Book 21 Chapter 5

Plunged into darkness

—The falling phoenix

A storm rages. The storm wrenches open the sealed door that resists the harsh wind and rain, and intrudes.

Drip! Drip!

Water droplets trickle down the stairs. It's not rainwater. It's blood, a red liquid that, until just moments ago, carried life within someone's body.

The blood flows down the stairs from top to bottom. In front of the topmost room on the third floor. The blood is flowing from there. The third-floor corridor is already soaked in blood. A river of blood stretches inward along the corridor. At the end of that corridor, there is only one room. Two female warriors lie face down in the blood in front of the door. Both of their chests where their hearts should be are empty.

The river of blood originates from the empty space where their hearts should be. The door, once covered in white Hanji paper, is now blooming with red blood flowers. And that door is now tightly shut.

"Kekeke!"

A man dressed in black laughed. At his laughter, the girl instinctively flinched. Her pale face was filled with fear.

"Yes, why are you trembling so, Rin?"

The man asked.

"Don't… don't come near me."

The girl, sitting on the floor, shouted as she backed away.

"Don't come near? Must an uncle ask permission for every step he takes towards his niece?"

Nail-cheon raised his blood-red right hand and said in a feigned tone of pity.

Chirp, chirp. Flutter, flutter.

A dimly lit room, with only a faint light seeping in from the corridor. Even in that dimness, the small bird saw his blood-stained hand and fluttered its wings, suppressing its cries. As Nail-cheon took one step after another towards the girl, Na Ye-rin, the bird fluttered erratically on its perch.

"U… Uncle."

Thump!

Her back, which had been moving backward, hit the cold wall. There was nowhere else to retreat.

"Trembling, trembling, heh heh heh. You're as lovely as a rain-soaked bird."

Flash!

A flash of light glinted once more.

Nail-cheon's stark white eyes were dyed with a cold, eerie glow. Eyes flashing with hideous lust. That mass of evil, twisted lustful thoughts flowed into Na Ye-rin's mind. They were already the eyes of a wild beast.

"Heh heh heh, your pure eyes are more fatal than poison. Your skin, as soft as melted pearls, your fragrant lips, as red as pomegranates… Heh heh heh. Ye-rin, why do you drive me so mad? I can't bear it anymore, I can't bear it!"

At that moment, Na Ye-rin saw what was swirling at the bottom of her uncle's heart. Thanks to his cursed face, she could see it clearly. The hideous beast's instincts, crying only for pleasure, pleasure!

A thick, sticky, dirty miasma emanated from his body. That lump of black toxin writhed like a giant poisonous worm, extending its tentacles.

"Now, be good. Come into your uncle's embrace."

Nail-cheon's shadow grew larger, engulfing Ye-rin's small body. She squeezed her eyes shut, flinched, and shouted.

"N-no!"

Someone, please help me.

Flutter, flutter.

The only bird witnessing the scene stood still, its wings fluttering.

"Hoo hoo, cry out more! That sight is even more unbearable. Come, come, I will ravage your soft skin! It's fate for the clean to be defiled, anyway. Then, I shall defile you?"

Nail-cheon slowly reached out his hand towards the young Ye-rin. She trembled like a squirrel in front of a snake. She tried to back away again along the wall to the right, but soon hit another wall.

Nail-cheon did not hurry. Was he trying to savor the pleasure? With time, his lust and madness only deepened.

"I won't give you to anyone. Soon, you'll tremble with ecstasy and cling to me. Hoo hoo hoo!"

The manic laughter spilling from his lips grew more chilling. His disgusting breath stuck to Ye-rin's neck, sticky and cloying. She trembled with fear and disgust. She was so scared. It was so dirty.

'Please help me, please!'

But her pleas reached nowhere. She felt like she was suffocating from the intensifying madness, the toxic energy, and his humid breath. The abyss of darkness yawned below, waiting to swallow her.

"Dad!"

She screamed with her last bit of strength. The moment he heard the word, madness erupted in Nail-cheon's eyes.

Slam!

