A Stratagem Of Self-Inflicted Pain

The sight of Kang Family Manor was utterly devastating. Everywhere the black shadows passed became a living hell. They ransacked every piece of furniture and belongings, smashing them apart. They seemed to have no intention of stopping until they found what they wanted.

“Oh dear, looks like you’re badly hurt?”

A shrill voice sharp enough to tear eardrums echoed across the courtyard. The noisy movements of the Black Butterfly Shadows members froze at once. Soon after, over a dozen black shadows bustled about, lining up on both sides. A long black path was formed in the courtyard.

The owner of the voice strutted in with the arrogance of an invited guest. He was a tall, lanky man whose face was so pale that bluish veins were visible. In his left hand, he held a whisk¹, its thick white hairs swaying left and right as he walked, resembling strands of human hair.

“Oh dear, looks like you’re badly hurt?”

The exact same voice echoed again like a reverberation. It seemed like the same person’s voice, but another figure suddenly appeared behind the first.

“Black Butterfly Twin Assassins.”

Jong-yeon murmured in a voice only Yun-seon could hear.

The one who entered first was Left Shadow, the elder of the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins; the one behind him was his younger twin, Right Shadow. They had identical looks and voices, so the only way to distinguish them was by the hand in which they wielded their weapon.

In the martial world, there was even a saying: “If you meet the Black Butterflies, don’t look back—just run.” Such was the infamous reputation of Black Butterfly Shadows. If their subordinates were this terrifying, their leaders, the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins, were beyond question. With the twin leaders of the largest assassin group in the martial world appearing personally, Kang Family Manor’s fate was as precarious as a candle before the wind.

“Tsk tsk, how has the mighty Sword God ended up like this?”

“Tsk tsk, how has the mighty Sword God ended up like this?”

Left Shadow spoke first, and Right Shadow echoed him. They laughed in a twisted tone as they circled Yul-cheon. Cloaked in black, their eerie movements and sounds made them seem like apparitions. They hadn’t even attacked, but the terror alone was enough to raise goosebumps all over.

“……”

Yet even in this turmoil, Kang Yulcheon remained silent. Sitting with his eyes closed, his face seemed as calm as someone asleep.

After circling for a long while without eliciting any reaction, the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins suddenly stopped moving as if on cue. This time, they stood facing each other with Kang Yul-cheon between them and began conversing.

“Should we find the book first?”

“Or should we take his life first?”

“Let’s ask first.”

“Yes, let’s ask first.”

“Shall we gouge out the left eye first?”

“Or the right eye first?”

“Shall we cut off the left arm first?”

“Or the right arm first?”

For some reason, the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins kept giggling with chilling laughter.

Jong-yeon wanted to leap from the roof immediately and slash his sword at them. Objectively speaking, his strength was far inferior to theirs. But watching the master he respected most being mocked—he would rather be torn to shreds himself.

‘But this child must survive.’

Jong-yeon looked at Yun-seon beside him, tears streaming down. He knew all too well what took priority. He had no choice but to swallow his anger. Unknowingly, he clenched his fists so hard that his nails pierced into his palms, blood seeping out.

“Ah!”

“Ah!”

Their banter suddenly cut off. The Black Butterfly Twin Assassins slammed their foreheads together as if realizing something crucial. Their red palms left clear marks on their pale foreheads.

“You gave it to a disciple!”

“You gave it to a disciple!”

At their simultaneous words, Kang Yul-cheon flinched, grimacing. The qi pathways he had been suppressing twisted violently again.

“Ugh!”

He finally let out a cry and vomited a gush of blood.

“Did he give it to the older one?”

“Or the younger one?”

Excited that their guess might be correct, the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins began circling Yul-cheon again. The jade-colored tiles were stained crimson with the blood he had spat.

Watching this scene, Jong-yeon had a suspicion about his master’s actions. He turned to Yun-seon and asked.

“Did Master give you something?”

“Eh? Ah, yes… this book…”

Yun-seon fumbled in his sleeve and pulled out a small book, handing it to his senior brother.

<Commentary on the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra>

Only then did Jong-yeon see the long vertical title scrawled across the cover.

“He told me to take this book to Dhuta Mountain.”

Taking the book, Jong-yeon let out a heavy sigh. The moment he had always feared had finally come. Realizing this was the situation he had expected, he knew there was no time left to hesitate.

“From this moment, you must remember my words clearly.”

He grasped Yun-seon’s shoulders with both hands.

“I am about to go down and rescue Master.”

Yun-seon’s face brightened and he nodded vigorously. With his senior brother’s skills, he believed their master could be saved no matter how badly injured.

“What about me? I’ll do something too.”

Though he lacked martial arts, Yun-seon clutched at his senior brother’s sleeve, hoping he might still be of some small help.

“No. You have something else to do.”

“Huh?”

Jong-yeon gripped Yun-seon’s shoulders so tightly that they went numb as he spoke.

“In the meantime, you must memorize the scripture’s contents completely.”

“What?”

