Chapter 222

Sun Woo-jin’s Southern Cross Sword struck at the opening in Yoon Sak’s defense.

It was a flawless surprise attack, executed at incredible speed right after blocking his blade with the Phoenix Manifestation technique.

“Haaah!”

Shing!

“!”

But unfortunately for Sun Woo-jin, Yoon Sak was no ordinary opponent. He was one of the famed Three Demons of the South Sea, alongside the legendary Ma Kyung Man-hak Soong of Cheonhasa.

With astonishing speed, Yoon Sak parried the Southern Cross Sword.

Clang!

Barely managing to block the surprise strike, Yoon Sak was pushed back by the force and asked coldly, “Who are you?”

Sun Woo-jin leveled his sword at him, stepping forward to shield the two Jin family elders, and smiled faintly.

“I’m Inparang of the Haenam clan. Pleasure to meet you, Blood Sea Demon Yoon Sak.”

At those words, Yoon Sak’s eyes flickered.

He knew my identity? How?

And if I’m Inparang of Haenam, then surely…

But the most shocked wasn’t Yoon Sak.

Jin Gong-mu, supporting his father Jin Sa-mong with one hand, gasped in disbelief.

“Blood Sea Demon Yoon Sak?!”

Yoon Sak was a name no one could forget. Though all who had faced him were dead, and his face remained unknown, his mastery of the deadly “Waedo” sword style had terrorized everyone in the South Sea.

Jin Gong-mu muttered, staring at Yoon Sak’s Waedo.

“Now that I think about it… that is Yoon Sak.”

It was strange. Yoon Sak had supposedly vanished from the South Sea five years ago without a trace.

Rumors said he had died in a power struggle against Jin Tae-do of the South Sea Demon Sword Sect.

“How is he now the head of Baekgyo Sect?”

Yoon Sak’s expression darkened.

Earlier, even while slashing through opponents with a faint smile, now a clear murderous intent gleamed in his eyes.

“…”

He said nothing, but no one could mistake the meaning behind that deadly aura.

He was truly resolved to kill without mercy.

Jin Gong-mu adjusted his iron staff with both hands, swallowing hard.

The blade-like killing intent radiating from Yoon Sak felt like it could slice through flesh.

It was a terrifying presence.

Jin Sa-mong, his face grave, gripped a broken wooden staff in both hands, preparing to resist.

Though not fully capable of fighting, he couldn’t stand idly by.

He had to try, even if it was futile.

If only he could save his son Jin Gong-mu—but that seemed an impossible hope.

He lacked the confidence to buy time against that monster.

Yet, unlike the tense elders, Sun Woo-jin smiled calmly and spoke with ease.

“Sure, you want to kill us. You can’t leave anyone alive who knows your true identity. But… can you really take on all four of us by yourself?”

Jin Gong-mu’s face twisted in confusion.

“Four? Why four?”

At that moment, someone suddenly flew through the air and landed beside them.

“Grandfather! Are you alright?!”

The voice belonged to a young woman with short hair and simple clothes—a cute face. It was Jin Gong-mu’s daughter, Jin So-eun.

She had arrived on the battlefield, following Sun Woo-jin, each hand gripping a wooden staff.

“…So-eun?”

Jin Gong-mu stared blankly, while Jin Sa-mong gasped in surprise.

“So-eun, why are you here?!”

He shouted urgently.

“Go back! This isn’t a place for you!”

Jin Sa-mong was desperate.

Jin So-eun was the Jin family’s hope.

He could lose himself and his son here, but never her.

As long as she lived, and could one day revive Ja-yeon-gon, the Jin family could rise again no matter the odds.

But Jin So-eun ignored her grandfather’s words.

She tossed one of her wooden staffs to him with a bright smile.

“Where else would a Jin family warrior be but here? I’m the warrior you raised, Grandfather.”

Her words were so natural, so earnest, that Jin Sa-mong felt his throat tighten.

His granddaughter, once gentle and meek, who had followed him into the mountains and caused him endless worry, was now grown—a true warrior standing before him.

But emotion aside, reality remained.

Jin Sa-mong struggled to find his voice.

“But So-eun, you’re…!”

Then Sun Woo-jin called sharply.

“Jin So-jeo!”

“Yes!”

Unlike the startled Jin Sa-mong, Sun Woo-jin and Jin So-eun kept their focus on Yoon Sak’s movements.

That was why Sun Woo-jin called her name the moment Yoon Sak charged.

Shing!

Yoon Sak’s Waedo flashed like a streak of light, slicing toward Sun Woo-jin.

