A cool breeze brushed over the liquor cup.
Jang Ilso, who was silently caressing his cup, turned his head to gaze at the burning Mount Wudang.
"So, it's over there?"
Despite the languid tone, there was a clear sneer in his voice.
"Is it really you?"
"..."
Chung Myung faced Jang Ilso without a word.
"Oh my, oh my."
Jang Ilso slowly shook his head. Even his slow movements seemed exaggerated, as if he were a Peking opera actor (T/N type of Opera in China, mainly Beijing. Y'all know Peking Duck?). This ever-present sense of exaggeration made it difficult for those facing him to guess Jang Ilso's true intentions.
"As far as I know, Taoists aspire to become immortals... but looking at you now, it seems you wish to become a poet instead. Every word you speak is so poetic…"
Jang Ilso chuckled softly. His oily eyes curved like a crescent moon, resembling a clown dressed in ill-fitting clothes.
"To an uneducated fool like me, it all sounds like nonsense."
"Jang Ilso."
"Since you keep saying such stupid things, let me tell you something. You're right here, right now."
"..."
"Not on that burning mountain, but right here."
Despite his smile, Jang Ilso's gaze seemed as if it could pierce through Chung Myung at any moment. But Chung Myung didn't respond to that provocative look. He just replied indifferently as if he had anticipated this.
"I never expected you to understand my thoughts."
"Is that so?"
A thick smile appeared on Jang Ilso's lips.
"Then what about you? Can you understand my thoughts?"
"You…"
"You can't, can you?"
"..."
"You can only guess and convince yourself, right?"
Chung Myung's face turned slightly cold.
"Don't make such a grim face. I don't intend to belittle you. Isn't it the same for everyone?"
Jang Ilso's eyes gleamed wickedly.
"In truth, no one can understand what's truly in another person's heart."
The seemingly indifferent and calm gaze of Chung Myung intertwined with the burning gaze of Jang Ilso in midair.
"It's a pitiful belief."
"..."
"Believing that we know each other's hearts, understand each other, look in the same direction with one mind, and think alike."
Jang Ilso's low laughter reached Chung Myung's ears.
"Such beliefs are illusions that weak people desperately cling to because they can't endure uncertainty and ambiguity. Humans can't truly know each other. No one can fully understand what's inside another person who's looking at them. Because they lack the courage to face this fact, they prefer to believe in a convenient lie."
Jang Ilso asked, gazing at the scenery as if it were picturesque.
"Do you really think you're over there?"
"..."
"Your thoughts, your will, what you believe in, are they really over there? Do those people you talk about really hold your 'pieces'?"
"...Jang Ilso."
"A dream-like sound."
It's chilling.
That's what Chung Myung felt. That voice, still cool, light, and slightly excited as before, felt unusually cold at this moment. Though there was no trace of such feelings in his tone.
"People are born alone and die alone. That's an unchangeable truth."
"..."
"And throughout their lives, they can't truly see another person's true intentions for even a moment. The best they can see are fabricated expressions, makeshift words, and outward appearances."
"That's just your case. Not everyone lives like you."
"Hmm…?"
Jang Ilso's eyes widened a bit. Faced with that gaze, Chung Myung unconsciously fidgeted with the cup in his hand.
"Do you really think so?"
"..."
"Really?"
Chung Myung's eyebrows twitched sharply. An indescribable discomfort welled up inside him. Just as he was about to snap back, Jang Ilso spoke again.
"So… have you always been completely honest with everyone? Have you ever made-up stories just hoping they'd believe you?"
Chung Myung's eyes trembled faintly.
"Can you really stand proud before that so-called 'trust'? If others trust you as much as you trust them, are you truly someone who meets that trust? Really?"
"Don't speak carelessly. You…"
"Oh, I understand."
Jang Ilso's eyes darkened momentarily.
