Chapter 205: The Game Has Begun

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The great plain where several storm-like duels had concluded.

The wide, large circle created by the crowd had by now tightened toward the central space where Cheol Ryu-heun and the orthodox and unorthodox masters were positioned.

Amid that, Gal Jung-heon, whose surprising status as former the Nine Demon Alliance Leader had been revealed, candidly shared all the secret history after he gave up his dream of entering the martial world – including the undisclosed battle he had with Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon long ago.

How he declared he would end hostility and conflict with the martial world upon returning to headquarters. How his wife and daughter, obtained late in life, had died horribly when the Demon-Devouring Sword’s power went berserk during training. How he had stepped down from the Leader position and confined himself to the forbidden grounds because of that. And how his disciple Gwi-ya, as the new Leader, had plotted rebellion and attacked the Dragon Martial Gate, and so on…

The crowd, listening with perked ears, displayed various expressions while hearing those words.

“Ah, such a thing…”

“HM. Amazing.”

“To think the Nine Demon Alliance Leader back then was actually his disciple…”

“As expected, Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon was a great martial artist. To obtain even a secret non-aggression promise out of concern for this land’s safety…”

“I know, right.”

“It’s regrettable. If Alliance Leader Gal’s family hadn’t had such an accident, the later bloody battle wouldn’t have happened either.”

By the time Gal Jung-heon finished the story involving the dumpling shop.

“Are you not afraid of heaven!”

“I’m truly furious! Turning a blind eye to Black Forest Hall’s evil deeds for money…”

“Sect Leader Cheol’s hand wasn’t excessive!”

“You’d better receive the government’s judgment!”

The crowd, having raised their voices in denunciation, glared fiercely at the Sword Seal Sect group.

Like rats trapped in a jar.

They all wanted to run away immediately but couldn’t easily leave their spots.

In addition to Cheol Ryu-heun’s earlier warning, powerhouses of the Five Martial Paragons and Six Polar Stars caliber existed, and moreover, some two hundred Green Forest Alliance members surrounded them with fire in their eyes.

At that moment, Black Silken Sword Sovereign Wei Ta-gong, standing to one side, gestured with his eyes toward something and asked.

“Is that hanging at your side… the Demon-Devouring Sword, called one of the Four Great Demonic Weapons?”

Simultaneously, the crowd’s gazes concentrated.

Gal Jung-heon nodded and gripped the sword handle.

“Indeed. The one that caused my family’s tragedy.”

Immediately after.

SHING.

With a smooth sound, the blade was drawn out from its sheath.

The external appearance wasn’t particularly special.

However, the sharp energy contained in the sword was no ordinary thing.

“As I said earlier, I can now completely control the dormant demonic energy. Since everyone seems curious, I’ll briefly reveal it.”

The moment Gal Jung-heon activated his internal power.

CHUCHUCHUCHU…

A gray current spread out like waves along his body.

Just looking at it, an eerie and unpleasant feeling swirled.

Someone spoke.

“Demonic energy…!”

The moment the crowd’s murmuring grew.

UWOONG!

The slender blade vibrated, then soon created a massive hungry ghost-shaped energy.

The startled crowd all stepped back one or two paces in unison.

OOSSAK.

Goosebumps rose.

It felt as if all the hairs on their bodies were standing on end.

Even the formidable Wei Ta-gong’s expression changed.

‘Chilling. The divine weapon of the Hungry Ghost Path, as expected…!’

Not quite awe, but a peculiar feeling flowed within his body.

Also,

He directly intuited.

That Gal Jung-heon was a powerhouse far exceeding expectations.

Setting aside achieving rejuvenation, he had the martial might that Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon had once praised, so how much more so now after the long years had passed?

That’s right.

Without knowing for sure, his ultimate martial arts level would probably surpass even the highest ranks of the Six Extremes of Hubei.

Such conjecture was the same for Byeok Song-ha of the Three Upper Seats of Guizhou and Wei Ji-am of the Five Martial Paragons, among others.

