Chapter 581
Rumble—
In the end, a massive army bearing the banner of Wind-Rain Estate marched out to crush the Red Sky Curtain Branch.
Their numbers reached a staggering three thousand.
Dam Ung had brought an entire specialized combat unit—one that had previously absorbed numerous sects through large-scale warfare.
Before entering Bu County, Dam Ung once again sent an envoy with a letter attempting to persuade Dam Yu-yeon to surrender.
"If you surrender now, you will be fully incorporated into Wind-Rain Estate."
To prevent outside interference, Dam Ung stubbornly insisted on identifying himself as part of Wind-Rain Estate until the very end.
Dam Yu-yeon paid no heed.
Instead, she established a defensive line around Bu County—the entrance to the Red Battlefield Ronin Network—and gathered the ronin forces.
Having managed the Red Sky Curtain Branch under the Sanctuary Master since childhood, she was well-versed in military strategy and mercenary arts.
"Victory is impossible anyway."
Facing the Black Banner Society, whose forces outnumbered theirs by more than tenfold, achieving victory was an impossibility.
Thus, while pretending to fortify a solid defensive line from Bu County,
she actually organized mobile cavalry and martial artists into combat units.
Then, by repeatedly retreating and drawing the Black Banner Society into pursuit, she extended the frontline,
employing a tactic of defeating them in detail, one by one.
"That little bitch. She's playing a nasty game."
Dam Ung clicked his tongue after hearing reports from his commanders.
He had expected her to set up defenses far from the Red Battlefield Ronin Network in Bu County, then use special units to attack their rear.
But instead, she deliberately retreated, prolonging the frontline, and crushed divided forces before reinforcements could arrive?
"Well, no matter. It's all meaningless resistance anyway."
The ones currently clashing with the ronins of the Red Sky Curtain Branch at the vanguard were not the Black Banner Society's main forces.
Ronins knew best how to fight other ronins.
To survive the battlefield, they employed bizarre poisons, hidden weapon devices, explosives—
nothing was off-limits, and they hesitated at no method.
To counter them, Dam Ung had used his vast financial resources
to purchase over ten contract organizations, including the Capture Head Office—a gathering place for the worst scum of humanity.
"Once we absorb the Red Sky Curtain Branch, the annual profits will be enormous. This expenditure is nothing in comparison."
Stroking his chin, Dam Ung issued orders to his adjutant.
"It doesn't matter if all the expendables at the front are wiped out. They're just meat shields—nothing more, nothing less."
After assessing the situation, he raised his voice in command.
"Push forward without stopping!"
Dam Ung's strategy struck true.
Though Dam Yu-yeon countered with ingenious tactics,
once the Black Banner Society embraced a strategy of relentless sacrifice, the ronins of the Red Sky Curtain Branch were ultimately overpowered
and forced to retreat all the way to their headquarters.
Dam Yu-yeon took a deep breath.
If this last defensive line fell, the Black Banner Society would storm into the heart of the Red Sky Curtain Branch.
"In the end, it was like smashing an egg against a rock."
Gazing at the Black Banner Society's massive army—
a dark, mountainous force gathered beyond the hill—she bit her lip and spoke.
She had believed her brilliant tactics had dealt the Black Banner Society a heavy blow.
But in truth, she had only managed to defeat their first wave, composed of assassins.
"The only saving grace is that additional ronins who hadn't joined earlier have now arrived."
Throughout this conflict, Dam Yu-yeon had prioritized the ronins' interests
and strived to provide accurate information to ensure their safe return.
Initially, some ronins had refused to participate, unwilling to be sacrificed in a hopeless fight.
But when they saw her struggling against the Black Banner Society, they changed their minds and voluntarily joined the battlefield.
With most of the ronins gathered, the Red Sky Curtain Branch now fielded a force of a thousand.
Yet Dam Ung's troops still outnumbered them by more than double.
The only consolation was that Dam Yu-yeon's tactics had shattered their first wave, balancing the scales somewhat.
"Now it's a full-scale war."
Her expression was calm, but a trace of sorrow lingered in her eyes.
With the enemy forces at their doorstep, no tactics or strategy mattered anymore.
Only brute force against brute force remained.
'I have no regrets.'
From the beginning, she had never sought victory—only a glorious last stand.
"Everyone, fight with everything you have! Annihilate them!"
At her command,
"Raaaaaah—!"
The ronins of the Red Sky Curtain Branch drew their weapons and charged forward.
These were warriors who had gathered to fight rather than submit to the Black Banner Society.
With fearless expressions, they rushed ahead without hesitation.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The vanguard forces began collapsing—not from enemy attacks, but seemingly out of nowhere.
"That's—!"
Dam Yu-yeon's eyes widened as she scanned the battlefield.
Ronins were skilled in all manner of combat and miscellaneous techniques.
