Shaking Hebei Castle (3)
A legendary man who rose from the ruins of a fallen prestigious orthodox sect to become the head of the Murim Alliance's branch.
Jeon Jeonghwan, the Songak High Sword whose twisted sense of orthodox pride was all the stronger for his background and achievements, met a pathetic end.
He had died in a gruesome state.
"Branch leader!"
"Former branch leader!"
The Murim Alliance warriors, locked in fierce battle with the Flash Demon Sword Unit and the Black Wolf Three Swords, cried out in despair and collapse.
Some had already sensed defeat and dropped their swords.
The Demon Sword Sect's forces were overwhelmingly powerful even without this, plunging morale to rock bottom in an already hopeless situation.
"He really... destroyed the Murim Alliance's Hebei branch."
"The reincarnation of the Demon Sword Ghost Elder himself!"
Un Jungcho of the Seven Thunder Whirlwind Fist and Pang Cheonhu of the Heaven King Axe, having witnessed Hyeon Yucheon's prowess firsthand, were stunned.
In the nearly hundred years of Murim history, there had been only one warrior stronger than the Heaven's Five Venerables.
Cheon Baeksang, the Demon Sword Ghost Elder!
And this superhuman young man, who had inherited everything from Cheon Baeksang, seemed to have surpassed even his master.
"Un family head, Pang family head. Listen well."
Hyeon Yucheon, having swiftly taken Jeon Jeonghwan's head, now turned his gaze to the two family heads who had followed at the urging of the Murim Alliance's authority.
They flinched!
The two jolted badly at being called by name, and the warriors of the Hebei Pang family and Jinju Un family behind them panicked, rushing to protect their leaders.
It was so ridiculous it almost drew a laugh—like they were protecting the children of the family rather than its heads.
"From now on, our Demon Sword Sect will use Hebei Castle as a starting point to shatter the 'Murim' defined by the Murim Alliance. Today's events will be the beginning."
Hyeon Yucheon looked down at Un Jungcho and Pang Cheonhu, his eyes blazing with ambition and drive more fiercely than ever.
Normally, such arrogant words from him would have made these renowned experts of Hebei leap in outrage, but this time was different.
They listened quietly, as if deaf to the world.
"To put it bluntly: Hebei Castle will become the foundation for me, the Demon Sword Sect, and the unorthodox Murim. If..."
Hyeon Yucheon drew closer to the two family heads and asked,
"...you have any objections to that?"
His words were simple.
Hebei Castle was now the Demon Sword Sect's—and did they dare object?
The Hebei Pang family and Jinju Un family were traditional powerhouse clans of Hebei, prestigious houses with immense pride in representing the region.
Yet even their heads chose silence over protest.
"......"
"......"
Pang Cheonhu and Un Jungcho exchanged awkward glances.
They sensed it instinctively.
Even united, the Hebei Pang and Jinju Un families couldn't win.
They even thought the Beggars' Sect, which had wisely declared seclusion early, might have been the lucky ones.
Hyeon Yucheon was demanding their surrender—the hegemons of Hebei.
"No answer, then."
Hyeon Yucheon frowned at the two heads, still silent and unable to choose, and raised his hand.
"The Hebei Pang family will have no involvement in the Demon Sword Sect's affairs. We swear it!"
The first to make the wise choice was Pang Cheonhu of the Hebei Pang family, Heaven King Axe.
Despite his massive build, he judged swiftly—and it shone today.
'This coward?!'
Un Jungcho gaped, staring blankly as Pang Cheonhu suddenly submitted first.
This left him and the Jinju Un family in a worse position for hesitating.
"Th-the Jinju Un family as well! As long as there's no harm to us, we swear never to interfere in the Demon Sword Sect's affairs!"
In the end, there was only one choice. Un Jungcho shouted hastily to save his clan.
The two heads shared the same mind, despite different clans.
'No matter how fearsome the Murim Alliance or how vital unity... we have no choice.'
'My clan and family come before the Alliance's greater good.'
Yes.
Hyeon Yucheon had deliberately exploited this weakness.
Unlike general sects with looser ties, Murim's prestigious families prioritized blood and kin above all.
Thus, he had brutally slain the Hebei branch leader Songak High Sword Jeon Jeonghwan, then forced the two heads to choose.
"As representative prestigious families of Hebei, I trust the Hebei Pang and Jinju Un families will keep their word."
At Hyeon Yucheon's relatively mild words, the two heads finally exhaled in relief.
Meanwhile, the Flash Demon Sword Unit and Black Wolf Three Swords had slaughtered the entire Murim Alliance Hebei branch force.
Surrenderers were accepted, but only after swearing to leave the Alliance.
In today's bloody storm, the Hebei Pang and Jinju Un warriors had suffered almost no casualties.
In the battle for Hebei's hegemony, the Demon Sword Sect had risen victorious.
'Regrettable, but it's settled for now.'
As the hall cleared, Pang Cheonhu wanted to hurry back to fortify his clan.
A massive clash between the Murim Alliance and Demon Sword Sect was inevitable; he needed to bolster defenses.
But Hyeon Yucheon's words weren't finished.
"Pang family head."
"Yes?"
"Remember your ties to the Mangeum Clan?"
"M-Mangeum Clan? Ties?"
