"My lord."
"..."
"My lord!"
Kong Yool, who had been silently lost in thought, only lifted his head in surprise after his subordinate called him twice.
"Ah. Right. It's you."
"Yes. I've returned as of today."
His white robes was covered in dust. His face bore clear signs of rough travel and sleeping outdoors, but his eyes still held a vivid, piercing light.
"So, did you properly escorted the Third Disciple?"
"Yes. There were forces that tried to block our path here and there, but most ran away when they saw the banner of the Black Sky Clan. Even so, those who attacked were personally wiped out by the Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan."
"Ah… I see… I guess it's a relief you didn't have much to do…"
Kong Yool let out a bitter smile and rubbed his face with dry hands. His subordinate looked at his superior with a surprised expression.
"You look tired."
"Is it that obvious?"
Kong Yool asked in return, unable to deny it. The man nodded and said,
"Could it be… you're disheartened because the search in Black Sky Clan also didn't produce satisfactory results?"
Anyone else might not have noticed, but if Kong Yool was exhausted, it made sense. For the past ten years, Kong Yool had never once given up on the search. Bearing martial arts worthy of the name God of the Five-Blooded Spear, Kong Yool had searched day and night for the missing White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster
They say even mountains and rivers change in ten years, but Kong Yool's loyalty remained unwavering.
But in the end, Kong Yool was still only human.
"That's not it."
He shook his head firmly, rejecting his subordinate's assumption. As if to engrave it into himself, he repeated the words.
"That's not it."
Actually, the cause of his fatigue was something from a few days ago.
He kept thinking about the moment he asked a servant for directions near a place called Suwolgak. For a martial artist's body, he was very thin, his shoulders were tightly hunched, and he was limping. Even the man's voice was rough, to the point of being hoarse.
There was no resemblance to Dan Woo-Hyo in any way. A tall, slender figure with a firmly built martial artist's body, always broad shoulders and a straight back. The lord's gait was always elegant yet strong, and his voice was firm but cautious, pleasant to hear. He was a dependable presence that you could trust at any time.
But I kept feeling a strange familiarity with that servant. Later, the First Disciple's men who came to look for him said that outsiders must not carelessly wander around the area from Suwolgak to House Of Joy, and then they guided him back to the Mansion of Unity.
He wanted to ask the Third Disciple who called him about this matter—why send a letter telling him to come to Suwolgak, a place where outsiders were not supposed to go? But by then, Third Disciple Ye Kang-oh had already left Black Sky Clan.
Kong Yool had the feeling that he had been caught in some kind of trap. It was a trap that used his own psychology, because his desire to find his lord was so desperate that he could not ignore such secretive and suspicious contact.
Just the fact that the First Disciple's men hurriedly came to look for him as soon as he disappeared from the Mansion of Unity bothered him. Because they were closely watching his movements, they must have quietly taken him away before something went wrong.
So then, what is this situation? Is it the Second Disciple's scheme to sow discord between the First Disciple and the Third Disciple?
Not knowing the existence of Dan Woo-Hyo who was in the middle of all this, Kong Yool's face, who misunderstood, became expressionless. Succession fights were common everywhere, but he was angry that his desperation to find his lord had been taken advantage of.
"So, is there a problem…?"
"Well… I was just debating whether to go to the South Sea or the North Sea next."
Kong Yool waved his hand and dismissed his subordinates.
"You may go and rest now."
He sank in sorrow, accompanied only by the moonlight.
The more he thought, the more certain he was that he must be possessed by a ghost. If that wasn't it, then how could he have possibly seen his own lord in that pitiful man who couldn't even meet his eyes and trembled like a leaf?
It was passed down like a legend that even the most renowned painter of the time, after countless attempts to capture the White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster on canvas, left behind only a single poor piece and broke his brush.
How could a trembling servant, whom he approached just to ask a question, possibly be the same person as an extraordinarily handsome man with an elegant appearance and even the dignity of an immortal?
When he tried to catch the man he met near Suwolgak, it was already after he had suddenly disappeared.
But when viewed from a different angle, it all made sense. If Dan Woo-Hyo had been anywhere within sight of others, there should have been countless eyewitness accounts—but strangely, no one claimed to have seen him.
