Chapter 6 - 37 to 43

It could be the work of just one person─

Cheonjinbangju Jeongyeonsong nodded heavily at the possibility presented. It was hard to believe, but it was even more terrifying that there were two or more people who could do something like this.

"… I think the same. Jeong Bang-ju."

"He's a guy who uses a deadly poison in addition to his ghostly dark skills. At first, I thought he was a young guy who participated in the competition… but that can't be true. Judging by his skills and his dexterity, he seems to be one of the strongest players in the Tang family. Maybe he's watching us right now."

"We should avoid dispersing. We'll just be defeated individually."

"That's obvious. Considering the level of the subordinates who have already been attacked, we should consider his attacks to be so secretive that they cannot be detected even with the most sophisticated senses. It would be safer to gather together."

"…that."

After Mak In-hu tried to say something, he mumbled, "Um, no."

'Isn't it more like we're the ones being hunted?'

I suddenly had that thought, but there was no need to say it out loud to discourage them. The atmosphere was already awkward. I had come expecting a one-sided massacre, but instead, I was the one who was dying in an absurd manner.

"The first priority is to find the guy. Everyone, raise your spirits and move to a place with an open view if possible."

"I guess so."

"The ranks are so long, I think one of us should go to the back. It seems like our men's morale isn't enough to prepare for a surprise attack."

"… Let's do that."

At some point, the initiative of command had passed to Cheon Jin-bang. Perhaps it was because most of the dead were members of the Taeulmukgeompa. The logic of power flowing through the Sado sect was applied as if it were a given even at this moment.

After the end, the taste was bitter. However, now was not the time to cause trouble. Rather, it was the time to give strength to Jeong Yeon-song and solidify the command system.

"Then, Jeong Bang-ju, take the vanguard. I and the disciples of the main sect will follow behind." "Is that okay?"

Jeongyeon Song asked cautiously. This plan to kill all the talented young people who were chosen as potential leaders of the Tang family was originally led by the Taeeulmukgeompa. In the first place, wasn't it after the fact that they had gathered over three hundred people for this expedition?

However, voluntarily stepping back to the rear like this meant giving up command and following Jeong Yeon-song's instructions. This means that later on, it will be known that it was Cheon Jin-bang, not Taeeul Mukgeompa, who led the action. Cheon Jin-bang's reputation will be further enhanced among the Sacheon faction.

"Please."

"Leave it to me."

After exchanging brief greetings, he gathered the disciples of the Taeeulmukgeompa and moved to the very back of the line. There were still about 120 people in the line, so the line was quite long.

'I can't afford to lose any more disciples.'

After Mak In-hu, he looked at the Taeeulmukgeompa force, which was reduced to only about forty people, with complicated eyes. All the people he brought here were the sect's elite. He brought an excessive amount of force, considering the friction with the Gongdongpa faction, in order to avenge his youngest son, but he never expected to be dealt with in vain like this.

The retreat to the rear was also a precaution against any unforeseen circumstances.

If I were to take the lead in battle and the bastard showed up again, I might not have the capacity to protect my disciples. In that case, wouldn't it be better to pursue practical gains? I could step back, secure my safety, and run to join forces when the bastard showed up, so it wouldn't be too late.

Judging from the circumstances that have already been revealed, he is quite a skilled fighter. He won't be easily defeated.

After thinking about it, Mak In-hu started walking.

The forest was quiet for a while after that.

****

one side.

There was someone watching the moving ranks with the eyes of a prey animal.

'One hundred and twenty-three people.'

In an instant, the number of intruders was counted. With his senses expanded to the point of a deadly poison, he could clearly sense the presence of his prey.

'Most of them are at a similar level to the ones I've already dealt with. Two of them are a bit better.'

Yu Myeong-myeong muttered to himself as he glanced at the two men standing at the ends of the line, Mak In-hu and Jeong Yeon-song. If the two men had heard Yu Myeong-myeong's comments, they would have been shocked. They were the leaders of a sect, but they were only slightly better than his subordinates.

However, the swordsman's eye level was located so high up that whether it was one or two inches above the ground, it only appeared to be the same.

'The poison is almost gone.'

Dang-myung tilted the bottle containing the Danjangyeoljidok slightly to gauge the amount inside. He thought he had brought quite a lot of Danjangyeoljidok, but now he was running low. It was only natural. He had dealt with 180 people with just the Umochim and Danjangyeoljidok.

Now, it seemed like the limit was to unfold the Umochimwoo one more time.

Of course, there were still other poisons that Tang Yi-Jeon had prepared, but they weren't so toxic that they could kill a person right away, so they didn't really matter in the current situation. There was a way to maximize the toxicity by using the poison request madness, but Deung-Myeong didn't really intend to go that far.

The effectiveness of the secret weapon technique that increases killing power by using poison has already been confirmed.

Now it was time to test the power of pure memorization and ignorance.

'If you don't like it, you can take up your sword.'

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So the new model of the obvious name became blurred.

****

"Never let your guard down."

"yes!"

Cheon Jin Bang Joo, who was in charge of the vanguard, advanced forward with caution.

'We have to find that guy quickly.'

Contrary to her appearance, Jeongyeon Song was impatient.

The sunset's red tint comes into view.

After one or two hours, thick darkness would begin to fall. If the surprise attacker could not be found, it could become a terrible night. Originally, he used secret weapons and poison. If darkness were added to that, it was obvious that the secrecy would be further enhanced. He might even suffer great damage.

'I've been wasting too much time by being tied up in the formation. If it gets any easier, I guess I'll have to consider just getting out.'

Jeongyeonsong also knew that the world of the formation he had entered was shrinking by the minute. At first, he had thought that the children of the Tang family were hiding, so he had deliberately searched without breaking the formation, but then he thought it would be right to leave the formation before night fell. It was only a loss of power and no gain, but it was better than suffering additional damage.

Jeongyeon Song opened her mouth.

"We'll leave here in half an hour. Break the formation… ."

"Who cares?"

"!"

Jeongyeon Song turned her head in surprise at the sudden voice. On top of a tall tree. There, a handsome young man she had never seen before was standing on a thin branch.

'…I didn't feel anything.'

Jeongyeon Song felt a cold sweat running down her face. She had been sharpening her senses, but when on earth had she been there? She wondered if she could have stopped him if he had been secretly attacking her.

"Ouch! Everyone get out of here!"

Jeongyeon Song hurriedly looked back and shouted. Hundreds of feathers were falling from the sky like a shower. When on earth did they do something? I didn't even feel their presence…

It was an ambiguous distance to run. Was it intentional? In addition, Jeongyeon Song was still concerned about the young man on the tree, so in the end, she couldn't move.

Peekaboo, peekaboo!

The needles did not strike straight down, but rather curved strangely, cleverly targeting the blind spots of the warriors. Even though they quickly prepared for defense after hearing Jeong Yeon-song's shout, more than thirty people were hit by the needles several times in their bodies. Some were stuck in the formation, and were confused, ending up like hedgehogs.

'What kind of secret technique is that…?'

Jeongyeon Song looked at her subordinates with a puzzled look. The red sunset reflected the feathers. Although she was not very well-versed in the art of secret writing, she was able to guess to some extent. This was not a common sight.

Such a fine needle-like weapon would certainly be difficult for enemies to detect, but its lethality would also be low. No, even if the lethality were to be reinforced with poison, it would not be easy to throw it. To throw it quickly, you would need to load it with enough energy, and even if you threw it with energy, the speed would quickly decrease due to air or wind resistance. If you had experience throwing thin needles, you would know this easily.

And before Jeong Yeon-song could even finish her thoughts, it was as if a single breath had passed. Those who had been hit by the needles began to fall down one by one as if it were a lie. Their eyes rolled back and the veins on their skin stood out, and it was obvious to anyone that they were poisoned by a terrible poison.

Even the groaning sound didn't last long. After one or two more breaths, all of those who had fallen had stopped breathing. There was no need to check. The breathlessness wasn't just severe, it was nonexistent.

"… … ."

For a moment, silence descended. Those who narrowly missed the Umochim couldn't even breathe properly. This was because they knew that they almost left this world. It was only when they had escaped a moderate crisis that they could feel relief, but when death was so clearly passing them by, it was difficult to feel relief properly.

The surprising thing didn't end there.

As if by some sort of magic, the needles stuck in the corpses' bodies were pulled out on their own and flew back into the sky.

Those positioned around the body hastily took up a defensive stance, but the Umochims simply returned to the young man in the tree.

'… Surely it's not a false rumor, right?'

Jeong Yeon-song thought as she watched the young man who was retrieving the Umochim. The Heo Gong-seop technique, which allowed him to move long distances and manipulate objects at will, was known to be a skill that only the best of the Hwagyeong could achieve. And to move only the Umochim with such precision? Considering the young man's age, it was absolutely impossible. It was reasonable to assume that it was a type of memorization martial arts.

'Aren't you going to rewrite it?'

The young man's use of the Umokchim to memorize and use the Umokchim was clearly powerful. Dozens of people were killed with just one move. Jeong Yeon-song was certain that no one other than himself or the Mak In-hu of the rear ranks could block or avoid the Umokchim's rain.

But then the handsome young man took back the pillow and put it back in his bosom.

Although it was something that was incomprehensible, Jeongyeon Song had a rough idea. Since it was such a powerful skill, it must have consumed a considerable amount of internal energy.

