Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 49

“You…… saw that?”

Mok Gyeong-un sensed bewilderment in the Bright Blade King Son Yun’s expression.

In the world of martial arts, he had recognized the importance of secret manuals to a certain extent.

However, judging by this man’s reaction, it was quite different from the anger of seeing someone who had viewed a secret manual that was no less than a treasure to them.

It was a reaction of disbelief.

‘What is it?’

At that moment…

-Swish!

The sharp blade of Son Yun’s large Taoist sword was pressed against his neck.

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

He had been watching the movements clearly with his eyes, yet he hadn’t noticed it until it touched him, as if he hadn’t perceived it.

‘…….. Is this a true master?’

Amazing.

It made sense why the Manor Master Mok In-dan was so tense and submissive.

However, that was the extent of his admiration.

In reality, if one let their guard down, they could be stabbed to death by a five-year-old child while sleeping.

It was right to be wary of everything.

Son Yun looked straight into Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes and spoke,

“You saw that and survived……”

“Pardon?”

“Then it’s one of two things.”

What is happened is he talking about?

As he wondered, Son Yun continued in a chilling voice,

“Either a lie or heaven’s fortune.”

“A lie or……. heaven’s fortune?”

“Until now, almost no one has remained alive and breathing after seeing the contents inside.”

“…….. What do you mean by that?”

No one remains breathing?

Aren’t I right here?

Son Yun scoffed and slightly pressed the blade against his neck, saying,

“It’s exactly as I said. So I find it hard to believe that you’re alive and well like this.”

“As you can see, I’m alive.”

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged his shoulders.

Son Yun clicked his tongue at his attitude.

He had a sword pressed against his neck, yet there was still no change in his demeanor.

Had he lost all fear? Or was he audacious?

“Looking at you, I can’t tell if you’re spouting lies out of brazenness or taking a gamble.”

“If I’m going to die anyway, what’s the point of taking a gamble?”

“………”

Son Yun stared intently into Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

If he were even slightly tense or anxious, his eyes would have wavered, but they didn’t.

[Make sure to retrieve it.]

He couldn’t disobey that order.

Then there was only one way.

“Fine. Then prove it by reciting the oral formula or demonstrating the stances. Then we’ll know for sure.”

At his proposal, Manor Master Mok In-dan and all the members of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor looked on with tense gazes.

Initially, when Mok Gyeong-un had revealed that he possessed it, they had felt a strong sense of betrayal.

However, in the current situation, Mok Gyeong-un was the only one who could save them.

‘Please.’

They desperately hoped it wasn’t a lie.

“It shouldn’t be difficult.”

With those words, Mok Gyeong-un was about to recite the oral formula.

He considered deceiving them with an incomplete formula, as he had done with Mok Yu-cheon, but they were the rightful owners of that secret manual.

If he tried to deceive them, his head might roll.

As he was about to open his mouth,

-Mortal.

A familiar voice echoed in his mind.

It was Cheong-ryeong.

Mok Gyeong-un rolled his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.

However, he couldn’t see her anywhere.

He was already puzzled by her absence when he had called for her earlier.

-Look at the roof across from you.

‘Roof?’

At those words, he looked up at the roof.

Cheong-ryeong was standing there.

Why wasn’t she coming closer?

Could it be that she was keeping her distance out of wariness of this monster-like man and that diviner?

It seemed to be the case.

However,

‘What is it?’

Cheong-ryeong’s demeanor was somewhat different from usual.

The crimson glow in her eyes as she stood on the roof was incredibly deep.

No, it felt like a blazing flame.

He could tell through their connected fate.

‘Anger?’

The emotion he sensed from her was immense anger.

It was an intense anger that could drench this entire place in blood, but she was suppressing it with tremendous self-control.

Why was she acting like this?

As he wondered, Cheong-ryeong spoke.

-The moment you recite that oral formula, you will die.

What?

Was she trying to dissuade him out of concern for that?

Of course, if he recited the entire formula, they could strike him from behind.

It would be better to recite half of it and handle the rest in a different way…..

-Mortal. Follow the oral formula and posture that I recite exactly.

Mok Gyeong-un slightly furrowed his brow.

What did she mean by following her oral formula and posture?

They would know what was written inside, so if he recited a different formula, they would surely know it was wrong.

However,

-Don’t overthink it and trust me for now.

‘Hmm.’

