Chapter 42: Hidden Fire Hall (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: Hidden Fire Hall (2)
"Azure Cloud Taoist?"
Song Hak’s hardened expression twitched subtly. An entirely unexpected name had been uttered by an even more unexpected source.
If it was the Azure Cloud Taoist, it could only be that boy.
Seok Myeong.
"Azure Cloud Taoist… Are you certain that is what he called himself?"
"Yes, I heard it clearly with my own ears."
"Hmph."
Song Hak nodded, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
"I understand for now. You should return to your sect."
"Will that Taoist be alright?"
"There shouldn't be any trouble. The Qingcheng Sect is no minor clan. Now that we are stepping in, you may return without worry."
"I see."
Only then did Gang Bi’s expression soften. He had been feeling uneasy, fearing that the situation had escalated because of him.
"Once this matter is resolved, I will surely repay the Qingcheng Sect for its kindness. I shall take my leave now."
"Go on, then."
Gang Bi bowed deeply. He retrieved his sword from the wooden case and stepped outside.
Song Hak watched him depart, wearing an inscrutable grin.
Meanwhile, Song Guan, who was just entering the Martial Hall, stopped in his tracks. He spotted individuals dressed in unfamiliar clothing—not the robes of Qingcheng—exiting the entrance.
Who are those martial artists?
Song Guan watched them closely for a moment before withdrawing his gaze. He then proceeded into the Martial Hall, his original destination.
"Is he inside?"
"Yes."
"Tell him I have arrived."
Song Guan spoke to Jeong Gil, who stood guard by the door. After receiving permission, he was allowed to enter.
*
Song Guan performed the proper sword salutations before taking a seat. Song Hak offered him a cup of tea.
"Would you like some tea?"
"No, thank you."
Seeing Song Guan’s dark expression, Song Hak did not press further. He sat across from him and asked the reason for his visit.
"So, what brings you here? You, the manager of Chaoyang Cave, coming all this way to find me."
Song Hak spoke with a relaxed air. However, Song Guan’s face remained stiff, his complexion grim.
"Senior Brother Song Hak."
"Yes, speak."
At those words, Song Guan pulled a piece of paper from his chest. Song Hak’s eyes fixed on it.
"Is this not different from what was promised?"
It was the letter Seok Myeong had written before leaving the mountain.
Song Hak asked, feigning confusion, "What do you mean?"
"I came here after hearing the rumors circulating within the sect. How could you let this happen?"
"Tell me exactly what is bothering you. Only then can I give you an answer."
"Did I not tell you before? The reason Seok Myeong left the mountain was to build enough fame to return as a true Qingcheng swordsman."
"You did say that."
"Then why are such strange rumors spreading through the sect? Why are people saying he fled because his achievements were low, or that he ran away in shame because his research failed?"
Song Guan continued, clearly having prepared himself for this confrontation.
"If there is talk later, so be it, but shouldn't we trust Seok Myeong for at least a few years? He is none other than your own disciple, Senior Brother..."
"And why should I?"
"Pardon?"
Song Guan blinked. He was momentarily speechless at Song Hak’s brazen attitude.
"Why should I trust that fellow?"
"Senior Brother Song Hak, regardless, he is our—"
"More importantly," Song Hak interrupted, looking at Song Guan intently. "There is no proof."
"Is it not right here before your eyes?"
"Really, now. How is that proof? Did you actually see Seok Myeong write this?"
"..."
"Seok Myeong vanished without authorization, skipping the Qingcheng examinations. Leaving only a letter without showing his face is an act of disrespect toward his elders. How can I believe he went to build fame? That letter could have been written simply to buy time."
"Seok Myeong is not that kind of child. He is someone who always keeps his word—"
"I am asking if you actually saw him do it."
Song Guan could say nothing. As Song Hak said, he hadn't actually witnessed the act.
Song Guan’s face grew darker. The rumors at the main sect were worsening by the day. Fleeing before an examination was a mistake, no matter how one looked at it. Furthermore, even if he chose another path, he should have spoken to his superiors face-to-face before leaving, but he hadn't.
