The Guardian's Testimony
So Yeomgyo had her back turned, so I couldn't see the look on her face.
But I could see her clenched fist trembling, just slightly.
The door burst open.
A man in green martial robes, sporting a goat beard, strode straight in.
"That's right! I am Gwak Ilsan, second-generation disciple of the Jongnam Sect — and I saw it all with my own eyes! This body of mine could have struck the Salt Wolf King myself!"
I remembered that man.
He was the martial artist who had frozen in place, hesitating, while I fought the Salt Wolf King to the death.
Seo Rinji had lost her smile and was glancing around in confusion.
"If not for us, the Emei Sect would not be standing properly in this place today. No one knows better than we do what a catastrophic blow it is for a sect to lose its Guardian."
Seo Hyemun bowed her head with a smile.
"We thank you, Master Gwak Ilsan of the Jongnam Sect. The tribute we promised will be honored without fail."
"Ah, don't mention it. That's simply the way of the jianghu, isn't it? And, well — speaking of which."
Gwak Ilsan swaggered forward.
I slowly pushed myself upright.
Pain tore through my body as if every bone were shattering, but I could move a little now.
The Golden-Furred Divine Ape's blood was circulating through me, being absorbed, and I could feel my body repairing itself at a startling rate.
Perhaps because it was blood born of a sacred beast — a product of the White Lotus Demon Sect — the speed at which it took to my body, built upon the Heavenly Demon's physique, defied imagination.
"Just as I thought. You were faking it. From what I've gathered, you're a martial artist barely entering the jianghu, without even a moniker to your name. There's no way someone like you stopped the Salt Wolf King."
Seo Hyemun's eyes gleamed as she spoke.
Even under that kind of misunderstanding, all I could do was lie there.
My insides twisted.
Grind.
The people before my eyes were exactly like the ones I had always known.
I may have been recognized by the Eighth Elder of the Moyong Family. I may have entered Ha-mu-gwan at the Cheonsubaekryeonsa that everyone aspired to join, earning the status of a formal disciple and growing stronger by the day.
But deep in my bones, without a single drop drained away, the humiliation of scraping by at the bottom of the capital still remained.
Their behavior called to mind the gatekeepers who used to beat me and drive me out.
They resembled the examiners of minor sects who yawned while issuing expulsion orders without so much as glancing at a martial form.
They were the same as the peddler at the entrance to Cheonsubaekryeonsa who had driven a kitchen knife into my gut while eyeing me with naked greed.
They looked like Moyong Gangcheon and Moyong Jinryong — the ones who wanted me dead, whose eyes held nothing but contempt.
"H-hey! What's with that look? Do you have any idea where you are, you insolent—!"
Gwak Ilsan barked, having sensed something off about me.
Damn it.
It was identical enough to make my skin crawl.
In that moment, the bastard in front of me had climbed high enough in my estimation that I could credit him with stirring up more hatred than even Ryu Hwasa of the Blood Sect.
"I think there may be some misunderstanding."
So Yeomgyo stepped between me and Gwak Ilsan.
"We have no particular interest in the distribution of merit. As for me, I came all this way because our strategist called it a 'final' favor based on a personal connection from the past. The compensation for that was already settled beforehand, so I have no intention of demanding anything further from the Emei Sect. Therefore, there's no reason for us to squabble with the Jongnam Sect over any of this."
"No — I'm saying you don't even deserve that compensation. Because the Jongnam Sect stopped everything. Showing up with just the two of you claiming to stand guard was an insult to our great Emei Sect from the very start—!"
—BOOM!
The floorboards exploded outward with So Yeomgyo at the center.
—Shing-shing-shing!
Guardian Officer Seo Hyemun screamed, and the martial artists of Emei and Jongnam drew their swords as one.
"S-So Yeomgyo!"
Seo Rinji cried out.
"Seo Rinji. This kind of reception leaves me rather hurt. Not that there's any debt left between us anymore."
So Yeomgyo murmured low.
"Since everyone in this room already seems to know who I am, I might as well say it without hiding."
Sparks leapt in her Flame Eyes as she bit off every word and swallowed it.
"Yes. Only two of us came. That's correct. You — as Guardian Officer of the Emei Sect, what exactly have you accomplished? When the Blood Sect and the Demon Sect attacked from left and right, what did you do?"
So Yeomgyo pointed at Guardian Officer Seo Hyemun.
"W-what are you saying?! As Guardian Officer of Emei, even in the Guardian's absence I stood firm and protected the sect, standing guard—!"
"And you and your lot?"
Next she pointed at Gwak Ilsan, second-generation disciple of the Jongnam Sect.
