Book 25 Chapter 10

Is making something precious a frightening, trembling task?

―At the pier

A pier on Ganghorando.

An old man with white hair and a middle-aged warrior were arguing, clutching their collars. Both men were healthy in appearance, and their clothes, though simple, were luxurious, making them seem unlikely to be engaging in a dispute in such a bustling market. A young man in black clothes and a middle-aged, beautiful lady were watching them.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The old man's will and strength to move forward were so immense that with each step of the white-haired elder, the ground seemed to crack.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The middle-aged warrior's strength was also considerable; he seemed to be intentionally planting his feet on the ground as if to prevent their advance. Even though the middle-aged man was much younger and a renowned warrior, there was such a vast difference in the depth of their internal energy that he had to be almost desperate to stop the old man, lacking sufficient internal energy cultivation.

"Let go!"

The old man shouted, veins bulging on his forehead. A subtle anger permeated his voice.

"I cannot!"

"Why not? What reason could there be for a father not to go find his kidnapped daughter?"

Na Baekcheon decisively shook off the restraining arm.

"Still, I cannot!"

The Left Guardian, Namgung Jin, once again tried to stop the Alliance Leader.

"Don't be ridiculous! You say I can't? Are you even a parent? I am going. No matter what happens, I am going!"

"Absolutely not. If you must go, then defeat me first!"

Namgung Jin's voice, as he tried to stop him for the third time, was filled with urgency.

"Why are you blocking my way so vehemently?"

"Do you ask because you don't know?"

"Hmph, you truly underestimate me. I ask because I don't know; why would I ask if I did? Isn't that right? Did I seem that foolish? Of course…"

Loosening one hand from his belt, Namgung Jin pointed forcefully at a ship floating in the harbor and shouted,

"You know where that ship is going, don't you!"

"Of course I do! What do you take me for? I'm a long way from having dementia. That ship is heading to Macheon… Hup!"

Na Baekcheon, realizing his slip, quickly shut his mouth.

"What did you intend to do if you went there?"

"Why, to storm in and find our Yerim…"

"Are you aware of your own position?"

"Hmm, that is… the Alliance Leader of Jeongcheon…"

He was significantly dejected.

"It is most fortunate that you have not forgotten. Then do you understand now? If you recklessly charge into Macheon Pavilion as you are, it will be an all-out war, an all-out war!"

"No, Namgung Guardian, you don't have to shout so loudly…"

"No. Someone has to speak! Of course, I know it's painful. It's painful for me too. I want to tear those scoundrels to shreds. Ten pieces, no, thirty pieces wouldn't be enough. But you are the one carrying the entire White Path martial world on your shoulders, the sole representative of tens of thousands of White Path martial artists! If such a person were to launch a solo attack on Macheon Pavilion, the heart of the Black Path, no excuse would explain such a situation. Especially when it concerns the Alliance Leader's personal matter."

"But they kidnapped my daughter first!"

"There is no proof."

That was the biggest problem at that very moment.

"Even though Macheon Pavilion is known for its secrecy, if there were concrete proof, they could not refuse the Alliance Leader's personal search. Unfortunately, there is no evidence. Suspicion alone is not enough."

"Then what do you expect me to do? Just stand here wringing my hands?"

"For now, the best course of action is to formally notify the Pavilion Master of Macheon and await their reply."

Then Ye Cheong stepped forward.

"Calm down. You cannot go, but I can."

"How? You have the status of the martial alliance leader's wife."

Then Ye Cheong smiled faintly. It was the first smile she had shown since losing Yerim. Though it lacked the brightness of the past, which saddened him, she too was desperate as a mother.

"That's right. I am your wife. But before that, I am also a graduate of that place. No matter how secretive Macheon Pavilion is, they do not turn away their own alumni."

"My dear…"

"Lost in the spring weather, I came all the way to Dongjeong Lake, and suddenly I miss my old sect so dearly."

And with that, she wiped her eyes with her finger. Seeing that, Na Baekcheon and Guardian Namgung simultaneously slapped their palms with their fists.

"Indeed! What a coincidence."

"Yes, a coincidence. Just a coincidence. I want to meet my juniors too."

Then, this time, Bi Ryunyeon stepped forward.

"You cannot go either."

Ye Cheong's head snapped towards Bi Ryunyeon. Her bloodshot eyes, with dilated pupils, fixed on Bi Ryunyeon. It was a terrifying aura. It was the very gaze that made even the martial alliance leader, Na Baekcheon, tremble like a frog before a snake. Yet, Bi Ryunyeon said what he had to say, even under that gaze.

