Chapter v14c17

**The Identities of the Heavenly Demons Seven**

“Sister Seol-ran, who were those people?” Yi Jin-seol asked, watching the First Young Master depart with his seven escorts, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It seemed that asking Eun Seol-ran, a former member of the Heavenly Demons Pavilion, was the quickest way to get answers.

“The Heavenly Demons Seven… They’re the First Young Master’s personal guard.”

Eun Seol-ran replied, her voice slightly strained.

“I knew it! I couldn’t believe it at first, but the rumors were true!”

Jang Hong, who had been eavesdropping, exclaimed. Why did he have to shout? Couldn’t he be surprised quietly? He scratched his head sheepishly, noticing the annoyed glances from those around him.

“What rumors?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked.

“I only heard it through the grapevine, but…”

Jang Hong began his explanation.

“There are rumors that the First Young Master, Bi, has a personal guard consisting of six men and one woman, each of them incredibly skilled and powerful, with few rivals in the martial world. People call them the Heavenly Demons Seven.”

That was a lot of information for a mere rumor.

“So they’re just bodyguards? Glorified thugs!”

Bi Ryu-yeon clearly knew how to deliver a backhanded compliment.

Eun Seol-ran shook her head.

“Don’t underestimate them, Young Master Bi. They may not be well-known in the martial world, but that’s because they’ve been serving the First Young Master, rarely leaving his side. It’s not because they lack skill or power. They just haven’t had many opportunities to prove themselves. Even within the Heavenly Demons Pavilion, their true strength is a mystery. Few have witnessed their full potential.”

She hadn’t seen them fight seriously either. She had only glimpsed their skills, enough to know that they were formidable opponents.

“They’re shrouded in secrecy, even within the Heavenly Demons Pavilion. I was surprised to see them at the Mount Hua Conference.”

She had a feeling that this year’s conference wouldn’t be ordinary.

“But it’s strange that they’re called the Seven, when there’s a woman among them. She was quite striking…”

Yi Jin-seol was right. The term “걸” usually referred to a male hero or a distinguished man.

“Her name is Gyo-ok, the Blood Heart Orchid. She’s the only female member of the Heavenly Demons Seven, and a disciple of Ok Gyo-gyo, the Red Flower Fairy, the leader of the Thousand Courtesans League. Her specialty is throwing needles, as you saw earlier. But she can turn any ornament into a hidden weapon. And she has an even more dangerous weapon… “

“Her charm.”

Jang Hong interjected. Eun Seol-ran nodded.

“That’s right. You’re well-informed. Her beauty is her deadliest weapon. She can bewitch any man.”

“I know a little about the Thousand Courtesans League. It’s quite famous, especially among men!”

“What is it?”

Yi Jin-seol asked curiously.

“Well…”

Jang Hong hesitated, but he couldn’t refuse her persistent questioning.

“It’s an organization of courtesans!”

“Courtesans… you mean…”

He nodded.

“Yes, those courtesans.”

Yi Jin-seol’s face turned crimson.

“But not all courtesans sell their bodies. That’s a common misconception. There are also courtesans who only perform dances and songs. They’re called ‘blue courtesans,’ as opposed to ‘red courtesans,’ who sell their bodies.”

Eun Seol-ran explained.

“And there are even places where men sell their bodies. It’s rare, but it exists. The world is a strange place.”

Jang Hong said mischievously.

“No way!”

Yi Jin-seol exclaimed, shocked. It was a world she had never imagined.

“Hahaha, you’re still so innocent.”

Jang Hong chuckled.

“But the Thousand Courtesans League is different. It’s a powerful organization that controls most of the brothels in the martial world. More than half of the brothels are under their influence. They have a leader, of course, but most of the brothels are considered their subsidiaries. Or rather, it’s the courtesans themselves who are organized. They protect the rights of courtesans from exploitation. And they’re known for their ruthless methods. But for courtesans, who are often vulnerable and exploited, they’re saviors. So they receive a lot of information from their members. And because of the nature of their business, they have connections to powerful people.”

Jang Hong was getting excited, talking about information networks.

“And they say that their top courtesans can even enslave men with their charms. They recruit beautiful girls from a young age and train them to seduce and manipulate men. It’s a scary thought.”

He shuddered dramatically.

“It’s probably true. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so powerful.”

Eun Seol-ran’s expression suggested that she didn’t approve of the Thousand Courtesans League.

“I’ll tell you about the other six as well. It’s good to know your enemies.”

She was supposed to keep them in the dark, to protect the Heavenly Demons Pavilion’s secrets. But she didn’t seem to care. She had forgotten her position.

