Clashing with the King of Ronin (1)
“Eldest senior brother!”
While anguished cries echoed from somewhere far off, the Demon Sword Sect was engulfed in a festive atmosphere.
It was because none other than Ga Jinuk—the eternal eldest senior brother, a sore spot in the hearts of all Demon Sword Sect disciples—had finally returned.
“Ji... junior brother.”
Ga Jinuk was just as overcome with emotion.
He had just put the finishing touches on pacifying Hebei Province, finally allowing him to fully savor this reunion. Yet before he knew it, his eyes swirled with regret and a flood of sentiments.
“We sincerely congratulate you on your return to the Demon Sword Sect!”
Dohyeonbo, the Flying Spirit Sword Guest leading the Flash Light Demon Sword Squad, shared in the joy.
In a way, he was the one closest to Ga Jinuk within the sect, even more than his fellow disciples.
They exchanged broad grins.
It had been a reunion forged from the Blood Dragon Room to the Demon Sword Sect.
“You've finally returned.”
Finally, Hyeon Yucheon and Elder Jeong Inheon joined in the celebration, filling Ga Jinuk with the greatest joy of his life.
Not only had he returned to the Demon Sword Sect, which he'd longed for so desperately, but this was also the day it had become the overlord of Hebei Province.
On top of that, Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon had officially declared vengeance. Ga Jinuk felt he could die without regrets.
“I was a bit delayed because I received the Blood Dragon Room's formal approval and entrusted the temporary leadership to Blood Dragon Ghost Sword Gu Jinak.”
Though he was the senior brother, Ga Jinuk offered a respectful cupped-fist salute to Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon.
There had been only one reason he'd rushed to the Demon Sword Sect without regard for the long journey.
Now is the time.
Please return to the Demon Sword Sect as soon as matters are settled.
Hyeon Yucheon's brief missive.
That single letter was why he'd led the Blood Dragon Room's finest warriors all the way here.
“This marks the dawn of our sect's golden age.”
Black Island Gu Seung-hwan, now accustomed to his role as steward, approached with a smile after a long absence.
As a non-martial artist, he rarely ventured into battle, focusing instead on internal affairs alongside Elder Jeong Inheon.
As the crowd rejoiced, the disciples of the Demon Sword Ghost Elder finally gathered in one place.
Strictly speaking, the third disciple, Jade-Faced Sword Gentleman Cho Jeong-ryong, was the exception.
“I've heard from the Beggars' Sect that the one who betrayed Master and opened the martial arts training chamber door was none other than our third senior brother, Jade-Faced Sword Gentleman Cho Jeong-ryong.”
Aaah!
Those hearing the news for the first time let out sighs of dismay.
Honestly, when rumors spread that one of the three disciples had betrayed the Demon Sword Ghost Elder, everyone had hoped it was all lies.
But now confirmed from Hyeon Yucheon's own mouth, they couldn't help feeling heartbroken.
“And his true identity is none other than... Seok Muyong, the eldest young master of the Seok Family. Thus, the Seok Family Manor will also become our enemy.”
Hyeon Yucheon's eyes blazed with murderous intent, a ferocious light gleaming within.
Having been implicated as the mastermind behind the Mangeum Clan's destruction, the Seok Family's eldest son had disguised himself as Cho Jeong-ryong, colluding with the Murim Alliance to steal the Formless Flash Quick Sword. How could he not seethe with rage?
“Jeong-ryong, how could he...”
“After all we'd done for him.”
Ga Jinuk and Eum Ji-myeong, who had been especially close to Jade-Faced Sword Gentleman Cho Jeong-ryong, burned with fury beyond measure.
He'd been the youngest, spoiled all the more for his youth—never had they dreamed he'd betray them like this.
“Don't get too angry. I already sent a precious gift to the Seok Family Manor, knowing it would come to this.”
Hyeon Yucheon grinned.
That's right.
He wasn't one to just take it lying down.
He'd sent the Seok Family head the corpse of his precious youngest son—a little scratch to tide him over.
Of course, Hyeon Yucheon's true revenge was only just beginning.
“The Murim Alliance, the Seok Family Manor.”
“And the Heaven's Five Venerables.”
Calmly naming those who would become the Demon Sword Sect's enemies, the disciples fueled their rage today as nourishment for the vengeance to come.
“Many unorthodox figures are gathering.”
It was right then.
Gyeon Jong-o, the Little Light Demon rigorously guarding the sect's gates, appeared from outside.
Glancing beyond the Demon Sword Sect at his words, sure enough—
The area teemed with unorthodox martial artists, a sea of people buzzing with excitement.
It was proof that preparations for revenge were steadily underway.
“What a fine atmosphere.”
Eum Ji-myeong gazed down in admiration and delight.
To think they'd respond so enthusiastically to Hyeon Yucheon's words—as a member of the Demon Sword Sect, he was deeply moved.
But there was one problem.
“Crowds always breed chaos, especially among us unorthodox warriors.”
Hyeon Yucheon suddenly stepped forward.
“Sect Leader, what do you mean by that?”
As Eum Ji-myeong tilted his head, Ga Jinuk nodded knowingly beside him.
“You mean that guy at the very back?”
Ga Jinuk pointed out the strongest and most peculiar figure among those gathered before the Demon Sword Sect today, his sharp eyes gleaming.
From afar, the man's attire was strikingly unique.
A black martial robe common among unorthodox folk, a wide-brimmed bamboo hat covering more than half his face—and most striking of all... his killing intent.
Swaaaa!
