novelraw Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Chapter 82
When Cheon Ha-seong approached, the followers could not hide their pleasure.
“Head Instructor, there must be many people who want to talk with you, so is it alright for you to be here?”
“Head Instructor, you seem to be a truly amazing person. Everyone has been coming up to us and asking if we know you well. There were many people who were envious, thinking we seemed close to you.”
Cheon Ha-seong smiled, asking if that was really true.
“Please tell them that we are very close. And that I visit you often. Please gain whatever you can by doing so.”
At his words, the followers burst out laughing.
“Even without that, the Cult Leader has already taken good care of us, so I don't think we should be any greedier.”
“To be honest, we are just so happy to be here in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. We still can't believe it.”
Cheon Ha-seong could read the sincerity in their faces and was also put at ease. He had been very worried about what he would do if they couldn't adapt or if they felt anxious, but it seemed there was no need for that.
Even those who had been injured had bright expressions. The mind is also important for the recovery of a wound, and it seemed they were at ease with the thought that they were in a safe place.
“The Demonic Physician treated our wounds. I heard he is a very high-ranking person in the Divine Cult, but he did not spare good medicine for our sake. That too must have all been the Cult Leader's command. We don't know if we deserve to receive such good treatment.”
“You are more than qualified. Haven't you been in a dangerous place, risking your lives to spread the name of the Divine Cult until now? Such people are the most important in the Divine Cult.”
Cheon Ha-seong talked with them a little more, then returned to the Cult Leader.
In the meantime, the Cult Leader was talking with others. Then, when Cheon Ha-seong came, he called for the Principal of the Martial Arts Academy, who was sitting far off.
“Principal, I have many disappointments with you. Hasn't Cheon Ha-seong been at the Martial Arts Academy for a long time? From what I see, Cheon Ha-seong is a great talent, yet what has the Martial Arts Academy accomplished all this time while having such a talent? Seeing as you have failed to produce results even with a good talent, it seems it is entirely your fault, Principal. What do you think?”
The Principal, not knowing how the Cult Leader's words would continue, could not hide his tense expression.
“I am sorry, Cult Leader. It is because I am incompetent…”
“Yes. That seems to be right. You are incompetent, Principal, and do not have the ability to be in charge of the Martial Arts Academy. Therefore, give up your position as Principal.”
“…Yes, Cult Leader.”
The Principal also knew that many changes had been occurring in the Divine Cult recently.
He had already heard the rumor that Danmok Muyeol, who had gone to Qinghai, had not been able to return. That news had been intentionally spread by the Cult Leader first.
It was to let them know that not even the Danmok Demonic Clan was free from the blade of change, and to prevent others from resisting.
“I will uphold the Cult Leader's will.”
“Right. You have wasted the opportunity for the Martial Arts Academy to develop until now. Spend the remaining time in self-reflection and devote yourself to the development of the Divine Cult.”
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
The Principal thought he was more than grateful just to have been spared a great punishment.
The Cult Leader also ordered the Principal to dismiss several of the Martial Arts Academy's Head Instructors.
“This will be your last task as Principal.”
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
The Principal was quite surprised, realizing that the Cult Leader had already finished grasping the situation regarding even the Head Instructors of the Martial Arts Academy. And he guessed that it must have been because of Cheon Ha-seong.
No matter how interested the Cult Leader was in the affairs of the Martial Arts Academy, how could he possibly have grasped every detail about each and every Head Instructor?
The Principal quietly looked at Cheon Ha-seong. Then, when their eyes met, he quickly turned his head away.
He was a man he had seen for a long time at the Martial Arts Academy, but it was to the point where he didn't feel like he was the person he knew.
It hadn't been long since Cheon Ha-seong had stopped coming to the Martial Arts Academy, yet to think he had changed this much in that short time, his surprise only grew.
“I have learned a lot while watching you, Principal.”
He had thought the story was over, but the Cult Leader spoke.
“That no matter how great a talent is by your side, if you cannot recognize them, you will only bring harm to the cult. But it seemed I too was making the same mistake as you. If I cannot recognize a talent, place them in the right position, and support them, then I would not have the right to punish you.”
Cheon Ha-seong was surprised at the fact that the Cult Leader had even had such thoughts.
Then he realized that Danmok Yeon was not in that place.
As if knowing that Cheon Ha-seong was looking around, Sa Un-ak quietly approached and spoke.
“Are you looking for the old senior, Head Instructor?”
“Did you perhaps see him?”
“He asked me to relay that if you were looking for him, he has entered isolated training and will be back in a month or two.”
“Isolated training… I see.”
“He seemed to be overflowing with motivation. But who is he exactly? I ask because I think the Danmok Young Family Head referred to himself as his descendant.”
When Cheon Ha-seong stared intently at Sa Un-ak and smiled, Sa Un-ak felt a shiver run down his spine.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
“If I tell you the truth, are you confident you can handle it?”
“No… Why do you have to be so scary about it?”
“I was just asking.”
“I don't think… I'm confident. Please act as if I didn't hear it.”
