ch 12

 

Chapter 12

Thanks to Yun Seung-hyo's generosity, the cabin that became Munpyeong's was so opulent it was hard to believe it was a ship's room. Though the space was small, it was a proper room, furnished with high-quality pieces that must have been carefully selected, lending it a subtle elegance. The bed, large enough for two, was adorned with silk and gold bedding. Even the curtains hanging from the posts at either end were made of splendidly colored silk that fluttered with every breeze, shimmering like a five-colored mist.

But even such unprecedented luxury could not fill his frozen heart. The extravagant decorations of the cabin, the beautiful scenery of Dongting Lake which he was seeing for the first time—none of it registered in his eyes.

He sat before the table, frozen like a stone statue, and stayed that way all night. His entire body was stiff with exhaustion, but he didn't even notice.

Was it because of the oppressive weight on his spirit? A throbbing pain had started on one side of his head. Munpyeong pressed a hand to his temple and closed his dry, weary eyes.

An afterimage of a person appeared behind his closed lids. The face that surfaced, as vivid as if it were truly there, was the face of the person he longed to see more than anyone else in this moment.

The smile, more real than the real Yun Seung-hyo’s, was so impossibly gentle that it still made Munpyeong’s heart ache, even in this situation. But the beautiful feeling he had recalled out of habit did not last long. When the memory of what the man had done to him followed, a heavy weight settled in his stomach, and anger began to boil.

Furious at his own imagination, Munpyeong shook his head, trying to erase the phantom from his mind. But once it had appeared, the illusion did not vanish easily. Far from disappearing, it clung stubbornly to him as if it had a life of its own, throwing his mind into chaos.

`Who in the world are you?`

Giving up on pushing the image out of his mind, Munpyeong threw the question out in a state of resignation.

He had asked the ‘real’ man the same question last night, but he hadn't received the answer he wanted. While the man had confidently declared that he was the real one, he had refused to say anything more.

His excuse had been a good one. He’d claimed that the person who should answer that question wasn't him, that what happened between two people should be resolved by those two people, and that Munpyeong shouldn’t try to drag him into it. What could Munpyeong possibly say to that?

From the way he spoke, he seemed to have a rough idea of the ‘incident’ that had occurred between Munpyeong and the man who had pretended to be his double. He hadn’t mentioned it directly, but his implications were all too clear.

It was a clue deliberately dropped to stop him from asking further, but Munpyeong, knowing the man’s intent, could only remain silent.

The revelation that their intimate affair, which he thought was a secret known only to the two of them, had been exposed to an outsider was a shock. The fact that the person who knew the secret was the very man he had mistaken himself to be in love with dealt Munpyeong a double blow of shock and betrayal.

There was only one way a man who hadn't even been with him could know about it: the ‘fake’ must have told the ‘real’ one. And since Munpyeong hadn’t even known the man he was with was a fake, it meant he had been utterly played.

`What was the meaning of your actions toward me? In a situation like this, how am I supposed to understand the confessions you made?`

Left alone, Munpyeong agonized over and over, trying to make sense of what had happened to him. A ceaseless torrent of questions swirled through his mind, each one a branding iron searing his heart. But answers were nowhere to be found.

Even while pretending to be someone else, not even revealing his real name, the man had accepted his confession. He could have refused without any issue, but by readily accepting, he had made the situation infinitely worse.

Thanks to that, Munpyeong had become lovers with the man he believed to be ‘Yun Seung-hyo.’ Not only that, but they had even slept together. If there had been even a shred of sincerity in his heart, it was something he could never have done.

`Did he really think he would never be caught? Or was he planning to tell me the truth someday?`

He tried to force his thoughts in a more hopeful direction, but it was no use. He might have been able to understand if the man had merely disguised his identity. But the fact that they had switched places back and forth like some kind of shell game was something he couldn't forgive, no matter how generously he tried to be.

Thump!

As his thoughts spiraled, the headache spread across his entire head. It felt as if someone had reached into his skull and stirred everything around. Clutching his forehead with both hands to endure the pain, Munpyeong had his head bowed when the sound of the door bursting open without any warning made him look up with effort.

An unwelcome guest, whom he had no desire to see now or ever again, poked his head through the open door. The man wore an uncharacteristically serious expression. Seeing that face, Munpyeong’s heart sank, even though he knew its owner was not the man he had known.

“She’s not here either?”

The man, who had rudely opened someone else’s door without permission, asked a question out of the blue. But Munpyeong couldn't have understood the question, which lacked a subject.

“What are you talking about?”

“Myorang. Ja Myorang. Our little cat. Is she not in this room either?”

It was barely the Hour of the Rabbit, so early that it would be a breach of etiquette to visit anyone, even if they weren't of the opposite sex. Why would he think the young lady would be with him at this hour of the morning?

“She is not here. You should look elsewhere,” Munpyeong replied curtly.

Only after checking the cabin with his own eyes did Yun Seung-hyo accept his answer. It didn't seem to be because he distrusted Munpyeong's words; he just seemed half out of his mind.

“So she’s not in this room either. This was the last place. Where could she have disappeared to on this small ship? I’ve searched everywhere, even the cargo hold at the very bottom where she would never go. I've looked everywhere I can think of, and she’s nowhere.”

He muttered to himself, his handsome face contorted. Listening to his frantic murmuring, Munpyeong realized the man's mind was in even greater disarray than it appeared.

“If you can’t find her anywhere on the ship, she must be outside. Could she not have disembarked?”

Unless a person could vanish into thin air or sink into the ground, it was the only logical conclusion. It was even more likely, considering what had happened last night. But Yun Seung-hyo, who hadn't seemed to consider it, turned pale.

“I have to check.”

Before his last word was out, Yun Seung-hyo turned and bolted for the deck. His extreme haste clearly showed how anxious he was.

At first, Munpyeong remained seated, feigning ignorance. His own affairs were complicated enough; he didn't want to get involved in someone else's.

But soon he felt uneasy. Love her or hate her, Ja Myorang was his travel companion. How could he not be concerned when a young lady he was traveling with had suddenly gone missing?

He knew he was being overly meddlesome, but his conscience wouldn't let him rest. With a sigh of irritation at his own nature, Munpyeong rose from his seat and followed Yun Seung-hyo.

On the deck, he saw Yun Seung-hyo grabbing a passing sailor and questioning him about Ja Myorang’s whereabouts. He slowly walked over to his side.

The sailor, tilting his head at Yun Seung-hyo's explanation, called over a colleague. This sailor, who had been on watch on the deck last night, guessed what Yun Seung-hyo was after before he even finished speaking.

“Ah, you mean that fierce, scary young lady? Yes, I know. It was around midnight last night, wasn't it? A young lady came out onto the deck, woke up the sleeping sailors, and demanded we lower a small boat immediately. We can’t just do something like that on our own, so we tried to explain that we needed the captain's permission, but she was completely unreasonable.”

It seemed he wasn't the only one who had suffered at her hands. Another sailor, overhearing the story, chimed in, shaking his head.

“I saw what that young lady did, too. When the sailors insisted they couldn't, she started twisting their arms and legs, threatening them. In the end, she hijacked a small boat and left. To look at her, she was like a fairy from the heavens, but her actions were those of a demon.”

That was enough to know it was Ja Myorang. The thought of another woman like her in the world was too dreadful to imagine. Yun Seung-hyo seemed to feel the same, as he skipped the description and asked about her destination.

“So? Where did she go?”

“Well, how would we know something like that? One of our sailors was dragged along to row, but he hasn't returned yet.”

The sailor spoke in a tone that suggested he was worried if the man who was dragged away was even still alive. Hearing this, Yun Seung-hyo, belatedly coming to his senses, took out a silver ingot with an apologetic look.

