26 – 02# The Reality of the Earth after Rain (9)

The moon, once perched high in the heavens, gradually descended, vanishing over the horizon, yielding its place to the glorious sun. Light, impartial, fell on all.

And that included Mu-myung, his face and body plastered with blood. Lost in the trance of his gore-covered hands, the sound of a trickling stream reached his ears.

It led him to a crystal clear stream, bathed in the sun’s golden rays. Silently, Mu-myung settled by its banks and began to wash the blood from his hands and face.

“…Haa, that feels a little better.”

The stream’s cool touch soothed the fevered thoughts raging within his mind. It allowed him to calmly assess the situation, to see himself with renewed clarity.

Surprisingly, Won-gi, the head of the Black Blood Squad, didn’t hold out for long. He spilled everything he knew almost immediately. Which, in turn, meant that Nameless had no choice but to kill him, as promised.

He inwardly wrestled with the notion of keeping his word to such a vile enemy – one who’d attempted to wipe out an entire village with poison. But Nameless didn’t enjoy torture; he simply lacked hesitation when it came to killing.

In any case, what he’d learned was as expected: the Demonic Cult was lurking in the shadows, pulling the strings. And they had sunk their roots far deeper than he’d initially thought.

Wasn’t their attempt to seize control of the prestigious Moyong Clan, a righteous sect cut off from the martial world, proof enough? Simultaneously, they were attempting to sway the Black Moon Sect, an evil faction, to inflict devastating damage on the righteous sects.

Truly, a classic divide-and-conquer tactic. If the Demonic Cult’s aim was to ignite a bitter feud between the righteous and evil sects, to spark a righteous-evil war… A chill ran down his spine.

‘They’re planning to strike while the righteous and evil factions are locked in a total war, weakened and vulnerable. Simple, but undeniably effective if they succeed.’

“It’d be easier to deal with them if they were merely drunk on power and acting recklessly.”

Come to think of it, they *were* drunk on power, in a way. Wasn’t that the very argument the Demonic Cult had used to sway the head of the Moyong Clan? That ultimately, the strong were right to take everything.

The Demonic Cult was often depicted in martial arts novels as a group that worshiped only absolute power. Which meant they were a force to be reckoned with, possessing not only formidable strength but also cunning strategy.

The deeper he dug, the more elusive the answer seemed to become. But surprisingly, Nameless didn’t falter. On the contrary, he felt his once-cold heart begin to thrum with warmth once more.

‘Indeed, the Demonic Cult should demonstrate at least this much ambition. Of course! What else?’

The audacity and resources to execute such a twisted scheme – pitting martial artists against each other. Coupled with their undeniable competence, leaving no room for even a single drop of water to leak through their airtight plans.

Yet, in that brief clash with the Demonic Cult, Nameless had glimpsed a sliver of hope. His master’s legacy wasn’t limited to a thatched hut and a small plot of land.

‘I always knew my master was no ordinary man… But I never imagined he’d leave behind a legacy like this.’

Of course, the fundamentals remained unchanged. The Three Elements Swordplay was merely the ultimate conclusion to which all sword techniques inevitably converged. In the end, every sword art came down to cutting and thrusting.

But what if he could reach the martial arts left behind by his master during that process? What if he could grasp the profound mysteries within and make them his own? It might be impossible for him now, but…

Perhaps one day, he could reach it. A name that anyone who’d ever read even a single martial arts novel would know, a name that made a man’s heart soar.

天下第一

*Tianxia Di Yi*

(The Unrivaled Under Heaven)

A goal is a lamp that lights the darkness. A star that guides lost travelers. Without a purpose, one would lose their way in the dark, wander aimlessly, and ultimately lose even oneself.

So, what exactly was his goal now? Initially, he had simply wanted to explore the martial world. He objectively considered his own talent to be rather unremarkable.

But his thoughts had changed. Even if his talent was lacking, he had the fortuitous encounter his master had left him. If he could make good use of it, becoming the Unrivaled Under Heaven might not be impossible.

“Indeed, if a man is born, shouldn’t he at least command the world?”

The fog in his mind finally cleared, and he at last grasped a clear purpose. No trace of hesitation remained in Nameless’s eyes, now that he had a definite goal.

And since he had already been entangled twice, the Demonic Cult would undoubtedly suspect that there was something interfering with their plans. It was too late to back out now.