He was so beautiful that once you saw him, you couldn't forget him. The fact that no one knows whether such a person vanished into the sky or sank into the earth…
'Maybe his face was ruined after all.'
With that, Kong-yul carefully voiced the suspicion he had been harboring for some time.
'First, I need to find the servant I saw at Suwolgak'.
After requesting a search team from the Black Sky Clan and even receiving the support of the Third Young Master, deciding that he couldn't go search for that very servant was something he now deeply regretted. Perhaps, throughout the past ten years, that had been the closest he had ever come to his missing lord.
Kong Yool's heart pounded.
It felt like all his fatigue had vanished in an instant. Even while thinking that he should sleep, he stayed awake all through the night, looking at the garden of the Mansion of Unity, where the veil of night had settled.
Morning arrived, and Kong Yool spent the whole day agonizing over how he should request a private meeting with the Grandmaster of Black Sky and ask to find the limping servant. The situation where the missing Grandmaster was found as a servant of Black Sky Clan could easily escalate politically. It was a seed that could cause a conflict between White Virtue Clan and Black Sky Clan.
White Virtue Clan might suspect Black Sky Clan of hiding the Grandmaster, and Black Sky Clan might claim that the Grandmaster personally infiltrated to steal confidential information. Regardless of the truth, people twist words depending on their own interests, so Kong Yool had to be very cautious before acting on his instincts.
Just as Kong Yool was wondering how to start the conversation, the stars aligned—a messenger from another pavilion who crossed the threshold of the Mansion of Unity and appeared. The middle-aged woman had a mature and strict face and looked more skilled than the messenger from the Mansion of Unity.
The woman approached Kong Yool, gave a simple bow, and began to speak.
"The Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan has invited you to a banquet this evening."
"I'll go right away."
Kong Yool stood up. The woman, as if she had planned it from the beginning, naturally guided Kong Yool.
At the banquet, the Grandmaster of Black Sky and his three disciples were already present. When Jin-rang offered him a seat, Kong Yool strode over and sat down. As if they had been waiting, various dishes started coming out, and the servants all withdrew at once. From a pavilion at an appropriate distance, an excellent musician began to play the lute.
"Join us."
Jin-rang opened his mouth.
When the meal had just begun, everyone ate in silence, only their chopsticks moving.
Kong Yool listened closely to the conversation, waiting for the right moment to join in. The first to break the silence was Mo Yong Yu-woon.
"It weighs on me that even though the great Kong Yool made the difficult journey all the way to Black Sky Clan, he wasn't able to obtain what he wanted."
It was such a well-timed topic that one might think heaven had helped.
"Indeed."
Kong Yool smiled bitterly. He glanced down at his cup for a moment. He concluded that by now, it would seem like he had swallowed his sigh enough, and lifted his head.
"But the Central Plains are vast, and there are still many places I have not been able to go. Fortunately, this time, thanks to the help of the Black Sky Clan, I saved a lot of time. Next time, I'm thinking of exploring a farther place. For example, the North Sea or somewhere like that…"
"It'll be quite cold. You may be a famed martial artist who can withstand it, but you'll have to be careful about the people and horses you bring with you."
Among the three disciples, Kang-oh, who had the broadest experience, spoke up, and quietly, the story about the North Sea's weather and the North Sea Ice Palace, the martial arts sect that rules there, flowed out.
Kong Yool judged that at this point, it would appear that he sincerely is giving up on finding the White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster in Black Sky.
Waiting a bit longer would be safer, but at that time, he must leave this place. If it were a place he could return to even later, it might be different, but Black Sky Clan was a special place. Visiting secretly was also impossible. Who in the current martial world could roam around Black Sky Clan without Ye Jin-rang knowing?
That's why the matter had to be settled right this moment
"If it's not too much trouble, there is something I would like to ask."
After having some drinks, and around the time the atmosphere had somewhat relaxed, Kong Yool, with a slightly flushed face from drinking, opened his mouth.
"Go ahead and speak."
"It seems I saw someone in Black Sky with whom I had a brief connection with when I was roaming the martial world. Because he was a person who helped me in a difficult time, I thought I wanted to repay the favor…"
"What was his name?"
"I have never heard his name. He was just a strange man who saved my life and suddenly left."
