By Zephyria An Unworthy Person in a Precious Place (2)
Seong Hyeok-gwang’s son, Ma Jin-cheon, sensed his disciple’s return by the commotion in the Sect. As expected, Baek Ryeo-il did not disappoint, barging in with the door wide open.
“Ryeo-il, what trouble have you caused this time?”
Ma Jin-cheon asked without turning around.
“Trouble? See what I’ve caught!”
Ma Jin-cheon was confident that he wouldn’t be surprised no matter what Baek Ryeo-il shoved in his face. If he put his mind to it, he could catch a dragon flying in the sky.
Ma Jin-cheon, who was confident that he wouldn’t be surprised by anything Baek Ryeo-il did, couldn’t help but gape this time. What Baek Ryeo-il proudly presented was a person.
“Master! I! Have captured the Demonic Cult Leader’s son!”
He was so haggard that his cheeks were sunken and his eyes were hollow, looking half-dead.
He marveled once again at his disciple’s bizarre behavior, which sent chills down his spine.
“You rascal! What do you mean by bringing a person……! No, wait a minute. Did you say the Demonic Cult Leader’s son?”
Ma Jin-cheon examined the man with trembling eyes. Putting aside his complexion, judging by his appearance, he seemed more like the successor of the Beggars’ Sect than the Demonic Cult Leader’s son.
“Ugh!”
The man covered his mouth and hurriedly ran outside, crouching down in a thicket of grass. And then…….
“Uwaaaaaa!”
“…….”
“…….”
After throwing up for a while, the man returned with a strange glint in his eyes.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I get a little carsick.”
He politely folded his hands.
“It’s an honor to meet you like this. Mazincheon Headmaster of the Flowing Cloud Sword. My name is Seong Mu-yeon.”
“……Is that true? Young master, are you really the Demonic Cult Leader’s…….”
Seong Mu-yeon lowered his head even further.
“Yes, it is. My father is Cult Leader Seong Hyeok-gwang, and I am his seventh son.”
“…….”
Ma Jin-cheon grabbed the back of his neck.
The news of the Demonic Cult’s Young master’s appearance turned Mount Hua upside down. All the senior members were immediately summoned and gathered in one place. Middle-aged men with graying hair filled the seats in the round meeting hall.
“What is the meaning of this! For the Demonic Cult to set foot in our sacred Taoist Sect!”
“Such an outrageous act……!”
“Who is it! Who dared to do such a thing!”
Ma Jin-cheon, who was standing with the old Taoists, was about to slip back when.
“That would be me.”
Baek Ryeo-il stepped forward and raised his hand.
“Of course. Who else but that rascal Baek Ryeo-il would do such a thing.”
The Elders’ sharp eyes turned to Ma Jin-cheon, and he shrank his neck like a turtle.
Seong Mu-yeon, who was standing in the center of the hall, watched the chaos with his hands tied. Someone had tightly bound his wrists while he was being dragged here. He looked like a proper criminal.
“Silence, everyone!”
The oldest-looking Elder shouted to calm them down. He glanced around and then said.
“Second generation disciple Baek Ryeo-il, come forward.”
Baek Ryeo-il came down to the center and stood next to Seong Mu-yeon.
“Baek Ryeo-il, the Sect leader trusts and cherishes you. I don’t believe you would have done such a thing without thinking. As First Elder, who has been delegated the authority of the Sect leader, I ask you. What is the reason for bringing the Demonic Cult’s Young master here?”
“Uh, that’s…… well.”
Baek Ryeo-il opened his mouth, touched his chin, pondered, and then smiled brightly as if giving up.
“Just because.”
“Ugh.”
The First Elder grabbed the back of his neck and collapsed.
“You rascal! Can’t you answer properly! There must be a reason why you brought him here!”
The Second Elder, who was supporting the collapsed Elder, sternly pressed him.
“There’s no reason?”
“Ugh!”
As even the Second Elder collapsed, Ma Jin-cheon, who had been fidgeting, rushed forward.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Elder……. I raised my disciple poorly……. You rascal!”
“Ah! Don’t hit me!”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Ma Jin-cheon repeatedly bowed deeply in all directions, and the Elders shouted with veins popping out of their necks. Someone grabbed the fallen First Elder and Second Elder and shouted for the Hall of Medicine Master to be brought.
The meeting hall was very…….
“……A mess, isn’t it?”
Seong Mu-yeon cautiously spoke to Baek Ryeo-il.
“You can say that again.”
