Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 361

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 361
During that process, Dok Go-hyeon had granted me enlightenment, but he had said something then.
“The enlightenment you have gained now is merely the result of your own efforts, so do not think of repaying me for any gratitude or grudge through this.”
I had thought him a peculiar person.
And no matter how much he told me not to repay him, in my heart I had resolved to repay his kindness someday.
But was not the current situation somewhat different?
“For someone telling me not to repay gratitude and grudges, something about your phrasing seems odd, does it not?”
“It is not odd. Just as I showed you kindness then, I meant for you to show kindness to yourself.”
Show kindness to myself?
It seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
Dok Go-hyeon spoke to Geum Mu-jeok, who was wiping his face, with finality.
“Remember this well. Such an opportunity will not come again.”
A brief silence fell.
Geum Mu-jeok slowly sheathed his sword.
“…Tsk. I have lost. I accept.”
“An excellent choice.”
In truth, from the moment Dok Go-hyeon appeared, this outcome had been inevitable.
“However, I wish to add one condition.”
“Speak.”
“Not just myself, but the entire Golden Sword Sect will join the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
Dok Go-hyeon turned his head. This was not something he could accept on his own authority.
When Seol Woon-hwi nodded, Dok Go-hyeon spoke.
“Very well. Let it be so.”
Geum Mu-jeok, scratching his head, cupped his fist in salute toward Seol Woon-hwi.
“I shall depart for Cheonsu shortly.”
“Please do so.”
Geum Mu-jeok immediately turned and left in the opposite direction.
His figure vanished in an instant.
Seol Woon-hwi observed Dok Go-hyeon, who was smiling.
“It seems you have something to say to me.”
“I like this about Cheon Ui Jung-jeong.”
“What aspect do you mean?”
“When conversing with Cheon Ui Jung-jeong, there is no need to circle around the matter unnecessarily.”
“Indeed.”
“Then I shall ask with candor. What is the final destination of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance?”
At those words, both Seol Woon-hwi and Manager Seong fell silent.
“It is not uncommon for masters of the previous generation who have cultivated for many years to emerge from seclusion. But this situation is quite different.”
It truly was different.
“Not merely one or two, but dozens of them have simultaneously broken their seclusion and entrusted themselves to the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance. As if bound by some covenant.”
“….”
“Even blindly following the Alliance Leader, Yeom Wang.”
“….”
“Among the countless organizations in Murim, it is exceedingly rare for martial artists of the Four Stages of Heaven and Earth to be appointed as members of military forces, yet more than twenty Divine Transformation Realm martial artists were appointed to such positions without a single complaint.”
It was not merely the absence of complaints.
“During the Hondo Maryeom Palace incident, their exploits were remarkable. I believe they were called the Cheonryeong Geom Dae, were they not?”
“That is correct.”
“To speak plainly, the Cheonryeong Geom Dae would be the strongest military organization currently existing in Murim, save for the Blood Demon Regiment of the Origin Blood Sect.”
Dok Go-hyeon turned toward the edge of the cliff and clasped his hands behind his back.
“Indeed. I am now asking you frankly—what is the ultimate purpose of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance?”
Seol Woon-hwi slowly approached his side.
A long silence stretched between them.
It was clear he already knew much of this.
Just as Dok Go-hyeon had said, Seol Woon-hwi had no desire to speak in circles.
“The ultimate purpose of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance is peace.”
“….”
“However, the purpose of most who belong to the Thousand Year Demon Cult is the restoration of the Thousand Year Demon Cult.”
At these words, Dok Go-hyeon’s eyes widened considerably.
It was far beyond what he had anticipated.
“I suspected something existed, but… the Thousand Year Demon Cult… hm….”
As Dok Go-hyeon released a sigh, he recalled Seol Woon-hwi’s words and noticed something.
Was not Seol Woon-hwi’s manner of speaking like drawing a line?
As I looked at Seol Woon-hwi, he opened his mouth as if he had discerned my thoughts.
“To elaborate further, a considerable number of those within the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance harbor hopes for the restoration of the Thousand Year Demon Cult.”
Dok Go-hyeon turned his head to regard Seol Woon-hwi.
“How forthright. I could have overlooked it even if you had lied.”
“Because I understand your heart, I chose not to lie.”
“…Hm… the restoration of the Thousand Year Demon Cult….”
Dok Go-hyeon gazed into the void.
“The Thousand Year Chaos. Do you know how many martial artists perished then?”
“I do.”
“Righteous and demonic sects alike, common people—all without distinction, millions upon millions lost their lives. Even a cursory examination of the records reveals horrors beyond description.”
“I know that as well.”
Watching the silent Dok Go-hyeon, I asked.
“Senior Dok-go. I have but one question.”
“Speak.”
“Who writes history?”
Dok Go-hyeon furrowed his brow.
“Is it not the victor who writes it?”
“Indeed. The history of the Thousand Year Chaos was written by the victors. That the Thousand Year Demon Cult was evil, that it slaughtered innocent people, that it plunged Murim into chaos.”
I regarded Dok Go-hyeon directly.
“But is that the entire truth?”
“….”
“The Thousand Year Demon Cult certainly committed wrongs. But were they alone in their transgressions? Were the righteous sects without blemish?”
Dok Go-hyeon fell silent.
“You must know, Senior Dok-go, what the righteous sects did after the Thousand Year Chaos.”
“…Under the guise of rooting out remnants of the Demon Cult, they slaughtered countless innocents.”
