Absorb the Elders' Hall (4)
"I… lost."
The Blood Moon Fist Demon Danlibyeok hung his head and declared.
He had poured every ounce of his strength into the fight, yet it was all for naught.
His opponent was simply too overwhelming—and above all—
'I think I understand now why Master Cheon left everything to him.'
He could only marvel at the profound depths of this man named Hyeon Yucheon.
As the young master had said, no one could impersonate a Demon Sword Ghost Old Man just by inheriting experience, knowledge, and martial arts from anyone.
Yet Hyeon Yucheon surpassed even Cheon Baeksang in many ways.
Roooaaar!
A deep roar erupted from the veteran experts of the Elders' Hall as Danlibyeok, who had seemed utterly unbreakable, admitted defeat.
They had often marveled at Hyeon Yucheon before, but this was the first time every single one of them— all peak or higher seasoned masters—had been moved in unison.
For even these battle-hardened veterans to be left in awe, Hyeon Yucheon's prowess was truly unparalleled.
"To think I'd witness the Formless Mystery with my own eyes!"
"A technique even Master Cheon never fully unleashed…"
"He has truly perfected the inheritance of the Formless Flash Quick Sword."
Hyeon Yucheon had earned the recognition of the Elders' Hall—stubborn folk whose minds rarely changed.
"Very well, I admit defeat. We leave our fate in your hands. If you wish, take these old lives of ours."
Danlibyeok squeezed his eyes shut as he spoke.
'I always knew a day like this might come.'
From the day he and the Elders' Hall masters had abandoned the Demon Sword Sect in despair, he had foreseen some heavenly retribution.
Who could have guessed it would arrive today?
With Danlibyeok leading, everyone left in the Elders' Hall had no choice but to yield.
"And all of us in the Elders' Hall will share the punishment with me!"
The Elders' Hall and Danlibyeok were one and the same now.
All that remained was Hyeon Yucheon's judgment.
"The Blood Moon Fist Demon Danlibyeok and all the seniors of the Elders' Hall have committed an unforgivable sin. When our sect faced its darkest hour, you were nowhere to be found. The suffering and the price were paid entirely in the blood of us young Demon Sword Sect disciples."
Hyeon Yucheon's tone remained grave and solemn, dashing any faint hopes of leniency among the Elders' Hall members. They despaired.
The weight of his words crushed them; they could only remain silent.
"Thus, by the laws of the Demon Sword Sect, this crime demands punishment… but it is also true that our sect enjoys its current glory thanks to the foundation you seniors laid. Therefore…"
Hyeon Yucheon turned to the elders, who awaited his verdict in silence.
"I ask that all elders of the Elders' Hall return to the Demon Sword Sect, guide the next generation, and complete the unfinished work of the past."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the elders dropped to one knee in unison and cried out.
"Your will be done!"
"The Elders' Hall pledges loyalty to Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon!"
Even Blood Moon Fist Demon Danlibyeok had joined their ranks.
Hyeon Yucheon's approach had been a masterful stroke.
Had he tried to win them over from the start or pushed them to the brink without mercy, he never could have swayed them all.
It was the perfect blend of whip and carrot.
"One more thing… upon your return to the Demon Sword Sect, elders, you will face arduous final years."
Only after his solemn proclamation did Hyeon Yucheon flash a bright smile.
Ooooh!
The elders cheered his wise decision, as did the Black Wolf Three Swords and Brilliant Light Demon Sword Ga Jinuk, who had watched in silence.
And the one rejoicing most of all was this man.
"At last… at long last, the Elders' Hall…"
He was none other than Plum Death Gentleman Jeong Inheon.
The last elder of the Demon Sword Sect's previous generation—and its youngest—whose shoulders had borne a heavy burden as the sect's sole surviving senior.
"Congratulations, Elder Jeong. Now you can finally step back from the dirty work."
Ga Jinuk approached, clapping Jeong Inheon on the shoulder.
"Step back? What nonsense is that? I've gone from top elder to the baby of the group… my road of suffering has just opened up."
Despite his words, Jeong Inheon beamed with joy, tears streaming down his laughing face.
* * *
'All the more reason to give my all for the Demon Sword Sect.'
The Blood Moon Fist Demon Danlibyeok and the Elders' Hall veterans were returning to the Demon Sword Sect after far too long.
Coming home after such absence filled their hearts with special fervor.
Hyeon Yucheon's words—Since you're late, give your utmost from now on—struck deep chords in these old warriors' chests.
How profound the impact? Danlibyeok had even gathered the Elders' Hall members for this talk:
—We may not be welcomed by the young disciples.
But we must bear it.
No matter our circumstances, we heartlessly abandoned those young ones…
The Elders' Hall trembled with anxiety right up until they reached the Demon Sword Sect.
"Don't worry too much."
Jeong Inheon chuckled at his tense seniors, amused by their nerves.
He figured it couldn't be that bad—but alas, his ominous premonition proved spot on.
"The Elders' Hall seniors have returned to the Demon Sword Sect!"
Under Brilliant Light Demon Sword Ga Jinuk's command, all Demon Sword Sect disciples gathered to prepare a welcome ceremony. Yet the mood felt off.
