The Plum Blossom That Loses
Before Yeong-hwa faced the Vermilion Bird deity possessing Myeongjeong’s body, a strange scene was unfolding outside the ritual ground.
“Heh heh heh heh heh heh.”
“Hihihihihihi.”
“Keh keh keh keh keh keh.”
Led by Elder Jangjin and the elders of Huashan, the crazed disciples of the Huashan Sect were watching for any chance to force their way into the ritual ground.
Before that throng, Hyeonsong gripped his broken Songmun Ancient Sword and bit his lip.
“Senior Jaheo, are you all right?”
Hyeonsong stood guard before Jaheo, who sat in meditation upon the ground. The ritual ground behind him was already sealed within a wall of flames.
Some time earlier Hyeonsong had swept the fire aside with a full-powered palm strike so that Hagun could enter. Yet the situation had only worsened.
From the moment they beheld the strange figure who had burst into the ritual, the disciples and elders of Huashan had gone mad as one, seized by a simultaneous frenzy. Even Sect Leader Jaheo seemed to have his inner energy suddenly twisted out of control.
Jaheo remained in the lotus position, circulating the Purple Cloud Divine Art to expel the foreign energy that had invaded his body. Hyeonsong assumed a ready stance and muttered under his breath.
“A familiar scene.”
With his left hand he touched the place on his cheek where a scar had once been—vanished now after his Hwangoltaltae. The nightmare of the Myeongsin War, which he had fought in his prime following the previous sect leader, had risen again.
“The Blood Cult’s thousand-man suicide squad… they were truly vicious…”
As the words left him, white sword qi bloomed along Hyeonsong’s blade.
“As fellow Taoists I will not kill you.”
Just as he prepared to charge with the Taiji Green Pine Step, Jaheo—still seated in meditation—barely managed to seize the hem of his robe. Hyeonsong checked himself and dragged a line of sword qi across the earth.
KWA-AAAAAANG—
The ground erupted; a massive trench tore open. The disciples and elders of Huashan tumbled in every direction from the shock.
“Senior Jaheo, have you come to your senses?”
“Blood… it is blood qi…”
“Blood qi?”
“Fortunately I sealed it with the Purple Cloud Divine Art. Lend me a hand.”
Hyeonsong’s hand went at once to the other’s chest.
“Tell me the exact place, Senior!”
Purple plum blossoms began to bloom across Jaheo’s entire body. Between his chest and solar plexus, purple energy gripped a thrashing blood-red force. Jaheo spoke through ragged breaths.
“The Tanzhong point.”
“It will be agony.”
“It does not matter!”
Hyeonsong poured inner energy into his fingertips until hand qi condensed upon them.
Puk—
He drove straight into the Tanzhong point and tore the blood-red energy free like a bolt of lightning.
“Kuheooooook—”
Jaheo clutched his streaming chest and vomited black blood.
“This is…?”
Hyeonsong stared at the tiny fragment of blood jade he held and spoke urgently.
“Senior Jaheo—it is a blood-jade fragment!”
Skaaang—
Jaheo staggered upright and drew his Plum Blossom Sword. He thrust the blade into the roaring wall of flame behind him. When at last the steel glowed red-hot he shook his head, gritted his teeth, and pressed the scorching edge hard against the Tanzhong point.
Chiiiiiiiis—
“Huuuk—huuuk—huuuk—huuuk—”
When the blood pouring down his chest finally ceased, Jaheo spoke.
“Hyeonsong, I have a request of you.”
“Speak, Senior.”
The elders and disciples of Huashan had already crossed the trench and stood at the very edge of the ritual ground.
“Subdue my sect’s disciples and elders.”
“And what will you do?”
Jaheo’s voice was heavy with grief.
“The only one who could have done this is my direct disciple, Myeongjeong.”
“What do you mean—”
“You know he was in charge of the Medical Hall.”
“Surely not?”
Jaheo answered with a single nod.
“Under the pretense of treatment he must have planted blood-jade fragments in every disciple and elder of our sect.”
His expression hardened as he gazed into the wall of fire.
“As sect leader of Huashan, I must end this with my own hands!”
