The candle flickered in the study as a man looked out the window.

Yeon Songbaek.

Sect Master of the Ihwa Sword Heaven Sect, a master at the No-Extremes Incarnation.

Outwardly in his dignified mid-fifties, he wore a faint, curious smile.

Knock, knock, knock.

A rap sounded at the door.

“Enter.”

Yeon Songbaek’s voice was calm.

Before long the door opened and three figures stepped in.

Foremost was a man in his late forties.

Grand Elder Sang Jiheok of the Ihwa Sword Heaven Sect—one of the few survivors who had witnessed that closure twenty years ago.

“What news of So Yeongjin and Jang Jinok?”

Yeon Songbaek asked without turning from the window.

Sang Jiheok stepped forward and bowed his head.

“…They failed. Both are dead.”

“Is that so?”

Yeon Songbaek’s response was unruffled, as if he had expected it.

“This Seol Unhwi is more troublesome than I thought.”

He slowly turned. No emotion showed on his face.

“Grand Elder Sang.”

“Yes, Sect Master.”

“Do you remember what happened twenty years ago?”

Sang Jiheok’s body tightened, imperceptibly.

“…I remember.”

“Then you also know why I spared you.”

Yeon Songbaek took the chair set in the middle of the study.

“I do not enjoy killing people. Especially useful people.”

He paused a beat, then continued.

“Because you know my secret, I can trust you. Your fate is completely bound up with mine.”

Sang Jiheok swallowed.

“It is an honor, Sect Master. In that case, what will you do about Seol Unhwi?”

“Seol Unhwi…”

Yeon Songbaek repeated the name slowly.

“An interesting man.”

“In what sense?”

“Just the fact that he killed both So Yeongjin and Jang Jinok shows he isn’t ordinary. Moreover, even while holding the post of Heavenly Arbiter, to move this boldly…”

Yeon Songbaek sank into thought for a moment.

“Plainly he’s drawing a larger picture.”

“…Forgive me, but is that why you recalled the Sky-Wind Sword Guest?”

As Grand Elder, Sang Jiheok did not want to believe that two of the Ihwa Seven Swords were dead.

Of course, in the rivers and lakes, the death of a sword-bearing warrior is nothing new, but it could certainly have # Nоvеlight # been prevented.

Yeon Songbaek clicked his tongue, as if in regret.

“You seem to think those two would have lived if I hadn’t recalled the Sky-Wind Sword Guest.”

“…My apologies.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. I too am human and on occasion err. The Sky-Wind Sword Guest is a pillar of the Ihwa Sword Heaven Sect—he is not someone even I, as Sect Master, can move lightly.”

“…”

“If he were to learn our secret, do you think he would sit still?”

A faint tremor ran between Sang Jiheok’s brows.

“This is a matter that should be handled at our level. I held your abilities in very high regard, but with failure upon failure—truly disappointing.”

Sang Jiheok’s face hardened.

“My apologies.”

“It’s fine. In the end, the one who laughs last will take everything. All we need do is laugh at the end.”

“…”

“More importantly—you said they were headed to Calmheart County?”

“Yes. But I find it odd. Calmheart is at the very edge of Un’guk’s territory… To be frank, it’s called a county, but there’s little there of note, is there?”

“Who knows.”

Looking out the window, Yeon Songbaek spoke.

“It isn’t certain. But if the Heavenly Arbiter moves in person, it won’t be a trivial matter.”

Cautiously, Sang Jiheok asked,

“Sect Master.”

“Speak.”

“Then what should be done?”

As if he had been waiting, Yeon Songbaek replied,

“You will go.”

“…Pardon?”

“What Seol Unhwi wants is unimportant.”

Yeon Songbaek’s voice turned cold.

“What matters is how we will use him.”

“Use him…?”

“Judging from his nature, he has more will than sense of justice, and he is straightforward. For what he believes right, he will, without fail, stake his life. If he does not, he seems the sort to lash himself for it.”

Yeon Songbaek’s lips twisted.

“This type is easy to manipulate.”

Sang Jiheok cocked his head.

“How will you manipulate him?”

“It’s simple.”

He sat at the desk.

“Give him an enemy. Provide him a reason he must fight.”

“An enemy…”

“Jin State.”

Yeon Songbaek spoke flatly.

“If we further inflame the friction between the Heavenly Alliance and Jin State, the board will grow, and Seol Unhwi, as the Heavenly Arbiter and prime instigator of this affair, will have to take responsibility one way or another.”

Grand Elder Sang asked carefully,

“…Our losses are greater than expected. Already three of the Cheonrim’s Four Guardian Lords have gone over to the Heavenly Alliance, and the last, Dokju, is dead.”

“And?”

“…Sir?”

“Mukse Society and Cheonrim ultimately sprang from the same root. If one side absorbs the other and grows fat—”

Yeon Songbaek laughed softly.

“Then we simply swallow the whole thing.”

“…Ah…”

“This is a chance to clean house inside Cheonrim and inside Mukse Society in one sweep. Once the cleaning is done, only the elite will remain; at that point the work becomes easier. If Seol Unhwi or Mae Wuidong offer to do the work for us, why should we object?”

