Chapter 18 - 119 to 124

There were a lot of people standing on the walls surrounding the Simhwabang and on the roofs of the tall pavilions. They were the escort troops led by the successors of each faction who participated in the Sacheonjihoe. The water level reached two thousand.

Most of them had enough eye-witnessing skills to witness the decisive battle that had just taken place. The conversation quickly turned.

"… Am I seeing things right now? That great swordsman is being attacked. He is the most powerful of the six disciples."

"Wait a minute, is that really the same swordsman as the Great Swordsman of Guhwangyogyeom? The sword marks across his face certainly match his facial features."

"If you don't know, then keep quiet, you idiot. I saw Jonan up close when I visited the main temple. He must be Sangmyeongil Daehyeop, the brother-in-law of Yeonju."

"Daeju. It seems that the rumors about the Guhwangyo Sword being in Hwagyeong were true. Didn't anyone see that just now as a sword? It was my first time seeing it in person, but I couldn't help but notice it. That fiercely burning energy. It seemed completely different from the sword energy."

"Yes. It's a sight that you don't see easily. When I was young, I also happened to see the sword king of Namgung Sega manifest his sword energy. However, what was more surprising than Sangmyeongil's sword energy manifestation was that his sword energy shattered like a lid. Unless one's achievements in martial arts are quite different, it is generally believed that when fighting with a strong energy, the outcome is largely determined by the amount of internal energy. The match was decided not by the ability to sustain the strong energy, but by its power. It was shocking."

"… More than that, I can't see the main character. The Simhwabangdos are also lying dead. Judging from the instruments they are holding, I think they might have been performing Simsimcheok Eumgong. It seems like they were greatly affected by the sadal."

"Over there! The princess of the main palace is lying down…! Quickly check if she's alive or not and rescue her…."

"What? Rescue? Are you wearing your eyeballs as decoration? Not only your princess, but also the head of the main family, the successors of Haewolgok and Hyeonjungdomun are all dead…! Can't you see that their faces are black and dead, as if they were poisoned?"

"Calm down, everyone. The most urgent task is to grasp the situation. Let's first find out the identity of the person who brought the Sang Daehyeop to this point. From this side, all I can see is his back. Judging from the deep green energy still attached to his sword, he is clearly a master of the Hwagyeong… I can't figure out where a master of that level came from. Surely no external force would have set foot on this land of Sacheon."

"Shh. It looks like someone over there recognized me. What are they talking about…?"

"I know a little bit about lip-reading. Let's see what it says. Dangga… Yeonmyeong… Soju, no, Sogaju…? Definite name…?"

"… Are you talking about the Tang family's Sogaju's natural name? That a mere posthumous index defeated the Sado Yukjon?"

"That's ridiculous! The author is not using poison or a secret weapon, but is fighting with a sword in a proper manner. Above all, how can he explain the inaction that has reached the state of Hwagyeong…! I heard that the Tang family's small stock has not yet reached its maturity."

"No, I just practiced the art of lip-soothing. What are you going to do if you accuse me of…?"

"But who is the woman that the Deep Ark is carrying? It's hard to tell because she's wearing a cotton robe. It looks like she's holding a hostage. She's grabbing the back of the neck."

"… Just in case, you're not the Black Death Girl, are you?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Even in the realm of the Deep Ark, Yeo Seol-ryeon is known as a particularly loyal person. Do you know how much tribute she pays to Yeonju every year? And if that woman is Miss Heuksahwa, we must secure her safety at all costs. The Guhwan Gyogeom has already been in trouble. Even if all the remaining Six Sado Lords step forward, it wouldn't be strange, so if something were to happen to Miss Heuksahwa…"

"The Lord will personally step forward. Everyone involved will not be able to avoid death. The dozens of sects present here will all be destroyed. It's terrifying to even think about it."

"… This is driving me crazy. They say words can become seeds, look over there."

After someone spoke, silence came. A more shocking sight than the death of Sangmyeongil Guhwan unfolded before my eyes.

It was right after Shim Hwa Bang Joo Yeo Seol Yeon roughly grabbed the woman's cotton swab and tore it off while she was being subdued.

Shock spread quickly here and there. Many people recognized the face of Heuk Sa Hwa Yoo Yeon Hee, who liked to participate in various events. A series of unexpected situations unfolded among those gathered here. There were quite a few people who hiccupped and gasped.

"As everyone guessed."

The deep-rooted bangju Yeo Seol-ryeon opened her mouth. Her voice was full of history, so that it could be heard far and wide. She spoke calmly, but in fact, she also had complicated feelings. The last trap prepared to kill Yu Myeong-myeong - the plan to take Yu Yeon-hee hostage and mobilize Sang Myeong-il - had also gone down the drain. Unbelievably, Yu Myeong-myeong was also a being who could ascend to the Hwagyeong and emit the sword. It was understandable that Mak In-hu, who was her lover, had suffered. However, it was still questionable how someone of that age could have such skills.

Yeo Seol-ryeon continued speaking.

"This person here is Miss Heuksahwa. Yes, she is the precious jewel of the Lotus Lord. If something were to happen to Miss Heuksahwa here, would you be safe?"

There's no way he can be safe. He should be worried about the destruction of the clan right away. What was the reason that Yu Gil-jun, the Black Death Lotus Master, overthrew Cheongseong, one of the old factions? It was because the leader who had taken him in and raised him during his time in the Black Death faction was killed unjustly by a disciple of Cheongseong faction who had gone into martial arts. Yu Gil-jun was that sensitive when it came to matters involving his own people. Although Yu Yeon-hee, the Black Death Flower, was his adopted daughter, she was Yu Gil-jun's only child with no other blood relatives, so if something happened to her, it was obvious that a huge bloodbath would blow through Sacheon.

"Let me get straight to the point. Everyone from each faction, join forces and kill that young monster from that family who killed Guhwangyogeom Sangmyeongil. If you don't listen to me right now, I'll kill Miss Heuksahwa and my main woman. The list of factions that participated in the Sacheon Branch has already been entered into the main group, so you won't be able to avoid trouble even if you run away from here. Unless you leave Sacheon Land completely."

"… Deep Ark. Why on earth would you do something like this?"

"It looks like Sang Daehyeop also gave in to your threats and fought against the head of the Tang family. What kind of grudge do you have against him…?"

"I told you to do as I say right away…!"

Yeo Seol-ryeon shouted threateningly, not taking her eyes off Dang-myeong, who was scattering his swords and holding the sword. When she slightly applied force to the hand holding Yu Yeon-hee's delicate nape, she flinched as if she felt her life was in danger.

The Sapha warriors who saw that sight became lost in thought. Now, the death of the successor of the Japha was not an important matter in their minds. They were only filled with the thought that if Heuksahwa Yoo Yeonhee died, everything would be over.

"Calm down, Shim Hwa Bang Ju. We at Haewol Valley will follow your will."

"The same goes for our Chobungmun."

"Hyunjungdomun also…!"

The force of over two thousand Sapa warriors instantly united. I don't know why Yeo Seol-ryeon is doing such crazy things, but she was right. There was no way to escape from this place, and above all, I couldn't let Tangga Sogaju's Dangga Sogaju live. He was none other than the first-class of the Sado Yukjeon, the one who had harmed Gu Hwan-gyo Geom Sang-myeong-il. Whether he belonged to the Black Sadoyeon or not, as a Sado warrior living in the land of Sacheon, this was something I couldn't just ignore.

Of course, there were some things that were questionable. The rumors about the mysterious Muhak who had killed hundreds of people in a single-handed manner, and the sword I had seen earlier - that dark green halo.

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"Even if you've ascended to the highest level of Hwagyeong, you're still just a person. With over two thousand people gathered here, you have a good chance of winning. Since you've shown your strength in a fight with the Great Swordsman, you've probably exhausted a lot of your internal energy. Judging by your momentum, you still seem to have a lot of internal energy left, but your dantian isn't even a river-water-level Meng, so there's definitely an end to it."

"Beware of the raindrops. According to rumors, the Dangga Sogaju uses a secret technique that makes raindrops fall from the sky. Since such a small needle-type secret technique can kill a person, it is likely that he will use a tremendous amount of poison. Likewise, if you catch a whiff of the dragon poison technique, let it be known loudly."

"You should also keep in mind that it manifests its sword power. It is not a black decoration on your waist. I briefly looked at it before putting it away, and compared to its shabby scabbard, the blade was well-polished. This means that it was not neglected or that it was a well-made famous sword."

The Sapha warriors closed the distance between themselves, reciting precautions as if they were facing a great enemy. Among them, there were some Simhwabangdos who had not been mobilized to Simsimcheokumbang, but since the owner of the room, Yeo Seol-ryeon, was moving the Sapha warriors with such a semi-threatening manner, they could not just sit still.

one side.

