Chapter 450 : Chasing the Mystery (1)
Chapter 450: Chasing the Mystery (1)
Tang Duhwa’s expression wasn’t very pleasant.
It was because of the girl who wouldn’t leave Ha Cheollyeong’s side and kept following him around.
"Cheollyeong, let’s go eat."
Unable to watch any longer, Tang Duhwa approached Ha Cheollyeong and said.
"Duhwa, you go on ahead!"
"No, let’s go together. Hmm?"
"I’m going to eat with Miss Yu here. I need to learn more about medicine."
The cute girl in white gave Yong Hwarin a wide smile as she looked at him.
She was none other than Yu Yeonhwa (劉蓮花), the younger sister of the White-Clothed Sword of Seong, Yu Maerim—whom Tang Duhwa considered her romantic rival.
Yu Yeonhwa was one of the physician maidens from the White-Clothed Sword who had come to help with the many injured after the Ten-Year Heavenly Central Sect Deployment.
Since following her sister Yu Maerim, Yu Yeonhwa had clung to Ha Cheollyeong, unwilling to part from him.
"Miss Yu! Isn’t it about time you went back to the White-Clothed Sword? It’s not proper for a young maiden to stay out overnight for too long."
When Tang Duhwa spoke out in anger, Yu Yeonhwa replied with innocent eyes.
"Then how long has it been since you, Miss Tang, last returned to the Tang Clan?"
Of course Tang Duhwa wanted to go back to the Tang Clan.
But she couldn’t bring herself to leave this vixen behind.
She had been planning to return to the Tang Clan once Yu Yeonhwa left the Heavenly Central Sect, but with Yu Yeonhwa still around, she couldn’t bring herself to go.
"Cheollyeong. If you keep pushing me away like this, I’ll have no choice but to tell your master. That you’re ignoring me. Do you know how serious of a sin that is? And how much your master hates that?"
At those words, Ha Cheollyeong got up.
"Fine. Let’s go eat, let’s eat."
Yong Hwarin still had a soft spot for Tang Duhwa, so he tended to listen to her when she spoke.
Whenever Tang Duhwa complained about Ha Cheollyeong, Yong Hwarin would never fail to summon him and lecture him for an entire si-jin (two hours) about how to treat women.
From Ha Cheollyeong’s perspective, he hated that. So when Tang Duhwa mentioned his master, he had no choice but to comply.
Yu Yeonhwa set down her medical book and followed Ha Cheollyeong.
"Miss Yu, are you coming too?"
In response to Tang Duhwa’s sharp tone, Yu Yeonhwa answered nonchalantly.
"Yes, I plan to eat with Young Master Ha as well."
As the two girls walked with barbed words exchanged in passing, Ha Cheollyeong thought of his master's wives.
‘Ah, all five of Master’s wives are so wise and gentle… So why is it that only such strong-willed women gather around me?’
Ha Cheollyeong walked ahead with long strides, trying to distance himself as much as possible from the two.
"Hey, walk with us!"
When Tang Duhwa shouted sharply, Ha Cheollyeong wanted to plug his ears.
"Young Master Ha, wait for me!"
Already burdened enough by Tang Duhwa, Ha Cheollyeong now felt bloated as if suffering indigestion, even without having eaten, as Yu Yeonhwa shouted and ran up to him as well.
Yong Hwarin stopped by the medical ward and looked at Mae Yeongyeong, who was still unconscious.
Since she hadn’t regained consciousness, Yong Hwarin had contacted her father, Mae Cheongbo.
But Mae Cheongbo’s words when he arrived at the Heavenly Central Sect were unexpected.
"I’d like you to care for her here until she wakes up. And please, I’d prefer it if word didn’t spread that my daughter is ill. Currently, talks are underway for her to marry into a prestigious family. I’ll say I sent her to the Heavenly Central Sect to train her body and mind before marriage. I heard she was injured while helping you, so Young Master Yong, please take responsibility to ensure she recovers her health."
Mae Cheongbo spoke that way because he knew that Yu Maerim, who was currently at the Heavenly Central Sect, was a physician whose skills rivaled even those of the imperial physicians.
"Understood."
Even if Mae Cheongbo hadn’t asked, Yong Hwarin had already resolved to restore Mae Yeongyeong’s health.
