A Touch of Injustice
Rewinding time just a little...
Han Cheong-un had sought out the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal to strike a deal with the Mount Hua Sect.
"What brings you here?"
The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal looked at the delusional young hero before him with a touch of pity.
His talent seems outstanding, so how did he end up with such a terrible heart demon?
Just as the elder was lamenting this fact...
"I have found the location of the Zaha Divine Sword."
"...What?"
He thought he had misheard.
But to his questioning look, Han Cheong-un gave the exact same reply.
"I said I have found the location of the Zaha Divine Sword."
"...!"
The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal's eyebrows shot up. He stared at Han Cheong-un for a long moment before speaking.
"Young hero, do you realize the weight of what you just said?"
"Yes. I am fully aware."
"..."
"The Zaha Divine Sword, the lost sacred relic of Mount Hua. I am saying I know where it is."
The Zaha Divine Sword.
It was Mount Hua's sacred relic, the ultimate symbol of the sect's authority. And Mount Hua had lost it. To be precise, it had been stolen.
By the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief.
The greatest thief of the era had stolen Mount Hua's sacred relic.
Having their sacred relic stolen was an absolute disgrace to Mount Hua. The sect leader at the time, unable to bear the responsibility, had stepped down from his position.
He had ventured out into the Jianghu, declaring he would not return to Mount Hua until he recovered the relic.
Since then, he had traversed the land, exhausting every effort to find it. Yet, in the end, he failed to recover the sword and, true to his word, never returned to Mount Hua.
Ultimately, Mount Hua had lost the Zaha Divine Sword forever. And yet...
"Do you understand how you must take responsibility if you are lying about the Zaha Divine Sword before this Taoist?"
"Who knows? Even if I staked my worthless life, it probably wouldn't suffice."
"..."
"But what if it is the truth?"
"..."
"Would you, Sect Leader, truly abandon the chance to recover Mount Hua's sacred relic without even hearing me out?"
At those words, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal stroked his beard, calming his racing thoughts before speaking.
"First, let us hear your story."
"Understood."
And what Han Cheong-un said next was...
"I do not know if you are aware, but I share a slight acquaintance with the Tang Family."
"Hmm..."
"While staying there by the Tang Family's grace, I was researching their archives and happened to stumble upon traces of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief."
"In the Tang Family's archives?"
"Yes. As you know, back then, the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief scaled the walls of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, as well as the Five Great Noble Families, without exception."
"That is true."
Although Mount Hua, having lost its sacred relic, suffered the greatest blow, other sects had also faced immense humiliation because they couldn't stop him.
The world's greatest thief.
When it came to the art of thievery, the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief was a figure worthy of being called a legend of the Jianghu. And...
"After analyzing the records left in the Tang Family, I managed to pinpoint a location that I believe is the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave."
"Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"Of course."
"..."
The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal closed his eyes slowly. Honestly, it was hard to believe.
If it were Tang Jin, the heir of the Sichuan Tang Family, saying this, it might carry some weight. But this young man, Han Cheong-un, had appeared out of thin air.
True, his martial prowess was far from ordinary. In fact, considering his age, not even Mount Hua possessed a genius of his caliber. But...
Still, can I really trust this? The words of a boy whose identity isn't even clear?
"I know you find it hard to trust my words," Han Cheong-un said, piercing right through the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal's thoughts.
Before the startled elder could respond, he continued.
"But you must trust me completely, Sect Leader."
"And why is that?"
"How could the Sect Leader of Mount Hua sit idly by when the chance to recover the sect's sacred relic is right before him?"
"..."
He had a point. Regardless of whether the rumor was true, as long as he held the title of Mount Hua's Sect Leader, recovering the relic was his duty.
"Hmm... What do you want from me?"
"I want two things. First, I need a helper to assist in exploring the secret cave."
"Just one? One is enough?"
"Yes. It will be more than enough if Lady Baek Su-ah, a first-generation disciple of Mount Hua, accompanies me."
"How do you know of her?"
I can't exactly tell him that we used to slice up unorthodox martial artists and jiangshi together in my past life.
"We simply share a small connection."
"Hmm. Must it be her?"
"Yes. And second, once we open the cave and claim the treasures inside, I ask that you let me keep just one item of my choice."
"Just one? That is enough?"
"Yes. That is all I need."
"..."
It was an incredibly generous condition. If the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave truly existed, the value of the treasures within would be beyond measure.
These were the lifelong collections of the world's greatest thief. Yet he only wanted a single item?
"If your words are true, I will gladly grant your request."
"Thank you."
"However, one person is far too few to explore the cave."
"Pardon?"
"I will convene an elders' council and assign more people to you. They will surely be of help."
"Uh... about that..."
For the first time, Han Cheong-un looked flustered. The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal narrowed his eyes.
"What is it? Will having more people be a hindrance?"
