Reversal

Yun-seon vividly remembered that night. The man in a blue robe had waved his fan, and then black butterflies had appeared. The scene before his eyes now was like reliving that exact day.

‘Then… was that man called Yi Seomun the one who harmed Master?’

But he soon shook his head. Even though he’d only glimpsed him briefly, Yun-seon remembered the man in the blue robe’s speech, hand movements, and unique attack style. They were quite different from Yi Seomun’s delicate gestures and sharp, ringing voice.

“Yun-seon, are you alright?”

Ju-un was shocked when he saw Yun-seon drenched in cold sweat beside him. Since passing down the mnemonic verses of Taiyi Divine Art to Jeok-woo, Yun-seon had never had another seizure. The decay in his arm had stopped, and the Fire Qi that had invaded his respiratory system had subsided. But now, Yun-seon couldn’t even keep his body steady, as if he might collapse at any moment.

“I’m fine.”

Yun-seon forced a bright smile, not wanting Ju-un to worry. From the moment he felt signs of a seizure, he had been reciting the mnemonic verses of Taiyi Divine Art in his head, trying to regulate his energy. But unfortunately, once the Fire Qi surged, it was nearly impossible to suppress.

“Yun-seon, imagine a cool well.”

At that moment, a cool energy poured in through Yun-seon’s fingertips.

“Uncle.”

At Yun-seon’s call, Jo Yang only smiled faintly and quietly infused true energy into him. At this life-or-death moment, he had chosen not to save his own disciples, but Yun-seon. Who else would make such a sacrifice merely because Yun-seon was the disciple of his sworn brother? Yun-seon’s heart swelled; he nearly burst into tears.

“Tch! Do you think we’ll cower just because you don grotesque masks?”

“No chance. What do you take the Five Great Mountain Swords for?”

A group of Eminent Mountain Sect disciples stood up and advanced toward the masked figures blocking the hall entrance. Their pride had been deeply wounded by the earlier defeats of Elder Full Moon and Go Geun-dong, and it stung to now be cowed even by Taiyi Divine Sect’s underlings. But all of them were direct disciples who had mastered Full Moon Sword Arts to a considerable degree; unless their opponents were at least of the caliber of the Seven Stellar Lords, they believed none could stop them.

Two Eminent Mountain disciples raised their swords, and six others followed, forming a sword formation. The Full Moon Sword Formation was notable for not being restricted by numbers. Three or more were enough to form it, and the more people joined, the more variations of sword techniques could be deployed.

“Let’s see you block this!”

The two in front crossed their swords into a ‘十’ shape, releasing a clear clash that sent small vibrations through the air. Then, the six behind executed three forms of the Upper Moon Sword Arts in perfect unison. Their identical sword arcs curved round like a full moon, releasing Sword qi forward in a rush. The two in the lead stepped on the shoulders of the six, leaping ahead and piercing through the throats of the masked men guarding the gate.

Clang!

Thud!

“Uagh!”

Just as four or five masked men’s heads were about to fall, a massive figure suddenly appeared. The heavy blade he wielded not only shattered the sword energy of the two, but cleaved their bodies clean in half.

“Th-that’s… Jeok-woo!”

The six disciples preparing the next strike were drenched in the blood pouring from their two severed brothers. And when Jeok-woo emerged through that crimson spray like a demon, they recoiled in terror, falling back on their rears.

“If you want to cross this gate, you’ll have to kill me first!”

Murderous intent flashed in his eyes. The warm gaze that once laughed and joked with Yun-seon as a sworn brother was nowhere to be seen.

“You bastard!”

Witnessing the horrific death of his fellow disciples, Go Geun-nam could no longer contain himself and rushed at Jeok-woo. He was a direct disciple of Full Moon Shin Yang-seon and the younger brother of Go Geun-dong, who had been humiliated by Hyunjin.

“Your young body reeks of blood! Today I’ll send you straight to the underworld!”

Go Geun-nam thrust his sword without even a preparatory stance, unleashing dozens of forms at once. As the first successor of Full Moon Sword Arts, he carried immense pride in his sect’s techniques. Though his master had lost to Yi Seomun, he believed it was only because of Seomun’s sly tricks. If he had been the one to face him, he wouldn’t have fallen so easily.

