A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 38

38. Tiger Fang and White Dew

Whooosh.

The wind swept over the peak and blew across the snowfield.

The serene snowfield was scarred as if struck by an earthquake, and precarious snowdrifts silently plunged down the steep cliffs.

“Heh heh heh.”

A single laugh echoed across the silent snowfield. Each time his robe fluttered in the wind, the dragon embroidered with silver thread shimmered subtly.

Rustle.

Jade Dragon raised his fan to cover his mouth, but his eyes were still smiling. Quietly, as if taking a stroll, Jade Dragon moved his feet.

Crunch.

“Do you remember? The first time I met you?”

Crunch, crunch.

“It was quite a shock. Even with my abilities, I could only make you flinch for a moment.”

Jade Dragon stopped and turned to the side. Saja Hyuk stood there, his eyes burning like flames, staring at Jade Dragon.

It was an intense gaze, as if he would incinerate Jade Dragon at any moment, but that was all. Saja Hyuk stood there as if frozen, unable to move a finger.

“I couldn’t even imagine it. That there could be a being I couldn’t bind or control. It was truly a shocking experience for me, like the sky and earth turning upside down. But what was even funnier was….”

The smile was so radiant and charming.

“The words you said to me after defeating me. Do you perhaps remember?”

Jade Dragon raised his head and looked down at Saja Hyuk, and said in a solemn voice.

“‘An interesting power.’”

He seemed to be imitating Saja Hyuk, but Jade Dragon’s voice was soft and melodious.

“‘But if you obsess over such things, you will never reach the pinnacle of martial arts.’ Pfft, hahahahaha.”

Suddenly, Jade Dragon bent over and laughed.

“Such things? This power is worshiped as divine in this land, and some shun it as a cursed bloodline, but to you, it was just interesting, just such things. Ahahahaha.”

Jade Dragon threw back his chest and laughed. As he laughed, Jade Dragon lightly waved his fan.

Flap.

“Heh heh. You were entitled to say that. The only time I made you flinch was the first time, and my power never worked on you again after that. But… isn’t it strange?”

Jade Dragon said, looking straight at Saja Hyuk.

“Your arrogant words made me so happy. So much so that I almost cried. That very day, I was able to free myself from everything that had bound me. For the first time since I climbed this mountain alone as a child.”

Swish.

Jade Dragon began to walk again. He walked slowly around Saja Hyuk, as if taking a stroll.

“The Jade Dragon who returned executed all the elders who had lied to me. Even in their dying moments, they couldn’t believe it. The fact that there was someone who could reject my power.”

Crunch, crunch.

Jade Dragon leisurely moved his feet. Only faint footprints remained on the snowfield where he walked, but it was not because the ground was firm.

“Traveling the world with you was quite enjoyable. I didn’t care about wealth, power, good, or evil. I didn’t care about great families that made a name for themselves in the world, or even those belonging to the imperial palace. I only looked at one thing: whether he was strong.”

As if lost in thought, Jade Dragon stopped.

“At that time, the world was at our feet. Nothing and no one in the world could stop us. But then you met her.”

Jade Dragon’s expression changed.

“After meeting her, you obtained the Three Styles of Shattering the Moon. With that, the violent, ruthless, and aloof, beautiful Martial Emperor of the Hyuncheon disappeared.”

A chilling sound escaped his lips.

Creak.

“Didn’t I warn you that she would ruin you? Didn’t I say that the Three Styles of Shattering the Moon were just trivial skills? Didn’t I tell you that your true strength was not in such things? But you didn’t listen.”

Jade Dragon’s gaze towards Saja Hyuk was cold.

“So I showed you! That she was just an easy weakness for you, and that the Three Styles of Shattering the Moon, which you were so proud of, were just futile skills that couldn’t even save the woman you loved!”

Jade Dragon said as if shouting.

“Now, look.”

Flutter.

The hem of his snow-white robe fluttered in the wind. Jade Dragon spread his arms and shouted.

“In the end, you were ruined because of her!”

“That is not true.”

A heavy voice flowed from Saja Hyuk. At the same time, Jade Dragon took a step back without realizing it.

Thud.

Jade Dragon stared at Saja Hyuk with wide eyes.

The certainty that it was absolutely impossible, and the anxiety that the man standing before him was none other than Saja Hyuk, intertwined in his eyes.

“Could it be….”

“She showed me what this world is filled with.”

Saja Hyuk’s eyes were burning like flames.

“You will never understand.”

Jade Dragon did not answer. His senses still told him that Saja Hyuk was under his control.