Yes. It is a hindrance. So please, just give me Baek Su-ah.
"No, it is fine."
But he couldn't say that out loud, could he?
This isn't good.
From the Sect Leader's perspective, given the gravity of the matter, it was only natural to send a larger group.
But Han Cheong-un knew better. Doing this would only invite unnecessary trouble.
After the meeting with the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal concluded, Baek Su-ah stepped outside and stared intently at Han Cheong-un.
"Is something the matter, Lady Baek?"
"..."
"Do I have something on my face?"
As Han Cheong-un asked with a straight face, a vein popped on Baek Su-ah's forehead.
"Since when did you become such a skilled con artist?"
"A con artist? Me? Surely not."
"..."
"It's a misunderstanding. As you well know, Lady Baek, the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave truly exists."
"I know that," Baek Su-ah snapped back.
The information about the cave was indeed true.
During the truce between the First and Second Great Orthodox-Demonic Wars, the cave's discovery had caused a massive uproar. But...
"But you found it in the Sichuan Tang Family's archives?"
"Well, the thought happened to cross my mind while I was there, so it's not entirely a lie."
"..."
Was he always this shameless?
No, the Han Cheong-un in her memories was always upright, polite, and the very model of an orthodox martial artist.
Did dying once and coming back to life change a person this much?
As Baek Su-ah felt a strange sense of betrayal, Han Cheong-un spoke.
"Lady Baek, regardless of the details, the Zaha Divine Sword is inside that cave. You know this, right?"
"Well, yes..."
"As a disciple of Mount Hua, shouldn't you do your utmost to recover your sect's sacred relic?"
"..."
He was incredibly annoying. Mostly because he was absolutely right.
Perhaps this was why, throughout history, people who spoke the truth often died young.
Baek Su-ah felt a surge of irritation, but she had no ground to argue. Ultimately...
"Just this once."
"So you will help me."
"I repeat, just this once. After this... I won't be getting involved with you ever again."
"I look forward to working with you, Lady Baek."
He was truly infuriating. His smiling face, and her own inability to completely dislike him, irritated her to no end.
The expedition team to explore the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave was quickly assembled.
It consisted of Han Cheong-un, Tang Jin, Baek Su-ah, five other first-generation disciples, and, to top it off, an elder of Mount Hua who had personally joined the excursion.
"I am Hyeon-myeong."
"..."
"Do you not even know how to greet your elders?"
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Han Cheong-un."
"Tsk. Youth these days..."
The Third Elder of the Mount Hua Sect, the Righteous Heart Sword, Hyeon-myeong.
Renowned for his righteous deeds since his youth, he was the most active of Mount Hua's elders in the wider Jianghu.
Widely respected for his supposedly noble character, he clicked his tongue and walked away from Han Cheong-un.
Once he was out of earshot, Han Cheong-un slumped down and thought to himself:
Ah... I'm doomed.
When the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal said he would send reinforcements, Han Cheong-un expected an elder to tag along. But he never imagined it would be this guy.
"What is it, Sect Leader?"
When Tang Jin asked from his side, Han Cheong-un let out a deep sigh.
"...He's one of them."
"One of what?"
"One of the people who threw me into that living hell."
"...What?!"
Tang Jin's eyes widened in shock.
The Righteous Heart Sword, Hyeon-myeong.
As an elder of Mount Hua and a senior member of the Wulin Alliance, he was the quintessential respected figure of the Orthodox faction.
But in reality, as Han Cheong-un knew all too well, he was a stubborn, self-righteous old fossil.
Their ill fate had begun long before Han Cheong-un led the Annihilation Squad, back when he was still in the Seven Swords Squad.
Hyeon-myeong was the type to fly into a rage if the younger generation didn't blindly obey him. To him, Han Cheong-un—a mere low-ranking warrior who dared to talk back with logical arguments—was nothing short of a rebel.
As the Annihilation Squad racked up brilliant achievements, the leadership of the Wulin Alliance gradually began to recognize Han Cheong-un and his squad. Yet, there were still those who refused to acknowledge him to the very end.
Hyeon-myeong was the most passionate detractor of them all.
"Most of the achievements the Annihilation Squad claimed in this battle were only possible because the Five Swords Squad wore down the enemy first!"
"Captain Han Cheong-un escaping the sorcery of the Ghost Gate Palace was merely a display of personal skill. It cannot be considered an achievement that benefited the Alliance!"
"What? The greatest spearman under heaven? On what basis do you call him that? How many spear users are there in the world, and you make such a claim?"
It had been utterly exhausting. Even if Han Cheong-un said the sun rose in the east, Hyeon-myeong was the type of man to say they would have to wait until tomorrow to be sure.
And in his final moments, it was the Alliance Leader, Cheongheo Jinin, who had run a sword through Han Cheong-un's chest. But as he fell, Han Cheong-un had seen it.
The cold, watching eyes behind the Alliance Leader.
