Shaking Hebei Castle (4)
While everyone else was stunned, only Hyeon Yucheon greeted him with a calm expression.
It wasn't for nothing that he had revealed his origins from the Mangeum Clan.
'Now, all preparations for revenge are complete.'
To seize Hebei Castle, he had sealed the gates of the Beggars' Sect, their greatest obstacle.
To focus solely on them, he had ordered the Blood Dragon Room and Jin Gwangma Geom Ga Jinuk to quietly eliminate the Seok Family's men.
And this time, with his own power and that of the Demon Sword Sect, he had sent the Murim Alliance's Hebei branch and its branch leader, the Songak High Sword Jeon Jeong-hwan, straight to hell.
From now on, they would have to fight not just Hebei, but the entire martial world, so he couldn't leave out his eldest senior brother, the Brilliant Light Demon Sword Ga Jinuk.
Nor the Blood Dragon Room's mighty warriors!
"Thank you for the warm welcome."
Ga Jinuk's face was filled with deep emotion as he surveyed the Demon Sword Sect's landscape and confirmed the faces of those he had missed.
He wanted to reunite properly, but there was still work to be done.
"Warriors of the Blood Dragon Room! We have come today to join forces with our blood allies, the Demon Sword Sect! If the Hebei Pang Family dares to attack the Demon Sword Sect!"
Ga Jinuk bellowed with booming vigor, repeating his cry.
"Today will be the last day the Hebei Pang Family keeps its doors open!"
Woooaaah!
No sooner had his words ended than cheers erupted like thunder.
The frenzied roars came from the Demon Sword Sect warriors and the Blood Dragon Room's men.
Moreover, every one of the Blood Dragon Room warriors had admired the Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon and followed Ga Jinuk, so there was no sense of discord in their union.
"This can't be!"
Pang Cheonhu could no longer maintain his composure at the insane sight of the enemy's forces doubling in an instant.
Especially since he had believed that if the peak experts he brought today bought him time, he could somehow save his own skin—but it had all come to nothing.
"Pang Family Head, minimize your losses. This is sincere advice."
In that dire situation, the unexpected advisor to Pang Cheonhu was none other than Chilroe Beonkwon Un Jungcho.
'It doesn't feel like someone else's problem.'
He had bickered endlessly with the Hebei Pang Family under the pretext of vying for Hebei's top prestigious house, but having grown up in similar environments, it didn't feel detached.
Un Jungcho pondered what he would do if he were the Hebei Pang Family head, and concluded that prioritizing the family alone meant advising them to minimize damage.
In other words, don't fear death.
Tremble!
Pushed to the edge of the cliff, the Heaven King Axe Pang Cheonhu felt as if a blade were half-buried in his throat.
"No more... I will not flee or resist. So please, halt the attack."
Was it because of the heartfelt advice from Un Jungcho, whom he saw as a rival?
Shockingly, Pang Cheonhu chose not to fight to the end.
Clang!
He threw down even the massive great axe that symbolized him, surrendering unconditionally.
He was even sending sound transmissions to his loyal subordinates, who valued their lives like his own, ordering them not to resist.
'Even if we survive like this, we can't surpass the Demon Sword Sect now that the Blood Dragon Room and Brilliant Light Demon Sword Ga Jinuk have joined.'
Some say that with the Murim Alliance on your side, the whole world is your ally—what's there to fear?
Far from it. Things aren't that simple.
The Murim Alliance headquarters was distant; the Demon Sword Sect was right here.
The Hebei Pang Family and Demon Sword Sect were within the same Hebei Castle walls.
No matter how vast the Central Plains, the unreasonable remained unreasonable.
Thud!
The Heaven King Axe Pang Cheonhu made his bold decision.
To survive—no, to save his family—he tossed aside his pride like scraps for dogs.
"Forgive us, Demon Sword Sect Leader. I admit all our sins and will testify that the Murim Alliance and Seok Family contributed to the destruction of the Mangeum Clan."
He changed course entirely.
To quell Hyeon Yucheon's rage, he decided to take the lead in exposing the secret ties between the Murim Alliance and Seok Family, and their wicked past deeds.
