Chapter 402 : The Truth Revealed (2)

Chapter 402: The Truth Revealed (2)

Han Domeong frowned as he looked toward the direction from which the hidden weapon had flown.

“No way, you!”

Only after seeing who had appeared did Han Domeong begin to feel the intense heat surrounding the thatched cottage.

He finally became aware of reality.

And without a moment’s hesitation, he leapt toward the blazing roof.

However, Han Domeong had no choice but to come back down to the ground.

Mo Biyoung had attacked him just as he tried to escape, cutting off his retreat.

“How…?”

Han Domeong was utterly bewildered.

‘How did that bastard from the Yong Clan know about this place? There’s no way he just happened to pass by and saw us by chance.’

Even as he thought this, Mo Biyoung’s sword strikes came flying toward him, and Han Domeong had to respond.

As the flames began to spread inside the room, Yong Hwarin flicked his wrist slightly.

At that, Hong A-yul’s body floated gently into the air and drifted outside.

But Hong A-yul was in such a state of shock that she didn’t even realize she had been lifted by psychokinesis out of the burning room.

Yong Hwarin stood still, watching Mo Biyoung fight Han Domeong, making no move to interfere.

Opportunities to face a master of that level were rare.

‘Her skill has truly grown.’

Mo Biyoung had ceaselessly trained, increasing her internal energy day by day.

Now, she was able to fight on even ground with the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Though she still lacked in sheer energy compared to Han Domeong, her mastery in applying techniques was actually overwhelming him, putting them on even terms.

Whenever she was cornered, she slipped away using the Dragon Scale Finger, forcing Han Domeong into a struggle.

“Miss Hong, collect yourself.”

As Yong Hwarin’s voice, imbued with true qi, rang in her mind, Hong A-yul came back to her senses.

“Ah! Young Master Yong, so it was you who saved me.”

“This isn’t the time for that. Are you poisoned?”

Her movement seemed strange, so he asked.

“Yes, I was struck by Qi Dispersing Poison.”

“Show me your hand for a moment.”

When Hong A-yul extended her hand, Yong Hwarin’s true qi seeped into her pulse.

She could feel the Qi Dispersing Poison, which had been blocking the flow of energy around her dantian, melt away like snow.

The true qi equivalent to five full cycles of cultivation burned the poison away in an instant.

Astonished by such incredible ability, Hong A-yul looked at Yong Hwarin as if she were staring at a monster.

“You reach a new realm every time I meet you. Seeing you honestly terrifies me.”

Yong Hwarin smiled faintly.

“Let’s put out the fire first.”

Yong Hwarin quickly pulled the people trapped inside the flames to safety.

Hong A-yul couldn’t understand it.

Mo Biyoung was fighting for her life against Han Domeong, yet Yong Hwarin wasn’t helping her — he was just putting out the fire.

Then Hong A-yul noticed something that made her gasp.

About ten jang away from where the two fought, a sword was floating in midair.

It was unmistakably Yong Hwarin’s White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword.

‘How…?’

Right now, Yong Hwarin was busy rescuing people from the flames.

‘Could it be… is he dividing his mind in two — extinguishing the fire while simultaneously using the Sword Unification Technique?’

Even witnessing it, she couldn’t believe it.

“He’s not human.”

So stunned that she forgot her own peril, Hong A-yul muttered again and again, “He’s not human.”

If Mo Biyoung was in danger, the Sword Unification Technique would strike Han Domeong automatically — yet the person casting it was occupied doing something else entirely. It was beyond comprehension.

“Is this even possible?”

For that brief moment, she even forgot that First Master had tried to kill her.

Then, someone came rushing through the wind.

“Yul!”

Recognizing Hong A-yul, Dong Oh ran up and embraced her tightly.

Judging by the blood on his clothes, he had clearly been through a fierce battle.

The disciples might not have been able to defeat him, but they had surely managed to delay him.

According to Han Domeong’s plan, he should have already killed Hong A-yul and escaped by now.

But because of Yong Hwarin’s interference, Hong A-yul still lived — and Han Domeong himself was tied down by Mo Biyoung, completely on the defensive.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, Grandpa Dong. Just as the Grand Elder tried to kill me, Young Master Yong saved me.”

Dong Oh ground his teeth.

“That bastard!”

He glared at Grand Elder Han Domeong with eyes burning with murderous intent.

“Han Domeong! Today, you’ll die by my hand — a death of a thousand cuts!”

At that shout, Yong Hwarin glanced at Mo Biyoung, and she immediately leaped back from Han Domeong.

As Yong Hwarin raised his hand, the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword floating in the air was instantly drawn back to him.

Both Han Domeong and Dong Oh felt chills run down their spines.

In that instant, they realized something terrifying — even if the two of them joined forces, they couldn’t defeat Yong Hwarin.

‘Sword Unification Technique… He performs so effortlessly what I’ve long dreamed of achieving my entire life.’

Dong Oh felt a brief wave of emptiness as he watched, but when Han Domeong appeared before his eyes again, his killing intent reignited.

After witnessing Yong Hwarin’s Sword Unification Technique, Han Domeong realized that there was no way he could leave this place alive.

And with that realization, an eerie calm washed over him.

That alone proved that Han Domeong was indeed a martial master who had once dominated an era.

For all his cunning nature, it was precisely that tenacity that had earned him the position of Grand Elder within the Heavenly Demon Sect.

“I failed to fulfill Young Master Il’s command. Even if I survive and leave here alive, I’m already as good as dead.”

