The Divine Dragon Appears
There existed a great figure so magnificent that it was impossible to think of him as merely one of the uncivilized people of the Central Plains. Sima Qian—the first and greatest historian of the Central Plains, a man who could proudly stand among the greatest historians across the entire world and every era combined. As a chronicler of super-ancient civilizations, he accomplished the monumental feat of a single individual documenting the history of an entire age. Yet he remained faithful to his duty as a recorder. He vividly depicted both the lives of rulers above and the common people below, striving for objectivity by setting aside personal grudges and resentments as much as humanly possible. Of course, he seemed to harbor a rather deep resentment toward Emperor Wu of Han, the man who had turned him into a eunuch, but a eunuch’s grudge could be overlooked. For a single journalist, this was noble conduct, making him fundamentally different from the human garbage back in Cheong’s homeland that deserved to be burned to the ground. Of course, comparing non-recyclable toxic waste to human beings made them fundamentally different by nature.
Anyway, this masterpiece by Sima Qian was called the Taesa Gongseo or Taesa Gonggi, but the lazy people of the Central Plains thought even four characters were too long and shortened it to Sagi. According to this Sagi, there was the saying: a scholar dies for one who recognizes his worth. Therefore, the gratitude the ronin warriors felt toward Cheong could not be expressed with mere words.
Ronin were basically consumables. They were disposable tools used as frugally as possible—meat shields on the front lines, enemy strength analysts, trap breakers, and so on. Injured? Replace him. Dying? Replace him. Dead? Too bad. Replace him. Their treatment was miserable, but the way society viewed them was even worse. When there was work, they were ronin. When there wasn’t, they were robbers. They acted like the closest of friends who couldn’t live without each other, yet drew swords the moment they stood on opposite sides. In truth, they were cold-blooded creatures who only pretended to be close in order to use one another. The robber accusation wasn’t entirely false, but for independent warriors who prided themselves on living with at least some sense of justice, it was simply an unfair stigma.
Moreover, if they pretended to fight each other because they were acquainted while still taking payment (which they usually did), they would be criticized for lacking business ethics and loyalty. It was during such times that Cheong appeared. To the ronin, she did not deny their shameful origins. Instead, she comforted them, encouraged them, and affirmed them. The effort they had made to live rightly despite their difficult beginnings was finally being recognized. And this was no empty talk—she had proven it by risking her own life.
It was the first affirmation these ronin warriors had ever received in their lives, an acknowledgment that their existence had not been in vain. Therefore, with the hearts they possessed right now, the ronin could have died for Cheong. Of course, hearts could change in the face of death, so no one could guarantee their future feelings.
Thus, the stories the ronin embellished reached the level of a heroic epic: Let us all sing her praises together. The pitiful ronin had been completely taken in by the cunning temptations of the evil Blood Sect. As a result, they had swallowed the Solitary Poison along with resorting to any underhanded means, including the Insignificant Basket.
To this, the wise and brilliant Great Hero Seomun Cheong saw through everything and declared, “It is truly regrettable that you could not resist a fleeting temptation. But do not worry. This Seomun Cheong shall take care of everything.”
She tracked the Blood Sect alone, driving them all the way to the hidden cave beneath the earth. With a single swing of her sword, the bones and flesh of the Blood Sect warriors separated. When she pointed her finger and commanded them to die, they could not help but commit suicide beneath the weight of her majesty. In the end, she executed the wicked leader of the Blood Sect (though the Blood Demon would surely be bewildered by this claim) and used her brilliant wisdom to purge the Solitary Poison.
Meanwhile, Moyong Juhee was completely omitted from these tales, simply because the ronin knew nothing about her. After all, these people had never taken a single step down into that basement.
After listening to the entire story, Sama Chunbong thought, They call themselves ronin, but the moment they open their mouths, lies just pour out nonstop.
Yet with her brilliant mind, after distinguishing truth from fiction and synthesizing the information, the conclusion was clear: after grasping the situation, Cheong had sought help from her master to resolve it. If it was the greatest woman alive, the Blood Sect’s independent unit—let alone the Blood Old Guard—would be nothing more than insignificant bug breeders whose martial prowess was laughable.
Thus, Sama Chunbong felt both crisis and ecstasy. The crisis was the appearance of a powerful rival threatening her position as the next greatest genius maiden under heaven. The ecstasy was that, at long last, a proper rival had appeared for this genius, super-genius, supremely beautiful flower.
A rival was essential for any true genius, for a rival was simultaneously the greatest person who could understand them. It was a joy beyond measure that a great intellect capable of understanding her had finally appeared—someone different from the ordinary mortals of this era who could not even be considered the same species. It was regrettable that such a person had to be born in the same era as this great Sama, but so be it.
Regardless, Sama Chunbong quickly wrote up a report and submitted it. The report traveled from the Chief Strategist’s hands to the master of the Meng, the Murim Alliance Leader.
