Near the gates of Cheonwoohoe,a group of warriors from the Beggars' Guild (Gaebang) arrived in formation, their presence heavy with intent.
One of their senior fighters stepped forward, voice ringing with accusation.
"You call yourselves peacekeepers—helping the poor, protecting the weak.But aren't you just stepping into our role?"
He looked toward the stronghold and shouted again.
"Lee Dohyun! Come out and explain yourself.Or we'll make sure you learn where your place is."
Inside the walls, Cheonwoohoe's disciples felt the tension rise.
"Shouldn't the masters step in?" one whispered nervously.
Then—Cheong Unjin appeared.
His easygoing grin held steady as he stepped forward.
"You came all this way.Least you could do is watch our trainees while you're at it."
The Gaebang fighters scoffed.
"You? You're just Lee Dohyun's shadow.We didn't come to speak with errand boys."
But Unjin didn't flinch.He raised his fists with a calm breath.
"Maybe. But why not test how far this shadow reaches?"
A fighter from the Guild charged.
His strikes were fast, brutal—typical of Gaebang's direct street-born martial arts.
But Cheong Unjin met them not with speed,but with balance.
His Black Tortoise Style (Hyeonmu Taesul) absorbed the force,redirected it,then found the opening.
"Speed's good," he said mid-flow."But if it leaves gaps… well, you'll feel it soon enough."
His palm struck cleanly, knocking the man back several paces.
The fighter growled, charged again with flurrying fists.
Unjin shifted with the current, never forcing.Only flowing, waiting.
Then—
Hyeonmu Reversal.
A full-body counter.Not just a block—a surge of power that stopped his opponent in mid-air.
The man crashed down, breath stolen.
His comrades surged forward in anger.
But before they could act,Baek Wolhui appeared.
Cool gaze.Blade at her side.
"Do you plan to fight here and now?" she asked,her voice deceptively light."Or would you rather drag your Guild's reputation lower than it already is?"
Her reputation preceded her.
The Guild hesitated.
Then, their leader stepped forward.
"Cheonwoohoe has crossed a line.We will not stand by while you overstep your place.Apologize—or this won't end here."
Wolhui smiled, unsheathing her sword.
"Then perhaps… I should show you where our line is drawn."
But Cheong Unjin raised a hand.
"That's enough."
He pointed toward the man he had defeated.
"Your comrade fought and lost.What more do you want? A war over pride?"
His voice dropped an octave—low and firm.
"We're not here to fight over territory.We're here to protect the ones everyone forgets."
"You keep pushing this, and you'll lose more than a fight."
His tone didn't waver.And that made it worse.
The Guild members began glancing at one another.
Reluctantly… they stepped back.
"This isn't over," the leader muttered."Remember that."
They turned and left.
Unjin stayed still for a moment, then turned to the trainees.
"Martial arts aren't just for fighting.They're for protecting those who can't fight for themselves."
Wolhui gave him a sideways glance.
"Cheong Unjin…sometimes, you sound like someone actually worth listening to."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
High praise. From her.
From a distance, Lee Dohyun watched it all unfold.
He nodded slowly, arms crossed.
"Unjin… you're not just a warrior.You're the spine of this place.Without you, Cheonwoohoe wouldn't stand."
Though the Beggars' Guild had backed off,the tension remained.
Dohyun called a meeting that night.
"They'll be back.We need to be stronger.Not just in technique—but in unity."
Cheonwoohoe was rising.
But so were its enemies.
The future was coming fast.And no one could face it alone.
****
The Demon Sect's Plot and the Righteous Alliance's Wrath
In a dark cavern, the Second-in-Command of the Demon Sect concluded a long meeting. Cloaked in black, he was known not only as the strategist who served the Sect Leader but also as a master of psychological warfare—an infamous schemer named Heukwolcheon.
Heukwolcheon smiled coldly as he addressed his subordinates.
"It's time to make Cheonwoohoe and the Righteous Alliance tear each other apart. We don't need to act directly. Their pride and so-called justice will become the seeds of their own ruin."
He explained the plan to attack Baegunmun in precise detail.
"First, we leave traces pointing to Cheonwoohoe—martial tools, a nameplate, and most importantly... a forged document bearing Han Soyeon's name. She's a former rising star of the Righteous Alliance. Just her name will provoke an immediate response."
One subordinate raised a concern. "But isn't Cheonwoohoe trying to avoid direct conflict with the Alliance? If they discover this ruse, it could backfire."
Heukwolcheon chuckled. "That's why we prepared thoroughly. They won't discover a thing. In fact, we'll even sow seeds of doubt within Cheonwoohoe itself—especially about Han Soyeon. Suspicion and division can bring down even the mightiest of factions from within."
He unsheathed his blade, the metal gleaming ominously.
"And the Righteous Alliance? They're full of stiff-necked idealists. All they need is a righteous excuse. We'll provide it—a reason to strike, and a chance to prove their so-called justice."
As his subordinates nodded, he whispered into the shadows,
"Once Cheonwoohoe, the Alliance, and even the Evil Factions collide... our victory begins. While they destroy each other, we will claim the center of the martial world."
That night, under faint moonlight, elite assassins of the Demon Sect infiltrated Baegunmun. Silent as shadows, they weren't there just to destroy—they were there to frame. They dismantled Baegunmun's defenses, stole key martial manuals, and planted incriminating evidence: training tools from Cheonwoohoe, a nameplate with their insignia, and a document with Han Soyeon's name.
"Once this is found," one assassin muttered, "the Righteous Alliance will never forgive Cheonwoohoe."
"Exactly. Let them fight. We'll weaken both from the sidelines. That is our lord's will."
The following morning, Alliance disciples arrived at Baegunmun to find devastation: buildings razed, survivors scarce. As they combed the wreckage, they uncovered the planted clues.
"This... this is Cheonwoohoe gear!"
"It's not coincidence. They attacked us. The evidence is clear!"
Their rage exploded when they discovered Han Soyeon's name.
"Han Soyeon... she was once our hope. Now she sides with traitors to destroy us?"
The Righteous Alliance immediately convened an emergency council. Baegunmun's destruction demanded retribution.
"Cheonwoohoe must be punished! This is an act of war against the order of the martial world!"
Another elder added, "Surely the Evil Factions are behind this. Cheonwoohoe has joined forces with them to bring us down!"
Though some cautioned restraint—
"The evidence is too perfect. Perhaps someone is framing them..."
—the majority responded with fury.
"It doesn't matter. Cheonwoohoe is a threat to our authority. Whether they're in league with evil or not, they must be stopped."
The Alliance assembled a vanguard of elite disciples: Jin Baekwoo, Jang Youngpil, and Kang Yundo.
Jin Baekwoo, a sword prodigy, was known for his icy precision.
Jang Youngpil, a master of agility and swordplay, moved like the wind.
Kang Yundo, the powerhouse, was famed for overwhelming force and near-unbreakable inner strength.
"Han Soyeon was once our comrade. Now she is a traitor," Jin Baekwoo declared.
"Cheonwoohoe fell into the Evil Sect's hands," said Jang Youngpil. "We'll expose the truth."
Kang Yundo, drawing his blade, grinned coldly. "Whatever her reasons, justice will be served—by our hands."
They departed in silence, leaving behind an Alliance simmering with anger.