Chapter 237: I Must Receive an Apology from Qingcheng.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 237: I Must Receive an Apology from Qingcheng.
"Well, this is strange."
Cheongsong spoke while stroking his chin.
"What is, Sahyeong?"
Cheonggil asked, hearing his remark. What could possibly be strange all of a sudden?
"I don't see Cheongsu anywhere."
Cheongsong tilted his head, a look of doubt clouding his face.
"Perhaps he went to the latrine?"
Cheonggil replied nonchalantly.
"No, he vanished without even finishing his meal. If he had gone to the latrine, he would have returned by now."
"Hmm."
At Cheongsong’s words, Cheonggil also began to stroke his chin. As his senior said, if he had simply gone to the latrine, more than enough time had passed for him to return. Yet, far from returning, there wasn't even a sign of his shadow. It was only natural to feel suspicious.
"Did he go to practice?"
"You know Cheongsu’s personality well, don't you? He’s not the type to do that."
Cheonggil shook his head as if the idea was absurd. Cheongsu was inherently lazy. There was no way he would take time out of the night when everyone else was sleeping to pick up a sword and train.
"That’s true."
Cheongsong nodded. He agreed with Cheonggil’s assessment.
"Then where on earth did he go?"
"Hmm..."
"Hmm..."
Both Cheongsong and Cheonggil fell into deep thought. Their junior was a man whose actions were impossible to predict.
"He didn't go and cause some kind of trouble, did he?"
Cheongsong asked with a worried expression. Knowing Cheongsu’s tendency to act on impulse, a sense of unease began to settle in.
"Surely not. He may be immature, but he knows his position within Qingcheng. He wouldn't act so recklessly."
Cheonggil spoke calmly, trying to soothe Cheongsong’s paranoia. While he also worried about Cheongsu’s hasty temperament, the boy possessed enough comprehension to be selected as a main sect disciple. He surely understood the weight of his own position.
"Right?"
"I'm sure of it."
"Phew."
Hearing Cheonggil’s reassurance, Cheongsong let out a sigh of relief. Thanks to Cheonggil’s composed attitude, his anxiety had dissipated to some extent.
Right, surely he couldn't have caused trouble in such a short time?
Cheongsong decided to think more positively. No matter how much of a troublemaker Cheongsu was, he couldn't have done much in this brief window. Even if he did, it would likely be a minor incident they could laugh off.
That was what Cheongsong chose to believe. However, his optimism did not last long.
"Sahyeong Cheongsong! Something terrible has happened!"
Someone burst into the tent, shouting urgently.
Damn it.
Cheongsong cursed inwardly. How long had it been since he decided to think positively? And now, "something terrible" had happened?
Cheongsong looked closely at the person who had entered. It was a familiar face—Lee Gyeong-seon, a secular disciple and a peer of Cheongsong.
"What is it?"
Cheongsong asked in a level voice, staring at Lee Gyeong-seon. Seeing his peer arrive in such a state, it was obvious Cheongsu had caused an accident. He prepared himself to accept whatever it was.
"Cheongsu! Cheongsu is... he's on the verge of death!"
Lee Gyeong-seon cried out, his voice trembling with tears.
"What!?"
Cheongsong shouted back, stunned. Why would Cheongsu suddenly be dying?
"Where is he!?"
He demanded urgently. He desperately wanted to hear the full story, but seeing Cheongsu’s condition was the priority.
"He's in the central clearing!"
"Understood!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Cheongsong unleashed his movement technique and bolted out. The profound principles of the Void-Riding Wind, one of Qingcheng’s secret techniques, began to unfold.
Cheongsong vanished in an instant. Lee Gyeong-seon could only stare at the spot where he had been.
"Tell me exactly what happened."
A sharp voice rang out from behind him. Lee Gyeong-seon turned to see the speaker. It was Cheonggil, and he was radiating a terrifying murderous aura. Lee Gyeong-seon’s face paled with distress.
