Chapter 331
Before the sun had even risen, in the training grounds of the Yunnan Province’s Flying Dragon Thirteen Masters, a sudden, clear voice shattered the heavy silence like a crystal bell.
“Come on, Grandfather!”
The voice belonged to Dang Ye-eun.
With a bright tone, she shouted and lunged toward Yang Mun-heon, the White Crane Elder Swordmaster, her adoptive grandfather.
“Hah!”
But despite the lively kiai, her movements weren’t as swift as expected.
As she leapt high and swung her sword on the descent, her form fluttered like petals caught in the wind.
It was a graceful dance, as if a celestial fairy was descending through the air.
Around her, a mist of energy began to spread like fog.
A mysterious sight, like a crimson halo expanding around the moon.
It looked as fragile as a mirage, ready to vanish at the slightest touch.
“Whoa!”
Watching their sparring from the side, Je-un swordsman Byeok Ri-jung knew all too well how dangerous those misty energy waves were—and just how advanced Dang Ye-eun’s swordsmanship had become.
At that moment, with a satisfied expression, Yang Mun-heon finally swung his sword lightly, beginning to cut through the fog-like sword energies.
It was the same sword technique he had used before to shatter Dang Ye-eun’s energy like glass.
“Diiing! Diiing!”
But this time, the result was different.
Instead of shattering with a sharp clang, Dang Ye-eun’s sword energies emitted a clear, bell-like sound and gently bounced back, returning to their original place like a moon halo.
“Ho!”
Yang Mun-heon let out an impressed exclamation and took a step back.
Though he hadn’t given his all, Dang Ye-eun alone had pushed back a man who had just begun to glimpse the realm beyond the Thirty-Six Stars of the World—the domain of the Absolute.
“Well done!”
With a pleased voice, Yang Mun-heon infused more power into his sword and swung again.
“Diiing! Ding! Ding!”
This time, Dang Ye-eun couldn’t withstand his strikes and had to retreat.
Yet, the crimson moon halo surrounding her remained unbroken.
It seemed to naturally emanate from her, maintaining a protective sphere around her.
Moved, Byeok Ri-jung couldn’t hold back and began clapping.
“Excellent! Truly excellent, Ye-eun!”
Hearing this, Yang Mun-heon, who had been pressing Dang Ye-eun, smiled and said, “Ah, your voice is so loud, I can’t bring myself to strike harder. Why is it that the older I get, the lighter I feel?”
Dang Ye-eun laughed in agreement.
“That’s right. You’re praising me too much for something not so special.”
Hearing their exchange, Byeok Ri-jung chuckled and replied, “Is it nothing? You, still in your twenties, just held off my brother’s assault as he breaks through the Flower Realm’s barrier. To me, that’s far more impressive than Seol Poong defeating Wi Jeong-guk and becoming one of the Thirty-Six Stars.”
Dang Ye-eun shook her head shyly.
“Oh, that’s only because Grandfather was holding back. If I couldn’t even withstand that, it would mean I’m truly lacking.”
Frustrated, Byeok Ri-jung turned to Yang Mun-heon.
“Well, brother, what do you think? Am I wrong? At this level, shouldn’t our Ye-eun be worthy of joining the Thirty-Six Stars?”
Yang Mun-heon laughed heartily.
“Ha ha ha! At her current level, she could certainly make the Thirty-Six Stars. But Wi Jeong-guk? That’s still beyond her reach. Even among the Thirty-Six Stars, the top ranks are no easy feat.”
In other words, comparing her to Seol Poong, who had defeated Wi Jeong-guk and even humbled the Hyangsan Sect, was still premature.
But Byeok Ri-jung waved it off with a smile.
“Still, it means she’s reached Thirty-Six Star level, right? At barely twenty years old. Well done, Ye-eun! I’m truly proud of you!”
Dang Ye-eun smiled shyly and bowed.
“Thank you, Uncle Byeok. It’s all thanks to both of you teaching me.”
Their bond had grown so close it rivaled that of blood relatives.
