Chapter 279: A Sorrowful Truth (2)

Having achieved Unity of Sword and Mind, Yong Hwarin leapt forward without delay.

If not now, there would be no other chance to eliminate one of the Three Grand Elders.

Once he regained his energy, Yong Hwarin couldn’t be certain he could subdue him. The Grand Elder was just that formidable.

Perhaps sensing instinctively that he couldn’t dodge, the frenzied Grand Elder gathered all his remaining energy and collided with Yong Hwarin head-on.

He too realized that this single strike would decide the outcome.

As the two collided, the corpses strewn across the ground were flung in all directions, crashing into the corners of the hall.

It was the aftermath of the clash between the Twisted qi released by the Grand Elder and Yong Hwarin’s Twisted qi.

Everyone who witnessed the scene trembled uncontrollably.

Even Bukri So, who had wet himself with a warm sensation spreading through his groin, didn’t realize it had happened.

For one born a martial artist, this was the kind of sight one would only dream of witnessing, even in sleep.

This was the ideal that martial artists long pursued.

Though the immense power generated from the clash of Twisted qi instilled fear, it was also something they pursued. Thus, the martial artists looked upon the two with reverence.

“Clan Head, who won?”

Bukri So couldn’t tell with his own eyes which of the two, still standing upright, had emerged victorious.

Bukri Chang bit his lip.

Though he too had reached a level where he could manifest Nascent Qi, he hadn’t expected the match to be decided through Twisted qi. The shock left him speechless.

“I… from what I saw, it looks like the crazed Grand Elder won.”

From Bukri Chang’s perspective, when the two last clashed and exchanged hands, he clearly saw the Grand Elder’s palm land on and then come away from Yong Hwarin’s chest.

That one moment was enough to show that the Grand Elder had struck Yong Hwarin with his signature technique, Blood Heaven Palm.

Bukri So cried out in despair at those words.

“Prepare the Celestial Silkworm Net!”

At his shout, a squad of martial artists emerged from within the pavilion carrying pitch-black nets.

They intended to capture the Grand Elder using the Celestial Silkworm Net.

It was believed that, after exhausting his Vital Essence in the battle with Bukri Chang and Yong Hwarin, the Grand Elder wouldn’t have the strength to tear through the net.

The warriors moved behind the Grand Elder, spreading the net and awaiting orders.

Just as Bukri So was about to give the command, the Grand Elder suddenly spewed blood from his Qi Points.

Puhak!

Like someone vomiting violently, he coughed out blood, followed by chunks of blackened entrails.

Seeing that, it was clear the Grand Elder couldn’t survive.

Meanwhile, though Yong Hwarin’s complexion was pale, his expression hadn’t changed.

At the final moment, by achieving Unity of Sword and Mind and colliding with the enemy, Yong Hwarin had amplified his energy through the Tai Chi Dantian.

As a result, all of the Grand Elder’s organs had been severed, strand by strand.

He had tried to strike Yong Hwarin’s chest at the last second, but with even his Dantian destroyed, the Grand Elder’s attack was nothing more than a futile gesture.

Facing death, the Grand Elder’s eyes briefly regained clarity.

In that moment before dying, his mind returned to him.

“What a bitter fate. To die like this…”

Yong Hwarin approached the Grand Elder without a word.

“To die at the hands of such a man… my revenge…”

The Grand Elder choked on his words, his throat tightening.

“Why does a dying man talk so much?”

Yong Hwarin retrieved his sword and turned away.

With that, the Grand Elder’s head dropped from his shoulders like a persimmon snapped from its stem and rolled away.

Thud.

Even in death, his eyes remained wide open, staring daggers at Yong Hwarin as if unable to accept his end.

But soon, his pupils dilated wide, and death took him.

As Yong Hwarin looked down at the grotesquely fallen head, his eyes shifted to the sword still clutched in the Grand Elder’s hand.

It was the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword.

A cursed blade, turned into a monster soaked in blood due to being in the hands of the wrong master.

Yong Hwarin retrieved the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword and carefully sheathed it.

When he gripped the hilt, the sword trembled in his hand.

As Yong Hwarin turned to leave, Bukri So unconsciously muttered under his breath.

“Throw the Celestial Silkworm Net!”

At those words, the warriors of the Bukri Clan turned to look at him.

They couldn’t understand why they were being told to cast the net meant to capture the Grand Elder onto Yong Hwarin.

In that instant, the warriors couldn’t help but wonder if Bukri So had lost his mind.

