Chapter 22
Jaseong stared intently at the letter from Hyang-I in his hand.
The sound of a black hawk fluttering its wings at the edge of the eaves rang faintly in his ears.
'... Leave Fierce Sky Faction? But why?'
Jaseong's eyebrows twitched minutely.
He continued reading the letter to the end.
[There are as many as seven new leaders who have taken control of the Kaiyang Society.
In the martial world, they are known by the nickname "The Seven Freaks of Zhejiang (浙江七怪)".
They are the most notorious seven masters of the Dark Path from Zhejiang Province.
Originally, the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang were slaves in the underground fighting pits run by the Sado Association.
That is why each of them is branded on the forehead with marks such as "Red (赤), black (黑), one (一), three (三)," and so on.
These men survived until the very end in the fighting pits and even managed to escape despite intense surveillance.
Afterwards, they joined Killing Valley—the worst group of assassins in the martial world—and earned their infamous reputation.
After leaving Killing Valley, they continued their rampage in Zhejiang Province before, for unknown reasons, moving to Guizhou Province.
There, they killed Cheon Gi-ja, the leader of the Kaiyang Society, and devoured the Kaiyang Society.]
Jaseong narrowed his eyes as he set the letter down.
Seven Freaks of Zhejiang (절강칠괴, 浙江七怪).
Just hearing their nickname was enough to sense they were formidable.
"What is it?"
Noticing Jaseong's expression darken while reading Hyang-I's letter, Pacheon Gong asked.
"The true identity of Kaiyang Society's new leaders has been confirmed."
"The new leaders... you mean the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang?"
"... You knew?"
"I had a suspicion from the descriptions spreading around. So it turned out to be them after all."
Pacheon Gong's reply came with an expression momentarily lost in old memories.
"Do you know them personally?"
"About ten years ago, I crossed hands with them in Shaanxi. Seven of them formed an array, and it was quite troublesome."
"Were they the ones who took your right leg, sir?"
Jaseong asked cautiously.
But to this, Pacheon Gong just scoffed.
"You think the likes of them took my right leg? Hmph. Don't make me laugh."
"Then...?"
"At the time, I left them half-dead. Alone, without anyone's help."
"......!"
Truly worthy of his reputation as the Number One Fiend of Sichuan, possessing supreme skills.
Yet, even as he recalled his past victory, Pacheon Gong's expression was subtly complicated.
A strange and subtle shadow crossed his eyes that Jaseong had never seen before.
* * *
Dafang, Guizhou Province
Not far from Gaeyang, where Fierce Sky Faction was located, there was a desolate pavilion for pleasure and slaughter steeped in decadence in the Red Light District.
[Kaiyang Society (鬼合會)]
In the back alleys of Ganyang, this was a name no one could be ignorant of.
Human trafficking, abduction of women, business usurpation, loan-sharking, and more.
They were a group of Dark Path scoundrels notorious for countless evil deeds.
Because of this, days filled with tearful anguish were all too common for the residents of the Red Light District in Ganyang.
Gathering up their bloody tears, again tonight the halls of Kaiyang Society echoed with the revelry of pleasure.
Ding—diriding—
Pretty-faced courtesans.
Every delicacy from mountains and sea spread across the table.
Even the pungent smell of strong liquor filling the inner room.
However, despite it being called a feast, the atmosphere was chillingly cold.
The reason—there was a corpse hanging in the center of the inner room.
The body of a middle-aged man, eyes gouged out and dangling.
This was none other than the original leader of Kaiyang Society, Cheon Gi-ja.
Dried blood stained his lips as if he'd swallowed his final scream.
Shiver shiver shiver—
With a corpse hung in the center as drinks were served, the courtesans' hands could do nothing but tremble.
They repeatedly watched the faces of the men seated above them for their reactions.
A total of seven men.
Each branded on the forehead with "Red (赤)","Black (黑)", "One (一)", "Three (三)", "Five (五)", "Six (六)", and "Ten (十)".
Their true identities—the infamous Seven Freaks of Zhejiang in the martial world.
