Wudang Sacred Scriptures

It was a tremendous encouragement to Kwak Yeon.

“Hearing you say things like that gave me strength.”

“......”

“I even heard you’ve been called a training maniac—dedicating yourself day and night. Honestly, part of that reputation probably came from how I was back then, right?”

Seokjangsan blushed.

“I won’t lie—I thought that if I gained even a bit more recognition, the things I said about you might carry more weight. But now that I see you like this... I can’t help feeling a bit bitter.”

“......?”

“You know, great talent matures late.”

Kwak Yeon nodded.

“I’ve achieved a fair bit, that’s true. Whether I’m a ‘great vessel’ or not, I’m not so sure.”

“If that counts as just ‘a fair bit,’ then what does that make me?”

“That’s not something the next Wudang Sword Guardian should be saying, man.”

“You’re the next Wudang Sword Guardian, Kwak Yeon.”

Kwak Yeon didn’t say that he intended to wield his sword not for Wudang, but for the world. That it was both the fame of a renunciant—and his own vow.

“Be straight with me. What level are you at now, really? Master Hyunam was all tense in front of you—I’ve never seen him like that before. Even the Rear Beggar from the Beggars’ Guild was giving way to you.”

“What do you think?”

“To me, you’re /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ still the same Kwak Yeon from our Yeongmudang days.”

A faint smile flickered across Kwak Yeon’s lips.

Seokjangsan spoke again.

“Honestly, you startled me earlier. You felt like someone entirely different... I probably shouldn’t say this myself, but—I recently entered the Supermundane-Saintly Realm.”

Supermundane-Saintly Realm (초범입성 / Chobeom Ipseong)—a state beyond the absolute limit of human cultivation through effort. In other words, transcendence, or the realm of Awakening.

“So now I can sense the presence of most high-level masters. But from you... I don’t feel anything.”

To Seokjangsan’s candid question, Kwak Yeon gave an equally direct reply.

“I’ve reached Gang (罡).”

“......!”

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it myself. I was just a bottom-ranked disciple in the Binggeup class... and I reached the Gang realm. Every time I wake up, I wonder if I’m still dreaming.”

Tears welled up in the corners of Seokjangsan’s eyes.

“Then you... all this time, you really...”

“Hey, you’ve turned into a crybaby in the few years I’ve been gone. Honestly, shouldn’t I be the one crying here?”

“...You’re right.”

“Still, Jangsan, you’re incredible. If I were in your shoes, I’d be cursing the Celestial Primogenitor in pure envy.”

“No kidding. The top disciple fell far behind the lowest one—I should be burning with jealousy.”

Kwak Yeon gave a dry chuckle.

“Still clinging to that top disciple pride, huh?”

“I’m proud of it—with everyone except you. With you, I’m always just grateful. And sorry.”

Kwak Yeon felt his chest tighten.

Srrrng...

The Primordial Harmonious Art surged inside his body—he barely managed to suppress it.

This isn’t the time to get emotional.

With a steely expression, Kwak Yeon said,

“Jangsan, let’s stop catching up for now.”

Seeing Kwak Yeon’s serious face, Seokjangsan asked,

“You’re in a hurry—there’s a reason for that, isn’t there?”

Kwak Yeon nodded.

“I’m worried.”

“About what?”

“Before I met you and Master Hyunam, I heard about the Cult of the Evil Way from the Rear Beggar. Judging from their past behavior, they’re not the type to just sit back and take it.”

“Wait... don’t tell me... you’re worried about our assassination squad? That’s why you hurried here, and even volunteered to come along?”

“I hope I’m just being paranoid... but I can’t shake this bad feeling.”

“Look, I know you don’t know this, but the squad we sent this time is Wudang’s elite. If push comes to shove, they could stand toe-to-toe with the Cult’s main force.”

“I know how strong Wudang is. But this isn’t Mount Wudang, is it? If they decide to pull something underhanded, things could get ugly fast.”

“Ah...!”

“Anyway, let’s move quickly. Seeing how fast Master Hyunam’s pressing ahead... I think he’s feeling uneasy too.”