"Because you are no longer just a mere graduate of Macheon Pavilion, but also the wife of the martial alliance leader. There's a saying about husband and wife being one body, isn't there? No one will think of you separately from the martial alliance leader, Na Baekcheon. It will only be a matter of time before it escalates into a diplomatic issue."

Then Ye Cheong began to rage.

"I don't accept it! I will go! What is a diplomatic issue? Does a mother need a reason to go find her daughter? If Father can't go, Mother can! She is the daughter I bore from my own womb. You men have never felt the pain of childbirth! When a woman gives birth, she dies and is reborn. Do you understand?"

There was no greater stubbornness than this. Seeing Ye Cheong raging like a ferocious leopard and Na Baekcheon helplessly trying to calm her down, Bi Ryunyeon thought to himself.

'The couple is the same.'

"There's a problem, Ryunyeon!"

Just then, Jang Hong rushed in, out of breath, and exclaimed.

"A problem? What problem?"

"There are no ships in the harbor."

"What?"

Bi Ryunyeon exclaimed in surprise.

"It seems a man named Donwang has sent them all away. What should we do? If it's like this, time will continue to be wasted…"

Now, they needed to find ships and begin their pursuit as quickly as possible. Bi Ryunyeon and his group needed to go to Macheon Pavilion, and Na Baekcheon needed to head to Heukcheon Alliance. They had to catch up to the ship that had already departed and confirm the contents within. Therefore, two ships were needed. Yet, the harbor was empty. Donwang, using his power and wealth, had sent them all away. No one knew how long it would take for those ships to return. It could take an hour, or in the worst case, a day. For a moment, everyone was speechless. Anxiety began to surround them. Na Baekcheon also lost his composure and started fidgeting. Ye Cheong, forgetting her rage, stood there blankly. Her complexion was very poor. As no one could come up with a solution, the atmosphere grew increasingly grim.

Hyoryong's stomach started to burn under the oppressive atmosphere. At this critical moment when Hyoryong was about to develop psychosomatic gastritis, Bi Ryunyeon opened his mouth.

"No, there are ships."

* * *

Macheon Pavilion Master's Office.

The Macheon Pavilion Master, after hearing the report from Cheolgayeom, the captain of the Ninth Legion, sank into thought in the darkness.

"I didn't expect him to move this quickly. It's unexpected, truly unexpected."

It felt as if time, which had stopped, had begun to flow again. Moreover, its speed was unexpectedly fast.

"What about Na Baekcheon?"

"According to the report, he remains on Ganghorando, waiting for a ship to Heukcheon Alliance."

Cheolgayeom replied with a respectful posture.

"Heukcheon Alliance… There can only be one reason for him to go there. Will he truly sever the head of the Heukcheon Alliance Leader? For his beloved daughter?"

Waving a notification he had received unilaterally from Seocheon, he, the Pavilion Master of Macheon and also Bukcheonmilgeop, muttered to himself.

"It will probably be impossible."

"That's a shame. He can't do this or that because of his sense of responsibility. Being in a high position isn't always good. If he were a bit more foolish, irresponsible, and selfish, he wouldn't have to worry about such things."

Both the White Path and the Black Path, the two alliance leaders of both factions, had a strong tendency to avoid personal conflict due to their excessively high sense of responsibility. That was how they had created a semblance of peace for a hundred years. However, he did not quite like that atmosphere.

"Then who is coming this way?"

"A few children from Cheonmu Academy."

Since Na Baekcheon, the Jeongcheon Alliance Leader, and Bingwol Seonja Ye Cheong had approached Dongjeong Lake, he had always been monitoring their movements, so his report was seamless.

"Are they planning to force their way in? What guts these children have."

Heard that there are even those among them who are not qualified to enter Macheon Pavilion.

"Do you intend to grant permission?"

"Permission? This is my territory. It's not a place one can just enter and leave. Even if he is the Jeongcheon Alliance Leader. Seocheon, he's stirring up too much trouble. Does he intend to make Macheon Pavilion his stage?"

He wanted to remain quiet for now… He wanted to avoid a commotion happening here. But his lack of control was his biggest problem. Yes, Seocheon was one of the few exceptions within this Macheon Pavilion, where he held dominion and wielded absolute power.

"Doing such a useless thing… Is he trying to start an all-out war? He didn't seem like such an irresponsible person. What is the current whereabouts of that 'daughter'?"

At that, countless beads of cold sweat dripped from behind his iron mask.

"I-I'm sorry. We detected signs of her entering Macheon Pavilion, but after that…"

He couldn't bring himself to say that she had vanished without a trace. He felt as if his very existence would vanish if he uttered those words. By someone else's hand.