Though she hadn’t seen Sunwoo Jin for a long time, thanks to her two adoptive grandfathers, she had endured without much hardship.
Yang Mun-heon and Byeok Ri-jung cherished her like a granddaughter found late in life, taking joy in watching her grow.
Perhaps this was the happiest time of their lives.
And now, at barely twenty, Dang Ye-eun had not only perfectly inherited Yang Mun-heon’s White Crane Sword Style but had grown into a Thirty-Six Star-level swordswoman.
There was nothing more gratifying for the two elders.
Though it was the power of the Moonlight Phantom Sword Dance, and she hadn’t yet reached the ultimate peak, her current level was already impressive.
They could only wonder how much more she would grow once she broke through that final barrier.
Unable to hide his joy, Byeok Ri-jung said, “Brother, tonight let’s cook a proper meal and have a drink with our little sister. I’ll open the So Hongju I’ve been saving.”
Yang Mun-heon chuckled.
“Ha ha ha, you’re going to open the bottle you’ve been hiding so carefully? Won’t you regret it later?”
“Ha ha ha! If we don’t drink on a day like today, I’ll regret it. Don’t be stingy, just enjoy yourself.”
Dang Ye-eun smiled and agreed.
“I’ll cook the meal, Grandfather.”
“Well, if our Ye-eun is cooking, I can’t back out. I just hope you don’t get drunk in front of your granddaughter.”
“If you’re going to get drunk, you’d better have a whole jar of So Hongju ready. Sorry I didn’t prepare that in advance. What a shame, brother.”
“I’m disappointed too, Grandfather.”
“Hmm? That guy, ha ha ha.”
Then, suddenly, a voice rang out.
“Found you.”
It was a young woman’s voice.
The three of them instantly turned in shock toward the source.
Crack!
Yang Mun-heon had just begun to break through the Flower Realm’s barrier.
He was confident he could hold his own against Seo Il, the Lone Poisoned Sword, considered the weakest among the fifteen Absolutes.
But the owner of that voice had deceived his senses and approached so close without detection.
He couldn’t believe it.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
Moreover, the figure he glimpsed as she moved was a young woman about Dang Ye-eun’s age.
Was this really possible?
“How…?!”
He wondered if he had been too careless.
But that was quickly ruled out.
Even now, looking at her, his senses failed to detect her presence.
She was either a ghost without substance—or an overwhelmingly powerful master beyond him.
At that moment, Dang Ye-eun’s voice rang out.
“You are… Hae So-jeo?! Is it really you?!”
Hae So-jeo?
Dang Ye-eun looked at the woman with a mixture of surprise and joy.
Suddenly, Yang Mun-heon recalled the sword saint’s daughter who had been captured by the Blood Sect.
“Now that I think about it, her name was Hae Cheong-yeon…”
And with her bangs partially covering her face, it seemed she was indeed the one they had only heard about.
But…
“That girl possesses such martial prowess? And this ominous feeling…”
Yang Mun-heon hurried to stop Dang Ye-eun from approaching.
Then Hae Cheong-yeon sneered and snapped at Dang Ye-eun.
“Don’t pretend to be close, you filthy wretch! How dare you act friendly to me after seducing him behind my back when I was gone?!”
“…What?”
Dang Ye-eun was taken aback.
She immediately understood who “him” referred to—she had already heard that Dang Ye-eun harbored feelings for Sunwoo Jin.
But…
With a firm expression, Dang Ye-eun asked Hae Cheong-yeon, “You’re not Hae So-jeo, are you? Who are you, to take on her appearance…?”
Hae Cheong-yeon, glaring fiercely, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Oh ho ho ho! You’ve been found out! How did you guess? We weren’t that close, were we? You’re sharper than you look.”
At that, Dang Ye-eun swiftly drew her sword and pointed it at Hae Cheong-yeon.
“Who are you?! A Blood Sect demoness?!”
Hae Cheong-yeon smiled faintly.
“Well, that’s not entirely wrong, but who I am isn’t important, child. What matters is—”
Before she could finish, an overwhelming surge of energy exploded from her body.
“Fwaaah!”
