Chapter 233: It Would Be Strange If It Were Easy
Chapter 233: It Would Be Strange If It Were Easy
A voice transmission reached Bi Sa-in while he was eating at an inn.
— Eat a balanced meal. It seems you always order the same thing.
Bi Sa-in replied with an incredulous expression to Geom Mu-geuk’s transmission.
— Are you trying to police my palate now?
— I’m just looking out for your health. I’ve always been a bit of a meddler.
— It’s a true blessing that you aren’t part of the Unorthodox Faction.
— Don’t worry. Everyone says I have the air of the Orthodox Faction; no one ever claims I look like I belong to the Unorthodox Path.
After exchanging light banter, Geom Mu-geuk revealed the true reason he had sought him out.
— The day after tomorrow is the Five Thunders Divine Sword’s birthday. I intend to settle everything then.
Bi Sa-in’s chopsticks froze. A flash of intense emotion crossed his face. The event that would finally change his destiny was only two days away.
— Is it alright to tell me all this?
— For this mission, at least, you’re on the same side.
— What if I change my mind and tell Ya Yul-han everything? Or if I accidentally let it slip?
— I trust my own judgment. I wouldn’t have joined hands with a fool in the first place.
The corner of Bi Sa-in’s mouth twitched. To an observer, it might have looked like he was grimacing at the taste of the food, but he was actually suppressing a smile.
Bi Sa-in replied to Geom Mu-geuk:
— Let’s meet at the cliff tonight.
— Understood.
He looked as if he had more to say.
*
That night, I arrived at the cliff early and waited.
Once tonight passed, it would be the eve of the decisive battle. Even I felt the tension tightening in my chest.
“I don’t know why I get the urge to shove you off the edge every time I see your back,” Bi Sa-in’s voice drifted from behind me.
I turned around with a smile. “It’s because you have a lot of pent-up anger.”
“Is there a way to live as the successor of the Unorthodox Path Alliance without accumulating rage?”
“When that happens, drinking heavily with the Drunken Demon and swimming in a lake usually helps clear the head. Do you have anyone to drink with?”
“I don’t particularly care for alcohol.”
“Reading books with the Blade Demon is also an option.”
“I like books even less. Besides, does the Blade Demon even know how to read?”
“Alternatively, you could spar with the Sword Venerable.”
“Do you have any idea how many people would use a duel as an excuse to kill me?”
“How about a trip with the Smiling Demon?”
“I have no one to go on a trip with.”
“What about late-night martial arts training with the Fist Demon?”
“Listening to you only makes me angrier! Are you bragging about being close to the Demon Lords?”
“You actually believe me? I thought you’d think I was making it all up.”
Bi Sa-in sighed. “If it’s you… I feel like you’d actually be close with all of them.”
Surprisingly, he believed every word.
“I have a way to release your anger.”
I smiled at his curious expression.
“Let’s hang out!”
“...!”
“After this is over, if you feel like your anger is so bottled up you can’t stand it, come find me. Let’s go have some fun.”
Bi Sa-in’s eyes trembled slightly. In the past, he would have immediately asked if I was insane, but now he remained silent.
Perhaps he wanted to say, ‘Let’s do that.’ I had always sensed a deep, gnawing loneliness within him.
“I refuse.”
Having rejected me flatly, Bi Sa-in pulled several sheets of paper from his robe.
“This is why I asked to see you.”
He handed over secret documents regarding the Five Thunders Divine Sword. It contained not only his martial arts techniques but also his birthplace, his upbringing, and detailed records of his past battles—who he fought, where, and why.
“I don’t know if this will be of any help, but read it just in case.”
“Thank you. This will be a great help.”
Bi Sa-in stared at me intently. A look of hesitation crossed his face, as if he were debating whether to speak, but eventually, he found his voice.
“I’m telling you this now because there might not be time for such a conversation once this is over. Lately… I’ve been thinking about my own Unorthodox Path.”
It seemed my previous question about what his ‘Unorthodox Path’ truly was had struck a deep chord. Perhaps the real reason he wanted to meet today was to say those words.
Before I could respond, he turned and walked away with long strides.
“I’ll look forward to the day I hear about your Unorthodox Path,” I called out.
Bi Sa-in’s voice drifted back as he disappeared into the darkness.
