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

Jegal Cheon, a young man with neat features, hurriedly passed through the wide corridor inside the Murim Alliance, gritting his teeth. (tl/n: reminder, in c86 he caught a maid who tried to steal the Qi-Dispersing Pill on the orders of some elder – Cheol Mugi – who will appear in this chapter too)

He had just heard meaningful words from Namgoong Seolbyeok, the disciple of the Alliance Leader.

-Did you really not know why the Black Dao Sect participated in this martial arts competition, why the Alliance Leader brought in the evil sects and the Demon Cult?

-What do you mean?

-The deal between the Demon Cult and the Moyong clan was top secret known only to the Murim Alliance and the Moyong clan. The Moyong clan handed over Moyong Sowol out of concern for their clan’s declining power, but the Murim Alliance initially opposed that opinion. But do you think the reason they changed their attitude midway was simply the Murim Alliance’s whim?

Jegal Cheon was an outstanding man. Although Namgoong Seolbyeok was evaluated as the best mind produced by the Namgoong clan, Jegal Cheon was also a strategist whose talent and excellent mind were recognized at a young age.

He often questioned the Murim Alliance’s attitude and methods towards the Demon Cult.

That’s because the history of facing each other and growling for a thousand years wasn’t something that could disappear overnight.

-The Murim Alliance lost its value long ago. The righteous people who talked about justice and righteousness and carried out chivalry have disappeared into history. The current Murim Alliance is just a group for the imperial family to control the people.

-What are you trying to say? Why are you suddenly bringing this up?

Jegal Cheon shook his head, recalling the words Namgoong Seolbyeok continued with.

-The current Murim Alliance is no different from the Demon Cult. If they unify the Central Plains by any means necessary, they will call it justice. The reason the Demon Cult was labeled as an evil group was because it was the Righteous Sect and the Murim Alliance that occupied the Central Plains.

His feet were very busy as he opened the door with a bang and stepped on the path leading to the outer hall. The servants and warriors looked at him moving hurriedly with puzzled expressions, but it wasn’t time to mind that.

Jegal Cheon had to hurry to inform his clan of this fact and find a way to deal with it. But what stopped his footsteps was one voice.

“Where are you going?”

It was a thick and rough voice.

Jegal Cheon stopped in place and turned around. Eyes full of a stature that would easily exceed 6 chi and shoulders spread sturdily.

Jegal Cheon stared intently at the man with fierce eyes looking down at him.

-As time passes, the Alliance’s continued existence cannot be guaranteed. The Murim Alliance has been preparing many things for more than a hundred years already, and it’s almost finished now. Only one thing remains.

“What are you thinking about that you don’t answer even when called?”

At the thick voice heard again, Jegal Cheon turned his body to face him.

He politely put his hands together and bowed his head lightly.

-Justification.

“Elder Cheol Mugi.”

At Jegal Cheon’s greeting, Cheol Mugi rubbed his chin and looked at him blankly.

Jegal Cheon deflected Cheol Mugi’s gaze falling on his head and raised his eyes again to face him.

“Where are you going in such a hurry? You look very busy.”

“The Military Commander called for me, so I’m on my way to see him briefly.”

“Then are you free?”

At his sudden question about his schedule, Jegal Cheon stared blankly at Cheol Mugi.

Unlike other martial artists, the depth of his martial arts couldn’t be clearly known, but even to Jegal Cheon’s eyes, Cheol Mugi was very strong.

That unfathomable strength was like seeing Geum Hyul, the leader of the Yeonwi Left Army, the Murim Alliance’s military organization.

Jegal Cheon swallowed hard and shook his head.

“The Military Commander assigned me a task, so I need to go handle it urgently.”

“A task assigned by the Military Commander?”

“Yes. There are many things that happened during this martial arts competition period, so there’s a lot to deal with regarding each clan and sect.”

“Well. I heard there were many interesting things.”

Cheol Mugi smiled and rolled his eyes. He stared blankly into the distance, then slightly lowered his head to face Jegal Cheon again and opened his mouth leisurely.

“Have you ever seen the Young Cult Leader of the Demon Cult?”

