Chương 199: Chapter 1087: What Sin Did I Commit in My Past Life (Part 2)
The moment Hyun Jong, who had his head down, lifted his head up, the disciples of Mount Hua slammed their heads into the ground like lightning.
'If our eyes meet, I die.'
'It's not a joke; I'm really going to die.'
'What did I just witness?'
Cold sweat dripped down the backs of the Mount Hua disciples. They had seen Hyun Jong angry several times before, but this time was different—it felt like the end.
'I'd rather face the bishop.'
"Please spare us!"
A long sigh unexpectedly escaped from Hyun Jong's mouth, which had been emitting a deadly aura.
"I..."
"..."
"What sin did I commit in my past life..."
The heads of Un Geom and Baek Cheon lowered even further.
"Uhh..."
Hyun Jong scratched his head vigorously. Although his nature made him want to flip everything upside down, it wasn't easy to get angrier considering the immense hardships these disciples had endured.
To put it bluntly, were they in a situation where they would be criticized? If they were from another sect, they would have achieved great feats and become heroes, leaving the city to welcome them. But these heroes...
"..."
The disciples were lowering their heads trying to avoid eye contact, and in the meantime, Chung Myung was looking at him with a look in his eyes that said, 'Such a severe temper, huh?'...
"Ugh..."
The back of his neck naturally stiffened. He momentarily thought of searching for a pretext, but even Tang Soso, who should be preparing the medicine, was sitting in a corner with a gloomy expression. Hyun Jong sighed once again.
"It's all my fault. Yes, it's all my fault..."
"..."
"Everyone..."
Hyun Jong bit his lip slightly.
"Fortunately, you all came back safely."
"No, please let us lower our arms and explain..."
"Ah, shut up!"
"Soso! Where did your needle go? Stick it in that brat's mouth!"
"Die already, will you!"
The disciples of Mount Hua glared at Chung Myung, their eyes rolling in exasperation. If that bastard had just cleaned his mouth a little more, the scolding received would have been cut in half.
Hyun Jong let out a deep sigh.
"Fine, everyone, lower your hands."
"Hehe."
"You, keep holding it."
"...Why me?"
"Just do it."
Chung Myung's mouth pouted in discontent as he begrudgingly raised his arms again.
The others discreetly lowered their hands.
Watching them, Hyun Jong inwardly blamed himself.
'I'm ugly.'
His anger didn't stem from the fact that he traveled one thousand li in vain. The real source of his anger surged when he saw the faces of those who loitered here.
Their clothes were torn and tattered, stained with dried blood. The glimpses of bruises and bloody scabs between the ripped garments hinted at the hardships they had endured.
The moment he saw all that, countless emotions welled up in Hyun Jong's chest.
Pride. Of course, he was proud. He knew well why they had ventured to Gangnam. The value of what they guarded and the importance of the principles they had upheld couldn't be understated.
Yet, despite all this, he was angry.
No matter how noble the cause, what parent would be happy to see their child willingly step into a dangerous battlefield? It was inevitable that seeing those who had braved the harsh battlefield and returned, smiling as if it were nothing, would spark anger.
Hyun Jong bowed his head in silence.
"Thank you, everyone."
In response, everyone looked stunned, their mouths agape.
"Sect Leader!"
"Oh, no, why are you doing this! We were wrong."
"Damn it, you bastards! Hurry up and apologize!"
Lifting his head, Hyun Jong sighed, facing his bewildered disciples.
"I'm not thanking you for what you've done."
"..."
"You have resolved the crisis in the Central Plains, elevated the status of Mount Hua, and made known to the world that powerful people can pursue righteousness."
"Sect Leader…"
Hyun Jong looked at his disciples with a deep gaze.
"But I'm not grateful for any of that."
"..."
"There is only one thing I'm thankful for from all of you."
He bowed his head once again.
"For safely returning, truly... truly, thank you."
The disciples of Mount Hua bowed their heads together.
They keenly felt how much Hyun Jong had worried about them, how much concern he had carried. Looking back, they realized they had only worried about their safety during the battle, without considering the feelings of those left behind. That's probably why they even forgot to contact them easily.
A sense of guilt surged anew. The disciples of Mount Hua let out a collective sigh.
"I'm sorry, Sect Leader."
"I apologize."
"Can I lower my hands now?"
"No."
"Ugh, seriously."
Although Chung Myung grumbled, his voice didn't reach the ears of the others.
"Phew."
As Hyun Jong let out a deep sigh, Hyun Young, who was standing nearby, finally spoke up.
"Geez, if the kids are fighting in a hurry, they might make mistakes. Don't be too hard on them for that."
"What, you punk?"
"Well, they say the older you get, the more childish you become."
Hyun Sang, who had been watching from the side, subtly restrained Hyun Young.
"Isn't Sect Leader worried about it too?"
"Who here hasn't been worried? First, we should praise them if the kids come back safely. That's what a Sect Leader is!"
"Okay, okay..."
Hyun Jong also had nothing more to say and turned his head abruptly.
Hyun Young, clicking his tongue, looked at the kids.
"Next time, please think about the person waiting and worrying while you fight. I thought our Sect Leader was about to pass away."