Sang Jiheok breathed out in admiration.

“Two birds with one stone.”

“Exactly. By using the blade called the Heavenly Alliance to bind Cheonrim and Mukse Society into one, and then devouring that body by the warrior’s way, the blade that seemed to be lost to us will return only sharper.”

Still gazing outside, Yeon Songbaek went on,

“Grand Elder.”

“Yes, Sect Master.”

“Go in person and tell Seol Unhwi that I am willing to talk.”

Sang Jiheok’s eyes flashed.

“Do I simply deliver that message?”

Yeon Songbaek shook his head.

“He has his position, but I am the Sect Master. I cannot go forth myself; therefore you, as Grand Elder, will go and cut off one of his arms and bring it back.”

Sang Jiheok nodded.

“No matter how strong he is, it has been but a few double-hours since he fought a Celestial Being. You can reach him within half a day… That will suffice to bring back an arm.”

Sang Jiheok cupped his fist.

“I will do so, Sect Master. However…”

“Speak.”

“Whom do you intend to appoint to the vacant Vice Sect Master seat? Surely you don’t mean to appoint Im Suje…”

Sky-Wind Sword Guest Im Suje.

Yeon Songbaek smiled.

“Im Suje may be a master at Unity of Heaven and Man, but the Vice Sect Master’s seat is not one that can be taken simply for high realm.”

“…”

“Im Suje is worthy of being called a pillar, of course, but the one seated should be someone who knows much more of the body he belongs to.”

Yeon Songbaek reached out and set a hand on Sang Jiheok’s shoulder.

“It is the seat you will take. When you return, let us prepare your investiture.”

Ordinarily, on hearing such words, one would smile brightly, but strangely Sang Jiheok did not.

No—could not.

He cupped his fist.

“As you command. I will bring back a good result.”

And so Sang Jiheok departed.

Left alone, Yeon Songbaek looked out the window.

Until now, everything had flowed according to his intent.

Perhaps age had made him anxious.

He had kept and used those who knew his secret, but no longer.

He meant to erase them all.

Their number had already been cut to the barest few, and most of those were dead.

Now there were two left.

If those two died—

From then on, Yeon Songbaek would move himself.

He splayed his hand and looked at his palm.

Everyone was playing in that palm.

So he thought.

***

It was a scheduled step.

With only a single double-hour left until Unhwi’s party reached Calmheart County, a man blocked their way.

A thin figure with a sword as long as his body slung across his back.

It was Grand Elder Sang Jiheok of the Ihwa Sword Heaven Sect.

He had come alone, without a single subordinate.

But the momentum of one who had stepped into the Celestial Being stage overflowed more than enough to halt the procession.

Sang Jiheok glanced back and forth a moment between the tense Wei Tianhu and Han Murin, then moved his gaze to the largest carriage.

Unhwi was inside.

Strangely, he did not open the door, did not even show his face. Sang Jiheok spoke.

“Come out. Don’t hide.”

From within the carriage came Unhwi’s voice.

“I have never hidden at any moment. Senior Sang.”

“Then what are you doing now?”

“I should be the one asking that.”

“…”

“Judging by the look of it, Senior, you seem to know how things stand.”

Sang Jiheok flinched.

“You don’t seem minded to use force; but by the way of the martial world, it is the pressed side that must act first.”

“…”

“Come in. If you want to live.”

What to call it—

It was chilling.

He had not yet seen him in person, but Unhwi’s condition would not be normal.

And yet he felt overwhelmed.

Not as a warrior, but as a person.

Unhwi was right.

Sang Jiheok had indeed received an order from Yeon Songbaek.

To sever one of Unhwi’s arms.

But one must look within that order.

If he did sever the arm, what would Unhwi—judging by everything he had shown—do?

He would undoubtedly come to take a life-and-death decision.

Yeon Songbaek’s order, in the end, was no different from ordering Unhwi’s death.

What’s more, had he intended to carry it out as given, he would already have launched a surprise attack. Instead, Sang Jiheok merely stopped the procession.

Unhwi plainly understood what that meant.

“When thoughts grow deep, action slows, Senior.”

The wedge set home.

Sighing inwardly, Sang Jiheok at last moved.

The Martial Righteous Unit and Han Murin stepped aside of their own accord, and Sang Jiheok, coming up to the carriage, slowly took the door ring in hand.

What if—

At the moment this door opened, Unhwi’s sword flew?

He had grasped all there was to grasp about Unhwi.

One point had fixed Sang Jiheok’s attention.

Ordinary warriors, when they draw on inner energy, require time of one sort or another.

Shortening that interval is a problem a warrior must wrestle with without end, to the dying moment.

But with Unhwi, the gap is narrower than with ordinary warriors.

In a brief instant, he manifests the maximum qi a Celestial Being can exude.

It is not merely deadly—it is wondrous.

“At the moment, I am not holding a sword, nor am I circulating qi.”

He squeezed his eyes shut.

And slowly opened the door.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep