Beggars' Sect Downfall (2)
A sudden halt!
As Hyeon Yucheon rose to his feet, Hwang Chun, the Iron Heart Dog of the Beggars' Sect, froze in place, overwhelmed by the sensation of a vast ocean crashing down upon him.
Originally, within the Beggars' Sect, he had been the firm second-in-command after Dorong Geosa Hong In-gyeol, a relatively senior figure who would naturally succeed as the Dragon Head Leader upon Hong In-gyeol's death—the top candidate, in fact.
His martial prowess was accordingly formidable.
'I can't breathe.'
Standing before Hyeon Yucheon, he felt like a mouse cornered by a cat.
And if even the far stronger Dorong Geosa Hong In-gyeol had truly fallen to Hyeon Yucheon?
Then it was clear he himself stood no chance.
"Y-you bastard! Aren't you afraid of the Murim Alliance?!"
In the end, all he could muster was bluster and shouts.
By invoking the Murim Alliance over the Beggars' Sect itself, he was indirectly admitting that the sect's power alone could no longer contend with Hyeon Yucheon and the Demon Sword Sect.
"The righteous martial world should fear me instead."
Hyeon Yucheon responded with cold composure.
In stark contrast, Hwang Chun floundered helplessly, his face flushed crimson as he groaned in frustration.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd!
By now, the atmosphere inside the inn had shifted dramatically.
"What's this? Has Hwang Chun no pride?"
"Yeah, they called him Iron Heart Dog for his tough spirit and swift action. What a letdown."
"And these Beggars' Sect folks were always the ones praising how the righteous sects and Murim Alliance are the true martial world, with the Heaven's Five Venerables as its sky."
"Tell me about it."
The people gathered in the inn today were mostly merchants, wandering ronin, and neutral warriors. They all clicked their tongues in disdain at the Beggars' Sect's hypocrisy.
And small wonder—despite Hyeon Yucheon's provocations and sharp tongue, these men could only yell without daring to attack.
"Raaargh!"
This wasn't just anywhere; it was Hubei Province.
To be humiliated like this in the Beggars' Sect's own front yard—as a warrior, and as a member of the sect—would make it impossible to show his face anywhere.
—Monarch and Beggar as One—
The Iron Heart Dog Hwang Chun unleashed his full power with the Gentleman Beggar Fist and Leg Technique, a fist-and-leg art that only those who had reached the pinnacle of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms could learn.
This technique bore a peculiar philosophy, rooted in the jest that gentlemen and beggars were one and the same.
Whoosh!
Though its name sounded ridiculous, it was one of the Beggars' Sect's supreme arts, rivaling even the Dragon Head Leader's Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.
'You thought you could mock the Beggars' Sect in Hubei and walk away unscathed?'
Hwang Chun threw everything he had into it—never in his life had he fought so desperately.
The subtle qi gathering in his fist felt solid enough.
That is, until Hyeon Yucheon extended his hand.
A stance of the signature Formless Flash Quick Sword.
Hyeon Yucheon unleashed his signature Formless Flash Quick Sword stance, utterly overwhelming his foe with a single absolute strike.
Crack!
That one sword shattered Hwang Chun's technique—and more.
"Gack! Hack! Cough!"
Hwang Chun took a direct hit to his solar plexus, coughing violently as his breath caught in his throat.
He survived only because Hyeon Yucheon had shown mercy.
"Deputy Leader!"
"Elder Iron Heart Dog!"
The sight of this fifty-something man staggering from a single exchange against Hyeon Yucheon, who was young enough to be his grandson, stunned the many onlookers in Hubei.
Honestly, though Hyeon Yucheon's fame blanketed the skies, it had been confined to the unorthodox martial world.
The righteous sects, and ordinary folk like these on a bright daytime street, had never truly felt it in their bones.
But now?
Witnessing the Beggars' Sect deputy leader crumple in one blow amid the crowded Haeha Guest House sparked a bizarre thrill.
Roooar!
The moment Hyeon Yucheon dominated unilaterally, the inn erupted into a feverish arena of cheers.
"As expected of the Demon Sword Sect Leader!"
"The reincarnation of the Demon Sword Ghost Old Man!"
"What 'true martial world' and 'righteous sects' crap?"
"The Demon Sword Sect is the real deal—the true martial faction!"
Emboldened by the fervor, some even spat biting words, dodging the beggars' fierce glares.
"Urgh."
Meanwhile, Hwang Chun bitterly regretted letting his blood rush to his head.
'I shouldn't have stepped up.'
He looked up at Hyeon Yucheon.
A smirk!
Hyeon Yucheon gazed down at him, perfectly ensnared in his scheme, and smiled.
'I see. You wanted to show Hubei's people who the true overlord is.'
Hwang Chun finally admitted he'd been played by Hyeon Yucheon.
He had clearly proclaimed that the sect dominating Hubei was neither the Beggars' Sect, nor the Hubei Pang Family, nor even the Murim Alliance's Hubei branch—but the Demon Sword Sect.
From start to finish, he'd danced to Hyeon Yucheon's tune.
"...I'll never forget this humiliation."
Hwang Chun sensed the vast gap in strength.
Seeing no point in further fighting, he turned to slink away—for now, retrieving Dorong Geosa's head would save some face.
