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Chapter 544: Sword Demon

Spring has arrived.

It’s that time when flowers just start to bloom.

In a small county in the Guangdong region, stories were blooming day and night.

“On Hyung, did you hear that?”

“Uh?”

The herb merchant, Mr. Un, was listening intently to the tale from his neighbor, the woodsman, Mr. Ju.

“What did you hear?”

“Oh dear, you’re slow on the uptake today!”

Seeing that Mr. Un looked puzzled, Mr. Ju eagerly continued.

“I heard rumors that they’re going to hold a Martial Arts Tournament in Hanam this time.”

“A Martial Arts Tournament?”

Mr. Un reacted to Mr. Ju’s words.

A Martial Arts Tournament? Suddenly?

It was a story he had never heard before.

“What kind of Martial Arts Tournament?”

A sudden tournament at this time?

Feeling intrigued, Mr. Un asked, and Mr. Ju smiled as he responded.

“I don’t know all the details, but I heard it’s to celebrate the new Clan Leader’s reign.”

“Oh, I see.”

A celebration, huh.

“By the way, they say the new Clan Leader is the sword master of Wudang.”

“That was quite some time ago.”

Mr. Ju’s words were accurate.

It had been three years since the sword master of Wudang, Wudang Gumsun, ascended to the position of Clan Leader.

At that time, he was the first Clan Leader from a sect, and everyone was worried, thinking he would be a storm in the midst of a turbulent era.

“But he’s been leading well, so it’s a sight for sore eyes.”

“Mhm.”

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Wudang Gumsun succeeded in gaining the people’s hearts.

During the upheaval caused by the Red Demon Beast, the first thing the new Clan Leader did was to redistribute the sword teams across regions.

As times changed and the threat level of the Blue Demon Beast greatly diminished, small sects or lesser-known clans could fend them off. But due to the emergence of the Red Demon Beast and the ensuing cracks in peace…

Wudang Gumsun prioritized deploying the Clan’s sword teams into more territories.

Additionally,

“Besides that, hasn’t the number of sword team members increased?”

With many sword teams being positioned, the recruitment also surged.

Initially, the sword team was not a place any ordinary martial artist could enter.

Only those from prestigious families or promising young talents who began to make a name for themselves in the Central Plains could belong to the sword team.

But now, as long as you’re a martial artist and can pass the tests, anyone could join the sword team.

The sword team came with immense honor, thus naturally, many would take the sword team exam.

Amidst this, exceptional talents began emerging and were joining the ranks.

While the number of sword team members increased, the damage caused by the Red Demon Beast persisted, yet they could somehow manage to cope with it better.

“Hey, but did you hear? The grandson of Elder Baek has become a sword team member.”

“Wow… I knew he was strong since he was little, so he finally made it, huh?”

“He was shouting about wanting to become a martial artist, and he finally achieved it.”

“Haha.”

Listening to the news, Mr. Un burst into laughter.

“The world has changed so much in just a few years.”

“Isn’t it all thanks to the Clan Leader, On Hyung?”

“This guy, everything is attributed to the Clan Leader now. Now, wrap up the earlier topic. About the Martial Arts Tournament?”

“Oh.”

At Mr. Un’s prompt, Mr. Ju clapped his hands as if remembering something.

“Not to diverge, but they’re reportedly holding a Martial Arts Tournament to select new sword team members.”

“To select sword team members?”

Upon hearing this, Mr. Un wore a complex expression.

After all, it felt odd to correlate a Martial Arts Tournament directly with selecting sword team members.

As if anticipating Mr. Un’s reaction, Mr. Ju quickly continued.

“Well, don’t be shocked. Rumor has it they’re going to select the legendary Shin Ryong team again.”

Hearing Mr. Ju’s words, Mr. Un’s eyes widened.

Of course, this was to be expected.

“…The Shin Ryong Team?”

The Shin Ryong Team was a group representing the Martial Alliance, made up of the elite martial masters.

It was directly under the command of the Martial Alliance’s Clan Leader and was known as a symbol of the alliance throughout its long history.

