Chapter 321

All eyes turned toward a striking young man dressed in black, standing with his arms crossed.

It was none other than Sun Woo-jin.

Beside him stood Jung Chil and about thirty or so others, their expressions blank.

They were all clad in white martial uniforms, wearing blue hero sashes.

At that moment, Wi Jeong-guk’s gaze involuntarily fixed on their faces—and his eyes widened in shock.

Thanks to his high-level martial arts, he could clearly recognize each of them despite the distance.

“!”

Sun Woo-jin caught the instant Wi Jeong-guk’s expression shifted and immediately raised his voice.

“These are all the martial artists from Hyeongsan Sect that you, Wi Jeong-guk, have been turning into ‘silhonin’ recently! Don’t tell me you don’t recognize them?!”

A cold sweat broke out on Wi Jeong-guk’s back.

‘H-how did they…?!’

This was a crisis.

Even when the top masters from the north were wiped out, he hadn’t felt this threatened—but now, this was real danger.

If he couldn’t resolve this situation—meaning the evidence that the Hyeongsan Sect disciples gathered here had all been turned into silhonin by the main sect—then regardless of who won the fight, he might be buried for good.

And there was no time to waste.

The Hyeongsan disciples who had recognized those faces were already murmuring among themselves.

“That’s… Master Ja Mun-jin, isn’t it? He hasn’t been seen for a while!”

“That’s Master Ja Sang-jin! He was the one who kindly taught me not long ago. Why is he like that…?”

Wi Jeong-guk’s mind raced.

It was clear that pretending not to know them was no longer an option.

If he tried to deny knowing them now, after some disciples had already recognized them, it would only backfire.

His mind quickly landed on a second plan.

‘If I can’t pretend not to know them… then I have no choice but to pretend I don’t know what Sun Woo-jin is saying.’

Feigning anger, Wi Jeong-guk shouted hastily.

“You scoundrel! What on earth have you done to the disciples of Hyeongsan Sect? Are you seriously trying to frame me by turning them into silhonin?!”

Sun Woo-jin let out a short, amused laugh.

Exactly the response he had expected.

He didn’t immediately retort.

Instead, he burst out laughing loudly.

“Ahahahahaha! Hahahahaha!”

Wi Jeong-guk’s words faltered under that laughter.

The murmuring Hyeongsan disciples all turned their attention to Sun Woo-jin.

Seizing the moment, Sun Woo-jin continued, drawing all eyes with his laughter.

“That’s a ridiculous story! So you’re saying I infiltrated Hyeongsan Sect and, all on the same day, kidnapped thirty of their top masters? Including five ultra-elite fighters?”

The faces of the Hyeongsan disciples darkened.

Even the fifteen Absolute Masters couldn’t pull off such a feat—it was obvious.

Sun Woo-jin pressed on.

“And you’re telling me you only just found out about this now, even though you’ve gathered all the disciples here? Is this really the proud Hyeongsan Sect you claim to be?”

The Hyeongsan martial artists flushed with shame.

Their pride as members of the prestigious sect made this all the more humiliating.

Sun Woo-jin laughed again, louder this time.

“Ahahahahaha! How amusing! The sect leader is so desperate to save himself that he’s dragging the honor of his own sect through the mud! What a remarkable leader! Hahahahaha!”

The Hyeongsan disciples could only bow their heads in shame.

They couldn’t bear to meet anyone’s gaze.

It was clear who had won this debate—Sun Woo-jin or Wi Jeong-guk.

Wi Jeong-guk gritted his teeth, fury rising beyond control.

But that was all he could do.

He had no more arguments.

The disappointment and distrust in the eyes of the Hyeongsan disciples were too vivid to ignore.

‘That arrogant bastard…’

Wi Jeong-guk knew well that true victory in a debate wasn’t about defeating the opponent—it was about convincing the audience.

And in that sense, he had already lost.

But he refused to admit defeat just yet.

He had to turn the situation around, even if it meant resorting to desperate measures.

Clenching his teeth, he shouted again.

“You cunning fiend! Trying to deceive us with your sly words! Enough talk! If you claim I did this, then show me the proof! Where is the evidence that I turned them into silhonin? Did they say so themselves?!”

Now, Wi Jeong-guk decided to focus solely on the lack of direct evidence.

Even if Sun Woo-jin had brought the silhonin here, there was no proof that Wi Jeong-guk was responsible.

To prove it, the ones who turned them into silhonin would have to be brought forward, or the silhonin themselves would have to testify.

But the culprits were already among Wi Jeong-guk’s own circle, and the silhonin wouldn’t dare speak out.

So, direct evidence simply didn’t exist.

‘If I just keep denying the evidence and then resort to force, this debate will become meaningless!’

Just as Wi Jeong-guk was thinking this, Sun Woo-jin smirked knowingly and called out behind him.

“Mo Daehyeop, the Jin-in.”

From behind the dazed-looking Liuhe Sword Masters, someone stepped forward.

It was Mo Dong-ju, the legendary swordmaster of Hyeongsan Sect who had defected to Sun Woo-jin’s side.

He had been hiding behind the Liuhe Sword Masters, unnoticed.

But as he stepped forward, the Hyeongsan martial artists murmured in surprise.

“Mo Sa-suk?!”

“That’s Mo Dong-ju, the legendary swordmaster of Beomgang! Didn’t they say he died recently in Ak-yang? Why is he here with them?”

“Yeah, and who’s that he’s carrying on his back?”

Mo Dong-ju had been a notorious troublemaker since childhood, but after reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, his skill and cheerful personality made him popular among the main sect disciples.

Seeing him on Sun Woo-jin’s side threw all the Hyeongsan disciples into confusion.

“C-could the witness be Mo Sa-suk?”

