CHAPTER 498: THE TEACHINGS (3)

The chaos subsided and peace returned to Qingcheng Sect.

However, although the impostors disappeared without a trace, the wounds they left were deep.

Hundreds of Taoists lost their lives, and the main temple of Qingcheng Sect was destroyed in many places.

This was not just a tragedy for the Qingcheng Sect.

News came from the Kongtong Sect about the disappearance of many masters, and the Kunlun Sect reported that they could not find key figures like Do Hwa and Do Yeop.

There were even reports from the Mount Hua Sect that there was an attempt to harm the headmaster amidst the chaos caused by the impostors.

“Move the injured to Blue Recovery Hall, and mobilize all skilled Taoists to treat them.”

The surviving elders gathered at Clear Sky Hall to assess the damage.

They compiled a list of the victims, collected the bodies, and created a list of the missing.

It wasn’t just about physical healing. The battle against those who looked exactly like them left unexpectedly deep psychological scars.

Some Taoists were tormented by nightmares or were afraid to wield a sword.

Elders skilled in mental techniques took charge of counseling and treating them.

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“Are you inside?”

Hyuk Jin knocked on the door cautiously.

He had returned from Clear Sky Hall after helping to compile the list of surviving Taoists.

“Yes, come in.”

Inside the room were Cheong Heo, lying down, and Seol-Hwi, who was nursing him.

“How is Master?”

“He is still hanging on.”

Contrary to Seol-Hwi’s words, Cheong Heo’s condition was not good.

Since coming out of the cave, he had lost consciousness and had yet to open his eyes.

“When he opens his eyes this time… it will be the last, won’t it?”

At Hyuk Jin’s cautious question, Seol-Hwi silently nodded.

He also anticipated the occurrence of a phenomenon similar to a flash of brilliance before the end.

“What instructions came from the upper echelon?”

“There weren’t any special instructions. They seemed overwhelmed with handling the injured, the deserters, and restoring the damaged buildings.”

“I see.”

Seol-Hwi nodded as if he understood.

Although he would be glad for Hyuk Jin and Cheong Heo’s survival, the situation was too chaotic for him to focus on them.

“Excuse me, sir.”

“Yes, if you have something to ask, go ahead.”

Seol-Hwi gave a warm smile as he looked at Hyuk Jin, who hesitated with curiosity written all over his face.

“Sir, are you a god?”

“What an unexpected question!”

“Well, it’s just that…”

Hyuk Jin carefully shared his thoughts with a serious expression.

“The way those who looked like us disappeared without a trace, and the incredible martial arts you just showed us… Everything seems so unreal.”

“Unreal, you say…”

Seol-Hwi, lost in thought for a moment, continued in a gentle voice.

“Then let’s think about it this way. If I were the omnipotent god you mentioned…”

Gulp.

Hyuk Jin swallowed. His eyes were filled with both expectation and tension.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to teach you?”

“Haha, is that so?”

Hyuk Jin laughed awkwardly.

In that laughter, there was a hint of embarrassment for having entertained such a fanciful thought, even for a moment.

‘Perhaps Jang Dal started this way too.’

Meanwhile, Seol-Hwi thought of Jang Dal during their brief conversation.

If he intervened in Hyuk Jin’s life and created various opportunities, how would his life unfold?

Suddenly, he felt the urge to observe his life.

‘Then, one by one, insurmountable obstacles would have been presented, and upon overcoming them, even more trials would have been given.’

Jang Dal, whose measure of life is joy.

To offer someone a special life might have been a completely natural process for him.

Thus, the hellish system known as the Heavenly Demon Cultivation Simulation must have been created.

“Hyuk Jin.”

“Yes, master.”

Looking at Hyuk Jin, who had his head bowed, Seol-Hwi spoke in a warm voice.

“The world we live in is a series of happiness and pain. As you continue to live, even more challenging situations will arise.”

“……Yes.”

“Nevertheless, you must not forget the spirit of Qingcheng you showed today. That is the direction your master desires, and the path you must take in the future.” ṝäɴ𝘖βĚ𝐬

“Yes, I will not forget your words.”

Swoosh.

As Hyuk Jin finished his response, Seol-Hwi took out a book from his sleeve and handed it to Hyuk Jin.

“This is……”

“It’s the Gather and Aim technique.”

“What?!”

Hyuk Jin’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Gather and Aim Sword technique, known as the pinnacle martial art of Qingcheng, was right in front of him.

“How did you……”

“Maybe the god you mentioned?”

“…….”

“Just kidding……. During my visit to Clear Sky Hall, Master Cheong Heo briefly regained consciousness and instructed me to give this to you.”

“Ah……”

“He also said this—There might be some differences from the martial arts of the Qingcheng Sect. But he told you not to doubt it. It’s a path Master Cheong Heo has thoroughly verified.”

“How could I ever doubt my master?”

Seeing Hyuk Jin filled with emotion, Seol-Hwi nodded with a smile.

Then he looked out the window and continued speaking.

“Hyuk Jin.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Could you go outside and find a carrier sturdy enough to carry a person?”

“Ah, of course.”

He tucked the secret manual of Gather and Aim Sword technique into his bosom and promptly headed out.

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Seol-Hwi slowly descended from the dwelling with Cheong Heo on his back in a carrier.

Though it was a winter with biting cold, the wind had calmed and the clear sunlight seeped through, making the mountain path not too unpleasant to walk.

Thunk.

The place they stopped was a cliff overlooking Moon Lake at a glance.

Long ago, when Seol-Hwi was known as Seol-Hwi, as Cheong Heo’s disciple, he spent many hours here with his master.

“How about resting here?”

Cheong Heo, loaded on the carrier, still seemed unconscious.

