Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 45 : The Beasts Also Jump for Joy

In a room that was not very spacious, Cheon Woo-rin sat with his legs crossed in the seat of honor. Deng Suo, who was standing in front of him, bowed his head and silently waited for Cheon Woo-rin's words.

"The Flower Ghosts have gone missing, and the informants of the Nanchang branch have also disappeared? They're dead."

Cheon Woo-rin spoke as if it were no big deal and then drank his tea.

"Reporting to the top..."

"You crazy bastard."

Cheon Woo-rin's low voice was full of killing intent. Deng Suo bowed his head even further.

"I'm sorry."

Cheon Woo-rin let Deng Suo's words go in one ear and out the other and said.

"Since it's the work of a Slaughter Ghost, the Slaughter Ghosts should solve it. Are the Slaughter Ghosts who are training in Ghost Spirit Valley not ready yet?"

"I heard that the Slaughter Ghosts who have finished their training will be dispatched soon."

"Call the Ghost Spirit Valley Master."

"Yes."

Deng Suo bowed and then went outside. Cheon Woo-rin thought of the Ghost Spirit Valley Master. He remembered him as a dog named Ma Ryong who followed orders well.

"Pavilion Master. The Hwahwaru Master has arrived."

"Let her in."

At Cheon Woo-rin's words, Seomun Ok soon entered the room.

Seomun Ok greeted Cheon Woo-rin, who was sitting in the seat of honor.

"It's been a long time, Pavilion Master."

Cheon Woo-rin just nodded and didn't even order her to sit down. Seomun Ok stood still.

Cheon Woo-rin asked Seomun Ok with an arrogant expression.

"What is it?"

"Two Flower Ghosts have gone missing in Nanchang City. Since there is no report, I'm thinking of investigating."

"Take your hands off that matter. Since it's the work of a Slaughter Ghost, it should be left to Ghost Spirit Valley."

Cheon Woo-rin treated Seomun Ok like a subordinate, unlike in the past.

At the words to take her hands off, Seomun Ok frowned. It sounded like he was passing the credit to Ghost Spirit Valley, even though she was the one who had suffered the damage.

Seomun Ok said with a cold expression.

"You treat me like a stone now."

Cheon Woo-rin smiled.

"I have a wife and a child. So I have to cut off the old affection. It's been a long time since I forgot."

Cheon Woo-rin was cold.

Seomun Ok bowed her head.

"I hope you don't come to find me so recklessly in the future. If you have something to report, have a subordinate do it, and when I call, come then."

"Have you ever called me in the past five years?"

Seomun Ok raised her head, glared at Cheon Woo-rin once, and then turned her body, sending a cold wind.

As she left, Cheon Woo-rin laughed lightly.

"Hahaha! You venomous snake-like bitch. Even if you reveal your venomous fangs, you are just a snake that has already been caught in a trap."

Cheon Woo-rin smiled and then slowly drank his tea.

Seomun Ok, who had left the Shadowless Pavilion, got on the waiting carriage. Then, without realizing it, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed.

"Pfft! Ahahaha!"

Seomun Ok, who had laughed heartily in the carriage, thought of Cheon Woo-rin, who was sitting in a chair.

His cheeks had become noticeably fuller than before, and his lower abdomen was protruding. That was evidence that he was neglecting his martial arts training.

"You dull bastard."

The martial world was not such an easy place. Seomun Ok had already sent her left arm to Nanchang.

'It's not bad to hold one card from each side. I don't know which card will become the sword that pierces the neck.'

Seomun Ok smiled, leaned back on the backrest, and closed her eyes. The memories of the past few years with Cheon Woo-rin brushed past her mind.

Although she had been for Cheon Woo-rin, Cheon Woo-rin had abandoned her too easily. That sense of betrayal constantly tormented her.

'A traitor must die, Cheon Woo-rin.'

Seomun Ok briefly revealed the killing intent in her heart.

* * *

In a dark room, only a single oil lamp was shining brightly. A person was sitting a little away from where the light was glittering.

It was Ma Ryong, the master of Ghost Spirit Valley.

Ma Ryong was repeatedly contemplating, thinking of the matter of having been to the Shadowless Pavilion.

