Chapter 1081

“I am Hak Eui, a First-Generation Disciple of the Kunlun Sect. It’s an honor to meet you, Great Hero Jin Taekyung, the Blazing Flame Divine Dragon.”

Slender build. Refined features.

And a natural manner—not too much, not too little.

He looked somewhere between a young man and a middle-aged one, the very picture of a Daoist. I’d guessed who he was the moment our eyes met, so I bowed in return.

“This is the first time we’ve met like this.”

I couldn’t have said that without knowing who he was. Hak Eui replied calmly, without the slightest change in expression.

“My one and only Junior Brother is rather talkative for a Daoist. So I assumed you’d already heard a thing or two about me.”

I scratched my chin as I looked at Kunlun Cloud Dragon Hak Unui’s eldest Senior Brother, Hak Su’s Junior Brother, and Cheongheoja’s second Disciple.

“Even if he’s not here, that seems a bit harsh on your one and only Junior Brother.”

“It’s all right. I would’ve said the same thing if he were here.”

So that was why people said not to judge by appearances.

Despite his refined looks, Hak Eui had a way of stating the facts coldly. Without hesitation, he continued.

“Earlier, Great Hero Jin, you said we should have a proper discussion. Before that, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

I shrugged in assent, and Hak Eui went on.

“What do you intend to do with the City Lord of Qinghai and his associates who were just taken away?”

The question felt a little out of the blue, but I answered readily.

“Of course I intend to behead them. At daybreak, in front of everyone.”

That outcome had been decided long ago.

The City Lord of Qinghai had managed to survive as a corrupt official for so long because of the conflict between the Son of Heaven and the Eastern Heaven Demon Lord. His illicit fortune had drawn the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s attention a long time ago.

In the end, it was only a question of who would take up the sword. The neck it would sever had already been chosen.

And in a situation like this, it’d be ridiculous to let a man like him live.

Peace had lasted a long time in the Great Nation, too.

The City Lord of Qinghai had spent those years secretly selling off military provisions and lining his pockets with gold. There was no way the army could have functioned properly under a man like him.

There was hardly any answer but beheading.

But Hak Eui’s next words went well beyond anything I’d expected.

“No.”

“…!”

“…!”

“I ask you to reconsider that decision.”

His firm voice sent a stir through the pavilion. Naturally.

If asking what I planned to do with them had been a little out of the blue, this was overstepping.

Even if the Son of Heaven’s decree had weakened the principle that officials and martial artists must not interfere with one another, there were still limits.

A line that someone of Hak Eui’s standing—the Kunlun Sect Leader’s second Disciple—couldn’t cross.

And the first person to react when Hak Eui crossed that unseen line was—

“Perhaps you pursued the Dao¹ and never learned the law. Mind your words, Daoist of the Kunlun Sect.”

Jeong Hogun’s voice was as blunt as ever, but I noticed a faint anger in his eyes as he looked at Hak Eui.

Some people tensed beneath Jeong Hogun’s aura. Cheongheoja, meanwhile, watched his Disciple in silence.

I don’t know him well, but he doesn’t seem like the sort to sit back and do nothing in a situation like this.

One person makes the mess; another cleans it up.

When a Disciple did something wrong, the Master usually stepped in to handle it.

Even Jeok Cheongang, who ranked among the most hot-tempered men in the world, would sometimes remember to call me out when I acted unreasonably.

Of course, he’d take my side without a second thought first.

But Cheongheoja is different.

Watching Cheongheoja deal with the hopeless trio by the shore of Qinghai Lake had convinced me that the old Daoist was practically a saint.

If a man like him was simply watching the situation unfold, there had to be a good reason.

“Then why?”

“…Marquis of Shangshan.”

Jeong Hogun frowned when I suddenly spoke to Hak Eui, but I ignored him and asked again.

“Tell me. Why should those bastards be kept alive?”

Was this the mercy of a Daoist who followed the Way of Heaven and wanted to avoid taking lives whenever possible? Or was there another reason?

By now, I was genuinely curious.

Everyone’s attention fixed on him. At last, Hak Eui’s tightly closed lips parted.

“I don’t remember saying that.”

“Hm?”

“I only asked you to reconsider beheading them.”

“No, I mean, isn’t that—”

I was about to ask what the difference was when Hak Eui added firmly:

“Beheading is far too lenient. Have them executed by slow slicing in front of the people.”