"Lost, you say…"

One of the thirteen captains of Macheon, who seemed devoid of fear, trembled with just one word and the tapping of the chair armrest.

"What about him?"

"He disappeared for a while and reappeared. He is currently staying with his unit. It seems he had secret meetings with several captains."

"With the captains?"

"They are those he has won over. The movements of the captains who sided with 'Seocheon' are unusual."

It was probably because 'Seocheon', who met and spoke with them directly, felt closer than the Pavilion Master watching from the darkness. They failed to see the true power hidden in the shadows.

'Foolish friends…'

They probably didn't even realize that every move they made was being read. That they were being let go even though they knew. There was only one ruler here, and that fact remained unchanged, whether it was a hundred years ago or now.

"They are undoubtedly foolish, but they prefer the uncertain but close over the distant. They tend to think of it as something tangible. They have short-sightedness! They are ignorant masses with only myopia."

The mere fact that such foolish people were breathing the same air as him was an unbearable pain.

"Seocheon must have known for years that he was being watched."

For a long time, he had known of his clandestine movements but had left him be. He had thought that even Seocheon couldn't move freely within Macheon Pavilion, let alone on Ganghorando. And he had remained quietly, showing his teeth more than expected.

"He was holed up quietly for nine years since then, so he can't stay quiet any longer, is that what you mean? Muttering about honing his resolve and enduring hardship… It seems even his patience has reached its limit."

"Will you intervene?"

"No, I will watch him for now. It's not bad to till the field and stir the stagnant water once in a while. I will observe the ship that departed from Ganghorando for a while. That is Seocheon's responsibility. However, increase the surveillance by double. And focus all efforts on identifying 'Seocheon's' movements."

"Yes, sir!"

Waving his hand as a signal to withdraw, Cheolgayeom stepped back and left the place without a word.

Left alone, he looked up at the ceiling and quietly inhaled.

'I wish I could breathe fresher air.'

The foolishness of the ignorant masses overflowed in this world beyond measure. Whenever he felt this keenly, he would be overcome with a nausea that felt like he would throw up everything inside him.

'Those ignorant masses, those brainless fools called the 'public'!'

Miserable and powerless insects. Their number is not small. The air becomes polluted simply by the fact that they breathe. Wasn't the task of reducing the number of such ignorant masses and selecting the more outstanding among them precisely 'Cheongeopbyeolsae' (Heavenly Tribulation Blood Tide)!

For the past hundred years, he had never neglected his duties as the Pavilion Master of Macheon. This was because the reason he held this position was also an important classification task to exclude the fervent 'ignorant masses' and 'inferiors' and select superior, eugenic strains.

'There are indeed humans in this world who are not even worth ruling, humans who aren't even qualified to be 'enemies'.'

He was not particularly pleased when something he did not want happened in his selection ground. But…

'This could also be another 'selection'.'

If this selection could create another excellent enemy, that wouldn't be bad either.

'Hehehe! A hundred years have passed! How many sprouts have grown from the seeds sown, become trees, and borne fruit?'

This was a considerable expectation.

'How strong are the fruits borne from the blood and flesh sown a hundred years ago… The time for harvest is near!'

As he thought that his wait would soon bear fruit, a smile naturally formed on his lips.

"The time for return is not far!"

That will be the time when the preface of the 'New Martial World Record!', which remains a blank white paper, begins!

That will be the time when the world perishes, and a new world is reborn from the ashes of that destruction.

If there are foolish people who struggle desperately to survive instead of accepting this glorious death for this great regeneration, they will be swiftly eliminated and exterminated.

As he reached out, a folding technique was applied, and a letter on the table floated into the air. With a slight tug of his wrist, the letter naturally slipped into his grasp.

He unfurled the letter, received through levitation, again. It was from Seocheon.

"There is no better sacrifice for the birth of the 'New Martial World Record!' than the 'Martial Alliance Leader'."

*Crackle, crackle, crackle!*

The torn white letter turned into pieces and fluttered in the wind like petals, filling the room. It was like flower petals scattering in spring. But the next moment,

*Hwa-reureureureuk!*

The white petals, spread throughout the vast office, all burst into flames. And then, they turned to ash and vanished pointlessly into the air. It was an ominous scene, as if foretelling the future of the martial world.

As he silently watched the entire process from beginning to end, a barely perceptible, madness-filled smile flickered across his lips for the first time.

"I must go out for a while."