With his mind firmly made up, Nameless turned confidently and strode back toward the village. As he had instructed, Su-ah was protecting Xuehua and the villagers.

Though some homes had been burned and people had been injured, thankfully, no one had died or suffered irreparable harm. Healer Lee Cheong-woo sighed in relief.

“Thanks to your swift arrival, Great Hero, no one suffered grievous wounds.”

“Is your hand alright?”

“It’s nothing that a bit of rest won’t cure. I’ve endured far worse injuries in my younger days.”

“Doesn’t look like just any backwoods doctor, do you? Who in blazes are you, then?”

“Hah, just your run-of-the-mill physician.”

Hearing the particulars, it was clear to Lee Cheong-woo that these dark-clad figures weren’t carrying good intentions. So he refused to give up the patient’s location to those thugs.

Hearing this, Myeong could only react with some surprise. Thought him a man so swayed by coin, he’d cave to bribery. But Lee Cheong-woo answered,

“I might be overly fond of coin, owing to certain circumstances, but I am not so far gone as to forget my calling as a healer. I won’t permit the patient I saved to die by my own hand.”

“I apologize. I momentarily thought less of you than I ought.”

“Then give me coin instead of apologies. Looks to me like you’ve got someone in need of tending to as well?”

“Quite the consistent fellow, aren’t you?”

Asking for money in exchange for treating the life-saver… perhaps this was the first time such a peculiar fellow had been encountered. Yet, rather than feeling unpleasant, a sense of amusement arose.

Could it be because one realized his essence was pure, good-hearted, and imbued with conviction?

◇

Sunrise can be witnessed by anyone who has the sky instead of a ceiling. Irrespective of rank and location. The sunrise over Mount Geumhyeon was no different for the Sado-ryeon, the path’s disciples.

Sado-ryeon was formed from a coalition of martial artists from the unorthodox sects, created to challenge the righteous martial alliance, the Murim Alliance. In effect, it served a role nearly identical to the righteous Murim Alliance Leader.

Of course, when closely examined, the authority of the Ryeonju (Clan Head) did possess some flaws compared to the Alliance Leader. Nevertheless, the Ryeonju’s influence over the unorthodox sects was undeniably strong.

A black-haired woman was quietly watching the sunrise from the balustrade of the Sado-ryeon, engraved with the symbol of Sado-ryeon, the black dragon. She turned her head. Her chilling gaze fell on the man.

“What of what I ordered you to investigate?”

“Ryeonju-nim, that is…”

“Speak. Not a shred of deceit, as it is.”

“…”

Perhaps because she sensed a hint of hesitation in his voice? The man could only exhale a sigh at the Ryeonju’s chilling reprimand. Though still young, her dignity as Ryeonju was more than sufficient.

How could one, as a servant to the Ryeonju, dare to speak falsehoods? In the end, the man laid bare all the information he possessed to the Ryeonju. Soon, a cold voice echoed.

“The entire Black Serpent Unit of the Black Night Sect has headed to Mount Geumhyeon… Wasn’t the place my father disappeared also near Mount Geumhyeon?”

“Ryeonju-nim, with all due respect, it has already been 30 years since the Sword Demon (Geomma) went missing. Considering his age, to say he is still alive…”

“How can you be so sure? Did you perhaps see the Sword Demon’s corpse?”

“That is not the case.”

Even a resistance mustered with all of his courage, could not withstand the Ryeonju’s sharp rebuke and was crushed, leaving nothing behind. In her current state, no one in the Sado-ryeon could stop her.

“I understand what you must be feeling, Ryeonju-nim. But the Sado-ryeon is now in a precarious situation, surrounded by enemies on all sides.”

“So, you mean we should focus on the immediate matters at hand?”

“That is correct.”

“I am not a foolish woman, either. I know full well what is more important.”

“Then, so…”

“If the rumors are to be believed, there’s an unknown, aged master lurking about Golden Peak Mountain.”

The man’s face hardened, clearly not expecting that answer. Turning her head, Lady Ryeon let a smile brighter than the rising sun spread across her face, placing a hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Isn’t it curious? I specifically ordered every whisper from Golden Peak Mountain reported to me without fail.”

“I…I apologize!”

Lady Ryeon’s expression, previously shining brighter than the dawn, instantly chilled like winter’s frost. A sharp, biting sentence followed, piercing the man’s chest.

“If you know, then move. Quickly.”

Before I decide to simply kill you.