Chapter 94
Jaseong looked at Hyang-I with a puzzled expression.
"An unexpected event in the martial world? What is it?"
"I reported earlier that the chaos caused by the Seven-Star Cloud Blade incident led to internal discord in the Murim Alliance, didn't I?"
"Yes. You said even the overlords of the Demonic Sect and Evil Path started running rampant."
"But a great schism has also erupted within the Evil Path Association, not just the Murim Alliance."
"... Even in the Evil Path Association?"
Hyang-I handed over several letters to Jaseong and continued.
"During the Seven-Star Cloud Blade chaos, it seems even the Evil Path factions committed a bloodbath amongst themselves. Using that as a pretext, the Evil Path sects are now warring with each other, attempting to annex others under their command. And during all that... the Evil Path Association leader, Ma Yeongmyeol, died."
"......!"
Not only Jaseong, but Lee Rin and Gu Janghu also widened their eyes.
Ma Yeongmyeol, the leader of the Evil Path Association, was one of the Five Great Villains and an unrivaled expert equal to the righteous side's Heavenly Five Masters.
News of the death of such a figure was an event that would send a massive shockwave across the martial world.
"Who in the world killed the Evil Path Association leader?"
"That part is still unknown. There's a rumor it was one of the other Five Great Villains, but nothing confirmed."
"......."
"In any case, since then, many notorious figures of the Evil Path who had been in seclusion have appeared, fiercely vying for the throne of the new Evil Path Association leader."
"Who are these confirmed big names?"
"Blood Sect leader Chu Hyul-gwang, Black Star Sect's head, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable, and the Poison Valley's King of Ten Thousand Poisons—all aiming for the Evil Path Association's top seat."
After hearing Hyang-I's report up to this point, Jaseong nodded silently.
"That's good."
Hyang-I nodded as well, echoing him.
"Yes. The division of the Evil Path after the Righteous Faction's split could be a great opportunity for us."
"How are the dark path sects in Guangxi Province, the ones we subjugated earlier, doing?"
"Black Wind Society, Viper Hall, and the Iron Blood Corps in Guangxi Province are all being well managed by Little Devil and Silent Traveler."
"Gather them. We need to finish what we started."
"Do you mean...?"
"Yes. It's time to conquer the dark path sects of the Central Plains one by one. With the righteous and evil factions mired in internal conflict, now is the perfect opportunity to absorb the dark underworld forces."
The dark underworld.
Unlike the righteous and evil factions, which united under principles or doctrine, they were a force brought together under only the power of force and money.
By absorbing the dark path sects of Guangxi Province in the past, Jaseong had gained enough power to wipe out smaller sects without lifting a finger.
If he continued to make more dark path sects submit, his influence would soon stretch across the entire Central Plains.
"And Hyang."
"Yes, leader."
"Can you gather those herbs I mentioned before once again?"
The herbs Jaseong had mentioned before were Baekhwa Bell, Thousand-Jin Vine, Heavenly Spirit Herb, Blood Phoenix Root, and others.
All were ingredients for Heaven Evading Alchemy.
Jaseong had already experienced the potent effects of the elixirs made through Heaven Evading Alchemy—the Azure Spirit Pill, Meridian-Clearing Powder, and Celestial Cloud Pill—so it was only natural for him to want to make more elixirs.
"I'll do my very best to gather them."
"Good. I'm counting on you."
"Please rest for now. You've only just finished your closed-door cultivation. I'll prepare your meal on the second floor."
Jaseong silently nodded and made his way to the second floor of White Fragrant Pavilion.
The inner chamber on White Fragrant Pavilion's second floor was lit with warmly colored lanterns.
On the long wooden table sat a splendid array of delicacies.
Fish soup with fine shark fin like golden threads, softly steamed lobster and abalone, glistening Dongpo pork fragrant with oil, and grilled bullfrog, with a sweet aroma tickling the nose.
Jaseong picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of Dongpo pork in his mouth.
The soft texture melted in his mouth, and the deep flavor enveloped his tongue.
'After chewing only stale rations during closed-door cultivation, I'm finally eating real food again for the first time in ages.'
Watching Jaseong busily work his chopsticks, Lee Rin shook her head.
"How can anyone live on nothing but stale rations? You could've asked me at least for some sweets."
Gu Janghu spoke up next.
"But I heard from Cheon Kang that you ordered liquor during your closed-door cultivation... Why did you suddenly ask for alcohol?"
Gu Janghu asked in a curious tone as he filled a glass.
At that very moment,
Sshik! Sshik!
All the lanterns on White Fragrant Pavilion's second floor suddenly went out.
Darkness fell in an instant.
Then,
Shuak! Shuak! Shuaak!
Something sliced through the wind from the windows—finely honed dark weapons flew in.
Chang! Chaechang! Chang!
Jaseong didn't even need to step up.
Gu Janghu immediately drew his willow-leaf flying blade from his waist and deflected the weapons.
Attaining the peak realm, his movements were as fast as lightning.
"Who's there?"
Jaseong asked, scanning the darkness.
Activating his Samadhi Eyes, he saw auras in the darkness.
They were tinged with a crimson murderous intent.
Cheok! Cheok!
Then, five masked figures revealed themselves.
Clad in black masks and black clothes, they were unmistakably assassins.
'Who could have sent them?'
Jaseong quickly deduced.
