Chapter 208

"Satisfied now?"

"Seems like it."

"...I never said I was. If anything, I feel even more compelled to throw myself headfirst into every life-threatening mess now."

"You’ll handle it well, no matter what shape it takes."

"...Hah... Seriously..."

"Then can I consider our one-year contract nullified and replace it with a lifelong one?"

"...I guess so. Not like I can walk away after hearing something like that."

Unhwi gave a faint chuckle and gently tapped Ju Soa on the forehead.

"Enough with the distractions. Focus on mastering the Sword of Ten Thousand Lights."

"...It’s an incredible technique, you know."

"It is. If you hit a wall, go to Senior No for advice. But the meaning of Destruction—you’ll have to discover that on your own."

"...Destruction?"

"Once you grasp that, you’ll ascend—not by one—but by two whole stages as a martial artist."

He lightly patted her on the shoulder.

"By the time I return, I look forward to seeing how your sword has grown."

"...You're really going like this?"

"I am."

Unhwi adjusted his robes and walked off into the falling snow.

Watching his retreating back, Ju Soa scratched her head with a conflicted look before eventually forming a proper fist salute.

"Take care. I’ll protect Yangryeong in your stead."

"I trust you. And though I didn’t say so in front of the others, there’s a chance I’ll be calling on you all again soon."

Ju Soa paused, then asked in a short tone,

"You mean, 'keep your blade polished,' right?"

Unhwi nodded.

"Don’t worry. All of us."

With Ju Soa’s bright smile behind him, Unhwi moved on.

***

As was typical around the Everlasting Snow Mountains, the weather in Bingbaek Gorge was erratic and merciless.

A place of constant chill and sudden blizzards—an extreme environment where Unhwi and Commander Seong now trekked through.

With each exhale, white mist poured from their mouths, quickly swept away by the frigid wind.

Soon, they arrived before a towering ice wall—where a familiar face awaited them: Sim Munryong.

"Yo, you made it."

At Sim Munryong’s casual greeting, four men behind him all offered proper martial salutes.

"We greet Lord Hyeonseollin."

They were members of the Baekseol Ghost Brigade.

Specifically, the four who had been sent by Vice-Captain Yeon Suon to train under Sim Munryong’s command—per her request to "give them real-world experience." But there was something unusual about these four.

Most striking of all: they were quadruplets.

Even more bizarre—their names.

Ilmyeong, Yimyeong, Sammyeong, Samyeong. Literally First-Name, Second-Name, Third-Name, Fourth-Name. Such simplistically shared names were rare even in the martial world.

Unhwi remarked,

"You must not have been close with your parents."

"They passed away when we were very young, so we never knew them well."

"...I see."

After a moment of silence, Unhwi spoke again.

"Did Yeon Suon give you any specific instructions?"

"No, sir."

"No? Did she perhaps tell you to answer 'no' if someone asked this kind of question?"

The four brothers tilted their heads.

"No, sir. Vice-Captain—pardon, Yeon Suon—told us this was part of our training. That we were to absolutely obey Commander Sim’s orders and gain worldly experience under him."

"That’s all?"

"Yes, that’s everything."

The four looked at Unhwi with uneasy expressions.

It was understandable.

After all, it was Unhwi who’d turned the Baekseol Ghost Brigade upside down, educated them harshly, and ultimately caused the deaths of both Yeon Suon and Gok Jinbung. Their tension was only natural.

Unhwi studied the four with a peculiar gaze.

In his experience, the talent he saw in these four was genuine.

Currently, excluding Ilmyeong, the other three were at Three Flowers Gathering Purity; Ilmyeong himself had reached the Union of Qi and Origin stage.

Given how the natural qi around them gently circulated through their bodies, all four were unmistakably capable of reaching Heaven-Earth Apex.

Especially Ilmyeong—his potential was truly extraordinary.

Not a joke—he had the makings of a Mythic ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Realm master.

Unhwi stroked his chin.

There was no way the Ghost Brigade hadn’t recognized talent like this.

"...Is something wrong, sir?" Ilmyeong asked.

Unhwi didn’t answer immediately.

Until recently, many had believed the Baekseol Ghost Brigade would be disbanded.

But Juche, their former captain, had knelt before Seol Jungcheon and begged to be reinstated—promising to rebuild the unit stronger than ever. Jungcheon had accepted.

So the brigade still existed.

And yet... the shadow of the now-deceased Yeon Suon lingered eerily in the air.

Unhwi didn’t mince words.

"Let me be honest. I’m suspicious of you."

The abrupt statement startled no one—they understood.

"Whether that suspicion becomes certainty, or is eventually dispelled and replaced with trust—I can’t say yet. But mark my words: starting now, I will investigate every single thing about you."

"..."

"Who your parents were, their origins, their actions, their associates. The generation above them—your grandparents, extended relatives—I’ll uncover everything I can. I’ll cross-check those facts with intelligence networks, and if necessary, I’ll personally travel to verify the details."

