Chapter 5 : Sword Emperor and Divine Physician (2)

Chapter 5: Sword Emperor and Divine Physician (2)

"Haah, I just want to throw it all away."

Yoo Jinhak spoke with a deep sigh.

He was sharing drinks with an old friend at a safe house in Sichuan.

Since taking the position of Murim Alliance Leader, he had never shown signs of wavering in front of anyone.

But she was the only one before whom he revealed such vulnerability.

"Heheh, I told you time and again. Even if war breaks out, those bastards will never change."

He gave a bitter smile.

By "those people," Boyeon Divine Nun was referring to the power elite of the Murim Alliance.

Too many of them had forsaken chivalry and abandoned righteousness.

They endlessly bickered for personal gain, disregarding major matters for the betterment of Murim, which left him feeling disillusioned.

He had been raising his voice all this time to change them.

But before he knew it, he had grown old.

Those who once shared his ideals had been either driven out by jackals or had retreated in despair.

Lately, the desire to abandon everything and step down had arisen more than once.

"……Don't try to shoulder it all alone."

"Or you could truly retire and live like me, drinking valley wine in some remote mountain retreat."

"If you fall into inner demons, there will be no one left in this world who can stop it, you rascal."

There was genuine concern in his friend’s eyes.

His chest felt tight.

He suddenly thought, “Even from her, I must now hide my true feelings.”

‘……The answer is already decided. I’m only causing needless worry.’

He really couldn't step down.

If he left, the Murim Alliance would fall into a pit so deep it could never escape.

"……Sigh, I’ll return to the Alliance now."

"Tch, that wild colt of a Sect Leader from Qingcheng is the problem. I should’ve stomped him down back when he was still green……."

And then it happened.

Flash!

‘What the—!’

He sensed a clear fluctuation of qi with his qi perception.

It wasn’t ordinary energy. It was a manifestation of innate true qi.

A martial artist only used their innate true qi—the source of their life force—in moments of life or death.

Crash!

He used his full strength to execute his movement technique.

Fortunately, the source of the fluctuation wasn't far from the safe house.

That was how Yoo Jinhak encountered Sewoon.

‘This child is definitely…….’

The heir of the Tang Clan, which had declined so much that there were talks in the Murim Alliance about expelling them.

He recalled Boyeon Divine Nun once saying that Sewoon couldn’t build profound internal energy due to a congenital deformity of the dantian.

Yet, how had this boy managed to cut down Lee Hoseong, who had reached the level of a First Rate Martial Artist?

And that wasn’t the only mystery.

‘……Guilt?’

When he examined Sewoon’s heart through the Golden Purity Eyes, what he saw was deep guilt.

It was puzzling.

Why did a boy he had only just met today harbor such profound emotions toward him?

It certainly wasn’t because of the harm done to his disciple.

Yoo Jinhak felt completely justified in his own actions.

Because the mystery remained unresolved.

He exchanged telepathy with the belatedly arriving Boyeon Divine Nun.

–Boyeon. Is it demonic art?

–No. It’s brutal, yes, but nothing more. It falls within ordinary parameters.

–Hmm, I also don’t sense any evil nature in the energy.

–Heheh, still, it’s clear he’s hiding something.

–In that case……

They had no choice but to probe.

Afterward, Yoo Jinhak deliberately pressured Sewoon through Sun Ugon.

It was a ploy to corner him into revealing his true self, which he might be hiding.

But Sewoon’s response was entirely different from Yoo Jinhak’s expectations.

“I now intend to atone once again for my sins. Will you stop me, Alliance Leader?”

When had it been?

That someone had sincerely pointed a blade at his throat.

Yet what he saw through the Golden Purity Eyes was that Sewoon truly wished to behead Lee Hoseong—even if it meant fighting him.

At first, he was simply shocked, but soon, anger began to boil.

‘To throw away your life for revenge?’

A child barely into his twenties—did he even understand the weight of those words?

