Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 113

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 113. Source of the Blood Fragrance (2)

 

Night had fallen.

 

Moyong Su Hyang came out to the rear garden and looked up at the sky.

 

“It’s bright.”

 

The night sky with only a few scattered cloudy fragments floating about was beautiful with moonlight and starlight.

 

But why was it? She felt a strange desolation.

 

It wasn’t because of the cool chill and the breath that screamed out as soon as it met the air, nor because of the sinister night wind that chilled her to the bone despite wearing fur clothes.

 

The unidentifiable desolation soon became an ominous feeling.

 

Moyong Su Hyang, who had been looking up at the sky with trembling eyes, suddenly felt a presence.

 

“Aren’t you cold?”

 

“Elder Sister.”

 

Around the completely frozen rear garden pond, Moyong Su Jeong was looking at her sitting on a flat rock.

 

“Isn’t it cold?”

 

“It’s fine though? Ah, Elder Sister might find it a bit much. Wait, let me use my clothes to…”

 

“Elder Sister is fine too.”

 

Moyong Su Jeong’s face was filled with a comfortable smile as she quickly sat down next to the youngest.

 

Moyong Su Hyang blinked her eyes while looking at her elder sister and grinned.

 

“Are you really healthy now?”

 

“I’ve been fine for a while now.”

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

“Is there anything blocking you in your training? If there is, tell Elder Sister. I’m also working hard on martial arts training, you know.”

 

Since she was the Moyong Family’s greatest master even when her body was broken, that talent hadn’t gone anywhere.

 

“Guo Lao said he would help, right?”

 

“Yes. Guo Lao’s insight is truly amazing. I thought that being Grandfather’s escort warrior isn’t something just anyone can do.”

 

“Grandfather…”

 

She hesitated for a moment, but Moyong Su Hyang changed her mind.

 

“Elder Sister, don’t you feel resentful?”

 

“About what?”

 

“About Guo Lao. Even though Guo Lao is an escort warrior, he was said to be a master who gained fame throughout the entire martial world back then. They said he was someone who wouldn’t be out of place being counted among the ten great masters in the escort industry.”

 

“Yes, I heard that too.”

 

“But such a person didn’t help us or the Fire Sword Group’s training for a long time.”

 

“And he didn’t help the warriors who left the main family house on their own either.”

 

Among them were also pawns of the Hoyeon family.

 

Moyong Su Hyang understood her elder sister’s words.

 

If there are good things, there are also bad things, and light shines even on those swimming through sewers.

 

Everyone has their own circumstances, and one’s own reality is always the most burdensome.

 

“You know too, right? How much Guo Lao thinks of us.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Yes, that’s all that matters.”

 

Guo Lao’s heart that cherishes us.

 

That heart is never false.

 

What’s important is that person’s character and what meaning they have to me. Sometimes it can be frustrating and anger-inducing, but if you don’t forget what kind of person they are, the thread of connection will quietly prove its tenacity.

 

“To be honest, I hated Guo Lao for a moment.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Pretty immature, right?”

 

Instead of answering, Moyong Su Jeong gave her a warm smile.

 

The youngest probably couldn’t even imagine what a truly immature person would show.

 

This lovable younger sister was excessively mature for her age. If she had been born in another family, she would be at an age to cause trouble and rot her parents’ hearts, yet she cared for her siblings and thought of the family like this.

 

That’s why she felt sorry for her younger sister.

 

‘You suffered too much because of your incompetent elder sister.’

 

Though she had committed great wrongs against her younger brother, when she thought about it, she had done no less wrong to the youngest.

 

Yet she couldn’t warmly embrace the youngest.

 

Reality was gloomy, and it was a time when stern instructions were needed more than a single word of warmth.

 

Even though it couldn’t be helped, it always weighed on her mind, yet the youngest still followed her like a mother and always thought of her.

 

Moyong Su Jeong sighed.

 

“Elder Sister has no face to show you.”

 

“Huh? S-suddenly?”

 

“At an age when you should laugh even at rolling autumn leaves, didn’t you only suffer heartache because of your inadequate elder sister?”

 

Moyong Su Hyang became serious.

 

“I didn’t suffer at all because of Elder Sister. Rather, I couldn’t share Elder Sister’s burden because I didn’t know how to do anything. Elder Sister did all the suffering.”

 

Because she was such a younger sister, she felt even more sorry.

