Chapter 248: Chapter 248
The attack of the Green Forest ended in failure.
Due to Cheon-hwi’s active role, the Green Forest Great Emperor was defeated, and he had to flee as fast as he could.
Not only that.
Many Green Forest bandits could not avoid death and rolled on the ground as corpses.
The Green Forest bandits who managed to survive…
“We surrender!”
“P-please spare us.”
Without exception, they prostrated themselves and pleaded for their lives.
While trying to run away, they were hit by the stones thrown by Cheon-hwi, and their conditions were not intact.
Some had lumps on the backs of their heads, and others were scattered with bruises all over their buttocks, knees, backs, and limbs.
Cheon-hwi looked down at them.
Facing his incredibly indifferent gaze, the Green Forest bandits were instantly dominated by a chilling sensation as if they were standing on the blade of a sword.
As Cheon-hwi withdrew his gaze from those terrified people, he stared at Hyeon-sang standing next to him.
“So you’re saying we should keep these guys alive?”
Cheon-hwi furrowed his brow, asking as if to confirm.
No matter how much he thought about it to understand those words, he could not understand it at all.
Keep the enemies alive? Why?
Whether he knew Cheon-hwi’s feelings or not, Hyeon-sang, with a pale complexion from calming his internal injuries next to him, nodded.
“They are those who have lost the will to fight. Is there any reason to shed more blood?”
At Hyeon-sang’s words, the complexions of the Green Forest bandits momentarily brightened.
However, that did not last long.
“They’ve already shed blood anyway. Will adding one or two more drops make a difference?”
Cheon-hwi spoke calmly.
“Let’s just kill them without leaving any future troubles.”
At the gruesome words, the blood color disappeared from the faces of the Green Forest bandits once again.
“P-please spare us!”
“We will never step a single foot into Mount Hua again!”
They looked up at Hyeon-sang, who would save them, and pleaded desperately.
However.
“Shut your mouths.”
Hyeon-sang spoke in a freezing tone.
Seeing Hyeon-sang’s angry expression, the faces of the Green Forest bandits hardened just like that.
“Do not be mistaken. This is for the sake of the disciples, not for you.”
Speaking coldly as if notifying them, Hyeon-sang stared straight at the puzzled Cheon-hwi and opened his mouth again.
“We are righteous faction members.”
Hyeon-sang spoke quietly.
He then shifted his gaze and scanned the disciples and martial brothers of the Mount Hua Sect who were listening while receiving treatment, and slightly parted his lips.
“It is not that I do not know your heart. However, if we kill those who have surrendered and knelt down, what would be the difference between us and them?”
Hyeon-sang’s eyes became heavy.
With his current feelings as well, he wanted to cut off all the necks of those Green Forest bandits right away.
Weren’t there quite a few disciples who were harmed?
But he could not do that.
Even for the sake of Mount Hua’s future.
‘This leaves me with nothing to say.’
Cheon-hwi scratched the back of his head.
What Hyeon-sang wanted to say was clear. Mount Hua would soar very soon, so was there a need to accumulate infamy?
There was none.
Rather, by showing mercy and sparing the enemies who invaded first, the Mount Hua Sect could build a solid position.
“Tsk, then it can’t be helped.”
Cheon-hwi readily admitted it.
The Heavenly Demon Cult and the Mount Hua Sect were different.
The positions and reputations they held.
And the gaze the world viewed them with.
Therefore, the response also had to be different.
If they did it the way the Heavenly Demon Cult did, this place would not become the Mount Hua Sect, but a second Heavenly Demon Cult.
“T-thank you!”
“Great Hero!”
The Green Forest bandits, whose survival was decided, sobbed with tears.
In a situation crossing between the immortal realm and the netherworld, they had been dyed in the fear of death.
At the end of that fear, they were now able to live.
But at that moment.
“You aren’t just going to let them live like this, right?”
Cheon-hwi spoke with force, as if he wouldn’t yield on this alone.
The complexions of the Green Forest bandits hardened.
Hyeon-sang nodded silently.
And turning his body, he spoke towards the disciples.
“Destroy their dantians.”
The eyes of the Green Forest bandits widened.
The dantian was everything to a martial artist.
But to destroy it.
A few wanted to jump up and protest, but they did not.
Because Cheon-hwi was looking around at them with fierce eyes, as if waiting for them to open their mouths.
‘Are there any guys resisting? I want to make an example out of them and dispose of them.’
Their Adam’s apples bobbed significantly.
If they rejected that decision here, it would not be their dantians, but their heads that would fly off.
The Green Forest bandits obediently bowed their heads.
“Tsk, at least one should come out. Then I would clean them all up…”
Cheon-hwi muttered, smacking his lips as if it was a great pity. Hearing that, the Green Forest bandits felt chills down their spines.
Glancing at the flinching Green Forest bandits, Cheon-hwi spoke to Hyeon-sang.
