Book 28 Chapter 5

Overturned Choice

-Confusing Freedom

Bilyeon had always believed that the disciples and acolytes of the Suzaku Group would never die.

He had taught them and relentlessly trained them. He had hammered them, time and again, to forge stronger, finer swords, to make them out of tougher steel. He took pride in how strong he had raised them. He believed he had instilled in them a robust survivability that would allow them to return alive from any ordeal.

Yet, in the end, he lost one of them.

Perhaps his belief that he had made them strong enough was simply his 'arrogance'. Now, there was no more 'absolute'. There was no guarantee that this would be the only loss. The ones remaining could die at any moment. They could disappear from his sight forever.

He felt a degree of confidence if he were by their side, but his body was still only one. And he still only had two legs. Of course, if he had three heads and six arms, that would present its own set of problems, but he could not be omnipresent. He couldn't be their nanny forever.

In fact, he shouldn't be. Wasn't it time for them to stand on their own? It was time for them to protect themselves, discover their own goals, train themselves, and walk their own path. And now that the assumption of 'absolute' had shattered, he couldn't blindly accompany them on dangerous paths.

Yeomdoran and Binggeom were different.

They could still protect themselves under any circumstances. Honestly, they wouldn't even ask for his help, out of pride. Furthermore, they had a goal to achieve. They had to carry on the will of another master—their original master, so to speak. Of course, only he would truly acknowledge this person as their true master in his heart. To achieve this, they couldn't stop. They couldn't hide. They needed to undergo further self-training while roaming the martial world.

The Suzaku Group was still far from ready. He felt no remorse saying this. After all, what was there to feel sorry about when speaking the truth? He didn't know if each member of the Suzaku Group thought of themselves as a full person, but in Bilyeon's eyes, they were all still only half-cooked. They were in a truly ambiguous state, neither fully formed nor half-formed.

This incident was undoubtedly a great blow to them. Like him, they would now have to live with the death of Dangmunhye forever in their hearts.

Would they be crushed by the weight and despair, or would they rise again? From now on, that was their choice to make.

They now had to choose their own path. Because he would no longer force anything upon them.

However, of course, he had no intention of revealing these trivial inner thoughts to them. So, he decided to simply say this.

"You all decide."

Standing before the dejected Suzaku Group, Bilyeon suddenly spoke.

"Yes? Us? Decide what?"

Namgoongsang, representing the bewildered Suzaku Group, retorted.

"Why so surprised? Is this such a surprising thing?"

Bilyeon's counter-question prompted Namgoongsang to nod.

"Of course. It is surprising. It's so surprising that I'm worried the sun might rise in the northwest tomorrow. You've rarely asked us to decide anything?"

That's why all he could retort was 'Decide what?'. The others didn't know what to do.

"Just because it's been that way until now doesn't mean it has to be that way from now on, does it?"

"Well, that's true, but…"

"It's my decision. You all decide. I don't care what choice you make."

"Are you truly not going to say anything? Or get angry, drag us away and interrogate us, tie us to a pillar and throw knives at us, or push us off a cliff…?"

"I won't."

Bilyeon cut him off decisively.

"It's not like I can make decisions for you forever. You have to decide your own lives. And bear the responsibility for them."

It seemed he was sincere. And for some reason, he seemed even more serious than usual today. The senior disciple being serious felt strangely unfamiliar.

Murmur, murmur, murmur.

A commotion arose among the Suzaku Group.

[Is what the senior disciple said true? Isn't it just a trick to test us?]

[It might be true. Isn't it the senior disciple's usual philosophy that no one can live your life for you? Of course, we've always been dragged around by the senior disciple.]

[Can we do it well?]

[We have to do well. We can't wait for the senior disciple's instructions forever just because we might not do well.]

[That's true, but…]

The conclusion was not reached easily. The heated debate only intensified.

"What are you so afraid of? Are you suddenly afraid because I told you to decide for yourselves? Are you afraid because you have to take responsibility for whatever outcome arises?"

"Th-that's…"

"Gungsang, you're still terrible at hiding your expressions. I can see it all, every bit."

"No, I mean…"

Namgoongsang was flustered, but no proper excuse came out. The truth was, he had hit the nail on the head.

Since meeting the senior disciple, they had almost always acted according to his will. They had never once thought of doing something on their own. They had been like his arms and legs.

But then, one day, an order was given to the arms and legs: create brains. No more directives would come from the center. Now they were told to judge and decide for themselves, which felt incredibly strange.

"It's simple. Look back at yourselves, assess your capabilities. Then decide if you can handle this task or not. In other words, decide whether or not you will go to rescue the leader of the Martial Alliance, Na Baekcheon. That's all you have to decide. How easy is that?"

He spoke in a leisurely tone, as if asking them to consider what to have for lunch.

"That's precisely what makes it difficult!"

