Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon

With the sword still pointed at his own neck, the Sage of Bright Rock continued to speak. 

The sharp blade of the sword nicked his neck, causing a trickle of blood. 

“I have not the slightest idea why you attacked me, but your ferocious aura felt very familiar. On top of that, I realized your spear skills are similar to those of the Spear Master Sect.”

He glanced at Woon-seong with a sad look. 

Woon-seong’s grip on the White Night Spear tightened. It was that face. This man was making the same face the day he killed my master and I. He calls himself an ascetic and a man of the orthodox way, yet he makes such a despicable face. 

Perhaps he did not know the darkened heart of the youth, as Sage Myung continued calmly.

“I’ll ask one more time. How are you related to the Spear Master Sect?”

“And why would it matter if I was related to the Spear Master Sect or not? Are you going to bring everyone who was back there and attack me?”

Myung Am sighed heavily. Shaking his head one, he said, “I don’t know how you knew, but it seems like you know what happened that day.”

“Yes.”

Woon-seong’s voice was cold. 

From a distance, Lim Soo-yeon observed the situation. She had no idea what was going on, but wouldn’t be able to do anything either way. 

Meanwhile, the two men continued to talk in this strange confrontation. 

“If so, please tell me. Your relationship with the Spear Master Sect… And h-how…” The Sage paused for a moment, as if he were choking. “How you obtained the Fifth Jade Knife, which belonged to my old friend.”

Woon-seong stared at the man in silence

He could not figure out why the man was saying all of this. 

Why is he talking about this?

On top of that, he calls Master his friend, but he didn’t help us at all that day…

Woon-seong grit his teeth. 

Then he slammed the White Night Spear into the ground, possibly out of frustration. 

Boom!

The spear dug through the ground, creating a small crater. 

Woon-seong then spoke slowly, “I don’t know why you think the Spear Master Sect only has one apprentice.”

“W-What do you mean?”

The Sage’s voice trembled. 

“Even the Mount Hua Sect has many offshoots and factions. Why do you think the Spear Master Sect is a sole apprentice sect? Never once did we say we are a sole-apprentice sect.”

The Sage’s pupils trembled. Soon, he sighed, as if relieved. “Ah, I’m relieved to hear that.”

“…And why is that?”

“My promise that I will save his apprentice… My promise that I will let the Spear Master Sect continue its legacy. I wasn’t able to keep that promise. But now you say there’s an offshoot sect…”

Woon-seong crossed his arms. “What are you talking about?”

That said, the Sage of Bright Rock slowly lowered the sword, placing it beside him. As he did so, he positioned himself into a more comfortable and respectful kneeling position. 

Not anyone else. 

The head of the Mount Hua Sect was kneeling. 

If those of Murim saw it, they would not believe their eyes. 

Lim Soo-yeon, who was watching the scene, was dumbfounded. Why is the head of the Mount Hua Sect kneeling down to this young master…?

Woon-seong was no exception, though his confusion and shock were due to something else. 

Why is this man kneeling down to me? And a promise to keep the apprentice alive, to let the Spear Master Sect live on? What is all of this?

As Woon-seong’s mind was in chaos, the Sage slowly began to speak. 

“To tell you the truth, he came to visit me six months before his death.”

A light breeze blew from the west as the man began to tell his tale. 

At that moment, his mind had returned to the memories of the past. 

“It was raining heavily that day. It was near the end of the summer. An unexpected monsoon made it rain for several days. I… still remember the fishy smell of water like it was yesterday. And even the guest who visited me late that night… “

***

The Sage of Bright Rock was grooming the bonsai trees he grew in his residence as a hobby. 

He had been given some here and there and tended to them with his heart, so they were growing slowly and steadily. 

Every time he moved his hand, the end of a bonsai tree would be trimmed. Dead branches were removed, allowing new life to flourish in its place. 

As the skill with a sword grew, a sword master could become one with his sword. 

As the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, the Sage of Bright Rock was not lacking in skill. 

However, his peaceful times did not last very long. 

He felt someone’s presence outside the door. 

“Who goes there?!”

He immediately grabbed for his sword. Feeling its familiar weight, he was more at ease. 

But he was still anxious. 

It’s no normal martial artists! Someone who can sneak into the deepest residence of the Mount Hua Sect without being detected!

It was normal to feel anxious when faced with a hidden intruder. 

However, the voice from outside the door cleared his nerves. 

