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EP.55 Plum Blossom Sword Dragon (5)

The first night after embarking on my journey with the Hwasan Sect had arrived.

An unexpected companion, but honestly, there wasn’t much difference in our travels.

Since the Hwasan Sect handled their own food and lodging themselves, it probably was more of a loss for them to match our pace.

‘They have to deal with it, especially for the sake of treasures.’

Considering the value of these treasures, it made perfect sense.

Clans or sects without anything might not care, but at least Gu Paibang and the Four Great Clans would have at least one treasure each.

This ultimately boiled down to a matter of symbolism.

‘The fact that they put such things on the line… truly.’

How bad must it be that the ghost elder, who would get riled up at the mere mention of the Hwasan Sect, said nothing about this?

[Ahem…]

“…The fact that this was staked is a problem, but the human who brought it after winning it is also an issue.”

For just being given something without any thought, was it really okay?

Elder Lee must have been grinning widely, showing off his bright white teeth as he accepted it.

‘…And that’s how I ended up getting caught by that damn spirit.’

[Damn spirit…!]

“Anyway, you mentioned you had something to ask me.”

Excusing myself for a late-night training, I had ventured a little further away.

With my inner strength increased, I could barely release an energy barrier.

Once ready, the ghost…

Ah, how should I even refer to him?

[Call me Hwasan Sword Master.]

“Let’s keep it simple and stick with Shin Noya.”

[…You really don’t listen at all. It’s not even Shin Cheol, and who calls a hero like that?]

“Is it better if I just call you ghost elder?”

[Just call me whatever…]

Shin Noya sighed in resignation.

Whether he had indeed become the past hero, the Hwasan Sword God, that wasn’t important.

‘What mattered was whether I’d face any repercussions.’

That was the key issue.

The feeling that my mind was akin to having two souls in one body was unsettling, and I didn’t want to feel the anxiety that my body might be compromised in the process.

I wanted to escape if possible, but it wasn’t like a solution would just pop up out of nowhere.

‘Right now, I just adjusted the energy circulating within me, and it feels like a risky situation is brewing.’

Could there be a way to deal with this?

It’s a headache of a situation.

While gnawing on my tongue in my mouth, Shin Noya’s voice interrupted me.

[You seem to be deep in thought.]

“Yes, it’s a headache of a situation, isn’t it?”

If he could grasp at least a bit of my worries, he would know what I was concerned about.

There was no need to hide it.

“How will you get out of my body?”

[If I knew that, would I be stuck to you? Looking around, there are nothing but children of Hwasan.]

Shin Noya snorted irritably and continued.

[Stop worrying about useless things. I have no interest in your body.]

“That’s not something I can easily take at face value.”

[What will you do if you can’t believe me? Is there another way?]

“…Wouldn’t there be a way if we look for it?”

[Don’t be naive; you seem to be worrying about what moved me — hiding is where your limits are, so don’t fret over it.]

“…What happened to knock me out then?”

If Noya’s words were true, then what could he possibly say about the intense pain I experienced when I faced the Sword Dragon?

The sensation that had swept through my body was repulsive to the point of being terrifying.

Noya responded incredulously to my question.

[That was not my doing. You brat.]

“Excuse me?”

[Believe it or not, that’s your choice, but isn’t it strange to expect to be fine with such trash inside your body?]

Trash inside?

“What are you talking about?”

To my inquiry, he replied as if taken aback.

[…Oh, I see, you weren’t even aware that you had one inside you.]

“Could you at least explain what you mean by that…?”

[I feel like I’ve answered enough, now it’s my turn. Shouldn’t we have something to gain from each other?]

Tsk…

Judging by his demeanor, it seemed he had no intention of sharing.

This slippery old man, despite his reputation as the legendary Hwasan Sword God, appeared to have issues in many respects.

Especially, compared to legends, his temperament seemed to be a total mess…

[You don’t want to hear, I see.]

“…That’s not it; you truly seem symbolically deep and boundless, like a Taoist sage would be.”

Ugh… This old man truly has a narrow mind, yet he acts all high and mighty.

[…I can sense what you’re thinking, so it has no meaning after all.]

“…Just say what you wanted to ask.”

It was all useless chit-chat between us.

We should cut to the chase and get to the main topic.

[I want to ask you something.]

“Yes, go ahead.”

Shin Noya asked, this time in a much more serious tone.

[Do you know how many generations the current Sect Leader of Hwasan is?]

If he’s referring to the current Sect Leader of Hwasan… that would be Maehwa Seon.

He was one of the few who could be compared to the Sword Sovereign when discussing swordsmanship.

Though, in my case, he had turned into a man selling treasures for his drink.

Anyhow, how many generations has Maehwa Seon been the Sect Leader?

“I wouldn’t know that.”

[…?]

“…I mean, normally, you wouldn’t care how many generations the leader of someone else’s sect has been. If needed, I can ask some Hwasan members later on.”

[You rotten… no, never mind. Let me ask something else.]

“Yes.”

Shin Noya’s voice was no longer the careless one from earlier; it had taken on a somber note.

[What happened to the Blood Demon?]

“Excuse me?”

The Blood Demon?

I couldn’t help but pause in thought at the sudden mention of the Blood Demon. It took me a while to process the meaning behind such an out-of-the-blue question.

“What does that even mean?”

[It means literally what I said. Don’t you know about the Blood Demon?]

“I couldn’t possibly not know; I’ve heard the stories a hundred times, it’s about the Blood Demon War.”

[…Sounds like the tales have been passed on to future generations, but that’s what I’m asking. What happened to the Blood Demon in the end?]

“If you’re indeed the Hwasan Sword God, isn’t it odd that you would ask such a thing?”

