Chapter 259

Chapter 259
## Chapter 259. The Time the Fruit Is Borne (6)

Initially, no one realized what was happening.

They assumed it was simply a madman accelerating his own demise.

Those leading the charge were the first to detect the abnormality.

Snip—

The cords securing their robes parted, throwing open the fronts of their attire, and as the biting gale struck their bare skin, every single one of them lowered their gaze instinctively.

Astonishment gripped them instantly.

“What!”

They were nearly five jang away.

Several paces still separated them from Baek Hae-gwang, yet their outer garments had already been laid open.

“…….”

Had that been the extent of it, their advance would have surged forward regardless.

However, the warriors sprinting alongside them and those pressing in from behind all froze in identical bewilderment, forcing the entire formation to a grinding halt.

“How can this be……”

The chest ties of the men in the rear, completely obstructed by the front ranks, had likewise been severed.

And not a single scratch had been left upon their flesh.

To achieve such precision, what height of swordsmanship must a cultivator possess?

Prior to feeling terror, those who dedicated their lives to the Martial Dao could only marvel at the sheer perfection of the display.

Yet in the crucible of combat, a momentary lapse in focus spells doom.

Baek Hae-gwang had already reverted to his iaido stance, leaving the combatants of the Asura Sect completely paralyzed with indecision.

“Ah?!”

While they wavered between advance and retreat, Baek Hae-gwang executed another strike.

PING—

The sharp resonance of cleaved atmosphere vibrated through the clearing once more.

The front ranks of the Asura Sect felt goosebumps erupt all over their skin as the sound rang out, and in that very heartbeat, their right arms suddenly felt weightless.

Clatter, clatter, clatter—

Simultaneously, one hundred heavy iron wrist guards clattered onto the earth.

Click.

Baek Hae-gwang returned his blade to its sheath and inquired in his previous serene cadence.

“Do you wish to proceed?”

It was an entirely placid question.

Their fighting spirit thoroughly shattered, the vanguard of the Asura Sect turned their hollow stares toward Ju Yeong-san.

“…….”

Those looks mirrored the desperate glances of terrified pups turning to their handler for salvation.

“Ah……”

Wang Geum-san stood with his jaw slack, unable to utter a word.

His internal turmoil matched that of the Asura Sect fighters who had just stood at the receiving end of Baek Hae-gwang’s blade.

“What kind of sorcery……”

With a mere pair of slashes, silken cords were parted and reinforced arm guards fell away effortlessly.

It defied the known laws of nature.

Had he never encountered renowned martial masters before?

Utilizing the immense wealth of one of the Continent’s Four Great Merchants, he had access to resources beyond the imagination of commoners.

He had frequently employed famous martial artists to showcase their techniques, and countless wanderers had approached him seeking patronage by demonstrating their ultimate arts.

Yet, among all those celebrated figures, none possessed the sublime artistry displayed by Baek Hae-gwang.

“Tae-san, were you aware of this?”

When he shifted his gaze toward Jin Tae-san, he found the man equally paralyzed by shock, staring blankly ahead.

“Y-you had no idea?”

“H-how could I possibly know?”

“And yet you permitted him to walk out there alone?”

“Had things gone awry, I intended to deploy our forces.”

As Jin Tae-san gestured to the flank, the hired martial artists of the Great Heaven Merchant Guild were also transfixed, watching Baek Hae-gwang’s miraculous display with identical expressions of awe.

“It is said that the number of hidden masters secluded beneath the heavens eclipses the registered experts of the Jianghu. The proverbs of old carry no falsehood.”

Hearing Wang Geum-san’s hollow remark, Jin Tae-san replied with a similarly stunned cadence.

“Even so, does this not transcend ordinary boundaries?”

“My understanding of martial paths is limited, but this clearly surpasses mortal capability.”

“I possess some knowledge of the martial path, and to my eyes, that technique does not belong to the earthly realm.”

As a grim expression settled over Jin Tae-san’s features, Wang Geum-san tilted his head in confusion.

“Why do you look so somber? The one facing ruin right now isn’t you, it’s me……”

Wang Geum-san deeply regretted his earlier complaints about the situation escalating in front of Baek Hae-gwang.

In that fleeting moment, his merchant mind had already deduced that he must deliver a massive financial offering to the school Baek Hae-gwang intended to establish.

Conversely, Jin Tae-san had already demonstrated unwavering loyalty and faith toward Baek Hae-gwang.

He had maintained a steadfast resolve despite the surrounding chaos.

Furthermore, had he not pledged to fund Baek Hae-gwang’s school even if it meant depleting his entire treasury?

“But is he not f-far too powerful? For a modest entity like the Taeul Sect to govern……”

“What nonsense are you uttering?”