Namgoongsang protested on behalf of the dumbfounded Suzaku Group.

"The mind is originally like this: it becomes easy if you think it's easy, and difficult if you think it's difficult. The point is whether you have the will or not."

"Easier said than done…"

Then, Bilyeon clicked his tongue with a look of pity.

"Will you risk your lives to save this martial world from the brink of war, or will you choose safety and leave it all to others? Whatever you choose, it's your responsibility. But let me say this for sure. If you embark on this path, you might not be able to return. Understand its danger well before deciding. Understand that this path offers no comfort. Whether you choose that hardship or avoid it, the choice is yours."

But they still didn't seem to fully believe him.

They seemed to think, 'Could the senior disciple really do that?' But they did one thing well.

"Deciding whether or not to join the rescue party is up to you, and there will be no disadvantage no matter what judgment you make. However, those who will join, get on the ship. Departure is in three hours from now. We won't wait any longer. Those who decide not to go, stay here and take care of the injured. I will speak to the two who are absent directly, so you don't need to relay the message. I'll be waiting."

With that, Bilyeon turned and added a subtle grumble.

"Ugh, now only the two broken ones are left. Being a senior disciple is truly troublesome."

With that, Bilyeon disappeared.

On the faces of the Suzaku Group members looking at each other, the words seemed to be written:

'What do we do now?'

As if they had already forgotten Bilyeon's words to think and decide for themselves, they were watching each other's reactions.

When the coercion disappeared, they became even more confused. When they were coerced, they craved freedom so much, but now that they could do anything, they didn't know what to do.

If they thought about it coolly, rescuing the leader of the Jeongcheon Alliance was not their responsibility. They were still students, and their duty was to study. But would studying alone suffice? Wouldn't studying only be possible after the world stabilized, allowing for leisurely study?

There was nothing that wasn't confusing, from one to ten.

Dangsam's two eyes were vacant, as if looking into the void.

Dangsam's current state was no more and no less than a living corpse.

His mind was completely closed, and he showed no particular reaction. It felt like it would be better to bury him in a coffin in this state.

Since that day, Dangsam had not uttered a single word. Well, he only said one word. Whenever he did open his mouth, only that one word came out.

-Hye Jeo (sister)… Hye Mae… Hye Jeo…

He spoke nothing else, so he was not in a state where one could say he was speaking. As he was squatting, a shadow fell over Dangsam.

"Well, well! Your eyes are completely rotten, like a dead pollack's."

Dangsam's dead pupils flickered for a moment.

Dangsam slowly raised his head with hollow eyes, looked at the owner of the shadow, and parted his lips.

"Senior disciple…"

For the first time in days, a different word came out of Dangsam's mouth.

"Yes, it's the senior disciple!"

The person standing before him was none other than the senior disciple, Bilyeon. Normally, Dangsam would have immediately stood up straight and assumed a rigid posture at this point. To avoid giving him any reason to criticize. But now, he just stared blankly and returned to his original posture. That was it.

"Tsk."

Looking down at Dangsam, who squatted again and lost focus, Bilyeon clicked his tongue.

In fact, Dangsam's current state was understandable, so he couldn't get angry. Moreover, wasn't he the understanding and magnanimous senior disciple? Now was the time to embrace, encourage, and comfort him with the senior disciple's warm heart.

So Bilyeon said,

"Is it fun? Playing the living dead?"

At those cold words, the dazed Dangsam stiffened as if doused with cold water.

"Senior disciple… doesn't understand how I feel right now."

Dangsam raised his gaze and glared at Bilyeon. The emotion contained within his eyes was understandable without asking.

"Are you resentful? Of me?"

Dangsam nodded. He seemed almost out of his mind. Still, unlike usual, a fist didn't fly at him.

The sense of loss from a part of himself, like a clone, being ripped away. Twins were like that. Although they always bickered, somewhere deep down, they had a consciousness of coming from one source. An unconscious awareness that they were still connected somewhere, which might be why they fought back and argued. But now, they couldn't even fight anymore.

Because that half was gone.

Dangsam couldn't forgive himself. Above all, he couldn't bear the thought that he was the cause of that death, that Munhye had died trying to save him. He couldn't bear the reality that he alone had survived.

"It's natural to resent me. It's not unreasonable to be discouraged. It's all understandable. Your companions, and… I, too. But there is only one exception!"

Bilyeon paused for a moment, then raised his right hand and said quietly.

"Yes. Everyone except the one person who did this for you!"

Slap.

Dangsam's face snapped to the right. For a moment, a flame flashed in Dangsam's eyes. Dangsam slowly brought his hand to his reddened cheek and looked back at Bilyeon.

"Senior disciple…"

The same words came out once more, but this time, he seemed slightly more aware.

"Are you coming to your senses now?"

Bilyeon asked in a calm tone.

