Chapter Text
The man smiled as he felt himself grow weaker and weaker.
“Chung Myung…”
“Tang Bo-ya…”
“Survive…Kill the heavenly demon and live…”
The man brushed the tear off of Chung Myung’s cheek, the last thing he heard being the other’s wail.
‘I’m sorry Hyung-nim.’
‘I couldn’t survive the war with you.’
Tang Bo drifted into darkness, feeling a warm embrace pulling his consciousness away.
Suddenly, a bright light filled his vision and his eyes fluttered open.
What’s happening?
“Ngh..”
“I’m alive?”
He stretched out his fingers, trying to decide if this was all an illusion or trick.
“Wha..”
Tang Bo got up suddenly, only to fall down again as his legs gave up.
He noticed a significant difference in his body.
It was weak.
Tang Bo checked himself only to realize he had the body of a kid. Confused, he looked around, realizing he was lying on the streets.
Where was he? The unfamiliar streets of Shaanxi filled his sight.
Hyung-nim! Where was he! He had just seen him when he was dying, or so he thought, in his arms.
A man wearing a familiar uniform walked past, catching his attention.
“Plum blossoms…? Mount Hua! I’ll ask Mount Hua!”
Hyun Jong was bewildered.
He was walking down the streets of Hua Um when a strange beggar grabbed onto his uniform.
“Sect Leader! Is the Magyo war over?”
The Magyo war? Why was this child asking about that?
He looked no older than sixteen and looked so starved that you could practically see his bones through his clothes.
“Magyo? Do you mean the war 100 years ago?”
“One-One hundred years…?”
Hyun Jong noticed the child’s eyes trembling.
“Plum Blossom Sword Saint! What happened to him!”
He was surprised at this remark. Not many people remembered the Sword Saint, the people of the world didn’t remember him anymore, much less did he expect a random beggar to ask him about the Sword Saint.
So, who was this child?
“The Sword Saint died in the war. Are you okay child?”
He saw the shock fill the child’s eyes and couldn’t help but be worried. The boy’s eyes rolled back, and the young boy collapsed.
“Wh-What”
Hyun Jong rushed forward, catching him in his arms.
“Hyung-nim!”
Tang Bo sat up screaming. He woke up lying on a bed, and he was in a small room, a single chair and table in the room.
Where was he now? He briefly remembered recognizing the Mount Hua sect’s sect leader uniform and approaching him.
The door creaked open and a girl wearing pigtails walked in. Her eyes widened and she rushed over to him.
“How are you feeling now?”
He hesitated to answer, on guard due to the unfamiliar surroundings. But then he noticed the plum blossom symbol on the girl’s uniform. Ah, he must be in Mount hua.
“I’m okay.”
“Are you sure? You passed out on the street and your body is very malnourished.”
Tang Bo looked down at his skinny figure and was once again painfully reminded of how weak he is.
“It’s fine.”
He tries to get up, but the girl stops him.
“Stop what are you doing! You need to rest!”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you aren’t! Let me check you again.”
He sighs and unwillingly lies back down on the bed.
This must’ve been what Hyung-nim felt like every time he was hurt and treated by him.
Remembering Chung Myung, Tang Bo let out a sigh. How is it that he reincarnated? Why was he left alone in this world? His best friend was dead. And the Tang family…
“The Tang Family!”
He had forgotten all about them! What happened to them!
“The Tang Family?” The girl questioned him.
Oops, he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“How did you know they were here?”
Huh?
“Are you here to spy on the Heavenly Comrade Alliance? I, Tang Soso, won't allow this!”
The girl, Tang Soso, looked furious like she was ready to lash out at him any second.
“Tang... Soso?”
“Are you from the Tang Family?!”
“So, what if I am!”
“Ugh, what was the sect leader thinking! Bringing beggar scum to Mount Hua. A spy too as a matter of fact.” Tang Soso mumbled under her breath.
Beggar scum! He was the Dark Saint Tang Bo! But wait, what was a member of the Tang Family doing wearing Mount Hua’s uniform… and…
“Wait… I’m a beggar?!”
Tang Soso paused and looked at him with a hint of concern and suspicion.
“Did you lose your memory?”
“No… Why did I have to be born a beggar…” Tang Bo mumbled to himself.
“Never mind that, what is a member of the Tang family doing wearing Mount Hua’s uniform? Also, what’s the Heavenly Comrade Alliance? What happened to the Ten Great Sects?”
Did they become a subsect of Mount Hua? No way, the Tang Family was too renowned and powerful for that. But what was that about the Heavenly Comrade Alliance?
“Wait…do you remember anything about yourself?”
Tang Bo panicked, what should he say? Should he reveal that he was the Dark Saint, her ancestor? No, that was too risky, he was in too weak of a state right now.
“No… I don’t remember anything…”
She looked at him unconvinced, and was about to say something, until he heard the door open and the sect leader from before walked in. Tang Soso’s eyes widened and she bowed respectfully.
“I greet the sect leader.”
Ah, so he was right that that was the sect leader of Mount Hua.
“How’s his condition?”
“He should be fine, although…”, she hesitates before saying, “...I think he may have lost his memories.”
Hearing this, a look of concern flashed across Hyun Jong’s face.
“Do you remember anything? Maybe how you got there or anything before that?”
Tang Bo shook his head.
“I don’t know… I just woke up on the streets…”
Which wasn’t a lie, he had no idea how he reincarnated nor why.
Hyun Jong nodded slowly and walked over, standing closer to him.
Tang Bo was deep in thought. He needed to stay here. He had to get stronger, and this was the best place to find more information. Joining the Tang Family would be ideal, but he knew that would be almost impossible. Afterall, the Tang Family was made up of blood relatives, it’d be hard to convince them to let a random beggar in. And... he had promised his Hyung he would take care of Mount Hua for him.
Tang Bo got out of bed and stood up quickly before they had a chance to stop him.
Hyun Jong’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak but before he could say anything,
“Sect Leader! Please let me become a disciple of Mount Hua!” Tang Bo exclaimed while bowing.