As a businessman, Wang Geum-san immediately calculated the astronomical dividends of securing an alliance with an absolute powerhouse for the mere price of funding a single sect.

“Are you blind to the fact that your organization, existing within the Jianghu, is bound by the law of might? If anyone could secure a bond with such a titan, countless factions under heaven would gladly dispatch wagons of gold to entice him.”

“Th-that is undeniable. But where did a grandmaster of his caliber suddenly materialize from?”

Wang Geum-san rubbed his temples, equally perplexed.

“Precisely my point. I conducted a quiet investigation into his background, yet I found absolutely no trace of his origin.”

Naturally, his network had uncovered several individuals sharing identical names, but he could never have linked any of them to the entity that was Baek Hae-gwang.

‘Furthermore, there were whispers of the Sword Demon…….’

Reflecting on it now, it was a massive relief he had kept quiet about his suspicions regarding Baek Hae-gwang being the bloodthirsty specter who had slaughtered members of prominent sects.

Setting aside the potential offense to Baek Hae-gwang, Wang Geum-san could not risk alienating Jin Tae-san, who was working tirelessly to scrub away any rumors linking him to the Underworld.

—

A brief moment later, Baek Hae-gwang, having brought order to the fields, walked back toward the two leaders.

“Guild Master.”

Wang Geum-san and Jin Tae-san straightened their postures instinctively.

“Y-yes!”

“D-did you require something?”

Hearing the unexpected polite honorifics, Baek Hae-gwang paused momentarily.

“Why the sudden formality…… Regardless, this rasca…… no, this gentle…… ah, heavens. This path is arduous.”

Baek Hae-gwang grimaced briefly before clearing his throat.

“Ahem. At any rate, this fellow claims he wishes to speak.”

As Baek Hae-gwang stepped aside, Ju Yeong-san was revealed, shivering violently with a bloodless complexion.

He bowed profoundly from the waist.

“I-I am deeply sorr, I offer my apolo…… Ack!”

Baek Hae-gwang lightly tapped Ju Yeong-san’s leg with his sheathed weapon.

“Are you incapable of doing this correctly?”

“Eeek!”

Ju Yeong-san, jolting as though struck by lightning, dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead against the dirt.

“I-I sin, sincerely apologize. I beg forgiveness for all my transgressions up to this day.”

“What is the meaning of this……”

Ju Yeong-san was shaking with a terror that far exceeded the awe felt by Jin Tae-san and Wang Geum-san.

He reigned as the leader of a prominent faction among the One Hundred Eight Peaks, recognized as a warrior of significant standing.

It was baffling to witness such a prominent figure reduced to absolute dread.

Slide—

With a face drained of color, Ju Yeong-san peeked upward to gauge Baek Hae-gwang’s demeanor.

His desperate urge to flee the premises was palpable.

When Baek Hae-gwang gave a subtle nod of his chin, Ju Yeong-san slammed his forehead back down.

“W-we of the Asura Sect shall completely withdraw from all mercantile endeavors……!”

“What?”

Jin Tae-san found himself utterly bewildered by the sudden capitulation, yet Ju Yeong-san pressed on without lifting his gaze.

“Moving forward, the Asura Sect shall ne, never! Under no circumstances…… set foot within Hefei…….”

Finishing his vow, Ju Yeong-san timidly raised his eyes toward Baek Hae-gwang.

Those eyes, swimming with terror, radiated absolute submission.

Baek Hae-gwang observed him before shooing him away with an irritated flick of his wrist.

“Very well. That suffices, depart.”

“Y-yes!”

However.

“Ah, hold on! Halt!”

Baek Hae-gwang seized Ju Yeong-san by the collar of his robes just as the man attempted to scramble away.

“Y-yes?!”

Staring down into the abyss of Ju Yeong-san’s mounting panic, Baek Hae-gwang asked softly,

“Your ties to the Shaolin Temple are quite deep, correct?”

“Th-that is true.”

His pupils darted erratically, his face betraying his utter lack of a safe answer.

When Baek Hae-gwang adjusted his stance, audible cracks echoed from his joints.

“Are you planning to run and complain?”

“Pardon me?”

“I inquired if you intend to seek their protection.”

“…….”

Then, Baek Hae-gwang began nudging Ju Yeong-san’s cheek rhythmically with the pommel of his sword.

The display mirrored a common thug shaking down children for loose coins.

After a lengthy period of intimidation, his demeanor abruptly shifted, a fearsome scowl darkening his brow.

“I care not if you seek their aid, however……”

“Y-yes! *Hic*! H-however?”

“I shall not be held accountable for the subsequent events.”

“……What do you imply by subsequent events?”

