107 - Missions, Investigation (14) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

Mok Lee Won's lips twitched slightly. The question was both perplexing and sharp in its nature. "Am I a demon…?" It was a challenging question. The boundary dividing a demon (魔人) and a martial artist (武人) had long been a subject of contemplation for Mok Lee Won. Was one considered a demon if they possessed ferocious internal energy and the foundation of their martial arts was brutal? Could one be deemed a martial artist despite their unruly nature, so long as they mastered the legitimate martial arts? Words did not come easily. Mok Lee Won himself, having been guided by Mok Seon-o, believed that the will of the person wielding the sword determined the division between demon and martial, but he could not impose this belief on others. Given that his extreme demonic body had been exposed, any explanation would merely sound like an excuse. “…I cannot avoid this.” Mok Lee Won exhaled deeply, gathered his courage, and spoke to Ma Cheol Gon. "I possess what is called an extreme demonic body. It is the body I was born with." "An extreme demonic body…" Ma Cheol Gon's expression clouded over, a look of recognition crossing his face. Indeed, it would have been strange for a physician involved in martial arts circles not to know of it. Ma Cheol Gon asked, "Are you saying you were naturally born with such a body?" "Yes." "Thank you for your honesty." Ma Cheol Gon's gaze was directed towards the ground. Mok Lee Won quietly observed him and then said, "…Whether you will believe me or not, I consider myself a martial artist of the righteous path, despite possessing such a body. The reason being is that I hold onto the principle of righteousness." Sincerity was one of Mok Lee Won's greatest assets. His instinct to neither turn away nor retreat in the face of adversity might be perceived as obstinacy, yet this was also what rightfully defined him. "I do not wish to lie now that my secret is revealed, nor do I want to threaten you. All I can ask is for you to trust me." Mok Lee Won lowered his head. "I wish to live by the principle of righteousness. Even with this body, I want to use it for rightful causes. Can you keep my secret?" No immediate reply came. Mok Lee Won neither raised his head nor pressed for an answer. He knew all too well how difficult it was to seek understanding from others. Ma Cheol Gon's gaze returned to him after a while. "It seems there has been a misunderstanding." A faint chuckle escaped Ma Cheol Gon's lips. Raising his head, Mok Lee Won saw Ma Cheol Du with a slight smile. "A misunderstanding…?" "I did not intend to interrogate you. Nor did I wish to threaten you with this as leverage. I merely wanted to confirm what I had suspected." Mok Lee Won's eyes widened. Ma Cheol Gon stood up, saying, "Rest now." Taken aback by his brisk departure, Mok Lee Won quickly stood up and called out, "Wait…!" "I will forget." "Forget?" "I mean, I will forget the story I heard today." Ma Cheol Gon smiled gently as he spoke. "It seems Mr. Mok is under some misapprehension." His tone was now somewhat playful. "I am a man of the dark path, one who wields his fists not for grand causes but for personal gain, concerned not with the essence but the magnitude of power." "That means…" "It does not matter to me. Your physique, its origin, and your will are all inconsequential. All I know is that Hao Mun owes his life to you, and as a merchant who trades on credit, it is only right to repay that debt." Mok Lee Won's eyes trembled. Ma Cheol Gon chuckled and continued, "The clan leader promised a reward, did he not? Consider keeping this secret an addition to that promise." Mok Lee Won could hardly grasp his words immediately. It was only natural. His life had been governed by the principles of the righteous path, where teachings revolved solely around shunning the wrong and clandestine attributes were to be hidden. As thoughts raced through his mind, hesitation grew more profound. But what could he do? There was only one thing Mok Lee Won could do. "…I am grateful for your consideration." Mok Lee Won performed a formal salute, his gratitude profound. The response was once again laced with a trace of amusement. "Gratitude is unnecessary. I am merely following the laws of the land I belong to." The door opened and then closed. All the while, Mok Lee Won remained with his head bowed for a long time. * The chaos ended exactly three days later. Hao Mun's crisis had not yet fully stabilized, and considering it improper to further impose on them, the Dragonbringers prepared to depart. Seo Ye led the disciples to bid them farewell at the entrance to the hideout. "Are you leaving now?" "Yes, we must. We've been greatly indebted." "Indebted? That's what we ought to say." At Dang Hwa-seo's words, Seo Ye covered her mouth with a smile and then gestured. Two disciples stepped forward, presenting six boxes. "Here are the promised 100-year-old acanthopanax. Unfortunately, one got damaged during the turmoil. I'm sorry. We only have six." Apologizing with a bow, Dang Hwa-seo shook his head. "It turned out for the best, really. If there were seven, we would have to give one more person, but after everyone has suffered so much over this incident, it's better to have no cause for dispute." "Thank you for understanding. And this, as promised, is information on demons known to Hao Mun." Seo Ye handed over a letter. The substantial envelope contained information she had gathered on the activities of demons, even while fleeing and being pursued. "We accept it gratefully." Dang Hwa-seo put the letter into his robe. Now, the time for real farewells. Seo Ye’s gaze lingered over all the members, finally settling on Namgung Jincheon, who looked back at her with