Chapter 356 The Stories Afterward – Part 1

Chapter 356: The Stories Afterward – Part 1

Lee Geon, the fifth disciple of the Blue Star Hermit, who had descended from the mountains after a long absence, sensed the familiar aura waiting for him and greeted them with a bright smile.

“Senior Brother! It’s been ages! Have you been well all this time?!”

Hwa Yeong-bin, the disciple of the Cheongseong Sect who had long strived to eradicate the Blood Cult of Sichuan Province and was also Seon Woo-jin’s sworn brother, greeted him warmly with a faint smile.

“Long time no see, disciple. You seem to have grown stronger since last we met. Now, this inadequate elder brother can scarcely even guess at the heights you’ve reached.”

This blind prodigy disciple had been holed up in the mountains since parting ways with Seon Woo-jin’s group, devoting himself solely to training.

But considering that time amounted to only about a year, he wondered how much change could have occurred…

‘Supreme? No, beyond that? Truly remarkable.’

Hwa Yeong-bin, who hadn’t yet surpassed the peak level barrier, couldn’t help but marvel at the astonishing progress of the priest who had once been inferior to him.

It seemed almost impossible that such progress could be made in such a short time.

But as Hwayoung-bin pondered this, a certain face suddenly came to mind, and he immediately understood.

‘Come to think of it, there are those who surpass even that…’

Hwayoung-bin recalled the astonishing progress of Seonwoo-jin, the candidate he had thought would be a worthy rival to Priest Lee Geon, and let out a bitter laugh.

He felt the backwaters of the Yangtze were too turbulent, even though he wasn’t that old yet.

At that moment, Lee Geon suddenly asked him.

“By the way, is something wrong? I was startled when the Master’s message suddenly came, ordering us to stop seclusion and come down.”

Originally, his master, Master Cheonggwang, had instructed him never to descend the mountain until he grasped the thread of the Divine Scripture.

Yet now, that same master had suddenly sent word for him to urgently end his seclusion and descend.

This was something Lee Geon couldn’t help but find puzzling.

Then, guessing her master’s true feelings, Hwayeongbin gave another bitter smile and replied.

“Work… There’s so much going on, I don’t even know where to begin. How much do you know?”

“Hmm, I heard about two months ago that Sa Hyehyeolma, Jeon Mookwang, tried to overthrow the martial world by possessing the Heavenly Star Maiden, Hae Cheongyeon, the Crown Prince Murong Geom, and even the Martial Alliance’s military commander, Je Gal Jigang, but failed and died. I also heard that Jin, that friend, played a huge role back then. Could it be because of that incident?”

What Lee Geon just mentioned was exactly the facts known to the outside world.

People were unaware of the existence of the Heaven-Defying Blood Demon, and even Murong Jian and Zhuge Zhijiang only knew that he had been possessed by Zhen Wuguang’s soul-stealing technique, which had driven him to commit such acts all this time.

Hua Yingbin nodded in agreement at those words.

“It’s roughly similar. There are many hidden details, but we can hear those later. Let’s talk while we go.”

Having said that, Hua Yingbin began to move in step with Li Jian, deploying his lightness skill.

They had to hurry a bit to make it on time for their meeting with the others.

Then, running as if soaring like a bird yet still maintaining a serene expression, Lee Geon asked again.

“But do I really need to come down from the mountain because of that matter, brother? Now that Jeon Mookwang is dead, isn’t everything settled?”

Hwa Yeong-bin answered his question with the same calm expression.

“Yes, we thought so too. We thought everything was over now that Jeon Moo-kwang was dead. But that wasn’t the case.”

“Huh?”

Lee Geon couldn’t understand.

Blood Demon Jeon Moo-kwang was dead, and all his schemes had been thwarted. Yet it still wasn’t over?

What else could possibly be left?

Then Hwa Yeong-bin began to speak.

“Have you heard that the Heavenly Sword Saint, the great hero Hae Un-baek, has been appointed as the new leader of the Martial Alliance?”

“Ah, yes. I heard. I heard that after the King blamed himself for his mistake of being possessed by the Blood Demon, he stepped down from the position of leader and retired.”

Hwa Yeong-bin gave a faint, bitter smile at those words.

The truth was he had been forcibly removed and was to be confined in an undisclosed location thereafter, but everyone believed it was simply as reported.

Hwa Yeong-bin decided to reveal that truth later and instead focused on conveying the crucial part first.

“Yeah, but that’s where the trouble started. People from various martial arts sects who were coming to attend the Grandmaster’s inauguration ceremony as the leader of the alliance were ambushed and wiped out.”

“What?! An entire group wiped out?! Who attacked whom?”

“The ones attacked were the Taishan Sect, the Huangbo Clan, and… the Huashan Sect’s envoy.”

“…What?! The Huashan Sect?!”

Lee Geon was genuinely shocked.

While the other sects weren’t exactly pushovers, the Huashan Sect was one of the top-tier sects among the Eight Great Sect Alliance.

It was a sect that could definitely be said to hold a clear advantage over the Qingcheng Sect, to which Lee Geon and Hwa Yeong-bin belonged.