Four months ago, these men had suddenly appeared, killed the original leader Cheon Gi-ja, and became the new leaders of Kaiyang Society.
With seven, one might think they snatched victory by shamelessly teaming up.
But in truth, that wasn't the case.
Cheon Gi-ja, the original leader, was taken down by a single member—Red Demon, the one with "Red (赤)" on his forehead.
Cheon Gi-ja, known as a 1st-rate master, couldn't even land a single blow on Red Demon.
Because of the overwhelming martial might of the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang, Kaiyang Society's subordinates became their henchmen without the slightest resistance.
And, with their rule, Kaiyang Society began to take a different direction.
That was—swallowing up Gaeyang, where Fierce Sky Faction was located.
However, in the midst of their revelry, the Seven Freaks received unexpected bad news.
"... Red Demon, sir. There is a new report to present."
A member of the Kaiyang Society spoke nervously, his face dark.
"What are you stuttering for? Speak up."
"During the last two months, while you lords were away, something happened in Gaeyang."
"Something?"
"Heartless Demon Gu Nuong and Cheon Kang had a confrontation with Fierce Sky Faction in Gaeyang."
"And?"
"Well, they... they were both defeated."
"Defeated?"
"Cheon Kang had both hands severed, and Heartless Demon was killed on the spot..."
At this report, the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang let out hollow laughs, setting their cups down.
Especially Red Demon and Black Demon, the de facto leaders, curled their lips into chilling smiles.
"So, Heartless Demon Gu Nuong was taken down..."
"He was at least somewhat useful. A waste."
"As expected, old man Pacheon Gong isn't easy to deal with. Even we barely survived him in the past... For Heartless Demon, it probably took less than five moves."
Red Demon muttered with a sardonic laugh, fully assuming that it was Fierce Sky Faction's own Pacheon Gong who killed Heartless Demon.
But the next answer from the subordinate was unexpected.
"N-no, sir... It turns out it wasn't Fierce Sky Faction's leader."
"Hmm? Then who was it?"
"We don't know his name. They say he was a boy, about sixteen or seventeen years old."
"A boy? Heh. They're madmen. You mean they were defeated by a child?"
"I-I'm sorry... It's inexcusable... But I've heard that boy's skills are extraordinary...! Even Heartless Demon couldn't land a single attack...!"
... Heartless Demon defeated, defenseless, by a boy?
The eyes of Red Demon and Black Demon grew chilling.
"A-and, a letter came from the Mocheon Sect!"
The trembling subordinate handed them a letter delivered by the Faceless Ghost of the Mocheon Sect.
[You've left your seat for so long. What a shame, Seven Freaks of Zhejiang.
As we discussed last time, it's about time we move things forward.
I have already taken measures to prevent the authorities from interfering.
There won't be any sect in Guizhou standing in your way.
All that remains is for you, Kaiyang Society, to eliminate Fierce Sky Faction and Pacheon Gong.
However, I am beginning to doubt Kaiyang Society's martial prowess.
Rumors are rife in Gaeyang that Heartless Demon Gu Nuong was defeated by a mere boy.]
The faces of Black Demon and Red Demon hardened with cold determination after reading the letter.
"... That old man from Mocheon Sect is growing impatient."
The businesses run by Fierce Sky Faction in Gaeyang represented the greatest source of illicit funds in Guizhou Province.
That's why the head of Mocheon Sect, Murong Dangcheon, had agreed with the Kaiyang Society to seize Fierce Sky Faction's holdings together.
If they split those profits, both Kaiyang Society and Mocheon Sect would grow even stronger in the martial world.
However, if a Righteous Faction directly covets the businesses of the Dark Path, the martial world would criticize them heavily.
Therefore, Mocheon Sect provided money and needed weapons from behind the scenes,
while the Kaiyang Society would directly attack Fierce Sky Faction.
[Can I really trust the Kaiyang Society's forces, defeated by a mere boy...? It is, honestly, concerning.
Didn't you, the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang, once claim you could easily defeat that old python, Pacheon Gong?
I sincerely hope there are no further mistakes.
