Book 17 Chapter 1

Synopsis so far

A hundred years ago, a man appeared like a storm, scattering blood and fear like rain across the martial arts world with his four loyal followers. His name was Cheongeobhyeolsin Wi Cheonmu, so feared that people dared not even utter his name.

No one could stop his advance. The blood of countless swordsmen and the flesh of swordsmen were scattered in the air, mangled beyond recognition along with the swords and sabers that were like their very lives. This carnage was called ‘Cheongeobhyelse’ by the people.

The martial arts world despaired. However, hope often arises from the depths of despair.

At the edge of despair’s precipice, a new hope emerged. Appearing suddenly, just as ‘he’ had, were two figures: a man with beautiful silver hair, wielding a blue sword and a red saber in both hands like a god, and another man with black hair like the mane of a black lion, brandishing his saber with a momentum that threatened to crush the heavens. Later, these two, whom people would call the Martial God and the Martial Demon God, were named Taegeukshingun Hyeok Wolrin and Paecheondo Gal Jung-hyeok.

These two stopped the relentless advance of the Cheongeob-ryeong, which was like a flood overflowing during the monsoon season at Nak-an Peak in Hwasan. However, the most terrifying, strongest, and worst enemy, Cheongeobhyeolsin Wi Cheonmu, disappeared into a nightmare without his survival being confirmed.

In preparation for the potential resurgence of the Cheongeob-ryeong, who had vanished into darkness after the decisive battle at Nak-an Peak in Hwasan, now called Cheonmu Peak, two specialized educational institutions, Cheonmu Academy and Macheon Pavilion, were established as part of nurturing future generations.

A hundred years passed.

Among the disciples of Cheonmu Academy, the lowest-ranked Suzaku Squad, which could only send 64 participants per year to the summer retreat, was sent to Amisan. However, Jin Jo-un, the Iron-Coated Swallow, who was supposed to train them, met an untimely death for some reason. Instead, to everyone’s misfortune, the person who filled that vacant spot was the self-proclaimed universally greatest genius and ultimate handsome youth, Bi Ryu-yeon.

With his connection to the Suzaku Squad, Bi Ryu-yeon, who claimed to be suffering under his eccentric master, decided to run away from home and entered Cheonmu Academy, taking the sect’s hidden treasures, the Flying Thunder Saber and the Ink Qin. After much difficulty, Bi Ryu-yeon, who took Cheolsu and Yeong-hui as his disciples, encountered Na Ye-rin of Bingbaek Peak, the disciple of Geomhu, who had closed off her heart. He grew close to her, but because of this, he incurred the animosity of the Bingbong Yeonghwa Guardians and various followers who were her unwilling pursuers.

In the trial of Hwanmadong, Bi Ryu-yeon easily defeated himself and, along with the friends he made upon entering the academy, participated in the Grand Martial Arts Tournament, the Hwasan Gyeyak Jihoe. There, he met an unknown elder named Hyeok Jung and another legend, the Cheonmu Samsung.

Meanwhile, Grand Prince Bi, a key figure of the Cheongeob-u, the remnant forces of the vanished Cheongeob-ryeong, was also participating in the Hwasan Jihoe with his seven followers, the Macheon Chilgeol, harboring a grand conspiracy to burn down the entire Hwasan.

Finally, at the moment the dragon’s red fangs were about to burn down Hwasan’s Hongmaegok and everyone within it, Bi Ryu-yeon’s body activated Fengsin, one of the ultimate techniques of the Flying Thunder Saber, and sent the dragon flying into the sky. However, exhausted, Bi Ryu-yeon collapsed on Na Ye-rin’s lap…

Fortunately, the people survived, but the Hongmaegok could not be saved from turning to ash, and Grand Prince Bi and his followers escaped before their eyes.

Contrary to the wishes of many, Bi Ryu-yeon was unharmed and returned to Cheonmu Academy with Na Ye-rin, now his officially recognized lover by Geomhu, his disciples Binggeom Cheolsu and Yeomdo Yeong-hui, and his disciples\/fellow disciples, the Suzaku Squad… with the addition of Elder Hyeok Jung, who insisted on accompanying them.

That winter, another calamity caused a blacksmith’s shop to burn down, and a figure was about to step into the Jianghu, but no one was aware of the storm that their butterfly-like light footsteps would bring.

And then, after the fierce winter, spring arrived.

Now, a new story begins.