Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 528

Side Story 9: Secret Place Beyond the Heavens (4)

Yunhyun reached out towards the corpse of the dead First Disciple.

And he pulled out the small sword embedded in his chest.

Swish.

Blood did not gush out.

Yunhyun stared at the small sword in his hand.

The fresh blood that had filled the blade was slowly disappearing before his eyes.

The sight was bizarre, as if the blade were sucking up the blood.

Before he knew it, the blood had disappeared without a trace, and a sleek sword, like one used in a ceremony, revealed itself in Yunhyun’s hand.

“Give it to me.”

At the sudden voice, Yunhyun looked up.

Saeilcheon was looking at Yunhyun with a stiff expression.

Yunhyun didn’t ask anything.

Rustle.

Saeilcheon carefully accepted the small sword he handed over.

“Is it over?”

The voice from behind was Gaeong.

Yunhyun turned his head.

“Yes.”

Yunhyun said in a quiet voice.

A gentle smile was on his lips.

“It’s over. Fortunately, I was able to make it before the time.”

Gaeong frowned.

“Before the time? Then…….”

But his words could not continue.

Woo-oong.

At the low hum, Yunhyun and Gaeong looked up.

There was nothing visible.

But Yunhyun and Gaeong could clearly tell that something was happening in the empty air.

“……Finally.”

Saeilcheon let out a soft exclamation.

“This moment has come.”

His eyes, looking at the empty air, were trembling slightly.

Gaeong frowned.

“What are you talking about? Doesn’t this end with the death of the First Disciple?”

Saeilcheon let out a hollow laugh.

He turned to Gaeong and said.

“Didn’t the First Disciple say it? That the time has come. The time he was waiting for.”

Saeilcheon’s eyes shone coldly.

“It is now.”

That look was utterly unfamiliar.

He was no longer a scholar of the imperial palace, nor the mysterious hermit of the Jianghu [the martial arts world], Irun.

Gaeong suddenly felt fear creeping in.

It was a primal reaction from facing a completely different, heterogeneous being.

Whoo-oong.

Gaeong, who had been watching Saeilcheon, suddenly looked up.

The empty air was shaking.

Not something in that place, but the empty air itself was trembling.

As if resisting something unbearable.

But that resistance did not last long.

Hook.

A thin light leaked out.

The light, which leaked out as if through curtains, soon scattered like mist and spread around.

And Gaeong smelled a strange scent.

‘Scent?’

It was incense.

A fresh and clear scent, like the morning sun, was spreading.

Gaeong’s fear disappeared in an instant, and his boiling heart calmed down.

It was as if he had just awakened from a long delusion.

And the next moment.

Someone appeared from the empty air.

Flap.

The hem of her clothes fluttered, and a white veil fluttered in the air.

Although it was not visible due to the veil, the slender and graceful curves clearly showed that the other person was a young woman.

But more than anything, what caught the eye was the beautiful silver hair rippling under the veil.

Step.

The tip of her foot touched the ground.

The silver hair, which did not seem to belong to this world, and the white veil quietly subsided.

Because of the veil that came down to her waist, her face was not clearly visible, but Gaeong could clearly tell.

Just standing there, she was exuding great charm.

But no one would try to do anything to her.

The presence she was exuding now was enough to make even Gaeong nervous.

But Saeilcheon’s next words startled Gaeong and Yunhyun.

“Mother!”

“What?”

Gaeong turned to Saeilcheon, speaking without realizing it.

But Saeilcheon smiled softly and approached the woman.

Thump.

He knelt on one knee and bowed his head as if paying military respects.

“I see you now, Mother.”

Saeilcheon’s attitude was like that of a vassal serving his lord.

But his voice was warm and gentle.

The woman quietly reached out her hand.

Rustle.

White, slender fingers caressed Saeilcheon’s head.

The woman, who carefully caressed Saeilcheon as if stroking a child, quietly opened her mouth.

“You’ve worked hard, Nok-ah.”

Saeilcheon raised his head.

“No. I…….”

“But.”

The woman quietly continued.

