Kang Sogun

"The Dragon Slaying Society!"

This time, even Sim Mabaek and Wi Eunghwan were surprised and took the words in a low voice.

It was understandable that they had met masters of two of the Four Great Powers of the world in a shabby inn on the outskirts of Anqing.

"What is your relationship with the Dragon Slaying Society and the Great Righteous Martial Hall?"

Jang Mugang asked with a puzzled expression, turning his gaze to Kang Sogun.

"There is no relationship."

Kang Sogun said flatly.

"No relationship? We stayed at the same inn and wandered the mountains together all day today. Where else would you find such a connection?"

No Ichil played dumb and then said to Jang Mugang and the others.

"The dogs that followed us also need to rest, so how about we all go inside and talk?"

They all gathered in the dining hall of the outer building.

The owner was excited that three more guests had come in, even though the guests who had stayed for a long time had said they were leaving.

Even though it was past mealtime, he did not refuse the request of No Ichil and Jo Unryong and made food for them.

No Ichil and Jo Unryong each sat separately and ate their rice greedily.

Yeon Hwasim's party sat around a long table, and Kang Sogun also sat at the end.

He was facing Yeon Hwasim. Yeon Hwasim saw the bloodstains on Kang Sogun's clothes.

A corner of her heart ached, but at the same time, a feeling of resentment also arose.

'If only that person hadn't left the Three Blade Sect.'

If so, perhaps her father, Yeon Seongyeol, would still be alive.

But thanks to him, she and the Heavenly Fire Brigade had been able to escape the manor alive.

'How can I blame him?'

If you think about it, it was she who had brought Kang Sogun into it in the first place.

Yeon Hwasim's mind was in a turmoil with various thoughts, and she could not get a grip.

She did not know how to treat Kang Sogun. So she could only hesitate and could not open her mouth first.

"I'm sorry. It seems I've brought the enemy."

Kang Sogun suddenly blurted out a word and then closed his mouth.

"How is that your fault?"

Jang Mugang said. The others also did not blame Kang Sogun.

It was natural for the Heavenly Martial Faction to chase Kang Sogun.

They just thought it was bad luck.

Jang Mugang sighed inwardly.

'We tried to shake off the enemy's pursuit, but instead, we've revealed ourselves. What should we do?'

It was regrettable, but the situation had already happened.

'And what's with the Great Righteous Martial Hall and the Dragon Slaying Society?'

Jang Mugang could not tell if those two were enemies or allies.

They claimed to be accompanying Kang Sogun, but Kang Sogun was not paying any attention to them at all.

'Could the movements of the Great Righteous Martial Hall and the Dragon Slaying Society be this fast?'

Jang Mugang knew Kang Sogun's martial prowess. He was the best martial artist and killing star he had ever seen.

Since he was at odds with the Heavenly Martial Faction and was being chased, it might be natural for the Great Righteous Martial Hall or the Dragon Slaying Society to try to recruit him.

But it was too fast.

'Are they really the hegemons of the world?'

Jang Mugang, seeing No Ichil and Jo Unryong eating separately, suddenly realized something.

They had an atmosphere of not caring at all, even though they knew they were being chased by the enemy.

'They must have a military force supporting them from behind.'

In fact, that made more sense.

The third young master of the Dragon Slaying Society or the master of the ten halls of the Great Righteous Martial Hall would not be wandering around without a military escort.

They had no worries, but this side had no such military force.

The Heavenly Fire Brigade, as bait, would be luring the Heavenly Martial Faction's pursuit team and fleeing.

Jang Mugang's head throbbed.

He was not afraid of a fight.

He was worried that he would not be able to keep Yeon Seongyeol's last request.

"I should go in and rest."

Kang Sogun stood up from his seat and went to his guest room.

"Why did he have to come here? It's like he's bringing disaster."

Sim Mabaek's grumbling was heard.

"..."

Kang Sogun hesitated for a moment.

"Why are you saying such useless things?"

Jang Mugang said a word to Sim Mabaek.

