Chapter 344
The Defeat and Death of the Demon King.
The shocking news sent the martial world into chaos once again.
The master of the Demon King’s Legion—one of the Three Great Powers and the supreme beauty of the realm—had been defeated and killed.
No recent headline, no matter how sensational, could rival the shock this caused among martial artists everywhere.
What made it even more astonishing was that the one who defeated him wasn’t one of the Fifteen Absolute Masters.
It was Ha Cheong-yeon, daughter of the Sword Saint Hae Un-baek.
A woman still in her twenties, she had somehow managed to defeat the Demon King Gwe Gal-hyeon—a fact so unbelievable it stunned everyone in the martial world.
From that moment on, wherever martial artists gathered, conversations inevitably turned to her.
“Ha Cheong-yeon? The Sword Saint’s daughter, now twenty-two? I didn’t even know he had a daughter. And that she beat the Demon King? That can’t be true.”
This was the universal reaction upon first hearing the news.
Hungry for more details, the gossipmongers of the martial world sprang into action, investigating the circumstances and the woman herself.
Information about her quickly filled in.
“She’s the third daughter of the great Sword Saint Hae Un-baek, renowned from a young age as both a genius and a beauty! Her talent and looks were so extraordinary that she deliberately avoided public appearances, even covering her face with her bangs to stay hidden!”
“Sounds like a rumor to me. No matter how gifted, how could someone barely in their twenties defeat the supreme beauty and power of the Demon King?”
“I heard that the Alliance Leader of the Martial World fought the Demon King first and lost. Then Ha Cheong-yeon stepped in. So the Demon King probably wasn’t in full strength.”
“Oh! That makes more sense! And even so, it’s still incredible! Who else could stand against the Demon King, even if he was weakened?”
“Exactly! I hated seeing those heretics cheer for Seol Poong’s arrival, but now a true saint of the righteous sect has appeared—someone incomparable to that scoundrel!”
“Ha! The Sword Saint’s daughter! I’m just glad his legacy lives on!”
Among the righteous sects, the excitement was even more intense.
Her being the daughter of the revered Sword Saint Hae Un-baek, the recent resentment toward Seol Poong—the heretics’ new idol—and the fact that she defeated the heretics’ supreme leader, the Demon King Gwe Gal-hyeon, all combined to make her a symbol of hope.
Her beauty also drew much admiration.
“I heard Ha Cheong-yeon’s beauty is so dazzling that just being in the same room makes it hard to look at her directly!”
“Come on, that can’t be true.”
“Nonsense! Mantongja, the top chronicler of the Hao Sect, saw her personally and declared her not just the most beautiful woman alive, but the most beautiful in history! No wonder she had to hide her face!”
“Really? That impressive?”
As more information spread, Ha Cheong-yeon’s presence rose like a blazing sun.
The daughter of the greatest swordsman, a peerless beauty confirmed by all who saw her, and a warrior who, in her twenties, had defeated the supreme beauty and power of the Demon King.
There was no reason not to be captivated by her.
Less than ten days after her name became known, she was already recognized as the successor to the legendary Thunder God and Sword God—no longer just a contemporary absolute master, but a timeless icon.
“Ha Cheong-yeon, the Heavenly Beauty and Saint of a Thousand Skills.”
That was the new title she had earned.
Currently, she was recuperating at the Martial Alliance headquarters.
Her heart had been pierced by the Demon King’s blade, and the strain of the joint assault that followed had left her far from fully recovered.
In the Alliance Leader’s chamber, Ha Cheong-yeon sat comfortably in the Grand Elder’s seat—normally reserved for Moyong Geom—snacking on fruit.
Before her, Jeogal Ji-gang knelt, head bowed, reporting the latest developments.
“The martial world’s view of the Supreme One, especially among righteous warriors, now equates him almost entirely with the Sword Saint. From now on, whatever the Supreme One does will be seen as acts of righteousness.”
Unsurprisingly, Ha Cheong-yeon’s meteoric rise was largely due to Jeogal Ji-gang’s careful orchestration.
He explained this was a preliminary move to eventually bring the Martial Alliance under their control.
“If the Supreme One rightfully inherits Moyong Geom’s position as Alliance Leader, we can use various strategies to soften the perception of the Blood Sect. Ultimately, this will help erase the stigma of unjust accusations against the Blood Sect’s contributions to the martial world!”
Ha Cheong-yeon smiled with satisfaction.
To become the Alliance Leader and establish the Blood Sect’s dominance—both for its efficiency and the pleasure of outwitting the martial world—was a plan she found deeply gratifying.
She wondered why she hadn’t thought of it sooner.
She glanced at Moyong Geom beside her, who was scowling fiercely at Jeogal Ji-gang, who remained kneeling.