But Sun Woo-jin didn’t counter.

He simply retreated like a ghost, using a spectral technique.

Swish!

Jin So-eun sprang forward.

“Hah!”

Jin Sa-mong cried out in shock.

“So-eun!”

He believed she was the best candidate to revive Ja-yeon-gon.

But she was still lacking.

Not just in experience, but her internal energy was insufficient.

There was no way she could block Yoon Sak’s blade, which even Jin Sa-mong himself had failed to stop.

Yet Sun Woo-jin thought differently.

Having just tested her after she broke through the peak of her internal energy cultivation, he now understood why Muk-rang had been so impressed with her.

He smiled wryly to himself.

“Show us again, Jin So-jeo. That wondrous staff technique of yours.”

Muk-rang’s voice echoed with a chuckle.

“I want to see it again, too.”

Yoon Sak’s Waedo flashed like a burst of light, slicing at Jin So-eun in an instant.

Shiiik!

Thunk!

But his blade was deflected by her wooden staff.

The staff writhed like a live fish—Jin So-eun’s true Ja-yeon-gon technique revealed.

Yoon Sak’s face remained impassive.

It was an impressive counter to his swift blade, but he had seen it before in his fight with Jin Sa-mong.

He spun his sword faster, launching a rapid flurry of strikes.

Like shards of shattered sunlight, the light and speed of his attacks dazzled around Jin So-eun’s entire body.

Chararararak!

Jin So-eun stared wide-eyed at the barrage.

For the first time in her life, she faced a flurry of blades—more than ten sword lights raining down on her.

Yet somehow, she wasn’t afraid.

“Hoo!”

Exhaling sharply, she thrust her arms forward.

Around her arms, the wooden staff began to whirl fiercely.

The living, breathing Ja-yeon-gon was in motion again.

Tatatatatata-tunk!

Countless clashes erupted in an instant.

Yoon Sak’s light-like Waedo was all knocked aside by the staff swirling around Jin So-eun like a living creature.

Jin Gong-mu’s face hardened.

“So-eun?”

His daughter’s defense resembled what Jin Sa-mong had shown earlier.

Deflecting the blade with the staff rather than the sword’s edge.

But Jin Gong-mu saw something different in her technique.

She didn’t move the staff herself.

She simply moved her body and arms, yet the staff danced around her like a fish or a dragon weaving through clouds, defending against Yoon Sak’s Waedo on its own.

Jin Gong-mu immediately understood.

This was the true Ja-yeon-gon technique.

He now knew why his father had seen hope in young Jin So-eun.

Glancing at Jin Sa-mong, he saw the elder’s eyes shining with pride.

Fifteen years of effort were blossoming brilliantly before them.

Tatatatatata-tunk!

Watching Jin So-eun fend off his strikes, Yoon Sak narrowed his eyes.

An impressive staff technique.

This was a worthy opponent after a long time.

But he couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

It had to end now.

“Hup!”

He let out a sharp breath and unleashed an even faster barrage of sword strikes.

Eventually, Jin So-eun was forced to retreat.

Then—

Shiiik!

Yoon Sak’s eyes snapped open.

Just as he was about to pour his attacks onto Jin So-eun, that young man appeared at his side like a ghost.

His grinning face was clear in Yoon Sak’s vision.

Shwaaaak!

Sun Woo-jin’s Southern Cross Sword slashed through the air again, drawing a cross-shaped strike.

Yoon Sak, unwilling to underestimate him, hurriedly withdrew his sword to block the attack.

Chjeong!

Yoon Sak stepped back, then lunged forward, swinging his sword again.

Shwaak!

But instead of pressing the advantage, Sun Woo-jin unexpectedly retreated behind Jin So-eun with a light step.

Then, switching places, Jin So-eun stepped forward, extending her hand.

A whirlwind of wooden staff energy erupted from her fingertips, once again deflecting the Waedo.

Tatatatatata-tunk!

“…”

Yoon Sak realized what they were doing.

Leaving defense to the woman, the young man was waiting for an opening to strike.

It was a frustrating tactic.

And they weren’t alone.

Shwaaaak!

Chjeong!

Just as Yoon Sak launched an assault on Jin So-eun, Sun Woo-jin ghosted back and called to the two behind them.

“Are you two just going to stand there and watch?”

At those words, Jin Samong and Jin Gongmu, who had been staring blankly at Jin So-eun’s natural stance, suddenly snapped back to reality.

That’s right.

This was no time to be mere spectators.

If anything happened to Jin So-eun—the Jin family’s hope—it would be a disaster.

