Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Returning Home (5)
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Meanwhile, Ha Jin-ak clutched the side of his head with one hand, carefully organizing his memories.
It was a matter of cautiously gathering the fragments of memory that had been blown away with the gunpowder.
‘If I misspeak, not only will the fate of a vassal family be sealed, but the honor of the Mount Hua Sect could be tarnished.’
As he did so, he discreetly checked the situation beside him.
Liu Zhangming seemed utterly bewildered by the situation, and the elders from the other vassal families appeared displeased.
For better or worse, they were all vassal families.
If it was determined that one vassal family had caused trouble, all the others would share in the disgrace, so they had no choice but to protect their own.
Moreover, it was Ouyang Jue who had initiated this without any clear evidence.
‘If this goes wrong, the vassal families might unite and retaliate. What on earth is Jue so certain about?’
Realizing the matter was growing increasingly grave, Ha Jin-ak began to speak.
“I believe everyone here is aware that I, Ha Jin-ak, went to Shaanxi to investigate the Black Dragon Gang.”
“…”
“At that time, there was someone who informed me that the Black Dragon Gang in Shaanxi was smuggling something suspicious.”
Just as he finished speaking, an impatient old Daoist burst out.
“So who was it!”
“Please, be patient for a moment.”
Although he was in the middle of explaining, Ha Jin-ak still wasn't certain.
Whether that man was indeed the one.
He shared Ouyang Jue's sentiment that if possible, the matter should be dealt with here and now.
However, Ha Jin-ak's usual meticulousness held him back from acting immediately.
Above all, the fact that a single slip of the tongue could cause many to shed blood felt like a hand stroking his neck.
Just then, the middle-aged man whose wrist was caught by Ouyang Jue spat out his complaint.
“Since when did the Mount Hua Sect handle matters in such a thuggish, haphazard way!”
“…!”
At those words, Ha Jin-ak's expression hardened. He had heard that phrase somewhere before.
At the same time, the vassal family Daoists, who had been sitting with uncomfortable expressions, all began to speak.
“He's right!”
“If it's a serious matter, it should be handled with discretion! Why bring it up at a joyous banquet like this!”
“Even if you are the Plum Blossom Sword Hero, this is going too far! Why don't you calm your temper?”
As the comments continued, the middle-aged man inwardly scoffed.
‘Hmph, no matter how certain that brat is, to try and address a crime in a place like this. He's not the Sect Leader, who does he think he is…!’
As the situation escalated, Bai Duanxian, who had been engrossed in his duties at the Plum Blossom Courtyard, had no choice but to come down.
Entering the banquet hall, his eyes widened at the sight of what Ouyang Jue was doing.
-Jue, what on earth have you gotten yourself into this time!
-Sect Leader. You need not worry.
-What? You're now…
-Senior-most Brother has made up his mind, has he not?
At those words, Bai Duanxian's gaze shifted to Ha Jin-ak.
The unique fortitude and gravity that appeared on Ha Jin-ak's face when he had made a decision were palpable.
When Ha Jin-ak's lips finally parted.
Everyone in the banquet hall, with the exception of a few like Bai Duanxian and Ouyang Jue, was utterly astonished.
“Hey, Long Profound Sword.”
“…!”
For Ha Jin-ak to speak so informally to a vassal family elder!
It was a side of him they had never seen before, so all the vassal family martial artists who had been carping about etiquette fell silent.
They reasoned that there must be a compelling reason for someone who never acted this way to suddenly change his behavior.
With the situation turning against him, the once-triumphant middle-aged man, the Long Profound Sword, clutched his captured wrist and stamped his feet in frustration.
“You're all mad! Just because you've made a name for yourselves in the martial world, you think the vassal families are beneath you?”
The Long Profound Sword glared at Ouyang Jue and roared.
“Let go of me this instant! You bastard!”
“And why should I?”
Once Ha Jin-ak started speaking down to him, Ouyang Jue began to mock him openly as well.
“You may have thought you were making a brilliant move, but in the end, you've made a fatal one that will drag your entire family into the abyss.”
“Shut up!”