"How dare a lowborn wretch point fingers! Beneath the pure and exalted history of our great Jongnam Sect, I, Gwak Ilsan, have honed the unique martial arts of Jongnam acknowledged even by my master, and I stood and fought the Demon Sect to the death—!"
—Flash!
The soft sword coiled around So Yeomgyo's hand vanished and wound itself back again.
Slip.
One whisker of his goat beard disappeared.
So Yeomgyo snarled.
"Jongnam Sect. If you had any conscience, you couldn't say those words. If what you claim is true — then who the hell stopped the Blood Sect across the river, which outnumbered the Demon Sect ten to one?"
"…!"
The room went silent, as if ice water had been dumped over everyone present.
"You're right about one thing. I came at Strategist Seo Rinji's request. And yes, only the two of us came. But we are different."
Sparks flared again in So Yeomgyo's Flame Eyes.
"I am So Yeomgyo, Sect Leader of the Blood Death Sect. The number of prospective Guardians I have killed to date: three. Mid-ranking and above across the entire jianghu — orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic combined: twenty-four. I broke through the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare, survived four years of active manhunts, and eliminated every last tracker. That is merely what I accomplished in the seven years since I took the seat of Sect Leader. I am someone who can state such things openly without a single soul daring to dream of revenge — and I came all the way north in person. And then there is the other one."
So Yeomgyo rested a hand on my shoulder.
"This man is the only man I have ever acknowledged in the jianghu. Need I say more? And so, staking the honor of the Sect Leader of the Blood Death Sect, I will say this."
So Yeomgyo cut it clean.
"Insult me all you like. But I will not tolerate any remark that dismisses the devotion of the man I hired — a man who threw his own body into the fight."
"May we take that statement just now as a formal provocation from the Blood Death Sect against us?!"
Gwak Ilsan was breaking out in a cold sweat.
His face had gone paper-white, but a scrap of a martial artist's pride — the refusal to back down like this — was still driving him to the end.
"No."
So Yeomgyo shook her head.
"You're going to escalate something like this all the way to the sects? You know what my real profession is."
So Yeomgyo pointed at her own chest. Then she pointed at Gwak Ilsan.
"It won't be sect against sect. It will be a personal matter between So Yeomgyo and Gwak Ilsan."
—Rumble!
A murderous aura of terrifying force erupted from So Yeomgyo's body.
Killing intent powerful enough to shake the floorboards poured down like a waterfall upon only two people — Gwak Ilsan and Seo Hyemun.
"And when that time comes, I probably won't be bare-faced. I'll be wearing a mask. You understand what that means, don't you?"
"Y-you—! Insolent—!"
Gwak Ilsan's face twisted with humiliation as his hand went to his sword.
The conflict was about to explode.
A bloodbath was about to begin.
And then—
"Everyone, stop!"
A clear, ringing cry like thunder rolling across the ceiling made everyone flinch.
My whole body went numb and tingling.
It was raw — but in sheer presence, that voice rivaled So Yeomgyo's without question.
"This aura…"
So Yeomgyo relaxed her stance, an intrigued look on her face.
The door opened.
The Emei disciples cried out in shock.
"S-Sect Leader!"
Still not fully recovered, the elderly Sect Leader of Emei walked in, leading a body that swayed with every step.
This was the Emei Sect Leader who had been unwell, who had been so occupied directing and leading the Flowering Ceremony that she had not shown her face even once until now.
At her side, a young girl — Emei's new Guardian — supported the Sect Leader's arm.
—Thud.
Strategist Seo Rinji dropped to her knees in alarm.
Guardian Officer Seo Hyemun went deathly pale and hurriedly followed suit.
The Jongnam martial artists who had drawn their swords hastily sheathed them and offered their respects.
However much a sect might be in decline, this was still the Sect Leader of Emei — one pillar of the Nine Sects and One Gang — so their reaction was only natural.
The Emei Sect Leader spoke.
"Forgive the intrusion. I heard every word of the conversation from outside. Judging that blood would be spilled if I did not intervene at once, I imposed upon our Guardian and committed this discourtesy — so please do not reproach the Guardian. Reproach me, Seo Rangyun, Sect Leader of Emei."
"Sect Leader Seo Rangyun, you are unwell — what brings you here?"
Strategist Seo Rinji blurted in a rush.
Sect Leader Seo Rangyun answered coolly.
"Yes. It is true that I have been resting due to poor health. But with all the clamor inside and out, I simply could not remain lying down."
Sect Leader Seo Rangyun turned to So Yeomgyo.
"Please forgive our discourtesy. On behalf of the Emei Sect, I offer my apology regarding this entire affair. And furthermore."
