WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Alyo
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◈ Memoir of a Regressor ◈
Chapter 47: Three Phoenix County
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The Asura Sword Sect’s emblem was painted at the entrance to the Sect Leader’s Hall: flames in the four cardinal directions surrounding a single chariot.
The doors opened.
A man entered the Sect Leader’s Hall.
He walked slowly before stopping and raising his gaze.
Looking at the man exactly thirty steps above him, he offered a cupped-fist salute.
“Greetings, Sect Leader.”
Dokgo Dan-ya smiled faintly.
“What brings our Asura Pavilion Master to request a private audience?”
“I have something I would like to ask about the newly appointed Branch Leader.”
“Go ahead.”
“This may be presumptuous, but why did you accept him into the Asura Sword Sect?”
It was certainly a presumptuous question. No matter how important the Asura Pavilion Master’s position was within the Asura Sword Sect, it was not ordinarily acceptable to comment on an appointment made by the sect’s master.
However.
These two could.
When Dokgo Dan-ya had been the Junior Sect Leader, Sang-gwan Yeon-hwi, the Asura Pavilion Master, had been a second-generation disciple of the Asura Pavilion. Their connection had endured for over thirty years. In a private meeting like this, they could speak freely.
“Why did I accept him... Hmm, Asura Pavilion Master.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“What do you think of the Asura Sword Sect’s current situation?”
“...I do not think it is good.”
“Not good? That answer is too vague.”
“...To put it plainly, it is bad.”
“Yes, it is bad. Why are the demonic practitioners of the Millennium Demonic Cult appearing only in the Jeok Martial World?”
“...”
“Near Yeonseong, where the Yin-Yang Sect is located. Near Jung-su County, where the Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect is located. Near Wisu County, where the Asura Sword Sect is located. Why have traces of the Demonic Cult appeared only in these regions?”
Dokgo Dan-ya slowly took his seat.
“Someone is setting the board. A very large board.”
“Do you have anyone in mind?”
“It is not as though I have no suspicions. It could be the Heavenly Emperor of the Martial Alliance. It could be the Sword Emperor of the Emperor Sword Sect. Or it could be all five of the other sects, excluding the three I just mentioned.”
Dokgo Dan-ya was serious. The smile that usually spoke of his composure had vanished.
“In a situation like this, the elders are divided internally, and the sect’s disciples are divided along with them. Asura Pavilion Master.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Are you dissatisfied that I appointed the Cruel Demonic Blade as a Branch Leader?”
“I am not dissatisfied. But would it not be a terrible waste if we brought in such a valuable talent, only to lose him before making proper use of him?”
It was not that Sang-gwan Yeon-hwi disliked Yi Do.
In fact, Sang-gwan Yeon-hwi liked him.
Disposition and such were secondary. Yi Do’s talent was simply too appealing.
Three Flowers Gather at the Crown at the age of seventeen. How far could Yi Do possibly rise from here?
Whether Yi Do would devote his life to the Asura Sword Sect was another matter, but Yi Do’s future was bright.
At the very least, judging from the rumors and recent events, Yi Do did not seem like someone who would easily stab another in the back.
Sang-gwan Yeon-hwi was briefly taken aback by Dokgo Dan-ya’s next words.
“Isn’t it interesting?”
“...Pardon?”
“He is entangled with the Emperor Sword Sect, yet he intends to take one of that Emperor Sword Sect’s Shadows as a branch member. I find that very interesting. You do not?”
No matter how exceptional Myeong-hyeon’s disguise technique was, Dokgo Dan-ya was among the ten strongest martial artists in the entire martial world.
Though the world believed Dokgo Dan-ya to be in the Divine Entrance Realm, Dokgo Dan-ya was unquestionably a master of the Divine Transformation Realm.
Myeong-hyeon and the Sword Emperor’s mistake had been failing to realize that Dokgo Dan-ya had not merely reached the Divine Transformation Realm, but had reached approximately its middle stage or higher.
Had Dokgo Dan-ya only been at the beginning of the Divine Transformation Realm, Dokgo Dan-ya would not have recognized Myeong-hyeon’s identity. Then why had Dokgo Dan-ya left Myeong-hyeon alone?
“I intended to watch for a while and see what they were plotting, but he wants to take someone like that with him? Do you think he knows Myeong-hyeon’s identity?”
“There is no evidence, and I did not ask him directly, but my instincts tell me that the Three Phoenix Branch Leader definitely knows Myeong-hyeon’s identity.”
