Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 184

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 184
The battle was drawing to a close.
The Fei Jian Sect and Hwa Ryeong Sect, now fully unleashed, were subduing and felling the attackers one by one.
“Already nearly finished?”
At that moment, a voice came from beside him.
Cheon Hui didn’t even turn his gaze that way, just parted his lips slightly.
“Can’t you see for yourself?”
“Does it help to put it so coldly?”
Cheon I Gae, stepping into view, furrowed his brow.
He was deeply startled as he pursued Cheon Hui, though he strove to mask his alarm with an appearance of composure.
‘These are no ordinary fighters.’
He knew the military strength of Huashan Sect intimately—information passed down from other factions.
After all, the Nine Major Sects and Four Unorthodox Schools guarded such intelligence meticulously, even at Gae Bang.
Yet now he doubted his own eyes.
‘Nothing like the reports.’
Huashan was rising again, yes—but its military power fell far short of the other Nine Major Sects and Four Unorthodox Schools today.
Fewer than two hundred fighters in total strength.
And having lost all the Maehwa Sword Masters who once bore the sect’s burden.
The only asset that could rival the other Nine Major Sects was the existence called the Huashan Divine Sword—and this man before him.
‘This very one had been it all along.’
Cheon I Gae’s brow creased deeper.
His eyes, watching the Huashan Daoists raging across the battlefield now, grew penetrating.
‘I’ll need to revise all the intelligence.’
Huashan had climbed to a height where it could no longer be dismissed lightly.
Though they were young, they outpaced even the rising talents of the other Nine Major Sects and Four Unorthodox Schools by a clear margin.
‘If time continues to flow this way, they might even challenge the bastions of Sorim and Mudag…….’
Cheon I Gae’s eye twitched.
His gaze fixed on two figures—a man and woman—at the forefront of Huashan’s Daoists.
Their prowess far exceeded that of the other disciples.
Even lined up against countless rising talents, they would rank among the finest.
“Huashan’s cultivated its young well. My own faction hasn’t a single prospect that shows such promise.”
Cheon I Gae clicked his tongue.
Then he turned his head slightly, glancing at the corpse sprawled before him, and parted his lips.
“But what of this one?”
“Appears to be the mastermind.”
“So it was the mastermind…… Wait? The mastermind?”
Cheon I Gae’s eyes widened as Cheon Hui’s calm reply tried to slide past him.
“You… killed him?”
“Yes.”
“Information?”
Cheon I Gae’s voice rose.
“You obtained information, surely?”
“No.”
“What?”
“Whether because they were the lower ranks, I don’t know—but they only spewed useless intelligence. Even if we’d extracted what we could about their backers, given how thoroughly they’re concealed, the principals would’ve already washed their hands of it and played dumb.”
Cheon I Gae’s expression darkened.
“Even so, torture might have—”
“What would we gain? They’d feign ignorance and cut off their tail anyway. Why waste time on that when simply killing them brings greater peace of mind?”
…….
“And wouldn’t this approach unsettle them far more?”
Cheon Hui’s lips twisted slightly.
“If we keep our mouths shut, they won’t know whether we’ve learned anything or nothing.”
……!
Cheon I Gae’s eyes went wide.
“Was this intentional?”
In response, Cheon Hui tapped his temple with his index finger and continued.
“The sharper the mind, the more cautiously it moves—and if even a thread of a plan goes awry, such men grow deeply suspicious. They wonder what went wrong.”
Cheon Hui’s eyes gleamed with cold light.
“And to set that wrong thing right again, they’ll seek out information—and that is precisely when gaps in their armor appear.”
Cheon I Gae’s mouth fell open.
The impression of Cheon Hui that he had carried until now shifted entirely.
“I thought he was just the type to smash everything. Didn’t know he could think too.”
“All things considered, simple destruction is best. The Gangho has always favored the strong.”
Cheon Hui’s voice was matter-of-fact.
Yet the substance behind those words was hard to believe came from a Daoist.
“Might makes right in this world.”
Cheon I Gae clicked his tongue.
“I’ve sensed it before, but are you really a Daoist? Truly?”
Cheon Hui gestured to his Sect Robe.
“Can’t you see it? Have your eyes gone?”
“Tsk! Don’t talk to me about old age!”
Cheon I Gae’s voice rose sharply.
He was already in the middle of eating all sorts of things supposedly good for the body, worried as he was about getting older!
“Fine, fine. You’re a Daoist.”
As Cheon I Gae was grumbling,
“Master!”
“Disciple!”
Jeok Geom and Cheon Hyang waved their hands.
