[Chapter 4]
Indeed, as if to confirm it, another sickle dangled from the elderly woman's waist. She, who had surpassed a century in age, had a hunched back and donned a headscarf reminiscent of a village woman. With a sickle at her side, she appeared unmistakably like an old woman toiling in the fields.
This made it even more certain.
'Gasp! Could it truly be her?'
What sort of elderly woman laboring in the fields could have inflicted this kind of terror upon him?
Every hair on his body stood on end as Gwi Myung was consumed by fear.
He clenched his teeth so hard that they nearly shattered. Tears welled up behind his tightly shut eyes.
And beyond the pain, beyond the anger, beyond the fear, one question dominated his mind.
'Why is she here?'
His curiosity then extended to the identities of the other elderly individuals accompanying her.
He squinted his eyes open once more.
Beside another old man, he noticed a sword.
A pattern etched onto the scabbard.
The lightning engraving he had observed on Jin Lee-Bong's wall.
The lightning engraved on the scabbard was not merely decorative but meant for one individual alone.
The sole person capable of summoning actual lightning upon unsheathing his sword.
'No, it can't be, the real Lightning Sword!'
His quivering body confirmed it. It was indeed the actual Lightning Sword.
'Then, could it be that the secret manual was genuine?'
Gwi Myung couldn't even take a breath. The pounding of his heart reverberated like thunder in his head.
His teeth chattered involuntarily. It was all over. If it was these individuals, they would have known he was awake from the beginning.
Gwi Myung opened his eyes. Indeed, no one paid him any heed even as he opened his eyes. Gwi Myung was suddenly gripped by terror. He was shaking as his survival instinct sensed imminent death.
The Twin Sickle-Wielding Demon and the Lightning Sword.
The absolute masters who represented the righteous and the demonic.
What led to them being here, together?
The righteous hero who despised the demonic to the extreme and the demoness who never forgave the righteous were seated together, sipping tea—an astonishing sight.
At that moment, another elderly man spoke with a courteous tone.
"Would you care for another cup?"
Though he had never encountered him before, Gwi Myung instantly recognized his identity. The precise and disciplined manner in which he poured the tea. The chilling demonic aura radiating from his piercing eyes. He was unmistakably the Sword Demon, Cheon Mu-Ak, the one who had gone to eliminate the target.
If he was indeed the Sword Demon, the identities of the other two were beyond doubt. There was no one else in the martial world to whom Sword Demon would personally serve tea.
The Twin Sickle-Wielding Demon, Yang Hwa-Young, one of the greatest masters of the previous generation.
The Lightning Sword, Naeng Lee-Sang, also one of the greatest masters of the previous generation.
And finally, the Sword Demon, Cheon Mu-Ak, one of the greatest masters of the current generation.
It was truly astonishing that these three were seated together, sharing tea.
'This is preposterous! What in the world is happening?'
Dozens, hundreds of suspicions flared up like a wildfire. As the flames blazed intensely, one conclusion came to mind.
'No, it can't be, are they all conspiring together?'
If this was a coordinated scam by them?
If the young brat, Jeok Lee-Gun, was merely a facade?
If the three absolute masters were plundering the wealthy of the central plains?
The sum involved was in the hundreds of thousands of nyang. Regardless of how much the Twin Sickle-Wielding Demon possessed, wouldn't she be tempted to swing her sickle at a mountain of gold?
As this thought crossed his mind, it consumed him entirely.
"Now that I think about it, it's been twenty years already."
Yang Hwa-Young shattered the silence. Her voice was not that of an elder. It resonated with the clarity of a young woman. One could immediately sense the depth of her internal energy.
"It's already been that long."
The one who responded courteously was Lightning Sword.
"You've aged considerably."
"You remain unchanged."
Their conversation carried a sense of familiarity.
No, no, no matter how much I think about it, this is ludicrous. Yang Hwa-Young and Naeng Lee-Sang playing the role of senior and junior? With such familiarity? The mightiest individuals in the world came together, merely for wealth?
"Why did Lee-Gun travel to Hubei?"
Gwi Myung's ears perked up instantly.
Lee-Gun? Does that imply Jeok Lee-Gun is not a facade?
"How could I possibly fathom the intentions of that dark-hearted guy."
Yang Hwa-Young chuckled at the thought of Jeok Lee-Gun. She appeared to be in a good mood when thinking of him.
"How shall we proceed?"
"Let's go as well. We're sitting around idly anyway."
Yang Hwa-Young turned her gaze to Cheon Mu-Ak.
"Child, what is your decision?"
Child, the Sword Demon being referred to as a child at this moment. If it weren't for this bizarre situation, he would have been elated.
"I will accompany you."
His response was brief.
