Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Now This Is the Feeling

The Demonic Cult.

They proudly called themselves the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

But throughout the martial world, that name meant only one thing.

A common enemy.

An enemy that had to be destroyed.

For hundreds of years, the Demonic Cult had been one of the greatest sources of chaos in the Central Plains.

Sometimes, they secretly spread their influence and rotted factions from within.

At other times, they started massive wars and drowned the entire martial world in blood.

Every major faction of the Central Plains, including the Nine Great Sects and One Union, constantly watched the Demonic Cult's movements.

Kunlun was especially sensitive to them because of its location.

If the Demonic Cult ever launched a full invasion of the Central Plains...

Kunlun would be the first place consumed by war.

Around ten years ago, a group of Demonic Cult scouts had infiltrated close to one of the mountain paths leading into Kunlun.

Kunlun disciples on patrol encountered them.

After a fierce battle...

dozens of disciples died.

For Kunlun, that incident remained a nightmare that nobody had forgotten.

That was why being accused of having connections to the Demonic Cult was practically the same as receiving a death sentence.

And now...

that bastard Myeonghun had dared to accuse me of being a spy for the Demonic Cult.

A spy of the Demonic Cult?

What kind of ridiculous bullshit is that?

Far from being their spy...

in my previous life, I had fought against the Demonic Cult and burned alive inside the Myriad Tribulation Flame.

And now he wanted to call me their spy?

So you're trying to bury me here.

Fine.

Let's see who ends up buried today.

I looked coldly toward Myeonghun and his group.

Just moments ago, they had been terrified whenever our eyes met.

But now they had suddenly regained confidence.

They shouted with veins bulging in their necks.

"Look at those evil eyes!"

"He's definitely a spy of the Demonic Cult!"

"Fellow Disciple Myeonghun is right!"

"Arrest him immediately!"

"You must interrogate him and uncover every hidden member of the Demonic Cult!"

Their accusations were nothing more than nonsense to me.

But the situation surrounding me was becoming dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Every time they said "Demonic Cult spy," the killing intent around me grew heavier.

The Martial Discipline Office warriors glared at me as though they might draw their swords at any moment.

Hall Master Hyeonyul and the young martial artist beside him also wore serious expressions.

It wouldn't have been strange if my head rolled across the floor right now.

"You evil Demonic Cult bastard!"

"Kneel immediately and confess your crimes before Hall Master Hyeonyul!"

"Tell us where the Demonic Cult remnants hiding you are!"

Their shouts cut through the silence.

They smiled at me as if they had already won.

But...

there was actually someone enjoying this situation even more than them.

Me.

Yes.

Keep barking.

Today, I'll show you exactly what hell looks like.

At first, I had only intended to guarantee the safety of the Event Hall workers and end things there.

But these bastards had gone far beyond that point.

I'll make you painfully understand how badly you screwed up.

I took a short breath.

Then I looked directly at Hyeonyul.

"They are accusing me of being a spy of the Demonic Cult."

"If I truly am such a person, then naturally I should surrender my life here."

Hyeonyul's expression changed slightly.

His brows narrowed.

"So what are you trying to say?"

"Can you prove their accusation is false?"

"Before that, there is one thing I would like to ask you, Hall Master Hyeonyul."

"You want to ask me something?"

Hyeonyul looked at me with interest.

I spoke calmly but firmly.

"I have heard that the Martial Discipline Office considers protecting Kunlun's laws and discipline its highest duty."

"Is that correct?"

"Correct."

His answer was immediate.

"That is why the Martial Discipline Office exists."

I nodded.

"Then those who attempt to damage and undermine the very foundation of Kunlun would also receive severe punishment."

"Obviously."

Hyeonyul looked impatient.

"Get to your point."

I raised my voice.

"Then I would like to make an accusation here and now."

My words echoed through the Martial Discipline Office.

A strange silence followed.

Everyone looked at me curiously.

Even Hyeonyul waited with suspicion.

I deliberately allowed the silence to continue for a moment.

Then...

I spoke clearly.

"Kunlun is a martial sect that follows the Dao and righteousness."

"At the very front of that righteous path stand our First Elders."

"If there are people who dare falsely accuse one of those First Elders of being a spy of the Demonic Cult..."

I paused.

"then those people are the true demons attempting to shake Kunlun from its roots."

I raised my arm and pointed directly toward Myeonghun's group.

"Those shameless villains who tried to destroy Kunlun's foundation are standing right there."

"I, Han Mujin, formally accuse those wicked men before the Martial Discipline Office!"

The instant I finished...

Myeonghun's group exploded.

"W-What?!"

"Ridiculous!"

"When did we ever accuse a First Elder of..."

"Silence!"

Hyeonyul's shout immediately shut them up.

His gaze returned to me.

"Be very careful with every word you say from this moment onward."

His voice turned cold.

"If you made such an accusation without evidence, you will be severely punished here and now."

Before his warning even finished...

I pulled something from inside my clothes.

Then I raised it high.

Every eye inside the Martial Discipline Office immediately focused on the object in my hand.

A small, old wooden token.

"What is that?"

"There's something written on it..."

"Kunlun Secret Archive... Seal of the Secret Archive?"

"Did Kunlun even have a position like that?"

Whispers spread throughout the room.

Most people looked confused.

But one person's reaction was completely different.

Hyeonyul.

The instant he recognized the wooden token...

his eyes widened.

"That token..."

His expression showed surprise for the first time.

"Could it be...?"

