Chapter 109: Father and Son (1)
The Blood Demon Master of Iron Cry quickly collected the corpses and vanished like the wind.
Still, more had survived than died, so not a single corpse was left behind.
Only then did Ho Cheongun, Ho Maeyok, Sa Ilhyang, and Poong Imso snap out of their trance.
Until that moment, they had been mesmerized by Yong Hwarin’s battle and had stood there in a daze.
‘This is... a different level. A whole different level.’
Having witnessed Yong Hwarin’s martial prowess, they felt diminished by the sheer difference in their abilities.
Up until now, Ho Cheongun had always carried himself with pride as one of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Disciples and had never felt inferior before anyone.
Sa Ilhyang and Ho Maeyok stared at Yong Hwarin with dazed eyes. Ho Cheongun understood them.
Even if he were a woman, he would’ve found Yong Hwarin dashing.
Was it because of that feeling of being dwarfed?
Ho Cheongun asked Yong Hwarin, a bit reproachfully.
“Why did you let the Sect Leader of Iron Blood Demon Sect go without killing him?”
“That’s…”
Just as Yong Hwarin was about to respond, Namwook stepped in.
“May I answer that on your behalf?”
Yong Hwarin nodded, his eyes lighting up.
“If we had killed the Sect Leader of Iron Blood Demon Sect, they would have chosen to perish with him right then and there. Few of us would be standing here now. That’s why he wasn’t killed on the spot. Rather than fight to save their Sect Leader, they chose to retreat. And our Young Master is not some saint. Their leader will likely die on the way back. He made just the right move.”
Yong Hwarin looked at Namwook with appreciation in his eyes, pleased that he had understood his thoughts so accurately.
“Having spent time closely with our Young Master, I’ve come to understand a bit of how he thinks.”
“Exactly. That’s the reason I spared the Sect Leader. We can fight, but the trainees would’ve all died.”
In that moment, Ho Cheongun realized he had spoken rudely out of jealousy.
“I was ignorant and spoke out of turn. I am Ho Cheongun, one of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Disciples of Mount Hua.”
Yong Hwarin approached him and shook his hand.
It was such a natural gesture that Ho Cheongun couldn’t even pull out the hand he had held in a martial greeting.
“If it weren’t for Master Ho and the warriors of Mount Hua, we wouldn’t know what would’ve become of the trainees here... or my father. I was deeply moved to see you stay behind and protect the trainees to the end. You truly embodied the spirit of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Disciples.”
Though it could’ve sounded like flattery to anyone else, the sincerity in Yong Hwarin’s words made Ho Cheongun feel as though he had done something truly noble.
“No, I was merely fulfilling my duty as a disciple of Mount Hua.”
As Ho Cheongun’s face reddened, Yong Hwarin bowed politely to him and his companions.
Then, supporting Yong Biyang, he began to walk away.
“Surely, Senior Brother Ho isn’t falling in love, is he?”
“No way…”
Ho Maeyok couldn’t be sure. She had never seen her brother so flustered before.
“My son.”
“Yes.”
“My son!”
“Yes, Father.”
“My son…!”
“What is it? Why do you keep calling me? Just say what you need to.”
Yong Hwarin replied with a hint of annoyance.
Yong Biyang, who had been calling his son while being treated by him, received a light scolding.
“Yes, that’s how my son should be. You’ve grown so mature, it makes me look old.”
Yong Biyang was proud of how much his son had grown.
And he felt he had finally witnessed the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword that he had so desperately sought—
—within his son.
With that realization came a sense that he no longer had any regrets.
“If you lead the main house, our clan will rise high in the martial world.”
“Father, let me make this clear now. I have no intention of becoming Sect Leader. If I get tied down by that, my martial arts will never reach their full potential. Give the position to Kijoong. I plan to devote myself to the path of martial arts.”
Yong Biyang nodded.
“Yes, to become a true master, one must lay down titles. I, too, have been so caught up in sect matters that I can’t even remember the last time I properly trained in martial arts. Major sects have Elder Councils and organizations to help, but in mid-to-small sects like ours, the Sect Leader has to handle everything personally. That leaves no time to train.”