"If it takes too long, it’ll be a problem. I plan to have her married off early next year, so please ensure she regains consciousness by then."
Mae Cheongbo was an ambitious man—his desire to secure power through marriage was greater than his concern for his daughter’s happiness.
With a heavy heart, Yong Hwarin headed toward the women’s quarters. Everything else was resolved and peaceful, but seeing Mae Yeongyeong still like that made his heart ache.
He couldn’t shake the guilt that she had become a sacrificial piece in the process of resolving the issues of his past life.
The Heavenly Central Sect was abuzz with activity due to the many visitors.
The Lunar New Year was fast approaching.
"Is it that time already?"
It was a rare moment of peace. A peace that had only come after killing Eungjin.
Half a year had passed since that incident.
But as Mae Yeongyeong, whose body had been poisoned, showed no signs of recovery, Yong Hwarin remained troubled.
He feared she might live the rest of her life in a vegetative state.
Aside from that, all was peaceful.
The Three Demonic Heavens seemed to have gone silent, as if submerged underwater, and with the formation of the Hundred Justice Alliance, the influence of the orthodox Murim had grown even stronger.
Even if the Three Demonic Heavens were to rise up, it didn’t seem like a major threat anymore, thanks to the presence of the Hundred Justice Alliance. Moreover, Yeo Sanmuhu had become the alliance leader and was devoting herself entirely to stabilizing the Murim.
‘In my past life, the Great Martial Battle of Moon and Orthodoxy broke out, but looking at things now, it doesn’t seem like that will happen. Maybe that war happened before because someone else was leading the Hundred Justice Alliance—but not this time.’
However, the Hundred Justice Alliance had, of all places, set up its headquarters in Luoyang of Henan, which brought some annoying consequences.
For the past half-year, the Hundred Justice Alliance had continuously sent diplomatic envoys to Yong Hwarin.
"Young Master Yong!"
The voice from behind gave him a headache. Jegal Yohye, the deputy strategist of the Hundred Justice Alliance, had come again.
And this time, Pang Giyok and Namgung Soomyung had come with her.
Pang Giyok and Namgung Soomyung were both leading martial factions within the Hundred Justice Alliance.
They had been trying to appoint Yong Hwarin as the captain of the Azure Dragon Group, but he disliked being bound by any organization and had refused up to now.
If Yong Hwarin had truly been just a young man, he would never have turned down the position of captain in a martial group under the Murim Alliance.
There was youthful ambition, so it was only natural to want to command the world. It was that very ambition that led Pang Giyok and Namgung Soomyung to become leaders of martial factions within the Hundred Justice Alliance.
However, Yong Hwarin, whose mind was more like that of a middle-aged man, had no love for such busy and bothersome affairs.
He had struggled enough already to resolve the issues of his past life, and he no longer wanted to live dancing on the edge of life and death. All he wanted now was to live in peace with those he loved.
“Welcome.”
When Yong Hwarin greeted with a clasped-hands gesture, Jegal Yohye grasped his hand and shook it.
“It’s been a while.”
“We met just two months ago.”
Yong Hwarin, annoyed at Jegal Yohye’s persistent visits, replied curtly.
“The Hundred Justice Alliance was only just formed, so you must be busy. Is it alright for you to leave the Alliance so often?”
“Well, I’m only the Deputy Strategist, so I still have plenty of free time.”
“As I said, I will not be joining the Hundred Justice Alliance.”
“Don’t be so cold. Besides, I’m not here today because of you, Young Master Yong.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, I came because I have business with your younger sister, Miss Yong Seollan.”
“Is that so? Then enjoy your visit.”
He replied absentmindedly and was about to turn away when he heard Jegal Yohye’s voice again.
“This time, Miss Yong Seollan wanted to visit Baekma Temple and Yongmun Stone Cave during the Lunar New Year, so I came to accompany her. Since it's on the way to Luoyang, where the Alliance headquarters are, it’s not difficult. She had asked me about it before.”
Since she’d be with Pang Giyok and Namgung Soomyung, Yong Hwarin didn’t see a major issue, so he replied with the same casual tone.
“I see. I’ll leave her in your care.”
But as he walked away, something began to prick at his chest.
