Chapter v17c6

As the man reflected on the brief stroll, a bittersweet sadness washed over him. What saddened him most was that he had been the decisive factor in that scene.

“There’s still so much conflict in this world. Even though a great calamity is looming, people are more interested in fighting each other than uniting against the threat.”

Had humanity lost the ability to see beyond the immediate future? “Foresight” wasn’t some supernatural power. It was a combination of logical deduction, intuition, and insight, a realistic ability that could be developed through learning and contemplation. It rarely fell from the sky, and it was wiser to be skeptical of those who claimed otherwise, especially those who used the name of God and the fear of the afterlife to peddle their wares. They were all false prophets.

The foundation of foresight was imagination. If you only accepted what was presented to you, you would only see the surface. To see beyond the surface, to grasp the essence, you needed imagination and insight.

And in this case, it didn’t even require that much imagination. Just a moment of reflection would reveal the futility of their petty squabbles in the face of a greater threat.

The impending calamity would sweep away all their childish games like a tsunami. To prevent that tsunami from destroying their fragile peace, they needed to unite. It was a matter of their own survival, and the survival of their descendants. But most people didn’t seem to understand this. They weren’t interested in their own future. It was as if they were denying their own existence as part of the world.

A cloud of dust rose from behind them. It wasn’t the sound of horses. It was the sound of martial artists using their lightness skill.

Reinforcements? The seventy-nine men lying on the ground weren’t the entirety of the Thousand Horses Fort’s forces.

Jin So-ryeong, Yu Eun-seong, and the driver tensed up again. They were exhausted from the previous battle. They had no strength left to fight.

But Jin So-ryeong’s face brightened. She recognized some of the approaching figures. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes. The tension that had been gripping her like a hangman’s noose loosened. But then, she was confused.

*But how? The signal couldn’t have reached the sect.*

And they had arrived much faster than she had expected.

*And who is that?!*

The woman leading the group of fifty disciples was a familiar figure. It was Hye-wol, one of the five elders of the Emei Sect, known as the “White-Haired Demon” among some disciples. She was a survivor of the Heavenly Calamity Blood bath. One could only imagine how old she was.

Despite her age, Elder Hye-wol had sharp eyes. She recognized Jin So-ryeong from afar.

She was alarmed to see one of the Emei Sect’s most promising disciples in danger. She shouted to the man she had rescued and her disciples,

“I’ll go ahead!”

She didn’t trust men, and the first thing she noticed was the mysterious man standing next to Jin So-ryeong. She had to separate them. She accelerated, her body spinning like a whirlwind, squeezing between them.

“Who are you? What are you doing to this child, you wolf?!”

She believed that all men were wolves or jackals. The man in the straw hat shook his head, amused.

“Hye-wol, you still haven’t gotten over your fear of men, I see.”

Jin So-ryeong twisted her ankle, and Yu Eun-seong hiccuped.

“Hye-wol…?”

Her voice rose in disbelief.

“You insolent bastard! How dare you address me so informally…!”

Her outburst was cut short as she recognized the man’s face.

“Eeeeek! Cough! Cough!”

She shrieked, then choked on her own scream, coughing violently. It was an embarrassing display, but she didn’t care.

Her soul, overwhelmed by shock, had left her body and traveled to the underworld, but after consulting with the King of Hell, it was discovered that her time hadn’t come yet. Two grim reapers were severely punished for negligence, and her soul was returned to her body. Hye-wol, her face pale from the experience, prostrated herself before the man. It was an unprecedented display of respect, something she had never shown even to the Emei Sect’s leader.

“H-Hye-wol of the Emei Sect greets your esteemed presence!”

Her voice trembled.

Jin So-ryeong and Yu Eun-seong rubbed their eyes, which had widened to the size of lanterns.

“Thank you for the energetic greeting. It’s been a while.”

The man in the straw hat said, smiling. Hye-wol cowered even lower.

“I won’t beg for forgiveness. I’ll atone for my insolence with my death.”

Her voice was shaking.

“Hahaha, that’s a bit extreme for a greeting after all these years. Death? And why are you calling yourself lowly? Everyone makes mistakes. Just don’t repeat them. I’m not offended. Get up.”

“N-No, sir. I don’t deserve to stand before you.”

But her body was lifted off the ground by an invisible force. She quickly lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.

“It’s uncomfortable for me. I’m getting a crick in my neck looking down at you. But what’s going on? That young lady said the Red Lotus Signal wouldn’t reach the Emei Sect from here.”

Hye-wol explained the situation. She had heard rumors of bandits operating in the area, disrespecting the Emei Sect. So, being a model elder, filled with a sense of justice and duty… she had led a group of disciples to subdue them. She had also rescued a young man named Jang, who had been robbed by the bandits. She had even given him some pointers on his swordsmanship, taking pity on him for being so easily robbed.

“So, did you enjoy your little workout?”

“Y-Yes, sir. Of course. I was getting restless from being cooped up in the sect for so long… Gah!”

She clapped her hand over her mouth, realizing her slip of the tongue. Jin So-ryeong began to question her faith in the Emei Sect.

The man in the straw hat chuckled.

“Hahaha, you’re still as lively as ever.”

“I-I’m ashamed of myself, sir.”

He had been in seclusion for over fifty years. Rumors of his death had spread throughout the Jianghu. And now, he had reappeared. Hye-wol was truly moved. She had been granted another audience with a legend.

Jin So-ryeong, Yu Eun-seong, and the driver stood frozen, their faces pale.

Who was this man that Hye-wol, one of the most respected elders of the Sichuan martial arts world, revered so much? And they had been so rude to him?

What if Hye-wol found out that they had intended to run him over with their carriage? She might revert to her old ways, when she was known as the “Bloodstorm.”

“I’ll contact the sect leader immediately and have her come to greet you.”

Hye-wol said, as if it were her duty. But the man in the straw hat raised his hand, stopping her. He didn’t want to complicate his journey any further. His encounter with them had been unplanned.

*But perhaps it was fate? Then I hope this seed of coincidence will blossom into something good.*

“That won’t be necessary. My destination isn’t the Emei Sect. I wouldn’t want to trouble the sect leader.”

“No trouble at all, sir! How could we possibly consider your visit a burden? It would be an honor to have you visit our humble sect. And your room will be preserved forever. We could even turn it into a memorial hall for future generations. The other sects would be green with envy. So please, don’t refuse. Just a few days…”

Hye-wol pleaded, her eyes shining with excitement. But the man was resolute.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have much time. We’ll part ways here.”

Disappointment clouded Hye-wol’s face. It was as if the sky had fallen. She was truly heartbroken.

“…Very well, sir. As you wish.”

She said reluctantly.

“Thank you. And please take care of those men.”

“Yes, sir. Don’t worry. I’ll teach them a lesson they won’t forget.”

She licked her upper lip, an old habit resurfacing.

*Tsk, tsk. She still hasn’t broken that habit. The Thousand Horses Fort’s days are numbered.*

He felt a twinge of pity for the Thousand Horses Fort, but it was fleeting. If you wanted to harm others, you had to be prepared to be harmed yourself. It was only fair.

“You’re not as young as you used to be. Try not to shed too much blood.”

He said, knowing it was pointless. A few days later, the Thousand Horses Fort vanished from the Jianghu.

But no one died.

Of course not. There had been much debate throughout history, but a half-death had never been considered a true death.

However, as many scholars had noted, there were times when death was preferable to life. Buddha had preached that all life was suffering. Heaven and hell were both on earth, not in some other realm.

Would they choose heaven or hell? The choice was always theirs, not God’s.