Scholar Demon Venerable

Cheukang!

The man deflected Cheongun's single sword.

No, he had tried to deflect it, but it was too powerful an attack.

Realizing that it was not a simple blow, the man twisted his body and barely dodged Cheongun's attack.

For a moment, Cheongun sneered.

He could have ended it with one move, but he had attacked in a way that he could dodge. Nevertheless, he had put the opponent in a difficult situation.

In the end, it meant that the man's skills were only that much.

Thwack.

The man who had landed on the floor made a face that said he couldn't believe it and looked back and forth between his side and Cheongun.

'That guy could have definitely killed me with one sword. But he only tore my clothes without a single wound.'

Although his side was torn long, there was no blood. He couldn't gauge whether he had dodged appropriately, or whether Cheongun had held back.

Warak.

The man's face contorted mercilessly.

Looking at such a man's face, Cheongun said a word.

"Was that move just now the Flying Dragon Ascending to Heaven? I thought a loach was wriggling."

"You bastard!"

"Did you try to face me with just that much skill?"

"What?"

The man gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

He had been thoroughly ignored. As if his pride had been greatly wounded, a sense of determination appeared on his face.

He soon caught his breath and assumed a ready position.

Looking at such a man, the Blood Emperor said a word.

[Tsk tsk, to be provoked by this much, this guy is also far from it. I thought he was a great guy, but the beggar guy is much better. But he must have a hidden move.]

-Yes. It's a disappointment, but I hope he attacks properly this time.

The Blood Emperor slightly tilted his head and said to Cheongun.

[More importantly, do you not know any more of the Heavenly Cult's martial arts?]

-It's a little disappointing. I thought I had completely caught the tail.

That was the reason why he hadn't cut off his neck with one move.

Evidence had come out that those guys were related to the annihilation of the Heavenly Cult. He needed more evidence. That was why he had spared him.

[Since it's a tail that's been caught once, it will show again. But be careful.]

-Yes. I have to be careful because he can cut off his tail like a lizard.

Cheongun finished his conversation with the Blood Emperor and looked at the man who was gathering his internal energy.

It was like looking at a well-forged famous sword.

But what about it?

Cheongun slowly raised his right hand, which was holding the sword, to the side. He raised the sword to shoulder height and assumed the ready position of the Universe Nine Swords.

"The Heavenly River Righteous Demon-Subduing Sword is a sword for facing evil and demonic path guys like you..."

The man swung his sword in the air a few times and then immediately unfolded his lightness skill and flew at Cheongun.

Shwaeeek!

The man's single sword was as strong and fierce as if it would break Mount Tai.

Cheongun lightly blocked the sword energy that was pouring down diagonally, spinning his sword.

Chaeng.

Although the powerful blow was blocked, the man did not stop and rotated his body, throwing a series of seven blows at Cheongun's chest and stomach.

Shushushushuk!

Since it was a close distance, it was a decisive blow that could not be dodged.

The sword energy pierced through Cheongun's body and soared into the air.

Looking at the beautiful sword energy that embroidered the air, the man sneered.

'Of course... no, there's no feeling.'

The man's heart pounded.

Goosebumps appeared all over his body.

He had definitely pierced Cheongun's body, but there was no feeling of penetration.

At that moment, Cheongun's body, which had been pierced by the sword energy, scattered like smoke.

The man's two eyes widened.

"Th-this is a phantom image?"

As if he couldn't believe it, when the man's two eyes widened, a powerful blow was delivered to the man's left cheek.

Kwaang!

Crash!

The man's body flew three zhang and hit a lion statue that was decorating the courtyard.

Cheongun's body had scattered like smoke and then appeared on the man's right, striking his face.

Cheongun did not attack the man any further.

The man shook his head vigorously and got up.

"I-I can't believe it."

The man still had a face that said he couldn't believe the skills of Cheongun, who looked to be in his coming-of-age. He shone his eyes coldly and slowly raised his hand.

At such a man's appearance, Cheongun said a word.

"Are you thinking of calling your subordinates? Good thinking. It's hard to do it alone, right?"

Cheongun smiled lightly and spun his sword once. Dozens of hidden weapons flew silently from over the wall.

Tadadadang!

Hoodoo-dook.