Dang-myeong paid no attention to the crowd that was slowly advancing, and approached Sang-myeong-il, the swordsman of Gu-hwan-gyo. He stood with his eyes that had lost their light, and his right hand, which hung down from the tattered sleeves of his shirt, was tightly holding a half-broken sword. The sight of him not letting go of his sword even in death was a swordsman-like end.

"The road will not be boring."

As he spoke to the corpse, Dang-myeong put his hand on Sang-myeong-il's sword. As expected, Sang-myeong-il's sword was also quite a famous sword.

It is worthy of its reputation as the Sixth Apostle. Although it broke while still wearing its sword.

'Break.'

He muttered to himself and poured his true energy containing the secret of breaking. Then, with a cracking sound, Sangmyungil's sword shattered into dozens of iron shards. To the onlookers, it must have seemed like Sangmyungmyeong had only touched it and the sword had shattered into pieces like a broken bowl. Only a few people realized that it was a very sophisticated method of utilizing internal energy.

Yu Myeong-myeong stretched out his hand towards the falling iron pieces. In an instant, the descent of the iron pieces stopped. It felt as if time had stopped for a moment, and as Yu Myeong-myeong's hand moved, the iron pieces moved as if they were floating through the air.

"now…!"

Those who noticed that Dang-myung was trying to do something suspicious quickly closed the distance between them, even using their new methods. Some even rushed towards Dang Mi-ryeo and Jegal Yeong-yeong. They were the ones who remembered that they were with Dang-myung when they wrote in the guestbook in front of the main gate of Simhwabang.

That was when.

A strong current of air burst out from the palm of Deungmyung's hand.

Phew!

It was a whirlwind of energy waves so powerful that hair and the hem of clothes were blown backwards. It was created by radiating energy waves that contained the magic of scattering and breaking in all directions. The whirlwind of energy waves did not scatter in vain, but continued to circle a certain area, expanding its power. This was because the intention was to control it.

'Go back.'

Naturally, the iron shards trapped in the vortex also began to swirl with the air current. It was not long before the momentum became fierce. The sharp iron shards moved at incredible speed. It seemed as if anything that entered the area would be crushed without hesitation…!

Mancheonhwawoo, the pinnacle of learning and memorization of Sacheondangga.

It was a new secret weapon, the Iron Piece Exorcist, that the swordsman had created.

Slurp

The new form of Dangmyeong disappeared in an instant. It was the use of the new method, Shadow. However, it was not difficult to see the path of movement. The violently swirling iron whirlwind followed it. Dangmyeong's own presence was almost completely erased by the function of the new method, Shadow, but it was impossible to hide the iron plan using the radiant energy. What was surprising was that even while moving so quickly, he was able to use the iron plan steadily. This was proof that his level of internal energy utilization had reached the peak.

It was near Dang Mi-ryeo and Jegal Yeong-yeong that Dang Sang-myeong, holding a steel plate in one hand, appeared. A considerable number of Sa-pa warriors were rushing toward them from all directions.

'I survived…!'

Looking at the back of the decree that appeared before his eyes, Jegal Yeong-yeong thought that and then was startled. In this current situation, a crowd of one thousand, no, more than two thousand people were targeting the three of them due to Sim Hwa-bangju's threats, and how could he feel relief?

Of course, it was a welcome and reassuring fact that he was a master who had risen to the level of Hwagyeong, and was especially famous among the six apostles for his exceptional skills, capable of killing Sangmyeongil with a single stroke of his sword. However, could he really protect himself from someone like that?

'Even if we recreate the swordsman who killed dozens of people in one blow in Hyeonyang Village…'

Although Jegal Yeong-yeong did not have much martial arts achievements, he guessed that it would not be easy to perform such a swordsmanship. He probably would have to expend a lot of mental and physical strength. He had to perform such swordsmanship dozens of times in succession to have a chance of winning. The problem was that Yuan Ming had completely retracted his sword. He did not understand. The momentum of the swords that he swung fiercely was quite fierce, but it did not seem like that unknown secret martial arts would be more powerful than the swordsmanship that Yuan Ming had shown so far.

Could it be that the decisive battle with Sangmyungil made it difficult for him to use his sword anymore? - As he thought about this, Jegal Yeongyeong felt a new sense of anxiety, as if the relief he had felt earlier had disappeared. It seemed like he was trying to protect them now, but if things got even a little bit worse, he thought that Yuanming might run away alone. A successor to the martial arts family with outstanding skills would not choose death to uphold loyalty in a place like this, right?

'… It wouldn't be strange if I ran away at any time. If that happens, I'll probably only get a little bit of food.'

Zhuge Yingying was pessimistic about his situation. There were a few times when he regretted his low martial arts achievements, but he had never regretted it this much. Although they had been engaged in a war of nerves knowingly or unknowingly, Tang Miryeo's martial arts achievements were excellent even among the later ranks. It was only natural that she had once participated in the Sogaju competition with Yuan Ming. On the other hand, Zhuge Yingying himself had neglected his training early on and spent his time cultivating his natural beauty as a woman and learning the etiquette of the prestigious family. These were all useless in the current situation.

The enemies were thick enough to be called a human curtain, but it wouldn't have been difficult for Dang Yuanming to find a way out in an instant. If it was Dang Miryeo, at least Dang Yuanming wouldn't be able to catch up. On the other hand, Jegal Yeongyeong didn't have confidence in his magic or lightness. Even if he found a way out, he wondered if he would be able to survive.

'If I survive… .'

Jegal Yeong-yeong's eyes shone with earnestness and determination. The helplessness of being of no help in this urgent situation seemed to have changed some essential part of her.

one side.

"Life extension. Are you sure about it?"

Dang Mi-ryeo spoke behind Dang Yu-myeong's back. "By the way, when did you get to Hwagyeong?" she added playfully. Although she was a little, no, quite surprised, Dang Mi-ryeo accepted the fact that Dang Yu-myeong had gotten to Hwagyeong without much difficulty. Ever since he participated in the Sogaju competition, Dang Yu-myeong had been an incomprehensible presence to her and the other seven competing groups. And there were also monsters like Heuk Sa-ryeon-ju Yu Gil-jun and Magwang-cheon-ju Yeon Jung-hyeok.

I even thought that it was better. The more outstanding the inaction that Dang Myeong possessed, the easier it would be to overcome this crisis. I wish there were a few more moves that were hidden away. Dang Mi-ryeo remembered that Dang Myeong had always shown an appearance that exceeded expectations.

Yes, that is right. The obvious answer was a short one, and he waved his hand forward. The energy wave containing the secrets of scattering and breaking that rose ceaselessly from his heart moved in response.

The Sapha warriors who were approaching quickly tried to evade in a hurry. However, since each of them was already moving at their maximum speed, it was not easy to change direction. In fact, even if that were not the problem, there would have been no one who could avoid the aim of the long-sighted man.

So the iron plate overlapped with the Sapa drones.

Ps ...

With the sound of something being torn apart, the Sapha warriors trapped in the realm of the iron plate were reduced to rags. Not only the hems of their clothes, but their entire body skin was torn in an instant. Those who had been hit in critical vital points such as the carotid artery spurted blood everywhere, but they were unable to scream properly. Their tongues were cut off by sharp pieces of iron that penetrated their open mouths or bread. Some even had their vocal cords cut long in the area of the throat. They let out a sound that didn't sound like a scream, but even that faint sound could not escape the realm of the iron plate.

Of course, the blood loss of the Sapha warriors trapped in the iron plate was enormous. It means that it would not be strange if they died very quickly. The iron shards that swayed according to the wave did not discriminate between the affected areas. The majority of them had severe damage to their eyelids or eyeballs. They all probably died in the darkness.

Kagagagagagang!

The only thing that could be heard clearly was the sound of iron pieces clashing against the weapons held by the Sapa warriors. However, that did not last long. The iron pieces that Dang-myeong had created were a secret martial art that used energy waves containing the secrets of scattering and breaking to radiate in all directions. Ordinary iron weapons would quickly break and shatter, which only added to the power of the iron pieces.

Looking at the whirlwind of blood, Dang Mi-ryeo said.

"I can handle a few people, so go wild."

"I wonder."

Even in the eyes of Yu Sangmyung, there were no particularly strong people to be wary of. From the perspective of Hwagyeong, the approaching Sapa warriors all seemed to have similar martial arts skills. Yu Sangmyung completely changed his original plan to move defensively. Dang Miryeo was also a later-generation leader of the family who had experience in actual combat. He wouldn't be easily defeated by warriors of that level. Let's move with confidence.

'It will be a chance for Mi-ryeo to gain experience. For Yeong-yeong… .'