Kong Yool smiled while waving his hand. Since he visited Black Sky Clan for an official mission, unlike the stiff expression he had maintained the whole time, his tone was a bit lighter.
The Second Disciple, who had mastered things like this to the point it could be called his specialty, narrowed his eyes. It was like reciting the Analects word-for-word in front of Confucius. Just what is he trying to gain by putting on such a gentle face?
Jin rang remained silent, sipping his drink. Kang-oh moved some food closer to his master's side as a snack.
"If it was someone you saw at Black Sky Clan, do you remember the location? Around where was it?"
Hmm, Yu-woon asked as if he were going to help.
Kong Yool briefly hesitated, wondering if it was okay to proceed like this. What was known about the First Disciple's personality was that he was upright and had a strong sense of pride — and that was about it. There hadn't been enough time spent talking to truly find out if that was the case.
However, unless you take the first step, you can't get any results. So Kong Yool spoke in the gentlest way he could.
"Hmm... I also ended up there while wandering, so I'm not really sure. I think the blue roof tiles stood out, maybe…"
Seung-han blinked as he watched the First Disciple. For a moment, he wondered if he had gone crazy. Yu-woon hated losing anything, so he was somewhat stingy when it came to helping others, especially if no compensation was guaranteed. On the other hand, the other party was from the White Virtue Clan. Mo Yong Yu-woon had something like an inferiority complex toward the Righteous path. He might have been trying to boost his own self-esteem by helping someone from there.
"The blue-tiled roofs—Suwolgak, Haewoldang, and Danyak all have blue tiles."
Mo Yong Yu-woon, perhaps intending to help with Kong Yool's search, actively opened his mouth.
At that moment, Ye Jin-rang, who had just been blankly listening to their conversation, opened his mouth.
"The Illusory Labyrinth Formation is deployed in the Black Sky Clan. When an uninvited guest steps into a certain area, their vision and five senses are deceived. They might see what they desperately long for… or what they fear the most."
Kong Yool's lips stiffened.
'So... that person was an illusion?'
No way.
But when I think about it, the idea that the missing White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster had become the limping servant of the Black Sky Clan was even more nonsensical. It was closer to mere imagination.
If it was the result of a desperate wish for reunion and the fear that the lord he deeply revered might no longer be as he once was, then it could be understandable.
The idea that an ordinary servant could slip past a martial artist's senses and disappear made no sense from the start.
"..."
What he heard was merely a beautiful lute performance, but strangely, it felt like thunder was crashing and the earth was splitting open from within his body.
It seemed like today was the first time he came to feel the despair he hadn't felt even while personally leading the repeatedly failed searches over the past ten years.
"Have a drink."
Without even a look of pity or a trace of sympathy, Jin-rang tilted the bottle and filled Kong Yool's cup. It was a fragrant high-grade brew.
"Thank you."
Kong Yool downed the entire contents of the cup in one go.
Even though it was good liquor, it felt as if he poured scoops of sand down his throat—his throat was rough.
It was a pain that he would rather just vomit out. But this place is Black Sky Clan, not White Virtue Clan, so Kong Yool hid his expression. Because they were back to back, they could become the most powerful enemies at any time. The long history of Demonic Path and Righteous Path was filled with conflict, so sharing complete trust was only possible in the days when they fought a war.
This alliance is truly delicate. In Kong Yool's opinion, after the current Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan, Ye Jin-rang, who experienced the war, passes away, this alliance itself is likely to become meaningless. The foothold that the previous generation's committed individuals had built is collapsing.
If that happens, once the Blood Cult Rebellion is forgotten, the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path will return to being enemies, just like it was from the beginning.
'If only my lord were still here…'
If that had been the case, many things would have been different. Dan Woo-Hyo would have made an effort to carry on his father's will. The relationship with Black Sky Clan might have been a bit more friendly, rather than lukewarm like this.
By now, it was just a meaningless what-if. Kong Yool gulped down another drink. It was to hide his bitter expression.
The current White Virtue Clan was like a large ship staggering after losing its helmsman. Ten years was not a short time. As others say, it might not be such a bad idea to try entrusting the future of White Virtue Clan to Namgoong Ji-yak, the lord's younger martial sister.
Nevertheless, Kong Yool absolutely could not give up.
