Swordless Demonic Path

Whoosh!

In the instant he jumped over the rock, a dozen or so bundles of hidden weapons flew in from the bushes.

Woo Jeong-bong hurriedly turned his body and parried the hidden weapons with his sword.

Clatter-clang!

As the sharp hidden weapons scattered in all directions, he immediately unfolded his sword energy into the bushes.

Papapat!

The trees and grass were cut, and a strong wind rose and spread in all directions.

Swish!

Woo Jeong-bong landed in the dense forest. A deep silence flowed in the dark forest where even sunlight barely seeped in.

"This feeling is not good. Hoo..."

Woo Jeong-bong calmed his breathing and then focused on his hearing.

The forest, where a cool wind was blowing, was full of deep shadows created by the forest.

A woman wearing a deep black robe and a black hood was standing on a tree about three zhang to Woo Jeong-bong's left.

She was holding four willow-leaf darts in each hand and was looking at Woo Jeong-bong out of the corner of her eye.

'She's a master.'

It was Woo Jeong-bong who had easily killed Mi Ga-reung.

The woman knew well that she could never win if she fought him head-on.

Thump-thump-thump!

As the wind blew and passed through the leaves, a sound like a shower of rain echoed. The woman used that gap to throw four willow-leaf darts at Woo Jeong-bong.

Papapat! Shwaak!

The willow-leaf darts, mixed with the sound of the wind, flew towards Woo Jeong-bong at a fast speed.

Woo Jeong-bong moved his ears, then quickly turned his body to the left and swung his sword.

Clang!

As the willow-leaf darts bounced off with a sharp sound, a sword tip flew in with a flashing light in between.

It was a lightning-fast sword.

Clang!

The moment the sword and the sword crossed, the eyes of the woman wearing the hood widened.

Until now, no one had ever blocked her surprise attack like this. But Woo Jeong-bong had blocked the surprise attack so easily.

Papapat!

The woman quickly retreated. But Woo Jeong-bong's sword did not leave her alone.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

His sword, filled with sword energy, cut and stabbed the woman's waist and legs.

Thump!

A tree was caught in the sword energy and was cut down.

The woman threw another hidden weapon and retreated.

Swish!

In that instant, a sharp sword flew in from behind her. It was Jo Geom-ok. The woman twisted her waist to dodge and then climbed up a tree.

Thump!

As Jo Geom-ok's palm struck the tree trunk, the tree broke.

"Hmph!"

Whoosh!

Woo Jeong-bong's sword flew at her as she tried to move from the falling tree to another tree.

"Where are you running to!"

Woo Jeong-bong's sword, which had jumped high, was aimed at the woman's waist. The woman rotated her body and threw all the hidden weapons she had.

Papapat! Shwish!

As dozens of willow-leaf darts and daggers scattered in all directions, Woo Jeong-bong had no choice but to turn and hide behind a tree.

In the meantime, the woman disappeared into the forest.

"I won't miss you!"

Whoosh!

As Woo Jeong-bong unfolded his lightness skill to follow, Jo Geom-ok also moved with him.

Whoosh!

The woman, who had kicked a tree and jumped up, stopped when she reached an open space around a valley. She had promised to meet her subordinates who had fled there.

But there was no one at the promised place.

Feeling strange, she put strength into her feet to move.

"Where are you going?"

Startled by the low voice, she turned her head. She saw a man standing in front of her, one zhang away.

It was Jin Sa-wol.

"Huh?"

The woman's eyes widened when she saw Jin Sa-wol. It didn't seem like she was surprised because he had appeared next to her without a sound.

"Why are you here?"

The woman asked, taking off her hood. Jin Sa-wol smiled when he saw her face.

The woman was Son Ae-hwa.

Instead of answering, Jin Sa-wol asked.

"And you?"

Son Ae-hwa looked around, and after confirming that there was no one, she opened her mouth.

"I'm working."

"Work? Didn't you leave the martial world?"

"I was going to leave. Ha..."

Son Ae-hwa frowned as if she had a problem and let out a deep sigh.

