The Defeat of Tangsu Sect
The defeat of the Tangsu Sect left an indelible shock among the people of Sacheon.
Defeated by an outcast…?
By such human trash… defeated?
Contrary to the expectations of the Sacheon people, the sects in Sacheon were not particularly competitive when compared to the entire Central Plains Martial World. With many giants already established in Sacheon, the presence of numerous major factions made it hard for even the talented and skilled to survive, let alone the merely useful.
Thus, the overall level of the mid-sized and smaller factions inevitably fell.
However, did the Sacheon people understand this situation? In the pristine area without the Outcast, they thought that the martial artists of Sacheon, known as the invincible ones of the strongest martial world, had only lost to a mere outcast.
It was natural for the Tangsu Sect to be disbanded and fade into the annals of history…
Yet, amidst this, strange rumors circulated in Sacheon.
Dok Yeong-chan had harmed the Tangsu Sect leader. Or perhaps used sorcery.
With the leader of the Tangsu Sect vanished and all the core experts completely missing, it was impossible to discern the truth of such claims.
The experts of the Tangsu Sect, having experienced the incident with the Yeongji Sect, did not show up even after hearing these rumors. They well knew that the people of Sacheon would not forgive them.
Even though it was a totally unproven fact, the people of Sacheon believed it firmly.
It was the only means they had to protect their pride.
Some demon from Sacheon who toppled the Tangsu Sect had again hired an outcast.
The martial duel invitation from Bandit Wolya-do flew to the leader of Jajangmun.
And Jajangmun emerged victorious in the duel with Bandit Wolya-do.
After a bloody battle, the leader Jajangmun, having barely defeated Wolya-do, clenched a fist in joy. While it wouldn’t earn as much popularity as the Yeongji Sect, it certainly would allow them to land a decisive blow in the power struggle with the Jambong Sect!
Yet the reaction of the people of Sacheon was cold. Or rather, it’s accurate to say they deliberately chose not to react. Having experienced match-fixing with the Yeongji Sect and the defeat of the Tangsu Sect, the people of Sacheon no longer cheered for the Jajangmun leader who had won against Bandit Wolya-do.
They merely observed.
Even after that, it became common for outcasts from other regions to throw martial duel invitations to the sects of Sacheon. If they lost, it would be labeled a disgrace for Sacheon, leading to the destruction of the sect, but even in victory, the people of Sacheon did not cheer.
Victorious outcasts found themselves tainted by mysterious scandals.
Some were accused of being pederasts, while others of coveting married women.
*
Silence enveloped the Outcast Inn, centered around the seat where Black Cat and I sat.
Black Cat and I were currently the eye of the storm at this Outcast Inn.
One side featured a stunning beauty, while I was the realization pouch. Many outcasts focused on us, and I didn’t lower my voice, nor did Black Cat block our conversation.
Considering the average level of the Sacheon outcasts, most of the outcasts likely heard our words.
Looking at the faces turned toward me, it seemed they were concentrating on the story itself.
I felt something prick my mind and glanced; Yu Sa-yeon’s seat was already empty.
…It’s not polite to talk about Yu Sa-yeon.
“Please, go on.”
“Right. The outcasts who won the duels were each burdened with scandals.”
I raised my voice not specifically for Black Cat, but as if addressing all outcasts.
*
Imagine from the outcasts’ perspective.
How infuriating must it have been? They fought in duels simply to fulfill requests. Suddenly, they were labeled as pederasts, wife killers, and children selling their parents for money; if there was even a hint of doubt in the duel process, they became sorcerers using foul play.
But there was no one to prove the innocence of the outcasts. Defeated sects were wiped out, and duelists either concealed their identities or remained without any reason to defend the outcasts.
Then one day.
An outcast arrived in Sacheon on a mission.
Now known as Nangya Sword, it was Jeong Cheol.
The stigma burdening Jeong Cheol was that he had killed his master and stolen his sword techniques. Jeong Cheol was enraged and realized the current situation in Sacheon.
And Jeong Cheol decided to flip the Underworld of Sacheon on its head.
He set out for martial duels with the momentum of annihilating every sect in Sacheon. He appeared on the dueling stage daily, wielding the Twelve Dragon Cuts, and always emerged victorious.
At that time, no expert among the sects of Sacheon could stop Jeong Cheol.
He was entirely different from other outcasts who fought for fortune. Jeong Cheol, truly wandering the world solely for the perfection of the sword, was a seeker.
A sect closed its doors every day.
After a week, all the sects in Sacheon were trembling in fear at the thought that Jeong Cheol might visit.
The sects united to collect riches to offer to Jeong Cheol, but he rejected them outright.