Sect Leader Seo Rangyun looked at Gwak Ilsan of the Jongnam Sect.
"I also heard everything the Jongnam disciples had to say."
"Ah— y-yes?! Emei and Jongnam are bound by close ties of friendship! There is no need for you to apologize to those insolent, arrogant people! You saw them threaten us just now, didn't you?! Please say something to them!"
"As Sect Leader of Emei, I state this officially."
Seo Rangyun spoke in a clear, ringing voice, each word distinct.
"During the intrusion of the Blood Sect and the Demon Sect upon the Flowering Ceremony, there was no guarding performed by the Jongnam Sect. Therefore, the contract under which the Jongnam Sect was to provide substitute combat strength of a Guardian as compensation for that guard duty is hereby nullified. Members of the Jongnam Sect will vacate Emei territory at once."
Gwak Ilsan stood blankly, as if he could not comprehend it.
Then fury blazed up in him like fire.
"What— we made enormous sacrifices holding off the Demon Sect, and you say this?!"
"The one who held off the Demon Sect would be that young man lying there covered in wounds — Young Master Biryu."
"Did you see that yourself?!"
Gwak Ilsan shouted back without yielding an inch.
"Apologize at once for that disrespectful remark toward the Sect Leader of Emei. If you do not, I will have no choice but to act as Guardian."
A girl stepped between him and the Sect Leader.
It was a young girl's face.
But everyone present felt it.
Beyond those seemingly hollow eyes writhed a vast internal energy and a level of martial mastery handed down from previous generations.
"N-now that it's over you don't want to provide the Guardian's strength as substitute, so you're pulling this—!"
"I'm sorry, but."
The Guardian of Emei said coldly.
"As the one undergoing the Flowering Ceremony, I was inside the palanquin and could see everything. I may not have been formally installed as Guardian for long, but I too am someone who understands the ways of the jianghu. And so I can declare this with certainty."
The Guardian cleared her throat, then pointed at me and So Yeomgyo as she spoke.
"Only Young Master Biryu, lying there, threw everything he had into goading the Salt Wolf King, clinging desperately through a life-or-death duel to buy time until So Yeomgyo arrived. And in the midst of that, I also clearly witnessed that the Jongnam Sect, cowed by the might of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, performed no act of guarding whatsoever. Upon this fact I stake the three characters of my name — Seol Yakbyeok, twenty-first Guardian of Emei."
For a Guardian to stake her sect and her name carried a weight greater than staking her life.
Those words alone were more than enough to put an end to every argument.
Sect Leader Seo Rangyun opened her mouth.
"That seems to settle things roughly. All disciples of Emei, hear me."
"Your command!"
Every Emei disciple who had gathered — filling the room and crowding the corridor beyond — prostrated themselves and answered as one.
Sect Leader Seo Rangyun spoke coldly.
"The Jongnam guests will be leaving at once. Guide them clearly so they do not lose their way on the path out of our gates."
"As you command."
They cursed and thrashed, but the leadership of the Jongnam Sect was seized by Emei disciples rushing in from every direction and dragged out without being able to lift a hand.
"You'll regret this!"
To Gwak Ilsan's shout as he was hauled away thrashing, Sect Leader Seo Rangyun answered with a smile.
"The cowardly conduct you displayed before the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult — I shall personally convey it to the Sect Leader of Jongnam myself."
"Hhk—!"
Gwak Ilsan's face turned the color of dirt.
"Th-that… anything but that—!"
"What are you all standing around for? See our Jongnam guests out at once!"
"We receive your command!"
And so the Jongnam disciples were dragged out like dogs.
Guardian Officer Seo Hyemun, as if already sensing the fate that awaited her, stood trembling violently, her face ashen.
"Furthermore — Guardian Officer Seo Hyemun."
"S-Sect Leader! I have been loyal only for the sake of Emei! I am wronged!"
"Silence!"
Guardian Officer Seo Hyemun hiccupped and froze solid.
"Know the crime of insulting the benefactors who saved Emei, swayed by your own filthy private motives!"
"Sect Leader! M-mercy…!"
Seo Hyemun could only kneel and tremble endlessly.
Sect Leader Seo Rangyun thundered.
"Hear this! Effective this very moment, this person is stripped of the office of Guardian Officer. Disarm her and cast her into the cells. After we have properly thanked our guests, I shall personally administer her punishment!"
"We receive your command!"
Emei disciples rushed forward.
The garments that had symbolized Seo Hyemun's office as Guardian Officer were torn to shreds.
With her face a wreck, she was dragged out screaming in desperation.
"I—I didn't do anything wrong!"