Chapter 239
The moment Hye Cheong-yeon began channeling her energy.
Just as she had predicted, Hyeolma Jeon Mu-gwang was away from his post.
Sssshhh!
His body streaked across the dense jungle like a flash of crimson light.
So fast that even the birds in flight couldn’t register his presence.
Whoosh!
He was heading full speed toward Kunming in Yunnan Province—a city that had once been the provincial capital but was now a complete ruin. Its proximity to Aenoe Mountain, where the demonic beasts were bred, had left it utterly desolate.
Before long, Hyeolma’s eyes caught sight of the crumbled city walls, now nothing more than heaps of rubble.
A decade had passed without human touch, and the once-mighty walls were now nearly swallowed by thick undergrowth.
Slowing his pace, Hyeolma leapt effortlessly over the broken stones and entered Kunming.
Immediately, he spotted something out of place amid the ruins: a lavish tent surrounded by over a hundred warriors, their sharp gazes radiating fierce energy as they guarded the perimeter.
Even at a glance, it was clear that someone of great influence was inside.
But Hyeolma only sneered.
They were clearly trying to project strength, but to him, it was nothing more than a pitiful display of their current weakness.
Thud!
As Hyeolma landed, the hundred warriors drew their swords in unison.
Clang!
The simultaneous sound of blades being unsheathed rang out.
The sharp, piercing aura emanating from their weapons confirmed they were well-trained elite fighters.
Yet Hyeolma paid them no mind.
He simply strode forward, step by step, until he stood before their drawn swords—and then unleashed a surge of energy.
Whoooosh!
Like a raging storm, an overwhelming force burst forth, pushing the warriors back.
They groaned in unison, retreating under the sheer power.
“Huff!”
“Ugh!”
That was the end of the standoff.
With just one burst of energy, the warriors staggered back, clearing a path for Hyeolma to walk through unchallenged.
Entering the tent, he spoke coldly.
“If this was a joke, it’s no fun. If you were serious, it’s just pathetic, Je-gal Military Commander.”
Inside, Je-gal Ji-gang sat in a chair, his face twisted as he forced a calm demeanor.
He gritted his teeth, doing his best not to show fear—but just feeling Hyeolma’s presence had his whole body trembling uncontrollably.
He couldn’t even meet Hyeolma’s gaze.
Sensing this, Hyeolma smiled knowingly and said,
“You don’t seem to be in good health these days. You could’ve just sent the secret manual separately, so why insist on meeting in person?”
The reason for their meeting today was to receive the secret manual Je-gal Ji-gang had promised in exchange for killing Geomseong.
Specifically, the manual that would awaken the Reverse Heavenly Blood Demon Flame within Hye Cheong-yeon once again.
If Je-gal had intended to keep his promise, there was no need to meet face-to-face.
Simply handing over the manual would have sufficed.
But Je-gal Ji-gang had no such intention.
There was something else he needed to extract from Hyeolma during this meeting.
Swallowing hard, Je-gal glared at Hyeolma and said,
“I did not bring the manual today.”
The smile vanished instantly from Hyeolma’s face.
His expression turned cold and unreadable as he stared silently at Je-gal.
“What do you mean by that?”
Je-gal bit his lip tightly before replying,
“The demonic beasts on the front lines are disappearing! There are even rumors among the troops that the front lines are no longer dangerous! I demand an explanation!”
The deadly front lines had been maintained by mutual agreement.
Hyeolma needed to produce experimental demonic beasts, while the Murim Alliance sought to strengthen the power of Moyong Geom and Je-gal Ji-gang, who lacked the popularity of previous leaders.
In other words, Je-gal had used fear and hatred of the Blood Sect to consolidate his own power.
Creating an external enemy to unite the internal factions, suppressing opposition under the guise of a greater cause—a traditional strategy passed down from the great whales of old.
But recently, the threat from the demonic beasts had noticeably diminished.
Though the change was still new and hadn’t caused much reaction yet, if it continued, the front lines might come to be seen as neither dangerous nor important.
This was a serious problem for both Moyong Geom and Je-gal Ji-gang.
A bitter smile curled on Hyeolma’s lips.
Chuckling darkly, he said,
“An explanation, huh? Very well, I’ll give you one.”
As he extended a hand forward, Je-gal was suddenly sucked toward it by an immense force.
Snap!
“Gah!”
