Chapter: 365
Paejon, his expression twisted savagely, speaks.
“…What are you saying right now?”
“It’s just as I said.”
Leaving the heart already contained within your body as is.
It was also meant to say that I intended to absorb the heart of the fallen as well.
Upon hearing this, Paejon frowns deeply and says to me.
“Should I take that to mean you want to die? If that’s the case, I can kindly help you out in a better way.”
In other words, he was saying he’d rather just beat me to death. shivers
Ominous, isn’t it?
I respond to him.
“This isn’t a joke.”
“If it’s not a joke? Are you toying with me?”
“That’s not true either. I’m being serious.”
“Ha.”
I can understand Paejon’s reaction.
Under normal circumstances, one cannot contain two types of heart techniques within the body.
Each heart technique has entirely different contents, after all.
When techniques of different properties clash, blood vessels can get utterly wrecked, leading to a high chance of disability.
Wasn’t there a tale about Paejon too?
He abandoned all the energy he had for the martial arts he created and started from scratch.
He had to give up the existence of Paejon itself to rebuild.
This was something that was unavoidable for any martial artist, really.
In that situation, I’m now telling Paejon that I will learn his martial arts.
From Paejon’s perspective, it must seem utterly absurd.
“Do you even know what you’re talking about right now?”
“I do.”
“If you know, how can you say that? Unless you’re just mocking me.”
There’s a hint of malice creeping into Paejon’s voice.
He seems to think I’m just joking around.
But I’m being serious. I tried to ignore Paejon’s reaction and continued talking.
“I know you want something from me, sir.”
At those words, Paejon stops momentarily.
Of course, the reason he’s allowing my actions is clear.
There must be a significant reason why he desperately wants me to become his disciple.
“There is also something I cannot abandon.”
“So, you want to contain both within your body? Do you think that makes sense?”
Paejon’s gaze becomes increasingly fierce.
“You treat martial arts as a joke.”
Even if one can contain several arts in their body, only one can even hope to succeed in martial arts.
The sight of me trying to dabble in both—it must be downright infuriating to him.
That said…
“If you say it seems impossible, I’ll give up. But.”
I met his gaze firmly and said my last words.
“Unless it’s this way, I have no intention of becoming your disciple. You can just kill me, for all I care.” dramatic pause
“…”
Paejon’s expression shows no sign of softening in response to my words.
However, I didn’t feel any more intense reaction than that.
Is he suppressing his anger right now?
Or is he perhaps contemplating whether or not to truly break me?
I had, nonetheless, expressed myself.
If he does decide to really come at me, I have every intention of fleeing.
I can’t die here.
I’ve also carefully noted all the escape routes.
Hopefully, he doesn’t intend to off me.
After a long while of waiting, Paejon finally replied.
“…What will you do if you try and find out it won’t work?”
Okay!
I nodded internally at Paejon’s words, keeping my expression neutral.
I spoke to him.
“Then, as you wish, I will empty what’s inside and fill it anew.”
Paejon seemed to contemplate my words again.
When I looked closely, it seemed like the answer had already been decided.
Even though I asserted that I would abandon the martial arts and realm I had been using before,
I obviously didn’t actually plan to toss them aside.
It was because I had a certain level of confidence.
I was confident that I could learn Paejon’s martial arts without needing to abandon the ones I was currently using.
And that confidence, thankfully, turned out to be right.
*
The owner of Baekhwasangdan, Mi Hyoran, gazes at her husband while holding a pure white fan.
He is still seated at his desk, buried under paperwork.
His eyes still fierce, they betray a clear fatigue.
While I find his state rather bothersome, right now, the letter in my hand holds greater importance than my husband’s exasperated expression.
“What are you going to do?”
I was somewhat startled by the sharpness in my own voice that slipped out.
I didn’t plan on tweaking it, though.
A man who heard Mi Hyoran’s voice—the head of the Shanxi District family, a warrior known for his prowess, raises his head.
His red eyes remain vivid.
“Gaju, what do you mean?”
His words are delivered with a tone of confusion, making Mi Hyoran’s brows furrow sharply.
“…Didn’t you receive it too?”
Mi Hyoran promptly slams the letter down onto Gu Cheol-woon’s desk.
The blue seal embossed on it clearly belongs to the Murim Alliance.
“I heard there’s a meeting. Is that true? Are you really refusing to go?”