For a moment, the thought of the one-eyed Jegal Yeong-yeong, who had been a member of the Jegal family, was natural, but soon she kicked the ground. She was a person from the Jegal family who had once tried to take her life, so she didn't care even if she was in danger. She protected her when she had the time, but she had no obligation to look after her safety in this situation. Whether she lives or dies in this place, isn't it all her fate?

After wrapping up his short thoughts, Yu Myeong-myeong, who had arrived in front of his enemies with a gust of wind, immediately swung his iron plate here and there. Those within its radius were torn to pieces. It was much more powerful than when he had killed the Sa-pa warriors who had chased after Gongdongpa Hyeon-so and Tae-heo in Seongdo. That was natural. Unlike then, he had completely released the closed veins now. The suppressed internal energy was bursting out as if exploding at any moment. The area of the secret technique, Mu-hak-il, created by the combination of the radiating energy and the shattered iron pieces, had greatly expanded.

Every time Dang-myung lightly waved his hand, more than a dozen people were caught in the iron fence. Those who had even one limb caught were mercilessly turned into rags.

As those who were swept away were slaughtered, the bloody whirlwind became even darker in color. It was an unrealistic yet eerie sight. People could hear voices calling out monsters and the raging fire of the heavens.

[What are Mancheonhwawoo? I've never seen anything like it.]

While listening to the muttering of the food spirit, Dang-myeong grabbed a sword that was falling from the air with his other hand. What is he trying to do? Those who were quick-witted thought in shock. This is ridiculous. Could it be that there is another one here…?

Most ominous feelings turn out to be true.

'Break.'

As soon as Tang Yuanming muttered to himself, the blade shattered into pieces, and immediately afterwards, a wave of energy containing the power of scattering and breaking surged out from the center of his left hand without hesitation. He had created a new iron plank. Tang Yuanming's appearance, with white and red waves swirling around on both sides, was truly reminiscent of the Wind God…!

'When things are too crowded, the iron plate is definitely more efficient.'

Dang-myeong thought as he vomited a deep green light from his eyes. Umochim-woo was also a mass murder weapon that used extreme poison, but it was not enough to deal with this number. It would be a method to fight by recovering the scattered Umochims with the weapon recovery weapon smoke wheel and then casting Umochim-woo again, but he judged that the iron plate would be much more effective. That was true as well.

Ps ...

The sound of people being torn apart was constantly heard. Dang Mi-ryeo and Jegal Yeong-yeong were centered around the place where Dang Mi-ryeo and Jegal Yeong-yeong were, and he was swinging his iron sword in a circle. If you looked from the sky, you would see a circle that was stained red and its radius was expanding by the minute. A few lucky people avoided the iron sword's area and approached Dang Mi-ryeo and Jegal Yeong-yeong, but Dang Mi-ryeo was not an easy opponent. She would sprinkle poison powder such as Hong Sa-bun to stop those who approached, and finish them off with her specialty, the flying sword. It was rare for anyone to come within ten steps of them.

In the meantime.

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One hundred, two hundred, four hundred, seven hundred… .

Lives were disappearing quickly and vainly due to the iron sword that Deungmyung was swinging. When the number of sacrifices finally surpassed one thousand.

"stop!!"

Deep Ark Yeo Seol-ryeon shouted. Her eyes were trembling without mercy. In a short period of time, a terribly gruesome scene unfolded. Although she had a cold-hearted nature that could easily burn a person to death, her heart felt like it was being pounded when she saw such a cruel scene.

He couldn't fight back - there were still as many people left as there were who had been defeated, but Yeo Seol-ryeon had a gut feeling. He wasn't an opponent that could be dealt with in terms of numbers. She realized once again why a warrior who had reached the state of Hwa-gyeong was called a peerless master.

The Sapha warriors retreat hurriedly at Yeoseolyeon's shout.

However, Dang-myeong did not stop swinging his hands. Even though it was a threat, he was not the type of person to easily forgive those who pointed a knife at him. He also had a plan to weaken the Sado forces while he was at it. It was rare for the Sapa warriors who were spread out across Sacheon to gather in one place like this.

Looking at that obvious name, Yeo Seol-ryeon thought.

'You damn bastard. I swore I would see you die!'

Watching all the means she had prepared go down the drain, Yeo Seol-ryeon finally made up her mind. She tightened her grip on Heuk Sa-hwa Yoo Yeon-hee's nape. She must have sensed Yeo Seol-ryeon's determination, because her pulse was pounding faster.

"I'm so sorry, miss."

Yeo Seol-ryeon deliberately avoided looking at Yoo Yeon-hee's face and spoke softly to her ear. The reason she immediately touched her acupoint and rendered her speechless was because she was afraid that her heart would waver.

Wasn't Yu Gil-jun, the black lotus, the lifelong benefactor of Yeo Seol-ryeon who allowed her to continue living? She is trying to harm that precious man for her own grudge. It's like repaying kindness with resentment.

That is truly betrayal.

But even this guilt could not stop Yeo Seol-ryeon. She had already become a monster who would do anything to get revenge on her former lover, Mak In-hu.

'I will make sure you pay the price in heaven. Yeonju. Ah, just go. I guess I'll see you soon.'

finally.

Yeo Seol-ryeon did not forget to spit out a curse at Dang-myeong.

"I will kill you, Lord Lian, and completely erase the name of Dangga from Sacheon."

Wait for the day when you will meet the dead soon.

After saying that.

Yeo Seol-ryeon used the Yanggangmuhak and Jeokryeonyeonhwa techniques that Yu Gil-jun had modified for her.

Hurrruk!

As if by magic, flames burst from her hands.

Heuksahwa Yoo Yeonhee was burned black and writhing in pain.

It happened in a hurry. It's like having cold water poured on you.

A heavy silence descends on the room. It is extremely quiet, even though there are over a thousand people gathered. Many of them have stopped breathing, but their eyes are all fixed on Yeo Seol-ryeon. They have expressions that show that they have witnessed something that they cannot believe.

Shock spreads like wildfire among the Sapa crowd.

"Is this a dream?"

"Yeoseolyeon. This crazy bitch…?"

"The Black Flower Lady has fallen into the lowest…!"

"It was just a handful of ashes."

"You must get out of here immediately! Just being here is tantamount to committing a felony."

"In this case, shouldn't we report to the lord that the base of the defense should be moved outside of Sacheon? It seems that evacuation is urgent."

"How dare you do this… How can you handle Yeonju's wrath?"

Some people were shocked and muttered in shock, while others quickly ran away after assessing the situation. However, for those who remained, there was no reason to fight against Yu Myeong-myeong, who had reached Hwagyeong, since Yu Yeon-hui, the black shaman, was dead. Countless fellow warriors had died, but very few wanted to take revenge. This was because revenge only occurred when facing an opponent that could be overcome to some extent. To the Sapha warriors, the red whirlwind that Yu Myeong-myeong swung was nothing more than a disaster.

"You must convey the news of the young lady's death to the main office. If you become the fastest messenger, you may be rewarded with mercy."

Some people said that and ran away.

In the midst of this chaos, Dang-myeong released the bloody whirlwind of iron swords he was holding on both hands and unleashed his divine shadow. His new form quickly dispersed like smoke.

And right after that.

The place where the name of the dharma reappeared was in front of the Shim Hwa Bang Ju Yeo Seol Yeon. After burning Yu Yeon Hee with the Red Lotus Art, she seemed to be planning to kill herself by striking down her Heavenly Canopy. The two fists aimed at her head were filled with internal energy.

'Where.'

As soon as he reached there, Dang-myung took out the shuriken from his bosom and swung it.

Scratch

The shuriken was imbued with the true energy of the Dan (斷) method, so it was able to cut off Yeo Seol-yeon's fist, which was engulfed in the Kwon-gi (奉氣), in an instant. A red line appeared around her wrist, and soon her fist was suspended in the air, and Yeo Seol-yeon was left swinging her arm, which was only up to her wrist.

• • • •

Yeo Seol-ryeon's expression was strangely distorted due to confusion at the sudden failure of her suicide attempt, surprise at the divine law that had closed the considerable distance in an instant, and the burning sensation she felt on her wrist.

And then, Dang-myung speaks to her in a chilling tone.

"Did you create this situation so that you could die alone in peace?"

****

Some time passed.

'I got involved in something for nothing.'

Dang-myeong had a feeling that things were getting bigger than he had expected. He had originally participated in the Sacheonjihoe to fulfill his promise with the Gong-dong and to cause confusion among the Apostolic Forces under the Black Lotus, but he had not expected that there would be a trap set by the Deep Ark Yeo-seol-ryeon.

It was a well-known fact that Yu Gil-jun of the Black Death Sect cherished the ties he had with them since the days of the Black Death Sect. Didn't he hold a grudge against the fact that the leader of the Black Death Sect who raised him was killed by a Taoist priest of the Cheongseong Sect and eventually destroyed the Cheongseong clan?

