novelraw Chapter 68
Chapter 68
Chapter 68
“It's not that it's difficult, but wouldn't it be more satisfying if there's someone watching? I will specially give you the opportunity to witness it. It's not what I intended, but I do owe you for saving my life. And I say this because it seems your martial talent is extraordinary, and you seem capable of learning the wicked arts.”
“I…”
He was about to say he had no interest in the wicked arts, but Danmok Yeon's words were faster.
“In times of peace, one does not know how weak and powerless a being they are. It is only when one sees their family and relatives dying beside them that they finally come to regret it. Wondering why they hadn't learned more.”
“It doesn't quite resonate with me, hearing that from someone who killed their own relatives.”
Danmok Yeon lowered his head and let out a deep sigh.
Perhaps killing him to silence him was the answer. Being with a bastard who knew him so well, the desire to kill him surged up.
However, it seemed Cheon Ha-seong was worthy of learning and mastering the wicked arts he had realized and accomplished.
Somehow, the wicked arts he had learned in order to master the Heaven-Shattering Will Art seemed to have reached their pinnacle. When Danmok Yeon said that, Cheon Ha-seong wore a deeply suspicious expression.
The look in his eyes seemed to contain the meaning, ‘Isn't that ridiculously far from the pinnacle?’
It didn't seem like it would be difficult at all to annihilate the Azure Sea Sect, but he wasn't confident that he could hold back from killing Cheon Ha-seong.
“You say that because you don't know how useful the wicked arts are once you learn them. Once you learn them, you will realize that the Heaven-Shattering Will Art is nothing.”
At those words, Cheon Ha-seong smiled. It was because, in Cheon Ha-seong's eyes, it just looked like Danmok Yeon was venting his anger for being unable to master the Heaven-Shattering Will Art.
“You arrogant bastard! It seems you don't believe my words to the very end. I will prove it to you at once!”
Neither of them knew what a great storm that act would bring.
***
When he got a bit of sleep and woke up, Cheon Ha-seong noticed that Danmok Yeon had disappeared. If not for the bag of leftover dumplings, he might have felt that Danmok Yeon's presence had been a dream.
‘Where did he go?’
Cheon Ha-seong thought he was a truly unpredictable person. However, it wasn't as if he wanted to kill him carelessly either.
If they talked, it seemed he could persuade him, and if he could learn the wicked arts, it would certainly be helpful.
Until now, it had been enough to just keep the other Demonic Clans in check within the Divine Cult, but as soon as he came here, hadn't he been forced to confront the Azure Sea Sect?
Of course, that was a thought only Cheon Ha-seong would have. Another person would not think of having to get rid of the Azure Sea Sect to solve this problem. However, no other method came to his mind.
The followers must proselytize, and the martial artists of the Divine Cult must protect them so they can do so safely; that was how it had to be.
The people who had been injured and hurt while proselytizing here, the people who were too exhausted—even if he were to take them to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and let them rest comfortably, someone would eventually have to come back.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult must never settle for and be satisfied with the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
‘But where did he go?’
While having that thought, Cheon Ha-seong began a simple Qi Circulation Meditation.
He couldn't do it deeply as he didn't know who might suddenly appear, but he had to at least perform a minimal Qi Circulation Meditation while remaining fully alert to his surroundings.
Just as he finished his meditation, he felt a presence in the hallway.
When Cheon Ha-seong went out, two followers of the Divine Cult were standing there with embarrassed faces, smiling awkwardly.
“What is it?”
“Well…”
“Please speak comfortably.”
“We were… hungry, so we were wondering if we could get some water.”
Cheon Ha-seong looked at them with an apologetic face.
He had told them to prepare food that was easy to digest, so it must have been digested quickly. He should have thought in advance that they would get hungry quickly after eating it.
“I will give you money, so please buy enough for the others as well.”
Saying that, he offered them money, but they couldn't readily accept it.
“We're being too much of a bother…”
“Please don't say that. We have a long way to go. You must eat heartily. It should be fine to order solid food today. Please order soft food for those who are particularly injured, and order a wide variety of things for the others' share. I will also eat a lot, so please order a lot of delicious food.”
“Yes, Head Instructor. Thank you. We are so shameless, and thank you.”
Cheon Ha-seong gave a nod and went into the room where the people were sleeping. Then he checked the condition of the patients.
Because there were so many people, some were sleeping on the floor, but a considerable number had woken from their sleep and were just resting with their eyes open.
Then, when Cheon Ha-seong entered, they were startled and got up.
Cheon Ha-seong smiled every time his eyes met with theirs. He wanted to do so, as they too would all be feeling shameless.
The patients lying on the beds also opened their eyes when they saw him come.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good. It still hurts, but I think I can move if someone supports me from the side. I can't believe we're going to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.”
They spoke with faces full of emotion, as if they couldn't believe the current situation.
Cheon Ha-seong also read the true feelings and anxiety hidden in their words.
