Chapter 18 Change (3)

Chapter 18 Change (3)

‘Can a person truly change that much?’

Ha Jin-ak watched Gu Yang-jeok, who seemed packed full of self-assurance, with interest.

He was definitely different from before.

For instance, it was a difference in depth.

The difference between a youngster who just wanted to look strong and someone who was genuinely strong-willed.

He was distinctly different from the Gu Yang-jeok he had glimpsed a year ago.

‘It feels almost like a butterfly that has successfully shed its skin.’

Moreover, he seemed to have become extremely astute, easily seeing through the situation on this side.

Consequently, Ha Jin-ak’s gaze grew somewhat sharper.

“But setting aside the Three Evils of Shaanxi, how did you find out about the Black Dragon Sect?”

“……”

At that, Gu Yangjeok gave a strange smile.

He had no intention of answering easily.

Just as Ha Jin-ak had done moments before, he would only give enough for a vague guess.

He planned to respond with words open to multiple interpretations.

“It was the same with the Golden Ring Trading Company, and well… Everyone has their connections, you know.”

“You planned to hide it even from me, your senior brother?”

Ha Jin-ak’s face had stiffened rigidly.

If he wouldn’t speak, he would inevitably suffer disadvantages in the future.

It was a threat anyone could recognize, unless their head was completely frozen solid or split open.

But Gu Yang-jeok felt no particular regret about it.

‘He calls that a threat.’

Gyu Yang-jeok’s lips curved into a faint smile.

At worst, he wouldn’t be given a key position. In the worst case, he’d be expelled from the mountain.

That was all.

Even if he had to leave Huashan immediately, he was confident he could survive somehow.

Why fear something he’d already done once?

‘He picked the wrong opponent.’

Gu Yangjeok met Ha Jin-ak’s gaze with a smooth, unflinching stare.

“Consider it confidential.”

“Master Gu Yang!”

Ha Jin-ak’s face twisted into a hideous grimace.

But within it, Gu Yangjeok sensed something subtle.

There was a hint of irritation, but he didn’t seem truly angry, unlike the expression he’d just shown.

Even considering his age, Ha Jin-ak’s facial acting was undeniably impressive.

‘Still, it won’t work on me.’

It was merely an attempt.

Gu Yang-jeok watched Ha Jin-ak return to his usual expression as if nothing had happened.

“Senior Brother, I’m not a child. I won’t be easily intimidated by your threats.”

“Is that so?”

Ha Jin-ak’s gaze shifted elsewhere for an instant.

“You there, the one hiding—come out.”

At those words, Yoo Jang-myeong, who had been catching his breath behind the building, revealed himself.

“…I wasn’t exactly hiding.”

“Then why didn’t you immediately greet your senior brother and show yourself when you saw him?”

“That’s…”

Sweat-soaked from training, Yoo Jang-myeong wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, then looked Ha Jin-ak straight in the eye and continued.

“Because you weren’t acting like yourself, Senior Brother.”

Despite his crisp tone, deep disappointment lay beneath his words.

Seeing this, Ha Jin-ak’s lips parted slightly.

“Not acting like myself?”

“No matter how much the enemy has changed, he is still the enemy.”

Yu Jang-myeong continued with a serious expression.

“I too know that in a short time, his skills, which were merely second-rate, suddenly improved, and his once violent temperament became calm.”

‘……What is this? Was that pent-up anger?’

Yu Zhangming probably thought he was taking Gu Yangji’s side, but it didn’t sit well.

‘This makes it impossible to talk privately with the senior brother.’

Just as Gu Yangji was about to tell Yu Zhangming it was fine now and to step back.

Yu Zhangming once again declared his stance to Ha Jin’ak.

“But the enemy is Gu Yangji. The disciple of Huashan, my master, and the direct disciple of the Sect Leader himself, Gu Yangjie.“

”…….”

At those words, Ha Jin’ak couldn’t hide his momentary surprise.

The Yu Jang-myeong he knew wasn’t that kind of cultivator.

He obeyed the authority of his senior brother and the elders, possessed outstanding skill, but was often judged lacking as a martial artist due to his lack of ruthlessness.

But what about now?