But for them to be ambushed and wiped out—it was nothing short of astonishing.

Lee Geon urgently demanded.

“So! Who do you say did this?!”

Hwa Yeong-bin answered with a grave expression.

“It was Gu Yu-eumma, the Jigi-eum of the Blood Sect. We hadn’t known that fact until quite recently either. But when he attacked the Shaolin Temple and was forced to retreat after meeting the Sword Saint who came to their aid in haste, that’s how we found out.”

“Gu Yu-eumma… Ji Gi-eum?”

Among the Blood Sect’s Five Demons, Ji Ji-eum, the Nine-Eyed Demon, and Gu Wu-jie, the White-Faced Demon, who were still alive, had not participated in the final battle.

And the faction members learned that they had undergone the procedure to become Blood Demons from Hae Cheong-yeon, and that the timing was later than that of Jeon Moo-kwang and Cheok Kang.

For the righteous faction, this was nothing short of a tremendous relief.

Had they too joined the fight, the balance of power would have been completely tilted.

However, that also meant those who hadn’t arrived in time were now fully transformed Blood Demons.

These Blood Demons were the ones who had elevated the situation, which hadn’t even reached the level of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, to the threshold of the Hwa Gyeong realm.

Originally, they were already among the top three in the world, so it was reasonable to expect that by now, they had likely surpassed even the initial stages of the Fire Realm to become truly formidable.

Thanks to this, the martial artists of the world were now utterly terrified.

They remembered once more.

That the true nature of the Blood Cultists had always been lurking in the shadows of the martial world, committing all manner of evil deeds…

Paradoxically, it was precisely because the Blood Demon had seized Yunnan Province that such deeds had vanished until now.

But now, it was said that not just any demon lord, but one who had ascended to the realm of a demonic master, was committing the same atrocities as before.

They had defeated the Blood Demon Jeon Mookwang, yet found themselves in an even more perilous situation.

Upon hearing the full story, Lee Geon asked again with a horrified expression.

“You say he’s surpassed the level of a master just entering the realm of the Flower Realm? Then… what do we do? At that level, he’s stronger than our master, isn’t he?”

Indeed.

Considering that Qing Guang Zhenren, the Blue Star Demon, was still stuck at the initial stage of the Fire Realm, it was highly probable that they had attained a strength level placing them at least in the middle tier among the Fifteen Absolute Masters.

Moreover, there was an even more threatening aspect.

Hwayeongbin sighed deeply and replied.

“That’s not the only problem. If it were just that he’s strong, that would be one thing, but Gu Yueyin’s Ji Yueyin is also a master of concealment techniques and divine arts.”

“Ah, well, then?”

Lee Geon grasped the meaning of those words and his expression turned utterly bewildered.

Hwayeongbin was saying that a master of the Hwagyeong sect, whose specialties were stealth and divine techniques, was lurking in the darkness, slaughtering people.

Beyond the fact that few could defeat him, it was nearly impossible to even spot him in the first place.

I couldn’t even begin to fathom how to stop such a person.

Then Hwayeongbin continued.

“For now, the absolute masters who have reached the realm of Hwa Gyeong are stationed throughout the regions, divided by area, preparing for the enemy’s attack. It’s a silver lining in this misfortune that the Sword Saint, the leader of the Martial Alliance, and the Four Kings of the Four Kings Alliance have now united their wills to prepare together.”

“Ah! That is truly fortunate.”

There was another astonishing fact he learned from Hae Cheong-yeon.

It was the news that the Four Kings’ Gwaegal-hyeon was not dead.

At that time, the Blood Demon of the Rebellious Heaven, Gu Yan, was deeply impressed by the power of the Blood Demon Clan. That was why he had captured the Four Kings, intending to turn them into Blood Demons.

Thus, Xuefeng, who had been the temporary leader of the Four Kings Alliance, was able to safely rescue the Four Kings and return to his position as heir.

The Four Kings Alliance thus regained its former glory as one of the Three Great Powers of the World.

Afterwards, thanks to Seolpung’s efforts as a mediator, the Four Kings began active exchanges with the Sword Sect.

This signified that among the Three Great Powers of the World, the Martial Alliance and the Four Kings Alliance had achieved genuine cooperation.

Lee Geon, who had looked slightly relieved at Hwa Yeong-bin’s words, suddenly asked with a curious expression.

“Then which of the fifteen Absolute Ones are present there?”

“Hmm, let me see. Among the Ten Sovereigns, the Two Kings, the Three Sages, the Three Demons, and the Three Heroes, the Two Kings, the Three Sages, and the Three Heroes are all there. And for some reason, the Demon Sword Seo Il from the Three Demons is helping them over there.”

The composition of the Fifteen Absolute Ones changed significantly after the death of Blood Demon Jeon Moo-kwang.

Instead of Murong Jian, who had been the King of the Middle Realm, the Demon of the Yellow Realm, Sun Enxiang, obtained the title of King of the Yellow Realm and became one of the Kings of the Realm. As for Sima, since all of them except the Heavenly Demon had perished, he became the Heavenly Demon, and with the addition of Ji Yiyin, the Demon of the Nine Yins, who had now become a powerhouse at the level of Hua Jing, and the White-faced Demon, Gu Yuzhe, he became the Three Demons.