“Didn’t I already tell you that you don’t have to kneel before me?”

“Ah.”

Saeilcheon jumped up.

And said with a smile.

“I’m sorry. It’s been so long that I…….”

“Yes.”

The woman let out a thin sigh.

“It seems that a lot of time has passed here. Enough for my lovely Nok-ah to change like this.”

She said, looking at Saeilcheon.

“You did well. You really worked hard.”

Saeilcheon’s eyes trembled.

He smiled, but he couldn’t hide the fact that his eyes were getting wet.

“Thank you, Mother. I just…….”

“So I prepared food for you.”

Saeilcheon flinched for a moment.

But the woman continued to speak in a soft voice.

“I can’t let my child look older than me, can I? Besides, I have to bring back your hair color.”

Saeilcheon’s expression changed strangely.

He forced a smile and said.

“Um, Mother. Did you perhaps make that food yourself…….”

“Yes.”

The woman quietly nodded her head.

Saeilcheon’s expression was dyed with despair.

“Hong-ah has already eaten it. I don’t know about the taste, but the effect will be certain.”

“W-Well, if Mother made it, of course…….”

Saeilcheon was noticeably embarrassed.

Gaeong could see his eyes trembling with fear.

Feeling strangely refreshed, Gaeong smiled, but the woman suddenly turned her head.

Rustle.

Gaeong’s expression hardened in an instant.

Even with just the gaze he met beyond the veil, Gaeong could clearly tell.

She is a master.

Even a master that Gaeong could not handle.

The woman stared intently at Yunhyun.

After staring silently, she turned her head and looked at Gaeong.

“……Tang Clan?”

She asked.

Gaeong slowly nodded his head.

She said quietly.

“……I miss it.”

That was all.

The woman turned her head again.

Only then did Gaeong let out a soft breath.

In the meantime, Saeilcheon forced a smile and said.

“Um, Mother. That medicine, no, that food, can be eaten slowly later…….”

“No. Eating is a sacred ritual.”

Her voice was firm.

And Saeilcheon’s answer came out immediately.

“Yes.”

Saeilcheon said, bowing his head.

It would not have been awkward at all if he had said ‘Yes’ instead of ‘I obey’.

But Gaeong, who was watching, couldn’t even force a bitter smile.

If it was that woman, Saeilcheon’s reaction was understandable enough.

“Mother. I will return the sword.”

Saeilcheon untied his sword.

And he handed it to the woman politely with both hands.

The woman did not receive the sword.

Instead, she asked quietly.

“Was my Sowol (素月) [Simple Moon] helpful?”

“Yes. Enough.”

“Yes, that’s a relief.”

Rustle.

The woman reached out and received the sword.

And Yunhyun and Gaeong could tell.

That Saeilcheon’s sword, which they had already seen several times, was emitting a completely different energy the moment it entered that woman’s hand.

The appearance did not change at all, but the feeling was completely different.

It was as if a thick curtain had been lifted and they were finally seeing its true form.

The small sword she called Sowol (素月) [Simple Moon] was originally such a sword.

Saeilcheon watched the scene with a satisfied expression.

“But Mother. What about Father…….”

It was when Saeilcheon was about to say something.

Hung.

Someone else appeared through the fog.

Step.

A man descended, fluttering the hem of his clothes.

The clear scent that had been floating around became even stronger, and a subtle light spread around the man.

‘That light!’

Gaeong already knew that light.

It was the auspicious light (瑞光) [serene light] that Yunhyun had emitted from the Bokryong Bokmajeon [Treasure Hall of the Subduing Dragon and Tiger] of the Common Faction.

The auspicious light of expelling evil and revealing righteousness (破邪顯正) [banishing evil and revealing the righteous] that subdues all demons.

Rustle.

The auspicious light soon disappeared.

But Saeilcheon’s voice, which was heard at that moment, surprised Gaeong once again.

“Father!”

Gaeong frowned.

‘Father?’

The man’s clothes were exotic and unfamiliar, but no matter how he looked at him, he was about the same age as Yunhyun.

