Chapter 582
"What brings you all here?"
In response to Do Cheon-rin's question, Do Jong-mu, the leader of the Supreme Saber Unit, rose to his feet and replied.
"We'll first dispose of the surrounding rabble!"
Whoosh! Crack!
They unleashed the Bloodflame Blade Art, swiftly cutting down the charging warriors of the Black Banner Society.
Though merely a small squad of fifteen, their saber techniques were extraordinary.
In an instant, they had eliminated enemy troops within roughly a hundred feet.
"Do you know how long we've searched for you since you left the main house, Young Master?"
Do Jong-mu spoke between ragged breaths.
After Do Cheon-rin quietly departed the Bloodflame Blade Family, they too had wandered the martial world in search of him.
"Why?"
"'Why'? Are we not your men, Young Master?"
Do Cheon-rin shook his head with a bitter expression.
"I am no longer the Young Clan Head."
"That doesn't matter."
Do Jong-mu continued swinging his Bloodflame Blade as he spoke.
"We swore our loyalty to you, Young Master."
Do Cheon-rin's breath hitched.
Apart from training them, he had neither treated them particularly well nor shown them special care.
Yet the warriors of the Supreme Saber Unit had sought him out to the very end, determined to fulfill their devotion.
"Let's deal with them first."
"Yes!"
Every saber expert in the Supreme Saber Unit was a one-man-army warrior personally trained by Do Cheon-rin.
Though only fifteen saber experts had reinforced them, the collapsed defensive line was instantly restored.
"Saber experts from the Bloodflame Blade Family?"
Dam Ung, his enhanced vision activated, gaped at the dozen or so saber experts who had suddenly appeared on the flank.
"Are the Demonic Path Ten Gates interfering with our society's affairs? Impossible!"
Though not yet on par with the Martial Alliance or the Demon Hall, the Black Banner Society was a coalition of the Black Path.
If the Bloodflame Blade Family, one of the Ten Gates, intervened in this fight, it would trigger nothing short of a full-scale war.
"No, that can't be."
After observing for a long while, Dam Ung finally discerned Do Cheon-rin's identity and let out a raspy laugh.
"Isn't that the first son who was cast out from the Bloodflame Blade Family?"
Whoosh.
Dam Ung halted his offensive.
For a moment, the battle reached a lull.
Dam Ung approached Do Cheon-rin, who stood at the forefront of the Ronin Corps, drenched in blood after fierce combat.
"Perfect Scholar, Do Cheon-rin."
Dam Ung addressed him with a twisted smile.
"Why is a man exiled from the Bloodflame Blade Family here, brawling with our society?"
"Dam Ung."
Do Cheon-rin's voice was solemn as he shouted back.
"If you withdraw your troops now, you might yet preserve your dog's life."
"Hahahaha!"
Dam Ung cackled.
"Of course, if the Family Head himself had come, I'd be running so fast the soles of my feet would catch fire."
He smirked as he spoke.
"But if it's just a castoff from the Bloodflame Blade Family making a stand, that's utterly preposterous."
Do Cheon-rin's expression flickered slightly at the word "castoff."
In truth, he hadn't simply left to wander the martial world.
He had argued fiercely with Family Head Do Mu-jeok, severed ties with the Bloodflame Blade Family, and only then departed.
Yet this fact was entirely unknown to outsiders—so how did Dam Ung act as though he knew every detail?
At this, Do Jong-mu stepped forward, his Great Blade extended, and declared in a booming voice.
"Do you truly believe you can face a figure from our main house and walk away unscathed?"
"Heh heh heh. It'd be even better if the Bloodflame Blade Family stepped in."
Dam Ung replied leisurely.
"If the mighty Bloodflame Blade Family intervenes just to save some measly Ronin Market, the outcome would be quite entertaining."
Do Jong-mu fell silent.
Dam Ung wasn't wrong.
This battle was originally a factional struggle over the Ronin Market. The one interfering without justification was Do Cheon-rin's side.
Moreover, the Demonic Path Ten Gates had already suffered significant damage to their prestige because of Bu Eun-seol.
If the Bloodflame Blade Family moved now, just for a petty factional dispute over the Ronin Market?
They would only invite greater humiliation, and the Bloodflame Blade Family would lose its standing in the martial world forever.
"We have no ties to the Bloodflame Blade Family. We severed all connections when we left!"
When a flustered Do Jong-mu shouted this, Dam Ung grinned widely.
"Whether you came from the Bloodflame Blade Family or not, you're currently intruding on the Ronin Market's factional struggle and disrupting it."
Dam Ung's expression turned grave as he spoke.
"I'll give you one last chance to withdraw from this fight."