* * *

Jang Wooyang, the head of Jungyang Express, was busy with cargo handover and other residual tasks. Since the items for the Cheonmu Academy delegation had been unloaded here, finding cargo to transport to Namchang on their return was a very important task. Returning with an empty ship would result in a significant loss. Therefore, he had been going around everywhere recently looking for suitable contracts. He was currently engrossed in office work in a separate room of the Silla Inn, where he was staying. Suddenly, the area outside became a bit noisy, and his door was thrown open.

Who dared to disturb the head of the express company's work like this! Jang Wooyang, whose nerves were frayed from overwork, raised his head to scold them. However, upon seeing the person who appeared, his raised eyebrows sank as if they had never been raised before. Instead, his eyes widened like saucers.

"Young Master Bi! How… How did you get here?"

It was Bi Ryunyeon who appeared.

'It's a disaster!'

Jang Wooyang was terrified inwardly. Not only his master but this reckless Bi Ryunyeon appearing meant that a great storm was about to occur. Even more problematic was that this storm seemed like it would sweep away his precious Jungyang Express as well.

'It won't end without anything happening, will it?'

As he somewhat resigned himself, his mind calmed a little.

"Do you have a ship?"

Bi Ryunyeon asked bluntly.

"A ship? Of course, we do. The transport ship carrying the cargo…"

Without waiting for more, Bi Ryunyeon cut off Jang Wooyang's words.

"I'll borrow a ship."

"What do you need it for?"

"I have somewhere to go for a while."

"Where is that?"

"Macheon Pavilion!"

"……!"

Jang Wooyang was horrified at the thought of Bi Ryunyeon going to Macheon Pavilion on his transport ship.

"Transport ships cannot go there! We brought the cargo to deliver to Macheon Pavilion this time, but they wouldn't even let us approach."

That's why they had to anchor the ship at Ganghorando.

"It doesn't matter. I have to go there. Can't I?"

Jang Wooyang fell into thought for a moment. He should have refused. But what would happen if he refused here? As he briefly considered it, a dreadful thought came to him. A bad premonition seemed to be rising like a dark cloud. Moreover, there was a gaze piercing through his entire body. He couldn't bring himself to refuse. However, as the head of an express company, he mustered his courage and said,

"Well, but if something happens, our express company will also be affected…"

It wouldn't be good for business if Macheon Pavilion developed a grudge against them. Even though Jungyang Express belonged to the White Path, they could not ignore its influence on the martial world.

"Don't worry. The Martial Alliance Leader will cover for us."

"Really?"

"Of course, really. He needs a ship more than anyone right now."

Forming a connection with the highest authority in the martial world would be beneficial for the future operation of his express company in many ways. Even if the ship were lost, it would not be a loss. Finally, Jang Wooyang made his decision.

"Alright. Please take it."

* * *

First, the Suzaku Squad boarded the ship.

They had returned in a hurry after receiving the letter Bi Ryunyeon had sent via Ureumae. Namgung Sang and Jin Ling, who were still having difficulty moving, were carried onto the ship on stretchers. He had not listened to the advice that the patient should receive treatment at a doctor's. Their reason was that they might be able to move by the time they reached Macheon Pavilion, even if they couldn't move now. Since Namgung Sang was going, Jin Ling insisted on going too. Her true intention seemed to be to keep an eye on him, to see if he was fooling around. Then, somehow, Ryu Eun-gyeong followed. Her reason was to care for her future husband. Jin Ling tried to dissuade her, saying that she could take care of him, but she wouldn't listen.

"I've never heard of a patient taking care of a patient. You should rest, elder sister. This younger sister will handle everything."

Jin Ling felt like she was going crazy, but there was no longer any room to dissuade her. Jang Hong and Hyoryong also boarded the ship. Yoon Junho, who had been disguised as Yoon Miro and suffered a serious injury, had to be left behind. Although it was dangerous to be left alone, it was even more dangerous to go together. Na Baekcheon had promised to assign Guardian Namgung to him. Na Baekcheon had no choice but to remain here. He could only hope that another ship would arrive soon, as written in the letter.

Bi Ryunyeon stood on the deck, looking down at Na Baekcheon and his wife standing on the pier. Bi Ryunyeon's gaze met theirs. After a long silence, Bi Ryunyeon's gaze shifted to Dongjeong Lake as if looking into the distance, and he began to speak.

"Originally, I didn't want to create something precious. Because precious things, being precious, can become a weakness depending on the situation. Yes, it's a great weakness. I might become unable to move because of it. I might become as restless as I am now. My mental equilibrium could be lost, and I could lose my reason. I might have already lost it."

"So, do you regret it?"

In response to Na Baekcheon's question, Bi Ryunyeon shook his head.