“Oh, you don’t have to…”

The sailor, who at first seemed to refuse, was overjoyed when Yun Seung-hyo pressed another fifty-nyang silver ingot into his hand, telling him to distribute it among the injured men for medicine. He bowed so low his back nearly bent in half. The other sailors who had joined the conversation also lit up with excitement.

“It seems she did disembark after all.”

After dismissing the sailors, Yun Seung-hyo stared at the opposite shore with a grim expression. He didn’t reply to Munpyeong's quiet remark. It was impossible to know what he was thinking, but the ever-changing color of his face clearly revealed his troubled heart.

“So you were the one she was looking for, weren't you?”

The faint suspicion he’d felt last night had now become a certainty. The ‘Yun Seung-hyo’ that Myorang had been searching for was undoubtedly this man. In contrast to ‘the other man,’ who had been so indifferent to her it was embarrassing to watch, this man was interested only in Ja Myorang.

`If you were going to act like this anyway, why were you so cruel last night?`

Munpyeong couldn't understand the man before him.

“Indeed.”

“From your actions now, it doesn't seem like your feelings have changed. So why did you treat her so harshly? Not just your double, but you as well.”

Asking such questions to a man with the exact same face as the one he loved felt strange. It was because he realized he looked like someone interrogating a faithless lover. With the same face and the same voice, it was an easy mistake to make.

“Is that how it looked? That I was treating her harshly?”

“Wasn’t it? You were the one who cut her off so fiercely that she couldn't even remain by your side. After being so cruel, you mean to say you didn't expect this outcome?”

Yun Seung-hyo’s lips parted as if he wanted to make an excuse. But the numerous stories entangled in his past couldn't be explained in a few words. Moreover, he was in no position to reveal the identity of the person who played the most crucial role in that story. So there was even less he could say.

“...I have to go after her.”

Inevitably, that was all that came out of his mouth. Instead of an explanation, a sudden resolution popped out, surprising Munpyeong. He reflexively asked back, not having imagined such a response from Yun Seung-hyo.

“What did you say?”

“I said I will follow Myorang. The Joyful Pavilion is an organization that is thorough in protecting its members. If they decide to hide a member, even the Haomun will be helpless. If she crosses the threshold of her sect with this misunderstanding in her heart, I may never see her again. I cannot let that happen.”

The man who had caused all this trouble now spoke in an anxious tone, as if regretting it all. There must have been a reason why the fake had disappeared and the real one had returned, but for some reason, this man didn't seem to care about such circumstances. His mind seemed to be completely filled with thoughts of Ja Myorang.

`One moment, the two of them are acting secretly as one person, and now he’s going to throw everything away over a lover’s quarrel? Did I hear him right?`

Listening to Yun Seung-hyo, Munpyeong was so dumbfounded he was at a loss for words. This man had the same face as the one he knew, but his actions were completely different. At this rate, the fake was more convincing than the real one. At least that man would never forget his greater duty, distracted by the events unfolding before him.

“Then what about Ja-ok? Didn’t you say that hidden forces were after the child? We still have seven hundred li to go to Wuhan. I can’t protect the child on my own.”

Despite everything, Munpyeong had high expectations for Yun Seung-hyo. Although he was furious about being deceived, he had never doubted the man was a true hero. So when Yun Seung-hyo said he would abandon everything to chase after Ja Myorang, he couldn't believe his ears.

He didn't know how much he loved Ja Myorang, but this felt wrong. Even he, who defined his identity as nothing more than a wandering swordsman and not a member of a righteous sect, felt sympathy for Ja-ok’s plight. Moreover, Ja-ok was the only witness who could testify about the group that created the abominable living corpses, and her life was being threatened by them. To leave such a child behind and depart alone—was this man in his right mind?

This unexpected side of him brought deep disappointment. Munpyeong glared at Yun Seung-hyo with eyes full of anger.

“I have a guard hidden nearby. He is no less skilled than I am. For now, I will entrust her safety to him.”

The quick-witted Yun Seung-hyo couldn't have failed to notice Munpyeong's anger. But he pretended not to see it. Every moment felt like an eternity. He didn't have time to placate him and get his approval. Even now, Ja Myorang was getting farther away, her heart filled with layers of misunderstanding and sorrow.

That family's bloodline was nothing if not stubborn. Seung-hyo knew that if he didn't catch her in time, it would become a lifelong regret. He felt he had no choice, even if Munpyeong couldn't understand him.

“Master Yun!”

“My entire life is on the line. I hurt her due to unavoidable circumstances, but that doesn't mean I intend to lose her entirely. Please understand, Munpyeong.”

With words that were more of a unilateral announcement than an apology, he sent a short telepathic message. It was impossible to tell where he was sending it, but seeing his lips move silently, it was clearly a telepathic message.

But the furious Munpyeong didn't look around. There was an insurmountable wall between a transcendent master and one nearing that level. No matter how skilled the guard, it couldn't compare to Yun Seung-hyo staying himself. To irresponsibly pass off the mission was unforgivable.

“I cannot understand, Master Yun. The world doesn't work this… Master Yun!!”

Munpyeong’s anger couldn't stop Yun Seung-hyo. Ignoring Munpyeong's shouts, he vaulted over the ship's railing. The tourists who had come out on deck to enjoy the morning view of Dongting Lake screamed in shock, thinking he was throwing himself into the water.

But Yun Seung-hyo hadn't jumped over the railing to drown. He tossed a piece of wood he’d prepared from somewhere beneath his feet, landed on it, and slid forward as if gliding.

It wasn't quite the lightness skill of walking on water, but it was a considerable level of martial arts. To cross a lake supported by a mere piece of wood—it was a feat that could only be accomplished with immense internal energy, in addition to the study of divine footwork. Yet Yun Seung-hyo did it as naturally as if he were performing magic.

"Wow."

People who had never seen such a miraculous sight gasped in admiration.

"What is that, an immortal?"

"No, it must be a master of the Jianghu."

Witnessing something they had only ever heard about in stories, the people excitedly whispered among themselves. In such a buoyant atmosphere, the only angry person was Munpyeong. He glared at Yun Seung-hyo’s rapidly receding back with a fierce gaze.

This one, that one, they were all selfish. The one who disappeared without a word was one thing, but what about the one who threw away his greater duty for a mere lover's quarrel? This is why they call the so-called 'righteous sects' hypocrites.

Unable to contain his surging anger, Munpyeong stamped his foot hard. Gritting his teeth, he had no choice but to turn away. He couldn't leap across the water as skillfully as Yun Seung-hyo, nor had he ever learned to swim. There was nothing to do but give up.

***

For over several decades, Cheonma, Hyeokryeon Sang, who had held the title of the strongest under heaven, was known in the Jianghu as a being of near omnipotence.

A generation had passed since he had officially appeared in the Central Plains. Even though he was now lying low in a corner of the distant Xinjiang, people had not forgotten him. No, far from forgetting, with the passage of time, they had embellished his legend with dazzling tales and imagination, recreating him into a monster, almost a demigod.

It went without saying, but Cheonma was not the monstrous being that ignorant commoners whispered about. He didn't torture people for fun, nor did he enjoy the flesh of newborn babies as a delicacy. He had no bizarre habits like the mad king of the distant Arab lands who would capture only virgins, rape them, and then behead them. He possessed neither clairvoyance nor clairaudience. If there was a skill to ride on clouds accompanied by thunder and lightning, he really would like to learn it.

Therefore, Cheonma had to run. He didn't know any legendary arts like land-shrinking, so there was nothing for it but to run like hell. Though he moved at a speed that was almost invisible to the eye, Cheonma had many complaints.

If I’d known I’d be using it like this, I would have researched a more efficient lightness skill. Cheonma grumbled to himself, even as he ran at a speed that neither Munpyeong nor even Manjawoe could match.

The Dabie Mountains, his destination, were less a single mountain and more a part of a massive mountain range. The Dabie Mountain Range was a colossal formation that served as a major boundary between Anhui, Hubei, and Henan. The highest peak, Tiantangzhai, and its surrounding area were collectively called the Dabie Mountains.

