Chapter 37 Mayu Gyeom-2

Chapter 37 Mayu Gyeom-2

“Right, what did Seon Woo-jin say when we followed that Miao tribe?”

Startled by Mayu Gyeom’s question, Joo Tae-kyung replied.

“Huh? Well, he said that someday, to go deeper inside, we’d need to get information about that place…”

Ma Yu-gyeom’s expression turned angry as he asked.

“Right, to get inside there someday—in other words, to strike the Blood Sect—we obviously need information about the jungle. But you, a disciple of the Pointed Spear Sect who should want to strike the Blood Sect more than anyone! Why the hell didn’t you follow them then?!”

Caught off guard by Mayu-gyeom’s sudden fury, Ju Tae-gyeong couldn’t help but be utterly flustered.

“Th-that’s…”

But Mayu-gyeom’s words didn’t end there.

Pointing his finger at the seven members he was about to strike, he shouted.

“Look at them laughing and joking around! Is that the look of those possessed by the Blood Cult?! Are your eyes blind?! You’re siding with the Blood Cult’s demonic leaders? That Seolpung? Do you even know how many of the Blood Cult’s demonic leaders that bastard slaughtered before spouting such nonsense?!”

Mayu Gyeom disliked Seolpung, but regardless, he recognized him as a warrior more than anyone else.

No, perhaps that was precisely why he disliked him.

He wasn’t even a disciple of a prestigious orthodox sect, yet he possessed martial prowess surpassing his own…

But for a snake like Ju Tae-gyeong to dare slander Seolpung—a man he himself acknowledged—by accusing him of siding with the Blood Sect’s demonic leaders? His rage boiled over.

“Is discerning right from wrong beyond your capacity?! If you knew your own shortcomings, you’d strive to overcome them with all your might—not try to fill your petty jealousy by slandering others?!”

Shouting to that point, Mayu Gyeom suddenly grabbed Jutae-gyeong by the collar and whispered softly, loud enough only for him to hear.

“Ju Tae-kyung, do you know when I feel the most excruciatingly keenly that our Jeomchang clan was wiped out?”

His murderous question made Ju Tae-kyung, now pale as death, answer in a trembling voice.

“I-I don’t know.”

Then, with eyes brimming with murderous intent, Mayu-gyeom whispered.

“It’s when you scum like you realize I can’t even bring myself to strike down the few remaining members of Jomchang’s clan. Truly, it’s utterly miserable.”

With that, Mayu Gyeom shoved Joo Tae-kyung aside and turned to walk away.

Yet, even in his rage, he glanced back briefly, watching Seon Woo-jin and Cheong Yeon locked in their dazzling duel.

Compared to Joo Tae-kyung, he seemed to shine even brighter, and it was impossible not to feel such regret.

Mayu Gyeom shook off his team members and walked alone back to the lodgings, lost in anguish.

For Jeomchang to rise again, talented individuals were desperately needed.

Proper talents, not trash like Joo Tae-kyung—talents like Seol Pung or Seon Woo-jin.

But right now, Jomchang’s disciples couldn’t even unite the ones they already had, let alone accept new talent.

This pained Mayu Gyeom deeply.

And Ma Yugyeom knew better than anyone else why that was.

He sighed heavily as he thought.

‘It must be because of me.’

The reason Jianchang’s disciples couldn’t unite was precisely because of Ma Yugyeom himself.

He, who claimed to be Jeomchang’s foremost disciple, had failed to earn enough trust to unite all of Jeomchang’s disciples.

That was it.

Mayu Gyeom currently did not have the support of all the disciples of Jeomchang.

The primary reason, of course, was that he was the son of Ma Won-ung, the former headmaster who had brought about Jeomchang’s downfall.

But even so, if he had been the greatest swordsman of the Zhanchang, the other disciples would have had no choice but to acknowledge him.

He would have been the unavoidable representative of the Zhanchang Sect.

‘But… I couldn’t even achieve that.’

Ma Yugyeom gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly.

Unfortunately, among the disciples of the Spear School, there were two others who were undeniably recognized as superior to Ma Yugyeom.

