Swordless Demonic Path

"This bitch!"

"Young Master!"

"Hmph! You're a witch! You used a trick!"

As Bang Dae-am collapsed, the members of the Sea Dragon Faction showed their anger and killing intent towards Jo Geom-ok. But they did not move easily.

"Do you think you can live safely after killing our young master? Tell me your name!"

As the young man with a fierce impression shouted, Jo Geom-ok showed a faint smile.

"I am Jo Geom-ok of Wudang."

Jo Geom-ok of the Wudang Sect was also known in the martial world as a disciple of the former leader.

The members of the Sea Dragon Faction stood with bewildered faces.

"If you want to avenge your grudge, come to the Gangnam Grand Inn. I'll accept you anytime."

At Jo Geom-ok's words, the members of the Sea Dragon Faction were enraged.

But there was no way they would go to the Gangnam Grand Inn on the mainland, leaving the sea. And there was also no way Jo Geom-ok would go to the sea.

The reason she mentioned the Gangnam Grand Inn was to say that since Jin Sa-wol had killed the young master, he should take responsibility for it.

Thump-thump-thump! Thump-thump!

Just then, the ground vibrated, and numerous government soldiers came out of the city gate and surrounded the area.

"Stop!"

A government official in official robes shouted. Although they had come out late on purpose, they also had to show the citizens that they were working.

The onlookers who had gathered around the city gate would spread the news of today's incident.

"Run."

Whoosh!

As Jin Sa-wol unfolded his lightness skill, Jo Geom-ok quickly ran. Behind them, Woo Jeong-bong ran down the main road in a hurry!

-Whistle!

"Stop! You bastards!"

Although the official blew his whistle and shouted, the three had already disappeared far away.

* * *

Jin Sa-wol, who had jumped over five mountains in one breath with his lightness skill, entered a small tavern and sat down.

Behind him, Jo Geom-ok and Woo Jeong-bong came in.

"Ha! Ha! I think I got indigestion from running so fast."

Woo Jeong-bong grumbled and drank water.

As a waiter approached, Jo Geom-ok ordered food.

Jin Sa-wol, who had belatedly noticed that Son Ae-hwa was not there, asked.

"Where's Ae-hwa?"

"She said she had something to do."

"I told her not to act on her own..."

At Woo Jeong-bong's answer, Jin Sa-wol nodded. If it was Son Ae-hwa's business, it could only be the Blood Saber Faction.

But he could not just let her move on her own without his permission.

Jin Sa-wol's expression turned indifferent.

* * *

"Damn it!"

Thump!

Mun-gok, the second leader of the Blood Saber Faction, who had slammed the table in the room, had a face full of annoyance. It was a chance to drive back the Hainan Sect, but it was ruined because of Hyun Jin.

Even though the Sea Dragon Faction was with them, they had to retreat because the government troops came.

"The Wudang Sect, you bastards."

Mun-gok, who recalled Woo Jeong-bong, poured wine and drank.

Just as he had finished drinking the wine and was about to put down the wine cup, thwack! a dagger was deeply embedded in his temple.

Mun-gok stared blankly at the front with his eyes wide open. In front of his eyes, he briefly saw Son Ae-hwa, who was wearing a white light robe. That was the end.

"Since I couldn't kill the Blood Saber Faction Master, I'll have to soothe my grudge with your life for now."

Son Ae-hwa had entered the Blood Saber Faction to kill the Blood Saber Faction Master, but she couldn't do it because she had met Jin Sa-wol.

She didn't say it because there was no need to, but she was planning to kill the Blood Saber Faction Master someday.

But when she thought about it, it seemed more convenient to borrow Jin Sa-wol's power to kill the Blood Saber Faction Master.

Creak!

Just then, a man in black, with his bamboo hat pressed down, opened the door and came in.

The man in black, who was in his mid-thirties and had long sideburns, had narrow and small eyes and a cold face with protruding cheekbones.

He saw Son Ae-hwa and the dead Mun-gok and drew a cold smile on his lips.

"You're a stray cat."

The moment the man in the bamboo hat's words ended, a willow-leaf dart from Son Ae-hwa's hand cut through the air. It was also in that instant that the man in the bamboo hat's hand drew his sword.

Clang! Rustle!

A sharp sword energy that cut the hidden weapon and at the same time cut the neck of the dead Mun-gok cut through the air.

Thump!

Whoosh!

