The Embers of Baek Mountain
The fall of the Baekrang Bandits and the destruction of Baek Mountain.
Though the Baekrang Bandits were mere outlaws, the blazing inferno that consumed Baek Mountain was more than enough to draw the attention of all Sichuan.
The flames, which refused to die down even after swallowing the entirety of Baek Mountain, spread to the surrounding areas, causing the devastation of the wildfire to grow by the day.
Fortunately, a heavy downpour eventually brought the fire under control, but the event remained the talk of the province for a long time.
The public's fascination with the Baekrang Bandits, who had reigned as the masters of Baek Mountain for nearly half a century, did not fade easily.
In particular, both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions of Sichuan eagerly pursued the traces of demonic humans discovered at the bandits' stronghold.
However, because the raging fire had completely scorched Baek Mountain, finding any viable clues proved nearly impossible.
At best, the public only knew of the demonic humans' existence thanks to the exploits of Cheolhwa and the Cheondo Gate.
A pursuit force was belatedly dispatched to track down the vanished Pagun, but they failed to find any trace of him.
Consequently, under the leadership of the Sichuan martial artists, Pagun was officially branded a First-Class Public Enemy of the Jianghu.
With the affair of the Baekrang Bandits concluded on a somewhat unsettling note, all that remained was a massive, province-wide purge of demonic humans in Sichuan.
However, as the Three Demonic Travelers had also vanished without a trace, the chaos gripping Sichuan was far from resolved.
There were those who watched this entire situation with keen interest, chief among them being the Heavenly Sword Academy, the Cheondo Gate, and the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild.
Meanwhile, Do Sang-woon found himself unable to sleep even late into the night, lost in deep contemplation.
The fall of the Baekrang Bandits, which had shaken all of Sichuan, did not feel like someone else's problem.
Furthermore, the letter Yoo-sung had sent contained a highly detailed account of the bandits' demise.
"I shall report what has transpired in the meantime."
Yoo-sung's letter explained that the bandits of the Baekrang branch had mastered demonic arts, and they had set fire to Baek Mountain to conceal this fact.
It also mentioned that Pagun appeared to have mastered a highly advanced form of demonic cultivation, and his current whereabouts were unknown.
Up to this point, the information did not differ much from what the Sichuan investigation team had gathered.
The problem lay in what came next.
"The martial art he has mastered appears to be the 'Maryeong' (Demonic Spirit)."
According to the letter, this was the opinion of Cheolhwa.
Though Do Sang-woon had never encountered it personally, he was well aware of how perilous the Maryeong truly was.
"So, Macheon is finally poised to awaken once more," he murmured.
Until now, he had regarded it as a distant matter that had nothing to do with him, but that was no longer the case.
Perhaps the power he had recently acquired was a gift from the Founder, meant to help him navigate the coming turbulent times.
Ever since he had fortunately attained the Transformation Realm, Do Sang-woon had constantly prepared himself.
For he believed that a day would surely come when this strength would be desperately needed.
"We have also gained a new family member."
The new family member was Dogan Mabu.
"Many look down on him because he was a bandit, but he is not a bad fellow. He understands loyalty and knows how to maintain boundaries."
Upon reading that they had recruited Dogan Mabu, Do Sang-woon nodded readily.
He he had always believed that the distinctions between the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic paths were of little consequence.
"Martial arts themselves bear no sin; they are shaped solely by the heart of the one who wields them."
The Great Martial War with Macheon had bred an excessive, deep-seated hostility toward demonic practitioners.
Even before, the world had viewed demonic artists with disdain, but following the rise of Macheon, the gaze directed at them had become utterly merciless.
To the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions, the Demonic Path was merely a sacrificial lamb used to solidify their own positions.
But when the power of those demonic forces transcended all imagination, the plans of the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions were shattered, and their vigilance against demonic humans grew even more severe.
Do Sang-woon did not care for this current of the world.
"For now, I must trust Yoo-sung's judgment."
Dogan Mabu was a highly skilled martial artist, so his addition would undoubtedly be of great help to the academy.
"Before returning home, I intend to bring along some useful martial artists. It will not take long, so please do not worry."
Do Sang-woon clicked his tongue at Yoo-sung's words.
Ten years ago, his second son had left after saying those very same words, only to never return.
Yet, this time, he was certain the boy would not be late.
"In that case, I should begin my own preparations as well."
Truthfully, he still found it difficult to judge whether transforming the academy was the right path.
