Then, let’s check this out. (1)
“Sect Leader!”
Jin Songwon clenched his blood-soaked teeth as if to crush them.
“They! They are breaking through the inner gate [내문(內門)]! Sect Leader!”
From the blade that pierced through his shoulder and jutted out from his back, crimson blood trickled down.
“Huff… Huff…”
Jin Songwon gripped his sword with all his remaining strength.
‘Those damn Sapa bastards…’
Jin Songwon slowly turned his head to survey the surroundings.
Here and there, red flames blazed, and the disciples held their swords with terrified faces.
Outside the inner wall surrounding the Sect Leader’s residence, a hellish scene was probably unfolding. The strength of Diancang was far too insufficient to fend them off.
The plaque of Diancang, which had lasted for hundreds of years, would crumble to ashes today. And Jin Songwon’s name would be passed down through generations as a symbol of disgrace.
No… Perhaps even that was too much to hope for. Maybe even the name of Diancang would disappear from the world, forgotten by all.
“Hah…”
A bitter sigh escaped from Jin Songwon’s lips.
It was neither a sob nor a scream. A sad groan that slipped out from the lips of someone crushed by an unbearable weight.
“Sect Leader, what should we do now…”
His disciple looked at Jin Songwon with a face as pale as death. As if pleading, almost as if wailing. But at that moment, instead of comforting him, Jin Songwon slapped the disciple across his face.
Smack!
The sharp sound echoed all around. The startled disciples of Diancang widened their eyes and stared at Jin Songwon.
“Don’t… don’t make such faces!”
“But, Sect Leader…”
“Do you think we can survive if we come up with a strategy?”
“…”
Jin Songwon bit his lip. His cracked lips split open, and bright red blood trickled down his chin.
“We’re all going to die anyway!”
“…”
“There’s no way to survive. Haven’t you heard the news of Qingcheng and Emei?”
The sight of his disciples’ trembling hands filled Jin Songwon’s eyes.
It’s overwhelming.
For him, who hadn’t been the Sect Leader of Diancang for long, all of this was just too much to bear.
Facing those enemies, encouraging disciples for whom only death awaited – all of it.
“So, lift your heads!”
Jin Songwon shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Even if we beg, there’s no way we’ll survive. They’re not the kind who will show mercy just because we bow our heads in submission. So if we’re going to die anyway, don’t show them faces full of fear. If we can’t survive, drag at least one of them to hell with you. That’s the last bit of pride we must uphold as disciples of Diancang!”
It was a cry that made one’s blood boil. Hearing those words, Diancang’s disciples each bit their lips and strengthened their resolve.
It was not because Jin Songwon’s words shook them. It was simply because they had accepted the fact that all that remained for them was death anyway.
All that was left was how they would die.
As disciples of the Great Diancang Sect, not a single one would want to die with a frightened face in front of the Evil Sects’ scum.
If they could avoid death, perhaps, but since death was certain, there was no room for hesitation.
“Are you prepared?”
“Yes!”
With a distorted expression, Jin Songwon looked ahead.
His heart was filled with grief, but he couldn’t show that to his disciples. Because this would be the last image of him that remained with them.
“Diancang does not submit to Evil Sects’ scum!”
If they had no pride, they wouldn’t have taken up the sword, and if they had no righteousness in their hearts, they wouldn’t have become Just Sect’s members burdened with cumbersome rules.
“Sahyeong…”
At the voice that came from beside him, Jin Songwon whispered.
“I’m sorry, Saje. Because of my foolishness..”
“Please don’t say that. How could this be Sahyeong’s fault?”
His Saje, Hyeon Yeonbaek [현연백(玄煉白)], slowly shook his head.
“It’s no one’s fault. We just need to die without bringing shame to the name of Diancang.”
“…”
“They’re coming.”
Bang!
Before Jin Songwon could even reply, the front gate shattered into pieces, scattering debris everywhere. Amidst those fragments, the mutilated bodies of his disciples, turned into bloody lumps, flew in miserably.
Thud. Thud!
“Lee Myeong-ah!”
“Saje!”
Cries of anguish burst out from all directions.
It was when those who rushed over grabbed hold of the fallen ones.
“Ugh!”
“This is…”
Stifled groans and suppressed voices flowed out together.
Corpses mutilated beyond recognition.