“Just don’t die before then.”
*
The day before the Five Thunders Divine Sword’s birthday, Geom Mu-geuk scouted the target's residence.
Nothing had been revealed yet regarding the manor's occupants or its defenses. To carry out tomorrow’s operation successfully, he had to be thorough. Even with perfect preparation, variables were inevitable.
The manor was small and cozy. It was located in a spot where one could reach the Unorthodox Path Alliance headquarters in an instant if traveling in a straight line, yet it was tucked away so exquisitely that one had to wind through the forest for a long time to reach it by foot or carriage.
Because it was deep in the woods, it was hidden so well that even someone who passed by every day would be shocked to learn a house existed there.
Geom Mu-geuk climbed a giant tree overlooking the manor. He vaulted into the canopy and landed on a branch without so much as a rustle. The slender branch swayed gently under his weight but did not break.
From there, Geom Mu-geuk began his Qi Emission.
Several strands of Qi crossed over the wall. The technique he had learned from his father during his first hunt proved its worth; he could send out thin, long strands of Qi like scouts from a distance where the opponent could not sense his presence.
One person was detected in the courtyard. Geom Mu-geuk used his New Eye Technique to identify him. He appeared to be a servant who assisted with chores.
Another presence was detected near the kitchen. Judging by the energy and movement, this person was also a non-combatant—an elderly woman preparing meals.
Geom Mu-geuk’s Qi roamed throughout the manor. Seeing no one else, it seemed the two of them were the only ones attending to the Five Thunders Divine Sword.
His Qi entered the main building. As it passed through the hallway and into the innermost room, he sensed a powerful, sharp aura.
‘It’s the Five Thunders Divine Sword!’
Geom Mu-geuk did not push his luck. Confirming the target's presence was enough. He quietly began to withdraw his Qi.
At the very moment he finished retracting it—
The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art flared to life, sensing an immediate crisis.
In the next instant!
Tap.
A man was standing on the very branch where Geom Mu-geuk had just been. Having appeared out of thin air, he had shot through the sky and landed on the slender branch. It was a Lightness Technique that had truly reached the pinnacle. Geom Mu-geuk, sensing the approach, had already dropped beneath the tree.
The man, scanning the surroundings, looked down. Geom Mu-geuk was on the opposite side of the massive trunk, out of his line of sight.
The man quickly pivoted to check the ground behind the tree. Again, Geom Mu-geuk shifted to the opposite side. Although both moved with incredible speed, not a single sound was made. Both were demonstrating exquisite Lightness Movement Methods.
The man tilted his head slightly, then leaped away, landing back at the distant manor. He entered the building where the Five Thunders Divine Sword was located.
Watching this, Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze deepened.
This man had sensed the Qi as it was being retracted and had flown toward the source instantly. He possessed not only extraordinary senses but also a high-level Lightness Technique.
‘He’s no ordinary expert.’
Regrettably, he hadn’t been able to see the man’s face clearly. The opponent’s movements had been too fast.
Geom Mu-geuk quietly vanished from the spot.
*
At that same hour, Ya Yul-han was sitting alone at a large table in the main hall, eating. Cha Hwan entered the room carrying a box.
“The gift for the Five Thunders Divine Sword has arrived.”
Ya Yul-han gestured for him to bring it closer. Cha Hwan approached, his every movement cautious. He opened the box a short distance away. As the lid lifted, a fragrant, medicinal aroma wafted out.
“It is a Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.”
It was a treasure that was difficult to obtain even with a kingdom's fortune. Cha Hwan eventually couldn’t help but speak his mind.
“It feels like such a waste to give this as a gift.”
Every year, they gave the Five Thunders Divine Sword a valuable gift. However, this was the first time they had offered something as precious as this.
Despite the complaint, Ya Yul-han did not get angry. He kept Cha Hwan by his side precisely because of this honesty.
“It’s a special birthday, so we must give a special gift.”
“That is true, but…”
“He is a man who is worth the price.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Unable to complain further, Cha Hwan carefully closed the box and placed it on the table. The words, ‘Then what on earth will you give that old man when he turns a hundred?’ rose to his throat, but he swallowed them.
“Will you be going in person tomorrow?”
Ya Yul-han nodded.
