Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 423

423. An Uncommon Connection

Gongsun Yue, the family head of the Gongsun Family, also known as Flying Sword Gongsun Yue, gritted his teeth.

The two old men, who introduced themselves as the Azure-Crimson Duo, were by no means weaker than Gongsun Yue.

Although their attire and way of speaking were peculiar, the aura they exuded still made Gongsun Yue’s skin crawl.

Snap.

A fallen leaf crumbled.

Crunch.

Gongsun Yue gritted his teeth harder.

“Heh heh heh. No need to strain yourself.”

The Crimson Old Man, dressed in red, said.

“We have already decided you will die.”

“Indeed. So do not resist fate in vain…”

The Azure Old Man’s voice was abruptly cut off.

Whoosh.

The Azure-Crimson Duo turned their heads simultaneously.

Family Head Gongsun Yue also noticed the change.

Thud.

Someone appeared from beyond the rear garden.

His footsteps were light and quiet, but the effect he had was surprisingly immediate.

Whoosh.

The withered trees and flowers regained their vitality.

Even the fallen leaves regained their original color.

It was as if spring had suddenly arrived in the rear garden.

The Azure-Crimson Duo and Gongsun Yue were not immune to this change.

The bamboo in the parched rear garden began to display its greenness once more.

“To speak of deciding death, one must also be able to decide life.”

A voice was heard along with the soft footsteps.

“Otherwise, how can one speak of death?”

Clack.

The owner of the voice stopped.

The figure flickering in the light was undoubtedly Guest Ong.

“Tch.”

The Crimson Old Man frowned and groaned, and the Azure Old Man’s expression also twisted.

Family Head Gongsun Yue was also greatly surprised.

However, he didn’t dare to hope too much.

He already knew that Guest Ong would not intervene in the affairs of the Jianghu [the martial arts world].

Gongsun Yue wasn’t the only one who knew this.

“Grandfather.”

A clear voice rang out.

Rustle.

Tang Xue Lian stepped forward.

She clasped her hands together and bowed respectfully.

Swish.

The ornament in Tang Xue Lian’s hair swayed in the light.

She raised her head.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Grandfather. Are you taking a night stroll?”

Guest Ong stared intently at Tang Xue Lian.

Tang Xue Lian’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest.

“But the setting is not good. This place will soon be stained with blood.”

Her eyes were resolute.

Tang Xue Lian was certain that Guest Ong would not interfere in the affairs of the Jianghu.

At that moment, a voice echoed through the rear garden.

“No one’s blood will be shed here.”

The Azure-Crimson Duo, as well as Family Head Gongsun Yue, flinched.

Only Tang Xue Lian frowned slightly.

Thud, thud.

A man stepped out and stood beside Dokseon [Guest Ong’s given name].

“Because I have decided so.”

Dressed as a scholar, he was none other than Azure Dragon Sword Master, Yun Hyun.

“Alliance Leader!”

Family Head Gongsun Yue said in a surprised voice.

Tang Xue Lian’s eyes turned fierce as she glared at Gongsun Yue.

However, Gongsun Yue continued to speak with a still surprised expression.

“How did you get here…”

“You can rest assured when it comes to matters of the Gongsun Family’s main house.”

Gongsun Yue’s expression became even more surprised at Yun Hyun’s words.

Yun Hyun continued in a calm voice.

“Since it is said that one cannot be from the Tang Family without being ruthless, it was already expected that the Tang Family, having noticed the Family Head’s change of heart, would interfere with the Gongsun Family’s main house.”

Gongsun Yue’s eyes widened.

“Is that true? Did they really…”

It was only natural that he would ask again.

He didn’t expect that they would interfere with the main house just because there were signs of a change of heart.

However, Yun Hyun remained calm.

“I have sent someone I trust to the Gongsun Family’s main house, so it will be fine. Ah, if they have interfered with other collateral bloodlines besides the main house, then I cannot help it…”

Yun Hyun turned to look at Tang Xue Lian.

Tang Xue Lian didn’t answer, but her biting her lip was answer enough.

Yun Hyun smiled lightly.

“I don’t think there’s any need to worry about that.”

“…How did you know?”

Tang Xue Lian asked, gritting her teeth.

Yun Hyun gave a wry smile.

“It’s not like I found out anything in particular. When purging political enemies, it’s basic in politics to frame them as traitors and exterminate their three generations.”

