The Sect Leader smiled at the preparations for the Wuyue Zhihui, which were going more smoothly than expected. But only for a moment; after hardening his face, he asked Xianri, who was watching quietly from the side.
"How is the surrounding situation?"
Xianri, the Fei Gezhu who handled the information of the world, answered as if he had been waiting.
"It's the same as usual."
If it was the same as usual, it was no different from a good thing in the current situation, but the Fei Gezhu made an expression of dissatisfaction and added.
"To the point where even the Zhongnan Sect, which would have jumped wildly the moment the Wuyue Zhihui was held at our sect in the past, is showing no reaction at all."
"...Is that so?"
The Sect Leader's voice sank.
Everyone was surprised that his voice, which had always been benevolent and warm, had sunk.
Then, one by one, perhaps understanding the underlying meaning of the Fei Gezhu's words like the Sect Leader, their faces turned cold and stiffened.
The first to react was the Wulian Gezhu. Trembling with a sense of humiliation, he raised his eyebrows and whispered.
"It's an act of ignoring our sect."
It was a tightly suppressed voice, but the anger contained within was felt by everyone.
"Hehe..."
When the Fei Gezhu smiled bitterly as he watched the Wulian Gezhu suppressing his anger.
"What about Bawang Men?"
The Sect Leader hastily changed the subject.
"They are also quiet."
"Do you think there won't be any interference?"
"Would they fight a pointless battle?"
At the Fei Gezhu's answer, the Sect Leader fell into thought. He didn't know about other sects, but he couldn't help but be mindful of Bawang Men.
They had been wielding their might recently in Shaanxi Province if you excluded the Huashan Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, and Baigui Cheng, and they were a sect belonging to the hostile Sihei Lian.
"Please keep your guard up anyway."
"Don't worry about that."
The Fei Gezhu nodded.
"Then, regarding the second-generation disciples..."
With that, the meeting continued.
After about two hours passed like that, the sun that was above Xianren Peak was slowly setting, and the evening glow shone.
"I will conclude this meeting."
At the Sect Leader's words, everyone stood up.
"Then I will be going."
"I will be leaving now."
After bowing to the Sect Leader, they left Yunzhong Lou one by one and scattered.
When Xianli was about to go down after bowing last, the Sect Leader called her.
"Junior Sister."
"Is there another problem? Senior Brother."
Perhaps because the grand council was over, Xianli's tone and voice were considerably more relaxed.
"Hehehe, I know you're busy, but I'll give you another task. I wanted to know how Tianhui has been doing lately."
Xianli smiled softly.
"If it's Tianhui, he has been going to Wanjing Ge every day recently."
"Wanjing Ge... you say?"
The Sect Leader's eyes widened.
The Tianhui he had known since old times was a boy who had absolutely no interest in martial arts.
But Wanjing Ge?
The Sect Leader, who had been lost in thought for a moment, spoke with an expression of sudden realization.
"Now that his body has healed, he's gained interest in martial arts. Hehehe. We should at least let him learn our sect's martial arts..."
"No!"
Xianli rejected his proposal.
"Still, if he shows interest in martial arts, isn't it right to let him learn..."
"Senior Brother! Are you in your right mind? Tianhui is a child who was hovering between life and death just a few days ago, and you want to let him learn martial arts!"
The Sect Leader flinched at Xianli's sharp and piercing voice.
Xianli, who already cherished and cared for Tianhui, had become even more overprotective since he collapsed severely once.
"And Tianhui is already fourteen years old. If he tries to learn now, it will only hurt him instead."
It was a late age to begin learning martial arts.
On top of that, until a few days ago, he was wandering the brink of death. And if he lacks talent on top of that...
His future would be nothing but a thorny path.
That was why Xianli desperately tried to stop him from learning martial arts.
Out of her desire for Tianhui's life not to be arduous.
"Junior Sister."
The Sect Leader called her in a calm voice.
Seeing Xianli's contorted expression, he whispered low.
"As you said, Junior Sister, Tianhui is already fourteen. But until when are we going to decide that child's future? Don't tell me you want to make him a child who can't stand on his own without depending on you?"
"That's..."
Xianli's mouth closed.
She knew it too.
That blindly blocking him was not the best policy, but since Tianhui collapsed recently, she had been feeling anxious.
Afraid that Tianhui might collapse again.
The Sect Leader looked at Xianli, whose face was contorted, and opened his mouth.
"So, try asking Tianhui once. If he says he wants to learn martial arts, we can teach him, and if he says he doesn't want to learn, we can just leave him be."
The Sect Leader, who was speaking, smiled gently.
"Isn't that exactly what we must do for Tianhui's sake?"
* * *
"It's been a while, Senior Brother."
Seeing Xianli greeting him as soon as she entered Wanjing Ge, Xianqing put down the martial arts manual in his hand for a moment and raised his head.
"It's been a while."
"Where is Tianhui..."
"He will be on the third floor."
Xianli smiled as she looked at Xianqing, who answered a beat faster than she could even ask.
"Thank you."
She turned her body towards the stairs placed to the side and said softly.
"While you're at it, please show your face occasionally. The senior brothers are worried."
"...I still have things I must do."
Hearing the exact same answer without a single syllable different no matter how many times she asked, Xianli stared at him with a wistful expression before going up the stairs.
Swish— Swish—
'The sound of cutting the wind...? Tianhui should be the only one in Wanjing Ge right now?'
As if drawn by a sound that shouldn't be heard in Wanjing Ge, her footsteps gradually quickened.
Eventually, the moment she reached the end.
"...!"
Her mouth dropped wide open.
There was Tianhui.
In his left hand was a martial arts manual.
And with his right hand, he was executing a peerless technique she knew.
'T-That is Lanhua Daoxue Shou?'
She was terrified.
What was the Lanhua Daoxue Shou?
It was a technique with destructive power that ranked at the top among all the martial arts existing in the Huashan Sect, but it was a technique whose incantations written in the middle were lost a long time ago.
'When it was found, many of the incantations were lost, so how the original Lanhua Daoxue Shou was executed was only passed down orally...'
Xianli's pupils shook greatly.
But what was going on right now?
Tianhui was demonstrating the Lanhua Daoxue Shou.
Exactly as it was passed down only orally.