In an attempt to prevent the establishment of the Black Lotus, Ami was also destroyed, and only Jeomchang, which did not have a base in Sacheon, barely managed to maintain its lineage. Not only Cheongseong and Ami, but Jeomchang itself had fallen to the point where it was difficult to call them the same faction, so in today's martial arts world, it is more common to call them the 'sixth faction' rather than the 'old faction'.

Anyway, two people that Black Lotus loved died.

Right here, right here.

Sangmyeongil, the first of the six Sado clans, the sworn brother of Yu Giljun, and the chief swordsman of Guhwan Gyogeom.

Yu Gil-jun and Sado Yuk-jon, no, the golden leaf of the entire Black Lotus, Yu Yeon-hee, the black lotus flower.

It was an unintended situation for the obvious reason. In the first place, there was no intention of revealing the inaction that had led to the situation at Sacheonjihoe. The deaths of Sangmyeongil and Yoo Yeonhee were both the result of Yeo Seol-ryeon's schemes.

But will Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master, quietly accept that fact?

Even if you assume that Yeo Seol-ryeon went crazy and killed Yoo Yeon-hee, it was definitely Myeong-myeong who killed Sang-myeong-il. There were countless witnesses. It must have spread like wildfire throughout Sacheon through the mouths of those who escaped. That the Sogaju of the Tang family, who was not even a minor, had come to Hwagyeong and was using Geomgang.

"…"

Dang-myung looked at the woman who was kneeling and gasping for breath, with both arms cut off just below the shoulders. This was Yeo Seol-ryeon, the head of the Simhwabangju.

I never expected that she would stop at threatening and actually kill Yoo Yeon-hee, but the moment she burned Yoo Yeon-hee to death, it was all too obvious what she would do next.

Suicide

He must have intended to direct his anger towards the Tang family and towards himself, since he had nowhere else to vent it. It was truly a desperate obsession.

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Thanks to the release of the closed vein, the new law shadow was also able to unfold much faster, preventing Yeo Seol-ryeon from committing suicide.

But that wasn't the end of it.

After her wrist was cut off, Yeo Seol-ryeon attempted to use the Red Lotus Flower Art to burn herself. The Red Lotus Flower Art was a two-strength art that could burn an object with just a thought. Flames began to bloom around her in an instant.

However, her attempt was soon doomed. The person in front of her was a swordsman wearing the mask of Dangga Sogaju. Aside from the supreme martial arts called Hwagyeong, Dangyangmyeong's mental power was on a far-off level. The power to manifest images into reality was incomparable to Yeoseolyeon's. As soon as she saw signs of the Red Lotus Art being activated within the area of her qi, she scattered the images.

And even though he didn't have fists, he still had arms that he could swing, so he judged them to be dangerous. He cut off both of his remaining arms with shurikens, starting from his shoulders. Then, Yeo Seol-ryeon pretended to scream in pain and tried to bite her tongue. Another suicide attempt. However, that was also within the expected range of Deung-myeong. He immediately kicked her in the mouth, and her teeth fell out with a click.

And yet, she didn't give up and tried to use the Red Lotus Art once more, so Dang-myeong completely destroyed her dantian. He completely ended her life as a warrior. In addition to the mental emptiness, she would feel extreme exhaustion due to her internal energy being scattered in vain every moment.

As her vital energy began to completely dissipate, Yeo Seol-ryeon's skin quickly lost its vitality, and her body, which had previously felt voluptuous and unusual for her age, began to change to fit that of a middle-aged woman.

By the time the suppression of Yeo Seol-ryeon was over, the Sapha warriors had already fled in all directions.

****

"Life extension. What are we going to do now?"

He asks while collecting the poison bottles that Dang Mi-ryeo had taken out. They are all poisons that do not pose a major threat to life, but cause extreme pain to the poisoned person. Dang Mi-ryeo, as a member of the Dang family, is not a person with a good personality who would just let something like this happen. The idea that kindness should be repaid twice and grudges tenfold is deeply ingrained in her mind.

Using various types of poisons in turn, he tormented Yeo Seol-ryeon until she was paralyzed by the pain. In the meantime, he meticulously stopped the bleeding from the cut wound on her shoulder and even applied medicine to prevent it from getting worse. He guessed that there must be a reason why Deung-myeong kept her alive.

Looking at that sight, Jegal Yeong-yeong felt a chill. He now knew why they had told him never to be friendly with the Tang family.

Dang-myung said it like this.

"We need to get this situation under control."

"… Is this a situation that can be dealt with?"

"But I subdued the beast before he could commit suicide. If I hand over the Ark of the Deep Sea to Heuksa-ryeon, wouldn't they be somewhat considerate? I did my best."

"You, do you know why the Black Lotus Lord destroyed Cheongseong? You said you couldn't help it, Yoo Yeonhee, but how are you going to avoid the responsibility of killing Sangmyeongil? As you know, Guhwan Gyogeom and the Black Lotus Lord are sworn brothers. The same goes for the other Sado Yukjeon."

"That's for the Black Lotus Master to decide. It was something I couldn't die for. He even drew his sword and attacked me, so there was no way to subdue him without killing him."

"It's difficult."

"First, you, Mi-ryeo, take Yeong-yeong and return to your hometown. Explain the situation in detail to the head of the household, and tell him to prepare for an invasion. You might have to fight the Black Lotus and the Bangpa Battle. And Yeong-yeong. You tell your uncle… Jegal Chang-sin to make sure that he doesn't neglect anything in operating the defensive garrison to your hometown."

"okay."

"Yes, Sogaju. I will keep your orders in mind."

Dang Mi-ryeo and Jegal Yeong-yeong nodded in response to Dang Yu-myeong's words. Was it because the situation was serious? Was it because they had overcome the crisis together? The atmosphere flowing between the two women felt more friendly than before.

"By the way, when you go back, try not to go through Hyeonyangchon if possible."

The obvious name was added as if it suddenly occurred to him. Even if the route was fast, it seemed best to avoid places where the Demonic Cult had a history of appearing. After all, he wasn't the one accompanying them.

"Okay. But what are you going to do with Yeonmyeong? You're not planning on going to Heuksayeon yourself, are you? Even if you've reached Hwagyeong, it's too dangerous. Handing over the new soldiers of Simhwabangju can be done with just someone."

"As the person who killed Sangmyeongil and the head of the family, I should show some sincerity when I go as an envoy so that there will be room for compromise."

"No, no matter what…! This time it's really dangerous. You might get killed by the Black Lotus…!"

"Don't worry. I'm confident I can get myself out. And this isn't something that can be solved by just staying at home. There are already many witnesses. It's right to confront the Black Lotus and negotiate."

Dang-myung said it decisively. It seemed like he had already made up his mind.

Dang Mi-ryeo, who had been staring at Dang Yu-myeong's eyes for a moment, sighed and opened her mouth.

"… I understand. Who can beat your stubbornness? Just make sure you return safely. If something happens to you, Yeonmyeong will be very heartbroken."

"… I will wait for you too, so please return safely."

When Dang Mi-ryeo mentioned Dang Mi-so, Jegal Yeong-yeong also added a word.

"Okay. Stay healthy and see you both again."

I'll go first. With a long greeting, the new model of Dang-myung-myeong quickly dispersed. Before anyone knew it, the presence of Yeo-seol-yeon, the head of the Simhwabangju, had also disappeared.

The two women who were left behind stood there blankly for a moment, then suddenly came to their senses with a gust of wind and started walking.

In the thick scent of blood.

Red footprints began to appear one by one.

****

Inside a shabby inn.

There was a man drinking alone. A plate of cold dumplings soaked in cheap sake.

Surprisingly, the man's name was Yu Gil-jun.

The Black Lotus Lord and the Supreme Lord of the Four Heavenly Kingdoms…!

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He often reminisced about his days in the Black Death Sect and would often hang out in shabby back alley taverns like this. It seemed to be true that, despite his high status in the martial arts world, he had a humble personality.

As he was smirking, Yu Gil-jun's eyes narrowed, and he put down the glass he was holding to his lips and spoke.

"What's going on? I told you not to spoil the fun."

"I'm sorry, Yeonju. It's urgent."

With that being said.

There was a figure who appeared like a ghost from the ceiling and came down. He was quite good at stealth. Could the martial arts he learned also have been touched by Yu Gil-jun?

"It's urgent. Let me tell you."

"…"

"Why aren't you saying anything? Just bite your lips. If you don't want to insult me, then speak up right now."

"I am so embarrassed to tell you this…."

"I told you to speak."

"… His Majesty the Redeemer has gone to the lower realm."

"what?"

Wow!

A tremendous amount of energy burst out from Yu Gil-jun. It was so explosive that the entire table in front of him was blown away and crashed down. This is evidence that he had reached a state where he could react to his mind and immediately feel energy.

