Just Open Them Once (1)
After his defeat at Dokgo Ryeong’s hands and having his pressure points sealed by Wi Ilcheong, No Geukmyeong had been dumped in the forest. The instant those sealed meridians released, he returned to the Moyong Clan.
He had never expected a warm welcome.
But he had never imagined humiliation quite this thorough.
…Three years as a servant…
As No Geukmyeong swept the courtyard and let out a long sigh, the warriors guarding the main gate flinched.
“…Captain.”
“Don’t call me Captain. I’m a servant.”
“But…”
“Enough! How dare you use honorifics with a man serving his sentence!”
“….”
“Be grateful the elders’ son still has his life. Treat me like a servant. It’s easier for me that way.”
“…Understood.”
The gate guards finally took the hint and dropped the formal speech.
…Fine. At least I kept my head…
He had captured the daughter of his enemy only to let her slip away, then tracked her again and returned without so much as a scratch on her, let alone her head. Simply surviving was a miracle. Swallowing the rage that still boiled in his gut, No Geukmyeong forced himself to settle.
I’ll start over from the beginning. Even sweeping will be training—melt the martial arts into every stroke of the broom… Wait. Who’s that beggar?
An old beggar now stood blankly in front of the gate.
He was nothing but skin and bone, flesh stretched so tight over the skeleton that he looked ready to collapse at any moment. His hair was dry and brittle, his clothes filthy and stained. He leaned on a stick as thin as his own legs, and at his waist hung a club that glowed with a soft jade light…
Jade light?
When the beggar simply stood there without a word, one of the gate guards barked,
“You old dog! Do you even know where you are, begging here—urk!”
No Geukmyeong struck the guard aside and bowed deeply to the beggar.
“H-Honored Elder… could you be the Silent Immortal?”
The beggar smiled faintly and nodded.
“I-I greet a great senior of the martial world!!”
No Geukmyeong dropped to his knees. The Silent Immortal, Muyeonggae, patted his shoulder and pointed at the ground. With his stick he scratched the character for “Byeok” into the dirt. No Geukmyeong’s eyes widened.
“You wish to see our Clan Lord?”
Muyeonggae nodded once more.
“P-Please wait just a moment! You there!”
“Yes, sir!”
“I’m going to my father. Bring the Silent Immortal wine and food at once! Hurry!!”
“Yes, Captain!”
The guard, already forgetting the order to treat him like a servant, scrambled away. Watching No Geukmyeong rush inside, the Silent Immortal simply sat down in the dirt and waited.
“Father! Father!!”
No Geukmyeong burst through the door. No Sunpyeong exploded in fury.
“You…! You little bastard!! I ordered you to live as a servant for three years, yet you dare—!”
“It’s an emergency!! The Silent Immortal has come!”
“…What?”
No Sunpyeong’s rage vanished in an instant.
“Th-the Silent Immortal? You mean Elder Muyeonggae, Chief of the Beggar Sect?”
“Yes! I saw the Dog-Beating Staff, the Beggar Sect’s sacred treasure, hanging at his waist with my own eyes!”
“What business brought him… No. He’s under a vow of silence; asking is pointless.”
“He wishes to see the Clan Lord. He wrote the Clan Lord’s name in the dirt.”
“Haa…”
No Sunpyeong let out a long breath.
“…So he already knows.”
“Sir?”
“Never mind. Escort the Silent Immortal to the Clan Lord’s hall.”
“Yes…”
“And order every martial artist in the household to leave the premises.”
“What do you mean by—?”
When No Geukmyeong started to question him, No Sunpyeong’s temper flared again and he nearly roared. But his son bowed first.
“I-I receive your command.”
Watching his son shoot away like an arrow, No Sunpyeong’s face twisted.
“…I always knew this day would come.”
He rose and headed for the Clan Lord’s hall. Arriving, he knocked and announced himself.
“Clan Lord, are you within?”
“Someone came from outside, did they?”
“…You already knew?”
“A vast aura has been pouring toward me from afar, making my blood boil. So who is it?”
“…The Silent Immortal has come to call.”
“Khahaha! That beggar bastard?”
“C-Clan Lord!”
Startled, No Sunpyeong raised his voice—only for a crushing wave of internal energy to slam into him from within the room.
Wh-when did he grow this strong…!
“Brother-in-law.”
“…Yes, Clan Lord.”
“My apologies. Dokgo Jin already smashed the house once, and it looks like it’s about to get smashed again.”
“It is nothing…”
“Have a drinking table prepared, and tell the rest of the clan to go far away. They’re in the way.”
“I have already given the order.”
“Good enough. And you, Brother-in-law? What will you do?”
“…I will watch from a distance.”
“As you wish.”
“I will bring the wine…”
“Yes. Heh.”
No Sunpyeong stepped back, cold sweat running down his spine.
From this moment on, the martial world will spiral beyond control…!
