Chapter 123
**
“Can you handle this?”
Truly, isn’t that an arrogant statement?
Hyeon Do-gwang, the Elder of Kunlun, found himself laughing without realizing it. Look at this! Where did this guy suddenly pop out from?
He raised his eyes and glanced around. He faced a man dressed in a pi-풍의 (some kind of traditional attire).
A sensed energy? There’s almost none.
It felt as if he had no internal power at all; it was eerily calm.
However, compared to that, the visible muscles…
They were trained to the extreme. It was almost frightening.
Curiosity got the best of him, and he couldn’t help but ask.
“Have you honed your external power?”
“That’s not the important part, is it?”
“…That’s true.”
On the way here, he had heard it. While thinking about the sword, he felt the wave of energy and the desperate cries contained within it.
Kunlun. What is Kunlun?
It is a sect based on Taoism situated in Cheonghaeseong. A sect that polishes its learning through martial arts, practicing both at the same time.
Because of this, it distances itself somewhat from the mundane world. Modesty is regarded as a virtue, so fasting and temperance are also intertwined in their learning.
Hyeon Do-gwang could certainly affirm that he had learned this way.
But recently, the state of Kunlun has become strange.
The great gatekeeper did not intervene. He was originally someone who belonged to the same side. He believed that even as the times change and progress, the spirit of Kunlun must not change.
In contrast, the lower elders were different. For some reason, they filled their bellies with food that was hard to find, and sometimes rumors would spread about them descending to Cheonghaeseong to indulge in pleasures.
Despite trying to grasp the essence of it all and feeling like grabbing a slippery eel, who would have thought things would unfold like this?
Thus, he attempted to escalate matters. He raised his voice to expand the arena and seek out vengeance.
However…
To choose the option of defying him here.
Even after seeing himself just a moment ago. If he didn’t find some interest in this situation, he wouldn’t be a martial artist, would he?
“I can’t bear it… What exactly can’t you bear?”
He deliberately stomped his feet. Lowering his voice menacingly.
He raised his fighting spirit. Leaving traces on the things that collided within his aura.
“If you can’t bear it, what can you do?”
“…….”
The man’s eyes were calm. His somewhat tall stature looked down at him.
Yet within, there was a beast boiling like fire. Hyeon Do-gwang flinched unexpectedly when their eyes met.
“…Would you like to check for yourself?”
In his calm voice lay a robust firmness.
Wondering if he misheard, Hyeon Do-gwang blinked. Soon thereafter, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Ha ha ha! How dare you say such things in front of Hyeon Do-gwang! You! You’ve got your guts hanging out!”
“……”
“But… but that’s quite appealing. Yes. A man should have some guts like that.”
The inner power that couldn’t be felt.
Even the sword he drew from its sheath was like that. There wasn’t a hint of inner strength at the tip of that sword.
A solid heart. Clearly trained, maintaining its presence in a straight line.
Indicating this were the dried bloodstains at the corners of his mouth. How much blood must have pooled beyond those clenched teeth?
Ah! A resolute warrior!
It’s a rare warrior to find in this era! Moreover, if the reason for that sword is to represent the innocent…
I can’t help but praise him!
“You said your name is Jeok-un? But regardless of how appealing I find it, we must clearly distinguish right from wrong.”
“Brother! No matter what…!”
“Master. Isn’t that the order of things? The sword of Kunlun must be upright for it to have meaning. There are those who have suffered, and there are those who support such claims, so there’s no reason to pretend otherwise.”
“It’s the nonsense of the lowly!”
“The lowly, you say. Where is there anything lowly in this world? We are all the same person. If the height of individuals is determined by their mastery of martial arts, then that’s no different from the logic of Sapa. Are you saying that we, as masters, don’t even have that proper path?”
“T-that is…!”
“If there’s no crime, then do not insist further. But you, as a warrior of the Martial Alliance, are also responsible for breaking in here recklessly.”
The warrior who introduced himself as Jeok-un sheathed his sword again at his waist. Hyeon Do-gwang, unwittingly scanning his flowing pi-풍의, checked the four swords hanging at his waist.
Four swords… a peculiar fellow.
Who on earth is he? A warrior with such external power should have been someone I’ve heard of at least once, yet I’ve never come across that name…
Hyeon Do-gwang stroked his beard.
