Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1535. What do you know? (5)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Despite the late hour, Chung Myung's room was empty.
“Well, I don’t know.”
“I haven’t seen him since this evening.”
Even when he asked in other rooms, everyone only responded that they didn’t know.
Yoon Jong even checked the quarters of Heavenly Comrade Alliance's senior members just in case, but there was no trace of Chung Myung anywhere.
He frowned and let out a sigh.
Of course, having the conversation a day later wouldn't change anything. But he wanted to find Chung Myung right now and somehow ease this suffocating frustration.
“Where the hell did this guy…”
Just as he bit down on his lower lip.
He turned his head without thinking and saw something white peeking his head out from a corner of the Mount Hua disciples’ lodgings. A small, white creature tilting his head as if asking whether he had come to offer some food as tribute.
Yoon Jong’s eyes narrowed a little more.
"You, can you find where that bastard Chung Myung is?"
The small white creature, Baek-ah, tilted his head sideways. His face quickly lost interest.
"I'll give you a reward."
Only then did Baek-ah quietly step forward. Sniffing with his black nose a few times, he darted off ahead as if to say to follow him. Yoon Jong hurriedly followed after it.
A pure white lightning bolt cut through Huayin. It crossed the newly reclaimed wide plains and soon plunged into the high mountains that were revealed behind them.
'Where on earth is he going?'
Just as Yoon Jong, who was chasing Baek-ah with gritted teeth, was becoming slightly out of breath, Baek-ah reached a deep forest where not even the moonlight could easily penetrate and came to a stop.
Thud!
Yoon Jong, who stopped along with it, soon hardened his face. From ahead, the sound of a powerful sword slash tearing through the air echoed.
“Thanks.”
He gave a quiet word of thanks and nodded to Baek-ah, then took a deep breath. He then strode forward through the forest.
A moment later, an incredible sight came into view.
Kwaaaaang!
Red sword energy that poured down from the sky not only dug deep into the ground but crushed rocks as well.
It was sword energy that completely excluded the Taoist principle of saving life (활인(活人)), filled only with the will to destroy enemies. More than the power contained in the sword, that eerie killing intent made Yoon Jong's hair stand on end.
Kwakang!
The sword energy exploded right in front of him. Soon, the thick killing intent and rough sword energy that had been covering the surroundings vanished as if washed away.
“Huuft.”
Revealed in that moment was the back of Chung Myung, his shoulders rising and falling as he exhaled roughly. The intense training had been, and she was completely covered in sweat.
For a moment, Yoon Jong forgot the reason he had come here and was lost in a sudden thought.
If it hadn't been for the conversation with Jo-Gol, Yoon Jong would probably be settling down and falling asleep right about now. He had to prepare for tomorrow's training.
But both Baek Cheon and Chung Myung were driving themselves mercilessly at a time when they should be seeking sleep. As if they were being chased by something.
What chased Baek Cheon was surely his own condition.
Then what was it that chased Chung Myung?
Chung Myung turned his head just slightly and looked back at Yoon Jong. Though his body radiated heat like steam, his gaze was chillingly cold. Yoon Jong felt a pressure he couldn’t explain pressing down on him.
"What."
Chung Myung clicked his tongue lightly and trudged toward a nearby rock. He wiped the sweat from his face with a cloth draped over it, then looked at Yoon Jong with a scowl.
“How did you find this place?”
It was his usual light tone. Yoon Jong belatedly exhaled the breath he had unconsciously been holding.
Where should he even begin?
“What kind of training brings you all the way out here?”
“It’s noisy.”
“That’s true, though.”
“Besides, if I train near Huayin, this person and that person will all come to watch. How could I comfortably swing my sword even once?”
“That’s also true.”
Yoon Jong smiled bitterly.
People eager to spar with Chung Myung would likely line up outside Huyain. And Yoon Jong was sure Namgung Dowi would be at the very front of that line.