“…What?”

“At times like this, one punishment should serve as a warning to a hundred. Based on the close investigation I’ve conducted into the city’s affairs over the past few days, even slow slicing seems a little too lenient.”

“…!”

“…!”

Silence fell over the pavilion. Jeok Cheongang, who’d been watching with interest, muttered under his breath.

“What a masterpiece.”

The Slaughter Saint and the Bow Saint, seated beside him, spoke with uneasy expressions.

“Is he… sure he’s a Daoist?”

“How did the Kunlun Sect end up like this…”

As the elders sighed, the hopeless trio tilted their heads at the sight of everyone staring blankly at Hak Eui, then whispered among themselves.

“Wow, I’ve never heard of ‘slow slicing’ before. What does that even mean?”

“Taishan knows.”

Taishan answered confidently, swallowing as he continued.

“I ate it once. It was very tasty.”

No, that couldn’t be right.

“Oh! So it’s a kind of dish. I’ve never tried it. Great Sir, have you?”

“What sort of dish could that possibly be? Honestly, young people these days.”

For once, Great Sir looked at Taishan and Cheongpung with an expression of pure contempt, as if a normal person had possessed him. Then he added:

“‘Slow slicing’ isn’t a dish. It’s a sobriquet. The name of a great fiend who once terrorized the whole world.”

Cheongpung and Taishan gasped at the same time. Their eyes went wide, and they eagerly asked:

“What happened to that great fiend?”

“What do you think? He fell to this lord’s hand.”

No, that couldn’t be right, either.

“Gasp! Then what Taishan ate back then was…”

“This is driving me insane. No, it wasn’t.”

I agreed completely, but why was that guy the one saying it?

“Taishan really didn’t know. Who knew a great fiend could be so tasty?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? That’s not what it was.”

He’d said it exactly twice so far—and it hadn’t even been a great fiend.

“No. Taishan really ate it.”

“…Really?”

Don’t let him convince you now. Please.

Are these guys actually insane?

Their intelligence had suffered a thousand cuts, and my head was spinning from listening to them. Just then, an old man’s voice rang out.

“I urged you to follow the Dao¹, yet it seems this unworthy Master failed to teach his Disciple well enough.”

At last, the Kunlun Sect Leader, Cheongheoja, broke his silence. Hak Eui bowed his head slightly.

“I’m sorry, Master.”

He didn’t look sorry at all.

But whatever he was thinking right now didn’t matter to me. I was only interested in what his unexpected answer had revealed—the fact that had just shocked everyone.

“No, let him continue. Your Disciple still seems to have plenty to say.”

Hak Eui slowly raised his bowed head. A glint passed through his eyes as he looked straight at me.

“What do you mean?”

“You said it yourself. You’ve spent the past few days investigating, and doing so very thoroughly. Wasn’t that what you wanted to talk about from the start?”

“…!”

“Oh, was it not just the past few days? Have you been at it all along?”

Across the enormous table, where dozens of people were seated, Hak Eui’s eyes widened slightly. I could tell I’d hit the mark, and I laughed quietly to myself.

He and I were both young.

No—we were very young compared to the Sect Leaders who held sway over Qinghai’s affairs and the Kunlun elders seated here.

But despite that common ground, our positions were worlds apart.

I could claim one of the few seats at the head of the table. He sat at the far end.

All the more reason he needed a chance to speak.

Like this moment, with everyone’s attention fixed on him.

“Go ahead. Speak freely. Nobody’s going to object, right?”

“Of course not.”

Jeok Cheongang answered, adding with a genial smile,

“If anyone has a problem, raise your hand now. This old man will personally persuade you.”

Naturally, no one raised a hand. The meeting continued through the night.

When that long night ended, a dozen or so criminals—including the City Lord of Qinghai—were dragged into the streets amid the curses of countless people.

A shrill cry rang out.

A bird streaked across the high sky and arrived as if heralding their end.

No.

A messenger eagle.

Henan, Murim Alliance.

I stared silently at the five characters written on the missive, then drew in a deep breath.

And the next moment—

Rustle.

As soon as I unfolded the missive and read its contents, every hair on my body seemed to stand on end.

“…Damn it.”

The curse slipped out as I looked up at the dark sky. Beneath it, the executioners’ blades flashed cruelly.

Shhk!

A tremendous roar erupted as a severed head fell.