*
Tap, tap, tap.
Cheongsong ran and ran. He gathered every ounce of internal energy he possessed and focused it entirely on his lower body, exploding it in bursts to increase his speed. His thigh muscles screamed and his ankles and calves throbbed in pain, but he did not stop.
He simply charged forward. After a few moments, the clearing at the center of the camp came into view. He pushed himself even harder.
And then, he saw it. His junior disciple was collapsed on the ground, drenched in blood.
"Cheongsu!!!"
Cheongsong screamed as soon as he spotted him. He pushed the Void-Riding Wind to its absolute limit.
Boom!
His figure blurred and landed beside Cheongsu in the center of the clearing.
"Are you alright!?"
Cheongsong cried out frantically. But despite his desperate plea, Cheongsu remained limp, offering no response. He looked like a corpse.
Turning pale, Cheongsong quickly checked Cheongsu’s pulse, terrified that he might already be dead.
"Phew..."
He let out a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, the pulse was steady. Having confirmed he was alive, Cheongsong slowly turned his gaze to examine the boy's body.
Immediately, a towering rage began to boil within him.
Cheongsu’s body was in a state that could only be described as a wreck. His once-plump cheeks were torn open, revealing raw red flesh, and both his arms were twisted at grotesque, unnatural angles. It was clear to anyone that they had been intentionally snapped.
Wooooom—
A massive surge of murderous aura began to oscillate around Cheongsong.
Who? Who on earth could have committed such a cruel, atrocious act?
He was furious. The rage was becoming uncontrollable. Cheongsong slowly lifted his head. His eyes, bloodshot with fury, scanned the surroundings to find the culprit who had done this to his beloved junior.
A significant crowd had gathered in the central clearing, but they all averted their eyes as Cheongsong’s wrathful gaze passed over them. The murderous aura of a master at the Upper Stage of the Peak Realm was more than they could handle.
After scanning the crowd, Cheongsong finally found one person who did not look away.
It was a woman. An incredibly beautiful woman, at that. When her eyes met Cheongsong’s, she smiled brightly.
Seeing that smile, Cheongsong knew for certain. This woman was the one who had reduced Cheongsu to this state.
Wooooom—
The energy around him began to ripple violently.
"Lady Seol."
Cheongsong called out to her, his eyes sharp with lethal intent.
"Yes? What is it?"
Seol-hyang replied with a beaming smile.
"Was it you who turned this boy into this state?"
Cheongsong asked, his voice dripping with killing intent.
"That's right."
Seol-hyang nodded simply, confirming his suspicion.
"I see."
Sssshing—
Upon hearing her answer, Cheongsong drew the sword at his waist. He slowly raised the blade and pointed it at Seol-hyang.
"Unless you provide a valid reason, Emei will have to face the wrath of Qingcheng."
He spoke, his eyes gleaming with fury.
Ssshing! Ssshing!
As soon as he finished speaking, the other Qingcheng disciples nearby drew their swords one after another.
Ssshing! Ssshing!
Seeing this, the Emei disciples also drew their weapons. The two factions moved to stand behind Seol-hyang and Cheongsong respectively, leveling their blades at each other. A heavy, suffocating atmosphere settled over the clearing.
"Huhuhu..."
Suddenly, Seol-hyang’s clear, melodic laughter rang out.
"What’s so funny?"
Cheongsong asked, his brow furrowing at her laughter.
"Your devotion to your junior is quite... commendable."
Seol-hyang replied with a small, mocking smile.
"Commendable...?"
The word "commendable" was something one said to a child performing a trick. In an instant, Cheongsong felt an unbearable sense of insult. How could a girl who barely looked twenty look down on him like this?
Grind.
He gnashed his teeth.
"Yes, very commendable. It seems your character is worlds apart from your junior's."
"Stop the nonsense and give me a reason! Do you not realize how serious this situation is? Your next words could become a justification for war!"