Among the Five Fiends, the Fiend of Calamity, Gachuhak, was dead.

Furthermore, the Qing Guang Zhenren, once known as the Qingcheng Guoxian, was now referred to not as a Guoxian but as a Xiexian.

This change came about due to public opinion that it was no longer right to call him a Demon Immortal, as he had risked his life fighting the Blood Demon to protect the safety of the martial world.

Thus, including the Azure Light Immortal, Yang Wenxian—the White Crane Old Sword who had newly ascended to the realm of the initial stage of the Flower Realm—and Yong Wuxin of the Dragon Clan, who had earned the nickname “Hugging the Middle Hugging,” became the new members of the Three Absolute Masters.

And though unknown to others, both Yang Wenxian and Yong Wuxin were practitioners of the Moonlit Sword Dance, the Moon-Crossing technique.

Lee Geon nodded at Hwa Yeong-bin’s words and asked again.

“I see. So, are we going to help them capture the Nine-Tailed Demon’s Yin Qi?”

Now that he understood the situation, Lee Geon could somewhat grasp why his master, Qing Guang Zhenren, had summoned him while he was in seclusion.

I don’t know how much help it would be, but when facing a master of the Flower Mirror technique optimized for concealment and divine arts, I would have wanted to borrow even my own hands.

But contrary to Lee Geon’s thoughts, Hwa Yeong-bin shook his head, refuting his words.

“No, capturing Gu Yueyin isn’t our task.”

“…Huh? Then what exactly…?”

“What we must do is…”

After Zhuge Zhijiang, a former Wulin Alliance military officer, was imprisoned alongside Murong Jian, the person currently serving as a military officer under Sword Saint Haeunbaek was Sima Yuliang of the Sima Clan.

He met Sword Saint through Seon Woo-jin’s recommendation, and Sword Saint boldly offered him a military position within the Martial Alliance during their very first meeting.

It was only natural that Sima Yuliang accepted with deep gratitude.

Now serving as a military officer for the Martial Alliance, Sima Yuliang commented on the Nine Yin Demon’s attack as follows:

‘While the Nine Yin Demon is certainly rampaging to avenge the Blood Demon, I believe it’s more likely a diversionary tactic.’

A diversionary tactic.

It meant that Gu Youyinma was committing such acts now to divert people’s attention.

Those who heard his words asked Sima Yuliang about the target, and he replied thus:

‘It’s obvious what he wants to draw attention to and hide. It must be their base. The base where they can keep creating Blood Demons.’

According to Hae Cheong-yeon, who retained memories from his time as a Blood Demon, the ritual to create Blood Demons was not simple.

Not only did it take considerable time, but above all, it seemed to require a substantial amount of materials.

That was precisely why Gu Yueyinma and Baek Myeonshima hadn’t become Blood Demons alongside the Blood Demon in the first place.

Therefore, according to Sima Yuliang’s prediction, the reason the Nine-Tailed Demon was rampaging here was to divert people’s attention toward itself.

To buy time to create more Blood Demons at their stronghold and strengthen their forces.

‘Knowing that, our top priority must be to attack their stronghold and prevent them from further strengthening their forces. And we must absolutely kill the only one capable of creating Blood Demons, Baekmyeonshima, to eliminate future threats.’

Sima Yuliang then sent letters to each martial arts sect, requesting their cooperation in gathering troops for the campaign against the Blood Sect.

This marked the establishment of the so-called Blood Cult Suppression Force.

Having heard the story up to that point, Lee Geon now fully understood what his role would be.

While his skill level wouldn’t be much help in capturing a single Hwa Gyeong-level powerhouse like Ji Gi-eum, defeating the remaining remnants of the Blood Sect would require a large number of martial artists.

Lee Geon’s eyes sparkled as he asked.

“Then where are we going…?”

“Yes, Yunnan Province. We’re joining the Blood Sect suppression force. We’ll meet up with Xian Wuzhen’s comrades first, then head straight to Yunnan Province.”

After that, Hua Yingbin and Li Jian raced unhindered and arrived at Dechang in Sichuan Province.

This was precisely where the Sword Tomb of the Sword Demon of the Gorge was located.

There, the two found the inn in Dechang where they had made their appointment and entered.

There, they met the people who had arrived first and were waiting.

They were the members of the Flying Dragon Squad who had been training at the Sword Tomb: Bae Jong-gwan, Sa Gun-il, Cheon Ju-eun, Ya Yun-hyang, and Je Won-yeong; Sun Woo-jin’s subordinates like Gyeon Jung and Jeok Ma-hyeok; and Jeok Ma-hyeok’s younger brothers.

Among them, Bi Sa-yeong, who had returned to Gwanggeomneung and was staying with them, was the first to recognize Hwa Yeong-bin. She greeted him with a bright smile.

“Brother Hwa! Here I am! Oh, Geon-i came too?! Long time no see!”

