Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 51 : The Mountains and Rivers Are Dead

"Pfft!"

Jo-rim glanced at Namgung Ji as if she were cute and then shrugged her shoulders. It was an action that meant such a thing could never happen.

Namgung Ji, showing killing intent, asked in a low voice.

"How can I believe those words?"

"Because the Red Spider Sect and Honghwaru are the same Hao Mun."

"You'll have to take responsibility for those words, won't you? Right now, the words of the Honghwaru master are a scheme to drive a wedge between my siblings. If not that, are you trying to insult the main house?"

At Namgung Ji's cold voice, Jo-rim sighed as if she were frustrated.

"Since you only try to see what you want to see, there are many things you can't see."

Namgung Ji stared at Jo-rim's eyes. Jo-rim's eyes were without falsehood.

Namgung Ji asked quietly.

"The reason you are telling me that fact is?"

Jo-rim answered with a face full of a rosy blush, stealing her red lips.

"Give me Ha Mae-sang."

"Ha Mae-sang? Who is that?"

Namgung Ji had a face full of doubt as it was a name she had never heard before.

"Ha Mae-sang. He was a member of our sect, but he recently entrusted his body to the Namgung family. The second young master will know him well."

"Give him to you?"

"Yes."

Jo-rim answered and then smiled with a thick killing intent.

'He'll die.'

Namgung Ji instinctively thought of death.

"If I give him to you, what do I get?"

"You'll find out that all the stories I've told so far are true."

Namgung Ji, after thinking for a while, nodded as if she thought it was not a loss.

"That's fine. I'll give him to you. But if the Hong Lou master's words are false, I'll take your life."

"Of course, you should."

At Jo-rim's answer, Namgung Ji asked.

"Why are you telling me this? My older brother is also here..."

"Because you suspect your family. Because you suspect, you are wandering around so diligently. What if the assassin who infiltrated the Namgung family was not the Ten-Sword Demon, but a fake who was just imitating him?"

Namgung Ji, who received Jo-rim's hot gaze, rolled her eyes as if she had figured something out and then nodded without a word.

Namgung Ji knocked on the carriage.

Thump! Thump!

As the carriage that Namgung Ji was in slowly turned to the side and headed for the city, the warriors of the Namgung family also moved together.

As they all passed by in a rush, the man in the bamboo hat who was sitting in the driver's seat asked.

"Will she give us Ha Mae-sang?"

"There's no reason not to. Let's go. It seems we'll see each other again soon."

"Yes."

The man in the bamboo hat answered and then started the carriage.

* * *

The young man, with distinct features, thick eyebrows, a prominent nose that showed a manly spirit, and lips of a moderate size, looked handsome.

Perhaps because he had grown up eating only good food since he was young, his skin was also as smooth and fine as a woman's.

The young man, who had neatly combed his glossy hair, had a large window wide open and was reading a book.

Under the shade of the trees beyond the window, his bodyguards were standing, and outside the door, attendants were standing.

Creak.

Namgung Ji, who had opened the main gate beyond the yard wide and came in, discovered Namgung Wi, who was sitting by the window and reading a book, and entered the room.

As Namgung Ji came in, Namgung Wi closed his book. Although Namgung Wi, who looked like a scholar on the outside, was just that on the outside.

The Namgung Wi that Namgung Ji saw was a colder and more ruthless human than anyone else.

"What brings you to my room?"

As Namgung Wi offered her tea and asked, Namgung Ji carefully opened her mouth.

"I heard a person named Ha Mae-sang is staying in the guest hall. Please give him to me."

It was Namgung Ji, who got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

Namgung Wi's eyebrows twitched. It meant he was in a bad mood.

"How did you know?"

"That's not important."

Namgung Ji took out a palm-sized notebook from her sleeve, placed it on the table, and then spoke again.

"It's a notebook I found in Yun Deok's room. You were mentioned in it, older brother."

"Hmm..."

Namgung Wi extended his hand, received the notebook, and opened it. As he read on for a while, his expression hardened when he came to the part about the deal with him.

"If he had died, he should have just disappeared. He left something useless."

