Book 2 Chapter 5

The Flame Blade (DOK), Yeomdo

The escort team hurried their pace, continuously reducing the distance to Nanchang.

The sun, now hanging mid-horizon, cast a deep red sunset, heralding the darkness of night.

It seemed the curtain of night was about to descend upon the stage.

Soon, a curtain of black silk fell, and darkness arrived.

The fallen black silk demanded they rest.

Until humans dared to defy nature’s immense power, they could only obediently listen to her words. This was even more so when leading a large group. Today’s destination was Zhuzhou, a village located on the outskirts of Hunan Province. It was a moderately prosperous city, situated a little below Changsha, a large city bordering Dongting Lake. Just a little further down the road from here lay the border of Jiangxi Province, where Nanchang was located. Zhuzhou was a village near the border of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces.

“Whoa, everyone halt. We will rest here for today.”

Jang Woo-yang stopped his horse in front of an inn and addressed everyone. The inn’s name was ‘Huayun-ru’. It was a fairly large lodging establishment that provided both meals and accommodation. Seeing the group stop in front of the inn, a young inn boy, about 15 years old, scurried inside to deliver the message. A moment later, a rather stout man in a matching blue silk robe with ornate patterns, his face pleasantly plump, hurried out. He appeared to be in his late 40s. Judging by his attire and appearance, one might be prejudiced, but he truly looked fitting as an innkeeper. He seemed to be the owner of this Huayun-ru.

“Ah, indeed. Master Jang, welcome. It’s truly been a long time since you’ve visited.”

“Master Na, it has been a long time. You must have received the message, right?”

“Yes, of course. We received your escort agency’s notification. We have definitely prepared meals and lodging for 60 people. And warehouse number 2 has also been completely cleared.”

Na Dae-in, the owner of Huayun-ru, replied. Then, he continued with a beaming smile.

“Many guests have been visiting our inn today. We had to turn away several people to reserve 60 seats.”

“Thank you.”

Jang Woo-yang nodded, showing his satisfaction. It was natural for escort agencies, as they transported their charges, to frequently pass through certain roads and villages. When they stopped to rest, they would have their favorite inns. They would form contracts with specific inns, and when they passed through a village, they would unpack and rest at a designated inn. This not only resulted in much better service but also allowed them to use the inns at a cheaper price. Since escort agencies often traveled with a large number of people, the size of their contracted inns naturally had to be large.

It was not easy to accommodate lodging and meals for over 60 people at once in a bustling city. This was because all the inn rooms might be occupied or there might not be enough of them. Furthermore, if there weren’t enough rooms, they couldn’t simply scatter their people to find lodging. Dispersing their numbers meant lax security, which in turn increased the risk to their charges. Therefore, they would designate one specific inn and conduct business with it. Huayun-ru was one such place.

Of course, unless the owner was a god, they wouldn’t know when they would be staying, so they would first send a message through liaison offices or informants established in bustling cities to make arrangements. In highly developed escort agencies, they were said to even use carrier pigeons. The method used by the Joong-yang Escort Agency was to send messages through advance parties or liaisons.

“Good. The charges go to Warehouse Number 2! Except for the three on rotating guard duty, everyone else go to the dining hall for dinner and rest!”

“Yes.”

All the escorts responded with resounding voices. It seemed these escorts were a group that didn’t realize their loud responses in the middle of a village could be a nuisance to the surroundings. Following the order of the escort chief, Jang Woo-yang, the escort agency members began to move busily. They moved the luggage to Warehouse Number 2, unhitched the horses, and entrusted them to the stables for rest. Then, they set up guards according to the established rotation.

While others were diligently and earnestly moving their bodies and working, Bi Ryu-yeon, along with Jang Woo-yang, entered the dining hall first and took their seats, awaiting their delicious dinner. Bi Ryu-yeon, as usual, did not do a speck of work.

