Chapter 566: It Wasn't Bad Because I Was With You

TL: FoodieMonster007

"You intended to join this martial arts academy?"

Seo Jin's answer was an instinctive choice. It was a sudden decision born from the realization that she had to enter this place. She needed to uncover the truth behind the death of her Orabeoni, Lim Hyeon.

"I was planning to learn martial arts at the place where my Orabeoni was."

Seo Jin let out a sigh.

"But now that my Orabeoni is dead…"

She spoke with an air of someone troubled and unsure of what to do next.

At that moment, she had to appear more worried about herself than saddened by Lim Hyeon's death. His passing was sad, but her own concerns needed to seem more pressing. She carefully crafted their relationship to appear just like that.

If she seemed overly sad or insisted on joining no matter what, it would be obvious that she was entering to investigate Lim Hyeon's death.

I'm sorry, Orabeoni.

At first, the shock had left her unable to think. But as questions surrounding Lim Hyeon's death surfaced, her mind began to work with a cold clarity.

"Even if Master Lim were here, you would have had to take the test to get in."

"I'm confident I can pass the test."

"Then take the test and come in. Our martial arts academy always gives everyone a chance, anytime."

Gi Seok spoke in a tone that suggested he didn't care whether she joined or not. From this perspective, he seemed to have no connection to Lim Hyeon's death.

"I think I need to think about it. Whether I can attend a place without my Orabeoni. I'll be going now."

As she was leaving the room, Gi Seok offered some consolation.

"Don't be too sad. You can't live as a martial artist if you dwell on life and death."

"Thank you for your words of comfort."

Seo Jin bowed politely to Gi Seok and then departed.

A short time after she left, a man entered the room. It was Pyo San, an instructor at the Yellow Dragon Academy and Gi Seok's subordinate.

When Pyo San entered, Gi Seok was standing at the window, looking down at Seo Jin as she exited the building. Pyo San came to stand beside him.

"The name Master Lim wrote down as his emergency contact was…"

His gaze also shifted to Seo Jin, who was walking far below.

"That very Seo Jin."

Gi Seok's eyes, which were fixed on her, glinted sharply.

"She didn't seem ordinary. Which family is she from?"

"The Ghost Sect."

Gi Seok turned toward Pyo San and asked again.

"The Ghost Sect?"

"Yes, that woman is the youngest daughter of the Ghost Sect's leader."

"This has become a headache."

The ghostly arts of the Ghost Sect were exceptionally difficult for an ordinary martial artist to handle.

He had considered killing her to silence her if necessary, but the situation was different if she was from the Ghost Sect's bloodline. If they killed her carelessly, the Ghost Sect would come to avenge their daughter.

"That young ghost seemed to suspect something about Master Lim's death. She'll probably try to investigate after joining."

"I'll arrange for her to fail the test."

However, Gi Seok shook his head.

"If we fail her even though she's skilled enough, she'll only become more suspicious. It's better to keep her close and monitor her than to have her snooping around from the outside."

Gi Seok turned to Pyo San and gave an order.

"If she joins, you will take charge of her personally."

"……"

Gi Seok's gaze returned to Seo Jin, who was now standing far away by the training grounds.

She had stopped for a moment and was observing the members as they trained.

An image formed in her mind. Everyone around her vanished, leaving Lim Hyeon to lie alone and bleeding in the vast training ground.

…Orabeoni.

Once she was alone after leaving Gi Seok's office, the grief finally began to wash over her in earnest.

Her own Orabeoni, who had only studied the Great Law with their father since childhood, was no fun. Lim Hyeon was the one who played with her. He would ask her Orabeoni to play first, and after being rejected, he would call for her.

[Jin, let's go catch cicadas!]

[I have to study. Father will scold me!]

[Study later, let's go catch cicadas!]

It was the same even when she was a little older.

[Jin, a performance troupe came to the village. Let's go see!]

[My Orabeoni gave me something to do. If I just go, my Orabeoni will scold me!]

[I won't regret it even if I get scolded! They say it's a really fun performance!]

For her, a life spent studying the Great Law felt suffocating. Lim Hyeon was more than just a neighborhood Orabeoni. He was a breath of fresh air.

She once had an argument about the Great Law research and had shouted at the Ghostly Sage.

[Let's say the Great Regression Technique is possible, just like you said, Orabeoni. If you go back to the past, what are you going to do? Are you going to lock yourself up and research again? You've achieved regression, so are you going to research reincarnation? If you thought of something else instead… Orabeoni, aren't we living the wrong lives? Shouldn't we be living that life right now? The life you want to live when you go back, shouldn't you be living that?]