Dokgo Dan-ya smiled gently.
“Yeon-hwi.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“What do you think the Asura Sword Sect needs most?”
“...Unity.”
“You understand well. The Asura Sword Sect is on the verge of being torn apart by internal division, whether it is branded as demonic or not. Even if I hold the line, it is not as though I can kill them all.”
It was not wrong. That was how ordinary people thought.
Even if they formed factions, they were still part of the sect’s strength. If they all died, the Asura Sword Sect would weaken.
Yi Do was the strange one.
Even so, Dokgo Dan-ya liked Yi Do.
That was why Dokgo Dan-ya had given Yi Do both an unofficial position and an official one. Had Yi Do not already proven himself?
Yi Do was competent, and his talent was outstanding.
A martial artist whose future was tremendously promising.
A martial artist who could never be allowed to slip away.
That was Yi Do.
“Come to think of it, the imperial court of Jeok Nation was supposed to visit today, was it not?”
“Yes. We have been continuously tracking their movements. They should arrive before the Hour of the Dog.”
Their purpose was obvious. Hand over Yi Do, or something along those lines. Otherwise, there was no reason for them to come.
“What about the Kang Clan matter?”
“The Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect is protesting, but we are ignoring it. They have their own part in the matter, so they will not make it any larger.”
“Keep a couple of branches on standby, just in case.”
“Yes.”
“And what about the Medical Classics Pavilion?”
“It has been handled properly, but Elder Chodong and the Pavilion Lord are furious.”
Dokgo Dan-ya laughed.
“Leave them be.”
“...Pardon?”
“I am curious. How far will he go?”
“...”
“Yi Do said this. He said he would treat the Asura Sword Sect’s interests as his own. Then should I not, as Sect Leader, treat that boy’s interests as my own?”
“There may be bloodshed within the Sword Sect.”
“It is something they must experience at least once. How can one speak of unity without blood?”
Every word rang true.
“Have all your questions been answered now?”
“Yes. I have received more than enough answers.”
“Good. Then how about we spar for the first time in a while?”
Sang-gwan Yeon-hwi burst into laughter.
“Are you planning to choose a new Asura Pavilion Master today?”
“Of course not. You have remained at the beginning of the Creation Realm for some time. Is it not about time you advanced?”
The Asura Pavilion Master drew his sword.
“Then I will not refuse.”
The two sparred, and before long, the imperial delegation of Jeok Nation arrived.
* * *
Three Phoenix County.
It lay far south of Wisu County, where the Asura Sword Sect was located.
Five major martial factions wielded tremendous influence in Three Phoenix County.
[One Sect, One School, Three Clans].
Their histories ran deep, and they had long been the local powers of Three Phoenix County.
Myeong-hyeon continued.
“I do not know all that much either, but from what I know, Three Phoenix County is where the Asura Sword Sect’s influence is weakest among the sixteen regions it controls.”
It could not be helped.
No matter how powerful the Asura Sword Sect was, it could not properly control distant territories.
Three Phoenix County was one such place.
To reach Three Phoenix County from the Asura Sword Sect, one had to cross two mountains and pass through two cities in between.
A martial artist of a certain level could run like mad and arrive within a day or two, but ordinary people would need at least seven days on foot.
Even on horseback, at least one of the two mountains was so rugged that travelers had to make a wide detour. It would take a similar amount of time.
Under normal circumstances, this would never have been made a controlled territory.
Yet there was a clear reason a branch had to be established here.
This was also a border region. It was similar to the situation at Seok Manor, though this place was worse.
All kinds of smuggling took place around the enormous mountain called Bibong Mountain at the border. Martial factions had no choice but to settle here, and the Asura Sword Sect could not allow the Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect to monopolize those interests.
So the Asura Sword Sect established a branch as well.
That was the Three Phoenix Branch.
Myeong-hyeon and I entered the Three Phoenix Branch.
The branch building had once been an inn. The Asura Sword Sect had purchased it for a fair price and remodeled it.
Two floors above ground, one below.
The branch members usually trained in the basement, then went upstairs to sleep on the second floor.
I silently looked around the interior.
A sigh escaped me.
“Is this really right?”
“...It is not normal, but perhaps this place simply has its own distinct character?”
“You have a talent for being funny. Character?”
Dust had settled across the first floor, including the kitchen, and it covered the second-floor lodging as well. It was not gathered in a few places. It covered everything.
It looked as though the building had not been used for at least a month.
