The Order Is Decided By The Old Man. (2)

Before the Yin Monster’s strength, the Southern Edge Sect’s pride lay in ruins.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

The sect leader taken hostage in front of everyone—an unprecedented crisis, an unparalleled humiliation.

About five hundred sword-wielding Taoists stood stunned and at a loss.

Then a white-haired, deeply wrinkled elder stepped forward. He was likely the most senior among the Southern Edge Sect’s Taoists.

“You scoundrels! Will you not release him at once?!”

Yu Jinsan only pressed the Dragon-Slaying Spear harder against Hyun Jong’s throat.

“Scoundrels, huh… Say that again, if you want this man’s head to fly.”

“You bastard! Even in the murim there is a code—how dare you commit such a heinous act?”

“How absurd. Your actions are ‘morality’ and mine is ‘injustice’?”

The elder who had stepped forward wore an expression of utter despair.

“What on earth… what do you want from us?”

If they demanded money, they seemed ready to hand it over.

But Yu Jinsan wanted something else.

His gaze dropped.

Hyun Jong, the Southern Edge Sect leader, lay unconscious and foaming at the mouth—reduced to that state by a single punch from the Yin Monster. Even so, he had not loosened his grip on his sword.

Yu Jinsan’s eyes fixed on the jade token hanging from the sword’s hilt. Crude in appearance, it was no mere ornament but the sect’s sacred token—the symbol of the leader’s authority.

Creak—!

The Dragon-Slaying Spear sliced the ring attaching the token to the sword.

Before anyone could react, Yu Jinsan had the token in his hand.

Shouts erupted among the Southern Edge Taoists.

“Y-you bastard! How dare you touch that!”

“Someone like you has no right to touch it!”

They raged, but Yu Jinsan did not care. He tucked the token into his chest and spoke calmly.

“From now on this object will be in our custody. We’ll consider returning it later depending on your attitude.”

This token had been passed down since the sect’s founding patriarch. It was priceless—far beyond the value of the small manor where the Yin Yang Twin Monster had lived.

“Y-you lunatic!”

“What did you just say?”

“Hand it over at once, you bastard!”

The senior Taoists were nearly beside themselves. These elders had retired from the murim world to spend their final days on Southern Edge Mountain; some had once been sect leader themselves. They had broken seclusion because of this crisis, but none could have expected such a turn. What unfolded felt like a nightmare.

“Do you want it back? Then I’ll give you a chance.”

Yu Jinsan signaled his granddaughter. Yu Seol stepped forward as if she had been waiting for the cue.

What was she planning?

Everyone’s gaze locked on Yu Jinsan. No one could have predicted what he would say next.

“If someone can fight the Yin Monster and withstand five exchanges, I will consider past grievances null and void.”

He promised not only to return the token but to release the sect leader and guarantee no future harm to the Southern Edge Sect.

For a sect long tormented by the Yin Yang Twin Monster, it was an offer they could not refuse.

Fearing the offer might change, the sect’s highest elder quickly accepted.

“We accept.”

They judged that, no matter how strong the Yin Monster, trying to endure five exchanges was worthwhile. Moreover, the challenger would be unarmed.

“Begin at once. Anyone may challenge; there will be no rules.”

Yu Jinsan chose this method not out of fear of numbers but to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. A frontal assault by five hundred in full formation would cost countless lives—thirty percent at least. That was not his way. Even in the murim he kept standards for when to kill; their crimes did not merit such weight. Besides, he couldn’t ignore the Sword Empress’s request.

A moment later the senior Taoist with the highest standing in the sect looked around and spoke.

“Who will step forward?”

Lower-ranked disciples stepped back; they knew they couldn’t hold even a second. Active elders hesitated—if the sect leader fell to a single blow, what hope did they have? None could meet the Yin Monster’s eyes.

The answer was clear: the white-haired elders had no choice but to step forward.

“I will step forward, Jong Hae sahyung.”

“Are you sure? You would be placing too heavy a burden on Jong Un sahyung.”

“I’ve already lived my life. The fate of the sect hangs in the balance—how could I hold back?”

Even in retirement, Taoists continued steady training in the mountains; some reached the Supreme realm. Jong Un was one of them. His posture with the sword differed from the others—the depth of his experience and skill was like the sea.

Facing the Yin Monster, he slowly raised his sword over his shoulder.

