Heaven-Slaying Demon Sword
As we walked, Miss Tang, who had been lost in deep thought for a while, suddenly asked me,
"By the way, is it really the right thing to save that man called Do Munseung? Emotionally, I do feel sorry for his circumstances, and from what I saw of him, he didn't seem like someone who deserved such a tragic death…. But even so, if summoning disciples from nearby sects in that manner has long been the tradition here, shouldn't we respect that as well?"
Her hesitation was entirely understandable.
Indeed, for countless generations the Sichuan Society had protected this region in just that way, and even now it enjoyed the support of many. So, naturally, she couldn't help but wonder whether helping Do Munseung was truly the right thing to do.
I thought her doubts perfectly reasonable.
After a moment to organize my thoughts, I replied cautiously.
"This is, of course, only my opinion, but I see the Sichuan Society's protection of this region less as some noble sacrifice and more as a kind of tacit pact."
"…A pact?"
"Yes. The local sects provide the Sichuan Society with funds and disciples, and in return the Society provides them with safety. It's more like a contract than anything else."
Miss Tang nodded in understanding.
"Ah, I see. That makes sense."
"Yes. From that perspective, both sides have boundaries they must not cross. The sects must uphold their trust so that the Sichuan Society's strength is not weakened, and the Society must ensure the sects' safety is never threatened. In my view, the current incident shows that the Sichuan Society has failed in this duty."
She echoed my words thoughtfully.
"They must ensure the sects' safety… and yet this time they forced Do Munseung's summons even while threatening the security of Yeongnam Sword Sect, is that it?"
"Exactly. The Sichuan Society, which should safeguard the sects, instead became a threat to Yeongnam Sword Sect's security. From their perspective, why should they obey the Society's commands at all?"
"Hmm."
As she sank back into thought, I offered another example.
"Isn't it the same for us on the frontlines? We came here to resist the Blood Cult in order to protect our families and sects. But if it were the Martial Alliance itself that endangered our kin and clans, why should we maintain the frontlines? Whether Martial Alliance or Blood Cult, if either threatens our families, then they are enemies all the same."
Miss Tang didn't yet know what the Dark Shadow Unit had done—that veterans were being murdered not by the Blood Cult but by the Martial Alliance itself. I considered telling her, but I held back, wary of her Sichuan Tang Clan's close ties to the Alliance, as I'd seen during the Justice Guild incident.
Still, she nodded in partial agreement, though her eyes clouded with worry.
"You're right, Young Lord Seonu. Still… I worry that this may mean breaking rules and traditions."
I nodded. Given her dutiful, family-centered nature, it was natural for her to feel burdened at the thought of defying established norms.
After another pause, I spoke again.
"Rules and traditions exist for reasons. But if we cling to the rules themselves without regard for their purpose, isn't that like staring at the finger pointing at the moon instead of the moon itself?"
Then I gave her an example.
"I once read in a book that in some Western lands, there was a rule forbidding women from ever showing their faces in public."
She looked at me incredulously.
"What? Their faces? Why?"
"When the rule was made, the land was rife with bandits and lawlessness, so it was meant to protect women from harm. But the problem is that even now, in safe cities, the custom persists as 'tradition.' If a woman shows her face, she may even be killed without consequence."
Her expression twisted in outrage.
"What nonsense! A rule made to protect women, and now they kill them for showing their faces? That's absurd!"
I chuckled softly.
"Exactly. That's what happens when people fixate on the words or the rules instead of the principles behind them. And this isn't just far away—it happens around us too. How many rules and traditions do we follow without even knowing why? That's why I believe this matter is the Sichuan Society's fault, and why I want to help Do Munseung."
At that, Miss Tang finally broke into a bright smile, nodding in full understanding.
"I see. Thanks to you, it's clear now. Helping Do Munseung wasn't wrong after all."
Her radiant smile drew a smile from me as well.
Though she wasn't as brilliant as Miss Cheongyeon, Miss Tang was quick to understand and open-minded. She had a charm that made conversations with her feel comfortable.
And… there was one more reason, unspoken, why I felt compelled to intervene this time.
It was none other than the Sichuan Society's leader—the Soaring-Heavens Swordsman, Mok woo-jeon.
When Miss Tang had first spoken his name earlier, I realized I'd heard it in my past life. Though not by that title then.
