Kang Sogun

Kang Sogun turned his horse and entered the village as the Jade-Faced Handsome Youth and the others remained in their places.

"What, what just happened?"

The Red Rakshasa muttered with a dazed face, looking at Kang Sogun's disappearing back.

The fight had ended so quickly that she hadn't even been able to see it properly.

She herself did not think she would lose if she fought against the Black and White Twin Demons. But she did not have the confidence to kill two people in one exchange like that.

"Pathetic bastards! To be hit by a preemptive strike while being careless."

The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King said, looking at the Black and White Twin Demons sprawled on the road.

In his eyes, the Black and White Twin Demons seemed to have rushed in as if asking to be killed.

That was how natural the trajectory that Kang Sogun's spear had drawn was.

"No matter how careless they were. It was just one exchange. This is on a different level."

The Red Rakshasa refuted the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King's words.

The Jade-Faced Handsome Youth said with a grave complexion.

"He is a master beyond what I thought. It seems the six guests will have to join."

"What? Are you saying the three of us can't catch that one bastard?"

The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King said, scowling.

The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King was not on good terms with the sixth guest, the Demonic Sword of Qilian.

"Who said that? I'm saying that if we want to kill him without any sacrifices, we need the six guests."

At the Jade-Faced Handsome Youth's words, the Red Rakshasa also nodded.

"I don't want to be pierced by that spear. I won't stop you if you want to test it out."

The Red Rakshasa instigated the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.

The fight had ended so quickly that they could not properly evaluate Kang Sogun's martial prowess.

'Hmph! As if I don't know what you're thinking.'

The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King was also a person with a cunning snake in his heart.

"I'll pass."

Kang Sogun passed through the village's main road and went straight to the port.

Since the Heavenly Martial Faction had released its masters, he intended to lead them as far away from Yeon Hwasim's party as possible.

As he approached a large raft-like boat, the boatman waved his hand. It was a boat that went back and forth, connected by a rope, because the river was narrow.

"If you want to cross with a horse, you have to pay five pun."

As Kang Sogun led his horse and got on, the boatman was about to pull the rope when a shouting voice was heard from the port.

"Wait a moment!"

The voice was familiar, and when he turned around, it was the Fire Dragon Saber, Jo Unryong.

Jo Unryong got on with his horse and smiled at Kang Sogun, showing his white teeth.

Kang Sogun sighed inwardly. It seemed he was going to stick to him like a leech.

The river was not very wide. He could cross it in the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

As Kang Sogun got on his horse and went on his way, Jo Unryong tried to follow.

Kang Sogun stopped his horse and said to Jo Unryong.

"I don't remember allowing you to accompany me."

"I am not a person who goes around with someone's permission. Besides..."

Jo Unryong looked at the other side of the river and said.

The Jade-Faced Handsome Youth and the others were standing and looking this way.

"The Ten Guests of Heavenly Martial are not to be taken lightly. They are very despicable bastards. There's a reason why they are called the trash of the martial world. It will be difficult for you to handle them alone."

"The Ten Guests of Heavenly Martial?"

"The guest retainers of the Heavenly Martial Faction are countless, but among them, the ones who receive the most honored guest treatment are the Ten Guests."

Kang Sogun could not understand Jo Unryong's intentions.

"They are my enemies, so I will handle them."

Kang Sogun had recovered about seventy percent of his internal energy while recuperating at the Shangguan Residence.

"It's difficult to deal with those bastards with just martial arts."

It seemed Jo Unryong knew a lot about the Heavenly Martial Faction.

"...?"

"Why do you think the Heavenly Martial Faction keeps them as guest retainers? It's to handle the dirty work that the faction disciples can't do themselves. That's why they use all sorts of despicable and underhanded tricks."

"It doesn't matter. Whoever comes will die."

Kang Sogun shook the reins. The horse understood the signal and walked forward.

Jo Unryong followed and said.

"No matter how many you kill, the Ten Guests will still be the Ten Guests. Because they can just put another guest retainer in the place of the dead one."

"..."

"The Ten Guests are men of very outstanding martial arts and skill, but you should be especially careful of the first to the fifth guests."

Jo Unryong rode alongside Kang Sogun and continued.