Baek Ryeo-il, the culprit of all this, picked his ear as if it were someone else’s business.
‘Ugh, you idiot…….’
It seemed he had to step in.
“Excuse me! May I say a word?”
Seong Mu-yeon tried to raise only one hand, but because both were tied, he shouted with both hands raised. But no one listened to his voice.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I will educate him properly…….”
“It will be a disgrace to Hwasan!”
“Ancestors!”
“…….”
‘……They call it a Great Sect, but it’s all a mess here too.’
Thud-!
A loud impact erupted right next to him. The meeting hall instantly became as silent as death. People who were looking around soon found the source of the noise.
It was the sound of Baek Ryeo-il holding his sword in its scabbard and slamming it vertically onto the floor. When attention was focused, he pointed to Seong Mu-yeon with a nod.
“He has something to say.”
Thanks to that, two or three more Elders grabbed the back of their necks and collapsed, but Seong Mu-yeon cleared his throat and took a step forward.
The Elders all hardened their faces and stared at him. Some Elders even reached for their waists, ready to react immediately.
A tense atmosphere filled the meeting hall in an instant. But it shattered as soon as Seong Mu-yeon opened his mouth.
“Oh my, everyone must have been very surprised since this morning, right? I didn’t mean to, but I unintentionally caused trouble. I’m very sorry. Please calm down. Hehe.”
“…….”
“…….”
The Elders were flustered by his sweet voice and gestures, and they glanced at each other.
Seong Mu-yeon added one more word.
“First of all, I would like to inform you that I have no political intentions whatsoever.”
“…….”
Silence fell in the meeting hall.
“……You are the Cult Leader’s son, how can you say you have no intentions?”
The First Elder, who had regained his senses, asked with a suspicious voice. Seong Mu-yeon nodded.
“Of course, you’d be suspicious! I understand. I would be suspicious too if I were you. How much have you suffered because of the Demonic Cult all this time! Every time they try to unify the martial world, they’re always stirring things up, how difficult has it been for you? Just hearing the word ‘Demonic Cult’ makes your head throb, and now you’re wondering what kind of trick this is!”
Some Elders nodded at his words.
“Of course! But I! Am not here today! To bother you!”
Seong Mu-yeon shouted, putting strength into his diaphragm.
“I am only! Here to freeload off the great Hwasan Sect!”
Murmur, murmur.
The meeting hall buzzed.
“……How proud.”
Baek Ryeo-il muttered next to him, but Seong Mu-yeon cleanly ignored him and took another step forward.
“I am certainly the Cult Leader’s son, but I am the seventh child. Moreover, I have no talent for martial arts and have not even learned Demonic Art. There is not a single lie in what I say, so you can examine me as much as you want. You probably don’t know what it’s like to live as a weakling in the brutal Demonic Cult.”
Seong Mu-yeon pretended to wipe away tears that weren’t there with his sleeve.
“……You really haven’t learned Demonic Art? May we diagnose you?”
“Of course! As much as you want!”
One of the Elders came down and placed his hand on his shoulder. Seong Mu-yeon obediently entrusted himself to him. A calm inner force permeated from the palm of his hand that touched his shoulder, circulated through his acupoint, and returned.
“……It’s true! This man has not learned Demonic Art.”
“That can’t be.”
The biggest problem with the Demonic Cult was their unique martial art, ‘Demonic Art.’ Orthodox Martial Arts, which can be said to be the right path, is solely a battle with oneself that one builds up alone, while Demonic Art is made to inevitably harm others. Although it varies from faction to faction, basically, those who have mastered Demonic Art to the extreme Demonic Transformation, lose their will, and become murderous demons who harm others.
That is the reason why the Demonic Cult is ostracized, so the legitimate reason to reject Seong Mu-yeon, who has not learned Demonic Art, has disappeared.
Seong Mu-yeon took advantage of the Elders’ agitation and raised his voice again.
“I am now! Not only have I been abandoned by my father! But I am also in danger of being chased by my third brother! I have heard that Hwasan is the first to raise its sword for the weak and powerless! That is why I have come here without shame. I apologize for causing a disturbance.”
Seong Mu-yeon lowered his head deeply.
“Of course……. I know very well how vile the place I grew up in is. But if you give me a chance, I will live with gratitude for the rest of my life, and even if you don’t, I won’t resent you. Sniffle.”
Seong Mu-yeon, who was pretending to cry with his face buried in his sleeve, made eye contact with Baek Ryeo-il, who was gaping.