The Result of the Discussion - 2
As the two stood up, everyone followed suit. Seeing this, the Thunder Sword Emperor spoke to them.
"It's best if you watch from here. We will duel down below. Jeong, if I die, do not think of avenging me. This is merely a duel and nothing more."
"I will keep that in mind, Father."
"Seojin."
"Yes, Master."
"If I die, I want you to take this Overlord Sword."
"But Master, that is your trusted blade. How could a disciple like me dare to take it?"
"This isn't a symbol of the sect leader. It's simply a sword I've used for a long time. Though you are still inexperienced, your spirit reminds me of my younger days, and that's why I wish to give it to you. Use it to aid Jeong."
"Yes, Master."
The Thunder Sword Emperor slowly followed Mookhyang down, stopping in the field beneath the cabin. The field was flat and spacious, providing an area of about 20 jang, which was suitable for their duel. The Thunder Sword Emperor strode forward until he stood about seven jang away from Mookhyang and slowly drew his sword.
"Let's begin."
The powerful martial arts of masters often involve using energy techniques that allow them to attack from a distance. Hence, their duel started with them standing apart. Mookhyang, too, slowly drew his sword, aiming it in front of him as he took his stance.
"Let's skip the formalities and start with killing moves."
In duels that are not battles to the death, there is usually a degree of courtesy. When such duels take place, peers give each other a three-second grace period, while juniors allow seniors a three-second lead. However, this time, as soon as Mookhyang spoke, a mist, both blue like clouds and fog, began to spread around him.
Seeing this, the Thunder Sword Emperor spoke in astonishment.
"Sword energy! Impressive. I've never seen sword energy used to protect oneself in this way. Is this also part of your Supreme Sword Art?"
"Yes, this is Chapter 4, Verse 3—'Net of Steel,' which is useful for defense."
With that, the Thunder Sword Emperor charged forward, letting out a loud battle cry.
"Hyaah!"
At the same time, a powerful strike was unleashed, and a whirlwind of energy surged from the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword, flying toward Mookhyang with immense speed. The whirlwind collided with Mookhyang's bluish mist, sparks flying and a tremendous sound erupting as they clashed. Though the mist momentarily parted under the force of the Thunder Sword Emperor's energy, it quickly reformed, returning to its original state.
Seeing this, the Thunder Sword Emperor let out a soft groan of surprise.
"That's quite a powerful defense. It seems difficult to break through."
From beyond the mist, Mookhyang's voice could be heard.
"With your abilities, it won't be that difficult, so stop grumbling."
The Thunder Sword Emperor dashed forward, closing the distance even further, while extending his sword and shouting,
"Black Dragon Stance!"
Ten strands of powerful energy burst from the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword like thunder, tearing through the mist. The collision of energy created a massive explosion, with a whirlwind of sword energy forming. Despite the thin, delicate chains of Mookhyang's sword aura being tightly connected, it was difficult to penetrate. However, after managing to tear through some of the chains, the Thunder Sword Emperor closed in on Mookhyang, thrusting his sword and shouting,
"Dragon Body Stance!"
The Overlord Sword, humming with a resonant sound, radiated a bluish light as it swept toward Mookhyang. The sword moved so swiftly that it seemed as if dozens of dragons were attacking him, stabbing at Mookhyang's key acupuncture points over ten times in an instant. Simultaneously, a tremendous amount of sword energy engulfed Mookhyang's entire body.
"Chapter 3, Verse 1: Sword Control."
At Mookhyang's clear voice, a blue light burst from his otherwise ordinary Mookhon Sword. With it, he blocked the Overlord Sword's attacks, deflecting them slightly off course.
Though it wasn't a direct clash, Mookhyang's sword technique and the Thunder Sword Emperor's overwhelming sword energy brushed against each other, creating a massive explosion and a whirlwind. Realizing the power of his opponent, the Thunder Sword Emperor seemed to decide it wouldn't work. He utilized the recoil from the clash between the two swords to fling himself backward, pointing his sword at Mookhyang as he shouted,
"Flying Dragon Stance!"
