Chapter 83: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual (34)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 83: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual (34)
After several days of travel, we safely crossed Baeksan Mountain and entered the province of Liaoning. We stopped in villages along the way to rest, sometimes spending the time training.
Seol-hee was fortunate enough to be personally trained by Seo Ryeo-hwa, and her skills improved remarkably under her tutelage.
Finally, we arrived at the entrance of a small village on the border of Liaoning.
"So this is the first village in Liaoning," Jang Seo-young said, looking around.
"We should find an inn and get something to eat first," Seo Ryeo-hwa suggested calmly, and everyone nodded in agreement. It was time to rest our weary bodies after the long journey.
However, as we neared the village entrance, Seo Ryeo-hwa stopped. Her gaze sharpened.
"Wait."
"What is it, Master?" Jin Myeong-woo asked, but Seo Ryeo-hwa raised a hand, signaling for silence.
"Something is wrong with the village. The scent of blood is on the wind."
At Seo Ryeo-hwa's cold words, we immediately drew our swords. Her expression hardened as she shot toward the village using her lightness skill.
I turned to Seol-hee and said, "Seol-hee, if it gets dangerous, fall back immediately."
"Yes, Young Master."
Tension was etched on Seol-hee's face.
As we entered the village, the scene that unfolded before us left everyone speechless. Martial artists with their faces hidden by black masks were slaughtering the villagers. The black lotus emblem embroidered on their clothes was instantly recognizable.
The Celestial Sphere Assembly?
It was the massive organization led by the final boss in the Daoist Yin-Yang Manual. The black lotus was their symbol.
The Celestial Sphere Assembly sought to destroy the existing order of the Murim and create a new world of their own. They were the type to use both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions, manipulating all events from behind the scenes.
To think I'd run into them in a place like this...
As soon as I identified them, I scanned the area for any high-ranking masters from the Celestial Sphere Assembly.
Most of the masters in the Celestial Sphere Assembly are at the Transformation Realm or higher. If even one of the Grand Commanders of the Jet-Black Sword Unit is here, this could get serious.
The men before us were low-level martial artists. But the fact that they were committing such a brazen massacre meant a superior officer had to be nearby, commanding them.
Seo Ryeo-hwa was the first to fly toward the Celestial Sphere Assembly's men. Her sky-blue hair scattered in the wind, glowing faintly. Her sword moved with the grace of a dancer, but its path left only brutal death in its wake.
Jang Seo-young and Jin So-hee also drew their swords and charged into the fray. The mother and daughter's sword styles were similar, their elegant movements laced with deadly killing intent. With every flash of their sword energy, enemies fell.
Jin Myeong-woo followed his master into battle.
Beside me, Seol-hee was trying to catch her breath, her body tense. I could feel the slight tremor in her fingertips, but her grip on her sword never loosened.
I don't see any masters yet.
I remained vigilant, scanning our surroundings. These low-level fighters were no threat to us. The real problem was the one commanding them.
I cut down an enemy who rushed me. Seol-hee was holding her own against another. She moved lightly, following the forms of the Green Swallow Heart Method to evade her opponent's attacks.
I kept my senses focused on Seol-hee while searching for the hidden Celestial Sphere Assembly master. The attacks of the grunts were barely worth my attention.
Even Jin So-hee can handle these guys.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp presence from the darkness. It was killing intent, aimed at Seol-hee.
Just as I thought!
A master was hiding, just as I'd expected. His target was Seol-hee, who appeared to be the weakest among us.
Seol-hee didn't seem to have sensed the presence yet.
Shhhk!
My sword deflected a hidden weapon that flew out of the darkness toward her. A clang of steel rang out, and blue sparks flew.
"Young Master!"
Seol-hee looked at me with wide, startled eyes. It seemed she had only just realized the danger she was in.
"So you were hiding after all."
A man emerged from the shadows. I could see a half-moon emblem engraved below the black lotus on his clothes.
A half-moon emblem beneath the lotus... that must be the Eumwol Dan. He's at the Peak Level, same as me. This isn't the worst-case scenario.
It was the Eumwol Dan, the assassination unit of the Celestial Sphere Assembly. I felt a sense of relief upon confirming their identity.
If it's the Eumwol Dan, the situation isn't so bad.
They were the weakest of the Celestial Sphere Assembly's forces.
"Seol-hee, go stay by So-hee."
"Yes..."
Seol-hee quickly ran over to Jin So-hee.
At that moment, the Eumwol Dan member's cold gaze fixed on me. His eyes were filled with arrogance.
"How dare you interfere with our mission. You're insolent."
His eyes glinted coldly from behind the black mask. His hand was already gripping his sword.
"A mission... Is slaughtering villagers what you call a mission?" I retorted with a cold sneer.
"What does the death of these insignificant creatures have to do with you?"
The man slowly drew his sword. A murky, dark red energy rose from the blade as killing intent enveloped the area.
He charged first.
His sword flew like lightning, the dark red killing intent coiling around it as he tried to stab me.
Clang!
