Chapter 511

Chapter 511
## Chapter 511. Into the Darkness (6)

—

**Yong-so-a** possessed a presence completely detached from the material world. His attire remained perpetually immaculate, reflecting light as though it possessed its own illumination, while his hair drifted with a gentle, weightless motion. His flawless complexion and perfectly arched brows appeared as though they had been meticulously rendered by an artist’s brush, balanced perfectly by a sharp, commanding nasal bridge that anchored his features. Though nearly everyone else had succumbed to the grime and exhaustion of spending multiple days within the grim confines of the Sword Tomb, **Yong-so-a** uniquely retained an ethereal elegance, looking as pristine as if he had just completed a refreshing bath at a luxurious lodging the evening prior.

And from that very otherworldly visage.

“They……”

He uttered words that shattered all sense of reality.

“Are deceased.”

“……”

The utterly unforeseen revelation paralyzed my cognitive faculties, causing a sudden throbbing in my temples as my connection to the present moment wavered. Just as a wave of lightheadedness threatened to overwhelm me, making my body feel weightless and ungrounded, I violently forced myself back to alertness.

“Cut the nonsense.”

I glared at **Yong-so-a** with a ferocity I had never displayed before.

“They are deceased?”

Yet, **Yong-so-a** provided his reply with complete apathy, utterly unmoved by the intensity of my stare.

“Correct.”

The energy within my dantian surged spontaneously, threatening to flood my entire network of meridians. A volatile fury, teetering on the edge of eruption, forced my limbs into motion.

“Were you not informed that **Moyong-seol** was travelling alongside the members of the Moyong Clan?”

“I witnessed her with my own eyes.”

“And despite that…… she is gone?”

Had not **Yong-so-a** and **Moyong-seol** operated side by side as the celebrated Dragon and Phoenix Gathering? And even so.

“You simply stood by and permitted her demise?”

“Your phrasing is flawed.”

“……”

“I explicitly urged them against it. They simply chose to disregard my warning.”

He had attempted to deter **Moyong-seol**. Those words carried a heavy implication.

*‘It means **Yong-so-a** foresaw her impending fate.’*

Even with that forewarning, the reality remained that **Moyong-seol** had pressed onward.

*‘If that is the case…….’*

My stomach twisted into a knot. Had **Moyong-seol** truly perished? If so, upon whose shoulders did the blame for her passing rest? Mine, for altering the timeline? **Yong-so-a**’s, for failing to hold her back? Or **Moyong-seol** herself, for advancing strictly by her own volition?

Setting aside her paramount significance as the legendary **Sword Queen**, she was an individual who held profound, indelible meaning in my previous existence. I simply refused to accept that her life had ended.

“Is this the truth? Are they truly gone? In what place? By what means?”

“What is occurring? What is the meaning of this uproar!”

As my tone grew progressively louder without my realization, members of the investigation squad began assembling around us one after another. Totaling ignoring their presence, I bore down on **Yong-so-a**.

“Give me an answer. In what location. At what hour did it happen?”

“For what reason am I obligated to disclose that?”

“……”

An emotionless face paired with a detached gaze. Outwardly, nothing about him had altered, yet a realization struck me.

*‘This individual…….’*

He is harboring malice. I had recognized from our very first encounter that harmony between myself and **Yong-so-a** was highly improbable, but I had not anticipated that **Yong-so-a** would project such unmistakable animosity so soon. The concept of eventually clashing with **Yong-so-a** was not entirely foreign to me, yet a cold dread settled in my chest because this confrontation had arrived far ahead of schedule.

“Give me an answer!”

Nevertheless, my personal dynamics with him were secondary to the urgent matter at hand.

“Hold on! What do you think you are doing! Unhand **Yong-so-a** this instant!”

The gathering swelled in number. They made no effort to mask their antagonism toward me as I held **Yong-so-a** tightly by his collar. A few individuals even unsheathed their blades immediately, as though certain members had yet to consume the **Cheongsim-boryeong-hwan**.

“Release your grip on **Yong-so-a**!”

I unleashed the **Dae-yang-gwon** (Great Ocean Fist) toward the aggressive cultivator who had forcefully clamped onto my wrist.

*Thud—*

As the assailant was sent hurtling roughly ten feet backward, the rest of the investigation squad instantly assumed offensive stances.