Jin Samong grabbed his wooden staff and charged toward Yoon Sak.

“So-eun!”

Jin Gongmu swung his iron rod and followed suit.

“I’m coming too!”

At last, Yoon Sak’s expression twisted.

One opponent at a time wasn’t much of a threat, but facing all four at once was definitely troublesome.

“Hooop!”

Shararararara!

Yoon Sak unleashed a flurry of strikes, forcing Jin So-eun to step back.

Then, he took a small step back himself, preparing to sheath his sword in a swift motion.

He was about to perform his signature technique—the “Sword Sheathing Art”—the very skill that had elevated him to an unparalleled level.

But what he didn’t know was that someone had been waiting for exactly this moment.

Mukrang shouted.

“Now!”

“Yes!”

Paang!

Sun Woo-jin burst forward like a lightning bolt, using his explosive step technique.

He had seen Yoon Sak’s sword sheathing move earlier on the way here and had anticipated that he’d use it when cornered.

Shuahk!

Before Yoon Sak could fully sheath his sword, he was shocked to see Sun Woo-jin charging straight at him.

He hastily drew his blade again to block the incoming strike.

Jjeojeong!

“Ugh!”

For the first time, a groan escaped Yoon Sak’s lips.

Sun Woo-jin, seeing his Southern Cross Sword blocked, retreated without hesitation.

But he kept a close distance, as if waiting for an opening from behind, making it impossible for Yoon Sak to sheath his sword again.

Yoon Sak gritted his teeth.

It was obvious what Sun Woo-jin was aiming for.

He wasn’t just waiting for the sword to be sheathed anymore—he was openly biding his time.

Meanwhile, the three from the Jin family were charging toward him.

Grit!

Titititititing!

As Yoon Sak ground his teeth and faced the three attackers, Sun Woo-jin’s voice suddenly cut through the chaos.

“Interesting. With that skill, you actually joined under Jin Tae-do.”

What?!

Startled by the unexpected remark, Yoon Sak momentarily lost his composure and nearly got hit by Jin Gongmu’s iron rod.

Ting!

Barely deflecting the blow, Yoon Sak stepped back and glared at Sun Woo-jin with murderous intent.

But Sun Woo-jin moved like the wind, effortlessly keeping his distance behind Yoon Sak.

He continued speaking.

“Why the surprise? Did you really think no one knew Baekgyo-bang belonged to Jin Tae-do? I’ve known from the start. What I’m curious about is why you joined him.”

The expressions of Jin Gongmu and Jin Samong, who were pressing the attack, shifted dramatically.

Baekgyo-bang belonged to Jin Tae-do’s faction?

It was the first time they’d heard such a thing, but it wasn’t something they could dismiss outright.

Yoon Sak was visibly shaken.

He rarely spoke, but now he shouted.

“Nonsense!”

Still, Sun Woo-jin smiled coldly and pressed on.

“Going to deny it? How amusing. Didn’t I just say I’m Inparang, the heir of Haenam? Why else would I come looking for Baekgyo-bang?”

Yoon Sak clenched his teeth and glared at Sun Woo-jin.

No matter what, he had to kill this guy here and now.

Sun Woo-jin chuckled darkly.

“Oh? Planning to kill me? How terrifying. But have you ever thought about this? If I need proof that Baekgyo-bang belongs to Jin Tae-do, why am I here? That place must be completely empty now. Oh, and I hear your family is there too—your precious son.”

Sun Woo-jin’s eyes gleamed slyly as he looked at Yoon Sak.

Yoon Sak’s heart sank.

‘No way…’

He immediately understood what Sun Woo-jin was implying, and his heart pounded wildly.

‘What if he has accomplices?’

Shuaaaak!

Tatatatatatung!

Yoon Sak hurriedly fended off the three Jin family members’ attacks and turned back to Sun Woo-jin.

He met that inscrutable gaze and bitter smile.

His anxiety mounting.

Of course, it was possible Sun Woo-jin was lying to unnerve him.

But if even a fraction of it was true…

The main Baekgyo-bang held various documents from Haenam Swordmaster Jin Tae-do.

If that place was ransacked now, the link to Jin Tae-do—still meant to be kept secret—would be exposed.

And above all else…

His wife and young son were there.

His late-born child, whom he cherished deeply…

Sun Woo-jin’s cold eyes and bitter smile seemed to pierce right through him.

“Feel the pain of losing your family. Truly, utterly.”

At that moment, Yoon Sak felt something inside his mind snap with a sharp click.