Chapter 364
Chapter 364
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 96
>Chapter Title: Sword (2)
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"Yes. I think it's fine if Cheong-ryeong gets possessed by someone and gives birth to my child."
-!!!!!!!!
Cheong-ryeong froze like ice, at a complete loss for words.
As a vengeful spirit, she had remained in the living world to resolve her grudge, but she was merely a disembodied soul.
Thus, no matter what emotions she felt, she considered them all meaningless.
Yet Mok Kyung-un had shaken her to the core with words she never could have anticipated.
-Y-You... right now... what did you just...
She was so flustered she couldn't even form proper sentences.
His words were a shock in themselves.
Did this mortal truly understand what he had just said?
Was he mocking her?
Her bewilderment gradually gave way to rising anger.
-Mortal, do you even realize what nonsense you're spouting?
"Why wouldn't I know?"
-What?
"I said I want Cheong-ryeong to bear my child."
-Are you playing word games with me right now...
"It's not a game."
-If this isn't a game, then what is it? Telling a dead vengeful spirit to bear a child— this is an insult to me...
-Tak!
Before she could finish, Mok Kyung-un grabbed her hand.
Unlike the other sorcerers, even without profound inner energy, he could grasp her ethereal form as if it were solid, allowing direct contact.
-Grip!
As he squeezed her hand tightly, she floundered in panic, not knowing what to do.
-W-What are you doing?
"What does it matter?"
-What do you mean, what does it matter?
"What's the difference if you're a dead vengeful spirit?"
-What's the difference? I'm dead, and you, mortal, are alive...
"What's life or death got to do with liking someone?"
-..........
Cheong-ryeong fell silent at his words.
It was utterly bizarre.
She was just a spirit without a heart or flowing blood.
Yet her face burned, and her chest pounded as if her heart were racing—a strange sensation that left her unable to meet his gaze.
'L-Liking... me...'
Was this mortal truly toying with her?
But the look in Mok Kyung-un's eyes as he stared at her was completely different from his usual impassive self.
Why was this emotionless man gazing at her with such warmth?
Staring into those eyes weakened her resolve.
This wasn't right—the long years she'd endured with nothing but her grudge felt like they might crumble.
Then Mok Kyung-un spoke to her.
"Does Cheong-ryeong hate me?"
That single question nearly shattered her heart.
She wasn't a fool.
She had sensed the signs from him and felt her own weakening heart.
That's why she had hoped to avoid this situation at all costs.
Why was he trying to make her so vulnerable?
Her hand tightened in his grasp.
-I... I...
In that moment, a vision of someone sobbing flashed through Cheong-ryeong's mind.
-Pak!
Cheong-ryeong hurriedly shook off Mok Kyung-un's hand.
She bit her lip hard and spoke in a resolute voice.
-I am not.
"........."
-I exist solely for revenge. The same goes for you, doesn't it?
"......Revenge."
Disappointment crept into Mok Kyung-un's voice, and she averted her gaze.
Meeting his eyes would only weaken her further.
But Mok Kyung-un continued.
"You're right. It was all about revenge."
'Was?'
Past tense.
What was he getting at?
She shouldn't listen.
But...
"After revenge, I thought it might be nice to be with Cheong-ryeong."
-Hah...
Cheong-ryeong's eyes trembled.
She was trying to reject him firmly, so why was this mortal weakening her?
As a mere vengeful spirit, she no longer desired connection with anyone.
As he approached her, Mok Kyung-un said,
"But you're right, Cheong-ryeong."
-What?
Was he giving up?
Really?
The heart was truly fickle.
Hearing the resignation in his voice made her feel a pang of regret.
Then Mok Kyung-un said,
"I've only been thinking of myself. I need to finish your revenge too, right?"
-..........
"Once our revenges are complete, could you like me then, Cheong-ryeong?"
-..........
Cheong-ryeong's eyes, which had avoided his, now turned back to Mok Kyung-un.
Why was that?
She had thought no one, not even the living, would be drawn to such an emotionless man.
Yet this mortal...
It was then.
-Pat!
Mok Kyung-un suddenly reached upward.
Something flew toward him and landed in his hand.
It was a bracelet.
-......What is that?
At Cheong-ryeong's question, Mok Kyung-un narrowed his eyes and looked over the cliff.
"It looks like the accessory Ye Song-a always wears on her wrist."
Ye Song-a.
The granddaughter of the Sacred Fire Spirit Lord.
Why had the bracelet she always wore suddenly fallen from the cliff below?
