Book 25 Chapter 15

Moyong Hwi's Dilemma

―Unresolved Riddles and Unpaid Debts

At that moment, Biryu-yeon and his group were rushing towards the 13th dormitory. Their goal was to secure a base and gather the remaining people. Being isolated in such a remote place naturally strengthened their bonds. Some might have worried about the entire Cheonmu Academy delegation being dragged into this, but it was already too late. Everyone was already involved, whether by choice or by force. Jang Hong had a premonition that this incident would not end simply.

"So the sixth squad leader isn't the culprit?" Biryu-yeon asked, without stopping his movement technique. They were passing through pavilions, heading towards their lodging, the 13th dormitory. Jang Hong and Hyo-ryong had something to retrieve from there. Biryu-yeon also had something to bring.

"Yes, it's impossible. That person, the nameless squad leader, is too old. So old that they're called one of the Seven Mysteries of the Machon Pavilion, but their face is young. No one knows their real age. They've been the leader since the Machon Pavilion was founded, and they still are. Can you imagine how incredible that is? Only the Pavilion Master has been here longer than them. We jokingly say they are both the founder and the last of their line. They are one of Machon Pavilion's 'two immortals.' They are called the 'time-stopper,' 'ageless monster,' 'exiled warrior,' or 'baby-faced' for their remarkable skin and anti-aging care, making them popular with the female students."

"Hmm, then that person must be excluded from the suspect list. How many people are left, Jang Hong?"

"There aren't many left. The Four Heavenly Kings are all students, so they're excluded. The seventh squad leader is also a woman, so she's excluded."

"Are the suspicious individuals the leaders of the first, second, third, fourth, and twelfth squads, making it five people?"

"No, I think we can exclude Gwang-rang. That person is definitely not a one-armed person."

"How do you know that, Hyo-ryong? Could it be that you two are intimately involved…"

"Absolutely not! Why would I be involved with such a wild, crazy wolf? Besides, he's a man! I only know because that friend's hobby is showing off the countless scars on his body, so he frequently takes off his shirt without warning."

Hyo-ryong's words made Jang Hong narrow his eyes and tease him.

"Hmm, suspicious!"

"I'm getting angry!"

"Alright, alright. It was a joke, a joke. Don't be so serious."

Jang Hong raised his hands in surrender.

"But there's something to be cautious about. We must not forget that even if the remaining squad leaders are not the culprits, it doesn't mean they are not our enemies."

"That makes sense."

"They could have been influenced over the past few years, so we can't let our guard down. It wouldn't be strange if any of them turned against us."

The twelfth squad leader, who wears a mask, is also very suspicious. And while the mysterious thirteenth squad leader is also a suspect, they have been vacant for a hundred years, so they are temporarily set aside. The point is that anyone who became a leader within the last nine years and is older is a suspect. There are various methods for altering one's appearance. Changing one's body shape isn't that difficult either. They can also change their voice.

"What do we do now?"

"First, we need to find Hwi."

"Why him?"

"We need to include him in the rescue team. He has germophobia, but his skills are useful."

"He seems to have improved recently. Although he tries to hide it, the progress of a martial artist cannot be easily concealed."

"Then that guy is still far from reaching his potential. Well, he seems to be in special training, but he needs to show some results. If not, he'll be in trouble himself, won't he?"

***

*Ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong!*

Startled by the loud bell ringing in the distance, Moyong Hwi opened his eyes from meditation. He felt a ripple of unrest throughout the entire Machon Pavilion.

"What is it? It's so noisy."

It felt like a large stone had been dropped into a calm lake. But he soon dismissed it. He had a more important task before him.

The Heaven and Earth Creation Mirror (건곤조화경).

A treasure said to contain the last ultimate technique of the martial god Taegeuk Shin-gun Hyuk Wol-rin. This treasure was currently split into two pieces and held by two individuals.

Moyong Hwi still didn't know why those two, Yeom-do and Bing-geom, possessed such a treasure of the martial world. He could only speculate that they might be hidden disciples of Taegeuk Shin-gun Hyuk Wol-rin. However, neither Yeom-do nor Bing-geom would confirm this.

