Scholar Demon Venerable

Xue Jinzhong had pursued them with his subordinates. He had thought they would be caught soon, but even after a shichen had passed, there was no news that they had been caught, so he had been worried.

It seemed there had been some variable.

"Tell me in detail what happened."

"Hyeokryeon Hui had an accomplice."

"An accomplice?"

Suddenly, a person came to mind.

"Yes, the person who is said to be his martial arts teacher was with him."

"What?"

Cheongun stood up abruptly from his seat.

He hadn't seen the martial arts teacher. There were too many people who had been caught to pay attention to him, and he had been distracted by the Provincial Inspector and the Provincial Military Commander.

If it was Hyeokryeon Hui's martial arts teacher, the martial arts of the eighth group leader, Baihu Xue, would not have been able to stop him.

Cheongun asked Xiong Tian as if urging.

"Is Baihu Xue safe?"

"I am sorry."

Cheongun closed his two eyes tightly and collapsed in his seat.

It was clear that he had been killed by the guy.

"Baihu Xue and the nine eighth group members who followed him have all been killed."

Except for the one who had come to deliver the news, the eighth group had been annihilated.

If it was the skill of the martial arts teacher, it was a possible thing.

'I should have killed him then.'

Cheongun blamed himself.

The mercy he had shown had driven his acquaintances to their deaths. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the dead.

But as if the report was not over, Xiong Tian delivered unexpected words.

"Your Excellency, it is said that the Beggars' Sect is currently chasing them."

"The Beggars' Sect?"

"The Beggars' Sect also informed us that the eighth group had been defeated. They requested support, saying that they were in pursuit."

"Where?"

"It is said that they escaped through the north gate and are moving east along the Yellow River."

"Did they take a boat?"

"I haven't heard that far yet."

If they had moved by boat, it would not be easy to track them. Because no traces would be left, it would take too much time to find them.

Cheongun quickly gave an order.

"Hurry up and prepare the first to the third groups. Call Thousand-household Commander Seok."

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

Xiong Tian quickly went out.

Cheongun looked at the Blood Emperor who was sitting next to him.

[It was a little uneasy, but in the end, it turned out like this.]

"Yes. The thing I was most worried about has happened."

Hyeokryeon Jongdo was not opening his mouth. The other people also did not open their mouths easily.

'It's clear that he has something to believe in. Didn't the Provincial Military Commander and the Provincial Inspector help him this time too?'

As Cheongun was lost in deep thought, the Blood Emperor tapped the table and said.

[Hmm... I've thought about it, and it seems their organizational structure is not simple.]

"What do you mean?"

[Think about it. It's not the Hyeokryeon family, but a mere branch family called the Hyeokryeon Manor, which was separated from the Hyeokryeon family, moving the Provincial Inspector and the Provincial Military Commander, who have the military power and judicial power of a province. Does that make sense?]

It was an impossible story.

They were people who had reached the peak of power. They were by no means people who would move for a small amount of money.

It was clear that there was some deal between them, or that there was a causal relationship.

"We are investigating that point. I want to arrest the Provincial Inspector too, but if I arrest even him, the backlash will be severe."

Even if Cheongun suppressed them with force here, it was highly likely that it would be overturned in the imperial capital. Moreover, if the Provincial Military Commanders of other provinces rose up together, it might flow in an unwanted direction.

[That's right. And that guy, it seems he won't just stay still.]

"I'm expecting it. He will send a petition to the imperial capital saying it's unfair."

Cheongun also knew that the Provincial Inspector would not just stay still. Anyone would not stay still if they had been treated like that.

But since there was clear evidence, it didn't matter.

As Cheongun was talking with the Blood Emperor, Seok Deok-jo came in.

"Your Excellency, we are ready."

Cheongun looked at Seok Deok-jo and quickly gave an order.

"Thousand-household Commander, stay here and finish the rest of the work."

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

"Even if you have to torture them, you have to get as much information as possible from them."