Ye-rin's small body was thrown to the floor. Nail-cheon slapped her cheek roughly, and she fell, unable to withstand the force.

Crash!

Before she could even regain her senses, she felt her vision turn white again as her back hit the wall. Before she knew it, Nail-cheon had lifted her with one hand and was pushing her hard against the wall. Her small feet dangled in the air.

Her throbbing right cheek, her lips that felt burned, the bitter liquid on her tongue. She couldn't breathe.

"Hmph, that fool won't be able to come because he's busy! It's just you and me here. Don't worry, there's plenty of time!"

Nail-cheon spat out, his eyes burning with madness. A drop of blood trickling from Ye-rin's lips fell onto the floor.

"Oh dear, such a shame for such a pretty face. But this has its own unique flavor."

Nail-cheon licked the blood flowing down Ye-rin's chin with his tongue. She froze, unable to breathe, at the sensation of a snake's tongue licking her face.

He grasped her slender neck with his left hand and slowly brought his right hand to her nape. A sharp piece of metal touched her, sending a chilling coldness through her entire body.

"Heh heh heh, then where!"

Nail-cheon's sharp metal fingernail slowly descended along the center of her delicate collarbone.

Her clothes parted on both sides like where a sharp blade had passed. The man's lust and madness intensified as if about to explode. Strange moans and hot breaths continuously spewed from his mouth.

Ye-rin began to convulse. She felt her consciousness fading. No, perhaps she wanted it to fade as quickly as possible.

"D-Dad… please, help……"

Tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks, dripping onto the floor.

Plink! Sizzle!

Tear drops scattered onto the floor along with the torn fabric.

"Kiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaak!"

A scream, a sharp shriek, echoed.

Crash!

Nail-cheon, his eyes flashing with madness, turned his head abruptly. A fragment flying from the shattered door hit his arm and fell.

"Who is it!"

The figure that leaped into the room grabbed his pulse point like lightning, causing Nail-cheon to momentarily loosen his grip. Ye-rin, pressed against the wall, fell down. The intruder, catching Ye-rin with his left hand, quickly used his right hand to draw his sword and cover her body with a cloth from the table.

Taking advantage of the intruder's actions, Nail-cheon kicked out and then leaped backward. After placing the unconscious Na Ye-rin on the disheveled bed, the intruder turned.

The light from the corridor poured in through the now missing doorway. Nail-cheon could finally see who had entered the room.

"B-Brother…"

The one who had broken down the door and snatched away the bird he had almost caught was none other than his own brother, Na Baek-cheon. Na Baek-cheon's pale face was trembling with rage.

"Wh-what is this horrifying scene? You're my brother? Then that child is your niece, and she's only twelve years old!"

"B-Brother, well, this is…"

'Tch, the plan's ruined.'

Despite his flustered expression, his heart was as cold as ice. He had already secretly retracted his right arm into his sleeve. Fortunately, Na Baek-cheon seemed too preoccupied with his daughter to notice that Nail-cheon had his right hand.

"What kind of beastly act is this!"

Finally, Na Baek-cheon roared. Realizing the plan had gone awry, Nail-cheon swung his sword without hesitation. It was the sword technique he had learned from Na Baek-cheon, <Baekhon Geumroe Cheon-geom-sik>. His sharp attack was infused with clear murderous intent.

Clang!

The brother, who never imagined his younger sibling would be so shameless and cruel, blocked the sword in shock.

"You wretch! Instead of repenting, you draw your sword. Are you going to commit patricide?"

"Hmph, what can be done when it's already ruined? Incestuous rape or incestuous murder, it's all the same. Brother, this younger brother has nothing to lose."

The cunning and shameless words of his younger brother sent Na Baek-cheon into mental shock, his vision blurring. It felt like a knife had been plunged into his back.

"Y-You, how dare you utter such blasphemy! Are you truly my brother? Are you the deputy leader of the Sichuan Murim Alliance? You wretch! Are you not afraid of heaven?"

"Heaven and the deputy leader can go to hell! Anyway, I have no name or anything, just 'the Murim Alliance Leader's brother.' Even as the Sichuan Deputy Leader, I'm just a nobody in front of the Alliance Leader. If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to just overturn everything?"