Since Yong Biyang had experienced it firsthand, he wasn’t offended by Yong Hwarin’s words.
Rather, he was surprised that his son had already understood such realities.
“That’s why I’m not taking the position.”
“Alright. Let’s think it through.”
“Kijoong is more suited to be Sect Leader than I am. We must designate an heir clearly now to prevent future chaos.”
Having already experienced such chaos, Yong Hwarin spoke in a subdued tone.
Because he had been frail and powerless, many of the power-holders in the Heavenly Central Sect had fiercely opposed his becoming Sect Leader.
After Yong Biyang was assassinated, they nominated Yong Kijoong instead. But those who supported the legitimate line pushed for Yong Hwarin, which led to civil war and threw the sect into turmoil.
Yong Hwarin knew he was unfit to be Sect Leader and didn’t want the position.
But due to the constant agitation from others, even Yong Kijoong was dragged into a conflict with Yong Hwarin’s supporters, which eventually led to real bloodshed.
At that time, when Hoi Unkyung of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union proposed a marriage arrangement, Yong Hwarin accepted immediately and agreed to become a son-in-law.
He believed that by leaving, the Heavenly Central Sect would stabilize without a fight over succession.
Back then, there had been no other choice.
He wasn’t marrying for love, but for the clan’s sake. Even if it hadn’t been Hoi Unkyung, he would’ve followed whoever it was.
And later, the family was annihilated—not because Yong Kijoong failed as Sect Leader, but because they got caught in a war with the Dabie Sect.
To avoid such upheaval again, the heir had to be determined in advance.
“If we truly want the main family to remain the top sect in Henan, this is what must be done.”
At Yong Hwarin’s firm words, Yong Biyang gently patted his son’s head.
“My son’s all grown up.”
Though embarrassed, Yong Hwarin quietly accepted the gesture, feeling his father’s affection.
“I was a foolish father, worrying by myself and not seeing what was right in front of me. I’m sorry, Hwarin. You’re just like your mother. So calm and deep-hearted—just like her.”
“Please don’t talk about Mother.”
To Yong Hwarin, his mother was a taboo subject.
Her death, right when he needed her most, was the greatest sorrow and loss of his life.
Yong Biyang looked at his son with deep affection. Then, his expression twisted when he saw the people entering the training hall that had been temporarily turned into a medical ward.
Because of the fight with Iron Blood Demon Sect, there were many casualties. The training hall had become a funeral parlor and infirmary overnight.
“It’s Sect Leader Hwang.”
“Ah, Sect Leader Yong, please don’t get up.”
Hwang Sinjik was completely unscathed. Other than the fact that about ten of his guards had died protecting him, he didn’t have a single sword wound on his body.
In comparison, Yong Biyang was in a terrible state.
Having fought directly against the Blood Demon Unit of Iron Cry and the Sect Leader of Iron Blood Demon Sect, Jeon Man, there wasn’t a single part of his body that hadn’t been injured.
Even so, when Hwang Sinjik entered and Yong Biyang tried to get up to greet him, Yong Hwarin spoke in an irritated voice.
“Father, you’re a patient. Just lie down.”
As Yong Hwarin said this, Hwang Sinjik cast him a frosty glance and said,
“It seemed that if we didn’t stay behind, no one else would be able to handle the aftermath, so I remained to endure a bit of trouble.”
Though no one had asked, he was deliberately making himself sound generous.
“Thank you. Sect Leader Hwang’s decision will be of great help.”
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. There’s much to be done.”
As Hwang Sinjik, Sect Leader of the Dabie Sect, clasped his hands in salute, Yong Biyang tried to rise and return the greeting, but Yong Hwarin gently held him down.
“Father, there’s no need to be so courteous to people like him.”
“Still, it never hurts to be polite.”
Looking at his stubborn father, Yong Hwarin let out a smile.
In the past, he had really disliked this aspect of his father.
But having lived a similar span of years in his previous life, he realized he had started to become just as stiff himself.
When life experiences accumulate, rather than gaining flexibility, sometimes they harden like sediment and become rigid.