"I have to work to eat and live. When I went to my hometown, both my parents had died of illness, and my remaining siblings were missing. I thought about looking for them, but how can I find them when they've disappeared? And what would I do if I found them? I just gave up. And then, my livelihood was at stake."

If you don't work, you can't eat and live. That was natural.

In the end, Son Ae-hwa went out to find work.

"The only thing I can do is kill people, but I can't become an assassin, and I thought I would stand out if a woman became a hunter alone, so I just joined an unorthodox sect."

"The Blood Saber Faction?"

"That's right, the Blood Saber Faction. It's a faction that's been on the rise lately."

"I heard the Blood Saber Faction is in the south of Fujian?"

"They're expanding their influence. They were trying to take control of this area too. They were going to take over the mountain fortress of Wushan, but the guys from the Hengshan Sect are interfering. So we have to fight."

"The Hengshan Sect is a pretty big sect. The Blood Saber Faction won't be able to handle it, will they?"

"They're fighting because they can handle it now. As you know, the unorthodox guys attack mercilessly if they think they can win. Because they're a tribe that's weak to the strong and strong to the weak. They're doing it because they can."

At Son Ae-hwa's words, Jin Sa-wol roughly grasped the situation. But it was a separate matter from him. There was no need to get involved.

Swish!

As Jin Sa-wol's hand went into his sleeve, Son Ae-hwa instinctively retreated half a zhang.

There was no way to win against Jin Sa-wol at this distance.

'Should I give up?'

From the moment she saw Jin Sa-wol, there was no way to escape.

"Don't be scared."

Jin Sa-wol smiled, then took out a money pouch from his sleeve and threw it to Son Ae-hwa.

Thump!

Son Ae-hwa, who had received the money pouch, tilted her head, not knowing what it meant.

Jin Sa-wol said.

"It's the price of your life."

"What..."

Her eyes widened when she saw that the money pouch was full of silver coins.

"If you come under me, you won't have any problem making a living."

Hearing Jin Sa-wol's words, she smiled and took the money pouch.

"What do I have to do if I go under you?"

"What I tell you to do."

"What is that?"

"For now, a bodyguard."

At the word 'bodyguard', Son Ae-hwa nodded. It was because she had received a considerable amount of money for the price of a bodyguard.

"If I run away?"

"You die."

At Jin Sa-wol's short word, Son Ae-hwa felt a chill run down her spine.

"But... but my subordinates will be flocking soon... Are you taking them too?"

"They're all dead."

Jin Sa-wol said as if there was no need to wait.

Son Ae-hwa's expression hardened.

It felt as if Jin Sa-wol's martial arts had improved compared to the past. And she also recalled Jin Sa-wol's clean movements when he had dealt with the assassins of the Red Spider Sect in the past.

'I didn't even hear it... I wondered why it was so quiet.'

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Just then, Jo Geom-ok and Woo Jeong-bong appeared on Son Ae-hwa's left and right. Son Ae-hwa instinctively quickly went behind Jin Sa-wol and drew her sword.

To Jo Geom-ok and Woo Jeong-bong, that looked as if she were trying to take Jin Sa-wol hostage.

"Young Master Jin!"

"Sa-wol!"

The two were startled and took a step forward.

Son Ae-hwa said to Jin Sa-wol.

"Those guys are from the Wudang Sect. They're evil orthodox bastards. Kyaak! Tsk! Help me."

"From now on, we're comrades."

"Huh?"

"I said comrades."

"What are you talking about!"

"What!"

"Why with this bitch!"

The three, excluding Jin Sa-wol, shouted at the same time.

Four people were standing in the open space where the stream flowed.

Son Ae-hwa rolled her eyes and quickly judged the current situation.

As she received Jin Sa-wol's cold gaze, she quickly put away her sword and greeted Woo Jeong-bong and Jo Geom-ok.

"I am Son Ae-hwa."

She winked one eye at Woo Jeong-bong and showed a seductive smile.

But Woo Jeong-bong frowned, recalling her, who had thrown hidden weapons in black clothes.