"And if we refuse?"
"Well, you'll die a shameful death alongside these ronin. Even if you've cut ties, Family Head Do would surely lose sleep over the disgrace that day."
In an instant, Do Jong-mu's expression darkened.
Upon reflection, he couldn't comprehend why Do Cheon-rin would stake his life fighting for the Red Sky Curtain Branch.
"Young Master."
"You may withdraw."
Do Cheon-rin spoke to Do Jong-mu.
"I will defend this place."
His pupils burned with unwavering determination.
"Understood."
Do Jong-mu asked no further questions.
From the moment he had resolved to follow Do Cheon-rin, abandoning all status and position to leave the Bloodflame Blade Family—
Even if their destination was hell itself, he would walk there with a smile.
Turning to his unit members, he roared in a thunderous voice:
"Supreme Saber Unit! All forces, prepare to attack!"
Whoosh!
At his command, the fighters simultaneously raised their Bloodflame Blades horizontally above their heads.
"Young Master. These fools are throwing away their lives for misguided loyalty. Will you simply stand by and watch?"
In that instant, crimson killing intent surged from Do Cheon-rin's eyes.
"I may not slaughter them all—but I will certainly behead you."
"By all means, try."
Dam Ung chuckled as he raised his right hand.
"Then let us begin again. Properly this time."
And then—the unexpected unfolded.
"Gah!"
"Ugh—!"
Ronin stationed at the Red Sky Curtain Branch's final defensive line suddenly turned and attacked their own allies.
Unbeknownst to them, the Black Banner Society had not only bribed Dam Yu-yeon's adjutant, Gu-o, but had also long since bought out countless other wanderers.
Given these circumstances, even if Do Cheon-rin and the Supreme Saber Unit resolved to fight to the death—
Victory in this battle was impossible.
"So it wasn't merely the wealth hoarded by the Red Sky Curtain Branch they coveted."
Do Cheon-rin muttered as if realizing something.
"Demanding her Black Ledger was just a pretext—their true aim was this land from the very beginning."
Only now did he grasp the full picture.
The Black Banner Society had deliberately sent Dam Ung to establish the Wanderers' Market, approach Dam Yu-yeon, and demand both the Black Ledger and her hand in marriage—
While they certainly lusted after the Red Sky Curtain Branch's vast accumulated riches—
Their true purpose was to relocate the Black Banner Society's headquarters, stationed in the frontier, to this very land.
Having consolidated numerous dark factions, they needed a foothold in the Central Plains to wield even greater power.
"Sharp perception."
Dam Ung nodded approvingly.
"The Red Sky Curtain Branch possesses every condition ideal for our headquarters."
If the Black Banner Society's leader openly seized the land, it would be deemed an invasion—
But if they funded Dam Ung to establish the Wanderers' Market and fought under the banner of the Wind-Rain Estate?
Then it would simply be a power struggle among wanderers.
The Black Banner Society had long supplied Dam Ung with formidable troops and wealth to bribe the Red Sky Curtain Branch's wanderers—
Their plan was to create a nearby Wanderers' Market and frame this as a territorial dispute between rival markets.
"Ghk—!"
"Aaagh!"
Meanwhile, the screams from the rear grew increasingly louder.
They were likely targeting Dam Yu-yeon, who commanded the troops from the barracks.
"The Young Lady may very well perish by their hands. You won't have time to duel me."
At Dam Ung's taunt, Do Cheon-rin turned to Do Jong-mu.
"Hold this position!"
Fwoosh!
And in the next instant, he charged toward the rear.
'Young Lady Dam!'
The barracks where Dam Yu-yeon had been stationed had already collapsed.
But fortunately, a hundred or so wanderers had formed a defensive ring around her, locked in fierce combat against the Black Banner Society's bribed infiltrators.
"Make way!"
Do Cheon-rin soared into the air in an instant—
And unleashed the Evil Dragon Mountain-Shattering Form.
Boom!
The wanderers assaulting Dam Yu-yeon couldn't withstand the pressure—spurting blood as they crumpled to the ground.
Thud.
Landing gracefully, Do Cheon-rin took his place beside Dam Yu-yeon.
"Young Master Do."
Glancing at her sidelong, he raised his sword high and declared:
"Let us fight together."
Though this was a life-or-death moment—
A faint smile touched both their lips.
To die side by side with the one you love—
Was that not the most blessed death a martial artist could ask for?
Clang! Schlick!
Back-to-back, Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon madly cut down wave after wave of enemies.
The Black Banner Society hadn't just bribed existing wanderers—they had also disguised their own men and infiltrated them into the Red Sky Curtain Branch's ranks.
