The Gaze of Absolute Death
Kwaaaang-!!
Another explosion of qi thundered through the air.
“Keok!”
Cheong Yujinin and Yujin Doin were driven backward. Their torn navy-blue robes fluttered wildly. Unlike Cheong Yujinin, Yujin Doin had already exhausted every last scrap of strength and collapsed to the ground; no power remained in his body to rise again.
Even Taiji Sword Immortal Cheong Yujinin could never have blocked the extreme technique Empty Heaven Apex pouring from the Moonlight Steel Soul-Suppressing Spear without the Taiji Wisdom Sword. His internal energy was simply insufficient to unfold Wudang’s supreme sword art in its perfect form. Had the Taiji Wisdom Sword been complete, he would have received the attack without strain.
Cough. …I’ve taken an internal injury.
Yet Cheong Yujinin could not let it show. Enduring the wound in silence, he raised his sword once more so the enemy would not know. Cold sweat still slid down his brow and back.
The measured distance Jeokbalgoein kept was, if anything, a disadvantage for Cheong Yujinin and Yujin Doin.
Taaaat!!
The five-foot Moonlight Steel Soul-Suppressing Spear tore successive arcs through empty air; the blue aura of Blue Moon sliced space itself as it closed on Cheong Yujinin.
Wuuuuung—
Once more…!!
Barely able to move from his wounds, Cheong Yujinin worked his sword from a standstill. The principle of controlling motion through stillness. Drawing forth the greatest art that had made the Taiji Sword Immortal’s name ring across the murim, he drew Jeokbalgoein’s approaching Blue Moon inward.
Wuuuuung—
Under the power of Taiji the two streams of qi moved as one, seeming about to collide yet never quite colliding.
Keok…!
In that instant the internal injury seized him; his motion faltered as the flow of energy broke.
Seogeok.
Through that fleeting gap the Blue Moon aura carved across Cheong Yujinin’s waist.
This…
Thud.
The cut looked light, yet Blue Moon energy was already spreading through his entire body, scattering his internal power.
“Master Uncle!!”
Yujin Doin tried to stand, but his energy remained hopelessly tangled; he could not draw it forth.
Namgung Jinwoo looked at Baekri So and Sanggwan Gyeong and shouted,
“We should help that man!”
“Understood!”
Taaaaat-!!
Namgung Jinwoo, Baekri So, and Sanggwan Gyeong dropped into place before Cheong Yujinin.
“Moths keep flinging themselves into the flame.”
Jeokbalgoein frowned at the three men who had appeared. He spoke to Namgung Jinwoo.
“I have no wish to kill you. Withdraw.”
“Forgive me. I cannot stand by and watch this man die.”
“Hmph. If you die, how do you intend to protect that trembling girl over there?”
“…”
“Is your duty not to guard her?”
“It is.”
“Then it would be wiser to protect her, would it not?”
Ttak.
At Jeokbalgoein’s signal a black-clad figure materialized before Yang Hui—a six-cheok martial artist whose black robes billowed as he stepped into view.
“Ssanggi. Kill the girl.”
“As you command.”
Chaeaeng—
An iron-steel sword slid free from the black robes. His eyes locked solely on Yang Hui, still shielded among the martial artists of Sangmu Hall.
Those men leveled their blades at Ssanggi as he advanced, killing intent rolling off him in waves.
“Keukkeukkeuk. Anyone who blocks my path dies.”
Ssanggi’s eerie laugh rolled out while he poured killing intent toward the Sangmu Hall warriors. Numbers meant nothing to him. Whatever cluttered his way would simply be cleared.
“Aaak!!”
Screams burst from the foremost of the Sangmu Hall men. The opponent’s sword moved slowly enough for the eye to follow, yet none could dodge or parry. Far heavier than even the Namgung Family’s heavy sword, the iron-steel blade swept through empty air. In a single descending strike more than ten men failed to block properly, scattering in every direction as they fell.
The distance to Yang Hui shrank steadily.
Then—
Hwihwihwik.
The secret escorts assigned to her stepped forward once more and barred Ssanggi’s path.
“Sangcheon Army, protect Lady Ju Hongdan!”
“Keukkeukkeuk. You’re only making this more entertaining.”
Ssanggi laughed that bizarre laugh, savoring the fight. The iron-steel sword moved again; Sangcheon Army Commander An Chibyeok caught the descending blade.