“Ugh?!”
“Haah!”
Her aura was like a violent storm.
Byeok Ri-jung and Dang Ye-eun were lifted off their feet and thrown backward, barely managing to land safely.
Only Yang Mun-heon, who had entered the Flower Realm, lowered his stance and thrust his sword forward, barely holding his ground.
At that moment, Hae Cheong-yeon shouted with a mad gleam in her eyes.
“You’re going to be torn to shreds and killed—for our Cheong-yeon’s sake!”
No sooner had she finished speaking than she swung her hand forward.
From her palm, five crimson fingers shot out like claws.
This was the Blood Sect’s deadly technique—the Blood Demon Tendril—where finger-shaped blood energy extends to shred the opponent to pieces.
Shhhhk!
The red aura reached Dang Ye-eun in an instant.
It was as fast as a scratch from a fingernail right before her eyes.
Dang Ye-eun hadn’t even activated the Moonlight Sword Dance yet; there was no way she could react.
“!”
Just as Dang Ye-eun stared in horror at the red claws slashing toward her face—
Chaaang!
A white, moonlit aura flashed before her, blocking the blood tendrils.
It was Yang Moon-heon’s sword energy, who had anticipated something was off and preemptively activated the first form of the Moonlight Sword Dance.
Seeing his defense, Hae Cheong-yeon’s face twisted in surprise.
“Oh? What’s this? Your presence just got stronger all of a sudden. Are you using some kind of martial art that amplifies your power?”
But despite her words, Hae Cheong-yeon’s expression was far from panicked.
She looked calm, as if it didn’t really matter.
In contrast, Yang Moon-heon’s usually composed face was now as rigid as stone.
He shouted, blocking the way in front of Dang Ye-eun.
“Run, Ye-eun! This opponent is too much even for me to hold off! Hurry! Take Ye-eun and—!”
At that moment, Hae Cheong-yeon let out a sly laugh and lunged at him.
“Oh ho ho ho! That’s not going to happen!”
Fwoooosh!
From her charging form, nine blood dragons erupted like writhing tentacles.
The Blood Sect’s ultimate secret technique—the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Demon Art—unfolded effortlessly.
Krarrarrarrarr!
The nine blood dragons howled as if alive, twisting in nine directions and instantly engulfing Yang Moon-heon.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted.
Dang Ye-eun screamed desperately.
“Grandfather!”
But the figure who leapt out of the blast wasn’t Yang Moon-heon—it was Hae Cheong-yeon.
She had unleashed the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Demon Art on Yang Moon-heon and immediately turned to attack Dang Ye-eun.
“Why don’t you worry about yourself instead?”
Her pale hand shot out like a beam, grabbing Dang Ye-eun’s neck.
Once again, the speed was impossible for Dang Ye-eun to counter.
Her eyes widened in terror.
“!”
Then—
Suddenly, a white sword energy pierced Hae Cheong-yeon’s back.
“Stop, you witch!”
It was Yang Moon-heon.
He had somehow managed to withstand the Blood Sect’s strongest demon art.
Frowning, Hae Cheong-yeon reluctantly ceased her attack and soared upward.
Fwoosh!
She snapped irritably.
“Annoying!”
Meanwhile, Yang Moon-heon quickly positioned himself in front of Dang Ye-eun, readying his stance again.
Seeing his battered form, Dang Ye-eun cried out in shock.
“Grandfather!”
He looked terrible—his hair singed and disheveled, his clothes tattered.
But worst of all was his left arm.
It was gone up to the forearm, charred black and bleeding profusely where it had been burned away.
“G-Grandfather!”
Dang Ye-eun’s voice trembled with desperation.
But Yang Moon-heon shouted back urgently.
“Run! What are you waiting for?!”
At that moment, Byeok Ri-jung, who had been watching with stunned eyes, clenched his teeth and shouted fiercely.
“Go, Ye-eun! Now!”
“But—”
Tears welled in Dang Ye-eun’s eyes as she shook her head.
With reddened eyes, Byeok Ri-jung scolded her harshly.