As the wall collapsed with a strong impact, the man in the bamboo hat, who had come out there, smiled as he saw Son Ae-hwa, who was jumping over the roof.

Above his head, men in black in similar attire flew through the air.

"Demonic Spirit Step? Is it Hwahwaru?"

Whoosh!

The man in the bamboo hat quickly jumped over the roof and chased after Son Ae-hwa.

* * *

Son Ae-hwa, who had entered the crowd, moved her steps slowly. In that instant, a clamorous sound was heard from behind, and a scream echoed.

"Ugh!"

"Ack!"

The men in black were running towards Son Ae-hwa, cutting down the people who were blocking their advance with their swords.

Son Ae-hwa, who turned her head at the scream, opened her eyes wide with a hardened expression.

"What kind of bastards are those!"

Whoosh!

Son Ae-hwa, who had jumped up from the crowd, jumped over the roof and headed for the west gate. It was because Woo Jeong-bong had gone there.

Shwaak!

A man in a bamboo hat approached from the right with a low posture. Two were also approaching from the left.

But Son Ae-hwa was not flustered and threw hidden weapons to the left and right, kicked the city wall, and jumped up.

Thump! Thump!

As she jumped up, the men in bamboo hats also followed and moved.

Whoosh!

Son Ae-hwa, who had climbed the city wall like a squirrel, skillfully rotated and jumped off the city wall.

Just before she landed on the ground, she saw Jin Sa-wol below. Her eyes and Jin Sa-wol's eyes met in the air.

Son Ae-hwa felt a chill run down her spine at the cold chill.

Whoosh!

Son Ae-hwa, who had landed on the ground, quickly rotated and hid her body behind him.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm being chased."

Papapat! Whoosh!

Immediately after Son Ae-hwa's answer, five men in bamboo hats fell in front of Jin Sa-wol.

"Are they comrades?"

The man in the bamboo hat with a sharp impression in the very front asked, and Jin Sa-wol shook his head.

"She's my bodyguard."

At the word 'bodyguard', the man in the bamboo hat looked at Son Ae-hwa for a moment. No matter how he looked, it was not the attire of a bodyguard.

The man in the bamboo hat slung his sword over his shoulder and took a step towards Jin Sa-wol.

"The second leader of the Blood Saber Faction was killed by that bitch. The Blood Saber Faction is also putting in effort in our Cult. If that bitch is your bodyguard, you must be the one behind the killing of the second leader."

"The Cult... the Demonic Cult?"

"That's right."

A cold smile appeared on the lips of the man in the bamboo hat who had admitted to being from the Demonic Cult.

There was no martial artist who would not be nervous after hearing the name 'Demonic Cult'.

In the eyes of the man in the bamboo hat, Jin Sa-wol looked ordinary. Although he had a sword at his waist, it looked like a sword that a rich young master would carry for decoration.

Since he was a young man with no trace of having trained in martial arts, he thought it would be easy.

"To think I would meet the Demonic Cult in a place like this."

Swish!

Jin Sa-wol, who had taken a step forward, drew his sword.

Clang!

As Jin Sa-wol drew his sword and held it in his hand, the man in the bamboo hat showed an eye-smile and sneered.

"To point a sword at us, you must have a lot of guts. To face our Ghost Water Pavilion..."

Swish!

Jin Sa-wol's figure appeared one zhang in front of the man in the bamboo hat in an instant.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had increased to five, was standing in his original place again like a phantom.

Drip!

A red drop of blood flowed down from the foreheads of the men in bamboo hats.

"You're all talk."

Jin Sa-wol put his sword back in its scabbard with a disappointed expression. He had thought it would be a great amusement if they had received even a single blow, but unfortunately, the men in bamboo hats could not.

The men in bamboo hats stared blankly at the front and then collapsed with silence.

Thump! Thump! Thud!

Unlike their confident appearance full of killing intent, it was a very futile death.

The person who was surprised to see that scene was Son Ae-hwa, who was standing behind Jin Sa-wol.

'What is it?'

She felt as if Jin Sa-wol's movements were like a ghost. He had suddenly increased to five, and at some point, he was standing in front of her.

"The Ghost Water Pavilion are water bandits, but they're playing on land."

Jin Sa-wol muttered, put away his sword, and walked forward.

The Ghost Water Pavilion was known as one of the nine pavilions, and they were guys who lived in the water. Besides that, there was not much known about them, like the other organizations of the Demonic Cult.

"Hiccup! Hmph!"

