Chapter 117
Gansu, Gaohe County.
Gaohe County in Gansu Province, which was close to Mongolia, was a place where the footsteps of Jianghu people did not reach due to its considerable distance from the Central Plains.
Wi-ji Chan, who had infiltrated the White Lotus Cult, had been wandering around the mountains and seas, and was now stationed here on a guard mission.
At first, it was difficult.
To think that the Vice Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was acting as a guard dog for a pseudo-religious cult…
Moreover, the security of the Gansu cult hall was so strict that it was impossible to carry out any espionage activities.
‘Why on earth are they deploying so many people to guard this remote mountain area?’
It didn’t take long to resolve the question.
‘…There must be a good reason.’
Wi-ji Chan was not a fool.
Currently, the identity of the person he had changed his appearance to through disguise was a mid-level official of the Black Water Sect.
Moreover, the martial arts of all the cult members guarding this Gansu cult hall were also.
‘At least at the level of a first-rate master.’
When he put the circumstances together, Wi-ji Chan was able to quickly draw a conclusion.
‘…Yes! This is the place!’
The headquarters of the wicked demons!
Otherwise, the current situation could not be explained.
Once he was certain, there was no need to hesitate.
One late night, when the pitch-black darkness covered the earth…
‘As of today, my life as a spy will also be over.’
Wi-ji Chan decided to reveal his true colors.
***
Every time Wi-ji Chan’s right hand flew like lightning and struck the back of the guards’ necks.
Thud—
Thud—
Thud—
They became unconscious without even letting out a single groan.
Of course, the martial arts of the Gansu cult hall guards were truly outstanding.
But to Wi-ji Chan, who had already entered the ranks of the Extreme Demon, they were nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
Wi-ji Chan replaced his breathing with ki-gong and developed his footwork with the principles of the Snow Treading Without a Trace.
As befits a lightness skill that is said to leave no footprints even when treading on snow, it was a graceful technique that left no trace.
Moreover, wasn’t it Wi-ji Chan who had learned stealth and concealment since he was nine years old?
‘There it is!’
Soon, he succeeded in infiltrating the forbidden area located in the corner of the cult hall…
—Entry strictly forbidden for those below the 10th rank in the cult
It was a narrow entrance to a cave.
In addition, a wooden plaque with a warning written in red letters was hung on the iron gate made of black iron, and the overall atmosphere was so gloomy that anyone would be reluctant to enter.
Above all.
Wi-ji Chan, who had placed his hand on the iron gate, could not help but be greatly startled.
‘To make such a thick gate with black iron, which has a hardness dozens of times that of ordinary iron!’
Just making it would have cost an unimaginable amount of money…
‘Just by looking at their financial power, they are comparable to our cult or the Martial Alliance.’
It had only been a few years since the White Lotus Cult had appeared in the world, and this was the first time they had shown themselves in the Jianghu at the Martial Alliance Hero Tournament.
But how could they have made such an iron gate with black iron, which was more expensive than gold?
But Wi-ji Chan, who had erased all the questions that were piling up one after another.
He drew the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword, a divine object of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult that he had inherited from his grandfather, the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un.
At that, a sword cry of an unfathomable pitch flowed out from the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.
‘Although it is a treasured sword that was once broken by the God of War… since the best craftsmen in the cult have been re-forging it for several years, it should be no problem to cut black iron.’
At the same time.
When he infused his internal energy into the sword body, the sword cry of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword rang out even more fiercely, and it spewed out a black sword light like a torrent.
And…
When the sword light turned into a sword gang and cut the iron gate vertically.
The black iron gate, which was like an iron fortress, was split in half.
It was truly a shocking one-cut-two-pieces.
Soon, Wi-ji Chan’s body scattered a black afterimage and shot into the cave.
Unfolding the Heavenly Demon Overlord Step, which boasted the fastest acceleration among his lightness skills and footwork…
***
—Sichuan, Deokyang-hyeon.
“H-Heeik!”
“Shh! Quiet…”
Dol-soe, who had been a servant at Lord Nam’s house for 10 years, was so surprised that his heart sank for a moment.
Around the hour of the Pig.