They were none other than this squad leader, the Spear Dragon Sword Master Sa Gun-il, and the Spear Dragon Sword Master Je Won-yeong, belonging to another squad.

Of course, even if he wasn’t superior to these two, if they would only acknowledge and follow him, Mayu Gyeom felt he could still rally the other Jianchang disciples.

But unfortunately for Mayu Gyeom, they did not.

Sagunil, true to his solitary nature, remained aloof and refused to join Mayu Gyeom’s cause.

And Je Won-yeong even deeply disliked Ma Yu-gyeom.

They had been bitter rivals since before the Zhanchang Sect was wiped out.

So he had been striving to earn the recognition of the Zhenchang disciples through his own strength alone, without them, to try and restore the Zhenchang name…

But lately, Ma Yugyeom had been acutely aware that this approach simply wouldn’t work.

‘Alone… it’s impossible.’

Mayu Gyeom had no choice but to acknowledge his own limitations.

To unite everyone, he absolutely needed the recognition of at least one of them.

Especially the recognition of the supreme Jianchang Sword Dragon, Saguunil.

So Mayu-gyeom made a decision.

If he could only revive the Spear Clan, it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t acknowledge him.

The most important thing was not himself, but his precious disciples.

Having thought it through, Mayu Gyeom turned his steps and headed for this group’s lodgings.

He intended to meet Saguil again.

As always, Sagunil was deep in meditation, alone beneath a tree beside the lodgings.

Mayu Gyeom approached him without hesitation and spoke.

“Gunil, let’s talk.”

Sagunil was a disciple, born and raised in the same secluded valley as Mayugyeom. Because they were the same age, the two had never formally taken the senior-junior brotherhood oath and had lived together as friends since childhood.

Sagunil slowly opened his eyes and looked at him.

His gaze seemed to ask what he wanted to say. It was as if he didn’t want to engage in conversation, questioning only with his eyes.

At his cold demeanor, Mayugyeom let out a deep sigh.

Suddenly, a memory from their childhood surfaced.

Despite their vastly different personalities, they had always been good friends who stuck together.

‘Yes, there was a time like that.’

At least until Elder Sa U-yong, father of Sa Gun-il, began opposing every single event organized by Ma Yu-gyeom’s father, Ma Won-il, who had taken office as the head of the sect.

To Ma Won-il, who prioritized the practical interests of the Jinchang Sect above all else, Sa U-yong, father of Sa Gun-il, constantly clashed with him, citing the responsibilities and principles of the righteous faction.

Though young, Ma Yu-gyeom had criticized Elder Sa U-yong as nothing but a dreamer out of touch with reality.

At least, until the Jeomchangpa faction was destroyed, largely due to his father Ma Won-il’s greed.

Ma Yugyeom struggled to open his mouth and spoke to him.

“Gun-il, we need your help for Jeomchang.”

No one could ever know how much pride he had to abandon to utter those words.

It was something the Ma Yu-gyeom of the past could never have imagined saying.

But Sa Gun-il merely flashed a slight gleam in his eyes and gave no reply. Perhaps this was insufficient.

Mayu Gyeom took a deep breath and spoke again.

“Help me, Gunil. We can’t let the Jomchang collapse like this, can we? If you wish, I will elevate you to Head of the Sect. I will support you with all my strength. So please, move for the sake of the Jomchang!”

Mayu Gyeom could now even abandon his goal of becoming the head of the sect.

It was all for the revival of the Four-Sect Sect, Jianchang.

After gazing at Mayu-gyeom for a moment, Sagun-il slowly opened his mouth.

“You’ve changed, Yugyeom.”

At his words, Mayu Gyeom asked urgently, his eyes filled with hope.

“Really?!”

But Sagunil shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but even if you have changed, it makes no difference. I have no intention of acting to revive Jomchang.”

Those words finally enraged Mayu-gyeom.

“What the hell are you talking about?! You won’t move for me, and you won’t move for Jomchang’s revival?! Are you seriously suggesting you’d betray the grace of the Sa-mun?!”

Then, with a strangely desolate expression, Sagunil repeated.

“The Master’s kindness… Yes, I cannot betray the Master’s kindness.”

“Then why…?!

Interrupting Mayu Gyeom’s angry outburst, Sagunil asked.

