Heavenly Demon of Mount Hua

Chapter 28

—–CROW—– 

With Tae-san Il-gwon’s death at Cheon-hwi’s hands, the remaining members of the Hegemon Scenic Group and the Hegemon Clan surrendered to the Swift Wind Trading Company.

The fire, under Go Gye-yeong’s direction, was quickly extinguished, and the Swift Wind Trading Company began to regain stability.

The Hegemon Clan’s attack, which initially seemed like it would destroy everything, was brought to an abrupt end with surprising ease.

However, the wounds and losses suffered by the Swift Wind Trading Company were deep.

Not only the skilled mercenaries he had brought in but also more than half of his servants were dead.

Furthermore, even though the fire had been extinguished, the buildings of the Swift Wind Trading Company were either burned or destroyed, and the surrounding area was filled with the smell of blood and corpses.

It would take at least six months and a fortune to restore everything. Go Gye-yeong and Yeon Su-ran felt a deep pain in their hearts at the extent of the damage.

But there was no easy way to resolve this situation.

Demand compensation from the Hegemon Clan?

That was impossible unless he was insane.

They were a notorious group in the martial world.  The moment he demanded compensation, they would launch a full-scale attack.

He couldn’t ask the local government for help either.

They would simply deny any involvement, claiming the attackers weren’t under their jurisdiction.

It wasn’t the first time this had happened.

He had been robbed by bandits several times, but the authorities had turned a blind eye.

It was a blatant disregard for their duties, but he couldn’t do anything about it.

The local government, unwilling to get involved in the affairs of the martial world, had accepted their excuses.

‘If that happens again…’

Go Gye-yeong’s face contorted.

If the same thing happened again, they would be the ones with a headache.

Not only would they lose out on compensation, but they would also be giving the Hegemon Clan justification for further attacks.

“And with the Hundred Ghosts Castle backing the Hegemon Clan… Sigh.”

He couldn’t stop sighing, now deeply entangled in the affairs of the martial world.

In the end, there was only one thing he could rely on.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Strength against strength, martial world law against martial world law.

“Only Mount Hua Sect can help us.”

***

In a relatively undamaged room within the devastated Swift Wind Trading Company, Cheon-hwi, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Go Gye-yeong, and Yeon Su-ran were sitting around a table.

Go Gye-yeong stood up and bowed respectfully.

“I will never forget your kindness in saving our trading company.”

Seol-ran and the other Plum Blossom Swordsmen were flustered and stood up as well.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s alright.”

“It was our duty.”

“Senior Brother Jeok-geom’s matter is also our matter.”

Go Gye-yeong smiled gently at the flustered Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

Ordinarily, martial artists didn’t have a good reputation among merchants.

They were known for their arrogance and pride.

Moreover, the martial artists they often encountered were bandits or members of the Eighteen Forts of the Yangtze River waterway, which might have contributed to their prejudice.

‘They thought they could boss around even the largest trading companies.’

Go Gye-yeong smiled bitterly.

To them, the sword in their hand was more relevant than the laws of the land.

But now, his prejudice was shattered.

‘This is the Orthodox Sect, this is Mount Hua Sect.’

He couldn’t stop smiling as he looked at them, embarrassed by his gratitude despite risking their lives for him.

‘I made the right decision sending Hyeon-i to Mount Hua Sect.’

There was a reason why the Taoist priests of Mount Hua Sect were respected by the common people.

He then looked at Cheon-hwi.

Cheon-hwi was sitting there with an indifferent expression, as if he didn’t care.

It was quite rude, but Go Gye-yeong didn’t say anything.

He owed them too much, and Jeok-geom had already told him about Cheon-hwi.

‘Unconventional, he said.’

As he was observing Cheon-hwi.

“Father.”

Jeok-geom, who had stood up, gestured for Go Gye-yeong to sit down.

“Haha.”

Go Gye-yeong chuckled and sat down, then spoke to Cheon-hwi in a low voice,

“Do you know how many reinforcements are coming?”

Cheon-hwi glanced at Go Gye-yeong.

Looking at his hopeful eyes, Cheon-hwi crushed his expectations.

“None.”

“…Is that so?”

Go Gye-yeong’s face darkened.

“Do you know who’s targeting our trading company?”

“Isn’t it the Hegemon Clan?”

Cheon-hwi replied immediately, as if asking why he was asking such an obvious question.

“You know. Then do you know what kind of group the Hegemon Clan is?”

“I know roughly.  A rising new sect, I heard.”

Go Gye-yeong quickly spoke as if waiting for Cheon-hwi’s answer.

“They are an evil sect gaining prominence in Shaanxi.  Recently, they’ve been rapidly expanding their influence, closely following the Hundred Ghosts Castle…”

As he glanced at the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Cheon-hwi grasped his intention.

“So, you’re saying you’re worried that our current strength isn’t enough to defend against their attacks.”

“To be honest, yes.”

Go Gye-yeong wore a troubled expression.

It was rude to say, but it was the truth.

The Hegemon Clan was a rapidly rising new sect.  Yet, only six people had come from Mount Hua Sect to assist them.

Five Plum Blossom Swordsmen, barely past twenty, and a young leader.

The Hegemon Clan versus six young Taoist priests from Mount Hua Sect.

It was like trying to break a rock with an egg.

Of course, he knew that the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were among the strongest forces in Mount Hua Sect, and that Cheon-hwi, their leader, was exceptional.