Hyeolma slowly tightened his grip around Je-gal’s neck and said,
“Not long ago, front-line operatives infiltrated Yunnan and destroyed the demonic beast production facilities. Now, no more beasts can be produced. Tell me, whose fault is that?”
Je-gal’s eyes filled with terror as he choked out,
“W-who? Who are these front-line operatives?!”
Hyeolma spat the names with disdain.
“They’re called Seol Poong and Sun Woo-jin of the Flying Dragon Thirteen. Don’t tell me you don’t know them.”
Hearing those names, Je-gal’s eyes widened in shock.
He never imagined hearing the names of those he thought dead.
And that they had stormed the Blood Sect’s territory to destroy the production facilities…
He couldn’t accept that they possessed such power.
“They’re barely in their twenties…!”
Hyeolma’s aura flared with deadly intent.
“Whether they’re in their twenties or teens doesn’t matter. The important thing is that your Flying Dragon members failed to protect my facilities. And now you say you didn’t bring the manual? You want me to explain?”
His grip on Je-gal’s neck tightened.
Desperately, Je-gal gasped,
“If you kill me, I can’t give you the manual…!”
Hyeolma scoffed.
“Hmph! The manual’s probably not here in this tent but with the main Flying Dragon unit. You wouldn’t leave something so important to the Murim Alliance, would you? Am I wrong?”
Je-gal squeezed his eyes shut.
Hyeolma was right.
Hyeolma continued,
“I’ll kill you and then wipe out the main Flying Dragon unit. I heard your daughter is there too? Let’s see what fate awaits her in hell.”
Je-gal had no choice but to admit it.
He had no leverage left to control Hyeolma.
Now, to survive, he had to kneel before him.
He cried out desperately,
“Gah! I brought it! It’s there! Please…!”
A cruel smile returned to Hyeolma’s face.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he slowly released Je-gal’s neck.
“You truly are a man of honor who keeps his promises, Je-gal Military Commander.”
He smoothed Je-gal’s wrinkled clothes and spoke gently, as if soothing a child.
“Forgive this rude one for not understanding your intentions and showing such a poor side.”
Je-gal’s whole body trembled.
But he couldn’t tell if it was from deep defeat and humiliation or sheer terror.
He felt it keenly.
He was no longer even an equal to Hyeolma.
And now, stripped of real power, he was seen as someone whose life could be ended at any moment.
Yet, despite everything, Je-gal could not give up his ambition.
For him, ambition was the very reason to live.
In a weak voice, he said,
“I will give you the manual. But… could you grant me one favor in return?”
Hyeolma smiled bitterly.
“‘In return’ doesn’t seem quite right. The price for the manual was already paid long ago. But… if it’s a new deal, I might consider it. Tell me what you want.”
Je-gal couldn’t meet his eyes as he said,
“Deal with the Flying Dragon Thirteen. If you eliminate them, you’ll remove future threats and restore tension to the slackened front lines.”
Hyeolma frowned slightly.
“Isn’t that something you could handle with the warriors outside or by hiring others? You want me to deal with those kids?”
Je-gal hurriedly replied,
“There’s Yang Moon-heon of the White Crane Old Sword there! One of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World! I don’t have the forces to take him down!”
Hyeolma’s expression turned intrigued.
“Oh? White Crane Old Sword, you say?”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, then broke into a fierce grin.
“Fine. But this time, I’m the one who sets the terms. If you accept my demands, I’ll fulfill your request.”
“My demands?”
“There are some things I need. First, one hundred virgin girls under the age of thirteen. Also…”
What Hyeolma was describing were the materials necessary to possess Hye Cheong-yeon with the Reverse Heavenly Blood Demon Flame once again.
As the horrific list of ingredients spilled from his mouth, Jegal Jigang’s face grew progressively paler.
“This is the extent of it. So, what do you say? Can you get these for me? Of course, I don’t mind fetching them myself, but with your skills, wouldn’t it be easier and faster? What do you say? Shall we make a deal?”
Jegal Jigang squeezed his eyes shut.
Gathering the ingredients the Blood Demon had just named would be an outrage against heaven and earth.
Yet, despite that, he couldn’t refuse.
Because, as the Blood Demon said, he could do it himself.
If not, there was nothing else Jegal Jigang could offer in exchange.
With a weary voice, he answered, “…Very well. I will get those ingredients for you.”
At his response, the Blood Demon broke into a bright smile.
