Book 25 Chapter 3

Descent of the Blue Feather

—The Advent of Bi Ryu Yeon!

A healing center located within the Circular Arena on the Jianghu Island. This was where survivors of battles in the arena, those who didn't die during their fights, received treatment. This place was not for the vanquished, but for the victors. The place for the vanquished was not a healing center, but a funeral home.

Screech! The main gate of the healing center opened, and people began to emerge in a line. Seeing that they were all armed, they were undoubtedly martial artists. Moreover, they were young martial artists in their twenties. Among them was a peculiar figure, a beggar. However, he was a strange beggar with an unusual amount of vigor in his face for a beggar. Un-beggar-like, Noh Hak stretched and opened his mouth.

"Wow, I really thought I was going to die this time, Gungsang."

Hyun Woon, who was walking beside him with his arms crossed, nodded.

"You somehow managed to keep your life. I thought I'd finally be cleaning up a friend's corpse today."

Hyun Woon shook his head as if truly afraid.

"It was truly terrifying claw technique. It seemed random, without any form, yet Gungsang couldn't avoid it at all. Thanks to that, the doctor's work increased. Ten blood lines appeared on your face that weren't there before. Do all women have some kind of technique like that? Come to think of it, Dang Ryeong sometimes bothers me with unimaginable techniques. Cruel methods that I can't block, like a mirage."

Tang Sam, reminiscing about the cruel techniques Dang Ryeong used to torment him, was filled with a sense of shared suffering.

"Jin Ryeong is indeed Jin Ryeong. I thought she had used up all her energy, but where did that power come from? She was like a tiger. It seemed like she would rip Gungsang apart at any moment. Did she trigger latent energy?"

"Aren't women said to be yokai? They send men to the other side of the San Do River the moment they let their guard down. Gungsang was lucky today. That move could have killed him a dozen times over."

"Hey, that's cutting into your own life force. Even if Gungsang was unfaithful, would she really have gone that far?"

"It's the power of anger."

"No, wasn't that less anger and more of a kind of 'resentment (恨)'?"

"Resentment (恨)?"

"It's a terrifying power, like the name of the Jin Ryeong Clan's technique, that can bring frost in May and June."

"That's really scary."

"Who was it? The silver-haired young lady named Ryu Eun Kyung was also amazing. To not run away from such a bloody scene. And not retracting her opinion. Is that also 'resentment'?"

"No, that's 'affection (情)'."

Nam Gung San San, who had been quietly observing the men's behavior, spoke up.

"'Affection (情)'? As a man, I don't quite understand that expression."

Hyun Woon tilted his head.

"But polygamy isn't that uncommon, is it? Honestly, it's common even within the martial arts clans, and in a clan, the number of descendants means an increase in power. My father already has five wives. He's planning to take another one next year, and there's strong opposition from the inner quarters."

Geum Young Ho, scratching his double chin, offered his opinion.

"Meaning the more the merrier?"

Hyun Woon countered.

"Something like that."

"So, you're saying Gungsang is a stud horse?"

Despite being a Taoist disciple, Hyun Woon's expression was unhesitant.

"He's from the Nam Gung Clan, which competes to lead the Eight Great Clans. His quality is already guaranteed. He has an obligation to multiply and prosper. For that, one wife might not be enough, right? I'm thinking at least four."

"Who?"

"Wives! Besides, our family has a lot of money. Having three wives and four concubines might not be a dream. There's no law that only heroes can have three wives and four concubines. With the power of wealth, I too could be surrounded by three wives and four concubines… Hehehehehehe."

A string of drool dripped from Geum Young Ho's mouth as he sank into the sea of delusion.

"This is why men are so vulgar. Try saying that in front of Jin Ryeong."

Unable to stand the men's vulgarity any longer, Nam Gung San San snapped. At that, Geum Young Ho's complexion changed.

"Oh my, Miss Nam Gung, please spare me that. I've already lost too much weight lately and my figure is ruined; I'll be nothing but skin and bones."

"Then you should have been careful with your words from the beginning."

