Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 280

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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 280
“The Myeoljjeol Corps has annihilated the Blood Right Sword Clan and is currently sweeping up Sapa forces throughout the Seorim region and its surroundings.”
The results of the mission carried out by Cheon Hui and the Myeoljjeol Corps flowed out in a quiet voice.
It came from Seol Geom, the deputy commander.
“Thus far, the Sapa sects that have been eliminated include the Blood Right Sword Clan, and nearby, the Sa Du Bang and Heuk Bang Hoe, Gwisao Fort…….”
As the names of Sapa sects continued to pour from his lips, the light in the eyes of everyone present shifted.
The Myeoljjeol Corps was a hastily assembled detachment.
Though it was regarded as an opportunity for the later generation masters to build their reputations, there had been no expectation that it would perform like the established units.
Yet here they were, executing their mission flawlessly—how could admiration not arise?
So the report continued for some time.
“……Save for a few sects that have yet to reveal themselves, all have been swept up under the Myeoljjeol Corps’s hand.”
At last, Seol Geom finished his account.
“Ha! Remarkable. To pacify the entire Seorim region in merely ten days.”
“It’s almost beyond belief. To subjugate so many sects in such a short span, and organize them besides. How in the world…….”
Only then did those who had been listening in silence part their compressed lips.
Admiration and astonishment poured forth.
At the same moment, though no one had spoken to direct them, all eyes turned to one place.
Hyeon Do of Huashan.
His face was brimming with satisfaction, bearing what seemed almost like a lifted chin of pride.
That was when it came.
“Are there no wounded among them?”
Someone asked urgently.
It was Go Yeong Jin In, an elder of Konglun.
His face, as he regarded Seol Geom, was clouded with worry. And for good reason—there were disciples of Konglun among the Myeoljjeol Corps.
What manner of place was the Blood Right Sword Clan?
A family that had dominated Seorim for more than two centuries, their power, though not quite reaching the level of the great sects, stood just below it.
Among the minor factions, they were among the most formidable.
While the results exceeded expectations, since the Maehwa Sword Association had gone with them, the prediction of success was widely held.
Yet to expect them to complete their mission without a single wound would have been difficult to imagine.
And such concern was not felt by Go Yeong Jin In alone.
The representatives of sects whose disciples served in the Myeoljjeol Corps gazed at Seol Geom with worried eyes.
Seol Geom, reading the emotions etched in the lined faces of those around him, nodded his head up and down.
“All are reported to be unharmed.”
“Ha, is that so.”
Life returned to Go Yeong Jin In’s face.
“A relief indeed.”
Just as Do Yang Heun, the elder of Cheong Seong who had been holding his breath beside him, exhaled a sigh of relief——
“And there is one more matter. Something of weight that must be conveyed.”
Seol Geom, his face grown stern, opened his mouth once more.
“At the Blood Right Sword Clan, the Heuk Ya Cha appeared. And he brought with him the Mujeong Do Gaek and the Seong Hui Na Chal Sa.”
In that instant, the expressions of all present grew sharp.
The weight carried by the epithet “Heuk Ya Cha” was far from light.
The youngest disciple of the Sa Hyuk Ryeon’s master.
By that position alone, the Heuk Ya Cha stood above any other figure of Sapa.
But that two skilled masters such as the Mujeong Do Gaek and the Seong Hui Na Chal Sa appeared alongside him——
How could one not react?
Yet doubt soon arose.
Just moments ago, Seol Geom had clearly stated that the Myeoljjeol Corps had annihilated the Blood Right Sword Clan and was sweeping up nearby Sapa forces.
But if the Heuk Ya Cha appeared at the Blood Right Sword Clan, that meant…….
“Was the Heuk Ya Cha also eliminated?”
Chu Gye Gwang, the commander of the Maehwa Sword Association, asked quietly.
It was the question all harbored.
Seol Geom, his gaze now fixed upon by all, smiled bitterly and shook his head from side to side.
“Regrettably, we had nearly captured the Heuk Ya Cha, but he slipped through our grasp at the last moment, or so he reported.”
