Chapter 114

The Divine Thief (2)

Namgung Jun reflected on the many skills Heo Il had displayed until now.

The techniques Senior Heo possesses never seemed like something one could master alone. Many of them required years of experience and accumulated wisdom.

Only after hearing that Heo Il had once been the Divine Thief's disciple did Namgung Jun finally understand the traces of time hidden within those skills.

"My heart is pounding so loudly. If you happen to hear it, pretend you don't."

Heo Il's trembling hand reached for the wine gourd.

The carefree smile that usually lingered on his face had completely faded.

Only after watching Heo Il take several long swallows did Namgung Jun quietly ask:

"How did you become involved with the Divine Thief?"

Perhaps he was recalling the past.

Heo Il's gaze drifted toward the buildings of the Wudang Sect.

"When I woke up, I was somewhere completely unfamiliar."

"Where was it?"

"Biyeong Sect. The sect the Divine Thief led. I later learned that I had been kidnapped and locked inside its prison."

He had merely gone to sleep as usual.

The shabby little house, his parents, his younger siblings, the wooden toy his father had made for him—

Everything familiar that had always surrounded him was gone.

Instead there were only dark stone ceilings, iron bars, and children his age huddled together in tears.

That day, the tiny world that had belonged to Heo Il collapsed.

"The Divine Thief judged the many children he had kidnapped according to his own standards. In the end, ten of us—including Senior Brother Hong Jun and myself—became his disciples."

Heo Il rolled up the loose sleeve that covered the back of his hand.

Countless scars, hidden until now beneath his clothing, were revealed.

The scars began at his fingertips and stretched all the way to his shoulders.

Their shapes and depths varied so greatly that it was impossible to imagine the full extent of the suffering he had endured.

"That was when it truly began. We learned the martial arts of Biyeong Sect and every dirty trick a thief might need."

Heo Il stared at the web of scars covering his right hand.

Whenever his training results were unsatisfactory or he made a mistake, the Divine Thief punished him, adding another scar.

Calling it punishment was generous.

It was torture.

The Divine Thief particularly enjoyed torturing the hand his disciples relied on most.

He did not care if they became unable to properly use their arms and thus failed to display their full abilities.

That was why he had taken ten disciples.

There were always replacements.

Even if all ten broke and died, he could simply kidnap more children.

Many disciples lost the use of their hands entirely, and some even lost entire arms.

The reason Heo Il survived within Biyeong Sect was simple.

He was slightly more talented than the others.

And slightly luckier.

"Back then, I couldn't even tell when day became night. The only way I sensed the passage of time was when another senior or junior disciple died after failing one of the Divine Thief's assignments."

Namgung Jun sat silently with the Eternal True Sword resting across his knees.

It was difficult to suppress his anger.

But more than that, Heo Il's profile as he spoke under the influence of alcohol looked unbearably painful.

"In the end, only Senior Brother Hong Jun and I remained. Only then did the Divine Thief stop the punishments and focus on teaching us his techniques. Two years later, I was finally freed from him."

"What happened?"

"The Changcheon Society attacked Biyeong Sect. It was a mission led by the Fate-Seeking Hall and Heavenly Sword Hall."

Biyeong Sect was destroyed.

The Divine Thief escaped alone and vanished without a trace.

During that process, Heo Il and Hong Jun joined the Changcheon Society.

"The Divine Thief stole my life. He stole the lives of my fellow disciples. He stole the lives of the children who died before they were even chosen as disciples."

His voice grew colder.

"As one who survived his hands, it is only right that I take revenge."

Heo Il raised the wine gourd toward his lips, only to pause.

The look in Namgung Jun's eyes was simply too intense.

With a bitter smile, Heo Il handed him the gourd.

Namgung Jun accepted it without hesitation.

"I always thought I'd tell someone this story someday. I just didn't expect today. It's nothing more than one of the many ugly stories common in the martial world."

"So there was a reason you wanted to distance yourself from the skills you learned from the Divine Thief."

"I have no intention of completely denying the techniques I've learned. If they're needed while helping others, I'll use them without hesitation."

Heo Il's fingers lightly brushed the scabbard at his waist.

"But if I ever stand before the Divine Thief again, I want to defeat him with my own sword alone."

"Senior Brother Hong Jun said I was stubborn and foolish. He said we're weak while the Divine Thief is strong. Honestly, I agree to some extent."

He laughed quietly.

"But taking revenge with the martial arts of the man who stole my life... I simply can't accept that."

As Heo Il lowered his head slightly, Namgung Jun carefully raised a hand.

Resting it gently on Heo Il's shoulder, he spoke.

"They would never call you stubborn or foolish."

"And who exactly are they, Young Hero Namgung?"

"The disciples whose lives were stolen by the Divine Thief. The children who died meaningless deaths."

Namgung Jun's voice carried unwavering conviction.

"You chose to carry their lives upon your shoulders, despite how unbearably heavy that burden is."

Their eyes met.

Namgung Jun's blue gaze burned fiercely.

"If anyone dares mock the chivalry you hold, Senior Heo, I will draw my sword before you do."

His voice rang with certainty.

"I would ask them how they dare look down upon the path of a true hero."

"Haha. I merely seek personal revenge. How can that be called chivalry?"

"You willingly carry the lives of others. You pursue the righteous path despite knowing it may be foolish."

Namgung Jun smiled faintly.

"How could that be anything but the path of a hero?"