 

Though she might sometimes appear blunt and fierce on the outside, she really thought there wouldn’t be such a child anywhere else in the world.

 

“I’m thinking of slowly repaying all the ways Elder Sister disappointed you. I really wanted to say I’m sorry to you.”

 

Was it because it was night?

 

Normally she would have felt embarrassed and awkward enough to run away, but she couldn’t do that because she could feel her elder sister’s deep feelings completely.

 

Moyong Su Hyang smiled and said.

 

“Lately there are many people apologizing to me.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“That fool also apologized to me.”

 

“Bi Ah did?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She could guess why he apologized.

 

Moyong Su Jeong sighed.

 

He was a younger brother who had even damaged his vital energy to check the main family’s martial arts due to his sense of responsibility for shouldering the family.

 

Bi Ah’s personality changing like that was probably also because his body was broken.

 

‘Come to think of it, both you and Su Hyang are ten thousand times better than this frustratingly inadequate elder sister.’

 

Moyong Su Hyang forced a smile.

 

“So, did you accept Elder Brother’s apology?”

 

“The apology…”

 

Moyong Su Hyang, recalling that time, coughed repeatedly.

 

“Well, is there really accepting or not accepting? When I think about it, it didn’t seem like something to apologize for anyway.”

 

It was obvious without seeing. With the youngest’s personality, she probably got flustered and couldn’t say a word, then eventually let it pass vaguely.

 

Moyong Su Jeong stroked her younger sister’s head.

 

“It would have been nice if all the people in the world were like our Su Hyang.”

 

“Do you want to throw the world into chaos?”

 

“After sticking around with Elder Brother, now even your way of speaking is exactly like his?”

 

“This was originally my way of speaking. That fool stole mine.”

 

“Let’s just agree that you two are too similar.”

 

“I don’t agree, I don’t agree!”

 

The two sisters burst into loud laughter.

 

“By the way, I heard from So So that you’re good at drinking?”

 

Moyong Su Hyang’s face, whose laughter had stopped abruptly, was filled with embarrassment.

 

“That girl told you everything again.”

 

“What’s wrong with being good at drinking? It’s fine as long as you don’t get consumed by alcohol.”

 

I got properly caught once, Elder Sister.

 

Moyong Su Hyang, who couldn’t bring herself to say those words, just kept coughing.

 

“I wanted to teach you about your first drink.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Usually parents teach their children the way of alcohol. Even if I’m not a parent, I wanted to teach you as an elder sister.”

 

“What I’ve been drinking all this time wasn’t actually alcohol. I think I’m ready to receive teachings now.”

 

“If you properly went through the initiation ceremony, then what was it if not alcohol?”

 

“…That smartass really.”

 

“Want me to tell you something even more interesting?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Actually, Elder Sister has never had a drink either.”

 

“Puhaha!”

 

The inexplicable gloominess also disappeared before Elder Sister’s truth-mixed joke.

 

Moyong Su Hyang bursting into giggles looked like a girl her age for the first time.

 

“This won’t do. I’ll have to teach our Elder Sister her first drink.”

 

“Didn’t you say that wasn’t alcohol?”

 

“…Now that I think about it, I think I’m a bit stupid.”

 

Moyong Su Jeong chuckled and stood up from her seat.

 

“Juru is this big, but no one uses the rear garden.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Since it’s quiet, shall we take a look at our youngest’s martial arts for the first time in a while? Bi Ah also went somewhere to train.”

 

“Oh! Sh, shall we?”

 

Moyong Su Hyang, who jumped up, looked around the forest at a sudden thought.

 

Her eyes trembled slightly.

 

“Elder Sister.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“That fool, he’ll be okay, right?”

 

“Why? Did something happen to Bi Ah?”

 

Moyong Su Hyang couldn’t bring herself to confess.

 

Considering the seriousness of the matter, she should have spoken up. But her mouth wouldn’t open easily.

 

Suddenly, the Chief Administrator’s words came to mind.

 

‘Sometimes there are times when you have to wait even though you know it’s a problem.’

 

‘Adults don’t overflow with understanding either. But the reason they seem understanding is probably because they know how to wait more than when they were children, don’t you think?’

 

It was just a while ago that she was wondering why no one would tell her anything.

 

“…That bastard eats too much these days. He’s going to become a pig soon!”

 

“Don’t you already call him a pig anyway?”