In fact, Saja Hyuk was frozen, unable to move. Not even the hand holding the Shattering Moon, nor even his pupils, could move.

“Haha.”

Jade Dragon said with a hollow laugh.

“Are you replacing speech with ventriloquism? To be able to do such a thing even while bound by my power, you truly are a monster. Compared to you, I no longer even deserve to be called a monster.”

The trembling in Jade Dragon’s eyes disappeared.

Crunch.

“That child, was her name Suyeon? That child really resembled that woman. No, she is definitely different from her mother. But when I look into that child’s eyes, I get the illusion that I am looking at that woman. What is it? Is it blood?”

Muttering to himself as he walked, Jade Dragon looked at Saja Hyuk.

“You must have felt the same way? That’s why you wanted to raise her as a frail, weak, and helpless woman, unrelated to the martial world, just like her. But you shouldn’t have.”

Jade Dragon clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“No child can be controlled by their parents. Look, that child….”

Jade Dragon’s eyes gleamed as he looked at Saja Hyuk.

“Died as she pleased, just like her mother. Now she is buried in the snow, and even her body cannot be found, so even that is similar to her mother.”

Jade Dragon looked down at Saja Hyuk with a faint smile. Mockingly, or perhaps savoring the moment. But Saja Hyuk’s voice was no longer heard.

Whirr.

The wind blew. Saja Hyuk’s hair scattered and Jade Dragon’s robe fluttered. Jade Dragon, who was looking down at Saja Hyuk, chuckled.

“So, what shall we do now?”

Crunch.

Jade Dragon moved his feet. Leisurely waving his fan, he said to himself.

“How about killing you? If I could kill the Martial Emperor of the Hyuncheon with my own hands, that alone would be a worthwhile endeavor, but, well, it’s too undignified. Something that the Fierce Tiger of Sichuan might consider. So, this is not an option.”

Rumble.

A pile of snow fell in the distance. But Jade Dragon didn’t care.

“How about letting you go like this? I shed tears and sincerely repent. Then you, unable to bring yourself to kill me, turn away with the Shattering Moon [likely a powerful sword or technique] buried in the snowfield. Your back, silhouetted against the setting sun on this snowy mountain, would be truly beautiful, wouldn’t it? Ah, but this is something that the Yellow Crane would do. Besides, I’ve already said it myself, haven’t I? No, that won’t work either.”

Lightly shaking his head, Jade Dragon frowned.

Crunch.

Jade Dragon stopped.

“How about leaving you standing on this snowy mountain? In this high and lonely place under the sky, slowly dying alone, without anyone knowing. Until the Heavenly Fragrance Dew flowing in your blood….”

Right in front of Saja Hyuk, Jade Dragon said.

“Eats away at your last breath.”

For a brief moment, Jade Dragon saw Saja Hyuk’s eyes waver.

Chuckle.

Jade Dragon smiled.

“Did you think you could deceive me? Absolutely not. I already knew. There is no one in the world who knows you better than I do. If it’s about you, I know everything.”

Rustle.

Jade Dragon’s white fingers touched Saja Hyuk’s chest.

“Yes, that’s right. The Heavenly Fragrance Dew can’t do anything to you. But you chose a life that burns like a flame instead of suppressing the poison and living a long life. Thanks to the fierce poison of the Heavenly Fragrance Dew, your inner energy has become stronger than before, but the Heavenly Fragrance Dew flowing in your blood is eating away at your life day by day. How much time is left? Ten days? Or three days? Or maybe tomorrow?”

Jade Dragon raised his head and looked directly at Saja Hyuk.

“Didn’t I say? That if you come to this snowy mountain, I will give you what you want most. I….”

The pupils of the speaking Jade Dragon were shining.

“Can eliminate the Heavenly Fragrance Dew flowing in your blood.”

Jade Dragon’s red lips formed a thin smile.

“And I will never let you go again. No pain, no anguish. Perfect freedom without useless memories or even a shred of emotion, perfect bondage….”

Rustle.

Jade Dragon’s fingers fell away from Saja Hyuk.

“I will give it to you. You will probably like it too. Or maybe you are already happy. Because submission is also incredibly sweet.”

“That is not true.”

Thud.

Almost instinctively, Jade Dragon took a step back. But the voice did not come from Saja Hyuk.

The moment he realized that, Jade Dragon’s brow furrowed. He slowly turned his head with a fierce look.

Crack.

A pile of snow split open and someone raised their body.

“I know that person a little bit.”

Poof.

Clumps of snow fell from his head and shoulders. The man, who had been completely buried in the snow, raised his hand and brushed the snow off his hair.