The revenge of the literati [scholarly officials] who had learned their lessons and knew their duties was even more cruel.

They would invoke justification to exterminate not only the three generations but also the nine generations, so perhaps the real poison was not in the Jianghu but in the imperial court.

“Heh heh heh.”

Suddenly, Tang Xue Lian’s laughter rang out.

People’s gazes turned to Tang Xue Lian, and she looked at Yun Hyun as she laughed.

“So, are you, the Alliance Leader of the Azure Dragon Alliance and the Azure Dragon Sword Master, going to intervene in this matter? With what justification?”

Yun Hyun looked at Tang Xue Lian with a calm expression.

Flames flickered in Tang Xue Lian’s eyes.

“The Gongsun Family is still a member of the Great Peace Alliance. There is no reason for you to be here!”

Her sharp gaze was filled with venom.

Gongsun Yue’s eyebrows twitched at her words.

“How dare you!”

He burst out in anger.

“You dare to mention the Alliance after doing such a thing!”

Gongsun Yue said in an angry voice.

“I, Gongsun Yue, declare in this place!”

Swish.

Yun Hyun raised his hand to stop Gongsun Yue.

Gongsun Yue frowned, and Yun Hyun said quietly.

“If you reveal your intentions here, the advice of the Outer Hall Leader will be in vain.”

Gongsun Wei, the Outer Hall Leader, was concerned about the family’s turmoil.

No matter how right the intention, there was a big difference between it being enforced by the Family Head’s unilateral decision and it being decided by the consensus of the senior officials.

Gongsun Yue was well aware of that.

“I understand the Alliance Leader’s intentions. But…”

He gritted his teeth.

No matter how much of a Family Head he was, a unilateral decision to join the alliance could not be without risk.

However, if he didn’t declare his joining the Azure Dragon Alliance in this place, he wouldn’t be able to refute Tang Xue Lian’s justification.

However, Yun Hyun’s expression was even more relaxed.

“The Jianghu is a very different world from what I have learned for a long time.”

That was quite an unexpected remark.

Tang Xue Lian frowned, but Yun Hyun continued quietly.

“For example, even when punishing an evil person, the authorities have many things to consider. They must examine whether his evil deeds are clear facts, look at the evidence and circumstances, and also consider which laws to apply. Is that all? They must consider not only the fairness to other criminals but also the social impact of this punishment.”

Not only Gongsun Yue, who was listening, but even the Azure-Crimson Duo couldn’t hide their puzzled expressions.

Guest Ong was just expressionless, but Tang Xue Lian’s face was already distorted.

She knew what Yun Hyun was talking about.

“But that’s not the case in the Jianghu. All that is needed is just a suitable justification. Personal revenge or chivalry—I’m sorry to say—are very vague things.”

The word “vague” was no exaggeration.

Justification leads to so-called cause and, furthermore, to legitimacy.

The debate over legitimacy and justification in the imperial court was unimaginably complex, sophisticated, and difficult.

It wasn’t a simple debate.

Sometimes, countless lives were lost due to the literati purges that arose from it, so justification for a scholar was literally a real battle with his life on the line.

Just like a sword for a warrior.

“There are plenty of justifications.”

Yun Hyun continued.

“Flying Sword and I have come together as swordsmen, transcending age and status. This is something that a martial artist should be respected for, so how can I just stand by when Flying Sword is in trouble?”

His gaze was directed straight at Tang Xue Lian and the Azure-Crimson Duo.

“I will never tolerate anyone harming Flying Sword.”

Yun Hyun’s eyes were even cold.

Unlike what he said about it being just a justification, his appearance clearly showed that Yun Hyun was sincere.

Tang Xue Lian bit her lip.

‘Again…’

To Tang Xue Lian, Yun Hyun was a terrible nightmare.

He suddenly appeared, became known as the successor of the Sword Saint, and then became a disciple of the Divine Monk Bulyeong.

Even if others didn’t know, Tang Xue Lian was sure.

That Divine Monk Bulyeong intended to hand over the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance] to him.

After that, the Murim Alliance collapsed and the era of the Great Peace Alliance opened, but that too didn’t last long.

Yun Hyun, backed by Park Gong-gong [a powerful eunuch], whom Tang Xue Lian had so desperately wanted to support, quickly eliminated the Heroic Alliance, which was a necessary evil for the Great Peace Alliance.