- Murong Dangcheon, Sect Leader of Mocheon Sect]
After reading to the end, red Demon smiled coldly and asked,
"Where is Cheon Kang now?"
As soon as Red Demon's words fell, the door to the inner room slid open and the Mad Blade Demon Cheon Kang entered.
Having lost both hands to Jaseong, his body trembled and his face was pale.
"Tsk tsk. What a sight you are."
"... I-I apologize."
"Does it hurt much?"
"Excuse me? Ah, n-no, sir...!"
"Of course it does. You look like you're suffering."
"Thanks to the healers, my wounds are closing...! They say at least my life is safe..."
"No need to rely on those healers. I'll cure you myself."
"Sir...?"
Chuaaaaak!!!!
In the next instant, an unimaginable scene unfolded.
Cheon Kang, standing still, suddenly had his head sliced clean off.
"?!"
He collapsed with a spray of blood, unable even to shriek.
A semi-transparent thread, dotted with red blood, gleamed above his fallen corpse.
Red Demon's favorite weapon: Blood Silver Thread.
Invisible to ordinary eyes, this special silver thread would cut anyone it touched.
It was a weapon for Red Demon's secret martial art,—Red Blood Silver Thread Technique.
"I took away your pain since you looked like you were hurting. The fastest end to suffering is death. What's the point of a warrior who's lost both hands? Kukuk."
As Red Demon laughed like a madman, Kaiyang Society's subordinates trembled in terror.
He had told Cheon Kang he would heal him, only to behead him without warning—no wonder they were afraid.
"P-please spare me! Please, I beg you!"
"I-I'll devote myself! Please, just don't kill me!"
The remaining subordinates prostrated themselves by Red Demon's feet, begging for their lives.
Staring down at them like insects, red Demon muttered grimly,
"With the old man from Mocheon Sect rushing us... Well, perhaps it is time to hunt the old tiger reigning in Gaechon River."
* * *
At that moment, Jaseong was in Fierce Sky Faction's training hall.
Despite Hyang-I's warning, there was only one reason why he remained at Fierce Sky Faction.
He had a strong intuition that the third Heaven's Mandate, 'Eliminate Little Evil,' was related to the Kaiyang Society.
'... When I finished off Heartless Demon Gu Nuong, the third Heaven's Mandate was marked at 30 percent complete.'
Of course, the true nature of this third Heaven's Mandate remained vague.
But Jaseong didn't get impatient.
He remembered the words once taught to him by Baek Cheon-gwang and Hong Gukyul.
—It's best to achieve it quickly, but some Heaven's Mandates just can't be rushed. Be patient and wait.
—A Heaven's Mandate will come to you of its own accord. It is like an inescapable fate.
Recalling his seniors' advice, Jaseong devoted himself feverishly to mastering Heaven Evading Phantom Step.
Just as Hong Gukyul described it as "the lightest step", his feet brushed the ground as lightly as wind through grass.
Every time his toes touched the floor of the training ground, faint afterimages shimmered in the air.
Then, at a certain moment,
Srrrriip—
Jaseong's figure suddenly split into two.
At the same time, Jaseong's eyes widened.
'I did it...! This is the feeling!'
The illusion didn't last long, but Jaseong had succeeded in creating an afterimage.
Had Hong Gukyul, who passed down Heaven Evading Phantom Step, seen this, he would have been astonished—
Doing in a few months what most would need years to master.
All of this was thanks to Jaseong's unique talent, the 'Samadhi Eyes'.
Because he could see the flow of true ki with his eyes, he could control his own ki more precisely than anyone else.
On top of that, the daily duels with the supreme master Pacheon Gong gave Jaseong incomparable help in perfecting the lightness of Heaven Evading Phantom Step.
"Hong Gukyul! Are you watching? I did it! Hahaha!"
Jaseong looked up at the sky, his smile beaming.
A thrill of excitement ran down his back.
Now, he was confident he could win the hundred-breath challenge against Pacheon Gong.
But at that moment—
Flap! Flap!
A black hawk sliced through the dawn sky.