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Jang Ilso felt his heart pounding against his chest as he entered the room that was once his, now decorated with piles of taels around and empty alcohol bottles.
A man lay among the mounds, absentmindedly playing with the coins that jingled from his fingers.
The metal flashed in the room, but there was no person, servant or stranger, who dared to steal even one of those coins, fearing that the man would take revenge into his own hands. He had once mentioned that, if even a single coin was missing, he would cut off the offender's hand before killing them. No one believed those words were a joke.
That man looked no more than twenty years old, but he reeked of blood, as if the grim reaper was on his heels.
Only he was able to win the title of Sword Sovereign despite being part of the evil faction at such a young age, after defeating Jang Ilso himself and overthrowing two of the Ten Great Sects.
“My lord,” Jang Ilso greeted, bowing with his eyes fixed on the man's expression. “I have news for you.”
The Sword Sovereign threw the empty bottle towards the ground, bouncing several times before stopping in front of Jang Ilso's feet.
“So those bastards have made a move.”
"It is not like this. Wudang has kept to himself, however, there is a young swordsman, who might be of interest to you, who has recently made a name for himself.”
His pink eyes were as intense as ever, glowing with an undercurrent of killing intent that made them look like crimson blood.
Jang Ilso continued. “His name is Baek Cheon, who has recently acquired the title of Righteous Sword of Hwasan, Deputy Sect Leader of the Hwasan Sect.”
Then, finally, Jang Ilso was able to see an emotion beyond the stony face and deep-rooted hatred. The Sword Sovereign's breathing stopped, opening his eyes and narrowing his pupils, his lips parted. Jang Ilso knew that this was the only chink in the enigmatic man's armor.
“From Hwasan? How can this be like this… Hwasan, Hwasan ,” he muttered to himself. “Did you hear right? Ilso, are you completely sure that that man is from Hwasan?”
“That's right, my lord.”
For the first time, the Sword Sovereign appeared to be a young man of only twenty years old.
There he was, dressed completely in white, with only a few details embroidered with the color and shape of plum trees. The description was exactly as Ilso let him know, right down to the forehead tape and facial features. The most distinctive thing was his internal energy.
Cheong Myeong's breathing stopped for a second as he recognized the type of cultivation, not only as something distinctive to Hwasan, but as a Sect Leader's own technique that is only passed down from generation to generation. So, he can't be someone else, this must be Hwasan's disciple, and as rumors claim, the Deputy Sect Leader.
How is it possible that Hwasan's disciples still exist?
Five years ago, Cheong Myeong arrived at a mountain that had been invaded by the disciples of another sect, with the ancient structures collapsed and the plum trees cut down. There was no trace left of the great sect that had once been. Not even a memory to remember while grieving them.
Only the ashes.
But here he was, in front of Cheong Myeong, a disciple who still proudly wore the uniform while making a reputation for himself, and with a cultivation strong enough to make Cheong Myeong proud.
It was only one, but even just one was enough .
Baek Cheon.
That disciple was called Baek Cheon.
Baek Cheon sat up straight, smiling pleasantly when the waiter arrived with his order, leaving the dishes distributed in front of him and his companion. On the opposite side of the table, a girl with disheveled hair and a dirty face looked silently at the table, without showing any hint of making a move towards the dishes that gave off a tempting aroma.
“Go ahead, Iseol,” Baek Cheon prompted. “You are my disciple now, so I will take care of you properly.”
Two disciples, there were two Hwasan disciples! Sure, one of them was a little girl who probably wouldn't be able to pick up the sword for a few years, however, it was better than not having one at all. She was even a child who seemed to have been taken from the street in a gesture of kindness that showed signs typical of a disciple of Hwasan.
Iseol lowered her head with puffed cheeks, having the look of being in internal conflict, before nodding to herself. She took the chopsticks awkwardly, unaccustomed to their use, and Baek Cheon's face went through a series of complex expressions before appearing calm again.
After a moment, Baek Cheon began to speak loudly, probably for the girl's benefit. “Hwasan has changed a bit in recent years, so it's probably different than what you expect. For now, there are three small buildings: a small temple to honor our ancestors, a large dormitory where all of us disciples will stay regardless of rank, and the kitchen that also functions as a warehouse.”
Cheong Myeong listened attentively, attracting the curiosity of several customers when his movements stopped for too long, making it obvious that his main goal was not to have a good meal at the restaurant.