Bukri So too realized his mistake and sighed deeply.

His complex love-hate feelings toward Yong Hwarin had slipped out involuntarily.

Suddenly, Yong Hwarin stopped walking and turned around.

In one corner of the pavilion, Bukri Chang was seated cross-legged, his hands resting on Bukri Sehee’s head.

He was drawing in the energy of the elixir through her Crown Point.

Seeing this, Yong Hwarin’s rage boiled over.

Boom!

Activating True Step, Yong Hwarin flew toward Bukri Chang and, without hesitation, struck his shoulder.

Pang!

As Yong Hwarin approached, Bukri Chang withdrew his hands from Bukri Sehee’s head and blocked the strike.

“What are you doing!”

Bukri Chang roared in fury.

Yong Hwarin muttered as he exhaled killing intent.

“From this moment on, anyone who so much as lays a finger on Hui Mae will die by my hand.”

“What are you saying? This child is my daughter.”

“Not anymore! From now on, Hui Mae is my woman. Though you call her your daughter, you’ve only treated her as a sacrificial pawn until now. I’m warning you—don’t touch her.”

As Yong Hwarin growled with a murderous glint in his eyes, Bukri So was just about to give the command to throw the Celestial Silkworm Net.

Because Yong Hwarin and the clan head were at a standoff, the warriors of the Bukri Clan had no choice but to follow Bukri So’s order.

Just as Bukri So raised his hand to give the signal, someone caught his hand.

“Who is it!”

Bukri So turned with aged eyes.

“Y-Young Clan Leader!”

Bukri Haeng was looking down at Bukri So with a cold gaze.

“We must throw the Celestial Silkworm Net. Yong Hwarin is threatening the clan head.”

Bukri Haeng fixed his icy eyes on Bukri So.

“Do you truly wish to bring annihilation upon our clan? Have you even considered what might happen if we fail to capture Yong Gongja? It won’t be the Grand Elder, but Yong Gongja who destroys this family.”

Bukri So couldn’t deny Bukri Haeng’s words.

This was the man who had killed the Grand Elder in the grip of Qi Deviation.

If someone like that set his mind to it, no one in the Bukri Clan would be left alive.

Bukri Haeng gave an order to the warriors holding the Celestial Silkworm Net.

“Put away the net and tend to our fallen comrades’ bodies.”

At those words, the warriors glanced at Bukri So, then followed Bukri Haeng’s command.

Bukri Haeng approached Yong Hwarin and Bukri Chang and spoke.

“Yong Sohyeop, take Sehee and leave. Never bring her back here again.”

With Bukri Haeng’s appearance, Yong Hwarin calmed his fury.

Whatever else, he couldn’t fight her father in front of Bukri Sehee.

He suppressed his urge to kill and stepped back.

“Haeng Orabeoni.”

Bukri Sehee looked at Bukri Haeng with sorrowful eyes.

She had been able to endure all this time thanks to Bukri Haeng, who helped her from the shadows.

As Yong Hwarin turned away holding Bukri Sehee, Bukri Chang launched a surprise attack.

He believed that all of this had been instigated by Yong Hwarin.

And so, he committed an act a clan head should never commit.

Bukri Haeng struck his father in the side.

“Keuk!”

Bukri Chang clutched his flank and glared at his son.

Yong Hwarin halted his steps and muttered.

“You should’ve just left it alone.”

Hearing that, Bukri Chang’s face paled.

Only now did he realize that Yong Hwarin had deliberately shown his back to lure him into attacking.

Had he struck, Yong Hwarin would’ve had justification to kill him.

The thought that he might’ve died for that made every hair on his body stand on end.

Bukri Sehee, feeling overwhelmed with guilt, grabbed Yong Hwarin’s sleeve.

“Wait. I have something to give Haeng Orabeoni.”

Bukri Sehee took something out from her bosom.

It was a small dagger, only the size of a palm.

A finely crafted dagger adorned with expensive decorations.

“Haeng Orabeoni. I’m giving this to you.”

Bukri Haeng accepted the dagger and spoke.

“Isn’t this your most treasured keepsake from your mother?”

“Yes. But now, I want you to keep it. If you think of it as me, maybe you’ll feel a little less lonely.”

Bukri Haeng took the dagger and held it tightly.

“I’m sorry. This is all I can do for you.”

“It’s okay.”

As Bukri Sehee shook her head, tears fell in droplets.

As Yong Hwarin turned his back, Bukri Haeng spoke.

