The Son of the Divine Sword
Hyeongcheon took Cheonhwa’s words as mockery and flew into a rage.
“Do you even know where you are, barging in here and causing trouble?”
“Trouble? My siblings are being tormented like this, and you call it trouble? You would turn a blind eye while your own family suffers outside?”
Cheonhwa’s anger surged at Hyeongcheon’s reply.
“The ones causing trouble are those who tormented my siblings. This place is nothing like the Wulin Alliance I’ve always heard about. If the Alliance my mother always spoke of with such pride is truly like this, then I am deeply disappointed.”
Cheonhwa had grown up listening to his mother, Yi Hwarin, speak endlessly of the Wulin Alliance.
Because of that, he had longed for the Central Plains beyond the island and yearned for the martial world. Hearing his parents’ stories, he had countless times imagined himself becoming a hero in that world, just like them.
Of course, he could not judge the entire Wulin Alliance by Hyeongcheon’s actions alone, yet the sight of a division leader who could not distinguish right from wrong and sought only to shield his own people filled Cheonhwa with profound disappointment.
“Are you trying to deceive even the Alliance I once knew?”
Cheonhwa now understood what people meant when they said that anger so great it brought forth hollow laughter.
He turned to his uncle, Yi Ja-saeng.
“Uncle.”
“Speak.”
“I believe we must take So-ryong and Jin-hwa out of the Wulin Alliance. In a place like this, they cannot properly learn martial arts, and both their bodies and minds will suffer greatly.”
Yi Ja-saeng’s gaze shifted to Yi So-ryong and Yi Jin-hwa. Seeing the expressions on his children’s faces, he realized how neglectful he had been.
“Haa……”
After drawing a deep breath, Yi Ja-saeng nodded.
The martial world and the merchant world were inseparable, and for the sake of the family’s glory he had forced something cruel upon Yi So-ryong and Yi Jin-hwa. The guilt weighed on him.
“So-ryong, Jin-hwa. Let us return with your father.”
‘Wait, then that young man is the younger brother of the Great Princess and the current head of the Haedong Merchant Group, Yi Ja-saeng?’
Yi So-ryong and Yi Jin-hwa knew that Yi Hwarin, once called the Great Princess and even considered a candidate for the next Alliance Lord, belonged to the same family as them.
Though her clan had fallen into obscurity after the Demonic Prince and the Great Princess’s mutual withdrawal from the world, there were still many within the Wulin Alliance who held fond memories of Hwarin.
“I’ll tear your limbs apart……”
While they spoke, Jae-man, who had regained consciousness, shouted at Cheonhwa only to have his head snap sideways once more with a resounding crack. Every remaining tooth shattered and spilled from his mouth before he lost consciousness again.
‘I didn’t even see him move.’
Hyeongcheon was inwardly shocked by Cheonhwa’s speed.
‘Come to think of it, he just called Yi Ja-saeng “Uncle.”’
Only then did Hyeongcheon sense that something was amiss.
‘The former head of the Haedong Merchant Group, Yi Sang-woo, had two children: the former Great Princess Yi Hwarin and the current head, Yi Ja-saeng. Yet this boy called Yi Ja-saeng “Uncle” and said his mother had always spoken proudly of the Wulin Alliance.’
Following that line of thought, Hyeongcheon asked Cheonhwa with an incredulous expression.
“Who is your mother?”
“She is not someone a man like you has the right to inquire about.”
“Could it be that your mother……”
At that moment, an immense, formless pressure descended upon Hyeongcheon’s shoulders.
A faint groan escaped his lips from the pain.
“Kuh……!”
When the invisible force pressed down on him, he tried to resist by circulating his inner energy, but the more he fought, the more his knees buckled beneath the weight.
Thud!
Hyeongcheon’s knees struck the floor completely. The crushing pressure bent his waist and forced his head to bow before Cheonhwa.
Everyone inside the inn stared in stunned disbelief. The leader of the Four Righteous Division, Hyeongcheon, had knelt before a youth who looked barely more than a boy.
