I Admit Defeat
Have you ever seen a mountain of treasure?
Or perhaps the look on a person's face when they lay eyes on one?
"Whoa... Wow..."
"This is insane."
"..."
With only a slight exaggeration, it was a literal mountain of gold. Confronted by such a colossal hoard, they could do nothing but gasp in awe.
"A single thief amassed all of this?"
Tang Jin, despite his usual antics, was the heir of the Sichuan Tang Family.
He was a young master from one of the most prominent clans in the land.
Yet even he had never seen wealth piled high like this.
Gold, silver, jade, coral...
Precious treasures were stacked higher than a man's height. Thrust haphazardly into the pile were various weapons, each radiating the unmistakable aura of a masterfully forged divine weapon.
"Well, now... I heard rumors, but to think it would be on this scale."
Han Cheong-un clicked his tongue in amazement.
In his past life, he had heard that the treasure found in the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave was equivalent to ten years of the Wulin Alliance's entire budget.
Knowing it intellectually was one thing, but seeing it with his own eyes was a completely different experience.
Meanwhile, Baek Su-ah reached out and picked up a sword.
It had a worn scabbard and a hilt stained by years of human touch.
The moment she saw it, she knew.
Ssshhk.
As she drew the blade, a chillingly white steel revealed its frosty, razor-sharp edge.
Most of all, engraved clearly upon the blade were four characters: Zaha Divine Sword.
"This is it."
The sacred relic of her sect.
The divine sword symbolizing the authority of Mount Hua now rested in her hands.
Though she usually kept her distance from the sect's politics, she was still a disciple raised by Mount Hua.
Holding the legendary Zaha Divine Sword filled her with a profound, overwhelming emotion.
"You can keep that," Han Cheong-un said.
Baek Su-ah nodded silently at his words and sheathed the Zaha Divine Sword, securing it.
Tang Jin then spoke up.
"But we have a problem. How are we going to carry all this treasure out of here?"
"I have a way. But before that..."
"Before that? What is it?"
"You'd better get ready."
The moment the words left Han Cheong-un's mouth—
Rumble, rumble...
The secret cave began to vibrate, and the sound of ancient gears grinding echoed through the chamber.
"What is this?"
As the cave shook around them, Han Cheong-un spoke with a calm expression.
"The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's final malice."
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief.
Originally, he was not a man of the Jianghu.
He had lived a life completely detached from the martial world.
He was an ordinary father, an ordinary husband.
But during a brief absence from home, his family was caught in the crossfire of a Jianghu feud. They were brutally slaughtered.
The sight that greeted him upon his return was a charred house and the mutilated corpses of his loved ones.
The moment he beheld that scene, he could no longer remain an ordinary man.
Weeping tears of blood, he swore vengeance. From that day forward, he dedicated the remainder of his life to a single purpose: revenge against the martial world.
Poisons, sorcery, mechanical traps, and formations...
He frantically absorbed every kind of forbidden knowledge he could find.
He must have possessed immense talent.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to master such vast and complex fields driven by nothing but spite.
Yet, he succeeded.
And then, at some point...
An assassin began terrorizing the Jianghu, slaughtering countless martial artists regardless of whether they belonged to the Orthodox or Unorthodox factions.
The Dark Ghost of Slaughter.
No one knew his name, nor his purpose.
There was no common thread linking his victims.
He simply killed and killed, indiscriminately.
His rampage only came to an end when...
"This is as far as you go."
"You... damned Taoist..."
The one who stopped him was the Sect Leader of Mount Hua, one of the strongest martial artists of that era.
Respected by the world as the Sword Saint, he easily subdued the Dark Ghost of Slaughter when the assassin ambushed him. The Dark Ghost's life should have ended there. However...
"Why do you accumulate such terrible karma? Looking at your countenance, you do not seem like a man born to be a killer."
"What does it matter to you?"
"I beg of you, tell me your story."
The Sword Saint humbled himself completely before the defeated assassin.
Touched by the Sword Saint's earnest and persistent sincerity, the assassin finally opened his mouth.
And...
"Infinite Daoist Blessings... How tragic. How truly tragic."
The Sword Saint wept, his grief genuine.
His tears were so sincere that even the cold heart of the Dark Ghost of Slaughter was shaken.
"Your plight is deeply sorrowful. Yet, I cannot release you back into the world while you are consumed by this murderous intent."
The Sword Saint imprisoned the Dark Ghost of Slaughter on Mount Hua, but he visited him every single day, striving to comfort and heal his broken spirit. As a result...
"I... admit defeat."
