The Vulture Siblings (4)
Cheon Jueun was well aware that she was the weakest in the Seventh Squad.
She also knew that every other squad member was someone far beyond comparison with herself.
She wasn't talking about Seol Pung, Hae Cheong-yeon, or Na Seo-yu, who had already been first-class or higher martial artists when she first met them.
When she first came to the frontlines, Seonu Jin Gongja had been a second-class warrior just like her. But unlike her, who had no special talent, he advanced at a terrifying pace, as if he belonged to a different race, and finally became a peerless master.
Then there was Bi Sa-yeong Gongja—who, although not quite at Seonu Jin's level, had also grown at breakneck speed, becoming a fine first-class warrior. In terms of movement techniques alone, even Captain Seol Pung had to concede a step to him.
And Baejonggwan Gongja, who might be equal to her in terms of martial arts realm, but unlike her—who couldn't even handle a single ghoul—he could sweep through dozens of them as if they were mere playthings.
Every one of them was someone she could never catch up to.
She alone was mediocre, while everyone around her was a genius.
'No, not just mediocre… calling me slow-witted would still be generous.'
That thought had always weighed heavily on her.
Among her comrades in the Seventh Squad, she alone was the one in need of protection.
More than once, she thought of herself as useless, a burden, that things would be easier for everyone if she weren't there.
And yet—she never stopped trying.
She always clenched her teeth and struggled to move forward, even if only a little at a time.
She couldn't possibly work several times harder than Captain Seol Pung or Seonu Jin Gongja, but at the very least, she refused to be someone who worked less than they did.
And all her squad members cheered her on.
The first day she broke down and cried, feeling worthless, they came to her one by one as if they had planned it together.
The first was Captain Seol Pung.
Unable to even look her properly in the eye, he had said:
"Lady Cheon, from what I've seen, your family sword art—the Cheon Family Sword Method—doesn't really suit a woman's body. If you don't mind, would you allow me to modify it for you?"
For Seol Pung, one of the thirteen strongest peerless masters alive, to offer to refine her sword art—how could she not be moved?
Her father, Cheon Ga-sang, had died early as a member of the Blood Cavalry of the Martial Emperor's Army, so he had never properly passed down their family martial arts. On top of that, she had a small frame and short limbs, even for a woman, which made her martial practice all the harder.
It had been like rain in a drought.
The second to visit her was Seonu Jin.
"Uh, Lady Cheon. I happened to find this inner cultivation manual on the road. It's meant for women, so I can't learn it myself. Perhaps you might want to give it a try? It's called the Shangyin Method."
Again, it was exactly what she needed, since her father's early death had left her without any proper internal cultivation method.
The third was Bi Sa-yeong.
"Ahem, ahem. Lady Cheon, you may not know this, but our Bi Clan's Heavenly Wind Steps are unmatched in the martial world. I know it sounds boastful from my own mouth, but even Captain Seol Pung and that fellow Jin acknowledge it as the best of all movement arts. The thing is, it's never supposed to be taught to outsiders. But truthfully, I'm practically the sect master already. So, if Lady Cheon truly wishes to learn, well… perhaps I could make an exception. You understand my meaning?"
And not just those three—every squad member always gave her advice, always looked after her like a beloved little sister.
That was why Cheon Jueun could say with confidence:
She was the shared disciple of the entire Seventh Squad.
And today was the day she would finally show her first results before those who had nurtured her.
So she absolutely could not afford to disappoint them.
Her eyes were sharper than ever, locked on her opponent.
Meanwhile, Ji Sang-im—the third daughter of the Three Sword Sisters—smirked inwardly as she watched Cheon Jueun crouched in her sword-draw stance.
In that stance, she could only attempt one thing: a full-powered sword-draw strike.
"To so openly reveal what she intends to do… how foolish."
Clearly, she was just an inexperienced rookie.
Sword-draw arts were about putting tremendous power into a single decisive strike.
But that meant if the strike missed, a massive opening would follow.
Knowing this well, Ji Sang-im decided to confuse her opponent with feints.
Her sect's famed technique, the Chaotic Sword of Ji Sword Manor, was renowned throughout Sichuan. Against a mere rookie like this, it was more than enough.
Ji Sang-im launched her technique.
"Haap!"
Shiiiing!
Her blade split into three flashes of swordlight, flickering around Cheon Jueun.
All three were illusory feints. She planned to bait Jueun into drawing, then exploit the opening.
But to her surprise, Cheon Jueun did not draw.
Instead, still crouched low, she nimbly slipped and weaved, dodging every slash.
"…Huh?"
Ji Sang-im was flustered.
Dodging with body movement?
That was easier said than done. Not even masters of movement could truly match the speed of a sword.
Even if one could, it would be impossible without eyes sharp enough to read every line of attack.
Yet this scrawny little girl wasn't retreating backward, but shifting left and right, evading every feint.
Ji Sang-im's pride was wounded.
"You dare!"
Forgetting her plan to simply bait, she grit her teeth and unleashed a flurry.
"Haahhh!"
Papapapapak!
Her blade now flared into five swordlights sweeping around Cheon Jueun.
The dazzling display drew gasps from both sides of the spectators.
"Ooohhh!"
"Such illusions!"
"As expected of Ji Sword Manor's Chaotic Sword!"
But Cheon Jueun's eyes held no emotion.
Coldly, she pierced through the glittering lights with her gaze.
'What in the world is she doing?'
That was her honest thought.
Why was Ji Sang-im slashing at empty air like that, instead of attacking properly?
Could she really be calling that an "illusory sword"?
At first, Jueun thought it was just probing.
But the longer it went on, the more obvious it became—Ji Sang-im was actually giving it her all.
Hidden in the crowd, Bi Sa-yeong sent a sound transmission to Seonu Jin.
– After dueling with your Thirteen Seonu Swords so often, illusions like these won't faze her. Looks like the outcome is already decided, no?
Seonu Jin also smiled faintly as he watched.
Indeed, there was nothing to worry about.
The warriors of the Righteous Alliance were still shouting.
"Miss Ji!"
"Marvelous illusions!"
"Now finish it… huh?!"
But those cheering for Ji Sang-im froze.
For suddenly, Cheon Jueun shifted—not just dodging, but charging forward aggressively.
Pabat!
Her small body slipped between the five swordlights in an instant.
So swift and unexpected was the dash that Ji Sang-im couldn't even react.
Then, brushing past her like the wind, Jueun's sword finally gleamed white as it revealed its edge for the first time.
Shaaaak!
But most onlookers couldn't even see it.
All they saw was Cheon Jueun, already behind Ji Sang-im, calmly sliding her blade back into its sheath.
Clack.
The moment her sword clicked fully home, blood sprayed from Ji Sang-im's abdomen.
Puhwaak!
"Aaaagh!"
As Ji Sang-im screamed and fell, the stunned warriors of Sword Mountain Sect erupted.
"Wooooahhh!"
"She won!"
"With a single draw? Incredible!"
"Lady Cheon Jueun! You're the best!"
Smiling brightly, Jueun bowed with fists clasped, then projected her voice with inner force toward the Righteous Alliance.
– I didn't cut deeply enough to kill her! Please, take her for treatment quickly!
At once, warriors rushed to carry Ji Sang-im away.
Then, the second sister, Ji Sang-yeon, stormed out, eyes blazing, and shouted:
"How dare you do that to my younger sister! I'll avenge her right now!"
But she could not advance upon Cheon Jueun.
Her elder sister, the firstborn Ji Sang-hwa, stepped in front of her.
"Unni?! Why…?"
Ji Sang-hwa cut off Ji Sang-yeon's words.
"You are not her opponent. I will go."
The Three Sword Sisters had quite an age gap between them.
The youngest, Ji Sang-im, was in her late twenties; the second, Ji Sang-yeon, in her early thirties; and the eldest, Ji Sang-hwa, in her late thirties.
Thus, for Ji Sang-hwa in her late thirties to face Cheon Jueun, who still looked as if she were only in her early twenties, was a blow to her pride.