“The man who attacked Young Master Bi from the side with a needle-like sword is Mu-jeong, the Emotionless, the sixth member of the Heavenly Demons Seven, known as the ‘Single Drop of Blood in the Mist.’ His background is a mystery. Even his origins are unknown. But as you saw, he’s a skilled assassin, specializing in stealth and deadly swordsmanship.”

Bi Ryu-yeon recalled the sixth attack.

“It was definitely an assassin’s sword. He’s a highly skilled killer, a professional.”

A professional meant someone who had killed many people. It made sense for a true assassin to conceal his identity.

“The fifth attacker, the one with the chain and sickle, is Oh Mun-chu, the Chain Wind Sickle. He uses the sickle with his left hand and the spiked ball with his right hand.”

“It was a strange weapon. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, recalling the fight.

“It’s called a kusarigama. I’ve heard rumors that they use such strange weapons in Wa, a small island nation far from the Central Plains. Come to think of it, I’ve heard that the Heavenly Demons Pavilion has some dealings with the samurai of Wa.”

Jang Hong interjected, as usual.

He seemed to know a little bit of everything. He was a walking encyclopedia of rumors and hearsay.

“Kusa… what?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked, as if he couldn’t understand the foreign word.

“Kusa-ri-ga-ma! That’s the Japanese name for that weapon.”

Jang Hong repeated it slowly and clearly.

“Wow, you even know that?”

“Well, I needed to!”

He didn’t mention that he knew a few other Japanese words as well.

He was full of surprises.

“It’s true. Some factions in the Heavenly Demons Pavilion have invited samurai from Wa for martial arts exchanges. He must have learned from one of them. Their martial arts are quite different from ours. There’s a lot we can learn from them.”

Eun Seol-ran confirmed his statement.

“The fourth member is…”

She was about to describe the fourth member of the Heavenly Demons Seven when Jang Hong interrupted her again. But this time, his tone was different.

“Baek Sa-yeong, the Serpent Sword, age twenty-eight. Weapon of choice: Serpent Venom Sword Whip. Martial arts style: Serpent Sword Twelve Fangs!”

He rattled off the information in a businesslike tone, but there was an underlying tension in his voice.

“My! You’re well-informed, Young Master Jang!”

Eun Seol-ran said, impressed.

“Well, a little…”

He mumbled, clearly not wanting to elaborate. She wisely moved on. Everyone had their secrets. And this man seemed to have more than his fair share.

“The third attacker, the one with the whip, is Do Chu-un, the Scorpion Sword Whip, the third member of the Heavenly Demons Seven. He’s the son and disciple of Do Gok, the Scorpion Demon Soul Whip, the leader of the Fierce Snake Sect. He wields a black whip with a blade at its tip, and his techniques are as cruel and bizarre as his name suggests. He’s as cunning as he is ugly.”

“That’s right! He had those creepy, snake-like eyes and a thin, cruel mouth. He gave me the chills when he looked at me.”

Yi Jin-seol said, shuddering.

“He has a reputation for being a womanizer. Be careful, Jin-seol.”

Eun Seol-ran warned her. He seemed to have a bad reputation.

“The second attacker, the one who threw the seven spears, is Jong-ri Chu, the Seven Chain Spear, the second member of the Heavenly Demons Seven. He’s a master of spear throwing, with few rivals in the Heavenly Demons Pavilion. They say he can pulverize anything with his spears, whether it’s a tree, a rock, or a person.”

“I’ve never seen anyone throw spears so fast. It was terrifying. Especially the last seven throws. They were incredibly powerful.”

Yi Jin-seol said, impressed.

“His speed and power are comparable to Gu Cheon-hak, the Shadowless Spear, the master of the Iron Cavalry Of Death.”

Jang Hong said, mentioning the former leader of the Iron Cavalry.

“Ah, that guy with the five black dragon spears who rides a horse! Well, he has five spears, and this guy has seven, so this guy must be stronger!”

It was a strange logic, and it was hard to tell if he was serious or joking. Gu Cheon-hak would be furious if he heard him.

“Let’s just move on.”

Jang Hong suggested, and Eun Seol-ran nodded in agreement.

“And finally, the first attacker, the one with the giant, black, curved blade, is Chu Myung, the Demon Sword Wing, the leader of the Heavenly Demons Seven. He’s considered the strongest of the seven.”

“His weapon was quite unique.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, recalling the black object on the man’s back.

“It’s a type of returning blade called the Black Hawk Wing. It’s named for its black, glossy finish. They say it’s as relentless as a hawk, never letting its prey escape.”

But Bi Ryu-yeon had dodged it.