It felt like he had forgotten something, but he couldn’t figure out what it was, and it made his mind itch.
‘Feels like I’ve missed something… but what was it?’
Yong Hwarin tapped his head and came to a sudden stop.
“Wait a moment!”
A bolt of blue lightning flashed through his mind.
“How could I have completely forgotten about that?!”
It was something obvious.
The Heavenly Demon Sect was now stable under the rule of the Demonic Master, and Eungga, the descendant of the White Tiger King who had backed the sect, had already been destroyed by his hand. Everything had seemed resolved, so he had let his guard down.
That’s why Yong Hwarin had believed there was no longer any threat to his family.
Already half a year ago, he had sealed off the Great Dabie Sect and its allied forces through the Ten-Year Closed Sect Deployment. All practical threats to the Heavenly Central Sect had been eliminated.
He had let his guard down—and had forgotten.
But with Jegal Yohye’s words, a memory from his past life returned.
‘In my previous life, the trigger that led to our clan’s annihilation by the Great Dabie Sect coalition was Seollan’s death. My sister had gone to Luoyang’s Yongmun Stone Cave during the Lunar New Year and was murdered under mysterious circumstances. Then Father, while investigating her death, was also assassinated. That’s how the annihilation began.’
After that, the Heavenly Central Sect stood no chance and was crushed by the Great Dabie Sect and its allies.
Although Mo Biyoung later rallied the remaining forces of the Heavenly Central Sect and resisted to the end, even she eventually fell.
That was the history of the Heavenly Central Sect that Yong Hwarin remembered.
Chills ran through his entire body.
“Seollan going to Yongmun Stone Cave during Lunar New Year… does that mean everything is flowing exactly according to the history of my past life? But I’ve changed everything—corrected all the mistakes of my previous life with everything I had.”
He hadn’t changed things properly—that was the only reason she would still be going to Yongmun Stone Cave.
Yong Hwarin suddenly became curious about who had tried to kill Seollan.
Now that he thought about it, everything felt too perfectly aligned.
The Hundred Justice Alliance just happened to establish its headquarters in Luoyang. His sister just happened to go there.
It felt as if everything was unfolding precisely to replay that tragedy from his past life.
‘I’ll secretly follow them and find out who’s behind the attempt on Seollan’s life.’
After thinking for a moment, Yong Hwarin ground some ink and began writing a letter.
He wrote a fairly long letter and then called out.
“Baekseom, come here.”
“Yes, did you call?”
Baekseom, after delivering escort items from the Sky Ocean Escort Agency, hadn’t returned yet and remained at the Heavenly Central Sect.
There were rumors that he had become involved with one of the Three Sword Maidens of the Heavenly Central Sect.
When Yong Hwarin spoke through telepathy, Baekseom nodded.
Baekseom tucked the letter into his robe and vanished.
Afterward, Yong Hwarin told the five women he was heading out on a peaceful excursion and left the Heavenly Central Sect.
All five women were overjoyed at the idea of traveling with Yong Hwarin through the Jianghu.
Ever since the Ten-Year Deployment, they’d had little time alone with him.
Now that they were finally going on a trip together, they were elated.
“Tch! You call this a trip? Who knew we’d be tailing people instead?”
With a voice full of complaint, Bukri Sehee grumbled.
Yong Hwarin followed behind Jegal Yohye, Pang Giyok, Namgung Soomyung, and Yong Seollan from over three hundred jang away.
She had been holding back her complaints, but once they neared Luoyang, Bukri Sehee—known for being the least patient—finally started grumbling.
Upon hearing her, Yong Hwarin briefly considered telling the five women the truth, but soon changed his mind.
That would mean telling them he came from the future and that Seollan was about to be in mortal Tanger—and no one would believe that, aside from the soul of the Demonic Master.
So Yong Hwarin came up with another excuse.
“According to the intel I’ve received, someone is planning to kidnap my sister. I’m trying to uncover who’s behind it.”
At that, Jeong Minji spoke seriously.
“Could it be remnants of Eungga? Or maybe someone from the Heavenly Demon Sect trying to threaten your family?”
At least Jeong Minji was taking it seriously.
“It could also be a group scheming to harness the power of the Dragon’s Qi.”
At Yong Hwarin’s words, all five women nodded in agreement.