“I will.”
After finishing the conversation and returning to Seo Hyo-eun, she, who had apparently seen the whole thing, glanced at him and spoke.
“Why are you bullying other people? You've been doing that subtly these days, Head Instructor Cheon.”
“Me? When?”
“People can't look down on you easily anymore, can they? You're the person the Cult Leader favors the most, so it's only natural, isn't it?”
“That's right. That's why I'm being careful with my actions.”
When Cheon Ha-seong spoke with a tense face, wondering if that was really how he looked in other people's eyes, Seo Hyo-eun smiled.
“I was just joking, but you fall for it so easily. How are you going to live in this harsh world, being so naive? It seems I'll have to be the one to protect you after all.”
While retorting that she was talking all sorts of nonsense, Cheon Ha-seong also felt that he shouldn't take her words lightly. It was because he was keenly realizing that the attitude and gaze of the people who looked at him had changed to an extent that was incomparable to before.
Before, it had been possible to steal glances at someone, but now that was a long shot. If he looked at someone because something had come to mind, it was common for that person to have already been looking at him and for their eyes to meet.
Because of that, there were more than one or two uncomfortable things, and he even had the thought that this might be the least famous he would ever be.
‘I'll really have to be careful from now on. If I had known it would be like this, I would have made a lot of mistakes when people didn't know me.’
In any case, it was no use thinking such thoughts now, but Cheon Ha-seong was having them by himself.
……
A violent and ferocious beast had died.
And in the spot where that beast had died, other bastards loitered, eyeing its corpse.
This was the story of the large and small martial arts factions that had considered Qinghai their territory after the Azure Sea Sect had fallen overnight.
The news that the Azure Sea Sect had been annihilated spread frighteningly fast.
Those who had not been able to achieve any notable success in other places thought that this might be a heaven-sent opportunity. So they thought, 'How about we go there now that Qinghai has lost its master?'
The Orthodox and Unorthodox Sects vied with one another to head there.
If those who had established their base in other places were like that, how would those who were originally there be?
Those who were based in Qinghai went around to the places that had been under the jurisdiction of the Azure Sea Sect and were hell-bent on bringing them into their own factions.
As a result, what overflowed in every place were martial artists dressed in martial uniforms of all shapes and colors.
“What on earth happened? I'm asking, who in the world could have done that to the Azure Sea Sect?”
“Who would know? In any case, it's best not to speak carelessly at a time like this. If it's a person who committed such a frightening act, don't you think they could be listening to what we're saying? They might be able to hear sounds from a thousand li away while just sitting. No, how is that even possible? I mean, everyone died from being pierced by arrows, but not a single one of those arrows remains. It's not as if they killed them and then pulled out all the arrows.”
The fact that the Azure Sea Sect had suffered a bloodbath and been annihilated overnight was shocking, but the way they had died made people even more terrified.
And yet, a strange sense of excitement could be felt on the faces of the people who were talking. The people they had not even dared to make eye contact with had become guests who would not return, all in a single day.
As they say, it's better to be in this life, even if you have to roll in a dog-dung field. The fact that one was alive was in itself a great power. What use was money to the dead, and what was power?
But they were alive and could talk about them.
“There is one thing I don't understand. Why doesn't the person who did that to the Azure Sea Sect reveal their existence? Isn't everyone hell-bent on finding out who that person is right now? Saying that if they can just win that person over, their place will become the number one sect in the world in a single stroke. If it were me, I would stand before the people with confidence, so why is he hiding?”
“That is strange. I would do the same. If so, wouldn't that person be able to gain the reputation of being the best in the world in an instant? It seems even the people who have made a name for themselves until now would have no choice but to take a step back before the person who annihilated the Azure Sea Sect.”
Wherever one went, such talk did not cease.
No one suspected the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in connection with the annihilation of the Azure Sea Sect. It was because the method the culprit had used was so unique that they did not dare to make the connection.
In the midst of that, a group of people entered Qinghai.
They were all wearing bamboo hats and listened to what others were saying with a solemn attitude.
They were people whose individual martial prowess was by no means low, and it seemed that people who would normally be accompanied by escorts had come for a special reason.
“I do not know if we need to come out here and investigate like this when the Azure Sea Sect is not even a member of the Murim Alliance.”
“Although the Azure Sea Sect did not join the Murim Alliance, have they not claimed to be of the Orthodox factions? As they say, all within the four seas are comrades. But since a fellow Orthodox sect has suffered a great calamity overnight, isn't it only natural that we come and investigate?”
When the young man with his hair tied in a single knot and wearing a warrior's headscarf spoke, the elderly man in white clothes answered gently.
“Isn't it because you're more interested in the territory the Azure Sea Sect left behind?”
The one who had suddenly cut in was a sharp female voice.
At that, the middle-aged man dressed in a dark green long robe burst out in a refreshing laugh.
“If you don't like it so much, you can just go back. Is there anyone here who came because they were ordered to? If you don't like it, you can just go back, and I for one hope you do.”
At that, the young man and the female warrior glared at the middle-aged man.