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Soh Jinhong, the Rosy-Cheeked Sword Fiend (홍안 (紅顔) 검귀 (劍鬼) 소진홍, Hong-an-ui Geomgwi So Jinhong; "Rosy-Cheeked Sword Fiend, Jinhong Soh") is an assassin who practices the Soseondang's Flying Flash Sword style. He is currently aligned with the Baekma Valley.

Appearance & Personality[]

Soh Jinhong is a young man with long black hair that he ties into a long flowing ponytail with red ribbon which still falls down his back, long bangs that drape either side of his face, youthful features, sharp pale grey eyes and a set of scars on his body. He generally has a disinterested expression on his face. He typically wears a long green cloak over traditional red garments and carries his trademark sword by the base of the hilt in his left hand.

He is a very confident person, bordering on arrogance, due to his great strength at a young age. As a result, he initially did not take well to encountering those who could match his strength. Soh Jinhong was once completely driven by an engineered vengeance upon the ones who murdered his parents, but upon discovering some of the truth surrounding his existence, he became more wary of those around him.

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History[]

Believing himself to be the son of the late Soh Cheongwon, he was raised by a mysterious old man and learned the Soseondang's Flying Flash Sword style from him. Because of his belief that his father and mother were assassinated by the Shinmu Clan, Soh Jinhong lived a life of bloodshed as he took on any assassination jobs related to the Soseondang and Shinmu in order to take revenge. At the age of 15, Jinhong massacred the entire Shinmu Clan, a brotherhood of assassins feared by the entire murim, by himself.[2] He is also supposedly the person who assassinated Im Daechong, the True Taechong Savant and one of the murim's ten great gosu, with a single strike to one of his vital points.[2]

His true past is that when Jinhong was just a child, he was sold off by his beggar parents to feed themselves. Feeling bad for Jinhong, a farmer purchased him and decided to keep him so he could do chores once he was older. However, Jinhong went wild and repeatedly tried to go after his parents. With his behavior proving hard to handle and seeing no improvement, the farmer imprisoned him inside barn. One day, the Old Man purchased him. He erased his memories, raised Jinhong as the son of a fallen noble family, and had him learn the Flying Flash Sword Style.[3]

Plot[]

Soh Jinhong, the Rosy-Cheeked Sword Fiend[]

Soh Jinhong accosted by Shinmu

Accosted by Shinmu assassins

While walking, Soh Jinhong was ambushed by Shinmu assassins out for revenge. However, he instantly dispatched of them all before moving on. Arriving home, his steward called him out for killing again and added that it wasn't what his parents would have wanted from him. He then told Jinhong to stop meeting "them" but Jinhong disregarded his comments. Surprised by his steward's response, he then asked what was for dinner. Just then, "they" entered and informed Jinhong of his next target, "Jang Cheong the Thunderlord" a man who was supposedly once part of Shinmu's top brass.

The next day, seeing "Jang Cheong", Jinhong attempted to assassinate Myeongjeong but was intercepted by Gang Ryong who asked him if he was an assassin. Completely shocked by the intervention, Jinhong rapidly escaped to a nearby tree while glaring at Ryong before hurrying away. With the old man's words buzzing around his head, a frustrated Jinhong lashed out, slashing things before determining he would kill Ryong after getting "Jang Cheong".

Soh Jinhong bloodlust

Soh Jinhong prepares to kill the elder

In the evening, Jinhong arrived where Myeongjeong was meditating with a look of killing intent in his eyes. Noticing Jinhong's presence, the Elder told his knowledge of Soh Cheongwon to the assassin and asked Jinhong if that was the person he knew. As Jinhong readied to reply, the Elder continued onwards revealing knowledge of Soh Cheongwon and the Soseondang Clan that conflicted with what Jinhong knew. Ignoring the information he had just heard, he chastised the Elder for trying to sway him with words as the Elder nonchalantly mused that he must be thinking of the wrong person. As Jinhong added that the Elder was the leader of the Shinmu who attacked the Soseondang Clan, the Elder briefly detailed his history in response before calling out Jinhong for accusing him of being an assassin. With the Elder noting that Jinhong's eyes had seen too many murders, he asked how many innocents Jinhong had killed due to the lies he had been fed. With the two tensely staring down at each other, Jinhong finally stepped forward having been shaken by the Elder's words and prepared to strike but felt a horrific feeling of being torn apart. Initially believing it to be the work of the Elder, he then realized it came from behind him and he saw Gang Ryong in the reflection of his sword. Irate, he quickly left in pursuit of Ryong whilst all the conflicting words the Elder had told him ran through his mind. Attacking Ryong with a flurry of slashes, he frustratedly wondered who Ryong was to be able to evade all of his strikes. As he fought with Ryong, he recalled the time his steward forgot how his mother was poisoned. With his steward's confusing words permeating his mind, a distracted and annoyed Jinhong attacked once more but ended up getting knocked off of a cliff.

