Chapter v12c11

“I don’t exist in the martial world. So, I have nothing to tell you about it. I feel like I might have done something, but I’ve forgotten what it was. It was too long ago. It must have been something trivial, something that doesn’t need to be brought up now.”

“So, it’s senile dementia after all!”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded, as if he were the renowned physician Hua Tuo, diagnosing his master with absolute certainty.

“You brat!”

The old man’s face turned crimson, and his hand lashed out.

Slap!

A chestnut from his master landed on his forehead, sparking with punitive flames. Stars danced before Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes.

“Ouch! Oh, the injustice! It seems honesty and truth are no longer valued in this world!”

True to his nature, Bi Ryu-yeon wouldn’t admit he was wrong, even if it killed him.

“You damned brat! I’ve told you countless times to have respect and reverence for your master… Respect and love for your master should be like faith!”

The old man said with conviction.

“Today, I’ll teach you, who has no respect whatsoever, what the honor and pride of our sect mean, and what it means to uphold them. You damned fool! Listen carefully with those tiny ears of yours!”

The old man spoke in a stern, authoritative voice. He was clearly angry. Rebelling at times like this never ended well. Bi Ryu-yeon knew from his long years as a disciple that his master was fearsome when he was serious.

The old man slowly began to speak.

“No laws of any nation apply to me. I am not bound by any rules or regulations. I am not constrained by the hypocritical morality and etiquette that people have created and embellished with their tongues. I only see and hear with my own eyes and ears, and I speak and act according to my own heart.”

The old man paused, glancing at Bi Ryu-yeon to see if he was listening, and then continued.

“What is right doesn’t become wrong just because others say it’s wrong. The opposite is also true. Don’t measure your worth with the yardstick of others and get swept away by the foolish charade of the masses. We only need to be true to the standard of truth set by our own hearts.”

“We?”

“Yes! You and I! We! As disciples of the Flying Thunder Sect, we must think and act accordingly. So, we must be responsible for our name.”

“Name?”

“Yes, name! There’s only one thing I still remember and will pass on to you.”

An invisible aura of dignity rose from the old man like a heat haze. Suddenly, he seemed to have grown into a giant.

“No one can use the name ‘Flying Thunder’. It doesn’t matter who they are. Only the descendants of our Flying Thunder Sect can use that name.”

“What about the character ‘Thunder’?”

“Thunder? Hmm…”

The old man seemed to ponder for a moment.

“Permission is required to use that name. No incompetent person can use the name of Thunder. There are too many mediocre, insignificant fools in the world who casually attach the name ‘Thunder’ to their titles. It’s pathetic. They have no skill, yet they’re blinded by vanity and abuse the name of Thunder! Teach those fools a lesson. Tell them that name is not for them to use.”

“What about the character ‘Lightning’?”

Bi Ryu-yeon was persistent. The old man glanced at him. The boy tried to avoid his gaze, but the old man was faster.

Slap! Sparks flew before his eyes.

“Same thing, same thing! Those who haven’t passed the test are not qualified to use the name of Thunder and Lightning. Of course.”

The old man added,

“Honor is respect for one’s name. Therefore, to defile one’s name is to defile one’s honor. So, you must strive to protect the name of our Flying Thunder Sect with pride. Can you tolerate seeing our name being defiled by others?”

“How can I tolerate such a thing?”

Of course, he couldn’t, and shouldn’t, tolerate such a thing. He knew all too well that tolerating such things was detrimental to his mental health. It wouldn’t help him live a happy life.

“So, keep that in mind!”

“Yes, Teacher!”

Bi Ryu-yeon replied in a firm, resolute voice. He wasn’t his usual playful self, making silly jokes.

“Master!”

The old man roared.

“Yes! Teacher!”

Bi Ryu-yeon immediately replied. This time, the word “Master” was nowhere to be found. The old man’s fist slowly rose, preparing for another punishment. Bi Ryu-yeon subtly shifted his position, ready to flee, slightly lifting his buttocks from the rock he was sitting on.

But his master’s fist didn’t fly. At that moment, the tip of his fishing rod twitched and swayed. It was the long-awaited bite.

He remembered that his master, though always capricious and demanding, was quite strict when it came to honor.

Was it called “having one’s ears worn out”? In situations like this, even if he didn’t want to, his mind would be filled with noise due to associations, forcing him to act. Bi Ryu-yeon wasn’t quite at that level, but he wasn’t kind enough to silently forgive those who defiled his sect and his name. He was no saint.

Patches of clouds, high in the blue sky peeking through the split gorge, were galloping like powerful horses, carried by the strong west wind.

“I have to do what needs to be done!”

He said quietly, his voice flat.

**Yeomdo’s Grave Mistake**

“Do you know the Heaven and Earth Union?”

Dongfang Xue asked.

“H-How do you…?”

