Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 177

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 177. Shadow in the Clouds (2)

Heo Joong Jin In did not consider the back paths of the inner courtyard.

He suggested walking boldly through places where people came and went, and Moyong Bi did not refuse this either.

People hurriedly passed by while stealing glances at the two men.

Though they were benefactors who had saved the family from the brink of ruin, when their eyes met, people only offered silent bows and no one approached to speak.

Heo Joong Jin In opened his mouth.

“Remarkable.”

“….”

“After the situation ended, I heard every bit of your advice to the family head’s children about what they should do now.”

With the death of the demon Jeong Ju Ran by Heo Joong Jin In’s sword, all demons within the Jegal Clan had perished.

Moyong Bi awakened the spirits of the dazed Jegal siblings by saying there might be other demons hiding.

Of course, Moyong Bi, who had learned the Brain Gate Heart Technique, knew there were no more demons within the family estate, but he hoped the siblings wouldn’t waste time in despair with vacant minds.

Furthermore, there might be demon accomplices among the scholars. Those who hadn’t learned demonic arts but had maintained close contact with the outside.

Thus the siblings moved, and Moyong Bi conveyed to Jegal Chung Ho where and how to start organizing things.

Thanks to this, the Jegal Clan was normalizing as quickly as it had collapsed.

At least on the surface it appeared so.

“Those people won’t know that every piece of advice you gave was rational yet valuable counsel that considered aspects ordinary people couldn’t think of.”

“I don’t expect them to know.”

“Hehe, I suppose not.”

Moyong Bi glanced at Heo Joong Jin In.

‘Just as he was.’

His face had changed.

More wrinkles had appeared, and his graying hair and beard had turned completely white.

If his expression were just a little kinder, claiming that an immortal had descended to the Mu Dang Faction would likely gain agreement from quite many people.

But Moyong Bi looked into Heo Joong Jin In’s inner self, not his appearance.

‘His eyes are the same.’

Heo Joong Jin In’s gaze was truly peculiar.

If he had to describe it, it was like seeing a lion trying to become a deer.

In the long war against Seongheolgung, Heo Joong Jin In had traveled to countless battlefields and eliminated numerous demons, no less than anyone else.

In that process, he had achieved great victories and had nearly lost his life in terrible defeats many times.

Having experienced countless victories and defeats and witnessed countless deaths, Heo Joong Jin In had transformed from a simple, warm-hearted Taoist Priest into a violent swordsman who automatically killed any demon on sight.

Now he seemed to be clearing away the darkness and scent of blood that had settled in his heart, but bloody shadows he hadn’t yet completely erased still lingered in his eyes.

‘But he’s become stronger.’

Time had granted Heo Joong Jin In experience and strength rather than senility. Probably most of the surviving Heo generation Taoist Priests would be the same.

Of course, there was no telling how many were still alive.

“You said your name was Moyong?”

“That’s right.”

Heo Joong Jin In didn’t particularly mind the stiff tone of the young man who was his junior by quite some time.

“I’ll speak directly. The moment I first encountered you, I felt as if I had returned to the past, more than twenty years ago.”

“….”

“That martial art you’ve learned—isn’t it the Previous Alliance Leader’s martial art?”

Having learned Taoist martial arts himself, he would have recognized it all the more easily.

Moyong Bi didn’t bother trying to deceive Heo Joong Jin In.

“That’s right.”

Heo Joong Jin In’s eyes trembled slightly.

“The Three Pure Infinite True Formula—you’ve really learned it?”

“That’s right.”

“…Huh.”

He unconsciously shook his head.

“As expected… I thought something was strange, but… if this is the case, then that incident back then was certainly peculiar too….”

At that moment, Moyong Bi nearly grabbed Heo Joong Jin In by the collar without realizing it.

Right now, Heo Joong Jin In was clearly recalling the incident when the Ho Yeon Clan had driven out the Moyong family in the past.

Moyong Bi endured.

If he was going to hear this story anyway, it was better to hear it in a more moderate atmosphere.

After muttering something for a while, Heo Joong Jin In soon let out a bitter smile and spoke.

“I’d like to ask you not to feel bad, but that would probably be difficult. However, since this is an answer I absolutely want to hear, I’d like to apologize first before asking. Will you allow both the apology and the question?”

“I’ll allow it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll accept it.”

“Then may I ask the question now?”

“Go ahead.”

Heo Joong Jin In asked with an even more careful expression.

“Do you think your ancestors really stole the Ho Yeon Clan’s power and treated them like slaves?”

Though he had anticipated the content of the question, Moyong Bi felt unavoidable displeasure.

Because this was one of his former comrades he had fought alongside, and especially because he belonged to the Mu Dang Faction, that displeasure was bound to be strong.

“They did not.”

“Do you have a reason for thinking so?”

“Master Noh Do Jang is watching, isn’t he?”

Meaning the Three Pure Infinite True Formula was the evidence.

Moyong Bi spoke in a noticeably lower voice.

“I wonder if anyone has seen the Ho Yeon Clan use the Three Pure Infinite True Formula.”

“…Perhaps they’ve been hiding it all this time.”

“Anyone with even a little sense would know how absurd the act of hiding would be.”

From the Ho Yeon Clan’s perspective, claiming that the Moyong Clan had stolen what was theirs, they should have openly displayed all the martial arts that Moyong Clan members used to gain trust.

In fact, the Ho Yeon Clan had proven they were the rightful owners of those martial arts by demonstrating the Moyong Clan’s techniques. However, there were several martial arts they had never shown until now.