“Is their demise a certainty? Or did you merely foresee such an outcome?”

“What variance does that introduce?”

**Yong-so-a** smoothly turned his wrist around my clenched fingers, his demeanor suggesting he was growing weary of the disruption.

*Clang—*

A sharp, opposing surge of martial force broke my hold entirely. I attempted to ensnare the man once more by shifting fluidly into the **Baek-bong-su** (White Phoenix Hand), but he deflected my fingers away yet again using an unorthodox, twisting palm technique.

*Clang—*

“Give me a straight answer. Did you witness an impending disaster, or did you look upon a corpse.”

“You insolent rogue!”

The retort came not from **Yong-so-a**, but from the surrounding crowd. Other members of the investigation squad began leaping forward to intercept me.

“That scoundrel is attempting to harm **Yong-so-a**! Subdue him!”

“How dare a nameless vagrant of unknown origins act so boldly!”

“Nothing more than a stray from the **Tae-eul Gate**!”

A multitude of martial artists swarmed toward me as I attempted to close the gap once more. These were the elite forces of the Murim Alliance—individuals whom the ‘me’ of my previous life would have been unworthy to even look at directly. They were formidable masters, each possessing a level of cultivation that easily surpassed the entirety of the historical **Tae-eul Gate**. Yet, fear no longer held sway over me. I was no longer the powerless shadow of my past self, nor was I a hesitant fool paralyzed in the face of losing someone precious.

Despite the gleaming blades thrusting toward my vital points, I kept my own weapon sheathed. Instead, I channeled my inner reserves to their peak and executed the **Yeon-hwa** (Lotus) technique to redirect and warp the incoming steel.

*Screeech—*

I drove the **Man-hwa-mu-jeok-gwon** squarely into a warrior whose face had twisted in sheer disbelief upon seeing his sword buckle with an eerie metallic screech.

*Thump-thump-thump-thump—*

Directly following that, I seized an opponent charging from my blind spot and executed the **Seol-hwa** (Snow Flower) technique.

*Thup-thup—*

Simultaneously, I whipped out the **Hwan-yeong-gak** (Illusion Kick) to intercept a pair of attackers closing in from both flanks.

*Crash!*

Though I had infused the strike with substantial qi, the cultivator gritted his teeth and forced himself back onto his feet, the momentum apparently failing to neutralize him completely. As I pushed the **Tae-eul-pal-man-sin-bo** footwork to its absolute limit, a sequence of afterimages disoriented the vision of those around me. Perhaps galvanized by the sight of four or five of their peers being violently thrown back, an even greater contingent of fighters joined the fray.

“What madness is this!”

“Bring him down!”

It was no longer just the immediate investigation squad; representatives from the **Gu-pa-il-bang** (Nine Great Sects and One Gang) who had integrated with the main force, along with their retainers, threw themselves into the conflict. They obstructed the path ahead in dense, overlapping formations, acting as though they had encountered a mortal foe.

*Thud-thud-thud—*

Though I continually repelled and cleared the attackers before me, the gap separating me from **Yong-so-a** only seemed to widen with every passing second.

*‘Curse it all…….’*

Whether in my previous existence, my current life, or this wretched instant, that individual maintained the exact same indifferent posture, acting as though the entire world had nothing to do with him. That precise demeanor unearthed my darkest recollections.

*Shring—*

I unsheathed my blade.

“I require information from **Yong-so-a**……. Stand down, all of you.”

The moment I allowed my genuine killing intent to radiate outward, the surrounding martial artists hesitated, instinctively taking a step back. Yet, the physical separation between myself and **Yong-so-a** remained vast. A sea of warriors filled the intervening area, their dense presence serving as a physical manifestation of the immense chasm between that man and myself. It was a stark reminder that regardless of the might I amassed or the summits I conquered, he remained tantalizingly out of reach.

“What is the meaning of this outrageous conduct!”

“**Jin-so-un**! Desist this madness at once!”

Even the leadership figures of the various prestigious sects who accompanied the Grand Leader materialized from the crowd. These were the very individuals who had most eagerly accepted the life-saving **Cheongsim-boryeong-hwan** I had provided. Those who had refused to acknowledge my basic humanity in my past life were now treating me as a treacherous adversary who could not be allowed to live.

“It appears a modicum of fame has blinded you to your proper place.”

I felt no sting of betrayal, for I had never harbored any illusions regarding their character to begin with.