The terrain wasn't treacherous, but the range was vast, with numerous valleys due to its complex network of ridges. It was not an easy task for one person to find people hiding in such a vast mountain area. This was true even for Cheonma.

Without sleeping, without even eating, he flew across the land. He wanted to focus solely on running, but his mind was in turmoil. The pitiful image of Un-jeong taking his last breath in his arms would surface, followed by a fleeting memory of Woo-gyeong's pitch-black eyes, overlapping with the venomous gaze of his mother. The regretful reminiscences continued, leading to his brother’s lonely grave tucked away in a corner of Baekhoe Valley, as if hiding from the world's eyes, and Myo-won's sorrowful figure with her shorn hair.

He was a man who, once he set his mind to something, would see it through to the end. But when it came to his own blood, it was a different story. As if in reaction to the smoothness of his other endeavors, his relatives had met tragic fates because of him. His parents were massacred because of him, and his only brother had taken his own life at his hands. The child he had abandoned because he couldn't forgive its mother had died before his eyes, and now even his nephew's life was in danger because of him.

When it came down to it, his very existence had led his entire family to their deaths. Perhaps his obsession with the well-being of a nephew he felt no affection for stemmed from the guilt of that history.

He didn't want to see any more of his kin die because of him. Especially not at the hands of Gwak Hyo.

A journey of hundreds of li was a matter of a single day for him. In less than two days, Cheonma arrived at the Dabie Mountains.

Whether due to his two Rejuvenations, his Dantian still swirled with inexhaustible internal energy. Yet, ever cautious, Cheonma performed a minor celestial circulation to replenish his strength.

The dark shadow of the mountain cast a shade over his head. It was early spring. While snow still fell in Xinjiang, sprouts were already budding in the Central Plains. The fragrant scent of spring flowers wafted from somewhere. The Dabie Mountains, filled with the sounds of life awakening, were so beautiful that it was hard to believe a bloody battle for life and death was taking place within them.

But Cheonma surveyed the scenery with cold eyes. Even amidst his chaotic thoughts, his sharp mind shone.

`An enemy capable of injuring a transcendent master like Woo-gyeong would not be an easy opponent. They wouldn't have been able to break through such an enemy with an injured party. To counter a superior force, the best option is to use the terrain as a shield. Therefore, they must be heading for the most rugged terrain possible.`

In another location, this could have been a self-defeating move, but in the Dabie Mountains, a stone's throw from Wuhan, it was a different matter. Hubei, the headquarters of the Righteous Path Alliance, was the righteous sects' backyard. If the attack had gone unnoticed, it would be one thing, but since they had left traces from the first assault, the longer they dragged it out, the more disadvantageous it would become for the enemies, not for them.

Reinforcements were coming for the Jade Qilin's party, but the enemy, merely a detachment, would find themselves hunted after a certain amount of time. If there was anyone in the Jade Qilin's party with half a brain, they would not have overlooked this point.

Once he had deduced this much, calculating their likely location was not a difficult task. The Dabie Mountains were not an unfamiliar place to him. He remembered every detail of the terrain and its ridges. It was one of the strategic key points he had memorized during his invasion of the Central Plains decades ago.

Soon, he narrowed it down to a few locations. Cheonma began to check them one by one, starting with the most likely one. It was a laborious task, but what could he do? He was one man, and there were several places.

The first two locations were wrong. The first was a complete miss, and the second, though he’d guessed right, he had missed them by a hair's breadth.

Following the tracks left at the second location, Cheonma was fortunate to soon hear the faint clang of clashing swords.

Clang, clang, clang!

The sound of swords filled with killing intent, which any martial artist would instinctively detect. Cheonma realized he was not too late and increased his speed.

“Hnngh! You cowards…”

Though he had finally found his nephew's party after much hardship, Cheonma did not just rush into the scene. Ever prudent, he hid himself in the nearest tree and tried to grasp the situation. The tree he hid in was in a good position, giving him a clear view of the confrontation.

It seemed they had been caught from behind before reaching their desired location. The Jade Qilin and his party were on an ordinary mountainside. The terrain was the worst possible, with randomly grown trees and rocks obstructing their steps, making it difficult to execute refined lightness skills or unfold their sword techniques.

The battle that had started before his arrival was still ongoing. Desperate screams and painful groans echoed from all sides.

“What is it you want?! What do you want that you so relentlessly pursue our lives?!” one of the young men in blood-stained blue clothes with a red sash around his waist screamed in desperation. He was wounded in several places from the difficult battle, his left arm nearly torn off, yet he hadn't even tried to stop the bleeding. But his enemies were cold. They seemed to have no intention of answering his desperate question, silently focusing on their attacks.

"Damn it! Brother Song, watch out!!"

The young man, completely ignored, charged forward out of sheer spite. Cheonma frowned slightly at the sight.

The Azure Blood Corps was a famous elite unit that had become battle-hardened veterans after years of fighting against Japanese pirates. But the young man's response was too inexperienced for someone bearing that name. Judging by his young face, which still had a hint of childishness, he was likely a new recruit, despite his status.

`Is he a new recruit?`

As expected, his emotional instability created an opening. A man who appeared to be his comrade shouted a warning, but the enemy was faster than his friend.

The enemy mercilessly swung his sword and beheaded the young man. With his internal energy depleted and his stamina drained, the young man couldn't even dodge. His cleanly severed head flew into the air. Even in death, his eyes, wide with indignation, remained open.

The young man's senseless death reduced the seven who were fighting the enemy to six. An even bigger problem was that a pillar of their Seven Star Sword Formation, which had been barely functioning, had collapsed. The Azure Blood Corps, already in a bad situation, quickly fell into disarray.

The one who seemed to be the most skilled, in the Big Dipper position, tried to fill the gap, but it wasn't easy. The bodies of the already battered party members became even more mangled. If not for the resistance of the Azure Blood Corps, who threw their lives away to protect the center of the formation, the formation would not have held for so long after one pillar had fallen.

The man being protected in the center of the sword formation saw this and, with a pale face, raised his sword. The sword, held in a trembling hand as if he lacked even the internal energy to hold it, didn't look very reliable, but his desperate intervention once again changed the tide of the battle.

Despite limping with the Wudang Sect's simplest footwork, the Flowing Cloud Steps, and executing nothing more than the Three Talents Swordplay, his interference was incredibly effective in aiding his companions. Even the vicious sword moves of the enemy, aimed at taking their lives, were disrupted by his weak sword-force, and the Azure Blood Corps members, thanks to his diversions, were able to counterattack.

However, the Azure Blood Corps members did not welcome his desperate help at all. They repeatedly shouted, "Step back!" and "It's dangerous, Leader!" trying to pull him away from the battlefield.

The man, addressed as ‘Leader,’ had disheveled hair that looked as if a Beggars' Sect elder might call him brother. His blood-soaked clothes were terrifying to look at, and one of his legs dragged as if his limbs were not intact. But even in such a gruesome state, the man was beautiful. The face visible through the messy hair was as handsome as if carved from jade. Beneath sword-like eyebrows as black as ebony, eyes that could be called phoenix eyes shone intensely.

Cheonma focused his vision and carefully examined the face. It was an overly familiar face. Even if he had met him on the street and not in a place like this, he would have recognized him at a glance.

`Tsk. Of all the luck.`

Finding a familiar face in the man's features, Cheonma unconsciously clicked his tongue. He had hoped the boy would take after Un-jeong, but his expectations were spectacularly wrong. Contrary to his wishes, his nephew bore little resemblance to his dead sister. He didn't even resemble his own mother.

Ironically, the boy seemed to resemble Cheonma himself more than his own parents. And not just a slight resemblance; he was a spitting image.

Thanks to this, Cheonma, upon his long-hesitated reunion, felt more disconcerted than any sorrow or regret. He didn't know what law of nature had produced such a result, but it was by no means a welcome one.