'You'll answer to the other Heaven's Five Venerables and the Murim Alliance...'
As Hwang Chun ground his teeth and reached for the pitifully rolling head of Dorong Geosa Hong In-gyeol on the floor—
"Hold it. Why do you keep touching my property without permission?"
Hyeon Yucheon suddenly spoke up.
Had he let them go, Hwang Chun and his group might have retreated meekly. But his reason was simple.
"Wh-what?!"
"I told you. Dorong Geosa's head is mine."
And Hyeon Yucheon flung back the exact words Hwang Chun had used on him.
"My spoils of war."
Hearing that, Jeong Se-in—who knew the full story—felt a surge of satisfaction.
Well-versed in the Mangeum Clan's history and the Heaven's Five Venerables' atrocities, she nearly teared up.
"There's no such law in the world! Refusing to return a sect leader's head...!"
Hwang Chun tried appealing to righteousness, but it fell flat.
"Even now, our unorthodox warriors are dying unnoticed like rats or birds. We don't even know if they're alive or dead, let alone get their heads."
Hyeon Yucheon drove the point home mercilessly.
"If you want Dorong Geosa's head and his bamboo staff back, show me your sincerity."
"Sincerity? ...Do you want something?"
As Hwang Chun asked, Hyeon Yucheon bellowed for all to hear.
"The Beggars' Sect must acknowledge the Demon Sword Sect as Hubei's overlord, withdraw obediently, and seal its gates for ten years."
Roooar!
His words echoed back with tremendous reverberation.
What kind of sect was the Beggars' Sect?
One of the Nine Great Beggars' Sects, a colossal faction ranking among the top five.
Alongside Shaolin, it boasted the longest history.
Ordering such a sect to seal its gates for a decade was a cruel demand.
For reference, a sect's gate-sealing meant no members could venture into the jianghu, use their martial arts, or—crucially—withdraw all affiliated warriors from the Murim Alliance, halting all activity.
It was essentially freezing the sect for ten years.
His body trembled violently!
Unable to bear the immense humiliation, Hwang Chun shuddered from head to toe.
Had he, as deputy leader, ever faced such shame?
"Is there... no other way?"
Hwang Chun swallowed his rage and asked.
From their perspective, they had to reclaim Hong In-gyeol's head and the sect's sacred symbol, the bamboo staff, at any cost.
Force was an option, but who could overpower Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon now?
"There is another way."
Hwang Chun's face lit up as he looked up.
"The Beggars' Sect could surrender completely, abandon its warrior identity, and revert to a mere beggars' gathering."
Hwang Chun doubted his ears.
In essence, dismantle the sect entirely and be content with its origins as a beggars' club.
It meant death as a martial faction.
Yet blind assault was impossible.
Hyeon Yucheon's duel with Hong In-gyeol had looked fair; a mistake could escalate into all-out righteous-unorthodox war.
'Above all, the bamboo staff is precious.'
As the sect's treasure, it could never fall into outsiders' hands.
Some might say just take it by force—but who dared seize it from Hyeon Yucheon's grasp?
Given his temperament, anger might reduce it to dust.
That outcome must be avoided at all costs.
"Urgh, damn it! Why are you doing this to the Beggars' Sect?!"
Hwang Chun crumbled completely.
Why did this happen on his watch as deputy?
To his bloodcurdling plea, Hyeon Yucheon replied coldly.
"Good question. Long ago, my master, the Demon Sword Ghost Old Man Cheon Baeksang, was ambushed by five villains in his secret training chamber due to an internal betrayal. And those five were..."
How long had he waited to say this?
Hyeon Yucheon finally proclaimed it in broad daylight, to the righteous martial world.
"The Heaven's Five Venerables! They coveted my master's unique martial art, committed vile deeds unworthy even of unorthodox demons, then concealed and fabricated the truth by claiming he vanished. How utterly despicable!"
He roared with pent-up fury.
Not just the Black Wolf Three Swords beside him, but even Jeong Se-in and So Jaun felt a cathartic release.
"No way...!"
"Can't be true. Lies."
"No— if the Demon Sword Young Master's words are fact, it explains why he killed Dorong Geosa Hong In-gyeol, one of the Five Venerables."
"Right! That's why he's turning his blade on the righteous world—revenge!"
The crowd quickly grasped and cheered in agreement.
Rumors had long swirled that the Murim Alliance and Five Venerables had done something nefarious to Cheon Baeksang.
Now, his sole successor had laid it bare—everyone nodded in understanding.
"My goal is to eradicate not just the Heaven's Five Venerables, but the rotten Murim Alliance too."
Hyeon Yucheon gnashed his teeth.
And one more thing.
'The Seok Family, leeching off the Alliance, will pay a fitting price.'
Hwang Chun and the crimson-robed Beggars' Sect elites stared fixedly.
The answer was inevitable.
"We'll... choose the ten-year gate-sealing. Please, return our leader's head and the bamboo staff."
Thus began the Beggars' Sect's downfall.
The once-eternal Murim Alliance lost a major stakeholder.
With Dorong Geosa Hong In-gyeol's death—one of the Five Venerables—and the Beggars' Sect's decade-long seclusion, the Alliance shed vast power overnight.
This was the unorthodox world's counterstrike, Hyeon Yucheon's revenge, and the overture to the Demon Sword Sect's reckoning.