Baek Cheon continued. “Most of the old plum trees are gone, so I planted a lot of young seeds on the road and replanted some plum trees closer to the buildings. I also wrote a new sign for the entrance, although there is no wall now, just a large gate and a small fence.”
The girl, Iseol, seemed bewildered.
"They are all gone?"
“They cut them down.”
"Who?"
“Some bandits. But they are no longer there.”
“They left too.”
“They broke their heads, as they should.”
“As it should be,” Iseol repeated, nodding vigorously.
Baek Cheon looked vaguely proud for a moment. “I'll teach you how to crack heads when you're a little older.”
However, the proudest of the three was Cheong Myeong, who wasn't even part of the conversation.
His beloved descendants were absolutely adorable .
"Master!"
Cheong Myeong watched Yu Iseol run towards the dormitories, where currently only the Deputy Sect Leader and a couple of other children he had picked up from the street were staying. Soon, the girl who was now wearing the uniform of a third-class disciple, returned at a hurried pace with Baek Cheon following behind her.
"Again?" Baek Cheong muttered loudly, stopping in front of the gold chests at the gate of his sect. “I can't believe I haven't heard something like this come here.”
Yu Iseol tightened her fingers around the handle of her wooden sword, solemn. “I was standing guard.”
Cheong Myeong almost gave himself away by letting out a giggle.
Of course, brats like these couldn't sense his presence, regardless of whether they were actively looking for him or not. It was just a matter of waiting for the moment when she looked away for a second to keep watch elsewhere to sneak away and leave the chests in front of the door. He even went to the trouble of making a little noise to disturb the girl, who looked determined to find the intruder who kept leaving strange items in front of her doors.
Baek Cheon searched around suspiciously, his eyes lingering for a split second on Cheong Myeong's hiding place but eventually passing by.
“If only he would come himself instead of leaving things here…”
Yu Iseol looked at his teacher. “Is it from Hwasan?”
“He must love Hwasan,” Baek Cheon replied. "Like a cat leaving its hunt as a prize."
And Cheong Myeong silently agreed. To the first part.
One day, in front of the gates of the mansion where the Sovereign of the Sword stayed, current undisputed leader over the evil factions, destroyer of two of the Ten Great Sects and holder of the undisputed position of being the strongest in the world, a person invited himself without hesitation.
This was the territory that no one wanted to tread. The leaders of the Ten Great Sects might have a heart attack if they had to carry out the task that had been given to this man: to convince the Sword Sovereign to join forces with the righteous factions to defeat the Heavenly Demon. And yet, said man didn't even seem to hesitate.
“I have come to speak with the Sword Sovereign,” Baek Cheon announced, taking a step forward.
Jang Ilso laughed out loud. He didn’t need to ask for the Sword Sovereign's opinion, and he definitely didn’t need to question this person's presence. To tell the truth, he was looking forward to the moment when this scenario would become reality.
“I'll guide you to my lord.”
The room that had been filled with gold scattered in piles had become more organized, with the floor cleared and a throne erected in the center. The furniture in the corners was simple but tasteful, some chests were accumulated in the back where the alcohol was kept, and only the small table where the set of wine cups was placed stood out as a commonly used object. It was a place specifically designed to make a good impression on whoever entered.
The Sword Sovereign, who waited on the throne with his arms crossed, watched the guest attentively, without missing a single movement.
The white robes flowed smoothly with each step until they stopped in front of the throne, and after exchanging formal greetings, Baek Cheon smiled confidently.
“I come to make a deal with the Sword Sovereign,” he began. "I'll be quick. The Heavenly Demon will rise again in a few weeks, so the righteous sects have organized a united front to take down his followers and reach the cult and their leader. However, I'm afraid that might not be enough. Therefore, I wish for the help of the Sword Sovereign and his strength during the fight. Of course, the righteous factions agree to this and it will be treated as a temporary alliance to face a common threat.”
“Even if that Heavenly Demon resurfaces… Why should I do anything about it? From the way you talk, instead of a deal for two, you seem to be the only one benefiting from this, or are you waiting for me to decide the reward myself?”
“I have something to offer. An offer that only I could make.” Baek Cheon smiled, as if he had already won this game before it started. “In exchange for lending his help, I offer the Sword Sovereign a place as a disciple of my Hwasan sect.”
Then Jang Ilso knew, even if it would take long days and negotiations where only the Big Ten Sects (now eight) lost out, that the deal had been closed that very instant.
There was no way something like that would be rejected.
Not when the corners of the fearsome Sword Sovereign's mouth were already threatening to rise like a child receiving a gift.
It was too obvious.