“Take care of my younger sister.”

Hearing that, Yong Hwarin finally realized who the black-robed individual had been.

‘Ah… Bukri Haeng couldn’t bear to watch his sister suffer under the Grand Elder, so he donned the black robe and moved in secret.’

Yong Hwarin, who had long been curious about the black-robed man’s identity, understood the moment he heard his voice.

The way he spoke to his sister and to him had been different, which was why he hadn’t noticed earlier.

“Don’t worry. As long as I live, Hui Mae will remain by my side.”

Bukri Haeng looked at Yong Hwarin’s back and offered a respectful clasped hands greeting.

Yong Hwarin walked toward the main gate, carrying Bukri Sehee.

Some of the Bukri Clan’s warriors gazed at Yong Hwarin with reverence and also greeted him with clasped hands, while others lowered their heads.

As he passed the Grand Elder’s corpse, Yong Hwarin noticed that the head was missing.

At some point, Jo Heon had escaped with the Grand Elder’s severed head.

Yong Hwarin continued walking out of the Bukri Clan’s main gate, when suddenly, he let out a cry.

“Ah!”

“Why?”

Bukri Sehee also asked in surprise.

“That dagger you gave to Orabeoni, was it made of gold?”

“Yes, it was my mother’s keepsake. But how did you know it was made of gold? You never even saw the dagger.”

That dagger was indeed made of gold, but unless one unsheathed it, there was no way to tell.

“Ah… now I understand.”

“What is going on?”

When Bukri Sehee asked, I shook my head.

“No, I just suddenly recalled an old memory. It’s nothing.”

I forced a bright smile and walked on as if nothing was wrong.

Seeing the dagger Bukri Sehee gave to Bukri Haeng, I recalled a memory from my past life.

Bukri Chang became the Alliance Leader of the Namung Alliance, but he was recorded in history as the unfortunate leader who was assassinated just three years later.

At the scene of the Alliance Leader’s assassination, there was only one clue—a dagger made of gold.

Though I hadn’t seen the dagger at the time, the memory lingered because a golden dagger was not something common.

‘Bukri Haeng was the one who donned the black robe to save his sister. That also means he didn’t think highly of his father’s behavior. And when I turned my back to draw an attack, and Bukri Chang tried to strike, it was Bukri Haeng who stopped him. Not because he understood my intent, but because he couldn’t stand to see such an act from his father. Considering his nature, it’s possible Bukri Haeng was the one who assassinated Bukri Chang.’

Back then, I had heard a rumor that an official physician reported signs of Qi Deviation in Bukri Chang’s death.

For that reason, the Namung Alliance initially announced his death as poisoning.

That was likely what most people believed.

However, while delivering goods to the Namung Alliance, I heard a more credible story—that the assassination was carried out using a golden dagger.

If it wasn’t poison, but a golden dagger that killed him, then perhaps Bukri Haeng killed his own father out of fear that he would fall into Qi Deviation and become like the Grand Elder.

‘I’m probably right. If so, it’s a truly sad thing. The reason Bukri Haeng told me never to bring Bukri Sehee back to the Bukri Clan was because he already knew his sister could never be happy there.’

I glanced back toward the Bukri Clan without thinking.

Then I saw Bukri Haeng, gazing at his collapsed father with sorrowful eyes.

‘One thing about living again is that you begin to see truths you never knew before. But the fact that those truths are never pleasant… that’s what I truly hate.’

I recalled another possibility.

‘In my past life, I never met Bukri Sehee, so maybe Bukri Haeng ended up assassinating Bukri Chang while trying to protect her.’

Whatever the situation, the fact that Bukri Chang’s assassination involved his own son remained unchanged.

Bukri Sehee couldn’t take her eyes off Bukri Haeng and Bukri Chang.

Seeing her like that, my chest ached.

‘Perhaps in this life, those two won’t suffer the same tragedy. Bukri Chang was originally supposed to become the Alliance Leader of the Northern Justice Alliance three years from now, but since history is shifting slightly, if the Shaolin Temple gathering concludes successfully, the Three Central Alliances might unify. If that happens, Bukri Chang won’t have the chance to become the Alliance Leader of the Northern Justice Alliance. Maybe the father and son can escape their tragedy.’

That thought brought me a measure of relief.

‘But if Bukri Chang continues to pursue a power that doesn’t suit him, then in the end, things will unfold just like they did in my past life.’

Muttering to myself, I looked at Bukri Haeng with bitter eyes.

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