Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1493

His heart clenched, and even breathing became difficult.

The Great Demonic Sect War.

It was a phrase he had heard countless times, but hearing the old man say those words felt like a heavy weight pressing down on his chest, heavier than any story he had ever heard.

“Amitabha,” Hye-yeon softly chanted, a soft Buddhist prayer escaping his lips. It was a voice close to a sigh.

“Are you saying, Sir… that you witnessed the Great Demonic Sect War with your own eyes?” Hye-yeon asked.

The old man nodded slightly.

“That is so.”

“H-How…?” Hye-yeon stared at the old man with disbelief. Just how old was this man?

“Senior Brother, he says he was alive back then?” Jo Gul asked, taken aback.

“Hmm,” Yoon Jong replied calmly.

“When you think about it, it’s not that strange. There are cases like Senior Tang Jo-pyeong.”

“Ah… That’s true.”

At that moment, Cheong-myeong’s low voice echoed, devoid of emotion and almost chilling.

“A sinner, is it….”

While the others focused on the word ‘survivor,’ Cheong-myeong seemed to bristle at the word ‘sinner.’

“What does that mean?”

The old man’s gaze turned to Cheong-myeong, staring intently as if trying to discern his thoughts. He opened his trembling lips.

“The Great War… That dreadful calamity, which could not even be called a war… swept away everything, quite literally.”

“…”

“Everyone was a victim. Those who died without cause, those who lost their lives without even knowing why they had to fight, those who survived but had to groan in pain for the rest of their lives…”

Soon, the old man’s wrinkled face twisted in a strange way. There was a hint of fear, unease, and a deep sense of guilt that was hard to describe.

“But I… I am not. I am not a victim of that sin, but one who committed it.”

“What are you even going on about?” Jo Gul asked, showing impatience and confusion.

“Back then, I…” The old man mumbled before speaking as if vomiting it out.

“I was… the Vice Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.”

“What?” Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

Nowadays, it was not uncommon to see young Vice Sect Leaders or Vice Chiefs in the martial world, but that was not the case in those days. In those times, when there were no obstacles to the flow of personnel, the Sect Leader was usually over sixty years old, and even the Vice Chief was generally at least forty years old.

But someone who had risen to the position of Vice Chief in that era…

“T-Then how old are you now…” Jo Gul blurted out.

“Geol-ah!”

“I-I’m sorry. I was too flustered.” Jo Gul immediately lowered his head, but his eyes were still wide with shock.

‘At least a hundred and thirty? No, maybe a hundred and fifty.’ He had heard that martial artists who had reached a certain level of mastery could live for over a hundred years, but this was the first time he had seen someone who had lived this long with his own eyes.

‘Is it real?’ Jo Gul, still unable to shake off his doubts, carefully examined the old man. At that moment, Baek Cheon asked carefully, not letting down his guard.

“Sir,” Baek Cheon asked carefully, “are you saying you were Vice Chief of the Beggars’ Sect… back during *that* war?” Adding “that war” emphasizes the gravity and shared understanding.

“That is so, Sect Leader Delegate.”

“I greet my senior,” Baek Cheon said with a slightly bewildered voice. In any case, it was a situation where he should pay his respects. The other disciples of Mount Hua followed him and paid their respects to the old man, who claimed to have been the Vice Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.

However, only one person asked a question instead of paying respects.

“What is your relationship with Pungbaek (Wind Lord) Mueum Singae (Silent Divine Beggar)?”

“He is my teacher. My teacher was the Chief of the Beggars’ Sect during the Great Demonic Sect War.”

“Wait a minute!” Lee Song-baek exclaimed in surprise.

“If you are a disciple of Pungbaek Mueum Singae… could you be Hyeonpung Singae? The former Chief of the Beggars’ Sect?”

The old man slowly nodded his head.

“That’s right. I am that beggar who was called Hyeonpunggae.”

“Good heavens…” Lee Song-baek staggered slightly as if his legs had given way. The disciples of Mount Hua, who did not know what was going on, asked.

“Young Master Lee, do you know something?”

“Yes?”

“Hyeonpung Singae! He is the legendary Chief who reorganized the Beggars’ Sect, which suffered enormous damage and was divided into factions during the Great Demonic Sect War, and replenished the members. He is someone everyone remembers when discussing the history of the martial world for nearly a hundred years!”

“Huh?” Jo Gul and his group turned their heads sharply to look at the old man again.

Could this old man, who looked like he was about to enter his coffin, really be such an accomplished figure?

“But I heard that he passed away at least fifty years ago. I never imagined that he would still be alive… and in a place like this…” Lee Song-baek blinked in disbelief.

In terms of seniority, he wouldn’t even dare to exchange words with him. Even the Sect Leader of Jongnam would not dare to straighten his back in front of him.

Being in front of such a person made his legs wobble…

“You don’t seem to understand a word I’m saying,” Cheong-myeong spat out harshly, seemingly unconcerned.

“Gasp.” Lee Song-baek unknowingly held his breath.

“D-Daojang! You shouldn’t do that…”

“What does it mean to be a sinner? Don’t beat around the bush and answer.” Cheong-myeong practically growled.

Seeing Cheong-myeong practically growling, Lee Song-baek felt his mind go blank.

‘H-He’s crazy.’ He knew very well that it was difficult to explain Cheong-myeong without mentioning his unusual actions, but this was too much. Way too much.

