Chapter 30: The Reason the Blade Cries
Chapter 30: The Reason the Blade Cries
Seo Dae-ryong, who had led the enforcement martial artists out to make the arrest, returned empty-handed.
“Yang Tae refused to comply,” he reported. “He used the pretext that the Blade Ghosts are entitled to protect themselves within the Southern Blade Sect’s territory. I tried to bring him in by force, but his subordinates intervened. I had no choice but to withdraw.”
As a White Blade Ghost, Yang Tae commanded a hundred direct subordinates. If he chose to resist, a simple arrest would never be easy.
The investigators, whose morale had been soaring, were instantly incensed.
“This is a blatant insult to the Pavilion!”
“We should mobilize the entire enforcement squad and take him by force!”
Gok Myeong, the veteran of the group, tried to calm the younger investigators, advocating for a more measured approach.
“We must handle this carefully. If we clash with the Blade Ghosts, many of our own enforcement martial artists will be injured.”
“But we can’t just let this slide, can we?”
While the investigators were locked in a heated debate, I slid a single sheet of paper toward them.
“Here. Send this to him.”
A collective intake of breath filled the room.
What I showed them was a summons, but the reason for their shock was the charge I had written upon it:
Treason.
“Can treason be applied simply for refusing an arrest?” Gok Myeong asked, his brow furrowed. Even with all his experience, this was unfamiliar territory.
“It can. We hold positions directly appointed by the Cult Leader, while a White Blade Ghost is appointed by the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Our orders and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s orders cannot be in conflict. Ultimately, his refusal to obey us is equivalent to defying the Cult Leader’s command. There’s no need to go there in person. Send the summons via messenger, and he’ll come running on his own.”
He would come. If he slipped up and the spark of treason spread to the rest of the Blade Ghosts, he would be executed by his own comrades to save the collective.
“Understood, sir.”
Seo Dae-ryong grabbed the summons and dashed out immediately.
Sure enough, less than half an hour after the summons was delivered, Yang Tae appeared at the Huangquan Pavilion in person. The word ‘treason’ was a potent spell, capable of making even the foulest-tempered man submissive.
However, while I could force him here, I couldn’t force a confession.
An hour into the interrogation, the man still refused to admit that he had threatened to kill Jong Hwa’s younger sister. Since I had expected this, I entered the interrogation room myself.
Yang Tae sat in a chair, his internal energy suppressed by seals. He flinched when I walked in. No matter how imposing a White Blade Ghost’s aura was, it couldn't compare to mine—the man who had recently cut down a Demon Monarch.
“Second Young Master.”
“You should call me Pavilion Master, not Second Young Master.”
“My apologies, Pavilion Master. The summons mentioned treason. What on earth is the meaning of that?”
“I figured that was the only way I’d get to see our dear Martial Artist Yang.”
When I spoke softly with a smile, Yang Tae relaxed, responding in kind.
“I apologize for refusing the arrest. As you know, when you’re part of an organization, there are many things you have to consider. I have a reputation to maintain in front of my subordinates.”
“I understand.”
“This wasn't something that needed to escalate this far in the first place. It’s just a mess caused by children playing around.”
“There is a bit of that, I suppose.”
As I played along to see where he was going, Yang Tae, thinking he had found an opening, began trying to win me over.
“I knew you were someone I could talk to. We can resolve this amicably.”
“How so?”
“This is your first time taking on such a heavy responsibility, isn’t it, Pavilion Master? As you run the Huangquan Pavilion in the future, you’ll need a lot of outside help. It’ll cost a lot of money, too.”
He was speaking in circles, but the intent was clear: he was offering a bribe.
“And that’s not all. If you want to become the formal successor later on, you’ll absolutely need our help. After all, everyone is currently lining up behind the First Young Master…”
“If you’re willing to help, I’d be delighted. Please, help me a great deal.”
At that, Yang Tae’s expression brightened instantly.
“You truly are a magnanimous man. I shall serve you well from now on. I’ll arrange a proper gathering for us soon.”
