Playing In The Cauldron

“That magnificent Kang Family Manor reduced to ruins overnight… tch tch.”

The clear voice echoed through the hollow Kang Family Manor. The one who stepped lightly into the courtyard, hair tied back in a single knot, was a pale-faced scholar.

After gazing at Kang Yul-cheon’s corpse seated at the table for some time, the man turned his steps toward Jong-yeon’s body, sprawled carelessly on one side of the yard.

“In the very age he should’ve been blooming…”

The man examined Jong-yeon’s corpse, unfazed by the stench of rot. The wounds across his body were mangled beyond recognition, but the weapon that pierced his chest was clear enough. Picking off a tuft of white fur still clinging to him, the man sighed faintly.

“Elder sahyung, did you find it?”

Without so much as a sound of footsteps, a young woman suddenly appeared behind him. Her dress was plain and modest, yet her looks lent her an air of brilliance. With a pale face and finely chiseled features, she was so beautiful one could never forget her after a single glance.

“It seems we’ve arrived too late.”

The man crouched and looked on with a deeply regretful expression.

“We don’t have much time.”

Unlike the man, the woman showed no emotion toward the corpses of Kang Yul-cheon and Jong-yeon. She clearly disapproved of her senior brother’s sentimental pause.

“Jeok-woo, stop gawking and come down to help us search.”

Jeok-woo, who had been looking down on the manor from the roof, gave an awkward laugh at his senior sister’s scolding and jumped down into the yard.

“The two corpses are here—then whose false grave is that over there?”

At this, the man rose to his feet. He was the first disciple of the Taiyi Divine Sect: Cheonchu, “Wind-Eye” Yi Seomun. Seong Gon’s seven disciples were known as the Seven Stellar Lords, each named after a star position—Cheonchu (Dubhe), Cheonseon (Merak), Cheongi (Phecda), Cheonkwon (Megrez), Okhyeong (Alioth), Gaeyang (Mizar), and Yogwang (Alkaid). And the foremost among them was Cheonchu.¹

He looked like a delicate handsome man, but when he wielded his folding fan, the force was akin to a raging typhoon. He was less famous than Jeok-woo only because he seldom appeared in the martial world—yet in martial skill, he surpassed all his fellow disciples.

“I’ll check it myself.”

“Oh my, sajeo—you’re not afraid?”

Even as Jeok-woo joked frivolously, the woman didn’t even look at him. She simply walked to the grave and began digging with her sword tip.

“Elder sahyung, our sajeo doesn’t seem the least bit afraid of ghosts.”

“Indeed. Hyunjin, try not to damage the body too much.”

Ignoring Yi Seomun and Jeok-woo’s fussing, Hyunjin kept digging. Despite her fairy-like looks, she was bold and full of vigor. She was the fifth disciple of the Taiyi Divine Sect, Okhyeong, yet among the disciples she had the most masculine spirit and always took the lead in missions. In the kangho, however, people called her So Baekhwa² for her appearance alone.

“It’s Fourth Sahyung.”

Though buried for days, Left Shadow’s body showed no decay. It seemed Right Shadow, out of brotherly affection, had applied embalming medicine to it.

“He took a palm strike to the face.”

Jeok-woo, too horrified by the mangled face to approach, hung back, while Yi Seomun examined Left Shadow’s corpse carefully. Though he had suffered internal damage from the backlash of the Taiyi Divine Arts, Left Shadow’s skill was such that no ordinary foe could have felled him.

‘As expected of the Sword God… even poisoned, to strike with such power…’

Yi Seomun clicked his tongue in awe, his respect for Kang Yul-cheon renewed.

“What shall we do now?”

Hyunjin kicked some dirt to roughly cover Left Shadow’s face and asked. Truthfully, she wanted to burn the body, but she restrained herself.

“The fact that the Fourth was buried like this means Right Shadow is still alive. The Sword God had two disciples. One corpse is missing—surely Right Shadow took the boy with him.”

Hearing this, a sudden thought struck Jeok-woo, and his face turned pale.

“Jeok-woo, what is it?”

The sharp-eyed Yi Seomun nudged the sweating Jeok-woo with his elbow.

“Elder sahyung, I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

“What?”

When Hyunjin snapped sharply, Seomun soothed her while patting Jeok-woo’s shoulder.

“A mistake can be corrected. Tell us.”

Jeok-woo wiped the sweat from his brow with his arm and replied.

“I think I met that boy two days ago. At the time, I thought he was just some child injured by Fourth Sahyung’s mischief, but now I realize he must be the Sword God’s second disciple.”

As Jeok-woo stammered out his explanation, Seomun’s face grew darker. Hyunjin, meanwhile, glared at him with a look that showed her disgust at his carelessness.

“The Sword Immortal’s disciple interfered?”

Seomun folded his arms and thought deeply. Perhaps there was little to fear from the Sword Immortal. If she truly intended to intervene, she would not have sent her disciple so clumsily—she would have come herself. The fact that Right Shadow’s life was spared was proof enough.

If the Sword God entrusted the scripture to his second disciple, he surely would have told him to seek his sworn brother, the head of the Emptiness Dhuta Sect. In any case, their next destination was Dhuta Mountain. With luck, they could catch two rabbits at once.

Seomun smiled faintly and drew the worried Jeok-woo into an embrace.