“Yes, did it feel good, thinking you had the Mount Hua Sect playing right into your hands?”
*Slap!*
As Ouyang Jue swung his left palm, the Long Profound Sword staggered to the left.
An irresistible force seemed to be crushing his left hand.
‘What kind of strength is this…! I underestimated him, thinking he was just a kid not even past his coming-of-age!’
Where in the world did he cultivate such power?
The Long Profound Sword stared at Ouyang Jue and Bai Duanxian with eyes full of horror.
*Grind.*
Then, inwardly, he became desperate.
‘I… I wanted to be confident like him, too. I wanted to be strong!’
The Long Profound Sword forcibly endured the pain, as if his left wrist was being crushed. He ground his molars so hard they threatened to shatter.
The Long Profound Sword's mouth opened wide.
“It's a trap!”
“…?”
“Can't you see? They've summoned us under the pretext of a banquet, but their real intention is to control the vassal families!”
But the martial artists from the vassal families did not respond to his words.
Even if his words were true, it wasn't easy to agree while Bai Duanxian was looking down on them with such a murderous aura.
‘Considering the Mount Hua Sect's recent actions…’
‘It's a bit frightening to oppose them.’
What had the Mount Hua Sect's recent moves been like?
They had cast aside decades, even a century, of bitter rivalry to build the strongest Daoist power in Shaanxi.
Not only that, but they joined the Martial Alliance and had their history with the Unfading Incense of the old Demonic Cult recognized.
And what of the Zhenzhou Yan Clan, in the shadows?
They had fallen without a whisper and were now difficult to even trace.
Recalling these events, the martial artists of the vassal families took a step back.
Ouyang Jue watched this and chuckled.
‘Well, I expected them to judge the situation like that.’
Only two people, Bai Duanxian and Iron Gale, knew that Ouyang Jue was involved in that series of events.
In other words, no one knew how the Mount Hua Sect had handled those matters.
The vassal family martial artists could only mistakenly assume that the heavens were helping the Mount Hua Sect, or that they possessed some terrifyingly powerful force.
As the situation seemed to settle down, Ha Jin-ak once again wielded his words like a sword.
“Long Profound Sword, raise your head.”
“How dare this bastard!”
“Long Profound Sword!”
As Ha Jin-ak released his internal energy, the entire banquet hall was enveloped in an intense fire ki.
A deep breath would scorch one's lungs.
Because of this, Liu Zhangming urgently covered Jo Hun's mouth and soothed him, while Divine Demon Fist and Ik Hyeon also summoned their own protective auras to block the invasion of fire ki.
It was only for a moment, but the martial prowess Ha Jin-ak displayed was truly spine-chilling.
“…Gasp!”
“Heavens, to reach such a state at the age of thirty-one.”
Only when a physically weak gossip monger began to foam at the mouth did Ha Jin-ak withdraw his energy.
But his eyes were still filled with a fiery heat.
“Long Profound Sword, I know you are in the wrong, and the heavens know it too. How dare you wag that three-inch tongue of yours!”
“Ugh!”
“The sin of trying to toy with the Sect Leader of Mount Hua, with the august mountain beneath your feet, will not be taken lightly!”
The moment Ha Jin-ak's gaze fell upon the Long Profound Sword, an intense flash of light erupted.
It was a strange energy art he had learned as his Heavenly Flow Fire Cloud Sword evolved after consuming the Small Purple Spirit Elixir.
“…Keuk!”
The Long Profound Sword realized his insides had been completely churned and fell to his knees. The area around his lungs and heart felt like it was boiling.
Even the blood flowing through his entire body.
Cold sweat trickled down the side of the Long Profound Sword's face.
Even Ouyang Jue, who was watching, thought that Ha Jin-ak might have gone a bit too far.
Then, Ha Jin-ak asked.
“Long Profound Sword, do you admit your guilt?”
“…Kuh.”
“Can you not speak clearly?”
A pressure made of fire ki struck the Long Profound Sword like an iron mace.
Even Ouyang Jue, standing beside him, felt the intense heat and had to use his own internal energy to withstand it.