"That was for that person. It wasn't my place."

"……?"

"If you were going to have such a pathetic face, there was one person who would get angry. So I hit you on their behalf."

Bilyeon said in a calm tone, as if he had done something obvious. Dangsam, whose cheek still stung, was only confused.

'Who is that?'

Dangsam's bewildered eyes seemed to ask that.

"Who else? Of course, it's your sister, Dang Munhye."

At that name, Dangsam's body trembled. For such a ridiculous reason, was he struck across the face when he needed comfort and encouragement? Then, a sentence struck his ears.

"What about the flowers?"

At the word 'flowers', Dangsam's body stiffened as if frozen.

"Have you already forgotten? Your promise with her?"

"Flowers filling the sky, rain of ten thousand flowers. A sky colored with the colors of Sichuan."

That was Dang Munhye's last will. The will he had to carry on.

"No. I remember it clearly."

Dangsam's voice trembled slightly, but for the first time, it held strength.

"How could I… how could I forget… Senior disciple, could you forget? The last request of a blood relative who pierced their heart instead of me…"

He still couldn't forget the fading warmth of Munhye in his embrace. Along with the heat of the blood shed in his stead.

"Then what are you doing now? Huh? If you squat here, not only flowers but only bugs will gather. Do you want to change your name? Gungsang is already taken, how about Cheongseung? Dang Cheongseung!"

"……"

He truly wanted to refuse such a thing.

"The promise wasn't just yours, you idiot."

Dangsam looked at Bilyeon with eyes that seemed to say, 'I don't understand what you mean.' Bilyeon clicked his tongue, looking at Dangsam with pity.

"Munhye and I also made a promise, that I would help you make flowers bloom somehow. Flowers covering the sky."

Come to think of it, he had a vague feeling that this was the case, though he hadn't paid much attention at the time due to the circumstances.

"Don't worry, I'll make those flowers bloom somehow."

"Because of that promise, I can't leave you like this. I'm the type who always keeps promises because I'm too diligent."

Dangsam felt a shiver.

Bilyeon was essentially saying, 'I will make the flowers of ten thousand blooming petals bloom, even if I have to throw you into hell.'

"Watch closely. I'll only show you once."

Bilyeon said, raising something in his right hand.

"If Munhye hadn't asked, I wouldn't have shown you. So watch with both eyes wide open."

What Bilyeon held in his hand was a bundle of needles. They weren't particularly special-looking needles. They were common needles used for sewing, easily purchased anywhere. Their only advantage was being cheap.

Dangsam blinked, staring blankly at the needles. He had mentioned the ten thousand blooming petals, but now he couldn't understand what this was about. Was he going to start teaching him sewing practice?

"From what I see, your family's specialty is hidden arts, but it's too inefficient. And uneconomical."

"……"

It was a sudden remark, but it was certainly true. Every hidden weapon Dangsam used contained the dedication of the Sicheon Danga family. This meant that the manufacturing cost of those hidden weapons was high.

"Of course, a hidden weapon is better if it has appropriate weight and balance. But that requires a lot of effort and becomes expensive."

Dangsam had never imagined that Bilyeon had such insight into hidden weapons. And he couldn't help but be somewhat surprised by the very fact that he was explaining it.

Bilyeon's method had never been like this before. He never started with theoretical explanations. He always just ordered them to do something. Whether they learned anything from that something was their problem. Making them unintentionally stronger through that 'randomness' was Bilyeon's method, if it could be called a method.

And now, the senior disciple was explaining…

But after all, he was Bilyeon.

"Do you understand? It gets expensive! Besides, hidden weapons don't have good retrieval rates. They're consumables. It's like throwing away good money every time you use martial arts! Don't you think it's a terrible waste, Dangsam?"

"W-well…"

Dangsam answered inadvertently.

"If it's one of the Sicheon Danga's eight golden dragon hidden weapons, it must be so expensive that you'd be afraid to use it even once."

"Indeed… it's expensive."

The eight golden dragon hidden weapons required a lot of effort to craft, and the raw materials themselves were expensive.

"That's why I've come to this conclusion. Perhaps the more expensive a hidden weapon from Sicheon Danga becomes, the more powerful it is."

It was a rather unsettling statement. But Dangsam had no rebuttal.

"Then how much would it cost to unleash the ten thousand blooming petals, like a rain of flowers filling the sky?"

"……"

"I don't know, but it would cost an immense amount. It's understandable that it's the hardest to learn the ten thousand blooming petals. If you and I unleash the ten thousand blooming petals, even Sicheon Danga would go bankrupt in no time."

Dangsam couldn't understand what Bilyeon meant by these words at all. And why he had to listen to this story. Was he supposed to go back to Sicheon Danga and suggest cost reduction measures?

"So I've reached a conclusion. What is the most necessary thing to unleash the ten thousand blooming petals?"