Nam Gung San San replied sharply. With the addition of Hwa Seol Ok of Huashan and the Transparent Trio to their argument, the conversation became even more heated. Noh Hak, a disciple of the Beggar's Sect, who was farther from marriage than even the Wudang Sect, didn't feel like joining their fortunate talk and stepped back for a moment. Beside him, the argument was proceeding deafeningly. Although they were chattering noisily nearby, it somehow felt like a story from a distant, distant land, and he found himself inadvertently shifting his gaze to the distant sky. The sunlight pouring down from the blue sky was dazzling.

"Huh?"

At that moment, Noh Hak's eyes, narrowed as he gazed at the sky, caught something.

What was circling in the blue sky, it was just a dot at first. It was so high up that no one had noticed it. The first to discover it was Noh Hak, a beggar of the Beggar's Sect and also a candidate for the next sect leader. It wasn't because he had a particularly keen sense or good eyesight. He simply happened to notice an anomaly in the sky after leaving the healing center where Nam Gung Sang was hospitalized, looking up without any particular thought.

"What is that?"

Noh Hak muttered to himself.

"What is what?"

"That thing, that! The black dot circling in the sky."

At his words, several members of the Suzaku Squad's gazes followed Noh Hak's.

"I can definitely see something like a dot."

Hyun Woon said.

"Is it a bird?"

Tang Sam said, consciously concentrating his eyesight.

"But is it just my imagination? It seems to be getting bigger?"

Hyun Woon's eyes narrowed further. This was because he was unconsciously straining his eyes.

"It's not your imagination, Hyun Woon. It's really getting bigger."

Nam Gung San San said, squinting due to the harsh sunlight.

"……."

What was initially a dot gradually grew larger, then became a surface, and now its shape was clearly visible. But why did looking at it more and more make one's heart so restless and anxious? Where was this nameless anxiety stemming from? As the Suzaku Squad members stirred with anxiety, the dot grew larger and formed a shape. Proudly spread wide to the sides were majestic wings; it was a hawk.

"It looks familiar…"

"Huh? That bird? Could it be?!"

It couldn't possibly be here. Where did it come from? The bird with wings of blue feathers, as if dyed with blue hemp, was extremely rare.

"No way…"

Suddenly, a scream erupted.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaak!"

The person screaming was none other than Hwa Seol Ok of the Huashan Sect. However, no one reprimanded her for her impertinence. Because everyone had the same desire to scream.

"Th-that… why is that here…"

They desperately denied the reality unfolding before their eyes.

"I-I can't believe it! I-I can't accept it!"

The moment they knew the true identity of what was gracefully descending towards them, the Suzaku Squad members, without exception, fell into a collective state of delirium.

"Th-this is a dreammmmm!!!!"

They couldn't accept that such a brutal reality was about to engulf them. At that moment, a single sentence pierced their eardrums like an arrow in a quiet voice.

"No, it's reality."

Fwush!

And the hawk with blue wings that had descended folded its wings as if pleased and landed on his shoulder. The Suzaku Squad's eyes widened like saucers. Some were gasping for breath. Some were grinding their teeth.

"D-D-D-Daesahyeong!"

The same words came from the mouths of the Suzaku Squad members simultaneously.

The person who appeared with the beautiful blue-winged hawk, called the Sea Falcon, was undoubtedly their Daesahyeong, Bi Ryu Yeon himself. How could someone who should be confined to the Heavenly Martial Academy's disciplinary room be here? However, the scene unfolding before their eyes was a vivid reality that could not be denied.

"It's been a while, kids."

However, the mischievous smile that was always on Bi Ryu Yeon's face was absent this time. That fact further heightened their anxiety. They had begun to doubt whether there was anything that could take away that terrifying smile.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what brings you here…"

Hyun Woon, gathering his courage, spoke first.

"Why, can't I come?"

Hyun Woon, hearing the gruff reply, retreated with a whimper.

The strangely strong killing intent emanating from his body prickled their skin like needles.

"N-no. Of course not. Not at all."