"There must have been reasons. Because it was unspeakable, because it was better left unknown, because it was the only way to achieve a better outcome, for a more distant future…"
The air brushing his hand suddenly felt endlessly cold. It shouldn't have been possible, but it did.
"But the world calls such masks, patched with excuses, 'lies.'"
Jang Ilso smiled kindly. The more he smiled, the harder Chung Myung's face became.
"Isn't that right?"
Chung Myung saw it. The sneer, the malice, and the disappointment on Jang Ilso's face.
And perhaps, those feelings were not even directed at Chung Myung.
"Even someone who preaches trust easily talks about lies and shows not their true self but a conveniently fabricated self. While keeping their true intentions tightly hidden."
"..."
"And yet, they believe they know others' hearts."
No words could come out.
At least for this moment.
"Hahahaha!"
Jang Ilso, looking at Chung Myung's face, burst into laughter. It was an empty laughter rather than a joyful one.
"That's why… Yes, that's why the world is nothing but a grand opera. Everyone hides their face under heavy makeup and plays their given role."
Jang Ilso slowly traced his lips with his fingertip. The fingertip passed over his rouge-painted lips and pressed up to the corners of his mouth, slowly raising them.
As if forcing a smile.
"Aren't you curious about what face lies behind that makeup?"
"What… do you really want to say?"
"Ah, do you lack the courage to check?"
"Jang Ilso!"
Chaeng!
As Chung Myung shouted in anger, the cup in his hand shattered.
Cold liquor flowed down his hand. It looked almost like blood.
Jang Ilso, silently watching the liquor drip onto the table, slowly opened his mouth.
"I thought you would know."
"What…"
"Because the you I see is the most skilled at hiding yourself. You're like an embodiment of self-assurance, believing only in yourself without any thought of understanding others. For you, understanding is just another name for mercy. You call it understanding when you accommodate the less capable."
Chung Myung's face contorted. An unbearable anger surged.
But just as Jang Ilso's sneer wasn't directed at Chung Myung, his anger might not have been directed at Jang Ilso.
"You bastard…"
Jang Ilso's words were a blasphemy against Chung Myung. Worse than any curse.
"Isn't it? That's how I see it."
But Jang Ilso still wore the same smiling face.
"Isn't it funny? You, who speak of trust, hide yourself, while I, who speak of lies, show myself without any reservations."
"..."
"That's another interesting act in this grand opera. What do you think? Want to put on some makeup? Or are you already wearing it? A thicker makeup than mine, perhaps. Hahahahaha!"
Chung Myung remained silent as he watched Jang Ilso laugh, his shoulders shaking. The laughter echoed long into the desolate night.
"Trust! Trust, indeed! Hahahahaha! How absurd!"
As he struggled to contain his laughter, Chung Myung thought.
There wouldn't be a single speck of bitterness or sadness in that laughter.
Even so, the laughter sounded pitiful beyond measure, which meant there was a pitifulness within Chung Myung that Jang Ilso didn't have.
It became clear.
Why facing him always felt so repulsive. Why watching him made his insides twist unbearably.
Then, as Jang Ilso barely managed to stop laughing, he spoke with a bright smile.
"Then let me ask you something."
"…What is it?"
"What will you do if that trust is broken?"
"..."
"If your belief that they will meet your expectations, that they think like you, that they are achieving what you want through them… If all that disgusting trust is shattered…"
Jang Ilso's mouth twisted. It was a distorted smile like that of a demon watching a prisoner in the depths of hell.
"What will you say then? Huh, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword?"
"The enemies have all reached the peak."
"..."
Ho Gakmyung, the Mind-Reading Demon, silently gazed at the summit of Mount Wudang.
The enemies had invaded this far, breaking through the mountain without a moment's hesitation, cutting down all who stood in their way, and finally reaching Mount Wudang, where the battle awaited.
Who could have imagined?
It's the Evil Tyrant Alliance. They trampled over the Ten Great Sects and subjugated over two-thirds of the world under their feet.
