Clenching One’s Teeth In Bitterness

“Once we get through this side path, it’s Dragon Gate Mountain. Endure just a little longer.”

Elder Hwang, comforting the exhausted and limp In-gyeong who had cried himself hoarse, pressed forward and forward again. His stamina had reached its limit, but he could not slow down for even a moment. The sect leader’s wish to preserve the Eminent Mountain Sect’s lineage was also his own. Whatever happened, he had to protect In-gyeong. That single purpose filled his mind.

“Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?”

“Gah!”

As soon as he emerged from the side path, Elder Hwang froze. On a boulder above sat a man’s silhouette, looking down at him. A booming voice, broad shoulders, a massive sword sheath jutting behind his back—he didn’t need to see his face to know.

“Jeok-woo!”

Elder Hwang realized he could no longer protect In-gyeong. He whispered softly to the boy, frozen stiff with terror.

“Don’t look back—run to Dragon Gate Mountain.”

“Sasuk…”

“You alone must survive.”

Elder Hwang set In-gyeong down and repeated his plea. Seeing the heavy shadow over his martial uncle’s face, the boy knew these were farewell words.

“A whelp still wet behind the ears dares stand before me?”

Elder Hwang quickly pushed In-gyeong behind him and drew his sword. He could not defeat Jeok-woo, but perhaps he could endure a few dozen exchanges.

“Elder, does age really matter in this line of work?”

As Jeok-woo drew his sword Virtuous Conduct, a dull, heavy sound burst out. Even for him, Elder Hwang could not be taken lightly. Alongside the Go brothers, he was a direct disciple of Shin Yang-seon, and among the remaining Eminent Mountain disciples, the only one who had mastered the Waning Moon Sword techniques.

“Hmph!”

Elder Hwang had no wish to trade words with a Demonic Cultist. Without warning, he launched the Moonlight Drizzle technique straight at Jeok-woo. His movement was smooth, yet the Sword qi was razor sharp, thrusting further than expected. Jeok-woo was startled by the sudden strike and twisted his body to narrowly avoid it. But anticipating this, Elder Hwang twisted his blade like lightning, sweeping for Jeok-woo’s left flank.

“You call it Drizzle, yet it’s as fast as a Sudden Downpour!”

Jeok-woo had always been fond of the Eminent Mountain sword techniques. Though he had never formally learned them, even the names of their forms delighted him. Without being told, he could correctly name each technique.

As Jeok-woo simply admired his swordsmanship instead of attacking, Elder Hwang’s anger rose. In such a desperate situation, his relaxed demeanor felt like blatant mockery.

“You insolent wretch!”

As Elder Hwang’s sword suddenly accelerated, even Jeok-woo, who had only been defending with Virtuous Conduct, could not simply evade. Dodging the storm of sword-light with agile steps, he subtly twisted his wrist, and a small whirlwind rose around his dao.

“If mastered properly, there would be no sword art to rival this…”

Jeok-woo clicked his tongue, then began using the ultimate dao technique, slamming Virtuous Conduct downward. At a glance, it looked like a brutish chop, but in truth it carried dozens of hidden rotations.

As his opponent finally attacked, Elder Hwang pulled his sword in close. The first form of the Waning Moon Sword was defensive at its base, but by channeling more than half his internal force into it, it released Sword qi aimed at a vital spot in one strike. Jeok-woo’s defenses looked monotonous, and Elder Hwang’s seasoned eyes spotted many openings.

‘If I can pierce his Jade Hall¹ acupoint, this might be my chance.’

Gathering all his strength into his blade, Elder Hwang darted forward five quick steps and thrust. But Jeok-woo, who had been watching calmly, suddenly bared his teeth in a wide grin.

“No!”

When Elder Hwang, overexcited, stepped half a pace too far, Jeok-woo seized the moment. With his left hand he caught the sword at his solar plexus, and with his right he brutally cleaved into Elder Hwang’s shoulder using Virtuous Conduct.

“Urgh!”

Dark red blood spurted from Elder Hwang’s left shoulder. As he crashed heavily to the ground, his eyes darted rapidly, still trying to locate In-gyeong even in the face of death. It was clear the next strike would be his last.

‘By now, he must have escaped?’

He drained the last of his energy from every fingertip and toe, channeling his inner strength into his right hand with the Half-Moon Force. The sword’s aura thickened, wrapping his slender blade in a radiant glow.

“Waning Moon Celestial Martial!”

It was the final ultimate form he could unleash. The Waning Moon Celestial Martial, with its forty-two variations, was the same technique Go Geun-nam had once displayed before his death.

“The power is less than before—but far more beautiful.”

By fortune, Jeok-woo had now witnessed the Waning Moon Celestial Martial twice. Compared to Go Geun-nam’s, Elder Hwang’s execution was rougher, but it was far more disciplined and without waste. A sword was a mirror of the wielder’s heart, and his desperation shone through.

A sudden respect welled up in Jeok-woo. So he chose not to toy with him any longer, but to face the strike with sincerity. With a loud battle cry, he gripped Virtuous Conduct in both hands. Briefly infused with eighty percent of his strength, the blade trembled like a living thing. It then clashed with Elder Hwang’s sword, devouring its radiant aura and cleaving his chest open.