There was no way that was character.
More importantly, where were the two existing branch members of the Three Phoenix Branch?
Something smelled off.
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue.
“Tell me about the former Branch Leader.”
“Um... I do not know the details, but I will tell you what I heard. The former Three Phoenix Branch Leader was a woman named Un Mi-rang. She was known in the martial world by the epithet Jiangnan Sword Phoenix, and her martial realm was said to be Three Flowers Gather at the Crown.”
I pulled out a dust-covered chair, dropped into it, and gestured for Myeong-hyeon to continue.
Myeong-hyeon went on.
“The Three Phoenix Branch was said to have pursued a thief near the border not long ago.”
“A thief?”
“Yes. According to the report, it was the Thousand-Li Divine Thief. The Thousand-Mile Divine Thief stole thirty Asura Pills from this branch, then fled across the border. All the Three Phoenix Branch members pursued him and pushed all the way into Jangam County, territory controlled by the Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect.”
My brow twitched. There was something in Myeong-hyeon’s explanation that bothered me, but I let it pass for now.
“Jangam County is larger than Three Phoenix County. It has countless merchants and many martial artists from sects renowned in the Yan Martial World. Entering that far was one thing, but they searched everywhere to find the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief. They even raided martial factions, among other things.”
“So they died?”
“Yes. According to the report, all of Jangam County set up something like an inescapable dragnet, claiming a foreign force had invaded or something of that nature.”
“Does that make sense?”
“Normally, it would not. But the report says so, which means something similar must have happened. More importantly, all of Jangam County clearly rose up against them.”
Then there was only one possibility.
“Someone must have incited them. Or it had been planned in advance.”
“That is highly likely.”
People did not rise up so easily. It had to have been planned beforehand.
They had walked into a trap.
Then Myeong-hyeon continued.
“Un Mi-rang was raped and killed by fifteen grown men. The three female branch members under her were also raped and killed, while the rest had their limbs torn off before being beheaded.”
I froze.
“What?”
“...It is unpleasant to repeat, but would you like me to say it again?”
“No.”
I slowly tapped the table.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
My thoughts came together.
“What a complete mess.”
It truly was a complete mess.
“Why did the Asura Sword Sect leave this alone?”
“There was some opposition.”
“Opposition?”
“Yes. The person who pushed hardest for a thorough investigation was the Asura Pavilion Master, but no matter how central that position is within the Asura Sword Sect, he cannot exert that much authority when the other elders oppose him.”
“The other elders?”
“Yes. Several elders, including Elder Chodong, were said to have been reluctant to dig too deeply into this matter.”
“Why?”
“It is obvious. The massacre took place in Yan Kingdom. It was near the border, but still clearly within Yan Kingdom. If martial artists from Jeok Nation pushed in that far, it would be little different from declaring war... so they let it go.”
I could not believe it.
“The Great Elder did nothing?”
“You know how the Great Elder is. The Great Elder belongs to the sect, but does not care much about its affairs. Until recently, the Great Elder had been making a fuss about leaving the sect altogether... To be honest, it is very possible that the Great Elder does not even know about this.”
“What about the Sect Leader?”
“The Sect Leader was in closed-door cultivation. By the time the Sect Leader emerged, the elders had already settled the matter. By the reckoning of dates, the Sect Leader came out two days before you entered the Sword Sect. Um...”
Myeong-hyeon stopped speaking and watched me carefully.
I wondered why, until I saw my reflection in the window.
My face was cold. I was not smiling. It was completely expressionless.
I had worn this expression several times before.
Whenever I did, one or two people always ended up dead.
“Myeong-hyeon.”
“...Yes.”
“There is something an organization must always do for those loyal to it. Do you know what that is?”
“...Recognition?”
“Recognition... That is not entirely wrong. But it is the wrong answer to my question. An organization must provide protection.”
“Protection?”
“Whether an organization can protect its members determines its value. If someone dies unjustly, the organization must avenge them.”
“...”
“What did those who gave their loyalty and put their lives on the line expect in return? The organization that embraces them must recognize them, protect them, and if they die, retaliate without fail. Once that principle breaks, an organization can no longer function as an organization.”
There was a reason the Martial Alliance and other great sects rose up whenever they heard one of their disciples had been killed.
Members always believed that if something happened to them, the organization would protect them somehow, or avenge them.
Once that belief was shattered, the organization’s life was over.
Looking at it now.
“No wonder the Asura Sword Sect was destroyed.”