“What a shame.”
“So he escaped.”
Sighs rose from here and there.
The Heuk Ya Cha was a figure with a high probability of becoming a future adversary of the Murim Alliance.
It would have been better to eliminate the root without mercy from the start. But in the end, he had slipped away, and their disappointment was plain.
Meanwhile, Hyeon Do and Yong Ju Gae, having heard Seol Geom’s answer, tilted their heads to themselves.
‘Did Cheon Hui let the Heuk Ya Cha slip away?’
‘He saw through the Flying Heaven Shadowless Body Method. How could he let it escape? Is the Heuk Ya Cha stronger than rumored? Or perhaps there’s something else at play.’
The martial prowess of Cheon Hui that they knew of was at a level where even the Heuk Ya Cha would be no match.
To stand against him, one would need to be at least a sect leader of the Five Emperors.
After all, the ones Cheon Hui had defeated were Baek Sa Sin and Nok Lim Dae Je.
As the two were speculating on why Cheon Hui had let the Heuk Ya Cha escape,
“The opponent was no trivial matter, was he?”
Seol Geom added his words to those who were sighing with regret.
Everyone nodded in agreement at that remark, their expressions shifting to understanding.
Truth be told, the opponent had not been an easy one.
Seol Geom, who had been scanning the room as the atmosphere eased slightly, seized the moment to add more.
“Besides, it’s not as though there were no gains. The Mujeong Do Gaek fell by the hands of the Maehwa Sword Association, and the Seong Hui Na Chal Sa and Heuk Ya Cha fled with fatal internal injuries.”
“The Mujeong Do Gaek was brought down?”
“And the Seong Hui Na Chal Sa and Heuk Ya Cha both sustained fatal internal injuries?”
For a moment, everyone’s eyes widened.
The Mujeong Do Gaek and Seong Hui Na Chal Sa were renowned throughout Gangho, masters of the Wuji Realm.
In particular, the Seong Hui Na Chal Sa was known to have glimpsed the Heavenly Martial Realm itself—a master of extraordinary skill.
And since even the Heuk Ya Cha had taken internal injuries, there were indeed gains, as Seol Geom had said.
“To accomplish that much against the three of them—truly impressive.”
“And to think they’re composed entirely of later generation masters, yet achieved such results.”
Those seated clicked their tongues in admiration.
Everyone was well aware that the Maehwa Sword Association had brought down Nok Lim Dae Je.
But most had privately assumed that Nok Lim Dae Je was weaker than his reputation suggested.
For if that weren’t the case, it would mean a youth barely past adolescence had reached the Heavenly Martial Realm.
“Remarkable. Truly remarkable.”
“To achieve such results with a separate unit formed only days ago—it’s astonishing.”
It was then that Cheol Su Bi Geom, an elder of the Heavenly Central Sword Sect, turned his gaze toward Hyeon Do and spoke.
“You must be pleased, Daoist.”
His eyes shone with envy as he continued.
“At such a young age, not only is his martial prowess unquestionable, but his leadership appears exceptional as well. You have truly raised a remarkable disciple.”
Others seated nearby echoed his sentiment.
“Indeed. Truly enviable.”
“Infinite Buddha. For the Huashan Sect to produce such an exceptional young one—or rather, such a youth. Surely the Celestial Worthy has blessed you.”
“A great fortune for the Alliance.”
At the cascade of praise, Hyeon Do’s lips naturally curled upward.
“You are too kind.”
Though he feigned modesty, the smile that formed at his lips only deepened.
Anyone watching could see Hyeon Do’s delight.
At the same time, their minds raced.
‘In time, the Huashan Sect will make a great name for itself.’
‘Once this war ends, the Huashan Sect may even threaten Wudang…’
‘Should we align ourselves with Huashan?’
For now, the immediate war took precedence, but the future also demanded consideration.
When the Sa Hyuk Ryeon was destroyed and the balance of power in Gangho shifted dramatically,
Cheon Hui’s presence would undoubtedly be incomparable to what it was now.
