It’s Been A While. My Disciple.

Sword Freak. A title more fitting for an Unorthodox warrior than an Orthodox one.

Murmurs rose at the title.

It was not like when they’d heard the title of the Darkshadow Mountain Freak, which also bore the word “freak.”

Kunlun Sword Freak.

There was no one who didn’t know that title.

“What are you? And why are you holding someone else’s secret manual?”

“…”

Su-jong Jin-in shut his mouth.

He had nothing to say. Instead, Red-Eyed Beggar beside him spoke carefully.

“…Senior Yun, please calm yourself. There is a misunderstanding.”

Given Yun Heo’s seniority and standing, calling him Jin-in would not have been strange.

But knowing who Yun Heo was, he could not bring himself to use the title.

“Beggar. I wasn’t asking you.”

At Yun Heo’s retort, Red-Eyed Beggar flushed.

“Even if you are a senior of the Orthodox, you’re far too rude!”

“A senior of the Orthodox, is it?”

Yun Heo snorted a laugh and looked at him with cold eyes.

“You beggars have always been like that. You prattle on about chivalry and righteousness, and whenever it turns against you, you borrow the Nine Sects, One Union name.”

“Senior! This junior won’t stand by any longer!”

“And if you don’t? Come at me?”

“…”

Red-Eyed Beggar clenched his fist.

Then Yun Heo tapped with his foot the sword he stood upon.

“Don’t you see this?”

Only then did gazes turn to the sword. Carrying two swords wasn’t unusual.

So no one had questioned it.

Jeong-hyun Jin-in drew a breath.

“The Azure Cloud Sword!”

A treasure of Kunlun.

It was a famed Kunlun relic. However, the Azure Cloud Sword was renowned for another reason.

It was the symbol of the Kunlun Sect Leader.

The Sect Leader’s token.

None here failed to grasp its meaning.

It meant Yun Heo was the new Sect Leader of Kunlun.

Yun Heo stepped down from the sword and kicked the hilt.

The blade rose into the air, spun, and slid into its scabbard.

A sight near divine art.

While all were in awe, only Jong Dae-woon thought something else.

‘Even if it’s a sword, it’s still the Sect Leader’s token, can you really kick it with your foot like that?’

But quibbling over that was moot, he’d stepped on it to begin with.

“Well then, beggar. Say it again.”

“…No, Sect Leader.”

Red-Eyed Beggar stepped back.

Even if Kunlun had dropped from the Nine Sects, One Union, a sect’s leader was a sect’s leader.

It was not someone a branch leader could mouth off to.

Yun Heo’s gaze turned aside again.

“Are you going to keep holding that?”

“…This humble Taoist has been discourteous, Senior Yun.”

Su-jong Jin-in put the manual back into the bundle and handed it to a Justice Gate disciple.

Startled, the disciple carried it over and set it gingerly before Yun Heo.

Yun Heo didn’t spare the manual a glance. He looked only at Su-jong Jin-in.

Su-jong Jin-in spoke again.

“This discourtesy will be formally compensated later.”

“Will be compensated?”

“A-ahem, will be compensated.”¹

He corrected himself, and Yun Heo clicked his tongue in displeasure.

“Is Qingcheng so merciful to those who steal glances at your manuals?”

Someone flinched. However, it was not Su-jong Jin-in.

“Beggar. You read it too, didn’t you.”

Yun Heo turned his head, looking to Jeong-hyun Jin-in.

“How does Wudang handle such cases?”

Jeong-hyun Jin-in glanced at Su-jong Jin-in and Red-Eyed Beggar and answered carefully.

“For those without good intent, we take their lives. For those with circumstances, following reason, we take them in as secular followers or abolish their dantian.”

Teachings Are Not Passed to the Unworthy.

Even so, Wudang was on the lenient side. There was a reason why they were called the foremost Taoists in the world.

If it were the other sects, eight or nine out of ten would simply kill them.

You heard?

Yun Heo looked at Su-jong Jin-in and Red-Eyed Beggar with that in his eyes.

Knowing their fault, they could not easily speak.

“Qi-Borrowing Support Art.”

“…!”

“What’s so surprising. A secret manual is a secret manual.”

“W-what…”

“Or would you like your head cut off here?”

