Clue (1)
The rumor that the Mountain Sword Sect had crushed the Righteous Alliance spread in an instant across all of Guizhou and Sichuan.
With only around two hundred men, they had defeated more than five hundred members of the Righteous Alliance, avenged their previous defeat, and even brought about the death of the Iron Spear Hero, Hwang Janggon. It was a tremendous victory.
When people first heard the result of this battle, they doubted it. Then they were shocked. And finally, they were left in awe.
And with this battle, one name was carved deeply into the minds of the people—
the five Eagle Siblings from Zhejiang.
Now, among the martial artists of Guizhou—especially among the wanderers—talk of them never ceased, wherever one went.
Those who had personally witnessed the battle spoke of it with pride so intense it seemed to pierce the heavens.
"—And then! The phantom sword of Ji Sangim, the youngest of the Three Sword Sisters, split into dozens of images, filling every direction with sword-shadows! At that moment, Quick Blade Meow-Rang, Lady Cheon Ju eun, suddenly used Yi-Hyeong-Hwan-Wi (Body Substitution Art)…!"
"What?! Yi-Hyeong-Hwan-Wi? That's impossible! Isn't she still just a first-rate martial artist?!"
"Ah, you're so dense! I saw it with my own eyes! She vanished and reappeared behind her opponent in the blink of an eye—if that's not Yi-Hyeong-Hwan-Wi, then what else could it be?!"
"Hey, stop interrupting with noise! I'm listening here! Quickly, go on—what happened then?"
"Right, right. So, Lady Cheon appeared behind her opponent in an instant and calmly sheathed her blade. Only then—blood gushed from Ji Sangim's stomach! Puwaak! Ahhh! That scene! When I saw it with my own eyes, I was so moved I nearly pissed myself!"
From this battle, Cheon Ju eun gained a new epithet: Quick Blade Meow-Rang.
Among the Thirteen Generations, Seventh Section, she and Bae Jong-gwan had chosen to use their real names, not aliases. Thus, this was the very first epithet tied to the name Cheon Ju eun.
The wanderer continued excitedly:
"And that wasn't all! Ji Sanghwa, the eldest of the Three Sword Sisters, pointed her sword at Lady Cheon, swearing to avenge her younger sister! But then—in the blink of an eye—her third sister, Lady Seo Yu, appeared before Lady Cheon! Haaah! I thought a fairy had descended from the heavens! And when she began to wield her sword—wah, it was truly a celestial dance! Even recalling it now, I'm at a loss for words!"
From this, Na Seo-yu gained the epithet Fairy of the Flowing Sword.
The storyteller's gaze turned hazy as he stared at the ceiling, lost in the memory of that sight.
Annoyed, the other wanderers urged him on.
"Hey, you can't stop there! Keep going! What happened next?!"
Snapped back to reality, the wanderer resumed.
"Ah, right, right. Just recalling Lady Seo's sword-dance left me entranced. Unless you see it yourself, you can't understand—it wasn't a duel, it was like watching an ethereal sword-dance. And the most shocking part was this: Ji Sanghwa couldn't even resist against that soft, elegant sword. She simply admitted defeat! I always thought that 'gentleness overcoming strength' was nonsense you only read in martial novels, but at that moment I realized—it was real! That is exactly what it means!"
The wanderer smiled meaningfully, glancing around.
"But you know… at that time, we didn't yet understand. No matter how bright the stars shine, before the sun, their light is hidden. Ji Sangim, Quick Blade Meow-Rang Cheon Ju eun, Fairy of the Flowing Sword Seo Yu—they were all dazzlingly beautiful. But only until the sun rose."
The listeners swallowed hard. They already knew whom he meant by "the sun."
One impatient wanderer burst out:
"You mean Lady Yeon Hae?! The Celestial Beauty?!"
"Exactly! She was the true sun, the true fairy, beauty itself incarnate—Celestial Beauty Yeon Hae!"
Another frowned skeptically.
"Was she really that beautiful? I heard absurd rumors—people freezing in place, time itself halting. Sounds like exaggeration."
But the storyteller scoffed.