“It’s me.”

It was a familiar voice. 

The moment he heard it, Sage Myung sheathed his sword. 

With a smile on his face, he threw the door open. 

“It was you?”

Outside the door was a man with a long spear.

It was Nok Yu-on, more commonly known as the ‘Spearmaster’ in Murim. 

Said man walked into the room, as if very familiar with the place. 

“This place is warm as always.”

“Where there is generosity, there is virtue. Where there is virtue, there is kindness. It is only natural for warmth to exist wherever the Mount Hua Sect exists.”

The two laughed. 

“So, what brings you here so late at night. I would’ve prepared a warm meal if you told me beforehand.”

Nok Yu-on smiled bitterly. 

It was an unbelievably serious expression for one trying to smile. 

“Is something wrong?”

Nok Yu-on took out a knife, which had been hidden in his sleeves. 

A knife with seven jade pieces, the fifth one colored black. 

“I’ve come here today because of this.”

The Fifth Jade Knife. 

Nok Yu-on had come as the Fifth Master of the Justice Blood Sect. 

The Justice Blood Sect was a secret organization that had existed in Murim for a long time. 

Meetings were meant to protect the morals of the Orthodox practitioners and protect Murim from underlying dangers. 

That was also the reason why the Seven Masters, including the Sage of Bright Rock and the Spearmaster, were all individuals known to be virtuous in the Orthodox sects. 

The face of Sage Myung, who had confirmed the Fifth Jade Knife, had stiffened. 

“So it’s a Justice Blood Sect matter… Is it because of him?”

Nok Yu-on nodded. “Yes. It seems like they have realized who I am.”

The Sage grimaced. 

Nok Yu-on had been tasked with watching an organization thought to be causing trouble in Murim since long ago. 

They did not know what the organization represented or wanted, but they had allegedly been reaching out to the Imperial Court. 

The Justice Blood Sect was so close to an answer, but Nok Yu-on’s identity had been compromised. 

“What are you going to do? If you need to hide yourself, I’ll talk with the other masters and prepare a place to hide for you and your apprentice.”

Nok Yu-on was grateful for those words. Thank you. 

However, he shook his head and solemnly refused the suggestion. 

“But no. I know well about their strength and influence. I can hide anywhere in this world, but they will still find me.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?”

Nok Yu-on smiled slightly. It was a playful look, but it somehow felt bitter. 

“I’ll… be the bait.”

“What?!”

“They will try to kill me at all costs. So use this opportunity to find out who’s behind them.”

“Are you telling me to find out who’s affiliated with them? Then what about you…?”

“I’ve made up my mind. I’ll use my life for the sake of justice in Murim. Besides, it will be difficult to get any closer to them without such sacrifice.”

It was a plan thought up by an old friend who was prepared to die. 

Nevertheless, Sage Myung wanted to stop him. 

That was why he suddenly brought up Nok Yu-on’s disciple. 

“What about the apprentice who you bragged about so much?! Do you think they won’t go after your apprentice?!”

Nok Yu-on glanced at him with a serious expression. “I’m here today to also talk about my apprentice.”

“What do you…?”

The Sage trembled slightly. I brought up his apprentice to stop him, but did it only make him more determined?

“Now that I saw you worry about my apprentice, it looks like I can leave him to you without worries. If the ones hiding in the Alliance make a move, my apprentice will also have to hide himself.”

“…”

“So I want you to join the pursuit team.”

The words of the Spearmaster were so resolute that the Sage could not help but protest. 

“Are you telling me to take both of your lives?! No! I cannot do that!”

“That’s not what I am saying.”

“Then what the hell do you mean?!”

Nok Yu-on reached out for the Sage of the Bright Rock. 

The Sage took a step back on instinct, but Nok Yu-on gripped his hand tightly. 

His old friend’s hands were strangely warm. 

But that was not the only thing to be noticed. 

His hands are shaking.

He is also afraid of death. 

And he still decided to sacrifice his life to bring justice to Murim. 

But there’s only one thing bothering him.

Nok Yu-on’s heart was conveyed through the warmth of his hands. 

“Please.”

The lineage of the Spear Master Sect and his responsibility as a teacher are holding him. 

Nok Yu-on didn’t need to say anymore for the Sage to know what the request was.

He wanted the Sage to join the pursuit team and save his apprentice. 

At that request, the Sage of Bright Rock couldn’t say anything.