Yeomdo was shocked that someone else knew about it.

“Because we’ve experienced it firsthand!”

A shadow of pain, endured from the past to the present, flickered across Dongfang Xue and Gong Pai’s faces.

‘They survived that technique?’

Yeomdo and Binggeom couldn’t help but be astonished. The Heaven and Earth Union was one of their master’s most powerful sealing techniques. Both of them agreed that even a man made of iron couldn’t survive a direct hit from it. How could they believe that these two old men had survived it?

However, the truth was that these two old men hadn’t survived a direct hit from that terrifying technique. They had sided with the Heavenly Tribulation a hundred years ago, sweeping through the righteous and demonic factions, spreading fear and chaos. But both of them had suffered a bitter defeat at the hands of the Taiji Divine Lord. Even though they were friends back then, their combined attack couldn’t withstand the left saber and right sword of the Taiji Divine Lord, Martial God Hyeok Wol-rin. The wounds they had received from the sword energy of his right hand and the sword flame energy of his left hand still remained on their bodies.

Honestly, when they faced the Heaven and Earth Union, they had given up all resistance and hope of survival. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of their master, “that person,” they would have been buried there that day. And for a hundred years, they had strived to overcome that defeat. Even though it wasn’t their master himself, the time for revenge had come.

“Show us the Heaven and Earth Union.”

But the two men could only remain silent. They couldn’t possibly demonstrate a technique they hadn’t mastered yet.

“Why are you hesitating? Are you afraid?”

“No, we’re not. We don’t know the meaning of fear.”

“Then could it be that… you haven’t mastered it yet?”

Dongfang Xue asked incredulously. Binggeom and Yeomdo’s faces flushed red with shame.

“Everyone has their own circumstances. Don’t pry too deeply. The fact remains that we will face you.”

The old man’s eyes narrowed at Binggeom’s words. He was known for his sharp intuition.

“What happened to the Divine Lord?”

His voice was carefully controlled, devoid of any emotional tremor. He didn’t want the enemy to sense his agitation.

“He is a man praised as the Martial God. He’s not someone you can address so casually as ‘Divine Lord’.”

Binggeom retorted coldly.

“Is he still alive?”

He subtly probed Binggeom and Yeomdo. This was a matter of utmost importance to them, who were under the shadow of the Heavenly Tribulation.

“Do you think there’s a sword in this world that can harm him?”

Binggeom answered evasively, without revealing anything. He didn’t say his master was alive, but he didn’t say he was dead either. The Twin Demons’ sharp gazes, like blades, seemed to dissect Binggeom’s cold eyes, trying to discern the truth. But the blue-haired swordsman didn’t flinch.

“…”

The Twin Demons responded with silence. The Martial God. They knew his divine power all too well. They had learned a painful lesson. Even though they were enemies, it was difficult to speak of him casually.

However, Dongfang Xue was no ordinary man. He was a prominent figure in the demonic path, a veteran of countless battles. He was usually a man of few words, but he never remained silent when he needed to speak. He instinctively sensed a weakness in this tug-of-war. His sharp gaze shifted to Yeomdo. He knew what he had to do.

Dongfang Xue clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, if you’re trying to say he’s still alive, I’m afraid I can’t believe it. He’s probably dead, lying in a field somewhere, eaten by wild animals. Tell me where his grave is later. I’ll burn some incense for him, for old times’ sake. Hate the sin, not the sinner, as they say. I’ll spare him the punishment of exhumation and dismemberment. Even though he deserves it a thousand times over. You should be grateful for our kindness and generosity! Come to think of it, he must have been quite pitiful in his final years. To die without leaving a proper successor… Don’t you think? With only two half-baked disciples… Are you two even a proper pair?”

Every word was a sharp jab, designed to provoke a reaction. The old man’s mocking words pierced Yeomdo and Binggeom’s hearts. The final blow was especially devastating. Yeomdo’s anger finally exploded.

“Shut up! You damned old man! Don’t you dare insult my deceased master anymore! I’ll tear you to shreds!”

“Yeomdo!”

Binggeom cried out, his voice almost a scream. Yeomdo’s face instantly paled. He realized the gravity of his mistake.

“You fool, you idiot!”

Yeomdo had no words to defend himself.

“Kuk…, kuk…”

Despite the terrifying threat of being torn to shreds, a triumphant smile appeared on Dongfang Xue’s ashen lips. He couldn’t contain his joy.

“Kuahahaha! Kuahahaha! Uhahaha!”

A loud, boisterous laughter, filled with glee, erupted from the old man’s thin frame, echoing through the gorge. The ground trembled. Some of the disciples covered their ears.

“So, the Martial God Hyeok Wol-rin is finally dead? I couldn’t even breathe properly because of him… Now I can finally walk freely under the sun. I was worried that no one could stop the Martial God if ‘that person’ didn’t step in… Thank you for letting me know. Thank you so much!”