He glanced at me and started to slide out of his seat.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“Weren’t we finished talking?”
“Didn’t you mean you’d help me after you get out of the dungeon?”
At the mention of the dungeon, Yang Tae’s expression hardened. “Why make such a disappointing joke?”
I looked up at him, letting a cold aura bleed into the room. “Does this sound like a joke to you? We are discussing the crime of threatening the family of a Huangquan Pavilion investigator.”
“I told you clearly, I made no such threat.”
“Your statement doesn't matter. The statement of the threatened investigator has already been accepted.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“There is a rule in our Cult: The testimony of a Huangquan Pavilion martial artist takes precedence over any conflicting testimony. It is a provision created to protect the authority of the investigators who enforce the Cult’s laws. You probably didn’t know; I only discovered this law recently myself. It exists because of people like you—those who think they can get away with anything simply by denying it.”
Flustered, Yang Tae struggled to find words. He had likely never imagined this situation when he first arrived.
Then came the final thunderbolt.
“If you confess obediently, I’ll reduce your sentence to ten years. If you continue to deny it, it’s twenty. There will be no further negotiations.”
“W-what? Ten years?” Shocked, Yang Tae began to stutter.
“Make your choice.”
“Are you insane?!” Yang Tae’s suppressed nature flared up, his speech turning coarse.
“If I have to be insane to do this job, then gladly. It seems it would be impossible to deal with people like you while being sane. Now, I’ll give you fifteen minutes to think it over.”
Finally, Yang Tae’s composure shattered. He spoke with smoldering eyes. “Don’t make me laugh. Forget ten years—I have no intention of spending even a single day in the dungeon.”
There was no point in further conversation. I stood up.
“The trial will be held within a few days.”
“By whose authority?”
“By mine. You’ve lived your life however you wanted, haven't you? Now I'm doing the same.”
His desperate words caught me as I turned away.
“Wait! Second Young Master! Pavilion Master! Why are you doing this?!”
“You’re asking because you don't know? Your son assaulted his peer and nearly killed him. It wasn't just a one-time injury; he tormented him every single day for years. And yet, the parent threatened to kill an investigator’s family just to bury the case. And you ask why I’m doing this?”
“Are we the same as some commoner who guards a warehouse? Shouldn't you at least treat us like superiors? Haven't things like this always been overlooked?”
It was a sorrowful statement, and a terrifying one at the same time. It was also the very sentiment that drove me forward.
“Not anymore.”
“If you touch me, the Demon Lord will not stand idly by!”
“He will. He stood idly by even when I cut down a Demon Monarch. Who are you to him?”
Finally, Yang Tae exploded. He had reached the wrong conclusion—that he was suffering like this only because he had tried to be civil.
Bang!
Slamming the desk, Yang Tae spoke through gritted teeth. “Listen here, Pavilion Master! I am a man with many friends who have shared life and death with me!”
“I guarantee you, no one will step forward for you. Who would truly like a man like you enough to risk their life?” I threw one last remark at the trembling man. “Why? Why don't you try threatening to kill my family, too?”
Yang Tae was livid, but he didn't dare say a word.
Watching him swallow his rage through gritted teeth, a thought suddenly occurred to me. Perhaps our downfall in the previous life wasn't solely because of Hwa Mu-gi. Discipline had collapsed to the point where a mere White Blade Ghost felt entitled to threaten a Huangquan Pavilion investigator—and even subtly threaten me.
“Confess obediently.”
I spoke calmly and left the room. As the door closed, I heard only the sound of him striking the innocent desk in a fit of rage.
*
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon came to see me that very day.
He was sitting in the front yard of my quarters, his massive blade thrust into the ground, drinking liquor in front of it.
“Welcome, Second Young Master. Or should I call you Pavilion Master now?”
“Call me whatever you find comfortable, Elder.”
“I’m comfortable with Second Young Master, so I’ll stick with that.”
“As you wish.”
“Come here and have a drink.”
