Chapter 11
The moment my grandfather, Baek Hwang, appeared, a hush fell over the Hall of the Clan Head. The only sound left in the room was the breathing of the clan heads gathered there.
Then a harsh breath cut through the silence. Yes. It sounded almost like some beast’s ragged panting.
The owner of that breath was Jin Myeong-o, the lord of the Jin Sword Sect. The instant my grandfather appeared, his expression twisted, and he let out a voice thick with confusion, alongside that rough breathing.
"Baek Hwang? How?"
Everyone in the room was looking at my grandfather, but my father, Baek Muhwang, and I were watching Jin Myeong-o.
"How, you ask? The greatest master in Jiangxi, who was thought to be dead, has returned. Shouldn’t you be happy?"
I smiled faintly and asked Jin Myeong-o. Then I went on.
"But somehow, Lord Jin, you don’t look happy. No, that’s wrong. You look like something that should never have happened just did."
At my words, Jin Myeong-o looked briefly flustered, then brought his hands together and bowed.
"I am Jin Myeong-o, lord of the Jin Sword Sect. I greet you, Elder Baek Hwang, the Star of Jiangxi."
His voice was cold. Straightening from the bow, he turned his gaze to my father.
"Clan Head Baek. I am glad to hear Elder Baek Hwang is alive. However, we are of the Orthodox sects. We value propriety, and more than anything, legitimacy matters to us. Yet the Baek Clan has just made a fool of itself, and in doing so, has made the Orthodox factions of Jiangxi a laughingstock."
"You shut that mouth of yours!"
My father could not hold himself back any longer. He rose to his feet and let his aura flare. Jin Myeong-o answered in kind, his own energy surging upward.
It became a standoff where either side could have struck first without it seeming strange. But the deadlock did not last long.
"Enough."
It was Baek Hwang’s voice, one of the Hundred Great Masters under Heaven. For a man his age, the voice was clear and bright. Yet there was weariness in it, and fatigue as well.
Even so, Jin Myeong-o could not easily speak back or move. The presence of one of the Hundred Great Masters under Heaven was enough to swallow the room in an instant.
Clack.
My grandfather, who had been leaning on Baek Muhwang, slowly took a step forward. But even that seemed difficult for him, and his face tightened with effort.
"It seems a great many things happened while this old man was away."
"......"
"Still, tell me this, Lord Jin Myeong-o. Did this old man ever borrow money from you?"
"......You did. Is that not sealed with your thumbprint?"
"That’s what I cannot understand. This old man has never borrowed money, and I’ve never stamped a thumbprint, either."
"......"
"Lord Jin. Do you know who this old man is?"
"One of the Hundred Great Masters under Heaven. Baek Hwang."
"One of the Hundred Great Masters under Heaven. What a hollow-sounding title. Still, this old man barely makes the lowest end of that list."
Baek Hwang stood before Jin Myeong-o and straightened his back. Then he drew his aura up with force.
"To whom did you lend this money? It was not to me. I swear this upon the honor of Baek Hwang, a martial artist and one of the Hundred Great Masters under Heaven. This old man has never borrowed a single coin from anyone in his life."
"......"
Jin Myeong-o seemed crushed under my grandfather’s aura. He lowered his head to the floor and said nothing. My grandfather looked at him for a moment, then instantly withdrew his pressure and turned away.
"I’ll give you three days. Admit your wrongdoing."
"......"
The Hundred Great Masters under Heaven. That name is not earned lightly. Setting aside the special cases of hermit masters and reclusive experts from past generations, it ultimately means a martial artist ranked among the hundred strongest in the Central Plains.
So when my grandfather spoke of staking his honor, the weight of it could only be immense. However...
"Baek Hwang. So your inner power still hasn’t recovered."
"What?"
At Jin Myeong-o’s words, his body shot toward my grandfather. His sword went for Baek Hwang’s back. At the same time, delight flooded his face.
Clang!
As if. I was faster. Before he had even launched himself, I had already moved toward my grandfather and knocked his sword aside.
I had expected this. I knew exactly what a man in a corner would do. That was why I could respond a step ahead.
"How?"
"How, what? An Unorthodox bastard’s thoughts are all the same."
The delighted look on Jin Myeong-o’s face twisted completely. I shoved his sword away and kicked him in the stomach.
His body slid backward and returned to its original place.
"Lord Jin! How dare you do this to an elder!"
The moment Lee Jaewon, one of the Orthodox clan heads, grabbed Jin Myeong-o by the shoulder, Jin Myeong-o casually raised a hand.