“…”
Mi Hyoran’s eyes are chillingly cold.
She wanted to jump into action as soon as she received the letter, but she’s trying her best to hold back.
“The meeting with Moyong-se that was supposed to occur at Baekhwasangdan was first canceled by them.”
“…”
“I suspected they probably heard it ahead of time.”
Her words serve not merely as speculation but as confirmation. Moreover, the reason she brings this topic up is clear.
They are abandoning everything and heading to Hanam, taking a loss in the process.
What on earth are you doing here?
Gu Cheol-woon’s gaze also shifts towards the letter.
Though his expression remains unchanged while reading, Mi Hyoran senses something amiss.
It’s clear his mood isn’t great.
“I know you didn’t attend the last meeting either.”
That was the decisive political meeting that happened over ten years ago.
Gu Cheol-woon hadn’t even attended that one.
“I know that your position has since suffered because of it.”
When a meeting is called, it’s up to you whether or not to attend.
Yet even without attending the political meeting, not showing up left the Sega at a disadvantage.
Of course, Mi Hyoran didn’t care much for that aspect.
In social circles, reputation is a rather important aspect to the top tier.
What Mi Hyoran is focused on here is purely the viewpoint of a ‘parent.’
“I won’t blame you because I understand why.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Eventually, Gu Cheol-woon can no longer contain his frustration at Mi Hyoran’s reiterative questioning.
However, Mi Hyoran remains unfazed by Gu Cheol-woon’s annoyance.
“I heard you’re sending Princess Il, Elder Il, and the Great Sword Master instead.”
This was communicated from Gu Cheol-woon to the leadership through the general manager.
It was a delegation formed for the journey to Hanam in place of Gu Cheol-woon.
They intended to send two elders along with a blood relative.
It could be viewed as a respectful gesture, despite the head of the household not being present.
Mi Hyoran is not pleased with that.
“Are you really fine with this?”
“…”
Seeing his demeanor, Mi Hyoran can’t help but feel drained as she speaks.
“I won’t tell you to be a good father as always. I’ve not been a good mother either.”
With that, Mi Hyoran turns away.
She’s filled with a myriad of discontent.
“Still, this can’t continue forever.”
She feels pity for that man stuck in the mountains.
Yet the children beneath him are bound to have their heads trampled upon.
“Even if you don’t go, I intend to attend in my capacity as the owner of Baekhwasangdan.”
Even if it’s not the supreme tier.
It is still a major association, and the amount they’ve contributed to the Volcano sect and others has been considerable.
Mi Hyoran is more than qualified to attend the meeting.
“If you wish, I can go retrieve the children.”
Yet despite her words, Gu Cheol-woon remained quite unresponsive.
The atmosphere in the room becomes a tad heavier, making it evident that he is in a foul mood.
Feeling this, Mi Hyoran soon adds one more remark.
“They say the child was seriously injured.”
thud
Gu Cheol-woon’s hand, which had been perusing the letter, suddenly stops and his gaze snaps to Mi Hyoran.
“There was nothing mentioned in the transmission.”
“I guess you read it all carefully.”
“…”
In truth, the messenger reported that both blood relatives and one collateral relative were safe and sound.
However.
“That doesn’t give you a valid reason not to go. You know that too.”
“…”
“I won’t say anymore. My apologies.”
After that, Mi Hyoran closes the door and discreetly exits.
Gu Cheol-woon, left alone in the room, slowly rubs his face with his hand.
Then suddenly, a letter on his desk catches his attention.
Gu Cheol-woon quietly gazes at the letter sent from the alliance.
“General.”
He called the general who was patiently waiting outside.
The door opens and the general bows deeply.
“My lord, did you call?”
Gu Cheol-woon, observing the general intently, issues a weighty command.
“I will adjust the number of people heading to Hanam. Inform them that the head of the household will also be attending.”
“…!”
The general, who had been bowing, twitches upon hearing Gu Cheol-woon’s words.
But he suppresses his reaction, raises his head and responds to Gu Cheol-woon.
“Understood.”
He neither inquires nor expresses doubt.
After relaying the order, Gu Cheol-woon commands the general to dismiss guests.
Once he confirmed the general has left, he quietly shuts his eyes.
Like this.
Two months passed.
Around this time, numerous people began to arrive in Hanam.
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