"I will keep that in mind, Elder."
"We will certainly do so."
Hyun Young nodded.
"Alright. Now that Sect Leader seems to have released his anger a bit, let's talk about it. What happened?"
The seated ones turned their heads to look at Baek Cheon, indicating him to speak on behalf of the group.
Baek Cheon cleared his throat and began to recount the events they had experienced in Gangnam.
"Hmm."
After hearing the not-so-brief story, a groan involuntarily escaped Hyun Jong's lips. Everyone looked at him, curious about what he would say first.
"Un Geom."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"Where is the woman and child you rescued from Hangzhou now?"
Upon hearing this, smiles naturally appeared on the faces of the Mount Hua disciples. It was truly fitting of Hyun Jong.
"The woman and child are resting in a quiet room. While there doesn't seem to be any physical issues, they are in a weakened state. Although we may not be aware of it, for an ordinary woman, even coming across the Yangtze River have been an extraordinary feat."
"That's right, that's right."
"So, we thought it was a priority for them to rest in a comfortable place. We've asked the family doctors of the Tang Family for help, so there should be no major problems."
"Good. And the child, is he alright?"
"Yes, Sect Leader. You don't need to worry."
"Thank goodness."
Only then did Hyun Jong sigh lightly.
The upheaval in the Demonic Cult and the unification of the Evil Tyrant Alliance. Compared to these two massive incidents that would surely plunge the region into chaos, the well-being of just two survivors might seem inconsequential.
However, Hyun Jong mentioned their safety first among all these events. It reflected something about the character of Hyun Jong, whether positively or negatively.
Only then did Tang Soso quietly speak up.
"It seems like she's burdened with worries. Having been forcibly moved to another region without any relatives or family..."
"Of course. Naturally, that would be the case."
Hyun Jong turned to Hyun Young as if there was nothing to think about.
"Hyun Young."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"Take care to ensure that there are no deficiencies in their living conditions, and find a suitable settlement for them. If it's Hwayeon, it's Hwayeon, if it's here, it's here. Or Sichuan would be find too. Help them settle wherever they feel comfortable."
"I will do so, Sect Leader."
Hyun Jong nodded with a heavy heart.
It was certainly good news that there were survivors and that they were able to rescue them through luck. However, on the flip side, it meant that only two had survived in the vast land of Hangzhou.
Certainly, there might be others who escaped and fled to different places after the incident, so it wouldn't be accurate to say that everyone was sacrificed. However, the sacrifices were still great.
"Magyo...."
The Demonic Cult they heard about firsthand was far more terrifying and dreadful than what they had imagined. Taking into account that they probably lowered the tone of their words out of consideration for Hyun Jong, it was even more so.
"Chung Myung."
"...."
"Chung Myung."
With no response to the repeated calls, Hyun Jong's eyebrows twitched.
The gazes of Hyun Jong, who strangely tightened his lips, and Chung Myung, who was pouting, met in the air.
"....Lower your arm."
"Yes, Sect Leader. I apologize."
In response to the polite reply that came straight away, Hyun Jong closed his eyes tightly.
'What is that guy...'
If it were anyone else, their personality would have changed at least 15 times in the past few days. How could a person be so consistent? By now, it wasn't that his personality was bad, but rather, it was time to consider whether the people trying to change that personality were in the wrong.
"You...."
Hyun Jong, who was about to say something, sighed deeply. After looking at Chung Myung's somewhat uncomfortable and frustrated face, he put strength into his voice.
"I won't ask how you know so much about the Demonic Cult."
"Oh, that? Well...."
"It's done."
When Chung Myung seemed about to say something as if his mouth was oiled, Hyun Jong decisively cut him off. If it was just beating around the bush, it was better not to hear it.
"You can tell me later when you feel like it."
Of course, just because he was Hyun Jong didn't mean he wasn't curious about Chung Myung's story. However, a relationship doesn't necessarily become closer just because you know a lot about each other, and it doesn't become more distant just because you don't.
No matter what story he has, to him, Chung Myung was just Chung Myung.
There must have been a reason why a child who had already opened his heart did not share his story. What Hyun Jong should do now was not to force it but to wait.
Hyun Jong secretly sent a glance to the others around him. He seemed to be saying that their attitudes should be no different.
He furrowed his brow slightly and opened his mouth.
"More importantly, out of everyone here, you seem to know the most about the Demonic Cult, so let me ask. According to Baek Cheon, the Magyo that appeared in Hangzhou this time seems to be only a part of them. Do you agree with my thoughts?"
"Yes. That seems likely."
"Then... when you add up the power of those who didn't appear in the Central Plains this time, how much do you think the overall strength of Magyo would be?"
Chung Myung subtly frowned as he pondered, extending and folding his fingers. After contemplating for a while, he looked at Hyun Jong with a stern face.
"...Are you talking about the entire force excluding the Heavenly Demon?"
"That's right."
"Then..."
He closed his mouth again. Chung Myung was silent as if he was contemplating something, and only when everyone's saliva was dry from tension did he open his mouth.
"Even if you miss a few, it will be ten times, no... more than that."
For a moment, the air in the room froze cold.
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