Book 9 Chapter 15

Tears

- Tears

Night visits both those who want it and those who do not, always equally. The night, when calm darkness envelops the world, has the power to make people think a lot of various thoughts.

Mo Yong-hwi was also the type of person who particularly became thoughtful at night. He dismissed it as a lack of practice, but he didn't forcibly stop the flow of his thoughts.

"Should I really quit… the position of guardian of the Water God…"

Mo Yong-hwi was currently in 고민 (a state of worry or contemplation).

No matter how much he thought about it, the guardian job seemed unsuited to his aptitude. Moreover, as he spent more time with Bi Ryu-yeon, he felt as if he himself was being tainted by his free-spiritedness. It was a strange feeling, as if his usual self was disappearing, and his emotions were very chaotic right now.

And…

"Yong Cheon-myeong!"

He had heard the name so many times he was sick of it, but this was the first time he had met him face-to-face. And he was also the biggest reason why he wanted to escape the guardian position of the Water God.

Among those of the same age, there were only a few whom he truly admired. Among them, Yong Cheon-myeong's skills were outstanding.

"He said to take care of him, didn't he…"

There was no one he absolutely did not want to lose to except that person. For the first time in a long time, the instinct of struggle was boiling within his chest.

"This won't do!"

If he continued to focus on the guardian position of the Water God like this, he felt he would fall further behind Yong Cheon-myeong. Now, he wanted to cut off all distractions and dedicate himself solely to training. For that, the biggest obstacle to him right now was the guardian position of the Water God.

"I really have to say I'll quit…"

However, 'how?' was the problem. He didn't have the confidence to gently convey his intentions in a nice way.

But the fact that he had to say it was also his own contradiction. The opponent he wanted to win against so badly had appeared, to the point of neglecting the responsibility first entrusted to him. Even with Cheong Heun, they had only deeply admired each other, and he had never felt this kind of emotion. It was definitely different from when he was with Bi Cheon-ryong Cheong Heun.

So, Mo Yong-hwi decided to act first.

The gentle moonlight and the stars like jewels densely embedded in the black night sky. The deepening night, the deepening time, when all things were taking a comfortable rest within the cozy curtain of the night. However, there was a person who, intoxicated by the moon, stars, and night, could not sleep even in the dead of night.

It was Yunhyangjeong (雲香亭), a pavilion located in a corner of Cheonmu Academy! (It was also the place where Na Ye-rin was first kissed by Bi Ryu-yeon)

It seemed that Yunhyangjeong liked beauties. Even now, a woman with lonely eyes was there, gazing at the moon, which was like a mirror reflecting her heart.

She was once engaged to a man, and now she was a lone bird who had lost the fiancé she loved with her life. The moonlight, reflecting her heart, felt pathetic and lonely. Her name was Eun Seol-ran.

"What am I doing here?"

Sitting on the railing of the pavilion where the moonlight shimmered, she let out a deep sigh, but that alone did not dispel her worries.

It had already been a month since she came to Cheonmu Academy.

However, she could not find any clues or leads regarding the Wudang Mountain Blood Incident or the death of Gal-hyo-bong. Although she had prepared for difficulties and had no intention of running away from the challenges she faced, a dark wall of darkness still blocked her vision.

Of course, she hadn't expected their cooperation to be smooth. She knew well that it was practically impossible. However, as time passed since she started her investigation with no progress, she began to feel anxious.

Their attitudes were clear.

It felt different from hiding something. It didn't feel like they were encouraging the concealment of the truth. Their attitudes were as if they truly knew nothing and were extremely wronged.

There was only one clue.

The rumor that the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth had appeared there.

'Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth! Martial arts masters who were once called the terror of the unorthodox sects, and incredibly cruel murderers! Why were they at Wudang Mountain at that time?'

It was too much to consider it a special mission. It was already contradictory that they, who were almost confined to securing the escaped Hyo-bong, had stepped forward.

If so, there was only one conclusion! It could only be seen as unauthorized action.

'If not…'

She didn't want to think about it, but she couldn't rule out another possibility.

'Perhaps they received orders from another faction…'

If that were the case, it would be a very troublesome matter. Rebellion and insubordination had never been a non-issue throughout any era.

'Who dares to challenge the authority of the Black Heaven Alliance?'

No force in the current unorthodox sects dared to brazenly covet the authority of the Black Heaven Alliance. Realistically, no matter how much they struggled, they were no match.

She was only falling deeper into a maze. The moonlight cast an even more bluish light. Eun Seol-ran's heart ached. Whenever she felt loneliness and desolation on a lonely night, the face of one person always overlapped with the pale blue moon.

'Big Brother!'

She cried out silently with a heart full of grief, but he was someone who could no longer answer. Because that person no longer existed in this world…