"He must have left it as a tool to protect himself."

"You're giving this to me?"

"Yes."

"Is there another one like this?"

Namgung Wi asked, holding up the notebook, and Namgung Ji shook her head.

"There isn't. I erased all of your traces, older brother. The only one left is Ha Mae-sang, so please give him to me."

"How neat. You certainly work well."

Namgung Wi sneered and looked at Namgung Ji. Namgung Ji, who felt the gaze of a poisonous mountain that was aiming for its prey, avoided his gaze and spoke again.

"What if Ha Mae-sang isn't there?"

"I'll have to tell Father how I used the five hundred nyang of gold."

The five hundred nyang of gold was the money that had gone to the Red Spider Sect and Yun Deok.

Namgung Wi raised both hands and laughed lightly.

"Hahaha! It's a joke. Since you filled my deficiency, of course I have to give it to you. Take him. He'll be in the guest hall."

"Then."

Namgung Ji bowed her head, stood up, and went outside. As she left, Namgung Wi opened his book again.

'She was cute when she was young, but now she's disgusting. There's not a single pretty corner.'

* * *

The room was not spacious. Through the open window, the mountains and rivers could be seen, and a flock of flying birds caught the eye.

The two people who were sitting in the room were silent.

The middle-aged man in his prime, with a plump face and wearing a red martial arts uniform, was stroking his goat beard and looking out the window.

The middle-aged man sitting on the opposite side was a man with a skinny build and a long, horse-like face, who stroked his beard, which was shaped like a rat's tail.

A large black centipede was sitting on his neck, and it looked like a tattoo.

The place where they were sitting was the seventh floor, the top floor of the seven-story magnificent building.

Thump!

The sound of the door opening was heard, and a man in his early thirties, wearing a red cape, came in, prostrated himself before the plump middle-aged man, and bowed his head.

"Master. Jang-ya is dead."

"One hunter is shaking our sect."

"I will go out this time."

"No. Aren't they coming anyway? Send a guide and guide them. Let's welcome them as guests."

At the Blood Curtain Master's answer, the man raised his head.

"Guests? He's a bastard who wouldn't be cool even if we tore him to pieces."

"We'll lure them in and kill them. We'll welcome them as guests, so prepare."

At the Blood Curtain Master's answer, the man bowed his head as if he understood.

"Yes, then."

As the man went outside, the Blood Curtain Master spoke to Loyal Ghost King Mi-chung, the master of the eighth pavilion of the nine great demonic pavilions of the Demonic Cult, who was sitting in front of him.

"A single rat is causing a commotion, so we must take this opportunity to catch and kill it for sure."

"A rat can be caught at any time, so if you catch it, lock it up. It will be a good material for the experiment of the Earthly Insects."

As Mi-chung spoke and touched his neck, the centipede-shaped tattoo moved with a rustle, strangely.

Anyone who saw it for the first time would have been very surprised. But since the Blood Curtain Master had seen it often, his face was indifferent.

"That's a good idea."

As the Blood Curtain Master's answer flowed out, many people gathered in front of the seven-story tower. They looked like shabby village peasants.

"Come inside!"

Several warriors were guiding them into the tower.

Mi-chung, who was sitting on the seventh floor, stood up from his seat.

"It seems the Cult Leader is also satisfied with the demonic art of handling corpses. I heard that the expectations are high this year. The ninth pavilion master will have to prepare thoroughly."

The Blood Curtain Master, who was also in charge of the ninth pavilion of the nine great demonic pavilions of the Demonic Cult, the Blood King Mun-gang, asked, looking at the back of the eighth pavilion master.

"How many more corpses do you need?"

"A lot. A lot. Blood must overflow and harden to become a stone."

"Kraaak!"

"Ugh!"

The moment Mi-chung's words ended, screams erupted from below the tower, and a smile sat on Mi-chung's lips.

Rustle!

The centipede that was wrapped around Mi-chung's neck reacted to the screams and moved again.

* * *

Jin Sa-wol and Woo Jeong-bong, who had entered a small village near Bongcheon County in northern Guangdong Province, felt a strange feeling that there were no people even though it was broad daylight.