The young man jumped straight down from the tree. His landing was as light as a feather. There was not even a sound of the earth breaking. It meant that the divine law had been achieved at an unbelievable depth.

'… He's an expert.'

Jeong Yeon-song realized the young man's inaction. If his secret techniques and new methods were at that level, there was nothing else to look at. It would be right to treat him as if he were the head of a sect.

"Where are you going?"

The young man suddenly spoke, slightly curling the corners of his mouth.

"There's still more to test, you know. Thanks for coming."

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You can come in as you please, but you can't go out as you please─Jeong Yeon-song felt goosebumps run down her spine at the sight of the young man smiling as he spoke like that. Cheonjinbang is a sect that focuses on long-distance martial arts.

Cheonjinbangju Jeong Yeonsong was originally a master of martial arts in the middle of the Jeongsa faction who was famous in Sacheon. As soon as the Heuksa faction destroyed the Jeomchang faction and was established as the Heuksa League, he went to see Yu Giljun and asked to join his command.

'That's amazing. Is your specialty the swordsmanship?'

Heuksa-ryeon-ju Yu Gil-jun happily asked about Jeong Yeon-song's Dokmun method, Bongjinjang (峰振掌). The path of the Jin-gi-do, the specific imagery, and the main technique used…

There were several questions and answers.

'It's simple.'

With those words, Yu Gil-jun changed the Bongjinjang on the spot. The qualities of a great master who easily destroyed the Jeomchangpa, a part of the old faction, flashed.

'Shaking the peaks and making them cry... I don't like that name at all. Since I've touched it, shouldn't it reach the sky?'

Yu Gil-jun even gave a new name to the modified technique: Cheonjinjang (天振掌).

Jeongyeon Song was moved.

Originally, Bongjinjang itself was not a very good technique. Jeong Yeonsong had been through many real battles since his youth, and he used the experience he gained to make up for his lack of martial arts. Although others praised him as a master, he always suffered from an inferiority complex. That is why he always yearned for the martial arts of ascending, and Yu Giljun added the principles of ascending to Bongjinjang, reborn it as a new technique.

Cheonjinjang was a method of ascension, but since it was on the same track as Bongjinjang, Jeong Yeonsong was able to quickly achieve Cheonjinjang. After that, Jeong Yeonsong used Cheonjinjang to quickly destroy the surrounding sects that were in conflict with each other and expanded his territory.

Jeong Yeon-song's work quickly became famous. This was because Jeong Yeon-song changed the name of the sect to Cheonjinbang and followed Yu Gil-jun more fervently than anyone else. In fact, he brought those he was close to under the command of Heuk Sa-ryeon, and Yu Gil-jun would change or create new martial arts for those who joined the sect according to their level.

Everyone in the martial arts world wants to become stronger. There were many people in the world who would not hesitate to serve for ten years if they could obtain the martial arts of ascension. However, if they pledged loyalty, they could be granted martial arts more powerful than what they had learned, so everyone, including the Sapa faction and those who claimed to be in the middle of the political world, wanted to join the Black Lotus.

And when even the Amipa collapsed, the power structure of the Sacheon was completely distorted. The world of the Sado had begun.

Anyway.

Cheon Jin Bang Joo Jeong Yeon Song's specialty was martial arts.

Among those who have learned the martial arts of Jeoksu Gongkwon, there are overwhelmingly more people who have learned the martial arts of Kwonbeop and Kakbeop rather than Jangbeop. The reason is simple. It is a martial art that focuses on striking by hitting. Even if your achievements are not deep, it is a great advantage to be able to have a certain level of killing power. Therefore, there are bound to be more people who focus on Kwonbeop rather than Jangbeop.

However, Jeong Yeon-song realized early on that simple striking alone had its limits, and so he learned long-range techniques. Long-range techniques are basically martial arts based on the internal attack method. The long-range technique extends from the long-range core and either plants it inside the opponent or bursts it right away, damaging the meridian. Even a simple brush would be fatal.

That's why Jeong Yeon-song thought she had a chance of winning.

'The spirit is great, but…'

Although quite a few people were defeated by the one who used the Umochim, there were still about a hundred people. But why did he show himself like this? It was either that he was confident in his skills or that he was making fun of us. Of course, since the number of people he had dealt with was already two hundred, it was understandable, but Jeong Yeon-song thought that it was because of a very secretive surprise attack.

'You're still a child, judging by your carelessness. You gave up the advantage of surprise and came to the forefront.'

Jeong Yeon-song had no idea that the young man in front of her, Dang-myeong, was already a powerful force that had reached Hwa-gyeong, and that she was simply testing him on his newly acquired martial arts.

Jeongyeon Song opened her mouth.

"I've never heard of a guy like you in the Tang family."

"Stop talking nonsense and come at me quickly, you bastard Sapa."

Dang-myung said, waving his hand.

"You won't survive anyway. There's no need to know your name. Be aware that you came here to harm your family."

"What?"

Jeongyeon Song was dumbfounded. How could someone who didn't even look like he had reached the age of maturity be so arrogant?

That wasn't the end of it.

"I'll give you the lead, so go for the one you're most confident in. Surely you wouldn't do something as petty as sending your men first to test my skills. It looks like you're the leader."

"under..!"

Jeongyeon Song made a face as if she was dumbfounded. Then she burst out in anger and kicked the ground.

"The young boy is digging his own grave!"

Boom! As soon as he hit the ground, Jeong Yeon Song's new form shot forward. The accomplishment of the new method was not ordinary. Those who had learned the martial arts of the enemy's public power could do anything once they got close, so most of them had learned the most sophisticated new method. Jeong Yeon Song also seemed to be one of those people.

'Idiot.'

Although he was sticking out his sword with a fierce look, Jeong Yeon-song actually maintained a cool head. He had been through too many real battles to be excited by this level of tension. He pretended to be angry and quickly ran over to close the distance. He had taken advantage.

As expected, the guy was sticking his sword out in front of me, perhaps because he couldn't avoid it. His movements were so clumsy that you could tell at a glance that he was an outsider to martial arts.

'It's over!'

Jeong Yeon-song suppressed the smile that was about to burst out. She was sure of it. When their battle lines collided, this side would definitely have the upper hand. The martial arts were ultimately a skill that utilized internal energy. The amount of internal energy, the nature of the internal energy, and the martial arts themselves were important. None of them were inferior—that was what she thought.

It was a natural judgment. The amount of internal energy was proportional to the number of years one had practiced the breathing technique, unless one had consumed elixirs like eating rice, and the nature of the internal energy was not significantly affected unless there was a conflict.

And above all, the method of fighting. The method that Jeongyeonsong learned was the Cheonjinjang that was personally modified by Yu Giljun, the Black Lotus Master. It was not a shallow and uneducated skill that a mere young child could handle!

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That's how Jeongyeon Song and Dangmyeong's palms collided.

Boom!

A sound that is hard to believe is human flesh colliding with one another is heard.

'this guy…?'

Jeong Yeon-song looked at Yu Sang-myeong with a puzzled look. The fierce energy of Cheon Jin-jang was pouring out like a waterfall from his long mind. It wouldn't be strange if he were to vomit blood and fly away at any moment, but Yu Sang-myeong was holding on with a calm expression.

This situation meant one thing. The amount of internal energy that Dang-myeong possessed was equal to Jeong-yeon Song's.

'… That can't be true.'

Jeongyeon Song tried hard to deny reality and raised her spirits. Her inner strength was leaking out as if her heart had been pierced, but she couldn't stop here. This was because it had already turned into a showdown between her inner strengths. If she gave up here, there was a high chance that she would suffer fatal internal injuries.

Jeongyeon Song couldn't understand. She had clearly guessed that he would lack the stamina after using the Umochim to perform the secret martial arts just now, but what on earth is this energy that constantly opposes him…!

one side.

Unlike Jeong Yeon-song, whose complexion was gradually becoming pale as she tried to gather energy, Dang Yu-myeong still looked calm.

'Not hard to deal with.'

Although the enemy was pouring out a fairly strong aura, compared to the fierce energy I had dealt with in my previous life, it was no different from the difference between a full moon and a firefly. My internal energy was also flowing moderately. So that it was in a boiling state.

It wasn't hard to take Jeong Yeon-song's life like this. When the Imdokyang vein is opened at Hwagyeong, the amount of internal energy that can be moved in an instant becomes enormous. If you just press down with your internal energy, Jeong Yeon-song will suffer irreversible internal injuries.

But killing them like that is meaningless.

'I said it was a hot topic.'

Dang Yeong-ryeong recalled what Dang Ga-sip-dok had said about Hwa-ryong-ho-dok. He said it was the worst of all poisons. And he ate it himself.

'The poison request madness is the energy that can devour all poisons.'

The obvious thought was, then, can't the poison of the poisonous spirit of the poisonous spirit be made to be as hot as the poison of the dragon?

There's no way it won't work.

Naturally, he reached the state of Hwagyeong. Hwagyeong means the state where one can put thoughts into Qi. Being able to put thoughts into Qi means one can change its nature as one wishes─

The sword energy that contained the will to cut anything was called Geomgang. It was possible to cut iron with a single tree branch.

In that case, wouldn't the poisonous request madness that carries the intention to burn anything be a fever?

'That must be poison ivy.'

Suddenly, a deep green aura flashed in Dang-Yang-Myeong's eyes. His eyes were bright as if he had gained some kind of enlightenment.