Staring at the leader of the Asura Sect who was trembling like a cornered rabbit, Baek Hae-gwang smirked.

“I shall let your imagination fill in the blanks.”

Following Baek Hae-gwang’s nonchalant statement, Ju Yeong-san clearly envisioned something horrifying, causing his entire frame to convulse.

“Be gone, truly.”

“……Understood.”

Ju Yeong-san bolted in absolute hysteria.

He rounded up his subordinates and fled the area without looking back.

Baek Hae-gwang monitored their retreat until they vanished from sight, then turned back and pressed his fists together in salute.

“I have successfully resolved the issue through civil discourse. There should be no further disruptions.”

“……?”

“……??”

Baek Hae-gwang’s demeanor was perfectly respectful.

Yet, the expressions of Jin Tae-san and Wang Geum-san were twisted into knots of pure bewilderment.

……Given that no blood had actually been spilled, could that truly be classified as civil discourse?

Jin Tae-san briefly hallucinated, seeing his own son’s visage superimpose over Baek Hae-gwang’s.

—

“S-Sect Leader! Ought we to dispatch word to the Shaolin Temple?”

The martial artists of the Asura Sect sprinted frantically, tearing through the wilderness as if the forest itself were on fire.

Ju Yeong-san, maintaining the lead in their frantic retreat, nodded fiercely at the query from the Tiger Fist Unit Leader.

“Naturally! Not merely the Shaolin Temple. Dispatch missives to every single organization within Hefei and across the entirety of Anhui Province!”

“U-understod! We shall immediately summon reinforcements to—”

“Idiot!!”

Ju Yeong-san, running at a breakneck pace, skidded to a sudden halt.

The Tiger Fist Unit Leader and the trailing disciples likewise forced themselves to an abrupt stop.

“Wh-what is the matter, Sect Leader?”

“Do you genuinely desire to see the very foundation of the Asura Sect dismantled?”

“What? What are you implying……”

As if re-living the terrifying encounter, Ju Yeong-san shook violently.

“He exists on a plane entirely distinct from us. Such a monster is effectively serving as a hidden patriarch for the Great Heaven Merchant Guild…… no, for the Taeul Sect and the Wang family estate.”

“Th-then your command to send letters……?”

“We must ascertain the true nature of that entity.”

“…….”

“If that individual firmly aligns himself with the Taeul Sect……”

Gulp.

The Tiger Fist Unit Leader swallowed hard as he listened intently.

“The balance of power within Hefei…… no, throughout the borders of Anhui Province will be thoroughly shattered.”

“Is the situation truly that dire?”

Ju Yeong-san shook his head, his skin remaining completely pallid.

“I have crossed paths with innumerable masters throughout my days. Indeed, considering my travels across the Jianghu…… none can claim my perception lacks depth.”

The undivided attention of the Asura Sect disciples locked onto their leader’s lips.

“Yet in all my years, I have never encountered a titan of his caliber.”

“…… Berry.”

“This transcends mere factional growth or territorial expansion. The very existence of our Asura Sect and every neighboring faction hangs in the balance.”

Hearing Ju Yeong-san’s grim assessment, the assembled disciples held their breath in collective anxiety.

—

“Hahaha! Grand Hero Baek! I have never witnessed such an exhilarating spectacle in all my years!”

“You praise me too highly.”

“If my previous words were clumsy and caused any offense, Grand Hero, I beg your indulgence. It stemmed solely from concern for the well-being of the youth who will soon become my sworn brother and relative.”

At Wang Geum-san’s deliberate emphasis on “sworn brother” and “relative,” Baek Hae-gwang dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand.

“Think nothing of it. It is only natural to harbor suspicion when an unknown variable approaches those one holds dear. Do not let it weigh on your mind.”

Sensing Baek Hae-gwang’s magnanimity, Wang Geum-san’s face radiated pure joy.

“To possess such a grand spirit! Your character matches the supremacy of your arts! Hahaha!”

While Wang Geum-san hovered near Baek Hae-gwang, sharing measures of the Wang Estate’s finest vintage, Jin Tae-san engaged in a quiet dialogue with Seop So-jeong.

“Are your accommodations satisfactory?”

“Indeed. It is exceptionally comfortable, far beyond what our family requires.”

“The detached quarters are too cramped for the three of you. I shall secure a proper estate for your school with the utmost urgency.”

“As I mentioned previously, we feel we are imposing far too much upon your generosity……”

Seeing Seop So-jeong’s hesitation, Jin Tae-san offered a reassuring smile and shook his head.

“You may not fully realize it, but your spouse is effectively the mentor to my child. My son specifically sent a missive imploring me to accord him the highest respect, so this is merely my duty.”