As those gathered deliberated over how to handle relations with the Huashan Sect,
“Is there any other information?”
A flat, colorless voice cut through the air.
It was Je Gal Goong, the strategist, who had remained silent throughout the discussion.
Despite the shocking succession of news, his expression remained as unmoved as ever.
Seol Geom, glancing at Je Gal Goong, narrowed his brow briefly, then relaxed it.
An expressionless face, not a single eyebrow movement.
It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Growing slightly uneasy, Seol Geom fingered a fan tucked in his sleeve and parted his lips, which were slightly drawn.
“There is nothing else.”
With those words, Seol Geom took his seat.
It meant he had finished his report.
Je Gal Goong watched Seol Geom briefly, then turned his gaze to Yong Ju Gae and asked,
“What of the Five Emperors?”
At the abrupt question, Yong Ju Gae’s brow furrowed, but he soon offered his answer.
“They were beginning to gather.”
The assembly stirred.
“Already?”
“These factions, which used to scatter and regroup for nothing but self-interest, are coming together this soon…….”
As if unable to believe it, every face around the room registered shock.
No matter how vast an organization Sa Hyuk Ryeon had become, in the end they remained practitioners of the sapa — the heterodox ways.
Such instincts could not be shed.
So in this war too, they had expected each faction to eye the others warily until the end, hoarding their strength…….
But circumstances had unfolded otherwise.
Then Yong Ju Gae spoke up.
“They must have felt how grave things have become.”
The faces around the table hardened.
In that weighted silence, Je Gal Goong’s expression remained unchanged as he opened his mouth.
“Then we must move with haste.”
His gaze swept across the assembly.
More precisely, it passed over those who led the Three Divisions and Four Ranks of the Murim Alliance in turn.
“Are you prepared for departure?”
Six of them—all save the sole absentee, the Master of the Blood Right Sword Clan—gave their assent.
“Then let us begin with the Three Divisions and the Four Ranks…….”
Bang!
Mid-sentence, Je Gal Goong’s words broke off at the sudden thunder of the great door. He turned his head back.
There stood a middle-aged man.
Drenched entirely in sweat, the man offered a respectful fist salute, bowing his head.
“I apologize for interrupting this meeting. But I have urgent news, and I beg your pardon for entering so abruptly.”
At first, those in the assembly had been ready to rage at someone who burst in unannounced during such deliberations. But the moment they recognized him, their expressions shifted to surprise.
“The Master of the Biun Party?”
He was Wi Ji Bok, the head of Biun Party—the Murim Alliance’s information network—who had been too pressed for time to attend the meeting.
“What is the matter?”
Je Gal Goong asked.
Wi Ji Bok chewed his lower lip, then revealed his purpose for coming.
“Four days ago, we confirmed that a contingent left Sa Hyuk Ryeon. Our assessment: their numbers exceed two thousand…….”
“What?!”
“Two thousand?!”
Several rose from their seats at his words.
It was shocking news.
Two thousand men represented a military force comparable to even the larger minor sects.
And if these men were dispatched from Sa Hyuk Ryeon, their prowess would far exceed that of ordinary soldiers.
Even as the shock rippled through them all, Wi Ji Bok continued divulging what he had learned.
“……They consist of Sa Hyuk Ryeon’s Blood Shadow Squad and Ghost Shadow Squad, and their martial prowess is at least first-rank or higher.”
All present sat with mouths agape.
Their expressions had gone slack, as though they had been struck in the back of the head with a hammer.
Then Je Gal Goong, who alone had merely narrowed his brows instead of falling into that stupor, looked at Wi Ji Bok and asked:
“More importantly, what is their destination?”
It was the most critical question.
What was done was done.
He asked coolly, his mind already working to discern where they were headed so he could act accordingly. Wi Ji Bok swallowed hard and spoke.
“……Sichuan.”
“What?! Sichuan?!”
“Sichuan?!”
The elders of Cheong Seong Sect and Ami Sect, who maintained bases in Sichuan, opened their eyes wide.
