Chapter 79
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Fifth Guest (2)
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"Even if you call it fun, isn't it just a battlefield where heads and limbs fly off?"
Crackling with laughter, the Great Heavenly Demon threw his head back and roared.
"You're hardly one to talk—the one who sheds tears of ecstasy every time you sever an enemy's neck and blood sprays. Do you think I don't know your true intentions? Deep down, you crave throwing yourself into that hell where blood flows and flesh flies everywhere."
I didn't deny the Great Heavenly Demon's words.
Just as he said, I felt exhilaration and thrill whenever I cut down my foes.
"You're right."
The Great Heavenly Demon, who had been watching me with a pleased smile, burst into laughter once more.
Kuhahaha…!
"Seems like a guest has arrived, so I'll take my leave for today."
I snapped out of it, still sitting on the bench, and realized why the Great Heavenly Demon had withdrawn so quickly.
"He's on the move."
"Yes. He's slipping out of the village secretly."
Without a second thought, I launched my body forward.
The junior disciples guarding the door followed hastily behind me as I burst out.
Just a little further, and he'd be out of the village.
'Just you wait. When I return, you'll all be prostrating yourselves before me.'
It would require shaving away layers of his flesh from now on.
But how could one become a true master recognized by the martial world without such effort?
'I need to find a village full of pretty girls.'
Seok Ja-kyeong, finally escaping the village, began channeling inner energy into his legs.
His speed surged as if his body had suddenly grown light.
Under the bright full moon, he entered the official road, paused briefly, and scanned left and right.
The left path led south, the right to the north.
'South is better than the north.'
The warm south would be far easier to live in than the frigid north.
Turning south, Seok Ja-kyeong was about to infuse more inner energy into his legs when he froze in shock.
Beneath a tree shrouded in thick moonlight shadows sat a human-like figure.
The figure rose and stepped into the light, revealing his face under the moon's glow.
Gasp!
Seok Ja-kyeong swallowed a startled breath.
"H-High One."
He had run into the very man whose face he never wanted to see.
Most of the Seok Family disciples knew of this man's fearsome reputation.
The family head himself had repeatedly warned them never to be rude to him.
"Wh-Why are you here?"
Seok Ja-kyeong asked, steadying his pounding heart.
"Why are you here?"
"I... The family head entrusted me with a secret errand, so I was moving stealthily to avoid prying eyes."
It was a glib, smooth-tongued reply.
"Is that so? Shall I head back to the family and ask the head myself?"
Seok Ja-kyeong realized he couldn't talk his way out of this with lies.
Thud!
He kicked off the ground and bolted north.
But the man who should have been at his back was already standing ahead, waiting.
'Th-This gap... it's immense.'
Darkness clouded his vision.
A wave of despair crashed over him—the certainty that a lifetime of training wouldn't surpass this man—then receded just as swiftly.
Seok Ja-kyeong grew desperate.
He had to survive this to plan for the future.
"Isn't the High One and our Seok Family bound by inseparable blood ties? Surely you understand my grievance. Please, explain to the family head that I had no choice."
Kukukuku…
"Grievance, you say? The aggrieved ones are those you killed. Strangled, sliced by swords, burned alive. Isn't that right, Seok Ja-kyeong?"
'Damn it...'
Everything was wrong.
There was no escaping this place.
The only way out was to cut him down.
Seok Ja-kyeong's eyes locked onto the sword at the High One's waist.
The distance: about three jang.
If he drew first and closed the gap before the man moved, victory seemed possible.
Shing.
The moment he decided, he drew his sword and charged.
'Got him.'
As he slashed for the throat, he was certain of triumph.
But strangely, the man's figure grew hazy before him.
Thud. Thump.
His head rolled away, body crumpling.
Looking down at the headless corpse, the junior disciples appeared behind me.
They gazed at Seok Ja-kyeong's remains with conflicted eyes.
"Namo Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva."
"Primeval Lord of Heaven."
I ignored their Buddhist and Taoist chants, turning my eyes to the dark woods on the right.
"Come out already."
The junior disciples looked at me in confusion.
Kekekeke…
Laughter echoed from the shadows, and an old beggar emerged.
It was Yeong-gae.
"We greet Lord Yeong-gae."
"We greet you, Elder."
The junior disciples bowed hastily in respect.
His laughter fading, Yeong-gae looked down at Seok Ja-kyeong impassively.
"Vile as this one is, you're truly ruthless."
"How did you know he'd run?"
Yeong-gae picked up Seok Ja-kyeong's head and placed it atop the body.
"A proud man like him had no other choice. But now that you've killed him, the Seok head will be furious. Are you sure about this?"
"I've already severed ties."
"I see. Then I can take the body back to the Seok Family? He's still one of their own; they should at least hold a funeral."
