Chapter 60
Murong Dangcheon's form cut through the forest as swiftly as the wind.
Shuaaak!
His movement skill was of considerable level.
He performed the Murong clan's secret art, Wind-Chasing Step (追風縮地步), closing several meters in a single stride.
In contrast, the Seven Sages of the South Sea from the Hainan Sect, despite their profound internal power, were slower in terms of movement skills.
'... The Murong clan's movement arts are famous in the martial world for their excellence, but I didn't expect this kind of speed...!'
The Seven Sages of the South Sea, being peak experts, were, of course, faster than most martial artists.
However, among peak experts, their speed was on the slower side.
The truth was, the Hainan Sect did not train intensively in movement skills.
For those who usually fought on the confined island of Hainan Province, heavy saber techniques and fist arts were more important than swift movement.
That was why Jaseong's group, who had mastered the Shadowless Divine Thief's movement skill, were actually able to chase Murong Dangcheon more quickly.
Thanks to the Shadowless Body Technique, their movements were like blades slicing through the wind, with not even their footsteps audible.
Sasak! Sasak!
Using the Samadhi Eyes to follow the traces of energy left by Murong Dangcheon, Jaseong increased his speed.
However, after passing through the deep forest, the place Murong Dangcheon entered was, at a glance, a canyon shrouded in a most unusual atmosphere.
'This place...?'
Gui Lin Valley(鬼林谷), a spot in Guizhou City that no one ever sought.
As its name suggested, it was an eerie place steeped in ghostly energy.
At the entrance of the canyon, with its chilling air, twisted, rotted trees stood in grotesque forms.
The ground emitted yin energy that sent chills down the spine, and frequent hallucinations confused any traveler, so few ventured there.
"Ugh... Great Hero. This place is giving me the creeps,"
Lee Rin said, her face somewhat shrinking back.
Gu Janghu's face was equally tense at the ominous aura of Gui Lin Valley.
Even he, who had undergone brutal training in Killing Valley, found the energy here unpleasant.
But Jaseong didn't care and stepped into the canyon.
He'd experienced this Gui Lin Valley once during his junior guard days.
"As long as you all stick close behind me, nothing will happen."
With that, Jaseong activated his Samadhi Eyes.
Suaa—
Before his eyes, the world was painted in all sorts of colors.
Faint blues, deep greens, and ominous blacks blended together, rising in shimmers through the air.
These were the intentions emitted by the living things of Gui Lin Valley, visible through the Samadhi Eyes.
But most of them were black intentions.
Tracing the source of the black auras that Jaseong could see, he noticed strange plants, rooted in various corners of the canyon.
'... Those are exactly the plants causing the hallucinations.'
Jaseong, who'd climbed countless mountains during his junior guard years, knew his plants well.
The hallucinogenic plants spread throughout Gui Lin Valley were Black Spirit Grass, Ghost Shadow Orchid, and Hell Bell Mushroom.
Black Spirit Grass released a potent fragrance from its roots, confusing the mind.
Ghost Shadow Orchid emitted a faint glow from its petals, creating illusions.
Most dangerous of all was the Hell Bell Mushroom, a black fungus.
Step on it, and a powerful hallucinogenic spore would burst out, knocking out the unwary.
"Everyone, stick as close to me as you can,"
Jaseong instructed, carefully leading the group away from the black intentions.
Thanks to awakening the Samadhi Eyes, this was much easier than it had been in his junior guard days.
But he couldn't go too fast.
If they accidentally stepped on a Hell Bell Mushroom and triggered the spores, his group could all fall into hallucinations.
So every single step had to be taken with utmost caution.
As Jaseong's group slowed in their pursuit, someone rushed at them with surprising speed.
* * *
Whoooosh!!
Suddenly, the shrill sound of something splitting the air came from behind.
Jaseong turned his head quickly to see an enormous wave of sword energy—do-gang—rushing towards them.
"Dodge!"
Lee Rin shouted, and simultaneously, Jaseong and Gu Janghu scattered left and right.
Kwaang!
The sword energy struck where they had just stood, cracking the earth with a boom.
Rocks shattered and fragments sprayed everywhere.
"Stop! Minions of Murong Dangcheon!"
A booming voice announced the appearance of the Seven Sages of the South Sea.
They advanced without hesitation, undeterred by the presence of hallucinogenic plants.
Their internal power was deep enough to drive away any hallucinations with ease.
"Speak. Where did Murong Dangcheon escape to?"
The seven elders, led by Hae Cheoldo, exuded murderous intent and surrounded Jaseong's group.
It was Lee Rin who retorted.
