Chapter 160
Chapter 160
“……I understand well what the Tang Clan Head is saying.”
Youngho spoke in a calm voice, as though he had no interest whatsoever, just like usual.
“So you wish to reconcile with Hyeon-gang and are asking for my help. Is that correct?”
“That is correct.”
Youngho glanced at Tang Myeongak, who was staring at him with a stern expression, and then took a sip of tea.
Only after the pleasant grassy fragrance gently spread through his mouth did Youngho open his lips again.
“Do you really need to reconcile?”
“Pardon?”
Tang Myeongak asked back, unable to understand what Youngho meant.
“Are you asking why reconciliation is necessary?”
“No. I meant exactly what I said. Is reconciliation truly necessary? You could simply continue living as you are now, and the Tang Clan’s reputation would not suffer in the slightest. Hyeon-gang does not want that, after all.”
“…….”
“Even if Hyeon-gang were to expose the Gratitude and Grudge with the Tang Clan, very few people would believe it. An accusation made without evidence is no different from a baseless tantrum. Moreover, Hyeon-gang is the Hall Master of the Medical Hall of the Unorthodox Alliance.”
“…….”
Something about the premise was wrong. If a person committed a wrongdoing against another, shouldn’t they naturally apologize?
Yet it seemed Youngho never even considered the premise that Tang Myeongak would offer a sincere apology.
Their thoughts ran perfectly parallel to each other.
At Youngho’s absurd words, Tang Gunhyeon and Namgung Cheon, who was sitting beside him, stared blankly at Youngho.
Perhaps he noticed their gazes, perhaps not, but Youngho continued speaking.
“Hyeon-gang says he does not particularly need an apology, and it does not seem like the Tang Clan Head intends to offer a sincere one either. So it would be best to end this matter here—”
“P-Please wait a moment.”
Tang Gunhyeon urgently interrupted Youngho’s words, sweating profusely as he spoke.
“We truly intend to apologize. My father and I both know that we committed a wrongdoing against the Divine Physician of Ten Thousand Hands. This is not about preserving the reputation of the Tang Clan.”
“There are no ears listening here. You may speak honestly.”
It was an absurd situation. Just how much did Youngho think of the Orthodox Sect as trash to casually say something like that?
Certainly, there were many places that were indeed a mess, but it was still the Orthodox Sect in name!
Tang Gunhyeon spoke firmly, his tone far more serious than usual.
“We are sincere. If the Divine Physician of Ten Thousand Hands wishes it, he may even use the Tang surname again, and the Tang Clan will treat him with the utmost respect.”
“If that sincerity is real, then it becomes even more problematic……”
Though he muttered very quietly, no one present had senses dull enough to miss those words.
Tang Gunhyeon could not hide the agitation in his voice.
“What exactly do you mean by that?!”
“There seem to be quite a number of problems. This matter does not appear to require consultation with me.”
“The Sword Exalted may view me unfavorably. In the past, I truly was a morally bankrupt and shameless person who knew nothing. But now, I sincerely wish to beg forgiveness from the Divine Physician of Ten Thousand Hands.”
His words were confident and upright.
Only then did Youngho seem to believe him, giving a small nod.
“It is certain that the Dark Emperor is sincere.”
“Of course!”
“However, I asked about the sincerity of the Tang Clan.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“I understand how desperately the Dark Emperor wishes to ask for forgiveness. However……”
Youngho looked directly into Tang Myeongak’s eyes as he spoke.
“Does the Tang Clan Head truly share the same heart?”
“Of course!”
“In that case, it seems you made a mistake. Instead of the perpetrator personally going to ask forgiveness, you used the Dark Emperor to make the victim move his feet. If you were truly sincere, you would not do such a thing. Though whether the Tang Clan Head truly made such a mistake, I cannot say.”
For an instant, Tang Myeongak’s pupils trembled slightly.
“If you truly wish to apologize, then instead of summoning Hyeon-gang, it would be better for you to lift your heavy rear and go to him first.”
Tang Gunhyeon’s face turned pale as he realized what Youngho’s words meant.
Ignoring Tang Gunhyeon’s gaze, Tang Myeongak spoke to Youngho.
“Thank you for the advice. Then I shall take my leave.”
Tang Myeongak abruptly stood up and left the room.
Even though Tang Gunhyeon kept speaking to him beside him, Tang Myeongak continued to ignore him.
Having witnessed the entire situation with his own eyes, Namgung Cheon laughed bitterly.
