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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Bobt
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Goo Poong told the three members of the Lotus Hall that they were free to roam around Kaiyang.
Jang Hong and Jang Seo-eun were extremely excited. It was their first time outside Mount Hua, so they wandered around like children who had found water.
The time limit was a day. It was because the mission would begin a day later.
For reference, the two of them hung out with Zegal Sang and Zegal Su-ran.
As the young master, Zegal Sang actively engaged in conversation with Jang Hong and Jang Seo-eun for the sake of future friendship with the Mount Hua Sect.
Jang Hong mainly showed interest in Zegal Su-ran and hovered around her.
“By the way, Junior Brother Jang, is your junior martial brother a bit of an oddball even within the Mount Hua Sect?” Zegal Sang asked.
Despite being young, Zegal Sang was originally more intelligent than others and had a good personality.
Jang Hong and Jang Seo-eun quickly followed such a Zegal Sang, and in less than a day, they became close enough to speak casually.
In response to Zegal Sang’s question, Jang Hong nodded.
“Yes, Senior Brother. That guy is called ‘Rich on the Inside, Poor on the Outside’…” Jang Hong explained in detail about Joo Seo-cheon.
“Oddballs attract oddballs, I guess,” Jang Seo-eun shrugged and couldn’t hold back a smile.
Zegal Sang had become close with Jang Hong and Jang Seo-eun. However, he hadn’t even had a proper conversation with Joo Seo-cheon.
“I never imagined that there would be a martial artist of the same age, let alone a member of the Lotus Hall, who would show interest in Seung-gye,” Zegal Sang couldn’t hide his surprise.
Joo Seo-cheon approached Zegal Seung-gye and struck up a conversation.
“Seung-gye, hello. Do you want to be secret friends with this uncle?” Joo Seo-cheon asked.
“What? You’re only two years older than me, right? What uncle? Please stop that nonsense and go away!” Zegal Seung-gye looked at Joo Seo-cheon with a dumbfounded expression.
“Wow, your uncle would be really surprised if he saw you. Seung-gye is so bold and manly. Right?” Joo Seo-cheon persistently talked to Zegal Seung-gye, who had been holed up in a corner as soon as they were given free time.
Even Zegal Seung-gye treated Joo Seo-cheon as an oddball.
“Why are you doing this to me?” Zegal Seung-gye asked.
Zegal Seung-gye himself knew that he was strange. If one didn’t know despite the gazes from those around him, they would be a foolish idiot.
“Uncle just wants to play with Seung-gye, that’s all,” Joo Seo-cheon said with a gentle smile.
“Alright, let’s start with compliments first. This kid is dangerous if provoked the wrong way,” he thought.
In his heart, he wanted to grab Zegal Seung-gye by the collar and threaten him, saying, “Hey, let’s go raid the secret treasury together!”
“To be honest, even I don’t want to say it, but it’s better not to hang out with someone like me. I’m a pathetic guy who could only learn the Minor Heavenly Star Technique and is obsessed with mechanical arts, which are meaningless in this era!” Zegal Seung-gye raised his voice with a face that looked like he was about to cry at any moment. The pent-up emotions could be felt.
In response, Joo Seo-cheon showed an understanding expression.
“Yeah, I know you’re not very good-natured and you’re an idiot who blurts out whatever comes to your mind,” he said.
“I didn’t say that much…” Zegal Seung-gye interjected.
“However, your obsession with mechanical arts is not bad at all. On the contrary, it’s truly admirable that you show such interest in a field that no one else touches and persistently study it without bending your beliefs,” Joo Seo-cheon said, patting Zegal Seung-gye’s shoulder and smiling gently. There was a desperate emotion in his eyes.
“So don’t stop now, and go your own way, wherever you want to go, regardless of what anyone says,” he added.
Late Awakened Reaching Heaven.
The evaluation of him was just like his nickname, belatedly known.
At the time of the Three-Eyed Divine Thief’s secret treasury, something happened that brought attention to Zegal Seung-gye for the first time.
It was because of the mechanical device installed in the secret treasury.
The orthodox sects, especially the Zegal family, gained a considerable amount of treasure from the secret treasury thanks to Zegal Seung-gye’s mechanical knowledge.
With this incident, Zegal Seung-gye thought he would be reevaluated for what he had been despised for, but that was a huge misconception.
Indeed, he received a new perspective. However, most of those perspectives were along the lines of “He’s useful after all.”
The martial arts world was a ruthless world of power. Most people were recognized and evaluated based on their martial arts.
