There Are Opponents, But No Absolutes (1)
Moyong Gun shook his head as he alternated between reading the two letters.
"What a bold move."
"What's going on?"
"Coming all the way to Henan might turn out to be a pointless endeavor."
"Pardon?"
Moyong Gun showed the letter to Moyong Yeonhwa. Her eyes wavered.
"The Azure Wolf Ghosts?!"
Moyong Gun smacked his lips.
"Myeong family head is dead serious this time."
"Even so, sending the entire Azure Wolf Ghosts? There's no need to go that far, is there?"
"There is."
"Pardon?"
"The Myeong family head's love for his children is downright vicious. How could his eyes not roll back when his second son returned as a superficial supreme sword expert?"
"Well, when you put it that way."
The reason Moyong Yeonhwa hadn't immediately thought of that was simple. Moyong Gun wasn't the type.
He was the sort who would preserve his full strength even if a child died. And she agreed with her father's thinking. One couldn't burn the family's forces over a single child.
"Does Yeon Hojeong know about this?"
Moyong Gun shook his head.
"Whether he knows or not doesn't matter."
"I know the Azure Wolf Ghosts are a fearsome group. But I don't know their exact strength. Are they really that formidable?"
"They've never failed once up to now."
"They might have just been lucky with their targets."
"Not likely. And if they were, that would be an even bigger problem. It means they think Yeon Hojeong is a target they can handle, so they're swarming in."
"……!"
Interest flickered across Moyong Gun's face.
"And this guy's reaction is amusing, don't you think?"
"I'm not sure. To me, it looks like bravado."
"It could be seen as bravado. But it doesn't feel like simple arrogance."
"Pardon?"
"He already knows I've come to Jeongju, yet he says he'll do one more sweep before coming. Even if he's confident he can handle them, that's not easy to pull off."
That was true. There was no need to take the long way around when the easy path was open. The hard road wasn't always the right one.
"The more justification, the better…… What a wise yet radical bastard. Holding contradictory traits at once—he's no ordinary fellow."
Moyong Yeonhwa sighed.
"One thing's for sure. He's got a personality that wears people out."
"Hahaha!"
"The Azure Wolf Ghosts…… I hear they're practically assassins."
"Ambiguous bunch."
"Pardon?"
"In terms of martial arts alone, none of them could match you. They have first-rate among them, but no super first-rate."
Moyong Yeonhwa furrowed her brows.
"Yet just five of them caught Hyeongsan Sword Hero? A master who matched even the elders of Cheongseong Sect?"
"Do you think strong martial arts make one skilled at murder?"
"Pardon?"
"Those with superior martial arts can kill others easily. But that doesn't make them murder experts."
Moyong Yeonhwa nodded. She knew it in her head. But she'd never felt it firsthand.
The world of martial arts—the world in general—nothing was out of the ordinary no matter what happened. That was why sayings like "even a third-rate blade can sever a first-rate neck" circulated so freely.
But she'd never encountered a true murder demon. She didn't know how efficiently they killed or how ruthless they could become for it. So it didn't feel real.
Just five taking down Hyeongsan Sword Hero? Did that even make sense?
"To kill their target, the Azure Wolf Ghosts will wipe out an entire region where the target is."
"……Pardon?"
"If the target's in a village, they burn the village. In a forest, they torch the whole forest. If the target overflows with righteousness, they'll rip a child apart before his eyes or kidnap a common housewife and rape her without hesitation."
"……!"
"Only after shaking the target's psyche do they move in. That's why they make first contact before devising tactics. Poison in drinks is child's play; they'll kidnap commoners' families and send suicide attackers."
Horror dawned on Moyong Yeonhwa's face.
"Demons."
"Demonic bastards. That's why they're strong. They can do anything for their goal."
"And they've gotten away with it unscathed so far?"
"The Myeong family covered for them."
Interest sparked on Moyong Gun's face again.
"Before the Myeong family backed them, they hid flawlessly. Their stealth is top-notch; they're hard to catch."
Moyong Yeonhwa nodded. Now she understood how just five could take Hyeongsan Sword Hero. With such dirty tactics, even a renowned hero would lose his mind.
Moyong Gun gazed out the window.
"A hellish strategy even peak sect elders couldn't endure. In essence, it's a battle of mental fortitude beyond skill."
"……Can Yeon Hojeong really overcome it?"
"Odds are low. Most martial artists trust personal might over strategy or tactics. But if by some chance he does……."
A chill briefly crossed Moyong Gun's face.
"Even I would have to watch him warily."
* * *
Yeon Hojeong, having indulged in fine food and drink for the first time in ages, didn't wake until noon the next day.
"Ughhh!"
He had already expelled all the alcohol qi. Perhaps that's why—the psychological satisfaction was immense, and his body felt completely refreshed.
This was why rest was crucial. A single day had blown away all his accumulated fatigue.
"Time to get ready."
He sat cross-legged on the bed and lightly circulated his qi. After finishing, he visited the outhouse, then returned to devour the rice balls and steamed pork he'd prepared last night.
A truly refreshing start.
He strapped two waterskins to his waist and stretched.
"Let's see, first……."
After loosening up, he drew a dagger from his bosom. He'd asked a servant boy to fetch it from a nearby smithy before entering his lodgings last night.