“Are you going to let your brother’s sacrifice be in vain?! Move!”
He grabbed her wrist roughly and propelled himself forward.
Though tears blurred her vision, Dang Ye-eun had no choice but to follow.
Increasing their speed, Byeok Ri-jung shouted.
“Pull yourself together! Aren’t we martial artists? Haven’t we seen comrades fall before?”
But even as he yelled without looking back, tears filled his eyes, blurring his sight.
Dang Ye-eun wiped her own tears and fixed her gaze ahead.
Activating the Moonlight Sword Dance, she surged forward like the wind.
Meanwhile, Hae Cheong-yeon hovered in the air, clicking her tongue as she watched their retreating backs.
She suddenly addressed Yang Moon-heon.
“Tsk, tsk. Do you really think she can escape?”
Then she raised her hand.
From her palm, a crimson aura erupted.
Fwoooosh!
Yang Moon-heon’s eyes snapped open wide.
He couldn’t even begin to gauge the level of power she was displaying.
The energy from her hand was no longer just aura—it had solidified into a massive sword nearly three meters long.
The crimson blade looked as hard and solid as steel.
Hae Cheong-yeon smiled wickedly.
“Come on, let’s see if you can stop this!”
It was an unprecedented level of sword energy.
But Yang Moon-heon gritted his teeth.
No matter what, he couldn’t give up.
He had to hold on long enough for Dang Ye-eun to escape.
Grit!
He summoned all his strength and began to unleash the White Crane Old Sword technique.
His sword traced patterns in the air, releasing a misty, pure white aura like a halo around the moon.
It was much denser than Dang Ye-eun’s red aura—like thick fog gathering into clouds.
“Hahaha!”
At that moment, Hae Cheong-yeon slashed her hand.
The three-meter crimson blade cut through the white cloud like a knife through silk.
Shing!
Yang Moon-heon squeezed his eyes shut.
His sword energy was powerless against Hae Cheong-yeon’s solidified aura.
His cloud-like sword energy shattered like glass.
Crack!
The crimson blade tore through all defenses without hesitation.
In that instant, Yang Moon-heon thought of Dang Ye-eun.
“Ye-eun… please…”
Then the red sword energy pierced his body.
Puuuuk!
“Stay safe…”
That was his last thought before his consciousness slowly faded.
Dang Ye-eun pushed herself to the limit, unleashing her spiritual technique.
Tears streamed down her face, but she couldn’t stop.
She couldn’t waste the time her grandfather had risked his life to buy.
“Grandfather…”
She called out silently in her heart and forced her eyes open.
She couldn’t afford to show weakness anymore.
Beside her, Byeok Ri-jung was also running with tears streaming down his face.
She asked him, voice trembling.
“Where should we go, Grandfather?”
Lost in sorrow, Byeok Ri-jung suddenly snapped back to reality.
He realized this wasn’t the time to grieve.
Like her, he had to figure out where to go to escape that monster.
Their opponent—the monster—was so powerful that even their sworn brother Yang Moon-heon couldn’t hold him off.
No matter where they ran, there was no guarantee of safety.
“If even our sworn brother couldn’t handle him, then who can…?”
As he pondered their next move, Dang Ye-eun spoke again.
“Let’s go to Gwanggeom Tomb, Grandfather. If it’s Master, he can handle it.”
That had been her plan all along.
Her question was just to distract Byeok Ri-jung.
He nodded weakly.
“Yes, there’s no other choice…”
Then—
Someone interrupted their conversation.
“Gwanggeom Tomb, huh? I’m very curious what kind of place that is.”
Dang Ye-eun and Byeok Ri-jung froze in shock.
They looked up quickly.
There, floating in the air above them, was Hae Cheong-yeon, looking down on them.
She smiled wickedly and continued.
“But waiting around is such a bother!”
At the same moment, her divine form plunged toward Dang Ye-eun.
Fwoosh!
Like a meteor falling from the sky, at incredible speed.
“!”
Dang Ye-eun’s dilated pupils filled with the image of Hae Cheong-yeon’s cruel smile as it loomed closer and closer.