As they saw an inn at the entrance of the village where a desolate wind was blowing, they walked there.

Rumble! Crash!

The sound of thunder was heard, and dark clouds were seen gathering from a distance. The two hurriedly entered the inn.

The two, who had opened the door and entered, looked around the empty interior of the inn and then sat down at a dusty dining table.

Swaaaa!

As the rain began to pour, a damp air lingered in the interior.

There were no people.

Woo Jeong-bong stood up and headed for the kitchen.

"Is anyone there?"

Although his voice echoed in the inn like an echo, no one came out.

Jin Sa-wol touched the dust on the dining table and then turned his eyes to the entrance of the inn at the sound of a splash.

There, a young man of short stature, with his wide-brimmed bamboo hat pressed down, came in.

He was a young man with a grotesque appearance, with slanted eyes, a bent nose, and several black warts attached to his neck like lumps.

"Are you the hunter named Jin Sa-wol?"

When the young man asked, Jin Sa-wol stood up from his seat.

"That's right."

"I've found you well. I am Bu-nam from the Blood Curtain. I have come to serve Young Master Jin under the order of the master."

"Does the master of the Blood Curtain know me?"

"Of course. I have prepared a carriage, so please get on."

"I have a companion."

"It doesn't matter."

Bu-nam smiled and then went outside. As he left, Jin Sa-wol called Woo Jeong-bong.

"Let's go!"

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Woo Jeong-bong hurriedly ran out. Seeing that his clothes were soaked, it seemed he had gone all the way inside.

As Jin Sa-wol went out and got on the carriage, Woo Jeong-bong also hurriedly jumped on. As the carriage started, Woo Jeong-bong asked.

"Where are we going?"

"The Blood Curtain has sent a guide."

"A guide?"

"It means they will bring us to their home and kill us."

Woo Jeong-bong's eyes widened. It was no different from saying that they were entering the enemy's camp to die.

As Jin Sa-wol closed his eyes and leaned against the carriage to sleep, Woo Jeong-bong inwardly wanted to ask if he could sleep in this situation.

But in the end, he just sighed.

"They say you have to enter the tiger's den to catch a tiger. This must be what they mean."

Woo Jeong-bong grumbled and then closed his eyes.

Had it been about half an hour since the carriage had started moving? He felt the carriage going up a sloping hill.

Jin Sa-wol, as if he had woken up, said in a low voice.

"When we arrive at the Blood Curtain, don't eat or drink anything, and don't touch anything. You have to kill everything you see."

"It means to be careful from one to ten."

Woo Jeong-bong nodded as if he understood. A short while later, as the carriage started to go on a flat road again, the rain stopped.

The carriage stopped.

Jin Sa-wol, who had come outside, looked up at the huge seven-story tower. Behind the tower, a deep forest and high mountains were spread out like a folding screen.

"It's a luxurious place."

Woo Jeong-bong admired the scale of the tower and the surrounding scenery.

Creak!

As the huge iron gate on the first floor opened, a dozen or so people in red came out and lined up.

Bu-nam went inside and said.

"Please come in."

At his words, Jin Sa-wol and Woo Jeong-bong entered the first floor without a word.

The interior was spacious. The height of the ceiling was also high, about three stories.

In front of them, a railing leading up was visible.

Five large pillars were occupying the five directions and rising high, and on the walls, a hellish painting of demons and rakshasas killing and tormenting humans was drawn.

Creak! Thump!

As the huge door closed, only a dozen or so torches burning on the walls emitted light.

A gloomy energy and a thick smell of blood brushed past Jin Sa-wol's nose. Bu-nam's figure had already disappeared.

Jin Sa-wol's eyes turned to the small circle visible in the center of the ceiling. Cold air was flowing down from inside it.

"You take care of this place."

"What?"

As Woo Jeong-bong looked, Jin Sa-wol walked towards a pillar. Jin Sa-wol, who had gone behind the pillar, disappeared with smoke.

Just then, black shadows fell from the air.

Thump! Thump-thump!

The shadows that had fallen to the ground with a heavy sound turned into people and raised their bodies.