Boom.
The Grand Elder felt the air trembling.
Simultaneously, he realized what destructive power the spear tip shooting toward his chest possessed.
This… is dangerous.
A threat to his life he’d felt only a few times in his life. Every hair on his body stood on end, and the world slowed down.
Swoosh!
Jin Tae-kyung’s spear from the front, Jin Wi-gyeong’s sword from behind. The two brothers’ coordinated attack was perfectly timed.
Truly a moment of life and death.
Whoosh.
The decade of internal energy coiled in the Grand Elder’s danjeon spread throughout his body’s meridians. It injected vitality into aging muscles and awakened blood vessels. The transformation didn’t stop there.
The sword qi that had risen nearly a foot compressed to half its size.
But this wasn’t a reduction in power—it was concentration. The sword qi that had fluttered like thread wrapped around the entire blade, taking the form of another sword.
Sword Force.
The symbol of superhuman beings who pioneered realms beyond master level.
Though still only an incomplete half, it was definitely Sword Force, the crystallization of martial arts the Grand Elder had cultivated his entire life.
Slash.
Even the Taiyuan Jin Family’s ancestral treasure sword was cut while coated in sword qi. Jin Wi-gyeong’s face turned pale as his internal energy scattered and his insides were shaken in an instant.
A situation where one strike could take his head.
But the Grand Elder didn’t have time for that.
Shriek!
The Grand Elder reached for the spear approaching his chest. His wrinkled hand was also wrapped in a dazzling light of qi.
This too was incomplete Hand Force, but it should have been enough to stop Jin Tae-kyung’s spear.
No, it should have been.
Boom.
Until the vortex flowing from the spear tip swallowed him.
A deathly silence fell. It felt like dozens, perhaps everyone on the battlefield, was watching us.
No, not us. Just one person.
“This is…” Among countless gazes, the Grand Elder slowly spoke.
“What technique was that?”
I answered.
“One Flash.”
Just speaking caused extreme hunger. My muscles tingled, and not a speck of internal energy remained in my body.
But that was all. I neither passed out like with Jo Pil, nor collapsed pathetically.
My body can handle it now.
I’d grown strong enough to handle One Flash’s side effects, and as I grew stronger, One Flash’s power grew too.
The Grand Elder’s current state was proof of that.
“One Flash, One Flash.”
He mumbled softly while pressing an acupoint on his shoulder.
The bleeding stopped, but that was all—his arm, cleanly severed by One Flash’s vortex, wouldn’t return.
“Never thought I’d become one-armed at this age. Heh heh.”
The Grand Elder laughed dejectedly and turned his head toward Jin Wi-gyeong.
“You’ve got a frightening little brother.”
Jin Wi-gyeong asked with a pale face:
“Do you fear that child?”
“What about you?”
“I’m proud of him.”
An answer without a hint of hesitation. A smile bloomed on his pallid face.
“Raised him like gold and jade, but he grew into steel. That’s the kind of child Tae-kyung is.”
The Grand Elder stared at that smile.
“You’re quite a decent talent. Capable of shouldering the Taiyuan Jin Family’s future.”
“Is that so?”
“But not as much as your brothers.”
I mean, Jin Mu-gyeong reaching master level before coming of age is one thing, but rating even me that highly is quite flattering…
What’s he trying to say?
As if reading my thoughts, the Grand Elder continued:
“Power is something you don’t share even with blood. When that time comes, will you still be proud of your brothers?”
The atmosphere instantly turned frigid.
Everyone in close quarters with the Grand Elder now was Taiyuan Jin Family affiliated. Careful glances stuck to my cheeks before quietly disappearing.
Family Head? I don’t want that shit.
That’s when Jin Wi-gyeong spoke:
“So that’s it.”
His voice carried both complexity and relief. The Grand Elder’s eyebrow twitched.
“What do you mean?”
“Why you betrayed us. Why today happened.”
“…”
The Grand Elder’s trembling eyes answered for him. I internally sighed.
So that’s what it was.
Succession struggle.
Feels like a large puzzle piece falling into place. The smaller pieces that hadn’t found their spots were being fitted one by one through their conversation.