Jeong Yeon-song felt something was wrong and looked anxious, but he still couldn't move. If he were to recover his tension like this, he would suffer irreversible internal injuries.

'Burn everything─'

Dang-myung-myeong put his thoughts into the poisonous energy flowing out of his palm. It was the unlearned and strong energy of only those who have reached the state of Hwa-gyeong. A deep green energy began to form in Dang-myung-myeong's hand, and then a red light began to swirl around. It was similar to the palm-string or hand-string of the masters of the recommended method, but it was clearly different.

This was the peak of passion, a poisonous lecture containing the image of Hwa-ryong-ho-dok.

"!!!"

Jeong Yeon-song, who was holding hands, was shocked. Suddenly, Cheon Jin-jang's energy began to be crushed one by one. He sensed that the energy felt from Dang-myeong's palm had completely changed. He was paying close attention.

But the new energy felt different in density. It was so strong that it couldn't hold out and broke as soon as Cheon Jin Jang's energy touched it.

No matter how much energy you pour out, you can't stop it.

"what…!"

In the end, Jeongyeon Song decided to step down. The bastard's tension was not normal. It seemed better to suffer internal injuries than to allow him to continue like this. If he waited a little longer, the Taeeulmukgeompa's long gate would come.

It was at this time that Jeongyeon Song was gradually withdrawing her strength and trying to fall back.

"Where."

It was obvious that the name had used the magic of putting on. Jeong Yeon-song was greatly embarrassed when her palms did not move. What kind of harmony is this?

And at that moment.

The poison that had been flowing from the depths of Deungmyungmyeong's heart penetrated through Jeongyeonsong's palm's internal energy barrier.

At the same time.

Whoosh whoosh─!

Suddenly, a huge flame burst out.

"…!"

Jeongyeon Song opened her eyes wide and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The fire demon had already swallowed up her vocal cords, tongue, and even her last breath.

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The flames quickly disappeared, as if they had been an illusion.

Leaving behind the ashes of what was once the Ark of the Covenant.

It was a tremendous force.

'Let's call it 'Yeoldogang (熱毒罡)'.

The roughly named Destiny looked straight ahead. Everyone with eyes was looking this way. Their mouths were wide open as if their jaws would fall off. This was because they had witnessed the unparalleled absurdity right in front of their noses.

Dang-myung approached them with a faint smile. Her red lips parted slightly.

"next."

"!"

Dozens of people startled by the small sound. Is this what it feels like to be a prey in front of a predator? They all felt their hearts shrink. It felt like death was approaching with every step that Dang-myung took. They didn't even think about joining forces.

When no one was able to step forward, Mak In-hu, who had arrived from the back row, finally stepped forward.

"… It's you." As soon as he arrived, Mak In-hu realized that the young man in front of him was the murderer who had killed his youngest son, Dang In-geuk, and the disciples of Taeeul Mukgeompa with a spear.

'Did you even learn Yeolyanggong?'

I felt it just before I arrived here. The presence of Cheonjinbangju Jeongyeonsong disappeared in an instant. And I also witnessed the rising flames. As expected, I could see the ashes of something burning beyond his shoulder.

'…Jeong Bang-ju. How can I go on like this in vain?'

Mak In-hu felt that he was gradually beginning to regret coming here. He had never thought that the death of his youngest son Mak In-geuk would be so painful. More than half of the disciples who were considered elites of the Taeeulmukgeompa had died, and his close friend Cheonjinbangju Jeong Yeon-song had also passed away.

I've lost so much─

Originally, Mak In-hu was a disciple of the shamanist faction. At one time, his talent was recognized and he was recommended as a named disciple, but at an event where he demonstrated his mastery of martial arts, he was criticized for having "too much murderous intent in his sword" and was unable to become a named disciple.

Mak In-hu could not accept the result. After all, isn't a sword nothing more than a tool for killing people? He couldn't understand the shaman's behavior of choosing someone less qualified than himself as his designated disciple just because the sword had a bit of murderous intent, and he was indignant.

What he learned was called Taeeul Sword Style (太乙劍式), which could be said to be a degraded version of the Taecheong Sword Style (太淸劍法) of the Wudang School. Mak In-hu, who was talented with the sword, realized early on that Taeeul Sword Style alone had its limits. In order to enter the realm of ascension, it was overwhelmingly advantageous to learn the martial arts of ascension, so he wanted to somehow become a Jinsan disciple and receive the complete Taecheong Sword Style.

However, since it was frustrated simply because of his strong will to live, it was understandable that Mak In-hu, although a disciple of the secular world, began to develop hostility toward the shamanist faction.

After Mak In-hu had a deep desire to become a martial artist, he often hung out with people of similar level. He would practice martial arts to improve his skills, and he would also wear a mask and do various shady things to secure the funds needed to purchase elixirs.

Jeongyeon Song and I have been friends since then.

Jeong Yeon-song helped Mak In-hu to settle down in Sacheon in both material and spiritual ways, and thanks to that, Mak In-hu was also able to build a small breakwater.

Taeeulmukgeompa (太乙墨劍派) - Although he was originally a shaman, he was named after himself because he walked a dark path. Others thought he was named that way because he carried a black sword.

Having built up a decent amount of power in Sacheon, one day he reached a major turning point in his life.

'Just a long story. Throw yourself into the Black Lotus.'

It was Jeong Yeon-song's suggestion. He should come under the command of the new Sa-pa faction that had taken the place of the Jeomchang faction and destroyed it, the Heuk Sa-ryeon faction.

I had heard rumors about Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master, even after Mak In-hu. He was from the back alley of Heukdo. He was born with the qualities of a great master. He was so well-versed in the principles of martial arts that he could easily create and change martial arts.

Jeongyeon Song also felt that she had entered a new realm of ascension. It was all thanks to the new method that Heuksa-ryeonju had given her.

After that, he was in agony.

The Black Lotus is a faction that opposes the Old Sect. Joining its ranks is no different from declaring that you will completely walk away from the Apostles. It is a different matter from simply being classified as a force between the Old Sect and the Old Sect by the people.

Above all, if they found out about the news of Mak In-hu, they could have come out directly from the shaman faction. The Jinsan disciples who had learned the Taecheong sword method were coming to destroy his martial arts. They could have lost their lives.

I had to make a careful decision.

'…Can I just meet him? I want to see and judge his character.'

'That shouldn't be too difficult.'

Jeong Yeon-song, who understood the circumstances behind the scenes, nodded willingly.

Soon, Mak In-hu was able to meet Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master, thanks to Jeong Yeon-song's recommendation.

As soon as we met, Yu Gil-jun spoke with shining eyes.

'Your energy is subtly cut off. It seems you have learned an imperfect martial art.'

'… … .'

'It looks like you've mastered the sword. Would you like to take a look? Since you're close to Jeong Bang-ju, I'll help you with it a little.'

'The main faction may not belong to the Guilyeon faction.'

'It's okay. It's nothing serious. More than anything, it's a shame that you're wasting your talents.'

'!'

After Mak In-hu felt his heart waver. The arrogant Samun Mudangpa who had never properly acknowledged his talents and the Heuk Sa-ryeon-ju who recognized his talents at a glance and treated him with kindness, saying that it was a waste to waste his talents.

The two were so comparable.

'then.'

After Mak In-hu finished demonstrating his swordsmanship, focusing on the Taeeul swordsmanship that he had practiced his entire life, Yu Gil-jun, who had seen it, spoke without even asking about the path of the true spirit or the method of the sword.

'You really have talent. The sword itself is imbued with a life force. Rather, it is your martial arts skills that are holding you back. It would be better to create a new one rather than modify it.'

Yu Gil-jun, who muttered like that, waved his hand in the air a few times with half-open eyes. An instant had passed. Yu Gil-jun called his servant and told him to bring him some ink and a brush. He quickly scribbled a line and threw it to Mak In-hu.

'I think it was called Taeeulgeomshik? It's a useful martial art if you just fix it a little. But this is right for you. Don't suppress your innate killing spirit, but express it. Also, since you seem more accustomed to offensive skills than defensive skills, it might be a good idea to give up defensive skills altogether.'

After blocking like that, I received golden advice and the Taeeul Ssanggeomsik (太乙雙劍式). I could tell as soon as I read the key points. It was the martial arts of ascension that he had dreamed of. It wasn't just Taeeul Geomsi with a left-handed sword added. Both swordsmanships were focused on attacking, but they were designed so that the sword paths did not intertwine with each other and created a rising effect. It was as if I had opened my eyes.

This was an obvious grace.

'…I will serve you as my lord from now on.'

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Mak In-hu eventually pledged loyalty to Yu Gil-jun that day. He decided to abandon his roots as a shaman and walk the path of a disciple. Did a man say that he would give his life for someone who recognized him? Mak In-hu's feelings were exactly like that.

After that, Mak In-hu mastered the Tae-eul Double Swords, and even learned a completely new breathing method called the Muk-ryong-sim-beop from Yu Gil-jun. It was a Sa-pa martial arts that did not go against the energy accumulated through the shamanistic methods he had learned so far. The time it took for his internal energy to accumulate was greatly shortened. It felt like he had finally taken off clothes that didn't fit him and put on clothes that fit him perfectly.

Before long, Mak In-hu reached the ranks of the best swordsman in Sacheon. His Taeeulmuk Sword Style was known as an extremely powerful sword style that could completely slaughter an enemy by cutting them into hundreds of pieces.

One time, about ten people came from the shaman's office.

