Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 493

493. Power Cannot Overcome Myth

The atmosphere in the back garden grew even more convivial with the arrival of Unhyun and Gaekong.

The Family Head, Elders, and Supreme Masters all rose to pay their respects to Gaekong.

“Welcome, Elder.”

“Elder.”

Their respect was quite formal.

No one dared to flaunt their positions as Family Head or Elder before Gaekong.

“Welcome, Alliance Lord.”

The elderly Cheonsu Shinni greeted Unhyun with a gentle smile.

Other Elders and Family Heads also paid their respects to Unhyun.

Unhyun returned their greetings and took his seat.

“I sensed a great aura on my way here. Did the Gentleman Sword have a contest with the Ice-Snow Lady-Errant?”

The Gentleman Sword, Jegal-myeong, stroked his beard and nodded.

“Indeed. But I couldn’t overcome the vigor of youth. The martial arts of the Northern Sea were quite impressive as well. It was a very good contest.”

Jegal-myeong had a satisfied expression.

Ice-Snow remained expressionless, but her eyes also seemed satisfied.

“When would be a good time for you, Alliance Lord?”

Suddenly, Iron Sword, Namgung-byeok, asked.

Unhyun smiled.

“Any time is fine with me, as long as you all agree on the order.”

The ‘contest’ that Unhyun had promised as a reward before the subjugation of the Blood Cult was meant for everyone.

The problem was who would go first.

Supreme Masters and Family Heads, as well as Shinni [spiritual beings] and Elders, all wanted to spar with Unhyun.

Like those who had experienced the ups and downs of life, they presented all sorts of logic to claim priority.

As a result, they had not yet decided on the order.

Even Ice-Snow, who had already sparred, was unwilling to concede.

It seemed that the purpose had become the sparring itself rather than determining the order.

“Are you going to spar too?”

Suddenly, the old woman, Neung Se-yeong, asked Gaekong.

She was the only person besides Sword Saint and I who could speak comfortably to Gaekong.

“Anytime.”

Gaekong said with a calm expression.

At those words, the eyes of the Family Heads and Supreme Masters lit up.

But Gaekong’s words were not yet finished.

“I will accept anyone who comes having abandoned everything. Only one person, though.”

At that moment, everyone felt the sharp glances of mutual restraint.

Especially the Family Heads’ eyes, which seemed to radiate heat.

Neung Se-yeong chuckled.

“Is that so? Then how about me? I’ve already let go of everything a long time ago.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Silence fell.

Everyone stopped moving and watched the old woman, Neung Se-yeong, and Gaekong.

“Then…….”

“But not now.”

Gaekong said, interrupting Neung Se-yeong.

“You should think about getting fully healed first.”

The Family Heads looked at Neung Se-yeong with puzzled expressions.

She had already demonstrated amazing martial prowess while subjugating the Blood Cult.

But she wasn’t fully healed yet?

“Heh heh.”

Neung Se-yeong chuckled.

“I understand. I will do so.”

She held up her teacup with a smile.

As if nothing had happened.

However, the gazes of those watching Neung Se-yeong had definitely changed.

***

Sichuan Province, Chengdu.

Cheong-yeom-gun, Dangcheon-byeok, the Family Head of the Dang Family, went hunting with Dang Seol-ryeon.

Even though it was called hunting, it was in the mountains outside Chengdu, and since Dangcheon-byeok originally liked riding horses, it wasn’t a place with dense forests.

Except for a few beaters scattered to drive the game, there was no one else.

No one dared to interfere with the hunt of the Dang Family Head.

“It’s coming.”

Dang Seol-ryeon, sitting on her horse, said.

“Hmm.”

Dangcheon-byeok, still on his horse, aimed his bow with a large motion.

The bowstring was taut, and the sharp arrowhead gleamed.

And after a while, something jumped out of the bushes over there.

Fling.

Before it could even fully reveal itself, Dangcheon-byeok fired an arrow.

Thud.

The large deer, struck by Dangcheon-byeok’s arrow, collapsed powerlessly on the spot.

Unlike generally inducing bleeding and chasing the prey, he brought down the deer with a single arrow on the spot.

“Congratulations.”

Dang Seol-ryeon said.

However, Dangcheon-byeok put down his bow and brought up another matter.

“People call you the Snowflower of the Dang Family.”

Dang Seol-ryeon wore a puzzled expression.