Wasn’t he standing his ground, saying everything he needed to against Ha Jin-ak, who had always treated him with difficulty?

‘Still, his affection remains unchanged.’

Ha Jin-ak let out a faint sigh.

“Yes, I understand what you’re saying. But it’s not as if I was specifically persecuting the enemy or anything like that.”

” But Senior Brother…“

Before Yu Zhangming could elaborate, Ha Jin-ak turned to look at Gu Yang-jeok.

”Didn’t you think so too?“

”Well, honestly, yes.”

Gu Yang-jeok scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

If Ha Jin-ak had genuinely intended to persecute him, he wouldn’t have let it slide so easily just now.

He would have certainly played hardball from the start, threatening severe punishment.

After all, Gu Yangjie had lied to the Taoists, putting Ha Jin’ak in a difficult position.

By the standards of the precepts, it was severe enough to warrant the first-ever late-stage punishment in Huashan’s history—severing the tendons and meridians of the limbs.

“So, both of you, please calm down… No, first, let’s hear my side of the story.”

With that, Gu Yangji had no choice but to share the plan he had intended only for Ha Jin’ak and Song Muk with Yu Jang-myeong as well.

From the Black Dragon Sect and the Three Evils of Shaanxi, all the way to the Daoist sects in Shaanxi.

After hearing the entire explanation, Yu Jang-myeong let out a low hum.

“That seems a bit exaggerated.”

“No.”

Ha Jin’ak shook his head lightly.

“The priest’s words certainly hold merit. That is precisely why I have not returned to Huashan for the past half-year.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Surprise flashed across Yu Zhangming’s face at those words, but Gu Yangjie nodded as if he had expected it.

Seeing their starkly contrasting reactions, Ha Jin’ak sighed once more.

Now it was his turn to bring up the matter of the Black Dragon Sect.

* * *

“You missed Ha Jin-ak again?!”

CRASH!

A fist the size of a woman’s face smashed through the ebony desk with ease.

At the sound, the two warriors prostrated before the arrogantly seated man flinched in shock.

To the man, they were utterly pathetic.

More pathetic even than the monks who wet themselves in terror.

“Can you still call yourselves warriors of the Black Dragon Sect?”

“We apologize, Master!”

“Enough! Since you returned empty-handed, you must have been prepared to die anyway!”

Rising from his seat, the Black Dragon Sect Master, Baek Un-hwan, approached the warriors with his fists clenched.

Lately, he felt everything was going awry.

He had anticipated the plan to completely ruin the Nine Dragons War would fail from the start.

Yet even the Three Evils of Shaanxi had said they would only handle a couple of late-stage disciples from the major sects and then withdraw.

So, with his mood already sour, things had twisted even further.

‘I only intended to give the sects a wake-up call…’

Grr!

Bai Yunhuan’s teeth ground together.

Gu Yangjie, was it?

He couldn’t believe that one of the Three Evils of Shaanxi would die at the hands of some obscure disciple, neither famous nor particularly likable.

Bai Yunhuan still couldn’t fathom this utterly unexpected outcome.

He would have been better off failing to kill him and retreating. This outcome only benefited them.

Moreover…

“Do you know how many branches were utterly destroyed by that bastard Ha Jin-ak?!”

Currently, Ha Jin-ak was handling external affairs for the Huashan Sect while also mercilessly crushing the Black Dragon Sect, which was accumulating evil deeds in Shaanxi and neighboring regions.

He mostly operated alone, but sometimes sought aid from neighboring sects.

The authority of being the senior master of the Huashan Sect, coupled with the supreme sword techniques honed on Mount Huashan.

Ha Jin-ak was indeed a martial artist who knew how to play his cards.

‘A Taoist should be appropriately foolish, after all.’

His nickname, ‘Blazing Sword of the Heavens,’ was practically a gift from the Black Dragon Sect.

Whenever he raided their branches dealing in slaves, drugs, or usury, he always set them ablaze.

Setting a branch office ablaze without warning made escape nearly impossible, no matter how many secret passages they had.

For instance, one might suffer internal injuries from the fire, or in the worst case, have their lungs damaged, ending their life as a warrior.

