Chapter 312

Chapter 312
Chapter 312. The Embers of Evil (5)

—

Visions of Sa-ryeon alongside himself flickered in his mind.
Two figures walking down a pitch-black path under the night sky; merely conversing about ordinary matters felt more tranquil and tender than anything they had shared before.
Yet without warning…… he had begun behaving like a madman.
“Ah!”
So-un Jin jolted upright from where he sat, startled.
[Why on earth do you act…… like an insane man…….]
Could it have been a mere nightmare? Surely, it was just a hallucination born of sleep.
There was simply no way he would have committed such an absurd and horrific deed in front of Sa-ryeon.
Indeed, it was impossible for that to be…….
“Curse it…….”
Yet, his sharp recollection told him that yesterday’s occurrences were absolutely not a product of his imagination.
Furthermore, there was the reality that he had lost consciousness while training with Hae-gwang Baek until only a moment ago.
Had he been dreaming throughout his unconscious state?
‘Sigh.’
That frigid gentleman had undoubtedly abandoned him to vanish once more…….
“Oh? You chose to stay today?”
Contrary to his usual habits, Hae-gwang Baek was sitting before So-un Jin, shaping an object with a small blade.
He appeared to be merely sculpting a piece of timber in an ordinary fashion, yet So-un Jin found himself strangely captivated by the sight.
It felt as though profound, cosmic truths were woven into every single fiber of the wood and every sweep of the short blade.
“What…… is it that you are crafting?”
“Word reached me that she desired a plaything.”
“……If you visit the marketplace, you could purchase one for just a couple of coins.”
Hae-gwang Baek knit his brows together.
“Do you take me for a fool who wouldn’t know that? The ones sold there are far too poorly made. I believed I could fashion something superior myself, which is why I am doing this.”
……To think that a master would employ such exquisite blade techniques simply to create a wooden toy?
This seemed far beyond the concept of using a massive cleaver meant for butchering oxen just to slaughter a chicken.
So-un Jin could not even begin to picture what the final creation would look like.
While So-un Jin watched the movement of the blade in a daze, Hae-gwang Baek suddenly interrogated him out of nowhere.
“Did an incident occur during the period I was away from you?”
“What are you referring to?”
“The brat who previously brandished a blade like a beggar’s tattered footwear is now swinging it like an actual beggar, isn’t he?”
Good grief, even when offering commentary, he always had to speak in such a grating manner…….
“It makes no difference since I still pass out regardless. Besides, I am currently unable to even execute the second form of the Three Forms of the White Moon Ascending to Heaven.”
Hae-gwang Baek abruptly halted his whittling and cast a look of utter disbelief at So-un Jin.
“You absolute lunatic, to begin with, the fact that you can even manage the first form right now defies logic. Don’t you dare try grasping the second and third forms with that kind of approach! If you do, I will personally sprint over and sever your hands at the wrists.”
He wasn’t radiating any overt murderous aura, yet So-un Jin felt a sudden chill run down his spine because it truly felt as though his wrists might be lopped off.
“I understand.”
“Bear it in mind; I am a man of my word.”
That was likely true. It was precisely the reason he had earned the terrifying moniker of “Sword Demon.”
So-un Jin cursed silently under his breath, and then, recalling the bizarre occurrences of the previous day, he inquired.
“By any chance…… have you ever clashed with a martial artist who simultaneously utilizes Yang-style internal arts and Yin-style arts?”
Given that Hae-gwang Baek had traversed the lands engaging in countless life-or-death challenges, So-un Jin asked out of curiosity, wondering if he had ever crossed paths with an adept of the Heaven-Devouring Great Art or some form of dark sorcery.
He hoped he might learn what became of such individuals in the twilight of their lives.
After a brief moment of reflection, the older man spoke casually, as if it were a trivial matter.
“Hmm……. There was an instance.”
“Is that the truth? Who might that have been?”
“An elderly fellow by the name of Myung-ha.”
“Myung-ha?”
Typically, practitioners who walked the dark paths or mastered occult sorceries adopted eccentric titles…….
“Ah, I suppose you wouldn’t recognize him described that way. I am referring to Priest Myung-ha.”
“…….”
This was madness.
Was Priest Myung-ha not the grand leader from two generations back within the renowned Wudang Sect?
How could he have dueled a man who had completely withdrawn from the mundane world and avoided all external affairs following his retirement?
“I paid him a visit and asked for a match.”
“……Are you absolutely certain you merely asked?”