Nevertheless, Seol-Hwi spoke naturally as if conversing, and unexpectedly, Cheong Heo’s voice was heard.

“It seems the master has eyes on the back of his head. I’m saying this because you knew I was awake without even looking at me.”

“Earlier, Hyuk Jin asked if I might be a god.”

Seol-Hwi casually responded to the old man’s words.

“So I told him, if that were the case, teaching you wouldn’t have been such a struggle…”

“Kuh, kuhuhuh. Hahaha…”

Was the joke understood?

Cheong Heo laughed heartily as if he had caught a cold.

Seol-Hwi had already set him down on the flat ground and covered him with a thick blanket he had brought.

Cheong Heo watched the scene quietly and then asked,

“What brings the master here?”

“……”

“It can’t be to watch an old man die, so there must be a reason, right?”

Cheong Heo thought that Seol-Hwi was like a person who comes and goes like the wind, and therefore, there must be a reason for staying here.

Thud.

Seol-Hwi slowly sat down on the stone wall next to Cheong Heo. Then, he gazed at Moon Lake for a while.

After quite some time had passed, Seol-Hwi spoke again.

“I’ve lost my way.”

“…….”

“So I needed someone to give me advice. As I recalled, you came to mind, which is why I came here.”

“That’s unexpected. With such great martial arts, you must have met countless people… Why did you think of me among them?”

“Well, that’s…”

Seol-Hwi paused for a moment.

There was no need to tell Cheong Heo the truth exactly as it was.

It would be hard to believe, and he might become wary instead.

So he expressed his situation in different words.

“Perhaps, it’s because we’re looking at the same place?”

“The same place…?”

“Yes. Just like now.”

Heh.

A small laugh escaped from Cheong Heo’s lips.

It wasn’t a particularly novel joke, yet strangely, laughter came naturally when talking with him.

As a brief silence lingered, this time Cheong Heo spoke.

“I don’t quite understand. Since it’s a path you’ve always traveled, you should know it better than anyone. Yet you’ve lost your way?”

“That’s right.”

“Surely, it’s not because you stumbled, is it?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Then, is there some problem?”

“Perhaps… because I’ve reached the end of the road. I thought it was a never-ending path, but there was an end.”

Simple yet with a peculiar meaning.

In response, Cheong Heo instinctively felt that the path was one the culprit couldn’t take.

So he listened more intently than usual.

“That’s strange. You’ve found the path you wanted and seen its end, so haven’t you achieved your goal?”

“I believed so. And at the end of that path, there was indeed what I wanted. But what I gained was different from what I thought.”

“How was it different?”

“My life’s goal was different.”

“What do you mean?”

Srrrk.

Seol-Hwi slowly closed his eyes.

The conversation had become deeper than expected, but he didn’t hesitate to speak to Cheong Heo.

At least for someone who had walked a consistent path, it seemed he might provide an answer.

“My life’s goal disappeared and became chaotic. Moreover, countless directions emerged, making it difficult to decide.”

That was the extent of Seol-Hwi’s answer.

After that, Cheong Heo remained silent for a while.

Seol-Hwi suddenly wondered if he had given him a metaphor that was too difficult, but still, it seemed like the most accurate expression.

Splash. Plop.

As the water moved toward the rock dozens of times, there was no conversation between them.

Time passed quietly, and for a while, they both just stared at the river.

At a moment when time seemed to flow endlessly.

Cheong Heo spoke up.

“What value could an old man’s words have, but I have two serious questions to ask.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“What is your real name?”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’m asking for your original name, not your Taoist name or title.”

Typically, a Taoist name is a nickname given externally, and a Taoist title is a legal or self-chosen name received after becoming a Taoist.

Seol-Hwi briefly pondered Cheong Heo’s question about his name before becoming a Taoist.

However, the contemplation didn’t last long.

There was no reason to hide it.

“My name is Seol-Hwi.”

“Seol-Hwi…”

Cheong Heo nodded silently, lost in thought, and spoke.

“I have another question.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Is it possible… for you to save me?”

“……”

Cheong Heo’s weak voice brushed past the clear lake.

“I know it’s a foolish thing to ask, but I still want to hear it. It seems your martial prowess has transcended to a divine level, so I dare to ask.”

Seol-Hwi pondered deeply for a moment and then spoke.

“Actually, regarding that, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What…?”

“If you could continue living, would you choose to do so? Or would you stop?”

“Ah!”

Cheong Heo’s eyes widened in surprise. He never imagined his question would be turned back on him in this way.

A myriad of emotions crossed his cloudy eyes.

“If you ask like that…”

Unexpectedly, Cheong Heo’s answer was swift.

“I would choose death.”

“…What?”

This time, Seol-Hwi showed a surprised reaction.

It wasn’t just the unexpected choice of death that surprised him.

It was Cheong Heo’s resolute demeanor, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“They say a flower is most beautiful when it blooms. But if that flower never withers, can it truly be called beautiful?”

“……”

“A flower has its value because it wilts.”

Only the gentle sound of the lake’s ripples could be heard.

The idea that even death has value was a widely acknowledged truth.

Seol-Hwi was not unaware of this.

However, there were too many points to argue against.

The value of life exists in itself, and after death, nothing can be felt.

Isn’t it only when you’re alive that you can see flowers bloom and wither?

“So, my disciple Seol-Hwi.”

“……!”

In an instant, Seol-Hwi’s body froze.

Cheong Heo, who shouldn’t know his past, was speaking as if he saw through his identity.

“Do not suffer any longer in the cycle of regression.”

“…….”

“Stop devouring yourself.”

Seol-Hwi was confused.

Cheong Heo’s actions, speaking like his former master.

He couldn’t respond to words that seemed to see through everything about him.

And around that time.

[Cheong Heo has 5 minutes left to live.]

The cold system notification shook his consciousness.