Chapter 329: Legitimacy (6)
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As the hot tea rolled across my tongue, I felt the tension in my body relaxing. However, the tension should not be relaxed. Because right now, Cheong-hwa and I were at a turning point in our relationship.
I did not want to let go of the person named Cheong-hwa from my life. To do so, I had to keep my wits sharp right now.
Cheong-hwa was looking at me with a worried gaze. That alone was reason enough for me not to give up on Cheong-hwa.
“Master.”
“Yes.”
“It is a serious matter to simply pass off with a joke, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
Cheong-hwa nodded.
“However, do not worry. Just as I am your person, you are my person.”
Cheong-hwa spoke in a warm voice. Because it was not his usual playful tone, his words carried all the more trustworthiness.
“It will be a somewhat long story.”
Slowly, I began to unpack the story one by one. Excluding the fact that I had regressed, it was a story containing virtually everything.
I had omitted the regression because it was close to talk of spirits and anomalies. In fact, it could have diminished the credibility of my words.
From consuming the Divine Demon Pill, realizing I possessed the qi of the Heavenly Demon, to eventually becoming the Heavenly Demon.
Learning the truth that I was the Heavenly Demon, Cheong-hwa’s expression hardened. I packaged it as much as possible as having had no intention of deceiving Cheong-hwa and having been an unavoidable situation. In truth, it was so.
“……It is a difficult story.”
Having heard my entire story, Cheong-hwa spoke with a low groan. Feeling ashamed for no reason, I lowered my head.
“At any rate, it is true that I deceived Master, so I believe it is only natural for you to feel disappointed in me.”
“No. What is more important than a good result is a good will and intention. I believe you are a person with good intentions.”
Cheong-hwa stroked his beard. It seemed like an action to regain composure, but the trembling in his hand and pupils could not be helped.
“However, not merely a demonic practitioner, but the Heavenly Demon. It is truly difficult. Far too difficult.”
“Master. Did you see how I escaped qi deviation just now?”
“I saw. I stood guard for you, after all.”
“In a way, I took a gamble as well. And I realized one thing.”
“What is that?”
“That demonic qi and spiritual qi are not fundamentally different.”
At my words, Cheong-hwa narrowed his brow.
“Do you know that those words run directly counter to the martial theories established thus far?”
“Yes. I know.”
I continued speaking.
“However, if one thinks about it, it is only natural. Because spiritual qi and demonic qi merely diverge depending on how one circulates the energy equally dispersed in nature after absorbing it. In the end, isn’t the root none other than the energy of nature?”
“Thinking that way, since demonic practitioners are also people, it amounts to saying they are the same human beings.”
“That is the correct answer.”
“It is difficult to understand. Demonic practitioners were generally a sort one could never associate with. Most were crazy for blood and possessed madness.”
“That is an issue of method. Because they accumulate internal energy in the upper dantian, madness easily arises. Instead, it comes with the side effect of growing strong quickly.”
“That is precisely the threat to other people. Knowing there is a high risk of madness arising, yet practicing such martial arts is an action that cannot be done with good intent. Even if you consumed the Divine Demon Pill out of necessity, others are not so.”
Cheong-hwa seemed to want to separate me from demonic practitioners. However, I knew the person I was. Even though madness had not manifested since my regression, I knew hereditary madness lurked in the back of my mind.
I thought that ought to be separated from the martial arts of the Demonic Cult. Because that was a story before consuming the Divine Demon Pill.
However, upon hearing that Father had learned martial arts, I arrived at a new thought. Originally, Father was also someone who could never learn orthodox martial arts just like the past-life me, but hearing that he had learned the Demonic Cult’s martial arts right away sparked this thought.
Perhaps if someone other than me had taken the Divine Demon Pill, nothing might have happened at all.
Wasn’t the fact that I had shown rapid, remarkable talent in martial arts also due to possessing demonic qi, in addition to the Martial Talent Shop?
Possessing madness had created a synergistic effect when meeting the Divine Demon Pill. If so, my consuming the Divine Demon Pill and becoming the Heavenly Demon could be considered an act of destiny. From the time I lived as a great merchant in my past life, I had been a prepared Heavenly Demon.
“I also possess madness. However, I have never let it manifest. That is my will.”
“If madness can be governed by will, isn’t it no longer madness?”
“Madness can be controlled through martial arts. If there are demonic practitioners who do not do so, they are evil. That there are many such demonic practitioners does not serve as a reason to exclude all demonic practitioners.”
“Are you telling me right now to accept all demonic practitioners? It is overwhelming for me to accept just you alone.”
“That is Master’s freedom. I am merely stating my thoughts.”
Cheong-hwa closed his mouth. He seemed to be pondering something deeply.
I waited for Cheong-hwa as well. I did not want to disrupt Cheong-hwa’s thoughts by unnecessarily adding words here.
“I believe in the person you are. Even if you possess demonic qi, you are my disciple. Even if other orthodox martial artists brand you as a demonic practitioner, I will protect you to the end. That is what a karmic tie once formed is.”
“I, too, would hide Master even if you became the Public Enemy of the Martial World.”
“There is no way that will happen to me. You are the problem.”
“It seems you are not disappointed in me.”
“Rather, I was disappointed in myself. If you harbored such a massive secret, as your master, I ought to have discerned it. You must have suffered greatly.”
I bit my lower lip. While I had vaguely thought Cheong-hwa might understand me somehow, I hadn’t expected him to say this much.