'After becoming a disciple of the world, you shamelessly became a lackey of the Black Lotus even after learning the martial arts of a shaman. I will have to take back your martial arts. It is a law that you must wash away the sin of tarnishing the reputation of the monks with your life, but if you repent and close your danjeon, I will spare your life.'

Those who called themselves Taecheong Inspectors spoke as if it were a given.

After that, Mak In-hu burst into laughter.

'You're being a jerk.'

What kind of monk is this? You're just showing off by teaching them some incomplete martial arts. After saying that, Mak In-hu slaughtered them all with the Tae-eul Twin Swords style. It wasn't a difficult task.

The sight of those who had learned the Taecheong Sword Technique, which he had longed for so much, becoming swordsmen gave Mak In-hu a strange feeling. Did he burn so much just to learn such a trivial martial art?

After that, the shaman faction did not send anyone. It was assumed that if they sent more than a certain number, they would have noticed the Black Lotus's reaction, and that they judged that they could not handle Mak In-hu with just a few people.

After completely throwing off the shackles of the non-partisan faction, Mak In-hu achieved a lot with overwhelming force.

He not only developed his internal energy and martial arts skills, but also prospered his school and accumulated a lot of wealth, and solidified his position within the Black Lotus. His reputation was needless to say. His unique behavior of carrying black twin swords crossed around was known even beyond the castle walls.

But now, all of that was about to collapse in an instant. No, it was already collapsing to some extent.

'… No matter what happens, I have to kill that bastard.'

Looking at the young man in front of him, Mak In-hu made up his mind. He had been through countless battles. He would not give in easily. He was carrying the resentment of his youngest son, Jeong Yeon-song, and his dead disciples. His shoulders were heavy.

Mak In-hu opened his mouth as he silently pulled out the black twin swords behind his back.

"All attack him. Be careful of the dark arts and poisons, and close the gap with time. Focus on draining his strength rather than taking his life. Remember the wheel formation. I will finish him off."

After hearing the words of Mak In-hu, not only the disciples of Taeeulmukgeompa, but also the disciples of Cheonjinbang who had lost their ark, and the disciples of other sects readied their weapons and raised their fighting spirit.

Although he was showing overwhelming power, he was alone. If we spread out the wheel formation and exhaust his energy as Taeeulmukgeompa Jangmun Makinhu said, wouldn't we have a chance of winning? Those who thought so cautiously approached Dangmyeong and whispered to him.

"As the long text says, keep your distance. If you get too close, you'll get hurt."

"Be careful of the method used to destroy the Cheonjinbangju. It was an unprecedented, unheard of, and unseen power."

"It will definitely drain your stamina a lot. If you just let out a little more strength, Taeeulmukgeompa's Mak Jangmun will be able to handle it."

"If you try to save your body, you will die in vain. You must unite."

"That's right. If I see someone like that, I'll be the first to kill him."

A hundred people were targeting one person and pressing them in the form of a crane wing formation. The momentum of the Sapha warriors who had regained their fighting spirit was quite fierce. If it was a criminal, they would have lost their will to fight on the spot.

However, the handsome young man who was being targeted like that, Yu Myeong-myeong, looked around with a look of interest. It was like watching a talented person. There was no tension at all. There was no sign of running away. Could it be that he still had some strength left?

"It's a wheel─"

The swordsman who had learned the art of memorization smiled while stretching out his tail.

It was a good decision. It is true that a lot of internal energy was consumed while casting the hot reading skill. Ganggi Muhak consumed a lot of internal energy as much as its power.

However, there was no need to be in perfect condition to deal with unmanned units of this level.

A rather stern aura emanated from the middle-aged man holding black twin swords, but there was another way to deal with him.

Before I knew it, there were people who had come quite close. About a meter (about 3 meters) away.

'I guess I'll have to try that.'

Dang-myung wanted to try out one of the secret techniques that suddenly came to mind. There were images that came to mind when he heard about Mancheonhwawoo.

It may not be as good as the 'real thing', but wouldn't the replica be enough to handle this number of people?

Thinking like that, Dang-myeong unleashed the Shin-dharma Shadow.

He disappeared, leaving behind a hazy afterimage, and the next moment he appeared right in front of the noses of those holding weapons like blades. Village."

As he said that, Dang-myung stretched out his hand. It was towards the men holding swords and swords.

Because their movements were so quick, the two men were caught by the blade of the weapon.

They panicked at the sudden situation and hurriedly tried to swing their weapons.

'Broken.'

The obvious name had already released the true energy containing the secret of destruction.

Jejejeong─!

The blades made of ordinary iron were instantly split into dozens of cracks like a rice paddy during a famine. When the men swung their weapons in that state, they completely shattered into hundreds of pieces of iron.

"…!"

Those who witnessed the scene up close looked surprised. It didn't seem like much force had been used, but weapons that were not famous but were quite sturdy were shattered. This meant that the opponent's internal power was not ordinary. It was completely beyond the category of simply being considered a superior later index.

Dang-myung stretched out his hand towards the flying pieces of iron. What was he trying to do?

Among them, there were a few whose eyes were shining. In their view, the spell was full of vulnerabilities. The spell was like a ghost, but now that there was an opening, it was right to attack─they judged it that way and brandished their swords and spears.

That was when.

A strong current of air burst out from the palm of Dang-myung's hand.

Phew─!

It was a whirlwind of strong air waves that made hair fly back. The falling iron pieces stopped falling. At first glance, it was a sight that seemed to go against providence.

'Go back.'

The name of the spirit wave was spreading out in all directions, carrying the magic of scattering and breaking. The whirlwind of the spirit wave that arose in this way could not go beyond a certain range. This was because the name of the spirit wave was controlling it by carrying out its will.

And then, hundreds of sharp pieces of iron trapped in the vortex of the air wave began to move naturally with the air current.

"What is this?"

"Mancheonhwawoo…!"

A voice of bewilderment burst out from the mouths of those who had been listening. Anyone could see that this was Mancheonhwawoo, who was at the top of the Sacheondangga's secret martial arts.

Naturally, Yuanming pointed his hand at them. Naturally, the iron whirlwind also followed Yuanming's hand.

And the whirlwind and the person overlapped.

Ps ...

The accelerated pieces of iron trampled those who entered. In an instant, the hems of their clothes were torn off, their skin was cut, and blood gushed out. Those who were hit in major blood vessels such as the carotid artery instantly lost their color.

It didn't take long for them to die with a faint scream, their bodies soon becoming tattered like old rags.

Yu Myeong-myeong did not stop at killing a few people, but swung the reddened tornado around. Screams and blood burst out wherever it touched. Then Yu Myeong-myeong picked up a few more pieces of iron, tore them into pieces, and threw them into the tornado of Ki-pa.

"… Is it really Mancheonhwawoo?"

"That can't be true. Just think about his age!"

"Don't back down! Anyone who backs down will have their head cut off. Respond with a wheeled formation as Moon-ju said…!"

"Damn it. Don't make me laugh. What kind of wheel is that when you're swinging that thing around…?"

The Sapha's unmanned spirit was quickly broken. They had no intention of attempting something like a wheel race, as someone had said. The thought that getting involved would mean death was completely prevalent in their minds.

Dang-myung trampled his enemies like a wolf burrowing into a flock of sheep. With each wave of his hand, several people died.

The number of people that had reached one hundred was dwindled in an instant.

'It's useful.'

The newly created memorization technique was quite satisfactory. It was a technique that could not be used against those with excellent new techniques or against masters of a certain level, but it was suitable for mass murdering low-level people. This was the situation right now.

Iron Fragment (鐵片飄)─ After naming the secret martial arts inspired by Mancheonhwawoo, Yuan Ming glanced to one side. There was a middle-aged man staring at him with cold eyes.

It was none other than the Taeeulmukgeompa sect leader Mak In-hu.

The rider's form was unusual.

He crossed his hands in the shape of the character for father and raised one heel so that he could shoot out at any time. An ominous black aura was slowly rising from his black ink sword like a mist. It was called the ink sword technique.

'This isn't your typical black magic.'

Dang-myeong saw through the silent sword at a glance. Its nature was different from that of ordinary swordsmen. It was as if he was seeing a typified murderous intent.

It's not that it's not, the Taeeul Double Swordsmanship that Mak In-hu mastered was a martial art that maximized his killing intent. Doesn't Geomgang refer to a sword energy imbued with a strong will? Then what about a sword energy combined with a strong killing intent?

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That's how the Mokgeomgi was born. It wasn't as good as a proper sword, but it was much more powerful than a normal sword. The reason the Taecheong swordsmen of the shaman who came to stop the martial arts of the last man were defeated so easily was because of this Mokgeomgi. Their swordsmanship simply couldn't stop it.

Mak In-hu believed in this Mukgeomgi. He thought that no one could defeat Mukgeomgi unless he was strong. No matter how good he was, there was no way he could reach Hwagyeong. Even his master, Heuksa-ryeonju Yu Gil-jun, had to go through the young age to reach Hwagyeong.

However, Mak In-hu was cautious until the very end. He mobilized all of his remaining subordinates in order to drain Deung-myeong of his energy as much as possible before going into the decisive battle. However, he was quickly defeated by the iron plank method, a secret technique reminiscent of Mancheonhwa-woo.

'I will kill you.'

There were only about ten of his men left. At this point, they were all but annihilated. Mak In-hu, who thought that he could not find a weak point if he watched any longer, finally made a move.