"We had no choice. My father wanted to protect the Mangeum Clan too... but the Murim Alliance Leader himself came and threatened that even the Hebei Pang Family would face annihilation if we didn't comply."
Pang Cheonhu bowed his massive head repeatedly, begging Hyeon Yucheon's forgiveness over and over.
His appearance was utterly pitiable, and even Un Jungcho, who had disliked him, averted his gaze.
"To survive, we did it to survive. We feared the Murim Alliance and the Seok Family. Forgive us—truly, forgive us."
Drip, drip!
Pang Cheonhu even shed tears.
This wasn't remorse for what they did to the Mangeum Clan, of course—it was the surge of emotion and the pathos of begging like this.
Still, Pang Cheonhu's heart was sincere.
'Until now, neither the Murim Alliance nor the Seok Family has ever admitted their past evils.'
Hyeon Yucheon thought.
Their way of handling things was mere silence and denial.
They believed the logic of the strong was truth, and history was written by the victors.
So they had remained mute. But now, the Hebei Pang Family—a Murim Alliance affiliate—and its head, Pang Cheonhu himself, stepping forward to admit the wrongdoing?
This would be immensely helpful.
"Is this a sincere plea?"
Hyeon Yucheon asked.
Meaning, was this some ploy to escape the situation?
"Of course. As proof, I will withdraw from the Murim Alliance."
"......!!"
Pang Cheonhu played his trump card.
'Denying their facts leaves no place for us in the Murim Alliance anyway.'
Better to fully align with the Demon Sword Sect.
"Pang Family Head!"
Even Un Jungcho's eyes widened in shock at the choice.
Had any sect or family ever left the Murim Alliance, which claimed to be the entirety of the martial world, the true martial world?
The Hebei Pang Family would be the first in history.
Un Jungcho, who knew the weight of that, couldn't help but be astonished.
"If we're doing it, we do it thoroughly. The Hebei Pang Family withdraws from the Murim Alliance and will stand with the Demon Sword Sect. For the sin of failing to protect the Mangeum Clan in the past... we pay now."
Pang Cheonhu closed his eyes after speaking.
'I've thrown every card I have.'
Now, whether to accept them was solely up to the Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon.
"Hmm."
Hyeon Yucheon fell deep into thought as well.
At first, he had been overcome with rage, intending to sever Pang Cheonhu's head right there.
But what was this?
The moment the Blood Dragon Room appeared, the situation flipped, and Pang Cheonhu was sincerely apologizing.
Hyeon Yucheon had secretly hoped the Beggars' Sect chose the Demon Sword Sect's side over sealing their gates, but now the Hebei Pang Family might be the first example—leaving him somewhat flustered.
"Of course, this doesn't mean we'll become unorthodox. It means we won't hinder the Demon Sword Sect's activities in the martial world and will fully support you within the bounds of righteousness, not evil."
As Hyeon Yucheon pondered, Pang Cheonhu drove the nail home, forcing the decision.
"Very well. Confess all past deeds fully and expose the Murim Alliance and Seok Family's evils. And withdraw from the Murim Alliance today."
"Of course, Sect Leader."
Pang Cheonhu bowed his head and offered a respectful cupped-fist salute.
It might seem humiliating, but he thought differently.
'This is our sin.'
The backlash for turning a blind eye to killing others to survive.
Swish!
With the Hebei Pang Family matter settled, Hyeon Yucheon naturally turned to the Jinju Un Family side.
Of the four powers that once shared Hebei Castle's hegemony—Murim Alliance, Beggars' Sect, Hebei Pang Family, and Jinju Un Family—only the Jinju Un Family remained.
"The Jinju Un Family has no desire for Hebei Castle's hegemony. So, on withdrawing from the Murim Alliance... we'll watch a bit longer."
Un Jungcho spoke cautiously, retreating.
It was tantamount to a declaration of surrender.
Thus, Hebei Castle's overlord was decided, and the central figure was, naturally, the Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon.
Today, he had crushed the Murim Alliance's Hebei branch, forced the Hebei Pang Family to withdraw from the Murim Alliance, and pulled in the Jinju Un Family.