At that instant, Jin Paecheon, standing behind him, pointed his sword at Lee Jaewon’s neck.
The eyes of the remaining Orthodox clan heads widened.
And in that very moment, the bodyguards of the Orthodox clan heads quietly drew their swords and began to aim them at the other clan heads’ throats.
"You bastards, how dare you!"
"How much effort do you think I wasted on you, and now you pull this kind of stunt!"
Their guards had already been bought by Jin Myeong-o. It was not even that surprising to me. The information I had received from the Hao Clan already showed their assets growing rapidly, with the source traced back to the Jin Sword Sect.
"Lord Jin. How am I supposed to take this?"
"You stupid fool talks too much."
"Lord Jin! Are you truly trying to make the Orthodox factions of Jiangxi your enemies?"
Smack!
The moment Lee Jaewon shouted in anger, Jin Myeong-o slapped him hard across the face. With a wild laugh, he released killing intent.
"Say one more word, and your heads will be on the floor."
"......"
At Jin Myeong-o’s words, Lee Jaewon and the other clan heads could no longer say anything. Seeing that, Jin Myeong-o turned back to face us.
"Hah. That feels better. Yes, come to think of it, things stopped going the way I wanted because of you. I should have done it my way from the start. If I had, none of these tedious problems would have happened."
Snap.
Jin Myeong-o flicked his fingers lightly. The bodyguards immediately started striking the pressure points of the clan heads. The clan heads twitched in reaction, but with swords at their throats, none of them could resist.
Once their pressure points were sealed, the clan heads’ bodies collapsed like puppets with cut strings.
"Yes. Just as you said, for a filthy Unorthodox bastard like you, this sort of thing suits you better. You’re nothing but an alley thug."
"I’m curious how long that mouth of yours plans to keep flapping, Baek Mugeuk."
"Probably as long as it’s attached."
"Is that so? Even now?"
As Jin Myeong-o finished speaking, a sword wind shot from his blade. But its target was not me.
The wind struck the pillar beside him in the Hall of the Clan Head.
Crack!
When the sword wind hit, the sound of the pillar breaking rang out sharply.
"What? Nothing happened."
"Stay still. Watch what happens next."
Jin Myeong-o curled one corner of his mouth as if mocking me. Then a huge cheer erupted from outside.
"Save the lord!"
"Unorthodox bastards have invaded Baek-ga!"
"In the name of the Jin Sword Sect, wipe out the Unorthodox sects!"
The sound of that sword wind had been the signal flare, the drumbeat, the start of war.
Baek-ga now had the money to repay the debt, and unexpectedly, Baek Hwang had supposedly died. On top of that, contact with A-yeong, one of his own tools, had been cut off. That was why Jin Myeong-o had prepared all this.
The one move that would wipe out Baek-ga.
"So this is the final move you prepared?"
At my words, Jin Myeong-o wore a triumphant expression, as though everything had already ended.
"Why? Are you scared only now? If you kneel and beg forgiveness even now, who knows? Depending on my mood, I might just let you keep your life."
"Not that easy."
"Not that easy? That sounds as if you think you can stop them. You, no, Baek-ga, can stop them? At a time like this, when your fighters are all outside?"
Already certain of victory, Jin Myeong-o sneered and clasped his hands behind his back.
"Hahaha! Not that easy, indeed. I’m laughing at how convinced you already are that you’ve won."
I laughed hard enough to clutch my stomach. Jin Myeong-o seemed about to say something at my words, but I ignored him and turned to look at my father.
My father gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly it looked as if he might draw it at any second. His face was full of fury. And why wouldn’t it be? Because of those bastards’ scheme, the fighters of the family had been forced to bow their heads and even do menial work, abandoning the pride of martial artists.
"Clan Head, and First Senior Brother, please take care of the Unorthodox bastards outside."
"Can you handle this?"
"It’s only a few Unorthodox thugs. You know me. I came down from Mount Hwa because there was nothing left to learn there."
"Haah... Very well."
At my words, my father let out a light sigh and turned away. Yet beneath that sigh was warmth, the kind that worried for me.
"Is it really all right to leave you here alone, Mugeuk?"
"Take care of Father for me, Sahyeong."
"Be careful."
Baek Muhwang looked into my eyes for a moment, then turned and joined my father. Watching the two of them go, I pulled a chair from the Hall of the Clan Head and carried it over to my grandfather.
"Grandfather. This is the seat of honor!"
"So because I have not recovered my inner power, I am to be treated like an old man consigned to the back room?"