It was the kind of smile filled with fascination, like a starving dog deciding whether or not to leap into the fire for food.
After Sun Woojin defeated the Blood Demon’s assassins and acquired the Six Harmonies Sword Sect’s Broken Fan Clan,
Sondae-su, Son I-rang, and Jin So-eun were finally able to see Seolpung and Jeungchil, who had dropped their concealment.
And, for some reason, Yeon Tae-jin, the Hawondalgi, was sticking close to Seolpung…
Sun Woojin sighed.
It seemed the time had come to reveal the truth to them.
There was no longer any situation to hide it, and since they had proven trustworthy, sharing the truth was necessary for what lay ahead.
At last, Sun Woojin declared before them, “I am not actually In Parang.”
It was a sudden confession.
His companions—Sondae-su, Son I-rang, and Jin So-eun—could only blink in surprise.
Rather than taking his words at face value, they tried to discern what meaning lay beneath.
They were already quite bewildered.
The Six Harmonies Sword Sect warriors who had suddenly started following Sun Woojin, and the unexpected appearance of Jeungchil and Seolpung claiming to be part of In Parang’s group.
And now, on top of that, In Parang himself saying he wasn’t In Parang—it was almost impossible for them to accept.
But as Sun Woojin continued and explained the situation, shock began to dawn on their faces.
Sondae-su stammered, “So, you’re saying that Lord In isn’t really Lord In, and that you’ve been orchestrating all this to avenge the real Lord In…?”
“I have deceived you all, Lord Son. I apologize.”
“Ha!”
Sondae-su’s granddaughter, Son I-rang, was equally shocked.
Tears welled in her eyes as she cried out, “That’s so cruel, Lord! How could you deceive us so completely? Right, unnie?!”
Beside her, Jin So-eun scratched her head and replied, “Uh, well… even if Lord In isn’t really Lord In, that doesn’t erase the kindness he’s shown us, does it? So maybe it doesn’t really matter whether he is or isn’t?”
At that, Yeon Tae-jin, standing next to Seolpung, burst out laughing heartily like a man.
“Hahaha! Your sister is very wise! That’s exactly right. What matters is that he fought Yoon Sak, the Blood Demon—not what his name is!”
Then, glancing at Seolpung, he muttered in a slightly more reserved tone, “Though now, that hardly matters anymore…”
Sun Woojin smiled gently at them, then looked back at Sondae-su, his gaze asking what he thought.
Sondae-su realized that his shock wasn’t just about the revelation itself, but because he had hoped to use In Parang’s name in the fight against the Ban Hyunghoe.
Admitting this, Sondae-su let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha ha ha! I suppose I owe you an apology, Lord. You must have sensed it, but this old man was hoping to use you in the Ban Hyunghoe battle. How shameful. If it weren’t for that, would it really matter whether you were In Parang or not?”
At his frank admission, Sun Woojin smiled warmly.
He had been gauging whether to continue working with Sondae-su based on his reaction, and as expected, he was trustworthy.
Only Son I-rang still pouted, clearly hurt, but it seemed she was just feeling a bit betrayed.
Once the group’s reactions settled, Sun Woojin resumed speaking.
“First, I should properly introduce myself. My name is Sun Woojin. And these are my sworn brothers, Jeungchil and Seolpung.”
Sondae-su’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Jeungchil? You mean the legendary Honghaea Jeungchil, who disappeared over a decade ago?”
Jeungchil shrugged his shoulders and smiled proudly at his younger companions.
His expression seemed to say, “See? This is the kind of man your brother is.”
Sun Woojin gave a wry smile at that, but Seolpung couldn’t see it.
He was staring off into the distance, avoiding Yeon Tae-jin’s sparkling gaze the moment he heard Seolpung’s name.
Sondae-su turned to Sun Woojin and asked, “And Seolpung… are you the infamous Bicheon Heukrang and Gwangpung Biryong who brought down the Heuksangbang?”
“Indeed, Lord Son. That is what we are called.”
“Ha!”
Sondae-su sighed.
But his sigh wasn’t because of their fame.
It was quite the opposite.
“It’s astonishing that such formidable warriors’ reputations aren’t better known.”
After a moment, he asked again, “But there must be a reason you’ve suddenly revealed your true names, Lord Sun, isn’t there?”
Nodding, Sun Woojin began to explain.
“Yes. I shared the truth because I believe we need to build greater trust for what lies ahead. From now on, we’ll have to act differently.”
