Where did it all go wrong?
I simply wanted to avenge my parents.
The dark is evil. They are beings that deserve death.
That belief hasn’t changed till now.
Whether they’re demons or villains, if they’ve sinned, they must be punished.
I’ve lived my life up to now clinging to that conviction.
Even when I was taken in by Kunlun and earned the nickname Jade Flower, rising to be the greatest woman in martial arts, I never doubted my beliefs.
But now… I’ve been seized by fundamental doubts.
Who decides what is ‘evil’ or ‘demon’?
Someone who appears wicked to me may in reality be righteous.
Take the Sword Sage, for instance.
The Sword Sage was righteous through and through—a fact proven by the fact that he did not kill me.
Hence, I am tormented.
I, who shouted the loudest for the extermination of evil, now find my own existence repulsive for committing evil deeds.
Righteous fury boils within me for mistakenly criticizing such a blameless man.
It makes me sick.
It’s a nausea that arises from deep within, called self-loathing.
To be honest, I feel like hanging myself this instant to escape this torment.
But I cannot.
As long as I have even a shred of conscience left, I must not.
Because it was the Sword Sage’s request.
“Just live on,” he had said.
“Kunlun always teaches us that. To live leisurely like an immortal.”
“Then, repent while living on. However it happens, please, just live.”
It must not be tolerated. I must guard it even in death.
The words sound contradictory when spoken aloud, but they are not wrong. I must heed his request.
Most importantly… If one understands the Sword Sage’s pain, one should not whine this much over something so trivial.
And life, he said, is suffering. Death is the blessing that ends that suffering. If you truly want to be punished, do not seek retribution from King Yama in the afterlife—repent in this world. That’s the path beneficial to all.”
Life is suffering.
This thought keeps resurfacing, pricking my chest.
As if dismissing his own life.
The Sword Sage still lives in pain.
Because people continue to revile him.
If, while standing before him, seeing this, I were to end my life just because I had momentarily felt guilt for unjustly criticizing him…
“That’s too selfish, isn’t it…?”
I’m reminded of the night I delivered the news of my descent from the Kunlun barracks and returned to my chamber to change clothes.
To be precise, it was the moment the great cry rang out from afar.
– “This wretched martial world!! I shouldn’t have saved it!!”
I still flinch at the mere memory of that cry.
It’s bitter. So bitter that I can’t bear it.
The Sword Sage was, to my knowledge, alongside Enlightened Master, the most just man.
Of course, there’s no such thing, but if the concept of utmost righteousness existed, wouldn’t he fit it?
And yet, this is the man who now lets out cries of anguish regretting having saved the martial world.
How much pain must this martial world have caused him?
I only feel guilt.
“Umm…Huh…”
The Sword Sage groans while lying on the bed.
Even in his sleep, it seems he’s having a nightmare. He is drenched in cold sweat.
I quickly wet a towel in cold water and place it on his forehead.
He doesn’t have any internal injuries or the like…
But what if he succumbs to madness?
I’m genuinely worried.
“I’m sorry, Sword Sage.”
“Huh…Phew…”
“I want to convey these feelings to you, but it would just be a burden.”
When I first arrived at the Taewon Jin Clan estate, I was quite surprised.
Because the body of the Sword Sage, who was dozing leaning against the wall, was covered in blood.
Once I realized the blood wasn’t his, I managed to calm my racing heart with a sigh of relief, but I couldn’t easily settle down.
It can’t be helped. It’s the aftermath of the karma I created.
It’s the guilt I must carry going forward.
“Uhm…Hm…”
The amount of sweat that the Sword Sage emits increases.
By the time I go to replace the towel with a new one, I hear him mutter in his sleep.
“Ah…Father…”
His father must be Namgung Cheon, the former head of the Namgung family, who died at the hands of the Blood Sea Empress due to the Sword Sage’s actions some ten years ago.
Could he be having a happy dream of reuniting with his father in this dream?
I’m secretly pleased thinking so, until I notice his expression isn’t normal.
“Please… just… stop…”
What is the Sword Sage asking to stop?
I should quickly replace the towel, but I can’t help but perk up my ears.
His suffering touches my heart.
