The Blood-Killing Demon Sword Gets His Face Rearranged
In the heart of Hangzhou stood the main headquarters of the Guryong Sect.
As a faction of the unorthodox path, it was rare for them to possess such an extravagant manor and ornate pavilions.
Yu Sucheon, the top expert of Hangzhou’s black path, knew that Jeon Akgwan—the leader of the Guryong Sect—had amassed his wealth through utterly vicious means.
Of course, Yu Sucheon had zero interest in how the Guryong Sect made their money.
He only cared about the money they had already collected.
From the fifth floor of the main pavilion, Yu Sucheon watched the black path martial artists training below with mild interest before speaking.
“Hey, brother. You really need to settle on a proper title already. You can’t keep calling yourself ‘boss’ forever.”
“Come on, sworn brother. It’s not even a proper ‘clan’ or ‘alliance’—just a measly ‘sect.’ What’s wrong with being called boss? In the orthodox path, a ‘sect’ might carry real weight, but in the unorthodox world, a ‘sect’ leader can’t exactly call himself a sect master.”
“You’re not wrong, but it still looks bad.”
“That’s true. By the way, sworn brother…”
Jeon Akgwan called out to him in a sly tone.
His voice dripped with hidden motives.
Yu Sucheon chuckled at the blatant ambition laced in Jeon Akgwan’s words.
“So all that talk about not caring about titles was a lie after all.”
“Hahaha. Over the years, I’ve raised quite a few warriors in the Guryong Sect. Enough to unify all the black path factions in Hangzhou and establish a proper ‘alliance.’”
“So the Guryong Sect is becoming the Guryong Alliance now?”
“It’s about time. The only problem is that some bastards still refuse to listen. You, sworn brother, are one of the most renowned experts of the Sapa—not just in Hangzhou, but across all of Zhejiang Province. That’s why I’m asking… could you lend me a small hand?”
The subtle flattery was obvious.
Yu Sucheon kept smiling.
Sapa—the unorthodox path—meant freedom from all constraints.
But in the mouths of its practitioners, the word carried an even stronger implication: the freedom to do anything.
The weight Jeon Akgwan placed on that last part was unmistakable.
“What exactly do you want me to do, brother?”
“I just want you to persuade those stubborn fools to join the Guryong Alliance. Who in Hangzhou would dare ignore a recommendation from you?”
“Guryong Alliance, huh. Not a bad ring to it. Looks like my little brother is finally about to spread his wings and make a name for himself in Hangzhou.”
“You’re the one who should be making an even bigger name for yourself. If you help turn the Guryong Sect into the Guryong Alliance, your fame will soar as well. I’ll give you every single one of the juiciest rights and privileges.”
“People of the unorthodox path prefer freedom over money. I have no interest in being tied down managing territories.”
“All you have to do is sit back and relax. My boys will handle everything—collect the money and deliver it straight to you. You’ll easily pocket forty or fifty gold coins a month.”
Yu Sucheon maintained his smile.
Forty or fifty gold coins a month.
Even an elder of the Saheol Alliance wouldn’t find that kind of money easy to come by.
Not bad. Actually, it’s excellent.
His connection with Jeon Akgwan, the boss of the Guryong Sect, went back quite a while.
When Yu Sucheon first settled in Hangzhou, Jeon Akgwan had come looking for him.
Asking to borrow his strength.
At the time, Yu Sucheon had considered beating the stranger half to death for having the audacity.
But he didn’t.
The half-crazed killing intent rolling off the man smelled too much like money.
So he lent his power a few times to help Jeon Akgwan establish himself.
The compensation had been quite generous.
The five brothels Jeon Akgwan had seized and handed over now belonged to Yu Sucheon.
But the real prize was the silk from the Danhwa Silk Shop that the Dan family had once operated.
The silk produced by the Danhwa Silk Shop was the absolute best.
That silk was the greatest gain of all.