If even Yi Seomun had struggled, how much less could Jeok-woo stand against him? Jeok-woo’s fast blade was nothing but brute slashes, utterly lacking finesse. He could never be a true opponent.

“What is this Full Moon Sword everyone keeps raving about? All show, no substance!”

Drenched in blood, Jeok-woo bared his unusually white teeth, laughing wildly. Regardless, Go Geun-nam poured eighty percent of his internal qi into his sword, unleashing a long, heavy strike aimed to pierce that arrogant bastard’s skull.

“Waning Moon Celestial Martial!”

As Go Geun-nam roared the name, his sword unleashed countless streams of sword light that rained toward Jeok-woo. Though inferior to Shin Yang-seon’s swordsmanship, its speed and brilliance were dazzling. Containing forty-two variations in a single move, Waning Moon Celestial Martial was the essence of the Waning Moon Sword Arts.

“Ohh, now that’s worth watching.”

Jeok-woo looked faintly impressed as the Sword qi closed in, then thrust his heavy blade forward. Weighing dozens of catties, his massive knife moved as if dancing, sweeping aside every variation of the Sword qi. And then—

“My dear Virtuous Conduct, time for a delicious meal!”

He muttered something strange, then twined his blade forward like a rolling coil.

“Wha—!”

Go Geun-nam panicked as his Sword qi seemed to be sucked into Jeok-woo’s blade as if it were tangible. Soon, the coiling blade even began drawing in his actual sword.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!

Go Geun-nam’s sword couldn’t withstand the spinning force and shattered into pieces with a series of loud cracks.

“A toy sword, really.”

“Uh…uh… eh…”

As Jeok-woo’s face loomed inches away, Go Geun-nam could only gape, words caught in his throat.

“Still, it was quite a sword art.”

Jeok-woo’s fast blade, Virtuous Conduct, rose high into the air and then came crashing down onto Go Geun-nam’s head. He died without even closing his eyes, as if he couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

“Brother!”

Realizing too late, Go Geun-dong wailed in grief over his brother’s death.

The sudden, brutal killing filled every disciple of Five Great Mountain Swords with sheer terror. The weak-hearted fainted, while those still new to martial arts broke down sobbing, unable to bear the fear.

“What madness is this?!”

“Sect Leader!”

The Three Brothers of the Dragon Gate Sect, who had stayed seated until now, could no longer bear it and urged their headmaster Jo Sang-won.

“Our Dragon Gate Sect is the most venerable of the Five Great Mountain Swords branches! Will we just stand here, arms crossed, watching?”

“If the Sect Leader will not step forth, then we will volunteer ourselves!”

“Sect Leader!”

Despite their anguished cries, Jo Sang-won only paced in agitation. Truly, if they stepped up, defeating Jeok-woo wouldn’t be impossible—but he could not bring himself to allow it.

“Brothers, I beg you—hold your hands back and wait a little longer.”

At Jo Sang-won’s unexpected reply, the eldest, Yong Ga-hyeon, could no longer endure and leapt to his feet.

“Sect Leader! I never knew you to be such a coward.”

Following Yong Ga-hyeon’s lead, the other two brothers also rose.

“Even if it’s just us, we’ll defend the honor of Dragon Gate Sect.”

Jo Sang-won’s face turned crimson with shame, but he still couldn’t bring himself to release them. At that moment—

“Very well. Let us continue the negotiations a little further.”

Jo Yang’s calm voice instantly quelled the chaos in the hall. Those who had been weeping and screaming now only sniffled quietly.

“Eldest Sahyung, my blade Virtuous Conduct has already tasted blood—this time I’ll see it fed to its fill.”

Jeok-woo had no intention of ending the fight. Only by slaughtering the three hundred Orthodox disciples inside would his grief and rage be appeased.

“Jeok-woo, let’s at least hear them out first.”

Yi Seomun exchanged a glance with Ma Jingun. Jingun had been ready to kill several Zen Cloud Sword Sect disciples on the spot, but when his eyes met Seomun’s, he restrained his internal qi.

“Venerable Elder, will you accept all three conditions?”

Yi Seomun spoke with biting sarcasm to provoke Jo Yang. But Jo Yang answered with a serene expression, seemingly unfazed.

“The first and second conditions, I will accept without protest.”