“We’ve handled everything.”
“Handled it all!”
Their faces beamed with broad smiles.
Seeing them, Cheon I Gae spoke with a sly grin.
“Do they look like Daoists to you?”
Around Jeok Geom and Cheon Hyang, who were grinning brightly, lay scattered the bodies of those who had fainted with foam at their mouths or breathed their last.
“They don’t look like Daoists at all.”
As Cheon Hui opened his mouth to regard them,
“Small Sect Leader!”
A great cry rang out.
Han Yu Seong, who had been slumped on the ground unable to stand, forced his legs back beneath him.
With trembling steps he drew near,
“Thank you for saving us.”
He offered a Fist Salute with difficulty.
When he raised his head, moisture glistened at the corners of his eyes and his lips quivered slightly.
“How can I ever repay such kindness?”
“It’s simply what must be done.”
Cheon I Gae was startled by Cheon Hui’s words.
‘What? What must be done?’
What kind of man was Cheon Hui? One who despised tedious matters and always tried to finish whatever work he undertook as quickly as possible.
“As an affiliated sect, we have responsibilities.”
Yet this was only natural to Cheon Hui.
A sect leader must shelter and protect his subordinates below him, did he not?
And for an affiliated sect of the Huashan Sect, aiding the sect’s disciples was simply the way of things.
But Han Yu Seong, unaware of the deeper meaning, could not hide his joy.
“I have never felt such pride at being a disciple of the Huashan Sect.”
And Cheon I Gae, with renewed wonder in his eyes, gazed at Cheon Hui and smiled faintly.
‘Cruel in his methods, but he’s a true Daoist.
Just one sentence.
Yet with that one sentence alone, Cheon I Gae granted Cheon Hui high regard.
‘He has the bearing of a Great Hero.’
Then Cheon Hui spoke.
“Now let’s clean this up.”
Before the words had barely left his mouth, they all moved with perfect coordination—gathering the bodies, collecting the unconscious into one place and binding them.
And those who carried wound medicine or trauma ointment distributed them freely among the wounded bodyguards and hired swordsmen.
“Apply this here.”
“Chew slowly and swallow carefully. Then practice your breathing meditation, and your internal injuries should stabilize.”
The bodyguards and hired swordsmen, watching the Daoists distribute precious trauma medicine and internal injury salve without stinting, marveled aloud and bowed their heads deeply in gratitude.
“We are truly grateful.”
“We shall never forget this kindness.”
“Kindness, you say? As fellow disciples of Huashan, it’s only natural.”
“Don’t carry unnecessary burden in your hearts. Focus on your recovery.”
“There’s a reason why the Huashan Sect’s renown has grown among the common folk of late.”
Cheon I Gae watched the warming sight unfold before him, finally understanding why Huashan was Huashan, and why they stood among the Nine Major Sects and Four Unorthodox Schools.
Meanwhile, Cheon Hui fixed his gaze on the bound attacker and posed a question.
“You said you came from Saya Valley, didn’t you?”
“…Y-yes, that’s correct.”
The attacker trembled.
The Huashan disciples who had faced them possessed considerable skill, yet standing before this man, their prowess paled to insignificance.
Overwhelming martial prowess.
And ruthless technique.
Recalling the final moments of the one who had led them, the attacker felt as though something had lodged in his throat.
“Hmm. Saya Valley, you say….”
Cheon Hui rose without pressing further.
Cheon I Gae found this peculiar.
“You’re not going to ask more?”
“What’s the point of questioning a foot soldier? He was simply following orders.”
“Still, you never know.”
Cheon I Gae turned to the attacker nonetheless.
“Why did you attack the Hwayu Escort Service?”
“I-I was merely following orders.”
“See?”
Cheon Hui’s lips twisted into a crooked smile, and Cheon I Gae’s face contorted.
“Tch!”
“Where did you say Saya Valley was located?”
“…What are you planning?”
“What else?”
Cheon Hui’s mouth quirked upward.
“They struck first—so we return the blow.”
“…You mean to attack them directly?”
“I have no desire to spend my life merely absorbing blows.”
At Cheon Hui’s utterly flat declaration, Cheon I Gae smacked his lips.
“Tsk. You’ve got a point. So you’re leaving immediately?”
“We must, before they gather intelligence. Strike now, and we’ll uproot them properly.”
“Very well. I can at least provide directions.”
“Then I’ll ask for your guidance. Oh, that’s right!”
Cheon Hui glanced at Cheon I Gae as though suddenly remembering something.
“Did you send that letter? I asked you to dispatch it urgently since I was heading to Yanan.”
