Book 9: Chapter 5: Flash of Shadow and Instant

It was a few months ago, in winter, that the name of the entity known as the Dark Venerable began to be known.

The Black Bone Gang, led by a person of unknown origin and name called Geum-ju (Golden Spider), disappeared overnight.

The Black Bone Gang had focused on rapid territorial expansion, causing various conflicts, but because they possessed the Second Young Master's Sword Family Bronze Plaque, they had not been kept in check.

If they continued to grow like that, there was even a prediction that they would eventually join the 'Six Men Association.'

The Six Men Association.

A kind of consultative body created by the gathering of the six pillars of the Luoyang underworld.

Such a Black Bone Gang was swept away and cleaned up by an entity about whom there was not even proper information.

Regardless of the reputation of the person named Geum-ju, she was someone who possessed the Sword Family Bronze Plaque.

Therefore, the intelligence department of the Luoyang Sword Family conducted investigation after investigation on its own. .

Everything was a mess.

It was clear that there were multiple groups in the final battle where the Black Bone Gang was annihilated.

But tracing that information was like chasing a mirage.

'There are statements that unidentified martial artists wearing various outfits were witnessed.'

'It has already been confirmed that there was friction with an intelligence organization called the Crescent Moon Pavilion just before, but because they were creating too many conflicts other than that…'

'Although the organization called the Crescent Moon Pavilion possesses a certain amount of martial power, in the end, it is nothing more than an intelligence organization.'

'It is impossible for such an organization to eliminate the Black Bone Gang, which boasted a formidable force…'

There was also a report that such a Crescent Moon Pavilion was suspected to have been in the final battle of the Black Bone Gang. .

That was where the true nightmare began.

'For some reason, no proper traces have been left behind.'

'Everyone's statements contradict each other.'

'Only statements that seem like they experienced a collective hallucination…'

'Among the survivors of the underworld side, there is no one whose mind is sound.'

'Things like the surroundings suddenly becoming an inescapable maze, or that the person named Geum-ju was actually a witch who used bizarre techniques…'

Eyewitness accounts of low credibility that were hard to trust, and statements from survivors with no proper memories remaining.

Eventually, that matter reached the Supreme Executive Council.

'We order the Lord of the Inspection Department to organize a dedicated task force and thoroughly investigate everything.'

Thus, even the task force organized by the Lord of the Inspection Department stepped forward.

They searched through everything thoroughly as if conducting a criminal investigation, rather than just investigating. .

Even they arrived at the same result.

Everything related to this incident was out of the ordinary.

It was like tracing stories in ancient tales or legends.

It was different for every person who spoke and it was different for every memory recalled.

Only a single common point remained in the story where everything was distorted and mismatched.

A name or designation.

'Dark Venerable.'

And when news was heard that the entity had revealed itself again in the Valley of Sin.

From the beginning, the Supreme Executive Council ordered a concentrated investigation into the entity known as the Dark Venerable.

'We temporarily authorize unlimited resource mobilization.'

However, for some reason, the Chairman predicted the same conclusion as before.

And that prediction did not miss in the slightest.

'…We apologize. There are no matters that can be said to have been confirmed enough to report further.'

That which was named the Dark Venerable was.

Clearly "something" that shared the same line with the mysterious entities remaining in the Chairman's memories.

Human history.

The history of the flip side, which had existed behind it.

Existing, yet unable to be caught.

Nothing more than a mirage, yet clearly real.

It was.

Ghosts.

Sorcerers.

Daoists.

Immortals.

Mountain gods.

Monsters.

Demons and monsters.

Entities that did not even have names or designations, or were unknown.

It was, by no means, like the flip side of the moon that never showed its back.

The entity of the Dark Venerable was the dark side of the moon revealed in Luoyang, the city called the Moon Palace.

'…So that was it.'

Why the Chairman had failed to secure even a single proper portrait of the entity known as the Dark Venerable.

'Indeed, was that the case.'

Only now was he understanding it.

* * *

'Eldest Young Master…!'

The moment he realized, the Chairman sighed inwardly.

Even though there was nothing different between the Eldest Young Master in his memory and the physical structure of the entity known as the Dark Venerable why had he not known?

'He had no choice but to not know.'

It was because of the energy surrounding the Dark Venerable, flowing out from the Dark Venerable.

'Demonic qi…!'