“Haha… so this is what karma means.”
“Well, I don’t intend to interfere with what you do, but I’ll cheer you on.”
Though Youngho had meant it sarcastically—telling him not to meddle—Namgung Cheon only smiled weakly.
“Haha, thank you.”
Namgung Cheon also stood up, greeted Youngho, and left the room.
Now left alone, Youngho closed his eyes once more and sat in the Cross-Legged Meditation Posture to organize his newfound realizations.
Thus, half a month passed.
Kang—!
Using the flat of his sword, Hyeon-gang lightly knocked away the Throwing Knife and frowned.
“Your Hidden Weapon Mastery is even worse today. It’s far more pathetic than when you first started.”
Tang Gunhyeon said nothing and quietly retrieved the Throwing Knife that had fallen to the ground.
Watching him silently pick it up, Hyeon-gang let out a deep sigh.
“Is it because I won’t accept your apology?”
“T-That’s not it!”
“Then what is it?”
“……Some complicated circumstances have arisen.”
“If those complicated circumstances involve me, how exactly am I supposed to take this situation?”
Seeing Hyeon-gang’s irritated eyes, Tang Gunhyeon instinctively avoided his gaze.
The sight was so frustrating that even Namgung Cheon, who had been secretly helping Tang Gunhyeon from the side, could not focus on their sparring.
“I forgive you.”
At those words, Tang Gunhyeon’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s as he stared at Hyeon-gang in disbelief.
“What’s with that expression? If you make that face even after I forgive you, what exactly am I supposed to do?”
“Is… is that truly what you mean?”
“Yeah. Tell the Tang Clan Head as well. I accepted the apology, and the thing he’s worried about won’t happen.”
The excitement Tang Gunhyeon had felt just moments ago quickly faded.
Realizing the meaning behind Hyeon-gang’s words, he forced a pained expression.
“……You are not sincere.”
“The Tang Clan wasn’t sincere either, so why should I be? If the Divine Physician of Ten Thousand Hands accepted the Tang Clan’s sincere apology, then that result alone should satisfy you.”
Even after seeing Tang Gunhyeon’s distorted expression, Hyeon-gang continued.
“As an elder, let me offer one piece of advice. Not everything ends perfectly, no matter the matter. Especially when it comes to Gratitude and Grudge. And to begin with, the ones who should receive your apology are someone else.”
“……?”
Tang Gunhyeon looked at Hyeon-gang in confusion.
Hyeon-gang did not feel the need to answer that gaze.
—It’s better not to create misunderstandings in the first place. How many wars have broken out because of that?
Hyeon-gang let out a faint chuckle at the sentence that crossed his mind.
“The reason I was angry wasn’t because I was framed.”
“Then what…?”
“Because you protected a murderer.”
“…….”
Tang Gunhyeon could not say anything.
Was it because he had been struck at the heart of the matter? If only that were the case.
As cold Killing Intent gathered in Hyeon-gang’s eyes, Tang Gunhyeon instinctively felt danger.
Though Hyeon-gang was clearly far weaker than him, his entire body refused to approach him.
“I was fine with being accused as the culprit. But the real culprit killed someone. Not for some trivial mistake—he killed a person. One of his own people.”
Hyeon-gang spoke each word as if grinding it down, filled with fury.
“And the man who had been my Master protected that murderer. The Tang Clan Head even lowered the punishment that should have been given, claiming it was consideration for me. How ridiculous it was. Let me make one thing clear here, brat.”
Hyeon-gang glared sharply at Tang Gunhyeon.
“I have no reason to clear my name. In fact, my current life is far more enjoyable and lively. But criminals must receive punishment, and they must apologize to the victim and the bereaved family.”
As he spoke, it felt as if the blood in his entire body was flowing backward.
Gripping the hilt of his Wooden Sword so tightly that veins bulged in his hand, Hyeon-gang continued.
“The Orthodox Sect is not as noble as it pretends to be. Just as the Unorthodox Faction—though mostly black—contains a little white, the Orthodox Sect—though it seems entirely white—also contains some black. Don’t focus only on the tree named Hyeon-gang. I am not the only victim. Everyone who was deceived by the Tang Clan Head is a victim.”
Having finished his brief rebuke, Hyeon-gang tossed the Wooden Sword onto the ground.
“Training more today seems pointless. Go rest.”
Tang Gunhyeon blankly watched Hyeon-gang’s back as it gradually grew distant.