"What are you talking about? Brother Kyogeom is a noble…? Can you take responsibility for the words you just uttered? I clearly heard that you attended the Sacheon branch meeting with Yeonhee."

The man who was reporting kept swallowing dry saliva under the pressure of the tremendous momentum. He could feel Yeonju's anger on his skin. If he didn't immediately tell her that it was a lie, he felt like she would kill him.

But there was still one more piece of bad news to report.

The man closed his eyes tightly for a moment and then opened them again, barely opening his mouth.

"They say that there were over a thousand witnesses to that moment. And… Miss Yu Yeon-hee and Miss Heuk Sa-hwa also passed away one after another…"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the furniture in the inn, including the man who was reporting, was thrown against the wall.

A bloody wind will blow in Isacheon soon!

Those active in the Sacheon martial arts world, merchants with direct or indirect ties to them, commoners who are interested in rumors about the martial arts world even if they have no particular ties to it, and the affluent who make a living through gossip have been saying this in unison whenever they gather in groups of three or five recently.

As rumors about the Dark Poison Sword Dragon's real name spread.

As always, the appearance of a new master was easily a hot topic. This was because they were perceived as beings who could cause ripples in the existing order of the martial arts world. It was the same when Black Lotus Master Yu Gil-jun and Magwangcheon Master Yeon Jung-hyeok first made their names known. They each tore down a part of the political power structure that was so rigid that it felt rigid. The old factions and the five great factions were called the Five Great Factions. It must have been a fresh shock, regardless of the tragedy they caused.

Originally, some of the nobles had been calling him by the nickname of "Dark Poison Dragon" (暗毒龍). There were two rumors that he had killed hundreds of people alone, so they gave him the character "龍" out of respect for his inaction, expectations for a bright future based on his young age, and consideration for his status as the successor to the now fallen Sichuan Tang family, which once enjoyed great status.

However, as the news of this Sacheonjihoe spread, Dang Myeong-myeong's swordsmanship skills were greatly highlighted, and the character "검 (劍)" was added to his existing nickname, becoming "암독검룡 (暗毒劍龍)". It meant that even if he didn't know dark techniques, poison techniques, or dragon poison techniques, his swordsmanship was so excellent that he could be compared to a dragon, so it was definitely excessive for a nickname for a later index. However, no one said that the nickname암독검룡 did not suit Dang Myeong-myeong.

One disciple, the sixth lord of Guhwankyo, was defeated by the sword of the Tang family's Sogaju, Sangmyeongil, and was exiled!

This turned out to be true, and gave rise to a few more rumors.

It was a shocking story that would normally be dismissed as nonsense upon hearing. Who is Guhwangyogyeom Sangmyeongil? He is considered the most skilled among the six apostles, and he devotes himself to practicing swordsmanship without even taking on disciples. Recently, there were even rumors that he might have reached Hwagyeong. How could he, who is not even a junior, lose to Hugijisu?

Didn't you fight while you were addicted to poison? It wasn't like you were just fighting with swordsmanship.

一No, I can't reveal my identity, but the surviving Sim Hwa-bang testified that, on the contrary, his reputation was at a disadvantage. He said that he fought over fifty life-or-death battles with the successors of each faction who participated in the Sacheonjihoe. There was no sign of poison being used at all.

一Moreover, it is said that the story that the Guhwangyo Sword reached Hwagyeong was true. There are more than a few people who have witnessed the sword blazing like flames.

It couldn't have been just one or two. They say that the number of escorts from each faction gathered at the Sacheonjihoe exceeded two thousand. Why? Didn't Jang pack up his belongings and go to the ten factions to get a share? He said it was the first time he'd ever seen such a crowd. They say the belongings he took were sold out in an instant.

One moment. Isn't that the important part? If the Guhwangyo Sword has ascended to the Hwagyeong and has also manifested the Geomgang, then how on earth is Dangmyeong still alive? Surely he's not trying to lie about ascending to the Hwagyeong at that age, right?

一There are still many who haven't properly heard the rumors. From what I've heard, Dangmyeongmyeong also pulled out a long green sword and confronted Sangmyeongil. Is that all? He completely destroyed Sangmyeongil's sword and even took his life, so it must be considered a complete Hwagyeong. Let's stop talking about age. It seems that Dangga Sogaju is a person who cannot be measured by the standards of a criminal. Do you know that he killed a thousand martial artists right after the decisive battle with Guhwangyogeom?

What does that mean? A thousand?

One, those who run away spread rumors like fragments, so few people know the full truth of this incident. Yes. You should be glad you met me today. Buy me some drinks.

Okay, then go ahead and talk.

This is a fact known only to those in the know, but this incident was planned by the Simhwabangju Yeoseolyeon…

The survivors fled in all directions while Deungmyung was subduing the Shim Hwa Bangju Yeo Seol Yeon. They quickly returned with light attacks and spread rumors, so it took some time for the events of the Sacheonjihoe to be properly known.

The first thing that was spread was the decisive battle between Dangmyeong and Sangmyeongil, their victory and defeat, and their inaction. Of course, the deaths of the successors of each faction who participated in the Sacheonjihoe were also known, but compared to the former, they had no weight.

Next, it was about the secret martial arts that Dang-myeong broke the iron bar and used it to slaughter over a thousand people in an incredibly short period of time. This was also a very shocking incident. It was known that the martial arts of the Tang family were specialized in mass murder, but it was amazing that he could slaughter over a thousand people by himself. It was to the extent that he could be evaluated as having martial arts that were not only one-to-a-hundred (一當百) but also one-to-a-thousand (一歸當千).

But the incident that shocked the world the most was the last known incident.

One, Heuksahwa Yoo Yeonhee is dead…!

It was said that it was the work of Yeo Seol-ryeon, the master of the Deep Ark. He burned the body without leaving a trace using the Yanggangmuhak and Jeokryeonhwa techniques that were personally modified by Yu Gil-jun, the master of the Black Lotus.

The reason that Sangmyeongil Guhwangyogyeom suddenly had to fight with Sangmyeongmyeong, and that over two thousand Sapa warriors attacked Sangmyeong and killed over a thousand people right after, was because Yeonhui Yoo was taken hostage by Yeo Seol-ryeon, the head of the Shimhwabangju.

I wonder what the Black Lotus Spirit feels.

There were still many who remembered that Yu Gil-jun, who was in agony over the death of the former leader of the Black Death Sect, had finally wiped out the seed of the Sacheon faction. This time, it was none other than the Sado Sect under the Black Death Sect. How will they be dealt with?

No, no one knew what had happened to Yeo Seol-ryeon, the Master of the Deep Ark. There were only a few who had witnessed Dang-myeong cut off both of her hands. If Yeo Seol-ryeon had already died, how would Yu Gil-jun, the Master of the Black Lotus, vent his anger?

In the end, the head of the Tang family, the Dark Sword Dragon, was involved in all of this. Anyone with even a little insight would not have a hard time predicting that a bloody storm would sweep across the land of Sacheon, especially with the Tang family at its center.

The whole of Sacheon was tense like that.

****

There was a joke that a horse without legs was faster than a good horse, but the news about this Sachonjihoe was spreading at an unprecedented speed. If you think about it, it's only natural. The Sapa warriors who survived the Simhwabang had to move continuously, performing light moves to urgently return to their faction and deliver the news. There was no need for a separate wartime dispatch.

Unless it was a place that outsiders never visited, it was impossible not to know what was happening at the Sacheon branch.

The rumor about Dang-myeong spread even in Hyeon-yang-chon, which was small in size but had many passersby. In particular, Hyeon-yang-chon was close to the Sip-bang where the Sacheon branch was held, so it quickly picked up the rumor.

In fact, the Hyeonyangmun Gate, which ruled Hyeonyang Village, was holding an untimely funeral.

The reason is that Yeon Woo-jung, the second son-in-law of the head of Hyeonyangmun, Nam Jin-sun, and his son Yeon So-cheong, were both born in the lowest of the lowlands. They were murdered in the middle of Hyeonyang Village, the territory of Hyeonyangmun. The murderer was unknown and there were many suspicious aspects, so the entire village was in an uproar for a while, but when Hyeonyangmun started to crack down on people, no one talked about it anymore. There was also a sense that the rumors about Sacheonjihoe covered up the incident involving Yeon Woo-jung and his son.

When he first heard the news of his son-in-law and grandson's death, Nam Jin-sun went wild for a while. He wanted to find the villain and take revenge. He was extremely heartbroken. Especially since he had secretly decided that his grandson, Yeon So-cheong, would be the next head of the Hyeonyang family. He also suspected that the other children had planned it because they had noticed that they had been pushed out of the competition.

However, as he investigated the deaths of his son-in-law and grandson, there were more than a few things that were unusual. First of all, there were dozens of masked people who had died with the two of them. They didn't have any belongings, and the faces under the masks were people he had never seen before. The only clue was the silver '月' character engraved on their sword sheaths. As far as he knew, there was no armed force with these characteristics in Sacheon.