"Exaggeration? Don't make me laugh. When Lady Yeon Hae first appeared, we all thought we were seeing an illusion. Otherwise, how could a human radiate such brilliance? With all respect to the other ladies, the moment she arrived, they no longer even registered in my eyes! Ahh, if only I hadn't been injured in that fight—I could still be at the Mountain Sword Sect now, gazing upon Lady Yeon Hae…"
At his regretful sigh, the others exchanged glances.
Clearly, they had to go see for themselves.
And so, the number of wandering warriors flocking to the Mountain Sword Sect swelled daily—drawn by the legend of Celestial Beauty Yeon Hae.
Then one asked:
"But what about those Eagle Brothers? I've heard they're extraordinary as well."
The wounded wanderer suddenly shuddered as though recalling something dreadful.
"Uuugh… Don't even mention the eldest. He's no human—he's a monster. I swear he must be one of those demons crafted by the Blood Sect! Otherwise, how could anyone withstand a top-grade warrior's axe with his bare body? No—he didn't just withstand it, he shattered it! Iron Meteor Bae Jong-gwan—that man is a terrifying monster. If you ever go to the Mountain Sword Sect, never, ever approach him!"
At his fearful expression, the others swallowed nervously.
Another asked cautiously:
"Then… what about the second brother? I've heard nothing of him."
"The second? You mean Returning Zhao Yun, Chang Hyuk? I didn't see him myself, but those who did say his spear work was ghostly. They say he cut down even more men than Bae Jong-gwan did! Why else would people call him the 'Returning Zhao Yun'? His uncanny spear arts and handsome looks reminded them of Zhao Yun from Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
The wanderers nodded in admiration.
"As expected from ones who came from Zhejiang. We'd never even heard of them, yet they're so extraordinary."
"Indeed. I've even heard their companions from Zhejiang, the Ghost Mountain Four Swords, are no less skilled."
For over a century, since the appearances of the Martial God, the Thunder God, and the Sword God—each of whom had saved the martial world from calamity—martial artists revered Zhejiang as sacred ground, calling it Shinji.
That was why Hae Cheong-yeon and her siblings had falsely claimed Zhejiang as their birthplace.
One wanderer sighed.
"And Returning Zhao Yun—that's such an enviable epithet. Come to think of it, didn't the eldest, Iron Meteor Bae Jong-gwan, also get an epithet from Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
"Ah, yes! He was given the title Returning Xu Chu. His massive frame and fierce face were just like Xu Chu's!"
At that very moment, the number of wandering warriors at the Mountain Sword Sect had already grown beyond a hundred. They watched the Eagle Siblings from a distance, carefully observing their every move.
Most eyes, of course, were on Hae Cheong-yeon.
Seeing Celestial Beauty Yeon Hae in person left them utterly speechless—her beauty was indescribable.
They whispered among themselves, afraid their voices might carry.
"Look, that's Lady Yeon Hae, the Celestial Beauty."
"My heavens… I never thought such a woman could exist. Fairy of the Flowing Sword Seo Yu and Quick Blade Meow-Rang Cheon Ju eun are stunning, but beside her, they simply vanish."
"If I could just approach her and exchange a single word, I'd die with no regrets. I wouldn't even need food to feel full."
"Ha! As for me, I wouldn't mind working without pay for this mission."
Their one wish was simple—to somehow approach her and speak a single word.
But…
Standing by her side was a hulking figure whose sheer presence terrified them.
Iron Meteor Bae Jong-gwan.
The wanderers could not even dream of going near the Celestial Beauty while that monster stood guard. Her beauty was awe-inspiring, but his massive, fearsome figure was equally intimidating.
So though they wouldn't mind working without pay, they had no intention of gambling their lives. Thus, once again, they could only steal glances from afar.
At that moment, with the second brother Chang Hyuk absent, the scene was this: the eldest, Bae Jong-gwan, surrounded by three beautiful ladies who were speaking kindly to him.
The wanderers clutched their chests in envy.
"Look at that! How can that brute sit there with such a cold, uninterested face while surrounded by such beauties? If it were me, I'd be grinning ear to ear!"