"If I were you, I would have seriously considered joining the Great Righteous Martial Hall."

"..."

Kang Sogun just listened without a word.

"The moment you killed the Heavenly Martial Faction's third young master, you could no longer live under the same sky as Gu Yeongang. You can't handle it alone."

Jo Unryong said as if he were worried about Kang Sogun.

"Why the Great Righteous Martial Hall? Can't it be the Dragon Slaying Society?"

"Because I am in the Dragon Slaying Society."

"...?"

"Because there should only be one tiger on a mountain."

"I see."

Once Jo Unryong started talking, he was very talkative. He was so talkative that it was hard to believe he was the same person.

"I'm not usually this talkative. It's because it's you."

Later, he even made an awkward excuse, as if he himself were embarrassed.

It was a strange thing for Kang Sogun as well.

After coming out into the martial world, Kang Sogun had avoided people.

Although he was a fugitive who had deserted the military, his personality had changed after coming out of the Martial Tomb.

But to have let Jo Unryong by his side was strange even to himself.

It seemed it was because Jo Unryong reminded him of Ma Unsan.

"You say the Ten Guests are such troublesome men, so why are you following me?"

"Hmph! The Ten Guests of Heavenly Martial are no match for me. And if there are two of us, isn't the probability of being caught by an underhanded trick lower?"

"Are you saying you will help me without any reason?"

"Of course there's a reason."

Jo Unryong smiled.

"If I were Gu Yeongang, I would come to find you myself."

"..."

Kang Sogun also had a premonition that he might encounter the Heavenly Martial Faction Master someday. Since he had killed his son, if his subordinates failed, there was a high possibility that he would step up himself.

"If by any chance that man comes, I will be the one to face him."

At Jo Unryong's arrogant words, Kang Sogun let out a hollow laugh.

'He's a madman.'

***

No Ichil came to Jang Mugang's residence.

"Brother Jang. An important matter has come up in our hall, so I have to go to Hefei."

No Ichil's expression was unusual, as if something had happened.

"Not only me, but Brother Shangguan also has to go. So..."

Jang Mugang, thinking that it was time to leave the manor at No Ichil's words, cupped his fists in a salute.

"Thanks to you, we have rested comfortably. Don't worry about us."

"No, I'm not saying you should leave."

No Ichil waved his hand and said with a serious expression.

"I would like your party to go with us. I will guarantee your safety."

No Ichil, afraid that Jang Mugang would refuse, immediately continued.

"The Heavenly Martial Faction is covetously aiming for Miss Yeon, isn't it? I know well that you brothers are not afraid of the Heavenly Martial Faction, but it will take more time to recover from your injuries."

"The help we have received so far is more than enough. We cannot trouble the Great Righteous Martial Hall any further."

"If you say that, I'll be disappointed. This is my will, unrelated to the Great Righteous Martial Hall."

"If we go together, where are we going?"

"We will go to Nanjing."

Jang Mugang thought for a moment and then said.

"I will discuss it with my party."

"We will depart right away tomorrow."

Jang Mugang called Yeon Hwasim and the others.

"Let's go by ourselves. There's no such thing as a free lunch, is there?"

Although Sim Mabaek had said it, Jang Mugang asked for Yeon Hwasim's opinion.

Since Yeon Seongyeol had entrusted Yeon Hwasim's safety to him, her opinion was the most important.

Yeon Hwasim thought for a long time and then said.

"Since we have already received help from the Great Righteous Martial Hall, wouldn't it be difficult to refuse their goodwill?"

Yeon Hwasim did not feel good that the Three Tigers of Shandong and Jungrang had almost died several times because of her. Since things had come to this, she had decided to rely on the Great Righteous Martial Hall.

"I will follow Hall Master No to Nanjing, so the three of you, please don't mind and go your own way now."

"That won't do. I promised the Sect Master that I would take responsibility and take you to Fujian."

Jang Mugang said.

"For the time being, we will act together with the Great Righteous Martial Hall."

As Jang Mugang came to a conclusion and was about to stand up, Yeon Hwasim said.

"How about we contact the Fire Heaven Brigade and have them join us?"

Yeon Hwasim felt a burden in her heart that the Fire Heaven Brigade was being chased as bait.