The hero who defended against the Blood Demon and found the light of the Central Plains.

Wasn’t it the case that he was the one who strengthened Hwasan afterward, yet he was inquiring about the Blood Demon?

[First, just answer me. What became of the Blood Demon?]

“If we’re to speak of recorded history, the Blood Demon is dead. It was none other than yourselves who thwarted it.”

[By “yourselves,” who do you mean?]

If we’re talking about “yourselves,” it was the five absolute masters, including the Hwasan Sword God.

As I named them one by one, Shin Noya’s voice relaxed as if relieved.

[…Thank goodness I was also there.]

“At this point, I’m more curious about why you’re asking me this. Are you really the Hwasan Sword God?”

[I am indeed Shin Cheol, the Hwasan Sword God, only…]

Shin Noya started to speak but hesitated for a moment.

[I cannot remember the last battle with the Blood Demon….]

“…What do you mean?”

He can’t remember?

[Looking at the dojo of a child named Shin Hyeon, I can tell quite a bit of time has passed, and your thoughts show me that I must have been alive even after defeating the Blood Demon.]

“Yes.”

[However… why is it that I lost my memory after that?]

“Does that mean you don’t know why you were possessed by a treasure?”

[If I knew that, would I be bothering you like this?]

“So… you knew that you were in quite a predicament?”

I refrained from using the term “bother” as I rephrased my response.

From what I gathered from Shin Noya’s words, it seemed like there was a gap in his memory.

Was it a side effect of being possessed by the treasure?

Why does it feel like there’s always something untangled in all this?

‘…Is it karma?’

If it was karma, then I really had nothing to say about it.

If I was feeling particularly irritable, I could’ve avoided living like this.

It felt as if someone was telling me that.

[I don’t know….]

“Regardless, the Blood Demon is dead, and the Hwasan Sect is still standing; isn’t that a good outcome?”

[Your simplistic reasoning makes you sound a bit lacking in humanity, but in a weird way, it’s somewhat enviable.]

“Why do you have to insult me while trying to sound profound?”

[…You’re sharp, aren’t you?]

…This damned old man.

“Now, can you please satisfy my curiosity?”

[What are you referring to?]

“What is it that you say I am harboring within me?”

The comment that Shin Noya made kept nagging at me.

What exactly was I supposed to be harboring?

Finding it amusing, Noya chuckled softly.

“Why are you laughing?”

[Do you think it’ll change anything just because you don’t believe me?]

“Still, I should at least hear it out, shouldn’t I?”

[You brazen little brat, you aren’t even denying it now.]

“After all, you already know everything, why hide it?”

There was a certain relief in not having to play coy.

Seeing my fatigued expression, Shin Noya spoke.

[What’s within you, I don’t know well either.]

…What?

Didn’t he claim to know quite well earlier?

He really is a conman…

[Ah, just wait a moment; I’m talking, can’t you see?]

“Ah, I see.”

[From my perspective, it’s quite astonishing that you feel nothing at all.]

“What do you mean by that?”

[You really don’t feel anything for harboring such a thing?]

Such a thing? Was it referring to the Technique of the Flame Wheel?

Though it’s such a formidable technique that saying it’s ferocious wouldn’t be wrong.

It felt like Shin Noya was describing it more as a wild beast than a martial technique.

[I’m inside your body, and if it doesn’t sit well with you, I’m holding it back. You should be grateful, brat.]

“…You’re controlling it?”

[If I let the reins go now, it’d rampage everywhere, tearing this place apart. Want to test that?]

Before Noya’s words even finished, I felt the same crippling pain from earlier crash into me again.

The intense nerve-wracking pain surged through my entire body.

“Ugh…!?”

I couldn’t even breathe properly as one of my knees buckled from the pain.

As I succumbed and felt myself slipping into unconsciousness…

[Now do you understand?]

The moment his words reached me, the excruciating pain vanished as suddenly as it had come.

Finally, I could catch my breath.

“Haah, haah… what… is this?”

I could feel my racing heartbeat rapidly pounding in my chest.

[Judging by your state, it seems the energy within the treasure is reacting to you. I told you not to eat recklessly.]

“I said I didn’t do it on purpose….”

Even if my body wasn’t accustomed to pain, just experiencing it for a few seconds shouldn’t make me nearly black out.

‘This feels like such a misfortune.’

Is it a martial art problem? Or is it because of the demonic power? Or could it be something else?

Or maybe Shin Noya is lying.

I had a long journey ahead, yet I was already snagged on some bizarre issue.

It felt like every step I took resulted in some kind of accident; it might just be my fault at this point.

[I can sense your skepticism; even after coming this far, you still doubt—how impressive in multiple ways.]

“Stop that. Just cut it out.”

[You should blame yourself for being so easily read, and at this point, shouldn’t you understand?]

Ignoring his rambling, I untangled the barrier I had set up around us.

If I waited any longer, the guard would come looking for me.

[Being connected to me isn’t all bad. I might not like it either, but we’ll endure it; stop whining and find a way to resolve this swiftly.]

“How am I supposed to do that?”

[Didn’t you say you were heading to Hwasan? Both I and that treasure originally belong to Hwasan, so there may be answers there.]

In other words, it felt like he was saying to figure it out on my own. Could there possibly be a solution at Hwasan?

I desperately hope there is.

…I really don’t want to continue being stuck with this foul-tempered old man.

[You rotten brat, who are you calling foul-tempered…?]

Ignoring Shin Noya’s complaints, I turned my feet toward the campsite.

It’s not just the thing raging inside my lower Dantian.

I also had questions regarding why Shin Noya was keeping it under wraps.

…Ultimately, there was nothing I could resolve in the current situation, so the immediate plan was to head to Hwasan.

 

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