HDCLSSRS Ch 168

Chapter 168 The Badger (3)

Ma Jincheon shot to his feet, his face flushed crimson with anger. Realizing he had let his emotions get the better of him, he drew several deep breaths before finally regaining his composure.

“That’s enough. Come back to Mount Hua.”

“If that’s what you came all this way to say, then you’ve wasted your trip. Of all people, you should know me best.”

“…The Sect Leader has issued orders for mobilization.”

Baek Ryeoil stiffened, his eyes widening as he looked up at his master.

“A war is coming.”

Ma Jincheon drove the point home in a grave voice.

Over the past three years, the balance of power throughout the martial world had shifted in subtle yet unmistakable ways. The catalyst for those changes had, unsurprisingly, been the incident at the Jegal Clan—the tragedy now known as the Infinite Bloodshed of Wuhan.

Not long after the Third Young Master, Seong Mugeuk, thoroughly humiliated numerous sects and escaped unscathed, strange rumors began to circulate.

According to those rumors, the Demonic Cult’s main headquarters had repeatedly summoned him back to Xinjiang for reasons unknown. Yet the Third Young Master had ignored every summons. In the end, when the Second Young Master, Seong Muryong, arrived with his division to bring him back by force, Seong Mugeuk annihilated them, leaving the unit all but destroyed.

The Third Young Master had betrayed his own father.

And it seemed the rumors were not entirely baseless, for some members of the Demonic Cult had begun behaving differently than before.

The Demonic Cult revered only strength.

The tales of the Third Young Master defeating his elder brother—the Second Young Master—with overwhelming martial prowess were more than enough to win the hearts of the cultists. Quietly but steadily, he absorbed followers who had once served his father. Eventually, the Demonic Cult split into two separate factions: the old Demonic Cult and the New Demonic Cult, led by the Third Young Master.

The New Demonic Cult was nothing like its predecessor.

They were aggressive, ambitious, and, according to rumor, their ultimate objective was to devour the entire Central Plains.

As though proving those suspicions true, the New Demonic Cult stirred up trouble almost daily. Countless minor sects were annihilated overnight.

Meanwhile, the old Demonic Cult could do nothing but watch as its influence dwindled. To dispatch a large force into the Central Plains—territory firmly controlled by the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance—would amount to an outright declaration of war. A single misstep could invite the combined assault of the entire Central Plains, destroying the old Demonic Cult before the Third Young Master ever managed to seize it.

Even with both the Demonic Cult headquarters and the righteous sects standing against him, the Third Young Master steadily expanded his influence.

At last, even the orthodox sects could no longer ignore him.

Mount Hua, too, had no choice but to send its strength if it wished to defend the lands under its protection.

“We plan to select several second-generation disciples, divide our forces, and dispatch them throughout Shaanxi to protect the region. If necessary, we may also send reinforcements to other provinces. I intend to entrust overall command to you. The others are all capable, but… right now, we need you, Ryeoil. It’s time to come home.”

“……”

The unexpected turn of events seemed to leave Baek Ryeoil at a loss for words.

Kang Ung stood there blankly, listening to the conversation, not even realizing the tea he had carefully prepared had long since gone cold.

Things have become this serious…?

The situation had deteriorated to the point where even the Nine Great Sects had no choice but to intervene.

Watching his master anxiously, Kang Ung waited for his answer.

Yet he already knew what Baek Ryeoil would say.

“I’ll continue operating independently. It will be better for my fellow disciples that way. In return… I’ll make sure the enemy’s numbers are reduced.”

Baek Ryeoil declared that he would continue exactly as he always had.

He intended to keep traveling between the Hao Sect and the Beggars’ Union, chasing every report that the Demonic Cult had appeared somewhere, sword in hand.

“…Who could ever change your stubborn nature?”

Surprisingly, Ma Jincheon yielded without further argument.

As he picked up the outer robe he had set aside and draped it over his shoulders once more, Kang Ung’s heart sank.

“G-Grandmaster… You’re leaving already? Won’t you stay a little longer…? At least have a meal before you go.”

Reading the reluctance in the boy’s voice, Ma Jincheon smiled wearily.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have the luxury of lingering.”

He glanced sideways at Baek Ryeoil.

“At least send a letter every now and then! I should at least know whether you’re alive or dead, for heaven’s sake…”

Baek Ryeoil simply dipped his head indifferently in farewell.

Then he dragged over Honggae, who had spent the entire time hiding in the corner, carefully reading the room.

Now that Ma Jincheon had arrived, it was time to resume the real reason Honggae had come.

“I-I’ll see you out!”

By then, Kang Ung had already hurried after Ma Jincheon, who had disappeared far down the corridor.