But there was one kind of enemy they feared most on the battlefield: the Poison People.
"Poison gas?!"
Her eyes flew open in shock.
The Black Banner Society's vanguard was releasing formless poison vapors!
"It's poison!"
The Wanderer Unit members immediately swallowed Detoxification Pills and tied poison-blocking cloth over their faces.
Yet what made Poison People terrifying wasn't just their ability to emit toxic fumes.
Thud!
Even when weapons pierced their bodies, the impact sounded dull.
Poison People generally possessed physiques impervious to blades, and since even their blood carried Extreme Poison, close-quarters combat against them bordered on suicidal.
"Use fire pellets!"
Their weakness was flame.
Dam Yu-yeon recalled how many of the sects absorbed by the Black Banner Society belonged to the Poison Sect. Anticipating this very scenario, she'd stockpiled vast quantities of incendiary pellets.
Boom! Whoosh!
As wanderers hurled fire pellets into battle, the Poison People's offensive faltered.
Yet the tide couldn't be turned.
"Guhk!"
"Aaaargh!"
With Poison People spearheading the assault, the wanderers gradually buckled under pressure. In less than fifteen minutes, the entire vanguard of the charging Wanderer Unit had been annihilated.
From the rear, Gu-o observed the battlefield and addressed Dam Yu-yeon:
"Hall Master, this is hopeless. If we hold out like this, that bastard Dam Ung will slaughter every last wanderer."
His voice turned pleading.
"Why not surrender the Black Ledger to them?"
All financial flows of the Red Sky Curtain Branch were under Dam Yu-yeon's control.
If the Black Banner Society failed to secure either her or the ledger? They'd seize the land but lose access to the massive wealth accumulated over years.
"Even if I surrendered it, they'd never spare our people."
Dam Yu-yeon's voice was glacial.
"If they truly wanted the ledger, there were countless ways to negotiate. They wouldn't have mobilized an army and cornered me like this."
Certainty hardened her expression.
"They clearly want more than the ledger. They'll never let our people walk away alive."
"But... isn't that just speculation?"
Gu-o's desperation grew.
"Will you stand idle while wanderers die like this?"
"What this branch must achieve now is a glorious death."
An abyssal light flickered in Dam Yu-yeon's eyes.
"The murim still has many wanderer markets. The Black Banner Society will devour them one by one after us."
"..."
"Only by showing that some refuse to kneel can future markets survive."
Her face remained serene.
If this is fate, then I've no regrets.
Since childhood, Dam Yu-yeon had witnessed countless wanderers die.
She'd always known she'd meet the same end.
Such was a wanderer's life.
Neither sorrow nor anguish remained.
Rumble—
Meanwhile, the Poison People tore through the Wanderer Unit's defensive line like splitting bamboo.
The collapse was imminent—soon enemies would flood into Red Sky Curtain Branch.
Tap.
Then Dam Yu-yeon's back prickled with heat.
Gu-o had suddenly seized her Demon Blood Point.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"'A wise man submits to circumstances,' as they say."
Gu-o smiled faintly.
"If the Hall Master dies without surrendering the ledger, this humble one can't inherit the branch."
Dam Yu-yeon's face paled in realization—Gu-o had long been recruited by the Black Banner Society.
"Then why fight alongside me earlier? You could've subdued me from the start."
"What better opportunity to eliminate all wanderers and factions loyal to you in one stroke?"
His grin turned sinister.
Not only had he been subverted, but he'd planned to purge every wanderer force supporting Dam Yu-yeon during this chaos.
"Though I never dreamed you'd resist this fiercely."
Gu-o sighed and shook his head.
"Reveal the ledger's whereabouts now, and I'll grant you a quiet suicide."
His expression darkened.
"But keep resisting, and I'll have to hand you over to that cruel bastard Dam Ung."
Dam Yu-yeon's eyes widened as the Demon Blood Point paralyzed her.
To fall into Dam Ung's hands meant—
Not just bodily ruin, but a fate worse than death.
"I misjudged my people."
Just then, a sigh-laden voice echoed from beyond the barracks.
"When you treat men like soft dough, isn't rebellion inevitable?"
"Who's there?!"
Gu-o whirled around in alarm.
He'd confirmed no one was nearby—how could a voice sound so close?
Swish.
A black-clad man materialized before him as if erupting from the earth, an Odd-shaped Sword at his waist.
Outside, life-and-death battles raged in desperate urgency—yet here this figure stood.
The black-clad man who had suddenly appeared wore an expression that bordered on boredom, if not outright lethargy.
It was Do Cheon-rin.
"How—how are you here?"
Gu-o, recognizing his face, staggered back in shock.
"They say when the lion is gone, the fox plays king. You're exactly that kind of trash."
