Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 116

116. The Vow of Mount Hua

Shinseung grumbled, feigning complaint.

“Those guys aren’t three-year-old children, so why should I clean up after them one by one? Whether they rot quickly or slowly, it’s their own karma to bear.”

Having said that, Shinseung began to laugh.

“Hehehe, but seeing those arrogant bastards flustered makes me feel so refreshed. Hehehe.”

It was a vulgar laugh that didn’t suit the name Shinseung at all, but Unhyun couldn’t afford to care about that.

‘The Sword Saint’s successor.’

It was a more than difficult situation.

He’d hoped it would disappear on its own if he stayed still, but rumors were already spreading throughout the Jianghu [martial arts world].

He felt sorry for the Sword Saint, ashamed of himself, and, as a result of his deception, he had no face to show.

But he couldn’t go around to everyone and tell them it wasn’t true, could he?

Unhyun, who had been frowning, suddenly asked Shinseung.

“Could it be that the person who spread the rumor is also…”

“Ahem!”

Shinseung said with a serious face.

“Who are you trying to slander! It’s definitely not me.”

But Unhyun couldn’t believe it.

The Sword Saint didn’t seem like the type to go around saying such things, so Shinseung was the only suspicious person.

But Shinseung pouted.

“If you’re so dissatisfied, go to the North Sea and argue it out.”

‘North Sea!’

Unhyun realized.

There was someone else who knew that the Sword Saint had given the Sunset Sword to Unhyun.

It was the young palace lord of the North Sea and her party.

Didn’t he still vividly remember the young palace lord’s voice calling Unhyun ‘the owner of Sunset?’

“Hehehe, see? Didn’t I tell you repeatedly? You always have to be clear about women’s issues.”

Shinseung laughed as if he was gloating.

He didn’t seem to have actually said such a thing, but Shinseung teased Unhyun as if to say, “I told you so.”

“There’s nothing as complicated as the issue between men and women in this world. Well, I wonder if there’s any man who can be clear about it… Maybe even the Buddha couldn’t do it?”

Even Shinseung’s voice, which casually spouted words close to blasphemy, didn’t reach Unhyun’s ears.

The fact that the matter with the young palace lord of the North Sea, which he thought was already over, still remained, or rather, was growing even bigger, was making Unhyun feel troubled.

He couldn’t even grasp how to solve it.

Shinseung, who had been staring at Unhyun’s troubled expression, suddenly said.

“If it bothers you that much, should I tell the representatives again? That you’re not the Sword Saint’s successor.”

“…No, thank you.”

Unhyun declined.

No good had ever come from Shinseung’s intervention.

It would be best for him to just stay still.

“Suit yourself.”

Shinseung pouted as if he was upset.

His expression was like that of a child, and Unhyun gave a bitter smile.

Unhyun, looking at Shinseung, said quietly.

“…Venerable Master.”

“What?”

Despite the curt reply, Unhyun continued in a calm voice.

“What do you want from me, Venerable Master?”

“Want? What…”

Shinseung’s voice, which had been answering curtly, stopped.

Unhyun’s gaze towards Shinseung was more serious than ever.

It couldn’t be helped.

The beginning of all the problems Unhyun was facing now was Shinseung.

The rumors were caused by the young palace lord of the North Sea, but Shinseung had given wings to those rumors.

The Murim Alliance, and perhaps the entire Jianghu martial world, was being played by Shinseung.

So, if he didn’t ask Shinseung, who else could he ask?

Shinseung, looking at Unhyun, let out a soft sigh.

“Since you ask me like that, I should give you a proper answer. I have some responsibility, too…”

Muttering to himself, Shinseung said to Unhyun.

“Have you ever heard the words ‘Hwanwoo Five Heavens’?”

Unhyun nodded.

He didn’t know the details, but Unhyun knew the name of the Hwanwoo Five Heavens, said to be the strongest in the world.

“One Saint, One Monk, One King, One Immortal, and One Hidden. During the Great War of Righteousness and Evil, there were five masters in the Jianghu martial world who were considered the Five Heavens.”

