Chapter 566: Why is this old person here?

If someone were to ask me what the most important thing is in building a power.

I would answer without hesitation, ‘Might.’

Before overwhelming might, anything else is futile.

No matter what countermeasures you take.

No matter how you try to block it.

If you have the strength to break and tear everything apart, the processes that come before it are all like meaningless flailing.

I experienced this fact desperately in the past.

That’s why I can say this with such conviction.

However.

Because the might to break everything isn’t something one can possess in normal circumstances.

Most people, when building a power, considered strength important, but there was something they valued even more.

Some called it the flow of the world.

Others said it was stronger than a sword.

It was something that held immense value despite having no form.

Yes.

That was…

‘Information.’

It was information.

No power could dare ignore it, and no matter how great the martial artists, it was a precious treasure they could never let go of.

In fact, it’s said that the Peng Family, one of the Four Great Families, invested twice as much money in organizing an intelligence unit for their strategists as they did to recruit martial artists at the Hua Jing level.

This means they valued information that highly.

Not just the Peng Family, but most renowned families and prestigious sects were the same.

Looking at any family or sect, they operated their own intelligence units; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this was a form of warfare.

In a way, it was only natural.

Since one couldn’t obtain the might to break and tear everything apart, gaining an advantage through information to expand territory was common sense even a passing toddler would know.

Because the difference between those who know and those who don’t is like the difference between heaven and earth.

And.

Within the realm of information, the person who could be called number one was sitting right before me.

“Ho-hol.”

The old man laughs while drinking the tea placed before him.

A light, sly chuckle.

A back bent like a bow, etched with wrinkles.

And thin limbs, frail and pitiful, not fitting for a martial artist.

Though he looked like a decrepit old man,

none of the people sitting around him could afford to ignore him.

Even the Sword Master of the world valued this old man, so how could anyone dare to dismiss him? No one could.

This old man was the source of information for the Martial Alliance, called the embodiment of the current orthodox sects.

He was the leader of the Kaebang, one of the Nine Great Sects, presumed to possess the most information in the Central Plains.

He was the old man known as the ears of the Sword Master, the sect leader from two generations prior.

He was Woobong Chwigae, the leader of the Kaebang, also known as Dobong.

As the saying goes, the Kaebang manages most of the rumors flowing through the Central Plains.

The Kaebang’s influence in the Central Plains was immense.

Although the Hao Moon of the demonic sects formed a balance with them, the era had shifted to one where the demonic sects were at a disadvantage.

The Hao Moon now felt a step behind the Kaebang.

In contrast, during the time the Sword Master was the sect leader,

when the Sword Master swept across battlefields with his overwhelming might, Woobong Chwigae became his eyes and ears, providing the wings he lacked, or so it was said.

Thanks to that, the Martial Alliance crushed the demonic sects and played a significant role in becoming the backbone of the Central Plains.

And now, this old man who achieved such tremendous feats…

“Ho-hol… Even after seeing you after so long, So-i, you’re still beautiful. Especially your figure, it’s a work of art, truly.”

…was sexually harassing Geomhu.

“Such a pretty child. She must have come of age long ago, yet she’s still unable to find a partner… This old grandpa’s heart truly aches, ho-hol…”

“Haha…”

I had never seen it before.

Geomhu smiling with such obvious discomfort.

Woobong Chwigae kept sticking close to Geomhu, chatting about this and that, yet the usually kind Geomhu was openly showing her discomfort.

“If it were up to me, I’d gladly pair her with one of my own children… It’s a shame I can’t… So, how about this old grandpa…”

“I apologize, Leader-nim. I have no intention of marrying.”

“Ho-hol… Still so resolute.”

Geomhu firmly rejected Woobong Chwigae’s nonsensical flirting.

It was like… watching a rejection that seemed all too familiar.

As if she’d experienced it several times before.

In any case, that’s how it felt.

As a result, several people seated there could only drink their tea, unsure of how to react.

Gu Ryeonghwa’s eyes were darting around frantically,

and Yeongpung clearly looked flustered as well.

Seongyul seemed relatively okay, but then again, that guy always has a vacant look, so let’s ignore him.

I was curious about the current situation.

‘What is this?’

I subtly shifted my gaze.

We were in a building set up near the Sect Leader’s residence.

It looked like a place prepared to host honored guests.

In a place like this,

‘Why are we here?’

Why am I… no, why are we gathered?

It was a situation I couldn’t easily comprehend.

‘This isn’t easy.’