They could tell. Because they were swordsmen, they couldn’t help but know.
The fact that these wounds were never inflicted amidst battle. These wounds were all thoroughly intended to cause pain. Those bastards had carried out cruel torture until the moment their breaths ceased.
“How could they..”
This can’t be. Humans can’t do such things.
No matter how much they belong to the Evil Sects, no matter how lightly they treat human life, they couldn’t have butchered innocent people so gruesomely.
“These bastards are worse than animals!”
Those who realized the truth roared as if vomiting blood.
But at the same time, the disciples of Diancang had to feel it – that there was another emotion they couldn’t hide, mingled in the voices of their Sahyeongs condemning the enemy.
A gruesome death. The moment they saw with their own eyes the form of what they had only imagined, an unwelcome fear began to creep up and consume them.
Step. Step.
At that moment, dozens of Evil Sects’ members walked in through the broken gate.
“…”
Even their appearance was somewhat different from what they had imagined.
Not just mad beasts craving blood. In every step, in every slight movement of the hand, one could feel thoroughly trained discipline.
They felt suffocated.
Because they couldn’t help but imagine.
They had no choice but to think about how those emotionless-looking men had mutilated and tortured the dying.
Death. The faces of those who recalled their own inescapable future began to turn pale once more.
Bang!
At that moment, Jin Songwon stomped the ground forcefully. A blow so powerful that the solid bluestone shattered into pieces. That blow momentarily shifted the atmosphere.
“…I have no business with small fry.”
Whoosh!
Jin Songwon extended his sword, aiming at those standing before him.
“Thanks for your efforts. Where is Paegun Jang Ilso?”
“…”
Cold eyes. Those eyes that showed no signs of agitation stared at Jin Songwon.
“Jang Ilso! Where are you! Don’t tell me you’re cowering behind in fear! If you’re a man, step forward! Do you have the courage to face my sword?!”
Jin Songwon mustered all his strength and shouted in a thunderous roar.
And the reply was not long in coming.
“Oh dear, oh dear… Can’t you speak a bit more gently?”
The ones blocking his path split left and right, and a man slowly walked out.
A red long robe, a snow-white face, and a crown* atop his head.
Just by his attire alone, anyone under the heavens would recognize him. Ryeonju of Sapaeryeon. Paegun Jang Ilso.
“I’m a man with a weaker heart than I look. When you shout like that, it makes my heart tremble.”
Creak.
Veins burst in Jin Songwon’s eyes.
It’s him. This man.
He is the very one who turned Diancang into a sea of fire and turned his disciples into lumps of meat.
“Step forward! I will personally take your head!”
Hearing those words, Jang Ilso slowly extended his index finger and brought it to his temple. Then he tilted his head as if he had a headache.
“Gamyeong-ah.”
“Yes, Ryeonju.”
“Why do those Just Sect fellows always think I’ll do as they intend?”
“Perhaps that’s the only way their dull minds can devise.”
“Ugh, how frustrating.”
Jang Ilso let out a deep sigh.
“Sorry, but as I just said, I’m a man with a weak heart, so I don’t particularly want to cross swords with you.”
“And yet you dare call yourself the leader of the Evil Sects?”
“How foolish. That’s why I’m the leader of the Evil Sects! If I were to live so honorably, why would I live as a Sapa?”
“You…!”
“Enough.”
Jang Ilso waved his hand dismissively, his wide sleeves fluttering.
“Even if you take my head, there’s no way for you to survive. You know that. In the end, all of you will end up like those lumps of flesh lying over there. Every single one of you… yes, not leaving even one behind.”
“…”
The gazes of Diancang’s disciples unknowingly turned to the corpses sprawled before them. Even though they knew they shouldn’t show it, an unavoidable fear was reflected in their eyes.
“Do you understand?”
At that moment, numerous Sapas appeared atop the inner walls that surrounded them.
“…”
Receiving those burning gazes, the disciples of Diancang couldn’t help but feel like rats trapped in a jar.
“I assure you, there’s no chance of you surviving. If there is one… it’s not up to you, but it depends on my whim.”
“Whim?”
“Ugh. Climbing this damn mountain has worn out my legs. Let me sit down first.”
As Jang Ilso gestured, those behind him brought over a chair. Then, Jang Ilso casually sat on it and crossed his legs.
“Now I feel a bit better.”
