Chapter 218

Chapter 218
# Chapter 218
## Chapter Title: Rakbul’s Judgment

Rakbul. Never before, in either his past or his present life, had he crossed paths with this man.

In his former existence, after Ado had passed away, he had not set foot beyond Shaolin’s walls even once.

*My impression of him does not match what I pictured at all.*

Monks typically abstained from meat, which lent them slender, lean builds. Shaolin’s monks, however, stood apart from this norm. Rooted in their foundational art—the supreme external technique known as the Muscle and Tendon Transformation Scripture—they placed greater emphasis on bodily refinement than any other sect under the heavens.

*Even Ado… no, Monk Beomgak… is sturdier than the average grown man.*

At first glance, Rakbul seemed no different from any elderly monk one might encounter. His frame was gaunt and weathered, so frail that one could not help wondering whether he could stand without the support of his staff. Yet—

*His eyes. Those eyes…*

It was said that when a martial artist attained profound mastery, their Sun Acupoint would protrude, and pure radiance would shine forth from their gaze. In truth, cultivating the martial arts did alter one’s eyes; the sharp glint of ferocity or the brightness of spiritual energy was not difficult to discern. But Rakbul’s look transcended even that. It was the gaze of someone who had pierced through to something beyond—like the eyes of a being who had risen above the confines of the ordinary.

*Elder Eumhu possessed that same look. Fortunately, he took a liking to me. I wonder how Rakbul will receive me.*

He had lifted the Heavenly Penalty that weighed upon the Tang Clan. He had passed along the Divine Poison Meridian—a lineage branded the martial world’s public enemy for generations—to Chudal. The first act earned him no favor with the Orthodox Nine Sects. The second was a deed anyone might rightfully condemn.

“What is it you intend to do?”

As the air grew heavy with tension, Ado fidgeted and stepped forward.

“Master! Yang-hwi is a good person! What he is doing is right!”

You rascal. We are reunited after all this time, and already you are making me owe you gratitude. If we come through this safely, I will take you to the finest rice cake shop in all Wuhuan.

“Ado.”

“Yes?”

“A good heart does not always yield good outcomes.”

Rakbul swept his extraordinary, far-seeing gaze across every person gathered in the banquet hall. “Just as with that old man, the Sword Elder.”

Every soul in the room froze. There was no brushing aside his words.

“The Sword Elder chases nothing but goodness. He longs to fill the world with righteousness. Yet this monk cannot walk that road alongside him.”

Yang-hwi found himself recalling the Taiji Sword Elder from his past life. The righteousness upheld by Wudang was no pretense, no hypocrisy—it sprang from a genuine desire to set the world aright. And what had it brought? The world drowned in rivers of blood.

“But…” Ado hesitated. “Did you not tell me to seek out good people, Master? To befriend them?”

“That is precisely why I ask. I wish to see whether a righteous heart truly gives rise to righteous deeds.”

*Thank you, Ado.*

Understanding that Rakbul sought to test the very essence of genuine goodness, Yang-hwi knew what his answer must be.

“Great Monk, what I strive for is no more than to uphold the righteousness of Heaven-Covering.”

“Heaven-Covering’s righteousness?”

Someone stepped forward to explain. “Baek Yang-hwi’s clan, the Baek Prestigious Clan, is also known as the Heaven-Covering Baek Clan. When they declared all-out war against the Heukdo of Jiangxi, they proclaimed Heaven-Covering’s righteousness for all to hear.”

Could one make compromises where righteousness was concerned and still hold one’s head high? Could one remain as unblemished as a sheet of pure white, without a single speck of darkness? No… and yet—was not the pursuit of the impossible the very mark of humanity’s greatness—and its folly?

“Those who seek aid, we do not turn away—no matter who they are or what circumstances have befallen them. In matters of justice and righteousness, we never yield. Even when all reason counsels otherwise, we do not hesitate. This is why we must become the roof that shields the heavens. These were the words my father—the clan head—spoke before all.”