—Listen carefully. If the Haedong Merchant Group suffers even the slightest harm because of this incident, I will hold both the families involved and the Wulin Alliance responsible. So deal with those people yourself and make sure I have no reason to get involved.
Cheonhwa sent the message through sound transmission.
“Do you truly believe that is possible?”
“Then why do you believe it is impossible?”
For a moment, Hyeongcheon could not answer.
—If I set my mind to it and attack the orthodox sects while avoiding the Alliance’s eyes, what do you think would happen?
“If you did that……”
—Exactly. The most you could do is destroy the Haedong Merchant Group. You would be trading one merchant group for hundreds of orthodox sects.
Hyeongcheon’s body trembled faintly.
It was an impossible scenario, yet the pressure weighing on him and the killing intent radiating from Cheonhwa made the young man’s words feel disturbingly plausible.
—And do you think the unorthodox sects or the Demonic Cult would simply stand by? The unorthodox factions would seize the chance to wipe out the orthodox spirit, and the Demonic Cult would try to exterminate your bloodline entirely. Am I wrong?
“That……”
“I am confident. If you do not believe me, feel free to test me.”
Cheonhwa spoke the words others were not meant to hear through sound transmission and voiced the rest aloud.
Hyeongcheon’s thoughts grew tangled as he faced Cheonhwa’s unwavering demeanor.
‘He is not speaking idly. The look in his eyes tells me he truly intends to carry it out. He is not someone to be taken lightly.’
The aura pouring from Cheonhwa convinced Hyeongcheon that the youth was more than capable of such a feat.
—Think carefully. If you are willing to trade the Haedong Merchant Group for the orthodox martial world, then harass us as much as you like. But I promise you this: the price you pay will far exceed anything you can imagine.
“Is that true?”
At the edge of the Xinjiang region, beyond Qinghai, which was known as the end of the Central Plains, stood the Tianshan Mountains. There, the Demonic Cult—the single most powerful force under heaven—had established its domain.
Twenty-five years ago, when the Great Prince and heir, Cheonwoo, had mutually withdrawn from the world alongside the Great Princess of the Wulin Alliance, the cult had faltered briefly. Even so, it remained an object of terror to all martial artists and continued to wield its influence.
“So it is said. The rumor is spreading quietly through the martial world even now. The cult’s intelligence division has likely obtained the same information.”
“Then why have they not reported it?”
“Perhaps to prevent unrest among the cult members.”
The man who received the report narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Ever since the Cult Leader disappeared, the cult has been in chaos.”
Although the Cult Leader’s grandson, Bang Seokok, had entered the Heavenly Demon Cave to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, there was still no clear successor to the throne.
The factions vying for the Cult Leader’s seat had created friction among the families and powers within the cult, and even after twenty-five years, the checks and balances between them persisted.
It was proof that no one possessed an undeniable claim to the position.
“If word spreads that the Cult Leader or his disciple has appeared in the martial world, do you think those who currently control the cult will acknowledge it? They will be desperate to eliminate him.”
“Hmm……”
“If it is the Cult Leader himself who has returned, there would be no issue. But if it is merely his disciple, the cult will not remain idle.”
“What do you mean by ‘not remain idle’?”
“They will send assassins, will they not? Given the temperaments of the Second and Third Princes, they are more than capable of doing so.”
“The Fourth Prince will not simply watch either.”
The man’s expression made it clear he considered that obvious.
“What shall we do?”
“What else? We must move as well. Whether it is the Cult Leader or his disciple, he is someone for whom we would gladly lay down our lives.”
A faint smile appeared on the messenger’s lips at the reply.
“If we move openly, the other princes will notice. Act quietly and discreetly.”
“Understood.”
“Inform all our agents that we will meet at Hongze Lake in Jiangsu Province one month from now.”
“Something like that happened?”
That evening, Hyeongcheon went to one of the Wulin Alliance elders he trusted and recounted the day’s events.
The elder was Sohyeon Jin-in of the Wudang Sect, its only female elder and a close friend of the former Great Princess, Hwarin.