Kang Sogun slowly turned around and said a word.

"Again, I'm sorry. I will take care of the enemy I brought."

Kang Sogun left a word as if dropping it and went into his guest room.

Jang Mugang was lost in thought for a moment and then called his party.

"Let's go to my room."

He was concerned about No Ichil and Jo Unryong.

As they all went to Jang Mugang's guest room, No Ichil watched their backs carefully.

Jo Unryong paid attention to Yeon Hwasim.

Yeon Hwasim was like a flower in full bloom. Although her face was now full of sorrow and resentment, it could not hide a beauty that would captivate the eyes of any man.

Seeing Jo Unryong, No Ichil laughed to himself.

'Young blood is unavoidable.'

No Ichil had already roughly grasped the identities of Yeon Hwasim's party.

'That child must be Sect Master Yeon's daughter. Those three are the Three Tigers of Shandong. That man must be the bodyguard.'

Unlike No Ichil, who had an information network, Jo Unryong did not know the identities of Yeon Hwasim's party.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked No Ichil.

"Do you know who they are?"

"Why? What are you curious about?"

"He seems to know that man, but seeing how they treat each other, it doesn't seem like it."

"Kehehe. I'll tell you if you buy me a drink."

"Hmph!"

Jo Unryong snorted and stood up.

He was not a person who asked for favors.

"That kid, what a temper."

No Ichil let out a hollow laugh as if he were dumbfounded and called the owner.

"Owner! Bring me a bottle of wine here."

The owner brought wine and a cup.

The owner, who looked to be about fifty, had a fat build and a puffy face.

"Hehe. Guest. You have to pay in advance. As you can see, it's late at night, and I have to go to bed too."

The owner also received the lodging fee in advance.

Since the inn was shabby, it seemed there were guests who ran away without paying.

No Ichil took out a money pouch from his bosom and handed it to him.

"!"

What was placed in the owner's hand was a silver tael and a small wooden plaque with ten swords drawn on it.

The owner quickly closed his hand to hide the wooden plaque and said.

"Hehe. To give so much. Then I will bring some more side dishes."

A moment later, the owner brought a stir-fried meat dish on a tray.

"If you need anything, please just tell me anytime. That's where I'm staying, so if you just knock, I'll come out right away."

To others, it was a very ordinary thing to say, but to No Ichil, it had a different meaning.

'The preparations are already finished, so if you just give the signal, they will appear right away!'

"Haha, I have no intention of doing so, but you never know. The side dishes might run out before I finish the wine."

No Ichil poured a cup of wine, drank it, and then said.

"Oh, right. The person who came with me. Won't you bring him dinner? I'll pay for it."

No Ichil took out a silver tael from his money pouch again and placed it in the owner's hand.

The owner bowed his head deeply.

"Yes, yes. I will do so. It would be troublesome if someone who came to the Pyeong'an Inn went to bed hungry."

Kang Sogun sat on his bed and performed qi circulation and injury healing.

His whole body was a wreck from the continuous fierce battles and forced movements of the past few days.

Kang Sogun's tightly closed eyebrows twitched.

-Thump, thump.

The sound of approaching footsteps was heard from outside.

-Knock, knock!

Kang Sogun opened his eyes.

"I've brought dinner."

Kang Sogun had not asked for dinner.

-Creak.

The owner pushed the door and entered without even waiting for an answer.

A tray was in his hand.

As his eyes met Kang Sogun's, the owner flinched and then placed the tray on the table.

"Your companion ordered it for you. He said you haven't eaten at all..."

Kang Sogun silently nodded.

The owner bowed his head and said in a low voice.

"He said to tell you that there will be something you need."

The owner's gaze turned to the tray and then he looked straight at Kang Sogun's eyes again. Then he went out right away.

Kang Sogun looked at where the owner's gaze had been and saw a small wooden box between the food bowls.

Kang Sogun stood up from his seat and picked up the wooden box.

The wooden box was sealed with wax.

"!"