Even without actually exchanging blows with him.

Before the large hungry ghost shape of energy, Immortal Muhyeon quietly marveled and murmured.

“HA… Demonic energy is always imposing whenever you see it.”

At that, Taoist Cheon Mu beside widened his eyes and asked.

“Hm? Sect Leader Muhyeon, have you confronted a demonic person before?”

“No. But I briefly glimpsed one from afar. You probably know. The one who challenged my master several decades ago…”

Only then did Taoist Cheon Mu also quickly realize.

“AH! Right. From the Illusion Demon Cult… It’s been too long, so I’ve completely forgotten.”

Muhyeon’s master and former Wudang Sect Leader “Myeongheo” had exchanged blows with and driven back a demonic person from the Illusion Demon Cult who had suddenly appeared at Mount Wudang about forty years ago – not long after which the cult Leader sent an official document saying it was an individual deviation by a follower, formally apologized, and the matter fizzled out.

At that moment, an eerie sound reached everyone’s ears.

-I’m hungry, I’m hungry. KURGH… KUKUK…

A small resonance.

A kind of transmitted voice created by Demon-Devouring Sword’s energy.

“URGH!”

“GOOD HEAVENS…!”

As the crowd was aghast at the terrifying sound.

“Since everyone now knows who I am, I won’t hide this sword’s appearance anymore either.”

As soon as Gal Jung-heon finished speaking, the decoration between Demon-Devouring Sword’s blade and handle crumbled JJEOJEOJEOK into pieces.

What was thus revealed was.

A hungry ghost’s visage.

A symbolic decoration made of ash-gray had finally appeared.

All along, he had deliberately overlaid iron to prevent others from noticing it was the Demon-Devouring Sword.

There was meaning to the declaration.

From now on, he would act as a Guest Retainer of White Peak Sword Sect.

A chivalrous warrior of demonic path origin.

It was an expression of firm will to prove that, regardless of faction or affiliation, a demonic person’s dark power could sufficiently be used in pursuing a righteous path.

Therefore, he would no longer hide even the symbolic decoration of the Demon-Devouring Sword, one of the Four Great Demonic Weapons.

Everyone understood that heart.

As a martial world comrade rather than a martial world enemy.

Because they knew through the earlier story that he had continued righteous chivalrous deeds.

CLICK-

As Gal Jung-heon withdrew his power and sheathed his sword, Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice was tossed before them.

“His new life will be with us. I won’t separately request understanding.”

No one objected.

Because Cheol Ryu-heun possessed the Vermillion Dragon Medallion, the divine artifact of Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon.

In other words, his decision was the same as representing the Dragon Martial Gate’s position.

Cheol Ryu-heun, with hands clasped behind his back, added.

“It wasn’t my decision alone. This sect’s other Guest Retainer, the official descendant of the Dragon Martial Gate, had long since agreed.”

At that, the crowd stirred.

On top of Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon’s divine artifact reappearing, even the true successor of the Dragon Martial Gate…

“Wh-who is that?”

At someone’s question, Cheol Ryu-heun briefly stated.

“The disciple of the Red Dragon Sword Squad Captain Hong So. The name is Ye Woon-rang.”

Sounds of shock burst out here and there.

Knowing he wasn’t one to lie, the gazes were all the more surprised.

Meanwhile, Gal Jung-heon wore a pleased smile and thought.

‘Everything really turned out as he said.’

A conversation he once had with Cheol Ryu-heun.

-If you become this sect’s Guest Retainer, even if the fact that you’re the former Nine Demon Alliance Leader becomes known, you can work as a proper martial world chivalrous warrior without issue.

-…!

-If someone on par with the Dragon Martial Gate’s founding patriarch personally declares they accept you, other powers won’t be able to carelessly object.

Wei Ta-gong asked with a meaningful expression.

“In addition to Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon’s true transmission, even the appearance of an official descendant… Does that mean the Divine Martial Sword exists within White Peak Sword Sect?”