Could there be greater results?
The Demon Sword Sect's rise, having seized all of Hebei, began right now.
-The Demon Sword Sect has destroyed the Murim Alliance's Hebei branch!
-They've unified the entirety of Hebei Castle!
-The astonishing truth is the identity of the Demon Sword Sect Leader, Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon!
-Hyeon Yucheon's true identity is none other than the Mangeum Young Master Man Yuhyeon, who inherited everything from the Demon Sword Ghost while they lay dying side by side!
A few days later, this news swept through the Central Plains like a gale, beyond Hebei.
The fact that the Demon Sword Sect and its leader Hyeon Yucheon had seized all of Hebei Castle was shocking enough—but the revelation of the sect leader's true identity flipped the world upside down.
And that wasn't all.
-The Hebei Pang Family has officially declared withdrawal from the Murim Alliance, pointing to the Murim Alliance and Seok Family as the masterminds behind the Mangeum Clan's destruction!
-Cowardly, the Seok Family feared the growing Mangeum Clan, sought the Murim Alliance's aid, secretly stripped them of everything, and slaughtered them all!
The long-hidden truth of the Mangeum Clan's annihilation was finally unveiled.
Many had suspected it, but none dared speak it aloud.
Who could accuse the Murim Alliance and Seok Family of vile crimes?
But you can't cover the sky with a palm.
At last, the truth emerged into the light.
"We officially declare: The Murim Alliance and Seok Family colluded and ordered the Mangeum Clan's destruction, even brutally slaughtering the clan leader and his family, who knew nothing of martial arts."
With even the Hebei Pang Family head, Heaven King Axe Pang Cheonhu, testifying, denial was impossible.
If it had been some riffraff or a one-sided claim from the Demon Sword Sect, they could dismiss it as lies—but who would question the Hebei Pang Family?
Even more astonishing were the grandiose words of the Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon.
"All unorthodox sects and warriors of the Central Plains!
This Hebei Castle is a space for unorthodox warriors and those who stand with our Demon Sword Sect—come to Hebei Castle!"
Hyeon Yucheon was now openly revealing his ambitions.
Declaring he would expand his influence from Hebei Castle as the base.
In fact, the Demon Sword Sect's eldest disciple, Brilliant Light Demon Sword Ga Jinuk—who had been absent for so long with the Blood Dragon Room's vast warriors—had rejoined.
And not just that.
-Great Dark Valley stands with Hebei Castle's Demon Sword Sect!
-Our Quick Sword Hall does the same!
Official support declarations followed from the unorthodox Five Great Sects' Great Dark Valley and Quick Sword Hall.
Now, the entire unorthodox martial world was stirring beyond just the Demon Sword Sect.
"The Murim Alliance, Seok Family, and Heaven's Five Venerables will receive fitting punishment."
So spoke the man at the center and pinnacle of it all.
The Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon.
The Demon Sword Young Master wants to destroy the martial world.
He will shatter it without fail.
As the beginning of that revenge.
"Family Head! A tribute has arrived."
A massive carriage arrived at the Seok Family manor.
With several carts attached behind, its scale was enormous.
"Hm? Who sent it?"
"We don't know."
As the Seok Family head tilted his head in curiosity at the unidentified tribute—many sent gifts, but rarely without a name—
he checked it personally out of vague suspicion!
"......!!"
The Seok Family head, famed for his iron-merchant temperament surpassing any trader, was uncharacteristically shocked and writhed in agony.
There was good reason.
Incredibly, the tribute in the carriage was a corpse!
His dearly beloved youngest son—and past trophy, dubbed the Mangeum Young Master—Seok Mu-kyeong's body!
"Myeong! Mu-kyeongaaaah!"
The Seok Family head wailed at the top of his lungs.
This was the first time this year his emotions had surged so violently.
Even one called the steel merchant couldn't bear the death of cherished blood kin.
But it was too soon to grieve.
Examining Seok Mu-kyeong's corpse closely, words were etched into his skin.
The message was short, but enough to send chills through the Seok Family head.
[From the Mangeum Young Master, to the Mangeum Young Master.]