-If you die, mortal, I will die too.

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un pondered numerous thoughts in an instant.

The moment the oral formula was wrong, his head would roll, but if he recited the formula she taught him……

As he was contemplating, the Bright Blade King Son Yun said,

“Why aren’t you doing it?”

“………”

After deliberating, Mok Gyeong-un finally reached a conclusion.

He then clenched his sword fingers.

And he imitated Cheong-ryeong, who was assuming a bow stance on the roof with the moonlight at her back.

From a distance, the postures of the two became identical.

Cheong-ryeong opened her mouth.

-The source of non-existence, the order of the Dao. The eagle soars through the clouds, the hawk catches the hare. The sword descends like a falling leaf.

Along with that, she slowly performed the first stance while extending her sword fingers forward.

It was as if a beautiful woman was performing a sword dance.

The phrase “a beauty under the moon” came to mind.

Her fluttering red robe swayed in sync with her stances, resembling scattered flower petals.

‘………’

It was a movement that naturally captivated the soul.

If only the situation weren’t like this, he would have loved to watch leisurely.

Mok Gyeong-un then opened his mouth.

“The source of non-existence, the order of the Dao. The eagle soars through the clouds, the hawk catches the hare. The sword descends like a falling leaf!”

And he followed Cheong-ryeong’s movements.

Exactly as he had received them.

He reproduced them without a single difference.

-Ache! Ache!

Some untrained muscles cried out in pain, but he ignored it and focused on her every fingertip.

-Swish! Swish swish swish!

‘!!!!!!!’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s sword technique, the Bright Blade King Son Yun’s eyes wavered.

He wasn’t the only one.

Manor Master Mok In-dan also couldn’t take his eyes off the first stance Mok Gyeong-un was demonstrating.

‘How……. could this be…….’

He couldn’t help but be astonished.

It was truly a peerless sword technique.

Each stance was flawless, and it was difficult to find any defects.

Since it was a secret manual guarded by the Heaven and Earth Society, he had expected it to be remarkable to a certain extent, but it was truly incredible.

However, what was even more surprising was…

‘This child……. How can he move like this?’

Mok Gyeong-un’s current movements were not something a mere third-rate martial artist could achieve.

Although he moved slowly without infusing internal energy, everything from his fingertips seemed as if a peerless swordsman who had reached the realm of the sword was demonstrating a sword dance.

A swordsman of that level could clearly discern it.

‘Ha.’

If he was like this, how could Son Yun be any different?

Son Yun also couldn’t hide his admiration at Mok Gyeong-un’s display.

Not only did he recognize and view the stances, but the swordplay he demonstrated was a movement that absolutely couldn’t be achieved at that child’s level.

‘Is it talent?’

It was an incomprehensible talent.

Based on his perception, he was at most a third-rate or barely second-rate level.

Yet, he demonstrated the stances as if a peerless swordsman was performing for someone to see?

It was at that moment.

-Murmur murmur!

The sound of stirring could be heard among the masked individuals.

Son Yun knew why they were reacting like that.

“The evil perishes under the heavenly light, nothing can resist the Dao. The swordsman……””

Mok Gyeong-un was about to recite another oral formula and demonstrate the second stance.

‘Oh no!’

He had to stop him.

They couldn’t let others hear any more of the stances’ oral formulas.

Son Yun hurriedly shouted,

“Enough!”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been extending his sword fingers diagonally, halted his movement.

And he checked Son Yun’s reaction.

He had been following Cheong-ryeong’s movements on the roof with extreme concentration, so he hadn’t noticed the reaction.

‘Huh?’

Mok Gyeong-un was inwardly puzzled upon seeing the Bright Blade King Son Yun’s expression.

This time, it was truly a gamble.

After all, the oral formula wasn’t the one written in the secret manual.

However, judging by Son Yun’s expression, it didn’t seem like he had made a mistake at all.

If that weren’t the case, they would have already beheaded him.

Mok Gyeong-un asked,

“Are you convinced now?”

“………”

At this question, Son Yun stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un without uttering a word.

In his mind, an image of someone else demonstrating the same stances as Mok Gyeong-un was painted like a picture.

It was utterly villainous.

However, the sword technique Mok Gyeong-un had demonstrated was completely different in nature.

If that was the case,

‘Without a doubt.’

It was definitely the secret manual.

There was no room for doubt.