The glowing Overlord Sword, without being thrown, left the Thunder Sword Emperor's hand and flew at Mookhyang with lightning speed as he tried to chase the Thunder Sword Emperor. Mookhyang deflected the Overlord Sword to the side, attempting to follow the Thunder Sword Emperor. However, the Overlord Sword, having bounced off Mookhyang's sword, curved in an arc and came back at him. Seeing this, Mookhyang threw his Mookhon Sword and murmured,
"Chapter 3, Verse 2: Sword Qi."
The Mookhon Sword, now shining brightly, flew from its master's hand and collided mid-air with the Overlord Sword, which was moving according to the Art of Sword Manipulation. At the moment the Mookhon Sword left Mookhyang's hand, he dashed toward the Thunder Sword Emperor at full speed, raising his right hand toward his opponent and muttering,
"Chapter 4, Verse 1: Piercing Steel."
A blue, dragon-like form extended from Mookhyang's palm, hurtling toward the Thunder Sword Emperor. Startled, the Thunder Sword Emperor dodged to the side. The blue energy narrowly missed him, and as it passed by, Mookhyang slashed his hand horizontally and said,
"Chapter 4, Verse 2: Severing Steel."
A blue, crescent-shaped object flew wide toward the location where the Thunder Sword Emperor had dodged. Seeing this, the Thunder Sword Emperor swiftly leapt into the air. The crescent-shaped energy barely missed the bottom of the Thunder Sword Emperor's shoes as it struck the trees at the edge of the field. At first, nothing seemed to happen, but then the bases of the trees were sliced cleanly, and they fell. From the dozens of trees that were cut down, the power of the attack became clear.
As the Thunder Sword Emperor leaped into the air to avoid the crescent energy, Mookhyang, as if waiting for this moment, quickly extended both hands toward the position where the Thunder Sword Emperor was ascending.
"First chapter, first verse: Penetrating Steel."
Once again, long, blue dragon-like forms shot out from each of Mookhyang's hands toward the Thunder Sword Emperor. The Thunder Sword Emperor saw this and shouted,
"Good! Floating Dragon Palm!"
The Thunder Sword Emperor quickly released a palm strike toward the upper right, using the recoil from the energy to sidestep and avoid Mookhyang's attack. A master of the Huajing level can walk through the air. This means they can step on nothing but air. However, fast movements in mid-air are impossible without support, so when such motions are needed, martial artists often use their palm techniques to create the necessary momentum. As soon as the Thunder Sword Emperor landed on the ground, he pointed his fingers toward Mookhyang and shouted,
"Flicking Feather Finger!"
From each of the Thunder Sword Emperor's ten fingers, energy shot out, aiming for Mookhyang. Mookhyang raised his right hand and calmly said,
"Second chapter, first verse: Hidden Dragon Wind."
At first, there was no visible reaction from Mookhyang's hand, but soon the ten streaks of energy shot from the Thunder Sword Emperor's fingers shattered in mid-air, accompanied by a thunderous noise. The Thunder Sword Emperor dodged to the side and exclaimed,
"A formless fist wind?"
"No, it's just Sword Wind."
The Thunder Sword Emperor was startled and cried out,
"Then all this time, what you've been using wasn't palm techniques or fist techniques, but swordsmanship?"
"Once you reach a certain level, even a blade of grass can become a sword. So why shouldn't the bones in one's body become a sword?"
"Oh-ho! That is profound."
At that moment, Mookhyang called for Mookhon, which was still engaged in a fierce struggle with the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword. Both Mookhon and the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword were still resisting each other, as their masters maintained perfect control over their energy. Mookhon flew toward Mookhyang, followed closely by the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword. As soon as Mookhyang grasped Mookhon, he shouted,
"First chapter, first verse: Bounce!"
At that instant, a massive wave of energy burst from Mookhyang. It was almost like a violent gust of wind. The intense recoil blew soil and bean stalks three meters away from the nearby fields. The Thunder Sword Emperor braced himself, taking a stance to withstand the force, when Mookhyang's voice echoed once again.
"First chapter, second verse: Absorb."
Suddenly, an overwhelming force of suction pulled the Thunder Sword Emperor, who had already been thrown off balance, directly toward Mookhyang. Mookhyang's voice rang out again,
"First chapter, first verse: Penetrating Steel."