It would have been better if he had resembled his mother. Cheonma genuinely thought so. If that had been the case, even if he didn't like it, it would have at least felt like his brother’s child. After all, even he couldn't deny that the woman, Zhuge Hui-ryeon, had been his brother’s lover.

Although the man was proclaiming with his whole being that he was his kin, the excessive proclamation itself provoked a sense of rejection. Cheonma was displeased by his nephew's appearance, which stimulated his sense of guilt in a profoundly negative way.

But whatever his feelings, he couldn't just leave him be. Just because he didn't like his face didn't mean he wasn't his nephew.

Cheonma raised his hand and plucked a leaf from the tree he was hiding in. In early spring, only pine trees had leaves dense enough to hide in. A needle-thin pine needle was caught in his grasp.

Cheonma first aimed at the wrist of the man rushing toward the Big Dipper position. A pine needle, cloaked in powerful energy, shot out like a hidden weapon. The pine needle precisely hit the Lieque acupoint.

The masked man, whose flow of qi to his wrist was suddenly cut off for no reason, flinched and stopped his hand. In a life-or-death struggle where a single misstep could mean death, such a mistake was tantamount to offering up one's neck, but he couldn't help it. With the acupoint blocked and his qi not flowing, his attack was completely neutralized.

The man in the Big Dipper position did not miss the opportunity and thrust his sword. While there were many who used swords in the Jianghu, those who used dual swords were rare. This man held a different sword in each hand. From this, it seemed the man in the Bigdipper position was the Dual-Will Sword, Jo Se-hwa. Cheonma remembered hearing his name.

The Dual-Will Sword was a master who was famous even before he associated with the Azure Blood Corps. He was a senior martial brother of Woo-gyeong and, despite being a layman, had the good fortune to learn the Wudang Sect's ultimate skill, the Dual-Will Heart Method. His specialty was the Dual-Will Swordplay, created by modifying verses of the Heart Method. Indeed, the rumors were not just empty words; his swordplay, which moved as freely as if used by two different people, was uniquely eye-catching.

It was unthinkable that a master of Jo Se-hwa's caliber would fail to deal with an opponent who had revealed a weakness. The masked man, unable to use his hand because the deeply embedded pine needle wouldn't come out, tried to escape using flamboyant footwork but couldn't get away.

Jo Se-hwa, seizing the lucky break, relentlessly exploited the opening he had created. The masked man couldn't defeat him and was cut in half at the waist. Yet, even as he died, he didn't scream. Not even a scream, not even a low groan. It seemed his tongue had been cut out.

The same pattern repeated with the others. One masked man's legs stopped working, another's back gave out. The masters, who were difficult to face one-on-one, were gradually pushed into a defensive position by the pressure of the increasingly solid sword formation.

The tide of the battle turned rapidly. However, the masked men, despite the situation turning against them, showed no signs of escaping. They fought with a desperate ferocity, sacrificing their lives without a scream.

The Azure Blood Corps members were sickened by their actions, which felt like religious fanaticism. Even after they had finally defeated all the enemies, they couldn't cheer. With utterly disgusted expressions, they just looked down at the corpses strewn at their feet. A sense of exhaustion dominated their bodies.

“Vicious…” Jo Se-hwa muttered, spitting out the blood that had collected in his mouth due to internal injuries. Attacked by an unknown enemy, they had lost seventy percent of their comrades. The Azure Blood Corps members, breathing through their shoulders, checked each other's faces. Their faces were filled with sorrowful anger as they confirmed anew who had survived and who had died.

It was hard to believe they had lost their comrades, with whom they had shared life and death for years, so meaninglessly. But what had happened to them was an irreversible fact.

“Are you alright, Leader?”

Jo Se-hwa, who had been observing the members' injuries, finally turned to Baek Woo-gyeong and asked. Baek Woo-gyeong, leaning on his sword stuck in the ground as he lacked the strength to even hold it, looked up with a pale face. Wielding his sword in his injured state had clearly taken a toll on his body; cold sweat poured down his forehead like rain.

“My condition is not something to worry about. How can it compare to the brothers who lost their lives?”

“Please think about why those brothers gave their lives, Leader. They threw away their only lives like straw for your safety.”

Jo Se-hwa said sternly, as if scolding him. Baek Woo-gyeong lowered his head with a gloomy expression. An indescribable look of anguish crossed his face. He parted his lips as if to say something but ultimately said nothing.

After a moment of silence, as if in prayer, Baek Woo-gyeong slowly raised his head. He seemed to have composed himself in that short time, his complexion much calmer.

He stepped forward, limping and leaning on his sword, and cupped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute. Though his body was in pain, his posture did not waver as he bowed his waist.

“I do not know which esteemed senior you are, but I thank you for your help. This junior who received your aid is Baek Woo-gyeong of the Wudang Sect. If it is not too much of an imposition, may I know your respected name?”

A clear voice flowed from his lips, as if he had gathered all his remaining internal energy. The Azure Blood Corps members tensed their slackened bodies once more. Except for Jo Se-hwa, who had not let his guard down from the beginning, the others only then realized that their survival was not due to mere luck.

‘Esteemed senior’ was a nice way of putting it. He had helped them defeat the enemy, so they might think he was on their side, but the current state of the Jianghu was too chaotic for such simple assumptions.

Having had their sworn brothers slaughtered by an unknown group, they stared with wary eyes in the direction Baek Woo-gyeong had saluted. Their senses were far inferior to Baek Woo-gyeong's, so they blindly trusted him.

But Cheonma was not foolish enough to still be in that spot. It was obvious that his hiding place had been discovered due to the successive attacks, so he had quickly moved after dealing with the masked men.

He let out a low snort at their behavior, like puppies who don't know to fear a tiger. What kind of nerve did these guys have, who hadn't even noticed how they had won, to send such audacious glares? Did they really not know that they could suffer the same fate as their enemies?

“…”

“Esteemed senior, do you not wish to reveal your name?”

“…”

“I wish to know who it was that helped us. You saved not only my life but the lives of my brothers as well. If I do not even know the name of the one who has bestowed such a profound grace upon me, how can I live with myself?”

His skill at pressuring his opponent while pretending to humble himself was surprisingly good.

`So his mother’s teachings were of some use after all.`

Cheonma thought to himself as he looked down at his nephew, who was not entirely a lost cause.

Baek Woo-gyeong urged him to reveal his identity a few more times. His attitude was polite and respectful from beginning to end. But Cheonma, who had no intention of showing himself from the start, did not budge.

He had no desire to take credit for throwing a few pine needles. He had saved his life, but that didn't mean he acknowledged him. It was merely a sense of duty to keep his sister's bloodline alive; he hadn't expected anything more.

When he didn't answer after several inquiries, Jo Se-hwa gave Baek Woo-gyeong a look. It meant that the person probably didn't want to show themselves, so they should avoid excessive questioning. If, by some chance, the esteemed senior had saved them out of pure goodwill, it would be a great discourtesy not to respect his wish to remain hidden. Reclusive masters who lived in seclusion usually didn't want to get entangled in the grudges of the Jianghu, and if that was the case, their pleading would be useless.

“I apologize if my request was an imposition. I did not mean to disturb your peace, esteemed senior.”

Having no choice, Baek Woo-gyeong took a step back, speaking with difficulty and wiping away his sweat. The exertion of his injured body had left him drenched in a cold sweat.

Jo Se-hwa, watching him with concern, quickly moved to support him. Baek Woo-gyeong, dragging his injured leg, retreated and ordered the dead members and the masked men to be separated and temporarily buried before leaving the site.

Cheonma silently followed them, concealing his presence. He intended to watch over them until Baek Woo-gyeong met with the reinforcements sent by the Righteous Path Alliance. It was difficult to assume that the enemy was just one group, and the current party was in a state where they would have difficulty fending off even wild animals. Not wanting to be blindsided after saving them, Cheonma moved his feet, a frown creasing his forehead.

