Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 23 : Rain Falls (2)

Everything happened in an instant.

Everything he had just seen felt like a lie.

Na Hyungi sat in the darkness, holding his breath, and watched the whole situation. He couldn't come to his senses because an unbelievable reality was unfolding before his eyes.

'Hyung-wook?'

It was something he couldn't believe even after seeing it.

He doubted whether the Hyung-wook he knew and the Hyung-wook in front of him now were the same person.

"Congratulations on becoming the Valley Lord."

As Ma Ryong approached and spoke, Hyung-wook waved his hand.

"It's too early to celebrate. It's not over yet."

At Hyung-wook's words, Ma Ryong shrugged his shoulders and said.

"The members of the Na family have low martial arts skills, so it's not difficult to kill them. We just have to find Na Hyungi's corpse."

"What if he's not dead? I was watching Na Hyungi, but I missed him. He must be alive somewhere or have escaped."

At Hyung-wook's words, Ma Ryong frowned.

"Jang-wook and Yun-dong, go to the Na family, and the rest of you, find Na Hyungi. If there's no corpse, he must have escaped, so you must chase him."

"Yes."

Swish!

At Hyung-wook's order, the Slaughter Ghosts scattered in all directions.

As the Slaughter Ghosts spread out in all directions, Hyung-wook stood in front of the deceased Na Jin-seong and Soo Yang-yeong and sighed.

They were people he had once served. But now they were nothing more than corpses.

If he threw them into the mountains, the wild beasts would fill their hungry stomachs.

"Did you think that a person who is to become the Cult Leader would just leave behind a burden that would become his flaw? Of course, the tail must be cut off. Tsk!"

Hyung-wook muttered, looking at Soo Yang-yeong, and then took in Na Jin-seong's head.

"You only chased the Swordless Sword, and you gained nothing. If you had known your wife's heart, you wouldn't have been had by the Cheon family like this. This kind of trouble happens when you take a concubine."

"What are you talking about?"

Hyung-wook turned his head at the voice from nearby. Na Hyungi was standing there.

Na Hyungi stood in front of Hyung-wook, revealing his killing intent with a cold expression. It was a distance where he could raise his sword and cut Hyung-wook at any moment, but he couldn't. If Hyung-wook died, he wouldn't be able to know the reason why this had happened.

Hyung-wook smiled when he saw Na Hyungi. As wrinkles formed on his old face, Na Hyungi readjusted his grip on his sword.

Hyung-wook had intended to kill Na Hyungi anyway, so he spoke without hiding anything.

"It means that when your mother came in as a concubine, Lady Na caught the eye of the head of the Cheon family. Things went wrong from then on. The family head opposed the head of the Cheon family becoming the Cult Leader. The head of the Cheon family must have disliked that. It seems he had been eyeing the Na family ever since."

"Other than that, why did you betray us?"

"Betrayal? The one who betrayed was not me, but your grandfather. Originally, Ghost Spirit Valley was mine. But he gave it to his son-in-law. A guy with no skill and no ability became the Valley Lord of Ghost Spirit Valley. Who would follow him? I just took back what was mine. The Ghost Spirit Valley I will create in the future will gain great fame in the martial world under the name of the Heavenly Divine Cult."

Hyung-wook clenched his fist with an angry expression and raised his voice. A terrible resentment for his past life was visible.

Na Hyungi asked again.

"When did you become the dog of the head of the Cheon family?"

"It was when the Cheon family attacked Ghost Spirit Valley. It was after that that I met the head of the Cheon family. The times have changed. The head of the Cheon family said so. He said he would give me Ghost Spirit Valley, so I should leave only the useful ones."

Although Hyung-wook's tone was nonchalant, Na Hyungi's shoulders trembled. Hyung-wook's words ultimately meant that he had betrayed and killed his comrades for his own sake.

Hyung-wook spoke again.

"Your mother's death was not from illness, but from poisoning. Lady Na slowly killed her."

At his words, Na Hyungi's eyes widened. It was the first time he had heard that.

Hyung-wook smiled. He kicked Soo Yang-yeong's corpse and spoke again.

"The head of the Cheon family has avenged you. You should be grateful."

"You crazy bastard."

Shwik!

The moment his words ended, Na Hyungi attacked Hyung-wook first.

As Na Hyungi's sword cut through the air, Hyung-wook moved to the left with a sneer and cut Na Hyungi's side.