Centered on Little Light Demon Gyeon Jong-o, dissatisfaction rippled through the younger generation.
"Hm?"
Hyeon Yucheon caught it immediately and summoned him.
"Gyeon Jong-o, do you have something to say?"
Gyeon Jong-o, as if waiting for the cue, pointed straight at Danlibyeok and the Elders' Hall veterans and voiced his opinion.
"Frankly, I'm a bit pissed."
Young bloods had always been bold, clashing with the old guard as ever.
"…!!"
Shocked by the youngsters' bluntness—no beating around the bush—the Elders' Hall masters reeled.
They'd never dreamed of being called out to their faces the moment they arrived.
"Why is that?"
Hyeon Yucheon handled it wisely.
He took no sides, staying calm and open to hearing them out.
"First off, we're grateful and encouraged that the elders have returned. But… we still vividly remember. How you coldly abandoned us in our sect's hour of crisis. We understand logically, but our hearts can't accept it."
Gyeon Jong-o spoke plainly.
Not just him—many young Demon Sword Sect disciples who had poured blood and sweat into rebuilding nodded in agreement.
'In the end… the conflict I feared has erupted.'
Hyeon Yucheon had anticipated it, but a generational rift exploding right upon return gave him a headache.
At the same time, worried that hot-tempered Danlibyeok might snap or act rashly, he glanced back—
"I fully understand the young disciples' feelings. We're deeply sorry… Back then, it felt like we'd have to take our own lives if we stayed, so we fled to survive. Please forgive us."
Something astonishing happened.
Far from exploding, Danlibyeok spoke calmly, trying to persuade Gyeon Jong-o and the youths.
And then—
Thud!
He dropped to his knees on the ground.
"This isn't for show. I speak for all of us in the Elders' Hall."
As soon as Danlibyeok finished, the other Elders' Hall veterans knelt one after another.
Not before Sect Leader Hyeon Yucheon—but before Gyeon Jong-o and the young ones who had bled for the sect.
"We're sorry!"
"Truly sorry!"
The white-haired old masters' tearful apologies carried a power that stirred the soul.
The sight was so heartbreaking that even Hyeon Yucheon felt a pang of bitterness.
How much more for the still-young disciples?
"N-no, please!"
"Aigoo, what is this…"
"We can't bear it, elders!"
Not just Gyeon Jong-o—everyone jumped back, waving their hands frantically.
They'd never imagined the lofty, proud elders kneeling before mere juniors like them.
Where in the world did sect elders bow to young disciples?
"But we promise this: We won't strut around or slack off just because we're old and high-ranking. We returned not to bask in the revived Demon Sword Sect's glory… but to offer our aged bones as fertilizer for it."
Danlibyeok and the elders' resolve was no lie.
Soon, events would prove it.
* * *
Hyeon Yucheon, Eum Ji-myeong, the Black Wolf Three Swords, and the Flash Light Demon Sword Squad had moved to the Demon Sword Merchant Association to arrange meetings with merchant guilds and traders—excluding the Seok Family Manor.
With Seok Family retaliation expected, Hyeon Yucheon had unusually brought along the sect's elite: the Flash Light Demon Sword Squad and Flying Spirit Sword Guest Dohyeonbo.
"Mugeom Sword Young Master Hyeon Yucheon has left the premises."
And there were those watching closely.
The Murim Alliance Shaanxi Branch—another power in Shaanxi Province.
Unlike elsewhere, the Alliance struggled here: Huashan and Jongnam loomed above, the Seok Family Shaanxi Branch below, stifling their reach.
"Now's our chance."
Branch Leader Great Power Fist Hwang Bojinung grinned widely at the news.
'This is an opportunity!'
Even this dullard could sense it.
With the Demon Sword Sect crushing Huashan and the Seok Family Shaanxi Branch, the Alliance branch saw a window to expand.
"Their elites are at the Demon Sword Merchant Association."
While Hwang Bojinung favored fists over brains, his aide Cunning Fox Flying Sword Jegalseon handled the schemes.
As deputy, his martial arts were middling, but his mind was sharp, excelling in intelligence.
"Meaning the Demon Sword Sect's home base might be surprisingly empty."
Hwang Bojinung smirked, dreaming of great merits.
"Excellent. But… no other Sapa groups around?"
Despite his bulk, Hwang Bojinung was needlessly suspicious, tapping every stone.
"The Blood Dragon Room, Great Rock Valley, and Quick Sword Hall held a Sapa gathering recently. They haven't returned yet—strike now."
Jegalseon was confident.
This intel came straight from his clan, one of Murim's Five Great Families—flawless.
Unfortunately, the Jegal Clan had missed one key detail.
The Elders' Hall's return.
"Right. Let's conquer the Demon Sword Sect and earn the Alliance Leader's praise."
Hwang Bojinung dreamed sweetly.
A dream that could never come true—making it all the sweeter, deluding him completely.
Oblivious to the powerful new force now inside: Blood Moon Fist Demon Danlibyeok and the returned Elders' Hall.