MTL NOVEL Chapter 12
“Ugh…….”
With a strained groan, the Sword Lord’s eyes opened.
As the haze in her vision, which had been momentarily like the morning mist, cleared, the Sword Lord could see a man licking his lips.
This was Namgung Bin, who only a few years ago had been the martial alliance’s general, the hero of war.
When Sword Lord moved her arm, it swung without any unnatural sensation.
Right now, there was nothing binding her.
But the Sword Lord couldn’t move freely.
This was because her dantian, the most crucial energy point, was utterly unresponsive, as if paralyzed by some drug.
“What are you doing?”
“…Jun….”
“Aah, don’t ask where you are. It’s tiresome; I wouldn’t tell you even if you asked.”
“…”
The Sword Lord, intending to ask where she was, closed her mouth.
Looking back, her conversations with Namgung Bin, even during his military days, had always been like this.
Namgung Bin had always seen right through her thoughts, and he even stirred about freely in the minds of the Blood Cult members, strutting around like Zhuge Liang.
At such times, Sword Lord would fall into self-doubt, questioning whether she was a true Lord of the Alliance.
But she had stubbornly ignored such feelings.
Even in this current moment, where she stood powerless before him due to having her inner energy suppressed, it remained the same.
“…What did you do to those two?”
“Yeoncheon Doje and Suryong Jiwang, you mean? I buried them. Considering their contributions in life, I ensured they were laid to rest in a sunny spot.”
“…!”
“Their spirits should rest in peace. For the descendants of Hubei Penglai and Suryong Changjiang Sect.”
At Namgung Bin’s chilling statement, the Sword Lord was momentarily at a loss for words.
“This… Do you think you will get away with this?”
Muttering these words under her breath, she managed them out with great difficulty.
She was afraid.
Truth be told, she wanted to beg for mercy right away.
She would’ve done anything, crawled flat like a dog, just to have her life spared.
But the paltry pride of being the Lord of the martial alliance in Zhongyuan pushed her to retain at least a modicum of dignity.
“Get away? What exactly do you mean by ‘get away?’ Are you implying that I will have to pay for the deaths of those two? How have you changed from years ago?”
“Ugh…”
“To be clear, I have no connection to their deaths. Rather, you, the Lord of the Alliance, will be seen as the main suspect.”
“Wh, what nonsense is that? You mean it’s me, not you, who will be pointed at?”
“That we’ll discuss later. For now, sign this document first. It’s extremely important, so please read it carefully and sign.”
As Namgung Bin quivered slightly while posing the question, he handed her a document.
The ominous seal on the paper sent a shiver up the Lord’s spine because she remembered seeing similar seals in the past from the southern and western regions.
“What… What is this?”
“To put it simply, it’s a contract of pledge. Though I may look like this, I was an outstanding student at the demonic cultivation school, having even studied there. And during that time, I learned a bit of demonic magic. This contract is formed by that magic.”
“A contract? What kind of contract?”
“Read it yourself. Surely the Lord, though somewhat foolish, isn’t illiterate, right?”
“Ugh…”
At the indirect insult, the Lord gritted her lower lip and took the paper in her trembling hand.
Even as she handled it carefully to avoid causing any damage, the act clearly revealed her fearful nature.
Swish-swish…
As the Sword Lord unfolded the document and read through its contents, her expression gradually hardened.
The true nature of the contract was a ‘Master-Servant Bond.’
It was a contract in which the subordinate, under any circumstances, must absolutely obey the commands of the superior.
A heavy shadow clouded her face.
“…Don’t be absurd.”
Finally, she dropped the paper, her voice trembling.
But once a wolf has its teeth in its prey, it won’t let go.
And if that wolf is a seasoned predator that’s knocked down even a king, the likelihood decreases even more.
BANG!
Without a word, Namgung Bin struck the Sword Lord’s chest, forcing her to kneel helplessly again under the blow of his second punch.
“Ke, ke…!”
Clutching her stomach as she crumbled from the chair, her face hitting the ground, the Sword Lord coughed uncontrollably.
Namgung Bin, watching her silently, spoke coldly.
“Say it again.”
“You, this insane man…!”
Before she could finish her sentence, Namgung Bin’s kick struck her chest again.
As a result, her hands clasped tightly around her stomach were also injured.