Son Ae-hwa, who was standing there, unable to come to her senses, quickly followed behind Jin Sa-wol.

"How... hmph, did you do it?"

"I just kill the Demonic Cult members."

Jin Sa-wol, who was walking ahead, answered and then stopped walking. Son Ae-hwa also stopped.

Jin Sa-wol stared at Son Ae-hwa with cold eyes.

"Who told you to act on your own?"

"That... that."

Son Ae-hwa trembled her body as if a huge pressure were pressing down on her shoulders. The hiccups stopped then.

"I'm sorry."

She, who had bowed her head and apologized without realizing it, felt as if she were caught in a huge net.

"I'll forgive you this once, but there won't be a second time."

"Yes."

Son Ae-hwa, who had answered Jin Sa-wol politely, was showing a very fast adaptability.

She gathered her confused mind and quickly said.

"I want to take revenge."

"Revenge?"

"My parents are dead, but the Blood Saber Faction killed my older brother and family. I entered the Blood Saber Faction to kill the leader when I had a chance."

"With your skills, you would have just seen a chance."

"That's right."

Son Ae-hwa answered as if she knew her own skills well. But since she had seen Jin Sa-wol's martial arts, she absolutely had to get Jin Sa-wol's help in this matter.

"Please. I'll do anything you say, so please help me."

Son Ae-hwa's eyes were full of a hot desire. It meant that it was not a lie.

Jin Sa-wol showed a cold smile.

No matter what various circumstances Son Ae-hwa had, he judged that there was a problem with how she treated him.

There was a need to correct it.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"I was too surprised and flustered then. And I didn't want to drag you into my business. Because it's dangerous."

"You said your siblings were missing, but they were killed by the Blood Saber Faction."

Jin Sa-wol recalled a few days ago when Son Ae-hwa had mentioned the death of her parents and spoke again.

"If you deceive me, I won't forgive you."

Son Ae-hwa swallowed her dry saliva and nodded.

"Yes."

"You have a lot to do in the future."

"I'll do it. I'm confident I can do anything you tell me to do."

Since she had seen Jin Sa-wol's martial arts, Son Ae-hwa said repeatedly. Jin Sa-wol walked forward and said.

"After this is over, we'll stop by the Blood Saber Faction."

"Yes."

At the words that they were going to the Blood Saber Faction, Son Ae-hwa showed an eye-smile in a good mood.

Jin Sa-wol pretended not to see and moved his steps.

'After this is over, I'll have to stop by the Blood Saber Faction on my way back to the inn.'

* * *

Jin Sa-wol and his party, who had left Guangzhou City, unfolded their lightness skill for a dozen or so days and arrived at the end of Cheonbong Mountain, which was the base of the esoteric sect, and near Dok-san.

There was nothing special on the way here. One thing he had clearly found out was that Woo Jeong-bong's reputation had greatly increased.

Woo Jeong-bong was being called the Wind Sword of Wudang. If it was the Wind Sword Hyun Jin, he was now a master recognized by many.

It was a good thing for Jin Sa-wol that Woo Jeong-bong's reputation was rising. It was because he would become a shield.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had jumped over the mountain with his lightness skill, stopped in front of a stream that flowed between the mountains.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

With the sound of wind, his comrades appeared behind him.

The party looked around at the corpses scattered with the smell of blood. The corpses were full up to the entrance of the valley.

Although they had often seen corpses on their way here, it was the first time they had seen so many corpses like this.

What was different from the corpses they had seen before was the smell of blood. They were corpses that had died not long ago.

"It's the Diancang Sect and the Wind Blood Pavilion of the Demonic Cult."

Son Ae-hwa, who was looking at the corpses, jumped forward and looked at the other corpses and said.

"There's also the Black Dragon Faction. And... there's also the Blood Curtain."

As Son Ae-hwa turned her head, it was not Jin Sa-wol, but Woo Jeong-bong's expression that hardened.

"The Blood Curtain?"

"Yes. It's the Blood Curtain."

At Son Ae-hwa's answer, Woo Jeong-bong, who had approached her side, looked at the corpse wearing a red martial arts uniform.

It was definitely the attire he had seen at the Blood Curtain.

Woo Jeong-bong frowned with an annoyed expression.

Jin Sa-wol moved his steps into the valley at the sound of wind and footsteps from behind.

"Someone is coming from behind. Let's go."

At his words, the party headed for Gwi-mu Valley.

After they had left and about a moment had passed, hundreds of warriors appeared.

(End of Chapter)