By Zephyria Mount Hua or Namgung? (5)
Suddenly, Baek Ryeo-il opened his mouth.
“Whether you go or not really doesn’t concern me.”
“I got it. What…”
“You’re going to do whatever you want anyway.”
Seong Mu-yeon, who was about to pour out his complaints, closed his mouth. Baek Ryeo-il was looking at him with sunken eyes.
“Being swayed by someone who does as they please. That doesn’t feel very good. Whether you stay or leave, my life won’t change, so why would I tell you to go or stay?”
“…I can’t argue with that.”
Seong Mu-yeon’s track record was too colorful. He realized that he still hadn’t earned Baek Ryeo-il’s trust.
“Now that I think about it, I didn’t thank Master Baek. Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to stay safe and be recognized by the Sect leader.”
“Whatever.”
“Even if I go to Namgung Clan, I won’t forget this favor.”
Baek Ryeo-il only made a hmm sound and didn’t answer. He kept looking at the distant mountains.
Seong Mu-yeon also cast his gaze forward. Watching the clouds flowing quietly, he felt as if the worries of the world were useless.
A lot had changed in a short time.
All thanks to Baek Ryeo-il.
“You’re a really unique and strange guy.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Baek Ryeo-il laughed as if he was dumbfounded.
A moment later.
Thud!
A hand reached up from below the cliff and gripped the edge.
“Huff, huff. F-finally… I made it up.”
It was Namgung Cheon-chu, looking disheveled from climbing the cliff. He lifted his remaining arm over the cliff.
Baek Ryeo-il stood up from his spot.
“Did you see everything? Let’s go.”
Baek Ryeo-il lightly threw himself down, Seong Mu-yeon tucked under his arm.
“W-wait a minute! I just got up hereeeeee!”
Namgung Cheon-chu’s desperate voice quickly faded away.
It was fast going up, but it was even faster coming down.
The Mount Hua tour ended quickly for safety reasons. All the other attractions were mostly dangerous places where you had to risk several lives.
In fact, there were injuries. Namgung Cheon-chu lost his footing while coming down from Wuntae Peak and tumbled down in a grand fashion. As a result, his neat and tidy silk clothes became covered in dirt, and he got light scratches all over his body.
Even while returning to the Guest room, Namgung Cheon-chu continued to persuade him. The main points were how dangerous Mount Hua was for someone who didn’t know martial arts and how good the Namgung Clan was.
Seong Mu-yeon closed the door. He needed time to think alone. Once closed, the door did not open again all night.
The next day, when Seong Mu-yeon appeared outside the room, Namgung Cheon-chu immediately realized.
“Young master Seong, you’re planning to stay in Mount Hua?”
Today was the day the Namgung Clan was leaving Mount Hua, but Seong Mu-yeon was dressed the same as usual and hadn’t packed any luggage.
Seong Mu-yeon smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Yes. That’s what I’ve decided to do.”
It would be comfortable to live in the Namgung Clan. As he said, he could enjoy the conveniences of the city.
He would be attended to by servants and wouldn’t have to do trivial things.
If he was sick, he could see a doctor and take medicine.
Seong Mu-yeon wondered how that was different from his life in the Demonic Cult.
He withered away there, receiving the utmost hospitality.
“I will stay in Mount Hua.”
He was going to do that anyway.
“That’s okay, right? Master Baek.”
When Seong Mu-yeon turned his head and called out, Baek Ryeo-il appeared from behind the wall, as if he had been there all along. He scratched his cheek.
“Well… yeah.”
“I look forward to working with you in the future.”
Baek Ryeo-il, who had been staring blankly at Seong Mu-yeon’s outstretched hand, grasped it.
The Sect leader of Mount Hua officially permitted Seong Mu-yeon’s stay.
Seong Mu-yeon, the Seventh Young master of the Demonic Cult, became the first person from the Demonic Cult to be granted the right to stay in Mount Hua. From now on, he would be treated as a VIP.
After visiting the Sect Leader’s Hall to confirm, Seong Mu-yeon went to the Guest room to pack his luggage. The Guest room was also bustling with preparations for the Namgung Clan’s departure.
“Are you leaving?”
When he asked, Namgung Cheon-chu nodded bitterly.
“Yes. I should have returned sooner, but I was delayed because I had to recover from my injuries. My family must be eagerly waiting for me, so I must be going now.”
“Be careful on your way.”
“……”
Namgung Cheon-chu stopped packing and stared blankly at Seong Mu-yeon.
“Do you really have no intention of coming to Namgung Clan?”
“Don’t put your mark on what belongs to others and hurry up and leave? Your mom and dad are waiting, you said.”