“Everyone seems busy treating the wounded, so I will destroy their dantians.”
Hyeon-sang let out a bitter smile and spoke.
“Do so.”
As soon as Hyeon-sang’s words fell, Cheon-hwi moved immediately.
Disappearing from his spot in a single breath, Cheon-hwi appeared in front of the kneeling Green Forest bandits before they knew it, and began to forcefully kick their lower dantians with the tips of his toes.
Thwack! Thwack!
“Keok!”
“Urgh!”
Along with the sound of a drum bursting, belated groans continued to flow out.
“And Hyeon-yang and Hyeon Heo.”
“Did you call?”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“You two lock these people in the prison.”
At Hyeon-sang’s command, Hyeon Heo and Hyeon-yang nodded and headed towards the Green Forest bandits.
Watching the Green Forest bandits being dragged away to the prison, Hyeon-sang sighed and turned his gaze.
The sun that had been floating in the middle of the sky was already hanging over the mountain ridge, revealing only half of itself.
Staring at the sunset spreading faintly, Hyeon-sang smiled bitterly.
‘It has changed a lot.’
The scenery of Mount Hua had changed significantly in just one day.
The cracked ground and pavilions everywhere.
Not only that.
There were many corpses, and the blood they shed was seeping into the dirt floor.
In an unprecedented situation in the history of the Mount Hua Sect, his eyes could not help but hold bitterness.
But he soon shook his head.
Many things had changed, but still one thing.
All the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect were safe.
‘Although there are wounded people…’
Looking at the disciples being moved to the Hall of Medicine, he braced his heart, closed his eyes, opened them, and spoke.
“Those who can still move, go to Hwayin County and procure medicinal herbs.”
“Understood.”
At Hyeon-sang’s words, the disciples who hadn’t suffered major injuries kicked the ground without delay.
Watching them, Hyeon-sang closed his eyes.
“…It’s a truly long day.”
* * *
Generally, war took longer to clean up the aftermath than the actual fighting.
It took a long time just to collect the wounded and the prisoners, plus the time it took to identify the damaged areas everywhere and repair them.
Perhaps because of that.
Not only the disciples but also the elders of the Hyeon generation, who would not have moved an inch usually, were moving busily to clean up the aftermath.
And among them especially.
The Hall of Medicine was unprecedentedly busy.
Dozens of beds were full of patients, and groans flowed from all directions.
“Ugh… Senior Martial Uncle.”
The Hall of Hall of Medicine Lord, Cheon Go, frowned.
Seeing the wounds engraved on the bodies of the young disciples, his heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
“Endure it just a little bit. You will heal soon.”
Cheon Go, who offered the words he gave whenever he met wounded disciples, soon shouted loudly toward the diligently running Hall of Medicine members.
“Bring more Golden Spear Medicine!”
“U-understood!”
And the Divine Physician next to him checked the fallen disciples and hurriedly examined them.
“Tsk tsk, properly slashed.”
Seeing the wound that split the chest wide open, the Divine Physician picked up the medicine bottle he had placed next to him.
Then, feeling the pure white liquid sloshing inside the medicine bottle, he opened the lid.
A pungent smell spread in all directions.
When the wounded person also forgot to complain of pain due to that intense smell and wrinkled his nose bridge, the Divine Physician tilted the medicine bottle without hesitation.
The moment the medicine that stopped bleeding touched the slashed wound of the injured person.
“Kuaaaak!”
The wounded person, whose face contorted, tried to thrash around.
“Endure it even if it hurts!”
The Divine Physician shouted while sweating.
At the same time, he moved his fingers extremely fast and sutured the wound in a single breath.
It was surprisingly fast dexterity.
“Phew, you should be fine now.”
A little later, the Divine Physician, who had sewn up all the wounds, picked up the cloth he had placed next to him, wiped the sweat forming on his forehead, and raised his head.
“Bring the next guy.”
“Understood.”
The Hall of Medicine member swiftly supported the patient whose wound was sutured and stepped back.
At that time.
“S-Senior Martial Uncle! The Dark Fragrance Pill is…!”
At the urgent voice, the Divine Physician turned his head without realizing it.
In the seat right next to him, Cheon-hwi was smiling while looking at Jeok Wun, who had suffered internal injuries.
“Shut up and eat it.”
With those words, Cheon-hwi picked up one of the Dark Fragrance Pills he had stacked up like a mountain next to him and shoved it into his mouth.
“Eup! Eup!”
Although it entered his mouth, seeing him trying not to swallow it as if rebelling, Cheon-hwi narrowed his eyes and spoke.
“Swallow it.”
“Eup! Gulp!”
Overwhelmed, he eventually swallowed the Dark Fragrance Pill.
As the Dark Fragrance Pill went down the back of his throat, Jeok Wun’s face gradually dyed pitch-black.
It was because terrible poison filled up.