Knowing the meaning of those words, the Thunder Sword Emperor leapt upward the moment Mookhyang spoke. He could feel Mookhyang's powerful energy sweeping beneath his feet and broke into a cold sweat. This was not a duel. In a real battle, Mookhyang wouldn't announce his techniques like this. If he hadn't left a slight delay between his calls and his attacks, the Thunder Sword Emperor would have already been in the afterlife.
As the Thunder Sword Emperor struggled to recover and found himself increasingly on the defensive, his control over the Thunder Sword loosened. The Emperor's sword fell, embedding itself in the ground beside Mookhyang. If the Thunder Sword Emperor had continued using the Thunder Sword to press Mookhyang, he wouldn't have been so easily overwhelmed. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Mookhyang's voice echoed once more.
"First chapter, third verse: Break."
A massive vortex of sword energy surged toward the Thunder Sword Emperor's abdomen as he soared upwards. In response, he swiftly slashed downward with his hand and shouted,
"Flying Dragon Break!"
With a thunderous roar, the palm strike from the Thunder Sword Emperor collided with the sword energy from Mookhyang, creating a recoil that sent his body even higher into the air. At that moment, the Thunder Sword Emperor's treasured sword, the Tyrant Sword, rose up and returned to his hand. As soon as the Thunder Sword Emperor grabbed his sword, he shouted,
"Dragon Shattering Stance!"
Dozens of strands of sword energy came flying toward Mookhyang from above. Yet Mookhyang remained still, making no attempt to dodge. The Thunder Sword Emperor then heard Mookhyang's voice.
"First chapter, fourth verse: Defend."
The Thunder Sword Emperor watched in surprise as the numerous sword energies that were about to descend on Mookhyang halted a half-meter away from him, as if blocked by an invisible barrier. The sword energies couldn't penetrate any further, as if Mookhyang had created an invisible semicircular wall around himself. The surrounding area exploded with dust, kicked up by the sword energies that struck the ground like a series of small bombs. Mookhyang slowly raised his sword toward the Thunder Sword Emperor and said,
"Second chapter, second verse: Desolate Wind Breaker. Third chapter, second verse: Sword Qi."
With that, Mookhon left Mookhyang's hand and flew with tremendous force toward the Thunder Sword Emperor. Although the Thunder Sword Emperor knew Mookhyang had used two techniques, the new technique gave him no sensation. As the glowing Mookhon streaked toward him, the Thunder Sword Emperor pondered for a moment.
"The second chapter deals with Sword Wind. Unlike sword energy and sword qi, Sword Wind is invisible. Sword energy is the strongest but can be blocked since it's visible. Sword qi is weaker and can't penetrate my defense, but Sword Wind, although not as powerful as sword energy, is still incredibly strong. The downside is its speed, slower than sword energy. I see what he's planning."
With his thoughts clear, the Thunder Sword Emperor twisted his body to the right, launching a palm strike with his left hand to increase his speed and escape what he considered a death trap. When Mookhon followed and harassed him, the Thunder Sword Emperor threw his sword at it and shouted,
"Flying Dragon Stance!"
As the Thunder Sword Emperor landed, he plucked a nearby blade of grass, swinging it as he shouted again,
"Black Dragon Stance!"
From the blade of grass he wielded, dozens of strands of sword energy shot toward Mookhyang. Mookhyang dodged to the side to avoid the incoming energy and stretched his right hand toward the Thunder Sword Emperor.
"First chapter, fifth verse: Bind."
Then he extended his left hand.
"Second chapter, second verse: Desolate Wind Breaker."
The Thunder Sword Emperor paused momentarily after hearing Mookhyang's words.
"Another new technique? I have no idea what it is, but I should evade it anyway."
That thought passed in an instant. The Thunder Sword Emperor flung himself sideways, but his body suddenly froze, as if caught in some sticky, glue-like substance. He couldn't move an inch. The Thunder Sword Emperor was shocked.
"This is the form of the First chapter, fifth verse: Bind. It truly feels impossible to move, as if I'm trapped. But soon, the Sword Wind will come…."
The Thunder Sword Emperor shouted with all his might,
"Wind Dragon Stance!"
At the same time, an enormous sword energy erupted from the blade of grass in his hand, creating a violent explosion as it collided with the surrounding energy. In that moment, the Thunder Sword Emperor felt his body become free again. Seizing the opportunity, he leaped sideways about five paces and shouted,
"White Dragon Stance!"
