novelraw Chapter 69 : Chapter 69
Chapter 69 : Chapter 69
Chapter 69 Ghost Blood Sect (2)
“But somehow, it feels like the Sect Leader’s face looks better every year.”
“Indeed. It feels like he becomes younger every time I see him. He's already 60, but one could believe it if he said he was forty. It feels like he's younger than last year.”
Amidst the murmuring people, Jaun quietly looked around.
After the Ghost Blood Sect Leader briefly finished his greetings and descended, a band came up onto the podium, and soon an exciting melody filled the open space and resonated.
Among the people merrily enjoying drinks and food, Jaun, watching the retreating Ghost Blood Sect Leader, whispered to Ice Rakshasa.
“I'll go check the situation for a moment. Please stay here.”
“Young Hero Jaun. Let's go together. I want to go see too.”
“I think your beauty, my lady, would attract too much attention. I think it would be better for me to go alone.”
At Jaun’s words, Ice Rakshasa paused for a moment and blushed.
“No, well, what about my beauty? How is it? Hmph. Were you thinking that way inside?”
Jaun, giving an awkward smile while looking at Ice Rakshasa blinking one eye, quietly stood up from his seat.
“I'll just go take a look, so please rest for a moment.”
Jaun, having separated from the table, hid himself in the crowd and headed toward the high-soaring pavilion.
****
Jaun, heading toward the pavilion, felt something and hid his body in the thicket.
“Haha. The Sect Leader must be quite busy today.”
“Still, how could we keep the Branch Head waiting? Since the Sect Leader has also just arrived, please go inside now.”
Jaun, hiding in the thicket, watched the people talking in front of the pavilion.
An obese man wearing flashy official robes and escorted by government soldiers was entering the pavilion guided by a Ghost Blood Sect disciple.
As the pavilion door opened, the figures of martial artists lined up inside were briefly revealed, and as soon as the door closed, warriors tightly blocked the front of the pavilion.
‘Quite strict.’
Jaun frowned slightly.
It was because sneaking into the pavilion seemed difficult due to the unexpectedly tight security.
Spreading his senses widely, Jaun scanned the inside of the pavilion thoroughly.
‘At least six objects emitting Demonic Energy. Three martial artists with traces of Demonic Energy remaining.’
When the door opened just a moment ago, Jaun was able to confirm the Demonic Energy flowing from inside.
‘Why did the Demonic Cult send so many objects containing Demonic Energy to this small sect? Even if they install an altar, it wouldn't have much meaning since it's a remote place.’
Jaun, looking around the pavilion once, organized his thoughts carefully.
‘There is definitely something here. Otherwise, objects containing Demonic Energy wouldn't be gathered in such numbers. I have to get inside and check somehow.’
Hiding his energy as much as possible and meticulously examining the surroundings of the pavilion, Jaun looked up at a half-open window.
‘There doesn't seem to be another entry route. But entering through that window is too exposed...’
Since all sides were open, entering through the window was too risky.
‘Which means I eventually have to breakthrough the front door secretly...’
Jaun, memorizing the location and structure of the pavilion, sighed softly.
Then he moved his steps back to the open space where the banquet was taking place.
Ice Rakshasa, spotting Jaun returning to his seat, waved her hand.
“How is it? Is the security heavy? I guess it won't be easy to sneak in because of my beauty?”
Jaun, slightly avoiding Ice Rakshasa who blinked one eye again, answered.
“Yes. The security is excessively strict. You said we probably couldn't enter using the Sado Alliance’s name, right?”
“It won't be easy. Especially since I belong to the Law Enforcement Hall, the Ghost Blood Sect might have excessive wariness.”
Ice Rakshasa was right.
If the Sado Alliance’s Law Enforcer asked to see the Sect Leader, it was a situation highly likely to cause misunderstanding.
While Jaun was contemplating the thought that he might eventually have to force his way through the front door even if it meant taking a risk, Ban Cheol-hwi spoke up.
“If you absolutely must enter, I could try creating a disturbance.”
At Ban Cheol-hwi’s words, Ice Rakshasa opened her eyes wide.
“Ah. That's right. Earlier, Young Hero Ban said there was a way.”
“Young Hero Ban. What do you intend to do?”
At Jaun’s words, Ban Cheol-hwi shrugged his shoulders.