His new form disappeared as if it were a lie. Where he had been, only a deep furrow remained. He had pressed down on the ground with tremendous force and charged forward with the rebound.

With a gust of wind, Mak In-hu appears in front of Dang-sang-myeong.

'I'll crush it for you.'

At the same time as he was thinking to himself, he swung his arms that had been crossed behind his back.

An extremely refreshing, extremely powerful sword attack—the Taeeul Twin Swordsmanship. In an instant, hundreds of sword strikes cut through the air. Was it because he had used the utmost concentration in extreme tension? After Mak In-hu felt that he had unleashed the Taeeul Twin Swordsmanship more perfectly than he had ever done before.

But his expression soon hardened.

Oh my gosh!

The sound of a flurry of swordsmanship sounds like one thing after another. But it is not the sound of skin being cut, but the sound of metal clashing against metal.

"how…?"

Mak In-hu stepped back and said with a look of disbelief. The hundreds of sword strikes he unleashed with his two black swords were all blocked. Does this make sense? He even had a black sword wrapped around him.

"He originally had a knack for swordsmanship."

Dang-myeong took out a shuriken and spoke while spinning around. The Taeeulsanggeom style that Mak-in-hu used was quite fast and its momentum was fierce, but to his eyes, which had reached the realm of the swordsman, it was nothing more than a combination of ordinary swords. It wasn't that difficult to block and deflect.

And the silent sword… .

"How can you… hold the silent sword?"

Mak In-hu asks in surprise. Before he knew it, a black aura was rising from Dang-myeong's shuriken like a mist. It was almost identical to his Muk-geom-gi. Both in appearance and temperament.

It was hard to understand. The Taeeul Twin Swordsmanship that he had received from the Black Lotus Master had been practiced diligently, and only after his achievements had deepened to a certain degree was he finally able to use the Mokgeomgi. But how could a guy like Dangga be able to implement it so skillfully…?

"Mukgeomgi? Is that what you call it?"

The obvious one said it as if it was no big deal.

"It's a sword technique with a strong killing intent, so the swordsmanship must contain killing intent. It's not a difficult skill. If you can properly handle the killing intent, anyone can imitate it. Of course, once you reach that level, you won't use this kind of technique."

"what?"

Mak In-hu asked back with a dumbfounded expression. What is this guy talking about now? Isn't it difficult? Catch him?

The Mukgeomgi was not as simple as it sounds. It was the ultimate swordsmanship that even slaughtered the shaman's Taecheong swordsmen. Are you going to imitate it just by seeing it once?

This is ridiculous─After repeating this, Mak In-hu suddenly remembered what Deok-myeong had done in a short period of time. Three hundred people had been defeated without even being able to use any special moves. Even Cheon Jin-bang-ju Jeong Yeon-song was dead, and now he had confirmed that even his own cries would not work. All that was left were a dozen or so subordinates. It was absurd to begin with. It wouldn't be strange if one more was added to it, right?

'Who in the family raised such a monster?'

I thought that because I couldn't even imagine that he would have built up such great skills all by himself.

"I guess that was the best thing to do just now."

Let's end it here─ As he said that, Yu Sang-myeong put the shuriken in his bosom. Then he took his hand out, and with a faint metallic clanking sound, eight strangely shaped shurikens floated into the air. The shurikens were shaped like a round ring with several small blades attached to them, and they were more like rings than shurikens. That's why Yu Sang-myeong called them Hoeseonhwan (回旋環).

He put all his fingers except his thumb into the rotating ring that was suspended in the air. Then he quietly muttered, "Hwe (回)."

Soon, the whirlwind began to spin at high speed with a shaaaaaaah sound. Anyone could see that a threatening secret martial arts was about to unfold. Mak In-hu and the remaining Sapa warriors were on high alert, but they couldn't move rashly either. This was because it was hard to predict how much of a gap they would have to make against a master of secret martial arts.

The eyes of the sage become dark green. He sees the flow through the Anbeop Shiryuan and sharpens his senses with his senses. Then he snaps his fingers. Then, the whirlwind with tremendous rotational force escapes his fingers and flies away, leaving an afterimage. Soon, not even a sound can be heard.

The secret martial arts invented by Geomshin - the Rotating Swordsmanship.

one side.

'Where are you?'

In the silence, Mak In-hu woke up with extreme tension. He instinctively knew that he could not detect the whirlwind thrown by Dang-myeong by relying on his five senses such as sight or hearing.

Clang-clang-!!

When the whirlwind reappeared, it was accompanied by the sound of something being violently chopped. A dozen or so Sapa warriors died instantly. The whirlwind pierced their abdomens or crushed their skulls with its tremendous rotational force, and even penetrated their Adam's apples. Even the blades in the middle were cut off in an instant. It was incredibly powerful.

After clearing out the Sapa mobs, Hoeseonhwan gathered again as if he had the will and aimed for Makinhu.

'Are you going to die here?'

After closing the door, he opened his eyes wide with strength and unleashed the Taeeul Twin Swords. Once again, his dark sword energy bloomed thickly.

Chaechaechaechaechae─!

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An incredible swift sword strike was fired. Despite being protected by the black swordsmanship, a slight crack appeared on the black twin swords after the block, and soon, with a squeak, his left arm was cut off.

But in the end, Mak In-hu succeeded in getting rid of all the loopholes and flowing them out. That was when he felt relieved, thinking that he had at least survived.

Dang-myung pulled his finger slightly. It was a linkage technique using the amnestic recovery, unlearned, and smoking wheel.

The whirlwinds that Mak In-hu had thrown away attacked him from all directions once again.

"…!"

Mak In-hu was shocked. He had just unleashed his full-power Tae-eul Twin Swordsmanship. He had barely managed to block it by losing one of his arms, but he was attacking again without even giving him a single opening?

He desperately swings his remaining hand, but there's no way he can handle the spinning blade with one arm, which he couldn't handle even when both hands were intact.

Clang-clang-!!

A series of creepy cutting sounds were heard. Mak In-hu's limbs were cut off in an instant. Mak In-hu opened his eyes wide at the burning sensation and tried to scream. However, countless red lines appeared on his neck and face, and blood gushed out through the gaps, and he was torn to pieces.

This happened before his severed leg had even hit the ground, meaning the slaughter took only a matter of seconds.

Thus, Mak In-hu, who was once a disciple of the shamanist faction and the leader of the Taeeul Mokgeom faction under the command of Heuk Sa-ryeon, met his end. Who would have expected that he, who had mercilessly slaughtered countless people with the Taeeul Twin Swords, would die so vainly at the foot of the mountain?

The eight rings were returned to the fingers of the person in charge of the smoke wheel and inserted again. If Dang Won-jin, who had taught him the smoke wheel, had seen this, his mouth would have dropped open. Using the process of retrieving the secret weapon, he attacked again…!

Moreover, the fact is that the circular motion is a martial art that is more powerful when it is retrieved than when it is released. When it is released, it is simply shot from the ground, but when it is recovered, it can attack the opponent from all directions, including the front, back, left, and right.

"… … ."

The surroundings were quiet. There were only corpses strewn about in disrepair, forcing silence.

In the midst of the tragedy that is turning even redder with the sunset, only one handsome young man stands tall.

'It's the end.'

The obvious answer was to brainwash without expression. He had made quite a profit. By actually using the secret techniques he had created on a grand number of people, such as the three hundred, he was able to improve on various minor flaws. He was also able to estimate the level of the four thousand Sapa forces to some extent.

'I just need to teach you a little bit.'

It was obvious that he nodded slightly as he recalled the Bongwidae including Dangwonjin.

The Sogaju Competition - The lonely battle ended here. Dang-myeong knew that he was the last survivor of the Jinbeop world. There were various things that happened during the competition, but in any case, he was the winner. Since there was no violation of the procedures set by the family, he would rightfully ascend to the Sogaju.

And if I become the head of a small household, I should do my best for my family. I wouldn't be able to lead a normal life if I was constantly threatened by the Sacheon Sapa forces.

'I guess I should go out first.'

It was obvious that there was no need to stay here any longer. However, if he waited for the formation to naturally disappear, which was getting narrower by the minute, he had no idea how long it would take. Also, if he went through the boundary of the formation like Dangjeongil did, he could be criticized for nothing.

And as he guessed, the Zhuge family was deeply involved in this incident. There were more than one or two times when the world of the formation of the Lonely War was subtly distorted. There was the surveillance he felt the moment he first entered, and there was also the story he heard from Dang Yeong-ryeong. The fact that the three hundred Sapa warriors entered was also possible because of the tacit approval of Zhuge Chang-sin and others.

Of course, none of the absurd tricks had done any harm to Dang-myeong, but that didn't mean he would just let it go as if nothing had happened.

Double the favor, tenfold the resentment─that was the family rule of the Tang family. If you decide to live as a member of the Tang family, you must follow the family rule. While muttering that, Dang-myeong took out his shuriken.

It flies towards the sky and carries with it thoughts.

'Tear it apart─'

The dark green aura deepens and then, with a bang, flames burst out. This is the unique privilege of those who have surpassed the fire realm, and they have unleashed their powerful aura with shurikens.

Tsk tsk tsk─!

As if it were a lie, the world of the truth was torn apart, revealing its true nature. Dang-myeong walked into the crack and swung his sword again. He repeated this six times after that.

In this way, the secret formation of the Zhuge family - the Seven-Spiral Ring Palace Formation - was completely destroyed.

