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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: cyno
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“Have you lost your mind?!”
“How dare a mere Jin family—!”
Clang!
Jin Gayoung’s sudden provocation enraged Baekhwa and Seolhwa, who immediately drew their swords.
The atmosphere turned hostile in an instant.
“Oh my, what are you two doing right now?”
“Hah! Are you seriously asking? It’s obvious you’re glaring at us!”
“Huh? Me? It was just a mistake!”
“You shameless wench. I heard you killed your own uncle to become the family head. How dare you act so brazenly?”
“…I was trying to let it slide, but you’ve been pissing me off since earlier.”
“What? What did you just say? ‘Let it slide’? Hah, unbelievable.”
Jin Gayoung refused to back down, hoisting her Moonlight Axe over her shoulder as the tension escalated.
The moment was explosive.
The glint of the drawn blades clashed with the edge of her axe.
Reflected light stung their eyes, obscuring their vision, but none of the three retreated an inch.
The surrounding martial artists hesitated, merely watching the standoff unfold.
“It seems our sparring session must end here. The courtyard is in quite a state now.”
Cheonjon, who had been silently observing with Cheonhwa, intervened by pinching the blades of Baekhwa and Seolhwa’s swords with her fingers, forcing them to stand down.
“Come now, Taoists of the Murim Alliance, clean this up. And call the repairmen to fix the courtyard.”
“…! What kind of internal energy—?!”
Baekhwa and Seolhwa tried to yank their swords free, but no matter how hard they strained, the blades wouldn’t budge.
Seeing this, Jin Gayoung subtly lowered her axe, and the heated atmosphere gradually cooled.
Though the hostile glares from Baekhwa and Seolhwa remained.
“Both of you, sheathe your swords. The martial world is watching.”
At Cheonjon’s gentle warning, the two finally complied.
“What a shame. I wanted to experience Senior Okhwa’s swordsmanship.”
Turning away from them, Jin Gayoung gave Okhwa a slight bow before leaving the scene with Byeolak in tow.
To an outsider, it might have looked like she was conceding to Baekhwa and Seolhwa.
But in reality, it was sheer audacity.
“Ugh… I swear, one of these days, I’ll put that brat in her place.”
“Right? Just because she tamed a bit of Shanxi, she’s gotten so full of herself. A frog in a well.”
Seolhwa and Baekhwa’s muttered complaints followed, but Jin Gayoung just whistled, pretending not to hear.
Perhaps sensing her concern, Byeolak cautiously spoke up.
“My lady, you always take such bold actions.”
“Honestly, they’re not exactly likable people. They should focus on polishing their own swords instead of nitpicking my perfectly fine Moonlight Technique.”
“Those who have nothing often try to tear others down. It all stems from envy.”
“…Hearing that from you makes it sound sarcastic.”
“My apologies.”
“No need. It’s just because you’re too exceptional.”
As they walked away, Okhwa couldn’t tear her gleaming gaze away from them.
—
Creak…
“Hm?”
At the sound of the door opening, Byeolak reflexively turned his head—only to see Okhwa standing there, clad in her usual white robes.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), he had just been about to remove his mask.
“The White Blade Guest.”
“What brings you here at this hour? Night has already fallen.”
“I came at this time on purpose. Is the Crimson Flower inside?”
“Yes, she’s preparing to retire for the night.”
“Hmm… Forgive my rudeness, but could you ask her to come out? Or should I go in?”
Clearly aware of her own impropriety, Okhwa was being unusually cautious.
But it wasn’t just the late-night visit that made her hesitate.
“Is it urgent?”
“Not exactly, but I’d prefer to avoid prying eyes.”
“If that’s the only reason, then no. Come back tomorrow.”
“……”
Knowing how rude her request was, Okhwa chose to retreat quietly rather than glare at Byeolak.
But at that very moment, Jin Gayoung’s voice—still slightly hoarse from adolescence—called out from inside.
“It’s fine, let her in. I’m not asleep yet.”
“My lady.”
“Really, it’s okay. If Okhwa came all this way at night to avoid attention, I should at least hear her out.”
With Jin Gayoung’s permission, Okhwa cautiously stepped inside.
When Byeolak tried to follow, Okhwa firmly stopped him.
“Wait, do you intend to listen in as well?”
“I am my lady’s bodyguard.”
“I came to speak with the Crimson Flower in private.”
“I won’t disclose anything.”
Once again, Jin Gayoung intervened.
“The White Blade Guest is like an extension of myself. If his presence makes you uncomfortable, you may leave.”
Hesitating briefly, Okhwa finally steeled herself and met Jin Gayoung’s gaze with resolve.
“…Fine. But you must swear not to speak of this to anyone. If you break that oath, I will hold you accountable in the name of Okhwa.”
“I’m not one to gossip.”
“…I’ll trust you.”
And so, Okhwa and Byeolak entered Jin Gayoung’s quarters together.
Once seated, Okhwa made a shocking proposal.
“I’ve looked into you, Crimson Flower. You purged the corrupt elites of your family and took the position of head, didn’t you?”
“Wow, I didn’t know I was someone Okhwa would take an interest in.”
“I’m not here to insult you. If anything, I want to praise you. And I have an offer for you.”
“…An offer?”
Even Byeolak was taken aback by what came next.
“How about we overturn the martial world together?”
“……!”
