The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

Most of the injured people settled on the first floor were those who had participated in this martial arts competition.

I could see Beon Yang among them as I looked around at the people being treated with hemostatic medicine and bandages for various cuts and bruises.

Surprised, I entrusted Harang to Joo Hwarin and quickly approached her.

Beon Yang, who was directly wrapping a bandage on her shoulder, opened her eyes wide in surprise as I approached.

“Beon Yang! What on earth happened?”

Beon Yang looked around, realized there was no escape route, sighed and lowered her head.

“Young Mad…”

“Unless you had some group martial arts match, there’s no way so many people could be injured. What happened?”

I quickly asked, cutting off Beon Yang’s greeting. Beon Yang just made a troubled expression without easily opening her mouth.

As she kept rolling her eyes and maintaining silence, I was about to press for an answer when Yoo Doha approached and restrained me.

“Please calm down. Fortunately, there are no seriously injured or dead people.”

“That’s fortunate. So now, will you explain what happened?”

Yoo Doha glanced at Beon Yang, then let out a long sigh. He slowly opened his mouth with a tired face.

“While Beon Yang was having a meal, she received public criticism and, enraged by it, attacked first, they say. There are testimonies and witnesses. Several disciples of the Qingcheng Sect were injured by Beon Yang’s sudden attack, and disciples of the Mount Heng Sect were also mixed in among them, I hear. But it didn’t end there. The Righteous Sect martial artists around recognized Beon Yang and joined in to attack, and the Demon Cult members also joined in as if venting their pent-up anger, and a fight broke out, they say.”

I opened my mouth at his explanation.

Attacked first? I was taken aback by the fact that she wasn’t attacked, but attacked.

It was none other than Beon Yang. It was troublesome for her, who was supposed to participate in the martial arts competition after this rest period ended, to be involved in such a controversy.

That was something that could lead to disqualification from participating in the martial arts competition.

“Why did you do such a thing? It’s not like it’s only been a day or two that they’ve been cursing, if you had just endured a little…”

“I couldn’t endure it.”

“Beon Yang…!”

Beon Yang calmly answered to my pressing. She looked at me straight with her eyes wide open.

It was a clear gaze full of conviction. A certainty that she had done nothing wrong.

“I can endure them cursing at me and cursing at the Demon Cult. That’s because it stems from the long history between the Righteous Sect and the Demon Cult. But…”

Beon Yang hesitated and frowned. I calmed my excitement and waited patiently at her appearance of pausing for a moment.

Eventually, her mouth slowly opened.

“Do you know what they call the Demon Cult in the world? They call us fools who can’t even get angry, weaklings with only big heads. But it doesn’t end there.”

“…”

“They curse at and disparage the Young Madam as a traitor to the Righteous Sect and sexually harass her with unspeakable words. They even point at Nam Sojeong who collapsed from poison and say she’s a bitch who deserves to die, that it’s helpful if she doesn’t wake up. I didn’t want to endure such words.”

The moment I heard those words, I felt like my head was ringing.

I knew what people called me. Whatever agreements there had been in between, no matter why I came here, it would only be an excuse to talk about it, so I ignored it.

Rather, I thought I could ignore it if I considered that these were words I could hear because I was still alive.

But saying such things about Nam Sojeong, who had been in great danger because of me, was morally too much of an issue.

“Who said such things?”

I slightly twisted my waist at the voice coming from behind.

Hyuk Dojin approached with a coldly calm face.

“Dojin…”

“Who said such things to my wife and insulted Nam Sojeong who collapsed from poison?”

Beon Yang’s gaze left me and looked up at Hyuk Dojin.

Beon Yang flinched at meeting his coldly calm gaze, but soon slowly opened her mouth.

“How could I point out just one person? Most of the Righteous Sect think that way. From passing Righteous Sect errand boys to even drunkards in the market, everyone! On the streets, the Young Madam is defiled with vulgar words hundreds of times a day. The Demon Cult members turned their heads away even while hearing those words on the first day, for the sole reason of obeying the Young Cult Leader’s strict order.”

“…”

“Why should we endure? When the Young Madam is being defiled with excessive criticism and curses, and they’re pouring unmentionable words on a friend who crossed between life and death! Since when has the Demon Cult lived with consideration for the Righteous Sect?!”