Jang Mugang thought for a moment and then said.

"I'll talk to Hall Master No. With the Great Righteous Martial Hall's communication network, it seems they can send a letter to the Fire Heaven Brigade."

***

The main hall of the Three Blade Sect.

It had now become the office of the Heavenly Martial Faction Master, Gu Yeongang.

Gu Yeongang looked down at the person who was bowing in front of him.

"His Highness the Prince personally told me to deliver it."

The person who had come from the Prince of Han's residence was disguised as a merchant. He was holding a letter in both hands respectfully.

The Prince of Han was the current emperor's half-brother. Although he was a messenger from the prince's residence, he could not act rashly in front of the Heavenly Martial Faction Master, Gu Yeongang.

Jo Gaeryang, who was next to him, took it instead and handed it to Gu Yeongang.

After reading the letter, Gu Yeongang said to the messenger from the prince's residence.

"Tell him that I will visit him in a fortnight."

The messenger from the prince's residence bowed his head and left the main hall.

Gu Yeongang handed the letter to Jo Gaeryang.

After reading the letter, Jo Gaeryang opened his mouth.

"The Prince of Han is finally moving."

Last summer, the previous emperor had died of illness on his way back from the frontier battlefield.

It had been less than half a year since the current emperor had ascended the throne at the age of forty-six.

"It seems he is going to stage a great event before the current emperor completely takes control of the court."

"Do you think it will succeed?"

"I don't know. But there are not a few who follow the Prince of Han."

Unlike the weak current emperor, the Prince of Han was hegemonic.

"It is not a difficult matter to join hands. But if the great event fails, we will have to bear the full consequences."

Jo Gaeryang had been against joining hands with the Prince of Han.

"Also, he is a person who might change his words after he takes the emperor's seat."

"Hmph! Then I will kill him with my own hands."

Gu Yeongang's words were truly arrogant. But Jo Gaeryang could not openly refute him.

"We cannot ignore the million-strong Golden Army. Besides..."

Jo Gaeryang hesitated for a moment and then continued.

"It seems there is some kind of deal with the Dragon Slaying Society as well."

"The Dragon Slaying Society?"

"Actually, I think the Dragon Slaying Society might be the Prince of Han's hidden military force."

The Dragon Slaying Society was a sect that had been established five years ago with the peasant rebellion forces of the Shandong region as its main body.

It had started as a peasant uprising, but when it was suppressed by the government army, a few figures had fled and had established the Dragon Slaying Society.

"In just five years, it has established itself as a member of the Four Great Powers of the world. It is something that could not have happened without the support of a powerful person."

Gu Yeongang was lost in thought.

"Then if he could just have the Dragon Slaying Society do it, why is he asking us?"

"Haven't you been taking a position of being neither too close nor too far from the Prince of Han all this time? Doesn't it mean that he wants you to make a decision this time?"

"Does it mean that if we catch the crown prince, we can't turn back, so we're in the same boat?"

The Prince of Han had asked him to catch the crown prince who had escaped from Nanjing.

Gu Yeongang was displeased that the power of the court was interfering in the martial world.

"For a long time, the court and the martial world have not interfered with each other. But to break this means that he eventually wants to put the martial world under his feet."

"Let's do this. First, we will advance to Hefei. We can use the pretext of chasing the remnants of the Three Blade Sect to the martial world. If we move, the Prince of Han will think we are in agreement. We will buy time."

It meant that they should make a decision after seeing the political situation.

"Hmm."

Gu Yeongang thought for a long time and then nodded.

"I will return to the faction. The military brigades will also return. Instead, I will give you masters, so you go to Hefei yourself."

If he mobilized the military brigades, there was a possibility of a head-on clash with the Great Righteous Martial Hall.

Gu Yeongang had no intention of clashing with the Great Righteous Martial Hall yet. If he was not careful, he could suffer a fatal blow if he was backstabbed by the Dragon Slaying Society.

Although Gu Yeongang was resentful that he could not personally avenge his son, he could not insist on revenge alone while the world was in a vortex.

"You said his name was Kang Sogun, right?"

"Yes."

"Where is he now?"

"He is on his way to Hefei."

Gu Yeongang scowled.

"That bastard must die there."