I Am the Youngest Disciple of the Martial Arts World’s Mastermind
Chapter 37
Chapter 37
The Youngest Disciple of the Murim’s Hidden Mastermind
Episode 37
“Fine.”
Hyeonhak replied instantly and firmly.
“I cannot allow it.”
“How amusing. Why is it you who says it cannot be done?”
“This child is dangerous.”
“It is for that very reason that only Soso can do it.”
Because these words came from Cheong-ui Sanin, who cherished Soyoung’s well-being more than anyone, Hyeonhak could not easily retort and instead chose his words carefully.
In the meantime, Cheong-ui Sanin’s hand traced a long line down Ryang’s pale cheek.
The moment he pressed a pressure point somewhere on the neck—
“……!”
Ryang’s eyes snapped open.
“Gasp…!”
Strange golden eyes, shot through with blood vessels as if a fire were blazing within them, flashed.
Ryang inhaled sharply and tried to bolt upright immediately. He looked like someone who had fainted in the middle of a battlefield.
Which meant that if he had been able to stand, he surely would have lunged at whoever was in front of him.
“Calm yourself.”
Cheong-ui Sanin’s clear, serene voice settled Ryang.
“…Whew.”
His pressure points were suppressed, leaving him unable to move an inch.
Realizing his body would not obey his will, Ryang breathed slowly, struggling to steady himself.
His bloodshot Golden Gaze swept over his surroundings.
While his wariness was palpable when looking at Cheong-ui Sanin, a flicker of relief crossed his face as his gaze landed on Hyeonhak, as if his memory were gradually returning.
His final memories were faint, but the scene of Soso arguing with her Sahyeong was vivid.
If that Sahyeong was here, then at the very least, this was not a dangerous place for Soso.
The moment he was certain of that, the tension drained out of Ryang’s body.
“…….”
After all, as long as Soso was safe, it didn’t matter what happened to him.
The serene voice spoke from above him once more.
“Child.”
Ryang managed to look up.
Cheong-ui Sanin whispered softly, his lower face hidden behind an unfurled fan.
“It is good to see you. Do not feel slighted that I struck your pressure points; I feared you might run wild.”
He continued as he folded the fan.
“It will be difficult for you to speak or move. If you can hear me, blink once.”
Ryang blinked slowly.
“Good.”
Though the voice was gentle, it must have been infused with internal force, for Ryang’s head throbbed with every word Cheong-ui Sanin uttered.
“I am an old man living in seclusion on Mount Hyeongak, and the Master of Soso, who brought you here.”
His tone held neither goodwill nor hostility.
No emotion could be felt in Cheong-ui Sanin’s voice.
However, the fact that he had neutralized Ryang’s pressure points and kept him pinned down made it clear he was not letting his guard down.
Ryang didn’t mind.
Even if this place was dangerous for him, as long as it was a safe haven for Soso, that was enough.
Cheong-ui Sanin continued smoothly.
“Since that child intervened in a fate that should have ended in death, it is no exaggeration to say your life belongs to Soso from this day forward.”
Ryang remained silent. It was a gesture of affirmation.
“A miraculous encounter always comes with a price.”
Cheong-ui Sanin leaned down, peering deep into Ryang’s eyes. The young beast’s eyes burned intensely without a single tremor.
“My disciple possesses the medical skill to purge the Demonic Arts you were forced to learn. This means that if you receive treatment, you can live as a human being again.”
“……!”
Ryang’s pupils shook violently for a moment.
So Soso’s words were true.
He had thought it was a lie she told just to keep him from giving up hope….
Right then, Cheong-ui Sanin seized the opening and whispered lowly.
“However, whose life would that life be?”
“…….”
“Would it truly be your own?”
Surely not.
“No.”
Cheong-ui Sanin spoke with a decisiveness that bordered on cold.
As he slowly straightened his back, the air in the room grew even heavier.
“How you live your new life is your choice, but…”
He concluded, unfurling his fan once more.
“You must not harm your benefactor. Protect Soso until she becomes an adult, and if she should die before then, you shall take your own life as well.”
The room froze over with a chilling silence.
“…….”
“If you are fine with such a life, I shall help you preserve it.”
Watching silently from the side, Hyeonhak let out a low groan.
It was a profoundly humiliating demand.
There was no way this boy, who had just woken up and was searching his surroundings with the sharp instincts of a beast, would submissively accept such terms.