Purple sword qi gathered along the Plum Blossom Sword. Jaheo raised the blade before his heart and drew the Purple Cloud Divine Art to its absolute peak. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth; he paid it no mind. In the next instant he cut vertically through the wall of flame. Purple plum blossoms bloomed from the stroke and crashed against the fire.
KWA-AAAAAAAAANG—
Through the brief opening Jaheo stepped with the Flying Flower Flowing Step.
“I leave them to you, Hyeonsong.”
With those words he vanished into the raging inferno. Hyeonsong laughed hollowly and lifted his eyes to the merciless full moon.
“Just like the final day of the Myeongsin War…”
Tremendous inner energy erupted from his entire body. At the same time black-and-white rings manifested behind his back.
“Tonight will be long as well.”
Speaking thus, Hyeonsong stepped into the Taiji Green Pine Step and hurled himself upon the blood-maddened elders and disciples of Huashan.
White plum blossoms embroidered upon his Huashan robes whipping in the wind, Jaheo roared.
“Myeongjeong, you bastard!”
The Vermilion Bird deity that had blocked the blow muttered with open irritation.
“What, do you think this will change anything?”
He regarded Jaheo with contempt.
“He is already finished. Do not cling to regret—step aside.”
“No!”
Tears streamed down Jaheo’s cheeks like rain.
“A disciple and a master are not that kind of relationship!”
He forced himself into a ready stance and continued.
“When a disciple goes astray, it is the master’s duty to scold him—even to strike him—until the path is set right again. That is precisely a master’s role.”
Purple plum-blossom sword qi bloomed from his blade. Then Jaheo vanished with the Flying Flower Flowing Step. His form reappeared behind the Vermilion Bird deity like a single purple plum petal falling through the full moon.
KAAAANG—
The Vermilion Bird deity turned lightly and caught the blow. With a casual kick he drove back Jaheo, who still sought to break through.
Taak—
The instant Jaheo blocked the kick with his blade, the deity began an elegant sword dance, painting plum blossoms in the air. From the Plum Blossom Sword crimson-flame blossoms fell through the night sky in a rain of fire.
In answer Jaheo unfolded an endless plum tree with his own sword.
Chajajajajajajajajajang—
The two danced between feints and killing strokes, both masters of the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Art. Fresh purple blossoms pressed the crimson-flame ones; the flame blossoms in turn burned the purple without end.
Seogeok—
A light horizontal cut from the Vermilion Bird deity barely sliced the front of Jaheo’s robes. He retreated with the Flying Flower Flowing Step and avoided a fatal wound, yet blood spread dark across the cloth.
“Keulk—”
Jaheo clutched his chest and dropped to one knee. His fingers flashed, sealing points to halt the bleeding.
It was then.
Kuung—kuuuung—kuuuuuung—
With a deep roar the silent Yeong-hwa rose from where he sat. He sheathed the Songmun Ancient Sword and took silver bells into both hands.
Ttalang—ttalang—ttalang—ttalang—ttalang—
Matching the violently trembling bells, Yeong-hwa began to chant the mantra.
I invoke the Tai Sui, Northern Black Emperor General, Dongto God
I invoke the Tai Sui, Northern Black Empress Consort, Dongto God
I invoke the Tai Sui, Eastern Boundary Kitchen God, Dongto God
I invoke the Tai Sui, Northern Great Killer, Dongto God
I invoke the Tai Sui, Northern Heaven, Dongto God
I invoke the Tai Sui, Northern Mountain, Dongto God
A northern wind’s killing chill whirled around him. The farther the mantra rolled, the farther the cold spread. The earth froze solid; black snakes rose from the ground in every direction. The Vermilion Bird deity, startled by the divine power, took a single step back.
Eyes still closed, Yeong-hwa spoke so that Jaheo would hear.
“No matter what method you try, Daoist Myeongjeong cannot be saved.”
“Daoist Yeong-hwa!”
“What will you do?”
Jaheo could not answer. Yeong-hwa’s voice cracked like a whip.
“Choose—either the Huashan Sect, or Daoist Myeongjeong!”
“I… I have raised Myeongjeong like a son since he was a child…”
“Yet he has gone astray!”
Yeong-hwa opened eyes now black as night and fixed them upon the tear-streaked face before him.