After twenty years of patient effort, the Dark Ghost of Slaughter finally relented. He promised the Sword Saint he would kill no more, and left Mount Hua. However...
"I will abandon my life as a killer. But I cannot abandon my revenge against the martial world."
"Then what do you intend to do?"
"You told me, Daoist, that a true martial artist carries righteousness and chivalry in their heart."
"Yes. I did say that."
"I will put that to the test."
"A test? What do you plan to do?"
"I will..."
He candidly revealed his plan to the Sword Saint. Hearing it, the Sword Saint...
"Infinite Daoist Blessings..."
The Sword Saint sighed, stroking his beard with a sorrowful expression.
"Must you go to such lengths?"
"If the justice and chivalry they preach are true, as you say, then what does it matter?"
"..."
"Though, of course, I do not believe in such things."
"Sigh... There is no helping it. No helping it at all."
The Sword Saint lamented.
He wished he had more time to persuade him.
But time was running out.
The Sword Saint could feel it.
He knew his own life was drawing to a close. Instead, he unfastened the sword at his waist and held it out.
"Take this."
"Daoist? This is..."
"If your plan is to succeed, you will need something of this caliber, will you not?"
The Sword Saint handed him the Zaha Divine Sword.
The sacred relic of Mount Hua.
The very symbol of the sect.
He had surrendered such a priceless treasure without a single moment of hesitation.
"Daoist..."
"I pray that all things will flow according to the natural order."
That day.
The news that Mount Hua's sacred relic had been stolen shook the Jianghu.
Thus marked the debut of the greatest thief in the martial world.
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief.
"...What was all that?"
Tang Jin asked, looking utterly dazed.
In a pitch-black void of nothingness, they had just witnessed another man's life play out before them, as if looking down from above.
When he regained his senses, Han Cheong-un and Baek Su-ah were standing right beside him.
Han Cheong-un replied calmly.
"You already know. Why ask?"
"So that really was... the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's memory?"
"To be precise, it's a lingering grudge. Isn't that right?"
Han Cheong-un spoke, looking up into the empty air.
A faint, translucent figure of a man materialized in the void.
"You aren't as surprised as I expected."
"There's no reason to be."
Han Cheong-un and Baek Su-ah already knew what happened when one cleared this secret cave.
Han Cheong-un looked at the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief—or rather, the lingering spirit he left behind—and spoke.
"Are you going to blow everything up with gunpowder now?"
The spirit of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief flinched.
"How do you know about that?"
"I have my ways."
It was something that had happened before his regression.
During the raid on the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief's secret cave, a massive conflict had broken out. Eventually, the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions agreed to cooperate. After suffering heavy casualties, they finally reached the end of the cave. However...
At the very end, everything was obliterated.
Gunpowder and traps laid by the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief were hidden throughout the entirety of Nokrok Mountain, and they had detonated all at once.
In the end, not only those inside the cave, but also the scavengers lingering outside hoping for scraps, were swept up in the explosion and killed.
Naturally, the treasures inside the cave were completely destroyed as well.
Why did such a thing happen?
Had they accidentally triggered some hidden final trap during the raid?
The truth was only revealed much later.
An elder of the Zhuge Clan, the sole survivor who had been inside the cave, testified.
When the final trial was cleared...
...the spirit of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief had appeared, denounced them, and detonated the prepared explosives.
In the end, it was all for revenge.
His vengeance had ultimately claimed thousands of lives, inflicting a devastating wound on a Jianghu already exhausted by the Great War between the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions.
As far as revenge went, it was highly successful.
Han Cheong-un and Baek Su-ah had entered this place knowing full well what would happen. Because...
Because we have a way to stop it.
Baek Su-ah slowly placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.
With her skills, she could cut down the spirit of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief. She could strike before he had a chance to trigger the mechanism and destroy everything.
She prepared herself to draw her blade the instant Han Cheong-un gave the signal. And then...
"Senior Myriad Shadows Divine Thief."
Han Cheong-un stepped forward and bowed deeply to the spirit.
"As a member of the Jianghu, I offer you my deepest apologies."
"..."
"Please, let go of your resentment."
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief frowned.
"You speak so easily even after witnessing my memories."
"..."
"Though I suppose this is nothing new to you martial artists. Living on the edge of a blade, is that what you call it?"
A bitter sneer curled the thief's lips.
He spat out his words.
"Pathetic fools."
A torrent of scathing vitriol poured from his mouth.
"Chivalry? Justice? Don't make me laugh."
"..."
"To ordinary people like me, the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions are exactly the same. Who do you think you are, carrying swords around and terrorizing people? What gives you the right?! Who allowed you to do this?!"