“C-could it be true that the sect leader turned the Sa-suk into silhonin?”

As the Hyeongsan disciples wondered this, the witness was not Mo Dong-ju.

Carefully, Mo Dong-ju set down the person he was carrying on his back.

It was a frail, emaciated old man who could barely stand.

Sun Woo-jin immediately moved to support the staggering elder, but the old man waved him off, steadied himself, and stood upright on his own.

Despite his aged and sickly appearance, his eyes blazed fiercely like a tiger’s.

Fixing a terrifying glare on Wi Jeong-guk, he shouted.

“Wi Jeong-guk! Do you recognize who I am?!”

Wi Jeong-guk frowned, unsure who the old man was.

But as the man spoke to him so bluntly, Wi Jeong-guk’s angry expression shifted to one of dawning realization and growing shock.

“C-could it be…?!”

The old man sneered and shouted fiercely.

“Ha! So you’d completely forgotten me, huh? I figured as much since you haven’t come to see me in years! But I never forgot you! I endured that hell just to see your face again! Now, before I die, I’ll have my wish!”

Wi Jeong-guk’s face drained of color.

He had fully realized who this was.

He was too stunned to respond.

Then, the name came not from the old man’s mouth, but from the shocked voices of the other Hyeongsan disciples.

“That voice… could it be?!”

“Master Cheonggong, the former sect leader?!”

Hearing the name, the Hyeongsan disciples gasped again.

“W-what?! Master Cheonggong?!”

“The Cheonggong who passed the sect leader position on ten years ago and retired?!”

Their voices rippled like waves through the gathered disciples.

Suddenly, every Hyeongsan disciple’s face was filled with one emotion: utter shock.

The frail old man was none other than Cheonggong Jin-in, the former sect leader before Wi Jeong-guk.

He had supposedly retired after handing over the position to Wi Jeong-guk—but here he was, appearing in this pitiful state.

Wi Jeong-guk muttered, pale as death.

“H-how did you…?”

The truth was, Cheonggong Jin-in hadn’t retired—he had been imprisoned by Wi Jeong-guk.

But no one knew this—not even Wi Jeong-guk himself anymore.

Years ago, just before passing on the sect leader position, Cheonggong Jin-in had been shocked when Wi Jeong-guk proposed reviving the Gui-myeol Liuhe Sword Technique.

‘Gui-myeol Liuhe Sword Technique?!’

Until then, Cheonggong Jin-in had never opposed Wi Jeong-guk’s ideas.

Though somewhat extreme, he was still grateful to that disciple who had restored the once-defunct Muhak school and led the revival of the Hyeongsan sect. Not only that, but his martial skills were strong enough that it was clear he would become the next chief elder. Out of respect for him, they tolerated much.

But when it came to the Guiyeom Yukhap Sword Formation, that was a line they could not cross.

The idea of turning fellow Hyeongsan disciples into living components for the formation—an idea proposed by Wi Jeongguk—was a betrayal that went far beyond the bounds of orthodox sect principles.

That day, Cheong Gongjin was the first to lash out at Wi Jeongguk with harsh words.

“You bastard! How can you, a disciple of the righteous path, entertain such a cruel thought?! What difference is there between your words and those of the demonic leaders of the Blood Sect? If you carry out such a deed, then what separates our Hyeongsan sect from the evil cult? Are you trying to turn our sect into a den of demons?! I cannot forgive you! I’m even reconsidering whether you deserve to inherit the position of chief elder!”

Of course, Cheong Gongjin didn’t truly intend to strip him of the title.

He only believed that a strong shock was necessary to make the stubborn and headstrong Wi Jeongguk reflect on his actions.

Through this confrontation, Cheong Gongjin hoped Wi Jeongguk would genuinely repent and grow into a better leader for the sect.

But apparently, Wi Jeongguk didn’t take it that way.

After shouting at Wi Jeongguk to leave immediately and turning his back, Cheong Gongjin suddenly lost consciousness.

Wi Jeongguk had ambushed him from behind and sealed his vital points.

When Cheong Gongjin awoke, he found himself imprisoned deep within the Repentance Cave. He learned from his disciples that he was believed to have ascended—dead—and that Wi Jeongguk had been named the new chief elder in his place.

Wi Jeongguk himself had come to the cave to deliver this news.

Bound and powerless, Cheong Gongjin was furious.

“You bastard! How could you commit such a beastly act?!”

But despite the former chief elder’s rage, Wi Jeongguk only let out a dark, chilling laugh.

“Beastly act, you say? How amusing. If I’d known such ‘beastly acts’ could be this entertaining, I would have started much sooner. Heh heh heh.”

“What did you say?!”

Wi Jeongguk did not kill Cheong Gongjin.

Instead, he kept him locked away in the cave, visiting occasionally to berate, insult, and torment him.

This sadistic tendency to keep his enemy alive, toying with him like a plaything, was a side of Wi Jeongguk that Cheong Gongjin had never known before.

But now, thanks to Sun Woojin and Mo Dongju—who had been investigating the Repentance Cave—Cheong Gongjin had been rescued and stood here once again.

He was exactly the person Sun Woojin had been searching for.

Cheong Gongjin’s eyes blazed with burning hatred as he shouted at Wi Jeongguk.

“You demanded proof that you turned our sect’s disciples into living components, didn’t you? Here I am! I’m the witness who opposed you and was imprisoned alive for ten years, forced to survive by eating insects! How about that? Will you finally admit to your crimes?”

Wi Jeongguk was left speechless.

His mind went blank, utterly void of thought.

He glanced around at the Hyeongsan disciples.

And then he realized they were all looking at him with eyes full of shock and disgust.

He also understood something else.

Those eyes no longer looked at him as their chief elder.

They looked at him as they would an unforgivable demon.