"How is the KingofSpears doing?"
When Jin-rang asked, Kong Yool belatedly realized that it was possible that his master and the Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan knew each other. The current martial world's masters are broadly divided into two groups.
Those who did not participate in the battle with the Blood Cult and survived, and those who willingly lent a hand and fought, and survived.
Kong Yool's master, King of Spears Hyuk Dan-yeo, was undoubtedly the latter.
"He is doing well."
"He was truly a bold warrior. When some stubborn blockhead from the Namgung family picked a quarrel claiming I was a master of Demonic Path, he stepped forward and said, 'If you intend to argue about heretical sects and unorthodox factions right here, then Young Master Namgung's throat should be slit before going after the Blood Cult.'"
Even though the Namgung Family isn't as powerful as it used to be, it's still one of the five great clans. So when Kong Yool heard that Hyuk Dan-yeo had once made such a violent remark—threatening to slit the throat of a Namgung heir—he was shocked.
Not to mention, Hyuk Dan-yeo didn't even have any backing.. The lineage of the King of Spears was passed down through single succession—one master to one disciple. He was well-respected, yes, but he had neither wealth nor power.
The fact that Hyuk Dan-yeo pointed a spear at the Namgung clan's young master's neck—such boldness was truly just like his master.
"It was a situation that called for it. The Blood Cult bastards were immediately invading, and they were arguing over command authority. If Hyuk Dan-yeo hadn't stepped in then, it would've turned into a mess."
Half in admiration, half in shock, Kong Yool's face finally showed a trace of pride. Hearing about the master's heroism from the Grandmaster of the Black Sky Clan carried a special meaning.
"I was quite surprised when I heard from rumors that someone like him chose to live in seclusion."
"..."
Jin-rang's face was expressionless as he added that. Despite having a youthful and dazzling appearance that belied his age, the shadows cast over Jin-rang's day revealed a depth and years that Kong Yool couldn't even begin to measure.
When it came to seclusion, Kong Yool knew well about it too, since he had once clashed with Hyuk Dan-yeo over the matter. It was because he had once questioned him, asking why others could flaunt their fame earned from the battle with the Blood Cult and live proudly in the secular world, while one of the main figures, the King of Spears, was living in the mountains picking wild herbs.
At that time, Hyuk Dan-yeo thought he had lost too much to enjoy what he had now. Kong Yool, who was full of nothing but youthful energy at the time, was in no state to understand the master's sorrow and anguish. Thinking Hyuk Dan-yeo was old-fashioned and suffocating, he ran off into the martial world.
As he grew older and accumulated experience, he gradually came to understand Hyuk Dan-yeo's thoughts. Behind the martial name 'King of Spears' flowed a long and horrific river of blood. There were losses and massacres beyond counting. So Hyuk Dan-yeo did not wish to enjoy anything that resulted from it.
Not even glory. Not even peace.
"It's a relief to know his legacy lives on through you."
It was a kind remark, uncharacteristic of Jin-rang, who usually speaks thorn-filled words without hesitation. It must have been a show of respect for a comrade. Kong Yool responded with a clasped fist salute to express his gratitude.
"Master will be very pleased that the Grandmaster of the Black Sky Clan remembers him as a comrade."
Jin-rang let out a small chuckle.
"If it were him, he'd grumble that I still don't age—to the point it's annoying. He'd say something like, 'Every time I wake up and see your face, I feel like I've gone back to that time.'"
Hearing the vivid description of his master from the mouth of the Supreme Ruler of the Demonic Path, Kong Yool couldn't even bring himself to laugh—he just wore an awkward expression.
Jin-rang downed the last of his drink and said,
"The night has grown late. Since the guest from White Virtue Clan should be returning soon, let's end this gathering."
"Thank you for your hospitality."
Although it was the Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan who had extended the invitation first, once he told him to rise, there was no choice but to comply. It was, in a way, no different from being dismissed. However, Kong Yool, judging that that the story about his master had made the man recall the past, decided to step back without protest.
Seeing that Kong Yool was about to leave, Yu-woon stood up from his seat.
"I'll see you off-"
It was Jin-rang who cut him off.
"Yu-woon, stay here and see me for a moment before you go."
"Yes, Master."