Watching, Yu Jinsan wore a puzzled expression—his granddaughter’s face had gone dark.

—Child, why are you like that?

Even after the telepathic message, Yu Seol did not take a stance. A moment later she replied.

—I don’t want to hit crotchety grandpa.

—Why? What’s the problem?

—Grandpa said so. You said we must respect the elderly.

Yu Jinsan let out an incredulous breath as if stunned.

—Respect, my foot. He’s still spry—attack him with no mercy.

—Then is he younger than Grandpa?

—Of course. Even if you add their ages together, Grandpa would still be older.

—Okay, I understand.

Suddenly Yu Seol’s demeanor shifted—she finally seemed willing to fight. She extended two fingers toward Jong Un.

Jong Un, preparing for the duel, was bewildered—he didn’t understand the meaning.

“I’ll specially concede two rounds to Grandpa.”

Yu Seol’s sense of senior courtesy came with its own standards. At minimum, the person had to have white hair and bones stiff with age—sufficient to remind her of the grandfather who once carried her on his back.

“You’ll regret saying that.”

Though the Yin Monster’s proposal had wounded their pride, Jong Un could not refuse—the sect’s honor was at stake. With two exchanges conceded, he now only needed to endure three.

“Hurry and make me regret it, you crotchety grandpa.”

Yu Seol spread her feet shoulder-width and began to move. Her smooth motions rode the wind and contained countless variations even in small shifts. It was the opening of the Yu family Heaven-and-Earth Palm, yet there was something new about it.

Watching his granddaughter, Yu Jinsan marveled.

‘Has she altered the essence of the Heaven-and-Earth Palm? The principles of heaven and earth bound into one endless flow… an unbreakable suppleness. Splendid.’

Pride swelled in him as head of the clan; he thought he must learn from her later.

At last Jong Un’s attack began. His light footwork slid in like a torrent; his sword seemed to move toward Yu Seol before he had fully approached, stretching with uncanny reach.

Yu Jinsan recognized it at a glance.

‘The Heaven-Long Formless Sword Technique.’

The Southern Edge Sect’s ascending sword method—deceptive, lethal, designed to slay in a single stroke. A streak of light lashed toward Yu Seol’s brow.

She twisted and shifted half a step and avoided it, then called out meaningfully.

“One!”

Jong Un felt toyed with. His brow narrowed.

‘This time there is no chance!’

A chilling vigor shone from his blade, creating countless phantoms—a linked sequence of the Heaven-Long Formless Sword Technique that hides true strikes among feints. There was no way to distinguish the real from the fake; evasion seemed impossible. One had to block or counter.

Suddenly Yu Seol’s feet moved dazzlingly; she executed footwork that created dozens of afterimages and began to evade every phantom.

Pa-pa-pa-pat! Pa-pang-!!

Jong Un’s blade generated a gale that ruffled her hair, yet couldn’t even brush her collar.

“Two!”

A chill ran down his spine—Yu Seol’s announced concessions had ended.

Her favored style was to close distance with speed and unleash relentless offense. Jong Un tried to draw his sword back but was startled; Yu Seol had slipped inside his guard and twisted his right wrist—using only her fingers.

He tried to wrench it free but couldn’t.

‘…How—such strength.’

Amazement lasted only a moment. He summoned all his power, fortifying his abdomen with protective qi—because the Yin Monster’s palm was coming.

A shockwave erupted from his lower belly, stirring a fierce wind. His breath choked off; strength drained from his limbs and his waist bent against his will.

The Yin Monster who had been before his eyes had vanished. Speed beyond imagination. Then a tremendous impact struck his back. To move behind someone and strike in that instant defied common sense.

Jong Un collapsed with a thud, unable to resist. Only now did he realize they had never been opponents he could handle.

‘…Where on earth did such a warrior spring from?’

Overwhelming strength, power from another dimension—his emotions churned. As the Yin Monster counted off as if mocking him, he had no thought to respond.

“Three, Four!”

The elder champion the Southern Edge Sect had put forward was felled in two blows. Those who watched could not contain their shock. As for Jong Un himself, he wished he were dead.

“…Kill me.”

One final blow remained.

Yu Seol was already at Jong Un’s head, pulling her fist back. The Taoists misunderstood, fearing the finishing blow.

“S-sasuk…”

“No, no…”

Amid the cries, Yu Seol glanced over at her grandfather. Her look asked what to do.