Ji Sang-yeon frowned and shouted.
"Unni! She's not an opponent worthy of you—!"
But Ji Sang-hwa again cut her off, scolding firmly.
"She is an opponent I must face! How dare you step in when you can't even discern her strength?!"
Yet even as she scolded her sister and stood before Cheon Jueun, Ji Sang-hwa ultimately could not fight her.
Someone else had stepped forward to block Cheon Jueun's front.
She bowed with fists clasped.
"I am Seo Yu, the third of the Five Eagle Siblings."
It was Na Seo-yu, stepping forward in Jueun's place.
Seeing this, Seonu Jin and Bi Sa-yeong glanced at each other and chuckled.
Unlike when it was Cheon Jueun, they felt no unease at all.
After a brief bow, the two women began their duel.
Ji Sang-hwa's sword split into more than ten streaks of light, brilliantly weaving through the air. Seo Yu's sword, meanwhile, flowed as gently as running water, spinning gracefully between them like a sword dance.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful match.
The warriors, awed by a level of combat rarely seen, erupted with excitement.
"Wooooaaahhh!"
Ji Sang-hwa's swordplay was clearly unlike her younger sister Ji Sang-im's.
She was a true upper first-class warrior, and her illusory swordplay was so sharp that it was nearly impossible to distinguish reality from illusion.
But unfortunately for her, Na Seo-yu was a peak first-class warrior.
What's more, she had dueled Seonu Jin dozens of times, honing her adaptability against illusionary sword techniques.
Watching Ji Sang-hwa's technique, Na Seo-yu thought:
'Seonu Gongja's illusory sword wasn't about being indistinguishable—it was that every single strike was real.'
With sword strokes as fluid as flowing water, showing the utmost essence of "yielding yet overcoming"—to the point one might think it was Wudang's Taiji Sword itself—Na Seo-yu displayed the pinnacle of martial mastery.
Ji Sang-hwa could only drop her sword and sigh in defeat, staring blankly at the blade now pointed at her throat.
"Wooooaaaahhh! Another victory!"
"Lady Seo, you're the best!"
"Like a fairy!"
With two consecutive victories going to the Sword Mountain Sect, Hwang Janggon of the Righteous Alliance looked as if he had swallowed bitter poison, while Sect Master Heo Gyeong burst into booming laughter.
"Khahahahahaha! Excellent! Wonderful!"
Heo Gyeong had assumed these women's duels would mean little, but he had been proven wrong.
The successive victories of these beautiful ladies sent the morale of Sword Mountain Sect soaring sky-high, their warriors shouting endlessly as though they had never been disheartened at all.
By contrast, the warriors of the Righteous Alliance sat silently with twisted expressions, staring only at the arena.
But a moment later, the warriors of Sword Mountain Sect also fell into silence.
So did those of the Righteous Alliance.
Even their frowns gradually smoothed into blank stares as their mouths fell open, all eyes drawn in the same direction.
For she was walking toward them.
A woman who looked as though she had just descended from the heavens—Hae Cheong-yeon had finally revealed herself.
At that, Bi Sa-yeong, who had reached the rear of the Righteous Alliance in search of peerless masters, smirked and sent a sound transmission.
– Men really are hopeless. The moment they see a beauty, they lose all sense. Tsk tsk.
At his words, Seonu Jin also chuckled.
He refrained from pointing out that Bi Sa-yeong had been the same.
Glancing briefly at Hae Cheong-yeon's beauty, he instead urged him:
– Hurry and find them. We need to finish while Lady Cheong-yeon holds their attention.
– Tch, fine. Hm? Could it be those ones?
While Seonu Jin and his group searched the rear for peerless masters, Hae Cheong-yeon walked slowly toward where Na Seo-yu and Cheon Jueun stood, then bowed toward the Righteous Alliance and introduced herself.
– I am Yeon Hae, the fourth of the Five Eagle Siblings.
Only upon hearing her voice did many awaken from their stupor.
It was as if they had been dreaming.
Some even felt as though time itself had stopped while she walked forward.