Lee Geon, who had once decided to befriend Biseoyoung alongside Seonwoojin, smiled warmly and approached him.

“Sayeong! Great to see you! How have you been?! You’ve gotten incredibly strong?!”

But just as the two were about to laugh and clasp hands, they suddenly sensed something odd and looked at Hwa Yeong-bin with puzzled expressions.

Then they saw it.

Hwa Young-bin frozen in place like a statue….

Hwa Yeong-bin stood frozen in place, her eyes trembling as she gazed intensely at only one person.

It was a heartrending gaze, a muddled mix of shock, joy, and longing.

Bisa Young glanced where his gaze was fixed and asked with a puzzled look.

“Brother Hwa? Is something… wrong?”

Then, Hwa Yeong-bin, who had been staring at only one person with that heartrending gaze, finally spoke.

“Jeongseon? Is it really, really you?”

At those words, everyone’s gaze turned toward her at once.

She was the very first Blood Demon brought from the Gwanggeomneung, destined to become the Blood Demoness of the Enemy—the nightmare of righteous factions in Seonwoojin’s original life.

And in this moment, everyone could finally understand.

That she was the very person from the Ami Sword Peak incident over a decade ago, known to have died in the Blood War. And that she was the lover Hua Yingbin had wandered for over ten years unable to forget, whom he had now met again.

“Jeongseon!”

Hwa Yeong-bin rushed toward her, who stared back at him with a bewildered expression, not recognizing him, and embraced her tightly.

Then, sobbing, he repeated over and over.

“Thank you, thank you, Jeongseon. Thank you so much for being alive. Heaven, thank you. Truly, truly thank you. Ugh!”

Jeongseon didn’t remember him.

But she couldn’t bring herself to push him away as he sobbed, thanking the heavens.

And after holding him for a moment, lost in thought, she suddenly raised her arms and slowly wrapped them around his waist.

Somehow, she felt like doing that.

Because right now, in his embrace, she felt so warm and so deeply nostalgic.

Hwa Yeong-bin, who had been unable to forget his lover and unable to even seek revenge for her, had been unable to find meaning in living. But at this very moment, he felt a burning gratitude.

It was gratitude for her still being alive, and for not having given up on life himself.

***

Two years later.

The Blood Sect Suppression Force still hadn’t achieved its goal.

The resistance from Blood Sect demons scattered across the land and launching surprise attacks was too fierce, and the periodically appearing Blood Demons at the threshold of the Hwa Gyeong realm were immensely threatening.

Consequently, they suffered heavy casualties in the early stages.

The Sichuan Tang Clan’s solo expeditionary force, which had dismissed the task of clearing out mere remnants of the Blood Sect as trivial, had been annihilated.

This incident could not help but strike fear into the hearts of all martial artists.

But early hardships tend to forge unity.

The Martial Alliance, now led by a proper leader, responded swiftly to the situation. Thanks to this, the Blood Sect Suppression Force could be reorganized much more systematically, using the original structure of the Flying Dragon Corps as its backbone.

It was the beginning of the counterattack.

Two years passed thereafter.

This period marked a significant time when the righteous martial artists, centered around the Martial Alliance and the Four Kings Alliance, united as one to confront the Blood Cult.

It was also a time when countless new heroes emerged amidst fierce battles.

Jianchang Mountain, Yunnan Province.

The Blood Sect Suppression Force, bearing the name of the Flying Dragon Brigade, now finally had Jianchang Mountain, the headquarters of the Blood Sect, within sight.

Among them, Bae Jong-gwan, the newly appointed leader of the Dragon’s Thirteen, who had taken over after the injury of the former leader, the Stormy Swordsman Feng Yang, gazed at Jianchang Mountain towering above the forest and murmured.

“We’ve finally made it this far, brother.”

He was an unparalleled master who had crushed countless Blood Sect demons and demons, even with monstrous strength surpassing theirs. He had become an idol to many righteous martial artists.

Particularly legendary was his solo defense against a Blood Demon possessing Fire-Realm strength a year prior. Wrapped in golden protective energy, he had single-handedly withstood the Blood Demon’s assault, saving countless martial artists’ lives.

So many young martial artists across the realm now revered him that they began training in external martial arts specifically to emulate his prowess.

At his words, the leader of the Eleven Dragons of the Sky and current head of the Pointed Spear Sect, Spear Dragon Saguunil, who stood beside him, also looked toward Pointed Spear Mountain. His expression, filled with mixed emotions, nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. Finally… we’ve finally come this far.”

Though he loved his sect, the Jianchang Sect, more than anyone, the evil deeds it had committed in the past had made him unable to dream of its revival. However, after hearing of Mayu Gyeom’s death, Sagunil changed his mind.

He had committed an unforgivable sin, yet he had reformed himself, achieved great deeds for the world, and died honorably. This made him think that the Zhenchang Sect could do the same.

Thus, he accepted the position of Zhenchang Sect leader he had long refused, and together with his close friend, the Zhenchang Sword Saint Zhe Yuanying, began dreaming of the sect’s revival.

Two years passed.

