“...What?”

Yu Gang’s frozen expression suddenly slackened.

The second-generation disciple’s smile deepened at Yu Gang’s utterly unanticipated reaction.

“Your master. Elder Nomun. He is the one who gave the order to kill Myeong.”

“...Do not lie.”

“Lie? Why would I lie? Just to see that pathetic look on your face? As if.”

“...”

“Did you think you’d won just because you caught us here? If we were captured, we were going to spill everything about Elder Nomun. And if that happened, you, the direct heir disciple, would not have gotten off unscathed either.”

“...”

“You think the elders would still favor you? A disciple of a traitor? That your fellow sasuk would continue to trust you like they do now?”

“...”

“Kuhuhuhu... You idiot. You were never more than that. Just a tool brought in by Elder Nomun to divert attention.”

Before Yu Gang came to Mount Hua, the one who received the greatest expectations and attention within the sect was undoubtedly Nomun.

The First Sword of Mount Hua. The Plum Blossom Divine Sword, Nomun.

Since his days as a third-generation disciple, he had always been exceptional. And the more exceptional he was, the more attention he garnered—becoming strong enough to exceed even that attention and expectation.

He proudly ranked among the Ten Strongest Under Heaven and elevated Mount Hua’s name.

And then he brought in a genius boy.

The youngest-ever Plum Blossom Sword Adept, Yu Gang.

Naturally, Mount Hua’s interest shifted to this youth who would carry its future.

“Like master, like disciple,” they said.

‘With you here, the burden on my shoulders feels lighter. Hahaha!’

‘I will be leaving the main sect for a while due to some matters. Do not neglect your training while I am away, and listen to the elders.’

‘Yes, Master.’

“...I do not believe it. I do not believe a single word that comes out of a traitor’s mouth.”

“Kuk, believe it or not—it is your choice.”

Yu Gang brought his sword right up to the man’s neck.

At the cold touch of the blade, the man’s expression instantly lost all traces of amusement.

“Why did you kill Myeong?”

The man swallowed dryly and looked up at Yu Gang.

“That brat failed the task. We put him there to watch you, but at some point, he stopped reporting properly.”

“You were... watching me? Why...?”

“How should I know? I do not know what Elder Nomun was thinking. When you snuck out of Mount Hua, he failed to report ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ that, too. Do you know how much trouble that caused us? If we did not bring you back, we were all going to die.”

It was only because you returned of your own accord that only he had to take responsibility.

The man continued speaking, but Yu Gang could no longer hear a thing.

‘Because of me... he died...?’

Myeong had died because of him.

Because he had left Mount Hua in secret. Because Myeong had not properly reported that, he had been killed.

Perhaps, even before that, he had already grown lax in his duties as a spy—so much so that he had not even noticed Yu Gang disappearing.

If his death had been due to disobedience, then perhaps the blame did not lie entirely with Yu Gang. But even so, Yu Gang felt as if it was all his fault.

‘Why was I being watched? Why did he not hypnotize me?’

His ears rang with a dull hum, and all thought vanished.

He kept asking himself—but no answer came.

Thud—!

Yu Gang struck the side of the man’s head, rendering him unconscious mid-sentence.

Then he pried out the molar laced with poison and bound his hands and feet.

He did the same to the other second-generation disciples before brushing off his hands and rising to his feet.

“Jin Yeong. Watch them closely.”

“S-Sasuk... what about you...?”

“I...”

Yu Gang turned to look toward the forest.

The massive clash of power from far away was shaking the mountains like thunder.

“There is something I need to confirm.”

Jin Yeong’s lips parted slightly.

She had been tending to Jin Ye and had heard what her sasuk had said—so she understood what Yu Gang was trying to confirm.

She should stop him. She should tell him it was dangerous.

But the words would not come.

Yu Gang turned to her and smiled brightly.

“I will be back. Be careful. If someone comes at you like they did to Jin Ye, just smack them on the back of the head.”

With that, Yu Gang dashed toward the source of the power clash.

Jin Yeong stood there for a long while, watching him grow smaller and smaller in the darkness—until he vanished completely.

****

“So, you figured it out.”

Nomun smiled as he turned to face her.

“How did you know? I was being careful.”

Seolhwa did not respond.

Had Nomun not displayed the unique sword movement of the Fifth Blood Lord just now during the clash with the elders, she would not have noticed either.

The Blood Lords had lived in her past life, too—always hiding their true identities to the end.

‘I had suspected the Fifth Blood Lord was involved in Mount Hua’s destruction, given that some of their agents were among Mount Hua’s disciples...’

But to think Nomun himself was the Fifth Blood Lord.

“If I had known, I would not have hesitated. I debated for quite some time whether to kill you or use you.”