Soh Jinhong finds the old man dead

Finding his steward "dead"

Coming out of the river's waters and hearing his steward's words, Jinhong reassured himself as he headed home. Arriving home and seeing his steward dead, with the assassins surrounding his corpse, Jinhong began to reminisce his past growing up, with the old man teaching him the Flying Flash Sword techniques as well as caring for him. Walking past the assassins and kneeling before his steward's corpse, Jinhong is told to hand over the Flying Flash Sword tome but he replied he didn't have it as he ripped out and ate a page every time he mastered a technique. Instantly slaughtering three of the four assassins and then crippling the other, Jinhong asked the assassin how much of what he had been told about the Shinmu and the Heaven Earth Association was true. The assassin revealed to Jinhong a series of truths about himself, as well as the "enemies" he had killed in the past, culminating with the revelation that Jinhong was merely a brainwashed "weapon". Briefly shocked by the bombshell, Jinhong asked for the Heaven Earth Association's stronghold before mercilessly dispatching the assassin.

Soh Jinhong slaughters the Heaven Earth Association

Soh Jinhong decimates the Heaven Earth Association

With the information he had received, Jinhong travelled to the Heaven Earth Association's stronghold and began a one-sided slaughter of everyone present. With the head of the Heaven Earth Association the last man alive, he told Jinhong of the dealings they had with his steward. Jinhong, confused by all the conflicting information he had been told, noted that it made no sense for the guys who were in league with his steward to kill him adding that it would be easier if the clan's head begged for his life. Realising what Jinhong was saying, the felled clan head understood the old man's actions and why the young assassin had slain the Heaven Earth Association. With Jinhong still not understanding the situation, the clan head shouted that his so-called steward was not dead adding that Jinhong should go back and check again to see if it was all real. He then mocked Jinhong for continuously falling for the old man's tricks and was about to say that he should be worrying about the old man's identity but Jinhong killed him mid-sentence.

Returning, Jinhong came back to a home completely devoid of any traces of his steward's corpse, the assassins or a sign of a struggle. Utterly shocked, tired and wondering what the hell was going on, Jinhong passed out on the floor.

Some time later, two men from the Baekma Valley found Jinhong slumped at the back of his room and gave him the offer to come to the Baekma Valley. Despite Jinhong telling them to "piss off", the two men left him some food and said they would come back at a later date to hear his answer. As he recalled going to the village to find out about the old Soseondang, he agitatedly wondered who his steward was and more importantly, who he was.

A couple of days later, the men returned asking whether Jinhong had considered their offer. Jinhong was wary of them, asking if they even knew what he wanted, but the men proved they did, before informing him of the facts they had gathered surrounding the old man that had been accompanying Jinhong. Noting that this would be the last time they would visit him, the two men turned to leave but not before warning Jinhong about the "monster" he had previously encountered that was scouring Yellow Dragon Mountain looking for him. The bedraggled Jinhong remembered his unfinished business and set off to look for the "monster".

Soh Jinhong clashes with Ryong

Soh Jinhong fights Gang Ryong

Encountering Gang Ryong once again, the two began fighting intensely. With their fight raging on for a while, Jinhong's physical exhaustion caught up with him allowing Ryong to capitalise on a small opening and smash Jinhong into the ground. Seemingly knocked unconscious, Ryong asked if he was okay when Jinhong suddenly sprang up and continued fighting despite being somewhat unconscious. Attacking with one final slash, Jinhong was finally subdued when Ryong got behind him and jabbed him in the neck.