"No, but don't change the subject, how did you know this place..."
At that moment, Chung Myung's eyes narrowed sharply. He had spotted Baek-ah peeking his head out from behind a tree behind Yoon Jong.
Kii!
Baek-ah quickly hid his head behind a tree.
“That marten punk, how dare you sell out your master?”
“....”
“Yeah. Keep going. Keep going. It’s almost winter.”
Then a faint, whining sound like something was creaking behind the tree.
Clicking his tongue, Chung Myung turned his gaze back to Yoon Jong and asked.
“So what. You wouldn’t have come all the way out here in the dead of night for no reason.”
Chung Myung picked up the gourd he had placed on the rock. It was impressive that the bottle had survived intact during such intense training.
"Sahyung?"
When Yoon Jong remained silent, Chung Myung called out. Yoon Jong stared at him quietly and then said,
“You know, right?”
"What?"
“About Sasuk.”
After spitting out the words, he studied Chung Myung's face. He had expected some kind of reaction, but surprisingly, there wasn't the slightest change in Chung Myung's expression.
"What about Sasuk?"
“…I’m talking about Sasuk’s physical condition.”
Yoon Jong’s voice had gained a bit of force.
Maybe it was because he was fed up with Chung Myung's evasive attitude, or maybe it was because the indifferent tone bothered him.
"Ah."
Even though he must have clearly noticed the edge in his voice, Chung Myung remained merely indifferent.
"You're talking about that."
"Yes... You know, don't you?"
"I know."
Chung Myung calmly tipped the gourd. Yoon Jong's brow twitched slightly. Every one of Chung Myung's movements today felt strangely grating.
“So? You came all the way here in the middle of the night just to talk about that?”
“What are you planning to do?”
“…Do about what?”
“What are you thinking? Are you just going to keep letting Sasuk be like that?”
Chung Myung frowned silently. Yoon Jong spoke with a sigh.
“Sasuk intends to go to war.”
“....”
“He’s going to try to lead us from the front like he always does. No, since it's war, he won't refuse even more dangerous tasks than usual."
Chung Myung faced Yoon Jong with an expressionless face.
“Then you know what will happen, don’t you?”
"Sahyung."
“Sasuk will die.”
A cold light flowed from between Yoon Jong’s narrow eyes.
"We’ll do our best to help Sasuk too. But this is war. When it's hard enough to protect my own life, there's no way I can perfectly protect Sasuk as well. And Sasuk wouldn't allow that either."
“....”
"Do you understand? Sasuk must not go to war in this condition."
Chung Myung listened to Yoon Jong's words without answering.
"So if you have something in mind, don't drag it out any longer and do something now. Of course, just like always, I’m sure you have your own reasons. But you know it too. Things are at a point where the war could break out tomorrow. It’s too dangerous now.”
Yoon Jong's voice was much more serious than usual.
It can't be helped. Right now, there was likely no one who could stop Baek Cheon. Even if it were Hyun Jong, the chances of fully stopping him were slim. Even if his limbs and veins were severed and imprisoned, Baek Cheon would still crawl his way to the battlefield.
If there is anyone who can stop such Baek Cheon, it was only Chung Myung.
And deep down, he held another hope.
Perhaps this bastard might not just stop at preventing Baek Cheon, but actually have a way to resolve his physical condition.
No... There definitely had to be. Otherwise, this bastard wouldn't have left Baek Cheon neglected for so long.
But Chung Myung's reaction was somewhat different from Yoon Jong's expectations.
“Tsk.”
Chung Myung clicked his tongue briefly and picked up the outer robe he had carelessly thrown onto the rock.
"And here I thought you came all this way for something serious."
"...What?"
Yoon Jong's face hardened. What could be more serious than Baek Cheon’s condition?
Putting on the clothes he had taken off and leisurely tying the knots, Chung Myung sent an indifferent glance.
Yoon Jong did not accept Chung Myung's words at face value.