An energy that had never been properly researched even once in history.

Even he would not have realized it if it were not for the situation where his state of no-thought was being broken.

The brief moment when, resisting the distortion of reality caused by the demonic qi with the power of no-thought, logical judgment became possible as no-thought simultaneously collapsed.

Only in that split second could he see the proper appearance of the Dark Venerable with his own memory and judgment.

'However.'

It was not yet confirmed.

There was also a possibility that something which had stolen and learned countless orthodox martial arts over a vast period of time was mimicking the appearance of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon.

'It could merely be playing with this old man.'

Even in the brief moment his thoughts flowed, the exchange of offense and defense continued like flowing water.

The opponent might have been aiming for the moment he let go of the sword.

But he possessed a trump card to confirm the opponent's identity.

The moment he countered one strike of the combination attacks bursting continuously from the Dark Venerable.

The sword that deflected that powerful attack slipped from the Chairman's right hand.

However, the sword was caught in a reverse grip by the Chairman's left hand as he spun his body like a storm, deflecting the opponent's subsequent strike once again.

As soon as he deflected that move, an energy sharper than a blade surged from the opposite fingertips of the Dark Venerable.

At the moment that energy approached as if to pierce the Chairman's eyes.

'Now…!'

In his vision and in his senses, all things slowed down.

His thoughts accelerated.

“Hup!”

Breaking the moment of breathlessness that had continued from the first strike until now, he swallowed a single breath.

He repeated the formula.

'The slowest is identical to the fastest, and when its logic reaches the extreme, it harmonizes to form unity…'

A stream of natural qi that entered with his breath breathed vitality into his emptying dantian, instantly awakening the senses to the very tips of his limbs.

'Before that strike, a thousand attacks and ten thousand swords are transient.'

Even while the blue energy approached right before his eyes, he did not even blink.

The way he recited the formula and circulated his internal force accordingly was not like a human, but like a single sword.

The realm of the Unity of Body and Sword.

Truly formidable concentration.

'My sword shall become a shadow of an instant that severs the trajectory of eternity.'

At that moment, the instant formed eternity, and his strike, which had clearly started late, deflected the opponent's blow.

'Everything in this instant…!'

And at that moment.

His sword was already piercing the opponent's head.

That was precisely the Sword Family secret sword, the Flash of Shadow and Instant.

Its sixth form.

Evil King's Predation.

Reverse sword in the left hand, striking after the opponent starts but arriving first, one strike, one kill.

The ultimate counterattack stance.

Excluding the Grand Patriarch's signature sword technique, which was incomplete because not all of its formulas were passed down, making it impossible to evaluate its difficulty.

It was the moment the most complex swordsmanship in the history of the Luoyang Sword Family was displayed from the hands of the old warrior, the person who had been called the Sword Venerable in the past.

And at the moment just before that strike was about to pierce the Dark Venerable's mask. "……!"

The hand of the Dark Venerable, which had been deflected by his Flash of Shadow and Instant, seemed to shake, and then he displayed the exact same swordsmanship.

Sword Family secret sword, Flash of Shadow and Instant, Modified.

Extra form.

Swordless and Formless.

A result where causality seemed to be reversed, in that the hand of the opponent, which had been deflected once, was far faster than the sword just before it pierced the mask.

The ultimate counterattack stance, which seemed to produce a result by going back in time, deflected the Chairman's sword.

Although not even the shape of swordsmanship remained, it was unmistakably the Flash of Shadow and Instant. "……."

Confirming that his sword had missed like that, the Chairman closed his eyes.

He had no intention of resisting any further.

The old blue steel long sword let out a cry, spinning in the air.

The Chairman had let go of the sword from his hand entirely.

Yet, even so.

No, because of that.

The hand of the opponent that deflected his sword never reached him. "……."

Withdrawing his hand, the opponent let out a laugh in a low voice that sounded like boiling molten iron.

“It was a rather enjoyable battle, fitting for that name and reputation.”

Only then did the old blue steel long sword that the Chairman had let go of spin and plunge into the ground.

* * *

The capital of the State of Zhongyuan, the Imperial Capital.

A certain place on the main street of the Imperial Capital.

A figure wearing a golden mask was looking at the night sky through the window.

He was the Second Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, Yeon Ja-cheong.

Creak—.

