Chapter v19c20

## Imprisonment

– Execute Bi Ryu-Yeon! (Continued)

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

The two swords on Cheong-Heun’s back leaped out as if they had a life of their own.

*‘The Three Rings Rotating Flying Swords won’t be enough to defeat him. I have no choice but to use the ultimate secret technique of the Three Emotions Tai Chi Sword Wisdom, the Limitless Sword, from the very beginning.’*

The Limitless Sword, the fourth sword born from the harmony of three swords, the unity of Heaven, Earth, and Man! He had used this technique two years ago at the Samsung Martial Arts Competition, tying with Mo Yong-Hwi and his Galaxy Flow Creation Sword. He had been shocked that he couldn’t win even with his strongest technique, and he had been honing his sword energy ever since.

*‘It was incomplete back then, but not anymore!’*

It might still lack depth, but he was confident in its technical perfection.

The three swords in front of his chest began to rotate, forming a circle like the Three Taiji Diagram.

“Hmm, that’s the technique you used against Hwi. It’s quite powerful, but it still takes a long time to prepare. And I’ve already seen it once.”

It was a warning.

“This technique can’t be countered just because you’ve seen it once. And you’re making a big mistake if you think it’s the same as before.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Say that after you’ve faced it!”

*Three Origins Unified! Primordial Taiji! Limitless Diagram!*

The three swords merged, and another sword emerged from within. It was a sword aura, far more powerful than before.

“Take this!”

* * *

*Three Emotions Tai Chi Sword Wisdom Secret Technique.*

*Limitless Sword.*

*Unification.*

* * *

The invisible sword aura, born from the harmony of three swords, shot towards Bi Ryu-Yeon with incredible speed, its power enough to pierce through anything. But Bi Ryu-Yeon didn’t panic. He advanced towards it.

“I told you! You’re doing it wrong!”

He untied the Black Dragon Rings on his right arm, and his arm shot forward. But it was incredibly slow, slower than a snail.

*‘It’s over!’*

Cheong-Heun was certain of his victory. But then his eyes widened in disbelief.

“N-no way!”

He gasped, despite the risk of disrupting his breathing. An impossible scene was unfolding before his eyes. The invisible sword aura, which had been hurtling towards Bi Ryu-Yeon with terrifying force, was now harmlessly passing through him.

“You can divide one into three, but you can’t create one by simply adding three together!”

* * *

*Flying Lightning Blade Advanced Secret Technique.*

*Chapter of Transformation.*

*Moderation.*

* * *

Bi Ryu-Yeon’s right hand, moving slowly, slipped between the three swords rotating in front of Cheong-Heun’s chest.

*‘No! It’s too dangerous!’*

It looked like suicide to Cheong-Heun. But…

*Boom!*

A deafening explosion shook the air, and Cheong-Heun stumbled back, unable to withstand the force.

“Ugh!”

He coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“Cheong-Heun!!”

Baek Moo-Young, who had been watching the duel with confidence, cried out in alarm. He leaped into the air, a red flag fluttering in his hand.

As soon as the signal flag was raised, thirty members of the No Resentment Unit and seventy members of the Nine Stars Society, who had been surrounding the garden, emerged from their hiding places.

The red flag waved twice to the left and three times to the right. The martial artists moved in unison, forming a sword formation. A hundred swords surrounded Bi Ryu-Yeon.

“What’s this? A welcoming committee? That’s quite a crowd.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon whistled softly, his gaze sweeping over the sea of swords. He wasn’t surprised. He had sensed their presence.

“You were worried about coming alone, huh? How timid.”

He said, his voice mocking.

“I was just being thorough.”

Baek Moo-Young’s ability to control a hundred men with a single flag was impressive. But Bi Ryu-Yeon remained unfazed, even surrounded by swords.

“Cheong-Heun, are you alright?”

Baek Moo-Young asked, supporting his friend, who had stumbled back five steps and coughed up blood.

