By Zephyria Do You Like Me? (4)
For the first time, Baek Ryeo-il looked straight at them.
“Say that again.”
Jinseo tensed up slightly. Baek Ryeo-il, facing him head-on, was more imposing than he had thought. Frankly, Jinseo had underestimated him a bit. Of course, he was tall and had a sturdy build, making him look impressive, but martial artists didn’t judge martial prowess by such external appearances.
But that look in his eyes…
It was hard to believe he was the same man who had seemed so listless just moments ago. However, Jinseo couldn’t back down now, not with the Sect’s honor at stake. He forced a smirk and sneered.
“Are you talking about how the Flowing Cloud Sword Master got lucky thanks to the Heartless Sword? Isn’t it true that he doesn’t have any significant achievements?”
The next moment, a gust of wind seemed to blow, and Jinseo found himself lifted up, his collar caught in Baek Ryeo-il’s strong grip. The two eyes that loomed close held a fierce light.
“How dare you speak of my Master…?”
‘Noooo!’
Wang Ho-jun screamed silently. Inwardly, he was shedding tears.
‘Oh, Primordial Celestial! Please have mercy…’
The situation was now beyond his control. Wang Ho-jun had no way to stop Baek Ryeo-il in that state. He surrendered completely. There was nothing he could do but play dead.
Just as he was about to lose all hope, Wang Ho-jun spotted Seong Mu-yeon approaching from afar with a light, cheerful gait.
Suddenly, a scene he had witnessed at the Sect gate a few days ago flashed through his mind. Back then, Baek Ryeo-il and Jang Han-soo had also been on the verge of clashing. But then Seong Mu-yeon had suddenly appeared, drawing his attention, and they had moved on as if nothing had happened.
‘Could it be…!’
It might just be a coincidence. But Wang Ho-jun had to grasp at any straw. If things went wrong here, Hwasan Sect would be in trouble, and he wouldn’t be able to face Ma Jin-cheon, his Master, the Elders, or even the Sect leader.
Wang Ho-jun hurried over to Seong Mu-yeon.
“Young master! It’s a disaster! Senior Brother Baek is about to explode again!”
“Eek! Really?”
Seong Mu-yeon immediately turned to run.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“I’m getting out of here before I get caught in the crossfire!”
“…”
Wang Ho-jun quickly regained his composure and grabbed the hem of Seong Mu-yeon’s clothes as he tried to run away.
“Please, Young master! Don’t do this! Just help us this once!”
“Huh? Help? Me?”
“The opponent isn’t even one of us, it’s the Jongnam Sect. If he causes trouble this time, he won’t get away with just being locked up in the Repentance Cave for three days. I won’t be able to escape responsibility either!”
“Come on… Surely Master Baek isn’t that thoughtless?”
But as soon as Seong Mu-yeon said those words, he changed his mind. Baek Ryeo-il’s behavior up until now flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.
Maybe he really is that thoughtless…
“Can’t you see? That man lives like he has no tomorrow!”
Seong Mu-yeon swallowed hard.
“But what can I do? He doesn’t listen to his Master or the Sect leader, how can someone as insignificant as me…?”
“What does Senior Brother Baek hate the most?”
It was a very simple question that anyone could answer.
“…The Demonic Cult?”
“Exactly! Fight fire with fire! With a Demonic Cult Young master in front of him, would he even notice the Jongnam Sect? No, there’s no time for this. Let’s just try it once! Please, consider it saving a life…”
“…”
Is this right?
Seong Mu-yeon was dubious, but he couldn’t ignore the pitiful Wang Ho-jun, so he headed towards the center of the commotion.
By now, a crowd of onlookers had gathered in front of the restaurant, forming a large circle. There wasn’t even room to set foot.
“Excuse me, let me through!”
Seong Mu-yeon pushed through the crowd and saw that the atmosphere was even more intense than he had imagined. Baek Ryeo-il, looking furious, was grabbing the collar of a stranger in the unfamiliar uniform of the Jongnam Sect. The rest of the Jongnam Sect were also angry and cursing, ready to draw their swords at any moment. It was a touch-and-go situation.
Seong Mu-yeon was scared. Usually, Baek Ryeo-il would let Seong Mu-yeon get away with anything as long as he didn’t cross the line. It was like a bear, the king of the forest, not getting angry even if an ant bit him.
He had rarely seen Baek Ryeo-il this angry. Just as he didn’t have the courage to approach easily, Wang Ho-jun, sending him a desperate look as if he were a lifeline, came back into view.
Gulp.
Swallowing hard, Seong Mu-yeon finally made up his mind and jumped into the center of the commotion.
“Master Baek!”
At his loud voice, everyone’s eyes focused on Seong Mu-yeon in an instant. Baek Ryeo-il’s fierce gaze, which had been fixed on the Jongnam Sect, landed on Seong Mu-yeon. Seong Mu-yeon’s heart shrank at that gaze, but he continued.
“M-Master… I have something important to tell you. Over there, for a moment.”