After countless arduous struggles, they finally stood before their ancestral mountain, Dimple Peak.

For him, it was nothing short of a profoundly moving moment.

Then, Hwa Yeong-bin, the leader of the Ten Dragons of the Sky, who had been gazing at Jomchang Mountain alongside them, smiled faintly and spoke.

“Though not as much as you, I too am deeply moved. The final battle at last—I long only to swiftly eliminate Baekmyeonshima over there and return home.”

After saying this, he turned his head and gazed tenderly at his lover, Jeongseon, standing behind him, and asked.

“Isn’t that right, Jeongseon?”

Ever since reuniting with Jeongseon two years ago, Hwayeongbin had refused to be apart from her for even a moment.

He had declared that even if she didn’t remember him, it didn’t matter—he would abandon the Blood Sect’s suppression and live his life as her bodyguard.

But in the end, he couldn’t do it.

It was because Jeongseon, though she didn’t remember him, found something longed-for in his embrace and instead proposed that they defeat the Blood Sect together.

After that, the two were always together.

The legendary prowess of the Blood Demon, Jeong Seon, and Hwa Yeong-bin, who soon ascended to the pinnacle of martial arts, made them the talk of the martial world. Carrying their signature blue and red swords, they were known as the Blue-Red Twin Swords, captivating the hearts of all women.

The fact that Seon Woo-jin had gifted them the Blue-Red Twin Swords remained a secret to others.

In response to Hwa Yeong-bin’s question, Jeong Seon approached him with a tender gaze, clasped his hand tightly, and answered.

“I don’t care where we go. As long as I’m with you.”

Hwa Yeong-bin then cried out with a look of deep emotion.

“Jeongseon! Actually, I feel the same way!”

Standing before the main temple, overwhelmed with emotion, Sagunil suddenly felt a pang of discomfort at their behavior.

He knew full well that Hwayeongbin, reunited with her lover after over a decade, and Jeongseon, who had lost her memories, showed affection without any regard for others’ gazes. Still, he couldn’t help but feel irritated every time he saw it.

Sagunil turned his gaze away with a sour expression and addressed Bae Jong-gwan.

“You said the Shinryongdae would arrive this evening…”

But just as Sagunil was about to speak, he caught sight of Bae Jong-gwan, the thirteenth-generation leader of the Kwaedo Myorang, tenderly holding hands with Cheon Ju-eun. He paused for a moment.

Then, turning his head back to look at the unit commander standing behind him, Jeon Chang-geomho, he finished his sentence.

“…What?”

Je Won-yeong replied curtly.

“Yeah, they’re coming tonight. We’ll start the attack once they arrive. So don’t bother talking to me. I’m feeling uneasy too.”

Sagunil and Je Won-yeong were both still without partners.

The two young, peerless masters, both exceptionally handsome, were bound to be popular. Yet Sagunil had no intention of forming a relationship with any woman until he rebuilt the Jichang Sect, and Jewonyeong had been unable to give his heart to any woman since Haecheongyeon.

Sagunil gave a slightly bitter smile and widened his gaze to survey the surroundings.

He could see that all the other Dragon Squadron units were also gathering around Jianchang Mountain.

Over two thousand warriors in total—all of them elite fighters who had endured the brutal struggle against the Blood Cult over the past two years.

It was a sight that made one truly realize only the final battle remained.

‘At last….’

The realization that taking just one more step would allow them to recapture Jomchang Mountain filled his heart with overwhelming emotion.

He felt an urge to dash forward immediately.

At that moment, Cheon Ju-eun, who had been standing holding Bae Jong-gwan’s hand, suddenly spoke to the others with a worried expression.

“The Blood Cultists inside the Jomchang faction aren’t exactly pushovers, right? I’m a little worried.”

At her words, everyone, including Sa Gun-il, nodded solemnly.

Bae Jong-gwan was about to say something to her, but when she smiled at him and shook her head first, Bae Jong-gwan also smiled brightly and nodded.

Having spent a long time together at Gwanggeomneung, Sagunil could guess what had been said between them without needing to hear it.

‘He probably wanted to say he’d protect her, so she shouldn’t worry at all. But Young Lady Cheon likely told him to keep such words to himself, silencing him first.’

Shaking his head, Sagunil thought to himself.

He did like Bae Jong-gwan, who was simple and affectionate, but even so, he still couldn’t quite understand why Cheon Ju-eun had accepted his feelings.

After all, Cheon Ju-eun had reached the pinnacle of her abilities before Bae Jong-gwan, gaining immense fame and popularity through her exploits on the Blood Sect front lines.

Perhaps it was that unshakable confidence, that bold promise to always protect her despite being weaker than himself, that had won her over.

Regardless of their relationship, her words held considerable merit.

The fact that the Blood Demons, who usually appeared every week, hadn’t shown up for two months now was one thing. The fact that Baekmyeonshima Guu-jeol, who was expected to possess Hwa-gyeong-level martial prowess, was there was another.

‘That’s not all. There’s been no sign of activity from Gu Yueyin, the Demon of the Nine Yin, lately either. Perhaps he too has returned inside, preparing for the final decisive battle….’

