Chapter 86: Another Self (1)

Yong Hwarin swallowed a scream in shock at the unbelievable words.

‘That masked man is you? How, you’re in my body, so how can that be…?’

‘That’s what I’m saying! Go after him. I need to find out what’s going on too.’

After thinking for a moment, Yong Hwarin leapt in the direction the masked man had disappeared to.

As Yong Hwarin gave chase, the group followed him.

The fleeing masked man seemed annoyed by the half-torn mask and flung it away.

That was when Yong Hwarin got a clear look at his face.

‘That’s definitely the face of my younger self.’

‘He’s not young. That’s a middle-aged face.’

‘Shut up. That’s not the point. I never imagined that, having returned to the past, I would exist here again. No, that’s not quite right…’

‘…?’

‘The current me only exists as a spirit and has no physical form, so maybe I don’t even truly exist!’

Being able to speculate so calmly in such a situation proved he was indeed an old man who had lived long enough.

The middle-aged Demonic Master glanced briefly at Yong Hwarin, who was following him, and then sped up his movement arts.

Judging by how he could move at that speed while carrying Deung Hwaun under his arm, his level of movement arts was clear.

Just as Yong Hwarin was about to draw upon the Demonic Master’s energy to perform Soaring Dragon Ascent again, suddenly a plume of blue smoke burst up from the spot the middle-aged Demonic Master had just been.

‘Fall back thirty jang!’

At the Demonic Master’s urgent voice in his head, Yong Hwarin halted his forward charge and threw himself backward.

‘That’s a poison I used frequently in my younger days. A single breath of it melts your lungs—a deadly poison with no antidote!’

When Yong Hwarin turned to pursue the middle-aged Demonic Master again, a restraining voice echoed in his mind.

‘Don’t chase him.’

At those words, Yong Hwarin withdrew the energy he had been about to summon.

In his vision, he could see the Demonic Master escaping.

‘Why not? If we go after him now, we can grab his tail!’

‘If we do that, he might head somewhere completely different. I think I know where he’s going.’

Yong Hwarin could clearly sense the Demonic Master’s confusion at encountering his middle-aged self.

‘Are you alright?’

‘I’m not alright! How would you feel if another you existed while you’re still alive and breathing?’

‘But being a soul doesn’t mean you’re alive, does it? Then why did you tell me to go after him earlier?’

‘He—no, he’s not a “he,” he’s me—rescued Deung Hwaun and ran off. I wanted to confirm if it was really me.’

Yong Hwarin tilted his head in confusion.

‘Do you not know why he rescued Deung Hwaun?’

‘Would I have followed if I did? That’s something I never did.’

Only then did Yong Hwarin realize that not just himself, but even the Demonic Master’s life had been altered.

‘Everything I said when I fought Self-Revolving Blood Demon was true. But I never saved Deung Hwaun. No—in fact, Self-Revolving Blood Demon didn’t die at your hands. He died later, killed by Deung Hwaun. Him dying to you, and me saving her—none of that happened in our previous life.’

The Demonic Master was clearly flustered by the events that even he did not understand.

‘But what did you mean when you said you know where he’s going?’

‘I had forgotten, but at that age, there’s only one place I know in this area. That’s the only place he could be going.’

‘Are we heading there now?’

For some reason, Yong Hwarin sensed hesitation from the Demonic Master.

‘Even if we go, we can’t bring along those riffraff. In my younger days, I had martial prowess on par with Self-Revolving Blood Demon. If we’re discovered while tailing him, we could be killed by the younger me. You can’t possibly handle my younger self at your current level. Imagine how absurd it would be for me to be killed by me.’

‘Was the Demonic Master at this time someone who killed people recklessly?’

At Yong Hwarin’s question, the Demonic Master remained silent for a moment before opening his mouth.

‘I never killed people recklessly, not even until the day I died. You must never forget why I was called the Demonic Master among the Three Demonic Heavens. They gave me that alias because I was worthy of respect. At that time, I was under the care of Blood Demon Castle. That was when I met Self-Revolving Blood Demon and Deung Hwaun. Back then, I still followed the demonic path as a proper practitioner of it—at least until that incident happened…’

Yong Hwarin felt the killing intent rise within him under the influence of the Demonic Master.

Watching from behind, Mo Biyoung was startled when the Young Master suddenly exuded killing intent.

“Young Master! What’s the matter?”

At her voice, Yong Hwarin quickly suppressed the Demonic Master’s killing intent.

“I became momentarily enraged after letting those people escape.”

“Now that they’re busy running away, I don’t think they’ll pose any more trouble.”

At Mo Biyoung’s words, Yong Hwarin nodded.

“Let’s return.”

Yong Hwarin led the group back.

Considering how desperately he had pursued them as if they had to be caught no matter what, the group tilted their heads in confusion when Yong Hwarin gave up so easily.

Upon returning to the city gate, Yong Hwarin saw several people waiting for them.

“I heard it’s a great occasion that the Heavenly Sword Hero has emerged in Henan. This humble monk is one of the Shaolin Eighteen Arhats—Monk Gak Woo.”

The oldest of the four monks was their Senior Brother.

It turned out all four monks were part of the Shaolin Eighteen Arhats—Senior Brothers Gak Pung, Gak Un, and Gak Yoo.

The Shaolin Eighteen Arhats held highly important positions within Shaolin Temple and rarely ventured outside.

If they did, it was only during major events, and now that four Arhat monks had left the temple grounds, it seemed something serious was underway.

It was Yong Hwarin’s first time seeing such esteemed monks from Shaolin.

