Chapter 142: The End of Childhood (1)

The disciples and grand-disciples of his fellow disciples were not his concern.

But among them, a few remained in his memory.

For example, those who had raised Mount Hua’s name five years ago.

The one called the strongest among the promising young talents, who had even stood a step above the geniuses of Wudang and Shaolin.

Jeongyang recalled that today was the day Eun Jeong’s closed-door training ended.

“...It is the day one strange fellow comes out, I suppose.”

“A strange fellow?”

The Young Cult Leader narrowed his eyes.

Then, still perched on the railing, he looked toward Flower-Haze Hall in the distance.

“Yes. His personality is strange, and so is the way he speaks. I acknowledge his swordsmanship, at least.”

“Now that does make me curious.”

“Surely you are not going to rush over there and start cutting people down?”

Seeing the anxiety in Jeongyang’s eyes, the Young Cult Leader burst into laughter.

He laughed until Jeongyang’s mood had been thoroughly ruined.

“...Why are you laughing like that?”

“When I look at you, you really do underestimate me quite a bit.”

The Young Cult Leader slowly rose from the railing.

Black energy flowed from his entire body, distinct even in this dark night.

It was complete darkness, devouring even moonlight.

The absence of light, brought to an ideal extreme—enough to drive any human being mad.

“Listen, Sect Leader. I am the Young Cult Leader of Mount Hua. I am not some stupid, unruly little monkey.”

“...I know that.”

“A man who knows that should not speak that way. Be grateful for my great generosity. Is it so difficult to adjust because I’m wearing your disciple’s face?”

The Young Cult Leader slowly rested his hand on the Plum Blossom Sword at his waist.

In that instant, Jeongyang realized something.

There was no guarantee he could win if he fought this man.

Even when it had been only one arm, Jeongyang had not thought he could defeat him easily.

But that leg of his....

The leg was the problem.

...How much of his power has he recovered?

He was precisely controlling that immeasurable pitch-black Demonic Energy so it would not spread outward.

As if he had coated his entire body in Sword Qi.

It was a shocking level of skill.

“...Not amusing.”

But he could not allow himself to be looked down on.

Jeongyang narrowed his eyes and answered coldly.

The Young Cult Leader grinned, then lowered his hand from the sword hilt.

Then he looked toward Flower-Haze Hall and spoke.

“It was not a joke meant to amuse you.”

“It seems you are underestimating me as well.”

“And what are you trusting in when you say that?”

“...This is Mount Hua. And I am the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.”

The corner of the Young Cult Leader’s mouth curled upward again.

At that moment, Jeongyang once more felt the ominous chill that had kept him from sleeping.

An endlessly distant anxiety.

The thought that he was missing something....

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because I feel like it.”

But Jeongyang never figured it out.

Why the Young Cult Leader smiled that way.

What he was thinking.

And... what was happening in Mount Hua.

*****

Flower-Haze Hall, second floor.

Beyond the open window, Soyak was looking at the moon.

She knew they had sent her inside telling her to sleep, but what was she supposed to do when sleep would not come?

How many of the people who had led Mount Hua had been the Demonic Cult’s pawns?

How many “true people of Mount Hua” existed in the current Mount Hua?

Among the third-generation disciples, how many...

“Haa....”

The more she thought, the more she could only sigh.

She knew there was no answer.

She had even confessed that much to her master with her own mouth.

But the human heart was not something that easily gave up simply because the mind understood.

If their prediction was correct, Mount Hua was in a situation where it would have to burn and collapse once, then be built again afterward.

...To be honest, this was the Mount Hua that had not helped when the Flower-Halo Sect was destroyed.

When her main house collapsed and she was sold off as a maidservant, they had not even sent a single messenger, let alone offered a helping hand.

She could have thought, what did it matter if a Mount Hua Sect like that collapsed and burned...?

But she had grown attached to too many things.

Eunsong, Cheonjeong, Cheonju, Cheonhwa, Cheongak, Cheongu.

Myeonggon, her Great Grand Master, whom she did not often see....

And above all, there was Grand Master Jeonggang, who had given her everything in his life.

“...Is there truly no way?”

As Soyak murmured that, a rustling sound came from behind her.

It was Cheonhwa.

Cheonhwa, her eyes wide and clear, was staring at Soyak where she sat by the window.

