Chapter 33
As the blood and flesh of the Blood Wind Squad warriors poured down like rain, the surroundings quickly turned crimson.
“Killing you all would surely please my master.”
There was something that always saddened my master when he was alive.
The Blood Sect and the Traitor Sect, which emerge once every few hundred years to cover the Central Plains in blood.
Eunho, those guys should appear in your time. The martial world is too peaceful now, which is unfortunate. If, by any chance, they do appear, make sure to uproot them completely.
Yes, Master. But how can I distinguish them?
The Traitor Sect members are so cunning that it’s hard to be certain, but if you see guys covered in blood-red robes with their eyes rolled back, they are surely from the Blood Sect.
Oh, come on. Who would be crazy enough to make it that obvious?
It’s true.
– No, I don’t believe it.
– No, really, it’s true.
– But, it was true.
– Master, I’m sorry.
Eunho realized anew that there were many crazy people.
Of course, from the perspective of the Blood Wind Squad, Eunho must have seemed like a madman. Three warriors using poison could even challenge the Twenty-Four Masters. But to kill them so easily?
Four Blood Wind Squad warriors remained.
As they hesitated for a moment, Eunho tilted his head.
“Were they not actually crazy but just pretending to be?”
They seemed like they would charge in without thinking, but they were more cowardly than expected.
Since there was no way to peacefully coexist with them, they had to be killed.
“Then I’ll go.”
Eunho’s figure blurred and suddenly appeared in front of them. He lightly swung his sword horizontally.
Clang!
They hurriedly raised their swords to block, but were pushed back by the recoil.
At the same time, they thrust their swords at Eunho from both sides.
He twisted his waist to narrowly avoid them and used the rotational force to swing his sword to the left.
Slash!
A head separated from its body floated in the air.
It was as clean as watching a well-choreographed sword dance.
The warriors were not flustered by their comrade’s death. Once the battle had begun, their only goal was to take Eunho’s head.
Eunho’s eyes moved quickly from side to side.
One on each side.
Then where was the other one?
Eunho swiftly raised his sword above his head.
Clang-!
Sparks flew as the swords clashed.
A heavy pressure was felt from the opposing sword.
Mangunchu?
It’s a technique that increases weight by directing energy downward.
Eunho’s foot was actually pushed into the ground by a finger’s width.
The warriors on either side wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
While blocking the sword falling from above, they simultaneously aimed their swords at his exposed side and opposite neck.
Eunho boldly let go of his sword.
He struck the back of the sword aiming for his neck with his elbow.
He grabbed the arm of the warrior thrusting at his side and used that force to pull him in.
Thud.
The sword aimed at Eunho pierced the chest of the warrior’s comrade, and Eunho kneed the off-balance warrior in the chin.
Crunch.
In an instant, two bodies fell to the ground.
And the warrior who had been attacking from above with Mangunchu.
“What is this…!”
Creak-!
He was still locked in a clash with Eunho’s sword, which was floating in mid-air.
Even when he tried to pull back, the swords remained stuck together as if glued.
Eunho had used the extreme technique of Ihwajeomok, where pushing is met with pulling and pulling is met with pushing, to keep the swords from separating.
TL/N: ‘Ihwajeomok’ can also mean weapon manipulation technique
It was a technique usually used by masters to toy with novices, but Eunho was demonstrating it with his sword.
Eunho leaped high towards the last remaining warrior.
At the same time, the sword that had been clashing with Eunho’s was drawn into his hand.
He lightly received the sword and then struck down.
Clang-!
It was the same situation as before.
Only the positions had changed.
The warrior blocking Eunho’s sword was being pushed deeper into the ground.
“This is my first time encountering Mangunchu.”
In truth, it wasn’t his first time.
He had found it interesting and had practiced it before. But saying it was his first time sounded cooler.
Crack.
The warrior’s sword began to crack.
A look of urgency appeared on his face.
But there was nothing he could do.
He could only try his best to block.
Crack.
The initial crack spread like a spider web.
Eunho pushed the Mangunchu technique to its extreme.
Clang!
Eventually, the sword couldn’t withstand the pressure and shattered, and Eunho’s sword didn’t stop there, splitting the warrior vertically from the top of his head.
After killing all seven members of the Blood Wind Squad, Eunho lightly swung his sword to shake off the blood.