It wasn’t new for her to be called the Snowflower of the Dang Family, Dangmun Seolhwa [Snowflower of the Dang Family].

“Yes, that’s what they say.”

“Snowflower… Perhaps it means you are cold and beautiful. As a woman of the Dang Family.”

Dang Seol-ryeon gave a bitter smile.

Before she could say anything, Dangcheon-byeok spoke.

“That’s nonsense.”

Dang Seol-ryeon’s eyes changed.

Dangcheon-byeok turned to her and continued.

“You were a weak child from a young age. You also had a foolish side that didn’t consider the consequences once you were captivated by something. For someone like you to be the Snowflower of the Dang Family, isn’t that truly laughable?”

“I…….”

“Go retrieve the arrow.”

Dangcheon-byeok said, cutting off Dang Seol-ryeon’s words.

Originally, cleaning up the fallen game was the job of the beaters.

However, the beaters had not yet appeared, and above all, she could not refuse the Family Head’s order.

“Yes.”

Dang Seol-ryeon lowered her head.

And lightly spurred her horse towards the fallen deer.

Clatter, clatter.

Dang Seol-ryeon stopped in front of the fallen deer.

The deer was still alive, bleeding profusely.

Its large eyes, panting and looking up at Dang Seol-ryeon, were almost pitiful.

However, Dang Seol-ryeon turned her head.

The arrow that had pierced the deer was stuck in the ground a little further away.

Dang Seol-ryeon spurred her horse to retrieve the arrow and returned to Dangcheon-byeok.

Clatter.

“Here it is.”

Holding the reins, Dang Seol-ryeon respectfully handed over the arrow with both hands.

Dangcheon-byeok, on his horse, reached out indifferently.

It was then.

Swoosh.

Something slender flew towards Dang Seol-ryeon.

‘Ugh!’

Swish.

Despite being on horseback, Dang Seol-ryeon quickly twisted her body.

However, she couldn’t avoid feeling a stinging sensation on her neck.

Thud.

Dang Seol-ryeon, who had fallen to the ground, immediately touched her neck.

The slender, short needle caught between her fingers was the Flying Spin Needle, a hidden weapon of the Dang Family.

Similar to a normal feather needle, but so thin that it was difficult to notice, and a unique hidden weapon of the Dang Family that was soft but became as strong as a needle when infused with internal energy.

Dang Seol-ryeon bit her lip.

The Family Head, Dangcheon-byeok, had shot the Flying Spin Needle at Dang Seol-ryeon.

At the moment she reached out to receive the arrow.

“Father, why…….”

Dang Seol-ryeon looked up at Dangcheon-byeok as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Call me Family Head.”

Dangcheon-byeok said with a calm expression.

“This position is not a place for private affection between father and daughter to interfere.”

Dang Seol-ryeon’s pupils trembled.

Dangcheon-byeok indifferently looked down at her from his horse.

“Did you go to Hangzhou?”

“……What are you talking about?”

“Heh heh.”

Dangcheon-byeok laughed.

“It’s no use. Even if you deceive everyone in the world, I won’t be deceived. There’s no way you, who went all the way to Poyang Lake, wouldn’t have visited Hangzhou.”

Looking down at Dang Seol-ryeon with a chilling gaze, Dangcheon-byeok said.

“You were a child who followed Dokseon more than me.”

In the past, Dang Seol-ryeon’s compliance with the Dang Family’s decision to join hands with Munwang was because it was a rational conclusion.

However, she could not accept this decision to side with the Il Dae Sang In [One Great Merchant].

Moreover, antagonizing Unhyun and Gaekong again was tantamount to entering a path of self-destruction.

“Do you want to side with the Il Dae Sang In so much that you would do this?”

That was tantamount to acknowledging Dangcheon-byeok’s words.

Dangcheon-byeok smiled.

“Even if we are accepted into the Changryong Alliance now, we will only be the tail of the dragon. Besides, the power of the Il Dae Sang In is great and astonishing, so how could I not choose him?”

“Even though he has joined hands with the Demonic Sect?”

Dang Seol-ryeon looked up at Dangcheon-byeok with sharp eyes.

Dangcheon-byeok sighed quietly.

“You are still foolish. Justifications can change at any time. If the world becomes the Il Dae Sang In’s, who would dare to criticize the Demonic Sect? No, in the future, the leader of the Demonic Sect may even become the Imperial Preceptor.”

“Ha!”

Dang Seol-ryeon let out a hollow laugh.

