A Proposal to Prove Haomun's Worth
The leader accepted a traitor from Geomgak as an instructor. That too is an unforgivable crime. Therefore, we will hold Gimun accountable for its sins, but we will stop at beheading the leader.”
At those words, Go Geom-haeng clenched his teeth and trembled violently.
It had been far too long since he left Geomgak, and he had forgotten his place.
Ah! How foolish I was.
When he had received Leader Ha So-ran’s offer of recruitment, it was as if something had clouded his vision. The thought that Ha So-ran might die because of him was unbearable.
Meanwhile, Naeng Han-sang stared fixedly at the silent Dan Yeop. The announcement should have been quite shocking, yet the young man wore the expression of someone watching a fire on the far side of the river.
Unable to endure it any longer, Naeng Han-sang spoke.
“Have you nothing else to say?”
“No. As a newcomer to the murim, this Dan Yeop has received a great deal of instruction from Elder Naeng of Geomgak today. I sincerely thank you for it.”
“......”
Naeng Han-sang did not believe Dan Yeop would let the matter end there.
And sure enough.
Dan Yeop continued.
“For that same reason, as the martial arts instructor of Haomun, I cannot overlook Elder Naeng’s offense. You used the pretext of an investigation to steal Haomun’s secret techniques. That crime is hardly light either, yet I intend only to take your head and place no blame upon Geomgak. I happen to like the saying ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ Ah, it comes from the Western scriptures. Do you have any response?”
“......”
Naeng Han-sang regarded Dan Yeop with an odd gaze. When anger burned past a certain point, it paradoxically brought calm. That was his current state.
“I stole Haomun’s secret techniques? Do you have evidence?”
“Elder Naeng himself is the evidence.”
“Hah! Me? How?”
“Demonstrate one of Geomgak’s exclusive sword techniques. Even you will have no choice but to admit it.”
“Nonsense.”
“Such a simple request, and yet you refuse. You simply don’t wish to admit that you stole Haomun’s martial arts, correct?”
“Insolent whelp. I’ve been too lenient, and now you dare crawl all the way up to my head!”
At last, curses erupted from Naeng Han-sang’s mouth. In truth, he had shown remarkable restraint until now. Had it been his usual temperament, he would have ended the matter inside the room long ago and never stepped into the courtyard. He had come this far only because of the strange connection from the previous night and his curiosity toward Dan Yeop. But even that had its limits.
Just as he reached for his sword, Dan Yeop spoke.
“You cannot hide the truth by intimidating with force.”
The remark strangely irritated him, and Naeng Han-sang released the hilt.
“I don’t know what scheme you’re plotting, but I’ll grant your wish. If you still refuse to submit after witnessing Geomgak’s sword art, the entire county office will wash Haomun away in blood today.”
Naeng Han-sang immediately displayed the first two stances of his exclusive secret art, the Infinite Sword Technique.
A dazzling sword light tore through the air with enough force to split Mount Tai itself.
Shwaaaaak—!
Countless sword shadows bloomed from the ancient blade and surged over the annex like a tidal wave.
Chuzuzuzuzu—!
When Naeng Han-sang finally withdrew his sword, the sword shadows that had filled the air vanished as though washed clean. He looked at Dan Yeop with a confident expression, only for the young man to speak.
“My, my. You’ve borrowed the essence of our True Heaven and Earth Saber Style quite skillfully. In the first stance I clearly felt the profundities of Heavenly Thunder Descending Slash and Horizontal Mountain Severance. In the second, the essence of Wind and Cloud Wounding Flower flowed through without alteration. You won’t deny it, will you?”
“Where did you—”
Naeng Han-sang began to refute but suddenly found himself unable to continue. There was a saying that all streams return to the sea. Once one reached a certain pinnacle, everything began to resemble everything else. The rivers might differ, but once they reached the ocean there was no distinction. The same principle applied to sword and saber arts.
Moreover, after watching Go Geom-haeng’s saber technique earlier, he had even gained a small insight. Perhaps that insight had been reflected in his Infinite Sword Technique. As countless thoughts chased one another, Naeng Han-sang could only blink.
At that moment Dan Yeop spoke in a calm, even tone.
“Even if Instructor Go’s origin was Geomgak, he has now stepped onto a different path. At your level, Elder Naeng, you should have recognized it from his aura alone. Why are you so desperate to kill him? Is it because a disciple of Geomgak has joined Haomun? Is it truly intolerable to the honor of Geomgak?”
The words struck the heart of the matter. Naeng Han-sang gave a short, bitter laugh.
“You are correct. The problem is that a traitor of Geomgak has entered Haomun. Tsk. I wasted time trying to supply plausible reasons. Now that you understand, what will you do? Will you die here alongside Go Geom-haeng? Or will you sever ties with him, withdraw, and preserve your life?”
In Chang'an Castle, the nightmare feared by every high official had begun.
Chang'an Castle. Jangnak Ward. Outside the annex of Sosang Pavilion.
To Naeng Han-sang’s ultimatum—“Will you die with Go Geom-haeng, or part ways and live?”—Dan Yeop answered.
“Elder Naeng, I have never once released a hand I chose to hold first.”
He would fight alongside Go Geom-haeng.
The moment he heard those words, Naeng Han-sang felt a quiet sense of relief. He had hoped Dan Yeop would not show an ugly sight, even if the outcome was death.
A fleeting emotion crossed Naeng Han-sang’s face. Yet the words that left his lips were the opposite.
“Hmph! Arrogant brat. You don’t know your own limits and spout whatever you like. If death is what you wish for, I shall grant it.”
As Naeng Han-sang slowly advanced toward Dan Yeop, Go Geom-haeng stepped in front of him.
