Chapter 361
During that process Dugohyeon did give me enlightenment, but at the time he said this.
-The enlightenment you gained now is merely the result of your own effort, so do not think to repay me with it.
I had thought he was an unusual man.
And no matter how many times he told me not to repay him, in my heart I still thought that someday I would return the favor.
But isn’t the current situation a little... odd?
“Doesn’t that line about not repaying you sound strange in context?”
“It is not strange. As I showed you kindness then, I mean for you to show kindness to yourself now.”
Show kindness to myself?
It sounded as if there were a deeper meaning.
Dugohyeon said to Geum Mujeok, who brushed his face with his hand as if to wipe it away, as if driving a nail in place.
“Remember this. An opportunity like this will not come again.”
A moment of silence passed.
Geum Mujeok slowly sheathed his sword.
“...Tch. I yield. I accept.”
“An excellent choice.”
In truth, from the moment Dugohyeon appeared this outcome had been inevitable.
“However, I want to add one condition.”
“Speak.”
“Not only myself, but the entire Golden Sword Gate will join the Heavenly Alliance.”
Dugohyeon turned his head. That was beyond what he could accept on his own terms.
When Seol Unhwi nodded, Dugohyeon said, “Very well. Let it be so.”
Geum Mujeok scratched his head, looked at Seol Unhwi, and clasped his hands in salute.
“I will head to Cheonsu soon.”
“Do so.”
Geum Mujeok then stomped to the other side and in an instant his figure vanished.
Seol Unhwi looked at Dugohyeon, who was smiling.
“You have something to tell me, it seems.”
“I will say this: I like this about the Heavenly Arbiter.”
“This aspect?”
“When you converse with the Heavenly Arbiter, there is no need to go around in circles.”
“Is that so?”
“Then I will ask plainly. What is the Heavenly Alliance’s final destination?”
At that question Seol Unhwi closed his mouth, and Chief Seong also fell silent.
“There are many cases where retired or reclusive former masters break their seclusion and reveal themselves. But this time is very different.”
It really was different.
“Not one or two, but dozens broke their seclusion and entrusted themselves to the Heavenly Alliance, as if by agreement.”
“....”
“Worse, they followed the Alliance Lord, the Flame King, blindly.”
“....”
“Among the numerous groups in the martial world, it is extremely rare to appoint martial artists of Cheonji Sage level as members of an armed organization. More than twenty of mythic-level martial artists were appointed to that position, and yet there was no complaint.”
It was more than mere lack of complaint.
“In the Soul-Dao Demon Flame Palace incident their contribution was conspicuous. Was it the Heavenly-Spirit Sword Corps they called it?”
“That is correct.”
“To state it plainly, except for the Blood-Spirit Corps of the Original Blood Cult, the Heavenly-Spirit Sword Corps is probably the strongest armed group currently extant in the martial world.”
Dugohyeon walked to the cliff edge and clasped his hands behind his back there.
“Yes. I ask plainly now: what is the ultimate purpose of the Heavenly Alliance?”
Seol Unhwi stepped slowly to his side.
A long silence followed.
It was clear they already knew a fair amount.
As Dugohyeon had said, Seol Unhwi did not wish to beat around the bush.
“The ultimate purpose of the Heavenly Alliance is peace.”
“....”
“But the majority of those who have joined from the Millennium Demon Cult hope for the restoration of the Millennium Demon Cult.”
At these words Dugohyeon’s eyes widened.
He had expected something, but this exceeded his expectation by far.
“I thought there was something... the Millennium Demon Cult, huh... hm...”
Dugohyeon exhaled a sigh and, replaying Seol Unhwi’s words in his head, noticed one thing.
Seol Unhwi’s tone was as if he were drawing a line.
When Dugohyeon looked at him, Seol Unhwi, as if guessing his thoughts, immediately spoke.
“To say it once more: many among those in the Heavenly Alliance hope for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult.”
Dugohyeon turned to look at Seol Unhwi.
“How frank. You could have lied and I might have let it pass.”
“Because I know your heart as a senior, I did not lie.”
“...Huh... the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult...”
Dugohyeon stared into the void.
“The Thousand-Year Cataclysm. Do you know how many martial artists died then?”
“I do.”
“The orthodox, the heterodox, civilians alike—more than a million died. Even skimming the records, the horror is beyond words.”
“I know that too.”
Watching the silent Dugohyeon, Seol Unhwi asked, “Dugohyeon senior, one question.”
“Ask.”
“Who writes history?”
Dugohyeon frowned.
“The victors, do they not?”
“That is correct. The history of the Thousand-Year Cataclysm was written by the victors. That the Millennium Demon Cult was evil, that they massacred innocents, that they plunged the martial world into chaos.”
Seol Unhwi looked Dugohyeon squarely in the face.
“But is that the whole truth?”
“....”
“The Millennium Demon Cult certainly committed wrongs. But were they the only ones at fault? Were the orthodox clean?”
Dugohyeon closed his mouth.
“You know as well, senior, what the orthodox did after the Thousand-Year Cataclysm.”
“...They killed countless innocent people under the pretext of rooting out remnants of the Demon Cult.”
