Chapter 106: Bright Rock (2)
Chapter 106: Bright Rock (2)
What are they talking about?
Lim Soo-yeon glanced over at the two men, as she was the outsider.
There was not a word she could hear.
She could clearly see them speaking, but no sound was heard.
A moment ago, I’m sure I was able to hear the two clearly, but now I can’t hear anything anymore.
I hear high level martial artists can use their qi to conceal sounds.
But I have never seen it actually happen until now.
What could the two be talking about that she wasn’t allowed to hear?
Lim Soo-yeon tilted her head in thought.
In the meantime, the dialogue between Woon-seong and Sage Myung continued.
***
“That is all I have to say.”
After he finished speaking, there was an unmistakable sense of liberation in Sage Myung’s eyes.
He had finally spoken the story he’d carried for a long time.
Finally, he had gotten this burden off his chest.
Nevertheless, Woon-seong’s voice was derisive.
“You expect me to believe that?”
The story had made Woon-seong quite emotional, but his voice barely trembled.
I knew Master always worried about me, but I didn’t know he was doing this much.
And his death… was his own plan…?
Master… Did you really have to go that way?
In his mind, Woon-seong asked Nok Yu-on for an answer.
Of course, Nok Yu-on could provide no answer.
The answer would not change the enemies that Woon-seong needed to defeat.
That’s right.
Nothing has changed.
Kill Jwa Do-gyul and everyone who was behind him.
They’re not only the ones who killed Master Nok Yu-on, but also the ones who killed Master Chun Hwi.
“Why should I trust you?”
“It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. That is for you to decide.” As he said so, Myung Am had brought the sword to his neck once more. “At first, I thought of sealing my core and abandoning my life because I was guilty.” Sage Myung fiddled with his sword, his eyes dull. After a moment, he shook his head and his gaze cleared. “But I couldn’t do that.”
“And why is that?”
Boldly, the man smiled. “It’s because I haven’t avenged my friend yet.”
Woon-seong’s face contorted into a grotesque smile. He couldn’t help but laugh. The words were so funny — so wrong — that laughter bubbled out of him.
“You failed to stop your friend from his own death, and you say you’re going to avenge him? Don’t make me laugh.”
Myung Am nodded. “I know. Those are some pathetic words. But after all my failures, the least I can do is avenge him…”
“To me, you’re a simple hypocrite. You’re still an enemy to the Spear Master Sect. Your words change nothing.”
Myung Am did not deny Woon-seong’s words.
He couldn’t deny them even if he wanted to.
He had no excuse.
The results were already out.
Whatever promises or intentions Myung Am had, the fact that he was involved in Nok Yu-on’s death would not change.
Even the fact that he had cornered Nok Yu-on to his own death.
That was why Myung Am did not correct a single thing Woon-seong had said.
“That’s right. I wasn’t able to keep my promise with my friend. And that is why I am relieved. I wasn’t able to keep my promise, but the Spear Master Sect lives on.”
“Bullshit. The fact that the Spear Master Sect’s lineage remains has nothing to do with you. Don’t try to forgive yourself using my existence. Don’t make me a reason to ease your conscience! You’re still a person on my list of enemies.”
“I know. But nevertheless, let me shamelessly ask you for a favor.”
“Are you going to beg for your life?” Woon-seong scoffed.
The Sage laughed bitterly. “Of course not… Even I know some shame.”
How he wished that he could go back in time, so that he would not have had to listen to Nok Yu-on’s request.
“However, I wish you to postpone my death just a little.”
The Sage slowly raised his sword.
The sword that had originally been aimed at his neck came to rest near his shoulder.
Instead of just letting it sit there, the Sage made one powerful downwards motion.
Swish—
Blood splattered the earth as the man’s left arm fell to the ground.
“Aah!” Lim Soo-yeon, who was watching what was happening, screamed. She tried to run towards the Sage, but could not get inside the qi barrier.
“It’s painful…”
Meanwhile, Sage Myung dropped his sword and gripped his severed arm socket, staring up at Woon-seong.
“Please forgive me for now with this arm. After I get revenge for my friend, I will end my own life. However, if you cannot allow that, take my life here and now.”
“…”
Woon-seong looked down at him.
The Sage’s shoulder was gushing blood, as just the pressure of a hand would not stop it from bleeding.
With enough bleeding, any person would bleed to death.
If I just leave him like this, he will end up dead soon enough. Too soon and painlessly for his deeds…
Woon-seong slowly walked towards the man.
The White Night Spear gave off a terrifying glow.
Approaching, Woon-seong looked like the incarnation of King Yama.
“You. What are you doing?” Lim Soo-yeon shouted from outside the barrier.
But Woon-seong did not stop walking.
Finally, his steps stopped in front of the Sage of the Bright Rock.
The Sage slowly closed his eyes.
It’s over.
It’s a shame I couldn’t avenge my friend…
But if this death is a way to atone for my sins, then so be it.
