Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 447

447. Ominous Sign

Neng Se-yeong’s statement that the Blood Cult and the Demonic Cult had attempted to make moves during the past Righteous-Demonic War was a great shock to everyone, especially Elder Kyek.

He was one of the Hwanwoo Five Heavens [a group of highly skilled individuals], yet such a thing had occurred during the Righteous-Demonic War without his knowledge.

Elder Kyek, who had been silent, spoke to Neng Se-yeong.

“But why didn’t the Blood Cult or the Demonic Cult intervene in the Righteous-Demonic War? And how did you come to know about these things?”

The question was natural.

How could Neng Se-yeong know something that even Elder Kyek, one of the Hwanwoo Five Heavens, didn’t?

“Il-eun came to me.”

Neng Se-yeong continued in a low voice.

“I was surprised when he found me here in seclusion. He was a stranger I had never seen before, and he suddenly came to me…”

Neng Se-yeong chuckled as she spoke.

“He complained that I was hiding so well that it was hard to find me.”

Elder Kyek frowned.

“So, he knew of you?”

“No. What he knew was not me, but our sect.”

Neng Se-yeong continued in a quiet voice.

“He told me all these things and asked for my help. He said we must prevent the Blood Cult and the Demonic Cult from moving.”

Yun-hyeon’s eyes sparkled.

“Then, did you two elders…”

Neng Se-yeong wore a gentle smile.

“Yes. I decided to handle the Blood Cult, and he would handle the Demonic Cult. I started tracking the Blood Cult based on the information he gave me. I called myself Cheonil Sword [Thousand-Day Sword] at that time.”

Slightly embarrassed, Neng Se-yeong gave an awkward smile.

“And finally, I succeeded in killing the Blood Demon and his subordinates at a temple near Qinghai Lake.”

Qinghai Lake is a huge lake located southwest beyond the Qilian Mountains.

“Blood Demon?”

“A monster created by the Blood Cult’s secret techniques. Anyway, by killing the Blood Demon, I was able to break the Blood Cult’s momentum. And then I heard rumors that the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance] had been established.”

Neng Se-yeong held the teacup with both hands.

“So, I knew. Il-eun had succeeded in stopping the Demonic Cult, and together with the Divine Monk, they had finally ended the Righteous-Demonic War.”

Yun-hyeon couldn’t help but be amazed.

According to her, Il-eun had a significant influence on the Divine Monk establishing the Murim Alliance and ending the Righteous-Demonic War.

Moreover, he was the one who stopped the Demonic Cult while Murim was embroiled in the Righteous-Demonic War.

“Hmm.”

Elder Kyek let out a low groan.

He already knew that Il-eun was a mysterious figure, but he never imagined that such a thing had happened during the Righteous-Demonic War.

Now he could understand why Il-eun had cooperated with the Divine Monk during the Hwasan Pledge.

“It was also at that time that I received a favor from the head of the Geum Family.”

As she spoke, Neng Se-yeong suddenly remembered and asked Geum Hwa-yeong.

“Now that I think about it, is he doing well?”

“He wasn’t doing well.”

“What?”

Geum Hwa-yeong briefly told Neng Se-yeong, who was frowning, about what had happened at the Geum Family.

Neng Se-yeong’s eyes immediately turned fierce at the mention that the Geum Family had been oppressed by the Twin Swords Sect and the Hoam Merchant Group, but she couldn’t hide her surprise when Geum Hwa-yeong told the story of smashing the two Mad Demons and Yun-hyeon later cleaning up the Hoam Merchant Group.

“……Heo, you really were the Alliance Lord.”

At Neng Se-yeong’s exclamation, Yun-hyeon quietly smiled and said.

“So, you didn’t know about the Geum Family’s difficulties and send Miss Geum?”

“How could I know their difficulties here? I was just trying to ask for help with the safety of my inexperienced disciple who was going out into the world for the first time, while also repaying an old favor.”

Yun-hyeon nodded.

Come to think of it, Geum Hwa-yeong had told Yun-hyeon that she didn’t need to return to the mountains.

“But Miss Geum?”

At Neng Se-yeong’s question, Geum Hwa-yeong said proudly.

“Ah, following Yun Gong-ja’s [Master Yun’s] wishes, I decided to become the adopted daughter of the Geum Family. I am now Geum Hwa-yeong.”

At that moment, Neng Se-yeong’s eyebrows twitched.