Having woken up in an unfamiliar place, Jinhong quickly fled and headed off to the Baekma Valley.

The Baekma Valley[]

Sitting down in his quarters, Soh Jinhong recalled what Yang Jeonghak had told him regarding the old man that had brought him up. Just then, Hwang Gyu came in and told him the "monster of Yellow Dragon Mountain" had come for him, but Jinhong didn't respond, annoying Hwang Gyu.

Soh Jinhong encounters Ryong

Meeting Ryong in the Baekma Valley

Soh Jinhong casually walked towards the commotion Ryong was making, observing some of the Baekma Valley's men being subdued. Ryong then appeared from the smoke and debris and questioningly acknowledged Jinhong. With the two of them resolving misunderstood intentions, Jinhong then silently observed Ryong making quick work of the Baekma Valley men that had attacked him. Not long after, while Ryong and Dang Gan were fighting, Jinhong diverted the immense energy from the collision of the two's techniques with his sheathed sword.

Stirring[]

On Gang Ryong's way out of the Baekma Valley after picking up some things, Soh Jinhong bluntly asked Ryong whether he was delivering dumplings or if he had business with him, with Ryong giving him an equally blunt response. Jinhong then warned Ryong that the way he was leaving was filled with guys from the Valley who wanted to get revenge on him for the beatings he gave them previously.

Season 2 Intro[]

Doh Gyeom sizes Soh Jinhong up

Doh Gyeom sizes Jinhong up

Soh Jinhong finished a job given to him by the Baekma Valley to the gratitude of the others there. Promptly leaving, on his way back to the Valley, he was approached by a young woman asking for directions to the tavern-on-the-fork. Bringing her to the tavern, she offered Jinhong a meal as thanks which he accepted. When the tavern's new delivery boy walked in and humorously interacted with him, Jinhong remained silent through it all. Jinhong then asked if the fatty that had worked at the tavern had quit before being told that Ryong had quit almost a year ago.

Mak Sapyeong[]

Some time later, Soh Jinhong encountered Gang Ryong while the latter was hurriedly searching for the residents of the Yellow Dragon Village. Casually speaking to Ryong with his usual derisive tone, Jinhong warned him to beware of the masked ones before telling him to watch closely and then seemingly attacking him with his sword. With Ryong dodging his slashes, Jinhong acknowledged this before informing him that he was going away soon and might not return; but if he did, he would play with Ryong again.

Under the orders of Jin Garyeong, Jinhong went to the supposed location of her mother and decimated Mak Sapyeong's Gu-controlled minions protecting the area. He then sent intel back to Garyeong, who was confronting Mak Sapyeong himself.

Revived Heavenly Destruction Sect[]

Soh Jinhong defeats the new puppet

Killing the old man's new puppet

While resting in a cave, Soh Jinhong mused on the growing inefficiency of the Baekma Valley in helping him to find out about the old man. Then looking outside, he was left shocked when he saw the very man racing through the trees. Desperately chasing after him, Jinhong came across a disconcertingly familiar scene of a young swordsman blindly cutting down men in an attempt to take vengeance. Encountering the old man once again, the latter commanded his new "puppet" to attack Soh Jinhong while telling the Sword Fiend that he shouldn't have come looking for him. Surprised that his opponent could use the Flying Flash Sword too, Jinhong found himself succumbing to the old man's illusion abilities. Though, after recalling the lesson on how to counteract illusions, he allowed himself to be stabbed through the arm and, using the pain to eliminate the illusion, cut down his opponent. Surprised, the old man informed Jinhong that he had been cut with a poisoned blade and that he would most likely die if he used any ki taxing techniques. Ignoring the old man's words, Soh Jinhong proceeded to use the Flying Flash Sword's greatest technique in an attempt to kill his nemesis before collapsing into unconsciousness.

