Chapter v18c3

The junior brother smirked, pleased with himself for landing a blow. He had been annoyed by the loss of his briefly held psychological advantage, but now he had regained the upper hand in the battle of timing. It was exhilarating. Si-Geon offered a warning, laced with amusement,

“It would be wise to remain still, Brother. ‘Purple Cloud’ is quite sensitive and reacts to the slightest movement. You might get hurt. Unintentionally, of course.”

Bi, who prided himself on his composure and cold-bloodedness, couldn’t help but groan inwardly.

“Is that technique…?”

Si-Geon, inwardly pleased with the results of his secluded training, replied with pride.

“Yes, it is. ‘Purple Cloud’.”

“Purple Cloud? Are you referring to *that* Purple Cloud?”

This time, even Bi seemed surprised.

“Is there another Purple Cloud? *That* Purple Cloud, the secret technique that rivals your ‘Shadow Lightning’.”

To be rivals meant that the two techniques were on equal footing. Unlike the term “unparalleled,” which referred to something without equal, this was a silent declaration and demonstration of power, implying that Si-Geon had finally attained a level equal to Bi’s.

“So you’ve finally perfected it. Congratulations.”

Bi spoke in a flat, emotionless tone, his words betraying his true feelings.

“Thank you. But it’s still not at the level of your ‘Shadow Scar Lightning Strike’.”

He was implying that it wasn’t a matter of the techniques’ inherent power, but simply a matter of mastery, a difference that would eventually be overcome with time. Well, it might not even matter anymore.

“That’s unusually humble of you. So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to kill me?”

Bi asked in an indifferent tone. Knowing the nature of the technique, he was able to remain calm. There was nothing more frightening than ignorance. Once he understood, there was nothing to fear. Si-Geon had weakened himself by boasting. Si-Geon replied, oblivious to this fact,

“Kill you? Don’t say such horrible things. I have more faith in you than that, Brother.”

Si-Geon replied cheerfully, confident in his advantage.

“Do you want to test it out?”

Bi asked, staring directly into Si-Geon’s eyes. Si-Geon swallowed nervously at his intense gaze. Bi’s provocation was working. He was fighting a powerful temptation.

“…A test…”

He wanted to shout, “Yes, let’s test it out!” But he managed to suppress the urge that surged within him.

“Let’s… postpone the test for now.”

It wasn’t the right time.

“Very well.”

Bi replied in a flat tone, averting his piercing gaze.

Snap!

Si-Geon snapped his fingers, and the web of killing intent that had enveloped Bi vanished. This display of power was sufficient. He didn’t want to reveal too much of his skills. It wasn’t the right time for a decisive confrontation. Si-Geon might be arrogant, but he wasn’t blinded by pride.

“You haven’t changed, Brother.”

Si-Geon said, forcing a smile as he withdrew his Qi.

“Unlike you, I have principles.”

Bi’s reply was still blunt and critical. His condescending tone grated on Si-Geon’s nerves. He couldn’t stand his self-assured composure. He wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight unless he landed a blow.

“On a different note, you’ve surprised me, Brother.”

“What are you talking about?”

His exaggerated tone irked Bi.

“Oh, don’t play dumb. You might have failed, but I heard you brought back a prize.”

“A prize?”

“Yes. The rumors are spreading.”

“I have no recollection.”

Bi flatly denied it, but Si-Geon persisted. This was just the beginning, he couldn’t stop now. The joy of disrupting his brother’s perfect composure beckoned him.

“You know… that woman. The one you brought back from this mission…”

A terrifying killing intent erupted from the Great Young Master Bi. Si-Geon tensed, bracing himself against the overwhelming pressure.

“What are you talking about?”

‘As expected…’

It was a sharp, intense killing intent, painful as if ten million needles were piercing his body.

“There’s no need to get so worked up. I’m not criticizing you. It’s natural for a hero to indulge in romance, isn’t it? I was actually impressed. To think you had a romantic side.”

He was implying that she must have been special. There was no point if she wasn’t.

“She must have been quite a beauty.”

Black flames flickered coldly in Bi’s eyes.

‘Did I hit a nerve?’

A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. But he wasn’t weak enough to be intimidated by this. He wouldn’t have survived in this place if he were.

‘I might be able to use this later.’

He inwardly rejoiced. It was rare to see Bi express his emotions so openly. It was a weakness he could exploit.

As if reading his thoughts, Bi spoke, his cold, hard voice breaking the silence.

