Chapter 72: To the Qingcheng Sect-4
Chapter 72: To the Qingcheng Sect-4
The night was bright with the full moon.
The gate guards watching over the main gate of Gwagummun blinked, trying to chase away the drowsiness that had crept upon them.
Then suddenly, a woman's urgent voice could be heard from somewhere.
"Help us! Please, help us!"
In an instant, the warriors' eyes flew wide open as they drew their weapons and looked toward the direction of the voice.
Cha-chang! Chang!
A woman, supporting someone else, was running toward them as if about to collapse, screaming all the while.
The person she was supporting also had their blood wind robe pulled down low, but their small frame suggested it was also a woman.
The woman cried out again.
"The Lust Demon is after us! Please!"
Behind them, a black-clad masked figure whose identity couldn't be seen hesitated for a moment upon seeing the gate guards, then fled back into the darkness — all of which registered in the warriors' eyes.
The squad leader of the gate guards stepped forward, watching the direction the masked figure had fled, and spoke to the women.
"You are safe now, sojeo. Since you have come to our Gwagummun, we will protect you from now on."
At this, the woman gave her thanks with tears welling in her eyes.
"Thank you. I was suddenly attacked, my friend was injured, and I was terrified of being helplessly caught. As expected, Gwagummun is a fine place, true to its reputation."
At her words, Squad Leader Jang smiled meaningfully and said to them.
"First, come inside and rest. Your friend seems to need treatment as well."
"Yes, then I shall not refuse. Thank you."
Opening the main gate and ushering the two women inside first, Squad Leader Jang asked.
"So, where might you two be coming from?"
"Ah, we are disciples of the Cheongpungmun, the secular clan of Cheongseong. We were on our way to see the main mountain of the Cheongseong Sect when...!"
That was the moment.
As soon as the main gate closed, Squad Leader Jang, who had been following behind them, extended his hand like lightning and sealed the woman's acupoint on her back.
Tadak!
The startled woman cried out.
"Ack! What are you doing!"
The squad leader immediately followed up by sealing the acupoint of the woman being supported.
Tadak!
"I don't know what fortune brought you here, but did I have a good dream last night or something?"
The expression on his face as he spoke held a greedy grin, his earlier solemnity nowhere to be found.
Ma Chung-seol, the fake squad leader of Gwagummun and a first-rate upper-level warrior of the Blood Cult dispatched to Jeonghyeopbang, grinned as he looked down at the two women collapsed on the ground.
With the rare fortune of a beauty walking in on her own two feet, he felt he could no longer contain himself.
The woman who had shown her face was very beautiful, and the one wearing the blood wind robe also seemed likely to be quite a beauty from the glimpse of her face that was exposed.
Moreover, since he knew they were disciples of a third-rate sect like Cheongpungmun, there was no reason to hesitate further.
"Euh-heu-heu-heu! I was bored anyway, this works out perfectly. If I bring them inside they'll just become my older brothers' property, so how about I have a taste first?"
The woman whose body could not move but whose demon blood had not been suppressed and could thus still speak, screamed out.
"Wh-what is the meaning of this! Why would a warrior of Gwagummun?!"
"Keu-heu-heu-heu! When did I ever say I was a warrior of Gwagummun?"
At this, the woman's face changed color as she shouted with all her might.
"Help us! It's the Lust Demon! Someone, please!"
Hearing her voice, Ma Chung-seol shuddered with a thrilling expression.
The gestures and voice of a woman struggling in terror could not have been more exciting.
"Yes, yes. A very pretty face and voice indeed."
So saying, he bent over and flipped the collapsed woman's body upright.
At that moment, something flashed from her body as it was turned over.
Pu-uk!
"Keok!"
Her dagger, thrust simultaneously as her body flipped, pierced through Ma Chung-seol's heart.
He had been excessively careless, and the attack was too swift — even as a first-rate upper-level warrior, he had been utterly unable to respond.
Eyes wide with shock, Ma Chung-seol muttered as blood streamed from his mouth.
"I definitely sealed your acupoint... how...?"
Then he collapsed on the spot.
Jeong Yeon undid Seonwoo Jin's sealed acupoint, the one wearing the blood wind robe, and whispered.