Even his sour expression lifted her spirits.
Suddenly, she asked, as if recalling something.
“What about that Sun Woo-jin kid?”
Jeogal Ji-gang hesitated slightly before answering.
“Well, he’s currently with the Hyeongsan Sect, along with the Southern Sea Saint and the elite of the Bok Gun Dragon Clan. We haven’t been able to get precise information, but it’s certain he’s not in Hyeongsan now.”
Ha Cheong-yeon narrowed her eyes, touching her lips thoughtfully.
It might be reckless to stir up Sun Woo-jin, since he hadn’t yet fully succumbed to her influence.
Still, his presence nagged at her.
“I never said it outright, but the Demon King seemed to already know about me back then. Even about the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon.”
That uneasy thought lingered.
She could understand the Demon King learning of her existence through Seol Poong, who was connected to Sun Woo-jin, but how could he know about the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon?
“Could it be… the Sword Saint left behind more than one lingering spirit? Or… could it be the Thunder God?”
Muttering this, Ha Cheong-yeon shivered involuntarily.
Her fear of the Thunder God, ingrained deep in her soul from a century ago, resurfaced.
She recalled Mayu-gyeom, the wild-haired ice warrior she had recently killed.
“That spirit of the Sword Saint said as if the Thunder God had come along with him.”
Though likely a bluff meant to intimidate, the possibility unsettled her.
If it were true…
Ha Cheong-yeon swallowed hard.
The Thunder God was a different kind of terror from the Sword Saint.
If the Sword Saint was terrifying because he was a master of the Divine Sword Realm, the Thunder God was terrifying simply by existing.
His relentless bad luck, his ability to handle crises, his stubborn tenacity.
Even if he wasn’t a Divine Sword Realm master, his presence alone made him a force not to be underestimated.
With that in mind, Ha Cheong-yeon fixed Jeogal Ji-gang with a sharp gaze.
“So where exactly did that Sun Woo-jin go?”
Her cold voice made Jeogal Ji-gang tremble as he answered.
“There’s information suggesting he went to Jeolgang Province.”
Ha Cheong-yeon’s voice rose in disbelief.
“Jeolgang Province?!”
She could no longer hide her unease.
Jeolgang was the homeland of the Thunder God, the Sword Saint, and their terrible brotherhood.
Her voice trembled without her realizing it.
“Why would he go to Jeolgang?”
Jeogal Ji-gang answered cautiously.
“Apparently, to meet the Sword Master who’s in seclusion on Mount Antang.”
“…The Sword Master?”
Ha Cheong-yeon fell into a serious silence.
Though the possibility of the Thunder God’s lingering spirit troubled her, the Sword Master was no less formidable.
She had nearly died fighting the Demon King.
Had she not brought along three masters of the Fire Realm, she would surely have lost.
That meant even the strongest warriors of this era were no easy match.
If the Sword Master was truly stronger than the Demon King, then he was undoubtedly stronger than her.
Ha Cheong-yeon asked Jeogal Ji-gang bluntly.
“We need to deal with the Sword Master. What should we do?”
Jeogal Ji-gang looked momentarily startled but quickly replied.
“To do that, we’ll have to coordinate a joint strike like we did against the Demon King. But many of his followers remain around Mount Antang, so a quiet elimination is impossible. Moreover, unlike with the Demon King, we lack a strong justification to remove him.”
Ha Cheong-yeon’s eyes sharpened.
“Find a way.”
Jeogal Ji-gang bowed his head deeply, almost shouting.
“Yes, Supreme One!”
After a moment of thought, he raised his head, his eyes gleaming with a new idea.
“Have the Demon King’s Legion engage in an open war with the righteous sect, Supreme One.”
Ha Cheong-yeon frowned slightly, repeating.
“An open war with the righteous sect?”
Jeogal Ji-gang began to explain the reasoning behind this plan.
“The Sawangryeon, having lost its Sawang, is currently in its weakest state in nearly a century. If Your Excellency were to launch a righteous campaign to eradicate the Sapa, striking at the Sawangryeon, you would not only become a hero of the orthodox sect but also be assured the position of the next Martial Alliance Leader!”
Hae Cheong-yeon frowned, clearly displeased, and asked, “I distinctly told you to find a way to deal with the Sword Master, didn’t I?”
Je Gal Ji-gang pressed on without missing a beat. “Yes, Your Excellency. If you initiate the orthodox great war, you could easily draw in the Sword Master’s followers, who are based just beneath Jiangsu Province—in Zhejiang’s Antang Mountain, the Sawangryeon’s stronghold.”
At that, Hae Cheong-yeon’s eyes lit up as if she’d just realized something. “Oh? You mean to clear out the area around where he’s hiding?”