“That is right. Even factions unrelated to the cult were annihilated. Simply because they did not fit the orthodox’s standards.”
Seol Unhwi continued.
“I do not claim the Millennium Demon Cult was perfect. But what they pursued was not pure malice.”
“Hmm...”
“Do you know the fundamental tenet of the Millennium Demon Cult?”
Dugohyeon shook his head.
“Universal equality.”
“...What?”
“The Millennium Demon Cult did not consider birth or family background. If you had talent, anyone could rise to high office; the strong could not trample the weak at will.”
Seol Unhwi paused.
“Of course, as time passed that ideal faded and was corrupted, but in its early days the Millennium Demon Cult was that way. When the orthodox favored the scions of prestigious families, the Millennium Demon Cult gave opportunities to anyone.”
“So you intend to revive that ideal?”
“Yes.”
Dugohyeon asked sharply.
“Will the Heavenly Alliance become the Millennium Demon Cult?”
“No.”
Seol Unhwi shook his head.
“The Heavenly Alliance will remain the Heavenly Alliance. Only those within it who share the intent will rebuild the Millennium Demon Cult.”
“What does that mean...?”
“Not everyone in the Heavenly Alliance must participate in the reconstruction. Only those who desire it may do so. Those who do not wish to remain simply as members of the Heavenly Alliance may do so.”
Dugohyeon thought for a long time, then asked, “Is that possible?”
“It is possible. The Heavenly Alliance is not a successor to the Millennium Demon Cult. It is a new organization that inherits certain ideals of the Millennium Demon Cult.”
“....”
“Dugohyeon senior.”
Seol Unhwi looked Dugohyeon squarely in the face.
“The Heavenly Alliance will walk the path of righteousness. It will not harm innocent people, nor will it disturb the order of the martial world. It will rather play a role in stabilizing the martial world.”
“Like in the Soul-Dao Demon Flame Palace incident?”
“Exactly.”
Dugohyeon exhaled a long sigh.
“Heavenly Arbiter.”
“Yes.”
“Then I will ask.”
Dugohyeon’s gaze sharpened.
“And you yourself? Do you wish for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult?”
Seol Unhwi was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.
“The reconstruction will happen.”
“I have heard that already.”
“And I will participate in that reconstruction.”
Dugohyeon’s eyes widened.
“You... participate?”
“Yes. And I will play the most decisive role.”
Seol Unhwi looked up at the sky.
“Perhaps I may stand at the vanguard.”
“Vanguard?”
Seol Unhwi looked back at Dugohyeon.
“I respect every path a martial artist walks. If my people wish to rebuild the Millennium Demon Cult, and if they choose to walk that road, then I will walk with them.”
“....”
“A martial artist walks his own path. Some walk the path of righteousness, some walk the path of the heretic. If my people choose the road of rebuilding the Millennium Demon Cult, I will walk that road with them.”
Seol Unhwi’s voice was calm but resolute.
Dugohyeon, who had been staring at Seol Unhwi, asked, “Respect all paths?”
“Yes. However, there is one condition.”
“Condition?”
“That they be willing to stake their lives for that path. They must be willing, until the moment they truly die, to hold to that path, and even in the pain of having limbs torn from them, to carry it through.”
Dugohyeon was silent.
“If they can do that, even those who proclaim that their way is to consume people deserve respect. That is what it means to be a martial artist.”
“...Then Heavenly Arbiter, will you stake your life for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult?”
Seol Unhwi shook his head.
“No.”
“What did you say?”
“I will not stake my life for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult. I will stake my life for my people.”
Seol Unhwi smiled.
“If they wish to rebuild the Millennium Demon Cult, I will go with them. But it is not for the sake of the Millennium Demon Cult; it is because they are my people.”
Dugohyeon fell silent for a long moment, then nodded.
“Now I understand.”
He clasped his hands in salute to Seol Unhwi.
“Heavenly Arbiter. I will support your intent.”
“Thank you, Dugohyeon senior.”
Seol Unhwi returned the salute.
“But remember this: if the Heavenly Alliance departs from the path of righteousness and becomes a scourge upon the martial world, then I too will have no choice but to turn my back.”
“If I can convince you, what then?”
“Convince me?”
“Yes. If you secure legitimacy and make me sure that turning your back is not the right thing, would you still turn your back then?”
Dugohyeon nodded and said, “Then I will stand with you.”
“So you will not leave the Heavenly Alliance.”
“That is # Nоvеlight # correct.”
“How fortunate. The Heavenly Alliance needs people like you to walk the right path.”
Dugohyeon snorted softly.
“I felt that even then: you are a very persuasive speaker.”
“I merely spoke the truth.”
The two men looked at each other and smiled.
***
Plum Pavilion.
Flame King Hwa Munyeom sat alone drinking tea.
It was a quiet afternoon.
A breeze came, and the branches of the plum tree swayed.
At that moment Hwa Munyeom’s hand stopped.
“Visiting like this upon a first meeting is hardly polite, I think.”
His gaze turned toward the entrance of the Plum Pavilion.
“Hahaha.”
With that laugh a man appeared.