“To instigate a violent riot within the Alliance’s core investigation squad—do you actively seek execution!”

Even so, I desperately wanted to prevent the Grand Investigation Leader himself from intervening, as that would firmly elevate this incident to an undeniable act of treason. Could I truly force my way to **Yong-so-a** before my time ran out? Could I extract the truth before the leadership converged upon us? Just as I tightened my grip on the hilt of my sword to suppress the rising wave of futility that threatened to paralyze me—

“*Argh*!”

“*Khf*?!”

“*Ugh*!”

Startled cries erupted from the flank of the gathering. Concurrently, the dense crowd parted down the center as a distinct contingent advanced through the gap.

“What—what do you think you are doing!”

“What kind of insolence is this?”

It was the contingent belonging to the temporary **Yoseong-dang**, led by **Dang-seo-hee** and **Il-gak**. A slender needle gleamed between **Dang-seo-hee**’s fingers, while **Il-gak**’s palms radiated the distinct glow of **Geum-gi** (golden energy). Observing the rigid, frozen postures of the martial artists left in their wake, it was readily apparent that **Dang-seo-hee** had deployed a potent numbing agent. Every time the needle in her grasp shifted, the surrounding crowd winced in unison.

“To cast threats upon a standing **Hall Master** of the Murim Alliance. Tell me, does there exist an individual of equal **Hall Master** rank among you to justify this?”

“**Dang-seo-hee**! Do you fail to recognize who stands before you!”

At the booming reprimand of a mature warrior sporting the traditional garments and insignias of the **Jeom-chang** Sect, **Dang-seo-hee** merely tilted her head to the side.

“**Hall Master Tae-song**, a considerable amount of time has passed since our last meeting.”

“*Ah*……? *Oh*? I—indeed. You recall my face.”

“I performed my formal introductions to you when I was a child of four years.”

Her hand shifted, pointing purposefully toward the front.

“However, **Hall Master Tae-song** possesses absolutely no authority to cast threats upon a fellow **Hall Master** of the Murim Alliance. Am I mistaken in this regard?”

“……That is beside the point!”

“At this very moment, the **Hall Master** of the **Yoseong-dang** has urgent matters to discuss with a mere ‘operative’ of the investigation squad. Does this constitute an infraction? Or perhaps the individuals gathered here are currently……”

**Dang-seo-hee**’s expression turned utterly frigid.

“Audaciously executing an act of open mutiny?”

“……”

The sweltering, tense atmosphere that had gripped the clearing dissolved into an icy stillness in an instant. The hostile faces around us now wore uniform expressions—chilled, disdainful glares, as if they were observing a criminal attempting to evade the consequences of his actions. Yet, inexplicably.

*‘**Dang Sunbae**…… no, our esteemed **Vice Hall Master**.’*

A profound sense of security washed over me.

“If there is no further grievance, I suggest everyone return to their posts.”

“*Tsk*.”

Though she stood alone, her singular presence rendered the malicious stares of hundreds completely inconsequential. I had previously assumed she drifted through existence entirely devoid of deeper contemplation, merely indulging her whims and clamoring for her favorite **Dang-wa** (sweet snacks)…….

“I successfully neutralized seven individuals during my advance.”

“……”

I had truly believed she was someone who existed without a care, focused only on consuming **Dang-wa** and nothing more…….

“One, two…… three, four…… *hmmm*, yes, seven is the precise count.”

The fiery intensity that had been building within my chest dissipated completely, leaving behind a tranquil calm.

“……It certainly does not lose its validity simply because I left them breathing, correct?”

Her face was cast in shadow, bearing the look of someone confronting the absolute gravest crisis of her life. She appeared significantly more solemn now than she had while offering her boisterous, protective support moments earlier. This realization hit me with a subtle, ironic sting…….

To remain passive while awaiting a predetermined calamity is something entirely beyond human capacity. Regarding this philosophy, **Yong-so-a** held absolute certainty. No human being could placidly resign themselves to a future where ruin was a guaranteed outcome. Mankind is an existence hardwired to retreat ten paces into the shadows every time despair advances a single step closer.