Master was not the type of person to attach conditions like this when saving a life.
Hyeonhak couldn’t understand why he was being so harsh toward a mere child.
No matter how dangerous the seeds he saw within him might be….
It was then.
Ryang blinked twice.
“……!”
“Indeed.”
And as if he had known Ryang would answer that way, Cheong-ui Sanin smiled softly and gave Hyeonhak instructions.
“Hyeonhak.”
“…Yes.”
“Why are you standing there instead of treating him?”
“…….”
“Ah, and make sure you heal not just the Gu Poison, but the whip wounds as well, so that no scars remain. You can do that, right?”
“…Yes, I understand.”
He clicked his tongue and shook his head with feigned nonchalance.
“To do such a thing to a boy with such a handsome physique. Those Demonic Cult bastards, I swear.”
As if he had never been the one to dampen the atmosphere, he tossed out the light words and gestured toward Hyeonhak.
“Then, I shall be off.”
“Yes, then please—”
It was then.
“…Don’t.”
A faint voice drifted from Ryang.
“Have you already broken the pressure point seal?”
Cheong-ui Sanin looked at Ryang with a slightly surprised expression.
“You shouldn’t have been able to move for at least two hours…. What did you just say?”
Ryang pressed his mangled hand against his heart, slowly forcing his stiff body upright.
“I said, do not worry. My life from now on is—”
The remaining words reached only Cheong-ui Sanin’s ears before vanishing.
“…….”
The corners of Cheong-ui Sanin’s mouth slowly curled upward.
“Those words… I shall watch to see if you keep them.”
A midday on Cheongsanbong, where clouds drifted lazily by.
“Soso, I heard you caused some trouble?”
Danhwi suddenly appeared behind me and playfully ruffled my hair.
“Gah! You scared me…!”
I had been sitting blankly by the stream and looked up, startled.
“I’m back.”
“Danhwi-sahyeong!”
Danhwi, who hadn’t been seen for a while, was grinning at me.
He had vanished immediately after returning from Hwangun County to take on another mission, and it seemed he had just returned.
“Did you have a safe trip?”
“Yeah. Obviously.”
Danhwi plopped down beside me and continued.
“But are you trying to change the subject?”
“Ugh….”
His voice was full of mischief; he was clearly intent on teasing me.
I tried to scoot away from him, but he caught me and pulled me down to sit on his lap.
“Eek!”
“You little rascal. Bringing a member of the Demonic Cult onto Cheongsanbong…. Quite bold, aren’t we?”
I had no choice but to start making excuses.
“No… he’s not a member of the Demonic Cult, he was just a kidnapped kid.”
“He’s a member of the Demonic Cult regardless.”
Danhwi snorted, then lowered his voice to ask another question.
“That’s the kid from before, isn’t it?”
“…….”
Danhwi had seen Ryang standing across from me when he rescued me from the encounter with the Demonic Cult.
Even if I tried to deny it, he wouldn’t have forgotten.
Reluctantly, I nodded very slowly.
“I knew it.”
Danhwi slapped his knee and spoke in a triumphant voice.
“Didn’t I tell you not to go around pitying people from the Demonic Cult? And you even dragged Hyeonhak-hyung into this.”
“…I promised I wouldn’t do it again.”
“Really?”
Danhwi gave me a look that said he didn’t find me very trustworthy.
It was understandable. I had only been on Cheongsanbong for a short time, yet I had already brought home a child from the outside—and one from the Demonic Cult at that—out of pity. He probably felt he needed to put his foot down.
However, I had a reason that would help Danhwi understand.
“This time… Samokseon-nim told me that acting according to my heart’s desire would lengthen my life… so I was stubborn.”
It was an excuse I hadn’t been able to use with Master because I had been too overwhelmed by guilt and gratitude.
“But even if Samokseon-nim says so in the future, I won’t do it again. I saw how much Master worried when I went down without a word. And I got hurt this much, too.”
When I held up my hand, which was still thickly wrapped in bandages, Danhwi asked back in a flustered tone.
“Ah, Samokseon-nim said that?”
“Yes.”
Danhwi stared intently at my bandaged hand again, then fell into deep thought.
“…….”
After agonizing over it for a long time, he finally opened his lips with difficulty.
“…Right, well. If that’s the case.”