Also, surprisingly, many of the masked men seemed to have lost their lives in a single check, all at once. Judging from the level of physical training, they seemed to be quite skilled. It must have been a swordsman of unfathomable skill who had done it. Here, Nam Jin-soon stopped suspecting that his children had been involved. They were not the type of people they could control. They couldn't be manipulated by vague money or anything like that.

In addition, I knew that one of the swordsmiths who had made the sword for my grandson Yeon So-cheong had disappeared, but I didn't think much of it. I guess he ran away because he thought he would be held responsible for this incident or something.

Things started to unravel surprisingly thanks to the civilians of Hyeonyang Village. Some of them were visibly shaken by the sight of the large number of corpses. Nam Jin-sun, who originally ran the top, was quick to notice. He caught the shaken people and interrogated or questioned them to get information.

The surprising fact that I heard was that the dead masked people were none other than the Cheonwoldae, the elite military unit of the Cheonmasingyo, and that they had also settled in Hyeonyang Village for some kind of mission.

It's the Heavenly Demon Church!

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Nam Jin-soon thought about the fact that his second son-in-law, Yeon Woo-joong, had the surname Yeon. If it was Yeonga, it meant that he was related to the leader of the Cheonmasingyo and the leader of Magwangcheon at the time!

An indescribable turmoil struck his whole body. Born as an ordinary person with no talent for learning, barely making ends meet as a merchant, he had become the head of a family, which was quite a feat. However, even if it was insignificant, his own bloodline, the blood of Yeonga, was mixed with Namga.

It is unknown why his second son-in-law, Yeon Woo-joong, approached him, but it is clear that Yeon Soo-cheong was naturally talented and Yeon Woo-joong cherished him. Yes, it is possible that his grandson became the direct descendant of Cheonmasin Sect. Yeon Joong-hyeok, the son of the current cult leader, left Cheonmasin Sect and established a new Magwangcheon.

Thinking about it that way, my resentment towards that nameless villain grew even stronger.

In the meantime, a shocking rumor was heard.

It turns out that Dangga Sogaju's Dangmyeongmyeong killed Guhwan Gyogeom's Sangmyeongil, and it turns out that Dangmyeongmyeong was an incredible swordsman.

'It's him.'

Nam Jin-soon felt a fateful intuition. The one who killed his grandson, who might have been the successor to the Cheonmasingyo, was none other than Dang-myeong!

If that's true, this wasn't the time.

Anyway, because of what Dang-myeong did, the area around Seongdo was going to become a battlefield. I don't know if this place, Hyeon-yang Village, will be safe.

Even if he manages to avoid trouble, if he finds out that the Hyeonyangmun members have some kind of connection to the Cheonmasingyo Cheonwoldae, there's no way Hyeonyangmun can stay safe. Some kind of action will have to be taken.

As expected from a merchant, Nam Jin-sun quickly finished calculating and made a decision, then quickly sold off all of his assets.

And he left right away with his family.

Towards the Heavenly Demon Church…!

Around the time when the story of the poisonous dragon Dangmyeong spread like wildfire throughout Sacheon.

The story's parties had already arrived at Cheongseongsan Mountain. It was the place where Heuksa-ryeon destroyed Cheongseongpa and took refuge.

'It took longer than I thought.'

Dang-myeong looked up at the mountain peak and thought. Thanks to the lightness and moonlight movement created with the image of chasing the moonlight, he was able to cover a distance that would take several days even on a fine horse in just one night. After releasing the lung vein, there was a surge of true energy that was boiling up every moment, so the driving energy wave that was gushing out from the Yongcheon point on the soles of his feet with each step was tremendous. In other words, the movement itself did not take long.

It just took some time to prepare thoroughly before delivering the new soldiers of the Deep Ark to the Black Lotus.

From the beginning, Dang-myeong had come here with the worst possible situation in mind. Although he didn't know much about Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Lord, he judged that the possibility of the matter being resolved quietly by simply handing over the new soldier of Yeo Seol-ryeon, the Lord of the Deep Waters, was extremely low. Even if he were to assume it was his own business, that would be the case. If something happened to his mother, Dang Ji-hye, wouldn't he kill everyone involved without considering the circumstances?

It was hard to believe that Heuksaryeonju, who had the power to destroy the Tang family, was a person of character who could suppress his anger and act with reason.

'There's no way to avoid a fight.'

Before leaving the room, he told Dang Mi-ryeo not to worry and that he was confident that he would somehow get this body out, but in fact, Dang Yu-myeong had no intention of backing down. If Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master, considered Dang Ga to be the target of resentment, he planned to settle the matter on the spot.

The Black Lotus was a strange form of martial arts force. The Black Lotus headquarters located in Cheongseongsan had considerable power, but it did not expand its size beyond a certain level. It was different from other martial arts factions that were constantly growing in size. Nevertheless, the Black Lotus's influence was so great that it reached the entire Sacheon area. This was because there were people who claimed to be Black Lotus factions in various places.

Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master who was born with the qualities of a great master, was famous for generously imparting to his subordinates the martial arts he personally created or modified.

Especially, those with good qualities were given even more excellent martial arts. For the Sado factions that had been pushed back by the power of the Jeongdo Daebang faction and had been in decline, or for those who had felt the limitations of the Sado martial arts and were frustrated, it must have been like a rain in a drought. Of course, there were quite a few who devoted themselves to the Black Lotus for the sole purpose of martial arts, but aside from the early days when it was small, not just anyone was given Yu Giljun's martial arts. You had to make a contribution. Either establish merit or pay a huge tribute.

Anyway, Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus King, was ruling Sacheon in that way.

'If we're going to have a war anyway… it's better for us to strike first.'

Dang Myeong thought that now was the right time, since the forces under the Black Lotus had not yet gathered. Even if we exclude the factions that had participated in the Sacheon branch and had become entangled with Yu Yeon-hui's death, there were many factions throughout Sacheon that believed in Yu Gil-jun, the leader of the Black Lotus. It was unlikely that Yu Gil-jun would issue a summons order just to attack one party, but it was possible that those who heard the news of Yu Yeon-hui's death would think of it as an opportunity to make merits and flock to the party. Thousands… maybe even ten thousand warriors could join forces and invade.

Of course, even if that many people were to storm the family, Dangmyeong would not be particularly afraid. He was certain that he could kill even ten thousand people if he used poison, secret weapons, and swords appropriately. Furthermore, the family's military power was not all that weak.

However, if that happens, wouldn't it be completely disconnected from an ordinary life? You'd get entangled in all sorts of favors, and even if you're a Sapa warrior, if you kill too many people, you might not be recognized as a proper warrior anymore. You already have a long-standing grudge with Madou, and it's safe to say that you've turned your back on Apostle.

In fact, the faction's temperament was such that he didn't really put any meaning into the distinction between the righteous, the wicked, and the demonic, but for the time being, he felt the need to maintain his affiliation, even if it was only in name. Because he planned to one day avenge his mother's grudge against the Magwangcheonju Yeon Junghyuk.

'At least until then, I guess I'll have to stay in the shadows.'

Even if it was just a facade. In addition, it was also a variable that we did not know exactly how skilled Yu Gil-jun of Heuksa-ryeonju was. Considering that he easily defeated Tae-heo of Gongdongpa, who was a master of Hwagyeong, and that Sang-myeong-il of Gu-hwan-gyo-geom, who was his brother, had also reached Hwagyeong, Yu Gil-jun would also be an unfathomable master. If he were to face such a person in his family, it would definitely cause damage. Countless family members might die.

In order to prevent such a situation, I wanted to visit Heuksaryeon alone.

Also, what would happen to the Bangpas who were unable to overcome their base greed and were trying to gain fame and fortune by coveting the achievements? If the being who would grant them the divine achievements they so desperately wanted suddenly disappeared?

There would be no one who would move rashly. There was a reason why Dang-myeong went straight to Cheongseongsan. Before the rumor spreads, he must negotiate with Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus Master!

In a word, it is a race against time.

****

Half a day ago.

With the final battle with Heuksa-ryeon-ju in mind, Dang-myeong wanted to climb Cheongseongsan Mountain in perfect condition. Since Dok-yo-cheong-gwang-gi could already be transformed into Pae-ryeok-jin-gi, there was no great sense of crisis, but since it was said that there was no harm in being thoroughly prepared, there was no harm in being prepared.

'ear.'

[… There is no such thing as a robber. To me, poison is no different from innate energy to you humans.]

'Didn't you present the fact that you can draw out poison as an advantage? If you can't properly fulfill the role you promised as a food spirit, then there's no reason for me to bring you around, you annoying bastard... .'

[No, what, this guy can't concentrate? Really.]