Could such a display of divine power in this place, where the Evil Tyrant Alliance gathered, really be possible? Was there truly anyone who believed in these circumstances?
The answer Ho Gakmyung could give to such a question was only one.
At least one person. At least one person believed that without any doubt.
Ho Gakmyung himself.
"Indeed, splendid, Mount Hua."
Should he marvel or ridicule? It was hard to tell.
But one thing is certain. No matter how great a famous sword is, if it is not in the hands of a true sword master, it is merely a blade. Similarly, no matter how great Mount Hua is, without the sword master Chung Myung, it is nothing more than a common sect.
'I feel like a fool for being so tense.'
There are plenty of strong sects out there.
No one considers Shaolin to be weaker than Mount Hua. For the Evil Sect, which even trampled on such Shaolin, Mount Hua's strength is not even a topic for debate.
The reason why Mount Hua was special no longer exists for them.
Ho Gakmyung's eyes darkened.
"What about him?"
"If you mean the Nokrim King, he is now below the cliff. It seems it would have been difficult for him to follow Mount Hua while keeping the main force."
Ho Gakmyung slowly nodded.
Even while conversing, his eyes never left the summit of the mountain.
"Begin."
"…But, General. The Thousand-Faced Gentleman has not yet escaped."
"He won't escape."
"…What?"
Ho Gakmyung's eyes shone coldly.
"Because I never told him to."
His subordinates widened their eyes in surprise but couldn't continue speaking and alternated their gaze between Ho Gakmyung and the summit of Baekanam.
"Oh…"
"The Hao Sect Leader. If he survives, he will prove his worth, and if he doesn't, it just means that's all he was worth."
"…"
"Begin."
"Yes!"
Without further objection, his subordinates nodded.
Before judging whether this was right or wrong, they had no authority to refuse Ho Gakmyung's orders.
Ho Gakmyung, who was staring intently at the summit of the mountain, finally moved his gaze slowly, following someone far below the mountain.
'It's time for you to pay the price for your overconfidence, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword.'
Ho Gakmyung's eyes began to fill with a fervor he had desperately suppressed.
Paaaah!
The term "lightning speed" was inadequate to describe this sword.
The moment one perceives it, it has already struck, and by the time one feels it, it has already pierced. It was literally a ray of light.
Crunch!
All that could be felt was the searing pain erupting from the pierced neck.
"Grrrk…"
Just as a sound he had never made himself escaped his lips.
Paaah!
As quickly as it struck, the sword was retrieved, brushing his face and striking again. It was as if a dozen rays of light were slashing through his body.
"Guh!"
"Gah!"
As he slowly collapsed, lifting his gaze, he saw his killer approaching, too close to muster any will to swing his sword in defense. The attacker brushed past him, almost stepping over his collapsing body.
Thud.
Before the soul could even leave the fallen body, Jo Gul's sword once again fiercely slashed through the air.
"Haaah!"
Jo Gul's attack, splitting a single sword strike into dozens, hit its mark every time.
"Y-you bastard!"
The seven-foot-tall man, wielding a massive broadsword, roared with fury as he poured power into his swing.
But.
Paaaah!
The sword energy, like a lightning bolt, flew at his body, not missing the moment he pulled back the broadsword.
'What?'
As the tall man's eyes widened, Jo Gul's sword energy plunged mercilessly into his side.
Despite the excruciating pain, he mustered all his strength to swing his broadsword. Or at least, he tried.
However.
Crunch!
Jo Gul's sword energy severed his shoulder and elbow first. The broadsword, infused with all his remaining strength, failed to complete its arc.
The internal energy, having lost its outlet, back flowed, causing a sensation as if his internal organs were being utterly crushed.
Before he knew it, the tall man's mouth gaped open, and a pristine sword blade thrust into it.
Thunk!
The sharp blade pierced flesh and snapped bone. Following that was an encroaching, enveloping darkness.
Crash!
The tall man's body fell backward.