“Let’s go.”
“…What? Where to?”
When she looked greatly confused, Eunho tilted his head.
“Weren’t you on your way to the Murim Alliance?”
“Oh, yes… let’s go.”
As she watched Eunho walk ahead, Hwayeon cautiously pinched her cheek. “Ouch!”
It wasn’t a dream.
But it felt like one.
Eunho’s martial skills were just that incredible.
When the Blood Wind Squad attacked her family, there were only three of them.
‘If only there had been someone like him that night, if I had even a fraction of his skill…’
She knew it was a meaningless regret.
But she couldn’t help feeling a surge of sorrow.
As Hwayeon stood still, Eunho turned back to look at her.
She tried to hide her current emotions, but it was impossible to deceive Eunho’s eyes.
“Don’t worry. This time, I’ll protect you.”
Eunho’s words were spoken while recalling his past life, but to Hwayeon, they felt like comfort from that fateful night.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yes.”
She saw Eunho’s back as he turned and walked away.
She had vowed never to rely on anyone again, but the situation was too harsh, and his back seemed so broad.
***
Dragon and Phoenix Gathering (용봉지회)
Once a year, the most promising young talents of the righteous sects gather at the Murim Alliance to get to know each other and share their martial arts knowledge.
Just attending was considered an honor for one’s family, as it was a gathering of those who would lead the future of the righteous martial world.
“Is that true?”
Even under normal circumstances, these prideful individuals didn’t create a pleasant atmosphere when gathered, but today it was particularly severe.
This was because the Green King, who held a position among the Twenty-Four Masters, had been killed, and the Snake King was being escorted to the Murim Alliance.
If it were just that, it wouldn’t have been such a serious matter.
Their downfall was something to be celebrated by the righteous sects.
However, the one who accomplished this feat was the Fist King, Pang Jiyeol.
And the young master of the Cheonhajang.
Rumor had it that the Fist King’s martial prowess was even greater than known, and he had subdued both of them….
No one in this gathering was foolish enough to believe that outright, except for Pang Jeoak.
“Hahaha, that’s what they say. My father single-handedly dealt with those wicked sect members. Do you believe any other of the Twenty-Four Masters could do such a thing?”
As Pang Jeoak laughed heartily, Namgung Hyun frowned.
“Watch your words.”
Two members of the Namgung family were among the Twenty-Four Masters.
Because of this, their pride must have been quite hurt.
“What? Do you still think this place belongs to the Namgung family?”
Pang Jeoak had come to hate Namgung Hyun after being escorted and flogged by him in the past.
Their gazes clashed in mid-air, and the tension between them grew.
At that moment, a clear voice interrupted.
“Does anyone here actually believe that?”
It was Jegal Rin, the second daughter of the Jegal family.
While her martial arts achievements weren’t particularly high, her intellect was recognized even within the Jegal family.
Everyone nodded at her words.
No matter how great the Fist King’s’ achievements were, facing two of the Twenty-Four Masters alone wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
That would mean the young master of the Cheonhajang had held his own in a fight against the Twenty-Four Masters…
Moreover, after that incident, Eunho had gained the nickname “Blood Heaven’s New Sword” (혈천신검).
The nickname started when one of the unconscious leaders of the Green Forest briefly woke up and testified that Eunho’s swordsmanship was so fast that the sky seemed to be dyed red with the Green King’s blood.
Of course, he conveniently left out the part where he closed his eyes after seeing that scene.
Jegal Rin clicked her tongue.
“No matter what, calling a righteous sect member ‘Blood Heaven’…”
Of course, considering Eunho’s martial arts, it was a fitting nickname. Although Namgung Cheong would have grabbed the back of his neck if he heard it.
They were always called ‘the best’ or ‘geniuses.’
The sudden appearance of someone superior, no, overwhelmingly superior, was not a welcome event.
Namgung Hyun moved his lips a few times before speaking.
“Miss, how skilled do you think he is?”
“At least at the peak. No, I believe he’s at the beginning of the transcendent level. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to influence a fight between the Twenty-Four Masters.”
Jegal Rin’s words surprised the other young talents.
“That skilled?”
“How is that possible?”
They couldn’t accept it.
This was a gathering of the most talented individuals from prestigious families.
Yet, they were faced with a level they couldn’t even imagine.