Yun-hyeon inwardly thought, ‘Oh no.’

It was like abandoning the surname given by her master, Neng Se-yeong, so she might get angry.

But Geum Hwa-yeong continued speaking nonchalantly.

“The Family Head even said to bring Halmang [Grandma] along to live with us. How about we go down together?”

“……Is that true?”

Neng Se-yeong said with a serious expression.

Geum Hwa-yeong nodded.

“Of course. I even got a pretty younger sister. Geum Hye-rin. She’s such a feminine young lady that even I’m impressed…”

Thud.

Neng Se-yeong’s hand landed on Geum Hwa-yeong’s back.

“Well done.”

Neng Se-yeong said with a bright expression.

“The Geum Family is famous in Honam [region in Korea] and even has the support of a merchant group, right? To become the adopted daughter of such a family as soon as you go down, you’re really a lucky charm.”

“I knew my Halmang would like it.”

Geum Hwa-yeong also smiled brightly.

Perhaps because she was a recluse, Neng Se-yeong didn’t seem to care much that her disciple had become the adopted daughter of the Geum Family.

“Um…”

The person who spoke with an awkward expression was Yun-hyeon.

“Is it okay for you to do that? You’ve been living in seclusion to avoid the secular world…”

“It’s getting a bit boring here too, after all this time.”

Neng Se-yeong said with a smile.

“Besides, it’s not like you have to be in a deep mountain valley to hide from the world, right?”

At those words, both Yun-hyeon and Elder Kyek were taken aback.

Neng Se-yeong quietly continued.

“After I killed the Blood Demon, Il-eun came to me once again. And he told me. He said that someone who would reach a level that would amaze me would appear in the future. I never thought it would be someone so young.”

Neng Se-yeong, who had been smiling slightly, continued.

“He’s waiting for you. Although no one in the world knows Il-eun’s identity or whereabouts, he left me with these words. The world calls him Il-eun, but he couldn’t even become a minor benefactor, let alone a major one…”

“You mean he couldn’t even become a minor benefactor?”

Elder Kyek’s voice interrupted Neng Se-yeong’s words.

Neng Se-yeong asked Elder Kyek with a surprised expression.

“How did you know that…”

“I’ve already met Il-eun.”

Elder Kyek said casually.

“And Hyeon won.”

“Ah, that’s…”

Yun-hyeon hesitated, trying to say that he didn’t win.

It was because Elder Kyek slightly frowned at Yun-hyeon.

But the surprised Neng Se-yeong didn’t see it.

“You defeated Il-eun?”

Neng Se-yeong said to Yun-hyeon with an expression of disbelief.

Yun-hyeon wore an awkward smile.

“No. I learned a lot from him.”

“Heo.”

It wasn’t an expression of humility, but sincerity, but Neng Se-yeong couldn’t hide her surprise.

“To defeat Il-eun… Well, that’s probably why Hwa-yeong brought you all the way here.”

Neng Se-yeong, who had been nodding, said to Yun-hyeon.

“That’s good. Now that I’ve kept my promise with Il-eun, I have no regrets.”

Neng Se-yeong looked at Geum Hwa-yeong.

“Hwa-yeong-ah.”

Her gaze towards her disciple was soft and warm.

“Go to the Geum Family alone. I’m not going.”

“What?”

Geum Hwa-yeong said with a surprised face.

“No, why? Just a moment ago…”

“I’ve changed my mind. Now that I think about it, it’s too much trouble to go to a new place at my age, and I think it’s okay for one person to protect the end of the sect.”

“Halmang! Why suddenly…”

Rustle.

Neng Se-yeong gently cupped Geum Hwa-yeong’s cheeks with both hands.

“It’s okay. You go out into the world and spread your dreams as much as you want. Revive the Geum Family, meet a good man, and start a family. You’ve suffered taking care of a grumpy old woman in this deep mountain, so now it’s time to be happy, isn’t it?”

“D, don’t say that. I…”

Tears welled up in Geum Hwa-yeong’s eyes.

Neng Se-yeong wore a gentle smile.

It was then.

“Is it because of internal injuries?”

Elder Kyek suddenly said.

Neng Se-yeong frowned.

“What are you…”

“I thought it was strange from the beginning.”

Elder Kyek continued calmly.

“Your energy is unusually erratic for someone who has raised such a disciple. Judging from the length of the symptoms, it probably wasn’t easy to deal with the Blood Demon.”