`I wonder what that kid is doing right now?`

Now that the immediate fire was put out, he could breathe a sigh of relief. With the urgent matter resolved, he became idle, and other thoughts began to creep in. For Cheonma, other thoughts meant Munpyeong. As it was currently his only private life, it was perhaps a natural conclusion.

It was true what they said: your priorities change once the immediate crisis is over. He had dragged Yun Seung-hyo over in a hurry, but now that he thought about it, he was getting a little worried.

That kid’s eyes filled with stars whenever he saw Yun Seung-hyo. He would probably still be sparkling, not even knowing the person had been switched. The thought of the real Yun Seung-hyo receiving that gaze made him uneasy. It had been annoying enough when it was directed at his own double; it was hardly going to be pleasant with another man.

`...I'd better get back as soon as possible.`

Thinking of the kid he had left behind in a rush, he felt an unnecessary sense of urgency, as if he had left a child by the water. It wasn't that he thought Yun Seung-hyo would do anything, but he was too petty to leave the two of them together for a long time.

Cheonma looked down at the Azure Blood Corps, who were walking as slowly as turtles, and clicked his tongue softly. This babysitting job, so ill-suited to his temperament, was getting on his nerves.

***

At that very moment, what Munpyeong was doing was staring blankly into space, chopsticks in hand, lost in thought.

Two days had passed since Yun Seung-hyo had left the party. Munpyeong, furious at his unbelievable transgression, had stayed by Ja-ok's side, burning with a sense of duty, but nothing particular had happened since. The ship was a luxury cruiser with well-to-do passengers, so there were no inconveniences in their daily life, and only a peaceful atmosphere lingered on the leisurely drifting boat.

Among the idle tourists, Munpyeong was the only one who didn't relax his guard. He realized this fact later. Realizing that being on high alert by himself only drew unnecessary attention, he let his shoulders relax. The thought belatedly occurred to him that drawing attention would do him no good.

Enjoying the good scenery, delicious food, and music. On this boat, which was moving for that single purpose, there was nothing for him to do. He had a private space, but it wasn't large enough for training, and he couldn't draw his blade in the open areas. As they say, only those who have done it know how to play. Having never enjoyed leisure time, he soon became bored.

It would have been a relief if he had someone to talk to, but the only companion he had left was a small child who was practically a mute.

The shy child stayed cooped up in her room, not moving an inch. Sitting face to face with such a child all day long, just passing the time, was so frustrating he was about to go stir-crazy. He tried talking to her to kill some time, but the wary Ja-ok spoke even less than before. With the party suddenly halved, she seemed to be scared again.

Nothing to do, nothing to say. Munpyeong, stuck in his room with Ja-ok, found his mind becoming increasingly busy.

All sorts of thoughts swirled in his head. He resented the ‘real’ one who had left them, and worried about the well-being of the ‘fake’ one who had disappeared without a word. Since there was nothing else to do, he just thought and thought, but it wasn't entirely without results.

Having been given the time to organize and analyze the incident, the emotional dregs had settled to the bottom, allowing him to focus on the question of ‘why.’ Thanks to this, Munpyeong got the chance to look at the ‘Fake Yun Seung-hyo Incident’ from a rational perspective.

He had thought so from the beginning, but upon careful consideration, there were one or two strange things about this incident. Most suspicious of all was the true identity of the ‘fake’ one, one of the two men who had posed as Yun Seung-hyo.

What kind of person was he to be able to imitate someone so perfectly? To the point that no one noticed even when the person was switched right before their eyes.

Munpyeong had never heard of such an incredible art of disguise. Not only perfectly mimicking someone else's face but even changing the color of their irises. Such a martial art had never appeared even in the most outlandish tales of the Jianghu.

Because of the distinctive eye color, he had initially thought the ‘fake’ might be a relative of Yun Seung-hyo. There was the possibility that he was a twin who was not known to the world, or if not, perhaps a hidden relative.

But upon further thought, that hypothesis didn't make sense due to his extremely high status. Yun Seung-hyo had his distinct eyes because of his mother's lineage, a princess. Therefore, to have the same eyes, the ‘fake’ would also have to be of the bloodline of the Prince of Seopyeong.

However, a member of the imperial family was not someone who could so easily conceal their identity. This was even more true for the bloodline of the Prince of Seopyeong, who was highly respected by the people. In the current situation where the surveillance of imperial princes was severe, they could be accused of treason just for hiding a blood relative. It was unlikely that the House of Seopyeong would have taken such a risk. The same was true for the Grand Marshal's office, whose head was the commander of the Embroidered Guard.

Excluding the blood relative theory, the key question returned to the divine art of disguise. It was hard to accept, but since he had seen it with his own eyes, he couldn't completely deny the possibility. But Munpyeong had no idea who possessed such a 뛰어난 disguise technique.

It was generally known that a disguise technique of that caliber consumed a tremendous amount of internal energy in a short time. But the ‘fake’ had maintained that appearance for months. This meant that the ‘fake’ either had a miraculous disguise technique that could produce a huge effect with little internal energy, or he was a master with a Dantian like an inexhaustible spring.

In truth, it was both, but Munpyeong, not knowing the truth, gave more weight to the former possibility. The latter case would mean there was a master who surpassed Cheonma, and Munpyeong had not yet heard of such a monster appearing in the Jianghu.

The second thing he was curious about, after the fake's identity, was why they had done it. The two of them had acted secretly as if they were one person, doing something. It wasn't that the fake was unilaterally imitating the real one; the two of them had taken turns, meticulously concealing their movements.

Since they wouldn't open their mouths, he couldn't know why they did it, but it was clear that they had put a tremendous amount of effort into it. They had deceived not only their traveling companions but even the real Yun Seung-hyo’s fiancée.

But the reason was a complete mystery. Their secretive actions made it seem like it was due to a serious matter they couldn't tell anyone, but then thinking of the real one who had abandoned his role without any lingering attachment, it seemed like they had done it just for fun.

To be honest, Munpyeong hoped their reason was as grand as possible. It was a foolish and selfish emotion, but it was also his honest inner feeling. He wanted the secret they were hiding to be a matter of life and death for hundreds or thousands, or something that would determine the fate of the Jianghu. If there was such a justification, he would be able to accept their actions a little more easily.

Perhaps it wasn't the other man who needed an excuse, but Munpyeong himself. While he was at a loss with anger and betrayal at being deceived, there was also a coexisting desire that he hadn't been truly deceived. Munpyeong did not want the feelings he had cultivated by gathering all the good things in him to be buried in a pile of mud.

He had known the emotion of love for the first time in his life. He was only now beginning to realize the extent of the happiness that came from being able to show his true self to another person. All this brilliance was solely because of that person, and without that person, he would have never known such an emotion existed. That's why Munpyeong wanted to believe in him.

Munpyeong wanted the other person to have as much truth as he did.

Frowning bitterly, Munpyeong sighed deeply and looked up. There were too many thoughts dominating his mind. He had never been this thoughtful in his entire life. It felt like he was being crushed by the weight of non-existent thoughts. They say the heaviest thing in the world is the heart, and perhaps that was true...

His gaze, lifted absently, fell on Ja-ok's stiffly set face. Ja-ok, who was overly conscious of others' moods, hadn't touched her food because Munpyeong hadn't, and was just fiddling with her chopsticks, her posture rigidly frozen.

Only upon seeing this did Munpyeong come back to his senses. It seemed his own distraction was keeping the innocent Ja-ok from eating. The child had been timid even when surrounded by others; how nervous must she be now that they were alone?

He had been too thoughtless. He should have been more considerate of such things.

"Does the food not suit your taste?" Munpyeong asked in a casual tone, picking up a piece of cold chicken. The child shook her head from side to side and carefully studied Munpyeong's expression.