Puzzled, Cheong-ryeong said to Mok Kyung-un,
-I don't know what's happening, but we should go up first.
"......Yeah. But you haven't answered my question yet."
At Mok Kyung-un's direct approach, Cheong-ryeong's lips twitched as if she might speak, then she clenched her fist and said,
-If revenge is fulfilled, I'll consider it.
"Consider?"
-Yes!
"Can emotions really be something you 'consider'?"
-Hmph! Don't nitpick every word! My mind hasn't changed.
"Ah, is that so?"
Mok Kyung-un shrugged and chuckled softly.
"Consider" meant leaving room, so it wasn't impossible.
For now, that was enough.
* * *
Just half an incense stick's time earlier.
A young man and woman stood with the shattered cliff at their backs.
They were Gu Yeon-woo, the third son of Spirit Sword Manor's Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu, and Ye Song-a, granddaughter of the Sacred Fire Spirit Lord.
Spirit Sword Manor's sword guards surrounded them, while the manor's guests and Justice Alliance investigators—Righteous Name Monk of Mount Hang Mountain Sect and Mo Yong-hak, eldest son of the Mo Yong Family—watched over the scene.
How had it come to this?
It started when the manor head's second son, Gu Woong-seong, exposed Ye Song-a as a member of the Blazing Flower Cult.
[Hand over that item. It belongs to this young lady.]
After realizing her identity from Young Manor Head Gu Woong-hwang's words, Gu Woong-seong seized the moment upon regaining his senses.
[Clan Head! And guests, do you truly not see? That mysterious swordsman and the Blazing Flower Cult expert this woman brought—they caused this mess to steal back the glowing orb taken from Yeon-woo!]
Gu Woong-seong's words were enough to sway the crowd's opinion.
Perceptions of the Blazing Flower Cult weren't favorable even among martial artists, so public sentiment began viewing Ye Song-a and Gu Yeon-woo as the root of the incident.
"True. It makes sense."
"If they hadn't come, none of this would have happened."
"How many died?"
"Damn Blazing Flower Cult bastards."
"Shh. They're still the clan head's sons."
"Sons or not, they're the cause!"
The revelation of their Blazing Flower Cult ties and Gu Woong-seong's agitation tightened the noose around them.
Not everyone condemned them, though.
Young Manor Head Gu Woong-hwang, aware of his younger brother Gu Yeon-woo's true feelings, stepped forward to calm things.
"Our sword guards and guests, please stay calm. It's too hasty to pin this on them. With Justice Alliance investigators here, we can judge after a proper inquiry..."
"What calm? Young Master Gu Woong-seong is right! Without the clan head's third son who joined the Blazing Flower Cult and that woman, this wouldn't have happened!"
"Exactly! No Nangong Family tragedy, no massacre here— what are you saying, Young Manor Head?"
But it was futile against the already enraged crowd.
Convinced that Gu Yeon-woo and Ye Song-a, as Blazing Flower Cult members, were the culprits, they demanded retribution.
Justice Alliance's Mo Yong-hak shared the view.
"Monk. We'll arrest them for now. Those who fell off the cliff died by the clan head's hand, so send alliance warriors to retrieve the bodies and escort these two."
"Amitabha. Mo Yong layman, let's observe a moment longer."
"Observe? Anyone can see..."
"Your opinion has merit, but you're too swayed by the agitation."
"Monk..."
Mo Yong-hak sighed in frustration at Righteous Name Monk's words.
As investigators, they needed resolution.
Fortunately, the monstrous true culprit had perished with the Blazing Flower Cult expert in mutual destruction, and the suspected ringleaders were right there.
Just arrest and escort them—why observe?
Then, one of the guests spoke up.
"What good is debating culprits here?"
He was Ji-oe, the longest-staying guest in Sword Valley.
His intervention drew incredulous reactions from the guests.
"No, Senior Ji-oe! Senior Gok-o is dead—how can you say that?"
"True. It's clear they caused this—how can we not pursue the culprits?"
"If you won't avenge our fallen brothers, step aside."
Most Sword Valley guests had close ties, and with over half slaughtered brutally, their fury wouldn't subside easily.
But Ji-oe was no less hot-tempered.
"Out!"
His inner energy-laced shout silenced the clamor.
As quiet settled, Ji-oe continued.
"We're sword guards and martial artists. Gok-o and the others' deaths anger me too, but it was because our martial prowess and swords fell short against that damned swordsman. Ignoring that to blame these kids—what kind of mindset is this?"