The Zegal family was a bit of an exception, but they still didn’t completely ignore martial arts. It was inevitable for Zegal Seung-gye to be despised for his lack of martial prowess, which was worse than the children of the Zegal family.
If he had studied strategies, military tactics, schemes, or the art of formations, it would have been different. But he didn’t even do that, so he received scornful ridicule both inside and outside the family.
The existence of the two geniuses, Zegal Sang and Zegal Su-ran, made the comparison even worse.
In the end, Zegal Seung-gye couldn’t endure the scolding from the elders of the family, including Zegal Shak, and died.
The cause of death was suicide.
“Listen well, little brother. Even if the world despises you, I will never despise you. Remember that I’m here for you,” Joo Seo-cheon said.
Receiving such reprimands and contempt from a young age naturally led to a decline in self-esteem.
That directly affected his personality.
“Although I haven’t known you for long, I felt a connection with you. If we had alcohol, I would have toasted with you and formed a bond of sworn brotherhood. It’s truly regrettable,” Joo Seo-cheon continued.
“I have no intention of becoming your younger brother…” Zegal Seung-gye said.
“Feel free to call me ‘big brother,’ Seung-gye,” Joo Seo-cheon insisted.
His timid personality with low self-esteem brought unfavorable results. As a result, Zegal Seung-gye ended up living a life where he was used without having proper leisure.
“Don’t bend, just as you have been doing. There’s no need to deny what you have accumulated and studied. If the world doesn’t recognize it, I will recognize it for you. I will shout at those who disregarded my genius brother to stop talking nonsense,” Joo Seo-cheon said.
Around the time when Zegal Seung-gye was completely forgotten, his existence was highlighted once again. It was because of mechanical arts.
The mechanics, which were thought to be extinct, were perfectly revived by other forces through the era of turmoil.
Since it was a technique that wasn’t widely used, the only person who could properly respond to mechanical arts was Zegal Seung-gye.
Afterward, as expected, the influence of the Zegal family rose to the point of piercing the sky. It was natural since Zegal Seung-gye was the only person who could be called an expert in mechanical arts.
However, from Zegal Seung-gye’s perspective, it wasn’t entirely favorable.
Indeed, after this incident, the evaluation of him increased. What he had been doing was not meaningless. That was fortunate.
However, entrusting everything to Zegal Seung-gye alone was too burdensome for him.
The fact that there was only one person well-versed in mechanical arts meant that he had to handle all related matters.
He had to work alone in a room somewhere, under the surveillance called protection, without anyone’s help. It wasn’t normal to maintain sanity under that pressure.
In his heart, he wanted to refuse everything, but he couldn’t do that due to his timid personality formed by the pressure he had received since childhood.
Whenever he tried to raise his voice even a little, the elders of the Zegal family scolded him, saying he had to think about the family.
Each time, Zegal Seung-gye couldn’t refuse and ended up being trapped in a cage called the family, unable to even properly see the outside world after the secret treasury incident.
In the end, Zegal Seung-gye was used until his life ended, and the mental burden and pressure directly affected his cause of death, making him mentally ill.
Eventually, about forty years later, in his mid-fifties, Zegal Seung-gye committed suicide after being thoroughly used.
It was a miserable life that made one click their tongue.
“What’s even worse is that he didn’t receive proper treatment even then,” Joo Seo-cheon thought.
The evaluation of Zegal Seung-gye at that time was still too ambiguous. It was difficult to be recognized in the martial arts world without strength and martial arts.
Even just looking at the Four Celestial Sects and the Zegal family, one could see that they still received slight disregard among martial artists.
Especially in the case of extinct techniques like mechanical arts, it was even more so. No matter how great Zegal Seung-gye was, everyone showed a dismissive attitude when dealing with him. This also affected Zegal Seung-gye’s cause of death.
His death, without anyone he could confidently call a friend or family, was desolate, and his funeral was also simple.
Later, as time passed, the orthodox martial arts world came to regret this.
When Zegal Seung-gye first died, some people worried about who would take responsibility for mechanical arts.
In response, the Zegal family shouted not to worry. Although Zegal Seung-gye didn’t raise any successors, they said they would solve it by referring to the books he left behind.
However, they soon realized how absurdly foolish that idea was.
Zegal Seung-gye was a ridiculously genius. His knowledge and understanding were beyond the reach of even the people of the Zegal family.
He recorded his own thoughts in books to some extent. However, those were the thoughts of a genius after all. They were so abstruse that no one could interpret or understand them.