Their voices trembled.
Two thousand sapa warriors were coming to strike.
And they came as a combined force of the Blood Shadow Squad and Ghost Shadow Squad, units notorious throughout Sa Hyuk Ryeon for their savagery.
Sichuan would be drenched in blood.
“I, I must go at once!”
“This humble one as well…….”
As the two moved to rush out.
“Wait a moment, please.”
Je Gal Goong spoke softly.
“Rushing there now will avail you nothing. Would it not be better to seek aid from those stationed nearby?”
“If they’re close allies……?”
“Isn’t there a unit stationed near Sichuan on a mission?”
In that instant, the unit that had been the topic of their meeting moments before surfaced in everyone’s mind.
* * *
The reorganization of the Blood Right Sword Clan was gaining momentum with Un Hak Su Sa’s arrival.
First, most of the Sapa members had their dantians sealed. After that, they were either confined to the dungeon or conscripted into repairs of the Estate Grounds.
In the midst of that commotion.
“Thank you for your help, Master.”
Ho Gwang Gae expressed his gratitude as he watched Un Hak Su Sa and his companions who had aided in the reorganization.
The Sapa members in Seorim were numerous.
Just counting those currently imprisoned or working at the Blood Right Sword Clan—roughly five hundred souls.
For the Myeoljjeol Corps, merely forty-odd strong, controlling them all was no simple matter.
In the midst of it all, the assistance of Un Hak Su Sa and his companions was like rain in a drought.
“Not at all.”
Un Hak Su Sa waved his hand dismissively at Ho Gwang Gae’s thanks.
“What have I done? I’ve merely helped bind the Sapa members you struck down and tidied up afterward.”
As he spoke, a faint smile played at his lips.
In truth, he had done nothing substantial.
Yet Ho Gwang Gae shook his head and laughed heartily.
“That alone has been a tremendous help to us.”
It was a sincere statement.
“Had we been alone, we’d still be overwhelmed with cleanup right now.”
“Hah, I see.”
Un Hak Su Sa returned the laugh for a moment before his gaze drifted upward.
A handsome youth seated in a chair, dressed in a Sect Robe woven of crimson and black.
His appearance struck one as extraordinary at a glance, and his bearing seemed equally impressive.
None other than Cheon Hui of the Maehwa Sword Association.
‘Remarkable. To have swept away all of Seorim’s Sapa members in merely half a month.’
A sense of awe naturally arose.
Despite his youth, the achievement he had accomplished in this Seorim was unprecedented.
‘They say heroes emerge in times of chaos…….’
Meanwhile, the Cheon Hui whom he was observing was in the midst of reading a Communication Talisman sent from the Murim Alliance.
[Blood Shadow Squad and Ghost Shadow Squad of Sa Hyuk Ryeon moving north. Numbers at least two thousand. Destination: Sichuan. The commander leading them…….]
Brief, condensed information.
Yet from that alone, how the situation would unfold was perfectly clear.
“Convenient timing, really. It seemed there were no more Sapa in the vicinity anyway.”
Cheon Hui, a faint smile crossing his face, tucked the Communication Talisman into his robe and rose from his seat.
His stay here was at an end.
Cheon Hui draped the Pure White Wind Cloak, which had been resting behind the chair, across his shoulders.
Then he began to move forward slowly.
The two swords at his flanks shifted with his motion.
Hwawol and the Demon Sword.
Sensing the two blades—now as familiar as extensions of his own limbs—he soon came to a halt.
It was the front of the Estate Grounds.
“Ah? Commander?”
“What is it, sir?”
The members of the Myeoljjeol Corps, absorbed in repairing the Estate Grounds, turned their voices toward the approaching Cheon Hui.
As Cheon Hui, who had merely been resting these past days, drew near, they stiffened slightly with tension.
Cheon Hui swept his gaze over them briefly.
“Take a moment’s rest. Get ready to depart.”
He issued the command unilaterally.
One corner of his mouth twisted upward.
“We have the next mission to attend to.”

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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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