“Sect Head—”

“Venerable Elder—”

“Sabaek—”¹

Even before Jo Yang finished speaking, the elders of Five Great Mountain Swords called out, trying to dissuade him. But Jo Yang continued without wavering.

“But before I accept the third condition, I have one question.”

“What is it?”

Seomun’s eyebrows rose. Of course—the third was the most important. He had expected it would not be so easily accepted.

“When you say we must not seek the scripture, does that mean your sect already possesses it?”

“……”

Seomun gave no answer, only waving his fan slowly to stir the air.

‘What scheme is that old serpent plotting now?’

Ma Jingun and the rest of Taiyi Divine Sect’s disciples felt the same. Everyone in the martial world knew that the Commentary on the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra was in the Sword God’s possession. Wasn’t his question simply a ploy to blame Sword God’s death on Taiyi Divine Sect?

“How could we hold what the Sword God possessed?”

Finally Seomun replied, and Jo Yang seized the moment he’d been waiting for.

“There is someone who can testify to Taiyi Divine Sect’s involvement with the scripture.”

“What?”

In that instant, Seomun felt a chill in his chest. He had finally realized Jo Yang’s scheme.

“Yun-seon.”

Jo Yang took Yun-seon’s hand and led him up onto the dueling stage.

“This child is Kang Yun-seon, second disciple of Sword God Kang Yul-cheon.”

“Ohhh.”

When Jo Yang introduced Yun-seon, the hall instantly erupted. The Sword God’s disciple they had only heard of in rumors! Eyes widened as everyone looked him up and down.

“A few days ago, this child came to me with news of the Sword God.”

Jo Yang’s eyes reddened, his expression heavy with grief. Remembering his sworn brother’s death, he couldn’t suppress the flood of emotions.

“Sword God Kang Yul-cheon and his first disciple Kang Jong-yeon were brutally murdered by assassins.”

“No, how could such a thing…”

“Gasp…”

The sect leaders of Five Great Mountain Swords let out shocked groans, unable to hide their dismay. Only the four disciples of Taiyi Divine Sect stood expressionless, staring blankly.

“This child witnessed the deaths of his master and senior brother that day, and suffered cruel torture at their hands.”

Jo Yang wiped the tears rolling down to his chin with his sleeve, then looked at Yun-seon.

“Yun-seon, just tell the events of that day as they were.”

Yun-seon trembled so hard his legs shook, overwhelmed by the suddenness of it all. But Jo Yang’s warm voice steadied him. He felt he had to do something to repay his Uncle’s kindness.

“Who was it that did this to your arm that day?”

Yun-seon instinctively knew his answer would favor one side. Watching all this unfold, he still couldn’t decide who was truly good or evil. Even Jeok-woo—wasn’t he someone who had shared his heart with him? However much a murderer he might be, Yun-seon didn’t want to repay the saving of his life with betrayal.

At that moment, his master’s face flashed through Yun-seon’s mind. The only reason he still lived was to uphold his master’s will. He could not dishonor his teacher for the sake of personal feelings. If he had to decide, his answer was already clear.

“It was Right Shadow of the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins.”

“Then who was it that killed your master and senior brother?”

“It was Left Shadow of the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins.”

Seomun was left speechless. He had been outplayed. That old fox had orchestrated meaningless duels and sacrificed several Five Great Mountain Swords disciples for the sake of this one decisive blow.

“Fourteen years ago, your sect’s leader, Sword Demon Seong Gon, swore this: As long as Sword God Kang Yul-cheon lived, Taiyi Divine Sect would never covet the Commentary on the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra.”

All the martial world present, except Yun-seon, already knew what his next words would be.

“If he should harm Kang Yul-cheon in pursuit of the scripture, then Taiyi Divine Sect would never again set foot in Gyeongguk.”

Jo Yang now smiled serenely at Seomun, as if he had never shed tears.

“Then whose disciples are the Twin Black Butterfly Killers? Are they not of the Seven Stellar Lords, under Cheonkwon? Do you truly have the right to stand here?”

Seomun only glared at Jo Yang, unable to say a single word.

Nothing more needed to be heard. It was the Taiyi Divine Sect’s utter defeat.

반전 (反轉), Reversal:
A change in the course of events.