Na Baek-cheon's heart sank at his younger brother's unexpected, heartfelt outburst.

"Yes, yes, if we're going to overturn everything, then we should show our great brother a taste of hell first! I pondered it carefully, and a brilliant plan came to mind. I've had this urge before, but I suppressed it, so it's good that this opportunity has arisen. Heh heh heh."

Na Baek-cheon's face, listening to the denouncement, turned fiery red with anger.

"Is that your own niece? Is defiling that small child, suffering with a tender heart, the only revenge you can think of? A human wouldn't think of such a petty and wicked method. No, no."

Nail-cheon widened his eyes as if to say, "What are you talking about?"

"It's because we're human that we can come up with such a clever scheme. Otherwise, wouldn't we be no different from beasts?"

Hearing his sophistry, something snapped completely in Na Baek-cheon.

"You wretch, worse than a beast! It's your own fault you've become like this, only blaming others and coveting the Alliance Leader's position! A foolish person like you will never be worthy of becoming the Alliance Leader, no matter how much you struggle for a thousand years!"

"Hmph, the one with power becomes the Alliance Leader, that's the law of the martial world. That's a Hegemon like me!"

Before his shout had even ended, Nail-cheon leaped. A series of flashes shot towards Na Baek-cheon. However, this time he was inwardly prepared, so Nail-cheon's sword strikes were of little use.

After all, it was a sword technique he had personally taught him, so he knew every subtle variation like the back of his hand. The outcome was already decided. Blocking his younger brother's swordplay once more, Na Baek-cheon murmured with a face overcome with sorrow. Two streams of tears flowed from his aged eyes.

"I didn't teach you the sword technique to be used so despicably… you wretch! I will take your worthless life with my own hands!"

Na Baek-cheon's sword flashed. It was a rapid sword strike several times faster than Nail-cheon's. It was a dazzling speed that truly suited the name <Baekhon Geumroe Cheon-geom-sik>. Blocking him was impossible.

"Kuaaaak!"

Screaming, Nail-cheon dropped his sword. Blood flowed from his left arm.

"In the end, in the end, I can't win against you in anything, Na Baek-cheon!"

He no longer called Na Baek-cheon "Brother."

"You?"

"Kekeke! Our bond is already broken. Surely you don't have any lingering feelings, do you?"

Nail-cheon's sarcastic words made Na Baek-cheon flinch. Although his eyes were clouded by his daughter's affair and his brother's betrayal, he might have been expecting something to some extent. Nail-cheon's words were a form of confirmation. Na Baek-cheon pointed his sword at him and shouted,

"Apologize!"

"What am I apologizing for?"

Nail-cheon asked in a mocking tone, even in his pain.

"I don't expect you to apologize to me. But to that child, to her who will carry your scars forever, you must apologize!"

Na Baek-cheon pointed to where a small girl, who had regained consciousness and was trembling with fear, now stood. If she even made eye contact, she felt she would faint again.

Grin! A cruel smile formed on Nail-cheon's lips.

"I apologize, Ye-rin! Your uncle apologizes! Yes, I apologize. I'm sorry for making you wait. I couldn't teach you the taste of adulthood. One day, I will surely carve into your tender flesh and cherish you abundantly. Absolutely!"

Thud.

Ye-rin collapsed. A flood of black malice consumed the young girl's soul. The concentrated, sticky mass of malice that pounded upon her already shattered heart. It was more than she could bear. All colors, all sounds, vanished from the world. Light disappeared. She disappeared. Nothing remained.

"Y-You!"

Na Baek-cheon, who never expected such perfidy to the very end, was horrified. But he worried more about his daughter than about killing the perfidious wretch. As if her words were the final trigger, his daughter's condition seemed to be somehow strange. Startled by his young daughter's state, Na Baek-cheon's attention was momentarily drawn to her. Nail-cheon did not miss that moment. To create this opportunity, he had once again etched an indelible, deep scar onto his young niece's mind.

Clang!

