The Legend of the Northern Blade

Eun Han-Seol observed her surroundings with a calm gaze. The Silver Horse Merchant Association she was traveling with was taking a short break in Tianshui, Gansu Province, to rest and reorganize their cargo. This small county, located on the main road between Gansu and Shaanxi Province, served as an important transportation hub.

The route they had taken thus far piqued Eun Han-Seol's interest. In Gansu Province, they had sold precious goods from the Western Regions. These exotic items, imbued with a foreign allure, sold out quickly, leaving their wagons empty.

Up to that point, she had vaguely assumed that the Silver Horse Merchant Association had made a considerable profit. However, their actions did not stop there.

During their brief stay in Gansu, the subordinate merchants scattered to different places, returning a few days later with their wagons overflowing with Gansu's specialty products. Dozens of empty wagons and carriages were reloaded with goods once again.

Curious about the necessity of this venture, Eun Han-Seol asked Yoo Jang-Hwan about it.

"The basic principle of trade is to buy goods where they are plentiful and sell them where they are scarce. Here, goods from the Western Regions are rare, so we sell them at high prices. Similarly, goods from this region are hard to find in the Central Plains, so we buy them cheap here and sell them at high prices there. In this way, goods flow from places of abundance to places of scarcity, and money flows in the opposite direction. Just knowing this principle will prevent you from suffering losses in life," Yoo Jang-Hwan explained.

Having already secured a substantial profit, Yoo Jang-Hwan's expression radiated generosity. His subordinate merchants and escorts also wore smiles on their faces.

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The sight of the people from the Silver Horse Merchant Association left a deep impression on Eun Han-Seol. Until now, the only skill she had honed in her life was how to kill people efficiently.

After all, martial arts was literally the art of killing. It was effective in destroying, but completely useless in producing or creating. At the end of the day, what good was someone who could only destroy to the world?

Therefore, she considered herself someone who wasn't very useful to the world.

Perhaps this explained why Yoo Jang-Hwan and the people of the Silver Horse Merchant Association seemed so alien and dazzling to her. They radiated a vitality that those who lived in darkness like her could never possess.

She watched in silence as the convoy laughed and chatted happily.

"There must be a huge crowd at Heaven's Summit by now."

"Is that even a question? If I had the time and leisure, I would have gone there too. Such a shame."

Ever since they entered Gansu Province, the most common topic of conversation was the Heaven's Summit Demon Hunter Selection. Whenever two or more people got together, they would inevitably talk about Heaven's Summit and the new martial artists that had recently emerged.

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Among them, the most famous was a newcomer known by the alias "Northern Blade".

Mu-Won.

Eun Han-Seol instinctively realized that the Northern Blade was the Jin Mu-Won she knew.

Looking back, the time she spent with Jin Mu-Won was the most memorable period of her life. He was the only person who ever made her heart flutter.

Unfortunately, she had now attained the perfect state her master desired, a state devoid of all emotion and distractions. Her feelings were dulled, her mind imperturbable. Deep down, however, she had a gnawing hunch that something was wrong.

And so she had to confirm it—whether her frozen heart could beat again, whether she could experience human emotions as she once had.

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Mu-Won, I'll be there soon.

Two days after entering the old bookstore, Jin Mu-Won and Ha Jin-Wol emerged. During that time, Ha Jin-Wol had hidden in the basement while Jin Mu-Won spent his time reading books he liked from the shelves on the ground floor.

After returning outside, Jin Mu-Won noticed that Ha Jin-Wol's expression had become more determined. To those who did not know him, he might have appeared unchanged, but Jin Mu-Won could sense the difference.

Just as a swordsman honed their blade and hardened their resolve, a scholar focused their knowledge and skills on a single purpose. In the depths of the old bookstore's basement, Ha Jin-Wol had realized his purpose, or at the very least, he had made a firm decision on the path he wanted to walk.

That alone was enough to change the look in his eyes and his entire demeanor.

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Now, all that remains is to move forward.

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They had come too far to back down now. Regardless of the outcome, both he and Ha Jin-Wol had no choice but to move forward. Besides, neither of them were the type to give up halfway.

Suddenly, Ha Jin-Wol suggested, "I'm thirsty. Let's find an inn and get some drinks."

"It's still daytime."

"Since when did we care about the time of day when we drink?"

Smiling faintly, Jin Mu-Won nodded, and together, they entered an inn near East Lake. Since it was still daytime, the inn was quiet, so they chose seats by the window with a clear view of the lake.

For a while, the two men drank in silence.

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During this time, many people came and went from the inn. As the customers changed several times, the number of bottles in front of them gradually increased.

When the number finally reached seven, Ha Jin-Wol put down his cup. Unexpectedly, despite drinking so much, he showed no signs of intoxication. Rather, his eyes were colder and clearer than before.

"This is the last one," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"It is my last drink before I achieve my goal."

"Aren't you afraid of regretting those words? How can you be sure when you will reach your goal?"

"Hmph! Now that I have made up my mind, it won't take long."

"As you wish." Jin Mu-Won smiled faintly, without any scorn. Ha Jin-Wol was a man who was entitled to his pride, and his bold proclamation sounded very satisfying.

Ha Jin-Wol looked directly at Jin Mu-Won. "No matter what happens, never waver. I will be right by your side. Just keep moving forward like an unstoppable ox, and I will deal with the aftermath."

"Is there really nothing you want from me?"

Ha Jin-Wol shook his head. "No, nothing."

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"Really nothing? What if I do something that opposes the world?"

"Then I will simply have to clean up that chaotic mess."

"Sounds good to me."