During the busiest evening hours, the inn, which should have been lively and bustling, was not in that state. A heavy, incongruous silence weighed down the entire establishment. Over a hundred people were packed into the inn, yet it was strangely quiet. Everyone maintained silence, or communicated through whispers. Like a string pulled taut to the breaking point, the bursting atmosphere suffocated people. All these phenomena stemmed from the presence of a single individual. The man's presence brought an abundance of quiet, tranquility, and silence to this time that should have been the most boisterous and lively.

The second floor of this inn was shaped like a hollow square, with a balcony overlooking the first floor. Uniquely, Huayun-ru’s third floor had the same layout as the second. Bi Ryu-yeon was waiting for his food, seated by the window on the first floor, and that man was also seated on the first floor, eating. His seating location was almost in the center of the first floor of the inn. Bi Ryu-yeon, along with Jang Woo-yang, was also gazing at the man.

The man, in his mid-40s, had a very peculiar appearance. Hair like a blazing flame, eyebrows like a deep sunset, and a rough, reddish beard. Furthermore, he was dressed in red cinnabar, and the peculiar-looking sheath at his waist where he kept his sword was also entirely red. Except for his two pupils, this man was entirely red, as if his entire body was a burning flame. His appearance was so unique that he would be instantly recognizable even if dropped in the middle of the bustling market in Beijing.

His dignified bearing, wrapped in red, exuded a strong aura that overwhelmed others, adding to his majesty. This is what one would call the dignity of a master swordsman. The sense of intimidation and presence he projected was truly immense.

Bi Ryu-yeon watched him with a look of amusement, while Jang Woo-yang, seated opposite him, watched with a look of deep contemplation born of conflict. Jang Woo-yang knew who the man was. It was impossible not to know such a unique and distinctive master swordsman. His characteristic red hair, red eyebrows, and red beard indicated that he had cultivated a certain martial art to near perfection. Therefore, not only Jang Woo-yang but almost everyone in the inn, including the escorts from Joong-yang Escort Agency, knew the man. That was why the current heavy and suffocating silence was possible.

He was one of the five most famous sword masters in the martial world. He, who was called the sword master of Sichuan, the "Blade of Crimson Flame," was someone Jang Woo-yang could not possibly not know. Perhaps Bi Ryu-yeon was the only one here who truly didn’t know him. Jang Woo-yang was currently in deep thought, wondering whether or not to go and greet the man. Normally, he would have eagerly approached and greeted him.

However, the situation did not look good today. He was sitting with his already fierce expression contorted even more ferociously, exuding an overwhelming sense of intimidation, as if he might explode if provoked. His aura created a precarious atmosphere, making everyone in the inn so overwhelmed that they couldn’t make a sound, sitting silently with their hearts shrinking in unease.

That was why Jang Woo-yang was restless. He was widely known in the martial world for his bad temper, so he didn’t know what trouble he might get into if he spoke to him unnecessarily. What if he picked a fight to vent his frustration? On the other hand, if he didn’t greet him, the man might bring it up later, so Jang Woo-yang was waiting for an opportunity.

Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes, alternating between gazing at the man and the hesitant Jang Woo-yang, suddenly began to twinkle mischievously. At the same time, a vibrant and lively energy filled his face, as if he were about to fly. He seemed unaffected by the surrounding atmosphere. Indeed, Bi Ryu-yeon was someone who had nothing to do with emotions like ‘tension’ and ‘seriousness.’ For reasons unknown, Bi Ryu-yeon, with a beaming smile, sprang up from his seat as if he were bouncing.

“Oh, Young Master Bi. What’s the sudden rush for?”

Surprised by Bi Ryu-yeon’s sudden action of jumping up, Jang Woo-yang asked with a look of bewilderment.

“Ah, me? I just urgently need to use the restroom.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said with a light smile. With a sudden excuse about needing the restroom, Bi Ryu-yeon got up and disappeared out the inn door. To Jang Woo-yang’s eyes, it was as if he was melting into the darkness.