Heo Il stared into Namgung Jun's eyes for a long moment before throwing his head back and laughing.

Countless complicated emotions were mixed into that laughter. Namgung Jun could not begin to guess them all.

But one thing was certain.

Heo Il looked relieved.

"Hearing you say that gives me strength, Young Hero Namgung."

He smiled.

It was the familiar smile he always wore—easygoing and carefree.

Seeing Heo Il finally display the expression that suited him best, Namgung Jun smiled as well.

"The Divine Thief will definitely appear this time, won't he?"

"He will. He sent a notice beforehand, so he'll certainly come. Whether we'll actually see him face-to-face is another matter."

The smile faded from Namgung Jun's face as he thought of the Divine Thief.

"I've heard the most likely targets are the manuals of the Cloud-Stepping Vertical Ascent and the Cloud-Chasing Trace. If that's true, security around the Hall of True Martial Arts, where Wudang's manuals are stored, will undoubtedly be strengthened."

"Wudang's reasoning isn't without merit," Heo Il replied. "The Divine Thief always claimed that his movement arts were in no way inferior to Wudang's or Kunlun's. He often talked about stealing their manuals and personally comparing them to determine which was superior."

After a brief moment of thought, Heo Il continued.

"That said, I'm not convinced those are the most valuable manuals in Wudang."

"What do you mean?"

"Wudang possesses many supreme arts besides those two. The Taiji Wisdom Sword, the Yin-Yang Divine Art, the Tenfold Golden Scripture..."

Recalling the Divine Thief seemed to sour his mood.

"The Divine Thief enjoys stealing whatever he considers the most valuable item in a place. People would predict his target and prepare defenses accordingly, yet he'd often steal something completely unexpected."

And only later would the true value of the stolen item become apparent.

"Then what do you think his real target is, Senior Heo?"

Namgung Jun had listened carefully to the thoughts of the man who had once been the Divine Thief's disciple.

Heo Il hesitated.

"I'm reluctant to say. If I'm wrong, it could lead to unnecessary confusion and a wasteful division of forces. It's just a feeling based on memories from years ago. I don't really have any proof."

"I'd still like to hear it."

At Namgung Jun's insistence, Heo Il slowly opened his mouth.

***

The Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen had spread themselves throughout the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.

Since Wudang had entrusted them with guarding the main mountain, the place Heavenly Sword Hall needed to protect most was naturally the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.

In some ways, it was an even more important choke point than the sect's main gate.

A number of Wudang disciples were still guarding the area, but compared to the Wudang Seven Swords, their strength was clearly lacking.

Listening to the rustling pine needles swaying in the cool breeze, Man Ye-won raised her head.

"Shouldn't we be guarding the Hall of True Martial Arts as well? The Divine Thief isn't going to walk through the Sword-Releasing Pavilion openly."

Standing like a stone statue at the top of the pavilion steps, Gong Jun-am answered.

"The Hall of True Martial Arts should be left to the Wudang disciples. We only need to fulfill the task entrusted to us."

"Those words are greatly appreciated. Having the swordsmen of Heavenly Sword Hall here is truly reassuring."

Hyeonsa, standing beside Gong Jun-am, smiled faintly.

The number of Wudang disciples currently guarding the Sword-Releasing Pavilion was small.

Aside from himself, they were all second-generation disciples.

Under such circumstances, Heavenly Sword Hall's assistance was more than welcome.

Conversations continued quietly throughout the area, but Yu Geun-su remained silent.

As the newest member, he focused all his attention on observing the surroundings.

While staring into a patch of grass that seemed to blend into the darkness itself, he suddenly felt something was wrong.

The faint chirping of insects had vanished.

Completely.

"Senior Man."

Yu Geun-su immediately turned to report his discovery to Man Ye-won.

But before he could speak, he noticed something.

Man Ye-won already had her sword drawn.

The same was true for the other Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen.

At some point, every single one of them had unsheathed their weapons.

All of them had sensed the anomaly before he did.

"An unexpected guest in the night."

"Great Wall Sword. Our sect will secure the center with the Heavenly Gang Cloud Formation. Heavenly Sword Hall, please support the two wings—"

Hyeonsa's words had barely begun when the scattered Wudang disciples rapidly gathered together.

"Attack!"

"Don't let them deploy their formation!"

Shouts echoed through the darkness.

Figures burst out from every direction.

Demonic cultists.

"How dare you!"

"You bastards! Are you a strike force targeting Wudang's main mountain?"

The Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen moved in perfect unison and intercepted the attackers.

In an instant, battle erupted throughout the Sword-Releasing Pavilion.

"Heavenly Sword Hall."

Gong Jun-am slowly drew the greatsword from his back.

"Not a single demonic cultist is to pass beyond the Sword-Releasing Pavilion."

Gripping the massive blade, Gong Jun-am became the gatekeeper of the pavilion.

Lee Seha and Namgung Jun were absent.

That meant command of Heavenly Sword Hall now rested with him.

Yet Gong Jun-am did not rush forward to join the fighting.

Instead, he calmly observed the battlefield.

With this much commotion, it'll be far easier for the Divine Thief to move.

Even so, he felt no urgency.

Lee Seha and Namgung Jun would somehow deal with the Divine Thief.

His responsibility lay elsewhere.

Rather than chasing an enemy who could appear anywhere, his role was to stand firm, move deliberately, and seal the Sword-Releasing Pavilion completely.

No matter what happened elsewhere—

No one would pass through this gate.