"No, I don't actually regret it. Not about creating a very, very big weakness. How can one be a true man if they can't create a precious weakness, or protect that precious weakness? Well, it doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman. Isn't that what living life is all about? Being able to protect it is also a capability. If you can't create it for fear of losing it in the first place, you're just a coward."

Until now, Bi Ryunyeon had never revealed his heart to anyone like this.

"Is your precious weakness my daughter? Have you never thought that she is too good for you?"

"I've learned that something precious cannot be made or discarded at will. It is created at some point without one's own knowledge. Yerim is now a part of my future. From this present moment until the final moment when my existence disappears, she is a part of my future. Even the Martial Alliance Leader cannot interfere with my future."

The Suzaku Squad members, who were unintentionally standing beside Bi Ryunyeon and listening to his words, were inwardly horrified.

'He was thinking that deeply? This man who seems only interested in money, always lighthearted, never thinking seriously, and whose pride and arrogance reach the heavens?'

It seemed that they were not the only ones changing. Bi Ryunyeon, who had been changing them, was also changing. Whether it would be beneficial or detrimental to them, one thing was certain: he was changing. This fact somehow brought them a sense of relief.

Indeed, 'All things flow!' It seems nothing in this world remains unchanged.

"You are not just fearless; your guts are hanging out of your belly. Yerim is my daughter! Do you think I'll hand her over to you? I won't do that."

"That's not for the father-in-law to decide, but for Yerim to decide. Surely, you don't think that because you are parents, you can control your child's destiny as you please?"

"Th-that… Uh-hem. Wh-what's wrong with that? Are there parents who don't worry about their child's future? It's all for the child's well-being. That's a parent's heart! And who is your father-in-law!"

"Having good intentions doesn't always lead to good results. The opposite is also true. The world isn't structured that conveniently. It's not that simple."

"So what?"

"There are many cases where a parent's good intentions trample on a child's heart."

"Are you saying that I am trampling on my daughter's heart right now?"

"Not yet, but it could end up that way. Isn't a parent's role to help their child stand on their own two feet? It's not a parent's job to shackle their child's wings when they try to fly to the high heavens, away from their embrace."

"Obeying parents' words is 'filial piety'!"

"No, it is true 'filial piety' to leave your parents' embrace and become an independent human being. Entrusting one's destiny to parents is not filial piety but 'unfilial conduct'."

"Even if it hurts your parents?"

Na Baekcheon felt sadness just thinking about his daughter leaving his side.

"You shouldn't confuse attachment with love."

"Are you saying that a parent's love for their child is attachment?"

"Then, isn't it?"

"You're saying anything you want now that I'm tolerating you. I will never accept someone like you!"

Na Baekcheon raged as if spitting fire from his mouth. Bi Ryunyeon did not back down either.

"That's why it's not for Father-in-law to decide, but for Yerim to decide. And the biggest problem now is that Yerim, who needs to make that decision, isn't even here."

"Then what are we supposed to do?!"

Na Baekcheon yelled, unable to suppress his anger. He, who considered his love for his daughter to be great, was having it completely negated, so how could he be in a good mood? It was natural for his anger to explode.

"Of course, we have to get her back. Now, without her, my future will be incomplete. My future and Yerim are now inseparable. I will not accept such a deficiency, never! Even if it means overturning Macheon Pavilion and making the entire martial world my enemy, I will bring Yerim back, back into my embrace!"

No one could doubt the sincerity that burst forth like lava from an erupting volcano, having passed its critical point.

If he says he will do it, he will do it! If he says he won't, he'll force himself to do it. That was Bi Ryunyeon.

"So, don't worry. Even if you two cannot go, I will definitely bring Yerim back. Whether you ask me to or tell me not to, I will definitely do so. I will definitely bring Yerim back, along with my future."

His words were filled with resolve. Then, Na Baekcheon, whose anger had not yet subsided, said one thing.

"Even so, you haven't given me my daughter yet. I haven't accepted it!"

Then Bi Ryunyeon smiled faintly and said,

"I know. I'll get your acceptance when I get back, Father!"

"Who is your father! Huh? Huh?"

Na Baekcheon jumped up and down on the pier. Ye Cheong, who had been quietly standing beside him, calmed her jumping husband and looked up at Bi Ryunyeon.

"You are interesting. I've grown a little fond of you."

And she added one more thing.

"Please take care of Yerim."

Bi Ryunyeon nodded vigorously and then, looking at the vast Dongjeong Lake, shouted,

"We're going back, to Macheon Pavilion!"

"Yes!"

The Suzaku Squad replied in unison, their eyes forged with resolve shining sharply like blades.

"We will sink all four islands to get Yerim back. Those who block my path will learn how shallow the despair they have known until now was."