Geum Hwa-yeong said with a bewildered expression.

“Internal injuries? My Halmang is so healthy that she’s never been sick…”

“Tsk.”

Elder Kyek clicked his tongue.

“What master in the world would show weakness in front of their disciple?”

Geum Hwa-yeong paused.

“Elder’s words are correct.”

Yun-hyeon continued in a low voice.

“Elder Neng’s health is not very good right now. The reason she said she would go with us at first was probably to help us find Il-eun. Despite her sick body, she was trying to keep her old promise.”

Geum Hwa-yeong’s pupils trembled.

She looked back at Neng Se-yeong as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Heo heo.”

Neng Se-yeong let out a low laugh.

That laugh instantly dropped Geum Hwa-yeong’s heart into the abyss.

“H, Halmang!”

“You can’t deceive your eyes.”

“Halmang! What are you talking about! Internal injuries! Such…”

“Quiet.”

Neng Se-yeong’s firm voice silenced Geum Hwa-yeong, who had been shouting with an agitated expression, in an instant.

“……Hoo.”

Neng Se-yeong, who had sighed, looked at Elder Kyek.

“You’ve ruined my face. I wanted to remain a strong master to my disciple until the end.”

“Your thinking was wrong from the start.”

Elder Kyek replied calmly.

“You won’t be able to break your disciple’s stubbornness.”

Elder Kyek’s words were correct.

Even if it wasn’t this time, Geum Hwa-yeong would have come to Neng Se-yeong soon.

To say let’s live together in the Geum Family.

How could Neng Se-yeong, who cherished her so much, turn away from Geum Hwa-yeong’s heart until the end?

“Hoo. But my body is…”

“You will not die.”

Elder Kyek said, looking straight at Neng Se-yeong.

“I will save you.”

At those words, all eyes turned to Elder Kyek at once.

Except for one person, Yun-hyeon, who was faintly smiling.

“……Wh, what are you…”

“Elder Kyek!”

Thud.

Geum Hwa-yeong immediately knelt on the floor.

“Please save Halmang! Then I, I…”

Geum Hwa-yeong, who was desperately looking for something to say, made a tearful face.

She had nothing to offer Elder Kyek.

“Gong-ja Yun!”

Geum Hwa-yeong looked back at Yun-hyeon as if asking for help.

Yun-hyeon smiled.

“It’s okay, Miss Geum. Didn’t Elder already say he would save her?”

Looking back at Elder Kyek, Yun-hyeon said.

“Whatever Elder says will come true. Because this person is Elder Kyek.”

Looking at Yun-hyeon’s shining eyes, Elder Kyek gave a bitter smile.

It was because he knew that Yun-hyeon would also step up to treat Neng Se-yeong.

“……Why.”

Neng Se-yeong said in a trembling voice.

“Why are you trying to save me? I…”

“What you have done for the world deserves to be rewarded.”

Elder Kyek said with a frown.

“And I have to do this much to have something to say to Bulyeong later, don’t I?”

It wasn’t just Neng Se-yeong who felt a lump in her chest at those words.

Yun-hyeon closed his eyes tightly to hide his burning eyes.

“……I see.”

Tears welled up in Neng Se-yeong’s wrinkled eyes.

She closed her eyes and recited the Buddha’s name in a low voice.

When she opened her eyes again, there was no hesitation in her eyes.

“Thank you. I trust you and will gladly entrust my life to you.”

“Your trust.”

Elder Kyek said in a calm voice.

“Will be rewarded.”

Neng Se-yeong smiled with tearful eyes.

It was then.

Thump.

At the same time as Yun-hyeon got up from his seat, Elder Kyek turned his head.

The expressions of the two people staring out the window were extremely serious.

“What… Huh?”

Geum Hwa-yeong, who was asking with a puzzled expression, also raised her head in a flash.

Her beautiful eyebrows were instantly distorted.

“This is…”

“It’s an enemy.”

Yun-hyeon said as if answering Geum Hwa-yeong’s words.

He had only felt the energy, but Yun-hyeon could unhesitatingly assert that the opponent was an enemy.

It was because that feeling, like a pitch-black swamp, was so similar to the Lost Souls Army he had seen when the Murim Alliance collapsed in the past.

Yun-hyeon gritted his teeth.

As darkness had already fallen, an ominous aura was surging and rushing in from all directions.