“Naeng Han-sang. I go first.”
Go Geom-haeng no longer used the humble speech of Haomun toward him. The elder had declared he would kill Leader Ha So-ran.
Naeng Han-sang gave a cold laugh.
“A mere runaway who drifted as a ronin dares to oppose me? It seems you don’t wish to die cleanly.”
Killing intent blazed from Naeng Han-sang’s eyes. It was utterly different from the way he had looked at Dan Yeop. Toward the young man he had spoken harshly, yet his gaze had remained calm. Now, the eyes fixed on Go Geom-haeng were ice-cold.
The two men faced each other. At some point, sharp swords had appeared in both their hands. They studied one another’s level for a moment, then suddenly charged.
Clang-clang-clang—!
At a speed the eye could not follow, the two swords clashed and parted. Sparks of moonlight bloomed brilliantly beneath the moon. As expected of Geomgak disciples, their movements were both concise and beautiful.
After exchanging several blows they drew back as though by agreement. Yet their expressions were far stiffer than when they had fought at close range. For a moment even their breathing seemed to stop. Then Go Geom-haeng moved first.
His sword soared into the sky and plummeted like lightning. It was Heavenly Thunder Descending Slash. From a distance of roughly three jang, sword energy hammered down toward Naeng Han-sang’s head.
Naeng Han-sang’s lips twisted slightly. Like a ghost he slid sideways and struck upward at an angle. It was a variation of White Sun Mountain Annihilation. The dazzling white light of the white sun flew straight at Go Geom-haeng’s face.
Shwaaaaak—!
Unable to dodge, Go Geom-haeng countered with the first stance of the True Hundred Flow Saber Style—Water Heaven Fall—reversing the blade path from bottom to top. Sword energy surged from his tip to meet the attack head-on.
Crackle-crackle—!
Both had released sword energy, but even at a glance Naeng Han-sang’s was overwhelmingly stronger. The depth of comprehension and the years of training differed.
Paang—!
The white light shattered the opposing energy and closed in on Go Geom-haeng. At that instant he kicked off the ground and shot into the air. Seeing this, the corners of Naeng Han-sang’s mouth rose even higher. With a single flick of his sword, sword shadows surged like waves toward the airborne Go Geom-haeng. It was the second stance, Yellow River Enters the Sea.
Greatly alarmed, Go Geom-haeng urgently deployed the fourth stance of the True Hundred Flow Saber Style—Water Cloud Rotation—to protect himself. Thin strands of sword qi swirled around his body.
Huuuuuu—
In the blink of an eye the sword qi and sword shadows collided.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Paang—!
With short bursts of sound, holes were torn through Go Geom-haeng’s defense. Releasing sword energy consumed a great deal of internal power. Before long a stifled groan escaped his lips.
“Ugh!”
The sword qi that had wrapped him like moonlight scattered. His internal energy was finally exhausted. Yet the sword shadows of Yellow River Enters the Sea remained vivid. Just before they swallowed the defenseless Go Geom-haeng, Dan Yeop plucked a leaf and hurled it at Naeng Han-sang.
Swish—!
It was the Red Leaf Flying Flower technique. Sensing a threat, Naeng Han-sang had no choice but to turn his sword to block.
Slice—.
When he cut it, it was only a leaf. The realization shocked him into momentary stillness. It was not that he had been startled by Dan Yeop’s ambush.
I perceived a mere leaf as danger?
No matter how focused he had been on Go Geom-haeng, such a thing should have been impossible. Thanks to Dan Yeop’s help, Go Geom-haeng escaped disaster and retreated. He now understood clearly that he was no match for Naeng Han-sang.
He had used the True Hundred Flow Saber Style, which his opponent did not know, yet Naeng Han-sang had deliberately employed only the sword techniques he himself had demonstrated—and still won. It was a complete defeat with no room for excuses.
Once the bout between Naeng Han-sang and Go Geom-haeng reached its conclusion, Dan Yeop stepped forward.
“Elder Naeng, I apologize for interrupting your fight. However, I believe this matter must be settled between the two of us.”
“......”
Only then did Naeng Han-sang snap back to his senses. Indeed, the issue would only end if he faced Dan Yeop.
“Red Leaf Flying Flower… It seems I underestimated you. Still, you are the one who taught martial arts to Go Geom-haeng.”
Naeng Han-sang’s tone had grown respectful. It was an acknowledgment that he now regarded Dan Yeop as a true opponent.
“Thank you for seeing me properly at last. Before we fight, I would like to ask for one promise.”
“Speak.”
“The reason you wish to purge the sect—isn’t it because a disciple of Geomgak has joined a trivial faction like Haomun?”
“You could say so.”
“Then would it suffice if I prove that Haomun is not trivial?”
“What do you mean?”
“If I lose, you may do as you wish with me and every member of Haomun in the county. There will be no one to stop you. But if I win, you will allow Instructor Go to walk his own path. Instructor Go and I will elevate Haomun’s prestige until it stands shoulder to shoulder with the Beggars’ Sect—so that Geomgak need feel no further shame. How about it?”
In the span of a few breaths, Naeng Han-sang’s expression shifted several times. Honestly, the proposal was not bad for him. If he won, he could purge the sect as he desired and punish Haomun. Even if, by some slim chance, he lost, there was no real loss. If he were defeated, Geomgak would likewise have no one capable of intervening. The previous generation’s greatest swordsman under heaven would never move merely to capture a single disciple who had fled decades ago.
If Dan Yeop is capable of defeating me, then Haomun’s future must indeed be bright.
They might truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the Beggars’ Sect. If not—