Chapter 80: Betting One’s Life (3)
Namwook responded to Yong Hwarin’s question.
“He’s dead.”
“Phew, that’s a relief. What about the others? Are they alright?”
Yong Hwarin had been worried, thinking the man might have survived and escaped.
The mere thought of him launching another attack was horrifying.
“Yes, we’re all safe.”
It had paid off that they had not neglected their training and had trained diligently. Despite fighting such a formidable opponent, not a single one of them had been injured.
“What about Sister Hye? Is Sister Hye alright?”
Yong Hwarin turned his head, looking for Jong Munhye.
“She needs to take her medicine.”
“Hwarin Orabeoni, I took the medicine. I’m okay now.”
Jong Munhye had been in serious danger; if they had been delayed even slightly, things could have ended badly.
Had the fight with the Self-Revolving Blood Demon lasted any longer, she wouldn’t have survived.
It had been crucial that Yong Hwarin, upon seeing Jong Munhye coughing blood and collapsing, launched a reckless attack with the intention of dying together.
Knowing this made Jong Munhye feel even more guilty.
She believed that because of her, he had been afflicted with the same fatal condition brought by the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts.
“I’m really sorry.”
Eventually, Jong Munhye shed tears.
“It’s all because of me…”
“No, Munhye. If you had died, I would never have been able to forgive myself. So don’t say sorry.”
As the atmosphere grew heavy, Namwook changed the subject.
“However, a problem has arisen.”
Yong Hwarin looked up as Namwook spoke.
“A problem?”
“Our fight with the Self-Revolving Blood Demon reached the authorities. Soldiers from the local government office came.”
“If we explain everything properly, it shouldn’t be a major issue.”
If the authorities decided to make trouble over it, it could be a headache.
“Turns out, the Blood Demon had committed so many crimes that the government had placed a bounty on him. So, Young Master, you’ll have to go to the office and verify that you killed him in order to claim the bounty.”
Now that he heard it, it didn’t sound like a problem at all.
Once he recovered, he could just go and get it confirmed.
“If I get some rest today, I should be able to move tomorrow.”
“Your condition isn’t looking good, Young Master.”
Jungwook spoke with a grave expression.
“What do you mean?”
“The young lady here has told us everything.”
Jong Munhye, who sat beside Nan Myeonggwak with a gloomy expression, looked at Yong Hwarin with teary eyes.
“Hwarin Orabeoni… it’s because of me, it’s all because of me…”
“No, my sister was being chased by despicable men. How could I just stand by? Now that the bastard is dead, no one else will come after you. But why was he chasing you in the first place?”
Jong Munhye took a deep breath and then opened her mouth.
“Hwarin Orabeoni, I’m the daughter of the last Cult Leader of the Hidden Saint Cult. The Self-Revolving Blood Demon knew that I had memorized most of the martial arts of the Hidden Saint Cult. He wanted to obtain them through me.”
“Was there a specific reason he was after you? Some deep vendetta?”
“If there’s a grudge, I’m the one who holds it. That’s why he came after me.”
She mumbled a part in the middle, making it hard to understand.
“What is it? What do you mean, ‘that’?”
Jong Seok answered in her stead.
“It’s because of the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts.”
“Ah!”
“He was looking for her to cure the side effects caused by the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts. The technique is notorious for its severe consequences, so even though it’s powerful, few dare to practice it. Since it originated from the Hidden Saint Cult, he assumed Sister Hye would know the cure.”
Jong Seok had only vaguely explained, but Yong Hwarin, already aware of the side effects of the technique from his experience with the Demonic Master, could sympathize with the Blood Demon to some extent.
“I see.”
Yong Hwarin nodded, then realized he’d missed something.
“Then Sister Hye, were you the heir of the Hidden Saint Cult? Or did you have siblings?”
“I’m an only child, so I was the heir.”
It finally made sense to Yong Hwarin why Jong Seok had been able to build such a large faction in the future.
As the last disciple of the Cult Leader, he had fled with Jong Munhye, the heir, and managed to survive.
‘If not for Jong Munhye, Jong Seok would never have been able to gather a force strong enough to rival the Three Demonic Heavens.’
Yong Hwarin had only heard of Jong Seok’s sudden rise in the future, so he hadn’t known of Jong Munhye’s existence.
“Then the surname ‘Jong’ must not be your real family name.”
“That’s right.”
“Then how should I address you?”
“I’m still Seok Orabeoni’s younger sister.”
“Alright.”
“Also…”
Jong Munhye paused briefly, as if the words were difficult to say.
“Go ahead and speak.”
“My brother and I… we’re planning to leave your side now, Hwarin Orabeoni. We can’t bear to see you get hurt because of us anymore. Even now, it’s hard for me to look at you.”
“Yes, hyungnim. We can’t stand to see you put in danger because of us. They’re chasing us, so if we just leave, there won’t be any more trouble.”
Yong Hwarin gave them a sorrowful smile.
“Do you truly think we’ll be safe if you leave? We’ve already fought at the Blood Demon Castle, in the Bamboo Forest, and we’ve killed the Self-Revolving Blood Demon. This isn’t something that will be solved just because you leave. And do you think my family, which has lived by chivalry, will tremble in fear just because we’re attacked by demonic forces? No. We’ll likely fight to the last man. If we fear such things as a martial sect, how can we call ourselves warriors?”
“But still, hyungnim…”
They were people who had seen the Hidden Saint Cult—a force far greater than the Heavenly Central Sect—collapse under the assault of the Three Demonic Heavens.
Thousands of their members had fallen resisting them.