“It is an honor for me, Yong Hwarin, the Final Flame of the Martial World, to meet the Arhat Monks. Do you have something to say to me?”

Gak Woo looked at Yong Hwarin and marveled inwardly.

Among the prodigies he had seen lately, this young man stood out like a crane among chickens.

Not only was his demeanor upright, but his respectful gaze was not just for show. And the subtle pressure that emanated from him was remarkable for someone his age.

However, there was a faint, strange aura about Yong Hwarin that slightly unsettled him.

“You were just pursuing some villains—do you know who they are?”

“No. It was my first time seeing them. But because Self-Revolving Blood Demon died fighting me, I believe a woman presumed to be his wife is trying to take revenge on me.”

Gak Woo nodded.

“I see.”

After pondering for a moment, Gak Woo joined his hands and spoke.

“Then this is where we part. Those villains use strange poisons, so I suggest you be cautious from now on, Great Hero Yong.”

Yong Hwarin asked Gak Woo a question.

“Forgive my impertinence, but may I ask what brought you here?”

Gak Woo paused to consider before replying.

“We humble monks are pursuing a thief who infiltrated the temple grounds.”

No one could guess what item had been stolen to warrant pursuit by Arhat monks.

But there was no room to probe further, so they exchanged parting words.

“If there’s ever anything you need from my family, don’t hesitate to contact us. You’ll find the Heavenly Central Sect in Hayun County, not far from here.”

“Even your kind offer is appreciated. We humble monks will now take our leave.”

The monks from Shaolin indeed exuded a bright and righteous aura.

And being Arhat monks, there was something sacred about the atmosphere surrounding them.

As the four Arhat monks departed, Namwook muttered.

“They truly are Arhats of Shaolin.”

Mo Biyoung also let out a breath of admiration.

“Among all the masters I’ve seen, they have the clearest and purest aura. With so many such masters in Shaolin, it’s no wonder they hold the leading seat among the Nine Sects, One Alliance.”

From this alone, one could see the position Shaolin held.

It seemed Mo Biyoung and the Twin Dragons of Fury were stirred to some fighting spirit by the Arhat monks.

Jong Munhye expressed doubt more than admiration.

“It’s rare for Arhat monks to leave Shaolin, so it’s strange they would come out just to chase a thief.”

Jong Seok stroked his chin.

“Right. Whatever was stolen must not be ordinary.”

“Exactly. Otherwise, would even four Arhat monks go after a thief?”

Four Arhat monks alone possessed martial prowess enough to wipe out dozens of smaller sects in an instant.

“It does make one curious. What did that thief steal?”

Yong Hwarin’s group left behind the meeting with the Shaolin Arhat monks and sought out an inn.

Due to various delays, they ended up staying past nightfall and decided to depart the next day.

Yong Hwarin had initially intended to push ahead even if it meant camping outdoors since his family’s estate was nearby, but the Demonic Master persuaded him otherwise.

‘There’s a place I must visit alone, and in secret.’

‘Is it where he is?’

Although the word used was “he,” the Demonic Master already knew all too well that it referred to the middle-aged version of himself.

‘Yes.’

Yong Hwarin, for the first time, decided to grant the Demonic Master’s request.

But simply granting a request was something Yong Hwarin, who had lived his whole life as a merchant, could not do.

‘I’m sorry, but I can’t willingly walk into danger because of your business, Elder. You said your younger self was at a level comparable to Self-Revolving Blood Demon, didn’t you? If someone like that happens to discover me, I won’t be able to get away. I might die. You know my current level, don’t you?’

As Yong Hwarin started whining about the danger, the Demonic Master let out a groan.

‘Ugh! Aren’t you curious too?’

‘About what? That the middle-aged Demonic Master saved Deung Hwaun? Why should I be curious? You said the two of you had that kind of relationship. Then maybe he was just trying to save his lover, right?’

‘You damned brat!’

The Demonic Master released killing intent, but Yong Hwarin, who had reached a level where he could now contain such pressure, didn’t even bother to respond.

‘This is important to me. I have to know why Deung Hwaun was saved.’

‘I can’t risk my life over something like that.’

After a moment of silence, the Demonic Master spoke.

‘What do you want?’

Yong Hwarin smiled.

At last, the Demonic Master had said the words he wanted to hear.

‘In the future, you must listen carefully to what I say. For example, if I ask you to teach me your martial arts, you must agree.’

‘So that was your goal, you fat bastard! You pig!’

Perhaps it was out of anger, but recalling the Yong Hwarin he met at his death, the Demonic Master started spouting curses.

‘And please hold back on the insults. It’s not pleasant hearing you curse me inside my own head.’

‘Ugh!’

From the throbbing in his head, Yong Hwarin could feel the Demonic Master holding back his rising rage.

‘Fine. I’ll hold back the insults. But I can’t teach you all my martial arts. I’ll limit it to two techniques.’

However, as a merchant, Yong Hwarin had no reason to accept that so easily.

‘Are you saying I should risk my life for just two martial arts? Isn’t that a bit shameless?’

‘What? You brat—’

‘Insult!’

‘You… damn! If you make me angry, there’ll be consequences!’

Without responding further to the Demonic Master’s words, Yong Hwarin lay down on the bed.

That was his answer.

‘You—you damn rascal! …Fine, I’ll allow up to three.’

‘Now, five sounds like something I could work with.’

‘You—’

‘Insult!’

‘You… look like the kind of guy who’d like dog meat! Fine, five! I’ll allow up to five!’

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