"It is there."

Yu Gang pointed to the sheer cliff above.

It was so high that it was difficult to see clearly with the naked eye.

Atop the precipitous cliff stood a solitary pavilion, devoid of light, illuminated only by the moonlight, making it appear all the more desolate.

"Wait here for a while."

Within the Mount Hua Sect were renowned sword masters.

To bring the Sect Leader without alerting their keen senses, Namgoong Mucheon had no choice but to go alone.

"Return safely, Grandfather."

"Yes."

Namgoong Mucheon ascended the cliff in an instant.

It was the Namgoong Clan’s movement technique, the Heavenly Wind Divine Step.

"Wow..."

Yu Gang’s mouth opened wide in awe at the astonishing lightness technique. Namgoong Seolhwa, who had been watching the distant figure of Namgoong Mucheon, turned to Yu Gang at his exclamation.

Seeing the sparkle in his eyes as if he had lost himself in admiration, a smile involuntarily escaped her lips.

"...?"

Yu Gang, puzzled, looked back at Seolhwa.

Seolhwa cleared her throat and averted her gaze without realizing it.

‘...Why did I smile?’

"Can you do that too?"

"...Huh?"

Yu Gang pointed at the cliff.

"Can you climb up like that too?"

Seolhwa followed the tip of his finger and looked up toward the top of the cliff.

Namgoong Mucheon was no longer visible.

"Probably."

She already knew the Heavenly Wind Divine Step.

Even without that particular technique, with her level of lightness skill, a cliff of this height could easily be scaled.

"Wow... that is amazing."

Yu Gang exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.

‘Come to think of it, he is still only First-Class.’

Even if he was close to Peak Realm, he would still be unfamiliar with handling internal energy.

Climbing a cliff of this height would naturally be difficult for him.

‘Once he grows a little more, he will climb this much several times a day.’

There was no need to tell him that he would become strong enough.

After all, Yu Gang was bound to become an outstanding sword master before long.

‘As long as the Mount Hua Sect does not collapse, his fate will change greatly.’

Even in her previous life, he was a man who dearly cherished his fellow disciples of Mount Hua.

Back then, he had wandered the battlefields alone to stand against the Blood Demon Cult, but this time, if things were resolved properly, he would become a sharp sword that stood against the cult alongside his fellow disciples.

‘...It might be quite the sight.’

How reassuring would it be to see the sword masters of Mount Hua sweeping across the battlefield, scattering the energy of plum blossoms?

How greatly would their dazzling swordsmanship lift the morale of the righteous sects?

That alone was reason enough to save the Mount Hua Sect.

****

"...."

Having climbed the cliff, Namgoong Mucheon looked at the worn-down pavilion that stood alone, his expression indifferent.

On the plaque, the characters had faded with time, leaving only one—“Pavilion”.

‘Was this once the Secret Pavilion?’

Perhaps it had been used to store books, or as a secluded space for the Sect Leader or elders to meditate in silence.

If not for that, there would have been no reason to build it in such a remote place.

From within the pavilion that had long lost its original purpose, he sensed the presence of a person.

After confirming the surrounding presence, Namgoong Mucheon opened the door to the pavilion.

The loud creak of the aged hinges echoed through the darkness.

From inside, someone who had been holding their breath stirred and spoke.

"Who is it?"

The voice he had not heard in over ten years was still as gentle as ever.

A voice devoid of suspicion or caution—imbued with kindness.

However, that voice also carried clear exhaustion and weariness.

"It is Namgoong Mucheon."

"...Is it you, Sword Emperor?"

"May I enter?"

A long silence followed from inside.

Namgoong Mucheon stood silently at the entrance, waiting for the reply.

"It is... quite shabby."

"I shall take that as permission."

Namgoong Mucheon stepped into the pavilion.

Even from a few paces away, a rank stench stabbed at his nose.

It was like the smell of rotting flesh—or of food gone sour.

Mixed in was the bitter scent of incense, likely used to cover the foul odor.

Namgoong Mucheon stood before a long-hanging reed blind woven from split reeds.

The source of the smell was behind it.

Rustle... rustle... The blind rose slowly.

The man who had drawn it up and fixed it in place then lit the lamp on the desk.

Fwoosh—a flame flared to life, fully revealing the figure of No Un.

"It has been a long time, Sword Emperor."