The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the room, piercing through the downpour. What struck Na Baek-cheon with immense force was neither a sword nor a blade. It was Nail-cheon's new right arm.

"H-How can this be!"

Na Baek-cheon, who had narrowly managed to block the attack in time, was astonished. Only then did he realize the existence of the new right arm that had grown on his brother's body. Even as he still faced him blade to blade, he couldn't believe what he saw.

"Why? Surprised that the arm you cut off so quickly has grown back perfectly?"

A sneer formed on Nail-cheon's lips.

"Surely you're not!"

One realization led to another.

"You hit it right!"

At that moment, Nail-cheon's sleeve was torn to shreds by the impact of the sword energy. And it was revealed. A bloodthirsty paw made of thirteen thousand cold steel shards!

"Frenzied West Wind…"

A murmur escaped Na Baek-cheon's lips. Nail-cheon seemed delighted to see his brother's dumbfounded expression.

"Hoo hoo, it seems you came looking for the whereabouts of the Western Heaven. Well, it's perfect timing!"

Nail-cheon's sneer reached its peak.

"For I am the new Western Heaven that will bring about your destruction!"

Click!

The black paw that revealed itself sharpened hundreds of scales like blades.

"This is…"

Na Baek-cheon's thoughts could no longer continue.

Rhapsody of the West Wind.

Ultimate Skill.

Frenzied West Wind.

A colossal gust of wind raged wildly in the hall.

"Y-Ye-rin!"

Na Baek-cheon looked at his daughter anxiously. His young daughter, who didn't know martial arts, was too helpless to withstand such pressure.

"A reenactment after ninety years! Let's see if you can take it!"

The deadly technique that had claimed over a thousand lives during the Heavenly Calamity Blood Sea once again displayed its might.

Na Baek-cheon hastily deployed the most powerful defensive move to block the path of the violent storm.

Baekhon Geumroe Cheon-geom-sik (White Soul Sword Thunder Heaven Sword Style).

Ultimate Skill (奧義).

Nei Wang Baek Ryul (Thunder Net White Splitting).

A dazzling white light burst forth, forming a thunderous net.

The storm and the thunder net clashed, fiercely contesting each other's momentum. Flames and roars swirled in one place. However, the conflict ended without a victor.

"Tch, it offset it?"

Nail-cheon grumbled in a displeased tone. Even the blade forged with hatred was not sharp enough to defeat his enemy yet.

'Tch! Still incomplete!'

Indeed, the western pillar of the Four Iron Annihilation of Heaven. It seemed there was too little time to fully master the martial arts of the Western Heaven.

"Damn it!"

A revision of the plan seemed inevitable. He hadn't gotten stronger alone. If he had become complacent after reaching a high position and neglected his training, it would have been better! Missing such a golden opportunity was a painful blow for him. However, he declined mutual destruction. This fight was meaningless unless it ended in his thorough and resolute victory.

"We'll have to postpone the 결판 until next time, Brother!"

Without waiting for a reply, Nail-cheon extended his left palm.

Rumble!

With a sound like thunder, a tremendous gale erupted from his palm.

"Frenzied Wind Palm (狂風掌)!"

It was the ultimate skill that his younger brother, once renowned as the White Wind Swordsman, boasted of. Furthermore, the direction he shot the palm energy was towards his beloved daughter.

"You wretch worse than an animal!"

Na Baek-cheon quickly lunged and blocked the palm energy. Moving in haste, he could not completely negate its power.

At that moment, Nail-cheon leaped backward from the recoil.

Crash!

The window shattered loudly, and Nail-cheon hid his body behind the fierce storm.

"Are you alright, Ye-rin?"

As he turned his head with a worried expression to look at his daughter, Na Baek-cheon felt a chill down his spine.

"Ye-rin! Ye-rin!"

Her eyes, which had been as clear as starlight, were now as murky as if covered by black clouds. His daughter, collapsed on the bed, stared blankly with her dulled eyes, frozen like a statue.

"Ye-rin, snap out of it! Ye-rin!"

Ye-rin's mind was already firmly closed.

She was engulfed in darkness, falling into a bottomless abyss of despair.