Chapter 29: Interrogated
Jin Gwangung raced madly through the mountains with me hanging from one arm.
The fierce wind battered my face, and the training ground disappeared from sight in an instant.
After running for quite some time, he finally stopped in a remote place with no one around.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Jin Gwangung roughly threw me toward the dirt.
By now, I had already been tossed around like luggage several times.
So I had prepared for it.
I adjusted my body in midair and landed naturally on my feet.
Not even a speck of dust rose from the ground.
The moment I landed, Jin Gwangung began his interrogation.
“All right. Now tell me everything.”
“How the hell did you learn the Flowing Flower Kunlun Sword?”
He went straight for the heart of the matter without giving me any time to think.
He was clearly trying to pressure the truth out of me.
But who was I?
Han Mujin.
If I added together my previous life and the life before my regression, I had lived well over sixty years.
I had been through every kind of hardship imaginable.
Did he really think this little bit of pressure would shake me?
I immediately gave the answer I had prepared beforehand.
“It is exactly as I explained during the Elders' Lecture Gathering.”
“I happened to read the Flowing Flower Kunlun Sword manual, and strangely enough, I could understand it very easily.”
Jin Gwangung snorted.
“Don't give me that nonsense.”
“Countless Kunlun masters studied that thing until they nearly killed themselves and still couldn't understand it.”
His eyes narrowed.
“And you're telling me you just happened to succeed?”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It is the truth, Master.”
I looked at him with complete sincerity.
“How could I possibly dare lie in front of you?”
“Look at this brat.”
Jin Gwangung's eyes flashed.
“You keep spouting shameless lies right to my face.”
He cracked his fingers.
“If you don't tell me the truth right now, I'll rip that tongue out of your mouth.”
He kneaded both hands as if he might actually do it.
This crazy old monster really has lost his mind.
No matter how suspicious he was...
what kind of master threatened to tear out the tongue of his one and only direct disciple?
Still...
this was exactly when I needed to push harder.
If I got scared and suddenly changed my story, I would only make him more suspicious.
Besides...
if I keep denying it, what can he actually do?
Even Kunlun's Mad Bear couldn't seriously hurt me right now.
I absolutely had to attend tonight's banquet as the winner of the Elders' Lecture Gathering.
Would he really send me in front of the Sect Leader and the Righteous Alliance envoy with my tongue ripped out?
Now that I had something to rely on...
this was simply a battle of nerve.
I suddenly dropped to my knees.
Then I looked up at Jin Gwangung with watery eyes.
"...Why are you suddenly kneeling?"
For the first time...
Jin Gwangung looked genuinely confused.
Perfect.
I immediately continued.
“A lie?!”
“Sob... how unfair!”
I trembled dramatically.
“I only told you the truth, yet how can my own master refuse to believe me?”
“K-Knock it off.”
Jin Gwangung frowned.
“Why the hell are you crying?”
“Waaaaah!”
I ignored him.
“I once heard the words of an ancient sage.”
“The bond between master and disciple is the continuation of the bond between parent and child from a previous life.”
I choked back fake sobs.
“What life could possibly be more miserable than that of a child who cannot earn his own parent's trust?”
"...You're crying way too hard for something like this."
I immediately raised the intensity.
“I already lost my father when I was young....”
I lowered my head.
“That is why, after you accepted me as your disciple, I resolved to respect and serve you as though you were my late father.”
I began sobbing even harder.
“And yet I cannot even earn the trust of the master I regard as my own father....”
“I am unworthy of living!”
“W-Wait....”
“WAAAAAAAH!”
I wailed like both of my parents had just died in front of me.
Jin Gwangung simply stared.
His face clearly said...
What the hell is happening?
And I wasn't finished.
“If, as Master said, tearing out my tongue is the only way to prove my honesty...”
I clenched my jaw.
“Then I shall do it.”
“What?”
Jin Gwangung's eyes widened.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Shiiing.
I drew the sword from my back with my right hand.
Then...
with a tragic expression...
I brought the blade toward my mouth as though I were about to cut off my own tongue.
“Stop!”
Jin Gwangung reacted in horror and immediately grabbed my wrist.
Got you.
I celebrated inwardly and pushed even harder.
“Let go of me!”
“What use is this worthless tongue if I cannot even earn the trust of the master I regard as my father?”
“A-All right!”
His face twisted.
“I believe you!”
“I said I believe you, so stop!”
“Please!”
Only after he repeatedly stopped me did I finally lower the sword as though reluctantly giving in.
Then I spoke in a miserable voice.
“Then... do you believe me now?”
Jin Gwangung groaned.
“Ugh....”
“Fine.”
“For now... I'll believe you.”
His tone sounded extremely reluctant.
His expression still carried traces of doubt.
Hmm.
He still doesn't look completely convinced.
For a second...
I considered raising the sword again.
Then I decided against it.
Something told me that if I threatened to cut off my tongue a second time...
this crazy old man might actually tell me to go ahead.
After a short pause, I bowed my head.
“Thank you for believing this foolish disciple.”
“From now on, I will train even harder and serve you with even greater sincerity.”
“Ahem.”
Jin Gwangung cleared his throat.
Then he stared directly at my face.
Why does he keep looking at me?
Don't tell me he still has something else to question.
Sure enough...
his mouth opened again.
“...There is one more thing bothering me.”
“What is it this time, Master?”
“Your internal energy.”
“My internal energy?”
Jin Gwangung's brow slowly furrowed.
“The level of the Flowing Flower Kunlun Sword you demonstrated wasn't something that could be achieved merely by understanding the forms.”
“To continuously connect those broken sword paths and leave such complete sword lines in the air...”
He studied me carefully.
“you would need at least fifteen years of internal energy.”
"..."
“But when I first saw you in the Martial Training Hall...”
“you definitely didn't have anywhere near that amount.”
His gaze sharpened.
“Explain.”
It was a sharp question.
Even if I had somehow understood the Flowing Flower Kunlun Sword...
that wouldn't explain how my internal energy had increased so dramatically in such a short time.
But...
I had expected this question as well.
Naturally...
I had prepared the answer.
I deliberately hesitated.
“...There is actually a story behind that.”
“A story?”
“My late father left behind a medicinal treasure for me.”
I lowered my voice.
“I had carried it since childhood...”
“and recently, I finally consumed it.”
“A medicinal treasure?”
Jin Gwangung's eyes narrowed.
“What kind?”
I pretended to be nervous.
“I don't know its exact name.”
“I only know that it was made by grinding the petals of a very special flower.”
“Ground flower petals?”
He frowned.
“And eating that increased your internal energy?”