"I understand. I will contact you with important information through a carrier pigeon."

Cheongun gave several more instructions and left his seat.

Outside, Xiong Tian and about thirty Jinyiwei members up to the third group were lined up.

Cheongun looked at them and gave an order.

"We will pursue them with the help of the Beggars' Sect."

"Yes! We will follow your order."

Cheongun and the three groups of the Jinyiwei left the Hyeokryeon Manor.

They crossed the path that Hyeokryeon Hui and the martial arts teacher had fled.

* * *

Shangqiu was not as big as Kaifeng, but it was a place that bordered Shandong, Jiangxi, and Anhui provinces. So it was a transportation hub with abundant goods and many people coming and going.

But one day, dozens of men wearing cloaks appeared in Shangqiu.

As they entered through the north gate, a beggar approached them.

"Your Excellency! Please give me a penny. I haven't eaten for three days."

The beggar begged, almost clinging to the pants of the man in the front.

Since it was a common thing anywhere, people glanced and then lost interest.

"Buy some dumplings with this."

"Aigoo! My lord, thank you. You will be blessed. My lord."

What the man had handed him were two coins. It was just enough money to buy one dumpling, but to the beggar, it was more precious than a silver coin.

The beggar disappeared, shuffling, as if someone would take it from him, and the men also moved their steps to an inn in the city.

The men who had entered the inn ordered a simple meal.

They were all wearing bamboo hats. Since they did not take off their bamboo hats even after entering the inn, the people around them glanced.

The man, Lee Cheongun, sat down in a chair and then opened his fist. In his fist, there was a note.

It was a note that the beggar of the Beggars' Sect had handed him.

Cheongun quickly read the note.

[Traces cut off at the south gate of Shangqiu]

Although it was written in a hurry, it was not difficult to recognize.

Soon, a line of telepathic message was heard in the ears of the men next to him.

-The guy disappeared at the south gate. Since it's a place with a large floating population, scatter and find him.

At Cheongun's order, the men ate a simple meal and scattered.

Cheongun, who was left alone, brought the teacup to his mouth.

The Blood Emperor looked outside and said a word.

[I thought he would go straight to the Zirong Palace, but he's not as stupid as I thought.]

"Yes, if he had gone straight to the Zirong Palace, he would have been caught by the Jinyiwei who were watching that place. Even now, the surveillance has been tripled."

[Since he has hidden himself with a purpose, it seems he won't be caught easily.]

As the Blood Emperor had said, since Hyeokryeon Hui had hidden himself in a place with many people, it would not be easy to find him.

Although Shangqiu was a place with a smaller population compared to Kaifeng, it was not a rural area. Moreover, it was a place with a large floating population due to geographical reasons.

"We have no choice but to trust the information network of the Beggars' Sect."

Just because the Beggars' Sect had stepped in, it didn't mean that beggars were spread all over Shangqiu.

Not all the disciples of the Beggars' Sect were beggars who begged. There were also many who wore clean clothes and were no different from ordinary commoners.

They were not ordinary beggars but members of the Beggars' Sect who specialized in information.

If they had moved, it was highly likely that they would find Hyeokryeon Hui and the martial arts teacher.

* * *

The next day, Cheongun, who had woken up in the inn, straightened his clothes and then called the person who was waiting outside.

"Is Xiong Tian there?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Thump.

The door opened, and Xiong Tian, who was outside the door, came in.

Looking at Xiong Tian's haggard appearance, it seemed he had stayed up all night.

"What happened?"

"I am sorry. It seems the guy has hidden himself deep."

Although it was an expected thing, there was still a lot of disappointment.

It had been three days since he had released the members of the Beggars' Sect and the Jinyiwei, but he had not yet caught any clues.

Cheongun's brow furrowed.

'If time passes like this, it won't be good.'

A report had already come in that the Provincial Inspector had sent a letter to the imperial capital.

He had said he would wipe them out in one go, but he had missed the most important person.

If the Emperor's mind changed, things would get a little complicated.