"Back then, he was known as the Heaven-Slaying Demon Sword, Mok woo-jeon—the sword demon who laid waste to southern Sichuan and slaughtered countless innocents."
By the time I returned to the Seonu Clan after the collapse of the frontlines, he was already a thrall of the Blood Demon, repeating massacres beyond count.
I had once overheard that he'd formerly been of the orthodox factions—likely the Sichuan Society.
Miss Tang said his martial attainment was nearing the peak of the transcendents. Meaning his current level was comparable to Senior Hwayeongbin of the Red-God Sword or Captain Seolpung.
But the Mok woo-jeon I knew from my past life was far beyond that.
"At that time, his martial prowess was in no way beneath Iron-God Mad Demon Cheokgang—he was called the Demon Sword of the Blood Demon himself."
Iron-God Mad Demon Cheokgang.
Mok woo-jeon, in my past life, was on par with him—who had recently overwhelmed even the elites of the Cheongseong Sect and the Tang Clan by himself.
Thus, the Mok woo-jeon who hadn't even reached the peak yet would, within a few short years, leap several realms to become one of the Thirty-Six Celestial Stars—the absolute powers of the martial world.
But that was bizarre.
"Common sense says that shouldn't be possible."
There had to have been some extraordinary opportunity or event in between.
And I had a feeling.
Somehow, Mok woo-jeon's secret was connected to this very matter.
Of course, logically, helping Do Munseung escape shouldn't have anything to do with Mok woo-jeon's secrets.
But my intuition whispered otherwise—that this path would bring me closer to them.
And I was not one to ignore such instincts. In my past life, it was this very intuition that kept me alive on the frontlines long after my meager skills should have failed me.
Just then, Miss Tang looked up at a grand building ahead and asked,
"Um, Young Lord Seonu? Why are we standing in front of this pavilion?"
Startled from my thoughts, I looked up and saw we had arrived at the entrance of a lavish hall, with a sign reading Yeollak Pavilion.
I hurriedly gave her a smile.
"Ah, this is actually the local branch of the Hao Clan in Yeongnam, Sichuan. I had asked the tavern boy for its location earlier. So, we're not here for the pavilion, but for the Hao Clan branch. Haha…"
She blinked in surprise.
"The Hao Clan branch?"
"Yes. And we can expect quite the reception."
"We? Being hosted by the Hao Clan? Why?"
I met her puzzled look with a confident smile.
And sure enough, not long after, we were seated in a grand chamber, being served a sumptuous feast.
We sat at a table large enough for ten, laden with luxurious dishes.
It was the first time I'd seen such a banquet since my days as the Seonu Clan's pig.
Miss Tang, dazed, seemed overwhelmed by it all.
But I smiled calmly at the man across the table and said,
"There was no need for such generosity."
The middle-aged man, master of Yeollak Pavilion and head of the Hao Clan's Sichuan–Yeongnam branch, bowed respectfully and replied—
The middle-aged man, master of Yeollak Pavilion and head of the Hao Clan's Sichuan–Yeongnam branch, bowed politely and replied,
"No, Young Lord Seonu. All of us in the Sichuan Hao Clan branch know how great a favor we have received from you. In fact, it is we who are sorry for offering you nothing more than this humble feast."
A favor, was it…?
In truth, "tightening the leash" would have been a far more accurate expression.
After all, this cooperation was granted in exchange for my overlooking their past collaboration with the Blood Cult.
Still, there was no reason to feel displeased about such treatment.
I began eating, then asked him,
"How has Brother Hwa been?"
Once again, he bowed respectfully and replied,
"Yes, the Red-God Sword, Great Hero Hwa Yeongbin, is as ever devoted to cleansing Sichuan of the Blood Cult remnants lurking there. Thanks to his dedication, the Blood Cult in Sichuan has been almost entirely eradicated. According to the Hao Clan's judgment, nine parts in ten have been wiped away."
"Oh? Already? Remarkable."
Nine parts in ten—meaning they were confident nearly all Blood Cultists had been annihilated.
Leaving one part alive was probably just a precaution, and with such results, his prideful expression was easy to understand.
I smiled at him.
"You've worked hard. The Hao Clan's contribution is significant."
"No, any merit belongs entirely to Great Hero Hwa and to you, Great Hero Seonu."
After a few polite words, we soon got to the point.