“It cannot be undone.”
“What do you mean?”
“He has already burned his entire remaining lifespan to summon the Vermilion Bird deity.”
Sorrow carved itself into Yeong-hwa’s features.
“Sect Leader Jaheo!”
The Vermilion Bird deity wore a thin, amused smile, as though their quarrel delighted him. He cut down the black snakes with casual sweeps of the Plum Blossom Sword, then leveled the tip at Yeong-hwa and Jaheo. Crimson-flame sword qi rose and blossomed into a storm of fiery plum flowers that filled the night.
The ultimate killing form was ready. Yeong-hwa’s northern snow-wind melted before the crimson blossoms.
“What… do you intend to do?”
Jaheo wiped his eyes with a sleeve and asked quietly.
“Sect Leader, you too must unfold Plum Blossoms Fragrance for Ten Thousand Miles.”
Yeong-hwa aimed the violently shaking silver bells at the Vermilion Bird deity.
“I will match your timing myself.”
Resolve settled like iron upon Jaheo’s face. Purple sword qi surged from his blade, transformed into plum blossoms, and scattered in every direction. The acrid stench of crimson-flame flowers and the lingering fragrance of purple ones drowned the ritual ground.
Jaheo forced the words out.
“Plum Blossoms… Fragrance for Ten Thousand Miles.”
He drew the sword in a single elegant horizontal cut. The Vermilion Bird deity mirrored him perfectly, as though the two stood before a looking-glass. Crimson-flame plum blossoms gathered, fully bloomed, and exploded outward. Purple blossoms answered in kind. Yet the crimson flowers greedily devoured the purple, tightening their circle without mercy.
Yeong-hwa whirled the silver bells in the path of the withering purple petals and spun his body. A delicate voice left his lips.
Yeong-hwa’s black eyes blazed with light. At the same instant a fierce northern gale coiled around the purple plum blossoms. Blood ran from his nose as he locked eyes with the Vermilion Bird deity.
“I told you it would be useless!”
Certain of victory, the deity mocked him to the fullest. Yeong-hwa only smiled a sorrowful smile and forced the words out.
“Huashan’s plum blossoms bloom together with the early spring snow!”
As the blizzard howled, the fading purple blossoms began to regain their life—as though spring itself had arrived, as though a new season had begun. The purple flowers that had been burning under the crimson ones bloomed again and endlessly put forth fresh buds. Looking upon the purple plum blossoms that now filled every direction, the Vermilion Bird deity could not close his mouth.
“What is this…?”
Within the northern wind the fully opened purple blossoms erased the crimson-flame flowers one by one.
“Sect Leader—now!”
Yeong-hwa pointed the silver bells at Jaheo’s feet. At once Jaheo unfolded the Flying Flower Flowing Step and soared into the air. The Vermilion Bird deity panicked, swinging wildly while retreating. Crimson sword qi burst from his Plum Blossom Sword and sought to engulf Jaheo—yet the snowstorm of the Xuanwu Snow Soul Formation froze every last thread of that flame.
Saaaaaaaaaaak—
The snow-wind Yeong-hwa had called lent its full strength to Jaheo’s Flying Flower Flowing Step.
“I am sorry…”
Jaheo entrusted his body to the wrapping northern gale and drove his sword forward.
Puk—
“Uh—uuuuuuuh—”
The Plum Blossom Sword buried itself precisely in the center of Myeongjeong’s chest, where the essence of the flames had burned.
Jjenggeureong—
A sound like shattering glass rang out. The red stain drained from Myeongjeong’s eyes, restoring their original color.
Teolseok—
Jaheo’s sword fell from nerveless fingers. Myeongjeong collapsed backward. Yeong-hwa stilled the trembling silver bells as he watched.
Jaheo caught Myeongjeong, who still tried to pull the blade free, and gathered him into his arms.
“Myeongjeong, why… why on earth!”
“Sec… Sect… Sect Leader…”
“Why did you do it!”
To Jaheo’s broken cry Myeongjeong answered with a faint smile.
“I wanted… to possess it.”
“Possess what!”
“In the end… a single plum blossom that loses…”
The words finished, Myeongjeong’s head fell limp against his master’s chest.