He felt he could have been perfectly content with how things were, but the surrounding environment would not allow it.
The threatening Cheondo Gate was growing stronger by the day, and his son-in-law's merchant guild would soon be embroiled in a fierce succession battle.
If nothing else, a solid foundation was absolutely necessary to protect the safety of his family.
That was the reason Do Sang-woon had agreed to the wishes of Yoo-sung and the Ice Flower, Hye-mi.
"Father, times have changed. While you and I may keep our principles, must we not also change for the sake of the future generations yet to be born?"
His eldest son, who had once been as hesitant as he was about changing the academy, had ultimately supported Yoo-sung and his daughter-in-law.
Therefore, as their father, was it not only natural to back them up?
To consult with his eldest son, who would succeed him as the first head of their newly reborn clan, Do Sang-woon rose from his seat and stepped out of his room.
Late into the night, Do Yoo-chan's room remained brightly lit.
Beside him sat the Ice Flower, Hye-mi, who had brought some tea and refreshments.
"Please, have some tea while you work," she said.
Hye-mi watched Do Yoo-chan with eyes full of concern.
Normally, for a martial artist, staying up late like this was of little consequence.
However, Do Yoo-chan was still recovering from severe internal injuries.
And since it was a wound to his dantian—which was notoriously difficult to heal completely—he had to be exceptionally careful.
Ever since Yoo-sung and Ho-sung had left the academy, Do Yoo-chan's days had grown significantly longer.
"Thank you," he replied.
Smiling, Do Yoo-chan moistened his throat with the tea she offered, his gaze drifting back to the manuscript before him.
"You seem to find it quite fascinating," Hye-mi remarked, glancing at the pages.
She scanned the book Do Yoo-chan was reading.
Written in neat, elegant calligraphy were various martial formulas Do Yoo-chan was transcribing.
Most of them were from the manuals preserved by the Heavenly Sword Academy, but a few were those brought back by Yoo-sung.
What Do Yoo-chan was currently doing was organizing these diverse martial arts and filling in their respective shortcomings.
In prestigious clans, there were always individuals who specialized in this very task.
They were called martial scholars.
Literally meaning those who researched martial arts, the Nine Great Sects boasted a substantial number of these scholars.
Examining and analyzing martial arts from various perspectives to pass them down to future generations—that was the mission of a martial scholar.
In Hye-mi's eyes, Do Yoo-chan was far better suited to being a martial scholar than a warrior.
This was a thought she had harbored ever since she first met him.
By nature, a martial artist had to be ruthless.
Moreover, in turbulent times like these, one had to be even more relentless, but neither Do Yoo-chan nor Do Sang-woon possessed that cold edge.
Though she had strived to ensure the safety of the Heavenly Sword Academy using what she had brought when escaping the Ice Palace, her efforts had clear limits.
Just as she was agonizing over a solution, Yoo-sung had returned.
He returned at the absolute perfect moment.
Yoo-sung, who effortlessly executed the very plans she had only conceptualized in her head, was exactly as the rumors described.
"Among the Three Disasters, there exists one as heartless as the wind—the Wind Disaster, more cruel and merciless than any demonic human. His eyes hold both emptiness and indifference. Pray that his eyes never gleam. For when his gaze falls upon you, death has already descended by your side."
She was certain that the rumored Demon Emperor was indeed Yoo-sung, thanks to his profound, unfathomable martial might.
The martial manuals he had left behind were, without exception, supreme, high-level techniques.
No ordinary expert could have wandered around carrying such peerless techniques in their bosom.
Once she realized Yoo-sung's true identity, Hye-mi's heart grew considerably lighter.
She had long harbored a deep anxiety, fearing when her own identity would be exposed and bring a bloodbath upon the academy.
But with the Demon Emperor—a being incomparable to herself—by their side, she could not help but feel at ease.
"Take your time," she urged. "The martial arts your brother gave you are all incredibly complex. It won't be easy to yield results in a short period."
"I will. It's just that I keep getting greedy."
"Soso is worried about you as well."
At Hye-mi's words, Do Yoo-chan finally set down his brush.
If nothing else, hearing that his daughter was worried made him decide to rest for the night.
However...
"Are you inside?"
With Do Sang-woon's late-night visit, Do Yoo-chan and Hye-mi's night grew just a little bit longer.
"It is far too late," Do Sang-woon said, looking apologetic.
Do Yoo-chan and Hye-mi smiled and shook their heads.
