Chapter 12
The owners of that inn probably didn't know who we were, nor did they know that we would be coming to that inn that day.
So Yeon Cheongha probably didn't think that those people were targeting us, but he was teaching us what we would have to do in the future, using them as an example.
Even after the meal was over, that kind of teaching continued.
After eating enough, our strength returned, and we decided to go a little further.
Even on the way, Yeon Cheongha continued to talk.
"Many people from our sect are spread throughout the Central Plains to proselytize the Heavenly Demon Sect, but they cannot do so openly. Therefore, it is very difficult to recognize our people. Those who have learned martial arts can be recognized to some extent by their demonic ki, but it is difficult for those who do not have demonic ki."
And he said that since the people we had to meet had learned martial arts, we could recognize them by their demonic ki, but even if we recognized them, we should not show it.
"If other people find out that person's identity, the work that has been put in so far could be for nothing. We must finish our work quietly and return. So that they can continue their proselytizing activities even after that."
It seemed to mean that we had to remove only the boil precisely, and not burst it wide open.
"This time, I won't ask you to do much. You just need to watch what I do and learn. Instead, take everything in with your eyes. I think you'll do well without me having to say it many times."
A desire to do well, as much as he trusted me, arose.
It was a great fortune for us to have met someone like Yeon Cheongha.
Sometimes we walked, and sometimes we used lightness techniques.
Yeon Cheongha would sometimes look at us.
Pae Maseong was so good that he didn't even need to be looked at, and I followed along just enough not to lose them.
Yeon Cheongha would shake his head as he looked at me.
I wondered if I was doing something wrong, so I asked him later.
"Instructor, if I'm doing something wrong, please let me know."
"No. You're doing well. I'm just looking because it's amazing how well you're doing. Normally, you should have given up and sat down by now. Pae Maseong is just a strange guy, but I didn't know that even you would follow along without a word. After doing this much, your dantian should be hurting as if it's about to burst. I can see how diligently you've followed the internal energy training."
'Is that so?'
Since the guy next to me was Pae Maseong, I thought that much was a given, but it seemed that was not the case.
* * *
Even before we reached our destination, we heard a story that we thought might be about the people we were looking for.
"Well, I just don't know who on earth is doing it."
"What's the matter?"
"I passed through a village, and they said that five people have already disappeared in the middle of the night this year. They said they disappeared while sleeping at home. They said there were signs that someone had come in and taken them by force."
As if waiting for someone to ask, one person muttered to himself, and someone who showed interest in it asked, starting the conversation.
"Taken away? A young woman? The person who disappeared, I mean."
The person who heard the story asked as if they had something in mind. In the meantime, other people also showed interest in the story and came closer.
"Not really. On the contrary, they only took strange people, to the point where you'd wonder what they would do with such people. That's what's even stranger. There are sick people, old people, and even children."
"That is strange. Even if they took such people, it doesn't seem like there's any use for them. Even if they sold them secretly, they probably wouldn't get a good price. Did they choose people who were easy to take? It's true that such people would be easy to take."
"That's what I'm saying. But isn't it strange? Even if it's easy to take them, shouldn't they kidnap people who are useful once they're taken? I heard that there were no women among the people who disappeared like that."
We listened to what they were saying.
Looking at Yeon Cheongha's expression, he also seemed to think that it was related to the people we were looking for.
"But if that has happened five times this year, has the culprit not been caught yet?"
When someone asked, the person who had started the story clicked his tongue.
"Do you think the government office would step up for lowly people like us? It's only unfair for the people who suffered. For the government office to step up, something like that would have to happen to a noble family, but it seems they don't even target the noble families."
"That's probably right. Why would the culprits who target easy-to-take people like the sick and the elderly bother to target a noble family? Maybe they're trying to get human flesh? That's what I'm thinking. If they're after human flesh, they just need to have flesh, and they don't need to be strong, do they?"
It was a gruesome thing to say, but a few people already seemed to have had the same thought and nodded in agreement.
"That seems to be right. Could it be the demonic cult bastards? I heard that the demonic cult bastards eat human flesh and drink blood."
That was what people thought about the Heavenly Demon Sect.
I secretly glanced at Yeon Cheongha, but there was no change in his expression.
Frowning after hearing such a story was something only a novice would do.
Like Pae Maseong... huh?
I saw Pae Maseong clench his fists tightly.