“Given the current climate, perhaps it would be better to just send the gift this time?”
After a moment of thought, Ya Yul-han said, “I must go. If I don’t, I’ll have invested a Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng only to be insulted. Instead, I’ll simply go at a slightly different time.”
Cha Hwan bowed respectfully. “I will prepare accordingly.”
“And call for the Three Evils as well.”
Cha Hwan flinched. As always, just hearing that name was enough to chill his blood. “Then I can rest easy.”
After Cha Hwan left, Ya Yul-han reopened the box. He stared down at the ginseng in silence. How could anyone who practiced martial arts resist such a thing when it was right before their eyes?
Ya Yul-han picked it up and opened his mouth wide. However, he only mimicked the action of devouring it before placing the ginseng back in the box and closing it.
He would not eat the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng; he would endure until he could consume something much greater.
*
I returned straight to my quarters. The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, Go Wol, and the Pungcheon Cult Leader were waiting for my report.
“How was it?” Go Wol asked.
I let out a light sigh. “I almost got caught.”
The three of them stiffened.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader remarked, “It seems that old villain hasn’t just been idling away his years.”
“It wasn’t him.”
“It wasn’t?”
“I’m not sure if he was a visitor or a permanent guard, but his martial arts were extraordinary.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader considered the possibilities. “Could it be Ya Yul-han?”
Go Wol shook his head. “No. Ya Yul-han hasn’t taken a single step outside the Unorthodox Path Alliance recently.”
“Not Ya Yul-han? Then is it the Blood Wheel Calamity?”
Go Wol shook his head again. “The Blood Wheel Calamity is known to be on poor terms with the Five Thunders Divine Sword. It’s unlikely they would meet privately.”
I agreed. “I didn’t see him clearly, but he wasn’t as old as the Blood Wheel Calamity.”
This was a complication. If that expert was there for the birthday celebration, he would be at the manor tomorrow as well. The number of high-level experts we had to face had increased.
Worry clouded Go Wol’s face. “Didn’t we expect there to be someone else from the start?”
“Yes, we did. But if someone came today, couldn’t another arrive tomorrow? Honestly, I’m concerned.”
“Strategist Go,” I said. “Strategists create excellent plans, but unexpected variables always happen on the field. This will be a good experience for you.”
“I’d rather not have that kind of experience when the operation involves Ya Yul-han and the Five Thunders Divine Sword. Especially when the one executing it is you, Young Master. Shouldn’t we at least find out who he is?”
I looked at the Smiling Demon. He had been listening in silence, but now he spoke with cold indifference.
“Does knowing his name change anything?”
This was the true nature of the man known as the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon. Even if the number of experts I had discovered was ten instead of one, he would have said the same thing.
His words settled the matter.
“You’re right.”
I smiled at him. What made me smile was the same fire dwelling in the Smiling Demon’s eyes. A fighting spirit boiled deep within my chest. What did it matter who was there or how many of them there were?
Wooooong!
The Black Demonic Sword let out a long vibration, as if reading my mind. As the sword hummed, everyone’s eyes turned toward it. When I gripped the hilt, the blade fell silent.
“We’re turning the Five Thunders Divine Sword’s birthday into his funeral, and we’re sending Ya Yul-han along with him… It would be strange if this task were easy.”
I made the final call.
“We proceed as planned.”
*
At dawn the next day, before departing, I went to see the Smiling Demon.
“What is it?”
Instead of answering, I unwound the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread tied to my sword hilt and handed half of it to him. He knew exactly what it was.
“Wrap it around your heart.”
“I am fine.”
“There’s plenty for both of us.”
“Then wrap it in two layers for yourself!”
“I can’t; it’ll make my movements sluggish. Besides, I’m wearing the Ghost Tiger Armor over it.”
Knowing I wouldn’t budge, the Smiling Demon accepted it. “I will return it once the fight is over.”
“Of course you will. That thing is precious.”
The Smiling Demon gave a rare, clear smile.
Right then and there, we wrapped the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread around our vitals. After completing all preparations, I drew the Black Demonic Sword.
As if he had been waiting, the Smiling Demon lightly flicked the blade with his finger.
Ting!
Listening to that clear ring that signaled the start of the decisive battle—a sound that always set my blood on fire—we quietly stepped out into the morning air.