Even though tomorrow is the final day of the Seven Flowers Tournament and he needs to rest deeply.
Of course, he has no duties there.
“The master said, ‘A father is kind, a child is filial’…”
…Master?
Though the Sword Sage often quoted Master Confucius, did he really do so even in his sleep?
“Master Mencius said, ‘A husband is harmonious, a wife is obedient’…”
“…”
“Kindly… please regain your senses…”
With those words, the Sword Sage closes his mouth and begins wandering quietly through his dreams again.
Each time he occasionally emits a soft groan, my stomach churns with self-reproach.
But I cannot leave his side.
“Rest peacefully… Sword Sage.”
What I can do is merely…
“I’m sorry.”
Pray by his side.
Beg earnestly that he may finally attain peace.
Two hours later, the Sword Sage woke up from his short sleep.
After I announced the end of the tournament, we went together to the Seven Flowers Tournament.
*
“Do you really have no intention of appearing?”
“…Yes.”
“Let me reiterate, it’s not your fault that the Sword Sage is falsely condemned and criticized.”
“But… even so, isn’t this wrong…! Martial arts are studied to follow the righteous path and perform acts of justice…”
“Hmm… Qing’ya. Just think once more. This is the final day of the Seven Flowers Tournament, and if the main role, you, don’t appear, won’t the years of effort you’ve already put in be wasted?”
“This…this Seven Flowers Tournament has no meaning whatsoever…”
“In-seok.”
“Someone used assassins during the bout, causing someone irreversible injuries… I think a Seven Flowers Tournament like this might as well not exist…”
“That may be your view, but the common people might not think the same way.”
“The martial world itself is corrupt… Now, that all of the Sword Sage’s alleged sins were false charges… How could everyone not have known? And yet they keep silent!”
“…So, are you really not going to appear? The honor of your order depends on you.”
“This honor in the wrong martial world is worthless…”
“Even so…”
“And… grandfather, didn’t you hear that sound last night…”
“….”
At the mention of this, the Heavenly Lord recalled the memory from the previous night.
The lion’s roar that had shaken the Wu Dang sect in the middle of the night.
– “This wretched martial world! I shouldn’t have saved it!”
Though brief, that cry seemed unforgettable until the day he died.
It was undoubtedly the Sword Sage’s.
“How much betrayal must he have felt to say such a thing… a hero who saved the martial world…”
“…I understand. Wait here. Nevertheless, as the responsible elder, I must go and return.”
“Yes… take care…”
Since the incident last night, the Heavenly Flower hasn’t budged an inch from the corner.
She seemed to be having significant doubts about her martial skills and reputation.
Seeing her in this state made the Heavenly Lord sigh deeply and came out of the Wu Dang residence.
Though he could empathize with part of what the Heavenly Flower said, he still had duties to fulfill.
When he arrived at the arena, hundreds of spectators were already gathered and buzzing as usual.
One of the topics they discussed together:
“Did you hear that strange noise last night?”
“Who couldn’t? It woke me up suddenly… and even now, it hurts my ears to think about it.”
“In my lifetime, I’ve never heard such a powerful cry. Was it perhaps a master of the sound arts?”
“Not impossible. There were folks like the Sound Overlord… but why would such a person shout?”
“How can we mere mortals understand the ways of such extraordinary individuals? They are special to begin with.”
Most people had no inkling that the “cry” belonged to the Sword Sage.
‘The Sword Sage is… there.’
Having arrived at the arena, the Heavenly Lord searched for the Sword Sage first.
He was easy to find due to his striking appearance.
‘It looks like the Moon Flower couldn’t come either, poor thing… But why is Jade Flower with him?’
The Sword Sage and Jade Flower were both at the Taewon Jin Clan Pavilion.
The Daoist disciples in the Kunlun Pavilion looked rather somber.
Still, the Seven Flowers Tournament’s proceedings must take priority, so the Heavenly Lord stepped onto the main arena.
“Today, we have reached the highly anticipated final day of the Seven Flowers Tournament!”
Though it only lasted two days, this tournament had already seen its share of embarrassments.
Apart from the bout between Moon Flower Jinyah from the Taewon Jin Clan and Heavenly Flower from Wu Dang, there hadn’t been much interesting matches.