 

“Kuk!”

 

“But you still speak carelessly about Elder Brother.”

 

If it were before, she would have been cautious, but the current Moyong Su Hyang was utterly confident.

 

“This is me being very lenient.”

 

Still, she felt somewhat anxious for no reason.

 

Moyong Su Jeong chuckled.

 

“Just don’t cross the line. He’s still your Elder Brother.”

 

“Hehe, that bastard crossed the line first.”

 

“Are you doing it barehanded?”

 

“Oh my, if I draw my sword against Elder Sister, I’ll be called unfilial later!”

 

“That’s true too.”

 

Thus the sisters had a sparring match for the first time in a very long while.

 

It was a sparring match overflowing with consideration and affection, which couldn’t be found in the late-stage expert sparring competition tainted by sinister shadows.

 

* * *

 

“…”

 

Sharp energy of the sword swirled in her clear blue eyes.

 

Ja Dam’s face was filled with seriousness as she looked around.

 

‘I still can’t sense it.’

 

She couldn’t sense any presence of beasts, nor the ghostly demonic energy of yesterday’s demon.

 

‘Should I have forced myself to speak after all?’

 

Martial Arts Master Yeong Geom was nowhere to be found no matter how much she searched.

 

She eventually went to Martial Arts Master Ho Geom, but was turned away at the door.

 

After hesitating briefly, she tried to visit again after the afternoon sparring ended, but there was a death. It became impossible to forcibly detain him and bring up the matter.

 

In the end, she climbed the mountain alone again today.

 

She considered having Woon Juk deliver a message, but refrained, worried he might act rashly.

 

‘It should be fine.’

 

From what she heard, rumors were slowly spreading in Juru and the inn as well.

 

Most people seemed to ignore it as nonsense, but some appeared to take it seriously. From the signs, it seemed the story would reach the organizers by tomorrow or the day after at the latest.

 

‘Anyway, Martial Arts Master Ho Geom is here too.’

 

Martial Arts Master Ho Geom had brought several second disciples with him.

 

The second disciples’ level would be insufficient, but Martial Arts Master Ho Geom’s skill far exceeded Martial Arts Master Yeong Geom’s. Depending on the distance and the master’s condition, there was a possibility he could notice if demonic energy was revealed.

 

‘Let me do what I can until today at least.’

 

Thus Ja Dam expanded her qi sensitivity and searched the wild mountain area.

 

But even after an hour passed, she couldn’t sense any trace of the demon. Far from a demon, there wasn’t even a trace of beasts.

 

‘Is it not planning to be active today?’

 

Ja Dam raised her head to look at the sky.

 

The cluster of stars adorning the elegant moonlight seemed ready to pour down at any moment.

 

‘It’s the end of the hour of the pig. It’s not even midnight yet. I can’t let my guard down until dawn breaks.’

 

How long had it been since she resumed searching?

 

“…?!”

 

Sensing an alien energy, she whipped her head around.

 

‘What is this?’

 

It was a strange energy.

 

Even though it wasn’t killing intent or demonic energy, she felt something ominous. Amid this, she also felt familiarity.

 

Ja Dam didn’t hesitate.

 

Whoosh!

 

Unfolding the secret divine art of the Martial Arts Sect and breaking through between trees, her figure was like a crane cutting through clouds.

 

Shortly after, she arrived in front of a small cave.

 

“…!”

 

The smell of dried blood wafted up gently.

 

Surprisingly, the owner of the blood smell was human. Though extremely weakened, she definitely sensed the life force unique to humans.

 

Ja Dam, who hurriedly entered the cave, was shocked.

 

“Ma, Master?!”

 

“Ugh…”

 

Yeong Geom Jin In, battered beyond recognition, was collapsed leaning against the stone wall.

 

Ja Dam, who was hurrying to approach him, turned her head at the eerie feeling she suddenly sensed.

 

There stood a man with his back to the moonlight.

 

It seemed they had arrived almost simultaneously. His fluttering martial robes and hair looked like ominous mist.

 

Chaaaang!

 

Ja Dam drew her sword and channeled her divine art as she asked.

 

“Who are you!”

 

“…Assassination Taoist Priest.”

 

“What?!”

 

A somehow familiar voice.

 

Cool light shone on the face of the man who stepped back.

 

Ja Dam’s eyes widened in shock.

 

“Moyong Bi?!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————