Previously, assassins had attacked in Guizhou City, Ansun.
Jaseong had suspected those assassins were sent by the Murong Clan.
But at that time, the assassins hadn't known the location of White Fragrant Pavilion, which was the Hao Sect's Ansun branch headquarters.
Yet now, these assassins had come precisely to White Fragrant Pavilion.
Naturally, Jaseong was curious about their true identity.
At that moment, the masked figure in the center stepped forward.
"Are you the owner of this inn?"
"I am."
"For an innkeeper, you're quite an expert. And clearly, this place is no ordinary inn, either."
The masked man spoke with an aged voice.
From those words, Jaseong quickly deduced two things.
First, that this masked man didn't know White Fragrant Pavilion was a secret Hao Sect branch.
Second, that he didn't know Jaseong was the well-known Ansun branch leader of the Hao Sect.
The masked man spoke again, looking at Jaseong.
"Don't be on guard. We haven't come here for you."
"?"
"We have business with that young man beside you."
He pointed at Gu Janghu.
"Are you aware that this young man is a first-class assassin who defected from Killing Valley?"
Only then did Jaseong realize the assassins' true identity.
'Could it be... senior members of Killing Valley looking for Gu Janghu?'
He recalled words from Gu Janghu in the past.
—I'm marked by Killing Valley's order to kill.
—Order to kill?
—I... wanted to escape from Killing Valley. That's why I entered the Dark Path Duel Banquet. If I placed in that event, I could join the Evil Path Association. And as a member of the Association, Killing Valley wouldn't dare to touch me easily... But in the Hao Sect, you never know what Killing Valley might do. Their seniors might come after me here, even in the Ansun branch.
Recalling this old conversation, Jaseong glanced at Gu Janghu.
His face was tenser than ever before.
And when the masked man spoke again, Gu Janghu's tension peaked.
"We are the elders of Killing Valley."
"... The elders of Killing Valley?"
The elders of Killing Valley were legendary even among first-class assassins.
They had each succeeded in hundreds of assassinations—some could wipe out an entire sect in a single mission.
"We're here to execute the traitor who abandoned Killing Valley. Stay out of this, and neither you nor your inn will be harmed."
The five elders released their murderous intent.
It was so sharp that Gu Janghu's eyes filled with tension.
'... Killing Valley's elders... Those old men are masters of dark weapon techniques and real combat experience. No matter how high my martial arts are, their techniques are too dangerous. I must lure them away—I can't let the leader and Lee Rin be put in danger because of me...'
But just as Gu Janghu was thinking this to himself—
[Gu Janghu. Don't worry.]
[?]
[I told you before, didn't I? I'd handle things when it came to Killing Valley.]
[......!]
[I'll keep that promise now.]
Even faced with these masters called Killing Valley's elders, Jaseong remained completely calm.
Srrring―
Jaseong drew his sword.
Seeing this, the Killing Valley elders narrowed their eyes.
"So that's your answer."
The Killing Valley elders likewise drew their weapons from their waists.
Short double blades, a triple-pronged iron fork, iron needles as thin as fingers—all dark weapons capable of killing in an instant.
"However... That's quite an unusual stance."
One elder with iron needles muttered, observing Jaseong's posture.
At that moment, Jaseong had lowered his body to the extreme and was holding his sword horizontally.
He looked much like a crouching beast.
Lee Rin and Gu Janghu both found this unusual stance strange as well.
'I've fought by the leader's side through many battles. But I've never seen that posture before...'
'... Could it be a martial art he mastered during recent closed-door training?'
Gu Janghu and Lee Rin glanced at Jaseong with curious eyes.
Just then, right as battle was about to break out between Jaseong and the Killing Valley elders—
Sarak! Sarak! Sarak! Sarak!
Something entirely unexpected occurred.
On the second floor of White Fragrant Pavilion, now shrouded in darkness, yet another group in black clothes appeared.
'... Who are they now?'
Four new figures in black clothes appeared suddenly.
Frowning, Jaseong eyed them warily.
For a moment, he wondered if they might be subordinates from Killing Valley, but judging by the elders' reactions, that was not the case.
The elders, too, seemed unsettled by these unexpected arrivals.
One elder looked at the black-clad newcomers and said,
"Who are you?"
"......."
"We've come to execute a traitor from Killing Valley. Don't interfere—if you value your lives, stay out of this."
The elder wielding a curved blade radiated murderous intent at the four newcomers and warned them.
But at that moment—
Pisik―
One of those cloaked in black let out an astonishing reaction.
Even in front of the elders of Killing Valley, he gave a short, mocking laugh.
Then something even more shocking happened.
Shuaak!!
The black-clad figure who had snickered suddenly struck.
He closed the distance to one of the Killing Valley elders with what looked almost like teleportation, then unleashed a fist and sent the elder flying.
Pbuuhhk!!!!!
"Keheuk!!"
The elder was sent crashing into the wall, coughing up blood in one blow.
Witnessing such an overwhelming display of might, everyone—the group with Jaseong, and the other elders—was left speechless.
Everyone could see just what kind of tremendous might the black-clad newcomer possessed.
"Where do you puppies think you're barking?"
"......!"
"If you don't want to die pointlessly yourselves, get lost while you can."
Said the one who had unleashed the punch.
But surprisingly, it was a woman's voice.
Moreover, Jaseong found it quite familiar.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Guardian General?
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】