Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Ch. 70🔒 .｡.:✧ Mount Hua (1) ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The inside of Mount Hua Sect was extremely quiet.
Feeling a bit suffocated, I took off the human-skin mask I was wearing.
Now that I had returned to Mount Hua, there was no longer any reason to wear it.
“Huu.”
‘It’s somewhat chilly.’
I looked around.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of a place after a storm had passed.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen the inside of Mount Hua so quiet.’
With a slight question in my mind, I looked at the empty training ground that was spread out wide within the sect.
Normally, it was a place where second and third-generation disciples would be diligently training or sparring.
It was a bit absurd to see the training ground, which had not had a single day of rest, being neglected and untidy.
‘What on earth happened to Mount Hua…?’
I tilted my head several times.
As I was looking around the inside of Mount Hua, which had a strange silence, I muttered softly.
“Still, the presence of people hasn’t completely disappeared… it doesn’t seem like a disaster has struck.”
After muttering that, I started walking along the main road, as if taking a stroll, leaving the training ground.
Thud, thud-!
How long had I been walking aimlessly along the road?
I finally felt the presence of a man.
“……?”
“……!”
It was a man in a black robe who was slowly revealing himself from the bushes in the garden.
He had a handsome and cheerful impression, and his face was somewhat familiar, so I couldn’t help but say, “Uh.”
“What…?”
“Oh, you are… Seong?”
“…Who are you?”
The opponent, who had called my name and was assessing the situation for a moment, turned his gaze back to me.
And then he grinned and said to me,
“Even if we only met once, did you really forget me?”
“……?”
“Was it about a year ago…? It seems like just yesterday that you proudly took the flag in the exam that was held in the sect.”
“Ah…!”
Only then did I realize the identity of this handsome man with a familiar impression and let out a sound of admiration.
My eyes widened as I shouted to him in a welcoming tone.
“Mister Mu-yeong…!”
“Hehe, you finally remember. It’s been a long time, so I almost didn’t recognize you either, Seong.”
“Huu! Mister, you are still the same. I don’t think you’ve changed much from last time.”
Thunder Sword Dragon Mu-yeong.
He was the man who was in charge of the exam at the summit when I first took the selection exam at Mount Hua.
Moreover, he was also the man who was considered the best of the younger generation in Mount Hua.
Perhaps if I were to combine it with the content of the original work, he was the most suitable person for the position of sect leader before the existence of ‘me’ became prominent in the sect.
He was also a direct disciple of the sect leader.
‘I’m not a direct disciple of the sect leader yet. Of course, looking at the situation, it seems like they’ll attach me to the sect leader’s side soon…’
At that moment when I was thinking that, Mu-yeong, who was smiling awkwardly and scratching his disheveled hair, asked me.
“By the way, Seong, I knew you were away for a long time due to family matters, but did you just return?”
“Yes, the family affairs and the matter of cleaning up the house overlapped… so I was away from the sect for a few months.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Mu-yeong, who had swallowed his saliva, turned his gaze to the empty training ground.
He had a look full of questions, so I couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of unease.
As I was looking at Mu-yeong with a suspicious look, I slowly opened my mouth.
“…Mister?”
“…Huh?”
“Do you know why Mount Hua, which was always bustling, has become like this?”
“……!”
Mu-yeong, who was staring at the training ground, began to get noticeably flustered when he received my question.
At Mu-yeong’s reaction, I smiled as if I had expected it.
My prediction was correct.
‘Perhaps, Mu-yeong has also just returned to the sect. If that free-spirited fellow had not just returned to Mount Hua after wandering, he would not be unaware of this situation that has occurred in the sect.’
Apart from that, I couldn’t help but sigh in disbelief.
As I was standing there with all my strength drained, Mu-yeong, who was watching me, scratched his head and said.
“Hmm… I don’t even know where the disciples and elders of the sect have gone.”
“…What on earth were you doing, Mister?”
As I sharply criticized his wandering, Mu-yeong finally smiled bitterly and replied.
“…I stopped by the village below for a few days and drank bamboo leaf liquor, and then I got into a quarrel with some guys from the Zhongnan Sect that I met there, and in the end, I got tired of it and came back.”
“…Did you get permission from the sect leader?”
“Of course not.”
At Mu-yeong’s answer without a moment’s hesitation, I was inwardly dumbfounded, but at the same time, I thought that it was just like Mu-yeong’s personality and shook my head.
I said.
“Then you must not have heard any news from the sect recently.”
“Hmm… in fact, in the past, even when I was away, they would often send carrier pigeons with news from the sect, telling me to come back, but at some point, the elders must have thought that it was a luxury, and they no longer went to the trouble of doing so…”
“……”
It was Mu-yeong’s words as if he had given up.
At Mu-yeong’s confession of his situation, I, who was still crossing my arms, suggested to him.
“Then, how about we search the area together for now?”
“Huh…?”
“Two is better than one, isn’t it?”
“Hmm… you’re right.”
In the end, after getting Mu-yeong’s permission, I uncrossed my arms and began to walk.
