12.The Power of a Giant Sect, and the Growing Threat

The three of them were wandering through the Wulin, walking down another path.

Now, none of them could remain ordinary wanderers any longer. This fact was something all three instinctively felt.

However,

The righteous sect still did not know her true identity.

Iseo-eun knew that she had altered her swordsmanship, had come into contact with the Demon Sect, and was now attracting the attention of the righteous sect as well.

However, Jin and Wi-yeon were still uncertain.

Jin had a strong desire to protect her, but he was still confused.

'I want to protect her... but is this just camaraderie?'

'I can no longer deny that she's a woman, so why do I keep feeling more and more concerned about her?'

Wi-yeon, while still acting nonchalantly, was also paying attention to her.

'Iseo-eun wants to walk her own path, but should I just watch over her?'

'Jin is too emotionally swayed. I'll help her only when she wants it.'

Now, their relationship had grown beyond simple camaraderie, and they began to care more deeply for each other.

But,

Unbeknownst to them,

The attention on her was steadily growing.

The Demon Sect had fully realized her existence.

The information that 'she is alive' had spread within the Demon Sect, and they had begun making moves to bring her back to the sect.

"She is not just a wandering warrior. She might be someone who could become a successor in the Demon Sect."

However, the righteous martial artists who had seen her swordsmanship in the previous village began to take an interest in her as well.

"There's a wandering warrior using strange swordsmanship."

"An odd flow of swordplay, neither from the orthodox nor the evil sect... Could this be a trace of the Demon Sect?"

Although there was no solid evidence, her presence was becoming more widely known throughout the Wulin.

And,

She was becoming more and more vulnerable.

Jin and Wi-yeon had now realized that she was becoming more and more dangerous.

After much thought, they decided to request help from their respective sects.

"Please help. Our companion is being threatened."

Inside the Volcano Sect, the conflicts among the righteous sects were intensifying, and there were reactions like, "We must not act recklessly for now," but with Jin's strong plea, some members of the Volcano Sect decided to help.

Wi-yeon, although usually lighthearted, knew his sect was powerful.

"I will ask for help so that the Kunlun Sect can protect her directly."

He too requested help from his sect's martial artists, and quietly, those who would monitor and protect her began to gather.

Now,

Iseo-eun, unknowingly, was being protected by the sects.

However,

Could that really protect her?

The actions of Jin and Wi-yeon had further clarified that they thought about her in different ways.

Jin viewed her as a woman and instinctively wanted to protect her from danger.

However, he didn't understand that she might not want that protection.

Wi-yeon was trying to accept her as she was.

He wanted to protect her but also respected her wish to act according to her own desires.

Yet, he couldn't deny that he was concerned about her.

And,

Iseo-eun began to become more aware of their actions.

'Why does Jin try so hard to protect me?'

'Wi-yeon acts nonchalant, but isn't he still concerned about me?'

They were both concerned about each other, but there was still no clear resolution of their emotions.

However,

This relationship was becoming more deeply intertwined.

And,

The Demon Sect had finally initiated their first move to reclaim her.

One of the Demon Sect's experts set off to find her directly.

They didn't know where she was yet, but they remembered her swordsmanship and began to trace the traces she had left.

Now,

The threat surrounding her was becoming more and more real.

The Movement of the Demonic Sect, The Beginning of a Full-Fledged Clash

Deep in the mountains, night had fallen.

The three were staying at a quiet inn under the protection of the righteous sect.

However, they were unaware.

In the darkness,

those seeking her were slowly closing in.

And tonight,

the Demonic Sect had finally made their move to reclaim her.

Outside the inn,

dozens of shadows moved in silence.

The warriors of the Demonic Sect had finally appeared.

They did not attack recklessly with force.

They moved carefully, attempting to retrieve her without drawing attention.

However—

Swish!

The righteous martial artists stationed around the inn reacted immediately.

"Who goes there?!"

"Identify yourself!"

Inside the inn, Jin and Wi-yeon, who had been resting, immediately sensed the disturbance and reached for their swords.

However,

the first to react was—

Lee So-eun.

She stood by the window, gazing into the darkness.

At that moment,

her eyes gleamed sharply.

"…They've come."

She gripped her sword tightly.

And outside the inn,

the conflict had already begun.

The martial artists of Mount Hua and Kunlun quickly drew their weapons.

Mount Hua Disciple: "They're from the Demonic Sect! Stand down!"

Kunlun Disciple: "You dare to intrude here?!"

However,

the warriors of the Demonic Sect were unshaken.

They were not here for battle.

They had only one goal—

To retrieve Lee So-eun.

A man, seemingly their leader, spoke in a low voice.

"…Lee So-eun is here."

For a moment,

the righteous martial artists exchanged puzzled glances.

"Lee So-eun? Who is that?"

"Is there such a person here?"

However,

those words made Jin and Wi-yeon tense up.

Jin clenched his teeth.

"They finally called her by name…!"

Wi-yeon also tightened his grip on his sword as he scanned the surroundings.

"If this continues… her identity will be in danger."

But,

Lee So-eun remained unfazed.

She quietly stepped out of the inn.

"…Stop this."

Her voice was cold.

At that moment,

all the Demonic Sect warriors turned their eyes toward her.

And,

their leader smiled.

"…We've found you."

He spoke calmly.

"You must return."

For a moment,

the entire inn fell into silence.

Jin and Wi-yeon instinctively stepped in front of her.

Jin: "Yi-seon has nothing to do with the Demonic Sect!"

Wi-yeon: "We won't hand him over."

However,

the Demonic Sect leader chuckled coldly.

"She is not 'Yi-seon'."

He drew his sword and spoke.

"Her real name is 'Lee So-eun'—a descendant of the Demonic Sect's bloodline."

At that moment—

the righteous martial artists began to murmur.

"What…?"

"She's from the Demonic Sect?"

"That can't be…!"

However,

Lee So-eun made no excuses.

She calmly raised her sword and spoke.

"…So what?"

She stared straight at the Demonic Sect leader.

"Just because I was born in the Demonic Sect,

does that automatically make me one of you?"

Her voice was cold.

However,

the righteous martial artists were still unable to shake their doubts.

Their expressions became increasingly conflicted.

"But if the Demonic Sect is trying to reclaim her…"

"Could it be that she really…?"

A seed of suspicion had been planted.

In the end,

the clash between the righteous sect and the Demonic Sect concluded in victory for the righteous side.

Realizing they could not hold out any longer,

the warriors of the Demonic Sect withdrew.

However, before leaving,

their leader stared at Lee So-eun and spoke softly.

"…We will return."

He gave her a meaningful look.

And then,

he added:

"You will come back to us eventually."

With those words,

the Demonic Sect warriors vanished into the night.

After they disappeared,

a heavy silence filled the inn.

The righteous martial artists were now looking at Lee So-eun with different eyes.

"Yi-seon… No, Lee So-eun?"

"Is she really from the Demonic Sect?"

"Why are they trying to reclaim her?"

Their gazes were filled with doubt.

Jin and Wi-yeon immediately stepped forward to defend her.

Jin: "Yi-seon has no connection to the Demonic Sect."

Wi-yeon: "They were simply trying to take her back against her will."

However,

their words were no longer enough.

From this moment on,

the righteous sect would begin watching her closely.

And,

Jin and Wi-yeon resolved to protect her even more fiercely.