During that process Dugohyeon did give enlightennt, but at the ti he said this.
-The enlightennt you gained now is rely the result of your own effort, so do not think to repay with it.
I had thought he was an unusual man.
And no matter how many tis he told not to repay him, in my heart I still thought that soday I would return the favor.
But isn’t the current situation a little... odd?
“Doesn’t that line about not repaying you sound strange in context?”
“It is not strange. As I showed you kindness then, I an for you to show kindness to yourself now.”
Show kindness to myself?
It sounded as if there were a deeper aning.
Dugohyeon said to Geum Mujeok, who brushed his face with his hand as if to wipe it away, as if driving a nail in place.
“Rember this. An opportunity like this will not co again.”
A mont of silence passed.
Geum Mujeok slowly sheathed his sword.
“...Tch. I yield. I accept.”
“An excellent choice.”
In truth, from the mont Dugohyeon appeared this outco had been inevitable.
“However, I want to add one condition.”
“Speak.”
“Not only myself, but the entire Golden Sword Gate will join the Heavenly Alliance.”
Dugohyeon turned his head. That was beyond what he could accept on his own terms.
When Seol Unhwi nodded, Dugohyeon said, “Very well. Let it be so.”
Geum Mujeok scratched his head, looked at Seol Unhwi, and clasped his hands in salute.
“I will head to Cheonsu soon.”
“Do so.”
Geum Mujeok then stomped to the other side and in an instant his figure vanished.
Seol Unhwi looked at Dugohyeon, who was smiling.
“You have sothing to tell , it seems.”
“I will say this: I like this about the Heavenly Arbiter.”
“This aspect?”
“When you converse with the Heavenly Arbiter, there is no need to go around in circles.”
“Is that so?”
“Then I will ask plainly. What is the Heavenly Alliance’s final destination?”
At that question Seol Unhwi closed his mouth, and Chief Seong also fell silent.
“There are many cases where retired or reclusive forr masters break their seclusion and reveal themselves. But this ti is very different.”
It really was different.
“Not one or two, but dozens broke their seclusion and entrusted themselves to the Heavenly Alliance, as if by agreent.”
“....”
“Worse, they followed the Alliance Lord, the Fla King, blindly.”
“....”
“Among the nurous groups in the martial world, it is extrely rare to appoint martial artists of Cheonji Sage level as mbers of an ard organization. More than twenty of mythic-level martial artists were appointed to that position, and yet there was no complaint.”
It was more than re lack of complaint.
“In the Soul-Dao Demon Fla Palace incident their contribution was conspicuous. Was it the Heavenly-Spirit Sword Corps they called it?”
“That is correct.”
“To state it plainly, except for the Blood-Spirit Corps of the Original Blood Cult, the Heavenly-Spirit Sword Corps is probably the strongest ard group currently extant in the martial world.”
Dugohyeon walked to the cliff edge and clasped his hands behind his back there.
“Yes. I ask plainly now: what is the ultimate purpose of the Heavenly Alliance?”
Seol Unhwi stepped slowly to his side.
A long silence followed.
It was clear they already knew a fair amount.
As Dugohyeon had said, Seol Unhwi did not wish to beat around the bush.
“The ultimate purpose of the Heavenly Alliance is peace.”
“....”
“But the majority of those who have joined from the Millennium Demon Cult hope for the restoration of the Millennium Demon Cult.”
At these words Dugohyeon’s eyes widened.
He had expected sothing, but this exceeded his expectation by far.
“I thought there was sothing... the Millennium Demon Cult, huh... hm...”
Dugohyeon exhaled a sigh and, replaying Seol Unhwi’s words in his head, noticed one thing.
Seol Unhwi’s tone was as if he were drawing a line.
When Dugohyeon looked at him, Seol Unhwi, as if guessing his thoughts, imdiately spoke.
“To say it once more: many among those in the Heavenly Alliance hope for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult.”
Dugohyeon turned to look at Seol Unhwi.
“How frank. You could have lied and I might have let it pass.”
“Because I know your heart as a senior, I did not lie.”
“...Huh... the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult...”
Dugohyeon stared into the void.
“The Thousand-Year Cataclysm. Do you know how many martial artists died then?”
“I do.”
“The orthodox, the heterodox, civilians alike—more than a million died. Even skimming the records, the horror is beyond words.”
“I know that too.”
Watching the silent Dugohyeon, Seol Unhwi asked, “Dugohyeon senior, one question.”
“Ask.”
“Who writes history?”
Dugohyeon frowned.
“The victors, do they not?”
“That is correct. The history of the Thousand-Year Cataclysm was written by the victors. That the Millennium Demon Cult was evil, that they massacred innocents, that they plunged the martial world into chaos.”
Seol Unhwi looked Dugohyeon squarely in the face.
“But is that the whole truth?”
“....”
“The Millennium Demon Cult certainly committed wrongs. But were they the only ones at fault? Were the orthodox clean?”
Dugohyeon closed his mouth.
“You know as well, senior, what the orthodox did after the Thousand-Year Cataclysm.”
“...They killed countless innocent people under the pretext of rooting out remnants of the Demon Cult.”