Compared to that, the Heavenly Central Sect was so insignificant it could barely be called a martial force.
“Instead of thinking about running, we need to grow stronger and prepare to fight back.”
At those words, Jong Seok lowered his head.
“Hyungnim, both Munhye and I have been afflicted by the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts. We can no longer live as proper martial artists. We’ll only be a burden to you.”
“The medicine Sister Hye took—was it to suppress the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts?”
“Yes, hyungnim. And from now on, you’ll have to take it as well. I’m sorry, hyungnim.”
It was out of guilt that they had intended to leave.
Yong Hwarin circulated his qi briefly and checked the wound on his abdomen caused by the Blood Demon.
Indeed, there was something foreign and twisted coiled inside him.
“Sister Hye, is there truly no way? No way to extract the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts from the body?”
Yong Hwarin had also been afflicted by the Blood Demon’s technique, so he had to know.
“Orabeoni, the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts can be dissolved with Mount Hua’s Violet River Divine Art.”
“There’s no second option?”
The first method was practically impossible.
Everyone knew that the Violet River Divine Art was a martial art handed down only to the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.
No one outside of the Sect Leader had ever been taught that technique.
That was why he asked for a second option.
“The method varies depending on the martial arts a person has learned. In Seok Orabeoni’s case, he can dissolve the technique by advancing his Poison Technique to a higher level. But in order to enhance his technique, he’ll need a spiritual entity that can elevate it. Even though there are many spiritual beings in the world, those that contain poisonous qi are extremely rare.”
As he listened, Yong Hwarin thought of the Demonic Poison Stoneflower.
‘Perhaps the Demonic Poison Stoneflower was meant for Seok all along. At the time, I only took it because it was a spiritual being, but I never imagined it would be used like this.’
“If it’s a spiritual being that holds poisonous qi, I already have it.”
“What? What do you mean?”
Jong Seok widened his eyes in disbelief.
Yong Hwarin looked around the room.
Everyone present was one of his own people, not the type to leak secrets.
The only exception was Nan Myeonggwak, a spell caster whose true intentions he couldn’t yet gauge.
But as soon as Yong Hwarin looked his way, Nan Myeonggwak declared solemnly,
“I’ve already resolved to bury my bones with the Heavenly Central Sect.”
“Who said we’d accept you?” Namwook cut in dryly.
Nan Myeonggwak chuckled slyly.
“Hahaha, don’t worry. Master Yong will definitely take me in.”
And it was true.
As long as the soul of the Demonic Master remained, Nan Myeonggwak was someone Yong Hwarin desperately needed.
“Then I’ll treat you as one of our own and speak openly. But I ask that what I’m about to say never be shared outside.”
Yong Hwarin’s serious tone only piqued their curiosity further.
“Master Mo, bring it here.”
Mo Biyoung pulled a small case from Yong Hwarin’s travel satchel.
Click.
When the case was opened, it revealed a small flower sealed in wax.
“Sister Hye, do you know what this is?”
Because it was sealed in wax, there was no scent to identify it, and its type was unclear.
“A flower?”
“It’s not just any flower. Have you heard of the Demonic Poison Stoneflower?”
“The Demonic Poison Stoneflower!”
Nan Myeonggwak looked puzzled, but Jong Seok and Jong Munhye were visibly shocked.
They had once planned to rush to Mount Chilhyun upon hearing rumors of its appearance.
To them, it was something they desperately needed.
If Jong Seok could refine his Black Death God Light Poison Technique to the Eighth Level using the Demonic Poison Stoneflower, he could completely neutralize the poison within Jong Munhye.
But with their abilities at the time, they couldn’t even think of retrieving the flower—let alone go near Mount Chilhyun without exposing their identities.
That this spiritual being was now in Yong Hwarin’s possession was utterly shocking.
“If it’s the Demonic Poison Stoneflower, it can cure both Munhye’s and my affliction from the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts. And of course, it can dissolve yours too, hyungnim.”
The Black Death God Light Poison Technique Technique was inherently antagonistic to the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts—so much so that Jong Seok had abandoned his original sword technique to learn it.
All to save Jong Munhye from the technique poisoning her body.
But poison techniques required the absorption of sufficient poisonous qi to advance in level.
Without it, he had been stuck at the Fourth Level for a long time.
With the Demonic Poison Stoneflower, he could confidently ascend to the Eighth Level in one leap.
Suddenly, tears began streaming from Jong Seok’s eyes.
“I can finally let go of this bitter resentment.”
Yong Hwarin consoled him gently.
“So don’t talk about leaving anymore. Let’s fight together. What kind of brother, what kind of Orabeoni, abandons his siblings for his own gain? Even if you were the children of traitors, I could never throw you away. So stay. And fight alongside me.”
Jungwook spoke in a voice filled with emotion.
“The Young Master is right. We were born as warriors, and we swore upon our swords to act with justice and die in honor. If you leave, you lose that righteousness, and the Young Master loses his chivalry. If we die, we die together. If we live, we live together.”
Even Mo Biyoung, who had always prioritized the Heavenly Central Sect above all else, felt united in this moment.
“If we have no chivalry, then why do we wield swords? A warrior without righteousness is no better than a butcher. In the Blood Battle of the Bamboo Forest, you both fought with us as brothers-in-arms. Master Jong protected me when I was injured. And after that, Lady Jong stayed by my side. We’ve already shared life and death together. If you leave now, I will never forgive you.”
Jong Seok and Jong Munhye could only weep in silence.
Nan Myeonggwak could feel their overwhelming gratitude as if it were his own.
‘Truly… I’m lucky to be walking this path with them.’