Chapter 55: Impossible!


    After parting with Hyonwon Kang, I headed to our favorite restaurant to see Ak Yeon-Ho and Myeong Il-Oh, but they looked visibly drained.


    Hyung-nim


    Youre alive


    I scratched my head in confusion. Huh? What the hell happened to you two?


    Dont even get me started. That bastard Sunwoo Jin is abusing me right from day one.


    Same here. I was totally bossed around sigh even though hes only a few years older than me


    Read this at , or else.


    <em>Amateurs. Thats how it works in the workce.</em> I smirked at them and quipped, Do you want to switch with me then?


    "No.


    The two senior instructors in charge of them might be demanding, but no one at Azure Dragon Academy couldpete with my maternal grandfather, whether it was in brewing tea or martial arts.


    You guys are lucky, I said. I saw my life sh before my eyes several times today because of my idiot of a father.


    Ive never seen anyone as unfilial as you, Hyung-nim.


    Its my dads fault for being the worst delinquent in the academy back then.


    We joked for a while about who had the worst day, until suddenly I heard a raspy womans voice from behind me, So you guys were here


    Miss Jaegal?


    THUD!


    Jaegal So-Yeong slumped down at our table. Her face resembled that of a corpse, and her eyes were lifeless.


    Miss Jaegal, are you okay?


    Jaegal So-Yeong waved the waiter over and said, Bring me a bottle of Zhuyeqing.


    Y arent you reading this at ?


    As soon as the wine arrived, she opened the bottle.


    GULP GULP GULP BAM!


    In one gulp, she drank the whole thing, then mmed the empty bottle down on the table.


    Taken aback, the three of us immediately sat up straight.


    Namgoong-oppa is a total workaholic! How can one person handle all that work alone? He needs some help, my ass. My room is filled with so many papers I can barely walk, and yet he calls that a little work!


    <em>Despite her nerdy appearance, shes quite the drinker.</em>


    We meekly listened to Jaegal So-Yeongsints, and she concluded several times, Namgoong Su is a messed-up workaholic!!


    By the way, he said he only let me leave work early today because its my first day!


    Youve been working hard.


    Tough luck to be targeted by that guy


    Here, have another drink.


    You ought to read this at .


    Between the end of the final practical exam and the announcement of the sessful applicants, Jaegal So-Yeong often came to chat with me. Our conversations ranged from murim history and foreign martial arts to the downfall of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult centuries ago and its descendant, the Blood Cult, to spirit beasts and elixirs.


    I could tell that she enjoyed our discussions, as few people could engage her in such intelligent conversation, and I likewise had a st talking to her. As a result, we quickly became close friends.


    Sorry, I only talked about my own problems, didnt I? Jaegal So-Yeong apologized, feeling a little embarrassed now that she had calmed down.


    I grinned cheekily and poured her a drink. Its okay, its not your first time doing that.


    So mean Jaegal So-Yeong sulked and pretended to be angry at me.


    [Fuck you two lovebirds! Just get a room already!]


    [Im jelly]


    I brushed off the envious banter of the two idiots.


    Read this at , or else.


    By the way, Hyung-nim, any news about the Remedial ss? Ak Yeon-Ho asked.


    I just met with Hyonwon Kang today.


    I recounted the gist of my meeting with the punk.


    He seemed to think that beating him in martial arts would provoke Peng Sa-Hyuk, and it wouldnt look good for him if he pissed off the future head of the Peng n, so he gave up after a certain point.


    " Jaegal So-Yeong of the Jaegal n and Ak Yeon-Ho of the Shandong Ak n tensed up.


    Myeong Il-Oh, on the other hand, was baffled. No way, why would a young master from a famous family do such a thing?


    Ak Yeon-Ho, a scion of the Shandong Ak n, whose reputation rivaled that of the Five Great ns, downed the rest of his liquor in one gulp, clenched his teeth, and muttered, Its quite possible. If only the orthodox sects were as noble as they im to be, but knowing what they do to protect their positions Fuck, even the wine tastes bitter now.


    Jaegal So-Yeong hesitated for a moment, then added, I hate to admit it, but Hyonwon Kang, or rather the Hyonwon n, has no choice but to yield to the Peng n.


    Why is that?


    Avoiding Myeong Il-Ohs earnest gaze, Jaegal So-Yeong fiddled with her drink. Although she was well-versed in the history and interests of the various murim factions, as a member of the Jaegal n, she couldnt help but feel a little guilty.


    Read this at , or else.


    The Hebei Peng n and the Hyonwon n have beenpeting for the position of the worlds best de sect for over a century. While the Peng n is generally considered more prestigious, the Hyonwon n has always been a threat to their position. They used to have a good rtionship, helping each other improve their de arts and strengthening their bond through intermarriage until the Crazy Demon of the Hyonwon n appeared and strained their rtionship, she exined hesitantly.


    The Crazy Demon?


    Yes, the Crazy Demon Hyonwon Hu.


    The name was all too familiar to me, but I wanted to hear Jaegal So-Yeongs perspective, or rather, I wanted to know about the Crazy Demon written in the history books.