When one's own experiences become the "supreme good," it leads to dogmatism—this realization saddened Yong Hwarin.
They say people become inflexible with age—this was what that meant.
It meant reaching an age where one judges everything by their own standards.
Ironically, when one doesn’t know, they are at least open to hearing the words and opinions of others—but when they believe they know, they stop listening.
Though fifty is called Understanding One’s Heavenly Fate, the age when one understands Heaven's decree, in truth, it takes another decade to reach i-sun (耳順), the age when one can truly listen and understand others without bias.
Perhaps humans truly need to live one full sexagenary cycle—sixty years—to learn how to harmonize with life.
The most reckless decisions in life were often made in one’s fifties.
Most people who claimed they would conquer the martial world were also in their fifties.
It was the same for politicians and bureaucrats.
The age meant to realize Heaven’s will, more often than not, was a time when people misunderstood that will and made misjudgments.
Not in youth or middle age—but at Understanding One’s Heavenly Fate.
Due to his father’s internal injuries, Yong Hwarin had to remain for several days at Phoenix-Head Martial Hall.
He also frequently visited the government office to assist in the investigation.
Because of this, Yong Hwarin’s name inevitably became known.
The post-generation disciples of Mount Hua had expected to leave right after the incident, but unexpectedly remained to help handle the aftermath.
They truly were disciples of a great sect.
Yong Hwarin had rarely seen disciples from orthodox great sects go astray.
Because such sects placed great emphasis on spiritual cultivation, most of their disciples grew up to be upright martial artists. However, martial clans of the Murim world often leaned toward arrogance and pride.
As their movements were tied to secular interests and profit, it was inevitable.
Yong Hwarin didn’t hesitate to evaluate Murim clans as merchant unions with military power.
Meanwhile, the Arhat monks from Shaolin also stayed at Phoenix-Head Martial Hall to assist in the aftermath, having reported the tragedy to Shaolin Temple.
The bodies were either returned to their families or, if the families desired, given funerary prayers.
With the high monks of Shaolin praying for their rebirth in paradise, some even held joint funerals.
Because of this, the Arhat monks of Shaolin were the busiest people around.
Yong Hwarin spared no effort in using his inner energy to treat his father’s internal injuries.
His Tai Chi Dantian was strange in that even when his energy was completely exhausted, it quickly recovered.
That was because the amount of true energy entering through the four meridians and breath was immense. In fact, fully depleting his energy made it feel even purer when it replenished.
“Hwarin, if you burn through your energy like that, how could even a great immortal endure? Let’s stop for today. I’ve recovered a lot.”
“No, Father. To fully treat your injuries, I must continue a bit more.”
Yong Hwarin intended to take this opportunity to open all the blocked meridians in his father’s body.
This was only possible because he possessed the Tai Chi Dantian.
Usually, unblocking another person’s meridians required multiple masters.
Trying to do it with a single source of true energy was like trying to pierce rock with droplets of water.
However, the Tai Chi Dantian caused two types of true energy to twist together and spin violently, allowing it to pierce through any meridian.
After treating his father’s internal injuries over several days, today Yong Hwarin planned to finally clear the blocked meridians.
“From now on, you two must block everyone from entering this room. Even if the Emperor himself comes.”
“We haven’t been by the Young Master’s side for just a day or two. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Namwook scratched his nose as he spoke.
Despite the intense battle, the two of them hadn’t suffered any major injuries.
They were just a little sullen over the death of two fellow guards.
By now, they had grasped the mysteries of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, and through the battle at Blood Demon Castle, they had gained great enlightenment and entered the ranks of true masters.
Moreover, as they fought complementing each other, their power was several times greater.
Yong Hwarin could rest easy with the two of them standing guard.
“Our Sect Leader will surely reach a new realm soon, won't he?”
When Jungwook asked, Yong Hwarin gave a sly grin.
“One day, the two of you will also seize such an opportunity.”
The Twin Dragons of Fury Sword bowed respectfully to Yong Hwarin.
It was a salute filled with martial respect.
Yong Hwarin smiled at them and closed the door behind him.