If that were truly the case, this battle would undoubtedly become a colossal bloodbath worthy of being called the final decisive battle.

At that moment, Hwayeongbin, who seemed to share similar thoughts with Sagunil, opened his mouth with a grave expression.

“I don’t doubt the might of the Shinryong Squad, but is it really wise to fight this battle with just them?”

The Divine Dragon Corps was a special unit created to confront Blood Demon warriors possessing the might of the Hwa Gyeong tier.

Composed entirely of masters of divine arts possessing martial prowess at the level of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, they had freely traversed the front lines, deploying wherever Blood Demons appeared to intercept them.

Their achievements thus far had been truly remarkable.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Blood Sect Suppression Corps had been able to continue winning battles despite the attacks of Blood Demons possessing the martial prowess of the Hwagyeong-class and advance all the way to Jeonchang Mountain, thanks entirely to their efforts.

It was then.

A voice suddenly rang out from the void.

“If it’s not okay just for us!”

Startled by the voice, everyone abruptly looked up at the sky.

A streak of blue light shot past them in an instant and landed beside them.

Thud!

Then, grinning, it asked Hwayoungbin.

“Not gonna fight, bro?”

At that, everyone shouted in a welcoming voice.

“Sae-young!”

“Sae-young!”

“Prince Bi!”

It was Bi Sa-yeong, a familiar face he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Since everyone around him could be considered his acquaintances, they all greeted him with surprised and delighted voices.

Sae-young! How have you been?!

“You said you’d arrive in the evening, so how come you’re already here?”

But the welcoming voices weren’t just from his acquaintances.

Soon, a roar erupted from the other members of the Flying Dragon Corps who had been watching him.

“Woo-hoo! Bi Sa-yeong! It’s the Lord of the Divine Dragon Corps!”

“Huh?! Shinpung Biyung, they say!”

“What?! They’re already here?!”

“It’s done! It’s finally done!”

Biseoyoung currently held the position of Grand Leader of the Divine Dragon Corps.

This was because he was a powerhouse among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars and the strongest practitioner of divine arts, competing with Xian Wuzhen for the title of Heaven’s Greatest.

When he was first designated as the leader of the Shinryongdae, there was controversy due to his excessively young age.

But he soon silenced all criticism with his prowess.

Having mastered the Moonlit Sword Dance, he displayed tremendous martial prowess against the Blood Demons. Now, he was widely regarded as the only member of the Divine Dragon Corps capable of single-handedly eliminating a Blood Demon.

Bisa Yeong smiled faintly at the warm welcome and replied.

“I came quickly because the situation cleared up. Also, General Sima said it might be best to hurry, as those bastards might launch a surprise attack first.”

Sagunil asked with a startled expression.

“General Sima? Then…?!

That was when it happened.

Another beam of light streaked down from the distant sky and landed beside Biseyoung.

Whoosh! Crack!

“Ouch, I’m gonna die! You damn fool! Does the word ‘respect for elders’ not register in your head?!”

The one berating Biseoyoung the moment he landed was none other than Hong Hae-a Jeungchil.

A member of the Divine Dragon Corps, he was also one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars and counted among the Five Heavenly Swordsmen, renowned as the fastest in the land.

Bisaeng responded with a sly grin.

“Hey now, how can a newlywed husband call an elder ‘old man’? If the bride-to-be hears that, won’t she be hurt?”

At his question, Jeongchil flinched in surprise before asking back.

“Is that so? Well, I suppose it must be.”

He had recently married Unyeong, one of the Six-Sword Masters whom Seonwoojin had once possessed.

Woo-yeong, who had always looked out for Jeong-chil since their travels together, had harbored feelings for him since then.

But Jung-chil, being older, timid, and lacking confidence in his appearance, could hardly bring himself to act boldly. Frustrated by his hesitation, Yoo-young had to be the one to propose marriage first.

Thus, Jeong Chil, who had wandered alone his entire life, was able to savor the happiness of taking So Yeongchun—the girl he had met by the seaside—as his disciple and eventually marrying her.

Now, no matter what anyone said, he was the happiest man in the world.

His acquaintances urged him to step back from the front lines and prioritize his family.

But Jeong Chil scoffed and said,

‘Hmph! My brothers are all fighting, and you want me, the eldest, to retreat to the back room?! Absolutely not!’

Saying this, he remained at the Sinryongdae even after his marriage.

After Jungchil arrived, the other members of the Divine Dragon Corps began arriving one after another.

Among them were the prodigy swordsman of the Blue Star Sect, Shin Geom-rang Lee Geon; the former assassin of the Four Heavenly Sects, now belonging to the Sunwoo Clan, Jik Ma-hyeok of the Dark Alliance; the Heavenly Assassin, Gyeon Jung; Gam Jak-hyeong of the Three-Pronged Divine Spear, who had now fully committed to the Sunwoo Clan; and the ghostly swordsman Baek Gi-ryang, under Seol Pung’s command.

Once all the Dragon Squad members had arrived, Saguil asked the question he’d been wanting to ask since earlier.