When Jang Woo-gang, the junior chief of Joong-yang Escort Agency and a promising talent of the Great Qingcheng Sect, returned from the restroom, along with Vice Chief Deng Reo-ho, there were no empty seats in the dining hall. As Vice Chief Seong Yeon-chang, Deng Reo-ho, was just finishing his negotiations on accommodation fees with Na Dae-in, the owner of Zhuzhou’s foremost inn, Huayun-ru, he ran into Jang Woo-gang, who was returning from the restroom, and they entered the dining hall together.

However, a problem arose. As the two men entered the dining hall, all the seats were occupied; there was not a single seat for them. But the fact that the inn, packed with people, was eerily quiet was something they couldn’t quite figure out. It wasn’t that the owner, Na Dae-in, had made a mistake. Huayun-ru’s owner, Na Dae-in, had accurately reserved 60 seats as per the reservation received from Joong-yang Escort Agency’s liaison. The tables to be used by Joong-yang Escort Agency were 15 round tables for four people, which added up to exactly 60 seats.

So why were there not enough seats? The culprit was none other than Jang Woo-yang and Bi Ryu-yeon. These two were occupying one table and eating. Up until now, Jang Woo-gang had always dined at a different table, far from Jang Woo-yang and Bi Ryu-yeon, with Vice Chief Deng Reo-ho. This was because the atmosphere between Jang Woo-gang and Bi Ryu-yeon was extremely bad. Jang Woo-gang’s dissatisfaction with Bi Ryu-yeon was as dangerous as a hair-trigger bomb.

The magnitude of that dissatisfaction and hatred was impossible to measure precisely, but Jang Woo-yang could estimate it to be ‘one step beyond hatred.’ That was why the omen-sensing escort chief Jang Woo-yang had arranged for his son to dine separately from Bi Ryu-yeon.

However, today, as if Huayun-ru’s business was thriving, all the seats were occupied. Deng Reo-ho and Jang Woo-gang considered sharing a table, but there wasn’t even room for that in the inn. They began to look around the inn, searching for a seat to share. It was then that they saw him. Or rather, it was inevitable that they would see him. No, it would be more accurate to say he was seen. Naturally, the two of them knew exactly who he was.

Even in Sichuan, a region of Wa Ho Jam Ryong where all the martial forces were concentrated, that man was the foremost sword master. Of course, the martial forces in the Sichuan region primarily used swords and exotic weapons rather than sabers. But he was an exception. There was no one or no force in Sichuan that dared to disregard or neglect him. He was such a presence.

No one dared to approach the man clad in red. Even the tables were clearly arranged to be as far away from him as possible. The empty space of a two-zhang radius centered around his table clearly indicated this.

While Deng Reo-ho and Jang Woo-gang focused all their attention on the red man, the foremost sword master of Sichuan, the escorts employed by Joong-yang Escort Agency found themselves in a difficult situation. Their junior chief was standing there without a seat—and with Vice Chief Deng Reo-ho, no less—so it was very uncomfortable for them to sit comfortably. One could not have an easy life in an escort agency if they fell out of favor with their superiors.

Displeasing superiors often stemmed from trivial matters. There is an age-old adage: "Crawl and figure it out!" This means that if you are part of a group, you must always read the psychology and behavior of others and have the wit to respond actively to the situation. The escorts exchanged sharp glances, searching for a sacrificial lamb. Who would get up and offer their seat to the junior chief and vice chief?

Who would pull them out of this predicament? For that, a sacrificial lamb was needed. This exchange of deferring glances continued for a moment. With the blazing red flames filling their eyes, the escorts exchanged glances, engaging in a fiery war of nerves.

At this moment, something completely unexpected happened. It was like dousing everyone’s hearts with ice-cold water filled with extreme yin energy, making their hearts leap and their livers shrink to the size of a bean.

“Screeeech!”

“Bang!”

With a sound that tore through the air, a flag pole flew in with a harsh sound and embedded itself in the man’s table. The tip of the flag pole was conical, making it sharp, and it pierced the man’s table, the man with the red hair and beard, and then embedded itself in the floorboards. Judging by the angle at which the flag pole was stuck in the table, it had undoubtedly flown through the roof. It had flown through the roof, lightly pierced the table, and with the momentum of its force, pierced the floorboards. The impact sent the food on the table flying into the air, about to overturn and be ruined.