With his hands behind his back, the armor of his left hand, which repeatedly clenched and opened, was creating an uncomfortable noise in the luxurious interior.

“Lord.”

His subordinate reported from behind.

“The patriarchs of the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families are waiting for you, Lord.”

* * *

The verification was complete.

'This person is definitely the Eldest Young Master.'

As if recognizing the Flash of Shadow and Instant and confirming his intention, the opponent openly displayed the Flash of Shadow and Instant.

He even stopped his attack on him, who had closed his eyes upon confirming the execution of the Flash of Shadow and Instant.

'Furthermore, to display that complex secret sword of the Sword Family, the Flash of Shadow and Instant, barehanded…'

Such skill, to his knowledge, was something only the Eldest Young Master himself, who had created the Flash of Shadow and Instant in the lands of Zhongyuan, or the Grand Patriarch, who was called the Sword Master, could perform.

'But…'

How and for what reason had the Eldest Young Master become the entity called the Dark Venerable?

And what relation was there between him becoming the Dark Venerable and ending his seclusion?

The Chairman shook his head inwardly.

'That is not a problem to worry about right now.'

What he had to think about now was…

'Why did the Eldest Young Master appear before me in that form?' "……."

Because he did not know that, the Chairman could not ask the Dark Venerable—Yeon So-hyeon—directly about it.

“There are various figures in the world.”

As if noticing his question, the Dark Venerable's voice continued.

“Those who ignore laws and rules, those who try to change them at will, those who deceive them, and…”

The Dark Venerable's gaze directed toward the Chairman.

“Those who possess the conviction to never break laws and rules, but rather defend them.”

That was also a reply that resolved the Chairman's question all at once.

'Indeed…'

Only then did the Chairman wear a bitter smile and speak to the Dark Venerable.

“If, just because someone ignores, changes to their taste, or deceives laws and rules, even this old man in this position turns a blind eye to it…”

For ten years.

The old warrior, who had stubbornly protected the Luoyang Sword Family from the highest seat of the Greatest Family Under Heaven, spoke.

“even the weak whom laws and rules are supposed to protect would discard them in order to survive.”

“And everything would fall into chaos.”

Since in the history of Yeon So-hyeon's memories, the Luoyang Sword Family had indeed become like that after the Chairman vanished.

'And therefore…'

This was the only way for the Chairman, who never compromised, and Yeon So-hyeon to meet.

'A member of the Supreme Executive Council must never reveal their identity, have it discovered, or have it known.'

Therefore, Yeon So-hyeon met him not as the human Eldest Young Master, but as the Dark Venerable, who was like a ghost or demon.

And the Chairman.

'must never ask if the Dark Venerable is indeed the Eldest Young Master.'

Just like how they had never once mentioned it to each other despite noticing that Yeon So-hyeon had already guessed the Chairman's identity.

That was the last line of defense for the one who did not compromise, and at the same time, the Eldest Young Master's consideration for the one who had endured with responsibility.

In that way a bizarre meeting between the highest authority of the Luoyang Sword Family and the one who was supposed to become the highest authority was established.

“Impressive. Would you rather break than bend?”

“It is nothing so grand.”

The Chairman looked up at the sky.

For some reason, the empty scabbard worn at his waist felt light.

“They say that when a person stands, they want to sit, and when they sit, they want to lie down.”

Perhaps a rain would soon pour down, as the wind grew strong and the clouds were surging.

“…They call it gaining Long and eyeing Shu. I too am merely a human, so I only fear that the moment I compromise, my eyes will wander to the next compromise.”

“Yet, the first thing anyone learns while living is how to compromise with the world.”

The Dark Venerable bowed his head toward him.

“Because of all the dedication you have shown until now, people who are like humans could still survive in Luoyang, in this family.”

It was an expression of respect.

That many who still supported the Luoyang Sword Family could protect their positions was because the old man had not compromised.

“And it is also thanks to you holding out that those who wish to change the world even now could make their moves.”

That was a gratitude for the warrior's long battle, which he had continued which no one had recognized, or rather, could have recognized. "……."

Even though the sky was not yet shedding rain.

On the cheeks of the old warrior looking upward, premature raindrops were flowing.

Finally, it was the moment to put an end to the lonely battle whose conclusion no one knew.

As if intending to pretend not to notice those hot raindrops, the moon hid itself deeper in the clouds.