“You mentioned hearing General Sima’s orders earlier. Does that mean the General is currently at the front lines?”

At those words, Bi Sayeong nodded.

“Yes, they’re coming this way.”

Hwayeong-bin quickly asked back with a worried look.

“But is that really okay? Gu Yueyinma might be targeting us again!”

Sima Yuliang’s military exploits had been astonishing.

Not only had he grasped the reason Ji Ji-eum of Gu Yu-eumma sought to draw attention, but he had also meticulously analyzed and predicted his every move, repeatedly thwarting his attacks.

So desperate was Ji Gi-eum that he resorted to the reckless act of attacking the Martial Alliance itself, determined to eliminate Sima Yeo-ryang first.

Yet now, word had spread that this very Sima Yuliang had left the Martial Alliance and come to the front lines.

Jigeui-eum couldn’t possibly not be targeting him.

Then, Lee Geon, the disciple of Hwa Yeong-bin, a member of the Divine Dragon Corps, answered in place of Bisea-yeong.

“The General intends to use himself as bait to lure out Gu Yueyin. Since Jianchang Mountain is right before our eyes, and he has no choice but to be here, the General said he would add himself as bait to draw him out completely.”

Hearing this, Hwa Yeong-bin let out a low, throaty sound.

“Hmm, so it’s a trap.”

It was a perfectly understandable argument. If the Nine-Eyed Demon were to get involved in the battle at Jangchang Mountain, the difficulty would increase exponentially. Therefore, if they could lure the Nine-Eyed Demon elsewhere and eliminate it, nothing could be better.

But the question was whether it was truly possible.

Gu Yueyin, the Demon of Gu Yueyin, was someone the absolute masters of the martial world had struggled so hard to capture, yet ultimately failed.

Rather, he was known to toy with them, luring them into causing damage elsewhere. Beyond being formidable, he was considered the most dangerous figure among the current absolute masters.

But for General Sima to appear right in front of that bastard’s house?

It was nothing short of a dangerous move.

As everyone who heard the news wore grave expressions,

Amhyeokhyang Jeok Mahyeok, who was said to be the reincarnation of the legendary swordsman Amhyeolhyang, smiled faintly and said.

“There’s no need to worry too much. The Sword Master is protecting the General’s side.”

At those words, Bi Sayeong clicked her tongue softly and muttered.

“The Sword Master is what…”

But everyone except Bi Sa-yeong asked in surprise.

“He? But didn’t he agree to go with us to Jomcheong Mountain? The other Absolutes can’t easily move from their posts either. If he’s gone too, who will face Baekmyeonshima…?”

Then, this time, Baek Gil-ryang, the eagle, smiled faintly and replied.

“Do not worry. Our lord is coming. He has finally emerged from seclusion.”

Hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but look startled once more.

For Baek Gil-ryang’s lord referred to Seolpung, who had entered seclusion.

Bae Jong-gwan urgently asked.

“Commander Seolpung, ah, no, Lord Seolpung has emerged from seclusion?! Then…?!”

Baek Ki-ryang couldn’t hold back any longer at his question, nodding with a delighted smile.

“Yes, that’s right. You’ve already surpassed the wall of Hwa-gyeong.”

“Ahhh!”

Two years prior, Seolpung, originally slated to become the Grand Master of the Sinryongdae before the Biseoyeong, had been ordered into secluded training by the stern command of Gwaegal Hyeon, the Grand Master of the Sawanryeon.

The order was clear: his skills were still insufficient to fight enemies, so he must emerge with abilities worthy of the title of Junior Leader of the Four Kings Alliance.

But no one took those words at face value.

After Yong Gajoo, the Dragon God, ascended to the position of the Supreme Being, it was only natural that he possessed formidable strength, being recognized as the strongest among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals despite still being in his twenties.

Therefore, the Four Kings’ true intentions were likely that he should quickly cultivate his strength and avenge their defeat at the hands of the Sword Emperor.

He likely also harbored a desire to prevent the successor to the Four Kings title from being called the second-best again.

Yet, it was said that Seolpung had broken through the barrier of the Fire Realm in just two short years after secluding himself.

It meant another absolute master in his twenties had emerged in the martial world.

Sagunil sighed as he spoke.

“He’s surpassed the wall of the Hwa Gyeong realm? Then his actual martial prowess must be at the intermediate Hwa Gyeong level—or perhaps even higher.”

Seolpung’s unique martial arts were the Red Eye Blood Piercing Palm and the Wheel of Destruction, both of which amplified his martial prowess.

Considering that the nature of those techniques allowed him to fight martial artists at the very beginning of the Fire Realm even before he was in the Fire Realm, it was entirely predictable that he would be far stronger now that he had crossed the barrier of the Fire Realm.

Perhaps the rankings among the absolute masters would be shaken up from now on.

Then Cheon Ju-eun suddenly spoke with a wistful expression.

“Come to think of it, two Absolutes emerged from our former Seventh Generation members. It doesn’t even feel like that much time has passed since then.”

Hearing her words, everyone let out a small gasp and nodded.

Thinking about it, it was indeed true.