"C-Captain Jo!"
"The captain fell in an instant…"
Terror began to fill the eyes of those around.
How many necks had that dark broadsword severed? How many bodies had it dismembered?
Yet that executioner's blade hadn't even been properly swung. It was as if whatever it touched, it would cut and destroy.
"Ugh…"
The meaning of this scene was clear.
Just as they were adept at severing necks, he was adept at ending lives. He knew exactly how they would wield their swords and how they would attack, as if reading the palm of his hand.
That curly-haired young swordsman.
"One…"
Crunch!
One swift strike from Jo Gul's sword pierced an enemy's neck. Without bothering to wipe the blood off his face, Jo Gul's eyes were fixed on the desperately fighting Wudang swordsmen beyond the terrified enemies.
Jo Gul bared his blood-soaked teeth.
"Out of the way! You Evil Sect bastards!"
"Gol, don't overdo it!"
"If not now, when should I overdo it? Damn it!"
With bloodshot eyes, Jo Gul once again dashed forward like a fierce demon.
"Damn, that guy…!"
Yoon Jong gritted his teeth as he followed Jo Gul.
Swish!
In Yoon Jong's sight, he saw an enemy's shoulder moving.
Paaah!
Before he could think, his sword moved. After countless battles, his body recognized their intentions before his mind did.
The sword, thrusting out, deflected the spear aimed at Jo Gul's side and cut off the spearman's wrist in one fluid motion.
"Aagh! My haaaand!"
Paaah!
As if prearranged, Jo Gul's sword struck the screaming man's neck.
Their bodies were covered with scars inflicted by the Evil Sect. Each wound served as a teacher. This was true for everyone there.
Clang, clang, clang!
With a sound like hundreds of butterflies taking flight simultaneously, the Plum Blossom Sword Qi unleashed by Mount Hua's swordsmen poured onto the enemies atop Baekanam.
There was no other way to describe the scene but breathtakingly beautiful, transforming the familiar sight of Wudang Mountain into Mount Hua's landscape.
The blooming plum blossoms swayed in the wind, and the spinning petals surrounded the enemies' bodies.
"Pl-Plum Blossom Sword Qi!"
"Avoid it!"
It may appear delicate and fleeting, but every petal concealed the world's deadliest edge. Every Evil Sect member knew this.
Despite their desperate screams, the Evil Sect members couldn't escape in the cramped space.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
The Plum Blossom Sword Qi mercilessly embedded itself into their bodies.
As the blades sliced flesh and struck bone, agonizing screams erupted from the Evil Sect members.
"Hurraah!"
Gwak Hye sprang forward, instantly piercing the neck of a struggling enemy with Plum Blossom Sword Qi to ensure their death.
"Shut up!"
Crunch!
Twisting and swinging the sword that had pierced the neck, Gwak Hye dashed towards the enemies like a ravenous viper.
A ruthless and vicious sword.
"Aaah!"
An Evil Sect member screamed as he swung his sword with all his might at the incoming blade.
But.
Swish!
Instead of the expected explosion, there was only an empty sound. The sword, like an illusion, reappeared before the Evil Sect member's heart.
Crunch!
The sword that pierced his heart moved quickly, searching for its next target.
Relentlessly persistent, thoroughly deceptive.
The Plum Blossom Sword of Mount Hua, perfected solely to kill the enemy, drove the Evil Sect members into a corner more ruthlessly than the Evil Sect itself.
"You bastard!"
With bloodshot eyes, a spearman lunged at Gwak Hye, thrusting his spear with all his might.
Boom!
The powerful spear, wrapped in intense energy, seemed as if it would split Gwak Hye in half.
Crash!
"Sasuk!"
But Baek Cheon deflected the spear aimed at Gwak Hye in one strike. Fixing his gaze on the enemy, he shouted.
"Don't stop!"
"Yes!"
Baek Cheon's eyes gleamed fiercely.
"Let them know that Mount Hua is here!"