“Exactly! We might even be able to lure the Sword Master himself out.”
“Hmm!”
Nodding thoughtfully, Hae Cheong-yeon fell silent for a moment before asking again, “But isn’t it excessive to start a full-scale orthodox war just to catch one man?”
Je Gal Ji-gang bowed apologetically and replied, “Actually, the reason I mentioned the orthodox war isn’t solely because of the Sword Master.”
“Hm?”
He glanced at her cautiously before continuing, “There’s intelligence indicating that the atmosphere within the Sawangryeon is far from stable.”
Hae Cheong-yeon’s gaze sharpened. “The Sawangryeon?”
A few days before Hae Cheong-yeon’s conversation with Je Gal Ji-gang about the orthodox war, Sun Woo-jin hurried back to Hyeongsan Sect.
He had no time to hesitate after hearing the news of the Sawang’s death immediately upon leaving Antang Mountain, where the Sword Master had been in hiding.
Like a streak of light, Sun Woo-jin flew to Hyeongsan Sect and quickly found the group from Haenam Sect. The moment he landed, he called out, “Brother! Where is Seol Poong-hyung?”
From among the Haenam Sect members present, the Dragon King’s Palace’s Yu Hae-eung greeted him with a rare smile. “Welcome back, Chief Disciple! As soon as the Sawang’s incident occurred, Seol Poong returned to the Sawangryeon.”
Sun Woo-jin let out a relieved breath. “That’s a relief. I was worried he might still be here, overwhelmed by shock…”
Beside him, Il Dosal-gyeong’s Oh Ik-deok laughed heartily. “Hahaha! Even without Chief Disciple Jang, we had Myeo Aran Sojeo here. She urged the shocked Seol Poong to hurry back to the Sawangryeon and regain his composure. Myeo Aran Sojeo is with him now.”
Sun Woo-jin smiled and nodded. “Of course, that’s Myeo Sojeo for you.”
The current situation was dire.
The reason Sun Woo-jin had been confident of victory against the Blood Sect was because of the Sawang’s presence—and now the Sawang was dead. The Sword Master, whom he had hoped to join forces with to secure victory, turned out to be a mere illusion.
If they lost the Sawangryeon’s remaining strength as well, there would be no way to counter those who had seized control of the Martial Alliance.
Therefore, rallying and reorganizing the Sawangryeon’s remaining forces was the top priority—and it seemed Myeo Aran had already taken the initiative in his absence.
Having a reliable strategist was truly reassuring.
Sun Woo-jin turned to Yu Hae-eung and Oh Ik-deok. “Can you gather the people? We’ll start the meeting immediately.”
They both bowed crisply. “Understood, Chief Disciple!”
As he headed toward the meeting room, Sun Woo-jin reviewed the situation in his mind.
Though unfavorable, they still held more information than their enemies.
And all of it was thanks to one person who had escaped the Martial Alliance.
‘Sama Yeoryang. Meeting him was a blessing.’
Sama Yeoryang was the nephew of Sama Jungsun, a legendary figure who had served as a military officer under the previous Martial Alliance Leader and Hero, Cheon Gi-gang.
After Cheon Gi-gang and Sama Jungsun died in the Bloodline War, and Je Gal Ji-gang seized power, the Sama family was ruthlessly suppressed.
Yet Sama Yeoryang, with his exceptional wisdom, managed to establish a connection with the era’s Hero, Mo Yong-gum.
He had foreseen the rift that would grow between Mo Yong-gum and Je Gal Ji-gang due to the latter’s greed and warned Mo Yong-gum accordingly.
‘And sure enough, it happened.’
Over time, Mo Yong-gum and Je Gal Ji-gang grew distrustful of each other.
Secretly, Mo Yong-gum summoned Sama Yeoryang to serve as his covert strategist.
Thanks to Sama Yeoryang’s wisdom, Mo Yong-gum was able to oust Je Gal Ji-gang and exile him to Yunnan Province.
Still, Mo Yong-gum never trusted Sama Yeoryang beyond that role.
Sama Yeoryang was confined to a secret chamber connected to the leader’s office, only able to offer advice when summoned.
He spent most of his time there, listening to the leader’s idle chatter with women.
He felt utterly miserable.
His moments to advise were brief, and the rest of the time, he was left to idle away in that chamber.
So he had been planning to leave the Martial Alliance altogether.
Then, everything changed.
The leader was suddenly overpowered by those Je Gal Ji-gang had brought with him…
‘She called herself the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon. If I recall correctly, a century ago, during the era of the Thunder God and Sword God, a blood demon awakened after five hundred years—that was the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon, Gwa-yeom. Je Gal Ji-gang seems completely enthralled by her. He calls her ‘Supreme’ and submits to her utterly. The two masters she brought along were called Gyeol Heo Sa-tae and Ma Won-ung by the leader, who was astonished by them.’