Soh Jinhong later participated in the duel between champions of the Revived Heavenly Destruction Sect and the Sage Forest. The first one to arrive near the Sky Gorge Mountain, Jinhong made his way to the West entry point and fought Jin Yurim, a warrior with ties to the Old Man. Though he was on the backfoot for the majority of the fight, Jinhong eventually defeated and killed Jin Yurim after recalling advice from Gang Ryong. He then focused his attention towards the Old Man but is unable to chase after him due to his injuries and fell unconscious. Later, he woke up all refreshed thanks to the medical treatment from Yang Jeonghak and left for the Sky Gorge Mountain after having a short conversation with him.

Then coincidently, Jinhong, Doh Gyeom, and Jin Garyeong all arrive at the Sky Gorge Mountain at the same time. They eventually get into a fight with Hyeol Bi himself and are soundly defeated, receiving gruesome injuries. At that moment, Gang Ryong arrived and fought the Black Dragon King. The fight goes well at first but Hyeol Bi undergoes a monstrous transformation and overpowered Gang. Soh Jinhong and his comrades tried to save the young man but his right forearm ended up being torn off and he fell unconscious. Later however, Jinhong's severed forearm ended up being reattached by the River Dragon Armour and his injuries were tended to by Ilgak. Jinhong ultimately survived the events at the Sky Gorge Mountain due to the combined efforts of Gang Ryong and the Sage Forest elders.

Loose Ends[]

One year later, Soh Jinhong slaughtered an entire faction of martial artists before asking the surviving leader if the Old Man hired an assassin to kill him. After receiving confirmation, Jinhong continued his quest of hunting down his former steward. Hot on the old man's trail, Jinhong continued chasing him in locations ranging from the scorching desert to cold winter lands, cutting down everyone the old man put in his way.

Later in an unknown winter land, Soh Jinhong rested for the night inside a broken down old house, recalling a poor family that lived in the very house who showed him and the old man hospitality in the past. Then Yang Jeonghak entered the house, sat down for a snack and drink, and had a conversation with Soh Jinhong. The swordsman asked Jeonghak on his true identity and why he kept following him. At that, Jeonghak just said he was the captain of intelligence for the Baekma Valley and was helping him on orders of his leader. However, Jinhong remained unconvinced and after a moment of silence, Jeonghak finally revealed that before being a man of the Murim, he was an official from the "Grand General's Command", a military organization under the direct command of the Emperor, though his position wass a perfunctory one.

After Jeonghak explained his duties and background, Soh Jinhong wondered what his background had to do with Yang Jeonghak following him around. Jeonghak then revealed that he was after Hwan Sa and the Old Man for crimes involving the use of a forbidden spell. Jeonghak also warned Jinhong to be wary of the Old Man's manipulation and questioned why he hadn't made a move on him yet, suspicious that the swordsman had already been tricked by the Old Man. With Jinhong refusing to explain why, Jeonghak said that the young man kept him from from dealing with the old man and that even if it was unintentional, he would have to consider Jinhong an accomplice and thus marked for death. At that, they glared into each other's eyes and Jeonghak came to a realization. Getting up, he told Jinhong to keep in mind what he said before leaving.

Later that night, the Old Man sat in a cabin, having a cup of tea. He then called for Soh Jinhong to enter and the young man did so, walking up to his foe. The Old Man poured tea for Jinhong and asked to share a cup of tea with him before he cut him down. When Jinhong sat down, he revealed to the young man the truth about his past and parents. TheOld Man also commented about how Jinhong's true past was only a burden and the reason he gave him a new identity was for his own good. Trying to reach Soh Jinhong's feelings with sentimental words, the Old Man told Jinhong to be free now that he actually doesn't have a family to avenge and to not to let his hatred for him hold him back. The Old Man then offered his own life, noting he was too old and ill anyways before commenting how he hoped his death wouldset Jinhong free. However, when Jinhong just sat there in silence, the Old Man detected that Yang Jeonghak wasn't around and revealed his true colours, binding Jinhong with an illusion.

The Old Man berated Soh Jinhong before announcing he would destroy the young man's soul and use him as a puppet to eliminate the people after him. At that, the tea cup in front of Jinhong was split in half and the Old Man started coughing up blood before realizing that Jinhong had already made the killing blow the moment he sat down, with the sword draw being too fast for him to see. The Old Man said his last words and then started to experience the damage from Jinhong's extremely swift attack. After the illusion wore off, Jinhong told the corpse that the reason he stalled killing him wasn't because he didn't want to kill him but to make him suffer from the anxiety of being hunted down. Before leaving, he also revealed he was disappointed the Old Man gave up so soon but admited that the fact the Old Man didn't beg for his life was just like him.