With that, the face of a young man was revealed. His eyes, looking straight at Jade Dragon, sparkled with spirit.

“What that person wants to say right now is probably this.”

The scholar-dressed man said with a face full of annoyance.

“‘Shut up. Be quiet.’”

He spat out words filled with emotion towards Jade Dragon. It was none other than Son Bin.

Whooosh.

The wind blew and snow powder flew. But no one spoke. What broke the silence was Jade Dragon.

“How….”

He looked at Son Bin with wary eyes.

“You were there?”

“Well.”

Son Bin shrugged.

“I don’t know either. How could someone like you not have known I was here? Does that binding power require more concentration than I thought? Well, if that person is the opponent, it can’t be helped.”

Son Bin nodded as if he understood.

“That’s not it.”

Jade Dragon asked with a sharp look.

“Why are you alive and moving?”

“Ah, is that what you’re wondering about? Actually, I thought I was dead for sure. After all, you were aiming for me to lure out Lady Suyeon, and if Lady Suyeon fell for it, I would end up dying anyway. That’s what you said, right? That I have gained meaning. That’s right, it’s bait, or rather, what should I call it… That’s right, it’s like a small spark. To ignite a bigger fire.”

Jade Dragon did not answer. But his eyes acknowledged that Son Bin’s words were correct.

“That thing you shot with your hand, ah, I’m sorry, but I don’t know the name. Anyway, that energy was truly terrible. I couldn’t avoid it or block it. In fact, there was almost nothing I could do in that situation. But there was still something I could do.”

Son Bin put his hand into his chest.

Crack.

The moment Son Bin’s hand touched his robe, a part of the robe crumbled like dry leaves. Son Bin frowned slightly, but soon took out something like a short stick.

“That is….”

Jade Dragon’s eyes sparkled.

“Yes.”

Son Bin smiled.

“It’s the hilt of the Tiger Fang Sword.”

The hilt, decorated with splendid jewels, sparkled in Son Bin’s hand.

“She lent it to me. A girl with a bit of a nasty… no, unique personality.”

Jade Dragon’s expression hardened.

“So?”

Jade Dragon asked.

“What did you do? Just having it wouldn’t have been enough to avoid my Ice Soul Strike, would it?”

“Ah, so it’s called ‘Ice Soul Strike.’ It’s quite a fitting name.”

Son Bin nodded.

“The moment that Ice Soul Strike was fired at me, I knew for sure that I couldn’t avoid it with my abilities. Lady Suyeon would try to block it, but she would eventually fail, so I would have no choice but to die. But then, I remembered that I had the hilt of this Tiger Fang Sword in my chest. So….”

Son Bin smiled.

“I twisted my body ever so slightly. So that your Ice Soul Strike would hit the hilt of this Tiger Fang Sword exactly.”

“That can’t be….”

“No, really. She said it would be helpful to have, but I didn’t know it would even block the energy of the Ice Soul Strike. After all, that was all I could do at that moment. But still, this area….”

Son Bin raised his hand and stroked his chest.

“It’s still chilly.”

“That can’t be. Someone like you….”

Jade Dragon glared at Son Bin and said.

“How could someone like you have foreseen the trajectory of the Ice Soul Strike?”

“Well….”

Son Bin shrugged.

“It was slower than the Shattering Moon Flash [likely a very fast sword technique].”

Jade Dragon was speechless for a moment. At first, it was because he was dumbfounded. And for a moment, he thought that this guy was deceiving him.

He thought that Suyeon or another helper was there, and that they were buying time with ridiculous stories.

But there was no one around. All he could see was this foolish and ridiculous scholar-dressed young man.

“So.”

Jade Dragon said.

“You should have just pretended to be dead, why did you crawl out now?”

“It’s an embarrassing story, but I lost consciousness for a moment due to the shock. That person turned this place upside down so grandly.”

Son Bin said.

“I probably regained consciousness thanks to this hilt. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was in the snow, but it was surprisingly comfortable. So I gathered my thoughts a bit. Thanks to you not noticing me.”

A faint smile appeared on Jade Dragon’s lips.

“So, as a result of gathering your thoughts, you decided to get up?”

“Yes.”

Son Bin replied.

“No matter how I thought about it, nothing would come of it if that person stayed like that. So, I have no choice but to play the role of Lady Suyeon’s substitute.”

“Substitute?”

Jade Dragon gave a bitter smile.

“You?”

“Yes.”

Son Bin nodded.

Swoosh.

Son Bin’s hand, which had been hidden behind his back, appeared. A beautifully extended sword was shining in his hand.

It was none other than the Immortal Sword, White Dew.