“Go in peace.”

Standing before his fallen foe, Jeok-woo bowed his head slightly. Killing had long since become his occupation, but whenever he met a worthy opponent, his heart grew heavy.

“You fiend! I’ll kill you myself!”

At the trembling cry, Jeok-woo finally noticed the boy in the shadows. At first hidden behind Elder Hwang’s back, later behind a tree, he had gone unnoticed. So that was what Elder Hwang had been trying to protect all along.

“To think there was someone he sought to protect…”

Moved once more, Jeok-woo sniffled. For some reason, today he no longer wished to kill.

“Uwaaaak!”

In-gyeong drew the Waning Moon Sword his father had passed down, without hesitation. Though his skill was no match, he could not forgive himself if he failed to draw even a single drop of blood from his foe.

“Stop. You cannot kill me.”

Jeok-woo didn’t even bother to look his way, lazily waving his hand. He had no intention of killing In-gyeong. Sparing this one child would hardly be an issue.

“Eiit!”

In-gyeong executed the First Form of the Waxing Moon Sword, thrusting quickly at Jeok-woo’s right shoulder. With a look of boredom, Jeok-woo caught the blade with just two fingers. No matter how many thousands of times the form had been practiced, against an overwhelming opponent it couldn’t even leave a scratch.

“Ahh…”

He sank down in utter despair. He couldn’t even cry; the helplessness was too crushing.

‘For one so young, his spirit is remarkable.’

Jeok-woo didn’t show it outwardly, but he liked the boy. If they hadn’t met as enemies, he would have gladly taken him as a younger brother.

“Boy, if you are truly so aggrieved, clench your teeth in bitterness and come find me in ten years. Then, I will fight you with all my strength.”

Jeok-woo laughed heartily as he ruffled the head of the boy glaring at him with bloodshot eyes full of murderous intent.

“Oops, my martial sister is going to scold me again.”

Glancing at the slant of the moon, he startled slightly, then stood and brushed off his robes. Leaving In-gyeong frozen in the moonlight, he strode back into the darkness of the side path.

From that day, In-gyeong etched Jeok-woo’s face into his heart forever. Watching the shrinking back carrying Virtuous Conduct, he kept muttering the same words.

“Ma Jingun… and Jeok-woo…”

Arriving at the inn, Ju-un searched every room thoroughly but found no sign of anyone. She had hoped, but as expected, they had not returned.

‘If only they had simply broken their promise…’

Then there might still be a chance Yun-seon was alive. Ju-un collapsed despondently into a chair in the center of the inn.

The time she had promised her master Yi Mu-yeong had long since passed. Even so, she had stayed by Yun-seon’s side purely of her own will. At first from suspicion, then pity—and now she couldn’t even name the reason. Perhaps she had only been making excuses because she simply wanted to stay by him. It was only when she thought him dead that she realized her heart.

“Sajeo…”

At Hyeongjin’s call, Ju-un did not turn back. She had long since realized he was following her. Normally, she would have driven him off sternly, but now she lacked the energy. Perhaps, in truth, she was grateful he had followed.

“As expected, that old man and his granddaughter were no ordinary people.”

Ju-un answered only with silence. She had no intention of revealing their true identities, but she had no desire to defend them either. If not for their ambush, this disaster might never have happened.

“What will you do now?”

Only then did Ju-un look up at Hyeongjin. His usually neat and handsome face now seemed haggard and shadowed. Clearly, he had suffered much as well.

“Why are you following me? Do you think I secretly hid Yun-seon?”

Even at her curt reply, Hyeongjin smiled faintly. Her words lacked kindness, but they carried no malice either.

“By my fault, two of our brothers met an unjust end. Yet there is comfort in this—we have not found Yun-seon’s body. The cliffs have many outcroppings. If by chance he fell onto one, he might yet live. If you intend to search for him, Sajeo, then I will aid you.”

Hyeongjin carefully knelt beside Ju-un. Meeting her eyes at the same level, she could see his face clearly—his deep, moist gaze was filled with concern and care.

“If Yun-seon lives, it must be tied to the Taiyi Divine Sect. If we trace their movements, might we not at least find a clue about him?”

His words were not entirely unreasonable. And knowing Hyeongjin’s nature—that he never spoke carelessly—Ju-un felt a spark of hope rekindle. With his experience and wits, perhaps he really could catch the vanished trail of the Taiyi Divine Sect.

“You may follow if you wish, but if you hinder me, I will not forgive it.”

Ju-un gave an ambiguous reply—neither consent nor refusal—then rose sharply. With no summons from her master, there was no need to visit Nine Moons Mountain. Having made up her mind, it was better to act quickly. With a goal once more, her heart began pounding again.

“Sajeo, I will be in your care for the time being.”

Hyeongjin clasped his hands and bowed lightly. But as Ju-un was about to leave the inn, she snapped her head around and barked:

“Instead! From now on, do not call me Sajeo. Do not dare tie me to your master.”

Hyeongjin gave his usual sheepish smile and nodded.

‘That is exactly what I was hoping for.’

절치부심 (切齒腐心), Clenching One’s Teeth in Bitterness:

The act of gritting one’s teeth and tormenting oneself because one feels very vexed; a strong desire to exact revenge