“That is right. Even factions unrelated to the cult were annihilated. Simply because they did not fit the orthodox’s standards.”
Seol Unhwi continued.
“I do not claim the Millennium Demon Cult was perfect. But what they pursued was not pure malice.”
“Hmm...”
“Do you know the fundantal tenet of the Millennium Demon Cult?”
Dugohyeon shook his head.
“Universal equality.”
“...What?”
“The Millennium Demon Cult did not consider birth or family background. If you had talent, anyone could rise to high office; the strong could not trample the weak at will.”
Seol Unhwi paused.
“Of course, as ti passed that ideal faded and was corrupted, but in its early days the Millennium Demon Cult was that way. When the orthodox favored the scions of prestigious families, the Millennium Demon Cult gave opportunities to anyone.”
“So you intend to revive that ideal?”
“Yes.”
Dugohyeon asked sharply.
“Will the Heavenly Alliance beco the Millennium Demon Cult?”
“No.”
Seol Unhwi shook his head.
“The Heavenly Alliance will remain the Heavenly Alliance. Only those within it who share the intent will rebuild the Millennium Demon Cult.”
“What does that an...?”
“Not everyone in the Heavenly Alliance must participate in the reconstruction. Only those who desire it may do so. Those who do not wish to remain simply as mbers of the Heavenly Alliance may do so.”
Dugohyeon thought for a long ti, then asked, “Is that possible?”
“It is possible. The Heavenly Alliance is not a successor to the Millennium Demon Cult. It is a new organization that inherits certain ideals of the Millennium Demon Cult.”
“....”
“Dugohyeon senior.”
Seol Unhwi looked Dugohyeon squarely in the face.
“The Heavenly Alliance will walk the path of righteousness. It will not harm innocent people, nor will it disturb the order of the martial world. It will rather play a role in stabilizing the martial world.”
“Like in the Soul-Dao Demon Fla Palace incident?”
“Exactly.”
Dugohyeon exhaled a long sigh.
“Heavenly Arbiter.”
“Yes.”
“Then I will ask.”
Dugohyeon’s gaze sharpened.
“And you yourself? Do you wish for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult?”
Seol Unhwi was silent for a mont, then slowly spoke.
“The reconstruction will happen.”
“I have heard that already.”
“And I will participate in that reconstruction.”
Dugohyeon’s eyes widened.
“You... participate?”
“Yes. And I will play the most decisive role.”
Seol Unhwi looked up at the sky.
“Perhaps I may stand at the vanguard.”
“Vanguard?”
Seol Unhwi looked back at Dugohyeon.
“I respect every path a martial artist walks. If my people wish to rebuild the Millennium Demon Cult, and if they choose to walk that road, then I will walk with them.”
“....”
“A martial artist walks his own path. So walk the path of righteousness, so walk the path of the heretic. If my people choose the road of rebuilding the Millennium Demon Cult, I will walk that road with them.”
Seol Unhwi’s voice was calm but resolute.
Dugohyeon, who had been staring at Seol Unhwi, asked, “Respect all paths?”
“Yes. However, there is one condition.”
“Condition?”
“That they be willing to stake their lives for that path. They must be willing, until the mont they truly die, to hold to that path, and even in the pain of having limbs torn from them, to carry it through.”
Dugohyeon was silent.
“If they can do that, even those who proclaim that their way is to consu people deserve respect. That is what it ans to be a martial artist.”
“...Then Heavenly Arbiter, will you stake your life for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult?”
Seol Unhwi shook his head.
“No.”
“What did you say?”
“I will not stake my life for the reconstruction of the Millennium Demon Cult. I will stake my life for my people.”
Seol Unhwi smiled.
“If they wish to rebuild the Millennium Demon Cult, I will go with them. But it is not for the sake of the Millennium Demon Cult; it is because they are my people.”
Dugohyeon fell silent for a long mont, then nodded.
“Now I understand.”
He clasped his hands in salute to Seol Unhwi.
“Heavenly Arbiter. I will support your intent.”
“Thank you, Dugohyeon senior.”
Seol Unhwi returned the salute.
“But rember this: if the Heavenly Alliance departs from the path of righteousness and becos a scourge upon the martial world, then I too will have no choice but to turn my back.”
“If I can convince you, what then?”
“Convince ?”
“Yes. If you secure legitimacy and make sure that turning your back is not the right thing, would you still turn your back then?”
Dugohyeon nodded and said, “Then I will stand with you.”
“So you will not leave the Heavenly Alliance.”
“That is # Nоvеlight # correct.”
“How fortunate. The Heavenly Alliance needs people like you to walk the right path.”
Dugohyeon snorted softly.
“I felt that even then: you are a very persuasive speaker.”
“I rely spoke the truth.”
The two n looked at each other and smiled.
***
Plum Pavilion.
Fla King Hwa Munyeom sat alone drinking tea.
It was a quiet afternoon.
A breeze ca, and the branches of the plum tree swayed.
At that mont Hwa Munyeom’s hand stopped.
“Visiting like this upon a first eting is hardly polite, I think.”
His gaze turned toward the entrance of the Plum Pavilion.
“Hahaha.”
With that laugh a man appeared.
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