HDCLSSRS Ch 35

Chapter 35 Just This Once (3)

 

He moved carefully along the cliffside wall of the ravine, watching each step.

‘Careful…!’

It was a dangerous path—one misstep and he could plummet into the deep abyss below. His legs trembled.

But Seong Muyeon gritted his teeth and pressed on.

He cleared away the tangled roots, and unless one aligned the angle just right between the twists of the stone wall, there was a space that couldn’t be seen.

‘Found it…!’

After much searching, Seong Muyeon finally located the spot. A victorious smile spread across his face.

‘…The hidden cave of the Grand Elder!’

In the original story, Baek Ryeoil had been wandering rugged peaks as casually as if taking a walk. Then he twisted his ankle.

That’s how protagonist-level opportunities worked.

You trip and fall into a cave, and there you pick up rare elixirs, secret techniques, and sacred beasts—naturally.

‘This opportunity is mine now.’

Filled with anticipation, Seong Muyeon stepped inside.

‘Elixirs! Secret manuals! Magical beasts… okay, maybe not that.’

The path inward was pitch-black, but to Seong Muyeon’s eyes, it shimmered with light.

‘Elixirs…?’

Sure enough, there was actual light. A glow leaked from deeper within, growing brighter.

Rustle.

There was a faint sound… then—

Whoosh!

A dark figure lunged at Seong Muyeon.

“Waaah!”

“Aaahhh!”

As Seong Muyeon screamed, the shadow also shrieked. Peeking open one tightly shut eye, Seong Muyeon saw—

“Huh? Who are you?”

An elderly man was sitting on the ground. The old man shouted back,

“And who are you?! How dare you barge into my cave uninvited!”

……

In the original story, the hidden cave didn’t have an owner. It was presumed the original master had long since passed away.

‘……’

Clearly, this was well before that point in time.

Which meant—

‘He’s still alive?!’

Seong Muyeon screamed silently. He had unwittingly become an intruder barging into a secret chamber that still had its rightful owner.

“You brat. Speak! What generation disciple are you?”

The old man looked over Seong Muyeon’s appearance and clicked his tongue.

“…Has Hwasan gotten that desperate? Accepting a kid like you as a disciple? You look so frail, you couldn’t swat a fly.”

“What… what are you doing?!”

The old man grabbed Seong Muyeon’s arm, prodded his side, and even inspected his back thoroughly. Then he muttered—

“You don’t have long to live.”

“…How can you tell?”

The old man shook his head.

“Obvious at a glance. What are you, mid-twenties? Don’t tell me you didn’t know. You must’ve heard it a thousand times by now.”

Nod, nod…

“See? Tsk, what is the world coming to. Kids these days… tsk tsk.”

“Elder! May I ask your name, sir?”

“Me?”

“Yes!”

Seong Muyeon’s eyes sparkled. The items found in this place were all extraordinary, so surely the master of this cave was an exceptional figure.

But no names or identifying records remained, so it had been impossible to learn who it was.

“You brat! When meeting an elder, you introduce yourself and your lineage first!”

Startled by the sharp rebuke, Seong Muyeon quickly bowed.

“Yes, Elder! My name is Seong Muyeon. I’m not a disciple of Hwasan. I’m merely a guest staying for a while with the sect leader’s permission.”

“Is that so? The Seong family… You’re not a descendant of Seong Hyeokgwang, are you? Haha!”

“……”

Cold sweat trickled down Seong Muyeon’s back. The old man didn’t seem to notice and laughed heartily.

“Ow, my stomach… just kidding! Don’t make such a scary face…”

At that moment, seeing Seong Muyeon’s expression, the elder’s laughter froze.

“…You really are Seong Hyeokgwang’s blood?”

“…Yes.”

“……”

The next moment—

“Get out, now!”

Seong Muyeon was kicked out with a swift boot to the backside.

‘…How cruel.’

Why did he have to be born as the son of the Demonic Cult Leader?

Tears welled in Seong Muyeon’s eyes.

As he sat squatting outside the cave, reflecting on his miserable life, the elder peeked out again.

“Get back in here! I can’t stand the sound of sniffling!”

“Th-thank you!”

Afraid the elder might change his mind, Seong Muyeon rushed back in and settled down deep inside, where it would be harder to drag him out.

The old man eyed him disapprovingly, then asked,

“So you’re Seong Hyeokgwang’s son, huh? How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-five.”

Seong Muyeon glanced around the cave. The rare items from the original story weren’t there. It must’ve been before they were placed here.

‘My poor elixirs…’

“Hmph. That timing adds up. So that’s why, huh?”