Seong Mu-yeon tugged at his sleeve. But Baek Ryeo-il was as firm as a mountain and didn’t budge. His gaze shifted straight back to the Jongnam Sect.
“Later.”
Baek Ryeo-il shook him off as if he were a nuisance, and Seong Mu-yeon was pushed back. Thanks to the Hwasan Sect Disciples who caught him as he stumbled, he barely managed to avoid falling.
Seong Mu-yeon felt bad about being so neatly ignored. As Wang Ho-jun had said, he was the Demonic Cult Young master. But had he now fallen to such an insignificant existence that he was inferior to a mere Jongnam Sect disciple?
Who am I?
I’m the Demonic Cult Young master!
Fueled by spite, Seong Mu-yeon grabbed his arm even more forcefully this time.
“Master! It has to be now! You have to at least hear what I have to say!”
“Ah, I said later!”
“Then Master Baek can just live here! I’m leaving!”
Seong Mu-yeon turned around boldly, pretending to leave, and Baek Ryeo-il glanced back at him. But he soon turned his head away again.
“…”
It was no use. Seong Mu-yeon glared at Wang Ho-jun, who was hiding in the crowd.
‘It’s not working!’
‘I know…’
Wang Ho-jun shook his head and quietly slipped away. He seemed to have decided that there was no hope for this situation and was going to call for a superior.
“What’s with that guy?”
One of the Jongnam Sect disciples muttered, looking at Seong Mu-yeon. The Jongnam Sect, who had been stunned by the appearance of a pale scholar flailing around, began to provoke Baek Ryeo-il again.
“Instead of this, how about we settle it with a formal martial arts duel? I heard you’re quite skilled with a sword, so it would be a good way to see how well the Flowing Cloud Sword Master has trained his disciple.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
The situation was getting worse and worse.
There was a reason why Sects didn’t often cross swords. Originally, large companies in the same field pretended to be on good terms, but in reality, they weren’t. They would only vaguely check each other’s skills at the occasional martial arts tournament, and officially, they would praise each other and get along well, while secretly thinking that they were better. That was the survival strategy that allowed the orthodox sect martial world to coexist.
If they really crossed swords, the relationship between the two Sects could plummet to the worst possible level because of this incident. Thinking about it that way, Wang Ho-jun’s fuss was understandable.
The collapse of the delicate balance between Sects was not something that Seong Mu-yeon wanted either. He was someone who wanted to live quietly.
‘Oh well, whatever!’
Unable to watch any longer, Seong Mu-yeon simply lay down on the floor.
“Oh, I’m dying!”
He stretched out on the ground and closed his eyes, sticking out his tongue and pretending to be dead, causing the surrounding onlookers to buzz. He could hear people saying, ‘Suddenly?’ ‘What is he doing?’ ‘Is he crazy?’ at his obviously awkward acting, but Seong Mu-yeon remained steadfast.
Whatever others thought, it was a special medicine for Baek Ryeo-il.
“Seong Mu-yeon?”
Finally, Baek Ryeo-il was reacting. When he squinted, he could see that he was noticeably shaken, and the tension he had been maintaining seemed to be easing a bit.
Deciding to drive the wedge in, Seong Mu-yeon forced out a cough that wouldn’t come out.
“Cough. Coo… ough!”
Then Baek Ryeo-il released the collar of the Jongnam Sect disciple he had been holding.
“What’s wrong? What’s the matter? Are you sick?”
“I think I’m a little sick… or maybe not…”
“Tell me clearly! Are you sick or not! You seem well enough to talk, so wait a minute. I’ll take care of that bastard first and then…”
“Aigooo! I’m dying! Cooeeeeeck! Look! I’m losing my breath right now!”
As Seong Mu-yeon began to cough exaggeratedly as if he were about to vomit his lungs, Baek Ryeo-il finally turned away from the Jongnam Sect and approached.
‘Got him!’
Seong Mu-yeon waited until he was close enough and then grabbed his forearm.
“Please save me.”
With those words, Seong Mu-yeon dropped his head as if he had fainted. Even the onlookers were now wondering if he was really sick, so Baek Ryeo-il’s heart sank. Startled, he quickly picked up Seong Mu-yeon and left the scene without looking back.
“Hey! Where are you going!”
The shouts of the Jongnam Sect disciples, who had been left behind like sacks of barley, did not reach Baek Ryeo-il.
“Master! What’s going on? Why is Young master like this?”
Gang Woong, who had arrived late, found them and followed.
“Damn it! I don’t know either.”
Gang Woong’s heart was burning with worry. And he was wondering why his Master was taking a sick person to his residence instead of the Hall of Medicine, but he quietly followed behind.
Arriving at his residence in one breath, Baek Ryeo-il felt a hand patting his chest. When he looked down, Seong Mu-yeon had his eyes wide open.
“Please put me down now.”
The two Junior Brother just stared blankly as Seong Mu-yeon scrambled down and stood up, looking perfectly fine.