“Stay here for a while. I will ensure safety in the name of Kunlun. Likewise, you too should consider it wisely. It would be safer to see what Kunlun’s name is all about when thinking about the future.”
“……”
“If you can’t trust Kunlun’s name, then let’s stake my name instead. I am known as the White Sword of Kunlun; while I am here, no one will dare to touch you.”
“…Okay. But instead, I’d like to see the end of this matter together.”
“That’s only natural. You will accompany me. Your testimony will be needed to understand the entire course of events.”
Hyeon Do-gwang approached the kneeling man. Is this the bandit?
He lowered his voice and spoke coldly.
“If you want to live, you must not mingle even a single thread of falsehood from this point on.”
“Yes, yes! I-I’ll tell you everything! Just let me live! Dae-in!”
. . .
Hyeon Do-gwang.
The first elder of Kunlun, who had barged in unexpectedly, was unlike what he had imagined.
He handled things without hesitation, as if he had prepared for this moment. Under the bandit’s testimony, he also sent out warriors.
“They are my arms and legs. No need to worry. They will catch them all.”
True to the name of Kunlun, those who leapt out all easily surpassed the peak.
Kunlun possesses a powerful hand.
They captured the bandits of the Cheonghaeseong area and forced them to kneel. The bandits, seeing the elder who clashed with the Baek Domeong and I, were bewildered.
“D-Dae-in…! Didn’t we pay this month’s fees? H-how…?”
“Shut your mouth!”
The bandits of Cheonghaeseong. They were responsible for significant damage to ordinary citizens.
Even the taxes imposed on the merchants of Cheonghaeseong were not normal. Under the guidance of several elders, they had merely received kickbacks.
The corruption committed by Kunlun was revealed to the whole world. Hyeon Do-gwang sighed.
“I thought it was rotting, but I never expected it to be this rotten… Oh my…”
Even the evidence attempting to cut ties all came forth before Hyeon Do-gwang.
Books. Documents. Checks. People too.
The mixed area filled with the scoundrels of Cheonghaeseong was akin to a filthy, muddy pit. Upon realizing the scope of it, Hyeon Do-gwang was drenched in cold sweat, knowing he couldn’t sift through it all at once.
“…This… will surely… take time.”
An amount that couldn’t be handled overnight.
After all of this had been revealed, Hyeon Do-gwang sincerely apologized.
Before Narin and Gwangyang, the very elder of Kunlun knelt down “personally.”
“I’ve entangled you in internal matters. I apologize. Those wounds and lost honor… Kunlun will take care of them somehow.”
Within Kunlun, the medicinal group treated Narin and Gwangyang. As if using precious materials, their broken bodies quickly recovered.
After paying separate compensation, he dragged the Baek Domeong and the remaining criminals in front of them and punished them directly.
His merciless hand was frightening enough that it felt hard to believe he was a part of the same sect.
The unconscious Baek Domeong was taken away. Hyeon Do-gwang bowed his head to me several times.
“I’ve shown an unsightly sight.”
“…It seems everything is returning to its rightful place, so I’m satisfied with that.”
“But still, I want to do something personal. Thanks to you, the once bleak investigative web has finally begun to break through. Who would have guessed they would mobilize bandits? This is my personal reward.”
What Hyeon Do-gwang handed over was a small pill.
“From what I can see, it seems you’ve only honed your external power. There’s not a hint of internal power felt. Of course, external power is important; however, its true value shines when combined with internal power.”
“I’m physically unable to accumulate internal power.”
I feigned a slight lie.
Hyeon Do-gwang nodded without hesitation.
“Then I’ll sell it. This is the Xiaoxian Pill, so you can exchange it anywhere for a fair price. You can use it in emergencies; its internal power might scatter, but it will boost your vitality.”
“…Thank you.”
“Thank you? No, it’s just that I’m sorry. You are my benefactor. I thank you for your help in restoring Kunlun’s sullied name. Although it will take quite some time to return to normal…”
Hyeon Do-gwang smiled bitterly.
“Bitter medicine is good for the mouth, isn’t it? You seem to be in a hurry, so I won’t keep you any longer. You can leave with your party. But I will treat you to a drink the next time we meet.”
“I won’t refuse.”
“Ha ha! Of course!”
