Chapter v16c23

*A New Rebirth*

– Destruction and Regeneration –

“Now that you know everything, do you have anything to say?” Bi Ryu-yeon asked.

“No, I don’t. It’s too tiresome and pointless.”

Young Master Bi replied, his voice surprisingly calm and composed.

“It seems like I’ve been caught. No one would believe my excuses now, would they?”

He admitted defeat with unexpected ease. Gasps of shock and disbelief rippled through the crowd.

“So you killed An Myeong-hu?”

“I didn’t kill him personally. But I’m not entirely innocent. You can consider it my doing. I used a tool, but it was my tool.”

“Why? What was your purpose?”

“You want to know my reasons?”

“Of course!”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded.

“To break free from outdated traditions! And to bring about a new rebirth of the Jianghu!”

Young Master Bi declared, his eyes burning with conviction.

“A new rebirth? Why?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked, puzzled. Why would he want to destroy the current Jianghu?

“Are you really asking that?”

“Of course I’m asking! Don’t assume everyone knows what you know. That’s as foolish as thinking you know everything!”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, his voice light and casual.

“Then let me tell you! This Jianghu is a stagnant swamp. A polluted lake, that’s the true face of the current Jianghu. A festering pit of maggots, clinging to their inherited power and privilege, sucking on the sweet nectar of authority!”

Young Master Bi spat out the words with disgust.

“A rigid system of education, blind obedience to authority, unquestioning acceptance of outdated teachings! Fools who believe that mimicking the teachings of their ancestors is the ultimate goal! What new creation can arise from blindly following formalized teachings? We have a long way to go before we can grasp the true essence of martial arts. Why should we be held back by the preservation of tradition? Are they so afraid of losing their power and privilege? It’s better to destroy those outdated systems! Only destruction can bring about a new rebirth!”

“So you’re saying tradition is useless for progress and development?”

“Those are your words, not mine. I never said tradition was useless. I’m saying that blindly imitating tradition only corrupts it, distorts the truth. There’s a world of difference between respecting and inheriting the teachings of the past and blindly mimicking them. If you can’t see that difference, all I have for you is contempt.”

His fiery speech continued.

“Fools who cling to the words of their ancestors instead of their true intentions! Fools who try to understand the whole by looking at a single part! How much has this Jianghu changed in the past hundred years? How much progress has been made?”

“So the establishment of the Heavenly Martial Academy and the Heavenly Demon Pavilion wasn’t progress?”

“It was a decent attempt. But the system is flawed. Instead of seeking the true essence of martial arts, you’re just repeating the same power struggles. You’re too busy clinging to your own factions, your own sense of security, to care about the peace of the Jianghu! You don’t even believe in it. How can you truly pursue something you don’t believe in?”

His passionate speech turned into a cold sneer.

“Hmph, preserving tradition? You’re just tarnishing the legacy of your ancestors! You’re nothing but maggots! It’s better to destroy a farm that only produces sheep! The Jianghu needs dragons and tigers, those who seek the true path of martial arts!”

His voice was firm, unwavering, as if he had no doubt about the righteousness of his cause.

“Bravo! Bravo!”

A sudden applause broke the tension. It was Bi Ryu-yeon, clapping enthusiastically.

“You’re absolutely right. We can’t move forward if we’re bound by the past. The present has value because it transcends the past.”

“Why are you siding with him?”

Jang Hong snapped, annoyed. Bi Ryu-yeon’s behavior was suspicious.

“But!”

Bi Ryu-yeon paused.

“Just because a theory is sound, just because words are right, doesn’t mean the actions are justified.”

His eyes gleamed.

“Right words have value only when they’re accompanied by right actions. Otherwise, they’re just empty rhetoric. And from what I see, your actions aren’t right. Pursuing extremes without balance only leads to destruction, not creation. It creates backlash and chaos. It’s destruction for the sake of destruction, not destruction for the sake of creation. And that’s not fun!”

Everyone was stunned. They had never heard him speak so seriously.

“That’s right. And your plan has been exposed! We’ve secured the Flame Rain in the storage room. Give up! You’ve lost!”

Jang Hong declared.

“Lost? Hahaha!”

Young Master Bi laughed, his voice cold and menacing.

“You think you’ve stopped my plan? You’ve only caught a small fry. It was just bait, leftovers. It’s too late! You fools! You maggots who infest the Jianghu! Everything is ready. The plan will proceed as scheduled!”