"That's what you're curious about? I'm just envious of whatever he did in his past life to earn such fortune! Look at Lady Seo Yu smiling so warmly at him—yet he still looks indifferent! What sort of man is that?!"
"Not just Lady Seo! Lady Yeon Hae and Lady Cheon Ju eun too, they keep talking to him. Did he save entire kingdoms in his previous life? And look—ha! Even as they speak with smiles, he just gets up, looking annoyed!"
"Sigh… So that's what a true hero looks like. To win beauties, one must have such an immovable heart."
"Magnificent! Fine, I've decided—I'll become that kind of man too!"
"Me too!"
But the truth of this "hero" who had inflamed their hearts was… a little different.
Right now, Na Seo-yu was consoling Bae Jong-gwan, who sat crouched, looking dejected.
"Don't let it bother you so much, Young Master Bae. They just don't understand."
Bae Jong-gwan forced a smile as he replied.
"You don't need to worry about me, Lady Na. I'm fine."
But his face, completely drained of spirit, looked anything but fine.
Seeing Bae Jong-gwan's expression, Na Seo-yu raised her voice in an exaggerated tone.
"Ugh, how can people be so ignorant? Since when did Xu Chu ever wield a crescent moon blade?! Crescent moon blade should always bring to mind Lord Guan Yu! 'Returning Xu Chu'? What nonsense is that?!"
The comrades of the Seventh Section knew well.
They knew why Bae Jong-gwan had been so diligent in practicing the crescent moon blade technique all this time, and just how much he admired Guan Yu from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Ever since Seonu Jin had handed him the crescent moon blade and spoken of Guan Yu, Bae Jong-gwan had trained in the art with single-minded devotion, alongside his external martial training, all in the hope of one day earning an epithet related to Guan Yu.
He had been waiting for the day he could proudly wield the crescent moon blade before others, which was even why he chose to use his real name, Bae Jong-gwan.
And yet, the epithet he finally received after wielding the crescent moon blade… turned out to be completely out of place: not Guan Yu, but Returning Xu Chu.
At that, Cheon Ju eun, who had been standing nearby, chimed in to support Na Seo-yu's words.
"She's right! You should have been called 'Returning Guan Yu,' no question! Mmm, maybe it's just because Young Master Bae isn't yet a top master. Perhaps it felt too much to give a first-rate warrior like you an epithet tied to Lord Guan Yu."
At those words, a little light returned to Bae Jong-gwan's eyes.
It was a rather convincing explanation.
"Do you really think so, Lady Cheon?"
"Of course! After all, Lord Guan Yu is called the Martial God, isn't he? So when Young Master Bae becomes a top master, they'll surely give you the epithet Returning Guan Yu!"
Just then, Hae Cheong-yeon, who had been quietly listening from the side, spoke flatly.
"But Captain Seol Pung, who's also just first-rate, is already being called 'Returning Zhao Yun,' isn't he?"
"Ah, w-well, that's, um, sister…"
"Ahaha, Cheong-yeon? How about we step outside for a bit?"
Cheon Ju eun and Na Seo-yu ground their teeth, desperately trying to isolate Hae Cheong-yeon, who was usually the wisest woman in the world but seemed utterly clueless when it came to people's feelings.
But by then, Bae Jong-gwan was already utterly deflated.
He rose weakly to his feet.
"I'll just… step out for some fresh air."
"Ah—Y-Young Master Bae?"
The wanderers watching them from afar, who saw the Eagle Siblings—heroes of the Mountain Sword Sect—only endlessly admired them. They had no idea such conversations were taking place.
"Hmm… the Eagle Siblings, you say?"
"Yes, Lord Daemaster. Wherever one goes, their names are on everyone's lips. Especially this woman, Lady Yeon Hae, the Celestial Beauty—the interest in her is astonishing. If things go as they've planned, even the demonic leaders of the Blood Sect will be drawn to her."
"Hmph! We'll see about that."
In an inn near Geumsa in Guizhou, within the territory of the Yun Clan, the Twelfth Daemaster, Man Jongrim, and the First Captain of the Twelfth Generation, Do Mu-gon, were speaking in secret.
Separated from Seonu Jin's group, Man Jongrim and his men had accomplished little despite the time that had passed.