“Would you prefer to remain unconscious for the rest of today?”
“No.”
“At any rate, it was a fascinating contest. I even bore witness to an esoteric martial discipline known as the Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art.”
What So-un Jin truly desired to uncover was the ultimate fate of someone who had mastered the horrific Heaven-Devouring Great Art, not the peaceful, comfortable twilight years of an elder who had perfected an unmatched righteous technique.
“I see. In that case, I shall take my leave……”
As he attempted to rise from his position, Hae-gwang Baek unleashed a burst of sharp sword-qi, forcing So-un Jin to roll across the dirt once again to evade the deadly energy.
“You wished to hear the tale, did you not? If you insist so earnestly, I suppose I have no choice.”
This wretched old man! When did I ever state…….
“Since it was rumored to be a martial discipline that simultaneously wields the attributes of both Yin and Yang, my curiosity was piqued right from the start.”
“…….”
“Is it not quite amusing? The Heaven-Devouring Great Art absorbs internal energies of countless different attributes, yet the practitioner never knows when those chaotic energies will end their life. Conversely, the Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art is reputed to summon even grander power precisely by utilizing two opposing forces.”
Hmm…… somehow, this explanation had suddenly captured his full attention.
So-un Jin gave voice to the doubts plaguing his mind.
“With that technique, was there truly no issue of an internal imbalance?”
“What sort of imbalance?”
“In any case, do two conflicting types of energy not reside within a single vessel? It seems only natural that a disharmony would manifest.”
Hae-gwang Baek clicked his tongue softly and glared directly at So-un Jin.
“Tsk. This is precisely why I maintain that those who practice the martial path must also dedicate themselves to scholarly pursuits.”
“……I am someone who has committed to memory every single volume within the Library of Ten Thousand Books at the institute, to say nothing of the ordinary bookshops in town.”
“No matter how vast your store of data is, what value does it hold if you fail to comprehend the underlying nature of reality?”
“…….”
Hae-gwang Baek resumed his carving, gently swaying his head from side to side.
“The equilibrium of all elements in creation operates in this manner. Forces that appear entirely distinct can merge in perfect accord, whereas elements that seem destined to blend can sometimes turn out to be diametrically opposed.”
It was a profound revelation.
Much like the individual known as “Bloody Battle,” the “Sword Demon” was now casually discussing concepts that shattered established martial dogmas as though they were utterly insignificant.
“The reason the Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art is heralded as one of the crown jewels among the Wudang Sect’s secret disciplines is not merely due to its handling of two distinct properties. It is revered above all else because those two completely contrary energies foster a perfect symbiosis, thereby unlocking an even greater magnitude of force.”
“How exactly do they achieve such a symbiosis? Do they achieve harmony by breathing out flames and subsequently conjuring frost?”
So-un Jin posed the question while envisioning the figure of Je-geum-hak.
However, the reaction was immediate.
“……Why are you glaring at me in that fashion?”
Hae-gwang Baek stared at So-un Jin with a look of pure disdain.
“Even my young daughter does not ask such foolish, childish questions.”
“…….”
“What? Exhaling fire and generating ice? Are you reciting a narrative found only in children’s fables?”
……No, he was simply describing what he had witnessed the youngsters of the Demonic Cult accomplish, so why was this man directing his frustration at him?
“Ha, truly, I am left completely speechless. Even the wicked heretics who practice foul sorcery would not utter such empty, nonsensical garbage.”
Ah, this was incredibly unjust.
A fierce urge to drag Je-geum-hak right this instant and plant him before Hae-gwang Baek flared up within his chest, but So-un Jin suppressed the impulse and patiently listened to the remainder of the discourse.
“An attribute is a manifestation that aligns with the natural energy of the cosmos. The Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art utilizes two diametrically opposed energies to continuously stimulate and amplify one another.”
“Hmm…….”
“By employing this method, you can exert the raw power equivalent to twenty years of cultivation while only possessing ten years of actual internal energy. Rather than idiotically spewing flames and creating ice!”
Truly, the old man delivered a massive scolding simply because So-un Jin had spoken a single sentence.
Though he had been showered with a torrent of insults, a sense of clarity washed over him on the flip side.
Regardless, since the individual he saw was at a level where the elemental property was fully manifested, could it not be considered stable in the same vein as the Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art?
Then, another query arose in his mind based on the old man’s words.
“Then…… by any chance, would the energies of the White Path and the Demonic Path also be capable of achieving such harmony?”
