Chapter 169
The Outer Forest of the Sichuan Sect’s Sichuan Hall Gate.
Tang Ye-eun often came here to train with Yang Munheon, the White Crane Elder Sword.
“Hoooh!”
Having just finished sparring with Byeok Rijung, the junior swordsman and sworn brother of Yang Munheon, Tang Ye-eun exhaled deeply and greeted him with a bright smile.
“Thank you for your guidance, Elder Byeok.”
Byeok Rijung smiled approvingly and praised her.
“You’ve improved again. Of all the women in their twenties I’ve seen, none surpass you. Brother, I wonder if your sworn granddaughter will one day become the greatest woman in the world—or perhaps the greatest person, period.”
But it wasn’t Yang Munheon who replied. Instead, the small, monkey-like old man standing beside him, Hong Hae-ah Jungchil, chuckled lightly.
“Khehehehe! To limit my little sister to just the greatest in the world? With her talent, character, beauty, and even fateful encounters, she should be called the greatest of all time! Isn’t that right, Brother Yang… or should I say, Grandfather Yang?! Khehehehehe!”
Byeok Rijung shook his head with a look of exasperation at Jungchil’s antics.
“Greatest of all time, my foot. Don’t go spouting nonsense like that. There are followers of the legends of the Martial God, Thunder God, and Sword God everywhere. If they hear that, they’ll only cause trouble for Ye-eun.”
“Hmph! What’s so scary about those pathetic fools who worship old legends? I’ll just go and smash them all!”
“Tsk, tsk. Even the Sword Sovereign follows the Sword God, you know? And if you call Brother your grandfather, then I’m a grandfather too, aren’t I? Why are you speaking to me so disrespectfully?”
“W-what?! Are you senile? How could someone like you be my grandfather? You want to settle this with a fight?”
“No, you were the one who first called Brother your grandfather!”
As usual, the two bickered back and forth, while Yang Munheon watched them with his usual warm smile.
Then, suddenly, Yang Munheon looked at Tang Ye-eun and asked,
“You don’t look entirely happy. Is something troubling you?”
Tang Ye-eun paused, lost in thought, then snapped back to attention and smiled.
“No, Grandfather. It’s just… I was thinking about telling the family head that I have to return to the front lines.”
“Hmm… Return to the front lines? Didn’t you say someone was waiting for you there?”
Tang Ye-eun had received a letter from Sunwoo Jin explaining the situation in Guizhou and the Sunwoo family. In it, he mentioned he would do his best but might not be able to return to the Tang family.
Still, she had kept waiting for him, believing in his promise to try his hardest.
But now, she felt it was unlikely he would come.
“I don’t think he’ll make it. I had already told him that, but if he’s heard the rumors about the duel between the Sword Saint and the Strange Sword, he probably returned to the front immediately.”
Tang Ye-eun knew well how much Sunwoo Jin respected and followed the Sword Saint. So she was sure he would have rushed back as soon as he heard the news.
Though she felt some disappointment, she understood.
Yang Munheon nodded gravely.
“Yes, the duel between the Strange Sword and the Sword Saint. I can’t imagine how that came about. The Strange Sword wouldn’t dare challenge the Sword Saint without reason. There must be some hidden circumstances.”
Tang Ye-eun nodded in agreement, thinking of Sunwoo Jin.
“If it were him, he would have understood the situation well enough to explain it.”
But as she thought of him, she sighed again.
“Hoooh.”
Sunwoo Jin and the duel were important, but not the most urgent matter for her now.
She had to meet her father, Tang Jeonghu, the head of the Tang family.
She needed his permission to return to the front.
Tang Ye-eun had grown more confident and bold than before, but meeting her father again was still an overwhelming burden.
He was more terrifying to her than even the greatest warrior in the world.
Still, after a deep breath, she steeled herself.
This was a confrontation she had to face sooner or later.
“I can do this. Right, Jin?”
Sunwoo Jin’s voice whispered in her heart, giving her strength.
“You can do it. I believe in you, Ye-eun.”
She clenched her fist tightly.
At the same time, in his office, Tang Jeonghu, the revered head of the Sichuan Hall Gate, was handling various family affairs with his chief steward.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted.
“A request for an audience from the youngest Miss Tang Ye-eun!”
Tang Jeonghu’s eyes flickered with surprise.
It was rare for Ye-eun to come to him first.
“Hmm, the girl is coming to see me? What’s this about?”
The steward spoke up.
“Isn’t it about her return to the front lines? Her leave is almost over. And with the rumors of the duel between the Sword Saint and the Strange Sword, she must feel the need to return quickly.”
“Hmm, has it come to that already?”
Tang Jeonghu looked thoughtful, then said,
“Then before she leaves, we must finalize the marriage arrangements. Tell her to wait, and summon On Je-ung.”
The steward bowed.
“Understood.”
Since there had been no news, it seemed Hong Sageonryong On Je-ung had succeeded in dealing with Sunwoo Jin.
There was no longer any reason to hesitate over Ye-eun’s marriage to him.