“Precisely. They even annihilated minor sects with no connection to the Demon Cult whatsoever—simply because they failed to meet the righteous sects’ standards.”
Seol Woon-hwi continued.
“I do not claim the Thousand Year Demon Cult was flawless. But what they pursued was not pure evil.”
“Hmm….”
“Do you know the fundamental ideology of the Thousand Year Demon Cult?”
Dok Go-hyeon shook his head.
“Equality for all.”
“…What did you say?”
“The Thousand Year Demon Cult cared not for birth or lineage. Anyone with talent could rise to prominence, and the strong could not treat the weak as they pleased.”
Seol Woon-hwi paused briefly.
“Of course, as time progressed, that ideology faded and became corrupted. But in its early days, the Thousand Year Demon Cult was exactly that. While the righteous sects favored only the children of noble families, the Thousand Year Demon Cult offered opportunity to all.”
“So you intend to revive that ideology?”
“I do.”
Dok Go-hyeon asked sharply.
“Is the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance becoming the Thousand Year Demon Cult?”
“No.”
Seol Woon-hwi shook his head.
“The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance remains the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance. Only those who share the vision will rebuild the Thousand Year Demon Cult within it.”
“What do you mean by——”
“Not everyone within the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance must participate in the Thousand Year Demon Cult’s reconstruction. Only those who wish to. Those who do not can simply remain as members of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
Dok Go-hyeon pondered for a long moment before asking.
“Is such a thing possible?”
“It is. The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance is not the successor to the Thousand Year Demon Cult. It is a new organization that inherits some of that ideology.”
“….”
“Senior Dok-go.”
Seol Woon-hwi looked directly at Dok Go-hyeon.
“The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance walks the righteous path. We will not harm the innocent, nor will we disturb the order of Murim. Rather, we will stabilize it.”
“Like the Mixed Path Demon Flame Palace incident?”
“Exactly.”
Dok Go-hyeon exhaled a long breath.
“Cheon Ui Jung-jeong.”
“Yes.”
“Then I will ask you this.”
Dok Go-hyeon’s eyes grew sharp.
“And you yourself—do you desire the reconstruction of the Thousand Year Demon Cult?”
Seol Woon-hwi fell silent for a moment. Then, slowly, he opened his mouth.
“The reconstruction will come to pass.”
“I have already heard as much.”
“And I will take part in that reconstruction.”
Dok Go-hyeon’s eyes widened.
“…You will take part?”
“Yes. And I will play the most decisive role.”
Seol Woon-hwi gazed upward at the sky.
“Perhaps I may even stand at the vanguard.”
“At the vanguard?”
Seol Woon-hwi looked toward Dok Go-hyeon.
“I respect every path that a martial artist walks as a martial artist. If my people desire the reconstruction of the Thousand Year Demon Cult, and if they wish to walk that path, then I will walk it with them.”
“…”
“A martial artist is one who walks their own path. Some walk the righteous way, others walk the demonic way. If the path my people wish to walk is the reconstruction of the Thousand Year Demon Cult, then I will walk that path with them.”
Seol Woon-hwi’s voice was calm yet resolute.
Dok Go-hyeon, who had been studying him intently, asked:
“You respect every path?”
“Yes. However, there is one condition.”
“A condition?”
“One must be willing to stake their life for that path. They must be able to cling to it until the very final moment of death, and they must be able to uphold it even amidst the agony of having their limbs torn asunder.”
Dok Go-hyeon fell silent.
“If one can do so, then even those who proclaim that devouring people is their path deserve respect. For that is what it means to be a martial artist.”
“…Then, Cheon Ui Jung-jeong, can you stake your life for the reconstruction of the Thousand Year Demon Cult?”
Seol Woon-hwi shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“I do not stake my life for the reconstruction of the Thousand Year Demon Cult. I stake my life for my people.”
Seol Woon-hwi smiled.
“If they desire the reconstruction of the Thousand Year Demon Cult, then I will walk that path with them. But it is not because of the Thousand Year Demon Cult—it is because they are my people.”
Dok Go-hyeon remained silent for a long while, then nodded.
“Now I understand.”
He made the cupped fist salute toward Seol Woon-hwi.
“Cheon Ui Jung-jeong, I will support your resolve.”
“Thank you, Senior Dok-go.”
Seol Woon-hwi returned the cupped fist salute.
“But remember this one thing: if the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance strays from the righteous path and becomes a scourge upon the Murim, then I too will have no choice but to turn my back.”
“Then what if I convince you otherwise?”
“Convince me, you say?”
“Yes. If I secure legitimacy and make you certain that turning your back on me would be wrong, would you still turn away then?”
Dok Go-hyeon shook his head and spoke.
“When that time comes, I shall be your strength.”
“It sounds as though you mean you will not leave the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
“That is correct.”
“I am truly relieved. The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance can walk the righteous path only with someone like you, Senior Dok-go.”
Dok Go-hyeon chuckled softly.
“I felt it then as well, but you truly have a way with words.”
“I merely spoke the truth.”
The two regarded each other and smiled.
* * *
Mei Hua Pavilion.
Hwa Mu-nyeom sat alone, sipping tea.
The afternoon was tranquil.
A breeze swept through, and the branches of the plum blossom tree swayed gently.
It was then.
Hwa Mu-nyeom’s hand stilled.
“I would say it is discourteous to arrive so uninvited upon first meeting.”
His gaze turned toward the entrance of Mei Hua Pavilion.
“Hahahaha.”
With laughter, a man emerged into view.

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