55. The Yongmun Assembly
“Read volume 8 yet?”
“You bet!”
“Getting your hands on the next one’s like plucking stars from the sky! What the hell’s Gyeongun Merchant Group doing without expanding their branches?”
“They said the first print run sold out already!”
“It’ll take time for the reprints to come out, though…”
“We gotta watch out for anyone spoiling the whole story now that they’ve read it all.”
“Remember that guy who blabbed about volume 7 in front of everyone? Yeah, we need to be careful!”
Volume 8 of Wudang Sword Hero hit the shelves just past early December—a somewhat unusual timing. The series typically dropped new volumes mid-month, around the 15th, so advancing the schedule sparked all sorts of chatter. Most of it was pure speculation, of course.
“With the Yongmun Assembly right around the corner, maybe Master Su-gyeong timed it to avoid that.”
“You don’t think there won’t be a new volume in January, do you?”
“Nah, no way. He always announces ahead if there’s a delay.”
“Hmm, true enough.”
The talk quickly shifted to the contents of volume 8.
“This volume’s a shocker. Wudang getting pushed back by the new Demon Venerable of Heavenly Pole Divine Cult and the raid from Nine Heavens Secret Palace?”
“And Jin-un struggling like that? Pretty much the first time, right?”
“He was ambushed while still shaky from recovering his internal injuries—makes sense he’d struggle.”
“That Death Spirit Demon Venerable’s a nightmare. Makes you wonder if a monster like that really exists out there—gives me the chills!”
The new antagonist in volume 8, the Death Spirit Demon Venerable, stood apart from the likes of Poison Demon Venerable or Tyrant Sword Venerable. Even though Jin-un was somewhat weakened from healing, the fiend had cornered him—a major feat in itself. But it didn’t stop there; he desecrated the fallen Wudang disciples by using sorcery to raise them as corpse ghosts for mockery.
“You could feel Jin-un’s rage just bleeding off the page. Right?”
“Totally. First time seeing him that furious.”
“I’d be the same. To a murim warrior, senior and junior brothers are family. Especially one Jin-un cherished so much, turned into a corpse ghost…”
Everyone genuinely empathized with Jin-un’s anguish. In the murim world, one’s sect brothers were kin, blood-bound.
“Still, a shame he couldn’t behead the Death Spirit Demon Venerable.”
“If not for Nine Heavens Secret Palace…”
“Heavenly Pole Divine Cult plays it smart. Who’d have thought they’d provoke Nine Heavens into attacking Wudang Mountain?”
Nine Heavens Secret Palace had appeared briefly around volume 3 in the early days of Wudang Sword Hero, then vanished as a third force. Their return during the Wudang raid, amid the ongoing clash between Jin-un and Heavenly Pole, stunned readers.
“I figured they were a one-off villain after hitting Namgung Clan, but who saw this comeback?”
“There were hints, though. They planted a poison puppet in Namgung’s young lord to control the clan. No way they’d just slink off.”
Nine Heavens had struck from the shadows, puppeteering Namgung Clan’s heir with poison to attack Jin-un under Heavenly Pole’s orders—a side story revealed in volume 8 that left folks marveling at the intricate plotting.
“Who’d guess Heavenly Pole commissioned Nine Heavens to assassinate Great Hero Jin-un?”
“Exactly. And Nine Heavens ain’t weak—their forces shown this time prove it. But the Heavenly Demon…”
“Heavenly Pole luring them to Wudang? Using them as pawns in some grand sacrifice gambit, right?”
“Mm-hmm. Spot on.”
The martial prowess Nine Heavens displayed in volume 8 was no joke. Though duped by Heavenly Pole into the assault, their skills weren’t inferior to the cult’s demons—in group battles, they even overwhelmed Wudang disciples, pillars of the righteous sects.
“A brutal, one-note formation that steamrolls Wudang’s Seven Stars Sword Formation despite its flowing-with-the-enemy style. If that’s a real way to break Wudang formations…”
“Pfft, no chance. That’d never work.”