"Why do you think we're Murong Dangcheon's followers?"
"Then how do you explain those masks?"
"It's a misunderstanding. We're..."
Lee Rin tried to explain, but Hae Cheoldo wouldn't listen.
"Don't stall for time! Tell me where Murong Dangcheon ran off to!"
With a flash, Hae Cheoldo's blade shot at Lee Rin's throat.
'Hainan Sect's Reverse Wave Saber, Sea-crushing Thunder!'
As Hae Cheoldo swung, blue energy flowed at an astonishing speed.
This was not mere energy; it looked like an actual tidal wave crashing forward.
Kwa kwa kwa!!!
The trees in the path of the energy were split in half and toppled with a tremendous crash.
A true demonstration of the overwhelming power of the leader of the Seven Sages.
Facing this, Lee Rin gathered all the chill from her dantian to defend herself.
But just as the blue sword aura was about to crash down upon her—
Kwaaaang!!!!
Suddenly, with a deafening roar, someone appeared and countered the sword aura.
"Great Hero...!"
It was Jaseong, activating the Celestial Gate Opening Art up to the Seventh Gate.
He charged in and deflected the peak expert Hae Cheoldo's force.
'... Even greater power than back at Three Souls Hall. So this is the full strength of the Hainan Sect's number two...'
Jaseong's hand gripping the sword hilt tingled, and he muttered inwardly.
Even if he pushed the Celestial Gate Opening Art to its full Eight Gates, he couldn't guarantee victory against this old expert.
Seeing Jaseong intervene so suddenly, Hae Cheoldo also revealed a surprised expression.
'He's barely of age, yet he blocked my sword energy? What skill... Who exactly is this young man?'
Hae Cheoldo wished to test Jaseong's martial arts further.
The next moment—
Shuaaak!
Hae Cheoldo stabbed swiftly at Jaseong again.
Immediately, Jaseong activated the Samadhi Eyes.
Suaa—
The world slowed and the trajectory of Hae Cheoldo's sword aura became as clear as thread.
'I must not block that head-on.'
Reading the exact track of Hae Cheoldo's blade, Jaseong let it pass with instinctive skill.
Kagagang!!!
Blue sparks flew as Hae Cheoldo's blade was diverted.
"Ho... skills of this level,"
Hae Cheoldo murmured with even greater surprise in his eyes.
Jaseong had lightly diverted a strike at full power.
"A master like you—why would you follow a scoundrel like Murong Dangcheon?"
Hae Cheoldo asked.
At that moment, Jaseong frowned and replied.
"Did all you old men go deaf or something?"
"What...?"
"I told you earlier, did I not? We are not the dogs of the Mocheon Sect. We are only chasing after Murong Dangcheon because there is a 'debt to collect'."
"... Someone other than us was chasing Murong Dangcheon? Then, who exactly are you?"
Jaseong took out a black badge from his robe.
It was a Hao Sect badge with the red character "三" engraved on it.
"I am the branch leader of the Hao Sect's Ansun branch."
"The Hao Sect's Ansun branch leader...? Don't tell me you're the one who destroyed Three Souls Hall and sent us the carrier pigeon...!"
"That's right. And I am pursuing Murong Dangcheon, who colluded with Three Souls Hall."
Jaseong replied with an emotionless face.
At this answer, the expressions of the Seven Sages of the South Sea transformed in various ways.
'The man who single-handedly wiped out the Three Souls Hall we pursued for over a decade... and he's such a young lad....'
'If he could so easily deflect the First Elder's strike, then... maybe the rumors of him destroying Three Souls Hall aren't an exaggeration...'
A brief silence hung in the air.
Then, Hae Cheoldo lowered his blade and said—
"... I apologize. We misunderstood."
"......."
"With those masks, I assumed you were Murong Dangcheon's subordinates. I never expected anyone but us to be pursing him..."
To Hae Cheoldo's apology, Jaseong simply nodded silently as he sheathed his sword.
It was a slightly arrogant attitude for a young martial world junior.
Watching, this time Second Elder Hae Punggeon asked,
"Earlier, you said you had a 'debt to collect' from Murong Dangcheon—what is it?"
Jaseong's reply was curt.
"Someone's life."
"... A life?"
Hae Punggeon was displeased with Jaseong's blunt reply.
But he could not press further.
He'd seen the cold, indescribable killing intent in Jaseong's eyes.
'Rude, yet there's a story in those eyes...'
At that moment, the First Elder Hae Cheoldo spoke again.
"In any case, since you are also chasing Murong Dangcheon, our goals are aligned."
"......."
"How about we join forces, since we have the same objective?"