“Um… Elder, could you speak a little more clearly?”

The old man shot him a sharp glare. Seong Muyeon shrank back.

“What’s your mother’s name?”

“…I don’t know her family name. She was called ‘Mimi.’”

“Mimi…?”

“You knew her?!”

The elder scratched his head.

“Nope. Don’t know her.”

‘…Then why did you ask?’

The elder sat on a stone chair and jerked his chin.

“Sit.”

“There’s no chair…”

“Sit on the floor!”

“Yessir.”

Seong Muyeon knelt. After all the scolding he’d endured from Baek Ryeoil, this was nothing.

“But Elder… You still haven’t told me your name.”

“Oh, right. I am Poong Unyeop, 22nd-generation disciple of the Great Hwasan Sect.”

‘P-Poong Unyeop…!’

Seong Muyeon instinctively bowed to the floor.

Poong Unyeop was an elder predating even the Grand Elders. Seong Muyeon had only heard of him through passing legends.

‘The Plum Blossom Sword Saint before Baek Ryeoil.’

Baek Ryeoil had inherited the title several generations later and carried on the legacy.

‘If it’s this man… maybe?’

“Master Sword Saint! If I may be so bold—didn’t you say I don’t have long to live? Do you know a way to cure my condition?”

The Sword Saint thought for a moment before replying.

“I know a few.”

“Wh-what are they?”

“Complete bodily rebirth. Or regressing your age to a youthful state. Take your pick.”

“……”

Seong Muyeon’s face twisted.

“You brat. Have some decency. Your illness is far worse than a standard yin-yang meridian disorder, and you think an ordinary method will fix it? You thieving punk!”

“Y-you figured that out too?”

As he said, Seong Muyeon’s severed meridians weren’t ordinary. If regular meridian disorders were like cheap coffee, his was the ultra-strong T.x.P blend. Everything about it was worse. Even physicians fled at the sight of him.

“Hmph, there is one more way.”

The Sword Saint stroked his wiry beard. Seong Muyeon had a bad feeling. He had a sense he knew exactly what would come next.

Haha.

No way.

“If you spend a night with a master of high-level martial arts…”

“I’m done! That’s enough! I’ll be going now!”

Seong Muyeon leapt to his feet.

“Tch. Impatient, aren’t you?”

Before he could react, the Sword Saint was suddenly right in front of him. With a single finger, he struck Muyeon’s upper shoulder point, chest point, and mid-back point in rapid succession.

Boom—!

The shock hit his body like a boulder. His vision blurred, and the world doubled before him.

“Gah…!”

His knees buckled.

Cough!

He vomited a large pool of black blood.

“Haa… Haa… What did you do to me?”

Seong Muyeon wiped the blood from his lips and asked. The Sword Saint silently flipped his eyelids and checked his ears before stepping back.

“This should stabilize you for a while.”

Only then did Seong Muyeon realize with surprise—his condition had dramatically improved.

The bone-deep chill was gone, replaced by a warm energy circulating through him. Even his face regained some color.

Completely dazed, Seong Muyeon threw himself into a deep bow.

“Elder! You’ve saved my life!”

“Get up! I don’t want blessings from a sick man. It’s bad luck.”

His speech was rather rough… but still, the improvement in his condition made Seong Muyeon want to kiss him out of gratitude.

“How can I repay this favor?”

“What a scary thing to say. Your father, Seong Hyeokgwang—do you know what happened to those who said they’d repay his kindness?”

They probably died.

Horribly.

That’s the kind of man the Cult Leader was.

“You must have known my father well.”

“Knew him all too well. How could I not? I crossed blades with him several times, but we never settled it. Decades passed that way. He must be old now too.”

“He’s bedridden. Likely doesn’t have long to live.”

“Him? Hmph… So even that bastard dies eventually.”

The Sword Saint looked uncertain whether he was relieved or saddened.

“But Elder… Why did you help me? I’m Seong Hyeokgwang’s son. You said you crossed swords many times. I’m sure the feelings between you two weren’t pleasant.”

“Should I take it back, then?”

“No! That’s not what I meant!”

Seong Muyeon slammed his forehead to the ground. His damn mouth was the problem.

“I wouldn’t even call it help. It’s only a temporary fix. If you push yourself even slightly, you’ll be worse off than before.”

Finishing his words, the Sword Saint looked him over closely.

“You’re the spitting image of your father. But… if I’m not mistaken, your mother…”

“Yes.”

Seong Muyeon swallowed dryly.

This old man definitely knew something about his mother.