"……?"

Bilyeon clenched his fist and said in a firm voice. It was, of course, a fist not holding needles.

"That is, earning an immense amount of money! Becoming rich!"

"……"

"……"

"Does that even make sense!"

Dangsam finally couldn't hold back and shouted loudly. The reverberating sound echoed around them.

Hiss, hiss, hiss.

He seemed excited enough to pant for breath.

"Yes, it doesn't make sense. You finally seem alive."

Bilyeon said with an indifferent expression. Only then did Dangsam realize that he had expressed his emotions intensely for the first time since Dang Munhye's death.

'Could it be intentional?'

But he quickly shook his head. It was unthinkable that the senior disciple would have such meticulousness.

"Anyway, it's true that your family's hidden arts techniques cost a lot each time they are used. You can't use martial arts solely with money, but you can't ignore the cost either."

Bilyeon continued calmly.

"But if you're going to worry about the cost, you need to learn it first, right?"

"Th-that's right."

"As you know, Dangsam, the ten thousand blooming petals also cost a lot to practice. But if you use this, you can significantly reduce the cost."

"So the needles…"

He finally began to understand why Bilyeon had handed him the bundle of needles.

"Isn't the ten thousand blooming petals more of a term for the highest level of hidden arts technique rather than a secret martial art of Sicheon Danga? I don't know what the ten thousand blooming petals colored with Sicheon Danga's hues are like, but it's impossible to unleash it without learning the basics, isn't it? So watch closely, I won't show you many times."

Bilyeon threw the handful of needles he held towards a tree five paces away.

Fwosh fwosh fwosh fwosh!

The needles flew like rain in the monsoon season and lodged in the tree. However, not all of them hit the tree; some veered off and lodged in it. And Bilyeon had two needles left in his hand.

"……!"

Certainly, throwing nearly a hundred needles at once and hitting a target five paces away was considerable skill. If the few that missed had also lodged in the tree, Dangsam might have been horrified.

"Go and check."

Though there was no need to check… Dangsam walked over, thinking so.

"This is…!"

Upon reaching the tree, Dangsam's eyes widened.

The needles were lodged in the tree, but the target was not the tree itself. Because at the tip of every needle Bilyeon had thrown, there was an ant stuck. Even the few needles that had missed and lodged in the ground had ants stuck to them. These ants, unaware that a giant pillar was stuck to their bodies, were paddling their legs to move forward.

There were about ninety-eight in total. The two needles left were because there weren't one hundred ants. To hit every ant crawling five paces away was an astonishing feat. Even within the Sicheon Danga family, there were no more than three individuals, excluding the patriarch, who possessed hidden arts skills of this caliber.

At Bilyeon's command to retrieve the needles, Dangsam had to collect all the small needles stuck to the ants. Despite not being made of particularly hard material, not a single needle had its tip blunted.

Returning with a pile of needles in both hands, Bilyeon said to Dangsam.

"Did you see well?"

Dangsam nodded, his face still dazed. However, the daze on his face now was due to the fantastic skill Bilyeon had just displayed.

"This is the basic."

Bilyeon said in a calm voice.

"This is the basic…"

"It can be said to be the first step towards the ten thousand blooming petals."

"This is the first step…"

Then, what would be the power of the real ten thousand blooming petals?

"Accurate sight, and the skill to pierce it. Without perfection in either, the work called ten thousand blooming petals cannot be completed. So learn it well, until I return."

"Where… are you going?"

"Yes, my future father-in-law is in urgent need, so I must go rescue him. You don't need to join this rescue party, so practice here until I return."

"Rescue party… Senior disciple, me too… please take me."

Bilyeon, who was about to leave, chuckled at Dangsam's words.

"Why? Do you want to go and die in your clumsy state? One tombstone with the character 'Dang' on it is enough."

"Th-that's not it!"

Bilyeon clicked his tongue at the protesting Dangsam and said.

"Look at yourself right now. You should at least look in a mirror before throwing a tantrum. How can someone who can't even sort themselves out fight others? So for now, focus only on making flowers bloom in the sky. That's the only way you can repay Munhye's sacrifice."

Dangsam couldn't even reply.

"Until you are ready to make flowers bloom, you are on standby. Do not join anywhere. When I see you next, you should have at least planted seeds, so work hard. So that sprouts can emerge, right?"

With that, Bilyeon left, waving a hand.

Dangsam stared blankly at the bundle of needles Bilyeon had given him, then quietly bowed his head towards the receding figure of the senior disciple.

Then he raised his head and looked at the wide, blue sky.

"Hye Jeo, please watch! I will surely fill this blue sky with flowers of Sichuan someday and offer them before you!"

The spark of life was slowly rekindling in his dead eyes.

After Dangsam, there was one more person to deal with.