The elders, who had already been displeased with him receiving so many benefits simply for being the descendant of the Azure Cloud Taoist, were now pouring out their frustrations.
"That is not all."
"..."
"Did you see those martial artists on your way in?"
"Yes, I saw a young man and three elders walking out."
"Do you know what they said?"
"I do not."
"They just informed me that a Taoist calling himself Azure Cloud Taoist is consorting with the Unorthodox Faction."
"What? What does that mean?" Song Guan asked in shock.
Song Hak, having subtly twisted the narrative, continued with an air of leisure.
"I only heard it second-hand, so I don't know the exact details."
"Are you saying that person is truly Seok Myeong?"
"Indeed."
"They must be mistaken. Even if something happened to Seok Myeong, his character is not so lacking that he would willingly associate with such people."
Song Guan looked incredulous. Seok Myeong was a Qingcheng disciple to his core. He couldn't imagine him mingling with the Unorthodox Faction, whom they were sworn to eradicate.
"I understand your desire to believe in him, but the witness specifically mentioned the name Azure Cloud Taoist. That is an undeniable fact."
"Why on earth would Seok Myeong..."
"Who knows? Perhaps his heart changed suddenly. To be honest, neither I nor many of the elders have treated the descendant of the Azure Cloud Taoist particularly well. Perhaps he harbored resentment."
"Senior Brother!"
Song Guan’s face changed drastically. Just as he was about to say more, Song Hak gave a dignified smile.
"But do not worry too much."
"...Sir?"
"I plan to head down personally to see what is happening."
When Song Guan failed to grasp his meaning, Song Hak spoke louder.
"I am saying I will go down myself to uncover the truth. If strange rumors from the Central Plains reach the sect, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings, wouldn't you agree?"
"That is true."
"So, do not speak of Seok Myeong anymore. If you keep bringing it up and the rumors from the Central Plains spread, it will only lead to greater misunderstandings. You haven't told Song Mun, have you?"
"No, I came to you first, Senior Brother."
"Good. You did well. Now, leave us."
"Yes."
With that, Song Guan left the Martial Hall. A moment later, Song Hak summoned Jeong Gil.
"You called, Master?"
"I will be away for a while."
"So suddenly? What is the matter?"
"Unpleasant rumors are circulating. I must investigate."
"I understand."
"If anything special happens, send word."
"Yes, Master."
Song Hak walked toward his Azure Sutra Robe hanging on the wall, lost in thought.
To think he would actually attempt a martial journey.
No, even if he did, fighting against a massive Unorthodox group like the Golden Martial Association was unexpected. It was a situation where misunderstandings could easily pile up.
If that boy opened his mouth, he might claim he left to build fame because of the mistreatment he received. To ensure his silence, it was better for Song Hak to move personally.
Of course, if I find he has violated sect rules while investigating his ties to the Unorthodox Faction, that would be even better.
With a smirk, Song Hak left the Martial Hall.
*
The next day, and the day after that, Seok Myeong remained in his room all day.
Sitting in the lotus position, he was still preoccupied with what had happened a few days ago.
The ever-changing Sword Aura.
The bizarre shifts of the energy, expanding in all directions and then lengthening or shortening at will. The attacks from the man named Cheol Gun had been so fast they were difficult to follow with the naked eye.
If his body were in its previous state, he would have surely suffered a grievous wound. Since undergoing Metamorphosis, which restructured and improved his body, his reflexes had become instinctively fast. It was because of this that he could even hold his own in that fight.
"The scarier part is that he was hiding his true strength."
The Dividing Horizontal Sword was like a finishing blow to him. Even though he hadn't used all of his internal energy, the same was true for his opponent. Cheol Gun had blocked his attack using nothing but the stones on the ground.
It wasn't just internal energy; it was his adaptability. That was a level of resourcefulness only someone with vast experience could display.
"What is my strength?"
In terms of internal energy, he felt he might be stronger. But beyond that, he had yet to find a distinct advantage.
"If only I could do something about this energy, I wouldn't have to worry."