Ha Jin-Wol's eyes shone with unprecedented clarity, an unshakable conviction in them.

"A strategist should never impose his will or stand at the forefront of history. A strategist's duty is to anticipate his liege's intentions and steadily prepare the future accordingly."

"Liege?"

"Yes. I, Ha Jin-Wol, have decided to make you my liege. From now on, I wish to join your quest and intertwine our destinies."

Jin Mu-Won put down his cup and stared directly at Ha Jin-Wol, who met his gaze without flinching. The unwavering determination in his eyes spoke volumes.

"Even I don't know what thorns lie ahead."

"I am aware."

"I could make an enemy of the whole world."

"I know that too."

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"Even so, you still intend to join me?"

"If it's not something as great as confronting the world, how could it be worth my while, right?"

Although Ha Jin-Wol's words were incredibly arrogant, Jin Mu-Won did not doubt him. If anyone could accomplish such a feat, it was him.

The two men grinned at each other.

"By the way, isn't it a little strange to call me 'you' while also calling me your liege?"

"Liege is liege, and you are you. To me, you are my liege and also just 'you'."

"That's kind of complicated."

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"There's nothing complicated about it. The important thing is that I have decided to become your vassal. Consider it an honor."

"I will."

Jin Mu-Won and Ha Jin-Wol chuckled. Perhaps the two of them knew from their first meeting that this was going to happen. They understood and accepted each other with remarkable ease.

"May I ask about one thing?"

"Ask away."

"Why were you searching for the Northern Army roster yesterday?"

"Didn't I tell you? Before any significant event, there are always many foreshadowings. Ultimately, humans are the ones who drive the events of the jianghu. The destruction of the Northern Army was no different."

"So?"

"I had to confirm the sequence of events against the people involved. No matter how much I think about it, some aspects remain unclear."

"And did you get the result you wanted?"

"FUFU!" Ha Jin-Wol let out a meaningful laugh instead of an answer.

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Jin Mu-Won's expression turned dark. As Ha Jin-Wol blinked in confusion…

CRASH! PWOOK!

Without warning, Jin Mu-Won kicked Ha Jin-Wol's chair, sending him tumbling backwards as a sword pierced the floor where his chair had been a moment ago.

Ha Jin-Wol's eyes widened. An ambush?

The next moment, assassins clad in black martial arts attire burst through the windows simultaneously and rushed towards them.

Faced with the unexpected assault, Ha Jin-Wol gritted his teeth. While his knowledge was extensive enough to discourse on the world, he wasn't the most athletic guy and lacked the agility to react to such an ambush.

SWISH!

A sword sailed through the air, aimed directly at his forehead, but even though he saw the attack unfold with perfect clarity, his body refused to move. Nevertheless, he felt no alarm, confident that this was not how his life would end.

PWHOOSH!

Blood erupted in front of his eyes, and the body of the assassin who had thrust at him was cut in two.

In an instant, Jin Mu-Won was standing in front of him, fresh blood dripping down Snow Flower's dark blade.

Without even turning around, Jin Mu-Won asked, "Are you okay?"

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"I'm fine. Well, except for the blood staining my new clothes. Tsk!" Ha Jin-Wol grumbled irritably as he wiped the blood from his chest.

Jin Mu-Won chuckled. For most people, this would have been a terrifying ordeal, but it didn't seem enough to rattle Ha Jin-Wol.

He surveyed his surroundings. In the blink of an eye, dozens of assassins had stormed the inn and released their killing intent.

"Who hired you?"

"……"

There was no answer, but Jin Mu-Won wasn't disappointed. He had not expected to get an answer from them anyway.

Thirty have breached the interior, with forty-five more lying in wait outside. Approximately eighty in total?

Jin Mu-Won's All-Encompassing Cognizance activated involuntarily, expanding his consciousness to cover the entire inn and vividly imprinting the inn's structure and the positions of the concealed assassins in his mind.

It was no small matter for such a large number of assassins to be mobilized in what was considered the front yard of Heaven's Summit. The only way this could have happened was if Heaven's Summit had either given their tacit approval or if their attention had been diverted elsewhere.

Regardless, it did not bode well for Jin Mu-Won.

"You said that you would deal with the consequences no matter what reckless act I committed, right?"

Jin Mu-Won asked.

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"Indeed. Why? Are you planning to do something reckless now?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Go ahead and rampage to your heart's content!"

Ha Jin-Wol leaned back in his chair and cupped his hands over his knee as assassins charged from all directions. Swords flashed and steely blades swooped in, targeting his defenseless self over Jin Mu-Won to give themselves the advantage.

It was an efficient attack worthy of assassins. A typical martial artist would be flustered and lose his composure.

Unfortunately, their opponent was no ordinary martial artist, but Jin Mu-Won.

WHOOOSH!

Jin Mu-Won pivoted on his left foot, his body spinning like a top as Snow Flower carved a line in the air. A sinister ripping sound rang out, and the assassins who had attacked Ha Jin-Wol were split in two, collapsing to the ground.

Blood splattered onto Ha Jin-Wol, who was still sitting in his chair.

"Tsk! More blood splatter on my new clothes." Ha Jin-Wol clicked his tongue, though his eyes never strayed from Jin Mu-Won.

Numerous assassins rushed forward, but none could penetrate the formidable wall that was the Northern Blade. Severed limbs were scattered through the air, and the muffled groans of the assassins echoed.

Death danced with abandon.

However, this battle was not Jin Mu-Won's alone. Ha Jin-Wol fought as well. While Jin Mu-Won wielded his sword, Ha Jin-Wol's mind calculated countless ways to deal with the ensuing chaos.

"I will free you from your shackles, Mu-Won."