It was Nohak, who had lost an arm in this fight. He also seemed to dislike being with others, or perhaps he didn't want to show his friends his one-armed state, so he sat alone, gazing at the rippling lake. Since he was still a fugitive, he couldn't move far, so Bilyeon easily found him.

"How are you feeling?"

Bilyeon spoke to Nohak, who was gazing blankly at the lake's horizon.

"It's light now that an arm has fallen off."

Nohak replied in a gruff tone without making eye contact.

Thwack!

"Yiiik!"

Nohak covered his head with his left hand, letting out a strange shriek.

"Why are you hitting me? I'm a patient!"

Rubbing his head, which had been hit by a knuckle, Nohak protested.

"Did you just think, 'Surely he wouldn't hit a patient'?"

Nohak flinched at Bilyeon's sharp question. He felt as if he had been subjected to mind-reading.

"That's why I hit you. So don't let your guard down."

"Aish, I'm a patient…"

"So what? Do I need to change your diapers? Should I bring you a bowl of gruel? Stop making such a fuss over losing an arm."

Bilyeon said in a tone of pity.

"You shouldn't speak so carelessly about someone else's affairs!"

Nohak retorted indignantly.

Having lost an arm, and with his comeback almost impossible, Nohak felt he had nothing to fear.

Bilyeon raised his fist again, as if to deliver another knuckle rap. Nohak flinched reflexively and hunched his body.

Bilyeon clicked his tongue and said.

"Tsk, tsk, you fool! Did you forget? The person who took one of your arms was also one-armed!"

"……!"

Come to think of it, that was true. The opponent had only his left arm, and the Ironclad Horse Hand was just a prosthetic.

"Are you trying to say that he could do it, but you can't?"

Although he was wearing a prosthetic considered a thousand-year wondrous weapon, it was astonishing that he could wield such martial arts.

"I can't say that, but… what am I supposed to do, Senior disciple? Ugh! Does a missing arm grow back just because you have the will? He had that 'Demonic Hand' to replace his arm. I don't have such a luxurious prosthetic!"

"Are you talking back to me?"

Nohak's spirit faltered at Bilyeon's chilling retort. However, his emotions, once ignited, were not easily subdued, so he continued to speak.

"The Beggar's Sect's martial arts are primarily hand and staff techniques. While the Descending Dragon Staff technique doesn't require both hands simultaneously, hand techniques are a very fatal weakness with one arm, as you well know."

"I don't know."

"I lost my right arm, which I've used for over twenty years. And I'm right-handed! I've been judged to be physically incapable of further martial arts training and could be expelled from the Cheonmu Academy."

"So? Are you going to give up here?"

Instead of gentle comfort, a cold counter-question came back.

Nohak shook his head vigorously.

"Do you think anyone gives up willingly? How far have I come… But I don't have my right arm anymore. Forever! It's a miracle just to get up from bed and sit like this! It's so pathetic! No, now I've become pathetic, and a cripple to boot, hahaha!"

Nohak laughed weakly.

"Is it fun to put yourself down like that? Is that a new game these days?"

"But there's no other way, is there!"

His martial arts, his only specialty besides begging, had been almost abolished. He had lost the only strength that supported his pride, his martial arts. He couldn't help but feel himself to be more insignificant than dust.

"You're in such a hurry. Haven't you still not fixed that hasty personality of yours? Why are you so hasty even in giving up? What if there is a way?"

"Yes? What… what is there?"

Nohak, who was tearing at his hair, flinched at Bilyeon's words.

"I asked what you would do if there was a way, why. Of course, even if there is a way, you should quickly abandon the thought that it will be smooth. Well, from what I see, you seem more comfortable just sitting there, so if you don't want to, just stop."

Nohak looked at Bilyeon, who clicked his tongue, his face slightly bewildered.

"Is… is there a way?"

"No, you don't need to know. I can't force unpleasant things on a patient. I'll be going."

"Not at all! Absolutely not! Where are you going?"

Nohak waved his hand frantically, as if afraid his remaining wrist would break, then grabbed Bilyeon's hem as he turned to leave.

"Please, please! Come here and tell me, Senior disciple! Hurry, hurry! Oh, I'm getting dizzy!"

For a patient claiming to be dizzy, the force with which he was pulling on his hem was extraordinary. Just moments ago, he had looked listless, as if carrying the despair of the world, but now, at a single word, he was agitated, his eyes wide with desperation. Truly, a hasty person even in emotional change. Bilyeon flicked his hem away and stood with his arms crossed, as if unable to refuse.

"Speaking of which, isn't the leader of the Beggar's Sect also called the Dragon Head leader?"

"Yes, that's right. It's always been that way."

Instead of teaching what he was asked for, why was he suddenly asking something so obvious? Nohak felt a mixture of suspicion, frustration, and impatience. Of course, Bilyeon paid no mind.