“Anyway, the Heavenly Demon’s strength is impossible to gauge. Cunning and powerful—Supreme Demon of Past and Present fits perfectly.”
“He’s the final boss Jin-un has to topple, so yeah!”
“What worries me is the Heavenly Demon and Heavenly Pole. After failing at Wudang, they won’t sit idle.”
“Obviously! And with Death Spirit turning Jin-un’s junior brother into a corpse ghost and dragging him off, next time it might be a jiangshi!”
“Creepy as hell. Classic demonic cult!”
With volume 8 spotlighting Wudang, interest in their martial arts surged too. Even scholars pored over Heavenly Pole’s demonic arts.
“Heavenly Pole’s demonic arts resemble those of the old Sun-Moon Cult from ancient murim records.”
“Nine Heavens’ style oddly mirrors righteous arts, which is noteworthy even for an outsider faction.”
“Power fluctuating with emotions, strongest on rage—plenty to study there.”
Among martial scholars dissecting techniques’ pros and cons, Wudang Sword Hero burned hot. Each volume introduced one or two arts defying murim conventions—endless research fodder.
“And now a formation crushing Wudang’s Seven Stars despite its yielding principles. Lots to ponder.”
“The Alliance wants experiments to test if Master Su-gyeong’s ‘brute force solves all’ theory holds, or if it’s viable in reality.”
“Either way, it’s clear Wudang Sword Hero will elevate modern murim.”
“The Alliance Leader promised to snag copies as they come, so let’s keep at it.”
“Whoa…”
So Seon-ha gaped slightly, eyes wide as she took in Luoyang’s streets. Seohyeon County wasn’t tiny, but it paled next to this. She’d only started venturing there after acquiring the Damcheon Ye Hong Divine Art anyway.
Trotting after Bang Soran, who led the way, So Seon-ha chirped like a lark.
“Master! So many people! And street stalls!”
“That excited, huh?”
“Yeah!”
“Shall we grab a quick bite before checking into an inn?”
“Yay!”
Bang Soran bought two skewered buns from a nearby stall, handing one to So Seon-ha and keeping the other.
“Waaah!”
She ruffled her disciple’s hair as the girl chomped happily, grinning herself as they walked on. The Thousand Sword Heroine wandered the world, but Luoyang visits were rare. Yongmun turf, and few crises demanded her aid.
“No clue where Master Su-gyeong is in this huge Luoyang.”
“Ugh-uh ong-um?”
Bang Soran chuckled at her stuffed-mouth mumble.
“Swallow first, then talk.”
“Hee-hee.”
Grinning toothily, So Seon-ha earned more laughter as they wove through the crowd. She’d brightened so much—barely the same girl. Thanks to Baek Su-gyeong’s steady Little Immortal Hero Chronicles shipments? She was starting to resemble her story’s heroine.
Weaving through the throng, Bang Soran mused.
One story changes a person… changes the Central Plains…
Great writers predated Baek Su-gyeong. But none wielded influence over all jianghu like him. No one had delved so deeply into murim.
Come to think of it, it’s uncanny…
His Little Immortal Hero Chronicles and Wudang Sword Hero featured arts tailor-made for So Seon-ha and Wudang’s warriors. Like Damcheon Ye Hong Divine Art, or Cheongmyeong’s Three Pure Extremes Sword Radiance.
Subtle differences in style, sure.
What a mysterious man. Master Su-gyeong.
Having met him, she knew: no special powers. Just a guy distant from murim, yet encyclopedic on it. That’s why his words reshaped the land. Righteous folk swung swords less recklessly now—positive change.
“Master, the inn’s full!”
“Tch. We’re a bit late.”
“All murim folk, I bet.”
Snapped from reverie by So Seon-ha’s report from scouting ahead, Bang Soran clicked her tongue.
The Yongmun Assembly. She hadn’t stepped into a tournament in ages. Which young talents would shine among the elders this time?
“Weird how everyone’s flocking now, after ignoring it forever.”
“Really?”
“Anyway, let’s find another inn. Can’t sleep rough in Luoyang.”
“Okay!”
So Seon-ha trailed after Bang Soran, robes fluttering.