Every bolt of silk that had been stored in the Danhwa Silk Shop was now safely tucked away in Yu Sucheon’s possession.
Hangzhou’s finest silk.
The Mokhwa Merchant Group’s products couldn’t even reach its toes.
With that silk, Yu Sucheon had clothes made for himself and sold the rest to the courtesans in his brothels at several times the profit.
If anyone in Hangzhou was asked who the most stylish man in the city was, the answer would undoubtedly be Yu Sucheon.
The beautiful young master.
Though he had other nicknames, the one that truly defined him was “Treasure-Faced Paragon”—and the silk from the Danhwa Silk Shop had done wonders to enhance that reputation.
The monopoly on that silk would serve as the foundation for Yu Sucheon to remain Hangzhou’s number one young noble for decades to come.
That alone was already quite satisfying.
And on top of that, forty to fifty gold coins every month. An unexpected windfall.
He knew that once the Guryong Sect became the Guryong Alliance, the real money would come from extortion.
But that didn’t suit his tastes.
When it came to tormenting others, he preferred to stay in the shadows.
After all, he was a man of the unorthodox path who cherished freedom like the wind.
Making enemies and living a troublesome life was something he absolutely detested.
If Jeon Akgwan kept supplying him with money, he would become the wealthiest martial artist in all of Hangzhou.
A lifetime of guaranteed income in exchange for getting his hands a little dirty.
Yu Sucheon spoke.
“So? Who exactly are these bold bastards who refuse to listen to my little brother?”
“The Cheongryong Sect, the Chilbo Sect, and the Cheongho Sect.”
“By tomorrow, they’ll come crawling on their knees, begging to join the Guryong Alliance. So stop worrying and go ahead and establish your alliance.”
“Hahaha, as expected of my sworn brother! Starting next month, I’ll deposit the money directly into your account.”
“I’m not doing this for the money. I’m just looking out for my little brother.”
“Of course, of course. Hahaha.”
Yu Sucheon and Jeon Akgwan laughed loudly, confirming that their intentions were perfectly aligned.
With this, they had secured both the greatest power and the greatest wealth in Hangzhou.
Their future would be a flower garden.
The Guryong Alliance would tend to the garden, and Yu Sucheon would reap the honey from its blossoms.
This was the taste of life.
This was the life he had always dreamed of.
The grand dream he had cherished for so long had not ended as a fleeting spring dream.
So what if they tormented people and turned them into beggars?
Anyone who complained could simply be silenced or quietly eliminated.
Just like what had been done to the Dan family, who had produced such magnificent silk at the Danhwa Silk Shop.
They had made silk that was simply too good.
Producing something no one else could replicate was far too dangerous.
Of course, the destruction of the Dan family wasn’t solely because of the silk.
Yu Sucheon had only intervened to secure the monopoly on the Danhwa Silk Shop’s products.
The rest had been handled by the Guryong Sect.
Yu Sucheon said, “Today’s a good day. It’s a bit early, but how about we go have a drink?”
“Sworn brother, today I’ll take you to a truly excellent place. It’s a new brothel that’s been making waves in Hangzhou lately. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
“Better than the ones I already own?”
“Hehehe, that brothel will soon belong to you as well.”
“You really do understand me well.”
“It’s a good day. The long, drawn-out matter with the Dan family has finally been resolved, and today the Guryong Sect becomes the Guryong Alliance. Hahaha.”
Jeon Akgwan took the lead, opening the door to head down to the lower floor.
Crash! Bang!
At that moment, a loud commotion erupted from the first floor.
The sound of furniture breaking—or perhaps someone being thrown to the ground—made Jeon Akgwan’s face twist in disbelief.
There was no one in Hangzhou with the guts to cause a ruckus inside the Guryong Sect.
Strange. Normally, anyone causing trouble would be thrown out the front gate. Does this mean someone actually fought their way through the main entrance and training grounds all the way into the pavilion?
