25 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

**Chapter 25** Inside the Beepung Trading Company's Hidden Chamber. The area, where only the head of the trading company and his wife originally resided, was now in shambles. Corpses strewn across the floor. Entrails and blood painted across the walls and ground. What was once a bright and vibrant space was now an abyss of sickening blood scent and silence. "Dear." A man and woman, who could only watch the horrors unfold in the chamber, trembled as they clung to each other. "...Darling." Koh Gye-young, head of the Beepung Trading Company, tightly embraced his terror-stricken wife as he glared at the perpetrator of this massacre. The middle-aged man, who seemed at the cusp of his forties, had an appearance so ordinary that it would be easily forgotten if not for the fear he instilled. Namyun Do-gwi (冷面刀鬼). Known for his cold demeanor and ghostly swordplay, he was a renowned swordsman in Shaanxi. 'I heard that recently Baekgwi Castle took him in... is it possible they allied with Paewangmun as well?' As a chilling theory crossed Koh Gye-young's mind, his blood ran cold. "Managed to avoid a fatal wound, huh?" Drenched in blood, Namyun Do-gwi drove his blade into the abdomen of a vagabond who had just twitched, moments from death. Thud! "Guh!" The vagabond, hanging onto life by a thread, gushed blood before convulsing and going limp. After confirming the vagabond’s death, Namyun Do-gwi stomped on the corpse and pulled out his embedded blade in one swift motion. Splush― In an instant, blood spouted like a fountain, casting a bloody rain across the chamber. "You've gathered quite the skilled bodyguards, as expected from a major player in Shaanxi." Namyun Do-gwi, sweeping back his blood-soaked hair, locked eyes with Koh Gye-young, who stood rigidly across the room. Gasp! Koh Gye-young's breath hitched upon confronting Namyun Do-gwi's menacing gaze. ‘The skilled fighters I painstakingly recruited over the past two years...’ Koh Gye-young's vision dimmed with hopelessness. The five warriors who fell to Namyun Do-gwi's sword were known vagabonds with quite a reputation in Shaanxi. Yet, the infamous name of Namyun Do-gwi was not mere hearsay. In less than a moment, he had ended their lives. Drip— Witnessing the unfathomable scene, cold sweat trickled down his forehead. "...Dear." Snapping back to reality with the sound of his wife Yeon Soo-ran’s voice, he met her gaze, offering a reassuring look. Releasing his hold around her and standing protectively in front, he said, "...Do you think you’ll walk away unscathed after committing such atrocities in broad daylight?" At his question, Namyun Do-gwi let out a cold laugh. "And what if I'm not?" "Do you even know who stands behind this trading company?" "I'm well aware. It's the Mount Hua Sect, isn't it?" "…!" Staring in disbelief at Namyun Do-gwi’s nonchalant acknowledgment, Koh Gye-young fell silent, his face paling rapidly. Knowing who was behind them, yet carrying out such an act, could only mean a willingness to declare war. Or perhaps... "…You intend to kill everyone associated with the Beepung Trading Company." Namyun Do-gwi beamed instead of answering. Watching the white of his teeth gleaming from his lips, Koh Gye-young frowned and spoke. "I heard rumors of your induction into Baekgwi Castle not too long ago." "Word travels fast." Seeing Namyun Do-gwi nonchalantly admit it, Koh Gye-young bit his lip hard. His fears had become reality. In the worst possible form. "...Has Paewangmun allied with Baekgwi Castle?" "Allied?" Namyun Do-gwi chuckled ominously. "Do you really think Paewangmun would stand as equals with Baekgwi Castle?" "Those words mean...!" Koh Gye-young's face turned ashen. ‘Paewangmun is subservient to Baekgwi Castle!’ Suddenly, countless pieces of information in his mind began aligning perfectly. "Could it be that the rise of Paewangmun, this new sect, was fueled by support from Baekgwi Castle?" "Remarkable." With only a few exchanged words, Koh Gye-young discerned the underlying context, earning Namyun Do-gwi's admiration. "And your reason for attacking our trading company is to pressure the Mount Hua Sect..." "They said you single-handedly transformed the Beepung Trading Company into the giant it is today, quick-witted indeed." Namyun Do-gwi, even amid such a dire situation, watched Koh Gye-young try to gather information, and expressed regret. "What a pity. A pity indeed. Had you severed ties with the Mount Hua Sect and accepted the proposal from Paewangmun, you could have avoided this." "I would never do such a thing." Koh Gye-young spoke resolutely. Perhaps expecting this, Namyun Do-gwi nodded slightly. Before the raid, he had confirmed that Koh Gye-young’s eldest son was affiliated with the Mount Hua Sect. Namyun Do-gwi began approaching Koh Gye-young. Though he found Koh Gye-young’s spirit intriguing, this was the end. There could be no further delay. Step— Step— As Namyun Do-gwi steadily advanced, Koh Gye-young gathered his strength and declared, "...The Mount Hua Sect will never let this