“…I haven’t seen him in person. Since the Military Commander and others take care of external affairs, I only focused on internal matters.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. I heard he’s a tremendous master. Not just the Young Cult Leader, but also the Vice Cult Leader beside him, and the man called Yoo Doha. If I had ample time, I’d like to cross swords with them once.”

“You’ll have the opportunity later…”

“And I hear the Young Cult Leader’s wife is also very strong.”

“…”

Jegal Cheon’s shoulders moved slightly.

Cheol Mugi didn’t miss that and stared at him blankly. Jegal Cheon gathered his expression, but he couldn’t escape the eyes of the outstanding master Cheol Mugi.

Jegal Cheon inevitably opened his mouth with a low sigh.

“Stories related to the Young Madam are coming out everywhere. They say she achieved an overwhelming victory against Lee Jehak, a skilled person who reached the finals.”

“…An overwhelming victory.”

His eyes flashed.

Jegal Cheon slightly narrowed his brows at his gaze, then straightened them and continued speaking.

“Well, it’s just a ranking among late-blooming talents, isn’t it? There’s talk that he toyed with the Moyong clan’s high-ranking disciples in between… In fact, the Moyong clan hardly has any outstanding martial artists except for the clan leader, Elder Moyong Danli. So the Young Madam’s victory seems to be exaggerated and inflated as if she defeated some tremendous master.”

In fact, Jegal Cheon didn’t know the details of the situation as he had only heard stories second-hand.

He had known Moyong Sowol was strong since he heard the story that she had defeated Seo Gwangho, one of the Four Dragons.

Seo Gwangho was a disciple cherished by the Diancang Sect. If it weren’t for Moyong Do, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to be called the leader of the Four Dragons.

The fact that she had defeated such a person allowed for some estimation of Moyong Sowol’s level.

But even so, it wasn’t to the level of being mentioned along with Man Do and Hyuk Dojin and attracting Cheol Mugi’s interest.

“I see. It’s a shame I couldn’t see it because I had more Murim Alliance business than expected and couldn’t leave my post.”

“There will be another opportunity someday.”

With those final words, Jegal Cheon stepped back. It was a signal that he was about to leave now.

Cheol Mugi slowly rolled his eyes to match his movement. His eyes rose as much as the distance widened.

Jegal Cheon was about to put his hands together with a hardened face. But before that, Cheol Mugi’s voice fell first.

“I think I’ll be away briefly in three days.”

“…What?”

Jegal Cheon frowned at the sudden words.

Cheol Mugi smiled and turned his body.

“It seems I’ll be a bit busy.”

With those final words, Jegal Cheon’s eyes followed his footsteps as he showed his back and left, and bewilderment arose in his eyes.

What on earth does this mean? Above Jegal Cheon’s confused head, Namgoong Seolbyeok’s last voice floated.

-The Murim Alliance changed its negative attitude towards the marriage right after hearing that Moyong Sowol was suffering from a terminal illness that would lead to an early death.

Jegal Cheon’s eyes narrowed.

-They are using Moyong Sowol as justification. Moyong Sowol who will die early after the marriage, that is.

* * *

After some time passed, the awkward atmosphere disappeared as if it had never existed, and the Moyong Do and Moyong Sowol we knew unfolded again.

Moyong Do smiled with a stiff face and kept laughing, reacting joyfully to my trivial words.

Also, when he told me about things that happened in the Moyong clan after I disappeared, he looked a little sad, and when he talked about things related to our parents, my heart felt heavy.

Although they were parents who had to send me away, they were the ones who had bowed their heads to the ground in front of Moyong Danli, trying not to let go until the end.

However, they had to make a decision considering my deteriorating physical condition day by day and Moyong Do’s achievements.

Knowing that, I didn’t particularly resent them. Although it was a predetermined course, the fact that they gave out those precious medicinal ingredients for me was proof that they loved me, even if they couldn’t express it in words.

“By the way, I didn’t know you had such quick adaptability and charm to captivate people, Sowol. To have enough charm to make the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult fall head over heels for you. It seems you weren’t just lovely in my eyes because you’re my sister, but in other people’s eyes too.”

“What are you saying, that’s so embarrassing.”