"Well. That’s not entirely wrong."
Tap.
My grandfather lightly knocked the top of my head with his fist.
"Even if I’ve lost my inner power, do you think I’d be beaten by the likes of those men?"
"It’s less that, and more that I want to show you something."
"And what is that?"
"My Baek-ga Seven Sword Technique."
"Your Baek-ga Seven Sword Technique... good. Let’s see it."
At my words, my grandfather sat down in the chair. He even crossed his legs. Seeing that, I smiled and slowly turned around. At once, Jin Myeong-o burst into manic laughter.
"Wahahaha! You’re saying you’re going to take on all of us by yourself?"
"Something like that."
"Idiot. Absolute idiot! Baek Hwang has lost his inner power, and with the Baek Clan’s fighters outside, your only real strength left is Baek Clan Head."
"And?"
"That means he was the only one we needed to watch. And yet you sent him out? Your stupid choice will get Baek Clan Head killed too. Did you really think one man outside could change anything?"
"One? You’re seriously mistaken."
"What did you say?"
"The Baek Clan has always been the strongest family in Jiangxi."
"What a ridiculous bastard! I can’t tell whether we’re being insulted or whether your head’s just gone completely mad."
"What’s crazy about it? Beating up a few Unorthodox bastards is just a day’s work."
"Your confidence is excessive. Fine. Looking at it, you’ve been hiding your skill. So you weren’t a third-rate martial artist after all; you’ve probably already surpassed the first-rate level. Still."
Jin Myeong-o stepped closer to me and raised his right hand.
"Pride always ends in death."
The moment his hand fell, the guards rushed toward me at once. I drove my body forward as well and threw myself at them.
There were four of them. Their level was at the very edge of second-rate, already reaching toward first-rate.
They had apparently trained together before, because their swords came in smoothly, each aimed with precision at a vital point.
It was a rather threatening situation. For an ordinary martial artist, that is. No matter how coordinated they were, they were still fighters who had not even reached first-rate.
That meant their levels and skill were slightly uneven, and their sword speeds differed too. Their attacks came together, yes, but in the end, they were attacks arriving at different times.
The moment I brushed aside the two swords that reached me first, I drove my blade toward the throats of the two following behind them.
Slash.
Thud.
With the chilling sound of flesh being cut, two severed heads rolled across the floor.
"As expected, nothing special."
I flicked the blood off my sword and looked at Jin Myeong-o. He too seemed startled by what he had just seen, and his hand went to his sword hilt.
"Don’t get tense. There are still four of you left, after all."
"Arrogant bastard. It was only luck. Nothing has changed."
"Good. Then try it!"
This time, I flung myself at Jin Myeong-o. At once, the two guards on the opposite side leapt at my back.
I lowered my stance and spun my body quickly, sweeping my sword toward the two guards. Because I had thrown myself toward Jin Myeong-o, they could not respond properly, and their heads too dropped to the floor with a dull thud.
"Tsk. You should stay focused until the end."
I clicked my tongue at the two heads on the floor. Jin Myeong-o’s expression finally warped completely.
"You bastard! Who the hell are you? We were told that aside from Baek Hwang, there was no one in Baek-ga worth worrying about! Then how—"
Veins stood out at Jin Myeong-o’s temples. The blood vessels in his eyes burst, reddening them.
Now even Jin Myeong-o had no choice but to admit it.
I was a master he could not stop.
But even after realizing that danger, it was far too late.
"No one worth worrying about, huh? Fine. Since I’ve wondered this myself, let me ask you something. Who came up with this plan? It couldn’t have been the two of you. And there’s no way you could have subdued Baek Hwang, one of the Hundred Great Masters under Heaven."
I rested my sword on my shoulder and smiled faintly.
"Who’s behind you?"
"......"
Jin Myeong-o gave no answer. I had not expected one, anyway.
"Well... I wasn’t expecting you to answer honestly. I’ll find out soon enough. After I kill you."
"You damn bastard with a mouth that never knows when to shut!"
Jin Myeong-o seemed to bristle at my words and forced his aura higher.
"Lord! Calm yourself! His skill is stronger than expected. We only need to hold out! Until the men outside are dealt with, until that door opens!"
"Paecheon. You’re right. Block him! We only need to hold out! Just until the outside is cleared!"
Jin Paecheon raised his sword and stood beside Jin Myeong-o. Jin Myeong-o too seemed to have calmed somewhat at his son’s words, gathering his aura and lifting his blade.
"You asked for the Baek-ga Seven Sword Technique, didn’t you?"