In an age of upheaval, only the strong survive. With that thought, No Sunpyeong steadied his heart.
“…You’ve come. Drinking alone was growing lonely.”
As the Silent Immortal approached with a smile, Moyong Byeok felt every inch of his skin prickle under that overwhelming aura.
So this is the Silent Immortal…!
Outwardly he was nothing but a wretched old beggar, yet the internal energy coiled inside him was immense. Moyong Byeok raised his own power so as not to be outdone; the space between them seemed to warp, and the wooden floorboards began to creak.
They stood locked in that standoff until the Silent Immortal broke the balance first.
“Stronger than I expected, you are.”
“…I heard you were under a vow of silence. Apparently not.”
“I closed my mouth because there was nothing worth saying, and closed my eyes because there was nothing worth seeing.”
“And now you have something to say?”
“Heh heh heh. I do.”
The Silent Immortal walked over, sat opposite Moyong Byeok, and casually stole the cup the man had been drinking from.
“Khh… Fine stuff.”
“What brings you here?”
“Too many fools who already know the answer yet still ask the question. That’s why I kept quiet—repeating myself to brats who already hold the answer is tiresome.”
“Is this about the Junior Beggar?”
“I closed my eyes because I hate hypocrites who wear masks of virtue. Seeing their true hearts so clearly and still pretending not to know is exhausting.”
When the conversation stalled, Moyong Byeok began to laugh.
“Heh… heh heh… Ah. Looking at you now, you should have been Abbot of Shaolin rather than Chief of the Beggar Sect.”
“Live like that old Fist God fossil who can’t even eat meat? Better to stay a beggar, don’t you think? Heh heh heh.”
“True enough. Khahaha!”
Moyong Byeok laughed freely. The Silent Immortal took another swallow of wine and spoke.
“Withdraw from everything you are doing.”
“How much do you know?”
“Everything. That you’ve been toying with our Junior Beggar from the shadows, that you’ve joined hands with that greedy child Dokseon and walked the path of the unorthodox, and…”
The Silent Immortal pointed straight at him.
“That you intend to become a monster.”
“A monster, is it…”
“I came myself because I still believe it is not too late.”
“Hmm… Why not confirm it with your own hands?”
Moyong Byeok picked up his sword.
“Whether it is too late or not.”
“Heh heh… I planned this from the start, but seeing you now, I’m truly glad.”
“Glad of what?”
“That I came instead of the Fist God.”
The Silent Immortal rose and drew the Dog-Beating Staff from his waist.
“If that stubborn friend had come, he would have been forced to break the vow of non-killing he has kept his whole life. So this is fortunate.”
“Heh. You mean to kill me?”
“I do. It seems I arrived too late after all.”
“How amusing… Ah, before we begin, do that thing once for me.”
“Hmm?”
“You know the line. ‘Since you insist on not refusing the penalty cup…’ or whatever it is. I expect to hear it often from now on, so I wanted a preview.”
“Heh heh heh. Penalty cup? Why would a beggar share wine with anyone?”
The Silent Immortal adjusted his grip on the Dog-Beating Staff and drew up his internal energy.
“I’ll just thrash you like a dog instead.”
“Khahaha! By all means!”
Both figures vanished, and a thunderous roar shook the air.
Thus began the battle between two absolute masters.
“…Still not finished.”
No Sunpyeong watched the Moyong Clan from afar, nerves stretched thin.
Three days had already passed since Muyeonggae and Moyong Byeok clashed. Their battle raged without pause for night or day. The explosions would fall silent for a moment, only to erupt again soon after, keeping No Sunpyeong’s senses constantly on edge.
If he wins… the Moyong Clan will soar once more. But if he loses…
The clan’s name might be erased from the history of the martial world entirely.
Forced to watch a fight that would decide the fate of his house from a distance, No Sunpyeong’s heart fretted without end.
How much longer must this battle—
Beside him, No Geukmyeong interrupted his thoughts.
“Father…”
“What?”
“The explosions have stopped…”
“….”
No Sunpyeong turned toward the Moyong Clan. Indeed, long moments had passed since the last roar, and no new sound came. He extended his senses and confirmed that one of the two vast auras that had been prickling his nerves even from this distance had vanished.
A decision has been reached!
No Sunpyeong clenched his teeth.
“Everyone, we go to attend the Clan Lord!”
““We obey!!””
No Sunpyeong and his party advanced slowly toward the ruined Moyong Clan compound.
Who won…?
He had blustered about attending the Clan Lord, yet he could not shake his unease. He trusted Moyong Byeok, but the opponent had been the Silent Immortal—a living legend who stood near the peak of the orthodox martial world.
What if… just in case…
If Moyong Byeok had fallen, everything was finished. Realizing he himself would not survive either, No Sunpyeong’s nerves snapped toward the son walking right beside him.
Please… please…!