…No, I was about to move.
At that moment, I suddenly felt the presence of another person besides Mu-yeong and me, running towards us using lightness skill.
“……?”
“This is…?”
At that moment when Mu-yeong and I were slightly flustered by the newly appeared presence, the owner of the presence, who had finally jumped over the wall that was about three feet away, revealed himself in front of me and Mu-yeong.
Mu-yeong and I, who had confirmed it, couldn’t help but open our eyes wide and shout at the opponent.
“Elder…?”
“Oh…?”
The identity of the person who had come in over the high wall was Myeong Ryong-geom, an elder of Mount Hua and also my master.
Myeong Ryong-geom had not changed at all.
His white hair and wrinkled brow were the same.
As I was staring at Myeong Ryong-geom, I cupped my fists.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my master.”
“Hmm…! Seong-ah. I’ve already heard the news of your return. Seeing you return in good health, it was worth waiting for.”
“…It took longer than I thought to sort out the family affairs.”
“Still, to return to Mount Hua without any trouble, I’m deeply moved. Until recently, I had to be so careful because of the other elders…”
“Hmm…”
“Still, to witness your safe return with my own two eyes now, the wait so far was not in vain.”
“You praise me too much.”
As I said that, Myeong Ryong-geom, who was smiling warmly for a moment, turned his gaze to Mu-yeong.
Myeong Ryong-geom’s eyes began to burn, and his appearance was so much like looking at a fierce god that even I couldn’t help but be very surprised.
At that moment, Myeong Ryong-geom opened his mouth to Mu-yeong with a voice full of anger.
“Yeong-ah… what on earth have you been doing to cause such a mess that the Zhongnan Sect even sent a letter?”
“Ugh… Elder.”
“Huu. I’ve only been angry a handful of times in my life, but today, just looking at your face, I feel like I could die of anger.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Myeong Ryong-geom, who was scolding Mu-yeong with a few words, finally let out a long sigh and said.
“I heard the conversation you were having just now.”
“…As I thought, you were listening.”
Myeong Ryong-geom, who began to clear his throat, said to me as if explaining.
“It’s natural that there are no people in Mount Hua.”
“…Yes?”
“Because only the minimum number of people to protect and maintain the sect remained in Mount Hua, and most of the second and third-generation disciples went on a training camp.”
“Ah…”
Only then did I understand the whole story and let out a sound of admiration.
‘If it’s a training camp… are they helping with the work of the escort agency, or are they carrying out missions to escort goods together.’
The way the disciples of large sects went out and trained together was usually like that.
After recalling that, I slowly nodded my head and asked Myeong Ryong-geom.
“Then, Master, you are one of the people who are still in the sect.”
“Yes, the sect leader also requested it, and above all, as your master, I couldn’t help but greet you warmly.”
“Hmm…!”
As I swallowed my saliva, Mu-yeong, who was standing next to me, raised his hand slightly and said.
“Um… Elder, can I ask a question too…”
“Yeong-ah, be quiet.”
“…I understand.”
In the end, it was Mu-yeong who couldn’t even ask a question.
At the situation, which was so absurd that it was even funny, I drew a slight curve on my lips.
It was at that moment when the three of us were talking.
“……?”
“Hmm.”
Myeong Ryong-geom, who was glancing at me even while talking, finally seemed to have made up his mind after being indecisive.
He began to stare at me intently and then asked me as if he had made a decision.
“…Seong-ah.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Every time we reunite, you seem to have grown so much that it’s hard to believe…”
“……”
At Myeong Ryong-geom’s words, I, who was looking at him with a slightly dazed look, smiled.
And then I opened my mouth with a voice full of confidence.
“Perhaps, I can say with confidence that I have grown so much that even you, Master, cannot gauge my martial prowess.”
“Ugh…!”
Myeong Ryong-geom let out a groan when he heard my words.
At Myeong Ryong-geom’s reaction, I began to feel Myeong Ryong-geom’s fighting spirit, albeit faintly.
In fact, no matter how much he cherished his disciple, if he considered him a worthy opponent or a master of equal standing, it was natural for any martial artist in the world to want to have a match.
I was well aware of that fact, still smiled faintly and made my proposal.
“I won’t bother with any explanations.”
“…What.”
“The training ground is empty, so may I, as an unworthy disciple, ask my master for a lesson?”
“Ugh…!”
Myeong Ryong-geom, who had grasped the intention of my words, swallowed his saliva even more deeply.
And then Myeong Ryong-geom’s eyes widened and he asked me.
“…It will be a spar where my hands might get a little rough, are you really okay with that? I was itching for a fight because there was no one in the sect to ask for a match, so I’m worried about how we will fight.”
“……”
At Myeong Ryong-geom’s words, which contained a slight worry, I shook my head and replied.
“Don’t worry.”
“……!”
“Until the sun sets, I will face you as much as you want. Master.”
As I smiled with a fighting spirit, Myeong Ryong-geom burst out laughing and shouted.
“Indeed, that’s the confidence of my disciple…!”
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