The so-called elders of the Wulin Alliance, the pillars of the Orthodox faction who enjoyed the respect of the entire world. Among them, without a doubt, was Hyeon-myeong.
"So that man is one of your enemies, Sect Leader?"
"You could say that."
Han Cheong-un sighed. He knew he would cross paths with them again eventually, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"So, what will you do? Will we proceed as planned?"
At Tang Jin's question, Han Cheong-un closed his eyes, lost in thought. Then...
"We'll stick to the plan for now. But we're going to twist it a little."
"Twist it? How?"
"Leave that to me."
Han Cheong-un smirked. Yes, in a way, this was an opportunity. Considering everything that old fossil had put him through in his past life...
It wouldn't hurt to pay him back at least once, would it?
A deep, dark smile spread across Han Cheong-un's face.
"The secret cave is located in Hunan."
Han Cheong-un got straight to the point. Elder Hyeon-myeong stroked his beard, evaluating the boy.
He's giving it up easier than I thought. Is he just inexperienced, or is he trying to show respect?
Han Cheong-un's greatest value to Mount Hua in this endeavor was his information.
Since he was the only one who knew the location, they had no choice but to let him take the lead until they arrived.
Yet, the location had slipped from Han Cheong-un's mouth far too easily.
"Hunan... Where in Hunan?"
"I know the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave is hidden in Nokrok Mountain."
"Nokrok Mountain? Isn't that..."
"Yes. It barely borders the territory of the Wuge Sect."
"Mmm..."
Hyeon-myeong fell into deep thought.
The Wuge Sect was one of the Sado-palmun, and its influence was by no means inferior to that of Mount Hua.
It would not be easy for Mount Hua's disciples to operate freely in their territory. If so...
"It seems it might be difficult to secure the cave with Mount Hua's strength alone."
Han Cheong-un smiled at Hyeon-myeong's words.
"Then what do you propose we do?"
"It would be best to follow protocol and request assistance from the Wulin Alliance."
Request assistance from the Wulin Alliance? This was coming from a Mount Hua elder who had been ordered by his own Sect Leader to lead Mount Hua's disciples.
He stroked his beard with a calm expression and continued.
"We will have to report the discovery of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's cave to the Alliance eventually anyway. It is better to report it now and secure additional forces."
Amidst the silent bewilderment of the group, one of the first-generation disciples hurriedly spoke up.
"Elder. This is an operation directly ordered by the Sect Leader for Mount Hua. If we report it to the Alliance, won't we be giving them a pretext to intervene?"
In truth, pretext or not, the moment the name of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief got out, all sorts of vultures from across the land would swarm the place. The Wulin Alliance would undoubtedly intervene aggressively as well.
This essentially meant Mount Hua would lose its exclusive rights to the cave. But...
"How narrow-minded! For the peace and order of the world, we must respect the Alliance's decisions. How can a righteous warrior of the Orthodox faction be so petty?"
"But Elder, the Sect Leader's orders..."
"Silence! The Sect Leader delegated full authority to me. Do you not realize that my decision is the decision of my Sect Leader Senior Brother?"
"..."
"Tsk, tsk. You are still young and inexperienced. How can you be so rash? Infinite Life Buddha..."
Ah, of course... He's doing it again.
A conversation built entirely on the premise that the younger generation was always wrong.
There wasn't a shred of logic in it, but in the Orthodox faction, the authority wielded under the name of seniority was absolute.
Once an elder took that stance, any further argument would brand the speaker as insolent, disrespectful, and a disgrace to the Orthodox faction.
I used to suffer from this so much in the past.
Han Cheong-un stepped in on behalf of the disciple, who was breaking out in a cold sweat.
"The Elder's words are entirely correct."
Rule number one of dealing with a stubborn old fossil: agree with them first.
"Indeed, there is no way an elder of Mount Hua would fear the Wuge Sect. That would be utterly laughable."
"Ahem..."
"But you, Elder, are wisely trying to mobilize overwhelming force through the Alliance to suppress any potential conflict before it starts. It is truly a brilliant strategy."
Rule number two: save their face at all costs. If they lose face, they go wild.
"Honestly, what is the Wuge Sect compared to the prestigious Mount Hua, one of the Nine Great Sects? Isn't that right?"
"Ahem, yes..."
Flattered by Han Cheong-un's smooth flattery, Elder Hyeon-myeong stroked his beard with a pleased expression.
Sensing he had buttered him up enough, Han Cheong-un continued.
"However, if I may, would you be willing to hear a small suggestion of mine?"
"Your suggestion?"
"Yes. Unlike your brilliant strategy, it is merely a humble trick, but it might just work if executed well."
"Hmm... What is it?"
Perhaps because Han Cheong-un had successfully gotten on his good side, Hyeon-myeong uncharacteristically showed interest in the young man's words. Han Cheong-un smiled and said:
"A deception tactic."