Renowned for its tradition, it was a place where the best of dragons and phoenixes were selected, and the leaders of the Shin Ryong team traditionally became the Clan Leader of the Martial Alliance.

However,

“Wasn’t that a team that vanished ages ago?”

By now, it was little more than a relic of the past.

In the days when the Sword Sovereign was Clan Leader, the Shin Ryong Team and the Sword Sovereign entered the Demonic Gate in Hanam for exploration, but they met with a deadly incident, where most of them perished, save for a few.

As a result, the Clan Leader at the time, Sword Sovereign, resigned from his position, and the Shin Ryong Team was essentially dissolved.

Years have passed since then.

And now, the Shin Ryong Team was…

“Is it really coming back now?”

“What’s wrong with that? If they reappear, it’s good news.”

“…That’s true, I suppose.”

Mr. Ju’s points were valid.

The people of the Central Plains always revered martial masters, and the return of the Shin Ryong Team was like proof of mastery in the unbroken history of the Martial Alliance.

The Shin Ryong Team had been synonymous with mastery for the people of the Central Plains, and their reappearance naturally stirred excitement.

“If things go smoothly, maybe we could see the Dragon Meeting again.”

Mr. Ju said with a spark of enthusiasm.

“The Dragon Meeting…”

After the massacre of late-stage talents at Shin Ryong Temple, the annual Dragon Meeting had not been held for several years.

It was a festival showcasing the emerging talents destined to take on the responsibility of the Central Plains.

Hearing that news was undoubtedly disappointing for many, especially since the current generation was exceptionally touted.

“With no news at all, rumors start to fly, don’t they?”

The lack of the Dragon Meeting led to rampant rumors.

The biggest issue was that it had been labeled as the best generation in history.

With the suspension of the Dragon Meeting, the people were left in ignorance about their status, causing wild speculations to swell.

“Rumor has it that a disciple from a certain sect broke through a wall.”

“Or that a lesser clan leader recalled his past life as a martial master and reached the Transformation Realm.” Such absurdities, indeed.

In the midst of wild tales and exaggerated stories, one particular rumor gained traction, specifically about the six dragons and three phoenixes.

In fact, inside this modest inn, there were numerous tales circulating about them.

“I hear the Sword Dragon is currently receiving direct instruction from Maehwa Seon.”

It was said the top talent of Hwasan learned a martial art from the Clan Leader and bloomed like a plum blossom.

“And I hear the Thunder Dragon entered closed training?”

Nangong Cheonjun, the Thunder Dragon, was training seriously under the Sword King, his father.

Yet, for some reason, he seemed to be staying away from clan matters.

“There hasn’t been any news about the Two Dragons and Sleeping Dragon either.”

“Two Dragons was always quiet, but what’s up with Sleeping Dragon?”

“What about him?”

“I heard someone spotted him in the North Sea?”

“…The North Sea?”

How could Sleeping Dragon, someone who should be at Wudang, be seen in such a place?

It was clear that the very notion of seeing someone in the North Sea was likely a tall tale; belief in such rumors would be minimal.

Moreover, due to a lack of proper reassurances, the wild speculations continued to proliferate.

Rumors spread about the Sword Team of Mount Shan reaching the Transformation Realm.

People spoke about Seolbong, who was supposedly affiliated with the Moyong Family, suddenly joining the Baekhwa Sect.

And then there were the huge incidents surging through the Tang Clan, no longer referred to as one of the Four Great Clans after a significant incident, with even the bloodline member, Poison Phoenix, joining the Night Assassins.

It was indeed a time where nothing could be believed, as absurd tales surged around.

“On Hyung, have you heard the news?”

“What’s it this time?”

“I heard a new Shin Ryong has emerged!”

Hmm?

Hearing Mr. Ju’s words, Mr. Un wore a puzzling expression.

He had just lamented about the lack of the Dragon Meeting.

“Suddenly Shin Ryong? What ghostly nonsense is this?”

“It’s strange, but I heard it was officially announced by the Martial Alliance itself.”

“By the Martial Alliance…?”

“Yes, they say a late-stage talent from Shaolin has become the new Shin Ryong. And… don’t be surprised.”