She continued speaking.
– If there are any other female warriors willing to come forth, I would like to face them. Is there no one else?
Yet even after some time passed, no one stepped forward.
There were indeed other female warriors in the Righteous Alliance beyond the Three Sword Sisters.
But none wished to face Hae Cheong-yeon.
Not only had they already witnessed the skill of the Eagle Sisters, but above all, they feared that the moment they stood beside Hae Cheong-yeon, they would instantly become the defeated.
'I absolutely don't want to stand next to that woman!'
That was the unanimous thought among the Righteous Alliance's female warriors.
The shrewd veteran Hwang Janggon recognized the mood more quickly than anyone.
He also realized that any further duels among women would only harm them, bringing no benefit.
Stepping forward, Hwang Janggon bowed toward Hae Cheong-yeon and said:
– Unfortunately, it seems our Righteous Alliance has no more female warriors to field. My apologies, Lady Yeon, but perhaps we should proceed with duels among the men instead.
At this, Heo Gyeong roared with laughter.
– Hahaha! If you've no women left, why not send out one of your men who looks like a woman, Hwang Janggon?! Wahahaha!
Throwing back Hwang Janggon's earlier words, Heo Gyeong felt a long-stifled weight lift from his chest, an exhilarating sense of release.
Meanwhile, Hwang Janggon ground his teeth in fury.
He had, in fact, considered sending a man. But after seeing the mood of the warriors around him, he realized none of the young men could bring themselves to genuinely fight Hae Cheong-yeon.
Every one of them was already gazing at Yeon Hae with eyes of reverence.
Hwang Janggon sighed.
'To think such a situation could arise merely because of a woman's beauty… absurd.'
Yet even he could not help but once more admire Hae Cheong-yeon's overwhelming allure.
With no choice, Hwang Janggon raised his voice in apology to Heo Gyeong.
– If my earlier words offended you, Sect Master Heo, I apologize! But truly, how could we force men to duel against women? Let us now move on to the main event and arrange proper duels among warriors!
Even in apologizing, Hwang Janggon cleverly emphasized that women's duels held no meaning.
Heo Gyeong understood the intent, but chose not to press the matter further.
He had already savored the satisfaction of hearing Hwang Janggon apologize, and he too believed the real contest lay in the men's battles.
"Then let us withdraw."
At Hae Cheong-yeon's words, Na Seo-yu and Cheon Jueun walked back with her toward the Sword Mountain Sect's side.
It was a ploy to buy time for their comrades infiltrating the Righteous Alliance. Yet as the three retreated—more precisely, as Hae Cheong-yeon retreated—warriors from both sides gazed after her with regretful sighs.
"Ahhh…"
"Lady Yeon…"
"Please don't go, Lady…"
But no one realized the truth.
While Hae Cheong-yeon bought time and drew all eyes, Seonu Jin and his allies had at last located the peerless masters whose identities had remained unknown.
Sak Muhun sent a sound transmission to Seonu Jin.
– Are you ready?
– Yes, give the signal.
– Then on the count of three. One!
Two figures who seemed to be peerless masters were standing arrogantly at the very rear of the Righteous Alliance, observing the situation.
Whether they were demon cultists could not yet be confirmed.
Outwardly, no demonic energy could be sensed. But many martial arts of the Demonic Sect could conceal such energy.
– Two!
Yet one thing was certain: these two were not righteous warriors.
Even before Hae Cheong-yeon appeared, they had been groping themselves while watching the dueling women.
After her entrance, they no longer even tried to hide their greedy eyes, drooling openly.
So even if they weren't cultists, there was no reason to hesitate.
– Three!
From the shadows beneath the two so-called peerless masters, the figures of Seonu Jin and Sak Muhun rose silently.
Puk!
"Urk!"
"Ghk!"
So fixated were they on Hae Cheong-yeon that they never even realized what pierced the backs of their necks.
As Hae Cheong-yeon withdrew with the Sword Mountain Sect, the two peerless masters quietly withdrew from the world forever—unnoticed by anyone.