His voice was chilling, unlike his usual self.

“Wh-What?!”

The crowd gasped in horror.

“It’s a shame the leader of the Orthodox Alliance isn’t here… I could have wiped them all out at once… But I’ll show you proof.”

Young Master Bi raised his hand, and the ground began to shake.

“Wh-What’s happening? Is it an earthquake?”

The valley trembled violently. Young Master Bi and his followers chanted in unison.

“Stagnant water rots, unused swords rust! The fire dragon will soar, and a flood of fire will engulf the mountain! And from the ashes, the phoenix will rise!”

Their voices were like a spell.

“I, with the beacon of fire, herald the beginning of a new world!”

*Heavenly Sword, Blood Oath, Blood Demon Returns!*

The formation activated.

Pillars of fire erupted from twelve points around the valley, like waterfalls flowing upwards.

The rising flames were just the beginning, a sign of the awakening dragon.

“Stop this at once! Do you think you can escape from us?”

The Sword Saint shouted, his voice commanding. His instincts screamed at him. Those flames were dangerous.

“It’s useless.”

“What?”

“Once the Fire Dragon World-Ending Formation is activated, even I can’t stop it. The awakened fire dragon won’t rest until it has consumed everything. And I won’t be caught.”

Young Master Bi retreated with incredible speed.

Boom!

The platform exploded, the Hellfire Bombs detonating on cue. A shockwave and a storm of debris swept over the crowd. Explosions erupted throughout the Red Plum Valley, as if someone was trying to level it.

“Do you think you can escape?”

Flying Thunder Daggers, Fifth Technique, Sword Qi Assassination Technique: Meteor Butterfly Sword

Dozens of sword lights, sharp as meteorites, shot from Bi Ryu-yeon’s arms, hurtling towards Young Master Bi. But Young Master Bi’s body split into three. The sword lights passed harmlessly through the first two images.

*Could it be the Three-Layered Shadow?*

The Three-Layered Shadow was a secret technique of the Flying Thunder Sect. Young Master Bi’s technique wasn’t exactly the same, but it was very similar. He landed and immediately attacked, not giving Bi Ryu-yeon a chance to recover.

Shadow Thunder, Remnant Trace

Invisible blades, infused with killing intent, flew towards Bi Ryu-yeon. But Bi Ryu-yeon, a firm believer in the law of equivalent exchange, dodged them all.

“He dodged them all… And it was three times stronger than before!”

Young Master Bi gasped.

“Did you think I would fall for the same trick twice? So it was you that night, hiding in the shadows. I had a hunch…”

His hunch had been right.

“I’ll add arson, bombing, attempted murder, and kidnapping to your list of crimes.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, ticking off the charges on his fingers. Young Master Bi frowned, annoyed. But the second signal was rising.

“Sorry, but I have to go. Time’s up! It’s time for the dragon to soar!”

He couldn’t afford to stay any longer. He and his followers would be consumed by the fire dragon. He couldn’t achieve his goals as a pile of ashes. He retreated quickly.

Flame Rain, mixed with Dragon Scales, a fine gunpowder, erupted from hidden devices called “Descending Dragon,” placed according to the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. The Dragon Scales, carried by the wind, formed a giant ring, and the flames roared along it.

Fire Dragon World-Ending Formation, Second Stage Activated!

The sleeping fire dragon had awakened. It roared, spewing flames, engulfing the valley in a river of fire. The flames danced, forming the scales of the dragon’s body. Black smoke filled the air, choking them. The heat was intense, the air shimmering.

The dragon’s head met its tail, forming a wall of fire, trapping them.

Screams filled the air as people panicked.

There was only one entrance to the Red Plum Valley. A temporary path would open for a brief moment as the formation transitioned from the first stage to the second stage. If they missed that window, they would be consumed by the flames.

Young Master Bi quickly subdued Dokgo Ryeong and led his followers towards the escape route. Bi Ryu-yeon tried to follow, but he was blocked by the Seven Stars of the Heavenly Demon.

Young Master Bi, carrying a woman in his arms, and his followers escaped through the temporary path. As soon as they passed through the entrance, it collapsed with a thunderous roar. The Red Plum Valley was sealed.

The raging flames transformed the valley into a fiery hell. The Sword Saint, the Sword Empress, the Sword Demon, and Elder Hyuk combined their powers, trying to contain the flames, but it was useless. They were no match for the Fire Dragon World-Ending Formation, just as the Hellfire Bombs had been no match for them.