Chapter 404. Debating the Sword at Mount Hua.
The thought in my head was this.
‘I shouldn’t let him die peacefully.’
I looked at Eldest Brother, then opened my mouth.
“Let’s discuss death. Before killing and being killed, can’t we at least hear each other’s opinions?”
A conversation in which money, death, and swords are intertwined is debating the sword.
Left Envoy Wei said nothing, but the Hainan Killing Star permitted it.
“Go on.”
“Six thousand standard silver ingots. That is a great deal of money. If you’re called the Killing Star, I don’t think you simply kill for money. Killing powerful foes comes first, I imagine. So if you’re going to kill anyway, you may as well get paid for it, isn’t that it?”
The Hainan Killing Star nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Hao Sect Master, you understand the essence of it.”
I pointed at the Hainan Killing Star with my finger.
“That is exactly it. I understand the essence. But you do not seem to understand Left Envoy Wei’s essence.”
The Hainan Killing Star looked at Left Envoy Wei.
“I understand him well enough.”
“I doubt it.”
“In what way?”
“To Left Envoy Wei, six thousand silver ingots is not a lot of money. If he were paying in proportion to his wealth, he should have spat out far more. After all, once he dies, his wealth is useless too. But he did not do that. That is because, after sizing you up, Left Envoy Wei thought six thousand silver ingots was appropriate. If the amount were unrealistically high, you would grow suspicious. In fact, he lowered it. If you kill me, that is fortunate for him. If you fail, it does not matter. Left Envoy Wei has merely thrown out six thousand silver ingots to see my martial arts in advance. In that case, astonishingly, the price of your life is also only six thousand silver ingots. Instead, I will raise the stakes.”
“What?”
“I won’t even raise them by much. If you kill Eldest Brother and me, six thousand silver ingots. If you and your men kill Left Envoy Wei here, ten thousand silver ingots. I may not be as rich as Left Envoy Wei, but I have that much wealth.”
The Hainan Killing Star looked at Left Envoy Wei.
“The Sect Master is raising the stakes. What do you think?”
I snapped my fingers.
“One moment, Killing Star.”
“Speak.”
“I will place a limit on the stakes. Naturally, Left Envoy Wei is rich, so he can raise them. If that happens, he and I will end up in a contest of bluffs. Negotiations end here. If anyone demands stakes higher than this, I will kill all of you by myself. What you must consider is simple. Judge whether I am stronger or Left Envoy Wei is stronger, then decide. For reference, Left Envoy Wei has likely never revealed his full strength. Does it not seem that way to you as well, Eldest Brother?”
Before Eldest Brother could speak, the Hainan Killing Star said with a laugh.
“What is your intention in saying, in this situation of all things, that Left Envoy Wei is strong?”
I glared at the Hainan Killing Star.
“Why? Because the fact that you failed to see through Left Envoy Wei means you were deceived by him. It is a fairly large gamble, so I am telling you to judge correctly. The fact that even Left Envoy Wei, who has hidden his skill so well, ultimately has to sacrifice you all in order to see my martial arts means I am that difficult to gauge. Who looks stronger?”
Only then did killing intent appear in the Hainan Killing Star’s eyes. In other words, it was probably because he had effectively been told that he was weaker than either Left Envoy Wei or me.
Eldest Brother, who had been quiet, looked at Left Envoy Wei.
“Left Envoy Wei.”
“What is it?”
“How long do you intend to keep pretending to be a cat?”
Left Envoy Wei wore a sneer.
“There has not been a single moment when I was a cat.”
Eldest Brother nodded.
“So that is the posture of a merchant. In the end, was it caution and a mindset meant to always secure an advantage in negotiations?”
“Think as you like.”
“This was long ago. I received a report that the Mingtian Wei Clan attacked Guangchengzi’s descendants on Mount Kongtong without any clear reason, and that there were many casualties on both sides. The fight was already over and there were no follow-up reports, so I left it alone. Afterward, I heard reports that the patriarch of the Mingtian Wei Clan had been immersed in training for a long time, and that his household was scraping together money even more ruthlessly.”
Left Envoy Wei asked.
“What is it you want to say?”
Eldest Brother smiled.
“What I know, the Cult Leader knows as well. You were a fine merchant who filled the cult’s coffers, and at the same time, a man who went about causing all manner of trouble, someone who would have to be killed someday. That is why you are here on the Cult Leader’s orders. Do you understand?”
Left Envoy Wei laughed as though it had no particular effect on him.
Eldest Brother continued.
“Those who barely survived at Mount Kongtong restored their old martial arts, opened the gates they had sealed, and took in disciples. In other words, because of your clan, the Kongtong Sect, a force of the orthodox path, began. That is how the report described it, but you would know better than I what is contained in the word ‘restored.’”
To summarize, it seemed this Mingtian Wei Clan had stolen the martial arts of Guangchengzi, a branch of Daoism.
How had a clan belonging to the Demon Cult’s outer hall come to accept the martial arts of a Daoist lineage? On one hand, it was strange, but if the martial arts were excellent, there was also no particular reason they could not accept them. Those bastards of the demonic path were the sort who would do anything to become stronger, not the sort who insisted on learning only demonic arts.