"The head of a dragon means it has a body and a tail, doesn't it?"

"Is that all? It has a mouth, eyes, horns, and whiskers."

The Dragon's Eyes were for intelligence gathering, the Dragon's Mouth for spreading rumors and manipulating public opinion, the Dragon's Horns for protection, and the Dragon's Beard for elders, and the Dragon's Claws for elite attack units. The one who commanded them all was the Dragon Head, the leader of the Beggar's Sect.

"So, does that mean the entire Beggar's Sect is a large dragon?"

"That's right. It's a structure modeled after the form of a dragon."

Nohak replied, licking his lips as if wondering why such a random topic was being brought up.

In fact, this was not a particularly secret matter, and it was something known to those well-versed in the martial world, as it was already public knowledge. Although surprisingly, it wasn't widely known.

But why was he holding onto him, who had lost an arm, and talking about this?

"Then it must have an Inverse Scale, right? Since it's a dragon?"

"Of course, it does—!"

Nohak suddenly looked up and stared at Bilyeon. His eyes were wide with shock. What those eyes conveyed was clear.

"How did you know that?"

Nohak, still with his eyes wide, nodded.

Naturally. The 'Inverse Scale' was the shadowy part of the Beggar's Sect, not included in its outwardly visible organizational chart. Only a very small number within the Beggar's Sect knew about it.

'But how?'

Bilyeon smiled and said.

"I asked an old grandfather who had lived for a very long time. Then he told me there was something like that. What was it called?"

Bilyeon pretended to think for a long time and then said.

"Ah, that's right. The Inverse Scale Seat!"

As soon as those words fell, Nohak's nerves tingled, and he looked around. He seemed to be checking if anyone was listening.

"That grandfather said? While the Dragon Head leader governs the Beggar's Sect, the one you should truly fear is the Inverse Scale Seat. That Inverse Scale is the one who proves the Beggar's Sect's wrath."

Inverse Scale originally meant an upward-facing scale on a dragon that should not be touched. Legends say that merely touching that scale could incur the dragon's wrath. And the great dragon known as the Beggar's Sect also had its Inverse Scale.

"Looking at that expression, you've heard of it?"

"Yes, I've heard of it."

Although Nohak was tossed around by the senior disciple, he was, in fact, one of the candidates for the next leader of the Beggar's Sect.

"What was its name again? That sword technique?"

"It's the Inverse Scale Sword."

Nohak replied, his suspicion that Bilyeon already knew not fading.

"Ah, right! The Inverse Scale Sword! Isn't that the Beggar's Sect's one and only sword technique?"

Beggars were originally placed in the lowest position. Being mistreated by others was their daily life, and it was natural for them to suffer. Anyone would look down on a beggar simply because they were a beggar. Therefore, they formed a large organization to protect themselves.

That was the [Bang] of the beggars.

The Beggar's Sect.

However, even so, the persecution of beggars did not decrease. They were often the victims of the most unfair treatment. Even if they were stabbed somewhere, there were often no people who cared.

Still, they endured. Because they were beggars. They were the 'bill-feeding' ones.

They had no choice but to endure. That was their way of survival. They were people who lived by relying on others' kindness and favors. Even if it was cheap pity, they were grateful if it provided sustenance.

But there were times when, no matter how much they endured, they couldn't stand it. When something they shouldn't touch was touched. When their survival was threatened. They became angry.

The 'Inverse Scale Seat' was the one who represented that anger. He was the one entrusted with the Beggar's Sect's one and only 'precious sword'.

"Do you think beggars only use their bare hands or bamboo poles as weapons for no reason?"

"Well, no. They use them because they're cheap, right?"

"Right. The reason it's particularly developed is because they don't even have money to buy weapons. So instead of expensive metal, they've used their limbs and bamboo poles as weapons. Because it's cheap. Instead, they decided to have only one 'precious sword'. One sword forged with money gathered by beggars from all over the martial world, ten people contributing a coin. They decided to entrust it to one person. The person who would be angry on their behalf, the person who would be angry for them when everyone else endured humiliation."

Therefore, beggars of the Beggar's Sect never got angry carelessly. They endured any humiliation. Because they were beggars. And because they knew there was someone who would get angry for them.

Since the Beggar's Sect was a gathering of useless people among the lowest strata of society, there were many orphans and disabled people. Perhaps that's why.

The Inverse Scale Sword was a 'single-handed sword' that could be learned with only one hand. Moreover, it was a left-handed sword.

This was because the 'first Inverse Scale', after losing his right arm, was unable to suppress his resentment and anger, and in the process of burning his body with intense training, he completed the 'Inverse Scale Sword technique'.

Suddenly, Nohak was shocked and trembled as if lightning had struck him on the head.

"……!"

All hope was not lost yet. A ray of lightning flashed through the future, which had seemed so dark just moments ago.

