Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 18. The Value System of the Uninhabited (2)

“Phew, I’m so frustrated.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face, as he hugged his knees together, looked very depressed.

“Am I wrong?”

Yeon Ji-pyeong was frustrated.

He had lived his whole life according to the law and teachings of Yeon-ga, but he was shocked by the actions his brother had committed at Cho-seong-ro two days ago.

‘Brother.’

Yeon Ji-pyeong recalled his brother Yeon Ho-jeong that day.

A cold gaze that even the North Wind Han-seol would be startled and run away from. His brother’s indifference, who showed no sign of concern even when the person fighting the villain was in danger.

In the end, his brother went to help the Je-gal siblings, but until then, he did not show any behavior that could be called a white path person (白道人).

Some people say that the result is important, not what the problem is. But for Yeon Ji-pyeong, the process was as important as the result.

He didn’t know what his brother was thinking, but his brother’s behavior was clearly wrong.

So Yeon Ji-pyeong was confused. He had never thought that his brother, who had once made him suffer, was a bad person.

Rather, he thought he was a kind and weak person. He regretted his thoughtless actions that caused frustration to his brother.

‘Yeah, he must have had some reason. He was being oppressed by the villain, but… if he had no reason, he wouldn’t have done that.’

That’s right. He was bewildered, but he could somehow understand that much.

But his brother’s appearance when he killed the arsonist and the demon was shocking to say the least.

It was too horrible.

As he thought of that time, Yeon Ji-pyeong felt a chill run down his spine again.

After overpowering his opponent with his amazing martial arts, his brother dragged him by the collar to the front of the fire.

He threw the villain into the flames with a cold expression on his face.

To burn a person alive…

He killed him so cruelly, but his brother seemed to feel no shock at all.

I don’t know if it would have been better if he had shown some sign of satisfaction. His eyes were numb as he watched the dying demon beast.

He couldn’t look at a pebble rolling on the street with such indifference. His actions, his eyes, and his aura were a huge shock to Yeon Ji-pyeong.

‘Brother. Are you really the brother I know?’

Now he couldn’t tell what was what.

He had buried his face in his knees for a long time, then he got up with a sigh.

“How foolish.”

If he had a question, he could ask. If he had a misunderstanding, he could clear it up. It wasn’t something that could be solved by worrying anyway. Yeon Ji-pyeong wanted to go to Yeon Ho-jeong and talk to him.

As he walked to where his companions were, he suddenly saw two men and women walking away.

‘Huh? Brother?’

It was his brother and the child of Je Gal-sega.

‘Where are they going?’

He hesitated for a moment, then followed the two.

How long has it been?

“This should be enough.”

“….”

“I have something to ask you.”

“Oh, yes!”

Something to ask?

Curiosity filled Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face. He would have felt repulsed by eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation, but now he felt strangely drawn to it.

“How much do you know about your clan?”

“What?”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

His eyes shone blue in the dark forest, like a ghostly light. Je Gal-a-yeon unknowingly gasped.

“The martial arts you used when you fought the arsonist, they were extraordinary.”

“That, that was…”

“Judging by the level of your martial arts, they were no less than a secret technique of Il-mun. Your cultivation level was low, but your mastery of martial arts was very impressive.”

“….”

“Unless you are the next clan leader, or a blood relative, no one would easily pass on such martial arts to you.”

Je Gal-a-yeon’s neck turned slightly red.

“Are you saying that I stole and learned the martial arts?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then…?”

“I’m saying that Je Gal-sega has many martial arts to pass on to non-successors as well.”

Je Gal-a-yeon tilted his head.

He couldn’t figure out the intention of the question. Many martial arts? Of course, Je Gal-sega would have hundreds of martial arts in his possession.

“Let me put it more simply. Does your clan have any different kinds (異種) of martial arts?”

“Different kinds mean…?”

“Martial arts that are orthodox (正功) but have never been shown in the Central Plains.”

Even if he asked such a question, the other party wouldn’t answer honestly. But Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t expect the truth from the start.

He only looked at one thing.

The other’s eyes.

His eyesight, honed by countless betrayals and near-death experiences on the Black Path, was unparalleled. Not only Yeon Ho-jeong, but anyone who had survived for a long time in the Black Path had such eyesight as a basic skill.

He could see through the other’s personality with just a few words and a glance at their eyes.

He would check and recheck several times even after confirming, showing his meticulousness and stubbornness.

That was why Yeon Ho-jeong was called the Black Shadow, why he stood at the peak of the Black Path, and why he survived for so long.

“I don’t know why you’re asking that, but… even if I knew, I couldn’t tell you the clan’s situation.”

Je Gal-a-yeon answered calmly.

He had never had a personal conversation with him, but he already recognized Yeon Ho-jeong as a dangerous person. He was someone who shouldn’t be told anything, not even the slightest thing.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.

Je Gal-a-yeon swallowed unconsciously.

‘Who is this person?’

Is he really the eldest son of the Byuk San-yeon Clan?

He should be different from the others, being the heir of one of the seven great clans. But Yeon Ho-jeong was too different.