Binggeom’s face hardened, his expression grim. It was the face of a man who had resolved to fight to the death. Yeomdo was in shock, horrified by his own mistake.

That damned loose tongue, Binggeom thought. It was a secret that should never have been revealed. The reason the Heavenly Tribulation had remained hidden, operating in secrecy, was because of the looming shadows of the Martial God Hyeok Wol-rin and the Demonic Martial God Gal Jung-Hyuk. If one of those two weights, the Martial God, was gone, the shadow’s color would undoubtedly fade.

Yeomdo, finally snapping out of his mental shock, shouted to Namgung Sang, who was standing some distance away,

“Sang, deploy the barrier with the Vermilion Bird Squad! Don’t let anyone in. And no matter the cost, we cannot let those two escape.”

“Yes? Y-Yes!”

Namgung Sang looked confused, but he obeyed the order. The Vermilion Bird Squad dispersed, quickly surrounding the two old men. The weapons in their hands glowed faintly. However, most of the disciples still didn’t understand what was happening.

Yeomdo shouted again,

“What are the rest of you doing just standing there? Is this a sightseeing trip? Move your asses if you don’t want to die! Anyone who dawdles will be subjected to fifty repetitions of the special training course.”

At Yeomdo’s bellow, the idle disciples hurriedly sprang into action. Strangely, they still seemed clueless about what had transpired. Their expressions clearly showed they didn’t understand the reason for the commotion. Despite being surrounded by nearly fifty people, the two old men remained calm, their expressions as serene as if they were on a leisurely stroll.

“We cannot let them escape!”

Binggeom’s face was contorted with desperation.

“Do you understand, you fool? You’ll have to clean up your own mess. We cannot let them escape, even if it means resorting to that damned joint attack!”

The fact that he was willing to resort to a joint attack, something he hated more than death, showed how seriously he took this matter. He couldn’t allow himself to be the one who opened the floodgates for the Heavenly Tribulation. The Martial God and the Demonic Martial God had been the weights, the shackles that had restricted the Heavenly Tribulation’s movements for the past hundred years. He couldn’t face his deceased master if he failed.

His composure was gone, vanished without a trace. It was the first time Yeomdo had seen Binggeom, whose heart was said to be frozen solid, so flustered and panicked. The situation was that dire.

“Do you think killing us will solve anything? Those hiding up there aren’t deaf. My voice isn’t particularly loud, but I doubt they missed it. It’s too late, don’t you think?”

Yeomdo’s face paled at Dongfang Xue’s mocking words, his tone clearly condescending. It might be too late to stop a runaway cart. But Binggeom, standing beside him, didn’t even flinch. His expression was not that of a defeated man.

“That won’t happen. When that impulsive fool with no sense of self-preservation blurted out those stupid words, I sensed something was wrong and created a soundproof barrier with my Qi within a radius of three zhang. It’s a lifelong regret that I couldn’t shut his mouth, even if it meant crushing it… So, no one knows what happened, not those on the cliff, nor the kids setting up the barrier.”

“What?!”

“H-How did you…?”

The two old men exclaimed in shock. They hadn’t expected Binggeom to pull off such a trick in the midst of all the chaos.

“Well done, Cheol-su!”

Yeomdo was startled to hear himself call Binggeom by his old, familiar name, a name he hadn’t used in the past twenty years. He must have been incredibly happy to address him with a name he hadn’t used for two decades.

“I apologize for underestimating you. But do you think you can handle us with your own strength? You’re not relying on these young brats, are you?”

Binggeom’s counterattack exceeded Dongfang Xue’s expectations.

“We won’t know until we try!”

Binggeom replied flatly. A terrifying aura, like a surging wave, emanated from both Binggeom and Yeomdo. Their eyes were filled with determination.

Even the Flying Thunder Twin Demons couldn’t afford to be careless at this point. As if in response, a black killing intent rose from the two old men. As was typical of battles between masters, it began with a clash of auras. A formless vortex formed between them as their killing intents clashed. This phenomenon occurred when the formless Qi, which only masters could emit, collided. It was more a battle of willpower than internal energy.

Ordinary people couldn’t survive being caught in this formless current. Even the mystical art of harming others with one’s gaze was made possible by the power of this formless Qi. Therefore, jumping into the center of this clash of powerful, formless Qi was one of the surest ways for a martial artist to commit suicide.

However, someone walked into the center of this formless Qi vortex as casually as if taking a morning stroll. Of course, it was absurd, defying all logic. But it seemed that absurdity had swallowed logic, as the man remained unharmed amidst the explosive pressure of Qi.

“Hold on! Let’s stop here.”

The one who interrupted their confrontation in the most unexpected way was Bi Ryu-yeon.