Creak!

Just then, the door opened, and Jang-gak came in.

Seeing that Ma Ryong's expression was not good, Jang-gak asked.

"You've been to the Shadowless Pavilion, but your expression is not good. Is there a problem?"

"They say they found Jin Sawoon."

"Number Ninety-nine... It's been five years?"

Jang-gak frowned and sat in a chair.

Ma Ryong chewed on a dried persimmon and spoke again.

"The pavilion master doesn't know much about Slaughter Ghosts. If that guy showed his face after five years, it must be because he has some purpose. He's not a guy who would move without a purpose."

"Even so, he's a young guy."

Jang-gak spoke as if it were no big deal. Ma Ryong also nodded.

"Pick some usable guys and go. You go and kill him yourself."

"Alright."

Jang-gak bowed and then went outside.

After Jang-gak disappeared, Ma Ryong finished chewing and swallowing the dried persimmon and then frowned.

"Yes... he's a young guy."

* * *

Nanchang City was in great turmoil. It was because the branch master of the Nanchang branch had been found dead early in the morning.

That news greatly shook the city.

Everyone who came and went was buzzing with that story.

The general public's thought was that the Nanchang branch master of Nanchang City was the person with the highest martial arts.

Since he had become the branch master because his martial arts were high, it was only natural that it would be noisy since such a person had died.

In the city, a large number of warriors were coming and going, looking for suspicious people.

There was talk that an investigation team would come from the Martial Alliance soon, and there was also a rumor that it was the work of assassins.

There was also talk that the discovery of the assassins of the Red Spider Sect a while ago was related to the death of the Nanchang branch master.

On top of that, there was also a rumor that the steward and a dozen or so branch members had been found dead in a mountain far away.

The city was bound to be in great chaos.

Jin Sa-wol, who had woken up in the morning, sat in the well, washed his face, and then put on plain gray common clothes.

Since he was alone after a long time, he stood in the backyard and unfolded his sword art with his bare hands, without a sword.

Jin Sa-wol, who was moving, clenching his fist as if he were holding a sword, turned his head when he heard the sound of a bowl from next door.

Smoke was rising from the chimney of the tofu shop.

* * *

The young man who was washing the dishes appeared to be in his late twenties. He was a handsome man with single-lidded eyes, a straight forehead, and a well-balanced nose and mouth.

He finished washing the dishes and prepared tea.

"When did you come?"

At the voice from behind, the young man turned his head. Jin Sa-wol was sitting at the dining table.

The young man picked up the tea set, placed it on the dining table, and then headed for the kitchen again.

"At dawn."

"You came early."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, the young man smiled, brought boiling water, and sat down at the dining table again.

The young man poured tea and said.

"It seems the Namgung family and the Wudang Sect are fighting for the position of the Martial Alliance Leader. They say the Alliance is noisy."

At the young man's words, Jin Sa-wol drank his tea without answering. Since he had had a similar experience in the Demonic Cult, he had a rough idea of the situation.

The young man said.

"As planned, Ghost Spirit Valley has started to move. It's a good thing."

At the young man's smile, Jin Sa-wol nodded.

Five years ago.

When he had turned over the Ghostly Soul Sword Art he had received from Na Hyungi, 'Luoyang Bu He Lou' was written at the bottom of the first page.

Jin Sa-wol, who had understood it as a meaning to go there, had gone to Luoyang's Buhakru.

There, he had met Bi-sun, who had been an informant in Yueyang when he had first come out into the martial world for a killing mission.

The young man in front of him, Bi-sun, was a person loyal to the Na family. As the Na family was exterminated by the Cheon family, he was angry and had vowed revenge.

The Na family had placed many informants all over the world, and the head that managed them was Luoyang's Buhakru.

Buhakru, knowing the change that had occurred in the Demonic Cult, had hidden all the informants.

Since most of the informants that Ma Ryong and his superior Slaughter Ghosts had known had also hidden themselves, Ghost Spirit Valley had to create new informants.

That task was much more difficult than rebuilding Ghost Spirit Valley and raising Slaughter Ghosts.