“...Pardon? Destroyed?”
“More importantly, you said Gangnam Sword Phoenix?”
“Yes. Gangnam Sword Phoenix Un Mi-rang. She was a woman who had made a name for herself in Gangnam County. Her ancestral home was the Un Clan Manor here in Three Phoenix County.”
The Un Clan Manor in Three Phoenix County.
I committed it to memory.
“Myeong-hyeon.”
“Yes.”
“I am giving you an order.”
“...Why are you making it sound so serious? I hope it is something light.”
By my standards, it was quite a light order.
“Go capture the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief.”
Myeong-hyeon’s mouth fell open.
“...Me?”
“Yes. You go.”
“No, how am I supposed to capture that person? I do not even know where the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief is.”
I searched through my memories of the past.
“Na Mu-gi, the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief, has two children. One is in Dorim Town in Yan Kingdom, and the other is in Donggang County. The child in Dorim Town should be running an inn, while the child in Donggang County should be a patrol inspector there.”
Myeong-hyeon swallowed.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, I am certain.”
“...This is insane. You are telling me to go there at my current realm and bring back the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief? As far as I know, the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief is at Three Flowers Gather at the Crown. It will be difficult. Very difficult.”
“Release the restraints on your meridians.”
“...”
“I will take responsibility. Release them.”
“...How will you take responsibility? If it becomes known that I have learned Demonic arts, not only you but the Asura Sword Sect itself will be thrown into chaos. This is not something you should take lightly.”
I stood and walked toward Myeong-hyeon. Myeong-hyeon looked up at me.
“If you die on a mission, what choice do you think the Sword Emperor will make?”
“...”
“He will deny any connection to you. If that were all, it would be fortunate. He will kill everyone except those he is certain will keep quiet. Your lover in Yan Kingdom will likely be among them.”
“...What are you trying to say?”
What was I trying to say?
It was simple.
“If you are going to choose a side, choose it properly.”
“...What?”
“I still suspect you, but you and I want the same thing. We want the Emperor Sword Sect destroyed. Strictly speaking, you want to escape the Sword Emperor’s grasp, but in the larger picture, it is no different. To do that, we must kill the Sword Emperor.”
“...”
“If you become completely mine, I will not turn my back on your family. Kindness for kindness, grudge for grudge.”
I reached out and placed my hand on Myeong-hyeon’s shoulder.
“Do you still not understand?”
I slowly tightened my grip.
“I am giving you an opportunity.”
“...”
“Have you not already acted from the shadows countless times? You must be confident that you will not get caught. Am I wrong?”
“...You are not.”
“Then what are you hesitating for?”
“...”
“If you do not want to do it, then do not. I will handle it my way.”
Just as I was about to remove my hand, Myeong-hyeon spoke.
“It hurts.”
“What does?”
“My shoulder, and my heart.”
Myeong-hyeon was not an idiot. The Thousand-Mile Divine Thief’s situation and Myeong-hyeon’s own were the same.
“It is fine if you play with me, but please do not threaten me by bringing up my weaknesses.”
I could not help laughing.
“Have I ever threatened you since that time at the camp?”
“...No.”
“I will not in the future, either. I have no intention of doing so, and no need to. Do you want my word?”
“...Yes.”
“You have it.”
Myeong-hyeon rubbed his face, then let out a deep sigh.
“Understood. I will go and bring back the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief.”
“How long will you need?”
“Even if I hurry as much as possible, I will need to go through some steps there... If things go well, I can bring him back within fifteen days.”
I took ten Asura Pills from my bundle and handed them to Myeong-hyeon.
“Make it faster.”
Myeong-hyeon stared at the ten Asura Pills in his hand, then asked me, “...Do you trust me? What if I take these and run?”
“Will you run?”
“...”
“If you are going to run, then run.”
“...So you will kill my lover in Yan Kingdom?”
I shook my head.
“What have you been listening to this whole time?”
“Pardon?”
“I said I would not make threats. Whether you run away or point a sword at me later, I will not touch your lover. If that woman points a sword at me, that will be different, but I will not harm her first.”
Myeong-hyeon looked deeply startled.
“The choice is yours. Bring the Thousand-Mile Divine Thief to me within ten days.”
“...You are impossible to understand.”
Myeong-hyeon tightly gripped the Asura Pills and turned away.
Before leaving through the door, Myeong-hyeon paused and added, “I will bring him back within seven days.”
A smile spread across my face.
“Good.”
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