Yoo Jinhak regarded Sewoon’s actions as mere youthful recklessness, unable to control a fleeting emotion.

His admiration for Sewoon’s chivalrous heart—shown by using innate true qi to save a servant girl—vanished in an instant, leaving only disappointment.

"Even if it burns my life……."

"I only wish to mend this broken world, even if just a little."

……How could this boy?

At Sewoon’s next words, Yoo Jinhak’s composure wavered for the first time.

But he couldn’t help it.

What Sewoon had just said—

–“Even if it costs my life, I want to change the world.”

Was the exact confession Yoo Jinhak had made to Pure Yang Master on the day he had stumbled upon a miraculous encounter.

There was no way anyone could have heard him say those words.

He had never shared them with anyone.

It was the moment his lifelong path was determined.

Hearing those same words from someone else stirred something indescribable within Yoo Jinhak.

‘Child. If that is truly your conviction…….’

Srrk!

Yoo Jinhak, having gathered his thoughts, raised the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword toward Sewoon once more.

Yoo Jinhak’s sword came flying.

But Sewoon neither raised his dagger to block nor moved to evade.

No—more accurately, he couldn’t.

Shaa!

The moment he saw that single stroke of Yoo Jinhak’s sword—

‘Ah—’

A dreamlike, illusory scene unfolded before his eyes.

Swaa—

If the sword were a brush, Yoo Jinhak had drawn a painting in the air.

A stunning sight unfolded—countless yin-yang patterns embedded within a single line.

The sword of Wudang was indeed gentle yet fierce.

‘It’s beautiful.’

Just a little more, just a little longer—

Light of awe flickered in Sewoon’s eyes.

Immersed in a state of no-mind, Sewoon became deeply captivated by the Sword Emperor’s blade.

However, the fleeting moment that felt eternal—

“Hi- Hiiik!”

Was shattered by the sudden, disgraceful groan of a man.

“Ah,” Sewoon sighed unconsciously.

His gaze, filled with regret, caught sight of the culprit who had stolen a golden moment of enlightenment from him.

Srrk!

Surprisingly, the tip of Yoo Jinhak’s sword was not aimed at Sewoon.

It was pointed at Lee Hoseong, who was lying face-down on the floor.

“How long do you plan to keep pretending to sleep in front of your elder?”

“Ma- Master.”

Yoo Jinhak’s chilling voice rang through the air.

Lee Hoseong flailed to his feet and quickly dropped to his knees, racking his brain.

Yoo Jinhak clicked his tongue at the sight.

“Seeing how actively you’re rolling your eyes, it looks like the treatment worked. Thank you, Boyeon.”

“I merely did my duty as a physician. Though it seems it was a wasted effort.”

The Divine Physician hadn’t reattached Lee Hoseong’s arm, but had restored the qi circulation the moment she took his pulse.

That’s why, in truth, Lee Hoseong had already regained consciousness some time ago.

‘D-Damn it. Why the hell is the Alliance Leader here all of a sudden?’

But judging by the situation, he had pretended to be unconscious because it seemed better for him.

Of course, Yoo Jinhak had already seen through him.

‘What the hell. Why’s he suddenly losing his shit at me?’

Lee Hoseong couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Just moments ago, the Alliance Leader had seemed ready to kill the Tang brat—yet now he had turned his sword on him.

“Now then, it’s your turn to speak.”

“Y-Yes?”

“The other side staked his life to prove his chivalry. Can you risk your life to prove your innocence?”

“T-That’s…!”

What kind of bullshit was this?

Risk his life?

Lee Hoseong wanted to shout that this was nonsense.

But the cold stares from Yoo Jinhak and Boyeon Divine Nun made him realize how serious the situation was.

‘D-Damn it!’

A cold sweat trickled down his spine.

He knew instinctively—if he backed down here, it would be over.

“N-No! I’ll do it!”

Lee Hoseong screamed like a madman.

Glaring at Sewoon as if to kill him, he spat out words like a man possessed.