Seokjangsan recalled how, before they’d left for Aknyang, Master Hyunam had doubled the security around Seong Iljang.

No way something actually happens... right?

But even so, a knot of unease remained in the corner of his mind.

Seokjangsan began running hard, chasing after Master Hyunam alongside Kwak Yeon.

****

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The loud peal of the bell rang out through Seong Iljang.

It happened while the Wudang disciples were having their evening meal.

“Enemy combatants have appeared at the front gate of Seong Iljang!”

Second-generation disciple Cheong-il came rushing in with the report. Master Hyeonbong looked up in shock.

“How many are there?”

“It’s too dark to count precisely, but judging by the shouting and movements, there must be at least several hundred.”

“Several hundred?!”

Hyeonbong’s face hardened.

It felt like the Cult of the Evil Way had come with intent.

Of all times... they show up when Senior Brother Hyunam isn’t here.

“We destroyed their forces at Mount Unjung, so it should take some time for that news to reach their headquarters. I figured they wouldn’t move for a while. But just in case, I said not to let your guard down. I’ll return as fast as I can.”

Senior Brother Hyunam was wrong.

Cheong-il’s voice rose urgently.

“Master Hyeonbong! The disciples guarding the gate are being pushed back! Please issue orders—quickly!”

Hyeonbong looked across the disciples and junior instructors gathered inside and spoke firmly.

“Leave just enough to guard the inner court—everyone else, to the front gate!”

“But, Hyeonbong-seonbaenim, it’s dinner shift change—we only have half the guards inside right now...”

Master Hyeoncheol voiced his concern, but Hyeonbong replied,

“If the enemy is coming at us head-on, we must seize the advantage with full force. Once we break their momentum, we can reinforce the inner court. The disciples stationed at Seong Iljang can handle that much.”

It wasn’t the wrong call.

If they lost the front, what use was guarding the rear?

Deploying the assassination squad proved effective.

The squad wiped out the lead wave of enemy combatants in a single charge.

Then the Cult’s warriors began to retreat in a panic.

Hyeonbong judged they were low-grade fighters gathered in a hurry, lacking real martial skill.

He shouted to the Wudang disciples in a thundering voice.

“Crush them! Make sure they never dare provoke Wudang again!”

The Wudang disciples all charged in pursuit.

But after chasing them for a li or so, the enemy vanished without a trace.

“Hyeonbong-seonbaenim... something feels off.”

At Hyeoncheol’s words, which echoed his own doubts, Hyeonbong immediately halted the pursuit. He turned sharply to Hyeoncheol and said,

“Hyeoncheol-sajae, once the rest of the disciples regroup, return them to Seong Iljang. I’ll go ahead with the ones here.”

His judgment was swift—but a step too late.

Far off across the plain, a red column of flame suddenly rose from the direction of Seong Iljang.

“Damn it!”

Only then did Hyeonbong realize they had been tricked by the enemy’s feint-and-strike ruse.

Kwak Yeon wasn’t the only one who saw that column of rising flame.

From the ridge overlooking Sainhyeon, Master Hyunam, Kwak Yeon, and Seokjangsan all saw the blaze as well.

“Hurry!”

Master Hyunam darted forward into the darkness like an arrow loosed from the string.

Kwak Yeon and Seokjangsan raced after him at full speed.

Of the three, it was Seokjangsan whose insides were burning the most.

Judging by the height of the flames, the scale of the fire was enormous.

Please don’t let it be the annex...

He kept thinking of Jeong I-chu, wounded and bedridden.

”When else would I ever get to lie in silk bedding like this?”

No—it can’t be the annex. That’s the innermost part of the manor. For the enemy to reach it, they’d have to breach the wall, pass the outer court, and even the inner court.

Besides, the manor, guarded by Wudang’s elite, was a fortress that even ten thousand troops couldn’t storm.

As the blaze began to subside, Seokjangsan felt more certain.

Seeing how quickly the flames were brought under control—it must mean they repelled the enemy without too much damage. It can’t have been serious.

