The Old Men Are Still Going Strong
“So the old codgers are still full of steam, are they?”
I’d issued my warning in my own way. Naturally, I knew that two factions bearing the lofty pride of the Nine Great Schools weren’t going to retreat so easily in the face of a threat like this.
No, to be honest, I was hoping they’d ignore my warning. There was danger in it, sure, but if their plan went forward, then I’d have a chance to hurt them for it.
“I might even pick up a few more things while I’m at it.”
Still thinking about which direction to take from here, I stepped into the inn. It was late at night, so the place was as quiet as a grave, empty except for the breathing of those asleep inside.
“So this one still isn’t asleep.”
One person, that was.
Leaving Dang Hye aside, I walked to her room and knocked.
“Who is it?”
“Me.”
“Come in.”
I slid the door open, and saw that the poisonous herbs and daggers she’d taken from the village headman’s house were spread out across her bed.
“What are you doing?”
“Can’t you tell? I’m organizing my poisons.”
Dang Hye was sorting the toxins and putting them into her medicine pouch.
“It must be exhausting being a Dang Family member. Having to sort them every time.”
“If you came here to start trouble, then go back to sleep. We’re leaving early tomorrow.”
“Hm... Dang Hye, how about we leave after watching the Hwa-Jong Banquet tomorrow?”
“Why?”
At my words, Dang Hye frowned. It seemed that Lee Baeun was still on her mind.
“I’m planning to take part in the Hwa-Jong Banquet too.”
“What are you talking about? Only Mount Hwa and Jongnam can participate in the Hwa-Jong Banquet.”
“That’s just how it turned out.”
“...I see. It’s true, then. For some reason, it feels like something always happens whenever I’m with you.”
“That’s just your imagination. The world of Jianghu is like that to begin with.”
Answering lightly, I threw her a question.
“Dang Hye. There’s something I want to ask you. How many people can you detox at once?”
“...?”
Dang Hye said nothing. Then she slowly lowered her head.
“It depends on the poison. What kind is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
I truly didn’t know what poison would be spread at the Hwa-Jong Banquet. The only thing I knew for certain was that poison would be released there tomorrow.
“Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me what this is about.”
“Poison will spread at tomorrow’s Hwa-Jong Banquet. A lot of it.”
“How would you... No, if that’s true, then this isn’t the time for this. We need to stop the banquet.”
“Of course I tried. But both sect leaders refused. They’re saying the old schools of Jianghu don’t yield, or some such thing.”
“So you want me to detox all those people?”
“People who know poisons as well as you do aren’t common.”
At my words, Dang Hye looked as if she didn’t know whether to laugh or swear. I had to admit the reality of it: I couldn’t save everyone in that place by myself.
But if Dang Hye helped, maybe there was a chance. Of everyone I’d seen so far, she knew poisons better than anyone else I’d ever met, and the level of the book she’d written stood in the highest realm.
Dang Hye worried her lip for a moment, as if hesitating, then finally spoke.
“I can’t promise I can detox everyone. But... maybe I can at least buy some time.”
“That’s enough.”
“Haah... Ever since I started traveling with you, nothing has been easy.”
“What about me, when you’ve only spent a few days with me and you already feel that way?”
That was the end of our conversation.
After I returned to my room, I felt Dang Hye’s presence two shichen later.
She said nothing to me and left the inn.
“Is she making her own preparations?”
As soon as the sun rose, I got to my feet as well.
It was time to stop them.
* * *
By the martial arts arena, there were so many people packed in that I couldn’t even count them.
It was clear that if poison were introduced here, the damage would be devastating. Some would die directly from the poison itself, but ordinary spectators with no martial skill would panic and trample one another to death while trying to flee.
I made my way to the highest point, where the arena was most clearly visible.
“From here, it’d be hard to tell who’s who.”
But my eyes could see it. Dang Hye, running around furiously among the crowd.
“What on earth is she doing to be that busy?”
At that moment, a drumbeat thundered across the grounds.
Dong!
Dong!
Dong...
The drum sounded ten times in all before it stopped. The number of strikes represented how many times the Hwa-Jong Banquet had been held until now.
As everyone’s gaze turned to the center of the arena, the two sect leaders walked out together.
“Well, don’t they cut fine figures.”
The two leaders were wearing martial robes, as if they themselves were about to step onto the arena.
Jongnam’s sect leader, Hyeonil Jin-in, wore white robes with silver hero bracers strapped to his arm, while Mount Hwa’s sect leader, Cheonghyeon Jin-in, wore black robes with plum blossoms embroidered across his chest.
The first to step forward was Hyeonil Jin-in.
“On behalf of Jongnam and Mount Hwa, I extend my gratitude to the fellow martial artists of the Four Seas who have gathered here. This conference was arranged for the disciples of Mount Hwa and Jongnam...”
His speech was the sort of opening address you could hear anywhere. So I didn’t bother listening, and yawned instead. At the same time, a voice sounded in my ear through telepathic transmission.
Yawning while an elder of the martial world is speaking. You truly are an unusual one.
It was Cheonghyeon Jin-in’s voice. From the moment he stepped onto the arena, he hadn’t once glanced my way. And yet he had still pinpointed exactly where I was.
“The Sword Immortal is the Sword Immortal, all right. How did he notice I was here so quickly?”
I sent a reply, impressed by his sensing ability.
Sect Leader. I wasn’t able to properly greet you yesterday. The situation was rather urgent.
Have you ever been a man who knew anything about manners from the very first day we met?
He had been the one in Mount Hwa who’d recognized my talent. Well, I’d also been hauled off for separate lectures because of it.
Then I’ll act like myself. Old man.
...Old man?
For a brief instant, Cheonghyeon Jin-in’s expression twisted on the arena. But it was so fast that anyone else would have missed it.