Yun Heo drew his iron sword as if it didn’t matter either way.

Not the Azure Cloud Sword, but a worn iron blade.

Yet it felt more ominous than when he held the Azure Cloud Sword.

“You aren’t going to master it anyway, are you? Count yourself lucky. If this had been the Minor Clarity Qi Art or Great Clarity Qi Art instead of the Primal Heaven Art and Blazing Yang Art, I wouldn’t even be asking.”

He meant he would have killed them on the spot.

This was because what they had read were foundational arts. Things even secular disciples could learn.

For ordinary sects they might matter, but for fellow Nine Sects, One Union, they did not.

“…We will inform our Sect Leader.”

Su-jong Jin-in adjusted his wording, watching for reaction.

“And prepare the other compensations on your own.”

“What?”

“You read as many as four volumes and thought one would settle it? Do you call that sort of fellow ‘Jin-in’ these days?”

Su-jong Jin-in shut his mouth.

In Murim, it had become a title for those of high standing, but originally it was reserved for the truly virtuous among Taoists.

As he turned his head, Red-Eyed Beggar spoke in haste.

“This junior read only two volumes. Taoist Su-jong can attest to it.”

Su-jong, demoted from Jin-in to Taoist in address, twitched his brow but couldn’t object.

Those around muttered that this was just like the Beggars’ Union and admired his tact.

Yun Heo stared at Red-Eyed Beggar’s face, then shook his head.

“Hang that on your tab. I’ll ask when I need it later.”

He couldn’t think of a fitting manual at the moment.

Red-Eyed Beggar felt both relieved and unsettled.

Because it sounded as if the Beggars’ Union’s arts were of no use.

But thinking differently, it was only natural.

Most of Kunlun’s arts were in Yun Heo’s head.

He was famed as a swordsman, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t wield other weapons.

He couldn’t handle all eighteen arms, but he knew more than half.

He had a specific reason for demanding the Qi-Borrowing Support Art.

An art of borrowing and replenishing qi.

A practice that draws external qi rather than one’s own internal energy.

Shaolin and Wudang are famous for it, but Qingcheng had one as well.

Though it couldn’t compare to Shaolin or Wudang.

It was mostly used to retreat when one’s internal energy ran low.

It wasn’t even useful as a lifesaving desperate move.

Thus even within Qingcheng it was shunned.

“And you called me a senior of the Orthodox, did you?”

Yun Heo’s lips curled in a feral grin. The look was somehow like Gyo-ha’s.

“Kunlun from here on will be a little different.”

“Martial Uncle, what do you mean?”

It was Jeong-hyun Jin-in who asked, not Su-jong.

“You put us in the Nine Sects, One Union as you pleased and used us, then when help was needed, you turned away.”

“What are you…”

“A wise stance. Nothing stinks behind the scenes quite like the so-called Orthodox.”

At the voice that cut in, Yun Heo turned his head.

“If Kunlun wishes it, the Sichuan Alliance will welcome you at any time. Our Alliance will not stab you in the back like the Murim Alliance.”

“…And you are?”

“This junior is Seo Jeong-hu. I lead a small hall called Ironblood Hall. I have long admired the Sword Freak’s fame.”

“Madman! What are you saying!”

Jeong-hyun Jin-in’s stern shout rang out.

Others’ faces hardened as well.

But Yun Heo only scratched his chin, interested.

“Admire, do you. For a man like that, you look ready to draw your blade right now.”

“It’s better than pulling strings from the shadows, at least.”

Yun Heo let out a snort of laughter. At his reaction, Jeong-hyun Jin-in and Red-Eyed Beggar cried out in alarm.

“Martial Uncle Yun Heo!”

“Senior!”

Then Yun Heo stamped his foot.

Koong!

An impact as if the earth shook. As if he had never laughed, Yun Heo stared at Seo Jeong-hu with cold eyes.

“Orthodox or Unorthodox. I’m saying I won’t involve myself in your petty faction squabbles.”

Under the force that shot from Yun Heo, all had no choice but to hold their breath.

“Shaolin is not here, so be it. But Wudang, you should know of the karma our sect bears, shouldn’t you?”

Yun Heo’s gaze went to Jeong-hyun Jin-in and Jeong-hye Jin-in.