In any case, I did not exclude the Hainan Killing Star from the debate of the sword.
“……Killing Star, did you hear that? Left Envoy Wei is a powerful foe. Six thousand taels for striking down me and Eldest Brother, or ten thousand taels for striking down the powerful foe, Left Envoy Wei. The time has come to decide.”
The Hainan Killing Star said.
“Sect Master. I have never made a deal with you. How can I trust your words?”
I nodded.
“Someone unrelated to the deaths that will occur here should put his life on the line and notarize it. Wouldn’t that do?”
The Hainan Killing Star nodded.
“That is true. If Left Envoy Wei failed to keep his promise, I intended to kill his younger brothers. Someone whose identity is certain should stand as guarantor.”
I pointed at the Hainan Killing Star with my finger.
“Correct. The First Demon Squad came through earlier. The second son of the Fengyun Meng Clan, who was gravely wounded while dealing with the First Demon Squad, is lying inside. If I fail to keep my promise, kill him.”
Eldest Brother looked at me, but I deliberately did not meet his eyes.
“……”
“They say that one is the Sword Demon’s disciple.”
I nodded.
“That is why he fits.”
He did fit.
As the Hainan Killing Star pondered, Left Envoy Wei said.
“See here, Killing Star. All this time, I thought you at least feared our clan. Was I wrong?”
The Hainan Killing Star laughed.
“Left Envoy Wei. I have no family. I have no disciples, and I killed my master with my own hands. All I need to do is take care of my own body, so what clan could I possibly fear?”
“If you attack a Left Envoy of the Divine Cult, do you think you can survive the Cult Leader?”
The Hainan Killing Star answered.
“According to the Sword Demon, you have been out of favor since long ago, so that is not something you need to worry about.”
Left Envoy Wei shook his head, then looked at me.
“……Is this sort of estrangement even possible? If anything, the rumors about you seem to have been understated. I have now confirmed why those who attacked you until now failed one after another. It was not solely because of martial arts.”
Left Envoy Wei once again grew calm, like a great merchant calculating every detail, then spoke while looking back and forth between the Hainan Killing Star and me.
“Killing Star, I respect your opinion as well. I will accept the Sect Leader’s wishes too. I did not know you were people who valued agreements so highly. I will concede everything, so grant me understanding on just one thing. Will you hear me out?”
The Hainan Killing Star and I nodded together.
“Speak.”
Left Envoy Wei said,
“It would be better if we did not see each other’s martial arts. If the Killing Star intends to strike me, I will go fight him outside the manor. Conversely, if the Killing Star intends to strike the Sect Leader, I will wait outside for a while before coming back in. This is my final proposal. Do you all accept it?”
Left Envoy Wei tried to win over the Killing Star to the very end.
“Killing Star, do that. If we fight among ourselves anyway, we may be ambushed by the Sword Demon and the Sect Leader.”
Now that all eyes were on him, the Hainan Killing Star grinned.
“Let’s do that. Now I just have to choose? I have no personal feelings against either of you.”
The Hainan Killing Star slowly looked me up and down, then said something unexpected.
“Somehow, money does not seem to be the important issue.”
“You only realized that now?”
The Hainan Killing Star did not answer my question. He rose and said,
“Left Envoy Wei, let’s go outside.”
The Hainan Killing Star walked over to his subordinates, and while they gathered together and headed outside, Left Envoy Wei kept glaring at me.
“Sect Leader.”
“What?”
“Never mind. I’ll tell you later.”
Left Envoy Wei stood and walked toward the collapsed wall. Only after both sides disappeared did I look at my eldest brother.
My eldest brother said,
“One truly cannot see even an inch ahead in the affairs of the world.”
My eldest brother and I watched outside the manor. The Hainan Killing Star’s voice could be heard.
“……Left Envoy, how far are you going to walk? Let’s do it here. Hey.”
Before I knew it, neither the Hainan Killing Star’s party nor Left Envoy Wei could be seen. Only the sound of small branches snapping rang out a few times; it seemed the Hainan Killing Star’s group was surrounding Left Envoy Wei.
The Hainan Killing Star’s voice sounded again.
“Kill him.”
It was not a particularly stirring command. Several weapons were drawn, and the sound of wind being torn apart followed. Amid a few mingled shouts, I heard bones breaking and something bursting apart. Since, unexpectedly, I did not hear the sound of weapons clashing, I knew Left Envoy Wei was not using a weapon.
There seemed to be some rare weapons as well, for something spun round and round, stirring up the wind. The sounds of hidden weapons, something exploding, and someone stamping the ground with a heavy step rang out too.
To my delight, the Hainan Killing Star’s voice could be heard.
“……Even if you die, cut off at least one piece of him before you do. What a loathsome bastard.”
I looked at a passing maidservant, then shook the Seven-Plum flask. Then, while Left Envoy Wei and the Hainan Killing Star were fighting, the Six-Plum arrived.
