Book 13 Chapter 11

Grand Welcoming Ceremony

When they passed through the three gates and finally reached the summit of the volcano, the emotion that dominated their hearts was not victory, but an overwhelming sense of defeat and despair.

Though they had always been confident in their martial arts, they now knew that even with the assistance of those possessing such immense power that they could treat them like mere pebbles, they had not only failed to win but had suffered a unilateral and agonizing defeat, etching that humiliation into their hearts as a lifelong scar.

"Is this the kind of monster we have to prepare for?"

Despite bodies hardened by the cold, their shoulders shivered uncontrollably.

They resented the people who had shown them such a dreadful thing.

"Is that even human? Aren't they exaggerating?"

Hyun Woon said, looking at his friend Namgung Sang. Usually cheerful, his complexion was far from good. And it wasn't just him. Almost everyone walking with them now, including Jin Ryung, looked pale. A somber atmosphere enveloped the entire group.

"Probably not… unfortunately!"

Namgung Sang shook his head. Hidden stories, concealed truths! Of course, he himself wanted to deny what he had experienced and heard today. However, given all the circumstances, the possibility was very slim.

"At least we're not fighting him here. We don't need to tremble at the lingering shadows of the past that haven't materialized. Doesn't history say that he fled, grievously wounded, unable to recover? It will probably be fine."

He was also speaking to himself.

"If that were the case, how wonderful it would be…"

He had spoken cheerfully on purpose, but the effect was not as remarkable as he had hoped.

"Let's focus on what's in front of us for now. Don't cling too much to a story that might not happen and has a slim chance of even occurring. It's just unfounded fear."

"Unfounded fear…"

As they talked, they had somehow reached the entrance of Hongmaegok.

Finally, the delegation from Cheonmu Academy had arrived at their destination, Hongmaegok, for the Volcano Covenant Assembly.

It was a basin shaped like a giant gourd. But it was by no means small. Even with more than a dozen grand buildings built around it, it didn't feel cramped at all. From the surrounding cliffs that formed a screen, small waterfalls cascaded down from all directions, creating white spray. The spray from the waterfalls flowed along the edges of the cliffs and into another valley. The sound of the waterfalls echoed lightly within the valley.

Even more mysterious was the fact that crimson plum blossoms were in full bloom despite it being autumn. They looked like snowflakes of pink, gently settling on elegantly outstretched branches like a beautiful woman's jade fingers reaching for the sky. Sometimes they even appeared as if sprinkled with glittering crimson jade powder.

Plum blossoms blooming profusely, forgetting the season and time, emitting a rich, alluring fragrance. It was a mysteriously and astonishingly beautiful sight – so much so that some of the women in the inn were moved to tears – but for Yoon Jun Ho, it was enough to make him faint.

Perhaps because they bloomed out of season, the fragrance was faint, so he wasn't yet unconscious, but he felt extremely dizzy. Strangely, no rash appeared. This had never happened before… He himself found it peculiar. But he still felt just as dizzy.

He quickly pressed his acupoints to block his sense of smell. It was a secret (?) method taught by his grand master. However, he couldn't escape the physical shrinking caused by psychological influence. The plum blossoms, blooming profusely and filling his vision, made his mind reel.

He even thought, "There are places like this in the world too."

"Huh?"

Mo Yong Hwi stopped walking and looked around. And it wasn't just him. Everyone in the delegation had stopped walking, gripping their respective weapons in one hand, scanning their surroundings.

'Killing intent?'

They all must have felt the same thing.

Namgung Sang and Hyun Woon exchanged glances.

'One, two, three, four…'

He counted silently in his mind.

'Fourteen?'

Namgung Sang shook his head.

'Fifteen!'

While everyone was emitting their energy as if in protest, he discovered someone hidden, suppressing their presence and lying in ambush, not joining this atmosphere. The more secretive, the more dangerous. It was clear they were a person of considerable skill. However, Namgung Sang did not miss even that subtle presence.

His senses had become incredibly sharp due to the rigorous training with Bi Ryu Yeon and Yeom Do.

"How rude!"

Bing Geom said with an expressionless face. Then, Yeom Do's twisted lips twitched.

"Quite a grand welcoming ceremony!"

They already knew the source of the killing intent that was tightening around them like a spiderweb, and the reason for it.

A test, combined with a battle of wills, had already begun. The side that lost this tug-of-war would be like a dog with its tail between its legs. Their pride was at stake. The fight had been initiated. They couldn't back down.

"Macheon Pavilion…"

Jang Hong muttered in a quiet voice.

"They're welcoming us with such thrill! Is this the hospitality of a senior guest…"

A grand welcoming ceremony! It was evident they had put in effort, wasn't it? The Hongmaegok they had finally set foot in had an unusual first greeting.

"This will be interesting."

Bi Ryu Yeon smiled wryly.