Even across the great distance between him and Hyeon Yucheon, the bamboo-hatted man's killing intent pierced through vividly.
What did this mean?
“Not everyone gathered at our sect is here purely to follow us.”
Hyeon Yucheon stated.
There was logic in his words.
Unorthodox warriors never followed the weak.
And if someone wasn't worth following, they were ready to devour them at any moment.
In other words, this peculiar bamboo-hatted figure hadn't come to pledge loyalty to Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon. He was here to test him, to seize his fame and hard-earned status for himself.
Interesting.
Far from flinching or cowering under the man's killing intent, Hyeon Yucheon smiled.
Unorthodox warriors with hot blood like this gathering together—how disappointing it would be without a clash of strength.
Moreover, behind the bamboo-hatted man trailed a group following in his wake, their aura somewhat off.
He's clearly the leader of some faction, but...
Hyeon Yucheon pondered as he observed from afar.
His followers clearly deferred to him, yet they didn't feel like they belonged to the same group.
“Guess we'll have to meet him in person.”
He was openly picking a fight, and most of the gathered unorthodox warriors hadn't witnessed Hyeon Yucheon's true power.
To win their allegiance, he had to show it right here before their eyes.
* * *
“Hah, not bad.”
The man emanating dangerous killing intent from below the Demon Sword Sect's threshold.
When Hyeon Yucheon looked down unfazed, he grinned instead.
Demon Sword Ghost Elder Cheon, that ghostly old man drew the best card in the end.
He seemed to know the Demon Sword Ghost Elder extremely well.
His identity was none other than Jeong Chilgyu—the Immortal Fighter, once called the King of Ronin, the solitary pinnacle of all ronin in the unorthodox world.
This King of Ronin, Immortal Fighter Jeong Chilgyu's, had a most unique history, as his moniker suggested. Originally, he'd been dragged into the northern battlefields as mere infantry.
Infantry always died in droves during war, yet what was this?
Without any exceptional martial arts, Jeong Chilgyu survived dozens of brutal battles without dying.
Thus, he earned the nickname: the undying soldier, Immortal Fighter.
After the northern campaigns ended, he plunged into the martial world, wandering as a third-rate ronin until his late thirties, when fortune smiled—he inherited all the arts of the previous King of Ronin, who had taken a liking to him.
“He really does resemble Old Man Cheon.”
Jeong Chilgyu stared piercingly at Hyeon Yucheon in admiration.
Having inherited everything from the King of Ronin and ascended to super peak realm, he won the support of the ronin.
He stirred a new upheaval in the unorthodox world, dominated by the Five Great Unorthodox Sects—a whirlwind of ronin.
Yet Jeong Chilgyu had one regret.
I never once beat Old Man Cheon.
He'd roamed the unorthodox world and crossed paths with the elder often, being just a decade or so younger.
They fought each time, and by sheer luck, the Demon Sword Ghost Elder spared him, saying:
You have the makings of great late bloomer. Don't get arrogant from surviving unscathed—refine yourself.
If he'd heard such words in his youth, he'd have been purely thrilled.
But Immortal Fighter Jeong Chilgyu was ambitious.
He always yearned to surpass the Demon Sword Ghost Elder, leading him here today.
“Demon Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon!”
As Hyeon Yucheon descended, Jeong Chilgyu bellowed with infused inner power.
“I wanted to clash with the real Demon Sword Ghost Elder Cheon, but after his seclusion ended, he was gone. So instead...”
Crack!
Jeong Chilgyu gripped his signature weapon—the long spear he'd clutched since his lowly infantry days on the northern fields—flexing his entire body's muscles.
“I'll test myself against you!”
As the King of Ronin Jeong Chilgyu roared, the men behind him—the ronin wandering the Central Plains and martial world as mercenaries—erupted in cheers.
Woooaaah!
It was only natural for ronin to support their King of Ronin.
Rejected by both orthodox and unorthodox sects, they had nowhere else to go.
Though they wandered alone, once united, their bonds were unbreakable.
“Immortal Fighter Jeong Chilgyu...”
Hyeon Yucheon responded to the call, recalling his master's memories.
Most supreme experts in the world are hothouse flowers nurtured by prestigious orthodox sects or those strengthened by innate gifts like the Heavenly Martial Body.
But the King of Ronin Jeong Chilgyu is different. He's a born fighter.
That was how Demon Sword Ghost Elder Cheon Baeksang had evaluated him.
Poor natural aptitude, no early orthodox training.
Yet he alone survived the battlefields time and again.
“This King of Ronin steps forward personally! To test if the current Demon Sword Sect Leader is worthy to lead us!”
Jeong Chilgyu shouted, and the moment Hyeon Yucheon's feet touched the ground—
Paaaat!
The two collided without hesitation, intertwining as one.
It was the clash between Jeong Chilgyu, the inborn fighting fiend and battle ghost, and Hyeon Yucheon, who had inherited everything from the Demon Sword Ghost Elder and was heaven's chosen talent.
Watching from afar as the pair entangled, Ga Jinuk muttered.
“King of Ronin Immortal Fighter Jeong Chilgyu. Even Master wanted him as a subordinate, but he was a beast that could never be tamed.”
He was right.
For someone as decisive as Demon Sword Ghost Elder Cheon Baeksang to spare him not once but many times proved how greatly he coveted the man's potential.
“Junior brother Hyeon. If you crush him spectacularly...”
Ga Jinuk trailed off, but it was easy to guess the rest.
Defeating the King of Ronin and winning his heart would secure not just him, but the allegiance of countless ronin.