"It is quite alright, Father."
"I will bring some tea, so please wait a moment."
Though the nights at the Heavenly Sword Academy grew longer by the day, the changes taking place within were undeniably positive.
The Murim Alliance of Henan.
When people thought of Henan, they invariably thought of the Shaolin Temple.
But now, Henan boasted another landmark.
The Murim Alliance—a colossal organization formed by the gathering of Orthodox martial artists.
As the lights of the Murim Alliance never went out, day or night, the growth of Henan accelerated with each passing day.
Even within the sleepless Murim Alliance, the place where the lights burned the longest was the residence of the Chief Military Advisor.
"Hmm."
Jegal Min, the Chief Military Advisor of the Murim Alliance, was deeply troubled by a secret letter that had arrived a few days prior.
The secret letter was a highly confidential document sent only to those he trusted implicitly.
It was written in a cipher that only the sender and Jegal Min himself could decode.
And the sender of this particular secret letter was none other than Dang Hwa-young.
"As if the Three Demonic Travelers were not enough, even Pagun has become a demonic human."
He could accept that much, but the nature of the demonic art Pagun had mastered was highly disturbing.
"A Maryeongin..."
The Maryeong, the seed of demonic energy, had been the primary strength of the loathsome Macheon.
The power of demonic humans reborn through the Maryeong was incomparable to that of ordinary demonic practitioners.
Having resolved almost all the side effects of the blood-sucking demonic humans, these Maryeongin operated not on mere instinct, but with cold, calculating reason.
Naturally, during the process of confirming Macheon's downfall, they had thoroughly erased all traces of the Maryeong.
Of course, they had anticipated its eventual re-emergence in the world.
But were those abominable monsters already prepared to show themselves?
"It is sooner than I expected."
The current state of the Jianghu was, quite literally, an era of rival warlords.
An era where countless heroes and factions vied to carve out their own territories and claim mastery over the new age.
Much like the legendary heroes of the Three Kingdoms, the various factions of the current Jianghu had completed their preparations to clash for supremacy.
Though they were currently keeping each other in check due to the lingering wounds of the war with Macheon, this fragile peace would last three years at the absolute most.
If Macheon were to resurface in the midst of this, it would bring about a chaos far greater than before.
To prevent this, Jegal Min had done his utmost, working tirelessly from his position as a mediator.
"But I cannot be certain yet. Although Cheolhwa experienced the war with Macheon, it was only toward its very end. Since she never witnessed the true nature of the Maryeong, she might have mistaken it for a blood-sucking demonic human."
Therefore, concrete verification was required.
The problem was that he could not openly utilize the Murim Alliance.
To capture the Three Demonic Travelers, the martial artists of Sichuan had formed the 'Sichuan Alliance.'
This was a clear expression of their desire to exclude the Murim Alliance's interference as much as possible, making it difficult to rashly send Alliance martial artists into Sichuan.
Moreover, if the reason for their dispatch was the Maryeong, the backlash would be immense.
"It would only fuel the chaos and play right into their hands."
In the end, Jegal Min had only one choice.
To verify it himself and make a careful judgment.
However, to achieve this, he had to send someone he trusted implicitly to Sichuan.
As it happened, the perfect person for the task came to find him.
Creak.
Jegal Min did not react with anger when his door swung open without permission.
For there was only one person in the world permitted to enter his quarters at will: Jegal Jong-mi.
"You called for me?" she asked.
"I need you to make a trip to Sichuan."
"Sichuan? Isn't Cheolhwa already there?"
When Jegal Min shared the contents of the secret letter with the puzzled Jegal Jong-mi, her expression hardened.
"We definitely need to verify this. I will go."
Jegal Min was pleased by how quickly Jegal Jong-mi agreed.
"I will contact the Beggars' Sect and Cheolhwa, so seek their assistance once you arrive in Sichuan."
"No. If I rely on them, it will only draw unnecessary scrutiny from the public."
She was certainly not wrong.
"Then what about the Cheondo Gate?"
"They are closer to the Unorthodox Path than the Orthodox."
"It seems you already have a place in mind."
"Yes. I will handle that part myself, so please do not worry too much."
Despite Jegal Jong-mi's bold attitude, Jegal Min did not question her.
He merely gazed at his daughter with eyes full of absolute trust.
"Travel safely."
"I will."
At that moment, neither of them knew.
That this journey would keep them apart for a very, very long time.