With trembling steps, No Sunpyeong entered the Moyong Clan grounds. Sensing movement, he headed toward it.
“That way!”
Feeling his breath grow short, No Sunpyeong hurried toward the victor.
Standing amid the wreckage of the main gate, the winner was steadying his ragged breathing. When he saw No Sunpyeong he raised a hand.
“Hey, Brother-in-law.”
“C-Clan Lord!!”
“Urgh…! Ah… that beggar bastard was filthy strong.”
“C-Congratulations!”
Tears welled in No Sunpyeong’s eyes. Whether they were for the giant tree his Clan Lord had felled or for the simple relief of having kept his own life, even he could not tell.
Moyong Byeok sat on the rubble, catching his breath, then tossed something over.
“Brother-in-law, take this to the Junior Beggar.”
“Th-this is…”
“The Dog-Beating Staff. The next Chief of the Beggar Sect can’t be without the sect’s sacred treasure, after all.”
“Yes…!”
“And send a messenger pigeon to Dokseon as well. Since I’ve broken the Silent Immortal… hmm, Huashan should do. Tell him to break the Flower Immortal.”
“I receive your command!”
“I like the strength in your voice, Brother-in-law. Heh… ugh!”
Moyong Byeok laughed, then clutched his chest.
“Are you all right?!”
“No… I feel like I’m dying. Hoo… Once things are settled here, you’ll need to make a trip to Jiangsu as well.”
“The Divine Doctor?”
“Yes. He treats anyone who comes, doesn’t he? And they say his skill is excellent. Let’s put him to the test.”
“Understood. Quickly, attend the Clan Lord!”
“Ah… wait a moment. Let me rest a little first.”
“Yes…”
Amid the ruins of the Moyong Clan, Moyong Byeok lay back using the fallen name plaque as a bed. Staring blankly at the sky, he spoke.
“Brother-in-law.”
“Yes, Clan Lord.”
“This is only the beginning. It’s a little early, but from now on we will rewrite the map of the martial world.”
“…Yes.”
“Remember that the Silent Immortal was merely the first step.”
“I will engrave it in my heart…!”
Maps of the entire realm unfurled in Moyong Byeok’s mind. He briefly considered which places to topple and which to burn, then shook his head and erased the thoughts.
“There is much to do, Brother-in-law. I look forward to your continued support.”
“…Yes, Clan Lord.”
“I’ll leave the remaining matters to you. And…”
“Please speak.”
“Never mind. Later. Hoo… I’m going to sleep a while, so handle things well.”
“Yes!”
Moyong Byeok closed his eyes, wrapped in a pleasant exhaustion.
Just then another martial artist’s voice reached his ear.
“What… shall we do with the Silent Immortal’s body?”
“With all due respect and ceremony—”
“Just burn it, Brother-in-law.”
“Pardon?”
When No Sunpyeong asked again, Moyong Byeok forced himself upright, ignoring the agony wracking his body.
“Ugh…! I said burn it, Brother-in-law. Or dump it in the marketplace.”
“B-but…”
“He’s a beggar. What ceremony does he need? And…”
Moyong Byeok’s gaze locked onto the martial artist who had first spoken. The man’s face suddenly twisted in agony.
“Guh…!”
“To think such a pathetic creature exists in our Moyong Clan is truly lamentable.”
“C-Clan—urk! Clan Lord…!”
“From now on we will pile mountains of corpses. Do you intend to show every single one of them proper ceremony?”
“I-I’m sorr—guh!”
Crack.
The martial artist’s neck snapped, and silence settled over the ruins.
Moyong Byeok lay back on the name plaque again.
“Haa… This is why bloodline matters. Lowborn trash have nothing but stupid thoughts.”
“I apologize, Clan Lord.”
“Forget it. I’m going to rest, so take care of the rest, Brother-in-law.”
“…Yes.”
In the quiet wreckage of the Moyong Clan, No Sunpyeong and the remaining warriors began clearing the bodies.
The Silent Immortal, Chief of the Beggar Sect, and an unnamed Moyong Clan martial artist were loaded onto the same cart and dumped together into a hastily dug mountain pit. Right up until the moment the dirt covered them, No Sunpyeong’s chest ached at the Silent Immortal’s end.
For a peerless master who had once dominated an era, it was far too hollow a death. Each time the pain rose, No Sunpyeong repeated Moyong Byeok’s words to himself.
From now on we will pile mountains of corpses…
He only hoped he would not become part of that mountain, and turned his eyes away.
There was far too much work left for him to waste time mourning the Silent Immortal.
“Send men to Jiangsu and bring the Divine Doctor. Use force if necessary.”
“B-but…”
“The Clan Lord wants the Divine Doctor. Do you not understand what that means?”
“…I receive the command.”
“Depart at once.”
“We obey!”
Until the moment he sent them off, No Sunpyeong did not know.
That yet another thread of bitter fate was about to be spun.