“Kkkkk…! Stop! Stop it! I’ll sign the contract!”
“Hum, it would have been easier to do from the start. Our Lord has always been a handful, hasn’t she?”
“Sniff…sniff, sniff…”
“What’s this? Are you crying? How disgraceful. The Lord of the martial alliance shedding tears over a little beating—it’s pathetic, as always.”
“Sniff, sniff, uh…”
With every word Namgung Bin uttered, her already battered pride crumbled even further.
Of course, these were intended as calculated insults by him.
He picked up the contract that the Sword Lord had dropped earlier and placed it in front of her again.
She stared at the paper with desperate eyes, but doing so changed nothing.
“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. You just need to sign this contract.”
“Ugh… what exactly are you trying to do with this…?”
“Don’t make me say this twice.”
At the same time, he raised a threatening fist.
Startled, her frail back stiffened like a frightened mouse.
“Are you not giving me a brush?”
“What are martial artists talking about brushes for? Sign it with your blood. What use are fingers and teeth anyway?”
“Ugh… alright, but take that punch away first.”
“Remarkable. Did our Lord suddenly decide to drop their lofty language even though they never used it before? Is this the last bastion of resistance?”
“…”
“Understood, now sign the contract already. I’m not some idle person.”
The Sword Lord, who had been staring at the contract like it was a bug, hesitantly raised her finger to her mouth.
As a single trail of blood trickled out and soaked the page, she covered it with tears that glistened in her eyes but never fell.
“Pathetic.”
Just days ago, she had been in the highest position in the martial alliance.
Now, she was here, making a ridiculous pact of submission to someone she once commanded.
No matter how much she might be considered inferior compared to the previous Lord, the nickname ‘Sword Lord’ and the title of one of the Twelve Exalted Masters weren’t obtained easily.
She might not be able to withstand the overwhelming wall that was the ‘Ultimate Profound Boundary,’ but even so, there were few in the current martial world who could look down on her.
But what exactly was Namgung Bin?
“One question, answer me.”
“Did you finish signing the contract?”
“Just one thing… tell me one thing.”
“Already, I know what you’ll ask. ‘How did you get so strong?’ or ‘What dark magic did you use to reach such a level?’ Am I right?”
“…”
The Sword Lord couldn’t refute it.
Namgung Bin, watching her silently, grabbed her hand and used her bloodied finger to finish signing the contract while answering.
“This time too, my answer remains the same. I have no intention of telling you. The question you asked earlier… well, forget it. Seems like you’ve signed now.”
Namgong Bin held up the contract marked by Sword Lord’s blood, satisfied.
With an approving glance at the paper, he spoke.
“First order.”
“…”
“From this moment onward, Doyoon and Sujong will be counted as dead by the hands of Sword Sage Namgung Cheolbin.”
“…What?”
“You will be the witness to their murder. The renowned masters Doyoon and Sujong from the history of the martial world, known for their great achievements and respected by martial artists, will be seen by you as they were found by the frenzied Sword Sage and cruelly slaughtered.”
“Wh, what are you talking about? Why… how is the Sword Sage involved?”
“During a certain event, as the Three Exalted Masters passed by Anhui, they were noticed by Sword Sage, an exile from the Namgung clan, who was wandering aimlessly, and a fight ensued. Sword Sage, with overwhelming power, left you too terrified even to confront him, so you hid and watched as they were killed. Understood? Shall I explain again?”
“…Could it be…?”
The Sword Lord’s pupils shook uncontrollably.
“Could you… have orchestrated this slander against the Sword Sage?”
“Hasn’t it been too quiet lately? People are starting to forget how monstrous, cruel, and demented he was. To keep his reputation alive, we need to keep generating incidents.”
Shocked by the revelation of this shocking truth, the Sword Lord’s voice rose involuntarily.
“Don’t speak nonsense! I have never met the Sword Sage! Saying such falsehoods… what if the real Sword Sage shows up somewhere unexpected?”
Such inconsequential concerns were met with no attention from Namgung Bin.
“Rest assured. We have plenty of doubles prepared.”
“Doubles…?”
“Isn’t it better to be thorough? Anyway, our Lord should focus on carrying out the order properly. It’s simple; just say a few words. It’s not hard, is it? I’m not asking for anything too demanding. Your dignity as the Sword Lord might take a slight hit, but against someone like the Sword Sage, the common folk…”
“I guess you can understand.”