"I'm sorry. We should have found out where the women are being held..."
Seonwoo Jin answered quickly.
"No. It was a good decision. The bastard was trying to do that sort of thing, there was no helping it. We were forced to stop at just drawing attention."
The fact that the bastard would attempt to seal acupoints from behind had been sufficiently predictable.
Thus, Seonwoo Jin, who was being supported by Jeong Yeon, had focused on the bastard's movements and, at the moment the bastard sealed the acupoints, was able to undo Jeong Yeon's sealed acupoint without being detected.
This was possible only because she had been in complete physical contact with her.
However, the original plan to discover the location where the women were imprisoned had failed.
To try and satisfy his desires right here, without even taking them inside and with all the other sentry warriors watching — truly, he could only be a Blood Cult bastard.
The warriors on perimeter guard began to shout.
"That bitch killed the squad leader!"
"Seize her, quickly!"
The warriors who had been patrolling near the inner wall and watching this direction with curious eyes became startled and began rushing forward when Squad Leader Jang collapsed.
Jeong Yeon, pretending to support Seonwoo Jin, drew her sword with one hand and quickly ran once more toward the main gate.
***
At the same time, Bi Sa-yeong and Jeongan were secretly hiding outside the side wall of Gwagummun.
The two, who had earlier been disguised in black and pretended to chase Jeong Yeon and Seonwoo Jin, had begun moving for infiltration the moment Jeong Yeon screamed for help.
That was because the scream was the signal confirming that Gwagummun was indeed a Blood Cult group.
- This way.
Though not to the same degree as Seonwoo Jin, Bi Sa-yeong, who had likewise not neglected his sensory training, found a spot where the guard on the inside of the wall was lax and waited briefly outside that wall.
At that moment, voices were heard from inside the wall.
"The women are escaping! Catch them!"
"But what about the guard over here?"
"We just need to go catch them and come back quickly!"
As the sentry warriors inside the wall rushed toward Jeong Yeon and Seonwoo Jin, Bi Sa-yeong sent a telepathic transmission to Jeongan.
- Now is the time, sojeo!
Bi Sa-yeong scaled the wall lightly and stealthily.
His movements were nimble, like those of a black cat.
Immediately after, Jeongan followed him over the wall.
As she herself had stated that she was confident in her movement technique, her movements were quite excellent.
Having confirmed that she had followed, Bi Sa-yeong first concentrated his full attention on the surrounding presence.
According to the original plan, Jeong Yeon and Seonwoo Jin were supposed to find out where the women were, but it seemed that had not been possible, so he would have to find the location relying solely on his own judgment.
The weight of responsibility was honing Bi Sa-yeong's concentration sharply.
That was the moment.
As Bi Sa-yeong was deliberating on where to go while observing the layout of the buildings, he suddenly heard Jeongan's telepathic transmission from behind.
- Bi Gongja, I'm so nervous. What should I do?
Bi Sa-yeong, who had been concentrating, let out a quiet laugh at her sudden voice.
She had been so thrilled at the prospect of infiltrating somewhere, but now that they had actually entered, it seemed the tension was getting to her.
- Do not worry, sojeo. The dangerous part is with Miss Yeon and that rascal Jin, who are drawing the attention. Our role is not so dangerous. Just trust me.
Bi Sa-yeong knew better than anyone that what he said was not true.
No matter how well Seonwoo Jin drew their attention, there was no telling what kind of powerful enemy might be inside.
But it was a task that had to be done regardless, and he could not say anything that lacked confidence in front of her.
- I think the place where the women are confined is probably the inner building. What do you think, sojeo?
- Yes, I think it's inside too.
- Then let us go.
Bi Sa-yeong kept his body low and began moving stealthily, like a stray cat, through the buildings of Gwagummun.
Jeongan, her face flushed beneath her mask, followed behind him.
But they did not know.
That there were two pairs of eyes on the rooftop, observing their movements.
- What do you think?
- Isn't this interesting? Why don't we wait and see for now?
- Hmm, shall we?
***
Supporting Seonwoo Jin—who was pretending to be a wounded comrade wrapped in the Blood Wind Robe—Jeong Yeon rushed forward and shoved the main gate open.