“Brother, this is fortunate indeed. By sparing that boy, you’ve allowed us to find the scripture.”

“Huh?”

Unlike the confused Jeok-woo, Hyunjin understood her senior brother’s meaning immediately.

“Then we should head straight to Dhuta Mountain.”

“Exactly.”

As Seomun smiled contentedly, Hyunjin was already striding out the Kang Family Manor gates.

“Jeok-woo!”

“Yes?”

Jeok-woo scratched his head and answered, and Seomun spoke kindly.

“You acted rashly, so as punishment, bury our master’s sworn brother and our senior brothers properly.”

Seomun gestured toward Yul-cheon and Jong-yeon’s corpses. Jeok-woo looked flustered, but unable to disobey, he nodded reluctantly. When he looked up again, Seomun was already fanning himself as he slowly left the Kang Family Manor.

“Flowers don’t stay red for ten days, and power doesn’t last ten years.”

Indeed, the red plum blossoms had withered, leaving only bare branches swaying in the wind.

When Yun-seon and Ju-un arrived at the Emptiness Dhuta Sect’s hanging gate, two of the five great disciples they had met before blocked their path.

“You were with the Demonic Cult’s disciple, weren’t you?”

One of them barked angrily, his expression fierce despite his good looks. It was Kwak Do-pyeong, the youngest of the five great disciples. He still vividly remembered when his senior brother had been subdued by Ju-un’s single sword strike. If his brother hadn’t stopped him then, he would have drawn his sword himself.

“How dare you come here uninvited?”

“Do-pyeong, calm yourself.”

Once again, it was Hyeongjin who restrained the seething Do-pyeong.

“So we meet again.”

Hyeongjin folded his hands and bowed politely. Ju-un still found him disagreeable, but could not ignore courtesy and inclined her head slightly. Yun-seon’s heart pounded, fearing a serious fight, and he thought the only way was to reveal his identity quickly.

“I was terribly rude before. I am Kang Yun-seon of Kang Family Manor. I carry my master’s message and wish to meet the Sect Head.”

At last Hyeongjin looked Yun-seon up and down. His face was pale, showing deep illness, but his eyes were bright with spirit. Accompanied by the Sword Immortal’s disciple, his identity was beyond doubt.

“Truly? Ah, how foolish I was not to recognize you, younger brother.”

Hyeongjin hurried forward and grasped Yun-seon’s hands. Ju-un found his behavior insincere, but didn’t show it.

“You must have suffered greatly traveling such a long road.”

Seeing Hyeongjin lament that things would’ve been much easier had Yun-seon revealed his identity earlier, Yun-seon’s worries melted away.

“As expected, you only truly know people once you’ve experienced them. I nearly misunderstood this man.”

Of course, Do-pyeong following behind was red-faced with anger, but Yun-seon thought it would pass soon enough and felt little displeasure.

“Master, please come see who has arrived.”

Before even entering the great hall, Hyeongjin raised his voice to call the Sect Head. Jo Yang, chatting with Elder Go Yu-saeng of the Yellow Stone Sect, was startled by the unusual tone and leapt to his feet.

“What is it?”

“Master, Yun-seon has come bearing the Sword God’s message.”

Hyeongjin knelt on one knee before Jo Yang and reported. Yun-seon, flustered, also knelt.

“So you are Yun-seon? It has been far too long.”

Jo Yang rushed forward and pulled Yun-seon into a warm embrace.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Though bewildered, Yun-seon was moved by Jo Yang’s warm welcome. After enduring a series of ordeals far beyond his years, it felt overwhelming to finally meet a dependable elder who would protect him.

“So then, is your master Yul-cheon well?”

Jo Yang stroked Yun-seon’s head and asked in a gentle voice. At the mention of his master, Yun-seon’s expression darkened at once.

“Master… Master is…”

When Yun-seon faltered tearfully, Jo Yang’s heart sank, already suspecting the truth.

“Don’t tell me something has happened?”

Elder Go Yu-saeng of the Yellow Stone Sect, watching closely from behind, leaned forward curiously. It seemed something terrible had indeed happened at Kang Family Manor.

At last, Yun-seon broke down in tears. Ju-un, who had intended only to watch, pitied him and stepped forward to recount the Kang Family Manor tragedy.

“No… no! It can’t be!”

After hearing everything, Jo Yang staggered as he tried to rise, clutching his head before collapsing backward. Luckily, Go Yu-saeng and Hyeongjin caught him, or he might have been badly hurt.

“Uhhuhuhuhhh…”

Jo Yang wept like a child, caring nothing for the dignity of a sect head. His wailing was so pitiful it was as if he had lost his own kin.

“Master.”

“Sect Head.”

The Emptiness Dhuta Sect disciples and the Yellow Stone Sect elders and disciples in the hall were all moved by Jo Yang’s loyalty and wiped their tears with their sleeves.

“Yun-seon, Yul-cheon was my sworn brother, so you are no different from my disciple. From now on, call me your Uncle³, and regard this place as your home.”

Having recovered himself, Jo Yang embraced Yun-seon as he spoke.

“Yes, Uncle.”

Yun-seon clung to Jo Yang’s embrace, weeping endlessly. Only Ju-un, standing behind them, looked on with clear displeasure at the scene.

유어부중 (游於釜中), Playing Inside a Cauldron:
An idiom meaning one’s life is in extreme danger.