Still, I didn't think that Pae Maseong would cause trouble on the spot, but Pae Maseong's hands suddenly started to tremble, and he slammed the table.
At that, the people who had been chattering away were startled and looked at us.
Yeon Cheongha glared at Pae Maseong as if he were dumbfounded and put strength in his eyes, but Pae Maseong seemed to have been very offended by those words.
'Is he an idiot? Is he trying to advertise that we're from the Heavenly Demon Sect right now?'
As I was wondering what to do, Pae Maseong's movements suddenly stopped.
Wondering what had happened, I looked at Yeon Cheongha, and he glared at Pae Maseong and turned his head.
Pae Maseong, who had been about to stand up, stopped and couldn't move, and then he moved his body after a while.
He had a face as if he still couldn't understand what had happened to him.
I looked at Yeon Cheongha, wondering if he had gathered his ki and shot it to hit Pae Maseong's vital point.
I knew that Yeon Cheongha was a person with great martial prowess, but I was really surprised because I hadn't thought he would be that good.
Pae Maseong also seemed to have come to his senses to some extent then.
He had a face that realized that if Yeon Cheongha hadn't stopped him, we could have been in a difficult and dangerous situation because of him.
However, Yeon Cheongha had an angry face, and it seemed that he would not just forgive Pae Maseong and let it go.
The people talked a little more about it, but nothing more significant came out of it.
Since it seemed that they didn't know anything else anyway, it seemed more helpful to find other people who knew about it and listen to them.
Yeon Cheongha seemed to have had the same thought and stood up first.
When we followed him out of the inn, Yeon Cheongha didn't say anything to us for a while.
Then, when we reached a road where people didn't come and go, he looked at Pae Maseong and said.
"You go back, Pae Maseong. I will never see you again."
"In-instructor!"
Pae Maseong knew to some extent that he had done something wrong, but he didn't seem to have expected to hear such words.
However, Yeon Cheongha, as if there was no need to talk about it at length, quickly used his lightness technique.
Pae Maseong was in a bad situation, but I didn't hesitate and followed Yeon Cheongha.
If Yeon Cheongha and Pae Maseong couldn't go the same way, it was more advantageous to follow Yeon Cheongha in every way right now.
No matter how strong Pae Maseong was and how he was the strongest in the world, if he couldn't distinguish between water and fire and suddenly went berserk like this, I had no intention of staying by his side.
I could too easily imagine my head falling off if I got caught up in this wrongly.
"Instructor, please forgive me just this once. I will make sure that such a thing never happens again."
Pae Maseong said as he followed, but Yeon Cheongha did not forgive him.
However, there would have been no way to shake off Pae Maseong who kept following.
In the end, we continued our strange journey.
It was definitely helpful. Pae Maseong needed to be disciplined in that way.
No matter how much pride he had in the Heavenly Demon Sect, he would now realize that he should not show such feelings outside.
It didn't seem like it would be easy just by making up his mind, but if he at least kept it in mind, it would be better than before.
I thought it would be very difficult since he was in his prime, but Yeon Cheongha kept glancing at me.
At first, I wondered why he was doing that, but on second thought, he seemed to be amazed that I had endured it well.
After going some distance, Yeon Cheongha stopped and said.
"Pae Maseong, such behavior does not only put you in danger. Because of you, Socheong and I can also be in danger. Do you think Socheong wouldn't be offended to hear such words? But Socheong endured it. What do you think is the difference? Socheong thought of our safety first before the anger of the moment."
I finally realized clearly what misunderstanding he had about me.
That's not it...
But Pae Maseong, as if he thought those words were right, bowed his head deeply and repeatedly apologized to Yeon Cheongha.
"I will also learn from Socheong. From now on, I will be careful and careful so that such a thing never happens again."
"Yes, I know it will be difficult. But for you now, it may be the first and most urgent problem to overcome. Learn a lot from Socheong about that."
"Yes, instructor."
Then Yeon Cheongha, as if he had to say it when he thought of it, looked at Pae Maseong.
"Don't call me instructor anymore."
"Ah, yes."
The title of instructor was not something to be used anywhere, so we had to change the title anyway, but since no one had said anything about it, we had been calling him instructor until now.
"Then may I call you master?"
Since we had formed a connection in Eumyeong Valley, Yeon Cheongha had been our master for a long time without change.
He treated us with nothing lacking, to the point where I thought that no master could do for us what Yeon Cheongha had done.
(End of Chapter)