Kaaaang!
An Chibyeok thrust both hands upward and knocked the iron-steel sword aside. He too was born with monstrous strength—enough that even against Ssanggi he would not yield in raw power. A contemptuous smile touched his lips.
“Is that all? Then you die.”
“Keukkeukkeuk. They say delusion is free—turns out the saying was about you.”
Internal energy climbed higher and higher through Ssanggi’s frame.
“Shall we fight properly for once?”
At the same moment he flung open the energy rising from his dantian, flooding his entire body. Black robes whipped outward under the force of the qi that burst free. Light bloomed along the once-dark iron-steel sword until it deepened into pure black.
“I’ll see just how strong you are.”
He lifted the iron-steel sword high overhead.
Kwaaaaang-!!
Black aura condensed into a giant black wolf that roared to the heavens.
Taaaaat!!
As the sword moved, the black-wolf aura hurled An Chibyeok aside and crashed down among the Sangcheon Army warriors.
Patpatpatpat.
“Aaaak!”
“Keoeoeok.”
In a single stroke the Sangcheon Army men collapsed under shocks that felt like the claws of a black wolf raking them open.
Even the Sangcheon Army is being driven back.
For the first time Yang Hui felt true panic as she watched Ssanggi close the last of the distance.
Ah… these people are far too strong.
She thought of Uncheon, from whom she had parted on the road. He had warned her—clearly. Yet she had climbed Mt. Dangsan telling herself she was prepared. With Taiji Sword Immortal Cheong Yujinin of Wudang and the Sangcheon Army at her side, it should have been enough.
Still the black long-robe fluttered closer and closer to her side.
The young lady is in danger.
Namgung Jinwoo felt the same cold alarm. When he left for the Central Plains he had been given one absolute order: no matter what happened, Yang Hui must be protected. Cheong Yujinin and Yujin Doin mattered, yet the person he was bound to guard first was her. He turned to Baekri So and Sanggwan Gyeong.
“I… must protect the young lady.”
“Leave this place to us!”
Both men understood at once why he had no choice but to withdraw.
Taaat.
Namgung Jinwoo flew to her side, intending to seize any opening and simply escape rather than fight further.
Just as Ssanggi swung his sword and drew still nearer, Jeokbalgoein’s voice cracked out in sudden urgency.
“Ssanggi, stop and withdraw.”
“As you command.”
Ssanggi immediately sheathed the iron-steel sword and stepped back. Namgung Jinwoo let out a long breath of relief.
But… why are they simply standing there, not moving at all?
Jeokbalgoein and Ssanggi remained motionless. Their eyes seemed fixed on a single direction within the crowd.
What are they looking at?
Namgung Jinwoo followed their gazes. People who felt Jeokbalgoein’s stare flinched aside in fear. At the end of that line of sight two men stepped into view.
Nephew Uncheon…!
There stood Uncheon, from whom they had parted on the road. Yang Hui saw him as well.
Jeokbalgoein still did not move. He looked at Uncheon, then slowly shifted his gaze to the man beside him—and his whole body began to tremble.
This… energy…!
Absolute Death. The qi of the Great Extinction Death God poured from the man.
Someone who carries this energy actually exists… They said it was possible only by mastering the arts of that place…
Looking into those eyes, the certainty struck him that he must not fight.
Even if every soul gathered on Mt. Dangsan joined forces, we could not win.
Jeokbalgoein stood utterly still and waited to see what the man would do.
One gak earlier, Mu-hong and Uncheon had been sightseeing on Mt. Dangsan when they felt the surge of qi and came to investigate. For a time they simply watched Jeokbalgoein duel Cheong Yujinin.
Mu-hong clicked his tongue in open distaste.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Those upper-realm bastards are far too greedy. They only need to mind their own duties, yet because of them the world grows more complicated by the day. Don’t you think so?”
“Elder Brother is right. Father always said that if each simply keeps to his proper place, trouble never arises.”
“Your father speaks well. I’d like to meet him someday if the chance comes. First, though—shall I just kill every last one of those fools fighting over nothing?”
“As Elder Brother wishes.”
“Hehehe. Truly?”
“…”
“There are people you know among them, aren’t there?”
“Yes. My uncle is there as well.”
“And that woman?”
“She has nothing to do with me.”
“She’s rather pretty, isn’t she?”
“She is, but stubborn people are not to my taste.”