“Yes, it did.”
“I have been so busy with my duties that I failed to look after those children. That fault lies heavily with me. So, what became of them?”
“After the disturbance at the inn, they left the Wulin Alliance immediately.”
Sohyeon Jin-in’s face showed a trace of regret.
“It feels as though I have wronged Hwarin once more.”
“Elder.”
“Speak.”
“There is something strange. Or rather, something unexpected that the young man said to me today.”
“Unexpected?”
“Yes. That is……”
Hyeongcheon explained everything that had transpired at the inn in detail, including the shameful fact that he had knelt before Cheonhwa.
“Hmm……”
“The Great Princess’s only sibling is the current head of the merchant group, Yi Ja-saeng, is that not so?”
“It is.”
“Calling him ‘Uncle’ means the boy’s mother belongs to the same family. And the former head, Yi Sang-woo, had only two children: the Great Princess and Yi Ja-saeng.”
Sohyeon Jin-in’s eyes wavered.
“Moreover, considering that he subdued me with ease and grew furious the moment I tried to mention the Great Princess’s name, I believe that young man may be the Great Princess’s son.”
Sohyeon Jin-in remained silent for a long while after hearing Hyeongcheon’s words. Her silence meant she was deep in thought.
Hyeongcheon waited for her to speak.
The deeper her contemplation grew, the heavier the air in the room became. She habitually tapped the table with her finger, a sign that her thoughts refused to settle easily.
“Hmm……”
Then her finger stopped, and Sohyeon Jin-in turned her gaze to Hyeongcheon.
“I recall that there are children within the Alliance whom Hwarin once looked after.”
“I am aware of that as well. Yet their very existence has grown faint.”
“Do you know any of them?”
“I cannot be certain, but I suspect there may be one or two.”
“Then we do not know how many there truly are.”
“I cannot say for sure, but they would know one another.”
“Is that so? Then we simply need to send them to the Haedong Merchant Group.”
“Pardon?”
“The boy whose teeth were all knocked out is the son of the Baemyeong Merchant Group, is he not?”
“He is.”
“His parents will not stay silent.”
“Ah……”
Sohyeon Jin-in was pointing out that the Haedong Merchant Group currently lacked the strength to protect itself.
“But the people Hwarin looked after have nothing to do with martial arts. They are merely servants who perform menial tasks within the Alliance.”
A smile formed on Sohyeon Jin-in’s lips at his words.
“Is that what you think?”
Hyeongcheon looked at her with a questioning gaze.
“I do not know either. But I know Hwarin better than anyone. So do not worry. If we give word to one of Hwarin’s children, the rest will handle everything themselves.”
Though uncertain, Hyeongcheon decided to follow the advice of the woman who knew Hwarin best.
“Also, report today’s incident to the intelligence division.”
“To the intelligence division?”
“Yes. Do not mention anything related to Hwarin. Simply say that a disturbance occurred at the inn and that the guard hired by the Haedong Merchant Group possesses extraordinary martial arts. That will suffice.”
Sohyeon Jin-in had disguised Cheonhwa as a guard employed by the Haedong Merchant Group.
“Will the intelligence division not investigate further? They still believe the decline of the orthodox factions is because of the Great Princess Yi Hwarin.”
“Even if they think that, there is little they can actually do. Ignoring public opinion will only shake the people’s hearts.”
Hyeongcheon nodded.
“So I must ask you to take care of this matter.”
“I will.”
Once Hyeongcheon left the room, Sohyeon Jin-in, now alone, let out a long sigh.
“Whether it is the Great Prince Cheonwoo or his disciple, I cannot tell. But at a time when a great evil has appeared in the martial world, the fact that Hwarin’s child has also entered the scene…… I cannot say whether it will bring fortune or calamity.”
Then, as if remembering something, she narrowed her eyes.
“They say traces of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art appeared in Jiangsu Province. Could it be that his target is the Haedong Merchant Group, Hwarin’s family home?”