Especially the Heavenly Flow Fire Cloud Sword technique Ha Jin-ak had mastered—it was a sword art that wielded even greater power in places saturated with fire.

Click.

Baek Un-hwan’s eyes widened.

“Two! Two branches have been burned down by that bastard!”

“…I’m sorry!”

“Ugh! Enough! Get out of here!”

Hearing this, the warriors secretly sighed in relief, thinking perhaps Baek Un-hwan’s anger had subsided.

But that wasn’t the case.

Thud!

Baek Un-hwan’s fist smashed the skull of the warrior kneeling before him.

The sudden violence made another warrior kneeling nearby tremble violently.

No, it was even more pitiful than the first death.

“M-Master, I won’t disappoint you again.”

“……Hmph.”

Baek Un-hwan looked at the warrior continuing to apologize with his head bowed, his expression filled with disgust.

“I can forgive a failed child, but I cannot forgive a dog who has become a bowed-down creature!”

The moment they uttered words of apology, rather than declaring they would fight again, the prostrate warriors were already as good as defeated.

Instead, they should have said this.

Now that they’d experienced Ha Jin-ak, they wouldn’t be easily defeated if they met again.

They should have shown their fighting spirit that way.

But they didn’t.

They merely repeated their apologies, waiting for their punishment.

How could such men be called martial artists of the Black Dragon Sect’s heretical faction?

Baek Un-hwan’s fist clenched with a crackling sound.

“Ba… Master!”

Thud!

Baek Un-hwan crushed the last one’s skull, then brushed the blood from his knuckles.

Then, sensing movement beyond the door, he barked in an irritated voice.

“Come in!”

“…Yes.”

Squeak-

Rusted iron screeched a long, drawn-out wail.

Through the open doorway appeared the Three Evils of Shaanxi—no. Now called the Two Evils, since the youngest had died.

Baek Un-hwan smiled nonchalantly at them.

“Here for the gold?”

“No.”

“……?”

Baek Un-hwan tilted his head. The eldest of the Two Evils, Tu Gwang, spoke.

“We seek revenge.”

At those words, Bai Yunhuan’s eyes narrowed.

He had only entrusted them with handling the Late-Stage Index.

The Black Dragon Sect had no obligation to personally step in and assist them.

“Frankly, even the Black Dragon Sect finds that difficult to help with.”

“We will return the payment.”

“…Still feels a bit lacking?”

“Additionally, we’ll assist the Black Dragon Sect on three specific occasions.”

He grinned.

Only then did a sly smile appear on Baek Un-hwan’s face.

“Anything?”

“Anything, as long as it doesn’t endanger my life or my brothers’.”

Baek Un-hwan pondered briefly before nodding readily.

“Alright. I’ll help.”

Clack.

Tugang and Baek Un-hwan faced each other and exchanged a fist bump.

It was as if the corpses of the two dead warriors were invisible to them.

* * *

After Ha Jin-ak’s story ended, the other two were forced into silence.

This was no different for Gu Yang-jeok.

No, he was actually deeply shocked that he hadn’t known this even in his previous life.

‘At this time in my past life, I would have just descended the mountain. So, no matter what I did, this situation would have happened anyway?’

He never imagined disciples from other sects, including Huashan Sect, would suffer such a fate during their pilgrimage.

Gu Yangjie didn’t hide his grave expression.

A disciple on pilgrimage being imprisoned.

He understood the weight of this all too well, which only deepened his realization of the situation’s gravity.

‘……Ah!’

Could it be… that?

With an uncharacteristically urgent expression, Gu Yangji pressed Ha Jin’ak.

“We must rescue them immediately!”

Startled by Gu Yangji’s sudden raised voice, Ha Jin’ak looked at him with puzzled eyes and said.

“So we should join forces with the other sects and…….”

“If we do that, they’ll just flee elsewhere to evade us. We must rescue them now!”

Gu Yangji knew.

He knew that suddenly, multiple sects had begun searching Shaanxi and neighboring regions, yet they had found nothing.

And then…

‘Methods to break the martial arts techniques possessed by each sect began to appear.’

It must have been around that time.

That Ha Jin-ak met a death shrouded in mystery…….

Gu Yang-jeok’s gaze was fixed on Ha Jin-ak, unable to move.