“I’m… fine… Cough! Cough!”

Cheong-Heun replied, struggling to regain his breath.

“I told you to gang up on me before it was too late.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon said, clicking his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk, it seems you haven’t made much progress since two years ago. You won’t beat our Mr. Clean like that. You need to train harder.”

He was referring to Mo Yong-Hwi, of course. He had no qualms about using such a ridiculous nickname.

“H-how did you counter it?”

Cheong-Heun asked, his face pale. He had never imagined that his ultimate technique, honed through years of rigorous training, could be countered.

“Any change becomes meaningless when you control the center of change. And you can’t create the limitless by simply adding two or three limited things together. That’s why your technique is so easily countered. If you had truly embodied the limitless, it wouldn’t have been broken so easily.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon replied matter-of-factly. But not many people could actually do what he had just done.

“I still have much to learn. I… lost…”

Cheong-Heun admitted defeat.

“Well, don’t be too discouraged. I was able to counter it because I’m a genius.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon said, not shying away from self-praise.

“Now, since I won, can I go now? Can you get these people out of my way? It’s getting crowded.”

He said, looking at the men surrounding him, their eyes as sharp as their swords.

“I’m afraid not… You have to come with us.”

Baek Moo-Young wasn’t giving up.

“How cowardly.”

*Clang!*

Na Ye-Rin, who had been silently observing the situation, drew her sword, her expression cold. She wouldn’t stand by and watch him be outnumbered. It was the last thing Baek Moo-Young and Cheong-Heun wanted.

A ripple of unease spread through the ranks. Most of the men admired Na Ye-Rin, the Ice White Phoenix. And now they were on the verge of incurring her wrath.

But they couldn’t disobey orders. They were trapped. And their hatred for Bi Ryu-Yeon intensified.

“Even with your skills, you can’t defeat all of us.”

Baek Moo-Young said confidently.

“So, what are you going to do?”

The tension in the air was palpable.

* * *

Bi Ryu-Yeon broke the silence.

“Let me ask you one thing. Do you want to turn this place into a bloodbath?”

He asked, a cold smile playing on his lips. The tension in the air snapped, like a taut bowstring. One wrong move, and it would explode into a massacre.

“Do you think you can do that?”

“Of course I believe I can. I can even prove it to you, but…”

The hundred men felt a chill run down their spines, as if a predator was breathing down their necks.

He lowered his hand.

“Sigh, never mind. Ye-Rin is here, and I haven’t committed any crimes. I don’t want to get into unnecessary trouble.”

He said, shrugging, his palms up.

“Whoever orchestrated this cheap scheme will pay the price later.”

“You’re a terrifying man.”

Cheong-Heun said, wiping the sweat from his neck.

“Thank you for the compliment. They – whoever they are – will learn their lesson if their plan fails. And it will fail.”

“You’re not planning to go after them right now, are you?”

He was asking if he was still refusing to be arrested.

“No. I need some time, so there’s no need to rush. I’ll go with you. But do I have to wear jewelry?”

“Jewelry? Ah, you mean handcuffs!”

Cheong-Heun finally understood what he meant.

“You’re still a suspect, so we won’t handcuff you if you promise not to resist… But rules are rules. Please understand.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon, surprisingly, held out his hands. Baek Moo-Young noticed the two Black Dragon Rings on his wrists. They were too ornate and distinctive to ignore.

“What are these?”

He asked, looking at the ascending dragon emblem on the rings. The one that had fallen to the ground earlier was back on his wrist.

“Oh! I forgot about my previous engagement. These are also a form of restraint. They serve as jewelry too. So I guess it doesn’t matter if I wear one more. Go ahead and put them on.”

He urged them, his hands held together. Baek Moo-Young, though slightly uneasy, decided to proceed.

*‘They’re just jewelry…’*

But they were more than just jewelry. However, they didn’t seem to have any special mechanisms, so he decided to allow it. The problem was his weapon.

“Are you carrying any weapons?”