"Keuk!"

Na Hyungi, whose waist was cut in an instant, faltered. At that moment, Hyung-wook's sword drew a circle and cut Na Hyungi's neck.

"Rest in peace in the afterlife."

Whoosh!

Just as Hyung-wook's sword was about to reach Na Hyungi's neck, a sharp light flew towards Hyung-wook's shoulder.

"Huh?"

Hyung-wook quickly parried the incoming hidden weapon with the flat of his sword and then retreated. At that moment, he heard the sound of wind cutting through the air from behind him.

"Who is it!"

Whoosh-whoosh!

Hyung-wook, who shouted loudly, turned his body and swung his sword.

Clatter-clatter!

With a metallic sound, several hidden weapons fell to the ground. But two were embedded in his left shoulder and side.

"Keuk!"

Hyung-wook's expression hardened when he saw Jin Sawoon, who had appeared from the darkness.

"A traitor dies."

Shwik!

Jin Sawoon drew his flexible sword and cut at Hyung-wook's neck. Hyung-wook jumped back, quickly retreated five zhang, and then said.

"So it's Jin Sawoon. Number Ninety-nine."

Even under Hyung-wook's gaze full of killing intent, Jin Sawoon stood with an indifferent face.

Hyung-wook's voice was heard again.

"How about you kill Na Hyungi and join me? With your ability, you can surely become the best."

It was a word to persuade Jin Sawoon. Na Hyungi staggered and said.

"Don't be fooled. The one who killed the family head is Steward Hyung."

Jin Sawoon, who turned his head at Na Hyungi's words, saw that his complexion was not good and thought of poison.

It was clear that Hyung-wook's sword was coated with poison. Fortunately, the dagger he had thrown also had poison.

"I'm saying this because it's a waste to kill you. Lady Na, who tried to kill you, is dead. Tonight, all the members of the Na family will die. So now there is no one in Ghost Spirit Valley who threatens your life."

"I refuse."

"Are you going to turn the Cult into an enemy? If you kill Na Hyungi, the wanted notice will be lifted, and your false accusation will also be cleared."

"I'm not interested."

Whoosh!

Jin Sawoon quickly jumped up and cut at Hyung-wook's neck. At that moment, glittering hidden weapons and five black shadows in the air came into Jin Sawoon's eyes.

They were the first-class Slaughter Ghosts who had survived here.

Shwish!

A dozen or so hidden weapons flew at a fast speed from the darkness.

Since the hidden weapons flying at night were not visible to the eye, it was extremely difficult to avoid them.

"Dodge!"

Papapat!

As Na Hyungi shouted, Jin Sawoon lay flat on the ground and avoided the hidden weapons. As a dozen or so hidden weapons passed over Jin Sawoon's head and fell to the ground, Na Hyungi ran to Jin Sawoon's side and said.

"Let's get out of here first."

Whoosh!

As he flew up, Jin Sawoon threw all the hidden weapons he had at the rushing Slaughter Ghosts and then unfolded his lightness skill.

"Chase them!"

As Hyung-wook shouted, three Slaughter Ghosts avoided the hidden weapons and then disappeared into the darkness.

"Keuk!"

Hyung-wook staggered and sat down on the ground, then pulled out the dagger embedded in his body.

With dark red blood, a fishy smell tickled his nose. Only then did he realize that he had been poisoned.

"Are you okay?"

As Ma Ryong approached his side and asked, Hyung-wook shook his head, took out a white gourd bottle, took out a small pill, and ate it.

It was an antidote.

The poison used by the Slaughter Ghosts was the poison of a poisonous insect called 'Chungdok', and it was fine if you took the antidote within one shichen.

Hyung-wook put down his sword and said, sitting cross-legged.

"I should have killed that bastard in Cheonsu City..."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"Dokgo Shinwi was keeping an eye on him, so I couldn't touch him. I also left him alone because he would be a good guy to make work if I recruited him."

Hyung-wook shook his head as if he regretted it and sighed. Immediately after, he closed his eyes and said.

"I need to circulate my energy, so guard my position."

"Is there a need for that?"

Thwack!

Ma Ryong's sword pierced Hyung-wook's chest. Ma Ryong, who was crouching in front of him, cast a cold smile at Hyung-wook.

Hyung-wook's eyes widened, and his whole body began to tremble.