"...Why go that far...?"

"Because it must be done."

Unhwi turned to Sim Munryong.

"In my life, I draw a sharp line between my people and everyone else. If someone I trust wants to overturn the world, I’ll help them with all I have. But those who aren’t mine—I see them as beneath worms."

"..."

"Right now, you’re not my people. Whether you’re useful or not isn’t even a concern. So if you’re hiding anything—speak now."

The four exchanged glances. Their expressions showed only confusion. They genuinely had no idea what he was talking about.

Ilmyeong, the eldest, spoke firmly.

"We have nothing to hide. Not a single thing."

"Then will you allow me to check your pulses?"

Ilmyeong held out his right wrist without hesitation. Unhwi examined all four in turn, using Heo Hyeon Jigi to scan their meridians.

Nothing abnormal.

"Do we pass?"

"For now."

"...Understood."

Sim Munryong draped an arm casually over Unhwi’s shoulder and said,

"Any more of this and they won’t be able to eat from the nerves. Still... I’m kind of touched."

"Touched?"

"You’ve never once said someone was your person this clearly before, have you?"

"Don’t like it?"

Sim Munryong snorted.

"Who said that?"

He turned to face the four brothers.

"Alright boys, let’s get one thing straight."

"We’re listening."

"I don’t care what feelings you’ve got for those dirtbags Gok Jinbung or Yeon Suon. Right now, you’re my subordinates."

"..."

"And I have zero intention of sending you back to the Ghost Brigade."

That caught them off guard.

Both Unhwi’s and Sim Munryong’s words had been anything but ordinary. They’d known these men weren’t normal, but now that they were seeing it firsthand—they were speechless.

"We’re rebuilding Mount Hua. That proud sect of ours—it needs structure, right?"

"...Excuse me?"

"Everyone knows it. After the Millennium Cataclysm, Mount Hua’s lineage was completely severed. Sure, I’m still around, but I’m not some direct heir. Hell, my master was barely a Plum Blossom Swordsman."

"..."

"Now then, you four are going to be the new Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Got it?"

"Us... sir?"

"What, you don’t like it?"

"Not that... but we’re from the Ghost Brigade..."

"Are you not following?"

"What do you mean...?"

Sim Munryong folded his arms.

"At the end of the day, you four were personally ordered by Yeon Suon to serve under me. Right?"

"...Correct."

"Then what do you think others will assume?"

"..."

"Yeon Suon betrayed us. He handed me Ghost Brigade members—dragged spies with him too—and you four were the last ones he commanded."

The color drained from the brothers’ faces.

"That label will follow you wherever you go. Meaning if you return to the Ghost Brigade—you’ll have no place. So what do you do? Ilmyeong. Tell me."

"...You switch allegiances. And earn acceptance."

"Exactly. So earn mine. And stick with me to the end. Got it?"

"...Is that something we should agree to so easily?"

"What, you want me to throw you a party? Life’s simpler than you think. And hey—"

He slung an arm over Ilmyeong’s shoulder.

"Isn’t it better to live as a martial artist than a shadow?"

"I... can’t deny that."

"Take it easy. Honestly, you’ll probably have more fun working with me. Besides, with the reorganization around the Little Palace Lord, the Ghost Brigade is going to be under serious scrutiny. You really want to go suffer under Juche rebuilding everything while bootlickers try to curry favor with him? Or would you rather join me?"

"...You want us?"

"I don’t have many people I can actually use. You four? Hell yes. Grab the opportunity while it’s there. Don’t regret it later."

After long deliberation, the four nodded.

It was the obvious choice.

As Sim Munryong said—he could shield them from the world’s judgment.

And Sim Munryong, the so-called “mad dog,” was one of the few who could do that.

He patted each of their shoulders and grinned.

"And now... you already owe me. Repay me slowly."

Having soaked in the moment long enough, Sim Munryong looked at Unhwi.

Their eyes met midair—no words needed.

They both understood what was being asked.

Can these four really be trusted?

Sim Munryong’s look said, I’ll figure it out myself. Just trust me.

—Confident?

Unhwi’s voice reached him via silent transmission.

Sim Munryong smirked.

—Do I look unconfident? You know better than anyone what happens to men like me. I've been called a mad dog in the Central Plains for ten years. Ten.

The Central Plains was a place of endless fighting.

To be known as a mad dog for a decade—and still survive—meant he had his reasons.

—They’ve got the talent. Especially the eldest. Watch me raise him right.

—Then go ahead.

Just then, Sim Munryong was about to raise the Heavenly Compass Seal—but froze.

Everyone turned toward a specific spot.

The air shimmered.

Sim Munryong asked,

"You’re not a ghost, so how the hell do you always know this stuff’s coming?"

"There’s always a way to know."

The shimmering space flared with brilliant light. The ice wall turned translucent—and soon, a massive doorway appeared.

Ilmyeong inhaled sharply.

"This is..."