‘Hasn't he gotten excessively strong?’
Since it was a Blazing Heat Art comparable to those of the Sun Gate, Ha Jin-ak's growth felt even more significant to Ouyang Jue.
The Long Profound Sword struggled to open his trembling lips.
“The sin of toying with the Senior-most Brother of the Mount Hua Sect and leading him to a deathtrap, the sin of not revealing it myself, the sin of shamelessly coming here… it is.”
Ha Jin-ak shook his head.
“Your sins do not end there.”
“…?!”
“Do you truly not understand… that because of your actions, the Mount Hua Sect was nearly brought to the brink of annihilation?”
Ha Jin-ak clenched his fists tightly.
The past where he was nearly turned into a bloody mess by gunpowder—he could endure that.
But even before that, the Mount Hua Sect had been starving because of the Black Dragon Gang.
It began with the Golden Ring Merchant Guild, and as Daoists on escort missions began to die, the prestige of the Mount Hua Sect gradually faded.
In that situation, Ha Jin-ak himself had almost met his end.
A life-or-death moment, a situation that made him dizzy just thinking about it.
A drop of blood trickled from Ha Jin-ak's fist.
“It is the sin of deceiving one's master and exterminating one's ancestors, a crime that can never be atoned for.”
Only then did the Long Profound Sword bow his head, tears streaming down his face.
“P-please!”
But Ha Jin-ak was merciless, turning his head to Bai Duanxian.
“Sect Leader, please declare the punishment for the Long Profound Sword.”
“…”
Bai Duanxian realized the situation had concluded before he even knew it and let out a deep sigh inwardly.
But he had grasped the situation.
‘So a vassal family drove Jin-ak into a deathtrap…’
He would have to investigate the reason later, but it surely wasn't for any good purpose.
Bai Duanxian realized the time had come to declare a heavy sentence, recalling the words of the previous Sect Leader.
Someday, if blood must be shed to establish the discipline of the sect.
“Do not hesitate to speak. Doing so will lessen the blood that will be shed later.”
Bai Duanxian finally hardened his resolve.
“The Long Profound Sword and all his household shall leave behind everything they have received from Mount Hua and go.”
“…N-no! I was wrong, Sect Leader!”
The Long Profound Sword reflexively begged for forgiveness, but it was already too late.
To leave behind everything received from Mount Hua primarily meant their martial arts.
It meant they had to return the honor, gold, and even the clothes they had gained through those martial arts to the Mount Hua Sect.
In simple terms, it meant that his entire household would have the tendons in their limbs severed and be forced to live without any assets.
The Long Profound Sword prostrated himself fully, tears streaming down his face.
“I beg of you. Great heroes, elders of the vassal families! How many years have I dedicated and been loyal to the Mount Hua Sect!”
At his words, some vassal family martial artists showed uncomfortable expressions, but they quickly turned their heads away.
Ouyang Jue glanced at those martial artists, then looked down at the Long Profound Sword.
“Dedicated? Loyal? You've misspoken.”
“…?”
“The Mount Hua Sect does not expect anything in return from any of its vassal families.”
The funds and support that the vassal families contribute to the main sect are left to each individual's conscience.
Mount Hua was a Daoist sect where not even the Sect Leader demanded a fixed amount from the vassal families.
And yet he speaks of days of dedication and loyalty?
Ouyang Jue looked down at the Long Profound Sword with a solemn gaze.
“I don't know for what reason you drove the Senior-most Brother to a deathtrap, but it will not remain hidden.”
“…Uuugh!”
Looking at the devastated Long Profound Sword, Ouyang Jue secretly sent a telepathic message.
-Did the ones in masks order you to do it?
-…?!
-Or was it the martial artist with the bewitching eyes?
-…What would change even if I told you?
At those words, Ouyang Jue chuckled.
He had already found the answer in the subtle change of flow and tone.
‘All sorts of bastards are getting in the way.’
Ouyang Jue released the Long Profound Sword's wrist and returned to his seat.
Then, he began to devour the meat before him without hesitation.
As if storing up strength to fight the powerful enemies he would later face.