Wang Geum-san, who had been imbibing and laughing alongside Baek Hae-gwang, injected himself into the conversation.

“Precisely! Well spoken! Our future son-in-law is not the sort of ungrateful wretch who would disregard his own mentor!”

“Estate Master Wang……”

Thud.

Wang Geum-san slammed his cup onto the surface of the table.

“No, I must personally finance this venture as well! If he is the flesh and blood of my sworn brother, that makes him my own nephew. Furthermore, since So-un is my prospective son-in-law, is this not the very school being founded by his master? It is only proper that I finance a significant portion!”

“N-no. That is unnecessary.”

Even Baek Hae-gwang appeared caught off guard, prompting Wang Geum-san to lean closer.

“Prior to that, why not relocate your family immediately? The Wang Estate boasts numerous vacant villas.”

“We are already overwhelmed by your hospitality. Accepting anything more would cause us deep discomfort.”

Faced with the polite rejection, Wang Geum-san smacked his lips in mild disappointment.

Nevertheless, possessing the sharp instincts of a veteran merchant, he seamlessly pivoted the dialogue.

“By the way, Grand Hero Baek, through what path did you acquire such peerless martial arts?”

“…….”

“Ah, have I overstepped my bounds……?”

Baek Hae-gwang quickly signaled a negative.

“Ah, no. It is a matter I intended to disclose eventually.”

“Did you perhaps spend years training in absolute isolation within some forgotten peaks?”

“It was not quite like that……”

Baek Hae-gwang cast a brief look toward Seop So-jeong. Receiving a reassuring nod from his spouse, he resolved himself and spoke.

“In truth, I bear a complicated history.”

“A history?”

“Yes. Though it was never my genuine desire…… there was an era when I was affiliated with the Underworld.”

“No, how could that be possible?”

The Underworld and the Orthodox path were distinct realms. What circumstances could have forced him into the folds of the Black Path against his will?

As memories of his youth surfaced, Baek Hae-gwang’s expression steadily grew somber.

“……It occurred during the reckless days of my youth, when I operated without restraint.”

“Ah! You fought back against the tyrannical edicts of the rigid Murim Alliance!”

“One could view it through that lens.”

Wang Geum-san beamed with even greater enthusiasm.

“If that is the case, how can that be viewed as a stain? Observing the conduct of the Murim Alliance, I find myself thoroughly unimpressed by their methods. Take the Asura Sect, for instance. Do you believe those scoundrels could dominate others using merely their own merit?”

As Wang Geum-san spoke, the shadow of anxiety lifted from Baek Hae-gwang’s countenance.

“Cast away your worries. The past belongs to yesterday. What truly carries weight is one’s conduct in the present, is it not?”

“Y-yes, that is correct.”

“Come, come. Drown the remnants of that history in this vessel, and accept a drink.”

As Wang Geum-san poured another serving, he inquired casually,

“During your time traversing the Jianghu…… did you happen to carry a title?”

“That is, well, it is not a moniker of distinction……”

Wang Geum-san, who had become pleasantly flushed from the wine, gave Baek Hae-gwang’s shoulder a hearty pat.

“Hahaha. There is no shame in an adult recounting the follies of his younger years. In my youth, I was widely celebrated as the Golden Flower Young Master, hahaha!”

“Is that so? Compared to your title, Estate Master, my moniker was quite crude.”

Hearing the title “Estate Master” fall from Baek Hae-gwang’s lips for the first time, Wang Geum-san’s delight reached its peak.

It felt as though the chasm separating him from this supreme master was dissolving entirely, prompting an urge to deplete their entire wine cellar.

“So, what title did you bear? Given your prowess, I doubt it was anything ordinary……”

Baek Hae-gwang scratched his neck, looking rather self-conscious.

“It was nothing of note.”

Then, draining the contents of his cup in a single swallow, he wiped away the stray droplets from his mouth and muttered offhandedly,

“Sword Demon.”

“Eh?”

Glug, glug, glug.

The rare vintage Wang Geum-san was pouring cascaded directly over the rim of Baek Hae-gwang’s cup, spilling onto the table.

“Huh?”

Wang Geum-san suddenly snapped out of his daze, hastily setting the container aside as he scrambled to clean the mess.

“Ah, heavens, forgive me. It seems my ears played a trick on me…… Ah, so, your title was……”

“Ah, yes. I was known as the Sword Demon. It remains a regrettable chapter of my life.”

“…….”

Wang Geum-san’s neck locked up, turning with the stiff rigidity of a wooden doll.

When his trembling gaze creaked sideways toward Jin Tae-san,

“…….”

He found Jin Tae-san’s eyes wide with an unprecedented level of absolute shock.