Shinseung’s eyes were looking somewhere far away.

“Although one person couldn’t sway the Great War of Righteousness and Evil, depending on their actions, many people could bleed, or not. But in the end, they didn’t participate in the Great War of Righteousness and Evil. That’s because of the Vow of Mount Hua.”

“The Vow of Mount Hua…”

“The Five Heavens were reluctant to be directly involved in the Great War of Righteousness and Evil. Partly because of their personal tendencies, but also because they knew that if they clashed, either side would have to suffer great damage.”

Unhyun nodded.

The Hwanwoo Five Heavens were the best masters in the Jianghu martial world.

If they clashed, the result would be devastating for each other.

No matter who won or lost.

“But in the end, it was a matter of time. If things continued as they were, they would inevitably be entangled in the Great War of Righteousness and Evil in some way. So I secretly proposed a way for the Five Heavens to avoid mutual destruction.”

“Is that the Vow of Mount Hua?”

“Yes.”

Shinseung nodded and continued.

“First, the Five Heavens and the forces they belong to must never be hostile to each other. Second, they must never foster successors. And third, anyone who violates the Vow of Mount Hua must be punished.”

Unhyun tilted his head.

The oath of the Five Heavens, said to be the strongest in the world, seemed strange in some ways.

“What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it says.”

Shinseung shrugged and said.

“The Five Heavens each go their own way, but they don’t touch or provoke each other. The reason for not allowing successors is to prevent any one person from dominating. One person alone can’t stand against the other four, but if they have disciples, the problem could be different. And it just so happened that everyone wasn’t tied to their sects…”

He spoke as if it were nothing, but Unhyun could guess that it was not an easy task.

Master-disciple relationships and sects were what martial artists valued most, weren’t they?

“But this Vow of Mount Hua had a trick hidden in it.”

Shinseung smiled.

“A trick?”

“At the time, the Five Heavens had cut off all official ties to avoid getting involved in the Great War of Righteousness and Evil. The 독선 [Doekseon – unique or independent] of the Tang Clan passed the position of clan leader and left the family altogether, and I had already declared that I would not return to Shaolin. Ah, of course, only officially.”

Unhyun gave a bitter smile.

Grudges and relationships can never be easily severed.

But the words of the Five Heavens, the strongest in the world, are never light.

Even if it was just a matter of covering one’s eyes and saying “Ah,” it would be enough to justify distancing oneself from the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

“But at that very moment when the meeting of the five was taking place in Mount Hua.”

Shinseung lowered his voice.

“In the Jianghu, the founding of the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] was already being declared in my name. It demanded the immediate cessation of the Great War of Righteousness and Evil and the participation of the Murim Alliance from all sects, and declared that it would take active hostile action if this was refused. In other words, it turned all sects in the Jianghu that did not belong to the Murim Alliance into enemies.”

Unhyun’s eyes widened.

“Then, could it be…”

“Hehehe.”

Shinseung laughed cheerfully and nodded.

“Yes. The other four, except for me, were now unable to get involved in any sect. The Murim Alliance defines any sect that does not belong to the Alliance as an enemy, you see.”

Unhyun quickly understood what Shinseung meant.

The moment one of the Five Heavens became involved with another sect that did not belong to the Murim Alliance, he would be in opposition to the Murim Alliance, that is, Shinseung Bulyeong Daesa [Shinseung the Unmoving Great Master], and would end up violating the Vow of Mount Hua.

However, it is also impossible for them to enter the Murim Alliance.

Their pride would not allow them to go under the Murim Alliance, that is, under Shinseung.

In other words, all possibilities of choice have disappeared.

“That’s a bit…”

Unhyun gave a bitter smile. Shinseung nodded.

“Yes. It’s a shallow trick. But for me, it was also a do-or-die gamble. That’s how the Vow of Mount Hua was established, and the four people other than me had no choice but to stop their official activities. Because the Vow of Mount Hua was holding them back. Hehehe.”

“Didn’t the others who were tricked stay still?”

“They had no choice but to stay still.”