At his words, Lee Rin and Gu Janghu looked at Jaseong.
Jaseong paused, considering.
On the day of the Red Light District Bloodbath, the so-called Righteous Faction had killed his eldest brother and innocent civilians like bugs.
Since then, he'd seen the Righteous Faction as a bunch of hypocrites.
But the Seven Sages of the South Sea exuded a clearly different atmosphere from those hypocrites.
Their eyes bore the unyielding spirit of those determined to uphold justice in the martial world.
'The Hainan Sect isn't on my enemies list. And more importantly, if the Seven Sages join our strength, Murong Dangcheon will surely meet his end here in Gui Lin Valley. In that case...'
* * *
Meanwhile, Murong Dangcheon was racing through the heart of Gui Lin Valley at a tremendous speed.
Shuaaak!
Despite the Black Spirit Grass, Ghost Shadow Orchid, and Hell Bell Mushrooms everywhere, he paid them no heed.
Neither the stinging, pungent aroma nor the mind-numbing pollen affected him at all.
Just like the Seven Sages, Murong Dangcheon also possessed heavy internal energy spanning two 60-year cycles.
So, he could dispel any effects of the hallucinogenic plants at will.
'All I have to do now is escape Gui Lin Valley and contact my main family. If I claim this was all a conspiracy, perhaps I can use the power of the Murong clan to survive this crisis.'
Murong Dangcheon's mind was filled with nothing but schemes for survival.
But when he had crossed about two-thirds of Gui Lin Valley—
Ssak! Cheok! Cheok! Cheok!
Suddenly, more than a dozen figures in black clothes appeared in his path.
'?!'
Murong Dangcheon tensed instantly.
To see people suddenly appear in abandoned Gui Lin Valley was shocking.
What's more, a powerful energy emanated from the newcomers—enough to make even a peak expert like Murong Dangcheon falter.
"Who are you?"
Murong Dangcheon drew his sword at his waist and demanded.
The lead figure slowly removed their mask.
Surprisingly, the revealed person was a woman.
With deep blue lips and a sharp gaze, her face and neck were covered with red tattoos—she looked like a demoness risen from hell.
"This hall leader is Sa Mihyang, leader of Demonic Radiance Hall, one of the twelve halls of the Demonic Cult."
The Demonic Cult...?!
When he heard the woman's identity, Murong Dangcheon's face hardened more than ever.
For the Demonic Cult, unseen in the martial world since the Great Heavenly Demon War of decades past, to appear before him now—
At that moment, even more shocking words came from Sa Mihyang's mouth.
"That seal on your treasured sword—it's of the Murong clan, isn't it?"
"......."
"Are you Murong Dangcheon, head of the Mocheon Sect?"
"... How do you know me?"
"I heard from Three Souls Hall. You agreed with them to deliver suitable children to our cult."
"......!"
"But where is Three Souls Hall now, and why are you here? Where are the children?"
As Sa Mihyang spoke, Murong Dangcheon realized why the Demonic Cult had suddenly appeared in Gui Lin Valley.
This was the location where Three Souls Hall had been handing over kidnapped children to the Demonic Cult...!
'Those Three Souls Hall bastards let the Demonic Cult know about me... How disgustingly tangled up this has become...!'
If the Murim Alliance learned this, Murong Dangcheon would not escape death.
He had only helped Three Souls Hall with their human trafficking operation for some cash, never expecting to get mixed up with the Demonic Cult itself...!
Just then, Sa Mihyang asked again.
"Why don't you answer? Where are Three Souls Hall and the children?"
Murong Dangcheon slowly replied.
"They're gone."
"What...?"
"The branch leader of the Hao Sect eliminated Three Souls Hall. And all the kidnapped children were released."
"... Three Souls Hall was defeated by someone from the Hao Sect?"
Sa Mihyang's eyes grew cold.
A red murderous force began to rise from all over her body.
"I waited a full day, yet this is what I get."
"......."
"Regardless, making this hall master wait and arriving empty-handed... you must pay with your life."
Murong Dangcheon felt his predicament worsen by the moment.
If it were just Sa Mihyang alone, he was confident he could defeat her—after all, he was a late-stage peak expert.
But the problem was, there were more than a dozen Demonic Cult members with her.
On top of that, the Seven Sages were in pursuit from behind.
'... How did everything spiral out of control like this?'
Murong Dangcheon drew up his internal energy to his dantian, channeling violet sword aura into his blade.
He was preparing to unleash the Murong clan's secret ultimate sword art: Heaven and Earth Hundred Ultimate Sword Solution.
Just then, Sa Mihyang made an out-of-the-blue proposal.