In Buhakru, besides Bi-sun, there was also a welcome face.

It was Song Ha-sang. Since he was the one who had tried to kill him, there was no way he would have good feelings.

Song Ha-sang had fled when the Na family was exterminated and had hidden there. He was angry at the fact that Soo Yang-yeong had died at the hands of the Demonic Cult Leader. With a heart full of revenge, he was waiting for the right time.

"There's a gift prepared by Elder Dokgo in the drawer."

Bi-sun said to Jin Sa-wol, who was lost in thought.

Hearing those words, Jin Sa-wol opened the drawer of the decorative cabinet. In it was a small wooden box.

He placed the wooden box on the dining table, opened it, and a thick secret manual came out.

"True Demonic Divine Art."

"I heard Elder Dokgo had a hard time obtaining it. The headache?"

"Still."

Jin Sa-wol answered and then turned the first page of the True Demonic Divine Art. Another name came into his eyes.

True Blood Demonic Art.

"As expected."

If it was a martial arts manual of the Demonic Cult, the Demonic Art was fitting.

The Ink Shadow Heart Art had a clear limit. A martial art to supplement it was needed, and Dokgo Shin-wi had given that to Jin Sa-wol.

Now was the time when it was needed.

"There's a problem."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Bi-sun's eyes widened as he was drinking tea. Jin Sa-wol did not discuss a problem unless it was a major one.

"What problem?"

"The master of Hwahwaru has come."

"Oh dear."

At the word 'master', Bi-sun's expression hardened.

The master meant the ruler. That meant that she was the best master in Hwahwaru, and it also meant that she was a monster that could not be easily dealt with.

"She is in charge of the Nanchang branch of the Hao Mun."

At those words, Bi-sun rested his chin on his hand and said.

"I heard a long time ago that the Seomun family and the Hao Mun have a close relationship. It seems there is a deeper relationship. Shall I look into it?"

"The opponent is the master. Stop."

Bi-sun obediently nodded. Then he suddenly asked.

"Does the master know your identity?"

"She knows."

"Oh dear. I even prepared a separate corpse to fake your death... You won't be able to stay for long."

Even at Bi-sun's words, Jin Sa-wol just drank his tea without a word.

A short while later, Jin Sa-wol stood up from his seat and said.

"I have to go to the Blood Curtain."

"The Blood Curtain? I heard the Blood Curtain has put a bounty on your head. Is it because of that?"

Jin Sa-wol nodded. Bi-sun smiled.

"Since you tried to kill the world's best assassin, you should naturally receive the price."

"I am not the world's best."

"I believe so. Elder Dokgo said so. That in Ghost Spirit Valley, a real ghost comes out once every hundred years, and that's you, Sa-wol."

Jin Sa-wol shook his head and then went outside.

After Jin Sa-wol disappeared, Bi-sun stood up and went out to the backyard. As if nothing had happened, he began to chop firewood.

* * *

A deep silence lingered in the wide main hall of the Black Curtain Fortress, which had been full of bandits. The man in his prime, who was sitting in the seat of honor, frowned deeply.

"They all died."

Thump!

The man in his prime, who had stomped on the floor loudly, jumped up from his seat.

"You mean you can't even kill one hunter, and this is the mess? You stupid bastards!"

His roar filled the room.

The two men and one woman who were sitting in the room were quiet, and the young man who was standing in front of the door trembled his shoulders.

Thwack!

"Ack!"

The teacup that the man in his prime had thrown hit the head of the reporting young man. As blood splattered and the young man fell to the floor, the two men and one woman who were sitting clicked their tongues.

The young man was no longer breathing. He was dead.

"We'll have to go ourselves."

"Yes."

"I've been waiting, senior brother."

At the words of the man in his prime, the two men and one woman immediately stood up from their seats.

They left the dead young man behind and went outside.

The outside was full of many corpses.

Only a dozen or so men in black were moving, and they were loading gold and silver treasures onto a large carriage. They were all warriors of the Blood Curtain.

They were trying to move the wealth that the Black Curtain Fortress had accumulated over the years to the Blood Curtain.

The man in his prime called one of them and sent him to Nanchang City.

(End of Chapter)