The person who answered instead of Seong Mu-yeon was Baek Ryeo-il, who was standing behind him before he knew it. He waved his hand as if shooing away a fly.
Namgung Cheon-chu glared at Baek Ryeo-il for a moment and then said to Seong Mu-yeon.
“The Namgung Clan does not forget favors. Come and find us whenever you need help.”
“Thank you.”
With that, the Namgung Clan left.
Mount Hua regained its tranquil daily life. It felt even quieter than before, after a storm had swept through.
And Seong Mu-yeon returned to the Emerald Pavilion.
‘Damn it.’
It was entirely the Sect leader’s opinion.
〈You can continue to stay in the Guest room as it is, but how about staying in the Emerald Pavilion from now on? We don’t mind, but Mount Hua is always a place where outsiders come and go, so security is not good. However, we can’t spare escort personnel separately, and we can’t ask our Disciples, who are Taoists, to do such worldly things. What do you think, Ryeo-il?〉
〈I don’t mind.〉
Damn it!
As a result, Seong Mu-yeon continued to live with Baek Ryeo-il in his residence.
“Long time no see?”
Baek Ryeo-il smiled as he pulled the rope taut. Seong Mu-yeon retreated, avoiding the approaching Baek Ryeo-il.
“What is it! Why the rope again? I told you I’m not running away!”
“Just kidding.”
Baek Ryeo-il casually threw the rope he was holding. And he took Seong Mu-yeon to a room across the hallway.
“You can use this room.”
“R-really?”
“If you don’t like it, you can go back to the way it was…”
“No! I like it! I like it so much.”
It was smaller than Baek Ryeo-il’s room, but it had a bed, a large window, and all the necessary furniture.
“You can eat in the dining hall, and if you need anything, you can tell me. The Sect leader said you can go anywhere in Mount Hua except for the forbidden areas.”
“Yes!”
For the first time since leaving the Demonic Cult, he had his own space. Seong Mu-yeon excitedly swept and cleaned his room.
But…
Seong Mu-yeon, who was wiping the floor, paused when he saw a large shoe right in front of him.
“…Could you lift your foot, please?”
Baek Ryeo-il lifted both feet high. He was sitting in the middle of the bed in someone else’s room like he was the owner.
‘Of course, it’s Baek Ryeo-il’s room, so he is the owner.’
“Wow, you’re living the good life. You’re probably the first Demonic Cult member in history to secure a place for himself in Mount Hua.”
“……”
“This room was made for my future Disciples to use, so keep it clean. If there’s even one flaw, you’re dead.”
“……”
“Don’t hammer any nails! Open the doors gently! Got it?”
Seong Mu-yeon trembled. He wanted to shove the rag in his hand into that guy’s mouth.
Strangely, Baek Ryeo-il seemed strangely excited. He seemed to be in a good mood because he had regained someone to torment.
When Seong Mu-yeon gave him a look that said to leave, Baek Ryeo-il got angry and acted violently.
“This is my house too! I’m the owner! You want to be kicked out? You want to sleep on a blanket in the hallway?”
Then, when he got bored, he poked Seong Mu-yeon with his toes.
“Hey, go and get some tea.”
“…Yes.”
It wasn’t until late at night that he was finally able to send Baek Ryeo-il away.
‘It’s my room.’
It was shabby compared to his room in the Demonic Cult, but he didn’t care.
He slowly fell asleep to the sound of owls hooting and leaves rustling in the wind in the distance.
Seong Mu-yeon’s life in Mount Hua changed slightly.
He didn’t have an affiliation, but he could go to any place that ordinary Disciples could go. Now, even if he wandered around as he pleased, Baek Ryeo-il couldn’t object.
But all he did was go to the Finance Division to help with odd jobs or go to the library to borrow books.
Mount Hua was one of the few places that hadn’t been destroyed by the end of the story. It was safe as long as he was here.
‘Safe,’ but…
“Cough, cough!”
Seong Mu-yeon couldn’t stop the coughing that burst out like a seizure. Baek Ryeo-il raised his eyebrows at the loud coughing.
Seong Mu-yeon had his own room, but he spent his days in Baek Ryeo-il’s room. Because he would often squeeze his huge body in and mess things up while poking and prodding, he chose to spend his time in his spacious room instead.
At first, Baek Ryeo-il had been indifferent, as if wondering what all the fuss was about, but when his coughing didn’t stop, his expression hardened and he got up.
“…Are you okay?”
“I-I’m okay.”
Seong Mu-yeon’s voice was hoarse as he said that. Tears even welled up in his eyes from the rough coughing that felt like he was about to cough up his lungs.