Just then—as the plates and cups were about to spill—the man with the red hair lightly struck the table with his palm. With a *clang* as the table resonated, the food that was about to overturn in mid-air returned to its place and landed neatly on the table as if nothing had happened. Not even the ceramic plates broke. There was no loud sound upon landing. It was a seemingly light, yet profound technique. The upper part of the flag pole that had flown through the roof had a rolled-up red flag. Due to the impact of piercing the table, it unfurled and revealed itself to the man and everyone in the inn.

Everyone’s eyes widened like lanterns. Their mouths gaped open, wide enough for a fist to fit through. Everyone was astonished. The moment they confirmed the identity of the flag, exclamations of unknown origin—like gasps of a heart-stopping moment—erupted here and there, followed by an endless silence. On a red background, a lotus, a sword, and the character ‘Joong’ in the center. No matter how they looked at it, it was undeniably the emblem of Joong-yang Escort Agency. Did they throw their faction’s flag? This was a clear provocation and challenge to the other party.

“I-it’s unbelievable! This… this is impossible.”

Jang Woo-gang exclaimed, struggling to articulate his words through chattering teeth. But no one paid heed to his desperate excuse to evade responsibility. It was a futile gesture. The atmosphere in the hall became as cold as the summit of the Thousand Mountain Range. The guests in the inn began to experience simultaneous symptoms of 'collective vasoconstriction' and 'increased blood pressure due to increased heart rate.' Along with this, the faces of the Joong-yang Escort Agency members, who occupied most of the seats, turned ashen.

The red man remained silent at first. That silence became a silent, massive stone crushing people’s heads. Then came the explosive murderous intent, a hot murderous intent that instantly enveloped the entire inn. It was anger. At the center of this angry murderous intent was the man with fiery red hair, beard, and eyebrows.

Yeomdo (焰刀)!

People in the martial world, with a mixture of fear and reverence, called him Yeomdo—Blade of Flame. His existence in the martial world was bound to be special. He, the foremost sword master of Sichuan, and one who occupied a proud place among the hundred greatest masters—said to be the strongest among the countless martial artists like stars in the sky—was undoubtedly special.

While his exact ranking could not be definitively determined, it was certain that he was not in the lower ranks. Since direct confrontations between these so-called hundred greatest masters were as rare as stars in the sky, people could only estimate rankings based on known facts and testimonies from witnesses.

In fact, the so-called hundred greatest masters were only those who were publicly known, so it couldn’t be considered accurate. After all, there were said to be countless reclusive masters and former great masters in the world. Still, people liked to rank, so they created the so-called hundred greatest masters based on known individuals. The number ‘hundred’ is not a large number when counting masters in the martial world. Rather, it should be considered extremely small. Combining the principal masters of the Chunmu Academy, Macheonru, the orthodox martial alliance, and the dark martial alliance, Heuk-hyeol-maeng, would easily exceed a hundred.

Even the individuals known as top masters from these four organizations, where the martial forces of the martial world were said to be concentrated, numbered well over a hundred, and perhaps close to that number. If you add the leaders and influential figures of the nine major sects and five great families, how many would that be? This alone makes it easy to grasp the significance of the hundred greatest masters.

The reason why his hair, beard, and eyebrows were all fiery red, given his esteemed status, indicated that his unique martial art, the Fire Spirit Divine Art (Hwa-ryeong Shen Gong), which formed the basis for his inclusion among the hundred greatest masters, had reached near perfection.

Geom-yeom-gi (劍焰氣)!

It was a unique qi (energy) and technique that he, known as Yeomdo in the martial world, wielded. Since he used a saber, it was clearly saber qi, but why was the character for ‘sword’ (劍) attached? People in the martial world were curious. However, upon hearing that Yeomdo was the original name and was kept according to tradition, Yeo Ryang of Cheongwan, known for his intelligence in the martial world, is said to have made the following conjecture.

