Episode 155
“I thought a lot. How should I repay the favor? There isn’t much that Amipa, a Buddhist monk, can give to the branch leader…”
I snorted inwardly.
Are you saying there isn’t much you can give away because it’s an Amifa?
I sat down and said nonsense.
If you’re going to lie, you have to make it believable.
The amount of money thaty disciples bring to Amipah every year must be astronomical.
“The executives of the faction, including Jang Mun-in, gathered together and discussed for a long time what gift to give to the branch leader. Then this story came out. Since the Sacheon branch and the Ami faction are located in the same region, wouldn’t it be okay to give back in a slightly different way than the sects or families in other regions?”
“……?”
“Take this.”
Baekwoongeom handed me a bundle of jade beads that he took out from his chest.
When I took it and looked at it closely, it looked exactly like a prayer beads.
“It is an item modeled after a long gate.”
“…!”
Long statement.
It was a term referring to a sacred object of a literary school that was passed down to schrs of the time.
It’s an object modeled after that.
Aside from the value of the item itself, it must have had a great symbolic meaning.
“If you ever need help with the text, bring it to Emei Mountain. “As long as it doesn’t go too far, Amifa’s disciples will help the branch leader.”
A moan like ‘Gasp’ rose up to my throat.
If you ask for help, he will send his disciples.
Considering that it did not say the specific number of people or the level of people who could be mobilized, it seemed that coercion such as a gratuity que could not be expected.
‘It’s also disposable.’
Even so, it was clear that he had obtained something great.
“Are you sure I can take this?”
“of course.”
“I will ept it gratefully.”
I was afraid that Baekwoongeom would change his mind, so I quickly put the prayer beads in my arms.
Baekwoongeom stood up from his seat with a calm smile on his lips.
“I’ve finished my business, so I’ll just leave.”
“I will see you off.”
“it’s okay. “The branch manager must be tired, so please take a break.”
After Baekwoongeom left the reception room.
I let out a silent cheer while fiddling with the prayer beads in my arms.
I felt like I was going to be blown away by having unexpectedly acquired something precious.
‘I’m already looking forward to seeing what gifts other ns and families will send me.’
Amifa was not the only one who promised to repay.
I thought I would be able to spend warmly this winter.
* * *
The warriors sent by the Nine Daemun Sect and the Five Daesae ns arrived at the Sacheon branch one by one.
Not all factions and families sent great gifts like the Ami faction.
There were some factions that were only moderately condescending, and there were also factions that mentioned the crisis of the recluses and made promises for the future.
Except for the Tang family, all three families sent gold coins and silk as gifts.
Although there was a difference in the amount, the method of repayment itself was exactly the same.
‘Well, the Sega is rtively wealthypared to other ns. If it’s natural, is it natural?’
It’s only now that I think about it, but Baek Woon-geom’s statement that ‘there’s not much I can give because it’s Buddhist writing’ may have been made with the Five Generations in mind.
If you repay with money in an ordinary way, you will definitely bepared to the five major families.
‘Is it some kind of battle of pride?’
I smiled and looked away.
There was a blue gem in the shape of a fancy sword sheath ced on the corner of the desk.
The size is roughly half the size of my palm.
The Cheongseong faction, like the Ami faction, gave me an item modeled after a long gate as a gift.
It seemed like the two sides had exchanged some kind of story beforehand, as the dispatched Taoist told the same story as Baekwoon-geom, as if they had made a n.
The shaman faction sent five small tablets.
Since I used one in the fight against the vampire demon, the number of summons in my hand now bes six.
In addition, I received various gifts, but the one I liked the most was the ginseng sent by Hwasanpa.
‘Snow ginseng.’
The size of the roots and the spiritual energy they contained were only insignificant.
It didn’t seem like it would be even a hundred years old, let alone a thousand year old ginseng.
Looking at its value as an elixir, it could be said to be a yawn.
One important thing was not the amount of spiritual energy, but the nature of the energy it contained.
Seolsam was an elixir containing arge amount of yin energy that only grew naturally innds covered with annual snow.
‘I needed something to neutralize the positive energy in Hwari’s inner altar.’
With this, it was possible to maximize the absorption efficiency of the elixir.
I fingered the two wooden boxes in my arms and drew a faint smile on my face.
I once again felt grateful to Sohyeongeom.
This debt will definitely be repaid someday.
‘Once I finish a few things, I’ll have to lock myself in the workshop for a while.’
* * *
A month has already passed since I returned to the Sacheon branch.
Finally, Cheonghae becamepletely the territory of the Demonic Cult.
The Demonic Bridge that swallowed up Cheonghae took the time to reorganize without overdoing it.
Kunlun’s disciples, who were unable to protect their home and were pushed out, united with themunal faction and established a new front.
The tragic news that continued to be heard instilled anxiety in the martial arts people of Baekdo.