Thus, Jo Hyun-ryang exclaimed in admiration.
“Surin really pulled through. No, I should say she did pull through. Why keep quiet about an achievement that should be announced across the entire world?”
“Wasn’t it for the sake of the Meng’s face? With the Murim Great Assembly underway, she must have judged that it would do no good for the world to learn the Blood Sect had been scheming in secret.”
“Hmm.”
Jo Hyun-ryang answered curtly. However, unlike what the Chief Strategist had interpreted, this “hmm” was not affirmation but complete negation.
There was no way the world’s Female Mad Dog would do something like that. She was absolutely not the type to care about the Meng’s face. She would have gone around shouting to the entire world, “See? In the end, isn’t it always the women who handle the big things? While the men are busy playing around, just look at this,” acting exactly like her usual mad dog self.
But there was no need for Jo Hyun-ryang to keep dwelling on how strange it was.
“That? My disciple took care of everything. I only went down with her in case it was dangerous, and even then I only cut down a few small fries.”
“Seomun Cheong, that child? Even if the Blood Old Guard isn’t a frontline combat unit, the Earth Judge Light Demon shouldn’t have been such an easy opponent.”
“Would I lie about something like this?”
Jo Hyun-ryang nodded. The Female Mad Dog was indeed a mad dog, but she did not lie. She had always been an endlessly straightforward person.
“And there’s no need to worry. Since that Great Leader bastard is dead too, we’ve completely pulled up the roots.”
“The Great Leader as well? You handled him, I assume?”
“No. When I woke up, my disciple was shoving a head in my face. Some Blood Wheel Demon or other.”
Of course, it wasn’t that she simply avoided lying. Seomun Su-rin knew that the act of not lying could itself become a powerful weapon.
“The Blood Wheel Demon! Then you’re saying that Seomun Cheong child cut him down? Is that the truth?”
Seomun Su-rin simply smiled without answering.
Jo Hyun-ryang slapped his knee.
“Good heavens, a prodigy, a true prodigy. She is nothing short of a divine being, a divine dragon in the Murim. No, just how did you raise her for the disciple to turn out like that? From what I’ve seen, not only is her skill exceptional, but her character is genuine, her manners impeccable, and she’s so polite. Ha. I’m dying of envy.”
“I didn’t raise her. She was like that from the start. It’s amazing even though I didn’t do anything special.”
Though Seomun Su-rin spoke with such humility, her face was positively blooming.
Jo Hyun-ryang did not even try to hide his envy.
“Just how did you discipline her character? Please, I desperately need to fix that successor of the Jo family right now. Won’t you share your secret? Hm?”
“When I first saw Cheong, what I liked most about her was her character, so I didn’t really touch that part.”
“Aww, come on.”
“Hmm. If I must say, it was the whip of love.”
Jo Hyun-ryang asked back doubtfully.
“You beat that child? That good child?”
“Even I felt heartbroken. But what could I do? Every time she strayed from the proper path, I trained her until the tears flowed.”
“Hmm. As expected, the rod really is the best…”
This would be an extremely regrettable moment for Brother Jo—Jo Hak-cheo.
“But why didn’t you announce such good news? Taking down the Blood Old Guard is properly removing one massive headache.”
“Don’t even mention it. My disciple is so soft-hearted. She’s worried that the ronin might get criticized for accepting a little Insignificant Basket. Just how does she plan to survive in this harsh world being that soft? It’s a mountain of worry, a mountain.”
Seomun Su-rin spoke with a wide smile.
“How can her heart be so beautiful? Tsk.”
“Even if you say a warrior has a beautiful heart, does that count as praise?”
The Seomun Su-rin who said this looked brighter than Jo Hyun-ryang had ever seen her.
Eventually, Jo Hyun-ryang let out a deep sigh, his eyes leaking pure envy, and said,
“Well. If that is the child’s wish, then it cannot be helped.”
Jo Hyun-ryang ordered the matter buried since it was Cheong’s will. It was a shame to throw away the honor of subjugating the Blood Sect just to look after some ronin, but that too could be called chivalry, so it could be considered a willing act.
But the ways of the world did not always turn out so neatly.
The problem was the Demonic Cult bastards.
The Demonic Alliance announces to the Central Plains. There are too many parasites devouring the world. We shall name the Black Point bastards as prime examples. Behold their evil deeds. Since they freely dispose of stolen goods, all one needs to do is steal and sell to the Black Point. Thus thieves swarm across the Central Plains. And what of the pleasure houses? They openly practice human trafficking, forbidden by national law, daring to steal precious human lives and sell them with ease. The cursed cannibal bastards are the same. These cannibal scum who should be burned alive can easily obtain human flesh, so they normally hide their wicked nature behind the mask of a gentleman. Furthermore, they recklessly sell deadly poisons, making poisoning an everyday occurrence in the Central Plains, and peddle distorted, incorrect martial manuals so that promising talents fall to qi deviation. They are truly useless—evil parasites whose very existence brings only harm to the world.