"..."
"In the end, you are nothing but thugs who use violence to satisfy your own greed."
"..."
"Even now, countless innocent commoners across the land are suffering because of trash like you."
"..."
"My goal is to drag as many of you bastards to hell as I can, to make this world just a little bit cleaner. So..."
"Your words make sense to a degree," Han Cheong-un said, breaking his silence.
He had listened quietly until now, but he finally spoke.
"It is true that we martial artists try to solve everything with force, and innocent people frequently suffer because of our conflicts."
"If you know that..."
"But senior, even if the Jianghu did not exist, and even if there were no martial artists, people would still suffer."
"..."
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief fell silent.
He hated to admit it, but he knew Han Cheong-un spoke the truth.
Long before the Jianghu was established, humans had hated, fought, and harmed one another.
There were suffering peasants during the era of warring states, and even before that, during the Yin and Zhou dynasties, the weak groaned under the weight of tyranny.
"It is human greed and malice that harm the weak and innocent. Martial arts are merely a tool."
"So what? Are you saying you people did nothing wrong?"
"Of course not. We are definitely in the wrong. However..."
"However what?"
"All I can do is offer my sincerest apology, and promise to do my absolute best to ensure such tragedies never happen again."
"You talk a good game."
The thief glared at Han Cheong-un.
"Fine. If you truly wish to apologize, show me your sincerity."
"My sincerity?"
"Yes."
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief pointed at Han Cheong-un.
"Severing Tendons and Rupturing Meridians."
Tang Jin's blood boiled instantly.
What did he just say?
To him, Han Cheong-un was the savior of the Tang Family and the Sect Leader he had sworn to follow for the rest of his life.
And this ghost was demanding that he undergo Severing Tendons and Rupturing Meridians?
"What is the matter? Isn't that how you martial artists usually apologize?"
"That is not an apology, that is a punishment! And it is a punishment reserved for the worst criminals!"
"It is the same to me. What meaning is there in an apology that costs nothing but words?"
"You son of a..."
Just as Tang Jin gnashed his teeth, ready to lash out—
"Will that be enough?"
"Yes. Can you do it?"
"If it will allow you to lay down your grudge and find peace, I will do it."
"Good. Let's see it, then."
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief stared intently at Han Cheong-un.
Han Cheong-un placed his hand over his dantian and turned to Tang Jin.
"I might be a bit of a burden to you from now on."
"...Sect Leader? You can't be serious..."
Thud!
"You crazy bastard!"
"Noooo!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Han Cheong-un shattered his own dantian.
An oath ripped from Tang Jin's throat, and Baek Su-ah screamed in sheer horror.
Han Cheong-un coughed up a mouthful of blood and stumbled.
The two of them rushed forward to support him.
"What... what kind of madness is this?!"
"No, this can't be... Leader? Stay with me!"
Tang Jin was furious, and Baek Su-ah was in a state of utter panic.
She had been ready to slay the thief's spirit the moment Han Cheong-un gave the word.
She had held back only because she knew Han Cheong-un wanted to resolve this peacefully. She never dreamed he would go this far.
"You... you..."
Blood vessels popped in Baek Su-ah's eyes.
She reached for her sword, intent on tearing the spirit to shreds, but before she could—
"Don't..."
Han Cheong-un grabbed her wrist with a trembling hand, stopping her.
"Leader?"
Baek Su-ah looked at him, her face twisted in anguish.
This incredibly stubborn, foolish man.
Just how far was he willing to go...
"I don't understand."
It was then.
The Myriad Shadows Divine Thief looked down at Han Cheong-un.
"You shattered your own dantian just to appease my grudge? Do you truly have no regrets?"
"None..."
"Why go to such lengths?"
"Because..."
Han Cheong-un forced a faint smile through his pain.
"To apologize sincerely... showing the appropriate weight of one's words... *cough*... is only proper."
"Proper? What propriety? Is that the way of the Jianghu?"
Han Cheong-un shook his head.
"No... it is... the way of humanity."
Though his face grew deathly pale, the smile remained etched on his lips. And in the next instant—
Flash!
A brilliant light enveloped them, and the dark void dissolved.
When they opened their eyes...
"Where are we?"
"Mnh..."
They were back inside the secret cave.
Han Cheong-un was completely unharmed, his dantian perfectly intact as if it had never been shattered.
Before them stood the spirit of the Myriad Shadows Divine Thief, now looking far more translucent and faded than before. He spoke.
"Han Cheong-un, was it?"
The thief let out a long, weary sigh, his voice tinged with a quiet sorrow.
"I admit defeat."