I forgot.
I didn’t hand over the Divine Sword of the Plum Blossom to my apprentice.
The Divine Sword of the Plum Blossom, a symbol of the Mount Hua Sect.
Myung Am had left it back at the sect, as it was not his usual sword.
It’s a shame I couldn’t pass it on, but he’ll take care of the rest.
Shh—
The Sage could hear the sound of a spear being lifted into the air near his head. In a few seconds, he would likely lose his life to that spear.
It’s over… the Sage muttered in his mind.
The White Night Spear laced through the air.
Ssh—
As the spear was lifted, Lim Soo-yeon could not help but scream. She had no idea why Woon-seong was trying to kill the Seventh Master, Sage Myung Am, but that was a well-known member of Murim!
But Woon-seong did not stop.
As soon as his spear cut through the air, Lim Soo-yeon shut her eyes tightly. She was not confident she could bear to watch the scene.
Shing—
Immediately, something was cut.
Lim Soo-yeon slowly opened her eyes, her hands covering her mouth.
“Huh?”
The neck and head of the Sage were clearly still intact.
She was not the only one dumbfounded.
The Sage of the Bright Rock, who had prepared himself for death, also opened his eyes to find himself still alive.
He tilted his head, feeling that his neck was still fine.
Something had definitely been cut, but his head was still attached to his neck.
What the hell was cut then?
That question was easy to answer.
Glancing down, the Sage noticed something like a bundle of white thread on the ground.
It was part of a beard.
The Sage of Bright Rock’s beard.
Woon-seong had lopped off Myung Am’s beard instead of his head.
With the White Night Spear still pointed his way, the Sage could not help but ask himself, Why did he not kill me?
“You said that the Justice Blood Sect’s purpose is to find out those in the shadows of Murim and prevent their conspiracies beforehand, right?”
“That is true…”
“And Mas…,” Woon-seong swallowed. “Mister Nok Yu-on was killed by those enemies as a member of the Justice Blood Sect?”
The Sage nodded his head instead of answering aloud.
Woon-seong adjusted his spear, so that it was no longer pointing at the Sage.
“Are those enemies somehow related to the Imperial Palace and the Cult of the Inverted Sky?”
The Sage was surprised.
“How do you…?”
I knew that there were conspirators hidden in the Martial Alliance, but even we only found out their connection with the Imperial Palace recently.
He may have inherited the Fifth Jade Knife, but how does he know that far…?
The Sage glanced up at Woon-seong.
On top of that, his martial arts level is at such a high degree for his age.
He couldn’t have possibly lived longer than how he looks.
Yet, why do I see the eyes of a martial artist in his forties from a young man who is barely in his twenties?
Under that gaze, the man’s eyebrows twitched.
I’ve seen those eyes somewhere…
The man’s memories slowly shuffled.
Finally, Sage Myung remembered the image of a young man.
I see! His eyes are similar to those of the Spear Master Sect apprentice who died that day.
Eyes that held fury, yet were so clear.
Now that I see the heir of the Spear Master Sect, it’s like the dead apprentice of Nok Yu-on has returned to stand before me.
I must be seeing things. But his eyes look the same…
Of course, the fact that the Sage of Bright Rock was right on the mark was not something he could have guessed.
Not unless Woon-seong ever let his secret out.
As the Sage’s eyes considered Woon-seong, the young man had titled his head back and closed his eyes.
The Imperial Palace, the Cult of the Inverted Sky.
If they really are involved in my master’s death, then my road will only get rougher.
It’s the Imperial Court we’re talking about.
In fact, the Imperial Court was the biggest problem. Their power was unimaginable.
Woon-seong swallowed some saliva, gripping the White Night Spear tightly.
Even the most powerful faction of Murim… No, even if all of Murim combined their forces, they can’t dare fight against the might of the Imperial Court.
I need to fight power with power.
So it’s King Jinseong again.
Woon-seong opened his eyes.
He glanced at the Sage, who was still severely bleeding. The man’s outfit was drenched in blood. Kneeling in a puddle of his own blood, the man’s face was waxy and pale.
“Let’s stop your bleeding first.”
At his words, the Sage nodded and tapped his shoulder a few times, cutting off circulation to that area.
The wound stopped bleeding as soon as he tapped it.
In that state, the qi barrier was also shattered.
“Sage!” Lim Soo-yeon hurriedly rushed over. “You! What is the meaning of this?!”
Of course, Woon-seong completely ignored her.
Still talking to the Sage, he said, “This does not mean I am forgiving you. Your life is now in my hands. Do you agree?”
Sage Myung narrowed his eyes, then nodded.
Just now, Woon-seong had clearly spared his life by only cutting off his beard.
Given that Woon-seong could let him live, that also meant Woon-seong could end the Sage’s life at any time.
“I agree.”
Woon-seong folded his arms across his chest.
“Good. Then…”