“The letter? Ah! That one? I sent it by swift courier since a regular messenger would’ve been too slow. It should arrive within the timeframe.”
* * *
“So you are So Heung Bo.”
So Heung Bo perspired beneath the old Daoist’s overwhelming presence.
‘W-why is Jongnam Geom Seong here of all places?!’
His mouth went dry.
“What brings the great master to this humble place?”
Jongnam Geom Seong’s eyes narrowed to slits.
Within those narrow eyes burned a piercing light.
In that moment, So Heung Bo felt his innermost thoughts laid bare.
“What do you think?”
“This humble one’s mind is too simple to comprehend, but surely the great master Jongnam Geom Seong would deign to enlighten me?”
“Heheheh. Your tongue flows like a mountain stream.”
The master let out a laugh.
Yet the expression on So Heung Bo’s face as he heard it was one of utter dread.
His Inner Power had infused the laughter.
“Are you unaware of the current situation in Shenxi?”
So Heung Bo’s face twisted.
‘How could I not know…!’
So Heung Bo hastily wrung his hands.
“N-no, no. This humble one and our benefactor the New Lord have not joined hands.”
“Yet you walk the unorthodox path.”
Jongnam Geom Seong’s tone cut like ice.
As So Heung Bo swallowed hard at that moment.
“Wait, please!”
The master of Ilwol Moon came running at full speed.
Upon seeing Jongnam Geom Seong, he bowed formally with a fist salute.
“I am Ju Song, master of Ilwol Moon. Would it be permitted to speak a word to the Sword Seong?”
“……Go ahead.”
“So Heung Bo are not the sort to sow chaos in Yanan.”
“You’re defending the Sapa?”
“I am.”
The master of Ilwol Moon spoke calmly.
“So Heung Bo came to our aid when we faced mortal peril from attacks by the other Sapa. How could I, as a man of conscience, forget such a debt and simply let it pass?”
“They helped you, you say…….”
Jongnam Geom Seong’s brow furrowed.
“These Sapa — they helped you?”
“Yes.”
The master of So Heung Bo, whose eyes had met Jongnam Geom Seong’s, nodded desperately.
“Yes, that’s right!”
“…….”
Just as Jongnam Geom Seong’s expression began to harden.
“Hmm?”
He lifted his gaze.
A hawk with jet-black plumage was descending at a vicious speed.
“The Black Hawk?”
Jongnam Geom Seong was slightly startled.
The Black Hawk was Cheon I Gae’s prized messenger hawk, and it was rarely deployed.
Yet for it to have come like this…….
Swoosh—
When Jongnam Geom Seong raised his arm, the Black Hawk descended with gentle wingbeats and landed.
“It’s been a long while.”
The Sword Seong stroked the hawk’s head once, then untied the paper bound to its leg.
“…….”
A brief silence fell.
Jongnam Geom Seong carefully folded the paper again, placed it in his garment, and his lips moved.
“You know Cheon Hui?”
The master of So Heung Bo’s eyes widened.
“Yes!”
“So what the master of Ilwol Moon said was true. Heh heh, Sapa aiding Orthodox Sects, is it…….”
Jongnam Geom Seong trailed off mid-word and turned away. As he steadily receded, the strength drained from the master of So Heung Bo’s legs.
“We’re……alive.”
Collapsing to the ground, he looked up at the master of Ilwol Moon and spoke.
“Thank you for helping us.”
“As a faction long rooted in Yanan, it is only natural that we would lend aid, is it not?”
“Ha ha.”
The master of So Heung Bo laughed awkwardly.
What the master of Ilwol Moon was saying now was exactly the same as what he had said when helping Ilwol Moon in the past.
‘Back then, I had no excuse to offer, so I simply did it. How peculiar.’
Even as the master of So Heung Bo felt his heart grow unsettled and began scratching his head.
‘But something is strange.’
The master of Ilwol Moon’s gaze had turned toward Jongnam Geom Seong, now a mere speck in the distance.
‘I heard that the Jongnam Faction is currently lying low, barely breathing. So why would Jongnam Geom Seong, that Great Hero, journey all the way to Yanan alone? Could something have gone wrong?’
A flicker of unease rose within him.
But he quickly shook his head.
Who was he, after all?
Jongnam Geom Seong — one of the absolute masters worthy of counting on one’s fingers throughout the Kangho, and the foremost expert of Shenxi since his emergence into the martial world.
The master of Ilwol Moon raised his head.
Gazing at the clear blue sky, he closed his eyes, deliberately calming the unease.
‘Needless worry.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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