stand." "Contrary to your wishes, that won't happen." As he spoke, Namyun Do-gwi erased the smile from his face. "Just as you said, today the Beepung Trading Company will vanish without a trace." Declaring their complete obliteration, he raised his bloodstained sword high. Drip, drip. Gazing at the sword dripping blood, Koh Gye-young widened his eyes and murmured, "It won't go as you wish." "Dreaming futilely as you die isn't so bad either." Namyun Do-gwi half-closed his eyes as he spoke. Whoosh! The deadly aura he emitted filled the chamber. “Ugh!” As Koh Gye-young's complexion turned pale from confronting the aura head-on, the sword descended. Screech! "Darling!" Just as Yeon Soo-ran, behind Koh Gye-young, cried out and shut her eyes in fear. Clang! Sparks flew unexpectedly. Simultaneously, Namyun Do-gwi, mid-swing, was flung back, crashing against the bloodied wall. "Gah!" Coughing up volumes of blood, Namyun Do-gwi fell to the floor, collapsing to his knees. It all happened in the blink of an eye. "What in the world...?" "Darling?" Koh Gye-young and Yeon Soo-ran, belatedly coming to terms with the unfolding scene, looked in astonishment at the person who had suddenly appeared. The newcomer had strikingly white skin and sharp features. Contrastingly dressed in a black robe, the young man surveyed the room as he spoke. "For a trading company, isn’t this a bit much?" Startled by the incongruous tone compared to his appearance, Koh Gye-young cautiously asked, "Are you from the Mount Hua Sect?" "Huh?" The young man, Cheon Hui, turned his head. That face... The middle-aged man, visibly confused, seemed strangely familiar to him. "Huh? Red Sword?" The resemblance to Red Sword was uncanny. The only differences were the wrinkles and the marks of time etched on his face. Cheon Hui looked down at him and asked, "You’re the head of the Beepung Trading Company, right?" "Y-yes, that's correct." "Then that guy's the enemy." "Mount Hua Sect?" By then, Namyun Do-gwi regained his senses. Using his sword as a support, he stood up, glaring at Cheon Hui with contained tension. "How did you get in here? My subordinates should have been outside." "Outside? Ah, those guys?" Recalling someone, Cheon Hui added nonchalantly, "They were bothersome, so I dealt with them." "...!" Namyun Do-gwi's face hardened. If what he said was true, it meant that he had taken care of his subordinates so discreetly that even he hadn’t noticed. ‘Those were operatives assigned in haste by Paewangmun, all first-rate warriors.’ Sweat formed in his grip on the sword. Namyun Do-gwi, feeling anxious, adjusted his grip on the sword and quickly assessed Cheon Hui. ‘Not the Plum Blossom Swordsman.’ Noticing the absence of the plum blossom insignia essential to the Plum Blossom Swordsman, he deduced Cheon Hui to be a mere daoist. But he couldn’t afford to be complacent. ‘He’s not someone to be underestimated.’ Recalling the ambush from earlier. Before he even registered seeing something blur, the impact had already struck his abdomen. He bit his lip tightly. He retraced the incident in his mind but couldn’t fathom how he had been attacked. ‘What exactly was it? A fist? A palm? A kick? Or a strike?’ The more he pondered over what hit him, the more anxiety crept in. The fact he hadn’t seen the attack indicated a significant skill gap. It was clear he was up against a superior opponent. ‘Damn it! I can’t run away either.’ Namyun Do-gwi’s face twisted in frustration. Though tempted to flee, his feet remained glued to the spot. No, he simply couldn’t. ‘If I fail this mission, he’ll surely kill me.’ Namyun Do-gwi trembled. While rumors held that Baekgwi Castle recruited him, the truth was different. He had capitulated to the lord of Baekgwi Castle, forced to obey orders at any cost. Even at the risk of his life. Remembering the overwhelmingly skilled middle-aged man who had crushed him, he shivered, readjusting his sword grip. ‘I’d rather face this young man than go back to him.’ Steeled in his resolve, he raised his sword. Harnessing all the inner strength from his lower dantian, ice-cold determination reflected in his eyes. Boom! The floor exploded beneath him. In an instant, he charged at Cheon Hui. In mere moments, closing the gap to a single palm's distance, Namyun Do-gwi infused his blade with energy, encasing it in a chilling aura. Then, the blade shot forward like a bow. Swish! It was the manifestation of his lifelong training in his true art, the Cold Soul Blade. As the Cold Soul Blade poised to pierce his abdomen, Namyun Do-gwi smirked victoriously. But the smile didn't last. Snatch— Cheon Hui caught the Cold Soul Blade in his grip. Stunned, Namyun Do-gwi stared at the halted sword, then raised his gaze. "...!" And his face turned ghostly pale. Cheon Hui’s eyes were colder than the chill radiating from the sword. "Desperate to die, aren't you?" Cheon Hui extended his forefinger as he spoke. In that fleeting instant, Namyun Do-gwi witnessed a blossoming plum blossom. Blood-red, chillingly beautiful. And that was the last sight Namyun Do-gwi saw in his lifetime.