Beon Yang shouted, grinding her teeth as if excited. It was a rebuke that seemed not to care that the person in front of her was the Young Cult Leader. Hyuk Dojin and I didn’t say anything at that one statement.

Beon Yang’s eyes turned to me.

“Aren’t you angry? Aren’t you ashamed at those words? Every time I hear their words cursing the Young Madam I acknowledged as just someone who sold her body, I feel anger rising even though I’m not the one involved. So I fought.”

I bit my lip as I looked at her flushed face.

I was grateful for her words and happy for her consideration of me.

But on the contrary, I could feel what influence my attitude of comforting myself alone that I was okay was having on the people around me.

I hadn’t known until now. The meaning of the word ‘okay’ coming from my mouth. I could now understand that it was just me being okay alone, not including others in it.

“If I go back and the same situation comes again, I will swing my fists. I don’t regret it. What does it matter if I can’t participate in that martial arts competition? There’s something more important here.”

I smiled faintly at her words. I quietly looked at her shoulder with deep cuts, then took out a bandage and wrapped it.

I told her to stay still as she flinched, then tied the bandage tightly. And I spoke quietly.

“Thank you. For not enduring. For getting angry for me.”

“It’s nothing…”

I straightened my back and looked behind.

Hyuk Dojin was making a very complicated expression. He seemed to feel my gaze and turned his eyes to me.

I slowly shook my head at him.

He faced me with calm eyes, then nodded his head before fixing his gaze on Beon Yang.

“…I won’t punish you for this incident. And I’ll formally talk to the Murim Alliance to explain the circumstances of this incident and take measures so you don’t suffer disadvantages in the martial arts competition. I’ll also tell them to severely punish excessive criticism. So, take a week’s rest and prepare for the next martial arts competition so you won’t be lacking.”

“I obey.”

I sighed and looked around.

They curse at me as a Righteous Sect woman within the Demon Cult, but they don’t like me being cursed at by the Righteous Sect.

I smiled at the thought that this was truly an incomprehensible place. It was fortunate that no one was seriously injured and they weren’t making an issue of it.

But the real problem arose from another direction.

* * *

Two days after Beon Yang’s incident, an official letter from the Murim Alliance Leader arrived.

It was the very next day after Hyuk Dojin had sent a letter saying to let bygones be bygones regarding that day’s incident and not assign blame.

Hyuk Dojin and I naturally thought the Murim Alliance would take the same position as us, but what was written in it was a completely different story.

“…Judging that the incident was caused by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult harboring resentment against the Righteous Sect, we are revoking the qualifications of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult participants involved in that incident… What nonsense is this?”

Hyuk Dojin closed the scroll with a dumbfounded face.

I too was equally bewildered listening to his words. I snatched the scroll from his hand as if grabbing it and hurriedly examined it.

Indeed, the contents inside were the same as what Hyuk Dojin had read.

“Is the Murim Alliance saying they will hold us accountable for this incident now?”

“Not only that, they’re unilaterally blaming us. They’re preserving the qualifications of the Murim Alliance people in the martial arts competition while only revoking those of the Demon Cult side…”

Hyuk Dojin gritted his teeth as if saying this didn’t make sense, crumpling his face.

I quietly looked at his anger, then rested my chin on my hand.

What kind of person was Namgoong Baek in the novel?

There were many characters, but since most of the content was from Moyong Do’s perspective, I couldn’t know in detail what kind of person Namgoong Baek was.

Flash Sky Sword City Namgoong Baek.

The man who held the highest position among the Three Emperors as the Murim Alliance Leader. At the same time, the man who received Moyong Do’s anger all by himself.

I racked my brains for a while to scrape information about him, but nothing suitable came out, so I eventually had to give up.

Meanwhile, Man Do and Yoo Doha, who had heard the news, came and were talking with Hyuk Dojin.

“What are you thinking of doing? We must formally protest this. They are clearly using this incident as an opportunity to suppress the Demon Cult in name. Moreover, since it’s not the Cult Leader, their attitude of ignoring us is getting worse. If we go on like this, we’ll only hurt our pride.”