The new Heavenly Demon Supreme has commanded us to make the world a better place, a world where the good receive their just reward. Therefore, the Demonic Alliance shall obey this solemn order by removing the parasites that devour the world. Heroes of the Kangho under heaven! If you too possess righteousness, set aside past grudges. Before this common enemy, will you not stand back to back with us as comrades and lend a hand in eradicating those wicked parasites?
On behalf of the great Heavenly Demon Supreme. The Priest of the Divine Cult offers this to the righteous heroes of the Kangho.
Inquiries regarding joining the Demonic Alliance are accepted at any time at the Alliance Headquarters in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. Even if you do not believe in the Divine Cult, even if you harbor demons within, we warmly welcome all demonic heroes who possess the will to walk the righteous path. We ask for your generous interest.
“I told you we should wipe out the Black Point bastards! Just what is this disgrace?”
Seomun Su-rin demanded. The absolute masters of the Righteous Faction avoided her fiery gaze. The Black Point subjugation that Seomun Su-rin had proposed at the assembly had been rejected by majority vote—the fairest method in human history. And this was the result.
“While the Murim Alliance sat on its hands, those Demonic Cult devils stepped forward first. Is there any greater humiliation in the world?”
“Ahem.”
From the beginning, what had been the purpose of the Murim Great Assembly? Was it not to strengthen the unity of the Righteous Faction in response to the Demonic Cult’s resurgence and the appearance of a new power? Yet the Demonic Cult had stepped forward with morally perfect justification, dealing a direct blow to the Righteous Faction’s face.
“People are already saying the Demonic Cult must have truly changed, that the new Heavenly Demon really does seem benevolent. What are we going to do about this?”
“Ugh.”
No one had anything to say. Even if they had a hundred mouths, they would have been speechless. Maybe with a thousand mouths they could have made excuses—like how could we have known the Demonic Cult would act like this?
The situation had turned truly sour. If they ignored it, the Righteous Faction would be accused of refusing to participate in a just cause. And even if they joined the subjugation, they would only be playing second fiddle. It was a complete victory for the Young Demon Brain, Ji Seungju.
Through this, the Demonic Alliance had successfully spread its name as a righteous force, reaped substantial benefits through their new White Point enterprise, and even resolved internal discontent by directing it toward an easy enemy. It was a brilliant move worthy of being called divine.
The Murim Alliance leadership, which had dreamed of unity through the Great Assembly only to suffer a devastating surprise defeat, wore expressions of deep anguish.
It was then that the Chief Strategist, the all-knowing Sama Jong, offered a solution.
“Great Matriarch. I am sorry toward your disciple, but I believe we must make the achievement of the Blood Sect subjugation widely known. May we do so?”
“What?”
“Blood Sect subjugation? What’s this about now?”
“Why are those cursed devils suddenly appearing?”
The masters who had not known the situation buzzed with confusion. Sama Jong sent a pleading look toward Seomun Su-rin, who eventually nodded with clear reluctance.
Sama Jong then explained Cheong’s righteous deeds.
“Ohh. This is truly a blessing for the Righteous Faction.”
“See? The moment I saw her, I knew at first glance that this child was a true hero. Wol-ah Divine Sword! What a perfect name.”
The excited Mount Hua Sect Leader raised his voice, while Abbot Muhak nodded repeatedly in agreement beside him. The corners of Seomun Su-rin’s mouth crept upward.
“Since things have come to this, the Murim Alliance must also participate in the Black Point subjugation. However, we cannot fall behind the Demonic Cult, so we shall announce the Blood Sect subjugation to let the world know the righteous spirit of the Righteous Faction still lives.”
In the end, it was a battle of honor. The Blood Sect was far more evil than the Black Point—in fact, comparing the two almost felt insulting to the Black Point. They would use this achievement to restore the Righteous Faction’s face.
Seomun Su-rin shook her head.
“That will not do. If you make such an announcement, will the Blood Sect stay quiet? You want my disciple to bear all their hatred?”
“Then, with all due respect, could we frame it as a secret operation of the Murim Alliance?”
“Ahem.”
Seomun Su-rin let out an uncomfortable cough. There was a clear difference between rumors that Seomun Cheong had cut down some of the Blood Sect and an official statement declaring that Seomun Cheong had done it. The former might be overlooked, but the latter would force the Blood Sect to eliminate Cheong to preserve their own honor.
Yet they could not simply sit and watch the Righteous Faction’s face get completely trampled. So what was there to do?
“It cannot be helped. Do it that way. However, since my disciple has her own wishes, remove all mention of the ronin and the Insignificant Basket. If you do that, she will agree without complaint.”
“We are grateful for your decisive judgment.”
Seomun Su-rin snorted.
“Don’t just say thank you with words. The one whose credit was stolen is my disciple, so at least give her proper compensation.”