The startled Murim Alliance Leader gripped his staff tightly.
"Are you insane?! Do you actually intend to carry out that deranged plan of cutting down every suspicious person one by one?!"
"…"
His eyes clearly revealed shock and anguish. And beneath them, a hint of anger, all covered by a layer of regret. Seeing this, I understood.
The Murim Alliance Leader—the old beggar who had once burned everything for the sake of righteousness—must see me as a young man with some talent who had simply lost his way.
It was unfair.
I had said all of it with the best of intentions.
I frantically shook my head and hurried to say something to calm the Murim Alliance Leader.
"It's a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding, you say… Well, I'll hear you out for now. Have you made an enemy of the Shaolin Temple since the last meeting? Or do you hold some personal grudge against this elder—the Vajra Arhat?"
The Murim Alliance Leader said he would listen, yet he still gripped his Beggar's Staff tightly.
"…Are you not being too wary of me? I hold no ill will toward the Shaolin Temple or that Elder. In fact, I heard the alias 'Vajra Arhat' for the first time today."
"Would it not be stranger not to be wary of someone who asks whether it's fine to cut off one of your arms? And consider your own actions on top of that."
My actions, he says. At most, I cut down a group of martial artists—including a Peak Realm master who had been targeting Tang So-wol when I was fifteen—and I overturned an entire Haomun branch that had tried to take Seol Ri-hyang by force.
On my way to visit the Zhongnan Sect, I saved Gwiyeong Sin-tu, only to massacre the assassins who came for him, and after a few years of focused training, I went to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, where I was publicly taken away by Seomun Hwa-rin while radiating an overwhelming killing intent.
When I went out to search, in the meantime he had annihilated the Black Heaven Sect and given the Lord of the Black Alliance the alias of Blood Flower Sword Demon.
Suddenly he kidnapped the successors of the Paeng and Eon Clans, and then claimed those two were in danger and killed the Blood Flame Fist Demon, one of the few renowned masters of the Demonic Cult.
Even later, when Tang So-wol was kidnapped, he alone annihilated the Heavenly Poison Sect, and suddenly declared he would subjugate the Green Forest, and truly cut down the majority of the Green Forest bandits, including the Chief of the Green Forest.
I tried to think from the perspective of the Murim Alliance Leader who had received all this information.
"Ah."
"Yes. Do you understand now? I'm sorry, but this is why I am so wary of you…"
"Is he not a fine Orthodox Sect member with no flaws? I simply cannot understand."
"…"
The Murim Alliance Leader squeezed his eyes shut. He stopped mid-sentence, took a couple of deep breaths, and then asked in a trembling voice.
"Wh-what part of that made you think so?"
"Isn't it because you killed them all to protect someone else, or more people? And they were all the sort who deserved to die, one and all."
No matter how you dress it up, every martial artist is nothing but a butcher. If you don't call someone who spends his days thinking of nothing but how to eat well and kill people well a butcher, what would you call him?
But when a sword is needed and everyone else turns away, the one who steps forward and willingly wields it for a righteous cause—that is what we call an Orthodox Sect martial artist.
Just as I love the sword yet see it as a mere tool, martial arts are also tools for killing people, and killing is merely a tool for protecting things more precious.
Killing intent not for the sake of killing alone, but for the sake of protecting something.
That is why one must wield the blade only when necessary and refrain from meaningless slaughter, and once the sword is drawn, one must decisively cut down the enemy before one's eyes.
What truly matters is not the power held in one's hands, but the small warmth carried in one's heart.
As I explained the fragments of enlightenment that had led me to the Harmony Realm, spanning both before and after my regression, the stubborn Murim Alliance Leader's brow finally softened slightly.
"…Is that so. Then I apologize. Though you are quite aggressive, White Moon Sword Lord, you are clearly a martial artist of the Orthodox Sects."
"I am glad you recognize that now."
"But that makes me all the more curious. For what reason did you request a sparring bout with this elder, and even consider cutting off your own arm if it came to that?"
"That is…"
Truthfully, unlike everything before, this part was difficult to explain properly.
