“...”

The princess of the North Sea Ice Palace silently stared at the Jade Gui that had been handed to her.

The Jade Gui of her father, the Ice Palace Lord.

She had already known from the beginning that Namgoong Mucheon possessed the Jade Gui; it was an undeniable, genuine article.

The Ice Palace princess lifted her gaze and looked at the one who had held out the Jade Gui.

“...What do you gain by doing this...?”

Namgoong Mucheon did not avoid the princess’s gaze either.

White hair befitting the princess of the North Sea Ice Palace, transparent and clear skin.

Snowflake-like long lashes that veiled her silver eyes.

Beautiful enough to be called an absolute beauty, she was also known in the North Sea as a woman without blood or tears.

There was no small number of her political enemies who had vanished overnight only to be found as corpses in horrifying states.

“...Are you trying to buy time...?”

Her languidly curling voice was as indifferent as could be.

The way she idly turned the Jade Gui this way and that was likewise steeped in a carelessness that did not seem to consider anything deeply.

“You may be the princess of the Ice Palace, but the Jade Gui is the Palace Lord’s will itself. I do not believe you will go against it.”

The Ice Palace princess slowly rolled her gaze.

“Will I not...?”

“Is your lifelong wish not to widen the Ice Palace’s territory? One who lays down her life for the Palace cannot defy the Palace Lord’s will.”

The Ice Palace princess tapped her lips lightly with the Jade Gui and muttered low.

“That is true... I cannot go against Father’s will... I do not know why he made such a troublesome agreement, but...”

WHOOSH—

She tossed the Jade Gui she was holding up over her head.

A martial artist of the Ice Palace standing behind her snatched it out of the air and tucked it into his breast.

“It cannot be helped. For today, I shall turn back...”

“...”

“But this is the last Jade Gui... It means you will not be able to block my path with such a thing ever again...”

“So long as the swords of the Ice Palace are pointed toward the Central Plains, I too will never again send you back so meekly as this.”

At Namgoong Mucheon’s words, the princess’s eyes widened ever so slightly.

Soon, a strange smile spread across her face.

“That is something to look forward to...”

She then turned without the slightest hesitation.

As she turned, the martial artists of the North Sea followed in her wake.

“May I ask you one thing.”

At Namgoong Mucheon’s words, the Ice Palace princess turned halfway back and looked at him.

“The Palace Lord I remember sought harmony with the Central Plains. How then did the Ice Palace’s will come to walk such a tyrannical path?”

The Ice Palace princess tilted her head.

After pondering something for a moment, she slowly parted her lips.

“It is not the Palace’s will, but mine... Father does not particularly... seem intent on opposing it...”

“Then why do you bare your fangs toward the Central Plains?”

“Well now... Is a reason truly needed to wish for wealth and strength...?”

To pursue prosperity and power was nothing more than simple human instinct.

There was no other reason for her killing people and seeking to conquer the Central Plains.

“That you would be curious about my reasons... sounds stranger to me...”

Wearing a languid smile for the last time, she dipped her chin toward Namgoong Mucheon, then turned away once more.

Watching the princess and the Ice Palace’s martial artists withdraw toward the North Sea, Namgoong Mucheon let out a long sigh.

“...This has become troublesome.”

To say that it was merely for wealth and strength, without any other reason.

If there were something she wanted, he could at least attempt negotiation.

The princess of the North Sea Ice Palace was, in the truest sense, a woman with whom conversation would not work.

“Alliance Lord. Are we returning to the Martial Alliance now?”

White Tiger Division Lord Moryong Songbaek approached and asked.

Namgoong Mucheon lifted his head to the sky.

A flock of dozens of black birds was flying somewhere while maintaining a ragged formation.

“Alliance Lord?”

“We.”

Still gazing up at that flock, Namgoong Mucheon lowered his eyes and looked at the Division Lords.

“Will go to Mount Hua at once.”

****

Nok Woon, the Leader of the Mount Hua Sect, received another letter along with the Alliance Lord’s letter that had been sent across the whole martial world.

[*One of the Blood Cult’s leaders is targeting Mount Hua. Seolhwa and I believe that leader is Nomon. He will soon attack; strengthen your posture and prepare for battle.

I have sent a Martial Alliance strike unit and one man who will stand against Nomon. He is of the Demonic Cult, but shares our cause, so do not doubt him and trust in him.

Please take care, Jade-Plum Sword.

I pray that you and the disciples of Mount Hua remain unharmed.*]

Nomon is coming.

The instant he received that letter, Jade-Plum Sword Nok Woon armed all members of the Mount Hua Sect and tightened their defenses.

Even if the rest of the world did not know, those who belonged to Mount Hua could not be ignorant of Nomon’s martial might.

Mount Hua’s foremost sword.

Head of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

The Plum Blossom Divine Sword.

That was an epithet carrying the respect and awe of all within Mount Hua.