I shared the Six-Plum with my eldest brother, all the while continuing to focus on the sounds.
The sounds of footwork and fluttering robes grew even more sparse, but the fight did not end. It was the sound of the small fry dying and the masters remaining to continue the battle.
Strangely, the sound of bones breaking rang out several times, yet not a single person screamed.
Even as a large tree fell with a crack, a certain silence lay beneath the battlefield.
Because the air outside the manor was filled with killing intent, the fight had not ended yet, but the area fell quiet for a moment. There were times in a fight when it would lapse briefly into a lull, and it seemed that was what was happening now.
Just as I was about to grow bored, Left Envoy Wei’s voice sounded.
“……How about it? Earning six thousand taels of silver, even now?”
The Hainan Killing Star’s laughter burst out, then was abruptly cut off by someone else’s doing. Soon after, the dreadful sound of a palm-force clash overlapped with shouts and the mingling of sword qi and sword wind.
My eldest brother held out an empty cup to me, so I calmly poured him wine like a waiter.
After drinking, my eldest brother murmured,
“……Can Left Envoy Wei combine Daoist martial arts and demonic arts to absorb even the Killing Star’s internal energy?”
“Is that what you meant when you said one can’t know the affairs of the world?”
“Since we made an agreement, we have no choice but to wait and see. With a mind that scheming, he must have gone around bowing his head no matter what until he was able to face the Cult Leader directly. A Left Envoy is a Left Envoy, after all.”
I nodded.
There were three Left Envoys I knew of alone. My eldest brother, the Lust Demon, and even Family Head Wei. There was no way an ordinary man would have taken the position of Left Envoy. Even if he was destined to be discarded after serving his purpose. Now, from the sounds coming from outside, I could distinguish how many people were fighting.
Now it was a two-on-one fight.
A sound like something slapping a backside rang out, and soon a sword flew toward the wall and embedded itself there.
Then, with a crack, palm forces collided. Perhaps someone’s shin had been broken, for the first short groan of “Ugh” rang out. In that instant, with a thud, palm forces collided again.
Was it a two-on-one contest of palm force?
I was curious, but because we had made an agreement, I did not go out.
Instead, long screams burst from those who had endured well without screaming until now. At first, there was a note of confusion in their voices, but the pain must have been considerable, for screams loud enough to echo across all of Mount Hua continued. The screams of two people soon dwindled to one, and the man screaming alone uttered human words as if he were facing death.
“Wait……!”
Wait, at this point?
Come to think of it, among human words, few were as empty, absurd, and ineffective as “wait.” Perhaps the very situation in which one had to utter the word “wait” was itself wrong.
I drank my wine and murmured,
“‘Wait,’ he says. An impressive word.”
My eldest brother nodded as well.
“Perhaps, as the Killing Star went around killing people, that was the word he heard most often at the end. Life goes round and round.”
When the tremendously resounding scream continued for a long while, then cut off.
A man who had let out a long breath must have inhaled a bit of dust, for he spat on the ground. Or had he perhaps bitten off his opponent’s nose?
I exchanged opinions with my eldest brother.
“How is it compared to the speed when you dealt with them, Eldest Brother?”
My eldest brother tilted his head.
“It seems about the same. What about you?”
“To be honest, I had no intention of killing them right away. If I had ended up fighting them, I would have cut off all their right arms first, then grilled them once more. I would have decided then, depending on my state of mind and their answers.”
From the direction of the collapsed wall, Left Envoy Wei came walking back, repeatedly brushing dust from his ruined clothes. Whether when he left or when he returned, his expression had not changed.
Only, upon checking up close.
Blood had spattered across his face here and there, making him look like a messenger who had broken through a battlefield.
Left Envoy Wei flicked his long robe back once with both hands, then took the seat he had originally occupied and looked at me.
I asked Left Envoy Wei,
“Left Envoy Wei, what was it you were going to say earlier?”
A blue light was lingering in one of Left Envoy Wei’s eyes. After thinking for a moment, he looked at me and answered,
“I forgot.”
My eldest brother picked up the wine bottle and held it out to Left Envoy Wei.
“You are quite the ruthless man yourself.”
Left Envoy Wi replied as he held out his wine cup.
“Sword Demon. How much have you grasped about our clan?”
My eldest brother spoke as he poured the wine.
“I know this much: that Myeongcheon (明天) is a truly arrogant and impudent name. Whether it was the previous family head or you, if your clan creates a divine art worthy of representing it, Myeong (明) will be divided into sun and moon (日月), and Cheon (天) will become the Heavenly Demon. In that case, would the martial art be called the Sun-Moon Heavenly Demon Art (日月天魔功)?”
Left Envoy Wi nodded as he replied.
“How much does the Cult Leader know?”
Curious about the answer as well, I looked at my eldest brother. He replied.
“The Cult Leader knows everything, in truth. He is simply seated in a position where there is no need to say he knows what he knows.”
Left Envoy Wi answered with an admiring expression.
“That is truly a marvelous thing.”
For a moment, we stopped our noisy chatter and drank the Yukmaeju.