"Tell the leader of the Beggars' Sect that I have something to tell him and that I want to see him. And I will write a letter to the leader of the Black Sword Gang, so tell him to act as it says."

"I understand, Your Excellency."

Cheongun quickly wrote a letter. Xiong Tian, who was next to him, looked at the contents, and his two pupils wavered slightly.

Xiong Tian put the letter in his bosom and quickly went out.

The Blood Emperor, who was watching from the side, let out a hearty laugh.

[Hahaha. Your head is the best.]

"You praise me too much."

[No, no. To find them without being caught that we are looking for them, that method is perfect.]

* * *

Three days passed quickly.

A rumor spread in Shangqiu.

As if someone had intended it, Shangqiu was in an uproar because of the rumor that had spread quickly.

-The Heavenly Circle Sword Art of the Heavenly Circle Child has been discovered.

It was a rumor that a manual containing the unique sword art of the Heavenly Circle Child, a righteous faction figure from a hundred years ago, had been discovered.

The manual contained the Heavenly Circle Twelve Swords, which was the unique sword art of the Heavenly Circle Child.

The Heavenly Circle Twelve Swords was a sword art that contained the principles of the heavens and was a sword art derived from the Quanzhen Sect, which was a Taoist sect. Although it was not the number one sword art in the world, since it was a sword art that had been popular for a time, the world's attention was focused.

Thanks to that, countless martial artists came to Shangqiu.

It was clear that there would be more people who would come in the future than those who had come in so far, and it was self-evident that a bloody wind would blow.

At that time, when Shangqiu was suffering from martial artists, Cheongun was enjoying a moment of leisure.

He had bought a manor and had hidden himself from the world's attention.

Although it was a temporary residence, the number of personnel was too large to operate in an inn. It was an unavoidable decision because he also had to pay attention to the people coming and going.

In a neat room, Cheongun was sitting, and in front of him, Baihu Xiong Tian was standing.

"Have you not found any traces of him today either?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, I am sorry."

Although Shangqiu was not a small city, he had released hundreds of people, but he had not yet found them. Since it was an expected thing from the beginning, he did not urge him.

"What about the rumor?"

"It is spreading in all directions. All the people who are said to be good with a sword in the vicinity will flock."

"Watch them well."

"Please do not worry."

Cheongun nodded his head at Xiong Tian's words.

"Watch the martial artists leisurely. If they move abruptly, just follow them from behind."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Around noon the next day.

"Your Excellency, I am late!"

A man hit his head on the floor with a thud and paid his respects to Cheongun.

"You've worked hard coming here."

"I was a little late because I was preparing various things."

The leader of the Black Sword Gang, the Black Martial Sword, Zhang Jun, had come running to Shangqiu with about a hundred of his subordinates as soon as he had received Cheongun's contact.

"I called you because I have something for you to do."

"Just give me the word. If it's something you order, Your Excellency, I will jump into a fire pit."

Zhang Jun knew Cheongun's identity, so he prostrated himself.

"What you have to do is..."

While Cheongun's words continued, Zhang Jun's eyes flashed.

He had lived his whole life in the back alleys of the underworld, and he instinctively felt that his life could change if he handled the task Cheongun had entrusted to him well.

"...do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. This one will devote his life to this matter."

"You don't have to devote your life. You just have to do it moderately like last time."

"Yes, Your Excellency, please do not worry!"

* * *

Even though it was early in the morning, many people were eating and drinking tea in the inn.

On one side, four men were sitting, and they did not seem to be martial artists but merchants.

But looking at the sword sticking out of their bundles, it seemed they were not simple merchants.

"Have you guys heard?"

"Is there any new news?"

A man who was skinny and had a dark face compared to the others looked around and spoke in a small voice.

"There is. Gather here."

They put their heads together. The people who were nearby pricked up their ears and listened to their words.

The man with the dark face said with a triumphant expression like a fisherman who had caught a big fish.

"I've found out who has the manual."

(End of Chapter)