“The general was more dangerous than I thought… Wait, then what about the people we encountered when we left the Namgung family? They all saw us clearly, right?”
“All those people are mine, so don’t worry about it. You should mind your own business.”
“…”
“There’s no flaw.”
“Though he’s always been like that, he looks like a human molded from the soil of perfection.”
“Though, knowing that the Sword Sage, who saved the world in the past, was driven to ruin by someone else’s plan should have at least hinted that my suspect wasn’t the mastermind.”
“Even now, my own foolishness makes me hate myself.”
“…”
“…”
“The silence continued.”
“Namgung Bin seemed to have nothing to say, while the Sword Lord seemed to have many things to say but was holding them back.”
“As time passed uncomfortably for some, and rather indifferently for others.”
“Exactly.”
“The Sword Lord, who had been holding back what he wanted to say, finally opened his mouth and asked.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“?”
“Why in the world are you trying to bring the Sword Sage into such trouble?”
“I merely…”
“Then why have you hidden your strength? Aren’t you plotting to unite the martial world, like the olden Blood Cult or Devil Sect in the past? If that’s the case, I think it can succeed. In the current martial world of China, except for the divine monk who has undergone the golden alchemy, no one can stand against you.”
“To man, do one’s own affairs and wait for Heaven’s mandate.”
“Suddenly, the Sword Lord shut his mouth as the saying appeared.”
“Such a saying, isn’t it quite presumptuous?”
“I fail to understand what you’re saying.”
“To devise is Heaven’s affair, to achieve is man’s affair.”
“??”
“Seeing the Sword Lord’s bewildered expression, Namgong Bin sighed deeply.”
“It’s done. My Lord of the Alliance had his head evaluated too highly.”
“What, what did you say? Just now?”
As he stepped closer to her, he changed his voice.
“There’s nothing more to talk about with someone as ignorant as you. Let’s talk about something else.”
“??”
As Namgong Bin licked his lips and stepped closer to her once again.
And roughly pulled her clothes, throwing her on the desk.
“Boom!”
“Ugh!”
Confused by his behavior, the Sword Lord grabbed her aching waist and sent a questioning gaze.
“Our Lord of the Alliance still has remarkable beauty.”
“What, what is that!?”
As Namgong Bin pressed her down and held both her wrists with just one of his big hands on her waist.
And pressed.
So she couldn’t move.
“Truly amazing. You haven’t done any martial arts training, but where did you do skin care? Or did you reach the supreme level where physical aging doesn’t occur anymore? I heard that you turned forty this year, but both your looks and figure are still in your twenties.”
“What, what’s this supposed to mean?! And I’m only thirty-nine!”
Startled, the rude speech came out again.
“Well, I don’t mind. Then the Lord of the Alliance will suffice for dinner today.”
“Stop! Cease it! Cease it! Can’t you hear me?”
“Trying to resist? In that position? Well, it’s not bad.”
“Kyaa! Kyaa! You madman! Can’t you hear me stop?! Stop right now!”
“I heard it well. But please don’t be so noisy. I don’t like hysterical people.”
“Stop! Stop! Please! Please stop!”
Despite the intense struggle of the Sword Lord, Namgong Bin suppressed both her arms with one hand while the other smoothly lifted her skirt.
It was a skilled movement.
Sensing her private parts were about to be revealed, the Sword Lord started screaming.
Soon, realizing that no matter how much she screamed, it wasn’t going to work, she started to change her method.
“Master Jun! No, Master Jun!”
To her, purity was more precious than her dignity and prestige as Lord of the Alliance.
“Lord Ji Long! Master of the Manor! Please stop! That must not happen!!”
This plea made Namgong Bin hesitate momentarily, and using the opportunity, the Sword Lord became more desperate and earnest.
“Stop! Please! I’ll do anything. I’ll do everything you tell me, if you tell me to lick your feet, I’ll gladly do that!”
“Hmm…”
“Please protect that…! If you tell me to be your slave, I’ll do it! A slave of the Lord of the Alliance, it’s useful, isn’t it? A person with unmatched martial arts skills and power in the world becoming your sole slave, isn’t it?”