In the first place, Zegal Seung-gye had never taught anyone, let alone properly interacted with those around him. There was no way such a person would have prepared books for someone else. In the end, no one could acquire Zegal Seung-gye’s knowledge.
Afterward, the orthodox martial arts world, including the Wulin Alliance, couldn’t respond to the enemy’s mechanical arts at all. And in the end, they suffered great casualties, helplessly affected by it.
Only then did the Zegal family deeply regret, and after the era of turmoil ended, when this matter became known, they received severe criticism.
That was Late Awakened Reaching Heaven. The belatedly known heaven.
“Hey, be honest. Your uncle asked you to speak well of me and do something for him, right?” Zegal Seung-gye asked.
“…” Joo Seo-cheon remained silent.
“I knew it. Get lost!” Zegal Seung-gye shouted.
It seemed like a long way to go.
* * *
The waiting ended. The mission was assigned.
“If you go east from Kaiyang for about two days, you’ll reach Ongan. It’s a region where the flags of the Wulin Alliance and the Devil Realm alternate every two or three months. I checked yesterday, and I heard our side is being pushed back, so I would appreciate it if you could support them together with the Wulin Alliance warriors from the Kaiyang branch,” Shin Do-gyun said.
After finishing his words, Shin Do-gyun looked at Goo Poong and Zegal Shak’s expressions.
“Hmm,” Goo Poong hummed. He had a thoughtful expression.
“Although it’s a bit dangerous, it will be a good experience for Sang and Su-ran. Of course, it’s fine,” Zegal Shak said, delighted.
Ongan was the most fierce among the conflict zones in Guizhou. As such, there were many injured and dead.
It was a place where many disciples of major sects died due to their arrogance without any real combat experience.
As it was the front line, masters from the unorthodox sects occasionally appeared.
Although they weren’t at the level of the Hundred Great Masters, there were still some enemies to be wary of.
“How rude,” Shin Do-gyun thought, slightly furrowing his eyebrows at Zegal Shak’s words. A slight displeasure was reflected in his eyes.
The Zegal family wouldn’t fight against the warriors of the Devil Realm anyway. They would devise strategies and give orders from behind.
Originally, since the Zegal family’s forte was their intelligence, he didn’t think negatively of it, but speaking with the nuance of “It doesn’t concern us anyway” was a breach of etiquette.
Saying that it would be an experience when going to such a dangerous place, how would Goo Poong, who was beside him, think about it?
“…I understand. The Mount Hua Sect will also accept,” Goo Poong said after some contemplation.
“That’s great news!” Shin Do-gyun exclaimed, delighted.
The Fourteen Sword Hero was a transcendent master that everyone knew. With this, the morale of the warriors was guaranteed.
Even if a master from the unorthodox sects appeared in Ongan, there was nothing to worry about with Goo Poong present.
“I should prepare so that the Fourteen Sword Hero can fight without worrying about the Lotus Hall members as much as possible,” Shin Do-gyun thought.
He had been anxious, wondering what to do if they refused.
Originally, he had intended to give them a safer mission. However, the news from Ongan was so urgent that he had no choice.
Fortunately, Goo Poong accepted, so he could put aside the worries about Ongan.
And on that day, around the time of Mishi (13:00-14:00).
After hearing about the mission, they left Kaiyang.
“Ongan, Ongan… What was there to be careful about in this period?” Joo Seo-cheon thought.
He closed his eyes and tried to recall his memories. However, it was too long ago, and originally, Ongan was a conflict zone where the owner changed dozens of times a year. With so many things happening, there was nothing specific he could pinpoint.
“Uncle, why do you keep following me so creepily?” Zegal Seung-gye muttered coldly.
Joo Seo-cheon stuck close to Zegal Seung-gye wherever he went. The Wulin Alliance warriors who joined them whispered among themselves.
“They’re still young, so they can’t possibly be in that kind of relationship, right?”
“Shh, be careful with your words. He might become the future Plum Blossom Swordsman. What if he remembers us and comes looking for us later? Don’t you know that those brats from major sects have a nasty temper? They’re all notorious for their displeasure.”
“Honestly, I think you should be more worried about yourself than him.”
“Ahem!”
“And you don’t need to worry that much about that kid named Joo Seo-cheon. Earlier, I heard from his senior martial brother, Young Master Jang, that he’s called ‘Rich on the Inside, Poor on the Outside’ and this and that. He’s just lucky to have become a member of the Lotus Hall, but he’s actually not that great.”
“Ha, just entering the Mount Hua Sect is already a heavenly fortune, and you’re saying he’s even luckier? It really makes me not want to live.”
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