Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Black and White Sword Ghost (6)
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The conversation afterward circled around just how fantastical and elusive the Transformation Pill was—a sort of "what would you even do if you got one?" vibe.
Eventually, the drinking session, which had dragged on until quite late, wrapped up with promises to pick it up another time.
As she left, Tang Ha-eun made sure to say that one lie wasn't nearly enough to cover the price of her life, so I had to swing by the Tang Clan of Sichuan sometime.
Nangong Serin seemed ready to head out right away too, now that she knew the person she was looking for wasn't here.
Feeling a needless pang of guilt, I told her that folks like that old man usually spent their twilight years comfortably back home, so she shouldn't worry too much...
"...Thank you for the kind words. Still, since I've come all this way, I want to see it through."
She didn't look convinced at all.
I could sense a steely resolve that said she wouldn't be satisfied until she found him. Damn.
If I'd known it'd come to this, maybe I should've left a fake corpse instead of fake blood.
Anyway, once everyone else had gone, Seo Yul-hye—worn out from spilling her love life—headed to the room she'd booked ahead, leaving just me and Seo Miryeo outside, staring wordlessly at the moonlight.
This felt awkwardly out of place.
And I wasn't the only one feeling it—Seo Miryeo kept glancing at me, then back at the moon.
Truth be told, it was only natural. We'd only come together because of Seo Yul-hye as our common link; we hadn't actually done anything to get close.
Our inner rapport had built up a bit on the walk here, but it hadn't taken solid form yet.
That was exactly the situation.
"Ahem. Did you... have fun today?"
I tossed out some pointless small talk. Seo Miryeo picked it right up. The mood overall was subdued and calm.
"It was enjoyable because of the people."
"Mm. I see."
And then silence again. Just silence.
With nothing better to do, we ended up strolling casually toward the dark woods like it was no big deal, and for some reason, Seo Miryeo naturally followed me right into them.
The atmosphere was downright eerie, like a ghost story special. That's when I threw out the line.
"Even as a villain, does killing someone ever weigh on you?"
It was the perfect words to cut ties, but Seo Miryeo just shook her head like it was nothing.
"When I'm holding my sword... yeah, it's fine."
"I see."
"Yes. Every time I kill with my sword, my malice grows, stifling any guilt. Don't you know that too, old man?"
Hell if I do.
I'd never wielded the Good-Evil Demonic Sword myself.
All I knew was that only good people could use it, and it converted good karma to evil. But that was temporary, right?
Did the Good-Evil Demonic Sword in actual use have a different effect on the wielder?
"Not in detail."
Silence flowed again, but this time Seo Miryeo spoke first.
"Lately... I'm scared to go back to the Emei Sect."
"Why's that?"
"The people I helped freak out when they saw their saviors chopped into pieces. If even they react like that, what would my master think of a disciple like me? Would she be proud that I'm doing half-baked good deeds by borrowing the power of some evil artifact instead of my own strength?"
"......"
"If I get really strong someday, could I reveal it openly? That I was the Black-White Sword Ghost?"
It was too deep a topic. I reflexively checked her face. No flush left—she wasn't drunk.
Which meant she was saying this stone-cold sober?
A bit flustered, she spoke again.
"You know, don't you?"
It came out of nowhere. I looked at her, wondering what she meant, but her eyes had already sunk into a cold stare, demanding an answer.
"After I got this, I studied so much. What kind of sword it is. How to handle it."
She lightly tapped her black-and-red sword.
"But nothing. No matter how much I searched, I couldn't find out what it was... And yet, you knew about something that wouldn't turn up even if the Hao Clan poured in fortunes. As a martial arts merchant, you knew? Does that make sense? You know, don't you? Who that old man was."
The wind blew. Her sword at her waist swayed faintly in the moonshadow.
Through her neatly trimmed black hair, low, gloomy crimson eyes fixed on me. I could glimpse her intent to wring the truth out of me here, no matter what. I felt a sigh building. So that was why she stuck around till the end. No wonder my gut felt off.
"Is that why you followed me?"
Seo Miryeo's head nodded slowly once. I asked again.
"You really need to hear it?"
"You saved my life and changed my path. I want to tell him myself."