The person responsible for moving us here, the Wudang Sword Immortal, was currently absent due to matters needing attention at Wudang.

He must have been busy dealing with Ji Cheol’s suicide or Woo Baek’s death.

Since some scoundrel had turned Wudang into a mess, that alone would take up more of his time.

Although it was a planned event, targeting that very outcome.

‘I didn’t expect that old geezer to show up here.’

I swallowed nervously, looking at the hunchbacked old man before me.

He looked like just a beggar old man, but despite his appearance, he was quite a significant figure.

The world says there’s jest mixed in, but there was even a saying that the Martial Alliance wouldn’t function without Woobong Chwigae.

That’s how influential the old man was.

“Ho-hol.”

Amidst the awkward atmosphere, Woobong Chwigae chuckled.

That was the beginning.

“Looks like many of you are surprised because of me.”

“Ah, no, sir.”

Gu Ryeonghwa quickly replied to Woobong Chwigae’s words. It was a swift reaction.

Looks like he’s learning social skills well from Geomhu.

‘It’s better this way, actually.’

Social skills weren’t something you could learn in the Gu family.

It would be better under the kind Geomhu than in a place full of reckless people.

Woobong Chwigae chuckled slightly upon seeing the tense Gu Ryeonghwa,

and slowly began to speak.

“Ho-hol. I am Dobong, living as a beggar in Henan.”

The most famous beggar in the Central Plains introduced himself.

Then, with his barely visible eyes, he looked at each person one by one.

“Is this the Sword Dragon that Maehwaseon has been boasting about so much lately?”

He said this looking at Yeongpung.

Yeongpung was slightly surprised and paid his respects.

“I am Yeongpung, the third disciple of Mount Hua, paying respects to the Leader of the Kaebang.”

“And this pretty child here must be So-i’s disciple.”

“…I am Gu Ryeonghwa, the second disciple of Mount Hua, paying respects to the Leader of the Kaebang.”

He knew their names without them properly introducing themselves, one by one.

That sent an unspoken chill down my spine.

“And this one…”

Woobong Chwigae’s gaze suddenly turned to Seongyul.

At the same time, I sensed him tilting his head. Did he not know Seongyul properly?

Thinking ‘Oops,’ I was about to answer for him,

“…My name is Icheol.”

Seongyul introduced himself with a different name, not his own.

“I am serving as the young master’s bodyguard.”

“Hmm…”

Woobong Chwigae nodded at the words spoken while looking at me.

Just as I thought he might let it slide,

the old man’s gaze turned to me this time.

Then Woobong Chwigae showed a strange reaction. He just stared intently at my face without saying a word for a moment.

And then.

“Nice to meet you. Young Master Gu.”

“…Ah, yes. Gu Yang of the Gu family…”

“You look exactly like my father.”

He suddenly brought up my father while looking at me.

“And also…”

He even looked me up and down while I sat there.

“It seems my children made a mistake.”

“Huh?”

I blurted out in confusion at his sudden words.

Woobong Chwigae said, looking at me.

“It seems there’s quite a bit of information to correct about you, Young Master Gu. Ho-hol-hol. It appears resembling the Gu Family Head isn’t just about appearance.”

I could only smile sheepishly at his words.

It seemed he was assessing my cultivation level when he said that.

‘My energy isn’t being controlled well, so I guess I’m easier to read than usual.’

I was exerting effort to conceal it to some extent,

but now, having sustained internal injuries, that was too much.

Just hiding my physical condition and using the Qi Transformation Technique was already pushing my limits,

and attempting anything more would obviously cause problems.

So, this was my limit right now.

“…I am grateful for your kind assessment.”

“Ho-hol.”

Woobong Chwigae chuckled at my words, moistened his throat with tea, and immediately after,

he continued speaking, looking at the gathered individuals.

“Alright, I think the introductions are sufficient… The reason I had the Sect Leader arrange for me to see you is because I have something specific to ask.”

At his words, stating he would get straight to the point, those around them tensed up.

It’s likely because they didn’t know why Woobong Chwigae wanted to meet.

Of course.

‘This is troublesome.’

I knew why the old man had arranged this meeting.

It was an obvious reason.

Suddenly, Woobong Chwigae’s demeanor shifted.

I couldn’t see his expression clearly, so I didn’t know how he felt, but the change in his breathing alone altered the surrounding atmosphere.

“First… I heard you were attacked shortly ago… Do you perhaps recall the situation?”

At Woobong Chwigae’s question, I secretly swallowed nervously.

It was exactly as I expected.

