Chapter 070
In the ruins of the devastated arena, Gal Yerung sat on a flat rock, gazing up at the sky.
As she stared absently at the countless stars flowing like a river, she heard Cheongpyo's voice in her ear.
"Yajeop, don't you need to go back?"
"Why?"
"Baek Sugyeong..."
"Forget it. The Hao Sect was exposed by the Sun-Moon Cult Master's own words. How could I possibly return to Master Baek's side with any dignity?"
Gal Yerung's voice was heavy with emotion.
At first, she had clearly intended to draw Baek Sugyeong into the Hao Sect for her mission. But before she knew it, she discovered she had genuinely fallen for him.
It wasn't long ago that she realized she had half-abandoned both the Myeongwang Society's demands and the mission Yanoe had given her to bring the Hao Sect into the light, thinking only of staying by his side.
Cheongpyo called to her.
"...Yajeop."
"The mission failed. How stupid. I created the identity of the Myeongwang Society Leader's daughter to stay by Master Baek's side, but in the end, I accomplished nothing."
Deep self-loathing permeated Gal Yerung's voice.
The Myeongwang Society wanted mediation or improved relations between Shaolin and themselves, while the Hao Sect wanted her to stay by Baek Sugyeong's side and recruit him, but Gal Yerung had achieved neither goal.
Perhaps it was because she herself had genuinely enjoyed being with Baek Sugyeong from some point on.
"When I return, I plan to give up my Commander position."
"Yajeop! What are you saying?!"
Red Tides raised his voice in disbelief.
When the two men who were considered stronger than her in martial arts were pinned to the ground, unable to put up any fight against a single Blood Cult emissary, Gal Yerung was the only one who had stood against him.
Though she couldn't overwhelmingly defeat him, it was unthinkable that Gal Yerung, who had held her own against a Blood Cult emissary who was clearly at the peak of mastery in the Hao Sect, would step down from her Commander position.
"I failed the mission, so I must take responsibility. I couldn't fulfill the Myeongwang Society's demands either. Besides, my arms and leg are severely injured."
Indeed, Gal Yerung had bandages wrapped tightly around both arms and her right leg.
After the Blood Cult's attack was forcibly ended by the Sun Moon Cult, she had received medical treatment, but according to the physician, without proper treatment and rest, her future martial arts practice would be affected.
Moreover, she had drawn on her latent power, damaging her true essence as well.
She needed to set aside her duties and rest, and even that might not be enough.
Of course, she didn't mention the damage to her true essence and energy. There was no benefit in Cheongpyo or Red Tides knowing about that.
"If you give up your Commander position...!"
"There's still Baek Won."
"Baek Won is still too young. Yajeop, are you really going to give up your Left Commander position?"
"I must take responsibility."
Perched on the rock, Gal Yerung looked at the sky.
"Besides, the Sect Leader had high expectations for this mission, but my identity was exposed. What can I do? I have no choice but to leave Master Baek's side."
"That's..."
"Master Baek hates the Black Brush Gang. He calls them people who sell his books without permission. Since our sect is involved with them, if he knew I was from the Hao Sect, he would never look at me kindly again."
"Yajeop!"
Gal Yerung smiled at Red Tides' call.
"That's all there is to it."
"We haven't even started the Myeongwang Society's business, and the same goes for our sect's affairs. If you give up now...!"
"Red Tides, that's enough."
"Cheongpyo!"
Cheongpyo, who had cut off Red Tides' words, looked at Gal Yerung.
"Are you really giving up?"
"I don't want Master Baek to hate me. I guess I'm washed up too. I never thought I'd fall for someone like him without even realizing it."
Gal Yerung calmly revealed her feelings.
Red Tides and Cheongpyo looked at her without saying a word.
People often say there are no warning signs when someone is attracted to another, but had Gal Yerung truly fallen head over heels for Baek Sugyeong?
When Red Tides was about to blurt something out impulsively, Cheongpyo stopped him with a punch to his side.
"The Master will be angry."
"What can I do? If there's punishment, I'll accept it."
"Are you really okay with this?"
Gal Yerung chuckled at Cheongpyo's words.
"My time with Master Baek was quite enjoyable. Enough to forget I was from the Hao Sect. That's... enough. I'm just returning to my duty. What's wrong with that?"
"You yourself are the problem."
Gal Yerung flinched at Cheongpyo's observation.
"You don't really think this is the end if you go back like this, do you? No matter how much Sugyeong dislikes our sect, he spent time with you. That man seems weaker than expected when it comes to those close to him."
"Cheongpyo."
"Moreover, the Sun-Moon Cult Master personally expressed his favor toward him. Do you understand what that means?"
Even Cheongpyo had noticed. How could Gal Yerung not know?
The Central Plains were revolving around Baek Sugyeong.
It was understandable that the orthodox factions supported him. After all, the stagnant Wudang had become revitalized because of the Wudang Sword Hero.
But the Sun-Moon Cult Master was a different story.
The absolute ruler of Xinjiang.
The sole sovereign of the Sun Moon Cult.
The supreme master of the demonic path who treated even the Blood Cult as insignificant.