Those now betraying them from the rear and attacking Dam Yu-yeon were sleeper agents planted long ago.
"Deploy the Flowerless Evil Ghost Formation!"
Not only were these men highly skilled—they also wielded a battle formation.
Swish! Swish!
As the formation's effects took hold, Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon found themselves hard-pressed.
The battles of Murim are fundamentally different from ordinary warfare.
Here, battle formations allow martial artists to combine their strength, unleashing martial arts power that transcends individual limits.
They also create opportunities to topple even the most formidable masters who would otherwise be impossible to defeat.
This was true not only for Do Cheon-rin but also for the members of the Supreme Saber Unit fighting Dam Ung on the battlefield.
Zzzzing—
The surroundings had already darkened into pitch-black obscurity, and their senses dulled.
Realizing they were trapped within the formation, Do Jong-mu shouted to his unit:
"Fight them using your senses!"
Unlike the orthodox martial arts of the Righteous Faction, the martial arts of the Demonic Path, which prioritize sheer destructive force, place great emphasis on the refinement of the body's senses.
That was why the Demonic Path Ten Gates possessed unique secret techniques—such as Langya Pavilion's Way of the Beast—that heightened one's senses to extreme levels.
"Ghk—!"
Yet, groans of pain still burst from the lips of the Supreme Saber Unit's warriors.
Against such overwhelming numbers, bizarre formations, and relentless assaults, victory was impossible.
But they fought without fear of death.
The same went for Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon.
"Hah... Hah..."
Both were drenched in blood—some from the enemies they had cut down, some their own.
No matter how many they slew, the formation remained unbroken. The moment a gap appeared, fresh reinforcements rushed in to fill it.
And so, without a single moment's rest, the two continued cutting down foes in the suffocating darkness.
Swish!
Then, a razor-sharp blade stabbed toward Dam Yu-yeon's back.
But she was too preoccupied with the enemies before her to evade in time.
Clang!
Do Cheon-rin flicked his demonic sword outward, deflecting the blade.
Thud!
In that same instant, a surge of sword qi tore deep into his side.
"You—!"
Only then did Dam Yu-yeon grasp the situation, her voice trembling with shock.
Yet Do Cheon-rin merely smiled gently and asked:
"Are you unharmed?"
Despite the grievous wound he had taken, his only concern was for her.
"It was just a matter of timing. Don't do that again."
At her words, Do Cheon-rin's expression darkened.
Death was inevitable.
Even if he saved her now, Dam Yu-yeon would still die.
And in the end... he, too, would fall.
Whoosh—
Snatching his sword back with Void Object Retrieval, he murmured bitterly:
"I don't know why I'm so lacking in talent."
He sighed as his gaze swept across the battlefield.
"If it were him, he could have broken through this place alone."
He was, of course, speaking of Bu Eun-seol.
Had it been Bu Eun-seol—who had long since reached the Supreme Origin Realm—he would've remained unfazed even if thousands of martial artists of this caliber swarmed him.
But Do Cheon-rin had not attained such heights.
And now, for the first time in his life, he found himself unable to protect the woman he had come to love.
"There's no need to compare yourself."
Sensing his anguish, Dam Yu-yeon spoke calmly.
"You fought your hardest as yourself. That's strength enough."
"Are you comforting me?"
"Not comfort. The truth."
Do Cheon-rin shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Well, he is strong—but far too ruthless, devoid of warmth. Even with the power to help, he refused."
"The Heir of the Demon Hall cannot recklessly involve himself in conflicts between other factions. Especially not when the Black Banner Society has close ties to the Government Office, and Shaanxi is dominated by the Righteous Faction..."
Surprisingly, Dam Yu-yeon defended Bu Eun-seol.
"Without justification, it would be unreasonable for him to interfere in this fight."
Only then did Do Cheon-rin let out a quiet Ah.
No matter how much Bu Eun-seol disregarded trivial information, it was impossible that he hadn't learned of the Black Banner Society's massive troop movements toward Red Sky Curtain Branch.
But even if he wanted to help, his status made it impossible for him to intervene.
"And here I was, resenting him to death without realizing that."
"It's fine to feel disappointed. I do too."
At her words, Do Cheon-rin grinned and began circulating his Internal Energy.
"Then I suppose we should prepare for the end."
A heat haze shimmered around his entire body.
"One last time—let's see the clear sky together."
He gathered his Primordial Essence True Qi, ready to unleash the pinnacle of his sword techniques—
To shatter the formation in one strike and gaze upon the open sky one final time.
"There's no need."
Dam Yu-yeon took his hand in hers.
"If your resolve is to stay together until the end, then let us depart for the Underworld side by side."
"What do you mean?"