Kong Yool, who was wondering what the First Disciple's purpose was, realized instinctively that they would have to postpone the matter when Jin-rang grabbed Mo Yong Yu-woon.
"Then I'll take my leave."
The Second Disciple Yeom Seung-han and the Third Disciple Ye Kang-oh also got up from their seats. Especially the Second Disciple's complexion was not very good; he looked like he might have indigestion.
As expected, as soon as they stepped out of the hall, Seung-han grumbled.
"I'd rather chew on stones than stay there any longer. Looks like I'll be indebted to the Medical Hall without any way out."
"Elder disciple, are you feeling unwell?"
At the Third Disciple's question—who had barely spoken, aside from mentioning the Northern Sea—the Second Disciple gave him a look of disbelief.
"You really are something. Can't you read the room?"
"...I don't think it's appropriate to say that in front of guests."
Compared to the Second Disciple, who acted as though he had completely forgotten Kong Yool's very existence, Kang-oh had a truly dignified and polite attitude. Seung-han looked uncomfortable.
"Even though you knew, you ate so well... I guess only sensitive people like me end up suffering."
At Seung-han's words, the corners of Kong Yool's lips twitched. It seemed his "sensitivity" had long since frozen to death. Because he had such a personality—so good at putting on exaggerated friendliness. It made sense no one around him suspects the Second Disciple. He acted like a kind, good-natured man, but his eyes were cold and without warmth, like a reptile's. He was someone who assessed his surroundings with calm detachment.
With that impression, and the added suspicion that he was the mastermind who lured him to Suwolgak, Kong Yool's mistrust of Seung-han kept growing beyond control.
"I'll head to the House of Frozen Pond now. Third Disciple, escort our guest to the Mansion of Unity."
"Yes."
Kang-oh answered politely. When the Second Disciple stared intently at him, Kong Yool had no choice but to offer a farewell.
"Good night."
[The eldest disciple seems to be keeping an eye on you. Be careful.]
As Kong Yool was about to turn around, he heard someone speak to him through voice transmission. It was the Second Disciple.
His tone was light, but the look in his eyes was serious as he looked at this side.
[ I don't usually say things like this, but wouldn't you hate interfering in someone else's family feud?]
Kong Yool suspected that the person behind summoning him to Suwolgak was the Second Disciple, so he didn't take the warning at face value. However, interrogating him about Suwolgak without any evidence would be a foolish thing to do.
So he decided to ignore him and turned away. Yeom Seung-han silently clicked his tongue.
It was obvious at a glance—the eldest disciple was deeply interested in Kong Yool, and Jin-rang was standing in the way. The fact that he talked about the illusion formation of the Black Sky Clan and mentioned Kong Yool's master, the King of Spears, couldn't have been just because he was reminiscing about the past. Because the Jin-rang Seung-han knew wasn't someone who acted in such a simple way.
He couldn't tell what the eldest disciple was thinking, and even less could he tell what their master was thinking. Even at a glance, it was obvious that a straight-laced Righteous Path martial artist would end up suffering greatly if they got caught up in that scheme. So he went out of his way to give some advice, but ended up being completely ignored.
'Those damn Righteous Path blockheads...'
Remembering the insults about White Path martial artists he'd picked up from his parents and those around him since childhood, Seung-han quietly drifted off towards his residence, House of Frozen Pond.
Now, only the Third Disciple was left to escort Kong Yool to the Mansion of Unity.
"This way."
Kang-oh was the first to speak. Kong Yool followed slowly behind him.
No matter how much he tried to pretend to be composed, his shoulders were heavy and his steps were slow. Kang-oh, who was unknowingly moving ahead, seemed curious about Kong Yool lagging behind, so he looked back and read the worry settled on the guest's face.
He was a man who had wandered from Gansu to Xinjiang in search of his lord. He truly felt that desperate sorrow as if it weren't just someone else's burden.
"I don't know much about the Northern Sea, but if by chance you need help, please send a letter. If it's something I know, I will help to the extent of my ability."
"I'm grateful for your offer."
Kong Yool bitterly smiled. He slowly looked up at the sky and murmured.
"Ten years have passed, and still I can't find my lord. Maybe it's because I'm lacking. For now, I'll try to go to the Northern Sea, but after that… I don't know where to go. It's just overwhelming."