As Mr. Ju prepared to unveil the next revelation, he rolled his eyes dramatically.

“…This new Shin Ryong is reportedly a martial artist at the Transformation Realm.”

“What?”

The words he gently uttered were rather shocking.

“Transformation Realm…?”

“They say he’s just barely beyond his early twenties.”

“That makes no sense!”

Mr. Un could barely contain his disbelief, raising his voice.

How could such a thing even be possible?

“A person barely over two decades has reached the Transformation Realm?”

Even if someone reached the Peak, it was already shocking enough.

To hear about reaching the Transformation Realm at such a young age was utterly absurd.

“How could you not believe it? It’s to be acknowledged by the Martial Alliance officially!”

“No matter how you put it, it doesn’t add up.”

“Isn’t it good if it’s true?”

At Mr. Un’s words, Mr. Ju chuckled.

“If it’s from Shaolin’s late-stage talent, doesn’t that bode well for us too, On Hyung?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The mere appearance of hope from Shaolin in these times is a significant blessing, don’t you think?”

A series of incidents had occurred, culminated in the emergence of the Red Demon Beast, marking the onset of a transformative era.

Although several years had passed in the Central Plains, changes continued to unfold.

This engendered considerable unease in many.

The Clan Leader was busy trying to stabilize things, and despite striving for peace, it always led to other conclusions.

Hope.

People always yearned for possibilities.

Hope that the circumstances could be changed.

Possibility that, perhaps one day, it could be overcome.

And.

An entity from which such prospects sprang forth.

In the Central Plains, that entity was typically referred to as hope.

During this tumultuous era, the announcement of Shaolin’s youngest Transformation Realm martial artist from the Martial Alliance could surely alleviate many concerns.

“The emergence of such hope from Shaolin is indeed a great blessing for our times.”

A sequence of unfolding events, overlaying the arrival of the Red Demon Beast, indeed signified the advent of a transformative era.

Thus, Mr. Ju too spoke up, donning a similar expression.

“…Mhm…”

While he acknowledged this with a nod, Mr. Un was harboring a peculiar thought inside.

“The youngest Transformation Realm martial artist.”

An unexpected title accompanying the new Shin Ryong. If he truly reached the Transformation Realm, it would be a fitting title.

However.

As Mr. Un absorbed this, another individual lingered in his thoughts.

“There was someone else…”

Though the claim about the Shin Ryong was asserted to be true, a few years prior, there had been a similar rumor in circulation.

If this Shin Ryong indeed surpassed the threshold of twenty, then a boy who hadn’t even brushed against it must have reached the Transformation Realm.

The boy had swept through the Dragon Meeting, becoming a new dragon.

Later, during the Shin Ryong Temple massacre incident, he was said to have thwarted the main culprit behind the chaos.

Immediately after, chatter spread that he had reached the Transformation Realm, but no one fervently believed it.

How could they?

Without witnessing it firsthand, it was an improbable claim to accept.

‘What was that friend’s name…’

He couldn’t recall the name.

Compared to the magnitude of that rumor, the individual’s actions had been discreet.

Over the last three or so years, rumors about that boy had been almost nonexistent.

Thus now, unlike the uproar of yesteryears, things had somewhat calmed down.

‘Your brother from the Sword Team must have carried the Gu surname.’

No matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn’t piece it together.

If there was any solace in, at least he could distinctly remember the nickname.

The boy’s moniker was surely…

“Se Yeomra.”

That was quite an intense name for a righteous martial artist, and it was certainly memorable.

Upon hearing Mr. Un’s words, Mr. Ju tilted his head.

It seemed he too was aware of that friend.

“Speaking of him, whatever became of him?”

“Why would he be doing? He’s from a distinguished bloodline. He must be living quite well.”

“That’s certainly the case.”

Mr. Un chuckled, taking another sip of his drink.

“Neither you nor I are in a position to worry about those well-off folks.”

“Right.”

Suddenly, their previous jovial chatter was overshadowed by a complex undercurrent in their voices.

“…Is it true he still hasn’t been caught?”

At the question, Mr. Ju nodded solemnly.

“It’s terrifying.”