As he muttered to himself, Dong Oh’s face twisted in anger.

“What nonsense is that! Are you saying it was Young Master Il who ordered you to kill Yul-ah?”

“That’s right.”

“I can’t believe that.”

Han Domeong let out a bitter chuckle.

“I don’t see why not. Do you really think Miss Hong means that much to Young Master Il? Or is it his son, Ok Girin, who matters more?”

“What do you mean by that!”

The moment he spoke, Dong Oh faltered as if struck on the back of the head.

‘Ah… I overlooked something. When I heard that Girin tried to violate Yul-ah, I only warned him without much thought. But now that I think about it—it’s different. Young Master Il must have been unable to watch the two of them commit such a sin against the heavens, and so decided to abandon Yul-ah. How could I have missed that? In a way… Young Master Il’s command makes sense.’

Even so, he could not bring himself to let Hong A-yul die.

Dong Oh asked quietly,

“How can you prove that this was Young Master Il’s will?”

In response, Han Domeong pulled a letter from his robe and threw it toward him.

Dong Oh caught it mid-air and read it. His hands began to tremble.

The handwriting was unmistakably Young Master Il’s, and it even bore his seal—there was no denying it.

‘So it’s come to this after all…’

Seeing Dong Oh’s resolve waver, Han Domeong pressed on.

“If you know Young Master Il’s will, then shouldn’t you help me carry it out? Otherwise, Elder Dong, you’ll be betraying him!”

Han Domeong’s words were sharp and merciless.

Mo Biyoung opened her mouth to say something, but Yong Hwarin shook his head.

“Biyoung, let them handle this. It’s the only way this can be resolved. They come from a world with different ways and values—we can’t judge them by ours.”

Though she didn’t like it, Mo Biyoung recognized the truth in his words and stepped back.

“Let’s at least put out the fire first.”

Since the cottage was made of thatch, it would be completely burned down in no time. It was a miracle that no one had died yet.

With their help, a few structures were saved.

“Elder Dong, you are known as the Fire Insect of the Three Positions. If you betray Young Master Il, you know what fate awaits you.”

Han Domeong’s words drove the final nail in.

Dong Oh shut his eyes tightly.

As Han Domeong said, he couldn’t bring himself to betray Young Master Il—Ok Ilhwa.

But neither could he kill Hong A-yul.

He couldn’t even imagine taking the life of the girl he had raised and loved like his own granddaughter.

After a moment of deep thought, he made a decision.

“Young Master Yong!”

Yong Hwarin turned to him.

“Please speak.”

“May I entrust Yul-ah to you? Not to keep her by your side permanently—just protect her for a while, then send her wherever she wishes to go.”

Hong A-yul shook her head violently.

“Grandpa Dong, what are you saying? I’ll die with you if I have to! If you send me away, you’ll go to First Master, won’t you? Then you’ll die. I’m coming with you. I’ll go and ask him why he’s trying to kill me.”

Dong Oh realized that if he kept silent, Yul-ah would spend her whole life wondering why Young Master Il, who had always cherished her, now sought her death. It was time to tell her the truth.

“Yul-ah, the reason Young Master Il wants to kill you… is because you are his daughter.”

Yong Hwarin, who already knew the truth, remained calm—but both Hong A-yul and Han Domeong were struck with shock.

“I—I’m First Master’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Then… does that make me the Young Lord’s sister?”

“No, you are his half-sister.”

“Ah!”

With that, all the strange events that had happened began to make sense.

“So that’s why Young Master Il gave such an order.”

Han Domeong murmured as though understanding everything at last.

If Ok Girin, unaware that Hong A-yul was his half-sister, had taken her as his own, it would have been a crime against heaven itself.

And since Young Master Il could never confess his own disgraceful secret to Ok Girin, he had chosen instead to abandon Hong A-yul.

Moreover, Ok Girin’s growing obsession with her had left Young Master Il with no other choice.

“That’s why he entrusted you to us.”

Realizing that she had been abandoned by her own parents, Hong A-yul was struck speechless—but no tears came.

Her life until now had been far too cruel for tears to remain.

She wanted to cry until her eyes burst, but her tears had long since dried up.

Being abandoned—and abandoning others—had become too familiar.

“Go with Young Master Yong!”

“Why should I?”

“Because only then will you meet your mother.”

“He knows my mother?”

Dong Oh nodded. He had known for a long time that Hong A-yul’s mother was Deung Hwaun, but he had never spoken of it.

When Hong A-yul had desperately searched for her missing younger sibling, Dong Oh had instead been searching for her mother.

“Grandpa Dong, come with me too.”

Dong Oh smiled sadly.

“No, I cannot go. But remember this—I will always be your grandfather. Don’t ever forget that.”

“If something happens to you, how will I live? You must come back to me alive.”

“I understand.”

“Promise me.”

“……”

Dong Oh couldn’t find the words to answer her plea.

“Hurry!”

Seeing her act like his own granddaughter throwing a tantrum, he finally sighed and replied.

“All right. I promise. Let’s… meet again alive.”

Dong Oh turned to Yong Hwarin.

“I feel I’m entrusting you with a great burden, but I have faith in you. I know that you’re a man of greatness, so I can only leave her in your care.”

Yong Hwarin replied with a faint smile instead of words.

That smile gave Dong Oh even greater confidence.

‘If it’s Yong Hwarin… he’ll protect Yul-ah no matter what happens.’