The reason he spilled the feelings he had hidden all along was partly the influence of the alcohol, partly because of the despair felt from Jin-rang cruelly crushing his hopes, and partly because of Kang-oh's unique taciturn but sincere atmosphere.
Kang-oh thought that Kong Yool's sigh felt heavier than any rock.
"Isn't there a saying called, 'Heaven'snet is vast'? The net humans cast is narrow, but the net of heaven and earth is vast and infinite. The person you're looking for must also be somewhere under the same sky."
Even if Dan Woo-Hyo cannot be found with the net cast by humans, it meant that he might still exist somewhere within the net spread by the heavens.
It was also a metaphor — if fate willed it, they might meet again.
"Indeed. If there's still a thread of connection between my lord and me… I suppose I should try to hold on to that hope."
A faint smile appeared briefly on Kong Yool's lips before fading. Kang-oh slowly walked, matching Kong Yool's slow stride.
They finally arrived in front of the Mansion of Unity. Just as they were about to part ways, Kong Yool impulsively sent a sound transmission to Kang-oh, who was turning away.
[Be careful of your senior.]
He spoke vaguely of 'your senior,' but the person Kong Yool had in mind was Second Disciple Yeom Seung-han. However, Kang-oh misunderstood and took it to mean First Disciple Mo Yong Yu-woon.
[Before we left Black Sky Clan for the search, someone impersonated the Third Disciple and summoned me to a place called Suwolgak.]
This was all because of Kang-oh's calm comfort that shook Kong Yool's heart. Kong Yool couldn't bring himself to just turn around and enter the Mansion of Unity, so, just as Seung-han had warned him, he had no choice but to send a secret message to Kang-oh.
[If it's Suwolgak...]
Kang-oh frowned. He knew it was the pavilion with the blue tiles between the House of Joy and the House of Frozen Pond. But he didn't know what the Grand Disciple was trying to accomplish by summoning Kong Yool there.
Killing Kong Yool and framing someone with that blame was the best guess he could make. However, framing a mere Southern Lake Group member and framing the Third Disciple of Black Sky Clan are completely different matters. Unless Mo Yong Yu-woon was in a situation where he was completely cornered, maybe one could understand, but there is no reason to suddenly attack Kang-oh
Just like Kong Yool misunderstood Mo Yong Yu-woon's plan because he didn't have all the pieces of information about the servant Woo, Kang-oh, who didn't know Dan Woo-Hyo well, also found it hard to piece together what the First Disciple was planning.
[At that place, I saw a limping servant who seems to have been caught in the illusion formation. But that's a different story.]
'A limping servant?'
Kang-oh felt a flicker of confusion. Upon hearing that, the first person who came to mind was Woo. Servants who take on the hardest tasks were usually chosen for their strength and good health.
[He even stammered… Looking back, he was someone who couldn't possibly take on menial tasks even if he tried. I must have just seen an illusion because of the secret formation the Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan mentioned.]
Since Kang-oh couldn't know what Kong Yool truly saw, he held back his words. Instead, he asked a different question.
[Was it something that happened on the day I left for the search?]
[Yes, that's right.]
[Thank you. I will look into this further.]
[Then, I'll be going.]
After nodding in greeting, Kong Yool drifted away into the depths of the Mansion of Unity. After he was gone, Kang Oh swallowed his confusion.
Who on earth impersonated him and summoned Kong Yool?
If it was the Great Senior Brother, what was he after?
And if the stuttering, limping man Kong Yool mentioned was Woo, what was he doing near Suwolgak at that time?
These questions were too heavy to simply ignore or set aside.
As Kang-oh returned to the House of Joy lost in thought, he called over a passing attendant.
"Bring me the attendant in charge of the guest."
"Yes, my lord."
Late into the night, Yeonjin, her eyes darting nervously, appeared before Kang-oh's quarters. Though frightened by the Third Disciple's summons, she forced herself to put on a calm expression and was about to announce her arrival. But before she could speak, she heard the Third Disciple's voice—he had already sensed her presence.
"Enter."
Carefully opening the door and stepping inside, Yeonjin felt her hands trembling slightly as she closed the door behind her.