It was not an easy thing to accept a woman who had tried to kill him just a moment ago as a comrade.

"You look like an unorthodox person."

"I just quit. And I was hired by Lord Jin. From now on, I am Lord Jin's attendant and bodyguard."

At Son Ae-hwa's answer, Woo Jeong-bong threw a suspicious gaze.

Jo Geom-ok also seemed to not like it.

"She's a comrade I've known for a long time. Her skills are good."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Woo Jeong-bong cupped his fist at Son Ae-hwa.

"I am Woo Jeong-bong of Wudang. You can just call me Brother Woo. I am a close friend of Young Master Jin, like a real brother."

"Oh my! Really? Then I'll treat you as my older brother. Older Brother Woo, please be comfortable with me. Hohoho!"

Swish!

Son Ae-hwa showed a bright smile and approached Woo Jeong-bong. As she came close, Woo Jeong-bong showed a stiff expression.

Thump!

Son Ae-hwa grabbed Woo Jeong-bong's left hand and spoke again.

"I've always wanted to have a disciple of a famous orthodox sect as my older brother. Please take good care of me."

"Of course."

"Let's go."

Jin Sa-wol shook his head and left the valley.

'Is it because she's from Hwahwaru?'

He thought that Son Ae-hwa's way of handling Woo Jeong-bong was very skillful.

Jo Geom-ok approached.

"Can you trust her?"

"We have to trust her."

Jin Sa-wol, who had answered shortly, unfolded his lightness skill.

* * *

The disciples of the Hengshan Sect, after treating their injuries, stayed in the village and then decided to return to Hengshan.

They were greatly impressed by Woo Jeong-bong's martial arts and thanked Woo Jeong-bong and Jo Geom-ok.

After parting with them, it was about five days later that they entered Guangzhou City.

In the meantime, Woo Jeong-bong and Son Ae-hwa seemed to have become close and talked often.

As they got a room at an inn, the two went outside as if they had promised.

In the room, Jin Sa-wol and Jo Geom-ok were sitting. The voices of the people coming and going were heard beyond the half-open window.

Jo Geom-ok asked as if she had remembered something.

"I've been thinking a lot about the esoteric sect lately, and something came to mind."

"What is it?"

"A traitor."

"Tell me."

Jin Sa-wol showed interest in Jo Geom-ok's words.

Jo Geom-ok spoke again.

"The movements of the esoteric sect were very secretive. When we went to the Martial Alliance, the Alliance Leader said that he could easily sort things out thanks to a traitor in the esoteric sect. It was a passing remark, but I remember it now."

Jin Sa-wol smiled.

"You look like you expected it. Do you know who it is?"

"I don't know who it is. It's just that, in my memory, the esoteric sect was not a place that would be easily annihilated. But if it collapsed easily, it must have been because of an internal enemy."

It was not a wrong statement.

Who would benefit the most if the esoteric sect master died? Jin Sa-wol thought of that person.

* * *

In a dark room, a single oil lamp was floating. Two people were sitting, receiving that light.

One person's face was half-hidden in shadow, and the other person's face could not be seen because he was bowing his head.

They were both middle-aged men who appeared to be in their late forties to early fifties.

The middle-aged man who was bowing his head said.

"Yesterday, all those who entered the first gate of the Musalgwan died."

"Are the riffraff flocking?"

"It seems they are people who came after hearing the rumors of the martial world."

At the answer of the middle-aged man who was bowing his head, the middle-aged man who was half-revealing his face smiled.

He stroked his beard and said.

"Seeing as the ants of the martial world are flocking, it's certain that the legacy of the Three Emperors is here."

"Yes."

"Hurry up. We have to find the place where the phoenix sleeps."

"Understood."

A low voice echoed in the room, and the figure of the middle-aged man who was bowing his head disappeared.

The middle-aged man who was stroking his beard and half-revealing his face had a deep killing intent flickering in his eyes.

"The martial arts of the Three Emperors will all be mine, Jeok Sa-yeong, the descendant of the Sasa Mun."

(End of Chapter)