I nodded.

"Correct."

"It is the Abandoned Martial Hall Master's token."

Hyeonyul frowned.

"The owner of that token should be someone else."

"Why do you have it?"

His tone toward me had already become noticeably more cautious.

My lips slowly curved upward.

He clearly knew that the token had belonged to Jin Gwangung.

I answered confidently.

"It belongs to me now."

"The previous Hall Master of the Abandoned Martial Hall transferred his authority to me."

Hyeonyul's eyes narrowed.

"Don't tell me..."

"Are you the 'representative' chosen by First Elder Gwangung?"

Oh?

He already knew that too.

He was more informed than he looked.

Then it was time to reveal everything.

"Yes."

"My name is Han Mujin."

"I am the current Hall Master of the Abandoned Martial Hall and the direct disciple of First Elder Jin Gwangung."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Another silence fell.

But this silence was completely different from before.

Everyone stared between Hyeonyul and me in disbelief.

Only Myeonghun's group still seemed unable to understand the situation.

"Abandoned Martial Hall?"

"Direct disciple of First Elder Gwangung?"

"That's a lie!"

Myeonghun shouted.

"How could some worthless servant possibly be the direct disciple of a First Elder?!"

I briefly glanced at him.

Then I looked back at Hyeonyul.

"Do you believe I am lying?"

Hyeonyul slowly shook his head.

"No."

"Possession of that Hall Master's token alone proves your identity."

"Unless First Elder Gwangung personally allowed it, nobody in Kunlun could possess that token."

The young martial artist beside Hyeonyul stared sharply at me.

It wasn't simple curiosity.

His eyes looked as though he wanted to see through me.

What's with this bastard?

Why is he glaring at me?

His stare annoyed me.

But I ignored it for now.

There were more urgent matters.

Namely...

cleaning up the trash in front of me.

I took a deep breath.

Then spoke firmly.

"I am the Hall Master of the Abandoned Martial Hall, one of Kunlun's official Halls."

"Yet there are people here who falsely accused me of being a spy for the Demonic Cult."

I slowly turned toward Myeonghun's group.

"Not only that..."

"They even accused my master, First Elder Jin Gwangung, one of the great pillars of Kunlun, of being a member of the Demonic Cult."

The more I spoke...

the paler their faces became.

At first, they had sneered as though everything was ridiculous.

Now they trembled with terror.

I had absolutely no intention of showing mercy.

"Furthermore..."

I continued.

"they threatened and assaulted Event Hall members who belong to the same Kunlun Sect."

Now it was time to finish them.

I pointed directly toward them.

"These wicked men trampled Kunlun's laws, disturbed the sect's discipline, insulted a master of the sect, and harmed innocent members!"

The room became heavier with every word.

None of those accusations could be treated lightly.

Everyone remained silent and waited for me to continue.

I took one step forward.

"If the Martial Discipline Office truly exists to uphold Kunlun's laws..."

"then these men should be corrected first."

"That is the path to strengthening Kunlun's foundation and preserving the name of martial righteousness."

Silence.

Heavy.

Sharp.

Nobody dared speak casually.

Finally...

Hyeonyul looked toward Myeonghun.

"...Do you have anything to say regarding what has been stated here?"

Myeonghun's face stiffened.

His lips trembled.

"I-I only..."

He swallowed.

"He looked suspicious, so I thought there was a chance he might be connected to the Demonic Cult..."

Hyeonyul's voice dropped even lower.

"So without confirming anything..."

"you dared accuse a First Elder's direct disciple of being a spy of the Demonic Cult?"

Myeonghun's forehead became covered in sweat.

He couldn't answer.

His eyes simply moved nervously from side to side.

"What exactly made him suspicious?"

Hyeonyul asked.

"Was it merely because you disliked him?"

Silence.

Myeonghun looked as though his tongue had disappeared.

Hyeonyul slowly stood from his chair.

"The Martial Discipline Office exists to protect Kunlun's rules and laws."

Then his gaze became cold.

"And you have violated those very laws in a manner that cannot be overlooked."

"H-Hall Master Hyeonyul!"

Myeonghun panicked.

"This is unfair! I only..."

"Silence!"

Hyeonyul's sharp shout froze him in place.

"You already crossed the line simply by failing to control your tongue."

A heavy silence followed.

Then...

the judgment came.

"Warriors of the Martial Discipline Office, listen!"

"Arrest those men immediately!"

"Their crimes include false accusation, threats, assault, and disturbing Kunlun's discipline."

"In the name of the Martial Discipline Office, they will be detained and later subjected to strict interrogation and punishment!"

"Yes!"

The enforcers moved simultaneously.

Myeonghun's group tried to run.

Too late.

They were subdued almost instantly.

"We were wrong!"

"P-Please, just one chance!"

"Hall Master Mujin!"

Another man cried desperately.

"P-Please forgive us! Please spare us!"

Their begging accomplished nothing.

The Martial Discipline Office warriors roughly grabbed their arms.

Thick ropes bound their wrists.

They were forced to their knees and thrown onto the floor.

All the arrogance they had shown while mocking me earlier was gone.

Now...

they trembled with terrified faces and begged for forgiveness.

Seeing them like that...

I couldn't stop a laugh.

If you're going to falsely accuse someone...

then you should be ready to pay the price.

I slowly walked forward.

The kneeling bastards stared only at my feet and trembled.

A smile naturally spread across my face.

Now this is the feeling.

Isn't this exactly why people regress?