Of course, it wasn't just one. His bosom held nineteen more besides the one in hand.
"Paid a pretty penny, but the quality's mediocre."
Yeon Hojeong clicked his tongue. Well, he wasn't planning a sword fight with daggers. These would hold up well enough.
He glanced out the window. Clear skies. Perfect weather, nothing more to ask for.
Thinking of clashing with mad killer ghosts on such a fine day already soured his mood.
Flash!
Beyond the window, light glinted off a tall pavilion.
Yeon Hojeong scratched his head and infused Bi-ra Jin-gyeol qi into the dagger.
Whoooong.
"Hope I finish before it wears off."
He tensed his lower abdomen and whirled his whole body.
Whiiiiiish!
Splat!
The flashing light vanished. Simultaneously, a scream echoed from afar.
"One down."
Gripping his axe, Yeon Hojeong placed a foot on the windowsill. He left payment on the bed. The remainder stung a bit, but he couldn't swing by the inn proper. Someone innocent might die if he slipped up.
"Time to clean house!"
Boom!
Yeon Hojeong soared into the sky. He landed atop the opposite building in one leap and scanned the surroundings.
Not bad.
He'd killed one, so enemy eyes should be locked on him. Yet no killing intent pressed in.
He sensed dozens of gazes, but none carried malice. Highly trained foes. Definitely products of professional murder training.
This is the baseline.
Boom!
Kicking off the roof, he flashed across several buildings. His lightness skill wasn't at grandmaster level, but it was impressive enough. Not the explosive speed of true experts, but his endurance was unmatched—thanks to his uniquely efficient qi circulation.
Thud! Thud-thud!
Leaping between buildings looked effortless. His balance, honed swinging a massive axe, far surpassed peak masters. Add White Tiger Qi boosting his physique and qualitative/quantitative inner energy gains, and even a determined escape would shake any pursuer.
After running far, Yeon Hojeong sensed faint killing intent.
Pang!
A dagger flew like an arrow, embedding in a merchant's brow. A foe in civilian guise. His senses were sharp enough to react to the slightest killing aura.
Yeon Hojeong accelerated.
Pang! Splat! Pang! Splat!
In ten li, he killed six more. They died without knowing why or how.
Running on, his eyes gleamed.
That'll do.
A dilapidated Guandi Temple stood before a low hill. As he moved to enter, an ominous sensation hit. It emanated from the temple.
No presence.
Killing intent, but no human qi. Meaning no one else hid inside besides enemies.
Whoooosh!
White winds swirled around his axe. Leaping high, he landed left of the temple and unleashed Tiger King Nine Thunder Strikes.
Boom!
The ferocious gale from his axe shattered the temple's crumbling walls and pillars.
Spluuurt!
Masses of blood sprayed. Two hidden foes died instantly.
But one survived.
Slash!
An astonishing attack. Piercing crumbling walls and spraying blood like silk, a short spear flew.
A exquisite strike that blinded even mid-ambush.
Clang!
The spear bounced off his axe. Whirling like a whirlwind kick, Yeon Hojeong booted a falling chunk of wall.
Thud! Splat!
A skull-crushing sound. The brick had smashed the head.
Yeon Hojeong sped up.
Thud! Thud-thud!
He reached the hilltop in moments. Ascending, he punched the cliff face repeatedly.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Bi-ra Jin-gyeol fist strikes—packed with power—hit twelve spots in a zigzag ascent.
No scratches on the rock despite the qi poured in. Back turned, enemies saw nothing.
Splat!
Leaping nimbly atop the cliff, Yeon Hojeong turned.
Thirty-odd warriors met his eyes. All in dark blue uniforms. Men and women mixed, ages varied wildly.
In the center: the woman from yesterday, Wolf Howl.
Her eyes were gravely hardened.
"Who the hell are you?"
Yeon Hojeong smirked.
"You tried killing me without even knowing?"
"Heard you were Yeon family heir."
"Spot on."
"Bullshit."
Ferocious killing intent filled Wolf Howl's eyes.
"A righteous sect brat—no, a greenhorn with zero rivers-and-lakes experience—handling us this smoothly? Not a chance in hell."
"Take that up with the Myeong family who sent you."
"……!"
Yeon Hojeong, smiling down at them, sighed.
"Hyeongsan Sword Hero—that old man's too soft-hearted. Dying by the hands of incompetents like you…… Life on the blade's edge is truly futile."
Wolf Howl, staring up silently, shouted.
"Poison Web!"
Puff-puff-puff!
The entire Azure Wolf Ghosts detonated poison bombs. The bluish poison mist spread at astonishing speed—faster than Yeon Hojeong's lightness skill.
He gazed down at the rapidly rising mist. Inside, they'd prepare a follow-up, watching his move.
Yeon Hojeong chuckled and raised his axe.
He didn't play their game. No need.
"Compared to Heukje-seong's assassination squad, you're barely toddlers taking first steps."
He slammed the axe down with force. All forms of Tiger King Nine Thunder Strikes poured out in sequence.
Boom! Kwaboom! Kwarung!
Rumble!
With Internal Heavy Hand Technique, the qi-riddled cliff collapsed entirely.