“But tell me, Yugyeom. Does our Jeomchang truly have the qualifications to rise again?”

“…What?”

Mayu-gyeom was rendered speechless by Sagun-il’s unexpected question and the look in his eyes, one he had never seen before.

Sagunil’s gaze, heavy and sinking, looked so profoundly sorrowful.

“I too agonized over this countless times. How could I possibly turn my back on Samun, my homeland and the place that was like my parents? But no matter how many times I reconsidered, the conclusion remained the same. Jeomchang has no right to rise again.”

At his words, Mayu Gyeom drew his sword in fury.

Clang!

Then, enraged, he shouted.

“What the hell are you talking about?! You say our Jeomchang has no right to rise again?! Explain yourself clearly! Or I’ll cut you down right here!”

Sagunil then gazed at Mayugyeom with sorrowful eyes and asked.

“Who was it that coveted a treasure not even his own, terrorizing and slaughtering powerless warriors? Who was it whose monstrous greed forced Yunnan Province into the hands of the Blood Sect, driving countless people to their deaths? Do you truly believe our Zhenchang faction deserves to rise again?”

Mayu Gyeom bit his lip at his words.

But he answered immediately.

“Wasn’t that incident caused by the misguided judgment of a few?! How can you deny the very existence of the Jianchang Sect—a renowned pillar of the righteous faction that has upheld its long history—based on a few such mistakes?!”

Sagun-il gave a weak chuckle and asked again.

“The fault lies with a few. Then what about you, Yugyeom? As the son of the head of the sect who committed those wrongs, can you now publicly announce and apologize for Jeomchang’s sins to the entire martial world? Can you kneel before each and every one of the innocent people who died because of the countless wrongs Jeomchang committed out of his misguided greed and beg for their forgiveness?”

Yu Gyeom’s expression stiffened at Sagunil’s question.

Watching him, Sagunil continued.

“Can you confess that surrendering Yunnan Province to the Blood Sect, and the countless lives lost and still being lost on this front because of it, are all due to Zhenchang’s greed? If you can do that, I will recognize you as the new Sect Leader without hesitation. And I will sacrifice everything I have for Zhenchang’s resurrection.”

For Mayu Gyeom, these were words he had waited far too long to hear.

Yet, even so, Ma Yugyeom could only swallow hard, unable to bring himself to answer.

It was no easy matter.

Not only was admitting Zhanchang’s mistakes difficult in itself, but if the world learned that Yunnan Province had been seized by the Blood Sect because of Zhanchang’s greed, the martial arts community might emotionally refuse to accept Zhanchang’s resurrection.

Mayu Gyeom first tried to deny Sagunil’s words outright.

“Your words are too extreme. How can you say all that was solely Jianchang’s fault? If we follow that logic, wouldn’t all the martial artists who gathered in Yunnan Province driven by greed for the treasure also bear blame? Besides, an apology for that can wait until Jianchang is fully restored.”

At that, Sagunil gave Mayugyeom a bitter smile and said.

“Do you remember, Yugyeom?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Your father, Grandmaster Ma Yuan-yi, always responded that way to my father’s objections that it went against the Way. He said that only once the Zhanchang Sect grew strong could it become the pillar supporting the righteous sects in Yunnan Province. He argued that if the Nine Great Sects, the pillars of the righteous faction, lacked the strength to uphold the Way, then what meaning would that Way hold?”

Ma Yugyeom remembered it too.

After all, he himself had once criticized Saguunil’s father, who defied such a father, as nothing more than a narrow-minded dreamer.

Sagunil laughed hollowly and continued.

“But look. Our Zhenchang Sect, which abandoned the righteous path for power, has now lost the strength to protect Yunnan Province. If being the pillar of Yunnan Province through sheer strength was the Jianchang Sect’s reason for existence, what is our purpose now that we’ve lost that strength? Are we to cling to the pretense of being a prestigious righteous sect now? Us, who were just as greedy as everyone else, as you said? Were we ever truly righteous?”

Mayu Gyeom was momentarily unable to respond.

He had never anticipated that Saguunil would be burdened with such anguish.

Of course, he had no grounds whatsoever to refute his words.