“It's difficult to do something grand, but I can simply create a formation that can deceive the eyes of ordinary people who aren't martial artists. It's a type of Illusion Formation, summoning illusions that look like ghosts floating before one's eyes.”
“Hmm... An Illusion Formation where one sees ghost illusions. That sounds like it would cause quite a big commotion.”
At Ice Rakshasa’s words, Ban Cheol-hwi nodded.
“It likely will. Since there are so many ordinary people, I think this should be enough to cause a disturbance. However, if strange rumors spread, there might be a blow to the Ghost Blood Sect...”
“Since they are people using objects containing Demonic Energy, once the truth of this matter is revealed, they won't be able to operate as they do now. Don't feel burdened by that. Young Hero Jaun. I don't think there is a better way than this, how about giving it a try?”
When Ice Rakshasa asked, Jaun nodded.
“If there is a way to enter the pavilion without harm, of course we should try. Then Young Hero Ban. Can you prepare the formation?”
Ban Cheol-hwi took out his fan from his bosom and spread it open with a chwak.
“Just leave it to me.”
Ban Cheol-hwi looked around this way and that, then started walking across the open space.
Ban Cheol-hwi, who walked around the open space breaking twigs, struggling to move stones, and placing something he took out from his bosom here and there, wiped the sweat flowing on his forehead and walked back to the group.
“Preparations are done for now. However, it won't be able to drag out time for very long. Still, as civilians flee in all directions creating a disturbance, martial artists will flock here. I think you can try going toward the pavilion in that gap.”
“Understood. Since the security at the front door of the pavilion is strict, once the disturbance starts, only Miss Pan and I will move. The rest of you, please ensure no civilians get hurt here.”
At Jaun’s words, the group nodded.
“Then, may I begin?”
At Ban Cheol-hwi’s words, Ice Rakshasa tapped his shoulder once and grinned.
Ban Cheol-hwi looked around in all directions once more, approached a large table, and pushed it hard, knocking it over with a thud.
“I will begin. The name of this formation is the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade Formation .”
As Ban Cheol-hwi finished speaking, the surroundings felt a bit dim.
A tearing scream reached the ears of the group who were looking around with curious eyes.
“Uaaaaaaak!”
The person who screamed loudly was Ban Cheol-hwi.
The group, startled enough to jump from their seats for a moment, looked at him.
“G-Ghosts have appeared!”
At Ban Cheol-hwi’s shout, the people who were happily enjoying the feast around them raised their heads in unison.
In the eyes of the people who raised their heads startled by Ban Cheol-hwi’s shout, blurred figures floating in all directions and gradually becoming clearer came into view.
“Ueoeok!”
─ Crash!
“W-What is that?”
People who confirmed the gradually clarifying figures stood up from their seats with pale faces and began to back away.
“Kyaaaaaaak!”
A woman, startled by seeing a white figure quickly passing by her, screamed, and that scream became a catalyst, plunging people into confusion in an instant.
People who were hesitating just a moment ago began to run out in all directions.
─ Crash!
─ Thud!
As tables fell over here and there and people got tangled up screaming, martial artists who were guarding the surroundings hurriedly ran into the open space.
“Calm down everyone! Just what is going on...!”
A whitish figure quickly passed in front of a Ghost Blood Sect martial artist who was trying to calm people down.
Then, the martial artist, startled to the point of shuddering, urgently took out a signal kite from his bosom and pulled it.
─ Peo-eong!
The signal kite spread widely in the sky.
Not long after, it was felt that martial artists spread in all directions were quickly approaching the banquet hall.
“It definitely has an effect. Young Hero Ban. Please draw their attention a bit more here. Two Great Heroes of the Waterway Fortress, please protect the civilians. My lady. Let's go together.”
At Jaun’s words, Ice Rakshasa nodded.
Jaun ran hiding his body among the people fleeing in panic, and Ice Rakshasa followed behind him. Soon, the two, hiding in the thicket in front of the high-soaring pavilion, looked at the entrance.
The signal kite went off, and most of the martial artists guarding the pavilion had also run to the open space.
Subsequently, the pavilion door opened, and martial artists inside additionally rushed out in a flock and started running toward the open space.
[It's now.]
Jaun, watching the open door, sent a Telepathic Message to Ice Rakshasa.