He had come out for a moment to relieve himself…
Because he had witnessed two unidentified figures who had suddenly jumped over the wall.
“W-Who are you? N-No! How did you jump over the wall… who on earth… mmph, mmph!”
The two figures were So-ah and Jeon Woo-chi.
So-ah, as if he had committed a crime, covered the mouth of the startled Dol-soe.
And then.
He grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and flew up, and only after taking him to a quiet alley nearby did he open his mouth in a low voice.
“Hey.”
“Y-Yes?!”
A look of undisguised fear appeared in Dol-soe’s eyes.
Not only had he jumped over the wall in the blink of an eye, but after seeing So-ah’s martial prowess of grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and flying like a mirage.
He had realized that the man in front of him could easily kill him if he wanted to.
“If you mix even a shred of a lie into what I’m about to ask you, you’re dead. Got it?”
“Y-Yes! Hic…”
“Lord Nam, that trashy old man. Does he still take in parentless orphans and satisfy his desires?”
“Th-That’s…”
Dol-soe was in a dilemma.
Although Lord Nam’s scandal was a secret that was known, it was a taboo that no one could dare to speak of.
Moreover, since there was no one directly involved in the matter other than the chief steward, it was awkward to give a definite answer.
But.
Before long, a thick killing intent was shot out from So-ah’s shining eyes.
Even a martial artist would be intimidated if he looked directly into those eyes, so there was no way Dol-soe could endure it.
As expected.
Dol-soe, frozen like a rabbit in front of a beast, wet himself.
“Y-Yes! Once a month. When the chief steward goes out, he brings the orphans. The fact that Lord Nam… teases them and then sends them back to the cult… is known to all the family members…”
At Dol-soe’s words, not only So-ah, but also Jeon Woo-chi’s eyes were filled with anger.
“My goodness…! How can he commit such a dog-like act while wearing a human face?”
“Brother Woo-chi. It can’t be helped, right?”
“Yes! We must report these guys to the authorities and punish them.”
Just then.
“What? The authorities?”
At Jeon Woo-chi’s words, So-ah looked at him with a dumbfounded look and asked.
“Yes. This is a matter related to the people’s livelihood. It’s right to leave it to the authorities.”
There was some truth to Jeon Woo-chi’s words.
The authorities and the martial world were in a relationship where they did not invade each other.
Lord Nam’s case was a matter that the authorities should preside over and handle.
But.
“Brother, you’re so naive. Lord Nam is a former magistrate of Deokyang, a former magistrate. Don’t you know about the courtesy paid to former officials? Far from punishing him, they’ll probably give him an award.”
“B-But.”
“Forget it!”
“…”
“Let’s punish him ourselves. Huh?”
“So-ah… we are Jianghu…”
“Ah! It’s frustrating. Brother. Let’s punish him! Yes?”
Jeon Woo-chi was just as angry as So-ah.
But he was a Taoist, and he had learned from his master that the people’s livelihood and the country’s governance were solely the domain of politicians.
Therefore, he had intended to hand Lord Nam over to the authorities and leave it to the national law, but.
‘There’s no way I can stop him in this atmosphere.’
Seeing So-ah, who was panting with his eyebrows drawn into an eight-character shape, Jeon Woo-chi realized that he could never get his way.
‘Aww! I don’t know. This isn’t my fault. Anyway, it’s not. So-ah started it, and So-ah will end it! I have nothing to do with it. That’s right.’
He had come to rationalize himself in that way.
Besides.
‘And isn’t it not a crime to smash the head of a dog-like bastard like that…?’
On the one hand, he also wanted to see the reality of So-ah’s physical therapy and justice implementation.
“Phew! I don’t know, So-ah. Then do as you please.”
So-ah, who had heard Jeon Woo-chi’s answer, took a breath to calm his excitement and stepped towards Lord Nam’s house.
No.
He was about to step.
But So-ah soon turned his head and glared at Dol-soe with eyes like a fierce god of evil.
“You!”
“Yes?!”
“You’re an accomplice too, you brat.”
“Your Excellency… how could you! I’m just a servant…”
“Do you know what aiding and abetting is?”
“Yes?!”