That was only natural—it was a plan I had devised on the assumption that the Heavenly Demon would employ the methods of a regressor.
If a being called the Vajra Arhat had trained ceaselessly to reach the Indestructible Vajra Body, but for some reason was destined to go mad and slaughter—what then?
What if the Heavenly Demon was merely adding fuel to the fire, trying to make things worse?
From a regressor's standpoint, there were few methods that yielded such great results with so little effort.
Looking at the Heavenly Demon's schemes so far, the majority had indeed been just like that.
Inciting those with grievances against the Tang Clan to attack Tang So-wol, or using the secretly intimate successors of the Paeng and Eon Clans to spread dangerous Spiritual Medicine in the shadows and stoke conflict.
And when the Green Forest's Chief seemed likely to flee as his position shrank, sending the Slaughter King to lend a hand and push him toward a counterattack.
I didn't know the details, but I suspected the Assassin Valley's submission to the Demonic Cult was probably a similar situation.
In any case, it was about adding a small weight to guide events toward a desired direction, knowing what was already destined to happen.
That was the Heavenly Demon's way. Weakening and dividing the Central Plains' martial world while building up enough strength of his own.
All while keeping his existence thoroughly hidden… in a sense, an extremely efficient method.
In contrast, my path so far had been to struggle desperately, trying to prevent what was destined to happen.
The reason we both foresaw the future yet headed in different directions was simple.
The difference in regression experience.
The Heavenly Demon must have regressed far more times than I had, knowing far more things in far greater detail.
So every incident that would have ended as mere coincidence became a piece on the Heavenly Demon's board, and I was the one who had barged in late, trying to overturn the game by any means necessary.
…The problem was that I only realized this very structure after meeting the Heavenly Demon at the Black Alliance.
The Heavenly Demon could have hidden the fact of his regression until the very end, if he had wanted to.
But he did not.
I still do not know what the Heavenly Demon's purpose is. Unlike the other Demonic Cultists, he does not seem to hold a grudge against martial artists, so what reason could he possibly have for destroying the Central Plains?
And on top of that, he revealed his regression to me and even tried to help me grow stronger.
His methods were twisted, but this was clearly a favor.
And the experience of cutting down a martial artist who had achieved the Indestructible Vajra Body should also serve as the seed that leads me to a higher realm.
…Needless to say, I have no intention of playing along with the Heavenly Demon's plans.
I cannot see what lies in the direction he is looking toward, but one thing is certain — the Central Plains martial world lies along that path.
The others I have formed bonds with. And the fact that they intend to bring down the Sichuan Tang Clan and Tang So-wol.
So I must find my own path, one that is not swayed by the Heavenly Demon.
Take this incident as an example… I could remove the cause of the Vajra Arhat's madness in the first place, or, if it's already too late, cut off one of his arms to prevent him from achieving the Indestructible Vajra Body.
This would uphold the prestige of the Shaolin Temple, and the Vajra Arhat would, for better or worse, keep his life. It would be a perfect way to repay the favor I owe to Great Master Jeonghyeon.
However, to explain this properly, I would have to mention events from before my regression.
Naturally, that's bound by the seal.
Unlike my companions or Great Master Jeonghyeon, the Murim Alliance Leader doesn't know about my seal, and I have no intention of revealing my weakness to him. There's no helping it, then.
I quickly organized my thoughts, separating what to discard from what to take. Then, in as natural a voice as I could muster, I spoke.
"A person doesn't die from losing one arm."
"…"
"If I can save countless lives with one arm, surely the Vajra Arhat would rejoice."
"Sparring is out of the question. Not just with this elder—sparring with anyone within the Murim Alliance is forbidden!"
"What?"
"I beg of you, until the spy is uncovered, please do nothing and simply stay put…"
Though he must have reached the Harmony Realm and slowed his aging, the Murim Alliance Leader looked as if he had aged over a decade in that brief span as he made his request.
I pretended to ponder for a moment, then let out a sigh.
"Whew. Very well. If that's the case, I will truly do nothing but talk."
"…Can't you just not meet him at all?"
"I've already yielded quite a bit, haven't I? I will keep the words I swore to my betrothed."
