26 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 26 Thud! The corpse of Naengmyeon Dogwi hit the ground with a loud crash. "What is this...?" Go Gye-young looked back and forth between the lifeless body of Naengmyeon Dogwi and Cheon Hui, who wore an indifferent expression. 'Why did Naengmyeon Dogwi...' His mind was in turmoil. Just moments ago, even someone like him with no martial arts experience could sense the intense negative energy emanating from the sword Naengmyeon Dogwi wielded as he charged. In contrast, Cheon Hui merely held up his finger, exuding no discernible aura. The outcome seemed obvious. But then, something inexplicable happened. A bright red beam suddenly shone from Cheon Hui's finger, and the tables were turned completely. Cheon Hui stood exactly where he was, with his finger raised, while Naengmyeon Dogwi, who had wielded a blade filled with chilling negative energy, fell, colder than his deadly aura, lying lifeless on the ground. 'From the momentum alone, it seemed Naengmyeon Dogwi would cut him in half...' Gulp— Go Gye-young, parched from the unexpected situation, gulped nervously. But that feeling only lasted a moment. 'As a lifelong merchant, there are things I cannot fathom even if I try...' He quickly abandoned his train of thought. For someone completely ignorant of martial arts, it was an eternal mystery. Dwelling on it would only give him a headache. There was only one thing he needed to do now. First and foremost, he must extend his gratitude to the Taoist master from the Hwasan sect, their benefactor, who had saved him, his wife, and the Bipungsang Trading Group. "Thank you for your assistance." He immediately performed a polite bow toward the young Taoist before him. "Th-...thank you." With trembling hands, the woman's face was as pale as a sheet. It was understandable given the harrowing events she had witnessed in less than half of one klepsydra—a unit of time. From the sudden attack to the deaths of those who tried to defend her, the flames and screams rising within the trading group. And the acrid smoke now stinging her nostrils was enough to cloud her mind. Any ordinary woman would be too shocked to think straight, yet she clung desperately to her sanity. After all, she was the matron of the Bipungsang Trading Group. Receiving the sincere gratitude from both, Cheon Hui remained unmoved. No, it seemed he wasn't even interested. His focus was elsewhere—on the sprawled form of Naengmyeon Dogwi at his feet. Though it had been a while since he felt such bloodlust, he waited patiently for his opponent to reveal his true skills... ‘Why so weak?’ His enthusiasm quickly cooled. Cheon Hui was greatly disappointed by Naengmyeon Dogwi, who perished before showing his full capability. He shifted his gaze. The two people looking up at him still trembled, perhaps from remaining fear. "It's all taken care of." He responded nonchalantly, confirming their safety before turning to leave. 'I've rescued them, so that's that.' Having completed his primary mission of safeguarding the heads of the Bipungsang Trading Group, he started to head towards the broken gate. "W-where are you going?" Go Gye-young asked hastily. Perhaps still anxious from just being rescued, he couldn't hide the nervousness in his voice at the thought of Cheon Hui leaving. Cheon Hui turned his head back to look at him. Quickly grasping his concern, Cheon Hui spoke with a hint of impatience. "If you're uneasy, then follow me." With that, he stepped through the doorway. “Honey.” “Dear.” Go Gye-young and Yeon Su-ran exchanged glances before following behind him with resolute faces. “Gasp!” “Oh my!” They both gasped, covering their mouths in shock. The corridor was filled with bodies. "When did all these corpses...!" Go Gye-young's eyes trembled. Most weren't dressed in the Bipungsang Group's clothing, identifying them as the intruders. And there was only one explanation for it. The Taoist ahead was responsible for this massacre, done so discreetly that even the formidable Naengmyeon Dogwi hadn't noticed. "Truly the might of Hwasan..." With renewed admiration and a hint of awe, Go Gye-young stared at Cheon Hui’s back as he walked ahead. Thud-thud— The sight of a Taoist calmly stepping through a corridor of corpses should have been unsettling. Moreover, despite his deadly actions, there was no room for criticism. For he was not their enemy, but their savior. 'Like a knight in shining armor.' Go Gye-young's face lit up with relief. Then, just as Cheon Hui exited into the open, his brow furrowed. ‘What? It's still not over?’ The scene that greeted him as he left the shelter was a battlefield, filled with acrid smoke stinging his nostrils. * * * “Argh!” Even after cutting down enemy after enemy, the assailants kept increasing, making Jeok Geom—Red Sword—grit his teeth. They were greatly outnumbered. The Plum Blossom Swordsmen totaled only five, yet the unknown martial artists outnumbered them by more than fifty. "This isn't the time for this!" Jeok Geom shouted desperately. He was anxious. ‘We need to get inside quickly!’ The devastation he witnessed within the Bipungsang Trading Group had him on edge. The uncertainty of his parents' fate inside left him distraught. “Out of my way!” He yelled fiercely as he swung his sword. Shiiing! Suddenly, a sharp sound of splitting air targeted him. “……!” Startled, Jeok Geom swiftly turned his head. A blade from the ambushing martial artist aimed directly for his temple. He quickly redirected his swing to intercept it. Clang! Though he managed to parry it with his blade, the impact made it shudder. "Senior brother!" At that moment, Seol Ran shouted, hurriedly widening the distance between herself and another opponent before calling out again. "Get a grip! What would the master think if he saw you like this?" The pointed reprimand made Jeok Geom flinch. To him, Cheon Hui was both a figure of respect and dread. Though he often approached life with a nonchalant demeanor, when it came to martial arts, Cheon Hui was more thorough and stringent than anyone. If he witnessed this scene... Shudder— Jeok Geom trembled. "…Thank you, junior sister." Calming himself, he assessed his surroundings more accurately, repositioning his grip on his sword. And his sword began to move once more. Hwaah! The air was filled with the rich scent of plum blossoms. It was the manifestation of Jeok Geom's plum blossom sword technique, honed diligently over a year. Slash! He severed the arm of the ambushing martial artist. "Aaahhh!" The martial artist looked at his severed limb and writhed on the ground in agony. Jeok Geom's gaze remained indifferent. A rookie might have been rattled by the screams and the unfamiliar sensation in his hands, but he was calm. '...The training wasn't in vain.' Perhaps it was the experience he gained through real-life practice, akin to hunting. The pressure and nervousness he felt five years ago during the martial arts contest were now things of the past. Now, he was solely Jeok Geom, the Plum Blossom Swordsman. Whoosh! Jeok Geom continued to execute his plum blossom sword technique. The sword, imbued with the scent of plum blossoms, struck down opponents without hesitation. Seol Ran did the same, cutting through her adversaries. "Well, that's better." Cheon Hui, who had been watching, muttered to himself. Normally, such a scene wouldn’t meet his standards, but there was something more aggravating drawing his attention. "Better than those guys." Cheon Hui cast a disappointed look at the other Plum Blossom Swordsmen, excluding Jeok Geom and Seol Ran. "Pant, pant." "Is everyone okay?" "I feel like I'm dying." Jeok Jae, Jeok Un, and Jeok Bi, who were dealing with the combined attacks of the Pahwangmun disciples, struggled. 'Tsk, even they're lacking in real combat experience.' The Plum Blossom Swordsmen certainly surpassed their enemies in martial prowess and skill. But what did it matter? They were being beaten like dogs. 'Compared to those three, Jeok Geom and Seol Ran are like celestial maidens.' As Cheon Hui clicked his tongue in disapproval, Jeok Un growled and started to speak. “Let’s fight one-on-one fairly…” But before Jeok Un could finish, the Pahwangmun disciples burst out laughing. "Foolish lads. There's nothing fair about the martial world." "What was Hwasan thinking, sending such naive fellows into this world?" Hearing the ridicule, Jeok Un and Jeok Jae charged forward in anger, while Cheon Hui only watched them with a look of disdain. “Struggling against such lowly opponents... pathetic.” Cheon Hui sighed deeply. “A waste of the martial arts they’ve learned.” Just as he was summing up his assessment, a wave of killing intent washed over him. “Die!” Swoosh! A Pahwangmun disciple suddenly appeared, aiming a sword at Cheon Hui's side. In that fleeting moment, the tip of the sword closed in. Boom! A loud crash was heard as one of the columns shattered. Thud The man who had burst through the pillar rolled among his own comrades in an unrecognizable, pitiful state. As silence settled between the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the Pahwangmun disciples for a moment, "Master uncle?" "When did you arrive?" Jeok Geom and Seol Ran beamed brightly. In a situation where they had been pushed back, Cheon Hui's appearance was like a beacon of hope. "Was there another one?" In contrast, the Pahwangmun disciples gaped, gripping their swords tightly with tense expressions. "You!" "How dare you touch one of our disciples!" "Everyone, kill that man!" Watching the oncoming foes rushing from all sides, Cheon Hui let out a cold chuckle. A chilling, spine-tingling laugh. "They must be eager to die." Thud! Thud! With dull thuds, the five assailants who charged were sent flying, spewing blood. Snatch! Cheon Hui turned, grabbing the neck of a Pahwangmun disciple who attempted a surprise attack from behind. “S-spare me…!” The man pleaded pitifully, squirming in his grip, but Cheon Hui twisted his neck with an impassive face. Crunch— The unpleasant sound echoed, and the Pahwangmun disciples went pale as paper. In the blink of an eye, six of them had met their end—a fearsome enough display to plant seeds of terror. But they didn’t know. That this was only the beginning. Swoosh— Suddenly, Cheon Hui’s figure blurred, reappearing in the midst of the Pahwangmun disciples. "Gasp!" "…!" They quickly swung their weapons at the suddenly appearing Cheon Hui. Boom! But their weapons met with empty air, a futile attempt. And then, like a drum erupting, their martial arts robes ballooned violently. “Gah!” “Gugrk—” They spewed blood before slowly collapsing to their knees, then falling over wholly. Shudder— “I-is that internal hand technique?” One who recognized Cheon Hui's skill was left in shock. The level of mastery he displayed was not easily achieved. Usually, it required at least the sect leader’s level of mastery. Yet, this young Taoist executed it effortlessly. Drip, drip— As sweat trickled down the foreheads of the Pahwangmun disciples while Cheon Hui approached steadily, “What are you waiting for? Are you coming, or should I come to you?” With those words, Cheon Hui sprang forward like an arrow. At that very moment, "You!" A large-framed man appeared, blocking Cheon Hui's path. "The branch leader!" “The branch leader is here!” The Pahwangmun disciples' faces lit up. The man in black was the leader of Pahkyungdan, who had ambushed the Bipungsang Trading Group. He was Tae San Il Kwon, one of the top three martial arts experts of Pahwangmun. “You insolent one. How dare you continue your cruel rampage…” The leader began to reprimand Cheon Hui with dignity. But Cheon Hui swung his fist. Thud! “Ugh!” The large man was lifted into the air, sent flying until he crashed into a wall. Crash! "…!" While the Pahwangmun disciples stood agape in shock, Cheon Hui tilted his head with curiosity. "Who was that guy?"