Hae-gwang Baek’s features contorted violently, as if he were about to speak on a matter of grave gravity.
“……What manner of simpleton are you? Where under the heavens does the Demonic Path……”
“No, what I mean is, hypothetically speaking. If we take it for granted that the ancient Heavenly Demon were still walking the earth, how would it manifest?”
“…….”
“Could their specific malice and the righteous energy of the White Path ever find a common equilibrium?”
In truth, this was perhaps the very question So-un Jin burned to answer most.
Because distinct hallmarks of the Demonic Path were beginning to manifest within the Tae-eul True Scripture, a manual regarded as one of the most unblemished and orthodox martial arts of the White Path.
What would be the outcome if those two opposing forces were blended together?
Would it turn entirely dark, like black ink bleeding into a sheet of pure white parchment?
Or would it rapidly diffuse and vanish entirely, like a drop of ink tossed into a vast flowing river?
“Hmm…….”
For some reason, Hae-gwang Baek sank into a profound reverie, even freezing the hand that held the carving knife.
So-un Jin waited out his silent contemplation for a lengthy period without uttering a single sound.
“Hmm…….”
An unmeasurable amount of time slipped past in that absolute quiet.
“If, by some slim margin.”
He gazed directly into So-un Jin’s eyes with absolute intensity, going so far as to set down the blade he had been gripping.
“If such an anomaly were truly to manifest……”
“If it did?”
“There is a terrible probability that it would culminate in an absolute catastrophe for the entire Jianghu.”
What kind of ominous declaration was this now?
“Did you not just finish explaining the concepts of harmony and balance only a moment ago?”
“Can you truly equate the natural properties of the cosmos with the moral division between righteousness and wickedness?”
“…….”
“Ultimately, a human being is forced to select only a single path between good and evil. Is it not an absolute truth that one cannot embody pure righteousness while simultaneously existing as an entity of malice? Therefore, when those two opposing forces are brought into alignment, the resulting power will inevitably tilt toward one specific side……”
Hae-gwang Baek retrieved his blade once more, directing the sharp point of the knife directly at So-un Jin.
The commonplace short knife suddenly felt more menacingly sharp than any weapon he had ever faced.
“Which path do you believe is simpler for a mortal: to become flawlessly righteous, or to become boundlessly malevolent?”
“…….”
So-un Jin already knew the true answer to this inquiry.
“…….”
Even so, the words refused to form on his lips.
“Why do you remain silent?”
An individual who initially wields a blade solely to survive can swiftly become intoxicated by that act of slaughter, eventually suffering agonizingly if they do not continue to take lives.
A person who once wept bitterly at the misfortunes of others can, at some unforeseen juncture, find themselves smiling while observing the agony of their fellow men.
Absurd, monstrous occurrences that would never take root in ordinary everyday life.
Yet, when pushed to the absolute brink of despair and extreme situations, human beings cross the threshold into wickedness with terrifying ease.
Because he had witnessed that harrowing transformation firsthand and so vividly, So-un Jin……
“…….”
Could not bring himself to speak, unable to declare with certainty that it would never happen that way.
Hae-gwang Baek lowered the short blade and let out a soft, amused chuckle.
“Did I present a puzzle far too intricate for you? Or is it simply because your skull is entirely hollow to begin with……”
“If that is truly the case.”
So-un Jin fixed him with an incredibly earnest gaze and spoke.
“……No matter how much you, Senior Sword Demon, attempt to present yourself as a righteous member of the White Path, your innermost nature will eventually be laid bare for all to see……”
Thud!
“You insolent brat, ‘Sword Demon, Sword Demon’ every single second of the day! Very well! I shall ensure that your precious intellect is thoroughly rattled today!”

The Sword Demon Hae-gwang Baek had declared that he would bash the memories out of So-un Jin, but when all was said and done, So-un Jin’s memory emerged victorious.
“Observe. My recollection is not something that fades so effortlessly.”
Hae-gwang Baek pinched his brows together in irritation.
“Clean off that stream of blood from your nose before you boast.”
Eh? When had his nose started bleeding?
Had he pushed his body past its limits too severely in recent days?
“Aside from that, do you truly possess nothing productive to occupy your time?”
“……I hardly believe that is an appropriate remark coming from a man who is currently whittling a wooden toy because he has absolutely nothing better to do.”
Hae-gwang Baek glanced down at the figurine in his palm for a brief moment, then immediately swept his foot forward, kicking a cloud of dirt and sand straight toward So-un Jin.