You’re not a Mount Hwa martial artist anymore, are you? Ah, the Alliance Leader just laughed it off, so perhaps... are you angry?
...
For a moment, no reply came. So I went on.
Come now. Surely not... the Sword Immortal, called the living Dharma...
Call me whatever name you like.
More importantly, why are you sending me telepathic messages?
Just a word of caution. Don’t cause trouble.
Haven’t I already caused some?
No more.
With that, Cheonghyeon Jin-in’s telepathic voice cut off. Then his opening address resumed.
“Mm... before we begin, I’d like to catch those bastards if I can...”
In truth, I already had a plan. I’d just need the help of that old man up there.
“What are you hesitating for? You should get on with it.”
This time, I sent a message to Cheonghyeon Jin-in.
“May the Hwa-Jong Banquet between Mount Hwa and Jongnam proceed safely, without a single injured...”
Old man. I’d like to ask a favor.
The moment my transmission reached him, his speech faltered for an instant.
Clench.
I could feel Cheonghyeon Jin-in grit his teeth.
Old man. You should keep giving the opening address!
“May it come to pass. And...”
Don’t speak to me. I’m busy.
If you’ll just do me this one favor, I won’t bother you anymore.
Cheonghyeon Jin-in continued speaking. But he did not answer my message.
“So that’s how you want to play it?”
The Great Dao says: the pure and tranquil are superior...
With no desire, one sees the subtle mystery. With desire, one sees only the outward traces.
The Dao that can be spoken is not the constant Dao. The name that can be named is not the constant name.
In the beginning, heaven and earth were nameless; all things became mothers of the named.
Mystery upon mystery, the gate to all wonders.
“And finally...”
As I kept reciting the Daoist verses without pause, Cheonghyeon Jin-in’s speech once again began to stall.
I’ll do it. But shut your mouth.
Is it all right for a Jin-in to talk like that?
At my words, Cheonghyeon Jin-in released a sharp burst of killing intent. Of course, I was the only one who felt it. It was that faint and that precise.
“One more jab and he really will kill me.”
Perhaps because my transmission had vanished after that, Cheonghyeon Jin-in’s opening speech ended without issue. At the same time, he drew his sword.
“If it wouldn’t be a nuisance, I’d like to present this old man’s sword before the banquet begins. Would that be acceptable?”
Cheonghyeon Jin-in said it while looking at Hyeonil Jin-in. The instant he did, the entire crowd burst into cheers.
“Waaaaah!”
Of course they would. This was a chance to witness the Sword Immortal’s swordsmanship. But Hyeonil Jin-in didn’t seem to think of it that way.
He, too, drew his sword.
“How could a sword be displayed without an opponent?”
And once again, the cheers swelled thunderously. A demonstration of swordsmanship from the two sect leaders? It was a sight that truly did not come around easily.
“That old man thinks he’s seizing the initiative.”
Well, whatever the case, that was fine. Things were going exactly as I’d intended.
The two sect leaders faced each other and took their stances. In that vast space, not even a single breath could be heard.
Whoosh.
Without any need to decide who moved first, both swords flew at the same time.
The sword styles of Mount Hwa and Jongnam were opposites in every respect. Mount Hwa’s sword was brilliant and dazzling, while Jongnam’s emphasized weight and gravity with its heavy sword technique.
Cheonghyeon Jin-in’s sword path brought plum blossoms into bloom, and Hyeonil Jin-in’s sword cut them down. Their blades flashed in the air, sparks and bursts of light scattering through the sky.
I spread my senses and swept my eyes across the crowd. Then I began to pick out the people who were not paying attention to the duel.
“Five.”
The moment everyone’s attention was fixed on the arena, I moved.
First.
Tap.
I pressed a pressure point. The man didn’t even notice.
Second, third, fourth.
And fifth.
Tap.
Clutch.
But this time, he caught my hand.
“Oh? You’re a little better than the rest.”
“Who are you?”
“Who do you think?”
The man’s face was ordinary. The kind you could find anywhere in this village. The only thing different was that his face was a human skin mask.
“...”
The instant he let go of my arm, he dropped low and moved quickly.
“Damn it.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
At the same moment I lost him, thunderous applause broke out. The two sect leaders’ demonstration had ended.
I clapped as well, then sent a message to Cheonghyeon Jin-in.
That was splendid.
Don’t flatter me. Was it those bastards?
And you were still watching all that?
I seem to have lost one of them.
No. Not yet.
The crowd here was simply too dense. If he lowered his body and blended into the mass, finding him would be almost impossible.
For me, though, it wasn’t.
My divine movement technique shot out, slipping between people as I moved. The man’s location? I already had my senses spread before I moved.
I could see where he went, what he was doing, as though it were laid out right before my eyes.
Just as he reached the point opposite from where he’d started, he straightened up and muttered in confusion.
“Did I lose him? How did he notice?”
“Sorry, but you didn’t lose me.”
“...!”
I smiled and stopped in front of him. His eyes darted frantically.
“You’ve got nowhere to run.”
“Damn it.”
He hurled a hidden projectile toward the floor. But my sword was faster. I knocked it away with my blade just before it touched the ground, and at the same time, sliced through his leg.
“Aaaagh!”
I clapped a hand over his mouth.
“This is supposed to be a day for enjoying ourselves. So let’s be careful with that ugly noise.”
The pain of having his leg severed must have been severe, because the blood vessels in his eyes burst, staining them red. Looking at his face, he seemed to be wondering how on earth I’d found him.
“An unmoving martial artist who shows no interest in the Sword Immortal’s demonstration. Or rather, a person like that. You stood out.”
“You killed someone for a reason like that...?”
“Yeah. I killed you.”
Crack.
His neck twisted all the way around, and his breathing ceased at last.