Sparks flew as my sword met his. The impact traveled up my arm.
"The same Peak Level... To think I'd meet a master of this level in such a remote place."
As he spoke, he swung his sword like a snake, aiming for an opening. His swordsmanship grew stronger, tinged with a sinister energy.
Swoosh!
The sword energy that cut through the air moved with a fluid, life-like quality.
I dodged his attacks, waiting for an opportunity to counter. His sword style was precise, but it wasn't much of a threat to me.
Swish!
I easily dodged his blade as it sliced through the air. At the same time, I found an opening and swung my own sword.
Slice!
The blade grazed his mask, leaving a cut. A look of bewilderment crossed his face, now visible through the torn fabric.
"Kuh... you bastard!"
I gave him no time to counter, unleashing a continuous barrage of strikes.
Clang! Crash!
Shockwaves rippled through the air. The man's sword began to waver, and his breathing grew ragged.
"This isn't enough."
My sword pressed hard against his.
Zzzzzzt!
A dark red energy erupted from his blade. It was the unique sword art used by the Eumwol Dan in the original story.
"The Shadowy Black Killing Sword..."
Dozens of blades swung toward me in my field of vision.
Dozens of sword shadows rushed me at once, each radiating the sharp killing intent of a real blade. But only one was real; the rest were mere feints.
Slice—
The edge of my clothes was cut, but at the same moment, I aimed for his opening. Compared to my fight with the Gay Bastard, this man's attacks felt far less threatening.
Swoosh!
The Eumwol Dan member was pushed back by my relentless assault. I could hear his ragged breaths.
My sword struck his with great force. With a sharp metallic screech, his weapon was knocked aside.
"This can't be...!"
Seizing the opportunity, I thrust my sword toward his chest. The man's eyes widened in an instant.
Stab!
The blade pierced his heart. Dark red blood flowed as his body collapsed limply.
"Urk... In the name of the Celestial Sphere Assembly..."
He fell, uttering his last words.
That was easier than I thought.
Facing a Peak Level martial artist would have been a struggle for me in the past, but my skills had grown significantly through my recent battles.
"Young Master Jin, are you alright?"
Seo Ryeo-hwa approached, a look of concern in her eyes.
"Yes. It's nothing."
Other than a slight tear in my clothes, I was uninjured.
"Who are these people?" Seo Ryeo-hwa asked, looking at the fallen man's body. Her eyes, fixed on the black lotus and half-moon emblems, seemed lost in deep thought.
"I'm not sure," I said, feigning ignorance. There was no need to pretend I knew about the Celestial Sphere Assembly.
"Master, I've never seen this emblem before," Jin Myeong-woo added, crouching beside the body to examine the symbol.
Jang Seo-young and Jin So-hee were already moving through the village, searching for survivors. Seol-hee followed them.
Seo Ryeo-hwa still seemed to be deep in thought. Her expression showed she had no intention of taking this incident lightly.
The village was in ruins. The stench of blood from the Celestial Sphere Assembly's massacre hung heavy in the air.
Our group gathered the bodies. We held a funeral with the few surviving villagers.
The funeral took place in an open lot on the outskirts of the village. The injured survivors limped out to pay their last respects.
Jang Seo-young and Jin So-hee helped treat the wounded, with Seol-hee assisting them. Seo Ryeo-hwa was still lost in thought, examining the emblems on the dead assassins.
She continued to frown as she looked at the black lotus.
"I've tried to recall any group that uses such an emblem, but nothing comes to mind. What could their purpose have been?"
"While we were collecting the bodies, I found a few strange ones," I said, looking at Seo Ryeo-hwa and subtly feeding her information about the Celestial Sphere Assembly.
"What do you mean?"
"There are several bodies with no wounds or external injuries. It's as if their souls were simply plucked from their bodies, leaving them dead."
Seo Ryeo-hwa's gaze sharpened. Her sky-blue hair fluttered in the evening breeze.
"I saw them too. Five in total... all young men and women," Jin Myeong-woo added, looking at his master.
"This is just like the legends..."
"Yes... it's similar to the dark arts that steal souls," Seo Ryeo-hwa said, her expression growing more serious. Jang Seo-young and Jin So-hee exchanged tense glances.
Seol-hee grabbed my arm, frightened. I could feel her hand tremble at the mention of soul-stealing.
"Judging by their martial skill and organization, they don't seem to be a simple group."
"That's right. Their skills were stronger than most small to mid-sized sects," Jang Seo-young said, and Seo Ryeo-hwa nodded.
"We should report this to the Murim Alliance."
Jin Myeong-woo nodded at Seo Ryeo-hwa's words.
"I agree. They don't seem to be simple heretics or apostates."
"We should leave the village for now. It doesn't seem right to spend the night here," Jang Seo-young said, looking around. Our party left the village and set up camp in a dense thicket.
Seol-hee's body was still tense, likely from the aftershock of her first real battle.
"Don't be so tense. You did great for your first real fight."
My hand kneaded her shoulder, massaging it. A small sigh escaped her lips.
Service