The mirror had never been reassembled since it was split. This was because Yeom-do and Bing-geom were so hostile towards each other that they could be described as sworn enemies. They fought whenever they met, and it seemed they couldn't tolerate not provoking each other. It was for this reason that one doubted if they were even fellow disciples. The fact that one cultivated fire attribute and the other ice attribute, despite being fellow disciples, was also suspicious.

Currently, Moyong Hwi was secretly receiving instruction from these two whenever they had time. Even these two, with their strong personalities, could not disobey Elder Hyukjung's words.

'Teach him!'

This single command was enough. When asked why, the answer was:

'Perhaps this kid is a talent of Taegeuk.'

Whether he's a talent or not, 'perhaps'! Moyong Hwi found this expression highly unsatisfactory. However, the two, who had no prior clues, were willing to try based solely on Elder Hyukjung's guarantee. Yet, they defied Elder Hyukjung on one point.

"We cannot show you the Heaven and Earth Creation Mirror yet."

"That's right. We cannot do this one thing."

"Then how can we show it to you?"

"We will show it to you if that kid defeats us."

"Really?"

"We promise."

Elder Hyukjung did not force them any further. However, to defeat Bing-geom Gwan-cheol-su, one of the Five Great Swordsmen of the World, and Yeom-do Gwak Yeong-hee, one of the Five Great Swordsmen of the World, was an outrageously impossible demand.

Moyong Hwi, no matter how much he was praised as a genius and earned the nickname "Seven Cut Divine Sword" in the martial world, was still a mere novice compared to Yeom-do and Bing-geom. He was aware of this himself. But Elder Hyukjung seemed to have a different opinion.

"You, who surpassed the Sword Saint, will give up at the foot of the mountain? How can you surpass the Sword Saint if you can't even defeat those two? Do you want to live in your grandfather's shadow your entire life? What happened to your resolve to kill the Sword Saint? If you have no resolve to become a legend, give up from the start."

Hearing such words, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

"I will do it."

"Will you do it? No, can you do it?"

"Yes, I can. I will definitely do it!"

However, Moyong Hwi soon regretted his words. From that day on, Moyong Hwi had to constantly be tested on whether he had the qualifications to fulfill his promise. But after dozens of tests, Moyong Hwi had still not been able to realize his boast. The world was not so easy that mere grand pronouncements or willpower could overcome its obstacles.

And so, in this sluggish state, he came to Machon Pavilion. Of course, since Yeom-do and Bing-geom, his masters, also came, there were still many opportunities. He could always test himself, his qualifications. But in this state, he felt it would be impossible even after a hundred years, when Elder Hyukjung appeared.

His message was a single sentence.

"Realize the principle of the Three Powers (三才)."

It was a riddle thrown by Elder Hyukjung, who suddenly appeared before him while he was flustered after being called 'idiot!' by Eun Seol-ran by the well.

Elder Hyukjung called it a secret strategy to defeat Yeom-do and Bing-geom. He said it was an enlightenment left by the martial god Taegeuk Shin-gun Hyuk Wol-rin. This meant that this phrase was not just a sentence, but that there was a cosmic-scale thought process behind it. It also meant that there was a hidden story, not just the literal meaning.

The principle of the Three Powers was the endpoint that the spirit of the martial god Taegeuk Shin-gun reached after an inexpressible journey. To savor and interpret its meaning, one had to understand the process. The true essence of this enlightenment was hidden in the process that led to this riddle. One needed a dragon before painting its eyes. After that, Moyong Hwi began to ponder this riddle, "the principle of the Three Powers," day and night. However, chasing the enlightenment of a martial god meant following the breadth of his thought, which was not easy. But in the process, he was also dimly realizing something. The process of pursuing it itself had meaning.

That the Three Powers were not the same Three Powers as in the Three Powers Sword Technique, and that Heaven, Earth, and Man were metaphors for something else. Or rather, metaphors for a phenomenon. The meaning of 'heaven' was not being used as simply heaven. The same applied to Earth and Man. He was so engrossed in thinking about it that he couldn't even attend the 500,000 Yang competition. Unaware that such a commotion had occurred, Moyong Hwi remained at Machon Pavilion, immersed in his training. And now, finally!