“Did you take Kunlun’s burden so lightly?”

“It’s a misunderstanding!”

“A misunderstanding, you say.”

Yun Heo mocked Jeong-hyun Jin-in.

“But it’s already too late. Not only you, the others will soon know as well. Just what burden Kunlun bore, sacrificed thanks to your politicking.”

At his words, Jeong-hyun Jin-in and Jeong-hye Jin-in’s faces went rigid. They weren’t the only ones.

Red-Eyed Beggar too seemed to guess something and fell into thought.

“Now then, be gone. I will share my reunion with my disciple.”

Yun Heo turned his head as he said it.

Seo Jeong-hu shook his head and withdrew with his men.

Those from outside trickled away, but the guests of the Justice Gate stood awkwardly, unable to go or stay.

Because they were in the Justice Gate manor.

But Yun Heo smiled at only one as if none of the rest existed.

“It’s been a while, my disciple.”

The man who had suddenly intruded.

With his appearance, the chaos inside was settling.

Yu So-ha and the Yu Family members let out sighs of relief.

But Moon Ryang and Jong Dae-woon realized something odd.

Gyo-ha wasn’t letting his fighting spirit subside.

No, if anything, it was growing stronger.

More taut than when he’d faced the Darkshadow Mountain Ghost, more than when Seo Jeong-hu appeared.

Soon Yun Heo, done speaking, looked back at Gyo-ha.

“It’s been a while, my disciple.”

“It’s been a while, Master.”

The greeting was surely fond, yet the air was frigid.

“I came back after gone off to have my sword repaired just to find no manual, no disciple, only a bear. I was worried you’d been eaten.”

“You’ve picked up jokes while you were gone.”

At the curt reply, Yun Heo’s smile deepened.

“Yes, better if it were only that. My one disciple steals the manual and runs off, gets thrashed hither and yon, and even has the manual stolen. Truly shameful before our ancestors. And where did you toss your iron shackles this time?”

The more Yun Heo spoke, the lower Gyo-ha sank.

As if he would charge any moment.

“Now. Prove to me that it was worth it. Or else…”

Yun Heo took a step.

With it, a chill wind pressed over Gyo-ha.

“…you die by my hand.”

As if answering, Gyo-ha’s body shot forward.

He threw a punch.

It was different from when he faced the other warriors. It was an all-out blow, as with the Darkshadow Mountain Ghost.

But it grazed only the hem of Yun Heo’s robe.

Gyo-ha’s body turned after the strike.

Whirling Lotus Kick.

His foot targeted Yun Heo’s head.

But Yun Heo’s leg flicked Gyo-ha’s other foot first.

A light kick.

His body tilted and the kick cut only air.

Flattened to the floor, Gyo-ha snapped a hand upward.

Fingers flashed up from below.

Red Hawk Ascends to the Sky.

An Ink Blood Claw move unfurled from Gyo-ha’s hand.

Yun Heo clicked his tongue short at the sight.

“You went out and learned nothing but base tricks.”

Yun Heo swept his hand.

Gyo-ha’s fingers were caught as they were.

Their hands locked like interlaced fingers.

Gyo-ha twisted his fingers, but nothing budged.

It felt as if his hand was caught on a hook.

“Dragon-Tiger Wind-and-Cloud Claw. Our own sect has claw arts this fine.”

Then he kicked Gyo-ha away as is.

“Ghk!”

Gyo-ha flew back.

He pushed up and spat the blood pooled in his mouth—Ptew.

“Damned Master. You never taught that to me.”

His insides burned.

It hadn’t been just a kick. Internal energy had been loaded into it.

But there was no time to complain. Yun Heo’s palm was already before his eyes.

An elegant motion, like a crane taking flight.

Gyo-ha thrust out his palm in turn.

Cloud Crane Palm.

Two palms collided.

Gyo-ha was driven back.

“You’ve let emotion in.”

The other palm struck Gyo-ha’s chest.

“You’re full of stray thoughts, that’s why.”

A fist followed for his head.

Gyo-ha bent his upper body to evade. The hand that struck air seized the hem of Gyo-ha’s clothes.

“…!”

Gyo-ha’s body was hauled forward.

And Yun Heo’s knee crashed into Gyo-ha’s head.