He returned to the broken-down house he was staying in and found Yang Jeonghak having a drink inside. Jeonghak questioned Soh Jinhong on why he suddenly decided to eliminate the Old Man after stalling for so long, Jinhong replied he simply changed his mind and acknowledged that he owed Jeonghak one. When Jeonghak was shocked that Jinhong is being so grateful, the latter further explained that it was true the Old Man felt more pressure due to Jeonghak pursuing him and was thankful for that. As Jinhong started to leave, Jeonghak asked him about where he planned to go and Jinhong simply commented that he was not sure but assured he will pay back the Baekma Valley one day. From the door, Jeonghak questioned out loud to the departing Jinhong if he wanted to go to the Grand General's Command with him but the young man just continued walking away without a single word.

Five years later, returned to the Baekma Valley, intending to stay there despite not willing to become a member of the faction. Gang Ryong later visited them and told him to come to their tavern as they were hiring delivery men. Jinhong then asked how much if would get paid and Gang noted that he wouldn't get money but food and a place to sleep. At that, the irritated Jinhong slashed at Gang Ryong who evaded them.

Powers & Abilities[]

Soh Jinhong is an extremely powerful gosu and a dangerously lethal swordsman having been trained in the Flying Flash Sword style from a young age. He has amassed a fearsome reputation, having single-handedly wiped out both the Shinmu Clan[2] and Heaven Earth Association without much effort.[4] When Gang Ryong and Dang Gan's techniques clashed and generated a huge encompassing explosion as a result, he was able to casually deflect the energy around himself using his sword.[5]

Immense Physical Strength: Soh Jinhong's physical strength is profound, with the force of his slashes easily slicing through nearby trees.[2] He has been shown effortlessly cleaving through people and buildings as if they were nothing more than air.

Immense Physical Speed: After being intercepted by Gang Ryong during his attempted assassination of Myeongjeong, Soh Jinhong was able to almost instantly escape to a nearby tree before anyone had noticed anything had happened.[6] During his second fight with Gang Ryong, he briefly moved at such great speed that even Yang Jeonghak couldn't perceive his movements.[7] In addition, he was able to cut apart a gosu such as Jin Yurim without him even realizing it.[8]

Immense Reflexes: During his first scuffle with Gang Ryong, he was quick enough to react to and block Ryong's palm strike with his sheathe to mitigate the effects of the attack.[9]

Soh Jinhong fighting stance

Soh Jinhong's readying to fight Ryong

Immense Endurance: Despite being physically and mentally exhausted due to not having eaten in many days, to the point where it was a miracle he was still able to move (let alone swing a sword), Soh Jinhong was still able to fight Gang Ryong (who also hadn't slept in several days) for an extended period of time on seemingly equal footing;[10] he was even somehow able to continue fighting after losing consciousness.[10]

Flying Flash Sword (선광비검, Seongwangbigeom): Having learned the Flying Flash Sword style from a young age, Soh Jinhong has become an extremely skilled and incredibly powerful swordsman. Yang Jeonghak noted that Jinhong's level of swordsmanship far surpassed that of the previous successor of the Flying Flash Sword style, Soh Cheongwon's, in both movement and power.[10] Against opponents who aren't near his level, Jinhong is capable of unsheathing his sword, performing multiple devastating slashes much faster than the eye can see, so much so that most opponents are already dead before they even realize anything has happened, and then re-sheathe his sword again, all in the blink of an eye.[2] Against opponents who match or exceed his strength, Jinhong skillfully utilizes his sword and sheathe in conjunction to combat them.

Quotes[]

  • (To Shinmu assassins) "You've wasted your time. Had I known that remnants of the Shinmu, the enemy of my family, were still alive, I'd have come looking for you myself!"[2]

Alternate Translations[]

  • The Rosy-Cheeked Sword Devil, So Hong (LINE)
  • Blademaster, So Hong (LINE)
  • The Red Eyed Blademaster (LINE)

Notes & Trivia[]

References[]

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