"I want some information on the Sucheon Society and the Soaring-Heavens Swordsman, Mok woo-jeon. Also, there are a few items I'd like to acquire."
"Yes! Please, speak freely!"
The report I heard from him about the Sucheon Society was indeed suspicious.
It was clear they had been coercively conscripting warriors from nearby sects of late.
The reason, supposedly, was the rising number of deaths. But the locations of those deaths were strange.
"The north, you say?"
According to the Hao Clan's information, numerous deaths had occurred not in the south, where the frontlines lay, nor in the east where Guiju Province's Six Ghost Hall was located, but in the north.
It made no sense at all.
"Yes, though they tried to obscure the truth, when we confirmed, the bodies had indeed returned from the north. What's odd is that there had been no noteworthy conflicts among sects in that region—save for the clash between Justice Guild and Mountain Sword Sect."
Highly suspicious.
No one knew better than I that the Sucheon Society had nothing to do with the Justice Guild incident.
And yet—so many deaths, without any corresponding event?
A thought struck me.
"Could it be that they've already fallen to the Blood Cult?"
In my past life, Mok woo-jeon had joined the Blood Demon's ranks around the time the front collapsed.
But what if, contrary to what was known, it had already happened by now?
Fixing my sharp gaze on the pavilion master, I asked,
"Have you found any link to the Blood Cult?"
The pavilion master, his expression heavy, finally answered,
"We cannot say with certainty. But with over nine parts probability, we believe there is no connection to the Blood Cult."
"Hmm."
Over nine parts, he said.
Though he claimed he could not say ten in ten, his tone suggested he wanted to insist it was impossible.
If he was that adamant, then for now I judged it reasonable to assume otherwise.
"Then, does the Hao Clan have no further information?"
"…No, I am ashamed to say we do not."
A bit disappointing, but I nodded as if unconcerned.
While I had not obtained solid information, the fact that so many were dying and yet the Hao Clan itself had no intelligence proved the secrecy was extraordinary—suspicious in itself.
It was certainly worth investigating.
"Then it seems I have gathered enough information. Now, can you procure the items I requested?"
"Yes, please tell me what you need."
At his question, I glanced at Miss Tang beside me, who blinked at me with wide, round eyes as if to ask why I was looking at her.
Amused by her reaction, I turned back to the pavilion master.
"First, two human-skin masks, and if you can also secure a decent pair of twin swords right away, I'd appreciate it. And then…"
Miss Tang exclaimed in surprise.
"Human-skin masks?!"
Smiling, I answered,
"Whether it's the Sucheon Society or even your Tang Clan, as long as our identities are not exposed, it will be enough, don't you think?"
The pavilion master promptly brought the requested items.
As expected of the Hao Clan, with its many dealings with the underworld—human-skin masks, weapons, and other goods were easily obtained.
After paying, I rose from my seat.
"Thank you, Pavilion Master."
"No, I am only sorry I could not be of greater help."
He bowed deeply, exuding an air of reliability.
But as head of the Hao Clan's branch, appearances could never be trusted at face value. One careless assumption might earn me a knife in the back.
So I gave him a final warning.
"Forgive the caution, but I hope none of our information is ever sold elsewhere. Especially to the Blood Cult."
He flinched slightly, then smiled.
"Perish the thought! The Sichuan branches of the Hao Clan will never again cooperate with the Blood Cult. I also promise you that no information about Great Hero Seonu will ever be traded."
At that moment, I caught something on his face.
That faint tremor of expression—again.
It was already the second time.
Ever since entering, I had been carefully observing him, and I noticed how, for the briefest instant, his face would subtly stiffen.
This time, it was when he emphasized the Sichuan Hao Clan branch.
Had I not been paying close attention, I never would have noticed such a minute change.
The Sichuan Hao Clan branch…
The phrase "Hao Clan branch" was too broad; what he had really meant to stress must have been the narrower term—Sichuan.
Energy began to leak from me.
Hwaaaaa!
I stared at him intently, then said,
"And… do you know? One who commits a crime is the culprit, but one who knows of it and does nothing is called an accomplice. I hope the Hao Clan, at the very least, will never again choose to be an accomplice."
He looked at me blankly, feigning ignorance.
"Eh? What… do you mean? I truly don't…."
But this time, I clearly saw his eyes tremble violently.
Far more noticeably than before.
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