“What happened?”
Jin Wi-gyeong asked in a respectful tone.
A change so natural that no one present noticed.
“Do you know about your grandfather?”
“I’ve heard nothing. Father never spoke a word.”
“He was a cruel man. To his son, to his only brother. And…” The Grand Elder smiled wryly.
“A petty man. For various reasons, we brothers who were once close gradually grew apart. Then that incident happened.”
“The Orthodox-Demonic Great War.”
“Have you heard of the Ten Thousand Demonic Path? They came in endless waves. The Martial Alliance was formed but was merely a union of the Nine Sects and One Faction, busy protecting their own territories.”
That’s when the Grand Elder truly began making his name.
He united the martial artists of Shanxi Province under the Taiyuan Jin Family’s banner and finally drove back the demonic forces.
“Right here, in Baquan Gorge, the final battle took place.”
His gaze seemed to trace somewhere in the distant past.
“It was a long war. Many died, and everyone was exhausted. But there was hope. Hope of returning to our families’ embrace. Three hundred suicide squad members shared that feeling.”
“And you achieved great victory, didn’t you?”
The result of three hundred versus three thousand was the demonic cult’s annihilation.
It was a magnificent victory, and the reason the Grand Elder was still remembered today. Everyone believed this without doubt.
At least until just now.
“There was an ambush.”
What?
“We fought while retreating deep into the gorge, but we were overwhelmed. Even while swinging my sword like mad, one question wouldn’t leave me.”
The Grand Elder’s following voice was chillingly calm.
“How could they prepare an ambush beforehand? When Elder Brother should have been blocking the path to Baquan Gorge.”
….
Silent shock spread through the crowd. The blood completely drained from Jin Wi-gyeong’s already pale face.
“The battle continued for half a day.
We fought waiting for reinforcements that never came. Of the three hundred suicide squad members, only eight survived. Finally, when we returned to the clan, I can’t forget Elder Brother’s expression.”
“Is that… true?”
“Enough time has passed for mountains and rivers to change several times. Did you think I came this far on mere suspicion?”
Decades were more than enough time to turn suspicion into certainty.
The Grand Elder laughed dejectedly.
“Elder Brother turned the war into opportunity.
I became a hero on the battlefield, but he became family head. After all those who followed me had died or gone missing in battle.”
“Then entering the Elder Council immediately was also…”
“So he would feel at ease. So I and my people could preserve our lives.”
My people?
I recalled his earlier words.
The eight survivors who followed the Grand Elder. It wasn’t hard to deduce their identities.
The elders and masters of the Shanxi Five Sects.
The survivors vowed revenge. Revenge against the family head and clan that betrayed them. The Grand Elder slowly swept his gaze over the crowd.
“It was truly a long wait.”
People were wrapped in silence. Disbelief, shock, shame. Though emotions varied, no one could easily speak.
Ah, except me of course.
“That’s some long-winded bullshit.”
“…” I couldn’t hold back the laughter leaking out.
I listened to see what would come up, but this…
“Your goal’s just one thing after all.”
I wiggled my thumb at the Grand Elder.
“Forget revenge, you just want to become this, right?”
“What did you say?”
“I’m right. The Taiyuan Jin Family and Hengshan Sword Sect.
You want to clear out everything in the way and swallow Shanxi Province whole.”
“You bastard—!”
Did the old man boil a train furnace? Ah, they don’t have trains here.
“Revenge? Fine. That’s all good, but…” I picked my ear while continuing.
“Why take that revenge now?”
This happened forty years ago. Considering the Grand Elder’s age, he waited half his life.
“How many of the people who backstabbed you are even still alive? Talk about being late to the party. Oh, and please, spare me that noble bullshit about a gentleman’s revenge taking ten years.”
If waiting ten years makes you noble, does waiting forty make the Grand Elder Jesus?
It’s just a crazy old man’s self-justification.
“You speak quite freely with that mouth.”
“I did. What are you gonna do about it?”
“You think you know everything?”
“Do I need to? After things have come this far?”