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Then why ask? But I’m not comfortable handing over my precious belongings to strangers. Can I stop by my room first?”

“What do you think, Cheong-Heun?”

“Do you think he’s up to something?”

Baek Moo-Young asked via telepathy.

“Hmm…”

“If he was, he would have caused a scene already. I don’t think he’s a problem. Let’s not make things complicated.”

“Alright. How are you feeling?”

“Much better than before. I can fight if necessary.”

“Good. Then let’s allow it.”

“It’s not a big deal, is it?”

Cheong-Heun said casually, as if nothing had happened.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

Simplicity was better than complexity.

“Thank you.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon said, his voice laced with sarcasm, as he held out his hands. The chains clinked softly.

*‘Ryu-Yeon…’*

Na Ye-Rin’s heart ached as she watched him being handcuffed. She hated her helplessness. She wanted to change something, to resist this sudden twist of fate. Her hand instinctively reached for her sword. She realized what she was about to do. And she knew that with a single stroke, those handcuffs would be nothing more than pieces of metal.

*‘Should I cut them?’*

The thought, which would have never crossed her mind before, flashed through her head. She might have acted on it, if not for his voice. “Don’t,” he said. She looked up at him.

Bi Ryu-Yeon shook his head.

“Don’t. It’s not like you. There’s no need for you to get involved in this. Don’t feel guilty. I appreciate your concern, but it’s just a waste of emotion. How am I supposed to survive in this harsh world if I can’t even handle this? Let me handle this myself. Trust me. I trust myself, so trust me too. Can you do that?”

His words were heavier than a simple request to stop. Her lips, tightly sealed in silence, finally parted.

“I trust you.”

He nodded, satisfied. He rattled his handcuffs playfully.

*Clank! Clank! Clank!*

The sound was surprisingly cheerful, considering their purpose.

“Hmm, these are pretty good handcuffs. An alloy of iron and bronze? Not Ten Thousand Year Steel… Maybe White Lotus Steel?”

He could identify the type of metal just by looking at it and listening to the clinking sound.

“You’re well-informed. I didn’t know you were knowledgeable about metallurgy.”

Cheong-Heun replied, surprised.

“I have some experience in this area. Well, they’re not exactly the best quality, but I guess I’ll have to settle for this.”

“There are different grades of handcuffs? You’re a strange man. I’ve met and arrested many people, but you’re the first one like this.”

Cheong-Heun said, half-amused, half-exasperated.

“That’s good to hear. It means I’m not part of the ignorant masses. I like being the first. The thrill of leaving your mark on uncharted territory. It’s even more exhilarating than being the first to leave footprints in the snow. You wouldn’t understand.”

He enjoyed breaking boundaries, leaving his mark on forbidden territories. He wouldn’t regret it, even if it left a scar.

“Most people would call you strange. Or crazy.”

“The world is full of ignorant puppets, dancing to the tune of tradition. I don’t need to be one of them. I don’t want to be a drop of water in a river, my existence forgotten, my identity lost. I don’t want to waste my time and energy on such pointless things. Shall we go then?”

He said, as if determined to control his own path, his own destiny.

“S-sure. Let’s go.”

They were being led by him, not the other way around. He stopped walking and turned to Na Ye-Rin, who was following close behind.

“You don’t have to see me off, Ye-Rin. Just visit me later. Bring lots of delicious food. But don’t worry too much. I’m not that fragile.”

“Ryu-Yeon… Be careful. I’ll be waiting.”

She replied, her face slightly stiff. He smiled.

“That makes me happy. I’ll be released soon, so I’ll see you again. I don’t want to make you a beautiful jailbreaker. Let’s talk again then. I enjoyed our conversation today.”

He waved cheerfully and walked away, his steps light, as if he were attending a banquet, not being arrested.

“Ryu-Yeon…”

She whispered his name, unsure what to say. She was powerless to change the situation.