Although Kang-oh was the master of the House of Joy, he rarely stayed in the Black Sky Clan. Although she worked as a servant of the House of Joy, Yeon-jin had never really felt like she belonged to the Third Disciple. Kang-oh was indifferent, but not a cruel master, so serving him wasn't difficult. But having a one-on-one meeting like this made the distance between their positions feel overwhelming—it couldn't be helped.
To make things worse, Yeon-jin had once carried out an order from the First Internal Officer involving the guest of House of Joy. Just like someone who steals once is forever branded a thief, Yeon-jin knew that Kang-oh didn't think favorably of her. The only reason she had been able to keep her current position was entirely thanks to Woo's protection.
Before she knew what kind of person Woo was, Yeon-jin had treated him with contempt, and now, that—combined with having sold out Woo's safety for her own success and wealth—made it impossible for Yeon-jin not to fear Kang-oh.
As soon as she heard today's summons, Yeon-jin couldn't help but feel tense. She reassured herself that it was surely just a question about Woo's circumstances… but even just closing the door made her hands tremble.
"I summoned you because I have something to ask."
Kang-oh sensed Yeon-jin's anxiety but spoke without trying to comfort her.
"I will tell you what I know."
Now that she had severed ties with the First Internal Officer out of a petty sense of guilt, the only person who could protect Yeon-jin was the Third Disciple, Ye Kang-oh. Depending on how serious the matter was, she could've been eliminated without anyone ever knowing—but Yeon-jin knew full well that the only reason she was still alive was because she was a servant of the House of Joy.
"On the day I left the Black Sky Clan to carry out the search, where was Woo?"
"Well... He was at the House of Joy for almost the whole day."
Yeon-jin, whose tension had eased a little, cautiously opened her mouth.
"Almost?"
At Kang-oh's words, Yeon-jin hesitated for a moment, then spoke about what had happened that day.
"... Because he heard that the Third Disciple was going to leave on a long journey, he said he had something to say to the Third Disciple and briefly stepped out of the House of Joy."
"Woo..?"
Kang-oh murmured in response to Yeon-jin's words.
His chest tightened painfully.
He thought that Woo might already be gone by the time he returned.
Didn't he say some pitiful excuse that he couldn't send him due to a lack of manpower, when Woo asked when he might be able to leave? Woo seemed to back down, but his heart had already left House of Joy.
But to think that he went out to stop him at nearly the last moment—it was an action difficult to understand.
"Yes. This servant went all the way to the Mansion of Unity to find the Third Disciple, but you had already left."
"..."
"So I asked the gatekeeper, and he said the Third Disciple had gone to the House of Frozen Pond to speak with the Second Disciple before his departure. I rushed back to the House of Joy to deliver that message... and the guest left for the House of Frozen Pond right away."
"–And between House of Joy and House of Frozen Pond, there's Suwolgak." Kang-oh, recalling Kong Yool's words, abruptly cut off Yeon-jin and muttered to himself.
'Before we left Black Sky Clan for the search, someone impersonated the Third Disciple and summoned me to a place called Suwolgak.'
"Yes. I recommended passing through Suwolgak because it was the shortest route."
'At that place, I saw a limping servant who seems to have been caught in the illusion formation. But that's a different story.'
Then the limping servant Kong Yool saw near Suwolgak must have been Woo.
Woo, caught up in the First Disciple's schemes directed at him, must have taken the shortcut through Suwolgak despite his unwell body to find Kang-oh, even though he wasn't at House of Frozen Pond.
Just what was he so desperate to say that he couldn't wait even ten to fifteen days and came looking for Kang-oh himself?
"He... was looking for me…"
Before leaving for the search, he came all the way to see him, but now, he doesn't even mention it. He only came to see Kang-oh because the Third Internal Officer's bribery ledger was exposed, and he was worried about the damage it might cause him.
As if trying to cut off all ties, he acted as coldly as he could—so why did he still want to see him? And he's the one who had been counting down the days to leave House of Joy—why did he suddenly say he would stay?
He made the excuse that it was because of the bribery ledger, but for Kang-oh, there seemed to be a deeper reason. It didn't sit right with him to dismiss it as a simple whim, given Woo's character.
"Since that day, has there been anyone who came to see Woo?"
"..."