Yang Hwa-Young's eyes narrowed. She appeared to have much to say, but instead, she smiled enigmatically.
"You will have to handle all the chores now…"
"I will take care of it."
Yang Hwa-Young gave the Lightning Sword a smile.
"You are no longer the youngest."
The Lightning Sword smiled back. Yang Hwa-Young's remarks about being the youngest and the eldest among only the two of them was quite amusing.
The Lightning Sword had been observing her nature over the past twenty years. The woman who was once cruel and cold now displayed a friendly and talkative demeanor. It was all due to one individual.
Yang Hwa-Young smiled radiantly and remarked.
"If it weren't for that child… our lives would have been so bleak."
"Indeed."
"So, this time… I shall feign ignorance so I can help fulfill his dreams. Indeed, he has turned twenty, that is enough to be called an adult."
"If you take action, the martial world will be thrown into turmoil once more."
"That may be true, but this body has endured for over a century. The laws of the world hold no sway over me now. I trust the children will understand."
Gwi Myung sensed that 'the children' alluded to individuals other than Jeok Lee-Gun. Naturally, he couldn't fathom their identities. Compared to Yang Hwa-Young, even the leader of the martial alliance was merely a child.
Yang Hwa-Young cast a glance at Gwi Myung.
"Child, would you care for a cup as well?"
Her elongated, narrow eyes, visible through her wrinkles, were utterly terrifying.
Gwi Myung was certain that his end was near. The god of death seemed to be whispering ominously in his ear. He endeavored to make the most of his final moments.
Rather than responding that he would partake in tea, Gwi Myung whispered softly.
"…The Demon Supreme, the Twin Sickle-Wielding Demon."
"Yes, that's me."
"…The Lightning Sword."
Naeng Lee-Sang acknowledged with a silent nod.
"…The Sword Demon."
Cheon Mu-Ak directed a murderous glare towards him.
Upon direct confirmation, Gwi Myung's mind found a semblance of peace in his mind.
"Why did you spare my life?"
Yang Hwa-Young responded with a serene demeanor.
"I vowed not to take a life without his consent."
Gwi Myung was perplexed.
'Him? To whom is she referring to?'
Who in this martial world could dare to dictate the Twin Sickle-Wielding Demon's actions? Surely not the Heavenly Demon? If it were the Heavenly Demon, she wouldn't use such an expression.
Gwi Myung questioned with a flicker of hope.
"Does that mean you will spare my life?"
After taking a sip of tea, Yang Hwa-Young gave him a nod.
"You won't die, but I will shatter your dantian and sever the tendons in one of your legs."
At her response, Gwi Myung let out a chuckle. How could that fate be any worse than death for a martial artist?
Yang Hwa-Young continued to speak with a smirk.
"Of course, I've heard that assassins do not fear death."
She was basically telling him to take his own life, so she could keep her vow.
Yang Hwa-Young was once the most feared demonic master in the world. Her cruel intentions were understandable. No, just the fact she was answering his questions showed that this was an act of kindness.
What Gwi Myung couldn't wrap his head around was the presence of the Lightning Sword.
"I am astonished that Senior Naeng is in the company of a demonic master."
The renowned hero Naeng Lee-Sang, who once shook the martial world.
He remained silent.
Yang Hwa-Young responded in his stead.
"Time… it wears down even the most renowned heroes."
Naeng Lee-Sang gazed at Yang Hwa-Young and remarked.
"The influence of time extends beyond that."
If it was said that he had changed, Yang Hwa-Young had also undergone significant changes.
Gwi Myung found the response perplexing.
Gwi Myung had a fervent desire to survive. He yearned to live and recount this tale to everyone.
Yang Hwa-Young's voice was as cold as ice.
"Now, you may depart from this world. Unfortunately, there is no place for an assassin in the martial world he dreams of."
Her lips curved into a smile, but her eyes remained frigid.
"Before I die, I have one thing I need to confirm."
"What do you want to know?"
"Who is Jeok Lee-Gun? Is he someone that was used by Senior Naeng as a means to an end?"
He had previously heard that Jeok Lee-Gun traveled to Hubei. Yet, no matter how much he pondered, Jeok Lee-Gun seemed like a figment of imagination. If Naeng Lee-Sang got involved, he could believe the tale he heard of a thunderclap being produced.
The three of them laughed in unison. It was a laugh in denial of his ridiculous question.
Yang Hwa-Young asked with a meaningful smile.
"Could you easily mimic what that child has done?"
Her words only deepened Gwi Myung's confusion.
"Then, did you take him in as a disciple?"
Yang Hwa-Young dismissed the notion with a bitter laugh. Damn, then who is he?
Jeok Lee-Gun.
Merely hearing the name made his head throb.