Jang Mun-in of Kunlun suffered severe internal injuries, and Yu Jeong-geom (幽靜劍), renowned as a hundred great masters, lost his life.
There were many casualties even among the elites dispatched by the Meng.
Those who faced the demons on the battlefield spoke with their mouths together.
The power possessed by the Demonic Cult is much greater than I thought.
“Did anything special happen while I was gone?”
As I entered the office with Damun, I straightened up and stretched.
Currently, my Danjeon contained as much as a hundred years worth of energy.
It was the result of adding Hwari’s Naedan, Seolsam, and elixirs obtained from artificial ruins to the 75 years of internal strength he had previously had.
‘Now I havepletely caught up with my previous life. No, did you actually go beyond it?’
The amount of attack power itself is not as good as this, but considering the efficiency of the White Lightning Divine Attack, it could be said to be better than the previous life.
It was rewarding to spend the past few days cooped up in the practice room concentrating on absorbing the elixir.
“If you have anything special to report, please do it now.”
“Dozens of survivors who fled from Cheonghae streamed into Sacheon. “It is said that he took the risk of crossing the snowy mountain for fear of being captured by demonic cultists before arriving at Gansu.”
“Where are they now?”
“After verifying my identity, I took him to the branch.”
“Well done.”
“What would you like to do?”
“How are you sleeping? “We will have them stay at the branch during the winter to take care of their injuries, and then send them to Gansu in the spring.”
I answered, tilting my head as if asking something so obvious.
A wry smile appeared on Damun’s face.
“I guess so.”
“Do you have any problem?”
“Among those brought to the branch was an elder from Kunlun. “Hees to see me every day and is berating me.”
“……?”
“They asked me to take them to themunal faction as quickly as possible. “I don’t have time to stay here like this.”
I leaned against the back of the chair andughed.
It’s not like he said he would go on his own, but he asked me to take him with him.
It couldn’t have been a funny old man.
I’m not asking you to hand over your bundle just because you saved a drowning person.
“Are you saying you requested escort and transportation from the Sichuan branch?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s not like there are a lot of things to take, and it looks like there are a lot of injured people.”
“yes. “He said it was alreadyte, but he needed to join us at the appointment as quickly as possible.”
“So what did you do?”
“I said it was not a matter that I could decide under my authority.”
“You mean I have to see you in person.”
“yes. “I’m sorry that I have to pass on a troublesome task to the branch manager…”
Teuong!
The door to the house’s entrance room burst open.
An old man with a small stature entered the room, smoothing his sharp beard.
Damun frowned and looked back at the old man.
“What kind of rudeness is this?”
“Despite?”
“This is the branch manager’s personal office. “It is not a ce where you can enter without permission.”
“Oh, I was a little impatient and I was rude. “I apologize.”
The old man said, ring at Damun with sharp eyes.
Contrary to what he said, his face did not look sorry at all.
He asked, turning to me.
“It’s nice to see a face after a long time. “Do you remember me?”
“of course.”
It was a face in my memory.
It was a trickster old Taoist monk who had previously invited me to an illegal match.
Apparently, he was the elder of the Kunlun sect that Damun had mentioned.
“Pleasee over here and sit down.”
I offered the old man a seat with a smiling face.
Damun, who had carefully stepped aside, left the office and the steaming tea was ced on the table.
“What did youe to see me for?”
“As soon as I heard that the branch manager had finished training and left the training room, I immediately ran up.”
“Do you have something to say to me?”
“Didn’t you hear from that friend just now? “I would like you to take me and Kunlun’s disciples to the Dongong Sect.”
“…….”
“I said I was the secretary of the wall. The friend was so stuck that he couldn’tmunicate at all. “I’m frustrated because I have to ask for permission from the branch manager.”
“It’s not possible.”
I shook my head and tly refused.
The old monk’s wrinkled face was distorted like a vicious murderer.
“……what?”
“I understand that you feel impatient, but the Sacheon branch is short on manpower. “We don’t have the capacity to hire people to do the job.”
“Are you saying that now?”
“Currently, the number of monks belonging to the Sacheon branch is only nine, including me.”
“That’s enough. “All we have to do is select the healthy ones among the survivors and give them the escort job.”
“The bacsh will be severe. “Among the survivors, there are many who are not disciples of the Kunlun Sect.”
“I have to endure that much.”
“In that case, we will look into whether there is a person leaving for Gansu.”
“Do you think there will be people leaving for Gansu during this period?”
The old master snorted and lifted his head towards me.
I couldn’t understand why he was so angry.
“…….”
After thinking for a moment while rubbing my chin, I came up with a hypothesis.
I heard that Jang Mun-in of the Kunlun Sect is currently on the verge of death due to severe internal injuries.
If he dies, one of the elders will be elected as the new Jangmunin.
‘Is this old man aiming for the position of a long-time writer?’