The Unsurpassed Maiden - Chapter 172

After watching the scene in front of him, Se Heon’s vision suddenly changes once more. Now, he was standing at the center of the main city of the Mage Kingdom, just right outside the castle which is now known as Mistwood Academy. And in front of him were thousands of dead bodies scattered on the ground while every building aside from the castle behind him was burning.

Se Heon’s eyes couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It’s as if the apocalypse is happening right in front of him. The young man stayed rooted on his spot as another familiar figure walked up from the flames in front. Alastar Jeon was filled with scratches and bruises but his powerful aura remained with him.

“Why did you do this?!?” Another voice suddenly appears from behind Se Heon.

The young student looks behind him and his eyes widened in surprise when he sees a familiar face. “T-Teacher Ning Gwang? Why is teacher Ning Gwang here?! This happened thousands of years ago, right?”

However, he found no answer when he realized that it was just him that was watching the scene unfold.

‘Lady Ning Gwang’s’ figure ran up to meet the First Jeon. She grabs both of his arms and demands that he stop. “Answer me! How can you betray your people like that?!”

No matter how hard ‘Lady Ning Gwang’ was trying to make the man talk, the First Jeon remained mute. Even though he looked very arrogant and powerful, Se Heon can see the regret and the guilt reflecting on the man’s eyes.

After a few seconds, the First Jeon finally spoke, “I’m sorry.”

‘Lady Ning Gwang’ wept when those words came out from the other party’s lips. “Is that all you can say!? After everything you have done!?”

The voice of the woman in front of Se Heon sounded so painful and it hurts the young man’s heart to hear his teacher, (if that really is the same teacher Ning Gwang in Mistwood Academy), say those words.

The First Jeon had his eyes glued to the floor. “I’m sorry.”

“Your sorry can’t bring back those who have already died, Alastar!” ‘Lady Ning Gwang’ comments. Se Heon wondered for a second if the white haired woman was also a person of power given the fact that she just said the First Jeon’s name with ease like he was just a mere colleague to her. “You wiped out a whole clan and erased their town from the map just because you were afraid that a generation of Witchlings would come from their bloodline. You sacrificed the flames of those you have slaughtered so you can become one with the Flame of Life, and for what? To kill more people! You worked with a spy from another kingdom to get your hands on the golden scroll. And now you have betrayed the whole Mage kingdom just so you can call your mighty Jeon clan the best among the rest. Are you even human?”

For some reason, her last sentence made the First Jeon laugh. “I am a monster indeed. You don’t have to tell it straight into my face. I see this monster every night and every time I look in front of the mirror.”

“Then why!? Why did you let that monster take over you!? How come you can betray your own people and look at them straight in the eye and act as if nothing happened?” The white haired woman continues to shout as she jabs a finger on the First Jeon’s chest. “You are the most selfish and heartless person I have ever known!”

“Call me selfish and heartless but I was only doing that to save our kingdom from the apocalypse that it is bound to experience in the future.” The First Jeon replied with a stern look.

Whatever he said made the white haired woman stop. As if she was going insane with the other party’s words, ‘Lady Ning Gwang’ suddenly laughed. “That’s it? Is that the reason why you made all those evil acts?! Because you think that a f*Cking prophecy destroys our kingdom?!”

“It’s not just a mere prophecy, Ning Gwang. You know it.” The First Jeon comments while looking straight into the teacher’s eyes. Hearing the First Jeon say the white haired woman’s name made him even more confused as ever.

“So it’s really teacher Ning Gwang. But-how?” Se Heon asks himself while looking at the white haired woman in front of him. He studied her figure and couldn’t help but widened his eyes when he realized that the woman still had the same look and face up until now. “What the hell is happening here?”

“Why did you choose to listen to a prophecy rather than your own people?!” Lady Ning Gwang continued to ask, voice still sounding as pained as before.

“You are from the family of the Hwangs. You know about prophecies more than I do and even if you have already pushed that part of yourself away, I know deep down that you are also afraid that the Great Prophecy will happen sooner or later.” The First Jeon comments.

Se Heon sees Lady Ning Gwang freeze for a moment, a sign that the First Jeon’s words struck her straight to her heart. She shakes her head before looking at the other party once again in the eyes, “At least I didn’t do anything like betraying my family!”

“And who would you betray? The future generations? Do you want your future children experiencing the war we have experienced today? Not just a war, but the greatest war the world is bound to experience. Do you want them to see their loved ones die in front of them? Do you want little children experiencing the loss of their mom and dad at such a young age?!” The First Jeon suddenly fires back, voice as desperate as the white haired teacher. “Tell me, if we don’t act today then when will we act? If we’re already dead and have experienced the most beautiful life we have ever had while the future generations are bound to experience hell?!”

This made the white haired woman stop. She couldn’t do anything else or say something in return, all she could do was cry like a child as each word coming out from the First Jeon’s mouth struck her deep down.

“I am only doing this so I can prevent the future generation from suffering.” The First Jeon says one last time before he walks past the crying lady and goes straight inside the castle.

Se Heon stood there, dumbfounded and more confused than he already was.

He was too lost on his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice he was once again standing in front of the lone maple tree, with teacher Zhong Liu standing in front of him

Se Heon only went back to his own thoughts when Zhong Liu decided to catch his attention by clearing his throat. “So? What did you see?”

“I don’t understand a thing.” Se Heon whispers, voice sounding hoarse. “Why? Why did the First Jeon do those things?”

“I thought you were watching? How come you are still asking me questions until now?” Zhong Liu asks him in return. He must have seen the disappointed look of the student because the next second, he catches himself and takes back his words. “Anyway, I will explain everything to you. But first, we need to find a private place. Somewhere where there are no eyes watching us.”

Se Heon made a motion like turning around to look for someone else beside them. “There’s no one else here except us.”

“You really need more practice.” Zhong Liu suddenly comments out. Then, he made a series of hand gestures using his hands that were too fast. Se Heon hardly saw his move and the next second, there was a flash of lightning coming out from his hands and a smell of something burning filled Se Heon’s nose.

“What was that?” The young student asks.

Teacher Zhong Liu then points at something behind the man. When Se Heon turns around to see it, he sees a small savage beast that looks like a mix of a snake and a salamander wriggling on the ground with burnt marks all over its slimy body.

“What the hell is this?” Se Heon asks. “I’ve never seen a savage beast as small as this one.”

“That’s because someone has enchanted it with their magic so it can become smaller and be used as a spy.”

“A spy?”

Zhong Liu nodded his head. “This savage beast has been following you ever since you came here to see me. It had been listening to our conversations from the beginning until the time I burnt it. That’s also why instead of telling you everything through words, I have let you get a glimpse of the things in the past.”

“So you mean to say, someone was trying to sue this beast so they can hear our conversation?” Se Heon asks, eyes still glued at the beast who was now dead.

Zhong Liu nodded his head.. “Indeed. Now, shall we go somewhere more private?”