****

A tall, sheer, rocky cliff rising behind the main compound of the Mount Hua Sect.

The caves dotted throughout the mountain were training dens where Mount Hua’s disciples had pursued secluded cultivation for long years.

At the entrance of the cave that lay at the highest point among them—

Yu Gang sat on the rock placed at the mouth, looking down at his feet.

You should have abandoned me and saved your men. I have already lived long years, but they are the martial world’s future, are they not?

In Ouyang Do’s eyes as he spoke those words, the look of disappointment was blatant.

He had said that one could not hope to move forward after abandoning the future of the martial world.

That their lives were more precious than his, already worn with age.

...Who could I blame.

Ouyang Do, blaming himself for surviving, had entered the training den.

The sight of him walking wearily into the cave would not leave Yu Gang’s mind and circled endlessly.

“Elder.”

Yu Gang lifted his gaze.

Standing before him were Jinyeong and Jinye, the second-generation disciples of Mount Hua holding rice balls and water gourds.

Yu Gang’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“Thank you. Because of me, you’re having a hard time again today.”

Jinye shook her head.

“No. This is nothing at all.”

“Exactly! Because we’re coming to Elder, we even got out of laundry duty!”

Jinyeong giggled as she grabbed Jinye’s shoulder.

“Jinyeong, you shouldn’t be happy about things like that.”

Jinye, flustered, pried her off.

Seeing the two of them unchanged, Yu Gang snorted and took the food from their hands.

“But shouldn’t you change that form of address now?”

“Ah.”

Jinye covered her mouth, her expression saying that’s right.

“I’m sorry. I’ve just gotten so used to it.”

“But— to us, you still feel like Elder, you know? Isn’t the reason you’re still using the same generational character in your name because you can’t let go of the main sect?”

At Jinyeong’s tone, faintly tinged with hurt, Yu Gang once more smiled.

“I can’t exactly deny that. But publicly, I am a disciple who has been expelled. Being called Elder by you is more than I deserve.”

“But...”

“I don’t think it’s something you don’t deserve. However, since you’ve now become the direct successor who will carry on the Ouyang School, I’ll change how I address you.”

Jinyeong still looked reluctant, but at Jinye’s crisp words, she reluctantly nodded.

“Then what should we call you? Great Hero?”

Yu Gang shook his head.

“Young hero is more than enough.”

“Rather than that, how about senior?”

Yu Gang and Jinyeong both looked at Jinye.

“Se...nior...?”

“Yes. In any case, you learned martial arts before we did, and if you think about it, doesn’t your share of the Alliance Lord’s allocation of resources nearly match his?”

“T-that’s...”

Ever since becoming Ouyang Do’s disciple, his allotment of resources had indeed skyrocketed.

But that did not mean he had any intention whatsoever of flaunting his share and playing the elder of the martial world.

He had no desire to, either.

“Still, it’s not bad. The word senior.”

“Right?”

“Senior Yu Gang! That sounds great! It just rolls right off the tongue!”

At the mutually satisfying compromise, all three burst into laughter together.

An everyday scene that had been only natural before he left Mount Hua.

But now, this moment, so easily felt back then, was precious to Yu Gang.

“How are things down below? Has the Sect Leader gotten any rest?”

At Yu Gang’s question, the laughter vanished from Jinye and Jinyeong’s faces in an instant.

They traded worried looks for a moment.

Then Jinye shook her head.

****

“Sect Leader.”

Yu Pyo, Vermilion Bird Division Lord of the Martial Alliance and first-generation disciple of Mount Hua, approached Nok ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Woon.

Nok Woon, who had been standing before the main compound looking off into the distance, turned back to him.

“Is there any news?”

Yu Pyo shook his head.

“Not yet. But since the Alliance Lord said he would surely break through to this place, it should be soon.”

“...I see.”

Nok Woon still remembered clearly what had happened seven years ago.

The man who had, before anyone knew it, placed sorcery upon the disciples, sought to topple the Mount Hua Sect, and attempted to wield its disciples with his own hand.

Mount Hua’s foremost sword, and the one he had once called his master. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

He is returning.

To this Mount Hua.

To topple Mount Hua once more.

“What grudge does he bear that he is so desperate to lay hands on the Mount Hua Sect? I cannot understand it. Once... was he not the one who loved Mount Hua most of all?”

“So he was.”

The sect, and the swords of Mount Hua. The senior and junior brothers of Mount Hua.

It was because he had loved them so dearly that he had devoted himself to Mount Hua’s sword more than anyone, and because of that, he had earned the epithet Plum Blossom Divine Sword.

“How could one who cared so for Mount Hua become a dog to those utterly depraved?”

“I cannot say I know the reason clearly, either. However, there is something the Elders and I surmise.”

“May I ask what that is?”

Nok Woon cast his gaze far away once more.

The sky above Mount Hua seemed thickly overcast, filled edge to edge with clouds.