Thinking back on it now, Lim Hyeon was the person who showed her that such a life existed. It was by playing with him that she was able to see the world outside the laboratory.

However, she hadn't seen him properly for the past few years. She had once refused his request to meet because she was too tired, and another time she couldn't see him because she was just too busy. She had thought, "I'll just see him later." Just like always.

If I had known this would happen, I should have seen him then.

A wave of guilt washed over her, and tears welled in her eyes. She forced them back. Now was not the time for crying.

If someone murdered my Orabeoni and is covering it up, I will definitely uncover the truth.

There was more than one victim in this incident.

She herself was a victim, and so was her Orabeoni, the Ghostly Sage, who would later hear the news. They would both regret this and suffer for the rest of their lives.

She was more worried about her Orabeoni.

He had lost the only friend he had. Her Orabeoni was the one who had rejected Lim Hyeon's invitations more often, always citing his research on the Great Law.

The next day, Seo Jin took the entrance exam.

The result was just as she had expected.

"Pass!"

From the technique demonstration and the inner arts test to the final duel with an instructor, Seo Jin passed everything without a problem. Although she had mainly learned ghostly arts, she possessed the basic martial arts skills needed to enter the Yellow Dragon Academy.

"Congratulations."

The person who conducted her demonstration duel was Pyo San, Gi Seok's subordinate.

"Thank you."

Pyo San briefly explained the system of the Yellow Dragon Academy.

"New members who first enter are assigned to the White Dragon Class. After passing the White Dragon Class, you move to the Blue Dragon Class, then the Black Dragon Class, and the final class is the Yellow Dragon Class. Only after graduating from the Yellow Dragon Class are you considered a graduate of the Yellow Dragon Academy."

"How long does it usually take to complete up to the Yellow Dragon Class?"

"Those with outstanding martial talent can do it in under a year, while those without talent can't do it even after twenty years."

Now that she was inside, she could see there were a great many members.

The White Dragon Class she was joining had hundreds of members alone, with thirty instructors just to teach them.

She imagined the amount of money they must be making was enormous. Since graduation was so difficult, countless people must be paying the monthly fees endlessly.

In any case, her vague hope of finding the truth just by entering the academy was nothing more than a faint expectation. It wouldn't be easy to find someone who knew Lim Hyeon.

"Now, follow me."

Pyo San could have had a staff member guide her, but he personally took her on a tour of the martial arts academy, pointing out the purpose of each building.

He showed her the essential places a new member needed to know, including the washing area, the changing rooms, and the dining hall.

Finally, they arrived at a corner of the training grounds.

"This is where you'll be training from tomorrow. Don't be late!"

"Understood."

As Pyo San was about to turn and leave, Seo Jin suddenly asked a question.

"Instructor, do you know Master Lim?"

"I do."

"Then do you also know what kind of accident caused his death?"

Pyo San turned to look at her.

"What is your relationship with Master Lim that you're asking that?"

"He was an Orabeoni I was close with back home. The reason I wanted to come here was because of him."

Pyo San appeared to be lost in thought for a moment.

"Master Lim died during a duel with a disciple."

Seo Jin was startled by his unexpected words.

"In cases like this, the cause of death is kept secret to protect the instructor's honor."

"Who exactly was he fighting when he died?"

Pyo San's expression turned cold.

"And if you knew who it was? Are you planning to get revenge? He died in a fair duel."

"No."

"Then why do you want to know?"

Leaving the speechless Seo Jin behind, Pyo San strode away.

Watching his retreating back, Seo Jin's gaze grew cold.

He had spoken frankly and hadn't hidden anything like Gi Seok, so his words sounded truthful. However, Seo Jin didn't believe him.

He had made one mistake.

The martial artist who guided her upon her arrival had mentioned there were many instructors with the surname Lim and had asked which one she was looking for.

But just now, Pyo San had immediately answered yes when she asked if he knew Master Lim. He should have normally asked, 'Which Master Lim?'

There's only one reason he would know that.

He had already spoken with Gi Seok.

In a place with so many instructors, what were the odds that the person in charge of her test had also discussed her with Gi Seok? It meant the two of them were in this together.

You two, what are you trying to hide that you'd go this far?

The sound of chirping insects could be heard in the distance.

In the forest, Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn were circulating their energy.

They were running toward the Yellow Dragon Academy using movement arts. Lee Ahn's increased inner arts allowed her to run for a long time without rest, and her speed was now much faster than a horse.

They ran and ran. When their inner arts were depleted, they would circulate their energy, and once it was replenished, they would run again.

It was a journey of only running, with no time for proper conversation or even a proper meal, but Lee Ahn still liked it.

It was the first time she had run with Geom Mugeuk to her heart's content.