"Regardless, I envy him. To bask in the glory of being protected by renowned masters such as yourselves."
Crack–
Gwi Myung bit down to activate the poison pill concealed behind his molar.
He had never envisioned that today would be the day he would resort to this. Occasionally, when eliminating a target, he would muse that there were unpredictable days in life, and today was his day of reckoning. Damn, his own words were coming back to bite him.
"Ugh."
Yang Hwa-Young's voice turned soft as she watched Gwi Myung vomit black blood
"Do you know why we are protecting that child?"
Her figure blurred in his vision. Gwi Myung struggled to keep his eyes open.
"What… is the reason?"
The last of his vital energy ebbed away with the blood. Gwi Myung's head drooped forward. He heard Yang Hwa-Young's words in his waning consciousness. Words that would haunt him even in the afterlife, words he would never comprehend.
"…He is a child who doesn't even need our aid."
'From this day forth, a new life will commence.'
The whisper, that seemed to be the voice of fate, lingered as Jeong Cha-Ryun opened her eyes.
The familiar visage of her room unfolded before her. The morning sunlight, like a sword, sliced through the stale air left from the night.
She turned her head to gaze out the window.
She heard the bustling footsteps of the servants beginning their day and the song of the chirping skylarks. There was nothing different about this morning from any other.
She vaguely recalled her dream.
It was a dream of soaring through the sky as a phoenix. It was the first time she had experienced such an unusual dream.
As she attempted to remember the face of the male she soared alongside, the dream dissipated like sand washed away by the sea.
"Sigh–"
Cha-Ryun stretched as she rose from the bed.
Her sweat-drenched clothes adhered to her body, accentuating her slender form. Her firm chest tapered into a narrow waist.
Her flawless figure that measured eight-heads in height, her luminous white skin, and her pure face that contrasted with her well-proportioned body exuded an explosive beauty. She was renowned as the most beautiful woman in Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province.
Cha-Ryun, the embodiment of pure beauty.
Men traveled from distant regions merely to catch a glimpse of her. Yet, none dared to knock on her door.
The Righteous Sword Sect.
She was the second among three daughters of the sect.
The Righteous Sword Sect was a traditional martial sect in Wuhan, and its leader, Jeong Lee-Chu, was a distinguished master who had learned the Red Silk Sword Technique.
Of course, compared to the era before the Great War of the Orthodox and the Demonic, the prestige of the Righteous Sword Sect had significantly waned. When Jeong Lee-Chu's father, Jeong Sang-Gwon, fought in the Great War and perished, the family fell into decline.
At the time of Jeong Sang-Gwon's demise, Jeong Lee-Chu had not fully inherited the essence of the Red Silk Sword Technique. As a result, even after twenty years, Jeong Lee-Chu had not fully mastered the technique. However, the Righteous Sword Sect remained a venerable martial family in Wuhan.
After cleansing her face, Cha-Ryun donned her white martial arts uniform. Her long hair was tied back, and her elegant face harmonized perfectly with the white attire. She favored wearing the white uniform despite the frequent need to replace it.
She proceeded to her personal training ground.
Her daily routine commenced with light exercises.
The Red Silk Sword Technique was a form of swordsmanship characterized by its diverse and unpredictable maneuvers. Thus, nimble footwork and a flexible body were crucial.
After finishing her warm-up, she would practice the Red Silk Sword Technique from the first through the seventy-seventh move.
Her father always stressed the importance of training consistently. He believed that mastering even a single move to perfection could enable one to handle any martial art. Cha-Ryun always held that teaching close to her heart and made sure to never to forget it.
She had attained seven-star mastery in the Red Silk Sword Technique.
This feat was achieved at only eighteen years of age.
In comparison her father, Jeong Lee-Chu, had achieved the same seven-star mastery only after turning thirty, making her accomplishment extraordinary. Yet, her ambition in martial arts did not end there.
She trained daily, regardless of whether there was rain or shine. However, after reaching seven-star mastery, she had hit a wall and struggled to progress.
Jeong Lee-Chu was elated by his daughter's accomplishment but was troubled that he could not assist her further. The enlightenment he had attained upon reaching eight-star mastery did not benefit Cha-Ryun. He understood that even the same martial art could present different challenges and meanings depending on the practitioner.
"Haap–"
With a long shout, Cha-Ryun completed the seventy-seventh move and slowly returned her sword to its sheath.
Then she finally seated herself to circulate her qi throughout her meridians in a full cycle.
Her sweat-drenched body affirmed that her training was effective. She felt a refreshing and invigorating sensation as she finished.
'Then why can't I advance beyond the wall of seven-star mastery?'
As she rose, someone approached her, as if they had been waiting for the moment she was done.