Chapter 344: Twin Overlord Spear King (1)
Chapter 344: Twin Overlord Spear King (1)
"That's not it."
I repeated myself, but the disciples of the Black Lotus Sect who had gathered at the gate showed no sign of listening. If anything, my denial only seemed to convince them further.
"Look! He's even trying to downplay it out of modesty!"
"As expected of the White Moon Sword Lord. Even before a life-and-death duel, his composure doesn't waver in the slightest!"
"...I really am going to lose my mind."
Beside me, the Twin-Ghost Killing Sword cleared his throat, apparently trying to suppress laughter and failing rather badly.
"It seems the rumors have taken on a life of their own, White Moon Sword Lord."
"You don't say."
"Shall I clarify the misunderstanding for them?"
"Don't bother. Explaining anything to people this far gone would be more exhausting than just letting them believe it."
Tang Sowol, walking a step behind me, covered her mouth with her sleeve, though the amusement in her eyes was plain enough.
"To think Brother Cheon has become someone who inspires this much devotion. If only they knew what you actually do when you're bored."
"Please don't."
"Nap. Eat. Complain about paperwork."
"I asked you not to."
The Illusory Illusion Witch, still dusty from the collapsed house, trailed a few paces behind us, eyeing the crowd of Black Lotus disciples with open suspicion.
"Is it always like this here? It's like walking into a religious gathering."
"It didn't used to be."
"Then what changed?"
"Me, apparently."
Before I could dwell further on that unpleasant thought, the crowd parted, and a familiar figure stepped through—not the Black Lotus Sect Lord himself, but Sama Yuryeon, moving with the same unhurried grace she always carried, as though the chaos around her didn't exist.
"White Moon Sword Lord. Welcome back."
"Lady Sama. I take it you've heard about the rumors."
"Heard about them? I'm afraid my husband is the one who started half of them."
"...I see."
Somehow, that answered more than it explained.
She gestured for us to follow, and the crowd, seeing her lead the way, finally quieted enough to let us pass without further commentary—though I could still feel dozens of eyes tracking my every step, as if expecting me to draw my sword at any moment.
"He's been in an unusually good mood since your return was announced," Sama Yuryeon continued as we walked. "Which, if you know him at all, should worry you more than comfort you."
"That's not reassuring."
"It wasn't meant to be."
We passed through the inner courtyards of the Black Lotus Sect, the training grounds emptier than I remembered—most of the disciples, it seemed, had abandoned their drills to gather near the gate and watch for my arrival. A few banners had even been hung along the walkway, hastily painted with characters I didn't particularly want to read too closely.
"Is that... my name?"
"Don't look at it too hard," Tang Sowol advised, gently steering me forward by the sleeve. "It'll only upset you."
"I wasn't planning to."
I was lying, and judging by her expression, she knew it.
The Illusory Illusion Witch, meanwhile, had fallen into step beside the Twin-Ghost Killing Sword, murmuring something under her breath about the concentration of aura within the sect walls—likely cataloging every artifact and formation she could sense, out of habit more than necessity. I decided not to comment on it.
Eventually, Sama Yuryeon led us to a private courtyard set apart from the rest of the sect, quiet enough that the noise of the disciples faded into a distant murmur behind the walls. A single door stood at the far end, and beyond it, I could already sense a familiar, overwhelming presence.
"He's waiting inside," Sama Yuryeon said. "I'll have the others shown to guest quarters. This conversation, I think, is best had with fewer ears around."
Tang Sowol raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing, allowing herself to be guided elsewhere along with the Twin-Ghost Killing Sword. The Illusory Illusion Witch went without complaint as well, though not without shooting me a look that seemed to say she'd rather have stayed to eavesdrop.
Once it was only the two of us, Sama Yuryeon paused at the door, her hand resting briefly on the frame.
"Whatever he proposes in there," she said, "know that it isn't idle mischief. Not this time."
"That's somehow more unsettling than if you'd told me it was."
She only smiled faintly and pushed the door open, stepping aside to let me through.
The Black Lotus Sect Lord sat alone at the center of the room, a pot of tea steaming untouched before him. He looked up as I entered, and the grin that spread across his face was the same one I remembered from countless encounters before—wide, sharp, and entirely too pleased with itself.
"White Moon Sword Lord. Right on time."
"You could have just sent a letter instead of letting half the sect believe I'm here to kill you."
"Where's the fun in that?"
"I should have expected as much."
I took the seat across from him, and for a moment, neither of us spoke, the silence stretching just long enough for me to notice the particular gleam in his eyes—the one he wore whenever he was about to say something that would upend an otherwise ordinary conversation.
"So," I said finally, "what is it you actually want, Sect Lord?"
He poured the tea, unhurried, savoring the moment far more than the drink itself.
"A duel," he said. "Between the two of us. To settle these rumors, once and for all."
"That's it? That's what all this theater was for?"
"Not quite all of it."
He set the teapot down, folding his hands together, and the grin on his face sharpened further—into something that told me the real proposal hadn't even begun yet.
"There's a bit more to discuss first. About what happens depending on who wins."
I stared at him for a long moment, already regretting having walked through that door.
"Have you gone senile?"