Sagunil now rose to his feet and spoke.

“Yugyeom, you bear a striking resemblance to your father, Grandmaster Ma Won-il. That is why I…”

Having spoken only that far, Sagunil gazed at Mayugyeom with a heavy expression before promptly turning to leave.

At that, Ma Yugyeom shouted impulsively.

“Don’t act so high and mighty, Gun-il! You’re no better than him—you’re Jomchang’s disciple too! Fine! Let’s say Jomchang committed a crime, as you claim! So what?! Does turning your back on Jomchang because of that crime make it any less of a crime?! Are you saying you’ll commit the sin of abandoning your master just to use Jomchang’s crime as an excuse?!”

Sagunil, who had sighed deeply at his outburst, turned his back and replied.

“I am indeed Jeomchang’s disciple. Therefore, I will devote everything I have to avenge the Blood Sect. But if, by any chance, that is achieved during my lifetime…”

Then, turning back with a heavy gaze, he finished his words.

“I will abandon everything I received from Jianchang. Even if I die by your hand then, I will hold no grudge.”

Mayu Gyeom could not stop him as he spoke these words and walked away.

Somehow, he felt he could understand the tormented heart that could seek vengeance for the master, yet knew it could never bring the master back to life.

***

Mayu Gyeom returned to his lodgings with a heavy heart.

It was clear that Jeomchang had committed a crime.

But he had never truly thought deeply about it.

No, it would be more accurate to say he had avoided thinking deeply about it.

He had only thought about the fact that Jeomchang was his master, so he must revive him, and that he was the son of the former head of the sect, so he himself must become the head.

But today, Sagunil had ruthlessly shaken everything he had pursued.

He let out a deep sigh.

“Huuu.”

Unlike the other squad leaders, Mayu Gyeom’s quarters were a detached house.

This was partly due to his dislike of communal living and partly for his privacy.

As he opened the door to his detached house without a second thought, he suddenly realized the door, which should have been locked, was open.

Already feeling weighed down, Mayugyeom scowled in irritation, opened the door, and said,

“I told you not to come here privately anymore.”

And there, on his bed, sat a woman, composed and quiet.

“Ye-gyeong.”

She was Mae Yeokyeong, the deputy leader of the fourth squadron, which Mayu-gyeom commanded, and until recently, his lover.

Her eyes were dark-circled, her expression gloomy. She was huddled up, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“Team Leader, please…”

Her voice was desperate, but Mayu Gyeom showed no sign of wavering.

He merely opened the door wide with a cold expression and stated.

“I’ll say it again. We are now merely squad leader and deputy squad leader. I’m tired. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave my room immediately.”

But Mae Ye-kyung, who had come with such a desperate look on her face, wasn’t about to leave so easily. She pleaded with him in a desperate voice.

“If I’ve done anything wrong, I’ll fix it, Team Leader. Please, just give me one more chance.”

Mayu Gyeom sighed as if annoyed, trying hard to calm himself.

Then, as if trying to gently reason with her, he began to soothe her.

“Ye-kyung, you did nothing wrong. You were a perfectly good woman. You know very well that before meeting you, I’d never dated anyone for more than a year, right? My feelings simply cooled. Does cooling feelings always need a reason? So accept it. No matter how much you cling, you’ll only make yourself miserable.”

Ma Yu-gyeom’s words held some truth.

Ma Yu-gyeom had been sufficiently charming and an excellent partner, which was precisely why, regardless of the reason, he had managed to maintain a relationship with her for over a year—unlike the countless women he had dated in the past.

It was just that from the very beginning, Ma Yu-gyeom never had any intention of going all the way with her. He had always assumed they would part ways eventually, which was why he had insisted on maintaining the formal title “team leader.”

And now, that inevitable moment had simply arrived.

But the other person’s feelings couldn’t possibly match Mayu-gyeom’s.

Especially not for a woman like Mae Ye-gyeong, who was introverted and deeply lonely.

Finally, she burst into tears, kneeling on the floor and begging.

“Captain, please. Please don’t abandon me. I’ll do anything you want. So please…”

Her actions finally made Mayu Gyeom lose his temper.