“Then, young one… do you intend to carry that will forward?”

Not exactly. The Heaven-Covering Baek Clan, once founded by the World’s Supreme Person and counted among the Five Great Clans, had fallen into ruin. Stripped of their honored title and the right to speak in Heaven-Covering’s name, they had dwindled into a scattered, third-rate martial family. Yet Baek Mu-ryang—his father—had proclaimed Heaven-Covering anew, acting on his own authority as head of the clan. In both his past and present lives, Yang-hwi had admired his father above all else, and it was for him that he sought to raise the Baek Clan to stand supreme beneath the heavens once more.

*Should I speak in riddles? Or speak the truth plainly?*

To lay bare one’s innermost thoughts… to speak nothing but the truth with a tongue but three inches long… it was no easy thing. Yet in this moment, Yang-hwi felt he could not shrink back. He would stand tall and speak true.

“No. My aim is to spread my father’s will—the path my clan has chosen—across the entire world.”

“Then you do not act from righteousness at all.”

“That is not so. I follow the code of righteousness I have set for myself.”

Rakbul stroked his chin—smooth, without a single hair—and spoke again.

“Young one.”

“Yes, Great Monk.”

“The Sword Elder is much the same.”

“……”

“He believes utterly that he is righteous and never doubts it. What is it that sets you apart from him?”

This was the turning point. Yang-hwi sensed that his answer would decide Rakbul’s judgment of him. Should he soften his words then?

*No. That would be the wrong choice.*

He would speak honestly.

“I do not know. And why should I?”

A murmur of shock rippled through those present. To speak so boldly, so casually, to Rakbul—one of the Heavenly Martial Ten Lords—was unheard of.

“It is a path I have marked out for myself. I walk it because I choose to, and I do not know whether it is right or wrong.”

He had framed it gently, but the meaning was clear: this was his road to walk, not yours to judge. Gasps of startled admiration broke out here and there.

“Heh!”

“Well now…”

Paying them no mind, Yang-hwi held his gaze fixed on Rakbul. The reactions of others were of no consequence.

Heaven-Covering’s righteousness? In truth, it sounded as absurd as a boat sailing through the sky. But he was not walking that path with his eyes shut.

“Hoh. Hm. Hoh.”

Rakbul’s reaction was not what anyone expected. He continued stroking his hairless chin, and slowly, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile.

“Ado.”

“Yes, Master?”

“Stay close beside this young one. Watching him will prove most entertaining.”

“Yes! Playing with Yang-hwi is so much fun!”

*At least I have earned his approval, for now.*

Still, he wondered why. His words had been as frank as they had been bold. Where had he found favor? Rakbul’s next words answered his unspoken question.

“You are simply yourself. Without blind conviction, there can be no fanatical faith. Without the intent to walk together, you do not force your way upon others.”

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Come visit Shaolin when you can. And keep this from Eumhu—he will be cross and tell you not to speak before you think.”

And so his conversation with Rakbul came to an end.

“Master, have you finished speaking?”

“I have, you rascal.”

“Then there is something I wish to say!”

Ado beamed at Yang-hwi and called out, “Yang-hwi! Buy me a drink!”

“Eh?”

“You promised! You said you would treat me when we met again!”

“Ah, did I?”

Yang-hwi glanced toward Monk Beomgak. His expression darkening, the monk made it clear he would not be left out. After all, nearly everyone present was either a monk or a Taoist.

“Young one.”

“Yes, Great Monk?”

“Might this monk join you for a cup as well?”

“Pardon?”

Monk Beomgak finally lost his composure. “You insolent little rascal!!”

***

What a whirlwind this day had been. Meeting three figures from the Orthodox Sects—even if he had barely exchanged words with those from Huashan and Zhongnan—was certainly not how he had imagined things going.