His face was grotesque—swollen with boils, from which pus oozed, and in places, the flesh had decayed.

His neck, hands, and feet, all visible beyond his garments, were similarly covered with ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) boils, to the point that even breathing seemed burdensome.

The only thing that still resembled the No Un Namgoong Mucheon remembered—known as the Jade Plum Sword—were the clear eyes, filled with unblemished kindness.

"Have you been well? I regret the long silence."

"I have fared well, but it seems you have not. What has happened to you?"

"Haha... I did not expect your visit, so I failed to make myself presentable."

Though that was not what he meant, Namgoong Mucheon did not ask further about his appearance.

No Un smiled and said:

"The child of the Namgoong Clan sent me a secret message. I wondered... and now I see, it must have been the will of the Sword Emperor."

"...It was not."

"Then..."

"It is true that the one who sent you the message was my granddaughter."

A low sigh escaped through the slightly parted lips of No Un.

"I see. So that child truly... Might I ask, did your granddaughter not come with you?"

"She is waiting below for you."

"Ah..."

No Un lightly clenched his fist.

After receiving the brief letter and sending Yu Gang, he had waited each day for further contact.

He had wondered—perhaps she knew something. Perhaps she knew a way to cure this inexplicable illness.

For someone who had emptied his heart and prepared to accept death, Seolhwa’s note had been a ray of light.

At last.

"It seems you have been waiting."

"To deny it would be a lie."

"Let us go. There is no reason to delay. Let us go and find a way."

"Yes."

Without hesitation, No Un followed Namgoong Mucheon.

However, as he stepped forward, he was barefoot.

Wondering why he wore no shoes, Mucheon looked down and immediately understood.

His feet were swollen, covered in boils, making it impossible to wear not only shoes, but even socks.

With each step, pus oozed from the crushed boils. No Un’s staggering gait appeared excruciating.

Yet he let out not even the smallest groan.

His endurance was truly remarkable.

"Is it all right for you to leave without saying a word?"

A faint, lonely smile appeared on No Un’s lips.

"There is no one who would come looking for me. I told them not to. It has already been seven days since I stopped eating."

"Why is that?"

Instead of answering, No Un gave a benevolent smile.

From that smile, Namgoong Mucheon understood everything.

‘He was preparing for death.’

It was the expression of one who had already given up everything and was merely waiting for the end.

"Let me carry you."

"To think I would ride on the back of the Sword Emperor... What an astonishing night this is."

"No more words. Let me carry you."

With a soft chuckle, No Un silently climbed onto Namgoong Mucheon’s back.

In his current condition, where he could not even properly utilize internal energy, descending the cliff by himself was out of the question.

"You will have to climb back up on your own."

"Heh. I shall take that to heart."

For a moment, the wind blew.

The small lamp that had been lighting the old pavilion flickered and went out, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke curling upward under the moonlight.

****

The party returned to the encampment with the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.

Yu Gang returned to his own tent, and the remaining three headed for the tent that the Black Dragon Division Commander had prepared in advance.

Though the night was deep, Seolhwa sat face to face with No Un.

Only after Namgoong Mucheon had placed a qi barrier around the tent did their conversation begin.

"So you are Namgoong Seolhwa."

"I greet the Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect. I apologize for having tested you with only a brief letter, without explanation."

"Heh, a test? Nonsense. Thanks to that, I was compelled to request this meeting. Had you included the full context, I might still be sitting here, endlessly mulling over your intent."

"I am grateful that you see it that way."

"Then, may I ask directly?"

Seolhwa raised her gaze to meet No Un’s.

He appeared extremely anxious. The longer the wait, the greater the unease.

The moment Seolhwa nodded, No Un asked without hesitation:

"What do you know?"

[Open Heart, See Hidden Blade]

Gae Sim An, Gyeon Bi Do

That had been the full content of the note Seolhwa had sent him.

Just those six characters, and yet No Un was displaying such visible anxiety.

"May I ask you something first?"

For someone supposedly agitated from pain, No Un had maintained a posture of detachment.

If all he wanted was an end to the suffering, he should have shown a more resigned, composed demeanor.

"You recently discovered the Secret Cave of the Ten-Thousand-League Phantom, did you not?"

In that moment, No Un’s expression briefly stiffened.

Seolhwa met his gaze squarely and asked him directly:

"Why are you hiding the fact that you discovered the cave?"