Cheongsong shouted, his voice thick with rage. How could she be so sarcastic in a situation like this?
"If you want it that badly, I suppose I should tell you."
Seol-hyang opened her mouth, her expression turning cold and her tone level.
"That man defamed not only my honor but the honor of Emei. Therefore, I administered punishment. To restore that honor."
"Even so, how could you turn a person into this!?"
Cheongsong gestured toward the unconscious Cheongsu.
"The shame and humiliation I felt were far greater than this, I assure you."
Seol-hyang replied with a frigid smile.
"Just what did he do to warrant this!?"
Cheongsong barked back. Even if Cheongsu had said something insulting, turning him into a near-cripple was an excessive punishment. Cheongsu’s cheeks were torn and his arms were broken. All over a few words? How could this be anything but unjust?
"He said that I slept with someone."
Seol-hyang spoke, her beautiful lips parting.
"Wh-what!?"
"He said I slept with Young Master Jang."
"......"
Cheongsong’s face went pale in an instant. He had expected Cheongsu to have caused trouble, but he never imagined the boy would do something so insane.
Who was Seol-hyang? She was the disciple of Guwol Shin-ni, the leader of the Emei Sect. In terms of seniority alone, she was above them. And he had targeted such a woman? With a scandalous rumor that was the ultimate disgrace for a lady?
Cheongsong immediately understood why she was so enraged.
"Well? Is that a valid enough reason?"
Seol-hyang asked in a chilling voice.
"Even so! If such a thing happened, you should have spoken to the elders first and found a compromise! To unilaterally strike a disciple of another sect... how incredibly disrespectful!"
Cheongsong argued, the veins in his neck bulging. It was true that she had every right to be furious. A rumor of an affair involving an unmarried woman—and with a married man who already had a fiancée, no less. It was enough to make anyone's blood boil.
However, such an emotional punishment was wrong. She was a disciple of Emei, not Qingcheng. If a Qingcheng disciple did wrong, only Qingcheng had the right to punish him. No matter how angry she was, she had no authority to discipline Cheongsu.
"The disrespect started on your side."
"How can you justify being just as lawless as the one who wronged you!?"
"I'm the type of person who isn't satisfied until I've paid back exactly what I've received. You can live your life your way; don't try to force it on me."
Seol-hyang mocked him with a nonchalant expression. Her attitude only served to infuriate Cheongsong further.
"Are you saying you want to start a war right now!?"
"I wouldn't mind!"
She shouted back without hesitation. She had come here prepared for war from the start. She had nothing to lose.
"......"
"......"
Cheongsong glared at Seol-hyang, the two locked in a tense standoff. He was beyond furious. He was incensed by Seol-hyang’s thoughtless behavior in such a dire time. They were a search party sent to rescue missing disciples. How could she speak of war so easily?
Grind.
He gnashed his teeth again. He thought to himself that her mind was as immature as her age.
Phew.
Cheongsong took several deep breaths to calm his heart. If he lost his temper and reacted emotionally here, things would spiral out of control.
"Phew... First, let us calm down."
Cheongsong spoke, looking at her.
"You were the one who got excited first."
Seol-hyang replied with a huff.
"Lady... let's just leave it at this."
Cheongsong spoke almost pleadingly.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. I must receive an apology from Qingcheng."
Seol-hyang shook her head.
"I do not want this situation to escalate. I will take responsibility for my junior's broken body and say I was the one who did it. Please, let this pass quietly."
Cheongsong looked at her with a somber face.
"Hmm."
Seol-hyang stroked her chin, considering his offer. Then, she spoke.
"No, I still can't."
"And why not?"
"Because I haven't received an apology yet."
She stared at Cheongsong with sparkling eyes.
"You've already beaten my junior into a wreck, and you still insist on an apology!?"
"Yes. I decided on this the moment I first heard that dog-like rumor."
Seol-hyang replied with a bright, sharp smile.
"......"
Cheongsong stared at her in silence. His expression hardened into stone.