“Lord of the Alliance, you are indeed a foolish woman.”
However, Namgong Bin easily trampled on such pleas.
“Can’t you remember the prior agreement? The Lord of the Alliance is already my slave. A slave that must spread their legs when told, and must hang themselves if told to die. That’s what a name-bound agreement means. The reason I haven’t done such is that I’d rather… thrust into a lively woman.”
“Such…!”
The Sword Lord’s face was filled with despair and fear as Namgong Bin continued with his cold-blooded, cruel words.
“If you understand, bow your head. The Lord of the Alliance wouldn’t want to be torn inside, would you?”
“Hu… Huu…!”
“Dear, you’re crying again?”
“Huaaa…! Uh, uhoo!”
“Your crying has its own charm. Seeing a woman drenched in despair makes me lustful. Maybe I’ve reached my limit…”
“Uuuh…! Hu, huuuu…!”
“Let’s wait for a moment… Right, there is another way. Lord of the Alliance, look at me. Listen to what I have to say for a moment.”
As Namgong Bin stopped peeling off her clothes, the Sword Lord, hoping for a glimmer of hope, lifted her tear-streaked face.
It didn’t take long for her face to turn pale.
“Lord of the Alliance, what are you thinking?”
“Huu, huu, wh, what do you mean…?”
“Tsk, stop pretending and just confess. Don’t you hate me now? Don’t you feel like killing me?”
“Ah, that, that is not true! How could I think such a thing about me…!”
“Don’t deny it. Deep in the pitch-black eyes that are staring at me, there’s a desire to rip me apart right now. There’s no reason to hide the truth that cannot be concealed.”
“Uh, uhuh…!”
“Now, I would think differently. Don’t you think why it became like this initially? If you trace it back, wasn’t it all because of the Lord of the Alliance?”
“Wha, what, what do you mean…”
“Think it through. You, the Lord of the Alliance, were the only one who knew that the Sword Sage was falsely accused in this vast world. If the Lord, while being the leader of the Martial Alliance, had defended him, the Sword Sage would not have been branded as evil and chased away like today.”
“That, that, that is…!”
Initially, the Sword Lord would self-hate but never take blame.
That was how the incapable her had survived among the capable ones as the Lord of the Martial Alliance.
And now, to this her, Namgong Bin forced a sense of guilt upon her.
“Then my plans would have failed, and the Lord wouldn’t have ended up like this. But what did you do? Ignore it, didn’t you? Probably because there was no benefit to it. Our Lord who always counts the upfront and the backend cost cares more about money than justice, right? Agree?”
“Nonsense… It’s nonsense…”
No matter how she tried to deny it.
“What an escape from reality. You see, I’ve known the Lord for more than ten years. You’ve always been like this. Greedy, fearful, arrogant, and lazy. Hence, you ignored the false accusations and bad names the Sword Sage suffered.”
Namgong Bin grabbed the back of her head and pulled her up.
In front of this overwhelming wave of guilt that her spirit could hardly endure.
“No, I… I am not like that…!”
“To be shameless like that too. Seeing how you turned away when the Sword Sage was suffering and only came here now. And what did you say? You happily chuckled and said? All the things used against the Sword Sage were false accusations! Since the divine monk said it, any evidence or argument is as good as settled fact!”
Adding to it, his embarrassing imitation of her voice.
“I am not! I am not that filthy person!”
The Sword Lord screamed, unable to bear it.
“Even so, are you capable? That’s not the case, right? In my opinion, I would have helped the Sword Sage. I would have waited for him to be completely isolated and then became his savior. Having the best swordsman of China, the Sword Sage, under my command, and yet the Lord couldn’t even think of that, meaning how stupid the Lord is, do you realize that?”
“That…! I am not filthy… How can you say that…”
“Ah, there’s not much time left. The Lord is right. The Lord is not a filthy person.”
Namkung Bin whispered sweetly nearby and then…
“Wha, what, is it true…? Yes, yes! I’m not filthy! I’m clean! The Sword Sage just… had bad luck! If I had told the truth, no one would have believed me anyway!”
“Tch. So hideous, incomparably filthy that they’re less than filth, that’s what our Lord is. Are you still escaping reality? Stop comforting yourself. All of it stays as karma. No matter how hard you try to look away, it will come back to you eventually.”