"Nohak, can you become the dragon's Inverse Scale?"

"……"

"Can you step forward for the angry Beggar's Sect?"

"……"

"Can you awaken the dragon that symbolizes the sect's wrath?"

"That…"

Bilyeon didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he summarized it briefly.

"Become it, this is an order."

And he added a short phrase.

"You, you can obtain the dragon's Inverse Scale, the 'Inverse Scale Sword', in that hand. In that one hand that remains!"

"Senior disciple…"

Nohak looked at Bilyeon with tearful eyes.

"What is that look? It's sickening."

Bilyeon scowled and continued.

"People originally have two arms. You still have one arm left. That's enough."

Yes, with this remaining arm, he could certainly show them a thing or two.

"To get back at that guy, one arm is enough, right? You think so too, don't you? Your heart hasn't become crippled yet."

He was saying, 'So get up again.'

So what if one of your limbs is disabled? As long as your mind isn't crippled, you can still become stronger.

That's what he was saying.

Nohak couldn't hold back the tears from overflowing.

He made a firm resolution to hold the Inverse Scale Sword in this hand, become stronger, and return to the side of the senior disciple and his friends. Will and hope surged from the depths of his heart.

* * *

Three hours passed from then.

When the time came, Bilyeon walked towards the place where the ship was waiting.

The ship was anchored by the lakeside, northeast of the Gangho Land. It was in a hidden spot, under a cliff that jutted deep into the land like a drill. The ship they had escaped on from Machang Pavilion had already sunk beneath Dongting Lake, so Jang Hong had managed to acquire this ship through subtle influence. The people who would operate the ship were also discreet individuals selected by Jang Hong. They would take Bilyeon's party to their desired location.

Many people were already waiting for Bilyeon in front of the ship. Including Dangsam and Nohak, who had come to see them off, not a single Suzaku Group member who could walk was absent.

As Bilyeon approached the ship, all the Suzaku Group members smiled at him.

"What's with the smiles? It's sickening, you guys."

Bilyeon retorted with a smile.

"A total of sixteen members of the Suzaku Group, thirteen including the leader Namgoongsang, two injured, one excused. All present."

Namgoongsang reported as their representative.

"Sixteen… are there?"

"Yes, sixteen! Our Suzaku Group has always been sixteen, now and in the past!"

Namgoongsang replied emphatically.

The two injured were Hyunwoon and Namgoong Sansan, and the 'one excused' was, of course, Dang Munhye. It was an expression of the will that Dang Munhye remained a member of the Suzaku Group and in their hearts.

"So many of you have come. The ship will sink."

Everyone chuckled at Bilyeon's jest. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since they had all laughed like this.

"Stop joking… In the Suzaku Group, only Gungsang, Jinryeong, and Geum Yeongho will remain; the rest should return."

Instantly, the smiles disappeared from the faces of the Suzaku Group.

"No, why? Didn't you tell us to decide?"

"Why are you suddenly doing this, Senior disciple?"

Bilyeon folded his arms, looking at their serious questions.

"Because it's dangerous."

"Since when have you cared about such things, Senior disciple?"

They all looked at Bilyeon with bewildered faces.

"From this moment on, why? Do you have a complaint?"

Of course, they had complaints, but no one dared to voice them upon seeing Bilyeon rubbing his wrist with one hand.

"You would only be a hindrance as you are now. In cases like Munhye, one person is enough. This is the second and last time. I don't want to lose you all again."

"Senior disciple…"

A wave of emotion washed over the faces of the Suzaku Group. Bilyeon continued in a solemn voice.

"…If you are not here, who will take care of my old age later?"

-As expected!

The heightened emotion suddenly plummeted and cooled down. At the same time, their dissatisfaction resurfaced and intensified.

"While Gungsang leader and Jinryeong are understandable, why does Geum Yeongho have to stay? He's not particularly skilled among us. Is it because… he has a lot of money?"

It was a plausible guess. But Bilyeon's answer was slightly different.

"Pocket money is not bad, but the real reason is that his family is actively operating in that region. You never know, it might be useful."

Geum Yeongho's face contorted at Bilyeon's words, which spoke of him like a portable wallet.

"Oh, and don't think you can relax just because you're going back. The ones remaining also have things to do. If the rescue team depletes our strength here, who will protect this place? Who will protect your injured friends?"

"That's true, but…"

Bilyeon cut off the hesitant words of the Suzaku Group members.

"Wait, while protecting your friends. And train, don't be lazy. Become stronger. So that I can be at ease. Understand?"

"Yes, Senior disciple."

"Then dismiss. We'll meet again in a few days."

The Suzaku Group dispersed, except for Namgoongsang and the other two. Although not a member of the Suzaku Group, Ryu Eun-gyeong remained until the end. Her argument was that she couldn't leave Namgoongsang's side. Of course, Jinryeong was angry, and Gungsang was still at a loss. Such unchanging appearances somehow reassured Bilyeon.