Hyeon Do-gwang was a good man. Therefore, even if I didn’t know the other martial artists of Kunlun, I would welcome the next opportunity to meet him.
I descended from the place where Kunlun was. Beside me were Gwangyang and Narin, who had quickly healed.
Those who had been treated in the medicinal group kept an eye on me. Gwangyang bowed deeply.
“I-I’m sorry! Dae-in! For causing you trouble…!”
“Why did you return that day?”
“…Huh?”
“That night, I asked why you left without saying anything.”
“…I-I’m just a worthless bug, less than human… But even so, there are lines I must keep. Having received my life from you, and even asking you to care for others… a person should at least understand gratitude, right?”
Gwangyang repeatedly lowered his unrefined head.
“So… that’s why I couldn’t say anything. It got stuck in my throat and wouldn’t come out. That’s all.”
“…Tsk.”
I looked at Narin. She had also received punishment but hadn’t disclosed my whereabouts.
I sighed. I stopped in my tracks.
I turned back to both of them.
“Sit.”
“Uh, huh?”
“Yes, yes?”
“I said sit.”
They sat down. I also sat down in front of them.
Two from a bandit background. And me.
Finally, I confirmed one thing.
“I swear on everything you have, you have never plundered what belongs to others, right?”
“N-no…!”
“No!”
“…I believe you.”
I couldn’t tell if this was the right choice. But those guys had shown me some things…
I couldn’t just leave like that.
At the crossroads of choices, I turned my head and looked at Narin.
“Narin.”
“Uh, huh?”
“There’s something you misunderstand. I didn’t just hone external power. I have internal power too.”
“…….”
“But I can teach you at least how to wield a sword. I can also show you how to hone that external power.”
That is the path I have walked.
It would be stranger to say I didn’t know.
Did I say I wanted an equal relationship?
I couldn’t figure out exactly what she desired. But seeing her sparkling eyes, I eventually mumbled.
“Not quite a disciple… let’s call it something similar to a disciple. If that’s okay with you.”
“Uh, uh?! Yes! I-I’ll do it! Make me your student!”
I left her bouncing up and down and turned my head aside. I stared at Gwangyang, who was showing an expression as if he had taken care of everything that was piling up. Just by looking at his face, he seemed ready to leave like that.
But I wasn’t going to let that happen.
“You said it yourself. You’ve only learned how to live like that.”
“Yes, yes…?”
“What if I taught you another way?”
“……?!”
Realizing my intent, Gwangyang prostrated himself.
“I will serve you as a benefactor for life!”
“No need to call me a benefactor.”
This must be right.
I’m not sure if I’m deserving of picking someone up…
But having checked their character, at the very least, I want to offer them this.
“I will teach you martial arts during our journey to the Martial Alliance. Of course, there are conditions.”
“What…?!”
“Once we start, we go until the end.”
I stood up.
“There’s no quitting midway. During our journey to the Martial Alliance, no matter the reason, you must hone your skills. Will you do it?”
“…I-I’ll do it! I-I’ll do it!”
“I will!”
“Enough with the ‘Dae-in’… something a bit more casual…”
A title that felt ambiguous as a teacher but also as a fellow.
In that mess, I ultimately couldn’t find an appropriate title.
“Just call me whatever.”
“Master!”
“Master!”
“…At least drop the ‘Sir.’”
I thought I told them not to call me that…
No, but then again, if there wasn’t a proper title to use…
Let’s just settle for a fitting one.
“Let’s go. We have a long way ahead.”
I lost track of how much time I spent in Kunlun.
I hope to pass through the next region swiftly.
Gwangyang and Narin hurriedly followed. Seeing them clasping their hands together, they seemed to be excited.
I wonder if they will be able to do that again shortly.
Suddenly catching up, Gwangyang asked me.
“Uh, Master… then where are we going next?”
“Next…?”
I checked the map.
“We’ll head towards the place where Cheongsung is. Since the joint path is complicated, that seems like the right choice.”
“Are you talking about the place adjacent to the Sicheondang?”
“Right.”
It might be a place where one of my targets is mixed in. Sicheondang.
It wouldn’t be bad to gather some information about that place as well.
“Then what should we start…”
“Start training the basics.”
“Yes?”
“I made it clear. There will be no quitting midway.”
I lightly warmed up. Then I said.
“Run. Until you wish you could die.”