Someone had attacked Wudang.

Furthermore, it was an incident where a Wudang elder was murdered during that attack.

It was natural to seek information from an outsider rather than someone from the main sect, but the problem was…

‘I didn’t expect the Kaebang Leader to come here personally to do this.’

It was unexpected that the highest-ranking beggar of the Kaebang would show up here himself.

Even if it’s the Sect Leader’s sect, does this make any sense?

‘Even when the matter of the Wind-Cloud Beggar came up, I thought that guy wouldn’t be able to move.’

As I keep saying, this was an era of upheaval.

With information pouring out, it wouldn’t be easy for the Kaebang Leader to move around like this.

That was precisely why I could be sure it was fake when I heard about the Wind-Cloud Beggar’s appearance.

‘He’s coming all the way here in person?’

It was an unexpected situation.

I had planned to meet only the Wudang Sword Immortal, finish the conversation, and move on after receiving compensation as a victim of the incident.

But Woobong Chwigae showing up in person…

‘…No way.’

As I observed the situation, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

If the Wudang Sword Immortal was already heading this way,

he might have mentioned the Wind-Cloud Beggar to the Kaebang Leader.

He might have informed the Kaebang in advance, saying something like, ‘I received such-and-such a letter.’

Because such rumors would increase interest in Wudang.

The problem is…

‘Woobong Chwigae is the Wind-Cloud Beggar.’

If Woobong Chwigae personally heard discussions about himself, he might have decided to come here because of this situation.

That’s why it’s a problem.

Why now, of all times?

“…An attack?”

Gu Ryeonghwa wore a puzzled expression at Woobong Chwigae’s words.

He looked like he had no idea what was going on. Yeongpung looked the same.

It was understandable.

Because I had Na-hi deliberately knock them unconscious.

Woobong Chwigae watched the two of them and chuckled softly.

“Ho-hol… It seems you don’t remember well.”

Then, he looked towards Seongyul and me and asked,

“Are you two the same?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and replied. The cleanup was thorough. No traces were left behind.

Unlike my uncertainty, if Na-hi was certain, then it was correct.

She was better than me in that regard.

Woobong Chwigae listened to the answer and stared at me silently for a moment.

His gaze was burdensome, but I didn’t show it.

That old geezer.

‘Is he suspicious of me?’

I didn’t know why, but if so, I shouldn’t avoid his gaze.

For a moment, we exchanged glances as if nothing was amiss.

Woobong Chwigae nodded and withdrew his gaze.

Did I get away with it?

‘I don’t know.’

I wasn’t sure. I hadn’t spoken much with the old man named Woobong Chwigae, nor did I know what kind of person he was.

The only thing I knew was that the old man’s disciple would later become the Beggar King.

‘I can’t let my guard down just because I don’t know.’

If you don’t know, you should be even more vigilant. Ignorance is the scariest thing in the world, and the man before me was the furthest from that word.

Just as the tension was building,

“Ho-hol. Yes, yes.”

Woobong Chwigae suddenly broke the mood with a laugh.

“It’s okay not to know. Of course.”

“…Leader-nim?”

“Actually, it’s not that important if you don’t know. I just did it because I sensed the Sect Leader watching. Ho-hol!”

Geomhu asked, looking flustered, but Woobong Chwigae paid it no mind and continued speaking.

“Well, despite being incredibly busy, they insisted on dragging this old geezer here. Tsk tsk… They said the Wind-Cloud Beggar appeared or something.”

“…”

At Woobong Chwigae’s words, I had to suppress my disbelief internally.

“That guy must be losing his mind. The Martial Alliance is finished. The Sect Leader himself has gone senile, tsk tsk!”

Despite saying it with a laugh, the words were incredibly heavy.

No one around could possibly agree with such a statement.

“Anyway, thank you all for taking the time despite your hardships. I have nothing more to ask, so please rest now.”

Unconsciously, I furrowed my brow slightly at Woobong Chwigae’s words.

‘Is that it?’

I had been worried about what questions he might grill me with,

so it was baffling that he let it go so easily.

However, contrary to my surprise, Woobong Chwigae continued speaking.

“I’ll let the Sect Leader know that I’ve asked everything, so don’t worry… Now, let’s get up.”

Saying that, he truly stood up.

As Woobong Chwigae, the most senior figure, rose, everyone else had no choice but to reluctantly follow suit.

Just as we were awkwardly about to leave,

“So-i, let this old grandpa have a little chat with you for a moment.”

Woobong Chwigae called out to Geomhu.