He had personally assigned the King of Hell Unit, a combat unit, to protect Baek Sugyeong.
It meant the entire world was moving with Baek Sugyeong in its sights.
"There's a possibility of an Orthodox-Demonic alliance forming to strike against the Blood Cult. Or there's a possibility of establishing a new agreement between the orthodox factions and the Sun Moon Cult with Sugyeong as a witness."
"You're joking, right, Cheongpyo? You must know how much the orthodox factions and the Sun Moon Cult are at odds."
Gal Yerung agreed with Red Tides' words.
The Sun Moon Cult was most heavily involved in the end of the Old Murim.
More precisely, it would have been the Sun Moon Divine Cult of the Old Murim era, but because of them, the Great Demonic Cult War had caused so much bloodshed that people said Murim's level had regressed by decades.
It was so bad that the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance had been formed to counter the Sun Moon Divine Cult's invasion of the Central Plains.
"In front of Sugyeong, the Sun-Moon Cult Master mentioned the Murim Alliance Leader. What do you think that means?"
"If he went so far as to directly say he would make an agreement with the orthodox Murim using Sugyeong as a symbol, there's only one intention."
"The Orthodox-Demonic Agreement?"
Cheongpyo nodded at Gal Yerung's words.
"We can't rule out the possibility of an armistice agreement between the orthodox factions and the Sun Moon Cult. If the Unorthodox factions are left out..."
Red Tides and Gal Yerung's faces turned pale.
If two of the three powers that supported the Central Plains like a three-legged cauldron—Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic—formed an armistice agreement, it had significant implications.
The isolation of the Unorthodox factions.
Cheongpyo continued.
"If the Orthodox and Demonic among the three form an armistice agreement, our sect, which belongs to the Unorthodox, is likely to become like a kite with a broken string."
"That can't be..."
"Don't deny it, Yajeop. You shouldn't go back to our sect now to apologize to the Master."
Cheongpyo said firmly.
"If you really want to take responsibility, you must stay by Sugyeong's side. That much is certain."
...
"Oh, Elder Baek! You're safe!"
The head of the Dragon Gate Li Clan, Yi Jonhyo, came to the auxiliary palace in Luoyang as soon as he received Ju Geumye's permission.
He shed pearl-like tears, showing his joy that Baek Sugyeong was alright.
Seeing him so overjoyed, Baek Sugyeong found it difficult to find words and could only offer an awkward smile.
"What happened to the Dragon Gate Gathering?"
"The Princess has given her orders. It seems it will continue without interruption."
"That's fortunate, but..."
Baek Sugyeong's gaze turned toward the King of Hell Unit warriors who were guarding him like an iron wall.
Unlike when they had appeared with the Sun-Moon Cult Master, they weren't emanating suffocating demonic energy, but their very presence was a burden to him.
How had he become entangled with the demonic cult? It was enough to make him wonder.
"What happened to Young Master Ahwi?"
"He took some sword wounds, but he got up without much trouble. I was going to scold that useless son of mine, but..."
Baek Sugyeong smiled at Yi Jonhyo's words.
"I'm glad Young Master Ahwi wasn't seriously injured."
"Hehe, Elder Baek, your kindness is too much. That boy abandoned his duties and ran away."
"But he's still your disciple, isn't he? Even if it's a brief connection, it's a teacher's duty to cover up a disciple's faults."
Baek Sugyeong was also considering taking Yi Jonhwi as his writing disciple.
If that happened, he planned to have Yi Jonhwi write the rogue stories himself.
Since he had personally done those things, he would write them well.
That was his thinking.
"By the way, have you seen Lady Gal?"
"If you mean the red-haired lady, I'm not sure. After the arena was destroyed like that, no one has seen her..."
Though he trailed off, Baek Sugyeong knew what Yi Jonhyo had swallowed.
A woman from the Hao Sect.
Perhaps she was reluctant to appear before Baek Sugyeong because of her Hao Sect background.
After all, Baek Sugyeong strongly disliked the Black Brush Gang.
But to put it differently, Baek Sugyeong disliked the Black Brush Gang, but he hadn't given much thought to the Hao Sect connected to it.
"I see..."
"I'm sorry, I couldn't be of help."
"It's alright. If Lady Gal is avoiding me of her own accord, there's nothing I can do."
There was a bitter taste in his mouth.
Perhaps it was because of the time he had spent with her.
It meant that she had become more deeply integrated into Baek Sugyeong's life than he had thought, almost as much as Namgung Somin and So Ssanga.
Baek Sugyeong rose to his feet.
"I think I'll rest for now."
"Please do. If there's any other news, I'll let you know."
"Thank you, sir."
After paying his respects to Yi Jonhyo, Baek Sugyeong left, with the King of Hell Unit warriors following behind him.
"Sigh..."
Baek Sugyeong's sigh was deep as he left the reception room with the King of Hell Unit warriors trailing him like a tail.
He feared people might start saying he was in league with the demonic cult.
Really.
"Ah, my head."
For once, it wasn't his stomach but his head that felt like it was about to split.
Life really isn't easy.
'I should just give up.'
Damn it.
There's no way this life will be peaceful.