Facing Bi Ryu Yeon, who was overflowing with killing intent, there was no one brave enough to question him about the circumstances. No matter how strong they became, they inexplicably felt meager, weak, and insignificant in front of their Daesahyeong.

"Really? I thought it wasn't allowed. Look at how surprised you are. Anyone would think you'd been hit with a slingshot."

In truth, he felt like he had been pierced from his behind to his mouth with a slingshot pellet. It was fortunate that his heart hadn't popped out of his throat.

"You all have something to help me with."

Bi Ryu Yeon said simply.

"Does Daesahyeong need our help?"

Tang Sam and Noh Hak asked in surprise.

"Of course. Do you think I'm not human?"

At that, some people showed a guilty expression.

'He's human!'

'Really?'

'Nah, lies. It must be a bluff.'

'Right, right! He can't be human, can he? It must be a mistake.'

'People think they know themselves well, but they often don't. When the human soul realizes its existence, it can ascend to higher realms.'

'Then what is Daesahyeong if not human?'

'That… I don't want to know! I feel like I shouldn't know.'

None of the Suzaku Squad members believed Bi Ryu Yeon's words. Unable to bear their whispers, Bi Ryu Yeon uttered one sentence.

"Do you want to die? Shall we experience hellish special training again?"

He seemed a bit out of shape since the last time they saw him. He seemed to need to be re-energized.

"Hic! Hic!"

As if by magic, the whispers stopped. Looking at his disciples and junior disciples, who were stiff as statues, Bi Ryu Yeon said.

"Now, stop denying reality and snap out of it. Therefore, I will hastily select some personnel."

There was a significant disconnect between the first and second sentences.

"What kind of personnel?"

Tang Sam raised his hand and asked.

"A rescue party."

Bi Ryu Yeon's expression darkened slightly. The absence of Na Ye Rin weighed on his heart like a heavy rock.

"Who are we rescuing?"

"……."

Bi Ryu Yeon could not answer. To say it would be to acknowledge this cruel reality once again.

"Daesahyeong?"

Hyun Woon asked cautiously. They had never seen their Daesahyeong like this before, and it was even more frightening. It was better for him to be his usual reckless self than to be this gloomy.

"… Na Ye Rin. She who will be your Daesaeojeo. She has been kidnapped."

Denying reality or turning away from it would not make reality disappear. His weakness refused to accept it, and knowing that, Bi Ryu Yeon, though he disliked it, once again faced reality. It was an extremely painful process, but he had to endure it.

"Miss Na Ye Rin?"

"Kidnapped?"

"When was it?"

"Is that true?"

The Suzaku Squad members quickly became noisy. If it were true, it would be a major incident.

"It is true."

"Have you found the culprit?"

"I plan to start looking now. That's why I need you."

Today's Daesahyeong had a strange aura. His eyes seemed transparent. He looked like some kind of mineral or inanimate object.

Neither burning anger nor cold reason could be felt. It was as if something had been completely removed. Something was missing from him.

"Search every nook and cranny. She couldn't have left Jianghu Island yet. There must be some trace left somewhere."

His voice was as cold as ice, but within that ice, a flame flickered.

"Find her! Even if it means dyeing this Dongting Lake red with blood, I will get her back. Now go!"

"Yes, Daesahyeong!"

No objection was allowed. They had never felt such a terrifying Daesahyeong before. Therefore, they didn't know how to react. They could only obey his command.

After confirming that everyone had left, Bi Ryu Yeon turned around.

At that moment, a suppressed cough erupted.

"Cough!"

Bi Ryu Yeon coughed up another handful of blood. He gazed at the blood staining his hand. However, he felt no emotion.

He abruptly scattered the blood on his hand onto the ground and walked away indifferently.

There was still work to be done.

There was no time to rest comfortably.

Na Ye Rin's screams echoed in his ears like auditory hallucinations.

'I still need more people. Capable people…'

Several names flashed through his mind.

'As expected, those guys would be needed…'

Unfortunately, they didn't know that their names were currently appearing in Bi Ryu Yeon's dark mind.