Specifically, the martial arts of Martial Alliance Leader Moyong Cheon, and the Primordial Martial Arts, and the True Dragon Martial Arts.

Conversely, this meant they had proven all the other martial arts without exception.

Heo Joong Jin In spoke with a grave expression.

“Yes, you’re right. Whatever circumstances they had, if everything of the Moyong Clan was theirs, they should have proven it all without leaving anything out.”

“….”

“But some people think this way. That for some reason, the Moyong Clan might not have been able to completely inherit what the Ho Yeon Clan possessed. I heard that some of the Ho Yeon Clan actually testified to this effect.”

Setting aside hatred and displeasure, Moyong Bi had to admit that the Ho Yeon Clan were quite clever.

Most people living in the world think that clear answers and undeniable evidence must be presented to be accepted as truth.

This was half right and half wrong.

Clear answers and undeniable evidence were effective in courtrooms. Elsewhere, the ghost called rumor and the monster called ‘various possibilities’ born from that ghost wielded more powerful effects.

When most aspects of an incident are proven to be true, the remaining elements not proven true become worthless to the audience.

Conversely, they could become more valuable. Because the unproven elements could transform into ghosts and monsters that would make the proven truth into immutable evidence.

“In such a situation, no matter what we say, people won’t easily believe us. They’ll think that despite us having inherited everything, unlike those who call the Previous Alliance Leader a Ho Yeon Clan member yet failed to inherit his martial arts, we somehow stole it all through some scheme.”

Before people who manipulate ‘truthful’ situations at will, real ‘truth’ doesn’t matter much.

Only a very few rational people wait for all truths to be clearly revealed.

The majority of people don’t hesitate to stamp their approval on uncertain matters, citing things like physiognomy or experience.

In the age-old saying that the world moves according to the will of the powerful, perhaps the poor judgment of the irrational masses played a part.

“Ignorant people have no interest in real truth. That’s why they judge truth and falsehood with their own beliefs. We have two things to do. Either ignore the ignorant, or forcibly drag them to be spectators on the stage called truth.”

From Moyong Bi’s words, Heo Joong Jin In could tell that this young man absolutely did not trust the existence of crowds.

He thought that was understandable.

The Moyong Family had been pointed at as a family of evil demons, called a family of traitors who betrayed the orthodox martial world, and had lived for over twenty years being denounced as a family of fraudsters.

It would be difficult for someone with blood raised in such a family to be favorable toward the people of the world. Anyone would be forced into such a position.

Even if the Ho Yeon Clan’s version of history wasn’t false, the persecution and contempt received since childhood didn’t just disappear.

“If there were solid proof, such things wouldn’t happen.”

“There was no one to help provide solid proof of that, and many sects and connections that should have helped didn’t properly assist either.”

A shadow fell across Heo Joong Jin In’s face.

Among the many sects and connections Moyong Bi mentioned, the Wudang Sect was included. In the end, that’s how it turned out.

“I know that’s how the world works. There are too many people who act like they’d give their liver or gallbladder when times are good, but when things turn unfavorable, they follow the crowd and coldly betray the loyalty and affection built up over the years – too many to count.”

“….”

“While I do want to correct the misunderstandings, I have no desire to blame them all at this point. Everyone has their circumstances, and perhaps many of the organizations that had ties with our Main Family might have faced ruin if they had helped us.”

Moyong Bi truly thought so.

People speak of loyalty and reason, claiming that to achieve peace, one must trust others and not betray relationships that have been built.

That’s correct. But thinking about it differently, the very reason such words exist is because reality fails to live up to them.

Without even needing to discuss reality, if a situation arose where my parents, my partner, my children could all die because of my decision, anyone would have no choice but to choose survival.

Moyong Bi understood the many people who faced that cruel and heartbreaking choice.

“But even when the truth is revealed, only one or two out of ten of them apologize. Perhaps there might not even be that many.”

“Would it really be like that?”

“Even knowing their choice at the time was wrong, there are many in this world who can’t bear to apologize later because it would mean admitting their fault.”

Heo Joong Jin In let out a sigh.

“As a former Elder of the Wudang Sect, I have nothing to say to you.”

“….”

“But revealing my true feelings here, and furthermore discussing the Wudang Sect’s past, is not an easy matter.”

“That’s true.”

“However, if you answer a few questions, I think I might be able to do something for you – no, for the Moyong Family.”

It was a strange proposal.

Moyong Bi nodded with a calm mind.

“Ask your questions.”

“You were quite surprised when you first saw me.”

“Is there some problem with that?”

“I heard from Ja Dam. About what happened between you and the current Taoist Priests classified as radicals from our Main Sect.”

Moyong Bi noticed that Heo Joong Jin In’s voice was trembling slightly.

“Naturally, you should hate me when you see me. At least by my standards, that would be the rational and universally appropriate reaction. But you didn’t do that.”

“….”

“It even seemed like… you were glad to see me, like someone you hadn’t seen in a long time.”

“You’re mistaken.”

“Then why didn’t you get angry?”

“I am getting angry now, aren’t I?”

After organizing his thoughts in brief silence, Heo Joong Jin In nodded and continued speaking.

“Yes, let’s say that’s the case. Then what about this?”

“Speak.”

“Ja Dam – that is, my niece – said you know the Wonmujin Eon Gyeong.”

“….”

“Those who know the Wonmujin Eon Gyeong don’t exceed five in this generation. If I were to name them, there’s the person who created the Jin Eon Gyeong, his disciple, and myself. Naturally, there are no outsiders among those who know it.”

“….”

“How do you know that martial art?”

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