“It’s not wrong, is it? Everyone says so. That the Young Cult Leader loves his wife so much he can’t let her out of his arms.”

He’s never actually held me in his arms and not let go. He kept proper boundaries when going out, so how did the rumors get so exaggerated?

“Still, I’m really glad you’re alive and well. At one point, I thought that day I sent you away would be the last time I’d have a conversation with you, but it’s still hard to believe that we can sit together like this and talk face to face.”

“…I feel the same way. Actually, I was prepared to die, so it’s very amazing that I can hold a sword and laugh and talk like this.”

At the calm voice, the corners of Moyong Do’s mouth rose gently. I smiled likewise at his changing expression.

Our gazes crossed calmly.

Moyong Do looked at me quietly, then let out a short exclamation and took something out of his bosom.

It was a small box. He held out the box. As I looked at the box that came to me with a puzzled expression, Moyong Do smiled gently and lowered his gaze as if telling me to open it.

As I tilted my head and slowly opened the box, a pungent scent brushed my nose. It was a familiar scent.

“Poop?”

“…They’re called Body Refining Pills.”

Ah, right. Contrary to this pungent scent, they really looked like dark brown round balls rolled up like poop, so I instinctively thought of that.

Embarrassment washed over me, but since it wasn’t the first time experiencing this, I maintained as nonchalant an expression as possible.

“I was just joking.”

At my brazen words, Moyong Do chuckled lightly and nodded his head.

He looked as if saying, ‘Alright, I’ll pretend to be fooled just this once.’

As I stared at him intently, Moyong Do lightly shrugged his shoulders and closed the lid of the box.

“It was one of the things the Demon Cult sent as a wedding gift. Just one is so precious it’s hard to express in value, so everyone welcomed it greatly and said they would use it to cultivate disciples, but I just brought it.”

“Why? Can’t you take it, Brother?”

If Moyong Do took it, he could grow faster.

Just one had the effect of advancing inner power by 10 years. With 4, it was roughly 40 years.

Although it couldn’t be definitively said to be 10 years each, that was the approximate estimated figure.

Moyong Do slowly shook his head.

“An elixir received by selling my sister is not an elixir but poison to me. I don’t have the right to eat this. So, you eat this and become healthy. That’s the best elixir for me.”

I looked quietly at Moyong Do’s face, then lowered my eyes to examine the closed box.

I could deeply feel Moyong Do’s heart. I slowly rubbed the lid of the box and moved my head.

“I will. Thank you.”

A smile drew on the corners of Moyong Do’s mouth.

After some time passed and the conversation seemed to be ending, Hyuk Dojin appeared, somehow knowing.

Cha Yeonhwa and Peng Muryeong also followed behind him.

Moyong Do stood up from his seat and looked at Hyuk Dojin, exchanging glances for a moment, then turned his gaze to me.

“Well then, rest. I’ll come again when I have time.”

I greeted Moyong Do as he turned his body.

Hyuk Dojin said he would see him off and led the way first.

I felt puzzled by Hyuk Dojin’s unusual proactiveness today, but that was only for a moment, as Peng Muryeong rolling her eyes with a face not knowing what to do, and Cha Yeonhwa taking a seat in front of me caught my eyes.

Although I had greeted her with my eyes a few times, this was the first time sitting face to face and having a conversation like this.

I thought it would be awkward, but her smile and attitude were gentler than expected, so I also relaxed.

She sat in the chair where Moyong Do had sat and slowly opened her mouth.

“Miss Peng, could you close the door?”

“What…?”

“Please.”

At Cha Yeonhwa’s voice, Peng Muryeong retorted as if asking why she had to do that, but at the calm voice, Peng Muryeong grumbled and approached the door.

Soon, as the door closed, Cha Yeonhwa spoke with a gentle face.

“I’m sorry for suddenly visiting when we’re meeting for the first time. Actually, apart from Hero Moyong Do, I also have something to ask of you, so I made an unreasonable request to Hero Moyong Do.”

There was a slight force in her calm voice.

As I slightly narrowed my brows, Cha Yeonhwa slowly changed her expression and spoke slowly.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you attend as Mount Hua’s representative?”