Jin Songwon and the disciples of Diancang stared blankly at Jang Ilso.
A chair?
Even though they had the upper hand, bringing a chair and sitting down casually in the middle of the battlefield?
How little must he think of them to pull off such a stunt.
“Jang Ilso!”
“Yes, a whim, just a whim.”
But Jang Ilso continued speaking casually, as if having a friendly chat.
“I don’t leave enemies alive. That’s the most foolish thing to do. And I don’t leave pigs alive either. Just breathing in the same space with them makes it feel like a stench is rising.”
Jang Ilso pinched his nose and frowned, as if that stench was present even now.
“So, the only thing I let live is one.”
The corners of Jang Ilso’s bright red lips curled up strangely.
“Only a dog.”
As soon as those words fell, Jin Songwon’s face twisted horribly.
“You’re telling us to…”
“Ah.”
Jang Ilso smiled faintly and looked at Jin Songwon with eyes that were nothing short of sinister.
“There’s no need to be so excited already. I understand that you’re thrilled to receive such a rare opportunity, though.”
“…”
“After all, we’ve suffered quite a bit of loss ourselves.”
Jang Ilso let out a deep sigh.
“Normally, I wouldn’t pay any attention to filthy dogs, but since I’m feeling lonely and bored these days, if there’s a dog that insists on coming over to lick my shoes, it’s hard to push it away.”
Jin Songwon’s eyes shook violently.
“So make your choice. Will you die there, or…”
Jang Ilso slowly extended one foot forward.
“Will you come here, lick my shoe and bark like a dog?”
“…”
“If you’re truly earnest, I’ll accept it.”
Jin Songwon’s vision went white.
What on earth is he hearing right now?
There is no insult greater than this. Is he telling him to lick the shoe of a Sapa scum and bark like a dog?
“Stop spouting such nonsense! Do you think I would accept such humiliation, even if it means my death?”
Jin Songwon gripped his sword tightly, as if to steady himself.
“A warrior would rather die than endure disgrace! We will die to protect the name of Diancang!”
“Hmm. Is that so…?”
Jang Ilso smiled at Jin Songwon as if he found it quite praiseworthy.
“Then let’s see. Whether your resolve is real or not.”
“….What?”
“Bring them.”
Jin Songwon’s eyes were filled with doubt.
“What kind of trick…”
But his mouth, which had opened to spit out his anger, quickly closed in futility.
“You…”
Those who appeared behind Jang Ilso.
Because those frightened faces were of people Jin Songwon knew too well.
“Sect… Leader.”
“M-Master!”
Children.
They were the young disciples of Diancang whom Jin Songwon had quickly sent away the moment he sensed the enemy’s attack.
The small children, whose rosy cheeks had not yet faded, were terrified, their faces stained with tears.
“You…”
“That resolve, of course, applies not only to you but to all the disciples of Diancang, doesn’t it?”
“…”
“What do you think?”
Jang Ilso reached out his hand and grabbed the child beside him by the chest. The symbol of Diancang, engraved on the small martial arts uniform, was seared into Jin Songwon’s eyes.
“Answer me. You are also disciples of Diancang, aren’t you?”
Don’t.
Jin Songwon’s thought could not bear to become words. But the child whose chest was grabbed, even with a tear-streaked face, bit his lips and then nodded.
That nod.
Most desired, yet never wished for. At that small gesture, Jang Ilso smiled.
“Indeed…..”
A smile as gentle as can be.
“What a good child.”
Crunch!
The child’s chest was crushed just like that.
“Aaaaaaaah! Jang Ilsoooooooooo!”
Seeing the child collapse, blood pouring from his mouth, Jin Songwon let out a scream that could only come from the very edge of hell.
________
Sapa = member of an evil sect.
* 면류관(冕旒冠) – I have mentioned this specific piece of Ilso’s attire previously. This is for anyone who didn’t know. It is a type of a crown traditionally worn by the emperors of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as other kings in the East Asia. It’s often pictured on illustrations of Jang Ilso.
________
I wish someone reminded Diancang how the little disciples of Hwasan were trying to fight off Demonic Cult 100 years ago, when everyone abandoned Hwasan (also Hwasan sacrificed everything in the vanguard while Diancang did nothing throughout the current war with Sapaeryeon).
________
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more of an info for me: there was a hiatus on October 2nd.
Return of the Mount Hua 
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