At that moment, Cheon-hwi placed his hand on his back.
In an instant, the internal energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art flowed from Cheon-hwi’s hand and wrapped around Jeok Wun.
Due to that energy, the swallowed Dark Fragrance Pill decomposed rapidly. And that energy instantly dug into the lower dantian and began to quickly wrap the internal injuries.
“There, it’s done.”
When Cheon-hwi took off his hand.
“Uuugh!”
Jeok Wun clutched his stomach.
At the stomachache that made his belly ring agonizingly, Jeok Wun’s expression gradually contorted.
Spring up!
Jeok Wun, who soon got up urgently, hurriedly left the Hall of Medicine with his feet awkwardly put together.
“He might poop midway at this rate.”
Cheon-hwi let out a chuckle as he watched Jeok Wun rushing out panting.
Seeing that, the Divine Physician let out a sigh.
‘I was going to see what his medical skills were like.’
Calling Cheon-hwi since the Hall of Medicine lacked personnel, the Divine Physician had tried to see his skills at this opportunity.
But what he saw right now was.
“Here, swallow it. Ey, what are you doing not eating it? I’m telling you this is a panacea, a panacea. If you eat it, you’ll be completely healed.”
He forcibly shoved Dark Fragrance Pills into the mouths of the disciples who came to visit and then placed his hand on their backs.
‘It’s a lost cause to see what kind of medical skills he learned.’
At the internal energy operation that had nothing to do with medical skills, the Divine Physician shook his head with a sigh.
How much time passed like that?
Dash-
With the second-generation disciple who hurriedly ran away as the last, Cheon-hwi brushed his hands and got up.
“Are you leaving already?”
At that time, the Divine Physician, who had just finished his treatment, asked.
“Because it’s over now.”
Cheon-hwi spoke nonchalantly.
“Then I will go first…”
“Wait a moment.”
But the Divine Physician grabbed Cheon-hwi as he was trying to leave.
“If it’s medical skills, I’ll learn them later.”
Cheon-hwi thought he would tell him to learn medical skills as usual and immediately spat out words of refusal.
“You had no intention of learning it anyway, did you?”
Then the Divine Physician spoke with an astounded expression, and gestured to continue his words.
“Come here. Let me check your condition.”
“My condition?”
Cheon-hwi shrugged his shoulders.
“I didn’t get hurt anywhere.”
“I know. But there isn’t just one or two guys worrying about you.”
The Divine Physician recalled those who worried about Cheon-hwi even in the midst of receiving treatment from him.
‘What’s so good about a guy like that.’
The Divine Physician thought dissatisfiedly, then chuckled.
‘Am I the same?’
To grumble like that, if he said he would learn medical skills, he also would have worried first if there was anywhere he got hurt.
“Give me your hand.”
Cheon-hwi pondered whether to leave with an annoyed expression, but eventually went close to the Divine Physician and held out his hand.
‘It’ll just get more annoying if I leave for no reason.’
The Divine Physician checked Cheon-hwi’s pulse.
As expected, there was nothing wrong.
However…
“…Did you gain some fortuitous encounter?”
The Divine Physician’s eyes frowned.
An energy stronger than when he checked his pulse the last time was flowing in Cheon-hwi’s body.
“Not a fortuitous encounter, but I gained a little bit.”
Cheon-hwi spoke peacefully.
However, hearing that, the Divine Physician parted his lips with an expression of disbelief.
“It’s the end of the world, the end of the world. At your age, to reach a realm higher than that time.”
The Divine Physician clicked his tongue without realizing it.
He did not know much about the realms of martial artists, but he faintly felt it.
That Cheon-hwi had reached a supreme realm.
Because the moment he checked the pulse, a purer and more intense energy poured out than anyone he had seen.
It was an enormous amount to the point of causing an illusion as if he had fallen into a great ocean full of energy.
“But it seems to be unstable still.”
Cheon-hwi nodded.
There was a slight enlightenment.
But it was in a state where he had not yet fully embodied it as his own.
“So I am going to gain it now.”
Cheon-hwi grinned.
“Tsk. Understood.”
The Divine Physician let go of the hand he was checking the pulse with.
Cheon-hwi rolled down his rolled-up sleeves, lightly relaxed his hands, and got up from his seat.
“Then I leave the rest to you.”
“I would have done so even if you didn’t say it.”
The Divine Physician spoke as if spitting out a scolding.
Cheon-hwi nodded slightly to him, turned his body, and slipped out of the Hall of Medicine.
Perhaps because the treatment was almost over, did everyone get exhausted and fall asleep?
The Hall of Medicine, where all kinds of groans had flown around, was already engulfed in silence.
Meanwhile, darkness had cast outside.
“Then should I consolidate what I gained?”
Cheon-hwi, who was whispering with an excited expression, raised his head to look at the moonlight shining through the darkness, and moved his feet again.
Towards his residence, Falling Goose Peak.