He disappeared beyond the fiery sunset, his silhouette melting into the crimson sky. She stared after him, her mind racing.

*What was happening? What should I do?* These were unfamiliar questions for her. She had always tried to keep her heart closed, to distance herself from reality. But this situation demanded her active involvement. She felt lost, like a traveler in a desert, lost in a sandstorm without the North Star to guide her.

*’If only Ryeong unni was here…’*

She wished she had someone to talk to, someone to share her burden. The pain of loneliness was overwhelming. And in that pain, she realized that before she met Bi Ryu-Yeon, she had been using Dok-Go Ryeong as a bridge to the world, her only connection to reality.

She had been able to maintain her sanity after Dok-Go Ryeong’s disappearance because Bi Ryu-Yeon had been there. He had silently filled the void.

Now, she had lost both of them. Her only connections to the world were gone.

*Thud!*

Tears fell from her eyes. She felt lost, like a child who had lost their way, a mute who had lost their voice, a blind person who had lost their sight, a deaf person who had lost their hearing… She didn’t know what to do. She felt like she was drowning, unable to breathe.

Everything went dark. Her senses were fading. She was alone again. The world was receding. A gaping black hole opened beneath her feet. She lost her footing and fell. Or rather, she almost fell. Into an abyss she could never escape. But she managed to pull herself together. She had realized something.

*’This won’t do! I’m not making any progress! This way… This way…’*

She had realized one thing.

*’This way, I’ll never escape the past…’*

She had wanted to be alone, to cut herself off from the world, to build a wall around herself and live in solitude. But now that she was alone, she wished she had someone beside her. She was afraid of being alone. It was unbearable. All beings needed connections to survive. She found herself drawn to the things she had rejected. She needed connections.

Dok-Go Ryeong had held on to her, refusing to let her sink into the abyss of her subconscious. She had ignored her own pain, her injured eye, for the sake of her unworthy younger sister.

And what about her?

*”I… I was trying to run away again. I almost made the same mistake.”*

She had been living selfishly, oblivious to Dok-Go Ryeong’s love and sacrifice. Her heart had remained unresponsive, and Dok-Go Ryeong’s love had remained unrequited, a seed that had never bloomed. A precious seed she could have easily found if she had just looked around.

To crumble now would be an insult to Dok-Go Ryeong’s memory. She couldn’t let her love go to waste. She had to make it bloom. It was the only way she could repay her.

A moment of enlightenment could either plunge you into despair or save you.

They might not be with her now, but they weren’t dead. Her experiences with them remained. And those experiences weren’t over yet. She had learned warmth and compassion from Dok-Go Ryeong, strength and courage from Bi Ryu-Yeon.

She understood now. Everything in this world was connected. They were all part of a vast web of relationships. That was why humans could connect with each other, with nature. It was a sign that they were connected to the past and would be connected again in the future. She had tried to sever what couldn’t be severed, and that was why her life had become distorted.

She couldn’t let them see her weakness when they returned. She didn’t want to disappoint them.

*I won’t run away anymore!*

She made up her mind.

She wouldn’t run away. Running away meant turning your back on reality. But ignoring something didn’t make it disappear. It remained, its dark power radiating outwards. You couldn’t solve it by simply blocking it out. The waves kept crashing on the shore, regardless of your intentions. They wouldn’t disappear just because you ignored them. If you expected that, you would only drown. She wouldn’t turn her back on the waves anymore. She would face them head-on.

*’I’ll get Ryu-Yeon and Ryeong unni back!’*

It was time for her to stand on her own. She uncurled her legs, raised her head, and stood up.

*’Unni, watch over me!’*

Bi Ryu-Yeon had told her that a promise to yourself was stronger than a vow to God. It was the weakest and the strongest vow. You could always monitor yourself, you could always break the promise, and there was no escaping the consequences. Whether you kept the promise or not was your own responsibility.

*’So I swear to myself. I will… I will find them. I will stand on my own.’*

It was time for her to break out of her shell and face the world.