Repaying the Ambush (3)
No matter the outcome of the subordinates' battles, the most crucial confrontation was always between the leaders.
Even if the Demon Sword Sect utterly dominated every match against the Quick Sword Hall, they couldn't show their faces if their sect leader fell to the Quick Sword Hall's master.
In the unorthodox martial world, the strong defined truth, and only the strong stood tall.
Drip!
Cold sweat trickled down Bi Ryudam's back.
He never imagined Hyeon Yucheon would shatter both the Quick Sword Seven Elders and the Extreme Kill Seven Shadow Formation.
As Hyeon Yucheon stepped forward—having accomplished what even Bi Ryudam himself couldn't—Bi Ryudam felt his spirit crumble.
"What if... I admit defeat here and now? Would you spare the Quick Sword Hall?"
Bi Ryudam asked in a low voice, his heart wretched with misery.
"Pfft!"
Hyeon Yucheon snorted in derision.
"Spare you? Don't make me laugh. I plan to kill you all."
Hyeon Yucheon had never intended to let the Quick Sword Hall live from the start.
A random brawl born of chance might have been different, but they'd deliberately targeted the Demon Sword Sect with a preemptive strike. Forgiveness was out of the question.
"If you kill me, how will you find out who leaked the Demon Sword Sect's internal information?"
In desperation, Bi Ryudam played his final card.
"What?"
Hyeon Yucheon's eyebrow twitched.
He'd been wondering where the Demon Sword Sect's secrets had leaked from.
"If the Quick Sword Hall withdraws quietly... I'll tell you everything—who leaked it and all. So..."
It was right then.
"Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon. There's no need for that."
An astonishing turn unfolded.
In the midst of Bi Ryudam—the Quick Sword Hall master—speaking, someone cut him off and intervened.
"You... Ok Jangcheon?"
Hyeon Yucheon said, his face slightly surprised.
Indeed.
The intruder was none other than Ok Jangcheon, the Quick Sword Hall's promising young talent and Latent Dragon Quick Sword.
"I know exactly who leaked the Demon Sword Sect's internal information."
Swish!
Ok Jangcheon declared this as he drew something from his bosom.
It was, astonishingly, an intelligence letter they'd received—detailing the Demon Sword Sect's inner workings in minute detail.
The sender's name, epithet, and even their seal made it an impeccable document.
"Jangcheon!"
"How dare you...!"
"And you call yourself the future leader of the great Quick Sword Hall?"
Bi Ryudam, the One Strike One Flash master, along with every elder in the hall, erupted in fury at what wasn't quite a betrayal—but felt like one.
Yet Ok Jangcheon showed no intimidation. Instead, he grew angry himself.
"You stubborn old fools! What did I tell you? The Demon Sword Sect and Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon aren't opponents we can trifle with!"
Ok Jangcheon was simply frustrated.
To be blunt, he feared death not at all.
What pained him was the young Quick Sword Hall members being ground to dust by these old men's rash worries.
"Why are you so dense? Look at the current state of the Central Plains martial world! The orthodox sects strut about with unprecedented arrogance, acting like it's their world alone. They even redefine 'martial world' to include only their righteous warriors and the Murim Alliance, claiming that's the true martial world."
And one more thing.
A true unorthodox prodigy had finally emerged after so long, yet these Quick Sword Hall elders refused to acknowledge or support him like the Great Dark Valley had—ruining everything out of outdated inferiority complexes. It infuriated him.
As he said, the orthodox sects no longer included the unorthodox in their "true martial world."
To them, the unorthodox were mere rabble—back-alley thugs.
"We need to unite as one and topple them first, you senile bastards! Colluding with the orthodox sects?!"
Ok Jangcheon was so incensed that he hurled vicious words at the hall master and elders he'd once revered like the heavens.
While the Demon Sword Sect and Quick Sword Hall clashed in major battle, doubts had arisen. Why had this happened? He'd ransacked the late vice hall master's room.
And there, he found the letter meant for Hyeon Yucheon. Shockingly, their informant was...
"How can an unorthodox sect attack another unorthodox sect based on Beggars' Sect intelligence?!"
Yes.
Incredibly, the ones who'd sent the Quick Sword Hall intelligence—claiming the Demon Sword Sect lacked super peak experts and was ripe for attack—belonged to the Beggars' Sect, one of the Nine Great Gates.
'So that's it. The Beggars' Sect's doing.'
Hyeon Yucheon's expression turned icy upon hearing this.
Wasn't the Beggars' Sect home to Hong In-gyeol, the Doryeong Old Man—one of the Heaven's Five Venerables who'd helped kill his master, Cheon Baeksang, the Demon Sword Ghost Elder?
"H-how did you...?"
With their scheme exposed in an instant, Bi Ryudam staggered.
The other elders were no better.
They'd been the ones who'd eagerly supported the hall master's decision from the start.
"Attacking a fellow unorthodox sect with orthodox help? Know your shame!"
Clang!
Ok Jangcheon felt the Quick Sword Hall's disgrace as his own.
In the end, he drew his sword and attempted to end it all.
Those who'd started this mess schemed to survive, yet one who valued honor chose death.
'How embarrassing to have enemies from such a pathetic sect...'