"Sigh, should I just give up?"

The thought crossed his mind.

No matter how much he pondered, it remained foggy like mist, and nothing concrete came to him. He couldn't find that dazzling spark that would string together scattered pearls into one. The more he tried to find the answer, the more he obsessed over the correct answer, the further away he felt.

"It's not like some nasty riddle… Thanks to this, I've hardly had any proper time to talk with Miss Eun, and my friends have disappeared somewhere without me even noticing…"

He felt like an outcast. He felt isolated on a deserted island. He needed to spend time with Eun Seol-ran again and calmly explain what happened by the well last time. He didn't know how to explain it to have being called 'idiot' revoked, but the fact remained that he needed to talk again.

He had heard stories. That sometimes teachings of crucial martial arts essence or ultimate techniques were conveyed in the form of riddles or riddles.

"I never imagined I'd be the one involved, though."

The reason for adopting such a complex process was to maintain the secrecy of the profound teachings and to test the talent of the successor.

The underlying judgment was that if one couldn't grasp such a riddle, their aptitude was insufficient to learn the entire ultimate technique. It meant that rather than stopping the teaching midway, it was better not to teach at all from the beginning.

"So, I'm being tested again…"

If he failed this test, it would mean he lacked the qualifications to inherit the martial god's advanced teachings. Whether he had those qualifications or not would be determined by this test. In other words, this was his last chance to surpass his grandfather, the Sword Saint. However, he also keenly felt that he had reached his limit alone.

"Sigh, it would be nice to have a friend to discuss this with… Huh? I don't understand why Byu-yeon's face is coming to mind. Even if I discussed it, he'd probably just demand the advance payment first… Huh? Byu-yeon?"

For some reason, the image of Biryu-yeon that appeared before his eyes was very clear. No matter how he looked at it, it wasn't a momentary illusion.

"Is it really Byu-yeon?"

Then, the image of Biryu-yeon that appeared before him opened his mouth.

"No, you're seeing an illusion. You're seeing things because you've been thinking too much lately."

"It's fake?"

"Fake? That sounds unpleasant. Rather, let's call it a type of dependent hallucination due to mind-body separation. You know, right? When you desperately desire something, it feels like it exists even though it doesn't."

"What am I desperately desiring? I don't particularly desperately desire anything from you…"

Then, Biryu-yeon's image spoke.

"Of course, it's the desperate wish to repay the overdue debts."

At those words, Moyong Hwi remained silent for a moment, then opened his mouth.

"You're real, the real Byu-yeon."

Only Biryu-yeon in this world could be such a shameless person, obsessed with money.

"What are you mumbling about, Hwi? Of course, I'm real."

He seemed to have already forgotten that he had just called himself an illusion. That shamelessness and unparalleled thick skin were undeniably Biryu-yeon.

"How did you get here?"

Moyong Hwi, after asking the question, stiffened before hearing the answer.

'What is this aura?'

Moyong Hwi was inwardly terrified. A cold chill, causing goosebumps all over his body and freezing him to the depths of his consciousness, was chilling his heart.

'Could this be Byu-yeon's aura?'

Had he ever exuded such a strange aura before? Biryu-yeon's expression, which he glimpsed, showed no emotion. Anger, regret, joy, sadness—none of it could be felt from him now. It was as if all emotions had drained away.

'Like an empty shell.'

He was always overly confident, to the point of causing trouble for those around him. But what was this? Was this really that Biryu-yeon? A person with such a vacant look? Was it acceptable to acknowledge this as Biryu-yeon? Where had the friend who was joking with him just moments ago gone? What was this mask he was wearing just moments ago? This was not Byu-yeon at all.

"What happened?"

After a long silence, Biryu-yeon's mouth slowly opened.

"It's time to repay the debt, friend."

"Debt? What are you talking about? You're always so sudden…"

"Yer-in has been kidnapped."

Moyong Hwi was speechless and froze. But he was even more shocked by the words that followed.

"I need your help, Hwi."