From the remote corner of the front lines, the Biyong 13th Division, and specifically from the lowest-ranked Seventh Squad, two Absolute Masters had emerged.

It couldn’t help but feel like a fresh revelation.

Then, after briefly flashing a sly smile, Biseyoung shot back playfully with a scowling expression and a snort.

“Hmph! Why stop at two? Just wait. I’ll be the third one soon enough.”

To Biseyoung, it was meant as a playful remark.

But everyone who heard him nodded seriously.

After all, for someone in his twenties already ranked among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, it seemed only a matter of time before he ascended to the throne of the absolute ruler.

So when no one took his playful words as a joke, Bi Sa-yeong felt a little embarrassed.

Bae Jong-gwan suddenly asked him in a simple voice.

“By the way, I don’t see Young Lady Sojeo? Isn’t she coming with us this time?”

At that, Cheon Ju-eun jabbed Bae Jong-gwan’s side sharply with her elbow, and at the same moment, Bi Sa-young’s expression crumpled.

At that sudden signal, Bae Jong-gwan looked at Cheon Ju-eun with a puzzled expression.

Then the answer to the question came from Jeong Chil.

Jeong Chil laughed frivolously, his face twisted in a look that said he was dying of laughter.

“Hehehe! What are you asking? They fought again, of course.”

“Huh?! Again?”

Bae Jong-gwan looked at Bi Sa-young with a puzzled expression.

Then, Bi Sa-yeong’s expression could only grow even more twisted.

Bi Sa-yeong was in a romantic relationship with Ya Yun-hyang, the blood-sworn sister of the Bi Clan.

Though she had originally fallen for Seolpung at first sight and joined the Biyongdae, spending long hours with Biseoyoung had stolen her heart.

Bi Sa-yeong’s feelings were no different.

The problem was that their romantic front was rarely peaceful.

Compared to Bi Sa-yeong, who was subtly conservative and experiencing romance with a woman for the first time, Ya Yun-hyang was a free-spirited woman of the heretical sect who had encountered many men before.

Moreover, meeting her—one of the Four Great Beauties of the Safa Clan—was never going to be easy.

When they were just brother and sister, they got along so well. But once they started dating, they had to fight and clash countless times.

But after enduring those times and striving to accommodate each other, just when it seemed they were finally getting along well…

Bae Jong-gwan asked with a worried look.

“You haven’t fought recently, have you? What happened this time?”

Bisae-yeong avoided his eyes and mumbled.

“No, it’s just… nothing.”

Then Jeong Chil answered with a frivolous laugh again.

“Khehehe! What do you mean, just like that?! I ended up meeting the Amipa participants this time, and wouldn’t you know it, this pretty girl named Jeong-an pretended to know this guy! She asked why he didn’t come when he said he would visit Amipa before, and his face turned so bright red. Seeing him blush like that, I thought I was looking at some early-teen brat, what?! Khehehehe!”

“No, that wasn’t embarrassment, it was panic…!”

At that, the people around them turned cold and began to speak to Sa-young one by one.

“Sayoung, you did that in front of the young lady?!”

“No, what did I even do in the first place….”

“That’s too much, Prince Bi. Yunhyang has worked so hard all this time, and yet Prince Bi is looking at another woman!”

“No, I mean, I wasn’t looking at another woman…”

“Tsk tsk, what a disappointment, Sayeong. To have one of the Four Great Beauties of the Sapa sect by your side and give your heart to another woman.”

“No…”

“You’re trash.”

“Guh!”

Bisaeng, renowned as one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Beauties and the Heavenly First Beauty, could only sink under the relentless barrage of attacks from his acquaintances.

Thanks to that, the people who had been teasing him relentlessly could now wear a much more satisfied look at the sight of his battered state.

At that moment, Bae Jong-gwan spoke to Bi Sa-young with a look of pity.

“I don’t really understand why you keep fighting like that, but if these things keep happening, why not just get married sooner rather than later, Sa-young?”

For Bae Jong-gwan, who had never once fought with Cheon Ju-eun, it was naturally something he couldn’t understand.

Cheon Ju-eun chimed in as well.

“Yes. The reason two people fight is because other people keep getting involved between them, right? So maybe it would be better to just get married quickly.”

With a resigned expression, Biseyoung replied weakly.

“Well… looking at that Jin fellow, marriage doesn’t seem like it would necessarily solve anything.”

Hwayeongbin asked with a puzzled look.

“Huh? Why Jin? Is something wrong with him?”

At his question, Biseoyoung recalled the conversation he’d had with Seonwoojin before coming here and shook his head.

“No. You’ll hear it directly later. Anyway, shall we discuss the attack now? The assault will commence immediately upon Captain Seolpung’s arrival. Please relay this to the other units so they can prepare. The initial strike will involve Captain Seolpung and the Amipa’s critical situation…”

Biseoyoung began explaining the operation with a solemn expression.

Preparing for battle against the Blood Sect, he had reverted to his role as the cold-blooded leader of the Divine Dragon Corps and one of the most formidable warriors among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals, Shinpung Biyung.