“…Mind your own business!”

His tone was laced with an undeniable authority.

“It’s just a simple curiosity. Nothing more. Yes, just curious. About what happened to that prize, I mean, that woman. I’m a man too, you know, Brother?”

This young man also spoke the words often uttered by those who had ulterior motives.

“She’s dead.”

Bi replied, his expression cold and hard.

“Huh? Dead?”

The young man’s eyes widened. He had delicately probed his brother, curious about why a cold-blooded man like him had brought back a woman, wondering if there was some hidden story …

Anyone would be surprised to hear she was dead. It was like a thief meticulously planning to steal a treasure, only to discover, just before executing the plan, that the treasure had already been stolen. What was the saying? Barking up the wrong tree?

“Yes, she’s dead!”

Bi’s voice was as sharp as a blade, repeating his answer with absolute certainty. Si-Geon, momentarily speechless, had no intention of offering meaningless condolences. He refused to be silenced. He had to strike back, or the anger that had been simmering within him wouldn’t be quelled.

“Hmm, alright then. I suppose that’s for the best.”

He could only find a small satisfaction in echoing his brother’s words.

“Do as you please.”

Bi replied nonchalantly. But he couldn’t completely hide his agitation, his fist trembling slightly. Si-Geon didn’t miss it. Satisfied, Si-Geon bowed lightly.

“It seems I won’t be seeing you for a while, Brother.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have to run an errand in Nanchang.”

“Nanchang?”

If his destination was Nanchang, then there was only one place he could be going.

“Cheonmu Academy…”

The place that had directly contributed to their failure, the place where the true strength of the Righteous Faction resided, the place that, along with the Heavenly Sword Alliance, would be the biggest obstacle to their future plans.

“We’ve decided to implement that plan.”

“N-no way?!”

Si-Geon smirked, enjoying his brother’s shock.

“The same plan you’re thinking of, Brother.”

“I thought that plan had been scrapped?”

“It’s always good to be prepared. I didn’t expect your ‘Ascent of the Fire Dragon’ to fail, but you didn’t think we would be completely unprepared for failure, did you?”

One couldn’t survive in this harsh world with such naive optimism. It wasn’t a place for brainless fools.

“Why wasn’t I informed?”

“Master ordered you to be confined for a while. He entrusted this mission to me. We’ll be using the Thirteen Bloods.”

“The Thirteen Bloods?”

“Yes.”

“You’re using those killing machines?”

“If we’re going to strike, we have to eliminate the target swiftly. You’ve been working tirelessly while I was in seclusion, so it’s time for you to rest, Brother. I’ll take care of things from now on.”

It was a thinly veiled message, a more palatable version of, “You were just a temporary replacement while I was away. You’ve worked hard, running around and failing while I was gone. Now that I’m back, you can step aside. I’ll handle things from here. It would be best if you rested permanently.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course. Do you want to confirm it?”

Si-Geon said with a smirk, enjoying his newfound authority. It was exhilarating to be the one giving orders, after always being the one who had to obey.

“No need. I wish you success. But as your brother, I’ll give you a piece of advice before you embark on your journey.”

They both felt a surge of discomfort at the mention of brotherly affection, something that never existed between them.

“Don’t underestimate them. They’re strong.”

It was wisdom he had gained from firsthand experience.

“Thank you for the advice. I’ll keep it in mind.”

It was a perfunctory response, but he couldn’t resist adding a parting shot. It was in his nature.

“Oh, and say hello to the dead girl for me.”

With a final, insincere bow, Si-Geon turned and walked towards the door. As the heavy door creaked open, he disappeared into the hallway.

Rumble!

The stone door leading to the outside world closed with a heavy thud.

Bang!

‘It’ started from Bi’s shoulder blade, traveled down his elbow, and then towards his sleeve, moving with incredible speed.

As the door closed, his right arm swelled, and then exploded with a bang.

“Ugh!”

He groaned, clutching his right shoulder. Despite the loud explosion, his arm was unharmed. However, the sleeve covering it had been shredded into tiny triangular pieces that scattered into the air, like shrapnel from a grenade. It was a manifestation of the latent energy embedded within the sleeve, released with explosive force.

“I knew he wouldn’t leave quietly!”

He must have been itching to show off his strength.

“…He couldn’t completely neutralize my energy.”

It was a terrifying technique, capable of severing his right arm.

But Bi hadn’t forgotten to return the favor.