Occasionally, wandering martial artists would cause trouble, but they usually never made it past the training grounds.
That meant this intruder was quite skilled.
Still, Jeon Akgwan wasn’t worried.
Right beside him stood Yu Sucheon, one of the greatest experts in Hangzhou.
“Looks like a single fly has wandered in. These useless subordinates… I’ll need to discipline them properly for letting a bug reach the main pavilion.”
“Don’t be too hard on them. The opponent might be a real expert. If a high-level martial artist has come all this way, I’ll take care of him myself—as a celebration for the birth of the Guryong Alliance.”
“With your skill, sworn brother, it’ll be over in a single move. I’ll leave it to you.”
At Jeon Akgwan’s flattering tone, Yu Sucheon gave a graceful nod, his handsome face breaking into a smile.
The moment that radiant smile appeared, the faces of the Guryong Sect warriors flushed red.
There was only one man in the world who could make other men blush just by looking at him.
With a face so beautiful it could charm even men, Yu Sucheon had seduced countless young ladies—and broken just as many hearts.
Once he slept with a woman, he quickly lost interest.
Since he could replace them with a new beauty every day, obsessing over a single woman seemed utterly foolish to him.
Enjoying the heated gazes of the Guryong Sect warriors, Yu Sucheon descended to the first floor alongside Jeon Akgwan.
What the hell is this guy?
A ridiculously young man stood there holding a sword.
Around him, Guryong Sect warriors lay sprawled on the floor, foaming at the mouth and convulsing.
Yu Sucheon didn’t like that the intruder had beaten his men using only the scabbard without ever drawing his blade.
No matter how weak they were—third-rate or second-rate—subduing a whole group with nothing but a scabbard was no easy feat.
It seemed the opponent had reached first-rate level at a very young age.
Still, from Yu Sucheon’s perspective, the boy was nothing more than a child who had only just taken off his diapers.
Of course, becoming a first-rate expert in one’s early twenties was certainly praiseworthy.
But charging into the Guryong Sect alone with that level of skill was pure arrogance.
And what annoyed him most of all was that this bastard was even more handsome than he was.
Dressed like some retired martial artist from the countryside, yet annoyingly good-looking. If he dressed properly, he might steal my spot as Hangzhou’s number one beauty.
It would be easier than twisting a child’s wrist, but Yu Sucheon had no intention of going easy on him.
Gripping his sword hilt, Yu Sucheon spoke.
“What an insolent brat. Who the hell are you?”
“Are you the boss of the Guryong Sect?”
“Answering a question with another question? What a rude bastard. Fine. I’ll answer you. I am the Blood-Killing Demon Sword, Yu Sucheon.”
Yu Sucheon answered while expecting the opponent to tremble in fear.
In Hangzhou—no, in all of Zhejiang Province—there were only a handful of people who could remain calm after hearing the name of the Blood-Killing Demon Sword.
His title carried the weight of an absolute powerhouse in the region.
He seems to know how to use a sword at least…
Yu Sucheon tried to gauge Dan Hyunwoo’s level by observing the scene.
It was difficult to tell his exact realm just from appearance.
In cases like this, there were usually only two possibilities.
Either he’s so strong that I can’t read his level, or he’s only slightly skilled with the sword.
Although the Guryong Sect had a decent reputation in Hangzhou, as a black path faction, they didn’t have many true experts.
With that in mind, just because the boy had beaten up a few mediocre subordinates, it was hard to believe he belonged to the former category of supreme experts.
Therefore, Yu Sucheon maintained a relaxed, indifferent expression.
This is the perfect time to show my sworn brother what a true expert looks like.
The unorthodox path operated solely on the logic of power.
If you had nothing to show, you would eventually be discarded.
Yu Sucheon knew this fact very well.
“I only asked if you were the boss of the Guryong Sect. I have no interest in your name.”
Dan Hyunwoo’s words were directed at him.
Naturally, Yu Sucheon didn’t hold back.