‘Gyeol Heo Sa-tae and Ma Won-ung? Those names…’
‘Yes. Ma Won-ung was the chief of the Jeomchang Sect, believed dead in the last Muhwang Incident, and Gyeol Heo Sa-tae was the chief of the Ami Sect, who died during the Bloodline War.’
Having lived through a previous life, Sun Woo-jin immediately understood what had happened.
He muttered in a low voice, “They must be Blood Demons.”
Sama Yeoryang nodded with wide eyes. “Exactly! The Reverse Heaven Blood Demon called those two by those names!”
Grateful for the clarity, Sun Woo-jin silently thanked the heavens.
Because Sama Yeoryang was confined to the secret chamber, only able to hear but not be detected, he had been able to witness the situation unfold vividly.
And because he had escaped the Martial Alliance and sought out the Sword Master at Antang Mountain, they had the advantage of accurate information.
Thanks to that, they could correct the misconception that the enemy had only two top experts.
Sun Woo-jin planned to share this information at the meeting and discuss the countermeasures he had been considering.
Though the situation was grim, he judged it was not entirely hopeless.
‘At least it’s better than last time. There are still viable options…’
As he walked toward the meeting room, lost in thought, Sun Woo-jin suddenly stopped in his tracks, startled.
Before him stood someone he had longed to see but believed dead.
With a voice full of emotion, he called out, “Sir!”
The man smiled heartily, just as Sun Woo-jin remembered. “Ha ha ha ha! It’s been a while. How have you been?”
It was none other than the Sword Saint, Hae Un-baek—his idol who had first taught him what it meant to be a true master.
Though it had been reported that Je Gal Ji-gang’s schemes had killed him, here he was, alive and well.
Sun Woo-jin, eyes moist, rushed forward. “Sir! Are you alright?”
The Sword Saint replied with his usual playful tone, “I’m as fit as ever. Coming back from the dead feels like being reborn, ha ha ha ha!”
“That’s a relief. Truly.”
Hae Un-baek grasped Sun Woo-jin’s hand warmly. “Thank you for your concern. And… I heard you stormed the Blood Sect to rescue Cheong-yeon. I’m grateful for that, too.”
But then his expression darkened slightly.
In a bitter tone, he continued, “And… I also heard what Cheong-yeon did to you. You went through so much for her…”
Sun Woo-jin smiled gently, shaking his head. “I don’t believe that was Cheong-yeon Sojeo’s doing. Rather, it happened because I failed to save her. Who could withstand possession by the strongest Blood Demon, the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon? I can only apologize for not rescuing her in time.”
Hae Un-baek smiled warmly. “Thank you for saying that. It eases my heart.”
Yet his eyes remained tinged with sadness.
Suddenly, with a serious gaze, he said, “I’m sorry to bring this up right away, but I have a favor to ask.”
It was rare to see the Sword Saint so solemn.
Sun Woo-jin nodded earnestly. “Yes, please.”
With resolute eyes, Hae Un-baek spoke, “If you ever meet her again, leave her to me. I want to bring peace to the girl who’s become a puppet of the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon. That… is a father’s duty.”
Sun Woo-jin finally understood why the man’s eyes were filled with such sorrow and determination.
He had resolved to kill his own daughter with his own hands.
Sun Woo-jin couldn’t even begin to imagine the heartbreak that must have driven him to such a decision.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, Sun Woo-jin met Geomseong’s gaze briefly, then shook his head and replied firmly, “That can’t be, sir.”
Geomseong’s face hardened, his voice trembling with desperation. “Please try to understand. I can’t bear to see my daughter wreak havoc on the world, nor can I stand to watch her die at someone else’s hand. I’d rather…”
Before he could finish, Sun Woo-jin interrupted gently, “That’s not what I mean, sir. What I’m saying is, there’s no need to kill Cheong-yeon Sojeo.”
“What? Kill Cheong-yeon… What did you just say?” Geomseong’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at him.
He knew that to eliminate the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon and restore peace to the world, his daughter’s death seemed inevitable. But as her father, accepting that truth was unbearable.
Just imagining that moment tore his heart apart.
And yet, here was Sun Woo-jin telling him that killing his daughter wasn’t necessary.
His heart couldn’t help but race.
With a faint smile, Sun Woo-jin said, “I’ve found a way, sir. A way to remove the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon from her.”
He drew one of the three swords strapped to his back and held it out to Geomseong.
It was the Hongyeon Sword—the sacred heirloom of the Sun Woo family.