    Hyonwon Hu was the greatest genius in the history of the Hyonwon n. He mastered the Earth Shattering de at the age of sixteen and redefined the Heaven Splitting de before he was thirty. Many believed that he would be the next Heaven Splitting de.1


    Unexpectedly, discovering a man I knew had be a historical figure felt surreal.


    But sadly, things didnt end well for Hyonwon Hu. He embarked on a Hundred Duels Trial to perfect his martial arts, and along the way, he descended into madness, killing numerous masters. Eventually, the Murim Alliance branded him the Crazy Demon and ordered his execution.


    What happened next? Ak Yeon-Ho asked impatiently.


    Read this at , or else.


    Jaegal So-Yeong shook her head. They never found him. The Crazy Demon vanished without a trace.


    <em>No, the Crazy Demon didnt disappear. He fell into a trap set by the Blood Cult while fleeing the Murim Alliance and was captured. Still, that doesnt have anything to do with his family, does it?</em>


    How is the Crazy Demon rted to the falling out between the Hyonwon n and the Hebei Peng n? I asked.


    [During the Hundred Duels Trial, the Crazy Demon killed a Young Master from the Hebei Peng n,] Jaegal So-Yeongmunicated via telepathy as if it was taboo to say it out loud.


    " All three of our eyes widened at the same time.


    Suddenly, I had a shback of Master Crazy Demons frequent grimmentations.<blockquote>


    I dont regret what I did. If I could go back in time, Id do the same thing. My only regret is the shame I brought upon my family</blockquote>


    asionally, however, Master Crazy Demon would break into a cold sweat and have nightmares.<blockquote>


    Im sorry, Im sorry, I never meant to take your life


    Damn it, who gave such a timid guy the nickname Crazy Demon!</blockquote>


    Master Maeng alwaysined irritably whenever that happened, but his worried expression betrayed his true feelings.


    While I was wallowing in my memories, Jaegal So-Yeongs voice brought me back to reality.


    In the end, the rtionship between the two families was irreparably damaged by that incident. But it didnt stop there.


    <em>Hmm?</em>


    This is a free trantion. You should not be seeing ads.


    Jaegal So-Yeong hesitated, unsure if she should reveal more. Then, she called out, Waiter! Bring me a bottle of something stronger!


    She downed the bottle of hard liquor the waiter brought in one gulp and let out a long sigh, Hoo


    Her face now flushed from the concentrated alcohol, she said, Its not exactly a secret but can we find a more private ce to talk?


    We adjourned to a private room, and Jaegal So-Yeong continued, About twenty years after the Crazy Demons disappearance, the Blood Cult, the arch-nemesis of the orthodox murim, was annihted, and peace descended upon the murim. This peace hassted until today, making it the most peaceful era in centuries. However, that wasnt the case for certain sects and ns, especially the Hyonwon n, who were almost wiped out in a genocide.


    <em>Wait. Genocide? What genocide?</em>


    Miss Jaegal, did you just say that the Crazy Demon massacred his own family?


    Didnt the Headmaster tell you about it?


    No, he just mentioned a great upheaval in the Hyonwon n which resulted in the loss of their most skilled masters.


    Jaegal So-Yeong nodded. It happened a few decades ago, and peace returned to the murim afterward, so I suppose the Headmaster didnt want to delve into the grim details.


    I need to know, so please tell me everything!


    Seeing my desperation, Jaegal So-Yeong recounted, Ten years after the fall of the Blood Cult, the missing Crazy Demon Hyonwon Hu secretly returned to the Hyonwon n.


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    I temporarily pushed aside the multitude of questions swirling in my mind and forced myself to listen to Jaegal So-Yeong.


    At that time, the n Head was the Crazy Demons brother, and he organized a homing banquet for his hyung-nim.


    <em>I have a bad feeling about this</em>


    However, at the banquet, the Crazy Demon ughtered everyone who had gathered to wee him.


    What a madman!


    How could he kill his own  wees you.


    Ak Yeon-Ho and Myeong Il-Oh eximed, horrified by the tragedy that had befallen the Hyonwon n.


    On the contrary, I was speechless, probably because the news affected me much more than it did anyone else.


    The shock and dismay on my face must have been evident, because Jaegal So-Yeong looked at me worriedly even as she whispered, I asked for privacy because its such a tragic incident, but its not a secret. Anyone with even a passing interest in murim history knows about it.


    Thats not all there is to the story, right? I croaked.


    The Crazy Demon also found the manuals for the Earth Shattering de and the Heaven Splitting de, the Hyonwon ns prized martial arts, and set them on fire along with the nspound. The only survivors at that time were those who were lucky enough to be out of town and the students enrolled in the academy.


    If youre seeing this, you are at the wrong ce.


    Afterward, the Peng n extended a helping hand to the Hyonwon n, and Mr. Baek, are you alright!?


    I closed my eyes. Jaegal So-Yeongs voice was growing increasingly distant. I wasnt intoxicated, but I felt nauseated and light-headed.


    <em>The Crazy Demon returned to the Hyonwon n and wiped them out? Thats impossible!</em><blockquote>


    If I ever get the chance to return to my family I would beg them for forgiveness</blockquote>


    The Crazy Demon definitely died alongside me that fateful day.<hr><ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    Heaven Splitting de: A title belonging to the Hyonwon n Head of every generation.</li></ol>