“Hu… stop it…! Please stop it…”
The Sword Lord’s spirit was ultimately crumbling piece by piece.
It could be described as weak for a supreme-level kung fu expert’s spirit, but one could also see Namgong Bin’s skill in playing with people as exceptionally outstanding.
However, what Namgong Bin wanted was not merely the crumbling…”
“Are you trying to turn away again? Don’t, and look straight at it. All this hardship and what’s coming ahead, it’s all karma returning due to the recklessness of the Lord of the Alliance.”
“I… never intended to do such a thing…”
“Of course not. The Lord is foolish, after all. You probably never even considered the idea that karma would come back around. But I wish the Lord would recognize the actions you’ve taken and reflect on them.”
“Re… flect…?”
“Ah! If only I hadn’t done that back then! If only I hadn’t abandoned that noble and selfless Sword Sage with such ugly intentions! If only I had shown even half of the Sword Sage’s chivalry and helped him! Things like that, you know.”
If the Sword Sage had been in a normal state, he would have realized that the moment she started thinking this way, her mind was already in trouble.
Unfortunately, the mind of the Sword Sage, which had already been swayed, was now completely believing what Bin Namgung was saying.
“If only I hadn’t disregarded the Sword Sage…”
As soon as this thought crept in, an unshakable feeling of remorse took deep root in her heart.
As the Lord of the Alliance, she often associated with the Sword Sage.
Especially during the war against the Blood Cult, they spent nearly every day going over various issues and plans.
Each time, the Sword Sage placed justice and chivalry at the center of his plans, always stepping forward himself.
He made sure that innocent casualties would never occur. If there were captives or if the Blood Cult were doing immoral things, even if everyone said it was too dangerous, he would rush in alone.
Every time, the scars and wounds on his body would remain, even as he transcended into the Heavenly Realm of Swords, a level where one is supposedly invincible to blades or weapons.
Though his body had reached the state of being impervious to both swords and blades, with dozens of such marks, or even in the state of being indestructible, with hundreds of marks from fists and palms, and even though he occasionally fell victim to poison despite his immunity to all poisons, it was all something that inspired deep respect.
Most of all, he was appreciated.
Such a strong individual, who, if he had allied with the Blood Cult, no one could have stopped—this man who fought fiercely on their side.
With unparalleled righteousness and chivalry, he overcame every obstacle without complaining once.
Especially, when news came that a Blood Demon, who had instilled fear across the martial world, was in a certain forest, he dashed into the woods alone despite warnings of how dangerous it was and subdued the Blood Demon.
That very person, whom she inwardly vowed to reward someday for his efforts…
How had she treated him?
“Sniff… Whimper…”
Unsayable, atrocious charges—no, proven crimes—were being placed on him.
“No, it wasn’t about disregarding him…”
By deeming him useless because of money issues.
Now that the war was over.
When righteousness and chivalry were no longer needed, in the chaotic times where jackals and wolves ruled.
“That wasn’t because I looked down on him… Sniff, whimper!”
Despite the news she heard, he must not have changed at all.
He was probably as he had always been.
If anything, it was she who had changed.
After inheriting the Martial League leadership following the previous Lord, she lost the resolve to lead it well.
She grew lazy, only showing casual interest in the hurried calls of the Blade Lord, one of the Twelve Patriarchs.
She became a materialistic person who wouldn’t help the appreciative Sword Sage when it came to money.
Fear, always somewhat present in her, multiplied with the arrival of peace.
And her bloated pride as the Lord of the Alliance plunged her into arrogance.
“Whimper…”
Self-destruction, and self-flagellation.
She was being perfectly roasted just as Namgung Bin wanted.
Then Namgung Bin decided to sprinkle some spices to enjoy her even more.
“You know what the Sword Sage’s condition was when he left? Dark circles under his eyes, his hair completely gray and disheveled. His body, which was not supposed to show weakness even at his realm, had grown thin. He looked almost like a ghost. Cursing, screaming like a madman, he left this place—on his own two feet.”
“What… the Iron Man…?”
“Hahah, how difficult must it have been for him to fall to that state? The Sword Sage, who refused every seduction tactic from the Blood Cult during the Great War, going mad… Do you understand now the depth of the pain he suffered? All of this could have been avoided if the Lord had acted properly.”