“Differently than now?”
“Yes. Above all, you’ve seen firsthand the power of the Six Harmonies Sword Sect warriors.”
At that, everyone’s gaze shifted to the Six Harmonies Sword Sect members standing like a screen behind Sun Woojin.
Their faces were expressionless, like dolls, but the devastating power they had displayed was etched vividly in everyone’s minds.
Sun Woojin continued, “According to the information Lord Son provided, three Broken Fan Clan squads moved against the Ban Hyunghoe. And the even stronger Pa Cheon Clan is targeting the Bok Geon Yong family. Lord Son, may I ask—do you think the Ban Hyunghoe alone can handle them?”
Sondae-su groaned.
The Ban Hyunghoe had many skilled fighters, but none seemed capable of matching that level of force.
Especially three squads…
If they clashed, many comrades would surely be harmed.
Sondae-su sighed deeply.
“It’s impossible. We’ll have to avoid direct confrontation. I was just thinking we need to report their strength quickly.”
Sun Woojin nodded.
It was the answer he had expected.
He then turned to Seolpung and spoke again.
“So, I’d like to ask you, Seolpung, if you could help the Ban Hyunghoe.”
Seolpung looked puzzled.
“Me?”
At that, Sondae-su’s eyes lit up.
Having an elite warrior capable of single-handedly destroying a Broken Fan Clan squad on their side was a blessing they couldn’t refuse, even if they hadn’t dared to ask.
With a desperate look, Sondae-su gazed at Seolpung.
Seolpung nodded in response.
“It’s not impossible. But… will it be alright if I’m not by my brother’s side?”
Sun Woojin smiled gently.
“Of course, it would be reassuring if you were there. But… I think I can hold my own without you. On the other hand, they won’t last a moment without someone’s help.”
Then, he whispered secretly to Seolpung through a private channel.
Seolpung nodded and replied, “Understood. Then I’ll go to the Ban Hyunghoe and support them.”
At Seolpung’s answer, Sondae-su’s face brightened.
It felt like a ray of hope had descended to save their comrades.
He hurriedly said, “Then, how about you come with me, Lord Seol? I’ll guide you!”
But Sun Woojin shook his head.
“That won’t be possible. Sorry, but if you move with Lord Son, Seolpung’s speed will slow down. Lord Son, you only need to inform him through the telepathic link. Also… I’ll soon need your help with something. If you’re worried about the comrades, I’d prefer to act after that.”
Sondae-su looked puzzled.
He honestly had no idea how he could help Sun Woojin.
In fact, he hadn’t even dared to ask for help with Ban Hyunghoe matters because he felt he wasn’t much use.
But whatever it was, if he could help and build some goodwill, it wouldn’t hurt.
If Seolpung could get there as quickly as possible, it would be good for their comrades.
“Very well. If this old man can be of help to you, I’ll stay by your side as much as you need.”
At that moment, Yeon Tae-jin, who had been listening nearby, interjected.
“Would it be alright if I go too? I’m an elite, and I’m confident I won’t slow him down.”
Hearing those words, Sun Woo-jin suddenly chuckled and asked,
“So, you’re saying you want to join the fight against the Hyeongsan Sect to rescue Ban Hyeong-hoe, Senior Yeon?”
The beautiful woman, with skin as white as jade and a delicate frame, grinned like a man and replied,
“I’ve never liked those Hyeongsan bastards. Besides, they just got a taste of their own medicine at that Liuhe Sword Examination or whatever it was. If there are good people standing up against them, then as the rightful heir of Yeoryeong Saekma, of course I have to help, don’t I? And…”
She trailed off, subtly glancing at Seol Poong.
Her eyes sparkled as if they were about to burst with light.
Anyone who saw that gaze could tell that the unspoken reason behind her words was far more important than the one she actually mentioned.
Seol Poong felt the same.
Under that intense look, he turned to Sun Woo-jin with eyes full of desperate hope.
But Sun Woo-jin avoided his gaze.
In his heart, he silently apologized to Naseo once again.
“I’m sorry, Lord Na. I can’t refuse the help of someone with that level of skill.”
Afterward, Sun Woo-jin also entrusted Jung Chil with a separate task—an important matter for what lay ahead.
And so, the three sworn brothers parted ways, each heading down their own path.
Even Sun Woo-jin couldn’t say for certain what awaited them beyond the horizon.