Swordless Demonic Path

Thump! Thump!

"Huh?"

Yeon Jeok-sim felt as if a heavy rock had hit his arm and looked at his right hand.

Something the size of an egg was sliding up from inside his skin.

The moment it reached his shoulder, he felt his heart sink.

"Keuk!"

He instinctively grabbed his heart and collapsed.

Jin Sa-wol let go of Yeon Jeok-sim's hand and said.

"This is the Six-Layered Demonic Palm."

Was it because he was hit by the Six-Layered Demonic Palm? Or was it because he felt death? Yeon Jeok-sim stared at Jin Sa-wol blankly.

The Six-Layered Demonic Palm was a unique martial art of the deceased esoteric sect master and one of the lost demonic arts of the Demonic Cult.

"You... esoteric sect..."

Yeon Jeok-sim, who was speaking, collapsed on the floor as a pain as if his heart would burst rushed in.

The Six-Layered Demonic Palm was an internal martial art that injected six layers of palm force into the opponent's body at once.

At first, it was just the pain of a hand slap, but the sixth time, you would receive a shock that could crumble a mountain.

There were not many who could withstand the Six-Layered Demonic Palm, which burst the internal organs.

Yeon Jeok-sim, as the pain disappeared at some point, looked up at Jin Sa-wol and laughed.

It was the phenomenon of a final burst of life before death.

"You have awakened the sleeping demons. A dark power you can't even imagine will tighten its grip on your breath. Hehehe! You are killing someone you shouldn't have killed..."

As if he had a lot to say, Yeon Jeok-sim opened his mouth even at the moment of his death.

"I'm going to see that power."

Jin Sa-wol, who was looking at the dead Yeon Jeok-sim, turned his body and looked around at the Demonic Cult members who were standing far away.

Swish!

As he grabbed the hilt of his sword, the Demonic Cult members were startled and quickly ran away. Jin Sa-wol, who was looking at the direction they were running, chased after them.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had nimbly jumped into the air, picked up the sword of a dead corpse that had fallen on the ground and threw it.

Shwaak! Thwack!

"Kraak!"

"Ack!"

The two Demonic Cult members who were running were skewered by the sword and flew far away, piercing through a wall.

Thump!

It was a single move with tremendous power.

"Scatter!"

Papapat!

The Demonic Cult members now scattered in all directions, not in one direction. Jin Sa-wol looked at them and then headed for the center of the manor.

* * *

Jo Geom-ok was standing in the center of a wide main hall, holding a blood-soaked sword.

She lowered her sword, from which drops of blood were dripping, and glared in front.

Around her, a dozen or so corpses were scattered. They were all Demonic Cult members.

Three women were standing with faces full of fear in the seat of honor, and beyond them, two Demonic Cult members were standing, holding swords.

"Drop your sword and retreat."

Although she heard the Demonic Cult member's voice, Jo Geom-ok did not move.

Her gaze turned to the corpses in plain clothes.

There were five, and they were all workers who worked at the manor.

"If you don't retreat, we will kill all these women."

Hearing the Demonic Cult member's threat, Jo Geom-ok took a step back. Seeing that, a smile hung on the faces of the two Demonic Cult members.

"Haa..."

Jo Geom-ok hesitated and sighed.

Jin Sa-wol would have cut down the Demonic Cult members without hesitation. But Jo Geom-ok was not Jin Sa-wol.

She also did not possess martial arts to the extent of following him.

If she moved, the Demonic Cult members would kill the women they were holding as hostages.

"If you run away, I'll let you go."

At Jo Geom-ok's low voice, the two looked at each other's faces, then each grabbed a woman and retreated.

In that instant, Jin Sa-wol's figure appeared behind the two Demonic Cult members.

Jin Sa-wol grabbed the necks of the two Demonic Cult members and put strength into them without hesitation.

Crack! Thump!

The two Demonic Cult members, who could not even let out a groan, went limp with their necks broken.

Jin Sa-wol threw the two corpses outside and then passed the women who had collapsed in surprise and headed for Jo Geom-ok.

"Why did you hesitate?"

"I can't let innocent people die because of me."

Hearing Jo Geom-ok's answer, Jin Sa-wol nodded with an emotionless face.

Jo Geom-ok had spent a long time in the orthodox sect. The things she had learned and learned while living with them remained in her body.

"Thank you for saving us."

"Thank you very much."

The surviving women knelt on the floor and expressed their gratitude. As he was looking at that, Chae Gong-gong came running in a hurry.

He had appeared after the fight was over, after taking refuge in a safe place.

Since he had grasped the situation of the manor, he cupped his fist at Jin Sa-wol and Jo Geom-ok.

"I am Chae Gong-gong, the master of Nokokjang. I had no choice but to hide the Demonic Cult members because of their threats, but thanks to the help of the two of you, I was able to escape from the clutches of the Demonic Cult. Thank you."

"That's a relief."

"I don't know how to repay your kindness..."

"Don't worry about it. I just need to take Yeon Jeok-sim's corpse, so please give me a coffin to put the corpse in."

"Yes, I understand. But I have one request."

"What is it?"

Chae Gong-gong swallowed his dry saliva and said carefully with a desperate expression.

"I would appreciate it if the Martial Alliance did not know that we hid the Demonic Cult members. If the Martial Alliance finds out, they will surely suspect us of being Demonic Cult members and arrest us. I want to avoid that at all costs."

Jin Sa-wol looked around the main hall, which was full of corpses and blood, and then said.

"Ordinary people can't speak so calmly in this situation, like the master. It's normal to be scared or cover your nose, but it seems this happens often?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, Chae Gong-gong shook his head.

"It's not a frequent occurrence, but if I get flustered, my family will become anxious. So I'm just enduring my fear."