“Indeed. A murderous fiend…”

His words sank low, casting a chill over the atmosphere of the inn.

Not only Mr. Un and Mr. Ju but all the patrons in the inn held their breath as well.

The “murderous fiend” was a rumor that had spread through the county recently.

Since a month ago, somewhere in the county, as the sun rose after a long night, dismembered corpses started being found.

The bodies appeared as if they had been sliced by a sharp sword.

The unfortunate victims had met tragic ends.

It had already been a month since the first discovery, and yet the perpetrator remained at large, with gruesome incidents occurring every few days.

“What does the Alliance say about it?”

“What can they say? They claim they’re on the case, saying they’re working hard.”

“Hmph.”

Faced with the fact that the sword team members were busy dealing with demon beasts, such incidents only exacerbated their already tattered workload.

In the past, when the threat level of demon beasts was lower, they would have prioritized resolving these issues.

But that wasn’t the case now.

Seeing Mr. Ju sigh as he gauged the situation, he remarked.

“Who on Earth is this lunatic committing such acts?”

“It’s quite obvious he’s not in his right mind; what do people like us know about the workings of such a mind?”

A person who not only kills but tortures each part of the body?

Such cruel methods were disturbing beyond measure.

“I hope they catch him soon. I want to see his face at least.”

“See his face? Aren’t you scared out of your wits already?”

“Don’t you think it’s curious? Just how is he formed to do such things?”

“Seems like you’ve got a lot of time on your hands to ponder that kind of curiosity.”

Perhaps it was this trivial banter that brought forth a hint of laughter from the crowd.

Just then,

Creak.

A sound echoed from a corner of the inn.

Despite the raucous atmosphere, someone quietly stood up.

The cold noodles atop the table had gone cold, showing no signs of ever being eaten.

A pale young man had a unique feature – his eyes were tinted a peculiar yellow.

Kiiing.

Maintaining a dazed stare, the young man turned towards Mr. Ju and Mr. Un.

He was a martial artist who bore a sword at his waist.

As he stepped closer, holding onto the sword’s hilt with his pale hand…

Just as he began to move slowly toward them…

“Sit.”

He halted mid-step.

The voice from the surrounding crowd made the young man freeze.

His gaze shifted.

Upon hearing the voice, the young man locked eyes with the owner of the voice—a figure wearing a deep hat who was busy wolfing down food.

For some reason, every dish was dumplings.

After swallowing a mouthful of dumplings, the figure looked at the young man.

“It’s nice to find a good place to eat again. Recently, all I’ve had is awful food, and I’ve been rather irked.”

The figure lifted his head just enough to reveal strikingly blue eyes.

“I’m not done eating yet, so just sit. Don’t do anything foolish..”

“…Who are you?”

“In any case, it’s bad enough with that stench of blood hanging thick in the air. I’m just trying to enjoy my food, so keep it down, alright?”

At his words, the young man’s eyes widened slightly.

He understood the meaning behind those words.

As if to confirm, the figure smirked and added,

“Seriously, wash up before you come back, you stink.”

“…”

Clang.

Upon hearing this, the young man unsheathed his sword.

At this, the person with the pale face sighed.

“Exactly. If you don’t want to eat your words, do as you’re told.”

While their conversation rolled on, the blade shimmered ominously.

As the sword’s razor edge approached his opponent in an instant…

Creak!

“…!”

The young man’s perspective shifted unexpectedly.

It wasn’t his intention to move his head, but it did.

Realizing his face had been struck, he felt himself flying backward.

Crash!

The wall collapsed, pushing wood and dust in all directions.

In an instant, chaos erupted in the inn as everyone jumped in shock.

Amidst the chaos, the one under the hat remained calm.

He didn’t budge, merely continued indulging in his dumplings as if nothing happened.

The only difference was his gaze rested on the wrecked wall.

Watching silently as he collected a few dumplings before finally standing up.

He looked at his hand and chuckled.

“See? You strike best when you’re pretending not to.”

The expression of the beaming face left patrons quaking in their boots.

The reason was simple.

“That face of yours looks horrendously terrifying, you know?”

 

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