"I've long suspected the Black Banner Society's dirty tricks. The only reason I endured was to strike back at them."
She smiled faintly.
"I buried thirty thousand jin of gunpowder around the main hall. They may take this place, but Dam Ung and his entire vanguard will be sent straight to hell."
Dam Yu-yeon had long sensed the Black Banner Society's ambitions.
Having discerned that they would open the Wanderers' Market and drive the conflict among wandering factions to its bitter end,
she realized there was no way to stop them—
so she poured all her wealth into secretly planting gunpowder around the Red Sky Curtain Branch, preparing for mutual destruction.
And she endured, holding out until the end,
luring their forces close enough to blow them all up at once.
"Can you set it off now?"
Dam Yu-yeon nodded, then moved a rock where the barracks had once stood.
A single transparent cord sprang out from beneath it.
"Good."
Do Cheon-rin laughed and nodded.
"Let us meet again in the next life."
"Do Cheon-rin."
Suddenly mustering her courage, Dam Yu-yeon pressed her lips to his in a kiss.
Then, without hesitation, she pulled the cord on the ground to ignite the gunpowder.
But something strange happened.
Whoooosh!
The pitch-black darkness faded, and suddenly, screams erupted from all directions—
"Ughhk!"
"Gahhh!"
The agonized cries weren't from the wanderers of Red Sky Curtain Branch—
they came from the Black Banner Society's troops.
"Who are they?"
Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon blinked in shock.
A cavalry clad in black had appeared at the rear of the enemy forces.
They wore armor gleaming with an obsidian sheen, their black wind-breaking robes fluttering as they tore through the Black Banner Society's ranks.
Screeeech!
Accompanied by the cry of a hawk,
shadowy figures moving with terrifying speed poured out behind the cavalry, their Lightness Skill propelling them like a storm.
Swish!Swooosh!
Like falcons skimming the ground, they darted across the battlefield, toppling the enemy forces in the blink of an eye.
"Who the hell are these bastards?!"
Dam Ung roared in fury.
He had been on the verge of swallowing Red Sky Curtain Branch whole—
where had these troops suddenly come from?
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Then, the rider at the forefront drew two daggers from his waist and leapt from his horse.
Shing!
In a flash of Lightning Flash, he carved mercilessly through the Black Banner Society's ranks.
His Movement Technique was so swift, his black wind-breaking robe swirling around him, that he looked like a storm cloud sweeping across the battlefield.
Thwack. Thud-thud.
With every slash of his daggers, warriors fell like leaves in autumn.
One of the wanderers from Red Sky Curtain Branch shouted as he watched—
"The Wandering King!"
The Wandering King.
A young wanderer who had been active Beyond the Frontier for years, completing missions deemed impossible for a lone warrior.
He had amassed incredible achievements—
and more than that, he was said to have saved countless civilians and powerless wanderers from death.
As time passed, more and more wanderers began following him voluntarily,
until, before anyone realized it, he had forged a massive faction of his own.
The King of Wanderers.
Unbeknownst to many, the wanderers had begun calling him by that title.
Swoooosh!
The black shadow streaked toward Red Sky Curtain Branch like a bolt of lightning, cutting down foes in his path.
When he finally reached Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon,
he flipped midair and landed before them.
Whoooosh!
A ripple of True Qi expanded in concentric circles as the masked man revealed himself.
"Manager Dam."
"Who are you?"
When Dam Yu-yeon asked, the masked man uncovered his face.
The dazzling features of a radiant young man, bright as the morning sun, came into view.
"I am Heuk-pyo. I don't know if you remember me."
"Heuk-pyo..."
Dam Yu-yeon searched her memory before her eyes widened in realization.
"Wait—the Heuk-pyo who served under Lord Bu?"
At her words, Heuk-pyo smiled warmly.
"That's right. You remember me."
How could she forget?
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had registered as a wanderer under the alias Seol-so, traveling with Heuk-pyo.
For a time, they roamed the martial world together as fellow wanderers.
But who would have thought that the Wandering King making waves Beyond the Frontier was that very same Heuk-pyo?
"You've been well, I hope?"
"Thanks to you. But how did you come to be here?"
Heuk-pyo looked at her bewildered expression and answered respectfully.
"Lord Bu said he couldn't come to your aid directly—so he sent me instead."
Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon exchanged stunned glances.
The truth was, Bu Eun-seol had already received a full report on Red Sky Curtain Branch's situation from So-yo.
As the Heir of the Demon Hall, he couldn't intervene personally.
So instead of acting himself—
he had mobilized the Wandering King from Beyond the Frontier.
Heuk-pyo.
To save the Red Sky Curtain Branch.