Already, the Murong Family, the Zhuge Family, and the Bukhae Ilmun had defected because of Yun Hyun, and now he was trying to take the Gongsun Family.

How could it not be a nightmare?

Tang Xue Lian’s heart seemed to burst with anger and animosity.

However, contrary to the soaring anger, her mind was calmly assessing the situation.

‘…Should I just end it here?’

Dokseon will not interfere.

Family Head Gongsun Yue was already under the influence of the Poisonous Energy Art secretly spread by the Azure-Crimson Duo, and if necessary, they could threaten him by taking his main house hostage.

Yun Hyun’s words were also without evidence.

The problem is Yun Hyun.

The Azure-Crimson Duo claim to be comparable to Dokseon, but can they really beat Yun Hyun?

‘No, it’s not a question of whether I can or cannot.’

If I fail to take control of the Gongsun Family here, the Great Peace Alliance’s conquest of Gangnam will be ruined.

That’s why the Sect Leader, Tang Cheon-byeok, allowed it.

‘I have to end it. Here, now.’

Tang Xue Lian made up her mind.

She still had a hidden card that she hadn’t revealed.

“Elders…”

It was just then that Tang Xue Lian’s red lips were about to move.

“Don’t do it, Yeon-ah [a term of endearment].”

A low voice cut off Tang Xue Lian’s words.

It was Guest Ong.

Looking at Tang Xue Lian, Guest Ong continued.

“I know that you don’t start fights you can’t win. You must have a plan. Whether it’s the family’s secret Thunderclap or throwing yourself under Hyun’s blade.”

The expressions of the Azure-Crimson Duo changed at those words.

The Thunderclap was a fire bomb secretly passed down in the Tang Family.

If it was that heinous Thunderclap, which was not even known to the Tang Family members except for a very few, no one here would survive.

However, Gongsun Yue’s complexion changed for a different reason.

‘Throwing herself under the blade?’

Tang Xue Lian was more than capable of doing that.

If that happened, what choice would Guest Ong make?

Born into the Tang Family, who were obsessively attached to their bloodline, and in the face of the death of his beloved bloodline, could he still remain as Guest Ong?

Gongsun Yue looked at Tang Xue Lian.

Her expression, standing silently, was still cold.

“But it’s all useless. Even the greatest masters must avoid natural disasters. Do you know what I mean?”

Guest Ong let out a low sigh.

And said.

“Hyun’s sword has reached the sky. It’s not something we can dare to do.”

Everyone’s complexion changed at those words.

It was an extremely ambiguous expression.

But if Dokseon said it, the meaning was different.

Crunch.

Tang Xue Lian gritted her teeth.

But her cold head was already thinking about the countermeasures.

“Since Grandfather says so, I can’t help it.”

Tang Xue Lian said with a sigh as if she was sorry.

“I will withdraw from this place…”

“You are not the one who decides that.”

Yun Hyun said quietly.

Tang Xue Lian’s complexion changed in an instant.

Swish.

Yun Hyun turned his gaze.

“What do you think, Flying Sword?”

Flying Sword Gongsun Yue flinched.

He never thought that Yun Hyun would ask him.

Anger towards the Tang Family boiled in his eyes, but it didn’t last long.

“Let them go, Alliance Leader.”

Gongsun Yue said quietly.

“I will settle all grudges with the Great Peace Alliance with this. Of course, whatever the Alliance Leader’s intentions, I will follow that decision.”

Yun Hyun smiled.

The expressions of Tang Xue Lian and the Azure-Crimson Duo were becoming even more distorted.

Not Guest Ong but Gongsun Yue—it was truly a humiliation.

Yun Hyun turned his gaze towards Tang Xue Lian.

“Miss Tang Xue Lian. The connection between you and I is not ordinary.”

Yun Hyun continued in a quiet voice.

“The fact that this connection has not been stained with blood is only because there are precious people. So please, do not try to ruin this connection yourself.”

That voice was somehow similar to Guest Ong.

However, Tang Xue Lian didn’t answer.

Yun Hyun sighed.

“…Go.”

It was a declaration that this place was over.

And at the same time, it was a word that signaled the end of the Great Peace Alliance’s conquest of Gangnam.

However, there were some who could not accept those words.