I smirked at the obvious question and pointed at the battlefield. Mountains of corpses, sea of blood, hell on earth. The literal scene was before our eyes.
“That’s…”
The Grand Elder’s cold eyes wavered. But only for an instant.
“Indeed. What more needs to be said?”
He muttered self-mockingly as he raised his sword.
“Grand Elder.”
Jin Wi-gyeong’s lips moved, but that was all.
A fight that would only end with one side’s death.
We’d come too far to turn back.
“Come.”
I wasn’t one to decline.
“Attack!”
Time to hunt the wounded beast.
I remember the day I first saw the Grand Elder.
Dignity and majesty that belied his age. His white beard reminded one of an immortal.
Slash!
Though I doubt any immortal would mercilessly cut people in half.
Even a rotten croaker is still a croaker.
He swings his sword relentlessly while covered in blood. Gazes of awe and fear pour toward him.
“Monster…” Though he lost an arm, the Grand Elder was still strong. But clearly not as strong as before.
We can take him.
Though the Grand Elder is a master-level expert, the martial artists here are also the Taiyuan Jin Family’s elite. Warriors skilled enough to survive roaming battlefields under Jin Wi-gyeong and the earlier fight with the Grand Elder.
Clang clang clang!
The Grand Elder’s expression darkened as he deflected sword blades striking from all directions. Before, he would have cut through everything blocking him with sword qi.
Evidence that his once inexhaustible internal energy was showing its bottom.
Add to that his aged body reaching its limit.
Swoosh.
Sword wounds gradually increased on the Grand Elder’s body. Unlike before, most of the blood was his own.
Now!
I wasn’t about to miss that opening. My spear thrust with all my might tore a chunk of flesh from his side.
“Hah!”
Even while feeling the pain, the Grand Elder cut down one warrior and charged at me. As if truly resolved, faint sword qi coated his swinging blade.
But…
Slash.
The sword qi scattered along with a spray of blood. Jin Wi-gyeong appeared behind him as he staggered.
“I’d forgotten about you.”
The Grand Elder turned with a twisted face.
“Did you learn to stab backs from Elder Brother?”
“What’s a sneak attack matter when my people are dying?”
“Have you no shame as a martial artist?”
“I’m the Lesser Family Head before I’m a martial artist.”
“Lesser Family Head, heh heh.”
Jin Wi-gyeong looked at the Grand Elder with a complex expression.
“The tide has already turned.”
“And? Going to suggest surrender?”
“Please stop this meaningless fight.”
The flow of battle had long since turned our way. But the black-clad men stubbornly resisted, and the screams and corpses still hadn’t decreased.
“You’re right. It might be a meaningless fight. But…” The staggering Grand Elder straightened his back. Suddenly light flashed in his eyes and a sword-like aura began rising.
“We’ve come too far to stop.”
Last gasp?
No, more than that. I suddenly remembered someone.
Jo Pil. The final form he showed before dying overlapped with the current Grand Elder.
Primordial qi. He’s drawing out primordial qi.
If internal energy is post-heaven qi accumulated through circulation and elixirs, primordial qi is the opposite. The source within the body that could be called life force itself.
The Grand Elder is now using primordial qi with his life as collateral.
“Kuhk.”
The Grand Elder spat blood and raised his sword. Opposite to his rapidly fading life, his sword shone more brilliantly than ever. Seeing that overwhelming sight, one word unconsciously escaped my lips.
“Sword Force…” It was instinct. Just looking made my heart pound. I felt a terrifying aura far transcending sword qi.
And.
“Ah yes, you were here.”
Red eyes with burst blood vessels stare at me.
Jin Wi-gyeong rushed to block the Grand Elder in panic.
“No!”
But the Grand Elder was already gone. Compressing five zhang of distance in one step, he brought his sword down at me.
Whoosh.
So this is how I die.
An attack I couldn’t dodge or block.
I’m dead. I will die.
But…
I can’t die like this.
I squeezed every muscle in my body. The speck of internal energy remaining rushed toward the spear tip.
It was a final struggle, and respect for my life that I’d lived so fiercely until now.
“One Flash.”
Shrieek!
My final strike shot forth with my last strength.