"Ma Ryong... you bastard..."

"What's wrong? Does Ghost Spirit Valley disappear just because Steward Hyung dies? I can also rebuild Ghost Spirit Valley."

"You crazy bastard... Do you think the head of the Cheon family will just leave you be?"

"Who would trust someone who betrayed their master? And Steward Hyung is too old. When you're old, you should die."

At Ma Ryong's words, Hyung-wook's eyes widened and he vomited dark red blood. Ma Ryong twisted the sword embedded in Hyung-wook's chest and spoke again.

"When you get old, it's a virtue to step back for your juniors."

"Keok! You foolish bastard. Do you think the head of the Cheon family will trust you just because you killed me?"

"Is there a reason not to believe? He will trust me more, who killed Steward Hyung who betrayed the organization, than Steward Hyung who killed the head of the Na family. This is all something I learned from watching Steward Hyung."

Ma Ryong laughed mockingly and pulled out the sword embedded in Hyung-wook's chest. Red blood splattered, and Hyung-wook's eyes widened even more.

"Keok!"

Thump!

Hyung-wook fell forward, his head hitting the ground, without even being able to close his eyes.

"Greedy old man."

Ma Ryong spat on the back of Hyung-wook's head and then asked Jang-gak, who had an ordinary appearance and was standing next to him.

"What happened to Song Ha-sang?"

"He's a quick-witted guy, so it seems he hid."

"He's annoying."

Ma Ryong tilted his head and spat on the ground again. He soon took out a dried persimmon, chewed on it, and said.

"Now all that's left is Na Hyungi and the problematic Number Ninety-nine."

Whoosh!

With his words, Ma Ryong unfolded his lightness skill into the forest, and Jang-gak, who was next to him, also moved with him.

* * *

Jjol-jjol-jjol!

In the valley where the clear sound of water was heard, the shadows of two people flickered. It was Ma Ryong and his comrade who had left the manor.

Ma Ryong frowned when he discovered the three corpses lying on the rocks and gravel of the valley.

They all had sword wounds on their faces and the back of their heads. It was a sign of being stabbed from behind.

Jang-gak, who was examining the wounds on the corpses, asked.

"Was Na Hyungi's martial arts this outstanding?"

"It must be Number Ninety-nine, not Na Hyungi. It's not Na Hyungi. If I had known things would turn out like this, I would have dealt with him beforehand."

"The situation was turning so fast, so I was out of my mind, wasn't I?"

"He's the son of the head of the Na family, so I was thinking of capturing him, but I should have killed him."

At Jang-gak's words, Ma Ryong let out a short breath and sat in front of the corpse. As Jang-gak said, the situation had turned very quickly.

He had been able to survive the rain of arrows because he had received a message from Hyung-wook and had prepared in advance.

Even when the warriors of the Cheon family attacked, he had stayed back and had not suffered any particular damage.

Seeing Hyung-wook injured, he suddenly thought that he should become the Valley Lord of Ghost Spirit Valley. So he had acted on impulse.

"We have to chase them, right?"

When Jang-gak asked, Ma Ryong shook his head.

"Right now, the first-class Slaughter Ghosts are six, including you and me. There should be no more sacrifices."

To return Ghost Spirit Valley to its original state, he needed the strength of his comrades.

In a situation where every single person was precious, he couldn't take a risk and chase Na Hyungi.

"Anyway, Number Ninety-nine is a wanted man being chased by the Cult, so even if we don't step in, he'll die someday."

Ma Ryong said in a low voice, then stood up and looked at the distant mountain.

"Let's make one of the burned corpses Na Hyungi's corpse."

"Are you trying to deceive the head of the Cheon family?"

"Do you think the head of the Cheon family will check the corpse one by one? Cheon Mun-jung will do it. Or a guy even lower than him will do it. We just have to say it's Na Hyungi's corpse."

Since it wasn't wrong, Jang-gak nodded. Then he asked.

"Still, wouldn't it be better to get rid of even a small future trouble?"

"Chasing Na Hyungi can be done after we rebuild Ghost Spirit Valley. And it's not like the tide will turn just because that one guy survived. The head of the Cheon family will become the Cult Leader, and Ghost Spirit Valley will become bigger. And we will be in that position."

Ma Ryong laughed as if the thought alone was enjoyable, and Jang-gak also laughed, revealing his teeth.

(End of Chapter)