“S-Sahyung!”

“…”

“What is all this? Despite all the hard work we did, no one is praising us….”

Baek Cheon couldn’t find the words to respond despite someone talking to him. It was because he, too, was surprised.

Unexpectedly, there was a huge feast in front of them.

From the perspective of the secular world, it may be somewhat lacking to be called a feast. However, for Mount Hua, this seemed no different from what would be eaten by an emperor.

What’s more, that.

That! There was that!

“… isn’t that meat?”

“Uh.”

Baek Cheon rubbed his eyes.

In front of his eyes was certainly food that had been acquired by killing a living animal and carving its flesh.

How could a pure sect commit such an act?

“Where did the money come from?”

‘I want to know the same!’

Just where did Mount Hua even get such money? Where did the meat come from?

“W-wait. Sahyung. Come to think of it, the inside of this place has also changed. I thought it might just feel awkward because we’ve been gone for so long, but doesn’t it look shiny and clean?”

“… now that you mention it, yes.”

Baek Cheon looked around. The entire building might not be newly built, but it looked like it had been recently renovated. All the holes in the walls were covered, and the whole place seemed to be fixed cleanly.

“There are new looking halls, and now this place? There’s even meat on the table!”

“…”

“I can’t imagine what happened to Mount Hua while we were away. Unless some God of Wealth descended onto this place.”

Baek Cheon smiled.

God of Wealth? Mount Hua is a sect that the God of Wealth had abandoned.

If any sect could compete with the Beggars Union, it would be Mount Hua.

No, even they might be richer than Mount Hua. Just because the Beggars Union was a group of beggars didn’t mean that the sect itself was poor.

But for Mount Hua to have such wealth?

Why did it seem so out of place?

Baek Cheon lifted his head and slightly looked at Un Geom.

“Sasuk. This food?”

“This is food the finance head prepared to raise your spirits. Eat a lot.”

No, why is he speaking so casually about this?

Sasuk used to say that he would survive solely on grass, like a rabbit, for the sake of Mount Hua. Where did that Sasuk go, and when did he switch sides like this!?

Even stranger was the reaction of the third-class disciples.

The third-class disciples, who were there to congratulate the second-class disciples, didn’t show any surprise at the quality of food placed in front of them.

They just stared at the table sternly.

Baek Cheon listened to their conversation from the side.

“I’m tired of meat, isn’t there anything different? Fish or something else.”

“Crazy bastard, where will we find fish on the mountains? Do you need to be beaten with a fish to restore your senses?”

What the hell are those idiots talking about?

What? They are tired of meat?

Unable to understand the situation, Baek Cheon, who was frustrated, opened his mouth.

“No…”

“Ahem.”

“Hahahahahaha.”

“…”

He was about to open his mouth.

Baek Cheon turned his head to the side to shut the mouths of his mates.

‘Let’s just eat first.’

‘We have money, so we get to eat meat. I was sick of having those pills for the past year.’

Baek Cheon, who felt suppressed by the laughs of the others, opened his mouth.

“Is it alright to start eating, even though the elders and sect leader haven’t arrived yet?”

“Huh? Ah, I didn’t notice. Hold a moment.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Un Geom took his chopsticks and put a piece of meat in his mouth. That was the sign that the others could eat, and the Sahyungs frantically moved their chopsticks.

Papapak!

Food bounced into the air.

But there was nothing to worry about. The chopsticks caught everything in the air because it was precious meat that had to be treasured.

Baek Cheon closed his eyes upon seeing everyone’s behavior; he felt that he was staring deeply into the abyss.

It might look exaggerated to others, but this was a normal reaction. Mount Hua was the poorest sect in the world, and the disciples were the poorest people in the world.

They had only eaten food made with grains and a few nuts in all their time here. To say it politely, they served healthy meals. But truthfully, it was the cheapest diet that could be afforded.

Besides, thanks to their closed-door training, the second-class disciples only had fasting pills for the past year.

Some, like Baek Cheon, could purchase food with money when visiting family. However, most of the disciples hadn’t so much as smelled the scent of meat for years already.

Of course, they were losing control of themselves.

In the meantime, Baek Cheon looked at the third-class disciples leisurely eating their food.

Looking at their nonchalant attitude, he realized that this food was nothing special in the current Mount Hua.

“Sasuk.”

Un Geom, who was eating and drinking, turned his head and looked at Baek Cheon.

“What? Does the food suit your taste?”

“It isn’t like that… I just really don’t understand the situation. Just what happened to Mount Hua in the time we were all away?”

“Right. I didn’t think of this from your position.”

Un Geom laughed.

“It’s too long of a story to tell. You’ll find out eventually. All you need to know is that a lucky star rolled into Mount Hua.”

“Lucky star?”

It was then.

Kwang!

The door opened wide. The second-class disciples, who were gulping down meat, flinched and stopped at the sudden sound. If anyone could open the door so boldly, it had to be an elder…

‘Huh?’

‘Are there any elders who are that young?’

‘As if!’