The hidden weapons were blocked by Cheongun's sword and fell to the floor.

Soon, hidden weapons poured down again from over the wall of the manor.

Cheongun moved his position and flew his sword energy.

Cheongun's sword energy, which had flown straight, struck the wall.

Pang!

Hoodoo-dook. Hwiririk.

From all directions, there were people who were soaring like birds, their clothes fluttering. They were shot at Cheongun and continuously threw hidden weapons.

Cheongun unfolded the Ghostly Phantom Step and created a phantom image.

Looking at Cheongun, who was dodging all the rain of hidden weapons, the man's eyes lit up.

"Is it a type of ghost step?"

A footwork that left afterimages while swaying was a type of ghost step. It was one of the representative lightness skills of the evil faction.

Then it occurred to him that it might not have been a phantom image that had blocked his attack.

'If it's a ghost step, it's worth a try...'

He had to subdue Cheongun and rescue the captured warriors of the Hyeokryeon Manor. But he was somewhat uneasy about attacking Cheongun again.

Something of unknown identity was stimulating his nerves, so he could not readily give an attack order.

'Would it be possible if I unfolded a combined attack with my subordinates?'

It was a force that could win even against a master of the elder class of a huge sect.

But the man shook his head.

Even now, he was only blocking the hidden weapon skills of his subordinates who had landed as if to protect him, and he was not attacking.

Although it seemed somewhat clumsy, in another way, a dignity that could not be dared to be approached was also visible.

While the man was lost in thought, Cheongun slightly lowered his sword and said.

"Are you thinking of hiding behind your subordinates? Isn't it polite to play along if you've disturbed someone's rest?"

"Hmph. I admit that your skills are outstanding for an evil and demonic path person."

The man gritted his teeth and glared at Cheongun.

He had an expression of being frustrated because he had been pushed by the evil faction. Looking at such a man, Cheongun said as if to argue.

"Hey. You keep calling me an evil faction, but I'm also a righteous faction person."

Cheongun's head turned to the Blood Emperor. He had an expression as if he had to get some kind of agreement.

The Blood Emperor, whose eyes had met at the right time, smiled awkwardly and nodded his head.

[Ahem. Of course, he's a righteous faction. Of course!]

The Blood Emperor turned his head and looked elsewhere, and Cheongun looked at the man again and frowned.

"That person also said he's a righteous faction!"

"Who on earth are you talking to? Are you crazy?"

The man thought that Cheongun was talking to himself and mocking him. But he couldn't get angry again.

Even if it wasn't a phantom image, the type of ghost step he had just unfolded was a tricky footwork to face.

The man came to a conclusion and sent a telepathic message to his subordinates.

-This is it. Retreat quickly.

As the man's order fell, the man and his subordinates all attacked Cheongun at once.

From all directions, sword energy and hidden weapons poured down at Cheongun.

Shushushuk!

Tudududung!

Cheongun unfolded the Ghostly Phantom Step and leisurely deflected the opponent's attack.

Soon, the guys scattered in all directions and began to flee.

Cheongun did not chase them.

The Blood Emperor looked at the fleeing people and said.

[Well done. In any case, if those guys had ambushed this place, this place would have already been exposed. There is no need to show your strength.]

"That's right."

Cheongun nodded his head in agreement with the Blood Emperor's words.

He could have caught all of them. No matter how much they scattered in all directions, Cheongun had the Flying Heaven Shadowless Divine Step of the Shadowless Divine Thief.

"Uwaak."

At that moment, a scream was heard from outside the manor, and a black figure jumped over the wall and landed in the courtyard.

The person who had landed with a drooping person in each of his hands was Yeom-ak of the Beggars' Sect.

Cheongun looked at Yeom-ak, who was throwing the men on the floor, and said.

"Isn't it too late to visit?"

"Ah, you don't have to thank me. It seemed a thief had entered your house, so I caught them."

Yeom-ak grinned and looked around. Although a fight had broken out, there were not many traces of a fight.

'It seems they fought, but it's too intact.'

Except for the hidden weapons stuck here and there, all that was broken was a lion statue on one side and a collapsed wall.

'I thought at least a few pavilions would have collapsed. Did he block it without any damage?'

Cheongun looked different again.

'This bastard, isn't he perhaps stronger than me?'