Yeon-jin, who had been silent, glanced at Kang-oh cautiously and began to speak.
"Um… only a letter arrived. It was the very next day after he came back from looking for the Third Disciple."
Kang-oh could guess who the sender of the letter was just by looking at her hesitant expression.
Didn't he personally deliver one of them to Woo himself?
The only person standing between the Woo who was about to leave, and the Woo who suddenly decided to stay—
—was none other than the First Disciple, Mo Yong Yu-woon.
"There's nothing to worry about. He burned it the moment he received it."
Perhaps because she was worried that the Third Disciple might misunderstand, Yeon-jin spoke urgently and waved her hands. Just the suspicion that Woo, who was of servant status, had communicated with the First Disciple was enough to cause serious trouble, so she was desperate.
What frustrated her most was that she had no idea what the Third Disciple was thinking. Kang-oh remained expressionless the entire time. He only tightened his lips when the letter was brought up.
"However..."
Yeon-jin spoke again, hoping to make herself clear.
"After receiving that letter, the guest seemed... visibly unstable."
Kang-oh's fingers tapped the table—tok, tok-tok. He looked as if he was deeply lost in thought. Yeon-jin forced herself to endure the heavy, stone-like silence, desperately hoping for this moment to pass.
"You may leave."
At last, the Third Disciple gave his order.
At those words, Yeon-jin immediately bowed her head and stepped back. At first, her steps were slow and formal, but the moment the sliding door closed, they quickened. Her heart was pounding.
The Third Disciple's presence was so chilling that she didn't even dare to look back. It felt as if a blade made of ice were aimed at her neck. It was a cold fury.
Even though she was not the target, Yeon-jin's body trembled as if she had been trapped in a cave made of ice. The aura of a master naturally causes ordinary people to shrink back. If the intensity of the pressure was strong and the courage of an ordinary person was weak, there were even cases where they saw hallucinations.
Yeon-jin was both shocked and frightened that the Third Disciple—who had always maintained a clear and composed mind—was now angry to the point that it affected even her.
It meant that things were about to spiral out of control.
The First Disciple's one-sided rejection passed quietly on the surface because of the Third Disciple's silence. But the current Kang-oh didn't seem like he would tolerate Mo Yong Yu-woon any longer.
One thing was certain: House Of Joy would not be the same as before.
After Yeon-jin left, Kang-oh pulled out a stack of papers he had organized earlier. It was information he had gathered while investigating. Since he had no intention of using it, it held no meaning to him, so he had tossed it aside carelessly.
Kang-oh's hand, which had been quickly flipping through the contents with a frighteningly expressionless face, came to a stop.
'Yeo bul-hoe'
Kang-oh's long, sharply defined finger slid over that name.
The reason he didn't stand up to Mo Yong Yu-woon wasn't because he didn't understand political conflict. Nor was it because he hated disputes. It was simply because Yu-woon was their master's First Disciple.
Though it wasn't quite respect, he had thought of him as an outstanding person. He thought that if given enough time, while it might be hard to build a close relationship, they could at least remain distant but still stay civil as senior and junior fellow disciples.
Even when Mo Yong Yu-woon hurt his pride or quietly pushed him out of important matters in Black Sky Clan, Kang-oh wasn't bothered. He even used the martial tournament as an excuse to leave. Traveling through the martial arts world turned out to be more enjoyable than he'd expected, so he didn't really hold a grudge against the First Disciple. Even if he ended up being rejected until the very end, he thought it would be enough to just leave Black Sky Clan for good once the First Disciple's time came.
So he yielded.
This was because the things Mo Yong Yu-woon desperately tried to protect were meaningless to Kang-oh. The position of the next Grandmaster of the Black Sky Clan, the prestige and riches that one naturally gains as the disciple of Jin-rang, the top figure of the Demonic Path, even their master's affection—Kang-oh had never once considered any of it as his.
He had never doubted his master's affection. But Jin-rang's fickleness had existed long before Kang-oh came into the picture.
Still, there was now something even he could no longer yield.
The name Yeo Bul-hoe crumpled under Kang-oh's fingertips.
'First, a warning.'
The next day, the inspection team of the Grandmaster of the Black Sky Clan stormed into the residence of Yeo Bul-hoe, the Head of the Dark Sword Hall.