After sending someone to fetch On Je-ung, Tang Jeonghu returned to his office and suddenly asked,
“By the way… what do you think about the duel between the Strange Sword and the Sword Saint? Do you also believe the Sword Saint will win?”
Tang Sahyeon, known as the sharpest mind in the Tang family, replied,
“I think differently.”
He then explained his reasoning, which Tang Jeonghu listened to with interest, nodding in admiration.
“Oh? Is that so?”
“I’m off.”
The Heavenly Sword Saint, Hae Unbaek, smiled lightly as if stepping out for a stroll.
But Hae Cheongyeon’s expression was far from cheerful.
“…”
Seeing his daughter’s stern face and silence, Hae Unbaek chuckled and whispered playfully to Seolpung beside him.
“My daughter’s clearly upset about something again. She’s my daughter, but even I find her scary at times like this. What good is being pretty and smart if she’s like this? Do you think she’ll ever meet a man? What do you think?”
Seolpung, however, didn’t seem inclined to play along. He looked worried and asked,
“Sir, are you sure we shouldn’t follow her?”
Hae Unbaek smiled wryly.
“Ah, I really miss Jin. If he were here, he’d be able to coordinate with me better.”
Then he grinned.
“You two are on duty. Where do you think you’re going? That would be desertion. Do you really want to openly request to leave your posts in front of me, who manages the front lines? And… if there’s a trap even I can’t handle, having you there might make things worse. That’s probably why Cheongyeon isn’t saying anything.”
Hae Cheongyeon bit her lip tightly.
Her father’s words matched exactly what she had been thinking.
If even the Sword Saint couldn’t handle the trap ahead, their presence might only be a hindrance.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter whether they were there or not.
Though she understood this logically, emotionally she couldn’t accept it.
That was why she rarely showed a smile.
Then Hae Unbaek smiled again.
“But really, what are the chances of that? Look at the people coming with me. With this group, we could even hold the Blood Purification Tournament again.”
Currently, Hae Unbaek was accompanied by about a hundred members of the White Tiger Corps, the elite force of the Martial Alliance.
Their leader, Dongbang Mugeuk, was a master with over eighty years of internal energy cultivation, and all were devoted followers of the Sword Saint.
Additionally, two powerful warriors recently joined them: the Twin Dragon Generals, Woo Chaman and Yoo Seongbipyo Gyo Jae-gok, both among the top thirty-six stars of the world.
So among this group were three of the fifty strongest figures recognized worldwide.
The Sword Saint had called them because of Hae Cheongyeon.
She insisted on bringing more experts to prepare for any unforeseen dangers.
“Even if you apologize later, you must call as many strong warriors as possible now. We don’t know what traps might lie ahead.”
Hae Unbaek had quickly contacted his acquaintances following her advice.
Though the schedule was tight, Woo Chaman and Gyo Jae-gok had managed to arrive just in time.
The burly Woo Chaman laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! Don’t worry, Cheongyeon. Before the duel with that Strange Sword, this uncle will make sure not a single ant gets near your father. Hahaha!”
At that, the diminutive Yu Seong-bi-pyo and Gyo Jae-gok both smiled warmly and nodded.
“Of course. With us by your side, what could possibly go wrong? You have absolutely nothing to worry about!”
Despite their confident assurances, Hae Cheong-yeon let out a sigh, her expression still tense, but she bowed her head in gratitude to the two men.
“Thank you, uncles. Your niece places her full trust in both of you.”
Hae Un-baek, who had been watching his daughter with a tender gaze, suddenly sent a secret message to Sak Mu-heun, who was lurking in the shadows some distance behind.
— Take good care of Cheong-yeon, Mu-heun.
— Don’t worry, Master. I will protect Cheong-yeon with my life if I have to.
Not long ago, Hae Un-baek had officially accepted Sak Mu-heun as his disciple and passed on to him the secret sword technique of Seongra Geombeop.
He had kept this a secret from Hae Cheong-yeon.
He didn’t want his daughter to see him preparing for the worst.
Having survived countless crises throughout his life, Hae Un-baek knew all too well that the greatest factor deciding life or death wasn’t skill, but luck.
No matter how strong he was, if fortune didn’t favor him, this journey could very well be his last.
Besides, Je-gal Ji-gang was no pushover—he knew Hae Un-baek all too well.
Perhaps the one most pessimistic about this confrontation wasn’t his daughter, but Hae Un-baek himself.
Yet he never let that show to anyone.
With a confident smile, Hae Un-baek spoke.
“The greetings have gone on long enough for a simple stroll. It’s getting crowded—everyone, head inside. I’ll be back soon.”
With that, Hae Un-baek set off with steady, purposeful steps.
Behind him followed Woo Cha-man and Gyo Jae-gok, both masters of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, along with a hundred members of the White Tiger Corps.
Hae Cheong-yeon watched her father’s retreating figure with anxious eyes.
But she didn’t notice the subtle exchange of glances between Woo Cha-man and Gyo Jae-gok, who stood just behind her father.