Even taking into account that Myeong-gyeong had been from the Imperial Palace, considering that Master’s identity was purely that of an orthodox martial artist, it must not have been an easy decision. Thinking that way, I had incurred a great debt to Cheong-hwa.
“However, I wish to tell you to sever ties with the branch of the Demonic Cult you are currently leading.”
“Pardon?”
“That, I cannot tolerate. While your possessing demonic qi out of necessity was not your will, leading a branch of the Demonic Cult is your will. I believe that is wrong.”
This was another unexpected repercussion. Cheong-hwa wore a resolute expression. As if that was the one thing he could not concede.
“To be frank, because it is me, I understand and accept that you are a demonic practitioner. What would other people of the New Justice Association do? When accepting even you is difficult, you ask them to accept another branch of the Demonic Cult?”
At Cheong-hwa’s words, I was at a loss for words. That was true.
As a desperate measure, I squeezed out words to speak.
“However, they are demonic practitioners who control their madness. At least because they listen to me well, they will not cause chaos.”
“That is only when you are present. If you are not around, who knows what will happen?”
“……Mmm.”
A groan escaped me involuntarily. Indeed, the Gu poison that Mun Il-ji of Wuhan had suffered from originated from the Yunchang Merchant Company. While it was true that Gwan Seo-ye’s faction of the Demonic Cult was moderate, they also remained hostile toward the orthodox factions.
Looking at it that way, persuading only the orthodox factions was not enough. I had to persuade both the orthodox factions and the Demonic Cult at the same time.
Since Gwan Seo-ye’s side would firmly believe that I would create Demonic Domination Over the World. It was truly a difficult problem.
“I am not someone who gives you commands. A master is someone who seeks the Dao alongside his disciple. If you become entangled with demonic practitioners, I fear I might lose my disciple.”
Cheong-hwa’s sincerity was conveyed to me. Just as I feared losing Cheong-hwa, Cheong-hwa felt the same.
“I was never an obedient disciple, was I, Master?”
“Do you even need to say that? But I hope you will listen just this once. There has never been a time it wasn’t so, but these are words for your own good.”
“There are people who follow me.”
At my words, Cheong-hwa’s expression hardened.
“Are you determined not to listen to my words after all?”
I had nothing to say. Gwan Seo-ye’s Demonic Cult was following me. They, too, had helped me greatly in many ways.
Furthermore, to me, who had now gained the realization that demonic qi and spiritual qi were the same, the distinction between the demonic path and the righteous path was utterly meaningless. However, just because it was meaningless to me did not mean it was meaningless to others. What should be done in such a situation? My head began to ache.
“There were actions I took without asking your opinion, and there were actions you took without asking my opinion. I know that as well. But is asking you to follow my words just this once such an unreasonable request to you?”
“……”
Cheong-hwa’s words left me speechless. Cheong-hwa had confined me to the Wudang Sect, even threatening to destroy my dantian, and I had opened a merchant company he told me not to. In truth, the times I disobeyed Cheong-hwa were too numerous to even list.
“Please understand this one thing, Master.”
“What is it?”
“Though there were many times I did not listen to Master’s words, not once did I act with evil intent.”
“I know you are not that kind of person. And you must know that I am the same.”
“Yes. I know. I know all too well that right now, Master is speaking out of worry for me.”
“You act like this even while knowing. What a truly heartless disciple.”
Bitter sorrow seeped from Cheong-hwa’s face. To have such an expression come from someone I cherished, because of me, was a sorrowful thing.
“I, too, am moving with good intentions.”
“Do you believe that the people of the Demonic Cult and the people of the orthodox factions will harmonize?”
“Rather than believing, I wish to make it so.”
“It is impossible. You cannot even persuade me, who am on your side. That side will certainly not be convinced either.”
I had nothing to say on that front either. When convincing even Cheong-hwa right now was hard, how could I convince other people?
Ultimately, I decided to make my final move.
“Master. How about this?”
“What kind of crafty words are you about to say now?”
Cheong-hwa immediately raised his guard. I shook my head.
“They are not crafty words. Master may accept my proposal or reject it. It is merely a proposal.”
“Let us hear it. Just how absurd a story it is.”
“Until this journey to Gansu ends, I will persuade Master.”
“Me?”
“Yes. If I fail to persuade you by then, I will sever ties with the demonic practitioners. Even if they follow me as the Heavenly Demon, if I simply do not lead them, that will be the end of it.”
“It is a considerably disadvantageous proposal for you. I cannot even imagine a life mingling with demonic practitioners.”
“Therefore, it is a proposal with nothing disadvantageous for Master. I will simply have to exert my efforts.”
“What kind of scheme are you harboring again?”
“A scheme? Do I look like that kind of person?”
“If you don’t have a scheme, you wouldn’t be Muk Hui-yeong.”
Cheong-hwa clicked his tongue. Indeed, Cheong-hwa knew the person I was far too well by now. Cheong-hwa could not be persuaded with common flattery.
Cheong-hwa seemed to contemplate, and soon opened his mouth.
“Very well. If you fail to convince me, you must truly sever ties without a second word.”
“Need you even say it?”
I smiled. Cheong-hwa, conversely, wore an uneasy expression.
The integration of the Demonic Cult and the orthodox factions. A difficult homework had been assigned to me.
And the moment I had that thought.
[ Legitimacy value increases. ]
Unexpected characters flickered before my eyes.