He didn’t look like Saeilcheon’s father at all, but since he called the woman next to him his mother, it seemed to make sense in a way.

“Nok-ah.”

The man replied with a gentle expression.

Just that alone wrapped the surroundings in a warm atmosphere.

Gaeong had experienced such a feeling many times before.

‘Hyun’s atmosphere is very similar.’

Swish.

Saeilcheon put his hands together and bowed politely.

“It’s been a long time, Father.”

“Yes. It’s been a really long time. Because more time has passed than I feel.”

His voice was full of undisguised affection (情) [emotion].

“You’ve worked hard. Were there any difficulties?”

“It wasn’t too difficult. And.”

Swish.

Saeilcheon turned his head and looked at Yunhyun and Gaeong.

“I met good people too.”

“Is that so?”

The man smiled softly.

And looked at Yunhyun and Gaeong.

Swish.

The man put his hands together and bowed.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Son Bin.”

Yunhyun quickly bowed.

“Ah, I’m Yunhyun. Nice to meet you.”

Gaeong just nodded his head slightly.

The man, who identified himself as Son Bin, looked at Yunhyun with a soft smile.

“You are the new, …….”

For a moment, Gaeong couldn’t hear his words properly as if there was noise.

But Yunhyun quietly nodded his head, and the smiling man turned his head and looked at Saeilcheon.

“The Demon Sword?”

“It’s here.”

Saeilcheon handed over the small sword he had received from Yunhyun with both hands.

The appearance was very polite, but at the same time, he was very wary of the small sword.

Swish.

The man lightly held the small sword in his hand.

“……Bin Rang.”

The woman, who had been standing silently, said softly.

The man smiled.

“It’s okay. This is what I have to do…….”

It was then.

Twitch.

The corpse of the First Disciple, which had been lying down, convulsed.

The eyes of everyone, including Yunhyun, were directed at the First Disciple.

The corpse of the First Disciple, whose head had been blown off, was moving little by little.

Swish.

The woman immediately grabbed her sword, Sowol [Simple Moon].

But the man lightly reached out and stopped her.

“I’ll do it. Wife.”

“Yes.”

The woman immediately took her hand off the sword and stepped back demurely.

It was a completely different appearance from when she was treating Saeilcheon earlier.

In the meantime, the corpse of the First Disciple was getting up.

Twitch, twitch

The appearance of the First Disciple was bizarre.

Not only was he headless, but now his arms and legs were so stuck together that they could not be distinguished, as if a black mass was moving.

“What the hell is that…….”

Gaeong muttered, unable to hide his disgust.

“It’s a resurrection.”

The person who answered was Saeilcheon.

When Gaeong turned around, Saeilcheon continued to speak with a calm expression.

“His incomplete enlightenment has turned himself into such an ugly being. That is neither alive nor dead.”

At those words, Gaeong recalled the words of the First Disciple.

He said he was an existence that controlled life and death.

But Yunhyun replied, ‘He didn’t control death, he just deceived himself.’

Was that an answer he gave knowing this situation already?

Gaeong glanced at Yunhyun, but Yunhyun said nothing.

He was just looking at what was once the First Disciple with a hardened expression, no, with pitiful eyes.

Swish.

The man who was called Son Bin took his hand to his sword.

It was then.

Woo-woo-woo-oong.

The fog shook and a strong vibration was transmitted.

The thing that was once the First Disciple trembled at the vibration.

―Kkeueo-eo-eo-eo.

A grotesque sound flowed out even though there was no mouth.

In an instant, a chilling cold shook the surroundings.

That sound, as if flowing out from the abyss, was like a sad regret or a persistent desire that still remained.

But no one was listening to that sound.

Hoo-ook.

At that time, someone appeared, cutting through the fog.

A middle-aged man who revealed a presence that was large and majestic at a glance, like Mount Tai.

A greatsword as big and huge as himself was hanging on his back, wearing a martial uniform that revealed his forearms.

Thud.

The man stepped down.

Just that alone changed the wind.

His intense eyes, visible under his thick eyebrows, were flickering like flames.