ushernet Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 5: A Solitary Kindness
One year ago, a week after the Demonic Cult’s invasion of Sichuan...
In the dead of night, a solitary light flickered in the most secluded corner of the Namgung estate. While everyone else slept, a single shadow danced restlessly in the lamplight.
Tang Sohwa's judgment had been clouded ever since she saw her father three days prior. Her father, a man who valued cleanliness and appearance above all else, had arrived with his clothes stained with blood and grime, his usually meticulously styled hair tied back haphazardly. He hadn't even protested Namgung Hyeon’s refusal of aid, simply turning back without a word.
Someone needed to be there.
She knew she wouldn't make much of a difference, but she also knew she would regret it for the rest of her life if she stayed.
As she stepped out of her room, a figure emerged from the shadows, blocking her path. She looked up, and even the faint moonlight couldn't diminish the beauty of the face before her. It was Yeon-a, leader of Namgung Hyeon's personal guard, the Shadow Guard, and his lover. Seeing her here, at her own humble quarters, left a bitter taste in Sohwa’s mouth.
Her eyes cold, Sohwa commanded, “Step aside.”
Yeon-a’s gaze fell to the sleeve of Sohwa’s robe.
“Have you taken your throwing knives?” Receiving no answer, she pressed further. “How many? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?” Yeon-a sighed wearily. “They are the ones who broke through Kunlun, Qingcheng, Mount Emei, and even the Tang Clan. Do you truly believe a hundred cuts will stop them? What will you do after you’ve thrown your ten, your hundred knives? How will you face them then?”
She was telling her she would only find death there.
Sohwa's lips parted slowly. “You seem to be mistaken.” Her voice, devoid of anger or sarcasm, was calm, cutting through the darkness. “I am going there to die.”
Yeon-a frowned.@@@@
“I would rather die beside my family than live alone. Of course, someone like you wouldn't understand. And I have no obligation to make you understand. Now, move.”
“...Your home is here.”
Tang Sohwa scoffed. “Are you out of your mind? My surname is Tang, not Namgung.”
“...”
“I said, move.”
Yeon-a held out a letter. “I wrote this myself. Please deliver it. To Mount Hua, Wudang, and Mount Jongnam. I have connections there; they won't refuse my request.”
Sohwa's gaze fell upon the letter.
Though Yeon-a had been raised in the Namgung Clan, her access to their martial arts teachings was limited. The Namgung, though not as restrictive as the Tang, were still a closed society. The higher-level techniques, unfortunately, were reserved for those of direct lineage.
Not being a blood relative, Yeon-a had honed her swordsmanship independently. Namgung Hyeon’s orders, sending her on missions throughout the central plains, had proven to be a blessing in disguise. She had faced countless life-or-death situations, encountering a wide array of martial artists. Through these trials, she had perfected her skills, eventually surpassing even Wungil of the Wudang Sect, one of the Heavenly Ten Swords, and earning a place among the top ten swordsmen in the world.
Yet, Yeon-a had no interest in such accolades. Her only concern was Namgung Hyeon.
That was why Tang Sohwa couldn't believe this letter. It went against everything Namgung Hyeon stood for.
Yeon-a looked up, a faint smile on her face. Her gaze briefly fell on the letter in Sohwa’s hand. “They will likely come to aid you. But, one can never be too sure... Daebunim, you must remain here.”
“Why?”
“Someone needs to ensure the path remains clear, don't you think?”
Tang Sohwa’s lips tightened. She was warning her about Namgung Hyeon.
“But you love him, don't you?”
“With all due respect, Daebunim, yes. I love him.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
“My feelings have caused you great pain. It isn't right that you should lose everything because I was blinded by love.” Yeon-a bowed her head again. “If I may offer an excuse, I couldn’t tell you the truth back then. I feared he would harm someone else.”
Sohwa understood the unspoken implication. If Yeon-a had revealed her inability to conceive, Namgung Hyeon would have found another way to frame Sohwa, perhaps even resorting to murder and claiming poisoning.
Namgung Hyeon was capable of anything. He had used the woman he supposedly loved as a pawn in his schemes. He would have gladly confined her to a small, isolated quarter, cutting her off from the outside world, if it served his purpose.
Yeon-a hesitated, then offered a small note. “When I die, please give this to him.”
“What is it?”
Instead of explaining, she smiled faintly and offered a cryptic answer. “It is where I will be buried.”
Sohwa had refused, telling her to deliver it herself. But Yeon-a had simply disappeared without a word.
And she never returned.
The three Taoist sects, alerted by Yeon-a's letter, had arrived promptly, halting the Demonic Cult’s advance eastward. Though they couldn't prevent the Tang Clan’s annihilation or Yeon-a’s death, they helped recover their bodies.
Sohwa had tried to fulfill Yeon-a's final request but couldn't decipher the note’s meaning. She had given it to Namgung Hyeon, and for the first time, she had seen him truly break down.
It had been a repulsive sight. To see him feign such devastation before her, a woman who had lost everything, while he, the orchestrator of her suffering, pretended to be the victim. He had used Yeon-a as a shield, sending her into countless dangerous situations, yet now he wept for her loss? Was this truly love?
Namgung Hyeon had never once expressed any remorse for his actions, never acknowledged his role in her suffering. He hadn't felt a shred of guilt.
It was then that Sohwa had felt a flicker of pity for Yeon-a. Despite being one of the most skilled swordsmen in the world, her life had been tragically meaningless.
When fortune smiled upon Tang Sohwa and granted her a second chance, she vowed revenge against Namgung Hyeon, and Yeon-a's memory resurfaced.
Kindness repaid twice over, grudges tenfold. That was the Tang Clan’s code. Though she rarely dwelled on acts of kindness, Yeon-a’s sacrifice weighed heavily on her.
The young girl, now bearing a different name, wouldn't know her, but Sohwa wanted to ensure she lived a different life this time. A life free from the constant threat of death, where she could learn from her master in peace, where she could live for herself, not sacrifice herself for another.
This was the only kindness Tang Sohwa needed to repay in this life, the first debt she needed to settle.