“Hehehe. Looking for someone too obedient, are you? Later I’ll introduce you to a decent woman.”
“Thank you.”
“Look forward to it. You’ll like her.”
Mu-hong smiled, pleased, and let his internal energy spill freely outside his body.
And now, once more—
Mu-hong turned away as though interest had already fled.
“Little Brother, it’s quiet now, isn’t it? Plenty of people you know are here. Will you go meet them?”
“I’ll meet them later. This is hardly the mood for greetings. They need time to settle things.”
“Very well.”
Mu-hong and Uncheon simply walked on and left.
Jeokbalgoein stood lost in thought for a moment, then—paying no heed to anyone around him—followed the two men who walked ahead.
Baekri So supported Cheong Yujinin as the older man struggled to rise.
“Taiji Sword Immortal, are you all right?”
“Who are you?”
“Baekri So. I currently serve as Blue Dragon Hall Leader under the Wulin Alliance. This is Sanggwan Gyeong, who came with me.”
Sanggwan Gyeong met the immortal’s eyes and bowed.
Cheong Yujinin slowly circulated his energy, stabilizing it. Fortunately the flow was already beginning to return to normal.
“If Blue Stream Sword Fragrance had not appeared just now, disaster would have struck.”
“Is the youth in blue robes whom we just saw Blue Stream Sword Fragrance?”
On the road to Mt. Dangsan, Cheong Yujinin had already heard from Yang Hui that she had traveled with Blue Stream Sword Fragrance.
“Do you know anything of the man who stood beside him?”
“It was a face I had never seen before.”
“I see… In any case, I am grateful for your aid.”
“We did nothing.”
“Not so. The mere act of stepping forward to help our Taoist path is already a kindness. Against Jeokbalgoein, that is no small thing.”
Namgung Jinwoo and Yang Hui approached Cheong Yujinin’s side.
“Shall we try over there?”
Mu-hong pointed to the roadside. Beneath an old tree a street stall had set out five or six rough tables.
“Looks tasty—what do you say?”
“Will it be all right?”
“I’ve always wanted to try food from a place like that if the chance ever came.”
A roadside stall was new to Uncheon as well. An old woman, back bent nearly double, raised a hand and indicated seats as she looked them over.
“Just the two of you?”
“…”
While Uncheon faltered, Mu-hong simply grinned and answered,
“Papa, that’s right.”
“That red-haired one over there isn’t with you?”
Uncheon glanced across at Jeokbalgoein standing opposite. He had known the man was trailing them the entire time, yet because Mu-hong had said nothing he had remained silent.
“Elder Brother, what should we do?”
“Tell him to come. Looks like he has business with me. If he starts talking nonsense I’ll kill him then.”
“…Understood.”
Uncheon waved Jeokbalgoein over. The red-haired man crossed to the stall, carefully reading Mu-hong’s mood the whole way.
“When you were swinging that spear like a brute you looked like you didn’t give a damn about anyone’s face—yet here you are.”
“…”
“Put the spear down beside you and sit.”
“Thank… you.”
Grin.
Mu-hong smiled at him.
“Just now you felt how close you came to dying if you’d misspoken, didn’t you?”
“…”
“Little Brother, shall we have a cup of wine?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Papa, what wine and tasty things do you have here?”
“What’s tasty at a street stall? You eat it ’cause it’s cheap. Eat whatever.”
“Hahaha. Fine. Bring us whatever you like.”
Mu-hong laughed as though thoroughly entertained. Old memories seemed to surface.
“She’s gone now, but the one who raised me from the time I was a tiny baby was Papa.”
The old woman returned with a wine bottle and a plate of stir-fried meat.
“Here, try it. If it ain’t good, leave or do whatever.”
“Mmm. Already smells delicious. I’ll eat well.”
Uncheon lifted the bottle and filled Mu-hong’s cup, then poured one for Jeokbalgoein as well.
“Red hair. What’s your name?”
“Just call me Jeokbal. It’s been a long time since I abandoned my name to the world.”
“There’s not a soul under heaven without a story. No need to get emotional in front of me.”
“My apologies. I am Son Yeongmu.”
“Where are you from?”
“The Ten Thousand Merchants…”
“I already know you came from the Ten Thousand Merchants. I’m asking where you learned the martial arts you use with that iron rod.”
“The Wolgang Spear Family.”