Beyond the opened gate, four gate guards came into view, just as expected.
They were staring at the open door with puzzled eyes, and the moment they spotted the two figures, they were startled and were reaching to draw their weapons.
Jeong Yeon immediately lunged at the nearest one and thrust her sword.
She had to strike by surprise before they could fully prepare themselves.
"Haap!"
Chaeng!
But her thrust was parried with ease, and Jeong Yeon clenched her teeth.
The bastards who appeared to be demonic minions of the Blood Cult—even their lowly gate guards were first-rate martial artists brimming with a full sixty years of internal energy.
"You insolent wench!"
The Blood Cult warrior who had barely blocked Jeong Yeon's sword spat out a curse, and it was just as Jeong Yeon, refusing to give up, was about to continue unfolding her sword forms.
Pusyuk!
"Kurgh!"
From within the Blood Wind Robe of the Seonwoo Jin whom Jeong Yeon was supporting, a throwing weapon flew out like a ray of light and pierced the Blood Cult warrior's throat.
The light vanished from the bastard's eyes instantly.
Startled by the unexpected turn of events, the flustered Jeong Yeon received a telepathic transmission.
- Sojeo! Behind you!
Jeong Yeon snapped to her senses and whirled around to find another Blood Cult warrior had already charged right up to her back.
"You wench!"
At that, Jeong Yeon, gritting her teeth, let her sword erupt with a bewildering blaze of sword light.
"Eeik!"
Shu-shu-shuk!
A chaotic, elusive sword force like tangled gusts of wind striking disorderly—it was the Ami Sect's Chaotic Wind Sword Technique.
Chae-chae-chae-chae-chaeng!
Though the situation was desperate, Jeong Yeon somehow managed to fend off the enemy's ambush.
It was thanks in part to the power of the Ami Sect's ultimate technique, the Chaotic Wind Sword Technique, but above all, it was thanks to the opponent letting his guard down.
The Blood Cult warrior, who had not yet reached the pinnacle of first-rate because he lacked enlightenment despite having the requisite sixty years of internal energy, still had no intention of killing Jeong Yeon.
And in that moment, once again, a throwing weapon shot out from within the Blood Wind Robe.
Pyusyuk!
"Kek!"
The distance was too close, and because the preparatory movements were hidden beneath the Blood Wind Robe, he could not possibly defend against it, even for a warrior of the first-rate realm.
At that, the remaining two gate guards shouted.
"The wounded bitch is throwing projectiles, be careful!"
"You dare, wench!"
In that moment, Seonwoo Jin's telepathic transmission resounded in Jeong Yeon's ear.
- Confront them with confidence, Sojeo. I will cover your back.
At Seonwoo Jin's voice, a smile naturally bloomed on Jeong Yeon's face.
In this very moment, his voice could not have been more trustworthy.
Ever since she first picked up a sword, Jeong Yeon had always received the same assessment from her sect's elders.
Her talent was outstanding, but her excessive caution and tendency to overthink hindered her own progress.
It was the complete opposite of the evaluation given to Jeongan, who was deemed reckless in action because she was too fearless and simple, but who, if she survived, would advance faster than anyone.
She, too, was aware of that fault in herself.
But an inborn nature was not easily corrected.
Yet now, in this moment, unbeknownst even to herself, she was charging forward too boldly and unleashing her sword forms.
What was more, with the most aggressive sword technique in the Ami Sect—the Extinction Sword Technique.
The fourth form of the Extinction Sword Technique.
Snaring Demon-Slaying Ghost.
Kiiiiik!
From her sword erupted a ghostly wail that was hard to believe was a sword art of the orthodox faction.
The sword light raging like a storm was as if an evil ghost were tearing its prey apart with long fingernails.
Chae-chae-chae-chae-chaeng!
"Th-this, uwaaak!"
One warrior, who had been frantically defending against the fierce onslaught, ultimately failed to block it and was torn to shreds by Jeong Yeon's sword.
"Haah, haah."
As Jeong Yeon was staring at the enemy's corpse with a blank face, realizing she had just slain a first-rate warrior of equal rank in an instant with a sword form she had unleashed unconsciously, Seonwoo Jin's telepathic transmission came again.