“Hmm… I agree with Chief Yoo. Even if it’s not a matter of pride, when this incident reaches the ears of our main sect, I don’t know what kind of fuss the noisy Holy Stream League and Cliff Rivers Shin clan will make. They may be quiet now because of recent events, but they’ll bite as soon as they get a chance. They’re like wolves.”

Hyuk Dojin frowned as he listened to their words.

“I plan to formally protest to the Murim Alliance Leader. But considering that the Murim Alliance Leader didn’t show a negative reaction to my proposal, it seems the stubborn Righteous Sect bastards must have pressed the Murim Alliance Leader.”

“I’ll send someone right away.”

Yoo Doha made a cupped hand salute, then immediately turned his body.

Hyuk Dojin called someone to prepare to send a letter, and meanwhile, Man Do comforted me with a worried expression.

“It won’t be a big problem.”

* * *

But the next day, the problem still wasn’t resolved. In response to the letter sent by the Demon Cult side, the Murim Alliance firmly stated there was no room for negotiation.

The Demon Cult side claimed that the Righteous Sect had been constantly making unnecessary provocations as the Murim Alliance Leader said, and this incident occurred because they couldn’t endure those provocations anymore, but the Righteous Sect angrily denied there had been any such thing, turning the situation upside down.

Their answer was how could martial artists of the Righteous Sect who recite righteousness, justice, and chivalry say such vulgar words.

In the end, four letters were exchanged without any results, and eventually, time passed and there was no progress until the day of the martial arts competition.

The people who were to participate in the martial arts competition, including Beon Yang, hesitated, not knowing how to deal with this.

They said they didn’t care whether they participated in the martial arts competition or not, but it was a matter of the Demon Cult’s prestige.

Therefore, Hyuk Dojin led Yoo Doha and Man Do and headed directly to the martial arts arena.

However, the warriors guarding the main gate blocked Hyuk Dojin’s path.

“The Demon Cult side has had their qualifications to participate in this martial arts competition revoked and cannot use this gate. If you wish to watch, please use the spectator seats.”

“Hah, spectator seats? Do you know whose path you’re blocking? A mere gatekeeper dares to block the path of the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, don’t you value your neck?”

Yoo Doha roughly pushed aside the gatekeepers, clearing a path, unlike his usual self.

Amidst the commotion, Hyuk Dojin entered through the opened path.

Following the dark path to reach the bright light, dozens of Righteous Sect people were blocking the way as if anticipating the disturbance.

“From here on, Demon Cult members cannot approach. Go back.”

“…Sword Protector Jin of Wudang.”

He was a highly respected figure of high status in the Righteous Sect.

Hyuk Dojin quietly looked at him, then turned his head. Most were people from the Five Great Clans and Nine Renowned Sects. The Golden Blood Sand Sect and Black Dao Sect were not among them.

“It seems we’ve unilaterally had our qualifications to participate in the martial arts competition revoked… Our sect has decided not to follow that, as it seems to have assigned blame unfairly. So step aside. Our sect still has the qualifications to participate.”

“This is the Murim Alliance and the martial arts competition hosted by the Murim Alliance. Those participating should naturally follow the Murim Alliance’s instructions. Keep your manners and go back.”

“…Manners?”

Hyuk Dojin let out a hollow laugh.

Manners? He quietly muttered, then looked around before chuckling.

Strange gazes were directed at Hyuk Dojin who suddenly started laughing.

At that moment, an enormous amount of killing intent poured out from Hyuk Dojin’s body.

“Ugh…!”

“Huk!”

The killing intent was entirely directed at the Righteous Sect. It was enough to make the skin tingle just by standing next to it.

Most of the Righteous Sect people who received the killing intent head-on stepped back, and some trembled so much their faces turned pale as they covered their mouths.

“Manners? The Righteous Sect who value righteousness and chivalry as precious as life dare to put manners in their mouths after defiling this seat’s wife with words hard to even speak and insulting our precious Demon Cult members?”

The Righteous Sect masters stepped forward and drew their swords.

The path we had come in was long since blocked by Righteous Sect warriors.

I turned my head to look at the Righteous Sect side. Most of the people stepping forward were high-ranking masters.

But among them, a familiar face caught my eye.

A clear gaze directed at me.

“…Brother.”

The reunion with Moyong Do after a year took place amidst the worst situation between the righteous and evil sects.