Who was he?

He was the leader of the great Beggars' Sect, which was the number one gang in the world.

An existence that stood shoulder to shoulder with the heads of the nine great sects and the five great families.

He had an uneasy thought that he might be pushed by Cheongun.

As Yeom-ak's face changed from time to time, the Blood Emperor said.

[What will you do? Will you attack the Hyeokryeon Manor like this?]

Cheongun shook his head. Since he hadn't found the guy yet, he needed a little more time.

[It won't be easy next time. Perhaps the Jinyiwei kids will be greatly injured.]

Cheongun was also worried about that part. If they faced them with the current skills of the Jinyiwei, it seemed quite a few would die.

As Cheongun was listening to the Blood Emperor's story, Yeom-ak grumbled.

"I'm all out of strength from running all the way here. Is there even any cold rice?"

Although Yeom-ak was a little late, it was a thankful thing that he had come running. Although it was an unnecessary thing, it was not difficult to give him a meal.

Cheongun nodded his head.

"I'll give you warm rice rather than cold rice."

"Huh? Really? By any chance, is there meat too..."

"Of course, I'll give you a hearty meal with a meat side dish."

"Hahaha. Thank you. It was worth doing gymnastics in the moonlight."

As Yeom-ak was thinking of getting a hearty meal and smiling broadly, a group of beggars came over the wall of the manor.

As they raised their fierce momentum and looked around, it seemed they were looking for an enemy.

Cheongun looked at Yeom-ak and said.

"Did you bring your family too?"

"Hahaha. Those guys are ridiculously good at smelling food... I'll send them back right away."

Cheongun smirked and said.

"I'll have to open the storehouse today."

"Huh? Really?"

At Yeom-ak's face, which said he couldn't believe it, when Cheongun nodded his head, Yeom-ak asked cautiously as if he had something more to say.

"But, you know..."

"Speak."

"It seems a few more are coming."

As if he were sorry for something, Yeom-ak scratched his shaggy hair and said.

Cheongun looked outside the wall and smirked. He could feel a group of people rushing here. It seemed all the beggars in Kaifeng were flocking.

But he didn't care much and said.

"Call as many as you want. I'll set a table so grand that the legs will break."

* * *

In the Hyeokryeon Manor of Kaifeng, which was covered in dim darkness, a light was on as if it were broad daylight.

Although it was a time to end the day, all the key figures of the Hyeokryeon Manor were gathered in a wide pavilion.

The other people of the Hyeokryeon Manor formed groups of three and five and went on guard.

"How can this be?"

A man's indignant voice echoed in the pavilion.

A man who was sitting on one side opened his mouth heavily.

"We have taken care of all of the Red Turban Gang. We were going to attack the Black Sword Gang, but we found out that the surviving martial artists had been dragged to the Fengyun Manor at the west gate."

The man who was Hyeokryeon Hui's martial arts teacher talked about what had happened today and evaluated the skills of the owner of the Fengyun Manor.

"Because of his strange and sharp martial arts, I could not face him properly. Although it's frustrating, he is definitely a move above me."

"Hah. To be more outstanding than you, does that make sense?"

Hyeokryeon Jongdo asked with a face that said he couldn't believe it. The martial arts teacher he knew was a master who was not easy to win even if the four newly recruited peak-level masters attacked together.

But if the opponent was a move above, it meant that he was a person they could not handle with their own strength.

"Although it's hard to believe, it's true. More importantly, I can't tell where his martial arts are derived from."

"What do you mean by that? Explain it so that it's easy to understand."

"It seems to be a martial art of the righteous faction, but in a way, it also seemed to be a martial art of the evil faction. The sword art definitely contained a profound energy, but the footwork was a type of ghost step."

At the words of a ghost step, Hyeokryeon Jongdo's frowned two eyes widened.

"Are you saying he's a person of the evil faction?"

"That's highly likely. The sword art also contained a profound energy, but its power and form were something I had never seen or heard of."

"Hmm..."

"I have sent a carrier pigeon to the Zirong Palace, so the Demon-Subduing Unit will be dispatched in a day or two."

Hyeokryeon Jongdo's hardened expression brightened.

"Oh! The Demon-Subduing Unit is coming?"

(End of Chapter)