****

"Zhuge Liang. Is there really no way?"

"It's difficult. As I said before, even we cannot get involved in the world of the solitary battle. It was for the sake of fair competition. I never thought this situation would happen…."

In response to Tang Yuanjin's question, Zhuge Changxin shook his head and said.

Of course, this was not true. It was Zhuge Changxin who brought three hundred unmanned men into the world of the formation where the battle of loneliness was taking place, and it was he who immediately sealed off the world of the formation itself so that neither Tang Yuanming nor Tang Yeongling could come out. He said it was an unavoidable measure for the Bongwidae, though.

It was to completely erase any trace of the Zhuge family's involvement in the battle of loneliness. Since it was a matter of family survival, Zhuge Changxin did not regret this action.

'There's no way I'll survive.'

After persuading the Bongwidae, including the Dangwonjin, to take all the remaining participants out of the Chilsaehwan Palace, there were about thirty people waiting for them. They were all warriors of the Sacheon Sapa faction, but they were easily subdued by the Bongwidae. This was because the Bongwidae had the upper hand in both numbers and strength.

It wasn't difficult to interrogate a few of them and get some information out of them.

Among the Sacheon Sapa forces, the Taeeulmukgeompa took the lead in gathering personnel, and not only Jangmun Makinhu, but also Jeong Yeonsong, a mid-level figure under the Heuksayeon, from Cheonjinbang, entered the formation.

I had guessed Mak In-hu's existence from his appearance, but I never would have guessed that Cheon Jin-bangju Jeong Yeon-song would be with him.

Although Mak In-hu's Taeeul Twin Swords, which uses two black swords, was famous, it was also a well-known fact that Jeong Yeon-song's Cheon Jin Jang was also a formidable technique.

In addition to them, there are three hundred Sapa warriors. No matter how amazing your talents are, you won't be able to survive them─

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Zhuge Changxin opened his mouth, trying not to show that he was relieved.

"Dangwonjin Musa. How about we retreat for now? Even if we only have 300 people, it is difficult to discuss a decisive battle with our current strength. And since there are two lords of the Bangpa, who are not small by any means, I am afraid that if we hesitate, something bad may happen."

"…but."

"I know that No. 28 had extraordinary qualities. It was definitely a shame to lose them. However, the remaining contestants are also excellent. They are the future of the party, so shouldn't we protect them?"

Zhuge Changxin, who even folded his arms and poured out his words, seemed to be genuinely concerned about the safety of the Tang family.

"To be blunt, the chances of the participants trapped in the lonely battle formation surviving are extremely slim. No, it would be safe to say that there is none at all. It would be best to just give up your foolish thoughts… ."

It was while Zhuge Changxin was speaking like that.

Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk─

The place where the Chilsae Hwan Palace was located─ The cliff scenery suddenly split apart. And then, there was a human figure calmly walking out of it.

"… It's life extension!"

"See? I thought you were alive."

"Miryeo. Wipe off the tear stains properly and then speak…."

Dang Yuri, Dang Miryeo, and Dang Yijeon were the first to recognize and speak the obvious name. Dang Jeongil waved his hand slightly near them and muttered. He really is a monster.

one side.

'how?'

Zhuge Changxin could not hide his agitation. He could not maintain his composure. How on earth did he survive? What on earth did the three hundred Sapa bastards do? What about Mak Inhu? What about Jeong Yeonsong?

Questions arise.

And above all─

'How on earth did you break through the Seven-Way Ring Palace?'

The Seven-Sail Ring Palace Formation was literally a secret formation of the Zhuge family, in which seven formations each formed their own formation world and overlapped each other. In addition, it had a formation world for a lonely battle, so it was practically no different from an eight-layered prison. It was considered the ultimate formation that would never collapse before the set time, and the 28th broke it.

When I first tried to monitor him with the True Name, it was No. 28 who had shown a swordsmanship that tore through space, but this one had a different weight to it. The world of the True Law, properly implemented, may be large or small, but it is a world in itself. In order to break it, one must inevitably break the limitations of being human.

Because the world had to be broken by a much stronger will than it was to maintain its shape.

'no way….'

A sudden premonition crossed Jegal Changsin's mind and he trembled slightly. Perhaps he had made an absurd mistake. He felt as if he had pushed his family into an irreversible pit.

'No. I don't know yet.'

Zhuge Changxin tried to calm his mind. Since No. 28 was only in the world of the law, it was possible that he did not know about the part that Zhuge Jia was involved in. It was about intervening in the battle of loneliness and sending in the Sapa warriors. The only thing that was on his mind was No. 2… He was worried that she might have revealed something.

That was when.

'… Are you looking at me now?'

Jegal Changsin felt his eyes lock with No. 28. The cold gaze. The faint ripples of deep green light were extremely mysterious and eerie.

That wasn't a mistake.

'Go, Jegal.'

Yu Myeong-myeong was certain of this when he saw Jegal Chang-sin, who had a stern expression on his face. It was Jegal's doing that the Sa-pa warriors, including Tae-eul-muk-geom-pa, had entered the Jinbeop world. He could have killed them all here. There were only seven of them.

but.

'Not yet.'

It was decided that the matter of the Zhuge family should be put on hold for a while. It was a judgment that it would be better not to create an excuse to be caught until the position of the Sogaju was secured. After all, on the surface, they were just as weak as the Tang family. Furthermore, it was not easy to prove their suspicions. All those involved were dead, and there was only circumstantial evidence. Of course, that circumstantial evidence was enough.

'First, let's clean up the house.'

After that, wouldn't it be right to turn your attention to the outside world? After all, if you become the owner of Soga, you can kill the Jegal family without having to judge right from wrong.

After gathering his thoughts, Dang-myeong walked slowly towards the Bong-wi-dae and the others.

Party members came forward to welcome him.

"Number 28. No, of course. You're safe…!"

"I'm sorry for causing concern. Bridgehead."

"No. It's okay since you're safe. By the way, what happened? What happened inside and─"

It was at this moment that the party members were about to ask the whole story about what had happened to the others.

Guguguguguguung─!!

As the name of the castle came out, the scenery of the cliff that had been torn apart collapsed with a loud noise. The Chilsaehwan Palace Formation had completely broken apart. A little dust rose, and soon a huge open space appeared as if it had been carved out of the mountainside. On one side, seven small manors built in the same shape were lined up, and on the other side, various animals rolled their eyes in surprise and disappeared into the bushes.

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And in the center of the empty lot, there were hundreds of dead corpses in all sorts of shapes and forms.

While everyone except for Dang Yuri was shocked by the revealed tragedy, Dang Yuri suddenly discovered something and muttered.

"Isn't that the weapon of the Taeeulmukgeompa long sword?" therefore."

Dang Won-jin licked his lips lightly to see if they were dry and said.

"The only ones who survived the battle of loneliness were you and that guy named Dang Jeong-il, and a few days after Dang Jeong-il escaped the battle, the three hundred Sapha warriors came in, and you took care of them all by yourself…?"

"Yes. They weren't that difficult of opponents. They just had more numbers."

The name of the guards was obediently positive. He had no intention of hiding his skills. In any case, all of the guards here were going to become his subordinates as soon as he became the owner of the small house. It would be good to impress upon them that even though they were young, the skills of the new owner were not low.

Also, there were other contestants who survived but failed to become the leader. They were, in a way, those who competed for the position of Sogaju and the party's allies. The intention was to make them accept the results of the competition without harboring vain thoughts.

As expected.

"… Did you hear? He killed three hundred people by himself."

"Does this make sense? If it's the Taeeulmukgeompa, then it's a fairly large-scale Sado Bangpa."

"It's already beyond the level of the review index…!"

"I never thought I'd be glad I didn't become a leader. If I had gone to the lonely battle, I would have ended up dying like a dog, not to mention getting a cow."

"More than that, what's with the face…? That obvious name is that big…."

"I would believe it even if you said that you had completely transformed."

"That's why. If you become a Sogaju, your family's prestige will be established just by your appearance."

The contestants acknowledged Yu Myeong-myeong's skills and naturally, a consensus spread among them that Yu Myeong-myeong was the only one fit for the position of Sogaju.

'That's ridiculous.'

Dang Won-jin thought as he looked at the calm expression on Dang Yuan-myeong's face. He had marked him as a person who would revive the family, but he had not expected to grow to this extent.

'How much of your skills have you been hiding?'

Even if he was given poison and secret weapons, it was absurd to kill three hundred people alone. Even if he were in perfect condition, it would be difficult for Dangwonjin himself to handle thirty people, let alone three hundred. And on top of that, there were two leaders of the Sado Faction.

However, the black twin swords that Dang Yuri found. They were clearly the beloved weapon of Taeeulmukgeompa Jangmun Mak Inhu. The arm holding the black sword was cut off from the forearm by something sharp. Considering the rumor that he used an extremely powerful quick sword style, it was hard to believe that he had been hit. To defeat a quick sword master, you had to use even more quickness, or use a strong strike that the opponent couldn't counter. How on earth did he break through the quick sword style and cut off the arm?

Additionally, most of the bodies appeared to have been poisoned, with clear signs of being stabbed with needles.

'It must be a sneeze.'

Dang Won-jin knew the composition of the secret weapons that Dang-myeong possessed. He remembers that when he became the temporary leader, he asked for his own secret weapons instead of the elixir Cheonsim-hwan that was given as a reward. It was clearly a bundle of Umochim needles, several shurikens, and eight strangely shaped spears.