I didn't like his actions.
But I nodded readily.
"I planned to dump it in the woods for the beasts, but if you're handling it, I won't stop you."
"Much obliged. By the way, were you the one who killed Mountain King Woo Jung-ho and his bandits?"
I had no intention of hiding it.
"Yes."
"I see. Until next time."
Yeong-gae gathered the bloodied corpse of Seok Ja-kyeong.
I watched him briefly before turning away.
"Ja-kyeong! What... what in the world happened? Why have you returned as a headless corpse?"
Seok Yang-ho knelt before the body, tears streaming down.
Seok Ja-kyeong's parents collapsed opposite, wailing.
"Ja-kyeong!"
"How... how did this happen? Who did this to you?"
Their cries shattered the night, drawing all the family disciples out.
Not just them—Namgung Jak, Zhuge Zhong staying with the Seok Family, and even the Taoist priest emerged.
"Calm yourself, family head. You must remain unshaken at all times."
Yeong-gae consoled Seok Yang-ho.
Tears in his eyes, Seok Yang-ho looked up at him.
"Tell me what happened."
Haa…
Yeong-gae sighed deeply and revealed the full story.
"Seok Ja-kyeong sneaked over the wall at night to flee from here. He made it outside the village, but that young man was waiting. Seok Ja-kyeong drew first—yet he was the one who died."
"Th-That young man... who was he?"
Seok Yang-ho asked anxiously.
"The very one you call the High One."
Aaah…
It had come to this after all.
The High One hadn't forgotten.
Seok Yang-ho hung his head.
But Seok Ja-kyeong's parents were different.
"I'll kill him! Kill him!"
Seok Yang-ho, head bowed, snapped it up at the shout.
"Enough, Yang-seok! Aren't you a Seok Family disciple?"
He wanted to end it here.
Though rage boiled inside, for the family's sake, he had to endure silently.
Without power, they couldn't even protest such humiliations.
"I can't accept this, family head!"
Clang!
Seok Ja-kyeong's father drew his sword and dashed out.
Thud!
But before he reached the gate, a fist slammed into his chest.
Kuh…
The one who struck was Yeong-gae.
Supporting the collapsing Seok Yang-seok, he called to the disciples.
"What are you waiting for? Take them inside."
The disciples hurriedly carried Seok Yang-seok and Seok Ja-kyeong's mother indoors.
"Ja-kyeong!"
Even as she was taken in, the mother wouldn't stop sobbing.
"Let's head inside as well."
Yeong-gae led Namgung Jak, Zhuge Zhong, and Paeng Cheon-ho to his room.
Unaware of the details, Namgung Jak and Zhuge Zhong started to ask but nodded and followed.
Seated inside, Yeong-gae recounted the incident from the beginning.
"...He's definitely a beast, but it seems the family head got greedy. With his upright family now tainted by such a scandal, he wanted to cover it up. I understand the head. If the Seok Family were a great house like the Five Great Families, he wouldn't have spared Seok Ja-kyeong. But after facing near annihilation and just starting to rebuild amid chaos, he feared another collapse."
Taoist Paeng Cheon-ho responded sympathetically.
"Everyone makes mistakes once in a lifetime. From what I've seen staying here, the Seok head is truly a benevolent gentleman. The beast is dead and paid for his crimes—let's bury this here."
"I agree."
Namgung Jak concurred, and Zhuge Zhong nodded.
"That would be best. But the problem is the High One."
Yeong-gae eased Zhuge Zhong's concern.
"That young man won't say another word about it."
"That's a relief, but he seems the type to cut ties decisively."
"That's for the family head to handle. We'll just watch quietly."
An old monk in ash-gray robes and an elderly Taoist priest walked along the riverbank.
"What splendid scenery. Don't you think, old Taoist?"
The Taoist, carrying a pine-patterned sword on his back and admiring the view, nodded.
"My disciple's lounging in such a fine spot—I'm quite envious, Divine Monk."
Hehehe…
"Think my disciple's the only one? How about a wager, Taoist?"
"What kind?"
The old monk halted as a hill appeared through the trees ahead.
"How much do you think that kid with our two disciples will charge for drinks?"
Kekekeke…
The elderly Taoist burst into incredulous laughter.
"Charge us for drinks? If he does, I'll unleash my Soul-Seizing Sword."
"How about this, then? If he demands payment, you cover my share too."
The Taoist gladly accepted.
"Done. But if he waves it off, what will you give me, Divine Monk?"
"A Shaolin technique."
The audacious offer left the Taoist momentarily speechless.
Handing Shaolin arts to Wudang? The martial world would erupt.
Yet he nodded.
"Agreed, Divine Monk. If you're staking even that, you're confident—but you'll regret it soon enough."
Hehehehe…
The old monk just chuckled.