If it became known in the martial world that he had said such things to Hyeonpung Singae, countless old powerhouses would try to hang Cheong-myeong upside down and peel off his skin.

But on closer inspection, it was somewhat strange.

The person who was hearing the impudent words of his junior, Hyeonpung Singae, did not seem to be offended at all.

‘How can this be?’

Of course, Hyeonpung Singae might be able to do that. To him, Cheong-myeong was a distant junior, not even a great-grandson. He might even find it cute if he climbed on his lap and pulled his beard.

However, it was definitely strange that the Lord of Cheonsang Manor, the Chief of the Beggars’ Sect of this generation, was allowing this to happen.

Moreover, it wasn’t just the Beggars’ Sect that was strange. Cheong-myeong was the same.

Cheong-myeong was often said to be rude, but he was not so arrogant and reckless as to show hostility to an old man like this.

‘And this isn’t hostility, but…’

Murderous intent?

The cold murderous intent flowing from Cheong-myeong was directed at Hyeonpung Singae. Just as the Lord of Cheonsang Manor felt this and was about to move, Hyeonpung Singae raised his hand to stop him.

“Do not interfere.”

“But Master, that…”

“I said do not interfere.”

The tremendous pressure coming from Hyeonpung Singae instantly crushed the Lord of Cheonsang Manor. Then, the Lord of Cheonsang Manor, who seemed to be second to none in terms of spirit, quietly lowered his head without even putting up a proper resistance.

“Cough. Cough.” Hyeonpung Singae coughed weakly and turned his head to Cheong-myeong.

“It is not what you imagine, Sword Saint of Mount Hua.”

“…”

“I could not commit such an act. Anyone who has seen that war with their own eyes cannot lick the feet of the Demonic Sect. No human being can do that. So, please put away your anger.”

Only then did Cheong-myeong’s shoulders relax slightly.

“Then? What does it mean? A sinner, you say.”

‘Ah…’ The others who were watching this situation finally realized what this abnormal confrontation meant.

The word ‘sinner’ and a life in which even one’s survival had to be hidden.

Considering these two things, Cheong-myeong thought that this man might be someone who had betrayed the Central Plains.

As the murderous intent disappeared from Cheong-myeong’s eyes, Hyeonpung Singae continued with a deep sigh.

“In that great war…” Hyeonpung Singae’s eyes stared far away at something. A place that no longer existed in this world, somewhere in the past.

“I drove tens of thousands of people to their deaths.”

“…”

“Countless people, too many to count, I drove them all… I drove them all to the battlefield. All of them.”

Hyeonpung Singae’s gaunt shoulders slowly began to heave.

A heavy and damp air, difficult to describe, settled around them.

“Brothers, disciples… anyone under the name of the Beggars’ Sect, no matter who they were, I mercilessly drove them into enemy territory. Because I had to. Because that was the only way to identify the enemies.”

“Amitabha,” Hye-yeon shook his head.

“How could that be Senior’s fault? Anyone would have…”

“Do you know what the Beggars’ Sect was like during the war?” Hyeonpung Singae cut off Hye-yeon’s consolation. At the seemingly cold momentum, Hye-yeon unknowingly closed his mouth, which he had rashly opened.

“Those who lost their parents to the Demonic Sect, parents who lost their children, those who had nothing left and were just waiting to die… during the war, they all became beggars and flowed into the Beggars’ Sect.”

Everyone held their breath and listened to the old man’s voice.

“I drove those people into enemy territory. I encouraged them to risk their lives to take revenge, and I put a sword in the hands of a child who was only ten years old. Even though I knew they would never return… just to find out whether there were any enemies by seeing when their lives were cut short.”

Baek Cheon’s face turned white.

He had heard countless times how terrible the war with the Demonic Sect was, but he had never heard such a story.

How much death and blood had been hidden behind the words ‘great damage’?

“I just watched as a young child, with his little hands clutching a dagger, headed to Gangnam. No, I pushed him on the back.” Hyeonpung Singae’s voice began to tremble.

“Because I had to…”

It might sound like an excuse, but everyone here knew it. Anyone could tell by looking at Hyeonpung Singae’s expression.

What he was saying was by no means an excuse.

“Because that was the only way to win. Because that was the only way to avoid destruction. Because that was the only way!” Hyeonpung Singae’s hands trembled.

“Because that was the only way to survive…”

Looking intently at Hyeonpung Singae’s pitifully trembling hands, Tang So-so bit her lip tightly.

“But that’s not Senior’s fault!”

“…”

“Anyone would have had to do that in the end. That was the only way at that time. The Demonic Sect is the one at fault!”

“Child…” A faint smile appeared on Hyeonpung Singae’s lips.

“I thought so too.”

Dry coughs burst out one after another. With each cough, it seemed as if life was draining from him.

No, perhaps what was draining away was not his life, but the things he still cared about.

“Before I could see with my own eyes what it was that I was trying to protect… what it was that I had sacrificed so much to protect… I thought so too.” Hyeonpung Singae’s eyes were filled with deep regret.

“Before I knew that the sacrifices of those I had driven to their deaths were for the benefit of mere vermin.”

The old man’s face, which had been quietly reciting, gradually became strangely twisted and distorted. That face seemed to be smiling and crying at the same time.

A faint bitterness and melancholy also permeated Cheong-myeong’s eyes as he stared at Hyeonpung Singae.