“No… it wasn’t me… because of me… Sword Sage… Whimper!”
“I’m… no… it’s not like that! If I had known this would happen, I would have helped him for sure!”
“Kehehehehehe-.”
“Even if it hadn’t come to this… I would have helped him!”
“Kehehehehehehehehehee!”
Namgung Bin couldn’t help but burst into uncontrollable laughter.
In that moment, a new taste was born to a man who had bedded countless women.
‘Although she tried to resist and struggle, this is what true beauty is.’
Namgung Bin’s thick hand had already moved back to the Sword Sage’s undergarments, but she no longer offered any resistance.
Instead, with an empty look, her mind alternating between self-deprecation and denial, she muttered repeatedly.
Alone in the main hall, Namgung Bin sat, trying to organize his thoughts.
He seemed discontent, savoring the taste in his mouth.
‘Should I have just taken her?’
A trace of regret for sparing the Sword Sage caused him to pause.
‘No… Could it be due to excessive abstinence? For a fleeting moment, I lost myself. Let me store her for later. And isn’t this the perfect time to focus on something much finer?’
Namgung Bin recalled Soeun Yu, the former wife of Namgung Cheolbin.
Even if you ignored the fact that she had once been Namgung Cheolbin’s, Soeun Yu was still among the jewels worth putting in the utmost effort.
A jewel of a different class compared to other females, such a jewel.
‘Enough of useless thoughts.’
After a moment’s reflection, he quietly muttered a call into the air.
“White Shadow Assassin King.”
And from the ceiling slithered forth a man with striking thin slits for eyes and snow-white hair.
It was the White Shadow Assassin King, once the sharpest blade among the hidden blades of the Martial League, now Namgung Bin’s loyal left hand.
“Is there something you desire, my Lord?”
He received absurd commands from his former days leading assassin groups, like “Cut off the head of the Blood Cult’s vice-leader!” or “Assassinate a senior member of the Demon Cult and return!”
But Namgung Bin’s words that moment were the kind that even someone like him couldn’t help but widen his slitted eyes.
“You’ve probably heard about the trace of the Blood Cult, right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard all about it.”
“Blocking the sky with the palm of our hand is quite tiresome, so, to replace that, we must kill the Sword Sage.”
“Wh, the Sword Sage…?”
“Of course, I’m not asking you to do it personally, so don’t worry. Even with my current concerns, I wouldn’t sway so easily.”
“Then what kind of…”
“How many world-class fighters in the land can possibly kill the Sword Sage? Hardly more than the fingers on one hand.”
As Namgung Bin slowly stretched out his thick fingers, White Shadow Assassin King hesitated, then asked.
“Could it be you’re planning to commission the Pavilion Masters of the Assassins Guild?”
To which Namgung Bin smiled faintly and replied.
“Yes. Request the Pavilion Master.”
“The Pavilion Master of the Assassins Guild…”
“Who else but the greatest assassin in the land can cut off the head of the greatest swordsman in the land!”
White Shadow Assassin King’s face paled.
Even though the Assassins Guild was said to be impossible to locate due to their secrecy, even the Blood Cult wouldn’t dare to touch them.
And if the Pavilion Master of the Assassins Guild, known as the greatest assassin in the land, was approached… There was a name known universally by all martial artists.
“Besides, aren’t they both among the Five Absolute Masters of the World?”
“Th, that she is…”
“A fellow among the ‘Five Absolutes’…”
“Too dangerous… Too dangerous!”
“One must take risks to catch giants. You need a sword that can kill giants to cut off the head of greatness, and the Star of Killing will suffice.”
At the emergence of the dreaded word ‘Star of Killing,’ White Shadow Assassin King felt beads of sweat run down his spine.
Even though the sweat was cold, the chill running down his spine made it feel hot.
“Hurry. It’s cold.”
“…Yes.”
But, due to the immense respect and fear he held for his lord…
White Shadow Assassin King once again overcame his hesitation and stepped forward.
Once alone again, Namgung Bin began to think again.
“The traces of the Blood Cult…”
“Why are they appearing now? There’s nothing concrete so far.”
But because of the lack of clues, he decided to stop thinking.
Instead, he reached the best possible conclusion in the current situation.
“I should go to the basement.”