Seeing this, Mookhyang quietly remarked, "Impressive. I thought no one could break through the Bind."
However, Mookhyang couldn't afford to relax. A multitude of powerful energies—though not quite a hundred—burst forth from the Thunder Sword Emperor, moving in a streamlined manner and converging toward Mookhyang as if they were on a predetermined path.
"A remarkable technique," Mookhyang acknowledged. "First chapter, fourth verse: Defend."
Those watching the duel from above were all tense with anticipation. It seemed they could hear the exchanges between Mookhyang and the Thunder Sword Emperor, but while the Thunder Sword Emperor's voice resonated throughout the valley, Mookhyang's voice was drowned out. Their battle was truly extraordinary, as most of the techniques they used were high-level martial arts rarely seen in the martial world. The collision of their sword energies and sword qi sent spiraling shockwaves, devastating the surrounding forest and ground.
Liu Jing addressed his disciples, "Watch closely. These are treasures of martial arts that our father demonstrates at the risk of his life. While he is indeed remarkable, that man is also exceptional, don't you think?"
"Yes, Shixiong. I've never seen Master struggle against such a formidable opponent. The author's abilities are truly impressive."
"I wondered why they called it the Dreamless Sword Art, but it's truly a rare sword technique. It's a miracle that someone can contend with Master's Dragon Rising Sword Art, which has reached the level of 10 Stars."
"However, the Dragon Rising Sword Art is incredibly difficult to master. Most techniques are based on sword qi or sword energy for attacking, requiring immense power. Thus, very few can even attempt to learn it, and only two individuals in the text have mastered it to the 10 Stars level. It's an exceedingly complex sword technique, yet to block it like that… the author's sword art is also impressive."
While they spoke, the eyes of those gathered around the straw hut were fixed on the two fighters. They believed that if they could remember even a little of their sword arts, it would greatly help them when they encountered others who used similar techniques in the future. However, everyone realized that the sword arts of the two did not follow a fixed pattern; they relied heavily on launching powerful energies as their main weapon. There was little option other than to frantically attack at close range to prevent the release of these powerful energies. At this moment, the duel between the two was approaching its climax.
As the Thunder Sword Emperor dodged Mookhyang's attack, he closed the distance to Mookhyang and shouted,
"Thunder Dragon Stance!"
From the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword, lightning-like energy erupted, enveloping the surroundings. It was somewhat similar to Mookhyang's Net Defense technique, but the difference was that the thickness and power of the energy were greater. Unlike the tightly woven fog of Mookhyang's technique, this energy had many gaps, suggesting it was more of an offensive technique aimed at attacking multiple enemies at close range rather than a defensive measure.
As the thunderous energy spread from the Thunder Sword Emperor, Mookhyang did not retreat; instead, he charged directly toward the Thunder Sword Emperor.
"This is the First Realm, Chapter 5, Position of the Park. It's truly impossible to move as if captured. But soon, the sword wind will arrive…" The Thunder Sword Emperor shouted with all his might. "Wind Dragon Style!" At that moment, an immense sword energy burst forth from the full stem in the Thunder Sword Emperor's hands, colliding with the surrounding energy and creating an explosion. For a brief moment, he felt his body become free. Taking advantage of this, the Thunder Sword Emperor leaped about five steps to the side and shouted, "White Dragon Style!"
Mookhyang quietly remarked, "Impressive. I didn't think there would be a master capable of breaking the Park." However, Mookhyang couldn't afford to be relaxed. Countless strong energies, though not reaching a hundred, seemed to number almost that much, erupted from the Thunder Sword Emperor's body and shot out in a streamlined manner towards Mookhyang.
"That's a remarkable style. First Realm, Chapter 4, Defense."
The onlookers who watched this duel from above were all holding their breath. They seemed to hear the words exchanged between Mookhyang and the Thunder Sword Emperor, but while the Thunder Sword Emperor's voice echoed in the valley, Mookhyang's voice was inaudible. The duel was truly astounding. Most of the styles they employed were high-level martial arts rarely seen in the martial world, and the collision of their sword energies was causing the surrounding forest and ground to be devastated.
Seeing this, Yeojeong said to her disciples, "Watch closely. These are the precious martial arts my father is risking his life to show us. My father is impressive, but that person is remarkable too. Don't you think?"