At the same time, he couldn't bear the guilt toward Hyeon Yucheon and the Demon Sword Sect.
Thus, Ok Jangcheon's only path was to take his own life right there.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, as he brought the blade to his throat!
"Huh? Wh-what?"
For some reason, Ok Jangcheon found his sword frozen in place.
The blade had been stopped just before touching his neck—by something.
'Could it be... Formless Sword Energy?'
Ok Jangcheon's guess was correct.
Hyeon Yucheon had shown mercy, moved by his spirit and demeanor.
"You are far greater and more noble than the other Quick Sword Hall elders."
Seeing Ok Jangcheon ready to toss his life away like straw, Hyeon Yucheon changed his mind.
His original plan had been to leave not a single blade of grass from the Quick Sword Hall.
But now, he saw not just Ok Jangcheon, but several young Quick Sword Hall warriors with spirit and awareness.
"Latent Dragon Quick Sword Ok Jangcheon. Do you have any desire to become the Quick Sword Hall master?"
Hyeon Yucheon grinned whimsically.
"What?"
"This madman!"
"What nonsense is this?"
The old elders exploded in rage at his words.
Formless Two Heavens Sword!
Hyeon Yucheon unleashed formless sword auras at the babbling old men without batting an eye.
Kaboom!
A few died on the spot, unable to even dodge; others suffered grievous wounds.
Yet Hyeon Yucheon paid them no heed, his gaze fixed solely on Ok Jangcheon.
"S-sect Leader... Do you truly mean that?"
Ok Jangcheon trembled so fiercely his arms shook, nearly dropping his sword.
"Yes."
Their age gap was small—Ok Jangcheon even slightly older—but formalities meant nothing now.
"But I'm too young and inexperienced to be hall master."
Suddenly thrust into leadership, Ok Jangcheon hesitated in confusion.
He wasn't wrong.
In most sects, leaders were seasoned warriors in their thirties or older.
But Hyeon Yucheon thought differently.
"Better an inexperienced, reckless youth than rotten fools whose brains have turned to mush with age."
He bellowed with infused inner power, issuing a command.
"No experience due to youth, just hot blood? Nonsense! Our unorthodox martial world needs that very blood now. We must wield it to crush the orthodox warriors and Murim Alliance who dare claim to be the true martial world!"
Hyeon Yucheon's cry resonated deeply.
Especially from him, who harbored the deepest grudges against the Murim Alliance, Heaven's Five Venerables, and Seok Family—his passion poured forth.
"Even so..."
Ok Jangcheon, bold as he was, still wavered before Hyeon Yucheon's command to lead the Quick Sword Hall.
"Refuse, and every soul in the Quick Sword Hall dies."
Hyeon Yucheon laid out the reality.
He was right.
"I originally planned to slaughter everyone here. But... your noble spirit changed my mind. Perhaps you young ones aren't rotten like your elders—you might follow me well and shine in the unorthodox world."
That was why he'd relented. If Ok Jangcheon refused leadership, the original plan resumed.
"Jangcheon! Ignore that drivel!"
"The Quick Sword Hall's true master is only One Strike One Flash Bi Ryudam!"
"Letting an outsider dictate the hall master's position? Unprecedented!"
As Ok Jangcheon pondered, the Quick Sword Hall elders—stubborn and conservative even facing death—spouted nonsense.
Should the young die for such outdated sect rules?
Swish!
Deep in thought, Ok Jangcheon glanced toward the fierce battles.
His heart ached seeing young disciples and close friends dying against Dohyeonbo's Flash Light Demon Sword Squad and the Black Wolf Three Swords.
'They're just following foolish vice hall masters, hall master, and elders...'
They weren't rotten.
They'd respect and follow Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon if he spoke.
The answer was clear.
"...Though lacking, I'll... do it."
After agonizing, Ok Jangcheon spoke.
Not just to save them.
'I want my name etched in the history of the unorthodox world rising tall.'
He yearned to stand beside unorthodox supreme Hyeon Yucheon, sharing dreams and hopes to achieve great things.
Wasn't that the essence of manhood?
Better to contribute to dismantling the orthodox world and reshaping the order than die meaninglessly here.
"Ok Jangcheon!"
"You vile traitor!"
"I'll tear that bastard limb from limb."
The elders, including Bi Ryudam, raged and cursed him.
Some even poised to hurl hidden weapons or swords.
Swish!
Hyeon Yucheon gladly shielded Ok Jangcheon.
"A wise judgment, Quick Sword Hall Master Ok Jangcheon."
Feeling the weight of leadership at Hyeon Yucheon's words, Ok Jangcheon murmured blankly.
"Quick Sword Hall Master... Ok Jangcheon?"
"Yes. From now on, you are the hall master."
"...Understood."
Following Demon Sword Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon, the Quick Sword Hall now had its youngest-ever master—shockingly young and inexperienced.
"I'll ask: What's your first order as hall master?"
Nod!
At Hyeon Yucheon's question, Ok Jangcheon nodded and mustered every ounce of strength.
"From this moment, I am the Quick Sword Hall Master! All hall members—past, present, future, everything—cease all combat at once!"
In that instant, Hyeon Yucheon's three-inch tongue and overwhelming might had changed the Quick Sword Hall's master.