"If you're going that far… Very well. Ah, but I'll say this just in case—swinging the sword while it's still sheathed, or using your fists instead of the sword, is also not allowed."
"Look into my eyes. Do I seem like the sort to play word games in front of the Alliance Leader and then do something like that?"
"…"
The Murim Alliance Leader looked as if he had much to say, but in the end, he nodded.
***
Unfortunately, by the time I finished my conversation with the Murim Alliance Leader, it was already late and the surroundings had grown dark.
Rather than going off to find them without a plan, I decided to put it off until tomorrow and headed to the guest room the Murim Alliance had provided.
I had stayed there a few times before, so I followed the now-familiar path and arrived at my room.
When I opened the door, there, as always, were Tang So-wol, Seol Ri-hyang, and Seomun Hwa-rin.
It was a common occurrence for them to gather in my room as if it were their own, so I thought nothing of it…
The problem was that there weren't just three people gathered there.
Tang Jincheon. For some reason, he too was sitting quietly in my room.
Unlike his daughter, he had a strangely fierce impression. His mouth was firmly shut, and his dark green eyes, the same shade as Tang So-wol's, were wide open as if interrogating something.
Tang Jincheon was radiating the full gravity of his position as clan head with his entire body, and the three women sitting huddled before him wore expressions no less serious.
Something… something was happening.
"I've returned, but why is the air so heavy here? It seems like you were all having an interesting conversation without me."
"Ah, you're here, young hero Cheon? Did the business you said you had go well?"
"It took longer than I expected, but it should work out. Though it seems things on this side have gotten rather serious."
After greeting the Murim Alliance Leader, everyone had dispersed to the rooms prepared for them to rest from the journey, but I had stayed behind to have a conversation. It seemed something had happened in the meantime.
The moment her eyes met mine, Tang So-wol's stiff expression melted away, and she nodded with a smile.
"Yes. We were discussing something important—if it counts as important."
"What on earth is it about, then?"
"It began as a discussion of whether your father would be pleased if you, young hero Cheon, were to bring a bridal gift… but."
"Wait, a bridal gift? I've never heard of this. What are you talking about?"
"Oh? What bridal gift could a live-in son-in-law possibly bring when he's entering with nothing but himself? Naturally, it would be a grandchild."
"…"
Good heavens. So she was asking whether bringing Tang Jincheon a grandchild as a bridal gift would make him happy?
"Why on earth would you do such a thing…"
"Well, wouldn't it be because your complete conquest, young hero Cheon, is drawing near? I've already heard all sorts of things from Hyang-i and older sister Hwa-rin."
"So I was being conquered?"
"Hehe. You realize it now? But even if you've realized it, it's already too late. Haven't you already become someone who can't do without not just me, but Hyang-i and older sister Hwa-rin as well, young hero Cheon?"
"Nothing has even happened yet, so that kind of phrasing is just asking to be misunderstood, but I can't say you're wrong."
I said that while gauging Tang Jincheon's reaction, and Tang So-wol proudly tilted her chin up.
Come to think of it, compared to when I first entered the Tang Clan, I had changed quite a bit without even realizing it.
The fact that I had entered as the Tang Clan's live-in son-in-law yet firmly resolved to keep Seol Ri-hyang and Seomun Hwa-rin by my side was proof of that.
Looking back, I couldn't help but feel like I'd been led along by Tang So-wol… but it didn't feel all that unpleasant.
After all, just as I was adapting to Tang So-wol, she was also adapting to me.
I suppose that's what living together means.
So I nodded for now and cautiously asked.
"So? What did your father-in-law say?"
"He was angry."
"?"
"We were in the middle of getting scolded."
"…"
"I think young hero Cheon should come over here and get scolded with me."
Tang So-wol shifted aside, making room for one more person.
Yeah… this is right…
What kind of father would nod in approval at the idea of his daughter having a child before marriage and taking another wife?
Tang Jincheon, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. His tone was low and calm, but his voice carried a mix of complicated emotions.
"Son-in-law."
"Yes."
I knelt down obediently and sat.