Jin Sa-wol smiled as if he liked Chae Gong-gong's answer.

"It would be better to cut ties with the Demonic Cult."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Chae Gong-gong's eyes widened. Jin Sa-wol spoke again, as if he didn't care whether he was surprised or not.

"You hid the Demonic Cult members because of their threats? Do you think the Martial Alliance will believe that? Anyway, the Martial Alliance will not kill the master. But the Demonic Cult is different. The Demonic Cult will kill the master and all his family members before the Martial Alliance even arrives here. So leave."

"We can't leave here. We have lived here for generations and have lived as dignitaries."

"Are you going to let them all die? The Demonic Cult likes to throw away those who have served their purpose."

"Young Master Jin."

"You know me."

Jin Sa-wol revealed his killing intent at Chae Gong-gong, who had called his surname.

Chae Gong-gong threw a gaze with a resolute will, unlike before.

"I can be a dog that is abandoned by its master, but I cannot be a dog that bites its master."

At the words 'thrown away after being used', Chae Gong-gong clearly conveyed his feelings.

The one who was surprised was Jin Sa-wol. He never thought there would be someone who was so loyal, like Chae Gong-gong.

"Are you saying you'll die like this?"

"That's right."

"If the Cult tells you to die, will you die?"

"Of course."

At Chae Gong-gong's answer, Jin Sa-wol tilted his head. It was an incomprehensible answer.

Chae Gong-gong spoke again.

"Because the Cult existed, I was able to live as a dignitary here and enjoy wealth and honor. If there is no Cult, there is no Nokokjang."

At Chae Gong-gong's answer, Jin Sa-wol was silent for a moment.

Jo Geom-ok said.

"Are you admitting that you are a Demonic Cult member?"

"That's right."

"You'll have nothing to say even if you die."

"Kill me. Hoo..."

Chae Gong-gong closed his eyes as if he had resigned himself.

But Jo Geom-ok did not move her sword. It was because of Jin Sa-wol's sharp gaze.

"What I want is Yeon Jeok-sim's corpse, so I will take the corpse. And master."

"Please speak."

"Do you have children? If you have children, I will take them."

At the words to give up his children, Chae Gong-gong's eyes widened. He was surprised because he never thought he would demand a hostage.

Chae Gong-gong had two sons and one daughter. One son had left home after getting married, and now a son and a daughter who were not yet adults were at home.

Chae Gong-gong had a very unpleasant and angry expression.

"I can't do that. Just kill me instead."

"The Demonic Cult will kill the master. All the family members too. Will you kill your children too?"

"That can't be."

Although he heard Jin Sa-wol's words, Chae Gong-gong had a face that could not believe it.

"It's a year. We will protect them for a year. The inn has a lot of jobs. We're short of hands. If there is no attack from the Demonic Cult even after a year, take them. That's the condition that I won't tell the Martial Alliance anything."

Hearing Jin Sa-wol's story, Chae Gong-gong thought it was not a bad condition.

"Alright. But I can't send them right away."

"It's a month. They have to arrive at the inn within that time."

"I will do so."

Chae Gong-gong was grateful for the one month's time and cupped his fist.

Jin Sa-wol nodded and then went outside.

A short while later, a cart carrying a coffin left the manor. It was a coffin containing Yeon Jeok-sim's corpse.

Jo Geom-ok, who was sitting in the driver's seat, could not overcome her curiosity and asked.

"Why did you advise someone to run away, which is unlike you? And to a Demonic Cult member at that."

"The master is a person who knows loyalty. If so, his children will also know loyalty. Since the inn is short of hands, I just thought it would be good if people who know loyalty came."

Jo Geom-ok smiled, thinking, 'Is that the only reason?' and pulled the horse.

"Well done."

At Jo Geom-ok's praise, Jin Sa-wol leaned against the coffin and said.

"Who is praising whom?"

Jin Sa-wol's strong energy pressed Jo Geom-ok's shoulders. Jo Geom-ok felt a chill run down her spine and threw an awkward smile.

"It just came out without me knowing."

Although he heard Jo Geom-ok's story, Jin Sa-wol was silent. An awkward air flowed between the two.

* * *

Thump! Thump!

The young man, who had fallen to the yard, breaking the wall, rolled on the ground and then leaned against a tree.

It was Woo Jeong-bong.

"Keuk!"

Woo Jeong-bong, who had wiped the blood flowing from his lips, held his sword, but his legs were weak, unlike usual.

"What happened?"

It was the third day since Jin Sa-wol and Jo Geom-ok had left.

In fact, even if he went to the brothel for two days, he only drank for a while and then returned to guard the inn. But on the third day, he thought he should drink all night and called the courtesans.

But this kind of trouble had happened.

While drinking, he suddenly felt sleepy. When he tried to circulate his internal energy to come to his senses, his dantian was tingling and painful.

It seemed he had been hit by a qi-scattering poison.

By the time he realized that, sleepiness had dominated his head, and he could not come to his senses.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three women landed in front of Woo Jeong-bong.

"Wow, how amazing."

"It's an amount that would make even a bull collapse, but he's enduring it."

"Oh my! How cool."

The three women chattered, looking at Woo Jeong-bong.

"What about the aphrodisiac?"

"He hasn't drunk the wine with the aphrodisiac yet. We have to make him drink it."

The woman holding the wine bottle smiled and approached Woo Jeong-bong.

"Get back!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Woo Jeong-bong moved his sword and cut the approaching woman.

But the woman quickly turned her body to the left and dodged Woo Jeong-bong's sword.

In that instant, another woman appeared on Woo Jeong-bong's right and grabbed his arm and shoulder and pressed down.

"Stay still!"

(End of Chapter)