Yun-seon fell backward in shock at his senior’s unexpected words. If Jong-yeon hadn’t caught him, he would have tumbled into the courtyard and been badly hurt.

“What do you mean? Wouldn’t it be better to call for help…”

“No one is coming to help.”

Jong-yeon’s tone was calm, yet firm as he admonished his junior.

“They are Black Butterfly Shadows, the greatest assassin group in the martial world. Before anyone could come, Kang Family Manor will already be annihilated.”

“Sahyung…”

“So we must do what we can right now. I will guard Master. And you—memorize this.”

Yun-seon stared at Jong-yeon in shock. He could not understand what memorizing a book had to do with saving their master.

“Sahyung…”

Truthfully, Jong-yeon himself felt doubtful, but there was no other way. Could this timid, frail child really accomplish it?

“How long will it take you?”

“Huh?”

“How long to memorize it?”

Normally calm and unhurried, Jong-yeon could not help but press his junior with urgency. The more time passed, the more endangered their master’s life became.

“One sikgyeong² will be enough.”

Though bewildered and unsure, Yun-seon steadied himself at the sight of his senior brother’s anxious face. The Jong-yeon he knew never acted without reason. Surely there was some meaning he did not yet understand.

“That will do.”

Seeing resolve form in Yun-seon’s eyes, Jong-yeon gave a faint smile. Then he leaned close to his junior brother’s ear, whispering instructions for a long while. The more Jong-yeon spoke, the wider Yun-seon’s pupils grew. The crushing weight of responsibility made him feel frozen from head to toe.

“Yun-seon, you can do this.”

Jong-yeon patted the head of his tear-streaked junior a couple of times. Then, without looking back, he leapt straight down into the courtyard.

He did not hesitate for a moment at becoming bait. His only regret was not being able to protect his junior brother to the very end.

“How dare you cause chaos in this place!”

Shouting loudly, Jong-yeon darted over the heads of the Black Butterfly mob. As he landed lightly inside the main hall, not one assassin managed to even brush the hem of his robes.

“Oh my, the big one has appeared?”

“Oh my, the big one has appeared?”

The Black Butterfly Twin Assassins looked at Jong-yeon and exclaimed in unison. They had been too lazy to hunt him down, but to have him walk in of his own accord was more than welcome.

“Master, are you alright?”

Seeing Yul-cheon’s face pale as paper, Jong-yeon felt a surge of hot blood choke up from his chest. Though they had not yet struck him, his internal injuries were so severe he could hardly move.

“Jong-yeon…”

The moment Yul-cheon met his disciple’s eyes, he understood his choice. Jong-yeon meant to sacrifice his life for their sect.

‘Good lad…’

Overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow, Yul-cheon’s qi pathways twisted violently again. With a harsh cough, he spat out more blood.

“Master!”

Jong-yeon realized at once his plan had gone astray. He had thought that even with heavy injuries, the Sword God Kang Yul-cheon could endure half an hour. But tragically, the wounds were far graver than expected.

‘Can I handle them alone?’

Jong-yeon’s heart pounded faster and faster. But with someone to protect, he had nowhere to retreat.

“Do you have it?”

“Hand it over quickly, and we’ll give you an easy death.”

The Black Butterfly Twin Assassins giggled as they exchanged words. Unless Kang Yul-cheon himself intervened, one of them was more than enough to deal with this young brat.

“Hmph, you’ll have to get through me first!”

Jong-yeon roared and drew his long sword with his right hand. Under the dawn moonlight, the blade gleamed, bearing the calligraphy “Water Moon”. It was the treasured sword Yul-cheon had bestowed upon him on the day he first began martial training.

“You’ll find that I alone am enough.”

“Yes, you alone are enough.”

With a twisted laugh, Right Shadow, standing to Yul-cheon’s right, drew the whisk from his waist. As he shook it side to side, white dust scattered from its thick hairs. The powder used in the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins’ ambushes was so poisonous that even brushing the skin could paralyze the nerves.

With his vast martial experience, Jong-yeon had already seen through it. He took a deep breath and held it, lunging in from the left to avoid contact with the whisk.

Water Moon was a swift, fluid blade. Though it seemed like a simple thrust, the sword curved sharply, aiming for Right Shadow’s left hand. If the tip reached, his wrist would surely be severed.

Yet Right Shadow made no move to evade. He just stood there, smiling faintly.

“Not so easy.”

Just as the blade was about to reach his wrist, Right Shadow flicked the whisk. Water Moon was caught in its hairs, dragging Jong-yeon’s sword arm toward him.

“Ugh!”

By the time Jong-yeon tried to pull the sword back, his right arm was already half-entangled. Using the recoil, Right Shadow shot forward, closing the distance to Jong-yeon’s face in a single bound.

“Didn’t I say I alone am enough?”

His red lips stretched into a grotesque grin as he sank his teeth into Jong-yeon’s left ear.

“Argh!”

Jong-yeon cried out and stumbled back three steps, but he could not free his right arm.

고육지책 (苦肉之策), A Ruse of Self-Sacrifice:
A stratagem where one willingly endures self-harm as a means of deceiving the enemy.