"Then what are you doing? Hurry up and eat."

When he gently encouraged her without a hint of scolding, some of the tension left the child's shoulders. Her pale face, devoid of any childlike vitality, looked up at him.

Ja-ok hesitated for a moment, and only after a little more time passed did she finally eat the food. Though she was a shy child, if he had offered her some warmth, she wouldn't have been so distant. He had kept his distance because it was a bond that couldn't last long, and the child had guarded herself against him in the same way.

`She was a little better when she was with the unreserved Ja Myorang.`

Clicking his tongue inwardly so the child wouldn't notice, Munpyeong thought. Perhaps children really did need to be with other children. He muttered this excuse for his own inability to handle the child well.

"Huh?"

Munpyeong, who was forcing himself to eat the unappetizing meal to make the child comfortable, stopped his chopsticks, sensing an unusual atmosphere outside.

The air inside the ship, which had been perfectly serene just a moment ago, was now filled with a taut tension. The sailors, who usually walked carefully so as not to disturb the wealthy guests, were now running about busily, and occasionally, commands that sounded like shouts could be heard. Munpyeong, familiar with the atmosphere of a battlefield, noticed that the current commotion was similar to the atmosphere just before a battle.

`What’s going on?`

Munpyeong opened the cabin door to assess the situation. Not just him, but other passengers, sensing the urgent flow of air, also began to peer out of their cabins, the number of faces gradually increasing.

"What is all this commotion?"

Before Munpyeong could speak, an impatient guest grabbed a sailor first. The man, dressed in luxurious silk clothes with a large amber button, looked like a wealthy merchant at a glance. The sailor he had caught had a grim, sun-tanned face and was anxiously looking out into the corridor.

"It's nothing, my lord. River pirates have appeared outside, and we are busy preparing to deal with them."

"What? River pirates have appeared?" the wealthy merchant shouted, and a young woman accompanying him gasped in shock. The other passengers also started murmuring after hearing the sailor's words. The sailor, realizing his words had caused an unintended misunderstanding, hastily added an explanation.

"Even if they are river pirates, they are probably from the Eighteen Fortresses of Dongting. Besides, this is an expensive pleasure boat, so they won't dare to touch it recklessly. We should be able to pass without trouble after paying the usual toll, so please do not worry."

Whether they were mountain bandits or river pirates, as an organization stabilized and grew, the pressure for funds always increased. A large organization could not be maintained without a regular source of income, and for a steady cash flow, a regular toll was more stable than a one-time plunder.

Paying a toll was also more beneficial for those who paid than being plundered entirely. If travelers felt the threat of being robbed at any moment, the number of visitors would decrease, no matter how beautiful the scenery. The ship owners, whose main source of income was tourists, would be in immediate trouble.

With their interests aligned, it was only natural that a compromise was reached. Just as there was a relationship between the Green Forest and the escort agencies, a kind of tacit agreement existed on Dongting Lake.

The reason they were tense now was not because they were worried about a worst-case scenario, but because they were unprepared for the pirates who had appeared earlier than usual. They hadn't been too worried about the pirates' unexpectedly early appearance, as it was not uncommon for their locations to change to avoid the patrols of government ships, so they had assumed it was the same this time.

But their complacent assumption led to bone-deep regret. Contrary to the sailor's belief, the group approaching them had not come to collect a toll. A horrific scream suddenly erupted from the deck.

“Who’s there!”

“What are you doing!”

Those who realized the situation only after being attacked shouted belatedly, but the enemies did not answer their questions.

“Wipe them all out!” a cold command rang out, and the screams of people grew louder. The shouts of those who resisted fiercely and the sinister clang of swords shook the ceiling. The startled passengers scurried about in confusion, not knowing what to do. They were afraid to go up, fearing they would meet a terrible fate, but they were also anxious to hide in their rooms, as there was no escape route.

The sailor, who had been held by the wealthy merchant, rushed up to the deck without even asking for leave. The cabin doors that had been slightly ajar were now shut one after another.

Munpyeong also returned to his cabin. He looked at Ja-ok, whose eyes were wide with fear, and gave a short command.

"Stay close to me."

Munpyeong looked around and packed a few necessary items into his clothes. Ja-ok's room was next door, so he couldn't go and get her belongings.

He held the approaching child with one arm and a saber in his other hand. Without being told, the child tightened her grip around his neck. A deep fear emanated from the small body clinging to him desperately. The fast-beating young heart was as fragile as a bird's.

"It's okay."

Patting her head soothingly, Munpyeong glared at the door. The screams and commotion were getting closer. The narrow cabin seemed to be filling with the thick smell of blood. Munpyeong circulated his internal energy to his fingertips and tensed his entire body.

Crack!

Finally, his cabin door was split in two. The men who kicked down the door and entered were all wielding bizarre weapons. One, befitting a river pirate, held Emei piercers, while another held a fearsome-looking harpoon, and yet another a wolf-fang club whose poisoned spikes gleamed with a bluish light.

"Found them!!" the man who spotted Munpyeong and Ja-ok in his arms shouted excitedly. He charged at the same time he cheered, so it seemed their purpose was not just to find them.

Munpyeong raised his saber and deflected the sharp thrust of the Emei piercers. The top part of the ring on the middle finger spun, and the piercers elegantly dodged the saber's blade. Emei piercers were short weapons, but they were unorthodox and difficult to fight against. They moved in a way that was different from ordinary weapons, so one was bound to be at a disadvantage if not familiar with them.

But fortunately for Munpyeong, the movements of the Emei piercers were not unfamiliar. Choi Wi-myeong, who had shared a room with him, was skilled with them, and his experience from sparring with him often saved him now.

The Emei piercer, which had been pointing toward the back of his hand, rotated and came at him. The sharp point of the arrowhead-shaped weapon aimed straight for his eyes. Munpyeong dodged the piercers with an Iron Plate Bridge maneuver and then used his saber to slice at the man's knees. The man hastily dodged and thrust the piercer at his neck. But the saber was longer than the piercer. Munpyeong's blade cut the man's knees, but the piercer stopped before it could reach his neck.

The man swallowed a scream and lost his balance. Munpyeong did not miss the opportunity and kicked him. The kick, imbued with internal energy, sent the man flying. The wolf-fang club, which hadn't been moved in time, impaled the man's back.

"Shit!"

The man with the wolf-fang club let out a frustrated cry, but the man with the Emei piercers, struck by the deadly poison, collapsed without even uttering a curse.

Munpyeong, in a flash, rushed at the wolf-fang club wielder who had inadvertently harmed his comrade and gifted him a single slash. Since he was at a disadvantage while holding a child, he showed no mercy.

A bloody, chaotic melee began. Munpyeong, who had to protect not only himself but also Ja-ok, desperately cut down the men again and again.

Instincts that had been dormant for a long time were slowly awakening. His martial arts were not high, but when it came to combat experience, he was second to none. Especially a free-for-all, where everyone was fighting in a tangled mess, was his specialty.

Munpyeong moved his body, appropriately using the narrow cabin walls, the corridor, the open and closed doors, and even the people fighting each other. The already chaotic surroundings became even more gruesome due to his actions. There were many skilled bodyguards hired by the wealthy tourists, but few were as accustomed to a chaotic melee as Munpyeong, and none had as much reason to be as desperate.

Munpyeong attacked the weaknesses of those who rushed at him, and when in danger, he used the people around him as shields to escape. He used his light body to its fullest, weaving through the corridor, knocking down some enemies and killing others. His ethereally swift lightness skill moved with divine grace.

No one could catch up to his figure as he slid through the gaps between people, between clashing swords.

Before a quarter of an hour had passed, he was standing at the foot of the stairs leading to the deck. Munpyeong, accustomed to chaotic battles, knew it was better to go outside than to be trapped in the inescapable hold below. He went up the empty stairs to the deck.

"You rat!"