Ilpilhuiseo had asked if he was of the Baek Clan; he had answered yes, and the disciples from Huashan and Zhongnan had accepted it and departed. Surely they had not journeyed here merely to confirm that much?

Looking back, even if they had intended to press him with questions upon his arrival, they would have found themselves unable to do so. When someone of Rakbul’s standing had already acknowledged and accepted him, who would dare object?

Still, he had to account for what might unfold. Who could have guessed that events from his past life would bring real, tangible changes to two of the Orthodox Sects?

It gave him a faint headache. Setting Zhongnan aside, Huashan demanded particular attention—and the reason was straightforward. He recalled his earlier exchange with Huashan’s elder.

“Elder Okjeong, how many Huashan disciples will take part in this Dragon-Phoenix Contest?”

“Worried about rivals? Ha! Five in total.”

No major shifts had occurred, so the future would not be entirely rewritten. On balance, things leaned toward the favorable.

When he had first traveled back in time, beyond matters concerning the Baek Clan, he had determined to change certain outcomes. Chudal was one—he had ensured his safety. He had kept the promises he had made to the Tang forces. And with Huashan… he intended to set things in motion at this very Dragon-Phoenix Assembly.

*Inhale… exhale…*

He drew a long, deep breath. Pristine white feathers began to materialize from his vital energy alone—substantial yet ethereal, drifting in the air.

Vital Energy Manifestation. Grasping from Empty Air. Sword and Body as One. These were the three insights required to ascend to the Transcendent Realm. It was a feat only those who mastered all three could perform—similar in principle to the radiant sword the Sword Elder had once displayed.

Dozens, then hundreds of feathers swirled with unearthly grace around him. He remembered the moment he had first attained this state in his past life. Each feather carried a memory.

*Secured. Preserved. Now… it is time to repay what is owed.*

It was then that he felt it—a presence drawing near from afar. Someone was summoning him, and the call was impossible to ignore.

*Great. Just when things settle, the winds begin to howl again.*

The Blood Cult agents who had bid him come had yet to show themselves; instead, other forces were stirring. He leaped through the window rather than use the door, making his way to a secluded mountain nearby. There, he found the figure he sought.

Broad-shouldered and powerfully built—his frame comparable to Ado’s, so massive he might be mistaken for someone entirely different—he carried a single sword suited to his imposing stature. He appeared to be around forty, with a rough beard and brows like a tiger’s, radiating bold and heroic spirit. And his presence was unmistakable.

“It is an honor to meet you, Great Sea Dragon King Sword Peng Beom, Supreme Retired Clan Head.”

The middle-aged man laughed heartily. “You have sharp eyes—spotted me at a glance, did you?”

“With a presence as remarkable as yours, how could I not?”

His aura alone made resistance seem futile. Combined with the feeling he knew so well when facing Eumhu, there was no mistaking him.

“Eumhu kept pestering me to hold back, but hearing Rakbul had stepped in snapped my patience.” The Great Sea Dragon King Sword regarded Yang-hwi with evident curiosity. “Mind if I take a closer look at you?”

It was no improper advance, clearly. *He seems bold and direct, yet he knows how to be courteous.*

There was no point in refusing. Yang-hwi nodded readily. “Please, do.”

“Much obliged.”

Before long, the Great Sea Dragon King Sword began to send his energy sweeping through every part of Yang-hwi’s body.

“Oh? Oho?”

His eyes lit up. His focus deepened as his energy probed with keen interest at his dantian and meridians. Curiosity gave way to genuine astonishment and rising excitement.

“Oho! Ohoooo! Ohooooooo!”

*What on earth?*

It was true that what he had built since returning to the past would astonish anyone, but surely a member of the Heavenly Martial Ten Lords should not be so shaken.

“Impossible! It cannot be! I have found it! At last, I have found you!”

The Great Sea Dragon King Sword made an unexpected proposal.

“Young man… become my disciple.”

…Pardon?

This was the second time one of the Heavenly Martial Ten Lords had sought to take him as their own.