“Your earlier sparring was impressive. Crude and rough, but the talent was there. The kind of talent that could carve out the rot in this martial world.”
“What are you saying? Right now?”
“You know it too. You publicly executed your uncle and the elders, so I imagine there were many more you dealt with quietly.”
“……”
Jin Gayoung couldn’t refute her.
Because everything Okhwa said was true.
Whether for reputation or personal grudges, Jin Gayoung had discreetly eliminated many who deserved it.
“You don’t seem opposed. That’s what I want. Evil must be eradicated. Whether it’s the elders of the Murim Alliance or the bishops of the Blood Cult, evil must be destroyed. Mercy? There’s no such thing. Evil doesn’t change. Trash must be disposed of.”
“Uh… Are you seriously proposing that I—”
“Join hands with me. I know it’s too much to ask right away. You must have your own goals, and from what I see, you’re not without ambition.”
“Hmm……”
“Of course, it won’t be easy. Evil is often committed by the strong, and among them are supreme masters who can’t be easily touched. Some hide their identities, controlling information and rumors. Evil must be uprooted from the seed, but the current martial world is no different from the Blood Cult’s reign.”
Listening silently, Byeolak recalled Namgoong Bin.
—Heh, listen to her. From what I remember, she’s a hardliner among hardliners.
‘That’s why she’s killed more Blood Cult followers than I ever did.’
—Well, you were busy saving people. And if we count the ones you killed in secret, your numbers might even surpass hers.
‘…Numbers don’t matter. What truly counts is one’s heart and conviction.’
For a moment, Byeolak considered using Okhwa to eliminate Namgoong Bin but quickly dismissed the idea.
Despite being only a peak master, something about Namgoong Bin unsettled him—something beyond mere intelligence.
“I suppose an immediate answer is too much to ask?”
“Sorry, I need some time to think. Okhwa, your goal is to eradicate evil, but my priority is elevating the Taiyuan Jin Family to one of the Five Great Families.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I’ll remove visible evil—like picking up trash on the street. But I won’t go out of my way to hunt it down. I have my own path to walk.”
“That’s fine. Even that much is enough.”
“I’m not outright refusing. Just give me time to consider. I need to weigh my options.”
“Then… how long do you need?”
Rising from her seat, Okhwa posed the question.
After a moment of thought, Jin Gayoung answered.
“The final day of the Seven Flowers Tournament. I’ll give you my answer then.”
—
Sometime after the decade-long Blood War had ended…
Okhwa remained in seclusion, deep in meditation.
At the peak of Kunlun Mountain, she engaged in a mental duel with the “evil” Sword Saint.
And as always, she lost. In a single exchange.
Her total record: 2,871 battles, 2,871 defeats.
It was humiliating, but she refused to give up.
Evil had to be eradicated.
‘Hmm……’
But the more she fought him in her mind, the more doubt crept in.
She began questioning whether the Sword Saint was truly evil.
No matter how many times she battled, no matter how many times she lost…
The mental image of him killing her never surfaced.
He wasn’t a divine monk preaching benevolence and mercy, yet…
‘Back then, I wasn’t in my right mind.’
Suddenly, she recalled the advice the Divine Monk had often given her.
“Do not become another evil in your quest to destroy evil. Always reflect on your actions, revisit your past.”
Despite being at odds with the Divine Monk during the Blood War, his words always left a deep impression—lingering in her mind like now.
‘I was too shocked by the dark underbelly of the orthodox factions. My mind was paralyzed.’
Once the thought took root, it flowed like a river.
‘But then, what about the Shadow of the Moon? The aura of demonic arts was unmistakable…’
Though there had been obstacles along the way…
‘No, I should have at least talked to him once. Wasn’t he the one who upheld justice more fiercely than anyone?’
Once doubt took hold, it was inevitable for it to grow.
Especially for her, who had spent so much time near the Sword Saint.
‘Leaving immediately that day was a mistake. I should have interrogated him on the spot.’
Of course, changing her mindset after nearly three years wasn’t easy.
‘Let’s talk first. If he doesn’t manifest the intent to kill me in my mind, he probably won’t kill me. Even if he does… I need to know the truth.’
The Divine Monk’s words echoed again, shaking her resolve.
Though she always argued with him, deep down, she agreed with him more than anyone.
“It’s good to eradicate evil, but always consider whether that ‘evil’ might be an innocent victim. Letting ten guilty go is better than condemning one innocent.”
‘I’ll investigate further. I’ve been secluded too long, ignorant of the world… Maybe there were circumstances. Of course, if he truly practiced demonic arts, he must be executed regardless…’
With her thoughts somewhat settled, Okhwa descended Kunlun Mountain for the first time in years.
She had no intention of resting—she planned to head straight to Anhui.
But then…
“Hmm?”
A thick demonic aura at the foot of the mountain seized her senses.
A terrifying presence, faintly tinged with the scent of blood.
“…A demon?”
Her hatred for demons flaring, veins bulged on her forehead as she dashed down the mountain.
Her killing intent surged as she unleashed the Divine Steps of the Lost Trace, Kunlun’s supreme movement technique.
Thud—
When she reached the base, what she saw was…
“Sword… Saint…?”
“Ugh…! Gah…!”
The Sword Saint, staggering weakly, his eyes burning with a sinister light as he exhaled thick demonic energy.
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