“A mere brat who doesn’t even know his place. I’ll kill you.”
With those cold words, Yu Sucheon drew his sword.
In an instant, the blade left its sheath, assumed its stance, and unleashed a technique toward Dan Hyunwoo.
It was so fast that neither Jeon Akgwan nor anyone else could even follow it.
Jeon Akgwan let out a gasp of admiration.
As expected of his sworn brother.
That sword technique and skill were the real deal.
It was so obvious the opponent would be sliced apart that he was about to order someone to prepare to clean up the corpse—
Swoosh.
Dan Hyunwoo casually dodged the blade aimed at his face without any noticeable movement.
Yu Sucheon was the first to be shocked, followed immediately by Jeon Akgwan.
Yu Sucheon twisted the path of his flying blade to chase after Dan Hyunwoo.
But Dan Hyunwoo was no longer where the sword was pointing.
What? He disappeared?
The moment that thought crossed his mind, a fist flew in from nowhere and smashed into Yu Sucheon’s face.
BAAAAAM!
“Guhk!”
His head snapped back as his vision blurred.
Three of his teeth had been knocked out by a punch he couldn’t even see coming.
Yu Sucheon immediately followed up with his next technique.
He couldn’t afford to let his precious face get any more damaged.
But that was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Bam! Thud! BAAAAAM!
A mysterious combination of fists and kicks completely dominated him.
Wherever he swung his sword, there was no one there. Yet from the places he thought were empty, fists and kicks came flying in.
His nose burst open.
His lips were completely torn.
His eyes swelled shut so badly he couldn’t see.
The opponent was relentlessly targeting only his face.
His chest was wide open, and there were countless places that would be easier to hit, yet every single strike—fist and kick alike—flew exclusively toward his face.
Please! Not the face! Please!
He wanted to scream it out loud, but his pathetic pride forced him to wail only inside his heart.
Of course, he wasn’t just getting beaten the entire time.
He used footwork to dodge and continued swinging his sword nonstop.
The problem was that the opponent was dodging every single strike.
What did it mean to be beaten so thoroughly using only fists and feet without ever drawing a sword?
It meant the opponent was stronger than him.
He didn’t want to admit it, but reality was staring him in the face.
Damn it! What kind of humiliation is this?!
Even while being beaten, Yu Sucheon recalled the technique One Sword, Vast Blood—a single move that could slaughter everyone around him.
Surely even this opponent wouldn’t be able to do anything against it.
With that thought, Yu Sucheon’s sword flew in thirty-seven different directions in an instant.
Swishswishswish!
Slaaaaaash!
“……!”
He felt the sensation of his blade cutting something.
As expected.
No matter how much he struggles, this is how it ends!
Thinking that, Yu Sucheon forced his swollen eyes open just a sliver.
“This…”
The moment he saw the person bleeding, Yu Sucheon bit his lip hard.
The one who had been cut by his blind sword was none other than Jeon Akgwan, the boss of the Guryong Sect.
He wasn’t dead, but he was bleeding quite heavily.
Jeon Akgwan screamed as he rolled around on the floor in agony.
While Yu Sucheon stood there stunned, watching the scene—
Grab!
Dan Hyunwoo seized him by the collar.
With his breath cut off by the iron grip, dozens more fists flew toward Yu Sucheon’s face.
Bam! Bam-bam! BAAAAAAAAM!
His face transformed until it was unrecognizable.
Excruciating pain continued without pause, carving unforgettable agony deep into his mind that he would never forget until the day he died.
Yet even then, Yu Sucheon’s first concern was still his face.
Please! Not the face!
After enduring roughly half a ke of this brutal beating, Dan Hyunwoo stopped, holding his fist up straight as he asked,
“Last question. Are you the boss of the Guryong Sect?”
Yu Sucheon, still conscious, barely managed to open his terror-filled eyes and stared at the fist before answering with a horribly swollen face, tears streaming down.
“…No, I’m not.”