Jaun, hiding his presence as much as possible, jumped toward the open pavilion door at lightning speed.
Ice Rakshasa followed behind him, and the two, having entered the pavilion in the blink of an eye, hid next to a bookshelf.
“What on earth is happening? Squad leaders, go quickly to the banquet hall and calm the people!”
Another group of martial artists passed the two and rushed out of the pavilion.
Jaun looked around the inside of the pavilion for a while, holding his breath.
Except for the stairs going up, there was nothing particularly noticeable. However, Jaun’s sharp senses detected Demonic Energy flowing from a gap in one wall.
Confirming there were no other martial artists around, Jaun quickly ran out from beside the bookshelf and pushed the wall hard.
─ Deureureuk.
The wall Jaun pushed slid inward slightly, and Jaun put his body inside. Ice Rakshasa also quickly chased after him and stepped into the gap.
“Looks like a warehouse?”
In the dark space beyond the slightly opened wall, medicinal herbs were piled up high.
Jaun, quickly passing the shelves where medicinal herbs were piled, discovered a staircase heading downstairs and signaled Ice Rakshasa.
The stairs were old and dusty, but there were clearly traces of people coming and going.
After looking around once, Jaun began to walk down the stairs slowly. Jaun, having walked down the stairs, stopped for a moment.
In the basement, there was a large room where five or six people could easily stay, but without other furniture, only a single table covered with a thin cloth stood alone in the middle of the room.
The thin cloth was bulging as if something was placed on the table.
“What's on that table are the objects containing Demonic Energy.”
Jaun whispered quietly to Ice Rakshasa, quietly approached the table, and pulled the covering cloth with his hand.
As the cloth slid down, six incense burners placed on the table were seen.
They were incense burners appearing to be made of metal, and all six had their openings blocked with several layers of cotton cloth.
Around each incense burner, small spirit tablets were placed neatly according to a certain rule.
“What is this? Uh? Names are written on the spirit tablets?”
Ice Rakshasa examined the spirit tablets placed next to the incense burners closely.
“Year of the Rat Hour of the Rabbit , Gal Sa-ryeong. Wait. If it's Gal Sa-ryeong, that's the Ghost Blood Sect Leader?”
At Ice Rakshasa’s words, Jaun approached, checked the positions of the incense burners and spirit tablets once more, then reached out and picked up a spirit tablet.
“Carving a living person's name on a spirit tablet...”
Jaun put down the spirit tablet he was holding and examined the name on another spirit tablet.
“Is Demonic Energy flowing from this incense burner?”
Ice Rakshasa, looking around, lifted the cotton cloth covering the incense burner.
“...What is this?”
Ice Rakshasa, tilting the incense burner slightly to look inside, frowned and turned her head toward Jaun.
“Bloodstains. There are bloodstains left on the inner wall of the incense burner.”
At Ice Rakshasa’s words, Jaun approached and looked inside the incense burner.
As if it had been filled with blood, thick blood scabs were dried and stuck to the inside of the incense burner.
“...Blood Cult.”
At Ice Rakshasa’s muttering, Jaun nodded.
“The only place that uses objects containing Demonic Energy and blood together is... the Blood Cult.”
Jaun lifted all the cloths blocking the openings of other incense burners.
Thick dried blood scabs were also visible inside the remaining five incense burners.
Jaun, pondering for a moment, picked up all the spirit tablets he had put down. Checking the names written on them one by one, he paused briefly, then put one spirit tablet down on the table.
“Gwak Mu-hyul. It's the name of the Blood Demon, the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
Jaun, memorizing the names on the spirit tablets one by one, set the incense burners and spirit tablets back in their original places.
“The box transported from the government ship must have also contained this incense burner. The size is similar. Ah, come to think of it, it seems time for that box to arrive roughly.”
Jaun expanded his senses widely.
As expected, the box was approaching this way from not too far away.
Jaun, blocking the openings of the incense burners with cotton cloth and lifting the thin cloth, covered the table back to its original appearance.
“Until the cloth is removed, beneath the table won't be easily seen. Let's hide here, concealing our presence as much as possible.”
At Jaun’s words, Ice Rakshasa glanced under the table and nodded.
“Come in.”
Jaun lifted the cloth covering the table slightly and pulled Ice Rakshasa’s wrist.
The two, hiding under the table, began to wait for the box, concealing their presence.