"If that is the case, it is highly probable that his unique saber technique, Jin Hong Ship Chil Yeom (眞紅十七炎), was originally a sword technique, not a saber technique. However, in the process of generational transmission, it was judged that the sword technique, which emphasizes precision and variation, did not suit the Fire Spirit Divine Art, which pursues overwhelming power and extreme strength. Therefore, it is highly likely that it was changed to a saber, which emphasizes power and strength over variation. Geom-yeom-gi was likely the name given when Jin Hong Ship Chil Yeom was a sword technique, not a saber technique."

His extensive knowledge and high credibility lent weight to this claim, and people in the martial world nodded without much doubt. And his conjecture soon became established theory. Yeomdo, in response, remained silent, offering no comment. The claim of an anonymous comedian that Geom-yeom-gi became the name simply because it had a better feel than Do-yeom-gi (刀焰氣) was dismissed amidst countless laughter and completely buried. Everyone thought such a thing was impossible.

In any case, the qi and technique called Geom-yeom-gi, which had caused much talk and trouble, was a peculiar qi generated by the influence of the Fire Spirit Divine Art. It contained extreme fire energy, so anyone who brushed against it would burn, and anyone cut by it would be consumed by flames. To be precise, it was a type of saber qi generated by the power and after-effects of Jin Hong Ship Chil Yeom, his unique saber technique, which was created as an extension of his Fire Spirit Divine Art. Even if the falling crimson flames were blocked, the Geom-yeom-gi imbued in the saber would curve through the opponent’s sword and strike their arm. His unique saber technique, Jin Hong Ship Chil Yeom, was a formidable saber technique, ranked among the top five in the martial world. However, the reason he was estimated to be definitively outside the top 50, despite possessing such great martial arts, lay in his movement technique.

His movement technique was not as refined, swift, or fantastical as to complement his powerful divine attacks and destructive, extreme saber techniques. This was his weakness and the flaw in his otherwise perfect martial art. The speed of his movements, especially his footwork, was too slow compared to his martial arts. In particular, his movement technique lacked the charging power, which was essential for his overwhelming saber techniques. Since his movement technique could not keep up with his divine attacks and saber techniques, his individual skill was inevitably underestimated.

However, even if his movement technique was weak, this was when considering him among the top-tier masters; it was still more than adequate for an average person, and his strength and his status as one of the hundred greatest masters remained unchanged. With just his saber technique and divine attacks, he was worthy of being counted among the hundred greatest masters in the martial world.

There was an unwritten rule for him, who was counted among the honorable hundred greatest masters. Regardless of whether they were righteous or evil, from the martial world or ordinary citizens, kings or generals, everyone had to abide by his unwritten rule when in front of Yeomdo. Although he was a figure in between righteous and evil, he was unforgiving when it came to this unwritten rule. There had been no known cases of those who violated his taboo surviving.

The reason he was feared by many, even though he was not a dark martial artist, was due to his terrible temper. Perhaps because of his poor educational environment in his youth, he had never learned the word ‘patience’ (忍). He couldn’t practice this short word, patience, at all. Although attempts were made later to teach him patience, which includes the character ‘忍,’ it was too late. Old habits die hard, and temper remains even after death, as proven by this excellent example.

People felt immense fear due to his temper, which made him blind to everything when angry. Combined with his rough and fierce appearance—red hair, red beard, red eyebrows—this fear and dread were amplified. There is a particularly famous anecdote about Gadae-nan, the leader of the Black Tiger Group (Heuk-ho-dan), a member of the dark martial arts alliance Heuk-hyeol-maeng, who boasted about his saber skills in front of Yeomdo. He was impaled on Yeomdo’s beloved saber, Hong-yeom (Red Flame), and then, misjudging the time and missing his chance, he was burned black like a fish roasted over a bonfire. Witnesses at the time consistently testified that the clothes around the point where Yeomdo’s beloved saber Hong-yeom had pierced began to burn, and the crimson flames quickly spread throughout Gadae-nan’s entire body.