When he opened the wooden box, a clear fragrance flowed out. It contained a yellowish pill.

At a glance, it was clear that it was a rare panacea that was not easy to obtain.

Silver powder was sprinkled around the pill. It was to show that there was no poison.

Kang Sogun thought for a moment and then put the pill in his mouth.

A clear fragrance filled his mouth, and the pill melted in an instant, passed down his throat, and flowed into his stomach.

Soon, a clear energy spread from his stomach.

Kang Sogun immediately sat cross-legged and operated his Golden Elixir True Art.

As the energy of the Golden Elixir True Art circulated, the energy of the medicine gathered in his dantian and then spread to his four limbs and hundred bones.

Kang Sogun fell into a state of selflessness.

***

Two messengers entered Jo Gaeryang's office at almost the same time.

"Are you the messenger of the killing demon squad? Report quickly."

"The bastard is staying at the Pyeong'an Inn on the outskirts of Anqing. But he has companions, and there were also people waiting there."

"Who are the companions, and who are the ones waiting?"

"The companions were a middle-aged man dressed as a merchant and a young ronin. The ones waiting were four men and one woman. The men looked to be in their early twenties, mid-thirties, late thirties, and early forties, and the woman was a young maiden who looked to be not yet twenty."

Jo Gaeryang slapped the armrest of his chair and stood up.

"Did you say a young maiden?"

"Yes."

"What is your report?"

Jo Gaeryang hastily asked the second messenger. He was a messenger from the Shadow Ghost Brigade, which had chased the Three Blade Sect disciples.

"The commander told me to report. It seems the Heavenly Fire Brigade was bait, and the daughter of the Three Blade Sect Master seems to have escaped in the middle."

"It's certain!"

Jo Gaeryang clapped his hands in triumph.

He had thought that they were chasing the Heavenly Fire Brigade's tracks too easily.

'So they used such a cute trick?'

Jo Gaeryang said to the Shadow Ghost Brigade messenger.

"You go back right away and tell the Shadow Ghost Brigade Commander. If he can easily strike the Heavenly Fire Brigade, then catch them, and if not, tell him to come back right away. We have to join up as soon as possible."

"As you command!"

The prostrating Shadow Ghost Brigade messenger stood up and went outside.

Jo Gaeryang said to the killing demon squad messenger.

"Tell the killing demon squad's deputy commander. From now on, pursue and kill! Kill all the hangers-on next to them! But, you must drive that bastard and the young maiden to Hefei alive. Make it clear."

"As you command!"

Even after giving the order, he was not at ease, so he ordered once more.

"The main camp will follow soon. You must use any means necessary to drive them to Hefei!"

"As you command!"

The killing demon squad messenger ran outside.

Jo Gaeryang, who was left alone, looked at the map. In the middle of the map was a city with a red flag, and below it was written "Hefei."

Jo Gaeryang gathered his thoughts for a moment.

When reporting to the Heavenly Martial Faction Master, Gu Yeongang, he had to have expected questions and countermeasures.

Jo Gaeryang organized the questions and answers that Gu Yeongang would ask and then left his office.

***

Kang Sogun's appearance as he left the guest room was dignified.

He had bathed and changed his clothes at dawn. His neatly combed hair, tied in a knot and hanging down his back, reached his waist.

"You look like a different person."

No Ichil smiled meaningfully.

Kang Sogun looked at No Ichil blankly.

'The hall master of the Great Righteous Martial Hall!'

He could guess the intention of his offer of goodwill.

If you think about it, he had shown goodwill ever since he had first seen him at the Huayang Inn in Xinyang.

Kang Sogun had no intention of getting involved in the power struggles of the martial world.

If he were alone, he would have refused No Ichil's proposal. Because there is no goodwill without a reason.

But he had to protect Yeon Hwasim's safety. Because he had brought the enemy.

So he had taken the panacea for now.

Kang Sogun did not care about the means and methods once he had set a goal.

That was the reason he had been able to come out alive from that huge space of death, the Martial Tomb.

(End of Chapter)