Heung-gyeom was startled and let out the enormous amount of poison he had diligently accumulated. As someone who was a food spirit, becoming someone's food spirit meant that he had the right to life and death mortgaged. If he made a single move, his existence could truly be wiped out. That was why it was not easy to ignore Dang-myung's light warning. Although he pretended to be a joke, he was actually shocked. From what I had seen, Dang-myung was extremely cold to those he did not think were his people. He was especially merciless to those who held a knife to him.

'…Wouldn't it be better to gain that guy's trust?'

Heung-gyeong was troubled. Originally, when Dang-myung-myeong was in danger or longing for new enlightenment, he tried to bargain for freedom with that ignorant guest, Mu-hak. However, somehow, the more he learned about Dang-myung-myeong, the more he worried that he would only get into trouble for no reason.

one side.

Whether or not the hearing was worried, the name tried to steal the lung vein again. As he let the poisonous spirit of the poisonous spirit eat away the hearing, his internal energy quickly increased, and he tightly pressed and locked the twelve meridians in his body. The inaction that had reached the fire realm was completely hidden, and the dragon-shaped protective spirit surrounded his entire body with a faint light. Soon, even that light disappeared.

There was no need to hide his accomplishment since many people had already witnessed him manifesting his sword power during the decisive battle with Sangmyeongil, but he did not want to give up the explosive increase in his true energy that he could gain by releasing the closed veins at the moment of the decisive battle.

The Pleiades' Breath was a martial art that could store several times the amount of true energy that the body could originally hold. In addition, it gained the self-defense power that was always on display.

It wasn't efficient. As soon as the blood vessel was released, the energy that exceeded the body's capacity would disperse at any moment. Even without doing anything. However, it was clear that the enormous amount of internal energy would give an overwhelming advantage in a showdown between Hwagyeong masters.

And there was no need to consider efficiency. It was a matter of mobilizing the poisonous energy of the Food God and Hearing, rather than replenishing the true energy through breathing techniques.

Next, I organized some realizations. The biggest gain was that I could now implement the nature of the power of the Dokyo Request Madness. Now, I can display the swordsman's martial arts that are not deteriorated, but fully exert their power. It is safe to say that I have regained the swordsman's martial arts. Even if a decisive battle with Black Lotus Master Yu Gil-jun awaits, it is the reason why it does not cause much of a sense of crisis to the current Dang-myeong.

Yu Myeong-myeong was only a little curious. How would Black Lotus, who was born with the qualities of a great master and could see through the principles of martial arts at a glance, deal with his own martial arts? Would he be able to destroy or copy it even with the sword that he had practiced for over a hundred years? It would be nice if he could. That means there is still room for improvement.

After realizing the power of the Dokyo Request Madness and lightly reviewing the ignorance of one's past life.

Dang-myung took out a booklet.

It was written as Red Lotus Art. It had fallen from Yeo Seol-yeon's arms, which were lying on one side, and it seemed to be the original copy that had not undergone any modifications to the Black Lotus Art. Yeo Seol-yeon had put the blood transfusion to rest, so Dang-myeong slowly turned the pages and fell into a world of imagination.

How much time has passed?

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Dang-myeong's eyes, which had been blankly staring at the bookshelf, returned to focus. He had come out of the corner of his eye.

"It was something like this."

The obvious muttered out loud. He seemed slightly excited. Did he gain something?

'I maximized my thoughts by using the properties of the nine-fold and the true energy. In particular, there were many phrases in the nine-fold that could be called true words rather than martial arts.

'They say that Sim Sang is ignorant, but it's close to magic.'

It was called Wanryu Guizong (萬流歸宗). Since it was a natural name that said that he had already seen the tip of the sword, he immediately saw through the reason why the Red Lotus Art was realized.

In the first place, the reason that Dang-myeong was interested in the Jeokryeonyeonhwasul was not because he was a Yanggang ignorant, but because he was a Sim-sang ignorant. It was quite interesting that someone who had not yet reached the state of being able to change the essence of things with just his thoughts could burn and kill others with just his thoughts.

In a way, this was also the struggle of criminals who wanted to realize the ultimate energy. The Taeeulssanggeomsik of the Taeeulmukgeompa comes to mind, a martial art that maximizes the killing spirit to strengthen the sword energy. Was it called the Mukgeomgi? In the end, strengthening one's thoughts in this way will inevitably fall apart when meeting someone who can truly realize the ultimate energy.

'Still, it helped quite a bit.'

Dang-myeong threw the booklet into the air and concentrated his thoughts. Reconcile with a handful of poison.

Then, as if it were a lie, the book rotted and fell apart in an instant, and when it fell to the floor, its shape was unrecognizable. It was like looking at ash that had been charred black. It looked as if it would break apart and scatter in the wind if touched at all.

Suddenly, the eyes of Dang-myeong, which were glowing a deep green, turned to the rock on one side.

Pushik 1

As if it were a lie, even the rocks began to melt and emit smoke.

'It's not difficult. It could be useful for mass murder.'

Dang-myeong muttered inwardly with satisfaction. This was a new martial art created by obtaining mental images from the Red Lotus Flower Art. Maximizing the will with the properties of the nine-fold and true energy? He was already a Hwa-gyeong who could swing powerful wills without having to do that. If that were the case, wouldn't he be able to use mental martial arts like the Red Lotus Flower Art with just the properties of true energy?

It has become possible to poison distant opponents - or to be precise, beings within the range of the energy sphere - with just a thought. If one cannot detect or root out the manifestation of a thought, won't they die without even knowing?

[What else did you create in the meantime…? It's not that Muyeonggaek, that bastard Muhak.]

The food god asked a question as if he was a little tired of hearing it.

'hmm.'

The obvious thought was, should we call this a poison technique? Strictly speaking, it wasn't directly using any poison. It was ambiguous to classify it as a poison technique. It was because, although it was using a strong poison that was the nature of the poison request madness, it was essentially a state of ignorance.

'Yes. This too must be considered as a poisonous poison.'

One day, I remembered the scene where I used the image of Hwa-ryong-ho-dok to spread the hot poison. A strong spirit is ultimately a collection of strong wills. It would be right to classify this newly created martial arts as a poison.

After finishing organizing like that, Dang-myung's lips parted.

"Sakdokhyeonhyeon (鐵毒顯現)."

[… A poison that even melts iron appears_ What a cruel name.]

The auditory system recites its sentiments, as if it thought it had answered its own question.

In this way, secret techniques called the Dokgangryu Muhak of the Sacheondangga were created one by one.

It was for this reason that half a day had passed without me noticing.

Now it was time to climb Mt. Cheongseong.

The sun was at its zenith. I'm saying this out of concern...]

While Dang-myung was climbing the mountain for a while, the food spirit Cheong-gyeong spoke to him.

[You probably know the saying, "A dragon among people."]

It is impossible not to know. Since ancient times, it was not uncommon to compare an extremely talented person to a dragon and a phoenix. His mother, Dang Ji-hye, was also called Poisonous Phoenix when she was young. Even now that she has ascended to the throne, she is often called that way.

Although he didn't know his real name, at this moment, he himself was called the Dark Poison Sword Dragon, and his name was becoming known throughout Sichuan. Perhaps his fame would soon spread beyond the province. For him to have reached the level of Hwagyeong at this age meant that he was an extraordinary talent like the Black Lotus Master or the Magwang Heavenly Master. It was something that would draw the attention of the world.

Anyway, Dang-Myeong showed interest in the topic that Cheong-Gyeong threw out out of nowhere.

'What are you trying to say?'

[It may sound like a far-fetched story, but dragons are real.]

'I see.'

The obvious name was accepted without much surprise. On the contrary, the seriousness of the words brought up made the hearing flustered. If you tell people that dragons, which are usually considered imaginary beings, actually exist, wouldn't they ask back?

However, before he could take the hearing as food, Dangsinmyeong had already read the record of the poison of the poisonous gossip in the poisonous gossip.

In places where ten-thousand-year-old fireflies live, there are likely also fire dragons living there. Fire dragons, as is typical of the dragon species, sleep a lot and usually sleep quietly, but once they are awake, they cannot control their violent temper and scorch the surrounding areas. It can clearly be defined as a disaster that harms humanity. They harm people by breathing out breath hotter than lava, and when this breath is trapped and liquefied through magic, that is fire dragon poison. Fire dragon poison is the most powerful of all hot poisons… .

The group called Il-yong are something between a spirit and a two-faced being, and ordinary martial arts do not work on them. Only with a strong will and a strong spirit can they inflict a small amount of damage, and even then, they quickly recover. In order to easily kill such dragons, the most efficient way is to insert the poison of Yongsalgal (龍殺繼) into their sore spots… .