"Yes, Senior. This is the first time we've seen someone who can push our master so hard. That person's skills are truly incredible."
"When I heard the name of the Immortal Sword Technique, I wondered why it was so significant, but it's truly a rare sword technique. It's a miracle that there's someone who can compete with our master's Dragon Surge Sword Technique, which reaches the tenth level."
"However, the Dragon Surge Sword Technique is incredibly difficult to master. Most of the styles focus on sword energy or sword strength to attack, requiring immense effort. That's why most can't even begin to learn it, and only two have mastered it to the tenth level. It's such a complicated technique, and yet that person can counter it…"
While they spoke, the eyes of the onlookers were glued to the movements of the two men. They thought that if they could remember even a little of their techniques, it would be a tremendous help when they encountered someone using these techniques in the future. However, everyone felt that since the techniques of both parties didn't follow a fixed form and relied heavily on the release of powerful energies, the only option was to get in close to disrupt them and prevent them from releasing their energy.
At that moment, the duel between the two was approaching its climax.
The Thunder Sword Emperor, evading Mookhyang's attack, closed in on him within a distance of three steps and shouted, "Thunder Dragon Style!"
From the Thunder Sword Emperor's sword, lightning-like energy erupted and enveloped the surroundings. It was similar to the technique Mookhyang was casting, the Firm Net, but the difference lay in the thickness and power of the energy—it was more robust but less dense, with numerous gaps. It seemed to be a style designed to attack multiple enemies at close range rather than focusing on defense like the Firm Net.
As the powerful energy shot out from the Thunder Sword Emperor's body, Mookhyang didn't retreat. Instead, he lunged toward the Thunder Sword Emperor.
"First Realm, Chapter 3, Firm Net. First Realm, Chapter 1, Immortal Sword."
The energies from the Firm Net that erupted from Mookhyang and the Thunder Energy from the Emperor's sword collided, creating a deafening sound and a powerful rebound. Ignoring this, Mookhyang closed in, wielding the blazing blue Mookhon with such power that it sliced through the incoming strong energies and approached the Thunder Sword Emperor. Simultaneously, he lifted the sword he had lowered to cut through the energies.
The Thunder Sword Emperor, startled, shouted, "Mook Dragon Style…"
But the Thunder Sword Emperor couldn't continue his technique. Mookhyang's sword penetrated too quickly toward his body. With no time to execute his technique, the Thunder Sword Emperor injected as much energy into his sword as possible to block Mookhon. As the two swords clashed, Mookhyang utilized the recoil to slash at the Thunder Sword Emperor's leg.
The Thunder Sword Emperor retreated and attempted to stab at Mookhyang's neck. Mookhyang dodged and severed the Thunder Sword Emperor's arm.
A close-quarters battle ensued, requiring extraordinary senses, eyesight, instantaneous judgment, quick swordplay, and light-footed techniques. No further techniques were necessary at this point. However, the Thunder Sword Emperor faced considerable disadvantage due to his inability to use techniques against Mookhyang's Immortal Sword.
Instead, the Thunder Sword Emperor's Divine Sword was a supreme weapon, capable of blocking Mookhyang's sword techniques merely by being infused with energy. If this sword were a typical sword made of regular materials like Mookhon, it would have already been severed along with the body.
Simultaneously, a sword wind erupted from Mookhyang's sheath and struck the Thunder Sword Emperor. The moment he gripped the sheath, his hand burst open to the wrist. The Thunder Sword Emperor struggled to maintain his balance from the tremendous impact, but it was futile. The intense whirl of the sword wind, which extended sharply from the sword, turned the Thunder Sword Emperor's left wrist into a bloody mess and destroyed his protective energy, delivering a powerful blow.
As the Thunder Sword Emperor screamed and was thrown back, Mookhyang jumped up to chase after him. Before the Thunder Sword Emperor could regain his balance, Mookhon flashed and emitted a blue light.
That was the end. The Thunder Sword Emperor's clothes were completely torn from bottom to top, and his pants were shredded, exposing him completely. Upon closer inspection, one could see red lines drawn across his body, but apart from that, there were almost no visible injuries.
As the Thunder Sword Emperor fell, his disciples rushed down in a frenzy, drawing their swords to protect their master from Mookhyang. At that moment, the Thunder Sword Emperor stopped them and asked Mookhyang, "Impressive skills, young man. If you hadn't spared me… I wouldn't have been able to demonstrate my true abilities. May I ask for your name?"