For this very reason, **Yong-so-a** was intensely guarded about revealing the visions granted to him. The delicate timeline of the ‘lesser evil’ that he had painstakingly engineered was paramount. Should that fragile sequence be disrupted, all remaining prospects for the Jianghu would vanish entirely. Consequently, **Yong-so-a** harbored a deep aversion to variables and felt nothing but disdain for futile struggles. To witness someone flailing blindly in pursuit of their desires without comprehension of the unfolding timeline was, in his eyes, equivalent to searching for a tiny needle within a massive barn while holding a burning brand.

Yet, there had been a singular period where he found himself genuinely intrigued by the upheavals catalyzed by such an anomalous existence.

*‘**Jin-so-un**.’*

An individual who proved vexing, disruptive, invoked a deep sense of rejection, and stirred internal opposition. There was a brief interlude where he had actually invested ‘hope’ in the alterations wrought by that man’s choices. Ultimately, however, after helplessly watching the tragic demise of the **Myo-in-sa-tae** and observing the total fragmentation of the **Jwa-bul-hoe** due to internal betrayal, his convictions solidified once more. Regardless of what lay ahead, he would never again allow unpredictable elements to corrupt the predetermined course of history.

“Speak to me. In what place can the Moyong Clan be found.”

Regardless of the collateral damage incurred.

“**Yong-so-a**!”

And regardless of the toll in human lives required.

“**Yong-so-a**.”

**Dang-seo-hee** stepped into the space between them.

“I have been briefed by **Jin-so-un**. Is it truly your deliberate intention…… to simply abandon **Moyong-seol** to her fate?”

“Her life has already concluded.”

“……!”

**Dang-seo-hee**’s eyes widened in profound shock.

“For what purpose do you seek out someone who belongs to the past?”

“Are you implying you permitted her to perish?”

“I offered my counsel against her course of action.”

**Yong-so-a** shifted his cold gaze directly onto **Jin-so-un**.

“Yet she chose to ignore it.”

Under the weight of that unfeeling stare, the muscles around **Jin-so-un**’s eyes twitched violently.

“The event has already transpired.”

Finally, just as the suffocating tension became too much for **Jin-so-un** to bear and he prepared to lunge forward—

“Is it your desire to personally verify the remains?”

“……You wretched bastard.”

Even when met with such vitriol, **Yong-so-a**’s features remained entirely unbothered, lacking even a tremor of emotion.

“Even if doing so demands the forfeiture of your own life?”

“What is the meaning behind your words?”

“The knowledge can be yours. If that is your true desire. However…… do you possess the resolve to venture forth as a collective?”

**Yong-so-a**’s eyes flickered between **Dang-seo-hee** and **Jin-so-un**. **Dang-seo-hee** maintained a resolute stance immediately beside **Jin-so-un**.

“I have already assumed the responsibilities of the **Vice Hall Master** of the **Yoseong-dang**.”

“Understood. ……So that is the path you have chosen?”

**Yong-so-a** unrolled the parchment map. His finger descended upon an unmarked, empty expanse outside the recorded borders.

“Should you journey to this coordinate, you will find the reality you seek.”

“Son of a bitch, you ought to have disclosed this from the start!”

Accompanying his sharp curse, **Jin-so-un** bolted forward at maximum speed.

“Our dialogue will resume at a later date.”

Directly behind him, **Dang-seo-hee** and the remaining operatives of the **Yoseong-dang** kept pace in rapid succession. A brief moment afterward, **Nam-gung-san** arrived at the scene.

“What transpired here? I hurried over upon learning that **Jin-so-un** and **Dang-seo-hee** had made an appearance. Have they departed already?”

**Yong-so-a** reinforced his internal vow. He would permit absolutely no unpredictable elements to interfere with the timeline of the lesser evil that was bound to be forged in the days to come.

“**San**, do you possess knowledge of any notable prodigies within the current Dang Clan?”

“Aside from **Dang-seo-hee**? There exists a youth by the name of **Dang-jung-hak**. Based on what is commonly spoken, were it not for the existence of **Dang-seo-hee**, he would have easily been hailed as the preeminent genius of the Dang Clan. But what prompts this inquiry?”

Regardless of the devastation wrought.

“To ensure a contingency is firmly in place should an unfortunate fate befall the **Baek-su-sin-nyeo** (Hundred-Handed Divine Maiden).”

“……What—what are you implying by that?”

And regardless of whatever sacrifices must be endured. He would fundamentally stamp out all uncertainty.

**Yong-so-a** solidified his resolve.