Before long, they arrived at Seong Iljang—and just as expected, it showed little sign of severe damage.

Were it not for the ash floating in the air and the acrid reek of smoke, one might not have even known there’d been a fire.

Wudang disciples were already clearing the area, restoring order.

“Master Hyunam, you’ve arrived!”

Master Hyeonbong ran up upon recognizing him.

“What happened?”

Face grim, Hyeonbong reported,

“We were ambushed by the Cult of the Evil Way late this evening. We drove them back, but... we suffered unexpected losses.”

Master Hyunam’s expression contorted.

“Unexpected losses?”

“It was my error. I assumed a large-scale assault and led our full strength to confront it.”

Master Hyeonbong revealed the full truth—how they’d fallen prey to a feint-and-strike ploy.

“While we pursued the enemy, their true elite force scaled the wall...”

When Hyeonbong trailed off, unable to continue, Master Hyunam pressed him.

“What did they do?”

“They struck the annex, where disciples were recovering. It seems that was their aim from the beginning. As soon as the raid ended, they set it ablaze and fled.”

At Hyeonbong’s words, Seokjangsan felt as though the ground beneath him had vanished.

“Ah... Jeong I-chu...”

At Seokjangsan’s choked gasp, Kwak Yeon’s eyes went wide.

“Jeong I-chu?”

Master Hyunam and the group rushed toward the annex.

The structure had been nearly burned to the ground—only scorched roof beams and charred pillars remained. In the courtyard, six corpses lay side by side in silence.

A cold flame lit in Master Hyunam’s eyes.

“Hyeonbong-sajae. I told you to double the inner court guard.”

“It... it was during dinner shift. The guards were rotating for meals... I failed you.”

—KWAAANG!

With a thunderous crash, Master Hyunam’s furious strike shattered a boulder in the garden to dust.

Seokjangsan and Kwak Yeon spotted Jeong I-chu lying among the dead, his body faintly lit by the dying fire.

“UAAAAAAH!”

A broken scream burst from Seokjangsan’s mouth.

Kwak Yeon felt the world dim before his eyes.

And then—true darkness fell.

In that darkness, young Jeong I-chu’s familiar voice grumbled like always.

”Everyone’s always so harsh with me... But not you, Kwak Yeon. That’s why I like you.”

Jeong I-chu smiled brightly.

Suddenly, a wall of crimson fire surged up and swallowed Kwak Yeon whole. The inferno engulfed everything—obliterating the world.

A storm of energy erupted from within Kwak Yeon.

It blasted outward, devouring the landscape in its path.

KWAAANG!

With an earthshaking roar, the annex collapsed entirely.

Jeong I-chu lay in a white martial robe, resting on dry firewood beside his fallen brothers.

Master Hyunam lit the stacked pyres around them, and soon crimson flames devoured the scene. Their figures disappeared into the blaze.

Seokjangsan’s eyes were blood-red, as if soaked in gore.

Kwak Yeon couldn’t understand why no tears would come.

Even as the flames that had reached into the heavens died down into smoldering embers, the disciples of Wudang stood rooted in place, unmoving.

Then, at last, Kwak Yeon spoke.

“...This is my fault.”

“......”

“If I-chu hadn’t left the mountain because of what I did... If Master Hyunam hadn’t come to Aknyang searching for me... He would still be alive. He’d still be smiling.”

Master Hyunam’s voice was like ice.

“How presumptuous.”

“...?”

“Do you believe the world now revolves around you, just because you’ve reached the Gang realm?”

Kwak Yeon flinched at the blade in Hyunam’s words.

“Jeong Sajeol, and those disciples as well—they all picked up the sword by their own choice. They descended the mountain by their own will. What you just said... insults every one of their decisions.”

“...!”

Staggered by the rebuke, Kwak Yeon remained silent.

Master Hyunam continued.

“The moment we take up the sword, our fate is sealed.”

“......”

“They merely... walked ahead of us a little sooner. Do not grieve. Remember them.”

“......”

“That is the only way a warrior who survives may grieve.”