“Uwaeek!”
Blood gushed out from every hole in his body.
The sight would have filled any observer with terror, yet Biyeong—the one bleeding—did not even blink.
“…I have no information.”
Despite being subjected to such severe torture, Biyeong revealed nothing.
It truly looked as though he did not know even the smallest piece of information.
Sssssk……
As the wounds regenerated once more, the man torturing Biyeong clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. Even though the Dantian is gone, the regeneration won’t stop. Are all Demonic Practitioners like this?”
At the man’s words, a boy who was preparing torture tools nearby spoke with a face that looked ready to vomit.
“It’s horrifying that even severed parts regenerate. But why doesn’t that one arm regenerate?”
“I heard the Sword Exalted cut it off himself.”
“If the Sword Exalted cut it, it can’t regenerate? Doesn’t that make him the natural enemy of Demonic Arts?”
“Indeed. If he had just a bit more time, he might really have defeated the Heavenly Demon.”
“What? Isn’t the Sword Exalted the Heavenly Demon’s only rival?”
“You idiot. No matter how strong the Sword Exalted is, even if he’s second only to the Heavenly Demon, he’s still a brat who hasn’t even reached the age of forty yet. He lacks real combat experience. There’s no way he could close the time gap that quickly.”
“But if it’s the Sword Exalted, wouldn’t he win?”
“That’s just our hope. There’s no guarantee the Sword Exalted would defeat the Heavenly Demon.”
Up to now, Youngho had demonstrated divine might so incredible that it was hard to believe he was even human.
But the idea that such power could reach the Heavenly Demon honestly seemed absurd.
Quite a few people believed Youngho’s Martial Might rivaled the Heavenly Demon’s, yet just as many insisted he could never defeat him.
“Damn this non-interference rule between officials and the martial world. Otherwise we’d have wiped out the Demonic Cult already.”
The current Demonic Cult possessed the power to topple an entire nation.
But the outdated custom of non-interference between officials and martial artists caused the Imperial Family to turn a blind eye to the Demonic Cult.
It was an obvious trick to shift all responsibility onto the Orthodox Sect.
The man silently cursed the foolish emperor and clicked his tongue.
Thinking Biyeong’s wounds had likely finished healing by now, the man spoke to the boy.
“He should be healed by now. Let’s start the torture again. Finish preparing.”
“Wait a little longer. That Demonic Practitioner isn’t going anywhere.”
“I told you we need to cut his tendons before they regenerate!”
“He can’t even use Internal Energy. What’s so scary about him…?”
The boy blinked for a moment before speaking with a trembling voice.
“Uh… uh?”
The boy’s pale face looked as if he had seen a ghost.
Even the man—who had dissected countless corpses—felt a chill.
“Don’t tell me!”
KWAANG—!
Just as the man turned to look toward where the Demonic Practitioner had been bound, a deafening explosion sounded.
At the same time, Biyeong’s body slammed into the wall like a cannonball.
“Cough!”
Spitting out stagnant blood, Biyeong glared at the one who had kicked him.
“…Sword Exalted!”
Looking down at Biyeong, who stared at him with bloodshot eyes, Youngho sneered.
“From now on, I’ll conduct the torture personally. I’ll give you pain you won’t forget even in death.”
“Ridiculous!”
Thud!
Moving so quickly Biyeong could not react, Youngho thrust his fingers into Biyeong’s shoulder.
“This is going to hurt a lot. I put a great deal of thought into this method.”
Ignoring Biyeong, who tried to speak, Youngho gathered Internal Energy in his fingers and released it.
To be precise, it looked less like an explosion and more like absorption.
Youngho’s Internal Energy spread through Biyeong’s entire body, flowing through his energy channels.
Biyeong wanted to scream from the unbearable pain.
His brain kept sending signals to faint, unable to process the agony, but he could not lose consciousness.
‘What kind of trick is this…!’
Pain of this level should have knocked him out.
But whenever the pain intensified, his mind became even clearer.
His brain felt as though it were cooking from the unbearable agony.
Blood streamed from his nose and eyes.
Pulling his fingers out of Biyeong’s shoulder, Youngho spoke.
“Half a Shijin. That’s how long you must endure starting now. If you still have no intention of revealing information after half a Shijin, next time I’ll increase the time tenfold.”
Youngho grinned wickedly.
“Enjoy your time.”
Having suddenly appeared, Youngho disappeared just as abruptly after finishing what he came to do.