“So you hid yourselves well inside the Ten Thousand Merchants without being wiped out.”
“Yes.”
Mu-hong pointed at Uncheon beside him.
“You said the Ten Thousand Merchants put a bounty on Uncheon Little Brother, didn’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Mu-hong had already heard from Uncheon why they had come to Mt. Dangsan.
“A merchant alliance should just make money, yet here they are nursing useless greed. And they didn’t even need to place a commission with Night Moon Gate, did they?”
“I deliberately arranged the commission because I wanted to learn more about Blue Stream Sword Fragrance.”
“Hehehe. Well, looking at Uncheon Little Brother, one does rather want to possess him.”
Mu-hong shook his head left and right as though the sight of Jeokbalgoein displeased him.
“If the Ten Thousand Merchants had no schemes, they wouldn’t force-create a mad dog like you.”
Mu-hong knew at a glance that Jeokbalgoein’s internal energy had been manufactured by external means.
“You can put out strong power for a while, but sooner or later the strain will wreck the body. You already know that.”
“I know. But they said it can be fixed soon.”
Jeokbalgoein had known the truth beforehand as well. Still he had chosen to believe the promise that a divine medicine capable of repairing the damage would soon be prepared.
“Stupid bastard. I doubt it will go the way those people claim. Anyway, do as you like.”
Mu-hong drained his cup and set it down. His brow suddenly furrowed.
“This… damn bastard…”
“Elder Brother? What is it?”
“Little Brother, something’s come up all of a sudden. It’s time we part ways here.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll look for you again later. Stay well until then.”
Paaaaat.
Light exploded from Mu-hong’s body. Uncheon shielded his eyes with a hand and stared.
That is…
He watched qi pour from Mu-hong’s frame as the man gradually vanished.
Thud.
The light faded; Mu-hong collapsed powerlessly—and in the same instant his very form disappeared.
Jeokbalgoein turned to Uncheon.
“What… just happened?”
“It seems Elder Brother used formless qi for a time to appear in tangible shape, then simply dispersed.”
“…Is that… even possible?”
“You saw it with your own eyes, did you not?”
Even staring at the empty space where Mu-hong had been, Jeokbalgoein could not quite believe it.
“Blue Stream Sword Fragrance—just what is that man’s true identity?”
“I don’t know either. Yet I find myself thinking there may be no existence under heaven that can surpass him.”
For a long while Uncheon and Jeokbalgoein simply gazed in silence at the place where he had vanished.
Paaat.
A man with pure white skin opened his eyes and rose from where he lay. He was completely naked. Turning, he gave a short snort of laughter. Seeing the figure leaning against the doorframe, he crossed his arms and spoke in a deliberately crooked tone.
“Muhong-je, is now really the time to be playing around?”
“Yeongso. Want to die?”
“Can you kill me?”
“…”
Hwik.
Yeongso stepped inside and tossed a length of cloth.
“Cover yourself even if there’s nothing worth looking at.”
“There’s more to look at than you, isn’t there?”
“Want a look, then?”
“Crazy bastard.”
Muhong-je caught the cloth, wrapped it around his lower body, and walked forward.
“Why did you go there?”
“Don’t I need to find the Cheonhwangdo Map?”
“If something goes wrong with your body while you’re fooling around like that, you know it’s the end, right?”
“Are there any there who could even match me?”
“No one knows that. They say if luck is bad enough you can break your nose falling backward. Once you’ve become Muhong-je you ought to act with some sense of responsibility. If you want to play, put down the title of Muhong-je and go.”
“Keukkeukkeuk. So that was what you wanted all along?”
“For heaven’s sake… If I’d wanted it earlier I would simply have stepped aside. Stop talking nonsense and from now on quit unfolding the Formless Divorce Great Law without a word. If those people noticed first they would certainly have done something.”
“Understood. I’ll be careful from now on.”
“Good. You needn’t worry about the Cheonhwangdo Map. I already sent the Ghost King to Mt. Dangsan—shouldn’t that be enough? And stop vanishing again claiming you’ll handle everything alone like before.”
“Haa. Say one word and ten come back. You’re not even a wife, yet the nagging only grows.”
Muhong-je, clearly done listening, brushed past him and stepped outside. As sunlight poured through his body, the black of his hair turned to a pure, almost transparent white.
He thought of Uncheon, with whom he had been until only moments ago.
I wanted to stay a little longer with that one. What a shame.