“I’m sorry you came all the way here only to leave like this, Grandmaster.”

“Don’t trouble yourself over it. Seeing that you’re both well is enough.”

Judging from the lack of disappointment on Ma Jincheon’s face, he had never truly expected to persuade Baek Ryeoil in the first place.

Feeling guilty, Kang Ung fidgeted with his fingers.

Out of habit, Ma Jincheon raised a hand to ruffle the boy’s hair, but instead merely patted him on the shoulder.

“I didn’t get the chance to say it earlier, but you’ve grown quite a bit. At this rate, you’ll soon be as tall as your master.”

“N-No…! I could never…!”

The hardships of the past three years had hardened him considerably, yet standing before an elder who genuinely cared for him made him blush like the child he had once been.

“…Ung-ah. What about you? Will you return to Mount Hua with me?”

“Ah…”

“I’ve been worried about Ryeoil all this time, of course… but even more than him, I’ve worried about you. That insensitive fool could never possibly take proper care of you, and I kept wondering whether someone as young as you was suffering out here. I couldn’t even sleep.”

“Grandmaster…”

Something hot welled up inside Kang Ung’s chest.

He wanted nothing more than to burst into tears and pour out every hardship he had endured.

And then…

Return to Mount Hua.

To warm meals.

To a roof over his head.

To the family waiting for him there.

“I…”

At that moment, a memory surfaced in his mind.

“Please take good care of Dojang Baek.”

Those had been Seong Muyon’s final words before he left.

That request had branded itself into the deepest part of Kang Ung’s heart like a burning seal.

Before he knew it, it had become the purpose that guided his life.

“…I’ll stay with Master.”

In the end, Kang Ung refused the tempting offer.

Ma Jincheon nodded with a quiet sigh.

“So be it.”

For a long while, the two simply looked at one another in silence.

Neither spoke it aloud.

Yet both understood why Baek Ryeoil was the way he was.

He was searching for Seong Muyon.

Seong Muyon had departed alongside the Demonic Cult’s Second Young Master.

If Baek Ryeoil continued hunting the Demonic Cult, then someday—inevitably—they would meet again.

That was the true reason behind his relentless obsession.

“Will you make sure that fool doesn’t do anything reckless?”

“Of course. Please don’t worry.”

“…I’m sorry to burden you with a request like this.”

Kang Ung waved until Ma Jincheon’s figure disappeared from sight.

When will we finally return to Mount Hua?

He returned to the room with heavy steps.

Inside, Baek Ryeoil and Honggae sat with their heads together in discussion.

“This isn’t confirmed information, but… several villagers from a remote settlement in the north reportedly died from poison. Judging from the circumstances, it resembles Certificate Poison…”

“We’ll know once we go and see.”

Realizing they were about to set out on another long journey, Kang Ung’s heart grew heavy.

If they actually found Seong Muyon…

That, too, would be a problem.

Young Master wouldn’t welcome us.

There was no longer any reason for Seong Muyon to remain with them.

Having obtained the elixir, he had likely recovered completely.

He no longer needed anyone’s help.

Wherever he was now, he was probably living better than ever before.

To someone like him, old ties would only be uncomfortable—something to avoid.

The thought left a bitter taste in Kang Ung’s mouth.

“We leave at sunrise tomorrow. Make your preparations.”

“Yes, Master.”

Kang Ung washed their soiled clothes, then took out his sword and carefully polished it until its edge gleamed with deadly sharpness.

Moving almost mechanically, he suddenly stopped, unable to endure the ache in his heart any longer, and slowly set down the oil-soaked cloth.

Why did he always realize everything only after it was far too late?

He had known from the very beginning that Seong Muyon carried countless secrets.

He had also sensed, somewhere deep down, that Seong Muyon would someday leave as effortlessly as turning over the palm of his hand.

But Seong Muyon’s true self…

The overwhelming strength that had not only forced Baek Ryeoil to his knees, but had also felled Martial Uncle Jang Hansu with a single strike…

Even now, Kang Ung struggled to believe what he had witnessed.

…I’m such a fool.

He despised how utterly ignorant he had been.

He had proclaimed himself Seong Muyon’s protector more than once.

Yet he had never truly managed to protect him—not even once.

It would probably be better…

Better for Baek Ryeoil.

Better for himself.

If they never found Seong Muyon again.

He no longer had the face to stand before him.

Nor the right to expect that he would ever return.

Young Master… I hope you’re doing well.

Murmuring silently to himself, Kang Ung gave a self-deprecating shake of his head.

Wherever Seong Muyon was, whatever he was doing…

At the very least, he was surely living a better life than he had while staying with them at Mount Hua.

The next morning, the moment the sun rose over the horizon, the two of them left the inn and headed north.