As the Suzaku Group members returned, several people had already boarded the ship.

They were Moyong Hwi and Jang Hong, Yong Cheonmyeong and Maharyeong, Samjeolgeom Cheongheun and Hyeongsan Ilgi Baekmuyoung, and Yeomdoran and Binggeom. Ryu Eun-gyeong had been added, and Gongsonjilhwi insisted vehemently that he must go with the Moyong brothers, so he was inevitably put on the ship.

Regrettably, Amisinnnyeo Jin Sol-ryeong and Jeomchang Jeilgeom Yu Eun-seong were assigned to escort Bingwolseonja Ye Cheong to Maeng and thus would not participate in this rescue party. Cheongseolokkyeomnyeo Gwan Seol-ji, who had wanted to participate in the rescue party, had to give up due to her father Binggeom's fierce opposition.

Before Bilyeon joined the ship last, he looked at Hyoryong, who had been silently seeing them off since earlier.

Hyoryong had two sabers strapped to his back instead of a sword. And he wore a white headband and white mourning clothes. To express condolences for someone's death. Of course, he had no intention of weeping sorrowfully and staying here indefinitely. That was not the proper behavior for a member of the Gal family.

Instead of tears of sorrow, a sharp glint shone in his eyes. Blood for blood, that was the ironclad rule of the Gal family. Although not immediately, Hyoryong would soon follow them, within days. There was something he had to confirm with his own eyes, so he could not be absent.

"I'll be following soon. Go on ahead."

"Are you okay, Ryongryong?"

Hyoryong nodded heavily.

"Don't worry about me. I'm staying behind because I have things to do. I'll follow soon."

"If you're confused, you don't have to follow."

Bilyeon said, as if he knew the feelings boiling within Hyoryong's heart.

Hyoryong silently shook his head.

"No, I must go. I have to go."

Bilyeon looked intently into Hyoryong's eyes, as if trying to probe his thoughts.

"If you say so, then so be it. I'll wait."

"Yes, wait."

Hyoryong silently watched them until Bilyeon boarded the ship and it prepared to depart. Namgoongsang, who was watching Bilyeon's side, suddenly exclaimed with a look of realization.

"Oh, Miss Na! I don't see Miss Na, Senior disciple?"

To him, who was looking around as if to say, 'How could such a mistake happen?', Bilyeon said casually.

"Don't make such a fuss. She's not coming."

"Huh? No, why?"

"I didn't tell her we were leaving today."

And then he fell silent. Namgoongsang couldn't ask any further.

Bilyeon watched the gradually receding shore and murmured.

"I'm sorry, Yerim."

Just then.

"Something strange is visible. What is that?"

Jinryeong, who had approached Namgoongsang, pointed to the cliff and asked.

"Hmm? It looks like a human shadow…"

On the cliff of the island stood a person in silhouette. From the form, it appeared to be a woman.

"That's…"

Behind her long bangs, Bilyeon's eyes widened.

"She jumped!"

Namgoongsang shouted.

"It's suicide!"

Geum Yeongho shouted.

Thwack!

A knuckle rap landed on the back of his head.

"Wrong! You idiot!"

As Bilyeon said, it was not suicide.

The woman, clad in snow-white robes, glided through the air like a bird. However, the distance between the ship and the cliff was now too great.

"She's falling into the water!"

Geum Yeongho cried out in terror.

"She's not falling!"

Thwack!

Once again, a knuckle rap landed on the back of Geum Yeongho's head.

The figure of the white-robed woman seemed to fall, but then she lightly tapped the heads of the waterbirds flying around the island with her toes and rose again.

"What an amazing Flying without wings, stepping on birds technique!"

Exclamations of admiration burst out from here and there.

The woman stepped on the birds' heads like stepping stones and landed lightly on the ship's deck like a feather. Her graceful and dignified posture, like a phoenix, naturally brought looks of awe to people's faces.

"Yerim!"

Bilyeon called out to the woman who had landed. The person who had landed on the ship, crossing over ten paces from the cliff, was surprisingly none other than Na Yerim. Truly, a graceful qinggong worthy of her epithet, Bingbaekbong.

People stared at Na Yerim, mouths agape at this sudden turn of events.

"I almost missed the ship. There's still room for me on this ship, right, Ryuyeon?"

Na Yerim asked, looking back at Bilyeon. There was a hint of reproach in her gaze. For leaving without a word.

Furthermore, her eyes seemed to say:

'You're not going to tell me to get off, are you?'

She seemed to know all the circumstances. And that meant she had decided after careful consideration of all situations.

Bilyeon, perhaps caught off guard, was speechless for a moment, then finally smiled as if defeated and replied.

"Of course. My seat is always empty. Because it's always Yerim's seat."