The surroundings stirred again.

Everyone knew well.

The fact that Ba Hun’s had taken the Divine Martial Sword and the Vermillion Dragon Medallion and suddenly gone into seclusion.

Therefore, they wondered if one of the two possessed the Divine Martial Sword.

However,

Cheol Ryu-heun, having flicked a bored glance, shook his head slightly.

“No, the Divine Martial Sword wasn’t at the place where the true transmission was arranged.”

Then, just as he had vaguely spoken to everyone thus far about the fortuitous encounter, he mentioned the Sun Moon Demon Cult’s name again.

“Currently, the Sun Moon Demon Cult’s movements are connected to the Divine Martial Sword.”

At that, several people asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you mean they’re searching for the Divine Martial Sword’s whereabouts?”

“How did you come to know that…?”

At that moment, Green Forest Martial Buddha Gung Roe stepped forward in Cheol Ryu-heun’s place.

“Please calm down for now. The detailed content regarding the Sun Moon Demon Cult will be discussed in a meeting among each sect’s representatives at noon today. This alliance has already prepared the meeting place. The one reason we publicly announced this fact beforehand… is because we hope everyone here will spread the rumor as widely as possible.”

Wei Ta-gong, having tilted his head, spoke quietly.

“That’s puzzling. If demonic forces are lurking somewhere in this land, wouldn’t it be better to proceed secretly? If so, they might instead hide…”

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun cut in sharply.

“Are we just going to chase their tails?”

“HM? You mean…”

“We’ll draw them to our side. Since they won’t be able to help but appear before me anyway.”

“…!”

The gazes of Wei Ta-gong and others including Yuk Geum-gang, Yeo Yong-jeo, and Jinjo Jeok-je wavered lightly.

Everyone had intuited.

That some kind of operation regarding this matter had already been established.

Sure enough, Cheol Ryu-heun’s unconcerned voice reached their ears.

“Didn’t I say that earlier? That it’s not a fight but a hunt. And…”

He briefly turned his head to the side to glance at Namgung Sang-rin and Hae Su-yeon, then continued.

“This sect’s blades have already begun the hunt.”

* * *

“What? A hunt?”

A woman boasting stunning beauty that dazzled the eyes gripped the table corner tightly while making a surprised expression.

She was White Dream Beauty Gongsul Dan-gyeong, the Tower Master of the Celestial Flower Tower.

Mun Bin, the Dark Hall Master Dark Sword Fragrance, sitting in the opposite chair, nodded his head right away.

“That’s right. Sect Leader Cheol has declared he will hunt the Sun Moon Demon Cult while revealing everything. Also, this hall plans to organize operational forces and develop activities according to that plan.”

“My goodness…”

Gongsul Dan-gyeong, making a surprised expression again, pointed out a question.

“How did Sect Leader Cheol come to know? The information that the Sun Moon Demon Cult has infiltrated the martial world only recently reached this tower as well… Ah, this was originally top secret but has become meaningless now.”

“Oh, Young Lady Gongsul also knew about the Sun Moon Demon Cult?”

“Yes. Actually, I heard it secretly from my maternal grandfather in the Beggar Sect. That a portion of their group seems to have set foot in Hunan region.”

“Ah… I see. I know the reason.”

“Pardon?”

“They’re searching for an ordinary old man named Gam Tae who lived in Wuju Village and suddenly disappeared.”

Mun Bin continued by taking out and showing the letter Cheol Ryu-heun had sent.

“Everything is written here.”

Gongsul Dan-gyeong read through the contents to the end in one breath and widened her eyes greatly.

“How can this be… Just how many moves ahead is Sect Leader Cheol looking at? Moreover, the lineup of martial world masters mobilized for this operation’s launch is…”

So unexpected that even her long eyelashes were trembling.

Then Mun Bin spoke with a light smile.

“HA. You have to beware of elders. The enemy does. It’s already too late though.”