As his figure appeared on the deck, an enemy shouted an accusation that was the pot calling the kettle black and rushed at him. It seemed they had already killed all the sailors; the deck was a sea of blood.

Stepping on the sticky human blood and grease, Munpyeong nimbly countered the enemy's attack. It was manageable when it was one, but when the enemy struggled, another joined in.

Munpyeong, dealing with two enemies, looked around. There was no one who could be an ally anywhere in sight. Seeing even the captain's head rolling on the floor, it seemed they intended to massacre everyone on this ship.

`Damn it. Where the hell is that guard?`

As his hands and feet grew desperate, an unexpected thought came to mind. For the first time, Munpyeong wondered about the existence of the guard whom Yun Seung-hyo had only said ‘was there’ but had left without telling him where.

He couldn't use not only one of his hands but also half of his body because he was protecting the child. In this situation, he was busy just defending himself against the enemies' fierce attacks.

`Where is that guy at a critical time like this? Don't tell me he lied about him being here?`

Munpyeong belatedly regretted not having looked for him earlier and secretly gritted his teeth.

As he narrowly escaped one crisis after another, his back became soaked with cold sweat. It seemed the ones who remained on top were more skilled than those who had gone down to the hold. Moreover, there was no space here to exploit for an advantage.

Small cuts began to appear on his arms and legs. He felt the light trickle of blood but had no time to stop it.

This wouldn't do. This was really dangerous. Munpyeong swallowed hard and recalled the final verse of the Green Water, No Shadow technique in his mind.

Green Water, No Shadow was the only ultimate technique he had, and he had mastered nearly ninety percent of it, but there was one move he had never fully learned. It was the only offensive move in this technique, which specialized in evasion and escape.

That move required a lot of internal energy and, because of its unconventional movements, carried the risk of internal injury. It could be more harmful than helpful if used before being fully mastered. That's why he had never used it in a real fight. But if he didn't use it now, he would probably never get to use it at all.

Munpyeong steeled his heart and unfolded the life-saving ultimate move of Green Water, No Shadow: Reversing the River's Flow. A handful of internal energy rose from his Dantian and spread to his legs.

As the internal energy stimulated his Yongquan acupoints, his lightness skill unfolded as naturally as clouds gathering. His feet, which had been moving forward to meet the enemy, suddenly slid sideways. It wasn't quite a body-flicker, but it was fast enough to make them lose track of his movements for a moment. Munpyeong used the tips of his toes to rotate his body about half a turn, tracing a circular path and instantly getting behind his opponent.

The enemy, surprised by the attack coming from an angle that was impossible to block, turned and instinctively raised his arm. The forearm, blocking his torso defensively, looked quite sturdy as if it had been trained in external arts, but it couldn't withstand a blade imbued with internal energy.

Munpyeong's saber cleanly cut off the opponent's forearm. Hot blood splattered on his face. He pressed the advantage and slashed at the man's side. The ribs broke, and the internal organs spilled out. He heard the gruesome sound of bones breaking at his fingertips.

From between the collapsing shoulders of his opponent, another enemy's blade emerged. Munpyeong's feet moved again like flowing water. He lightly squeezed through the wind like a fish swimming upstream. He dodged the blade with a strange technique of bending his upper body without bending his legs, and in that same posture, he swung his saber upwards from below.

The enemy tried to dodge Munpyeong's attack with an Iron Plate Bridge maneuver but failed. Munpyeong, turning his body in mid-air, changed direction and brought his saber down. The control of his qi was so unbelievably free that the opponent had no time to react. Unable to even correct his posture, the opponent was exposed to the saber and ended up with his face split in half.

Munpyeong's saber pierced through his head and stuck in the deck. The excessive exertion of his qi made his blood boil. A lump of blood that surged up filled his nostrils with a coppery taste.

Munpyeong wiped the nosebleed with the back of his hand and straightened his back. A lump of blood was about to come out of his mouth, but he just swallowed it. There was no point in advertising that he had suffered internal injuries.

"That's quite a stylish trick. Fucking brilliant."

Clap, clap, clap. A sudden round of applause echoed from behind him. Munpyeong adjusted the child, who was trembling uncontrollably at the ceaseless slaughter, and turned around.

The men who had been sitting at the bow of the ship, laughing and joking with a mountain of corpses around them, turned their heads to watch him. The weapons they had placed on the ground were all sinister Demon Head Sabers, which gleamed with an unnaturally clean polish, giving off an ominous feeling.

"Oh? Now this is a rather pretty little thing. Quite tempting," said the man who stood up first, picking up his Demon Head Saber. When he stepped forward, none of the men surrounding Munpyeong dared to move.

`A little thing? Is he talking about this child?`

Disgusted by the lewd joke about a child who barely even looked human, let alone feminine, Munpyeong glared at them with cold blue eyes.

"I like that little girl. I bet her liver would taste pretty damn good after I've had my fill of her until she dies."

"Ah, for fuck's sake! You goddamn bastard. I swear I can't be seen with you perverts. You wanna do that now? We don't have much time to play."

"Shut up, you crazy bastard. You're one to talk, you can't get it up unless it's a corpse with rotting flesh falling off."

A conversation that was nauseating just to listen to continued between the men. Only then did Munpyeong realize that the ‘little thing’ the first man had mentioned was himself.

A rapist of men, a killer of young girls, and a necrophiliac. Ominously, he felt like he had heard of this disgusting combination somewhere before.

"...Don't tell me, the Three Ghosts Demons?"

Munpyeong's face hardened as he confirmed his suspicion. The man who had been lewdly scanning his body grinned wickedly at his question, as if Munpyeong had just shown him some cute affection.

"You tasty-looking little thing, you're a sharp one. If you know who we are, you should be pulling down your pants without another word. Who knows? If you satisfy this master, I might just let you keep your life."

The Three Ghost Demons. They were a demonic group that roamed the Central Plains, engaging in plunder and rape. All three were first-rate masters, unusually skilled for lecherous thieves. They enjoyed ganging up on their victims, and would flee or hide when a strong enemy appeared, making them difficult to catch despite many pursuing them.

But even the most elusive villains get caught if their tail is long enough. A few years ago, they had incurred the wrath of the Jianghu for raping and murdering the family of the head of the Zhu clan, a renowned scholarly family in Henan, and had become public enemies of the Jianghu.

A kill-squad was formed, and the Righteous Path Alliance itself pursued them, so they soon disappeared. Rumor had it that they had fled abroad, or had been captured by the Righteous Path Alliance and imprisoned in the Black Demon Prison.

To think such men were still at large in the Central Plains—what on earth was going on? Munpyeong couldn't hide his dismay. He might not only lose his life but also have to endure a humiliation that was hard for any human to bear.

He could feel the glistening lust in the eyes of Gyesalgwi, the Violating Ghost, as he looked at him. The gaze of Chusalgwi, the Devouring Ghost, as he looked at Ja-ok, was not human either. Sisalgwi, the Corpse Ghost, who was said to be interested only in corpses, grumbled that he needed a pretty young woman's corpse for himself and idly rummaged through the corpses at his feet.

Strangely, the whites of all their eyes were stained red, and a glint of madness shone in them, giving a chilling impression just by looking at them.

Munpyeong sincerely wanted to cover Ja-ok's ears. If only her acupoints had been sealed, he really would have. What sin had this child committed to suffer like this time and again? She was still at an age where she shouldn't know about such a cruel world.

"Do you want to fight with Sisalgwi?"

"What?"

"You desire so much what you can only have as a corpse. I thought your tastes had changed."

Munpyeong pulled his saber from the floor and pointed it at the man, taunting him sharply. At the same time, he searched for an escape route with his peripheral vision, but it was not easy to find an opening.

As if to guard against people jumping into the water, the ship's rail was protected by a tight cordon. Even the men who had been resting on the deck had retreated to the rail upon seeing their confrontation, making the already solid encirclement even tighter.