This kind of clingy, desperate response was the kind of behavior he hated most.

Already feeling uneasy, he gave up on soothing her further, turned away, and said.

“Ha! So you were just another woman who sullied my last memory after all. Fine. If you won’t leave, then I will.”

Just as he spoke and was about to leave the room,

Mae Ye-gyeong began to sob, her voice breaking.

“Captain, please… I can’t live without you now. Please, don’t leave me…”

Hearing her voice, which sounded as if it might break, Mayu Gyeom sighed and stopped in his tracks.

He already knew that Mae Yeo-kyung was emotionally unstable.

She was starved for affection and dependent, a result of childhood memories of abuse by her parents.

Moreover, unlike Mayu-gyeom himself, who had been involved with countless women, Maye-gyeong had never been with anyone else before him.

Because of her childhood memories, she couldn’t trust men, and he was the first person she had ever opened her heart to.

So it was only natural that she couldn’t accept his change of heart without any real reason.

Mayu Gyeom himself knew this about her, didn’t he? That’s why he had continued the relationship even after his feelings had cooled.

Of course, he too had reached a point where he could no longer endure it.

Mayu Gyeom sighed deeply and tried to calm his heart.

He couldn’t keep the relationship going based on pity alone.

He just wanted to end things a little more gently.

As Mayu Gyeom turned his head again with that thought, his gaze fell upon Mae Yeo-gyeong, who was sobbing and trying to undress.

It seemed she was determined to try absolutely everything she could.

Mayu Gyeom spoke with a cold expression, but his tone was slightly softened.

“Ye-gyeong, take my advice: what you’re doing now is nothing but an act of diminishing your own worth. You are a perfectly decent woman. So value yourself. Even without me, you’ll find someone else soon enough.”

With that, he turned away again.

For him, who had always been as sharp as a knife when parting with women, he felt he had now done everything he could.

He felt a sense of relief.

That was when it happened.

Mae Ye-kyung shouted again.

“It’s because of Lady Tang, isn’t it?!”

Her words made Ma Yu-gyeom pause. It was too unexpected.

Ma Yu-gyeom turned back with an expression of utter bewilderment and asked again.

“What?”

Then, with a venomous glare, Mae Ye-gyeong cried out tearfully.

“It’s because of Lady Tang, Tang Ye-eun! Do you think I don’t know you love her?! Why can’t you see?! No matter how much you gaze at her, she’ll never come to you! It’s nothing but a futile, unrequited love!”

Mayu Gyeom now glared at Mae Yeo-gyeong with eyes blazing with fury, his words spat out.

“Honestly, your delusions are unbearable to listen to. Ye-gyeong, it seems impossible for you and me to stay in the same team. It would be better for you to transfer to another team. So, after this meeting ends, make arrangements to move to another team. I’ll inform the leader myself.”

But as she spoke so coldly and left the room, Mayu Gyeom’s face twisted into an expression even more distorted than when she had met Sagun-il earlier.

He gritted his teeth.

He thought he hadn’t shown any sign of it at all,

How could he possibly…

Mayu-gyeom suddenly recalled her face.

That face, like a brand that never faded from his mind, not even for a single moment…

At first, he’d merely been intrigued by her status as a direct descendant of the Sicheondang clan.

He thought marrying her could greatly aid in reviving the Jianchang Sect.

But unlike other women, she showed him not the slightest bit of interest.

That’s when his competitive spirit kicked in.

He deliberately lingered around her, and he even courted other women as if to make her notice.

Yet no matter what Mayu Gyeom did, she remained unchanged.

She remained as beautiful, proud, and strong as ever.

Even more so than himself, known as the Sword of the Pointed Blade.

Then, at some point, when I finally came to my senses, I realized my gaze was always drawn to her.

He was furious.

His pride was wounded, and he even felt pathetic.

He drove himself to train relentlessly, berating himself for letting such emotions consume him when he was the one who had to revive the Jianchang. He also tried to forget her by dating different women.

But no matter what he tried, the name of hers, once etched into his heart, refused to fade.

If anything, it only grew clearer with time.

Mayu Gyeom gazed at the evening sky darkening before him and muttered hollowly.

“Damn it…”