As Seonu Jin once pointed out, outsiders like them had almost no way to investigate the Yun Clan in Guizhou.
Do Mu-gon had even suggested they make use of the Hao Clan's network, as Hae Cheong-yeon once did, but Man Jongrim had flatly refused.
"Hmph! How could we call ourselves righteous heroes if we relied on a demonic faction like the Hao Clan? We will uncover the truth with our own strength!"
But after wasting a week doing nothing, Man Jongrim finally went back on his word and decided to approach the Hao Clan.
Even so, things did not improve.
They had no connection to the area and couldn't even locate the local Hao branch.
Only after days of asking around through wandering warriors did they finally find it—and visited it just yesterday.
Do Mu-gon sighed deeply and asked Man Jongrim:
"So, Lord Daemaster, what do you intend to do now? We weren't able to gain any information from the Hao branch. There's nothing left we can do, is there?"
Man Jongrim frowned and cleared his throat.
"Khmm."
As much as he hated to admit it, Do Mu-gon's words were true.
Even at the Hao branch, they had learned nothing. No trace of the Giant Strength Demon, no news related to the Blood Sect at all.
What's more, despite Do Mu-gon's attempts to dissuade him, Man Jongrim had gone so far as to directly ask whether the Yun Clan was affiliated with the Blood Sect.
The only answer they had received was scornful laughter.
Grinding his teeth at the memory, Man Jongrim muttered bitterly:
"As expected, trusting worthless demonic riffraff was a mistake. Just wait. After the Blood Sect, your demonic factions will be next!"
Unable to forget yesterday's humiliation, Man Jongrim seethed, while Do Mu-gon sighed inwardly.
He was increasingly convinced they should abandon this path and rejoin the Thirteenth Generation instead.
He cautiously spoke up:
"Lord Daemaster, perhaps we should just regroup with the Thirteenth Generation. Wouldn't that be wiser?"
Man Jongrim exploded in fury.
"What nonsense! How could we join hands with those who stand with the demonic sects and fight against the Righteous Alliance?! And you, Mu-gon—do you still call yourself a warrior of the righteous path?! Even if it was to pursue the Blood Sect's demons, they dared to attack their own righteous comrades of the Righteous Alliance! That alone must be answered for in time! And you want us to join them? You've lost your mind!"
Do Mu-gon had expected his proud leader would refuse, but the outburst still left him bowing his head with a weary sigh.
"My apologies, Lord Daemaster. It was only my frustration speaking. Then, what do you intend to do now?"
Do Mu-gon himself actually agreed with Seonu Jin—that the Righteous Alliance was highly suspicious—but he knew there was no point in saying such a thing to Man Jongrim.
Man Jongrim let out a begrudging sigh, softening his tone slightly.
"Hmm. Since you admit your mistake, I'll let it go. But do not repeat it."
"Yes, Lord Daemaster."
Though Man Jongrim still had no answer to the question of what they would do next, Do Mu-gon didn't press. Asking again would only provoke another outburst.
He could only let out another heavy sigh.
At that moment—
Whoosh! Thwack!
Something flew in from outside the window. Both men instantly leapt back into defensive stances.
"Who goes there?!"
But it was only a stone.
Seeing this, Man Jongrim darted out the window in a flash.
Whoosh!
"Who dares?!"
He thought—perhaps—this could be related to the Blood Sect.
Or maybe he simply wished it to be. The chance was slim, but he was desperate enough to cling to straws.
And truthfully, even if it wasn't the Blood Sect, he wouldn't mind venting his frustrations on whoever it was.
Yet despite leaping out immediately, Man Jongrim saw no one. Only ordinary townsfolk walked by, casting odd glances at him.
Grinding his teeth, he returned inside—only to be met by an unexpected revelation from Do Mu-gon, who had inspected the stone.
"Lord Daemaster! A letter was tied to the stone!"
"What? A letter?!"
Startled, Man Jongrim hurriedly took it.
The note read:
[If you wish to know the whereabouts of the Giant Strength Demon, come to the western forest at midnight.]
Man Jongrim's eyes widened as far as they could go.
At last—his first clue since separating from the Thirteenth Generation.