Gyesalgwi smiled and spun his Demon Head Saber in his hand. He licked his lower lip meaningfully and deliberately spoke in a more lewd tone.

"There's a special pleasure in breaking a defiant little bitch. When you shove your cock in that insolent mouth and start thrusting, they whimper and can't even scream as they go wild."

"Indeed. You're confident you can put something like that in my mouth and not have it bitten off?"

"I'll pull out all your teeth, so don't you worry. First, I'll have a good taste of that insolent mouth, and then I'll fuck you until your lower half is in tatters."

"I'm so honored I don't know what to do with myself. But can you do it alone?"

Munpyeong asked probingly to the swaggering Gyesalgwi, who was acting like a ruffian at a marketplace. They must have known his level of martial arts from his earlier fight. Yet Gyesalgwi, who was also said to be a first-rate master like himself, had walked out alone without fear.

These kinds of people cherished their own lives and wouldn't recklessly put themselves in danger. The fact that he was so willing to step forward without a care for his own safety was a bad sign.

Gyesalgwi, reading Munpyeong's thoughts, grinned. He rested his Demon Head Saber on one shoulder and boasted.

"I'll show you a taste you'll never forget even in death, so trust your master. If you keep questioning me like that, you'll be cast aside."

Before he could finish his sentence, Munpyeong charged at him in a surprise attack. He had judged that it was better to launch a preemptive strike and seize the initiative than to concede the first move to an opponent whose skills he couldn't gauge.

"Ooh, scary."

Gyesalgwi grinned leisurely and parried the saber. A harsh clang of metal echoed across the ship. Munpyeong, who had nearly lost his grip on the saber due to the stronger-than-expected rebound force, gripped it so tightly his fingers felt like they would break and quickly retreated. The qi and blood he had forcibly suppressed roiled again. His balance was broken, and his steps faltered.

`My god, such rebound force?`

From that single clash, Munpyeong realized his opponent was a master beyond his imagination and his expression turned grave.

Only after their weapons had clashed did he finally understand. He knew why Gyesalgwi had stepped forward so confidently. There was no conspiracy. He was simply confident in his own skills.

Contrary to what was known, Gyesalgwi was a peak master. He was not an opponent that Munpyeong, who was only a first-rate master with a handicap, could possibly defeat.

Gyesalgwi did not give him a chance to recover. He attacked Munpyeong's saber with the force of a striking axe. The fact that he attacked the saber and not the body seemed to be a ploy to inflict internal injuries while keeping his appearance intact. He knew it was cunning, but he had no room to counter.

Munpyeong barely blocked Gyesalgwi's onslaught, retreating step by step. Each time their sabers clashed, his entire qi and blood system shook as if in an earthquake.

Blood seeped from his lips, which he had been desperately biting back. As if finding the sight of the red blood he was coughing up pleasing, Gyesalgwi smiled with satisfaction and taunted Munpyeong.

"Why are you so foolishly resisting? You'll melt your insides at this rate."

"You... bastard."

"If you want a good fucking, I'll give you plenty. So just give up and drop the sword, eh? You'll really die if you keep this up."

`I'd rather that happen. I'd rather die right here than be raped by a dog like you!`

Munpyeong thought to himself. But the presence of the young life in his arms held back his weakening resolve. If he fell here, not only he but this child would suffer a terrible fate. It wouldn't be right for a child who had never seen anything good in her life to have such a miserable death.

Munpyeong barely righted his retreating figure and maintained his balance. He bit his lip until it bled, but no brilliant plan came to mind. He didn't have many options left.

`Use Reversing the River's Flow to get behind him and strike his arm. A peak master won't be like those underlings, so he'll block it properly. Then I'll use the rebound force to leap over the ship's rail. As long as I'm not caught, I'll be fine. Once I'm over the rail, it's a race of speed.`

It was a move he had already revealed, but no matter how much he thought about it, there was no better option. Munpyeong forced his unwilling internal energy to rise and prepared for his final gamble.

He couldn't beat Gyesalgwi alone, and even if he did, he couldn't defeat the many enemies who would rush him afterward. For Munpyeong, there was no better method than the 36th Stratagem: run. Whether it was possible or not, he would have to test his luck. Munpyeong gripped his saber tightly and lowered his stance.

"F-Fire!!"

Just as he was about to leap at Gyesalgwi, a desperate scream came from behind him, followed by a flood of people pouring out from the stairs to the lower deck. The passengers who had remained below, as well as the enemies who had gone downstairs, all scrambled up together, turning the deck into complete chaos.

Gyesalgwi, who was about to leisurely finish his work and indulge in his hobby, lashed out at the people rushing toward him, killing them and showing his utter annoyance.

"What the hell are these bastards?"

"It's an emergency, Lord Gyesalgwi! The ship is on fire!!"

"What did you say? Why is there suddenly a fire?"

"I don't know either. Suddenly, flames shot up from the floor and spread in an instant... Oof! Crap!!"

The pirate who had rushed over to report to Gyesalgwi ducked in surprise at the explosion that erupted behind him. Gyesalgwi, who had thought a lamp had been knocked over when he heard about the fire, straightened up in shock as the lower part of the ship was engulfed in flames along with an unusual explosion.

"Damn it all. Those are fire bombs!!"

As if in response to his words, the stern of the ship exploded. People screamed and jumped into the water. Even the men on guard couldn't handle the crowd rushing at them all at once to save their lives. In fact, they were struggling to be the first to jump in themselves.

He didn't know how it had happened, but this was definitely a heaven-sent opportunity. Munpyeong, in a state of exhaustion, adjusted the child clinging to his neck and backed away. He had to get away before Gyesalgwi turned his attention back to him.

Quickly assessing the situation, Munpyeong followed the fleeing people and ran toward the ship's rail. Gyesalgwi, who had been distracted by the explosion, finally noticed him escaping and roared.

"Son of a bitch! Get him! Get that bastard!! Just kill him and it's all over. Kill him and that girl!!"

His rage was so great that his command was heard even in this chaos. Some of the men still on deck drew their weapons and turned toward Munpyeong.

Without slowing down, Munpyeong also raised his saber. Even if it meant sacrificing an arm, he had to get out of here. It was do or die.

Munpyeong gathered all his remaining internal energy to the tip of his saber. But his second gamble was never thrown at his opponent. Just as Munpyeong was about to swing his saber, someone sent him a telepathic message, changing his intention.

*"Do not slow down. Run straight ahead. I will cover you."*

The voice that entered his ear was grating, like iron scratching a steel plate. It was low and mumbling, and the tone was unclear, as if thick with phlegm. But it held a strange, powerful persuasiveness, and Munpyeong followed the message without question.

He ran without slowing down, and blood splattered before his eyes. Something shiny flashed past him, creating a red wind of blood. He saw the men who had been rushing at him fall one by one. The fallen men all had deep, sharp cuts on their necks.

Unless he used Sword qi, it must have been a hidden weapon. But what kind of weapon makes such a wound?

The strange wounds caught his eye, but he had no time to spare a thought for them. Gyesalgwi was chasing him from behind, and fire bombs were exploding under his feet.

Munpyeong passed the beheaded corpses and climbed onto the ship's rail. He unhesitatingly jumped toward the water, and another explosion erupted behind him.

**BOOM! KABOOM!**

A deafening explosion shook the heavens and the earth. Immediately after, a searing heat that felt like it would burn the skin off his back washed over him.

Munpyeong hugged Ja-ok with his whole body and plunged into the water. The dark, deep inside of the lake was just as chaotic as the outside, a pandemonium of people trying to survive.

Even in the water, his back was still searing. It wasn't just searing; his entire back muscle felt like it was burning, and blood spread into the water.

`Something’s wrong.`

In the midst of the searing pain, Munpyeong realized this fact. But his realization came too late. His consciousness was rapidly fading. He desperately tried to hold onto his fading consciousness, but he failed.

He lost consciousness.