“Fine. So you’re saying it’s not serious, which means you’ve already got something figured out, right? Like some special elixir?”
“Nope.”
"...Huh?"
"You should know this too, Sahyung. Sasuk overused his innate energy and suffered backlash. So, the vessel that holds his energy itself is broken."
“....”
"Using elixir would be like pouring water into a bottomless jar. To keep filling it continuously, we'd probably have to feed him all elixir in Jungwon. And even then, it’d all leak out eventually. That’s what a bottomless jar is like."
It meant his dantian was shattered. And Yoon Jong already knew that. It wasn’t as if they had been sitting idly by all this time.
The moment suspicion turned to certainty was in Beggar Union. They never brought it up to Baek Cheon directly, but they had already pressured Tang Soso several times.
- I can't fix it. And... even Tang Family can't.
For a martial artist, it was a death sentence.
- It’s not completely shattered, just cracked, so he won’t lose all his martial arts at once. But… he’ll lose them gradually. Faster and faster. No matter how hard we try, it’s irreversible.
It was unimaginable.
What it must feel like to watch everything you’ve built over a lifetime slowly slip through your fingers. To witness things that are essentially your very self crumble little by little, and be unable to stop it.
Yet the only reason they had endured until now was one thing.
"I know. But you must have some method, right?"
Because Chung Myung was silent.
There’s no way he didn’t notice what they had. But Chung Myung hadn’t acted any differently since the battle of Beggar Union.
So they all believed. That this ghost-like guy must have some miraculous solution they couldn’t even imagine. Because… right, up to now, he always had.
But the blunt words that came from Chung Myung completely shattered Yoon Jong’s expectations.
"Doesn't exist."
"...What?"
“There is no such method.”
Yoon Jong just stared at Chung Myung in silence. As if to confirm the truth of the answer.
"I'm neither a physician nor an alchemist. If anything, I ask you. Why do you think I would have a method? When even Tang Family says they can't cure it."
…This was the truth. Yoon Jong could tell. There was no lie in Chung Myung’s words right now.
What came to Yoon Jong at that moment was not despair, but deep doubt.
"There's no method?"
"Yeah."
“You’re really saying there’s no method?”
“I told you so?”
Yoon Jong's eyes stared as if to pierce through Chung Myung.
“Then… why have you kept your mouth shut all this time? You, who surely knew exactly what Sasuk was going through each day. You bastard who couldn't not know what kind of resolve that person has right now."
“....”
"Why did you just watch all of that?"
Chung Myung stared at Yoon Jong and spoke in a nonchalant tone.
"Should I have comforted him then?"
There was no boiling anger, no frost-like dignity. It was just a calm tone, without highs or lows.
“You… what did you just say…?”
“Should I have given him some touching advice? Like, ‘It’s a shame, but there’s nothing you can do, so just accept it’?”
The tips of Yoon Jong’s fingers trembled.
“You couldn’t say that, which is why all the other sahyungs have stayed silent until now.”
"You...."
"From the beginning, this was all Sasuk's own choice. He couldn't possibly not have known this would be the outcome."
“...Chung Myung?”
Yoon Jong couldn't believe his ears. What the hell was this bastard saying?
Why did this happen in the first place? Why was Baek Cheon's dantian shattered?
Why did Baek Cheon have no choice but to overexert himself like that?
But....
“He’s saying he’ll take responsibility for his own decision, then who am I…”
Yoon Jong's hand grabbed Chung Myung's collar.
Rip.
It was such a forceful grip that it tore the sturdy martial robe.
Yoon Jong, grabbing Chung Myung by the collar, trembled as he could not overcome the strength and resentment that had fallen into his hands.
“…You.”
Yoon Jong bit down on his lower lip to suppress his anger.
“What the hell are you saying right now?”
The rage he couldn't quite contain, and the sorrow, leaked out through the trembling in his voice.
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