However, even if you knew the composition of the obvious secret weapon, you couldn't understand this situation. The Umochim, a fine needle secret weapon, was originally scattered in a bunch so that only a few of them could hit the target. This was because it was thin and difficult to handle. No matter how good your senses were, it was nearly impossible to sense each and every fine needle flying in all directions.

However, there were only four or five stab marks on the corpse. This means that they killed the enemy very efficiently. Furthermore, there was not a single corpse with a stab mark, only a mark.

'… Yeon Ki-ryun.'

It was natural that the memorization and recovery martial arts that he had taught to Dang Won-jin once came to mind. Could it be that he had created a new memorization martial arts using Yeon-gi-ryun? However, Yeon-gi-ryun was a martial arts that had almost become obsolete because it consumed a great deal of internal energy…?

"… … ."

There were many things he wanted to confirm. Including the level of education of Dang Myeong-myeong, the specific circumstances of what had happened inside, and how the Sa-pa forces, including Tae-eul-muk-geom-pa and Cheon-jin-bang, had come to know about the location of the competition. There were things that could have been found out if he had talked to Dang Myeong-myeong more, but Dang Won-jin did not bother to ask.

That wasn't what mattered now.

"The battle of loneliness is over."

The party leader spoke loudly so that everyone could hear.

"The winner of the battle of loneliness is number 28. It is a given. Anyone who disagrees, please step forward now."

He said this because there might be some who would harp on the fact that the battle of Goksol was not going well due to the surprise attack by the Sapa forces including Taeeulmukgeompa and Cheonjinbang. He had intended to speak first so that the elders would not find fault with him later.

"Isn't there any?"

"… … ."

Dang Won-jin glanced around at the dozen or so participants and asked, but they just stared blankly at each other's faces.

Of course, there could be no objection. Those who were close to the position of Sogaju became the leaders and participated in the lonely battle, but except for the winner, Yu Myeong-myeong, and Dang Jeong-il, who gave up halfway, no one survived. Furthermore, the other participants were completely shocked by the sight of three hundred corpses rolling around. It was natural, since most of them had never killed a person before.

"If there are no objections, I hereby declare that the entire process of competition has ended 'fairly.'"

Zhuge Changxin flinched for no reason at Dang Wonjin's words.

"…With this, our guard will appoint the final winner of the competition, Yuan Myeong, as the head of the family."

After a brief pause, Dang Won-jin made eye contact with the Bongwidae warriors. They had been together for over ten years. He could read their thoughts just by looking at their eyes. Some of them even nodded.

Dang Won-jin, who had turned his body towards Dang-myeong again, clasped his hands together and knelt down on one knee with a thud as he spoke.

"Bongwi-dae Party members and 82 others. Meet the new Sogaju of Sacheon-dangga."

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"Meet the Sogaju!"

The other guards also knelt down and repeated the words of the party leader. The men in their eighties knelt down and clasped their hands together toward one person. In an instant, a solemn atmosphere flowed. The other contestants and the servants who were doing chores unconsciously straightened their postures under the weight of the situation.

"No matter what the other members of the clan say, we will only acknowledge and follow the winner of the competition, Sogaju. Until the day you ascend to the position of Gajuju, our Bongwisdae will serve you. Please treat us like your own servants."

It was finally the moment when the guards welcomed a new owner!

Although it was not officially recognized by the family, the Bongwidae had already accepted Dangmyeong as the new head of the household.

The Bongwidae - The most elite military unit of the Tang family, who had undergone grueling training due to their guilt over not being able to properly protect the person they once served, became the direct subordinates of Dangga. If the family found out, there would have been an uproar, but for now, there was only a heavy silence.

Dang Myeong-myeong looked at them with a strange look and slowly opened his lips.

"Everyone, stand up."

The tone has completely changed.

He realized that he had to act as a minor lord of the family. It was such a natural attitude. It was as if he had been living as an absolute ruler for a very long time.

Not only that, but he spoke with a voice full of sincerity, so that his subordinates could indirectly guess at his accomplishments.

As expected, there were quite a few who were startled by the internal energy that could be felt in the new Sogaju voice. The party leader winked at them. He said that they were disrespectful.

Dang Won-jin was inwardly amazed.

'I chose well. I haven't even met the terms yet, but I can't believe I've achieved this. When I grow up, I might be able to compare to that Black Lotus!'

Of course, it was still an unreasonable expectation. It was known that Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master, was born with the qualities of a great master. Since he was well-versed in the principles of martial arts, it was said that creating and modifying martial arts came as naturally as breathing. When he touched it, even ordinary martial arts were transformed into martial arts of the highest level.

However, if the natural name reaches the realm of Hwagyeong, the story is different. From there, it is purely a realm of enlightenment. In a fight between Hwagyeong masters, one cannot guarantee an advantage simply because one side has learned powerful martial arts.

This was the reason why Yu Gil-jun of the Black Lotus Martial Arts School and Yeon Jung-hyeok of the Magwang Heavenly Martial Arts School could not completely dominate the martial arts world. In the places that were still considered prestigious, there were still a few people who had even a passing glance at Hwagyeong, and even for Yu Gil-jun or Yeon Jung-hyeok, dealing with them was risky.

What Dang Won-jin expected was that in the future, Dang-man-myeong would ascend to the throne of Jo-hwa-gyeong. If that happened, he would be able to be free from Sacheon, which had become a world of Sado. The revival of the family was not only his wish, but also the wish of the entire Bong-wi-dae. Dang Won-jin felt that the day when the Dang family would once again stand tall as a prestigious family was not far away.

The little master of the Tang family opened his mouth.

"I know what you want."

"…!"

Dang Won-jin flinched at the words that seemed to read his thoughts.

"It won't take long. Trust me and follow me."

It was a meaningful statement. What did he mean by it would not take long? To ascend to the throne? To revive the family? Or perhaps to ascend to the throne?

Nothing was easy, so the confidence that Dang-myeong showed was incredible. The Bong-wi-dae warriors, including Dang-won-jin, felt a strange sense of security from the words of their young master.

"The sun is setting."

Suddenly, Deung-myeong muttered. As he said, even the sunset was fading. Night was about to fall on Gongdongsan Mountain.

"Get ready. Let's go back to the main house first."

His first task as a new heir was to return to his family.

****

Hassan was quick.

He could have stayed overnight at the manor, but he didn't do so out of necessity. There were three hundred corpses piled up right nearby, and the smell of the corpses bothered him because he was afraid of the animals gathering around, and most of all, he was wary of running into people from the communal faction while lingering around.

Of course, they had done nothing wrong, but since they had committed mass murder in the territories of the communist faction, I decided that there was no good in being associated with them.

'If someone who has reached the state of Hwagyeong comes, it could be a nuisance.'

The official name was deliberately controlling the outward appearance of the contestants. It was to make them appear to be only slightly superior to the other contestants.

However, the only people who can be fooled by this are those who have not yet reached the level of Hwagyeong. I don't know if there are any, but if there were any masters who had reached the level of Hwagyeong in the Gonghappa, they could have come out to take care of this situation. After all, three hundred Sapa warriors had invaded the territory.

And if the master of that flower kingdom saw the obvious name, there was a high probability that he would immediately figure out that he was hiding his achievement. There would be no friction, but there was a possibility that rumors would spread that he had been promoted to flower kingdom even though he had not yet reached the minimum age.

If that happens, it will be difficult.

Regardless of whether it was true or not, wouldn't all the powers focus on the party? If it was revealed to be true, there would be all sorts of restraints and persuasion. For Dang-myeong, who dreams of an ordinary life, it was still too early to reveal his inaction to the world. Not yet.

As we came down the mountain, we saw a small village. It must have been formed during the few years the competition was held.

The party stopped at a village, paid a generous price, and had a simple meal. Once the silver was in their hands, the villagers slaughtered chickens and pigs without hesitation.

"Let's set off again. We'll rest after entering Sacheon."

"yes!"

Those who had filled their bellies followed the orders of Dang-myeong without a word and followed the moonlight.

Southward - towards the city of Seongdo where the Sacheondangga is located.

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The moon, which had risen suddenly, had the shape of a waning moon. I feel like I'm sitting on a bed of thorns.'

As he moved around surrounded by the guards, Zhuge Changxin thought. The guards were probably moving while protecting the Zhuge family's warriors, but from the Zhuge family's perspective, it felt like they were squeezing them so they couldn't escape.

If I had my way, I would have gone back to the Zhuge family, but that was impossible. I had to go to the Tang family and tell them that the competition for the Sogaju had ended normally and was fair. Even if that wasn't the case, I had to congratulate the birth of a new Sogaju, so I had to stop by the Tang family anyway.

'Even if it's twisted, it's twisted properly.'

Zhuge Changxin looked at the handsome young man in the lead. He was the new Sogaju of the Tang family, born after more than three years of competition. It was a natural name⎯

The position of the Sacheon Danggaju is vacant, so when he acquires the right title and age, he will naturally become the new Danggaju.

How could he not be anxious when they tried to kill him with the help of the Sapha forces? Even Tang Yeong-ryeong, who accepted Zhuge Family's proposal, and Tang Geuk-rin, who refused but knew of the circumstances of the intervention. It was unclear whether or not he had heard anything from them.

'It's frustrating. The only good thing is that they're both dead.'