"Tell him what."
She said it flatly, but the emotion packed in wasn't small by any means. A relieved smile slowly spread.
"That I hate the you who made me into this... but I'm far more grateful than that hate multiplied. That I'll never forget..."
Now I got it.
About Seo Miryeo.
The killer she'd become had upended her life entirely, but it was also her escape from the weak self she'd been.
That day, she hadn't discarded the sword in her hand because the bloodstained sword ghost was less loathsome than her old frail self.
For a long while, our gazes tangled in the chill wind.
A torrent of thoughts raced through my mind.
Mostly calculating ones.
What reaction would she have if I revealed my secret?
Would she try to kill me?
Would she spread it around?
She seemed half-aware already—maybe it was better to play dumb and slip away at the first chance.
But we'd built up some bond; cutting ties felt wrong.
A lie would probably be best.
Something like, that old man was someone from the Demonic Cult, gave you the sword for such-and-such reason.
It'd buy time since there's no way she'd meet him anytime soon.
But I didn't want to.
I didn't want to hurt someone coming at me with sincerity by lying.
Suddenly, I found myself ridiculous and smirked.
Fooling others easily, but lacking the guts to see it through.
No wonder all my plans fell apart like this.
"Sorry."
But not yet.
Not yet.
"......"
Whoosh—the wind blew. Silence stretched. She tossed out words again.
"You do know, right?"
"I do. I'll tell you someday, for sure."
"That's enough."
And with that, it was over. Whew. Lately, every day's been exhausting.
As I let my guard down with that thought, a soft, warm sensation spread through me. Seo Miryeo had pulled me into a hug.
Before I could pull away in surprise, she gripped me tight, burying her face in my chest, then grabbed my collar and whispered while tugging.
"You bastard..."
The first words were a curse.
"Keep that promise."
With the hand holding me, she slowly pushed my chest away and met my eyes. That gaze was strangely sweet.
"...And not lying? That was kinda cool."
What?
Yuseon Taoist. One hundred forty-nine years old. She had come all the way from distant Huashan Sect to Huahyun Valley, where the Transformation Pill was said to slumber.
To save her ailing master, she desperately needed the Transformation Pill, brimming with natural spiritual energy.
Of course, legends about the Transformation Pill were countless—more than enough to count on two hands—so Yuseon Taoist had already endured seven failures, regrettably.
Frustration welled up on her youthful face.
"Again? It's gone again?!"
A certain mountain in Huahyun Valley, blooming full of plum blossoms. That's where the spiritual medicine imbued with the sun's power was said to slumber.
Those were the lyrics from a local children's song. Legends were always this vague; you had to run around on foot to chase them down. She'd made it this far, found the hill bursting with plums...
Whoosh—
The wind blew.
As a Wood Clan member hypersensitive to natural spiritual energy, she could sense the pure power of the sun if a Transformation Pill was nearby.
But nothing stirred on this hill. Failure. The word loomed in Yuseon Taoist's mind.
Tears welled up along her golden lashes. Her petite frame slumped to the ground.
"No... Master doesn't have much time left..."
That was when it happened.
Fwoosh—
Suddenly, thick fog blanketed everything. Not ordinary fog, but a mystical mist shimmering like starlight. She couldn't see an inch ahead, no matter which way she turned. A sight both frightening and beautiful.
Yuseon Taoist stopped crying and scanned around frantically. What was with this sudden fog?
Befuddled by the inexplicable event, she thought she needed to get out of this—
Step. Step.
Yuseon Taoist's eyes widened.
Through the fog, two women approached, intertwined like one body. Their beauty transcended the mortal realm, blending with the surreal scene to make it feel like a dream.
One wore garments with wings white as snow, the other black as ink.
Crafted from what ethereal material? The gossamer silk floated ethereally, defying the laws of the world. Yuseon Taoist couldn't help but think it.
Ah, the fairies have come for me. But why?
Even as a Taoist, she hadn't done much Taoist-like work, so she wondered as the black-and-white fairies extended their graceful hands with fluid motions.
"Yuseon Taoist. Rise. The Heavenly Army awaits you."
Bewitched, she took their hand and stood.