"Please call me Mookhyang"
Satisfied with Mookhyang's answer, the Thunder Sword Emperor addressed his disciples. "You know my last words. If any of you wish to take revenge, do not even dream about it until five masters of my caliber gather. Can you swear to that?"
"Disciple, I swear."
"Take good care of the sect. Jeongah, I entrust the sect to you."
"I will remember, Father."
"To face a master of the Profound Realm is truly… an honor…"
With that, the Thunder Sword Emperor's body split in two vertically. He was holding onto his disintegrating body with the depth of his inner energy. However, that didn't last long; as the energy he had gathered at death's door depleted, his body succumbed, and he departed from this world.
As the Thunder Sword Emperor died in a horrific manner, the most hot-tempered among his disciples, Gwak Sam, drew his sword and shouted, "You bastard! There was no need for this…"
At that moment, he lunged toward Mookhyang with his sword. Four of his fellow disciples followed suit, drawing their swords and attacking Mookhyang in synchrony. But their eagerness was in vain; as Mookhyang swung his sword, they fell apart, severed by his strike.
Seeing their fellow disciples fall to Mookhyang, the remaining disciples lost their composure and drew their swords, charging at him. Observing this, Yeojeong said to Seo Jin, "You need to quickly take the Supreme King Sword and escape to inform the others."
"But, Master…"
"Stop your whining and run! This is the master who defeated my father, a master of the Profound Realm. We can't handle this together. This is a matter of life and death for all of us. Please help Yeomin as I would. Now go!"
With that, Seo Jin gathered all his energy and fled down the mountain. Upon seeing this, Mookhyang shouted, "Kill them."
Two masked figures, who had been silently observing from above, swiftly descended after Seo Jin. Before long, all the disciples who had come up were slain. The last to fall was Yeojeong. Despite being the Thunder Sword Emperor's most talented disciple, he was not skilled enough to face a master like Mookhyang.
After eliminating everyone, Mookhyang ascended to the thatched hut. There, the blue-robed boy and the red-robed girl stood trembling. Seeing this, Mookhyang gently spoke, "Child, are you also a disciple of the old man?"
"No, I'm his grand-disciple."
The blue-robed boy, terrified yet trying to speak confidently, made Mookhyang smile. "You will become quite a remarkable figure in the future. And you?"
The red-robed girl replied, "I am Sinyep. Let me prepare food and tea for you."
Mookhyang then spoke to Jeonglyang's gang. "I'm sorry; I should have died for you to collect the bounty…"
They broke out in a cold sweat and replied, "We spoke foolishly without understanding our place. Please forgive us."
"Anyway, what are we going to do about this…?"
At that moment, two masked figures in black rushed up from below. Upon seeing them, Mookhyang coldly exclaimed, "What happened?"
"Sorry, we had to flee. He was an incredible expert. We were ambushed at first and were unable to eliminate him."
"With that level of skill, you came to assist me? You foolish brats! Let's head back."
"But what about them?"
"Shut up!" Mookhyang gently said to Jeonglyang's gang, "This time I couldn't keep my promise, so you made a wasted trip. But don't be too disheartened; there may be an opportunity later. I'm sorry, but if you get a chance, please inform the Wudang Sect and Taijin Sect that I will visit someday to discuss the bounty on me. For now, I have no time and will just leave, but I'll definitely come by when I return to the martial world. Can you relay that?"
"We will deliver the message."
"Make sure you remember." Mookhyang turned back to the blue-robed boy and said, "Let's meet again when you become a great master. Take care." He then looked at the masked figures in black. "Let's go."
As soon as Mookhyang disappeared, Jeonglyang sighed and said to his companions, "Phew, it's a good thing that young man ran away; otherwise, we would have lost our heads here."
At that, a fat man asked, "He spoke so gently, why are you saying such things?"
"If he had only killed the Thunder Sword Emperor, it wouldn't have mattered. But now that he has also killed his disciples, we have to silence him completely. However, since one escaped, whether it's one or seven left alive makes no difference. We know almost nothing about him, which is why we're still alive. Let's leave quickly; he might change his mind and come back."
With that, they departed from the hut.