“Now that I see it, you’re not in your right mind.”

Her eyes were as sharp as those words.

However, Dang Seol-ryeon’s face was already covered in sweat.

It was clear that she was suppressing the poison of the Flying Spin Needle with her inner strength, but she had not completely detoxified it.

“Maybe so.”

Dangcheon-byeok smiled and stroked his beard.

“How can one reach the pinnacle without being crazy? Don’t you think?”

Dang Seol-ryeon gritted her teeth.

“Don’t worry.”

Dangcheon-byeok looked down at Dang Seol-ryeon with cold eyes.

“As the Family Head, how could I shed the blood of the Dang Family? You just need to quietly sleep until everything passes.”

He didn’t say that she might not wake up.

Because Dang Seol-ryeon already knew that much.

“Such…….”

Dang Seol-ryeon tried to say something, but her voice couldn’t continue.

Dang Seol-ryeon’s pupils, which were gradually blurring, lost their light.

Thud.

Dang Seol-ryeon collapsed.

Dangcheon-byeok, still on his horse, stared at Dang Seol-ryeon with indifferent eyes for a long time.

However, Dang Seol-ryeon’s breathing was stable, and there was no more movement.

After confirming that she was completely asleep, Dangcheon-byeok turned his head.

Clatter.

It was just then, as he spurred his horse to move.

‘Hmm!’

Dangcheon-byeok frowned.

And immediately looked down at his side.

A slender needle had already appeared in his side.

“Tsk.”

Dangcheon-byeok threw the needle away irritably.

And looked back at Dang Seol-ryeon.

Swish.

Dang Seol-ryeon, who had been lying down, slowly got up.

Her eyes were sparkling as always.

“You were careless at the end, Family Head.”

Dang Seol-ryeon said clearly.

There was no trace of being poisoned on her face.

Dangcheon-byeok frowned and said.

“……Did you know I was going to use my hand?”

“Who knows?”

Dang Seol-ryeon said with a faint smile.

“But the Flying Spin Needle is a hidden weapon that the Family Head enjoys using. So, isn’t this much preparation natural?”

Dangcheon-byeok was silent for a moment.

However, he had no choice but to admit that he had been caught off guard.

“……It seems I underestimated you too much.”

Tak.

He got off his horse.

And stared straight at Dang Seol-ryeon and said.

“But what will change even if you do this? Even though I was careless and allowed you to make a move…….”

Dangcheon-byeok wore a sneer.

“I can just punish you on the spot and go back to detoxify.”

Cheong-yeom-gun, Dangcheon-byeok, is a Supreme Master of Sword Energy Manifestation.

Even if she succeeded in poisoning him, Dang Seol-ryeon could not stand against him.

Therefore, Dangcheon-byeok was not actually careless, but was ignoring Dang Seol-ryeon.

Because he was someone with that much power.

“Of course.”

Dang Seol-ryeon said quietly.

“If I were the only one here.”

Dangcheon-byeok’s eyebrows twitched.

Swish.

With the sound of the wind, two people fell from the sky in an instant.

Swoosh.

Two old men landed quietly behind Dang Seol-ryeon without a sound.

Dressed in blue and red clothes, they were the Cheonghong Twin Elders.

Dangcheon-byeok’s expression hardened.

Dang Seol-ryeon said quietly.

“Dokseon is a living myth of the Dang Family. But unfortunately, the Family Head is not. He is just someone who holds the power of the Dang Family right now.”

Her eyes shone sharply.

“Power cannot overcome myth. The Family Head should have pondered more deeply what it means to go against Dokseon’s will.”

There is no one in the Dang Family who does not revere Dokseon.

Even the Cheonghong Twin Elders, who used to grind their teeth at Dokseon, acknowledged his mythical achievements.

So, it was obvious what kind of reaction they would have to Dang Seol-ryeon’s words that ‘the Family Head intends to oppose Dokseon’s will.’

“And one more thing. The Family Head needs to embrace those who have failed as an elder of the family. Even though you lost to Dokseon, using the expression ‘dogs who lost the fight’ to the two elders…….”

Dang Seol-ryeon, who was speaking, sighed lightly.

“It was definitely too much.”

Anger was blazing in the eyes of the Cheonghong Twin Elders.

Dangcheon-byeok’s expression was hardening, and a smile bloomed on Dang Seol-ryeon’s lips.

It was a terribly cold and fatal smile that was more than fitting for the nickname of the Snowflower of the Dang Family.