There is no evidence that the Zhuge family intervened. The Chilsae Hwan Palace was also destroyed and disappeared. Maybe that is why Dang-myeong did not mention it. Since he has not become an official Sogaju yet, he may not want to cause unnecessary trouble.

Thinking about it that way, Jegal Changsin felt a little relieved. However, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. What if Dang Yeong-myeong heard something from Dang Yeong-ryeong or had some kind of suspicion and became the head of the household?

'The main family could easily be destroyed.'

Zhuge Changxin thought of the appearance of Dang Myeong-myeong coming out of the Seven-Shot Ring Palace Formation. He felt like he was about to break out in a cold sweat. Among the numerous formations of the Zhuge family's Muryangjeon, the Seven-Shot Ring Palace Formation was classified as a secret technique. Since he had destroyed that formation, other formations would be useless to him.

'Absolutely not to be turned back.'

It was absolutely necessary to prevent any armed conflict with the Tang family. How could they possibly face a monster that could teach them formations and possess the power to kill three hundred people alone? Even if the Zhuge family was protected by numerous defensive formations, they could not guarantee their safety.

'… Since it has come to this, it might be better to quickly submit to the party.'

The plan to swallow up the Tang family was put on hold for the time being, and a way to save the family had to be found immediately. In any case, if support from the Tang family was cut off, the Zhuge family would not be able to maintain its current status.

Before Dang-Myeong officially became the head of the household and took over the real power, it would have been a method to subordinate the family to the Dang family. Once inside the Dang family's fence, Dang-Myeong would not be able to do anything openly.

Then, if the opportunity arises, it will be fine. If the current worries are unfounded and Dang-myeong does not know about Zhuge's intervention, it will be fine. Then, it would not be a bad idea to push for the marriage.

'Wait a minute. Is there a girl in your family who is talented and pretty enough to catch Sogaju's eye?'

Jegal Changsin glanced at Dang Myeong's face. He was talking to the members of the 7th corps next to him, so he could see his side profile. His nose was sharp like a peerless sword, and his skin was pure white. His long, black hair was impressive. It seemed that he would not be able to seduce him with his ordinary looks.

'Okay. First of all… I'll have to discuss it with the head of the household.'

Jegal Changsin did not think it was urgent. He expected that it would take a considerable amount of time for the Tang Dynasty to officially ascend to the position of Sogaju. Even though Bongwidae swore loyalty on his own, it did not mean that he would become Sogaju. He had to go through the proper procedures and be recognized by his family.

But will the elders who have been manipulating the party to their liking really be willing to give up their power?

Although Zhuge Changxin did not yet know the true identity of Dingming, he believed that even if he were the blood relative or disciple of one of the elders, he would inevitably face opposition from the other elders.

'If you give him even the slightest excuse, he'll happily bite you.'

And so, taking advantage of the delay in Dang-myeong becoming the official head of the household, he combined the families.⎯ The eyes of Zhuge Changxin, who was plotting a scheme, shone cunningly.

****

"Um… should we raise our voices?"

"It's not officially a small business yet, so I guess it'll be okay…?"

"… It's almost certain that he'll become a cow owner anyway. The Bongwidae acknowledged it."

The 7th group, Dang Yi-jeon, Dang Mi-ryeo, and Dang Yu-ri, were whispering among themselves cautiously. They wanted to talk to Dang Sang-myeong, who had returned alive after finishing the lonely battle, but Bong-wi-dae suddenly knelt down and swore loyalty, and the atmosphere completely changed in an instant.

Yu Myeong-myeong naturally acted as the owner of the Bongwi-dae as he always had, and because of that, it was somehow difficult to approach him. The Bongwi-dae also surrounded Yu Myeong-myeong as if it was guarding him.

Those people were called by their given names.

Dangmirye opened her mouth, hesitating.

"You called… right?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Just do what you've been doing."

The sage said with a laugh. I can understand why it is difficult. In a family where the position of the head of the household is vacant, becoming the head of the household is no different from becoming the most honored person in the family. Regardless of age, it is right for a head of household to be a public servant.

However, I did not want to establish authority even in private. Aren't these people I could call friends, who I never had in my previous life? I did not want to make them feel distant because of a title or honorifics.

"… Is that okay? I'm giving you a cow."

"Not yet. And even if you do become a sogaju, just call me by my name in private. Don't feel awkward for no reason."

"See? I knew you'd say something like that if it meant prolonging my life."

"No… Mi-ryeo, you were the one who was most worried. That you would be separated from Yeon-myeong."

"What are you talking about? Before the party. Don't make things up."

The boys and girls who were in Group 7 of the competition were soon laughing and joking like they used to. And the other contestants looked on with great envy. At this point, it was obvious that they were the closest to the next head of the household.

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Most of the boys and girls who participated in the competition were blood relatives of those who held important positions in the family. They grew up enjoying the sweetness of power centered around the elders since childhood. Therefore, they could roughly estimate how great an advantage it would be in the future to be able to be friends with the de facto leader who was almost certain to become the head of the household.

Among those gazes filled with envy and jealousy, there was a boy whose eyes were shining differently from others.

'You son of a bitch…! You made a person like this… .'

The poisonous eyes flashed for a moment and then disappeared. He was none other than Dang Moon-chan. After his left arm was broken by Dang Yuanming, he woke up and heard shocking news. It was difficult to treat the arm─it wasn't just a broken bone. The blood vessels and veins were badly damaged and irreparable. His father, Dang Ji-hyeok, the Great Lord of Dokwang, had tried hard, but even the Medicine King Hall had turned its back on him.

It was hard to believe. He had been a promising young man in his family and had even been allowed to compete in the competition, but he had suddenly become a weakling overnight?

I prayed that it was just a terrible dream, but reality was harsh. I prayed to my father to somehow retaliate for the fact that he had made my arm like that─

'We can't touch him now. Even the three elders will remain silent.'

Cleverly, Dangmunmyeong said that he had participated in the Sogaju competition right after the incident. He was aiming for immunity. When he heard that, Dangmunchan felt like he had been hit in the back of the head. It was clear that he had overdone it from the beginning with the intention of participating in the competition.

I heard that Dang Yeong-ryeong's skin had completely turned inside out and he looked like a toad. He said that he couldn't go out without wearing cotton. However, even though his beloved granddaughter was treated so badly, Dang Seok-hyeong, the third elder, said that he didn't come forward. It was because Dang Yeong-myeong had participated in the competition and was a potential Sogaju.

'A power-mad old monster.'

Dang Moon-chan cursed Dang Seok-hyeong inwardly. He must have wanted to avoid being caught by the other elders before the competition for Sogaju. I heard that Dang Yeong-ryeong only had a damaged skin, but his skills were fine. So he must have been aiming for victory in the competition. If only he had a bald face like Dang Yeong-ryeong and a healthy left arm…!

Hellish time passed and passed, and eventually the competition began, and each contestant was given a number. Dang Moon-chan was called number 4. Group 1, fortunately or unfortunately, was in the same group as Dang Yeong-ryeong.

Tang Wenchan knew his limits. The blood vessels and veins in one arm were all damaged, making it impossible for him to properly channel his energy. He was starting to lose both his ability to build up and his ability to express it. That's why Tang Wenchan wanted to get in touch with Tang Yingling early. Fortunately, Tang Yingling accepted him.

'If I become a cow owner, I will find a way to fix your arm.'

Tang Moon-chan had no choice but to believe Tang Yeong-ryeong's words. No, he wanted to believe that. Although the elders of the Yakwangdang shook their heads, Tang Yeong-ryeong believed that if he became the head of the household and devoted all his family's efforts, he would definitely be able to find a cure.

Thanks to his natural talent, Dang Yeong-ryeong was able to become a temporary leader without a hitch. He took the Cheonsim-hwan given as a reward, and his powers deepened. However, even so, it was definitely burdensome to face all three of them in order to become a full-fledged leader.

At that time, Tang Moon-chan stepped forward. He secretly helped Tang Yeong-ryeong by obstructing the attacks of other group members and blocking their view. In the end, Tang Yeong-ryeong became the official leader of Group 1 and went to the battle of loneliness.

For Tang Moon-chan, the only hope was for Tang Yeong-ryeong to become the owner of Sogaju. And that hope almost became a reality…!

'But why that guy… .'

When the first Tang Dynasty tore through the formation, and when the formation collapsed and the corpses of three hundred Sapa warriors were revealed.

Tang Moon-chan realized that it was Tang Yuanming faster than anyone else. The shuriken Tang Yuanming was holding was the one that Tang Moon-chan had taken away on the day he broke his arm.

'Still with that.'

At the same time that his anger was rising, Tang Moon-chan could not believe it.

How could the weak-willed young man, Sangmyung, change like this? His face became a peerless handsome man, reminiscent of Songok and Ban-an, and his small physique grew into a manly figure, and his long arms and legs gave him the appearance of a master. On top of that, he even possessed powerful dark techniques and dragon poison techniques that could fight three hundred people alone.

'Why are you the only one taking it all…!'

Tang Moon-chan felt a fire burning in his chest. He felt resentful and hateful.

Even the Dang Yeong-ryeong I trusted died. I was completely at a loss. It was hopeless.

But what made Tang Moon-chan miserable more than anything was the fact that Dang-myeong didn't seem to recognize him.

'I will get revenge no matter what. Even if I have to sell my soul to a ghost...!'

So everyone walked with their own evil intentions.

Before we knew it, we had arrived in Seongdo, where Sacheondangga was located.