indifference. Seo Ye smiled faintly. Somehow, having moved and suffered together for so long, she had developed an unusual attachment. "So…" She wanted to say goodbye. "Sword Dragon." "Speak." "Could you spare a moment? I have words of gratitude I'd like to offer you in private." "I have nothing to discuss with you…" "Please?" A momentarily cold expression passed over Seo Ye's face. Namgung Jincheon flinched before turning to look at Dang Hwa-seo, seemingly seeking help, but Dang Hwa-seo, apparently not catching the nuance, gestured with his chin. "Go on. We'll be right here." "…" Namgung Jincheon’s mouth pressed firmly shut. * With both the disciples and the Dragonbringers gone, Seo Ye walked across the courtyard with Namgung Jincheon. The hideout was located within a cave, lacking the warmth of direct sunlight, yet there was a serene and comfortable atmosphere. "What do you want?" Namgung Jincheon asked. Seo Ye glanced at him, his face exuding indifference. Seo Ye smiled slightly before continuing. "As I said, I just wanted to offer my thanks separately. In truth, I believe the greatest merit belongs to Sword Dragon." Despite the occurrences, such as kidnappings and times when his thoughtless words deeply upset her, it was a blessing in disguise. Namgung Jincheon's actions eventually led to the successful retrieval of the hideout, and Seo Ye was intent on recognizing his efforts. "Take this." Seo Ye took an item wrapped in cloth from her robe and handed it to Namgung Jincheon. He frowned as he asked, "What is this?" "100-year-old acanthopanax." Namgung Jincheon's eyes widened. "…Didn’t you say there were only six?" "Of course, that was a lie." Seo Ye said playfully. "I set one aside to give to Sword Dragon. It’s my doing alone, so don’t worry about getting caught." "Why…" "Didn’t I say? Because it seemed like you had the hardest time." Namgung Jincheon's gaze turned piercing. Seo Ye asked, "Aren’t you going to take it?" "I’ll accept it gratefully. It's true I worked hard." His unhesitating acceptance was typical of him. Seo Ye covered her mouth and laughed. "It’s sad to see you leave after getting quite attached." "I don’t feel the same…" "Since you received the acanthopanax, will you keep your complaints to yourself?" "…" "Would it kill you to pretend to be sad?" "Consider it as being sad, then." "Generous as always." Seo Ye observed Namgung Jincheon silently. His stoic face and indifferent demeanor. 'It’s still hard to read him.' Namgung Jincheon's expression was difficult to interpret, not necessarily due to a deep persona. From their past interactions, it was clear he wasn’t the type to hide himself. 'If I were to put it harshly, he’s thoughtless.' To put it kindly, he was always honest. A person so sure of himself, he never doubted his actions. Anyway, to Seo Ye, Namgung Jincheon held a special significance. A person whose intentions she could understand without having to delve deeply, offering a strange comfort. 'It does make me feel a bit upset…' Yet, he was someone entertaining. Seo Ye smiled broadly. "Will we meet again?" "If it’s fated, we will." "So, you won’t come looking for me?" "Should I?" "There’s no reason to. After all, you are the heir of one of the Great Clans, and I am a leader of a dark faction." "Then why ask?" Namgung Jincheon snorted, then added, "Since I’m leaving, let me give you one piece of advice." "What is it?" "Don’t carelessly show your skin to strangers. Regardless of your true nature, such behavior can only be percieved as vulgar." Seo Ye’s face blanked out. Namgung Jincheon, oblivious to her reaction, continued, "I’ll remember you, indeed. Vulgar, but a woman who knows decency." What kind of thought process must one have to make such solemn advice? Seo Ye was lost in thought. A realization followed; it would’ve been nice if he had some tact. Being stared at this intensively yet not blinking surely meant a lack of awareness. "Anything else?" "Yes." Seo Ye felt a strange anticipation. Imagining the change in his expression brought an involuntary sense of expectation. She took a step forward. Namgung Jincheon instinctively stepped back. "Don’t run away." Thump! Seo Ye grabbed Namgung Jincheon's wrist. Drawing him closer, she whispered in his ear. "I'm a virgin." Thud! Namgung Jincheon's body stiffened. His eyes widened as if they might split open. Seo Ye felt a surge of pleasure. "When would I have had the time to meet men? Since I was fifteen, I've been too busy handling the duties of a clan leader to have any free time." The expression on his face could be described as a textbook example of one's firmly held beliefs crumbling away. His slightly parting lips betrayed his bewilderment. "Sword Dragon. You really have no eye for women. Absolutely none." Having whispered this and then stepping back, Seo Ye smiled sheepishly, causing Namgung Jincheon to flinch. His cheeks were faintly blushed. 'He has his cute sides.' Or rather, should it be called cute? It was somewhat inappropriate. Given that the mere mention of being a virgin made him blush, 'cute' might not be the right word. Perhaps 'gross' would be more fitting. Regardless, Seo Ye then handed over the real gift she had prepared for this infuriating man as they prepared to part ways. "Take care." Seo Ye tiptoed. And then, she pressed her lips to Namgung Jincheon's. Smack— In that instant, Seo Ye heard Namgung Jincheon's heart plummet. Thump! It was a heavy beat. His lips were slightly rough, and a restrained breath escaped when she pressed down. This was definitely a cute reaction. Seo Ye pulled away, stepped back, and waved. "I'll take your upper level of purity with me." Having said that and then turning around, Seo Ye clearly heard it. The sound of Namgung Jincheon staggering, his feet striking the ground.