"It's not about mindset, Senior."
"They're Blazing Flower Cult..."
"That damned Blazing Flower Cult! Kill every one you see? A martial artist's death comes from weakness in the law of the jungle. Why ignore the essence?"
Some flushed with shame at his rebuke.
They prided themselves on their warrior dignity.
But someone fanned the flames to prevent calm:
"Senior Ji-oe, without those Blazing Flower Cult members, that swordsman wouldn't have appeared, no massacre, no severed arm—surely you're not defending them?"
It was the clan head's second son, Gu Woong-seong.
His words stirred the guests and martial artists again.
"Second Young Master's right. Why defend them?"
"Hah! So shameless. Was Senior Gok-o's death because he was weak? Does that mean the weak deserve unjust deaths?"
"What did you say?"
Ji-oe was dumbfounded by their response.
Situations demanded scrutiny of cause and effect, but their rage was being stoked by the clan head's second son's silver tongue.
The second son was twisting everything into complexity.
"Please, calm down!"
Young Manor Head Gu Woong-hwang desperately tried to soothe them, to no avail.
Watching him, Gu Woong-seong smirked inwardly.
What a reversal of fortune.
After losing his arm and coming to his senses, he initially suffered but soon saw opportunity.
He didn't understand why his eldest brother suddenly aided them, but framing it as helping Blazing Flower Cult could cost him the young manor head position.
'It all hinges on Father's decision.'
Gu Woong-seong glanced at Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu, staring down from the cliff.
Gu Cheon-mu had been gazing intently below, checking the monsters' fate.
'How could anyone survive that height?'
Even peerless experts couldn't—no ropes could descend this abyss due to fierce winds.
Their survival odds were nil.
Then, Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu finally raised his head and turned.
"Hoo."
As he stepped away, all eyes turned to him.
He approached Gu Yeon-woo and Ye Song-a with hands behind his back.
Gu Yeon-woo prostrated himself.
"Father—no, Clan Head. This incident has absolutely no connection to us. Even if it did, Young Lady Ye here has none."
"Yeon-woo!"
Ye Song-a looked distraught at his words.
His intent was clear: save her at any cost.
Knowing his affection, Young Manor Head Gu Woong-hwang knelt on one knee, hands clasped in respect.
"Clan Head, I will investigate this incident. So for now..."
"Ah! So brother said that orb belongs to the young lady and demanded it back? What ties does he have to this Blazing Flower Cult wench to help her?"
Before he finished, Gu Woong-seong loudly interrupted.
'You?'
Gu Woong-hwang glared incredulously at Gu Woong-seong.
He knew the second brother's greed and jealousy, but not that he'd act like a vengeful hound in crisis.
Confronting him now wouldn't help.
"Clan Head! This is slander. He lost his arm and in resentment is framing these two and me..."
"Enough."
Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu finally spoke.
Everyone, including Gu Woong-hwang, fell silent.
As manor head, Gu Cheon-mu held all authority.
He then looked at someone and asked,
"Young Lady, are you the owner of that glowing orb?"
Her face darkened at the question.
She hadn't expected perfect fairness, but the question itself wasn't advantageous.
"Th-That..."
"Answer only the question. Are you the owner of the orb?"
Then,
Gu Yeon-woo sprang up shouting.
"Father, that's mine... Hup."
He couldn't continue claiming the orb as his.
Gu Cheon-mu's profound true energy had forced his mouth shut.
Seeing his father's demeanor, Gu Woong-hwang's expression hardened.
With Nangong Family and Sword Valley guests' heavy losses, his father wouldn't overlook this.
'Ahh... Yeon-woo. Yeon-woo.'
Gu Woong-hwang bit his lip, apologetic.
He wanted to protect him, but couldn't defy his father.
Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu spoke again.
"This is the last verbal question. Young Lady, are you the orb's owner?"
-Parrr!
The atmosphere grew ominous.
No overt pressure, but the weighty question made Ye Song-a sweat coldly, legs trembling.
Terror-struck, she couldn't speak.
Answering felt like inviting instant death by beheading.
Gu Cheon-mu shook his head slowly.
He stepped closer and said,
"Refusing to answer—shall I take that as affirmation..."
-Hic!
Gu Cheon-mu halted mid-sentence.
His face stiffened as he turned his head.
Everyone's gazes followed to the cliff.
'!!!!!!!'
All were stunned.
Rising from the cliff was the monstrous expert who had fallen with the swordsman.
End of Chapter 96 Sword (2)