“Such things can happen. There have been even greater figures in the history of the martial world.”
Several names came to everyone’s mind.
Bodhidharma, who founded martial arts.
Zhang Sanfeng, who perfected the ultimate form of Taiji.
The first Heavenly Demon, who drenched the Central Plains in blood.
Each of them was a renowned figure in history.
As the conversation shifted to Eunho, Pang Jeoak just lowered his head. The confident expression he had earlier was nowhere to be seen.
‘That monstrous guy…’
Recalling his brief training with Eunho made him shudder involuntarily.
“Then what are we supposed to do…?”
“Didn’t the Fist King achieve something? How could the son of a mere merchant be that skilled…?”
Someone trailed off, and a moment of silence followed.
It was understandable for warriors to feel a sense of loss when suddenly faced with an overwhelmingly superior being.
However, there was someone who was watching all this with displeasure.
“Pathetic.”
Everyone’s attention turned to him.
“Your words are a bit…”
“Shut up.”
He silenced the rebuttal with a single word. He was Myungjin, the second disciple of the Wudang Sect. Although he had been humiliated by Eunho, he was still one of the top contenders at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.
“Warriors acting like chickens with their heads cut off. And what? It’s impossible?”
Myungjin’s wistful gaze lingered in the air as if recalling the past. Then he shuddered.
“Have you ever been struck by that wooden sword?
It’s really…”
“A wooden sword?”
“Anyway! I don’t care if you lose your spirit and will, but don’t ever disparage him in front of me again.”
As Myungjin’s threat brought the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering to a close, someone suddenly burst through the door.
“Captain, something terrible has happened!”
Pang Jeoak, already in a foul mood, frowned.
“What is it that you’re running here so urgently for?”
“It’s nothing else but some crazy guy has barged in and is beating up the youngest member. Everyone’s trying to stop him, but he’s incredibly strong…”
“What!”
Pang Jeoak secretly smiled with satisfaction.
A perfect target for his anger had appeared at just the right time.
He didn’t know who this guy was, but he would make him regret underestimating the Murim Alliance.
Pang Jeoak followed the deputy captain with heavy steps.
“And who is this guy that dares to cause a ruckus in the Murim Alliance?”
It was absurd.
The Murim Alliance was the only organization in the Central Plains that could stand against the Heavenly Demon Sect.
While no one from the Demon Sect dared to act recklessly, such incidents occasionally happened in the Murim Alliance, which valued righteousness and chivalry.
These incidents occurred because, unless they were dealing with a demon, they generally refrained from using force.
The deputy captain, who received Pang Jeoak’s question, looked troubled.
“Well… actually, it’s partly our fault.”
“What?”
“They requested a meeting with one of the elders, but due to the recent issues with the Blood Sect, all the elders were busy, so the youngest member decided not to relay the request. They waited for over two hours, expecting them to leave.”
“Huh, tough guys. So they found out their request wasn’t relayed and started causing trouble?”
“Yes…”
The deputy captain shrank back, fearing Pang Jeoak’s wrath.
“Enough. It’s right for us to filter such things. Not just anyone can meet the elders. Let’s go.”
Pang Jeoak hurried to the scene of the problem.
Loud noises could be heard from inside the waiting hall.
Thud! Crash!
– “I clearly told you to relay the message!”
Crack!
– “You said you would relay the message too!”
Crack!
– “Then why didn’t you!”
– “Aagh! Please, spare me!”
“Huh, what a spectacle.”
Saying that, he grabbed the handle of the large door.
Creak.
Today, the door resisted more heavily.
As if giving him one last chance not to open it.
But would he succumb to such a thing?
He pushed the door open with force, and the scene inside was even more severe than he had imagined.
The youngest member was half-beaten to a pulp, and about seven people were trying to restrain one person.
Yet, that crazy guy was still beating the youngest member.
Veins bulged on Pang Jeoak’s forehead.
His anger management issues flared up again.
“Captain! Over here. Here!”
“Huh, let’s see who this guy is….”
Upon seeing his face, Pang Jeoak collapsed to the ground.
“Y-you! Why are you here!”
“Oh? Are you in charge here too?”
The man with blood-stained hands was none other than Eunho.
Blood Heaven’s New Sword Ha Eunho.
Pang Jeoak’s anger naturally subsided.