How much they must have wished to go there. But of all times, they had to be sick now. While feeling shameless and sorry, it seemed they were also worried about what they would do if they couldn't go along because they were sick.
Because of that, it seemed they wanted to let him know by any means necessary that they too could go.
“We will prepare a carriage and make sure you can travel as comfortably as possible to the point where the carriage can go. For all of you who have suffered so much, shouldn't the Divine Cult at least do this much for you? Everyone here, without exception, will be able to go there and see the Cult Leader. However, do not repeat this story from now on. I am speaking with a Qi barrier up, but you all cannot.”
The others all nodded their heads vigorously, as if they understood.
They were people who had lived while proselytizing in Qinghai, so when a secret conversation came up, they would lower their voices drastically and speak in little more than a whisper.
Cheon Ha-seong hadn't thought it was particularly necessary for him to give a warning, but he had said it just in case.
Cheon Ha-seong went around to the other rooms in order and checked the condition of the patients.
Then he realized that their condition was much better than he had expected.
No matter how well he had treated them and how well the medicine had worked, it was strange for their recovery speed to be this fast.
When Cheon Ha-seong sat in front of one person and tilted his head as if it were strange, the man asked with an anxious face.
“Head Instructor… Is there perhaps a problem? Am I going to die?”
Cheon Ha-seong was startled, realizing how his own expression must have looked to him.
“No. It is not that. It's just that… I was just surprised because your recovery seems too fast. I had thought it would take longer than this. But looking at your current condition, it seems it would be fine to depart today. No matter how much you ride in a carriage, your body would have been shaken by its movements. So I was planning to let you rest for a day or two, but it seems there is no need for that.”
At that, the man nodded with a bright face.
“That's right. I think so too. If we are to go, it would be better to depart at once instead of spending money at the inn. Ah, and it seems the old senior's influence also played a part in our recovery. In the early morning, that person came in, placed his hand on my wound, and seemed to infuse his energy. At first, I didn't know what he was doing, so I couldn't make a sound, but it became much less painful and more comfortable.”
Cheon Ha-seong thought it was strange, wondering if Danmok Yeon had been going around doing such things.
“Did he say anything about where he was going? I'm asking because he wasn't here when I woke up.”
“I do not know.”
Cheon Ha-seong just nodded his head.
Since there were many things to be done, it would have been much more helpful if Danmok Yeon were present.
As if realizing what Cheon Ha-seong was thinking, a few people approached him.
“Head Instructor, if there is anything you need done, please tell us. We can do it.”
However, their faces might already be known, and he did not want to make them take a risk again.
“No. I will find a way.”
He also thought of the method of asking Paeng Ga-jong for help, as he might know some trustworthy people.
“For now, the most important thing for all of you is to prepare for the journey and get your bodies in the best possible condition. So please eat well and rest well. Because you do not know when you will be able to eat and rest so well again. I am not just saying this, so please do so for the future.”
As Cheon Ha-seong emphasized rest, seeming to think they wouldn't listen if he just said it casually, they all nodded as if they had made a firm resolve.
Cheon Ha-seong, who had returned to his room, made a plan.
It seemed it would be good to silence the inn owner and the attendant at least once.
He was a man who knew instinctively that in times like these, a threat would be more helpful than slipping them money.
When Cheon Ha-seong went downstairs, the attendant was startled. Just from his startled attitude and his inability to make proper eye contact, he had an idea of what he had been thinking.
“Have you done something wrong to me? Why are you so surprised? Did you perhaps think we were suspicious and went around talking about us to people?”
Whenever Cheon Ha-seong, with his polite-looking face, suddenly spoke informally, he saw a proper effect.
“N-No, sir. How could that be?”
“Then I am asking why you are so surprised to see a customer. What is so surprising about an inn attendant seeing a customer? Speak. Were you trying to sell information about us? Do I have to speak after the inn is half-destroyed and one of your arms is cut off?”
When Cheon Ha-seong made his threat, the attendant trembled, then knelt on the spot and put his head to the floor.
“Please spare me. Please forgive me. I haven't told anyone else yet. I did harbor a foolish thought for a moment, but since I have done nothing, please just spare my life.”
“To ask only to spare your life must mean it's alright to cut off about one arm.”
Cheon Ha-seong spoke, putting on a frightening face to intimidate him. Since he originally had a cold personality and was not an affectionate person, such words had an immediate effect.
“No, sir! Please, just my life… No, please forgive me just this once!”
“Seeing you go this far, it seems you were indeed planning to commit a tremendous act.”
Cheon Ha-seong said, then brought his sword to the attendant's neck.
The attendant's whole body trembled as if it were a poplar tree in the wind, as if thinking he could die right then and there. And yet, because he had done wrong, he was only making a small sound like an ant, just asking to be spared.
While Cheon Ha-seong was intimidating the attendant, his gaze was directed at the inn owner. The inn owner's face was just as frightened as the attendant's.