It wasn’t the martial arts that were the problem. His eyes and aura were like those of a warrior who had been through many battles and walked leisurely in the wilderness.

He was like a savage warrior who had defeated countless enemies.

‘He’s like Uncle Hwang.’

It wasn’t his strength, but his temperament. Uncle Hwang was the most rough, sharp, and scary person he knew.

He watched Je Gal-a-yeon silently, then nodded his head.

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“….”

“Yes?”

“I said I got it. Let’s go.”

Je Gal-a-yeon was confused again.

‘What’s with this guy?’

When he first called him to talk, he looked like he was going to eat him alive with his fierce eyes. But now he seemed to have lost interest and told him to go with a bored face.

…It hurts my pride. Why do I have to be treated like this?

“Excuse me.”

“What?”

He asked, but he couldn’t think of anything to say.

Je Gal-a-yeon was embarrassed for the third time. He was always confident, but he felt intimidated in front of Yeon Ho-jeong.

‘What did I do wrong to this guy?’

Suddenly, Je Gal-a-yeon’s expression hardened.

He bowed his head.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“It was my fault, my sister and I. I put you in unnecessary danger because of my business. I sincerely apologize.”

He bowed deeply and respectfully.

It was a sincere gesture. He couldn’t see his face as he bowed, but he could guess that he was full of remorse.

“Were they the ones who had a grudge against you?”

“It’s not so much a grudge as…”

Je Gal-a-yeon briefly explained the situation.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded his head.

“Then you don’t have to apologize.”

“What?”

“It was something that happened because you helped someone out of goodwill. The ones who should be punished are those who chased you to the end, not you. You did nothing wrong, so you don’t have to apologize.”

“But still…”

“If you feel bad, go find Juru and the people who were harmed and give them some material support. That’s what you should do.”

Je Gal-a-yeon couldn’t speak easily.

Helping someone out of goodwill is not a sin.

That’s true. Je Gal-a-yeon would have said the same thing if he were Yeon Ho-jeong.

But he was surprised that Yeon Ho-jeong said that. He thought Yeon Ho-jeong was a cold-hearted realist.

“That’s… something I have to do, of course.”

“Yes.”

“….”

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going?”

“Can I ask you one thing?”

“What is it?”

“Let me say this first, I’m not interrogating you. I don’t have the right to interrogate you, sir. I’m just curious, so please don’t be offended.”

“So what is it?”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit cruel?”

“Huh?”

“The guy who burned to death in the fire. The one who called himself the Lightning Fire Master.”

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“Why is that cruel?”

“It can be very cruel to ordinary people. Everyone who saw that scene must have been shocked.”

“Just because of that?”

“…That’s not just it. You burned a person alive, even if he was your enemy.”

“Well, I guess you could think that way.”

He shrugged it off. Je Gal-a-yeon clicked his tongue at Yeon Ho-jeong’s indifference.

“He was a villain who tried to kill the commoners with fire, but I think it was too much. It wasn’t a normal way, was it?”

“Then is it normal to cut his throat and kill him?”

“…Well, no, but at least there’s no pain.”

“Then it’s not good. He deserved to die in pain.”

Je Gal-a-yeon’s eyes widened.

“He might have targeted you and your sister, but he also set fire to everything and tried to kill countless commoners. This is a crime worthy of death.”

“I guess so, but…”

“Death is fair to everyone. To the wicked and the good. Then, at least before death, he should suffer. That’s what I think.”

“Do you think of yourself as a judge (判官)?”

“I’m not a judge, so I don’t lock him up in a prison and kill him.”

Have you ever seen such a ruthless person?

Je Gal-a-yeon was surprised by Yeon Ho-jeong’s words, but at the same time, he felt a strange envy.

He didn’t know how deep his thoughts were, but Yeon Ho-jeong had certainty. He had his own firm standards.

Sometimes it was harder to live simply than to live complicatedly. Yeon Ho-jeong’s philosophy was simple, but it was a simplicity that involved unimaginable agony.

He couldn’t believe it until he got here.

‘How old is this person?’

His words, his thoughts, his decisiveness, his martial arts, and so on, he didn’t look like his age at all.

He looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with curiosity and chuckled.

“Thank you.”

“How many times are you going to say that?”

“You treated my wounds and pulled out the poison from my sister, weren’t you the one who did that?”

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t answer.

Je Gal-a-yeon bowed his head again.

“You are our benefactor, sir. I will repay this favor (恩) somehow.”

“Don’t bother.”

“You know what? Your way of speaking sounds like an old person.”

“Shut up.”

“Tsk, you’re so stiff.”

Je Gal-a-yeon turned around, grumbling.

“I’m hungry after talking so much as soon as I woke up. I need to find something to eat. Do you want to come with me?”

Yeon Ho-jeong glanced at the bushes.

Pssst.

The movement in the bushes was getting farther away. It was like a mole’s movement.

“Do that.”

“Hehe.”

“Don’t stick to me.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“….”

“By the way, how old are you?”

“Forty-six.”

“Don’t lie, mister.”

“Eighteen.”

“What?! What? I was your older sister! Hey! I’m one year older than you!”

“….”

“Do you want to be friends?”

“No.”