“Master! Every word that bastard said is a lie! As the top disciple of Qingcheng, why would I stoop to harassing a servant girl?!”

“That wench was the one who came onto me first!”

"Moreover, that bastard used evil arts to—my arm—!"

Roar!

Before Lee Hoseong could even finish his sentence, Yoo Jinhak let out a thunderous shout.

The lion’s roar, imbued with immense energy, forced Lee Hoseong to shut his mouth immediately.

So furious was Yoo Jinhak that the impact of the qi nearly twisted Lee Hoseong’s qi and blood once more.

"Silence. One more word and my ears might rot."

"M-Master?"

"I gave you one last chance, yet you failed to defy even a single expectation."

"W-What do you mean by that…?"

Yoo Jinhak looked at Lee Hoseong with eyes as if staring at an insect.

Then he turned his body and met eyes with Sewoon once again.

"From this moment on, I’ll take full responsibility for your actions."

At Yoo Jinhak’s declaration, Sewoon and the others widened their eyes like lanterns.

The weight of the Murim Alliance Leader saying he’d take full responsibility was immense.

Not only would it completely block Qingcheng Sect’s interference in this matter later—

But it was practically granting Sewoon the right to decide Lee Hoseong’s life or death.

"M-Master!!"

"I have never considered someone like you my disciple."

Sensing his end, Lee Hoseong screamed hysterically.

But Yoo Jinhak coldly turned his back.

Srrk!

Instead, Sewoon, having shown respect to the Sword Emperor, clenched his dagger and began walking toward Lee Hoseong.

Lee Hoseong, his face drained of color, began crawling along the floor.

"D-Don’t come near! I said don’t come near, you bastard!!"

Lee Hoseong grabbed a sword lying on the floor and flailed it wildly.

The Divine Physician had only barely restored the disordered qi channels.

At this point, not only was he far from a First Rate Martial Artist, he couldn’t even match a Third Rate one.

Fssht!

Sewoon dashed in and immediately slashed down with both blades.

Shhk!

"Ku-Kuaaaah!"

With a chilling slicing sound, the tendon in Lee Hoseong’s left leg was severed.

He let out a groan of pain.

But Sewoon had no intention of stopping.

His eyes gleamed with killing intent.

"You will live through agony worse than death."

Slam!

Sewoon struck the man’s dantian with a qi-infused punch.

Crunch—an explosive sound rang out, as if something had been crushed.

Lee Hoseong couldn’t even let out a proper scream.

The pain of losing all the internal qi he had built up when his dantian was destroyed was beyond imagination.

"Ku-Kkkgh—! Krrrk!"

His eyes rolled back and foam frothed at his lips.

Convulsing on the ground, he eventually passed out from unbearable pain.

The pain had been so excruciating that his hair had turned white.

Shiver.

Sun Ugon and the Rear Dragon Guard, who had witnessed the horrific scene, trembled with fear.

Yoo Jinhak watched them for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.

Then he carefully spoke to Sewoon.

"……Would you allow me to pass judgment on these men?"

At his words, Sewoon fell into contemplation.

The main culprit, Lee Hoseong, had been punished.

But Sun Ugon and the Rear Dragon Guard were not to be taken lightly either.

However, the decision quickly leaned in one direction.

‘Let’s take a step back.’

To show any more cruelty here would have the opposite effect.

Besides, the Yoo Jinhak he knew would surely make them pay appropriately.

Finally, Sewoon nodded.

"Understood. Since you overlooked my junior’s rudeness, I shall do the same."

"Thank you for preserving my dignity."

Everyone was stunned.

The Murim Alliance Leader expressing gratitude to a mere youth in his early twenties?

But the surprises weren’t over yet.

"Huu, once I’ve settled the chaos here, I shall visit your clan. Could I ask for a bit of your time?"

Even at Yoo Jinhak’s final request—

"Yes, I can spare at least enough time for a cup of tea."

Sewoon remained composed to the very end.