What compounded the issues were the numerous unpleasant incidents.
“Regrettably, however, Heavenly Flower from our sect reports she is unwell and will not participate.”
This announcement of Heavenly Flower’s withdrawal added unease among the martial world’s spectators.
“What’s the matter? We waited for this day, and she’s withdrawing?”
“Who didn’t look forward to the match between Dang’s Poison Flower and Wu Dang’s Heavenly Flower? What is this about!”
Still, no matter how much the audience protested, participation was ultimately the contestant’s own decision.
While the audience could express their frustration, they had no power to overrule her choice.
“…Thus, Dang’s Poison Flower ascends via forfeit. What great fortune! To reach the finals without fighting a single battle!”
“…”
From the Dang family pavilion, Poison Flower Dang Sobak let out a stunned exclamation while sitting beside the Poison Lord.
Even someone as strategic as her might not have anticipated such a situation.
Certainly, somewhere in the back, the audience murmured disapprovingly claiming they couldn’t accept it, but so what?
The important thing is the rules, and truthfully, it was as simple as blowing one’s nose.
‘Could it be, by evading death once, the lifetime’s worth of luck is flooding in?’
As Dang Sobak secretly smiled and gloated inwardly, a man seated quietly in Huashan Sect’s tent stood up and yelled.
“Wait! I, the headmaster, have an announcement!”
Tiger-like expression etched on his face was an older man in his prime, Dokgo Gupae.
“Headmaster Dokgo, speak.”
“Starting yesterday, two disciples from our school have been expelled! Henceforth, we request the names Jian Long and White Flower be stricken from the Nine Dragons and Seven Flowers Roster!”
“…!”
Most people except for Byul Rak and a few others drew sharp breaths.
Of course, everyone saw White Flower wield Dokgo Gupae’s deadly technique, so that was understandable, but why Jian Long?
“Such are the affairs within the sect, and reasons cannot be disclosed! What is certain is… these individuals no longer exist in this world!”
Perhaps because the speaker was Dokgo Gupae, known as the Tiger of the Martial world, none dared to object to his words.
He fixed every surrounding gaze with an imposing sweep.
“…That’s all.”
He added that curt statement and returned to his seat.
A brief awkward silence followed, interrupted by the Heavenly Lord, who was tasked with progressing the event.
“Hrm, noted. With that, let’s proceed with the scheduled matches. Loyal Flame of Namgung and Jade Flower of Kunlun, please come forward.”
The audience’s demeanor darkened upon hearing Lord Heavenly’s words.
It was because the result was already clear.
Jade Flower would surely take first place, followed by Poison Flower gaining second place for two forfeits and Loyal Flame coming in third.
The most boring spectacle in the world would be a pre-determined tournament.
With such thoughts, the spectators sat slumped in their designated spot when,
“Lord Heavenly.”
“Jade Flower? Why are you still seated?”
Jade Flower, seated at the Taewon Jin family pavilion with a stoic expression, spoke.
“I declare my intent to forfeit from this Seven Flowers Tournament.”
“…!!”
A great wave of surprise spread across the faces of Heavenly Lord and everyone else in the arena.
Because, even at a standstill, Jade Flower was a surefire winner.
Already, the excuse of the Heavenly Flower’s supposed illness felt quite suspicious, but the withdrawal of Jade Flower, known as the best woman in the martial world?
Already, the audience was bustling with whispers claiming it was a conspiracy.
Representing those voices, Heavenly Lord questioned Jade Flower.
“May I inquire for a reason?”
Jade Flower gestured toward the Sword Sage beside her with a sideways glance and replied.
“I am a woman without the qualifications to be associated with the name ‘Seven Flowers.'”
“Jade Flower and the Sword Sage… something must have transpired there, yes?”
Perhaps she had also realized the truth about the Sword Sage like himself, and was feeling a similar but greater sense of guilt.
“Indeed, if that’s truly the case… she could never have the heart to compete in such a tournament.”
“Understood. Bear in mind, however, that there’s no going back from this decision.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Turning away from Jade Flower, who had made her decision, the Heavenly Lord reflected on the last remaining Seven Flower.