As this week flowed by, Jeong Cheol found himself in a situation where he was ambushed multiple times a day. Receiving martial duel invitations meant sects had to drop their banners, but would any sect in Sacheon take risks?
Seeing this, others could no longer stand it.
It was the outcasts of Sacheon.
*
“The outcasts of Sacheon suffered grievous injustices. It was no less severe than the current treatment of outcasts; it was at its peak of hatred. The outcasts earnestly wished for this grotesque structure of Sacheon to be shattered. So they protected Jeong Cheol.”
I pointed a finger at Black Cat.
Specifically, at the one above, Black Rib.
“All outcasts in Sacheon wore traditional hats and disguised their physiques to protect Jeong Cheol. Countless Jeong Cheols emerged across Sacheon, leaving assassins flustered.”
This was the birth of the Sacheon Outcast.
“When the Sacheon Outcast donned the black hats and wind cloaks, they became ‘evil.’”
They had sided with the foreign outcast wreaking havoc among Sacheon’s sects.
“With the help of the Sacheon Outcast, Jeong Cheol smoothly shattered the sects. The Outcasts provided hideouts, protected him from assassins, and delivered martial duel invitations to the sects.”
Nangya Sword smashed through sects without resistance.
“But Nangya Sword overlooked one crucial fact.”
“What did he overlook?”
“The major sects.”
*
As usual, Nangya Sword stepped out to duel and encountered Hwangbo Clan’s “Fierce Tiger Eight.” A group of elite experts representing the Hwangbo Clan, just like the Ten Prodigies.
The reasoning was simple. One of the Fierce Tiger’s younger brothers belonged to the sect, and he had suddenly entered a loss of control over Qi, leaving his place for a substitute.
Though it was a flimsy excuse that even a child could see through, Jeong Cheol did not back down.
Due to the potential risks, the connections between the major and mid-sized sects sank below the surface. However, that did not mean these connections vanished.
Jeong Cheol had recklessly demolished sects in Sacheon, successfully antagonizing one of the major factions backing these sects: Hwangbo Clan.
Sacheon was filled with rumor and turmoil, but Jeong Cheol represented a threat that could completely destabilize this already tumultuous situation.
From Jeong Cheol’s perspective, it must have felt puzzling.
As a foreigner, he likely knew little about the deep workings of Sacheon. But he must have quickly realized that major factions were backing those mid-sized sects.
Thus, he would not refuse the duel. The true source of troubles had finally shown itself.
The left-handed expert of Fierce Tiger Eight. Hwangbo Jin-cheon.
The inheritor of the Twelve Dragon Cuts. Nangya Sword Jeong Cheol.
No one foresaw Jeong Cheol’s victory.
But the victor was Jeong Cheol.
And thus, the Twelve Dragon Cuts became a sword technique known throughout Sacheon, and the name Nangya Sword Jeong Cheol became renowned.
*
“Jeong Cheol redirected his focus toward the Nine Great Sects based in Sacheon. And do you know what happened next?”
“…He was defeated by the left-handed expert of the Ten Prodigies.”
Jeong Cheol defeated the Zen Master Hye-jeong from the Amifa.
Then he fell before Cheon Yeo, the successor of the Ten Prodigies.
Since Jeong Cheol and Cheon Yeo were roughly the same age, there was no need for further discussion.
Jeong Cheol simply fell short compared to Cheon Yeo.
However, the fact that a mere outcast had accumulated enough skill to defeat several of the Nine Great Sects’ top experts was enough for Jeong Cheol to be regarded as a legend.
“It is said that Jeong Cheol cried at that moment. Feeling aggrieved for not being able to punish those who disgraced his master, he shed tears right then and there. And he swore an oath.”
That very oath is likely why all martial artists in the Sacheon Martial World recognize the vessel of the Twelve Dragon Cuts.
“One day, I will return when I can defeat all the martial artists in Sacheon.”
Black Cat had declared that their goal was to become the greatest Sacheon Outcast.
“Did you say you would become the greatest Sacheon Outcast?”
“…I did.”
“Then what do you envision as the greatest Sacheon Outcast? What sort of being is it? What does it move for? What must it do to become such a being?”
Black Cat could not answer.
“A goal is not something set overnight. But remember this, it’s not enough to just know it exists in your head. When that knowledge permeates my soul, my life, only then do we truly call it realization.”
I stood up. Perhaps I had spoken too much, and my throat felt dry.
“I will make you into a Sacheon Outcast. However, the greatest Sacheon Outcast is someone I don’t know. So, one day, be sure to speak clearly about them. Then I will ensure it becomes so.”
I declared my closure.