Soyak slowly turned her head, and their eyes met.

“Why are you not asleep, Sister...?”

“No, I was asleep. I mean... until you wrapped yourself in Sword Qi and started flashing in the middle of the training ground.”

Cheonhwa shrugged and finally sat up.

Soyak smiled bitterly and nodded.

It seemed she had woken when the lights in Flower-Haze Hall began turning on one by one.

And had not yet fallen back asleep.

“You should sleep soon.”

“Look who’s talking. What were you worrying about that you went outside, fought with someone again, came back, and started sighing?”

“The details... Master will probably tell you tomorrow, but...”

“That isn’t it. I want to hear your story.”

Cheonhwa threw off her blanket and came right up to her in her sleepwear.

Soyak blinked as if slightly startled.

To be honest, it was unexpected.

In other words, Cheonhwa was now trying to help bear the psychological weight Soyak carried.

Whether she said it while knowing exactly what that meant, Soyak did not know....

Soyak stared into Cheonhwa’s eyes and opened her mouth.

“If you hear my story, you will suffer exactly as much as you hear. Just as I am suffering now.”

“They say even a sheet of paper is easier to lift together, and that shared pain is halved.”

Cheonhwa shrugged and moved even closer.

Soyak hunched her shoulders for no reason and avoided her eyes.

It felt burdensome.

Cheonhwa coming closer, or Cheonhwa wanting to hear her difficult story, was not what burdened her.

What frightened and burdened her was...

the possibility that the person who heard her worries and problems would, in the end, neither ignore them nor solve them, and would simply sink together with her.

“I do not believe that saying. It only means two people will suffer.”

“...Anyway!”

Soyak still shook her head.

Cheonhwa glared at Soyak with narrowed eyes, then let out a deep sigh.

“Why do you keep trying to carry everything alone?”

“I was not trying to carry it alone. I told Master.”

“What about me? Am I no good?”

Soyak hesitated briefly, then firmly shook her head.

She saw Cheonhwa’s lips jut out.

And the disappointment on her face, and in her eyes.

Even so, Soyak merely shrugged.

“Sister.”

“What. Why. You won’t tell me anything anyway.”

“If it is something you truly need to know, would Master not tell you?”

Soyak hesitated a moment, then took Cheonhwa’s hand.

Cheonhwa’s eyes widened round with surprise.

“Please trust me. If it is something Sister must know, I will definitely tell you.”

“...Fine. I get it.”

Cheonhwa slipped her hand out, then let out a deep sigh.

Then she abruptly pulled Soyak into a hug.

Soyak sat quietly in her arms and slowly patted Cheonhwa’s back instead.

“When I look at you, it really seems like you try to carry far too much by yourself.”

“Does it?”

“Yes, it does. It would be all right for you to share some of the burden with your brothers and sister.”

Soyak quietly let the strength leave her {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} body and breathed out a faint sigh.

She truly wished she could.

But there were some things a person was better off not knowing.

If it were only her personal revenge, she would have no reason not to speak of it.

But now, it was no longer simple “personal revenge.”

No, it never had been from the beginning.

Because the target of that revenge was not some ordinary man, but the person who had created the current “system,” the one who reigned above all.

If one wished to kill a king, that was no longer called “revenge.”

It was called treason, and treated as the greatest of all crimes.

If one wished to kill the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance...

How would that be any different?

“It is merely my personal situation. When I dig too deeply into it, I only end up thinking bad thoughts.”

“...Is that what it is?”

“That is what it is.”

And so, Soyak lied to Cheonhwa.

Even though the truth was the opposite.

Even though it was precisely because this was not merely her personal situation that she could not speak of it....

...I cannot exactly say I am preparing a great Blood Calamity.

She knew the story of Cheonju and Cheonhwa.

People who had never originally wanted to become martial artists.

They had learned to use swords simply to earn their meals, and because they had talent for it, they had been dragged all the way here.

If Soyak told such people about her purpose and goal, they would be swept up in it.

They would be dragged into a fight they did not want, and trapped in a place where they did not wish to be.

Honestly, Soyak would not have found it strange even if Cheonju and Cheonhwa said they wanted to descend Mount Hua now.

There was no longer a master forcing them to learn martial arts against their will.

Nor was there anyone torturing them once a month, trying to drag out talent they did not have by force.