Seok Myeong felt the three energies swirling within his body.
The Taiji energy. The Qingcheng energy. And the Demonic Qi.
These three energies moved through his blood vessels along with his blood. They didn't favor any specific location; they moved together through the lower, middle, and upper Dantians.
Thinking about it, it was quite peculiar.
The Taiji Empty Heart contained the power of harmonization. Yet, even that Taiji energy made no attempt to harmonize the three, simply existing alongside them.
They were all like that. Because the power of each energy was equal, he had reached a stalemate where it was difficult to either harmonize them or have one dominate the others. If either the Azure Origin Heart Method's energy or the Demonic Qi could overwhelm the rest, things would be better than they were now.
But for now, there was no way. Like a man facing an unsolvable riddle, Seok Myeong could only watch.
"Brother Seok Myeong."
Hyeok-jin spoke as Seok Myeong emerged from his meditation.
"Yes."
"Didn't you say our Master used to use an axe?"
"He did."
"Then why did he switch to a sword?"
Seok Myeong pondered for a moment before looking at Hyeok-jin.
"What do you think?"
Hyeok-jin replied, "I wonder if it's because he discovered that the sword is more efficient at cutting than an axe."
"Then he should have chosen a saber. Why use sword techniques? For cutting, a saber is more effective than a sword, isn't it?"
"Uh... well, that's because in some forms, a sword is more effective than a saber..."
Hyeok-jin trailed off, realizing his own explanation sounded awkward.
"I think the issue was with the axe itself," Seok Myeong said.
"The axe?"
"Yes. Let's look at it differently. Perhaps he didn't discard the axe because of its flaws, but because he had mastered all its strengths and no longer needed to use it. And maybe he took up the sword to further maximize those strengths."
"Ah..."
"For a martial artist to change the weapon they have steadily trained with is to admit their own path was wrong. It is an act of denying the path of the master who taught them. But your Master was not such a man. He was a true martial artist with faith and firm conviction."
"Mmm."
Hyeok-jin nodded, a look of understanding in his eyes. He felt he could faintly sense the agony of a master who chose not the 'better' path, but the path that allowed him to move forward.
*
"He took the Iron Ridge Fire Bright Sword and entered the Hidden Form Heaven Evasion Formation?"
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes."
"Hoh, well now. I've lived long enough to see this."
Cheol Jung shook his head with a smile. The Hidden Form Heaven Evasion Formation was a place Cheol Gun had stopped visiting two years ago. The Iron Ridge Fire Bright Sword was also a weapon he hadn't touched in nearly two years.
"When was the last time?"
"He hasn't entered since he reached the sixth stage of the Iron Ridge Hegemon Divine Art two years ago."
"Hmm."
Cheol Jung nodded. He then spoke with a grin.
"In a way, Father might be right."
"Pardon?"
"About Cheol Gun."
He spoke with a laugh, but the man kneeling before him shook his head.
"Regardless, I am worried."
"About what?"
"If he loses himself in the Iron Ridge Fire Bright Sword while filled with such hostility, it could be dangerous if something goes wrong."
The Iron Ridge Hegemon Divine Art was a terrifying skill. Furthermore, it was a martial art that became impossible to control once it passed a certain stage. If anger intervened in such a technique, one could end up in a situation where self-control was lost. That was exactly what Cheol Jung was concerned about.
"Where did they agree to fight?"
"At Hidden Fire Hall."
"Hidden Fire Hall?"
His expression contorted. Hidden Fire Hall was the premier branch of the Golden Martial Association. It was a sacred place where all members of the Unorthodox Faction gathered and where various important orders were decided.
To hold a duel in such a place...
"Was that Father's idea?"
"Yes."
"Good grief."
He shook his head. No matter how he looked at it, Hidden Fire Hall was a bit much. To hold a duel in a place that only opened once or twice a year...
"Fine, I understand."
Cheol Jung dismissed the man.
"It's a good place for that Taoist to die."
In his mind, not even a sliver of a possibility existed otherwise. He seemed to have not a single doubt that the Qingcheng Taoist would meet his end.