Shinseung glanced slyly in the direction where the Iron-Blooded Death King Yeom Jung-bu had disappeared.

“The pride of the Five Heavens is higher than the sky. Even if they knew they had been tricked, they couldn’t immediately change their words. They would rather grit their teeth and go into secluded training.”

The words of the Five Heavens are heavy.

No matter how tricked they were, they could not immediately retract their words.

“Besides, Sword Saint Lee Geom-hak agreed with me, and One Hidden agreed. Then the Vow of Mount Hua was already established. Wouldn’t it be enough to suppress the two who opposed with the three of us?”

Unhyun frowned slightly.

“That’s…”

“Yes, it’s the logic of power. But that’s the Jianghu martial world.”

The Vow of Mount Hua was not a simple trick.

It was only the last wedge and justification, and everything had already been decided.

By the will of Shinseung Bulyeong Daesa.

“But if I had acted like the master of the world, they wouldn’t have stayed still.”

Shinseung shrugged.

“The reason they kept quiet was because I thoroughly prioritized the cause of ending the Great War of Righteousness and Evil. Never leaning towards the Righteous or Evil factions.”

Despite being from the Righteous faction of Shaolin, Shinseung embraced all sects.

The doors of the Murim Alliance were open not only to the emerging sects that were branded as Evil, but also to the real Evil sects.

That is also why the Murim Alliance today encompasses both the Righteous and Evil factions of the past.

“After the Great War of Righteousness and Evil ended, I retreated to Waryongheon and virtually went into seclusion. That’s why they’ve been quiet until now.”

Unhyun nodded.

But the fact that they were tricked remains unchanged.

So it’s only natural that the Iron-Blooded Death King Yeom Jung-bu harbors resentment towards Shinseung or the Sword Saint.

“It wasn’t difficult for the Murim Alliance to end the Great War of Righteousness and Evil. The balance of power had already been broken when four of the Five Heavens withdrew, and everyone was exhausted from the long Great War of Righteousness and Evil.”

The fact that Shinseung founded the Murim Alliance and the other four withdrew already determined the trend.

Even if there were sects that could not accept it, they did not have the strength to continue fighting.

So the Great War of Righteousness and Evil had no choice but to end according to the will of the Murim Alliance.

“But the blood shed by the Murim Alliance was also not small.”

Shinseung said with a soft sigh.

“Even though I had a great cause.”

Unhyun could tell from that voice that there were many things he didn’t know.

Ending the long-standing Great War of Righteousness and Evil would not have been easy.

How could it be easy for sects that valued grudges and had fiercely opposed each other to sit in one place?

If it hadn’t been for Shinseung Bulyeong Daesa, the Murim Alliance of today would not have existed.

And the Great War of Righteousness and Evil would probably still be dividing the Jianghu martial world without end.

“The Great War of Righteousness and Evil was ended by the Murim Alliance. But the Murim Alliance has also changed a lot. I don’t have many days left to live either…”

Shinseung, who had been quietly chanting the Buddha’s name, suddenly frowned and turned to Unhyun.

“So I thought I’d borrow your hand for a while because my body isn’t what it used to be, but you, a young punk, point your finger at an old man and argue? You’ve read so many books, but did you leave out etiquette? Huh?”

“I, when did I point my finger…”

Unhyun protested at the sudden rebuke, but it was no use.

“And that sword too. What’s wrong with accepting one sword on behalf of powerless old men! It’s all for your own good, but you’re arguing about whether I spread rumors or not? You bad guy!”

“I, I’m sorry.”

He wasn’t a powerless old man, and it wasn’t just one sword, but Unhyun apologized anyway.

But that didn’t mean he could accept all of Shinseung’s words.

“But still, I…”

“I don’t want anything.”

“Yes?”

Shinseung said to Unhyun, who had a puzzled expression.

“You asked me what I want from you? I don’t want anything from you.”

With a gentle look, Shinseung continued.

“You just need to stay as you are. I won’t ask what happened in the Imperial Palace or how you got such a mind sword. If you think it’s your place, stay, and if you want to leave, leave whenever you want. No one will stop you.”