As Do Cheon-rin's lips curled into a frosty sneer,
"Don't move!"
Gu-o swiftly drew a dagger and pressed it against Dam Yu-yeon's throat, shouting,
"Make one move, and I'll kill her right now!"
Do Cheon-rin was a Master whose martial prowess was beyond measure.
If Gu-o showed even the slightest opening, his head would be severed in an instant.
But then, Gu-o's expression twisted strangely.
Click.
Before he knew it, the sword Do Cheon-rin had been holding was already sheathed.
'He was empty-handed just a moment ago...'
At the same time, Gu-o felt a sharp sting near his neck.
When he gingerly touched it, he realized blood was already trickling down—along with a thin crimson line.
"When did you—?"
Those became his last words.
Thud. Splaaaash!
Gu-o's head hit the floor, and his decapitated body gushed blood like a fountain.
Thump.
Without even sparing a glance at Gu-o's corpse, Do Cheon-rin sent a Finger Wind, releasing Dam Yu-yeon from the paralysis of her acupoints.
"Why did you come here?"
"To repay a debt."
Do Cheon-rin's voice was calm as he surveyed the battlefield.
"And I was curious just how audacious the Black Banner Society could be."
"This is a faction war between wanderer markets."
Dam Yu-yeon shook her head.
"It's not something your involvement can resolve."
The Wanderer Unit's defeat was inevitable.
No matter how formidable Do Cheon-rin was, he couldn't possibly take on nearly three thousand troops—including the Poison People.
"Well, isn't there value in fighting to the death without regrets?"
Do Cheon-rin smiled at her.
"Dying alongside you on the same day might be fun, too."
Pat.
Before she could respond, he immediately launched himself toward the battlefield.
And as he drew his sword, he faced the Poison People charging toward Red Sky Curtain Branch.
"Scram!"
Flash! Splatter!
After reading the martial manual Bu Eun-seol had written for him and discussing martial theory,
Do Cheon-rin had broken through his limits once more, achieving a true Breakthrough.
With his martial prowess enhanced, not only had his reflexes sharpened—his mental acuity, insight, and even his innate brilliance had grown.
Thus, even by merely executing basic Martial Forms with precision,
he effortlessly dispatched the warriors rushing at him.
From the Black Banner Society's perspective, he was merely unleashing ordinary techniques like Sweeping a Thousand Armies,
yet before they knew it, their heads were tumbling—accompanied by fleeting afterimages.
Slash! Crunch!
The Poison People leading the charge numbered over two hundred.
Do Cheon-rin felled thirty in an instant.
That alone gave the defending wanderers a moment to catch their breath and reorganize.
"Where the hell did that bastard come from?!"
Dam Ung scowled and shouted.
Wasn't that man casually dispersing Sword Qi from his dark blade, cutting down Poison People like stalks of wheat?
And though his face seemed vaguely familiar, his weapons and Sword Techniques were utterly foreign.
"So they secretly prepared a Special-Grade Wanderer worth his salt."
Dam Ung smirked cruelly as he confirmed Do Cheon-rin was fighting alone.
"But that won't be nearly enough."
The forces he had brought to conquer Red Sky Curtain Branch weren't just Poison People.
No matter what unexpected situation arose, he had prepared thoroughly to ensure absolute victory.
'Failure is not an option.'
As Dam Yu-yeon had warned, the Black Banner Society's leader did not tolerate failure.
Even as the one managing the Society's vast wealth, if Dam Ung returned defeated after mobilizing such forces—
the leader would never forgive him.
"Send in the Insect-Flying Sword Unit!"
At Dam Ung's roar, the troops waiting in the rear surged forward.
Whoosh! Shink!
They wore bizarre armor resembling reptilian skin, with strange metal devices strapped to their legs.
And with every leap, long swords sprang out from those contraptions.
"Guh—!"
"Agh—!"
Each time they landed, their razor-sharp blades cleaved through wanderers' heads or shoulders.
The wanderers tried desperately to cut them down,
but the Insect-Flying Swordsmen bounded around like grasshoppers, attacking unpredictably—making them difficult to counter.
Before long, the Insect-Flying Swordsmen had encircled Do Cheon-rin, leaping around him like frogs.
Boing! Boing!
They began hopping up and down, tightening the noose.
"Kiiiiii!"
With a grotesque shriek, a wave of green light spread above Do Cheon-rin's head.
Then, jagged streaks of sword qi cascaded down upon him like a downpour.
The Insect-Flying Sword Unit had unleashed their pride—the Centipede Blood-Insect Formation.
Fwoosh!
At the same time, from below, the Poison People concentrated their attacks, hurling Poison Palms toward Do Cheon-rin.
Swish! Fwoosh!
From above, the sword qi of the Insect-Flying Sword Unit rained down; from below, the Poison People unleashed their venomous strikes.