What Dang-myung-myeong thought of was the story of the three poisons of the Tang family, the fire dragon's breath poison (火龍呼毒) and the eight poisons, the dragon-killing poison (龍殺毒). They both mentioned dragons. At the time, I thought it was a ridiculous story, but right after that, I met the idiot Cheong-gyeong and made him my food spirit. Naturally, I began to think that it wouldn't be strange if there were dragons.

'So, why did you bring up the topic of dragons? And why now?'

[As I said, it was due to my old age…]

The hearing was momentarily clouded. Originally, I had no intention of talking about dragons. At least not yet. In the first place, dragons are not something that can easily appear, and especially when it comes to young dragons that have a human form and play, it is right to treat them as humans rather than dragons when you meet them.

If it weren't for the incident that directly linked him to this, Dang-myung wouldn't have come forward.

'If this guy dies, I will also disappear.'

The hearing that became the food spirit was subordinate to its master, Sangmyungmyeong. In other words, if Sangmyungmyeong died, the food spirit, Sangmyung, would also disappear. Although Sangmyungmyeong was stronger than expected, dragons were literally beings outside of humans. If Sangmyungmyeong died in vain, it would be the end, so I felt the need to give him enough caution.

The hearing continued.

[That guy named Yu Gil-jun of Black Lotus. He might be a dragon.]

"what?"

This time, even Deungmyung was quite surprised, so he stopped walking and asked back in a loud voice. Wasn't it recorded that dragons were something between a spirit and a monster? They were thought to be something with scales all over their bodies, horns on their heads, and fire-breathing mouths.

Suddenly, the Black Lotus Potion might be a dragon. You might be wondering what this is all about.

[Of course, that may not be the case, but considering his ridiculous qualities, it is not completely impossible. Just by looking, he can see through the principles of the unlearned, and his alterations and creations of the unlearned are as free as breathing? No matter how you look at it, his qualities are beyond the realm of humans. Furthermore, he goes beyond the terms and conditions and is in the realm of the flower world… Ahem.]

Heung-gyeong stopped talking as if he was coughing. As a food spirit, he had no reason to cough because his way of speaking was to convey his thoughts. He was simply flustered. Originally, he had been planning to say that the Black Lotus, who had passed the early stage and reached the realm of fire, had left the realm of humans, but as he spoke, he realized that someone even worse was very close by—one who had already reached the realm of fire before reaching the early stage.

[… First of all, unlike you, the origin of this guy is unclear. One day, he suddenly appeared as if he had fallen from the sky. Then, the leader of the Black Death faction picked him up and raised him. He considered the person who raised him as his own father, so in order to take revenge, he destroyed the Cheongseong faction that had been established here on Cheongseong Mountain for hundreds of years. In just a few years.] [Dragon things are beings created by the energy of heaven and earth coming together. They are neither spirits nor evil spirits. According to the shamans, they do not appear often. Maybe once every hundreds of years? This is because they live for a long time, but spend most of their time asleep. However, once they wake up, the surrounding area is completely devastated. If there were even small countries nearby, they would be destroyed in an instant. Many countries that were once powerful have disappeared in vain because of dragons waking up.]

It was an incredible story. The reason why there are not many traces of the countries that flourished in ancient times, and the reason why the countries that were so powerful that they could be called empires collapsed was because of the appearance of the dragon. It was truly a disaster in itself.

[If it weren't for that bastard Muyeonggaek, this country wouldn't have prospered either. It was widely rumored that the national fortunes were running out. It's said that beings with foresight usually predict the appearance of dragons and spread such rumors. However, that bastard Muyeonggaek mobilized his men to eliminate the evildoers who were causing trouble to the world, and he even brought out the sleeping dragons and killed them all. Thanks to that, the current dynasty could have lasted for hundreds of years.]

'If it was created by the gathering of energy from heaven and earth, isn't it an auspicious existence?'

[There is an auspicious dragon, the Azure Dragon, that controls thunderclouds. The Azure Dragon, also called the Good Dragon, is said to restrain the Evil Dragons that bring destruction and slaughter. If we continue to leave it alone, the human race could end completely.]

'The Blue Dragon.'

He muttered as if the name was interesting. How many people really know the details of dragon ecology? He must know this because he is a novice who has lived for hundreds of years.

[However, the only existing blue dragon was killed by the hand of the ignorant Muyeonggaek at the time. He was a monster. He didn't even have a body at the time. They say he put the poison of the dragon's venom, which he had obtained from somewhere, into the blue dragon's reverse scale. They say he came into conflict with the guards because of that. In any case, in the end, the Muyeonggaek guy admitted his mistake first and ended up killing the evil dragon instead of the blue dragon, thus settling the situation.]

Naturally, curiosity was heightened. How great must the martial arts of his ancestor, Muyeonggaek, have been to be able to kill a dragon that was said to be destroying a country?

And if it were his own sword, would he be able to deal with such a dragon?

The hearing continued.

[According to the shamans, what determines whether a dragon is good or evil is the experience one has as a child dragon. They also say it is play.]

'A-ryong? Are you talking about when you were young?'

[Yes. A dragon born from the energy of heaven and earth does not initially realize that it is a dragon. It can't be otherwise. After all, it has a human form right after birth. As it grows, it gets entangled with many humans and experiences various things. Usually, since its innate talents are far beyond the realm of humans, it lives a life in the spotlight. Then, Arong becomes attached to a few humans who have a direct connection with it. They can become family, close friends, or lovers.] [A-ryong puts in his own efforts to ensure that the few humans he becomes attached to can live happily for the rest of his life. If nothing happens until they grow old naturally and die, there is a high possibility that the A-ryong will become a good dragon. He will become a blue dragon that rules over thunderclouds and protect humanity.]

'The question is, what if something happens to those few humans?'

[That's right. A-ryong's obsession is at a scary level. When the first being they cherish since birth is unable to live a full life and becomes a commoner, they are shocked greatly. They may even awaken to the existence of a dragon. Negative emotions such as revenge, resentment, grudge, loss, and emptiness trigger A-ryong to shed his human skin and transform into an evil dragon. Even though he is an evil dragon, he is a being created by the energy of heaven and earth, so even if he is not thunderous, he becomes a being that can omnipotently control one of the properties of the five elements (fire, water, wood, metal, earth).]

It seemed obvious why there were so many evil dragons. No matter how much of a dragon they were, life in this world was not something that could be done as one wished. Even those with considerable power and force sometimes met with downfall due to unexpected events, so unless they were living in hiding in a deep valley, it would be harder than expected to allow the humans they were attached to to enjoy a full life.

And I think I understand why Heunggyeong said that Yu Gil-jun, the Black Lotus, might be a dragon. Fragments of information about him flash through my mind.

His relationship with the leader who raised him during the Black Death period.

Revenge against the Cheongseongpa who killed their leader.

The qualities of a great master that are far beyond the realm of humans.

The achievement of the six great apostles, including the day of the Gwan-Hwan-Gyo-Geom.

The black lotus flower, Yu Yeon-hee, who is also known as the black lotus flower of the Black Lotus.

And the deaths of Sangmyungil and Yoo Yeonhee.

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•• • •

I had a feeling that something was fateful.

Heuksaryeonju Yu Giljun might be a dragon as Cheonggyeong said!

[If he awakened as a dragon, it would be a difficult fight. There would be no compromise by handing over that one woman. The obsession they have with the humans they have chosen when they were dragons is beyond imagination. If they were to vent their anger, the entire land of Sacheon would be scorched. They probably think of Sacheon as a kingdom they have created with their own hands.]

'You mean you turned into a dragon? Throwing off your human skin?'

[That may be so. It may not be so. I heard that even when the leader of the Black Death faction, whom he considered to be his biological father, died, he still retained his human form and took revenge. I heard that he built up his wit through years of training. I think it may be because there are quite a few other humans he was attached to who are still alive. I don't know what will happen this time.]

'Can you tell if the Black Lotus is a dragon? Even when it's in human form?'

I asked the obvious question just in case. If you have the ability to hear, wouldn't you be able to tell if the other person is a dragon or not?

[It's possible. The reason that guy, Mooyounggaek, brought me along in the first place was to obtain poison, but he was also looking for the existence of the dragon. Even if you don't meet him face to face, you'll feel his presence if you go near him.]

"It's become more useful.'

[what?]

Although Deungmyungmyeong asked back as if he was surprised by Deungmyungmyeong's words, Deungmyungmyeong had already started climbing the mountain again, lost in thought.

In any case, whether or not Yu Gil-jun of Heuksaryeonju was a dragon, they could not avoid meeting in order to resolve this situation.

And if he's a dragonㅡ

'I have to kill him no matter what.'

It is a being that has a high possibility of becoming an evil dragon anyway.

The swordsman, or rather the dark swordsman, was not the type to leave behind any aftereffects.

The eyes of the mountain-climbing Dang-myeong flashed with murderous intent.