"......"
I took a middle stance. Then I gave my sword a light shake, forward and back.
"Try to stop it. If you survive, I’ll give you everything of the Baek Clan, including the Baek-ga Seven Sword Technique."
"You bastard!"
I stepped forward and swung my sword.
"Baek-ga Seven Sword Technique. First Form, Illusion."
I swung my blade. It was not fast. No, that wasn’t right either. I swung it at a steady pace.
"Jin Paecheon! Help me block it! We only need to endure until the outside is settled!"
At Jin Myeong-o’s shout, Jin Paecheon moved to his side and began to block my sword as well. It did not matter. Whether the two of them blocked it or the three of them did, they would not be able to stop me.
Following the direction of my sword, I alternated between real strikes and feints, attacking them over and over at a constant pace.
An ordinary sword technique so plain it was almost embarrassing to call it an illusion sword form. At the same time, the most textbook illusion sword technique unfolded along my blade.
Continuous exchanges. The moment my sword was blocked for the fourth time, I saw the fighting spirit in Jin Paecheon’s expression. Yes. That fighting spirit that said he would strike at any moment.
"Why does it seem more manageable than expected?"
"You planned to kill us with this kind of sword?"
Jin Myeong-o spoke while steadily blocking my attacks.
"Seems manageable, does it? But tell me, don’t you smell something?"
"Smell?"
My sword began to accelerate. No, its speed had not increased. But the trajectory of the blade, the path it cut through the air, began to diversify and bloom in richness.
At first, they probably had been able to block it. But gradually they were pushed back, reduced to scrambling just to keep my sword at bay.
Then the sword forms split apart and poured down on Jin Myeong-o and Jin Paecheon, and red lines began appearing in the wake of my blade.
A sword that dazzles the enemy, cuts them down, and blooms more brilliantly than any other sword art.
"The scent of plum blossoms."
Before I knew it, red flowers had blossomed along my sword path.
"Plum... blossoms!"
I heard my grandfather’s voice from behind me. But what I could see was only the Jin father and son trying desperately to block my sword.
They were sliced over and over by my blade, until there was no place left on them that had not been cut. Even so, they did not give up.
While struggling to block my sword, their gaze kept drifting once more toward the door. But that too did not last long, and soon they lost their swords and began crawling on the floor.
"You called it the Baek-ga Seven Sword Technique, and yet all you’re showing is a Mount Hwa sword art!"
"So that’s what it looks like to you."
"Then it isn’t?"
Though Jin Myeong-o had already lost the strength to resist, he dragged himself toward the Hall of the Clan Head’s door.
"If that’s what you think, then keep thinking it and die."
The instant Jin Myeong-o reached the door, my sword fell toward his head. Sensing death, he shut his eyes reflexively.
Bang!
At that moment, the door to the Hall of the Clan Head flew open with a violent crash. At the same time, my sword stopped in front of Jin Myeong-o’s eyes.
A brief silence.
Jin Myeong-o cautiously opened his eyes. Then, with a face overflowing with ecstatic delight, he burst into crazed laughter.
"Krrr... hahahahahahaha! In the end, I held on! I killed every last Baek bastard outside!"
He struggled to his feet. I simply watched him.
"What are you idiots standing around for? Hurry up and drag this bastard out, tear him apart limb from limb, and feed him to the dogs!"
Jin Myeong-o turned with a wildly excited voice, certain that the martial artists of the Jin Sword Sect and the Pae Sword Sect were waiting outside.
"Pfft."
What he saw when he looked up was not the martial artists of the Jin Sword Sect or the Pae Sword Sect.
The people before his eyes wore white martial uniforms stained red with blood, with the character for Baek embroidered over their chests.
More precisely, the white uniforms had turned red because of all the blood.
"Baek... the Seven Sword Squad? How are you here?"
Jin Myeong-o’s ecstatic expression, so full of triumph just moments before, collapsed into something like the face of a man plunging into the abyss.
"Seven Sword Squad! We greet the Former Clan Head!"
"We greet you!"
As my senior brother Baek Cheonhwang, standing at the very front, brought his hands together and called out, the entire martial force present echoed him in unison.
"This cannot be! It cannot be!"
Even then, Jin Myeong-o kept denying it, thrashing like a madman in disbelief. I watched him, then slowly leaned in close to his ear.
"I told you. The Baek Clan has always been the strongest in Jiangxi."
When my words ended, the heavy aura of the entire Baek Clan Seven Sword Squad began pressing down on the father and son of the Jin family.