Son Yun tried his best to hide it, but his heart was pounding.

Although it had turned out differently than expected, to think he would witness the sword formula of the Moon Lineage (月脈) that was said to have been severed a hundred years ago.

It was hard to contain his excitement.

However, Son Yun quickly suppressed that emotion.

[Make sure to retrieve it.]

Retrieving the original secret manual was the best course of action.

However, if what this fellow said was true, the original had already disappeared from the world.

This fellow’s mind was the only secret manual.

“Bright Blade King.”

At that moment, the voice of the middle-aged man with the eye patch, diviner Jo, was heard.

Although he didn’t say anything else, judging by diviner Jo’s slight head shake, Son Yun seemed to understand what he meant.

He was probably telling him not to kill the kid.

‘He must be tempted.’

It was intriguing for him as well.

This brat had accomplished what no one in the society had been able to do.

Most of them had lost their lives.

If that was the case, either the cursed secret manual had chosen that child, or there was something special about him.

‘But the secret manual must not be learned by anyone other than the permitted individual.’

Therefore, the right course of action was to extract the contents from his mind and kill him.

However, it felt like a waste.

Seeing his contemplative demeanor, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

‘There’s something.’

They were unaware of the true contents within the secret manual.

However, judging by their reactions, they seemed convinced that the oral formula of the stances Cheong-ryeong had taught him was the content inside.

If that weren’t the case, they would have already beheaded him.

But that expression of considering something while looking at him…

‘Is he reconsidering?’

There was only one thing he could guess.

Perhaps, since it was a secret manual precious enough for them to call it their treasure, it shouldn’t be learned by outsiders.

If that was the case, now that they had confirmed it was genuine, were they planning to extract it from his mind and then kill him?

Mok Gyeong-un glanced at diviner Jo.

Judging by his reaction, he seemed to have considerable interest in him.

In that case,

“Considering you went through the trouble of coming all the way here to find the secret manual, it must be a valuable item, right?”

“What?”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un leaped towards a nearby warrior of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor.

And he practically snatched the sword from him.

“I’ll borrow this for a moment.”

“Wh- What?”

Mok Gyeong-un placed the sword he had snatched against his own neck and said,

“If I die, all your efforts in coming to find it will be in vain.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, one of the Bright Blade King Son Yun’s eyebrows rose.

Was this brat trying to bargain with his own life?

Son Yun scoffed and said,

“Do you have the courage to take your own life while saying such things?”

In response to that question, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly.

“It’s not particularly difficult.”

-Stab!

The blade of the sword pierced Mok Gyeong-un’s neck.

‘!?’

For a moment, Son Yun was dumbfounded.

He had naturally assumed that Mok Gyeong-un would try to bargain with his life to survive against him.

But that bastard was now trying to behead himself without hesitation.

“Stop!”

Son Yun shouted a reprimand infused with internal energy.

“Ugh!”

“Urgh!”

At the resounding sound that echoed, everyone momentarily covered their ears.

Mok Gyeong-un also frowned and staggered from the pain and dizziness caused by the sound infused with internal energy, but he didn’t let go of the sword piercing his neck.

Despite the discomfort, he endured it.

‘This bastard?’

Son Yun then shouted,

“Stop!”

-Swish!

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un relaxed his strength and stopped pushing the sword into his neck.

Blood flowed down his neck, staining his collar red.

Son Yun spoke in a dumbfounded tone,

“You’re insane, you bastard.”

If it were anyone else, he would have scoffed at the brat’s foolish actions.

But this fellow was different.

Not only his eyes but also the way he didn’t hesitate to take his own life, as if he had no attachment to it.

“It’s hard to live in this world without being a little insane.”

“You talk as if you’ve experienced the world, you young brat. What do you want?”

-Tap tap!

Mok Gyeong-un tapped his forehead with his finger and said with a smile,

“Now that you know how valuable the contents in my mind are, I have no intention of easily revealing them. So, don’t bother assessing this and that, and take the secret manual nicely.”

“What?”

“That diviner over there also wants that, doesn’t he?”

Son Yun’s expression turned peculiar.

‘Take it nicely?’

Is this bastard not asking to be spared in exchange for revealing the secret manual, but instead suggesting he will willingly follow them to their headquarters?

As Son Yun was dumbfounded, a glint of interest flickered in his eyes.

‘Ha. Look at this bastard.’