I sat down across from him without hesitation. Despite saying we should drink together, he didn't pour me a cup.
“I’m sure I warned you,” he said. “Nothing good comes from seeing me often.”
“It is always you who comes looking for me, Elder.”
After staring at me for a moment, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon abruptly brought up the past.
“There was a moment recently when I felt something new about you. When you won the duel and made your wish to the Cult Leader, I shouted internally: Yes, that’s it. A smart fellow should make a wish like that.”
“Even I think it was a rather good wish.”
“Yes, it all started from that day.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon emptied his cup and refilled it. He still hadn't offered me a drop. He poured for himself again. He sat leaning against the Heaven Extermination Great Blade behind him as if it were a wall. Compared to his gaunt frame, the overwhelming size of the blade was awe-inspiring.
“It truly is a magnificent blade,” I remarked.
“Are you not afraid of it?”
“Why should I be?”
“Because you make my blade cry.”
I did not look away from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s piercing gaze. “Is it really because of me that the blade cries?”
“Then why does it cry?”
“It cries because it is lamenting.”
“Lamenting what?”
“Your disciple used Energy-Scattering Poison against me in the tournament, and another disciple came to me and insulted my subordinate. Your brother used the Demon Army to satisfy his personal greed, and your subordinate threatened to kill a Huangquan Pavilion investigator. The blade cries because it laments seeing that the master’s surroundings do not live up to the master’s character.”
The corners of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s mouth curled up. “You certainly have a silver tongue.”
“I merely recited the facts, yet I’m called eloquent.”
“You are wrong.”
“Please, enlighten me.”
“First, you said my surroundings don't live up to my character, but they do. They suit my character perfectly. I am only that much of a man.”
He was a formidable old man, indeed. Those with high pride or a thirst for honor are actually easier to deal with; those with self-awareness are dangerous.
“And strictly speaking, it’s not their fault. It’s yours.”
“Because of me?”
“When a dragon ascends to heaven, it is bound to bring wind and rain.”
“And who is the dragon?”
“Who else but you? Are my people not being swept away by that wind and rain?”
“Ascension? It’s more like a loach stirring up trouble in muddy water.”
“A loach becomes a snake, and a snake becomes a dragon.” The Blood Heaven Blade Demon emptied his cup again, continuing to drink alone. “Damn it! It’s all well and good, but why must it be my people who get swept away?”
Setting down his cup with a sigh, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon stated his purpose point-blank.
“Release the White Blade Ghost you have locked up. Because of you, the morale of our Southern Blade Sect is at rock bottom.”
“If the investigation shows he is innocent, he will be released.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon began to radiate Demonic Energy. Having felt the intensity of this energy before, I understood why my father said I couldn't handle him just yet. The martial arts of a Demon Lord were truly on a different level.
“I’ll give you one piece of advice—”
“Don't.”
“What?”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s expression crumpled for a moment, but I continued calmly.
“If you came to ask a favor, just ask the favor. Don't ask a favor and give advice at the same time. Young people these days find that kind of person quite unappealing.”
It was a situation where he could have flown into a rage, but the old master was as formidable as they say. Instead, he withdrew the Demonic Energy he had been pouring out.
“You’re right. It’s rare to find someone who gives such blunt advice these days.”
“You should be wary, Elder. Stagnant water is bound to rot.”
“Who would choose to be stagnant? But as you immerse yourself, you grow attached, and sometimes you miss the opportunity to let things flow.”
“Even so, we don't stay immersed in rotten water, do we? Take this opportunity to let the rotten water flow away. He is not a man worth protecting.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon emptied the cup he was holding. After draining it completely, he finally held the cup out to me.
“Will you accept a drink from me?”
It was the first time he had offered since we sat down. I accepted the cup without hesitation.
As he poured the liquor, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke. “Fine. I shall let the rotten water flow away.”
“You are wise indeed.”
Just as I was about to empty the cup, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon dropped a meaningful remark.
“In exchange, from now on, you shall become my water, Second Young Master.”