Having finished circulating her energy, Lee Ahn opened her eyes.

Geom Mugeuk must have already finished, but he remained with his eyes closed, deep in thought. His expression was so serious that she couldn't bring herself to speak to him.

Geom Mugeuk was recalling the events of that day long ago.

"Seo Jin!"

When he arrived after frantically using his movement arts, Seo Jin was collapsed on the ground. In the distance, he could see the back of the culprit fleeing rapidly.

All he could see was long, flowing white hair.

He couldn't give chase. Seo Jin's condition was critical.

"Stay with me!"

He pressed Seo Jin's acupoints to stop the bleeding, but the wound was too deep. It was a miracle she hadn't died instantly from such a severe injury.

"Just hold on a little longer!"

He was about to carry Seo Jin to a physician when she grabbed his arm.

"It's no use."

She had a premonition of her own death.

Seeing the despair that filled Geom Mugeuk's face, she forced a smile.

"It's okay, my friend."

"I'm not okay."

Geom Mugeuk let out a deep sigh.

She was his only friend. She was a friend and a source of hope.

If he hadn't heard about the Great Regression Technique from her, he wouldn't have struggled so desperately to survive. He would have either taken his own life or sought out Hwa Mugi and died a pointless death.

"When you meet my Orabeoni later, please tell him. That I lived a life with no regrets before I left."

With a burst of terminal lucidity, her eyes cleared. She spoke distinctly, as if she weren't injured at all.

"Please tell my Orabeoni not to live a life just researching the Great Law, but to live his own life."

"I will. I'll be sure to tell him."

Instead of letting go, Seo Jin squeezed Geom Mugeuk's hand tightly.

"This life as a mercenary… it wasn't bad because I was with you."

Geom Mugeuk's heart ached. While living as a mercenary, he had never attached meaning to any death. But now, he was so angry he felt like he would explode.

"I'm sure you'll be able to return to the past."

As her eyes slowly closed, Geom Mugeuk shouted. There was something she had to hear before she died.

"Who was that bastard from before? Who was the one who killed you?"

Seo Jin looked at Geom Mugeuk and gave one last smile.

"…Just think about your own revenge."

Seo Jin's eyes fluttered shut.

When her eyes had closed completely, Geom Mugeuk opened his.

Seo Jin had told him not to seek revenge, but he had tenaciously hunted the bastard down and had his revenge.

It was only after that did he go to see the Ghostly Sage. He couldn't face him without avenging her. He couldn't deliver her message until he had first gotten revenge.

Lee Ahn asked cautiously.

"Why so serious? Did you have a bad dream?"

Geom Mugeuk's serious expression slowly relaxed, and he smiled at Lee Ahn.

"I dreamed I lent you money and never got it back."

Lee Ahn smiled faintly. Who did you lose in your dream, Young Master?

"How much did I borrow? If I was going to skip out on it, I wish I'd taken a huge amount. To the Lee Ahn in my dream, at least you live well!"

Geom Mugeuk laughed cheerfully at Lee Ahn's banter.

"Shall I give you a piggyback ride for old times' sake?"

Knowing he meant they should use the Swift Step to go faster, Lee Ahn hopped onto Geom Mugeuk's back.

Lee Ahn whispered in Geom Mugeuk's ear.

"I'd like to borrow some money tooooooo!"

From the next day, Seo Jin's life at the Yellow Dragon Academy officially began.

She learned martial arts from Pyo San alongside the other new members who had joined around the same time.

After three training sessions a day, the rest of the time was free. They could either go home or stay and practice their martial arts.

After her first training session ended, Seo Jin was looking around the academy.

Today was her chance. Since it was her first day of training, she could go anywhere. The excuse of not knowing the layout would only work today, even if she entered a restricted area.

As she wandered through the various parts of the Yellow Dragon Academy, she drew a map in her mind.

The deeper she went into the academy, the more the color of the martial arts uniforms changed. They went from white to blue, and further in, to black. Naturally, the qi of the members grew sharper and more powerful.

No one paid her any mind until she reached the Black Dragon Class area. But when she entered the area where people wore yellow uniforms, someone finally stopped her.

"What is a member of the White Dragon Class doing all the way out here?"

From the Yellow Dragon Class area onward, there were guards posted at every entrance. Judging by their yellow uniforms, they also seemed to be martial artists from the Yellow Dragon Class.

"Today is my first day. I was just looking around out of curiosity."

At the mention of it being her first day, the martial artist's cold expression softened somewhat.

"You can't enter here. Go back."

The martial artist was about to send her away curtly.

"A new recruit?"

Seo Jin turned at the voice that came from behind her.

A man with long, flowing white hair was walking toward them.