- Well done, Sojeo! But now is the time to flee!
"Ah, yes, yes!"
Jeong Yeon snapped back to her senses, supported Seonwoo Jin again, and hurled herself forward.
The last remaining warrior was already dead, a throwing weapon lodged in his throat.
Just as Jeong Yeon, once again supporting Seonwoo Jin, threw herself forward, other warriors rushed out from inside the main gate.
They discovered the corpses of the gate guards and cried out in alarm.
"That wench killed all the brothers who were at the main gate!"
"Was she a master?!"
"Hurry, request support from the squad leaders and the Daeju!"
The interior of the Gwagummun grew busy, as if a hornet's nest had been poked.
They could not possibly allow those who knew their secret to escape like this.
The warriors who had been waiting inside rushed out and began chasing after Jeong Yeon and Seonwoo Jin as they fled into the night streets.
'As expected of that rascal Jin, he's reliable for sure.'
It was only natural that Bi Sa-yeong, who had been watching the warriors pour out from hiding, smiled contentedly.
It now seemed far easier for him to investigate the interior of the Gwagummun, which had become that much more deserted.
***
The main hall of the Gwagummun.
In the sect leader's quarters, which the sect leader had not entered for months, two men who were not the sect leader sat drinking.
They were the first Demon Blade Yang Bul-gi and the second Burden Demon Blade Myeong Dae-sul, the demonic heads of Jangsansama who had occupied and were managing the Gwagummun for the Blood Cult.
The first Demon Blade, Yang Bul-gi, suddenly frowned and asked,
"It's gotten a little noisy outside. What's going on?"
To his question, Burden Demon Blade Myeong Dae-sul answered as if uninterested.
"What could it possibly be? Whatever it is, it's bound to be something trivial."
But Demon Blade Yang Bul-gi shook his head and said,
"It doesn't seem like it? I hear something about catching a woman. Could it be that one of the captive bitches has escaped? Go out and confirm."
The internal energy of the first, Demon Blade Yang Bul-gi, exceeded eighty years, whereas the internal energy of the second, Myeong Dae-sul, had not yet breached the seventy-year wall.
Thus, it seemed that Yang Bul-gi could hear sounds that Myeong Dae-sul could not.
At that, the second, Myeong Dae-sul, unable to refuse the senior's orders, rose with a deeply furrowed brow.
"Aish, where the hell did the third and fourth bastards go at a time like this?"
The second, Myeong Dae-sul, who had left the room grumbling, returned a short while later and said,
"It wasn't that a captive woman escaped. There was a bitch who had walked in on her own two feet, and she fled just before getting caught. So that's why it's so noisy, it seems they're trying to catch that wench."
At those words, Yang Bul-gi frowned deeply and asked,
"They let a woman who walked in on her own get away? A squad leader-level did? To think there's such a moron, I'll have to kill him on the spot."
"Well, I don't think that'll be necessary. Seems she already killed him. He probably let his guard down. What a moron."
At Myeong Dae-sul's words, Yang Bul-gi's expression turned peculiar.
"She killed him? A squad leader-level?"
Yang Bul-gi, who had been stroking his chin with an intrigued expression, abruptly rose to his feet.
At that, Myeong Dae-sul asked with a puzzled expression.
"Don't tell me you're going in person?"
Yang Bul-gi grinned greedily and answered.
"I've been a little bored lately. Holding the captive bitches somehow feels bland, you see. As expected, a wench is only truly savored when you catch her yourself. I'll be back soon. Guard well, just in case."
"Understood. I'll go fetch a woman myself and have a little fun. Ah, and if she's pretty, don't kill her—bring her back."
"Keu-heu-heu-heu, got it."
With those words, Yang Bul-gi left the room.
The first Demon Blade Yang Bul-gi, a master with over eighty years of internal energy and a realm comparable to the Flying Dragon 12th Battalion Commander Man Jong-im, had gone out in pursuit of Seonwoo Jin and Jeong Yeon. Nor could Seonwoo Jin and Bi Sa-yeong possibly have known that the second Burden Demon Blade Myeong Dae-sul, a master with over seventy years of internal energy, was guarding the main hall.