Pang Cheonhu, thinking it over and sighing in relief, panicked at the forgotten name.
"The Hebei Pang family once took substantial 'protection fees' from the Mangeum Clan, Hebei's greatest merchant house and tycoon clan."
"Why bring that up suddenly...?"
Pang Cheonhu asked cautiously, unfitting his bulk.
He couldn't fathom why the Demon Sword Sect leader dredged up the past.
"Yet when protection was needed, the Hebei Pang family turned a blind eye, leading to the Mangeum Clan's destruction. Don't you remember?"
Hyeon Yucheon ignored the question, his voice thick with grudge.
"I don't recall that day well."
Pang Cheonhu tried to brush it off vaguely, sensing trouble.
"You will remember."
Hyeon Yucheon even assumed a stance to unleash Formless Sword Gang.
It looked utterly vulnerable—no weapon in sight.
Yet this stance had felled countless foes, even one of the Heaven's Five Venerables. Pang Cheonhu panicked.
"I remember! Clearly! It was the previous head who took it. But I wasn't the head then..."
Pang Cheonhu waved his hands, protesting innocence.
"I am the Mangeum Clan's sole survivor, Mangeum Gongja Man Yuhyeon."
Hyeon Yucheon revealed his forgotten name before all.
No need to hide anymore.
With Hebei's hegemony secured, he could voice his vengeance openly.
"Gasp! Wh-what?!"
Pang Cheonhu was aghast at the revelation.
Honestly, he remembered.
Not the head then, but preparing succession, he had heard directly from his now-deceased father.
Ooooh!
The Jinju Un forces and head Un Jungcho were equally shocked.
'The Mangeum Clan's genius prodigy, Mangeum Gongja, was the Demon Sword Young Master all along?'
What a twisted fate.
The Murim Alliance and Seok family had targeted the Demon Sword Ghost Elder and Mangeum Clan— who could have guessed the last survivor was his disciple?
"I-I'm sorry. That day, the previous head..."
As Mangeum Clan's heir, he'd naturally resent the Hebei Pang family.
Especially since the previous head was Pang Cheonhu's father.
"Our Mangeum Clan trusted your Hebei Pang family's protection implicitly. That's why we kept few personal guards or private soldiers."
Hyeon Yucheon spoke bitterly.
The result, as all knew, was catastrophe.
One could say his father's decision led to the Mangeum Clan's helpless slaughter.
"No way..."
Pang Cheonhu sensed disaster instinctively and—
Whoosh!
unleashed full lightness skill to flee.
But it was futile.
Swoosh, pat!
Flash Light Flying Gentleman Eum Ji-myeong and Plum Death Gentleman Jeong Inheon had already sealed his escape.
The Hebei Pang family wasn't famed for lightness skill; breaking through was impossible.
"Haaap!"
With his path blocked, Pang Cheonhu had one option.
Break through.
Unlike their mundane lightness skill, the Hebei Pang head's exclusive blade art, Five Tiger Gate-Severing Blade, was peak orthodox blade mastery.
Great Tiger Breach!
Inspired by a mountain tiger's stance, the Five Tiger Gate-Severing Blade epitomized boldness and masculinity.
Bwooom!
Paired with Pang Cheonhu's heaven-gifted physique, it unleashed tremendous power—but the situation wasn't so manly.
Claaang!
As his blade art surged toward Eum Ji-myeong and Jeong Inheon, something invisible struck the side of his massive greatsword.
Thud!
His greatsword tumbled uselessly to the ground, failing its mark.
"Regrettable, Pang family head. You'll atone for your father's sins."
Hyeon Yucheon didn't flinch at the sudden charge, as if expecting it, and calmly extended his hand.
"Wh-why? It's over... and it has nothing to do with me!"
"Your father allowed it, you knew, and your clan as head did it, didn't they?"
No logic from Pang Cheonhu could sway Hyeon Yucheon.
"Because of your father's inaction, my parents and retainers died, our fortune stolen. Still nothing to do with you?"
Martial arts fared no better.
"Go like the bold blade art of yours."
Hyeon Yucheon took his stance for a proper duel.
"Pang family warriors..."
As Hyeon Yucheon's invisible Formless Sword Gang targeted him, Pang Cheonhu called desperately to his peak experts.
They, relaxed thinking it done, floundered at their head's peril.
Then—
Kabooom!
A massive explosion roared, and bold figures charged in.
Red uniforms embroidered with golden dragons—an outfit unique in all the vast land.
"Blood Dragon Room!"
"Blood Dragon Room warriors!"
Even Hebei Pang and Jinju Un forces gaped in shock.
Already overwhelmed by the Demon Sword Sect, now the Blood Dragon Room—the largest of the unorthodox five great sects—arrived.
Despair for them.
"We've kept you waiting far too long, sect leader."
Leading them was a stately figure: Hyeon Yucheon's senior brother and Cheon Baeksang's eldest disciple, Brilliant Light Demon Sword Ga Jinuk.
He had won back the Blood Dragon Room elders and leaders, finished reorganizing, and come straight to the Demon Sword Sect.
'How many years to return here?'
Ga Jinuk bowed formally to his junior brother, now sect leader, and gazed nostalgically at the Demon Sword Sect grounds.
It had taken years to return.
"Welcome, eldest senior brother."