But he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

‘I can’t send Hyeon-i to his death. And for the sake of the Swift Wind Trading Company, we need reinforcements from Mount Hua Sect.’

He quickly finished his calculations and shared the information he had just obtained.

“Of course, I know that you and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are highly skilled. But…”

Go Gye-yeong paused and lowered his voice, drawing their attention.

“The Hegemon Clan has backing.”

“Backing?”

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen flinched.

The Hegemon Clan was already a large sect, so if they had backing…

“Don’t tell me…”

Go Gye-yeong’s eyes darkened as he said,

“It’s the Hundred Ghosts Castle.”

“…!”

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen groaned.

It was as they had feared.

‘Of all groups, the Hundred Ghosts Castle.’

Despair washed over their faces.

They might have had a chance against the Hegemon Clan, but the Hundred Ghosts Castle was a different story.

One of the six pillars supporting the Demonic Sect.

The Hundred Ghosts Castle was one of the Six Majestic Clans, rivaling the Nine Great Sects.

Moreover, the Hundred Ghosts Castle used to be the strongest among the Six Majestic Clans.

Although their power had waned after the incident thirteen years ago, and they had been maintaining a near-silent presence, who could underestimate them?

Even Mount Hua Sect, their sworn enemy, couldn’t afford to underestimate them.

Or rather, they were even more wary of them.

Because they knew their true strength.

“Is it really the Hundred Ghosts Castle?”

Jeok-geom asked again, just to be sure.

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”

“Oh dear.”

“The Hundred Ghosts Castle…”

As the Plum Blossom Swordsmen lowered their heads.

‘So what about the Hundred Ghosts Castle?’

Cheon-hwi’s reaction was lukewarm.

He knew about the Hundred Ghosts Castle, but he didn’t think much of them.

‘Just sending the Sword Demon would be enough to deal with them. What are they so scared of?’

His standards were different.

He had been the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, a force unmatched by any other sect in history.

No matter how notorious the Hundred Ghosts Castle was in the Central Plains, they were just another sect to him.

As he was dismissing their concerns, something he had heard before crossed his mind.

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t the Hundred Ghosts Castle an enemy of Mount Hua Sect?’

He recalled Hyeon-do and Hyeon-cheong passionately recounting their bitter history with the Hundred Ghosts Castle, and Go Gye-yeong spoke,

“Now that we know the Hundred Ghosts Castle is backing the Hegemon Clan, we must send a letter requesting reinforcements from Mount Hua Sect.”

Cheon-hwi met Go Gye-yeong’s gaze and said,

“Do as you please.”

Cheon-hwi wasn’t interested at all.

Requesting reinforcements from Mount Hua Sect or whatever.

What did that have to do with him?

He just had to do his job.

“Thank you. Then I’ll send a letter to Mount Hua Sect. Please make yourselves comfortable at our trading company until then.”

As Go Gye-yeong said with relief.

“But when are we eating? I’m starving.”

Cheon-hwi casually remarked.

Everyone was flustered by his sudden question, but Go Gye-yeong quickly regained his composure.

“Hahaha, I’ll have it prepared right away.”

He said with a smile and whispered to Yeon Su-ran, who was fidgeting beside him,

“My wife.”

“Alright.”

As Yeon Su-ran stood up to leave.

“I’d like meat dishes, if possible.”

“What?  Meat dishes?”

“…!”

Jeok-geom and Seol-ran squeezed their eyes shut, and the other Plum Blossom Swordsmen were horrified.

“Senior Disciple!”

“What are you talking about… eating meat…”

“Hahaha.”

Go Gye-yeong also asked hurriedly, seeing the Plum Blossom Swordsmen desperately trying to dissuade Cheon-hwi,

“Even though Mount Hua Sect is close to the secular world, don’t you abstain from eating meat?”

“Well, that’s what they say.”

“Then about the meat…”

“It’s fine as long as we don’t get caught.”

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen were speechless and dumbfounded by Cheon-hwi’s nonchalant reply.

Whoosh—

Yeon Su-ran, flustered, glanced at Jeok-geom, who nodded.

‘Accept his request.’

Yeon Su-ran was momentarily puzzled by his gesture, but she agreed.

“A-Alright.”

After she left, an awkward silence filled the room until the food arrived.

***

Later that night, in a darkened room.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had meat dishes.”

He was in a good mood, perhaps because he had enjoyed proper meat dishes, unlike the simply grilled meat he had at Mount Hua Sect.

“And there’s even a bed.”

He collapsed onto the bed.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face as he felt the soft mattress, a welcome change from the hard floor.

“But it’s a bit disappointing.”

Cheon-hwi fidgeted with his hands.

“They all died before I could even have a good fight…”

He muttered and then recalled the mission the Sect Leader had entrusted to him.

‘He told me to protect the Swift Wind Trading Company from danger, right?’

As he was reminiscing, he thought of a way to complete this mission.

A way to eliminate the threat to the Swift Wind Trading Company and satisfy his craving for a good fight.

“That’ll do.”

Cheon-hwi smiled sinisterly and got out of bed.

He then reattached the White Lotus Sword, which he had hung on the wall before washing up, to his waist and stared at the moon outside the window.

The bluish moon, split in half, cast its moonlight everywhere.

“The timing is perfect.”

He grabbed the window sill and jumped out.

“Time for some after-dinner exercise.”

His robes and the red plum blossom embroidery gradually blended into the darkness.

—–CROW—– 

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