Surprisingly, the one who opened the door was Chung Myung. The child, who followed the sect leader earlier, entered in anger.

“There’s a place to sit here.”

As Jo Gul slightly raised his hand, Chung Myung bowed to Un Geom and then stomped over to the seat. Those nearby the seat moved away slightly so that he could sit comfortably.

Baek Cheon narrowed his eyes at that sight.

‘They’re taking care of that child?’

Of course, it could happen. If they were polite and good kids.

But the third-class disciples Baek Cheon knew of were quick-witted and violent; the word ‘Good’ didn’t fit well with them.

There was only one reason they would be acting like this.

‘Has that child caught them all in his hand?’

It was unbelievable.

But there was too much visible evidence to deny it. The fact that the seat was left for him, and the seat was in the center, with Yoon Jong and Ju Gul on either side.

Yoon Jong is the Great Sahyung of the third-class disciples, and Jo Gul is the strongest of them.

‘So, he caught them both?’

But how could this child have turned them into his people? And…

‘Why hasn’t Un Geom sasuk said anything?’

It was quite rude to kick the door open. It would be troublesome considering that there were second-class disciples and Un Geom sasuk inside; it would have been appropriate to apologize right away.

Un Geom sasuk greatly values morals and manners, so he would definitely say something. Yet, he was casually eating like he didn’t care.

‘The more I think about it, the less I understand.’

Baek Cheon shook his head. In his eyes, he looked at Chung Myung talking to the others.

“Why are you so angry again?”

“He wants me to go to the Eunha Guild again.”

“… again?”

“Right! I’m not some messenger!”

Yoon Jong grinned at Chung Myung’s complaint.

“But you liked it at first.”

“That was only the first one or two times, ugh.”

Chung Myung scratched his head.

“Fortunately, I only need to visit the branch in Hua-Um. If I had to go to Xian city, I would have fallen dead.”

Seeing Yoon Jong smile and comfort him and Jo Gul chuckle at the side, Baek Cheon became convinced.

‘He has all the third-class disciples in his grasp.’

He wasn’t sure what method was used, but it was certain that Chung Myung had power over them.

‘In many ways.’

Baek Cheon smiled.

Yoon Jong, the Great Sahyung of the third-class disciples, always treated the seniors with respect.

Baek Cheon thought that Yoon Jong would have bowed to someone kind, but Chung Myung didn’t seem to have a kind inclination no matter how Baek Cheon looked at him.

‘I’ll have to find some time to have a conversation with him.’

While Baek Cheon was curious about the third-class disciples.

“Great Sahyung.”

‘Hmm?’

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Ah, I will.”

Baek Cheon picked up his chopsticks, but he looked around soon after picking them up.

“Where is Yu Samae?”

“Well? She was here a while ago.”

Two disciples looked around.

“She was there until we came into the dining hall.”

“It seems like she went off somewhere.”

Everyone answered indifferently like this happened a lot. But Baek Cheon didn’t like that response.

“Shouldn’t we look for her? This banquet is for all of us who went training. We should wait until we’re all together to have fun and celebrate.”

“But there is no one who can find Yu Samae. If she doesn’t want to be found, we can’t find her.”

“It’ll be a waste of energy, Great Sahyung.”

Baek Cheon’s forehead scrunched together.

“Umm.”

Those who saw it turned their heads away, feeling uncomfortable and sighing.

Yu Yiseol was a bizarre person; it wasn’t easy to find her unless she wanted to show herself. But since Baek Cheon had this stiff expression, they had to at least pretend to search for her.

‘Sahyung favors Yu Samae too much.’

He was normally a calm person that was fair to others, but he would always lose his composure over any issues involving Yu Yiseol.

‘Well.’

It wasn’t like they couldn’t understand, but it was annoying for them.

At the moment when one of them was about to get up, the shut door opened slowly.

Everyone’s eyes were upon the entrance.

Through the sunlight pouring in through the opened door, a woman walked in with small steps.

“Samae.”

Baek Cheon called.

Yu Yiseol, who came inside, scanned the surroundings as if trying to find someone.

Smiling, Baek Cheon raised his hand.

“Samae, over here….”

Yu Yiseol started to walk, but it was in a direction away from Baek Cheon.

Step! Step!

Yu Yiseol, who walked with a smooth gait, reached her destination and stared intently at the person sitting ahead of her.

Baek Cheon’s eyes twitched.

Yu Yiseol asked the man in front of her,

“Can I sit here?”

The second-class disciples, especially the men, were shocked enough for their eyes to pop out of their sockets.

‘Did Yu Samae talk to a man?’

‘No. When was the last time we even heard her talk?’

But the shock wasn’t over.

The man she spoke to was Chung Myung. He responded with annoyance written all over his face and waved his hand like shooing away a fly.

“No, you can’t.”

“… then let’s talk for a moment.”

Chung Myung firmly answered.

“No. I don’t want to talk to you. Go away.”

Is he crazy?

The color drained from the faces of the second-class disciples as they reeled in shock.