“The main culprits are Lord Nam and the chief steward who brought the children. But the family servants also aided and abetted the evil deeds, so they are accomplices.”
“Y-Your Excellency!”
“For aiding and abetting with willful negligence, I sentence you.”
“…”
“To death.”
At the same time.
So-ah forcefully headbutted Dol-soe’s head with his own.
At that, Dol-soe collapsed like a rotten old tree without a groan and convulsed.
Foaming at the mouth.
“So-ah… but killing him is… a bit much.”
“He’s not dead, he’s not dead. I didn’t use my internal energy. Well, if he’s unlucky, he might wake up and be a little? In a strange state.”
‘…That’s worse.’
Jeon Woo-chi was about to say something, but gave up.
Because So-ah was still grinding his teeth, his eyes filled with anger.
Nine years old, a young age.
When he was about to be assaulted by Lord Nam, So-ah had cried out and asked for help.
But none of the family members of Lord Nam’s house had helped So-ah and Myo-seon, and they had condoned such a heinous crime until now.
So-ah thought that although he wouldn’t kill them, an appropriate punishment was only natural.
“Brother Woo-chi.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what my grandfather always said?”
“What is it?”
“Live a good life. But thoroughly punish those who try to torment you. Also.”
“…”
“If you meet a human who is worse than a beast. Kill him.”
“So-ah…”
“You perverted old man. I’m coming to kill you now.”
As soon as his words ended, So-ah’s body cut through the air like a fierce tiger.
***
“Nananana boo boo! Nananana boo boo! Lord Nam is a pervert!”
“…”
Jeon Woo-chi was so dumbfounded that he didn’t know how to react.
But that bewilderment soon had to turn into a burst of laughter.
‘…Crazy. I can’t not laugh?!’
Because of So-ah, who was spewing out the lyrics of a mocking song that was embarrassing to even say in the middle of Lord Nam’s estate with a terrifying sound attack.
The technique of the Lion’s Roar.
Soon.
“You!!”
Lord Nam, whose face was flushed red with shame and looked like it would burst at any moment, appeared with a group of escort warriors and let out a roar.
At that.
“Ah! It’s strange. Why do old men who are going senile always go, ‘You! You!’ whenever they’re bored? I really don’t get it.”
“W-What did you say?”
“You old man. Don’t you remember me?”
“…”
Lord Nam was silent.
And for good reason, since he had lost his eyes 12 years ago due to Moyong Cheon’s physical therapy, there was no way he could recognize So-ah even if he wanted to.
But just then.
“Ah, that’s right! You don’t have eyes, do you? I forgot!”
So-ah even snapped his fingers and joked with a look of, ‘That’s right!’.
At that sight, Jeon Woo-chi clicked his tongue with a startled expression.
‘Wow…! Is that really a human? That’s just a devil, isn’t it?!’
It was a good thing he was a close younger brother, but if he were an enemy?
It was a level of teasing that could make the opponent collapse from a rise in blood pressure even before a fight.
As expected.
“Ugh… ugh!”
Lord Nam, unable to endure it, grabbed the back of his neck and let out a groan.
But it didn’t take long for that feeling of anger to turn into fear.
“For the crime of taking in poor orphans. One hit each!”
Would lightning be this fast?
So-ah, who had shown a lightning-fast hand movement that was insufficient to be described as swift, delivered a punishing massage to the heads of the escort warriors and family members.
“For the crime of condoning and aiding the perverted old man’s secret tastes. One hit each!”
The violence continued again.
In So-ah’s right hand was his favorite physical therapy tool.
The staff of justice was held.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
“Uuuuugh!”
“Aaaah! B-Blood!”
Only then, in front of the intense pain that assaulted their entire bodies, did the escort warriors and family members roll on the floor.
The screams of the nearly 30 people echoed throughout Sodamgol.
And.
Lord Nam and the man who was assisting him by his side.
The chief steward began to tremble like an aspen tree…
“Now! Shall we start the intensive treatment in earnest? You guys, receive the treatment gratefully. My medical skills are very advanced. Oh, and clench your teeth! You might die if you’re not careful.”
With a murderous word, the corners of So-ah’s mouth rose to the sky.