The girl who would now ascend to the finals due to Jade Flower’s withdrawal.
Namgung’s Thunder Blossom, Namgung Su-a.
“Then, Thunder Blossom and Poison Flower, please ascend the arena. We’ll proceed straight to the finals.”
Upon hearing the Heavenly Lord’s call, Poison Flower and Namgung Su-a stepped onto the stage.
Namgung Su-a had a dead look in her eyes.
“Now, both honor the other with a respectful salute.”
Ch-chh.
Poison Flower performed a traditional martial arts bow.
Namgung Su-a stood stiff as a board.
“…?”
Seeing this, Poison Flower and Lord Heavenly exchanged a puzzled look—but only for a moment.
“…Forgive me, but I withdraw as well.”
Namgung Su-a’s quiet voice froze them in place.
“I’m sorry. But I just can’t compete in this mood.”
“Heavenly Flame. If you withdraw as well….”
“…Ultimately, this is all meaningless anyway.”
“Su-a? What’s gotten into you?”
“I apologize, Mother. You must have expected to see me fight… but I’m sorry, it looks like that won’t happen. Just don’t be too disappointed. When I return home, I’ll make up for it. Of course, it’ll be a demonstration, not a competition.”
“Oh, no… Su-a, are you alright? I’m truly concerned.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. Well, I’ll be leaving. Congratulations on winning the Seven Flowers Tournament, Lady Dang.”
“…Uh?”
Clack, clack.
As she watched Namgung Su-a’s retreating back with a blank, dumbfounded face, the former realized she had descended the stage completely.
The Heavenly Lord sighed heavily, having grasped the situation.
Namgung Su-a approached Yu Soeun immediately after stepping down from the arena.
“…”
And then, an enduring, silent pause ensued.
Among the four finalists, three had withdrawn—a scenario no one had predicted.
“Uh… Hmm…”
The situation momentarily disoriented the MC, Heavenly Lord, but he quickly regained composure and moved to the next step.
“Haha. We may not know everyone’s reasons, but… thus it has been decided. We now have the winner of this Seven Flowers Tournament.”
The Heavenly Lord grasped the still bewildered Dang Sobak’s arm.
According to the rules, he was declaring the sole winner by default—Dang Sobak.
“This year’s Seven Flowers Tournament winner is… Dang Sobak!”
“…Eh?”
Neither Dang Sobak nor anyone else reacted to the announcement.
Suddenly, a disgruntled voice rang out from the audience, whose tension had already been high.
“Nonsense!”
One after another, people pointed fingers and started shouting.
“What kind of Seven Flowers Tournament is this? Not a single proper match!”
“Are you kidding? I can’t accept this!”
“It’s all backroom deals! The Dang family’s doing!”
Jeers, complaints, protests, and criticisms echoed throughout.
Of course, as upset as the crowd was, the verdict doesn’t change just because they complained.
Dang Sobak was simply declared the winner according to the established rules.
“This is… unexpected.”
Winning didn’t bring her joy or such feelings.
What was there to be happy about when she had no attachment to life in the first place?
She might feel slightly better, but…
“Looking back, I have now experienced something like this. It feels like I’m using all the luck I’ll ever have in this life.”
Whoosh.
Like she tossed snowballs at Yu Soeun and Namgung Su-a on the first day of the Seven Flowers Tournament, spectators began throwing snowballs at the arena.
Pfft!
“…”
Knowing full well that there was no way Poison Flower would stand there and take it, she swiftly descended the arena, leaving the hapless Heavenly Lord to endure the snowball onslaught.
Though he accepted it with understanding of the audience’s frustration, the situation continued to escalate.
“This is unacceptable! Do it again!”
“Poison Lord! Poison Flower! What did you do behind the scenes!”
As the crowd grew more irate, more people joined in throwing snowballs, further escalating the chaos.
“Phew, it’s getting dirty. I guess it’s my turn to intervene.”
“Never coming to the Seven Flowers Tournament again! You people just took it all!”
Some even stormed out of the venue in frustration.
Thus came to an end what would be recorded as the “absolute worst” Seven Flowers Tournament in history.