It seemed that was why the standoff with the elders had dragged on.

“I should have just killed you.”

Given he had stepped in during the elder battle, he must have intended to conceal that he was the Fifth Blood Lord to the end.

“Well, no matter. I can still kill you now. Since your arrival at Mount Hua has ruined the result of years of meticulous planning, I do not have much time left to clean up.”

The three elders standing by the Fifth Blood Lord moved.

They stepped in front of him and raised their swords toward Seolhwa.

“Like hell you will!”

Namgoong Mugang stepped in front of Seolhwa.

“You bastard! I thought I recognized you! You are that Mount Hua disciple who got pummeled by my elder brother decades ago!”

Nomun’s brow twitched.

“...What?”

“You used to go on about your sect being stronger and whatnot, and then came swinging without a word! I remember your face! You were the most pathetic bastard I have ever seen!”

“...It seems you are desperate to die. Do not worry. I shall personally end your life.”

Nomun turned to Seolhwa.

“What you showed at Namgoong was not everything, was it?”

“!”

“If you wish to survive today, you will have to give it your all.”

As soon as Nomun’s words ended, the three elders rushed at Seolhwa.

“Not on my watch!”

Boom—! Clang! Clang-kang!

Namgoong Mugang blocked the swords of two, while Seolhwa deflected the blade of one elder.

Because the elders’ martial prowess far exceeded hers, she could not meet their attacks head-on.

Clang—! Kaang!

Ryeong also joined the battle.

Now, Namgoong Mugang was holding off two elders, while Seolhwa and Ryeong barely managed to contend with one.

“I told you, did I not.”

In an instant, Nomun’s form vanished—and reappeared right before Namgoong Mugang’s eyes.

“I said I would personally take your life.”

It happened so quickly, there was not even time to blink.

Such was the gap between the Flowing Realm and the realm of the Transcendent Peak.

As easy and absolute as a human crushing an ant.

Boom—!

Namgoong Mugang’s body was sent flying, soaring through the air before slamming into a tree.

With a thunderous crash, the tree split in half and toppled over.

“Ghk—! Khak! Kheuhk...!”

Namgoong Mugang clutched his chest in pain.

Even as he was launched, he had not let go of the massive sword in his grip.

‘He is alive.’

Confirming Namgoong Mugang’s condition, Seolhwa turned her gaze toward the one who had blocked Nomun’s sword.

Namgoong Mucheon.

Her grandfather.

“So you have gone and done it at last.”

Surrounded by a surging blue aura, his very appearance alone overwhelmed the surroundings.

Even Nomun, who had seemed completely at ease until now, showed a brief flicker of surprise.

“How are you here already...?”

“Did you truly think you could delay me with petty tricks? Still just as foolish.”

Boom—!

As Namgoong Mucheon swung his sword, Nomun’s body was pushed backward even though he had blocked the strike.

The three elders who had been attacking Seolhwa had already withdrawn their blades and stepped back.

“You are just as brutishly strong as ever, Senior Namgoong.”

“And with that filthy mouth, you dare call me senior?”

“Then, would you rather I call you ‘daein’ like I did back then?”

“You still hold a grudge over that? You small-minded bastard.”

“....”

Nomun’s expression hardened.

Then his body began to swell grotesquely.

“Let us see just how long you can keep up that composure.”

“!”

Seolhwa’s eyes widened.

The blood art used by the Fifth Blood Lord was Reversing Heaven Blood Flow Grand Art—the secret blood art of the Sixth Blood Lord.

‘He’s using someone else’s blood art?’

Did the Sixth Blood Lord teach his secret technique to the Fifth Blood Lord?

Had that been the case even in her past life?

Even if the technique’s effectiveness was inferior to when used by its original owner, just the fact that he had learned it made it a dangerous martial art.

“He will be stronger than before.”

“So it seems. Is that the same martial art used by the one we saw at Suro Stronghold?”

“Yes. It is a technique that forcibly draws out strength.”

“Stand back.”

Seolhwa stepped back with Ryeong.

If they got caught up in a battle between two martial artists who had reached the Flowing Realm, they would not survive.

As Ryeong supported Namgoong Mugang and the three tried to retreat from the battlefield—

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Boom—!

The immense clash of energy made Seolhwa instinctively cover her ears.

Ryeong’s reaction was no different.

Kang!

The one who reacted to the elder’s sword charging toward the three was none other than Namgoong Mugang.

Namgoong Mucheon and Nomun were already exchanging blows.

Bang! Boom! The explosive impacts shook the heavens and the earth.

Even the sound and shockwaves alone created a crushing pressure that distorted the space around them.

Kaang—! Kaang!

Amidst that pressure, the battle between the three and the Mount Hua elders resumed.

It was a fight where lives were on the line.