Before he knew it, Do Cheon-rin's body was so obscured by the storm of sword qi and poisonous energy that he was barely visible.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Swinging his demonic sword like a windmill, Do Cheon-rin frantically repelled the onslaught of poison and sword energy.
But these attackers were well accustomed to dealing with formidable masters. The Insect-Flying Sword Unit softened his razor-sharp sword techniques, and the Poison People exploited the openings, relentlessly assaulting his front and flanks, breaking through his defenses.
'Should I awaken the demonic sword's power again?'
Ever since reforging its scabbard,
not only had the demonic energy flowing from the Hwanma Sword been suppressed, but even the sword's inherent abilities had been sealed.
Yet Do Cheon-rin felt no regret.
Because he had once read these words in a martial treatise written by Bu Eun-seol:
—"If one grows accustomed to convenience, there is no progress. If one does not seize trials as opportunities for growth, a martial artist can never truly advance."
After all, the demonic sword not only influenced its wielder's spirit and mind, but it also constantly demanded sacrifices or a price.
To honor his promise with Bu Eun-seol, Do Cheon-rin had chosen to wield the Hwanma Sword while sealing its power—fighting solely with his own skill.
'Is this not also a trial?'
He gritted his teeth.
Even if it meant death,
he had resolved to achieve victory through his own strength—to take another leap forward.
Crash! Thud!
As Do Cheon-rin focused his mind and unleashed an unrelenting storm of sword strokes, dozens more Poison People collapsed.
But the Centipede Blood-Insect Formation was the Black Banner Society'sAbsolute Formation, one that had felled countless powerful warriors.
Operating through an intricate battle rhythm, it rained unpredictable sword qi, forcing him into an endless cycle of offense and defense.
And the Poison People never missed their chance, spewing venomous energy without pause.
"Guhk!"
"Ugh..."
While he struggled against the Insect-Flying Sword Unit,
the Black Banner Society's forces steadily overwhelmed the wanderers of the Red Sky Curtain Branch.
'The defensive line must not collapse.'
Do Cheon-rin doubled his internal power, flooding his body with true qi.
He would ignore the poisonous onslaught entirely and cut down the Insect-Flying Sword Unit first.
Hwoooom!
As he channeled immense power into the Hwanma Sword, the blade began to glow crimson.
—"Strike!"
Sensing something ominous, the Insect-Flying Sword Unit shifted their battle formation, launching a chaotic barrage of attacks.
But instead of targeting them, Do Cheon-rin directed his sword technique toward the sky.
Fwoooosh!
A blood-red rainbow flashed across the dry heavens.
As the rainbow lingered in the air, the martial artists of the Insect-Flying Sword Unit—who had been leaping endlessly—plummeted helplessly to the ground.
He had executed the Blood Flame Seizing Shadow, the ultimate technique of the Bloodflame Blade Art, using the Hwanma Sword.
—"Scatter and attack!"
As Do Cheon-rin's assault intensified,
the Insect-Flying Sword Unit abandoned direct confrontation, relying instead on their erratic battle rhythm to leap about like locusts.
Fwoosh! Fwoooosh!
But Do Cheon-rin paid them no mind, continuously unleashing iridescent sword energy.
The moment the Insect-Flying Sword Unit's warriors sprang into the air, they collapsed to the ground, spewing crimson mist.
Now dominating the skies, Do Cheon-rin turned his attention to the floundering warriors below.
Fwoooosh!
As waves of bloody mist spread, the Insect-Flying Sword Unit surrounding him finally fell, one after another.
"Huff... Huff..."
Gasping for breath, his entire body was drenched in sweat, his skin slightly darkened.
The Blood Flame Seizing Shadow possessed tremendous might, but it consumed an enormous amount of true qi.
Having unleashed it repeatedly while bathed in poisonous energy, his internal power had drastically depleted.
And now, the poison was beginning to seep into his body.
"Is it no use?"
In the meantime, part of the defensive line had crumbled, and some of the Black Banner Society's forces had pushed right up to the gates of the Red Sky Curtain Branch.
Even if he survived this battle, the wanderers and Dam Yu-yeon would not.
The fall of the Red Sky Curtain Branch was inevitable.
Clang! Fwoooosh!
But then—
From the Black Banner Society's flank, the deafening clash of weapons erupted.
—"Young Master!"
With a thunderous roar, fifteen black shadows sprinted straight toward Do Cheon-rin.
Clad in plain black martial uniforms, each wore a silver Grotesque Blade at their waist.
"Young Master!"
Finally reaching his side, they all dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.
Their uniforms, having barely broken through the enemy's flank, were drenched in blood from the fierce battle.
They were the Supreme Saber Unit—the direct force under Do Cheon-rin's command, the elite warriors of the Bloodflame Blade Family.