Seriously, that gentleman is incredibly petty.
“Fine, what exactly is this grand errand (Yong-mu) that a person with such a vacant schedule has brought before me?”
“Would you care to cast your eyes over this?”
So-un Jin extended the text containing the secret martial forms of Il-sik O, the Lightning Saber.
Hae-gwang Baek merely tilted his head forward, offering the manual a cursory glance.
“What are you waiting for?”
“Can you not see that my hands are occupied? Unroll it and display it for me.”
“…….”
Good grief, at this rate, his emotional maturity is practically lower than his own daughter’s……
“If you find this displeasing, you are welcome to depart.”
“…….”
So-un Jin meticulously turned the pages, displaying the diagrams of Il-sik O’s manual leaf by leaf.
After scanning through a handful of pages in that manner, Hae-gwang Baek let out a mocking snort.
“Who exactly devised this martial art? Was it your own creation?”
“Why do you ask?”
“If you were the author, I was prepared to thoroughly mock you. It has been a long time since I encountered something so utterly ridiculous.”
“Are you certain you evaluated it accurately? A nameless caravan guard rose to become a warrior who commanded respect across an entire territory using nothing but this.”
“Well, I suppose that might be true.”
Hae-gwang Baek let out a low chuckle, clearly finding a deep irony in the situation.
“Because this is a martial discipline that offers up as collateral not only the swordsman’s own existence, but the lives of every single companion standing beside him.”
“……What did you say?”
To be sure, a specific pattern of that nature was visible within the defensive formation they utilized…….
Even so, it defied reason that such a horrific philosophy would be embedded within the individual saber techniques themselves.
Hae-gwang Baek flicked his wrist, gesturing toward the opening page.
“Observe right there, that specific stance, ‘Thunderclap Pursuit-Kill.’ What do you interpret that to mean?”
“Does it not signify giving rapid chase and executing the target until the very end?”
“Tsk, the title of the technique reads that way, but what does the actual movement dictate?”
“…….”
When So-un Jin fell completely silent because he could find no counterargument, Hae-gwang Baek leaped to his feet.
Then, using the small carving knife, he began to mirror the physical forms of Il-sik O’s martial art.
The display was nothing short of breathtaking.
‘Wow, the reputation of the Sword Demon is truly well-deserved. Even though it is a foreign martial style…….’
The strikes were executed with such deadly precision and refinement that he found himself questioning if this was truly the same martial art he had watched Il-sik O perform.
Even in the absence of internal cultivation backing the movements, it appeared to manifest a flawless, singular mastery.
“Now, observe. This is ‘Thunderclap Pursuit-Kill,’ which is unleashed immediately following ‘Thunderclap Precipice.’”
He brought the small knife down in a swift, slashing motion and seamlessly transitioned into a direct thrust forward.
“Did your eyes catch it?”
“Catch what exactly?”
“…….”
What on earth was the meaning behind that sudden, piercing glare?
“……How in the world did a simpleton like you manage to graduate at the top of the academy?”
“……As I have explained to you multiple times already……”
“Look closer, you dim-witted boy. The blade that is supposed to pursue and impale the foe to the bitter end stops precisely halfway. And what is the positioning of the opposite hand?”
He deliberately flexed and extended his left hand, which was held out wide to the flank.
So-un Jin’s jaw dropped as he absorbed the sight.
If this were a standard one-on-one duel, the posture would not seem out of place at all.
However, if this occurred amidst the chaos of a massive, crowded battlefield…….
‘This is insane…….’
He did not even wish to contemplate the dark reality behind that flexing and extending motion.
“Could it really…… is that truly what it means?”
“Otherwise, for what reason would the creator include this specific posture?”
“So what you are saying…… is that he delivers the lethal blow to the enemy by explicitly using the ally at his side as a human shield?”
“If that were not the intent, what other purpose does this movement serve?”
“…….”
So-un Jin was utterly stripped of words as his mind briefly went blank.
Hae-gwang Baek, reseating himself, retrieved the wooden block once more and began to mindlessly shave away at it.
“If I were to encounter the scoundrel who actually drafted such a sinister style, I would want absolutely nothing to do with him, regardless of how formidable his martial prowess might be.”
“…….”
“To you, a man who could harbor such a twisted concept……”
Following those words, his gaze darkened with a chilling intensity.
“Could you truly look upon him and consider him a human being?”
The parting inquiry uttered by Hae-gwang Baek reverberated with absolute clarity within the depths of his mind.