Ultimately, the person’s intact body vanished, leaving only a charred piece of flesh. Gadae-nan was renowned at the time and was on the rise, but he foolishly drew his sword in front of Yeomdo, prattled on about sabers, and ended up bidding farewell to his life and departing to the other world with a single strike from Yeomdo.

This anecdote became even more famous because the Heuk-hyeol-maeng, the dark martial arts alliance Gadae-nan belonged to, remained silent and did not hold Yeomdo accountable. This incident further popularized the saying, “When Yeomdo’s whites turn red, the surrounding scenery turns into the color of a blood-red sunset.”

Many people associate the phrase "blood-red sunset" with the image of blood splattered everywhere, but this is a grave misunderstanding. His martial arts are imbued with extreme fire energy, so much so that it burns human blood to ashes. Therefore, his martial arts paradoxically do not involve bloodshed. When his saber energy (Geom-yeom-gi) cuts a body, the wound is cauterized by the powerful fire energy within. Thus, even if a limb is severed, the blood vessels are blocked by the high heat, preventing bleeding.

The blood-red sunset refers to the surroundings appearing entirely red due to the flames as the opponent’s body burns. The only part of his face that appears white is his eyes. However, one of Yeomdo’s characteristics is that when he becomes enraged, his eyes become bloodshot, and even the whites of his eyes turn red. Witnesses consistently testified that his appearance—red hair, red beard, red eyebrows, and red eyes—was truly terrifying and grotesque, like a demon of hell. And those who saw him even once unanimously resolved to never provoke Yeomdo again.

Red hair, red beard, red eyebrows, and red eyes. Coupled with red clothes and a red saber, and blood. It was an appearance that couldn’t help but be grotesque. However, fortunately, he had not yet reached the final state of red eyes.

Despite the fact that the atmosphere was absolutely not conducive to approaching and greeting Yeomdo, who was like the embodiment of rage and flames, it was now unavoidable. Moreover, the flag stuck in his table was undeniably the Lotus Sword Flag (Yeon-hwa Geom-gi), symbolizing Joong-yang Escort Agency! Deng Reo-ho and Jang Woo-gang began to desperately ponder how to resolve and de-escalate this surprising and terrible situation. Force, where the outcome of victory or defeat was clearly predetermined, was absolutely out of the question. Both of them agreed that it must be resolved through dialogue, so they exchanged glances and, mustering their courage, approached Yeomdo. The fact that his eyes were not yet in the red-eyed state provided a sliver of courage.

Normally, escort chief Jang Woo-yang should have rushed forward, greeted Yeomdo, and apologized profusely. But at this moment, escort chief Jang Woo-yang was preoccupied with pondering how to resolve this sudden and astonishing situation. Therefore, Jang Woo-gang and Deng Reo-ho took the initiative. If things went wrong, an unavoidable fight might break out. In that case, the damage to Joong-yang Escort Agency would be immense. It could even be annihilated. Yeomdo possessed more than enough power and skill for that. Those considered to possess the strength of a single sect were precisely these hundred greatest masters in the martial world.

Although the water had already spilled, they had to at least make a show of trying to scoop it up. Forcing down a dry swallow, Jang Woo-gang and Deng Reo-ho cautiously approached the extremely dangerous man called Yeomdo. Their hearts were as tense as the strings of a pipa on the verge of snapping.

At that moment, one person watched them with amused and excited interest, his forehead beaded with dozens of drops of cold sweat as they approached Yeomdo cautiously. He was currently 20 years old, with a mischievous face, and was currently traveling with the Joong-yang Escort Agency’s Nanchang escort mission, doing nothing. His name was Bi Ryu-yeon. Bi Ryu-yeon was currently near the railing of Huayun-ru’s third floor.

From there, Bi Ryu-yeon peered out with an excited expression, watching the unfolding events with keen interest. No one knew why Bi Ryu-yeon, who had gone out the front door claiming to need the restroom, was now on the third floor. Only the mischievous crescent smile hanging on his lips hinted at the misfortune that was about to befall someone.